Quest Love Supreme is a production of I Heart Radio, Ladies and gentlemen, What's Up? What's Up? This is your host Quest Love of course Love Supreme. How y'all been doing. I hope y'all been doing fine. So we're doing a little bit different this year. We're recording some special to LS episodes this season and in order for you guys can get more familiar with anyone on the show who's not me, which is always a good thing in my opinion. I decided that I wanted each member of the Supreme team to get their own rogue episode and interview and do sort of a one on one ish. And we kicked it off, of course with Sugar Steve with his dream interview, his epic two part conversation with Elvis Costello, and they recorded at Electric Lady Studios one of the first in person QULS episodes in the pandemic back in March. So this particular go around, we are passing the microphone, if you will, to our brother Fontigolo. Fontigolo, what's up? Yes, indeed, what's up? Man? Congratulations? That's the first one since uh, everything that's right changed everything. The price is going up, not today's price, I love it. Yeah, so similar to Sugar, Steve Fonte's guest is a gentleman uh that he has worked closely with actually that I've actually collaborated with as well. And this particularly Quest Love Supreme guests is none other than Mr Eric Robertson and he's Grammy nominated singer, songwriter, producer and music industry O G and um. I just want to welcome, please welcome him to Quest Love Supreme. What's up Eric? To be all man? Congratulations as well. First chance I can to tell you that I appreciate you'all having me on here. I'm kind of hello jealous of your background right now? His zoom, I think it's only second to Will Smith's zoom. Like Will's will zoom was like that ship looked like hd TV. Yeah, you look like you're in the Garden of Eden right now. Like what does this represent? This particular background, this this background is part of just my basement and what I've learned during the pandemic. But I always doing virtual shows. I teach class sitting here as well. I got I got sound effects and and all kind of you know, all kind of stuff here. Uh you know it, you know, whatever we need yeah. Yeah, before so before you got on, before you came on in the mid he was talking to us and he's gonna be the one to kind of help us get roll call back because he got some tools, you know, how to deal with it. No latency, yes, yes, yes, so so there's several different things that we can get fixed. But yeah, I told let's let's talk and Tim, because I when the first pandemic started. The first thing I started doing, I made the album, But the second thing I did was like, how do we do shows? And then I probably spent shouts with my boy DJ Movsky in l A, probably about a month or two months, stand up all night just trying to all those things figure out late and see figure out, like looping things back, like playing things from a computer, hearing it and then sending it back into the web. All that stuff. Man, we crashed and burn on it. So yeah, let's let's talk after afterwards, I forget the interview. Let's talk now. Now I'm gonna leave you out to it again. Thank you very much for doing this and hit it fonte yo. All right, man, So listen though, like I'm sitting here, and as much as we work together, there are just very I think crucial things in your life that me and you have never talked about when we, like when we when we was on the phone the other day after the Fred Hammer interview and you were telling me about like what commission it meant to you, and like how something is simple is just seeing gospel singers on an album cover with jeans on, you know, for you know, for Heathen like me, that was nothing, you know what I mean? But but now man, um, yeah, talk about you know how you got started, Like what was your first kind of introduction into music? My dad plays guitar and sings. Uh, my sister. I have an older sister, my sister Alicia, love youly and and you know, I think all my introduction really started from that, just being a little brother. Had to follow her around and she was the one who actually had a band in high school and then she did theater and was making clothes and all kinds. So whatever she was doing, this the little brother. I went to the piano lessons, I went to dance recitals, I went to the theater classes, went to her band rehearsals, and um, I think a lot of it just rubbed off for me. Of course, we're singing the church on Sunday, we got a choirer so two days out the week or whatever you choired, emergency choir, whatever we was, whatever we're in. And of course then of course you know we were boom bapping on the on the cafeteria table with our friends, freestyle rhyme and dreaming of being utfo or whoever. So I mean, you know, I mean, I'm from Jersey. It's just like ah, I was born in New York, but I was raised in Rahway. Yeah and um, and I think just when it came time to do music, like what do you do? Like you know, it's like do you do guys with music? Do you do house music? Do you do rap? Do you do R and B? Do you know? I was really struggling with that, but I will tell you that, you know several moments that was really impactful for me. I remember when like going through my dad's vinyl and realized that this was somebody's job, like somebody like they do this for a living. Like I remember taking a Stevie won the record, like so he wrote this stuff and like he called he put this together, Like Okay, this is a job. I couldn't tell how old I was, but I remember that being really impactful. Like I know, my dad goes to work, this person goes to work and they do this right, you know. And my dad would come home and pick a guitar. But we had a guitar like in every room. You know. But what your dad did he have personal did he have like aspirations of being a professional musician or was it just like a hobby, just something he did, just a relief just really I think when my dad and my dad was kind of late and joined the church. When he joined, he joined, you know, he became a powerhouse in that in that church as a vocalist. Me, my whole family was in the church before. Mind you, my grandfather is a pastor. My dad's brothers were pastors, My my mom's brothers were all deacons. So everyone in found church before my dad. My dad was very reluctable. He found it, boy, he found it. And I remember telling me, I think it isn't like some of your people. I think he's your grandfather, Like don't you have some times in North Carolina? I think either there like be your mom and dad time my mom and dad. My mom and dad are both from uh from North Carolina. Yeah, so a town called Greenville and a little town called Stokes is where my family family grieving, North Carolina and Stokes, North Carolina. You know, so and everybody's still of there. For the most part, I had, you know, some family on my mom's side moved up north when when my when my parents relocated, came up north, and some of that, but for the most part, most of my families in North Carolina. Yeah. So when I first heard mentioned we want, um, I think my parents got a a tape, a commission tape from the family union. And uh, when I was eying my clothes and I put the tape and I was like, I would just put the tape and listen to some music. I didn't know what it was, right, I didn't even catch the album cover yet, but I remember, Um, I was eying my clothes and I just looked down and in my clothes are wet, like there was dropped so wetness on my on my clothes, and I didn't realize that I had started crying on my clothes. I'm probably like twelve eleven, twelve, thirteen years old, and the music was like punched me in the chest, like you literally punched me in the chests. I remember this day like it was, I said, I remember I saying whatever that is, like point at the point of the radio, like whatever that is, I want to do that, like I want to do whatever that is. Because it was the most impactful moment. And from that moment on, I was like, all right, learn everything I can about commission, learned everything I can about