April 16, 2025 • 54 mins
In this episode of Club Shay Shay, Shannon Sharpe sits down with the legendary Bobby Brown—the original bad boy of R&B, Grammy Award–winning icon, New York Times bestselling author, and chart-topping phenomenon. Bobby dives into founding Bobby Brown Foods with his wife and shares his love for cooking—especially his unbeatable fried chicken. He reflects on whether his kids will follow in his entertainment footsteps and reveals his all-time favorite song he’s written. Bobby breaks down his songwriting process, his dynamic collaborations with producer Teddy Riley, and gives us a front-row seat into the making and legacy of My Prerogative. He even reacts to Britney Spears' controversial remake and opens up about being inspired by icons like Michael Jackson, Prince, Rick James, and Stevie Wonder. He shares the real story behind MC Hammer asking him to wear parachute pants and reveals how New Edition taught Michael Jackson how to moonwalk sideways, reflecting on his favorite memories of the King of Pop. He also weighs in on Chris Brown vs. Usher as Michael Jackson’s closest successor and recounts meeting Usher for the first time. From naming his favorite modern artists—SZA, Tems, Jazmine Sullivan, Anthony Hamilton, Bruno Mars—to addressing the hot debate ("Is R&B dead?"), Bobby keeps it real. He drops his Mount Rushmore of R&B singers (Prince, Michael, Marvin, Stevie), reflects on Don’t Be Cruel selling 12 million copies, and gets candid about streaming's impact on artists, the importance of owning your masters, and surviving fame from a young age. He also opens up about being kicked out of New Edition, how predatory music deals cost him $30 million, and why going solo was the best decision of his career. Bobby names his top four singing groups of all time—Gap Band, Jackson 5, New Edition, and Kool & the Gang—and reveals his best and worst purchases, including the wild story of spending $1 million in a single day. He reflects on the pain of being taken advantage of by family and friends, and the loss of one of his closest friends to gun violence. He also shares the pride of building his own studio—where artists like OutKast recorded. From Donald Trump’s cameo in his “On Our Own” video to his run-ins with the law—including getting arrested for dancing with a fan in Georgia—Bobby tells it all. He talks about working with Martin Lawrence in A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, starring in Two Can Play That Game, and why he regrets turning down a role in Strictly Business with Halle Berry and Tommy Davidson. Bobby looks back fondly on his time on Real Husbands of Hollywood with Kevin Hart, Nick Cannon, and Nelly, and opens up about the intense experience of his reality show with Whitney Houston. He also talks about being shot by an ex-boyfriend of his then-girlfriend—and his romance with Janet Jackson in the '80s. The R&B superstar shares his mission with the Bobbi Kristina Serenity House, a charity created in honor of his late daughter. From the highest highs to the most heartbreaking lows, Bobby Brown proves once again why he’s not just a music icon—he’s a cultural legend. Don’t miss this powerful and unfiltered conversation.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
There's always a debate who is the closest thing to
Michael since Michael. You hear Chris Brown. I would go
with Chris Brown. Really, USh was also a great entertainer.
But I gotta go with Chris on being as close
close to Michael as anybody could ever get.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
All my life, grinding all my life, sacrifice, hustle, pet Price,
one slice got the brother geist, the swap all my life.
I'd be grinding all my life, all my life, grinding
all my life, sacrifights, hustle, paed Price, one slice got
the brother Geist.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
The swap all my life.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
I've been grinding all my life.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Hello, welcome to another episode of Club Sha Shay. I
am your host, Shannon Sharp. I'm also the propride of
Club Sha Shak. Today we'll at least go underground at
Resources World, Las Vegas, stopping by for conversation on a
drink today. He was once known as the bad boy
of R and B. He has left an unforgettable mark
on our culture. From the running man to the gum
Bey style high top face, He's a true legend. A
(01:01):
Billboard chart topping hit maker, a Grammy Award winning singer,
a multiple platinum songwriter, renowned rapper, trend setter, New York
Times bestselling author, a multi talented entertainer, actor, performer, musician,
and a businessman.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
An RB pioneer, an icon.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Of heavyweight, a true titan, one of the most influential,
well loved and compelling artists of all time, a music phenomenon,
a megastar, the king of the stage. Here is my prerogative,
mister Bobby Brown, appreciate you. Thank you for stopping by,
Thanks for having me rober edited, a true, true arnor
to have you on Club Shae Shay, thank you so
(01:38):
much to stop you by, and for today's toast, we
did something a little special. We have what we call
a brown Shae Martinez Martin's my Cognac Shae by Laportier
and Bobby's coffee Bean correct coffee beans coffee being I'm gonna.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Try this out.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
I mean, you know who I needed here. I needed
my makeup artist, Brett. This is her favorite drink, A
mark not even bad, That's not bad at all. I mean,
that's my first time having coffee and I haven't have
it in cognac, So I'm gonna be a wide awake
(02:13):
drunk tonight. So thank you, bro. Thanks for so let
me ask you a questions. So, where can people that
are watching this, where can they get this from?
Speaker 3 (02:21):
You? Ever? A dot com? It is Bobby Brownfoods dot com.
We selled from seasonings to fried chicken mixes to coffee.
It's just, uh, it's just something me and my wife
decided to do. Uh because all my friends used to
love to come over my house okay and and test
(02:44):
my food okay, and they loved it. So you know,
we decided to make you know, seasonings and different things
like that.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
So since you obviously music and we're gonna touch on that,
but you decided to get into the food industry. Yes,
what have you learned most about the food industry? I've
learned it's rough. It takes time.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
It takes time to get into all of the big stores.
But you know, when you have a good product, like
we have all natural, gluten free, less sodium than many
of the seasonings that are out there. So we are
we are a very health conscious line and I think
(03:27):
that's what makes us stand out from all of the rest.
So how long have you how long have you been
in the food industry. I've been in the food industry
almost five six years, around six years now. Master P
is always preaching about a product if good business model,
Why do you think this is?
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Why do you think why do you think the food
industry is such a good, good business model to embark upon.
Food is always needed. Food is always needed by the masses,
especially when it's good. When it's good and it's healthy
for you, I see nowhere to go wrong. I heard
you got a barbecue sauce and that is very good flavors.
(04:07):
We're working on some new flavors. I'm working on a.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Kayaki sauce that is amazing for kids, because my my
barbecue sauce is spicy. It's spicy and kids. You know,
some kids can't take it. You know, my kids can
take it, but some kids can't take it. I heard
your pretty good chef. What's what's Bobby Brown's signature dish? Guys,
(04:34):
we're coming over, all of us coming out. You never
met any of us, and we're coming over. What's Bobby
gonna prepare? I do a shrimp, all of Bobby. I
can't even a legit the shellfish. You can't give that
information beforehand. CB Loster shrimp scallops, oysters. You can't do it,
can't do it. I make a mean fried chicken. I
make a mean spaghetti lasagna. There's a bunch of things
(05:01):
I can cook other than seafood and fried chicken. So
what is Bobby's best dish?
Speaker 1 (05:06):
If somebody says, okay, Bobby, so you going on one
of these shows, one of these cooking shows, and you
got to make your nigger say, hey, everybody gets to
make their signature dish or what they feel they're most
comfortable at.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
What's bobby brown dish? I'm cooking my fried chicken. I'm
definitely cooking my fried chicken. My fried chicken is off
the chain. Papa's ain't got nothing on it. They got
nothing on You can't see, ain't got nothing on it. Nah,
I got I got the remedy. Do you cook every
day or do you cook for special occasions? I cook
most most most of the days at home because I
(05:37):
feed my kids. You know, I have a nine an
eight year old, and a fifteen year old and my wife, so.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
I gotta I gotta be in that kitchen. So how
long have you, I mean, were you cooking as a
little kid? Were you watching your mom? You watch your grandparents,
your aunt's. So how did Bobby get into cooking?
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Cooking came about because I used to be on punishment
all the time.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
I mean all the time. Many people gonna be surprised
by it all the time.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
But my mother used to make me sit in the
kitchen with her while she cooked, while she prepared dinner
for all seven of us, and I used to just
you know, just watch watch and you know, help her
out with the recipes. And I just developed the passion
for it because you know, after having children at an
(06:28):
early age, you got to feed them correct, you know.
And that's the one thing that I I I appreciate
it about you know, having children is that you know,
when you nurture them, you have to nurture them all
the way around, you know, mentally, physically, you know. And
(06:49):
food has just been something that that I just love
to do. I love to get in that kitchen and
whip up things. And my kids appreciated love being in
there with me, helping me out. So you know, it's
just something that you know, I love to do.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
You know, like when your mom, your grandmom cooked, my mom,
I mean my grandmom, my aunt cooked. They didn't have
they didn't have recipes. It was just all in the hall.
