1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: Hi everyone, it's Sophia. Welcome to Work in Progress. Hello friends, 2 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: welcome back to another week of work in progress. I 3 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: am geeked about today's guest because I am such an 4 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: enormous fan not only of his art but his activism, 5 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 1: and I cannot wait to pick his brain on all 6 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:34,880 Speaker 1: of it. Today's guest is Alo Black. You know him 7 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: as an American singer and rapper. You know him from 8 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 1: A Vichi's Wake Me Up and from his smash hit 9 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: I Need a Dollar. What you may not know is 10 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: that Alo never planned on being a musician. His life 11 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: kind of happened by accident. He thought he would be 12 00:00:54,400 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: an academic and somehow took a left turn, and from 13 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: touring around the world and major stages everywhere, he has 14 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:09,479 Speaker 1: managed to solidify his place in the mainstream music scene 15 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 1: while also being an incredible advocate for change. From studying 16 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:19,480 Speaker 1: the methodologies of Nelson Mandela to being mentored by Harry Belafonte, 17 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: Alo has been involved in so many charitable causes and 18 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:27,680 Speaker 1: in deep social justice work. He speaks out on the 19 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 1: importance and mental health awareness. He has collaborated with the 20 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:35,479 Speaker 1: Biden administration to promote its national strategy to prevent suicide, 21 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 1: and his latest album, Stand Together, is not only a 22 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 1: beautiful musical journey that I've been waiting for for five years, 23 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: but every song on the album has a partnered philanthropic 24 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: initiative that fans can learn about. Talk about being a 25 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 1: true artist in every sense of the word and spending 26 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: your privilege and your platform for good. Hear Mallow Black, 27 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: Where are you today? 28 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 2: I live in LA I'm Glendale. 29 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,799 Speaker 1: Okay. I grew up in Pasadena. Oh are you there 30 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: now or neighbors. No, I'm actually on the East Coast now, 31 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,239 Speaker 1: but my folks are still there. And yeah, we were 32 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:30,359 Speaker 1: like Miracle Mile kids. And then eventually my parents moved 33 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: to Pasadena and they're still there. 34 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 2: Oh. Crazy. 35 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: Normally I like to ask people about who they were 36 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: as kids, And so often when I'm interviewing parents that 37 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:47,959 Speaker 1: have kids in that kind of stage of developmental age 38 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: that I know years are in, they get to kind 39 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 1: of see this mirroring of themselves as children and see 40 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: versions of themselves in their own children at the same time. Yeah, 41 00:02:57,560 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 1: and I wonder if you got to go back and 42 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,519 Speaker 1: hang out with yourself as a ten year old kid, 43 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: the way you get to hang out with your kids. 44 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: Would you see aspects of the man you are today 45 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 1: in that little boy? 46 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 2: Oh? Probably not. I don't know. I don't know. I was. 47 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 3: I see my son and there are a lot of 48 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 3: similarities in him as a child compared to who I 49 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 3: was as a child, And I think it's going to 50 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 3: be I think he might be the same. It's going 51 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 3: to be like a night and day flip where the 52 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 3: kind of rambunctious, un bridled energy of youth sort of 53 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 3: meets with this this moment of change where you become 54 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 3: measured and more temperate and decisive, but no, also with 55 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 3: the ability to navigate between both personalities, the extrovert, the introvert. 56 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 2: The entertainer and the observer. 57 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: Yeah. 58 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 3: I feel like, yeah, he seems like he's probably gonna 59 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 3: flip that switch in the next seven years. 60 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 2: Probably. 61 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: Wow. And is that all right around when it started 62 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: to happen for you? 63 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,720 Speaker 3: No, it happened for me earlier then. I think it 64 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:32,919 Speaker 3: will happen for him. But I think that it's just 65 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 3: different circumstances. You know, I had I had two parents 66 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 3: that worked full time. We were a very kind of 67 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 3: middle class family. And what's different now is that there's 68 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 3: I think a lot more attention that my wife and 69 00:04:54,560 --> 00:05:00,040 Speaker 3: I give to the kids, a lot more comfort and 70 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 3: intentional parenting versus fly by the seat of your parts 71 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 3: on the table and make sure the kids get to 72 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:11,359 Speaker 3: school parenting that I grew up with. 73 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:15,359 Speaker 1: Yeah. I talk to my friends about this all the time, 74 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: because we're really the first generation that has been in 75 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: this phase of life with all these resources, all the 76 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: mental health studies and all the understanding of you know, 77 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 1: communication and the value of therapy and all these things 78 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:36,919 Speaker 1: that our folks didn't really have. And it's it's so 79 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: inspiring for me to look at parents in my life 80 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 1: and watch the way they can acknowledge where their own 81 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,920 Speaker 1: parents fell short, still love them for it, and be 82 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 1: choosing to create a different pattern in real time. Yeah, 83 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:56,919 Speaker 1: it's pretty incredible. 84 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 3: It is incredible. There's a lot, like you said, a 85 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:06,160 Speaker 3: lot of resources. We chosen a school that has a 86 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 3: pedagogy that I think helps parents become better parents. One 87 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 3: of the really special things is that before the Surgeon 88 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 3: General's warning on social media, we were already engaged in 89 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:27,039 Speaker 3: a media free campus, media free lifestyle. So you know, 90 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 3: it's very limited the amount of television or TV programming 91 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 3: that the kids would get and they're you know, they're 92 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 3: they're fine with it. They've learned to manage without it, 93 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 3: and there's no pressure coming from the school because the 94 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 3: other kids are on board with the program. So it's 95 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 3: helped us be better parents, but also just more focused 96 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:55,800 Speaker 3: and intentional. 