1 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:10,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to Jay dot Ill, a production of iHeartRadio. Hi, 2 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: welcome to Jay dot Ill the Podcast. This is Jill 3 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: Scott and I'm here with my sister friends. Hey, Joe 4 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:22,760 Speaker 1: Graydon Dan's luck. That would be myself and Layah's Saint Claire. 5 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,479 Speaker 1: You better talk about it, tell the world about it. Yeah, 6 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: today's uh, this conversation that we're having today, I'm having 7 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: a little bit of trouble because you know, I don't 8 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:38,199 Speaker 1: I don't know where to begin. Bless see. Well, I 9 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: remember being a little girl with my mom and we 10 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 1: got all dressed up and she even I even had 11 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 1: a purse that day, and I don't know how she 12 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: managed this, um, but we were on the front row 13 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: of a play and um my mom had taken me 14 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: to many plays at this point, and you know, I 15 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: was I was sighted, and I was told to, you know, 16 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 1: cross my legs because I was sitting in a front seat, 17 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:07,039 Speaker 1: which I did like a little lady. And I even 18 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: had perfume at that well, we saw The Whiz and 19 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: I remember there were parts that scared me and I 20 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: climbed under the chair because I was afraid, and my 21 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: mom said, it's okay, it's okay. It's okay. And I 22 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: remember sitting back in my chair and watching and I 23 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 1: had my whole body pushed forward and this voice, all 24 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:34,759 Speaker 1: ladies and gentlemen, this voice it was it was just 25 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 1: it was pure and warm and real and honest. And 26 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: when she sang home, I'm about to cry. I'm trying 27 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: to getting myself together. When she sang home, it was 28 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 1: this feeling of like somebody had poured syrup, warm syrup, 29 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: all over our bodies. It was one of the most amazing, 30 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 1: incredible experiences that I've had in a life, in a 31 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: whole lifetime. I'm going to continue with some more stories. 32 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,919 Speaker 1: Years later, many many years later, I had an album 33 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: out and I was doing pretty good, I think, and 34 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: there was an artist who had a number one hit 35 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: on the radio. And this is this is hearsay. I 36 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: don't know if this is true or not, but I'm 37 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: gonna go ahead and tell this story. Well, anyway, there 38 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: was this this artist that had a number one hit 39 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: on the radio. It was everywhere was great for them, 40 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: and they were doing a show with this woman that 41 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: I'm going to introduce you to. Okay, anyway, so the 42 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: artist was upset that they had to go before the 43 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: woman that we're about to speak to now, and made 44 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: a big stink about it, made such a stink to 45 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: the promoters and such they said fine, you know, I 46 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 1: mean didn't say fine. But actually the artist that is 47 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: here with us today she heard because people in the 48 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:00,359 Speaker 1: band were overhearing, you know, the foolishness I want. I 49 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,920 Speaker 1: don't understand. I got a number one hit. So the 50 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: band went back and told this lovely artist that I'm 51 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 1: with and she said, go ahead, let them close. Well, honey, 52 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: I was not there, okay, so take this with with 53 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 1: the you know, a spoonful of not even a spoon, 54 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: take it with a grain of salt, because I was 55 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: not there. But from what I understand from the musicians 56 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: that were there and the artist members that were there, 57 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: that Miss Stephanie Mills got on stage and proceeded to 58 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: tear the bricks out of the building one by one. 59 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: Don't buy one, understand dub And she hadn't even sung 60 00:03:53,240 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: home yet. Okay, Oh they be Afterwards, after the crowd 61 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:07,040 Speaker 1: hads cried and sung and danced and hugged each other 62 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: and cheered Miss Stephanie Mills on. They were exhausted because 63 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 1: she left no crumbs, not a single one. Everybody was full, okay. 64 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 1: And then the artist that made such a stink went 65 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: on after her and sang the one song that they 66 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: had that was the hit. And that's all you can 67 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: really say is blessed, bless their heart, ladies and gentlemen. 68 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: It is are great and deep honor and pleasure to 69 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 1: say hello to miss Stephanie Mills. SI you guys, and 70 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 1: you know that is a true story. It's sad, but 71 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:59,480 Speaker 1: it's true. But later years, that same artist, like maybe 72 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: last two years ago, sent me a letter and apologized 73 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 1: for that. And and that was that bb Kings. Yeah, 74 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: was that bb Kings. I don't want to say the 75 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: artist name because I'm not into that, but that was 76 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: that was a true story. She wouldn't even take a 77 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: picture with me. We won't want to take picture. She 78 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:24,279 Speaker 1: wouldn't take a picture with me or anything. And I 79 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: was like, okay, this, I can go on. First even now, 80 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:32,160 Speaker 1: I have no problem. First, second, whatever, I'm going to 81 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: go on and enjoy myself because I really love to 82 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: perform and sing. So even now and even now, there's 83 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:42,359 Speaker 1: some artists out there that are mean, you know, and 84 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: they are of my age and of my error and 85 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: they're still mean and I don't know why, but I 86 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:51,280 Speaker 1: just like to enjoy and I like to lift us up. 87 00:05:51,880 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: I'm unapologetically black. Yes you were, I say black, Andy, Black, 88 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: black up in here. As as a general rule, welcome home, 89 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: Thank you, thank you. We love you for it. We do. 90 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 1: You're just the tiny pocket of fantastic and brilliant vocals. 91 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: My goodness. Wow wow wow wow. Okay. We need that 92 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: kind of we need you know, that kind of leadership 93 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: and an energy at all times amongst us, those of 94 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 1: us who are strong in who we are and in 95 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: and in our craft. Yes, because all don't decide to 96 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: do both right. Some decide to just be strong in 97 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,919 Speaker 1: the craft, which is fine, But others who decide to 98 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: be strong in the craft, but then also be strong 99 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 1: in their word and what they say, in their identity 100 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: and who they are and repping for us as a 101 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:59,600 Speaker 1: community and a culture. That's very important to me, because 102 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 1: there's a lot of scared negroes out there, and I 103 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 1: don't know why in twenty twenty three were still afraid. 104 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: You know, I've been told so many times, oh, you're 105 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: going to be blacklisted, or you're gonna be this if 106 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 1: you do that. You know, when I took off to 107 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: have my son in five years, I was home with 108 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: him coming home because I wanted to be home with 109 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 1: my son when he came home to school. Oh that's 110 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: a death, that's suicide. I've had people tell me, oh, 111 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 1: dark girls are not popular anymore and you should learn 112 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 1: how to sing jazz and to that, you know, I 113 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: just listen and I'm like, you have your opinion, but 114 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 1: God has a whole another opinion. And That's how I've 115 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 1: always lived my life. I've always you know, I've always 116 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: been told I was to this, too black, to this, 117 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 1: too short, not pretty enough, and I never bought into that. 118 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 1: I always stayed in my lane, did what I wanted 119 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: to do, and I never wanted to be well. I 120 00:07:55,880 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: am pop because I am popular, just like Jill, it's pop, 121 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: she's popular, So what is pop? You know, I've always 122 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 1: said we're popular, We already pop. You know, it's just 123 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: what they choose to put their machine behind. And I've 124 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: had that machine behind me early in my career, and 125 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: I understood what it meant and what it didn't mean. 126 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: But I chose to be who I am, and I 127 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 1: liked what I was doing, so I didn't want to. 128 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: I didn't want to have to sell my soul to 129 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 1: be a certain to get at a certain level. And 130 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 1: I don't like when people say, oh, you should be 131 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: at this level? What level you're already at a level? 