Is that how you cook? That's how I cook. I don't,
you know, I got no measurements. I ain't got no measurements.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
It's just, you know, I know how the season, you know,
I know how much season to put on on food,
you know, and you know it's all It's all about
the eye, you know.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
So when you're cooking, you're in the kitchen, what you're
listening to or do you want to listen to music
while you cook it? I really don't listen to music
at all at home that they home at home. At home,
my kids are into piano, you know, all three of them.
They play piano.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
My son's he's big time with you know, uh plays
and different things like that, musicals. So I watched them
and I just pay attention to what they're doing. And
I don't try to put push my music on them
too much because I'll be in there listening to Stevie
and you know, Otis Redding and you know people like that.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Do you kids know who you are? Not take Dad aside?
They do they know Bobby Brown? I know they know Dad,
but do they know Bobby? They know Bobby? They definitely nobody.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Okay, yeah, they've watched they I allow them to see
the programs that that are meaningful, that have some substance
to it. They come out to the concerts, you know,
so they get a good taste of what their father
(08:51):
is all about.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Do you think your kid's gonna follow in your footsteps
or do you want them to follow in your footsteps?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Well, my little girl, she's nine years so okay. She
has a voice like an angel, and I just I
am so impressed by her. Every time she opens her mouth,
I just start crying. My son, he's so super talented.
I believe he's gonna win an oscar one day. Wow.
So you know, as far as following in my footprints, yeah,
(09:20):
you know, I have no problem with it. Their mother's
a manager, you know, so she can take care of
business and and you know, I'm near to lend my
hand with getting them to the right places.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
What is something that your fans don't know about, Bobby?
What's one thing they would be like, hey, man, he
does that, or he did this, or he likes that.
I'm quiet, Really, I'm very quiet. I'm very reserved. When
when it's time to talk, i'll talk.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
But you know, for the most part, I'm gonna sit
back and watch and observe, you know, and see what
the hell is going on for let me ask your question.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Of all the songs that you've recorded, what do you
think my prerogative is the Telephone Man, Candy Girl, every
Little still cool it now, Ronnie, don't be What's what's
Bobby's favorite song?
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Prerogative? Prerogative because because I wrote it for myself. I
wrote it, you know, as an anthem and as a
theme to my lifestyle and what I was all about.
And that's that's basically the reason I think I'm still
here forty forty two years later, is you know that
(10:35):
I took I took what I what I felt about myself,
and I put it on wax.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Wow, What do you remember most when you're writing a song?
So let me ask your question. So you said, my
prerogative is an anthem for Bobby Brown because I'm gonna
do things my way. I'm gonna do things on my term.
And he don't like it, Oh, well, go to hell.
But this is what I So when you're writing a song,
when you go into the I don't know whether you're
at your bed, you're in your kitchen table. When you
go in to write a song, do you have a
(11:02):
general idea of kind of the direction that you want
to go in.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
For the most part, we choose the music first. And
once I get a groove in my head, and once
I get once I get a melody going, there's no
stopping it. It just starts pouring out.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Because I think Teddy Riley if produced that, right, Yes,
Teddy Rolly, Okay, so you like Teddy, I got this,
I got this idea.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
It's an anthem.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
It's an old to me because y'all, you know, they
say I'm bad, they say I'm this and that. Well,
I'm gonna show them why I'm this way. So what
is what is? What is Teddy roll in my prerogative?
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Teddy's role in my prerogative was bringing that slamming ass track.
That track was so so beefy and so so so
in your face that only something like my prerogative could
be said on that correct. You know, Teddy's a great,
great producer and great, great, great friend. And I'm just
(12:00):
I'm really proud that we still have a friendship and
we still have.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
More music to do. When I finished yet in the studio.
What do you think your favorite moment is when you've
been in the studio.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
When I've been met in a studio, my favorite moments
are listening back to the finished product. Okay, when you
when you when you finish the song and the song
is complete, completed, and you have no more work to
do on it. It's listening down and making sure everything
is tight. Did you know my prerogative was going to
(12:35):
do what it did? I hoped, I hoped, but the
track was so so in your face and it was
undeniable as a as a record. We really, we really
hope that that that track was going to make this album,
(12:55):
the Dopey Creue album, the most popular album they did,
and it did. Because when you hear my prerogative, that
means I'm gonna do it whatever my prerogative is. I'm
gonna do it without the way I want to do it.
Right now, you do what you want to do. I
don't care.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
And if you got a problem with it, this is
my prerogative because you can't. And it says I think
at you said I made this track, you didn't.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
I made this money, so you were doing what you
wanted to do. If I wanted to go buy three cars.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
I'm gonna buy three cars by poor houses.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
That's my prerogative. And then people everybody started saying it, yeah,
you know what, you hope I hoped for it. Just
recently at the super Bowl, the uh, the Eagles coach
said that they listened to my prerogative before they went out,
and that just that just took me back because it
(13:46):
was it was about it's about the underdog, you know,
and overcoming. What are any adversities that there is, you know,
any challenges you just give you all. You know, you
give your all and you you you basically just just
(14:12):
take what is yours.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Is there a song that you made that you're like,
I mean, I like it and it's like it blew.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Up probably every little step, really, every little step, or
don't be cruel.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I did not like the songs. I didn't want to
record the songs.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
But La and Babyface were like, dude, these records are
gonna be smash hits. And I was just like, you
know what, well, let's do them. But I don't know
if you know they're gonna be singles. I just want
you to know. If they don't hit, I'm gonna tell
everybody y'all wanted to make this. I want. So you're like,
(14:52):
I don't know, la, but they're hit makers, they're hip makers.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Do you have to do do you always have to
trust those guys? Have to trust or do so sometimes
you go with your instinct, like, Nah.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
I trusted my producers, okay, because you know they they
have they have what I call this the ear. They
have the ear to hear what I can't hear, okay,
And that's why I trust him and I love working
with all of them. You know, it's a lonely road,
(15:27):
you know, when you don't at least try to trust
somebody else, right, you know, to to bring you to
the brink of you know, success.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Is that a prerequisite that you have to have a
relationship with the producer, that you need to be closed,
that you need to trust him or her. That's gonna
be in your ear, that's going to be the ear
that you can't hear with you have to trust that individual.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Yes, definitely, definitely.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Are you surprised that the song that you sang thirty
years ago, thirty five years ago are still being played
today and they.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Are so like, so popular. I'm very surprised after forty
forty two years in this industry. We haven't put out
a record in probably ten of those years, and we're
still touring. We're still keeping up with you know, our
fan base, our fan base is probably one of the
(16:23):
strongest fan bases that you know, any group or any individual,
any for lifers. They just they keep coming back, they
keep coming back, They keep coming back to every show.
I mean, they helped us sell out what the last
(16:43):
two years here in the States with the Legacy Tour
and the Culture Tour, and they've come to Vegas and
sold those shows out. So it's been it's been wonderful
to just to have fans like that.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
When someone comes to you and wants to sample your music,
talking to L L L says, I don't let anybody
sample it before I hear what they're actually putting on
my over over my track. So when someone comes to
body and said, hey, mister Brown, we really would like
to sample this song, do you.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Need to hear it or do you just yes, I
gotta hear it, got to hear it. You don't know
what these kids will say these days. You know these
kids is will say something that you know you.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Don't want your song associated with associated with So, yeah,
you got to listen to it. Who do you believe
sample one of your songs the best?
Speaker 3 (17:42):
I don't think they did did justice. Okay, I don't
think they really did justice to any of the samples
that they they have done to my songs. Like Brittany
Spears butchered, she butchered, uh prerogatives, Teddy Riley produced it.
(18:03):
But that was a butchering that you know. I well,
you couldn't take it, but you heard, but you but
you cleared it.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
I cleared it only because it was Britney Spears and
I was thinking it right, she gonna do it good? Yeah, yea,
yeah nice Teddy Riley's doing it.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Yeah, so you know that I felt it was a butchering.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
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Speaker 3 (19:12):
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(19:36):
a trendsetter in the eighties and nineties.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
Because I was fearless. I had nobody, I had nobody
to to look at. In in competition with Okay, I
believe there was Michael, there was Prince, you know, and
all I was trying to do was be the best
(20:02):
artist that I could possibly be. So I mixed up
Michael Prince, Rick James, and Stevie Wonder and tried to
be what all of them were not, you know, and
that that became Bobby Brown. You popularized the Robert Roger
Rabbit dance, the Running Man, the hot top fade that's
(20:25):
landed to the direction.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
What what made you cut your hair like that? What
made you like I'm gonna do this? That was a mistake.
That was a mistake.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
Up the Bobba f me up and I had to
shoot a video and it just, you know, it's stuck.
