Checking In with Michelle WilliamsThis episode is dedicated to Abdul Wadud - Ronald E. DaVaughn
Michelle and Raheem are getting real. Raheem speaks on perfecting his sound as an artist. He also breaks down meeting the expectations of women who understand they are dating a musician and he opens up about his connection to mental illness that he has never publicly discussed. CHECK IN to this episode for a wholesome conversation.
Follow Raheem on Instagram: @Raheem_DeVaughn
Make sure you’re following Michelle on social media!
Instagram: @MichelleWilliams
Twitter: @RealMichelleW
Welcome to Checking In with Michelle Williams, a production of iHeartRadio and The Black Effect. I've been so curious about the artist that I'm about to interview today.
I love that Checking In we have a variety of.
Guests that check in, whether it's a doctor or an author, entrepreneur, artist. I'm really excited about this Grammy nominated artist and writer. Truly authentic, truly and original, but with some respectable influences that you can hear in his tone and in his style. I'm getting ready for this guy right here. Y'all, stay tuned, get locked in, come on in. Raheem Devon is up next. Hey, everybody, welcome to another fun, awesome episode of Checking In. Now this might be a little well, I don't know what it's gonna be, but we're gonna let it do what it's going to do. I am just really, really thrilled to have an amazing artist. I really think in every sense of the word artist. He's so intentional with his work. He's so intentional with the music, He's so intentional with his art. I'm excited that we have four time Grammy nominated singer and songwriter. We already know his debut album and his album's period continue to do wonders in our souls at least mine. Don't be nosy, y'all. Welcome raheen devon to checking in.
Hello, Hello, checking in.
This is ry for album check in and then officially right now listen.
Thank you for checking in?
What did you think when they were like, Yo, you're gonna check in with Michelle Williams?
What was your thought?
Oh?
You know something you have like you did certain calls where you know, some people call and you try to figure out, oh, what's my schedule? You got other people that call and when you call, you just say okay, win and where. So this is like a winning where I would love to do it opportunity. So thank you again for having me. Congratulations on your you know, all your endeavors. Of course things you already accomplishing. You know, it's always about I guess what's what's the word. I'm looking for the incline and the growth, you know what I mean, and doing new things. So I know this is one of your new things passion projects, So thank you so much for having need be part of that.
Absolutely absolutely I get a chance to talk to some of my favorite voices, And I think you are classic and timeless at the same time.
You evolve and grow, but you still are one of the classic voices. And when I say classic, y'all at eight because he came out.
In nineteen eighty two or nineteen seventy.
Five, he has been around this game. Listen, now, let's let's check it. Let's check it now. Now he could have some stuff that I'm not privy to, maybe back in the MySpace days, but all the way back to two thousand and five. Yeah, classic timeless. How are you feeling out in the streets to know that you've been in this game a long time?
It's amazing, Like you know, I mean young og mode at this point.
You know, I'm able to get a game two younger artists at Amazing Day yesterday, which you know involved connecting with the artists that I already have known for some time. It's like revamping their thing as an independent artist. And then there's a new artist, Jordan. I can't member Georgia's last name, but he's going to kind of like viral on the internet right now. And we had been communicating and happy to be with Jordan's so we got to say to have an opportunity to talk, and then I spoke to another nd artist.
Is all like two three o'clock in the morning, is all going on? WHI I'm at the studio by the way, and I say that can say this is that you know.
It gives me the opportunity to be able to like you know, spit the games younger artists and share my experiences and what has been you know, I've been I've always operated as an independent you know, my own independent artists with my artistry, but uh, you know, to be independent over ten years, you know, and to be able to put everything and people see I'm now starting to understand how it looks from the outside. And I've been so focused, like tunnel vision, on what it is, what the mission is, what the goal is, you know, reinventing myself constantly and just the things that you know, because this is a you know, working supporting yourself as an independent artist. It's like you become your own passion project. So you have to take you have to you have to have like tunnel vision focus on it. You have to know certain things not not believe, but like no, you have to you have to know, you have to be borderline I don't know. I mean you have to kind of go as artists. I think we are a little insane. You know, we're all a little touched in the sense of like to be able to you know, bear our soul, you know, convey our emotions, uh, heal people, you know, whatever the process is through uh, through our.
Gift of the arts.
You know, in a room full of strangers, Like it's the most one of the most vulnerable things that you can do. You know, to go in the studio and create a song that you know speaks from your point of view or something that you're wearing on your sleeve or something vicarious leader that you've experienced, and to share that and then to go and give that to the world. It's one of the most vulnerable.