132 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:41,679 Speaker 1: What level is that? I never understood that when people 133 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:45,040 Speaker 1: say sell your soul, what does that mean to you? 134 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: That means that you have done or will do just 135 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: about anything to be in a circle of people that 136 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:57,960 Speaker 1: you don't need to be in. All the people that 137 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 1: I know that have been encircles what they thought was 138 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: better or that would further their career is dead. M 139 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 1: they are dead. Um why do we I don't. I 140 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: never understood why we see artists, our black artists, or 141 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,320 Speaker 1: you see the example of what not to do, and 142 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 1: then you continue to go down that same time. I never, 143 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 1: I never understood it. And I never understand why we 144 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 1: think vanilla ice cream is colder than chocolate. I never, 145 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: I never understood that. And I don't know if it's 146 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 1: what we think. What do you think it is? Like 147 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: you said, um, some artists are pushed, some content is pushed, 148 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 1: and that is to keep us not loving each other, yes, 149 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 1: not being kind to one another, not listening to one another, separating. 150 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: It's the said whole, you know, Willie Lynch thing still 151 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 1: absolutely absolutely However, you know, people argue about if that's 152 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:09,600 Speaker 1: true or not, but it appears to be true to 153 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 1: me because it's continuing separate the light from the dark, 154 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 1: the young from the old, separate the families from their children, 155 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: you know, just separation. And it's it appears that this 156 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 1: is what this particular society enjoys. They prefer us that way. 157 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 1: You said something I won't pretend to quote you, but 158 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 1: I thought it was absolutely the truth you said. It 159 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 1: was something along the lines of, um, they want our music, 160 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 1: just not from us, Yes, they want R and B, 161 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: but not from me or you. They wanted from Justin 162 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 1: Timberlake or Adell or Molly Cyrus. So you know there's 163 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,959 Speaker 1: still you know, like, how can you name Justin Timberlake 164 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 1: the R and B king? What is that? Who did that? Nobody? 165 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 1: You know? Is so offensive? It's very offensive. I find 166 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,319 Speaker 1: it offensive. But it's what it is, you know. It's like, 167 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 1: it's what it is. You don't expect anything different. But 168 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: if like uh Tyweese that song Shane, that was incredible 169 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 1: and Justin Timberlake sang that song. Yes'll be hearing it 170 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 1: right now, right right, it would have he would want 171 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 1: all kind of Grammys, all kinds of this. It's the 172 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: same thing, and it's really sad. Yeah, because we followed it. 173 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 1: We followed the same model. When we become we do 174 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 1: the same thing. I would saying with somebody the other 175 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: day they were like, why do you why do some 176 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 1: people feel like they need a white figurehead to do things? 177 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: I was like, no, shase definitely, But I was like, 178 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 1: it's a very boomer mentality. But it's not their fault, 179 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:47,480 Speaker 1: right right, It's not their fault because that's what they 180 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: had to do. So now we're stopping it, but we 181 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 1: need to continue to tell the story of why we 182 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: did it and why it wasn't their fault. But you 183 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: know it's it's yeah. I mean, we have a business 184 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:01,079 Speaker 1: that doesn't like to update its modality. It fights every 185 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 1: time our business has to shift or change, it fights 186 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:07,559 Speaker 1: it tooth and nail. Yes, And I don't know if 187 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 1: that's like that with every other industry, but this industry 188 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:14,720 Speaker 1: is very married to the way that it does things, 189 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:19,079 Speaker 1: and so people just don't want to shift or change. 190 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 1: More real talk after the break. You mentioned the machine. 191 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 1: I really want you to speak to some of the 192 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 1: younger artists. I think the machine is very It's attractive 193 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 1: because it helps to get things done that they think 194 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: they need to get done. What are some of the 195 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: things that they need to really think about if they're 196 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 1: going to engage with the machine. How do you maintain 197 00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: and still end up a Stephanie Mills having the mentality 198 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 1: that you have after interacting with that. Stay true to yourself, 199 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 1: you know, know how, just like they know how to 200 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: deal with us, you have to know and learn how 201 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: to deal with them and get what we need from 202 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 1: them in just that space. But keep your surroundings small 203 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 1: and keep people that you can trust. You can't trust everybody, 204 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:26,199 Speaker 1: and sometimes even the people that you have around you 205 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: will sell you out. So you have to give what 206 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 1: you can give. But keep the best part of yourself 207 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 1: or yourself yourself. Don't teach everybody everything you know. Oh, 208 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: I always say you can give. You could give a lot, 209 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 1: but definitely keep keep the most important parts for yourselves. 210 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:51,560 Speaker 1: You have to you have to and just navigate, navigate 211 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: through it. That's not what they do because they they 212 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 1: throw us away when they're finished making money off of us, 213 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 1: and then there's an you flavor, you know what I'm saying. 214 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 1: So as soon as they make money, I mean, they'll 215 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 1: cancel us just like nothing. It's nothing to them, We 216 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: mean nothing to them. We are dollar cents, we are dollars. 217 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:17,439 Speaker 1: And I mean, look how they made the rap game 218 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 1: R and B? What what is that? For a long 219 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 1: time took the R and B category of off television. 