who's this for him? And gout, learned everything I can about him? And uh and then like you said, you know, up to that point, just keeping really one hundred. You know, a young kid growing up at church, you had an excuse when you see, I'm not even about the name church. Church people right now. That came on so cool. They sounded great, but they didn't come off for they were always like three or four years behind. What Hey, you you have being a church because you kind of corny. You know, you can't you can't be in the clubs. Maybe that's why you that's why you're singing this, because clearly if you wasn't in his corny, maybe you'd be singing with God. And Miniship came out there gumbies and jeans on. They looked like they look fly and I was like, why they're singing this, there must be something impactful to and plus it already kind of blew me away and stuff like that. And it was, it was. It was a really monument two things. But it really more strengthened my pen game and made me say, like, really write something true that could be penetrating to somebody. And I think that was the first, like the first time I got on that course that man, Man, I wanted to talk to you, or I wanted you to talk about, uh, your parents. You know what I'm saying. I mean, you know me and you we've been you know, we go back. God, I mean it's almost twenty years at this point. You know what I'm saying. But um, you know, man, your parents. You know I I just in the time when we work together, and I will always see your parents always there, like supporting you, helping you, you know what I mean, pulling up at shows your dad and I don't even know if we ever talked about this. I know I've never talked about this publicly, but the day that we shot the Picture Perfect video, when we shot the Picture Your video in in Brooklyn, I don't even know if mean you ever talked about this. This is one of the worst days of my life. We have not talked about this, Okay, bro listen. So that morning I flew into Philly and then because we were shooting in Brooklyn, so I flew into Philly and your dad came and picked me up from the airport. So this is like, oh God, maybe we shot it on like a let's say, we shot on like a Friday or something. I don't know, but anyway, we shot it on a Friday. And literally I think that Tuesday that was when my divorce started. That was when like me and my you know, pre we separated. So the day of that picture perfect video shoot, I am a fucking wreck. I not as as much as I had, as much as I wanted to do it. And it's, you know, as much as I love everybody involved, man, that ship was wrecked. But I was riding in the car your dad. Your dad came and picked me up from the airport and then he took us to Brooklyn where the shoot was. And so we were sitting in the Carboro and you know, and your dad is it mean, Pops? Is Pops? He just Hey, what's going on? Man? What's happening? Listen? Let's talk about you know, he's just on and I just broke down crying and he was just like yo, he was like, man, you are white, and I'll never forget this. I asked myself. I said, I said, look, I just gotta ask you man. I said, you know, have you ever you know, thought of a time where can you ever remember you ever thought, you know, in all your years of you know, being married, he ever thought that like marriage maybe wasn't for you. And he was like, he said, oh that's strong. He said, that's tough right now. Why bro, I never forget this ship longs I lived. So I was like, damn, He's like, yoh, that's tough right there. And I never get He gave me something the most like timeless, just most perfect advice that has been just like a guiding like you know for everything, you know what I mean, just in my career and just you know, whenever I have to make tough decisions. And he just said, he said, well listen, man, He said, look, no matter what you too, no matter what decision you make, it's going to be the right decision because it's your decision. Godly, no matter decision you make, it's gonna be the right decision because it's your decision, because decision so much like that man bro. So yeah, so that was so that was My life was changed in like an hour and a half ride with this guy. What impact did your parents have on your your speak to their impact on you as a first of all, why why did you fly to phil Why did you flying in Philly? We were shot in New York. I think I can't remember what it was. I think we were because I think you're if I'm not mistaken. I think your parents were bringing your clothes or something. They had to drive up to Brooklyn anyway, so I think it just made sense. It was like, all right, just flying the Philly and not just ride up with pops. I think that was the logic. But you know, even before I even answer a question, the interesting thing is, maybe the reason why you flew into Philly is because you needed that time, had that conversation. It's amazing how things work out. But you know, it's first of all, I've been very fortunate to have the most amazing parents in the entire world, just the most supportive, supportive parents from day one to just even today, you know what I mean, Like just really, um, and that answer is so funny. I always joked to say that my dad has never given me a straight answer ever in life, right, my dad. So when I walk to my dad and I'm like, you know, heartbroken out, I was said, Dad, but did you have to go through whatever? His answers are usually that that answer is so him, whatever decision you make is gonna be the right decision because your decision right. So, so, for example, my dad's a junior, and he was helping on making sure I wasn't the third reason why. He's like, yeah, I need you to go your own path. And and so if I said, like, Dad, you like this outfit, He'd like, do you like the outfit? Right? He's like he never just going yeah, it's dope. Was my entire time of normal dad, not one time? Dad, you like this hat? I love the hat? Keep rocking? He was like, Dad, you like this hat? Are you wearing it? How does it fakey feel? You know? I want to wear that? Right? It's like, but what I did notice is that throughout my life, when I go back and reflect back on the life, he would never give me an answer. He'll never give me a direction. But he was always like a little nudge, Okay, he's a little off close. No answer with nudging back again. It was just putting up, putting up guardrails, put up guardrails throughout my entire life, through all the failed record deals, throughout you know, the tough times, trying to struggle going back to college and whatever. And my mom was more like the I remember when I had um left school. You know, I did the Wonder Brothers thing and I went to records and I was out of school for like a year and a half. My mom was like, so, what's up with the record deal? And I was like, I think it kind of dried up. She's like, you know you got your scholarship still, right, you need to go to a building like listen. So I went. I went there the next time and they didn't like offer the scholarship. They were like. I was like, my I went back and it was like they were like nobody was like bringing it back up. She said, you need to go in there. You need to sing, you need to sign sign autographs, you need to hug every single person that you need to do whatever you need to do. But when you walk out of a building, that scholarship needs to be back and I was like, okay, cool, I want back there. I love like, hey, you know you don't even sing at whatever. It's like yeah. So she was she would she would be the one who was like, you know, I'm gonna give you some direction, that's what you need to do, you know whatever, whatever, And it was the perfect They're the perfect. Um. I tell you that. The two most impactful moments in my my childhood my mom when I was I think a freshman of high school, remember how coming home and she had quit her corporate America jobs. She worked for a T and T, and she was like, I can't do it, no or done so on. I'm just unfulfilled. I'm done with it. I remember he wasn't talking, you're talking to my dad and he was