1 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: Hey, guys, welcome to another episode of Eating While Broke. 2 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Coley Witt, and today we have singer songwriter. 3 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: Grammy winning singer songwriter Elijah Blake is in the building. 4 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: How are you. 5 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 2: I'm feeling good. Yeah, you're feeling. 6 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 1: Comfortable in the kitchen to burn it down? Yeah, I'm scared. 7 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,200 Speaker 1: I was excited about it. I was excited about the plantains, 8 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 1: but I'm a little nervous. All right, why don't you 9 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: go ahead and tell me what you're gonna have us 10 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: eating today? 11 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:45,519 Speaker 2: I am making. I'm making Haitian plantains today. Haitian just 12 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 2: because in my preference, in my opinion, that's the best plantain. 13 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 2: It's close between the Dominican plantains and has, but I 14 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 2: think the Haitian plantains are the best. 15 00:00:57,280 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: I want to see the difference because I know being 16 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: have jamake it. I don't want you to start asking 17 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: me questions about being Jamaican. But they usually just fry 18 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: the plantains, so there's a difference. 19 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 2: You guys, see what the Haitian plantains is. There's a 20 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:14,320 Speaker 2: little more that goes into There's like a juice marinaire 21 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 2: that's made that you dip it and fry dip it 22 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,199 Speaker 2: than fried. So the flavor that it has in. 23 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:23,040 Speaker 1: Size, Okay, yeah, go ahead, oil the pot. 24 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:28,399 Speaker 2: So the ingredients ingredients you feel me? So we got Lemons, 25 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 2: we got Donalds, we got grape seed oil because I 26 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 2: just think this is a healthy alternative. 27 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: I've been trying to Oh that's why I thought that 28 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 1: was special. 29 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 2: No, I went I did an alkaline diet. I've been 30 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 2: into like what doctor Sabe has been preaching and stuff 31 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 2: like that. So grape seed oil is actually like a 32 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 2: super good alternative vegetable oil. 33 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: And olive oil is better than olive oil too. 34 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 2: I think it is. Yeah, it's really clean for you. 35 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 2: If you've ever been to a Spanish market, chick, you 36 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 2: feel me? This where all the flavor is. I put 37 00:01:58,200 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 2: this in my. 38 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: Eggs and everything your eggs. 39 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, I'm telling you it's for another time. Take 40 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 2: a little bit and put it in your season for 41 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 2: the batter for the eggs, for. 42 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: The batter for the eggs. What do you mean better 43 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: for the eggs? 44 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 2: Dominican perto Rican friends? 45 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: No? Is that why you thought I was Puerto Rican? 46 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 2: Yeah? 47 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: Or just because I look like a fake Puerto Rican 48 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: not a fake from New York. 49 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 2: They're like your Puerto Rican. Yeah I heard it. Yeah, 50 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:24,639 Speaker 2: but yeah, that's my grandmother used to just put a 51 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 2: little bit. 52 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: Oh they whip it for like you when they're making 53 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: scrambled eggs, things in it. 54 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,079 Speaker 2: But this is one of the secret ingredients. 55 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: I'm gonna check it out. I'm gonna take it out 56 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: solely based on how well you cook these plantains today. 57 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: So go for it. Get in the kitchen. What are 58 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: we doing with oil in the pot? 59 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 2: Oil the pot. Get this thing going real quick. 60 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: While you're oiling the pot. I'm gonna just go ahead 61 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: and get into it. 62 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 2: Okay, let's do this. 63 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 1: Is long before being a Grammy winning songwriter and singer, 64 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: long before the writing for Justin Bieber, Keisha Cole Usher 65 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: writing hits obviously, right long before it all, long before it. 66 00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: So take me back to what was going on during 67 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: this era of your life. 68 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 2: So I came to you. I wasn't born in you. 69 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 2: People don't know that. So I came to the United 70 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 2: States when I was like five or six years old, 71 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:10,919 Speaker 2: and I didn't really It took me a while. Even 72 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 2: to this day, I don't I'm not excited about burgers 73 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 2: and a lot of American cuisine. I'm just now coming 74 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 2: around to it. But this is all I knew. My mother, 75 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 2: my grandmother, my family all made Listen, it just was 76 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 2: an easy. 77 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 1: And you're coming from Dominican Republican, yeah. 78 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 2: And it just was an easy grabbing and go. So 79 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 2: for me, I'm trying to pay attention. Am I doing 80 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 2: it right? You don't get to call Jennifer okay, okay, okay, okay. 81 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: Jennifer is doing it wrong. That's why she knew. 82 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 2: To wash it too. Yeah, Jenna's Dominican. 83 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: Oh, she's dominic Yeah, so she understands. 84 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 2: She understands. But yeah, this is one of my favorite things. 85 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 2: And it just reminds me of home. Honestly, I always 86 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 2: eat things that remind me of home. Because then when 87 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 2: I got signed, I moved to Atlanta in ninth grade. 88 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 2: And again, you. 89 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: Guys signed in the ninth grade. 90 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 2: Damn from my space. Wow, I was putting up original 91 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 2: music yep from my space, and I was putting up 92 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 2: original music on YouTube as well. So yeah, I would 93 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 2: really say actually YouTube, because I was my Space had 94 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 2: went down, and then Priscilla Renee myself, Dondrea. I don't 95 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 2: know if you remember Dondrea. She was like killing it 96 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 2: on YouTube around that time when money Long before Money 97 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 2: Long was money Long, and we knew her as Priscilla Renee. 98 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 2: She was doing like original songs and covers as well, 99 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 2: and an executive from Atlanta Records reached out to me, 100 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,679 Speaker 2: and then I flew out to Atlanta while Trey Songs 101 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 2: was working on the Ready album. This is before I 102 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:40,919 Speaker 2: knew that Clay Songs and he was working on the 103 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 2: Ready album. 104 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: I love how you said this what it was before 105 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: you knew you could write song? 106 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, I didn't know. I just wanted to. 107 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 1: I didn't know I had that head and saling this 108 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: came out. 109 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 2: I just was I just got tired of being broke 110 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,279 Speaker 2: one day and I couldn't understand why songwriters have the 111 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 2: most money. Like the songwriters was pulling up in the cars. 112 00:04:57,720 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 2: The producers had better cars than the artist. 113 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 1: So I'm just like and that the producers had better 114 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 1: cards than that. 115 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, Sean Garrett pulled up and I saw what Johntay 116 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 3: Austin was driving, and I saw what like Brian Michael 117 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 3: Cox had and I was like, okay, And meanwhile, I'm 118 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 3: so hungry, I'm shaking in the studio. 119 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 2: There was a point in time work. I was just 120 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 2: having a regular conversation. I hadn't eaten in a couple 121 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 2: of days. I didn't want to call my mom and 122 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 2: tell her, like, I'm not eating because as a Caribe woman, 123 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 2: she would be like, why are they not feeding you? 124 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 2: And it's not necessarily that they weren't feeding me. I 125 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 2: just think that. 126 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 1: She would have been definitely concerned. She probably would have 127 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 1: flown out there. 128 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 2: She would have said, come back and go to college, 129 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 2: or finish high school and go to college, because she 130 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 2: wasn't really In Caribbean households, you either become a doctor, lawyer, engineer, 131 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 2: or you're a failure. Like they don't want to hear that, 132 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 2: none of that. 133 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 1: Can I cut that right? 134 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 2: I think so? 135 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:44,840 Speaker 1: I don't think so. 136 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 2: But go ahead. 137 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: We're gonna see. 138 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 2: I just it's just to squeeze it. 139 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, you cut it wrong. 140 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 2: House was good. The other way. 141 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 1: You got more lemons you could try. 142 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 2: We just come to squeeze it though. 143 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: Okay, don't see how you do it. 144 00:05:58,000 --> 00:05:58,160 Speaker 2: Yo. 145 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,679 Speaker 1: I can't wait for your family. I say, I'm gonna 146 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: send them the here. I'm gonna send them the video. 147 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 2: The question is myself is gonna be. 148 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 1: Five Yeah, that's the real question. Okay, is he gonna 149 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:10,679 Speaker 1: make them proud? 