WEBVTT - Questlove Supreme: Lisa Cortés Part 1 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:03.040 Quest Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. 0:00:04.200 --> 0:00:05.280 This is kind of weird. 0:00:05.600 --> 0:00:11.840 Well it's gonna be great. Welcome you mean the weirdness 0:00:11.840 --> 0:00:13.640 of those those two guys in the corner. 0:00:13.760 --> 0:00:17.079 No, everyone, we're good. 0:00:17.400 --> 0:00:18.840 All right, let's go kids. Here we go. 0:00:19.360 --> 0:00:26.720 Supprimo sub primo, roll sup Primo, Sun sub Premo, roll 0:00:27.240 --> 0:00:33.680 sub dream Primo, roll sub cream Supremo. 0:00:34.640 --> 0:00:36.879 My name is quest Love. Shut up. 0:00:37.880 --> 0:00:43.760 Yeah, So, ladies and gentlemen, uh, this is another episode 0:00:43.800 --> 0:00:46.080 of Quest Love Supreme. I'm your host, Quest Love. I 0:00:46.159 --> 0:00:48.440 hope you are doing fine. We have a fan Takeolo 0:00:48.560 --> 0:00:51.959 and Laya and and Sugar Steve and on pay Bill. 0:00:52.040 --> 0:00:57.280 And our guest today is the Emmy winning director in film. 0:00:57.720 --> 0:01:00.160 Why y'all looking at me like there's a far tell 0:01:00.160 --> 0:01:11.440 you alright, knows what time it is. My name is Spante, 0:01:12.280 --> 0:01:15.640 so nice to meet you. Don't got the coat jam 0:01:16.160 --> 0:01:17.440 but it's Lisa, Lisa. 0:01:26.319 --> 0:01:30.120 My name is Sugar Glad. We're not on zoom Yeah, 0:01:30.480 --> 0:01:33.160 wop out of lubob Yeah, wop. 0:01:33.000 --> 0:01:33.280 Him on. 0:01:42.200 --> 0:01:42.600 My mom? 0:01:42.720 --> 0:01:46.960 Pay Bill and what the what? Let's talk to the 0:01:47.040 --> 0:01:49.080 fruity and take it in the butt. 0:01:58.320 --> 0:02:02.400 It's like, yeah, and I'm losing my mind. Yeah, I 0:02:02.520 --> 0:02:15.639 am everything. That's music doc of my time. My name 0:02:15.800 --> 0:02:21.239 is and I can't rap, but I'm a director and 0:02:21.320 --> 0:02:23.040 I'm gonna tell you about some little ripe. 0:02:26.160 --> 0:02:27.720 I know why you left the rap label. 0:02:40.760 --> 0:02:42.720 I'm sorry I was I didn't know. 0:02:43.240 --> 0:02:45.200 Actually, I agree with you. It's one of the most 0:02:45.240 --> 0:02:47.880 important Yo. No for a ladies and gentlemen. Walking to 0:02:48.160 --> 0:02:52.400 another Quest Love Supreme episode. All right, how are you 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:53.440 guys doing doing? 0:02:53.520 --> 0:02:53.680 Good? 0:02:53.760 --> 0:02:55.959 Man? Yo, we had a field trip. I got to 0:02:56.000 --> 0:02:56.919 make a butt tex rhyme. 0:02:57.000 --> 0:03:00.240 I'm good, Hey, yo, man shot yo unpaid building doing 0:03:00.320 --> 0:03:00.960 some amazing ship. 0:03:01.560 --> 0:03:04.080 Come on, yeah, straight up? 0:03:04.160 --> 0:03:08.520 Man, Even though he got You're definitely gonna e got 0:03:09.280 --> 0:03:13.000 all right? Right, No, first jam Band had showed us 0:03:13.040 --> 0:03:13.560 on YouTube. 0:03:13.639 --> 0:03:13.839 Kids. 0:03:14.440 --> 0:03:17.720 It's like my favorite kids show since Yo Gabba Gabba. 0:03:18.120 --> 0:03:20.320 It is perfectly made for people that like to get 0:03:20.400 --> 0:03:21.640 high and watch television shows. 0:03:22.680 --> 0:03:26.400 Also featuring Fonte and like, yeah, yeah, yeah, she's. 0:03:26.320 --> 0:03:28.640 Killing as the book Yeah I meant to give you. 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:31.040 So yeah. 0:03:31.120 --> 0:03:33.880 So jam Van is great, and then his show and Juliette, 0:03:33.880 --> 0:03:35.600 which is on Broadway. We saw it last night at 0:03:35.640 --> 0:03:39.280 the Stephen Sun Theater. I'm not a musical person at all. 0:03:39.960 --> 0:03:41.000 Like ever, I was worried. 