One of Questlove and Team Supreme's most anticipated interviews, Jill Scott, is finally here! Her relationship with The Roots introduced her to the world through a Grammy award winning song called, “You Got Me”. Hear the story of how a talented girl from North Philly joined forces with some of Philly’s finest to stake her claim in this world of soul music and take it far beyond expectations into the lands of television and film.
Welcome, Welcome to ja dot com, a production of iHeartRadio.
Quest Love Supreme is a production of iHeartRadio. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back. My name is Questlove.
Last week we had this long overdue talk with our friend, our love, Jill Scott. Coming up without further ado, Part two of our exciting interview on Quest Love Supreme, One and only Miss Jill Scott. This is like our first real extended conversation has lasted more than an hour in our twenty years of knowing each other.
Now I understand why she ended up working with Jazz and Jail.
And I was trying. I called. I called James Poyser because I knew him from the Jam sessions. I called every producer that I knew of, every studio that I knew of, to find out if they needed a writer or a singer. And for six months, nobody said anything. And then one day I saw Jazzy Jeff on the street talking to Rich Medina and I was like, what's up. I'm just annoyed, you know, heading to the theater, go sweep floors and clean toilets. And I walked away and Jeff was like, who's that? And Rich told him. Now, that's Joe Scott. He was like, that's Jill Scout. She calls my studio every day.
Wow.
And then they called me in to see if I could write a song, but I, you know, still lying. I was like, yeah, yeah, I write a song. And I tried it and it worked out. It just and it kept working out, and it just until the album happened and you have work.
When was the first song that you wrote?
The first song had a touch of jazz, The first song that I ever wrote, Well, the hook I ever wrote was you got me?
Wait a minute, dog, that's what she said.
She said, she faked her.
I know that, but I still was hoping to get clarity that my song wasn't your first, got my first.
But that's what you get?
Are you serious?
I am for all listening to this episode. That's a life lesson. You stepped into some ship, into an opportunity. I would have thought that by that point you, I mean, you handled it like you've been doing this ship for seven eight years. You I've never once heard you say this is the first song I ever wrote? And wait? Also, how it feels to be Drake famous? Did you like your shout out?
Yeah? This is this is his second one?
Oh shit, I the first time.
Yeah, oh wait, we got two Drake icons on the line.
What he said, Jill? Huh?
What did he say to you? I missed it?
He talked about his question on Jill Scott on this new album.
Yeah, okay, I'll go listen to that.
All the kids are listening to it.
It's very sweet, man, you banging, I mean, okay, yeah, she.
Got thanks ma'am. Thanks yo.
But Jill, weren't you one of the one of the rare artists that actually got the whole touch of jazz involved in your record, because it's not like too many artists that have everybody right.
Yeah, what was it like at the point where they were together like.
As magic magic? I missed that, I think. I mean, that's the thing I missed the most. We had so much fun in every room. They were working every room, five rooms, four rooms or whatever it was at the time. You just walk out of one and go to the next a totally different energy, and then you go in the next room and laugh hysterically. Vidal of course, was hilarious and still is. And and Dre is learning how to play the guitar at the time, and Keith is straight out of church, so all of his stuff everything, and he puts his fingers to on the keys. It just feels like like old soul because the church that he was in his father was a pastor, and it just felt old and rich and everything. It was. We had fun. We didn't have any money. We shared cheese steaks, We cut out, cut out the McDonald's bags to go to great events, not great adventures. All rolled in Dre's car. It had a hole in the floor if you're sat in the front seat and not fall asleep and let your feet fall in the hole because it was a rap. We were broke and it was fun and it was probably still the best time I ever had.
It were working, you were working on the album or what would become the album. This was before Hidden Beach even came into the picture.
Yeah. I had been calling Jeff and finally he'd seen me and he said, okay, you can come in. I called again and said why did you come down? And none of the guys wanted to give me any music? So I kind of hung around, stood around, hung around and said, well, do you have anything that you know that I could take? And they were like, oh no, no, we're working with Will Smooth. We're working with you know. And I was like, uh, well, this studio. I got to find a way to come back here. You know, the lobby, the wood is exposed. Can I stand in poll of your thing the lobby so to look seriously, I'm very serious. And Jeff was like, oh, that would look nice. And I said, well, you know, can I do it? And he was like all right, I'll give you know, I'll give you money for the supplies. And I stayed in poly ery thing the lobby and so Scott was going on in the other rooms, and you know, they would come out and leave the door open and let me hear sometimes or I would, you know, go in for a minute and to say, oh I like that. And then eventually they gave me a tape and they had seven songs on them, and those seven songs ended up being on who is Joe Scott?
And the Rain was after that? Right, I'm sorry, you said, Will Smith. So I just automatically went to the rain. It happened later okay.
After after they started letting me write and then uh sing, because I had to let him know I wasn't planning on singing but I had to let him know how it went, and they were like, oh, yeah, that was that was good. Wait minute you sing?
I was like, yeah, Joe would be ready in one of them seven songs.
Be Ready came later. Damn, okay, be Ready came later. I love that song.
But the most amazing story I've ever heard, Mom.
One thing we never talking about, like your voice? How did you develop your voice? You said you didn't like really sing in choirs or church or whatever. How did you develop your style?
I did sing at Girls High, but we sang classical music primarily, and that just it just felt nice to me. And then they sent me on some school trip and I saw Kathleen Battle sing and was like, oh my god, I didn't even know there was such thing as a black opera singer, Like this is dope. And then I mostly honestly, I just started being a mimic. I mimicked Anita Baker, I mimicked philisheymon, Kathleen Battle mimicked her.
That.
I I think that is where it started. You know, I didn't have any plans to sing at all. I'm still amazed. I'm still like, what do you want me to? What word? All right?
Okay, So yeah, Jeff, he said the same thing about He said, like, y'all first started working that and you can, you know, tell me for stret He was saying that they kind of had to convince you, I guess, to sing, like you know, they were more so interested in doing the poetry. But he was like, yo, what the hell, Like, nah, you need to do that ship, you know what I'm saying. He was kind of pushing you.
