1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 1: Wake that ass up in the morning. Breakfast Club Morning. 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: Everybody is the j n V. 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,240 Speaker 2: Jess Hilarious, Chelamaane the guy. We are the Breakfast Club 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 2: Laura La Rossa Field in for just today. 5 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: We got a special guest in the building. 6 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 3: Yes, indeed we have the brother Leon Thomas. 7 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: Welcome, Bro. It's good, it's good. Hey y'all feeling how 8 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: you feeling? 9 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 4: Bless Black and Holly favorite Leon. 10 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 5: You are by far the greatest new male R and 11 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 5: B singer doing it today. 12 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: Man, thank you so much. 13 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 4: That shouldn't even be up with debate. 14 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: Man, Man, I really appreciate that. 15 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 4: Man, how do you receive it? 16 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, to be honest, I try to 17 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:35,559 Speaker 1: just take it one step at a time, you know, 18 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: I try to stay humble with everything. But I'm glad 19 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 1: to be a new voice in R and B. You know, 20 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: it's a genre that I love. You know, I'm trying 21 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: to bring back live musicianship, real songs. You know, writing 22 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 1: with the team that I have has been in an 23 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: amazing pleasure and you know, just bringing like that that 24 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: organic feeling back to the live stage is like a 25 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: big thing for me. 26 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 3: You know, one of your biggest fans who's a produce. 27 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 2: Sit up here. He put us on to you years ago. 28 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 2: His name is Brandon, but he's actually this is the 29 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 2: funniest thing. He's actually in Africa right. 30 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: Now, really Vietnam. 31 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 2: But he's a huge fan of y'alls. He goes to 32 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 2: all your shows and all your concerts. Put us on 33 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 2: to you early, but he would have he would have 34 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 2: loved to see you here. 35 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: For people that. 36 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 3: Don't know Leon Thomas, you know you started on Broadway. 37 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 2: Tell everybody how you got your start and your way 38 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:24,040 Speaker 2: into being this R and B star. 39 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,960 Speaker 1: Well, listen, I grew up in New York, started on Broadway. 40 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: Out here. I did three Broadway plays from Lion King 41 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: the Carolina changed the color purple. You assembled like, yeah, yeah, 42 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 1: I was resembled in Lion King. And then you know, 43 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: I started booking movies and TV show. 44 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 3: But how how was that? I just took my kids 45 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 3: to see it. It was insane. I was that training 46 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 3: because it's. 47 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: A lot of shows, a lot of people. 48 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 3: In his lives. So you can't mess up. 49 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: No, no, you can't mess up. It's eight shows a week. 50 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: I was ten years old when I did my first 51 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 1: Broadway play. Shout out to my mom and my family 52 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 1: for you know, supporting me through that whole journey. And 53 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: and yeah, man, I went from being a regular kid 54 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: to starring on Broadway and a matter of months. 55 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 2: You know, Now, how was that because it's it's not 56 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 2: the typical thing New York kids do, right, So you're singing, 57 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 2: you're dancing, you're doing it. So how did you get 58 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 2: it to that point of no, because you don't go 59 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 2: I don't know anybody it went to Brow It's very 60 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:15,639 Speaker 2: different kids. 61 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: I don't know. I had a couple of homies who 62 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: ended up in different plays, but for the most part, yeah, yeah, 63 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: it was definitely like a bit of an anomaly for 64 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 1: my neighborhood in Brooklyn. It was. It was kind of 65 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:29,959 Speaker 1: weird explaining it to my homies at school, like, yeah, 66 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: I was just doing the show last night. They're like, 67 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: what was going on? 68 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, we're not from New York, from the hoods 69 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 5: of New York. 70 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: Okay, But no, it was definitely a real pleasure, you know. 71 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:46,079 Speaker 1: But but but from there, I ended up doing a 72 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: lot of TV and film. You know. I shot my 73 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: first movie out here with Robin Williams and Terrence Howard 74 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: called August Rush which was an amazing pleasure, and that 75 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:56,959 Speaker 1: kind of brought me into a lot of a lot 76 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: of TV after that with Nickelodeon and Victoria Victorious. Yeah yeah, 77 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 1: Ariana Grande and you know, that was a big journey. 78 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: That was the number one show on the network at 79 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: the time. We were beating out American Idol, and it 80 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: was a way for the rest of the world to 81 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: kind of really tap into who I am as a creative. 82 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 1: But it it took years of really honing in on 83 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: who I am as an artist to get to this point, 84 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 1: producing and writing for a bunch of different artists, winning 85 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: a Grammy, working with Sissa and Babyface, Drake, a bunch 86 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 1: of different people. It's been a real actually produced for Drake. 87 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: But but you know, shout out to him and yeah, 88 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: allegedly man, but you know, from me, I don't think 89 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 1: there's anything wrong with it either. But it was a 90 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: blessing to I mean, it's interesting because I'm an artist 91 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: and people see me as a singer, they kind of 92 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: forget that I also produced a lot of big records. 93 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: You know, my production game is pretty tight. So but yeah, 94 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: all purpose. 95 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 5: Lyrics like that of a rap But that's why when 96 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 5: I see Freddie Gibbs on your records, but it makes 97 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 5: so much it SEMs to. 98 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: Be anybody from Victoria's absolutely man. You know, I chop 99 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: it up with Ari Avan, Joe Gia is a really 100 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: good friend of mine. You know, Matt Bennett, a lot 101 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: of the casts. We all hang out and do lunch. 102 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: It's kind of like my last two years of high 103 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:18,359 Speaker 1: school were with them, so that's like my graduating class. Essentially. 104 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: We were all in school together, so you know, we filmed, 105 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,720 Speaker 1: but we also went to school, so those are It 106 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: was my really good friends. 107 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 5: To Victoria and her mom. I did a host of 108 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 5: the New Year's Eve specially with them for real. 109 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: Oh that's dope, that's dope. 110 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 4: People. You ever wrote for Ariana? 111 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: Yeah? Actually I worked with her on her first album. 112 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: That was my first time going number one with an album. 113 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 1: I did about like four songs on her first album, 114 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: Yours truly Wow. So that was a real, real pleasure. Yeah. 115 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 6: I was about to say like how did you know 116 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 6: so young? And like just being like Okay, I can act, 117 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 6: I can dance, I can sing, but I can also 118 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 6: go produce over here, like how because a lot of 119 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 6: people wait to diversify until they're like, you know, exposed. 120 00:04:56,839 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: I mean, shout out to Jermaine Duprix. He used to 121 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: have this YouTube series called Living of Life. It was 122 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 1: a Jermaine Dupris and Brian Michael Cox, and they were 123 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,840 Speaker 1: always in the studio like filming their process, and you know, 124 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: I saw them being rich black men, you know, also 125 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: being able to be creative every day, and I wanted 126 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 1: to kind of recreate that lifestyle for myself. Ryan Leslie 127 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 1: as well, like seeing a lot of his YouTube videos 128 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,920 Speaker 1: inspired me to you know, open up logic and try 129 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:20,799 Speaker 1: to produce myself. 130 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 2: You know, did you know you always wanted to be 131 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 2: an R and B singer? Like it was that the 132 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 2: goal as a kid growing up, always want to be 133 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 2: an actor. Like and when did you pivot? When he 134 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 2: was like, this is what I want to do. 135 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: Listen. I feel like I did this role with Catherine Bigelow. 