0:03:41.080 --> 0:03:45.440 That was my first Broadway show ever, first Broadway show, 0:03:45.560 --> 0:03:46.280 not my first play. 0:03:46.360 --> 0:03:48.160 I mean I've been to play. I got Culture and Ship, 0:03:48.280 --> 0:03:51.480 but like I sain't never been on Broadway. You've seen 0:03:51.560 --> 0:03:53.000 some Sunday plays, you know what I'm saying. 0:03:53.080 --> 0:03:54.960 Come on, I seen Mama and the Burning Up the Chicken, 0:03:55.000 --> 0:04:00.280 and y'all see Short the Box with whatever. But no, 0:04:00.640 --> 0:04:03.600 a Juliette bro we had a wonderful time, man, great time. 0:04:03.880 --> 0:04:05.160 It's the music of Max Martin. 0:04:05.240 --> 0:04:07.520 So it's like all like the Backstreet Boys Ship and 0:04:07.720 --> 0:04:10.200 Weekend and brit Britney Britney. 0:04:11.960 --> 0:04:13.640 That way and the way they used it. Yeah, I 0:04:13.760 --> 0:04:15.240 was like, yo, that was that was clever. 0:04:15.600 --> 0:04:18.800 Yeah, and everybody the Backstreets Back, that sh it was funny. 0:04:18.880 --> 0:04:21.159 There's gonna be well. I don't want to spoil it, but. 0:04:21.800 --> 0:04:24.320 But no, man, wait, can I ask a question though? 0:04:24.839 --> 0:04:32.760 When you hear Backstreets Back? My prerogative? Oh not even damn. 0:04:32.880 --> 0:04:33.680 I didn't even give to that. 0:04:34.480 --> 0:04:38.159 I was going to say, are there any other thoughts 0:04:38.240 --> 0:04:40.960 in your mind when you hear Backstreets Back? 0:04:42.520 --> 0:04:42.680 Nah? 0:04:43.080 --> 0:04:47.640 Okay, it's only me only because that song is literally 0:04:47.880 --> 0:04:54.360 the reason why Kel's got a guilty plea because you 0:04:54.440 --> 0:04:56.279 know his whole thing of saying that you know. 0:04:57.040 --> 0:04:59.760 C G I or you know whatever, like that was 0:05:00.000 --> 0:05:00.640 make me or whatever. 0:05:01.200 --> 0:05:07.800 But apparently someone has t r L on in the 0:05:07.880 --> 0:05:12.280 other room and it was a Halloween episode. 0:05:12.560 --> 0:05:15.359 I guess that that song debuted on as a. 0:05:15.400 --> 0:05:18.760 Halloween costumes and the videos and stuff, right, and. 0:05:18.839 --> 0:05:21.360 So I guess you can hear in the background like 0:05:21.760 --> 0:05:25.120 special Halloween. There's a world premiere of Backstreets Back but no, no, no, 0:05:25.160 --> 0:05:25.280 no no. 0:05:25.560 --> 0:05:28.160 So it's almost like every time I hear that song, 0:05:28.240 --> 0:05:31.240 I think like, wow, this is the song that finally, 0:05:31.920 --> 0:05:34.279 after years and years, is what got call. 0:05:34.440 --> 0:05:37.800 I did not know that. Yeah, that was a deep dive. 0:05:38.240 --> 0:05:40.479 I won't be thinking of that when I hear that song. Sorry, 0:05:44.040 --> 0:05:46.479 I'll just be doing that. Man, Like great job man 0:05:46.520 --> 0:05:48.480 the music show. Like we had a wonderful time. 0:05:48.520 --> 0:05:49.640 Man, glad you guys got to go. 0:05:49.760 --> 0:05:50.320 I appreciate it. 0:05:50.320 --> 0:05:54.520 It was amazing, cool and that was your experience last night. Fantastic. 0:05:54.600 --> 0:05:56.279 I went to see New York New York just Open 0:05:56.360 --> 0:05:59.600 on Broadway, uh with John Deeler and Linn Miranda, and 0:05:59.720 --> 0:06:02.160 it was wonderful. He's in it No, he just wrote 0:06:02.200 --> 0:06:03.200 some additional lyrics. 0:06:03.480 --> 0:06:04.240 Okay, I got it. 0:06:04.360 --> 0:06:07.080 I got I saw Vanessa Williams though, who I believe 0:06:07.200 --> 0:06:09.600 worked with our guest here, and that was quite a night. 