R and BE money.

We are.

Thanks take Malachi.

We are the authority on all things R and B ladies.

A gentleman.

My name is Tank Valentine.

Oh and here's the old problem.

Come on real, sorry anyway on this one?

Oh no thing?

Yeah alright, be come on with you.

I've seen the cries of the people.

Yeah, the customers, the customer, Yeah, yeah, they wanted to see him.

You you you you you you you you you and you.

Him who sings about a woman.

Huh, the mixtape man himself, him who.

Who loves you more?

You don't know who loves you?

Who loves you more?

Tell them my whole hotewl around john Oo, divide.

Whatever over.

Oh, this one's special, broes, it is this one's special, bro.

Like you know, being from the soil, bro and what we come from, who we come from?

Yeah, you know what I'm saying.

And to be able to have this conversation so many years later and this conversation still matter is big, bro.

Yeah, it's big.

I often say, man, you know, when we're doing interviews and still hitting radio stations or just you know, talking doing blog blogs, podcast things of that nature.

To just have it, you know, it's it's you.

Look you look up twenty years later, fifteen years later, eighteen years and you're like, man, all right, myne ain't still in the conversation.

He's still in He's still in the conversation, you know, top ten, top whatever, you know.

I think that that's I think that's the greatest gift, you know, the gift of longevity, you know, and mastering that.

And sometimes we could get so convoluted and focus on other things as artists, or feel the pressure of social media and you know, or or looking at what the next person is doing that.

You know, we sometimes we don't celebrate even our smallest wins, you know what I mean, or what somebody else might measure something that's not such a big win for me.

Around here, we celebrate all the wins, you know what I mean.

Here I am r B Money Podcast.

I also think, bro, like you've like even in you saying like, you know, keeping those blinders on and focusing on what you do.

You've been doing what you do consistently, and everything you've added to that, every ancillary piece that you've added to that, from foundations, your philanthropy, all that is on brand with who you are, and it's not just artistry.

It's you the human being that has transcended time, which is man.

That's that's harder to do, you know what I'm saying.

It's easy to focus on one thing.

I'm just gonna try to nail these records, But now you're existing in so many other spaces, and all of it feeds each other, you know what I'm saying.

And that's that's a congratulations to you, Broca.

You you do all of it, and you do it well.

Thank you, Thank you, my brother.

Give me the I wanted.

I've always wanted to ask you this.

Where does Devon come from?

You know?

I mean, of course you know get that from.

It's the background of slavery, of course.

Yeah.

You know, I traced my roots back to being half Camerony and the Guinea Basa and the Ticar Belanta tribes.

You know, I think I think I say that again, don't Yeah, so so African Ancestry dot Com.

It is some years ago.

You know, I did the DNA s wid Man to figure out you know, where I'm from, you know, so so so technically on West Africa.

Yeah, you know, and uh, you know, shout out to all my Cameroonian family and you know uh uh the tea car and belong to tribes Guinea bassall you know which is you know, both are considered you know west, you know west the coast.

One is right on the coast of West Africa and uh and I believe the other is what Cameroon is on the other side of Nigeria.

I'm not mistaken.

So yeah, so that's so, that's where that's you know, that's where I realized that my people come from.

On my mother's and my father.

On my father's side, a lot of.

The Divans are like you know, my dad was the youngest of uh of twelve based out of Cleveland, Ohio, you know, and then my mom's side of the family was down from like Florence, uh, Florence, the Carolinas and Florence and uh yeah, so.

I think we still kind of figured it out.

I think definitely definitely the West Indies or the or the or the islands like you know, Jamaica, the Caribbean Islands.

Definitely, I think.

You know where the where the where the Devons uh routed from a lot of people think that William Devon is my dad and we haven't when when in actuality we haven't been able to figure out any.

Relation to the William William Devon.

So William Devon, Uh, what's what's uh dominant in the back?

Yeah, yeah, William Devon, Like what's the name of the group?

Yeah, he was in a group as well as Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, I.

Think he from now from what I told you, I think he lives in the d V Like he's in Virginia or in that area.

Yeah.

So, but a lot of people have thought throughout my career like that was my dad.

My dad is actually was a you know, child prodigy cellist who was heavily known in the in the classical.

Yeah, classical world.

Yeah.

Yeah, he's you know music string of ranger, composer, like crazy with that's why you're so music.

The artist he's known as.

He has a lot of students that will you know, reach out and you know, I'll be somewhere and they pop up like, yeah, I'm such and such.

Yeah, I played the cello.

I play with you know this, yeah this orchestra, and your dad taught me, you know, how to play.

So yeah, so yeah man, you know.

So, so listen, since we're going there, since we're going to the beginning of the origin, the bloodline.

You know how early did this start for you?

Where did you just come out the womb?

I'll be honest with you.

So, so growing up, you know, Dad wasn't in my in my household, but he was in my life, you know what I mean.

So, you know, I do I technically come from what would be a single parent household, my mom, you know, between my mom and my grandmother who raised me.

You know.

But I would spend summers with my dad, like going, so I'd be back and forth from like d C.

To Jersey, whether that was East Orange or Newark, New Jersey, Backe Terrist Projects, the Colonnades just all kind of like landmarks, yeah, places, yet you know, so, so I spend with my dad, you know, going to gigs, wake up, I wake up to him hearing him practice the cello, you know that whole the type of.

Vibe he was.

You know, I didn't know I was doing music.

If I know what I know now, I would have learned every instrument I had.

I had, but I was very like, no, I don't want to, you know, I just want to go outside play, you know what I mean?

You know, so, so even me being a father now you know with my boys, you know, different periods of their life, you know, things they may pick up they want to do.

I learned to just let them figure out what your child likes to do and what they like to gravitate to.

And you supported.

Absolutely, you know, you know, fast forwarding to like when I became this, when I became this, this, this this figure rahiem Devone, like you know, it's you know, up until the time he passed, Like it was great to be able to have conversations with him at least to be you know, definitely have that support system for both parents, but to have somebody that you can talk about, like have conversations about publishing.

Because he knows.

