R and B Money.

Honey, we are.

Thanks.

Think about a chi.

We are the authority on.

R and B.

Ladies and gentlemen, my name.

Is Tank, I'm Jay Valentine, and this, my friends, Yeah, is the R and B Money Podcast.

Yes, it is the authority.

Boy, you didn't drink your teeth.

On All Things Ship seventeen D R and B The Grammy seventeen dpep no sleep.

See I got a little paperwork.

Yeah, she got hardware.

What I'm talking.

Tail it, whole bunch of it, Oh, bunch of it.

Sing it ye, write it, produce it, write it again, directed, and.

Then put it on Broadway.

But put it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Broadway.

You want my story, don't you.

Ladies and gentlemen.

My boss is here.

She signs my checks.

Yes, and I'm writing for for it.

This woman needs absolutely no introduction, but I just had to create one.

The amazing, the beautiful missus Alicia.

Yeah, yes that was Hey kg K jesus.

I'm so sick of what she's doing.

That's the best ever.

Put it in your show right for your first of all, thank you, yes, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

When you when you show up, it means something thank you, and we appreciate that whole heartedly.

This is amazing, man.

It's such a good vibe and you know, we got history and it's such such respect and you know, like the music is so pure.

Yeah, so it's a blessing.

You've been dope since day one in Sacramento.

I always tell you about that show I don't remember and Jimmy Coseyer what yeah.

In Sacramento, Sacramento, Wow.

And I did my thing, and well Cozy did his thing, and then I did my thing and then and then you were last.

And I'm like, well, well why she laughs?

You know what I'm saying this, this this is crazy.

You know what I'm saying.

And then you came out and you performed and you said the piano and played this.

I said, oh, that's why she's last.

Okay, all right, it's crazy.

And seventeen Grammys later, Yeah, that's why she was last.

Wow, that's crazy.

So the respect is, the respect is inmates.

I was reading you know, we always do our one sheets, and I was reading down your one sheet.

It's in Jesus Christ, it's insane.

It does that.

Yeah.

Yeah, my head start hurting.

It's like, yeah, I ain't it enough.

It feels like reading your one sheet, you have to plan to go home and eat dinner, like that has to be in the plan, Like it's got to be scheduled.

I am a serious scheduler.

That's a true thing I do believe in, like making sure that you have the space to do the things that you love.

And well, everything that I do I love, but the things that can kind of get scheduled out if you don't pay attention to it.

So you know, your family can get scheduled out because you like can get so busy that you find yourself Wait a minute, have I spent enough time there?

Have I done things like just go home and have dinner and chill out and just be easy some really big on that I actually am big.

We have days that we all eat together.

It's like really it's a thing, like it's a part of it.

So I feel you.

But I love a schedule.

You are, but there's no way to get all of that done without a schedule.

You can't wing that.

Not what you've accomplished.

It's not even possible to be just an artist, right, And I think most people when they get into our industry, they only get into the industry, to be an artist more so than to.

Be a business.

And to have life, you know what I mean, have beautiful children, have be married, you know, I mean, all the great, amazing things that you've done.

It has to be planned, it has to be scheduled, you know what I mean.

I don't know.

I think some things, I mean, some of the best things.

Also you don't know what are happened.

You know, some of the best things you couldn't even you couldn't even have thought of that thing.

I found myself oftentimes in my life where I'm like, man, I never even realize that it was going to lead here, or like, how did it end up getting here?

You know?

And and so sometimes I'm so surprised by how things go.

But I understand what you're saying, and I appreciate what you're saying, which is the idea that you know, we we are unlimited, there is no limit.

I think a lot of times in our lives we feel so limited.

We feel like there's a you know, there's already a judgment on how high we can go, or what we can do, or what we can't do, or what's available to us.

So I love this idea that we are unlimited and there is no ceiling.

There is nothing we can't figure out, you know.

So that's that's definitely big for me.

And it took me a minute to get to the place where I believe that.

You know, of course, so let's talk unlimited.

Do you want to throw that word out there?

Because because there was there was music, there was you know, there was writing and producing, and there was there was performance, and then there's there's fashion, and then there's then there's art, and then and then there's philanthe and and then there's there's this book writing and then and then they're like, uh, Jay's like, hey man, what's what do you think about Broadway?

I was like, I haven't thought much about Broadway.

Well, Alicia Keys is looking for you, Alicia who Keys is looking for?

And for what reason to talk to me about what's going on?

Uh, She's got to play on Broadway and they would like to see you.

And I was like this Broadway, Wow, Broadway.

I'm telling the truth.

You turned into a thespian immediately.

No, no, no, no, no, I've never imagined.

I'm not sure of the of the of the parameters that are involved in doing such a thing.

At this point in my career.

And and and I'm like, but I look at little Lulu and Jay and I'm like, okay, it's Alicia first.

She called, let's start there.

So whatever that is, we have to see that through the respect alone.

I have to go see what she's talking about.

And I have to be prepared for whatever is needed just for that, whether it's whether I want to do it or not do it, I have to go see her.

