WEBVTT - Questlove Supreme: Johnny Gill 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:04.680 Quest Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. We Are Ready, 0:00:05.320 --> 0:00:05.680 Here We Go. 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:16.960 Supremo Supremo, Roll Call Supremo Supremo, Roll Call Supremo Supremo, 0:00:17.160 --> 0:00:21.880 Roll Call Suprema Supremo. 0:00:21.040 --> 0:00:27.160 Roll call My Yeah, Mama, Oh yeah, yeah, Mama. 0:00:26.920 --> 0:00:36.760 Ma Yeah, Supreme Supreme, Roll Supreme Supremo. 0:00:36.960 --> 0:00:37.560 Roll Call. 0:00:37.680 --> 0:00:38.760 My name is Sugar. 0:00:39.159 --> 0:00:39.440 Yeah. 0:00:39.520 --> 0:00:42.239 And it's such a thrill. Yeah to be in the 0:00:42.280 --> 0:00:44.920 same room as Boss Bill. 0:00:46.200 --> 0:00:55.360 Supreme Roll Supremo Supremo roll and this Boss Bill Yeah 0:00:55.520 --> 0:00:58.720 with the rhyme to say yeah, one of my favorite jams. 0:00:59.160 --> 0:01:03.600 Yeah, quiet time to play roll spret. 0:01:03.640 --> 0:01:09.480 So Supremeo, Roll Call Suprema Son Son Supremo, roll call 0:01:10.040 --> 0:01:10.920 like em. 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:12.560 Yeah, and Johnny guilt to the end. 0:01:13.120 --> 0:01:13.320 Yeah. 0:01:13.440 --> 0:01:15.920 We vote from d C. Yeah, so he ain't my 0:01:16.000 --> 0:01:19.679 fair with a friend, ro call Suprema Yeah. 0:01:19.600 --> 0:01:25.400 Back up, Supreme, Supreme, Supreme A roll call. 0:01:25.920 --> 0:01:26.800 Name is Johnny. 0:01:26.959 --> 0:01:27.479 Yeah. 0:01:27.640 --> 0:01:30.080 I'm so happy to say. Yeah, I'm in here with 0:01:30.200 --> 0:01:32.440 all of y'all. Yeah, I'm gonna rub you all all right. 0:01:32.480 --> 0:01:37.600 Well, Supreme So Supreme, Roll Call. 0:01:38.000 --> 0:01:46.520 Supremo Supremo, Roll Call Suprema Son Suppremo, Roll Call Suprema 0:01:46.840 --> 0:01:49.600 Son Supremo. 0:01:48.720 --> 0:01:51.760 Roll call all over my body. 0:01:52.000 --> 0:01:55.760 Wait a minute, Well, I'm curious, all right, ladies and gentlemen. 0:01:56.720 --> 0:02:00.240 Normally I don't do the I don't do the capped 0:02:00.240 --> 0:02:03.640 in the obvious roll call, but the look of darts 0:02:03.720 --> 0:02:07.120 thrown in my direction because you cheated. Man, I didn't cheat. 0:02:07.160 --> 0:02:10.320 I stayed far away from from my mind. I knew 0:02:10.320 --> 0:02:11.360 that somebody was gonna take that. 0:02:11.800 --> 0:02:14.720 I'm sorry. So wait, I'm actually curious you had a 0:02:14.720 --> 0:02:16.000 backup one just in case? 0:02:16.160 --> 0:02:18.320 No, that was it. That was it was a friend. 0:02:18.400 --> 0:02:18.800 I beat it. 0:02:18.880 --> 0:02:20.280 I had to ask Bill to look it up because 0:02:20.280 --> 0:02:23.399 I was sure. In the lyrics, I was like, he said, 0:02:23.400 --> 0:02:24.679 he want to be my Fairwether friends. 0:02:25.520 --> 0:02:27.880 He won't be. I won't be, Okay, I was just 0:02:28.000 --> 0:02:29.960 I was really impressed if you told me that I 0:02:30.000 --> 0:02:32.799 stole your roll call and that you had would a 0:02:32.840 --> 0:02:33.840 new one on standby. 0:02:34.720 --> 0:02:37.400 I had one almost ready for standby. Mine was a 0:02:37.440 --> 0:02:38.280 real deep cut. 0:02:38.080 --> 0:02:39.600 So I guess me going first. I don't have to 0:02:39.639 --> 0:02:42.480 worry about that, but you guys, I get it now. 0:02:42.760 --> 0:02:45.840 Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode of Quest of 0:02:46.040 --> 0:02:49.639 Supreme on iHeartRadio. How are you? We got, Team Supreme 0:02:49.680 --> 0:02:51.120 in the house. What's up, guys? 0:02:58.760 --> 0:02:59.200 Anyway? 0:02:59.520 --> 0:03:03.000 We got Steve Hey MANU wait wait, can we just 0:03:03.040 --> 0:03:04.079 cut to the chase? Yeah? 0:03:04.200 --> 0:03:05.359 Uh did did? 0:03:05.720 --> 0:03:06.000 Uh? 0:03:06.440 --> 0:03:09.320 Unpaid Bill just ghost us? I think he did. I 0:03:09.320 --> 0:03:11.280 haven't heard. He hasn't even been on the group chat. 0:03:11.880 --> 0:03:13.120 I never left him. 0:03:14.880 --> 0:03:17.320 You see, Johnny, we have this you know co host 0:03:17.680 --> 0:03:18.760 who's mister Broadway. 0:03:18.800 --> 0:03:20.240 It ain't got no time for us, no more. 0:03:20.720 --> 0:03:23.640 But that shows over unless he's working on Max Martin 0:03:23.720 --> 0:03:24.800 right now. 0:03:24.800 --> 0:03:27.239 Broadway shows and I think a movie. I'm trying to 0:03:27.240 --> 0:03:27.520 tell his. 0:03:27.560 --> 0:03:30.200 Business like I got stuff going on. 0:03:30.560 --> 0:03:31.919 Yeah, but it's called Quest Love Supreme. 0:03:31.960 --> 0:03:35.200 You have to be here his name and into the title. 0:03:35.600 --> 0:03:39.600 All right, Well we could do Quest Love Supreme feature. 0:03:39.920 --> 0:03:40.480 That's what it is. 0:03:41.240 --> 0:03:43.560 He's gonna ask for more money for that, Okay, nevern 0:03:43.560 --> 0:03:47.480 I forget it. Good to know, and I hope Fante 0:03:47.560 --> 0:03:49.040 doesn't get yes. 0:03:49.240 --> 0:03:51.480 Can someone want to tell Fante that we have enough? 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:54.280 We got a pack. 0:03:54.680 --> 0:03:56.520 You see, Johnny, we got another co host that went 0:03:56.520 --> 0:03:58.480 out for cigarettes and he has not come back, but 0:03:58.520 --> 0:04:00.800 he's been on two or five thousand. 0:04:01.160 --> 0:04:03.640 He said he go out for cigarettes. 0:04:03.680 --> 0:04:04.920 And you know it's good. 0:04:05.120 --> 0:04:07.640 It means they're successful. And they don't have time for us. 0:04:07.720 --> 0:04:12.320 Look right now, we're Marlon Jackie, Jermaine Tito. We're still 0:04:12.360 --> 0:04:13.920 touring as a unit, right and I know. 0:04:13.880 --> 0:04:14.760 We're working a minute. 0:04:15.600 --> 0:04:20.920 I'm here, gentleman, you guys. 0:04:21.120 --> 0:04:27.000 No, no, ladies and gentleman, no, I'm not even going 0:04:27.000 --> 0:04:30.760 to waste time. I'm not even gonna waste time, ladies 0:04:30.800 --> 0:04:34.320 and gentlemen. Our guest today is. 0:04:36.200 --> 0:04:36.640 I don't know. 0:04:36.680 --> 0:04:39.920 He's the last of a I can't say that word. 0:04:39.960 --> 0:04:43.039 I won't say dying breathe, but it's not a dangered species. 0:04:43.040 --> 0:04:46.520 But he's a singer, singer. 0:04:46.720 --> 0:04:51.640 That sounds like he went through puberty. Yes, yes, a 0:04:51.680 --> 0:04:54.320 singer singer like I'm sorry, this is hard to find 0:04:54.320 --> 0:04:55.200 a male singer these days. 0:04:55.240 --> 0:04:56.880 That sounds like he's you know, older than thirteen. 0:04:57.000 --> 0:05:01.400 So we're can sing more than one note? Yeah, ors 0:05:01.520 --> 0:05:04.640 verbrato or knows how the annunciator or you know. 0:05:05.240 --> 0:05:06.360 Just slip off my red dress. 0:05:06.400 --> 0:05:13.320 Let's out, hey, ladies and gentlemen. Uh, the master, the 0:05:13.360 --> 0:05:17.640 master himself, Johnny gil Is, thank you. 0:05:18.360 --> 0:05:20.200 That's damn. 0:05:23.240 --> 0:05:29.520 Call you Johnny Jackson right now. Uh j G. You 0:05:29.560 --> 0:05:34.520 know something I thought, all right, of of all the 0:05:35.440 --> 0:05:39.480 I'm speaking of the new addition of alumnus of all you guys, 0:05:39.640 --> 0:05:41.680 all of them have cool nicknames, but I felt they 0:05:41.680 --> 0:05:43.600 got lazy with you and just named you j G. 0:05:44.240 --> 0:05:46.080 Well, I have how come you don't have a I 0:05:46.120 --> 0:05:48.760 have two names. It's Jay Guil, I mean j j G. 0:05:49.040 --> 0:05:51.880 And then Skills is what they call me. And even 0:05:51.880 --> 0:05:54.320 though my company is called Jay Skills, they they called 0:05:54.320 --> 0:05:57.400 me skills because that's my nickname from them is because 0:05:58.240 --> 0:06:01.039 we walk in a room. I played the drums and 0:06:01.080 --> 0:06:03.080 they were going okay, So then I get on the 0:06:03.160 --> 0:06:05.479 keyboards and start playing that. Then I got on the guitar. 0:06:05.520 --> 0:06:07.480 I started playing the guitar, so I started playing because 0:06:07.640 --> 0:06:10.640 they kept going yo. It was like damn skills. 0:06:11.000 --> 0:06:12.360 So that that's. 0:06:12.160 --> 0:06:17.360 How I never knew that. I just heard him call 0:06:17.400 --> 0:06:17.800 you j G. 0:06:18.080 --> 0:06:21.280 All right, played instruments. 0:06:22.320 --> 0:06:23.120 I can't imagine. 0:06:25.440 --> 0:06:29.720 Well because of his high school education in d C. 0:06:30.760 --> 0:06:35.960 Where are you are you now? You're d C. I'm 0:06:36.000 --> 0:06:37.160 just saying, as opposed to. 0:06:37.080 --> 0:06:40.240 Philly, I went to I graduated high school. When wherever 0:06:40.279 --> 0:06:42.040 you graduate high school, that's where it is. 0:06:42.240 --> 0:06:43.600 Really Yeah, yeah. 0:06:43.480 --> 0:06:47.360 Really right, Johnny, Yes, I got back, I got your Yeah, 0:06:47.360 --> 0:06:48.000 she's right. 0:06:48.600 --> 0:06:50.000 Johnny left d C. 0:06:50.160 --> 0:06:54.719 At what age I left around I was about I 0:06:54.760 --> 0:06:58.680 want to say, maybe eighteen when I left and came 0:06:58.720 --> 0:06:59.600 to it went to l A. 0:07:01.080 --> 0:07:03.200 Yeah, but you clocked more years in LA than you 0:07:03.240 --> 0:07:03.760 have in d C. 0:07:04.000 --> 0:07:05.160 Actually pretty much? 0:07:05.800 --> 0:07:07.800 Are you a Washingtonian? What do you call yourself? 0:07:08.600 --> 0:07:09.120 Confused? 0:07:13.040 --> 0:07:14.600 When's the last time you lived in DC? 0:07:15.400 --> 0:07:16.240 I lived in d C. 0:07:16.760 --> 0:07:21.800 Oh, nineteen eighty five, maybe eighty six. 0:07:21.880 --> 0:07:23.400 I think in eighty seven I was in LA. 0:07:24.160 --> 0:07:27.840 So yeah, yeah, yeah, so right after chemistry then that 0:07:27.960 --> 0:07:28.520 was that was that? 0:07:28.600 --> 0:07:28.800 Yeah? 0:07:29.200 --> 0:07:32.840 I see? Yeah, well I always switch inside. So you know, 0:07:32.960 --> 0:07:33.920 now she's DC. 0:07:34.520 --> 0:07:35.320 Johnny gill is here. 0:07:40.960 --> 0:07:44.280 Hell yes, right, So let me say that you're you're 0:07:44.320 --> 0:07:48.560 one of our rare guests that I'll say that you 0:07:48.680 --> 0:07:52.000 came to my attention almost way before your music did, 0:07:52.240 --> 0:07:56.640 because I'll say that in my childhood, the Internet for 0:07:56.760 --> 0:07:59.560 black kids was right on magazine. 0:08:00.080 --> 0:08:02.080 So you have a friend. 0:08:01.920 --> 0:08:05.880 In Cynthia hornor yes, because she would do full blown 0:08:06.040 --> 0:08:10.080 like features on you and I heard narrow a note. 0:08:10.600 --> 0:08:13.800 Wow that was I knew your face, I knew your 0:08:13.880 --> 0:08:17.119 life story, I knew everything. I never heard a note. 0:08:17.200 --> 0:08:20.800 I don't know you guys, I mean he really really 0:08:20.960 --> 0:08:24.240 just very talented, and you're going to get to see 0:08:24.240 --> 0:08:24.600 and know. 0:08:25.320 --> 0:08:26.000 That's how. 0:08:28.040 --> 0:08:32.400 That's how she talks. No, and that's the thing, like, 0:08:32.679 --> 0:08:38.560 because I knew they kept comparing you to of course, 0:08:38.679 --> 0:08:45.640 either the rich your richness of Donnie Hathaway's voice, the 0:08:45.720 --> 0:08:51.520 rasp of Teddy Pendergrass, and I guess by association there 0:08:51.600 --> 0:08:56.800 is a deep cut from the Dells Marvin Jr. Who's 0:08:56.840 --> 0:09:00.800 Teddy's idol, but just saying that you look like me, 0:09:01.120 --> 0:09:03.680 you look young, And I was like, no way that 0:09:03.760 --> 0:09:10.320 this guy has that deep voice. But finally one of 0:09:10.360 --> 0:09:12.480 your videos came on like New York Contracts Like it 0:09:12.520 --> 0:09:16.600 was like a show that came on New York. Yes. 0:09:16.880 --> 0:09:19.360 So thus I finally said, oh, okay, that's what Johnny 0:09:19.360 --> 0:09:22.640 Gilt does so describe. 0:09:22.160 --> 0:09:26.240 To Mary Carol issue. I just couldn't get it right. 0:09:28.200 --> 0:09:30.080 So you were born in DC? What part of DC? 0:09:30.960 --> 0:09:34.880 Southeast southeast? What is that first place? 0:09:34.920 --> 0:09:38.360 I remember it is the last place to get gentrified 0:09:38.360 --> 0:09:39.640 in DC. I'll just put it that way. 0:09:40.400 --> 0:09:41.400 It's still the problem. 0:09:41.400 --> 0:09:43.320 It's actually called southeast. 0:09:43.000 --> 0:09:46.560 Southeast, Southeast southeast southeast, So every. 0:09:46.520 --> 0:09:48.600 Now and then it can come out, but it's buried 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:48.920 in there. 0:09:49.080 --> 0:09:52.720 And not try to keep it under control and everything. 0:09:52.880 --> 0:09:57.600 I've got some help for it. Minute. 0:09:59.360 --> 0:10:01.400 I have a question for you though, because I know 0:10:01.440 --> 0:10:07.360 you're from DC, and I always wondered if how how 0:10:07.400 --> 0:10:11.720 deep does go go culture resonate with your art? Like 0:10:11.800 --> 0:10:15.520 have you ever thought of truly incorporating like any of 0:10:15.559 --> 0:10:18.960 those Like did you ever at all immerse yourself in 0:10:19.920 --> 0:10:21.920 go go culture or read just straight church? 0:10:21.960 --> 0:10:23.880 And I was straight church, but I did. 0:10:23.960 --> 0:10:27.200 I was absolutely familiar with it, and I used to 0:10:27.200 --> 0:10:28.400 play it, you know. 0:10:28.400 --> 0:10:31.760 I used to get my mom worked three jobs. 0:10:31.960 --> 0:10:34.280 When I would come home from school, I would get 0:10:34.320 --> 0:10:37.080 on my brother's drums, and before you know it, the 0:10:37.120 --> 0:10:39.520 whole neighborhood. 0:10:38.920 --> 0:10:41.920 Was coming around the house and they were all jamming. 0:10:42.600 --> 0:10:44.720 I was, you know, but it wasn't something that I 0:10:44.720 --> 0:10:46.319 put in my music, but I just that's how I 0:10:46.400 --> 0:10:46.920 used to practice. 0:10:46.920 --> 0:10:48.240 I used to practice go go stuff. 0:10:48.320 --> 0:10:51.040 Okay, So, with the exception of New Orleans, I'll say 0:10:51.040 --> 0:10:58.080 that d C has it's steeped in black music culture 0:10:58.440 --> 0:11:00.160 in a way that's not like any other place in 0:11:00.200 --> 0:11:01.000 the United States. 0:11:01.880 --> 0:11:02.559 How is that so? 0:11:03.000 --> 0:11:05.360 Like, why is it like the fact that your brother 0:11:05.400 --> 0:11:06.960 had a drum set in my household? 0:11:07.760 --> 0:11:10.559 Especially post seventies. 0:11:10.760 --> 0:11:12.320 Is well, my dad usual. 0:11:12.400 --> 0:11:14.880 My dad was a minister, and you know we used 0:11:14.880 --> 0:11:18.520 to sing and play in church, and uh, he bought 0:11:18.640 --> 0:11:21.280 all of us just different instruments. And I was one 0:11:21.320 --> 0:11:24.079 of those kids that was just intrigued by everybody's instruments. 0:11:24.120 --> 0:11:25.960 My brothers they couldn't figure out why I could play 0:11:26.000 --> 0:11:27.719 the bass, why I could plays drums, why I could 0:11:27.760 --> 0:11:32.400 play the bongos, And they wouldn't. You know, as a kid, 0:11:32.520 --> 0:11:34.640 when you grow up, your you know your siblings, you 0:11:34.720 --> 0:11:36.240 fight and it's like no, get off mind. 0:11:36.280 --> 0:11:38.240 You don't want to them play your toy. So I 0:11:38.280 --> 0:11:42.800 would play sick and wouldn't go to school sometimes. 0:11:42.720 --> 0:11:44.000 When when young to school. 0:11:44.080 --> 0:11:47.440 Yes I was a younger, Yeah yeah, okay, they never 0:11:47.520 --> 0:11:49.559 understood why I could play everybody instruments. 0:11:49.600 --> 0:11:52.160 But while he was gone, he was practicing. 0:11:53.080 --> 0:11:54.960 But I didn't know even as a kid that I was, 0:11:55.480 --> 0:11:58.080 I would have never been. I couldn't describe it until you. 0:11:58.160 --> 0:12:00.320 I was intrigued. I didn't know that's what it was. 0:12:01.000 --> 0:12:02.880 I was just a kid, but I wanted to play 0:12:02.880 --> 0:12:03.520 the instruments. 0:12:03.520 --> 0:12:06.400 And everybody would fighting, like no, get on drums, get 0:12:06.440 --> 0:12:08.760 on guitar, and so I was like, I'm gonna fix you. 0:12:10.040 --> 0:12:11.840 How old were you at the time when you started 0:12:11.840 --> 0:12:14.880 sneaking on your brother's. 0:12:13.760 --> 0:12:17.360 I was about eight seven eight years old, and we 0:12:17.440 --> 0:12:20.080 all had interesting But my dad was a miniatuer. Joe Jackson, 0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:24.120 I swear to you. My dad was the no nonsense 0:12:24.240 --> 0:12:27.760 guy and would make us rehearse. We would had to 0:12:27.800 --> 0:12:29.640 go to school the next day, but we couldn't go 0:12:29.679 --> 0:12:31.679 to bed until we got it right. 0:12:31.720 --> 0:12:33.640 So all my brothers all we all sang. 0:12:34.040 --> 0:12:35.520 And how many how many siblings? 0:12:35.600 --> 0:12:37.280 I have three older brothers, so it was four of 0:12:37.360 --> 0:12:40.880 us total, and my dad would make us put us 0:12:40.880 --> 0:12:44.320 in talent shows. But he used to make us rehearse, 0:12:44.760 --> 0:12:47.000 and we couldn't go to bed until we got it right. 0:12:47.000 --> 0:12:50.079 And when we got it right, we got a glass 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:52.160 of Coke cola. 0:12:53.480 --> 0:12:55.080 And then you gotta and go to bed, and then 0:12:55.080 --> 0:12:57.600 you gotta get up early for school. But he was like, 0:12:57.880 --> 0:13:00.199 you know, I didn't realize what he was. I don't 0:13:00.240 --> 0:13:01.440 know what he was preparing me for. 0:13:02.160 --> 0:13:03.960 I mean, not to put you on the spot. Are 0:13:04.040 --> 0:13:07.319 your brothers as good as singing as you are? 0:13:07.440 --> 0:13:10.040 Or I have one that kind of mimics me. He 0:13:10.080 --> 0:13:12.080 can do what I do Randy. 