1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: Well, what's up? Its way up at Angela Yee. I'm 2 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: Angela Yee. And Jasmine from the Jasmine brand dot Com 3 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:13,400 Speaker 1: is here and we have a true legend in the building. Okay, 4 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, I'm so excited. Billy Porter is here. 5 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 2: Hi, how are you both? 6 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:19,639 Speaker 1: You know what we gotta do? 7 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 2: What do we have to do? 8 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: We gotta let these children know what time is. 9 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 2: Yes, time, Yes, I love it. 10 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: Listen, we are so excited. First of all, we got 11 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 1: a little sneak preview of the album and events and 12 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: when I tell you, we have been in here jamming 13 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: because it is a fun album. 14 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 2: Oh, thank you so much. I'm so excited about it. 15 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 2: You know, I've been in this business for a really 16 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 2: long time. My first album, mainstream R and B album, 17 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 2: came out in nineteen ninety seven. 18 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:52,319 Speaker 1: It was a way different look too. 19 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 2: It was a way different video right, and the business 20 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 2: was very homophobic, and you know, it just wasn't my time. 21 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 2: And what I love about what has been able to 22 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 2: happen in the twenty seven years since is that I've 23 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 2: been able to actually find out who I am, choose myself, 24 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 2: and then use that authenticity to move forward. And the 25 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 2: world also has cracked open in a different way to 26 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 2: receive me in my space. You know, it's been a magical, 27 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 2: magical time to have lived long enough to see this happen, 28 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 2: to be here in this room with y'all on these 29 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,559 Speaker 2: radio stations all over the you know, it's a. 30 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: Thing, and there's listen a lot of wins, you know, 31 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: but then there's some things that you're like, what century 32 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 1: is this? And what you know? Time? Because I saw 33 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: you in Florida just talking about the backwards movement, yes 34 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: of lgbt Q I A plus rights, and I think 35 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: that is a shame, like to see the history being 36 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 1: a race, books being banned. 37 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: Trying to be And if there's one thing that I 38 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 2: can say about it, you know, I met John Lewis. 39 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 2: I had the pleasure of and gift of meeting John 40 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 2: Lewis before he passed. And the one thing that he 41 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:19,639 Speaker 2: always said, never give up hope right, never give up 42 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 2: and never giving you know, and that resonates with me 43 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 2: because what we have to remind the masses is that 44 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 2: the change has already happened. The reason for the pushback 45 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 2: is because the change has already happened. Y'all, Right, that's 46 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 2: why the pushback is so severe. We ain't talking about 47 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 2: that positive part of it. So you know, but I've 48 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 2: lived it. I'm sitting here in front of you. I 49 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 2: was dismissed from the world in the nineties being black 50 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 2: and queer. I was dismissed. There was no space for me, right, 51 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 2: And so the news cycles create a space where it's 52 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 2: all for profit. So if it bleeds, it leads. Yeah, 53 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 2: so nobody's talking about the positive stuff. 54 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 1: Yeah, you're right about that. 55 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 2: You know, there's so much positive going on. 56 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: And something I also have to realize, because the two 57 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: to the matter is that like leadership changes, you know, 58 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: politicians change, and so that's when policies changed too. And 59 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 1: so while you might have somebody who's leading in a 60 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: space right now, that's not permanent and we have the 61 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: power to change that. And sometimes change does seem slow. 62 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 2: It is. 63 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: We want it to happen. 64 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 2: It is now. Calm down. Change is slow. 65 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 3: What do you think was there a moment where you 66 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 3: feel like you saw us a shift in terms of 67 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 3: acceptance and the community was there? I know, there's not 68 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 3: one thing. 