150 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm gonna make them proud. 151 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: So so you're in high school basically, yeah, and you 152 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: start to discover Is that when you discover that songwriters 153 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: and producers make more money? Or is this right before college? 154 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 2: You're saying, No, I'm just now figuring just from me surviving, 155 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 2: I'm too proud for I didn't want to ask anybody 156 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 2: for money. I didn't I think the day everybody just 157 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 2: was moving and I was the youngest one in the crew. 158 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 2: So one day I remember speaking and Trey was like, 159 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 2: are you a nee me? And I'm like, I don't 160 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 2: think so why He's like, you're shaking And I didn't 161 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 2: know I was just I had been hungry for so 162 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 2: many days. I didn't know I was, but so many days. 163 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, I was just oh my goodness. 164 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:52,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, because I was thugging it out, like I was 165 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 2: really just trying to get it. And again, there weren't 166 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 2: any writers that were coming to write for me because 167 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 2: Chef Tone was pulling up. He was writing for Trade. 168 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 2: Johnsy Austin was writing for Trading, and this little kid 169 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,359 Speaker 2: in the corner that everybodys trying to get him a trade album, 170 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 2: you know what I mean. And my Karen there's all 171 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 2: there's this kid in the house that my Karen thinks 172 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 2: might be a star. But ain't the check don't reflect, 173 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 2: ain't no money behind me, the butget's not open. So 174 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 2: niggas is trying to get on trade, which I get. 175 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 2: So just for me, I'm like, I'm wasting time. Let 176 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 2: me get to it. So I started writing songs on 177 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 2: my own and people are like walking by and hearing 178 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 2: my songs, and Bobby Trey had a road manager. His 179 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 2: name was Bobby. He was like, I think this nigga's 180 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 2: a storyteller. And I'm getting annoyed because I'm like, I 181 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 2: don't want to be a story I'm a church boy. 182 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 2: Give me the songs, I sing them, put my music out, 183 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 2: you know what I mean. That's that type stuff. So 184 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 2: then I remember I was singing upstairs one of the 185 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 2: songs and Trey was like, look, I'm telling you like 186 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 2: you have a gift of storyteller. And again me being 187 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 2: stubborn and being a little annoyed, I'm like, I just 188 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 2: want to sing songs. And he changed my life. Because 189 00:07:52,280 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 2: oh lord, you're not supposed to laugh at me. 190 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: So you talk out. 191 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 2: I turned them all they down. 192 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: You talked out, like those are gunshots, bro, I told you, 193 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: don't let the water hit you know what the lemon? 194 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 2: Hell No, I'm a. 195 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: Mask, and so tell you know, I like, you've never 196 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: been in the kitchen. You're good. I think you're safe. 197 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:35,359 Speaker 1: So go back to your story because you a good storyteller. 198 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: Like they said where was a He was talking about 199 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: how they discovered you a good storytelling. You in denial. 200 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:43,559 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm in denial, and i just want people to 201 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 2: give me songs. So I'm writing these songs and again 202 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 2: once one day, write me a song, and I'm like, 203 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 2: right now, it's yeah, right now. And he puts a 204 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 2: beat on sk as another producer that's on songbook as well, 205 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 2: And the first thing I hear is, I think it's 206 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 2: time we take a trip to the band girl. Yo. 207 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 2: Body's talking and I'm loving what she says. Don't you 208 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:10,679 Speaker 2: be your friend to let me little faint? You welcome 209 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 2: you to Super No. So at this point I'm like 210 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 2: going on like Super and me and Trey are such 211 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 2: a playful dynamic at that point, and he's like Dupa, 212 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 2: and we were like Jupiter Love and we're just branding 213 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 2: things with super And then one day I get a 214 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 2: call and Troy Taylor calls me. He's hey, Duper Love 215 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 2: is gonna make the album. What's your being? My information? 216 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 2: What's your again? I'm so broke right now at. 217 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 1: This point broken, and you're discovering your anemic too, right. 218 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, broke anemic, just suffering. And I'm teaching dance classes 219 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 2: at this like White Dance studio. He's really off kids, 220 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 2: and I'm teaching for thirty dollars an hour because I 221 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:50,839 Speaker 2: got a little one two stort to perform our high 222 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 2: school and stuff like that, barely making it by. So 223 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 2: when Troy Retch helps me register the song, I didn't 224 00:09:56,559 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 2: understand the concept of a songwriter who goes and keeps 225 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 2: track of every time a song plays on the radio 226 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 2: around the world, collects two cents here, twenty cents here, 227 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 2: or ten years cents here, a dollar here. I didn't 228 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 2: know that there was a BMI it does this for 229 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 2: you or p r oh. 230 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 1: So when he asked you for the b and my information, 231 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:16,319 Speaker 1: were you like, huh yeah? 232 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 2: But I called my dad. My dad already had one 233 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:18,680 Speaker 2: set up for me. 234 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, my bad. I love that all right, go on. 235 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:27,600 Speaker 2: He's super music, literally, like it's from the Philly scene. 236 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 2: Once I registered that, I went from being pissed broke 237 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 2: to bringing in six bands like a month or every quarter. 238 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:35,439 Speaker 2: And I can't remember. 239 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: Exactly, My goodness, that's how long from that call to 240 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 1: you receiving the money? Was it like six months? A year? 241 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, so they pay out quarterly, so I think from 242 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 2: that call it felt pretty fast. Me. I would say 243 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:51,560 Speaker 2: about maybe two three months. I was in a penhouse. Oh, 244 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:53,439 Speaker 2: because I've suffered long enough. 245 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:56,320 Speaker 1: So you called your dad and your dad was like, son, 246 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: already taken care of. 247 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 2: Yeah. He gave me the information because my dad was 248 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 2: also helping me release music when I was in high school. 249 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 1: Oh, I love your parents, Pops. 250 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 2: Everything I got he taught me. He really taught me 251 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 2: how to format structure. So he was trying to teach 252 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 2: me about where we're at now, told me where music 253 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 2: was going to go, streaming wise, and my dad predicted 254 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 2: all that because he used to work for Apple Corporate 255 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 2: and stuff like that. And I think, just me being stubborn, 256 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 2: I wanted the record deal. I wanted to feel established 257 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 2: in that way, and his heart was so beautiful that 258 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:30,080 Speaker 2: he let me do that even though he knew better. 259 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 2: I loved my father for that because he was like, 260 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 2: I'm just and. 261 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 1: This is yeah, but now you're saying that. He also 262 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:38,959 Speaker 1: taught you these other elements of songwriting indirectly though, right, 263 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 1: So by the time you're in the studio, he baked 264 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 1: something into you. Right. 265 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 2: I had that ability because of him. I just didn't 266 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 2: want to use it. Yeah. But when I was doing 267 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 2: it just off of necessity putting original songs on YouTube, 268 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,960 Speaker 2: my pops was like, format it this way, structure this way. Yeah, 269 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 2: and he really taught me how to like hone in 270 00:11:56,800 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 2: my runs. He's a really great piano player, an incredible musicians. 271 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 2: So by the time I got things started taking off 272 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 2: from me. People thought I had superpowers because my dad 273 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 2: was so strict on me. He was like my Matthew 274 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 2: nos or like my Joe Jackson in a way. 275 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: I love that. 276 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:14,680 Speaker 2: Yeah. So I go from being a starving artist and 277 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 2: then that's them that ended up breaking tray and taking 278 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,080 Speaker 2: trade to the next level. So when Ready blew up, 279 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 2: everybody's like, there's a fifteen year old that rot and 280 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 2: Drew Love became instantly the fan favorite Yeah album, and 281 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 2: they were playing on the radio in Atlanta. So I 282 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:29,320 Speaker 2: think that's how word got to Usher, and then I 283 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 2: went from that to working with Usher, Mary J. Blige 284 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:38,079 Speaker 2: and Beyonce Keisha Cole all in six. 285 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 1: Months after that, within six months. Yeah, how old are 286 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: you at the time? You're like fifteen? 