0:06:09.680 --> 0:06:11.960 Vanessa L. Williams Sure, okay, right? 0:06:12.600 --> 0:06:18.320 Oh yeah yeah, and I got to rhyme about a butt. 0:06:18.440 --> 0:06:18.920 So I'm happy. 0:06:19.080 --> 0:06:23.240 It's a good day. I feel you, beatiful, yo. 0:06:23.440 --> 0:06:28.240 Our guest today is I mean winning director, film producer, 0:06:28.600 --> 0:06:32.920 and she's part of the team that brought us Oh Precious. 0:06:34.040 --> 0:06:38.920 Wait, can I ask, how's life are you? 0:06:40.400 --> 0:06:43.560 I was just messing with you. Go ahead, ask your question, boy, whose. 0:06:43.360 --> 0:06:44.280 Idea was it to make? 0:06:45.120 --> 0:06:45.160 Like? 0:06:45.279 --> 0:06:48.920 Why it wasn't just simply called Precious and not Precious 0:06:49.240 --> 0:06:51.000 a film adaptation? 0:06:52.640 --> 0:06:56.160 Yes, I asked that was your idea? Yes? 0:06:56.480 --> 0:06:56.640 Why? 0:06:56.960 --> 0:06:57.440 Why was that? 0:06:58.000 --> 0:07:01.520 Precious was the character? But the source material was so 0:07:01.680 --> 0:07:04.200 important and I wanted to make certain that that connection 0:07:04.400 --> 0:07:07.480 was there at the end of the day. Shorten it, 0:07:07.640 --> 0:07:10.160 yeah if you want, But I wanted people to connect 0:07:10.200 --> 0:07:12.960 to the book that you know, back in the nineties 0:07:13.000 --> 0:07:17.280 on the subway going to Brooklyn, everybody was reading Push. 0:07:17.720 --> 0:07:20.040 So based on the novel Bye Push. 0:07:20.160 --> 0:07:23.880 At thirty Rock, that's always been like an inside joke 0:07:24.040 --> 0:07:26.800 where people will never say Precious. They'll be like, oh, 0:07:26.800 --> 0:07:29.680 you're talking about Precious based on the novel, by push 0:07:29.760 --> 0:07:34.800 and by like literally, they'll give the whole biography or 0:07:34.880 --> 0:07:35.760 description of the book. 0:07:35.760 --> 0:07:37.280 And I was like, why do you guys keep saying that? 0:07:37.480 --> 0:07:38.520 And I guess it's them. 0:07:38.680 --> 0:07:42.480 Like also, because if it was just going to be Precious, 0:07:43.240 --> 0:07:45.560 I didn't think that gave enough. We worked on that 0:07:45.720 --> 0:07:49.760 film for so long to get Sapphire to give us 0:07:49.800 --> 0:07:54.040 the rights option it, to develop it, to write the script, 0:07:54.160 --> 0:07:56.760 to have one director, to then have Lee step in, 0:07:56.920 --> 0:08:00.760 to have cast the main character, and four weeks before 0:08:00.800 --> 0:08:04.160 we're gonna start shooting, Lee's like, we have the wrong person. 0:08:05.320 --> 0:08:07.120 I'm like, oh, no, we have the right person, because 0:08:07.160 --> 0:08:10.040 we're gonna start shooting in four weeks. And then we 0:08:10.120 --> 0:08:14.560 went out and we found Gabby Sidibe. So there's such 0:08:14.600 --> 0:08:18.040 a deep, deep history. We worked on it forever as 0:08:18.160 --> 0:08:20.400 she was she was the right person, but they let 0:08:20.400 --> 0:08:21.560 me introduce our guests first. 0:08:21.600 --> 0:08:24.880 Wait, I know that anyway. 0:08:26.000 --> 0:08:29.200 There's also the Apollo Theater documentary, which she was part 0:08:29.200 --> 0:08:33.080 of the production team. She also directed Remixed Hip Hop Times, Fashion, 0:08:33.840 --> 0:08:36.520 All Right, Got It, and Before her Life in film. 0:08:36.920 --> 0:08:40.520 She was an exec at Mercury and Deaf Jam. Very 0:08:40.600 --> 0:08:44.080 interesting story of how we're connected. Well, we'll talk about 0:08:44.120 --> 0:08:50.600 that later, but I will say that her newest film, 0:08:51.720 --> 0:08:54.679 which I will go ahead and say an instant classic, 0:08:54.760 --> 0:08:59.439 and that's not Questlove, hypercole or over exaggeration, which of 0:08:59.520 --> 0:09:01.000 course world famous for it. 0:09:01.080 --> 0:09:05.480 But I will say that it is an immensely what 0:09:06.240 --> 0:09:09.880 you just called yourself world famous for exaggerating, which was. 0:09:12.480 --> 0:09:16.920 I will say that it's an immensely powerful and important film, 0:09:17.240 --> 0:09:21.240 especially where we are today in terms of erasure, in 0:09:21.400 --> 0:09:26.240 terms of understanding that all people are in a monolith, 0:09:26.360 --> 0:09:29.040 that we're we have different spectrums and different cultures and 0:09:29.160 --> 0:09:33.600 different aspects of our lives, and you know, and basically 0:09:34.320 --> 0:09:35.760 the freedom, the fight. 0:09:35.720 --> 0:09:36.760 For the freedom to be free. 0:09:37.360 --> 0:09:39.520 And I guess we had quest of supreme want to 0:09:39.559 --> 0:09:43.160 do everything in our power to amplify this very powerful documentary. 0:09:43.200 --> 0:09:46.559 Of course I'm speaking of Little Richard the well the 0:09:46.880 --> 0:09:48.280 full title, because of course. 0:09:52.000 --> 0:09:54.600 No it's called Little Richard. I am everything. Ladies and gentlemen, 0:09:54.679 --> 0:09:56.000 welcome Lisa Cortel. 0:09:58.720 --> 0:10:00.680 I just want to say it's so good to see 0:10:00.679 --> 0:10:03.640 you all. I listen and I thought these are my 0:10:03.760 --> 0:10:09.400 imaginary friends, and they're real. There's no going. 0:10:12.960 --> 0:10:16.559 So before I get to your story, I have to 0:10:16.679 --> 0:10:23.960 say that you are very, very very key and instrumental 0:10:24.280 --> 0:10:25.480 in my career. 0:10:26.360 --> 0:10:26.679 I don't know. 0:10:26.720 --> 0:10:28.760 Do you remember a conversation that you had with Richard 0:10:28.880 --> 0:10:33.560 Nichols right when? So assuming that your years at Mercury 0:10:33.679 --> 0:10:39.120 you were part of the Kenyata Bell ed Eckstein Dave gossip, Yeah, 0:10:40.040 --> 0:10:43.160 rejection demos, that's my favorite line. 0:10:43.520 --> 0:10:46.960 So do you remember the story of our the connection 0:10:47.040 --> 0:10:48.320 with the roots of Mercury Records? 0:10:48.480 --> 0:10:48.720 Yeah? 0:10:49.280 --> 0:10:51.520 All right, Well one I want to ask what happened 0:10:51.559 --> 0:10:52.120 the day after? 0:10:52.280 --> 0:10:54.199 So I've told this story millions of times, but the 0:10:54.280 --> 0:10:57.760 shortest version is, you know, we started busking on the 0:10:57.760 --> 0:11:01.000 streets in nineteen ninety two of the actually all of 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:04.000 nineteen ninety three, we start fishing for a deal, winds 0:11:04.040 --> 0:11:07.240 up into I won't say it, bidding more, but we 0:11:07.360 --> 0:11:11.040 damn near went to every label, and then at the 0:11:11.240 --> 0:11:15.079 last minute Mercury was going to be that label. And 0:11:15.200 --> 0:11:17.920 then the way that I believe the story was when 0:11:18.720 --> 0:11:23.360 either Kenyada Bell's assistant sent us the contracts because of 0:11:23.440 --> 0:11:26.560 our intricate spelling of our names. Three of the group members' 0:11:26.640 --> 0:11:30.240 names was misspelled, and our lawyer was like, well, instead 0:11:30.240 --> 0:11:33.480 of you guys initially it, tear this up and have 0:11:33.640 --> 0:11:36.480 them send back new contracts with your name spelled correctly. 