97 00:06:56,400 --> 00:07:01,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's an interesting thing I think for people in 98 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 1: our lines of work to analyze relationships to media, and 99 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:09,239 Speaker 1: even when you talk about how the sort of flip 100 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: happened in your young self, how as an adult you 101 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: have to hold both your performer and your introvert, you know, 102 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 1: I think about that a lot, being the performer, the entertainer, 103 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: and also a listener who likes to be quiet. There's 104 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: then the layer of how you have to participate in 105 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 1: media on top of it, and when you've pursued a 106 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: career in it. I mean, before you became a solo artist, 107 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: you were part of a hip hop duo and la 108 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 1: in the nineties, I mean, everything about it was so 109 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: incredible and music was so incredible, and there's no way 110 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 1: to be a musician without being in the media, right, So, like, 111 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: at least then there was no social there was no 112 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: thumb scroll on the iPhone. What was that what was 113 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: that era like for. 114 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 2: It was the best era. I don't know. 115 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 3: I don't know that we'll ever be able to have 116 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 3: that again. I would love to try to replicate it somehow, 117 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 3: but it would take concerned effort on everybody's part to 118 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 3: recognize that what makes it special is sort of the 119 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 3: exclusivity of the temporal exclusivity, the spatial exclusivity, and the 120 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 3: informational exclusivity. It's that you, if you know, you know, 121 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 3: and once you're there, you get to experience it, and 122 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 3: then it's word of mouth, and and if you weren't there, 123 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 3: then it's like the tail of you know, the fish 124 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 3: that you caught just keeps getting bigger and bigger, and 125 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 3: so the hype gets is real. 126 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:52,559 Speaker 2: So but. 127 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 3: Wow, when I was growing up and in the hip 128 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 3: hop scene, we would have access to all of the artists, 129 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 3: the stars nowadays, people that you kind of just look 130 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:12,080 Speaker 3: at like, oh, that's a bonafide you know, superstar, billionaire 131 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 3: artist and hip hop those folks. We would literally go 132 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 3: to clubs and see them for five bucks or ten 133 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:26,559 Speaker 3: bucks in LA and just an awesome time of music 134 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 3: and dance and art and culture. And I know that 135 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 3: it is possible, and I know that we was part 136 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 3: of our mental wellness, right. It was our own modality 137 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 3: for ensuring that we were healthy because we had a 138 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 3: community and a culture that we belonged to, that we 139 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 3: subscribed to. 140 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 2: Of course, my parents are from Panama. 141 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,760 Speaker 3: There was a whole community and culture from Central America 142 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 3: Latin America that I was part of. And then my 143 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 3: friends that I went to school with, we had our 144 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 3: our own sort of you know, suburban subculture. 145 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 2: And then there were my hip hop friends and culture. 146 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,959 Speaker 3: So I had the opportunity to choose between uh and 147 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 3: and actually code switch between a lot of different cultures. 148 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 2: But it's the it was the. 149 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:23,320 Speaker 3: Beautiful mental well I'm gonna a kinning making it an 150 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 3: association with mental wellness. Now I didn't. I wouldn't have 151 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 3: done it back then, but now I can see that. 152 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:32,679 Speaker 3: The fact that we were in propinquity and proximity with 153 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 3: one another, that we were engaged in physical activity so 154 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 3: it was dance or performance. The fact that we were 155 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 3: free to make mistakes without the repercussion of forever documentation. 156 00:10:52,559 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 3: All of that combined was I think the best and 157 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 3: most nurturing soil to grow up in. 158 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 1: I love that that idea that you could be free 159 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: not only to make mistakes, but to experiment with your 160 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: own art, because sure, if you can make a mistake 161 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:22,199 Speaker 1: in private, you can have a normally sized consequence of sorts. 162 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: To do it in public does something to I think 163 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: a tiny human brain that it's not meant to experience. 164 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: But I worry about this, everyone recording everything all the time. 165 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 1: I worry about what that's costing art because people are 166 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:45,479 Speaker 1: afraid to have something that's mediocre go on the internet. 167 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:48,319 Speaker 1: But you got to rehearse, you got to try things, 168 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 1: You got to see. If you're a comedian, you have 169 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,840 Speaker 1: to see how a joke works in a crowd. Comedians 170 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: workshop around the country, Artists perform a new song, see 171 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: what the vibe is, realize it it's missing a synth 172 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 1: or a drum or whatever, and go back and layer. 173 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: And nobody wants to do that anymore. People only want 174 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:13,319 Speaker 1: to give out what is perfect because it might go somewhere. 175 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,320 Speaker 1: And I'm scared of the generation of art we're costing 176 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 1: ourselves because everyone's too afraid to take risks. 177 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:24,679 Speaker 3: Now, yeah, that's a real concern of mine as well. 178 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 3: And I would add in the layer of algorithms and industry. 179 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 3: Industry is so much smarter, and now with algorithms, they're 180 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 3: even more informed about how to sell and market. And 181 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 3: what's unfortunate is that it becomes this recursive loop, a 182 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 3: reductive recursive loop that does not allow for better or 183 00:12:51,960 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 3: more interesting or productive art. Yes, and I think about 184 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 3: how we can, you know, try to you know, go 185 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 3: back to square one. And I don't want to sound like, 186 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:13,199 Speaker 3: you know, back in my day, but there was something 187 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 3: special about the garage band. Yes, And now that it's 188 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:29,560 Speaker 3: more so, the discovery and engagement is online and it's 189 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 3: more insular, it's more solo than it is the group, 190 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:39,320 Speaker 3: and the groups that exist are all so manicured and 191 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 3: perfect and seen that it begs the question will we 192 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 3: ever be able to see, you know, kids just having 193 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:54,200 Speaker 3: fun for the sake of having fun anymore? Or is 194 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 3: all of their fun for display? And does it have 195 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 