0:13:12.200 --> 0:13:12.400 Yeah. 0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:16.079 Yeah, he's in the group to the extreme. Yeah yeah yeah, 0:13:16.240 --> 0:13:18.240 So I mean, you know, he'll go at me. As 0:13:18.280 --> 0:13:19.880 a matter of fact, if you go on YouTube on 0:13:20.080 --> 0:13:22.800 our Seniors show, you'll see one of me and him 0:13:22.840 --> 0:13:25.120 going at it with each other on our Senio really 0:13:25.200 --> 0:13:27.800 yeah yeah yeah yeah, he kind of out yeah yeah, 0:13:27.840 --> 0:13:29.760 he was going at me, and I was like, okay, 0:13:29.840 --> 0:13:32.280 you a little bama. 0:13:32.640 --> 0:13:41.559 Yeah so all right, so what did the other ones 0:13:41.600 --> 0:13:43.119 were just musicians. 0:13:43.240 --> 0:13:46.880 My oldest brother hated the whole music thing. He was 0:13:46.880 --> 0:13:47.440 the oldest. 0:13:47.720 --> 0:13:50.640 We He used to get weapons when we would come 0:13:50.679 --> 0:13:52.840 home from church because he would sing with his back turn. 0:13:53.120 --> 0:13:55.280 So my aunt and my dad used to get him. 0:13:55.480 --> 0:13:58.439 He said when he turned eighteen he would never sing again. 0:13:58.760 --> 0:14:02.160 He turned eighteen, you know, a sorry again. Really was 0:14:02.240 --> 0:14:05.199 like I'm done. He just didn't like it, but he 0:14:05.280 --> 0:14:06.959 had to because when you know, my dad used to 0:14:06.960 --> 0:14:07.840 make us all sing and. 0:14:07.720 --> 0:14:11.440 Play with his family business. Yeah was he good or yeah? 0:14:11.440 --> 0:14:11.839 He could sing. 0:14:11.840 --> 0:14:12.920 He could sing, he just didn't want it. 0:14:13.000 --> 0:14:15.120 He didn't like it. Wow, he didn't like it. 0:14:15.160 --> 0:14:16.960 And my dad and they used to stay on him 0:14:16.960 --> 0:14:19.880 about because he used to sing with his back turn 0:14:19.960 --> 0:14:21.920 like he didn't want to face the audience and he 0:14:21.960 --> 0:14:23.640 would get in trouble for because they knew he was 0:14:23.640 --> 0:14:26.080 doing it intentionally, but he just didn't like it. 0:14:26.160 --> 0:14:27.120 But he could sing. 0:14:27.480 --> 0:14:31.440 Wow yeah and no regrets on his part, like I 0:14:31.440 --> 0:14:32.440 could have been a contingent. 0:14:32.680 --> 0:14:38.480 Ever looked back, never looked Okay, I see. 0:14:38.800 --> 0:14:42.920 So what was your your period at Duke Ellington. I 0:14:42.960 --> 0:14:47.320 know many of the student well you know that that 0:14:47.360 --> 0:14:49.640 I have gone there and excelled or whatever. But during 0:14:49.680 --> 0:14:53.520 your period, what was it like in your environment? Like 0:14:53.560 --> 0:14:56.400 did you have talent not talent shows? Were you other 0:14:56.440 --> 0:14:57.880 groups or no? You know. 0:14:58.120 --> 0:15:05.480 I went and honestly, I visited Duke Keleton. Stacey went 0:15:06.160 --> 0:15:08.640 and I went there with her maybe a couple of 0:15:08.800 --> 0:15:09.560 few days or. 0:15:09.560 --> 0:15:12.440 So, and at that point I kind of like. 0:15:13.760 --> 0:15:17.160 We was having actually we were sitting there talking about 0:15:18.160 --> 0:15:22.320 the future of my career at that time, and I 0:15:22.400 --> 0:15:22.920 just went there. 0:15:22.960 --> 0:15:24.520 I really went there a couple of like. 0:15:24.520 --> 0:15:27.119 Maybe a couple of days at the most, and everybody 0:15:27.280 --> 0:15:29.640 was saying, well, he's he went to Dukeleton and that. 0:15:29.640 --> 0:15:33.920 Was yeah, yeah, yeah. 0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:34.600 I went with. 0:15:35.240 --> 0:15:36.040 Where'd you really go? 0:15:36.600 --> 0:15:36.680 So? 0:15:36.680 --> 0:15:37.440 Where did you really go? 0:15:37.680 --> 0:15:41.520 I went to Kimball Elementary Susan junior high. And after that, 0:15:41.600 --> 0:15:45.800 Stacey and I both got We were tutored the way time. 0:15:46.640 --> 0:15:47.680 When did you get your record deal? 0:15:48.200 --> 0:15:55.800 I was fifteen and I recorded the album and after 0:15:55.840 --> 0:15:59.360 the album came out, the Johnny Gill album, the first 0:15:59.360 --> 0:16:02.320 one was when shortly after that. 0:16:02.640 --> 0:16:05.920 Wait, I'm sorry, wait wait, wait all right, I'm cheating 0:16:05.920 --> 0:16:10.720 a little bit. Uh, Jam Jam is texting me right now. 0:16:10.960 --> 0:16:15.280 I hit him earlier this morning, Johnny Today, he says, 0:16:16.400 --> 0:16:19.080 he says he has terrible tastes in his own stuff. 0:16:19.520 --> 0:16:25.520 He hated my ma mind. 0:16:23.200 --> 0:16:26.800 Wait, he said, he's sending me in paragraph right now. Boy, 0:16:26.920 --> 0:16:27.480 we'll get to that. 0:16:33.000 --> 0:16:34.000 You hated it from the jump. 0:16:34.120 --> 0:16:41.240 You just, I just. 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:41.600 We'll get to that. We're jumping ahead. We're jumping ahead, 0:16:41.600 --> 0:16:42.280 We're jumping ahead. 0:16:43.520 --> 0:16:44.680 I get it. I guess. 0:16:46.080 --> 0:16:50.160 We're on the first alf anyway. So yeah, you So, 0:16:50.440 --> 0:16:53.600 why is it that they claimed you for just three days? 0:16:53.600 --> 0:16:55.360 And because I became famous? 0:16:56.400 --> 0:17:00.920 I see, I see, And man they always kept I mean, 0:17:00.920 --> 0:17:01.880 I would hear it all the time. 0:17:01.880 --> 0:17:03.880 It's like, yeah, you went to do Galleton. I said, yeah, 0:17:04.000 --> 0:17:04.600 a couple of days. 0:17:04.640 --> 0:17:06.480 Yeah, because y'all were the first you think about it, 0:17:06.560 --> 0:17:07.960 Johnny Guild, Stacey Latta saw. 0:17:08.040 --> 0:17:08.800 After that, that's. 0:17:08.640 --> 0:17:10.840 When more famous people came from ke Allington. But really 0:17:10.880 --> 0:17:13.400 they were the first, like well famous. 0:17:13.080 --> 0:17:16.280 Yeah, but you know, d it's a very special place. 0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:18.520 I mean it was Marvin Gay, I mean, there was 0:17:19.359 --> 0:17:22.320 Freddy Parent I think was from there as Freddy I 0:17:22.359 --> 0:17:24.399 mean you, Tony Braxton. 0:17:24.720 --> 0:17:27.399 It was quite a few. I mean people that. 0:17:27.680 --> 0:17:28.520 The DC connection was. 0:17:28.520 --> 0:17:30.800 How Freddy ended up producing your first album? 0:17:30.840 --> 0:17:33.520 You know, I don't know, but he I know that 0:17:34.200 --> 0:17:39.080 when I signed with Atlantic Records. Well, Indy Allen was 0:17:39.119 --> 0:17:42.200 the one that actually that was his idea to to. 0:17:42.080 --> 0:17:43.840 Link up with Freddy Parent for some reason. 0:17:43.960 --> 0:17:46.240 So so it was the story true, like how did 0:17:46.280 --> 0:17:49.560 you get your deal? Was it? Okay? So that was real. 0:17:49.840 --> 0:17:51.560 I didn't know that was just like a label thing 0:17:51.600 --> 0:17:55.480 like Stas Flas, Diana Ross discovering the Jackson but like 0:17:55.520 --> 0:17:56.240 that sort of It. 0:17:56.160 --> 0:17:58.760 Was crazy because you know Stacey and I we you know, 0:17:58.800 --> 0:18:01.320 we all grew up in to see neighborhoo. We Stacy's house 0:18:01.440 --> 0:18:05.280 was like the that was the playground for everybody. I mean, 0:18:05.520 --> 0:18:07.840 you come, you go to school, you come home, change 0:18:07.840 --> 0:18:10.280 your clothes and everybody meets up with Stacy's. 0:18:10.280 --> 0:18:12.320 We know something was going on where we were gonna 0:18:12.320 --> 0:18:15.520 be playing. Uh, it was gonna be going to the 0:18:15.560 --> 0:18:18.600 movies or going roller skating, or it was like everybody 0:18:18.600 --> 0:18:19.960 would meet up at her house. 0:18:20.040 --> 0:18:21.000 She used to organizing. 0:18:21.320 --> 0:18:22.960 And I tell you what happened whenever we were in 0:18:22.960 --> 0:18:27.520 the glee club together in in uh elementary and even 0:18:27.560 --> 0:18:30.679 back then we didn't we weren't very good friends. I 0:18:30.680 --> 0:18:32.520 mean we just you know, it was an acquaintance. 0:18:32.840 --> 0:18:36.359 And then one night, one day we were it was 0:18:36.480 --> 0:18:39.280 raining and everybody had to go downstairs into a basement 0:18:39.880 --> 0:18:41.800 and she said, Okay, we're gonna have a talent show. 0:18:41.880 --> 0:18:44.800 She was like, everybody has to do something. All you 0:18:44.880 --> 0:18:46.680 got to get out. And mind you, I wore suits 0:18:46.720 --> 0:18:47.520 to school, so I was. 0:18:47.480 --> 0:18:53.800 Like, you always I used to wear double rusted suits. 0:18:54.080 --> 0:18:56.159 Oh yeah, yeah, George Jefferson. 0:18:55.760 --> 0:18:56.760 I was no, I was. 0:18:57.000 --> 0:18:57.440 I listen. 0:18:57.520 --> 0:18:59.399 My dad was a minister, and I think I didn't 0:18:59.440 --> 0:19:02.880 realize it at the time, but I believe that I 0:19:03.000 --> 0:19:06.720 was really influenced by him and didn't realize that because 0:19:06.840 --> 0:19:09.119 they used to, let you know, my nickname, my brothers 0:19:09.119 --> 0:19:10.680 and my godbrothers that was next door. 0:19:10.760 --> 0:19:15.879 They used to call me. My nickname was Reverdike. I 0:19:15.960 --> 0:19:17.840 used to go here come reverendnight. But I used to 0:19:17.840 --> 0:19:20.720 wear suits and and I just felt comfortable. 0:19:20.280 --> 0:19:22.800 In suits, and nobody made suit when I. 0:19:22.760 --> 0:19:26.080 Had three older brothers and three god brothers and next 0:19:26.080 --> 0:19:28.239 door the ones that the next door they would come 0:19:28.280 --> 0:19:29.879 home for lunch and you see them with blood on 0:19:29.880 --> 0:19:32.000 the shirt is what happened, and beat up the teachers. 0:19:32.720 --> 0:19:34.000 At one point, I thought. 0:19:34.000 --> 0:19:36.000 People didn't want to talk to even say hi to me. 0:19:36.200 --> 0:19:37.359 That was kind of like you. 0:19:39.720 --> 0:19:46.080 I had a pretty deep homy. I mean, so I 0:19:46.080 --> 0:19:47.160 could wear whatever I want. 0:19:49.400 --> 0:19:49.879 I see. 0:19:50.080 --> 0:19:52.840 Okay, So what was it? 0:19:53.400 --> 0:19:53.840 How much? 0:19:54.080 --> 0:19:56.000 How much time did she have before? 0:19:56.720 --> 0:19:57.200 Uh? 0:19:57.680 --> 0:19:59.920 How many years did she have on you? At least 0:20:00.119 --> 0:20:00.639 jump start? 0:20:00.840 --> 0:20:04.480 Uh, Stacy, Let's see, she had about at least three years. 0:20:04.520 --> 0:20:07.680 I would say she came right, yeah, yeah, eighty one 0:20:07.720 --> 0:20:13.200 because she had that album with Van Van McCoy. McCoy, 0:20:13.280 --> 0:20:14.800 I think that was the very first one, and right 0:20:14.840 --> 0:20:15.200 that one. 0:20:15.400 --> 0:20:17.879 Let Me Be In that was the first one, and 0:20:18.400 --> 0:20:18.919 let Me Be In? 0:20:19.040 --> 0:20:20.320 Was that young in love? Maybe? 0:20:20.400 --> 0:20:21.040 Then there was the. 0:20:21.800 --> 0:20:24.800 One that she did with with Narda. Yeah, I think 0:20:24.840 --> 0:20:26.720 then she wound up doing another one with Narda. But yeah, 0:20:26.760 --> 0:20:29.080 she had about three years on me before that, and 0:20:29.200 --> 0:20:30.200 you know, back then, you. 0:20:30.160 --> 0:20:32.240 Know, I was just lived on the same blot. 0:20:32.720 --> 0:20:35.520 No, I lived, uh maybe about ten minutes from them, 0:20:35.560 --> 0:20:37.160 but I used to ride my bike over there because 0:20:37.160 --> 0:20:39.480 that was the stomping grounds. Everybody would hang out over there, 0:20:39.520 --> 0:20:41.280 So I would go home and I used to ride 0:20:41.320 --> 0:20:42.159 my bike with my suit on. 0:20:42.760 --> 0:20:49.679 So wait, I'm curious waiting tips. So when she got established, 0:20:49.680 --> 0:20:51.639 did she still maintain these friendships or was it? 0:20:51.720 --> 0:20:53.080 Yeah, yeah, that's she is. 0:20:53.920 --> 0:20:55.160 For the Jackson's and all and stuff. 0:20:55.240 --> 0:20:59.320 Yeah, we were all during that time. Everybody, we was 0:20:59.359 --> 0:21:01.440 hanging out back then, and of course, you know. 0:21:03.000 --> 0:21:09.679 Being the plan that I you know, uh, this was 0:21:09.680 --> 0:21:11.400 before I was even in the game. 0:21:11.520 --> 0:21:15.080 And you know, you understand me, the man was still 0:21:15.600 --> 0:21:17.920 I was just standing up on the pimp, you know 0:21:17.920 --> 0:21:31.320 what I'm saying, Reverend. 0:21:34.960 --> 0:21:40.840 So with your first album, with your first record, I 0:21:40.920 --> 0:21:44.359 always wanted to know, how did you manage to pull 0:21:45.600 --> 0:21:48.639 all of these heavyweights were even aware at that young age, 0:21:48.800 --> 0:21:53.080 at the level of heavyweights that you've come in contact with. 0:21:53.720 --> 0:21:56.080 I mean, you, for which one the very first first 0:21:56.080 --> 0:21:58.960 of all them saying hindsight because they weren't none of 0:21:59.000 --> 0:22:02.200 them were household names at all you're working with them, 0:22:02.640 --> 0:22:03.840 but eventually in. 0:22:03.800 --> 0:22:08.359 Time it's like like your first record, like freaking Elliott Wolf. 0:22:09.840 --> 0:22:10.040 Yeah. 0:22:10.760 --> 0:22:13.240 Well, first of all, Freddie Parent alone, who. 0:22:13.880 --> 0:22:16.120 Give us some Freddy Parent, how did you know? 0:22:16.240 --> 0:22:19.000 How did you was it like working with them? 0:22:19.320 --> 0:22:23.080 I used to call them Pops and Freddy and his 0:22:23.080 --> 0:22:27.120 wife Chris Parent. They took me under their wings, and 0:22:27.520 --> 0:22:30.720 I swear to you it was like, uh, Freddie told 0:22:30.760 --> 0:22:34.560 me and really prepared me for what was to come ahead. 0:22:35.760 --> 0:22:42.199 I used to stay with them, and Chris used to Uh. 0:22:42.720 --> 0:22:45.640 They treated me like I was their their their their son. 0:22:45.800 --> 0:22:48.719 So but Freddy used to tell me all these stories 0:22:48.800 --> 0:22:50.480 about working with Michael Jackson. 0:22:50.680 --> 0:22:53.200 I was going to say, for listeners out there, forget 0:22:53.560 --> 0:22:55.199 Freddie Parent was part of what we know is the 0:22:55.240 --> 0:23:00.280 corporation like the kind of the last of the you 0:23:00.320 --> 0:23:03.040 know Motown as a factory where teams that people are 0:23:03.040 --> 0:23:06.720 working together. So the corporation was Freddy parron U, the 0:23:06.800 --> 0:23:14.240 Manes brothers, jam Master Jay's uncles, Ah and and so 0:23:14.320 --> 0:23:16.479 basically they wrote like I want you back and like 0:23:16.960 --> 0:23:21.359 all the Jackson five early young hits. Then he wrote 0:23:21.440 --> 0:23:24.399 like he worked with the Silvers, did Boogiey Fevers, Uh 0:23:24.480 --> 0:23:27.040 Glory Gayner, I Will Survive, a little song called it 0:23:27.119 --> 0:23:28.240 So Hard to Say Goodbye. 0:23:28.920 --> 0:23:32.200 The tars all the to bar, stuff. 0:23:32.240 --> 0:23:34.359 Like more than a Woman, And one of the big 0:23:34.359 --> 0:23:35.920 ones was that Saturday Night. 0:23:36.280 --> 0:23:42.960 Yeah, Saturday Night, If I Can't Have You was so yeah, yeah, Reunited, 0:23:43.080 --> 0:23:46.040 Baked Groove Things. Yeah, he wrote a few good songs. 0:23:46.119 --> 0:23:48.679 Yeah, yeah, so never heard of anywhere. 0:23:49.640 --> 0:23:52.440 And I remember recording when they came in and said 0:23:52.640 --> 0:23:54.240 we were in the middle of recording when he said, 0:23:54.400 --> 0:23:57.320 came in and bought Freddy Pearron a song, and. 0:23:57.200 --> 0:23:59.080 He says, man, listen to these little kids. This little 0:23:59.119 --> 0:24:02.280 kid sounds just like Michael Jackson. And guess what it was, 0:24:02.960 --> 0:24:06.199 Candy Girl sitting in there and listening to it. 0:24:07.480 --> 0:24:11.000 He I think he produced under the Blue Bloom. Yeah, 0:24:11.160 --> 0:24:13.480 he sure did that. 0:24:13.640 --> 0:24:16.720 I had that on vinyl after, but we sat there. 0:24:16.600 --> 0:24:20.120 We listened to it. He was like, oh, this cat 0:24:20.240 --> 0:24:21.359 is pretty cool. 0:24:21.440 --> 0:24:24.440 Little did he know? Yeah, little did you know? Little 0:24:25.359 --> 0:24:25.760 did you know? 0:24:26.000 --> 0:24:29.520 I was the recording my first album when that that single? 0:24:29.960 --> 0:24:32.719 Yeah, but even okay, so there's one name on the 0:24:32.720 --> 0:24:35.960 credit of your very first record that is killing me. 0:24:37.160 --> 0:24:49.120 How the hell did Lawrence Hilton. Yea, why theboards boom boom, Yes, yeah, 0:24:49.119 --> 0:24:50.720 he was a writer. Or Joe Jackson. 0:24:50.960 --> 0:24:53.480 He was a writer scream. 0:24:55.119 --> 0:24:58.320 Please give Me. Yeah, I know he had an album. 0:24:58.560 --> 0:25:00.000 Yeah, he was a writer, and he wrote the song 0:25:00.119 --> 0:25:04.400 I'm Sorry and uh yeah yeah, and I was in. 0:25:04.280 --> 0:25:06.400 Oh he submitted the song to you and that's how. 0:25:06.640 --> 0:25:08.600 Yeah, and he worked well, he was submitted to uh 0:25:08.680 --> 0:25:12.040 to a pretty parents and that's how it came about. 0:25:12.240 --> 0:25:13.960 And I was like when he walked in, I was like, Yo, 0:25:15.280 --> 0:25:19.720 that's Freddy boom boom Washington. I knew when I when 0:25:19.720 --> 0:25:22.840 I came to Los Angeles that that was going to 0:25:22.880 --> 0:25:23.440 be my home. 0:25:23.720 --> 0:25:27.800 And I knew it. I was like, listen, I'm coming 0:25:27.840 --> 0:25:29.280 back here. This is where I'm going to live. And 0:25:29.320 --> 0:25:30.120 I was just a kid. 0:25:30.520 --> 0:25:34.000 Did you, I mean, did you feel as though, well, 0:25:34.160 --> 0:25:38.040 I mean back then, I don't like Cotillion? 0:25:38.320 --> 0:25:39.040 How do you pronounce it? 0:25:40.000 --> 0:25:40.240 Ye? 0:25:40.800 --> 0:25:42.119 Then? Manaid what were they? 0:25:42.280 --> 0:25:46.280 What was it like as a label to be on Cotillion? 0:25:46.280 --> 0:25:47.680 Because it wasn't straight up Atlantic? 