To do it.
Yeah. Yeah, he was definitely a motivating force. And then I think when I when I started singing in front of people, this was before that. I mean yeah, this was before Hit a Touch of Jazz or Hitting Beach or any of that. Richmond, Dina and I we were sitting outside my house and normally and things had gone real bad. I knew all, iknew, all the crackheads. Nobody ever bothered me. You know, somebody would like try to run up on me or whatever, and then they sing it like oh hey Jill, and if they were real hot, like Jill Jill, you know right, you know, they got to give you a double double name. That's right, right, what's something? Or mayor then some guy pulled up on us and tried to rob us sitting in front of my house and shot at us. Actually, Richard pulled off and the guy shot at us, and everything I think was different. We had a poetry reading the next day and I went to it in my pajamas because I couldn't figure out how to put clothes on. Like, my safety was gone. Everything I knew that was my own, this is my hood, these are my crackheads, this is my drug dealers, this is my block. You know, I'm safe was gone. And I instead of writing or reciting the poem I had written, I just started singing. And that was that was a beginning. Must have been two No, couldn't have been two thousand and probably ninety eight, ninety yeah, probably like ninety eight, gotcha. And that's when I was like, I think I could do this. You know, I probably could do this. I'll just try to be a writer because Lord knows, I don't want to be famous.
Wow.
And so what was that like? Well, first of all, there's a question I had about your block. The house that the video to Long Walk is connected to. Is that your childhood home? Yes, And the same house is getting in the way.
You're just sitting in front the.
One that I came out of for getting in the way is across the street from my house. I passed my house right and the one that I was sitting on the steps for a long Walk, that's a neighbor's.
I gotta say the intro to long Walk, no Philly Strong the intro yeah, well, no, no, no, I don't even mean the video. Of course the video too, because you're smiling all that stuff, but that the ten second, the first fifteen seconds of long Walk. The song is probably like I have like my top five happy adrenaline moments, like things I have to hear if I need to like get in a mood of happiness or whatever. Long Walk and herb Alberts Route one oh one or those two songs, which is where.
To come.
Don't look up herb Alberts.
People associated that with the dentist office happy song, But yeah, man, it's something that like.
Do you ever get tired of.
People's fandom of because I feel as though they don't give your entire catalog a fair shot. Only because I think that sort of like your association with the Whiz, I think the sentimental attachment to discovering you as an artist, as a fan discover you as an artist? And what the soundtrack of that album for everyone in two thousand, like it was perfect because no one saw it coming, and to me, nobody saw it coming. Like literally on I'll say the soundtrack to the Voodoo Tour was like just playing it every twenty four to seven. If I'm not playing it, Anthony Hamilton's playing in the back even you know, D'Angelo is so retro, like he wouldn't dare listen to anything older than like thirty years Like even he's rocking that shit because no one is expecting it. Like how how was it the first go round in your taste of celebrity and your relationship with your family, your relationship with your friends, and I might have to move out of this neighborhood like separation?
Can you come back?
Is?
What's Thanksgiving?
Like?
In Thanksgiving two thousand and one? Like what was it?
What was it like the first year and a half that after that album came out?
Well it I could say there were a lot more people at the family reunion than they ever.
Showed up for sure.
The story.
Yeah, man, I didn't expect anything, so I got way more than I expected because I wasn't expecting anything, but Lizella and I were living together and uh and our little second floor walk up and people were riding by playing the music at three, four o'clock in the morning, you know, just highest capacity, just so loud, and I at first, honestly, I was blown I just was blown away. I didn't expect anything, so I was really didn't know how to take it, didn't didn't know what to feel about it either. Oh, it just started to hurt.
In what way.
Because people there were the presumption that they knew everything about me or who I was instead of just meeting me, and that hurt. It hurt me, Like I've got right, I heard I know her from this to that. She's like this, so she's like that, and I'm like, I'm still growing, I'm still figuring it out. I I don't know. I'm out here trying to live.
And you still have.
And they gave you the earthy label too, which for us at black radio, trying to play your radio, play your song, we were trying to make people understand the difference in earthy and neo soul people and regular old folks, and the fact that they were regular old folks.
She wrote a song about beating a bitious ass like why can't.
She be There's nothing conscious about this.
But they put you in that bubble.
Bubbles happened. You know. I didn't like that either. I just didn't like the world thing and that they knew who or what or why I was even here before I did. You know, I'm still figuring it out twenty years later. You know, who is Jill Scott? So much has changed, you know, it's way different than it was last year. You know, I'm a mother of eleven year old. Now that's way different from ten. I don't care who you talk to.
You talk now.
Aren't you them teaching me handy? They have to? You know, we're in the middle of a pandemic. What does that mean? Who do I become in the middle of a pandemic? Or who does anybody become? You know, I still like simple things, no matter how fancy my life may appear. I still hug trees. I think they're the bomb.
I do argument about you being earthy, but that's fine.
That's what I flirt with them. You know, I'm still very very simple in these ways, and I treasure that about myself. Take it all with a grain of salt. All the time, all the time. I don't need I don't. I don't need the athlete so much. What I need is to be able to pay all my bills. I need to be able to go on vacations and enjoy them. I need to be able to help my people where I can. I need to be able to not worry that I'm headed back where it came from, because I don't want to go. I don't want to be shot at. I don't I don't want to have to fend off, you know, crackheads trying to shoot at me. I don't want that light.
So you have nightmares of one day this could be over and I'll be back at twenty third and blah blah blah.
I have nightmares of not having food in the pantry.
That is.
That's a big one. I remember that. It comes from quite some time where neighbors Jehovah witnesses particularly, were coming by dropping off baskets of food because we didn't have any. And I'm you know, it's not like I'm really pulling out a violin for sad songs. This is my existence, this is my life, and these are the things that keep me grounded. I know that it only.
Takes one wrong phrase or one wrong song, or one wrong role, or you know, to have to have a society cancel you or or shoe you away and not value.
You, know, what you bring to the table. I don't think that I'm the greatest singer. I think that I offer a lot of spirit. I think that whatever if it's passion or lust, if it's if it's fear or pain or happiness, simple joys, whatever they may be, thought process when I sing, you can hear that. And that's my gift. I'm able to convey emotions well.
And I'm aware now you you do that well, and you I always want to tell you this, like you really played a big role, probably unknowingly for me. I was doing the session with Jeff like some years ago, and it was a little brother song and me and Pooh we were driving up the Delaware and we had in our mind, okay, it's rapt the rap rap time. We about to damn wrap this nig under the table, you know what I'm saying. And so were just like, all right, this rap the rap rap, And so we get to the spot and Jeff is just playing like all these kind of R and B records you know what I'm saying.
And they were dope.
I mean, the shit was dope, but it was not what we expected, you know what I mean. And so we ended up doing the song where pooh rhymed, and I mean I ended up singing on it. And so I was just singing because Jeff had to catch your flight and stuff, and so I'm just kind of cutting vocals, not really thinking about it. And so I came out to booth and I was like, Jeff had this look on his face. I thought I had fucked up. I said, Man, what's wrong? He was like, man, you need to be singing all this time. You need to be singing. I was like, Jeff, Dude, I just kind of did it because that's what we had. I don't really want to do it. He was like, man, you know who the same you know who else said that? You know who else said that same ship. I was like, who he said?
Jill?
And I was like, damn, like word and he said at that time that he told me, he said, man, and sometimes people can see things in you that you don't see in yourself.
He was like, bro, you got something keep doing.
And that's something that I always always just wanted to share that with you. You know you really When I when I heard when when he heard when I heard him say that Jill Scott didn't think she was a good singer, I said, well, nigga got damn. Everybody must say they voice then, because I love your voice, you know what I mean?
But that was that was really that was really inspiring to me. Jill.
What is your preparation for acting and how different how does it differ to your preparation for singing and songwriting? Like what's your creative process? Are you meditation?
Is it? Like? What's what's your creative approach to it?
Probably terror is the first step for me, Like I just don't want to fuck up so bad. I don't want to be the weak link in the room. I don't that. That's like, I just don't want that.
What was the first one, Jie?
Was it?
Why did I get married?
Yeah?
Yeah?
And the first TV show was Girlfriends and Marlbrock I killed gave me an ARC. She had never even seen me act before and gave me an ARC. And I was like, come on, God, like, I'm just like out here blessed like crazy, and it's like ridiculous goodness, gracious anyway, how do I prepare like versus it's terror? And then there's homework, because so I could be prepared, and I study a lot, a lot. I try to take walks where I can and be still where I can, and then I need to move my body, you know, so that I could feel that person you know in me around me. And then the famous line is to be that guy. That's it, be that guy at all costs, whatever that means.
Who challenged you the most in his acting journey, like as far as like direction.
Anthony Miguela, he was he directed the talent in mister Ripley. Okay, I think in the Piano lesson Cold Mountain.
HBO series. Correct.
Yes, he auditioned me six times, Yes, for hours. It was the most gruesome experience. At some point I was like, fuck you either you want me or you don't, Like I can't keep coming here, or I need you to come tomorrow. Come to New York tomorrow, dude, like I have other things that I have to do. Seriously, you gotta know by now if you want me or not. And his auditions were brutal. Okay, say the lines and now your your left rib is cracked. Go okay, say the lines and now you have something stuck in your right eyelash. Go now say the lines and your you can't stop, you can't stop drooling.
Go wow, that sounds good.
He had obstacle after obstacle after challenge after it, instruction or I.
Don't know what he was doing, but being Anthony Miguela, the man won like eight oscars exactly.
And you were the first black woman to help to lead a HBO series.
So ship, Yeah, it wasn't going to be either. Yeah, welcome in Front.
I was. I was really hurt when I didn't win an nua a c P image word for that role. I was really hurt because I shot that ship. I was. I left there seven months pregnant. We worked in one hundred and seventeen degrees casually and right on location in Botswana for seven months. And yeah, three months the first time, four months the next time. And I was just like, I shot a show about Africa, you know, even though it's fictional.
In Africa, and you lived it every birthday, and now you're playing them where they usually play us exactly.
Well, if they get the opportunity, which is a real treasures.
Take you to have that accent comfortably.
We they I had was studying an hour day every day for two months, and then when I got there, it was all wrong. They gave me a zim accent and not a Mutsuana accent.
Whoa. So I had to learn everything.
Unlearned everything and relearn it real fast. And the Mutswana women, the elder women would sit around and if I got something wrong, they go ah, and I was like, this asked not the sound that I wanted to hear. I did not want to let them down in any way. And then when I got stuff right, you hear them go.
My gay, you're.
Live for my gall was what happened? What happened with the show? Why did they only do one passed away?
Right?
Yes? He did, Yes he did. He was he was so brilliant, and I thought that he was a flirt. I didn't know what was going on. He was so touchy, like stop touching me all the time. I don't like it. I smacked him because I was like, it's too much. I don't know what you're doing. And then his wife came and I had an opportunity to see them together, and I realized, oh my god, he's not flirting. He's Italian, he's just he's just he's just loving and a Italian. And then after that our relationship just you know, flew. You know, he was brilliant, and it was Sidney Pollack who was the executive producer, and Harvey Weinstein was tada. Yeah, so Sydney passed away first and then Anthony passed soon after. You know, I tried to get the show to continue, but nobody was really interested. I don't know. I thought it was because the show was too positive. You know, there wasn't a bunch of disease and murder and you know, war and aids. You know, it's just people being people in Africa, you know what I'm saying. Like it was destruction, it wasn't enough death in destruction. So you know, this sweethearted show couldn't continue.
Are there any ideas that you would like to develop.
For Oh, yeah, there's one like no, but I've had my finger on one for quite some time after a few times trying to get somebody to pick it up. But it looks like I'm going to have to make a phone call to YOA and I'm I'm working on it now and I'm it's the right thing to do. With all my heart. It's the right thing to do. Wonderful story. How is it?
What was involved me?
She just told me it's involving you because I'm going to call you and ask you for some money. I'm also going to call you and ask you for some insight.
No, I don't know, some trust for money or something.
Seeing with you right now? Trust money. She wouldn't be.
At least not as.
It'd be a special guests episode, Like, I don't know.
This is a very special project, and I know that I'm going to have to put in a lot of guts, a lot of guts.
Is ready?
Is it?
Is it TV? Is it movie?
Like?
What what kind of project?
It's a film film?
Yeah, A mer is ready. He's he's receiving well these days. Look at them.
He owes you for keeping you in Paris in the hotel he left.
You're standing in a halfway house. They was at them, They was at the rich call and they had you in the loking to and ship.
And you know, for a year after that, he was like, what happened?
I'm trying to tell you, Gosh, I was so scared. I was so scared.
I was like, oh they fight.
Over what did crush you?
It all works out, It really does.
One thing. One thing I always wanted to ask you.
Some of my favorite songs of yours are always just your short kind of interlude songs like Crown Royal and Hear My Hear My Call.
I think that's right.
I just those are just gorgeous fucking songs like what's your thought process and just making them short versus like full you know, I guess, verse, chorus, bridge, whatever kind of songs.
I think when it's done, it's done. I just I just feel that way, like, when it's done, it's done. Keep I could, you know, keep forcing the issue. But you know, when you bust the nuts, you did it, you know necessary, you don't necessarily have to do back for it should be like that's what it was?
Is it all right? Can I ask for hear My Call? Specifically?
Is yeah, that was you? That was your idea?
Oh he was startupocratic go I get it?
No, not even is it still draining and emotional for you to sing it?
Or do you have a she's out of my life relationship with it now where it's like you can phone it in if you want to like what if there's a night where you're just not in the mood to rock that song, but you know that there's expectations to or I've just never seen a song in which people are boohoo crying anytime. And I've seen you probably like seven times in concert, yeah, and mostly in the back row. Now because I'm sorry about that. Somehow they placed me like dead row, front row center, like Jill's first Philly show's horrible.
I'm sorry. See No, I'm just saying I won't do that to you. I'll try to make sure that they don't do that for it.
No, No, I went to the back road because it was like, you don't.
Want to be in the front row.
I was in the front road, dead center, in front of you, and I was like, oh god, why am I? My point is, you're the reason why you're such an amazing performer is because it's it's it's heartfelt, and it's believable and it's authentic. That song, in particular, breaks people's hearts so much every time they hear it. Are there times where you're just like, Nope, no more, I'm not doing this anymore, like smells like teen Spirit.
They well, the audiences in Europe, they typically won't leave until I see it. They will not leave no matter what I say, no matter how many lights come on. They're waiting for it. And I saw ridiculous. I could barely finish. Or damn it, you know, I those are the town Why did you? Why did you write that? Why did you say that? Why damn it? And then record it and have the audacity to put it on a project so other people can hear it. But I feel like that's the work.
You know.
You want people to smile randomly or you know, flirt or be or feel in love, feel it, you know, and if you need to to mourn something, there should be music for that too. There's music for cooking, there's music for cleaning. You know, there's there's all this good music. Luckily for us. You know, humanity and music we're so connected. And I struggle with that. You know, I typically sotob myself and then you know, it's a whole audience full of teers and it just is what it is. And you know that means there's hugs to be given because I need to feel better and so to you. So you know, I typically come out and then you know, before COVID. You know, we hell each other. It's just, you know, it's not my favorite to do the sad songs, but I'm here for it, and apparently audience for too.
Man.
I think it's well written. I have to give myself some credit on that. I think that my pen definitely poured out my heart at that time.
Can you sing your songs, Jill?
You think I can't sing everybody songs? No, I mean a song written by someone else. Yeah, I can sing a song written by somebody else for me.
If it's for you, it's got yeah. Okay, Okay, I have a question. Okay, first, let me give your flowers for Rolling Hills. I love that song to I hope that's one. Maybe it'll be one of the ones for versus you know, well, we'll see. But I love I love that fucking song.
I love that.
It's so hard to choose because they're, you know, they're asking me for twenty of my favorite songs, and I'm like, my my favorites are kind of obscure, like I don't know.
I'm going on the danger zone, the danger zone, just the danger zone. When when the artist picks out all these songs and don't realize that these have nothing to do with people.
Love but the people, and then you.
Realize that for the record label, you go, oh yeah, I don't have one of those.
I'm just saying what you're thinking and not Oh.
My masters are masters?
Yes, your masters? Wow? Dope, Yes, okay, amazing.
Other question I had so hate on me? Yeah that song about.
Yeah forgot Yes.
Shut up, we have a conversation.
Not at all the turmoil and danger I've brought to your life.
Man, I'm sorry, it's not true. It's not true at all.
That was Thompson.
That would be hilarious.
It wanted to be such a mild, like no seating version.
That would be hilarious, surviving Beard Toms.
Just I'm just joking.
God, Just what was her guitar player's name? We're in the hell.
That was Dan was the guitar player.
Wait a minute, you're telling me she married Dan.
She's just not married Dan. Somebody I believe you right now is in uh Brighton, Brighton, England. Last time I spoke to her, she was is dating.
All right? Who's singing that duet with Nana Cherry seven seconds? Uh? The African singer?
Yes, like Nana Cherry's last big hit in like nineteen ninety eight. Uh uh yols door, Oh that's what you're saying.
Yeah, I used to endure. That was your caricature moment. I didn't know you're speaking of tugs. That was amazing, Yeah it was. It was used to do it. Yeah, she was dating him. I don't know.
Like the last I heard, she was doing something with Spike, maybe a commercial with Spike.
But I don't care who she's dating.
I haven't heard from i'n't heard from news probably since Rich died. No, that's the last time I talked to her.
Come on, man, what's the black Lily?
Now?
He loved her?
You know we need one.
That was a great experience. Black Lily was awesome. Why do you say we could.
Use black Lily? Just you just need to sign and says all egos at the door, All egos at the door, same everything and all egos yeah door, it'd be great, dude.
I mean, if I know, I fucking Tracy knew, I mean Tracy Mercedes, like I see him all the time, we do.
It can happen. It's just so great.
There's some Lily that.
Oh you know they might wrap not saying, okay, all right, I don't know, I'll just be throwing names out there.
I'm a slop. Yeah, okay, Jasmine down though, I don't know, so.
We good.
But we're talking about Black Lily.
That's what I'm Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Jasmine is Black Lily Asian forteen. That's Black Lily.
Agent performed the Black Lie. Yeah.
Well you know then they yeah, they they would have ones. They really.
As like by the time the first draft of Black Lily went on to like get record deals and stuff, they were like the they were like it was like toy story. They were the broken toys left behind and they all grouped up super powered and then became.
And I was like, yo, what the happened? Like they started kicking our ass.
They were who you look forward to singing every week and next thing you know.
You're amazing.
Yeah, they just pick up the kindred the family.
So they're amazing. So we were. And they went to Hidden Beach.
They did they.
Forgot.
Yeah, so what happened with Hitten Beach from your perspective, because just from a consumer side, they had you and like we were like, yes, Jill, like that was it was all Jojo Jail.
Then they did the it was Brenda Russell they did.
That, they did, Yeah, it was a Paris range and then unroped Value one through eight.
Yeah, So, like, what was your experience with them?
How that relationship I guess kind of deteriorated on your side, it did.
I thought that they had some really good artists on their Hidden Kendred being one of them. They you know, that's Kendred, and they're so talented and the songwriting is so good and their stage performance is so amazing. You need to put more money into Kendred. But I didn't have a say in what Hidden Beach did because they're the label. I'm not the label, and I didn't like that. I didn't like that, and that didn't feel good to me that I couldn't be of service in that way. You know. I watched them sign a lot of artists and I was like, what are you doing? What are you doing? And I thought I thought that we had a friendship. I thought that we had this this family thing that was happening. So when I realized it was just business, you know, I was really disappointed. And then President Obama was I was working on being in office and everything was about the election, and they weren't being supportive, and I didn't feel like they were helping me at all. With radio. I didn't realize until later on how much everything that occurred had to do with my effort. So, you know, I'm coming up with the album, I'm working out the images, I'm you know, handing out flyers, I'm you know, I did a lot coming up with every idea. I designed the videos. The first, you know, three videos, I was like, I'm dism what I do. I'm tired. Can somebody else, you know, like I can't do it all? And then you know, go to these I had pneumonia I think like three times in two years because I toured that first two year years without balance. That's one of the things with young artists. I'm like, yes, absolutely, go out there and do the hustle, but you have to have a balance or you will lose your mind and you will lose your health. And the goal is longevity. It's Frankie Beverly, that Middler longevity out here, and that's what I ready, that's what I'm saying, that's what I want, That's what I want. And I thought I was killing myself trying to, you know, make it work for the label. And I was like, ah, so I left, and you know, I think the last number was like they tried to see me for like nineteen million?
What under on what grounds that I left?
That I was leaving? And I had a couple of records too left on that Yeah, and yeah, I was like family, huh.
Yeah, because I saw Okay, yeah, okay, yeah, ni, let's talk about it. Okay. So that ship they put out, the Jill Scott when.
They started putting out the duets.
And ship, yea, yeah, like what was I mean that felt kind of just as a fan, I'm like, yo, this feel a little shady. But what was the story behind it? The albums that they put out, the Hidden Beach records that they put out.
It certainly didn't feel good to me. And it wasn't like I had any thing to say, you know, I had no say so in them, you know, so you know, moving on.
So technically I'm just saying I just want to know I'm doing this right. So technically, if I'm a real Joe Scott fan, I buy up into the live album and then the rest of the.
All right, yeah, okay, more Okay, I like this son anyway. I like, like, yeah, Joe Hudson, that's my nigga, Like he's fucking dope of that record.
Yeah, yes, you're talking about Crown Royal, Crown Royal Imagination. I love that song and the song I did with George Benson. Whenever you're around. I love that song. Like I'm gonna need somebody to call me because I just love what I love.
I can help you.
I can help you now, I do. I do. This is what I do. I mean, it's just battle rap, you know what I mean?
So what about the four Hero song? You' all think she should include that in there? Because I do.
I love that song.
I was about to ask you about that because Mark Mack that's my nigga.
But I love that song. I love that song.
Man. I think that the way you plan your verses is, first off, you gotta think of what the other artist's biggest songs are and think count that way what you're gonna counter it with. Yeah, that's how you Okay, So y'all, if you already know her Haymakers, if you already know her Haymakers, then you know then what is what I can do? And you got to think of your songs that you can use to Haymaker to get her to drop some bullshit.
You know.
But you got to understand that I'm thinking about the my audience, like my the people that come to my shows, like they they know ship, they know shit and can't wait for that moment.
But you but this though, I say, you can't think about your audience. You kind of gotta almost think of the demographic that's gonna be on I g Live and it may or may not be the same people. So it's like you gotta think about it from the standpoint of like all right, because I was talking about this on Twitter the other day, it's like who picking a winner? And I put that in very loose quotation marks because I mean, we love both of y'all, and so there's.
No thank you.
I mean, no, no one loses.
I mean this is a celebration, you know what I'm saying.
It's for the culture word.
Yeah, I know what.
I love the way the Riza and DJ Premier did theirs.
I think that's my favorite one, being Teddy Riley at jail. Right now, it's all about me, And so what I want to say to Jill because I don't know if she's aware. But you do know that Erica is up on her Techi ship right now, right like she's got her own streaming service.
She's performing in bubbles and ship like that.
Wait wait wait, like the energy you're bringing right now is like instigating.
No no, no, no, no, this is fuck. I love both of them. I love both of me. I mean, Jill's my sister, but I love both of the music. Whatever.
What I'm saying is that I just want her to understand who she's playing against, because I don't know if she's been, you know, paying attention, she's been in her COVID world. So I'm just saying that Erica is gonna come with technology. And do you think, Amir Fonte, Bill Steve that Jill should fight back with.
Yeah, listen, all you have to do is, Jill, listen. Here's the thing about versus. All right, here's the mentality of versus. And it's all right, yeah, here's here's our unsolicited corner, your corner.
People.
You need to Okay, so listen, here's the thing. The thing that makes versus work. Versus is all about Yo. These rich niggas are stuck in their crib looking at their phone, just like us.
That's what makes it work, like, that's the draw. The draw is.
We're looking at celebrities and people who have done all these great things. They're stuck inside their homes and this is entertainment for us just as it is for them.
I'm not fucking famous. I'm just I'm regular.
But anyway, So so that's the thing, So hold on, well.
I certainly will.
So the thing is you can take it to your car, like you can play records in your car if you want to. Anything that makes it look more intimate and makes it feel more like the audience.
Is like us.
Yeah, on the mountaintop.
So it in your kitchen, and.
That ship is gonna be like, Nigga, why are you in the bubble on the mountaintop?
I have.
I have another thing that add to it, sensing you might need a quasi haymaker that isn't below the belt, I would actually have.
This is bad. I say.
That when she hits you, I think, when she hits you, she has three haymakers.
Tyrone's one of them. I feel like one is one of them. On the other side of the game.
Now, okay, I would say, I don't think the other side. I think the other side is one I would say more so next lifetime like that.
So my thing is when she hits with Tyrone, whatever you play next, I wish you had a TV track version of it, and you say it live here.
You go too much.
Technical elements, she writes, you're doing too much.
Paper Bill said it, paper doing.
You're doing too much. People just want to see you drop the jams. They want to see you drop the jam.
I will say, if you pick up your judget teddy roddy guitar.
Just start saying things with your voice outside of adding technical things. Because yeah, but you will, Jill, that's a fucking haymaker. Your voice is.
I'm saying, but that's the thing live.
If she just whatever device, if there's Fender Road, if there's a Fender off Fender Road's version of He Loves Me.
And she does that ship live, okay, I will throw my phone.
No, because that's the thing, like, because when I was doing I've kind of been doing like cards for all these battles. The thing with Erica, Okay, Erica has to survive Jill's first If She's survived Jill's first album and Golden, she might have a chance. The only problem is that, Jill, your first album, and I said this on Twitter, your first album is.
A fucking mind feel. Anything you can drop, You can drop something off that ship.
She can drop the entire album, like strategically, you can drop honey molasses and just be like, you know what I mean, like for real, for real, you know what I mean.
So the thing is like the big ones you would have to worry about Erica, Yeah, mirrors right, Tyrone is her haymaker, h Tyro. I think Tyrone will be that on and on next slight Time and Baduism as much as Baduism is a classic and I love it and I still you know, Baduism is very top heavy.
All the smoke is on Satday like side B is. I mean, there's nothing bad on.
It and it's remember no Nigga, That's where all the smoke is.
That's where the smoke at. But who is Jill Scott like nigga? That album?
Nigga from one to god damn slowly, surely it ain't not one miss on that whole so.
She got damn.
Let me ask you just what are the outside of album cuts that Jill should be including in the burs okay, this d this day it nah.
Dream No, don't dream because because that because to the audience, one that wasn't like it wasn't a big record. Like so it's like this, you got jams. I'm listening the best, the work.
Best to stay out of all of this, and but.
You're in it now, so.
You're not jam all right, listen, you better hit them niggas. That got them crying, roy because because thing is here my hear my call?
That could be a haymaker for you.
Like I think if we're talking haymakers like Golden, I think it's probably like the haymaker, like you ain't getting up from that whenever you drop that, because that's just that was a monster. But don't waste Golden, don't know, don't waste it. No, no, no, So you gotta go hear my call. You got Crown Royal, you got rolling heels, you got damn. What's on the second album Golden? I like, no, no, no, but it's another what's the one? I like Spring Summer Feeling. I don't know if I.
Would you I like that one? Whenever?
Yeah, what.
My love is sweeter?
They're tighter like yeah, nigga, yeah you got that.
Better at Home, don't sleep on Better at Home.
I didn't like that.
I love that terrible uh sweet yeah sweet summer feelings about your music right now?
Okay?
That?
Oh God? Really so that.
Here's the thing, here's the breakdown, and you can just use this information however you want. This is the thing with between like with Erica and Jail Battle. So like Erica is more so like your your career, Jill, you've kind of leaned more into like the adult like contemporary what would be like urban ac kind of lane Erica's records over the last couple of years, her last few records, she's kind of going deeper, more just in the hip hop and kind of being I think a little more experimental. But the thing with that is it just kind of depends on demographics. So to the contingent of people that I refer to as the Ascot Battalion Acas. The last two albums, Yeah, the rolland Mard like them, the Boulet Niggas, Erica's last two records didn't really connect with them.
They don't know like.
New America, them niggas lost video they know just but that's it.
But that's it.
There of people in the world. There's a lot of people listening period. You don't know who's WHATSS.
But for versus, that's the thing, right, it's the it's one thing if we're fighting.
Yeah, I say, Jill Niggas sorry and Bill even Steve doesn't make an attempt.
So anyway, that's our unsolicited advice.
Yea, we will give it. Erica the same advice, just to be equal.
Yeah, because you like your catalog you got, I think you have more in the tank than she is. And if you can get her to play her big cards early, I think you're just gonna win just off being able to go the distance alone.
I think Erica would.
Actually try to play her eccentric cards. I don't think she'll play the obvious cards. I bet you on and on won't even come until.
Like Layton Layton, Yeah, that would be smart. I mean, you know, but but then, but what she gonna play before that? I mean, like she's gonna play Gone Baby Don't Belong, which I love that song.
But I mean you're you're about.
You're talking about one of my favorite artists.
Okay, but you'll back.
It appears to be the case.
Where's the north.
A rights? This is the right attitude, don't. We don't want to.
We don't even want to imply that we're leaning one way or the other.
No, it's not a cat fight. I don't want to.
I want to be an equal playing field, is all I'm saying. That's all I'm saying.
That's what I'm It's gonna be a great We're here to celebrate both of y'all.
If you start to singing live and ship is a win.
I'm just going.
But the thing is, you know me, I'm I'm really organic about all the stuff that I do, you know what I mean, Like, I want to be honest, and if it comes to that and I feel like I feel like singing, then that's what's gonna happen. Yes, right, Oh, I feel.
Ever, you know, really be dirty, you know, really you.
Know you're singing Erica's song? Go Erica song was on? Which one? I mean, I'm trying today. What you think Erica would ever play the next lifetime?
She wouldn't.
If she's smart, she will better.
Play that ship.
Certainly, certainly, Oh you think Jill singing certainly?
Because that ain't technically so you could certainly it's not her song, not just certainly, Oh, now, I don't know.
You can't.
You can't.
Don't think I'm in the house with with with beams.
And saying when you said you made that suggestion, did she look.
At you crazy? Y'all living for a war. She's looking for a celebration, celebration.
I want to be clear, it is a celebration. We're celebrating.
A war.
I know you.
You're hugging the tree right exactly, You're hugging the tree right now.
Trees.
You need help putting your playlist together, Jill, hit me up. I will gladly curate help you whatever, like, just as because because we all need it, like as a fan, as an artist, like we have our favorites. But then it's like, okay, what resonated with the people, and sometimes that may not be the same thing. So if you just need an outside perspective, I gladly offer my services.
As I know that you'all are friends and sisters and whatnot, but I don't mean that in this battle we got to be like, sister, I.
Love you, I love you to girl, I love you girl. I look, oh my god, please don't love me to.
Call it a battle.
Oh my god.
We just want one round of mutual respect.
Baby face, Jill, baby.
Face, baby baby face. So he's shady face. He had all the shade, all right. So that's that's it for our unsolicited advice.
Yes, thanks, and we only do because we love you and we don't.
It's not a shadow in a post game.
It's a clebration.
Yeah, you said, one one, one round of mutual respect and then war.
You know, make sure make sure no one has their phones on using your Wi Fi when you do this. Make sure everyone goes into airport mode so that you're the only person using.
What about that that SoundBite of the black party when it goes Jill, are you.
Saying candy to say I was joking?
All right?
All right, Jesus Christ, all right, Jill, No, I Jill. I'm glad we have you know what you know, what is weird? I wish you did have a new album coming out twenty years later called.
I Am Jill Scott.
That's a good idea.
I can't say enough how much you've literally changed my life. And that was your first attempt. I'm never going to get over that. Like I have a whole respect I just oh, I just the fact is I need you. I couldn't remember the second songs.
That The fact is I need you because you said staying probably your thing, nigga.
You start with that over that was that's that's that was a hard hitting hole right there, Carl.
I didn't even have a baby, now what you was doing things and make them.
Anyway.
The one in Paris is my favorite. Live in Paris, in Paris, that's my favorite. Yeah, yeah, I love it. I love I wanted. I wanted to go to Paris so bad. I had a residency there and at the Australian Opera House. It was it was happening. I was so excited. Damn covid n what you.
Was going to do? What about movies?
Jill?
Were you gonna you was.
In the process of I mean, there's a there was plenty of things. This was a this was a good working year. We'll see what we'll see what happens later.
But you know, on the other side of that coin, this is there a refreshment. You know, there's a chance to refresh and and get our creativity back and and and rest.
It's a deg reset man.
Yeah, I want to ask you your We didn't talk about your role in the James raw movie, Get On Up?
M What about it?
Was it a positive experience?
Was it in terms of your growth as an actress? Like did you feel that it was something that you, you know, you had to rise to the challenge or did it kind of feel like.
Hands on you?
Yeah?
Like that was.
You didn't see it though, Wow, I didn't see he didn't actually touch you. Didn't see him touch me. I just made you think he did. But damn that that that movie actually is. I'm just the one I wish I could do over. I wish I could do that one over.
Really.
Yeah, I learned after what I should have done, and I'm disappointed by that.
What do you think you did wrong?
I should have punched him in his mouth. I should have fought him. I should have fast him.
Is that what she did?
Yeah? Damn I went with I went with what was written and instead I should have I should have fought him. And I'm disappointed, Like, I really wish I could go back to do that over. So I learned again about homework and how important it is to do the homework. You know, so even if nobody else understands it, well, you want everybody to understand it, but you have to be be that guy. If that's the generals, be that guy. I don't think I was that guy as much as I would want to be. So that's the only role I've had started like disappoints me.
Did you think that not hitting him? Do you think that made the character look weaker?
Or like? What was your reason behind it?
I thought that she was so in love with him. In fact, Dedie Brown is still in love with James Brown today. She was so overwhelmingly in love with him that, you know, that's the part that I highlighted. She was just almost obsessed with him. But she did have some spunk and some fighting her And I wish he had punched him in the mouth. I wish I had allowed her, you know, in the film the punishment mouth. He deserved it and it would have represented her a little better than than what I did.
So so you talked and interviewed with her and got to know her as to develop.
Yeah, beforehand and.
Encouragement of the director and the.
Production that was that was on my own. I there was a young man working on set. I can't remember what he did, but he told me that that was his grandmother, and I was like, you gotta you gotta get me in touch with your grandma, you know, because they were on the newlywat game together, so I got a chance to see her ways, but I didn't get a chance to It's on it's online, it's on YouTube. I think. Yeah, they.
Used to the seventies.
They were real cute. They're real cute. They absolutely enjoyed each other. But they thought. They definitely thought. And he was whooping ass and I get I got it, like I got it. You could. I could see how someone could totally totally be like in love with this guy and enjoyably suppressed. He's powerful. He's powerful man. That ain't for me to back bush in your sleep.
Any for you? Any thoughts of writing your memoir?
I think about it often. I think people would be completely surprised of how I got here and how I am able to stay here. Yeah, I think about it often. There's a lot good.
Do you feel like the journey is still happening for you to even start writing your memoir?
If I just wrote the first fifteen years, if I remember being in the womb, If I could write I remember being in the womb, if I wrote the first fifteen years of this existence, it would be crazy.
People would not believe any of it. It's half mythology and folklore with these brilliant sprinkles of simple It's crazy. My existence has been.
You gotta do. You have to do it like James Taylor.
James Taylor worked backwards, so he just released his life between birth and twenty one, like maybe two months ago, but you know, started with the end of his life. Once he like rehabbed himself and got his life together. Then the project before is like the hell he went through as James Taylor, and then the real hell he went through from childhood to twenty one that got him to be a heroin Addict and all that stuff. Like him telling the story backwards almost is cinematically maybe telling your story backwards in that way.
From zero to twenty one or I.
Mean, I am to the fragments because I think people feel like the need to release their entire life story in one.
I could do it. I could do it like maun Jelo.
Okay pieces pieces.
I think some pieces at the time. It's funny we're having that conversation where we try to get like somebody's whole life story on like an hour and.
Start so well, Jill I thank you, uh for doing this, and thank you for having me your artistry, and we don't even have to call it Jill anymore.
For that's right.
I still think she needs to do like a drunk Hollywood. I'm trying to say holiday episode or something like in person. I just a drunk holiday.
We do oh man, Christmas, Jill Man, listen.
I don't know about no more drunk, no more drunk.
I don't want no more drunk other things, you know.
Whatever, that's what we do too. We do that.
Christmas upside down.
I just for last music question. I know, Jill, okay, it's a shame record. The A Group, yes, is that you under? Or is that another group of singers?
Aren't they amazing? Oh god, I can't remember everybody's name, it's been so long. I know one was Keisha ship. I feel bad. The A Group they were singers that sang together all the time and uh Keisha Renee and I heard them. I was like, would you mind playing with me? And they did? They were I just loved them. They were incredible. I can't leave. I've forgotten all of their names. It'll hit me later. And three three of them, yeah, they they just were amazing. They reminded me very much of the emotions. It's like, yes and Aretha Franklin's background singers, you know.
That they had that.
Which I needed.
Since spont circle back to shame, I just want to say, you and Eve, do y'all ever circle back and have these conversations of how y'all are so connected?
Okay? I was just we did okay, okay, we did.
We shot with this ring together with Regina Hall and Brooklyn south Dono, and we had a chance to just kick it on, you know, kick.
It every day.
So we talked about it how that song changed our lives and here we are these years.
That's what I was inferring, but.
Changes lives, that's what us. Look, that's what the roots do. I mean. Without your guidance, I mean.
Stop stop, take this compliment, Take this compliment, Take this compliment.
Put that.
Without your guidance and your vision, you know, so many artists wouldn't have a career right now, and you picked artists that all have longevity and Josh, including yourself. Well, when she did the video that was just like a long walk. I was over her and.
I was motherfucker. That was your one long mistake but that's okay because we forgive you for what you have.
Guest blessed us.
What was just just you know. Yeah, and Rafaela dec not for she did she did? She did a video biiting a long walk exactly.
Oh yes, I was like.
Shut up, the one that you playing in the drums in the video.
That's because at the time, my girlfriend asked me to be in that video because she was the director.
Oh yeah, I don't know. You ain't a minute. She was the director on With This Ring.
Wow, And she's the director on my new favorite show with Carrie Washington and Reese Brotherspoon.
I'm watching that's watching it, but it's watching it is kind of both. I'm both of those. Do you feel like you're both of those women?
And well, if I'm lucky enough to be reading, I definitely feel Carrie's pain.
But yeah, I see you feel like I'm I feel like I'm both of them. And that's that's great, you know, just being able to relate. I can see them both ends. I think it's really cool. I love that show.
Don't funk with their kids either way, don't do that.
Don't do that.
All right, So for the fourth time, last question, last I have thank you, thank you, Jill, thank you.
Yeah, that first, I'm.
Thank you, thank you.
It was it was Crow the day and wear my name.
Bill paid Bill, Hi, I want to work together, get her, get her on Sesame Street.
You haven't.
Yes, I've done Sesame Street. She cried most of the time. Most of the time.
So you worked with Bill, Okay, I wasn't there. This was before my time.
It was awesome.
The music director, you gotta get Jill back on, says the street to talk about being in the wound.
I want to hear all about it.
I said, if anything, if anything, she could probably do the We try to do a loaf of bread and a stick of butter with Solange and it didn't.
Air at all, Bill, it did it did? Finally signed the release. Yeah somewhere Yeah. Oh, hold on, Okay, I gotta watch that Jo.
She's not gonna do ship did she did with somebody else? She's gonta do our own s.
Oh that song is a staple, A little for bread, contein of milk and a stick of butter. But at the time I thought I thought SOLANGEX needed So I.
Loved my experience on Sesame Street. It was wonderful. By the time mister snuffle Up with Snuffle Up a Gus walked out, I just I could not stop crying. I was I couldn't stop crying. I was talking to.
Like they were real.
What's his name, Jesus, I'm terrible with names. Kevin. I was talking to Kevin, the guy who was playing Elmo. Yes, I was talking to the brother. We're just standing there wrapping. He put Almo on his hand. I forgot the man was there. Started hugging the man's hand in the puppet, talking only to the man who I forgot the man was there. That's how magical it was. Just like boy, it was great. I got in the I got in the nest, I got in the trash can, I worked in the store.
I did it all.
I hung out the window.
I did it all.
She survived Street are the fiftieth anniversary on HBO? Has it?
Oh?
Sweet, okay, I gotta see it. You think you you think you'll get married? Against you?
Oh ship?
You think you will?
Yeah?
Is she joining us Coto the compound ship?
You can big.
Amir Henrickson.
That man living in the House of Reclaimed, would he living in his best life?
Yes?
I meant.
Ladies, gentlemen, R and B.
Yeah, Bill Dream and my third wife Jill Scott, Yes, not me.
Hold on hold the second one, Grace, Oh who the first one?
I'll tell you it goes off the air anyway.
It's not so great. I'm your third wife.
Oh it happens. Big love. Here we go. Living is big love, not question.
Nice but thank you, thank you for doing the show on behalf of the entire team Supreme.
We say thank you and we will see you on the next go radio and see you.
Thanks guys, love.
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