INTERVIEW: Tank & J. Valentine Talk R&B Money Podcast, Hell's Kitchen, How R&B Has Evolved, AI Music + More

Every day a week ago. Click your ass up the Breakfast Club finish for y'all.

Done morning everybody, It's the j Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. Laurla Rose is here with us as well. We got some special guests.

In the villoty.

Yes, indeed we have Jay Valentine and Alicia Keys, Pops, ladies and gentlemen.

Let me take ladies and gentlemen.

I'm not that old back you are, David, but I'm you know what I'm saying, Dad on Broadway. Yeah, I play a twenty twenty something, almost thirty year old, phenomenal job.

By the way, if you haven't seen it, you've got to see him. Now you're back on Broadway for how long? I actually took the whole family to go see it. But how long are you back on Broadway for?

It was originally two weeks, but then I added a weekend, so it was what like twenty two shows? So I'm here to the thirtieth.

It's a perfect Christmas gift if you want to take something christ especially your parents.

Definitely a phenomenal job.

He does a phenomenal job.

I love the show that's that's when he walked into Charlataanne' getting old. You should use my product, my kit, my kid. Yeah, and I'm like, rewind.

The time, wind the time. Then you say, let me go. You got to have hair. You want to? You want to? You want to see my hair? That's crazy, No on your face. I don't know what you're talking about that hair.

Just keep it.

That's a stocking cat for all those I'm used to cutting off the foot of the stock.

And I'm a school.

I don't know.

One day I was asking to change my picture because the picture on the box looks looks like they put a crackhead filter on me. And I said crazy, I said, Joe, that's not how I look. I never looked like that. Somebody hated on me. Can you please change the picture. I'm gonna change the picture for you fans. I promise I'm gonna change the picture. We went through.

Months and months and months, please change the picture. Finally, I'm like, Joe, this is getting disrespect changed.

He's getting disrespectful, and that next thing I know, I'm getting the letter in the mail.

You will not be renewed. And never changed the picture.

Look, they got to.

Inventory so I think they kicked me out and brought Nori in.

You Andy got the same? I guess color we don't have the same.

Nothing.

On the next episode of Joe and Jada, we find out why actually got.

You ain't called him back and say no, no, Joe ain't hitting me back.

Damn damn you New.

York, New York, right, Papa, I'm gonna pull up on him.

You know who else in New York? Ray J and Rage said he won't smoke.

Can't mess with me by training. Wow, it's gonna take me nine months. What do you think, Valentine.

Begins, that's a fact. Yes, he can beat me. What doing pool out? Doing pool?

Nigga?

He said, you can't mess with him if he trained, but it's gonna take him nine months only specify.

I guess, but guess, but guess what he said? I love you. He don't love nobody. Everybody. Everybody else said I'm going j can do no wrong.

Ranch So funny because he said it, but then he thought of about it like it's going to take me.

Here's the thing about ray J is that nobody's really paying attention to he's smart. He's smart, and he has a diversified portfolio.

I get it you.

Some people may be able to sing better than him, some people may may be able to outperform him, whatever, but you're not going to beat him in terms of lasting and being in a relevant conversation as long as he's been in it period. It's connected to everything, everything from music, everything to making social social.

I said that morning, he's what I call an anchor being. In comic books, they call it an anchor being. He's an anchor bean to tech.

He's in tech didn't break, but soon they broke. I don't know.

If he if J stopped like doing all the things he's doing and really focus on his voice, we would hear a better singer of a ray J. Yeah, Brady, But conversation it was him versus Mario, and people are like he can.

In the beginning, ray J was going there and then I just think that he just I think he was just happier doing more like to be a singer. Singer like you really got a hyper focus on singing, and other things suffer as a result of that. You know, a lot of those guys are good listen good singers, got it, but they're not there.

They can't out entertain ray J. That's true. They can crowd, you know. I don't know what he what's what's the what's the one you?

I don't know what's going on, But.

It felt like it was a panther on the inside of that. I don't know.

And guess what we were talking about. I don't care who performed well at that one music festival. Guess who we were talking about.

I wanted to ask both of y'all a question, right y'all all the host of the R and B Money podcast, and I was thinking about this with the conversation that Mario and Cam Newton was having. Is there a proper R and B etiquette? Should other R and B singers talk about who can and can't sing?

I believe you can. You can say what you feel. That's you know.

I don't tell nobody what they can say or how they can feel about anyone else. And music is subjective, you know what I'm saying? Like and Tankers tell you, I'm the guy who calls him.

I'm like, have you heard this song? And it might be the whole song might be off key.

I'm like that ship jammin though, right, Nigga, that ship jam mhm it's about how music make you feel.

If we're gonna go back into who's the rated singers, then we just got to go to church mhm.

And we all know outside of Kurt Franklin and the ORLANDA Adams, it ain't a whole bunch of money on.

That side of it.

So if we're talking about making money and making popular music, the voice is subjective and and can can people really get what they're trying to get out of.

The song we're talking about? What's the song we were just listening to in the back.

If that would have been like a gospel style, if that had been a gospel style singer, it wouldn't have worked. Mark Morrison returning to Mac No no good singer could It's no elevated singer could have singing that.

It had to be that, you know what I mean. It's like, it's it's a style. When we're talking about in popular music.

It's it's it's style wised.

So when you have the okay, who's gonna come out here and flat foot sing for each other, we don't.

We don't really have it.