That's it.

It starts there.

And so me and Lulu say, let's get there day before so we can go see the play.

That's I got on my pages.

But let's go see and see what see what she's doing on.

High level Broadway.

Come on, raight, man.

I watched I watch Precision from the intro, from the time the lights went off, Welcome to Hell'ski, from that to the to the end, Let's go.

He can't wait.

I can't.

I do my dance.

It's the thing I do.

I know what I'm doing up there.

And I said, oh my god, if there's ever a time in place for me to be on Broadway, it is here.

And now because you have constructed a part you didn't even know this.

This is the divine part of it.

You have constructed a part in a role that absolutely speaks to who I am and what I've been through with having daughters who lived in New York three thousand miles away and trying to be Tank and trying to and missing things important things and getting in and and I'm like, so after that, it was just like, I have to be a part of it.

I have to.

It is.

It is everything that my life needs to be right now.

And that's crazy.

And I don't understand.

No, I understand unlimited, but I'm trying to understand your mind going from this deep I mean, incredible success, but going into this space where you grind for thirteen years to get this thing in the shoe.

But you have to give us some You got to give us some of that.

Okay, First, let me say I love every single thing you said.

If y'all don't know, Tank is coming back to the show November fourteenth, all the way to the end of the month is two weeks.

You don't want to miss.

Him in this show because let me tell you what happened.

This is why I'm so glad you brought that up.

Because when we when we connected and you you know we work through the material.

You don't know you like.

I love his voice, his voices crazy.

I know he's active before, so I know he got all the energy.

But Broadway it's a whole other animal.

It's just a whole nother level of greatness.

This is what I've realized is that the people who can hold their own on that Broadway stage are literally a different caliber of performer because you have to be so multifaceted.

You have to be able to juggle so much and in real time and for multiple nights a week in a level that is just not really easy at all.

And how prepared you that's the part when you said you went to see the show, how prepared you were, and how earnest you were, and how much you were, like so focused on being exceptional.

I just saw you myself in a light that I've never even seen you in that room, that small, tiny little room.

I said, WHOA hold on a minute, this is another level.

And then watching you take the stage and become Davis and love it, like really actually love it and bring like so much light and joy to it.

So that was just just one thing because when I feel like that's a big testament to who you are because people, you know, they kind of coasts, you know, they do the least and they kind of run in and you know, people feel like they don't have to put the work in, especially sometimes when you've reached a certain level.

But that's when you have to put the most work in.

That's what I think cats don't get absolutely right and so so so that was amazing.

I just loved that.

I was so proud of all of that and then boom, so you're killing it.

About to kill it again November fourteenth through the end of the month.

But the process of making Hell's Kitchen was you know, fascinating really for me too.

Again back to the like you can't schedule everything, you know, like you don't know what's going to happen or how it's in a common I had this inspiration, you know, fourteen and a half years ago now to be to create something on Broadway.

I'd done a little thing I did.

I'd done a producer role in a really smart play called Stickfly written by Lydia Diamond is really smart, really cool, and people loved it like it was.

But it was my first kind of experience in the world, and it was the very beginning of when we were starting to see Broadway become more diversified, and I remember feeling really really passionate about being a part of that, like telling stories that aren't the stories you've ever seen before.

And my mother was the quintessential kind of New York transplant, coming from Midwest dreaming of being an actor, going to NYU.

And that's how we got to New York because of her original dream.

So when I started to develop this idea about this building that we grew up in, which is called Manhattan Plaza, and it was like the one this one of a kind building that was subsidized for artists, so you had super cheap rent, but you were in the middle of the city.

It was a brand new idea.

That's amazing, Yes, and most people would have never had the opportunity, definitely not me to be it surrounded by so much art and entertainment and life and opportunity, you know, and this building really was the conduit for it.

So the building we grew up in was literally kind of like this artistic community of people of all walks of life.

They might be orchestrators, they might be violin players, they might be actors, they might be artists, might be drummers, they might be you know, playwrights, whatever the case, and this was the building.

So this building, to me, I knew was such a character.

It was such an interesting place and location.

And then I had grown up in this space.

So this show about this young girl named Ali really trying to find her way in the world, and how her community kind of you know, really ends up being the thing that inspires her and her mentor Miss Eliza Jane, and her mother who she's desperately fighting against because she's very overbearing.

You recognize at the end of it that it's a mother daughter love story and how you as the people you push away to most are the people that you often need the most.

And so it's very emotional, funny, joyful, triumphant.

The dancing is crazy.

Camille Brown choreographed it.

Michael Greif, who did Rent and Dearrevan Hansen is the director, and Chris Diaz, who's also a super young writer who grew up in New York, was a part of writing the whole thing.

So the process took forever, like, yes, thirteen years, and at some point I was like who this is?

And then COVID hit and all the things, all the things that just delays everything.

And it was a process because you had to find the right people, You had to find the right writer, you had to find the right partnership.

You have to make, you know, really feel it out.

And then this, this particular Hell's Kitchen was like to me, this was like my redemption.

