WEBVTT - Black Music Month QLS Classic: Dyana Williams 0:00:00.440 --> 0:00:04.240 Quest Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. This classic 0:00:04.280 --> 0:00:07.040 episode was produced by the team at Pandora. 0:00:09.360 --> 0:00:12.760 What up, y'all is Layah from Team Supreme. Okay, So 0:00:12.920 --> 0:00:15.960 it's June, and you know it is Black Music Month. Now, 0:00:16.000 --> 0:00:18.720 This month and its cause was started by my godmother, 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:21.960 Dianna Williams, the legendary Kenny Gamble, and the great and 0:00:22.280 --> 0:00:25.479 right back in nineteen seventy nine after being invited to 0:00:25.480 --> 0:00:28.600 the White House along with the Black Music Association. Now, 0:00:28.640 --> 0:00:31.840 the Black Music Association was a group of black folks 0:00:31.880 --> 0:00:33.600 that were the best of the best of the music industry. 0:00:33.600 --> 0:00:37.000 I'm talking record execs, I'm talking radio people, I'm talking artists. 0:00:37.080 --> 0:00:40.720 I'm talking to everybody from Clarence Avon and Frankie Crocker 0:00:40.840 --> 0:00:43.279 to Percy Sutton, everybody in the middle right. So they 0:00:43.320 --> 0:00:45.400 all get invited to this big party on the White 0:00:45.400 --> 0:00:48.360 House lawn June seventh, nineteen seventy nine. And before the 0:00:48.440 --> 0:00:53.559 performances started, President Carter said many things addressing and reminding 0:00:53.600 --> 0:00:56.360 people of the importance of Black Music Month, and one 0:00:56.360 --> 0:00:59.960 of the things he said was end quote in many ways, 0:01:00.120 --> 0:01:02.600 the feelings of our own black citizens throughout the history 0:01:02.640 --> 0:01:05.720 of our country has been accurately expressed in the music, 0:01:06.080 --> 0:01:08.360 and it presents a kind of history of our nation 0:01:08.440 --> 0:01:10.160 when you go back and see. 0:01:09.840 --> 0:01:12.319 The evolution of black music words. 0:01:13.080 --> 0:01:15.080 So we've spoken a lot about Black Music Month on 0:01:15.160 --> 0:01:18.320 Questlove Supreme, and this June we are running a different 0:01:18.360 --> 0:01:23.160 episode from the QLs archives every single day in the name, 0:01:23.360 --> 0:01:27.720 Spirit and Cause of Black Music Month. We're kicking things 0:01:27.760 --> 0:01:31.199 off with the Godmother, herself, mine and yours. I'm talking 0:01:31.240 --> 0:01:32.880 about Miss Dianna Williams. 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:33.920 Now. 0:01:33.959 --> 0:01:37.320 This is from our twenty nineteen conversation live in person 0:01:37.800 --> 0:01:40.240 at Larry Gold Studios. 0:01:40.360 --> 0:01:55.600 Enjoy Suprima Sun Sun Supremo Role called Subprima Sun sub 0:01:55.680 --> 0:02:01.880 Prie Mo Role call Supremeau Sun Suprema roll call Supremo 0:02:02.200 --> 0:02:04.560 Sun Sun Up Breme my roll. 0:02:04.720 --> 0:02:05.800 What's love in the place? 0:02:06.240 --> 0:02:06.480 Yeah? 0:02:06.640 --> 0:02:09.840 With the end and the fan Yeah, is that so cool? 0:02:10.280 --> 0:02:10.560 Yeah? 0:02:10.880 --> 0:02:20.119 I am Supreme, Roll came up, Brave Up Supremo role. 0:02:20.639 --> 0:02:23.280 My name is Fante, Yeah, and I can say our 0:02:23.360 --> 0:02:29.520 hung Yeah with that beautiful lady. Yeah from Unsung Roll Up. 0:02:29.440 --> 0:02:35.040 Brave Son Supreme roll called Suprema Sun Sun. 0:02:35.040 --> 0:02:36.440 Supreme A roll call. 0:02:36.600 --> 0:02:40.400 My name is Sugar, Yeah, and I hope that one day. Yeah, 0:02:40.639 --> 0:02:45.480 I can be a guest. Yeah on Soulful Sunday Up. 0:02:45.400 --> 0:02:52.000 Brave Supreme Roll Supreme, Supreme Role. 0:02:52.520 --> 0:02:56.600 My name is Bill, Yeah to the extreme. Yeah, oh 0:02:56.960 --> 0:03:00.280 well that's with Yeah every moonbeas. 0:03:01.080 --> 0:03:03.639 Suprema Son Supremo. 0:03:03.880 --> 0:03:07.559 Roll called Suprema Son Son Supremo. 0:03:07.760 --> 0:03:09.399 Roll called Bill. 0:03:10.000 --> 0:03:10.200 Yeah. 0:03:10.480 --> 0:03:11.440 And here's the thing. 0:03:12.040 --> 0:03:15.720 Yeah, last night, Yeah, too many Chicken. 0:03:19.040 --> 0:03:23.519 Supremo. Roll call Suprema So Supremo. 0:03:23.760 --> 0:03:24.359 Roll call. 0:03:24.639 --> 0:03:28.639 It's like yeah, and my god mother Dianna, Yeah mother 0:03:28.840 --> 0:03:29.679 black music mom. 0:03:30.000 --> 0:03:31.399 Yeah, nobody knows it better. 0:03:31.760 --> 0:03:38.200 Roll call Suprema Son Sign Supremo. Roll call Suprema Son 0:03:38.440 --> 0:03:39.520 Son Supremo. 0:03:39.760 --> 0:03:40.360 Roll call. 0:03:40.960 --> 0:03:45.200 My name is Dianna, Yeah, not Banana. Yeah, light skinning 0:03:45.280 --> 0:03:47.480 like one. Yeah, but I'm Danna. 0:03:47.840 --> 0:03:56.400 Roll So Supremo, roll Suprema So So Suprevo. Roll call 0:03:56.920 --> 0:03:59.480 Suprema Son Son Supremo. 0:03:59.680 --> 0:04:09.520 Roll Nice, nice one. Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to another 0:04:09.680 --> 0:04:17.160 episode of Questlove Supreme. We are officially back home. We 0:04:17.279 --> 0:04:23.000 are back home, Steve. We are back Steve, back where 0:04:23.040 --> 0:04:24.480 we below? How do you feel to be bad? 0:04:24.640 --> 0:04:24.919 Ladies? 0:04:25.040 --> 0:04:29.680 We are live, okay, we are recording right, We are 0:04:29.800 --> 0:04:34.160 recording right now at Milk Boy Studio formerly known and 0:04:34.480 --> 0:04:39.000 still sort of conduct currently known as the Studio. We 0:04:39.160 --> 0:04:43.160 are actually in the room where the lyrics of You 0:04:43.320 --> 0:04:47.640 Got Me, the Song that Changed My Life was was recorded. 0:04:48.120 --> 0:04:51.040 The vocals were done all the things while a part 0:04:51.120 --> 0:04:55.440 vocals were done here, as subsequently every Roots album afterwards, 0:04:55.560 --> 0:04:58.840 from Phrenology on down to Rising Down. But we are 0:04:58.960 --> 0:05:02.960 in studio A a lot of a lot of Philadelphia history. Wow. Yeah, 0:05:03.200 --> 0:05:07.680 in this room smells like yeah PTSD Steve Man. 0:05:07.839 --> 0:05:12.880 I'm telling you, it's gritty here, it's got the grit. 0:05:13.160 --> 0:05:15.200 And this is one of the places that Rich made 0:05:15.240 --> 0:05:18.080 me cut vocals like verse like thirty damn times. 0:05:17.920 --> 0:05:20.640 Like it was. Yeah. I told like this it's all 0:05:20.720 --> 0:05:21.520 Rich Nichols here. 0:05:21.960 --> 0:05:25.120 Yeah, yeah, this is this is the spirit of the Rich. 0:05:25.120 --> 0:05:29.120 Nichols episode showed me poring in the room. Next you're 0:05:29.200 --> 0:05:32.080 first born, not my first, but my first Rich Nichols. 0:05:32.560 --> 0:05:42.200 Oh no, wow, okay, Nate Saturday morning. 0:05:42.760 --> 0:05:48.800 Can we do this right now? We have yes in 0:05:48.920 --> 0:05:49.240 the room. 0:05:49.360 --> 0:05:53.320 Oh wait a minute, would you like the honor? 0:05:54.160 --> 0:05:54.320 Ya? 0:05:55.120 --> 0:05:55.760 Don't do that to me. 0:05:56.000 --> 0:05:57.600 You prepared and you wrote it down. 0:05:57.640 --> 0:05:59.159 I'd have to see. 0:05:59.360 --> 0:06:02.080 I'll come like like, uh what do you call it? 0:06:02.240 --> 0:06:03.960 Uh, you can do the cleanup? 0:06:04.000 --> 0:06:04.520 Can I do it? 0:06:04.600 --> 0:06:05.640 But you have to do the No. 0:06:05.839 --> 0:06:09.880 I think this. I think it's only apropos and and 0:06:10.440 --> 0:06:15.880 for you, I agree to introduce our guest today. Okay, 0:06:16.120 --> 0:06:20.400 if i'm if, i'm if I'm based on you're talking, 0:06:20.520 --> 0:06:22.520 I feel like I feel like this is the chip 0:06:22.600 --> 0:06:23.480 off the old block here. 0:06:23.560 --> 0:06:26.360 So yeah, it's a it's a small chip of a 0:06:26.440 --> 0:06:27.000 big block. 0:06:27.040 --> 0:06:27.440 How about it. 0:06:27.480 --> 0:06:30.920 I'm the small ship of a blick box. You're gonna 0:06:30.920 --> 0:06:33.200 make me be boxes, all right? So, ladies and gentlemen, 0:06:33.240 --> 0:06:35.960 boys and girls. The woman who wait, you know what 0:06:36.080 --> 0:06:37.600 it is, Deanna. 0:06:38.440 --> 0:06:42.039 You have a way. You have a way to make 0:06:42.320 --> 0:06:51.960 everyone who lose their cool. Yo, I'm good over here. 0:06:53.440 --> 0:06:54.480 What it's just me and a mirror. 0:06:55.320 --> 0:06:58.320 I'm literally I feel I can be in the room 0:06:58.400 --> 0:07:02.520 with any human being and just be like, no big deal, 0:07:03.160 --> 0:07:08.920 President Obama, Michael Jordan's whatever, Stevie and I'll be down 0:07:08.960 --> 0:07:13.360 on the second like. But with Deanna, there's there's a 0:07:13.680 --> 0:07:24.360 very regal like I always sit up stravery regal collegemen. 0:07:25.040 --> 0:07:30.720 All right, So that yeah, this this we we are 0:07:30.800 --> 0:07:33.040 in the presence of royalty right now. This is gonna 0:07:33.040 --> 0:07:37.680 be the longest introduction ever, the most eloquent when I've 0:07:37.720 --> 0:07:38.360 ever done in the. 0:07:38.440 --> 0:07:47.080 History of the show. Yes, exactly from the No. 0:07:47.320 --> 0:07:51.840 Seriously, this woman has history in the city of Philadelphia. 0:07:53.480 --> 0:08:00.920 I've I'm in my career took uh uh a. I 0:08:01.040 --> 0:08:06.200 can't even talk. It's hard to describe. Have some barriers 0:08:06.280 --> 0:08:12.000 and relax, listen, start with your you can start with 0:08:12.080 --> 0:08:14.400 that way. I will. Yeah, I will say that I first, 0:08:14.560 --> 0:08:18.960 my my first real entrance into the non nepotism Le 0:08:19.080 --> 0:08:21.920 Andrews world that I came from, really started with I 0:08:22.080 --> 0:08:24.400 am and interning. 0:08:24.120 --> 0:08:27.679 And network International Association of African American Music. 0:08:27.920 --> 0:08:31.840 Yes, she wow, she is about No one know what 0:08:32.000 --> 0:08:33.760 I am. You're talking about NAS album? 0:08:33.880 --> 0:08:38.040 Yes, where is this going? 0:08:38.520 --> 0:08:40.160 Oh my god, I'm not gonna let it be ten 0:08:40.240 --> 0:08:41.720 minutes before I say, Ladies and jon. 0:08:46.440 --> 0:08:49.000 I'm thrilled and honored to be with you and Radio 0:08:49.160 --> 0:08:52.600 Legend officially welcome you to the city of brotherly love 0:08:53.320 --> 0:08:54.679 sisterly affects. 0:08:54.840 --> 0:08:56.240 So she also coined that term. 0:08:56.280 --> 0:08:59.360 I forgot to mention that the sisterly affection part. Yes, 0:09:00.000 --> 0:09:01.240 animations and things like that. 0:09:02.000 --> 0:09:05.760 Yeah, inclusion right, women have been part of the fabric 0:09:05.840 --> 0:09:10.800 of Philadelphia and everywhere every place for as long as. 0:09:11.320 --> 0:09:15.000 I've listened to Philly radio. Right now, her voice is 0:09:15.160 --> 0:09:15.760 very soothing. 0:09:15.920 --> 0:09:17.079 Yeah it is. 0:09:17.800 --> 0:09:19.720 I feel like she's going to turn around and interview 0:09:19.840 --> 0:09:20.520 us any moments. 0:09:22.120 --> 0:09:25.520 It's discourse, it's conversation with human exchange. 0:09:26.559 --> 0:09:29.839 Always spoke. I was about to say, the one area 0:09:30.120 --> 0:09:36.680 that you have not affected is because sometimes you clean 0:09:36.760 --> 0:09:38.840 up for a company and then you're like the Lenny 0:09:38.920 --> 0:09:43.600 Kravits episode, which yeah, god for we did get which 0:09:43.679 --> 0:09:45.240 we did that one episode. 0:09:45.320 --> 0:09:48.400 You cleaned up nicely, you know. But I'm just saying that. 0:09:49.600 --> 0:09:49.880 It was. 0:09:52.000 --> 0:09:52.120 Right. 0:09:53.960 --> 0:09:58.280 Sound like whatever I raised right there, she. 0:09:58.400 --> 0:10:02.599 Knew when when this voice come to be? When did you? 0:10:03.840 --> 0:10:10.000 I feel like you're always in regal honey milk. I 0:10:10.040 --> 0:10:11.959 feel like the term honey milk or whatever. 0:10:12.640 --> 0:10:15.200 No, that's not what my lover says when we're fighting, 0:10:17.840 --> 0:10:18.400 not at all. 0:10:19.600 --> 0:10:19.640 No. 0:10:21.120 --> 0:10:23.400 I grew up, first of all. I'll take you back 0:10:23.440 --> 0:10:27.200 to the beginning. I was born in Queens, raised as 0:10:27.320 --> 0:10:32.160 a small young girl in the Bronx and ten my 0:10:32.400 --> 0:10:35.680 family moved to Puerto Rico. My mother's Puerto Rican. I'm 0:10:35.760 --> 0:10:39.120 half Puerto Rican, so my mother was a college professor 0:10:39.200 --> 0:10:42.439 So we moved to pr to bayamong which is where 0:10:42.480 --> 0:10:44.920 a lot of my family is, and I spent two 0:10:45.040 --> 0:10:50.240 years perfecting my non Spanish, my new Yurekan Spanish. 0:10:50.520 --> 0:10:52.480 So you had a new Yurekan voice. 0:10:52.800 --> 0:10:57.000 Uh well, well no, just no accent if you're talking 0:10:57.040 --> 0:11:00.800 about I read it, write it, and speak it. And 0:11:00.920 --> 0:11:03.839 I learned to do that. I learned how to speak it. 0:11:03.960 --> 0:11:06.959 I learned Spanish before I learned English because my mother 0:11:07.120 --> 0:11:10.240 was in school, my father was working, but my grandmother, 0:11:10.320 --> 0:11:14.160 who spoke no English whatsoever, was my caretaker. So I 0:11:14.280 --> 0:11:17.920 learned Spanish before I learned English, or probably simultaneously. And 0:11:18.000 --> 0:11:21.559 it's mom, my mother's mom. My maternal side of the 0:11:21.600 --> 0:11:24.320 family is Puerto Rican. My father's from Culpeper. My father 0:11:24.440 --> 0:11:31.040 has transitioned, but my people were from Culpeper, Virginia. So yeah, Spanish, English, 0:11:31.640 --> 0:11:34.120 but New York. And then when we moved back to 0:11:34.200 --> 0:11:37.200 the States, I grew up in Harlem as a teenager. 0:11:37.760 --> 0:11:43.240 So I was informed by this amazing upbringing that I 0:11:43.320 --> 0:11:47.280 had in New York, a cosmopolitan city with people from 0:11:47.400 --> 0:11:51.480 all you know, spectrums, all parts of the world, and 0:11:51.679 --> 0:11:57.480 all social economic backgrounds. So my, when I consider my formulation, 0:11:57.880 --> 0:12:00.880 my development. It's as a result of being in this 0:12:01.480 --> 0:12:04.400 gumbo of humanity in New York City. 0:12:04.880 --> 0:12:07.079 You were how old when you came back to I 0:12:07.240 --> 0:12:07.960 was about. 0:12:07.760 --> 0:12:12.720 Twelve twelve, So I spent my formative teenage years in Harlem, 0:12:13.120 --> 0:12:14.920 the Schomberg And I have a. 0:12:14.960 --> 0:12:25.280 Question the hollow. Yes, okay, I'm curbly I have I'm 0:12:25.360 --> 0:12:28.720 currently working on a project right now that I didn't 0:12:28.720 --> 0:12:32.839 even know existed until about a year ago. But the 0:12:32.960 --> 0:12:34.360 world doesn't seem to know. 0:12:35.960 --> 0:12:36.000 That. 0:12:36.400 --> 0:12:41.040 On the summer of nineteen sixty nine, a festival was 0:12:41.120 --> 0:12:45.960 thrown in Harlem with I mean, in short, we called 0:12:46.000 --> 0:12:50.000 it black Woodstock. It was Nina Simone, sly On, the 0:12:50.040 --> 0:12:54.839 Family Stone, the Stables, singers, Jesse Jackson. Literally like when 0:12:54.840 --> 0:12:58.400 you see the footage, it's forty thousand people in a 0:12:58.480 --> 0:13:01.680 Harlem park in the summer of sixty nine. 0:13:01.840 --> 0:13:02.880 Was it Mount Morris Park? 0:13:03.000 --> 0:13:03.160 Yep? 0:13:03.400 --> 0:13:04.160 Mount Morris Park? 0:13:04.280 --> 0:13:09.480 Yes, okay, I recollection of Mount Morris Park that period. 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:14.040 And well no, sixty nine, No, but Mount Morris Park absolutely, 0:13:14.080 --> 0:13:20.559 because I spent many times there for free concerts. Really yeah, absolutely? 0:13:20.880 --> 0:13:27.040 What was the environment musically in Harlem? Like, because I 0:13:27.120 --> 0:13:32.480 mean as much as I hear about the folklore of Harlem, 0:13:33.880 --> 0:13:37.040 not even in the jazz since but post jazz, I 0:13:37.120 --> 0:13:39.280 don't have a feel of what the culture was like 0:13:40.559 --> 0:13:40.880 it was. 0:13:41.080 --> 0:13:44.000 I mean, we're talking about the birthplace of the Harlem Renaissance. 0:13:44.520 --> 0:13:48.920 Harlem has always been a capital, a mecca of music 0:13:49.160 --> 0:13:53.880 and culture. So I grew up hearing music everywhere in Harlem. 0:13:53.960 --> 0:13:56.559 It was blasting out of people's radios, in their cars 0:13:57.040 --> 0:14:00.560 and their homes, the free concerts. I had a program 0:14:00.679 --> 0:14:03.719 in Harlem called Jazzmobile that was founded by are you 0:14:03.760 --> 0:14:07.400 familiar with this doctor? Billy Taylor was the founder of 0:14:07.480 --> 0:14:11.800 Jazzmobile and it provided free lessons to inner city youth. 0:14:12.320 --> 0:14:15.960 So for me, I studied the flute and my teacher 0:14:16.280 --> 0:14:23.320 was the legendary Jimmy Heath. What yes, Yes, Jimmy Heath 0:14:23.520 --> 0:14:28.240 was my flute teacher. And ironically, years later I ran 0:14:28.320 --> 0:14:30.760 into him in Saint Louis. He was with his brothers, 0:14:31.080 --> 0:14:33.800 the Heath brothers. Yeah, and he was We were in 0:14:33.840 --> 0:14:37.360 the Ritz Carlton. I was there to attend Steve mckeever's wedding. 