3: to be perfectly presented and rehearsed fun? 196 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: And when it works for these young artists, the blow 197 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 1: up is so fast. You know, It's been interesting to 198 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 1: watch Chapel Roone have this big year and everyone's like 199 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:14,439 Speaker 1: good for her, and she's out there being like I'm traumatized, 200 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 1: like the Internet's wild. What people expect of me is 201 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 1: really hard for me to process. A year and a 202 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 1: half ago, nobody knew this kid's name, and I think 203 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 1: about the pressure, you know, we kind of got to 204 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 1: be out there and make a thing and have a 205 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 1: show premiere or drop an album and do the press 206 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 1: tour and then also like go home, go to the 207 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 1: bar with our friends, like not every outing was expected 208 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: to be chased and tailed and photographed and packaged. And 209 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 1: I think about things that are so like those moments 210 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: that take me back, you know, almost like an old 211 00:14:56,360 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 1: factory hit when you smell something and suddenly you're to 212 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: someone you haven't seen in ages. And when I was 213 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 1: getting ready for today and I was thinking about all 214 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 1: the phases of my own life that your music has 215 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: been a part of. I even think about when I 216 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 1: Need a dollar, was, you know, the theme song to 217 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 1: Make It in America. And like my buddy Brian Greenberg 218 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 1: from my first show, One Tree Hill was on that 219 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: show and we were like, oh my god, and it 220 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 1: felt like this moment for us, like supporting our friend 221 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 1: and this song that was everwhere on the radio and 222 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: it was it was the theme song of the HBO show, 223 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 1: like the possibilities felt so big, and it was it's 224 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 1: like one of my favorite memories as a young artist. 225 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: And it wasn't even my show, but it was like 226 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: we all had this connection in this way and nobody 227 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:49,080 Speaker 1: was expected to be and like the head to to 228 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 1: look by the stylist and doing the thing. And you know, 229 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 1: now everybody's looking at these retro photos from the nineties 230 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: and the early two thousands and being like, God, what 231 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 1: cool style. And it's like people were just wearing they were. 232 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 2: Just wearing what they were Yeah, what were in closet 233 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 2: or in the drawer? There was and there was none 234 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:07,960 Speaker 2: of this. 235 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 3: Thank you for mentioning I Need a Dollar because that 236 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 3: was an epic moment for me as well. 237 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 2: That was exactly what you said. 238 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 3: I was just making music for the few fans that 239 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 3: I knew I had who would appreciate it. And I 240 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 3: was like, and I'll probably go get another job in 241 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 3: a couple months. 242 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, And now for our sponsors, and can I ask 243 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 1: just a technical question for the timeline, how long was 244 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:40,280 Speaker 1: this after you embarked as a solo artist. 245 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 3: I Need a Dollar hit in two thousand and nine 246 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 3: or so. I had been laid off in two thousand 247 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 3: and three, so six years of kind of solo artistry. 248 00:16:55,960 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 3: I've always been engaged in art, doing hip hop music. 249 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 3: I released I think two thousand and five maybe the 250 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 3: last the hip hop album with my partner DJ Exile 251 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 3: as Eminon, and then released a solo album in two 252 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 3: thousand and six or something like that. 253 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:21,919 Speaker 1: So this song hits and it's like, what, yeah, I 254 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 1: mean when that when that beat starts and it just 255 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:27,920 Speaker 1: the loop is so good. I think about walking down 256 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 1: the street in New York and my bee, I don't know, 257 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: it's so it's seminole. 258 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 2: Oh my goodness. You're right. 259 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 3: It has an essence, a really really powerful emotive sound 260 00:17:43,359 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 3: to it, and it does. 261 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 2: It does make me think of like. 262 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 3: A scene, you know, scene of Staying Alive where johnsha 263 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:56,439 Speaker 3: Volks was just walking down New York. But I was, 264 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:00,760 Speaker 3: you know, I was at a moment where I had 265 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:05,640 Speaker 3: no expectations because I've been doing music for so long 266 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:07,679 Speaker 3: and music really wasn't supposed to be my career. 267 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 2: It's just the hobby. 268 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 3: And I knew that I can always go back to 269 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 3: corporate or go back to school and kind of be 270 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 3: a career scholar or something. 271 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 2: But I was lucky. I was lucky, and I've been 272 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 2: chasing this luck, writing this luck for a little bit. 273 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, you said in an article. I suppose I should 274 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 1: say an interview. It was an interview that an article 275 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:37,480 Speaker 1: was written from that you feel like serendipity lives on 276 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 1: your front doorstep. 277 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 2: Oh my goodness. 278 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 1: Can you say a little bit more about that as 279 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 1: you talk about riding this wave? 280 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:46,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, I feel like it's not fair. 281 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,199 Speaker 3: You know, I have a lot of friends where are 282 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:56,399 Speaker 3: struggling artists who are incredibly talented but just haven't had 283 00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 3: what I consider the lucky breaks that I've had, and 284 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 3: I wish that I could share, you know, the sprinkles 285 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 3: of serendipity with them. But everywhere I look, there's something 286 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 3: positive happening, and my goal is to just trying to 287 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 3: pay it forward as much as possible with philanthropy and 288 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 3: with message and engagement. But I was signed to an 289 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 3: indie label. First of all, I wasn't signed to any label. 290 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 3: In the very beginning. I was going to work for 291 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 3: a big corporation and they pushed my start date back. 292 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 3: And because they pushed my start date back, the opportunity 293 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,880 Speaker 3: to go to go on tour in Europe. Opened up 294 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 3: because one of the members of this hip hop group 295 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 3: decided to stay home. So there was an extra seat 296 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:56,440 Speaker 3: in the bus, an extra bed in the hotel rooms. 