like, okay, alright cool. And she had quit her job to start a business and fashion and that was really important, like I own my own business. My sister owned her own business now. And I think it comes from that day my mom exactly. But then the other part was I think like the next day my dad had this link in Mark seven white with a blue rag tops, sweet gorgeous car, and the next day he put a foresales sign on it and it's sold within hours, like somebody drove by and bought it, like boom, and he went and bought a big, old, old gray van to drop my mom's clothes around. So it was like the moments of entrepreneurship and then like support your partners, true sacrifice and sport. And I think, you know, I think I'm an example entrepreneurship. But at the same time, you know, if you anybody knows me, and my wife is like, that's how we I'm driving, she holding the map, she dropping pulling them like it's the term, you know what I mean. So I'm constantly trying to figure out what's the gray van in my marriage, you know what I mean? And doing that, and it's it's home completely watching watching my parents, you know, give everything to them, you know what I mean. It's enormalcy, supportive. What I'll tell you My dad, you know, if you know, you know my pop, everybody calls him pop, and most of my friends unfortunately did with Dad's you know, for whatever reason or whatever. And my dad was not just my dad. My dad was the dad to my community. So it's like he earned he earned that term pop, like to not just in high school, not even just college, but then all the bands that played from all the musicians that played for me to all the times, all the cats he picked up from the airport or it was might have been going through a hard time. You know, he's he's like, for real, if anyone's ever earned that term pop, there's one thing to be a dad, you know, and he's been a great dad to me. But he's been a pop to like the music community, like these stories I hear all the time because he's taking time to invest and everybody. And what's crazy is they lived Timid's down the street from me. People would go see them, they call they they come to see Pop and come to your mama to come to see Pop, you know what I mean. And I think that that speaks values, you know, for how amazing they are. I wanted to go back to one of the things that we that I noticed when we first started working together, Um, particularly when we would do videos together like we did Picture Perfect and then we did we were on the move and you know stuff, you have a very much uh kind of like a theater presence, you know what I'm saying. Like you, the thing I noticed when we were work is in videos like you use your whole body, you use your hands, you use late like you do Like I was like, okay, he's like really a performer. And um, one of the first times we went, we did a show together and I remember at the end of the show, I was just sitting on the side watching and at the end of the show he was like, you know, like, yo, my name is Eric Robinson and it has been my great, um honor to perform for you tonight. And that is just something that that really resonated with me and I and I you know, I never forgot that because it's it's something that I think a lot of artists don't really take and understand the importance of giving a performance, you know what I'm saying, of using the stage as uh, you know, as your place to really perform and express yourself and give the audience an experience. And um, I have to think that a lot of that came from your experience in Howard in their musical theater department. And I just wanted to, you know, you touch on that. Yeah, I mean, because my sister I grew up doing theater, really got heavy into it and like junior high in high school and then um, I gotta scholarship to Howard and going to my parents say hey, I want to, I want to if I could have made it in R and B out of major in R and B. You know what I'm saying. If I could have major the commission, I would have major that. But obviously that didn't exist. So there was a music theater major. I went and saw a performance of dream Girl. If I've if I went to Howard, I was blown away by like just the talent day. I was like, oh, I gotta get it together, and I'll tell you it was. It was a blessing going. You know, first of all, I was around just killers. The teachers were great, the students were great. Just you saw the future of theater, the future of acting, the future of everything in that in that department. The third floor is the music department. The first floor is the theater department. And I probably learned more about music on the first floor in theater because theater was talking about like character development and like, you know, if you say, but it's true, well what is true? Mean? What it's true to you? And we might talk ten minutes about just the word true. So let's back it up. So what's the first time you even heard where were you at the first time you ever heard that word? I heard it when I was in kindergarten? Okay, was it true then? And then you know, it's like the teachers were dissected. Now say it again, and now you're like, so is it if I can even say it? Tears fall in Miami? It was like dissecting it. Now you talk about like trying to write songs and things like that, what if I bring this into that area? What if I bring theater into these It's all us as singers and rappers. We're just characters. The songs are just scripts, you know. The music is just the scene to read the stage it's a scene. It's like you know, so it's like, how can we bring this to another another level? And for me, whether it's in the studio, whether it's on stage, whatever, Yeah, it's like, how can we bring this this character? Not not just that if I'm sad, the bass player needs to be sad. I can't. I can't pull them a story. Yeah, we all gotta be telling the same story. So the druma can't be happy, Like and I'm just sitting here like how could you let me down? Or vice versa. You know, so I think, um, I think a lot of my friends from Howard or surprised I didn't follow a Korean theater. But but when I also feel like I fulfill my my theater needs in my music, in my writing and my performance as well, you know. And I think the choice a lot of it came for my desire to write like sure in Figure Out have been audition and the rehearsing and probably not doing my own material, I'll be taking on other characters with this. When I was like I could write about you know, I could really dive into it and it and it worked. I think when people listen to even to my music, if not every most song, you're gonna find a song on every album where it's like it's musical theater, you know what I mean. Now you had you as a record I forgot which albums it was called The Magician, I think where you're like speaking from the aspectment just and I was just like, man, I would never do a song like that. I would be so scared to do a record like that. I don't know, it's just I was. I just thought it was just a really brave choice. But you always took those kind of choices where you would really like embody a character. I mean, it's one thing to wrap as that character, right, It's one thing to be snick rick and like you know, you know the cops shot to you know, like to do all the voices. But you don't really see that in in R and B as as singers. And I always thought that was really admirable and just always admired you for taking those kind of choice, those kind of chances and your stuff. I appreciate it. I appreciate it. But you know I learned. I learned a lot from your opinion. You know, if I even say this, you know, the first time I ever witnessed it a person writing a song without writing it down was watching you when we did and we've been in love. You're having a conversation with my dad. I was setting the music up and my dad was talking, and you took my dad's conversation this date, it was yesterday, the exact conversation, and you made it rhyme and you you were like the beat was ready, and he was like, yeah, I'm ready, and then you just walked in and took everything