And I say that because I think as young artists, we find ourselves in places where we are not the owners of our business.

We are not we're not the you know, we're not the ones who really call the shots, and so ultimately you become controlled, and you become taking advantage of manipulating, and you're so young, you don't know, you don't know the things that you know as time goes on.

And so this to me ended up being kind of a place where I really understood the business.

Now, this was a new business for me, because Broadway is a new place for me.

But being able to merge the worlds was my intention, and most importantly, being able to reflect the city that I grew up in, which is so diverse and full of so many different styles of people and energies and backgrounds, you know, and that is what you see on that stage.

So it's look forever to develop it and put it all together.

But I think the most important part was trusting my instinct.

And that's why, you know, I always maintained control of the of the of the peace creatively, you know, the IP the intellectual property is mine because I knew that that's it's the only way that it could be.

And so that was the way that I was able to just harness the truth and the energy.

And so I trusted my gut, even though it was scary as hell, say what if I can't do this?

What if I fuck it up?

What if I'm going to all these people and I'm saying, believe in me, believe in this, and we what what if?

And I had to like get myself out of my own head.

And I knew that I knew that it was something special though I knew that it was unique and emotional and heartfelt.

And so I think the unlimitedness came from the tenacity, like the strength to just keep going step by step, even when it was like it was never going to happen, Was it going to pan out?

Could it be?

Keep going, keep believing, keep trusting yourself.

Now you you you've done it.

And I mean and for me as sitting on the outside of it, right, obviously, it's it's your creation, it's your baby.

And then he's a part of it, he's in it.

I had never been to Broadway.

That part.

This is what brought me to Broadway.

And what makes it even funnier is my daughter saw the play before I did.

Wow, my ten year old.

She's smart.

She's like, she's like wait, She's like, no, no, she's smart, she's culture.

She's yeah, she's a thing.

Right, yeah, yeah.

My daughter han't been to Paris.

I ain't been to Paris, you know what I mean.

So she on another level.

So she so I tell her, I said, Uncle Tank is going to do Broadway.

And because she just asked me about different things, right, she doesn't know what he's going to do, what play he's going to do.

She says to me, is he doing Hell's Kitchen?

Wow?

I said, actually he is, no.

And she goes, but I already went to go see it and Uncle Tank wasn't in it, and I was like, all.

Right, well, babe, how is it?

I got to ask my daughter.

I'm like, I'm like, babe, how is it?

She's like, the play is great?

Dad, and it's Ali and then it's her mom and she started to give me the whole breakdown and the whole thing, and I'm like, ok, this is crazy.

So she was like, well, tell me how it goes.

And tell me if you meet Alicia Keys, she says, and tell me if you meet a Keys.

I was like, I don't know if I'm a meet LEAs Keys.

And when I go, and it's funny because I called Lulu before when I when I first landed, because I think he was he was preparing, and I'm like, you.

Know, I don't do this Broadway ship right.

I'm like, Lulu, what the hell?

And he was like, no, brother, you gotta see it, you gotta And I was like, yeah, no.

I talked to name on it, my daughter.

I talked to Naomi.

She said it was cool.

And when I get in there, and you know, I'm also one of those people where I'm like, okay, man, I'm sitting here, man, you sit there, so you got your space.

I sit down and somebody goes right here.

Next and I'm like, nigg on Broadway, behave yourself ready, behave yourself you on Broadway.

No, And just and watching it and I'm like this is absolutely amazing.

And I was telling him, I said, bro, I'm super super proud of you taking this chance, really really flexing your your your creative muscles, and being willing to maybe get your ass kicked, right, because this is this is my best friend from one hundred years so we I've seen him on every stage and when he first got out there and Jersey girls start getting on his ass, I'm like, oh, right back to tak fight.

Oh ship right.

But it was it was such a it was such a cool space to see him in and to see like, Okay, he's working his ass off.

You know what I'm saying, Like he's working his ass off, and these people are on his stage ain't playing.

Nah, I'm talking about a game.

And I'm one of those people Like I'm watching the people that are behind the thing.

I'm looking.

I'm like, okay, so they got the people down there, and I'm watching the whole thing.

I'm like, oh, this is really a real production.

This is amazing.

So I just want to say thank you first for giving me that type of experience.

I would have never went to Broadway.

I ain't gonna hold you.

It was never.

Happening to go to anything else, you know what I mean, I don't really plan on it.

I'm coming back to I don't know about them.

And her kitchen is like that, it is.

It's a thing.

It is that that appeals to the Broadway audience and also the non Broadway people.

I invited people and rappers and all sorts of people who lived in New York and had never been to a Broadway playoff and came to the Hell's kitchen and was crying.

You're crying.

You can't help but cry, did you like once you created and once you start to see it on stage, because things unfold, you know what I mean, And and depending.

On who's in what role, and these types of things, like different things come to like and all these things.

And once you finally get this thing like running, like running, what are some of the nuances that surprised you that maybe weren't written in that you were like, Oh wow, that's a moment that we need to let's really blow this moment out, Like let's add to this moment.

You know, there's there's there.