287 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 2: You said, yeah, so I'm fifteen, So let's just say, yeah, 288 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 2: I'm like sixteen by the time everything starts to really 289 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:49,559 Speaker 2: take off when the project releases and people start hearing, 290 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:51,319 Speaker 2: and all I needed was a shot. 291 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 1: Now with that shot, how does a fifteen or sixteen 292 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 1: year old know how to manage money? 293 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 2: My business manager, So yeah, the business manager I had 294 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 2: when I when everything took off for me as the 295 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 2: same business manager I have now and we're like family. 296 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 2: So he was really teaching me. He was like, you're 297 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 2: not going to become an etue Hollywood story remember those. Yeah, 298 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:12,439 Speaker 2: he kept saying that he's not going to be that 299 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 2: on my watch, and till this day he's got my back. 300 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 1: Okay, So he helped you manage And then what are 301 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 1: your parents saying? Was your dad like I told you 302 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:23,520 Speaker 1: so soon? 303 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 2: My dad was very protective of me coming into it, 304 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 2: just because he knew how they steal and the music 305 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:34,079 Speaker 2: industry teaches us and they just put us through things, 306 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 2: and he was really protective. But then once I got 307 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:38,959 Speaker 2: signed to death Jam, that's when he was just like okay, 308 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 2: like I'm not going to be that father. That's like 309 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 2: in the way, like yeah, And to this day I 310 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 2: call him for advice and everything like that. But I 311 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 2: think once I got signed to death Jam, which I 312 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:50,199 Speaker 2: probably should have had him hold on a little bit more. 313 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 1: But why do you say that, Because I. 314 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 2: Really got screwed over in that deal. I really got 315 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 2: screwed over in that deal. And I'm not blaming death Jam. 316 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 2: I just think that a lot of promises were made 317 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,839 Speaker 2: and me being so naive, I believed everything so much 318 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:06,679 Speaker 2: so that I invested a lot of my own money 319 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 2: that I thought I was gonna get back, and I 320 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 2: didn't get it back. And I just assumed, like anybody 321 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 2: else would assume, like your talent alone, if you're talented 322 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 2: enough you sing the songs, probably, if you're just the 323 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 2: best that you can be, your music will come on. 324 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 2: And that's not about that, it's about so many other 325 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 2: things outside and around it that just it becomes exhausting. 326 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 2: And I remember Mark Pitts, who's one of my heroes, 327 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 2: who I worked closely with when I was working on 328 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 2: the Usher project, and who I remember. He told me, 329 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 2: he is like, don't lose that smile. And I'm just like, 330 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:37,359 Speaker 2: I'm always smiling, like I'm a happy. 331 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 1: Person, smile heading on you, thank you. 332 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 2: But I literally was like, are you sound crazy? I'm 333 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 2: never gonna stop smiling and throughout life. And he told 334 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:47,800 Speaker 2: me this, He's like, when I signed Chris Brown, these 335 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 2: guess I knew the star he was gonna be. But 336 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 2: he walked in and he had a smile that lit 337 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 2: up the room, and he was like, I don't want 338 00:14:56,480 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 2: to watch that same smile fade in you. Wow throughout 339 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 2: the years, the way that the music industry can just 340 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 2: beat on you and just take everything, take it in 341 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 2: dem your life. I was like, you're crazy, but I 342 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 2: have to admit, like, throughout the years, even when I 343 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 2: look in the mirror, I've seen that smile fade Wow 344 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 2: more and more because you become that you start off 345 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 2: as this kid that believes in this dream, and this 346 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 2: dream just's you're realizing, oh, this was a nightmare the 347 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 2: whole time. 348 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 1: Why do you say it was a nightmare the whole 349 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: time though. 350 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 2: Just because the more you love it, the more it 351 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 2: takes from you. And I think as artists, right, especially 352 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 2: singers R and B artists, when they're saying the genre 353 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 2: is dying, it's not dying, but you're definitely fighting an 354 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 2: uphill battle because you watch rappers get on stage, right 355 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 2: and they get they make significantly more than the let's say, 356 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,040 Speaker 2: like a new rapper versus a new singer would make 357 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 2: some significantly more a show than a singer would. And 358 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 2: they can get up there and sing over the track 359 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 2: literally like the same version as you're hearing on Apple 360 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:58,840 Speaker 2: Music on the spot. They'll sing over the whole thing 361 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 2: and barely. Whereas as a singer, as an R and 362 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:07,720 Speaker 2: B artist, you're expected a live band, yeah, background dances, choreography, rehearsal. 363 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:09,160 Speaker 1: The real singers yeah, yeah, you know what I mean. 364 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 2: You're expected to put on a show. Yeah, you're protecting 365 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 2: your instrument, so there's a lot of it you're putting 366 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 2: into it for minimal return. 367 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: Yeah. 368 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 2: The return is your love for the art, your love 369 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 2: for the craft. So it's one of them things. 370 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:27,880 Speaker 1: Man, How old were you when you signed the deaf 371 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 1: Jam deal? 372 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 2: When I signed the deaf Jam I believe I was nineteen. 373 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 1: Okay, and that's when he started releasing the reins. Yeah, 374 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 1: was there any other would you say, looking back, lessons 375 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: that you wish you could have not had learned head on? 376 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 2: It was all beautiful. I definitely felt like after I 377 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 2: left def Jam, I thought it was going to be 378 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 2: easier getting off that deal just because shit, they were 379 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 2: dropping everybody. So I was like, I didn't sell deeper numbers, 380 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 2: like just drop me. But it wasn't that easy. 381 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 1: They didn't get any of yourublishing. 382 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 2: No, I was already signed to Sony okay. 383 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: So they didn't So there's no way for them to 384 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:07,360 Speaker 1: get your publishing. Yeah, so it does make it easier 385 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: for them to possibly drop you. And that's what you wanted. 386 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 2: I wanted to get dropped, but it wasn't that easy. 387 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 2: There was like lawyers and conversations and how do I leave, 388 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 2: which songs can I take with me? Which it was 389 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 2: this long process. I remember even in the middle, I 390 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 2: just wanted to stay creative as an artist, that's how 391 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:24,399 Speaker 2: we live. And I remember putting something up on a 392 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,159 Speaker 2: SoundCloud this is fun just for fun covers or whatever, 393 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:30,680 Speaker 2: and with intense the upload didn't even happen. I got 394 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:33,520 Speaker 2: a DMC strike down this property. I remember it because 395 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:35,439 Speaker 2: the image is painted in my face and said in 396 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:38,679 Speaker 2: my head it said property of Universal Music Group. And 397 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 2: I was like, dang, I did sign that contract, Like 398 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:44,399 Speaker 2: I don't even own me right now? 399 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 1: Even when you upload you saw that. Yeah, that's scary. 400 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 2: Yeah it was. It was a really And I got 401 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:53,159 Speaker 2: this tattoo it says ilegitimate non carbo rundom, which it 402 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 2: says what illegitimate non carbo rundum, which is Latin for 403 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 2: fuck the system, because the system fucked me. Yeah, can 404 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 2: I curse on here? All right? But that's how I felt. 405 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 2: That was the one time and I've never understood being 406 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 2: Caribbean there like you're not allowed to there's a lot 407 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:09,679 Speaker 2: of traditional things that you're not allowed to feel as 408 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:13,720 Speaker 2: a man. And I remember growing up, I'd never understood 409 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 2: suicide or mental health. I'm just because this is how 410 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 2: I was raised with my uncles this land. I'm like, 411 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,439 Speaker 2: you're good, like you got breath in your body, you're healthy, 412 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:22,880 Speaker 2: you're good. But that was the first time I didn't 413 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 2: feel suicidal. But that was the one time I was like, 414 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 2: I understood the empathy that's required for somebody to be 415 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 2: put in that position, yeah, to think, yeah, I think 416 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:37,200 Speaker 2: my faith in God I would. Luckily I've never been 417 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 2: there and I've never gotten that far. But for the 418 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 2: first time in my life, I was like, Oh, this 419 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 2: is the level of helplessness one can feel to just 420 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 2: not want to feel. 421 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a scary reality. Did you end up talking? 422 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: Are you only cooking those two little I want to 423 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: start you smashine. What are you doing? 