Things you can do.
So you know, it takes a very tough skin to do what we do. And I would just say that, you know, sometimes the season happens different. It doesn't happen when you pray for it. Sometimes it doesn't happen that you're ready for. It doesn't happen because you want it right now. You know, everything that that you experienced perpause for your season, and everybody hasn't like you know, so you have to be able to identify when you win it, you know. So for me, I think I think I can really say that, you know, uh, you know at this point in my career, like I'm in my season, you know, uh, and it's a good I'm in a good space.
You know. Music that's so good.
I love that you say that everybody has a season. Now we all know the four seasons winter, spring, summer.
And fall.
Then you have where some people say, I'm in my winning season. Can you explain heck, maybe you feel like you've always been in your winning season.
Have you ever had a.
Season of wait, this is my waiting season, or a season of transition, a season of uncertainty?
Yes, all of those things I think I prepared me for, like for my winning season, which is all seasons now, you know what I mean. Like, that's that's where I'm in it. I'm forever in my bag. That's how I feel, you know. Like mentally, I'm in that mental space and I'm forever in my dad. Like musically, I know that I can go in the studio at any given time it's something amazing, something timeless can come out.
I can curate, I can curate something.
That speaks to you know, not only my one percent demo of like eighteen year olds, but also my twenty seven percent demo of like that thirty five to forty five, you know what I mean that or that twenty eight you know to.
Thirty two, you know, so age group.
So uh you know, and you know, seeing that the shows, it's kind of like the proof of the put In because you know, I do the meet and greets and it's like a mother and a daughter there somebody the mother the daughter, or the mother the daughter and the grandmother, the mother, the daughter and the grandfather, you know what I mean. So it's interesting, you know, like you know, music is not only the heartbeat of about people, you know what I mean, but it's the heartbeat of like the world. It doesn't you know, I truly believe that, you know, music is colorblind. You know great music, you know, it's colorblind, it's gingerless, it's all it's all the things you know that brings all these people together from different walks of life to come here.
Whatever it is. The messages that you're conveying, you.
Know, that's so good. Y'all.
Don't get the pleasure of seeing him on this video like I do when I tell y'all, he is suited and booted, the glasses are on, the skin is moisturized, the hair has been washed and conditioned. I'm so happy about that. I'm so excited to.
Have you here. Now. One thing I know, if rahiem Devon don't.
Do nothing else, he is going to give us music. You've got three albums that you've released within the same.
Year, Am I correct?
Yeah, that's correct. Yeah, you know I'm gonna I'm on a system of like.
Putting out, putting out, you know, three or four projects a year, you know what I mean, you know, tentatively, you know, even for twenty for twenty twenty four. Some things that you know happen enough that I'm involved in, you know. Uh, you know, the business model is spanding now like you know, it's not. It doesn't always have to be me in the front the center, you know. In some cases, and maybe me presenting a project that you know, produced or executively produced. And you know, so in some cases, maybe a Rayen Devin presents, you know, or it may be a three song pack of something that is me, you know, Uh, it may be a female artist, say like Tanya Nolan, who's a phenomenal independent artists out of the Houston area. He's self made, you know, reconnected doing the duet that we did pace Yourself and had a relationship from there and it just kind of just like group.
Shout out to Corey Moe who connected us.
And one of the things that Corey uh initially asked me when when he talks to me about time and saying like, hey man, I would love to see you take her under your wing and kind of just show her the tools and you know, the secret sauce, you know what I mean. So we've been able to connect it and do that, and that's work into me like, you know literally like you know, co executive producing her first official like project or you know, which would be dropping some time this year. So it's been great to be able to go from being the clay to allow myself to work with artists who like trust me with your art, which I feel like is a sacred thing.
You know.
I constantly tell artists like Tanya and different individuals I work and I'm working with currently, it's like, hey, like, thank you for trusting me with your art because it means that you know, I know, that's a vulnerable space to be in. You know, it's not about it's not about your heart earned money, get your investments to yourself. It's more about for me, it's about the art and not to move about the music and people want something to maken here and fielm and that has a nostalgia to it and you know what I mean. So yeah, so so giving myself to the art in a different way, taking time to work with new artists and stuff of that nature and features. You know, it gives me an opportunity to show myself with a different light, which was a space that I grew into because as you know, as a as a as a songwriter, a producer.