It just stuck. And you know, people actually wen't got
their haircut like the know. I know. Let me tell
you the story. I went to the late Great Quincy
Jones's house one time and I'm looking at all the
(20:56):
photos in his house and he's talking to me and
giving me advice and giving me advice. And I see
this one picture when this guy, this old guy had
the slanted hair, and I was like, yo, so man
got my haircut. He was like, that picture is forty
something years old and that's my grandfather. Wow. And his
(21:19):
grandfather had a Gumby And I was just like, wow,
Gumby was around before. Yes, so I wasn't the first
one to do it. But I was the first one
to bring something back to our culture that was about us,
you know, and about our individuality. You know how we
(21:41):
are trendsetters, right, And I was just proud. I was
just really proud that I had a haircut like somebody
else back in the days.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
You know, you mentioned that you took a little bit
from Prince, you took a little bit from Michael Jackson,
you took a little bit from Stevie Wonder, you took
a little bit from Rick James. So that was your
source of inspiration. But you're kind of more Rick James
because you would label the bad boy Bobby. Was that
an accident? Was that on purpose? You needed something to
make Bobby stand out? Why did you adopt that personality?
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Or is that who you have? Was really who I
am on stage? On stage? I do not discriminate with
what I do. I tried to give the best concert
I can possibly give. I try to give all of
the energy that I have stored up in my body,
(22:33):
and that came from watching Rick James on stage. When
New Edition was on the Cold Blooded tour opening up
for Rick James, he would have me watch his show
every night. Every night he would just say, stand on
the side of the stage and watch my show. Don't
(22:55):
say nothing about it, just watch my show. And he
never knew I was going to go solo, but he
just he felt that I think that I was. I
admired him so much, I admired his music so much.
He wanted me to to experience what a live performance
really is about. And it's about giving you all blood,
(23:18):
sweat and tears out there. But you entertain, entertain that
audience and keep their attention. And uh, that was one
thing about Rick that he never he never slacked the
slacked them off about you know, it was always about
entertaining the audience.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Bobby, you had the mc hammer pants first. Now Hammer
gets credit for him, but you're wearing Hammers.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Yeah. He asked me to actually wear them. Oh did it?
He actually asked me to wear them. And I was like, yeah, man,
their their pants. I got the pants from New Edition,
so New Edition warm before I did, and then I
wore them and then Hammer warm. And it was it's
about fashion. It was just about keeping a trend going.
(24:05):
And I'm proud of that.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
When you see people bring breack trends, what do you
what do you think, because a lot of things seem
like you remember the I mean, you and I think
we're pretty much close in age.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
I'm about to be fifty seven. I'm fifty six. I
just turned fifty six. Okay, you remember bail bombs, bell bottoms. Okay,
then they went to the skinny jeans. Now they back
to the bail bottles.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Yes, everybody, the big, the big, the overside suit, back
to the overside suits.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
When you see trends come back in, does that make
you smile like that makes that makes that really makes
me feel a little bit older than than I actually am.
You know, I don't wanna I don't wanna. I don't
wanna ever feel like I'm getting older, getting out of
(24:50):
touch with you know, anything my children might be getting into,
you know, But when they come back around, you know,
I get a chance to tell my kids, Listen, we
used to, way back, way back, we used to wear
our pants just like that. Uh, you know, the skinny jeans.
I don't know where that came from, but that that
(25:12):
is something that was just not We never wore it.
Skinny jeans, you know, growing up, when I grew up,
skinny jeans was a fad that hopefully doesn't. We don't
want to. You don't want that. We don't want that
to come back, no time soon. Okay, what what trend
would you like to see comeback? Ah? But we still
(25:38):
got the afro. Yeah, I'm loving the ass. They don't
They don't rock it as much. I mean, they don't
rock it as much they rocked the braidsid the twist. Yeah,
there's a lot of you know, dreads out there now. Unfortunately,
you know, I can't grow all my hair back. There's
some spots that won't grow. But you could grow from hair.
(25:59):
I mean you can. It'll be flocky. It'll have a
spot right here. Okay, and that that is that is
not a hairstyle that you know, I want to you know,
you get people to follow.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Uh. Is it true that you talked Michael Jackson how
to move move walk sideways? Sideway okay sideways not not
the back, not the back one, but you go to
go sideways?
Speaker 3 (26:26):
So how so how did you teach him?
Speaker 1 (26:27):
So what I mean, so what you let you went
over to his house or we went over to his
house and we were doing it in front of him.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
New addition, and I don't know if he already knew
how to do it. But I know that when we
showed him he was flabbygasted. He was like, wow, that's
something new, right. So he put it into his thing
and he put he perfected.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
It was over. It was over. He took it and
perfected it. What's your best memory of Michael?
Speaker 3 (26:55):
My best memory of Michael is it's how kind and
how how how how just how kind he was as
a as a man. You really don't find people like
that anymore. Michael was somebody that trusted and believed in Jehovah.
(27:18):
Michael was somebody that trusted and believed in what he
was about as a man, what what he was about
as an entertainer. He knew how special he was and
that that impressed me. You know, it always has impressed me.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
There's always a debate who is the closest in your time,
Who is the closest thing to Michael since Michael?
Speaker 3 (27:43):
You know you hear Chris Brown? You hear I would?
I would? I would? I would go with Chris Brown. Really,
I would go with Chris Brown because the dancing and
the singing aspect. Chris Brown is a dancer, singer, slash
slash great entertainer. Okay, he goes out there and he
douse the ultimate, ultimate stuff on stage and you just
(28:06):
have to love it. Usher also, Usher was also a
great entertainer. But I gotta go with Chris on on
on being as close close to Michael as as anybody
could ever get.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
And it was great to see Breeze at the Grammy
get to win that finallyvine Getters due, long, over due,
but right on time. Yes, Usher said he looked up
to you and say, because you kind of related to
you in the industry more than anyone else. When you
hear one of this generation's great performers, one of these
(28:39):
great R and B singers says that, you know, Bobby
was kind of a mused that I used to kind
of develop what I did.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
How to make you feel makes me feel great because
he's a great entertainer. I've known Usher since he was
twelve eleven, twelve years old, and just just seeing his
growth in the industry and seeing how how well he
holds hisself up, how well he takes care of his business.
(29:08):
I'm really proud of him.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
Do you remember the first time when did he come
to your show, whether whether an arranged meeting, do you
remember you say you're knownh since he was twelve? How
did that meeting happen?
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Uh? I had I had a a security guard who
found us here and he brought him to the shows.
He brought him to the studios. I had a studio
in Atlanta, Georgia, and he he just was always around Okay.
(29:39):
He brought him to be around me and to learn
what this this thing of ours is is all about? Right?
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Which new artist does Bobby listen to today? Is there
anybody that that you know?
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Like? Man? I really like I really like he or her?
You like? I mean, I like this Sune. I like
the way they do, do what they do. I love
I love all of the females to new females that's
South right now, Jasmine Sullivan and all of them, Sizza, Yeah, him,
I love. I love Anthony Hamilton, probably one of my
(30:18):
favorite artists out there right now. As far as Soul
and R and B is concerned, he's definitely keeping it
the mems, not him.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
Tims Tims, Yeah, Man, she's amazing. Yeah, she's She's absolutely amazing.
Uh R and B. We get this a lot. I
asked Usher this, I've asked a lot of people that's
appeared on club.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
Is R and B dead? No, no, No, R and
B is never gonna die. R and B is something
that it's made up of what they call popular music.
So it's been in a wolven. It's not dead.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
It's just been in a woven and a lot of
different things, a lot of different things.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
You have Bruno moms who you know, who's keeping the
the R and B new Jack sound alive? Yes, which
is which is great for for anybody who loves that
style of music. That style of music will never it
will never die. It will never die. Who's some of
(31:20):
them you mentioned? Like? Are there any guys that you like?
Speaker 1 (31:24):
You mentioned like Jasmine Sullivan, you mentioned, like taim you
mentioned some of the females other than Anthony Hamilton.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
Who is your R RB guys? I like Chris, I
like Usher. There's a lot of them out there. A
lot of new cats out there that I can't you know,
figuring their names out, but a lot of new songs
that are out there that are really R and B
orientated really impressed me. Who is the king R and B?
(31:53):
Who's the king of R and being of R and B? Uh?
Speaker 1 (31:59):
I don't no, I don't know. So it's a big question.
It is who's the king of R and B. Well,
how about this here giving your mound rushmore? If you
got four people to put on this this not mountain,
are your four greatest Bobby Brown's four greatest R and
B singers?
Speaker 3 (32:16):
Who faces you putting on that mountain?
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Damn calling me out right now. I know one's gonna
be on the Marvin Gay. You're gonna put Marvin up there.
Marvin is definitely up there. Prince is definitely up Okay,
Michael's definitely up there. Stevie Wonders definitely up there. You
ain't got no more We got got no more room.
You ain't got no more room. I'm sorry, we have
(32:43):
no more vacancies up there. Let me ask you that
streaming that seems to be a lot, because Bobby, when
you started sitting, when you first started, it was all
the hard copies. You went to the you went to
the you know, Doore, and you waited in line, and
you couldn't wait to buy that, you know that forty
five or thirty year old whatever you're gonna buy. You
couldn't wait to get that actual copy of the vinyl.