0:25:48.200 --> 0:25:50.600 But I mean I didn't know the difference. I was 0:25:50.640 --> 0:25:54.720 a kid that was walking into blind or like no. 0:25:54.840 --> 0:25:59.520 I had a young man by the name of Bill Underwood. 0:25:59.520 --> 0:26:00.680 Mister willis him Underwood? 0:26:01.119 --> 0:26:01.520 Very well? 0:26:02.359 --> 0:26:06.000 He was, uh, you know, like I said, and a 0:26:06.040 --> 0:26:09.120 lot in my life, I've had a pretty deep army 0:26:14.400 --> 0:26:18.080 and you know, he he just you know, he was 0:26:18.520 --> 0:26:20.359 like a brother and a father figure to me, and 0:26:20.400 --> 0:26:24.760 he really really really just protected me and taught me 0:26:25.200 --> 0:26:30.000 the game. And it was funny because Atlantic, you. 0:26:29.960 --> 0:26:33.200 Know, even when I recorded my first album and they 0:26:33.240 --> 0:26:36.679 put it out, nobody didn't tell me that, you know, 0:26:36.720 --> 0:26:39.119 your record and sell are two copies, right, I didn't know. 0:26:39.600 --> 0:26:41.800 I'm like, I had no idea that what I did 0:26:42.000 --> 0:26:43.200 was a failure or success. 0:26:43.200 --> 0:26:44.480 I didn't know nothing about anything. 0:26:44.680 --> 0:26:47.119 All I know is you go in, you record, and 0:26:47.200 --> 0:26:50.520 back then to get a record deal that was something huge, 0:26:50.920 --> 0:26:53.240 and I just I always. 0:26:52.800 --> 0:26:54.679 Assume that means you're gonna be a start. Like it 0:26:54.760 --> 0:26:56.880 never dawned on me like, oh wow, the first one 0:26:56.880 --> 0:26:58.200 didn't work. I had no idea. 0:26:58.760 --> 0:27:01.399 I was just throwing was what was promotion like? 0:27:01.480 --> 0:27:05.720 Because again I knew of you. I didn't hear your music. 0:27:05.760 --> 0:27:08.480 I didn't hear it on the radio in Philadelphia until 0:27:08.520 --> 0:27:11.760 I saw hot tracks. But like, what was promotion like? 0:27:11.920 --> 0:27:12.360 Back then? 0:27:12.720 --> 0:27:14.760 We had to go to radio stations, we was going 0:27:14.800 --> 0:27:19.520 from station to station, and God bless Frankie cock Crockery 0:27:19.560 --> 0:27:22.440 at the time. Frank and I became great friends later, 0:27:22.800 --> 0:27:30.120 and I'll never forget him and Bill going at it 0:27:30.880 --> 0:27:34.440 was they used to they were, I mean, but they 0:27:34.440 --> 0:27:35.320 were really tight. 0:27:36.920 --> 0:27:43.639 But you know, I Katillion was a label and I 0:27:43.760 --> 0:27:46.400 everybody kept saying, I don't know what happened? 0:27:46.880 --> 0:27:47.879 What did you do to? 0:27:48.240 --> 0:27:48.520 Uh? 0:27:48.600 --> 0:27:52.240 To to Henry Allen, who was the president of Atlantic 0:27:52.240 --> 0:27:56.160 Conillion Records at the time, because he was a tough, tough, 0:27:56.440 --> 0:28:00.240 tough guy and some reason he took a liking to me, 0:28:00.280 --> 0:28:04.120 and it was like listening, He's like, Eh, Johnny, Johnny 0:28:04.320 --> 0:28:05.400 ain't gonna be a big star. 0:28:06.520 --> 0:28:09.359 Yep, and ride, We're. 0:28:09.200 --> 0:28:10.879 Gonna move you back to DC because we hadn't moved 0:28:10.920 --> 0:28:13.040 to Columbus, Georgia, right, And he says. 0:28:12.960 --> 0:28:14.040 Wait, why why? 0:28:14.240 --> 0:28:16.359 Because my mom was getting back with my dad and 0:28:18.040 --> 0:28:21.399 so my dad bought this house. And I'll never forget 0:28:21.480 --> 0:28:23.879 he bought this house and we didn't like it, and 0:28:23.960 --> 0:28:24.720 I'll never forget. 0:28:24.760 --> 0:28:27.840 We were all talking and asking him about maybe finding 0:28:27.880 --> 0:28:32.280 something else for us, and we actually I remember walking 0:28:32.400 --> 0:28:35.679 in the front yard of this particular house and I 0:28:35.720 --> 0:28:37.879 had my hands in my pockets, and I was looking 0:28:37.960 --> 0:28:40.440 up and I was like, man, what I wouldn't do 0:28:40.520 --> 0:28:43.920 to be in Stacy's shoes right about now? And why 0:28:43.960 --> 0:28:47.600 did I get a call a few days later from 0:28:47.680 --> 0:28:52.360 Stacy saying, Hey, I talked to the president of the 0:28:53.120 --> 0:28:55.560 of the label about you, and he wants you to 0:28:55.680 --> 0:28:58.640 make a tape. He wants to hear your voice. 0:28:59.720 --> 0:29:02.320 I mean, you know, my demo was a twenty nine 0:29:02.360 --> 0:29:06.560 dollars take recorder where you put on the corner and 0:29:06.720 --> 0:29:07.320 that was it. 0:29:07.400 --> 0:29:09.880 The radio shack joins, Yeah, yeah, what did you sing 0:29:09.920 --> 0:29:10.200 on it? 0:29:10.400 --> 0:29:15.920 I sang, uh, the greatest Love of All and people 0:29:16.000 --> 0:29:17.160 bryceon is field of fire. 0:29:17.480 --> 0:29:17.800 Wow. 0:29:18.240 --> 0:29:21.320 And I remember him calling me and asking me to 0:29:21.360 --> 0:29:24.520 sing on the phone, and I sing the man had 0:29:24.840 --> 0:29:28.360 a dollar shining star, right, And so he had me 0:29:28.440 --> 0:29:31.800 to sing that for everybody on the phone. Then he 0:29:31.880 --> 0:29:35.040 went upstairs to the next thing and put me on 0:29:35.200 --> 0:29:40.160 again and asking yank, yep, yep, sing sing it again? Yeah, yeah, Johnny, 0:29:40.200 --> 0:29:41.960 have you ever been on the plane before? I said no, sir, 0:29:42.160 --> 0:29:44.520 He goes, yeah, we're gonna fly you up here. We're 0:29:44.520 --> 0:29:46.120 gonna put you on a plane and we're gonna fly 0:29:46.200 --> 0:29:47.760 you up. You know you're gonna be big star. 0:29:49.840 --> 0:29:54.280 Wait, I gotta ask you all right, So your voice 0:29:55.600 --> 0:30:02.360 is it's very unusual. I mean, no, even tell me 0:30:02.440 --> 0:30:06.760 now what you think. Well, it's just that it's very 0:30:07.080 --> 0:30:10.360 I think it's for people to use that much power 0:30:10.360 --> 0:30:12.479 in their bar Are you naturally a baritone? Like what 0:30:12.520 --> 0:30:16.520 are you? Yeah? Like, I don't strong baritones to me. 0:30:16.840 --> 0:30:20.320 Usually like even even in well Barry White is based. 0:30:20.360 --> 0:30:24.040 But I'm saying, usually baritones are more soft. Right, But 0:30:25.000 --> 0:30:30.080 you're like mac truck going one hundred miles per hour? 0:30:32.320 --> 0:30:33.360 How do you like? 0:30:33.440 --> 0:30:35.680 How do you train your voice? Are you the type 0:30:35.720 --> 0:30:37.480 of that just sings all day in the house? 0:30:37.520 --> 0:30:41.360 And like, well, my mom used to tell me that 0:30:41.400 --> 0:30:43.520 all the time. And I used to She used to go, Okay, 0:30:43.640 --> 0:30:46.160 John R. We still I asked my mom just recently, 0:30:46.160 --> 0:30:47.720 I said, Mom, what does the R stand for? 0:30:47.800 --> 0:30:52.120 She goes, I don't know. She's always called me John R. 0:30:52.560 --> 0:30:57.600 So she used to go, John, can you shut the door? 0:30:58.000 --> 0:31:00.600 And I would be in the room and playing the 0:31:00.640 --> 0:31:03.520 piano and singing and uh and you. 0:31:03.480 --> 0:31:05.440 Know I told her later, I was like, yeah, mom, 0:31:06.040 --> 0:31:07.760 uh so what you got to say now? 0:31:08.800 --> 0:31:11.840 Yeah? 0:31:11.920 --> 0:31:16.160 But I meant like, do you traditionally like seth Riggs train? 0:31:16.560 --> 0:31:20.080 No, no, no, you know it's crazy. 0:31:20.280 --> 0:31:21.600 Is this room too cold for your voice? 0:31:21.720 --> 0:31:23.920 Right now? Okay, I can sing. 0:31:23.800 --> 0:31:24.520 None of those things. 0:31:24.880 --> 0:31:27.760 Yeah, this actually can sing him asleep. I've been knowing 0:31:27.800 --> 0:31:28.120 to do that. 0:31:30.240 --> 0:31:32.680 Wait, is Johnny the first singer singing we ever had? 0:31:34.320 --> 0:31:38.040 And yeah, so I have so many questions about you know, 0:31:38.120 --> 0:31:41.800 and God bless you here and everything you've heard, everything 0:31:41.920 --> 0:31:44.920 like oh the air got to be off, my throat closes? 0:31:45.200 --> 0:31:47.160 Is he real or is that just psychosmatic? 0:31:47.320 --> 0:31:47.880 Absolutely? 0:31:47.920 --> 0:31:48.360 Is it real? 0:31:48.480 --> 0:31:48.920 Absolutely? 0:31:48.920 --> 0:31:51.640 Because if I'm around cigarette smoke, I can still sing. 0:31:52.120 --> 0:31:54.320 But you it makes it tough. It makes it tough 0:31:55.000 --> 0:31:56.520 to be able to do the things that you want 0:31:56.520 --> 0:31:58.640 to do vocally. But I can still get through it. 0:31:58.920 --> 0:32:01.760 But I've had places where saying where there the cigarette 0:32:01.760 --> 0:32:04.400 smoke is going, and it's like, hey, this is not good. 0:32:04.760 --> 0:32:09.640 So for a vocal session, how long can you go 0:32:10.760 --> 0:32:15.680 Bosston the wall hard before you're you're wearing out and 0:32:15.720 --> 0:32:16.280 you have to. 0:32:16.640 --> 0:32:19.600 Back In the day, I could go non stop these days, 0:32:19.680 --> 0:32:22.880 give me about a good guy hour maybe so, and 0:32:22.880 --> 0:32:24.200 then I'm gonna do like a rethix. 0:32:24.240 --> 0:32:25.640 She comes in and sing them down two or three 0:32:25.680 --> 0:32:26.960 times ago. Okay, that's it. 0:32:29.320 --> 0:32:32.240 The baby they tell me that he's also one take 0:32:34.400 --> 0:32:36.920 show you you did one song? Was just like, all right, 0:32:36.960 --> 0:32:39.920 that's it, that's it. I did it, and I can 0:32:39.960 --> 0:32:40.640 go about an hour. 0:32:40.720 --> 0:32:43.280 And it's funny because I was sitting list and go no, no, no, 0:32:43.280 --> 0:32:44.200 I think I can do that better. 0:32:44.240 --> 0:32:46.680 No, no no. So I'm one of those kinds. But after 0:32:46.720 --> 0:32:48.719 a while, I you know, when it wears down, and 0:32:48.760 --> 0:32:51.719 then I'll sit rested for a minute and if it 0:32:51.720 --> 0:32:53.600 feels like I can still go again, I'll go, come on, 0:32:53.640 --> 0:32:54.400 let's rock, let's go. 0:32:55.280 --> 0:32:57.040 It's part of that you just don't want to overthink it. 0:32:57.720 --> 0:32:59.680 I think part of it is just that you know 0:32:59.760 --> 0:33:03.120 you're the voice. It's it's a muscle, and it's like, 0:33:03.400 --> 0:33:06.840 no matter how much you know you do to vocalize 0:33:06.880 --> 0:33:09.160 and exercise and make it strong, it's like anything else, 0:33:09.200 --> 0:33:10.800 it gives out at some point where it's just like 0:33:11.200 --> 0:33:13.280 I ain't got it. There there's been many a nice 0:33:13.280 --> 0:33:15.720 I didn't have a voice, and then you go into 0:33:15.800 --> 0:33:20.600 Shulman shulman uh mode where it's just I'm like okay. 0:33:20.760 --> 0:33:23.000 Like now y'all that now you're. 0:33:22.880 --> 0:33:26.040 Saying, and then I can go from the Brown method. 0:33:28.720 --> 0:33:29.080 Yeah. 0:33:29.200 --> 0:33:31.080 Yeah, you just find ways to get around it. 0:33:31.200 --> 0:33:33.120 And I've always been able to just figure it out, 0:33:33.160 --> 0:33:35.320 even though you know, it's like I'm not where I 0:33:35.360 --> 0:33:36.680 need to be and I know I can't get there, 0:33:36.680 --> 0:33:38.600 but it's like I'll figure out a way to get it, 0:33:38.680 --> 0:33:41.440 make it work, and make it happen. Okay, the other day, 0:33:41.560 --> 0:33:43.400 matter of fact, last what was a couple of days. 0:33:43.200 --> 0:33:49.080 Ago I was playing. I just played it. That's why 0:33:49.120 --> 0:33:51.000 you know when you're traveling so much. I just played 0:33:51.960 --> 0:33:53.640 somewhere just a couple of days ago. 0:33:53.840 --> 0:33:59.360 And the the track gave out. 0:33:59.640 --> 0:33:59.880 Ooh. 0:34:00.280 --> 0:34:02.200 And this was for the event that I was doing, 0:34:02.200 --> 0:34:03.640 so I only had to do a couple of numbers 0:34:04.200 --> 0:34:07.239 and I wasn't gonna leave there. They did not want to, 0:34:07.600 --> 0:34:10.400 but not let me leave without singing my mind. So 0:34:10.560 --> 0:34:12.399 I'm sitting there and I'm thinking, I'm going, okay, now, 0:34:12.440 --> 0:34:14.600 what the hell are we gonna do here? Because my 0:34:14.600 --> 0:34:16.960 my engineer, the sound guy, he was going, it just 0:34:17.000 --> 0:34:17.880 got bros. 0:34:17.920 --> 0:34:19.439 I don't know. I can't. I can't. It's not even 0:34:19.800 --> 0:34:20.719 in here. I can't get it. 0:34:20.880 --> 0:34:21.960 Shout great engine. 0:34:24.880 --> 0:34:26.319 So you know what I did, because there was a 0:34:26.360 --> 0:34:29.959 band that was playing that was gonna play even after 0:34:30.000 --> 0:34:32.120 I finished. So I told them, I said, you know, 0:34:34.000 --> 0:34:36.840 I said, when I came in, you guys was in 0:34:36.920 --> 0:34:40.080 here jamming. And I said, I was truly inspired, and 0:34:40.120 --> 0:34:42.279 you guys sound really good. And I said, why don't 0:34:42.280 --> 0:34:44.560 you guys come on up here with me and let's 0:34:44.600 --> 0:34:47.560 just jam a little bit. And that's how I started 0:34:47.719 --> 0:34:50.320 my mind. And we rocked it into that and just 0:34:50.480 --> 0:34:52.799 kind of swooveing into that to have everybody else to 0:34:52.840 --> 0:34:54.880 sing along with me because I didn't have the backgrounds 0:34:54.880 --> 0:34:56.480 all the other stuff, and. 0:34:56.239 --> 0:34:58.000 It was like everybody was just in there. 0:34:58.120 --> 0:35:03.360 Rocket and one of my buddies, they knew the bridge 0:35:03.360 --> 0:35:04.839 and everything they knew, and. 0:35:04.760 --> 0:35:07.879 He said, oh my god, he said, bro, did you 0:35:07.960 --> 0:35:11.200 just yo what you did? Do you know what you 0:35:11.360 --> 0:35:13.960 just did? And I said, yeah, I had to think 0:35:14.000 --> 0:35:14.560 on my feet. 0:35:16.040 --> 0:35:23.400 The best do the best do that? All right? 0:35:23.520 --> 0:35:27.520 So all right, I'm trying to rush the entire history and. 0:35:29.120 --> 0:35:29.279 Uestion. 0:35:29.480 --> 0:35:30.319 We're about to go back to that. 0:35:32.040 --> 0:35:37.560 But okay, so of course, the the the Walden Jackson 0:35:38.520 --> 0:35:44.160 Glass team produced the Stacey Lasso album with You Perfect 0:35:44.200 --> 0:35:46.120 Combination Album. 0:35:46.320 --> 0:35:47.279 Okay, is. 0:35:48.920 --> 0:35:53.640 Narda is one of my drumming idols. And every time 0:35:53.680 --> 0:35:56.320 I see him I think he's trying to hypnotize me 0:35:56.640 --> 0:36:02.200 because he has a very little really lately love me. 0:36:02.520 --> 0:36:08.760 You know, yeah, well you know how how's your spirit? 0:36:10.800 --> 0:36:11.760 Is he that cosmic? 0:36:12.000 --> 0:36:12.600 Are you happy? 0:36:14.120 --> 0:36:15.280 Is he that cosmic? 0:36:15.480 --> 0:36:16.400 Twenty four seven? 0:36:16.520 --> 0:36:21.279 Twenty four seven where sometimes you start rubbing, you go, hey, listen, 0:36:21.320 --> 0:36:25.200 I don't even Besides, I'm cool, right, he. 0:36:25.239 --> 0:36:28.960 Is like, you know, like the brothers in the airport 0:36:29.040 --> 0:36:31.960 that like do the Harry Christener thing like walk up. 0:36:32.880 --> 0:36:35.160 He just came out of nowhere or me in lax 0:36:35.160 --> 0:36:35.680 one time. 0:36:35.640 --> 0:36:38.880 Like, brother, I just want to say, I said, norder 0:36:38.920 --> 0:36:39.520 Michael Walton. 0:36:39.960 --> 0:36:42.040 He said, yes, brother, I just want to say, it's 0:36:42.080 --> 0:36:44.120 such a blessing to see you on l. 0:36:46.000 --> 0:36:48.160 And he just whispered me to sleep. I thought he 0:36:48.320 --> 0:36:51.440 was hit those of me, like literally, he. 0:36:51.520 --> 0:36:55.879 Just tell you the university tell you, man, it's very 0:36:55.960 --> 0:36:59.120 few special musicians like you coming along. 0:36:59.320 --> 0:37:03.960 You know, got it? No, but he's gonna hypnotize this. 0:37:04.200 --> 0:37:06.480 Sign sounds nice? Could be nice? 0:37:06.520 --> 0:37:08.160 Rest he wrote enough he wrote and produce enough of 0:37:08.200 --> 0:37:08.840 my favorite songs. 0:37:08.920 --> 0:37:11.879 Oh yeah, he wrote, I mean he's not Yeah from 0:37:11.920 --> 0:37:13.320 Angelo Boatfield. 0:37:16.680 --> 0:37:20.120 Goes on, I was gonna say, literally, you're for your 0:37:20.160 --> 0:37:25.320 first three records, including the duo album, you literally worked 0:37:25.320 --> 0:37:30.400 with everyone that would normally be on Clive Davis's uh 0:37:31.560 --> 0:37:35.600 speed Out without ever having to be on ariston record, 0:37:36.760 --> 0:37:38.799 which is kind of weird to So basically you just 0:37:38.840 --> 0:37:44.120 didn't have the muscle at at whatever to to push 0:37:44.160 --> 0:37:45.960 you through. Was it hard for them to try to 0:37:45.960 --> 0:37:49.880 figure out how to market you because like by that point, 0:37:50.000 --> 0:37:51.840 hip hop had settled in, and it's sort of like 0:37:51.920 --> 0:37:56.040 you weren't teeny bopper at all, so how is it? 0:37:56.080 --> 0:38:02.000 How is it to see h But now minutia or 0:38:02.760 --> 0:38:08.439 kids kids music sort of just pass you by while 0:38:08.440 --> 0:38:11.600 you're like, hello, what are my chop Livery like, well 0:38:11.760 --> 0:38:14.320 that's back then and now. 0:38:14.440 --> 0:38:19.920 That's when the universe aligned everything up and I became 0:38:19.960 --> 0:38:22.560 a part of a group called New Audition. Remember New 0:38:22.600 --> 0:38:23.719 Adition was the kids. 0:38:23.840 --> 0:38:27.120 Was this this boy band that was they considered call 0:38:27.200 --> 0:38:34.359 them bubblegum, a bubble gum group. So when I joined them, 0:38:34.640 --> 0:38:37.719 the thing about their fans, the only thing that they 0:38:37.800 --> 0:38:39.680 knew of me, and they would say because I was 0:38:39.719 --> 0:38:41.919 just you know, to talk of being a new guy, 0:38:42.480 --> 0:38:46.040 was have you guys heard that new guy that can sing. 0:38:48.560 --> 0:38:49.680 And I mean they weren't singing. 0:38:49.760 --> 0:38:52.200 I don't think they were singing, but that's was the 0:38:52.200 --> 0:38:55.920 way they described me. And it was like almost like, okay, 0:38:55.960 --> 0:38:59.080 so singing is cool. Oh that's it's in because I 0:38:59.080 --> 0:39:00.960 mean they loved the group, so it was always and 0:39:00.960 --> 0:39:02.120 they and they had their. 