424 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:54,679 Speaker 2: So? 425 00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:58,399 Speaker 1: I'm just like, do you need a real fork? I 426 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 1: feel like I don't know if that's and smashed with it? 427 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 2: You know, I can use this. 428 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,880 Speaker 1: Actually, I'm watching you. I'm trying to learn what you're doing. 429 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 1: I feel like, just so for all the listeners out there, 430 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 1: he's got planting cut in half. I thought he was 431 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: gonna do thin slices like the drinking stuff. Go for it, Elijah, 432 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:23,639 Speaker 1: you are very entertaining. I don't know. Jennifer, come up 433 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:24,160 Speaker 1: in here and cook. 434 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 2: I did do it wrong. 435 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 1: Actually, you slice it right? 436 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, I did do it wrong. 437 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:32,560 Speaker 1: Is the slicing? Is it the slicing? 438 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 2: I did do it I supposed to do this. 439 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 1: Oh you hear her in the back. There you go. 440 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: You're supposed to slice it? Yeah, I guys, I wish 441 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:45,160 Speaker 1: you could watch this. Go to YouTube whatever you got 442 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 1: to watch this. No, I meant slice it the long way. 443 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 2: Is that how you guys do it? This? Yeah? Way? Yeah? 444 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: Okay, yeah, Okay. 445 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 2: I gotta take these ends because these ain't no good. 446 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 1: The ends aren't good because. 447 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:00,439 Speaker 2: We're trying to get it shape. 448 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:06,400 Speaker 1: Okay, yeah, now make more because I'm gonna want more 449 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 1: than three bites. 450 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 2: If it's good. 451 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:11,800 Speaker 1: Did you call your dad when you were at these 452 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:13,200 Speaker 1: moments of like despair? 453 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,400 Speaker 2: No, I just got to the point where I can 454 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 2: call my dad for again. 455 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 1: As I was going to say, as a Caribbean man. 456 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,520 Speaker 2: There's a lot of traits that I am like just 457 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:25,719 Speaker 2: now learning to undo. 458 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:27,520 Speaker 1: And you didn't like that one. 459 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:29,440 Speaker 2: But I think I'm coming up with something right now. 460 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:34,360 Speaker 1: Okay, okay, I'm I'm trust now. 461 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 2: My creative mind is moving. 462 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 1: By the way, that was like a measuring cup. The 463 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 1: bowl was supposed to be that. But I don't know 464 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: if you needed the bowl. 465 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 2: No, we don't need it. I'm gonna be Elijah's. 466 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 1: I'm watching it learning, I'm gonna enjoy every bit of this. 467 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: So you so the whole time you can't call him? 468 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: Can you call your mom? 469 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 2: No? I used to really just go through things on 470 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,399 Speaker 2: my own, okay, which is very unhealthy, but I was 471 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 2: actually did okay with it? 472 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: Is it because you like song wrote too? Did that help? 473 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 2: Yeah? That was like my therapy. So that's the only 474 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 2: place I feel safe to really tell people or invite 475 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 2: people in what I'm going through. I've just always been taught. 476 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 2: And my mom was like that, like she just got 477 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 2: shit done, didn't she Never I've never heard her complain. 478 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:20,880 Speaker 2: I've never She's literally like the closest thing I've seen 479 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 2: to Superwoman. Four kids, three jobs, and we never felt 480 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:24,919 Speaker 2: a lot of. 481 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:26,920 Speaker 1: Kids and three jobs. What'd your dad do for work? 482 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 1: So were they together? 483 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:30,680 Speaker 2: So here's the thing. So when I speak about my dad, 484 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,679 Speaker 2: I don't like using step father or so I'm not 485 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 2: speaking about my biological father who taught me how to 486 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:39,399 Speaker 2: sing and do music. Me and my biological father are 487 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 2: on the best term, is. 488 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 1: That the biological that did the be on my account? 489 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 2: No, yeah, me and me and my biological havn't father, 490 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 2: haven't really been close since like elementary school for a 491 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 2: multi not because he didn't try. I will always say 492 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:54,960 Speaker 2: he wasn't one of the fathers that like didn't try 493 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 2: to be in my life. I maybe didn't try hard enough, 494 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 2: but he tried. But once I feel like my father, 495 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 2: who God gave to me, I never had to ask 496 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:07,119 Speaker 2: him to be a father. He was always that in 497 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:11,160 Speaker 2: some and to me that was enough. And my biological 498 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:13,159 Speaker 2: father always had this rule that if I ever called it, 499 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 2: the only way I could disappoint it is by calling 500 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:17,840 Speaker 2: another man father. And in my mind, you shouldn't have 501 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 2: left room for that to happen. Damn. You know. 502 00:22:22,920 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 1: You want to know something that's facts. 503 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 2: You feel me damn, And it's just like, how dare 504 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:31,600 Speaker 2: you feel like demand something that you haven't really earned. 505 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 1: You're both fathers to Haitian No. 506 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:38,399 Speaker 2: So my my father who has been really the focal 507 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,280 Speaker 2: point of my life. He's trinidaddy in so both Caribbeans, 508 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 2: but two different sides. In Haitian culture, I will say 509 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:49,320 Speaker 2: we can be toxic, and there's just in it. We're 510 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:52,360 Speaker 2: so traditional that it can be toxic. And now I'm 511 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:54,360 Speaker 2: not saying in a harmful way, I'm just saying that 512 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 2: I think a lot of my habits from not allowing 513 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 2: myself to feel, not being this open with my emotions. 514 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 2: Not that's a very common thing in Haitian culture. Just 515 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:06,360 Speaker 2: figure it out. Gets But they're warriors. And yeah, whereas 516 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:11,520 Speaker 2: my as David, he's I can communicate with him. He's 517 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 2: more compassionate, understanding, patient with me. And I'm just throughout 518 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:19,480 Speaker 2: life I've strived to just be more like that. I 519 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 2: found that gets more things done. I'm more proud of that. 520 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 2: I've learned better through calm teachings and calm representation. 521 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:32,560 Speaker 1: With your mom working all these jobs, with her remarrying, 522 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:34,120 Speaker 1: I would assume she remarried. 523 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 2: No, she didn't. Actually, I feel like God only brought 524 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 2: him together for what he was going to mean to 525 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 2: her kids. I don't think that. 526 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:48,959 Speaker 1: They really but they're not together anymore. 527 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 2: But you think they were ever meant to be together? 528 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:53,200 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, if that makes any sense. 529 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 1: So he was in your guy's lives for how long? 530 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:57,639 Speaker 2: Then he's still in our life. He came in and 531 00:23:57,680 --> 00:23:59,359 Speaker 2: he never left our life. We called him father and 532 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:01,719 Speaker 2: we met that check on him. I tell him happy Birthday, 533 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 2: like I talked to him every He's my father. 534 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:07,640 Speaker 1: I love that, but they split? Yeah, how long ago 535 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 1: did they split? 536 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:11,120 Speaker 2: They haven't spoken since since right before my do happen? 537 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 2: So since I wouldn't even go as far as to 538 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 2: be like that, they were like ever, like really there 539 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:22,160 Speaker 2: was a moment where I was like, Okay, this could 540 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:27,440 Speaker 2: be something, but literally we got along better with him. 541 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 1: I guess we're I'm confused. I've met people that had 542 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 1: like great stepfathers and then like when the parents split, 543 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 1: they feel like they have to choose to stay by 544 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:36,520 Speaker 1: their mind. 545 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 2: I've always felt that way, but not it was just 546 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 2: it was a completely. 547 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:42,360 Speaker 1: Did you guys say something to like, hey, she. 548 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:44,720 Speaker 2: Loves him the same way too, but you just said 549 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 2: that you know what I'm saying. She loves him for us, 550 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 2: She literally like loves our relationship. Yeah, she's not like 551 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:53,040 Speaker 2: that at all, like with him. It's because again it's 552 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 2: not I think growing up you only believe that relationships 553 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 2: ending like animosity. Yeah, but some it's just I'm not 554 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:03,520 Speaker 2: feeling you like that, you know what I mean. But 555 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:07,160 Speaker 2: it's this game, like how could she be mad at him? 556 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 2: Everything I've become because of what this man. 557 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: Taught me, her children, and what is it unconditionally. 558 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 2: That's all she's ever wanted for us. We are her world. 