It's true.

It really does become its own being, like it's it's it's its own kind of evolving and honestly every night.

It's evolving every week.

It is changing.

Of course, it has a standard that it always hits.

But still like that's what I think is the part of live performance, Like it's never going to be exactly the same.

But I remember the first time Miss e Liza Jane said you are here.

So Miss Liza Jane is the mentor of Ali, and she's really not playing no games.

She plays classical piano.

She's the teacher.

She plays piano, and she's you know, she's really what Ali needs because Ali kind of needs to she really needs to get put in her place, you know.

And so this woman is you know, she's she's older, she's wise, she's maternal, she's powerful, and she's not playing any games with her.

And the first time, the first of a couple of times, a Keisha Lewis, who did win the Tony for Hell's Kitchen.

Some special which right away just quick.

Diversion and I'll come back to the question.

It was fascinating the whole Tony process because Keisha has been on Broadway and an actor for forty plus years.

Wow, And this.

Was the first time that she got recognized in that way and that way.

Of course she's recognized, she's celebrated, that she's beloved like that.

No statue makes us who we are.

But the fact that she got recognized in this way in this piece, like I can't even tell you like that was a level of that was a level of success for me that was different.

You know that that could happen for her.

So the first time she gets on stage and she's all firing and she's and then Ali's all like freaking out and.

She's like, you are here because the voices of your ancestors requested your presence, and the audience lost it.

And we never truly knew how certain liners are gonna land.

You don't fully you feel it.

But when that landed so ridiculously crazy on the audience.

That was a moment.

We were like, ooh, that's like a moment.

That's a thing that's important.

So there are you know, there are so many of those that happened, and particularly I would say with Davis and Jersey.

So one of my favorite moments in the show is when Davis comes comes back, Jersey actually calls her, can you help me with our daughter?

I'm having a hard time.

You know, It's one of those moments everybody'd been through when they're seventeen, or if they're a parent and their kids starting to do that thing.

Yeah, and they they together sing Falling, which is literally so crazy because nobody expects Davis to lead falling, Like you've never heard a guy sing falling.

And that was another the thing I never realized.

I was like, man, never, I never actually heard a guy truly own falling.

And so when Davis starts falling, he's like, Davis is all smooth, and you know, he's he was kind of based off of Sammy Davis Junior.

Each character has a musical inspiration, and Davis is a Sammy Davis Junior in my head.

That's how I saw.

He's kind of got that finesse, that elegance, and yet.

He's flawed like all of us.

And so he starts singing falling, and we Adam, he's actually sitting right over there musical supervisor, you know what I mean, and orchestrator and creator and he we did this thing at the top.

We we're like, no, Davis has to take his time.

He has to.

He has to finesse that beginning and he has to go around and the whole and the whole audience don't exactly know what's happening because it sounds so good.

And then he hits that beginning note.

Okay, and that's not oh broad Way.

They irked up right there.

And I'm trying to stay a character.

But I'm silly.

You're halfway tacking.

I know what she's thinking.

No, bro, I'm trying to stay a professionalist.

It's like.

It's crazy.

It's crazy because it's it's fun.

It's funny, it's spiritual, it's it's redemptive, like it's it's every it checks every box.

And I've never seen anything like it.

I've never seen anything like it.

Like my mama is her.

Body okay, not here to play.

Church, hard body nodding.

And she saw Keisha and Jessica, and and when I think she might have prayed with Keisha.

I bet you she did.

I'm saying she said, she said the rect mm hmm ray, this play was phenomenal.

Listen, when you get the phenomenal, don't.

Know when when she's gonna be mad.

I said you the phenomenal.

She gonna nobody when she gave you phenomenal, ye, don't play.

And and just and just I just want to say this.

I want people to understand that as we're talking about a thirteen year haul in terms of pursuing a dream and getting something like this on its legs, I want people to understand or just try to consider the cost the business that goes along something like this.

The faith you have to have in essence putting this kind of money where your mouth and heart is.

Oh my god, I told you I was terrified.

Oh man, wait a minute, like cold on now I need These people are trusting me with.

Everything, and I had to make sure that that trust was fulfilled.

So that we celebrate a year and a half on Broadway is an amazing accomplishment.

That we just launched the national tour.

You're a man, which is crazy.

So I know.

So I'm coming back and I guess it's gonna be in Chicago and the fourteen So people I think, and no, I'm no, I'm not.

I'm I'm at the bit.

You know what, Let me just put.

The super theaters.

Where I will be.

Old men don't travel it stay put No.

True, but that's that's crazy than itself.

And now you got the you got to build it.

You have the destruction of the foundation.

How many ninety trucks.

I know that it's over one hundred shows, over over one hundred shows, and there will be more all across the country everywhere.

Like it said, Chicago is next, amazing, It's gonna be pretty much every state is getting it.

So you're gonna they're gonna love it.

It's amazing.

Launching the touring company was incredible.

And what's crazy is these these young actors and dancers and creative people that are just like in the work.

You're like at that age, though, why.

Did everybody gets so incredible?

