WEBVTT - Erica Grayson 0:00:02.000 --> 0:00:05.039 R and B Money. 0:00:05.600 --> 0:00:06.160 We are. 0:00:07.720 --> 0:00:10.360 Take pologize. 0:00:11.119 --> 0:00:17.080 We are the authority R and B ladies and gentleman. 0:00:17.200 --> 0:00:20.040 Name is Tank and this is the R and B 0:00:20.160 --> 0:00:25.800 Money Podcast, the authority on all things R and B business, 0:00:27.040 --> 0:00:33.559 big business, tenured business. Uh. You know, sometimes you in 0:00:33.680 --> 0:00:37.080 this game and then you're no longer in this game. 0:00:37.840 --> 0:00:40.879 But sometimes you in this game and you stay in 0:00:40.880 --> 0:00:43.519 this game a long time because you've done some real 0:00:43.600 --> 0:00:44.400 cool ship. 0:00:46.159 --> 0:00:47.120 Starting with cool ship? 0:00:47.880 --> 0:00:50.880 Are you cool? Lady? 0:00:50.920 --> 0:00:51.199 Was young? 0:00:51.840 --> 0:00:51.960 Right? 0:00:56.600 --> 0:01:06.120 We go back like a six back, come on oolosis. 0:01:06.880 --> 0:01:12.120 I got it now. I was like, oh, hilariens. 0:01:11.720 --> 0:01:14.000 Doing this a minute A man? 0:01:14.080 --> 0:01:15.919 I thought you're about to say a million years? 0:01:16.120 --> 0:01:18.160 No, no, no, no, not a million, but it. 0:01:18.360 --> 0:01:23.280 Is close A minute, yes, a minute, yes, all like. 0:01:23.920 --> 0:01:25.760 Both of you, which is screw. 0:01:26.160 --> 0:01:28.200 We can get into that, get it. We're gonna get 0:01:28.240 --> 0:01:32.560 into that all really like all really good stuff. And 0:01:33.080 --> 0:01:37.840 I say that because you know, going through this business 0:01:38.480 --> 0:01:43.600 can can can do so many things to you if 0:01:43.600 --> 0:01:49.400 you're not grounded in who you are. And every time 0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:54.600 I've seen you since the beginning, you are one hundred percent, 0:01:56.040 --> 0:02:01.440 one hundred and fifty percent you that you're bad. Listen, 0:02:01.880 --> 0:02:07.000 you are you? You this is this is you, that 0:02:07.080 --> 0:02:08.440 is anyone. 0:02:08.160 --> 0:02:13.080 Knows you know, that's the case to have on Chuck Taylor. 0:02:12.919 --> 0:02:16.560 I really am that is so funny thing. I take 0:02:16.600 --> 0:02:17.399 it as a compliment. 0:02:17.680 --> 0:02:21.760 But yeah, because because because the consistency is everything right, 0:02:22.480 --> 0:02:26.760 and you know, having the friendships and having the relationships 0:02:27.639 --> 0:02:30.480 with good people's everything, especially people you can depend on, 0:02:30.600 --> 0:02:31.839 you know what I'm saying. And a lot of times 0:02:31.840 --> 0:02:34.440 it's not even it's not even business when it comes 0:02:34.480 --> 0:02:36.480 to that type of thing. It's like it's like that 0:02:36.520 --> 0:02:38.840 person is going to say you good, that's a family, 0:02:39.080 --> 0:02:42.120 like that type of thing that is bigger than this business. 0:02:42.120 --> 0:02:44.800 And you you don't have that with everybody that you 0:02:44.880 --> 0:02:46.640 come in contact with this thing, and so you know, 0:02:46.760 --> 0:02:48.720 to to you know, to. 0:02:48.720 --> 0:02:50.120 See like you know what I'm saying, every time I 0:02:50.120 --> 0:02:50.840 see you them like. 0:02:54.160 --> 0:03:00.800 Like she cares you know, you know, yeah, yes, yes, And. 0:03:00.280 --> 0:03:03.160 So like for for us and even this pot it's 0:03:03.200 --> 0:03:07.800 always great too because we love to get into the 0:03:07.880 --> 0:03:12.799 intricacies of how this sting moves and everybody is all 0:03:12.960 --> 0:03:16.720 is so enamored with you know, who's in the video 0:03:16.880 --> 0:03:20.839 and who's on the songs and all of these things. 