that y'all I were talking about and just rhymed it down. It blew me away that somehow you processed all that in your head without putting on paper. And it took me some time. But you know, probably I haven't written a song down probably for the last ten years, probably, like you know, So a lot of it is like seeing what you did. Of course, hearing what Big He's doing and here and jay Z, but then seeing what you did, and then for me applying like theater background. For me, my first thing is like, all right, who do I want to be in the song? What's the character? The more the more developed the character is, then I just hit record because now I just gotta make it rhyme. The objective is all there, the characters all there, and then and it just make it rhyme. But but a lot of it was sparked from like watching you do it. I was like I was like, yo, did this guy just literally first all, not only just like did you wrote a song on your head? But you wrote a song in your head while talking to somebody? That's yeah, I mean that was just that was again just your pop man, like that was pops. He just you know what, just come in and just dropped these jewels. And he just started talking and all right, young man, but tell me about let me talk to you about this, and you'd just be talking. I'm just soaking this ship, and I'm like, man, and so I just went in and did it. And the crazy stuff now is like kind of the roads are reversed because you don't write down and I'm constantly like writing prompts like in my phone, like, um, I think I think for me what change was the process because at that time we had been in love. Man, that was ship. That was damn over five six some of that. UM and so at that time, that's when we were recording at the studio, and so that was just kind of my process. I would just turn a beat on, just crank it up, and I would just walk around pace just kind of just you know, run it in my head, just kind of rite the verse in my head with the music up. But then around like oh nine, that was when um, and it's in the studio, we're sing, we're in something. We're in the studio, so you know, time is money. We just want to be efficient. So that was how we learned. Just in those early Little Brother records, it's like I get in, get out, you know what I'm saying, It just had to be you had to be on it. So around like nine, once we moved back to when I built my studio at the crib, you know, I mean, my kids are here. I can't be just cranking to three in the morning, you know what I mean. So my process changed. And so that was when I kind of had to go back to just like actually writing either on paper or you know, sometimes my phone or whatever, but just going there. And so from the time when we were working at first, it just my whole thing was just like one take. I gotta get it down. It's just one take. One take, Jake, just is what it's gotta be. But um, once I got home and uh talking to another co collaborative, ours Farrell much Uh talking to him, and he had a completely different approach. And he would say, he said, Man, when I go to the booth, I treat it like I'm a director, you know what I'm saying. He said, So I look at my verse like, Okay, I'll do a take, but it's like the and in that verse, I may want to stick that better because that'll lend and I'll just go in and get just the and you know, what I mean, like he it's surgical with this ship, you know what I'm saying. And hearing that approach, I was like, oh my god, you know what I mean. And so that was kind of where I'm at with it. Now it is much more a lot more kind of methodical. First of all, you know, listen this can you already know you know what I'm saying? You hand down coming pens yo. I think, look if I put my money on anybody. Maunches guy, come on, what we're talking about? You know, just such a you You've always had such a unique approach and it's so interesting. But I like said, the process changes. I'm a I'm a fan of people's process is one of my favorite words in the entire wood. You hear me saying several times even in this interview. But I can't and people always ask me, like, who would you love to collaboraty, I said, I just love to watch. I love just being a room when Farrell Manches working or when Erica do Is work, you know, when Fonte's working, Like just so I can see the process of how somebody's putting something together. It's as amazing and guess what, it always works differently for different. It's always different, that's the thing. Everybody's thing is different, man, And it's just yeah, I remember, like you know, when we were working and you know, and I would see just kind of you know, because you would I would tune into the process like your your you know, your your platform, and I was just again, it was just one of those things, you know, for for for people listening. You know, Arrow, he has a thing is it's still on Patreon, it's still still Patreon or yeah, called the Process where you know, um, he pretty much just Netflix himself, you know what I mean. But he was ahead of Curve. I mean, you did this ship the under ten years ago. But um, you know, but he has a thing called the Process where you can just tune in and watch him create songs. And that is just again just one of those things where I'm just like, dude, I would never like never, like, oh my god, like having cameras in the studio while like bro that is you know, I would rather you have a camera in the dressing room while I'm like trying on sweatmans or some ship like camera in the studio while I'm creative. Are you fucking kidding me? Like I just I just I can't do it. I just it freaks me out. I learned this quickly with you. Me and you have done a million songs. But when we decided to album right when we didn't, Man, it was very obvious to me, Okay, I am one who wants to go through it to figure it out. You're one who wants to figure it out before you go through it. It was to me exactly we were so exact opposite that we actually wear the same in some form fashion right, And it worked out, it complimented. But it was like, you know, I'm definitely one who's like, put cameras on me, like I'll do what I'm down tore like against the wall, like whatever. You're like, nab bro, we're throwing nothing against the wall, you know, tim to the head. And I think, degree, you know how, maybe I was there to pull you a bit off, Senate. That's I was absolutely. I had a beautiful thing about the conversation about collaboration, how amazing the collaboration it is. But it's like you were able to pull me off center, and I was able to pull you off center. And that's with the magic of all that you know lay at right, there, but yet we had we definitely had two different type of um theories when we came in to do that album. You know what I mean, just stopped throwing stuff against the wall because this is not that's not gonna work. He's not gonna understand like this, he's not We're just throwing up against the wall like no, we're planned out our shots and we're ten for ten. It's gonna be ten for ten. Listen, man, listen now. It was so informat because I just said never because I had I was never that person that you know, and I always admired you know that, And that was something working with you in a lot of ways, it kind of reminded me of working with Pooh, you know what I'm saying, And they'll be because Pool was like that coming up, Like Pooh was the guy that Pool would just record non stop here, just go in and just bang bang rap gang. And he was way more prolific than I was. And you know, that was something that I always admired, you know what I mean, because I just was never like that. It just always felt like I was wasting people time, Like yo, if I ain't really coming with no heat, like I'm gonna just shut the funk up because I ain't you know what I mean, I ain't. I ain't trying to be I just experimenting. Like when I show up, I wanted to be for real. And so we were working on that album. First off, you know, for everybody listening at home to this day, I have no idea how we finished that record. Um that was at the time