220 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: I think it still is. It still is because it 221 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 1: doesn't matter to them. And why we don't see that, 222 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 1: Why we don't address that. The ones that have that 223 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 1: kind of power, the ones that have elevated to that 224 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 1: kind of power, why don't they adjust that? They don't 225 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 1: because they're afraid to be canceled. Yeah, I absolutely believe 226 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 1: that we need a whole other thing. We need We 227 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 1: need other shows, We need other support, We need other 228 00:14:55,560 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 1: outlets we do that that really celebrate excellence. But here's 229 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 1: the thing we have. We have some other shows, right 230 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: like we have Image Awards, we now have De Grio. 231 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: The question is the way that certain shows legitimize you 232 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: as an artist. You can have a fifty dozen black things, 233 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: but if this is this, this one is the king, 234 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 1: and you keep making it the king, and you make 235 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: it the king, right, you pay your money. And the 236 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:26,080 Speaker 1: thing is, the king don't pay you. The king doesn't 237 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 1: give you anything. You pay the king to sit in 238 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: the king's court. And this is this is this is 239 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 1: when we don't elevate. Like I said, if you're using 240 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 1: the same model and you slap a black face on it, 241 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 1: it's not different. This is the problem though, that a 242 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 1: lot of people don't know a lot of the black 243 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: shows are written by white writers. A lot of them. Yes, yes, yes, 244 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 1: they put a black director or a black producer in 245 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: front of it to make you think it's black. And 246 00:15:57,200 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 1: they did. That's why I thought that, because Jesse p did. 247 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: It's not it's not. Then these these black shows have 248 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 1: a white producer that's telling them what they can and 249 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 1: cannot do. That's the problem. And then you have your 250 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 1: beets who sold to to what Amazon? You think they 251 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 1: care about us? I think Barry Gordy should have held 252 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 1: on to motown. We sell our things out and whites 253 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 1: hold on to theirs. That's power, that's wealth, you know 254 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 1: what I'm saying. It's like we should Bob Johnson should 255 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: have never sold b et why white people hold on 256 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 1: to their things. We got to learn to hold on 257 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 1: to ours and pass it down to our children. I 258 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: saw an interview recently with Byron Allen shout out to him. 259 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: He said he was in the in the room when 260 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: Barry Gordy sold Motown, and he said all he could 261 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: do with crying. I'm just grown in in the suit 262 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 1: handling business, just sobbing like a baby. You know. I 263 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 1: probably added more to that. Yeah, it's like, how much 264 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 1: more money do you really need? Is that's so powerful? 265 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 1: We should still own Motel and I think I agree 266 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: it's been revitalized. I also think if we're going to 267 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 1: have these companies, we also need to be more ethical 268 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:22,119 Speaker 1: about our practices. Yes, if we are, we have to 269 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: step up and be better than what we've been taught 270 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:29,160 Speaker 1: to be from these other, you know examples. If we're 271 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 1: going to be exploitative too to our own people, then 272 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 1: what does that say? So a lot of times it's 273 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 1: for me, it's it's it's and in both we should 274 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: be an ownership of our own things, but we should 275 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 1: be operating at a level that far exceeds the ethical 276 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: or the moral compass or whatever you want to call it. 277 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: You know that these I mean a completely different model, Yes, 278 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:56,119 Speaker 1: completely different, because you know me personally, I'm not happy 279 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 1: with a black man owning my masters, no more than 280 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 1: I'm happy with a white man owning master absolutely. Um 281 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 1: huh wow. And where do we start? Well, I love it. This, 282 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: this is tea baby. And where do we start? I'm 283 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,440 Speaker 1: into it. Listen, it's gonna be quiet because this is 284 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: what you do. This is this is what you do, 285 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,639 Speaker 1: ladies and gentlemen of however old you are, when you 286 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: are in a space with someone who has far more 287 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 1: experience than you, who has seen and felt things that 288 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: you you couldn't even put into words. When you're in 289 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 1: that space, you get quiet. Okay. So this is one 290 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 1: of those times that I'm just so pleased to be 291 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:43,439 Speaker 1: able to speak to you. We all are, which is 292 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 1: so pleased and excited. What are you excited about? I'm 293 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: excited about us. I love us and I will for 294 00:18:56,119 --> 00:19:00,479 Speaker 1: My mother was a very strong, strong woman and had 295 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 1: a business in Brooklyn. I'm from Brooklyn, New York, grew 296 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 1: up in bed Stot. My mother was an activist and 297 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: didn't even know it, you know, she was always like cookie, 298 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 1: don't have a look back. That's what my family called me, cookie. 299 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:17,119 Speaker 1: Don't ever look back. If you can't be the corn, 300 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:20,919 Speaker 1: don't be the cob. You know. It's it's those things 301 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:22,920 Speaker 1: that she taught me when I was a little girl. 302 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:27,720 Speaker 1: I now so understand. You know, she told me not 303 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:30,359 Speaker 1: to trust. You know, she's from the South, so she 304 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 1: didn't trust a lot of white She didn't trust even 305 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: some of the blacks that was there. But she definitely 306 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: taught me to pay attention to what was going on. 307 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: And when you're growing up, you're like, oh, mom, I 308 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:45,160 Speaker 1: don't want to do that. But now that I as 309 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 1: I gotten older, I really realized what she was telling me, 310 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 1: and I apply that to my life, my every day life. 311 00:19:54,119 --> 00:19:59,119 Speaker 1: I'm excited just about living, and now that I have 312 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: at sixty, going to be sixty six, I have joy 313 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:06,919 Speaker 1: and I have peace. I didn't allow this business to 314 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: ruin me. I never was about the business. I love 315 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 1: to sing and I love to do it, but I 316 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 1: was never about the fake shit, you know, going to 317 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:18,639 Speaker 1: the parties and having to be done up one hundred 318 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 1: percent all the time. I wasn't Stephanie Mills all the time. 319 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 1: That's deadly. You cannot be yourself. It's deadly. I mean, 320 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 1: you have to go to the post office, So I 321 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: go to the grocery store. You know, I have a 322 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:36,480 Speaker 1: normal life because that shit fades away. You're riding a 323 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 1: limousine every day, and what if you lose all your stuff? 324 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:43,400 Speaker 1: Didn't what happens? You're like crazy. And I know an 325 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: artist in particular, I won't mention the name that did 326 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 1: not know how to function, couldn't do anything on her own, 327 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: and she's not with us anymore. But I always wanted 328 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:01,119 Speaker 1: to drive myself. I didn't get caught up in old 329 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 1: Miss Mills, old NA because I know who I am, 330 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:07,680 Speaker 1: I know where I came from. I came from Brooklyn. 331 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:10,399 Speaker 1: My mother was like, you still have to wash those dishes, 332 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: You still have to clean your room. Yeah, a lot 333 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 1: of stuff is it's fake. Even when I was doing 334 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:20,680 Speaker 1: the whiz at uh at nineteen, my mother still made 335 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: me do chores, you know. And I just think you 336 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:26,639 Speaker 1: have to keep it real. Don't get caught up in 337 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:30,360 Speaker 1: the Oh your star what stars are in the sky? 338 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 1: Sound like Jill in the sky? Let me tell you. 339 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:39,760 Speaker 1: So it's like you sing and you and and I 340 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: appreciate my fans, so so so much as when everybody 341 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:50,679 Speaker 1: canceled me in the industry, I was able to I 342 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:53,040 Speaker 1: was still I was because I missed it. I'm like, 343 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:56,879 Speaker 1: I'm telling you, I still was able to do my 344 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:00,320 Speaker 1: shows and sell out my shows. When was that, well, 345 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:04,480 Speaker 1: you mean years years ago. But even now, you know, 346 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: I was never the popular one. I was never like 347 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 1: I was never like the popular one because I wasn't 348 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:17,399 Speaker 1: willing to do like when I lived in Los Angeles, 349 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: because I lived in Los Angeles for nine years and 350 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:25,880 Speaker 1: I would go to auditions, which I hate auditioning. They 351 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 1: would always make you feel so small. And so I 352 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 1: called my mom one day and I was like, I 353 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:32,919 Speaker 1: just don't want an audition. I was crying. I was like, 354 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:35,040 Speaker 1: I can't do it. They just look at you like 355 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:37,880 Speaker 1: you're crazy. But she said, don't do it. She said, 356 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 1: only do what people offer you. She said go where 357 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 1: you're celebrated, not tolerated. And I never forgot that, and 358 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 1: that's what I teach my son, and Honey, he thinks 359 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:50,959 Speaker 1: he's the king of the world. You can He's like, 360 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: I go with celebrated, not tolerated. And that's what I did. 361 00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 1: And that was after the Wiz you're talking about her. 362 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:00,680 Speaker 1: That was because I didn't want to for The Whiz. 363 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,720 Speaker 1: I went to the Wiz audition chrime because I had 364 00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:05,880 Speaker 1: gone up for so many things and didn't get them, 365 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 1: so I was like, I don't want to go. My 366 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:10,800 Speaker 1: mother took me and I sang for them, and then 367 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 1: they called me back and after three auditions, I got 368 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: the roles as Dorothy. That's the one. Yes, that was 369 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:21,439 Speaker 1: the safe. That was where they wanted you. Okay, do 370 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,359 Speaker 1: you do you remember how much you got paid on Broadway. 