(33:05):
Right now, it's not so much like that. Streaming is
kind of where it is now. What are your thoughts
on streaming?
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Streaming is something that basically has has stretched the game
outa The game is not the same anymore. You can't
sell records, so the artist doesn't get paid as much
as they are supposed to. Streaming is basically a robbery
of of selling records.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
It's somebody's intellectual property house. You're stealing it, you know.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
And it's not It's not something that I look at
to be something for the future. I think the future
should have, you know, because when you buy an album,
you get to look at that album. You get to
read who who's done, Who's done what on the album,
You get the pictures, you get you get all of
(34:00):
this great information. When you look at an album cover
correct and you get the same minute, you get.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
The whole You actually get to hold it. It's yours. Yes,
and now now you you know, do you have a
vinyl collection? Did you keep all those albums that you
collected that you that back in the day. Do you
have them all? I don't have them all. You let
them go, but I let them go. I let them go.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
Unfortunately, unfortunately, I don't know. I don't know how I
did it right, you know, just leaving certain situations and leaving,
leaving stuff here, and then leaving stuff here. Somebody out
there got Bobby Brown. Somebody's gotten Vinyl collections, and I
want it back. I ain't playing. I want myself back.
Speaker 1 (34:43):
Bobby used to sell twelve million physical copies, twelve million
albums physical people went into the line or they ordered
to however they got it.
Speaker 3 (34:53):
But they got that many copies.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
Do you think we'll ever see someone sell that many
physical records again?
Speaker 3 (35:03):
I would hope, So, I would really hope. So if
they bring Vinyl back, you know, if they find a
different way to sell albums, I would hope. So, you know,
because it's a lot of people out there that that
listen to music that can't speak the language. You know,
(35:25):
they learned how to speak English by listening to music.
And those people need albums. They need, they need they
need the actual physical, physical album to be able to
do that.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
You mentioned earlier that that streaming has cut some of
the process, So walk us through. So like if you weren't,
let's just say, for the sake of argument, if streaming
was available back then and you record all these songs.
Obviously you probably wasn't independent. I forget what label you're on,
So the record company would take it to the streaming
service and they would play it.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
Because how does that work? I tell you the truth,
I don't know how streaming works these days because I'm
so out of the loop of you know, putting out
records that you know, my my, my past record label
was MCA Records Universal, and they still have a stronghold
(36:23):
on what the industry is about right now. They still
have a stronghold on it. But I'd just like to
see the artists get their just dues, you know, get that,
get the monies that they deserve to receive for making
this music and selling this music to the people.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
I mean, you get a little change. I mean your
stuff is streaming. I mean they can go on and
listen it. Don't be cruel and my boy and all
that stuff. They still get a change. It's nice little checks.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
I'm living. I'm living.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
If a new artist came to you for advice, what's
the first thing you tell them?
Speaker 3 (37:04):
Tell them to always practice on their craft, always rehearse, always,
always hold yourself accountable for performing for people. The stage
is everything. And it allows you to have the longevity
in this industry when you're a great performer. Now, I
(37:29):
don't care how many records you've sold. If you can't
perform on stage, perform live, there's no reason for you
to be in this industry. Wow.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
Wow, as a kid star growing up in Boston, become
this megastar, come into this large summer money, more money
than you thought you could ever have ever do. How
difficult was it to you for you to stay grounded
and not lose sight of who body was?
Speaker 3 (38:02):
My mother, my mother, and my father. They told me
I was never too big to get an ass whip
somebody making his money. No, I was never too old to,
you know, take an ass whipping or give one out. No,
(38:25):
it's just just to me, this is entertainment and I
hold that to heart. I hold that dearly. It's it's
about performing for people, and it's about it's about making
the money and not letting the money make you.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
How difficult was it to be famous at a young age?
Did you change or did the surroundings? Are people around
you change? People around you change a lot. They view
you differently, They expect, they expect things from you. They
expect you to do things for them that you know
you wouldn't normally do for a person. They expect if
(39:09):
you if you you're the one with the money. They
are your friends, so they should, you know, benefit off
benefit also. And you know I still have the same
friends that I had wow back in the days, because
my friends always kept me, kept me grounded.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
They always made sure that I remembered who I was
and remember who I am as a person. How is family? Family?
Family is family something else? Family is definitely something else.
I mean it was it hard for you to tell family? No,
it still is. Really it still is because because being being.
Speaker 1 (39:54):
A professional professional athelete and having some success and being
in media space, it's always a situation like when you
come into something, it's we, but when we lose something,
as you, it's me man, we whoa were rich?
Speaker 3 (40:05):
He broke? WHOA? WHOA what are well? So it was
we we had money?
Speaker 1 (40:11):
Right? So so your family come to you because it's
like now all of a sudden, they see Bobby would
a new car. They need a new car. They see
Bobby would a nice wife. They want to watch. They
see Bobby got a new home, but.
Speaker 3 (40:26):
Hey, where's mine? So how do you because you look
at the in the beginning. In the beginning, I would
give my family everything, really, I mean everything, you know,
from houses, to cars, to to jewelry to money, you know.
And as I grew grow up, as I grew up,
(40:50):
I learned that I have a family, I have kids,
I have a wife. You know that I have to
take care of correct and something have to stay that way.
You know, you can't. You can't give what you ain't
got to everybody. You know, you have to, you know,
(41:11):
make sure you take care of home first. And it's
hard for family. Family, But Bobby, we family. Bro.
Speaker 1 (41:19):
I was with you when you have nothing, and then
you go to my house and eat them a certain families.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
That should be worth about fifty grand because it's.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Funny though, but in all and in all honesty is
that people did for you, like now we owe them something. Okay, Bro,
I had a meal at your house. Is that worth
twenty five thousand day? Can I cook for you? So
let me cook a meal for you. That's that payback,
that's payback pay back enough. Here's something special for you.
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(42:13):
The Crown is yours Publishing. Let me ask you this,
When you sold twelve million hard copies, how much money
did you see actually see from that?
Speaker 3 (42:24):
I saw a lot of her A lot of it.
I saw a lot of it because my deal was
situated in a way where I made you know, money
dollars on each record, okay, so oh okay, not pennies.
(42:46):
So for me, you know, the way my mother had
it structured and the way my management made it so
that I saw a lot of the money. I still
see checks, you know, I still see checks. So you know,
(43:08):
it's it's it's not like the money is gone. Uh hm,
it's still. It's it's it's it's still it's still in
a way where I feel like my best years are
yet to yet to be, yet to come.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
Is that why it's so important for artists, artists to
keep their masters to keep their catalog.
Speaker 3 (43:33):
Yes, yes, you have to if after the first thirty
five years I obtained my masters. Okay, so now I
own my own masters and I can do what I
want to do with my music. Would you ever consider
selling it? No time soon?
Speaker 1 (43:54):
You're like, hell, I'd just got it back, trying to
get involve of it at all.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
Like if you had to guess what, what song do
you think? Says?
Speaker 1 (44:04):
Okay, they put the most money in the bank account.
They make sure that the wife and the kids that
we're gonna be good.
Speaker 3 (44:11):
Which song? Which what song you think pays you the most? H?
I think the Dumpy Crue album period, because we had
six seven singles off of that album. Right, that whole
album pays me enough to live. Wow today, that's nice
(44:31):
with a wife and three kids. Wife, and that ain't
bad living five kids? Oh by bad? That ain't bad
living about yeah? Three grandchildren?
Speaker 2 (44:43):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (44:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (44:45):
What have you learned when it comes to the music
industry and contracts?
Speaker 3 (44:51):
Uh, you gotta be careful. They get you, They get you.
Have a great lawyer. Always have a lawyer. Look at
all your contract doesn't matter what you have to pay
that lawyer as long as that lawyer is doing this
job you it'd be worth it to to to let
(45:12):
a lawyer look at it.
Speaker 1 (45:13):
If you can go back and resign a contract, what
would you do over? If so, I'm you're here, here,
you are now fifty six years of age. If I'll
transport you back forty two years, what would you do different?
Speaker 3 (45:23):
I'm be independent from the jump from the jump. From
the jump, I would bust my ass every concert, every
promotional thing that I had to do to make sure
that I sold the records and performed at my best ability.
Speaker 1 (45:41):
Is the situation where you do an album? You how
long after you do an album do you think about Okay,
I got the.
Speaker 3 (45:47):
Tour, uh right away, right away?
Speaker 1 (45:52):
So so, so what's what's common? When do When do
most albums drop? Or they are set time in which
albums drop?
Speaker 3 (45:57):
Nowadays albums drop. People drop albums every six months. Okay,
I dropped the album every three years. And it was
just like, because we were touring so much, dropped the
album and dropped the album we tore for the next
three years. Wow, that's what we did on the Don't
(46:18):
Be Crude. That's what we did on the Bobby Brown.
The Bobby album. We toured. We just toured and toured
all around the world.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Do you think back in some of the contracts that
you signed and some of the money that you left
on the table, You're.