And the vocal producer, there is a patience that's required. There's a level of patience.
It's a level of patience and communication you have to have with someone that's coming into the studio. You know, in some cases a lot of times working with you for the first time. In some cases they you know, depending on what who they're signed to, with the politics are, they might not even want to be there. They kind of just like they were either told to be there or you know, it's kind of like all right, they're stepping out of their comfort zone, so they're looking for something new or you know what I mean. And and again it's you know, it's the vulnerability that that can create, you know. Uh, you know, I wanted to be finding for them. I wanted to be a learning experience for them. I want to create something that's that's great, that's iconic, and it's amazing. But I also I wanted to be those things for me as well, you know what I mean. So yeah, so it's again it allows me to be able to just like put out be part of different you know, projects versus doing like one one song, and you know what I mean, it's just kind of just like chase chasing the single or I don't necessarily even want to call them like EPs or or albums now design. It's just like projects, you know what I mean. Because a project maybe you know, so like I said, two or three songs, a project maybe fifteen tunes. The project may be five you know songs, you know, or it may be a soundtrack for a film or independent film.
You know.
I am here for everything.
That's why I have I've just been sitting here listening because I mean, you're answering so many questions. Now the latest three albums that you released in the last year, Love You, for the Summer of Love, and fall in Love. Now would you I'm assuming like, can I call it a trilogy?
H man?
If it would be a trilogy, it was a trilogy long ago, like for the cult following fans, like, you know, love has always been you know, the word love has always been intertwined in some form of fashion, like in all the projects.
It's something that just kind of just continue to figure out and do in real time. You know. That's from a love experience, to love behind the Melody, to the love of what master.
Piece, to a place called love Land, love such passion, Yes, decade of a Love King, you know, from Luster Dawn, which was like a passion project which which I connected with a lot of different artists from you know, social media at that time, and you know, some of which I'm still working with, two of which i'm you know, I'm mastering. I'm in the mastering stage of their projects. So you know, these things take yeah, the thing, Yeah, these things take time. You know.
So if you've been that busy yeah yeah.
Yeah, how you be finding time to be doing some of the stuff that's in your album.
If you pick up, if you pick up when I'm putting down.
It's always what they say. We always made time for the things we love.
We may time if you if you're if you're a praying woman, you know, praying man, you're gonna you're gonna find time make time to pray, you know, just like you're gonna make time to lay.
You know what I mean. You got to you got to pray before your name, All right, come on?
But yeah, I mean I guess I am lyrically a lover, not a fighter, you know, But I also understand like it's my gift, you know what I mean, Like I've coined and carved out a lane for myself that that when people get the music and receive it or here there's a new project, I know what I know, what the expectation is.
You know what I mean.
And part of you know, part of my rebranding, part of my you know, the secret to my success, you know what I mean?
Uh?
You know, And part of being in your season is knowing that it's knowing and loving who you are and knowing who you ain't who you are, you know what I mean? As well likes knowing. It's knowing what you are and who you are, as well as knowing who you're not and what you what you would never be, and what you don't desire to need, and you know, and then and then and then moving on intention of it, like you know. Yeah, So that that you know, for me, you know, allows me to be the conscious lover you know, or mister Jimmy conscious you know, one of the many attributes that I have, you know what I mean?
Nicknames?
You know, So what's the nicknames for me? Sitting the seat that I'm in? You have to be naturally curious, not nosy.
I have a lot of monikers, you know, because you know, so it's uh, it's a let's see, uh, the R and B hippie, neo soul rock star a k A. Sup Cooler Jones a k A. Smoky Temptations, the Lypt God, the who God, the Lipt God.
Yeah, l I P l l I P.
I thought he said LIMP.
God capital capital L capital all caps l I P. Yeah. Young Marvin Marley Mayfield. This is one of my fast which is one of my favorites, you know.
Uh.
Yeah, so in a and the list goes on, I mean these days, it's the lesson.
You should say all of those names because I hear all of those influence.
Okay, Marley Gay Mayfield.
Yeah, young Robarn Marley Mayfield Yeah.
And I'll say Isley's as well. Absolutely Isley Brothers.
And on the latest album there is someone that is speaking who is giving me Is it Jamaican Nigerian?
The woman doing the interludes?
Rob Brown is half black, half Filipino. Yeah. She grew up in Philly, you know what I mean, Like she actually went to school with like Jill Jill Scott. She's special. She's she's a really dope spoken word artist and a phenomenal like a writer.