371 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:29,680 Speaker 1: I got paid fifteen hundred dollars a week plus perdem 372 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: plus perdem. That's pretty good, right for the time. I 373 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:38,919 Speaker 1: mean fifteen ten thousand dollars to day or ten thousand 374 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 1: dollars a week. Yeah, that I got paid fifteen hundred dollars. Yep, 375 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:46,879 Speaker 1: I remember that. That was such a glorious time to 376 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:50,440 Speaker 1: be around all of that, and Charlie Smalls and Ken Harper, 377 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 1: Oh my god, yes. Oh. And love when you say 378 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 1: his name? You know, I love when you say his name, right, 379 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:05,120 Speaker 1: Ted Ross? Ted Ross, Yeah, Ross was amazing. He won 380 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:09,440 Speaker 1: a Tony for the show. The Whiz won seven Tony's Yes, 381 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,920 Speaker 1: and we won for best musical Dedi Bridgewater one for 382 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,400 Speaker 1: Glinda ted Ross one. But it was just. But they 383 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:20,160 Speaker 1: did not want us on Broadway, no, honey. They gave 384 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:24,359 Speaker 1: us the worst reviews ever. But my mother belonged to 385 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:28,200 Speaker 1: a church, Cornerstone Baptist Church in Brooklyn, and Ken Harper's 386 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:32,120 Speaker 1: mother belonged to a huge church, and they brought churchloads 387 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 1: of buses to our show. And then once we did 388 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:38,720 Speaker 1: the commercial, then it opened up and the Whiz was 389 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 1: but even still the way the Whiz closed, they weren't 390 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 1: gracious to us. Yeah, we remever hear their story. No, 391 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:48,879 Speaker 1: they weren't gracious. They moved us. We were at the 392 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 1: Majestic Theater and they moved us to the Broadway Theater, 393 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:55,679 Speaker 1: which was a bigger theater. Well, we had been on 394 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 1: Broadway for five years. So what they did was they 395 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: moved us where we would fail and the and the 396 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 1: Wiz didn't do the business at the Broadway Theater that 397 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:07,959 Speaker 1: it did at the Majestic. They should have never moved us. 398 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:13,160 Speaker 1: But they didn't want us there anymore. M hm. And 399 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:21,880 Speaker 1: Broadway is truly the Great White Way. They don't want us, 400 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:27,240 Speaker 1: They do not want us there at all time. We 401 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:30,160 Speaker 1: had racing in the sun. We had Bubbling Brown Show. 402 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 1: There was nothing but black shows on Broadway. When the 403 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:44,240 Speaker 1: whisticated ladies, sophisticated ladies shot George to his name, his name, brilliant, brilliant. 404 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:50,199 Speaker 1: There will never be a choreographer that did the Wiz 405 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 1: storm like George Faison did. They're bringing uh the Wiz 406 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:56,479 Speaker 1: back to Broadway, but I don't care what they do. 407 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:58,640 Speaker 1: If it ain't gonna be the exact thing, it ain't 408 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:02,640 Speaker 1: never gonna be right. Makes zero sense to me because 409 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:05,919 Speaker 1: I know when when I was doing Rent, if I 410 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:10,680 Speaker 1: did anything different, I got a note. Yes, you're supposed 411 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:14,440 Speaker 1: to uphold the writer's concept. You are not supposed to 412 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:18,199 Speaker 1: budge or move. Once it's solidified, it is done, and 413 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: you do anything off, of course you're gonna get fired. Yea. 414 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:24,919 Speaker 1: But you know what, it seems like there is a 415 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:30,320 Speaker 1: bit of an obsession with a reconstant reworking of the Whiz, 416 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:36,360 Speaker 1: the not upholding of the you know, of the original. Yeah, 417 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:39,120 Speaker 1: and I don't feel like it's all the way bad, 418 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 1: but I'm just I mean not, I don't think it's bad. 419 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:45,200 Speaker 1: I just think it's just interesting how it is something 420 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:49,280 Speaker 1: culturally that we want to continue to reimagine exactly rather 421 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:53,959 Speaker 1: than uphold the original in that way, you know what 422 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:58,280 Speaker 1: I'm saying. Where they uphold Hello Dolly, they have a 423 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:04,679 Speaker 1: whole funny girl. They uphold Chicago Fago. You know nothing 424 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,439 Speaker 1: about why do we have to change something that wons 425 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: seven Tony Awards. And Stephanie, you mentioned something very important 426 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:14,359 Speaker 1: you mentioned when you were talking about George Faison and 427 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,920 Speaker 1: the wind scene. People don't understand that this woman right 428 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 1: here that is the wind exactly with If you don't 429 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,399 Speaker 1: see that, you have no reference of, like what the 430 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:29,200 Speaker 1: symbol that you see when you see the original Wiz meetings. 431 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:33,160 Speaker 1: It's gonna be very interesting to see what they do 432 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 1: to the Wiz, and if they do something that is 433 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:41,679 Speaker 1: not good, I'm definitely going to speak out about it. Yes, yeah, 434 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:45,479 Speaker 1: I want to shout out George Paison also because George 435 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:48,920 Speaker 1: Faison also did so much work with so many R 436 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 1: and B artists, in particular Yes Earth went in Fire 437 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:58,560 Speaker 1: and and also with Ashford and Simpson. And I remember 438 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: when we met with George and we were working on 439 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,040 Speaker 1: a project with him at one point, and George Faizon 440 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 1: got us together. I just need you to I just 441 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 1: put that. He got my husband, Yes, he got me 442 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:14,280 Speaker 1: and my husband together on stage. He came out to 443 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:15,920 Speaker 1: see our show and he was just like, we need 444 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 1: to talk, and yes, we need to talk. And he 445 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:22,639 Speaker 1: was like, listen, I'm just gonna give you a few pointers. 446 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:24,920 Speaker 1: I'm gonna pull some things from Nick and Val to 447 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:29,080 Speaker 1: y'all can understand how this needs to look. And he 448 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:32,720 Speaker 1: taught us things that to this day my husband and 449 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:36,280 Speaker 1: I still do on stage because George Fison was like, 450 00:28:36,359 --> 00:28:38,959 Speaker 1: this is the way, this is the this is the frame, 451 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 1: this is the way this should look. When he is singing, 452 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: you want to be you want to slide back when 453 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 1: you're singing. He's giving us all of this direction. So 454 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 1: if you ever come see Kendred the Family Soul on stage, 455 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 1: you're going to see as that's part of the legacy 456 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 1: that George Faizon has passed on artists and the way 457 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:02,840 Speaker 1: that they perform. I love it. Yes, Oh my god, 458 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 1: George was amazing and we did this. We did The 459 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:08,959 Speaker 1: Whist three times. I did The Whiz on Broadway originally, 460 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 1: and then I did two revivals of it and it 461 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:15,560 Speaker 1: was always brilliant. And then the last revival we did, 462 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 1: I got to do it with Andre Deshields, who was Alter. 