69 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's been so the evolution has been so 70 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 2: like the arc of the arc of justice, the arc 71 00:03:56,720 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 2: of whatever beens towards justice. Like I it's been incremental, right, 72 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 2: it's been really slow. It's been incremental. There have been 73 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 2: incremental wins, But for me, I came out in nineteen 74 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 2: eighty five, so there's been incremental wins since nineteen eighty five. 75 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 2: And all of a sudden, you're like, oh, marriage equality, 76 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 2: Oh I can be the black queen that I am, 77 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:21,159 Speaker 2: and y'all now it's my superpower. I'm like I said, 78 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 2: I'm so grateful to have lived long enough. It's like 79 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 2: you just keep putting one foot in front of the other, 80 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:27,920 Speaker 2: Just keep putting one foot in front of the hem, 81 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 2: yeah and all and one day you're like. 82 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: Oh, listen, you could have never told me there would 83 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 1: be a time when it was fashionable for men to 84 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 1: wear a dress no matter what they identify as. And 85 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: now we see guys coming out and you're welcome world. 86 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 2: You're a welcome world. 87 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, just so many things that and look, people still 88 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 1: have an issue with it. Yeah, but there's people that. 89 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 2: You know, that's their issue. Yeah, right, I took myself 90 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 2: out of the masculinity game a couple of decades. Clothes 91 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 2: don't have gender. I don't understand why me having on 92 00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 2: something that's considered feminine triggers other people so much? What 93 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 2: does it have to do with you? Like, I don't 94 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 2: understand the conversation. Actually, why does it bother you? I'm 95 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:25,720 Speaker 2: over here doing me? Why does doing me bother you? Like, 96 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 2: that's the whole conversation, I think, just politically all of it. 97 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 2: It's like, listen, this is not about tolerance. This is 98 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 2: not about acceptance. This is about we're all on the 99 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 2: planet and we have to get along. Right. Respect my 100 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 2: humanity just as I respect everybody's. I don't care who 101 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 2: you are. I don't like a lot of types. I 102 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 2: don't like a lot of types of people. But I'm 103 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 2: not spending my time and my energy trying to take 104 00:05:56,480 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 2: those people's rights away. I honor and respect everybody's humanity. 105 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 1: Right, we coexist and those outfits be amazing. 106 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 3: I was just thinking when he was saying, why is 107 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 3: it bother you? Maybe because you look better? I want, 108 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 3: you know, like I want this leg, this right leg 109 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 3: right here, I take this right leg. 110 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:22,280 Speaker 1: Why are you looking like this? 111 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 2: And I'm looking like you look gorgeous. 112 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:27,840 Speaker 1: I want to get back to the album because you 113 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:32,799 Speaker 1: did get the same audacity. Now that actually veered off 114 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 1: of like the but it was so amazing to me 115 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: just from the beginning of it. A different type of 116 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 1: feel and sound on the album, but so honest and 117 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:45,840 Speaker 1: I feel like something that was definitely very autobiographical. So 118 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: let's talk about that song for a second where you 119 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 1: discussed just growing up up. 120 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:58,479 Speaker 2: I am a complete human being, I am a complete artist. 121 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:03,280 Speaker 2: This album really took on a life of its own. 122 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 2: It started out and it was supposed to be you know, 123 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 2: it started out. My idea was to have it be 124 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 2: a house disco, continuous, you know, dance music album. And 125 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 2: thank god, as we were writing it and I was 126 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 2: open to the spirit coming in and shifting it and 127 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 2: however it needed to be, it became something else, thank god, 128 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 2: because I would have been buried under Beyonce right. That 129 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 2: was the world going not yet boom, not yet do 130 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:39,679 Speaker 2: this right. And so there are a lot of different 131 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 2: styles and genres on the record, and my hope is 132 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 2: that people will go back old school and listen to 133 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 2: it from beginning, middle and end, because there's a shape 134 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,679 Speaker 2: to it, there's an emotional journey to it that's on purpose, 135 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 2: and you ending it ending from where we start to 136 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 2: audacity at the end, which is a stripped down version 137 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 2: of self love, of self, love, of self, care of self, 138 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 2: knowledge of understanding your purpose, understanding It took me understanding 139 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 2: my purpose, my calling. Dare I say my ministry on 140 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 2: this planet? And I do, dare? And it took some time, 141 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 2: you know, so audacity to show up honestly, How dare 142 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 2: I believe that I could only be me? The audacity 143 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 2: to speak without trembling. 