559 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 2: And I literally think that so much load was lifted 560 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 2: off of her because she was doing everything on her 561 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:24,920 Speaker 2: own and she never had to ask. I'm telling you, 562 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 2: like my father, he doesn't. He's not somebody you had 563 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 2: to ask for anything. He's just there. And for me, 564 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 2: that is what I want to mean to people, like 565 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 2: what I want to mean to my kids one day, 566 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 2: Like I don't want them to ever feel like they 567 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 2: have to ask me, because I feel like with my 568 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 2: biological father, there are certain things I would never discuss 569 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:44,560 Speaker 2: with him because he would probably not even understand it, 570 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 2: or as somebody was coming to me like saying, hey, 571 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 2: I understand what you're going through and I don't even 572 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 2: community I haven't even communicated it yet. That's a deeper 573 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:52,439 Speaker 2: kind of love to me. 574 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 1: Is he like doing more of the checking into type all. 575 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:58,440 Speaker 2: The time, all the time. He watches over he handles 576 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:01,640 Speaker 2: all my Spotify accounts, he handles all my music accounts 577 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:04,199 Speaker 2: and everything like that. He watches my social numbers and 578 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 2: be like, son, you should post more. Yeah, like he 579 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:09,440 Speaker 2: really it's a deeper kind of love, And for me, 580 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 2: that is who I feel God put on this earth 581 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,480 Speaker 2: to train me up to be a that is a father. 582 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:15,920 Speaker 1: Yeah. 583 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:18,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, there's a difference between I believe a biological dad 584 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:19,760 Speaker 2: and a father figure. 585 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:20,480 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah. 586 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 2: And to me, blood couldn't make him more of my father. 587 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. 588 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:27,840 Speaker 2: I've never really spoken about it like at length like this. 589 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 1: So it's beautiful. I've never even seen it at length. 590 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:34,800 Speaker 1: But your mom was still hustling multiple jobs while raising 591 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:37,560 Speaker 1: you said, three four kids, four kids. 592 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:40,639 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I've never felt her be absent. So weird. 593 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 2: And I'm like, I'll hear people talk about they have 594 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 2: three jobs and they came in as a. 595 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:48,040 Speaker 1: Single Oh yeah, no, trust me. I have a neighbor 596 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: who grew up with a single parent, a single mom, 597 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 1: and she said that she never saw her mom. So 598 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 1: her goal was like, yeah, I'm a single parent, but 599 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 1: my kids are gonna see me. 600 00:26:58,280 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 2: Yeah. 601 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:00,240 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying, I'm gonna make it. I'm 602 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:02,800 Speaker 1: gonna make it work somehow. But you're saying your mom 603 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 1: didn't miss it be even with all those jobs, because 604 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:10,199 Speaker 1: she's a truth. You said she's Dominican, Dominican true. I 605 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,639 Speaker 1: don't say Jamaican's we always got a hundred jobs. 606 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:18,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, what I'm saying, it's culture. Yeah, and she never complained, 607 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:21,840 Speaker 2: And I feel so bad for her because I'm just like, dang, like, 608 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:25,680 Speaker 2: I never heard her complain. So maybe that's probably contributed 609 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:27,600 Speaker 2: to why I don't ask for help. Yeah, because I've 610 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:29,920 Speaker 2: watched this woman never ask for help, have all these 611 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 2: jobs and she's never. 612 00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:32,720 Speaker 1: And you never seen her cry or nothing. 613 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:35,439 Speaker 2: Never. If I see my mom cry, my head might 614 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:38,760 Speaker 2: explode because I just can't comprehend. My heart would break. 615 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:40,160 Speaker 2: I've never seen her cry. 616 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:44,119 Speaker 1: Yeah. Do you think that's a good thing? Though? Do 617 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:48,239 Speaker 1: you look at women like differently because she's held this 618 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:49,440 Speaker 1: bar of like strength. 619 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:52,480 Speaker 2: I have to say yeah, I have to say yeah. 620 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:55,000 Speaker 2: I just think that there's a new there's a new 621 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:59,960 Speaker 2: normal that's not normal for me because of I was 622 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,920 Speaker 2: raised very traditional. Again, it took my mom a long 623 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:06,239 Speaker 2: time to assimilate. She's still simulating to American culture. So 624 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:08,159 Speaker 2: now when I see like women be like, oh, is 625 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:09,920 Speaker 2: this nigga gonna pay for my hair? Is gonna pay 626 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:12,160 Speaker 2: for my nails? Done? Is this nigga gonna pay? I'm 627 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 2: not knocking it. I'm just not from I just can't 628 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:17,520 Speaker 2: come because even if a man was to try to 629 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:19,640 Speaker 2: do that for my mother. She wouldn't accept it. Yeah, yeah, 630 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:21,360 Speaker 2: I just don't understand it. 631 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:24,120 Speaker 1: I was talking more of the like the I feel 632 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 1: like the women not hating on women both. If you 633 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:30,360 Speaker 1: came across a woman that was more like easily frustrated, 634 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 1: complaining a lot, and all of that, do you feel 635 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 1: like it would throw you a little bit? No, because 636 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:39,640 Speaker 1: you'd be like, man, my mom did this and she 637 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 1: didn't even blink. 638 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, but I also understand at the same time, like 639 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:47,200 Speaker 2: I that doesn't bother me as much, just because I 640 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 2: have friends that are. 641 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 1: Those look official. I'm getting those look official. 642 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:52,360 Speaker 2: I'm very proud. 643 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 1: I am personally. 644 00:28:56,080 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 2: Of you right now and that was good too. 645 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 1: Smell gup, but they look at you're almost burning them. Yeah, 646 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:06,239 Speaker 1: but you want to know something, I'm very proud of you. 647 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 1: I know this sounds crazy, but like I was concerned, 648 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:11,360 Speaker 1: especially when that I know. 649 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 2: You was because I saw you looking like when. 650 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 1: It popped and you ran. I was like, oh, yeah. 651 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 2: But this is actually like how I like mine a 652 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:20,320 Speaker 2: little well done. 653 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:23,240 Speaker 1: When you're writing songs for like Justin Bieber and Beyonce 654 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: and all these guys, what's the thought process of like 655 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 1: where you came from to where you are now? Did 656 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:29,160 Speaker 1: you ever have an aha moment? 657 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:33,680 Speaker 2: Yeah with my mom because again, because she made all 658 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 2: these sacrifices, there was a lot of pressure to, like 659 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 2: I said, become a doctor, lawyer or or engineer or 660 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 2: I failed, and there. 661 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:41,120 Speaker 1: Was to be something. 662 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:42,360 Speaker 2: Yeah. There was one time she was like, are you 663 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:44,080 Speaker 2: going to come back and just go to college because 664 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 2: I don't want the church laughing at me, like she's 665 00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 2: really big in the church like that. And she was like, 666 00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 2: I'm sure she went to church and was like they're 667 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 2: like where's Elijah? Or my nickname was Red, so there's 668 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 2: like where's Red and she's, oh, he's doing music. And 669 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 2: I'm sure there were like snickers. But when I paid 670 00:29:58,800 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 2: her mortgage. 671 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: Off, y'all, I was gonna say, but you're making a 672 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:03,240 Speaker 1: lot of money and you said at that nineteen did 673 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:04,960 Speaker 1: you ever send money back? Hey, surprise. 674 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 2: First thing I did was pay off her mortgage at. 675 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 1: The young teenage. At seventeen, I paid off her mortgage 676 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:13,280 Speaker 1: and she still asked, though, if you went to college. 677 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:16,280 Speaker 2: No, That's when she stopped asking no. So the like 678 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:19,320 Speaker 2: I was saying, right when I went to Atlanta, and 679 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 2: things were starting to happen. It was like, are you 680 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:24,200 Speaker 2: going to come back? Come on, I'm like this music 681 00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 2: stuff like that, it's not a real thing. Come back, 682 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 2: go to college and do it the right way. But 683 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 2: when I paid her mortgage and she was like, oh 684 00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 2: wait a minute now, like he said yeah, So she 685 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 2: couldn't wait to go to her friends and be like, 686 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:36,480 Speaker 2: my son like paid off my mortgage. 687 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:41,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, he sings yeah. So then when you do songs 688 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 1: for Beyonce and Justin Bieber, how is her response? 689 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:46,880 Speaker 2: Then she can't believe it. But what really blew her 690 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:50,440 Speaker 2: mind was there was I did my first headlining tour 691 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:52,120 Speaker 2: two years ago. It was just by myself in an 692 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:55,320 Speaker 2: opening acts, and my sisters surprised her and flew her 693 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 2: to Atlanta. So imagine a woman from the Caribbean Islands, 694 00:30:58,960 --> 00:30:59,480 Speaker 2: where there's. 695 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:01,480 Speaker 1: Wait, she's currently where she currently. 