297 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 3: And the idea was that I could join the tour 298 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 3: if I paid my way. And I had just received, 299 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:09,120 Speaker 3: you know, just graduated from college, received this like exit 300 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:14,679 Speaker 3: scholarship that I don't even again. Another serendipity, right, money, 301 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 3: money on the way out, Okay, I'll take it. So 302 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 3: I had some money to pay my way on this tour. 303 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 3: Came home and started recording with the artists that I 304 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 3: had toured with, and one of the recordings peaqued the 305 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:34,439 Speaker 3: attention of the record label that that artist was signed to, 306 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,359 Speaker 3: so they ended up signing me as a singer and 307 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:41,200 Speaker 3: not an MC. So all this time, this whole tour, 308 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:44,199 Speaker 3: I'd done, I'm a rapper and I'm writing hip hop music, 309 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:47,200 Speaker 3: and I decided to sing on one track, and the 310 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:51,679 Speaker 3: labels considering me a vocalist, and now I'm signed as 311 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 3: a singer. And so I had to really like bootstrap 312 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 3: myself to become a vocalist and a singer, trying so 313 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:04,360 Speaker 3: many different sounds and styles over the years, and then 314 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:08,080 Speaker 3: by the time I started working on my second album, 315 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:13,119 Speaker 3: Good Things, which holds the I Need a Dollar song, 316 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 3: I kind of had figured out where the best place 317 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:19,639 Speaker 3: was to use my voice. So it wasn't in power 318 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:24,440 Speaker 3: and b it wasn't alternative rock. It was in this 319 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 3: kind of folk soul vocal and it ended up being 320 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 3: the mark of my early career. 321 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's amazing, and I again I think about that thing. 322 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 1: Would you have had the time and space to find 323 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 1: the best use of your voice had that moment in 324 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 1: your early career been happening in this kind of algorithmic 325 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: machine we're in now, No. 326 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 2: I don't think so. 327 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:57,639 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think because of my attraction to process, I 328 00:21:57,680 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 3: would be trying to figure out the algorithm how to 329 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:04,200 Speaker 3: be eat it, and it wouldn't It wouldn't give me. 330 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 2: The opportunity to be my best artistic self. 331 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 3: I'm so lucky that in high school I had the 332 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:16,479 Speaker 3: chance to put in ten thousand hours of free, expressive 333 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:26,119 Speaker 3: artistic creation. Yeah, without again, without the repercussions of. 334 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 2: Having to be perfect, because. 335 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:29,640 Speaker 3: It wasn't going online right, it was being vetted by 336 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 3: my very close associates, and once they approved, then it 337 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 3: made it to you know, mixtapes that we then delivered 338 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:38,679 Speaker 3: to more people. 339 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:43,159 Speaker 1: I miss the mixtape when you talked earlier about like 340 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,680 Speaker 1: if you know, you know, when you finally when you're 341 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 1: not a music maker but you love art, you know, 342 00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:54,159 Speaker 1: artist of a different vertical, like to go, oh, now, 343 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:56,879 Speaker 1: now I get the heads up when the mixtapes are coming, 344 00:22:56,960 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 1: like nothing was cooler, you know, as a young person 345 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,360 Speaker 1: finding the way in these creative scenes. I'm like, oh 346 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:08,199 Speaker 1: my god, just to hear you talk about like you 347 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 1: workshop it, then it goes on the mixtape, then it 348 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: goes out, then people come to see you in the venue. 349 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 1: It's like, I don't know if we'll get it again, 350 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:17,560 Speaker 1: but I I'd be so thrilled if we could figure 351 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 1: out a way. 352 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:24,920 Speaker 3: Yeah again, I'm going to try to figure out how 353 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 3: that can be possible. 354 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:27,960 Speaker 2: I think that there is a. 355 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:35,200 Speaker 3: Hunger for it, but I want to, you know, try 356 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 3: to My kids are a hop skip and a jump 357 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:42,920 Speaker 3: away from high school and so maybe, you know, I'll 358 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:46,240 Speaker 3: try to work shop it with them the rental venue 359 00:23:46,440 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 3: where they can go and you know, have parties and 360 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 3: be creative and explore. 361 00:23:55,960 --> 00:24:01,000 Speaker 2: But one rule is that it has to happen offline. 362 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:05,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, phone free love it. I even think about what 363 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:11,359 Speaker 1: a big deal it was in that era when you'd 364 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:14,159 Speaker 1: hear about something after and then you'd see the you know, 365 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 1: the five photos that came out because some great shooter 366 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 1: was there and and but that was it. It wasn't 367 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 1: you know, six hundred grainy Instagram videos or whatever. And 368 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:30,919 Speaker 1: there's something I think really beautiful about all of that, 369 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 1: and I do think it's why so many young people 370 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 1: crave it. I hear from you know, my friends with teenagers. 371 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 1: We've kind of we've kind of got two camps, like 372 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 1: friends with little kids, like you know, five and under, 373 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,800 Speaker 1: and then we've got friends with teenagers. And the teenagers 374 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:50,879 Speaker 1: want to ask questions about my first show because they're like, 375 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 1: everybody has a flip phone. They they all talk to 376 00:24:55,320 --> 00:25:00,080 Speaker 1: each other about how they're feeling. No one's texting, and 377 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,400 Speaker 1: that kind of blows my mind. These kids are like, wait, 378 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:04,199 Speaker 1: we want that version of high school. 379 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. The beauty is the art of story, and so 380 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 2: what is. 381 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:14,480 Speaker 3: You know, missing, is that with all of this video 382 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 3: and all of these photos available, for every event that happens, 383 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 3: you end also the ability to watch and experience in 384 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:26,040 Speaker 3: real time, you lose the art of story, and so nobody, 385 00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:28,760 Speaker 3: nobody tells the story in a way that is compelling. 386 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 3: You're receiving it in real time, and you get to 387 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:37,640 Speaker 3: interpret it at your own level, uh, with with your 388 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 3: with your own you know, intellectual curiosity and your own 389 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:56,880 Speaker 3: ability to really process deeply. And we all have different abilities. 