144 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 1: It's like poetry. It was. I wanted to give that 145 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 1: little kid a hug that you talk about how you 146 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 1: were when you were young? Did you have support? Was 147 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: there anybody you felt like you could counfight in my art? 148 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 2: Was my confidant. You know, I have a book out 149 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 2: I talk about it, Unprotected. It's a memoir. The title, 150 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 2: it's all in the title. I was completely unprotected. My 151 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 2: family loved me. It wasn't that. But my queerness. You're 152 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 2: born this way, and my queerness was very evident, and 153 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 2: that was difficult growing up in the Pentecostal church. 154 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: Yes, growing up. 155 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 2: In the world as it was coming out at fifteen 156 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 2: and then there was the age crisis right there, you know, 157 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 2: there was a lot of trauma, and my comfort was 158 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 2: my art. And I'm so grateful to have understood that 159 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 2: so early. I really understood it really early, and I 160 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 2: knew that my singing voice, my talent, was my protector, 161 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 2: it was my weapon. It was everything to me, my identity, 162 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 2: it was everything, and it saved me. It really did. 163 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: That's great. That's why arts is so important. 164 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:08,839 Speaker 3: It is for sure. Absolutely my favorite song is More 165 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:12,439 Speaker 3: to Learn. That would be my favorite. 166 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 2: Oh, I love that. 167 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 1: I love this and I want to tell you because 168 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 1: they just sent us to and we have been like 169 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: listened to it over and over again because this fine 170 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: name reminds me of like going to the club, because 171 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: I feel like we don't go out like that anymore. 172 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: But I also feel like, now you said you didn't 173 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:30,839 Speaker 1: want to get buried, you know with Beyonce. But I 174 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:32,560 Speaker 1: feel like that also sets the stage. 175 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 3: Absolutely, it made it more. I mean it made it more, 176 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 3: like made me more aware aware. 177 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 2: Of the importance of it. Yeah. Absolutely, absolutely, I'm so 178 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 2: excited that she did it. Yeah, and I get piggyback, honey, 179 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:51,320 Speaker 2: because you went to the concert recently and I'm not 180 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:55,080 Speaker 2: a concert girl. I'm not a big concert person. I'm 181 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 2: a theater person, right, so, like there are very few 182 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 2: concerts I've been and baby who unreal really really just 183 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 2: I was forever changed right now. 184 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: I want to ask you even with this album, because 185 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: first of all, you have so much going on that 186 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: I know we can't get to. But I know the 187 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 1: album right now is your baby. This is and the 188 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 1: tour and this is the most important thing to you 189 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:23,719 Speaker 1: right now. When did you realize that you wanted to 190 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:25,559 Speaker 1: put something out, because like you said, it's been since 191 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: like nineteen ninety seven when you put out your first album. 192 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,200 Speaker 1: When did you know, Okay, it's time to do this 193 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 1: again because you've been putting out singles, but I've. 194 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 2: Also had this is my fifth album. I had the 195 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 2: first one, and then I went inside and as my 196 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 2: career progressed, I did self production, right, So I produced 197 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 2: at the Corner of Broadway and Soul in ninety five, 198 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 2: which was in conjunction with the One Person show that 199 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,679 Speaker 2: I wrote and directed down at the Public Theater under 200 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 2: the tutelage of George Wolf. So that came out that 201 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 2: was self produced. Then when I did Kinky Boots, Yes 202 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 2: and Yeah, I and I signed to Concord for an album. 203 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 2: I did a big sort of roper streisand a full 204 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 2: orchestral you know, Broadway standards album that was amazing. And 205 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 2: then in twenty seventeen, I knew that I wanted to 206 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 2: cross back over into contemporary pop R and B. I 207 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:40,840 Speaker 2: wanted to cross back over into that space, and so 208 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 2: I took the Richard Rogers cannon of Rogers and Hart, 209 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 2: Rodgers and Hammerstein. I took that cannon. All of those 210 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 2: classic songs that we know but we don't know, my 211 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:54,199 Speaker 2: favorite things, you know, my funny Valentine, all those songs 212 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 2: that you know that they wrote back in the forty 213 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:58,959 Speaker 2: and fifties that are so classic that you don't even 214 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 2: know that they're you know. So I took those songs 215 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 2: and I spun them in like uh, I just blocked 216 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 2: them up, you know, R and B gospel, soul, hip 217 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:16,680 Speaker 2: hop rap. And then I brought guests on, you know, 218 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 2: people like Leslie, Odom Junior and Petina Miller and Letusy 219 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 2: and India I Ree and Deborah Cox Wow, you know, 220 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:27,319 Speaker 2: and so it was it was sort of my version 221 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:33,199 Speaker 2: of Tadra Call and and what's the group the Pentatonics, 222 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 2: you know, And that was me sort of doing my 223 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 2: like you know Broadway where hip Quincy Jones producing it 224 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 2: thing with my friends kind of thing. Yeah, but I 225 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 2: also understood that because I have this Broadway audience businessman wise, 226 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 2: I need to help them cross the bridge back over 227 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 2: to this other stuff, because this is the real stuff. 