Of it, you know what I mean, Like, you know, for him to be able to come to a show and be like, yeah, you know, yeah you might need to get a new bass player just relate to you know, or or or I could event and have a conversation.

You know.

So it wasn't until later on in my career, you know, discovering and figure out what it was, what it is that I wanted to do that I that that I realized the importance of the support that I had there.

You know from you know, from musician fellow musicians to musician and and even like now I'm finding out because for me it was just like dad, he was very humble, you know, for for you know, he for a long period of time he retired.

You know, I feel comfortable talking about it now, but uh, you know my dad, My dad dealt with mental health most of his adult life, you know, schizophrenia, which is something that that that you know, the family, you know, we.

Were highly supportive of.

You had to get even now like even you know now with the with the conversations of mental health and how important it is like now, you know, back then even a decade ago, you know what I mean, Like you know, so.

Was that ultimately why you decided to get into that space?

Oh?

Absolutely, I mean absolutely, you know it could be because that was something that that that I was carrying say from like man from like high school, twelfth grade on.

You know, when I when I first started to notice that there was that there was yeah, that there was something there, you know, trying to kind of figure it out.

But it wasn't until later on in my adult life where where where it were like you know, you know, like my sister, my cousins.

My aunt like really broke down to me, like what was going on when I was able to connect the dots and say, oh, okay, ten years ago, that's why this was happening, you.

Know, you know what I mean.

So, so yeah, it's it's definitely one of the reasons why mental health is a is A is a initiative for me with the Foundation.

Uh you know, it's an old saying, you know, never call anybody crazy because you don't know what they've been through.

That's real, you know, you know what I mean, So you know it definitely I'm definitely been one of those people.

Do not turn a blind eye to, you know, the person that you might see just just having a conversation with themselves or you know, like like like like alter reality, you know what I mean.

Like, you know, mental health is like a really it's a It's a real thing, whether whether you're talking about from a space of uh, depression, anxiety, bipolar, you know, whatever the case, you know, schizophrenia, you know what I mean, I think that that's something in it.

And recently being at the White House right on a panel for it, one of the things we just kind of do.

We were just chopping it up.

It's like, you know, for us in the black community, the we're often taught or that's something that where they did where they feel like, oh, we just we'll just pray it off for you, you know what I mean.

Like you know, in some cases it may be something requires uh, you know, therapy, medication daily, you know what I mean, to just get a grip on it.

And yeah, so.

I think it's one of the things or the taboos that a lot of times that we, you know, in the passive turned a blind eye to, especially in our community.

Yeah, and you know it's I'm glad that the conversations are happening and I could be part of them.

Absolutely well, we commend you on that sure for sure.

And being able to have that conversation with pops like that musical man like my father, Like I love my father, but he's a don't know nothing about music.

He's all air force, right, So he walks up to me one day.

But now we talk more as a kid growing up yeah yeah, yeah, we had no conversations.

Yeah, he's like, I'm grown as man, your last kid.

Yeah, you know what I'm saying, don't really have much time now, but once I assume responsibility of myself, and he saw me as a man.

Like our communication just went through the roof and he came to me one they said, so, uh so, how your publishers doing.

They're doing all right?

How they making it through?

I just said, you know what, yes, that my publishers of It's.

Kind of like he might have heard pipeline.

He thought publishers was some persons for some people in a room that was doing some cool ship.

I want to know how they was, And I was like that they good the real So when did you actually start singing?

When did you?

When did that?

I was told I always had a voice, like even even young, Like there there are moments I remember like first grade cave elementary music teacher can't remember the name and they're saying like me going up the scale and her and like you're going to do something amazing one day, and like, okay, I didn't really you know know that, you know, I mean I didn't really until you know, I graduated from high Point.

You know you guys read from County.

He had a good had a good game.

Yeah.

Yeah, at seventy six years I was an.

You didn't started out.

That's like when I've been telling my son about my dunk contest.

Whin.

I don't believe it.

That was one.

I was on TV at the house.

You know, we be on TV.

I was on TV.

I was a distance runner.

I did track and field, this is runner cross country.

Was pretty good at it.

You really are Africa.

I'm about to say, yeah, I really am.

Rather Yeah, they didn't know.

He's just that's just broth from down the block.

Now.

So I've always understood the concept of the marathon and.

Put it together.

Never, it's never been about a sprint for me, you know what I mean.

So even even in that space, I acquired an athletic scholarship with Coppin State, got red shirted for.

S A T.

S.

And never really and literally the first day on campus, ran into some guys singing, and we decided.

We're going to be a group.

And we were skipping class.

You're doing all the things.

Besides, you know, we enjoyed the college experience, being away from home figuring it out.

You know, the original plan was to go in to to uh, you know, criminal justice or law enforcement, and and you know, and and and do my do my four years or and and and and you know, what they say.

You want to make your own you want to.

Make God laugh, make your own plans, right, And I didn't last three semesters.

I dropped out.

You know.

Of course my mother was like, what are you doing?

You can't come back here?

You you lasted almost one Yeah.

Yeah, that dad kind of got it, but I think he really wanted me to finish as well.

And then from there, man, I just kind of just like started figuring it out.

You know, infiltrated uh Chucky Thompson's camp at the time.

This is at the time, it's the Chucky has Chuck life.

He's back in d C.

He has artists like Frankie and the Power Three, my Man Daud and Constant and those guys.

Uh.

Uh Guru is at the time.

Young Guru is going to Howard and working with and like DJ for, like Tracy Lee and working with Nachamant.

At this time.

And I'm like, I'm like connecting the dots from like reading the album credits and like I'm just trying to get trying to figure out.

How much you don't know any of them person.

I don't know any of them.

Personal, and and by pure chance I'm hanging out on on on.

On h Hu's campus.

I'm in the Howard area and and it used to be the spot to just like I go hang out with.

I didn't go to school there.

I'm just like kind of hanging out.

Are you still at Comping State?

Are you gone?

At this point, I'm gone back home and we and so so you know, I'm doing like odd jobs here and there and things like that.

You give us one job, oh man, I could get Look, I've been working since I was fifteen sixteen because when I came back from there was a period where I lived with my dad, like like hey, you got to go live with your dad, like it's just you know, and I got into some heavy trouble in Jersey, which in landing me back in with my mom.