136 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 1: She's an Oscar Award winning director, but I had to 137 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: cut my dreads for it, and that was kind of 138 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 1: like my last straw in acting. You know. I did 139 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: this role for Detroit and I felt like, you know, 140 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 1: I need to kind of tap back into who I 141 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: am as an artist. And you know, grew my dreads back, 142 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 1: really got into my internal self, meditating, really like tapping 143 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: into who I am as a human being, and a 144 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: lot of great music came out of that. You know, 145 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,280 Speaker 1: I always I wanted to be uh a singer, but 146 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 1: I knew for a fact I needed to really present 147 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: myself as who I truly was. It's so easy to 148 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: play a character when you're always acting. You know, I 149 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: needed to come to the world as my true self. 150 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 5: Now you are timas the third Yeah, first to leon 151 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 5: to have any background in music, not really. 152 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,720 Speaker 1: You know, but my grandfather. I didn't get a lot 153 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:26,919 Speaker 1: of time with my grandfather, but but my dad always 154 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: told me that he was a real lover of music. 155 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 1: And my dad sings, but he's an assistant principal now. 156 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,720 Speaker 1: But my grandfather, who actually recently just passed, God bless 157 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,600 Speaker 1: his soul, John Anthony, was an opera singer and was 158 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:42,159 Speaker 1: on Broadway and Hello Dolly, and used to be the 159 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: music director for One Life to Live out Here in 160 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,160 Speaker 1: New York all of the soap operas back in the day. 161 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:50,279 Speaker 1: So you know, I was definitely surrounded by music just 162 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,480 Speaker 1: through through my mom and her side of the family 163 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: was musician. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, so so so my 164 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,280 Speaker 1: mom John Anthony, she she had a club day being 165 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: in New York, used to play it, used to be 166 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 1: the house band for the World Trade Center, you know, 167 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 1: played a lot of the big clubs out here, and 168 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 1: I just grew up backstage with her and you know, 169 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: just really hanging out, you know, learning, learning music. So 170 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: what was so the Black Rock Coalition. There was clubs 171 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: like CBGB's and a rare of different clubs where it 172 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: was kind of awkward at a certain point in the 173 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: nineteen eighties where you know, rock was created by us, 174 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: but there was definitely elements of prejudice within that genre. 175 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: And all of the black rock stars decided to come together, 176 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: you know, the cats from Living Color, a bunch of 177 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 1: them just all came together to really protect each other 178 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 1: through through through moments of you know, turmoil, through through 179 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: that season of the eighties and early nineties, and it's 180 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 1: just good to have each other's back, especially in the 181 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: genre where you're not always celebrated. 182 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 7: When you were on. 183 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 6: The like the sets when you like even with like 184 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 6: Victoria's and stuff like that, was your mom and like 185 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 6: your parents there often oh yeah, my mom on they 186 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 6: talked a lot about that too, Like parents were close. 187 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: Now they were there, they were there. You know, my 188 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 1: mom was never like a mamager like over my over 189 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 1: my shoulder kind of mom. But she was also very 190 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 1: protective of my piece and met health and sure that 191 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 1: just like in a good, good space while I'm while 192 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: I'm trying to create something timeless and you know, shout 193 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: out to her always, you know, crean safe spaces for 194 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: me throughout that journey, you. 195 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 4: Know, from getting slimmed. 196 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:34,320 Speaker 1: It was definitely nuts, definitely nuts, you know, seeing seeing 197 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: how definitely it's definitely definitely insane. 198 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 4: Don't say that. Definitely nuts. 199 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, I know, I know, you know it's crazy. It's 200 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: crazy because you know, I just saw the dock not 201 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 1: too long ago. It's not the eye opening and and 202 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:53,439 Speaker 1: a lot of my castmates we we hopped on a 203 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: zoom call. We all wanted to talk about it. I mean, 204 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 1: luckily during during our seasons it was it was very 205 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 1: wholesome and sip. But you know, shout out to anybody 206 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: who dealt with anything bad. I mean, I you know, 207 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: my heart definitely goes out to them. 208 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 2: Did you have a childhood growing up like were you 209 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 2: able to do things that normal kids did or was 210 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 2: it always I'm on set, I'm working. 211 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, you know, to be completely real with you, 212 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 1: I had a great childhood. My mom made sure that, 213 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: you know, I had a good group of friends. I 214 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: went to public school up until my last two years 215 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: of high school. You know, I feel like having that 216 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: grounded energy was definitely important for even me as a 217 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: songwriter and a producer now and an artist. You know, 218 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:40,719 Speaker 1: I feel like, you know, I come from a very 219 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: human place. It's not like I try to detach from 220 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: who I am organically. You know. 221 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 5: The thing I love about your music too is number 222 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 5: one I can tell you, Ben, you got a sense 223 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 5: of freedom. 224 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. 225 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 5: So did that come with money or does that come 226 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 5: with just how you came up? You know, with your 227 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 5: mom doing music? So you always felt free as an artiste? 228 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, you know, I think the greatest thing 229 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: about being an artist is at it's a It's a 230 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 1: great representation of being a free black man, you know, like, 231 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: you know, being able to wear what I want, you know, 232 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 1: say what I want on on record is really important 233 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: to me. You know. I try to stay as grounded 234 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 1: and as real to who I am as I can be. 235 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it's it's it's really easy to 236 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 1: want to be an artist and play a character who 237 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: you think people want you to be. But I'm doing 238 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,440 Speaker 1: my best to just like kind of just say what 239 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 1: I want, do what I want. 240 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 6: You know, when you come up with songs with like 241 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 6: I like feelings on Silent with I Love Valle, but 242 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 6: songs like that, like when I listen to it, each 243 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 6: time I get something different from it. So the first 244 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 6: time I listened to I was like, oh, this is 245 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:39,559 Speaker 6: like guys just being like we keep her feeling to herself. 246 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 6: And then the second time I listened, I'm like, this 247 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 6: is the trauma that they deal with because like he 248 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 6: mentions PTSD and a bunch of other things, like how 249 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:50,199 Speaker 6: do you first of all, sitting back you wrote that, yeah, yeah, yeah, 250 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 6: sitting back and writing with him, how do you be like, Okay, 251 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 6: here's all the things that we want people to get 252 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 6: when they hear this, or do you guys just write 253 00:10:57,800 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 6: and whatever people get they get like where you dealing 254 00:10:59,960 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 6: with something yourself then? 255 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:04,959 Speaker 1: Or you know, the way I wrote that record was 256 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:07,959 Speaker 1: really interesting. I was in I was in Italy actually, 257 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,719 Speaker 1: I was working with Ya and Todd Dollars on the 258 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:14,959 Speaker 1: Vultures one project, and we were at the Medici estate, 259 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: which is really beautiful four seasons that they have out there, 260 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 1: beautiful garden, and I'm listening to the instrumental from Conductor 261 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: walking through the Garden and I just had some lyrics 262 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 1: kind of you know, bubbling up in my head. Went 263 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: back and we recorded it, but I think it was 264 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 1: one of those moments that it was just kind of 265 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 1: stream of consciousness. I didn't really think too hard on 266 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 1: my sections. That was like my second take that you're 267 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 1: hearing there. It wasn't like me like kind of really 268 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: punching in a bunch of different ideas. It was just 269 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: kind of flowing. And when Wilee heard it, that was 270 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 1: probably the hardest verse to get because we did probably 271 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 1: we did like five sessions to get that one verse. 272 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 1: But Yo, he's so talented and seeing how he crafted 273 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: his verse, I mean he would do like five bars 274 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: at the time, and he really cared about the poetry 275 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 1: of it all, you know, And it's why I really 276 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 1: respect him as an artist. 277 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 4: He's just a true lyricist. 