0:39:02.000 --> 0:39:04.879 Following singing to novelty now so. 0:39:05.360 --> 0:39:06.920 You know, let me think about it from us. And 0:39:06.960 --> 0:39:08.719 then there was the Joe Disses and the boys, the 0:39:08.760 --> 0:39:09.600 Man and the list. 0:39:09.680 --> 0:39:10.799 So the whole being. 0:39:10.800 --> 0:39:13.040 Singing thing was like, oh, that's the in thing. And 0:39:13.080 --> 0:39:14.759 then you start hearing people going oh they can't sing, 0:39:14.800 --> 0:39:16.799 they can sing, he can't sing, and it was like 0:39:16.840 --> 0:39:20.839 you're going, wow, okay, but that's it was just perfect time. 0:39:20.880 --> 0:39:23.480 And I often say I think with that and with 0:39:23.600 --> 0:39:28.120 them the way that happened, that was really what gave 0:39:28.160 --> 0:39:30.720 me the exposure that I needed. And I think for 0:39:31.080 --> 0:39:35.000 even a younger generation to appreciate just me being a vocalist. 0:39:35.000 --> 0:39:36.960 I wasn't the greatest dancer. I was just the vocalist. 0:39:37.000 --> 0:39:40.080 Where did you meet them and what did it mean 0:39:40.160 --> 0:39:43.040 for you to just kind of not take a back 0:39:43.120 --> 0:39:47.359 seat but to be a team member or be one 0:39:47.480 --> 0:39:51.399 fifth of a situation and just have patience until having 0:39:51.400 --> 0:39:54.040 your own thing your turn. So one, when did you 0:39:54.080 --> 0:39:58.120 meet them? And then how did your nuanced a relationship 0:39:58.120 --> 0:39:58.560 with first? 0:39:58.600 --> 0:40:00.440 We actually crossed paths many times. 0:40:00.760 --> 0:40:02.560 Make show that on the movie that y'all knew each other. 0:40:02.800 --> 0:40:05.520 Yeah before it even became Yeah, we were just on 0:40:05.840 --> 0:40:08.480 a couple of shows, several shows and we're talking, Yo, 0:40:08.520 --> 0:40:09.960 what was happening and all that kind of stuff. 0:40:11.280 --> 0:40:17.160 But I, you know, we we hung out briefly. And then. 0:40:19.560 --> 0:40:24.040 I want to say Michael was probably the one business 0:40:24.160 --> 0:40:27.680 that you know that that I was at a show 0:40:27.719 --> 0:40:29.680 at a concert, a Whispers concert in La. 0:40:30.239 --> 0:40:32.800 He was the one that said, Yo, let me holler 0:40:32.800 --> 0:40:34.000 at you for a minute. 0:40:36.360 --> 0:40:41.640 One man, are you do you prank call people? You 0:40:41.760 --> 0:40:42.200 know you do? 0:40:43.400 --> 0:40:47.239 And he goes, do you so, let me ask you 0:40:47.239 --> 0:40:50.440 a question like like like do you feel like you 0:40:50.520 --> 0:40:53.239 got your just due? Like as a singer? And I 0:40:53.280 --> 0:41:00.480 looked and I did this and I went m so 0:41:01.239 --> 0:41:03.000 and he asked me and invited me to come to 0:41:03.080 --> 0:41:06.120 lunch the next day with them, and I was like, yure, 0:41:06.200 --> 0:41:07.880 because I was in La it wasn't doing anything. And 0:41:08.200 --> 0:41:10.200 went to lunch and I'm thinking nothing about it. Then 0:41:10.600 --> 0:41:12.879 he asked me, say you want to come check our 0:41:12.880 --> 0:41:14.880 show out because we were playing they were doing the 0:41:14.880 --> 0:41:22.680 ice capage or something, so I said, yeah, not problemage. 0:41:21.040 --> 0:41:22.120 That doesn't exist anymore. 0:41:22.160 --> 0:41:26.040 Is that not a thing? Just and ice capades they 0:41:26.080 --> 0:41:29.840 have to performed at the help somewhere and there. Yeah, 0:41:30.880 --> 0:41:31.359 half time. 0:41:32.520 --> 0:41:34.400 I know I'm not guys, don't kill me. 0:41:35.640 --> 0:41:39.799 So then they asked me, invited me to lunch again 0:41:39.880 --> 0:41:43.440 the next day, and I'm going. I said, yeah, I'll come, 0:41:43.719 --> 0:41:46.239 And that's when we sat around and started talking, and 0:41:46.280 --> 0:41:50.600 then they asked me about being a part of the group. 0:41:50.600 --> 0:41:52.200 They were talking about they wanted to go back to 0:41:52.520 --> 0:41:55.160 having a five a fifth member so that they can 0:41:55.480 --> 0:41:58.480 the choreography even look more effective and more A little 0:41:58.520 --> 0:42:00.719 did I know it was far from what that was. 0:42:01.239 --> 0:42:03.920 I had no idea that there was the kind of 0:42:03.920 --> 0:42:06.799 turmoil that was going on inside of that group, but. 0:42:07.239 --> 0:42:09.600 It was just something that just happened. But you know, 0:42:09.800 --> 0:42:14.880 ultimately I believe that it was just fate and destiny 0:42:14.920 --> 0:42:16.440 that this is where it was supposed to be. 0:42:17.440 --> 0:42:19.480 It was always so interesting that they went with a 0:42:19.560 --> 0:42:22.480 voice that was so different than the one kid or 0:42:22.520 --> 0:42:25.120 and for Bobby's like the one that was gone that was. 0:42:25.360 --> 0:42:27.200 Well, that's where you gotta get my credit, Mike said. 0:42:27.320 --> 0:42:31.319 Mike said, you know, our audience is growing up and 0:42:32.200 --> 0:42:34.480 they get tired of like he kept saying, y'all it's 0:42:34.520 --> 0:42:38.200 the bombacum sound that people connecting us with, Like, you know. 0:42:38.440 --> 0:42:40.080 We gotta grow up with our audience. 0:42:40.440 --> 0:42:45.800 So his whole thing was like, y'all your voice. 0:42:47.880 --> 0:42:52.719 Okay, so explain to me in hindsight, of course, and 0:42:52.760 --> 0:42:55.919 I you know, I said, of course we all see 0:42:55.920 --> 0:43:10.399 in the biopic Steve yes, you said, even me. Okay, okay, so. 0:43:12.080 --> 0:43:15.480 Just explain to me what. 0:43:18.360 --> 0:43:21.440 Not even the division of labor, but what is truly 0:43:21.920 --> 0:43:27.480 when you're in a five man group, like who is 0:43:27.520 --> 0:43:30.759 sort of the captain of it that makes decisions or 0:43:30.840 --> 0:43:33.600 is everything totally just diplomatic and we all get. 0:43:35.480 --> 0:43:41.680 Is always constantly just a bunch of madness. War I 0:43:41.760 --> 0:43:45.640 havn't say tug of war, tug of war for for for. 0:43:46.680 --> 0:43:50.720 For power, struggle for power, who wants to be the leader. 0:43:50.680 --> 0:43:52.600 And when you feel empowered to be able to use 0:43:52.640 --> 0:43:54.320 your voice, because I mean you the late. 0:43:54.200 --> 0:43:54.640 One on us. 0:43:55.000 --> 0:43:59.920 I came in immediately and said, I was watching two 0:44:00.120 --> 0:44:04.680 guys that were the security guys, and they were running 0:44:04.760 --> 0:44:07.200 picking up girls from the airport, going to the store, 0:44:07.480 --> 0:44:10.400 taking people's I mean, it was non stop, non stop, NonStop. 0:44:10.520 --> 0:44:12.359 And they're looking at me and I'm looking at them 0:44:12.400 --> 0:44:14.399 and I'm going yo. And they were like, we haven't 0:44:14.400 --> 0:44:16.959 slept in days. It's like it's non stop, but non stop. 0:44:17.080 --> 0:44:20.120 Trying to handle four or five guys. I said, you 0:44:20.160 --> 0:44:23.080 know what I called a meeting. I'm the new guy. 0:44:23.120 --> 0:44:28.040 I called a meeting and I said, you know, these 0:44:28.080 --> 0:44:31.040 guys out here and they're supposed to be protecting us, 0:44:31.120 --> 0:44:34.360 and they got our lives in their hands. And I said, 0:44:34.400 --> 0:44:37.920 the last thing that I want is some disgruntled worker 0:44:37.960 --> 0:44:40.759 here who's claiming that they're working hard and they're saying 0:44:40.760 --> 0:44:42.280 they're really totally underpaid. 0:44:43.000 --> 0:44:44.480 I think that at the end of the day that 0:44:44.520 --> 0:44:46.759 we're going to have to figure out a system that 0:44:46.880 --> 0:44:49.480 allows them to feel good. I know their job is 0:44:49.520 --> 0:44:51.839 to protect us, but they'll go the extra mile when 0:44:51.880 --> 0:44:56.319 you got great hard workers and you appreciation. And I said, 0:44:56.360 --> 0:44:58.640 so we need to sit down and figure this out. 0:44:58.840 --> 0:45:01.600 And so we came out of the room and successfully 0:45:01.600 --> 0:45:05.560 got them a raise and they thought Johnny for president. 0:45:08.360 --> 0:45:12.800 You knew, you knew doing it, you knew you you 0:45:12.920 --> 0:45:13.279 know it. 0:45:13.440 --> 0:45:16.120 I was standing and I was outsider. So I'm standing 0:45:16.120 --> 0:45:18.200 there looking at all this stuff that's going on, you know. 0:45:18.239 --> 0:45:21.040 And for me, when I joined the group, the thing is. 0:45:21.040 --> 0:45:25.200 I always had still had obligations to Motown well actually 0:45:25.280 --> 0:45:25.560 mc A. 0:45:25.719 --> 0:45:29.800 But when Gerrol Buzby moved over to Motowner, Busby questions. 0:45:30.320 --> 0:45:33.279 So when I vent that, I knew I still had 0:45:33.440 --> 0:45:37.800 an opportunity as an artist to be able to express 0:45:37.840 --> 0:45:40.879 myself artistically. So it didn't matter to me about being 0:45:40.880 --> 0:45:42.399 a part of the group. As a matter of fact, 0:45:42.440 --> 0:45:46.880 I often said that it was about teaching me and 0:45:46.920 --> 0:45:49.080 giving me balance to be able to be a team 0:45:49.120 --> 0:45:51.600 player and play It's like being on the basketball team 0:45:51.640 --> 0:45:53.839 and knowing what your role is and then actually being 0:45:53.880 --> 0:45:55.719 able to go out at some point and do what 0:45:55.760 --> 0:45:58.640 I needed to do as an artist. I always knew that, 0:45:58.680 --> 0:46:01.440 so I was always comfortable with whatever role that they 0:46:01.560 --> 0:46:04.279 had to play. Jimmy Listen. Terry Lewis told me when 0:46:04.320 --> 0:46:06.440 we got there and sat at the table to start recording. 0:46:06.719 --> 0:46:08.479 When I first when I came there with him, he said, 0:46:08.520 --> 0:46:11.880 you're probably not gonna sing on this album? I said, okay, 0:46:12.239 --> 0:46:14.680 I said, no, no problem, just whatever you guys need 0:46:14.680 --> 0:46:15.000 me to do. 0:46:16.200 --> 0:46:16.760 Heart breaking. 0:46:19.440 --> 0:46:20.839 I can tell you what I did do though. 0:46:21.080 --> 0:46:23.520 I became a demo singer because I was singing most 0:46:23.520 --> 0:46:24.799 of the stuff that they would say. 0:46:24.800 --> 0:46:26.400 And then they would come back and Ricka sing the 0:46:26.400 --> 0:46:28.120 stuff that I was doing. I was like, oh, I'm 0:46:28.120 --> 0:46:29.320 a demo singer here, huh. 0:46:29.600 --> 0:46:33.960 But he sang on five parts Somewhere somewhere exist version 0:46:34.000 --> 0:46:36.520 of the I was going to say. I was going 0:46:36.640 --> 0:46:44.799 to say that how intense were non Brooke payne uh 0:46:45.800 --> 0:46:50.520 tasks in this period of New Edition? As in, do 0:46:50.560 --> 0:46:53.600 you guys do vocal rehearsals? Do you guys decide harmonies? 0:46:53.680 --> 0:46:54.320 Like is? 0:46:54.440 --> 0:46:56.320 Oh? We left that all up to Jimmy and Terry. 0:46:57.239 --> 0:47:01.160 Brooke handled all of the choreography stuff. I'll never forget 0:47:01.200 --> 0:47:04.680 the day that they asked me but joined the group 0:47:05.040 --> 0:47:07.279 and we went over to Ronnie's house and they had 0:47:07.320 --> 0:47:10.319 Brooke the meters over there, and so Brooke goes, okay. 0:47:10.160 --> 0:47:13.480 So well, let me see what it is. Can he 0:47:13.560 --> 0:47:15.640 do the cross step? And it was like, yo, can 0:47:15.680 --> 0:47:17.680 you Jake, can you just do the cross steps? And 0:47:17.760 --> 0:47:22.240 it was that, so and then Brooke, Brooke looked. 0:47:22.000 --> 0:47:22.720 And just went. 0:47:26.600 --> 0:47:29.280 Really like the video do I look. 0:47:29.160 --> 0:47:33.000 Like God, you had two left feet like that? 0:47:33.080 --> 0:47:35.439 Oh? Yeah, man, not even two step? 0:47:36.440 --> 0:47:38.680 That was church boy, what they make that. 0:47:39.160 --> 0:47:42.279 There was no dan, no secular stuff at all. 0:47:42.520 --> 0:47:42.600 No. 0:47:42.800 --> 0:47:44.839 I mean the only second step that we would get 0:47:45.000 --> 0:47:49.720 is doing family cookouts when you would hear Marvin Gaye 0:47:49.960 --> 0:47:51.560 and some of the other ones. 0:47:51.600 --> 0:47:53.000 But other than that, there was a nothing but church 0:47:53.080 --> 0:47:54.080 music and ours. 0:47:53.920 --> 0:47:58.160 Or just the holytance and that was it. Heartbreak. 0:47:59.520 --> 0:47:59.719 Yeah. 0:48:00.200 --> 0:48:03.640 Yeah, Well so he had to work all right, so hard. 0:48:03.680 --> 0:48:06.680 How long did it take choreography? 0:48:07.000 --> 0:48:10.319 How long did it take for you to finally catch on? 0:48:11.520 --> 0:48:11.800 Wow? 0:48:11.960 --> 0:48:16.080 We did? God, that's ah, it was a while. 0:48:16.239 --> 0:48:17.920 It was a while because what Brooke would do he 0:48:18.040 --> 0:48:22.040 makes you rehearse and in front of the mirror. 0:48:22.880 --> 0:48:25.040 Well, when you learn dancers in front of a mirror. 0:48:25.040 --> 0:48:27.440 For me, because I'm not a dancer, I'm like, you 0:48:27.560 --> 0:48:30.680 learn these routines in front of a mirror. Then he 0:48:30.800 --> 0:48:33.839 removes the mirror. Now you have to. 0:48:33.880 --> 0:48:37.319 Learn it and you have to have remember memorize it 0:48:37.360 --> 0:48:39.560 and the form and all that stuff. So it was 0:48:39.600 --> 0:48:41.960 almost like fuck it, just let me start right now 0:48:42.200 --> 0:48:44.279 just remember it from here without the mirror, so I 0:48:44.280 --> 0:48:47.239 can just have it down firstance. It was like, no, 0:48:47.320 --> 0:48:48.920 you got to learn and see what the form is, 0:48:49.040 --> 0:48:51.040 what you're doing with the hands where everybody's hands are. 0:48:51.280 --> 0:48:52.880 So it was a freaking nightmare. 0:48:53.560 --> 0:48:55.520 What was the logic of all right? So when I 0:48:55.560 --> 0:48:59.919 first seen uh, your first tour with him, you got 0:49:00.400 --> 0:49:04.360 used the Temptation microphone set up? Yeah, yep, what was 0:49:04.400 --> 0:49:07.839 the logic? And also anytime you guys performed you never 0:49:08.719 --> 0:49:12.680 did the traditional format right of Mars. You always had 0:49:12.719 --> 0:49:15.239 the diagonal thing. What was the logic behind that? 0:49:15.840 --> 0:49:18.600 Well, because it would work for the for the choreography 0:49:18.640 --> 0:49:20.239 because of the different stuff that we was doing that 0:49:20.320 --> 0:49:22.800 was intricate. So it was like we were switching mics 0:49:22.800 --> 0:49:26.360 and switching positions, and so he would sit them that 0:49:26.520 --> 0:49:30.240 the mics in positions where their best work for everybody 0:49:30.239 --> 0:49:31.960 because at the end, somebody was gonna be over here 0:49:32.000 --> 0:49:34.239 on this side, somebody's gonna be on this side, just 0:49:34.280 --> 0:49:38.879 based on the routines. So and the that the five 0:49:38.960 --> 0:49:42.320 mic thing was really that our whole Temptations kind. 0:49:42.120 --> 0:49:44.200 Of tribut thing, okay, trivy thing. 0:49:44.080 --> 0:49:46.799 But it was like we did a little Medley there 0:49:46.840 --> 0:49:50.160 on those on the mics. But everything had like Brooke 0:49:50.320 --> 0:49:54.480 just had an eye and of that was just out 0:49:54.480 --> 0:49:55.520 of this world. 0:49:55.280 --> 0:49:58.120 And he what have you doing? Stuff? Where you go? 0:49:58.239 --> 0:50:00.680 It doesn't make sense to me until it all comes 0:50:00.680 --> 0:50:02.440 together and you go, oh damn. 0:50:02.600 --> 0:50:05.600 So all the staging and the creativity that usually is 0:50:05.760 --> 0:50:06.640 like Brooks. 0:50:06.640 --> 0:50:09.279 Range Child and yeah, and then you would think, oh, man, 0:50:09.400 --> 0:50:10.239 he's just picking on me. 0:50:10.480 --> 0:50:12.759 He goes, and he would make us go through each 0:50:13.120 --> 0:50:15.040 we would have to go through the whole show, from 0:50:15.040 --> 0:50:17.960 the beginning to the end altogether. Then you go one 0:50:18.000 --> 0:50:18.759 by one to go. 0:50:18.680 --> 0:50:19.640 Through the whole show. 0:50:19.760 --> 0:50:21.400 Wait what and if you mess up? 0:50:22.000 --> 0:50:23.919 I start all over again, start back at the test. 0:50:24.000 --> 0:50:26.840 True? Can you imagine what I had to do? I 0:50:26.840 --> 0:50:27.920 don't think you understand. 0:50:29.440 --> 0:50:31.160 But you got it now, right, because y'all still do 0:50:31.200 --> 0:50:32.880 shows every once and again, you're not You're not the 0:50:32.920 --> 0:50:34.000 one that fall short anymore. 0:50:34.040 --> 0:50:36.080 Like no, no, no, Mike is always the one that would 0:50:36.080 --> 0:50:38.200 go left and then we go, Mike, Mike, that's the 0:50:38.200 --> 0:50:38.640 wrong one. 0:50:39.160 --> 0:50:40.919 Y'all wrong, man, This is the right way. 0:50:41.160 --> 0:50:45.040 Stop. This is the right one, isn't it. Everybody's going 0:50:45.120 --> 0:50:46.560 this way? 0:50:47.080 --> 0:50:49.160 All right? So since we're here jam just hit me 0:50:49.200 --> 0:50:52.520 down and says, ask him why did he hate singing 0:50:52.600 --> 0:50:53.440 Boys to Men? 0:50:54.360 --> 0:50:55.000 That's the song? 0:50:55.320 --> 0:50:56.239 Yeah, dang, John. 0:50:57.120 --> 0:50:57.440 You know. 0:50:59.440 --> 0:51:01.399 When Terry told me, he said, you're probably not gonna 0:51:01.400 --> 0:51:03.799 sing any songs on the album. And then I wind 0:51:03.880 --> 0:51:05.719 up start singing these songs like Cane standing the Rain 0:51:05.760 --> 0:51:07.880 and doing ad libs all that stuff. I'm going, shoot, 0:51:07.920 --> 0:51:13.080 I'm thinking, why can't just sing that song? So and after, 0:51:13.320 --> 0:51:16.160 out of all those great songs, the very last song 0:51:16.160 --> 0:51:18.320 that they decided they was gonna let me do a 0:51:18.400 --> 0:51:20.879 lead full lead on was Boys of Men. 0:51:21.000 --> 0:51:25.600 So I'm going, oh, this is some political bullshit. I 0:51:25.680 --> 0:51:27.839 was like, oh, I think they just messing with me now, 0:51:27.840 --> 0:51:29.680 because they just and I said, oh, okay, so they're 0:51:29.680 --> 0:51:32.399 gonna give me this piece of bull to sing as 0:51:32.440 --> 0:51:33.319 a whole full song. 0:51:33.440 --> 0:51:35.279 And so I like, what mess the song? 0:51:35.360 --> 0:51:36.359 Wait time out? Wait? 0:51:36.400 --> 0:51:37.239 Wait time out? 0:51:37.280 --> 0:51:38.959 Though? All right? 