So we're talking like ninth grade, tenth grade, you know, transitioning, summer school, that type of thing.

So, so I got a job when I came back to Maryland.

So so I worked from My first job was Giant Food.

Yeah, so Giant So that's like a grocery store, grocery store partial pick up, you know what I mean.

Then you know, you learn to register.

But as far as jobs, man, Giant Food, Chevy Chase Bank, telemarketing, long Fence.

I hated that job.

Like long Fence literally so you literally get dropped off like they would.

They would basically put you jump in the van, you go to the office, they say, okay, we're gonna take you in this neighborhood and just basically you go knock on strangers doors, getting chased by dogs.

You get your people.

Who is it are you selling?

You're trying to sell.

You're trying to sell people fences, doors, windows.

So people can't knock on your doors.

Yeah, so y'all don't want me coming back knocking on the door.

Let me say, listen, I wouldn't be here if you have.

For action.

That was a great job.

From the house.

So that's definitely, that is great.

It's gonna be some cougars and you're gonna we're gonna be fly.

My last job probably was my dopest was Tower Records, the last job I had before I.

Went full time musician.

I would I could.

I couldn't say I would have wrote the script any better than that because I learned a lot about music.

The consumers who buys, you know how they buy.

I learned a lot about music.

I was just around music the entire time, you know, So that was cool.

You know I went from the Register to LP Lost Prevention.

Just catch your niggas.

Still, did you chase anybody?

I'll tell you this, man, we gotta get the table people.

It be the people you think that you think are the thieves or not.

That like my first, my first, my first, my first person I grabbed and like Chase down was a he was a professor at like g W what Yeah, he was like he was he was he was still in some gay porn.

I guess he didn't feel comfortable going to the playing porns.

So he was coming.

So his thing was he was coming and he was coming there with.

With with a newspaper right under his arm, and he and he windows shop and when he you know, we're talking DVDs right, and he would just put the DVD in between the NewSpace stuff and just walk out.

So my first day, I'm like, oh, go on, got what?

Oh man?

That was exciting man, Like that job was like you have to like chase it.

I didn't realize the days.

Yeah you tried to run.

I had to chase him, like on them, come on, be coming back, come on, please please don't please don't the newspaper opens so so so a boy so so Tower Tower had a policy that like if it was over fifty dollars that you call those people.

You gotta go.

Yeah, you go, they come pick you up.

You know, you go through the whole process, right, you're going to four D, three D whatever.

So it just so happened that where he where he had taken and when they did the tax on it, it came up to little like forty No way, you had to let him go.

So we had to let yeah.

So so so you do a paperwork, you take a picture, they put the now you you can't.

Come around here.

You can't come around here, no more.

Professors can't come Yeah, you can't come around here, no more professor.

And wow.

So that was but yeah, that was my last job, me and Tower Records, you know, you know.

In between that again, just like moving around, I would hang out with these with with these girls that with the Howard and they put me on it.

It's like it's like ninety five.

And the reason I remember it, you know music time timeline wise Badu had by Dude's album had dropped and this is that was like the bible for like they playing, they playing space.

They got the wig burning.

It's just the vibe.

So we just go there to just kind of like hang out and those group of those group of individuals who I'm still with with some to this day, Remy and you know, I met, I met artists like West Felton, who we now are you know we we We've put out various projects together under the group named Crossroads Bar None open mics was happening around at times, so U Street, you know, so I'd be I'd go there work on my craft.

In fact, I think that's how we kind of got cool.

I go by the house and one of they ended those those those those sisters from the house, they ended up like interning for Chucky Chucky Thompson.

So then that became so like one day I just somebody just like randomly, I can't even remember who, like yo, come over.

Chucky had the studio on uh in Southeast on Pennsylvania Avenue, right down in the Eastern Market area, and I just kind of just was just like go and then like I never left.

I'd go, I'd sleep on the I sleep.

On the couch, you know, man, you know there there and at some point, you know, if you know.

Chuck was like, hey, what what what what you do?

Mo?

So so I was, you know, my thing was songwriting, and uh, he had a few groups that I started to write for.

You know, took a couple of trips.

First time I ever met Mary, her mother, you know, sitting in on Faith ev you know Faith Faith Eving Sessions.

Chucky was like the he was he was he was just to me, he was like he was he was the R and B like he was, he was the guy.

He was like the producer God like you know what I mean.

It's like so it's like this is the guy, like he's right here in the city, and and and and and now I got that connection.

I can sit here and just like learn, like like leave and I ain't leaving.

I'm gonna be right here something and I'm gonna get Yeah, I'm gonna be like you you know what I mean.

So yeah, man, that that that became like my I think between those things, you know, doing doing bar none Monday nights became like the Bible for me.

Doing one Wednesday open mics in Baltimore and then Black Lilies and Philly.

So I would just rotate and hit that circuit so after a while, people thought I was from Baltimore because I was in Baltimore at least like once a week.

I was in Philly at least once a month, you know, a few times a month.

And it was my ties to bar None on Monday night producer underground producer by the name of cav Brown who approached me with the indie artist Si Young and said, hey, you know who DJ Jazzy Jeff is.

I'm like yeah again because I'm reading the credits and they're like, well, yeah, we've been working on an album with him up in Philly and we just want to take you to me, and we think he would really like, like really like to get to know you.

So they take me up and I go up and I meet Jeff and it's like jackpot because this is a this is at the time when like the whole touch of jazz movement has already been moving though, Like this is like Jill's already out platinum selling artists.

I want to say, like yeah, like I think music is out there, he is already out at this point.

Of course, by do me being a huge roots fan, this is it.

And I had never been in an environment where you go into a building and it's like seven, eight, ten studios going at the same time.

You can go.

The first first time I ever I ever met Eric Roberson was was was in this advice.

Got you got, you got, you got, you got carving, and I even in one room you got the dall and dre in another room you got oh my god.

Like this was like this was like R and B neo soul.

Hip hop heaven.

And I didn't leave once again.

Let me go ahead.

You know, I got me a tooth bresh.

