QLS Classic: Darius Rucker

Quest Loves Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. This classic episode was produced by the team at Pandora.

What's up, y'all?

This is QLs classic from November twenty second, twenty seventeen with Darius Rucker.

Yeah.

Singer songwriter Darius Rucker talks about Hoody and the Bluefish. I know those guys, right, They go for playing frat parties to playing with the Dave Matthews Band to the Grand Ole Opry and then going as a solo artist. And he also talks about the obstacles he faced a long way and yeah, by obstacles, we do being racism, but we also speak of his love of hip hop and other types of music and sports, and his strange obsession of his spirit animal, the late Great Nate Dog.

Right now, Steve looks like a homest truck drivers.

Supremo, Roll Supremo, Supremo, Roll Call Supremo, something Supremo, Roll call Supremo.

So some Supremo.

Roll His name is not Hoodie, Yeah, it's Darius.

Yeah, mister Rucker. Yeah, if you're nasty.

Roll call Supreme did rhyme roll.

Some Supremo roll call.

My name is Sugar.

Yeah, I'm being wooed yeah by the podcast. Yeah, I could only want to be with you.

So Supremo roll call, Supremo, Supremo roll call.

I'm on paid Bill. Yeah, ready to rock.

Yeah, shout out to South Carolina. Yeah, go game cocks roll.

Supremo, Supremo, roll cal Supremo, Supremo roll.

I got boss Bill's name.

Yeah, Well I forgive you who.

Suprema Sure, roll call Supremo Supremo role.

It's like, yeah, and I'm going country.

Yeah, yeah.

Up from.

Sam Roll.

I'm from the country. Yeah, that's where I'll be. Yeah, I'm showing a question everybody. Yeah, I'll come and seem something.

Supremo roll call, Supremo, Supremo, role called Suprema something So Supremo, roll called Suprema something something Supremo roll call.

I haven't screwed up like that since episode four.

Jesus K, thank you Jesus Christ.

Practice time, and you know.

Wasn't around doing nasty darns.

Clearly did you not hear that?

Hop your reference, ladies and gentlemen, this horrible show. You listening quest Love Supreme only on Pandora. My name is quest Love. We got team Supreme with us super Steve. Uh unpaid Bill who has looks new. We haven't seen you in a while.

I cleaned.

Is that like a number's only jacket? It is?

You like it? You have a new girlfriend, don't you?

Uh, you're I didn't want to.

I'm not on bumble. I have a girlfriend.

Oh okay, what's as one as he used to have. I was about to say that is the only reason why you look brand right now?

Like I have to go to things, and I too that I can't look like my usual You look great.

You don't look well enough to go to a thing?

No, no, no no. But he's glowing.

He's glowing, and I have a suit in the card. Thank you, thank you?

Oh wow? Okay?

And uh boss bills here and he also looks as good as I do.

Fan is somewhere handling. Uh.

He's getting in shape.

Yeah, he's getting getting married in his wedding suxceedo. Uh, ladies and gentlemen. Uh, I have to say that our guest today is literally loved by millions at least at least Yeah, it's rare. I think he might be the first Diamond artist of a non greatest hits or or a compilation to ever be on the show.

UH Grammy Award winning Uh baby fits. I don't think the million people record, but I'm sure I wanted to make sure question of Supreme emails from Search. Yeah, No, I get it, I get it.

But I have to say that for for the last twenty five years or twenty plus years, I won't our guest has been entertaining millions and millions, uh, initially as a frontman of Hoodie and the Bluefish and now as an artist in his own right. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to Quest Love Supreme Darius Rockett.

Thanks for having me.

Anyway. How are you Today's.

I'm good man, how y'all doing?

I'm good. I'm good, not bad.

I like this. It's really laid bad.

I gotta I gotta say that.

You know, for a lot of the guests of the show, many of which have had careers in the four and almost five decades, UH, you're probably the first act that I don't know intimately, as in like the back of my hand. But I'm very curious about your journey on your your your your whole life spent. It's like I I know of you, I know of your music, but I never know of you as a person and in your beginnings. So I know that you're you were born in Charleston, South Carolina.

Charleston.

Yeah, just uh this little neighborhood. Uh there was six kids, you know. Uh that wasn't really around a lot if at all. And uh just uh I had, you know, lived in this little neighborhood, this great little neighborhood. We had our neighborhood with the small houses and we had the projects behind us, and you know, we fought every day and it just it was one of those things. But ever since I was ever since I heard Al Green at the age of four, all I wanted to do was be a singer.

That's it. That really was for me. There was nothing else I ever wanted to do.

I have to say, Uh, I think.

A year ago I did a show in Charleston and I didn't realize how close to New Orleans. It's almost like a a cut. It almost felt like I was in New Orleans, like in the French Quarter. How long has it always had that sort of vibe or is.

This always it's always been that way. We've always said that we were like New Orleans cousin, you know, and uh, because.

New Orleans is one of my favorite cities. When I went there, I was like, oh, I went out almost consider like if I had to be one of those people that like my grades back down south like in there later years, like I'd consider this and considering what the rest of the United States heard or knows about Charleston, South Carolina, and to still say that that's how great my time was in the weekend there.

So I didn't realize.

That, oh it's a great city.

Is it a musical city.

It's not as musical's normals, but it's a musical city.

It's music everywhere, you know, there's always bands playing and and just always something to do with music.

For sure.

Who are some like notable South Carolina folks, So you know, I'm just thinking.

About that rock Chris Rock.

Yeah, well yeah, Chris Robert musical. There's not you know, Uh, it might be Darius Rutgers.

Uh you know who they.

Me uh Uh. James Brown's from like north was born in North Augusta or something, but he lived in you know, in Augusta, So that was he's really known to be more from Georgia, right, But how.

Close to Georgia was Charleston.

Oh, I'm probably two hours from Georgia too, from Augusta.

Are you're still there?

Yeah?

I thought I lived. I lived in the city for a couple of years. I was making R and B record back at the turn of the century. Yeah, I lived here. But uh, I love I love it the turn of the century.

Just I know.

In it was like seventeen years ago.

There stop, wow, no more years? Yeah? Please? So, Uh, you said that your first musical memory was Al Green. Yeah? What was it about? Uh?

His voice that called his voice? Of course?

I mean, you know, and those records, you know, those records that will eventual produce were so still when I put them on today, they're they're the sound is my mom. Al Green was her favorite, and so when he I just wanted to be Al Green.

Like.

One of the worst days of my life was when my voice changed. It's the true story. My voice changed and I tried to sing it Al Green, so I couldn't sing it.

I cried so initially sort of a not soprano but an alto. Yeah approach, you were singing, yeah.

Registered all that stuff. Yeah, and my voice changed and went straight to a baritone. I cried for like two days. I couldn't say there you go, very white, true, true, you.

Just changed with it. So was your family musical as well or was it just you?

Yeah? Yeah, my family was a big time in church musical, like everybody sing in church. My dad had a had a little uh gospel group, and believe it or not, the gospel group was named the Rolling Still.

Got scared when you said he wasn't around much.

I was like, oh, oh, actually the way I heard, the way my relationship I have with my dad was every Sunday morning on w p a L in Charleston, the Rolling Stones had a half hour Wow and that's where I heard my dad.

McDowell's sort of lawyer.

I don't like, they never did anything that the Stones evenw what was.