0:03:20.880 --> 0:03:24.520 I mean, maybe now they're into the producers and somewhat 0:03:24.600 --> 0:03:25.400 the writers. 0:03:25.440 --> 0:03:26.040 You know what I'm saying. 0:03:26.200 --> 0:03:31.160 But you've been orchestrating it from an artist, songwriter, producer 0:03:31.720 --> 0:03:35.640 standpoint since the beginning, which has helped shape all of this, 0:03:35.920 --> 0:03:38.440 like yeah, you know what I mean, and so you're 0:03:38.840 --> 0:03:43.320 you're important so that they understand like women in this 0:03:43.480 --> 0:03:48.480 business also make this motherfucker shack. 0:03:50.440 --> 0:03:51.880 Period a lot. 0:03:51.720 --> 0:03:52.640 More now, thankfully. 0:03:52.880 --> 0:03:53.080 Heay. 0:03:53.600 --> 0:03:55.480 First of all, we're gonna get it back. R and B. 0:03:55.680 --> 0:03:58.280 We're gonna get it back. Bella's begin ass kick. 0:04:00.320 --> 0:04:02.120 Just saying getting whoop? 0:04:03.440 --> 0:04:04.320 What you posting? 0:04:04.360 --> 0:04:05.240 Mighty hoodie over the head? 0:04:05.320 --> 0:04:05.720 You up? 0:04:07.800 --> 0:04:09.200 That's how we getting whooped? 0:04:09.240 --> 0:04:10.480 Right, you're it down. 0:04:11.800 --> 0:04:16.320 It's just I can't do it for myself. They're gonna 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:17.000 pull the VIDI over. 0:04:19.360 --> 0:04:22.120 You got to keep that apack you now. 0:04:24.279 --> 0:04:30.719 Just moments. But let's start from the beginning. Let's start 0:04:30.720 --> 0:04:32.080 from the beginning. Let's start with. 0:04:34.760 --> 0:04:37.839 Was this always a desire of yours to be in 0:04:38.000 --> 0:04:41.680 the music business? Because this ship is different? 0:04:43.080 --> 0:04:46.919 No, I mean, well, you got to think like I 0:04:46.960 --> 0:04:50.200 didn't know I could. So I didn't grow up. I'm 0:04:50.200 --> 0:04:54.440 not from LA I'm from New York. I didn't I 0:04:54.440 --> 0:04:58.080 didn't know anyone that was in music like I. My 0:04:58.200 --> 0:05:03.120 father loved me ZI. So then by proxy, you get 0:05:03.120 --> 0:05:06.760 exposed to all the things that they list your parents 0:05:06.800 --> 0:05:11.960 listen to, and I'm looking at their vinyl and listening 0:05:12.000 --> 0:05:14.320 to songs over and over and over again. And I 0:05:14.360 --> 0:05:16.599 didn't think about this until years later, but I was like, 0:05:16.640 --> 0:05:18.960 I used to sit there, pull the jacket sleeves out 0:05:19.000 --> 0:05:22.800 of albums and listen to records with the lyrics. So 0:05:22.960 --> 0:05:27.400 like from then, I loved songs and lyrics and I've 0:05:27.440 --> 0:05:30.040 always been a lyric girl. And it's funny now I'm like, oh, 0:05:30.360 --> 0:05:32.680 I've been doing this since I was a kid, but 0:05:33.680 --> 0:05:36.960 I never knew anyone that did. So when I went 0:05:37.000 --> 0:05:39.920 to college, I went to USC in Los Angeles. 0:05:40.520 --> 0:05:45.080 What got you to USC? Because that's not and smart. 0:05:45.360 --> 0:05:46.440 I want to start there. 0:05:47.600 --> 0:05:51.120 I was a dean scholar in high school and I. 0:05:51.120 --> 0:05:52.560 Don't even know what that means. 0:05:53.680 --> 0:05:54.800 It just means you get good grade. 