So I mean you can you can say it and oh this person is best singer, and that person better singer. But then it's like the who sells the most records, But that would say that.

I put a list right now, and I said, Tank, who can really sing? You would play that game.

I already see where this is going. I don't. I can't.

You know what I'm saying, because because my voice means so much more. When when when these guys hear me say something like if if if I didn't matter, if we weren't the authority on all things R and B, if I wasn't a guy who's written and produced and sat down and had conversations with all these guys about music and life and how you know this is what you need to do to do this and do that. Like I'm in a place where I can't even I

So now let me ask you, when you have a computer that can make that voice perfect, right, I'm talking about the AI Young. How does that make you feel when somebody could type in lyrics into a program, push into and it comes out with this amazing song with this amazing voice, and this person gets paid a lot of money.

I'm not mad at it.

Why I'm not mad at it because I just believe that we are constantly evolving into something right if it's and it's just another form of business. And I'm and I'm happy for a young girl out of Memphis, Mississippi, where somewhere out there where she's from, that was able to make a living off of it. To me, I'm never I'm never knocking anybody who figures out a way to make a living.

Does that hurt the craft?

But let's take it back though. But let's take it back though, because we've got to go back to the beginning. Because me, I have albums, many albums, many songs with no auto tune mm hmm. Now, all of a sudden, I'm competing against singers who aren't singers who can't necessarily hold that note, that can't necessarily do that run that they're not as technical as I am, but the autotune is holding them up and helping them almost.

Sound as good as I sound. Technically.

We've been fighting against AI for a long time, Grammy for absolutely.

Absolutely, And guess what I said. I don't. I don't care what the playing field is.

Let's play fight out and I think it's a time and place for all.

Then I don't think all the two works in the bedroom.

You I just I disagree with you because you have heard a tank with you just don't. It's not just I don't. I don't t paying my auto tune right, but I understand how to use the tool.

And I also think have you seen Tank perform live?

Yes?

So I think once we've seen I'm a live performer, we wouldn't even think there would be.

Anything because I don't need it, right, But I understand the sonic behind it. I understand why it cuts through and why what it does on radio and what it does when it comes through your head. I understand sonically what that is. That's just me being an engineer time rewind.

But I think it's something to being able to grab a microphone anytime, anywhere.

And.

That's why, and that's why it doesn't matter. It's just another player in the game that we are competing against. I don't care who it is. Let's fight, let's compete.

And it's enough space for ever. It's enough space.

You have Whitney Houston, you had what's what's uh American idol? No no, no, no, no, no, the one that we should be, the Laker dancer.

Like you are.

People are acting like this is new where you don't have one end to the other end you're always going to have.

But it's still a person. This ain't a person, but it was.

Still assisted was in a video with a cat, a cartoon cat.

Yeah, it's different, he was.

It's different, but it's just today's version of it. And you gotta understand we're not going back. We're not going back. So does that figure out your prompts? You're executive, right, yes?

Would you have a sign and artist that you got to deal with, makeup, hair, manager, security, all that, or AI person that you ain't got to deal with nothing?

You cut a check and just let the money come.

If you tell me that person you just said, it's Caliney telling in Kayliney, it's perfect tell me that person, it's Scissor summer Walker.

I'm taking it.

Most people won't invest that money to get to where a Scissor is, won't take that.

The real executive is going to see that. They're going to see Victoria Monday. They're going to see her drive. They're going to see how hard she goes in and go, oh, this is going to connect. Because that's the other thing. Now, you also have to talk about how an artist feels to people. An ar artist, you know, you're just like, Okay, that's a video game. You like to play it a little bit, But are you in love with it like that?

You know what I'm saying.

So the human aspect still kicks in when it comes to that, Oh I love this artist. These people love the artists that I just named. They love Chris Brown, I love Mario, they love ray J bro. I go to my phone and I'm trying to see what Raj said today.

I'm not I ain't gonna help you. Yeah. Yeah, so you can't replace that.

But I ain't mad at somebody getting their bread in another way, you know, I mean I'm not.

You know that. Don't bother me. The labels are going to.

They're gonna sign AI, Yes they are, and then they're gonna use some of that aid money to take a chance on humans.

How do you patent it?

Because you're putting it into a system so yours could sound exactly like hers.

Well not, they're not gonna be able to do that. So that's where it gets everybody.

Because the little Barney thing that almost kind of sound like me and and Sam Smith and and somebody else had a baby, the little Bernie. I'm thinking about it. I'm thinking about going to see them niggas.

You know what I'm saying, Like little Barnie.

You ain't seen the Barney guys singing R and B in the rain. It's going around. Everybody can tagging me on. I'll show it tell you. But I mean, once you start trying to sound like people that already exist and that, that's when we start are having an issue.

And I think that's that's probably in the works as well. I mean, I got some homies that's trying to figure out how to copyright all of that, and you know cultural you know cultural I P and that those those type of things. So as in anything, they got to figure it out, you know what I'm saying, you know, we're all old enough to realize napster and and and know what we went through during that time and seeing the music business change, and they figured it out. I mean,

Well, let's stay here for a second.

Y'all too have seen damn near every evolution of the industry for the most part. What's the biggest lie the industry ever sold?

R and B artists.

M I don't.