This is crazy?

But it's like, I'm going to study this and it's osmosis.

Right.

Think of the all the things we absorbed as kids growing up and what we were able to become off of that.

Now, think about what our kids are absorbing is they're coming up and the multiply that time.

We have a thriller VHS.

Listen and that was pretty good.

I wildwind that things all.

I learned the whole dance.

And then you watch Purple Ray and then my mom wouldn't let me really.

Yeah, I guess maybe I didn't really watch.

You Gurge de Rail.

I'm watched everything.

I was trying to wash the scarface at four that.

Might you as.

I'm a hustling.

Yeah, you're production out of control, you're staging out of control, costume everything out of control, or.

It's trying to wear the outfit.

He was looking for it any cares, I said, you ready, David's outfire.

I'm not filming.

They wouldn't let me bring it, but I wanted.

I want to get to a part that I know.

I know you, I know you dear to your heart because it's dear to my heart.

I want to get to the musicality.

You know, I know.

We have a guy here.

Yes, there's a guy.

Who's part of part of the music.

They got it, They got him right.

Does he have to makeup?

I got hair makeup?

Did they get it right?

Show some dame bro.

I'm so happy to see Adam this whole thing together.

Yes, yes, deprestrated this.

Moment right here, say and you grab me the Hell's Kitchen book?

Please?

Thank you.

Mister Blackstone.

Is the reason why we now film at the legendary Somero.

It's wait, this is happening indefinitely, like this is your spox.

So I am the new creative director of this hotel and music venue, which we're going to give you a little torah when you leave here.

But one of the last, one of my first installations is having my brothers here to do or be mon.

Yeah, I feel like you have something to do with that at least you so baby, maybe charge came up with that.

There is the name percentage.

You know this guy.

I've been there.

Spelt like you need one of these out today.

This is out today.

The Hell's kitchen behind man and you need to have one of these.

You know what I mean this you have to help.

Cry.

It's so specials.

The whole process of what we've been through from the beginning her day one, yeah, my day one up until who we are now.

So it was very exciting, man like this.

There's a lot of gyms in there too.

It's really not a secrets, a lot of processing.

It was really really and beauty.

Just look at you and you feel like a home.

It's gonna get you back.

It's gonna get you back in the zone.

Put it in your house.

Looking a here, don't you my role I love coffee table books.

Your daughter or she's gonna love it.

That would be.

Okay, we gonna look at you so she gets home from school, so you know, I hung outway to that she's making the t shoes, why you Why can I come to set.

This rebate if I get a little bit of my name, the legend tissue.

This game.

Like get under said that this ain't no, that's the whole thing.

Now, this is like like trading, like trading the music.

You know, I remember, no, no, no, no, you know you stop, you stop, you stop.

Gotta tell something because he's singing falling, because that's a dang.

Because I'm in this I'm in this play, and I'm watching this play for the first time, and I'm saying the music, who's being disrespectful?

Who's doing that?

Because that's disrespectful.

Y'all.

You guys were breaking rules and like charter but chartering new territory to where when other people from other Broadway musicals come and say, oh, y'all get to eat over here.

So I think that one of the things that.

Arranging and orchestrating her incredible music allows us to do is I wanted it always from a fans perspective, these are some of my favorite songs not in a play.

I throw on you don't know my name?

I throw on Empire, I throw on grammar Cy, I throw on Falling.

It's like those.

Songs move me.

So how can I have that same emotional process by watching it as a musical.

I remember one day being at Jungle Studios and she said, Okay, now, if I ain't got you, think about it from a parent's perspective, because I always think that she's a genius to have had wrote these songs, as if there was foresight in two thousand and three to get to this place, because like now, when people hear my mom hears no One, she's like thinking about her grandchildren.

She's thinking of it.

You know, she's thinking about her her children.

When I see Davis and Ali do, if I ain't got you, I'm thinking about my daughter.

And that's not necessarily what I thought about when I first heard you.

If I got you, if I heard every time you touch me, it's like when I think about it, like and never see me again, it gives a whole new perspective.

So I wanted it to come from a fans point of view.

Sonically, she gave me the She gave me to go ahead to push the ropes, to say we need ato weights and subs and it's yea, so it's like shout out to Gareth, oh, and that allow us to do that and and just like you know, we broke some rules on Broadway when it came to what the music sounded like and was able to do that's all because of how I felt her music already made me feel, and I wanted people to have that same feeling, whether they were like used to it or not.

It was like this.

That's another reason why when you go there, it's a different experience than any other show that you may have seen, because there's a feeling behind that kick drum being in there from gospel right at the top.

Right, there's a feeling behind a Swiss beat sample snare that's just on there, that she'll come in for rehearsal and like more snare and I'm like, yes, I told you all.

I'm gonna go see somebody else's playing.

I'm gonna be like, so, y'all, don't got.

It ain't knocking here, but I'm so thankful.

And then just the musicianship alone, you know, at least you trusted me and my partner Tom Kit another co orchestrator arranger, just to kind of bring it to life.

In a different way, and I threw some crazy ideas at her.