0:05:56.240 --> 0:06:02.000 No, I'm just saying, I heard yeah, yeah, so you 0:06:02.200 --> 0:06:02.960 just yeah, so. 0:06:03.080 --> 0:06:10.080 You ap class ap classes, and so you you only know, 0:06:10.480 --> 0:06:13.120 especially back then, like you don't. I didn't know what 0:06:13.160 --> 0:06:15.560 I wanted to do. I have peak kids that do 0:06:15.680 --> 0:06:18.479 or they fascinate me because I just was like, I 0:06:18.480 --> 0:06:22.520 don't I don't know, like my parents work jobs, you know, 0:06:22.680 --> 0:06:26.880 And so you're like, I know, college from everything I 0:06:26.960 --> 0:06:29.760 seen on television is how people have careers. So you 0:06:29.800 --> 0:06:31.720 go to college because you're like, well that's why you 0:06:31.760 --> 0:06:33.480 go to college and you get a good job. You know, 0:06:33.520 --> 0:06:35.680 there's your whole life. You hear that. So I went 0:06:35.720 --> 0:06:39.120 to college and I don't know if I was like, 0:06:40.480 --> 0:06:42.159 this is the college I want to go all that 0:06:42.279 --> 0:06:44.640 stuff that people experience. Now, I was just like, they 0:06:44.680 --> 0:06:48.000 gave me the most money. I sorry USC, like cause 0:06:48.000 --> 0:06:50.880 I know it's like a big teda school, but I 0:06:51.000 --> 0:06:52.840 used to I literally be like, why did you pick us? 0:06:53.000 --> 0:06:55.960 I'm like, they gave me the most money to go there, 0:06:56.040 --> 0:06:58.680 so I picked there because we didn't have money. 0:07:00.160 --> 0:07:02.960 And the USC is not cheap, no, but. 0:07:02.880 --> 0:07:07.160 It's private, so they give you more funding. I guess. 0:07:07.560 --> 0:07:09.920 So that was it. It was like I was in 0:07:10.080 --> 0:07:13.360 music the whole time but didn't know. So I was 0:07:13.400 --> 0:07:16.800 like doing things like this thing they used to have 0:07:16.840 --> 0:07:20.560 called Songfest where they would have organizations with COMPEDE. I'd 0:07:20.560 --> 0:07:24.000 work with the Black Student Union of course, because I 0:07:24.080 --> 0:07:26.840 wasn't in fraternity or anything, and you would put together 0:07:27.000 --> 0:07:30.320 like a show. They would take popular songs and change 0:07:30.320 --> 0:07:32.720 the words and like it had a theme and you 0:07:32.880 --> 0:07:35.080 perform at the shrine. And like one year I was 0:07:35.120 --> 0:07:37.480 in it. The next year I was, you know, like 0:07:37.880 --> 0:07:41.000 choreographing and directing it and had to get music made. 0:07:41.240 --> 0:07:43.720 I was figuring it all out. I didn't know I 0:07:43.760 --> 0:07:45.760 was in music. I was just doing like the song 0:07:45.840 --> 0:07:49.680 fest thing, so you don't think, like it doesn't feel 0:07:49.880 --> 0:07:53.960 like it's possible. And I had roommates in college that 0:07:54.040 --> 0:07:56.720 were from Los Angeles that used to go to like 0:07:57.040 --> 0:08:00.600 rapper videos and like all in a video, you know, 0:08:00.720 --> 0:08:03.440 and I would be at home because I wasn't cool. 0:08:03.720 --> 0:08:05.840 I would be at home and be like how do y'all? 0:08:05.920 --> 0:08:08.080 Like how did you do that? Like how do you 0:08:08.160 --> 0:08:10.600 know about videos and where artists are going to be? 0:08:10.680 --> 0:08:14.520 Like that's crazy? And I loved music so much, but 0:08:14.880 --> 0:08:17.880 that's not a career. Like I'm not a singer, I'm 0:08:17.880 --> 0:08:19.600 not a rapper, I'm not a dancer for real, Like 0:08:20.640 --> 0:08:23.160 that's not a career. So I think it was more 0:08:23.240 --> 0:08:28.640 so it was like my junior year of college, this 0:08:28.760 --> 0:08:30.720 guy I can't remember his name now, but He used 0:08:30.720 --> 0:08:32.280 to be in one of my classes and he was 0:08:32.360 --> 0:08:36.080 an engineer. He was older and he was getting ready 0:08:36.160 --> 0:08:40.480 to graduate, and you know, he's an engineer major. So 0:08:40.520 --> 0:08:42.280 I was like, oh, you know, he's like, yeah, I'm 0:08:42.280 --> 0:08:44.520 going to start my job at Coke. And I was like, 0:08:45.120 --> 0:08:47.560 you don't work at Coke and as an engineer and 0:08:47.559 --> 0:08:50.679 he's like, oh yeah, I just did engineering, So I could, 0:08:50.840 --> 0:08:52.800 