390 00:25:56,880 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 3: But when you have a storyteller that's coming to you 391 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:04,640 Speaker 3: and dictating really what you should feel and how you feel, 392 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 3: that's a whole different experience. And I think that's what 393 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 3: is missing, is the Yeah, the great narrator. 394 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:16,359 Speaker 1: Yes, And what I miss about the great narrator is 395 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 1: that it was being presented, as you said, with someone's 396 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 1: story that also helped to encourage critical thinking and to 397 00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:25,960 Speaker 1: question the story. 398 00:26:26,359 --> 00:26:26,439 Speaker 3: To. 399 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 1: Examine the facts of it, rather than just to look 400 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 1: at one hundred images and decide you already know the story. 401 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 1: The irony that we used to have narrators and that 402 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:42,399 Speaker 1: made us better critical thinkers is not lost on me. 403 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 1: And it it gets to the root of something I've 404 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:50,919 Speaker 1: always really admired about you as a person in my 405 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: age peer group, ish like you're one of those people. 406 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:56,640 Speaker 1: I'm like, yeah, we kind of came up together even 407 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:58,359 Speaker 1: though we never really knew each other. And I'm so 408 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:02,119 Speaker 1: happy you're here. But you've done something that I've seen 409 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 1: be so important to so many artists in our generation, 410 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 1: which is use your platform, really spend the privilege of 411 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:14,880 Speaker 1: your platform for others as an advocate, As an activist. 412 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:17,520 Speaker 1: You know, you've focused on mental health, you focused on 413 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:23,480 Speaker 1: criminal justice reform. You have so artfully told other people's 414 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 1: stories to remind people that if we don't have community, 415 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:33,119 Speaker 1: we don't have anything. When did that spark get lit 416 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 1: for you as an artist or was it always part 417 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:38,440 Speaker 1: of who you are as a person and the artistry 418 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: he helps let it out right? 419 00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:44,880 Speaker 3: I think there's definitely a moment where it was lit. 420 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 3: And I would say, right after I need a dollar. 421 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 3: I was very very excited to be, you know, kind 422 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:56,120 Speaker 3: of having this moment of visibility after being an obscure 423 00:27:56,200 --> 00:28:02,159 Speaker 3: niche artist on an obscure niche record label. And I 424 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 3: was asked to do some endorsements for different products, some 425 00:28:08,359 --> 00:28:11,719 Speaker 3: luxury products, and one of them was a liquor brand 426 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 3: that happened to be a gin that was my dad's 427 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:19,479 Speaker 3: favorite gin. I am not a drinker, never was, but 428 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:23,800 Speaker 3: I thought I'll take some photos and hold a martini, 429 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 3: and then I'll have some bottles sent to my dad 430 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:30,440 Speaker 3: and he'll get the posters and it'll be a nice 431 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 3: little father son moment. And the posters ended up being 432 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 3: placed in the inner city across the country. And I 433 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 3: got a phone call from one of my wife's friends 434 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 3: who was an activist out of an organization called Community 435 00:28:45,120 --> 00:28:50,480 Speaker 3: Coalition of South LA which was started by now Mayor 436 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 3: Karen Bass, but back she was just a citizen of 437 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:55,240 Speaker 3: her community trying to make it better and she started 438 00:28:55,280 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 3: a nonprofit organization. The phone call was a reprimand of 439 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:09,360 Speaker 3: my use of my celebrity and influence to sell alcohol 440 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:12,680 Speaker 3: and liquor in a community where this organization was trying 441 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:15,600 Speaker 3: to shut down liquor stores which had become a blight. 442 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 2: On the community. 443 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 3: And I had no connection and no idea, and I 444 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 3: was really taken aback. So I use that as an 445 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 3: opportunity to visit the org, learn what they were doing, 446 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:36,720 Speaker 3: and recognize how much my influence was a responsibility that 447 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 3: I had to take seriously. And when I signed with 448 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:43,200 Speaker 3: a major record label after that, I promised that I'll 449 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:48,720 Speaker 3: use my music for positive social transformation. And you try 450 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:54,080 Speaker 3: to turn every music video into a PSA that could 451 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 3: tell a story, to humanize the most vulnerable. 452 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's beautiful, and you know, from learning lessons, and 453 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 1: I think it's also very vulnerable. If I may say, 454 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:09,440 Speaker 1: to be willing to learn out loud, I think it's 455 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 1: incredibly important to push back against this sort of weird 456 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 1: algorithmic perfectionism, to say, oh, yeah, I did something that 457 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:21,760 Speaker 1: seemed fun and it turned out to have an impact 458 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 1: that was terrible. FYI, this was my lesson. If you're 459 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:30,719 Speaker 1: ever in this position, ask these questions. You know, nobody 460 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 1: gives us a handbook on how to do these things 461 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:36,520 Speaker 1: right and how to pull the thread till you get 462 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 1: to the end of it. And it's so interesting to 463 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 1: hear about that feedback and the way you chose to 464 00:30:44,840 --> 00:30:48,200 Speaker 1: receive it, and then to think about what you've done 465 00:30:48,240 --> 00:30:50,760 Speaker 1: with all of this since you know, as you said, 466 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:53,480 Speaker 1: the way you use your music, the way that you've 467 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:58,160 Speaker 1: stepped up, and I mean even helped join the president, 468 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:02,080 Speaker 1: you know, join President Biden to talk about him and 469 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 1: Kamala Harris's National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, you know, to 470 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 1: take a crisis for our communities and say, this is 471 00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:18,680 Speaker 1: something a lot of people keep hidden out of pain 472 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 1: and shame, and let's go talk about it literally from 473 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:27,480 Speaker 1: the most powerful, you know, stage in America. What was 474 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:31,480 Speaker 1: that like for you? Was that unnerving in any way 475 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 1: or as you've built this sort of series of learnings 476 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:41,880 Speaker 1: and voicings for others, did it just feel like the 477 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:42,720 Speaker 1: next right thing? 478 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 2: I would say the latter, It feels like the next 479 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 2: right thing. 