278 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 1: You signed the time, Yeah I am yeah, okay, yeah yeah, 279 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:15,199 Speaker 1: easy money and uh, it's in conjunction with Motown Records 280 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: and just you know, between legacy and a new imprint. 281 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 1: I think it's been really cool to to kind of 282 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: break around in R and B right now. It's been 283 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:23,679 Speaker 1: a real special thing. 284 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 5: Do I feel like mot Town Records is doing enough 285 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:28,679 Speaker 5: for you? I don't know why Leon Thomas is not 286 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 5: in heavy rotation on every radio station off the planet. 287 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 5: Whatever that button is that they need to push, it 288 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:35,440 Speaker 5: needs to be pushed. 289 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:38,080 Speaker 1: No, I appreciate it. Man. Well, I feel like opportunities 290 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: like this are really helpful. I feel like radio stations 291 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 1: are definitely looking at at platforms like this to say, okay, yeah, 292 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:47,839 Speaker 1: we feel comfortable, you know, trusting this new name and 293 00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 1: new face. You know, I've been doing this a long time, 294 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 1: but I still look at this as a new artist 295 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 1: journey because I really just started like taking the artist 296 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 1: journey serious these these last five years. So I'm really 297 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 1: thankful for the growth. I'm thankful for the wins. And 298 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:05,679 Speaker 1: there's you know, it's people working really hard at those 299 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: labels with actually a lot of underfunding and collapsing of 300 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:13,199 Speaker 1: of uh you know, labels into one. It's it's it's 301 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 1: just a lot of work and a lot of people 302 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: are losing jobs, so people are afraid to push that button. 303 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 1: Sometimes it could be the demise of their entire you know, careers. 304 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:24,040 Speaker 1: So I really respect the work that they're doing. I 305 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:25,959 Speaker 1: just know that this year is going to be really 306 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 1: special for me man. I mean, I've been doing a 307 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: lot of praying and manifesting for just new things, and 308 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 1: you know, this was definitely on my bucket list. So 309 00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:33,840 Speaker 1: I'm just appreciative to be here. 310 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 5: Really, have any program directors the DJ's approached you and said, hey, 311 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:38,239 Speaker 5: if you slide me this under the table. 312 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 1: Nah, Nah, definitely, Yeah, I got a new HOMIEI homie. 313 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 2: We got to congratulate you on your GRAMM. Yeah, we 314 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 2: tell everybody that we helped with that because we played 315 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 2: Snooze every morning four times. 316 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: Did you wrote Snooze produced on Snooze? Man? First of all, 317 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:00,040 Speaker 1: let's clear this up. Shout out to Scissors for writing that. 318 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:04,079 Speaker 1: We were producing in a separate room and she heard 319 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 1: the instrumental and was like, yo, what is that? And 320 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: you know there is something that I do where I 321 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: like take my voice and I chop it up like 322 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 1: a sample because clearance samples is really expensive and cuts 323 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:17,360 Speaker 1: into the publishing, so rather than it's like actually doing 324 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: a sample, I'll just you know, sing a little something, right. 325 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 1: So she really liked that and then took it into 326 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:26,160 Speaker 1: the other room and wrote an amazing song and being 327 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: a part of the production on that with Babyface legendary 328 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 1: baby Face was a true pleasure man. I mean it 329 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 1: was a real journey to see that song go from 330 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 1: like a crowd favorite to a Grammy Award winning R 331 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 1: and V song. Man, that was that was definitely life 332 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: changing for me. 333 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 4: You got a deduction team, right, Yeah. 334 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, the Rascal was me, Me and and Chris tians Man. 335 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: We've been working together since we were like eighteen, so 336 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: it's really cool to see the growth. I mean we 337 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 1: started off, you know, a little shaky when it came 338 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 1: to production, but it's nice to see us, you know, 339 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: really develop into the producers we are now. We had 340 00:14:57,240 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 1: great mentors. 341 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 7: Man, You have such you have such big moments. 342 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 6: Like I thought I was tripping, but you just said 343 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 6: these last what like five years is when you feel 344 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 6: like things. 345 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 7: That are really moving for you as an artist. 346 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 6: Yeah, Because I'm like, I know you outside of being 347 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 6: an artist, but you have such big moments even before 348 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 6: that and during that, but it's like, I don't know, 349 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 6: like when do you feel like things started like to 350 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 6: click finally where people were like, oh, shoot, Leon like 351 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 6: we get it now. 352 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:23,560 Speaker 1: It's really interesting. I like to call it the Drake 353 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: effect when I was working When I was working with Drake, 354 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: all of a sudden, label executives who have known me 355 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 1: for years were like, eh, I think you could be 356 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: an artist, you know, And I was like, okay, So 357 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: I kind of peeped that and I said, okay, well 358 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: let's just start. Let's start kind of building this out. 359 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: But I knew I wanted that that same formula that 360 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 1: Drake had with a little Wayne and and you know, 361 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 1: working with Todd dallas signe was a really smart move, 362 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 1: not only because he's just an amazing artist, but because 363 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 1: it was just nice to have a mentor who had 364 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: done it already. So he's he's just like kind of like, yo, 365 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 1: try this, make sure the look as this, or you know, 366 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: even when it came to the music, like here's how 367 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 1: you really format an album, and you know, I'm definitely 368 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: doing a lot of studying, you know, shout out to 369 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 1: Todd dallas On for sure. He definitely you know saw 370 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 1: something in me that a lot of label executives were 371 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: not sure about, and it's cool to see it developing. 372 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 3: How did you? 373 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 4: How did you me? 374 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 1: I was actually working on his album as a producer 375 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: on featuring Todd Dallas Sign. I was like one of 376 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: I think nine producers on a song with Kanye and 377 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 1: Thundercat and a bunch of other people. 378 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 4: Nine producers on one record. 379 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, because it's like it was when it it was 380 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 1: like point five, Like I was just there out of 381 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:38,760 Speaker 1: this or that vocal and like some bass or something. 382 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 1: And then but but he had everybody play like their 383 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: unreleased records and I played them some of my first 384 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 1: album as like demos, and Todd was like, yo, you 385 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: really You're really tight, you know as an artist, he 386 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: was like man, And he was originally trying to record 387 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: one of the songs that I had, but I was like, nah, 388 00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 1: I want you to feature on it. And uh. Over 389 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 1: the years became really good friends. I was working with 390 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 1: them a lot and just kind of developed into a 391 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 1: into a whole situation with Sean Baron. Sean Barron is 392 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: the guy who officially like put it all together with 393 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:10,880 Speaker 1: easy Money in Motown. 394 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 6: Is it tough navigating because people are getting to know 395 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:15,199 Speaker 6: you now and there Airboy's fall in love with your 396 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 6: music now, and like you have such a close association 397 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 6: with Drake, you have to like pick and choose where 398 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:21,880 Speaker 6: you go musically and what you do musically with who 399 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 6: you know. 400 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:26,679 Speaker 4: Honestly, can you work with Kendrick Lamar if you wanted to? 401 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know that's what she's asking. I mean, 402 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:30,879 Speaker 1: the way, the way I really look at it is 403 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: just like on a political level, I make R and B. 404 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 1: You know, obviously I make hip hop too, but I'm 405 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 1: really focused on my artist's journey. So I mean, Kendrick 406 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 1: is such a huge artist. I don't really foresee us 407 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 1: working together in the near future. And even with Drake, 408 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 1: you know, I still want to take my steps to 409 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 1: really build on my own two feet as an artist. 