Questlove Supreme: Johnny Gill

Quest Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. We Are Ready, Here We Go.

Supremo Supremo, Roll Call Supremo Supremo, Roll Call Supremo Supremo, Roll Call Suprema Supremo.

Roll call My Yeah, Mama, Oh yeah, yeah, Mama.

Ma Yeah, Supreme Supreme, Roll Supreme Supremo.

Roll Call.

My name is Sugar.

Yeah.

And it's such a thrill. Yeah to be in the same room as Boss Bill.

Supreme Roll Supremo Supremo roll and this Boss Bill Yeah with the rhyme to say yeah, one of my favorite jams.

Yeah, quiet time to play roll spret.

So Supremeo, Roll Call Suprema Son Son Supremo, roll call like em.

Yeah, and Johnny guilt to the end.

Yeah.

We vote from d C. Yeah, so he ain't my fair with a friend, ro call Suprema Yeah.

Back up, Supreme, Supreme, Supreme A roll call.

Name is Johnny.

Yeah.

I'm so happy to say. Yeah, I'm in here with all of y'all. Yeah, I'm gonna rub you all all right.

Well, Supreme So Supreme, Roll Call.

Supremo Supremo, Roll Call Suprema Son Suppremo, Roll Call Suprema Son Supremo.

Roll call all over my body.

Wait a minute, Well, I'm curious, all right, ladies and gentlemen. Normally I don't do the I don't do the capped in the obvious roll call, but the look of darts thrown in my direction because you cheated. Man, I didn't cheat.

I stayed far away from from my mind. I knew that somebody was gonna take that.

I'm sorry. So wait, I'm actually curious you had a backup one just in case?

No, that was it. That was it was a friend. I beat it.

I had to ask Bill to look it up because I was sure. In the lyrics, I was like, he said, he want to be my Fairwether friends.

He won't be. I won't be, Okay, I was just I was really impressed if you told me that I stole your roll call and that you had would a new one on standby.

I had one almost ready for standby. Mine was a real deep cut.

So I guess me going first. I don't have to worry about that, but you guys, I get it now. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode of Quest of Supreme on iHeartRadio. How are you? We got, Team Supreme in the house. What's up, guys?

Anyway?

We got Steve Hey MANU wait wait, can we just cut to the chase? Yeah?

Uh did did?

Uh?

Unpaid Bill just ghost us? I think he did. I haven't heard. He hasn't even been on the group chat.

I never left him.

You see, Johnny, we have this you know co host who's mister Broadway.

It ain't got no time for us, no more.

But that shows over unless he's working on Max Martin right now.

Broadway shows and I think a movie. I'm trying to tell his.

Business like I got stuff going on.

Yeah, but it's called Quest Love Supreme.

You have to be here his name and into the title.

All right, Well we could do Quest Love Supreme feature.

That's what it is.

He's gonna ask for more money for that, Okay, nevern I forget it. Good to know, and I hope Fante doesn't get yes.

Can someone want to tell Fante that we have enough? We got a pack.

You see, Johnny, we got another co host that went out for cigarettes and he has not come back, but he's been on two or five thousand.

He said he go out for cigarettes.

And you know it's good.

It means they're successful. And they don't have time for us.

Look right now, we're Marlon Jackie, Jermaine Tito. We're still touring as a unit, right and I know.

We're working a minute.

I'm here, gentleman, you guys.

No, no, ladies and gentleman, no, I'm not even going to waste time. I'm not even gonna waste time, ladies and gentlemen. Our guest today is.

I don't know.

He's the last of a I can't say that word. I won't say dying breathe, but it's not a dangered species.

But he's a singer, singer.

That sounds like he went through puberty. Yes, yes, a singer singer like I'm sorry, this is hard to find a male singer these days.

That sounds like he's you know, older than thirteen.

So we're can sing more than one note? Yeah, ors verbrato or knows how the annunciator or you know.

Just slip off my red dress.

Let's out, hey, ladies and gentlemen. Uh, the master, the master himself, Johnny gil Is, thank you.

That's damn.

Call you Johnny Jackson right now. Uh j G. You know something I thought, all right, of of all the I'm speaking of the new addition of alumnus of all you guys, all of them have cool nicknames, but I felt they got lazy with you and just named you j G.

Well, I have how come you don't have a I have two names. It's Jay Guil, I mean j j G. And then Skills is what they call me. And even though my company is called Jay Skills, they they called me skills because that's my nickname from them is because we walk in a room. I played the drums and they were going okay, So then I get on the keyboards and start playing that. Then I got on the guitar. I started playing the guitar, so I started playing because they kept going yo. It was like damn skills.

So that that's.

How I never knew that. I just heard him call you j G.

All right, played instruments.

I can't imagine.

Well because of his high school education in d C. Where are you are you now? You're d C. I'm just saying, as opposed to.

Philly, I went to I graduated high school. When wherever you graduate high school, that's where it is.

Really Yeah, yeah.

Really right, Johnny, Yes, I got back, I got your Yeah, she's right.

Johnny left d C.

At what age I left around I was about I want to say, maybe eighteen when I left and came to it went to l A.

Yeah, but you clocked more years in LA than you have in d C.

Actually pretty much?

Are you a Washingtonian? What do you call yourself?

Confused?

When's the last time you lived in DC?

I lived in d C.

Oh, nineteen eighty five, maybe eighty six.

I think in eighty seven I was in LA.

So yeah, yeah, yeah, so right after chemistry then that was that was that?

Yeah?

I see? Yeah, well I always switch inside. So you know, now she's DC.

Johnny gill is here.

Hell yes, right, So let me say that you're you're one of our rare guests that I'll say that you came to my attention almost way before your music did, because I'll say that in my childhood, the Internet for black kids was right on magazine.

So you have a friend.

In Cynthia hornor yes, because she would do full blown like features on you and I heard narrow a note. Wow that was I knew your face, I knew your life story, I knew everything. I never heard a note.

I don't know you guys, I mean he really really just very talented, and you're going to get to see and know.

That's how.

That's how she talks. No, and that's the thing, like, because I knew they kept comparing you to of course, either the rich your richness of Donnie Hathaway's voice, the rasp of Teddy Pendergrass, and I guess by association there is a deep cut from the Dells Marvin Jr. Who's Teddy's idol, but just saying that you look like me, you look young, And I was like, no way that this guy has that deep voice. But finally one of your videos came on like New York Contracts Like it

To Mary Carol issue. I just couldn't get it right.

So you were born in DC? What part of DC?

Southeast southeast? What is that first place?

I remember it is the last place to get gentrified in DC. I'll just put it that way.

It's still the problem.

It's actually called southeast.

Southeast, Southeast southeast southeast, So every.

Now and then it can come out, but it's buried in there.

And not try to keep it under control and everything.

I've got some help for it. Minute.

I have a question for you though, because I know you're from DC, and I always wondered if how how deep does go go culture resonate with your art? Like have you ever thought of truly incorporating like any of those Like did you ever at all immerse yourself in go go culture or read just straight church?

And I was straight church, but I did.

I was absolutely familiar with it, and I used to play it, you know.

I used to get my mom worked three jobs.

When I would come home from school, I would get on my brother's drums, and before you know it, the whole neighborhood.

Was coming around the house and they were all jamming.

I was, you know, but it wasn't something that I put in my music, but I just that's how I used to practice.

I used to practice go go stuff.

Okay, So, with the exception of New Orleans, I'll say that d C has it's steeped in black music culture in a way that's not like any other place in the United States.

How is that so?

Like, why is it like the fact that your brother had a drum set in my household?

Especially post seventies.

Is well, my dad usual.

My dad was a minister, and you know we used to sing and play in church, and uh, he bought all of us just different instruments. And I was one of those kids that was just intrigued by everybody's instruments. My brothers they couldn't figure out why I could play the bass, why I could plays drums, why I could play the bongos, And they wouldn't. You know, as a kid, when you grow up, your you know your siblings, you fight and it's like no, get off mind.

You don't want to them play your toy. So I would play sick and wouldn't go to school sometimes.

When when young to school.

Yes I was a younger, Yeah yeah, okay, they never understood why I could play everybody instruments.

But while he was gone, he was practicing.

But I didn't know even as a kid that I was, I would have never been. I couldn't describe it until you. I was intrigued. I didn't know that's what it was. I was just a kid, but I wanted to play the instruments.

And everybody would fighting, like no, get on drums, get on guitar, and so I was like, I'm gonna fix you.

How old were you at the time when you started sneaking on your brother's.