I don't think that there's I don't think that there's a lot that they sold. I think the truth about what happened to us was never told. And I think we've had that conversation in terms of what we ended up having to compete against as male artists, against you know, rappers singing melody and kind of replacing us in the charts space. Like we weren't honest about that conversation. It's like R and B died. No, R and B didn't die. We're still here. But you're just you're not giving us

We're doing too much. Well, you singing gen and Juice on the podcast Nobody Nobody.

You're blaming it on the rappers.

No, no, no, no, no, I blame it on I blame it on economics. It was just math.

You know how much it took to make you know what I'm saying, A Voice too men album? You know how much it took to make a Jackson album? Yeah, but then when you had that first hit, come Come, Come out of the basement of the Bronx or in Harlem.

You know what I'm saying, for.

Two hundred dollars and some chicken and you sold two million of them.

Right, there's a whoo how do we get more of that?

But I think what what him and I figured out early on too, was we could make R and B cost effective and that like we had a conversation with Atlantic Records, I don't know, fifteen years ago and we and you know, we were trying to figure out how to make it make sense. And him and I were like, yeah, we got home studios. We can write and produce it ourselves.

YEP.

And we went in Atlantic and we restructured our deal and we was like, now, don't we don't want that upfront. We're trying to make back end money. Now, we're trying to make, you know, money that's gonna last for our kids, for us later on in our lives. So that upfront that you've been selling people on which you know everybody knows, that's debate.

You know what I mean. If I give you a dollar, I gave you a dollar, so you owe me.

We're saying, you know, we're saying, okay, well this is what this is what's gonna take for us to make it. And then we proved that the business model worked, and we saw a lot of other people in R and B start doing the same thing because before it was very expensive to make R and B music. You need a studio for a month, two months that you know, the artist is showing up to two three days out of that time. We're like, no, no, we're gonna do this right. You know, We're gonna cut the fat and

One fit track.

I know, I know.

Niggas that was getting jewelry on the on the budget absolutely like wait, producers, y'all got y'all got jury off of his song.

But you know what, all right, there was that So and we were in a privileged position, yea, because we're we're a to Z so we can write it, produce it, all of that, you know what I mean, at a at a level, you know what I mean. So at a at a point where some artists they need to run to that high level producer, they need to run to that high level writer, and it is going to cost them to get in the game. We we kind of were blessed to wear I mean charging ourselves. So

So let's simplify. If you had the power to change one thing about the business side of R and B, what gets fixed for us that like what you're talking about.

Now, budgets budgets.

No, I think the budget part is easy because I think at this point, now everybody understands that, you know, the days of you know, fifty hundred thousand dollars tracks over. Everybody's trying to figure Now everybody's trying to get placements because everybody can produce. Now, everybody can write. Now you see AI, don't don't think it's not don't think those submissions have of those submissions aren't AI. So now everybody's now trying to figure out how to get those placements.

Be put on bigger stages. Yeah, you know what I mean.

I think asking artists to try to figure out how to go viral all the time it's tough. That's that's really that's a tough space to put an artist in. And it's and it's really it's the same thing when you talk about promoters and they're like, oh, we we need tank to post a hundred times, Well, nigga, aren't you a promoter?

Title?

This is your title. This is what you do right. We need to be able to see you know, that street team again. We need to see those type of things we need. And I think for me, I would love to see artists campaigning again, meaning like really going going to those you know, doing those school tours, doing those HBCU tours, getting out there because everybody can't come

Now when you're trying.

To get popping, I don't care who walk up to you. You better hop on that, hop on the on their little phone and help.

Let me help you.

I didn't watch this man like, hey man, your camera dirty. Let me let me wipe that down for you. It's cook so we got a good picture. That's to me, that's what I want to see change. I want to see the artists not just live behind the computer no more. And you know, I kind of answered the question around, but that's what I would I would like to see a change as far as from from an art and be standpoint too.

There's no street teams anymore.

There's no labels that do. You got to be on street team. You got to get out in the streets.

The majority of the artists I've ever seen a lot of them before doing radio was at Hampton.

That was a stop.

There was the Morgan Howard Carolina stop and you see everybody right, and it would always come for free and they would perform on the yard on top of a car, on top.

Of a bustle in the auditorium.

That's but they don't have that.

And that was the promo tour.

That was the promo tour.

Now the promo tour is just on your phone, TikTok. That's that's their version of promo tour.

Here, he said, Man go outside and feel the day.

Man feel the day is what they call that. I'm going outside the field. Like how Cardi B did her roll out for her amazing. She was amazing. But that's her.

But that's her anyway, that's her a static anyway, she's tapped in with the people. That's my thing. I'm I don't I don't care when nobody else do. I'm with the people. I judge my success off people and and and and the money and all these other things. Those are the byproduct of taking care of people, being there for people, and that's what artists, again seconding with J Jay is saying, you got to get back to the people.

I'm old enough to remember, Jay Records Recording Artists. Tank will be at the Guilliard Auditor.

Recently seen climps do with the.

Same meet and greets, luncheons. You know what I'm saying.

You know how many program directors I done call it their kids, I done call it. They wise baby, Mama's all of it. That's what we gotta do. That's what AI can't do right right. It's a separator.

Yeah.

It R and B finally at the point where artists can be financially free without having the crossover cross over to what like when everybody was doing like.

The pop records, the big Yeah, the one, the one, big Friend.

Well, I think you you gotta make music for the masses, right, you have to, you know, because that we're entertainers. But sometimes the best you crosses over, you know what I'm saying. And I feel like and I feel like Rap showed us that, you know what I'm saying. Fifty second perform anywhere anywhere with the same records that he made for queens.