you know, have these skill set because I want to 0:08:52.920 --> 0:08:57.480 be this person in business And I was like, oh 0:08:57.520 --> 0:08:59.720 my god, like it never. I was like, oh, you 0:08:59.760 --> 0:09:02.840 could like get an education and still like be whatever 0:09:02.880 --> 0:09:07.400 you want to be. And so I was like huh 0:09:07.440 --> 0:09:09.040 and he was like what. And I was like, well, 0:09:09.080 --> 0:09:11.360 you know, I really like music, but you know, like 0:09:12.080 --> 0:09:15.360 I'm a communications major and like I'm trying to figure 0:09:15.360 --> 0:09:18.840 out like how go get a comms job somewhere or whatever. 0:09:19.679 --> 0:09:22.640 And he was like, you know, how long have you 0:09:22.720 --> 0:09:25.280 been working? And I was like shit, I I since 0:09:25.280 --> 0:09:28.360 I was fifteen. And he's like, well, you could work anywhere, 0:09:29.200 --> 0:09:32.120 like do something you want to do. And I swear 0:09:32.240 --> 0:09:35.280 on everything I love because I am so corny. I 0:09:35.320 --> 0:09:38.720 went back to my apartment on campus like with this 0:09:38.880 --> 0:09:42.840 like determination, like a scene from a sitcom and like 0:09:43.040 --> 0:09:45.680 called my parents and was like, I'm gonna work in 0:09:45.720 --> 0:09:46.840 the music industry. 0:09:47.320 --> 0:09:48.400 Off of one conversation. 0:09:48.480 --> 0:09:55.080 Yeah, I'm dead ass serious. My parents were like okay, 0:09:55.360 --> 0:09:58.280 you know, but it was like I had all this courage, 0:09:58.400 --> 0:10:02.880 like I have found purpose. It was so funny. And 0:10:03.679 --> 0:10:07.839 from that moment on, I was like researching and internships 0:10:07.880 --> 0:10:10.320 and like just like how do I get in? How 0:10:10.360 --> 0:10:11.880 do I get in? How do I get in? And 0:10:12.000 --> 0:10:16.320 you know, eventually I got an internship. 0:10:17.080 --> 0:10:19.120 So you didn't ask none of your video of Vixen help. 0:10:18.960 --> 0:10:24.400 Me, you know, take me down to bless them. Their 0:10:24.640 --> 0:10:29.480 desire for music was a little different than they enjoyed 0:10:29.520 --> 0:10:34.960 the fruits of hip hop. At that not so much 0:10:35.480 --> 0:10:40.600 a way to say that. End up, I did not 0:10:40.720 --> 0:10:46.800 say that. They just enjoyed being on set. From what 0:10:46.840 --> 0:10:50.679 I understood, I was never invited, of course, because you know, 0:10:50.920 --> 0:10:56.640 I'm not cool. But so I started like intern Somebody 0:10:56.679 --> 0:11:01.440 introduced me to a gentleman, Kerry Gordy, who is the 0:11:01.440 --> 0:11:06.400 son of Barry Gerdy, who I kind of thought it 0:11:06.440 --> 0:11:08.640 was going to be an internship, but was really like, 0:11:08.760 --> 0:11:11.200 damn near a full time job, which I didn't care. 0:11:11.360 --> 0:11:13.360 You still still at this point, I am. 0:11:13.440 --> 0:11:17.679 Yeah, and he's like great, Like I don't know if 0:11:17.720 --> 0:11:19.680 you know Carrie, but like he talks really fast and 0:11:19.720 --> 0:11:21.920 he's like great, I love it. And I'm just like 0:11:22.440 --> 0:11:25.440 my god, like also, you know Barry Gordy and like you. 0:11:27.120 --> 0:11:29.960 I mean yeah, I mean. 0:11:32.120 --> 0:11:34.680 I'm so far removed from like you know, I'm going 0:11:34.720 --> 0:11:37.560 to school full time, I'm working forty hours a week. 0:11:37.640 --> 0:11:40.600 I'm like I'm doing whatever to make sure I survive. 