0:11:37.000 --> 0:11:40.280 And Kenyata Bell's assistant, I was supposed to send new 0:11:40.360 --> 0:11:43.199 contracts the next day and she forgot to do it, 0:11:43.440 --> 0:11:46.720 but not to worry. Look, I'll send it on Friday 0:11:47.280 --> 0:11:50.320 and then you guys will get it, you know, Monday 0:11:50.360 --> 0:11:54.640 and sign. But that Saturday and Sunday is when Wendy 0:11:54.720 --> 0:11:57.080 Goldstein decided to throw a hat in a ring. Now, 0:11:57.120 --> 0:11:59.960 we had no intentions on signing with Get From Record 0:12:00.080 --> 0:12:01.360 because we're like this rock label. 0:12:01.360 --> 0:12:02.200 They don't off of staff. 0:12:02.600 --> 0:12:05.640 We're good, but we wanted the free dinner, like we 0:12:05.880 --> 0:12:09.000 liked the whole whining and dining courting part of getting 0:12:09.000 --> 0:12:09.600 a record deal. 0:12:10.080 --> 0:12:13.559 So thus, you know, we did the steak and lobster thing, 0:12:14.080 --> 0:12:16.160 We're three to go and all that ghetto shit. 0:12:16.720 --> 0:12:20.679 And then just to mess with her Rich and I 0:12:20.840 --> 0:12:23.760 decided to call her Bruff and we just literally like 0:12:23.880 --> 0:12:27.000 just started naming everything like you know, we want you know, 0:12:27.200 --> 0:12:29.520 pathminder and three apartments and da da da da da 0:12:29.559 --> 0:12:32.959 da da da da da long story short or longer Sunday. 0:12:33.640 --> 0:12:36.720 Our lawyers like, uh, she agreed to everything you guys 0:12:36.800 --> 0:12:39.880 asked for and more. And then we're like, but we 0:12:40.000 --> 0:12:42.240 told Kenyata Bell we're going to sign the Mercury Records, 0:12:42.840 --> 0:12:46.240 and you know, the price was way different because you 0:12:46.360 --> 0:12:49.040 know how much rap labels were paying back then, and 0:12:50.360 --> 0:12:52.440 Rich basically had to break the news to you guys. 0:12:52.920 --> 0:12:57.079 Kenyada was severely depressed about this, and I believe he 0:12:57.280 --> 0:13:02.000 also spoke to you. He said, Lisa Cortez told us, Hm, 0:13:02.200 --> 0:13:05.520 get from records. I hope y'all take racial sensitivity training 0:13:06.040 --> 0:13:10.559 over there. And I was like, wait, what does that mean? 0:13:10.679 --> 0:13:15.679 Rich? And we found later found out in the longest 0:13:15.760 --> 0:13:17.000 twenty year lesson. 0:13:16.840 --> 0:13:19.520 Of the longest fuck around and found out ever. 0:13:20.080 --> 0:13:24.760 Literally and so whenever the bullshit happens, we always used 0:13:24.760 --> 0:13:25.080 to joke. 0:13:25.679 --> 0:13:28.000 Lisa Cortez told us this is going to happen. 0:13:28.480 --> 0:13:32.760 So do you know, like what was the aftermath of that, 0:13:32.880 --> 0:13:36.280 because you know, we should have signed to that label, 0:13:36.320 --> 0:13:37.640 Like you guys took us to the Legion. 0:13:38.000 --> 0:13:41.359 I think the Legion was shooting a jingle jingle, jangle wow. 0:13:43.160 --> 0:13:44.560 Everything literally, like we. 0:13:44.640 --> 0:13:47.040 Went to the jingle jingle said, we met dress and everything, 0:13:47.080 --> 0:13:49.800 We're like, oh shit, we're going to be stars, you know. 0:13:50.040 --> 0:13:54.960 And then you know, so I remember when you guys 0:13:55.040 --> 0:13:58.319 did a showcase for us. Yeah at s R, Yes, 0:13:58.840 --> 0:14:04.599 like on fifty something something kind of proxidity and it 0:14:04.720 --> 0:14:09.480 was fantastic. I was the VP and I had hired 0:14:09.520 --> 0:14:12.079 all those guys like Dave Gossip had gotten fired a 0:14:12.160 --> 0:14:14.000 deaf jam and I was like, come over and work 0:14:14.040 --> 0:14:18.040 with me. And you know, Kenyatta came in and I 0:14:18.120 --> 0:14:21.800 didn't know this thing about the spelling stuff. See that's 0:14:21.840 --> 0:14:24.200 the thing when you give the keys to the