410 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:51,880 Speaker 1: So I'm doing what i have to do right now 411 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:55,199 Speaker 1: to really like grow my own business. Touring is a 412 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: big thing for me. I'm really focused on that. I'm 413 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 1: hitting the road all this year and working on more records. 414 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,439 Speaker 1: So I mean, shout out to everybody, but I'm definitely 415 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: focused on me. 416 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 5: I want to ask you a buggess question about the 417 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,240 Speaker 5: production before we get into both of these great albums. 418 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 5: But you when you are part of the Rascals, Yeah, 419 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,200 Speaker 5: if you all produced, but then you write, how do 420 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:16,399 Speaker 5: y'all do you get another check for writing? Is that 421 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 5: two different checks? 422 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: Or you know, publishing is interesting because you want to 423 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:25,080 Speaker 1: leave room for the artist. But I would definitely ask 424 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 1: for more percentages if we were really heavily involved in 425 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: the writing as well. But it's it's it's just an 426 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 1: interesting thing, you know. I try to we try to 427 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 1: keep it pretty even on the most part when it 428 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:39,560 Speaker 1: comes to production, especially if everybody who's in the room 429 00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:40,719 Speaker 1: from the beginning of the record. 430 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 5: What if it's your pin, it's everybody's production with your 431 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 5: pin or. 432 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 1: I mean it's like fifty to fifty, so you know, 433 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 1: you have the first fifty is the production side, and 434 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: the way I look at it is melody and drums, 435 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: you know, uh, And then the second fifty is, you know, 436 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 1: just the writing side, and it's just based off of 437 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:04,160 Speaker 1: how much you ended up writing of the song. Because 438 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 1: a lot of artists are very involved with their storyline 439 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: and lyrics and hook ideas. So I have no problem 440 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 1: splitting that twenty five there. And then if I got 441 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,119 Speaker 1: fifteen on the production or twenty five on the production. 442 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:15,399 Speaker 1: Now I got fifty percent of a record. 443 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 2: Y'all talk about that while y'all doing its. 444 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,119 Speaker 1: Trust me, we've definitely been through some things, you know, 445 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 1: after the fact that people get amnesia. But I think, 446 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: you know, it's it's really easier when you figure that 447 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:36,159 Speaker 1: out the day it happens. You know. We used to 448 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:39,120 Speaker 1: have split sheets there at the studio, which I thought 449 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:42,239 Speaker 1: was a really good practice, but we kind of let 450 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: go of that. 451 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:44,400 Speaker 6: So talking about your phone and just in your notes, 452 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 6: be like I put this there, Like, how do you 453 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:46,919 Speaker 6: keep up? 454 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 7: Because you just eat. 455 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: It's just way easier and I think smarter to just 456 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 1: split everything even you know, if you can. 457 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 7: Doing that though, people want to keep it thinking. 458 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:59,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I mean some artists with us, they are 459 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 1: especially if you write and producing the song. 460 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:02,919 Speaker 3: You know, how is it with Kanye when you do 461 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 3: splits and stuff like that? 462 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 1: Oh lord, it's a little interesting, man, But you know, 463 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: shout out to him. I feel like that experience was 464 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 1: like more so just school for me on a production level. 465 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 1: I've never seen anybody be so magical with their imagination. 466 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 1: He would have these ideas and It was so cool 467 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:23,679 Speaker 1: to see teams of people make that a reality. And 468 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:25,399 Speaker 1: I think that's what I could take from that. I mean, 469 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:28,159 Speaker 1: publishing is important, but you know, it's the it's the 470 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: true life experience from from seeing a free black man 471 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 1: put stuff together was like, really tight. 472 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:37,640 Speaker 4: How old were you when you realize Vibes Don't Lie? 473 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 5: One of my favorite records, When you first realized Vibes 474 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 5: Don't Live? 475 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 1: I think that was that was definitely early twenties. I 476 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:50,680 Speaker 1: think LA is filled with facades and people who are 477 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:53,400 Speaker 1: pretending to be something they aren't, people who moved from 478 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:56,679 Speaker 1: their hometown and create a whole new persona. So I 479 00:20:56,720 --> 00:20:59,719 Speaker 1: think for me, just really studying folks, especially a lot 480 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 1: of them. I mean, you deal without their you know, 481 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: it's really important to study their actions and out their words. 482 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 5: I love the fact that you are encouraging women women 483 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:10,800 Speaker 5: to keep their pussy healthy. 484 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 4: Did you ever want to be a collegist? 485 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 5: No? 486 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 1: No, no, no, I wasn't on the list. I just listen, Yeah, 487 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: I just listen. I just listen. Man. 488 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:22,439 Speaker 4: So they tell you, like, HEYY is not feeling the 489 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 4: best of this. 490 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,359 Speaker 1: No, I mean, I just think balance is a conversation 491 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: you know, I just listencause. 492 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 5: You was very very specific. He said, uh, she only 493 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:35,640 Speaker 5: drink water. 494 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:38,360 Speaker 4: She keep that pussy healthy. 495 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 6: Sat on Twitter, you'd be talking crazy like that, but 496 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:43,159 Speaker 6: you sing it so people can't be you had that 497 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:46,119 Speaker 6: conversation in real life, which your home, like you're not 498 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:46,399 Speaker 6: your home. 499 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 1: Honestly, I'm just big on shock value. I think songs, 500 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:53,439 Speaker 1: especially R and B songs, have gotten a bit not boring. 501 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 1: But I think we've we've kind of already hit the 502 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 1: golden era of R and B. So I'm just finding 503 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 1: new ways to make people's years, you know, perk up 504 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:05,840 Speaker 1: and their minds move. I think social media and podcasts 505 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:08,440 Speaker 1: are really interesting to me. You know, these phone mics 506 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:10,879 Speaker 1: bring out so many conversations, and I think as an 507 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 1: R and B artist, I want to find ways to 508 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 1: let that live on the record, and it doesn't always 509 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 1: have to be like verbatim of what I'm going through 510 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:22,119 Speaker 1: in real life. I think it's important to create the drama. 511 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:25,199 Speaker 1: You know, I kind of see music as you know, 512 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,959 Speaker 1: script and the score. So sometimes the records are just 513 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 1: like really good dramatizations of like what I'm seeing, don't 514 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:34,399 Speaker 1: you never think. 515 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:37,760 Speaker 7: Everybody, but but like, w how does that go for 516 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 7: you now? 517 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 1: I mean I don't think. I don't think it's now. 518 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 6: Expecting you to be like, all right, here's the check, 519 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 6: Like how do you because you got the songs? 520 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 1: Like yeah, yeah, you know, I definitely got the songs. 521 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 1: But I think it's just important to be honest with 522 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 1: your partner, you know, communicate. But but I think it's 523 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 1: it's a it's a pretty interesting conversation. I try to 524 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 1: stay out of if I don't have to. You know 525 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 1: what I'm saying. No, I don't even know what that is. 526 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 1: You put me all right now at a little. 527 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:07,240 Speaker 5: Bit, a little wax on it, a little pinky, put 528 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:10,440 Speaker 5: the pinky inside of hold on, jump you got something? 529 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 4: Try to putting in his health. It should be you listen. 530 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:19,439 Speaker 1: You should do it on yourself. I don't know where you. 531 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 4: Do. 532 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 2: That is nothing that South Carolina the same road thing 533 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 2: that they do. 534 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 3: It doesn't. 535 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: I do not try that. 536 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:29,200 Speaker 7: He that doesn't. 537 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:31,919 Speaker 6: Your mom never told you that you guys to make 538 00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 6: it go drink ginger ales. 539 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:37,680 Speaker 7: Were talking about ginger up everything, not ear wax. Don't 540 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:38,160 Speaker 7: listen to him. 541 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 5: That's why you say, that's what's crazy. 542 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:51,119 Speaker 7: Locomol used to be like go get some ginger and 543 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:51,560 Speaker 7: lay down. 544 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:56,360 Speaker 1: Wow about We love ginger ale around here. 545 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 5: One thing I don't respect is what you did on 546 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:01,880 Speaker 5: how fast though? 