Hey, I'm gonna start falling with the upright bass.

She was like, And Alicia is good for saying, let's just try it and see what you know what I mean?

And you know, I'm gonna say we got a good eighty five fifteen ratio and it works, you know what I mean?

And even probably ninety five and just like you know, what I also am in love with with our musical is that, you know, when you think about the R and B album space, when we think about possibly a song not being a single, there are some songs in this musical that are more popular when people.

Go see them.

My mom says, I want to go hear Miss Eliza Jaysing authors And I don't know if you know, when you think of when my mom puts on she might want to go straight the fall in on an album.

So there's some songs that allow us.

To know her pen is crazy, allow us to know the feeling that she has written.

It impacts people of all genres, all ages, all races, and that's a good thing for me.

You almost don't my cousin told me, I almost didn't realize it was written in all lyrics and music by Lisha until you don't know my name, but you four songs in and we already got you by then.

Yeah, you know what I'm saying, We already got you River Gospel, you know what I mean, Like all of them joints at the top, it's just like goes crazy, so like shout out to just great music, great lyricism and allows us to tell us story in that book that Christopher Diaz was able to put together around that music.

And there's some songs that didn't make it.

I was sad in twenty fifteen, you know, you know what I'm saying that I fought for.

But our story, you know, with our Tony Nams and all of that, it's it's a world world renown musical.

I'm so excited.

Yeah, I was world renowned is the right word.

World renown is the right word.

Like this, this in London, this and for China, this Korea.

Yes, you know there's a Korean company being developed.

A yes, it is.

Even for me.

Yeah, I'm like the songs will be translated to Korean.

That's great.

We're already over there Korean's kitchen.

You're Black Pink performing BTS, kitchen blood MH.

I can't imagine, Like I know, you're you're you're in it, like you're in it, this is your baby, like you're you're one hundred percent connected to it.

And sometimes it's hard to like take a step out of it and float, you know, just and just observe all of it and how it's happening.

And do you ever get a chance to do that and really like take in what you're doing.

I had a moment the other day all that.

So first of all, I go to the theater and I pray in the theater.

Yes, I burnt incense, and I give thanks for the energy in the space.

Is super important to me that we're creating the right energy in the space, Like I really want that and I want that to permeate even when I'm not there.

But the other day I did have a moment, and I'm always super grateful because it's just we know, we know how many things don't go.

We know how many things don't go.

Don't mean it wasn't great, Don't mean you didn't put years and energy and time behind.

It just wasn't supposed to whatever is the reason.

And so when things do like I'm just so like, I get to another level of gratitude because as I just know how it goes.

You know.

But this day talking about the talking about the The Hell's Kitchen touring cast, and I was it was, you know, they were just fresh off of their last rehearsal before they were getting on a plane.

We were opening in Cleveland.

The one the young woman who was cast as Tiny, literally came off on an open call.

She didn't have an agent or anything or anything.

She came in off of an open call and she was phenomenal.

And we were like, whoa, whoa, who is this girl?

She had never been on a plane ride until she was going to Cleveland.

What crazy?

And I was like, And then we finished watching the whole rehearsal, and everybody's just at the top the top.

These young actors, this is their chance.

They're dreaming, they're living it, they're giving it, they're breathing it, they're shining you know, other you know, more experienced actors who have been a part of so many different things.

Booon, this is their chance.

They're in the lead of this, they're doing that and all of this.

Twenty thirty different people from the crew and musicians and things, and I'm watching this room and this room is full of bodies, and I had this moment and I almost lost it.

I almost started crying.

I was like, look at all of these dreams, Like all of these people have a dream for themselves, and this gets to be the conduit for an opportunity for them for the rest of their life that they're gonna be able to take this and say I was a part of this and I'm great and I succeeded and I did it and now I can do anything else.

And I was like, yo, you get so caught up and you know, making it all run and making all go and make it a and all the things that you know you got to like with life.

You get into the like I gotta get it all.

Hell has to work, it all has to get going and be done.

And for a second I just sat back and I was like, wait, if you take this group of people, which is about fifty bodies, sixty bodies, and you put it with the Broadway group of people, which is another ninety bodies, we get to be a part of creating a life for the families of all these people by this beautiful story that they get to shine through.

I was like, this is bigger than so much.

That's awesome.

Really, Nah, I had a mole meant so in that way, I was like, could step back and just be like, this is I'm so like the gratitude goes way way deep.

So and we are grateful for her.

I gotta say, because, like Jay was saying, a lot of us don't get to Broadway to either see it, let alone in something right.

And so one of the things that I.

Love about it is when my children come, and her children and other people's kids, we see ourselves up on that stage.

There's not even though Broadway.

Has transformed a little bit in the last couple of years, I think we got a lot to do with that.

And it's going to be more, you know what I mean, But it is we still need to make sure that these diverse stories are told.

A lot of black and brown people, a lot of women in the band, a lot of powerful women on stage.

I know when we went.