Like she does a lot of writing for different different projects, you know, outside of like the conventional like making records and making albums, you know, work world.
You know. Uh, she's been part of my journey, whether she knows it or not.
And I went back to like kind of like go grab her at the right time, and like, you know, I want to start incorporating you know, spoken word artists and poetry into what I do. So, you know, the first open mic that I ever touched in d C, she was she was the host. She's talking you know what I'm saying. We're talking over twenty five years ago, you know what I mean. Yeah, we talked years you know, So taking it back there, like before the world knew my name, like you know, uh, there was there was a spot I would go to Bar None, which which which a lot of people think I was discovered there, but that's where I went to kind of just like Shave. It definitely had the like the Love Jone. It was given like Love Jones vibes, we need to go in there, you know. But you had spoken word artists, you had you had mcs, you had singers, you had instrumentalists you know that would go through there, and uh you know that was that became the hub and in my safe space to be able to go and be vulnerable and you know, and work on my craft, you know, and get comfortable form, comfortable beforming in front of people. My first CE or mixtape that I sold out of a knapsack like out of a book bag was like Apple.
None so and people got to know that that part of the journey.
Okay, you know, so yeah, it was it was it was, it was, it was. It was the knapsack.
It was broad Now it was the green camera had the green had this little beat up green camera toyo, thea cameray and I, you know, and and I used to basically like hand in hand, you know, sell my music.
So you knew you were dope.
You knew and that that confidence that I see now in twenty twenty four.
I knew I had something special. I knew that it was that I was still developing it.
But yeah, I knew back then that I had something that was unique and that and more importantly that when I would jump off the mic, I would see the reaction or like the questions I.
Would People would be like, yo, where can I get that song?
So I let me know that was create at demand and that you know, the hustler of me said, okay, well if they're asking for it, then you know then I mean I got to get product ye immediate, whether that means like buying a CD burner, and you know, the quality might not be what what we might think it needs to be, you know, but I have to start somewhere, you know. And and that's so that's always been my you know, that's always been my mentality. That's always been my goal and understanding that you know, you start somewhere, you know, and then from there you evolve. You keep moving, you know, keep moving. I look at my career, I look at my life as a as a marathon. You know that it's never been to it's never been the sprint, you know, it's been there's always been that like, Hey, we're gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna get on these tracks with these individuals, with my peers, you know, pull my b love. But you know, it's a very competitive business. So I'm gonna get on this track and I'm gonna start to run. And when they say all your market said, go I want to start, I'm going to start running and I'm going to like and if I get tired, want to walk.
You know, you don't let your feet stop moving, you know what I mean.
That's great.
Get thirsty, you know what I mean. You have you know, there's no there's no eye in the world team. So you might have a team member that runs up and gives you, you know, something to drink. But if the game and the rules of the game are hey, when this race starts, the last person that whose feet are still moving will be declared the winner. Then you know, my mindset is that Okay. I'm just going to just like but you can do whatever you need to do necessarily. You can do whatever you need to do in the process. If you need somebody to hand you a sandwich because you're hungry on your feet, don't stop moving, you know what I mean?
Whatever?
I love that because you run your race.
You're quiet about it, but you still have results. You're not like the loud arrogant. It don't seem like you have beefs with anybody in these R and B streets that I know of. You seem to know your niche like and I don't want to say because some people like you know your lane because that means what you say, I can't I can't go to the middle lane if I want to, I can't go to the left lane. But your niche or your sound? Did that take a while for you to discover.
My sound?
I think that happened organically, you know, like you know, being able to have mentors like DJ Jazzy Jeff like that nature average you know, I have an access to somebody like that. Let me just start there. If you know, you know, Jeff has always created an environment for artists. I would describe it as like X men, Mmm, you would be uh, what's that, professor X Yeah, and like you would be the equivalent of like that for me or for us. You know, the rooms I've been in with the level of talent, like the caliber of talent, like like not just in here in the US, but like globally, like the meetups I've been in, and what I've experienced being under under his watch you know what I mean. He was at a very important time, Like he was there. You know, he took me under his wing and learning from him. You know, the relationships that people that I that I met as a result from kicking it with him and being around him in this cool musical environment, you know Ken Dope and Louis Vanger and DJ Terry Hunter, you know who are like worldwarnow like DJs and producers and seeing the world and going you know, Jeff taking myself and uh and other artists like around the world at the time where you know, my brand was still building, Yah, and being being able to just understand that like music or R and B and like soul music is just one gearure in music that's just listen to start.