463 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 1: Andrea and I keep in touch. I think we're getting 464 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 1: ready to do something in October for the Whiz of 465 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:30,080 Speaker 1: Oh my God, because he's he's one of the only 466 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:33,800 Speaker 1: folks still like left. Yes, he's only one of the 467 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 1: only ones. Yes, and we can see him. It's funny. 468 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:38,480 Speaker 1: I watched him in the Martin short where he was 469 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 1: he did a little stint on The Martin Short Steve 470 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:45,360 Speaker 1: Martin Show, but just a reference for everybody. He's awesome. Yeah, 471 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:49,800 Speaker 1: he's awesome. Did you enjoy the movie? I enjoyed. You know. 472 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:54,120 Speaker 1: I was a die still is a Diana Ross fan. 473 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 1: Her and Michael would come to the show during that time, 474 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:03,600 Speaker 1: almost every night to watch it. And I stayed with 475 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:07,720 Speaker 1: Michael when he was filming the show on Sutton Place, 476 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:11,200 Speaker 1: and one morning we got up and I went with 477 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 1: him to the shooting. But the Wiz movie was nothing 478 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 1: like the Whiz play You tell us how I Please? 479 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 1: It was their version. I mean, I was a young girl, 480 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:25,000 Speaker 1: Diana was a school teacher. It wasn't like the play. 481 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 1: They didn't take it from the play and make it that. No. 482 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:30,960 Speaker 1: But when the other director was going to do it. 483 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 1: They were considering me to do Dorothy, but when Sidney 484 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 1: Lamet took over, he wanted Diane Ross. It's it's literally 485 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:42,480 Speaker 1: it's one of my favorite things. I took it to 486 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 1: show and tell in the third grade. I took the 487 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:49,840 Speaker 1: record to show and tell the Wiz play had loved 488 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 1: and hard work and just loving it. It's just like 489 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 1: if you eat some food and it has attitude in it. 490 00:30:57,040 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 1: You said this, this person cook this food in the 491 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:03,360 Speaker 1: head added to you. You can tell when when Jill 492 00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:07,120 Speaker 1: seems I'm living my life like my own golden. That 493 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 1: touches my heart. When people ask me how am I 494 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:12,640 Speaker 1: living my life? I say like I'm golden. You know, 495 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 1: you can tell when things have loved it. And the 496 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:17,680 Speaker 1: Wiz movie to me, didn't have love in it. Neither 497 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 1: did the one we did in twenty fifteen. That was 498 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:25,440 Speaker 1: very interesting to me. To do a version we did 499 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:32,280 Speaker 1: that was oh god. But you know what though, shout 500 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 1: outs to several people that were really that did some 501 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:40,600 Speaker 1: vocally beautiful things as well. But yeah, I played on AM. 502 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 1: But what's interesting to me also to is that so 503 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 1: the movie for a lot of us is so like 504 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 1: significant to our kind of development as young people, those 505 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:54,360 Speaker 1: of us who weren't able to get to bar our Way, 506 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying, right, And in my household, 507 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,560 Speaker 1: my sister and are seven years apart. So my sister 508 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:03,200 Speaker 1: went to you on Broadway. Okay, I didn't get that chance. 509 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:05,920 Speaker 1: I was very little at the time. I didn't go. 510 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:10,320 Speaker 1: And but the movie is like this huge significant thing 511 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:12,760 Speaker 1: for me. I have an aunt who told me one time. 512 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:14,479 Speaker 1: You know, every year, the Wizard of Oz will come 513 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:17,080 Speaker 1: on TV, and that's what I used to watch and 514 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:20,560 Speaker 1: I loved it. And I and my aunt said to 515 00:32:20,600 --> 00:32:23,160 Speaker 1: me one day, she says, this is a beautiful movie, 516 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 1: and I know you love it, she said, but you 517 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,480 Speaker 1: will never understand the meaning of the Wizard of Oz 518 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:32,400 Speaker 1: until you see the Wiz. The Wiz help me understand 519 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:35,560 Speaker 1: what the real meaning of this story is. She was 520 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 1: like it. And so once that became like something I 521 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 1: heard from an elder, the movie took on like a 522 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:45,920 Speaker 1: whole nother you know, life for us. But I think 523 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 1: the thing about the Broadway version that I think is 524 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 1: so important and I want to just circle back to it. 525 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:53,960 Speaker 1: And you touched on this is that some things must 526 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 1: be cannon. Some things we need to really be specific 527 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:03,760 Speaker 1: about preserve so that it lasts, so that people who 528 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:06,920 Speaker 1: were not able to see it in its original form 529 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:09,760 Speaker 1: with the original cast can go back and see a 530 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:12,440 Speaker 1: revival of it and know that they're getting that same 531 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:16,800 Speaker 1: experience that somebody who saw it twenty years prior saw 532 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 1: or experienced. It is just it's so important. I do 533 00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:24,880 Speaker 1: wish and hope for this next kind of iteration that 534 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:29,320 Speaker 1: they really are trying to to respect that fact. I'm 535 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:34,440 Speaker 1: hoping that, do you know I'm hoping. I haven't heard 536 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:38,160 Speaker 1: much about it. I did meet one of the producers 537 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 1: when I went to see Piano lesson on Broadway, and 538 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:44,480 Speaker 1: he was there and he was telling me that they're 539 00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 1: starting to do the whiz and I told him, I 540 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:54,680 Speaker 1: hope that you're staying true too. Yeah. His skin look, yeah, 541 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:58,920 Speaker 1: his skin look yes. Okay. It's it's called respect, Stephanie. 542 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:03,800 Speaker 1: Do you feel respected? I feel respected? You know why, 543 00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 1: because I don't. I didn't seek respect from anybody else. 544 00:34:07,960 --> 00:34:10,799 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. I respect myself and my 545 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 1: fans respect me. People that I care about, people that 546 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:17,239 Speaker 1: spend their hard earned money to buy my CDs, to 547 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:22,000 Speaker 1: go and purchase things on my website. I feel very respected. 548 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:25,960 Speaker 1: That's why I've never done any of those shows. Unsung. 549 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:29,760 Speaker 1: What is that? What people getting lost in the title? 550 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:33,520 Speaker 1: I know, bored or against it? I get I would 551 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:35,840 Speaker 1: never do. They've tried to get me to do and 552 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:44,839 Speaker 1: I'm like, no either, but friends, but that way, they 553 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:47,480 Speaker 1: need to change the title. Now it's fun, it's weird. Yeah, 554 00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:51,120 Speaker 1: I feel very respected, especially now in my later years. 555 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:55,920 Speaker 1: I feel very respected because I'm proud of myself of 556 00:34:56,080 --> 00:35:01,719 Speaker 1: not giving in to the noise. And there's a lot 557 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:04,680 Speaker 1: of noise and Jill nose, there's a lot of people 558 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: in your eel. You should do this, you should be here, 559 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:09,440 Speaker 1: you should do this. I didn't listen to the noise. 560 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:15,360 Speaker 1: We're gonna take a quick break and then we'll be 561 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:28,120 Speaker 1: right back. What are some of your like self tear 562 00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:33,080 Speaker 1: and like you know practices like you your skin looks amazing, 563 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:38,280 Speaker 1: your voice is still you know you you look amazing, 564 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:44,640 Speaker 1: you sound amazing. Like help help us help ourselves. I've 565 00:35:44,680 --> 00:35:48,240 Speaker 1: always been a sleeper. I sleep very well, my friend, 566 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:53,960 Speaker 1: I sleep very well. But I go and get um 567 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:59,319 Speaker 1: facials every four weeks, every six weeks. I get I'm 568 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:03,040 Speaker 1: a I'm a pamper, pamper girl. I love to get 569 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:06,280 Speaker 1: my nails done. I love to get pedicuris. I really 570 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:09,400 Speaker 1: love to take care of myself. I sing every day 571 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:12,919 Speaker 1: and I exercise, but now that I'm older, I can't 572 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:16,799 Speaker 1: do the exercise that I was doing years ago. So 573 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:19,680 Speaker 1: I walk on the treadmill and I'll do stuff like that. 574 00:36:19,719 --> 00:36:23,000 Speaker 1: But I I stay in tune to me. I don't 575 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 1: listen to like people say, oh, Stephanie, you should there 576 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:28,080 Speaker 1: is this new I don't follow the new trend. I 577 00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:31,080 Speaker 1: follow what works for me, and what I've been doing 578 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:32,680 Speaker 1: over the years works for me, and that's what I 579 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:35,600 Speaker 1: tell him. I'm like, I what works for me works 580 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:37,759 Speaker 1: for me. I'm not mad that you do that or 581 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:39,960 Speaker 1: you do I've never had any bull techs. I had 582 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:43,400 Speaker 1: my nose done when early eighties, and that's when Michael 583 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:46,239 Speaker 1: had his done and I was following behind him and 584 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:48,200 Speaker 1: I had I would have never known that if you 585 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:51,319 Speaker 1: didn't say that, like it's a very good, a beautiful job. 586 00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:55,840 Speaker 1: After that, I didn't do. They kept going and I stopped. 