0:11:40.880 --> 0:11:43.800 And you meet a guy who's like related to Barry Gordy, 0:11:44.240 --> 0:11:47.440 Like this isn't real, this is not real life. And 0:11:47.520 --> 0:11:50.320 so he and his wife had a production company and 0:11:50.400 --> 0:11:54.200 they no, lie, We're like we had this album we 0:11:54.280 --> 0:11:56.320 finished and we need to turn all the credits in. 0:11:56.440 --> 0:12:02.200 So like here I'm like going through nothing. When I 0:12:02.240 --> 0:12:07.600 say I know nothing, I'm like calling, like call Aftra, okay, hi, 0:12:07.760 --> 0:12:12.120 Aftra this far and I have to say that this 0:12:12.280 --> 0:12:14.920 musician did this and that I mean like literally talk 0:12:14.960 --> 0:12:17.440 about get it from the mud, just like go figure 0:12:17.440 --> 0:12:19.959 out how to deliver an album. I'm like, I don't know. 0:12:20.040 --> 0:12:21.319 It was the hardest thing I ever did in my 0:12:21.360 --> 0:12:23.079 whole life, shout out to adding people. 0:12:22.920 --> 0:12:25.120 And it was way different. 0:12:28.760 --> 0:12:32.920 Phone calls and and hold, but. 0:12:34.559 --> 0:12:40.600 It was please and you're like hi hi, hi, hi yah, 0:12:40.679 --> 0:12:43.880 So okay, just do I put yes because and the 0:12:43.920 --> 0:12:47.040 other part was it was this immense pressure. One I 0:12:47.080 --> 0:12:52.480 wanted to be great, and two I didn't want to 0:12:52.520 --> 0:12:55.040 mess up right, like because the first thing I learned 0:12:55.120 --> 0:12:57.040 was like, if we don't turn this in, like we 0:12:57.120 --> 0:13:00.960 gotta pay fees and fines. And so now I'm you know, 0:13:01.000 --> 0:13:03.079 I didn't know at the time, like I shouldn't have 0:13:03.160 --> 0:13:06.440 probably been delivering an album, like I didn't know nothing. 0:13:06.640 --> 0:13:09.880 So it's funny to me now, but like that was it. 0:13:09.960 --> 0:13:13.600 And then I probably wasn't even there six months when 0:13:14.679 --> 0:13:16.640 someone else that used to work there was like, you 0:13:16.679 --> 0:13:23.839 know what that Jive they're hiring and I'm like a word. 0:13:23.880 --> 0:13:25.640 He's like, yeah, I'm gonna get you. I'm gonna get 0:13:25.640 --> 0:13:30.360 you a meeting with the with the president, and I'm like, okay, 0:13:30.800 --> 0:13:36.839 you know, Like so I'm I'm so like, oh my god, 0:13:37.000 --> 0:13:40.360 like Jive records, like are you kidding me? Like try 0:13:40.440 --> 0:13:44.880 called quest like Will Smith, like like I was just 0:13:44.960 --> 0:13:47.959 I couldn't all my favorite things in the entire world, 0:13:48.040 --> 0:13:51.760 and I'm like, you know, receptionist job, and I go 0:13:51.840 --> 0:13:54.960 for a meeting there and you know, they're just you know, 0:13:55.160 --> 0:13:57.679 they're interviewing me. Da da da da. I don't even 0:13:57.720 --> 0:13:59.520 think I told them I was in college because I 0:13:59.559 --> 0:14:03.000 was afraid that they wouldn't hire me. So I was like, oh, yeah, 0:14:03.040 --> 0:14:05.520 I'm available and I could do whatever and it's fine 0:14:05.559 --> 0:14:07.520 and blah blah blah. And they were like, Okay, I 0:14:07.559 --> 0:14:09.439 got the phone call. I tell you almost die. I 0:14:09.440 --> 0:14:14.880 about died, Like I thought, like it just didn't make 0:14:14.880 --> 0:14:17.199 any sense to me, you know, cause it just doesn't. 0:14:17.559 --> 0:14:19.640 You don't know it again, you don't know anyone that 0:14:19.720 --> 0:14:24.320 this happens for. There wasn't Instagram where everybody's famous and 0:14:24.360 --> 0:14:28.880 those famous people like nobody I knew. And so now 0:14:29.000 --> 0:14:31.640 you're in the office and like trave called Quest walks 0:14:31.640 --> 0:14:34.440 in and you're like, you know, now you're talking to 0:14:34.520 --> 0:14:37.920 camal aka q Tip and you're you know, driving them 0:14:37.920 --> 0:14:41.200 around everywhere. Like that was my job was like as 0:14:41.280 --> 0:14:44.480 you get home. I got hired as a receptionists. But 0:14:44.600 --> 0:14:47.400 the good news was it was pretty much the satellite 0:14:47.440 --> 0:14:51.160 office of the New York Office. So I did you 0:14:51.240 --> 0:14:54.880 do everything everything, mail records, you know, so and so's 0:14:54.880 --> 0:14:58.920 in town, drive them everywhere, like d nice, I gotta try. 0:14:59.000 --> 0:15:01.920 I got a signed to to Derek when he doesn't 0:15:01.960 --> 0:15:04.160 even he didn't even know this till later is so funny. 