Mm hmmm, they were they were you know I I if you have a strong enough hook that can take you anywhere. I mean, shoot, Kaylney Kate had.

That's a very army record. Very different kinds of records, very R and B all different kinds. Chris Brown is at all different kinds of record. Residuals are very armby residuals unfolded or as R and B as they come, and they are.

They are math world records. Like you said, the best version of you. Yeah, yeah, that to me.

You know, I felt like when artists were chasing that, it just didn't seem authentic, you know what I mean. It didn't seem like who they were. And you know, they were chasing the whole four on the floor thing and it came and went, and I feel like it. I feel like it hurt. I feel like it hurts some people. I feel like I heard some artists too when they did that chase that big like I.

Don't want to say people were raposited to it hurt, but for.

Some I think they won.

I think it just depends on how you do it too, though, how you you know, how you add that aesthetic into into your brand, you know what I'm saying.

Like when Neil did it, Like when Nel did it.

I don't think it hurt him.

I don't think it hurt Neil. I think that was Neil. Yeah, I think I think Neil is. I think Neil is a world artist. I think he's a He's a great R and B artist, songwriter, all of these things. But I think Neil is is great at appealing to the world. He's a world artist.

Point appealing to the world with sexy loves and stuff like that.

Not when you but even sexy but even sexy Love, if you listen to it, it's like it's it's still a bigger record. It's not a traditional arm Sexy Love is not a traditional R and B record.

A little bit.

It's it's got you know what I'm saying.

Now, when you go okay, Now, when you go there and you say, okay, maybe that was far, but when you watch him actually perform it, you said, oh no, that's crazy, No, that's him.

But when I play those crossover parties, I don't place you love. I played that record him.

And it goes crazy.

You go, yeah you you try to close after nail somewhere overseas, somewhere in London.

Good luck, my friend. You're talking about that now.

You said online that you believe that Usha is a better singing than R.

Kelly and people they did it at.

Lussia, is a better vocalist than Kelly.

Yeah, USh is technically a better vocalist than R. Kelly, way more tools.

I thought you you can't say that type of stuff though, I see you growing up.

Over there like.

These guys are these are my actual peers. Got you these guys are you know what I'm saying? R Kelly is O g This is a different conversation.

It's like joy. It's like Jordan Lebron Jordan's.

We're talking about guys at the top of the stratosphere, like we're having a different conversation.

Is gonna lead this nigga voice?

Man?

I know you didn't say he was better than you wouldn't say he was technically technically okay, technically.

We don't hear.

I don't even know what that means. Technically okay.

Like like like I said, for instance, I always bring this record up. But Climax mm hmm. Or Kelly couldn't have saen Climax mm hmm. Not many people could have stayed Climax. But where Usher went from from false to natural mm hmmm without without without hearing, the hearing the transfer, like that type of thing special incredible. It's like watching gymnastics, you know what I mean? Like everybody lands, for some people stick, you know what.

I'm saying, Singing everybody don't always stick. Like if you listen to Climax, every note that he sings on that record, he sticks, like it's like this period, no move, ain't no step back, you know what I mean?

That shit is flawless. So I mean, but sticks sticks. Everything she's singing on there, it just sticks.

I mean, which why you have so many singers trying to emulate it, right. They're trying to because because now now certain certain singers or certain songs are study material, it becomes that, like R. Kelly is a product of so many things when it comes to study material. It was swag, it was content. It was actually him, excuse me, him turning R and B into this rap thing that was like what what what is this? The first R

Our castle corral.

R Kelly made it so you had to get a has some tims like you gotta it can't be too soft no more.

Now.

Then he then he gave you balance with you know, half on the baby with the silk pajamas on. You know, I'm walking barefoot like wife a minute, so I can do both. So when you talk about r Kelly, You talk about it's so much that goes into that, but when you just break it down to one thing vocally, that's just that's just an elite. He's an elite vocalist.

So what's the one vocal mistake you see new artists making the day.

That's a great question.

They don't rehearse, there's one they don't rehearse, and you can tell there's one. You can tell, you can you can you can see it. You know, my father used to call it polish Dad. They're not polished, and you don't see a lot of new artists that are polished unfortunately,

You know what I'm saying.

I'm a wait because when they see me, because when they see me, they gotta see me like, yeah, as this polish started, the stake they make too is And I actually was able to do this with a Marion as you bring up B two que. A lot of producers just write songs and produce songs, and they aren't considering the vocal range of an R and B artist, And so a lot of times when you're in the studio, you can get something off in the studio because it's takes,

I get it.

We want the hype because the hype when it comes on the radio and the people singing live. I said, but that's not your key. I said, you sing down here, even when you're here talking voice. He's like, I was like, no, no, we're going to bring you down here. The highest note that you're going to sing is that's the highest note you're That's that's how you're going and we're going to stay right there. And so that's I think that's not

And I think that's why people compare Chris to Michael Jackson all the time, not that they can be a comparison, but if you ever see his show, you see him flying around the air and flipping and stancing, and it still sounding.

Glen Mike is still on from top to bottom of the show, like that's ridiculous, and then here go do a meet and greet and then probably go in the studio.

Is different and it was long.

His show is like four hours hours.

No, we're not all aliens, We're not on aliens. The two people completely not from this planet. Whitney he was another, said christ Michael Jack.