I got me some wet whites, you know what I mean.

Like, but I'm you know, saying close, I'm ten toes down, I'm you know, back and forth.

You know.

At this time, I have an indie group that I'm part of called called Urban ap thirty one.

We're doing college, We're doing the college circuit.

So I'm making enough money to you know, to to to perform as an independent artist.

But I never had that desire to stop pursuing to be a soul and R and B artist, you know.

And I always kind of just like straddled the line like I was.

I felt like I was just as much as an R and B singer as a soul artist, you know what I mean.

I just had this appreciation for different genres of music, and being with Jeff just just intensified it, because you know, touring and going going overseas, eventually meeting Kenny Dope and Louis Vega, who were like incredible DJ's masters at work, DJ Terry Hunter who actually produced you.

It just that period of my life, it was.

I'm so thankful for it as a as a as a songwriter, and as a musician, as an entertainer because I got a chance to see the world.

I would me and me and Me and Va Skills Mass Skills.

Hosted Jeff's like parties like he would, he would he would.

I remember I remember him taking us to Spain for the first time.

Were in Spain.

We're on the beach.

It's like m t V taping and he's DJing and like me and Skills are.

Like the the I guess you could.

Say that the MCS ceremonies for the You know, there be things I kind of like follow with and I'd be like, in all honesty, like you know, I always had a I think a natural thing for the stage, but I was like following Skills leading a lot of spaces and Jeff would give me a moment.

You know, y'all was learning while in the process, you know what I mean.

And yeah, man, I like.

Just thankful for those those those connections, so many, so many great relationships like brotherhoods, sisterhoods, and music has come from those connections.

You know when I when I when I you know, back from like Lincoln with Chucky, back from you know, Lincoln with Jazzy Jeff, you know, those are definitely like my o gs.

You know, me and Kenny, Kenny Dope was like a big brother to me, you know what I mean.

I wouldn't know Ken if it wasn't for Jeff, you know les, Yeah, man, and they just legends.

Man.

It's just like you know, so, so I've so I've always been able to thrive in other genres or be part of things that unconventional things, you know what I mean.

So you were so was your main thing at Touch of Jazz was to be a writer for the stuff that they were working on.

Yeah, it was.

It was writing.

It was it was writing, definitely.

I was just kind of just going with the flow.

It was definitely writing because like you did, I wasn't signed I was and at the time, at the time, I still was going back to d C because I also was being was at this point, I was being managed by by by Juke, by Jerry and cliff you know what I mean.

Now, I met Clifford Jerry.

I met Clifford Jerry.

I want to say that.

I mean I met Bob and Kurt first.

I'm trying to remember how we I think we maybe met at maybe like maybe like knife Flight.

It could have been like knife Flight.

I'm trying to remember the whole how I actually met Kurt and Bob.

But it was Curt and Bob that like took me under date, like like oh yeah, we gotta we gotta get him to the backwoods, you know what I mean.

So this is so this is like you know, this is this is like uh, this is like they got the pub deal, you know what I mean, They've been you know, working with g you know, I'm seeing so I'm like, you got your motion going, you know what I mean.

So I'm so I'm just kind of just like and I would just like meet Kurt like at like random places, like Kurt would be like I was living like a law at the time, and he would be like, yo, meet me at meet me at Capital Heights station.

So I'm like taking the bus to the train.

I'll get you back, but you gotta you know, testing me see like how bad I wanted.

You know what I mean.

So I'd get there right and and and they were just it was just it was just cool because it was an environment where one I ain't had to pay for studio time.

I was gonna learn something.

And I think they were, I think they were they were early impressed by the way I worked because of the the fact that, like I didn't write anything now, so the process is just like I would just go in and listen and then go in the booth and then just start to create this storyline or whatever, and then and then and then and then we knock one out and be like, hey can we do another one?

And they're like yeah, yeah, Like hey can we do another?

And it might be like you know, it might so so in some days it might be two or three, you know for.

Crash out and wake up, you know what I mean.

And it was just it was just, you know, it was they provided a space that was just like where I could just like shed and learn and grow and it wasn't too many times that like they would shot shoot an idea down and be like, oh that's whack was rock out?

Was just let me rock out?

Yeah that track?

So you got to work on your drums.

And I think it's probably you know, well you had you had.

What you had done is you had been to a different kind of school already that I hadn't been to.

You know, when I got with Cliff and Jerry, I was literally fresh out of chick man, I know, you know what I mean.

So in terms of like, you know, my R and B production and figuring out even my identity in an R and B space, I.

Had none completely different sounds.

Completely different.

And I'd say this, like, you know, be it like that environment versus like a jazzy Jeff It's like night and day, and you would, you would back then there was already a division that had kind of been created in black music where it was like, okay, either you R and B or you neo.

And my thing was like why can't can't I'm both?

Like why can't you?

Why can't you be both?

So you got this so so so there was always this very R and B backpack.

I guess you know, R and B back that was there was this there was.

This very I had this very R and B one side is very jiggy vibe and then there's a but then there's a there's a very conscious vibe to me too, you know what I mean, Like you might you might catch me with some stones on one day.

You might see me with some diamonds on the next day, like you know what I mean, Like if that, it's just really about the vibe of what you know, what I'm on at creative Yeah, but so so musically again, to be in those two different environments like simultaneously like kick it, you know, be in the studio with Curtain viob for two or three days and then and then jump on the train and then be up in Philly with Jeff in them for a week.

Yeah.

It's just yeah, and and and and and and and and and the thing with like with the Jeff, with the environment, with like Jeff being being as though that he's a DJ, and the peers and a lot of.

His peers that he put me onto our DJs.

I learned.

I learned.

I started to learn about this different like tempos and just music beyond just the things that.

The DJ it's so important in music, and I you know, it's funny because people when you talk about it, it's like, oh yeah, but I still don't feel as if the DJ gets the respect that they deserve.

I mean, I mean, ultimately there in other spaces they get it.

Yeah, but they're also they're really they're the producers because they hear so much music, and they hear so many transitions, and they know how what what matching, what sound right on the radio and what they records.