I was about eight seven eight years old, and we all had interesting But my dad was a miniatuer. Joe Jackson, I swear to you. My dad was the no nonsense guy and would make us rehearse. We would had to go to school the next day, but we couldn't go to bed until we got it right.

So all my brothers all we all sang.

And how many how many siblings?

I have three older brothers, so it was four of us total, and my dad would make us put us in talent shows. But he used to make us rehearse, and we couldn't go to bed until we got it right.

And when we got it right, we got a glass of Coke cola.

And then you gotta and go to bed, and then you gotta get up early for school. But he was like, you know, I didn't realize what he was. I don't know what he was preparing me for.

I mean, not to put you on the spot. Are your brothers as good as singing as you are?

Or I have one that kind of mimics me. He can do what I do Randy.

Yeah.

Yeah, he's in the group to the extreme. Yeah yeah yeah, So I mean, you know, he'll go at me. As a matter of fact, if you go on YouTube on our Seniors show, you'll see one of me and him going at it with each other on our Senio really yeah yeah yeah yeah, he kind of out yeah yeah, he was going at me, and I was like, okay, you a little bama.

Yeah so all right, so what did the other ones were just musicians.

My oldest brother hated the whole music thing. He was the oldest.

We He used to get weapons when we would come home from church because he would sing with his back turn.

So my aunt and my dad used to get him. He said when he turned eighteen he would never sing again. He turned eighteen, you know, a sorry again. Really was like I'm done. He just didn't like it, but he had to because when you know, my dad used to make us all sing and.

Play with his family business. Yeah was he good or yeah?

He could sing.

He could sing, he just didn't want it.

He didn't like it. Wow, he didn't like it.

And my dad and they used to stay on him about because he used to sing with his back turn like he didn't want to face the audience and he would get in trouble for because they knew he was doing it intentionally, but he just didn't like it.

But he could sing.

Wow yeah and no regrets on his part, like I could have been a contingent.

Ever looked back, never looked Okay, I see.

So what was your your period at Duke Ellington. I know many of the student well you know that that I have gone there and excelled or whatever. But during your period, what was it like in your environment? Like did you have talent not talent shows? Were you other groups or no? You know.

I went and honestly, I visited Duke Keleton. Stacey went and I went there with her maybe a couple of few days or.

So, and at that point I kind of like.

We was having actually we were sitting there talking about the future of my career at that time, and I just went there.

I really went there a couple of like.

Maybe a couple of days at the most, and everybody was saying, well, he's he went to Dukeleton and that.

Was yeah, yeah, yeah.

I went with.

Where'd you really go?

So?

Where did you really go?

I went to Kimball Elementary Susan junior high. And after that, Stacey and I both got We were tutored the way time. When did you get your record deal?

I was fifteen and I recorded the album and after the album came out, the Johnny Gill album, the first one was when shortly after that.

Wait, I'm sorry, wait wait, wait all right, I'm cheating a little bit. Uh, Jam Jam is texting me right now. I hit him earlier this morning, Johnny Today, he says, he says he has terrible tastes in his own stuff.

He hated my ma mind.

Wait, he said, he's sending me in paragraph right now. Boy, we'll get to that.

You hated it from the jump.

You just, I just.

We'll get to that. We're jumping ahead. We're jumping ahead, We're jumping ahead.

I get it. I guess.

We're on the first alf anyway. So yeah, you So, why is it that they claimed you for just three days?

And because I became famous?

I see, I see, And man they always kept I mean, I would hear it all the time.

It's like, yeah, you went to do Galleton. I said, yeah, a couple of days.

Yeah, because y'all were the first you think about it, Johnny Guild, Stacey Latta saw.

After that, that's.

When more famous people came from ke Allington. But really they were the first, like well famous.

Yeah, but you know, d it's a very special place.

I mean it was Marvin Gay, I mean, there was Freddy Parent I think was from there as Freddy I mean you, Tony Braxton.

It was quite a few. I mean people that.

The DC connection was.

How Freddy ended up producing your first album?

You know, I don't know, but he I know that when I signed with Atlantic Records. Well, Indy Allen was the one that actually that was his idea to to.

Link up with Freddy Parent for some reason.

So so it was the story true, like how did you get your deal? Was it? Okay? So that was real. I didn't know that was just like a label thing like Stas Flas, Diana Ross discovering the Jackson but like that sort of It.

Was crazy because you know Stacey and I we you know, we all grew up in to see neighborhoo. We Stacy's house was like the that was the playground for everybody. I mean, you come, you go to school, you come home, change your clothes and everybody meets up with Stacy's.

We know something was going on where we were gonna be playing. Uh, it was gonna be going to the movies or going roller skating, or it was like everybody would meet up at her house.

She used to organizing.

And I tell you what happened whenever we were in the glee club together in in uh elementary and even back then we didn't we weren't very good friends. I mean we just you know, it was an acquaintance.

And then one night, one day we were it was raining and everybody had to go downstairs into a basement and she said, Okay, we're gonna have a talent show. She was like, everybody has to do something. All you got to get out. And mind you, I wore suits to school, so I was.

Like, you always I used to wear double rusted suits.

Oh yeah, yeah, George Jefferson.

I was no, I was.

I listen.

My dad was a minister, and I think I didn't realize it at the time, but I believe that I was really influenced by him and didn't realize that because they used to, let you know, my nickname, my brothers and my godbrothers that was next door.

They used to call me. My nickname was Reverdike. I used to go here come reverendnight. But I used to wear suits and and I just felt comfortable.

In suits, and nobody made suit when I.

Had three older brothers and three god brothers and next door the ones that the next door they would come home for lunch and you see them with blood on the shirt is what happened, and beat up the teachers.

At one point, I thought.

People didn't want to talk to even say hi to me. That was kind of like you.

I had a pretty deep homy. I mean, so I could wear whatever I want.

I see.

Okay, So what was it?

How much?

How much time did she have before?

Uh?

How many years did she have on you? At least jump start?

Uh, Stacy, Let's see, she had about at least three years. I would say she came right, yeah, yeah, eighty one because she had that album with Van Van McCoy. McCoy, I think that was the very first one, and right that one.

Let Me Be In that was the first one, and let Me Be In?

Was that young in love? Maybe?

Then there was the.

One that she did with with Narda. Yeah, I think then she wound up doing another one with Narda. But yeah, she had about three years on me before that, and you know, back then, you.

Know, I was just lived on the same blot.

No, I lived, uh maybe about ten minutes from them, but I used to ride my bike over there because that was the stomping grounds. Everybody would hang out over there, So I would go home and I used to ride my bike with my suit on.

So wait, I'm curious waiting tips. So when she got established, did she still maintain these friendships or was it?

Yeah, yeah, that's she is.

For the Jackson's and all and stuff.

Yeah, we were all during that time. Everybody, we was hanging out back then, and of course, you know.

Being the plan that I you know, uh, this was before I was even in the game.

And you know, you understand me, the man was still I was just standing up on the pimp, you know what I'm saying, Reverend.

So with your first album, with your first record, I always wanted to know, how did you manage to pull all of these heavyweights were even aware at that young age, at the level of heavyweights that you've come in contact with.

I mean, you, for which one the very first first of all them saying hindsight because they weren't none of them were household names at all you're working with them, but eventually in.

Time it's like like your first record, like freaking Elliott Wolf.

Yeah.

Well, first of all, Freddie Parent alone, who.

Give us some Freddy Parent, how did you know?

How did you was it like working with them?

I used to call them Pops and Freddy and his wife Chris Parent. They took me under their wings, and I swear to you it was like, uh, Freddie told me and really prepared me for what was to come ahead.

I used to stay with them, and Chris used to Uh. They treated me like I was their their their their son.

So but Freddy used to tell me all these stories about working with Michael Jackson.

I was going to say, for listeners out there, forget Freddie Parent was part of what we know is the corporation like the kind of the last of the you know Motown as a factory where teams that people are working together. So the corporation was Freddy parron U, the Manes brothers, jam Master Jay's uncles, Ah and and so basically they wrote like I want you back and like

The tars all the to bar, stuff.

Like more than a Woman, And one of the big ones was that Saturday Night.

Yeah, Saturday Night, If I Can't Have You was so yeah, yeah, Reunited, Baked Groove Things. Yeah, he wrote a few good songs.

Yeah, yeah, so never heard of anywhere.

And I remember recording when they came in and said we were in the middle of recording when he said, came in and bought Freddy Pearron a song, and.

He says, man, listen to these little kids. This little kid sounds just like Michael Jackson. And guess what it was, Candy Girl sitting in there and listening to it.

He I think he produced under the Blue Bloom. Yeah, he sure did that.