Happening you know South Carolina for life.

Yeah, absolutely, yeah, they Yeah, they weren't doing anything. The Stones didn't like that's.

The secular where the Christian Rolling Stone.

Oh yeah, they started the show saying rolling Stone gathers no moss.

So were they uh kind of of like the Backwoods Gospel Quartet exactly.

You know, they came out and did all those songs, never really wrote anything, just did all the old spirituals and stuff. And they, I mean they were great. I mean he was a tenor and he was great. And my mom had an amazing voice. Like I used to sneak in the living room when my mom was cooking and clean in the kitchen and I'd sit in the living room just to watch to listen to her sing.

She had an amazing voice. She was really something special.

Was it? Of course? I guess when you're traveling with.

A gospel quartet or whatever, most kids that have the experience have to have church all week, not just on Sundays.

So was it just was this a Baptist or seven day of Venice?

So we were Baptists.

We were straight Southern Baptists, man, and everything that comes with it.

That's what we were.

Saturday service, Sunday.

Sunday service, Saturday service, you know.

Yeah, I mean we went to we went to church at like nine and got out at three. We were there all day. It was an all day thing, and it was you know, that was just the way we were ready to go eat at night. Yeah, in the night service exactly. You love the night service because you know you can get some sweep tato pie up in there.

You love that.

Did you ever sing with.

The I sing with the choir. I never sang with his group.

Now, okay, how were you when you sing in the choir? Ah?

God, I started singing in the choir when I was I guess eleven or twelve, and I sang for three or four years in the choir.

So because you were i'd assuming you were born in the late sixties.

Yes, sixty six.

Oh, I'm guessing. I promise. I wasn't going to say no more.

Years to grow up down South.

Post civil rights period.

At least I considered the Mason Dixon line to be nineteen sixty five.

Yeah.

What were your childhood experiences like in those formative years, like the first ten years of your life.

Oh, we're born a year after we got to write the vote.

Yeah it was, you know, it was like we're in a adult size.

Was it like hey, a new day or like, how did.

You know it was still bad? It was still bad.

I remember being six and my mom and her friends organ She was a nurse, and they organized this big march because they were getting paid so much less than the white nurses. So they organized this big boycott in March, and I just remember that being you know, get our you know, people putting death threats in our mailbox and stuff like that. It was it was it was the South doing it, you know. I always say the one thing about growing up where I grew up is you always knew who didn't like it.

It was never questioned you. You never had to wonder if this.

Guy, it's this guy everybody's but down there you knew who didn't like you, and they made no bones about it.

And you still stayed to go to college.

And I mean, my family was there. Where was I gonna go? You know?

And once I started playing music in college, you know, we were playing that little circuit down there, and where was I gonna go?

Were there bands? And in your high school experience.

I didn't. I didn't. My first band was who the Blowfish Really could start? Yeah?

Wait, seriously, that was my first band?

Yeah?

Wow, how lucky. We just tried this band, thinking, oh my god, were the biggest band you guys were around for a while before.

Yeah, we were a band for eight years before we get a record.

Though, Dude, your first band of roots?

Yeah? No, I meant, oh, but I considered like I did work with my dad's group, Like okay.

Your daddy's group, but I got you.

I did thirteen years in that group before I got my wings. Oh wow, Now that's amazing because usually people have to.

Well, my problem was nobody in high school could play. Like I didn't have anybody in my high school that was a guitar player. I had one guy to play guitar, and I don't know, I don't know one drummer or bass playing.

They played in the band, but nobody sick.

So there was no high school curriculum for music or nothing.

There was, but there wasn't anybody gonna, let's start a band, you know, like I I sing in the high school choir and and all that stuff, show choir and all that stuff. But it wasn't like anybody was trying to start a band, and you know, so I just never did. And then when I got into college and I met Mark, I was like, hey, man, let's let's jam and we started the band.

So being as though musical aspirations weren't like in your your high school years or whatever, like what did you want to be when you grew up?

Like what was your I.

Wanted to be a singer.

But when you're from South Carolina, you hear so many times that you're never going to make it from South Carolina, and so you got to decide you'll do something else. So I decided I was going to be a sportscast. I went to school for broadcast journalism.

You know, and sportscaster.

Yeah.

I wanted to talk about sports, you know, do the sports on the six o'clock news was my goal. That was way before ESPN or anything like that.

Back in eighty four.

This is in high school, in college.

Was in high school. I decided that was good.

Yeah, that also explains why he had Oberman ESPN era L video. Of course, now it's making sick, so okay, well, I know that most down South towns are football towns, college towns. Like you, weren't a sports guy at all.

I like sports, and I played sports until I was thirteen, and I just and uh, it was it was tough to realize that I wasn't going to play in the NFL. But when all my when all my friends were better than me and they weren't going to play in the NFL. So around thirteen, I decided that I should probably concentrate a little more on singing. And so that's when I really started trying to become a singer, just trying to learn how to sing, and really just from listening to records.

It's amazing.

It was crazy.

Oh okay, So and where did you go to college?

To South Carolina?

Okay, So that's basically in your freshman or sophomore year, you guys.

Sophomore year, I meet this this kid. Hears me singing in the shower and I come out of the shower. You know, we had those big community showers with no just.

Jail house showers.

Yeah, yeah those and uh and I'm singing some song in there and he hears me and.

I walk out.

He says, you know, was that you? I was the guy's like, I played guitar. Let's see if we know any of the same songs. And we went to his room and knew about ten of the same songs and decided we were gonna I thought. I told him, we get us a gig at this chicken wing joint. And that's how all started.

And you guys named yourselves study in the blue Fish.

Oh dude, I was still mad at myself about this ut. First we were the Wolf Brothers. Then we decided to get a whole band, and and there's two guys. One guy I sang with them, and one guy had these really big eyes.

And I used to be a real asshole. I used to give people's nicknames all the time.

And this guy had big eyes, and I called him Hoodie, and everybody started to call him Hoodie, and.

His roommate and best friend who.

Literally found out it was his boyfriend, and uh, he had these big.

Cheeks and he played he played trumpets.

He had these big dizzey gillaspie cheeks and he'd do that thing, and so I started calling him in the Blowfish.

I'm certain that even now do they know this story.

V H one did a thirty minute special.

I'm certain right now at the family table, facegiving like, oh, I'm sure they tell us there all the time.

And I'm going to ask the dumb question in the room because somebody's listening, and somebody's thinking it, who is a fish?

Oh?

What I did not who?

Yeah, don't look at me. It was somebody listening right now?

Who thought, so you.

At what point are you guys like Okay, let's like, how do you escape South? Because I wouldn't imagine that Charleston is a music town like Nashville. Oh no, Or wasn't like, hey, why don't we go to Nashville? Like for me, it was like, we got to go to New York to make it.

And we were told that by everybody we gotta go to Nashville or New York or La or Atlanta to make it.

And we just didn't want to do it. We wanted to stay in Columbia.

And uh so we were playing a circuit back and back then you could play from the New York down to Florida and the Tennessee and every place had a club, and so we would just play the same clubs every six weeks. And so after a while we started doing great at these clubs. Like I think the last year before we got a record deal, we each made fifty grand just playing club.

How how long had you been?

So we played better?