0:15:04.200 --> 0:15:07.360 I'm so corny. It makes me laugh. So I was 0:15:07.400 --> 0:15:09.480 assigned to him. They would rent a car for me 0:15:09.520 --> 0:15:11.280 because I was too young to rent my own car, 0:15:12.040 --> 0:15:15.160 and they would I would drive them around to go eat, 0:15:15.240 --> 0:15:19.800 to go to whatever they were was also doing. He 0:15:19.840 --> 0:15:22.880 wouldn't he was doing like TV show auditions and stuff. 0:15:23.280 --> 0:15:25.120 So I would just be with him like for days 0:15:25.160 --> 0:15:27.760 at a time when he was in town and like 0:15:27.800 --> 0:15:31.280 his intern, basically like drive him everywhere. Years later, when 0:15:31.520 --> 0:15:34.440 when he started to like his DJ thing really started 0:15:34.480 --> 0:15:36.320 to be like, I don't know if you remember me, 0:15:36.800 --> 0:15:39.760 but I used to like be your intern, he was 0:15:39.840 --> 0:15:42.160 just like, oh yeah, because I was sitting in the audition, 0:15:42.240 --> 0:15:44.440 like I got to see him do TV auditions, like 0:15:44.480 --> 0:15:46.720 I got to see everything. I used to go. I 0:15:46.760 --> 0:15:48.360 used to have to go. This is so long ago, 0:15:48.400 --> 0:15:51.160 but I used to get sent over to Fresh Prince 0:15:51.200 --> 0:15:53.440 of bel Air to go wait for Will to sign 0:15:53.640 --> 0:15:55.880 all the autographs. They'd be like, go over there and 0:15:55.920 --> 0:15:57.360 have him signed autographs, and. 0:15:57.560 --> 0:16:00.840 So you would have all the pictures picture yep. 0:16:00.680 --> 0:16:02.680 And I would just be sitting there like they just 0:16:02.720 --> 0:16:04.920 walk by, and then Benny Madina would be like, all right, 0:16:04.960 --> 0:16:07.400 you can go in now, you know, and then Will 0:16:07.440 --> 0:16:10.160 would sign all the seven hundred thousand and then I 0:16:10.320 --> 0:16:12.280 drive it back. I was so and I'd just be like, 0:16:12.400 --> 0:16:23.400 I'm lucky as much stuff to me, you know. He 0:16:23.520 --> 0:16:25.600 was so nice and I would just be like, oh 0:16:25.600 --> 0:16:28.040 my god, Will Smith is nice. Oh my god, he 0:16:28.080 --> 0:16:30.840 said a joke to me, like it just didn't make sense. 0:16:30.880 --> 0:16:36.040 And so I love that part, like the discovery and 0:16:36.080 --> 0:16:40.359 the newness, and like I think as my career expanded, 0:16:41.160 --> 0:16:43.600 that's what I started to become attracted to, which is 0:16:44.120 --> 0:16:47.760 the newer generation of people and their excitement, you know, 0:16:47.960 --> 0:16:50.400 the the dream in your head, Like when I met 0:16:50.440 --> 0:16:54.720 you and they're like, this is Tank the new guy 0:16:55.040 --> 0:16:57.440 from Virginia and he's a singer, and like I'm like, 0:16:57.640 --> 0:16:59.800 and you're just you could just see like I can't 0:17:00.440 --> 0:17:05.280 you know, like I'm gonna be this you know. Yeah, 0:17:05.400 --> 0:17:08.399 It's like that's the wonderful. That's the part that like 0:17:09.280 --> 0:17:13.440 you know that you just you cove it because you know, 0:17:13.640 --> 0:17:16.359 then there becomes other times that you need to you 0:17:16.400 --> 0:17:19.200 need to have sensory recall and be like, oh yeah, 0:17:19.200 --> 0:17:22.520 I do love this right because because you love it, 0:17:22.600 --> 0:17:25.240 and then sometimes you don't because it is a tough business. 0:17:25.920 --> 0:17:26.840 It's a tough business. 0:17:27.240 --> 0:17:29.800 So when do you get out of When do you 0:17:29.800 --> 0:17:35.960 get out of assisting and and and doing getting autograph 0:17:36.040 --> 0:17:41.320 sign to finally getting a real position somebody saying hey, 0:17:41.800 --> 0:17:44.840 I think you would be great at this. 0:17:45.080 --> 0:17:52.120 So it's it's interesting. I was very again, do everything. 0:17:52.320 --> 0:17:54.880 You know, you're doing the list for the parties, you're 0:17:54.920 --> 0:17:58.760 I mean literally everything. And one of the things was 0:17:58.800 --> 0:18:02.560 that Jive and a company called Zomba Publishing at the 0:18:02.600 --> 0:18:05.679 time were connected and they were in the same building 0:18:06.359 --> 0:18:09.240 and so it's a satellite office. And the woman that 0:18:09.359 --> 0:18:12.840 was running that used to ask me she was not 0:18:13.160 --> 0:18:17.040 a she was not proficient in R and B and 0:18:17.119 --> 0:18:20.280 hip hop music. That wasn't her bag. So she'd be like, hey, 0:18:20.320 --> 0:18:21.920 you know, if you want to listen to these demos 0:18:21.920 --> 0:18:24.480 and you want to like da da da da da songwriters, 0:18:24.560 --> 0:18:26.240 And I was like, of course, it was like a 0:18:26.320 --> 0:18:28.960 light again. It's like a moment where I was like, 0:18:29.400 --> 0:18:32.560 I love songwriters. I love song I was like, this 0:18:32.640 --> 0:18:34.200 is what I want to do. I want to work 0:18:34.240 --> 0:18:36.399 with songwriters. I don't even know what it's called that. 0:18:36.480 --> 0:18:42.159 If there's a job for songwriters and publishing, publishing, right, oh, publishing, 0:18:42.320 --> 0:18:45.080 Like it was just like this discovery and so I 0:18:45.119 --> 0:18:48.719 would listen to songs, give her things like tell her 0:18:48.760 --> 0:18:51.080 what I thought was good or not, and like I 0:18:51.119 --> 0:18:54.720 was answering phone, so shit, I was important. Like that 0:18:54.920 --> 0:18:58.960 was exciting for me. And she was like one day 0:18:59.640 --> 0:19:01.480 and they call me the baby because I was like 0:19:01.560 --> 0:19:05.439 so much younger than everybody around there, and they'd be like, 0:19:05.720 --> 0:19:08.359 get into the baby to do it or whatever. We 0:19:08.440 --> 0:19:11.199 got to get the baby a cary, you know, we 0:19:11.200 --> 0:19:13.160 gotta get the baby a car because she can't run 0:19:13.200 --> 0:19:16.720 a car. Like it's just silly stuff. And she was like, 0:19:16.800 --> 0:19:19.679 you know, a woman I used to work with by 0:19:19.720 --> 0:19:23.600 the name of Kathleen Carrie is hiring at Sony Publishing, 0:19:24.440 --> 0:19:28.240 like for a job. And I was like, it's like 0:19:28.280 --> 0:19:30.840 I should call her and just you know, you should 0:19:30.880 --> 0:19:34.160 meet her. And I'm like, you know, oh my god. 0:19:34.280 --> 0:19:36.760 And at this time I'm not just working at Jibe. 0:19:36.920 --> 0:19:41.080 I'm like meeting artists that are like you should manage me. 0:19:41.119 --> 0:19:44.000 And I'm like okay, and like let's go to figure 0:19:44.000 --> 0:19:46.520 out how to make a demo, and like getting to 0:19:46.600 --> 0:19:49.560 an R people and like playing their stuff and then 0:19:49.600 --> 0:19:51.560 almost getting a deal. So I was starting to like 0:19:51.680 --> 0:19:54.560 move around before people would be like you got to 0:19:54.600 --> 0:19:57.199 move around? Like I was just kind of like, well 0:19:57.280 --> 0:20:00.480 we probably need some music, well we probably need some photos. 