because I think you were were you about to have your third son at that time or had he just been born? He had just been born, So we're so so me if I decided we're gonna make an album and we have been talking for about two years about planning the date up, you wait until you went on tour and you call. Remember the phone call. You said, I'm ready, let's start. Let's start. At that point, we weren't start the album, and I said, oh, that's that's great. I'm in the hospital my wife had a baby. And you was kind of like, that's dope. But this is the window, like this is the window like this And I was like literally holding the child, like okay, if this is the window, then let's go now, mind you you know, to help out one thing. This is my third child in you know, and probably six years and we were having a child like step a little little break, like a three year break, and then we had another child. Right, so I've been recording with kids in my hand, you know, like for the last seven years pretty much like five years whatever. So I was, you know, okay, alright, cool. But literally the next like two days later, we were we were cutting and I mean that record was cut literally with that kid like I hold him. I said it in one of the songs, and so we were like, but then you were like, like I said, you were in a different state. I feel like it was in a different state every time you send me something. We were at no point we would ever, we didn't see each other. It was crazy. It was like it was straight up just cover everything with just hilarious how it all came together. But yet as locked in. We could not have been anymore locked in. And I think that's the that's the magic of it, you know, I think, which is which is really really special. When I go back and listen to songs, you know, they were they were amazing. I mean it was a blur because it was really crazy. Yeah, but that record, man, listen, I mean, that record made me just a better musician all the way around, just you know, better singer songwriter, because it was just it was very much for me. It was just to think of just kind of iron sharpening iron, and you know, I'm I'm just always just been a believer in you know, when you're collaborating with people that you respect, you know, you just always want to you want to be on your best behavior, so to speak. You know, you always want to make sure you show up as the best because you know, I knew, like you just had a kid. Um teen that was when um, yeah, I lost my dad and my man. Yeah, the night we did um I think the night we did Atlanta. Um, it was like shortly after that. I can't remember. It was this is twenty um, but yeah, I lost like my my my granddad died on like Tuesday, and then my dad died like Sunday, and all of this ship was happening while we're in the middle of the record. You know what I'm saying that, So I knew that you were showing up. I'm like, he just had a kid, Like I got through what I'm going through. But man, funk this like you know, I'm I'm standing in this we're gonna finish this, you know. And uh, and I always admired just you know, your efficiency. Um, just because I knew working with you. I'm like, I know this will get done. I know to get done. And I just always, you know, wanted to just maintain that trust. It's like, yo, Errol sent me something he knows is I'm knocking it out and it's over with. Yeah, we we have. I mean, we've had a great relationship over music. It was it was it was time and we of course we showed up with we showed the right time, but it was it was the craziest time to do an album. But you know it, it was even funny though, like the whole we how we take a larrow? We said that as a joke, as a joke, Like that was the way we sent it to each other. I could learro and you said a verse back and eventually like the album like now you might be uh actually might be to that, you know, so listen man. But once again, that was the happy medium of like going through it to see if it works and see work going through we kind of like, you know, because at no point were committing, We're just having fun. But eventually was like that took a card job. Actually I'm not tired of it, but I keep saying it, you know what I mean, like this might be it so fun time I want to I want to ask you that. Um, so back to your your days at Howard and your first deal on on Warner Brothers. Um, First off, you have no idea how excited I was to find out that you wrote the Moon, that the Moon was your song. I mean the Moon was. I mean, man, the Moon was one of those songs that I literally remember hearing it one time on the radio when I was probably like I don't know, twelve or thirteen or something, and I was like, oh my God, like who then is this? This ship is amazing? And never heard it again and so then, you know, I mean, you know, fifteen, having many years later, I'm like, oh ship, you know what I mean? Um, how did you get that that one? Brothers there? What was that process like of signing with them? So my sophomore year, the group Shy who else was houred. Um, they had a big song. So they met a DJ right and they sung the song for him two weeks A week later they were on the radio with him. Two weeks later, Senior Hall. Two weeks after that. They were millions of copies later, you know, just when it just exploded. And it was crazy because all of us were singing and doing stuff on campus, but we were trying at that point. I was just trying to be the dopest on campus. I didn't even think this could be something outside of this, and that was big, But the bigger part of it was also like, what, here's my demo, Like just when you get to l a um just passed it to somebody, and these were songs that you were recorded previously before my demo at that time, my demo at that time, which was just I want to say, the Moon was probably on it. No, no, that's not true. Let me think for a second. No, So all right. So Derek, who was a member of UH of Shot Carl I remember Shot, induced me to his brother. His brother was back in the group and he had some producers that were under Teddy Riley, and they sent me the track and that's when I wrote wrote the Moon, and then of course the phones at that point. At that point, now I'm doing class in every week and I'm pretty much like flying out to UH take meetings and stuff. Medina met with Little Silence before he passed, just running past the label at the label at the label. And what was a little Solace like, Man, he's this very time. You know, we don't really get few people don't hear that have worked with him. But what was he like? He was the guy for everyone listening. Little Silas Jr. Was the he was guy over at mc A Records. Um, you know he played a you know, big role, you know, new addition. Uh he formed Solace Records like Shanta Moore more like he was. He was kind of one of the one of the old js. Is what was he like? I just haded one meeting with him, but I remember he was shooting straight from the hip. What I'm from him was he said, uh, And this was interesting because when I looked back, Um, so he's like listening, I just want to take a meeting with you. I think you already decided, you know, you're gonna do the Warner Brothers thing. But I just want to meet with you. Man, I like in music this and that. Whatever what happened, I was like, I appreciate it, you know, And I was like kind of like why you like, why do you think I like why am I here if you think I'm already going to warn Brothers. At that point, I really was going to Warner Brothers. I was designed, but He's like, I wanted to meet what you kind of talk with you. And before I left the room, he was like, so good man, hey man, the music is dope. Man, listen if you want this, you know something over here and and just let you know, man, I don't know why you're going to Warner Brothers because Benny and go be here for long. That's my thing said as I walked out the door, like I was like, okay, all right now, I wanted the door like whatever and show enough. I signed the deal and then he was out the door. But with Danny was like to focus on Fresh Prince of bel Air like