Speaker 3 (46:30):
Like, damn, what the hell was I thinking? Yeah, yeah,
it was a lot of money left. There's a lot
of money left. Uh, new edition, first deal.
Speaker 1 (46:41):
Is it true you guys only made five hundred dollars
at a VCR with a new edition before it went solo.
Speaker 3 (46:45):
Yes, five hundred dollars in a VCR. Five hundred dollars
in the VCR, that's all you got. And our royalty
was like a dollar sixty eight. Our royalty check was
like a dollar sixty eight. But we got five hundred
dollars to sign in a VCR. Well, it was a
Beta max at the time, so I would so which
one of you guys were the lawyer? Neither one of
(47:09):
us was good at being a lawyer.
Speaker 1 (47:12):
So you guys got Rake cross the cold and that
we got ranked. We got ranked. We didn't know anything
about it. We we all we wanted to do was perform.
All we wanted to do was make enough money to
go to the movies, buy candy, you know, date girls,
you know, that's all. That's all we thought about. We
(47:33):
wasn't thinking about the lay money.
Speaker 3 (47:36):
We didn't know. We didn't know.
Speaker 1 (47:38):
We didn't know, we didn't You were saying we were
treated like little slaves. Why do you think that we
worked all the time and didn't get paid?
Speaker 3 (47:50):
You know, new edition. I think right now we're at
our best time because we are. We're together as brothers, right,
and we fought a lot growing up, but we're together
as brothers. We pray together, we eat together, we sleep together.
As far as you know, we stay in the same building.
(48:13):
When we're in the same buildings, you can't touch us. Wow,
that's the supergroup. You had a family.
Speaker 1 (48:23):
It was family members that actually did the contract the
first time around.
Speaker 3 (48:26):
You still have family doing anything for your car drown No, no, no, no,
unfortunately not. I mean, my brother is still in my life.
You know, we'll always be in my life. But I
found that me handling my own stuff my wife with
(48:48):
my lawyer is a lot easier to deal with than
you know, having, you know, to put that pressure on him.
Speaker 1 (48:56):
Some people say you can do it. A lot of
people say you can't mix business and family.
Speaker 3 (49:01):
Right.
Speaker 1 (49:01):
Have you found that it was it's really because at
the end of that, that's my brother. I don't want
my brother losing his job, but my brother ain't doing
the damn job good enough to keep a job. It's
as simple as that. This ain't Bro. You still gonna
be my brother forever. But Bro, this's just certain things
that you can't.
Speaker 3 (49:17):
You can't. You can't depend on family members to do right,
but you have to, you know, still love them the same,
you know, and always be there for him.
Speaker 1 (49:30):
If I ask you to put a dollar amount on
how much money you guys think you lost with that
first album, considering that you was making five hundred dollars
in a BCR you got a dollar say State Royalty.
How much money you think you guys missed out on Bobby.
Speaker 3 (49:45):
Thirty thirty thirty to forty million apiece? Wow? At we
should have been making that amount of money a piece.
New Edition. Wow, you guys have this run a group
(50:06):
do we?
Speaker 1 (50:07):
Do you ever think before we get into the new addition,
do you ever think we'll see a group again like
New Addition, Like we saw new Kids on the blog,
we saw end Sync.
Speaker 3 (50:15):
It used to be groups. Do you ever think we'll
see that again? About it? I hope. I hope because
you know, it's an art form that is it's filled
with passion, you know, brotherhood. It's like playing playing a
(50:36):
game of football. You you have to depend on each
one of the players to do their job in order
for you to be successful. And I think I hope
that we see groups come back, bands come back.
Speaker 1 (50:51):
How you guys who were who were? You went solo first?
I went solo first because you guys were You guys
grew up in the same area. You knew each other,
so it wasn't like, Okay, we got an audition and
we're gonna find out who can do this and who
can do that. You guys knew each other from the jump,
so you already had that kind of bond. What started
(51:13):
to happen to make you decide, I think I need
to step out and do my own thing.
Speaker 3 (51:20):
I was just tired of the bubblegum bubblegum experience. You know,
you want to be a little bit more hardcore. I wanted.
I wanted to be more hardcore, but I wanted more
control over what I did. Okay, you know the songs
that I sang, the clothes that I wore. I wanted
to have more control. And thank god that I that
(51:43):
I got kicked out of the group at that time,
they kicked you out, They kicked me out of the group. Oh,
I was voted out of the group. So when you
found out? So hold on?
Speaker 1 (51:52):
Did they find out find out that you were going solo?
Is that why they kicked you out before you actually
wanted to exit? Or how did this happen?
Speaker 3 (51:59):
No? I was picked out first, and then they found
out that I was doing a solo Why they kick
you out? I was just doing the wrong. So you
had a little something to do with now I had.
I had a lot to do with it. You had
a lot to do it. I had a lot to
do with it.
Speaker 1 (52:13):
So they voted. So did anybody vote to keep you in?
Or they are whether whether unanimous body gotta go?
Speaker 3 (52:19):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (52:20):
I think from what I heard, there was one against four, damn,
one against well, one against three right that wanted.
Speaker 3 (52:30):
Me to remain? To remain?
Speaker 1 (52:33):
Did you have a conversation like, hold hold on, God,
look check this out. I didn't get a chance to
have a conversation.
Speaker 3 (52:38):
You didn't. No, they didn't even give you that courtagy body.
Speaker 1 (52:40):
No, no, no, But this is my These are my brothers,
I know because you're my brothers, and got been able
to come back together. Yes, and our relationships are stronger
than ever.
Speaker 3 (52:52):
Did you hope for this moment? Yes? Yeah. Once I
once I was out of the group and I found
a little success, and I found a different way of
doing things, and I was successful at doing it that way,
doing it my way. I wanted them to know that
they could do it and in that same same form
(53:16):
and make more money, you know, doing it that way.
Speaker 1 (53:19):
Well then kind of like I think Ralph was probably
the next one that go solo. Right, No, it was
BBD Okay, okay, Bell BBD Right, they went, and then
Ralph and then Ralph, and then of course Johnny was
already already, so Johnny came once you left, So Johnny
was what replaced you. No, Johnny was supposed to replace
(53:40):
Ralph because Ralph was going solo. Okay, okay, So Johnny
was putting the group to give the give the group
a new sound, okay. And then Bell Bivdevaux went up
to charts and blew up and.
Speaker 3 (53:57):
The group just you know, it was about pieces. And
then once we figured it out, we figured out that
we have all of these pieces that we can bring
back together and form this supergroup, this supergroup. Why not
do it?
Speaker 1 (54:18):
This concludes the first half of my conversation. Part two
is also posted and you can access it to whichever
podcast platform you just listen to part one on. Just
simply go back to Club Sha profile and I'll see
you there.
There's always a debate who is the closest thing to
Michael since Michael. You hear Chris Brown. I would go
with Chris Brown. Really, USh was also a great entertainer.
But I gotta go with Chris on being as close
close to Michael as anybody could ever get.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
All my life, grinding all my life, sacrifice, hustle, pet Price,
one slice got the brother geist, the swap all my life.
I'd be grinding all my life, all my life, grinding
all my life, sacrifights, hustle, paed Price, one slice got
the brother Geist.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
The swap all my life.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
I've been grinding all my life.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Hello, welcome to another episode of Club Sha Shay. I
am your host, Shannon Sharp. I'm also the propride of
Club Sha Shak. Today we'll at least go underground at
Resources World, Las Vegas, stopping by for conversation on a
drink today. He was once known as the bad boy
of R and B. He has left an unforgettable mark
on our culture. From the running man to the gum
Bey style high top face, He's a true legend. A
(01:01):
Billboard chart topping hit maker, a Grammy Award winning singer,
a multiple platinum songwriter, renowned rapper, trend setter, New York
Times bestselling author, a multi talented entertainer, actor, performer, musician,
and a businessman.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
An RB pioneer, an icon.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Of heavyweight, a true titan, one of the most influential,
well loved and compelling artists of all time, a music phenomenon,
a megastar, the king of the stage. Here is my prerogative,
mister Bobby Brown, appreciate you. Thank you for stopping by,
Thanks for having me rober edited, a true, true arnor
to have you on Club Shae Shay, thank you so
(01:38):
much to stop you by, and for today's toast, we
did something a little special. We have what we call
a brown Shae Martinez Martin's my Cognac Shae by Laportier
and Bobby's coffee Bean correct coffee beans coffee being I'm gonna.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Try this out.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
I mean, you know who I needed here. I needed
my makeup artist, Brett. This is her favorite drink, A
mark not even bad, That's not bad at all. I mean,
that's my first time having coffee and I haven't have
it in cognac, So I'm gonna be a wide awake
(02:13):
drunk tonight. So thank you, bro. Thanks for so let
me ask you a questions. So, where can people that
are watching this, where can they get this from?
Speaker 3 (02:21):
You? Ever? A dot com? It is Bobby Brownfoods dot com.