0:51:39.040 --> 0:51:41.520 And I was I was really mad, like. 0:51:41.680 --> 0:51:42.759 He trying to tell you to grow up. 0:51:42.760 --> 0:51:46.839 Well, wait a minute, listen, it's nineteen eight, all right. 0:51:46.880 --> 0:51:48.120 They done came out in eighty seven. 0:51:48.480 --> 0:51:51.239 Eighty eight, it's eighty so I'm assuming you've recorded in 0:51:51.320 --> 0:51:54.239 eighty seven. H Okay, So Jim and Lewis are at 0:51:54.280 --> 0:51:57.839 the height of their powers at this point. Yeah, you 0:51:57.880 --> 0:52:01.320 had an opinion on a Jam and Lewis song, Yeah, yeah, 0:52:01.360 --> 0:52:02.200 in eighty seven. 0:52:02.280 --> 0:52:04.200 Yeah, because you kind of remember I had already sang 0:52:04.840 --> 0:52:09.040 on can You Stand the Rain and uh, You're not 0:52:09.120 --> 0:52:13.120 my kind of girl, and any Heartbreak, any heartbreak, and 0:52:13.160 --> 0:52:15.640 I'm they're letting me unleash. And then it was like, Okay, 0:52:15.719 --> 0:52:17.520 now we're gonna give you a song for yourself, and 0:52:17.560 --> 0:52:21.120 I'm going the hell like really, And so I'm. 0:52:21.000 --> 0:52:23.319 Listening to the track before there was even because there 0:52:23.320 --> 0:52:24.080 was no vocals on there. 0:52:24.280 --> 0:52:26.200 I was gonna say, how do you get a song? 0:52:26.400 --> 0:52:30.240 Who demo? Were you demoed all the songs on Heartbreak? 0:52:30.239 --> 0:52:32.120 First? I didn't demo all of them. I dim I 0:52:32.200 --> 0:52:33.480 just would on most of them. 0:52:33.480 --> 0:52:35.480 Some I would do ad libs, come in, do something 0:52:35.520 --> 0:52:37.560 the verse, somebody else come in. He'll let somebody have 0:52:37.640 --> 0:52:40.319 somebody else do mimic or whatever I did, and then 0:52:40.360 --> 0:52:41.920 they would just kind of blend whatever they would do. 0:52:41.960 --> 0:52:43.359 But but this is what I'm trying to get out 0:52:43.400 --> 0:52:46.680 of Jam and Lewis, which they never answer, is when 0:52:46.719 --> 0:52:51.720 they're creating songs together, huh, who's creating that song that 0:52:51.719 --> 0:52:53.480 that they eventually played an artist. 0:52:53.400 --> 0:52:55.640 Like you never heard? 0:52:57.360 --> 0:52:59.919 No god, I never heard Jimmy Jam sing, never heard 0:53:00.200 --> 0:53:03.400 Oh my god, I gotta find I'm gonna send you 0:53:03.440 --> 0:53:05.400 a couple of jam Is singing. 0:53:05.440 --> 0:53:09.239 And when he sings and all sound my god, it's like, 0:53:10.280 --> 0:53:13.360 you know, I'm typing right now to you. 0:53:13.600 --> 0:53:16.600 He's telling me what your voice sounds like? 0:53:16.719 --> 0:53:17.200 One of them? 0:53:19.160 --> 0:53:21.760 Come on, John Ammy voice, what's the Jimmy Jam on record? 0:53:21.760 --> 0:53:22.480 What that sounds like? 0:53:23.120 --> 0:53:28.320 No? No, no no no no no no no no. 0:53:26.719 --> 0:53:35.680 No no, James roon, how do you want me to do? 0:53:35.960 --> 0:53:37.840 What's you know? Do you? Johnny? 0:53:38.000 --> 0:53:38.200 Do you? 0:53:38.760 --> 0:53:42.960 I always thought it was Terry Terry words. 0:53:44.160 --> 0:53:46.960 Jerry Terry would do the lyrics and stuff, but Jam 0:53:47.040 --> 0:53:48.440 would sing the melodies for you. 0:53:48.680 --> 0:53:50.399 And I used to go, oh, I want to keep these. 0:53:50.440 --> 0:53:51.200 I'm gonna keep these. 0:53:52.719 --> 0:53:53.160 Got them? 0:53:58.920 --> 0:54:01.920 So I was mad and I kept saying, okay, So 0:54:02.320 --> 0:54:04.800 so now y'all just playing bullshit games. Now this is 0:54:04.840 --> 0:54:05.760 some political bulls. 0:54:06.120 --> 0:54:06.359 Wow. 0:54:06.680 --> 0:54:09.160 So did you say can I get a better song 0:54:09.280 --> 0:54:09.600 or like. 0:54:12.000 --> 0:54:12.279 Ask that? 0:54:12.640 --> 0:54:12.680 No? 0:54:13.000 --> 0:54:14.880 I just said, okay, so you want to play with me? 0:54:14.960 --> 0:54:17.799 I said, I'm a sing the shit out of this song. 0:54:18.200 --> 0:54:18.960 I'm gonna show y'all. 0:54:20.280 --> 0:54:22.400 And that's why I went in there. I was mad 0:54:23.560 --> 0:54:26.359 and I sing mad as hell. I was like, okay, yeah, 0:54:26.400 --> 0:54:27.080 you want to play with me? 0:54:27.239 --> 0:54:27.919 That was you mad? 0:54:28.080 --> 0:54:28.799 That was me mad. 0:54:28.880 --> 0:54:30.880 Wow. I don't know if I kept. 0:54:30.719 --> 0:54:32.920 Thinking, man, this is bullshit, that all these good songs, 0:54:33.040 --> 0:54:34.080 they're gonna give me this one. 0:54:34.320 --> 0:54:37.000 Did anybody see the Drew Hill unsung. 0:54:38.800 --> 0:54:39.040 A thing. 0:54:39.280 --> 0:54:41.040 Yeah, it's brand. 0:54:40.880 --> 0:54:44.160 New Francisco has the same story pretty much about sleeping 0:54:44.239 --> 0:54:45.880 somebody sleeping in my bed. He did not want to 0:54:45.920 --> 0:54:48.160 sing that song, and so the performance he gave was 0:54:48.200 --> 0:54:49.680 he was just mad. He said like, I'm gonna sing 0:54:49.800 --> 0:54:50.680 the funk out of this song. 0:54:51.560 --> 0:54:54.000 That's what I did with well. And then I was 0:54:54.120 --> 0:54:56.120 I would naturally think that you want to sing the 0:54:57.040 --> 0:55:03.560 every song let me sleep through my mind now, my 0:55:03.719 --> 0:55:07.279 my my. I recorded that song and I hate that too. 0:55:07.680 --> 0:55:08.040 I didn't. 0:55:08.160 --> 0:55:11.320 It's not that I hated it. I wasn't sure about 0:55:11.320 --> 0:55:14.200 that one. And I kept saying, I don't know about 0:55:14.200 --> 0:55:18.680 this because because they were talking about if we recorded it, 0:55:19.120 --> 0:55:21.920 uh and and Joel Buzzley was like, yeah, I think 0:55:22.000 --> 0:55:24.320 this might be your your your next single. This is 0:55:24.440 --> 0:55:25.800 probably gonna be your signal to your song, and I 0:55:25.880 --> 0:55:29.520 was like, really, and I kept saying, I mean it's cool, 0:55:29.640 --> 0:55:32.280 but would you like, would you I don't know about 0:55:32.280 --> 0:55:32.560 that one? 0:55:32.600 --> 0:55:34.160 What was your single? Would you thought? What do you 0:55:34.200 --> 0:55:34.680 think it should be? 0:55:37.000 --> 0:55:39.360 Off of that album? Feel so Much Better was one 0:55:39.400 --> 0:55:43.000 of those songs, and I was just like, oh, so. 0:55:43.280 --> 0:55:48.680 Much Yeah, my favorite song right there, Karen Whit's background, 0:55:49.320 --> 0:55:56.480 Karen when I'm done, I'm done. I was on that 0:55:56.719 --> 0:55:58.360 vibe where I. 0:55:58.400 --> 0:56:03.000 Needed and I remember telling Terry we were still We're 0:56:03.280 --> 0:56:04.200 just pretty much beenised. 0:56:04.239 --> 0:56:04.480 I did. 0:56:04.640 --> 0:56:07.279 My very last song I recorded was Lady de Jour, 0:56:07.360 --> 0:56:10.319 and I remember telling telling Terry. I said, I looked 0:56:10.360 --> 0:56:13.279 at him and I said, do you think we got enough? 0:56:14.080 --> 0:56:16.600 And Terry looked at me and said, we got way 0:56:16.719 --> 0:56:20.160 more than enough. Negro, goodbye, get out of here, You're gone. 0:56:20.680 --> 0:56:22.520 You trying to pull more songs than them? 0:56:22.880 --> 0:56:25.480 I just didn't. I was so feeling like, do I 0:56:25.560 --> 0:56:28.640 have enough? Is this album gonna be enough of what 0:56:28.719 --> 0:56:30.280 people was expect? 0:56:31.560 --> 0:56:34.520 Wait, let me let me ask you, because again, you 0:56:34.680 --> 0:56:40.040 are a Maverick singer, So let me ask you. Do 0:56:40.200 --> 0:56:43.919 you respect the art of simplicity? 0:56:44.600 --> 0:56:45.160 Absolutely? 0:56:45.440 --> 0:56:47.800 But I can you can you embrace the song that 0:56:48.000 --> 0:56:52.359 won't allow you to do your default gymnastics? 0:56:52.400 --> 0:56:56.480 Absolutely absolutely in hindsight back then, could you see it 0:56:56.880 --> 0:56:57.239 back then? 0:56:57.320 --> 0:56:57.360 No? 0:56:57.760 --> 0:56:57.800 No. 0:56:58.160 --> 0:57:01.080 Terry used to be like, you got to prove list 0:57:01.400 --> 0:57:02.839 We don't have nothing to prove. It was like at 0:57:02.880 --> 0:57:04.919 that point there was a point where you're just going. 0:57:05.280 --> 0:57:05.759 You would just go. 0:57:05.920 --> 0:57:07.520 Every time I would go, I would go all in. 0:57:07.719 --> 0:57:10.920 It was like I'm showing you something because if you 0:57:11.000 --> 0:57:13.200 doubt me, I'm gonna show you. So I always thought 0:57:13.239 --> 0:57:13.800 it was that. 0:57:14.080 --> 0:57:15.759 So you get a hear it one hundred and three 0:57:15.800 --> 0:57:17.680 seconds and they stopped the tape and be like, no, 0:57:18.240 --> 0:57:19.600 just sing the melodies. 0:57:19.720 --> 0:57:22.200 Melody, and then they go, okay, now now do your Johnny. 0:57:22.560 --> 0:57:23.720 Now do Johnny. 0:57:24.360 --> 0:57:26.880 So so you have an arrangement with him like okay, 0:57:27.320 --> 0:57:28.240 I'll sing the song here. 0:57:28.320 --> 0:57:30.040 But then you're okay, give me your. 0:57:29.960 --> 0:57:30.560 Johnny Yill. 0:57:34.360 --> 0:57:36.400 And let me tell you it was crazy because the 0:57:36.480 --> 0:57:40.600 first person that told me and taught me, or at 0:57:40.680 --> 0:57:43.680 least at that point, I still wasn't there, uh and. 0:57:43.760 --> 0:57:44.880 Mature enough to understand that. 0:57:44.920 --> 0:57:47.040 But Luther told me one day, he said, you know 0:57:47.160 --> 0:57:49.480 my favorite all time Johnny Gill's song and I said 0:57:49.520 --> 0:57:50.680 what he said? 0:57:50.720 --> 0:57:54.640 Wait, wait, Luther was nice to Yeah, I was wanted 0:57:54.640 --> 0:57:56.280 the only people let me tell you what it happened. 0:57:57.240 --> 0:58:03.080 Wait, like Yo's I've never tell you a nice louting 0:58:03.160 --> 0:58:03.600 story ever. 0:58:03.840 --> 0:58:06.600 People, the whole crew used to be happy when I 0:58:06.680 --> 0:58:09.000 would walk in or come to one of the shows 0:58:09.160 --> 0:58:12.040 and they go, yo, Johnny's here because men him used 0:58:12.040 --> 0:58:14.760 to go at it, just joning on each other, like 0:58:14.920 --> 0:58:18.240 going none stops. And he used to be and all 0:58:18.240 --> 0:58:20.040 you can hear in there is are screaming. 0:58:20.480 --> 0:58:24.160 He used to call me and would call and go listen. 0:58:24.280 --> 0:58:25.640 He said, look, this is the song I'm getting ready 0:58:25.640 --> 0:58:29.600 to lease as a single, and tell me what you think. 0:58:29.680 --> 0:58:31.880 So you play it and I go, I think that 0:58:31.960 --> 0:58:35.640 shit sucks, and you can say I go, and I go, 0:58:36.640 --> 0:58:42.000 you should probably get it to me. So one year 0:58:42.040 --> 0:58:44.680 he beats me out of the Grammy with here Now, 0:58:44.760 --> 0:58:47.480 and that was going to my mind, right. So he 0:58:47.640 --> 0:58:49.760 used to have these movie nights over his house where 0:58:50.000 --> 0:58:52.680 I mean we everybody who's who used to come. So 0:58:52.800 --> 0:58:54.440 every time I would go over there, he had this 0:58:54.520 --> 0:58:57.240 little case where the Grammys. 0:58:57.480 --> 0:58:59.240 And I would go over there and I start hitting 0:58:59.240 --> 0:58:59.560 the case. 0:58:59.600 --> 0:59:05.000 Go give me my grammy, give me my grammy security. 0:59:08.880 --> 0:59:10.400 That's our first Luther story. 0:59:11.120 --> 0:59:14.360 Then, man, I'm telling you if you if you knew Luther, 0:59:15.120 --> 0:59:17.480 he missed his calling. You're talking about somebody was funny 0:59:17.520 --> 0:59:18.320 as hell and. 0:59:18.520 --> 0:59:22.960 Was quick on his feet. Yo, he was freaking pure genius. 0:59:24.040 --> 0:59:25.680 Like, oh, you know you gotta stay away from him. 0:59:26.600 --> 0:59:26.640 No. 0:59:27.240 --> 0:59:30.040 No, We used to talk about his jerky co He 0:59:30.160 --> 0:59:31.960 was like, yo, you know you only got half of it, 0:59:32.080 --> 0:59:32.640 only took. 0:59:32.600 --> 0:59:41.160 Up here right he goes, He goes, I got curly hair, 0:59:41.440 --> 0:59:43.360 and I said no, no, no, no, no, no, you 0:59:43.480 --> 0:59:44.800 got a half curly hair. 0:59:44.880 --> 0:59:46.840 I said, this, don't even take up in here. So 0:59:48.480 --> 0:59:51.120 but I never had to work with him like that, 0:59:51.520 --> 0:59:54.880 so it was always just fun like when we would talk. 0:59:55.280 --> 0:59:57.680 He came one year, I got so plaster that my 0:59:58.000 --> 0:59:59.720 New Year's uh party. 1:00:00.080 --> 1:00:02.600 I never made it past twelve o'clock. I was drinking 1:00:02.920 --> 1:00:05.720 drinking champagne, I mean drinking wine, and Luther came. 1:00:05.760 --> 1:00:07.560 It was we had this band, everybody's planning and he 1:00:07.680 --> 1:00:10.640 was hanging out and that I passed out before twelve o'clock. 1:00:10.880 --> 1:00:14.600 Luke called me the next day and said, man, man, 1:00:14.680 --> 1:00:16.000 that was a hell of a party. He said, you 1:00:16.000 --> 1:00:24.840 should have been there. Excuse you, man, Wait a minute. 1:00:25.000 --> 1:00:28.320 It just hit me. It just hit me right now. 1:00:28.480 --> 1:00:31.320 One question that we never asked him, what how do 1:00:31.400 --> 1:00:37.560 we how do they ever orchestrate a Luther Vanders velvet devote? Yeah, 1:00:38.800 --> 1:00:43.280 Janet Jackson song idea which I know was recorded Minnesota, 1:00:43.560 --> 1:00:45.880 so I know you have to be around in proximity. 1:00:46.280 --> 1:00:51.800 Were you nowhere around when this happened? Is Luther velvet 1:00:51.880 --> 1:00:54.600 Devoteet Jackson for the more money? 1:00:54.640 --> 1:00:55.240 Sounds right right? 1:00:55.320 --> 1:00:56.880 For the more money? Because I did my own. 1:00:57.080 --> 1:00:58.120 Yeah, you had Let's Just run Away? 1:00:58.160 --> 1:00:59.120 I had Let's just run Away. 1:01:01.080 --> 1:01:05.720 Yeah, that is my ship all the time. 1:01:05.840 --> 1:01:08.280 That was a simple, simplistic kind of a joint that 1:01:08.680 --> 1:01:09.160 we just had. 1:01:09.280 --> 1:01:11.760 George sample, that was yeah. 1:01:12.120 --> 1:01:14.080 Yeah, we gotta talk about the soundtrack run too. 1:01:15.440 --> 1:01:17.200 Got to talk about lrgs. I just I mean not 1:01:17.360 --> 1:01:18.000 larg I mean. 1:01:19.240 --> 1:01:22.880 Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, it was. 1:01:23.600 --> 1:01:25.439 Yeah. I did my own that one. I remember. I'll 1:01:25.480 --> 1:01:26.040 never forget that. 1:01:26.440 --> 1:01:30.040 Okay, So when you are all right, so you and 1:01:30.240 --> 1:01:34.320 Luthor never had a professional relationship, so you could be 1:01:34.400 --> 1:01:34.920 cordial with. 1:01:34.960 --> 1:01:35.920 Each other, Yeah, we were. 1:01:36.000 --> 1:01:37.840 It was always fun but fun. 1:01:38.280 --> 1:01:40.960 Okay, give us an example of like, Okay, so when 1:01:40.960 --> 1:01:44.760 you're doing like Black Men United or something. I mean, 1:01:45.040 --> 1:01:49.160 when it's time for Gladiator Sport, how do you now 1:01:49.280 --> 1:01:54.200 seeing someone night speaking of LSG Okay, So we were 1:01:54.280 --> 1:01:58.360 doing this is so weird to say, the Roots and 1:01:58.520 --> 1:02:02.520 Chico the barge. We're doing a show together at like 1:02:02.880 --> 1:02:07.160 uh LA, what's the outdoor Hollywood Ball or something like that. 1:02:08.520 --> 1:02:11.800 This must have been pre d Angelo. No, it was 1:02:11.800 --> 1:02:18.240 actually phrenology period, right. But the thing the thing was 1:02:18.720 --> 1:02:25.560 is that so Joe and Chic are doing uh No Guarantees. 1:02:25.600 --> 1:02:28.760 I think that was their join together. And so by 1:02:28.840 --> 1:02:34.160 this point we had just got friendly with uh Gerald, yeah, 1:02:34.400 --> 1:02:36.320 because he was part of he was part of a 1:02:36.720 --> 1:02:38.959 break you off, right, Yeah, so you know he's hanging 1:02:39.040 --> 1:02:43.200 with us backstage, and so he's he's backstage and he's 1:02:43.280 --> 1:02:47.480 watching uh Chico and and and Joe like trying to 1:02:47.560 --> 1:02:49.520 get the women all roused up and all that stuff 1:02:49.560 --> 1:02:51.919 and everything, and he's looking at it. He's like, man, 1:02:52.320 --> 1:02:53.439 he said, yeah, I should be good. 1:02:54.280 --> 1:02:55.680 And I was like, wait, what do you mean. 1:02:56.040 --> 1:02:58.240 He's like, man, I should just go out there and. 1:03:00.200 --> 1:03:04.440 Listen get him literally yeah, And he was like, oh, 1:03:04.560 --> 1:03:08.160 I can't help myself, and he ran on stage and 1:03:08.280 --> 1:03:11.400 then like it was like the flat in the balloon, 1:03:13.880 --> 1:03:16.160 she goes microphone and just started sh. 1:03:16.440 --> 1:03:18.320 And none of them muscles mind it anymore. 1:03:19.360 --> 1:03:22.720 And literally the art like there's a crazy shit ever seen. 1:03:23.120 --> 1:03:27.360 So with that type of gladiators port with singing, not now, 1:03:27.520 --> 1:03:30.600 because again it's like singers are a novelty today. Yeah, 1:03:31.120 --> 1:03:35.640 but back then, how how did you nuance it so 1:03:35.720 --> 1:03:39.240 that you wouldn't hurt people's feelings? Then? 1:03:39.400 --> 1:03:42.360 Jerrold used to I swear to you, Geryl would call 1:03:42.440 --> 1:03:44.440 me and go, hey, I'm getting ready to do the 1:03:44.520 --> 1:03:47.240 show in Chicago. Blah blah blahs on there, blah blah 1:03:47.240 --> 1:03:49.400 Bla's on there, blah blah blah, I'm gonna tear the 1:03:49.520 --> 1:03:52.880 asses up where you at. I'm like, I'm on my way. 1:03:53.280 --> 1:03:58.160 So and we would actually we would double tea. I 1:03:58.280 --> 1:03:59.680 swear to God, I would call him. 1:03:59.720 --> 1:04:02.600 Sometimes they go, Yo, I'm doing the show and Vegas. 