Shanice

R and D Money.

We are.

Take the child. We are the authority on.

R ladies and get her name was Tank and this is the R and B Money Podcast, the authority.

On all things R and B.

Okay, you got the same clothes on. You do too, I do too.

You know what I'm saying something because you know we had we had flexing here earlier. But I said, listen, there's gonna be a problem if we don't get the better half in here, if we don't get that real ar they sing in here, we.

Don't take this my fuck up lady, And she pulled out Yes she did, shine up, she smiling, she smiling.

Thank you, thank you. Yeah, I'm so excited to be here.

You have you have one of the coldest, like craziest, awesomest smiles of all times.

Thank you, Like of all times.

You just gotta be a mean person. If she smiles at you know, you don't smile by you're mean.

You know. It's so funny. I came up with the title of the song, and I co wrote it with naughta Michael Walden and his team. And I came up with that title because I used to get laughed at in school because they said I smiled too much. They said, you're always smiling. And so when Narda asked me to write down a title for a song, I wrote down I love your smile. And then that's how we started forming the song from that title.

Oh yeah, we're gonna get into it. Yeah, it's perfect.

It's like every time I see you, it's like, man, life is all right.

As soon as you walked into that, just like this, thank you.

Like and I smile a lot, right, but your smile is different. Your smile is like it's radiant, you know what I mean. It like it like commands good energy and like holiness. It's like like when you smile the lord walk in the room, you see your smile.

Right, I did that. I gave you a smile, so like you're awesome.

You you're beautiful and and we want to of course want to give you your flowers and and and give you your your this you know, this is this is your moment too, to lack of a better word, no pun, intent to flex. Yes, today is your day to do that. Because you are nice. You are you are cool, come and collective, you are a consummate professional you.

Oh no, that is a sad you know that's about the trap side. Yeah, so we want to get into all of that.

We really, we really would love to start at the beginning, the beginning of my beginning, of the beginning of you with me. When do you identify this gift or who identifies.

It for you?

So my mom sings. As a matter of fact, she's now in the group the emotions. She sings with the emotions Emotions, So yeah, she's one of the emotions. Now. They just did that big festival with Diana Ross and everyone. So I come from a musical family. My mom and my aunt, We're all from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and my mom and my aunt had singing group. My dad would play the guitar and my aunt my mom would sing, and my mom would She sang the whole nine months while

From that's it's the Greyhound.

We took the Greyhound.

Yeah, okay, listen, all you new artists.

We got on the Greyhound.

Yeah, I don't know nothing because I've been on the Greyhound before.

Yeah, it took like three days.

Is not fun.

It was terrible, but as a kid, you know what I mean, it's a little bit bigger space.

You better be back on that bus before they take off that pitstop or you will be stuck in some random city.

No, it was. It was not a great ride, but my mom wanted to. They said we're going to go either to California or New York because they wanted to. You know, pursue their careers. When we got off the greyhound bus, wandered from the Emotions picked me up. She's my auntie, she picked me up. Yeah, she's she's the least singer of the Emotions. The best of my life. Well, yeah, she's like mine, like I've known since I was a baby. And so she picked us up from the Greyhound station.

That's your first audience.

I sang with el Fitzgerald when I was eight years old in a Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial. So that was like my first big thing. And then after that I did Star Search one Star Search at eleven years old, and then I was in a musical called Get Happy, and the musical was about the music of Harold Arlean. I sang some of the Rainbow in that musical and John McClain, who is over Michael Jackson's estate, heard me.

Why she's been smiling since she was.

Calling me Matael Jackson. Okay, well you know John McLain sign you got eleven.

John McClain signed me eleven years old.

After you win Star Search though, because this is another thing talk about it. Star Search was like American Yes, yes, Star Search was If you want Star Search, you were the real deal, because it's so many people's stories that talk about being on Star Search.

Yeah, you know I did Star Search.

Everybody does to say when I won, I want Star Search twice Actually okay, but I want the finale.

So you won the you said the finale.

The finale, I learned the.

The big one when all the winners come back.

So you beat you beat your heat and then you beat the combined Winner's.

Heat aka Thanos. I'm a smile, a smile and so it don't hurt.

And then when John McClain signed me, I get in the studio. Do you know Richard Rudolph, Dick Rudolph, He was married to Minnie Ripperton. They wrote Loving You Together and everything. So I got in a studio with him and he introduced me to Tina Marie. And I'm eleven years old working with Tina Marie at eleven years old, so she was like one of the first producers that I worked with was Tina Marie at eleven years old.

Yeah no, And it's funny because I know of that time, yeah, and I remember it's like very reminisce of like a younger Janet.

Yeah. Well, that's what well, Brian loren, I guess it kind of had like a he kind of put that Minneapolis Yeah sound on it.

Because you had to know, no half stepping record.

We had no half stepping yeah signed baby Yeah, so yeah, no half step in and and and and Okay, this is the thing. I was signed in Janet. Janet's Control came out in eighty six and I came out eighty It was m all label mates, and I wanted to be very careful about my image and everything because I wanted to have my own look, my own thing, and

I was trying not to, but people don't understand the behind the scenes and how that goes. Yeah, and a lot of the same hairstylists, a lot of same makeup artists, a lot of different people that are like, oh.

Well, you know what, I just tried this on this young girl and it would look good. It would look good.

On you, right, that's what happens.

Yeah, No, that happens.

Though all Yeah, in our business, and the fact that the more the bigger star gets it off first, it automatically looks like.

It belongs to me.

Right.

Never it never came from you. Who are you?

Yeah?

Thank you originated something?

Yeah, So I had to at eleven. That was really hard for me at the time. I was fourteen. By the time the album finally came out, I was fourteen.

So you signed for three years?

Yeah, And I worked on songs for three I actually worked with Ricky Bell and Rolph Trustman from New Addition had a song, yeah, and Tina Marie and Leon Ware Oh yeah. I worked with a lot of people on that. And were you in school or I was still in school? Yeah, So I went out homeschooling you yet No, I would still go to school, come home, and after school go to the studio, you know, so, and that's how it was.

Yeah, those are the days. Yeah, that's that's the real development.

I didn't. I wasn't, you know.

I didn't start doing my thing until later in high school. But I can just only imagine, like we were offered a deal when Janet was on Virgin.

I was in tenth grade to be part of that label and to be like a boys to men kind of thing. Wow. We were like, we have to say, Jesus, we can't have.

You a gospel groups.

He's done too much. Man. I was so stupid. Look at me now when we.

That's funny.

But it just didn't happen for me, you know, till later. So I really didn't, you know, get any of the I was a singer in high school, and I was a popular guy in high school. But it's different being famous in high school, like having an album out and and and knowing, you know, labelmates with Janet signed with Michael Jackson's people like us going to high.

School with that on you that's different.

Had you done kids Incorporated it?