696 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 2: Lives in Florida, but her whole adult majority of her 697 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 2: adult life was in the Caribbean. So coming where there's 698 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 2: power on one side of the island and power on 699 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:12,720 Speaker 2: the other side of the island, half today and coming 700 00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:17,240 Speaker 2: to Atlanta, getting flown to Atlanta, flew out and pulling 701 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 2: up to a venue and seeing your son's name sold 702 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:23,680 Speaker 2: out concert, seeing your son's name in and seeing hundreds 703 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:25,600 Speaker 2: of people singing law to his songs. So when she 704 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 2: got backstage, I still get emotional to telling. So she's like, 705 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:30,800 Speaker 2: I can't believe like you came from me. It just 706 00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 2: blew her mind. That was so I don't think it 707 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:35,280 Speaker 2: was real for her. So she saw that. Yeah, I 708 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:37,360 Speaker 2: think Prior is like, all my son's getting money, he's 709 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 2: writing for Usher, And she's gonna see this because now 710 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 2: she follows me on TikTok, which stresses me out. 711 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:45,040 Speaker 1: But you monitor the content knowing that she she's going 712 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 1: to see it possible. 713 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:48,680 Speaker 2: Not no more. My mama knows I'm crazy. I was 714 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:50,800 Speaker 2: like a problem child growing up. 715 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:51,520 Speaker 1: I like that. 716 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:57,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, she knows I'm crazy. But and it looks like 717 00:31:57,120 --> 00:32:01,120 Speaker 2: and I squish it in enough time, you caush it. Yeah, 718 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:03,520 Speaker 2: that's when it comes what it's supposed to. 719 00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 1: And then you're gonna put the sauces and on. 720 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:06,120 Speaker 2: I should make some more. 721 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 1: The only thing that I'm sad about, Elijah is that 722 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:13,720 Speaker 1: your time is so tight. 723 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:14,960 Speaker 2: What time is it now? 724 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:18,320 Speaker 1: I'm watching it. We got like probably fifteen more minutes. Now, 725 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:22,200 Speaker 1: we got time, not to capture the whole rest. I 726 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:25,800 Speaker 1: still want to talk about the deluxe album, Elijah, Yeah, 727 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 1: I still want to. I guess since we're so clite, 728 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:31,840 Speaker 1: like tight on time, we can jump to it. But 729 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 1: I just I want to know. How did it make 730 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:36,040 Speaker 1: you feel to hear your mom say that to you? 731 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:40,560 Speaker 2: Though? That was when it was real for me. I 732 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 2: think that I understood why she said that, because this 733 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:47,240 Speaker 2: is beyond her wildest dream, like your son are like 734 00:32:47,280 --> 00:32:49,920 Speaker 2: overcoming the odds and making music for the world, and 735 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:53,800 Speaker 2: you at one point not even knowing if you'd be 736 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 2: able to see the world. Just insane for her, But 737 00:32:57,240 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 2: that motivated, that put a deeper firing, like now, none 738 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:03,120 Speaker 2: of that shit like that. I thought, mint stuff, don't 739 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:05,040 Speaker 2: need nothing, and I got her arranged over after that. 740 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:07,280 Speaker 2: She didn't want it, she wanted it. She made me 741 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:09,000 Speaker 2: get it for her, and then she said it was 742 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 2: a gas girler. She's like, take it back, are you serious? Yes? 743 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:13,600 Speaker 2: Now she got a Tesla. 744 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:18,080 Speaker 1: That's cute. You does your siblings? Do you get like 745 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:20,480 Speaker 1: love from your siblings or do you ever get I 746 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 1: don't know if you ever even would ever admit to this, 747 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:24,680 Speaker 1: but I know what it's like. To have siblings, but 748 00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:27,920 Speaker 1: is it all love or is there jealousy or is 749 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:30,680 Speaker 1: there no me and my sisters are really oh you're 750 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:31,320 Speaker 1: the only boy. 751 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:34,280 Speaker 2: No, my little brother. He's like way younger than us. 752 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:37,120 Speaker 2: But so I think I used to worry about him 753 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:39,960 Speaker 2: just because he was so far like down in age 754 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:41,920 Speaker 2: from us that I felt like he was trying to 755 00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:44,560 Speaker 2: find him. Since struggling with that and also feeling like 756 00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:48,040 Speaker 2: we he found space where he belonged in our crew, 757 00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:51,440 Speaker 2: just because how big is the age? Can you like 758 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:52,360 Speaker 2: at least ten years? 759 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:55,560 Speaker 1: Oh, that's a big age forever he will be your 760 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:57,640 Speaker 1: baby brother exactly. It's like he could be forty and 761 00:33:57,640 --> 00:33:59,040 Speaker 1: you'd be like, that's the baby brother. 762 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 2: But we've connected on a level that I never could 763 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:09,160 Speaker 2: have understood. He's so far, like more mature than I was, 764 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:11,120 Speaker 2: And I'm just I'm so proud of like the man 765 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:13,920 Speaker 2: he's becoming, and our friendship there is really becoming a 766 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:17,000 Speaker 2: friendship and not a brotherhood. But I used to make 767 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:18,799 Speaker 2: a mental note of my head, I gotta work on that. 768 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:23,040 Speaker 2: I gotta work on nurturing my relationship with him and 769 00:34:23,160 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 2: overcoming that age guy. Ye, And so now we're really 770 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 2: close to me and my sisters like watch the same shows. 771 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:31,040 Speaker 2: Growing up. We literally were like in separal like triplets. 772 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:31,279 Speaker 1: Right. 773 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:34,239 Speaker 2: Yeah, So when I see siblings don't get along, that's 774 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 2: another thing I don't understand because my mother and her 775 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:38,799 Speaker 2: siblings weren't always on the best terms. So she was 776 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:40,799 Speaker 2: very adamant on y'all are all each other half. 777 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:44,360 Speaker 1: I feel like that's a Caribbean type mentality. But I 778 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:46,319 Speaker 1: do see what you're saying, because my mom and her 779 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:49,040 Speaker 1: siblings are the same way, don't really mess with each other. 780 00:34:49,160 --> 00:34:51,240 Speaker 1: She grew into us like the year all you guys 781 00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:54,239 Speaker 1: have you better not fighting public. Don't let nobody come 782 00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:56,839 Speaker 1: between y'all. You put a lot of soul. 783 00:34:58,200 --> 00:34:58,799 Speaker 3: You gotta do it. 784 00:34:59,160 --> 00:34:59,759 Speaker 2: You feel me. 785 00:35:00,160 --> 00:35:03,879 Speaker 1: Excited, And I love that you made sure to make 786 00:35:03,920 --> 00:35:06,239 Speaker 1: that come around with your brother too, because I also 787 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:09,440 Speaker 1: understand like that little age separation where you're not close 788 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:11,480 Speaker 1: for a little bit and then boom they turned into 789 00:35:11,520 --> 00:35:13,640 Speaker 1: adults and all of a sudden, you have relatabilities. 790 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:16,919 Speaker 2: Yeah exactly, but he was my fan first. It took 791 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:21,359 Speaker 2: my sisters a while if they appreciated it. I didn't 792 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:24,200 Speaker 2: know to, but I did used to feel away because 793 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:27,440 Speaker 2: I'm just like Damn. I'm like supporting them and putting them, 794 00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:29,560 Speaker 2: helping putting them through college. And there was a point 795 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:31,319 Speaker 2: where I was like, damn with y'all even know, because 796 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:33,239 Speaker 2: the industry was whooping my ass and I'm just like, damn, 797 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:35,000 Speaker 2: but y'all even know, like y'all brother is actually like 798 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:38,720 Speaker 2: in the studio with Beyonce or with Usher and stuff 799 00:35:38,760 --> 00:35:41,440 Speaker 2: like that. Because they we were talking, nobody would mention it. 800 00:35:41,719 --> 00:35:43,520 Speaker 2: And I guess that was mainly ego. 801 00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:46,759 Speaker 1: You go on whose side though it can't you can't 802 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:49,200 Speaker 1: say it was respectfully. I don't think you could say 803 00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:51,640 Speaker 1: it's ego on your side because everybody who has a 804 00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:53,719 Speaker 1: siblings will be like, yo, are you gonna acknowledge it? 805 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:55,719 Speaker 2: Yeah? Yeah, you know what I mean. And it was 806 00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:57,560 Speaker 2: like and a lot of times when they would tell 807 00:35:57,600 --> 00:36:00,359 Speaker 2: me it was I was going through a lot alone. Yeah, 808 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:03,680 Speaker 2: And I think I was expecting, because of the relationship 809 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:06,920 Speaker 2: we had as kids, them to be but I think 810 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:08,720 Speaker 2: they just were going through their own They were in college, 811 00:36:09,239 --> 00:36:10,520 Speaker 2: you know what I mean, and they were trying to 812 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:14,319 Speaker 2: figure it out. But once that they can, no one 813 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:16,400 Speaker 2: in their mind is bigger than It's like me than 814 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:19,400 Speaker 2: Michael Jackson so once we talked about it, I just 815 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:21,280 Speaker 2: think that they were going through their own stuff. 