car 0:14:24.480 --> 0:14:28.600 to the kids, Like sometimes they don't tell you stuff that. 0:14:29.120 --> 0:14:32.200 You know. Our parents were naming us like you know, 0:14:32.640 --> 0:14:33.120 it's like I. 0:14:34.880 --> 0:14:35.280 Don't do that. 0:14:37.040 --> 0:14:40.880 Twelve names. So yeah, you know. 0:14:42.000 --> 0:14:45.480 I do remember though, telling Kenyatta that because you know, 0:14:45.920 --> 0:14:48.840 I wanted to do the deal and I wanted to 0:14:48.920 --> 0:14:53.120 support my team because if somebody came to me and 0:14:53.320 --> 0:14:56.880 like Lisa, we have to sign, we have to and 0:14:57.000 --> 0:14:59.360 they had so much passion, they had a vision. I 0:14:59.480 --> 0:15:04.520 saw you guys. I knew the long tail that we 0:15:04.680 --> 0:15:09.960 could make an investment in. And when I heard you know, 0:15:10.160 --> 0:15:12.720 and it's like, I just always blame it on the managers. 0:15:12.720 --> 0:15:14.840 I'm like, who's the manager who like the ship go down? 0:15:18.040 --> 0:15:21.040 But with grace, you know, I was Connecticut. 0:15:22.280 --> 0:15:25.400 He said, you did it very Claire Huxtables, like the 0:15:25.600 --> 0:15:26.560 very stern. 0:15:27.320 --> 0:15:32.200 Hmm, motherfucker. But I love you, bless you and so. 0:15:32.400 --> 0:15:36.080 But I was just like, I also as an executive, 0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:41.000 saw different spaces, and I knew Wendy Goldstein had a 0:15:41.040 --> 0:15:44.600 great heart and she was there. But the ecosystem, the 0:15:44.720 --> 0:15:50.200 bigger ecosystem you were going into. It was like, you know, 0:15:50.280 --> 0:15:53.520 when working for Ed Eckstein, and the Ed story is 0:15:53.640 --> 0:15:57.240 really interesting how we connected. But you know, he was 0:15:57.320 --> 0:16:00.240 the president. A black man was the president. He let 0:16:00.320 --> 0:16:03.320 all of us do our thing, you know. Like I 0:16:03.600 --> 0:16:06.400 got a tape from Red Alert. It was the Black Sheep. 0:16:06.960 --> 0:16:08.520 I was like, I want to sign them. It was 0:16:08.560 --> 0:16:10.600 a real jankie tape too. But I was just like, 0:16:11.040 --> 0:16:13.960 I really like these kids from North Carolina, let's do it. 0:16:14.240 --> 0:16:14.840 He was all. 0:16:14.960 --> 0:16:16.800 I was like, I didn't know why Stanford. 0:16:16.880 --> 0:16:17.600 I did not know that. 0:16:18.560 --> 0:16:18.760 Yeah. 0:16:19.280 --> 0:16:22.640 I got a tape on a spoken word artist, Reggie Gaines. 0:16:22.680 --> 0:16:24.840 I was like, I want to do a spoken word record. 0:16:24.920 --> 0:16:30.160 He's like sure I would produce, didn't sign Regie Gaines. 0:16:32.120 --> 0:16:34.520 Okay, okay, no, We're always. 0:16:34.320 --> 0:16:37.480 Kind and gentle. So when all of this happened, I 0:16:37.680 --> 0:16:42.000 just was like, yes, they should be here. But more importantly, 0:16:42.600 --> 0:16:44.520 I'm a prayerful person, so I was like, I'm just 0:16:44.600 --> 0:16:47.920 praying that the right people besides the one A n 0:16:48.040 --> 0:16:50.880 R person who loves this group, is going to come 0:16:50.920 --> 0:16:53.720 on board, because I know how that happened, like I 0:16:53.800 --> 0:16:56.040 would love things and I could not get the rest 0:16:56.120 --> 0:17:00.400 of the company on board. And then and you know, 0:17:00.600 --> 0:17:03.520 like Buju, I worked with Boujious for so many years, 0:17:04.119 --> 0:17:07.879 from signing him to finally getting to tell Shiloh, and 0:17:08.040 --> 0:17:10.520 there was a lot of resistance. You know, when you're 0:17:10.640 --> 0:17:12.800 the sole A and R person in the woods going 0:17:12.840 --> 0:17:14.880 they're the best, they're the greatest, come to the show, 0:17:15.480 --> 0:17:18.399 Let's do this at retail. Come on, let's get him 0:17:18.440 --> 0:17:22.440 on this tour. And everybody's going, you know, when's the 0:17:22.520 --> 0:17:27.240 new X record gonna drop? It's it's very disheartening. 