587 00:36:56,280 --> 00:37:01,840 Speaker 1: But that's that's what I do. Great that you are 588 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:06,760 Speaker 1: so aware of yourself and that you've been really honest 589 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:11,239 Speaker 1: and vocal about your opinions and your thoughts, and you know, 590 00:37:12,040 --> 00:37:15,359 Speaker 1: like we're dealing obviously with a cancel culture. But what 591 00:37:15,440 --> 00:37:19,680 Speaker 1: I noticed when I listened to interviews that you've had 592 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:23,160 Speaker 1: is that you'll be dropping all kinds of goodness and 593 00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:28,400 Speaker 1: knowledge and affirmation on people, but what will get picked 594 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:33,600 Speaker 1: will be whatever could be remotely silacious. I've had that 595 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:38,400 Speaker 1: experience myself and been like, well, of all the things 596 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:43,040 Speaker 1: and then a clip of it, but not in context. Right, 597 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:45,360 Speaker 1: how do you how do you deal with that? Because 598 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:48,800 Speaker 1: I mean the option is to not say or do anything. 599 00:37:49,560 --> 00:37:54,560 Speaker 1: I'm not clapped back, you know, because the three most 600 00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:57,960 Speaker 1: important people in my life that really have that have 601 00:37:58,160 --> 00:38:01,920 Speaker 1: molded me was my mother, my father, and the Honorable 602 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:05,640 Speaker 1: Minister Lewis Baraka, which I will never deny him in 603 00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:08,120 Speaker 1: a way, just like when they took him off Instagram. 604 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:09,799 Speaker 1: I even said, you know, well you might as well 605 00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:12,840 Speaker 1: take me off because I'm still learning promote and say. 606 00:38:12,920 --> 00:38:15,480 Speaker 1: He's my pops. I've been around him since I was 607 00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:18,919 Speaker 1: sixteen years old. I will never deny him, and people 608 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:22,000 Speaker 1: that talk about him don't really know him. I have 609 00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:24,680 Speaker 1: stayed at his house, have grown up as kids. We 610 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:29,920 Speaker 1: used to fight as kids. So that his teachings and 611 00:38:30,080 --> 00:38:33,399 Speaker 1: my mother's Christian teaching, and my father because my mother 612 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:35,680 Speaker 1: and father were deacon and deaconess of cord A Stone 613 00:38:35,680 --> 00:38:38,920 Speaker 1: Baptist Church, has molded me to who I am. I 614 00:38:38,920 --> 00:38:42,479 Speaker 1: could never I don't want to clap back at people. 615 00:38:42,480 --> 00:38:44,640 Speaker 1: It doesn't make sense. They have their opinion and I 616 00:38:44,719 --> 00:38:47,040 Speaker 1: have mine. If I want to say what I want 617 00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:51,040 Speaker 1: to say, I think about what I say and then 618 00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:54,880 Speaker 1: I say it because I'm never ever gonna apologize for 619 00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:58,200 Speaker 1: nothing I said. I hate when people do that shit. 620 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:02,480 Speaker 1: If you said something and felt that way, stand on it. 621 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:10,160 Speaker 1: Don't appolicize, But if you heard somebody Stephanie will look 622 00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:12,160 Speaker 1: at all the things that have been said about us. 623 00:39:12,239 --> 00:39:16,600 Speaker 1: We've been called gorillas, our first lady was disrespected the 624 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:19,400 Speaker 1: entire eight years that they were in the White House. 625 00:39:20,080 --> 00:39:25,360 Speaker 1: They never clapped back. They're killing one, they're killing George Floyd, 626 00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:28,080 Speaker 1: They're killing us like we're nothing. What do we have 627 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:32,359 Speaker 1: to apologize for? They heard us every day. I experience 628 00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:37,239 Speaker 1: racism every day when I travel, and we've I experienced 629 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:41,080 Speaker 1: racism every day because of my braids, when my head 630 00:39:41,239 --> 00:39:45,919 Speaker 1: was straight out, didn't experience it. That's real. That's real. 631 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:49,480 Speaker 1: They heard us every day, So what you know, It's like, 632 00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:53,279 Speaker 1: I don't intentionally, I never try to hurt anybody. But 633 00:39:53,360 --> 00:39:56,680 Speaker 1: if you come for me and I have not sent 634 00:39:56,880 --> 00:40:00,239 Speaker 1: for you, then I'm coming back for you. And that's 635 00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:03,279 Speaker 1: just real. She said what she said, she said what 636 00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:06,919 Speaker 1: she sent. But if you can go back and look 637 00:40:06,960 --> 00:40:10,040 Speaker 1: and see, I have never said anything hurt anybody. I 638 00:40:10,080 --> 00:40:12,960 Speaker 1: won't even mention people that have hurt me and said 639 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:16,120 Speaker 1: things about me. But like when fifty cent came for 640 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:22,040 Speaker 1: Michael's daughter, and let's talking about I came for him 641 00:40:22,080 --> 00:40:26,880 Speaker 1: because I'm older, So take it to me. She's a 642 00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:31,800 Speaker 1: young girl defending her father. Why would you say stuff 643 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:33,879 Speaker 1: like you know? I was like, keep Michael's name out 644 00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:36,440 Speaker 1: of your mouth. He's not here to defend himself. I 645 00:40:36,480 --> 00:40:38,480 Speaker 1: love that relationship. I love when you talk about your 646 00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:41,200 Speaker 1: relationship with Michael, because people who don't really didn't really know, 647 00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:43,759 Speaker 1: didn't know how close that you guys were. Yeah, yeah, 648 00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:45,520 Speaker 1: and we were very very clear, and we got to 649 00:40:45,560 --> 00:40:49,000 Speaker 1: expect elders to do elder things like we can't be 650 00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:51,600 Speaker 1: mad and say we don't have elders and then try 651 00:40:51,640 --> 00:40:54,520 Speaker 1: to silence them, right, I think it's important to have 652 00:40:54,560 --> 00:40:58,440 Speaker 1: an open, open communication with our elders, obviously because we 653 00:40:58,480 --> 00:41:00,560 Speaker 1: all have a lot to learn from one another. But 654 00:41:00,640 --> 00:41:03,600 Speaker 1: it's just like, come on, I mean, even how you 655 00:41:03,680 --> 00:41:06,680 Speaker 1: reached out to Meggan the Stallion, that those kind of 656 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:11,960 Speaker 1: intergenerational things to come to the defense of each of 657 00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:15,840 Speaker 1: each other is important and to correct, to openly correct 658 00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:19,239 Speaker 1: and defense. I reached out to Megan the Stallion when 659 00:41:19,239 --> 00:41:23,759 Speaker 1: she got shot in the foot. I was appalled. I was, 660 00:41:23,920 --> 00:41:27,279 Speaker 1: I was. It hurt my heart and a lot of 661 00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:31,080 Speaker 1: things that I see these young women go through, it 662 00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:36,400 Speaker 1: just hurts my heart. It's like, don't allow a man 663 00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:41,840 Speaker 1: to treat you like that, to disrespect your being. We 664 00:41:41,960 --> 00:41:46,760 Speaker 1: are the mothers of the earth. She had children something 665 00:41:46,840 --> 00:41:53,960 Speaker 1: that they cannot do. The maraggedy asked niggas they cannot do. 666 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:56,279 Speaker 1: Don't let a man mistreat you. I've been married three 667 00:41:56,320 --> 00:41:59,840 Speaker 1: times and I will not. And it was my fault. 668 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:01,839 Speaker 1: I mean, some of it was my fault. I can't 669 00:42:01,840 --> 00:42:03,719 Speaker 1: blame it all on the men. But these men that 670 00:42:03,800 --> 00:42:06,000 Speaker 1: they want to be us, they carry persons, They wear 671 00:42:06,080 --> 00:42:10,320 Speaker 1: more jewelry than we do. They dressing and dresses. I 672 00:42:10,400 --> 00:42:13,520 Speaker 1: would like to have our dresses back. I really would. 673 00:42:13,640 --> 00:42:16,160 Speaker 1: I would really like to have our dresses back. Can 674 00:42:16,239 --> 00:42:19,400 Speaker 1: we just have that shit back? I mean, I I 675 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:23,960 Speaker 1: just don't understand it. It's like, come on, but you know, 676 00:42:24,560 --> 00:42:26,840 Speaker 1: we live in this type of world where every and 677 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:31,640 Speaker 1: anything goes. There's no respect for no one. They don't 678 00:42:31,640 --> 00:42:33,840 Speaker 1: And you know what, I'm tired. That's why I didn't 679 00:42:33,880 --> 00:42:37,719 Speaker 1: even with um Tyree the man that was beaten to death. 680 00:42:37,719 --> 00:42:40,920 Speaker 1: That was very That was a person a personal beating. 