547 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:03,919 Speaker 1: What's up? What's up on? 548 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:04,679 Speaker 4: People? In Honda? 549 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 1: No, No is one of the most reliable. I love 550 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 1: a good Honda. My dad has a Honda. I love Hondas. 551 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:13,639 Speaker 1: Here's the deal. It was a quick bar, you know. 552 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 1: I was just in the booth wildy. I don't really 553 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 1: have a problem with it. I think it was just 554 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 1: more so I was just flowing, you know. And and 555 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,479 Speaker 1: I'm I'm big on not doing too many edits, like 556 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 1: like when I when I record a record, it's like, 557 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: what's coming to my mind on the first or second 558 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 1: take is what's it's going to be there, you know. 559 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 1: And I like to stand on my my you know, 560 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 1: first mind. And it was more so just talking about 561 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:37,239 Speaker 1: the competition being slower than I am because moving at 562 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:40,119 Speaker 1: such a fast paced uh you know. The metaphor was 563 00:24:40,119 --> 00:24:43,200 Speaker 1: about that. It had nothing to do with Honda, but Honda, 564 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 1: you know, compared to a Lamborghini, is pretty you know, 565 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: pretty slow. 566 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:50,240 Speaker 5: No, civics are more reliable civics to stick with you, 567 00:24:50,240 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 5: like her bees. 568 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:52,880 Speaker 4: Bro. Yeah, what was your first car. 569 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 1: My first car was Bene. 570 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:57,680 Speaker 6: Okay, you've been getting money for We just talked about 571 00:24:57,680 --> 00:24:58,399 Speaker 6: his career. 572 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:03,800 Speaker 1: Ultimately, like, no, no, no, that was my first one. 573 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 5: Yeah, did your therapist really tell you that you're too detached. 574 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 4: You don't commit? 575 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:14,919 Speaker 1: Nah, I think I think you know that bar for me. 576 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 1: I have a co writer, Busy Krug, and he lives 577 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 1: in Miami, great rapper. That was a bar that came 578 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,480 Speaker 1: from him. He's very deep into therapy. But I'm glad 579 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:26,719 Speaker 1: that we talked about it on record because I mean 580 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:29,400 Speaker 1: it's something that I definitely did try out over the pandemic, 581 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:31,199 Speaker 1: and it's something that I actually really respect you a 582 00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:34,240 Speaker 1: lot for a champion, you know. But but but yeah, 583 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:35,960 Speaker 1: that was a that was a bar from Busy. But 584 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 1: I thought it was important to add in there. 585 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 7: You know, don't try to blame Busy now, Nah. 586 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:42,560 Speaker 1: I mean it's you know, that's my co writer, you know, 587 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:44,159 Speaker 1: shout out to him, you know what I'm saying. Like, 588 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:46,479 Speaker 1: we we write a lot of our songs together, and 589 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 1: I really respect a lot of a lot of the 590 00:25:48,840 --> 00:25:51,760 Speaker 1: perspectives he brings to a lot of my poignant records. 591 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 1: You know. 592 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:55,440 Speaker 6: Yeah, some great bars for Dancing with When I listen 593 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:57,880 Speaker 6: to Dancing with the Demons, do you. 594 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:00,360 Speaker 7: Ever get like Miguel references sometimes. 595 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 1: Absolutely listening, I'm like, oh. 596 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:04,959 Speaker 7: My gosh, Like I wonder if like that, Like, are 597 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 7: y'all do you know him? 598 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:06,200 Speaker 4: Yeah? 599 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:07,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's like my big bro. We actually did a 600 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:09,679 Speaker 1: movie together. He was in Detroit when I had to 601 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:13,160 Speaker 1: cut my hair for he was. He was an amazing, 602 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: amazing mentor for me for some years. And you know 603 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 1: that bridge between R and B and rock and roll, 604 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:24,639 Speaker 1: He's traveled across that bridge many a time. I definitely 605 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: look up to him when it comes to that. And 606 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 1: you know, for me, because I played multiple instruments, you know, 607 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 1: I definitely try to just embody a lot of that energy. 608 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:36,200 Speaker 1: But but I think we both have the same influences 609 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:36,600 Speaker 1: as well. 610 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 5: I agree with Lauren on that Miguel to me before 611 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:44,280 Speaker 5: you was the last great R and B male R 612 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 5: and B singer. To me, I'm just talking about the 613 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:49,280 Speaker 5: new guy, right, Yeah, you know I'm talking about he 614 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 5: was the last one, uh to me. And I felt 615 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:54,119 Speaker 5: the same way when I heard Dancing with the Demons. 616 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 5: I feel like I feel like you're talking to yourself 617 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:56,080 Speaker 5: on that record. 618 00:26:56,280 --> 00:27:01,399 Speaker 1: I am, I am, you know it was MI. I 619 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 1: was microdosing on shrooms for a lot of like those 620 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:07,120 Speaker 1: batch of records, and it's it's it's like a very 621 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:09,679 Speaker 1: interesting thing because it connects your neuro pathways in a 622 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:12,360 Speaker 1: certain way and and you kind of start looking inward 623 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:15,960 Speaker 1: a lot more. And you know, that record was was 624 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 1: was definitely like an internal conversation. Just on wax. 625 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 5: You said you can't seem to save yourself or never 626 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:24,440 Speaker 5: learn to ask for help, going out all night searching 627 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:27,480 Speaker 5: for a feeling. Mm hm, So so what what what 628 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 5: have you learned to ask for help? 629 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:31,159 Speaker 7: And so what I thought, because I took it as 630 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 7: it wasn't talking about a woman at. 631 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:37,199 Speaker 1: Some point, well, I mean it's it's it's interesting for me, 632 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:39,879 Speaker 1: like that record. When I wrote it, I wrote it 633 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:42,679 Speaker 1: in two different days. The first day I was, you know, 634 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 1: micro dosing on shrooms, so it's a bit of a haze. 635 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 1: The next day I listened to it and I was like, man, 636 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:49,480 Speaker 1: this is really poignant stuff. I mean, it's just really 637 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:52,919 Speaker 1: talking about being up all night and searching for a feeling, 638 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:55,960 Speaker 1: and it's trying to fill voids. I feel like as uh, 639 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:58,360 Speaker 1: you know, when you're in your single journey, you can 640 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:00,359 Speaker 1: you can try to fill a void with a with 641 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: a stranger, and that's not always very healthy. And it 642 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:06,919 Speaker 1: could be fun. It could be fun, for sure, But 643 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:09,639 Speaker 1: but but and then especially when you're when you're in 644 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:11,960 Speaker 1: the limelight. The second verse is more so talking about 645 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 1: being in the limelight and trying to fill voice. Nobody 646 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 1: really talks about the darkness that comes with the flashing lights. 647 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:21,359 Speaker 1: And yeah, that that that record was very deep and 648 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:23,400 Speaker 1: very personal for me. You know, I'm glad that people 649 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 1: resonate with it. 650 00:28:24,160 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 4: You said never learned to ask for help? 651 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:30,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, I mean I think it's It's really interesting 652 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 1: because one of the experiences I had with therapy was 653 00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 1: I was with a therapist and I'm talking about all 654 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 1: this deep stuff in my life and you know, trying 655 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 1: to unpack things, and at the end of it, he's like, 656 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 1: have you ever been to a basketball game courtside? What's that? 657 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 4: Like? 658 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 1: He just started asking like all this stuff about like 659 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:51,320 Speaker 1: like being being famous essentially, And I don't know. It 660 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 1: was just like an awkward moment for me, a place 661 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:56,440 Speaker 1: where I thought I could be safe in that one instance. 662 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 1: Since then, I've found a really good therapist. But in 663 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:00,719 Speaker 1: that moment, it was that finely one of those things 664 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 1: where it's like, damn, it's hard to ask for help 665 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 1: because even when you ask for it, sometimes you don't 666 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 1: get the right kind. 667 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 5: I think when you're a black man, especially a black 668 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:12,680 Speaker 5: man in your position, it's hard to find culturally competent 669 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:15,880 Speaker 5: therapist because there's a lot of things that you're going 670 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:19,320 Speaker 5: to deal with that you're going to want somebody to understand. 671 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:23,160 Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, man. But you know, 672 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 1: shout out to the great therapists out there, you know, definitely, 673 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:29,400 Speaker 1: it's definitely an amazing journey that that I'm trying to 674 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 1: dig back into a lot more as as I continue 675 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 1: to grow as a human being. 676 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:35,440 Speaker 2: Now you're talking about micro dosin on shrooms, But what 677 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 2: does that put your mind? And do you always do 678 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 2: that to produce and write? 