There, and and that it's a very big world and a lot of people love.
You know, there are people that love what we do and what we create that don't even speak English in some places, you know what I mean.
I mean, we think it's corny, but I used to see it when I was growing up as a child, when music was actually in the schools, they would see the sign music is a universal language.
Yeah, yeah, yeah it is, you know, And those things help is developing your growing in real time if you allow yourself to be you know, it's easy to kind of put yourself in a box though too, you know, depending upon like you know, listening to the labeled or listening to the A N R. Sometimes, in some cases, you know what I mean, it could be one of the most toxic things for an artist, you know. But it's about knowing and trusting that gut you know, the voice of intuition is God whishper in your ear, you know what I mean. So that gut feeling, that's the voice of God like telling you. That's you know, as universe saying like, hey, this is what you need to be doing. Get It morphs into like knowing I'm in a space where I know what I wanted to feel like tastes like smell like.
You know what I mean, like okay, like you look like yeah, you know, so you know has a greeing and the cologne.
I'm here for it.
I cam here for it. Can you smell it, Colonne through the speaker's baby, I can smell it.
It's given amber, sandalwood. It's given a little bit of well you said it in your song. It's given backwoods. It's given although I'm like, now, wait a minute, don't mess up your vocal cords. It's given brown sweet liquor, y'all. If you know what I'm saying, is given honey butter, I'm hungry.
It's giving.
It's giving everything sophisticated. I think it could because of the season we're in, But if we're in the spring or somehow, I would have said, it's given juniper.
It's giving.
I'm trying to stick to the smells because you probably don't want bath and body work types since.
That's for the lady.
I'm not like biased, know to a woman that you know uses back in the bodyworks, you know I'm not biased me personally, you know what I mean? Go, you know I'm there's so many like dope, black owned businesses there are their eyes.
You know what I mean?
Like, you know, what are your favorite sense what are some of your favorites.
I'm you know, I'm a sucker for a woman as you know that has that Carol's daughter, you know, you know, but that but look brown sugar, but look, but look, but you got to have like the source. You gotta get that you know, word on the streeter. And she does like a you know, if you know, you know she'll do she does like a bat. She still she still whips it up in the.
Kidnap for some of those of her. By the way, I know which bats you're talking about.
I know which bat you're talking about because I'll never forget back in the day in the early two thousands, walking down it just takes me back.
To the Brownstones of New York. I know exactly what bat you're talking about.
I'm not no, I'm not going to ask nothing like specific as far as dating business. But what I do want to ask, because you are the love king you say you people have called you the lip God.
Do you find it pressure to be that or to be who you are as an artist?
Is that?
Who you are as a man in relationships? Is or are you like, wait a minute, I don't feel like all that today. Yes, if you want me to just listen to track twelve, but I can't be that right now. Have they expected you to be that in a day to day relationship?
Well, in transparency, like you know, I'm not married, engaged and I am dating. You know what I mean having that dating like that? You know?
Okay, and just like you know, I think that not to be cliche, but I would probably have to say, like my wife, girlfriend and mistress is like my music their career.
Yeah, he told you, he told you on checking in with Michelle Williams. His wife, his girlfriend, and his mistress is music. So don't have no expectations.
Just but I understand that like outside of that, like you have to have experiences, you have to you know, I understand the point is of like love and plutonic friendship and growth in allowing yourself to have experiences that you want to feel something. So with that, with that being said, I want to make sure I'm to ask you a question one more time.
I want to make sure I like, if I were dating a therapist, don't make him feel like the pressure to be the therapist.
I got you here, Rahim Devon the.
Artist you know.
So yes, there have been times where I feel like pressure, but I think it has nothing to do with necessarily like even the content. It's just the fact that, like who I am and just being a public figure, I was having this discussion every day, and I feel like sometimes, you know, sometimes a woman may feel the need to be like, give me an extra hard time because I am because of who I am, and because he.
Wants to know that you are who what you sing about. You ain't romantic enough what you're talking about. You didn't grab my torso like you said in the music or you.
I don't really have that problem. I don't have that problem. And I think I don't have that problem.
I think because to love me is to really know me, and to really know me is to know that like they're very there's a lot of different shades and tones to me.
And that and that you know, that's that like that you know that's where I'm going to yea, you know.