We selled from seasonings to fried chicken mixes to coffee.
It's just, uh, it's just something me and my wife
decided to do. Uh because all my friends used to
love to come over my house okay and and test
(02:44):
my food okay, and they loved it. So you know,
we decided to make you know, seasonings and different things
like that.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
So since you obviously music and we're gonna touch on that,
but you decided to get into the food industry. Yes,
what have you learned most about the food industry? I've
learned it's rough. It takes time.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
It takes time to get into all of the big stores.
But you know, when you have a good product, like
we have all natural, gluten free, less sodium than many
of the seasonings that are out there. So we are
we are a very health conscious line and I think
(03:27):
that's what makes us stand out from all of the rest.
So how long have you how long have you been
in the food industry. I've been in the food industry
almost five six years, around six years now. Master P
is always preaching about a product if good business model,
Why do you think this is?
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Why do you think why do you think the food
industry is such a good, good business model to embark upon.
Food is always needed. Food is always needed by the masses,
especially when it's good. When it's good and it's healthy
for you, I see nowhere to go wrong. I heard
you got a barbecue sauce and that is very good flavors.
(04:07):
We're working on some new flavors. I'm working on a.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Kayaki sauce that is amazing for kids, because my my
barbecue sauce is spicy. It's spicy and kids. You know,
some kids can't take it. You know, my kids can
take it, but some kids can't take it. I heard
your pretty good chef. What's what's Bobby Brown's signature dish? Guys,
(04:34):
we're coming over, all of us coming out. You never
met any of us, and we're coming over. What's Bobby
gonna prepare? I do a shrimp, all of Bobby. I
can't even a legit the shellfish. You can't give that
information beforehand. CB Loster shrimp scallops, oysters. You can't do it,
can't do it. I make a mean fried chicken. I
make a mean spaghetti lasagna. There's a bunch of things
(05:01):
I can cook other than seafood and fried chicken. So
what is Bobby's best dish?
Speaker 1 (05:06):
If somebody says, okay, Bobby, so you going on one
of these shows, one of these cooking shows, and you
got to make your nigger say, hey, everybody gets to
make their signature dish or what they feel they're most
comfortable at.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
What's bobby brown dish? I'm cooking my fried chicken. I'm
definitely cooking my fried chicken. My fried chicken is off
the chain. Papa's ain't got nothing on it. They got
nothing on You can't see, ain't got nothing on it. Nah,
I got I got the remedy. Do you cook every
day or do you cook for special occasions? I cook
most most most of the days at home because I
(05:37):
feed my kids. You know, I have a nine an
eight year old, and a fifteen year old and my wife, so.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
I gotta I gotta be in that kitchen. So how
long have you, I mean, were you cooking as a
little kid? Were you watching your mom? You watch your grandparents,
your aunt's. So how did Bobby get into cooking?
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Cooking came about because I used to be on punishment
all the time.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
I mean all the time. Many people gonna be surprised
by it all the time.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
But my mother used to make me sit in the
kitchen with her while she cooked, while she prepared dinner
for all seven of us, and I used to just
you know, just watch watch and you know, help her
out with the recipes. And I just developed the passion
for it because you know, after having children at an
(06:28):
early age, you got to feed them correct, you know.
And that's the one thing that I I I appreciate
it about you know, having children is that you know,
when you nurture them, you have to nurture them all
the way around, you know, mentally, physically, you know. And
(06:49):
food has just been something that that I just love
to do. I love to get in that kitchen and
whip up things. And my kids appreciated love being in
there with me, helping me out. So you know, it's
just something that you know, I love to do.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
You know, like when your mom, your grandmom cooked, my mom,
I mean my grandmom, my aunt cooked. They didn't have
they didn't have recipes. It was just all in the hall.
Is that how you cook? That's how I cook. I don't,
you know, I got no measurements. I ain't got no measurements.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
It's just, you know, I know how the season, you know,
I know how much season to put on on food,
you know, and you know it's all It's all about
the eye, you know.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
So when you're cooking, you're in the kitchen, what you're
listening to or do you want to listen to music
while you cook it? I really don't listen to music
at all at home that they home at home. At home,
my kids are into piano, you know, all three of them.
They play piano.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
My son's he's big time with you know, uh plays
and different things like that, musicals. So I watched them
and I just pay attention to what they're doing. And
I don't try to put push my music on them
too much because I'll be in there listening to Stevie
and you know, Otis Redding and you know people like that.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Do you kids know who you are? Not take Dad aside?
They do they know Bobby Brown? I know they know Dad,
but do they know Bobby? They know Bobby? They definitely nobody.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Okay, yeah, they've watched they I allow them to see
the programs that that are meaningful, that have some substance
to it. They come out to the concerts, you know,
so they get a good taste of what their father
(08:51):
is all about.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Do you think your kid's gonna follow in your footsteps
or do you want them to follow in your footsteps?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Well, my little girl, she's nine years so okay. She
has a voice like an angel, and I just I
am so impressed by her. Every time she opens her mouth,
I just start crying. My son, he's so super talented.
I believe he's gonna win an oscar one day. Wow.
So you know, as far as following in my footprints, yeah,
(09:20):
you know, I have no problem with it. Their mother's
a manager, you know, so she can take care of
business and and you know, I'm near to lend my
hand with getting them to the right places.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
What is something that your fans don't know about, Bobby?
What's one thing they would be like, hey, man, he
does that, or he did this, or he likes that.
I'm quiet, Really, I'm very quiet. I'm very reserved. When
when it's time to talk, i'll talk.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
But you know, for the most part, I'm gonna sit
back and watch and observe, you know, and see what
the hell is going on for let me ask your question.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Of all the songs that you've recorded, what do you
think my prerogative is the Telephone Man, Candy Girl, every
Little still cool it now, Ronnie, don't be What's what's
Bobby's favorite song?
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Prerogative? Prerogative because because I wrote it for myself. I
wrote it, you know, as an anthem and as a
theme to my lifestyle and what I was all about.
And that's that's basically the reason I think I'm still
here forty forty two years later, is you know that
(10:35):
I took I took what I what I felt about myself,
and I put it on wax.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Wow, What do you remember most when you're writing a song?
So let me ask your question. So you said, my
prerogative is an anthem for Bobby Brown because I'm gonna
do things my way. I'm gonna do things on my term.
And he don't like it, Oh, well, go to hell.
But this is what I So when you're writing a song,
when you go into the I don't know whether you're
at your bed, you're in your kitchen table. When you
go in to write a song, do you have a
(11:02):
general idea of kind of the direction that you want
to go in.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
For the most part, we choose the music first. And
once I get a groove in my head, and once
I get once I get a melody going, there's no
stopping it. It just starts pouring out.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Because I think Teddy Riley if produced that, right, Yes,
Teddy Rolly, Okay, so you like Teddy, I got this,
I got this idea.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
It's an anthem.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
It's an old to me because y'all, you know, they
say I'm bad, they say I'm this and that. Well,
I'm gonna show them why I'm this way. So what
is what is? What is Teddy roll in my prerogative?
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Teddy's role in my prerogative was bringing that slamming ass track.
That track was so so beefy and so so so
in your face that only something like my prerogative could
be said on that correct. You know, Teddy's a great,
great producer and great, great, great friend. And I'm just
(12:00):
I'm really proud that we still have a friendship and
we still have.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
More music to do. When I finished yet in the studio.
What do you think your favorite moment is when you've
been in the studio.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
When I've been met in a studio, my favorite moments
are listening back to the finished product. Okay, when you
when you when you finish the song and the song
is complete, completed, and you have no more work to
do on it. It's listening down and making sure everything
is tight. Did you know my prerogative was going to
(12:35):
do what it did? I hoped, I hoped, but the
track was so so in your face and it was
undeniable as a as a record. We really, we really
hope that that that track was going to make this album,
(12:55):
the Dopey Creue album, the most popular album they did,
and it did. Because when you hear my prerogative, that
means I'm gonna do it whatever my prerogative is. I'm
gonna do it without the way I want to do it.