480 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 3: I don't feel any real trepidation, and I look to 481 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:55,880 Speaker 3: my mentors and also heroes from the past that have 482 00:31:56,120 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 3: basically educated me on what's possible. I think about, you know, 483 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:06,080 Speaker 3: was fortunate to meet Quaku and Endaba Mendela. These are 484 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:09,720 Speaker 3: the grandsons of Nelson Mendela, and the stories that I 485 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:13,080 Speaker 3: hear from them, and understanding Nelson Mandela's story and also 486 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:19,240 Speaker 3: Winnie Mendela's story that in the face of the most 487 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:31,840 Speaker 3: tremendous and horrendous adversity, torture, incarceration, that he still was 488 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:35,640 Speaker 3: able to maintain a level of humanity and compassion not 489 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 3: just for himself, but for perceivably his enemies, which you know, 490 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:46,360 Speaker 3: he wouldn't call them his enemies because he didn't punish 491 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 3: them when he came out of prison, he embraced everyone 492 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 3: and moved forward with dignity. And I think about Harry Belafonte, 493 00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:00,000 Speaker 3: who was a mentor of mine, someone that I had 494 00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:04,400 Speaker 3: chance to sit with and learn from, and how he 495 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:11,600 Speaker 3: used his voice and celebrity in a way to encourage, 496 00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:19,360 Speaker 3: you know, transformation that otherwise might not have happened without. 497 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:22,640 Speaker 2: His very privileged position. 498 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:29,680 Speaker 3: And there certainly was fear, you know, death threats, physical altercations, 499 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:34,520 Speaker 3: but somebody's got to do the work. And if you're 500 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:38,520 Speaker 3: in that position and you have that access, then the 501 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 3: job is yours and you have to rise to the occasion. 502 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:45,920 Speaker 3: So I don't know, I just think I felt I 503 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:49,640 Speaker 3: feel like I've had the right guides along the way. 504 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: Hmm. That's beautiful. And now a word from our sponsors 505 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:57,440 Speaker 1: that I really enjoy and I think you will too. 506 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:08,719 Speaker 1: It's the you know, the Harry's, the Jane Fondas that 507 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:12,680 Speaker 1: the folks who came before all of us, that when 508 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 1: the pushback comes and the fear kind of sinks in 509 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:19,000 Speaker 1: of like, oh god, what does it mean to say 510 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:21,400 Speaker 1: this out loud and to keep beating this drama and 511 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:25,600 Speaker 1: to refuse to be quiet when you feel in terrible 512 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:27,720 Speaker 1: thing that you know, someone out there does that falls 513 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:33,920 Speaker 1: under the category of threat. I think in moments, especially 514 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:36,359 Speaker 1: like this one, you know this many days into this 515 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 1: new all hands on deck administration, I just think, well, 516 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,719 Speaker 1: they did it. They did this work, don't. We don't 517 00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:49,719 Speaker 1: get to do less. There is no world in which 518 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:54,880 Speaker 1: we can do less because we for for all the 519 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 1: negative aspects of how interconnected we are, we do have 520 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:00,560 Speaker 1: the ability to do this. You and I can be 521 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:03,440 Speaker 1: in community from different sides of the country. We can 522 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:06,280 Speaker 1: get on a phone and speak to people and remind 523 00:35:06,320 --> 00:35:12,279 Speaker 1: people of what's good and true. And yeah, when I 524 00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:16,400 Speaker 1: get scared, I try to think about those people are there? 525 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:21,560 Speaker 1: Are there like leaders and mentors or folks you call, Like, 526 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:23,640 Speaker 1: who do you turn to when you get scared? 527 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:29,000 Speaker 2: It's mostly community, mostly community. You know. 528 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:33,000 Speaker 3: What reassures me is that Harry Belefonte was in the 529 00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 3: middle of all of the civil rights struggle, and many 530 00:35:36,640 --> 00:35:44,680 Speaker 3: of his peers were murdered, doctor King, you know, many 531 00:35:44,680 --> 00:35:51,640 Speaker 3: were beaten, but he was able to also survive and 532 00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:53,839 Speaker 3: for decades and decades later to be able to tell 533 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:57,239 Speaker 3: the story and to tool up and train a whole 534 00:35:57,280 --> 00:36:04,080 Speaker 3: new generation of artists. There, but there are there are others. 535 00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:08,720 Speaker 2: You know that in my circle. Who are the folks 536 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:11,879 Speaker 2: that I go to when I'm. 537 00:36:10,760 --> 00:36:14,640 Speaker 3: Trying to think through how we position ourselves for the 538 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:21,720 Speaker 3: for the next four years and and beyond. What are 539 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:26,880 Speaker 3: the what are the strategies, what is the goal you know? 540 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:31,880 Speaker 3: And what are how do we triage what are the 541 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:35,960 Speaker 3: things that are not as important as What are our 542 00:36:36,040 --> 00:36:39,600 Speaker 3: highest priorities and how do we make sure we maximize 543 00:36:39,600 --> 00:36:40,799 Speaker 3: those highest priorities? 544 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:44,000 Speaker 2: Yes, and how do we do it in a way 545 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:46,240 Speaker 2: in this very. 546 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:55,719 Speaker 3: Information sensitive or hyper informat informed society. How do we 547 00:36:55,719 --> 00:36:59,600 Speaker 3: do it in a way that is information sensitive mhm 548 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:03,960 Speaker 3: h and in ways that doesn't make our strategy and 549 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:06,960 Speaker 3: concepts vulnerable two. 550 00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:18,920 Speaker 2: To being thwarted. So there yeah, lessons and from. 551 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:22,200 Speaker 3: The past, there are technologies that exist that didn't exist then, 552 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:24,080 Speaker 3: and we've just. 553 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:29,480 Speaker 2: Got to be thoughtful about about how we how we manage. 554 00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:31,880 Speaker 3: But really what it comes down to is as well 555 00:37:32,520 --> 00:37:36,400 Speaker 3: like making sure that we are using our influence for 556 00:37:36,760 --> 00:37:44,040 Speaker 3: the betterment of humanity, all humanity, and we are standing 557 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:48,200 Speaker 3: up for the rights and of indignity of. 558 00:37:48,719 --> 00:37:49,640 Speaker 2: The most vulnerable. 559 00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:58,880 Speaker 1: The waight of it feels very immense and close to 560 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:03,200 Speaker 1: me right now. But I do feel very grateful that 561 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:07,040 Speaker 1: so many of us, in our little worlds that all 562 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:09,759 Speaker 1: kind of vend diagram together in the ways that they do, 563 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:18,759 Speaker 1: are both preparing and slowing down just enough to ask 564 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:22,120 Speaker 1: these kinds of questions. That has been one of the 565 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:26,319 Speaker 1: great lessons for me is that in the immediate, you know, 566 00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:29,560 Speaker 1: fury or heartbreak that can come to witnessing injustice, like 567 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:33,000 Speaker 1: I have a spicy Italian lady in me, Like I 568 00:38:33,040 --> 00:38:36,880 Speaker 1: can just get out there and start screaming and to 569 00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:41,480 Speaker 1: hold that passion, but also take a breath and go 570 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:44,520 Speaker 1: to a friend and say, Okay, what's the plan. How 571 00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:47,680 Speaker 1: do I scream effectively? How do I instill the fear 572 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:51,879 Speaker 1: my grandmother knew how to instill in me effectively? And 573 00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:55,760 Speaker 1: how do I also enter the spaces that require immense 574 00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:59,759 Speaker 1: empathy with that empathy on my sleeve and just be 575 00:39:00,080 --> 00:39:07,640 Speaker 1: present to support people. And I wonder if maybe the 576 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:13,719 Speaker 1: root of that willingness to be curious is from the 577 00:39:13,719 --> 00:39:17,120 Speaker 1: thing we all share, which is being a storyteller. Yeah. 578 00:39:17,880 --> 00:39:22,560 Speaker 3: I believe that we all have the storytelling capacity, and 579 00:39:22,600 --> 00:39:26,520 Speaker 3: we all have to those of us who are recognized 580 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:29,239 Speaker 3: for it have to lead with it, and we've got 581 00:39:29,239 --> 00:39:30,560 Speaker 3: to lead with it in a way that's going to 582 00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:35,480 Speaker 3: empower others use their storytelling. 