Before the politics of you know, things, everything getting corporated out and including you know radio and to rest your radio.

The like DJs that you know, they set the tone for the culture, like they dictate, you know, even if it's to bring it back, you know, you know, to bring that good feeling back right or to say, hey this is the this is the BPM, that that that matters right now, you know, the ones that break the records and just just all of that.

You know.

So just being in those two environments was just like it was dope, man, and really important, you know, But I but I still didn't, you know, going and working it just wasn't enough.

So so one day I cornered Cliff and Jerry.

I think I cornered Jerry at like Omega Studios in Rockville, Maryland, and I'm like, you know, I'm still kind of in between odd jobs.

I just know it's something more and I know that I know the data plug, you know what I mean.

So so I'm like, yo, I want to I want to do music like I want you to.

I want you to manage me like I want you to manage me.

And he was like, I, you know, kind of I think he was came him out of conversation with or like let me think about it, whatever, and and and then I just jumped out and I was like, and if it's any opportunities to sing background vir ginuine, I want to do.

That too, or whatever.

Like I was feeling balls.

And then I got the call and it was let's say it was on a Tuesday, and it was like and I think I I think I kind of been you know, I went around, I met G.

I had met G know G at this point, you.

Know, and and and and and you know and G.

And Jerry used the introduction as a means to say like, hey, this is this like this the kid I've been telling you about, he may be interested you know, we may bring him on to do some work that.

So then I get the call they had a show like in Baltimore and it was like a Tuesday.

It was like, Yo, so there's a show tomorrow night.

It's gonna be there.

You're gonna this is you want to sing background?

It's your opportunity.

Like so, I'm like, is there a rehearsals?

Like?

Nah, what I need to learn?

All three albums?

I was already I was already a fan the music.

Yeah, I knew the music.

I knew the music.

I'm reading again, you know, I'm looking at the who did what static I'm like trying to figure out who you know what I mean, I'm trying to figure it all out right, So I pull.

Up, we we we.

I pull up to the show.

You know they got the hand dog flying.

It's like tell me, and I'm like yo, and and so so that was my ricking red with this was this was this was this was my this was my audition.

Shut our Whole Lives concert?

Yeah, and and and and and then you know, after we were done.

I remember coming in and she was like he was like he was nervous, he was scared, he was he was like, Noah, you did you did good.

He was like, man, he was like he's all right, man, you win or whatever.

And then and then you know, and that and that was my in my introduction to the music business singing background from.

Me list Listen.

Podcast.

And and I already know the history, so I already know you know, like you know, you had already went through the machine of that, you know what I mean.

So I'm like, oh, man, I want that.

I said so on my mom.

I'm like, yo, if you could do it, I could do it too, Like you know what I'm saying.

You know, you know, you know what I mean.

And and and and and man, man, I learned a lot.

I had a lot of fun.

And this is and this say, this is G like in this prime.

This is like before we go on tour with like Janed Jackson and Seek and just like all all the things, you know what I mean.

Yeah, man, that experience man, and I and you know, and to go on the record and say that like G is one of the greatest entertainers man.

That like if you're.

Talking about Roses in terms of stage performance and being on and just like you know, like I had a front row seat and and and definitely I think I think a combination of that of course, our ties at home and as it relates to the go go community, and just and knowing the energy of the room when go gos happened, and and and how how how the bar is set for the entertainment aspect, the exchange of energy that like you know, from artists to music lever and back and forth, like I've been able to pull from pull from that, and and and and and and put it into what I do, you know, like you know, the artistry of being on stage and performing.

How long were you on the road with you man?

I think we I think what he did, I did.

I was on road with g at least for like I want to say, maybe two years, like you know, off and on, you know, talking about touring, spot date stuff.

And then I remember doing a tour and there was a there was there was another young brother that came in to do background singing.

And he came in and he was the new guy, so he was like the rookie, and I remember kind of taking him in under the wing and he yeah, he kind of like falling my you know, kind of fall on my hands, you know what I mean.

And and and then I remember seeing like the process of where you can be out there and that shit can change you too, you know what I mean?

And and and and I also and I also I also quickly learned that, like, you know, being in a position like that, you're gonna have people that like really depend on you, right, And I had to make a decision to say whether or not, you know, do I want to be Is this something that I want to do permanently?

Is it something that I want to do for three years?

Is this something that I want to like like not do and pursue like figure figure figure out my thing.

And I just remember being on that that particular tour and just having an epiphany that like, like, yo, this is gonna be my last you know, just gonna be my last tour, like like I.

Want to like it's trying to you know.

They had to push him out.

You're better than me, he was, and look and I and I and I and I and I and and then it was some stuff that happened, you know what I'm saying, Well, just it's like yo, like yeah, I ain't trying to do this no more not And it wasn't for it wasn't because of g.

You know what I'm saying.

It was just like, yeah, this ain't this ain't I want to be I want to see what the other side of this feel like too, you know what I mean.

And that ain't no disrespect to nobody that stays because you know, just jumping off of this tour with Letoucy, right, you realize and I'm sure you can relate to this that whether whether it's the band or the light Man or the m D or like, like, man, we can't do this ship without ourselves.

I mean, we can't do this shit without other people being being involved.

You know what I mean.

It's no it's no I in the world tea.

Yeah, so so so to have you know, you know, there's some there's people in my circle that I look up that's like, you know, been around a decade longer whatever.

They see me go through management, they see me work, go through these different business transitions, and they're still here.

And I'm like, I'm like, man, it's crazy to see you dedicate your life.

To me in this way.

M hm, you you know what I mean, Like that that level, that level of commitment, you know what I mean.

And and again, so I think, you know, the for the period of time that I was out there with G it served its purpose.

Like you know, I'm so thankful for it.

To that ship.

It ain't I can hear, I could be in the I can be in a I can be anywhere, and A and a dude and a G record to come on.

It's like it's like it's like being shell shocked.

Man.

But but like some of the best times of my life on the road, total rock star R and B rock star moments.

Man, like this before the before the the you know, the i G.

Before the cameras and the social media and the phones and just like all of that, man, like just.

You know, just memories, man, you.