1:04:02.640 --> 1:04:04.360 I got blah blah blah's on that, blah blah blah. 1:04:05.000 --> 1:04:06.880 Let's going like the ass up. He goes, I'm coming. 1:04:06.880 --> 1:04:07.480 I'm on my way. 1:04:08.880 --> 1:04:09.000 Us. 1:04:09.080 --> 1:04:10.919 The double team all right. 1:04:11.000 --> 1:04:13.880 Is there is there without you know, because we're not 1:04:14.080 --> 1:04:20.800 gotcha journalism who would you say who did you have 1:04:20.960 --> 1:04:24.800 a friendly rivalry with at least like in terms of 1:04:24.960 --> 1:04:28.840 like that you wanted to go at, but not not 1:04:29.080 --> 1:04:31.120 level for sports, because again I know that your level 1:04:31.120 --> 1:04:35.200 of singing is is out of this world, but es 1:04:36.640 --> 1:04:37.640 are you know, like. 1:04:39.160 --> 1:04:41.360 You won't to be honest you and now I'm gonna 1:04:41.360 --> 1:04:41.920 be really honest. 1:04:42.160 --> 1:04:43.640 And it's not even like it was a rivalry or 1:04:43.680 --> 1:04:46.720 friendly ribery because I just never particularly care for for 1:04:46.840 --> 1:04:52.400 Brian Knight, and so every time every time I would 1:04:52.440 --> 1:04:53.960 get on the show or go on to show with him, 1:04:54.200 --> 1:04:58.040 you best believe you're gonna see Johnny tearing that house 1:04:58.280 --> 1:04:59.040 inside out. 1:04:59.200 --> 1:05:01.000 And it was all always been personal. 1:05:02.080 --> 1:05:04.760 Wow, I just never wait, you know, like I'm trying 1:05:04.760 --> 1:05:08.000 to be politically correct on the show, make the artists. 1:05:07.760 --> 1:05:10.480 Feel safe, and yeah, and he knows it. 1:05:10.640 --> 1:05:13.760 I mean, it's not what happened with him, It's just 1:05:13.880 --> 1:05:15.919 something happened in the past that was just like, what's 1:05:16.480 --> 1:05:19.040 this guy always just kind of made it like her name, 1:05:19.280 --> 1:05:20.960 he was cool, and then he was just one of 1:05:20.960 --> 1:05:23.000 those guys sometimes he guys like I don't I can't 1:05:23.080 --> 1:05:25.600 deal with sometime people one minute they cool with you, 1:05:25.680 --> 1:05:28.160 the next minute you see him the right like, I'm 1:05:28.200 --> 1:05:30.560 from DC and I'm just someone I'm consistent. 1:05:30.640 --> 1:05:32.919 The guy that you see today, you'll see next week, 1:05:33.040 --> 1:05:34.280 next year, in the following. 1:05:34.360 --> 1:05:37.840 And so I was like, yo, sometimes, yeah, So I've 1:05:37.880 --> 1:05:40.080 seen him on well, we don't talk. 1:05:40.360 --> 1:05:42.000 We see each other, We've been in the same building. 1:05:42.240 --> 1:05:43.880 He can tell you what the smokes feel like and 1:05:43.920 --> 1:05:55.479 smell like. But I'm just saying, but we don't wow 1:05:55.760 --> 1:06:00.160 my mind mind. And you know, that's the only thing 1:06:00.360 --> 1:06:02.360 I had. My issue was with him was just I 1:06:02.440 --> 1:06:04.280 don't like people that are inconsistent. 1:06:04.360 --> 1:06:07.000 And when I've seen him when he first started and 1:06:07.920 --> 1:06:11.080 how much he and he was influenced by me and 1:06:11.160 --> 1:06:13.480 all the other things. And then you watch this guy 1:06:13.640 --> 1:06:15.800 overtime and then you see him and it was like, hey, 1:06:15.840 --> 1:06:17.440 what's happening to act like you know you did next 1:06:17.480 --> 1:06:18.120 time you see him. 1:06:18.280 --> 1:06:20.520 He would turn and act like he's you go to yo, 1:06:20.560 --> 1:06:22.840 what's up man? And he's kind of like the give 1:06:22.880 --> 1:06:25.120 me that, and it was like, hey, yo, for real. 1:06:25.720 --> 1:06:28.760 So one night we're playing and he was opening no, 1:06:28.920 --> 1:06:31.240 he was the headliner for the New Edition show. 1:06:32.000 --> 1:06:32.800 He wanted to close. 1:06:33.240 --> 1:06:34.520 He wanted to close, and we was like, he want 1:06:34.520 --> 1:06:35.200 to close for real. 1:06:35.640 --> 1:06:37.320 We was like, people want to clothes. 1:06:37.360 --> 1:06:38.120 So I was like, okay. 1:06:38.800 --> 1:06:41.480 We was like, guess we had an issue where and 1:06:41.800 --> 1:06:46.360 I think it was in uh Westbury and Mike and 1:06:46.480 --> 1:06:47.920 I think Ron they was in the car and their 1:06:48.000 --> 1:06:50.360 car got was in traffic something. 1:06:50.600 --> 1:06:52.720 So the show needed to get started and the show 1:06:53.200 --> 1:06:55.840 was running really really far behind. So we had asked 1:06:55.920 --> 1:06:58.000 him if he would go on first and then we 1:06:58.280 --> 1:07:01.120 just closed, and he was like no. So I was 1:07:01.240 --> 1:07:03.760 like wow, I'm going, Wow, how disrespectful is that? 1:07:04.280 --> 1:07:07.840 And I mean, you know it was he realized it 1:07:07.960 --> 1:07:10.960 was a tough think about trying to follow after noon. 1:07:12.360 --> 1:07:15.040 They all ballots exactly, so you imagine trying to follow 1:07:15.120 --> 1:07:18.200 us what that was like when you could hear an 1:07:18.200 --> 1:07:22.800 echo by the time we finish in the house. And 1:07:22.840 --> 1:07:26.160 I'm not saying it's a talented guy and I like 1:07:26.240 --> 1:07:29.080 his music. I'm just saying, but he so when he 1:07:29.120 --> 1:07:32.160 said no, I was the only one that was pissing. 1:07:32.200 --> 1:07:35.160 I'm from DC. You know, I know how to be 1:07:35.600 --> 1:07:37.760 politically correct. And then I also can turn to this 1:07:37.880 --> 1:07:39.680 other guy with Southeast coming out. 1:07:39.880 --> 1:07:41.960 So I got on the mic because I told him, hey, listen, 1:07:42.040 --> 1:07:43.760 we're getting ready to we can only give y'all what 1:07:43.840 --> 1:07:45.880 we can because we asked we wanted to make sure 1:07:45.920 --> 1:07:48.360 you guys got your money worth, and we asked Brian 1:07:48.440 --> 1:07:52.240 to go on before you guys, before us, so that 1:07:52.360 --> 1:07:54.880 we could make sure you guys will get the full show. 1:07:55.000 --> 1:07:57.120 And he says no. I said, so, we only can 1:07:57.200 --> 1:07:58.320 do what we can do. And I think we might 1:07:58.400 --> 1:08:02.439 have did maybe fifteen minutes at the most, fifty twenty 1:08:02.480 --> 1:08:04.400 minutes at the most. So then I was, you know, 1:08:04.600 --> 1:08:06.880 I mean, looking back out in the hindsight, maybe it 1:08:06.960 --> 1:08:08.480 wasn't the right thing to do, but I just said, 1:08:08.760 --> 1:08:11.400 ladies and gentlemen, get ready for Brian McKnight. Get your 1:08:11.480 --> 1:08:12.680 pillows and blankets. 1:08:14.520 --> 1:08:14.800 And so. 1:08:17.280 --> 1:08:19.760 So. So Mick was like, yo, man, He's like, yo, 1:08:19.840 --> 1:08:22.880 what's up? Like y'all you know, man, I was like, listen, man, 1:08:23.240 --> 1:08:24.439 how disrespectful. 1:08:24.960 --> 1:08:27.200 I mean, the reality is that we want to give 1:08:27.240 --> 1:08:30.360 these people there, you know, their money's worth. And I'm 1:08:30.400 --> 1:08:32.200 going this is not like it's on every night thing. 1:08:32.280 --> 1:08:34.519 It was like, you can go on and we'll closed. 1:08:34.560 --> 1:08:36.120 This is not like it's going to make or break 1:08:36.160 --> 1:08:38.200 your career. So it was just one of those things 1:08:38.200 --> 1:08:41.080 that I always felt like, yo, man, you really feel 1:08:41.160 --> 1:08:44.800 like you're like that, like that's you know, it's not 1:08:44.920 --> 1:08:48.240 that serious. We all artists and we all need to understand. Listen, 1:08:48.280 --> 1:08:50.080 there's a number of people I'm not going on dying. 1:08:50.520 --> 1:08:52.439 I understand what my catalog is. I know where I 1:08:52.560 --> 1:08:55.400 belong and figure out how you make the show elevate 1:08:55.760 --> 1:08:59.160 and make sure people leave ultimately going the whole show 1:08:59.360 --> 1:09:02.320 was incredible, not I. Somebody brings them here and then 1:09:02.360 --> 1:09:05.599 I'm coming here knowing my catalog does not fit there 1:09:05.760 --> 1:09:07.160 and have and bring people down. 1:09:07.240 --> 1:09:09.920 It's like, figure out where you belong. It ain't gonna make. 1:09:09.920 --> 1:09:12.040 Or break your career to figure out how to be 1:09:12.080 --> 1:09:14.400 a part of a great show, make people leave thinking 1:09:14.520 --> 1:09:17.840 and feeling like I got my money's worth. So that's 1:09:17.920 --> 1:09:19.639 just my way of thinking. And then that's the only 1:09:19.680 --> 1:09:21.599 thing that became an issue for me with him. 1:09:22.560 --> 1:09:29.479 How damn I dropped my Yeah would take six though, right, brother? 1:09:32.200 --> 1:09:37.600 Yeah? Yeah, I like that body so yeah, but no, 1:09:37.760 --> 1:09:39.599 really we still don't to this day. We walk, we'll 1:09:39.600 --> 1:09:41.200 see each other in the same room. We don't speak, 1:09:41.240 --> 1:09:41.960 we don't see anything. 1:09:42.200 --> 1:09:43.880 We just cool, man, We got it. 1:09:43.960 --> 1:09:49.600 We brothers got everybody can't be we canna just be. 1:09:51.040 --> 1:10:02.800 With silent brothers. So I said aside, Well, besides that, 1:10:02.920 --> 1:10:07.280 like what what artists like? Do you truly respect? And 1:10:07.520 --> 1:10:12.799 you you bowed down to like who are your favorites? 1:10:14.680 --> 1:10:19.840 Of course Luther, of course, Teddy, I love Jeffrey Osborne, 1:10:21.960 --> 1:10:25.800 Stevie my ultimate you know, that's that's my that's my 1:10:25.880 --> 1:10:26.479 heart there. 1:10:28.320 --> 1:10:31.320 And period? 1:10:32.400 --> 1:10:33.000 Did I say down? 1:10:33.080 --> 1:10:36.479 You have the way? Who can I say in this? 1:10:40.200 --> 1:10:43.920 I love what Neil does. I like Neo, I like 1:10:44.120 --> 1:10:52.400 Jahim okay ex Millennial, Yeah, I like Joe okay, I 1:10:52.600 --> 1:10:52.920 like Joe. 1:10:53.520 --> 1:10:58.639 Uh where do you where do you feel that soul 1:10:58.800 --> 1:11:00.160 music is is? 1:11:01.000 --> 1:11:01.120 Oh? 1:11:01.280 --> 1:11:07.040 God? Now I'm asking questions that I hate, like here, 1:11:07.080 --> 1:11:08.519 what do you think about our young rappers? 1:11:08.560 --> 1:11:11.200 Now? No? 1:11:11.360 --> 1:11:12.000 But it's. 1:11:13.320 --> 1:11:16.360 How how disheartening is it to you. 1:11:18.080 --> 1:11:20.000 To see? Well, this is like a two. 1:11:21.640 --> 1:11:27.680 Prong question. One is just like singing is not what 1:11:27.880 --> 1:11:29.320 it was when you were. 1:11:29.880 --> 1:11:33.040 Coming up, especially with now with technology and how it is, 1:11:33.880 --> 1:11:38.920 whereas now you know, like well s anybody with he's 1:11:38.920 --> 1:11:39.960 still who's still alive? 1:11:40.040 --> 1:11:40.160 Now? 1:11:41.880 --> 1:11:43.000 Yeah, I'm just saying like. 1:11:44.520 --> 1:11:47.400 Where you're you're where. 1:11:47.240 --> 1:11:51.639 Your auto tune rapper is mostly singing? Now? 1:11:52.400 --> 1:11:52.559 Well? 1:11:52.680 --> 1:11:55.400 You know I don't have a problem. And but with that, 1:11:55.600 --> 1:12:00.519 but then on top of that, uh I I guess 1:12:01.840 --> 1:12:04.920 right now, it seems as though, like most when you 1:12:05.080 --> 1:12:09.640 think of soul singers, it's people that don't look like you. 1:12:11.520 --> 1:12:15.439 And I'm in the one hand, I'm like, okay, well, yeah, 1:12:15.439 --> 1:12:18.040 I can see that you've been influenced by this and 1:12:18.280 --> 1:12:21.720 you listen to this artist, so you know, what, are 1:12:21.800 --> 1:12:26.960 you more just me that more black people aren't carrying 1:12:27.040 --> 1:12:29.960 the baton, or or that maybe we just don't know 1:12:30.040 --> 1:12:32.720 about them. I still think that there's singers out there. 1:12:32.840 --> 1:12:34.880 There's a lot of singers that are still out there. 1:12:35.520 --> 1:12:38.920 There are still singers that are making R and B music. 1:12:39.439 --> 1:12:43.040 It's not the artist, it's the industry. It's the industry, 1:12:43.080 --> 1:12:47.160 it's the you know, everybody. You know. 1:12:48.200 --> 1:12:52.680 Music is just totally segregated now, there's no I mean, 1:12:52.920 --> 1:12:55.600 everything is based on research. 1:12:56.200 --> 1:12:59.720 The kids and I stream like, it's just that we 1:12:59.800 --> 1:13:01.560 have to look and understand. 1:13:01.160 --> 1:13:04.280 That the one thing about a hit record is when 1:13:04.320 --> 1:13:09.640 you say a hit, it has something that's magical that 1:13:10.200 --> 1:13:11.200 resonates with people. 1:13:11.280 --> 1:13:14.080 That's why it becomes unique. That's why it becomes special. 1:13:14.120 --> 1:13:17.400 That's why it becomes a hit because it can connect 1:13:17.439 --> 1:13:21.559 with people. And I think the problem is that we're 1:13:21.680 --> 1:13:26.240 allowing the industry's just gotten to a point where everything 1:13:26.640 --> 1:13:29.920 is a category and it's so it doesn't even allow 1:13:30.439 --> 1:13:35.360 even out the new generation and these kids to really 1:13:36.439 --> 1:13:39.679 really grow up and be educated to understand what music 1:13:39.800 --> 1:13:42.400 really is or what's you know, what's a great song, 1:13:43.000 --> 1:13:45.600 because they're like, if you've never had soul food, how 1:13:45.600 --> 1:13:48.000 are you gonna appreciate all everyone or even have a. 1:13:48.040 --> 1:13:49.040 Desire for soul food. 1:13:49.320 --> 1:13:51.280 And I believe that it's just gotten to a point 1:13:51.320 --> 1:13:54.040 where it's not so much of the artists that are 1:13:54.080 --> 1:13:56.160 still out there, they're just not getting a shot. It's 1:13:56.280 --> 1:13:58.880 tough to take even though there's something a lot that 1:13:58.960 --> 1:14:01.559 I'm making music, but they're not able to not get 1:14:01.680 --> 1:14:04.760 an opportunity to be heard. And that's only due to 1:14:04.920 --> 1:14:07.920 because of the way this industry is now. Everything has 1:14:08.000 --> 1:14:10.240 been diluted. It's like, if it's got to be if this. 1:14:10.320 --> 1:14:12.280 Person's not on it, if this is the artist, you 1:14:12.400 --> 1:14:14.519 belong over here, not because of the song, it's just 1:14:14.600 --> 1:14:16.920 based on from here in the ac over here, because 1:14:16.920 --> 1:14:18.960 that's your name, that's where you are, that's how old 1:14:19.080 --> 1:14:21.840 you are, and it's just gotten so crazy that it's 1:14:22.000 --> 1:14:24.680 just hurt the industry and it's still hurting us. And 1:14:24.760 --> 1:14:27.000 I don't think it's gonna get any better until we 1:14:27.120 --> 1:14:30.080 can get or people begin to understand and recognize and 1:14:30.200 --> 1:14:33.560 identify when you just got great music, great songs, and 1:14:33.680 --> 1:14:37.519 you see that it's reacting. People are gravitating to allow 1:14:37.640 --> 1:14:39.760 everybody to be able to have and enjoy it and 1:14:39.880 --> 1:14:43.400 stop trying to control and trying to put everything in 1:14:43.479 --> 1:14:46.439 a category. Everything though it is necessarily belong in a category. 1:14:47.160 --> 1:14:49.640 If it's just great, it's great. If it works and 1:14:49.720 --> 1:14:52.160 it feels good, it feels good. And I just think 1:14:52.240 --> 1:14:55.679 that it's just gotten so bad now that it's we're 1:14:55.760 --> 1:14:57.160 choking and the killing ourselves. 1:14:57.640 --> 1:14:59.160 But at the same time, what does it feel like 1:14:59.200 --> 1:15:02.400 for you to still be making new music and be embraced, 1:15:02.520 --> 1:15:05.040 like still be playing on the radio, like do get 1:15:05.080 --> 1:15:05.599 that number one? 1:15:05.960 --> 1:15:09.519 I'm so grateful. I am grateful, and I'm just doing 1:15:09.640 --> 1:15:11.720 my part. When you listen to the. 1:15:11.800 --> 1:15:14.400 Songs that I recorded on this new album, Game Changer two, 1:15:16.439 --> 1:15:19.760 I'm doing as a musician, stretching out being able to 1:15:19.800 --> 1:15:23.960 do music that I enjoy doing. But I never compromise 1:15:24.600 --> 1:15:28.320 who Johnny gill Is, and I understand that it's important 1:15:28.840 --> 1:15:31.400 to do that, make sure you stay and be who 1:15:31.479 --> 1:15:34.160 you are, and making sure that my audience can appreciate 1:15:34.240 --> 1:15:36.400 what I'm doing here. But at the same time, I'm 1:15:36.479 --> 1:15:39.720 also allowing myself, from an artistic standpoint, to be. 1:15:39.720 --> 1:15:42.160 Able to do and try the things that I enjoy. 1:15:42.240 --> 1:15:44.240 The music that I enjoy. When you listen to me 1:15:44.560 --> 1:15:47.200 myself would call Santana and sheili E. 1:15:49.280 --> 1:15:51.040 I love that type of music, and I was able 1:15:51.120 --> 1:15:53.760 to be able to enjoy it and bring them on 1:15:53.880 --> 1:15:56.120 and collaborate with them to do something that I've always 1:15:56.160 --> 1:15:57.200 wanted to do, but I don't. 1:15:57.400 --> 1:16:01.400 When you hear me singing, you still hear Johnny Uh 1:16:02.160 --> 1:16:04.000 And I think that it's just for me. 1:16:04.280 --> 1:16:08.400 I'm grateful that people I can see because when I 1:16:08.439 --> 1:16:12.360 go to work there's sold out shows, which tells you 1:16:12.680 --> 1:16:13.760 it's a blessing first and. 1:16:13.840 --> 1:16:18.040 Foremost that they still want to hear from you. More importantly, 1:16:18.120 --> 1:16:20.560 and I believe that there's just still a number of 1:16:20.640 --> 1:16:24.600 people that really appreciate what we do and uh And 1:16:24.720 --> 1:16:27.439 I believe everything comes full circle. I think it's cycles. 