There's you know that's that that can be very you know, it kind of would tell me a lot about the person, you know what I mean, if the expectations it because it can be kind of like superficial, you know what I mean. Or it can be like it's like, hey, do you want Raheen divine? The entertainer or the singer or the you know, the writer, are you here? You know, are you here for Raheem divine? Like the human beings like you know what I mean, the person you know, the person who who lost his father or a year ago, or the or the person who still figures out how to still be you know, uh just still you know, you never stop figuring out how to be a parent, you know what I mean when you have children or could just be like the you know, the amount of what I'm providing in terms of you know, being self independent and being self made. You know, I'm still providing jobs for people you know, down to like my musicians and you know, uh and what have you know, an economy and in a space that where like people come out to buy a ticket for something it's election. Regardless of what level you are in this business. You know, if you can fill seats during this time, like that's a unique gift to be able to be able to fill seats or to know that you can go and do the MGM and it's sold out already before you go to touch it, and you know, and and and people are there because you provide a very unique service, you know what I mean. So it's like to know the men and to know the music and then know the lyrics, to really know the man behind the music and the you know I means so yes, which means like you got to come correct too, you know, as the woman who is you know, pursuing you know what I mean? I think in dating that the pursuit should be equally ooked, you know what I mean. I realized that, I realized it. I realized as a man that I like to be pursued. And that's not to be misunderstood as.
You want to feel that they want you.
If you the woman that's waiting by the phone for me to call you or like you know, daily and you know whatever, the like, yeah you're not because you know, I believe like if you think, you know, if you think about me, then or show reach out, you know.
What I mean? So like you know what I mean? So like yeah, so it's you know, hopefully I've answered good question.
No, it has been amazing And I was like, man, I want to make great use of our time together.
You've given me so much. You've given us so much.
I told I was telling some folks that I was interviewing the other day, they poured, you literally are pouring. And I really think I'm thankful for that. And I don't want to didn't want to come across offensive because I was like, Man, I'm sitting here and just wondering as I'm listening to music as a fan of like, does he have pressure in that area?
I don't feel the pressure.
I mean, not that I mean in the day about that life, like I talked, like I talked with I talked that talk about.
That that life.
So he's not a hypocrite, Like you're not gonna everything.
You know, but everything for everybody.
You know, you're doing in moderation and you know, even in real time, you know, learning a lot about myself and and uh, you know, and dating and you know from my previous relationship not to make the same states. And it's like all the all of those things, you know what I mean, Like, you know, it's cool being an artist, you know, That's I think that's the cool part is that you can go through things and then you can be your own news for them and go in and you know, use your music.
To not only hill yourself, but to also heal. You know, music is healing for the for the listener, you know, therapeutic in some cases. It's a doc connector to.
Love and fatherhood and motherhood and just like all the things, depending on you know, what you're listening to, you know, and what you get, what you get from it, you.
Know, Yeah, you mentioned your father. I just wanted to ask you. He was a jazz musician.
Yes, yes ahead, I'm sorry, yes, yes, I do, I'll do.
He was a jazz musician and so were you the son that wanted to make sure that he loved your music? Was he excited or please? Had Did he ever participate creatively with you music?
Yeah, you know, he would hang out.
Not many studio sessions he came to with me, but there's one it sticks out, and it was the night that I was recording the song just right. And he didn't make many suggestions that night, but one of the suggestions that he did make on the record is like it's it's literally the way it is because it's something that he suggested that I do, which was like there's a bridge that happens like a pre hook that happens in that in that record, in that song, and to kind of make a different between the two, it was there's this one line where he was just like, yeah, just leave out the one word right there, and and I'm like okay, and I'm me and the student anybody knows, like I'm very kind of like as far as like suggestions and stuff or.
People like, hey, you should do like I hate that, like you know what I mean.
So sometimes I just need the space to get out what I need to get in my head before, like you know, and and and if I really, like, you know, I'll ask an opinion, you know what I mean. But it was just like Dad, and he made us right. He was he was right, and the records just right and it came out just right, you know what I mean. But but yeah, like you know, I think probably the part I missed the most is like, uh, we would talk, you know, maybe two three times a day, but even if it wasn't two three times a day, he would always kind of like tap in after the show, like you know, whether two three o'clock in the morning, you know something about musicians who just up and up at night, right, and uh, nocturnal and he and he would, he would, yeah, he would, just like tap Man. And you know, it's you can have people, you know, you can have different there's a different conversation that you can have, say with a parent who is in the.