Through our casting call for our band, it was imperative that we kept the ratio what it was and to have I have a woman bass player, I have a woman musical director, we have a woman guitar player, and that permeates throughout all of our cast and touring cast, on Broadway cast.

Those are things that I know that I haven't seen before.

So I'm thankful to her to be able to walk in a theater see somebody that looks like me, somebody that sings like us, somebody that, and then it creates that space for that new Alley, for that new Davis, for that up and coming And then I must also say it's super Cybor I have demo Whitest.

So when we had when we had Malia Joymon who also won the Tony for.

I'm like, you know, in my head, I'm like, where we find this girl?

But then we have.

From our understudies to our new Alley and Miss Amanda rid to our touring alley.

There are so many talented Mayadrake, so many talented, beautiful black sisters that are playing this role that elevate themselves and elevate our story in a whole nother way.

So we are it's insane where people are like really waiting to see this on tour and on Broadway for them to be inspired to be the next Alley.

And it's the other part that you said in terms of like the changing of lives in the feeding of it all.

Like I have real relationships, you know what I mean, Like Jade is on my.

Album first of all, Literally.

I said you are coming when I did my last line and I said, I gotta go to but we're gonna be in l a writing And I did that in the play.

I said what she thought I was playing?

I said, no, no, no, I'm flying you out and we're working.

That's sick.

Phil came out like Phil was moving around and I was like, you get in here and get some of this.

We're right over here, and they've been to the house.

Like I just just talked to Jessica, like I talked to a man like you.

I have relationships that I will have for life and beautiful.

They're incredible.

So that's really real.

This is a real thing.

You kill me and this is a beautiful thing.

You you this man?

Okay, that's the one.

Yeah.

As a member, you said, I love every said, I really appreciate all of the beautiful energy.

There you go.

There you go, ladies and gentlemen, Adam, where's your base man?

Listen to get lay along to the top five.

Here we go.

As you notice, I don't use a sustained pedal with this cassi on like that is that a flex?

That is yesterday?

But where's the where's the sustain coming from?

Now?

From on high?

Hey?

Kay?

People want some information from you, oh man.

They know that you are a product of a lot of amazing music, a lot of great artists.

You you are well studied, and the people want to hear it from you.

What they ask him?

What they want to know?

What they want to know, They want to know your he really is an actor?

Like top five, yes, sir, your top five?

Yeah, top five?

Let's know your top five?

Harry easing us a song?

All right, Yeah, we got to know how you go here on the show that everybody know.

Yes, your.

Top Hey, let's go, man, let's go.

Man.

Make sure you'll catch you, make sure you'll catch him on Broadway and he was catching what that was?

That's ah, that's different.

That's not easy what you just did.

This is a real small piano.

It's not easy to get that much color of that thing.

I dinna catching on Broadway and in the subway doing that.

He takes.

Wow.

First of all, five is so hard.

Who can do Top five.

Singers?

You can actually do what that's true.

True, it's really hard for me.

It's really hard for me.

So for sure, for sure, I'm gonna go.

It's crazy almost that would have been why, that would have been great anybody, Jay, He's tripping.

Relaxed, bro.

So that's I mean, she just I just love people that you can never duplicate no matter how much you try, you can't.

You cannot catch her energy and her swag.

I mean, for sure, no question about it.

Everybody who knows me knows nine.

Everybody knows that Nina someone to me with the with the the classical, the way she can classical and jazz and just create like that unlimitedness that we were talking about her.

For sure, gonna have to say, Prince, no question about it.

Again, that's like that part with the way that you can just be undefinable, like you know, just cross all the lines and do anything ones.

This is what to me, this is what this is it.

I'm gonna also go for I feel like she's highly underrated.

But if you know, you know Patrise Russian Yeah now.

Yeah you know, yeah yeah.

The keys, those like copyrights, the things that you didn't even know you were singing when my deep sampled Patrice Russian.

I was it was like whoa, that changed my whole thing.

Like that that was big for me.

Is that four?

That's four and the fifth one?

Once you said Michael Jackson, I said, I can't leave Michael Jackson off.

But I decided although we don't even you don't even need to be on the.

List and we know.

So it was the name you said earlier.

That to me, I feel like and Nesby, like that voice, that that energy, that classicness, like like just being able to hear music that just pulls you right from that heart.

So that's gonna be my top five today yesterday.

That's my top five today.

Hard choice.

That was tough.

Nina Simons.

I was late to the Nina Simon train.

I didn't.

I didn't learn about Nina Simon until I was out of high school.

Yeah, but once you once I.

Did, locked in, I was locked like what nobody, like nobody into a different place.

Give me your top five R and B song.

Okay, that's really hard to it's just not right.

You can do it.

You can do it's just you have that catalog right there.

I get on out of here.

Well, I'll definitely you know, Adore's one of my favorite all times.

I wish I wrote it.

I will say they won't go where I go.

Stevie wonder this song.

You can't even believe how that sounds.

Gosh, I'm gonna say cherished today because we got his shirt on and like I could.

Just play everything.

I can play it one hundred.

Hours writing music.

Man, like just you drive, you just drive with it.