Know valuable though, Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, because that was that was a that was a real school genuine wasn't a guy that that hoarded the information or even the spotlight for that matter.

Yeah, he was like he genuine was like, let's get it.

That's giddy, Yeah, it's giddy.

Ye you get some of this.

My first video he pulled up.

Yeah, did a cameo in the video.

I feel like we needed we needed, we needed a vehicle for I think another another video he gave us a car to youse like he just always been solid man, you know, and and you know I definitely you know again you want you can't you know, I don't know.

I'll say it.

You can't.

You can't talk usher Chris Brown.

We can go down the list and not talk about Gimberlake.

What they finally got in the same room in Atlanta and seeing genuine and Chris Brown in the same m at the same time, like like I almost got emotional because of how how close in spirit and animal them.

Two guys are.

Bro.

Yeah, you want to talk, you know you want.

We're talking roses and we're talking like talent, and we're talking dancing, and we're talking like entertaining and diving out in the crowd and just like like we're talking.

We're talking like you pull up to the hotel and they wrapped around the ready read it's hell left, Hell left, Like like you're talking, you're talking, you're talking like R and B movie the nineties, what you see or what you would think?

It has to be a movie.

Man, Listen, I'm listen.

Week between the two of us, we like we got movie yeah on the wine and me to the grade with it.

You know what I'm saying, what's understood, don't need to be Yeah.

We gotta we gotta tell tell the movie.

Yeah, the saving for the the movie.

Come one, what we do because.

He's he's one of one?

Yeah for sure.

Man, So get me from because you said genuine pulled up to the first video.

Get me to give me to the first love?

How do we get how do we get the deal?

So so okay, so so again I'm going back and forth from I'm I'm working on what what what would be the love experience at the time, not knowing you know what I mean, A lot of the songs that I recorded with Kurt and Bob in the backwoods made that, you know, work that that was the love experience and and and the reject and and and the other half of us what I did in Philly, you know, like with Jeff.

You know what I mean.

Cliff Cliff Jones goes into uh Job Records at the time for a totally different meaning like to a whole nother artist.

And he was meeting with Jamie Jimmy mainis at the time and who who eventually became my A and R.

They meet, he's playing records, he plays he plays a record that I that I did or demo, don't know what the record was, and and and then he plays something else and he's like, yo, go back to the other thing, like what was that?

And that kind of kept happening in the meeting.

Uh, And you know, I think Jimmy kind of like simultaneous like steps out, makes a call to DC.

You know, hey, yours anything about this kid Rahien?

And and at this point, like I'm buzzing like the piece of man at home because because I'm already moving around like I'm moving around like I'm doing, people are already familiar with me with the open mics, Like you know, I'm in this, I'm in I'm in two groups that's like socially conscious groups.

Yeah, I'm in Urban at thirty one.

I'm in the Crossroads with West Felton, which is a duo group.

I'm hitting this open mic.

I'm up in Philly with Jeff.

I'm in the Backwoods with Kurt.

Yeah, so so so so so they say, Yo, we want them to come up and do a showcase.

So I get a call and Mayo.

This is after we've hit like every label, like you know, a couple of times we thought we had to deal already.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, so I'm calling So I'm so, why all this is going up going on?

You know, every so often I'm getting a call from like Juke or Cliff and it's like, yo, r C want to come once you come meet with him due showcase.

So we're getting up, were calling up Bob, were taking the train up, we do the showcase.

And they'll be like yeah, you know, and then and then and then and if they be like right there and it don't happen, right, So at this point we think we pretty much have exhausted all the possibilities of who can call and who wants to meet and then and then job record says, they want me to come do the showcase.

So do you second guess that?

Never?

Not, not at all because because this again love that like I'm on five, I'm already doing shows, our show, sixty minute joints for you.

It's just another yeah, it's just another thing.

So it's just like so it's an opportunity.

So they so they say so they kind of like pre prap me like, hey, this is you know, this is it, this is just you know this, you know you you don't get no bigger than this, and the people that's in the meeting at the showcase, you're only going to do like three tunes, that's it.

I end up performing for like sixty minutes, where they would just be like, Yo, do ano another another list?

More they and at that point they were like, yo, we want to do a deal with you, Like we want to offer you a deal, want to offer you a record deal?

When off you a publishing deal?

I think I said something like I said something like all right, cool.

All I'm saying is like, you know, if y'all make fifty, can I at least make five or something like that.

Everybody can't bust out laughing.

And then and then yeah, man, like it really, you know, it got real.

We got real, We got real.

Okay, my brother she got over there.

Man, listen, man, you know Raheem is here, man, so you know.

I had you know, he got the information.

You do.

I have to get to this Piana because the Piana brother, Raheem.

M h.

You've been privy to a lot of great music as you are from the soil.

Indeed, you've written some of your own break music.

But now we want to talk about the music.

That has.

Inspired the divine.

Yeah.

Yeah.

The people want to know what they want to know, whether people want to know, people want.

To see people me.

Yeah, top fun, Yeah, your top five that's what we're doing, right.

That's where we at.

That's where we at fun.

Come on saying your top fun, that's what sing Yeah?

What else are so?

Come on?

We all to know you got.

To show f yeah.

Yes, five.

Yeah yeah, and this is your top five moment, the less King of sold R and B rahoem.

Divie dialog dialog dialog r.

Yes, your top five R and B singers.

Oh man, I'm gonna play in no particular, no particular your world.

I'm gonna play.

I'm gonna put a Ritha Franklin on there.

Yeah yeah, you better.

Rita Franklin on there.

I'm gonna put I'm gonna put Mic on there.

Why not four voices?

Mm hmmm.

I'm putting Mic on there for for for for a couple of reasons.

I wanta put a wild card and I'm gonna put Bob Olly on there.

Yeah mm hmm.

Yeah'm gonna put the infectious vocal man.

That's three right.

Damn.

I realized her hardest.

Well episodes was like run it off.

Once you're in the hot seat, it's different.

It's different.

It is different.

It's different when you're in the hot seat.

I mean, these are my top five.

I gotta put prints.

On there, yeah mm hmmm.

And I got and and then I gotta put Marvin.