But Whitney to Whitney. When you when you listen to Whitney alien, no matter what she sings, you.

Be like, how the hell you get that?

No doubt, and then be singing, smiling, smiling, Yeah damn she got stand up, hold the stomach.

And that happens when the artists right, So like and Omary was lucky that you were able to hear that and do that, But like today, these artists aren't getting those producers right sometimes and then they don't know their own identity enough to be like, no, I shouldn't be singing there. How do you navigate that if you have

Well, it's it's two part, right, because as an artist, a lot of times you don't even know what to ask for, right, You're you're just looking for success, and however it comes right, you don't know what to do. On the other side of it, You don't even know what to do going into it. You just look up and have this thing. And so a lot of the oners or the responsibility is on the artists who desire or seek more in terms of understanding from the gift, to the marketing, to all of these things. But then

Of these things, who know better, they should know better, they should know.

Better, and they should do better.

But they always right because because back to the labels, Hey where's my camera, where's my camera?

Start hiring black executive again. Okay, hire people who actually grew up in the music, know the music and can tell you how to make the music all right, go ahead, ty yep.

Well, because because again if we go back to where you know, there was a plethora of black executives, you see the difference in how the artists l A. Re wrote songs, wrote songs. Jimmy Seme, Terry Lewis Maker and Andre Herrel was music.

He was music, I mean like and we can go down the list of like.

Is music like Jermaine dupri Is music and.

They were talking about how the boutique labels and like, yeah, clip go so virbral and is exactly what you're talking to search it for that now we know it.

And so if when we see somebody that's doing something like you understand, we sit and talk with everybody, all of them, and we say, hey, man, you should try this and and think about doing this. And when your people that's what we do so much, unpaid consulting, we do that just as.

Much, so much. But it's not even about it's not.

Even it's not even about it's not even about labels hitting us up. To me, it's it's it's more so about person. It's about labels really putting us back in power. And it's not when I say us. I don't just even mean me and him. Dallas Austin should run a label.

Absolutely. Jermaine depreciated run a label. Yeah you get what I'm saying, Like, why not?

They know this ship, they know it, they live, they like everything.

The work ethic is the same coming from the artist, like y'all were hungry like people.

You know what you know where the work you know a lot of times you know where a lot of times the work ethic comes from. It comes from It comes from respect, right, because certain that that's if we check it. The sports, certain players know when a certain coach walk in, it ain't no ship to be played.

Today, right, Are they playing with a certain player? Yeah? Cooka back in shape. Yeah yeah, they was.

Taking beers and ship from him in Dallas. He played at Lakers with Brian Nigga. Look like you're reading a model and everybody around you falls in line. So artists are going to Artists are going to do or get away with what you let them get away with, right, and what they respect.

Like if you when you go in the studio with Jermaine dupri you're like, and you look at that wall? Are you look at the wall and Jimmy Jimmy Tyr Lewis or baby Face Wall and you're like, this is everything I want. I'm going to give my best, you know what I'm saying. And then they you know, they walk us out the pasture too early, right they ah, you knows.

You used to do this. So that person used to do that.

Jermaine dupri just had here records, big ones, you know what I'm saying, Like.

But even bigger than the hits.

If you create something that's timeless, if somebody's created something that's.

They can do it again, give me a chance to do it again, you know what I'm saying, Like.

We have this thing just what you said, we gotta we gotta, we gotta dive into that more. Why is it that? Why is it that we allow our black artists to age out and writers and producers and writers in producer, Why do you know a producer unfolded Drey Harris from Drey and Vidal, who was part of creating neo soul in Philly, Jill Scott Music Soul, he's a producer. He's a producer on folded.

Absolutely, you know what I'm saying, Like, all these these young artists, why aren't these labels send them to like a Brian Alexander Morgan.

Who did s w V period.

That turned out, so it has to happen more and and and and salute to the artists that are saying because it's it's not even I don't believe it's their teams in there in the labels.

It's the artist now saying this. You know, I need to go see such and such.

As an example of that, you know, as as you see the the texture that Kilane is playing with now in this very R and B, very early two thousands kind of things that she's doing.

Guess who she called. She called me.

She called Antonio Dixon like she's like, I need that, I need some of that. And so that's why I go back to some of the onuses on the artists to do your do your work, do your homework.

That makes a lot because you all did that with her A folded folded gonna be around for a long time since the babyface did snooze.

Right, Chris Rick times like it's it's some really talented people out here, man, and you know him and I both do this.

Man, I'll call him.

I'll be like, bro, I just came from I just I was at the studio of Victoria Monday. You'll call me just hit me, kline hit me. I gotta play some records, you know what I mean? Leon Thomas out Tie Dollar Sign. We like, I think, what's what's happening? And we're we're trying to be the people who stand in front of it is the real tap in, Like we really, we really are tapping in. We really are sitting with artists. Jacob Latimore, you know what I mean.

You know what I mean? Like Jaydon m h Yeah, Like that's like my little brother this ver. You know what i mean.

I'm like, listen, I'm seeing okay, you know, maybe maybe one or two extra spin moves that you're doing you might need to.

It's turning into a parelt. I got this stand still sing a little more love that, you know what I mean? But love him well.

Tank said the respect of that though, because they know that we're coming from a pure place, you know, what I'm saying, and you have absolutely.

It would be smart for a label to say, hey, you.