We played three hundred shows that year, but you know it was and we didn't get a record that when we got big Grunge was king. Nobody was trying to sign a band like Cootie the Bluff, and we put out a little EP called Kuchie Pop and we sold fifty five fifty. Shirley Hamphill, We're watching We're Washing Hamphio do her stand up and she said her daughter saved her whole Couchie Pop.

I think I know that routine.

Yeah, and that's where we got it from.

Yeah, what I think I remember that?

And absolutely, And so we named the Kuccie Pop and we sold like fifty sixty thousand copies of it out of the back of our van, just selling it at shows and at these Mama Pop record stores. And that's when and it was before Billboard had computers, so you still had to call the stores. And people were calling these stores in the Southeast, going who's selling and we were like number three and number four and the people who is this? Who do even bofish Man and they

But when did you guys start writing songs? Because I feel like.

We started writing songs eighty nine because it was the.

Cover was that you guys play covered Yeah, we.

Covered forever Yeah, And it's so funny down to up looking out because you know, Dave Matthews got huge. We we played frat parties with Dave Matthews. That's how I mean, that's how big the scene was back back then, that scene was so good and it's not that way anymore. But we made we didn't even care about a record deal. We were making good money.

Well, I was gonna ask, what would you how would you categorize yourselves? Because from me, from me seeing you guys, and we like there have been a few are those big giant festivals were like the roots were on like the ninth Stay the backlock stage, you guys are headlining, and I would I rarely hear people describe I always thought that you guys were more of a jam band

Absolutely we were jam band with with with with that pop such ability because none of us could play well enough to be a jaman. Nobody, nobody, nobody wanted to hear our guitar player player solo for ten minutes. Nobody definitely wanted to hear me play a solo because I still can't play so so, but we had that Jampan feel about us. So that's what we always that's what we always thought we were.

I see, Okay, So at what point does Atlantic come in the picture?

Like, how does Yeah? They came in ninety A.

Lanta came out at the end of ninety two and started talking to us, and everybody was but everybody was talking to us, I mean, and we met this guy that we liked, and so we went with Atlantic and I remember making Cracked Review. And there's some people right now that if you talk to them, they'll tell you they signed us, but they didn't. They lie, and uh, Danny Goldberg was president of Atlantic at the time, and people went in. People at Atlantic went in and told

Just it Okay.

So obviously the one factor that meet you guys you need was the fact that a black lead singer and this band, Like, how as far as once the majors got to you guys and at least we're recording you to sign to the label, like, was there hesitancy as far as that like, was that ever? The subthing was that the ever the white elephant in the room. Oh absolutely, how are we going to sell this in the marketing?

And that was always I mean, I don't know how many times people say, yo, Lenny Gravitz that I was like, yeah, but we don't sound like Lady Gravitz.

Guys weren't hippified.

That's the thing you were so dude's next door, Yes exactly, k guys next door, Like, but that's the thing you weren't. I don't you guys weren't silly frat you weren't. It was so normal that it worked, It was relatable. But I'm certain that someone said, like, well, just let the music, you know, let the music speak for itself.

Like you notice, we're not there's little picture of us on our first.

Record, the Motown Theory. Yeah, and that was on purpose.

That was on purpose. That was you have me for Somebody wanted to do that.

You know.

They didn't want people to see, you know.

Because if they and if they saw me on the record, they would have thought I was a drummer or the basse player.

You know.

And and so when we actually when we started making our first video, was like people, you know, they were worried that, you know, the the video channels working to play like you know.

I was like, well, you know, let's see.

So there's discussions of just doing an aerosmith and have a narrative of the story.

And you guys, not exactly did bother you I always always.

You know, because to us it win a big deal.

Man.

We had just played frat houses where you know, I was called nigger and all this stuff. We had just busted our bus to get through where we were going through the South playing all those shitty gigs that you know, I look back on and go, I can't believe we didn't. You know, I didn't have to fight our way out.

Of that, you know exactly.

And so when we got there, I was like, man, we still got We're on the big stage. Now we still got to deal with this crap.

How did your bam it? How did they deal with because this is something new for them.

I'm sure it was, yeah, but I mean, you know, they they were thinner skin than I was. I knew that if I was going to do this, I had to have thick skin. I knew that the instant we started playing in the South that if I was going to do this, I gotta have thick skin. And we're gonna be fighting everywhere we play.

And damn I forgot because you're the front man, and I know there's always some asshole or a heckler or beard or sure, so how you must be have like marksmen like that.

I am pretty.

Of those clubs with the cages around Rose Pay one of those.

Yeah, like Blues Brothers places that had the fence around this day.

You guys never played Rong Hide just for kicks. We played Roigh that night.

Didn't even know it picked it.

Oh man, that dog that is that is brave?

Like does would that ever give you an anxiety?

Because I don't know.

I mean, at the most I would probably fear facing an audience that has indifference, but not you know, wondering every night where's it going to come from.

I tell you the times when I got the most scared or like, but you know, we took the gigs, were go play the gig, But anxiety was playing those frat houses in the South, like going to the University of Tennessee and playing the freaking Kate, going to Presbyterian and playing the KA House. And you know, I don't know what it is like that, but back when we were in school, KA was the old South frat. You know they basically, you know, they should have three k's instead of ka.

Was that ever a redemptive purple ring movement where it's like where it's like when you get to that climatic song and they're looking at each.

Other like, yeah, absolutely there was.

There was.

But then then we're lowing our shipped down and the guy front and I hear this man that was a good band, even though they had a nigger singer.

Oh heard it.

The guy was right there.

When he said, and what's crazy for you is you had to go through both sides because it's like you have that and then you're not black enough on the other side, because I'm sure there were situations that you you know, you wanted to do or even as far as publications that you wanted to talk to and it was like, wait, I'm here.

Absolutely, that's that. That's been the hardest thing for me is to have to get it for most sides, Like I've sold thirty five million records. There was one point where I was in the biggest band in the world. And you know, I've never been on the cover of Ebony or Jet. I've had one story and Jet they did a story. But who was in Bluefish in ninety six, right, we just got.

The cover of Ebony.

But I'm just saying that it's it's even though he's we're in different genres, there is it is a psychological mind fuck to thrive in a business where categorically or statistically the audience that's supporting you might not necessarily embrace you in real life. And on top of that, the people that you look like when you look in the mirror aren't necessarily supporting you as well. So it's a very weird thing.

Toby. It's well, I mean, there's a lot of acts like that, but it's it's.

Still you know what's crazy.

Y'all should know that it trickles down to radio too, because I've been told I'm come from radio, and I've been told, Okay, black people aren't into that, like you, we can't talk about that. Oh can we just talk about No, black people don't. So it trickles down in all kinds of ways. I don't want y'all to just think like, you know.

Well, that's also the difference because he has a lot of hits and I got one and that.

Half hits.

All right, So so the album comes out and it becomes an unstoppable monster. Yeah, like and again I know that no one planned any of this. It wasn't like you were, oh god, no doing Michael Jackson posted on the wall like.

No, not at all.

So at the point where it's like where your sound skin numbers reports are coming in, deal like, oh guys, another million, another million, another million, another million.

Does it does it get scary?

Because like, this is your first album and are you already thinking like damn, now the second album has to be just as good?

And I was I was the one that said of the band, y'all know this is never gonna happen again, right, I mean.

It was even as it was happening.

It got to like twelve million, and they, I mean, they wanted to go. They wanted to chase Michael Jackson. They wanted to put too more singles out. They wanted to chase Thriller. They really really did. They wanted to they wanted to put too more singles up, but we stopped.