0:17:27.600 --> 0:17:29.960 Were you did you sign el Al Scratch as well? 0:17:30.119 --> 0:17:32.800 M okay, yeah, how did that come about? 0:17:33.280 --> 0:17:36.280 I think that might have been someone might have been 0:17:36.440 --> 0:17:39.879 Bernadette Williams who's my assistant? And then she became an 0:17:39.920 --> 0:17:42.879 A and R person. You know, I did a record 0:17:43.000 --> 0:17:45.960 a label deal with DJ Pooh because I had known 0:17:46.040 --> 0:17:49.920 Pooh from you know, back in my days before. And 0:17:50.119 --> 0:17:52.440 I think, if we're going to Mercury, the most interesting 0:17:52.520 --> 0:17:57.000 thing talking about Vanessa Williams is when I was at Rush, 0:17:57.040 --> 0:18:01.000 I started a company there called Rush Producer Man RPM, 0:18:01.560 --> 0:18:07.040 and I represented you know, the Bomb Squad, Eric Vietnam, Sadler, 0:18:07.280 --> 0:18:09.560 Larry Smith, Sam Sever. 0:18:10.520 --> 0:18:13.119 The jam Master, Jason Williams, and so. 0:18:13.480 --> 0:18:15.440 The late great Gary Harris. 0:18:15.960 --> 0:18:17.159 Ah. Gary. 0:18:18.000 --> 0:18:20.159 You know, every conversation I ever had with Gary was 0:18:20.200 --> 0:18:24.000 always like I don't even know how to visually describe, 0:18:24.280 --> 0:18:26.720 but he'd just be like one of those cats that 0:18:26.840 --> 0:18:30.440 would always cover his mouth like uh, like it's it's 0:18:30.560 --> 0:18:35.679 a casino, like yeah, like the is watching the right 0:18:35.760 --> 0:18:37.640 right right, But he'd be like, yo, this kid named 0:18:37.680 --> 0:18:38.840 DiAngelo like whatever. 0:18:39.680 --> 0:18:42.480 It was part of the D'Angelo team at Emi. But 0:18:42.840 --> 0:18:44.120 he was at Mercury first. 0:18:44.520 --> 0:18:46.840 Well, he was friends with Ed. He never went there. 0:18:47.000 --> 0:18:50.160 So Ed had Wing records, and he had Tony Tony Tony. 0:18:50.480 --> 0:18:53.399 He had Vanessa. They were trying to blow her up 0:18:53.880 --> 0:18:56.680 and Gary said Joe, you need to meet Cortez. She's 0:18:56.720 --> 0:19:00.840 working with all the hot hip hop producers. So Hank 0:19:00.880 --> 0:19:04.159 Shockley Bomb Squad did a remix of the Right Stuff, right, 0:19:05.040 --> 0:19:08.639 and then I Edward was in California. He would come 0:19:08.720 --> 0:19:11.639 to New York. You know, we'd take him to Nels, 0:19:11.840 --> 0:19:14.119 we take them to the Fever, you know. And so 0:19:14.880 --> 0:19:18.680 I knew all the people out there, the producers, you know. 0:19:18.800 --> 0:19:21.560 I would sleep in the studio at Green Street, like 0:19:21.680 --> 0:19:25.200 when we did Ice Cubes first album, the Bomb Squad. 0:19:25.000 --> 0:19:26.000 You were there to witness that. 0:19:26.240 --> 0:19:30.280 Oh yeah, Jesus, I'm a hip hop zelig. 0:19:35.560 --> 0:19:38.600 All right. You were born in Connecticut, Yes, all right, 0:19:38.680 --> 0:19:40.200 So what was your first musical memory? 0:19:40.480 --> 0:19:42.679 Okay, I was born in Connecticut, but I grew up 0:19:42.680 --> 0:19:45.920 between Connecticut and Harlem. So I always liked to put 0:19:45.960 --> 0:19:48.280 that on the map because I'm you know, I'm kind 0:19:48.280 --> 0:19:50.520 of like Green Acres. I'm like the city and the country. 