816 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:23,120 Speaker 1: Did they Did you ever get a chance to express 817 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:24,120 Speaker 1: that kind of window to. 818 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:27,400 Speaker 2: Them or they I was feeling it. I never expressed it, 819 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 2: but which I appreciate because now I know how they 820 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:34,239 Speaker 2: view me as authentic because they just celebrate me in 821 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:38,160 Speaker 2: that way and they're super supportive because again I was 822 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:40,680 Speaker 2: going through things with death, cham going through things with 823 00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:42,719 Speaker 2: my publishing company, going through things with artists still in 824 00:36:42,719 --> 00:36:45,760 Speaker 2: my publishing stealing my money, but then also like showing 825 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:48,960 Speaker 2: up for my family Jesus financially. So sometimes I'm just 826 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:51,200 Speaker 2: in the movie set it off when Jada Pinkett gives 827 00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:52,759 Speaker 2: them money to and she said, you know what how 828 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:55,160 Speaker 2: to do with that money? And I'm just kind of 829 00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:57,279 Speaker 2: I don't even know that. I'm just getting it from 830 00:36:57,320 --> 00:36:59,960 Speaker 2: all sides. This is not just money I can want. 831 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:01,960 Speaker 2: I bought you this Christmas gift for When I sent 832 00:37:02,040 --> 00:37:05,759 Speaker 2: this money over, like, I really was like fighting over 833 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:08,440 Speaker 2: here on this side, but now there's just gratitude and 834 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:11,640 Speaker 2: love and it's just authentic. So I just think they 835 00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:14,880 Speaker 2: was figuring out, they were coming into their womanhood, and 836 00:37:14,920 --> 00:37:17,239 Speaker 2: it was never a lack there. You probably just didn't 837 00:37:17,239 --> 00:37:19,040 Speaker 2: have room or space to communicate it. 838 00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:21,280 Speaker 1: Do you now have mentors in the industry? 839 00:37:21,560 --> 00:37:24,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, I definitely Like Keisha is like a huge mentor. 840 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:25,279 Speaker 1: I love her. 841 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:29,719 Speaker 2: We talked all the time. She just announced her tour, 842 00:37:29,960 --> 00:37:34,440 Speaker 2: so you should we love. Yeah, she's somebody who checks 843 00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:37,680 Speaker 2: on me, like a guardian angel. That's like my sister. 844 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:40,680 Speaker 2: But Twain right there checks on me. She's like, how's 845 00:37:40,719 --> 00:37:43,759 Speaker 2: your heart through relationships? And she's had to come and 846 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:45,279 Speaker 2: get me, like in the middle of a fist fight. 847 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:46,560 Speaker 1: She's fist fight. 848 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:48,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm from Florida. 849 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:51,440 Speaker 1: You should ever be in a fist fight from Florida. 850 00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:53,760 Speaker 2: It gets that way. Okay, we pull up, pull. 851 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:59,120 Speaker 1: Up a seat, let's eat. He did it? What is 852 00:37:59,120 --> 00:38:00,920 Speaker 1: the song? Do we have to any more saut stepping 853 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:01,320 Speaker 1: or anything? 854 00:38:01,560 --> 00:38:03,160 Speaker 2: It should be? It should be good. 855 00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:06,400 Speaker 1: Eat here? What did you do with this work? He 856 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:07,000 Speaker 1: was doing something? 857 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:09,759 Speaker 2: Here we go, I'll let you taste it. 858 00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:13,160 Speaker 1: No, we're gonna do it together. It's gonna be good. 859 00:38:13,200 --> 00:38:14,800 Speaker 1: This is just a version. 860 00:38:15,040 --> 00:38:15,480 Speaker 2: Just do it. 861 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:18,160 Speaker 1: You're gonna tell everybody how you forgot to I. 862 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:20,800 Speaker 2: Did forget Okay, So I ended up making a Jamaican 863 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:23,560 Speaker 2: version on accident. This is not the Haitian version because 864 00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:25,759 Speaker 2: I was so into the story I forgot to put 865 00:38:25,760 --> 00:38:27,040 Speaker 2: the boo yard in that. 866 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:29,040 Speaker 1: But that would have been so it would have been 867 00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:32,320 Speaker 1: just so you guys know it. But Jennifer said it 868 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:34,239 Speaker 1: would have been a paste because we just made like 869 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:35,160 Speaker 1: you made a soup. 870 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:37,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, it would have been a little thicker and the 871 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:39,040 Speaker 2: flavor would have been in there. But this is not 872 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:41,320 Speaker 2: bad because Jamaica's killing chairs. 873 00:38:41,320 --> 00:38:48,200 Speaker 1: Okay, here we go. I don't know this, mom, does 874 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:52,360 Speaker 1: it taste Haitian? No, want to try your version? But 875 00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:55,080 Speaker 1: this is good though, it's perfect. 876 00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:59,239 Speaker 2: All. Oh wow, there's a really good I'm proud of me. 877 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:02,239 Speaker 1: I'm proud of you too. You should have made all 878 00:39:02,320 --> 00:39:04,000 Speaker 1: of them so you'd have a snack on the way 879 00:39:04,120 --> 00:39:04,720 Speaker 1: to the plane. 880 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:07,000 Speaker 2: Oh that's all good, is perfect? 881 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:11,240 Speaker 1: Absolutely one more. I'm Jamaican. 882 00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:14,360 Speaker 2: There, that's what Jamaican cowing up. 883 00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:17,480 Speaker 1: Oh this one could be fried Mar. I'm taking all 884 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:21,920 Speaker 1: the good ones, okay, Elijah, Yeah, let's get to this 885 00:39:22,040 --> 00:39:24,759 Speaker 1: deluxe album. Tell us all about it. 886 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:29,040 Speaker 2: The Deluxe for me is my first time really getting 887 00:39:29,080 --> 00:39:32,800 Speaker 2: to be the artist I've always wanted to be. There's 888 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:38,120 Speaker 2: so much experimentation happening with electronic elements, live musicianships, and. 889 00:39:38,200 --> 00:39:39,600 Speaker 1: I just didn't want you to spend the block. 890 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:43,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, live musicianship that's happening on there, and it's I 891 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:44,719 Speaker 2: get to be the artist. And I got a song 892 00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:48,520 Speaker 2: with Kim Barrell, who I've studied. You couldn't tell me, 893 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:50,840 Speaker 2: like in a million years, I had to be in 894 00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:52,480 Speaker 2: the same room as Kim Borell. And I'm in a 895 00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:57,400 Speaker 2: great space. I'm independent with the team that I've always 896 00:39:57,560 --> 00:39:59,520 Speaker 2: dreamed of. I feel like I call them my avengers 897 00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:02,120 Speaker 2: and collected them and they've collected me throughout the way. 898 00:40:02,239 --> 00:40:05,279 Speaker 2: Like Jen who's on my management team. We've been rocking 899 00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:07,120 Speaker 2: sister the rock Nation days. It was my product manager 900 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:12,960 Speaker 2: at rock Nation. Peter shout out to Gin, a fellow Dominica. 901 00:40:13,200 --> 00:40:15,680 Speaker 1: I love that you keep everyone in your camp around forever. 902 00:40:15,760 --> 00:40:18,719 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, that's a good sign of integrity to really. 903 00:40:18,600 --> 00:40:21,600 Speaker 2: Yeah my opinion, Yeah, I would think so. And then 904 00:40:21,719 --> 00:40:24,160 Speaker 2: my my manager, he was the president of Deaf Jam 905 00:40:24,200 --> 00:40:26,440 Speaker 2: when I was there. He was the person who's really 906 00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:29,920 Speaker 2: him and no idea, Peter thea and yeah, that's the way. 907 00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:35,040 Speaker 2: And r I p to my also my co manager 908 00:40:35,080 --> 00:40:36,080 Speaker 2: hoodie that just passed. 909 00:40:36,200 --> 00:40:37,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, I heard about that. 910 00:40:37,120 --> 00:40:41,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, he managed myself Tone stiff An and he. I 911 00:40:41,120 --> 00:40:42,720 Speaker 2: wish he would have been able to see what the deluxe. 912 00:40:42,760 --> 00:40:44,200 Speaker 2: He was one of the people that put everything in 913 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:46,080 Speaker 2: place with the label that I'm at now. I would 914 00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:47,320 Speaker 2: say the partner. 915 00:40:47,239 --> 00:40:49,400 Speaker 1: You dedicated a song to him though, Yeah, Well. 916 00:40:49,280 --> 00:40:51,120 Speaker 2: Something happens when I hear does something happened when I 917 00:40:51,160 --> 00:40:52,919 Speaker 2: hear your name, And that's with me made in Tone 918 00:40:52,920 --> 00:40:56,839 Speaker 2: who he was really fighting every day, fight for us 919 00:40:56,840 --> 00:40:59,200 Speaker 2: on just he would show it to my Good Day 920 00:40:59,239 --> 00:41:01,600 Speaker 2: New York performance and I'm just like, did you just 921 00:41:01,640 --> 00:41:04,120 Speaker 2: flying from Australia He's yeah, I'm like leaving to go 922 00:41:04,160 --> 00:41:06,560 Speaker 2: to Jersey per Tone right after this and just he 923 00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:09,920 Speaker 2: really gave his heart and his soul to this project. 924 00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:11,640 Speaker 2: And I think he'd be proud. I think he'd be 925 00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:12,160 Speaker 2: very proud. 926 00:41:12,480 --> 00:41:15,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, and he could obviously feel all the love. 927 00:41:15,160 --> 00:41:17,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. We're Dene Malloy, who's been my reference and to 928 00:41:17,840 --> 00:41:19,680 Speaker 2: be and my study. He's who signed me A, B 929 00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:23,560 Speaker 2: and I and he's not my A. And R Shy Riddick, 930 00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:25,879 Speaker 2: who was an intern that songbook when I had moved 931 00:41:25,920 --> 00:41:28,719 Speaker 2: to Atlanta and he was interning there. He's on my 932 00:41:28,760 --> 00:41:31,799 Speaker 2: team as well. So yeah, this Deluxe means more than 933 00:41:31,880 --> 00:41:33,719 Speaker 2: just music and more than just songs. I think people 934 00:41:33,719 --> 00:41:36,399 Speaker 2: are getting the Elijah that I felt a little too 935 00:41:36,440 --> 00:41:40,359 Speaker 2: restricted to be allowed to become at the major side 936 00:41:40,360 --> 00:41:41,520 Speaker 2: of the major label system. 937 00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:44,320 Speaker 1: So your deal right now, is it like one hundred 938 00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:49,120 Speaker 1: percent freedom freedom, one hundred percent yes, And it's not 939 00:41:49,160 --> 00:41:50,840 Speaker 1: independent though it is independent. 940 00:41:51,040 --> 00:41:54,759 Speaker 2: It's with my label and Monarch is the partner, so 941 00:41:54,800 --> 00:41:58,840 Speaker 2: they provide. Yeah, they're a distribution company, so they just 942 00:41:58,840 --> 00:42:01,560 Speaker 2: make sure that we get on Spotify, Apple Music. Actually, 943 00:42:01,600 --> 00:42:03,279 Speaker 2: what I really like about them is they provide other 944 00:42:03,280 --> 00:42:06,080 Speaker 2: services to like we get a product manager internally and 945 00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:08,360 Speaker 2: stuff like that. They just keep everything. They help facilitate 946 00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:11,919 Speaker 2: certain services that I would have liked at a major 947 00:42:12,000 --> 00:42:14,000 Speaker 2: label situation without selling myself. 948 00:42:14,160 --> 00:42:17,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, I like that too. And then earlier back, not 949 00:42:17,280 --> 00:42:20,280 Speaker 1: trying to circle back, but you had mentioned like stealing, 950 00:42:20,320 --> 00:42:23,560 Speaker 1: like someone stole stole music from you. Can you talk 951 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:24,760 Speaker 1: me through how that happened? 952 00:42:24,920 --> 00:42:26,240 Speaker 2: So what happens is those. 953 00:42:26,080 --> 00:42:28,560 Speaker 1: Plans are good. Trust me. I don't want to eat 954 00:42:27,719 --> 00:42:31,000 Speaker 1: it because I have to ask questions and I'm watching 955 00:42:31,040 --> 00:42:32,279 Speaker 1: the clock. So you make this. 956 00:42:32,280 --> 00:42:35,560 Speaker 2: Plane somehow along the way. It's crazy. When I signed 957 00:42:35,560 --> 00:42:38,680 Speaker 2: a deaf jam, the whole question, the only bad thing 958 00:42:38,719 --> 00:42:40,799 Speaker 2: that I kept hearing over and over was like, is 959 00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:44,000 Speaker 2: he a songwriter or is he an artist? I'm like, what, 960 00:42:44,200 --> 00:42:47,440 Speaker 2: Like Prince was a singer songwriter, Lauren's singer songwriter. But 961 00:42:47,480 --> 00:42:49,320 Speaker 2: that was a real thing that they were trying to 962 00:42:49,360 --> 00:42:50,759 Speaker 2: find out. I'm like, they're one and the same. 963 00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:52,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, but why can't you be both? 964 00:42:52,160 --> 00:42:52,319 Speaker 2: Though? 