Guys run our black division, if y'all want to call it that, hm, you know what I mean? And that and that could be in the works. But I'm saying it shouldn't just be us mm hmm. It has to be more of us and it don't. And I get the boutaque boutique label that that's cool too, But I'm talking about literally in the building too though, right, because this one thing would be to be a partner with them and be a little bit on the outside. But you gotta be, you gotta be at that Wednesday marketing meeting.

The system gym because I felt like at first depth Jim was trying to do something like that.

Okay, if j where who R and B was? They had they had death, So.

Yeah, like producers would be in studios and then at that that label the next day.

I mean, and then you had you had, you had.

You had real label heads like Jimmy I Van who believed in empowering the producers. And my thing is that if you've seen what he did with all those producers from Polo to Timberland to Doctor Dre.

You know, why wouldn't y'all continue to follow suit? You know what I mean? Like too much?

Niggas made too much money. They had to cut this shit off.

I mean, listen, the business wasn't made for us. You, me and d just made a billion dollars, you know what I mean?

And I think that's the that's that's the mistake that that that sometimes.

We make is in thinking that the business was made for us. Entertainment.

Yeah, the entertainment part is for us, but the business never was behind.

Somebody that just blew my mind. Recently came Brown. Come on, man, I get it.

I tell you, I tell you, shout out to Polo the don come on man, you talk about you talk about bringing black people back into country music.

Polo to Doe, he kicked that off. He kicked it off.

Came Brown is black for people that don't know. And I remember, I remember he played him for me. I'm like, you got young brother, you she canna.

Work for credible. She can be credible. Take her the world again. Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean. But they found a way to, you know, to not to not mention Polo about that no more. Well we're on Breakfast Club. Today, we're gonna mention it and we will talk about it. I heard that somewhere.

I was like polo behind Kate Brown.

Yes, absolutely, you got a new young girl juicy two times that I with too, like.

He got listen. She used to cover through his covers all the time. His voice immaculate and she was doing this. I remember ago, Yeah, yeah, my girl.

We hear we here.

The were here to give people they credit man and they flowers and to put light back on them, if you know, if they try to take it off of them.

John he was up here last.

We love John.

He said he gave He said, Tank gave him the comp gave him his confidence back as an artist. That's what you that, he said, because he played a song for you in the studio and you said to him, man, I gotta get on that record. And he said that gave him his confidence back as an artist.

Did you even know?

I don't even know that.

Did he put him on the record.

You're trying to find it. You're trying to find it. You're trying to find it. But the record.

Thought believe he's like people always say, people say that to you.

No, he played a record for me. He came and he came into the pod because I've been asking him to come and do the pod. I was like, he said, yeah, when I get something going that come just.

We got you that disclaimer.

When I put out that disclaimer, you don't have to like the Army Money show that we call the podcast with a show.

It's not about an album rollout.

Most people want something to talk about.

But but but if you are tenured in this, you have a lot to talk about and let's talk about it.

And you're not limited. You're not limited.

You're not limited to that time that you come to. Okay, now you have something to promote, can you come back?

Yeah, see you tomorrow. Cool, Well he might be on Broadways. We might not see tomorrow.

There think other things that I'm that I have sometimes take precedents. No, But with John I've always been a fan of John B. I've worked I worked with John B way back in the day, like we Got Lately and some other songs like you know what I'm saying from.

This feature man saying John B is like to.

Me, excuse me. He's one of those guys. And so after the pod, he was like, man, you mind if I play you guys some records.

I was like, man, play playing some shit. You mean put him on a big man on a big speaker.

He played that record. I said, oh no, you can't do that without me. You're not gonna get that off without me. He said, what do you mean? I said, yeah, I need to be on that. He said, are you serious? And said, yeah, I'm serious. I made him put me on the record, made him put me on records.

Crazy. And then I said, when are we shooting the video?

He's like, well, we're trying to. I said, John, we're shooting a video. When are we shooting the video? Tell me where the video is. I'm on my way.

I got clothes that comes along with when you when you have a featured artist, may be asking for clothes.

Listen, close, listen. Let me say something.

When I did I did my Chris Brown shots fire back in the day and Chris does everything on the house like mind you this is this is one hundred two hundred thousand dollars venture easy, easy, He said, big broken, you just do do my do my just to cover my style?

I said, absolutely? How much was that twenty?

But listen, Chris to be on their record with Chris Brown and for him to put me on that stage with that power. What saves was that when we went to Orange County put me on stage for Power on O six Power Jim priceless, priceless. You need a twenty dollars twenty thousand dollars rack. Absolutely, here we go. And so for me showing up for John is the same way a lot of you know, Chris Brown would show up for me and paying that forward and whatever you need.

No, he's too good of.

Course, and we just we once again, you just you have to continue to tap in. Charlie Wilson used our studio for two months, Gory, I need a studio it available to you get him in like that's what we have to start doing that and it has to start being at across the board.

What makes you the way that you all take because you have great relationships with everybody.

Not just on b singers that are news except that Joe. Besides Fat Joe fired you. I don't know why Fad fired you.

I'm gonna run down does he have a lot of people.

With a lot of.

Okay, so got to be calculated when I roll up on.

What makes you that way? Jay Jay has this this phrase for me. Tank has never met a stranger ever.

Ever. That's and that's just kind of how I live my life. Man.

Everybody is important to me. Everybody means something to me. If I can help, I'm gonna try and tell you what you can. If I can't, I can't. But that's what makes me me.

You know. I've often had people try to say.

Hey, man, you need to be a little bit more mysterious man, to not be so accessible, you know, you gotta be a star. And I'm like, but that's not me. Like, I like, I like touching the people. You know what I'm saying. I like I like walking through general populations.

You know what I'm saying.

We were at the bottom on me, Like, that's that's just me, man. You know, to me, that is your star, you know what I mean? Like you know the fact that you are like that, that that's that's your star. That's that's what makes you shine, you know what I mean. And I've watched him for years just you know, and it don't matter what city we're in, somebody is his homie.

All the time.

Connected. Absolutely, absolutely, he is the guy that's you.

In the club, in the elevator, in the I didn't see taking so many places he stopped.

He just starts talking to people. At least you people pay our bills. Man.

He being a club.

My wife be like, can we go even.

In Baltimore it's a restaurant. Black sat listen on the counter, standing up on the counter.

And we watched the fight in Baltimore. Yeah, watched it.

Uh my friends like, you know, we just had to take it up on it and they just saying so regular and I'm like what he was on.

The counters black swan acting. They don't let people do that.

But I mean it's one time.

You got to leave. Yeah, when they clean it up, that's my and I helped clean up, ip clean up. I will.

We're getting on season for the Army money.

Absolutely not playing with that.

Sure were we were up now tell them we are, Yeah, we we're back, We're back.

We look here off top authority, whos gonna tell us? She said, the authority want somebody said we wouldn't.

She said that we've already been saying it, but she also said it, and I thought that was a great moment.

Keys not.

I think now it's just time for us. What we realized by taking the hiatus was how important we are to our culture, because I don't think we even really knew honestly.

But it's only R and B platform. But it's tough.

It's tough when you when you're doing it and you got your head down and you're doing it, and then you're like, okay, you take that little break, and you're literally being threatened every day threatened.

I was putting out a record that it was like, yeah, that's all cool and well, but where's the podcast.

I can't do no music because I think it's It started off for us as a side quest, you know what.

I mean, just just love Yeah, just love too, homies. It's like we're doing it from a pure place of you know, we we want to we want to put some good energy out into the world, and then it turned into what it's turned into, where you know, I always say it, I'm like, if they if they stopping you at t s A you popping because they see everybody. So if they like know that episode with such and such, I'm like, ships exactly what this is A this is a thing like pople spending time.

That's why the ARM and B money awards gotta happen.

Man, what we're doing, Man to break down in the deck, man and man driving slow?

It don't take that long. Man. Maybe you are getting older.

I think next year we're gonna yeah, no, nothing, let's take.

We have to happen. What happened. You gotta do it in my backyard. You gotta do it live. Yeah, yeah, cut it out, cut it out, will.

Do it, will never do it absolute in his backyard.

Cut it out right away.

Speaking of pure thingers, that's another one on Tree saying at my boy but car Seller's wedding a couple of months ago, no backup track, just the microphone and did like force on. I'm like, I forgot this nigga really can sing?

And can I say something? Can I say something?

And that's what I try to tell this nigga.

No, no, no, That's why I try to tell this nigga. Cut it out.

M hmm. Cut it out. You need to talk to somebody. Call me mm hmm, or call G or call J. Don't call them because they don't care about you. They don't love you. They're just looking for a reason to tear you down. I said, Nigga, you are too good and too important and too important for that not to matter. When he was making this album and he let me hear this album, I said, Nigga, this is the greatest album you've ever made. This album is a Grammy Award winning album. Don't don't say nothing else.

And what he do? What do you do? No?

No, here's the part. It's the part to get on my nerves about to ra he be like this. I understand you, King, I respect you coming to me this way and giving me the good information. And I'm taking note and I'm definitely gonna be better as soon as I get in the car and pull off seeing this is the thing.

Is live like he's a thousands like that, like I told he saying when I was going through my problems with my wife and and he came, he's saying in the basement of Chiles, no mike, no acoustics, and destroyed.

It's a croner unless you finally admit that he was there for you because.

I was always.

Man with.

Violence.

That was he comes, it's pause, and sometimes that was crazy. And sometimes I think he chased this and that pisces me off.

Is this killed?

Listen, listen, if you if if you eliminate that from Tyrese, is his one of one of our greatest talents. He's one of our greatest talents. He's singing, acting, all on all on the elite level. Absolutely, and and and that's what I want from my brother. I want that for him. I want That's what I want people to remember him for, not that, not the phoney.

I got a show coming up together.

Yeah, we're in l A November twenty seconds.

This this this weekend, this Sunday YouTube theater.

Yeah, this Saturday, sorry, this Saturday YouTube theater. Was leading the choreo.

Wine, you're doing the choreo?

What the what the choreo?

Yo?

You gotta.

You did see fall up speaker talking about from who's leading the choreo.

That's what she.

Speaking speaking of, not rehearsing rehearsed when you and this.

Is the problem I have withwhere clear don't you know we know I'm just.

I'm just trying to be excellent. I'll schedule two days of rehearsals two figures.

And said, what are we doing rehearsal? I said, was rehearsing eight hours?

Yes, you ain't got to be there for a hour?

And I hit fatial for a coming here and responding to me, I got hit.

That's what I'm saying. I did hear him.

I said, hey, I said, bro tankers here. He says, you fired him any kind?

He responded.

I had to tell him what take it was, because I was like, he might think it the.