679 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 1: Nah? Nah, I mean, I think I think for this 680 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:47,200 Speaker 1: this album, it was an interesting opportunity to kind of unplug. 681 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:49,400 Speaker 1: I mean, I wasn't doing as many shows around that 682 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: time too, so it was really helpful to to kind 683 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:54,680 Speaker 1: of just get into my own head and try to 684 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 1: figure out who I am. You know, I definitely did 685 00:29:57,600 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 1: a lot of manifest and a lot of just like 686 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:01,720 Speaker 1: writing who I wanted to be as a human being 687 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 1: around that time, a lot of journaling, you know, and 688 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 1: looking back at that season in my life, it was 689 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 1: it was a journey for me to evolve into who 690 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,360 Speaker 1: I am right now. I wouldn't suggest people just go 691 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 1: super crazy on shrooms or anything, but I think microdosing, 692 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 1: you know, a small amount could be healthy if you're 693 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:21,800 Speaker 1: trying to just find yourself, you know, And at that time, 694 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:23,080 Speaker 1: I was trying to find myself, you know. 695 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 4: Yeah, microdose. 696 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 5: Yeah, I don't really do nothing for me do it 697 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 5: just makes me it feels like everything is an HD. 698 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, But I mean if you got real things 699 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 1: that you're trying to deal with internally, I think it 700 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 1: can you know, put that in HD as well. 701 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:36,560 Speaker 4: In Washington. 702 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:39,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, now see that that I mean, you know, I 703 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:42,000 Speaker 1: feel like I need to go down and live some 704 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: more life before I really hit that that that will 705 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 1: Smith journey. You know, he always talks about eye and stuff, but. 706 00:30:46,840 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 4: You only do it when it calls you. 707 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:51,080 Speaker 5: Yeah, exactly, Like for me, I was calling me for 708 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,480 Speaker 5: like six I say, about six years, seven years it 709 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:53,840 Speaker 5: was calling me. 710 00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:55,120 Speaker 4: I did it for the first time last year. 711 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 1: Oh wow, wow, wow, how was that for you? 712 00:30:57,440 --> 00:31:00,520 Speaker 4: Incredible? I did a three day, three day journey man. 713 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:03,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, my boy, his dad runs like a whole 714 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 1: situation and I think Mexico or something, uh for like 715 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 1: ayahuasca and stuff. So I don't know. 716 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 7: Maybe one day you said you were trying to find yourself. 717 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:12,360 Speaker 7: Did you find yourself? 718 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 3: Yeah? 719 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 1: But I mean I feel like that's a constant journey. 720 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 1: That's like the whole part of finding yourself. You realize it. 721 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:21,160 Speaker 1: It never stops because we're always evolving, you know. But 722 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:23,200 Speaker 1: it's it's great that I was able to do it 723 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:25,200 Speaker 1: through music. That that that was like a version of 724 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:27,360 Speaker 1: musical therapy for me. And I'm glad that people are 725 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 1: resonating with it, you know. 726 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:31,960 Speaker 5: And I love how you're normalizing dogs on but I'm 727 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 5: not a dog anymore. There is a young, unhealed version 728 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:38,040 Speaker 5: of me that would have really appreciated that that record, 729 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 5: because you make it sound so fun. It's almost like 730 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:46,840 Speaker 5: women are just gonna bring you in, like me domesticate you. 731 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:47,200 Speaker 7: Nah. 732 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:49,920 Speaker 1: I mean, I was really just documenting what I saw, 733 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 1: but nah, nah nah, it's definitely it's definitely to me. 734 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:02,840 Speaker 1: You post, you know, post breakup where where I just 735 00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:04,480 Speaker 1: had to I just had to figure it out. But 736 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:06,600 Speaker 1: I think that's all a part of living, you know. 737 00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 1: Do you get nervous though this was a post breakup album. Yeah, 738 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,520 Speaker 1: this is a post breakup album. So this is me documenting, 739 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 1: you know, finding myself. First off, like you know, you 740 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:18,640 Speaker 1: you're you're kind of broken after that, and then you 741 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:20,320 Speaker 1: got to you gotta put the pieces back together. 742 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 4: Her fault. 743 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:24,160 Speaker 1: Yes, No, that's not her faults, our fault. 744 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 4: It's her fault that you ended up being a dog. 745 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:27,280 Speaker 4: You went through your whole figure. 746 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:32,080 Speaker 6: Wait, so when you did Electric Dust, you said that 747 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:34,400 Speaker 6: you were happily single during that project too. 748 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:36,320 Speaker 7: Yeah, you saw the relationship after that. 749 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:38,960 Speaker 1: Here's a deal. When I was when I was making Mutt. 750 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:42,400 Speaker 1: When I was making Mutt, it was at the same 751 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 1: time that I had released Electric Dust. Like I started 752 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 1: Mutt at the exact same time that I was releasing 753 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:53,360 Speaker 1: the Electric Dust. So we were at our tail end 754 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:56,840 Speaker 1: when I was doing how Fast of our relationship and 755 00:32:56,880 --> 00:33:01,120 Speaker 1: then everything after that was breakup. So the first record 756 00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 1: was like the only season where we were still together, 757 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:06,680 Speaker 1: and then like after that was me just kind of 758 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 1: you know, coming through my brain trying to figure things out, 759 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:12,560 Speaker 1: nights in La wilding out, you know what I'm saying. 760 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,520 Speaker 1: But I think it it all turned into great music, 761 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:17,400 Speaker 1: So you know, I'm glad I'm here to tell the story. 762 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:18,320 Speaker 4: Did a woman ever tell you that? 763 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:18,560 Speaker 1: For real? 764 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:20,120 Speaker 4: Like, take your time? Don't you rushing? 765 00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:24,360 Speaker 1: Yeah? Well, I mean, you know, I don't know. I 766 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 1: think that's a that's a that's an interesting bar because yeah, 767 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:28,840 Speaker 1: yeah it was. It was definitely a time, you know, 768 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:31,000 Speaker 1: take your time. That's low down baby. 769 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:31,360 Speaker 7: Yeah. 770 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:33,720 Speaker 5: I think I think everybody should go through their whole phases, 771 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:36,120 Speaker 5: men and women. You should go through that phase where 772 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:38,840 Speaker 5: you get to just be free and be who you 773 00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:40,920 Speaker 5: are or who you want to lay down. 774 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:42,760 Speaker 3: We get it, that whole phase with brothers Man's. 775 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:45,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's nasty that. 776 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:49,480 Speaker 6: You're super famous. Your face, everything about your super recognizable. 777 00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:51,160 Speaker 6: So how do you like? I don't know if you 778 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:52,760 Speaker 6: out the whole phase yet or not, but yeah, yeah, 779 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:55,600 Speaker 6: how how did you because we hear about you? 780 00:33:55,920 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 1: Yeah? Yeah, No, I mean I think it's just important 781 00:33:58,160 --> 00:34:01,480 Speaker 1: to really stay focused on being grounded and nice to 782 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:04,040 Speaker 1: people and communicate, you know, that was the biggest thing. 783 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 1: But I'm definitely in the journey of you know, trying 784 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:09,719 Speaker 1: to find my person right now. I know that may 785 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:12,040 Speaker 1: sound corny to certain people, but I think, you know, 786 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:14,960 Speaker 1: for me, I've seen so many examples of a huge artists, 787 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:19,360 Speaker 1: very rich people who don't necessarily have love and a 788 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:22,560 Speaker 1: support system around them outside of their family, and I 789 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:24,400 Speaker 1: want to build that for myself in my thirties. You know, 790 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:26,560 Speaker 1: I'm thirty one right now, so I'm looking forward to 791 00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 1: like having that. You know, at the end of it all. 792 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:30,800 Speaker 4: You got about five more years. 793 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:33,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, but I mean, you know, when trying to 794 00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:35,479 Speaker 1: figure it out, Yeah, when I find the right person 795 00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:36,760 Speaker 1: on that down. 796 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:38,319 Speaker 5: It's gonna be hard for you to find that right 797 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:41,040 Speaker 5: person because of who you are, you know what I'm saying, Like, 798 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:42,680 Speaker 5: I know my woman for twenty six years, they've been 799 00:34:42,680 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 5: with this woman for. 800 00:34:43,160 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 4: What thirty thirty is, you know what I mean. 801 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:47,560 Speaker 5: It's like it's gonna be hard for you just because 802 00:34:47,600 --> 00:34:49,040 Speaker 5: you are Leon Thomas. 