Music business versus one that's not it's just a level. They just understand.
We talk a different language, we talk, We talk a different language than most you know what I mean, you know, whether we're talking business or on a you know, personal level.
You know. But yeah, my dad, you know, for the listeners out there, you know, check out his work.
He was a child prodigy cellist and went on to teach like some of his amazing students who are.
Now doing phenomenal things around the world. Wow, and yeah, so yeah that's good. But I understand that, you know, it's the progression of life, you know what I mean.
So I'm thankful to be able to say that that I had the experiences that I've had that I had with him, you know, and to know that also you know, they they definitely were in spirit, you know what I'm saying. Our ancestors are in spirit, you know, calling the plays, calling the plays that you will, thank you.
So much for sharing.
I understand, my I lost my father in twenty twenty, but I rejoice in the fact that he was ready.
It was time, It was his time, It was his time.
Still miss him, still miss him dearly. He is a huge musical influence. He was a DJ, and he had like Milk Crates, Vinyl just from everything to the to Marvin Gaye to Aerosmith. So I feel like that's why sometimes I had a hard time kind of figuring out I think what my sound was gonna be. But I'm still a consumer to this day of just all things, so many genres. Two more questions for you. Are there any sounds that you still have yet to explore sonically?
Yeah, definitely, there probably a lot of things. Like I'm in a space. I let that happen organically, you know.
You don't force it like I'm going to do Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, I like that. I like that I let the music dode. That tells me.
I think probably the most eclectic record I have about right now, it's a record called Favorite Things to Do, which is which it has a It has a vintage failire vibe to it, you know what I'm saying.
I love him.
Yeah.
Shout out to DJ Terry Hunter, who produced that out of Chicago, you know, but to kind of like show the diversity like Terry also produced you you know.
For me, you know, many moons ago.
So uh you know, but again, you know when you start when I started getting my back and thinking about like the work that I that I've already done with like King Doapro in particular.
Right, I'm gonna find it. I'm gonna find it.
See me looking down because I was able to play Sondra Isador. I was the original Sondra Isidor in the Fela touring.
Production that was on Broadway.
Yeah, it was on Broadway.
Okay. I came to see that in New York.
Yeah, so it was on Broadway, but I was in the Broadway producers took it on the road and I was in. I was the original Sondra Isador on the road.
Man. That was incredible.
Like, yeah, I was introduced to his music in two thousand and eight, and I'm like, I wish I knew of him in nineteen ninety eight.
I just shout out to his son, to his kids and FAMMI you know, you know he is like that. Yes, he's like the split version of his dad. It is at the heart of this got the heart of a lion, you know what I mean, Like, you know, so okay.
I'm okay, I'm excited. I'm excited. Okay, thank you for sharing that.
Last, but not least, the foundation of my podcast is regarding mental health.
We know that we know, or I know, everybody has mental health, but everybody does.
Not have mental illness. Even you, righting you have mental health, you seem to be very grounded. You shared so much. But to the heart of that creative who might be struggling with their confidence, to the creative who is just maybe they're.
Just struggling in the area of their mental health. They're dealing with depression or anxiety.
Have you ever walked that road where you were like, yeah, I've been down a little too long.
Or absolutely that's some fear.
For the first time in my life, I willingly intentionally started doing therapy, and it was like when I lost my dad, Black King, Come on now. Prior to that, I definitely probably was one of the people that I thought I didn't need or didn't get or like you know, or thought that you know, there had to be something like really going wrong to you know, ironically, you know, mental health.
Is like one degree separation. For me, it's like very close, like so much so close.
That like which I've never spoken about is public for me until now, right, is that my my dad has caisophrenia. Wow, And I've always been you know, for whatever reason, as he got older and I got older, for whatever reason, I was I was probably the one person out of the family that could kind of like get him back on traps, you know.
So that became a thing for me, you know.
So when I say, like it's one degree separation, I'm looking to go down the rabbit hole and and now and so so that's something that's like, you know, very you know, having my foundation, doing the work that I've done community wise, revamping the foundation and and and with new initiatives, that is something like mental health is like something that's very important to me.
And I understand it like in a way.
That most probably be wouldn't you know what I mean, because again on both sides of my family, like you know, it's one degree literally one degree.
Degree separation.
So I understand that, like you know, and I didn't understand until I started doing therapy how important therapy is.