Makes it very easy to get wherever you gotta go.

I'm going to say, fine, I got you.

Yeah, yes, yes, I sing that song.

You trying at quite.

Like you ain't never heard those runs like that.

Man find a space learning it and didn't find a space.

I think that was for So I just want the last one to be like I'm going to go for I'm going to go for all night long married Jane girls.

Oh that's what I'm going to do.

That's amazing.

That's amazing when you.

Play that song, Oh yeah, you can't even help it.

So that's not that's not you are.

Wow, that's not the one that is a wild card.

That's nothing.

It is incredible.

That's my fifth.

One that was very unexpected to Yeah no I haven't no, I've never heard that.

That's a good one.

But this is the first time that's been put in the top five.

I'm dancing, I'm dancing though it's happening.

Baseline going crazy, Yeah.

Yeah, and that those vocals they're killing it, sit in the pocket.

It just it takes me back to ninety seven being on tour with Mary and sing her rocker Mary Songs Damn married.

Then Mary got to go back into my top five artists list.

Squeeze.

Mary took us to school.

Too many great artists too.

Let's make a bowl tron.

Let's make your super R and B artists.

Okay, we're gonna pull characteristics from any artists from since the beginning of time.

Now we want to know who you're going to get the vocal from, the performance style, from the styling, the passion of the artists, and who's going to write and produce for this artist.

Let's start with the vocal.

Find one vocal, one vocal of the history of the vocal.

The vocal of the vultron artist is going to be.

It's going to be Whitney Houston.

Yes, it's going to be as well, but I feel like I'm gonna go Whitney Houston.

The performance style, the performance.

Style it's going to be a vultron itself.

Okay, the vultron going on her yes, yes.

And Andre three thousand that's cool.

That's the perform and style okay, okay with the Whitney Houston, the.

Whitney Houston voice from I know from Earth, it's like ankey.

Can they have the D three thousand pounds?

Goouitarrman style styling, styling.

Styling, I'm gonna go for Tana Taylor.

That's the styling.

She'd be.

Everything.

I never seen as like that before.

It's every day she put it on beautiful things.

I got to know how many bags she carrying with her because they don't make no sense.

And then the passion of the artist.

All right, the heart of the artist, the passion of the artists.

I'm gonna go for Sissa.

I'm because I feel like she's super honest, that she truly lives in her moment like she's I feel like she speaks like her truly really I feel like that, and I think she's like real special like that.

So I'm gonna go for where is it?

Yeah, Like I'll.

Kill you either way, whichever version, I'm going to kill you very honesty.

I might have to kill my ex.

I'm gonna I'm.

Going to kill in a very chill way, which is craziest, vulnerable, very It's scary.

And then, last, but not least, who's going to write and produce for this artist?

Yeah?

Why not?

That's fun?

I like the Bulltrons.

That's really good.

Adam, you know.

I love you, brother, I love you.

You are You're you say special human being man, and your gift.

Is out of this world incredible.

I love how you do it.

Thank you.

And his own music is amazing.

Thank you very much, Grammys and all the things.

You gotta he got yet how close are you too?

Away?

Okay, get him?

Hell's kitching the movie twenty thirty two.

An.

We're going it's I thank y'all man.

I feel blessed to do music has the power to heal, has the power to unite, you know.

Being with artists like you and Alicia and Jay always allow me to be vulnerable in the music.

I text y'all all random types of night.

She don't sleep, so we text four or five, six in the morning with an idea.

But also it's like very thought out because her vision is so just so wide, and when you execute it be you may not understand it.

Sometimes we talking about setlist the other day and I'm like, what about this song?

She like, nah, this song.

I'm like, oh yeah, that song.

You're right about yourself, you know, you know you and so I just you know, it has taught me.

This whole Broadway process even has just taught me to be open to new things too, but also still push boundaries and trust yourself, trust your own creativity.

And it helps to have somebody that trusts you with her.

So it's my partner in crime, and I'm I'm excited.

Man.

Music means so much to me.

So thank you all for having us.

Man, thank you you are so good.

You're showing us that things are possible.

Everything is possible, things are possible.

Whatever we come up with, all these crazy ideas is artists that we have in our.

Mind that can happen.

You're you're bringing it to the world.

Thank you, Thank you.

And what you're doing for you know, for little girls all the way to the women I like, you know, showing them that beauty is is not always in the extras mm hmm.

It's just it's what's in you showing them, showing them a leader m hmmm, a prayer.

God.

First, she's gonna pray you down.

I'm sorry, we're going before we hit that stage.

We're gonna talk to the most hog for sure, Like that is a mother, a wife.

You're you're, you're, you're.

You're pretty awesome.

Thanks man, you're pretty awesome.

Thank you.

Thanks you really good.

That has so much fun.

I'm so glad we did this.

Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Tank and this is the R and B Money Podcast, the authority on all things R and B.

This is Adam Blackstone.

This is him, and sitting just two more feet away, it's me.

Yeah.

This is how we say.

This is how they say that Broadway, and this is how we wanted to see that Broadway.