803 00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:50,359 Speaker 4: You don't even know if girls like you for you 804 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:50,719 Speaker 4: for real? 805 00:34:51,200 --> 00:34:54,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I don't know. I'll figure it out. Yeah. 806 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:57,239 Speaker 5: I think it's very commendable too that on the song 807 00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:00,480 Speaker 5: safe Place, you let the person you're deal with No 808 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 5: this isn't a safe place. 809 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:07,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I mean I think knowing that I wasn't 810 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:11,120 Speaker 1: necessarily ready to settle down. I think that conversation definitely 811 00:35:11,160 --> 00:35:12,759 Speaker 1: came up a lot during I guess you were calling 812 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 1: my whole face, you know, just understanding like, yo, I'm 813 00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:17,520 Speaker 1: I'm not trying to settle down. This is a this 814 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:20,279 Speaker 1: is a fun place, you know. This is a time 815 00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:23,480 Speaker 1: period where I'm just figuring me out. Work is crazy, 816 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:27,040 Speaker 1: it's ecnic, you know. And I think having that conversation 817 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:31,360 Speaker 1: was important to to, like you said, just avoid people 818 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:33,759 Speaker 1: not understanding what it was at the time, you. 819 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:35,759 Speaker 5: Feel, Lauren, Like if you when you're a woman and 820 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:38,000 Speaker 5: a guy comes you and the guy says, I'm a dog, 821 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:39,839 Speaker 5: I'm a mutter a god said, look baby, we can 822 00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:40,160 Speaker 5: kick it. 823 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:41,200 Speaker 4: But just in the same place. 824 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:43,480 Speaker 7: I think it depends on the type of woman you are. 825 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:46,000 Speaker 3: You know, she's that person, she's the one. 826 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:54,000 Speaker 6: That tells don't listen to them, don't listen to them, No, 827 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 6: you are lying. I think that you can appreciate honesty, 828 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:00,799 Speaker 6: but I also think that the honest it's unrealistic on 829 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:03,320 Speaker 6: both sides, because eventually, if you're spending enough time together 830 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:05,839 Speaker 6: regardless of what space is not you kind of get 831 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:07,680 Speaker 6: in the habit even if you're not attached. 832 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:09,680 Speaker 7: No, not of lying, but like of wanting to be 833 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:10,360 Speaker 7: with that person. 834 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:11,239 Speaker 5: Yeah, yea. 835 00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:14,239 Speaker 6: Then emotions and feelings come that you both said in 836 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:17,080 Speaker 6: the beginning, weren't it doesn't work out, the safe space 837 00:36:17,120 --> 00:36:20,560 Speaker 6: becomes it's exploding it like everybody's all over the place emotions. 838 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:23,040 Speaker 1: That's something I didn't really you know, identify in the song. 839 00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:26,440 Speaker 2: But yeah, she's it's a person because you're honest in music. 840 00:36:26,680 --> 00:36:28,720 Speaker 2: But it's difficult to be face to face with somebody 841 00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:30,840 Speaker 2: and be like it's very it's very difficult. 842 00:36:31,320 --> 00:36:34,520 Speaker 1: It's very difficult. But I try, you know, I really 843 00:36:34,560 --> 00:36:36,080 Speaker 1: try my best to be as honest as I can, 844 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: you know. But yeah, those are hard conversations, man. You know, 845 00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:42,400 Speaker 1: I can't sit here and say I've always done it 846 00:36:42,520 --> 00:36:45,400 Speaker 1: right or I'm perfect or anything. But I try. I 847 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:47,840 Speaker 1: try to be like real, you know. I try to 848 00:36:47,880 --> 00:36:50,880 Speaker 1: explain myself. But even when you explain yourself, sometimes wires 849 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:53,719 Speaker 1: get crossed, you know. So I'm packing it and communicating, 850 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:54,839 Speaker 1: you know, it's an important thing. 851 00:36:54,920 --> 00:36:57,279 Speaker 4: Later on, No woman won't hear that after she just 852 00:36:57,320 --> 00:36:57,960 Speaker 4: lets you hit ro. 853 00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:00,839 Speaker 6: Yeah, it's yeah, it's not as a woman ever said 854 00:37:00,840 --> 00:37:02,880 Speaker 6: that to you when you were trying to like create, 855 00:37:02,920 --> 00:37:04,520 Speaker 6: Like all right, maybe this is like a thing. 856 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:06,839 Speaker 1: She's like, Yo, remember I. 857 00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:07,520 Speaker 7: Don't want to do that. 858 00:37:08,719 --> 00:37:11,600 Speaker 1: Yeah. Actually yeah yeah. In my in my early twenties, 859 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:15,239 Speaker 1: I was talking to this amazing artist and yeah, she 860 00:37:15,320 --> 00:37:18,000 Speaker 1: was just like listen baby, the same safe place kind 861 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 1: of thing. You know, anybody know now She's like, no, no, no, 862 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:22,200 Speaker 1: I don't think you can tear it up a little bit. 863 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:24,640 Speaker 1: Yeah no, no, no. It was all good for me at 864 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:25,440 Speaker 1: that point. 865 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:29,680 Speaker 3: A little bit. 866 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:32,239 Speaker 1: But yeah, yeah, you know, it was definitely you know, 867 00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:35,080 Speaker 1: it was definitely a realization for me. I was like, oh, 868 00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:36,960 Speaker 1: it can happen on that side too. I was like 869 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:40,359 Speaker 1: twenty maybe twenty one, you know. Yeah, yeah, so I 870 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:43,919 Speaker 1: was like real young, you know, green Like, oh okay, alright, cool. 871 00:37:44,080 --> 00:37:46,239 Speaker 3: So you're all looking for a relationship now if the 872 00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:46,680 Speaker 3: right person. 873 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:49,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I'm definitely I'm definitely in that mode right now. 874 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:52,320 Speaker 6: Are you would you date other like artists, celebrities or 875 00:37:52,320 --> 00:37:53,919 Speaker 6: do you like, how does that work? 876 00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:54,399 Speaker 7: Are you doing? 877 00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:56,680 Speaker 1: It's just tactic. I mean, you're kind of inviting the 878 00:37:56,719 --> 00:37:59,759 Speaker 1: media into your life, like the one safe place you have. 879 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:03,880 Speaker 1: But I mean, who knows if I really catch a 880 00:38:03,960 --> 00:38:05,640 Speaker 1: vibe with somebody who happens to be fan. I mean, 881 00:38:05,640 --> 00:38:07,440 Speaker 1: I don't really care about that side of things, you know. 882 00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:09,359 Speaker 1: I've been in the game a long time. I've met 883 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:12,080 Speaker 1: some beautiful women who are amazing artists. But it's just 884 00:38:12,080 --> 00:38:15,480 Speaker 1: about the human being, you know, And it can be 885 00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:17,960 Speaker 1: tough to to really build something if both of your 886 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:21,319 Speaker 1: schedules are super hectic. So I don't know. 887 00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:23,560 Speaker 5: Even that's difficult though, because you could be dating a 888 00:38:23,600 --> 00:38:27,120 Speaker 5: female artist who may be using you for your pen using. 889 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:30,840 Speaker 1: For you never know, You never know. But I mean, regardless, 890 00:38:30,840 --> 00:38:33,279 Speaker 1: I feel like there's it doesn't matter. There's always an 891 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:36,520 Speaker 1: ebb and flow of like people using you for something. 892 00:38:36,840 --> 00:38:39,239 Speaker 1: You know, it's it's a given take no matter how 893 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:41,280 Speaker 1: you really look at it. I think it's just important 894 00:38:41,320 --> 00:38:44,120 Speaker 1: to at least be with somebody who genuinely cares and 895 00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:47,520 Speaker 1: unpacking enough to get behind the facade. That is the 896 00:38:47,560 --> 00:38:50,400 Speaker 1: first six month filter I like to call it, when 897 00:38:50,440 --> 00:38:53,279 Speaker 1: people are acting all upright and righteous. You know, after 898 00:38:53,320 --> 00:38:56,240 Speaker 1: those six months you can really usually unpack and find 899 00:38:56,320 --> 00:38:58,560 Speaker 1: like a good idea of who that person is. 900 00:38:58,640 --> 00:39:00,080 Speaker 4: So what does a safe place look like? 901 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:03,799 Speaker 1: For Leon Thomas, A safe place, you know, for me 902 00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:06,880 Speaker 1: is being able to be honest with that person. And 903 00:39:07,520 --> 00:39:09,920 Speaker 1: I'm goofy in real life, you know, so I want 904 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:13,840 Speaker 1: to have fun. You know, life can be kind of serious, 905 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:15,719 Speaker 1: So so I like my partner to be able to 906 00:39:15,719 --> 00:39:17,840 Speaker 1: have a good time with me, you know, watch movies, 907 00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:20,440 Speaker 1: go kick it, run around, you know, like like be 908 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:21,360 Speaker 1: a big kid with me. 909 00:39:21,680 --> 00:39:23,719 Speaker 5: You also, you had an interesting line in the song 910 00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:26,319 Speaker 5: where in a Safe Place where you say you put 911 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:28,000 Speaker 5: that on your trauma, and like. 912 00:39:28,080 --> 00:39:30,160 Speaker 4: Trauma is something that we're all trying to heal. 913 00:39:30,080 --> 00:39:33,160 Speaker 5: From, right Like you like a badge honor almost, like 914 00:39:33,600 --> 00:39:34,920 Speaker 5: you put that on my mom, put that on my 915 00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:36,160 Speaker 5: mom on the home. 916 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:38,400 Speaker 4: Why do you put that on the trauma? Like what 917 00:39:38,440 --> 00:39:38,879 Speaker 4: does that mean? 918 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:41,880 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it all kind of plays into 919 00:39:42,320 --> 00:39:46,040 Speaker 1: the reasoning for why it's not a safe place, you know. 920 00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:48,280 Speaker 1: But but but it was a bit of a badge 921 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:51,560 Speaker 1: of honor in that record for sure, for sure, because 922 00:39:51,719 --> 00:39:55,080 Speaker 1: I think we should we should be able to wear 923 00:39:55,080 --> 00:39:58,400 Speaker 1: our traumas in a way of being survivors of epic 924 00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:02,080 Speaker 1: things and being able to move move past that and 925 00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:04,719 Speaker 1: evolve from that. You know, m. 926 00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:06,960 Speaker 3: Well, let's you want to get into a joint. 927 00:40:07,239 --> 00:40:08,760 Speaker 5: I don't want to ask him a question too about 928 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:12,160 Speaker 5: another record on far Affetched. Yeah, you said, because he 929 00:40:12,480 --> 00:40:14,319 Speaker 5: was having a big conversation to speak about tricking, because 930 00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:15,919 Speaker 5: you know, Skip Bail is a legendly Oh my god, 931 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:18,680 Speaker 5: over somebody one point five and you say paid for 932 00:40:18,719 --> 00:40:22,000 Speaker 5: my mistakes and benzes and diamonds too, fifty fronted like 933 00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:24,840 Speaker 5: you was my artist. Five g's just across the Atlantic. 934 00:40:24,840 --> 00:40:26,560 Speaker 5: We sat in silence for almost two hours. 935 00:40:27,239 --> 00:40:28,680 Speaker 7: Yeah, that's a horrible BACA. 936 00:40:28,640 --> 00:40:32,040 Speaker 4: Quarter million dollars. Yeah, benzes and diamonds. 