You know, the tools and things that you can be given the healing that can happen from it, and how you can identify the source of trauma, you know what I mean, like like because sometimes the source of your source of trauma may be like all roads may lead back to one person yep, and and the series of a vist that it's transpired and then you know whether it's say, hurt people, hurt people.
So it's so it's so important to get in tune with y'all, like your trauma and your hurt and your pain, because you don't want to be one of those hurt people. This is out here hurting people intentionally or unintentionally, you know what I mean. So, yeah, mental health is like and everything for me, you know, for anybody out there that's going through anything.
Is that I would just say, like in.
Transparency and like again, as artists, like you know, we remember that it's something about the TV or the Netflix or the radio or these you know, or social media. It just makes us look bigger than life that sometimes people forget that we're human beings and we believe the same way you do. You know, we have the same losses that you do, we have the same anxieties, we have the same in some cases prayers. You know, I never try to claim the spirit of depression, you know what I'm saying, Like, you know, I feel like depression is a word.
It kind of it'sat it's just data.
Yeah. Yeah, I saw somebody say that.
I can't remember when I saw this, but depression it really stands for decompression, like you need to It just means that your avatar is tired and that you just need to let your avatar like decompress, you know what I'm saying. And whatever that process is. Maybe that process is you know, taking a quick trip for going like going somewhere and just like standing in the water, or you know, meditating or you know, you know, for some people it's like back with you know what I mean. But I would suggest finding good ways to you want to make sure that you're not running to like the bad.
Habits, the bad habits, bad you know what. We Sometimes people feel like what is what's a solution?
It's really a distraction and they're not getting to the root of that pain, you know, They're they're substituting it.
Yeah, first of all, let me let you know that.
Michelle Williams and I'm sure folks.
That are with the Black Effect.
Who my podcast is you know under Charlemagne, who has the Mental Wealth Alliance? Like whatever, however we can and I guess Charlemagne, I signed you up. Yeah, however, I let me speak for me. However I can get behind you. Yeah, in whatever it is in that mental health space, I'm gonna be following up because that's really big. And thank you for trusting my platform to share what you shared.
Y'all.
There are so many things about the artists that we know and love, like he said, go through the same things that we have. And maybe he just didn't feel or there is a safe enough space to share what he shared. Again, therapy is not always about It doesn't always have to be about trauma. It can be how can I unpack transition? How can I get an unbiased opinion about how to deal with a loss? And guess what therapy is about trauma too if you want to go there. Okay, so you have made yourself even more lovable by being vulnerable. That took some vulnerability to share, but that's what you know.
But again, that all kind it goes back to like, it goes back to the art, like you know, ass right, And it's why you know, it's part of these These are part of the things that like our challenges, our things that we deal with that we don't speak on earth. You know, they shape us, state, mold us, you know what I mean. And you know, so you know, it kind of gives people kind of wonder why I move the way I moved, or like people wouldn't believe some of the things unless they saw it, you know what I mean, I heard it or you know, or you know, we had a conversation piece about it. So like, yeah, I'm looking forward to being more verbal. And you know, again, mental health is just it's it holds a very hold space. A lot of it purposely and intentional because of like you know, it being a one degree separation thing for me.
Listen, thank you, y'all. His foundation is called love Life Foundation.
Yeah, the Love Life Foundation.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's committed to raising awareness and funds for domestic island education, homeless, mental illness, if I is that correct.
Mental health, autism, cancer, Listen.
It's so well rounded for music and arts, HIV and AIDS if we can. Matter of fact, I'm gonna follow right now love Life DMV And as he said on one of his interludes.
You can find him at Raheem Underscover Devon on Facebook as Raheem Divine.
You can find him there. I think you poured so much.
Thank you for checking in, Oh, thank you for having me, Thank you for having me. We gotta do it again for sure.
Anytime, anytime, anytime.
Okay, I did not expect I did not expect.
This, and I'm so glad that he was just willing to share, because sometimes, you know, artists can be, you know, be wanting to be all and whatnot and not share, you know, but he was just absolutely a jewel. And we are dedicating this episode to his father, Abdul Dude. And I'm grateful that Checking In is a safe space where people begin to share things that they probably normally wouldn't share. And he's got my full support. And continue prayers and blessings into anybody out there. You've lost a loved one recently, just know that my heart goes out to you and I'm wrapping my arms around your body as best as i can and just praying for you and just wanting to send you some love as well. Checking In with Michelle Williams is a production of iHeartRadio and the black effect. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