Right now, you do what you want to do. I
don't care.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
And if you got a problem with it, this is
my prerogative because you can't. And it says I think
at you said I made this track, you didn't.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
I made this money, so you were doing what you
wanted to do. If I wanted to go buy three cars.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
I'm gonna buy three cars by poor houses.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
That's my prerogative. And then people everybody started saying it, yeah,
you know what, you hope I hoped for it. Just
recently at the super Bowl, the uh, the Eagles coach
said that they listened to my prerogative before they went out,
and that just that just took me back because it
(13:46):
was it was about it's about the underdog, you know,
and overcoming. What are any adversities that there is, you know,
any challenges you just give you all. You know, you
give your all and you you you basically just just
(14:12):
take what is yours.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Is there a song that you made that you're like,
I mean, I like it and it's like it blew.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Up probably every little step, really, every little step, or
don't be cruel.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
I did not like the songs. I didn't want to
record the songs.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
But La and Babyface were like, dude, these records are
gonna be smash hits. And I was just like, you
know what, well, let's do them. But I don't know
if you know they're gonna be singles. I just want
you to know. If they don't hit, I'm gonna tell
everybody y'all wanted to make this. I want. So you're like,
(14:52):
I don't know, la, but they're hit makers, they're hip makers.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Do you have to do do you always have to
trust those guys? Have to trust or do so sometimes
you go with your instinct, like, Nah.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
I trusted my producers, okay, because you know they they
have they have what I call this the ear. They
have the ear to hear what I can't hear, okay,
And that's why I trust him and I love working
with all of them. You know, it's a lonely road,
(15:27):
you know, when you don't at least try to trust
somebody else, right, you know, to to bring you to
the brink of you know, success.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Is that a prerequisite that you have to have a
relationship with the producer, that you need to be closed,
that you need to trust him or her. That's gonna
be in your ear, that's going to be the ear
that you can't hear with you have to trust that individual.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Yes, definitely, definitely.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Are you surprised that the song that you sang thirty
years ago, thirty five years ago are still being played
today and they.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Are so like, so popular. I'm very surprised after forty
forty two years in this industry. We haven't put out
a record in probably ten of those years, and we're
still touring. We're still keeping up with you know, our
fan base, our fan base is probably one of the
(16:23):
strongest fan bases that you know, any group or any individual,
any for lifers. They just they keep coming back, they
keep coming back, They keep coming back to every show.
I mean, they helped us sell out what the last
(16:43):
two years here in the States with the Legacy Tour
and the Culture Tour, and they've come to Vegas and
sold those shows out. So it's been it's been wonderful
to just to have fans like that.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
When someone comes to you and wants to sample your music,
talking to L L L says, I don't let anybody
sample it before I hear what they're actually putting on
my over over my track. So when someone comes to
body and said, hey, mister Brown, we really would like
to sample this song, do you.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Need to hear it or do you just yes, I
gotta hear it, got to hear it. You don't know
what these kids will say these days. You know these
kids is will say something that you know you.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
Don't want your song associated with associated with So, yeah,
you got to listen to it. Who do you believe
sample one of your songs the best?
Speaker 3 (17:42):
I don't think they did did justice. Okay, I don't
think they really did justice to any of the samples
that they they have done to my songs. Like Brittany
Spears butchered, she butchered, uh prerogatives, Teddy Riley produced it.
(18:03):
But that was a butchering that you know. I well,
you couldn't take it, but you heard, but you but
you cleared it.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
I cleared it only because it was Britney Spears and
I was thinking it right, she gonna do it good? Yeah, yea,
yeah nice Teddy Riley's doing it.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Yeah, so you know that I felt it was a butchering.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
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(19:36):
a trendsetter in the eighties and nineties.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
Because I was fearless. I had nobody, I had nobody
to to look at. In in competition with Okay, I
believe there was Michael, there was Prince, you know, and
all I was trying to do was be the best
(20:02):
artist that I could possibly be. So I mixed up
Michael Prince, Rick James, and Stevie Wonder and tried to
be what all of them were not, you know, and
that that became Bobby Brown. You popularized the Robert Roger
Rabbit dance, the Running Man, the hot top fade that's
(20:25):
landed to the direction.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
What what made you cut your hair like that? What
made you like I'm gonna do this? That was a mistake.
That was a mistake.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
Up the Bobba f me up and I had to
shoot a video and it just, you know, it's stuck.
It just stuck. And you know, people actually wen't got
their haircut like the know. I know. Let me tell
you the story. I went to the late Great Quincy
Jones's house one time and I'm looking at all the
(20:56):
photos in his house and he's talking to me and
giving me advice and giving me advice. And I see
this one picture when this guy, this old guy had
the slanted hair, and I was like, yo, so man
got my haircut. He was like, that picture is forty
something years old and that's my grandfather. Wow. And his
(21:19):
grandfather had a Gumby And I was just like, wow,
Gumby was around before. Yes, so I wasn't the first
one to do it. But I was the first one
to bring something back to our culture that was about us,
you know, and about our individuality. You know how we
(21:41):
are trendsetters, right, And I was just proud. I was
just really proud that I had a haircut like somebody
else back in the days.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
You know, you mentioned that you took a little bit
from Prince, you took a little bit from Michael Jackson,
you took a little bit from Stevie Wonder, you took
a little bit from Rick James. So that was your
source of inspiration. But you're kind of more Rick James
because you would label the bad boy Bobby. Was that
an accident? Was that on purpose? You needed something to
make Bobby stand out? Why did you adopt that personality?
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Or is that who you have? Was really who I
am on stage? On stage? I do not discriminate with
what I do. I tried to give the best concert
I can possibly give. I try to give all of
the energy that I have stored up in my body,
(22:33):
and that came from watching Rick James on stage. When
New Edition was on the Cold Blooded tour opening up
for Rick James, he would have me watch his show
every night. Every night he would just say, stand on
the side of the stage and watch my show. Don't
(22:55):
say nothing about it, just watch my show. And he
never knew I was going to go solo, but he
just he felt that I think that I was. I
admired him so much, I admired his music so much.
He wanted me to to experience what a live performance
really is about. And it's about giving you all blood,
(23:18):
sweat and tears out there. But you entertain, entertain that
audience and keep their attention. And uh, that was one
thing about Rick that he never he never slacked the
slacked them off about you know, it was always about
entertaining the audience.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Bobby, you had the mc hammer pants first. Now Hammer
gets credit for him, but you're wearing Hammers.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
Yeah. He asked me to actually wear them. Oh did it?
He actually asked me to wear them. And I was like, yeah, man,
their their pants. I got the pants from New Edition,
so New Edition warm before I did, and then I
wore them and then Hammer warm. And it was it's
about fashion. It was just about keeping a trend going.
(24:05):
And I'm proud of that.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
When you see people bring breack trends, what do you
what do you think, because a lot of things seem
like you remember the I mean, you and I think
we're pretty much close in age.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
I'm about to be fifty seven. I'm fifty six. I
just turned fifty six. Okay, you remember bail bombs, bell bottoms. Okay,
then they went to the skinny jeans. Now they back
to the bail bottles.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
Yes, everybody, the big, the big, the overside suit, back
to the overside suits.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
When you see trends come back in, does that make
you smile like that makes that makes that really makes
me feel a little bit older than than I actually am.
You know, I don't wanna I don't wanna. I don't
wanna ever feel like I'm getting older, getting out of
(24:50):
touch with you know, anything my children might be getting into,
you know, But when they come back around, you know,
I get a chance to tell my kids, Listen, we
used to, way back, way back, we used to wear
our pants just like that. Uh, you know, the skinny jeans.
I don't know where that came from, but that that
(25:12):
is something that was just not We never wore it.
Skinny jeans, you know, growing up, when I grew up,
skinny jeans was a fad that hopefully doesn't. We don't
want to. You don't want that. We don't want that
to come back, no time soon. Okay, what what trend
would you like to see comeback? Ah? But we still
(25:38):
got the afro. Yeah, I'm loving the ass. They don't
They don't rock it as much. I mean, they don't
rock it as much they rocked the braidsid the twist. Yeah,
there's a lot of you know, dreads out there now. Unfortunately,
you know, I can't grow all my hair back. There's
some spots that won't grow. But you could grow from hair.
(25:59):
I mean you can. It'll be flocky. It'll have a
spot right here. Okay, and that that is that is
not a hairstyle that you know, I want to you know,
you get people to follow.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Uh. Is it true that you talked Michael Jackson how
to move move walk sideways? Sideway okay sideways not not
the back, not the back one, but you go to
go sideways?
Speaker 3 (26:26):
So how so how did you teach him?
Speaker 1 (26:27):
So what I mean, so what you let you went
over to his house or we went over to his
house and we were doing it in front of him.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
New addition, and I don't know if he already knew
how to do it. But I know that when we
showed him he was flabbygasted. He was like, wow, that's
something new, right. So he put it into his thing
and he put he perfected.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
It was over. It was over. He took it and
perfected it. What's your best memory of Michael?
Speaker 3 (26:55):
My best memory of Michael is it's how kind and
how how how how just how kind he was as
a as a man. You really don't find people like
that anymore. Michael was somebody that trusted and believed in Jehovah.
(27:18):
Michael was somebody that trusted and believed in what he
was about as a man, what what he was about
as an entertainer. He knew how special he was and
that that impressed me. You know, it always has impressed me.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
There's always a debate who is the closest in your time,
Who is the closest thing to Michael since Michael?
Speaker 3 (27:43):
You know you hear Chris Brown? You hear I would?