228 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 2: Y'all know me from Broadway, but I'm a gospel R 229 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 2: and B soul singer. So I used that as a 230 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:05,960 Speaker 2: bridge in my mind. I knew I want to go 231 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 2: back to that, and speaking that into the universe brought 232 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 2: it to me. And by twenty nineteen, I was like 233 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 2: swirled up into this deal. And you know, was it 234 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 2: twenty nineteen. 235 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: Maybe it was before the year. 236 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 2: It was a little before the pandemic. It was the 237 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 2: year of the pandemic at year twenty twenty, it was 238 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 2: it was around January, early January of the pandemic, and 239 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 2: I started to like get interest from Steve Patron over 240 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 2: in England, and when the Goldstein here, and you know, 241 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 2: it just sort of swirled together and all of a 242 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 2: sudden I was back in a like real pop deal. 243 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 2: Like you know, at like fifty, I'm like, you know, 244 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 2: I'm fifty four. I'm fierce and very fierce. There's no 245 00:14:58,520 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 2: a time limit to your game. 246 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: You're fifty four. But you know, I feel like things 247 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 1: aligned for you also because there's a lot of chaos 248 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 1: right now when it comes to acting and you know, 249 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 1: for writing to but you have so many talents, yeah, 250 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 1: that I feel like you'll always have some type of avenue. 251 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: When this is a strike going on here, at least 252 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 1: you know, there's other things that you can you know, focus. 253 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 2: It's a gift. It really is a blessing, and it's 254 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 2: really a gift. And I remember early I'm gonna throw 255 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 2: a name out, Sandy Gallan, huge, huge manager back in 256 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 2: the day, Michael Jackson, Barbi Striss, you know that kind 257 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 2: of makes that's huge. And in the early nineties when 258 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 2: I was doing my first music, I met with him 259 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 2: and he was thinking about producing me. And he said 260 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 2: to me, you have to make a choice. You have 261 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 2: to do one thing. You can't do all the things 262 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 2: that you do. Nobody's gonna understand you. You have to 263 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 2: make it. And I said, and he was, you know, 264 00:15:57,760 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 2: in his seventies at the time, and I said, with 265 00:15:59,880 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 2: all due respect, I understand what you're saying, and I 266 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 2: have to respectfully school you I'm a black gay man 267 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 2: in America. I didn't use gay man. I used the 268 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 2: F word, and I said it on purpose, because the 269 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 2: homophobia is violent, right, that F word is violent. That's 270 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 2: what it felt like. And I said, Unfortunately, if I 271 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 2: only focus on one thing and that one thing doesn't 272 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 2: work out, I am a ss out and my word, yeah, 273 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 2: I'm trying to not cut. If I don't work, if 274 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 2: it doesn't work out, I'm ass out. So I have 275 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 2: to keep going through the doors that are open for 276 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 2: me at any given time and kicking the other ones 277 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 2: down simultaneously. And so all these years later, this is 278 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 2: like thirty plus years later, I'm so glad I trusted 279 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 2: and believed in myself. They did because all the doors 280 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:09,159 Speaker 2: have cracked open at the same time and they're all happened. 281 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 2: You know, it's I just I mean, you see how 282 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 2: giddy I am. I just can't even believe it. 283 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 3: You're intense. 284 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:19,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, we love it. 285 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:22,400 Speaker 1: It's great and you want award away from an egot? 286 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 1: Is that something that you really think about, like, cause 287 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: you're gonna make it happen. 288 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 2: But here's the deal, Okay, I can't not think about 289 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 2: it because everybody else in the world. We keep asking 290 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 2: you about it, keep asking me, yes, here's the deal. 291 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 2: I learned really early. I went to Cardiga Mellen University 292 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:42,120 Speaker 2: for acting. 