0:20:00.560 --> 0:20:02.800 You know, you just were doing all of the things. 0:20:02.960 --> 0:20:10.520 And she introduced me to Kathleen, and I didn't know nothing, 0:20:10.920 --> 0:20:14.560 Like I really was just like I'm this, I'm bad. 0:20:15.359 --> 0:20:19.040 Kathleen's like, you know, sweet, and I could tell she 0:20:19.359 --> 0:20:24.359 liked me, but I did not get the job. And 0:20:25.560 --> 0:20:28.120 you know, I remember calling my mom was so sad. 0:20:28.200 --> 0:20:31.000 You know, I love my mom. I love my mom. 0:20:32.080 --> 0:20:35.320 And I was like, Mom, yeah, they hired somebody else 0:20:35.520 --> 0:20:38.320 and this and that and whatever. My Mom's like, I 0:20:38.359 --> 0:20:42.000 don't know, I think that's your job. And I'm like, Mom, 0:20:43.119 --> 0:20:48.280 I don't think you heard literally hired another person, not 0:20:48.480 --> 0:20:51.399 my job. She's like, I don't know. I just feel 0:20:51.440 --> 0:20:54.440 like it's your job. I'm like, Mom, Jesus, like you're 0:20:54.480 --> 0:20:59.560 so cute, it's not my job. Two weeks later, my 0:20:59.640 --> 0:21:06.400 phone is Kathleen. Kathleen was from Dallas and so she's like, harka, 0:21:07.520 --> 0:21:10.960 that's like your head. She starts the conversation. I'm like hi. 0:21:11.160 --> 0:21:20.200 She's like, so, I've been thinking I really like you 0:21:21.320 --> 0:21:27.160 and you just don't know anything. But I just feel 0:21:27.160 --> 0:21:31.080 like there's something about you that's making me feel like 0:21:31.200 --> 0:21:35.399 I should see you again. So I'm confused because I'm like, 0:21:35.600 --> 0:21:39.280 I know, they hire somebody else, can you come back in? 0:21:40.760 --> 0:21:45.199 And I was like yeah, right. So apparently whoever they 0:21:45.280 --> 0:21:48.040 offered the job to, something weird happened and she didn't 0:21:48.040 --> 0:21:49.560 get the job, and it was a she that's all 0:21:49.600 --> 0:21:55.120 I know. I come in. I'm like, Okay. In my head, 0:21:55.119 --> 0:21:59.119 I'm like, be calm, be cool, Like don't you know 0:21:59.200 --> 0:22:01.919 everything people say you like, don't get too excited, like 0:22:02.040 --> 0:22:04.320 I still don't know, Like I feel like it's like 0:22:04.359 --> 0:22:07.879 a thirteenth interview. At this point, I brought a CD 0:22:08.359 --> 0:22:11.200 of music of things I like, things I would sign things. 0:22:11.359 --> 0:22:14.639 I'm like, I'm all yeah. And so I'm meeting with 0:22:14.680 --> 0:22:18.800 her and the number two guy and they're asking me 0:22:18.960 --> 0:22:22.520 different questions and they asked me like I put my 0:22:22.560 --> 0:22:27.399 favorite cover, which was risky because I did intros Ribbon 0:22:27.440 --> 0:22:29.680 in the Sky because I was like I don't think 0:22:29.720 --> 0:22:32.080 Stevie Wonder should ever be covered, but this is the 0:22:32.119 --> 0:22:34.040 one time I felt like it did it just I 0:22:34.080 --> 0:22:37.040 was just like ah everything, I knew why. And so 0:22:37.200 --> 0:22:41.240 they're like, I think we'd like to hire you, right, 0:22:42.480 --> 0:22:47.320 So my ass is like, okay, cool, like that sounds great, 0:22:47.400 --> 0:22:49.600 Like I'm trying to be an adult. My ass is like, 0:22:49.840 --> 0:22:52.280 are you I'm going insane? So I'm like cool. I 0:22:52.320 --> 0:22:54.080 was like, can I can I use a restaurant? Like 0:22:55.000 --> 0:22:57.880 I'm dying, I'm like trying to call my mother. I'm like, 0:22:57.880 --> 0:23:00.680 oh my god, oh my god. I come back out 0:23:00.720 --> 0:23:03.399 like sure, that would be wonderful. Like he let me know, 0:23:03.480 --> 0:23:06.720 like the offer is, and like I'm stupid. 0:23:07.440 --> 0:23:08.159