0:14:37.440 --> 0:14:41.840 Steve mckever, the founder of Hidden Beach who signed Jill 0:14:41.920 --> 0:14:44.600 Scott and many others from Philadelphia. 0:14:44.080 --> 0:14:48.360 Kindred such a radio person, I wouldn't have trying to 0:14:48.360 --> 0:14:48.720 get you there. 0:14:48.760 --> 0:14:52.120 That's okay. So anyway, I saw Jimmy, and Jimmy calls 0:14:52.200 --> 0:14:55.480 me over and he says to his brothers, Deanna was 0:14:55.640 --> 0:14:56.960 my best student. 0:14:57.560 --> 0:14:59.560 I wanted to bore a whole go through the floor 0:14:59.680 --> 0:15:06.520 because I am so bad, horrible, talent less. You probably 0:15:06.600 --> 0:15:09.760 was the prettiest, well lovely, but honey, I could not. 0:15:10.360 --> 0:15:12.000 You know, you have to be able to improvise, and 0:15:12.200 --> 0:15:13.520 I just did not have those skills. 0:15:13.520 --> 0:15:17.400 I had an appreciation of sensitivity, a passion for the music, 0:15:17.760 --> 0:15:19.520 but I just don't have any talent. 0:15:20.000 --> 0:15:21.880 So I always hear about. 0:15:23.760 --> 0:15:26.280 Maybe like from the generation that came before I came up, 0:15:26.400 --> 0:15:30.040 and I guess, like, I'm I'm one of the last 0:15:30.120 --> 0:15:33.440 people that like the idea of like music appreciation and 0:15:34.120 --> 0:15:37.320 who knows what this uh instrument it is? And oh, 0:15:37.360 --> 0:15:39.000 I want to try that a viola, you know that 0:15:39.120 --> 0:15:43.400 sort of thing. But was it just expected even if 0:15:43.440 --> 0:15:47.080 you didn't have musical talent. Was it just expected like 0:15:47.240 --> 0:15:50.960 for a non musical person you just saw the flute 0:15:50.960 --> 0:15:52.280 and was like, okay, No. 0:15:52.440 --> 0:15:55.200 Actually, my first boyfriend that I lost my virginity too, 0:15:55.560 --> 0:15:59.320 from Brooklyn, Lethal he played the flute. So as a 0:15:59.400 --> 0:16:03.800 result of being around him in intimate circumstances, one day 0:16:04.120 --> 0:16:13.520 I just picked up his instrument. I'mad and I. 0:16:13.560 --> 0:16:23.360 Started remember super class and. 0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:30.880 I'm telling you what happened anyway, That's how I came 0:16:31.000 --> 0:16:36.040 to study the flute. Yeah, but interesting, So to your question, 0:16:36.200 --> 0:16:39.840 a mirror the question about music. Music and Harlem was everywhere, 0:16:40.320 --> 0:16:42.480 and even people who did not have talent or could 0:16:42.480 --> 0:16:46.200 play an instrument had an appreciation. We used to when 0:16:46.240 --> 0:16:50.240 we got music, we would sit together in a group 0:16:50.400 --> 0:16:53.360 and devour an album. We would read the liner notes, 0:16:53.440 --> 0:16:56.600 because back in the day everybody did liner notes for 0:16:56.680 --> 0:17:00.200 their music. We would read where it was recorded, who 0:17:00.360 --> 0:17:04.240 was the engineer, where everything, all of the details the 0:17:04.359 --> 0:17:08.120 minutia of a record. Not just did we absorb the music. 0:17:08.640 --> 0:17:11.600 Of course, we were smoking weed at that time, okay, 0:17:17.040 --> 0:17:20.760 all right, yeah, and we would just we were very 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:23.280 knowledgeable when it came to music. That was expected of us, 0:17:23.400 --> 0:17:26.399 especially growing up in Harlem. That was the expectation that 0:17:26.480 --> 0:17:29.960 you were down whatever was new coming out, that you 0:17:30.040 --> 0:17:32.440 were going to their shows, that you were up on 0:17:32.560 --> 0:17:33.840 what was happening musically. 0:17:34.280 --> 0:17:35.320 Do you have any siblings. 0:17:35.680 --> 0:17:36.920 I'm an only child. 0:17:37.160 --> 0:17:39.040 What yeah, cousins. 0:17:43.119 --> 0:17:44.840 Exactly, I've got tons of cousins. 0:17:45.000 --> 0:17:49.320 So how did now this is unusual because usually, uh, 0:17:50.200 --> 0:17:53.720 it's the trickle cultural trickle down, a system of the 0:17:53.840 --> 0:17:58.119 older sibling puts the youngest one onto something and you 0:17:58.200 --> 0:18:00.439 absorb it. So who was your jaddy? 0:18:00.880 --> 0:18:01.320 My father? 0:18:03.359 --> 0:18:05.560 My father played the radio all the time. We listened 0:18:05.600 --> 0:18:08.960 to w ABC, the good Guys, and we also listened 0:18:09.000 --> 0:18:12.040 to w w r L, which was the African American 0:18:12.200 --> 0:18:16.240 AM station. So I grew up hearing, you know, all 0:18:16.280 --> 0:18:19.359 the mixed sounds because back in the day when I 0:18:19.440 --> 0:18:22.959 grew up, they played black and white artist on w ABC. 0:18:23.880 --> 0:18:28.280 But then wwr L only all black music. So that's 0:18:28.320 --> 0:18:32.320 where I got my ears. My daddy big on music. 0:18:32.600 --> 0:18:36.200 But the only all black station was the AMWWRL, Yeah, 0:18:36.240 --> 0:18:36.960 the AM station. 0:18:37.640 --> 0:18:41.920 Who were the personalities of the day, Well, Enoch Gregory, 0:18:43.680 --> 0:18:45.760 just you know, the good guys. 0:18:45.880 --> 0:18:48.600 I can't remember all the names, cousin Bruce. I mean, 0:18:48.640 --> 0:18:52.200 there were a ton of radio personalities. But the first 0:18:52.600 --> 0:18:56.439 woman that I ever heard on the radio, Vy Higginson. 0:18:57.200 --> 0:19:00.960 Vy Higginson, Well, she was on WBLS. Frankie Crocker and 0:19:01.000 --> 0:19:05.439 we're talking early seventies because I graduated from high school 0:19:05.720 --> 0:19:10.320 seventy one, the year that Marvin Gay released What's Going 0:19:10.400 --> 0:19:13.760 On That That is the soundtrack to My Life. That's 0:19:13.800 --> 0:19:16.000 the musica Franklin. 0:19:16.040 --> 0:19:17.920 That's what I just came out as you regret because 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:20.280 that was yeah, yeah, yeah, it did. 0:19:20.520 --> 0:19:21.360 That's when it came out. 0:19:21.520 --> 0:19:25.399 Can you imagine going out into the world and wow. 0:19:28.600 --> 0:19:28.960 So yeah. 0:19:29.040 --> 0:19:33.600 Then w l I b FM became WBLS and that's 0:19:33.640 --> 0:19:36.359 where I heard Vy Higginson. And when I heard her, 0:19:36.960 --> 0:19:39.520 I just fell in love. I was enamored with her voice, 0:19:39.600 --> 0:19:42.920 her her style. It sounded like you were in her bedroom. 0:19:43.440 --> 0:19:46.240 It sounded very intimate, and that's what I went back to. 0:19:47.080 --> 0:19:49.119 Absolutely absolutely she. 0:19:49.240 --> 0:19:50.359 Was on air personality. 0:19:50.560 --> 0:19:52.920 Like she was an on air personality. She's still on 0:19:53.000 --> 0:19:56.520 the radio now on the station that's online in New 0:19:56.640 --> 0:20:00.159 York and what but she was Doris Troy's sister her 0:20:00.640 --> 0:20:04.000 and she did the play Mama I Want to Sing. 0:20:04.760 --> 0:20:08.080 That's by Higginson who produced it, and Doris Troy just 0:20:08.240 --> 0:20:12.800 well and look that was her sister Higginson. Okay, yeah, 0:20:13.320 --> 0:20:16.960 And Frankie Crocker. I'm a graduate of Frankie Crocker University, 0:20:18.040 --> 0:20:18.679 but I kind. 0:20:18.560 --> 0:20:22.080 Of want to go to school the Frankie Crocker School. 0:20:22.200 --> 0:20:26.719 Okay, So besplaying the magnitude of the power that Frankie 0:20:26.760 --> 0:20:29.920 Crocker had on New York and nationwide. 0:20:30.080 --> 0:20:33.119 Frankie Crocker was a radio personality and a programmer. I 0:20:33.119 --> 0:20:36.359 would say he was the dean of FM Black Radio 0:20:36.640 --> 0:20:40.720 at its at the beginning, and he programmed WBLS one 0:20:40.800 --> 0:20:43.440 oh seven point five in New York and later other 0:20:43.560 --> 0:20:48.040 stations around the country. But he had the most effortless style, 0:20:49.160 --> 0:20:53.520 very commanding presence on the radio, and he introduced New 0:20:53.600 --> 0:20:59.240 York audiences to Barry White disco, the sound of Philadelphia. 0:20:59.480 --> 0:21:01.200 But he would all so mix and maybe he would 0:21:01.200 --> 0:21:03.760 throw in some Frank Sinatra. He could do that because 0:21:03.800 --> 0:21:06.560 he was the program director. But it was an eclectic sound, 0:21:06.960 --> 0:21:09.680 and he said it was three hundred and sixty degrees 0:21:09.760 --> 0:21:14.040 of the total experience of black music. So Frankie Crocker 0:21:14.200 --> 0:21:17.440 hired me after I spent two years in Washington, DC 0:21:18.080 --> 0:21:20.840 at w h u R ninety six point three, which 0:21:20.920 --> 0:21:24.359 is also a very important radio station in the history 0:21:24.480 --> 0:21:28.440 of music and black radio because it was the home 0:21:28.920 --> 0:21:32.720 of the original Quiet Storm as created by Kathy Hughes, 0:21:33.080 --> 0:21:36.119 who is my best friend. Also the founder of Radio one, 0:21:36.240 --> 0:21:41.560 TV one Interactive one Urban one. Melvin Lindsay was He 0:21:41.720 --> 0:21:44.200 wasn't the first host, but he became. Yeah, there was some. 0:21:44.600 --> 0:21:47.320 There were I think two other hosts. Yeah, also from 0:21:47.359 --> 0:21:49.680 BT exactly Video Soul, like our. 0:21:49.680 --> 0:21:53.160 First black celebrities who passed from HIV exactly. 0:21:53.320 --> 0:21:56.119 That's very true, Layah. But Melvioyn was also my protege 0:21:56.280 --> 0:21:59.600 because he was a student. Howard University owned the radio station, 0:22:00.240 --> 0:22:03.440 but it was a commercial outlet in the middle of 0:22:03.480 --> 0:22:07.760 the dial, and Frankie Crocker liberally borrowed from what we 0:22:07.880 --> 0:22:14.200 were doing in Washington d C. Okay GC, Yeah, that's 0:22:14.280 --> 0:22:17.679 true after a while, but that's where I started as 0:22:17.720 --> 0:22:20.480 Ebony Moonbeams at w h U R and d C. 0:22:23.040 --> 0:22:26.000 I did not go to Howard. I was very very silly. 0:22:26.640 --> 0:22:28.920 I was very caught up. I was hired on the 0:22:29.000 --> 0:22:33.280 eve of my nineteenth birthday by a gentleman named Bob 0:22:33.400 --> 0:22:36.480 Nighthawk Terry, who's also another legendary if you saw the 0:22:36.520 --> 0:22:42.080 movie Talk to Me Labasaid's character. But that was the 0:22:42.160 --> 0:22:44.760 gentleman who hired me and gave me my break in 0:22:44.960 --> 0:22:48.240 radio in d C. So two years after being Ebny 0:22:48.280 --> 0:22:50.800 Moonbeams and being in DC, I got a call on 0:22:50.880 --> 0:22:54.440 the hotline from Frankie Crocker offering me a job first 0:22:54.560 --> 0:22:57.320 in Saint Louis. That didn't work out too well. I 0:22:57.400 --> 0:22:59.960 went to Saint Louis. In all due respect to Saint Louis, 0:23:00.480 --> 0:23:03.560 it was just too small for me. Okay, it just wasn't. 0:23:03.600 --> 0:23:03.679 Man. 0:23:03.760 --> 0:23:05.600 My mama went with me and she was like, oh, 0:23:05.800 --> 0:23:07.879 not too much culture here. We gotta go. We have 0:23:07.960 --> 0:23:11.200 to go someplace else. It's true, it is. My mom 0:23:11.320 --> 0:23:11.760 is from there. 0:23:11.760 --> 0:23:14.720 I used to get my Oh my god, no Jerry 0:23:14.760 --> 0:23:16.160 Curls until like two thousands. 0:23:16.240 --> 0:23:19.119 Yeah, that wasn't That wasn't working for me. And then 0:23:19.160 --> 0:23:21.280 he offered me a job in Chicago. That didn't work 0:23:21.400 --> 0:23:23.440 either because the owners called me and said the money 0:23:23.480 --> 0:23:26.240 that mister Crocker offered you, we cannot afford to pay you. 0:23:26.359 --> 0:23:29.160 And I was like, okay, deuces. And then he called 0:23:29.200 --> 0:23:31.760 me again on the hotline at w h R. At 0:23:31.800 --> 0:23:34.200 this point I was doing mid days and he said, 0:23:34.400 --> 0:23:36.840 come come to New York, come come to be La, 0:23:37.000 --> 0:23:38.040 come home, come home. 0:23:39.440 --> 0:23:41.960 Wow, this is this is the episode I've been waiting 0:23:42.040 --> 0:23:44.680 for and all the questions I've had about every city, 0:23:45.520 --> 0:23:53.160 Can you explain why DC is such an important mecca 0:23:53.280 --> 0:23:58.920 for black music and being the Chocolate City and even 0:23:59.160 --> 0:24:02.280 even now to day like shows that we do in 0:24:02.440 --> 0:24:08.240 DC are way different. Maybe Detroit comes in a comes 0:24:08.280 --> 0:24:12.639 in a close second, But what is it about d C? 0:24:13.720 --> 0:24:19.040 So I'm assuming that the musical diet that the city 0:24:19.119 --> 0:24:24.159 is raised on that determines the the caliber of artists that. 0:24:25.840 --> 0:24:26.880 That come through the city. 0:24:26.960 --> 0:24:27.879 Am I correct? 0:24:28.119 --> 0:24:31.600 Yeah, you mentioned Chocolate City. It was definitively Chocolate City 0:24:31.640 --> 0:24:34.959 when I was there. It's been ultra gentified gentrified now, 0:24:35.040 --> 0:24:38.120 so it is no longer Chocolate City. But the DC 0:24:38.320 --> 0:24:41.879 that you're referring to, you know, it's the DMV, so 0:24:42.040 --> 0:24:45.840 it's the district of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland. But this 0:24:46.080 --> 0:24:47.160 you had the migration. 0:24:47.359 --> 0:24:50.120 You have people coming from the South, even the Midwest, 0:24:50.280 --> 0:24:52.719 moving to d C for government jobs. 0:24:52.800 --> 0:24:55.840 It's a government city. It's the you know, the nation's capital, 0:24:56.000 --> 0:24:58.080 largest black middle class in the country. There you go, 0:24:58.280 --> 0:25:00.680 So it created this middle class, but it people who 0:25:00.680 --> 0:25:03.720 had disposable income, and you know, music is at the 0:25:03.760 --> 0:25:07.439 core of our DNA for black folks, all due respect 0:25:07.480 --> 0:25:09.640 to everybody else, but for us, I think we're born 0:25:09.760 --> 0:25:14.160 in our DNA with a sponge that can absorb all 0:25:14.200 --> 0:25:18.280 the genres of our creation. And so in DC you 0:25:18.400 --> 0:25:22.959 had this middle class, You had people who had disposable income. 0:25:23.359 --> 0:25:26.840 They bought tickets to every show, they went to the clubs. 0:25:27.359 --> 0:25:29.639 You know, it was just part of our culture to 0:25:31.200 --> 0:25:33.960 embrace music and the artists that came through town. Not 0:25:34.080 --> 0:25:36.760 to mention Go Go, well, Go Go of course the 0:25:36.840 --> 0:25:41.480 genre that was born exclusively in DC and Chuck Brown, 0:25:41.640 --> 0:25:43.280 all of those people were my friends. 0:25:43.480 --> 0:25:47.560 Can we finally have this conversation about go Go? Yes? 0:25:47.600 --> 0:25:50.760 Yes, yeah, you know what point I'm about to bring up? Well, 0:25:50.800 --> 0:25:53.200 I just wanted to what year would you say was 0:25:53.240 --> 0:25:54.720 the origin the beginning of Go Go? 0:25:55.160 --> 0:25:58.119 Early seventies. By the time I got to d C 0:25:58.359 --> 0:26:00.639 in nineteen seventy three, when I got there, it was 0:26:00.720 --> 0:26:05.320 in full swing. Trouble fun, all of that was in 0:26:05.440 --> 0:26:05.960 full swing. 0:26:06.480 --> 0:26:09.480 I think the thing is is that, Okay, I know 0:26:09.640 --> 0:26:14.440 that early soul searcher forty five's I have for more breakbeat, traditional, 0:26:15.600 --> 0:26:18.040 right and all that stuff that that Chuck Brown did before. 0:26:18.240 --> 0:26:21.280 Like, Okay, this is authentic Go Go. 0:26:21.880 --> 0:26:27.680 However, I truly believe and this is where this my 0:26:27.920 --> 0:26:31.720 This is a very unpopular take on the history of 0:26:31.800 --> 0:26:35.879 Go Go, but I believe the DNA of Go Go 0:26:36.560 --> 0:26:41.080 starts with Grover Washington Junior's Mister Magic. 0:26:42.520 --> 0:26:42.920 I've heard that. 0:26:43.040 --> 0:26:45.879 I've heard that before. I've heard that before. The rhythm 0:26:46.000 --> 0:26:48.119 palette of Go Go is. 0:26:50.440 --> 0:26:54.840 Ye, Mister Magic seventy three, And so. 0:26:57.520 --> 0:27:03.240 I'm just saying that I I would assume that with 0:27:03.840 --> 0:27:11.800 that sort of backdrop, we definitely played it a lot. Fact, 0:27:11.840 --> 0:27:14.280 many bands have played it and played it and played 0:27:14.359 --> 0:27:15.760 and put it into the repertoire. 0:27:17.240 --> 0:27:18.680 Yeah, it was about ship in DC. 0:27:20.400 --> 0:27:29.360 So I wonder if any DC music historians will back 0:27:29.480 --> 0:27:30.600 me up in the fact. 0:27:30.440 --> 0:27:37.440 That they're gonna do what I did with it. I 0:27:37.560 --> 0:27:42.400 started in seventy two, right there, that's possible. But when 0:27:42.440 --> 0:27:44.480 I got there in seventy three, it was it was 0:27:45.200 --> 0:27:47.480 everybody everywhere. I mean, you could not go to a 0:27:47.560 --> 0:27:48.960 club and not hear Go Go music. 0:27:49.040 --> 0:27:51.080 It was just so could they have been an influence 0:27:51.160 --> 0:27:53.160 on him? Could possibly? 0:27:53.320 --> 0:27:53.840 You know what I mean? 0:27:53.920 --> 0:27:54.760 In the reverse though? 0:27:54.880 --> 0:27:59.000 I okay, I'm just saying that most Go Go that 0:27:59.160 --> 0:28:02.800 I know of, like The first example that it was 0:28:02.840 --> 0:28:06.240 truly played to me was around seventy eight, seventy nine. 0:28:07.800 --> 0:28:12.399 But I've investigated, I've investigated many of those DC funk 0:28:12.480 --> 0:28:16.760 bands and all my record collections, and that kind of 0:28:17.000 --> 0:28:23.560 the music was still post soul, post p funk ish, 0:28:23.760 --> 0:28:27.159 that sort of thing. And so I'm just saying I'm 0:28:27.160 --> 0:28:29.560 putting it out there. I'm going to find somebody the best. 0:28:29.560 --> 0:28:31.800 But we're also talking about the home of Marvin Gay, 0:28:32.480 --> 0:28:36.600 Boom drop to Ellington, Duke Ellington. 0:28:36.760 --> 0:28:40.440 I mean, just ye, that's right, when Marvin Gay got 0:28:40.520 --> 0:28:44.280 his band, Who do you come to Philadelphia again? 0:28:44.440 --> 0:28:46.080 But when you want to play weekend shows? 0:28:46.080 --> 0:28:47.240 Where you go DC? 0:28:47.960 --> 0:28:50.880 When you want to do a Saturday and a Sundakay, Okay, okay, 0:28:51.000 --> 0:28:54.040 I'm I'm not going to find anybody back up this argument. 0:28:55.280 --> 0:29:02.280 So of your formative years, what city, what city do 0:29:02.400 --> 0:29:05.200 you feel I had the most culture as far as 0:29:07.360 --> 0:29:11.720 impact in richness in black music? Is it DC? Is 0:29:11.800 --> 0:29:12.400 it New York? 0:29:13.600 --> 0:29:16.840 Philadelphi is a combination. So again, I grew up in Harlem, 0:29:17.480 --> 0:29:21.680 I spent radio formative years in DC in Chocolate City 0:29:21.840 --> 0:29:25.120 with black folks, and then I came to Philadelphia and 0:29:25.280 --> 0:29:28.800 Philadelphia at the point when I came to Philadelphia, I 0:29:28.920 --> 0:29:32.880 came because I started dating Kenny Gamble and instantly fell 0:29:32.920 --> 0:29:35.600 in love with him. So when I came to Philadelphia, 0:29:35.960 --> 0:29:39.760 the sound of Philly was in full throttle, and we're 0:29:39.840 --> 0:29:44.480 talking Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. Teddy was still 0:29:44.520 --> 0:29:47.160 in the group when I came. He started as the 0:29:47.240 --> 0:29:51.680 drummer and then moved into the lead position. But it 0:29:51.800 --> 0:29:54.840 was Patti LaBelle and the People's Choice and the tramps 0:29:54.920 --> 0:29:58.880 and the Delphonics and the stylistics and all of that 0:29:59.200 --> 0:30:02.160 was going on when I initially came to Philly in 0:30:02.320 --> 0:30:05.200 the mid seventies, And the first time I really came 0:30:05.280 --> 0:30:08.520 here was with Gene Karn, who is the godmother to 0:30:08.840 --> 0:30:12.240 my oldest son, Khalif Jane was about to sign her 0:30:12.360 --> 0:30:15.000 deal with Gamble. But I had met Gamble a year 0:30:15.120 --> 0:30:19.200 earlier in DC when I was hosting an OJ's concert 0:30:19.600 --> 0:30:23.880 and we formed our friendship. But when I first visited Philadelphia, 0:30:23.920 --> 0:30:26.560 international was with Gene when she signed her deal. 0:30:26.920 --> 0:30:28.840 Was it always on three thirteen Broad Street? 0:30:28.960 --> 0:30:29.920 It was three or nine? 0:30:30.800 --> 0:30:34.760 I'm sorry, Yeah, three thirteen was my high school. Oh, okay, 0:30:35.520 --> 0:30:36.160 performing arts. 0:30:36.320 --> 0:30:39.680 Yeah, just to go back to the Chuck Brown, go go, 0:30:39.840 --> 0:30:41.880 mister Matcha think I found a quote from Chuck Brown 0:30:41.880 --> 0:30:45.560 about that. Yes, and he basically admits that he got 0:30:45.600 --> 0:30:47.719 it from Grover, but says it Grover they both got 0:30:47.720 --> 0:30:50.160 it from somewhere else. And the quote is all I 0:30:50.240 --> 0:30:51.840 did was break the beat in half. I got it 0:30:51.880 --> 0:30:54.120 from Grover, for sure, but we really both got that 0:30:54.240 --> 0:30:56.880 from the spirit from gospel. It's an old church beat. 0:30:57.360 --> 0:30:58.640 Oh sucks, look at that. 0:31:00.720 --> 0:31:07.560 I'll give you half a Okay, all right, okay, I'll let. 0:31:07.520 --> 0:31:07.840 That one go. 0:31:09.440 --> 0:31:11.160 Thank you for that clarificationtimes. 0:31:11.560 --> 0:31:13.360 Yeah, I gotta get the truth out there. 0:31:13.520 --> 0:31:25.520 Yeah, So Philadelphia in in the well really at the 0:31:25.560 --> 0:31:26.000 height of it. 0:31:26.480 --> 0:31:28.840 First of all, do you credit Gamble and Huff for 0:31:30.240 --> 0:31:34.160 being the proprietors of disco? Many have said that absolutely. Well, 0:31:34.440 --> 0:31:39.000 Isaac started first because he had strings, and very white 0:31:39.080 --> 0:31:41.280 because he's the first to go to one hundred and 0:31:41.640 --> 0:31:47.200 twenty and b bms. But you know, as far as 0:31:47.320 --> 0:31:51.560 the thechine and the class, and plus you know young Earl, 0:31:51.600 --> 0:31:54.000 young young, I don't get you. 0:31:54.320 --> 0:31:56.000 Earl will not let you get out of a room 0:31:56.040 --> 0:32:01.040 without giving him his pops the drum to the second 0:32:01.240 --> 0:32:04.240 it was very second and forever and Earl Young the 0:32:04.320 --> 0:32:07.360 founder of the Tramps and the drummer but also the 0:32:07.520 --> 0:32:12.000 studio drummer for many, not all, of the Gamble Hooff songs. 0:32:12.640 --> 0:32:17.440 So I definitely give them credit acknowledge he did. He 0:32:17.720 --> 0:32:20.360 played with everybody, but he was a primary drummer for 0:32:20.640 --> 0:32:23.600 many of the Gamble Hoff sessions. So yeah, So when 0:32:23.640 --> 0:32:27.000 I came here, initially it was hetty because there was 0:32:27.240 --> 0:32:30.360 all kinds of music. It was jazz. It wasn't just 0:32:30.600 --> 0:32:33.040 Gamble and huff on what they were doing. It was 0:32:33.240 --> 0:32:36.040 you know, I knew of the tradition of great gospel artists, 0:32:36.360 --> 0:32:39.640 the Dixie Hummingbirds. I met Ira Tucker when I first 0:32:39.840 --> 0:32:43.200 moved here. Ira Tucker Senior. You know that we're talking 0:32:43.240 --> 0:32:47.120 about the Ward Singers, all of that. Rosetta Thorpe, you know, 0:32:47.760 --> 0:32:50.520 Fonte and I were talking about that yesterday. Rosetta Thorpe, 0:32:50.840 --> 0:32:54.080 the mother of rock and roll here Philadelphia. 0:32:54.200 --> 0:32:58.920 Really, yes, did not know that what no I help 0:32:59.000 --> 0:33:01.400 inducted in a rock and roll I did not know that, 0:33:01.720 --> 0:33:04.680 don't you know? King Britt and he was on his 0:33:04.760 --> 0:33:05.360 Big Sister. 0:33:05.880 --> 0:33:10.760 Yeah project project on. She wasn't born here, but she 0:33:11.000 --> 0:33:13.960 lived here lived, she lived here, and she died here. 0:33:14.600 --> 0:33:20.040 So yes, each one teacher, while we're at it, to 0:33:20.160 --> 0:33:23.760 the person that keeps on putting Beachy Thompson from the 0:33:23.840 --> 0:33:28.360 Dixie Hummingbirds as my great grandfather, he is not true, 0:33:29.360 --> 0:33:33.240 and I'm the one that keeps erasing it. So yeah, Like, 0:33:33.600 --> 0:33:37.480 I just want to put that out there too, Wikipedia, 0:33:38.960 --> 0:33:41.480 because every journalist is like, you know, three generations and 0:33:41.560 --> 0:33:45.480 I'm like, no, Beachie Thompson is not my grandfather. 0:33:45.760 --> 0:33:49.600 So I just want to put that out there. That's important. 0:33:51.440 --> 0:34:00.200 So any like, are there any notable historical Philadelphia h 0:34:02.040 --> 0:34:15.520 musical stories that you've seen firsthand? That so many? Oh? 0:34:15.760 --> 0:34:19.000 Well, Teddy was my neighbor. He was my physical borrow 0:34:19.120 --> 0:34:22.400 cup of sugar neighbor and also one of my closest 0:34:22.440 --> 0:34:26.319 friends to his transition. In fact, I delivered the obituary 0:34:26.480 --> 0:34:33.600 at his memorial watching Teddy Pendergrass leave the situation with 0:34:33.719 --> 0:34:35.920 Harold because they were fighting. They were duking it out. 0:34:36.000 --> 0:34:38.880 I mean, they were having physical fights. It was abusive 0:34:39.000 --> 0:34:41.919 and out of control by the time he left the group. 0:34:42.360 --> 0:34:46.960 But to see Teddy Pendergrass go from being with the 0:34:47.040 --> 0:34:51.160 group and then becoming one of the biggest artists in 0:34:51.560 --> 0:34:54.440 soul music and and he was crossing over pop. He 0:34:54.600 --> 0:34:57.239 was going to become a movie star. He had a 0:34:57.400 --> 0:35:03.640 Teddy Jeans line. Gambell, Yes, Teddy Jeans. But to witness 0:35:03.760 --> 0:35:07.080 that was pretty spectacular. Just to see the energy that 0:35:07.200 --> 0:35:09.840 happened as a result of the sound of Philadelphia worldwide, 0:35:10.400 --> 0:35:12.600 that was pretty heady. I mean, I have tons of 0:35:12.640 --> 0:35:14.000 stories with the jelly artists. 0:35:14.040 --> 0:35:17.080 Did you have any influence in getting him to finally 0:35:17.120 --> 0:35:19.759 settle down with a natural as opposed. 0:35:19.440 --> 0:35:23.000 To what Teddy? No, absolutely not. Teddy had many hairstyles 0:35:23.360 --> 0:35:30.520 during the duration. Yeah, that was before me, And had 0:35:30.560 --> 0:35:32.439 I known him at the time, I would have said, 0:35:35.040 --> 0:35:36.279 your hair prettier than mine. 0:35:36.360 --> 0:35:37.360 You need to all that. 0:35:38.440 --> 0:35:41.600 No, Teddy, Teddy was quite something, quite extraordinary. You met 0:35:41.680 --> 0:35:43.680 him a mirror. Yeah, yeah, you were in the room 0:35:43.719 --> 0:35:47.040 with him. You know, he had a magnetic energy unlike 0:35:47.160 --> 0:35:50.960 which same thing that Marvin had. There's only a few people. 0:35:51.320 --> 0:35:55.080 Sam Cook had it that, that Jennison Qua, Miles Davis 0:35:55.120 --> 0:35:57.960 had it. Miles Davis, my good friend, Miles Davis. He 0:35:58.040 --> 0:36:10.520 definitely hasty. Okay, okay, we're talking early seventies when I 0:36:10.640 --> 0:36:13.840 was in d C and am to May who is 0:36:14.160 --> 0:36:17.680 a beloved of mine, a connection another Heath. Well, that's 0:36:17.719 --> 0:36:20.840 how I met him through his father, Jimmy Heath. But 0:36:21.000 --> 0:36:24.640 he was playing percussions. He was playing conga's with Miles 0:36:25.000 --> 0:36:27.080 and they came to d C and I was on 0:36:27.120 --> 0:36:29.239 the air at w HR. He said, come by check 0:36:29.280 --> 0:36:32.680 out the show. So after the set, he introduces me 0:36:32.800 --> 0:36:35.760 to Miles and he says, Miles me Deanna. Deanna, meet Miles, 0:36:36.320 --> 0:36:44.080 and Miles says, marry me. I'm standing there looking at 0:36:44.160 --> 0:36:48.759 him like no, and he says, well why not? And 0:36:48.920 --> 0:36:51.400 I said, because I just met you. I don't know 0:36:51.520 --> 0:36:54.200 you like that. But I had on this long white 0:36:54.320 --> 0:36:57.000 dress and a white gaylea my head wrap. And he 0:36:57.120 --> 0:37:00.800 says to me, but you look like a motherfuck can bribe. 0:37:05.360 --> 0:37:11.239 So from there we developed a very dear friendship and 0:37:12.280 --> 0:37:15.160 went on for years until I started dating Kenny Gamble 0:37:15.520 --> 0:37:18.080 and Gamble was like, I'm not having Miles Davis around 0:37:18.120 --> 0:37:20.879 my woman, and it's not happening. It's not going down 0:37:21.040 --> 0:37:25.160 like that. So but we we stayed friends for years. 0:37:25.400 --> 0:37:29.680 You were the original coffee shop check. That's what what 0:37:29.880 --> 0:37:36.680 is that? The the the the the Nubian goddess that 0:37:37.880 --> 0:37:44.920 we would think of head wraps and since Yeah, but 0:37:45.840 --> 0:37:49.520 she was ne It was like me, but I was after. 0:37:49.719 --> 0:37:50.600 It was a mirror. 0:37:50.760 --> 0:37:53.160 It was the post civil rights era. It was say 0:37:53.239 --> 0:37:56.640 it loud, I'm black and I'm proud. So that, Yeah, 0:37:56.880 --> 0:37:59.719 it was that period of awakening with black folks when 0:37:59.760 --> 0:38:02.640 we were like, you know, no more, no more dogs 0:38:02.719 --> 0:38:06.480 biting us, no more. It was past Montgomery and the 0:38:06.560 --> 0:38:09.840 boycotts where we were like, we recognize our economic power 0:38:09.960 --> 0:38:13.000 and our beauty and strength. We know whence we came from. 0:38:13.360 --> 0:38:16.120 But once the Nixting era sort of set in, and 0:38:17.200 --> 0:38:19.920 you know the leaders were killed in sixty eight, a 0:38:20.080 --> 0:38:22.320 lot of that just cools off. And you know the 0:38:22.400 --> 0:38:24.400 seventies was mad hedonism. 0:38:25.280 --> 0:38:25.600 Oh I. 0:38:29.040 --> 0:38:29.600 Disagree. 0:38:29.640 --> 0:38:33.319 It was Mina Simone, Aretha Franklin, say it loud, I'm 0:38:33.320 --> 0:38:36.920 black and I'm proud. That happened in the seventies. James Brown, 0:38:37.600 --> 0:38:39.320 All of that was the seventies. 0:38:39.920 --> 0:38:44.160 So you know my uncle Butcher who stole my Grandma'm Stevien. 0:38:44.640 --> 0:38:48.280 Yeah, but here we go. You had you had brothers 0:38:48.320 --> 0:38:53.000 coming back from Vietnam. Okay, they were distressed, and many 0:38:53.040 --> 0:38:56.600 of them came back with habits heroin. I mean you know, 0:38:56.800 --> 0:38:58.920 so we were starting to deal with the crack and 0:38:59.520 --> 0:39:02.560 all of that happening in our communities. So it was 0:39:02.600 --> 0:39:03.120 a lot going on. 0:39:03.280 --> 0:39:09.960 Were you discouraged at all with as I will say 0:39:10.000 --> 0:39:16.359 that afro centricity had its second way eighty six eighty 0:39:16.440 --> 0:39:19.440 seven with the hip hop generation. But was there a 0:39:19.520 --> 0:39:26.719 period between yeah, seventy nine eighty post disco, between eighty 0:39:26.760 --> 0:39:29.680 and eighty five where you just felt like, oh, okay, 0:39:29.800 --> 0:39:33.840 we're we're done this and now we're bourgeois, we're getting jobs, 0:39:33.920 --> 0:39:39.839 we're perming our hair, nose stopping now. Yeah. 0:39:40.160 --> 0:39:43.879 No, because I recognize that we're not monolithic. We're all 0:39:44.600 --> 0:39:47.359 we're shades and variations, We're not all one thing. 0:39:48.120 --> 0:39:51.960 So and Deana's always been this black so I know, 0:39:52.200 --> 0:39:54.400 I mean black music moms started in the seventies and 0:39:54.480 --> 0:39:55.040 it continues on. 0:39:55.200 --> 0:39:57.120 So that's a whole you know, that's a yeah, not 0:39:57.239 --> 0:39:59.640 the thing. No, we're not monolithic. So I saw all 0:39:59.719 --> 0:40:03.160 type Some folks were bougie, some were still wearing their 0:40:03.200 --> 0:40:05.799 hair natural, some were wearing braids. It was a whole 0:40:05.840 --> 0:40:06.720 lot of stuff going. 0:40:06.600 --> 0:40:09.400 On, right, But I'm just saying that you are unapologetically black, 0:40:10.000 --> 0:40:11.239 and what else could I be. 0:40:11.800 --> 0:40:14.480 But that's the thing for some people to. 0:40:16.880 --> 0:40:19.919 Kind of spook that sat by the door their way 0:40:20.040 --> 0:40:24.920 into society. They might have to change clothes a little bit. 0:40:25.200 --> 0:40:25.319 Now. 0:40:25.840 --> 0:40:30.359 First of all, remember so for me, I talked about 0:40:30.400 --> 0:40:35.400 graduating from Frankie Crocker University. But then I was greatly 0:40:35.560 --> 0:40:39.120 influenced by one of the blackest people I know, Kenny Gamble. 0:40:39.560 --> 0:40:43.400 He was my man. So I was raised up as 0:40:43.440 --> 0:40:48.760 a woman by a strong black man. That was my education. 0:40:49.280 --> 0:40:52.319 And then again my parents, my family. I'm very clear 0:40:52.360 --> 0:40:55.520 where I come from and who I am and so, 0:40:55.840 --> 0:40:59.400 and it was very black. And my mother, although she 0:40:59.560 --> 0:41:02.960 was poored, she recognized that she's an African woman. First 0:41:03.000 --> 0:41:04.680 time I went to Africa, I went with my mama. 0:41:04.960 --> 0:41:09.160 We went to Senegal to Ghana, and my mother disappeared 0:41:09.200 --> 0:41:12.200 one day and we were like, where's Nancy, where's Nancy. Well, 0:41:12.239 --> 0:41:14.680 my mother went to the marketplace and got her garb, 0:41:15.120 --> 0:41:17.560 she got some sisters to meet, and she came back 0:41:17.719 --> 0:41:21.520 garbed up okay, and had several outfits. And my mother 0:41:21.719 --> 0:41:24.759 was like, yo, I'm an African woman. I know this, 0:41:25.560 --> 0:41:27.920 And that's the spirit in which I was raised. I 0:41:28.080 --> 0:41:30.640 was raised with a great deal of consciousness and exposure 0:41:30.680 --> 0:41:33.200 to black folks. So growing up in Harlem, for me, 0:41:33.840 --> 0:41:36.680 it was the Schomberg, it was Langston Hughes, it was 0:41:37.080 --> 0:41:41.200 the Negro Ensemble Company. It was all this great energy 0:41:41.239 --> 0:41:42.800 about blackness around me. 0:41:43.000 --> 0:41:44.520 Do you think that's a little bit of a some 0:41:44.680 --> 0:41:47.200 Northeast privilege when it comes to black folks in a 0:41:47.239 --> 0:41:49.279 way too to be able to continue that because I 0:41:49.320 --> 0:41:51.520 see what Amir is saying, and sometimes it depends on. 0:41:51.840 --> 0:41:53.759 Where you are too physically. 0:41:54.520 --> 0:41:57.160 Possibly, Yeah, I mean me and have that black conversation 0:41:57.200 --> 0:41:58.600 all the time about the difference between the South and 0:41:58.640 --> 0:42:00.160 the Northeast, And no. 0:42:00.200 --> 0:42:03.959 There are differences, were definitely, but I celebrate our commonalities. 0:42:04.280 --> 0:42:07.839 I recognize the differences. But you know, I just came 0:42:07.880 --> 0:42:10.920 from a wellspring of black culture growing up in Harlem 0:42:11.800 --> 0:42:13.960 and the Bronx, the home of hip hop a rap, 0:42:14.680 --> 0:42:17.000 so you know for me early so let me tell 0:42:17.000 --> 0:42:19.200 you this too. Also, when I was a teenager, I 0:42:19.320 --> 0:42:22.960 met Royeers. I met a woman named Myrna Williams who 0:42:23.040 --> 0:42:27.680 managed Royers. So I was fifteen meeting Royeers and hanging 0:42:27.719 --> 0:42:32.560 out with people like Royeers and then Jimmy Heath, who 0:42:32.600 --> 0:42:36.120 I mentioned to you, and then when I was about seventeen, 0:42:36.800 --> 0:42:40.080 a girlfriend of mine named Brenda introduced me to Stevie Wonder. 0:42:40.719 --> 0:42:43.839 So I met Stevie. I call him Stevelan. I met 0:42:43.840 --> 0:42:48.640 Stevelan before I even got into radio, and he invited 0:42:48.680 --> 0:42:52.080 me into the studio. He was doing music of my Mind. Yeah, 0:42:52.480 --> 0:42:56.120 music of my Mind. So I was exposed. 0:42:56.560 --> 0:42:57.600 And then I. 0:42:57.680 --> 0:43:00.640 Mentioned the flute. I decided to take flute lessons because 0:43:00.640 --> 0:43:03.360 I still was trying to trying to develop my talent 0:43:03.480 --> 0:43:07.400 as a musician, and I met Bobby. I met Bobby, 0:43:07.520 --> 0:43:12.280 but then I approached a gentleman to take flute lessons. 0:43:12.360 --> 0:43:15.560 And his name is Hubert Laws all the greatest floutest 0:43:15.680 --> 0:43:18.560 of all time. I will tell you that I never 0:43:19.320 --> 0:43:23.799 got a flute lesson, but he taught me a lot. 0:43:31.719 --> 0:43:35.880 So I started dating Hubert laws and as a result 0:43:35.960 --> 0:43:40.800 of that relationship, I was exposed even greater too. He 0:43:40.920 --> 0:43:43.400 would take me to Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Jersey. 0:43:45.120 --> 0:43:47.839 I was signed to c t I at the time. 0:43:48.080 --> 0:43:49.160 So who did I meet? 0:43:51.239 --> 0:43:51.760 My favorite? 0:43:51.920 --> 0:43:54.560 You love Pree Taylor. So I met Cree Taylor, Rudy 0:43:54.640 --> 0:44:03.120 Van Gelder, Hank Crawford, Esther Phillips, Grover Washington Junior Freddie Hubbard, right, 0:44:03.239 --> 0:44:05.759 and they performed with each other, they recorded with each other, 0:44:05.840 --> 0:44:07.880 So I would go with Hubert to the sessions. But 0:44:08.000 --> 0:44:09.960 one of my favorite sessions I think you can all 0:44:10.000 --> 0:44:13.360 appreciate this is one day Hubert said he had a 0:44:13.480 --> 0:44:17.719 session and he took me, deposited me in the control room. 0:44:18.080 --> 0:44:21.480 And who was in the control room Quincy Jones and 0:44:21.600 --> 0:44:24.479 Donnie Hathaway. Wow, so it was my first time meeting 0:44:24.600 --> 0:44:29.680 Donnie and Charleston Blue is what they were recording. And 0:44:29.800 --> 0:44:32.120 Hubert was on that session. So I sat in the 0:44:32.160 --> 0:44:34.600 control room with them, and of course at that point 0:44:34.640 --> 0:44:38.960 I knew who Donnie was. He was very shy, demure, quiet, 0:44:39.520 --> 0:44:45.200 and Quincy calls Aretha Franklin and introduces Donnie to Aretha 0:44:45.320 --> 0:44:47.440 on the phone and he tells Aretha you got to 0:44:47.480 --> 0:44:49.840 hear him, you know, Donnie Hathaway. And of course he 0:44:49.960 --> 0:44:53.839 was signed to Atlantic Records. So yeah, at this life, 0:44:53.880 --> 0:44:58.560 these things aren't phasing you like I'm young. I'm young. 0:44:59.760 --> 0:45:00.440 I'm taking it. 0:45:00.480 --> 0:45:03.239 All in righteous Forrest Gump. But you know what I say, 0:45:05.719 --> 0:45:07.239 it set the bar for me. 0:45:07.560 --> 0:45:10.320 It set an appetite for me because what I have 0:45:10.480 --> 0:45:14.040 discovered over time is that I am most intrigued and 0:45:14.160 --> 0:45:18.759 attracted to the exceptional. And that's what I have had 0:45:18.880 --> 0:45:24.040 all of my life. I have been involved friendships, romances 0:45:24.680 --> 0:45:29.359 with people who are supremely gifted. I would say, that's 0:45:29.440 --> 0:45:29.920 what I like. 0:45:30.719 --> 0:45:36.040 I've to hear your opinion on life in twenty nineteen. 0:45:37.600 --> 0:45:40.840 And where music is going, well, I say, never a 0:45:40.960 --> 0:45:43.120 dull moment. That's how I approach life daily. 0:45:43.400 --> 0:45:44.120 With human beings. 0:45:44.160 --> 0:45:46.439 There's seven billion of us, right, Fante. We were talking 0:45:46.440 --> 0:45:49.600 about this last night, but sliin the family Stone said, 0:45:50.160 --> 0:45:54.120 everybody is a star. We all have our unique shine, 0:45:54.239 --> 0:45:58.320 we have our individuality. We contribute to this energy that 0:45:58.520 --> 0:46:00.560 keeps our planet around. 0:46:00.600 --> 0:46:02.920 The song, I don't have to tell me I'm sugar, Steve. 0:46:04.320 --> 0:46:09.000 You know that sugar and that Deanna is already You're 0:46:09.000 --> 0:46:12.560 already forced to listen to everything from twenty eighteen and 0:46:12.600 --> 0:46:13.799 back because she's a media coach. 0:46:13.880 --> 0:46:15.520 So when you are going to say are you going 0:46:15.600 --> 0:46:19.680 to be blue faces media, you know, it's like she 0:46:19.840 --> 0:46:21.200 walked out on ya. 0:46:21.239 --> 0:46:24.360 I did not so what so what was well? He 0:46:24.520 --> 0:46:26.840 was disrespect You're still doing media coaching? 0:46:26.960 --> 0:46:29.200 Yeah, and it's hardest development. 0:46:29.320 --> 0:46:32.239 Yes, can you talk about that all entails because I 0:46:32.239 --> 0:46:34.000 don't think a lot of people know. Could you teach 0:46:34.600 --> 0:46:36.080 I had this this? 0:46:36.520 --> 0:46:38.840 Okay, you just didn't you? 0:46:38.920 --> 0:46:40.279 I got media coach? 0:46:40.840 --> 0:46:40.960 Uh? 0:46:43.520 --> 0:46:46.000 Did they not keep yourself in the mouth? 0:46:49.080 --> 0:46:50.040 Yeah, because I was. 0:46:50.160 --> 0:46:50.520 I was. 0:46:50.640 --> 0:46:53.680 I did this thing for NBC, uh Sunday morning and 0:46:53.760 --> 0:46:55.320 then immediately there afterwards. 0:46:59.719 --> 0:47:00.640 But they told the guy. 0:47:00.719 --> 0:47:01.680 He told me it did a good job. 0:47:01.719 --> 0:47:05.560 But it's it's a lot. I'll be honest with you guys. 0:47:06.560 --> 0:47:12.200 After episode ten, was like, nah, man, you say it 0:47:12.440 --> 0:47:14.239 too much like Obama. I'm gonna get you. You were 0:47:14.440 --> 0:47:16.960 you were, you were so like there was there was 0:47:16.960 --> 0:47:18.879 actually a point back then when I was editing out 0:47:18.920 --> 0:47:19.560 all of the us. 0:47:20.239 --> 0:47:22.680 Those are called fillers. I call those fillers. They're all 0:47:22.760 --> 0:47:26.960 part of natural conversation. But yeah, the overuse of it 0:47:27.160 --> 0:47:28.640 is like all of us. 0:47:28.800 --> 0:47:30.719 You know what I'm saying interesting because it's not a 0:47:30.800 --> 0:47:32.879 lot of media coaches. I'm like, dang, who'd you get 0:47:32.960 --> 0:47:33.439 great guy? 0:47:33.480 --> 0:47:33.680 Mother? 0:47:33.680 --> 0:47:35.800 Because really there's it's a handful of people who do. 0:47:35.880 --> 0:47:38.320 It's a very niche part of the industry, but I do. 0:47:38.520 --> 0:47:41.680 I call it artists development, human development with an emphasis 0:47:41.760 --> 0:47:44.400 on media. But for me, it's I get a lot 0:47:44.440 --> 0:47:47.719 of young artists, so I'm schooling them on what I 0:47:47.800 --> 0:47:50.000 feel are the rudiments of things they need to know. 0:47:50.560 --> 0:47:54.880 Going to Kanye's tea teach Kanye, Kanye, Kanye was one 0:47:54.880 --> 0:47:57.160 of your students. She had to lead that one too. Yeah, 0:47:58.120 --> 0:47:58.400 that was. 0:47:58.719 --> 0:47:58.960 That was. 0:47:59.239 --> 0:48:02.040 I was approached by Lee or Cohen called me directly 0:48:02.120 --> 0:48:05.759 after the Taylor Swift incident and asked me. He said, 0:48:05.840 --> 0:48:09.120 my friend needs help. Can you meet with Kanye. This 0:48:09.320 --> 0:48:11.600 was months after he had already gone to Hawaii he 0:48:11.760 --> 0:48:14.160 was recording. He came back and I met with him 0:48:14.160 --> 0:48:17.200 at his home in New York, and he really didn't well. 0:48:17.200 --> 0:48:19.919 First of all, I was approached to coach him when 0:48:20.080 --> 0:48:23.160 his first album was coming out, and he didn't want 0:48:23.160 --> 0:48:26.480 any coaching. And I ran into him someplace and I said, 0:48:26.520 --> 0:48:28.640 I was supposed to coach you. He says, Oh, I 0:48:28.719 --> 0:48:29.680 know how to handle the media. 0:48:29.680 --> 0:48:30.279 I know what to do. 0:48:30.440 --> 0:48:32.960 I got this. I don't need any any I was like, 0:48:33.120 --> 0:48:35.439 I'll do this back, brother, I love your music, piece 0:48:35.520 --> 0:48:38.440 and blessings. But later I went to his home and 0:48:38.480 --> 0:48:41.880 spent the afternoon with him and we talked about Taylor Swift. 0:48:41.960 --> 0:48:44.400 We talked about life in general. I took him a 0:48:44.480 --> 0:48:47.319 black obelisk and I gave that to him as a gift, 0:48:47.360 --> 0:48:48.839 and he was like, well, what is this? I said, 0:48:48.840 --> 0:48:51.480 it's an oblisk and it's Egyptian and you'll see it 0:48:51.560 --> 0:48:54.520 in Rome, and you'll see it in Europe, in South America, 0:48:54.600 --> 0:48:56.320 you'll see it everywhere. But it's Egyptian. 0:48:56.400 --> 0:48:57.560 I'm looking at up right now. 0:48:57.600 --> 0:49:02.800 The obliss. Yes, okay, d C. Washington Monument. 0:49:03.120 --> 0:49:08.279 Okay, Yeah, like symbol, it's a fact. 0:49:08.400 --> 0:49:10.680 But we wound up not working together. He really did 0:49:10.760 --> 0:49:12.480 not want it. It was le Or who wanted it 0:49:12.640 --> 0:49:14.520 for him and felt that he needed it. But Kanye 0:49:14.640 --> 0:49:19.320 is the type of artist you don't. He's yeah, you don't, right. 0:49:19.480 --> 0:49:20.680 All right, so can you give us? 0:49:20.920 --> 0:49:21.040 Uh? 0:49:22.160 --> 0:49:26.319 What do I do? Never does this? But I hope 0:49:26.320 --> 0:49:30.800 you do. Yeah, because even now I still feel like 0:49:30.840 --> 0:49:34.440 an amateur and doing this. We're gonna have to give 0:49:34.440 --> 0:49:35.399 her a check after we'd done. 0:49:35.440 --> 0:49:41.759 You know that, right, thank you. It's like a mere 0:49:41.800 --> 0:49:42.839 drum on my record for free. 0:49:43.480 --> 0:49:43.840 I do that. 0:49:44.040 --> 0:49:45.040 I never charged for drummy. 0:49:45.120 --> 0:49:46.799 Oh for really, you shouldn't have said that on the end. 0:49:46.840 --> 0:49:48.560 Come on, my son, I literally. 0:49:48.280 --> 0:49:50.400 Don't what do you whether is there something else you 0:49:50.520 --> 0:49:51.920 charge for walking in or not? 0:49:52.080 --> 0:49:55.479 I mean when you I'm at a place now where 0:49:56.200 --> 0:49:59.120 you know, like druman is my passion, DJing is my 0:49:59.200 --> 0:50:02.000 passion showing. Won't let me dj for free? But like 0:50:02.239 --> 0:50:04.160 you know, if I like the person, I'll drummer. And 0:50:04.320 --> 0:50:04.960 I think about it. 0:50:05.320 --> 0:50:07.359 Okay, what am I going to do with the two 0:50:07.400 --> 0:50:08.000 thousand bucks? 0:50:08.320 --> 0:50:19.359 Like, yeah, two thousand bucks for the average person, there's 0:50:19.360 --> 0:50:21.759 a whole lot of money in there. Thinking about it, 0:50:23.360 --> 0:50:23.920 I see. 0:50:23.719 --> 0:50:25.920 What he said. Let's also say that half of my 0:50:26.040 --> 0:50:27.800 salary and this show is going to the staff. 0:50:27.920 --> 0:50:30.680 So I'm huge just saying. 0:50:30.760 --> 0:50:32.799 I like, for you, that would not be a lot 0:50:32.840 --> 0:50:34.759 of money, but to the person that's giving it, it 0:50:34.840 --> 0:50:36.880 would be a lot. So it's like, yeah, I just 0:50:36.960 --> 0:50:39.759 keep your money. Yeah, I get I'm saying, But so, 0:50:39.880 --> 0:50:41.880 what would be a better way Deanna to clean that up? 0:50:45.800 --> 0:50:46.560 It's already done. 0:50:46.920 --> 0:50:48.800 Diana worked with t I since the beginning, so I 0:50:48.920 --> 0:50:51.200 know you know how to clean after the fact as well. 0:50:52.120 --> 0:50:55.520 It's different with every artist. It's different. I tailor. I 0:50:55.560 --> 0:50:58.080 have a program. I call it the influence system, and 0:50:58.480 --> 0:51:01.760 it's influenced, meaning the ability to prevail upon the thoughts 0:51:01.800 --> 0:51:05.520 and feelings of others, and that's what artists do. And 0:51:05.600 --> 0:51:07.520 I don't just work with artists. I've also worked with 0:51:07.600 --> 0:51:11.759 athletes like Alan Iverson, heavyweight boxer Roy Jones Junior. I 0:51:11.840 --> 0:51:14.680 worked with executives. I worked with Michael Vick as well 0:51:14.760 --> 0:51:16.960 when he came out of prison, and that was t 0:51:17.160 --> 0:51:19.840 I called me one day and had Michael Vick on 0:51:19.880 --> 0:51:23.400 the phone and said, Deanna is my person. You need 0:51:23.480 --> 0:51:26.640 to get with Deanna. But Michael was not very happy 0:51:26.680 --> 0:51:29.600 when he came out of jail because everybody kept asking 0:51:29.640 --> 0:51:32.520 about the dog fighting and he was like, look, I 0:51:32.640 --> 0:51:34.680 just served two years in jail. I don't want to 0:51:34.719 --> 0:51:37.359 talk about this anymore. And I was like, Michael, let 0:51:37.400 --> 0:51:40.040 me bring you to reality. You will be talking about 0:51:40.080 --> 0:51:42.759 this for the rest of your life. It doesn't matter 0:51:42.880 --> 0:51:45.200 even though you went to prison. This is part of 0:51:45.280 --> 0:51:48.040 your story now. And you know people are very attached 0:51:48.040 --> 0:51:51.560 to their dogs, and you were involved in the situation. 0:51:53.680 --> 0:51:54.440 I hate dogs. 0:51:54.600 --> 0:52:05.200 People. One of the many so different people Taylor, for instance, 0:52:05.280 --> 0:52:08.120 I'll give you the Little Kim story. So Little Kim 0:52:08.840 --> 0:52:12.160 was on the red carpet and Howard Stern asked her 0:52:12.320 --> 0:52:15.279 what was it like to have sex with a big, fat, 0:52:15.400 --> 0:52:17.400 ugly guy like big and small. 0:52:17.880 --> 0:52:19.240 Now Kim is from the Brooks. 0:52:20.360 --> 0:52:22.960 She wanted she just wanted to fight him, but she 0:52:23.120 --> 0:52:24.719 was on the red carpet. It was I think the 0:52:24.880 --> 0:52:28.400 MTV Music Awards, and so she kept it moving, but 0:52:28.480 --> 0:52:31.040 she was very upset, very angry. At this time. She 0:52:31.160 --> 0:52:33.200 was signed to Atlantic a little later and they said, 0:52:33.480 --> 0:52:36.040 you have to do Howard Stern. This is when he 0:52:36.120 --> 0:52:40.080 was still doing terrestrial radio before Sirius XM. And Kim 0:52:40.160 --> 0:52:41.879 didn't want to do it, and they said, okay, we've 0:52:41.920 --> 0:52:45.080 got the perfect person to help prep you for the 0:52:45.200 --> 0:52:48.800 interview with Howard Stern. I went to the Trump Tower. 0:52:49.520 --> 0:52:51.720 She was getting her face beat at five in the morning, 0:52:52.280 --> 0:52:55.120 and we sat and worked on how to approach Howard, 0:52:55.560 --> 0:52:58.960 what to say me anticipating the questions that he would 0:52:58.960 --> 0:53:02.560 ask her, and and also I protected her. I was like, 0:53:02.880 --> 0:53:05.440 if we're not going to let him ask you about Biggie, 0:53:05.840 --> 0:53:10.160 you're going to bring up Biggie before he does, providing 0:53:10.360 --> 0:53:13.360 control the narrative and providing the strategy and how we 0:53:13.480 --> 0:53:15.480 were going to deal with that. So very early in 0:53:15.520 --> 0:53:18.320 the interview, she says to Howard, you know you and 0:53:18.440 --> 0:53:20.520 Biggie would have been boys. I think y'all would have 0:53:20.560 --> 0:53:23.239 been friends. And he says, really, like, why why do 0:53:23.320 --> 0:53:25.920 you say that? And she said, because you have a 0:53:25.960 --> 0:53:28.560 big personality, and so did it big and I could 0:53:28.600 --> 0:53:30.920 see the two of you being boys. So at that 0:53:31.080 --> 0:53:35.000 point she disarmed him. Yeah, he did not say anything 0:53:35.080 --> 0:53:37.840 negative about him, and that was her concern because she 0:53:37.960 --> 0:53:39.960 was like, if he attacks my man one more time, 0:53:40.480 --> 0:53:42.759 we're going to be fighting up in that studio. And 0:53:43.640 --> 0:53:46.320 she just took control of the interview and the narrative 0:53:46.680 --> 0:53:50.719 and she just had Howard Stern purring and in the 0:53:50.840 --> 0:53:54.719 palm of her hand. That's because we prepared for him. 0:53:55.080 --> 0:53:57.640 In fact, on that particular album, she had done a 0:53:57.800 --> 0:54:01.160 song where she shouted him out and she said, Howard, 0:54:01.600 --> 0:54:04.719 you paid the way for me as an artist who 0:54:04.719 --> 0:54:08.640 deals with sexual issues. You paid the way with your 0:54:08.760 --> 0:54:12.120 fights with the FCC, talking about sex all of that. 0:54:12.280 --> 0:54:16.680 So Howard, thank you. That is part of how we prepped. 0:54:16.960 --> 0:54:18.719 And when we left, I was in the green room, 0:54:19.080 --> 0:54:22.200 Kim came in, hugged me high five. She was happy 0:54:22.280 --> 0:54:26.360 with the results. Atlantic was happy. She was pleased Howard also, 0:54:27.360 --> 0:54:31.120 So yeah, so it depends when Charlie Wilson came out 0:54:31.160 --> 0:54:34.600 of rehab. I worked with him on how to talk 0:54:34.680 --> 0:54:41.280 about the rehab experience and his path moving forward. Usher 0:54:41.840 --> 0:54:44.839 I only worked with him on he wanted to talk 0:54:44.880 --> 0:54:51.560 about being dyslexic. He had never discussed it publicly. Yeah, 0:54:52.080 --> 0:54:54.799 and that's what we worked on. He was a big 0:54:54.880 --> 0:54:56.719 star at the point where I worked with him, So 0:54:56.880 --> 0:55:00.279 it varies. But I also work with new up and 0:55:00.360 --> 0:55:03.400 coming emerging artists, and they don't know anything about how 0:55:03.440 --> 0:55:06.600 to go to radio, how to go to television, they 0:55:06.640 --> 0:55:08.640 don't know. They know how to create, they know how 0:55:08.680 --> 0:55:12.080 to perform, but oftentimes they can't talk about what they do. 0:55:12.560 --> 0:55:15.120 So back to your question, there was a woman at 0:55:15.160 --> 0:55:20.400 Motown named Missus Powell, Missus Maxine Powell. She did the 0:55:20.560 --> 0:55:25.280 artist development at Motown and Barry Gordy, right, Barry Gordy's 0:55:25.320 --> 0:55:28.800 sisters recommended her because she had an etiquette charm school 0:55:28.960 --> 0:55:32.279 in Detroit and prepared people to be models and what 0:55:32.800 --> 0:55:35.640 have you. But remember many of the artists that Barry 0:55:35.680 --> 0:55:38.600 Gordy signed out of Motown came straight from the hood, 0:55:38.719 --> 0:55:41.880 from the projects, and they didn't know which fork to use. 0:55:42.360 --> 0:55:46.320 They didn't have any idea of what to expect especially 0:55:46.480 --> 0:55:49.400 with Barry taking them all over the world. So Missus 0:55:49.480 --> 0:55:53.440 Powell prepped them, so I consider her the mother of 0:55:54.160 --> 0:55:58.640 artist development and coaching. And then Suzanne DePass came in 0:55:58.840 --> 0:56:03.080 later and took over from Missus Powell, and she worked 0:56:03.120 --> 0:56:07.400 on prepping the Jackson five specifically, So I also credit 0:56:07.800 --> 0:56:11.880 Suzanne to pass as being another mother of artist development. 0:56:12.200 --> 0:56:13.839 So I studied everything that they did. 0:56:14.239 --> 0:56:21.480 Who do you feel your greatest student was. I'm really 0:56:21.480 --> 0:56:27.400 impressed with Yeah, that's where he got. I'm very impressed with. 0:56:28.920 --> 0:56:31.120 Tip. But I give Tip a lot of credit. I mean, 0:56:31.160 --> 0:56:34.400 he we worked together for eight years. Anytime he released 0:56:34.440 --> 0:56:38.960 a record, anytime he did a book, a film, TV show, whatever, 0:56:39.120 --> 0:56:41.920 he would call me go to Atlanta to his home. 0:56:41.960 --> 0:56:43.520 We would lock up, or I'd go on the road 0:56:43.520 --> 0:56:46.279 wherever he was and we would sit lock up talk 0:56:47.320 --> 0:56:50.120 and just what I do what I did with Tip 0:56:50.200 --> 0:56:52.959 is I would give him language and thoughts. I would 0:56:53.040 --> 0:56:55.879 let him talk to me first express how he felt 0:56:55.920 --> 0:56:58.200 about whatever it was, the music, the book, the film, 0:56:58.680 --> 0:57:01.160 and then I would give a some language and ways 0:57:01.239 --> 0:57:03.319 to discuss what he had done. 0:57:03.440 --> 0:57:06.520 Because you're also proud of the Dave Matthews work too, right, 0:57:06.719 --> 0:57:07.759 But I didn't work with Dave. 0:57:07.800 --> 0:57:10.479 I worked with the band. I worked with the rest 0:57:10.520 --> 0:57:14.239 of the band. Yes, they do talk. And this was 0:57:14.320 --> 0:57:17.200 in preparation for the Sunday Morning show that you did 0:57:17.600 --> 0:57:19.840 CBS Sunday Morning. They were doing a special one of 0:57:19.880 --> 0:57:23.760 their members had died in a tragic accent. Remember that 0:57:24.480 --> 0:57:27.400 they did not know how to talk about the passing 0:57:27.480 --> 0:57:30.080 of their member even with each other. They had not 0:57:30.320 --> 0:57:33.920 discussed the death with each other. So when I came in, 0:57:34.280 --> 0:57:40.000 I've met with the members individually and then collectively. So yeah, 0:57:40.320 --> 0:57:41.160 and so it varies. 0:57:41.320 --> 0:57:43.520 What is something that you would say to an artist 0:57:43.640 --> 0:57:48.400 that is an absolutely like talking dues and don'ts of 0:57:48.680 --> 0:57:50.840 interviewing or whatever. What are the things that you would 0:57:50.840 --> 0:57:53.120 say to artists like okay, absolutely, like do not. 0:57:53.280 --> 0:57:56.680 Do this, Yeah, don't be on your phone, don't be disrespectful, 0:57:56.760 --> 0:58:00.400 don't make do not not make eye contact. First of all, 0:58:00.440 --> 0:58:03.560 I encourage my clients to do their homework, just like 0:58:03.680 --> 0:58:06.280 I did with you, guys. I read up on you individually. 0:58:07.480 --> 0:58:08.600 No, what did you find on. 0:58:10.920 --> 0:58:13.520 You know, I'm scared, No, nothing to be scared of. 0:58:14.080 --> 0:58:16.360 But you know, you do your homework. That's the beginning. 0:58:16.400 --> 0:58:18.720 And that's the first tenant that I teach his preparation. 0:58:19.240 --> 0:58:21.320 So do your homework, know where you're going, know who 0:58:21.360 --> 0:58:25.320 you're speaking with. I'll listen to what they've done. If 0:58:25.360 --> 0:58:28.280 they're a print journalist, read something they've written. So I 0:58:28.360 --> 0:58:30.560 give them basic humnn ectquette and respect. 0:58:31.200 --> 0:58:31.920 So how do you did? 0:58:31.960 --> 0:58:34.280 You pretty much prepare for your first meeting with a 0:58:34.320 --> 0:58:36.240 client the same way you do. You do your research, 0:58:36.280 --> 0:58:39.000 you know, find out everything, you watch old interviews and 0:58:39.160 --> 0:58:40.520 like do you come up with like a list of 0:58:40.840 --> 0:58:42.520 you know, I saw this interview, I didn't like what 0:58:42.640 --> 0:58:43.080 you said here. 0:58:43.600 --> 0:58:46.120 Yeah, I'll sit with them. It depends on how many 0:58:46.240 --> 0:58:49.880 interviews they've done. Some artists i'll sit For instance, bow 0:58:49.960 --> 0:58:53.040 Wow bow Wow started, as you know, as a teenager. 0:58:53.800 --> 0:58:57.480 Chat He started as a teenager, and by the time 0:58:58.520 --> 0:59:01.200 his mother, who was his managed and his publicist, Patty 0:59:01.240 --> 0:59:04.720 Webster at the time, brought me in. He was angry 0:59:05.080 --> 0:59:08.640 with Jermaine Dupree and every interview that he was doing 0:59:08.720 --> 0:59:12.840 he was hostile, angry, upset, and so they brought me 0:59:12.960 --> 0:59:15.960 in to calm him down and to give him a 0:59:16.040 --> 0:59:19.800 way to express his disappointment and his love for Jermaine 0:59:20.200 --> 0:59:22.560 so initially he was like, I don't need I'm a star, 0:59:22.680 --> 0:59:25.200 I don't need any coaching. The very first time I 0:59:25.240 --> 0:59:27.880 went to his home and he just wasn't in the 0:59:27.920 --> 0:59:30.360 frame of mind. So I won't work with someone if 0:59:30.400 --> 0:59:34.360 they're not willing, if they're not open to the process, 0:59:34.960 --> 0:59:38.720 and so I left. However, the next time I saw 0:59:38.800 --> 0:59:41.000 him was up at the Sony Building, and when I 0:59:41.080 --> 0:59:42.880 got off the elevator, he was standing there and he 0:59:43.080 --> 0:59:45.160 ran away. I never had a man run away from me. 0:59:47.960 --> 0:59:51.720 But when he came back, I said, give me fifteen minutes, 0:59:52.000 --> 0:59:55.720 fifteen minutes and then you can leave. And I had 0:59:55.840 --> 0:59:59.080 ordered all of his interviews, and we sat and watched 0:59:59.200 --> 1:00:02.040 his interviews, and I said, all we're gonna do today 1:00:02.600 --> 1:00:04.840 is count how many times you say you know what 1:00:04.960 --> 1:00:07.560 I mean, you know what I'm saying, and then. 1:00:09.760 --> 1:00:10.960 Watch a video of yourself. 1:00:11.400 --> 1:00:11.800 There you go. 1:00:12.880 --> 1:00:14.680 Because when I did the media training, he made me 1:00:14.840 --> 1:00:18.440 watch me. He filmed me having an interview with this guy, 1:00:18.520 --> 1:00:21.480 and then we watched it, and it's really uncomfortable and 1:00:21.520 --> 1:00:23.360 it's really hard to watch yourself. And then you stop 1:00:23.440 --> 1:00:25.840 because I kept on like not dropping my eyes and 1:00:25.920 --> 1:00:27.720 like playing with my hands and looking like an idiot, 1:00:27.720 --> 1:00:28.960 and I was like, oh, I look like an idiot. 1:00:29.240 --> 1:00:33.840 Yeah yeah, So watching yourself, hearing yourself you're absolutely correct, 1:00:34.320 --> 1:00:37.440 allows you to. But Rome wasn't built in a day, 1:00:37.640 --> 1:00:41.360 so you don't change overnight. But mindfulness, being aware of 1:00:41.480 --> 1:00:44.080 your tics, of your body language, of your lack of 1:00:44.200 --> 1:00:47.880 eye contact, whatever it is, So studying it, if you 1:00:48.040 --> 1:00:52.280 really applying yourself, will help. So that day we watch, 1:00:52.400 --> 1:00:54.200 I said, just count. That's all I want you to 1:00:54.280 --> 1:00:55.800 do is count how many times you say you know 1:00:55.880 --> 1:00:57.720 what I mean, you know what I'm saying. And of 1:00:57.800 --> 1:01:00.680 course when he counted up to about fifty after watching 1:01:00.760 --> 1:01:05.600 all of these things, that was right minutes, he turns 1:01:05.640 --> 1:01:09.000 around and says, okay, Deanna help me. He recognized at 1:01:09.000 --> 1:01:10.840 that point that he had a problem and an issue, 1:01:11.120 --> 1:01:15.200 and he was amenable to the process issues. 1:01:16.640 --> 1:01:19.920 Valid question, Yes, how did you get into doing this? 1:01:20.480 --> 1:01:22.760 Well, my background is radio. As I said, I started, 1:01:26.480 --> 1:01:28.320 what was the is it? 1:01:28.400 --> 1:01:33.600 Because rappers are known as rappers. 1:01:33.720 --> 1:01:36.400 I've worked with heavy metal artists. I've worked with pop 1:01:36.560 --> 1:01:39.080 artist I mean, I worked with Justin Bieber on his 1:01:39.200 --> 1:01:42.600 first album. I worked with Rihanna on her very first album. 1:01:42.920 --> 1:01:47.160 So I've worked with artists and all genres. Yeah, we all, 1:01:47.960 --> 1:01:52.480 I mean we all need help you. Influence Entertainment is 1:01:52.600 --> 1:01:54.720 my company, and it is me. I am the one 1:01:54.760 --> 1:01:57.720 that does the coaching. People are hiring me for my 1:01:57.800 --> 1:02:02.000 expertise and my ability and must success getting people to 1:02:02.080 --> 1:02:06.160 be better. I am about inspiration. I am constantly drawing 1:02:06.240 --> 1:02:11.479 inspiration everywhere, and I like helping people be their best 1:02:11.880 --> 1:02:13.400 because that's what I aspired to be. 1:02:13.640 --> 1:02:16.600 But follow up on what Bill said. What was the 1:02:16.760 --> 1:02:18.680 moment though, god mother, because even I don't know when 1:02:18.680 --> 1:02:19.720 you were like, I'm. 1:02:19.760 --> 1:02:22.280 Going to do this all right? So I was managing 1:02:22.360 --> 1:02:27.720 an artist named Gary Taylor. He's a songwriter, just gets 1:02:27.760 --> 1:02:31.880 better with That's right exactly. I was managing asshole Gary. 1:02:41.160 --> 1:02:52.040 Gets the fact that in the coolest manner, I'm just being. 1:02:54.440 --> 1:02:56.240 Yeah, I. 1:02:59.720 --> 1:03:00.320 Want to be your friend. 1:03:00.760 --> 1:03:01.600 Okay, we can work. 1:03:03.880 --> 1:03:04.560 Yeah, that's right. 1:03:04.640 --> 1:03:07.640 I offered to appreciate your wedding. I've officiated two weddings, 1:03:08.360 --> 1:03:10.480 so yeah, well, well. 1:03:12.680 --> 1:03:13.360 Get married. 1:03:14.840 --> 1:03:20.640 A ride or die ceremony, not to get meiciate our rider. 1:03:22.320 --> 1:03:22.480 Yeah. 1:03:23.280 --> 1:03:29.520 So where were we helped me? Although you know I 1:03:29.520 --> 1:03:31.760 will tell you. So I managed him and I got 1:03:31.840 --> 1:03:34.760 dragged into managing I don't like management. It's just not 1:03:35.080 --> 1:03:38.320 my skill set is not you did Carol. I managed 1:03:38.400 --> 1:03:42.120 Carol Ritick as well Philadelphia's own Carol Ritick. But with Gary, 1:03:42.320 --> 1:03:44.680 it was just hard talking with him. In fact, we 1:03:44.760 --> 1:03:47.720 were in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the back of his limousine 1:03:48.960 --> 1:03:51.360 on a promo tour. We couldn't afford a road manager 1:03:51.560 --> 1:03:53.920 road manager, so I went out with him and he 1:03:54.160 --> 1:03:57.560 was so difficult the entire trip. And I said to him, 1:03:57.600 --> 1:04:00.320 you know, Gary, you write these great love songs. Part 1:04:00.360 --> 1:04:03.280 of your problem is you you need good love. 1:04:03.440 --> 1:04:04.240 You need some loving. 1:04:04.800 --> 1:04:07.640 You need somebody to you really. 1:04:07.480 --> 1:04:10.720 Do, because you're lacking asshole. 1:04:12.080 --> 1:04:14.600 And you're an asshole. And you know how, He goes 1:04:14.680 --> 1:04:16.320 to the record label says, I don't want to work 1:04:16.320 --> 1:04:19.080 with her anymore. She reminds me of my ex wife 1:04:19.360 --> 1:04:22.880 all stuff. I'm like, okay, well, I don't want to 1:04:22.920 --> 1:04:25.320 work with you either. And furthermore, here's the number four, 1:04:25.840 --> 1:04:33.240 not a psychologist, but a psychiatristic medicine. And then my 1:04:33.360 --> 1:04:36.080 partner at the time plays a tape for me. Gary 1:04:36.200 --> 1:04:39.560 sent this to you. He wants to make up. And 1:04:40.000 --> 1:04:43.840 she puts a cassette in the car and it's Anita Baker. 1:04:44.480 --> 1:04:45.800 Good Love Wow. 1:04:46.360 --> 1:04:50.640 And he wrote the song inspired by me telling him 1:04:51.080 --> 1:04:52.960 because in the song he says, I want to know 1:04:53.120 --> 1:04:57.080 what good love feels like, good love, good love, good 1:04:57.240 --> 1:05:01.120 morning to night. So yeah, Gary Taylor, but he was 1:05:01.200 --> 1:05:04.360 signed to Virgin Music. I'm sorry Virgin. 1:05:04.440 --> 1:05:04.600 Yes. 1:05:04.840 --> 1:05:06.320 And the woman who was the head of the Black 1:05:06.400 --> 1:05:09.760 music division, Sharon Haywood, why. 1:05:09.640 --> 1:05:10.040 Do I know that? 1:05:12.480 --> 1:05:13.520 Yes, yeah, I think that. 1:05:17.680 --> 1:05:20.880 Encyclopedia. Sharon Haywood takes me to lunch one day and 1:05:21.000 --> 1:05:25.120 she says, this is after the Gary Taylor debacle. She says, 1:05:25.400 --> 1:05:28.360 you get along with artists, you overstand them. Well, I 1:05:28.480 --> 1:05:30.280 use the word overstand. She said, you get them, they 1:05:30.360 --> 1:05:33.440 get you. You should do artist development. I have never 1:05:33.600 --> 1:05:37.200 considered it until that day when Sharon says to me, 1:05:37.320 --> 1:05:40.480 you should do that. And I was like, my first 1:05:40.600 --> 1:05:43.960 job Jimmy jam and Terry Lewis. I worked with a 1:05:44.000 --> 1:06:01.800 group called Solo, So Jimmy and Terry Vertical hold Stone, 1:06:02.680 --> 1:06:04.520 and my third was D'Angelo. 1:06:04.920 --> 1:06:05.160 Wow. 1:06:05.360 --> 1:06:07.600 I coached D'Angelo. He was my third artist and he 1:06:07.720 --> 1:06:12.919 remains to this day my most precious person. Yes, yeah, 1:06:13.600 --> 1:06:16.200 so that's how it started twenty five years ago. So 1:06:16.240 --> 1:06:18.240 I've been coaching twenty five years. 1:06:22.640 --> 1:06:26.680 Wait, we didn't even bring up the origins of black music. 1:06:28.680 --> 1:06:30.440 We skipped the seventies, but we went in the seventies. 1:06:30.880 --> 1:06:34.400 Let's go back in time. Okay, So you are the proprietor, 1:06:34.480 --> 1:06:36.480 the inventor of black music. 1:06:36.320 --> 1:06:41.040 Month Gamble Okay, ed wright myself. 1:06:41.320 --> 1:06:44.960 So why did you feel that it was necessary? And 1:06:45.120 --> 1:06:48.040 when when was it first officiated? 1:06:48.160 --> 1:06:51.840 Or nineteen nineteen seventy eight nine? We went to the 1:06:51.880 --> 1:06:54.840 White House, We petitioned the White House to President Jimmy 1:06:54.880 --> 1:07:00.720 Carter was in the House. White, Yeah, black music then, yes, Georgia, 1:07:01.200 --> 1:07:05.480 Georgia Farmer and so Gamble had gone to Nashville and 1:07:05.720 --> 1:07:09.200 was very impressed with Music City and the power of 1:07:09.320 --> 1:07:12.440 the CMA and what they were doing. They literally had 1:07:12.640 --> 1:07:16.960 established a geographic region and made music the core of 1:07:17.120 --> 1:07:19.800 what was going on there. So he said, we need 1:07:19.880 --> 1:07:22.440 to do that in the black music industry. So that 1:07:22.600 --> 1:07:25.680 was the beginning of the BMA, the Black Music Association, 1:07:26.320 --> 1:07:28.880 And part of that endeavor was to have a period 1:07:28.920 --> 1:07:32.560 of time where we celebrate the outstanding contributions of people 1:07:32.800 --> 1:07:36.960 in the past, this generation and ones coming up. So 1:07:37.200 --> 1:07:40.800 it was really Gamble's Brainchild, and then you know, we 1:07:40.880 --> 1:07:42.800 were together at the time, I think we were on 1:07:43.240 --> 1:07:46.840 baby number two. We'd been together for years and there 1:07:46.880 --> 1:07:51.000 were local chapters established around the country. But what happened 1:07:51.080 --> 1:07:53.240 was some years later when I was producing I am 1:07:53.400 --> 1:07:57.080 that you referenced earlier mire the International Association of African 1:07:57.120 --> 1:08:02.200 American Music, which was it is a non UH, non 1:08:02.320 --> 1:08:07.160 membership advocacy organization dedicated to the preservation promotion of black 1:08:07.280 --> 1:08:13.120 music worldwide. So I wrote President Bill Clinton asking him 1:08:13.200 --> 1:08:16.000 to host a reception very similar to what Jimmy Carter 1:08:16.080 --> 1:08:18.840 had done on the White House lawn where we had 1:08:18.960 --> 1:08:22.000 Evelyn King and tons of people. I want to do 1:08:22.040 --> 1:08:25.880 to break down that date, took some historic photos Ronla, 1:08:27.760 --> 1:08:32.160 Evelyn Champagne, King Berry, Chuck Berry was there as well. 1:08:32.720 --> 1:08:34.600 Williams was there. It was an interesting. 1:08:36.479 --> 1:08:53.599 I felt Williams Rezai yeah, yeah, yeah, it's. 1:08:53.439 --> 1:08:54.240 Got to be the same guy. 1:08:54.800 --> 1:08:55.000 Yeah. 1:08:55.640 --> 1:08:58.280 So anyway, I went to Clinton. I wrote the White 1:08:58.320 --> 1:09:00.920 House and asked them to hold us some reception, and 1:09:01.040 --> 1:09:03.400 they said, well, we see where Jimmy Carter held this 1:09:03.560 --> 1:09:06.200 reception back in the seventies, but he did not sign 1:09:06.240 --> 1:09:10.320 a presidential proclamation. So just go get some legislation, come 1:09:10.439 --> 1:09:12.880 back to us, and we'll do stuff in the White 1:09:12.920 --> 1:09:16.439 House and recognize June Black Music Month. So it took 1:09:16.479 --> 1:09:19.920 me a few years. I had Senator Arlen Spector, who 1:09:20.040 --> 1:09:23.880 was a Republican from Pennsylvania. I had Congressman Shaka Fatah. 1:09:24.400 --> 1:09:27.120 I literally put my most comfortable pair of shoes, not 1:09:27.240 --> 1:09:30.040 these manolos, and walked around. 1:09:33.720 --> 1:09:38.519 Capitol Hill and petitioned and bagued and you know, brought 1:09:38.600 --> 1:09:41.160 statistics about the power of black music. 1:09:41.160 --> 1:09:45.679 That we're a multi billion dollar entity, not just feel good. 1:09:46.439 --> 1:09:50.559 You know, it's a business, it's an economy. And took 1:09:50.600 --> 1:09:54.479 a few years, but we got legislation passed saying June 1:09:55.120 --> 1:09:58.080 is Black Music Month. And then I went back to 1:09:58.160 --> 1:10:01.360 the White House. And at that point I had several 1:10:01.479 --> 1:10:05.080 private meetings in the Oval Office with Bill Clinton and 1:10:05.240 --> 1:10:09.640 took delegations of people in the industry, artist as well 1:10:09.680 --> 1:10:14.920 as executives to the White House. And so yeah, so 1:10:15.120 --> 1:10:19.160 Gamble and I and we worked together even after we separated. 1:10:19.320 --> 1:10:21.880 We are partners in life. We have three kids, we 1:10:21.960 --> 1:10:24.960 have a grandson. He's the head of my family, the 1:10:25.040 --> 1:10:27.960 love of my life. And this was part of our 1:10:28.000 --> 1:10:31.320 mission in our work. We are about making people aware 1:10:31.960 --> 1:10:37.720 of black music and its potency not just economically, but 1:10:37.880 --> 1:10:42.040 how it informs everything and everybody change your life. 1:10:44.320 --> 1:10:47.880 How about that I want to ask you was in 1:10:48.000 --> 1:10:50.000 regards to unsung because that was how I first came 1:10:50.120 --> 1:10:52.639 about your work, and I told you about it when 1:10:52.640 --> 1:10:55.559 we were speaking last night. How I just kept seeing 1:10:55.600 --> 1:10:58.000 you pop up in every unsung and I was like, Wow, 1:10:58.040 --> 1:11:01.040 I gotta figure out who she is. Yes, she was 1:11:01.080 --> 1:11:01.760 the Unsung lady. 1:11:01.800 --> 1:11:02.320 That was really well. 1:11:02.360 --> 1:11:03.760 I was like, oh, yeah, that's the Unsung lady. 1:11:03.920 --> 1:11:06.720 So when we first met at World Cafe Live after 1:11:06.920 --> 1:11:10.040 Things after Foreign Shange show and Nick brought you backstage, 1:11:10.080 --> 1:11:11.280 I was like, oh it's done, Sung lady. 1:11:11.320 --> 1:11:14.160 Oh shit, so one thing, yeah. 1:11:15.760 --> 1:11:21.360 Right, so it's even crazy one thing and every unsung 1:11:21.560 --> 1:11:26.280 like every every storyline and unsung is and then hip 1:11:26.320 --> 1:11:29.240 hop they were doing so great and then hip hop. 1:11:29.600 --> 1:11:35.000 So what were your personal feelings and when rap started, 1:11:35.120 --> 1:11:38.479 you know, dominating? Uh, what was your personal feelings on 1:11:38.760 --> 1:11:42.640 on rap music and how did you make that transition? 1:11:43.120 --> 1:11:45.840 Whereas maybe some of your other peers was just like, ah, 1:11:45.960 --> 1:11:49.000 this is this is bullshit. You seem just from you know, 1:11:49.080 --> 1:11:52.200 our conversations, you seem to be really open to not 1:11:52.400 --> 1:11:55.960 just working with rappers, but also just really embracing the 1:11:56.040 --> 1:11:59.000 culture and you know, and accepting it. 1:11:59.160 --> 1:12:00.479 So what was like for you. 1:12:00.800 --> 1:12:03.960 I grew up in the Boogie Dann Bronx. I come 1:12:04.080 --> 1:12:10.080 from where rap music was born, and furthermore, growing up 1:12:10.280 --> 1:12:13.799 in the late sixties seventies in New York in Harlem. 1:12:14.120 --> 1:12:17.120 Who did I hear? I heard the last poets. I 1:12:17.240 --> 1:12:18.360 heard the last poets. 1:12:18.479 --> 1:12:20.559 And for folks who are not up on the last poets, 1:12:21.320 --> 1:12:24.080 listen to them and you will hear the seeds, the. 1:12:24.200 --> 1:12:27.160 Beginnings Nikki Giovanni. 1:12:28.479 --> 1:12:30.960 That's what I grew up on, in addition to hearing 1:12:31.760 --> 1:12:34.599 rap in the Bronx and then of course the Sugar 1:12:34.680 --> 1:12:35.160 Hill Gang. 1:12:35.760 --> 1:12:40.200 That was revolutionary. So I embraced it, and as it evolved, 1:12:40.600 --> 1:12:44.000 as a rap evolved, I kept up with it. 1:12:44.600 --> 1:12:46.760 And a lot of the people that I worked with 1:12:47.040 --> 1:12:49.640 in the industry came out of rap. They came out 1:12:49.680 --> 1:12:52.280 of that, so it was never difficult for me. And 1:12:52.320 --> 1:12:54.680 as far as Unsung is concerned, it started in two 1:12:54.720 --> 1:12:55.400 thousand and eight. 1:12:56.120 --> 1:13:00.240 The first season was the Donnie Hathaway Phyllis High, then 1:13:00.360 --> 1:13:03.360 the Clark Sisters. I didn't do the Clark sisters, but 1:13:03.439 --> 1:13:05.320 I did the other ones. Well. First of all, I 1:13:05.360 --> 1:13:08.640 knew Philip Symon, I'd met Donnie Hathaway. I played his 1:13:08.840 --> 1:13:13.120 music from the beginning of him releasing music. So oftentimes 1:13:13.200 --> 1:13:16.519 in these stories that are shared on UNSUNG, I have 1:13:16.680 --> 1:13:19.040 first hand knowledge of these people, and I'm able and 1:13:19.120 --> 1:13:20.280 many of them my friends. 1:13:20.520 --> 1:13:22.800 Philip Symon was there, Mr. She was there to year 1:13:22.840 --> 1:13:24.840 you intern and I am. Do you remember that? Do 1:13:24.840 --> 1:13:26.599 you remember seeing Philip Symon walking around? 1:13:27.640 --> 1:13:30.880 I remember, yes, that was ninety one. 1:13:31.120 --> 1:13:33.000 Yeah, ninety one is when we did the first I 1:13:33.120 --> 1:13:36.920 AM celebration. Yeah, what were your remembrances? What are your 1:13:36.960 --> 1:13:39.960 recollections of me in ninety one? Amir umm? 1:13:40.400 --> 1:13:46.720 Because I was frantic to see everything I learned early. Well, 1:13:46.920 --> 1:13:50.200 now I kind of make the I always used the 1:13:50.640 --> 1:13:55.560 Ray Kroc Ronald McDonald example of Ray Kroc is the 1:13:55.960 --> 1:14:00.960 power behind the movement, whereas people knew Ronald McDonald and 1:14:01.040 --> 1:14:03.120 think that he runs McDonald's, but it's really the person 1:14:03.200 --> 1:14:06.960 in power. So I knew you were the person in power. 1:14:07.560 --> 1:14:13.080 And I've just always been one to observe from afar. 1:14:13.680 --> 1:14:15.200 So I was about to say, this is. 1:14:15.200 --> 1:14:18.599 Probably the most we've ever been in a room together 1:14:19.520 --> 1:14:24.439 speaking in our decade's history. 1:14:24.880 --> 1:14:27.040 So usually. 1:14:32.439 --> 1:14:33.680 Hands down, you scare the ship out. 1:14:39.479 --> 1:14:40.120 No, I. 1:14:41.720 --> 1:14:46.640 Study people. I'm getting truth be told. I'm working on that. 1:14:46.960 --> 1:14:53.320 I'm so insular and in my shell that I don't 1:14:53.960 --> 1:14:58.120 even with Stevie one. I mean, they're they're luminaries who like, hey, 1:14:58.200 --> 1:14:59.680 let's go out to dinner, let's hang it. I'm like, 1:15:00.040 --> 1:15:00.400 I'm cool. 1:15:00.479 --> 1:15:00.880 I'm cool. 1:15:01.840 --> 1:15:03.680 I've been that way for a long time. I'm just 1:15:03.840 --> 1:15:09.320 slowly getting out of that that that that Rapunzel protective 1:15:09.400 --> 1:15:10.280 phase of my life. 1:15:10.920 --> 1:15:14.080 So but no, back then, I. 1:15:15.880 --> 1:15:17.680 Used it for everything it was worth. I mean I 1:15:17.840 --> 1:15:20.479 made I think that was the day that I became 1:15:20.640 --> 1:15:26.040 friends with Chuck and Hank Uh Chuck d and Hank 1:15:26.120 --> 1:15:28.840 Shockley of Public Enemy Public. 1:15:29.400 --> 1:15:35.200 I am yeah, oh really I was off. Yeah, okay, yeah. 1:15:36.000 --> 1:15:38.040 I tried to explain that because Meir, you like what 1:15:38.160 --> 1:15:40.920 every year I am, you like evolved and matriculated like 1:15:41.000 --> 1:15:43.439 you was intern one year, then I remember you did 1:15:43.560 --> 1:15:45.760 like the Showcase. Another year you went the Roots. Yeah, 1:15:45.800 --> 1:15:47.400 and then next year you did a tribute to like 1:15:47.520 --> 1:15:48.400 Jazzy Jeff or something. 1:15:48.479 --> 1:15:48.639 Yeah. 1:15:48.760 --> 1:15:50.720 You remember when when I had the Roots at the 1:15:50.760 --> 1:15:51.479 Kennedy Center. 1:15:52.000 --> 1:15:54.760 Do you remember, Yes, I remember that was speaking to 1:15:54.840 --> 1:15:55.120 a group. 1:15:55.160 --> 1:15:56.880 You performed and talked to a group of kids. 1:15:56.920 --> 1:16:00.599 I think that was the Public Enemy performing thing. Yes, 1:16:00.800 --> 1:16:04.400 I remember all four of my I ams. They were crucial. 1:16:04.720 --> 1:16:08.599 I will say, probably the greatest night of my life. Okay, 1:16:08.640 --> 1:16:10.360 I've seen you. 1:16:12.320 --> 1:16:13.960 And where did you meet? Where did you meet? In 1:16:14.040 --> 1:16:18.280 my in your penthouse suite? And was on the piano. 1:16:18.880 --> 1:16:20.759 It was post an event that I honored. 1:16:21.200 --> 1:16:25.080 I was going to say that was probably the first 1:16:25.520 --> 1:16:28.840 magical night for for a career at that point where 1:16:28.880 --> 1:16:31.880 it was sort of like, uh, I don't belong in 1:16:31.920 --> 1:16:34.200 the room, that sort of thing that was. That was 1:16:34.320 --> 1:16:37.400 a moment where the best part of that night was 1:16:39.680 --> 1:16:44.599 sitting with Andre Fisher UH drummer of Rufus and uh 1:16:45.120 --> 1:16:47.759 married and then later Nat he was there with Natalie, 1:16:48.720 --> 1:16:51.320 so I sat. I basically had my first quest love 1:16:51.400 --> 1:16:57.160 Supreme with Andre Fisher and Natalie Cole while Stevie Wonders 1:16:57.240 --> 1:17:02.320 is casually going through his calvic o hits in the 1:17:02.600 --> 1:17:05.280 in the in the piano in this week it was 1:17:05.400 --> 1:17:07.240 like three hours, like to the point where you go 1:17:07.320 --> 1:17:09.640 all the boy like, hey, he's doing creeping when you 1:17:09.720 --> 1:17:13.880 go sit down. When I come back, maybe he'll. 1:17:13.760 --> 1:17:16.080 Be on the sirt Duke, and I think we should explain. 1:17:16.360 --> 1:17:17.200 I am did. 1:17:17.240 --> 1:17:23.520 I produced an annual music celebration, a conference that had panels, luncheons, 1:17:24.200 --> 1:17:28.639 and gala, a gala where we honored everybody from Little 1:17:28.720 --> 1:17:33.559 Jimmy Scott to Shaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Babyface La Read 1:17:34.400 --> 1:17:37.280 New Edition, tons of people and this went on for 1:17:37.920 --> 1:17:39.160 sixteen years. 1:17:39.240 --> 1:17:46.120 I gotta ask, Okay, how hard is it to organize? 1:17:46.960 --> 1:17:49.200 Because I don't feel like you're the peron. I don't 1:17:49.200 --> 1:17:51.640 feel like you're the Ray Crock in the position of 1:17:52.240 --> 1:17:55.479 they got this. I feel like your hands on you 1:17:55.640 --> 1:17:57.240 talk to people, I mean you talk to us, and 1:17:57.560 --> 1:18:01.280 we were not through, you know, like then, so I 1:18:01.479 --> 1:18:06.000 felt as though you had your imprint on literally every 1:18:06.160 --> 1:18:13.720 aspect of from the smallest talking session to the networking 1:18:13.920 --> 1:18:17.240 part of the night to the big gallad dinner. How 1:18:17.400 --> 1:18:23.000 hard was it to manage, micromanage whatever? How hard was 1:18:23.040 --> 1:18:24.400 it to organize that event? 1:18:24.880 --> 1:18:27.040 It was challenging, but I also had a lot of 1:18:27.200 --> 1:18:30.680 energy and again the passion and commitment to preserve and 1:18:30.720 --> 1:18:34.000 promote our music. And like you said, I wasn't even 1:18:34.040 --> 1:18:35.360 aware that Hank Shockley was there. 1:18:35.880 --> 1:18:38.880 I mean there was so everybody came, Teddy Wiley, every 1:18:39.000 --> 1:18:41.200 Jimmy Caster, everybody came. 1:18:41.840 --> 1:18:45.439 It was just the magnet for artist. And again because 1:18:45.680 --> 1:18:49.000 of me being on the radio one two, because of 1:18:49.080 --> 1:18:53.080 my relationship with Gamble three. My partner at the time 1:18:53.120 --> 1:18:56.960 also had a lot of relationships, so it facilitated. And 1:18:57.080 --> 1:19:02.519 I'm a passionate letter writer. I'm a letter writing motherfucker. Okay, 1:19:05.400 --> 1:19:09.519 So my letters just again the passion that I have 1:19:09.760 --> 1:19:12.639 for our culture music. So I got all those people. 1:19:12.960 --> 1:19:15.479 I paid no one. All the years that people came 1:19:15.560 --> 1:19:17.840 in and distributes, I did not pay anybody. 1:19:18.360 --> 1:19:21.920 Is it important to remember names and make connections? 1:19:22.840 --> 1:19:26.360 Absolutely, it's you know this, it's a relationship business. Think 1:19:26.400 --> 1:19:28.280 of all of us. It's all about your. 1:19:28.200 --> 1:19:31.840 Relationships and how you connect with people. It's a give 1:19:31.880 --> 1:19:32.240 and take. 1:19:32.800 --> 1:19:35.960 So relationships can get you places sometimes where even money can't. 1:19:36.080 --> 1:19:38.240 Absolutely, at the end of the day, it is how 1:19:38.320 --> 1:19:39.200 you feel about another. 1:19:39.320 --> 1:19:40.880 You don't want to fuck with somebody, it don't even 1:19:40.920 --> 1:19:42.320 matter the check is so good. 1:19:42.880 --> 1:19:45.160 So with for instance, with the Roots, I mean, you know, 1:19:45.800 --> 1:19:48.519 and you know, Rich was a tough one, but I 1:19:48.840 --> 1:19:53.679 went passionately, and I thought you guys were very talented. 1:19:53.760 --> 1:19:56.400 I recognize that's the other thing. I have a good year, 1:19:56.439 --> 1:19:59.240 and I for talent. Back to m two May, who 1:19:59.280 --> 1:20:00.840 I know that you guys have had on the show, 1:20:01.439 --> 1:20:03.400 and too. May introduced me to Spike Lee. We were 1:20:03.400 --> 1:20:06.599 at a party in Brooklyn. He had just finished shooting 1:20:07.040 --> 1:20:09.960 She's Got to Have It Wow, just finished and I 1:20:10.120 --> 1:20:13.840 met Spike and I love cinema, so immediately I was 1:20:13.920 --> 1:20:17.080 interested in his film and him, and that's when we 1:20:17.200 --> 1:20:20.800 started developing our friendship. And then at one point he's like, 1:20:21.680 --> 1:20:23.720 you and Stevie Wonder are friends. I was like, yeah, 1:20:24.080 --> 1:20:26.280 he said, I would love to meet Stevie. 1:20:26.600 --> 1:20:27.400 You hook him up. 1:20:27.680 --> 1:20:30.160 He wrote about it in his books. I introduced Spike 1:20:30.240 --> 1:20:33.160 Lee to Stevie Wander, I wrote, Stevie and I said, 1:20:33.360 --> 1:20:36.240 I called him. I said, Steve Lan talented filmmaker. I 1:20:36.320 --> 1:20:37.720 think he is going to be one of the most 1:20:37.800 --> 1:20:42.519 brilliant directors of our time. And of course that has 1:20:42.560 --> 1:20:45.599 come to pass. So yes, I'm very proud of that introduction. 1:20:45.800 --> 1:20:48.400 So you are a bridge. What other bridge connections have you? 1:20:49.439 --> 1:20:52.560 Many? Many, many many many? Really, I mean, I'm I 1:20:52.760 --> 1:20:56.360 want I just I like us connecting. I like us 1:20:56.439 --> 1:20:59.320 being productive from the energy that we create. I love that. 1:21:00.040 --> 1:21:01.639 Like I said, I think what makes me a great 1:21:01.720 --> 1:21:05.000 artist development coach is that I'm interested in seeing people 1:21:06.200 --> 1:21:11.120 reach their maximum potential. So a lot of connections. I mean, 1:21:11.280 --> 1:21:14.800 I feel, as I mentioned earlier in our conversation, I 1:21:14.960 --> 1:21:19.439 am attracted to the gifted. I am attracted to the talented. 1:21:19.520 --> 1:21:23.760 Tenth I'm attracted to people who are exceptional, and I 1:21:23.880 --> 1:21:27.439 have been blessed to have had relationships with these people 1:21:28.160 --> 1:21:31.120 through the course of my experience, and it feeds me. 1:21:31.600 --> 1:21:34.120 It gives me the energy to propel me further to 1:21:34.240 --> 1:21:36.519 help others. I believe I was put on this planet 1:21:36.840 --> 1:21:42.360 to inspire. I'm amused. I'm real clear on what I am. 1:21:42.560 --> 1:21:43.200 I am immused. 1:21:49.120 --> 1:21:51.400 Somebody Donald Doland, baby, what does that well? 1:21:51.640 --> 1:21:53.360 I've been told that that was written for me. 1:21:59.000 --> 1:21:59.720 That's the version of. 1:22:05.760 --> 1:22:09.519 Just crushed a lot, Yeah, yeah, lots of songs. I mean, 1:22:09.720 --> 1:22:13.040 George Cables wrote Ebony Moonbeams. He's a piano player, and 1:22:13.920 --> 1:22:16.920 I was told that he heard my saw my my 1:22:17.120 --> 1:22:22.439 show and wrote it. And then Bobby Hutchison recorded Ebony Moonbeams, 1:22:22.479 --> 1:22:26.439 and then Freddie Hubbard, who was a friend recorded Ebony Moonbeams. So, 1:22:27.320 --> 1:22:31.040 uh yeah, so where's that name Moonbeams come from? I 1:22:31.160 --> 1:22:33.000 was walking down the street in New York. I was 1:22:33.000 --> 1:22:35.679 starting a TV show while I was at City College 1:22:35.800 --> 1:22:37.880 in New York. I went in as a major. Had 1:22:37.920 --> 1:22:39.840 to change that real quick, I told you, because that 1:22:40.280 --> 1:22:42.880 wasn't working. And I saw a spotlight going through the 1:22:42.960 --> 1:22:45.040 moon and I needed a name for my show, and 1:22:45.120 --> 1:22:47.960 I was like, ooh, there's a moonbeam, and everything at 1:22:47.960 --> 1:22:51.559 that time was black, right ebony, So I just put 1:22:51.640 --> 1:22:53.920 Ebony Moonbeams together and that was the birth of my 1:22:54.400 --> 1:22:56.840 radio handle while I was in DC, and it's just 1:22:56.960 --> 1:22:59.479 kind of followed me all my life. In fact, Gamble 1:22:59.560 --> 1:23:03.120 calls me Moonbeams to this day, so that's kind of 1:23:03.200 --> 1:23:06.320 like his name for me. But yeah, and you know, 1:23:06.760 --> 1:23:10.439 I always wanted and I've met presidents and leaders and 1:23:10.560 --> 1:23:13.840 all manner of celebrity and people, but the person that 1:23:13.920 --> 1:23:18.360 I wanted to meet the most was Gordon Parks. As 1:23:18.400 --> 1:23:21.240 a young girl, I saw an exhibition called Harlem on 1:23:21.320 --> 1:23:25.600 My Mind at the Metropolitan Museum and that just I 1:23:25.680 --> 1:23:28.720 saw the photographs of Gordon Parks for the first time, 1:23:28.840 --> 1:23:32.760 and James Vandersey and I just became totally enamored with 1:23:32.960 --> 1:23:36.479 their narrative and how they document it, not just black people, 1:23:36.560 --> 1:23:40.080 but people period. And so for me, my mission became 1:23:41.040 --> 1:23:44.400 meeting Gordon Parks. And I spent an inordinate amount of 1:23:44.479 --> 1:23:47.000 time trying to figure out who I knew, who could 1:23:47.040 --> 1:23:49.600 introduce me to him and what have you. And I 1:23:49.720 --> 1:23:58.200 was not very successful. Yes, yes, absolutely absolutely did you 1:23:58.240 --> 1:24:00.120 ever get to meet him? Well, again I told told 1:24:00.120 --> 1:24:03.800 you I'm a passionate letter writer. Yes, I kept writing him. 1:24:03.920 --> 1:24:07.880 I kept writing until one day he had a vicious gatekeeper. 1:24:07.920 --> 1:24:11.760 Her name is Joanna Fiora Fiori. She is a photographer, 1:24:12.120 --> 1:24:15.080 but she was his assistant as well, and she was like, well, 1:24:15.120 --> 1:24:18.320 mister Parks is busy, mister Parks is sick. Mister It 1:24:18.400 --> 1:24:21.040 was always an excuse. And then finally one day, because 1:24:21.040 --> 1:24:23.960 I never stopped writing him, kept writing him, telling him 1:24:24.000 --> 1:24:27.920 how his photography, his art. For many who do not know, 1:24:28.080 --> 1:24:33.680 Gordon Parks directed Chaff The Learning Tree. He's he was 1:24:33.760 --> 1:24:37.320 a great director in addition to being a fabulous photographer 1:24:37.439 --> 1:24:40.040 and a writer. And then one day I got the call, 1:24:40.720 --> 1:24:42.880 mister Parks would like to invite you to his home 1:24:42.960 --> 1:24:46.880 for lunch and so, needless to say, the day he 1:24:47.000 --> 1:24:51.800 opened the door and I saw him just is pinching myself. 1:24:51.479 --> 1:24:54.200 And wearing a white button down as she sure was. 1:24:54.880 --> 1:24:57.280 Yeah, he sure was. His shirt was kind of open. 1:24:57.680 --> 1:24:58.960 He was just looking real sexy. 1:24:59.040 --> 1:25:02.280 And we became really good friends, to the point where 1:25:02.640 --> 1:25:06.600 the day of his memorial service, I went and his 1:25:06.760 --> 1:25:09.320 daughter came over to me and said, you know, my 1:25:09.439 --> 1:25:12.000 father spoke very fondly of you, and that meant everything 1:25:12.120 --> 1:25:14.439 to me because he was very dear to me. 1:25:14.960 --> 1:25:16.400 We were very very close friends. 1:25:16.479 --> 1:25:20.920 Gordon Park's hip hop historians. You shouldn't know that Gordon 1:25:21.000 --> 1:25:23.839 Parks shot the Great Day in Harlem. 1:25:24.000 --> 1:25:27.840 Yes, did he shoot you All Remix? No, was the 1:25:27.880 --> 1:25:29.000 Double Remix? 1:25:29.720 --> 1:25:30.600 Yeah he shot that. 1:25:30.960 --> 1:25:32.880 Wow, that one he did. 1:25:33.479 --> 1:25:34.360 Yeah, that was wow. 1:25:34.760 --> 1:25:38.840 That was his shot. It was really weird, like it 1:25:39.720 --> 1:25:44.080 was that day September twenty eighth, nineteen ninety eight, the 1:25:45.000 --> 1:25:49.640 whatever a Kum and I Day, Black Star, Black and 1:25:49.760 --> 1:25:54.040 Love movement, Like that day was such a surreal day 1:25:54.520 --> 1:25:58.639 in hip hop history, and he just stayed he first 1:25:58.640 --> 1:26:03.559 of all, I think the camera at the time. Sheena 1:26:03.640 --> 1:26:10.800 Lester was still editor at Double Excel, so you know, 1:26:12.240 --> 1:26:14.920 again you want to mean miss wart No, I just 1:26:15.000 --> 1:26:16.760 want to watch him. So I just like watched him 1:26:16.800 --> 1:26:22.120 from Afar and it was so chaotic that day because 1:26:22.280 --> 1:26:26.840 that was really the day that classic hip hop and 1:26:27.160 --> 1:26:29.280 kind of current hip hop was meeting for the first time. 1:26:29.800 --> 1:26:33.160 So you're watching like rock him, rock Him losing over 1:26:33.280 --> 1:26:35.800 Tarik was one of the weirdest things in my life 1:26:35.920 --> 1:26:40.960 ever seeing and like the Locks meeting, like all these 1:26:41.560 --> 1:26:43.599 grand Master Flash and all them. But he just stood 1:26:43.640 --> 1:26:49.360 there so cool and behind a camera that was easily 1:26:51.000 --> 1:26:53.840 I forget, I forget what Brandon was like. 1:26:54.640 --> 1:26:55.720 That's what I was just about to say. 1:26:55.760 --> 1:26:56.160 I like her. 1:26:56.320 --> 1:26:58.120 Yeah, it was a seventy one. 1:26:58.680 --> 1:27:01.479 I believe it was large format, yeah camera, and. 1:27:02.960 --> 1:27:06.200 He just he took eight shots and then walked. He 1:27:06.720 --> 1:27:08.759 packed his things and walked off in the sunset. 1:27:10.760 --> 1:27:12.640 He was one of the most humble people that I 1:27:12.760 --> 1:27:15.879 ever met for being put him in the genus category 1:27:16.120 --> 1:27:18.479 for real. I mean he could play the piano, he did, 1:27:18.560 --> 1:27:21.400 he did orchestrations, wrote symphonies. 1:27:21.600 --> 1:27:23.360 What was it about his work that attracted you? 1:27:23.800 --> 1:27:25.320 Because in what particular area? 1:27:25.360 --> 1:27:26.519 Because he did so many things. 1:27:26.640 --> 1:27:29.280 Photography again, I saw Harlem on my mind as a 1:27:29.320 --> 1:27:34.000 young girl the photographs captured what I what I knew, 1:27:34.120 --> 1:27:38.200 what I could relate to seeing our people. I just 1:27:38.320 --> 1:27:41.599 think he had a tremendous eye for capturing the pain, 1:27:41.840 --> 1:27:46.040 the sorrow, the love, the tenderness, all of that I 1:27:46.240 --> 1:27:49.120 just got from him. It was just so black, you know, 1:27:49.360 --> 1:27:51.360 just so black and so Yeah. 1:27:51.560 --> 1:27:54.320 One question I had, going back to just your artist 1:27:54.400 --> 1:27:59.519 development work, how in twenty nineteen with Twitter? 1:28:00.120 --> 1:28:03.080 Who how do you manage that? 1:28:03.760 --> 1:28:06.280 It being a time where artists can literally I can 1:28:06.360 --> 1:28:08.559 be three o'clock in the morning, drunk off my ass 1:28:09.400 --> 1:28:10.240 at home in my. 1:28:10.439 --> 1:28:14.439 Not me personal get drunk. Well, let me be let 1:28:14.479 --> 1:28:14.760 me good. 1:28:14.880 --> 1:28:15.959 I ain't gonna get drunk. 1:28:15.720 --> 1:28:16.200 And go on Twitter. 1:28:16.320 --> 1:28:16.680 Let's say that. 1:28:16.960 --> 1:28:17.360 There you go. 1:28:17.920 --> 1:28:21.120 But you know where people can artists can literally get canceled, 1:28:21.280 --> 1:28:23.960 say what they want and get canceled with no filter, 1:28:24.200 --> 1:28:26.280 and there's a direct line from them to the rest 1:28:26.320 --> 1:28:26.759 of the world. 1:28:27.520 --> 1:28:30.200 How do you manage that in twenty nineteen? 1:28:30.360 --> 1:28:33.280 And what is your advice to artists in this era 1:28:33.439 --> 1:28:36.240 where one tweet can get your shaky down? 1:28:36.320 --> 1:28:36.880 You ot it? 1:28:37.000 --> 1:28:41.240 Yeah, I review my client's Twitter, their's social media before 1:28:41.240 --> 1:28:43.760 I work with them, and I'll go in very early 1:28:43.880 --> 1:28:46.800 and say to them, you need to stay off of 1:28:46.920 --> 1:28:50.320 social media. I had to do that with Nikki Gilbert. 1:28:50.560 --> 1:28:54.799 She was doing the show and she was fighting with everybody. 1:28:54.840 --> 1:28:57.479 It was a constant fight in her social media, and 1:28:57.600 --> 1:29:01.559 I said, you need to stay off social media thirty days. 1:29:01.640 --> 1:29:04.040 That's all I'm asking is stay off. And she she 1:29:04.160 --> 1:29:06.000 later told me, she said, thank you for that. You 1:29:06.120 --> 1:29:08.840 saved my life because she was so stressed out fighting 1:29:08.880 --> 1:29:12.160 with people and bickering and arguing. So I'll review. Some 1:29:12.280 --> 1:29:14.200 people are really good with their social media, but I 1:29:14.320 --> 1:29:17.400 warned them, and I tell them, as you just said, Fante, 1:29:17.560 --> 1:29:20.880 you can ruin your career in one tweet. So when 1:29:20.920 --> 1:29:22.920 you write it, look at it. I've had to do 1:29:23.040 --> 1:29:26.040 that many many times, haven't you. Where you write something 1:29:26.040 --> 1:29:29.200 and you're like, what are the implications or consequences? You 1:29:29.320 --> 1:29:32.639 end up not hitting sins. I don't just delete that shit. 1:29:32.840 --> 1:29:34.880 Soy ya. 1:29:39.360 --> 1:29:39.559 Wow. 1:29:39.760 --> 1:29:42.560 Speaking of twenty nineteen, that's where we are. I was 1:29:42.600 --> 1:29:45.080 going to ask you about being in a me Too era, 1:29:46.360 --> 1:29:50.400 current Joe Biden era, where you have relationships with men 1:29:50.520 --> 1:29:54.479 of all different kind of eras and for women, I 1:29:54.560 --> 1:29:57.679 was going to ask you advice on that, because especially 1:29:57.800 --> 1:30:02.240 post Joe Biden where we're trying to figure out what's appropriate. Yes, yeah, yes, 1:30:02.439 --> 1:30:04.760 and you've been through it all because you know you 1:30:05.040 --> 1:30:07.880 are made. Yeah, you have to gauge and check people. 1:30:07.960 --> 1:30:10.120 If you are not that person that likes a hug, 1:30:10.680 --> 1:30:13.120 just extend your hand. Be real clear, this is not 1:30:13.200 --> 1:30:15.200 a hug. This is a handshake. 1:30:16.320 --> 1:30:20.080 You know, your body language tells volumes, speaks volumes about 1:30:20.520 --> 1:30:23.560 you know, you can set boundaries with people, and you 1:30:23.680 --> 1:30:26.280 have to do that sometimes. But sometimes people do not 1:30:26.400 --> 1:30:27.880 respect the boundaries. 1:30:27.439 --> 1:30:28.840 And they'll come in for a hug, and if you 1:30:28.880 --> 1:30:30.800 don't want it at that point, you just have to 1:30:31.040 --> 1:30:32.880 you know, you have to speak up and be very honest. 1:30:32.960 --> 1:30:35.280 You just cannot if you feel that you're being offended 1:30:35.360 --> 1:30:38.519 or people are doing something that is disturbing to you. Hey, 1:30:38.640 --> 1:30:40.120 the closed mouth does not get fed. 1:30:40.240 --> 1:30:41.160 You got to speak up. 1:30:42.280 --> 1:30:43.040 They're gonna get the point. 1:30:43.240 --> 1:30:45.160 Yeah, you have to let them know too, because you 1:30:45.240 --> 1:30:47.880 can't assume that a you can't assume they know and 1:30:47.960 --> 1:30:50.599 then be I think it's unfair to assume that they're 1:30:50.600 --> 1:30:52.559 doing it with bad intentions. You know what I'm saying. 1:30:52.840 --> 1:30:54.880 If someone comes in for a hug and you're not 1:30:55.000 --> 1:30:56.800 with it, you. I feel like you just have to 1:30:56.840 --> 1:30:57.160 say that. 1:30:57.320 --> 1:31:00.800 Because exactly speak up. Like today, you know, when I 1:31:00.920 --> 1:31:03.160 arrived at the studio, Fante gave me a hug that 1:31:03.240 --> 1:31:07.920 I did not want to release. I mean, who does 1:31:08.040 --> 1:31:10.120 not want that kind of hug? I mean you feel 1:31:10.160 --> 1:31:13.559 like you're being hugged? Okay, I accepted it. 1:31:17.880 --> 1:31:25.360 Definitely. People know, I can't place it boomerang. 1:31:31.160 --> 1:31:34.160 See how they have cut together the Biden videos. It 1:31:34.240 --> 1:31:38.080 looks creepy. You know, he's like this touching the child's forehead, 1:31:38.200 --> 1:31:39.160 the chin, under the. 1:31:39.280 --> 1:31:41.439 Neck and he's still the and it's still he was 1:31:41.479 --> 1:31:42.200 the vice president. 1:31:42.320 --> 1:31:44.280 So it's also for some women who don't say stuff, 1:31:44.280 --> 1:31:45.519 it's like, well, can he affect my life? 1:31:45.520 --> 1:31:47.000 If I tell this motherfucker to get off me? Is 1:31:47.040 --> 1:31:47.840 he gonna be like hey? 1:31:49.560 --> 1:31:54.639 Right again? You have to decide your what, your space 1:31:54.800 --> 1:31:56.760 and you and if you don't speak up, then that's 1:31:56.840 --> 1:31:59.720 kind of on you. If you are feeling uncomfortable with 1:31:59.800 --> 1:32:00.960 some wanted any. 1:32:00.760 --> 1:32:03.479 Time man woman anything like I went over to a 1:32:03.520 --> 1:32:07.040 girlfriend's house recently and her dog kept humping me, you know, 1:32:07.200 --> 1:32:09.439 and I had to be like, yo, get your dog, 1:32:10.040 --> 1:32:12.320 get your dog, and she put the dog in the cage. 1:32:12.880 --> 1:32:18.519 You know, Michael big Point, I would. 1:32:18.400 --> 1:32:18.760 Just like to. 1:32:20.360 --> 1:32:25.960 Dog was your din on the the Beyonce kiss. 1:32:25.960 --> 1:32:29.200 The Mari's a friend? 1:32:30.120 --> 1:32:35.760 I was like, opened, was that some awards show and 1:32:35.840 --> 1:32:36.200 double a. 1:32:37.920 --> 1:32:38.040 Uh? 1:32:38.560 --> 1:32:39.240 MARII Hardwick. 1:32:39.400 --> 1:32:42.120 He greeted Beyonce and first he came in and he 1:32:42.120 --> 1:32:44.360 gave her kiss on the cheek, hugged and it was 1:32:44.400 --> 1:32:46.000 like no problem, and then he went back for the 1:32:46.040 --> 1:32:46.519 double tap. 1:32:46.600 --> 1:32:48.800 He kissed her again and it looked kind of. 1:32:50.360 --> 1:32:51.920 Addressed Jay Z right who was sitting. 1:32:52.160 --> 1:32:54.479 That is not accurate. It started with jay Z he 1:32:56.320 --> 1:33:00.439 first and then walked around him to Beyonce, hugged her, 1:33:00.600 --> 1:33:01.000 kissed her. 1:33:01.120 --> 1:33:02.120 Were they in the movie together? 1:33:03.560 --> 1:33:04.439 No? I don't think so. 1:33:05.360 --> 1:33:06.800 No, I don't think so, but. 1:33:08.280 --> 1:33:08.920 I don't know. 1:33:10.560 --> 1:33:13.439 Maybe they know each other some kind obviously. But it 1:33:13.600 --> 1:33:16.599 was a double kiss and the double to the double tap. 1:33:16.680 --> 1:33:18.519 But you know what happened she I think she kind 1:33:18.560 --> 1:33:20.160 of moved so it almost when he kissed her, it 1:33:20.200 --> 1:33:22.800 looked like he was kissing her close to her mouth. 1:33:23.640 --> 1:33:33.840 So I think a black woman says power. Yeah, yeah, no, 1:33:34.200 --> 1:33:36.800 I think it just but he people the Beehive came 1:33:36.840 --> 1:33:39.360 for him. They were like, yo, you're wrong, that's about. 1:33:39.720 --> 1:33:41.680 But our man was standing right there. He is not 1:33:41.760 --> 1:33:42.920 a disrespectful person. 1:33:43.360 --> 1:33:46.200 I know, Amari. He's a good guy. And Layah, that 1:33:46.320 --> 1:33:48.200 wasn't nice. It wasn't but it wasn't. 1:33:53.280 --> 1:33:58.920 And I got it from her, Okay, get it from Okay. 1:33:59.040 --> 1:34:03.519 So before we wrap, Yes, what is next for you? 1:34:04.479 --> 1:34:08.360 You've she's going to media coach Bill Sherman. 1:34:10.439 --> 1:34:13.120 At Harvard. You've traveled to South Africa for. 1:34:14.720 --> 1:34:15.000 What do you? 1:34:15.600 --> 1:34:16.760 Isn't pict next? 1:34:17.040 --> 1:34:20.000 No, not at all, not at all. That's just too confining. 1:34:20.280 --> 1:34:21.320 That's not a book. 1:34:22.240 --> 1:34:24.800 You haven't written books, but I've approached. 1:34:25.080 --> 1:34:27.719 Yeah, write letters, I should collective letters. 1:34:29.320 --> 1:34:32.360 But if you write a book, well people feel certain. 1:34:32.439 --> 1:34:35.120 Nois well, you know, I respect that. Like even the 1:34:35.200 --> 1:34:38.360 stories I shared with you there, there's I didn't tell 1:34:38.400 --> 1:34:42.080 you anything super private and nothing that I don't think 1:34:42.200 --> 1:34:45.400 my clients would be adverse to me sharing. But I 1:34:45.479 --> 1:34:49.520 have been approached to write a book. I'm interested in documentaries. 1:34:49.600 --> 1:34:54.120 My long game always was producing documentaries. So that's why 1:34:54.240 --> 1:34:58.559 Fante being on Unsung suits me. I did executive produce, 1:34:58.760 --> 1:35:02.200 the co executive produce the episode on Teddy Pendergrass. 1:35:03.160 --> 1:35:05.360 And that was your thoughts on the Teddy documentary. 1:35:06.360 --> 1:35:11.320 Mm hmm, oh, hit me. I just watched because I 1:35:11.439 --> 1:35:12.800 watched it, and I mean. 1:35:15.000 --> 1:35:19.559 Nothing lest I watched it. I think I should give 1:35:19.560 --> 1:35:23.000 you contexts. I watched it with his widow, Joan Pendergrass, 1:35:23.040 --> 1:35:27.760 who is a dear friend. I watched it with Olivia Linchenstein, 1:35:27.840 --> 1:35:33.160 who is the director, her associate Tyreese and the sister 1:35:33.200 --> 1:35:35.920 who runs his company, and Charlie Mack. We had a 1:35:35.960 --> 1:35:43.599 private screening. Yes, absolutely well. He was like a son 1:35:43.680 --> 1:35:47.280 to Teddy and Teddy had picked him. Charlie Mack is 1:35:47.320 --> 1:35:49.680 the one who approached Teddy and said, need to do 1:35:49.840 --> 1:35:55.280 your biopic, and he introduced Tyreese to Teddy. Tyrees slept 1:35:55.800 --> 1:35:57.840 in the room in the hospital. Teddy was in the 1:35:57.880 --> 1:36:02.519 hospital nine months in intensive care before his passing. Tyrese 1:36:02.600 --> 1:36:05.479 came from California slept in the room with him. I 1:36:05.520 --> 1:36:09.599 will forever love him for his devotion, his dedication to Teddy. 1:36:10.200 --> 1:36:12.120 It was more than a movie. They developed a very 1:36:12.160 --> 1:36:16.080 strong bond and Teddy gave his blessings to have Tyrese 1:36:16.520 --> 1:36:20.760 portray him in the biopic, which is now official Lee 1:36:20.880 --> 1:36:24.439 Daniels as directing. But back to the documentary, I watched it, 1:36:25.160 --> 1:36:29.439 and I was extremely happy to hear my friend's voice, 1:36:30.000 --> 1:36:33.439 to see him when he was able body walking. All 1:36:33.520 --> 1:36:36.400 of that, there was footage that I had never previously seen. 1:36:36.880 --> 1:36:39.519 But at the end of the day I read Olivia. 1:36:39.760 --> 1:36:43.960 At the end of the documentary, I felt very disrespected 1:36:44.720 --> 1:36:49.439 for my ex Kenny Gamble. I felt that Shep Gordon 1:36:50.200 --> 1:36:55.160 made comments suggesting that Gamble and Huff abandoned Teddy, which 1:36:55.240 --> 1:36:58.400 is the furthest thing from the truth. Teddy did not 1:36:58.479 --> 1:37:01.280 think he could sing anymore. Teddy didn't want to live. 1:37:01.400 --> 1:37:04.599 Teddy wanted to commit suicide. So when Gamble and Hoffs 1:37:04.640 --> 1:37:08.800 severed their relationship recording wise with Teddy, what what The 1:37:08.920 --> 1:37:10.720 man was on the edge of life and didn't think 1:37:10.760 --> 1:37:13.800 he could sing, So that's what happened. But the way 1:37:13.920 --> 1:37:16.800 Sheep was representing it and the way she was representing 1:37:17.040 --> 1:37:19.160 I also didn't like the amount of time they spent 1:37:19.600 --> 1:37:25.920 on the taz Lang murder. That was bothering bothersome because Teddy. 1:37:26.200 --> 1:37:26.759 It left. 1:37:30.080 --> 1:37:34.080 A little inference here that Teddy was involved or who 1:37:34.160 --> 1:37:36.320 had the most to gain from her death. 1:37:36.520 --> 1:37:40.640 So what were your feelings on Sonny Hopson's comments. 1:37:40.360 --> 1:37:43.559 About the same thing, Same thing, Sonny's been running around 1:37:43.600 --> 1:37:47.400 for years making allegations in the windows or suggestions that 1:37:47.520 --> 1:37:50.040 Teddy was involved and that, so of course I have 1:37:50.120 --> 1:37:52.120 problems with that as well, And. 1:37:54.160 --> 1:37:58.640 So you know, I let her know, and Joan Pendergrass 1:37:59.040 --> 1:38:03.040 opened up her husband's archives to Olivia. They made three 1:38:03.120 --> 1:38:05.800 separate trips to Boston, which is where Teddy's widow lives, 1:38:06.280 --> 1:38:08.880 where she opened up the archives. So it was nice 1:38:08.920 --> 1:38:12.520 to hear Teddy's voice because he pretty much guided the documentary. 1:38:12.840 --> 1:38:17.240 He narrated it because she had access to those tapes. 1:38:17.800 --> 1:38:23.000 She did not mention Joan. She interviewed Joan, but decided 1:38:23.040 --> 1:38:27.000 to exclude reference to Joan. And meanwhile, I saw I 1:38:27.040 --> 1:38:29.040 didn't know all of Teddy's girlfriends, but I knew the 1:38:29.080 --> 1:38:31.840 main ones, and I saw a bunch of random chicks 1:38:31.920 --> 1:38:34.800 up in that documentary that Joan never knew of. I 1:38:34.880 --> 1:38:38.160 didn't know anything about. It was crazy. So at the 1:38:38.320 --> 1:38:40.880 end of the day, it had value because it did 1:38:40.960 --> 1:38:44.400 tell some of his story. But I felt disrespected because 1:38:44.439 --> 1:38:49.440 of how she treated Joan and the inferences or suggestions 1:38:50.120 --> 1:38:54.320 that Teddy was involved in Tazz's murder, and that Gamble 1:38:54.400 --> 1:38:58.519 and Huff abandoned Teddy Gamble helped pay for Teddy's funeral. 1:38:59.240 --> 1:39:02.400 Gamble went to the hospital. I would bump into Gamble 1:39:02.479 --> 1:39:06.800 with our children in Brynmar hospital. I never once saw 1:39:07.080 --> 1:39:10.519 Shep Gordon, nor did I ever see Danny Marcus in 1:39:10.680 --> 1:39:14.720 the hospital. However, Danny knew how to find his way 1:39:14.760 --> 1:39:18.400 to a telephone to ask Joan when Teddy died, could 1:39:18.479 --> 1:39:24.120 he represent the estate the same person Danny Marcus was 1:39:24.640 --> 1:39:28.880 manager a manager with Shep Gordon of ty Yeah, and 1:39:28.960 --> 1:39:32.519 when Teddy needed financial help and went to Danny, but 1:39:32.640 --> 1:39:35.800 when he died they wanted to be in control of 1:39:35.840 --> 1:39:40.280 the estate. I have problems with those people, and I'm 1:39:40.400 --> 1:39:42.559 happy to have this opportunity to go on the record 1:39:42.600 --> 1:39:46.600 and say again parts of the documentary had value and 1:39:46.760 --> 1:39:50.479 were good, and then the parts just negated a lot 1:39:50.560 --> 1:39:54.439 of it. To me and with Joan. I told the director, 1:39:54.479 --> 1:39:56.639 I said, you could have kirnned at the end, because 1:39:56.640 --> 1:39:59.719 they kirned at the end of the film that Teddy 1:39:59.760 --> 1:40:02.920 went on to have four gold albums. But not only 1:40:03.000 --> 1:40:05.519 did Teddy go on to have four albums, he got 1:40:05.560 --> 1:40:08.880 his ged, he went to Drexel University, he fell in 1:40:08.960 --> 1:40:12.840 love again and he married Joan. Yes, sir, he went 1:40:12.920 --> 1:40:15.760 to college. He did not graduate, but he attended at 1:40:15.760 --> 1:40:18.880 Trexel University. She could have chir on that. And he 1:40:19.040 --> 1:40:24.040 established a foundation to help other paralygics and quads. He 1:40:24.160 --> 1:40:26.760 was a quadriplegic. So I just felt like, you know, 1:40:26.840 --> 1:40:29.040 she said, oh, we decided to ended it Live Aid. 1:40:29.400 --> 1:40:31.240 By the way, I went with him that day to 1:40:31.400 --> 1:40:35.759 Live Aid. That was his first public performance post his accident. 1:40:36.120 --> 1:40:39.160 He was terrified, but he got through it. So I 1:40:39.320 --> 1:40:41.120 encourage people to still see the doc. 1:40:41.640 --> 1:40:44.040 But at the same time, you know, now you're hearing 1:40:44.160 --> 1:40:46.479 my notes, there's a lot of behind the scenes. 1:40:47.280 --> 1:40:48.000 Wait ask you. 1:40:48.840 --> 1:40:54.120 Okay, since we kind of brought up Tesz, is there 1:40:54.280 --> 1:41:02.439 anything can you explain what the environment was like in 1:41:02.560 --> 1:41:07.760 Philadelphia at least with the legend of was the was 1:41:07.800 --> 1:41:09.920 the junior Black Mafia trying to get in the music 1:41:10.000 --> 1:41:15.639 business or like I mean again, I'm I only hear 1:41:16.920 --> 1:41:20.639 things in hindsight, like thirty years forty years after the fact, 1:41:21.360 --> 1:41:25.760 But what was the presence of them in Philadelphia at all? 1:41:25.920 --> 1:41:26.960 Is there anything you can speak on? 1:41:27.400 --> 1:41:30.520 No, I just I mean everywhere you got Black Mafia's, 1:41:30.600 --> 1:41:33.680 you got them. You got the Mafia everywhere you got 1:41:33.840 --> 1:41:38.120 organized crime, involved in unorganized and organized living. 1:41:39.120 --> 1:41:40.880 But I'm just saying that it was so different back 1:41:41.080 --> 1:41:44.640 especially Okay Joe and Sylvia Robinson. Yeah, I was. 1:41:44.680 --> 1:41:47.240 Pretty sheltered from all of that a mirror. I just didn't. 1:41:47.680 --> 1:41:50.559 I didn't so even in Dillian radio and stuff. 1:41:50.720 --> 1:41:53.519 Yeah, but I didn't. They didn't mess with me. I 1:41:53.600 --> 1:41:56.520 was kind of Gamble's woman. I didn't. I was insulated 1:41:56.600 --> 1:41:58.840 from that. I didn't have to deal with that. 1:42:01.760 --> 1:42:03.840 But I mean, was there, it was. 1:42:04.479 --> 1:42:06.920 I'm saying it was there, it is, it is here, 1:42:07.160 --> 1:42:11.040 it is everywhere. Yes, yeah, but I was a little, 1:42:11.479 --> 1:42:16.080 as I said, protected and insular. Oh okay, it's just 1:42:16.120 --> 1:42:17.479 part of life. Good answer. 1:42:17.800 --> 1:42:18.120 I don't know. 1:42:18.200 --> 1:42:22.479 That's real talk, actual good You don't you know what 1:42:22.520 --> 1:42:24.559 I'm saying, but you know what I mean. I want 1:42:24.600 --> 1:42:26.760 to take a moment to thank you all for having 1:42:26.880 --> 1:42:30.280 me today because I respect what you do. Having an 1:42:30.320 --> 1:42:33.840 opportunity to have long form discussions about the history and 1:42:33.920 --> 1:42:37.439 the culture is significant. So the role that each of 1:42:37.520 --> 1:42:42.040 you play with this broadcast, with your podcast is significant. 1:42:42.520 --> 1:42:46.760 And personally, I'm so very proud of Laiah because I 1:42:47.040 --> 1:42:48.040 changed her diapers. 1:42:48.720 --> 1:42:49.000 I was. 1:42:59.360 --> 1:43:01.759 The fact that she holds her own with you, gentlemen, 1:43:01.800 --> 1:43:04.320 because you're all formidable, as is she. 1:43:05.280 --> 1:43:07.519 But you do it, but you do it. 1:43:08.000 --> 1:43:11.840 And I'm very proud of her because in the entertainment game, 1:43:12.439 --> 1:43:15.599 she has so many capacities as a woman in this business, 1:43:15.600 --> 1:43:18.479 as a professional, and I love her. I love listening 1:43:18.520 --> 1:43:20.800 to her on the radio, I love watching her on TV. 1:43:21.600 --> 1:43:26.479 And I think that's promise. Well you guys, yeah, well 1:43:26.520 --> 1:43:28.719 that's fine, And I'll take some of the credit because 1:43:29.240 --> 1:43:32.320 I support her. I believe in her. She represents the 1:43:32.479 --> 1:43:35.160 now in the future for me as a woman in 1:43:35.240 --> 1:43:37.200 this game. So I'm very proud of you. I love 1:43:37.280 --> 1:43:39.360 you dearly, and all. 1:43:42.640 --> 1:43:43.599 Guest has done the sign. 1:43:48.640 --> 1:43:52.920 I can't wait to officiate your wedding. I'm available, amir 1:43:53.080 --> 1:43:56.040 if you should ever get married. I'm willing to do 1:43:56.200 --> 1:43:58.559 that last already. 1:44:00.160 --> 1:44:00.639 Oh you mean. 1:44:08.280 --> 1:44:08.760 How about that? 1:44:09.880 --> 1:44:12.000 I love Fontage and when he was talking about Nicola 1:44:12.160 --> 1:44:15.320 because I loved the foreign exchange, and so I developed 1:44:15.360 --> 1:44:18.320 a friendship with Nicole and that's how I met Fontage. 1:44:18.840 --> 1:44:20.519 Him back crazy, did you? 1:44:20.840 --> 1:44:20.880 So? 1:44:21.160 --> 1:44:23.360 Can I tell the DM story? Is that or just that? 1:44:23.640 --> 1:44:24.040 Go ahead? 1:44:25.439 --> 1:44:28.960 This is the moment I really met Diana Williams. 1:44:29.280 --> 1:44:33.000 Okay, and she revealed more about me, revealed more about 1:44:33.040 --> 1:44:34.839 her than any interview, any anything. 1:44:35.400 --> 1:44:35.719 Okay. 1:44:36.000 --> 1:44:39.240 So we had met backstage at the at the World 1:44:39.280 --> 1:44:42.320 Cafe Live thing, and so from that point on, like 1:44:42.360 --> 1:44:44.840 we follow each other on Twitter and everything. So we're 1:44:44.880 --> 1:44:47.040 talking on Twitter one night and it was late one night, 1:44:47.600 --> 1:44:49.920 and I don't remember what we were talking about, but 1:44:50.040 --> 1:44:51.800 it was talking about something on the timeline and then 1:44:51.880 --> 1:44:54.160 we like we got into the d MS and so 1:44:54.280 --> 1:44:55.160 we were laughing about something. 1:44:55.200 --> 1:44:55.720 So I just said her. 1:44:55.720 --> 1:44:57.240 I was like, oh, sorry, you been It was good 1:44:57.320 --> 1:45:01.519 meets everything, and she was like, fante, I'm tired, and 1:45:01.640 --> 1:45:04.599 I you know, immediately I was just saying, I said, okay, well, 1:45:04.600 --> 1:45:06.560 I'm thinking, I'm Eve been working so hard, you know, 1:45:06.720 --> 1:45:09.360 like what's what's going on? And she gives me the 1:45:09.439 --> 1:45:12.240 greatest response that let me know that she was the illest. 1:45:13.040 --> 1:45:15.759 She said, I'm tired of niggas. 1:45:20.600 --> 1:45:21.040 I said. 1:45:22.720 --> 1:45:23.840 I said, I am to. 1:45:25.840 --> 1:45:28.080 Say so much that let me know. 1:45:28.200 --> 1:45:31.320 I said, yo, yo, she the realers one out. From 1:45:31.400 --> 1:45:34.400 that point on, we've been cool. I said, listen because 1:45:34.400 --> 1:45:36.479 she's so eloquent, and so you know, because you said, 1:45:36.560 --> 1:45:40.400 like her alreadyything, she just said, I'm tired of niggas. 1:45:40.640 --> 1:45:46.400 Boy, I felt that ship in my soul on behalf 1:45:46.400 --> 1:45:53.320 of Light Fante, Boss Bill, Unpaid Bill, Sugar, Steve and myself. Niggas. 1:45:55.040 --> 1:46:00.559 Thank you coming on the shelf. You's been a long 1:46:00.680 --> 1:46:05.040 time this Quests Loves Supreme only on Pandora. We will 1:46:05.040 --> 1:46:06.560 see you on the next go round. Thank you. 1:46:07.760 --> 1:46:11.479 Quest Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. This classic 1:46:11.560 --> 1:46:12.920 episode was produced. 1:46:12.600 --> 1:46:14.280 By the team at Pandora. 1:46:16.800 --> 1:46:21.160 For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 1:46:21.640 --> 1:46:23.320 or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.