583 00:39:37,239 --> 00:39:37,480 Speaker 2: You know. 584 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:42,400 Speaker 3: Quite often we'll be at some public event and my 585 00:39:42,440 --> 00:39:46,520 Speaker 3: wife and I am I kind of retreat because I 586 00:39:46,520 --> 00:39:48,319 Speaker 3: feel like, if it's not my show, I don't need 587 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:51,279 Speaker 3: to be on stage, and it's an opportunity for other 588 00:39:51,320 --> 00:39:54,000 Speaker 3: people to be seen and on stage. And my wife 589 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:57,239 Speaker 3: always reminds me, just like, but this is people love 590 00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:02,359 Speaker 3: your voice, and you know, why would you restrict them 591 00:40:02,360 --> 00:40:05,200 Speaker 3: of it? And the part of me is like, well, 592 00:40:05,239 --> 00:40:06,839 Speaker 3: they didn't. They haven't asked for it, So I don't 593 00:40:06,880 --> 00:40:14,120 Speaker 3: want to impose. But she's right, though, there's you know, 594 00:40:15,800 --> 00:40:21,960 Speaker 3: there is always an opportunity with the right intention and 595 00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:29,640 Speaker 3: with with humility two quote unquote impose hm hmm, if 596 00:40:29,640 --> 00:40:30,600 Speaker 3: you can do something. 597 00:40:30,320 --> 00:40:30,759 Speaker 2: Good with it. 598 00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:36,040 Speaker 1: I like that impose for good. Yeah, it feels nice. 599 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:46,600 Speaker 3: You can use your your fiery Italian voice in some moments. Yeah, 600 00:40:46,920 --> 00:40:49,879 Speaker 3: And as long as you're doing it for for good, you. 601 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:54,920 Speaker 1: Know, Yeah, Yeah, I think it's I think it's crucial, 602 00:40:55,080 --> 00:40:57,840 Speaker 1: you know. I know it gets set a lot, but truly, 603 00:40:57,920 --> 00:41:01,080 Speaker 1: now more than ever, I want to go back to 604 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:04,360 Speaker 1: something that you said earlier, you know, about how you 605 00:41:04,440 --> 00:41:06,520 Speaker 1: begin to realize that even a music video in a 606 00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:10,759 Speaker 1: way could be a PSA because the new album, I'm 607 00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:16,680 Speaker 1: so excited it's here. We've waited as I'm leaving and 608 00:41:16,800 --> 00:41:19,120 Speaker 1: like coming back as a fan, and then I'll show 609 00:41:19,200 --> 00:41:21,960 Speaker 1: exit stage left and that your interviewer will be back. 610 00:41:22,520 --> 00:41:26,560 Speaker 1: But you know when you wait and you're so excited 611 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:29,560 Speaker 1: as someone who loves someone else's art, like, oh my god, 612 00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:34,279 Speaker 1: it's here. And then of course I was like, of 613 00:41:34,360 --> 00:41:38,960 Speaker 1: course every song is tied specifically to an action you 614 00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:42,600 Speaker 1: can take for positive social change. Of course it is, 615 00:41:43,280 --> 00:41:47,960 Speaker 1: and I just think it's so cool. So I'll join 616 00:41:48,040 --> 00:41:51,480 Speaker 1: the chorus of people saying bravo. But can you talk 617 00:41:51,520 --> 00:41:56,600 Speaker 1: about how you how first of all do you say 618 00:41:56,600 --> 00:41:59,080 Speaker 1: this is the album I want to release after you know, 619 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:06,960 Speaker 1: see years noodling and finding this version of this year's voice, 620 00:42:07,120 --> 00:42:10,040 Speaker 1: And then how do you kind of layer this larger 621 00:42:10,239 --> 00:42:14,040 Speaker 1: mission so that we're not just your listeners, but we're 622 00:42:14,080 --> 00:42:21,279 Speaker 1: also we're also becoming a community of folks doing something right. 623 00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:26,879 Speaker 3: Well, I would say that, you know, again the serendipity 624 00:42:26,880 --> 00:42:30,840 Speaker 3: on my doorstep. I'm not a bleeding hard artist there's 625 00:42:30,880 --> 00:42:33,600 Speaker 3: plenty of tragedy and things in my life to be 626 00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:37,200 Speaker 3: sad about, but I have a very optimistic and positive outlook, 627 00:42:38,719 --> 00:42:46,839 Speaker 3: and I enjoy this opportunity to create and share with 628 00:42:46,880 --> 00:42:48,960 Speaker 3: this megaphone that I have for the whole world. And 629 00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:54,040 Speaker 3: I recognize that in the marketplace there's so much darkness, 630 00:42:54,360 --> 00:43:01,880 Speaker 3: lots of you know, depression and anxiety and misogyny and 631 00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:07,000 Speaker 3: violence and substance abuse, and that's I don't think I 632 00:43:07,040 --> 00:43:09,800 Speaker 3: need to contribute to any of that. And I could 633 00:43:09,840 --> 00:43:17,680 Speaker 3: tell an album worth of stories about myself and glorify 634 00:43:17,800 --> 00:43:20,319 Speaker 3: myself in a way that would probably make me more 635 00:43:20,360 --> 00:43:24,120 Speaker 3: popular than I am. But I also I'm not compelled 636 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:26,640 Speaker 3: to do that. I don't feel that it's necessary. I 637 00:43:26,680 --> 00:43:31,399 Speaker 3: have to think we have enough self promoting narcissists in. 638 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:36,120 Speaker 2: The music business. And I feel like, okay, well, what 639 00:43:36,160 --> 00:43:36,960 Speaker 2: can I do. 640 00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:40,240 Speaker 3: Let me show up in the way on music, on tape, 641 00:43:41,200 --> 00:43:44,520 Speaker 3: on record as I show up in community, and how 642 00:43:44,640 --> 00:43:45,400 Speaker 3: is that that is? 643 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:48,360 Speaker 2: Whenever I get a phone call or. 644 00:43:50,120 --> 00:43:54,840 Speaker 3: I get invited to engage with a nonprofit organization, I 645 00:43:54,920 --> 00:43:58,520 Speaker 3: try to find a way. And I thought, well, posting 646 00:43:59,800 --> 00:44:03,960 Speaker 3: you or media assets online is certainly helpful. To my 647 00:44:04,120 --> 00:44:07,719 Speaker 3: to my fan base that works. Maybe shooting a p 648 00:44:07,920 --> 00:44:11,319 Speaker 3: s A for a video, or showing up to the 649 00:44:11,360 --> 00:44:14,040 Speaker 3: gala and performing at the galaff you can raise funds. 650 00:44:14,160 --> 00:44:17,600 Speaker 3: That I'm sure is very helpful. But if my forte 651 00:44:17,719 --> 00:44:22,720 Speaker 3: is storytelling and songwriting, how can I lean in heavily 652 00:44:24,280 --> 00:44:31,560 Speaker 3: on my passion and expertise using your messaging and and 653 00:44:32,239 --> 00:44:36,080 Speaker 3: work in the community so that two plus two equals five. 654 00:44:37,400 --> 00:44:41,520 Speaker 3: And it's not that I came up with this idea. 655 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:45,319 Speaker 3: I know there's been the we Are the worlds of 656 00:44:45,360 --> 00:44:50,000 Speaker 3: the past. There's there have been the bono and YouTube 657 00:44:50,239 --> 00:44:57,839 Speaker 3: you know one, There's Bob Marley with Redemption songs. There's 658 00:44:57,920 --> 00:45:04,480 Speaker 3: so so many artists in the past have done the 659 00:45:04,520 --> 00:45:07,800 Speaker 3: message music or the positive social mission. But I thought, 660 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:11,120 Speaker 3: why not really lean in with an album that suggests 661 00:45:11,120 --> 00:45:14,279 Speaker 3: to my peers that that era is not over and 662 00:45:14,320 --> 00:45:17,440 Speaker 3: that we can continue to do that. And here's an 663 00:45:17,480 --> 00:45:18,640 Speaker 3: album full of songs. 664 00:45:19,640 --> 00:45:22,439 Speaker 2: The least you can do is one yes. 665 00:45:23,760 --> 00:45:27,400 Speaker 3: And so each song is inspired by a nonprofit organization 666 00:45:27,800 --> 00:45:30,800 Speaker 3: or a positive social mission. One of the songs is 667 00:45:30,840 --> 00:45:35,240 Speaker 3: called Breakthrough. It was inspired by a nonprofit organization called 668 00:45:35,280 --> 00:45:39,520 Speaker 3: Breakthrough that is helping returning citizens matriculate back into society 669 00:45:39,640 --> 00:45:45,560 Speaker 3: with jobs, education, housing to reduce recidivism. 670 00:45:45,920 --> 00:45:46,200 Speaker 2: You know. 671 00:45:47,000 --> 00:45:51,040 Speaker 3: Another song on the album is called Don't Go Alone. 