I was waiting for that.

Yeah.

I was waiting for you to say, Mark.

And it's and it's and you know it's personal.

Yeah, reasons, you know what I mean?

Yeah, Okay, your top five my arnorable mention, I mean seven, I mean I gotta do you know Stevie?

Yeah, yeah, And I'm gonna stop there.

Okay, okay, stop okay.

That was good.

That was good.

That Now now now if you're talking entertainers and just the other thing different, Your top five R and B songs mm hmm.

I'd go with.

Blaming on the Sun mm hmm by Stevie, Wonder What's going On by Marvin Gay mm hmm.

Uh.

I don't know if that count as R and B.

Can't.

I'm gonna go with uh.

I'm gonna go with.

Uh, Let's Fall in Love by the Ozzie Brothers, which I just remade that top top fifteen right now, Top ten, taking.

Out the way.

He in the way.

He's always in the way.

He got it.

It's a D n B thing, you know what I'm saying.

You know what I mean?

All right, So so those are whatever?

That three?

That's three?

What was my three?

Just now?

It's just like, Uh, I used to smoke a lot of weet uh wonder, Yeah, laming.

On the sun.

What's going on?

What's going on?

Going on?

Marvin Gay?

Uh?

Brother brothers.

We are the world?

Wow?

Yeah, Fire, You're the first person to the name we are.

We are the work Yeah yeah, yeah, I mean the greatest selling all times.

Big you know, we are the technical and the commodore zoom the commodor.

Yeah, got there.

And and I'm so mad because I want to say, like I got like I got like Switch Records.

You're making him happy.

I got switched, right, I got, I got I got.

Uh not the I got Spinners.

I got the Spinners.

What's the least single from the Spinners?

We're talking about Cadillac?

He was, he was, he was, he was like a finisher.

I think I feel like Rob study him a lot.

Uh.

The lead singer from the Spinner from Yeah from you, not from the Spenders from because the Spinners was Yeah, No is the Spinners.

It was a mighty love.

What's the lead singer on the Spinners?

Man?

I can't, it won't come to me, right, But I saw, I saw, I saw, I saw, I saw.

There was a like a documentary on him and the Spinder.

But the Finisher Man, he's the finisher of records.

I mean, you know, I think, I think, I think, I think.

You know those.

Bobby Steel Smith?

Yeah, was it Bobby maybe Bobby Smith principal lead singer, Yeah, for the Spinning Yeah, yeah, Googles.

But I think you know, we're in, We're We're in.

We're in the era.

Now it's kind of harder to termine who's who because things are like sonically a lot the same.

We talked the newer R and B you know what I'm saying, the vibe.

Whereas.

H No is like the bbs.

You know what I'm saying, and and and but but but but but there was an error you know with artists just.

Sounds like very distinctive, you know what I'm saying, Like like.

There was a time where it wasn't a different woman.

He wasn't gonna catch Rick James sounded like Prince you know what I'm saying.

And if you call Prince sounded like Rick James, James is gonna pull up closes.

Like the closest thing you that they may have in common is the heels or the You know.

What I'm saying.

You know, I know you stole that from Nigga.

Yeah, you know what I mean.

So, yeah, stepping on my toes.

I heard very stepping on my toes Nigga.

Yeah, yeah, Jared was cold.

We got to get back to that.

Jerald.

I seen Gerald rest is soul.

Jerald we was I forgot.

We was like an ample theater and Gerald used to have him Teddy bears.

So he get those cheddy bears out and airl went from one into the stage and he rolled what you mean like.

Like like roll like.

Yeah, like like he was on fire like roll like from one up the state and singing, singing the whole time.

I will be rolling on the arm and money tour and the big homie crazy bro to roll.

Yeah, he was the one, not the two man.

Let's build your voltron your super r and b artists.

I want to know who's gonna get who You're gonna get The vocal from the performance style, the styling, the passion of the artists.

And since you are a song writer, who's gonna write for this artist?

You're gonna get the one vocal from the build your super r and B artists in terms of like who's building a super artist?

What voice?

What voice?

You still in the building.

I'm still.

Ship man.

You asked all the other people this thing.

Yeah, who vocals?

Whose voice?

I'm stilling to do it?

Build it?

You build it, build it, uh.

Ship let's be let's live out the box.

I'm gonna I'm gonna take's voice.

No box.

Yeah yeah, yeah, I mean like you know, yeah.

That's that's that's international.

You want to heal somebody.

Let's do you talk about a vibe?

Before it was even called a vibe, we don't even know what to call the angel.

There's something.

So let's do performance style on stage, performance style on stage.

Let's do Prince Okay's voice, Prince performance.

So it's gonna play.

Because listen, because Prince said, the vibe a lot of different vibes though to get He's gonna set the vibe.

He's gonna take you on a on a He's gonna make you.

Wanna play Patty cake.

He gonna here gonna you know what I'm saying, He's gonna make you wanna touch yourself.

Yeah, he's gonna.

But he's gonna also get He gonna give you moment hes gonna give you tear jerky moments where you're gonna you're gonna you know, you're gonna connect with God up in there, you know what I mean.

Uh, Yeah, he's gonna give you.

He's gonna give you moments if you appreciate the instrumentation and there's no vocals.

You're gonna get your rock and roll.

Ro like you know what I mean?

So, yes, I would.

So I would say styling, styling.

I would say, Bria Stinson, who is good my people?

If you know styling?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, she made this this leather piece right here.

Yeah yeah gon.

Yeah.

So I would say, you know, she came up under like Tamika Foster.

Yeah, Amika as well, you know what I mean?

So like, yeah, I would think, yeah, she would be her taking care of her, taken care of the stoles.

She's gonna have a band, she's gonna have an artist looking like yeah, you know from you name it from us, the Lizo or whoever, like she's killing it and she she's a black owned business.

So you know, shout out the bridge to bre he look piece here.

The passion of the artist, heart of the artists, the passion of the artists.

Does it have to be.

An R and B artist could be okay, so your ship, the passion of fantage.

Shoes, fantas shoes, kick them off, fan.

Swept the hair, oute hit.

Every note while you're doing crazy legendary get on my nerve.