1:16:27.479 --> 1:16:29.479 We go through these cycles, but I think at the 1:16:29.560 --> 1:16:32.519 end of the day, I think that it's like everything else, 1:16:32.800 --> 1:16:37.760 real music, true music, true artists, true musicians. It goes 1:16:37.800 --> 1:16:39.960 through a cycle. But you know, I don't think that 1:16:41.080 --> 1:16:43.760 you can keep us down forever. It always comes back. 1:16:43.920 --> 1:16:47.479 I have a question. Okay, so you and and Rizz 1:16:47.600 --> 1:16:51.439 did your do it together on on the album? Yeah, 1:16:53.680 --> 1:17:00.880 I'm sorry, Ralph. Uh It's is. 1:17:05.200 --> 1:17:07.640 To tell you how thank you. 1:17:10.960 --> 1:17:15.200 Is. Because the thing is, after the biopick came out, 1:17:15.400 --> 1:17:21.080 I feel like this new edition biopic is doing is 1:17:21.160 --> 1:17:26.880 doing better for you guys what the Temptations couldn't do 1:17:26.920 --> 1:17:29.760 with their biopick and even the Jackson's couldn't do with 1:17:29.880 --> 1:17:37.240 their biopick. And you know, I know that there's politics 1:17:37.280 --> 1:17:39.519 in the group, and there's six of y'all, and ya 1:17:39.680 --> 1:17:40.519 YadA yadao. 1:17:41.680 --> 1:17:42.559 We know the drama. 1:17:43.400 --> 1:17:47.479 But it's like if there ever was a time when 1:17:47.600 --> 1:17:50.960 y'all have millennials in the palm of your hands, Like 1:17:51.080 --> 1:17:55.439 it's now to the point that you know, i'd see 1:17:56.520 --> 1:17:59.519 I mean kids born like after two thousand and five, 1:18:00.200 --> 1:18:01.080 like that young. 1:18:01.080 --> 1:18:02.840 Yeah, quoting the movie. 1:18:03.080 --> 1:18:06.080 Yeah, And so they're mostly invested in you guys, and 1:18:06.400 --> 1:18:11.439 y'all have yet to really not cashing but really just 1:18:11.800 --> 1:18:14.880 that that's about yet to take that victory lap. 1:18:15.560 --> 1:18:17.160 But what does that look like? Because they y'all did 1:18:17.240 --> 1:18:19.120 do stuff like no, they did show the. 1:18:20.240 --> 1:18:23.120 New addition has yet to reunite and tour behind that 1:18:23.200 --> 1:18:23.920 BT movie. 1:18:24.040 --> 1:18:25.320 But they did. I thought you did. 1:18:25.400 --> 1:18:28.559 And no, I mean we did one show after that movie, 1:18:28.560 --> 1:18:30.320 and that was the Steve Harvey thing. I think we 1:18:30.400 --> 1:18:31.120 did after that. 1:18:31.240 --> 1:18:31.560 That was it. 1:18:32.080 --> 1:18:34.599 The internal issues that goes on with this group has 1:18:34.760 --> 1:18:38.040 been going on since for thirty some years. We find 1:18:38.120 --> 1:18:41.479 our way back, we go off, we forget you, we 1:18:41.600 --> 1:18:43.120 come right back. We're like a married couple. 1:18:43.160 --> 1:18:45.000 And what I kept telling everybody is that you know 1:18:45.040 --> 1:18:46.720 what happens when a married couple when they love each 1:18:46.760 --> 1:18:48.720 other and they keep breaking up, coming back, breaking up. 1:18:48.960 --> 1:18:49.680 The problem is. 1:18:51.520 --> 1:18:55.439 You have to deal with the core issue here because 1:18:56.000 --> 1:18:58.880 as much as you love each other, until you deal 1:18:58.960 --> 1:19:01.920 with the issue and that straightened out, what you're doing 1:19:02.080 --> 1:19:04.040 is you know you love each other, so you break away, 1:19:04.120 --> 1:19:06.000 come back, and you still got the same problem. So 1:19:06.120 --> 1:19:08.960 you end back up with the same outcome and something 1:19:09.040 --> 1:19:13.960 has to change. And so even with Kobe, just recently, 1:19:14.880 --> 1:19:16.360 we all started texting each other. 1:19:16.720 --> 1:19:18.519 I love you, man, I love you. I love you, man, 1:19:18.560 --> 1:19:19.160 this is crazy. 1:19:19.200 --> 1:19:19.960 We all six of you. 1:19:21.479 --> 1:19:23.320 It was I would love to see. 1:19:24.800 --> 1:19:30.200 W and we were we were. 1:19:33.439 --> 1:19:36.439 And what I said to everyone, which I think is important, 1:19:36.520 --> 1:19:43.840 is that what we learned was life just sent us 1:19:43.880 --> 1:19:46.479 all a message that it don't discriminate, don't. 1:19:46.320 --> 1:19:49.599 Give a fuck who you are. And at some point 1:19:50.600 --> 1:19:52.479 this call could have been and this could have been 1:19:52.520 --> 1:19:55.960 any one of us, so you realize that at some 1:19:56.160 --> 1:19:58.800 point we need to take heed. 1:19:59.760 --> 1:20:02.160 Then a few weeks ago, not even a few ago, 1:20:02.200 --> 1:20:06.479 by a week ago, Ronnie's brother Rob, who works with me, 1:20:08.520 --> 1:20:09.559 on his way from Atlanta. 1:20:09.720 --> 1:20:13.880 I was playing the Baton Rouge last weekend, he fell ill. 1:20:14.360 --> 1:20:18.120 They had to airlift him actually to a hospital in Atlanta. Now, 1:20:18.280 --> 1:20:22.720 Rob is Ronnie's brother, who's the biggest New Edition man, 1:20:22.800 --> 1:20:25.200 and he sits even though he works with me, he's 1:20:25.280 --> 1:20:27.719 always the guy that's sitting there going, man, y'all brothers 1:20:27.720 --> 1:20:30.360 a man, y'all need to stop this. Y'all need to 1:20:30.400 --> 1:20:33.280 come together man. And he's that guy. And I was 1:20:33.360 --> 1:20:36.200 like when I sat when I got that call, and 1:20:36.400 --> 1:20:38.920 I was like, I was like, okay, wait a minute, 1:20:39.920 --> 1:20:44.439 we just got a warning. And with Kobe and then 1:20:44.520 --> 1:20:47.920 who knows who knew a week later that it was 1:20:48.000 --> 1:20:50.439 going to step inside of our family and the one 1:20:50.520 --> 1:20:57.160 person that everybody loves Rob. It affected everybody and it 1:20:57.320 --> 1:20:59.920 was like, okay, well, so what are we doing here? 1:21:00.720 --> 1:21:02.679 Is this really? I mean when you put in a perspective, 1:21:02.720 --> 1:21:05.320 So I'm the oldest, so I've often said, and I 1:21:05.479 --> 1:21:07.800 told them, I was like, you know, forget who's right 1:21:08.080 --> 1:21:11.639 and who's wrong. We all just got to do better. 1:21:12.080 --> 1:21:12.920 We got to do better. 1:21:13.800 --> 1:21:14.320 We all do. 1:21:14.479 --> 1:21:16.720 And I said, and at some point that means that 1:21:16.840 --> 1:21:21.679 we have to look at ourselves, be honest and begin 1:21:21.800 --> 1:21:24.479 to try to figure out what we need to do 1:21:24.600 --> 1:21:27.320 if we never step foot on stage again in life. 1:21:28.040 --> 1:21:30.240 But how to get all these years and the things 1:21:30.280 --> 1:21:33.559 that we've done together, and the memories that we created, 1:21:33.560 --> 1:21:37.000 the impact that we've had, if we never stand on 1:21:37.080 --> 1:21:40.040 that stage again. There's no rhyme or reason for us 1:21:40.640 --> 1:21:44.200 as family members, as brothers to not have some level 1:21:45.360 --> 1:21:49.240 of a family of a relationship as brothers, as men. 1:21:50.120 --> 1:21:53.200 And so we've been you know, we've talked, we've had 1:21:53.280 --> 1:21:56.600 those conversations, and that's just where things are. And I 1:21:56.720 --> 1:21:59.720 think that you know, time, time heals wounds. And I 1:21:59.760 --> 1:22:02.960 think that who knows what's going to happen, what lies ahead, 1:22:03.000 --> 1:22:05.400 But I do know that my main goal, and like 1:22:05.439 --> 1:22:07.320 I've told them, and I feel that it's important, is 1:22:07.400 --> 1:22:12.120 that we all better take heed because as you began 1:22:12.280 --> 1:22:14.120 to believe or you saw what happened to Kobe, and 1:22:14.200 --> 1:22:17.080 then you see, it got even closer in our house, 1:22:17.280 --> 1:22:19.720 with our own family. So we gotta take us take 1:22:19.760 --> 1:22:21.680 a step back here and figure out what is it 1:22:21.880 --> 1:22:24.240 that the good lawd is trying to tell us. 1:22:25.400 --> 1:22:32.200 I suggest the Metallica, some kind of monstrous rales. I 1:22:32.360 --> 1:22:37.479 suggest therapy. I'm now I'm gonna say Lawrenxander on everyone, 1:22:38.640 --> 1:22:45.120 I'm sorry that yeah, Lawrenceander. She she is the no she. 1:22:45.360 --> 1:22:48.879 Lawrenxander is the group whisper. She keeps groups together. 1:22:49.120 --> 1:22:50.920 Let me tell you something. It's crazy. 1:22:51.320 --> 1:22:55.439 You know what I said to them this evening, We 1:22:55.600 --> 1:22:56.600 need a counselor. 1:22:57.720 --> 1:22:59.599 This is the first time that sentence has ever been 1:23:00.640 --> 1:23:03.000 that's crazy. This is the first time that sentence has 1:23:03.040 --> 1:23:04.200 ever been said amongst your group. 1:23:04.920 --> 1:23:05.200 Wow. 1:23:05.600 --> 1:23:07.760 But people don't think about that. People don't think about 1:23:07.760 --> 1:23:14.479 that very first time. Seriously, Like normally I'm really giving, 1:23:15.160 --> 1:23:16.960 I don't have to pay for no more therapy. After 1:23:17.000 --> 1:23:20.200 I give her this this endorsement. Know what what she 1:23:20.479 --> 1:23:23.479 what Lawrenceander does. She's like well known in the industry 1:23:23.560 --> 1:23:28.280 and and she fixes groups basically like managers will hire 1:23:28.360 --> 1:23:33.200 her to keep uh groups in tech and it will 1:23:33.240 --> 1:23:34.000 be over small ship. 1:23:34.200 --> 1:23:35.360 It don't have to be in your business. But that 1:23:35.439 --> 1:23:37.040 means that both of y'all are see her. 1:23:37.560 --> 1:23:39.800 I don't mean to no, no, no, I see I 1:23:40.320 --> 1:23:44.400 saw our individual like she's she saw. She's everyone's person like, well, 1:23:44.800 --> 1:23:46.400 I don't want to people out. 1:23:50.040 --> 1:23:52.040 Question right right right, No, no, no. 1:23:52.320 --> 1:23:58.960 She's not our group person. However, our good friend was 1:23:59.000 --> 1:24:02.280 her very well. She works with them and the Live 1:24:02.360 --> 1:24:05.799 Nation people like she'll come into companies and fix she fixed. 1:24:06.000 --> 1:24:09.080 She's the real fixture secret like Dan. It's kind of 1:24:09.120 --> 1:24:11.200 like the out She's the real. 1:24:11.120 --> 1:24:13.760 Fix your life person. Yes, but how funny did you 1:24:13.840 --> 1:24:15.320 say that I highly recommend that. 1:24:15.600 --> 1:24:18.439 No seriously, because you knew of her when I'm Saturday. 1:24:18.920 --> 1:24:20.800 No no, no, no, no, not just the fact of 1:24:20.840 --> 1:24:23.559 what I suggested that I thought would remit and then 1:24:23.800 --> 1:24:25.720 you know she's that person to. 1:24:26.479 --> 1:24:29.479 Everybody was open open shop, like six people on the line. 1:24:29.800 --> 1:24:31.800 Yeah, I need to see that. I want to see 1:24:32.040 --> 1:24:33.559 and you like, I don't want to wait till y'all 1:24:33.680 --> 1:24:36.160 like seventy doing. 1:24:36.320 --> 1:24:40.800 What not act when I'm singing and then I have 1:24:40.880 --> 1:24:42.599 to stop and go hold on all that thought. 1:24:46.840 --> 1:24:52.200 No, no, no, wait, I only wait. Were you with 1:24:52.439 --> 1:24:54.880 us when we got like were you with us in 1:24:54.960 --> 1:24:57.160 Philly when we got that uh plaque? 1:24:57.160 --> 1:24:57.559 And Philly? 1:24:58.320 --> 1:25:01.160 The what do you want? The diner? Which one? 1:25:01.280 --> 1:25:02.960 You know what I'm where? 1:25:03.360 --> 1:25:03.519 Came? 1:25:03.640 --> 1:25:03.760 Right? 1:25:04.080 --> 1:25:06.120 Yes? Yes, so you were there that night when the 1:25:06.240 --> 1:25:14.560 Tramps also performed. All right, I'm just saying, no, what 1:25:14.640 --> 1:25:19.040 happened during this The Tramps performed, you know because they 1:25:19.120 --> 1:25:23.080 got honored as well. But it was like you remember 1:25:23.120 --> 1:25:26.000 you remember the sketch on Living Color when they were 1:25:26.040 --> 1:25:33.040 doing the old train like oh no, like members like 1:25:33.560 --> 1:25:37.000 two and wheelchairs three with the walkers with the tennis 1:25:37.040 --> 1:25:39.920 balls at the bottom like one member it had like 1:25:40.000 --> 1:25:40.599 a good leg. 1:25:42.280 --> 1:25:43.880 I got up before that happened. 1:25:44.120 --> 1:25:47.080 Yeah, it's no, I'm just no more power to the 1:25:47.160 --> 1:25:51.920 tramp even though they ate, they still going on. I'm 1:25:52.000 --> 1:25:55.880 just saying that there's this is valuable real estate time 1:25:55.960 --> 1:25:59.280 for a new addition to all come back. 1:25:59.280 --> 1:26:02.840 And and and you know, I'll just say I still 1:26:02.880 --> 1:26:04.880 have never seen the audition live, so I need I 1:26:04.920 --> 1:26:06.320 still need. I need y'all to come back and do 1:26:06.320 --> 1:26:07.200 at least one more tour. 1:26:08.120 --> 1:26:13.400 I'm lucky, people pieces my sisters went to see Heartbreak Tour. 1:26:13.520 --> 1:26:14.760 I was not to go. I was. 1:26:14.960 --> 1:26:17.400 I was too I was. I was like ten. I wasn't. 1:26:17.400 --> 1:26:19.120 I don't even think I was ten then, but like 1:26:19.320 --> 1:26:21.599 I was too young. Togo so and then, well, I've 1:26:21.640 --> 1:26:24.360 seen four shows, but I've not seen Super Group Status 1:26:24.400 --> 1:26:25.160 New Edition do it? 1:26:25.360 --> 1:26:26.120 So wow? 1:26:26.560 --> 1:26:31.400 Wow? Well you know, I listen, you're saying you're board, 1:26:31.520 --> 1:26:33.600 your bored, You're way for me. 1:26:34.040 --> 1:26:37.519 I think that. I mean, I'll often say this, and 1:26:37.560 --> 1:26:40.000 I'll say it again. I truly believe that. 1:26:41.800 --> 1:26:44.360 What we've done over the thirty something years plus, that 1:26:44.760 --> 1:26:48.200 we've had our differences and we always seem to find 1:26:48.240 --> 1:26:50.559 our way back. It always seemed to find its way 1:26:50.880 --> 1:26:56.840 and come back together. And I honestly believe that this 1:26:57.000 --> 1:26:59.040 is gonna be a different at some point. It's I 1:26:59.120 --> 1:27:01.680 believe good, he's got his hands in it, and uh, 1:27:02.160 --> 1:27:02.800 it's gonna come. 1:27:03.840 --> 1:27:04.320 I'm together. 1:27:04.400 --> 1:27:08.720 I'm not supposed to say this, because when you do 1:27:08.920 --> 1:27:12.120 these meetings at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1:27:13.360 --> 1:27:16.799 what make it happen. It's kind of like what happens 1:27:16.840 --> 1:27:18.600 in this room with the thirty of us stays in 1:27:18.640 --> 1:27:22.000 this room. But I think I can at least say 1:27:22.400 --> 1:27:26.000 that No, in the last in the last two years, 1:27:26.160 --> 1:27:30.600 your names have been brought up as serious considerations. 1:27:30.720 --> 1:27:32.960 I'm part of the board that decides. 1:27:32.600 --> 1:27:34.720 The So that'll be the I see what you're doing here, 1:27:34.800 --> 1:27:35.840 You see what you're doing. 1:27:36.080 --> 1:27:40.920 No, dude, four years, four years, and you do it. 1:27:41.520 --> 1:27:43.400 You stand in front of a jewelry and you give 1:27:43.439 --> 1:27:46.760 your closing arguments, Da da da da, four years in 1:27:46.800 --> 1:27:47.080 a row. 1:27:47.240 --> 1:27:49.639 Finally with Janet, now like I need a new cause 1:27:49.720 --> 1:27:50.479 to yeah. 1:27:51.200 --> 1:27:53.120 No, but no, new edition is the new cause. 1:27:53.479 --> 1:27:55.679 New edition is yeah. 1:27:55.960 --> 1:27:57.519 And we're still making records. 1:27:57.560 --> 1:28:00.680 We're still doing because I've often said, whatever success that 1:28:00.760 --> 1:28:03.120 I have, it still reflects on this group. I mean, 1:28:03.520 --> 1:28:06.719 I've you know, read number one records, Ralph, the records 1:28:06.720 --> 1:28:09.360 that we have that's doing incredibly well. I don't care 1:28:09.400 --> 1:28:11.479 how you chopped up, you said, Johnny and Ralph, but 1:28:11.560 --> 1:28:12.920 we're all still the power of that tree. 1:28:13.280 --> 1:28:17.000 And so it still reflects on You're you're the voice, 1:28:17.080 --> 1:28:21.320 is like you're the crucial part of the tree. Intended 1:28:22.800 --> 1:28:25.560 you said crucial. Okay, but when is it? 1:28:25.640 --> 1:28:27.720 But my last question is, but when the last time 1:28:27.800 --> 1:28:29.160 you talked to Stacey though. 1:28:30.760 --> 1:28:31.439 She deep? 1:28:32.800 --> 1:28:34.559 That's an interesting sentence. Go ahead, tell me more. 1:28:34.960 --> 1:28:40.400 No, not now the DEVI DM something. No, she's a preacher. 1:28:40.880 --> 1:28:42.519 So she's still singing in her own way. 1:28:43.200 --> 1:28:47.080 Yeah, she's still and every once in the blue moon 1:28:47.120 --> 1:28:47.600 should hit me. 1:28:47.760 --> 1:28:53.800 You know, DM me on Twitter once like three years ago. 1:28:54.680 --> 1:28:57.920 I hope she's still on Twitter. What was you about 1:28:57.920 --> 1:29:00.720 to say, John, I was talking about my wisconcert. No, 1:29:00.760 --> 1:29:01.160 I know I was. 1:29:01.439 --> 1:29:02.960 He looked like he was holding something. I just thought 1:29:02.960 --> 1:29:03.559 he had something else. 1:29:04.400 --> 1:29:05.439 I'm just saying I. 1:29:09.120 --> 1:29:09.400 Jumped. 1:29:10.160 --> 1:29:13.800 I've been dmned, you know a few times on Twitter. 1:29:17.320 --> 1:29:21.040 I've been doing too, going. 1:29:21.040 --> 1:29:24.800 Somewhere else with all this comedy, John, what you're doing 1:29:24.880 --> 1:29:26.040 with all the issues. 1:29:28.280 --> 1:29:30.679 I got issues And think about most of my buddies, 1:29:30.800 --> 1:29:34.639 like Eddie and and all my crew. 1:29:34.840 --> 1:29:38.680 It's like inner circle. It's like you are a part 1:29:38.720 --> 1:29:39.280 of that circle. 1:29:39.360 --> 1:29:42.040 All we do is sit around and blast stuff, and 1:29:42.120 --> 1:29:44.840 it's like until Eddie goes yo. Yeah, looking around here, 1:29:44.920 --> 1:29:47.639 look at this house. I built this on jokes. 1:29:48.080 --> 1:29:49.240 Niggas don't want no part. 1:29:49.120 --> 1:29:49.320 Of me. 1:29:55.240 --> 1:29:58.439 Speaking of your buddies, and your golfing buddy is Sam Jackson, right. 1:29:58.600 --> 1:30:02.000 Yes, that's my road dog there, old Sam. He just 1:30:02.280 --> 1:30:05.439 he's recovering from back surgery. So I haven't had a 1:30:05.520 --> 1:30:06.240 pigeon in a while. 