672 00:45:51,280 --> 00:45:56,000 Speaker 3: It's written inspired by an African proverb. But really I'm 673 00:45:56,040 --> 00:46:00,600 Speaker 3: promoting in Service of the Phoenix, which is an addiction 674 00:46:00,800 --> 00:46:07,880 Speaker 3: recovery organization that uses collective activity like exercise or hiking 675 00:46:08,520 --> 00:46:13,120 Speaker 3: as a modality to combat substance abuse. This is your 676 00:46:13,160 --> 00:46:17,719 Speaker 3: accountability family, your accountability team, and you just find new 677 00:46:17,760 --> 00:46:22,319 Speaker 3: friends and new ways to engage to avoid, you know, 678 00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:27,640 Speaker 3: going to the bottle or the pill. And so each 679 00:46:27,719 --> 00:46:32,759 Speaker 3: song is built around that concept. And I would be 680 00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:36,440 Speaker 3: remiss to not mention that my wife was probably the 681 00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:41,799 Speaker 3: most inspiring factor in making this decision because we were 682 00:46:41,840 --> 00:46:45,000 Speaker 3: the spokes couples for an organization called Peace over Violence 683 00:46:45,040 --> 00:46:50,160 Speaker 3: here in Los Angeles that does awareness for domestic abuse, 684 00:46:50,960 --> 00:46:55,280 Speaker 3: and there was a campaign every year. There's an annual 685 00:46:55,719 --> 00:47:03,040 Speaker 3: campaign called Denim Day, which is messaging around sexual violence 686 00:47:03,280 --> 00:47:04,600 Speaker 3: and how. 687 00:47:05,800 --> 00:47:07,719 Speaker 2: It's important for. 688 00:47:08,160 --> 00:47:12,440 Speaker 3: Men just as much as as any anyone to recognize 689 00:47:12,440 --> 00:47:18,960 Speaker 3: that our role in sexual violence. My wife wrote a 690 00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:21,759 Speaker 3: song after watching The Hunting Grounds I think is the 691 00:47:21,840 --> 00:47:29,399 Speaker 3: name of the film about rape on campus called never 692 00:47:29,440 --> 00:47:34,960 Speaker 3: Said Yes, because the conversation around you know, sexual violence 693 00:47:35,680 --> 00:47:41,840 Speaker 3: is always very directed and pointed at blaming the victim, 694 00:47:42,560 --> 00:47:45,279 Speaker 3: saying well, you know, did you say no? 695 00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:46,799 Speaker 2: Did you. 696 00:47:49,680 --> 00:47:54,160 Speaker 3: Lead the perpetrator on? You know, it's never a question 697 00:47:54,239 --> 00:47:55,920 Speaker 3: of did you say yes? 698 00:47:57,280 --> 00:48:00,960 Speaker 2: Right? And if you didn't say yes. So she wrote 699 00:48:00,960 --> 00:48:02,280 Speaker 2: a song called never Said Yes. 700 00:48:02,160 --> 00:48:06,080 Speaker 3: And I thought it was brilliant and you know, great 701 00:48:06,920 --> 00:48:12,319 Speaker 3: idea to take the social mission, put it into a 702 00:48:12,400 --> 00:48:17,480 Speaker 3: mantra that can become the language to support that mission 703 00:48:18,000 --> 00:48:21,640 Speaker 3: in the absence of, you know, a narrator. 704 00:48:23,080 --> 00:48:26,120 Speaker 2: You know, now you have this. 705 00:48:25,000 --> 00:48:28,760 Speaker 3: This quick, easy SoundBite that helps to tell the story 706 00:48:29,719 --> 00:48:31,800 Speaker 3: in a way that people can digest quickly. 707 00:48:32,680 --> 00:48:37,640 Speaker 1: It's really beautiful, And now a word from our wonderful sponsors. 708 00:48:46,360 --> 00:48:49,439 Speaker 1: One of the things that strikes me about the opportunity 709 00:48:49,520 --> 00:48:54,400 Speaker 1: that you've created here is with an album's worth of songs, 710 00:48:54,520 --> 00:48:59,919 Speaker 1: each song having a focus for a cause, you offer 711 00:49:00,239 --> 00:49:04,239 Speaker 1: up a board to an audience to say, which of 712 00:49:04,320 --> 00:49:07,440 Speaker 1: these things resonates with you the most deeply? Which of 713 00:49:07,520 --> 00:49:12,600 Speaker 1: these things will you join the call for? Because you know, 714 00:49:13,840 --> 00:49:16,640 Speaker 1: I remember early in my career people would always say 715 00:49:16,640 --> 00:49:18,640 Speaker 1: to me, we have to pick something, pick a cause. 716 00:49:19,600 --> 00:49:22,800 Speaker 1: I'm like, how is working on a more civil society 717 00:49:22,960 --> 00:49:25,880 Speaker 1: going to be accomplished with one thing? That seems ridiculous 718 00:49:25,920 --> 00:49:29,440 Speaker 1: to me? And I actually think one of our greatest 719 00:49:29,440 --> 00:49:31,480 Speaker 1: strengths is the fact that when we get to speak 720 00:49:31,520 --> 00:49:36,480 Speaker 1: to so many people, the more you can teach or 721 00:49:36,600 --> 00:49:40,120 Speaker 1: showcase how interconnected these things are, the more likely you 722 00:49:40,160 --> 00:49:44,480 Speaker 1: are to inspire each person paying attention to what you're 723 00:49:44,480 --> 00:49:49,480 Speaker 1: sharing with the thing that most inspires them. Because not 724 00:49:49,560 --> 00:49:53,480 Speaker 1: every fan is going to have the same cause, but 725 00:49:53,560 --> 00:49:56,839 Speaker 1: everyone's going to be inspired by something. So what an 726 00:49:56,880 --> 00:50:01,280 Speaker 1: amazing What an amazing thing to a layer this creative 727 00:50:01,360 --> 00:50:08,640 Speaker 1: process with so many opportunities for real passion and connection. 728 00:50:10,120 --> 00:50:10,520 Speaker 2: Thank you. 729 00:50:11,920 --> 00:50:15,000 Speaker 3: I'm really happy about it. I think it's just the 730 00:50:15,080 --> 00:50:19,360 Speaker 3: volume one of many to come, and I'm going to 731 00:50:19,480 --> 00:50:24,640 Speaker 3: keep exploiting this this method for the long haul. 732 00:50:24,960 --> 00:50:27,080 Speaker 1: Do you have a favorite song on the album? 733 00:50:28,680 --> 00:50:29,600 Speaker 2: Very hard to say. 734 00:50:30,960 --> 00:50:37,560 Speaker 3: Don't Go Alone is so infectious to me, the message, 735 00:50:37,719 --> 00:50:41,280 Speaker 3: you know, being about if you want to go fast, 736 00:50:41,440 --> 00:50:43,000 Speaker 3: you can go alone. If you want to go far, 737 00:50:43,520 --> 00:50:47,440 Speaker 3: you go together, and that being this African proverb that 738 00:50:49,160 --> 00:50:53,560 Speaker 3: really makes so much sense about how society and communities 739 00:50:54,160 --> 00:50:58,840 Speaker 3: can can operate, and then deep inside the music is 740 00:50:58,920 --> 00:51:02,040 Speaker 3: everything that I grew up with parents coming from Central 741 00:51:02,080 --> 00:51:08,360 Speaker 3: America via the Caribbean, so lots of you know, Latin 742 00:51:08,480 --> 00:51:13,239 Speaker 3: and Caribbean sounds and then African diaspora African sounds in 743 00:51:13,320 --> 00:51:18,440 Speaker 3: the music. But then there's on the other side of 744 00:51:19,360 --> 00:51:26,680 Speaker 3: that sonic landscape is this very calm and relaxed kind 745 00:51:26,719 --> 00:51:31,120 Speaker 3: of story of father and son, which is Daddy told me, 746 00:51:31,200 --> 00:51:33,360 Speaker 3: so the concept of. 747 00:51:35,360 --> 00:51:37,160 Speaker 2: My relationship with my dad and the lessons that I 748 00:51:37,280 --> 00:51:37,879 Speaker 2: learned from him. 749 00:51:38,480 --> 00:51:47,360 Speaker 3: And there's I guess there's a favorite moment or reason 750 00:51:47,440 --> 00:51:48,680 Speaker 3: for every song on the. 751 00:51:48,640 --> 00:51:53,399 Speaker 2: Project, But yeah, those are two highlights for sure. 752 00:51:55,280 --> 00:51:58,400 Speaker 1: Do you write a whole slew of songs and then 753 00:51:58,480 --> 00:52:00,960 Speaker 1: start to narrow them down for the album or are 754 00:52:01,000 --> 00:52:07,160 Speaker 1: you a person who finds each sort of concept that 755 00:52:07,200 --> 00:52:11,080 Speaker 1: you're processing in song and then you have an album. 756 00:52:12,040 --> 00:52:18,080 Speaker 3: I think that putting an album together is a sculpting activity. 757 00:52:18,200 --> 00:52:22,680 Speaker 3: So I build up a whole mountain full of songs, 758 00:52:22,840 --> 00:52:28,000 Speaker 3: and then I peel away the layers so that the 759 00:52:28,040 --> 00:52:30,600 Speaker 3: remaining songs are the ones that tell the story I 760 00:52:30,640 --> 00:52:35,960 Speaker 3: feel is most necessary. And that's that's the general the 761 00:52:36,000 --> 00:52:41,160 Speaker 3: general way of writing for me to just keep writing 762 00:52:41,239 --> 00:52:47,480 Speaker 3: all the time and piece together, put together the album 763 00:52:47,520 --> 00:52:51,160 Speaker 3: based on what the theme overall theme should be. 764 00:52:51,840 --> 00:52:57,680 Speaker 1: So interesting. My last and favorite question to ask everyone, 765 00:52:57,880 --> 00:53:02,399 Speaker 1: And I'm curious from where you're sitting and all these 766 00:53:02,400 --> 00:53:07,160 Speaker 1: things you're thinking about and this repertoire, this new repertoire 767 00:53:07,200 --> 00:53:12,279 Speaker 1: of music you're about to give to us today, what 768 00:53:12,440 --> 00:53:14,640 Speaker 1: feels like you're work in progress? 769 00:53:16,040 --> 00:53:17,120 Speaker 2: Ah? 770 00:53:17,400 --> 00:53:22,320 Speaker 3: What comes to mind is yesterday last night, in conversation 771 00:53:22,440 --> 00:53:27,160 Speaker 3: with my kids, we did cuddle time just before they 772 00:53:27,200 --> 00:53:37,719 Speaker 3: go to bed, thinking about their eagerness to engage in 773 00:53:37,760 --> 00:53:48,319 Speaker 3: the art world. And this work in progress is, you know, 774 00:53:48,400 --> 00:53:55,239 Speaker 3: building kids that are resilient and thoughtful and full of 775 00:53:55,320 --> 00:54:09,239 Speaker 3: heart and intelligent and less artistic and executive. So you know, 776 00:54:10,080 --> 00:54:12,439 Speaker 3: just before they went to bed, they spent a few 777 00:54:12,440 --> 00:54:19,120 Speaker 3: minutes coming up with some songs that that they might 778 00:54:19,280 --> 00:54:22,200 Speaker 3: that might end up being their first their first project together. 779 00:54:22,840 --> 00:54:23,080 Speaker 2: Wow. 780 00:54:23,640 --> 00:54:27,960 Speaker 3: As a brother and sister, that's that's I'd say, that's 781 00:54:27,960 --> 00:54:32,800 Speaker 3: my work in progress. It's like these these beautiful lives 782 00:54:32,800 --> 00:54:37,160 Speaker 3: that my wife and I have been fortunate enough to 783 00:54:37,680 --> 00:54:39,440 Speaker 3: receive and steward. 784 00:54:39,640 --> 00:54:46,400 Speaker 1: M hm, stewardship. That's major to watch your babies creating 785 00:54:46,440 --> 00:54:49,040 Speaker 1: in front of you and looking at you like, Dad, 786 00:54:49,080 --> 00:54:51,480 Speaker 1: is this good? What a trip that has to be? 787 00:54:52,400 --> 00:54:57,120 Speaker 1: I just love that for you. Yeah, M well, thank 788 00:54:57,120 --> 00:54:59,759 Speaker 1: you so much, thank you for joining me for this 789 00:54:59,800 --> 00:55:02,600 Speaker 1: to I. You know, as I said earlier, it's as 790 00:55:02,640 --> 00:55:04,960 Speaker 1: a as a fan for so long. It's such a 791 00:55:05,040 --> 00:55:06,840 Speaker 1: joy to be able to talk to you, not just 792 00:55:06,880 --> 00:55:09,680 Speaker 1: about the work, but about the way you see the world. 793 00:55:10,400 --> 00:55:15,040 Speaker 1: And I'm so thrilled for the new record. And I 794 00:55:15,400 --> 00:55:18,080 Speaker 1: will say on behalf of many many people I know 795 00:55:18,120 --> 00:55:23,359 Speaker 1: who are amped about it. We all thank you, thank you. Yeah, yeah, 796 00:55:23,400 --> 00:55:24,720 Speaker 1: this has been such a joy. 797 00:55:25,200 --> 00:55:25,600 Speaker 2: Likewise,