I had that on vinyl after, but we sat there.

We listened to it. He was like, oh, this cat is pretty cool.

Little did he know? Yeah, little did you know? Little did you know?

I was the recording my first album when that that single?

Yeah, but even okay, so there's one name on the credit of your very first record that is killing me. How the hell did Lawrence Hilton. Yea, why theboards boom boom, Yes, yeah, he was a writer. Or Joe Jackson.

He was a writer scream.

Please give Me. Yeah, I know he had an album.

Yeah, he was a writer, and he wrote the song I'm Sorry and uh yeah yeah, and I was in.

Oh he submitted the song to you and that's how.

Yeah, and he worked well, he was submitted to uh to a pretty parents and that's how it came about. And I was like when he walked in, I was like, Yo, that's Freddy boom boom Washington. I knew when I when I came to Los Angeles that that was going to be my home.

And I knew it. I was like, listen, I'm coming back here. This is where I'm going to live. And I was just a kid.

Did you, I mean, did you feel as though, well, I mean back then, I don't like Cotillion?

How do you pronounce it?

Ye?

Then? Manaid what were they?

What was it like as a label to be on Cotillion? Because it wasn't straight up Atlantic?

But I mean I didn't know the difference. I was a kid that was walking into blind or like no. I had a young man by the name of Bill Underwood. Mister willis him Underwood?

Very well?

He was, uh, you know, like I said, and a lot in my life, I've had a pretty deep army and you know, he he just you know, he was like a brother and a father figure to me, and he really really really just protected me and taught me the game. And it was funny because Atlantic, you.

Know, even when I recorded my first album and they put it out, nobody didn't tell me that, you know, your record and sell are two copies, right, I didn't know. I'm like, I had no idea that what I did was a failure or success.

I didn't know nothing about anything.

All I know is you go in, you record, and back then to get a record deal that was something huge, and I just I always.

Assume that means you're gonna be a start. Like it never dawned on me like, oh wow, the first one didn't work. I had no idea.

I was just throwing was what was promotion like?

Because again I knew of you. I didn't hear your music. I didn't hear it on the radio in Philadelphia until I saw hot tracks. But like, what was promotion like? Back then?

We had to go to radio stations, we was going from station to station, and God bless Frankie cock Crockery at the time. Frank and I became great friends later, and I'll never forget him and Bill going at it was they used to they were, I mean, but they were really tight.

But you know, I Katillion was a label and I everybody kept saying, I don't know what happened?

What did you do to?

Uh?

To to Henry Allen, who was the president of Atlantic Conillion Records at the time, because he was a tough, tough, tough guy and some reason he took a liking to me, and it was like listening, He's like, Eh, Johnny, Johnny ain't gonna be a big star.

Yep, and ride, We're.

Gonna move you back to DC because we hadn't moved to Columbus, Georgia, right, And he says.

Wait, why why?

Because my mom was getting back with my dad and so my dad bought this house. And I'll never forget he bought this house and we didn't like it, and I'll never forget.

We were all talking and asking him about maybe finding something else for us, and we actually I remember walking in the front yard of this particular house and I had my hands in my pockets, and I was looking up and I was like, man, what I wouldn't do to be in Stacy's shoes right about now? And why did I get a call a few days later from Stacy saying, Hey, I talked to the president of the of the label about you, and he wants you to make a tape. He wants to hear your voice.

I mean, you know, my demo was a twenty nine dollars take recorder where you put on the corner and that was it.

The radio shack joins, Yeah, yeah, what did you sing on it?

I sang, uh, the greatest Love of All and people bryceon is field of fire.

Wow.

And I remember him calling me and asking me to sing on the phone, and I sing the man had a dollar shining star, right, And so he had me to sing that for everybody on the phone. Then he went upstairs to the next thing and put me on again and asking yank, yep, yep, sing sing it again? Yeah, yeah, Johnny, have you ever been on the plane before? I said no, sir, He goes, yeah, we're gonna fly you up here. We're gonna put you on a plane and we're gonna fly you up. You know you're gonna be big star.

Wait, I gotta ask you all right, So your voice is it's very unusual. I mean, no, even tell me now what you think. Well, it's just that it's very I think it's for people to use that much power in their bar Are you naturally a baritone? Like what are you? Yeah? Like, I don't strong baritones to me. Usually like even even in well Barry White is based. But I'm saying, usually baritones are more soft. Right, But you're like mac truck going one hundred miles per hour?

How do you like?

How do you train your voice? Are you the type of that just sings all day in the house?

And like, well, my mom used to tell me that all the time. And I used to She used to go, Okay, John R. We still I asked my mom just recently, I said, Mom, what does the R stand for?

She goes, I don't know. She's always called me John R.

So she used to go, John, can you shut the door? And I would be in the room and playing the piano and singing and uh and you.

Know I told her later, I was like, yeah, mom, uh so what you got to say now?

Yeah?

But I meant like, do you traditionally like seth Riggs train?

No, no, no, you know it's crazy.

Is this room too cold for your voice?

Right now? Okay, I can sing.

None of those things.

Yeah, this actually can sing him asleep. I've been knowing to do that.

Wait, is Johnny the first singer singing we ever had? And yeah, so I have so many questions about you know, and God bless you here and everything you've heard, everything like oh the air got to be off, my throat closes? Is he real or is that just psychosmatic?

Absolutely?

Is it real?

Absolutely?

Because if I'm around cigarette smoke, I can still sing. But you it makes it tough. It makes it tough to be able to do the things that you want to do vocally. But I can still get through it.

But I've had places where saying where there the cigarette smoke is going, and it's like, hey, this is not good.

So for a vocal session, how long can you go Bosston the wall hard before you're you're wearing out and you have to.

Back In the day, I could go non stop these days, give me about a good guy hour maybe so, and then I'm gonna do like a rethix.

She comes in and sing them down two or three times ago. Okay, that's it.

The baby they tell me that he's also one take show you you did one song? Was just like, all right, that's it, that's it. I did it, and I can go about an hour.

And it's funny because I was sitting list and go no, no, no, I think I can do that better.

No, no no. So I'm one of those kinds. But after a while, I you know, when it wears down, and then I'll sit rested for a minute and if it feels like I can still go again, I'll go, come on, let's rock, let's go.

It's part of that you just don't want to overthink it.

I think part of it is just that you know you're the voice. It's it's a muscle, and it's like, no matter how much you know you do to vocalize and exercise and make it strong, it's like anything else, it gives out at some point where it's just like I ain't got it. There there's been many a nice I didn't have a voice, and then you go into Shulman shulman uh mode where it's just I'm like okay.

Like now y'all that now you're.

Saying, and then I can go from the Brown method.

Yeah.

Yeah, you just find ways to get around it.

And I've always been able to just figure it out, even though you know, it's like I'm not where I need to be and I know I can't get there, but it's like I'll figure out a way to get it, make it work, and make it happen. Okay, the other day, matter of fact, last what was a couple of days.

Ago I was playing. I just played it. That's why you know when you're traveling so much. I just played somewhere just a couple of days ago.

And the the track gave out.

Ooh.

And this was for the event that I was doing, so I only had to do a couple of numbers and I wasn't gonna leave there. They did not want to, but not let me leave without singing my mind. So I'm sitting there and I'm thinking, I'm going, okay, now, what the hell are we gonna do here? Because my my engineer, the sound guy, he was going, it just got bros.

I don't know. I can't. I can't. It's not even in here. I can't get it.

Shout great engine.

So you know what I did, because there was a band that was playing that was gonna play even after I finished. So I told them, I said, you know, I said, when I came in, you guys was in here jamming. And I said, I was truly inspired, and you guys sound really good. And I said, why don't you guys come on up here with me and let's just jam a little bit. And that's how I started

It was like everybody was just in there.

Rocket and one of my buddies, they knew the bridge and everything they knew, and.

He said, oh my god, he said, bro, did you just yo what you did? Do you know what you just did? And I said, yeah, I had to think on my feet.

The best do the best do that? All right?

So all right, I'm trying to rush the entire history and.

Uestion.

We're about to go back to that.

But okay, so of course, the the the Walden Jackson Glass team produced the Stacey Lasso album with You Perfect Combination Album.

Okay, is.

Narda is one of my drumming idols. And every time I see him I think he's trying to hypnotize me because he has a very little really lately love me.

You know, yeah, well you know how how's your spirit?

Is he that cosmic?

Are you happy?

Is he that cosmic?

Twenty four seven?

Twenty four seven where sometimes you start rubbing, you go, hey, listen, I don't even Besides, I'm cool, right, he.

Is like, you know, like the brothers in the airport that like do the Harry Christener thing like walk up.

He just came out of nowhere or me in lax one time.

Like, brother, I just want to say, I said, norder Michael Walton.

He said, yes, brother, I just want to say, it's such a blessing to see you on l.

And he just whispered me to sleep. I thought he was hit those of me, like literally, he.

Just tell you the university tell you, man, it's very few special musicians like you coming along.

You know, got it? No, but he's gonna hypnotize this.

Sign sounds nice? Could be nice?

Rest he wrote enough he wrote and produce enough of my favorite songs.

Oh yeah, he wrote, I mean he's not Yeah from Angelo Boatfield.

Goes on, I was gonna say, literally, you're for your first three records, including the duo album, you literally worked with everyone that would normally be on Clive Davis's uh speed Out without ever having to be on ariston record, which is kind of weird to So basically you just didn't have the muscle at at whatever to to push

That's when the universe aligned everything up and I became a part of a group called New Audition. Remember New Adition was the kids.

Was this this boy band that was they considered call them bubblegum, a bubble gum group. So when I joined them, the thing about their fans, the only thing that they knew of me, and they would say because I was just you know, to talk of being a new guy, was have you guys heard that new guy that can sing.

And I mean they weren't singing.

I don't think they were singing, but that's was the way they described me. And it was like almost like, okay, so singing is cool. Oh that's it's in because I mean they loved the group, so it was always and they and they had their.

Following singing to novelty now so.

You know, let me think about it from us. And then there was the Joe Disses and the boys, the Man and the list.

So the whole being.

Singing thing was like, oh, that's the in thing. And then you start hearing people going oh they can't sing, they can sing, he can't sing, and it was like you're going, wow, okay, but that's it was just perfect time. And I often say I think with that and with them the way that happened, that was really what gave me the exposure that I needed. And I think for even a younger generation to appreciate just me being a vocalist. I wasn't the greatest dancer. I was just the vocalist.

Where did you meet them and what did it mean for you to just kind of not take a back seat but to be a team member or be one fifth of a situation and just have patience until having your own thing your turn. So one, when did you meet them? And then how did your nuanced a relationship with first?

We actually crossed paths many times.

Make show that on the movie that y'all knew each other.

Yeah before it even became Yeah, we were just on a couple of shows, several shows and we're talking, Yo, what was happening and all that kind of stuff.

But I, you know, we we hung out briefly. And then.

I want to say Michael was probably the one business that you know that that I was at a show at a concert, a Whispers concert in La.

He was the one that said, Yo, let me holler at you for a minute.

One man, are you do you prank call people? You know you do?

And he goes, do you so, let me ask you a question like like like do you feel like you got your just due? Like as a singer? And I looked and I did this and I went m so and he asked me and invited me to come to lunch the next day with them, and I was like, yure, because I was in La it wasn't doing anything. And

That doesn't exist anymore.

Is that not a thing? Just and ice capades they have to performed at the help somewhere and there. Yeah, half time.

I know I'm not guys, don't kill me.

So then they asked me, invited me to lunch again the next day, and I'm going. I said, yeah, I'll come, And that's when we sat around and started talking, and then they asked me about being a part of the group. They were talking about they wanted to go back to having a five a fifth member so that they can the choreography even look more effective and more A little did I know it was far from what that was.

I had no idea that there was the kind of turmoil that was going on inside of that group, but.

It was just something that just happened. But you know, ultimately I believe that it was just fate and destiny that this is where it was supposed to be.

It was always so interesting that they went with a voice that was so different than the one kid or and for Bobby's like the one that was gone that was.

Well, that's where you gotta get my credit, Mike said. Mike said, you know, our audience is growing up and they get tired of like he kept saying, y'all it's the bombacum sound that people connecting us with, Like, you know.

We gotta grow up with our audience.

So his whole thing was like, y'all your voice.

Okay, so explain to me in hindsight, of course, and I you know, I said, of course we all see in the biopic Steve yes, you said, even me. Okay, okay, so.

Just explain to me what.

Not even the division of labor, but what is truly when you're in a five man group, like who is sort of the captain of it that makes decisions or is everything totally just diplomatic and we all get.

Is always constantly just a bunch of madness. War I havn't say tug of war, tug of war for for for.

For power, struggle for power, who wants to be the leader.

And when you feel empowered to be able to use your voice, because I mean you the late.

One on us.

I came in immediately and said, I was watching two guys that were the security guys, and they were running picking up girls from the airport, going to the store, taking people's I mean, it was non stop, non stop, NonStop. And they're looking at me and I'm looking at them and I'm going yo. And they were like, we haven't slept in days. It's like it's non stop, but non stop.

Trying to handle four or five guys. I said, you know what I called a meeting. I'm the new guy.

I called a meeting and I said, you know, these guys out here and they're supposed to be protecting us, and they got our lives in their hands. And I said, the last thing that I want is some disgruntled worker here who's claiming that they're working hard and they're saying they're really totally underpaid.

I think that at the end of the day that we're going to have to figure out a system that allows them to feel good. I know their job is to protect us, but they'll go the extra mile when you got great hard workers and you appreciation. And I said, so we need to sit down and figure this out. And so we came out of the room and successfully got them a raise and they thought Johnny for president.

You knew, you knew doing it, you knew you you know it.

I was standing and I was outsider. So I'm standing there looking at all this stuff that's going on, you know. And for me, when I joined the group, the thing is.

I always had still had obligations to Motown well actually mc A.

But when Gerrol Buzby moved over to Motowner, Busby questions. So when I vent that, I knew I still had an opportunity as an artist to be able to express myself artistically. So it didn't matter to me about being a part of the group. As a matter of fact, I often said that it was about teaching me and giving me balance to be able to be a team player and play It's like being on the basketball team and knowing what your role is and then actually being able to go out at some point and do what

Heart breaking.

I can tell you what I did do though.

I became a demo singer because I was singing most of the stuff that they would say.

And then they would come back and Ricka sing the stuff that I was doing. I was like, oh, I'm a demo singer here, huh.

But he sang on five parts Somewhere somewhere exist version of the I was going to say. I was going to say that how intense were non Brooke payne uh tasks in this period of New Edition? As in, do you guys do vocal rehearsals? Do you guys decide harmonies? Like is?

Oh? We left that all up to Jimmy and Terry. Brooke handled all of the choreography stuff. I'll never forget the day that they asked me but joined the group and we went over to Ronnie's house and they had Brooke the meters over there, and so Brooke goes, okay.

So well, let me see what it is. Can he do the cross step? And it was like, yo, can you Jake, can you just do the cross steps? And it was that, so and then Brooke, Brooke looked.

And just went.

Really like the video do I look.

Like God, you had two left feet like that?

Oh? Yeah, man, not even two step?

That was church boy, what they make that.

There was no dan, no secular stuff at all.

No.

I mean the only second step that we would get is doing family cookouts when you would hear Marvin Gaye and some of the other ones.

But other than that, there was a nothing but church music and ours.

Or just the holytance and that was it. Heartbreak.

Yeah.

Yeah, Well so he had to work all right, so hard.

How long did it take choreography?

How long did it take for you to finally catch on?

Wow?

We did? God, that's ah, it was a while.

It was a while because what Brooke would do he makes you rehearse and in front of the mirror.

Well, when you learn dancers in front of a mirror. For me, because I'm not a dancer, I'm like, you learn these routines in front of a mirror. Then he removes the mirror. Now you have to.

Learn it and you have to have remember memorize it and the form and all that stuff. So it was almost like fuck it, just let me start right now just remember it from here without the mirror, so I can just have it down firstance. It was like, no, you got to learn and see what the form is, what you're doing with the hands where everybody's hands are.

So it was a freaking nightmare.

What was the logic of all right? So when I first seen uh, your first tour with him, you got used the Temptation microphone set up? Yeah, yep, what was the logic? And also anytime you guys performed you never did the traditional format right of Mars. You always had the diagonal thing. What was the logic behind that?

Well, because it would work for the for the choreography because of the different stuff that we was doing that was intricate. So it was like we were switching mics and switching positions, and so he would sit them that the mics in positions where their best work for everybody because at the end, somebody was gonna be over here on this side, somebody's gonna be on this side, just based on the routines. So and the that the five mic thing was really that our whole Temptations kind.

Of tribut thing, okay, trivy thing.

But it was like we did a little Medley there on those on the mics. But everything had like Brooke just had an eye and of that was just out of this world.

And he what have you doing? Stuff? Where you go? It doesn't make sense to me until it all comes together and you go, oh damn.

So all the staging and the creativity that usually is like Brooks.

Range Child and yeah, and then you would think, oh, man, he's just picking on me.

He goes, and he would make us go through each we would have to go through the whole show, from the beginning to the end altogether. Then you go one by one to go.

Through the whole show.

Wait what and if you mess up?

I start all over again, start back at the test.

True? Can you imagine what I had to do? I don't think you understand.

But you got it now, right, because y'all still do shows every once and again, you're not You're not the one that fall short anymore.

Like no, no, no, Mike is always the one that would go left and then we go, Mike, Mike, that's the wrong one.

Y'all wrong, man, This is the right way.

Stop. This is the right one, isn't it. Everybody's going this way?

All right? So since we're here jam just hit me down and says, ask him why did he hate singing Boys to Men?

That's the song?

Yeah, dang, John.

You know.

When Terry told me, he said, you're probably not gonna sing any songs on the album. And then I wind up start singing these songs like Cane standing the Rain and doing ad libs all that stuff. I'm going, shoot, I'm thinking, why can't just sing that song? So and after, out of all those great songs, the very last song that they decided they was gonna let me do a lead full lead on was Boys of Men.

So I'm going, oh, this is some political bullshit. I was like, oh, I think they just messing with me now, because they just and I said, oh, okay, so they're gonna give me this piece of bull to sing as a whole full song.

And so I like, what mess the song?

Wait time out? Wait?

Wait time out?

Though? All right?

And I was I was really mad, like.

He trying to tell you to grow up.

Well, wait a minute, listen, it's nineteen eight, all right.

They done came out in eighty seven.

Eighty eight, it's eighty so I'm assuming you've recorded in eighty seven. H Okay, So Jim and Lewis are at the height of their powers at this point. Yeah, you had an opinion on a Jam and Lewis song, Yeah, yeah, in eighty seven.

Yeah, because you kind of remember I had already sang on can You Stand the Rain and uh, You're not my kind of girl, and any Heartbreak, any heartbreak, and I'm they're letting me unleash. And then it was like, Okay, now we're gonna give you a song for yourself, and I'm going the hell like really, And so I'm.

Listening to the track before there was even because there was no vocals on there.

I was gonna say, how do you get a song? Who demo? Were you demoed all the songs on Heartbreak?

First? I didn't demo all of them. I dim I just would on most of them.

Some I would do ad libs, come in, do something the verse, somebody else come in. He'll let somebody have somebody else do mimic or whatever I did, and then they would just kind of blend whatever they would do.

But but this is what I'm trying to get out of Jam and Lewis, which they never answer, is when they're creating songs together, huh, who's creating that song that that they eventually played an artist.

Like you never heard?

No god, I never heard Jimmy Jam sing, never heard Oh my god, I gotta find I'm gonna send you a couple of jam Is singing.

And when he sings and all sound my god, it's like, you know, I'm typing right now to you.

He's telling me what your voice sounds like?

One of them?

Come on, John Ammy voice, what's the Jimmy Jam on record? What that sounds like?

No? No, no no no no no no no no.

No no, James roon, how do you want me to do?

What's you know? Do you? Johnny?

Do you?

I always thought it was Terry Terry words.

Jerry Terry would do the lyrics and stuff, but Jam would sing the melodies for you.

And I used to go, oh, I want to keep these. I'm gonna keep these.

Got them?

So I was mad and I kept saying, okay, So so now y'all just playing bullshit games. Now this is some political bulls.

Wow.

So did you say can I get a better song or like.

Ask that?

No?

I just said, okay, so you want to play with me? I said, I'm a sing the shit out of this song. I'm gonna show y'all.

And that's why I went in there. I was mad and I sing mad as hell. I was like, okay, yeah, you want to play with me?

That was you mad?

That was me mad.

Wow. I don't know if I kept.

Thinking, man, this is bullshit, that all these good songs, they're gonna give me this one.

Did anybody see the Drew Hill unsung.

A thing.

Yeah, it's brand.

New Francisco has the same story pretty much about sleeping somebody sleeping in my bed. He did not want to sing that song, and so the performance he gave was he was just mad. He said like, I'm gonna sing the funk out of this song.

That's what I did with well. And then I was I would naturally think that you want to sing the every song let me sleep through my mind now, my my my. I recorded that song and I hate that too. I didn't.

It's not that I hated it. I wasn't sure about that one. And I kept saying, I don't know about this because because they were talking about if we recorded it, uh and and Joel Buzzley was like, yeah, I think this might be your your your next single. This is probably gonna be your signal to your song, and I was like, really, and I kept saying, I mean it's cool, but would you like, would you I don't know about that one?

What was your single? Would you thought? What do you think it should be?

Off of that album? Feel so Much Better was one of those songs, and I was just like, oh, so.

Much Yeah, my favorite song right there, Karen Whit's background, Karen when I'm done, I'm done. I was on that vibe where I.

Needed and I remember telling Terry we were still We're just pretty much beenised.

I did.

My very last song I recorded was Lady de Jour, and I remember telling telling Terry. I said, I looked at him and I said, do you think we got enough? And Terry looked at me and said, we got way more than enough. Negro, goodbye, get out of here, You're gone.

You trying to pull more songs than them?

I just didn't. I was so feeling like, do I have enough? Is this album gonna be enough of what people was expect?

Wait, let me let me ask you, because again, you are a Maverick singer, So let me ask you. Do you respect the art of simplicity?

Absolutely?

But I can you can you embrace the song that won't allow you to do your default gymnastics?

Absolutely absolutely in hindsight back then, could you see it back then?

No?

No.

Terry used to be like, you got to prove list We don't have nothing to prove. It was like at that point there was a point where you're just going.

You would just go.

Every time I would go, I would go all in. It was like I'm showing you something because if you doubt me, I'm gonna show you. So I always thought it was that.

So you get a hear it one hundred and three seconds and they stopped the tape and be like, no, just sing the melodies.

Melody, and then they go, okay, now now do your Johnny. Now do Johnny.

So so you have an arrangement with him like okay, I'll sing the song here.

But then you're okay, give me your.

Johnny Yill.

And let me tell you it was crazy because the first person that told me and taught me, or at least at that point, I still wasn't there, uh and.

Mature enough to understand that.

But Luther told me one day, he said, you know my favorite all time Johnny Gill's song and I said what he said?

Wait, wait, Luther was nice to Yeah, I was wanted the only people let me tell you what it happened.

Wait, like Yo's I've never tell you a nice louting story ever.

People, the whole crew used to be happy when I would walk in or come to one of the shows and they go, yo, Johnny's here because men him used to go at it, just joning on each other, like going none stops. And he used to be and all you can hear in there is are screaming.

He used to call me and would call and go listen.

He said, look, this is the song I'm getting ready to lease as a single, and tell me what you think. So you play it and I go, I think that shit sucks, and you can say I go, and I go, you should probably get it to me. So one year he beats me out of the Grammy with here Now, and that was going to my mind, right. So he used to have these movie nights over his house where I mean we everybody who's who used to come. So every time I would go over there, he had this little case where the Grammys.

And I would go over there and I start hitting the case.

Go give me my grammy, give me my grammy security.

That's our first Luther story.

Then, man, I'm telling you if you if you knew Luther, he missed his calling. You're talking about somebody was funny as hell and.

Was quick on his feet. Yo, he was freaking pure genius.

Like, oh, you know you gotta stay away from him.

No.

No, We used to talk about his jerky co He was like, yo, you know you only got half of it, only took.

Up here right he goes, He goes, I got curly hair, and I said no, no, no, no, no, no, you got a half curly hair.

I said, this, don't even take up in here. So but I never had to work with him like that, so it was always just fun like when we would talk. He came one year, I got so plaster that my New Year's uh party.

I never made it past twelve o'clock. I was drinking drinking champagne, I mean drinking wine, and Luther came.

It was we had this band, everybody's planning and he was hanging out and that I passed out before twelve o'clock.

Luke called me the next day and said, man, man, that was a hell of a party. He said, you should have been there. Excuse you, man, Wait a minute.

It just hit me. It just hit me right now. One question that we never asked him, what how do we how do they ever orchestrate a Luther Vanders velvet devote? Yeah, Janet Jackson song idea which I know was recorded Minnesota, so I know you have to be around in proximity. Were you nowhere around when this happened? Is Luther velvet Devoteet Jackson for the more money?

Sounds right right?

For the more money? Because I did my own.

Yeah, you had Let's Just run Away?

I had Let's just run Away.

Yeah, that is my ship all the time.

That was a simple, simplistic kind of a joint that we just had.

George sample, that was yeah.

Yeah, we gotta talk about the soundtrack run too.

Got to talk about lrgs. I just I mean not larg I mean.

Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, it was.

Yeah. I did my own that one. I remember. I'll never forget that.

Okay, So when you are all right, so you and Luthor never had a professional relationship, so you could be cordial with.

Each other, Yeah, we were.

It was always fun but fun.

Okay, give us an example of like, Okay, so when you're doing like Black Men United or something. I mean, when it's time for Gladiator Sport, how do you now seeing someone night speaking of LSG Okay, So we were doing this is so weird to say, the Roots and Chico the barge. We're doing a show together at like uh LA, what's the outdoor Hollywood Ball or something like that. This must have been pre d Angelo. No, it was

And I was like, wait, what do you mean.

He's like, man, I should just go out there and.

Listen get him literally yeah, And he was like, oh, I can't help myself, and he ran on stage and then like it was like the flat in the balloon, she goes microphone and just started sh.

And none of them muscles mind it anymore.

And literally the art like there's a crazy shit ever seen. So with that type of gladiators port with singing, not now, because again it's like singers are a novelty today. Yeah, but back then, how how did you nuance it so that you wouldn't hurt people's feelings? Then?

Jerrold used to I swear to you, Geryl would call me and go, hey, I'm getting ready to do the show in Chicago. Blah blah blahs on there, blah blah Bla's on there, blah blah blah, I'm gonna tear the asses up where you at. I'm like, I'm on my way. So and we would actually we would double tea. I swear to God, I would call him.

Sometimes they go, Yo, I'm doing the show and Vegas. I got blah blah blah's on that, blah blah blah. Let's going like the ass up. He goes, I'm coming.

I'm on my way.

Us.

The double team all right.

Is there is there without you know, because we're not gotcha journalism who would you say who did you have a friendly rivalry with at least like in terms of like that you wanted to go at, but not not level for sports, because again I know that your level of singing is is out of this world, but es are you know, like.

You won't to be honest you and now I'm gonna be really honest.

And it's not even like it was a rivalry or friendly ribery because I just never particularly care for for Brian Knight, and so every time every time I would get on the show or go on to show with him, you best believe you're gonna see Johnny tearing that house inside out.

And it was all always been personal.

Wow, I just never wait, you know, like I'm trying to be politically correct on the show, make the artists.

Feel safe, and yeah, and he knows it.

I mean, it's not what happened with him, It's just something happened in the past that was just like, what's this guy always just kind of made it like her name, he was cool, and then he was just one of those guys sometimes he guys like I don't I can't deal with sometime people one minute they cool with you, the next minute you see him the right like, I'm from DC and I'm just someone I'm consistent.

The guy that you see today, you'll see next week, next year, in the following.

And so I was like, yo, sometimes, yeah, So I've seen him on well, we don't talk.

We see each other, We've been in the same building. He can tell you what the smokes feel like and smell like. But I'm just saying, but we don't wow my mind mind. And you know, that's the only thing I had. My issue was with him was just I don't like people that are inconsistent.

And when I've seen him when he first started and how much he and he was influenced by me and all the other things. And then you watch this guy overtime and then you see him and it was like, hey, what's happening to act like you know you did next time you see him.

He would turn and act like he's you go to yo, what's up man? And he's kind of like the give me that, and it was like, hey, yo, for real.

So one night we're playing and he was opening no, he was the headliner for the New Edition show.

He wanted to close.

He wanted to close, and we was like, he want to close for real.

We was like, people want to clothes.

So I was like, okay.

We was like, guess we had an issue where and I think it was in uh Westbury and Mike and I think Ron they was in the car and their car got was in traffic something.

So the show needed to get started and the show was running really really far behind. So we had asked him if he would go on first and then we just closed, and he was like no. So I was like wow, I'm going, Wow, how disrespectful is that?

And I mean, you know it was he realized it was a tough think about trying to follow after noon. They all ballots exactly, so you imagine trying to follow us what that was like when you could hear an echo by the time we finish in the house. And I'm not saying it's a talented guy and I like his music. I'm just saying, but he so when he said no, I was the only one that was pissing. I'm from DC. You know, I know how to be

So I got on the mic because I told him, hey, listen, we're getting ready to we can only give y'all what we can because we asked we wanted to make sure you guys got your money worth, and we asked Brian to go on before you guys, before us, so that we could make sure you guys will get the full show. And he says no. I said, so, we only can do what we can do. And I think we might have did maybe fifteen minutes at the most, fifty twenty

And so.

So. So Mick was like, yo, man, He's like, yo, what's up? Like y'all you know, man, I was like, listen, man, how disrespectful.

I mean, the reality is that we want to give these people there, you know, their money's worth. And I'm going this is not like it's on every night thing. It was like, you can go on and we'll closed. This is not like it's going to make or break your career. So it was just one of those things that I always felt like, yo, man, you really feel like you're like that, like that's you know, it's not

It's like, figure out where you belong. It ain't gonna make.

Or break your career to figure out how to be a part of a great show, make people leave thinking and feeling like I got my money's worth. So that's just my way of thinking. And then that's the only thing that became an issue for me with him.

How damn I dropped my Yeah would take six though, right, brother?

Yeah? Yeah, I like that body so yeah, but no, really we still don't to this day. We walk, we'll see each other in the same room. We don't speak, we don't see anything.

We just cool, man, We got it.

We brothers got everybody can't be we canna just be.

With silent brothers. So I said aside, Well, besides that, like what what artists like? Do you truly respect? And you you bowed down to like who are your favorites?

Of course Luther, of course, Teddy, I love Jeffrey Osborne, Stevie my ultimate you know, that's that's my that's my heart there.

And period?

Did I say down?

You have the way? Who can I say in this? I love what Neil does. I like Neo, I like Jahim okay ex Millennial, Yeah, I like Joe okay, I like Joe.

Uh where do you where do you feel that soul music is is?

Oh?

God? Now I'm asking questions that I hate, like here, what do you think about our young rappers?

Now? No?

But it's.

How how disheartening is it to you.

To see? Well, this is like a two.

Prong question. One is just like singing is not what it was when you were.

Coming up, especially with now with technology and how it is, whereas now you know, like well s anybody with he's still who's still alive?

Now?

Yeah, I'm just saying like.

Where you're you're where.

Your auto tune rapper is mostly singing? Now?

Well?

You know I don't have a problem. And but with that, but then on top of that, uh I I guess right now, it seems as though, like most when you think of soul singers, it's people that don't look like you. And I'm in the one hand, I'm like, okay, well, yeah, I can see that you've been influenced by this and you listen to this artist, so you know, what, are you more just me that more black people aren't carrying the baton, or or that maybe we just don't know

There's a lot of singers that are still out there. There are still singers that are making R and B music. It's not the artist, it's the industry. It's the industry, it's the you know, everybody. You know.

Music is just totally segregated now, there's no I mean, everything is based on research.

The kids and I stream like, it's just that we have to look and understand.

That the one thing about a hit record is when you say a hit, it has something that's magical that resonates with people.

That's why it becomes unique. That's why it becomes special. That's why it becomes a hit because it can connect

Desire for soul food.

And I believe that it's just gotten to a point where it's not so much of the artists that are still out there, they're just not getting a shot. It's tough to take even though there's something a lot that I'm making music, but they're not able to not get an opportunity to be heard. And that's only due to because of the way this industry is now. Everything has been diluted. It's like, if it's got to be if this.

Person's not on it, if this is the artist, you belong over here, not because of the song, it's just based on from here in the ac over here, because that's your name, that's where you are, that's how old you are, and it's just gotten so crazy that it's just hurt the industry and it's still hurting us. And I don't think it's gonna get any better until we can get or people begin to understand and recognize and identify when you just got great music, great songs, and

But at the same time, what does it feel like for you to still be making new music and be embraced, like still be playing on the radio, like do get that number one?

I'm so grateful. I am grateful, and I'm just doing my part. When you listen to the.

Songs that I recorded on this new album, Game Changer two, I'm doing as a musician, stretching out being able to do music that I enjoy doing. But I never compromise who Johnny gill Is, and I understand that it's important to do that, make sure you stay and be who you are, and making sure that my audience can appreciate what I'm doing here. But at the same time, I'm also allowing myself, from an artistic standpoint, to be.

Able to do and try the things that I enjoy. The music that I enjoy. When you listen to me myself would call Santana and sheili E.

I love that type of music, and I was able to be able to enjoy it and bring them on and collaborate with them to do something that I've always wanted to do, but I don't.

When you hear me singing, you still hear Johnny Uh And I think that it's just for me.

I'm grateful that people I can see because when I go to work there's sold out shows, which tells you it's a blessing first and.

Foremost that they still want to hear from you. More importantly, and I believe that there's just still a number of people that really appreciate what we do and uh And I believe everything comes full circle. I think it's cycles. We go through these cycles, but I think at the end of the day, I think that it's like everything else, real music, true music, true artists, true musicians. It goes through a cycle. But you know, I don't think that you can keep us down forever. It always comes back.

I have a question. Okay, so you and and Rizz did your do it together on on the album? Yeah, I'm sorry, Ralph. Uh It's is.

To tell you how thank you.

Is. Because the thing is, after the biopick came out, I feel like this new edition biopic is doing is doing better for you guys what the Temptations couldn't do with their biopick and even the Jackson's couldn't do with their biopick. And you know, I know that there's politics in the group, and there's six of y'all, and ya YadA yadao.

We know the drama.

But it's like if there ever was a time when y'all have millennials in the palm of your hands, Like it's now to the point that you know, i'd see I mean kids born like after two thousand and five, like that young.

Yeah, quoting the movie.

Yeah, And so they're mostly invested in you guys, and y'all have yet to really not cashing but really just that that's about yet to take that victory lap.

But what does that look like? Because they y'all did do stuff like no, they did show the.

New addition has yet to reunite and tour behind that BT movie.

But they did. I thought you did.

And no, I mean we did one show after that movie, and that was the Steve Harvey thing. I think we did after that.

That was it.

The internal issues that goes on with this group has been going on since for thirty some years. We find our way back, we go off, we forget you, we come right back. We're like a married couple.

And what I kept telling everybody is that you know what happens when a married couple when they love each other and they keep breaking up, coming back, breaking up.

The problem is.

You have to deal with the core issue here because as much as you love each other, until you deal with the issue and that straightened out, what you're doing is you know you love each other, so you break away, come back, and you still got the same problem. So you end back up with the same outcome and something has to change. And so even with Kobe, just recently, we all started texting each other.

I love you, man, I love you. I love you, man, this is crazy.

We all six of you.

It was I would love to see.

W and we were we were.

And what I said to everyone, which I think is important, is that what we learned was life just sent us all a message that it don't discriminate, don't.

Give a fuck who you are. And at some point this call could have been and this could have been any one of us, so you realize that at some point we need to take heed.

Then a few weeks ago, not even a few ago, by a week ago, Ronnie's brother Rob, who works with me, on his way from Atlanta.

I was playing the Baton Rouge last weekend, he fell ill. They had to airlift him actually to a hospital in Atlanta. Now, Rob is Ronnie's brother, who's the biggest New Edition man, and he sits even though he works with me, he's always the guy that's sitting there going, man, y'all brothers a man, y'all need to stop this. Y'all need to come together man. And he's that guy. And I was like when I sat when I got that call, and I was like, I was like, okay, wait a minute,

We all do.

And I said, and at some point that means that we have to look at ourselves, be honest and begin to try to figure out what we need to do if we never step foot on stage again in life. But how to get all these years and the things that we've done together, and the memories that we created, the impact that we've had, if we never stand on that stage again. There's no rhyme or reason for us as family members, as brothers to not have some level of a family of a relationship as brothers, as men.

I suggest the Metallica, some kind of monstrous rales. I suggest therapy. I'm now I'm gonna say Lawrenxander on everyone, I'm sorry that yeah, Lawrenceander. She she is the no she. Lawrenxander is the group whisper. She keeps groups together.

Let me tell you something. It's crazy.

You know what I said to them this evening, We need a counselor.

This is the first time that sentence has ever been that's crazy. This is the first time that sentence has ever been said amongst your group.

Wow.

But people don't think about that. People don't think about that very first time. Seriously, Like normally I'm really giving, I don't have to pay for no more therapy. After I give her this this endorsement. Know what what she what Lawrenceander does. She's like well known in the industry and and she fixes groups basically like managers will hire her to keep uh groups in tech and it will be over small ship.

It don't have to be in your business. But that means that both of y'all are see her.

I don't mean to no, no, no, I see I saw our individual like she's she saw. She's everyone's person like, well, I don't want to people out.

Question right right right, No, no, no.

She's not our group person. However, our good friend was her very well. She works with them and the Live Nation people like she'll come into companies and fix she fixed. She's the real fixture secret like Dan. It's kind of like the out She's the real.

Fix your life person. Yes, but how funny did you say that I highly recommend that.

No seriously, because you knew of her when I'm Saturday.

No no, no, no, no, not just the fact of what I suggested that I thought would remit and then you know she's that person to.

Everybody was open open shop, like six people on the line.

Yeah, I need to see that. I want to see and you like, I don't want to wait till y'all like seventy doing.

What not act when I'm singing and then I have to stop and go hold on all that thought.

No, no, no, wait, I only wait. Were you with us when we got like were you with us in Philly when we got that uh plaque?

And Philly?

The what do you want? The diner? Which one?

You know what I'm where?

Came?

Right?

Yes? Yes, so you were there that night when the Tramps also performed. All right, I'm just saying, no, what happened during this The Tramps performed, you know because they got honored as well. But it was like you remember you remember the sketch on Living Color when they were doing the old train like oh no, like members like two and wheelchairs three with the walkers with the tennis balls at the bottom like one member it had like a good leg.

I got up before that happened.

Yeah, it's no, I'm just no more power to the tramp even though they ate, they still going on. I'm just saying that there's this is valuable real estate time for a new addition to all come back.

And and and you know, I'll just say I still have never seen the audition live, so I need I still need. I need y'all to come back and do at least one more tour.

I'm lucky, people pieces my sisters went to see Heartbreak Tour.

I was not to go. I was.

I was too I was. I was like ten. I wasn't. I don't even think I was ten then, but like I was too young. Togo so and then, well, I've seen four shows, but I've not seen Super Group Status New Edition do it?

So wow?

Wow? Well you know, I listen, you're saying you're board, your bored, You're way for me.

I think that. I mean, I'll often say this, and I'll say it again. I truly believe that.

What we've done over the thirty something years plus, that we've had our differences and we always seem to find our way back. It always seemed to find its way and come back together. And I honestly believe that this is gonna be a different at some point. It's I believe good, he's got his hands in it, and uh, it's gonna come.

I'm together.

I'm not supposed to say this, because when you do these meetings at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, what make it happen. It's kind of like what happens in this room with the thirty of us stays in this room. But I think I can at least say that No, in the last in the last two years, your names have been brought up as serious considerations.

I'm part of the board that decides.

The So that'll be the I see what you're doing here, You see what you're doing.

No, dude, four years, four years, and you do it. You stand in front of a jewelry and you give your closing arguments, Da da da da, four years in a row.

Finally with Janet, now like I need a new cause to yeah.

No, but no, new edition is the new cause.

New edition is yeah.

And we're still making records.

We're still doing because I've often said, whatever success that I have, it still reflects on this group. I mean, I've you know, read number one records, Ralph, the records that we have that's doing incredibly well. I don't care how you chopped up, you said, Johnny and Ralph, but we're all still the power of that tree.

And so it still reflects on You're you're the voice, is like you're the crucial part of the tree. Intended you said crucial. Okay, but when is it?

But my last question is, but when the last time you talked to Stacey though.

She deep?

That's an interesting sentence. Go ahead, tell me more.

No, not now the DEVI DM something. No, she's a preacher.

So she's still singing in her own way.

Yeah, she's still and every once in the blue moon should hit me.

You know, DM me on Twitter once like three years ago. I hope she's still on Twitter. What was you about to say, John, I was talking about my wisconcert. No, I know I was.

He looked like he was holding something. I just thought he had something else.

I'm just saying I.

Jumped.

I've been dmned, you know a few times on Twitter. I've been doing too, going.

Somewhere else with all this comedy, John, what you're doing with all the issues.

I got issues And think about most of my buddies, like Eddie and and all my crew.

It's like inner circle. It's like you are a part of that circle.

All we do is sit around and blast stuff, and it's like until Eddie goes yo. Yeah, looking around here, look at this house. I built this on jokes.

Niggas don't want no part.

Of me.

Speaking of your buddies, and your golfing buddy is Sam Jackson, right.

Yes, that's my road dog there, old Sam. He just he's recovering from back surgery. So I haven't had a pigeon in a while.

So he's uh. Me and him fight every morning. Oh my god.

We we just go at it.

And I swear to you, I haven't as much as I love golf, I just haven't had just the desire to want to play like I've been a moment we played. Since he's been off and he's healing, but he's he's doing much better.

He's moving around walking.

I'm just looking and watching and monitoring everything to make sure he's doing what he needs to do because I need some of the music that.

That movie money, because you know, because he got he's convinced you.

Yeah, he's the one that got in this movie that we we uh story, so yeah.

Yeah, he's playing Clarence Burgh.

Sam's idea. I'm just like, he was like, man, I think you ought to take a look at this character.

I was like, what, Yeah, Yeah, you got some characters and you need to get come out.

I don't know when they're gonna when it's gonna be released.

Wow, okay, I can't wait for that. And Sam is playing George Clinton in the movie. Wow yeah really yeah.

We're on a course playing and he's singing all those songs. I'm like, the hell are you doing, Sam Jackson, You're throwing off my game.

Really, I cannot wait for this.

Sam Jackson is playing George Clinton and the Neil Bourdgart story. That is crazy. I have to say that out loud just to He's playing Clarence Burger the five stairsteps.

Yes, wow, yeah.

Do you see more acting in your future?

I mean it's not like this was your first because I remember those Family Matters episodes.

I like, acting thing is fun, it's cool, but that hurry up wait yeah, I understand that you have no patience. Like I'm like, man.

That's one of the things I hated about working in a record labels was a hurry up and wait.

Yeah, hurry up and wait man. It's like man, Like I remember sometimes we would all hang out on the set and it's three o'clock, four o'clock in the morning, Eddie's getting ready to do another scene. Everybody in the trailer like this. We're like yeah, we were like yo, this, d you can't really gonna try to be funny.

What he gets paid for.

But I'm like, man, I don't feel bad. I don't feel sorry for you. Shoot, because man, we do all get to reap the benefits from your hard.

Work nice, like like a male Oprah.

I like that as.

He's just you know, EDI's just a pure genius.

I mean like he's just you can do it in his sleep, Dola Mike brought it back. It was like sleep all right?

So Bill, do you have all year? Damn?

You?

All right, there's the thing before I always want to wrap the show. Then it's always like ten minutes when the show's over, and then we're.

Like, damn, I forgot to ask did you have a saythem about L S G? Did you?

And we didn't get.

Yeah. I was gonna say the idea of Eddie Eddie replacing Ah was that what.

Happened for and we're still gonna do that. That's what Keith and I was just talking about.

Wow, we're gonna just bring bring pop in and uh and and and maybe a couple of other people.

Just guess with us on another different Now that's something that's gonna happen.

Absolutely was that the second time you've been about into a super group or was that just the one that you picked?

Because I feel like I don't know.

I look for the work and don't I was about to say anybody else got anything opportunity because I'm just trying to make a sure that is my life right now.

I got some work.

I look back at my journey and I'm like, man, what the heck? I mean from a soul artist do that stuff with Stacey to new addition to l s G. Then I had his stay with me, Bobby and Ralph. It's like, you know, we just go.

I just I love just doing things and being put in the position that uh that doesn't allow me to dependenthole me and allow me to be able to just express myself in just different areas.

So I enjoy it.

The younger artists now call and ask you for advice, like you ever think like, okay, well maybe management or his management like too much of a logistical, non creative nightmare for you.

Yeah, it's it's called babysitting, and I'm not a very good babysitter.

I go to organizer. Well, yeah they do.

As a matter of fact, you organized that met.

You organized j Yeah. Yeah, he's an organizer.

I'm the Yeah.

Yeah, I was speaking secret talk.

But that's okay. I think we figured out what you're saying. You're saying that sometimes he organizes parties and other things.

Handling deal with so many Why I'm the go to guy with most of my friends that how to get everything. It's just I don't know.

I don't understand it. Well, yeah, which no answers, which answers my question. Yes, you do know how the babysit, Yeah, and solve problems, problems, that's my m O.

And then you would think that I'm doctor Phil. I have no idea, And I'm like, why does everybody listen to me?

Because you're a preacher.

Son it it's never ending with everybody, and I mean it's just from the who's who to it's always something and it's like everybody, I'm just going, why they listen to me? You got it right? See? But I love people, and I always understand.

I knew and I truly understand that when you're listening to people, you have to learn how to listen, because there's there's that there's an art to that too as well, to learn how to listen and always understanding that I don't ever use that if I was you, because you're not me. Recognizing that there's always two sides or three sides to every story. So when someone's talking, you know you're gonna be dealing with them telling their story and they going to be the victim when it's.

All said and done.

So you have to learn how to read between the lines, deal with those things. Ask those questions, what hand did you have? They're not here to defend themselves. Let me ask you, what hand do you think you're had? And I go through It's a whole process that you go through. To me, it's, oh my god, let me tell you you have no idea.

I've lost a few relationships because they're like, my god, can you just your phone. It's like, hey, listen, I'm just being obedient. I'm doing what God want me to do.

I mean, it is what it is.

So you have to at some point be patient. Good, I'll listen, I deal with it all.

There you go, There you go. I do remember a question.

Yes, one of my greatest regrets about this show is that we'll never get to have Roger Troutman on. You've worked with Roger? Yeah, can you give us a Roger story something about oh my god.

Let me tell you my very first song I ever wrote and produced. Played all the instruments on a song called It's Your Body. So I I had a dummy bull corder on there and I was like, Yo, it would be cool. We can get rods on here.

So I called him. He was in Hawaii and I asked him if he would be on the song with me. So he told me to send him this song. And before I sent it, I actually played it from the phone. And so he's quiet and he goes, you wrote that. I said yeah. He said you wrote that. I said, yeah, you wrote that. I said yeah. He said, I'm gonna come and I'll be honored to be on it. And I was like, whoa. He comes to LA. He brings

My biggest regret to this day is not recording him each track. And when he was playing, he was like like there was no audience and we were just sitting there like this going as he was stat track and I'm just sitting there going and he came back out listen to it.

He goes, uh, pressed me right here at this spot, going back into the auditorium.

So he does he call it that. I'm said that was.

Behind the like in the studio. So he tells the guy Joe after we finished. Uh, he finishes up all the parts and sounded really good. And he looked at Joe and Joe it's caucasion. He looked at him, he said, your credit to your race. Man was freaking amazing.

Man.

He was just that moment to watch him and he would be in there doing this recording and actual performing.

We were just sitting there going yo, just performing like we was in there watching going wow. As he was stacked just.

Doing full you and Roger like he does on the stage.

Yeah.

I was like, man, I was like guitar with his teeth and all that stuff.

Mistake that just I wish we could have dis recorded that had that footage oh man, Yeah, Yeah, he's a unique guy.

Regret. I wish he was on our show.

J G.

Man, I thank you so much, thanks for having I hope that you will because.

The thirtieth University your record is like what uh yeah coming up mate, So yeah, I hope that after thirty years time you'll love your catalog. I'm like what Jam.

Says in the meanwhile, get game changes to yeah.

That change.

I'm telling you, from the beginning to the end, I didn't put no wasted joints on that album.

Proved yeah.

Yeah, it's just a solid album.

And I hope that people enjoy, want to listen to and want to hear good music because it's still there.

It's still there and it's beautiful. Yeah. And you are to me our Quincy Jones man, who I've said it a million time and I'm just saying, man, this is just taking how much respect and how much uh uh love we have for you. Man.

They love when I get uncomfortable. Thank you.

That's generation he is that.

But he loved black women.

I got one more thing.

I want to say.

Thank you for side too of the nineteen ninety album because my niece when she was born, she would not go to bed, but as soon as we put on my mind, she would stop crying.

She was just lay in the bed. And by the time by the time I'll give my all to you was over, she was knocked out. So thank you so much. You are so r and B.

You saved this.

You saved us.

That child which just would not stop crying until you put on my mind.

Yeah.

Well, you know, I'm really a mess up man, because I remember the only time that I ever played my music, even for my own good was one night I was at an award show and I had this girl I was dating, and I was thinking, I've got to get there. I gotta figure this one out because so I left.

Before I left home, I had I put the champagne on ice. I sat down and I said, when she comes back here, I'm gonna sit down and we're gonna sit down the piano. And we sat down at the piano. This was after the show.

I went back and sat down at the piano and started playing. Matter of fact, it was right before my ma Min came out. I'm playing the song. And we went from the piano to the floor, from the floor to the bedroom.

And I said, come, I don't do this more often because I didn't realize.

Ladies, yeah, yeah, you will see. You have a team, Supreme man, did you learn anything?

Good morning, good afternoon, and midnight.

You will see one of the nights.

Girl around.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is I'm Supreme. Thank you. For more podcasts from iHeart Radio, visit the ie radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.