after that, and I was like, if he leaves, I'm leaving. But but I never thought of like I didn't even think. I just didn't even put going two together, you know. And something that a lot of artists I even talked to, like now just about how like you know, it's signed into a label. That's just one of kind of the pitfalls you can have where it's like you can have your guy or your girl or your person that's really riding for you that you might sign to or whatever. They'll get you signed, but if they leave, you kind of lose your advocate, Like you ain't got nobody fighting for you, and you just are back at square one. What I'll tell you was almost almost immediately I got signed to Island Records. And the interesting was when I went when I signed with Warner Brothers, I signed in l A and it was like stop the day. Everybody is day hey, right, And then when I went to when I showed up the Island, I took the train in New York and when I got there was like just a lawyer in the end all my boy Leotis Cloud shot the Leotis. It was just the two of them. It's like a lawyer Leotis. I was like, where's the cake, and like where's the you know, it's a first straight business. They were like, I just it's just it's it's quite day. I was like, okay, alright, sign it what ever, took pictures, whatever, and then I think I got back on the train. I might stay to day in New York and then like the next I got home. When I got back, I remember my manager calling me and going your hired Hicks just got signed as President Uhland, and I knew immediately with that man, it was like, so, why the hell do we just signed there, because he's gonna come to wipe every wipe everybody out and and shure enough he did. He came in, was like Leot has lost his job. Then it was like contracts just it just wiped the whole thing out. And it's crazy because you know, initially you heard your ego, you know, because at first, like yo, listen to the music. First's like I don't even can know. I got my home, I got my whole team, I'm bringing he didn't jail and like yeah, he's like I'm bringing my whole thing in. And then later on I end up working with high It was it was fine because when I worked, when I was at this point years later, I'm like, let's get this money. Like I'm not even tipping, like you not even you know, plainingly worried about it. Let's get this money. But but you understand that, like that's how it was. The president come in, They're like I don't care what was here before. I'm bringing my guys and day I'm bringing my people in and this and that and that, and I had to learn. That was the biggest lesson for me, that like my music can't save me, Like you gotta be on a point. You gotta be on point, because like you can't sing your way out of this. This cat didn't care what the music sounded like. He was like, let's get out, like you out of here. So that's when I really started learning. And another thing was really important too, So Bennie. Bennie Medina's office had this wall of like CDs and tapes and that's from ceiling to floor, the entire wall like this crazy mission of just music, period. And I've been in this office probably like ten times right just over the last two months or whatever it was, and there's like a whole rower, Prince his all the other names I don't know, I mean, just music, music, music. And then when I got signed, I think they said, well, what do you want to do next? You've had enough time, had some food or whatever I saw with you to change my flight and give me some headphones. I want to listen to. This wall was the first time I felt like I had the right to say that. And I stayed there that night, just going through like just pulling every CD, every tape every day out and just listen at the whole wall and it was the most amazing music now in my life, hearing print songs I've never heard for and then like, well, who's this cat? Oh that's the new did we sign his oposts? Come out? Whatever? Whatever? And then you never hear that and his people aren't here who could clearly be the next Prince, but it never saw the light of day. It was just like this wall was crazy, but it never left me that like what happened to all those people? Like what happened to all that music? Like you know, And I think one of the reasons why I kind of went like the whole independent route, it was like I never wanted to be one of the people on that wall, Like it's just that that skip the hell out of me, Like, Yo, this this is life changing music up here that's never gonna be released. It's never gonna see the lot of day. And the only reason I'm hearing is because I'm actually signed to the right, the only reason I've ever heard it. And then you know, we we were writing songs and producing songs for people we've We've done whole albums on people and the album has never come out, so you're like you like, you know, I remember like wanting to be an artist but yet having a career as a songwriter and seeing an artist get signed, see them flying in, getting put into some glorious hotel and recording for a month, and you think, Okay, it could really pop for this person. And then whether it's the president label that and our department marketing team whatever, they're like nah. And then that person is back and it's just over going hair or construction with it. It's over. It's like, how wait a minute, how is it? That never set right with me? You know? I was like, how is it just over? So the Island Warner Brothers thing was really really tough after that, Like I went back to school and that was tough because you think during the moontime I was in school, so I was in class while the song was playing on the radio and the video was playing, and then I was like, well, I'm leaving to go focus on the album, blow up the next one, you know, and and then the deal started falling apart, Like as soon as I left school was like, like life really hit and and I had to like really but so when I went back on campus, it was like what you're doing back? What is that you know? And it was humbling. It was really really humbling. But my opin wouldn't be what it is today if it wasn't for that time going back. I became a better student every like the person you know now it's that person who showed back up at that school, like learning, like, oh I need more, I need to know more. When you when you were with one or that was? Was that an album deal? It wasn't just a single deal for the moon, like so it was it was a single deal. Uh, it was a single deal. And before we could even go into the song was thirty three on the charts. And then Benny left, So it was like and I think we were moving towards. It was moving towards like we're gonna do a whole album deal. And I did an album deal with with Ireland and then like I said, that one, that one wiped out. It's fast, possibly imagine, but I remember, like the song the Moon was doing great, it was doing great for me, was growing, it was climbing, and then it was like blessed moves because now it was it was it clearly was about to happen. Here is bad like you know and uh and it was just a whole little president hop for for a nice man. It seemed like a year, you know what I mean, just trying to go from one one level to another. Man. Please tell the story as much as you want to tell. Please tell the story of doing your promotional tour with El de barge All Brothers. This is one of the greatest hour you told me this story. I get. We was at the Guy. We was at the damn bob Evans somewhere in the middle of Jersey. I don't know where. I remember it was at a bob Evans, like one more show. There's so many levels of it. There's so many levels of the story. But what I would tell you and disrespectfully, I remember I remember one thing. I remember one thing the Rep, the Wonder Brothers Rep said, if if l ever calls you even five o'clock in the morning, once it cool, play pool, go play pool with him. You know he's like, go play pool if he ever needs to talk, ever need to hang out like this is one of your main reasons for being on this tour, is like, if he ever needs you, like followed through like answer the call. And you know, we all know that l the bar just had some some substance issues whatever, and this was doing his clean period, so I think that what he was talking about, like, yo, if you ever want to play pool, he needs to go out and play pool. Whatever. So you know, we became fast friends and that in that time. And he was just so amazing man. Like every hotel he showed up, he went and set at the piano. He almost do a whole concert in that lobby, like just waiting for our rooms or just just he was sitting at the piano. Every time. He was just so musical. We would do a show. I remember we did a show I think in Connecticut and the sound system which is horrible, and he's still on that stage and he waited and the sound was just trash, and he waited let everybody crash and burn, and right before the open doors, he said, hey, brother, can I just uh come over there. He talked exactly what he said, He saying, come over there, just uh just look at the mixing board if that's all right, And the guy was like yeah, sure, And like probably ten minutes he took the mic back there and he started turning knobs, and he cleared all drama, like all clouds, just cleared that. The sound sounded enormously incredible that night. And that's just how he was. He was like he knew how to work everything. He was a concept professional. He had been through everything. We were driving one time and I told him said, yoh, man, I really like your album. The album is great. We were going they were taking a limit from Connecticut to Boston, I think something like that driving in and he says, Man, Alams albums, this album is a money album. But I would never forget the money out because you had told him, because you had told him it was a good He's like, Yo, this is a good album. He was like, oh no, this is a money This isn't a good album. This is the money album. He said, I'm doing my money album so I can get a chance to do a good album. And he was like, He's like Marvin Gaye did money albums till he was able to do a good album. Bye, Marley did money albums til he's able to do it. He just ran the line and then he just said, so this right here, that's just a money album because I'm getting ready to do a good album. And he just just watered off and I just loved me, thinking like I need to do my good album good out right. You know. It's like every I mean, he just had. I could have made a T shirt off of everything. He said, you know what I mean. You know, I remember we was at his birthday party and uh and not this was this that don't don't fall in love. Man. He saw he saw my eyes was glistening that night and he said he was like, he said, hey man, I'm fall in love. Just don't fall in love. I was like, to l the wisdom of I make a whole album on the wisdom of l But it was just it was to learn like a constant professional man. His showmanship on and off stage was just you know, he was just tough and it and it you know. And also I was a person it was probably the start of I was a person who always had vocal issues. I mean I got horse. I mean, mind you, I was like two songs in the show and then Get the Way and those two songs I was struggling to maintain up. I was getting horse and stuff like that. So to see somebody who sang all day on stage off stage, it really it really blew me away. And it was probably on the steps of like how do I get to that point? How do I get to a point where I can get more health like really healthier, and and and that was the start of it, like and I was I was nineteen really so it was it was. It was crazy, but it was a good learning lesson for me, Like, yo, this is this if you're gonna learn from a pro from back on the barge? Was esoteric? Was that your first um independently released wards? Well not inevidently was that your first album period? Like that actually saw yes, first album period? So, uh, what's crazy is that I moved to Atlanta and I eventually eventually ran into ran into Touch of Jazz. So that was like life changing moment, was like working a Touch of Jazz. And then I moved back. I went back to Atlanta to just get my stuff because I for the moment I met Touch of Jazz, Like when moment I went to jazz studios, like I just never left. Still one of my favorite like records, just love Yeah, I mean you know, like I said, me and Jeff meeting all those brothers at a Touch of Jazz was like that was graduate school for me. That was like the life changing moment for me. But when I went back to get my truck and like move out of my apartment, I had a session with Joe and Uncle Sam. I was at noon Teddy, Bishop Teddy, Bishop Teddy, Bishop Jazzy Faye, uh Brian Michael, uh Brian Cock, I mean, just killers and it's down there, and I think Joe had a concert. So when he went, He's like, I'm gonna go to my concert and I'm gonna come back and finish the song. So I wanted to take a nap at a friend's house and left, just but my job leaving. The next time, I'm dropping back up to Jersey, and someone broke into my truck and took just took the bag off the front seat. And that bag was every song ever recorded up to that point. So it's like everything in high school, everything in college, everything that Warner Brothers, everything in Island all gone in and just a snap, like I come out to the car and it's just glass everywhere the truck or whatever, and uh And that was like that was really like oh snap. So I mean it was like really started over starting abou full reset, completely full reset. And then I went on. I was still working out of course, working on Touch of Jazz, and then I just started UM. I started just working on as Terek, and then it was like I didn't have a deal, you know, And it was like at that point, I'm I'm Eric ro was in the songwriter, Like I'm proud of myself every mom I walking, I was in a songwriter. And did you had you signed your deal your songwriting deal with I and MY at that time, or was this play that I had. I had my publishing deal. I have a publishing deal with um E and My at the time, and things were working for me. I mean as a songwriter, I couldn't have been happier, you know what I mean because at this point that some of the music, so Child stuff, the Viving Green stuff, everything is working. But I just wasn't satisfied. And I had it. I got it. I actually had a bad like a bad break up, and that's what really sparked it. Like I was like, let me just start, just close the studio door and just start working. That was the only way I knew how to get back to neutral. Was like just right. So I was either writing in the journal, I was writing a song. It was like back and forth, and then the album was done and it was I it really was like I was just unwilling to sell these songs because they were like they were way too personal, way too much. And I was like, I'm just gonna I'm just gonna put it out. And I remember, like really the homies like all laughing, like what do you mean You're gonna put it out? You're gonna put it out? Was like I think I'm just gonna put it out, like you gotta you gotta record there now, like they'll just figured it out, just put it out, and now was it. It's just started. This is too or two thousand one and and and mind you, I know means was out the first, But I know what means. I remember Dwelly had Rise, I knew of I knew of a lot of artists who were independent and in different states and everywhere. UM shout out to Fertile Ground, who was the first, you know, putting out music, like independently putting out music and selling records. So if I know, means without the first, if anything that was different from me and anyone else, I remember, like I remember call Thomas being an independent artist. Um, I remember Kim. I remember Kim before before Motown signing John Legend before uh, before John Stevens, Stephen Kobe had had the Kobe haircut yea, So I remember. The difference was like, you know, once you sold a certain amount of records independently, the labels come scoop you up. That's how that was a normal thing. And I was like, what happens if you if you don't sign with him? What happens if you started to sell a certain amount and then just keep going? But what what will happen then? And I think that if anything is different, That's that's the part where we got to the We got to the point where we could have went to a deal and and and work their stuff out. We had sold enough records, we had got enough attention, and then guess what, most of the labels, because of my songwriting stuff, knew who I was and for whatever reasons. If there was situations, which we did have, some they didn't work out. But for the most problems like, let's just push through, man, Let's push through and see what happens. And it worked out. Man, I mean be honest with you. You see him that I had a master plan I didn't. It just worked out really And when you fall with your label Blue Arrow Soul, was that like how did you assemble? I guess the team? You know? Was it? You know you go to your parents and say, hey, I need some help. Uh? Is it just homies you work with? Like? How did you work those steps of figuring out what you needed as an independent artist? The first part was the fans challenged me to take it more serious. They wanted more music, and it was like, okay, if we're gonna because I thought I was gonna put an album out and then just go back to the songwriting and producing for people. But they were like, we want more, we want more. It's like, okay, how do we work that out? The biggest difference the first step was my dad retired and then I remember he came into the studio one time. And at that point I would do like I would record all night and then I might would go to the gym for a couple of hours, and then I would from like twelve to four was just like packing CD s up and like just making printing packages. And I would spend that time in the post office. And then when I finished the post office, say five o'clock. It was back recording from five to four o'clock till I just couldn't stay end up anymore. And I repeated and my dad walked in one day when I was like comparing stuff. He says, what you're doing here? And I was like, I gotta ship all this stuff off, like ship ship the c D s off. He's like, you need help, that's how. I was like, like you need to help with that. And I was like, you can take this to post off that that would be a lot of help, and he's like, yeah, cool. So then I was at that point, I was like, okay, I just focused on music. And to be honest with you, you know Darrell who has been one of my best friends, he has managed me Awfong. You know, he's been around, and I think Darrell kind of watched for a while and he was like eventually stepped in, was like how you need help? That's whatever, and um and then the rest of truth be told. The rest of it was like fans. I think the Sweet Locks was around and she was around. It was like what do you do? I like, hey, joined me, let's you know, it's like super eventually joined on um demo eventually joined on, and she eventually joined on. It was really, I mean, and that mind you. I don't want to not evenly think that they were just like yeah. It was more like these are people who also had desires in the industry, but they were around and the more we talked, it was like, well, I'm trying to do this, what do you do? You know there's a mutual wind here, there's a mutual wind, there's a mutual win. Like even uh, Demo, I think he was he sunk background for me on a show, like somebody linked me up and he sunk background you. At that point, it was a house band, show up whatever, whatever, and then we started picking up a band and I think he can't and said, if I show up to a show up to a show, can I do the gig? I was like yeah, sure, okay. I was like, next Ronald Cannidate, He's like, all right, cool. He was in Toronto. The next show is in l A. He was in l An. That show was in Atlanta. He was in Atlanta. So now I was like, how are you getting here? Like he gotta figure this out. So now I remember, like, so can you get my band tickets? Like that? And He's like, yeah, do that, And that's how he started a book. That's how he started. Like he's been like the row manager the background saying your road manager ever since, you know. And and I remember like Anshia who now is a powerhouse in the book and she's booking everybody shows, but I remember we were it's probably six seven years ago. She was already in the staff, she was rocking in the staff, but I said, I need more help in the booking area. Can someone move over? And she was like, I moved the booking and she probably already had some inside on it, but then she she moved over there and like just side of rocking. So it was really just a community of people that were trying to grow, trying to be better. And I was fortunate they joined up with me to to join it with my company. And it's great because now they have their own businesses and their families and in their own successes, but yet can invest in mind as well. So it's it's been great. The history, I mean, the history of just who's worked for me, who's played for me, is probably one of my proudest, proudest things, like just Man, Man, Killers, Killers, I'm honored I'm honored to see that. Deemo Man, Demo, I gotta shout out. I mean, just first of all, in your whole team. I mean, every time we've always traveled, you know, it's always been love. It's always just been you know you you you just have amazing people around you. And that was just a big lesson I think I learned just from kind of touring with you and just kind of seeing the way you built out your infrastructure of just okay, like these is just like people that he really fucked with, and they just fun with him, you know what I mean, they trust each other, and um, you know, Demo, I gotta shout Demo out. Demo saved my life one night, I was it was after we did bro. It was after we did Chicago. We did Chicago, and I feel like this is around the same time that like my dad was done, like all this ship is going on. But so it's after the show and uh and it's late and I'm just in the lobby. I don't even I can't remember what it was. I was even I was outside talking to something, but I was just in the lobby. Demo shows up with a bucket. Goddamn Heralds let me tell you something, Broo. He just in a lot with a bucket of Haralds and I think he had his kids with him that night, and uh yeah, And I was like, I said, yo, I said yo, I said yo, Man, I said, you know, I ain't he try. I said, bro, Man, let me get one of the wings. He said, oh no, bro, I got you. Man, Come on, I got you man. He gave me something to win. Bro Listen, I said, you are the realist. Dude, like to part with Harolds in Chicago. That is the sacrifice. Like, so, man, I need I needed that wing right then. I really needed it. But that's you know what a good guy like said man. You know, and it's funny, you know. Now I'm a parent, but I watched this guy's being a solid dad to his kids, you know what I mean? And you know, and I think he's a perfect example of everybody has had to wear multiple hats on my team. And I love watching, like, uh, venue manager or promoter watch finish up negotiations with him and then shade and get on stage and they're like sing, They're like, yo, what a minute wasn't the same dude? It's like, but guess what we all had to we all had to do we all had to wear different hats to to make all this work, you know what I mean. So so shout out to him. Yo, find Demos Music. You know you got a new album coming out in the whole nine once again, like everybody, everybody is in the team is working on something and um and I'm honored, like honor did they take time to build with me? And that they're building their own stuff as well? Yo, yo yo, what up? This is Fonte fun took a little listen. Stay tuned because Part two of my one on one conversation with my big brother Eric Robson is coming next week. We get even further into life things, some family stuff. We get into the recording process. I'm making them to the learro We're getting all that good stuff. So check for us. Next week is going down on quest La Supreme right piece m h M. What's Love Supreme is a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.