937 00:40:32,040 --> 00:40:35,399 Speaker 1: Well, listen, when I wrote that record, it was not 938 00:40:35,480 --> 00:40:38,400 Speaker 1: for me. That was not a joint that I was 939 00:40:38,400 --> 00:40:40,839 Speaker 1: originally gonna use for me. It was for somebody really 940 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:42,960 Speaker 1: famous and really rich. But I just love the way 941 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:44,560 Speaker 1: it sounded, and I was like, well, you know what, 942 00:40:45,320 --> 00:40:46,920 Speaker 1: I love to speak in a world where I can 943 00:40:46,960 --> 00:40:49,160 Speaker 1: actually afford that, why not let's manifest that. 944 00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:51,799 Speaker 5: Don't you feel as an R and B artist though, 945 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:53,759 Speaker 5: when you write records for other people, but then you 946 00:40:53,800 --> 00:40:57,200 Speaker 5: sing to yourself, you're setting an expectation that's not real 947 00:40:57,280 --> 00:40:57,719 Speaker 5: for you. 948 00:40:58,320 --> 00:41:00,320 Speaker 4: Because if I'm here, it's. 949 00:41:00,440 --> 00:41:03,759 Speaker 1: It's hard, you know, like like I mean, I look 950 00:41:03,800 --> 00:41:07,439 Speaker 1: at artists like Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osmore really wasn't eating 951 00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:10,800 Speaker 1: thats like, but it's like it's it's so funny because 952 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:16,279 Speaker 1: like in like in and well accidentally but but but 953 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:18,480 Speaker 1: the whole thing is is that in rock and roll 954 00:41:18,640 --> 00:41:21,000 Speaker 1: and pop, they get to live in these fantasy worlds. 955 00:41:21,040 --> 00:41:23,600 Speaker 1: But it's so interesting in R and B and hip hop, 956 00:41:23,640 --> 00:41:26,200 Speaker 1: it's it's like, so it has to be so really 957 00:41:26,640 --> 00:41:29,960 Speaker 1: based and it's like, nah, I think it's important for 958 00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:32,640 Speaker 1: us to be able to imagine and dream and create 959 00:41:32,719 --> 00:41:37,239 Speaker 1: worlds that don't exist sometimes because I think that won't 960 00:41:37,239 --> 00:41:40,719 Speaker 1: stifle new artists from continuing to do the same thing, 961 00:41:40,840 --> 00:41:43,879 Speaker 1: like dream up the biggest thing. You know. Drake even 962 00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:45,319 Speaker 1: said in some of his bars back in the day 963 00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:47,759 Speaker 1: he was talking about rolls voices and Bentley's and shit 964 00:41:47,960 --> 00:41:50,480 Speaker 1: he just didn't have you know at the time. So 965 00:41:50,719 --> 00:41:53,160 Speaker 1: it's essentially me doing the same thing. And I always 966 00:41:53,200 --> 00:41:58,240 Speaker 1: speak you know, future future focused, you know, abundance mindset. 967 00:41:58,360 --> 00:42:00,360 Speaker 1: You know, I'm trying to build a world where you know, 968 00:42:00,400 --> 00:42:02,000 Speaker 1: I can definitely definitely afford that. 969 00:42:02,040 --> 00:42:03,839 Speaker 4: So why not so you would trick, you would give 970 00:42:03,840 --> 00:42:04,040 Speaker 4: a girl. 971 00:42:04,719 --> 00:42:06,919 Speaker 1: You know what, That's not how I be spending my money, 972 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:10,799 Speaker 1: Charlot Mane, but just the fact that I could afford it. 973 00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:14,320 Speaker 5: You know, let's go in Lucid Dreams, you talk about 974 00:42:14,320 --> 00:42:16,320 Speaker 5: just significant other leaving things behind. 975 00:42:16,480 --> 00:42:18,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, that was a that was a fun record with 976 00:42:18,120 --> 00:42:19,440 Speaker 1: Massego after a breakup. 977 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:21,760 Speaker 4: Why do you think that topic is taboo? 978 00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:25,359 Speaker 1: I don't really consider it taboo necessarily, but I think 979 00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:29,120 Speaker 1: it's just like it's just funny because for me, I 980 00:42:29,160 --> 00:42:30,799 Speaker 1: was living with my ex for like a couple of years, 981 00:42:30,880 --> 00:42:33,680 Speaker 1: so she just had like a closet filled with clothes 982 00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:36,319 Speaker 1: at my crib and it had been like a year 983 00:42:36,360 --> 00:42:38,279 Speaker 1: and a half since we were broken up, so we 984 00:42:38,280 --> 00:42:41,200 Speaker 1: were we were in the in the studio talking about 985 00:42:41,200 --> 00:42:44,200 Speaker 1: different things. Uh. The guitarist and producer on that song 986 00:42:44,640 --> 00:42:48,920 Speaker 1: Freaky Rob his girl left a flat screen at the 987 00:42:48,960 --> 00:42:51,360 Speaker 1: house that he had to use to watch Netflix, and 988 00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:53,560 Speaker 1: he was like, man, when's she gonna take this flat screen? 989 00:42:54,080 --> 00:42:56,800 Speaker 1: And uh, you know, Massego also had a similar situation 990 00:42:56,960 --> 00:42:59,239 Speaker 1: like that at his crib with the couch. So we 991 00:42:59,239 --> 00:43:01,560 Speaker 1: were all just kind of using all of our different 992 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:04,799 Speaker 1: experiences putting it into a song, and you know, just 993 00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:05,279 Speaker 1: locking it in. 994 00:43:05,320 --> 00:43:06,480 Speaker 4: It's different when it's closed. 995 00:43:06,600 --> 00:43:08,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, did you clear you cleared out the yeah, definitely 996 00:43:08,719 --> 00:43:10,480 Speaker 1: clears out the Yeah, yeah, clear out the closet. 997 00:43:10,719 --> 00:43:12,120 Speaker 7: Did you move out of the apartment or you just 998 00:43:12,160 --> 00:43:12,840 Speaker 7: cleared out the closing. 999 00:43:13,120 --> 00:43:14,719 Speaker 1: Nah, I'm still at the crib, you know what I mean, 1000 00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:17,400 Speaker 1: still at the crib. You know, there's definitely a certain 1001 00:43:17,400 --> 00:43:19,480 Speaker 1: interior design choices I'm gonna switch up. 1002 00:43:19,520 --> 00:43:23,480 Speaker 6: So but it's like real recent yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 1003 00:43:24,320 --> 00:43:25,840 Speaker 4: You think these labels know how to market R and 1004 00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:27,359 Speaker 4: B nowadays, especially Male RB. 1005 00:43:27,560 --> 00:43:30,400 Speaker 1: I think it's it's kind of it's kind of interesting 1006 00:43:30,520 --> 00:43:32,960 Speaker 1: because we used to have one O six in park. 1007 00:43:33,080 --> 00:43:36,000 Speaker 1: We used to have like a different perspective on R 1008 00:43:36,040 --> 00:43:38,440 Speaker 1: and B, and I feel like the fantasy could be 1009 00:43:38,520 --> 00:43:41,520 Speaker 1: alive in a different way. You know, a lot of 1010 00:43:41,520 --> 00:43:44,560 Speaker 1: the music is driven by culture recently, which I think 1011 00:43:44,640 --> 00:43:47,200 Speaker 1: is dope. But but but R and B is definitely 1012 00:43:47,239 --> 00:43:49,480 Speaker 1: a place of fantasy, you know, Jodasy in the desert 1013 00:43:49,520 --> 00:43:51,680 Speaker 1: and leather, like, you know, it's like it's like a 1014 00:43:51,800 --> 00:43:54,359 Speaker 1: very ethereal place sometimes when you really look at it. 1015 00:43:54,640 --> 00:43:56,760 Speaker 1: So I think it's really tough for labels to find 1016 00:43:56,800 --> 00:44:00,600 Speaker 1: that that balance and especially because most and b artists 1017 00:44:00,600 --> 00:44:04,560 Speaker 1: are like really inspired by by alternative music. So you know, 1018 00:44:04,640 --> 00:44:08,360 Speaker 1: you got you know, your babies of Scissor and of 1019 00:44:08,880 --> 00:44:11,879 Speaker 1: you know, Brand and Miguel even and it's it's kind 1020 00:44:11,880 --> 00:44:13,560 Speaker 1: of hard. It's not the same thing they used to 1021 00:44:13,560 --> 00:44:15,040 Speaker 1: have to market and a lot of those same. 1022 00:44:14,880 --> 00:44:17,359 Speaker 2: Executive as options, right because you think about it, before 1023 00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:20,080 Speaker 2: the label gave people what they wanted to hear, oh 1024 00:44:20,080 --> 00:44:21,440 Speaker 2: for sure, But now it's like you put out an 1025 00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:23,040 Speaker 2: album and it's almost like they wait to see what's 1026 00:44:23,120 --> 00:44:25,640 Speaker 2: on connects first, exactly what connects We're gonna go with Mutt, 1027 00:44:26,160 --> 00:44:27,760 Speaker 2: you know, dance with Demons connects. 1028 00:44:27,920 --> 00:44:29,759 Speaker 3: So I think you give people of an option and 1029 00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:30,799 Speaker 3: allow people to pick their. 1030 00:44:30,680 --> 00:44:32,279 Speaker 4: Own when they connect, they still don't know what the 1031 00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:32,719 Speaker 4: hell to do. 1032 00:44:33,560 --> 00:44:36,279 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, it's it's it's tough. It's tough, man, 1033 00:44:36,320 --> 00:44:38,960 Speaker 1: it's tough. I definitely don't envy their seat right now, 1034 00:44:39,160 --> 00:44:43,480 Speaker 1: trying to figure out how to navigate through nine different platforms, uh, 1035 00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:46,279 Speaker 1: social media, a TikTok that's about to go away in 1036 00:44:46,280 --> 00:44:49,439 Speaker 1: a couple of months, and like Frank McCort, you think, so, Frank, 1037 00:44:50,160 --> 00:44:53,040 Speaker 1: all right, bet, But regardless of ship's fucking nuts, like 1038 00:44:53,160 --> 00:44:55,799 Speaker 1: everybody trying to figure it out. Like it's really hard, 1039 00:44:56,120 --> 00:44:57,520 Speaker 1: it's really hard to deal with, you know. 1040 00:44:58,160 --> 00:45:00,640 Speaker 5: So yeah, and it I don't feel like it's a 1041 00:45:00,640 --> 00:45:04,160 Speaker 5: separation either, right because if I look at Leon Thomas, 1042 00:45:04,320 --> 00:45:06,600 Speaker 5: he looks like a rapper cunty, you know what I mean, 1043 00:45:06,680 --> 00:45:08,360 Speaker 5: Like like there there used to be a look to 1044 00:45:08,520 --> 00:45:09,120 Speaker 5: R and B sing. 1045 00:45:09,280 --> 00:45:12,279 Speaker 6: But your aesthetic is like fashion your shows, like the lighting. 1046 00:45:12,320 --> 00:45:13,440 Speaker 6: I don't know if you did that a purpose, but 1047 00:45:13,480 --> 00:45:15,040 Speaker 6: like the light shoes and stuff like that, it all 1048 00:45:15,080 --> 00:45:18,000 Speaker 6: gives like an art creative like it's the vibe. 1049 00:45:18,239 --> 00:45:20,040 Speaker 7: But like, yeah, I'm. 1050 00:45:20,040 --> 00:45:22,600 Speaker 1: Saying what I want. No, I mean, I'm doing what 1051 00:45:22,680 --> 00:45:25,280 Speaker 1: i want. Man, you know, I'm really just I'm really 1052 00:45:25,320 --> 00:45:27,880 Speaker 1: just rocking, you know. I mean I think for those 1053 00:45:27,920 --> 00:45:29,680 Speaker 1: of us out there in the R and B world 1054 00:45:29,719 --> 00:45:31,319 Speaker 1: who want to have, you know, the six pack and 1055 00:45:31,400 --> 00:45:33,359 Speaker 1: do the gy rating and the baby oil and shit, 1056 00:45:33,480 --> 00:45:37,480 Speaker 1: like you know, do you think? But no, But what 1057 00:45:37,520 --> 00:45:39,479 Speaker 1: I'm saying is is that like like like the whole 1058 00:45:39,600 --> 00:45:43,239 Speaker 1: vibe of it is is is a that's its own thing. 1059 00:45:43,280 --> 00:45:46,520 Speaker 1: I think what I'm creating creatively is my own world 1060 00:45:46,760 --> 00:45:49,120 Speaker 1: and it's it's it's rooting and rock and roll. It's 1061 00:45:49,200 --> 00:45:51,360 Speaker 1: rooting and doing what I want to do, you know, 1062 00:45:52,440 --> 00:45:55,000 Speaker 1: and and I'm I'm glad I have the creative control 1063 00:45:55,120 --> 00:45:56,440 Speaker 1: to go there. You know. 1064 00:45:56,640 --> 00:45:59,000 Speaker 5: That's the beauty of R and B artists though, because 1065 00:45:59,040 --> 00:46:01,360 Speaker 5: there's so many RNs B artists that are just ugly, 1066 00:46:01,760 --> 00:46:06,000 Speaker 5: but their music is so good that women love them. 1067 00:46:06,320 --> 00:46:07,719 Speaker 7: I mean like actually ugly, not. 1068 00:46:07,640 --> 00:46:12,760 Speaker 5: Just like cosmetically challenged cosmetically, but they get on stage 1069 00:46:12,800 --> 00:46:15,360 Speaker 5: and they do that the deflexing and the singing, and 1070 00:46:15,400 --> 00:46:17,200 Speaker 5: women they freaking mind. 1071 00:46:17,160 --> 00:46:19,799 Speaker 1: Right right, right, right, right right. What you're not calling 1072 00:46:20,480 --> 00:46:21,400 Speaker 1: I was about to say, I'm. 1073 00:46:21,280 --> 00:46:25,640 Speaker 3: Like beauty because there's so many ugly not at all. 1074 00:46:25,560 --> 00:46:28,480 Speaker 4: For sure, It's not my place to say, for real, 1075 00:46:28,680 --> 00:46:29,439 Speaker 4: la is the ugly? 1076 00:46:30,600 --> 00:46:32,080 Speaker 1: All right? Thank you, thank you, Lauren. 1077 00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:33,719 Speaker 3: Can we get into a song of that album? 1078 00:46:33,719 --> 00:46:35,680 Speaker 1: What you want to would be amazing this morning? 1079 00:46:35,680 --> 00:46:36,560 Speaker 4: What you want to hear? Right now? 1080 00:46:36,600 --> 00:46:38,279 Speaker 1: Let's play? Yes it is? It would be really cool? 1081 00:46:38,719 --> 00:46:40,480 Speaker 3: All right, Well, let's get into it right now. Yes 1082 00:46:40,520 --> 00:46:42,600 Speaker 3: it is. The album is out right now, make sure 1083 00:46:42,600 --> 00:46:44,440 Speaker 3: you pick it up. And we appreciate you for joining us. 1084 00:46:44,600 --> 00:46:46,000 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for having me. Man, it's a 1085 00:46:46,000 --> 00:46:46,839 Speaker 1: big opportunity. 1086 00:46:47,080 --> 00:46:47,799 Speaker 3: Thank you so much. 1087 00:46:47,840 --> 00:46:50,040 Speaker 2: It's Leon Thomas the album What is out Now, and 1088 00:46:50,080 --> 00:46:51,680 Speaker 2: it's The Breakfast Club, Good Morning. 1089 00:46:51,680 --> 00:46:53,800 Speaker 1: Wake that ass up in the morning. 1090 00:46:54,080 --> 00:46:54,920 Speaker 4: Breakfast Club