293 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:44,600 Speaker 1: Not an easy school to get into for drama, one of. 294 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 2: The greatest in the world and I and they taught 295 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:52,440 Speaker 2: us with as stressful as that place was and problematic 296 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 2: at that time, that it was the thing that they 297 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 2: taught us was the difference in living your life as 298 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 2: an artist, a real artist, choosing to be an artist 299 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 2: or wanting to be some sort of superstar. Those are 300 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 2: two different things. Some of the time the two intersect. 301 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 2: But like I learned that the art is the point. 302 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 2: You do the art because you're called to do it. 303 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 2: Sometimes the byproduct of what we do is all this 304 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,920 Speaker 2: fabulous stuff, all these wards and others. So it's a 305 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:32,720 Speaker 2: by product and it's like it doesn't matter and it matters. 306 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 2: It's like the Internet. It's like it's like social media. 307 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:38,719 Speaker 2: It's like it doesn't mean anything and it means everything 308 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 2: at the same time, right. 309 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:42,480 Speaker 1: Because some people will be like, look, you signed up 310 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: for this, Like you're getting attacked online where people are 311 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:49,399 Speaker 1: in your privacy coming up to you asking for pictures 312 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:51,439 Speaker 1: when you don't feel like taking a picture and you're out, 313 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 1: absolutely can't have your private time. But it's like at 314 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:56,640 Speaker 1: the same time they tell you, well, this is part 315 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:57,440 Speaker 1: of what comes with it. 316 00:18:57,560 --> 00:18:58,920 Speaker 2: Is it is a part of what comes with it. 317 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:03,680 Speaker 2: And I am grateful that I was able to live 318 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:06,440 Speaker 2: a life. You know, it didn't really hit for me 319 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:08,879 Speaker 2: until I was forty nine years old where I became 320 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 2: the thing I am now. 321 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 3: I found out about you on post Yeah. 322 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:17,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was forty. I was forty seven years old. 323 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:20,680 Speaker 2: I already won an Emmy and a Grammy. By the 324 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:23,359 Speaker 2: time that happened with Kinky Boots, I had already had 325 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:25,359 Speaker 2: twenty five year career. 326 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, but I'm I'm I'm not in that 327 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:29,120 Speaker 3: world of course. 328 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 1: I just went to her first Broadway player last night. Yeah. Yeah, 329 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 1: what's it called John African Hair Brady? 330 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:37,680 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeahh yes. 331 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 3: I do have a quick question about this track listing. 332 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:46,160 Speaker 3: What is there one particular record that was really hard 333 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 3: for you to come up with or to tell that story? 334 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,680 Speaker 2: No, no, because the whole point for me now is 335 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 2: to tell everything. 336 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 1: Okay, okay, And for me, this is my magnum opus, 337 00:19:57,920 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 1: this is. 338 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 2: My songs in the Key of Life. I wrote everything 339 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:03,960 Speaker 2: but one song. What song is that? I didn't write Children? 340 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 3: I like Children? 341 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:15,119 Speaker 2: You More to Learn sort of came out of nowhere 342 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 2: and I was writing with Justin Tranter and the team, 343 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 2: and I was like, what's frustrating about the journey is 344 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:31,440 Speaker 2: that their life there's never really like you have to 345 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 2: choose to be present, you have to choose joy, you 346 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 2: have to choose it. It doesn't just show up right. 347 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 2: And so I'm having all of this wild success and 348 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 2: simultaneously there's a lot of uncomfortable stuff going on at 349 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:59,399 Speaker 2: the same time, and I was like, why am I 350 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:05,359 Speaker 2: still so agitated? Why do I still have so much anxiety? Like? 351 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:10,600 Speaker 2: And so that's where that lyric came from. High as 352 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 2: high as I still I still have lessons to learn. 353 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 2: You know, it's really a powerful song. It's really a 354 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 2: powerful song. I love that song. You know. 355 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 3: I want to choose joy. I want to be present. 356 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 3: Can you give me some tangible suggestions on how to 357 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 3: do that. 358 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:33,159 Speaker 2: I'm still trying. I put one foot in front of 359 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:37,200 Speaker 2: the other every day. Sometimes I'm really successful at it, 360 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:39,560 Speaker 2: sometimes I'm not. I meditate. 