I did Kids Incorporated? That was before I had my deal. Oh yeah, okay, so what this is the thing with Kids Incorporated. I auditioned to be one of the singers on the show and I got you know, they picked me and everything, so I was excited. I'm thinking, Okay, I'm going to be able to sing on the show. And then once I got the part, they decided to make me the keyboard player and a backup dancer, which I'm not a professional dancer, but I can get I can you know, I have good rhythm, but I'm not

Yeah they didn't let me sing.

But right after I left Kids Incorporated, that's when everything happened. I got my deal, you know, so it was a blessing in disguise. I'm glad I left because I was that's you know, I got signed right after what it Hayden was well, I'm not going to say anyone's name, but I found out actually a few years ago, I found out that there was a person on the show that said, if you guys let her sing, then I'm going to quit the show. And I and at the time,

Was that deal? You know, they're they're singers and they're sing girl with the smiles one song.

Out, I found out that that's why I didn't get to sing on the show. And that was heartbreaking to here. So but then I got my deal and everything you know from the from then on was great. You know, I signed with A and M. I came you know, did that, and then I left an them because John McCain left the company. So then I left after John McClain left.

But this is this is you had put your first album out right there.

Yeah, yeah, after Kids Incorporated, I could sign my deal and then it was took some years because we're trying to find out find the direction. And then at age fourteen, I went to the studio with Brian Laren. He did the whole album and then and then that came out in eighty seven.

Then how did it do? How were you feeling it?

It did well? Like I think, I think, can you dance? Might? I think it was number one? I think I had the number one I believe, yeah, right, yeah, so it did? It did well after yeah, after the first single, they really pushed the first single, and then it seemed like after the first single, like you know how labels like, I don't know, it seemed like they didn't push it

Clearly not in school no more.

I had a tutor. So when I did have to travel, we'd have a tutor on the road, and then then after the road, I just go right back to school. They would just give me all my work.

Going back to regular school.

I went back to regular school, and how was mom's with all this? Oh? Right, they were managing at the time. I listen, my mom and my aunt never forced me to do this, like I told them, this is something I wanted to do. She was never a stage mom. As a matter of fact, before I signed my deal, she was like, are you sure you want to do this? I'm like, yes, I want to do this. So my mom was very supportive. And the great thing is that they were always with me, so I felt always felt protected,

Extremely important. The mama, your is is underappreciated. Yeah, mama gonna raise hell right.

But the labels don't like when your family's working with you because.

Because then they can't control they can't control you.

Yeah today, And I like that.

Okay, So I'm all over your yeah, all over you. I love that, all ye all over your team. I still haven't been to Japan. I'm forty eight years old.

No way, that's my favorite, that one. I can't say my favorite, one of my favorite countries. I love Japan. I love it. Thanks, you have to go. They would love you.

Over there when you go, all open up just let me.

Know, would you. Yeah, Okay, we're going to go to Japan. Okay, we got some stuff that I'm sure they love you over at Japan.

I love it, I would love them.

Yeah, I'm gonna make that happen. We're gonna go to Japan.

You heard everything that is said on the Running podcast is a binding contract.

I love it there. I love the people. I love the food. This I just love it. It's beautiful, the fashion, it's just great. And they're very supportive. Once they love you, they love you forever. So they're loyal. They're loyal fans. Yeah, you can always tore them.

Okay, let's go, we're moving, Okay now, John McClain label.

So yeah. So then I left uh Anna Records and I went to Joe Busby signed me recipes.

He signed me to you know Tank played Joe Busby in a new edition.

You sure did.

Busby gave me a lot of money.

Words. Right, you played absolutely, you did a great job.

Thank you.

Yeah, he did a great.

Will be there that guy I got you? Yeah, yeah, yeah, very well.

But Joe Busby, I signed with Motown because my manager at the time was Bill Dern. Actually they talked about Bill Dern in the in the new edition, No, it was a new addition. Yeah. So Bill Darn was the one that played, was the manager of the new edition. He was also my manager. And we decided to go with Jerl Busby because you know, Jerl has kids and you know, and he was very nurturing and and so I signed to Motown.

How are you now? I said, how are you now?

Right now? No, I don't care. I mean he get Google or you know, but at that time, I I love your smile came out when I was eighteen.

Okay, so was he discover about sixteen?

About sixteen seventeen, Yeah, And so I signed with Dyll and then he put me in the studio. Nartim Michael Waldonnardi Michael Waldon did that whole album. My first song that I recorded was Silent Prayer with Johnny Gill was on was the first song It's your first song, which with with you on that album with It's.

Your first Session of the Moment, first session album, Yeah, Johnny.

He was with Johnny Silent Prayer, and then Narda said, do you have song titles? I gave him, so I wrote down a whole bunch of song titles. He used all of my titles that I came up with on the album not a Special Yeah. And then and then he was sitting by the piano and I just started singing melodies and and then everything just kind of started from there.

Oh, you know, it's funny.

So Jarvis jay La Rue, who was a co writer with you guys on Love is from my neighborhood.

That's crazy. The wrap.

This is the thing.

I'm sure Flex. I think Flex told you guys is I don't know, but I've always wanted to be a rapper.

Save you said it's authentic too.

So so when I did I Love Your Smile, at the time, I was listening to like Salt and Pepper Quin Latifa, I was listening to MC light and I wanted something hard, right, So when we did I Love Your Smile and then Jarvis wrote the rap and I did the rap, I was like, is this too sweet?

I mean, you know, he's talking to jail.

He was right about that, but he but the second single was a song called I'm Crying. I don't think I should I should have gone from smiling. I went from smile into crying. And I think that Silent Prayer should have been the second single with Johnny, and we should have shot a video. We never got to shoot a video.

But you had such a massive first single, like out the Gate. I think when that first single takes off, it's a whole other world.

But that's like that's an all timer, as you said, like it's still being.

Pieces.

People are still taking as many pieces of that song as they can to make new moments and memories from it.

And I'm so grateful that is I'm so grateful.

That's hard.

So when this record, you said, it takes off immediately, Yeah, do you feel the immediate shift in your life?

Yeah? I was really really busy, like to the point where sometimes I would I felt I was exhausted because I was going from one country to the next. And you go into you go, you fly in to that, you're on the plane for like fifteen hours. You get off the plane and go straight to a photo shoot, and you go to the radio station and then you're sitting in the one room and then you have like eighteen different journalists come in to interview. And I was just like, oh my gosh, I'm exhausted. But I had

Litigrate because it's like and in those days, like the promo was a different kind of.

Heavy, way different lift. It was way different. It was like sun up right to sundown.

Yeah, I worked my butt off.

You're going to sleep for four to five five hours and we're gonna get right back at it again the next day. That's how it was.

That's how it was.

And I had to fight that at one point because I'm like, I'm a machine, right and if you put it on the schedule, cool, I'm gonna get to it.

Yeah.

But then I started to realize that R and B is not supposed to be saying in between the hours of six am to ten am.

It's just not right.

It's just not And I said, I'm not I'm not gonna keep sucking up these more than show performances, right because I don't.

Belong here this early.

R and be don't open up to six thirty pm, maybe seven eight, that's when we'll start the performances.

You know, overseas it's a day chair clock, right, That's why they ain't let your ass over there.

The problem is this, let are and be sick. Where's all singing when you need them? Where's the Keenan Way Show when you need it?

Huh?

It's called the Army Money Podcast I'm talking about. That's what I aren't being supposed to be saying. Right, you're right, I'm just apologizing for what they did to us.

That's true. Yeah, But now labels aren't doing artists development and all that stuff.

They're not doing any of this because they're not trying to build legends.

They're not trying to build legacy. They're going off of what's hot right now, and then they're.

Going to swap you out right now.

You have to decide for yourself if you want to be in that category at any point of your career that's true, you know what I mean. But before they were literally like no this artist, because think about it, they were some artists were signed to six, eight, ten album deals, so they're like, oh, this is and we're gonna believe in you to album three or album whatever it is the case may be. Because even in your case, you sign an eleven, the album don't come out to fourteen.

Only reason you leave is because Joan mccauyn left.

Yeah, you might have still been there by the second album, third album, whatever it is. And I don't even think the labels look at the artists in the long run like that because the songs come and go, and ultimately the artists come and go. But before it was kind of a forced thing. We're gonna force you to be great, right right, because we believe in you.

Yeah, like Motown. They even they worked with me so much that they even had a guy come in to teach me how to do interviews. And I'm gonna tell you why, because I had to. We had I had to train for this because I am extremely shy. I'm a shy person. So when I used to sit down and do my interviews, I would just give it like

But that was an investment, don't you are a real investment.

And I just, man, it's just not because you see you see glimpses of the talent in today's R and B artists, but you can tell immediately from the school that we're from. Ah, they just haven't been trained, and they suffer because of it. They suffer live because of it, They suffer in interviews because of it. They don't know how to get back to the point of while they're there, they're able to be laid off on tangents that have nothing to do. You know why we're here right promoting

The positions aren't even there anymore, and I missed.

I'm so glad I got to experience the eighties in the nineties using the Golden Yeah, those are some great years because I'm looking at it now and it's like, I hate that people can't go to the record store and then like buy the record and look at the artwork and read all the credits, and you know, I hate that, Like people are downloading stuff for free and getting music for free. They're not buying it.

They're not buying into the experience of an artist.

Yeah, and then these streaming companies are taking all of our money. We're not making anything off of streams.

Well, they're also killing again the true artists experience right in between phones and the concert and songs being sold one at a time. Right, you can't really you can't really get into the story. Like back in the day when you bought that Anita Baker album, that whole thing.

Oh yeah, yeah, Like I listened. I flipped the album. Yeah, listen to it from front to back. Any heartbreak flip that album? Yeah, god god, yeah, the whole thing. Yes, I bought it.

I was into the story from song one to eleven.

And we don't have that. When I went to the New Edition concert, I don't have a phone, right, I have nothing.

I me and my mom might I had a pager.

I had a bad outfit. No, I have a pager. I just had my bad outfit. That's it, and I enjoyed the show from top to bottom.

Lost my mind.

Yes, me too. I almost got beat up behind a new edition.

Wait wait, yep, we got to come.

It was like I told you I was. I've known the guy since I was like ten eleven years old, and ride On magazine posted a picture of Ralph Trustman kissing me on the cheek. So when I went back to school when that magazine, that article came out, graders wanted to beat me up. I was in the seventh grade and the ninth graders.

Was gonna jump me. Listen, that's that's serious.

My mom had to pull me out of school.

Was your school six or twelve?

I know it was seventh to ninth middle of school.

Yeah.

Yeah, so my mom literally had to pull me out of school. Like the last couple of weeks I had to do work there.

Girls wasn't having it.

They were gonna be They were ready to beat me up because of Ralph Chessman.

I almost tell them all the time, you might be the least singer. You ain't round you.

It ain't Ralph though. They don't understand the power of Ralph. Ralph, Ralph kick this thing off. After Michael Jackson was Ralph was.

Wrong, Ralph flex that he wanted to be Ralph. He had to ship the shag with the part on the side.

Ralph was is Dursday.

Yes, so I just had to share that with you.

Yeah, oh that's great, that's great. You start naming so many names at the beginning.

I know, I'm sorry.

It just went.

Crazy from off the top. Okay, I love your smilers out. You're you're clearly on top.

Of the world.

Now you're a world wide star. Now you're a world wide star. I want to get into.

Like you you.

Personally at that time, because of course mom auntie every you know you got you got a family union unit. But do you say, okay, it's time for me to get my own place, get my own moving around.

Was a woman now, Yeah, yeah, I so. My grandmother was my road manager, my grandmother and my.

Grandmother grandma wasn't taking no ship, ain't nobody none of it. Look out, look out.

I was so protected. Oh my my grandmother slept in my same my room with me.

Yeah, like yeah, but I love your smiles.

This is when I love your smiles out, Like, yeah.

Your mom's in a double they're not my grandmother youand lock it up.

So yeah, they were very closed seven.

So it's about it's about time for us to go to bed, don't you think.

So I had the success, but I didn't feel like I didn't feel any different, and you know, I was sheltered and I didn't feel.

You weren't you just you didn't get that that experience. I was not wild out yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, did you desire to?

No, I was the way I am now, I'm being honest with you. I've been this way like kind of like my whole life.

Didn't want to hit the club one time when you was out of age, like and see what it was, you know what I'm saying.

Yeah, I've can to a couple of clubs. No. Yeah, I have a friend of mine who was who was like my brother at the time, and we would sneak into night clubs and stuff like that. So I can't say I'm like goodie two shoes. I've done some some some stuff, but you know, but but for the most part, I'm I'm a church girl. Like I grew up singing in church. My I used to sing in James Cleveland's choir when I was a kid, and I was the only I was the only kid in his adult choir.

Yeah, James, because I wouldn't allowed to listener and be Rights was the soundtrack.

Yeah, I went to church and sing in the choir.

And you know, so.

So whenever I did, like whenever I would veer to the left a little bit, God would always pull me back over to the right, you know, because you know, because I feared God, I never would go.

But so far so you weren't turning up at eighteen with this smash international smash record.

Did you buy something crazy? Did you? Well?

Yeah, put yourself.

Are you touching the money?

Yeah? Yeah, I buy myself a Mercedes. Oh yeah, get yes, I bought a really nice car. And that's like the only thing I bought a nice car. I bought my Mercedes, and I kept that. The funny thing is, I don't know if Flex told you this, but I'm frugal, like I know how to save money and I hold on to things. So I bought that car in ninety two or ninety one, ninety two when I met Flex. I met him in ninety nine. Why did I still have that same car?

I was still driving that all the way to the nine nine, two thousand you.

Had to make me get rid of that car, same car to I would drive a car to the wheels fall off. That's just how I got you.

Yeah, yeah, I don't keep cars that love. But up my car now three years anybody who complimented my car, be like, it's what everything got? Money?

Take it that funny?

What kind of bands was it?

It was gosh, what's the name of it? It was great. It was a three hundred three. That's three hundred.

Yeah for ten years.

Yep, I had it for ten years.

You say, one hundred and sixty thousand miles probably saw you saw a couple of remodels.

I like that.

I like not having a car. No, yeah, yeah, it's so.

Yeah.

And do you move out you're still with the family at this point.

Yes, you're still still at home with the family. And then in Flex and I met in ninety nine. Uh, and we got married in two thousand.

Oh, y'all went right to it.

Oh we dated three months and then he asked me to marry him.

Oh yeah, oh yeah, he knew what was going on.

And then four months later we got we were married and it's been twenty four years.

Oh he knew. Yeah, So it was like, shout out the Flex, shout off the Flex. But you hadn't moved out from your family until then, all right, you had moved out.

No, I moved out, and then I moved out for a minute, and then I moved back in. So so in the in the earlier nineties, I did get engaged to another guy to guy and it didn't work out, and I called myself being grown, and you know, I moved out of my mom's house. And then after that relationship ended, I moved back to my mom's house until I'm at Flex.

But let me get back in this nest. Yeah over here, well in the street. That's crazy. So Flex just you know, yeah, he wasn't gonna let the smile pass him by.

No, And it's crazy because I was he moved into my apartment building and I was getting off the elevator and he was getting on the elevator moving his furniture. And I was on my way to Lauren Hill's concert. And he said Shane, and I said Flex. And I knew of him, and he knew of me, because you know, he's an actor. I sing, and I said, you live here. He said, I'm moving in today. Let me get your number, and I said, okay, I said, let me go get a pin. I may go upstairs and get a pin.

That's wild. Yes, that's wild, it's ye. Did you invite the homie to the wedding? Oh yeah, what, yeah, it was this in your mind when you met Flex.

I forgot about it because it wasn't ninety one. So I wasn't even paying any attention till I and I told my friend, I said, guess who lives in my building? He said Flex And I was like, but I still didn't think nothing of it. I still it's crazy. I still didn't think, Okay, this is going to be this is the one, And then really.

Left him at the elevator for thirty minutes, right, I.

Mean he would come to my apartment and I have rollers in my hair, flannel pajamas, like I was just like, oh, he's the homie, like right, you know. And when he started telling me like how much he loved God and and he was celibate, I was celibate, and yeah, I loved it. And then I started learning more about him and I'm like, okay, okay. And then I went on tour with th Sink and I opened up for in Sync in ninety Was that ninety nine? Ninety nine? I opened up for Sink?

And describe that working with open up for describe opening up for in Sync? Because I went to that concert.

That was such I really did you see me on the ship? Was I there?

I'm gonna let you tell you no, it was whole.

That's so crazy. Okay. So I had the time of my life within Sync. Justin Timberlake loved my song yesterday, uh, to the point where he said, can I sing it with you? On stage? Can I sing it with you? And I was like yeah. And then on my last show, Justin got up on stage and we turned it into a duet and we performed my song Yesterday. So that was that was really cool. And the guys they treated me so good on on tour. They were really nice to me, and it was it was a great time.

So absolutely came to that tour you did, because it's like when I first came back to LA as an adult. And but before that, we had written a song for you. It was called so Hard to Say, So Hard to Say Goodbye? What my brother and myself and Damon Thomas. Yes, I wrote that record Whoa, which the song ended up going to Coco from s WV Wow, But we wrote it for you. It was your song first.

That's so and that's crazy. It's another song that I'll tell you about that.

But and then after that, I ended up writing for InSync and up writing for in Sync, getting cool with Justin, I ended up writing Celebrity for InSync.

Wow.

So it was crazy for me to come to the show because I always like, I always remembered your version. It's so hard to say it, but I'm like, oh man, Nice had the record. Then they went here, you know, just label in politics and house.

Yeah that happens a lot.

Yeah, songs get held up here and then it's like are you using that record?

Yeah?

You know that.

Then they're not gonna use it, and then it goes to another artist and that whole thing. So for me, like seeing you on that tour, I was like, damn, this is crazy, like because my INSNC record hadn't come out yet, but I'm just watching it.

I'm just like, damn, say she's on this tour and I love Chanice. I was a kid and seeing it whole, you know what I mean, Like just how it all played out, it was just it was a world world tour, right.

Well, I just did the States because the lab I can't remember how many they have to be like sixty. I had had a lot of dates, but I can't remember how many. But the label they didn't want. The guys wanted me to stay on the tour, but the label had to pay for like the tour bus and all that stuff and they didn't want to continue to pay for the tour support. Yeah, I didn't get the tour support, so I could have stayed on the tour, but the label didn't want to pay to take.

An artist off of in Syncs tour during those people, Yeah, we were doing huge arenas at the height of a group. Yes, you got your artists on that tour, Like.

You take care because when you double back with another record, all those fans that you've.

I'm like, do you know men people per night, I'm singing in front of like and putting you in front of a lot of people that were new for you, that were that were there were new fans for you.

You you gaining new fans R and b artists.

I can't on a.

Super pop tour with the biggest pop group at the.

Time that the day were huge. Yeah, I really serve. So many things happens in my career and I still people ask me all the time, like, what happened with this album? Why did this happen? Why? I'm like, I don't even know, you know, I can't even answer that because I thought that was ridiculous. I should have stayed on that tour and the guys wanted me on the tour. But yeah, you know, you know, like you said, politic politics.

Politics, So it's so much more. It's so much more than than the general public knows.

So so what is the energy going? So now you've you've you've done this, you've done the tour and all these things, So what's what's the energy now with you in the label? And in terms of what they're saying, is next you're.

Talking about at the time, back then.

You can speak on the label if you want to.

I won't say that, okay. So yeah, after after the tour, I met Flex, and then Flex and I got married. And right after we got married, like we that same year we got I got pregnant. So I sat with the label at the time, I was like five months pregnant, and we were talking about working on the next album. So I was super excited, like, yeah, I can't wait to get back in the studio and record and my stomach's like out to hear and so the meeting went well.

And the wildest part about it, too, is that I actually know of artists, female artists who have hit their pregnancies.

Right, imagine how many artists have had abortions because because of that. Yeah, you know, but now the times are different, Like now women are on covers of magazines now and it's accepted now. But back in the late nineties and early two thousands, the labels looked at you like, Okay, you're done. I guess I don't really think that, you know, men aren't going to find you attractive anymore, or I don't know, I don't know what.

There was a bunch of weird uh things in place back then that you couldn't be in order to be this that we're just religious.

They said, okay, don't mention the interview that you got a boyfriend, or like.

In my career there was like you don't say you're married, right, because.

Then you'll lose all your girls, women fans.

Women love you. Man, you are a fantasy. He tells how I said, you are a fantasy.

Bro Like that should be, that should be. All of those things should be up to the artists. If you want to publicize whatever you want to publicize, be up to you.

I mean, now you thank god it's changed has changed. But back then it what they was the case. It wasn't the case.

They just they just had a thing that whatever their analytic was, it told them that X, Y and Z has to be this in order for it to be that, you.

Know what I mean? And the because they hadn't seen any other way seen it, Yeah, has it? So they were going to run that formula until it ran out.

Yeah, so I got That was really a tough time for me because, like I told you, I signed when I was eleven years old. I always had record deals and I've always since I was a kid, and so when that was snatched away from me, I kind of like, you know, went into depression. And you know, I had a new baby, and I was happy that I had a new baby, but at the same time, I was like miserable because I couldn't, like, you know, do what

So, and were you during this time, from like two thousand and one to two thousand and six, are you performing still? I was still kind of shut everything down.

No. I was still doing the shows here and there. You know, I just didn't have a record deal, but I was still kind of you know, still singing, still singing to church, still doing shows. Yeah.

So, but you were trying to figure out the record and I wanted to.

Get back on the recording side.

Yeah.

Yeah, So I did that and we had to spend money out of our own pockets. So we know, whenever I had to travel or whatever, I was funding everything. So it was really hard. So we couldn't really push it as hard as we wanted to because the funds just wasn't. It just wasn't.

They don't come back as fast they go out right. No, it's just people they don't know how this thing works.

Of like I had.

Yeah, I had to pay all the producers, I had to pay for travel, I had to pay for my videos, my photo shoots all of that, so I just we couldn't afford it. And then I know, we talked about this several times publicly, but then our money started running out. You know, we ended up losing our house. We lost everything, like Flex's show one on one ended, and then at that time, it was such an awful time. We lost our cars, we lost our house, we lost everything. So

No, and we have to we have to be there for each other in this business because I think people see it on the outside.

I've spoken about them multiple times during this interview of how people perceive things and how they think things go more than what the realities are. The realities are. We're all human, yeah, we all. This is a this is a passion, but it's also a job exactly. Sometimes we lose jobs, you know what I mean. And it's great when you've made the right relationships that someone will help you either get another job, help you get on your

Flights, hotels, everything, every clear a sample yeah whatever these things are, you know what I mean.

So you know, I just and we also said this to flex, like we just appreciate the honesty and the openness that your family has had to tell what this thing really is.

We I mean me and me and him.

We joke a lot about a lot of stuff, but same experiences at the time, you know what I mean. You know, we talk about him and I could never keep a car.

He was coming to get it.

He was trying to hide them cars. I wuld have lost two houses. I don't know how many cars. Please, But it's just somehow or for some reason, it's just par for this course. It's just what this thing, This thing takes all of you, a lot of you, and and depending on you know, how strong you are, what you're or what you're rooted in. We're able to figure it out and sit here in this room today and talk about it with a smile on our face.

That's you know, made it through the stone. I'm not where. I mean, things are much better, much better than it was. You know, we made it through the storm. Well. We we actually Pitchedory the idea for a reality show to own. We had one meeting. We didn't even get out of the building and they wanted to show. They picked it up like immediately, and so you know that helped us,

So how is it for you though, as you know, going and doing one side of the business as a recording artist and then being a reality TV star too?

Though now like because now people people in your business.

First thing in your business as an artist, but now they really in your business because you didn't give them some more information.

How is that?

I've always been an open book, you know, so it didn't bother me. It was actually my idea to do a show. I always I love reality TV. Watch I watched Girls, I watched I watched all of those. I watched the Housewives, subscriptions, Ship, I got all that, so yeah, I watched everything.

Everybody name shout.

So so yes, I love all the shows. So I asked Flex before that happened to us with the house and all that. I told Flex, I say, let's do a reality show. And he was like, no, I don't want to do a reality show because people are not going to take me serious as an actor anymore. Like he really thought he wouldn't be able to act if we did reality show. So then when all that stuff went on with the with the house and the cards and all that, he said, you know what, we have

You're trying to bring it back flex and.

It's like, no, I'm not doing that again. Like he doesn't want to do it again. I don't know, it depends on it depends, it depends I would do it again.

So did you do you? Guys?

Did do like the like the other shows though, you know how they do the like Couples Island after they do their your reality show.

But then you go and yeah, we've never done those, like those couple retreats and stuff like that.

Okay, did you do it?

Did you do it now?

Flex, We got we got it almost did it. I was like, this man, you we had one more million of that I might get on that island. One more million. And you got me. That's dope. That's dope.

How are you feeling now because you got listen you I told I told I told Flex this too, and I said something about seeing you two together is like really cool.

Thank you, Like it's like an energy like no other.

And and and we were going through the progressions of his careers were gone through the progressions of your career. It's like he said, he told us that, you know, a couple was thinking about picking their lives, taking their lives until they saw your show and they saw your journey and that kept them from from hurting the very

Yeah with this thing.

Yes, So yeah, I was at church one day and this lady cried on my shoulder and she told me that she was her and her husband couldn't killed themselves because they had lost everything, but our show saved their lives. And that's when it all clicked in my head. I said, that was you know, we went through that so that we can, you know, help others. And I'm glad we did the show. But I ain't gonna lie. In the beginning, when they started playing the promo, I made a statement

I was like, why did I say that.

That's so embarrassing, Like I was in the beginning, I was like really nervous and embarrassed. And and then after I when I when I heard that woman's story and I saw how it was affecting people's lives, and I said, okay, lord, okay, then you know, I felt good about it. I'm like, I'm glad we did that.

It's not a bad line. The line is so factual all across the board.

More than people want to admit to not get fooled by the gram.

That's true. You can make your life look so fly on Instagram.

Man, these celebrities they're gonna post a meal, right, but they're gonna post chopping up that check. Who had the chicken? Right? Who had gratuit gratity? Who had graduate gray, who had gratuy? I ain't had no, I ain't have grady. I don't even know. I don't even know.

That's real.

It's real, it's not sweet, and that type of transparency use and you don't have to write, but it goes such a long way for people who inspire to be like you because they like when it's when, it's when it's when, when when it's tied is high, when when you know when the waves is high and the surfing is good, the swear yeah, we end. But what happens when it is not? What happens when the dream has.

To now.

Become a different type of reality.

Right, You've had deals since you was eleven. First time in your life you don't have a record deal, you know what I mean? And so they're looking to you to say, well, how do I get out of that?

What do I do to to to move on? And can tinue? Where do I find value in myself?

Because you have to love yourself and have other things that you're interested outside.

Of that if we weren't taught ancillary.

That's true if you put all if you just focus on I want to. I want to, you know, do music and music and music, and I want to be famous and I want to. And you don't have anything else that you you love, and you don't have a loving family or just like other things to turn to, Like you can literally lose your mind, you know, when it's taken away.

And that's why it's so great to have you here and to have your husband here to see that, to see that you haven't lost your mind in this thing, you know, and that you still just and he mentioned this a couple of times.

Just the energy, the energy that you both have together.

Separately, like you know, like I just randomly ran into them on the air airplane, airplane.

It's just my guy.

I think that's early morning too, you know when people don't even be speaking to each other early.

Hell, we need you and Johnny's on the box, you know what I mean. Like, I'm so glad because that is just what you've the aura of both of you that you've always given everybody you thank you.

I appreciate it.

I've never heard.

Anybody say they don't like next or shans never ever thank you ever, ever ever thank you, and that is that is to be celebrated.

Yeah.

Well, I appreciate you guys thinking of us absolutely.

I want I want to touch you one more thing as we talk about you, your strength and your perseverance and and and and life and its reality. You are a survivor.

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah wow yeah. This year. Well, in about eight years ago, I had a I did a mammogram and an ultrasound on my breast and they thought they saw something and so they said, we want you to go to I think it was USC to do a biopsy because they have a USC hospital.

So I went and.

The guy, the doctor there, said why are we doing a biopsy on something that I don't see? Because he ran his own test and he said, everything looks clear. You're fine. But that moment freaked me out so much that I never went back again, and so I didn't get I wasn't going every year to get my mammogrounds. Yeah, because I was terrified. I was scared. So I had this lump in my breast and I thought it was

They wouldn't have known or they just didn't catch it.

No, they didn't see it. They I mean, the other stuff in the milk ducks showed up, but the tumor they didn't see it on the Mamma Grand or the ultrasound. So I didn't know that until after that I had a stage one tumor. So I had both of my breasts removed. Thank god that I have implants now, because everybody's like, well, how come you look like it's doing press. Well, I haven't. I haven't plants now, but I'm good. You know, I caught it early, and I just have to keep myself healthy.

You still walked in this room smiling, it was building, smiling, enlightened.

And this was three months ago. So I had my surgery three months ago, and you know, I just had an examination a couple of days ago and she said everything everything, looks good. So I'm just gonna stay on the on the other side of every so every six months, I got to get checked every six months.

And just in that too, just in your your journey and your story, just telling other women, and we tell men all the time when you know on our podcast, like especially in our community, yes please.

Get tested even with prostate, like check all of that, like you know, because when you catched up early, you can You'll live, you can do, you can live. So I'm so glad I caught her right.

We are too, I'm good.

I'm good. I also want to say this before we go. I'm in a musical and I'm playing Michelle Obama in a musical called forty four and the Food.

Where can we check it out?

So it's about Barack Obama when he was running for president. And we did a run here in California at the Bourbon Room for like six weeks, and and then we just did New York, we just did Chicago. Looks like we're about to go to Philly next month. So I'm enjoying it so much.

Are you guys coming back to l A?

I know, I think after after the New year back here, so I'll let you know, but I'm having the time of my life doing this musical. So much fun.

Your stomp. You're a flat footed singer, so that worked. It works for you.

A huge com from you and you.

It's not like we were going there like yeah, she's gonna that would be the last of the words, like she about to cook?

Thank you?

Are we gonna get some new music? We're gonna you know, yeah.

I you know. I just recently Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis did.

End for Nothing.

Yeah, they did a show a festival in Minneapolis and asked me to be a part of it. It was myself and Reuben stuttered and we had to sing all of their hit songs and and so it went really well. And so now they're like, we want to get you in the studio. So I haven't been in the studio yet, but they want to get me in the studio to record.

So I can't wait.

I want to work for you guys too.

This is this, this is our place, this is where we do.

I want to record. Yes, yes, okay, you heard them right, you guys.

Everything you can ship. I'm waiting for the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

They just finished La Adams album and.

I know, I know we would love to work with you, but as fans of that ship, I know what Jimmy jam and Terry Lewis are going to do.

I am so excited.

I want to hear it first before I do anything. I saw the songs up. I want to be able to fight on the even playing.

Whatever.

Her niece, Take your your top five R and B.

It's hard to pick five.

If I had you have to or you're five at the moment, you know you're five. Just you know which just comes to my.

Winnie Houston is definitely Whitney Houston. Jesus, I love well does it have to be? R and B?

Whatever you want your world?

Because I love Karen Clarks.

Know I love all of the Clarks Okay, will make them a whole to a whole. Got to get a who section. I watched I watched the movie and it was real. It's real.

I was a little girl and I used and I used to say I used to watch them and I used to say, I want to sing like that one right there, Karen. But you know, and then when I met her, she had all white and I remember saying, she's a real angel. She's wearing white. Okay, So anyway was the white that.

FLEX had on in Michael Jackson. It was.

Then I messed my head. I waked him Mike too. I sang three backgrounds on three records. Yeah, I sang backgrounds are three of Michael's records is keep the faith, keep the faith behind the mask. After he passed away, they put me on that song and then I did You'll be there.

You'll be there and break my heart for Tony Braxton.

Yeah, I say backgrounds on unbreak my heart.

Look at me, look at me, look a look at me. Know my little tit bitch.

That's true. But okay, so okay, favorite top five R and B.

Singers too, like I did too mean Clark's sisters.

Yeah, we're gonna put them and then shoot, I love Kim Barell.

Why not. Yeah, she's a beach super saying, oh my.

Gosh, I heard her seeing the other day. I was a she did this like it's almost like the tiny desk thing, and she did a performance. It was a small, intimate crowd and I'm just sitting there with my mouth open.

Like it's always it's insane. It's always a lesson. Oh my goodness, I never get tired of it.

Oh.

I'm like, if I could just jump into her brain and just like, I just I don't know what she's thinking when she's singing. I just wish I could think.

But what she picks to go is it's insane.

I can't do it at all, but she's even hearing it. It's like I didn't even know that's where you could go there.

Michael Jackson's one of my favorite. I love Michael Jackson. And gosh, there's so many people that I love. I love Beyonce.

Why not. I love Beyonce a loyal member.

I think she sings in that song Plastic on the Sofa. I love those I love what she did on that plastic. They are not going to tell me right it's called It's just a song that's on her new album called Plastic on the Sofa.

I have to look Renaissance.

She I love that song.

She opened her She opened her stadium concert with ballads.

I remember that.

I went like, like, how disrespectful.

I'm going to sit right here by this piano. Classic off the plastic off the sofa.

It's plastic off the sofa and on the sound and.

Give you these raw, unadult orted vocals.

That's what she did. I got to say this. I know you said top five, but I got I have I have to mention. Let us see, I have to mention Chante Moore. I have to mention to Miya these are people that I really do, I really do love. I have to mention Jazz and Sullivan too.

I like, you got no argument for anyone you said, you and to Mia have this like special place for me where you got.

You two exist in just this space of like skill power and and if I'm going to make me make up a word angelics, thank you. Okay, your top.

Five R and B songs, well the best of my love by the emotions. And I'm gonna reason why is because when I was a little girl, I didn't know how to harmonize. I knew how to sing lead, but when it was time to harmonize, I would always go off my note and go on to another note. And so my mom taught me how to harmonize by listening to the best of my love. So that's how I actually learned how to harmonize from the emotions.

I mean, you just got the family full of singers. Everyone sings yes, get on your cheating. I have to be telling your husband to get off.

Oh yeah. We taught him how to harmonize to him, My mom and I did because because Flex sings on key.

Flex doesn't sing out of key.

No no, he's much better now. He has a good ear too. No no, no. Flex has a good tone and he can hear if someone's off. He can hear it like he knows.

Now we heard your eye turner. He could you see the episode? I heard another he comes out with right.

Yeah. So we worked with Flex and he actually can sing. I think Flex flex, but I would say the best of my love. I love Michael Jackson's You Are Not Alone. I love that song. That song just when I.

Hear simple, it's so simple, it's so simple.

The song the Titanic song that Celine Dion did saying that.

Yeah, he'll go on. So you know.

I worked with Diane Warren and David Foster. I did a song called Save a Third for You. It's on the Night One soundtrack. She wrote that, Yeah, Diane wrote, Diane, Diane.

Warne taught me a real lesson in music publishing. Yes that I will never forget. Thank you.

Yeah.

So I love.

Celeine Dion. How wasn't it my life my harbor gone, Gosh, it's so hard to pick you got it? I think all time?

Yeah?

Three yeah, three, Well since I love your smile was so good to me.

Yeah yeah, I told you something. Yeah and that undecided check yeah because she wrote it.

Yeah yeah yeah. And then I have to say adore by Prince. I love Prince.

He was so ahead of his time, yes, with those records.

And I'm gonna tell you. We meet and you know, we meet celebrities all the time, but when I met Prince, he's the only celebrity that made me cry. I literally not in front of him. I was like, nice to meet you, and then I went to the bathroom.

I was like Prince moment.

I was such I found out when I met Prince. So yeah, I got to say door kind.

Of I didn't meet him.

Yeah, we was in the same room.

He was like right over there, Wow, you didn't meet him.

I didn't get a chance to meet him because it was like it was a it was just kind of a weird interaction. It was one of Jamie's parties throwing the party at this hotel and Prince came.

And then I'm like, that's prissy. And then and then he was looking at me. I was like, I know, he's so like mysterious, completely mysterious. Like what do I like, do I go?

Do I walk over to the Yeah? And then he wasn't even in there for five minutes and then he came walking towards me. I'm like, is he going to say ahead of me? And then he just walked by me here like I guess not. And then it was like, we're going to the Sayers Club and we all gonna jym out.

Prince is coming. And then we got there and I think Prince came for like a second, and then Princess Prince like batman. Yeah, yeah, I told her. I told her home.

He said, don't don't say nothing to print, leave princes alone and didn't listen. They didn't listen, and it went a little left.

Did they ask for a photo or something? Because I don't think he took pictures with people.

They start bringing up like holidays and birthdays. It's my birthday and he's like, oh, you don't witness I.

Don't believe in birthday. He just went and went left and then he vanished into the night. Oh wow, literally like one. We looked over to each other and say something. We looked back, he was gone, gone, I don't know. He's a magical nigga. He's so good at that, good at that. But yeah, let's build your voltron, your super R and B artists. We want to get the characteristics from artists that you've loved in the door since the

And and here's what and here's one. I'm gonna throw a monkey wrench on you. What's going to be the title of their first single?

Here we go. You're so good at it, I'm so confused.

To guide you through it. Making a super R and B artist. You can pick one voice to build that artist. What voice are you picking the singer?

So if I had a new artist and there's a singer that I want to know, you're putting this artist together like vultron. Oh, I'm putting it. I'm putting an artist together.

You're putting all the DNA artists. So you have to pick one vocal to be the vocal of this artist. What vocal are you picking? Whose vocal. Are you picking?

If it's a female artist, I would say, this is whatever you want to be. I would say, Whitney h strong strong, strong, strong, and and and she doesn't overseing and she knows like she does her run like she could hit you with a dope run. But she didn't overdo it because she's so quick. But it was so much power. She didn't have to like when she did the National Anthem, she didn't do a whole lot of runs, but it was so much power in that performance.

It was it was the most intense.

She knows how to land those runs.

To her I've ever seen, I've ever felt.

But if you think about it, she wasn't like all over the place she was.

She was just precise and had so much intention with every note. I was like, you gotta be kill Like who cries during the national anthem?

People were crying like I was. It was a tear coming out of my iuse fighting a tear. I didn't cry, it was a tear in my eye. That's not crying now you cry, that's emotions.

Te Can I say one more thing? And I know you're going to be like, oh here she goes dropping another name. I just want to say this. So whitn and I were We were really cool. And as matter of fact, when I got married to Flex, she said, that's a gift, a wedding gift. And so my friend Don Juan used to be her sound person and used to run her, I think, her recording studio. She had her own home studio and he he called me one day and I missed the call. He said, why didn't

Something so okay, performance style, performance style, You're going to get.

Style on stage on stage?

Oh, like the way to perform on stage.

They give me male female. You're just you're building, You're just building an artist.

Michael Jackson.

Why why not? I know your attachment. I know your attachment, Michael Jackson. I know you do.

Styling, drip vocals, closed styling, Beyonce, why not.

Nothing off the rack? Yeah, once you get there, a new wardrobe area album, a new theme theme ding. You've seen that Cowboy Carter. You seeing that alb cover.

Her images really strong?

Is that a see through horse?

It was it was special, it was special, like yeah, like that those reinventions. There's Madonna and then that's Beyonce.

Yeah, oh yeah, Madonna. She knows how to reinvent her just turning in all the time.

And and everyone who's on board is changing clothes.

It's true.

Okay, we're not an army. No more cool.

Oh I got to say something. I just saw Dinah Ross on stage and she looks like a gazillion dollars.

That's what she does.

We got to mix Dina Ross in with beyond that. You can do that change so many times. And I'm telling you her outfice look like every dress you wore looked like it costs at least a million, Like she looked beautiful.

That's what does Yes, it's all elegance, elegance, all high level.

Business, circle star.

When I was a little I just saw that five years old, and she brought my brother on stage to sing.

I love Dinah Ross. I didn't get to mention her too. I love Dinass.

This is fun.

It's fun, okay, okay, So yeah, Diana, you had to mix. I was mixing a little Diana Ross and and Beyonce.

I love that. I love that. I love that mix. The passion of the artists. Who means it, who makes you feel it?

Karen Clark. Yeah, when I hear her songs, it brings to her like I literally cry when I listen to her music.

So and I feel her both criers.

Yeah, I cried. It's okay, cry.

Just for the love of black man. I don't want to be I'm not group the group. I am in the group.

Yeah, you are an agreeas in the group. You are in the group.

Let me and now I'm crying. Let me out. O man, it's great, it is great. Just you know, just a thug tear. What's okay?

Here we go and what's the name of the saying, what's the title of the single for this artist, for this artist, what's she gonna name the single?

Smiling through it all?

Smiling through it all?

Wow, smiling through it all.

I guess it's really good at this right for don't take our title Jimmy Jam turn noise. We got it first. Smiling through it all?

Is it because I've been through the ringer? But I'm still, you know, smiling all In with.

That, I'm going to the pewter when I get home.

Yes, let's go.

I'm gonna start tickling the I I mean strings.

Yes, will be in the studio, both of us crying.

So here we are very important segment of the show, so important called I Ain't saying no names. You tell us a story funny and funked up, a funny and fucked up. The only rude to the game is you can't say no name.

I can tell you stories that's funny, funked up, but just don't say the person's name.

No names, no not now name. You can say occupation, you can say was you not who you was with?

Okay, So do let me tell you a story you okay. Well, So there was an artist recording artists that was really big at the time, and the person's song single just came out and I had to be on the same show with her, and I was so excited because they had our names on the dressing We had to share dress rooms together. So I got to my dressing room. I got to dress room first, and my mom was

We don't have to be that way. Yeah, but maybe in fairness, yeah okay, And it probably wasn't about you, and more so about the promoter what maybe.

Was promised to her right And and I've read to this person over the years, like recently, and that person is super nice to me. But that was my first that was your intro, My intro.

Meet you too, ready to share space with you.

I was so excited. So my feelings, yeah, my feelings got hurt and.

He was probably smiling and everything, and Jesus, yeah, didn't see when he said in the hallway.

I can't say the person's name, but it was another person that wanted to do a duet with me and the label told him no. But I'm not going to say yeah, they said no, and they said I don't understand. I said I don't understand either, and so that was pretty.

So he came and told you like they told me. I was like, why, but you wanted to I want to do it.

So when you talk about politics.

Like I know all about that or you know, you were in it when the politic was was heavy everything.

Yeah, yeah, my feelings have been my feelings have been hurt on several occasions and I'm like why, Like what did I do? You know? So, yeah, that's another story that's messed up.

You were you were also a heavy commodity and people were trying to figure out you know, a lot of people trying to want to control that.

I want to have their hands in on it. Heavy standing next to how they saying it you know, to read the reason she is that because I made sure of that right doing that.

Yeah, I mean I wish and we speak about this like I wish that Chris Brown's would have come along earlier.

In R and B.

I love Chris, Chris Cherish his wealth. He works with everybody, the songs with everybody, and he doesn't and it was his idea to do.

I love your smile too.

He doesn't let the labels get in the way of who he just wants to work with. And for so long, like you said that, politic kept so many artists from doing records together, people who were actually friends.

And people and people who may have thought, maybe we're.

Not friends because of those things that labeled politic and a manager saying something to the artists and you feel away because you don't really know the person.

But now we you know, we have this.

Where you'll see multiple R and B artists doing a record together.

That's true.

Now everybody you know, and it could have been, like you know, rappers are good, they collaborate, Rappers collaborating the.

Smoke together, they sol drugs together, they were locked up together, they're in the gang together. Like their togetherness was already like part of the package. Right, we're just once plucked out of church one at a time. We need like an R and B tang clan, we do, that's true.

We need like nine young like yeah, that would be, that would be, that would be dope. I did the Soul cipher on Soul Train with Chante, Moore, PJ. Morton, and Stokely.

Yeah.

Yeah, we all did it together. So that's kind of similar to Chante.

You're the only one she named that has not been on the R and B Money podcast. Against has been on the podcast, has been on the podcast. Yes, has done the podcast. And you told me that she was coming to and we both from San Francisco. You have to do you have to do this podcast?

Yes, please, Kelly, take this phone, take this phone. That's the wrong song too, that's the wrong soul.

But I also have a funny story. I was a Flex was talking that It was after an award show and he was in the press room and he was talking this is funny, but oh he said, don't say any names. Well Flex was there, Yeah, yeah, he was there, but he was standing next to somewhere really big and they were talking on the microphone that was in a press room and I was standing on the side of the stage and I was just pregnant with my son, and I said, let me go sit down because I

You're all right, Oh, I was good.

Yeah, that was That was years ago. But that was just a funny story. Yeah. Yeah.

You're probably one of the most awesome persons human beings in the world. Thank you. The combination of you and your husband, it all makes sense. Thank you. Good people finding good people and I don't know, man, just just making this world a better place. Shout shout out to.

You know yet it was it was everybody knows about that place I've been apartment building.

Yeah, that's what that's what we need.

Money.

Almost moved in there too, really, that's what we met. I was like, let's record deal money. I was like, I see what's going on in there.

But at the time, I'm being honest. When I moved in there, it was like, for one Baron was like thirteen hundred a month. No. Yeah, but then but now that same apartment, it's like probably like four thousand a month easy, probably.

More than that. Yeah. Yeah, they're gonna whoop be because.

That location is because I think what friend of my checked a couple of years ago. It was like four thousand it.

Anywhere from over there. Yeah, you get anywhere in twenty highway right there.

I remember thinking like thirteen hundred a month. Back then, back in the day, I was like, that's what thirteen I had.

I had a two bedroom in Ranch and cucka Manga. It's like twelve hundred.

See, it's not like that anymore.

I need that back, No, right, I need that.

Right.

I think I'm think I'm baby from Caney, right. I don't know. Nigga for a focus with the Corinthian eleven cruisers, Wow, niggas didn't realize it, but they were being economical as a motherfucker. Think about it.

It wasn't ten Bentley's, it was ten custom pet cruisers.

We saved money, but we still look but they weren't holding on to him for ten years like Shanese.

Oh, I held on for ten years.

That three. I love it. You know you got three four years max? Right? Do you say that you got to get rid of? Yeah? You done? All right? Yeah, we appreciate you.

Can, I say, yes, you can. I have a vegan lipstick line. It's called Smile by Shines, and I'm actually wearing the lipstick right now, so I have to give a shout smile to your camera. Smile byes. Go to my website smile by Chinese dot com and get my lipstick line is vegan, it's long lasting. You love it and I have several have five different colors.

So and that's why media training is needed.

I was like, I'm not done. Thanks to say that. I'm going to say, and you call me up here, let me talk. I can say what I'm doing and how I'm doing it.

What my.

Smile by You got anything else? Smile by Shawn, that's it. That's a vegan and it's vegan.

It's vegan.

Yeah, smile through it all, smile through we are we yeah.

Yeah, it's coming.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. I appreciate you, thanks for having My name is Tank, I'm Jay Valentine.

This is the Army Money Podcast, the authority on all things R and B things, and this has just been a breath of fresh air, array of sunshine and smiling through it all.