Box take, you know what? He respond Yet he here be back since the firing. I hit him a couple of times.

I was gonna say with y'all, like, you know, the ringion happened a while ago, y'all are running back around now. What's different with you guys with T g T being back together now and running around like that, y'all learned from everything that happened prior to Yeah, what.

If y'all learn.

This this? This will probably be my last tg T show. What That's what I've learned?

Did they find that out?

We don't dance that bad?

Like?

I love?

I love those brothers on a on a on a personal level, and just in in artistry. I'm just chasing something different. Yeah, and I love, love, love love those brothers. My new album is coming out, It's Lonely a Flash.

My new single, Controls is out right now. Jay Valentine is selling Canadas.

I talk about that, this is the first time they're hearing this to y'all. Talk about this because the people think that it's like about to be.

A whole run. Is that the people that I promise you? The people don't think that I promise you. Ain't no people, No, people know, people don't want off. We're trying to get it off real quick. The people believe.

You.

Nice, I said, people, people, No, there's no run.

End on this from from from your vantage points? Where is R and B right now? Are we in a renaissance, a rebuild or some type of reading?

We're taking over? We're taking over. Ain't no reading nothing.

Yes, we are taking over and we are fully behind it. We're fully behind it. And part of it mean he's still putting our music, you know what I mean. He got a great record, Control It's available now, uh everywhere.

R and B money slash b MG.

So y'all are behind the business of the record too.

Yes, they're the distributor. We're not playing you know what I mean.

And we got the R and B Awards coming if this man ever, I believe, we believe that we're you know, we're doing the first awards at his backyard in one of his estates.

And I love this. RB is taking over. We started with ray J.

He is there Like ray J.

It can't last in the verses, I don't understand what's going on. Wait a minute, could not.

Could?

I didn't say over anybody. I said, let's not act like he can't last any versus. He's a problem in a versus.

And he is the problem versus.

Listen.

You know, did you notice walked across the stage like eighty two times for no reason.

Because he can can't Today can begins.

And that's listen, you said, that's the truth.

R and B is R and B is here here heavy and to stay. We are killing the ship. So many dope R and B artists think about the tours that can go out man.

Boys to men In new additions, Tony Braxton shout out to the b PC. Listen, we got black promoting out.

Kelly, you know to say, Kelly Rowland.

One twelve, the young boy that just won American Idol, Roberts that nigga can sing his face off.

He on the boys face off, the B two K boys that right now, Eric and come on now cooking. They can't mess with us cooking you.

We're gonna figure out a way to get these young boys on the road together, the two B y G S, the Jads Wars, the Papa Jays, Papa Ja.

It's time people want to have a sexy good time without feeling like it's gonna get violent. That's right.

You sing what Leon Thomas said. I don't have a song that would make y'all want.

To do this.

Over the years, the R and B niggas been the one putting beats on people way more than rappers.

I'm just saying, when you come to my dead well, there's no nobody knew but charl Man. Nobody was talking about it because we handled ourselves.

In a certain way. Hey man, come back here real quick.

Let's get this done, and then we're gonna walk out there and sing our songs.

We're gonna sing our songs. You know what I'm saying. You know now, it's a little different. You know that you're pulling out here and I don't have a song that requires a fighting audience.

I don't have a song, yeah, like, but it's it's time for this, this good feeling, you know what I mean, And everybody wants that especially, It's just it happens with with society.

When shi it is wild in the world, you gotta have something to keep you calm, looking for refuge. Shout out that the family record and I got them.

Yes, y'all got a song you featured him on R and B Money that song My God Lojah?

What is it? No is Lisa, y'all?

Why can't I upload the video to that song? You don't know you'll on the country or something like I put I tried to put that song, that's one of my favorite songs on.

I'm gonna fix that for you.

Put on it.

Yeah, y'all in this scene, I know you want to do something to what you're gonna do to what service you have? She tried to and she tried to throw the globals.

They blocked me in Romania, one of my biggest markets.

That Yeah, shout out the rot Man, He's another We're back.

R Vy Mundy Podcast we back black Heart.

Appreciate you brothers for joining us.

And if you haven't seen Tink on Broadway, go see Kitchen on Broadway.

Amazing show.

If you look at for something to get your your mama, your daddy, or any Alicia Keys fan Christmas.

The holidays, oh nough for Christmas? Yes, yeah, get it. Tell me cans R and B money shot talk about it. You know what I mean.

We about to start putting more merch on there and everything. You know, I mean, we got to crack it out. It's for marbles. You know what they be saying is so and organic and all other stuff.

Yeah, yeah, all that stuff.

Whatever they say.

You know, does it smell good? Whatever?

My period smell like you need to be in my house.

Thank you.

But I'm sending them to the to the show that y'all will all have them.

Thank you. You know, keep that we can't burn it up.

Every Now You'll got a lot of other candles up here.

You're gonna send it up.

Where's the where's the envy water man in the back?

You know what?

D I I got fired, not that we get fired, but when Walmart to stopped doing the de I business and they start doing the business.

They took the black a lot of the owners of black businesses.

Out of their stores, which makes it more difficult.

So how did you get fired?

Then if they get they took my water out.

So all the water we have now goes to the other mom and pop stores to make sure we can.

We're supporting all things black. You know what I'm saying. You have it.

J Valentine is the breakfast club. Good morning?

Hold up? Every day I wake up, click your glass up. The Breakfast Club