361 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,479 Speaker 1: I find you don't enjoy the success without the failures too. 362 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:48,120 Speaker 1: Because when things don't go right, you know, you feel 363 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:50,640 Speaker 1: so much better. Yeah, it is true. 364 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:55,879 Speaker 2: But I write. I'm a writer, and I did a 365 00:21:55,920 --> 00:22:00,160 Speaker 2: book which I think anybody who is struggling or even 366 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:04,560 Speaker 2: not struggling, but looking for a way to understand the 367 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 2: creativity inside of them express it, bring it out. There's 368 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:11,440 Speaker 2: a workbook that is very popular called The Artist's Way 369 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 2: by Julia Cameron. It's a twelve week workbook, and you know, 370 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:19,760 Speaker 2: she has this thing in it called morning Pages. And 371 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 2: the original conceit is you just write three pages long 372 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 2: hand every day, and you're just supposed to write it 373 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 2: Longhand because it's a different. 374 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 1: Kind of connection because no one does that anymore. 375 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:35,639 Speaker 2: And it's free thinking, of course, and it's free thinking. 376 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:39,200 Speaker 2: And you know, and I find I don't write it anymore. 377 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 2: I type, I type it, and I type three pages 378 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 2: every you know, try to do it as as many 379 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:52,440 Speaker 2: mornings as I can. And that is a you know, 380 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 2: it's a calming, meditative action that is really useful. 381 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:01,000 Speaker 3: And did you ever get married again? 382 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: Uh? Yeah, as you should. 383 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:07,879 Speaker 2: I still believe love. I would get married again with 384 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:08,359 Speaker 2: the pre. 385 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 1: Nup as you should. 386 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 2: In the show business right world, you know, I got it. 387 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 1: It's not an easy thing. Like you said, when you sneeze, 388 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:18,879 Speaker 1: it's in the press and it's in the news, so 389 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:21,199 Speaker 1: you know, put it in the music too. 390 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:22,119 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 391 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:24,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, we appreciate you so much for coming through. 392 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:26,640 Speaker 1: I'm excited. Can you talk about the tour a little 393 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:29,159 Speaker 1: bit and let people know what to expect when they 394 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:29,679 Speaker 1: come to So. 395 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 2: I have to come back on tour, but I did 396 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 2: a tour in May, twenty five cities in five weeks. 397 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 2: It was a lot, so magical. It was so great 398 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 2: to connect with the people. And the concert and the music, 399 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 2: as you can hear, is a celebration of life. Yes, 400 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 2: it's a celebration of hope, joy, peace, all of that. 401 00:23:55,680 --> 00:24:00,920 Speaker 2: It's it's and my intention with this album and when 402 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:02,480 Speaker 2: I go back on the road is to give the 403 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:05,399 Speaker 2: world a big bare hud. It's time to heal, right, 404 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:09,960 Speaker 2: and we do that together. We heal the collective traumas 405 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:15,720 Speaker 2: that we've been through recently and beyond together. We do 406 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 2: that together, and the world needs a healing. 407 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 1: And I want to be a part of that, right 408 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:20,879 Speaker 1: Because when this album comes out, you got to do 409 00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: the tour. 410 00:24:21,760 --> 00:24:23,400 Speaker 2: Well, I've done the tour even. 411 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,720 Speaker 1: So, I'm going to be doing it, yeah, because it 412 00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:30,879 Speaker 1: comes out November seventeen, Yes, it does. And so I 413 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 1: think that once it's out, people need to, like, you know, 414 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:35,359 Speaker 1: because we've had the pleasure of hearing it. We need 415 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 1: to sing along. And it's and it's called black Mona 416 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: Lisa Yana Lisa. 417 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:42,359 Speaker 2: Yeah. Just so y'all get into that title. Toling. 418 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 1: Okay, so you already know it's going to be some drama. 419 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 1: But we love it and we love you too, Billy Porter, 420 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:49,680 Speaker 1: thank you so much for coming up here. I know 421 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:52,640 Speaker 1: there's a looks for having money, but I do feel 422 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:54,399 Speaker 1: like with this album, people are going to really love 423 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: it because we did. 424 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:56,080 Speaker 3: Yes, we did. 425 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: It's a joint. 426 00:24:56,960 --> 00:24:57,359 Speaker 2: Thank you. 427 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 1: All right. It's way up with Angela and and I 428 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:02,879 Speaker 1: was thinking also way up is like you you are 429 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,440 Speaker 1: so way up from where you started. But I know 430 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 1: you will say that you're still on the way up 431 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 1: to me. You're you know, yeah, but it's always at 432 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:13,000 Speaker 1: the level to do that all the time. 433 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:18,199 Speaker 2: I do that all the time, all 434 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:22,080 Speaker 1: Right, Billy Porter, Well,