1:30:07.960 --> 1:30:14.240 So he's uh. Me and him fight every morning. Oh 1:30:14.280 --> 1:30:14.599 my god. 1:30:14.680 --> 1:30:16.160 We we just go at it. 1:30:16.800 --> 1:30:18.960 And I swear to you, I haven't as much as 1:30:19.040 --> 1:30:22.719 I love golf, I just haven't had just the desire 1:30:23.280 --> 1:30:25.719 to want to play like I've been a moment we played. 1:30:25.920 --> 1:30:28.400 Since he's been off and he's healing, but he's he's 1:30:28.400 --> 1:30:29.000 doing much better. 1:30:29.080 --> 1:30:30.040 He's moving around walking. 1:30:30.080 --> 1:30:33.200 I'm just looking and watching and monitoring everything to make 1:30:33.240 --> 1:30:35.439 sure he's doing what he needs to do because I 1:30:35.560 --> 1:30:36.519 need some of the music that. 1:30:36.720 --> 1:30:38.760 That movie money, because you know, because he got he's 1:30:39.760 --> 1:30:40.160 convinced you. 1:30:40.680 --> 1:30:42.240 Yeah, he's the one that got in this movie that 1:30:42.360 --> 1:30:45.599 we we uh story, so yeah. 1:30:47.080 --> 1:30:50.679 Yeah, he's playing Clarence Burgh. 1:30:54.560 --> 1:30:56.479 Sam's idea. I'm just like, he was like, man, I 1:30:56.520 --> 1:30:58.200 think you ought to take a look at this character. 1:30:58.280 --> 1:31:00.719 I was like, what, Yeah, Yeah, you got some characters 1:31:00.720 --> 1:31:02.040 and you need to get come out. 1:31:02.960 --> 1:31:04.920 I don't know when they're gonna when it's gonna be released. 1:31:05.360 --> 1:31:08.680 Wow, okay, I can't wait for that. And Sam is 1:31:08.720 --> 1:31:12.720 playing George Clinton in the movie. Wow yeah really yeah. 1:31:13.720 --> 1:31:16.280 We're on a course playing and he's singing all those songs. 1:31:16.360 --> 1:31:20.080 I'm like, the hell are you doing, Sam Jackson, You're 1:31:20.080 --> 1:31:21.040 throwing off my game. 1:31:22.200 --> 1:31:24.840 Really, I cannot wait for this. 1:31:25.640 --> 1:31:28.759 Sam Jackson is playing George Clinton and the Neil Bourdgart story. 1:31:29.640 --> 1:31:31.760 That is crazy. I have to say that out loud 1:31:31.880 --> 1:31:34.160 just to He's playing Clarence Burger the five stairsteps. 1:31:34.320 --> 1:31:37.040 Yes, wow, yeah. 1:31:38.280 --> 1:31:39.599 Do you see more acting in your future? 1:31:39.640 --> 1:31:41.000 I mean it's not like this was your first because 1:31:41.040 --> 1:31:42.599 I remember those Family Matters episodes. 1:31:43.240 --> 1:31:47.960 I like, acting thing is fun, it's cool, but that 1:31:48.160 --> 1:31:51.759 hurry up wait yeah, I understand that you have no patience. 1:31:52.320 --> 1:31:53.639 Like I'm like, man. 1:31:53.640 --> 1:31:54.960 That's one of the things I hated about working in 1:31:55.080 --> 1:31:56.519 a record labels was a hurry up and wait. 1:31:56.600 --> 1:31:58.880 Yeah, hurry up and wait man. It's like man, Like 1:31:59.200 --> 1:32:02.960 I remember sometimes we would all hang out on the 1:32:03.040 --> 1:32:05.439 set and it's three o'clock, four o'clock in the morning, 1:32:05.600 --> 1:32:08.040 Eddie's getting ready to do another scene. Everybody in the 1:32:08.080 --> 1:32:11.280 trailer like this. We're like yeah, we were like yo, this, 1:32:11.360 --> 1:32:13.120 d you can't really gonna try to be funny. 1:32:16.200 --> 1:32:17.080 What he gets paid for. 1:32:17.439 --> 1:32:20.040 But I'm like, man, I don't feel bad. I don't 1:32:20.080 --> 1:32:23.439 feel sorry for you. Shoot, because man, we do all 1:32:23.520 --> 1:32:26.040 get to reap the benefits from your hard. 1:32:25.920 --> 1:32:30.000 Work nice, like like a male Oprah. 1:32:30.040 --> 1:32:31.920 I like that as. 1:32:33.200 --> 1:32:36.080 He's just you know, EDI's just a pure genius. 1:32:36.160 --> 1:32:38.200 I mean like he's just you can do it in 1:32:38.280 --> 1:32:41.400 his sleep, Dola Mike brought it back. It was like 1:32:41.880 --> 1:32:43.960 sleep all right? 1:32:44.240 --> 1:32:47.200 So Bill, do you have all year? Damn? 1:32:47.800 --> 1:32:47.840 You? 1:32:48.960 --> 1:32:51.360 All right, there's the thing before I always want to 1:32:51.400 --> 1:32:53.519 wrap the show. Then it's always like ten minutes when 1:32:53.560 --> 1:32:54.679 the show's over, and then we're. 1:32:54.600 --> 1:32:57.080 Like, damn, I forgot to ask did you have a 1:32:57.200 --> 1:32:58.560 saythem about L S G? Did you? 1:33:00.040 --> 1:33:00.759 And we didn't get. 1:33:02.200 --> 1:33:06.880 Yeah. I was gonna say the idea of Eddie Eddie 1:33:07.320 --> 1:33:09.680 replacing Ah was that what. 1:33:09.840 --> 1:33:12.000 Happened for and we're still gonna do that. That's what 1:33:12.400 --> 1:33:13.519 Keith and I was just talking about. 1:33:13.720 --> 1:33:17.840 Wow, we're gonna just bring bring pop in and uh 1:33:18.400 --> 1:33:20.400 and and and maybe a couple of other people. 1:33:20.320 --> 1:33:24.080 Just guess with us on another different Now that's something 1:33:24.080 --> 1:33:24.679 that's gonna happen. 1:33:24.760 --> 1:33:27.320 Absolutely was that the second time you've been about into 1:33:27.360 --> 1:33:28.720 a super group or was that just the one that 1:33:28.800 --> 1:33:29.120 you picked? 1:33:29.120 --> 1:33:30.160 Because I feel like I don't know. 1:33:30.200 --> 1:33:34.160 I look for the work and don't I was about 1:33:34.200 --> 1:33:38.760 to say anybody else got anything opportunity because I'm just 1:33:38.880 --> 1:33:41.519 trying to make a sure that is my life right now. 1:33:43.320 --> 1:33:44.000 I got some work. 1:33:44.439 --> 1:33:46.920 I look back at my journey and I'm like, man, 1:33:47.040 --> 1:33:50.280 what the heck? I mean from a soul artist do 1:33:50.439 --> 1:33:53.280 that stuff with Stacey to new addition to l s G. 1:33:53.479 --> 1:33:55.479 Then I had his stay with me, Bobby and Ralph. 1:33:55.800 --> 1:33:57.240 It's like, you know, we just go. 1:33:57.479 --> 1:34:00.800 I just I love just doing things and being put 1:34:00.840 --> 1:34:03.840 in the position that uh that doesn't allow me to 1:34:04.040 --> 1:34:06.120 dependenthole me and allow me to be able to just 1:34:06.520 --> 1:34:08.960 express myself in just different areas. 1:34:09.040 --> 1:34:10.120 So I enjoy it. 1:34:10.240 --> 1:34:12.519 The younger artists now call and ask you for advice, 1:34:12.640 --> 1:34:15.000 like you ever think like, okay, well maybe management or 1:34:15.080 --> 1:34:19.120 his management like too much of a logistical, non creative 1:34:19.240 --> 1:34:19.840 nightmare for you. 1:34:21.160 --> 1:34:23.599 Yeah, it's it's called babysitting, and I'm not a very 1:34:23.640 --> 1:34:24.400 good babysitter. 1:34:25.200 --> 1:34:28.600 I go to organizer. Well, yeah they do. 1:34:28.880 --> 1:34:32.360 As a matter of fact, you organized that met. 1:34:32.439 --> 1:34:36.520 You organized j Yeah. Yeah, he's an organizer. 1:34:36.840 --> 1:34:37.599 I'm the Yeah. 1:34:37.840 --> 1:34:39.920 Yeah, I was speaking secret talk. 1:34:39.960 --> 1:34:41.880 But that's okay. I think we figured out what you're saying. 1:34:41.880 --> 1:34:44.919 You're saying that sometimes he organizes parties and other things. 1:34:45.400 --> 1:34:49.120 Handling deal with so many Why I'm the go to 1:34:49.400 --> 1:34:54.120 guy with most of my friends that how to get everything. 1:34:54.400 --> 1:34:55.760 It's just I don't know. 1:34:55.920 --> 1:35:02.519 I don't understand it. Well, yeah, which no answers, which 1:35:02.600 --> 1:35:06.240 answers my question. Yes, you do know how the babysit, Yeah, 1:35:06.560 --> 1:35:10.120 and solve problems, problems, that's my m O. 1:35:10.280 --> 1:35:12.439 And then you would think that I'm doctor Phil. I 1:35:12.560 --> 1:35:15.040 have no idea, And I'm like, why does everybody listen 1:35:15.120 --> 1:35:15.280 to me? 1:35:15.360 --> 1:35:16.520 Because you're a preacher. 1:35:18.960 --> 1:35:24.599 Son it it's never ending with everybody, and I mean 1:35:24.680 --> 1:35:28.040 it's just from the who's who to it's always something 1:35:28.080 --> 1:35:30.400 and it's like everybody, I'm just going, why they listen 1:35:30.720 --> 1:35:35.360 to me? You got it right? See? But I love people, 1:35:35.479 --> 1:35:36.679 and I always understand. 1:35:36.680 --> 1:35:39.920 I knew and I truly understand that when you're listening 1:35:39.960 --> 1:35:42.559 to people, you have to learn how to listen, because 1:35:42.560 --> 1:35:45.519 there's there's that there's an art to that too as well, 1:35:46.160 --> 1:35:49.280 to learn how to listen and always understanding that I 1:35:49.439 --> 1:35:51.640 don't ever use that if I was you, because you're 1:35:51.680 --> 1:35:54.960 not me. Recognizing that there's always two sides or three 1:35:55.000 --> 1:35:57.400 sides to every story. So when someone's talking, you know 1:35:57.439 --> 1:35:59.720 you're gonna be dealing with them telling their story and 1:35:59.800 --> 1:36:01.400 they going to be the victim when it's. 1:36:01.240 --> 1:36:01.960 All said and done. 1:36:02.200 --> 1:36:04.559 So you have to learn how to read between the lines, 1:36:04.600 --> 1:36:07.280 deal with those things. Ask those questions, what hand did 1:36:07.320 --> 1:36:09.519 you have? They're not here to defend themselves. Let me 1:36:09.600 --> 1:36:11.360 ask you, what hand do you think you're had? And 1:36:11.800 --> 1:36:14.120 I go through It's a whole process that you go through. 1:36:15.920 --> 1:36:19.400 To me, it's, oh my god, let me tell you 1:36:19.880 --> 1:36:20.679 you have no idea. 1:36:21.800 --> 1:36:24.519 I've lost a few relationships because they're like, my god, 1:36:24.640 --> 1:36:27.559 can you just your phone. It's like, hey, listen, I'm 1:36:27.640 --> 1:36:30.640 just being obedient. I'm doing what God want me to do. 1:36:31.120 --> 1:36:32.120 I mean, it is what it is. 1:36:32.280 --> 1:36:34.519 So you have to at some point be patient. Good, 1:36:34.760 --> 1:36:37.639 I'll listen, I deal with it all. 1:36:38.320 --> 1:36:41.280 There you go, There you go. I do remember a question. 1:36:41.560 --> 1:36:44.760 Yes, one of my greatest regrets about this show is 1:36:44.800 --> 1:36:47.200 that we'll never get to have Roger Troutman on. You've 1:36:47.240 --> 1:36:49.720 worked with Roger? Yeah, can you give us a Roger 1:36:49.800 --> 1:36:51.439 story something about oh my god. 1:36:51.560 --> 1:36:53.479 Let me tell you my very first song I ever 1:36:53.520 --> 1:36:56.760 wrote and produced. Played all the instruments on a song 1:36:56.880 --> 1:37:00.759 called It's Your Body. So I I had a dummy 1:37:00.840 --> 1:37:02.640 bull corder on there and I was like, Yo, it 1:37:02.640 --> 1:37:04.080 would be cool. We can get rods on here. 1:37:04.560 --> 1:37:06.760 So I called him. He was in Hawaii and I 1:37:06.880 --> 1:37:09.960 asked him if he would be on the song with me. 1:37:10.479 --> 1:37:13.640 So he told me to send him this song. And 1:37:13.760 --> 1:37:15.920 before I sent it, I actually played it from the phone. 1:37:16.160 --> 1:37:20.960 And so he's quiet and he goes, you wrote that. 1:37:21.360 --> 1:37:24.960 I said yeah. He said you wrote that. I said, yeah, 1:37:26.760 --> 1:37:32.599 you wrote that. I said yeah. He said, I'm gonna 1:37:32.600 --> 1:37:35.960 come and I'll be honored to be on it. And 1:37:36.040 --> 1:37:43.479 I was like, whoa. He comes to LA. He brings 1:37:43.560 --> 1:37:48.519 this little uh his gear. He comes in a black 1:37:48.640 --> 1:37:52.120 suit with gold trimming around the lapels, and we're going. 1:38:00.439 --> 1:38:05.600 He walks in, goes into the other studio and he 1:38:05.720 --> 1:38:09.719 sets up. He comes back in, he says, play the track. 1:38:10.040 --> 1:38:15.160 Plays the track. Then he says, I'm going into the auditorium. 1:38:16.560 --> 1:38:19.320 The auditorium was the room the other room. He goes in, 1:38:20.320 --> 1:38:21.880 starts playing, and. 1:38:22.080 --> 1:38:26.000 My biggest regret to this day is not recording him 1:38:26.479 --> 1:38:29.320 each track. And when he was playing, he was like 1:38:30.000 --> 1:38:32.439 like there was no audience and we were just sitting 1:38:32.520 --> 1:38:37.240 there like this going as he was stat track and 1:38:37.320 --> 1:38:43.120 I'm just sitting there going and he came back out 1:38:43.640 --> 1:38:44.080 listen to it. 1:38:45.760 --> 1:38:49.200 He goes, uh, pressed me right here at this spot, 1:38:50.040 --> 1:38:51.160 going back into the auditorium. 1:38:51.880 --> 1:38:56.680 So he does he call it that. I'm said that was. 1:38:59.439 --> 1:39:03.400 Behind the like in the studio. So he tells the 1:39:03.479 --> 1:39:06.400 guy Joe after we finished. Uh, he finishes up all 1:39:06.439 --> 1:39:08.519 the parts and sounded really good. And he looked at 1:39:08.600 --> 1:39:11.240 Joe and Joe it's caucasion. He looked at him, he said, 1:39:12.600 --> 1:39:27.840 your credit to your race. Man was freaking amazing. 1:39:27.960 --> 1:39:28.160 Man. 1:39:28.280 --> 1:39:30.720 He was just that moment to watch him and he 1:39:30.720 --> 1:39:34.240 would be in there doing this recording and actual performing. 1:39:34.320 --> 1:39:37.320 We were just sitting there going yo, just performing like 1:39:37.439 --> 1:39:39.920 we was in there watching going wow. As he was 1:39:40.000 --> 1:39:40.880 stacked just. 1:39:40.960 --> 1:39:43.880 Doing full you and Roger like he does on the stage. 1:39:43.960 --> 1:39:44.120 Yeah. 1:39:44.160 --> 1:39:46.240 I was like, man, I was like guitar with his 1:39:46.320 --> 1:39:47.320 teeth and all that stuff. 1:39:47.600 --> 1:39:50.679 Mistake that just I wish we could have dis recorded 1:39:50.760 --> 1:39:53.600 that had that footage oh man, Yeah, Yeah, he's a 1:39:53.840 --> 1:39:54.280 unique guy. 1:39:54.880 --> 1:39:56.439 Regret. I wish he was on our show. 1:39:57.280 --> 1:39:57.519 J G. 1:39:57.720 --> 1:40:01.400 Man, I thank you so much, thanks for having I 1:40:01.960 --> 1:40:04.120 hope that you will because. 1:40:04.120 --> 1:40:08.080 The thirtieth University your record is like what uh yeah 1:40:08.760 --> 1:40:11.080 coming up mate, So yeah, I hope that after thirty 1:40:11.160 --> 1:40:15.799 years time you'll love your catalog. I'm like what Jam. 1:40:15.680 --> 1:40:18.599 Says in the meanwhile, get game changes to yeah. 1:40:18.600 --> 1:40:19.400 That change. 1:40:19.439 --> 1:40:21.760 I'm telling you, from the beginning to the end, I 1:40:22.000 --> 1:40:25.160 didn't put no wasted joints on that album. 1:40:26.040 --> 1:40:27.519 Proved yeah. 1:40:27.680 --> 1:40:29.200 Yeah, it's just a solid album. 1:40:29.240 --> 1:40:31.560 And I hope that people enjoy, want to listen to 1:40:31.640 --> 1:40:33.680 and want to hear good music because it's still there. 1:40:34.240 --> 1:40:37.400 It's still there and it's beautiful. Yeah. And you are 1:40:37.600 --> 1:40:42.800 to me our Quincy Jones man, who I've said it 1:40:43.400 --> 1:40:47.960 a million time and I'm just saying, man, this is 1:40:48.120 --> 1:40:51.120 just taking how much respect and how much uh uh 1:40:51.439 --> 1:40:52.559 love we have for you. Man. 1:40:53.200 --> 1:40:58.640 They love when I get uncomfortable. Thank you. 1:41:00.040 --> 1:41:02.600 That's generation he is that. 1:41:03.120 --> 1:41:04.240 But he loved black women. 1:41:06.600 --> 1:41:07.200 I got one more thing. 1:41:07.240 --> 1:41:07.880 I want to say. 1:41:10.040 --> 1:41:12.120 Thank you for side too of the nineteen ninety album 1:41:12.200 --> 1:41:15.200 because my niece when she was born, she would not 1:41:15.320 --> 1:41:17.080 go to bed, but as soon as we put on 1:41:17.200 --> 1:41:19.200 my mind, she would stop crying. 1:41:20.040 --> 1:41:21.519 She was just lay in the bed. And by the 1:41:21.560 --> 1:41:23.240 time by the time I'll give my all to you 1:41:23.439 --> 1:41:25.840 was over, she was knocked out. So thank you so much. 1:41:25.880 --> 1:41:26.840 You are so r and B. 1:41:27.640 --> 1:41:28.160 You saved this. 1:41:28.520 --> 1:41:29.320 You saved us. 1:41:30.720 --> 1:41:32.479 That child which just would not stop crying until you 1:41:32.520 --> 1:41:33.360 put on my mind. 1:41:33.439 --> 1:41:33.599 Yeah. 1:41:33.760 --> 1:41:35.719 Well, you know, I'm really a mess up man, because 1:41:35.720 --> 1:41:38.599 I remember the only time that I ever played my music, 1:41:38.720 --> 1:41:41.519 even for my own good was one night I was 1:41:42.000 --> 1:41:44.400 at an award show and I had this girl I 1:41:44.520 --> 1:41:47.160 was dating, and I was thinking, I've got to get there. 1:41:47.200 --> 1:41:50.080 I gotta figure this one out because so I left. 1:41:50.160 --> 1:41:52.839 Before I left home, I had I put the champagne 1:41:52.880 --> 1:41:55.439 on ice. I sat down and I said, when she 1:41:55.560 --> 1:41:57.840 comes back here, I'm gonna sit down and we're gonna 1:41:57.880 --> 1:42:00.439 sit down the piano. And we sat down at the piano. 1:42:00.600 --> 1:42:01.559 This was after the show. 1:42:01.640 --> 1:42:03.160 I went back and sat down at the piano and 1:42:03.280 --> 1:42:05.400 started playing. Matter of fact, it was right before my 1:42:05.520 --> 1:42:07.760 ma Min came out. I'm playing the song. And we 1:42:07.840 --> 1:42:09.679 went from the piano to the floor, from the floor 1:42:09.720 --> 1:42:10.640 to the bedroom. 1:42:10.320 --> 1:42:12.599 And I said, come, I don't do this more often 1:42:13.320 --> 1:42:14.519 because I didn't realize. 1:42:17.640 --> 1:42:25.479 Ladies, yeah, yeah, you will see. You have a team, 1:42:25.520 --> 1:42:30.200 Supreme man, did you learn anything? 1:42:30.720 --> 1:42:33.360 Good morning, good afternoon, and midnight. 1:42:35.960 --> 1:42:37.040 You will see one of the nights. 1:42:37.080 --> 1:42:37.439 Girl around. 1:42:37.520 --> 1:42:57.560 Ladies and gentlemen, this is I'm Supreme. Thank you. For 1:42:57.680 --> 1:43:00.760 more podcasts from iHeart Radio, visit the ie radio app, 1:43:01.000 --> 1:43:04.040 Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.