965 00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:53,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, but now you're great at it. 966 00:42:53,960 --> 00:42:55,880 Speaker 2: But now everybody wants to be a songwriter. And you 967 00:42:55,960 --> 00:42:59,200 Speaker 2: have these artists who don't write, and but they want 968 00:42:59,280 --> 00:43:01,560 Speaker 2: publishing on a song because they realize, like when touring 969 00:43:01,680 --> 00:43:04,399 Speaker 2: is done, when everything is done, and they want to 970 00:43:04,440 --> 00:43:07,799 Speaker 2: still live these extravagant lifestyle. Publishing is what you have 971 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:10,239 Speaker 2: in the days where your bones don't work the way today, 972 00:43:10,360 --> 00:43:12,280 Speaker 2: certain you can pass down to your kids. It's like equity, 973 00:43:12,320 --> 00:43:13,520 Speaker 2: it's like real estate. 974 00:43:13,600 --> 00:43:15,920 Speaker 1: I heard a lot of the major artists not dropping names, 975 00:43:15,920 --> 00:43:19,680 Speaker 1: but like people like a Beyonce. I don't want nobody 976 00:43:19,719 --> 00:43:22,120 Speaker 1: coming from me for that. But I heard that they 977 00:43:22,440 --> 00:43:25,719 Speaker 1: automatically if you write songs for them, they automatically get 978 00:43:26,040 --> 00:43:27,719 Speaker 1: a part of the deal is that they have to 979 00:43:27,719 --> 00:43:29,200 Speaker 1: get a writer's credit on it. 980 00:43:29,520 --> 00:43:32,040 Speaker 2: I've heard that, mean I've not heard that. I've experienced it, 981 00:43:32,040 --> 00:43:35,320 Speaker 2: not from Beyonce in particular, but there has been certain 982 00:43:35,440 --> 00:43:38,520 Speaker 2: artists that are my heroes and for me, I don't 983 00:43:38,560 --> 00:43:41,399 Speaker 2: mind if it's not. But sometimes it gets a little 984 00:43:41,400 --> 00:43:43,120 Speaker 2: to the point where it's just like being greedy if 985 00:43:43,160 --> 00:43:45,480 Speaker 2: you didn't write a single word on the song. At 986 00:43:45,560 --> 00:43:48,520 Speaker 2: least with Beyonce. But I've experienced what I've told us. 987 00:43:48,760 --> 00:43:52,040 Speaker 2: She's she is. There is musicianship going into it, so 988 00:43:52,280 --> 00:43:54,680 Speaker 2: she's going to rearrange and change the songs, and she's 989 00:43:54,719 --> 00:43:57,160 Speaker 2: going to contribute to it her harmonies and everything. But 990 00:43:57,200 --> 00:44:00,359 Speaker 2: there are certain artists that literally do nothing want forty 991 00:44:00,360 --> 00:44:05,600 Speaker 2: percent of the song. And you're looking like, no ten 992 00:44:05,719 --> 00:44:08,200 Speaker 2: is not a problem. Yeah, that's not a problem at all. Actually, 993 00:44:08,239 --> 00:44:10,719 Speaker 2: on No Love a lot, I gave Rianna ten just 994 00:44:10,719 --> 00:44:14,440 Speaker 2: because she brought them and she asked, so to me 995 00:44:14,600 --> 00:44:17,040 Speaker 2: that there's a respect there, you know what I mean, 996 00:44:17,080 --> 00:44:19,400 Speaker 2: They're you're not You're not No Love allowed. 997 00:44:19,400 --> 00:44:23,200 Speaker 1: That was unapologetic, but she asked, but did she contribute? 998 00:44:23,719 --> 00:44:25,959 Speaker 2: I felt, I felt this is for me. I felt 999 00:44:26,000 --> 00:44:27,960 Speaker 2: like the way she brought the song to life and 1000 00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:29,880 Speaker 2: her isms, and there were certain things that were it 1001 00:44:29,920 --> 00:44:33,759 Speaker 2: wasn't like Verbatim to make demo record. Yeah, I wrote 1002 00:44:33,760 --> 00:44:37,840 Speaker 2: the song myself in a scured though and she cut it, 1003 00:44:37,880 --> 00:44:39,920 Speaker 2: but there were ways she brought it to life. So 1004 00:44:39,960 --> 00:44:43,239 Speaker 2: I feel like and that wasn't greedy, that's not at all. 1005 00:44:43,280 --> 00:44:45,799 Speaker 2: So one hundred percent of zero is still zero. But 1006 00:44:46,160 --> 00:44:48,319 Speaker 2: there are artists who do nothing and they're like, yeah, 1007 00:44:48,360 --> 00:44:50,520 Speaker 2: I need forty percent of that, And for me, I'm 1008 00:44:50,560 --> 00:44:53,879 Speaker 2: just like, it ain't going And I allowed, I used 1009 00:44:53,920 --> 00:44:55,600 Speaker 2: to allow it, and it hurt me to the point 1010 00:44:55,600 --> 00:44:57,120 Speaker 2: where I'm just like I'm ready to just fall on 1011 00:44:57,160 --> 00:44:59,560 Speaker 2: the sword because I just I make I'm setting a 1012 00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:01,400 Speaker 2: bad example for the. 1013 00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:04,120 Speaker 1: Next president presidents. 1014 00:45:04,280 --> 00:45:06,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, to allow this to be done to newer songwriters, 1015 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:09,200 Speaker 2: like it happened to me because somebody literally told me when 1016 00:45:09,200 --> 00:45:10,960 Speaker 2: I said, why do you feel like you deserve forty percent? 1017 00:45:11,320 --> 00:45:12,520 Speaker 2: I got to earn your stripes. I'm like, I'm not 1018 00:45:12,560 --> 00:45:15,640 Speaker 2: a fucking tiger. I don't want stripes. I want Louis Baton, 1019 00:45:15,920 --> 00:45:20,320 Speaker 2: I like that Gucci. Yeah, I don't want those stripes. 1020 00:45:20,360 --> 00:45:22,120 Speaker 2: I need to doing the first every month. 1021 00:45:22,200 --> 00:45:25,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, But yeah, did that takes a lot of courage 1022 00:45:25,239 --> 00:45:27,719 Speaker 1: for you to actually stand for up for yourself and 1023 00:45:27,760 --> 00:45:28,160 Speaker 1: be like. 1024 00:45:28,200 --> 00:45:30,040 Speaker 2: For sure, because they'll take the song off the album. 1025 00:45:30,080 --> 00:45:32,239 Speaker 2: I had a huge artist it ended up coming up. 1026 00:45:32,239 --> 00:45:34,560 Speaker 2: But the manager there was like, you have ten seconds 1027 00:45:34,560 --> 00:45:36,359 Speaker 2: because they was about to put the project out there, 1028 00:45:36,440 --> 00:45:39,840 Speaker 2: like give us posting guest or no. Within response to 1029 00:45:39,840 --> 00:45:41,799 Speaker 2: this email, we're taking off the album. And I said 1030 00:45:41,800 --> 00:45:43,200 Speaker 2: it's not fair, and they took it off the album. 1031 00:45:43,320 --> 00:45:44,759 Speaker 2: It ended up being on the deluxe. 1032 00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:47,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, so if you guys want to hear you hear 1033 00:45:47,200 --> 00:45:50,520 Speaker 1: it on the DELX. Yeah, obviously tell us which song 1034 00:45:50,560 --> 00:45:51,239 Speaker 1: it is. 1035 00:45:51,360 --> 00:45:53,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, but I just didn't think it was I didn't 1036 00:45:53,440 --> 00:45:54,920 Speaker 2: think it was fair. Yeah, I didn't think. 1037 00:45:54,960 --> 00:45:56,359 Speaker 1: I'm glad you did it so now we can enjoy 1038 00:45:56,440 --> 00:45:57,600 Speaker 1: on the deluxe exactly. 1039 00:45:57,680 --> 00:45:59,399 Speaker 2: And they saw me at a party, the manager who 1040 00:45:59,440 --> 00:46:01,799 Speaker 2: was a huge manager. So I'm at a party. It 1041 00:46:01,880 --> 00:46:05,040 Speaker 2: was like Ush's birthday party in LA and he was like, man, 1042 00:46:05,480 --> 00:46:07,560 Speaker 2: Adam Levine asked me why I took that song. It 1043 00:46:07,600 --> 00:46:10,239 Speaker 2: was his favorite that song album, so we're gonna re 1044 00:46:10,239 --> 00:46:12,520 Speaker 2: release it as a deluxe and literally I was the 1045 00:46:12,560 --> 00:46:16,719 Speaker 2: only song they added the deluxe. I was really at first, 1046 00:46:16,760 --> 00:46:18,879 Speaker 2: I was like damn. I like the producers were looking 1047 00:46:18,880 --> 00:46:20,400 Speaker 2: at me like, damn, Eliji, you might have missed up 1048 00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:22,920 Speaker 2: for us. I'm like, bro, at what point do we 1049 00:46:23,000 --> 00:46:25,080 Speaker 2: stand for something? You know what I mean? They're gonna 1050 00:46:25,120 --> 00:46:27,919 Speaker 2: And I felt like because I allowed it with two 1051 00:46:28,000 --> 00:46:29,319 Speaker 2: instances prior is why. 1052 00:46:29,920 --> 00:46:32,480 Speaker 1: It just felt like everybody was like, oh a lot 1053 00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:33,759 Speaker 1: of talking about it. 1054 00:46:33,840 --> 00:46:34,600 Speaker 2: That's how I felt. 1055 00:46:34,640 --> 00:46:37,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, you under honestly, it wasn't just how you felt, 1056 00:46:37,160 --> 00:46:38,920 Speaker 1: it was reality. Yeah, it became reality. 1057 00:46:38,680 --> 00:46:40,880 Speaker 2: Because I'm like, why is everybody just thinking like Elijah's 1058 00:46:41,040 --> 00:46:43,799 Speaker 2: is gonna give twenty thirty percent. In the beginning part 1059 00:46:43,840 --> 00:46:45,200 Speaker 2: of my crew, I was so young. I was having 1060 00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:47,120 Speaker 2: fun with it. I was like, yeah, you can have 1061 00:46:47,280 --> 00:46:49,160 Speaker 2: you can have this, And I'm like, why are y'all 1062 00:46:49,200 --> 00:46:51,400 Speaker 2: only coming after me? Even I would see emails and 1063 00:46:51,400 --> 00:46:53,520 Speaker 2: they're like, Okay, we need to find thirty percent for 1064 00:46:53,600 --> 00:46:56,080 Speaker 2: this person and everybody nobody's budget, but they're just expecting 1065 00:46:56,120 --> 00:46:58,640 Speaker 2: me to move. So I'm like, okay, I gotta really 1066 00:46:58,680 --> 00:47:01,160 Speaker 2: like just double down ten y. Let you all know 1067 00:47:01,200 --> 00:47:02,120 Speaker 2: it ain't a game no more. 1068 00:47:02,239 --> 00:47:04,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, but that takes a lot of courage. There's no 1069 00:47:04,239 --> 00:47:07,680 Speaker 1: way you weren't like semi second guessing yourself, especially after 1070 00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:10,480 Speaker 1: they pulled it. Yeah, but then the producers were coming 1071 00:47:10,520 --> 00:47:10,680 Speaker 1: to you. 1072 00:47:10,760 --> 00:47:12,880 Speaker 2: All I had to do was one time and Nigga 1073 00:47:12,920 --> 00:47:16,319 Speaker 2: stopped expecting it. I like you feel me to you? 1074 00:47:16,560 --> 00:47:21,719 Speaker 1: Yeah, which collaboration on the album do you like the best? 1075 00:47:22,120 --> 00:47:25,080 Speaker 1: Not trying to make you choose between your twins and 1076 00:47:25,200 --> 00:47:26,560 Speaker 1: Streeter or anybody else. 1077 00:47:26,960 --> 00:47:29,560 Speaker 2: You know. I hate with people as like this, but 1078 00:47:29,640 --> 00:47:34,000 Speaker 2: they're so different. The one with Me and Seven, I 1079 00:47:34,280 --> 00:47:37,640 Speaker 2: just realized, even just like last night, I'm like, dang, 1080 00:47:37,719 --> 00:47:39,480 Speaker 2: me and seven are both from Florida, you know what 1081 00:47:39,520 --> 00:47:41,680 Speaker 2: I mean. We both have had a similar experience with 1082 00:47:41,719 --> 00:47:45,040 Speaker 2: the major label system. We're also experiencing success outside of 1083 00:47:45,080 --> 00:47:47,319 Speaker 2: it now as independent artists. And I'm like, that's kind 1084 00:47:47,320 --> 00:47:51,120 Speaker 2: of dope. Like two artists from Florida like ninety Babies 1085 00:47:51,360 --> 00:47:54,359 Speaker 2: doing the nineties inspired record with Eric Husson who produced it. 1086 00:47:54,800 --> 00:47:57,000 Speaker 2: I'm like, that's kind of dope. And then also the 1087 00:47:57,040 --> 00:47:59,080 Speaker 2: one how You're Going to I'm like, that's freaking salt 1088 00:47:59,120 --> 00:48:02,480 Speaker 2: and pepper like salt, you know what I mean. That's legendary. 1089 00:48:02,520 --> 00:48:06,480 Speaker 1: That's awesome. Shout out to her. We had Streeter on 1090 00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:09,200 Speaker 1: and her story was really beautiful too. She was a 1091 00:48:09,320 --> 00:48:12,560 Speaker 1: very beautiful story. Yeah, and that was like a Chris Brown. 1092 00:48:12,840 --> 00:48:15,480 Speaker 1: Shout outs to Chris Brown and her dad first look 1093 00:48:15,520 --> 00:48:17,239 Speaker 1: the one that actually like initially put her on. 1094 00:48:17,480 --> 00:48:19,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I had seen seven in passing. We've just 1095 00:48:19,600 --> 00:48:23,239 Speaker 2: never collaborated, collaborate, So this song is a beautiful represent. 1096 00:48:23,040 --> 00:48:25,960 Speaker 1: I love the song. Thank You's beautiful? All right? You 1097 00:48:25,960 --> 00:48:29,239 Speaker 1: know what? You can? Go ahead. I'm so sad to 1098 00:48:29,280 --> 00:48:29,759 Speaker 1: see you go. 1099 00:48:30,280 --> 00:48:31,680 Speaker 2: I want to do this. Can we have y'all done 1100 00:48:31,680 --> 00:48:33,000 Speaker 2: a part two? Can we do a part two? 1101 00:48:33,040 --> 00:48:34,640 Speaker 1: I would love to do it a part two? Do 1102 00:48:34,680 --> 00:48:37,319 Speaker 1: you come to La a lot? You live here? 1103 00:48:38,520 --> 00:48:38,719 Speaker 2: Oh? 1104 00:48:38,800 --> 00:48:41,359 Speaker 1: Okay, you know where the studio's at. We gonna see 1105 00:48:41,440 --> 00:48:42,000 Speaker 1: a little. 1106 00:48:43,840 --> 00:48:44,759 Speaker 2: Real. Yeah. 1107 00:48:45,200 --> 00:48:47,920 Speaker 1: You went from non cooking to all excited about cooking. 1108 00:48:47,960 --> 00:48:48,759 Speaker 1: It's hilarious. 1109 00:48:49,560 --> 00:48:50,520 Speaker 2: We gonna do part two. 1110 00:48:50,800 --> 00:48:53,200 Speaker 1: Okay, part two. You heard it here first, but I 1111 00:48:53,239 --> 00:48:55,400 Speaker 1: want you to sing us out. Okay, I have to 1112 00:48:55,440 --> 00:48:57,960 Speaker 1: because when I heard you sing earlier, did you enjoy it? 1113 00:48:59,520 --> 00:48:59,640 Speaker 2: All? 1114 00:48:59,719 --> 00:48:59,919 Speaker 1: Right? 1115 00:49:00,560 --> 00:49:10,160 Speaker 2: What song am I so we're talking about? Okay, dang sing? Okay, 1116 00:49:10,440 --> 00:49:12,280 Speaker 2: I gotta do a gospel song because I'm going ahead. 1117 00:49:12,400 --> 00:49:16,600 Speaker 4: I'm feel I've had some good days. 1118 00:49:17,440 --> 00:49:18,239 Speaker 2: I've had some. 1119 00:49:18,400 --> 00:49:27,840 Speaker 4: He he's the class. I've had some weary days, some 1120 00:49:28,160 --> 00:49:30,360 Speaker 4: lonely nights. 1121 00:49:31,080 --> 00:49:33,759 Speaker 1: But we're a look around and. 1122 00:49:35,160 --> 00:49:41,239 Speaker 4: I think things over all of my good days, all 1123 00:49:41,239 --> 00:49:42,239 Speaker 4: the wait, mind. 1124 00:49:44,120 --> 00:49:50,239 Speaker 2: My bad days, and die. I won't complaint. 1125 00:49:52,200 --> 00:49:56,799 Speaker 1: That was beautiful. Thank you, my goodness, the boy, Thank 1126 00:49:56,840 --> 00:49:58,960 Speaker 1: you guys. You heard it here first. 1127 00:49:59,480 --> 00:50:00,120 Speaker 2: Hey. 1128 00:50:04,640 --> 00:50:07,920 Speaker 1: For more eating while broke from iHeartRadio and The Black Effect, 1129 00:50:08,080 --> 00:50:11,640 Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 1130 00:50:11,680 --> 00:50:13,040 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows,