Justine Skye

Published Aug 23, 2023, 10:00 AM

This week on The R&B Money Podcast, Tank and J. Valentine have the privilege of conversing with the incredibly talented Justine Skye. Recognized for her captivating voice and mesmerizing stage presence, Justine Skye brings her unique experiences and insights to the forefront. Explore the nuances of the R&B industry, the artistry behind each note, and the stories that resonate with every listener. An episode filled with harmonious discussions, profound insights, and the enchanting aura of Justine Skye. Now, on The R&B Money Podcast

 

 

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R and B Money. We are thank Valotility. We are the authority on all things R and B ladies and gentlemen. I named Tank Valentine. This is R and B Money Podcast is the authority on all things R and B. See, y'all thought we was old. Y'all thought we wasn't tapped in with the youth. You understand what I'm saying. Relax, Relax, you know what. It's still tapped in with the youth movement. The Undercurta is moving this thing. Our bright future is in the building. We're talking about talent off the charts, beauty off the charts. She's got everything happening, and we're gonna get it to her. I said youthful because I am youthful, because youth is in the building. Give it up. Yeah, how you doing.

I'm good. I feel great.

I've just been in such a chill place. I know when I came in here, You're like, you came in here all chill. But that's how I am. Life is just good and I feel happy. I don't get too excited. I don't get sad so much anymore. I'm just yelling just.

Kind of good balance. Yeah, as you can see, I'm I'm always happy. Yeah, and we're happy to have you here.

Thank you. I'm happy to be here.

Thank you for you know, taking the time, you know, because I know you're moving and grooving. The last time I saw you, you know, you was you was in Paris, just you know, just you know, just just doing your things life when you're fashion, you know what I'm saying, being the life of the party. We were at a at a party. We were at Kanye's party.

Yeah, out there and yeah it was interesting.

Yeah, yeah, interesting is a great word.

It was definitely interesting.

It was a great word.

I wasn't, but you know me, I was in and out.

So yeah, I was. I was there, you know, my kids were second choir and prior of the show. And then there was a rave.

Then there was a rave. The dji a raver, but not that rave.

Yeah. The DJs were fire though.

No, the dj was cool.

They had like because they had like I guess like, but.

You know, I wasn't.

I didn't even stay long enough to like actually experience what the DJs were doing. To be quite honest, I just like I was also exhausted because I was out there for a while too, So I was just like I just came to people scene.

Yeah, you were just in Paris for a minute, just relaxing because I.

Don't get to spend much time out there, I feel like, because I'm always working and I have things here to do, like in the States, so I don't get to go to Europe a lot, maybe like once a year maybe, so especially since like COVID and all of that.

So it was really nice to be out there and.

Just experience all the restaurants and see some friends that I haven't seen in a while.

And how many times have you been to Paris?

Three?

Three times? And what do you how do you feel? Because I know as an R and B singer, you know what I mean, like going out there and and and especially in that overseas market, like they're like there's a different kind of love, oh yeah, and appreciation for what we do over there. And I didn't go with my younger.

Years, I think in Europe honestly, in a lot of places. I just did like a couple back to back interviews yesterday with some Asian markets and outlets out there, and like I think because there's so many different genres of music here like in the States, and artists like so many more artists here. I don't know, maybe I'm like speaking just pretymaturely.

But.

There's just such a different level of appreciation for music overseas.

I feel like here in the States.

We're just used to it, we expect it, we get over it quickly, and I.

Mean we created it.

Yeah, So like in in Europe, like in London, in Paris, like when they get us, they're like, please don't leave or like and they just like are more focused on I don't know what it is, but like even in London too, like just when I'm when I have worked in London with producers and songwriters out there, it's just like a.

Different level of like focus that they have.

Yeah, no, we what's my guy? What was you talking about? Was it Dave? Dave Russell? Wasn't Dave Russell from England engineer, but just he's this guy? And then is Richard first from London, Teresa's guy.

I don't know if he's from London, but he's from UK, from the UK for sure.

But like even just a different appreciate, different appreciation, different approach to like how they sonically make.

Things fixed, I mean low key, they're kind of killing it when it comes to like the music.

And then even there, even they don't fire.

I'm like, dude, I'm wondering when they're gonna let a black American play in English? Black Englishman.

Gotta nil that? Is that going to happen? You gotta nail that accent?

As Americans, we are spoiled.

Yeah, because here's the thing, right, so we don't as as the spoiled speaks. Right as the spoiled speaks, we don't necessarily take that big of an interest in other cultures, you know what I'm saying, because we're we're in a we're in a sense we've always, in a sense, been at the forefront. We've been the leaders of it. You know what I'm saying in terms of culture and swag and all of these things, and entertainment for that matter.

You know what I'm saying, Denzel could have been James Bond.

I mean, I think Denzel is also Jesus. So you're asking them wrong. I'm biased.

You know what wants? Maybe did he want?

Did he Denzel? Did you want to be James Bond?

I saw Another Night. You know what I'm saying.

You niggas was already talking about Paris.

Now you're talking about No, mean, I didn't.

Washington.

I wasn't with him. Okay, let me correct that. I I hung out with him before shout out to Jamie Fox. You know what I'm saying. I was in the right room and he was over there and sitting on the floor, and then I was sitting right here, two rolls back from the floor, and then he saw me, and then I said, I hit him with that. He said, he gave me that. What is that? See you your fellows? Yeah, he said, I see you your felling black people saw this is okay, trying to take him.

To tell me it was black people.

Tell me, don't moment away from me. He saw me, you seen me, He knew meel.

You know what's so crazy. I had a moment like that with Beyonce in Paris. It was so crazy because I was with my friend and she was like, let's go say to Beyonce because she had.

Like a Renaissance club Renaissance in Paris. Said.

I was like freaking out obviously, and so I'm just like, you know what, let me just like I'm not going to be invading the space, like I'm just gonna I'm so happy to be in this room. And so my friend's like, let's go say hi to be and I'm like, I just I don't. I don't think she knows who I am. Like, I just I don't feel comfortable just walking up to her, like hey, what's up. And as soon as I said that, she like walked towards me and said hey. And I was like, oh my god, this is such a crazy party, right, It's crazy.

It's her party and like crazy and I was like, okay, bye, I just didn't know what that say.

I like, that is fun. It's such a crazy party, right, And I was just lit.

The rest of the night.

They literally have a video on my phone with me screaming in the streets. Someone said something and I was like.

Don't baby, call.

Like I don't even phone. You know, you can't call someone else.

You can't call because I think it's like she does. It's like it's like even Beyonce, even people on that level, you you be surprised how human and regularly cool they are. But I'm like, even when I saw the Zel, like I've seen him before, but I doubt it. I doubted if he remembered me. You know what, I'm saying, but it was still like, you know, he was the one guy that I was kind of like it like a little nervous about it.

You don't thinknzil her sex.

I hope, So you know what I'm saying, I hope, So you know, I hope that's what that head Nott was like, I like you, I like your tunes. You know what I'm saying. But it's like you never know. But it's like it's just like a.

Respect thing too.

Like I think it's awesome when there's people that you know, we either put on like such a high pedestal or we like admire, like in their craft, and to have that sort of like recognition as artists as well too. It just gives us that, you know, like pat on the shoulder, to be like I see you and like you are like, yeah, I get.

It, I get it.

I treat everybody saying I just I don't know any other way.

No, no, I get that reverse.

It's just awesome to have that kind of like it's not not co sign.

But just that like you you're doing your thing, I see you doing your things. You'm up here doing my thing, but I see.

You that acknowledge.

Yeah, I think you know, just in meeting people of you know, of all classes. I think especially people who have become very famous, they need normalcy.

Yeah, you know what I mean.

And I think that it's watching people, watching people freak out sometimes kind of like for them, it's like, damn, like I just kind of wanted to be cool, you know what I mean. So you know ship, I mean my first time when I first came, I moved to LA and I'm eighteen, I meet my idol babyface.

I'm like, what's up, nigga. Damie Thomas was like, you can't do that. I'm like, everybody's cool, but he's also kind of skewed. You know what I'm saying, because you know this this guy was hanging out with Michael Jackson and.

No, but that's that's not what I was saying.

I'm just saying, like as like for me, for me, like working with Timbaland or him like acknowledging that.

He sorry, just stop calling me.

Just him being like acknowledging me as an artist just gave me that reassurance that like, because you know, as as artists and just humans, we can like go through periods of like doubt or like am I doing the right thing, like, like especially me, like I've been doing this for like a minute now, and like it's awesome that I'm experiencing what for me is like my first real moment where so many people are like discovering my music because of a platform or I'm like TikTok.

Yeah, yeah, you know, yeah, it's been rediscovery for you.

Yeah, rediscovery song came out almost ten years ago now, and it's like people are listening to it like it's.

A brand new song, which.

For me is just like wow, Like good music is timeless. It doesn't matter if it came out in twenty fourteen or or whatever. And so I'm just I already was in that space before my song Collide started to gain this recognition on TikTok, but it just gave me that extra like pat on the back, and sometimes you need that in life because I'm sure like people didn't even like know that. But I was like going through a space of like is this the right thing that I should be doing? Like should I be doing music? Should I like think about something else?

Like?

And I talked myself off that ledge and I was like getting back into that space before this happened, but it really just like reassured me this year started off like so amazing, and I've just been like grateful for like everything that's been happening.

So let's get into today. Let's get into Let's get into the beginning, as Tank would like to say, where it all started.

It all started, because I mean.

I know you from being a very small key because of your mom.

You know what I mean.

Your mom is my homie, been my homie for a long time, amazing attorney executive, all the cool ship and shout out to Nova. I think we locked her out because we won't want her darted. It's not your mom's friend doing an episode. Okay, all right, but let's start. Let's start from the beginning with you, like where this all kicked off. How would you say, what's your intro to it?

When was the first time someone said to you you have something special? You said to yourself, I think I have something special?

Always from like elementary school, Yeah, it was right in here though. Matter of fact, No, I just knew that I wanted to be an artist.

I knew that I wanted to whether it was.

Like I was lady into like musical theater like when I was younger, because I was like, I want to be an actress too, and I want to be a singer, like I know I can sing. And I remember I was graduating elementary school and they were giving out like the singer the best singer of the year or of the class.

And it.

Was just a public school, but they had like the performance arts. Like I went to school in Brooklyn.

So and they gave it to this girl and she didn't sing at all, like she didn't even really talk. So I was so confused as to how she could win Singer of the Year. And I was furious, and it just like lit a fire undeath me.

I was like okay. I was like okay.

So then in middle school, I went to performing arts school in Brooklyn and then I was like, I'm going to be in the choir. And I went so hard to try to be in the choir. They didn't let me in. Didn't let me in the choir. I don't know me in school, just don't have a good like a history, just me and the public school system. So then I was like, all right, well I forget you then and then I went into theater and then every time they only did musicals and I would just go so hard, and like because my theater teacher knew that I could sing, so he would always want to give me the singing parts. And the choir teacher, who was also involved in it, she just hated.

She hated on me for whatever reason.

And I was just like, well, man, now I'm the ladybug, so.

What do you do?

And it was just all.

And enjoy that ladybug.

She was.

It was like the Ladybugs were kind of like the dream Girls and I was. And so that was like a full I don't know, I don't know where these schools got all this to put these plays on in Likelyn, but that was a full production. And so then I went to high school and I got into the choir, but the teacher did.

Not like me. What were you?

I just wanted to sing? And so I'm just like he would never give me a solo.

Were you're walking in like I'm here, Well why would you not? Because okay, all right, because I was confidence, yes, but you gotta understand, obviously you're an adult now, but as a kid, you don't understand this is that most people who are teachers are people who really wanted to do it. Something happened and now they you know, they still love it and they're teaching.

So when they when you walk in with all that confidence, lady, but like, hey man, get her to.

My high school choir teacher was definitely like bitter. But then we were learning a lot of music theory, like things that I probably don't like incorporate into like my life now, but I just wanted to. Like we were singing opera, so I was like, I he was like, you're going to be a tenor, and I'm like, what, I can sing everything. I was like, well, I wanted to be a soprano. And then he was like, no, you're a tenor. You're there, and I'm just like that's crazy. And I was like, well, actually I can sing baritone too, So like.

I was just.

It's starting to come out the more started.

I wasn't saying it.

Like that, I'm saying it now like that, but I was just like, hey, like I can do more than just this, like don't box me in.

He was like, you're gonna do what I tell.

You to do, and which is fair too, which is fair, you know what I mean? Like you don't want to be boxing.

I was trying to be like a teacher's pet because I just wanted like he just didn't.

But also he was just like angry. He was angry man.

And so then the one time he gave me a solo, he knew I was sick.

He knew I was sick.

And then I remember I was sitting in like the court yard or whatever. We had a performance and I cracked and I just cried and I ran away. My voice cracked and I just cried and I ran away. And then I was like another villain story wasn't invented. I was like, oh wow, yeah, this will never happen to me again. And so then I got a vocal coach and my mom like, I was like, this is what I want to do, regardless of all that work that I did, like I went to like summer programs or whatever, but then I started to I asked my mom. I was like, I want to be a singer, and she was like, you know, most parents in the in the industry, they're just like no, They're like I'm not.

I don't want you to be a part of this.

It's like a brutal experience and they don't want their kids to have to go through these things because they see it firsthand. Yeah, And I was like, okay, whatever. Now I'm on the internet. I'm on Tumblr. I'm developing my own like you go find it yourself. Yeah, I'm on my own. I create my own world, and this whole community of like New York Tumblr kids, and we're just like running around the city. Like now I can hang out in the city, and.

I'm like, how are you this time?

I'm like sixteen seventeen, and I'm no longer. Oh no, I was still in school at the time, but I was like I was in high school but like tenth grade. And then I started to develop like a fan base pretty much on Tumblr by just you know, just being weird and quirky and experimenting with my look. And then like I started to make covers on YouTube and just singing and like showing that I could sing, and then people started to like find out. And I think I was at a BMI panel one time with my mom and because she would always bring me to these events, and they were doing a Q and A. It was like Lorienne Gibson and like a bunch of other people. I can't remember like who else was up there. I just remember because how could.

You ever forget lorient.

But so remember yeah, Remember.

So I stood on the line for the Q and A, and I was like, can I sing?

Like this seems like the right room just singing.

You didn't tell your mother you do this at all?

No, Yeah, And so I just stood in the line and I was like, can I sing? And then they were like yeah, and I sang this song called Black and Gold by Sam Sparrow, and then everyone there was like a room full of people who wanted to figure out how to be a part of the industry, whether it's producer or like executive or whatever, and so so many people then like ran up to me and my mom after like do you have a manager?

Like do you have a producer? Do you ever? Like what are you doing? And then my mom was like okay.

And then as I started to like build this fan base on Tumblr, people started to like reach out and wanted to work with me, and so my mom then put me in with someone that she knew and trusted at the time, and I started to just like, uh, make original music, like you know, work with some writers and producers. And I was still in high school, but then it was becoming difficult. So then I started to get homeschooled, because like I would be in the studio really late and we were trying to get me a record deal, and it was so funny because I would go all the labels and like, now that I think about it, I'm so embarrassed.

But I'd be like in fun of like Lee or Cohen and like all.

These I think even La Read and like dancing and singing and like doing this whole stupid little show. And they were like, hmm, she's cute. And my spirit was so crushed because I'm so young, just like standing in front of these people like pick me, and then they're like no, and I'm like all right, fine, and I just developed. Actually I was younger than that. I was younger. I wasn't like seventeen at that time. I was probably like fourteen fifteen.

And then.

Yeah, so would that again, No, why not give because we want the audience to understand the process.

Well.

Also, times are so different now. I think that when I was first starting, like there was still this I guess old school mentality at like record labels and like artist development, and like that's not necessarily a thing anymore because we have platforms like TikTok or Instagram right now and YouTube where so many people are kind of just becoming like overnight like sensations, just because.

I think that it's both.

I think that there's pros and cons to it because now, I mean, it's kind of just strange because everyone like thinks that they're like a rapper and artists. And I think that it's great that people like obviously everyone loves music. It's a universal language, so people if you have the ability to make music, like, why wouldn't you? And then there's platforms where like it can reach people hundreds millions of people, like in a second, so why would you not share that? And I think that there's a difference between people who just enjoy like making music and then people who like want to be a star, because even and I learned that very early on, like just with working with a bunch of songwriters, because I'm like, these people are so talented, like why aren't they like celebrities?

Why aren't they like bigger? Like why aren't they superstars?

And it's just everyone doesn't want to be that, you know, like you can be talented and creative and like have all these ideas, but not everybody to be in front of the camera and to be like the face of it all, Like you really have to have tough skin. And that's what I think is a dangerous part of that people aren't really like aware of, especially like the kids who like are just like putting out songs online, and like when it comes like mental health, it's like they're not prepared for that. Like not everybody has that thick of skin to be in this industry to that capacity.

Yeah, well I would, I would kind of dare to say. And I'm sure what I'm not sure which part you're saying you would do differently, But I think you having those moments of disappointment, but you still going through your routine, You still going through your act and step act and stepping up and just you know, but it really prepared you and and it hardened you in a way to where once you get into really get into this, you know what I mean, you gotta have a tough out of shelter. Those blows keep coming, they don't stop, they don't stop. It gets the blows get heavier. Actually, yeah, because.

As he continues to grow in this thing, yeah, oh.

Yeah, the bag is heavier and the losses are heavier. You know what, I mean, so it's like you you were you were courageous very early. I'll give you that.

Yeah.

I mean, well, my mom she's taught me to be to be that way. But you're right, I guess I wouldn't change anything, honestly because everything that I went through from a young age, through this industry, through the labels that I've been at, and now being independent, like, it's all made me the woman and the artist that I am today and right now even though I've I got signed to the first label when I was seventeen and I'm twenty seven now, so that's ten years ago. Yeah, and I feel like just so refreshed and like new because I'm so much more sure of who I am just as a human and as an artist, and I know what I like. And I went through all these things where I listened to everyone because I thought that they knew it was best for me. And now I'm just like when I'm in the studio, I have just such a different energy and love because there was a certain point where I just felt like I was just doing homework or doing like a science project when I was recording a song, and like.

Whenever I would write, they would be like, oh, it's not good.

It's not good, instead of like having a team around me that encouraged me to be better, but to get my ideas like out right, you know. And I think that I don't take anything personal obviously, like this is this industry. I learned that from young and like I'm sure like my mom kind of like prepared me for that as well too, and also tried to protect me as much as she could from the evils. But I think now at this age that I'm at and the space that I'm in in life, I'm so beyond excited, And a.

Lot of people.

Probably would think that at this point I'd be jaded, you know, and are like tired of it. But I always I have this saying where it's like if your favorite artist gave up when things got too hard, they wouldn't be your favorite artist today. And I fully believe that. And there's so many examples, like and even artists who are just receiving their flowers for that I've been following for a while, like whether it's Doja Cat, I've been looking at her since like SoundCloud days on Tumblr and even Sizza, Like I've been listening to all these art even Kendrick.

I've listening.

I've been listening to all these people from like The Jump and The Weekend and everyone, Like it's just like, that's why I have such an a love for it because I see, like what happens when you stay the course and when you fully believe in yourself and when you create a team around you that can you know, help you bring your dreams to fruition.

Yeah, that's dope. At twenty seven? Let me think, was that on the bench at twenty seven? I think, so, yeah, yeah, you have been benched. I have been benched.

What does that mean?

Put on the shelf? Put on the shelf?

I mean we you know, we we connected to sports. Yeah, we both grew up playing sports. So it's like everything with us with music, we look at it in a sports way too, you know what I mean. But he was on the shelf after having a hit record, hit album, having labeled dispute.

Well that's why I also like when I first like became independent, I was so scared because I'd been like I've been in Atlantic, I've been at rock Nation, and I'm like, what do I do?

Like, how do I do this?

Like the biggest Yeah, So I'm just like, what do you like when you have people like Charlie walk in your face like you're three minutes away, and like everyone's like, yeah, you got this, and I'm like, well no, I'm independent, so yeah, and I was like, I was so scared, and I was like, how do I even like get in with producers?

Like how did you make that turn? Though? What what made you go from from Atlantic in the rock Nation and all of these buildings to becoming your own buildings? Well?

I was with Atlantic for three years, and you know, things weren't going as I expect them to have gone in the in that three year span, and you know, so we parted ways due to some things and it was fine. And then obviously I like, you know, I'm from Brooklyn, so like, and my mom's obviously from Brooklyn. So we had like connections over at rock Nation and that was just like so cool to me to be like, oh my god, I'm a Brooklyn girls side a jay Z. And so I was there and a lot of interesting things happened there as well too.

I got to work with.

The Dream and Tricky on a project and and it was just really an awesome experience that I learned too I would go into that office every day like I was going to school, like what are we doing? Like, and after being with them for three years too, like I just wasn't in the place that I wanted to be yet. And so my mother and I we just took a risk in wanting to be independent. And it was scary at first, especially financially too. Ye, that is the toughest part of being independent, just finding you are the bank. Yeah, no, you are the bank.

You are the bank.

And then the building a team around you of people because and you have to like outsourcings like a publicist, and.

It's a lot of favorites. But then I realized too.

We even did a song together, remember that one time that we had that session, put it out on SoundCloud. That was me like finding that getting into my songwriting pocket. But it was the greatest decision I could have ever made because it just taught me more about myself. And I also realized like in being an art like when you're signed to a label, you're kind of like sheltered, You're so like baby, That's was my experience where it's like your A and R is setting up the sessions for you, Like I'm not developing relationships with these producers or these other artists that I'm working with and these songwriters, I'm just like showing up. Yeah, I'm just like showing up. And I'm like, that's not And all my peers that I'm like friends with, I'm like, that's not their experience, Like why is that my exper I'm just doing homework. And that's why I was like falling out of love with this whole cycle and being so disappointed when things didn't work out. Where it's like now like I'm so proud of the work that I'm doing, regardless of how anyone feels about it, because I know what went into this and the whole process, and.

I don't want to interrupt you, but that's that's that's a that's kind of crazy, right, because most artists enjoy the pampered stay the coddling, you know what I'm saying, where they're being weighted on hand and foot and just you know, make sure my per diem is and tell them I want this at the studio and then they just you know, and you, on the other hand, are like you didn't feel hands on enough to understand how the earth was moving around.

You time I was like.

I won't say who obviously, but I was with an artist and I was in a session and I.

Was like so excited. I'm like, oh my god, you have like a violinist.

Here, like you're not going to it was like, yeah, I'm just gonna leave. And I'm like you're not going to wait for the violinists to get here? Like, well, I'm done, and I'm like you don't want to see what he's going to put on your song. He's like no, they'll take care of it. And I'm like, you just started, and this is how you're acting.

Oh, this is a disaster. It was crazy.

I could not believe it. I was like, this is crazy, Like I want to be in the studio. I want I'm not leaving without experience. Yeah, but also like I'm not leaving without a.

Bounce of my song. I don't care who what?

You know what I'm saying, like I now have learned that lesson. It's like I need to leave with the bounce.

I want to listen to it in the car. I want to see.

Sessions. I don't know, I don't know who's supposed to pay what, but you better put something on this floppy disk.

I also used to think because like I was recording a bunch of songs that like I didn't necessarily have anything to do with.

That I needed to.

Like if I didn't finish the song and one day that I was a failure.

Like it was so crazy.

I was like, oh my gosh, like I didn't finish cutting this song, and like one day I only cut one song today like I'm a failure.

And now that I'm like like, wait.

I want this to be perfect, like and and.

That takes time.

I can't just like and sometimes it does happen where like you're in you catch a vibe and like you can cut the song and it's like great, like the first time you cut it, but it's like no, I want to go back. But also like listening to it, I thought that like once you cut it, it's there, it's bounced, that's it.

Yeah. I learned it from Static, like I was the guy that record five six songs in a day and make the track and write it and do the whole like I was that guy. I'm on a thousand yeah, and I will watch Static just sit at the board and listen to a track and lay two lines and get back in front. Of the board and just kind of sit, smoke a little bit, go back, lay a third line, and then yeah, I'm gonna come back tomorrow. It's gonna be it's coming, it's coming, it's coming, all right. And I watched him work on a song for like four days and then listen to it. I'm I'm gonna come back. I'm gonna come back tomorrow. Listen to it, come back, listen to it. I need to I need to switch this up, and after you you're not done. And then I watch him do that, and it's why he's static major, it's why he has the hit records that he has, because he just took his times. I think.

I think that's something that's especially with social media, because social media put a spotlight on the experiences, are a spotlight on the experiences that people wanted to push out.

Yeah, you know what I mean.

I think, you know, even when people start doing the whole I don't write nothing down. Yeah, there are artists and writers who do do that and are really good at that, but that's not for everyone, you know, And I think what's been promoted is that makes me more talented than such and such, which is.

Not the truth. Absolutely you know what I mean.

You know, like we go back and Tupac was a poet, you know what I mean, So he literally has books of poems. But then you have jay Z on the other hand. That's like listen, I get it off from my mind. It can go both ways, and I think with the newer and the younger generation, it got put into this space of I do it quick. Oh you know, I do my records in fifteen minutes. Well some of those records sound like fifteen minute records, you know what I mean. I don't care how many of you did today, Maybe you should have took fifteen days. Because anybody that's ever worked with Michael Jackson, who I will argue and fight with anyone as the greatest singer, entertainer, everything of all time. You would be in a studio with that man. It might get a record done a month depending.

On how he you know.

But that's why it sounds he wasn't coming.

Out of that studio with mediocre records or a mediocre feel anything, you know what I mean, Because yes, everything is subjective. We do music, it's it's someone's fail.

It's gonna be a colossal fail, you know.

What I mean, but sonically it's going to be right, the mix is going to be right. They're gonna make sure the words make sense next to each other, you know what I'm saying, Like Michael Jackson wasn't just doing a vibe. And sometimes I personally feel like the word vibe gets thrown out as this thing of And you said that too, of you know, it's not judged the.

Same because it's like, oh, it's just vibing.

Well, you want somebody to take their time and listen to it and pay for and all these other things that you you really aren't putting your full into. That's why I respect what you're saying, Like, no, I want to be a full part of it. I really want to.

I want to put into work.

Well, that's what I think was so special about not this last part I put up, but the one that I did with Timbaland, because.

Who's my favorite producer by iconic.

Yeah, and so he produced my whole album Space and Time, and we did a documentary about it that's on my YouTube, and it just goes through the whole process of like covid and I's just like I never met him before in my life, but I was obviously such a huge fan, and he'd followed me on Instagram, and so we would he would send me beats and then I would just like write to them and I just be freaking out and I would just put them on YouTube, like these one minute clips that we would just do side by side, and then after like the tenth one, We're just like, we have to figure out how to get to each other so we can like finish this project. And we did, and we put it out and we shot sick music videos to it and all independent, and like I couldn't believe that that's crazy that that happened. And you know, like obviously people are still like discovering the project, Like as people are discovering me my music from like nine ten years ago.

There's always someone who hasn't heard it yet exactly.

And it's funny because a lot of like my fans who have heard these songs before, they're so frustrated because like, where's the new music, And I'm like, listen, there's millions of people. Like last year, I had maybe like two million monthly listeners on Spotify, maybe like one point six. I just checked to have ten minutes ten million then counting of and that's just on Spotify. Like I haven't released anything new. Yeah, and I put out a single last year, but.

That's it.

Like I haven't put out like a new like project, and I'm just like, wow, I can't believe like platforms like a TikTok can really.

Just like I'll take you somewhere else, take you somewhere. Yeah, and you and you have ownership of all of your music now.

Right, not all of it, but that song. Yeah. I was just like because when it first started going.

Up, we're gonna promote, We're gonna promote the things you want.

Yeah, the dark side right now.

But it was so crazy because I'm like, oh, that's so crazy. Like I'm like, oh, I don't know if I own that song because I did that song when I was at Atlantic, and so I'm just like, oh, like that's crazy. Colyde's going up like I don't get anything from that, like woo, And the mom was like, actually you do. Like when we left Atlantic we got that song and I'm like, wait, what.

That's crazy?

Are you interacting? Yeah? Yeah, by side, I'll do it. I'll do no.

So that it's you have two versions of the Clyde record.

Yeah, so there's the one with Tiger, which is like the original one, and so on my project dark Side that I just put out, it's the solo, which a lot of people were asking for.

I mean, like you said that discovery is in lists and it goes back to just just stay the course and do good stuff because when people accidentally hit that page or go down that rabbit hole and bump into it, you know what, it's like finding a dope restaurant. Yeah, yeah, you know what I'm saying.

And like all the restaurant has been around for like however long. I was like, well, now it's spot.

There's always those people who like I've been going there, you know what.

I like it, like, maybe I'll see you here. Yeah yeah. So I mean as long as you're as long as you're doing that, I feel like I feel like musically, like you know, this sky is the limit for you.

I mean you meaning feels good.

Yeah, you've been doing it, you said for a long time. You've been doing it for ten years, which which is crazy, but.

Longer than that evening professionally. Yeah, yeah, you've been in this thing half your life.

But I mean you're still extremely young.

I mean, look at dude. Yeah, she's like now a super Maga star.

Listen, Siss ain't leaving the house for less than seven figures.

Need it. I know that because I had.

A conversation on the phone with Top talk about it. Need it Listen, somebody called me about sister, like, yeah, you know, can you get to Sis?

I said, I can call Top Top.

Top said yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Helmie. If they ain't got I said, oh, oh yeah, I love this talk. If you guys don't have this for Scissa, she's not coming and I'm not going to make any phone call for you and I, but I love to hear that. It's you know what I'm saying for like you said, it's what she deserves. She's worked so hard to get to this space and she they know, they know the type of room she gonna fill up.

But people see like they just see like where she's at now, and they don't really like get to which is why I love like when artists do documentaries because you really get to like see their growth and like where they came from. And I think that's so beautiful and it gives you like a different level of like appreciation and respect for them as well too.

Like people just.

Read headlines and they just listen to a song for two seconds a snippet, like every our attention spans have gotten so short, and I think that that kind of sucks, like as like time progresses, like our attention spans just like shrink, and then as like I'm so grateful for TikTok, but it's like the one second, like what there was that moment of like Steve Lacy, who's like one of my friends, and there was like obviously one of his songs went crazy TikTok, and there was number one, I Love Love how so.

Many girl a great songs.

But then like everyone gets tickets for his concerts, and then like there's that one video that went around where it was like no one knew the rest of the words to the song. They just knew the hook and they were like beating him down about that on social media.

But it's just like you guys are standing there, you should feel stupid.

You guys should feel dumb that you don't know the words to this artist that you just paid however many dollars to go their show standing there. Whatever day, this is, this is the time you wanted to waste your time coming to somebody show that you're one of them, like talk shit about that, you don't know. It's just like we don't the respect for artists who like get on stage and like put this work into like do this obviously like people, they don't, they don't care. But I hope that a shift is beginning where people are becoming more just appreciative of everything.

What a tough part about us as entertainers is that for people it's it's so disposable. Yeah, you know what I mean. And for them, for most people, it's just about the end result.

Yeah, that's so true.

It's just about Okay, entertainment. You know, I paid this money entertainment. You know what I'm saying, Like, if something goes faulty within that entertainment, they could care less about that, you know what I'm saying. They care less that it's not your fault that the building couldn't house the power that that is covering your LED, And then LED goes down, and then your pro tools which was running fine before sound check, all of a sudden, your pro toos rig is on the fritz. And then your backup pro toos rig it ain't running. Like they don't care you're standing there holding the bag like I promise we we rehearsed for six months for this to get this right for you. But you'll still see on the ground the show was weak. I couldn't believe I paid. And it's like there's this this this disconnect with the work that we put in, not even versus what they want. But how do you say that, like we're trying. I promise you we are. I think sometimes you have to say that, and if it goes back.

I think people respect that.

Yeah, and I think more artists should stand in front of that. Hey listen, if you got a bad show or you was sick or now, with the platforms that we have, it's nothing to go on there and say, hey, man had a bad night last night.

You know what I'm saying.

I think that it's just also like it means more and like you develop a different connection with your audience when you are vocal about like the mess ups. You know, like I was at the weekend show that he did so fine and he got t he was like, you know what, like I'm not I want to give you guys a great show, so I'm not going to put you through this if I if.

I know that's not gonna be the best, and we'll reschedule it.

And like, I think for the most part, like your real fans.

Will appreciate something like that that you want to give them the best.

Fans We're trying, We're trying our.

Best, but I think like real fans understand that the fans from just thele that.

Just watching people just hover.

But we need all of it ultimately, because the business that we're in is entertainment, entertainment, and it's controlled by the people, and either it's love or hate or it's a little bit of both, but you need the people.

For me though, I've I feel like I've entered a space where like obviously it still gets rough, like you know, there's comments that you see online and like when you're being attacked.

Like it doesn't feel good.

But and I actually one of my fans like at DMG the other day, like how do you do it? And I'm like, you know what, I've like made more of an effort to realize that at the end of the day, I am a human as well too, and just to keep good people around me. And I'm starting to do this thing too where it's like if i feel like I've gotten too like engulfed in my phone. Like I'm just like the way I just said, it's starting to do this thing as if it's not a thing. Like I'm just like, you know, I'm just gonna pick up a book and read, Like even if I have to force myself to like remove my focus from my phone, just gonna just so I'm always walking around with my book now, I'm just like, okay, like I'm too crazy at my phone, Like let.

Me just because a lot of people aren't doing that, a lot of people aren't tapping in.

I'm gonna read the book on my phone.

I thought I could do that, but I thought I could do that, but that I even want on my iPad.

I'm like, I'm gonna. I'm just like you know, I can't. I have I need self.

Discipline, Like I really need to be more disciplined, and like if I'm on my phone, like I have I even deleted Sorry I'm little sick. I deleted like Instagram and Twitter from like my screen. But I can still like pull my search thing down and search Instagram, Twitter and like I found myself doing that way more than if it was just on my home screen.

It's extremely addictive, especially and especially for your generation because you grew up in it completely, right, so I know how to tap out of it because I haven't always had it, you know what I mean. Even though in our generation as well, it's still people who are addicted to it as well.

Conant searching.

Yeah, but your generation, it's it's completely.

It's like cartoons. A part of your life.

This is this is what y'all do is figuring out what's going on in the ground, getting as much foolish information as possible all day long. Like you said, it's hard not to type in your name and see what they're talking about or see what you know.

It's it's all I say.

It's it's a it's a process of just finding what works for you and what don't work for you. Because for some people them being fully locked in has actually become a business.

They know that.

Yeah, it's to get none out of it.

But I mean, I know so many people or it's just like they're just they have to be on their phone, they have to record everything, and I'm just like, I I.

Can't do it.

Bother.

Do y'all ever even eat the snacks?

No, sometimes we eat the snacks you want to. Sometimes we the snacks.

The audiences don't like when Tank be on here smacking the shit.

Sometimes we the snack. We eat the snacks. Justine, where are you going? I want to know your top five, your top five, top five, your top five?

Just this top five?

I bet R and B so.

Home talk, Nikka, did you just Yoda.

Out of his mind? Encourage?

That was crazy?

Good?

Your top five R and B artists right now?

So this is a band. Their name is Salt. The lead singer. I think they may like switch out sometimes I'm not too sure. I don't know, like too much about it. But Cleo Soul is like the singer. Yeah, my favorite song is Masterpiece Souse.

Right, Okay.

So Salt, obviously says right now is going crazy.

Her album is phenomenal.

I mean, like I have to put Beyonce in there, because Beyonce is just a queen of all queens, big beehive.

I think we should buy her a phone for a birthday.

You should buy her.

You said you.

Wanted to call it? Are you? Are you threatened.

You calls you? If she wants to find she'll find it?

Who who told us that too? She was like, yeah, I'll find you.

Rico Love, Rico Love. She called Rico.

Yeah, He's like hello. Yeah.

But Kanye don't got no phone either, right, I don't think so.

That man got a phone? Why he gotta have a phone.

I feel like Kanye tells the person next to him, Hey, person next to me.

No tweet shot his text messages and post of them. He has a phone.

He got a phone. Okay, he's not in that same world. That's three? That three? Is that three salt? Uh?

Jazmine Sullivan?

Yes, yes, love that?

Who else?

Uh?

We're doing artists and then what are the other categories?

Songs?

Next songs?

More artists?

Oh one, more artists? Steve Lacy.

You know I'm rolling having a moment. I funk with Steve.

Lacy love and like I his album like on repeat.

He's dope.

So yeah, okay, I like that.

Okay the top five. Here we go, your top five R and B songs.

Uh, dangerously in love, love that song, masterpiece salt mm hmm, right now it's blind is I Love Sunshine by Steve Lacy? Like, can't get enough of that song?

And then.

Just give us a little vibe. See you said, just a little talent.

But right now it's sound of rain.

M hmm line. Sound all right, here we go. Let's do someth We're gonna build.

What we wait and sign.

All right, sign my love many Rippleton only because it's many Rippleton. Just make that in. I mean, can't deny many ripples. We're gonna make a Voltron, all right.

A transformer, no somewhat. No, Yes, it's a robot.

It's a robot, but it's not a transformer. Okay. So back in the day Voltron, there were these lions, right, and there was the red, white, blue, yellow, and black lion, and.

So power rangers love it.

No, they were lions. And people used to drive the lions, and they were out of space lions. Lion exactly, you would get it. It's it's it's a machine lion. They were machines, but they were made like a lion.

Like it's transformed, right.

Okay, So and and and people would they would they would drive them and fly them, you know what I'm saying. And then to fight evil evil evils, zoids and things come. And so when it was time to fight the big evil monster, all the lions would come together and form one big like transform. No it's not a transformer.

It's what's the nigga that get all the little things?

I think this is Transformer and power Ranger put together.

It's it's Vultron. It's Vultron. It's the five Lions and they come together to form Voltron.

And he looks like a humans.

He stole he stole that from the real Voltron. He don't even like Voltron. He stole it from for real. No, he stole it from Voltron. He's a thief. Anyway, We're gonna make a Voltron, okay, the best, the best of the best, the best of the best, all right. Where you're gonna get the vocals from, the performance style, from the styling from, and then the passion of the artists. We're gonna start with the vocal. What artists are you taking the vocal from to make your Voltron? One artist?

I'm gonna take the voice of Jazzine Sullivan.

I liked it.

And then what else there got you?

Performance style Beyonce, hmm, okay, you're ready, you're ready, all right?

Styling the Cloud the Dread.

Steve Lacy, Yeah he's dripped out.

Okay, see you won't like it, Singing dark Beyonce.

Yeah, okay, yeah, okay, Gothic, Gothic.

No, he's not God for us. He's got a little dark what No, I think he had devil horns on the ship.

No, you can't look at his style, his fashion.

No, but you're looking at his artwork. The artwork and the way he dress is different.

They all kind of go together.

All right, Here we go and the passion of the artist, the heart beyoncew.

Mm hmm, double do b. We're not letting you off the hook, don't you do it.

We got a segment of this show that you cannot leave here without doing.

Piano.

Man, give me something music.

What is this.

You're gonna hear it?

I ain't saying no but I ain't saying no name. I ain't saying no names. I ain't saying no name. Where we was wed, what we did. Hey, I ain't saying no n I ain't saying no names.

Special segment of the show. It's called I ain't saying no name. The story can be funny. I fucked up a funny and fucked though. We would like it to be funny and put it up to you one ruling the game ruling again. You can't say no name.

No name.

You can give descriptions, you can do with that, just you cannot say their name.

Okay, so right now.

We are going to just teen skies.

Grownish. I ain't saying no names.

Oh this one's bad.

No, No, I can't know that one was too crazy.

Okay, fine, I'll tell half of the story. Okay. So I was, this was like over COVID and.

This is really Oh, this is so bad. Actually, you guys gonna feel really bad for me or not. You're gonna think of an idiot. But okay, So I was it was COVID, and I was, there's like the beginning of it. We didn't know what was happening.

I was like dating this person and.

I'd like found out that he was like texting someone.

So then I was like, you know what, And.

I'm so crazy because I was with his brother earlier that day too, and I was like I never want to be in this situation and blah blah blah. And then I went back to the house and there was just a computer screen that was just open, and I was like putting his keys down. I was like, that's crazy. It's just open on a text message. That's really insane.

So I was like, I just I think it was maybe Kelly.

Rowland that I saw, like say, an interview and she was like, just don't scroll up or something like that. I don't know, maybe it wasn't her, I'm wrong person, but I saw something and there was like a woman saying like, just never if you see like someone's phone open, just never scroll up.

And I was like no, I'm aa scroll up and so I.

And so I scrolled up and what do you know, There's just like nudes and this, and then I was like, oh no.

He immediately called his mom and I was like, uh uh get yes, I come get me. I gotta go.

And then she was like I'm so sorry, like this is all my fall I raised him this way.

I was like that is a grown man, like he whatever.

And then so that and I called my other friend that lived in the same area and I was like, come get me, like I have to leave, like blah blah blah whatever. I then like I bring the computer to the guy and I'm like this is you, Like, this.

Is what you're doing. It's COVID.

You're trying to cheat on me during COVID, Like that's crazy.

You're gonna go bring COVID back? Are you in sane?

And then and then he's like, why are you in my phone? And I was just like that's what you have to say. And I was like he was like, well, Ef, you're so unhappy, then leave and I was like, I am leaving, but I just wanted you to give you the opportunity and he was like whatever anyway, So then something happened. And this is like at a time where like because of COVID, like we were doing like live for brands and like doing like mini performances, and so I had to do a performance for like Levi's or something, and I had to go live and the time was coming, but all of this was happening, and I was like, shoot, like I'm gonna have to do this performance here, like I have to set up and like so I can't leave, and so like I'm like, this is the worst moment ever. So I'm sitting and like and he's like, just do the performance here, and I was like, don't talk to me, like, don't speak, actually, just shut up forever.

And so I'm just like whatever.

And then his brother and his mom come and like they're helping me and he's just like, I don't know what the hell he's doing. They had to leave because they had to go do something or go home or whatever. And so I'm sitting there and I set up the phone and then he like I pressed start and then he comes into where I'm doing the live sits in front of me while I'm singing doing the performance, and every time I finished the song, he would clap.

Oh yeah, it was horrible.

And then.

I'm on live, so I had to like pretend like nothing was happening, and he was just empty room, just him. I'm like, you should rot now, and then I left.

I think he's kind of funny. That's wrong.

Some ship is so bad.

So bad.

But you know, it was really funny because when my birthday came around to get back, because at that point I was like I was long ago, I was like I left the whole stay. I was like goodbye. And then he reached out to all my friends like trying to be like I need to make this up to her, like I mess things up, Like reached out to my managers at the time, all my best friends. He was like, I need to come to l A and surprise her, and they were like no, like, we don't think that's a good idea, like send flowers so haha, jokes on him.

Mm hmm, so no, get back, no goodbye, you're trash.

Oh she found her camera too.

But when I look back at these moments, I'm like, honestly, like you have to laugh, Like it was traumatic in the in the moment, but it's like and also I learn my lesson.

But that's a that's like a scene movie that wasn't don't do with people, have another place to perform.

No, the lesson was if I ever am dating someone and I feel the need that I need to look through their ship, you probably should shouldn't be with them.

That's that's the lesson. Also, find a closer venue.

I live by that. If I got to look check after you run out, it ain't worth it. I don't have the time.

Yeah, well I have never told that story.

We thank you here at the Army the podcast that that might be top too, That might be top too. I ain't saying that. No, I'm saying it's between you. It's between you. You don't want to say who else? Between you and somebody else for top spot. I ain't saying the names great recovery. That was really good. Thank you for coming and turning out with old people. Well I'm here, you know, I like they always ask ask if he's my son. That's how you do see it. But thank you. Always got a home at R and B Money. You know that, and we will continue to support you, uplift you, shine the light on you. Whatever you need us to do, we are here. We are at your disposal. Continue to be great, continue to be grown.

Ish, and keep the music coming.

It's crazy, you know what I'm saying.

And you yeah, But she owns Collide, run it up, the other songs, whatever one she's own.

Whole dark side, you stream it, you buy it.

TikTok to it, Come on take that, tell us, come.

Tak talk, Come on ticketing, Get out of there. All right. My name is Tank, I'm Valentine and this is the R and B Money podcast, the authority on all things R and B. And this has been the beautiful, awesome, the talented them justin Scott.

R and B Money.

R and B Money is a production of the Black Effect podcast Network. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Don't forget to subscribe to and rate our show, and you can connect with us on social media at Jay Valentine and at the Real Tank. For the extended episode, subscribe to YouTube dot com or slash r and b money

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R&B Money

R&B Money Podcast is hosted by the Legendary Grammy Award winning R&B singer/songwriter/producer TAN 
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