681 00:42:41,360 --> 00:42:45,439 Speaker 1: But I wouldn't put that off. I'm tired of doing that. 682 00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:47,960 Speaker 1: You know, we all do it and put it on 683 00:42:47,960 --> 00:42:52,640 Speaker 1: our page and then two days later it's gone. We 684 00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:56,399 Speaker 1: have to change the and and and you know, I 685 00:42:56,440 --> 00:42:59,120 Speaker 1: love Reverend Shopton, but he needs to sit down because 686 00:42:59,160 --> 00:43:03,520 Speaker 1: he's not changing. He's not changing anything. It keeps going 687 00:43:03,640 --> 00:43:06,200 Speaker 1: and he keeps going to the funerals. So come on. 688 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:08,560 Speaker 1: And I know him very well, but I'm like, look, 689 00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:12,000 Speaker 1: I'm tired of y'all getting up there and talking. We 690 00:43:12,120 --> 00:43:14,480 Speaker 1: got to change it. What do we need to do 691 00:43:14,560 --> 00:43:17,480 Speaker 1: to change it? That's what that's where I am. We 692 00:43:17,560 --> 00:43:20,759 Speaker 1: got to change them the thinking. And it's not so 693 00:43:20,880 --> 00:43:24,839 Speaker 1: much white people have to change their thinking about us. 694 00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:29,520 Speaker 1: We've forgiven them, We've been more than forgiving, but they 695 00:43:29,560 --> 00:43:33,640 Speaker 1: haven't changed their idea of what black people and people 696 00:43:33,640 --> 00:43:39,680 Speaker 1: of color are. It's just so tricky because the more 697 00:43:39,840 --> 00:43:47,160 Speaker 1: we show of ourselves, the more um it's taken stolen 698 00:43:47,840 --> 00:43:52,399 Speaker 1: bit off of shoot up from you know, it's as 699 00:43:52,440 --> 00:43:55,520 Speaker 1: soon as it's like I want I want a news 700 00:43:55,600 --> 00:44:02,040 Speaker 1: network that is created by and run by black people. Yes, us, 701 00:44:02,360 --> 00:44:05,360 Speaker 1: but I would like one week? Yes, but no. But 702 00:44:05,480 --> 00:44:08,680 Speaker 1: you know what the problem is, And it's just like 703 00:44:08,719 --> 00:44:15,120 Speaker 1: with black press. Once black artists crossover, they no longer 704 00:44:15,160 --> 00:44:20,200 Speaker 1: go back to the black press. They they that is true, 705 00:44:20,719 --> 00:44:24,759 Speaker 1: They don't. They don't. They don't reverence that as being important, 706 00:44:25,400 --> 00:44:28,440 Speaker 1: and so we have to recondition our minds that to 707 00:44:28,600 --> 00:44:32,719 Speaker 1: love ourselves. Yes, black press is important. They helped you 708 00:44:32,800 --> 00:44:36,279 Speaker 1: get to that point. Why would you just cut them out? 709 00:44:37,000 --> 00:44:40,920 Speaker 1: I always do. I always do a black press, I always, 710 00:44:41,320 --> 00:44:43,919 Speaker 1: I always do because that's who helped me get on. 711 00:44:44,640 --> 00:44:47,839 Speaker 1: Why would I just not associate? The public doesn't really 712 00:44:47,880 --> 00:44:49,600 Speaker 1: notice that. That's as interesting as you say that, Like, 713 00:44:49,600 --> 00:44:52,280 Speaker 1: they don't notice that some of their biggest favorite artists, 714 00:44:52,320 --> 00:44:55,319 Speaker 1: whose tickets or thousands of dollars won't be on like 715 00:44:55,480 --> 00:44:58,760 Speaker 1: they won't. It's ridiculous for anybody's ticket to be fifteen 716 00:44:58,840 --> 00:45:03,400 Speaker 1: hundred dollars or thousand dollars. That's crazy. The Hedwige Black 717 00:45:03,520 --> 00:45:07,399 Speaker 1: family can't pay that. So who are you? Who are you? Oh? 718 00:45:07,480 --> 00:45:09,640 Speaker 1: That makes me upset, That just makes me up. A 719 00:45:09,640 --> 00:45:13,080 Speaker 1: lot of that is and you know, Joe Biden just 720 00:45:13,160 --> 00:45:16,480 Speaker 1: came out and spoke about it. Where you know, a 721 00:45:16,520 --> 00:45:18,760 Speaker 1: lot of it is a lot of that junk fees. 722 00:45:19,760 --> 00:45:23,239 Speaker 1: A lot of fees are being attached to ticket sales 723 00:45:23,760 --> 00:45:27,800 Speaker 1: that sometimes double the cost of the tickets there. There 724 00:45:27,840 --> 00:45:31,719 Speaker 1: there's forty fifty, sixty, seventy dollars in fees. You know, 725 00:45:32,080 --> 00:45:35,399 Speaker 1: w a ticket that cost you know that that might 726 00:45:35,480 --> 00:45:37,759 Speaker 1: start out costing one hundred and fifty bucks, you pay 727 00:45:37,800 --> 00:45:41,960 Speaker 1: sixty dollars in fee. There's so much the Congress a 728 00:45:41,960 --> 00:45:43,759 Speaker 1: couple of weeks ago, because it is. Yeah, there's so 729 00:45:43,840 --> 00:45:46,760 Speaker 1: much attached to this. But I do understand both sides 730 00:45:46,800 --> 00:45:50,040 Speaker 1: of this thing, to be honest, you know, one hundred 731 00:45:50,040 --> 00:45:54,799 Speaker 1: percent understand where you're coming from. You know, I gotta say, 732 00:45:54,880 --> 00:45:58,000 Speaker 1: miss Stephanie, I'm sorry. I can't my brain can't call you, Stephanie. 733 00:45:58,040 --> 00:46:01,800 Speaker 1: I apologize, but you know, there's you know, I understand 734 00:46:01,840 --> 00:46:03,520 Speaker 1: exactly where you're coming from in the sense of that 735 00:46:03,600 --> 00:46:06,960 Speaker 1: it's like what family, what person can afford that? But 736 00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:11,400 Speaker 1: I also understand the fact that that we have a 737 00:46:11,400 --> 00:46:13,279 Speaker 1: hard time place and a proper value and what we 738 00:46:13,320 --> 00:46:17,200 Speaker 1: do a lot of us as artists where people are 739 00:46:17,200 --> 00:46:20,920 Speaker 1: making big, big money off of what artists do and 740 00:46:21,000 --> 00:46:24,759 Speaker 1: other artists are She's the biggest artist on the planet, 741 00:46:25,360 --> 00:46:28,440 Speaker 1: and it's like, there's there's there is got to be 742 00:46:28,600 --> 00:46:31,799 Speaker 1: some kind of way that we can continue and I 743 00:46:31,920 --> 00:46:34,919 Speaker 1: and I struggle with this because you know, I hate capitalism, 744 00:46:34,960 --> 00:46:38,840 Speaker 1: and I definitely struggle with us playing these kind of games. 745 00:46:38,880 --> 00:46:43,839 Speaker 1: But I also understand that as artists, we oftentimes end 746 00:46:43,920 --> 00:46:48,680 Speaker 1: up the person who benefits the least from the product 747 00:46:48,719 --> 00:46:52,040 Speaker 1: that we make. And that happens at every level, even 748 00:46:52,080 --> 00:46:56,160 Speaker 1: on that major mass, that major high high level, And 749 00:46:56,480 --> 00:46:58,759 Speaker 1: you know, so anyway that I struggle with that a 750 00:46:58,800 --> 00:47:02,279 Speaker 1: little bit, I see on both sides. Let me tell 751 00:47:02,320 --> 00:47:09,800 Speaker 1: you something, there ain't nobody bigger than God. There's nobody 752 00:47:10,400 --> 00:47:15,680 Speaker 1: bigger than God nowhere. And I don't care if you're 753 00:47:15,680 --> 00:47:19,040 Speaker 1: the biggest artist on the planet. I do not care. 754 00:47:20,400 --> 00:47:24,719 Speaker 1: You're not worth three thousand dollars. I take it THEREADI 755 00:47:25,560 --> 00:47:29,040 Speaker 1: I am going to agree to disagree because I show 756 00:47:29,120 --> 00:47:32,080 Speaker 1: enough paid a whole whapper to go see Bett Midler. 757 00:47:32,680 --> 00:47:35,160 Speaker 1: And I said in that audience, in that second row, 758 00:47:35,200 --> 00:47:37,520 Speaker 1: and I smiled as hard as I could, how much 759 00:47:37,520 --> 00:47:42,000 Speaker 1: did you pay? Thirty five hundred dollars? And Barbara Streit saying, 760 00:47:42,080 --> 00:47:45,680 Speaker 1: Barbara Streit saying when she did her Farewell tour, people 761 00:47:45,719 --> 00:47:48,279 Speaker 1: were paying thousands of dollars to go and see her. 762 00:47:48,880 --> 00:47:51,319 Speaker 1: So from a from a consumer standpoint, is it that 763 00:47:52,000 --> 00:47:56,440 Speaker 1: as as I follow your career and you grow, that 764 00:47:56,520 --> 00:47:58,759 Speaker 1: I too should grow and I should be able to 765 00:47:58,840 --> 00:48:02,719 Speaker 1: make enough money as you're growing to support you no 766 00:48:02,800 --> 00:48:04,920 Speaker 1: matter where you go, so that I can afford that? 767 00:48:05,239 --> 00:48:07,000 Speaker 1: Is that? How am I posting? Think as a as 768 00:48:07,040 --> 00:48:09,000 Speaker 1: a fan because I want to go, But I'm like, 769 00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:12,040 Speaker 1: and if the people that you put in your videos 770 00:48:12,320 --> 00:48:14,160 Speaker 1: that make you look good and make you look nice 771 00:48:14,200 --> 00:48:16,719 Speaker 1: and brown and culture and in the streets, if they 772 00:48:16,719 --> 00:48:20,000 Speaker 1: can't afford it too, and certain only certain people, then 773 00:48:20,000 --> 00:48:21,239 Speaker 1: when you look in the crowd and you only see 774 00:48:21,239 --> 00:48:26,040 Speaker 1: certain whining, don't see white people. Yeah, but I'm telling y'all, 775 00:48:26,080 --> 00:48:28,040 Speaker 1: it's a lot to it because even when you think 776 00:48:28,040 --> 00:48:30,920 Speaker 1: about like you you might pay thirty five hundred dollars 777 00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:34,520 Speaker 1: for a sofa, you know, and yes you sit on 778 00:48:34,560 --> 00:48:38,240 Speaker 1: it every day or year. But are what we're saying 779 00:48:38,400 --> 00:48:41,840 Speaker 1: is that art in music is not as valuable as furniture. 780 00:48:42,239 --> 00:48:46,319 Speaker 1: What we do, what we all on this almost two 781 00:48:46,480 --> 00:48:50,880 Speaker 1: what three fourths of us do on this call, is 782 00:48:50,920 --> 00:48:54,360 Speaker 1: what we do. What is the value? What is the 783 00:48:54,480 --> 00:48:56,520 Speaker 1: value of it? What is the value of it? What 784 00:48:56,640 --> 00:48:59,440 Speaker 1: is the value of art? I just don't think that 785 00:49:00,400 --> 00:49:02,520 Speaker 1: I paid three hundred and fifty dollars to go see 786 00:49:02,520 --> 00:49:04,799 Speaker 1: Bruno Mars. My son love Bruno Mars, and I paid 787 00:49:04,800 --> 00:49:06,960 Speaker 1: three hundred and fifty. I didn't mind paying that, but 788 00:49:07,080 --> 00:49:11,759 Speaker 1: I will never ever pay twenty five hundred three. I 789 00:49:11,800 --> 00:49:15,239 Speaker 1: will never pay no meal attached. I will never I 790 00:49:15,280 --> 00:49:18,400 Speaker 1: will never pay that to my son to see Kindrick Lamar. 791 00:49:18,440 --> 00:49:21,640 Speaker 1: I spend six hundred dollars. Yeah, there's no in the 792 00:49:21,680 --> 00:49:23,720 Speaker 1: front row. Did you have front row with three fifty? 793 00:49:23,719 --> 00:49:25,840 Speaker 1: Did you have front row with six hundred? I have 794 00:49:26,000 --> 00:49:28,719 Speaker 1: front row at at three fifty. I was like on 795 00:49:28,760 --> 00:49:32,080 Speaker 1: the side, uh, I had front row there, But I 796 00:49:32,640 --> 00:49:37,160 Speaker 1: just I guess I won't see artists because I I 797 00:49:37,200 --> 00:49:40,040 Speaker 1: don't think everybody's gonna charge that much either, you know, 798 00:49:40,160 --> 00:49:42,919 Speaker 1: and it's probably you can do it at levels. Let's 799 00:49:42,960 --> 00:49:45,560 Speaker 1: just say, let's say you do a performance with an 800 00:49:45,640 --> 00:49:49,200 Speaker 1: orchestra at I don't know, um, Carnegie Hall or the 801 00:49:49,239 --> 00:49:54,040 Speaker 1: Lincoln Center like that. How much was Princeton's tickets? He 802 00:49:54,080 --> 00:49:57,759 Speaker 1: didn't he how much was his tickets? Still interesting? Like 803 00:49:57,920 --> 00:50:02,880 Speaker 1: forty seven dollars? Shut up, Jill, I'm serious, Like he 804 00:50:02,640 --> 00:50:08,040 Speaker 1: had he to me he did it the right way. 805 00:50:08,239 --> 00:50:12,080 Speaker 1: He did not. How did he do that? He made 806 00:50:12,080 --> 00:50:15,359 Speaker 1: a deal with he made some kind of deal with 807 00:50:15,640 --> 00:50:18,520 Speaker 1: whoever was promoting him, or he didn't allow them. So 808 00:50:18,680 --> 00:50:21,600 Speaker 1: that's the thing. To make the corporations pay the big 809 00:50:21,640 --> 00:50:25,319 Speaker 1: ticket and make your fans like if you feel I 810 00:50:25,360 --> 00:50:27,239 Speaker 1: get you, Asia, you feel like you're worth it, you are, 811 00:50:27,600 --> 00:50:29,880 Speaker 1: but just not for me. Don't let them. Don't let 812 00:50:29,880 --> 00:50:32,600 Speaker 1: the cost stuff it trickled down to the consumer or 813 00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:35,839 Speaker 1: the worker. The person should not It's kind of like 814 00:50:35,880 --> 00:50:38,960 Speaker 1: that situation where you know that the restaurants can pay 815 00:50:39,000 --> 00:50:42,920 Speaker 1: their servers a living wage, but it's up to you 816 00:50:42,960 --> 00:50:46,560 Speaker 1: as the consumer to then, you know, we all do tip. 817 00:50:46,600 --> 00:50:49,520 Speaker 1: I always tip. I believe in tipping, but but that 818 00:50:49,600 --> 00:50:53,600 Speaker 1: should the person's livelihood shouldn't be based on that. Corporations 819 00:50:53,640 --> 00:50:59,200 Speaker 1: are constantly throwing the cost of labor that is valuable 820 00:50:59,320 --> 00:51:03,200 Speaker 1: into the consumers, um lab when they should be paying 821 00:51:03,239 --> 00:51:08,120 Speaker 1: people fair, fair prices. Exactly if I always, I always tip, 822 00:51:08,160 --> 00:51:12,200 Speaker 1: and I always uh tip over what it what it 823 00:51:12,320 --> 00:51:15,680 Speaker 1: is because you've got people out here working hard. But 824 00:51:15,760 --> 00:51:19,440 Speaker 1: you gotta remember, even as an artist, your fans are 825 00:51:19,440 --> 00:51:22,800 Speaker 1: the ones that's keeping you going. That's the pote. Meanwhile, 826 00:51:22,800 --> 00:51:24,959 Speaker 1: it's a box full of nob nation folks at the show. 827 00:51:25,000 --> 00:51:27,560 Speaker 1: They ain't even paid because you know it, don't even pay. 828 00:51:27,719 --> 00:51:30,480 Speaker 1: They don't even pay. All of the rich people that 829 00:51:30,520 --> 00:51:32,560 Speaker 1: are coming to the show, all the rich and famous, 830 00:51:32,640 --> 00:51:39,760 Speaker 1: they're not paying. You're not paying that they're not paying. 