It, respectful.

No, we want to make another record record, you know, the same song as make another record, and uh, it was it's getting crazy, but I knew it.

Dude.

We sold six million on the next record and that's considered a flop. How how crazy is that we sold six million records and it's considered a flop.

That's crazy Today, if anybody sells six million.

You can't.

Can't. It's not possible.

So okay, So when you get to Fairweather Johnson and and and the other records, like, are you well, I mean, what's the as far as you guys are concerned, Are you guys still a tight knit you?

Oh?

Yeah, yeah, Because usually when bands get to that level like you two dog, their entourage situation is the craziest thing I've ever seen in my life. Like even Adam Clayton has his own private plane, his own us, his own like each band member and YouTube has their own world. Like it's something I've never seen before. But are you guys? Like, Okay, we're gonna stay humble, stay on the same bus.

We were so tight.

I mean it was we felt it was still us against the world and the party was on. Okay, I mean we we were at that point when Fairweather came out, we were raging. I mean it was like, I think back to that time and when we get together, the four of us talk, we say the same thing, thank God for letting all four of us make it out the end of that. And so that was something that brought us together. We were just having so much fun.

You know that. That's that's what we cared about. The shows were bigger.

We're getting to play as much as we want, having a great time. I actually con afford to pay off my student loan and get me a car.

First first check.

My student loan first check.

Yeah, much just like thousand with you.

Your first loan was like twenty.

Exactly.

You know that the Obama's paid off their student loan the first year of being in the White House.

Wow wow, really wow.

It was expensive too. They did had a lot of schooling they did.

That's real, that's crazy.

So to play, what do you prefer like smaller intimate settings or is it as intimate when you're playing in the stadium.

Or oh definitely not today, I definitely. But if we could play like a two three thousand sedter, that's perfect.

That's a good small small I love it.

That's not small. I mean small is a five hundred the club, But that's that's I like that. But you know, like last night, I pluay. You know, there was you know, eleven twelve thousand people in this tennis stadium and you just can't. You try to give it up, but you can't see everybody. You can't, you know, you can't really get it. And that's I like that because you know that the checks are bigger, and you know you're still and you you're doing all right, and you got all

I gotta ask a question, So right now, where's your Grammy.

This This is a running joke on.

I have.

I have a man.

I have this little room where I watch football and write, and I got my studio there, and there's a little closet area. If you want to see my grammys right now, I would have to take you to them. Like you never walk in my house and see my Grammys, I'd have to take you to Oh.

So it's not on the floor, it's not a doorstopper.

Or basically it's basically a bookend. Some books up there. The two of them are holding some books up. But uh, I mean, like I say, I'll say, any other I don't have. I don't want people to walk in and like there's not one platinum gold record on my wall anywhere in my house. I don't have them. My sisters and brothers have them all. I don't have my cousins.

Not gonna see it one less.

They're not in the bathroom.

Now, They're not in the bathroom. Yours in the bathroom?

Yeah?

Yeah, nice?

So yeah in the bathroom.

When did you know that it was time to leave the band and start your own solo career.

I got lucky if our drummer came in. We had, you know, you tour every summer, and we were on tour in the middle of the tour and our drummer walks in and says, hey, man, you know, I don't want to be a touring band like this anymore. I want to just we we're touring too much, so I don't want to be a touring band. And my first thought was, Okay, I'm going to go do this country record.

Yes, I was like yeah.

I was like, cool, I'll go do I'm gonna do my this country thing and see what happens.

But you didn't, right, huh you? As far as I'm concerned. When I first met you two thousand and one, you signed it in beach career.

Yeah, yeah, but that was that we were still together. That was we took a year off and I did that record. Then we got back together and went back on tour until two thousand and eight.

Okay, I thought you left the group and then.

No, that we were just taking time off for that then and then at two thousand and eight was when two thousand and seven was when.

They called it.

They we just don't want to do this all the time was okay, And we weren't that band who could have said, Okay, we're gonna get a new drummer. We just we're a band. When the four of us play, we play. If the four of us are gonna play together, we're not gonna play.

So the grass is always greener on the other side. Because I was shocked. Really, I just just as a as a working musician, my thought is always about like my livelihood and the people have to take care.

Of Yes, I mean too you can't.

Yeah.

I don't know if it's just with with black people. I mean I would think that everyone thinks like Okay.

I also feel like.

Yeah, so to.

Walk away from something so sure shot and I'm sure I'm certain that by that point you know your guarantees or nice yeah for you know, yeah, that time period to make that every To make your your your grandparents night, to make your grandparents' annual salary in one ninety minute concert is great. So to walk away from that is such a risk. Oh yeah, And I'm not even talking about your standpoint because you're still here.

But for your band members, is.

It Was it a rastusism or was it like, well, let's talk about him.

No, he had thought about it for a while. I mean you could tell when he was talking to us. And I think the band actually thought we might not play for two years, maybe three years, and we'd be

I mean, I just didn't think i'd get a record deal.

And Doc McGhee was my manager, and he talked to president of Capitol and to give me a record deal before before he said who I was. And then when he said who I was, I got lucky because the guy said, you know, I didn't really get that hooty thing, but I always thought he was a country singer.

Who you were?

They were at dinner.

The story goes here at dinner and he's with Mike Duncan and he says, I want you to give this guy a record deal, and Mike was like who. And they went around for an hour and Mike was like, I can't give him deal with that, telling me and Doc pull deal.

I'm Doc McGee, you you're gonna trust me on this. One said all right, I'll give a deal.

I'll give a deal and said it was me And they called me that night and I went and in the next day and he gave me a deal. And the favorite story that I hear is he said. When I decided to give a record deal, I called the thirteen people in Nashville that I thought were the tastemakers, the guys that are running country music. He's called by thirteen friends, and I thought would know that know this business,

Never accept the black countries here.

I thought I had.

But it's been twenty five years. I came along, Charlie Proud had done anything.

Well, let it not be said that you aren't familiar with recording danger. Now the thing is that I I thought that that was a natural thing, Like it wasn't like I said, really, I felt like, oh, that makes sense the same thing if Nald Richie were to make

And so I mean, obviously, of course.

If you think about it, like Glass Night and the Pips, the imagination now with Midnight Training Georgia, all countries.

Yeah yeah, yeah, you have.

The porners sisters, they want to cantry Grammy.

Yeah, the first one was a country, so neither one of us must be say good bye country something.

But before we get to that, so I because I know that you were working with dra and Videll and and whatnot, what was that whole experience like doing that?

That's that's one of my that's still one of my favorite records that I've ever been a part of. I listened to that record probably three weeks ago. That was so much fun. Man, work with those guys, work with Jill and and work with you know, with the I was working with the characters here and working with Jazz out in the LA. Where did you record the I recorded some of it here, some of them in Philly.

Yeah, it was. I mean, I love that. I love that. I still love that record.

I think we've had some great songs on that record. You make me feel like I've sing the song.

You love Lizabon know that.

I mean only that, I hear.

So fun.

I want having.

You got so?

How would you got so?

Even got so? Help me too?

I love it.

What was that like working in the studio with her?

Oh? Great, she came in.

We started writing that song, and you know, I was such a big fan, and and we start writing a song and we get to the chorus and when we started cutting, it was so sexy. You know, her voice is so sexy, and I.

Was with her everything she gives us sex.

It was awesome.

So, uh speak of your at least for the transformation into.

Going to the country world. How hard was that adjustment for you?

For me, it was easy.

I mean because I'm just I'm still still that kid from South Carolina that thinks he got lucky.

So like they were surprised.

Like when we got the first single and I went to my label, I said, I want to be the new guy. I said, I don't want to be. I want to start from the bottom and work.

My way up. They're like, well, we had these ideas.

I was like, well, I want to do a radio tour, and they were shocked because they said they had talked about it, but they didn't think I would do it. And so I went to one hundred and ten radio stations three or four day for five six weeks. I mean every day, busting up, you know, talking to people, shaking hands, kissing babies, playing for three people in the conference room and doing all that.

How hard is it to.

Make them this attached themselves from what your past was.

That was the hardest part. That was the hardest part of.

How do you win that armless wrestling match.

To I just went in and was myself.

I just went in and talked, and that was me and and I visited and you know, you got for have lunch and drink some beers. And have a good time and people liked me and I had actually had a good song.

Was there anybody that was mentoring you like that, anybody that went through the process like you did that change genres?

And No, that was something that somebody said to me that I thought of. It was like so many people that have gone from popped and tried to trying to do country and I'm the only person that's that's made it. And I was like, wow, I never even thought about that. But I mean, I've had a career. I got eight number ones, I get a Grammy, I got five number one records.

It was it's it was crazy, so okay for a person that's never played there but has heard about the folklore of the Grand ol Opry, what is what is the honor or the folkal of playing the Grand Old Opry?

And it's pretty sacred in country music.

It's it's like like, is it a jury that decides we'll let you play this?

Or who?

He tried to play there for years. They wouldn't let us. They would never let us on the stage.

They just said, you're not a country band, you know. And so the first time I played it was pretty awesome. It was just one of those out of buddy experiences, because you know, and the day I got asked to be a member was probably the first day I thought I was a part of the country music.

So is it like the Friars Club or it's like, explain, do you know, can you explain for audience and me?

What is so okay?

Assuming that you're a young start in Nashville, Like, is your dream like one day.

Absolutely, your dream is one day be a member of the Grand Opera? And yeah, the play because everybody once you're if you're in the business, you could play it. If you're a country singer, you could get on the opry. But becoming a member, you know, it's just an honor that that that everybody in Nashville is trying to get.

And what's like, what's a member like? Is it like the Rock and Hall Hall of Fame or is it it's not.

It's not.

It's more like the Friars Club is probably a better way to describe it. It's it's a it's a big fraternity of.

Musicians and we all give our time to the Opry and you know the.

Charity stuff that the Opry does and all that.

Stuff, and it's It's like everybody wants to be a member.

So who initiates the idea? Like does your manager call them and say, hey, oh, they have.

To come to you.

You have to come to you and say do you want to be a member of the Grand Opery?

Are you the only pepper and a salt?

Were you?

Charlie as growing up as a kid with with like limited uh television shows on but a lot of variety shows. I definitely remember, like Charlie Pride always seen him on these variety shows in the seventies. But I'm not that familiar with his discography, So I did he get a lot of play?

He got a lot of where we lived, Like I was an AM radio kid, where I just sit and flip through the radio and whatever song I liked, I'd stop on it.

And Charlie Pride, I.

Mean, and even in our house because he was big in our house, because it was one of the only places you could see music. Yes, exactly exactly, And so you know I watched you.

Oh no, no, I thought you said roll call.

I quoted it in my role.

Call there is that roll call was derivative of but it.

Is also a dance in DC. We made up but.

Continue and so he was really big and he was for me as a kid, I was always that kid who wanted to do something different, who always and I always thought it was cool that Charlie Pride was, you know, doing something that we weren't supposed to do. You know, we weren't supposed to sing coutry music. And this guy was not just saying country music. He was Entertainer of

Uh have you.

I know, it's well with a lot of singers in the business, like some of them are kind of slow to meet someone more successful. I'm not saying like you're idol or whatever you don't meet your heroes or whatever, but do you guys have a relationship.

We're friends. We're definitely friends.

We talk, we hang out when we when we can, and the whole ebony and jet thing.

I didn't even think about that until Charlie said that to me.

Never And when he said that to me is when I thought, I was like, Wow, I've never done it.

I was like because that's those kind of things. I just let go because I'm like, it's just not gonna happen what I do.

And then I thought, wow, Charlie Pride has never been on the cover of Ebony or I mean, I was like wow, And I was like, you know, I guess I kind of understand me.

But that guy is I would, Oh you would? You should have one of that. He's he'll tell you too.

Baseball player.

He was a baseball player.

I love what he Charlie.

Charlie's one of the guys you love to hang out with because he loves to tell stories and I'll sit there for hours and just let him talk and just laugh.

And he's you should have one. He's great.

Dear, guys, have been doing please make this happen.

Were you guys friends before you decided to do country or.

We met when I started doing so when.

He found out, Like, what is the first initial conversation that you guys?

Our first conversation was he was hosting the Opry and I was on the opery that night, and him and I got there early so we could sit in the room just me and him.

For an hour.

Are laughing about getting there early?

Yeah, Yeah, I don't know that about that.

Your country people get here.

What you got me? Man, you got me. So you guys got there earlier.

And we just sat and talked for like an hour, an hour and a half. We just sat in the room, just me and him and talked and I picked his brain about you know, but his life and my life and what I can expect and and I'll be honest with you.

One thing I.

Said to myself years ago, we were talking earlier about the frat house and all that stuff.

I said to myself.

Years ago, no matter what I go through, I can handle it because I can't imagine what Charlie Pride went through. I can't imagine what he went through to succeed the way he did. And I always said, if he could take that, I could take whatever they got to throw my way.

But I'm almost scared for you because it's kind of like a semi resurgence of Charlie.

Oh, you're right.

And the funny thing is the only time I've ever really experienced something that was just so blatantly racist at one of my shows is we're playing a show in upstate New York. Upstate New York. I'm playing a show, and all of a sudden we see these six giant, giant rebel flax and these guys are walking around the crowd carrying real flax. So my boys are like, hell no, so we all go together and they went out no Darius, and these guys went out and grabbed these you know,

Were to people don't know about the are you?

We were like, y'all get out of here, y'all got to go.

We kicked them out.

It was three years some of the world is we're here to visiting?

Thing about it all?

Like why is that road playing?

Hair Rosa, stay at ouse walls tied in here and then sit out here and tam world.

Over us where no matter all, we got him here again.

Gun, You don't guy, what you see in a.

Glance on the street?

What do you want to see?

Okay, Well, since we're talking about this is really appropriate, can you talk about the song Drowning, which seems to be quite as relevant now as it was twenty years ago when it was first released.

You know, we uh, the rebel flag used to be on top of our state house like it would be the US flags, the South Kin flag, and the red flag flying over the state House. So there was a big controversy that we just wanted it take him down. We wanted it take him down. And so one night I was out at the bars and there was this cat. He was a homeless cat and he uh, his name was Spider. We all call him Spider, and he's he's

He's like, well, I was like, what do you mean. He was like, you know they're playing with these white boys, You're the one they really hate.

And I went wow.

And I went home that night and I wrote Drowning and Drowning it's a protest song. I mean, there's no other ways you could say. It's a protest song. And uh, I just I wanted to. I was so frustrated and that night and I was so like taken aback by what spider it said that I sat down and you know, and I wrote it, and you know, when it came down, that was one of the songs they were playing at the State House when they were taking it down, and I thought that was pretty cool.

Wow, that's do you stand it with the So now you know, now that the flag issue is down, now there's the statue issue. I'm just curious because I know South Carolina. You know, they've been pulling statues down around there.

The thing that the thing that kills me about, Uh, all the people will go you know where you're forget the history. These are the people who came to be these patriotic Americans, and the South tried to destroy the Union, they tried to destroy what America was when America and also they could keep black people with slaves and they were terrorists and they were you know, and they want

We think that it was.

They think that it was, but it was, and it was put up to doing Jim Crow to keep black people in their place, so to say. And so I'm good with taking them down.

So based on what's going on now, I mean, how awkward is it doing press in that circuit, especially with what's going on now. I know that you're a big sports fanatic, and it's almost like every day you wake up, everyone America wakes up sort of panic stricken because they're not knowing what's going to be reported next on the news.

And second me.

Turning on and now just dealing with the White House and the National Anthem and football and everything. I mean, how hard is it to just sell your product in that marketplace and and kind of step between, uh.

You know, landmindes.

Of of of avoiding being a spokesperson or content.

And and the thing.

For me, it's hard both ways because like I sing the Nashay, I was in London singing the national anthem just a little while ago. But I just the way I was raised, I can't kneel during the anthem. I understand why they do trust me. I've been stopped. I've been stopped for driving a nice car a million times. I got brothers and cousins and uncles and friends, and I'm totally with what the what what those guys are protested,

Say the wrong thing. Look at the Dixie Chicks. You say the.

Wrong thing one time, and your career could be over. I mean, you know, career suicide country country, especially especially in country. You got, you got? The Dixie Chicks said one offhand thing. The day before they said that they were the most played band on country radio by far, the day they said that they haven't played since. I've never heard a Dixie Chicks song on the country read I listen to coutry radio all the time. I've never

It doesn't sound like you you asked to be a spokesperson for race, but you seem to have. It seems to be this responsibility that's been put upon you just because of these lines that you seem to be walking.

What is that like?

I mean, like I don't think you know, Like I feel like some people they want to talk about race and it's very important to them, and this just feels like where you live and the genres that you jump between your automatically that's sort of yeah, whether whether you want it or not, which is.

And it's just ridiculous, but like it's kind of part of being black.

Well okay, white person. I'm just that I don't know what that's like.

Whenever I'm in this situation, I have a fear of like, oh God, please don't let an awkward statement happen.

Please, I just want to I just want to go to Starbucks and get my coffee. I live that every day and whatever.

So yeah, like I did the CBS Saturday Morning thing and it goes so crazy because I did the CBS Saturday Morning thing and you know, I was doing exactly what you're saying. Don't let me say something awkward something, you know, And because I started talking about the.

EMU, not even you, I'm just from with other people.

Yeah, oh yeah, coming like some question or something that that gets me to say something. And then I go, well, right, come on man, you know, like you know, it's just it's a fun line.

Plus you're like a double agent in a way, so I feel like you have information, you know what I mean, you don't. I'm sorry if we're asking to me question like, oh I know there's I'm like, what do you do when they talk about the NRAs.

It's so much.

They're all your fans.

Man, it's fascinating. You're fascinating. You should be on the cover of Ebony.

Yeah, make it happen you please.

Okay, how hard is it to navigate a career and a personal life?

Uh?

Like away from your career? Like, are you a twenty four hour I have to constantly tour.

I have to always make music.

Is it just like, Okay, I want time off to you know, have a family life for that sort of thing, Like, how hard is it to.

I think that's probably the main reason I live in Charleston. It's because the place where I live, everybody knows me, like I've been living there. I've been living in the same neighborhood for twenty years now. Everybody knows me. They've they've you know, I grew up with a lot of people like I played the show the other night and I knew half the people in the crowd. And so uh, because I don't have to work all the time. I love being off. I love being with my kids. I

I go to the grocery store every day.

I do.

Yeah, you wouldn't see me. I love it.

What's it like being around because all your brothers and sisters are still in the area too, righte, So not to be all up in your business.

But since you did.

But since you did have such a successful band, you are such a successful artist, do you to I've learned this request let retire people like are there certain people that you like?

You know, like certain your older brothers and sisters. You're like, don't worry about.

It, you have a hanger on.

There was, yes, there was a minute question.

Made it pretty.

There was one thing I said to my sisters and brothers when cracked reviews started taking off. You know, I said, I love you guys. I said, I love you guys. And you guys will never be kicked out of your house. Okay, you always have a car. But we are not rich.

I am rich.

I will take care of you.

I will make sure.

I will make sure you never ever if you're if you're four months late on your on your mortgage, call me.

You're not getting a new house.

But you ain't getting a brand new house just because you want to have and I'm not writing a check for it.

And and where were you?

You don't have as many brothers and.

These they know they can call me anything.

They know.

If they called me and say, you know, Darius. I'm gonna buyd I'm gonna be there in a minute with cash or check or whatever you need. But don't expect me to change your life this. I can't change it because I want to. I want to stay this way. I don't want to be broken. I have not a nate fear of being broke some day. I grew up poor, you know what. I have to just great fear being broke some day, and I haven't it.

I just want to take about seventeen seconds to appreciate this moment. First, the Dyla siren, Okay, because it's just hit me that there's a black man in this business that has went diamond, Yes, that shows up on time early, early, early,

But twelve oh for your record collect You just have storage spaces for your record collection.

Yeah, well they got to have a home too, No, But I'm just saying that you're you're totally going against the narrative of someone that.

Should. I mean, just every person I know that's in your position.

Has family and friends that they have to carry on their back.

They have to show up late. You know.

There, I know someone who's ex wives live in a commune, a gated commune. I showed you, Oh, I'd like to see we have, But you said that, you know, like if the mentality, especially with black folks, like if one of you is rich, we all rich?

Where not?

How do you know how to say the word no?

Oh, well, you were smart enough to do it early, which means that you might have had foresight that this might be a big thing.

Yeah. I mean when it started taking off, I realized it was going to be a big thing.

And and how how hard could you How long could you sort of squelch and hide?

I had to do that. I still have my first car, I'm still driving my same you know.

It's I have.

I have one house.

I keep it just for it's not very big.

I got one house, not very big because I didn't want a big house, because I didn't want my kids to be able to get lost in it. You know, you got twenty five hour square foot house.

You could.

You cannot find your kids if you want to. I got a nice house. I drive a free car, you know, free car?

Yeah, damn. Marino told me a long time ago.

Let your let your community take care of you. Yeah, Charlie, he told me that he's right, let your community take you.

Can't do that.

Marino hadn't paid for a car since he was a rookie. His kids get free cars dealership.

Yeah, wait, that can happen. Ye have a.

Suburban man radio DJ get that.

I get a new one every six months.

Do you know any d J gigs I had to do to get my birthday gift downstairs?

Well, your birthday gift downstairs?

A no sigh, Yeah.

There ain't no suburban.

I'm sure maybe some cousins are listening right now, Yes they are. Wait, how does that happen? Okay, now I need you to mention. Marino told me, oh he did.

Wow, I did not know I could ask for the stuff.

Dude. You just get to get with the right guy.

And athletes know because they're always getting those those deals, because.

As I also come from management that uh, well them free Well no, no, no, it's it's just they they they successfully for the longest, talked us out of that lifestyle. You know what I mean, Like again, I got my license when I was thirty four.

I got my first car when I was thirty four.

It was traumatic, wow around.

I mean, we were a touring band.

Like the whole logic was even how I met Jimmy, Like when I finally begged and begged and begged and baked and big, let me.

Get a house in La please. First day out there, I mean Jimmy.

And then it's like, crap, gotta move back, you know, East Coast. So whenever I try to really floss, you know, it's it's always backfire. So I was even talked out.

Of would you like me to floss on your behalf?

Just give me the access to this what's.

Happening and don't floss. He don't flows Although I'm sure those boots aren't cheap.

I know. I was like, I was looking at the.

Where did that snake come from? Ye?

I'm gonna get a picture that boost on Instagram later.

Yeah. I like my boots.

I've had they made a rattlesnake?

Yes they are? Ye?

Did you kill it?

Yes?

Daris? Can you tell me? Is it rude? To ask somebody they have like they have their license. Is that rude?

No, that's not rude.

I don't think I can't ask.

Somebody not a driver's license, gun license that.

I can learn from you everybody's got a license.

Well, no, I asked, because he said he killed him.

Even I know I don't think you did he I would have ran from the snake, but it let.

Me in my mind and think, Damn, I wanted to Dari's hunts, like you know, you're in that world, blah blah blah.

I got a gun license.

The other white people, of course you want to.

Yeah, all the white folks.

Question country not white, because you know it's more to white people.

I saw you, and why are you all the white questions?

You don't know about Southern country white neither business.

They're married a Southern white country person, thank you very much.

She loves me too.

Yeah, oh my goodness.

That you see that key and peels thing that they did on me. They they schedule me and say we're down, and we're down in Nashville and we're doing the show.

And I said, hey, I'm doing nice to you.

Hey, I love you.

We love Darius.

That's good.

I love it when you're on the standing labor means you made it. I love that stuff. I don't care what they say.

I love it all right? So what what are you not?

What are you about the cars? Aren't you?

I mean for you? Is it?

No?

I'm still in my head even though I have a question life after when was the last time? I'm still thinking, like how do I get a free car? So as far as your your career is concerned, like what would you hope is your legacy? And as far as like what you're at the end of the day, like is there anything that you've not achieved besides eminine jet you're gonna do electronic connections?

No?

No, The only thing, honestly, the only thing I haven't done that I want to do is I'm ever since I can remember, ever since really Notorious Big was was killing it. I want to sing the hook on a big rap record so much. I want I want to be Nate Dog so bad. Oh, I'm dying to I mean dying.

You can help dying too.

You know something, I know the Carolina connections, duet.

I want you have to get married now.

It's like.

You know something.

I'm that girl.

I'm going to talk to you way too high. I'm going to talk to you after the show.

Because I have a project you might be interested in. It's not an album, but it's concerning that very person, and you are the perfect person to do.

This the question love, I'm serious. Script, Everyone's like, what are you talking about?

Man?

I want to say this. You could ask me to sing pooh, pooh pooh. And the respect that I've have that I have for you, and I love you and I love the roots, I would do whatever you wanted me to do.

I appreciate it absolutely. Okay, I guess I will reveal it because I can't.

Keep it a secret because of uh, well, twenty eighteen coming up will be uh somewhat of a notable anniversary year for a lot of seminal classics and music of nineteen ninety three. I've been we've been going back and forth with the Dre camp trying to figure out a way how to celebrate his twenty five year milestone with the Chronic and Doggy Style both are in their twenty fives,

I'm still in I will cancel my tour.

I don't think your manager will be happy about that.

And you can show up five minutes.

Yeah, I'll away for you all, and then.

We can talk about getting him in the museum. Hope he's there. I just I'm assuming, Yeah, the Smithsonian.

I'm not in this spisode.

Are you sure?

I don't think I am.

You don't think we're gonna check on that?

Yeah, it's it's probably one of the most amazing experiences of any well for black people, especially to see that museum in d C.

Oh, yeah, it's we need more white folks to go see.

Because you know, you kidding. Have you seen the lines?

I know I've seen the lines.

It's no, it is it's almost like I want more black trust me.

We sold it out the first year and now it's on them.

That's right.

Yeah, No, it's it's you know, but it's I shall make it. Shout out to Timothy and yes, her name is Timothy.

No ebony because you're gonna be in the Smithsonian.

Oh my god.

Ye, why.

Talk about.

Besides besides singing on a rap hook and see we can make that happen. What are some of your other bucket listing like, like, do you still get it itching to do sports commentary?

And you know, I always tell the local sports guy and Charleston that when I retire, he just's he's just holding my seat for me, and he hates when I say that. But I might do that when I But like musically, I mean, I'm still so far above where I thought that would ever be. There's really not much else that I want to do. Really, yeah, I mean, I'm just I'm having a blast where I am. First, I'd like to do this for four or five more years if it's you know, but I want to be relevant.

If it's over, you know, I'll.

Still tour and everything, but I'm not gonna you know, force it down anybody's throat or anything like that.

Is there such thing as retirement.

I don't think it's.

I think retirement means you just play, you know, fifty shows a year.

Well, I'm just saying that if you can stop and just let the checks come in or whatever.

I don't know.

I don't know what the residual game is like as far as like songs being licensed.

You guys, I hate to admit that.

Have I mentioned the Friends thing already? Oh god, okay, yeah, I fell down. You guys are in one episode one of yourselves in yes, okay, early earlier this summer, when I took the one vacation I ever take a year. Alan Yang of Masters of None, Master of None fame with Diseasin Sorry, directed a jay Z video in which they perfectly mirrored a Friends episode, but Nerd asked me had to watch both episodes to see if they had it cut for cut, and then somehow I may or

I had nothing to do.

I was in Chef Gordon's backyard, and you know, literally every day I watched season for season for seasons.

So I know that there is a hoodie song in there.

But as far as like licensing songs for movies and those things and commercials and that stuff, like, it's.

It's still pretty good.

Yeah, it's one able to retire and not have to Yeah, can you say no to that?

Not?

Family members?

Like, yeah, I could, I could retire right, I could retire right now and live a pretty good life.

I looking at you. I'm not gonna rob you, Darius. I just looking.

She's trying to get my face. Well, man, I thank you very much for coming on that show. We appreciate it.

Congratulations on his brand new album as well too.

Yeah the last time, thanks a lot.

Wait, you watched two hundred and fifty episodes.

It's two hundred and thirty six ship, I've only seen one.

That's like, that's true, I've only seen one.

I'm a complete this man.

You know this is not gonna go over Well, there's only one reason why somebody would watch all those episodes of Friends.

What's that they have no real Friends.

Show?

Yeah, way go, way to go.

So what what what are your plans? Well with the new album, are you going to tour?

What are you going to tour next year?

We're going to do a few shows here at the end of the year, and then I'll probably take November December off and uh going to Australia I think at the end of February March while the go to Europe for a minute, then coming to the States.

Didn't you play the Apollo recently?

Yes, I heard about that Thursday night.

What was that like for you, that's like Ebony magazine.

When we were kids. You guys know, when we were kids, we didn't talk about the Garden. We didn't talk about the Colisee, even Chlobe. We about playing the Apollo. And I always wanted to play the Pollow. And when they had the show, show Time at the Pollow, who you got to play on the stage? You play two songs on show Time at the Apollo. Our second record we played played the TV show Show at the Apollo.

How did that come out? What was that like?

It was? It was a little different, no booze.

Oh yeah, I was drunk.

But Thursday night, Thursday night, we set a record for white people in the Apollo. Yeah, it was, it was, it was. It was awesome, that's true. Yeah, they played the Apollo. McCartney played the Apollo too, so they probably had us. We were probably even.

But it was.

It was.

Greater than I ever thought it was.

It was such a great show and be on that stage and we like broke out some Temptation songs and and all that stuff.

It was. It was nice, man, It was great. Yeah.

Do you mix up the repertoire of songs you like to cover your show.

It always because I was I still love covers. I'm a cover band singer. I mean, so we'll break out like we break we do this thing where we do uh Garth Brooks, Uh friends and no places right in the no diggity Wow. It's crazy, I mean back to back, it's crazy.

Works to bring up my Garth Brooks analogy. What your R and B record? Chris Gaines?

Remember that Chris Gaines Records Actually.

Don't concept my stuff, Like, oh, I thought it.

Was a good concept.

I did not think of it think about it.

At home, but I think you he definitely got more tracks.

Oh yeah, definitely, definitely definitely. Garth kind of ran screaming after that failed.

You know, it was weird. I think when he came on our show. It was supposed to come on the show. Uh.

One of his one of Garth's uh the Internet songs like the extra songs that we do on the show was from that.

Uh. What was the name of his? Chris, Chris Gaines.

Do you have country friends.

You know like other countries with all those Yeah, that's the one thing about the community.

Country music community is real.

Try I got on my record, I got Luke Brian Jason Aldean all one on the same song.

Oh yeah, those are my boys. Yeah.

Question about the industry, the country music industry.

I have a pretty good idea of what most people's grapes are within the R and B and hip hop industry. What do you not like about the country music music industry?

Radio is so slow, Like right now on radio is in such a slow burn with songs, and it takes if you're not one of the five big ones, it could take thirty weeks for your for your for your song to go up to charts and number I think my last number one took like forty weeks.

Is it?

Is it the same system as so with hip hop and a lot of clear channel uh related stuff. Songs are added way ahead of time, so you know, like if you're taking Beyonce's newest song that hasn't come out yet, they'll pre program it. Wait, you know, weeks ahead of time? Is it? Is it more moment because I know that, you know, with a lot of the record sales, like you know, Walmart plays a bit like they're still buying

Oh? Yeah, yeah, it's still they you know, they add it, and you know, you get you're the most added song of the week, and you still don't make the top forty. You don't make the top fifty, you know, just because you're getting spent. You're getting spun at three in the morning and four in the morning, five and then.

It's a slow build.

They just want to build and they want to build, and I don't know, it's just the way it is. I don't know why it's like that, And it's like that for everybody Taylor, because I'm wondering, Okay, Taylor, like Taylor's a unicorn and she.

Doesn't even new country automatic.

She doesn't count like Kenny Rogers. Well no, even than Kenny Rogers still get played on. Let me don't Scooby do me yet? No, just meaning that she's more pop ubiquitous, and that's what I thought in the country. So I'm saying that, you know, are you chilling with like uh Casey Musgraves.

Or yeah, absolutely, I mean.

Chris Stapleton, Yeah, Chris.

Chris, I've written two three of my number ones together, or.

The real deal.

He's the real deal. This is how good he is.

Because I was like every time he performs, man, we're always like damn, he got us again, Like.

Dude, this is how good he is. When we write a song.

He can't sing the demo because he sang the demo to one of my number ones, and I wasn't gonna cut it because he so freaking good. I kept saying to my producer, I haven't seen you.

Would you would be a Chris Stable to stand what you married?

No, I mean like you he Yeah, he must be cute.

I would want Chris Stapleton on the Roots album, like, that's how good he is.

But Darius record first because you already told him that.

Yeah, we already got that. But I'm just saying, that's how dope he is, Like he's listening.

I should I I'm trying to look under the hood to see, you know, what was there and you know.

But it's he's the real deal man.

And Chris is doing it without radio player.

Chris is never I don't think Christ has ever had a record the top ten and he's got the number one selling record. How's he killing Yeah? I don't know he's killing it because people know it's real to go in the shild and everything. I don't think Chris has ever had a record in the top ten.

Oh so he's like too short maybe catching up in that way though, Like there's a lot of people you progressive, That's what I mean.

I like him, so that's how progressive he is.

He's great, he's a real deal.

He's just it's off the chain.

So, man, have you ever seen gone to a club and see another black person saying country? I'm trying to see who's after Darius.

King Brown who's got a number one right now, His record's number one this week King Brown. And there's a couple of other young ladies that are coming that are coming up that are trying to Mickey Guyton is one trying to get a foothold, you know, trying to get a hit. And uh, there's there's a few I think

And and so there's there's Guy's coming along.

There's a black hockey player now too.

There's a lot of we're taking hockey. Yeah, there's like fourteen of us at hockey.

Now we're a.

Black hockey goalie too. Have you ever seen that that's the ultimate nominally that exists?

How could you say that? With Grant Furre was one of the greatest ever.

That's true.

Sports references Now we go super deep on college football right now.

If you want to be good, goes Dems. You want to go man.

Game Cock is not doing so well this year.

We'll talk about we're four, we're five and two. Who take me at you again?

They'll just give it up.

I come from an Auburn My ex wife the same one who's from Alabama, she is an Auburn fan. And it'd be as a Jewish kid from Long Island. You don't know what that's like until you get there, and it's fucking insane.

Absolutely sanity absolute.

Why is it such a religion though?

Because they don't there's nothing else.

There's nothing else. There's no pro teams. I mean there's pro teams in the area. Like we got the Falcons, so we got Charlotte. But like and and and the thing is, when you go to school for four or five years, you you're invested in it. And when your football team is I mean football is everything in the Southeast. Everything Saturday stops. Saturday stops like my tailgating spot. It was one of the few things I've spurs done.

The shoes.

So much money on this tailgate spot. But for me, it's like I want to go be able to tailgate without people, but.

Without people by my friends are there?

Isn't not Your tailgate spot is not outside.

You know what's out? You got a la since then, I got me a big old it's called I got a big old caboose that's in there.

I love these over Yeah tails crazy.

It's awesome, Am.

And we get there four hours before the game. By game time, hammered.

Darius was drinking choice.

I drink beer, but I like to drink. I'm a whiskey drinker. I got my own whiskey out now backstage, whiskey.

If any of your drinks back whiskey.

If you have heard of.

It's good. Next time, I'll bring you a bottle.

Wait, we're all pulling out whiskey right now.

I'm making whiskey notes even two pm.

Right eventually.

Five o'clock.

Yes, we will show unannounced at your house anytime.

You'll welcome anytime my house in Charleston.

Well I thank you very much for coming on our show today, record, thank you.

On be having Sugar, Steve Unpaid and Boss Bill. It's Laia and the newly nuptialed uh Fontigolo. This is Quest Love signing off of course loved Supreme. We'll see you on the next storground. Thank you, guest. Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. This classic episode was produced by the team at Pandora. For more podcasts from iHeart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.