0:19:51.040 --> 0:19:52.800 I can tell already this is gonna be my favorite 0:19:52.840 --> 0:19:55.600 interview of this whole entire series, Like, oh, she just 0:19:55.720 --> 0:19:58.679 has an energy first memory. 0:19:59.320 --> 0:20:02.400 I'm down on my knees. I'm begging you please, cause 0:20:02.440 --> 0:20:06.920 I'm busted. Ray Charles, Yes, Ingredients and a recipe for soul. 0:20:07.040 --> 0:20:10.119 My mother would play that like three times and the 0:20:10.160 --> 0:20:12.800 house would be She had these records she would play 0:20:13.200 --> 0:20:15.160 to clean the house and she'd be like, I buy 0:20:15.240 --> 0:20:17.320 him three times and the house will be clean. So 0:20:17.480 --> 0:20:21.760 that was one, and then Dinah Washington this Bit of Earth, 0:20:22.440 --> 0:20:24.600 and then there'd be an occasional show too. So I 0:20:24.720 --> 0:20:33.920 love musicals. I don't, said the man on his way 0:20:33.960 --> 0:20:34.440 to it Eco. 0:20:34.640 --> 0:20:37.040 I mean, can I ask a question, speaking of Busted, 0:20:37.640 --> 0:20:42.199 have you ever heard this version of Ray Charles doing Busted? 0:20:42.400 --> 0:20:45.760 And then someone walks on the stage to suck a 0:20:45.800 --> 0:20:47.440 punch Ray, because I guess Ray. 0:20:47.359 --> 0:20:48.200 Slept with this woman. 0:20:49.840 --> 0:20:53.160 Like literally, they're going and he's going through the verse 0:20:53.359 --> 0:20:55.000 and then all of a sudden, you know the the bands, 0:20:55.359 --> 0:20:58.359 you know, like on television when they messed up, like 0:20:58.560 --> 0:21:00.679 literally that moment and someone's. 0:21:00.440 --> 0:21:04.720 Like you a dog. You're a motherfucking dog and racist, 0:21:04.760 --> 0:21:08.200 like bless your hearts, someone, someone come and get this 0:21:08.280 --> 0:21:08.800 gentleman off. 0:21:09.320 --> 0:21:10.320 Fuck you dog. 0:21:11.240 --> 0:21:13.960 Why'd you do that to her? You dog? You dirty, 0:21:14.040 --> 0:21:15.120 disgusting dog. 0:21:15.240 --> 0:21:19.200 And then something did you hear like dog dog, someone 0:21:19.280 --> 0:21:23.520 please come get him off me? And my part was like, wait, 0:21:23.720 --> 0:21:26.159 why is the band letting Rachel's get beat up like 0:21:26.520 --> 0:21:31.399 that speaks more than because they knew, right, And so 0:21:31.520 --> 0:21:35.440 you hear them dragging him to him off like fuck you, Raychel, 0:21:36.040 --> 0:21:39.639 and you hear him like out the door, and I blessed, 0:21:39.680 --> 0:21:41.800 blessed this kind of hard all right, two three? 0:21:41.920 --> 0:21:45.000 And then literally you never heard that, never never. 0:21:45.480 --> 0:21:47.680 That's like my favorite thing, next to like Freddie Ubbert 0:21:47.720 --> 0:21:50.040 cursing out the band and Buddy Rich Germany. 0:21:50.600 --> 0:21:54.280 Yeah, all right, sorry, Well, you know it's funny when 0:21:54.320 --> 0:21:59.679 you were vamping there. I think for a kid, they're the. 0:22:02.480 --> 0:22:02.600 Right. 0:22:02.800 --> 0:22:05.520 Even though I didn't know the lyrics, I love the melody. 0:22:06.040 --> 0:22:09.159 So I think that's why I always remember that so 0:22:09.800 --> 0:22:15.240 strongly as at musical memory, and just how it motivated 0:22:15.280 --> 0:22:16.840 my mother to get the house together. 0:22:17.440 --> 0:22:19.280 You know, that's called I learned that. I learned this 0:22:19.520 --> 0:22:21.920 this morning. Okay, I'm doing the slide movie. 0:22:22.800 --> 0:22:27.040 It's called Counterpoint, where oh damn, Bill just literally came 0:22:27.080 --> 0:22:29.359 alive like rum hello, I know you have to get 0:22:29.440 --> 0:22:29.960 music nerdy. 0:22:30.000 --> 0:22:30.320 I like it. 0:22:30.600 --> 0:22:32.120