Yeah, so cold.

And who's writing for this artist?

Leon Ware?

You're going to write this drops Mike, the Sensual Minister.

Yeah, rest in peace, he said, Forever forever withness the sensual Minister leon Ware.

I spent that I spent the whole day.

Will Yeah.

But she got over there champ.

Here.

It's that time.

I ain't saying no, Nick, ain't saying no.

Next A saying no name.

I ain't saying no was.

What you did?

No?

No, I ain't saying no name.

I think you got to make a go go version.

I shaying no name me.

I think you gotta make a go go version of that song too.

Oh yeah, yeah, you gotta tak up in here.

I say what I said?

What now?

No name, Holy now.

Holy now, no name.

What you gotta say, no name?

That's out side of here?

Say what now?

No name?

Shout the big g frombou b y me.

The go Go version.

Man, I'm listening.

I'm here with my brothers from the DV.

But I had to.

Request shout answers to say what say what now?

I start saying sexy ladies, Yes, just sexy ladies out there.

Yes, indeed, that's the old school talking.

We gotta do what.

You know.

I got go go band, Go go man.

I'm in the group.

I got a go go even more groups than Johnny.

Gills, like, Yo, got it.

I got a go go band.

We called the Crank Crusaders.

We do shows when I'm off the you know when I crank Cruise Crusaders.

I know you're cooking too.

Bob just sent me some some joints from backyard to do too.

Yeah, that's.

Got the cook Okay, give me get so.

Yeah, we're at the very important segment of the show.

I ain't saying no names.

Will you tell us a story funny or fucked up?

Are funny and fucked up?

Yeah?

Throughout your travels in this thing, man, in all your fifty seven groups that you'd have been in.

I ain't saying no names.

Oh he could, right, but but but I can't.

But but I could have been on I was.

I was, I was.

I was baited to be on one of the largest reality shows to play someone's boyfriend.

Okay, And.

The woman that I was dating at the time that I'm not saying her name that everybody on the planet knows, was like, what.

You was not fit to go do that?

Like, you ain't going to do that reality show?

Like that ain't happening.

So you thought about doing the show?

Now you know what.

It's like.

I never, I never, I never considered doing the reality show.

It was it was the thought of what it gave me, what it would give me.

Access to visibility, you know what I'm saying.

And that's always a challenge, right And as bad as I and I am doing some just some television and things happen in films, you know, I've done a few movies and stuff like that, right, But it ain't about you know, typically when you do reality TV, it's for one of three reasons.

It's one it's for the visibility.

Of course, if it's something involving dating, it's because you're actually looking to to publicly date and you want to be part of that machine, right, And it's for money, you know what I mean, right?

And you know.

Money Never I've never been I never made.

A decision based upon like money, Like that's you know, when you make a decision based upon the bag, you might make some of the worst decisions of your life, you know what I'm saying.

So just saying like you know about the money, right, And.

Then you know, I've always just been, like I think because of being a parent, being you know, so I've been conscientious about just what I want to be perceived, and just like having a have a conversation, you know what I'm saying with my son.

Uh, that might but you know, anything that's compromising in that space.

And and then more poorly though, like you know, I know what I want to be, and in every other aspect of my career, I ma in control.

Like I'm my own boss, you know what I'm saying, own masters, you.

Know, you know, you know what I mean.

And then and then and then I still understand the culture of like the mystique of you know, there's something that's there's an art to still there's an art to being to being accessible but not accessible that comes with, you know, with what we do in social media.

And it's crazy because people can just like you know, it's this concept of like, oh, I follow you, I like your picture, and then somebody run up on you and be like, yo, hey you remember me, Like hey, I'm your friend or whatever.

And it's not that.

It's not that that that's not the case, right, but you know, a lot of what we do and see is the perception of the reality of it.

You know what I'm saying.

So you know what I mean.

You know, at the end of the day, we're just all human trying to exist.

And but we also like being a public figure is a different thing.

You know what I'm saying.

You gotta you gotta think it out, you know what I'm saying.

I just try to think out the worst case in best case scenario and everything.

So you know what I'm saying.

Not knocking nobody who's done one or you know, you go you know, do to just how we talk about using using you know, the DSPs to the you know, smarter or wiser you know of algorithm wise or what platform works best for us Musically, you know we have to that that applies to you know, television and the decisions that I'm gonna make that like especially if you're going like this, because you make the wrong move and then you're looking crazy, they all come crashing down, you know what I mean.

So shout out to her and them and all the names we never.

Mentioned yea.

With my brother Raheem Devon.

Yeah, you know, I appreciate you, man, We appreciate you.

You know, I've I've always looked at you as a brother, you know what I'm saying, as I mean as a family member, more so because it's like we we literally we literally walked damn near the same same walk and journey.

And I think I think, you know, I think you were smarter early on in your journey than I was, Like the way you were able to utilize things and create the mixtapes and things like that.

Like I commend you for that, brother, Like you you really like you really like took control of that thing in a way that I had no concept about that early in the game, you know what I'm saying.

But you know, we come from that terrain and we come from that place man, where you know its like you said, it's like a love hate relationship, you know what I'm saying, depending on how you can view it.

And as a as a brother from that place with you, I love you brother, Thank you, man, I appreciate you.

I love you too, man, and and thank you for that.

I want nothing but the best for you.

And and at some point, you know what I'm saying, we got to figure out how to this is.

This is the first step in the people seeing us together, no doubt, you know what I'm saying.

And now I think the city needs to see more of that.

Oh no, for sure, you know what I'm saying.

And here we get in that.

We get in that dojo and put something, but also do some touring and yeah.

Man like like they deserve that, man.

And we done worked hard enough man, in between the both of us, man to put something cool together, something ship.

Man.

So you know, I think I think I get a people what they want, get peoples.

And the gentlemen not even take Valentine.

And this is the R and B Money podcast, the authority.

Things R and B.

And this has been him, man, this has been my brother from another mode.

Man.

This is one of the DNB's finance of all times.

Rocking, Yeah, Yeah Yeah, R and B Money.

R and B Money is a production of the Black Effect podcast Network.

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