831 00:51:39,840 --> 00:51:44,600 Speaker 1: Oh y'all just my brain. Oh I'm you leave it 832 00:51:44,640 --> 00:51:48,160 Speaker 1: to Prince to have the answer, because Prince printed also 833 00:51:48,200 --> 00:51:50,600 Speaker 1: made a whole lot of money before he had them 834 00:51:50,840 --> 00:51:53,719 Speaker 1: made the decision. And I think some tickets at the 835 00:51:53,760 --> 00:51:56,759 Speaker 1: Greek for like twenty five dollars a ticket, and he did, 836 00:51:57,160 --> 00:52:01,520 Speaker 1: um um, what do you call a residency? And I 837 00:52:01,560 --> 00:52:06,439 Speaker 1: think that that's a perfect way to continue your musical legacy. Yes, 838 00:52:07,040 --> 00:52:10,320 Speaker 1: that you people can get to you. Yeah, because otherwise 839 00:52:10,440 --> 00:52:16,359 Speaker 1: they can't. I can't imagine somebody a black family saying, oh, 840 00:52:16,360 --> 00:52:18,719 Speaker 1: I'm gonna take my family to see Beyonce at three 841 00:52:18,760 --> 00:52:23,120 Speaker 1: thousand dollars a ticket. Yeah, no, two parents, like three kids. 842 00:52:23,840 --> 00:52:25,680 Speaker 1: You know who else kind of does this model too? 843 00:52:25,840 --> 00:52:29,080 Speaker 1: Is a chance the wrapper. Yes, he does a lot 844 00:52:29,160 --> 00:52:31,799 Speaker 1: of work where he makes the kind of corporate overhead 845 00:52:32,000 --> 00:52:36,000 Speaker 1: pay for what he's doing. You know. It's but it 846 00:52:36,040 --> 00:52:39,520 Speaker 1: gets tricky also when you start messing around with the corporations. 847 00:52:40,160 --> 00:52:44,839 Speaker 1: The thing is that with the corporations, you know, I mean, 848 00:52:44,880 --> 00:52:47,520 Speaker 1: there's no way that you can streaming services. You're in 849 00:52:47,560 --> 00:52:50,160 Speaker 1: You're in there, honey, you're in Oh you're already tied 850 00:52:50,200 --> 00:52:52,120 Speaker 1: into it. This is the world that we live in. 851 00:52:52,480 --> 00:52:55,799 Speaker 1: But I can't lie to you. You know. It's that 852 00:52:56,040 --> 00:53:00,320 Speaker 1: that age old you know thing, How do I function 853 00:53:01,120 --> 00:53:04,799 Speaker 1: within this system in the most ethical way possible for 854 00:53:04,880 --> 00:53:08,080 Speaker 1: myself and what I want to do? And it goes 855 00:53:08,120 --> 00:53:13,240 Speaker 1: back to the original kind of advice that Stephanie Oh gosh, 856 00:53:13,280 --> 00:53:17,600 Speaker 1: my body is shaking said in the beginning, where she 857 00:53:17,719 --> 00:53:20,759 Speaker 1: was just like, listen, the machine is the machine, but 858 00:53:21,040 --> 00:53:23,920 Speaker 1: you have to be able to navigate that machine with 859 00:53:23,960 --> 00:53:27,160 Speaker 1: your own kind of compass and understand who you are 860 00:53:27,200 --> 00:53:29,319 Speaker 1: within it, use it for what you can get it 861 00:53:29,320 --> 00:53:32,800 Speaker 1: to do, for what you needed to accomplish for the moment, 862 00:53:32,840 --> 00:53:35,239 Speaker 1: but not allowing that to kind of define you to 863 00:53:35,320 --> 00:53:38,719 Speaker 1: where that becomes how you operate. And it's really difficult. 864 00:53:39,160 --> 00:53:42,160 Speaker 1: It is really difficult, which is why you being in 865 00:53:42,200 --> 00:53:44,839 Speaker 1: the space where you are right now is not to 866 00:53:44,920 --> 00:53:49,680 Speaker 1: be under celebrated. It should be celebrated to the highest 867 00:53:49,680 --> 00:53:55,720 Speaker 1: degree because it's not an easy thing for people to do. Yeah. Yeah, 868 00:53:56,320 --> 00:54:14,160 Speaker 1: more conversation after the break. I my little twenty three 869 00:54:14,239 --> 00:54:17,480 Speaker 1: years in this business. You can't stay lettle. That's not 870 00:54:17,520 --> 00:54:22,040 Speaker 1: a lettle. Well, you know, in comparison to you, my dear, 871 00:54:22,880 --> 00:54:26,399 Speaker 1: I can see how people can give up. I can 872 00:54:26,560 --> 00:54:29,000 Speaker 1: see how. I went to see a showcase last night 873 00:54:29,080 --> 00:54:33,239 Speaker 1: of talented young people. They put on the best show. 874 00:54:33,760 --> 00:54:36,640 Speaker 1: One of the young girls, I think she's like fifteen 875 00:54:36,719 --> 00:54:39,879 Speaker 1: years old. She sang at last with all the conviction 876 00:54:40,520 --> 00:54:43,400 Speaker 1: and sincerity that you could sing at last. She did that, 877 00:54:44,160 --> 00:54:47,320 Speaker 1: And then I say that, you know, there's different levels 878 00:54:47,320 --> 00:54:49,920 Speaker 1: of careers, if level is the right word, just just 879 00:54:50,120 --> 00:54:55,480 Speaker 1: different careers. And if you can make one doing something 880 00:54:55,520 --> 00:54:58,080 Speaker 1: that you love to do, that feels right for your soul, 881 00:54:58,400 --> 00:55:03,600 Speaker 1: truly and sincerely, even when nobody's around, and especially when 882 00:55:03,600 --> 00:55:06,680 Speaker 1: nobody's around. If you can create a career like that 883 00:55:06,719 --> 00:55:14,240 Speaker 1: for yourself, you have absolutely one. How do you forgive 884 00:55:16,120 --> 00:55:26,279 Speaker 1: those that attempted to stop you or diminish you or 885 00:55:27,520 --> 00:55:31,920 Speaker 1: stand in the way. How do you do that? And 886 00:55:32,080 --> 00:55:36,960 Speaker 1: if you do a lot of therapy and giving it 887 00:55:37,000 --> 00:55:39,880 Speaker 1: to God and taking my hands off of it, it's like, God, 888 00:55:40,440 --> 00:55:43,960 Speaker 1: it's too much for me to bear, and then go 889 00:55:44,040 --> 00:55:46,840 Speaker 1: talk to my therapist. That's what you have to have 890 00:55:46,920 --> 00:55:48,880 Speaker 1: to do. And then you still have to believe that 891 00:55:48,960 --> 00:55:53,880 Speaker 1: you're moving in the right direction for you. That's the 892 00:55:53,920 --> 00:55:57,879 Speaker 1: most important thing is to stay your course, because if 893 00:55:57,880 --> 00:56:01,520 Speaker 1: you get our course, you're doing what somebody else wants 894 00:56:01,520 --> 00:56:04,040 Speaker 1: you to do. And people will always say, well, she 895 00:56:04,080 --> 00:56:07,000 Speaker 1: didn't listen, she didn't do this. But I'm still here 896 00:56:07,680 --> 00:56:11,080 Speaker 1: and I'm still enjoying my life and living my life 897 00:56:11,440 --> 00:56:14,839 Speaker 1: on my own terms, and that's what I wanted. I'm 898 00:56:14,920 --> 00:56:17,560 Speaker 1: living my life and doing what I want to do 899 00:56:18,000 --> 00:56:24,160 Speaker 1: on my own terms, and that's so important. Thank you 900 00:56:24,200 --> 00:56:27,200 Speaker 1: so much. How can we continue to support you? Stephanie, like, 901 00:56:27,239 --> 00:56:29,880 Speaker 1: how do you How can we continue to love on you? 902 00:56:29,960 --> 00:56:32,759 Speaker 1: Everybody who's listening to just say a prayer for me, 903 00:56:33,040 --> 00:56:35,640 Speaker 1: Say a prayer for me. You know you want to 904 00:56:35,640 --> 00:56:37,480 Speaker 1: come to my show, Come to my show, but just 905 00:56:37,960 --> 00:56:41,759 Speaker 1: say a prayer for me, and remember what I You 906 00:56:41,800 --> 00:56:45,480 Speaker 1: know what I've said, and take it to heart. And 907 00:56:46,440 --> 00:56:50,200 Speaker 1: you can use me as an example. Because I never 908 00:56:50,239 --> 00:56:54,200 Speaker 1: wanted to be an artist that wound up broke, wound 909 00:56:54,280 --> 00:56:57,680 Speaker 1: up in a drughouse. I never wanted to be that 910 00:56:57,800 --> 00:57:01,120 Speaker 1: because I saw that, so I never so. I always 911 00:57:01,200 --> 00:57:04,120 Speaker 1: lived my life under the radar and was able to 912 00:57:04,160 --> 00:57:07,000 Speaker 1: take care of myself no matter what happened. And I 913 00:57:07,040 --> 00:57:10,600 Speaker 1: think that's important. It's not how well you live, it's 914 00:57:10,640 --> 00:57:17,920 Speaker 1: how long you live. Well, that's important. Bars can I 915 00:57:17,960 --> 00:57:22,680 Speaker 1: say something, Yes, I didn't get a chance to fangirl 916 00:57:22,720 --> 00:57:27,600 Speaker 1: on you earlier in the show properly, but I shoven 917 00:57:27,760 --> 00:57:34,200 Speaker 1: know that vocally you are just, oh my god, just 918 00:57:34,400 --> 00:57:41,640 Speaker 1: absolute perfection. The personality, the personality and how your vocal 919 00:57:41,680 --> 00:57:45,600 Speaker 1: performance it is just like all of the layers of it, 920 00:57:45,960 --> 00:57:49,560 Speaker 1: all of the feeling I don't even know. You know, 921 00:57:49,600 --> 00:57:51,920 Speaker 1: a lot of times we talk about as little girls 922 00:57:51,960 --> 00:57:55,320 Speaker 1: who we tried to emulate. And we don't talk enough 923 00:57:55,360 --> 00:57:59,320 Speaker 1: about how we all emulated you, how we all stood 924 00:57:59,320 --> 00:58:02,720 Speaker 1: in the mirror, we all, me and my step brother. 925 00:58:03,200 --> 00:58:05,760 Speaker 1: I want you to understand we were. I've been up 926 00:58:05,800 --> 00:58:10,840 Speaker 1: and I've been down in that I'm VORs right now. 927 00:58:10,840 --> 00:58:15,120 Speaker 1: I want to embarrass myself, but I'm like the times 928 00:58:15,200 --> 00:58:18,760 Speaker 1: that we stood in that mirror on our tippy toes, honey, 929 00:58:18,840 --> 00:58:25,080 Speaker 1: and my brother he's gay. We were giving full you know, 930 00:58:25,640 --> 00:58:29,640 Speaker 1: full you know, tow wig and everything. Okay, we were. 931 00:58:29,720 --> 00:58:33,880 Speaker 1: We were fully engaged and you know, so just to 932 00:58:34,040 --> 00:58:36,120 Speaker 1: just to have you here and talking to you and 933 00:58:36,160 --> 00:58:39,520 Speaker 1: just hearing your wisdom, I just want to make sure 934 00:58:39,600 --> 00:58:43,280 Speaker 1: that I give you your flowers. Obviously, Jill is and 935 00:58:44,240 --> 00:58:47,200 Speaker 1: gives flowers in the best way like she's She's so 936 00:58:47,280 --> 00:58:50,680 Speaker 1: amazingly talented at giving flowers. So mine are, you know, 937 00:58:50,800 --> 00:58:55,240 Speaker 1: a little bit disjunct. You know whatever I'm wraggoning mine 938 00:58:55,320 --> 00:58:59,760 Speaker 1: is a little raggedy. But I love you, I do, 939 00:59:00,000 --> 00:59:04,360 Speaker 1: oh my gosh. And I just to have what you 940 00:59:04,400 --> 00:59:08,560 Speaker 1: have done to preserve your spirit and your mind, your heart, 941 00:59:08,600 --> 00:59:13,120 Speaker 1: your soul and your craft is inspiring and it is 942 00:59:13,240 --> 00:59:17,720 Speaker 1: necessary and we will protect you at all costs. Oh, 943 00:59:17,720 --> 00:59:23,280 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you, thank you so much. It is 944 00:59:23,480 --> 00:59:32,680 Speaker 1: complete affirmation. This is a real three sixty for real. 945 00:59:33,840 --> 00:59:40,800 Speaker 1: Please continue to enjoy j Do Elda podcast. We have 946 00:59:40,920 --> 00:59:48,120 Speaker 1: conversations to spark conversation and action. It is an honor 947 00:59:50,320 --> 00:59:54,600 Speaker 1: to have this day. I hope you all feel the same. 948 00:59:54,680 --> 01:00:02,520 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, Thank you, love everybody making us cry? 949 01:00:04,960 --> 01:00:09,520 Speaker 1: How do you eat an elephant? One? By it time? 950 01:00:11,200 --> 01:00:15,760 Speaker 1: Hey listeners, it's Amber the producer here. We hope you 951 01:00:15,840 --> 01:00:19,040 Speaker 1: love miss Mills as much as we do. I mean, 952 01:00:19,160 --> 01:00:22,760 Speaker 1: of course you do. As you mentioned on the podcast, 953 01:00:22,840 --> 01:00:25,880 Speaker 1: The Legend is on tour this year. I'll drop a 954 01:00:25,920 --> 01:00:29,120 Speaker 1: link below in the show notes and that's it. Go 955 01:00:29,400 --> 01:00:45,080 Speaker 1: and see the legend that is Stephanie Mills. Hi. If 956 01:00:45,120 --> 01:00:47,960 Speaker 1: you have comments on something he said in this episode, 957 01:00:48,320 --> 01:00:51,880 Speaker 1: call eight six six Hey Jill, if you want to 958 01:00:51,880 --> 01:00:55,240 Speaker 1: add to this conversation, that's eight six six four three 959 01:00:55,320 --> 01:00:58,520 Speaker 1: nine five four five five. Don't forget to tell us 960 01:00:58,520 --> 01:01:02,040 Speaker 1: your name and the episode referring to you might just 961 01:01:02,360 --> 01:01:05,760 Speaker 1: hear your message on a future episode. Thank you for 962 01:01:05,840 --> 01:01:10,120 Speaker 1: listening to Jill Scott presents Jay dot Ill. The podcast 963 01:01:12,960 --> 01:01:17,000 Speaker 1: Jay dot Ill is a production of iHeartRadio. For more 964 01:01:17,080 --> 01:01:23,320 Speaker 1: podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 965 01:01:23,360 --> 01:01:25,600 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.