I would? I would? I would go with Chris Brown. Really,
I would go with Chris Brown because the dancing and
the singing aspect. Chris Brown is a dancer, singer, slash
slash great entertainer. Okay, he goes out there and he
douse the ultimate, ultimate stuff on stage and you just
(28:06):
have to love it. Usher also, Usher was also a
great entertainer. But I gotta go with Chris on on
on being as close close to Michael as as anybody
could ever get.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
And it was great to see Breeze at the Grammy
get to win that finallyvine Getters due, long, over due,
but right on time. Yes, Usher said he looked up
to you and say, because you kind of related to
you in the industry more than anyone else. When you
hear one of this generation's great performers, one of these
(28:39):
great R and B singers says that, you know, Bobby
was kind of a mused that I used to kind
of develop what I did.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
How to make you feel makes me feel great because
he's a great entertainer. I've known Usher since he was
twelve eleven, twelve years old, and just just seeing his
growth in the industry and seeing how how well he
holds hisself up, how well he takes care of his business.
(29:08):
I'm really proud of him.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
Do you remember the first time when did he come
to your show, whether whether an arranged meeting, do you
remember you say you're knownh since he was twelve? How
did that meeting happen?
Speaker 3 (29:19):
Uh? I had I had a a security guard who
found us here and he brought him to the shows.
He brought him to the studios. I had a studio
in Atlanta, Georgia, and he he just was always around Okay.
(29:39):
He brought him to be around me and to learn
what this this thing of ours is is all about? Right?
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Which new artist does Bobby listen to today? Is there
anybody that that you know?
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Like? Man? I really like I really like he or her?
You like? I mean, I like this Sune. I like
the way they do, do what they do. I love
I love all of the females to new females that's
South right now, Jasmine Sullivan and all of them, Sizza, Yeah, him,
I love. I love Anthony Hamilton, probably one of my
(30:18):
favorite artists out there right now. As far as Soul
and R and B is concerned, he's definitely keeping it
the mems, not him.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
Tims Tims, Yeah, Man, she's amazing. Yeah, she's She's absolutely amazing.
Uh R and B. We get this a lot. I
asked Usher this, I've asked a lot of people that's
appeared on club.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
Is R and B dead? No, no, No, R and
B is never gonna die. R and B is something
that it's made up of what they call popular music.
So it's been in a wolven. It's not dead.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
It's just been in a woven and a lot of
different things, a lot of different things.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
You have Bruno moms who you know, who's keeping the
the R and B new Jack sound alive? Yes, which
is which is great for for anybody who loves that
style of music. That style of music will never it
will never die. It will never die. Who's some of
(31:20):
them you mentioned? Like? Are there any guys that you like?
Speaker 1 (31:24):
You mentioned like Jasmine Sullivan, you mentioned, like taim you
mentioned some of the females other than Anthony Hamilton.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
Who is your R RB guys? I like Chris, I
like Usher. There's a lot of them out there. A
lot of new cats out there that I can't you know,
figuring their names out, but a lot of new songs
that are out there that are really R and B
orientated really impressed me. Who is the king R and B?
(31:53):
Who's the king of R and being of R and B? Uh?
Speaker 1 (31:59):
I don't no, I don't know. So it's a big question.
It is who's the king of R and B. Well,
how about this here giving your mound rushmore? If you
got four people to put on this this not mountain,
are your four greatest Bobby Brown's four greatest R and
B singers?
Speaker 3 (32:16):
Who faces you putting on that mountain?
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Damn calling me out right now. I know one's gonna
be on the Marvin Gay. You're gonna put Marvin up there.
Marvin is definitely up there. Prince is definitely up Okay,
Michael's definitely up there. Stevie Wonders definitely up there. You
ain't got no more We got got no more room.
You ain't got no more room. I'm sorry, we have
(32:43):
no more vacancies up there. Let me ask you that
streaming that seems to be a lot, because Bobby, when
you started sitting, when you first started, it was all
the hard copies. You went to the you went to
the you know, Doore, and you waited in line, and
you couldn't wait to buy that, you know that forty
five or thirty year old whatever you're gonna buy. You
couldn't wait to get that actual copy of the vinyl.
(33:05):
Right now, it's not so much like that. Streaming is
kind of where it is now. What are your thoughts
on streaming?
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Streaming is something that basically has has stretched the game
outa The game is not the same anymore. You can't
sell records, so the artist doesn't get paid as much
as they are supposed to. Streaming is basically a robbery
of of selling records.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
It's somebody's intellectual property house. You're stealing it, you know.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
And it's not It's not something that I look at
to be something for the future. I think the future
should have, you know, because when you buy an album,
you get to look at that album. You get to
read who who's done, Who's done what on the album,
You get the pictures, you get you get all of
(34:00):
this great information. When you look at an album cover
correct and you get the same minute, you get.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
The whole You actually get to hold it. It's yours. Yes,
and now now you you know, do you have a
vinyl collection? Did you keep all those albums that you
collected that you that back in the day. Do you
have them all? I don't have them all. You let
them go, but I let them go. I let them go.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
Unfortunately, unfortunately, I don't know. I don't know how I
did it right, you know, just leaving certain situations and leaving,
leaving stuff here, and then leaving stuff here. Somebody out
there got Bobby Brown. Somebody's gotten Vinyl collections, and I
want it back. I ain't playing. I want myself back.
Speaker 1 (34:43):
Bobby used to sell twelve million physical copies, twelve million
albums physical people went into the line or they ordered
to however they got it.
Speaker 3 (34:53):
But they got that many copies.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
Do you think we'll ever see someone sell that many
physical records again?
Speaker 3 (35:03):
I would hope, So, I would really hope. So if
they bring Vinyl back, you know, if they find a
different way to sell albums, I would hope. So, you know,
because it's a lot of people out there that that
listen to music that can't speak the language. You know,
(35:25):
they learned how to speak English by listening to music.
And those people need albums. They need, they need they
need the actual physical, physical album to be able to
do that.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
You mentioned earlier that that streaming has cut some of
the process, So walk us through. So like if you weren't,
let's just say, for the sake of argument, if streaming
was available back then and you record all these songs.
Obviously you probably wasn't independent. I forget what label you're on,
So the record company would take it to the streaming
service and they would play it.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
Because how does that work? I tell you the truth,
I don't know how streaming works these days because I'm
so out of the loop of you know, putting out
records that you know, my my, my past record label
was MCA Records Universal, and they still have a stronghold
(36:23):
on what the industry is about right now. They still
have a stronghold on it. But I'd just like to
see the artists get their just dues, you know, get that,
get the monies that they deserve to receive for making
this music and selling this music to the people.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
I mean, you get a little change. I mean your
stuff is streaming. I mean they can go on and
listen it. Don't be cruel and my boy and all
that stuff. They still get a change. It's nice little checks.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
I'm living. I'm living.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
If a new artist came to you for advice, what's
the first thing you tell them?
Speaker 3 (37:04):
Tell them to always practice on their craft, always rehearse, always,
always hold yourself accountable for performing for people. The stage
is everything. And it allows you to have the longevity
in this industry when you're a great performer. Now, I
(37:29):
don't care how many records you've sold. If you can't
perform on stage, perform live, there's no reason for you
to be in this industry. Wow.
Speaker 1 (37:41):
Wow, as a kid star growing up in Boston, become
this megastar, come into this large summer money, more money
than you thought you could ever have ever do. How
difficult was it to you for you to stay grounded
and not lose sight of who body was?
Speaker 3 (38:02):
My mother, my mother, and my father. They told me
I was never too big to get an ass whip
somebody making his money. No, I was never too old to,
you know, take an ass whipping or give one out. No,
(38:25):
it's just just to me, this is entertainment and I
hold that to heart. I hold that dearly. It's it's
about performing for people, and it's about it's about making
the money and not letting the money make you.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
How difficult was it to be famous at a young age?
Did you change or did the surroundings? Are people around
you change? People around you change a lot. They view
you differently, They expect, they expect things from you. They
expect you to do things for them that you know
you wouldn't normally do for a person. They expect if
(39:09):
you if you you're the one with the money. They
are your friends, so they should, you know, benefit off
benefit also. And you know I still have the same
friends that I had wow back in the days, because
my friends always kept me, kept me grounded.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
They always made sure that I remembered who I was
and remember who I am as a person. How is family? Family?
Family is family something else? Family is definitely something else.
I mean it was it hard for you to tell family? No,
it still is. Really it still is because because being being.
Speaker 1 (39:54):
A professional professional athelete and having some success and being
in media space, it's always a situation like when you
come into something, it's we, but when we lose something,
as you, it's me man, we whoa were rich?
Speaker 3 (40:05):
He broke? WHOA? WHOA what are well? So it was
we we had money?
Speaker 1 (40:11):
Right? So so your family come to you because it's
like now all of a sudden, they see Bobby would
a new car. They need a new car. They see
Bobby would a nice wife. They want to watch. They
see Bobby got a new home, but.
Speaker 3 (40:26):
Hey, where's mine? So how do you because you look
at the in the beginning. In the beginning, I would
give my family everything, really, I mean everything, you know,
from houses, to cars, to to jewelry to money, you know.
And as I grew grow up, as I grew up,
(40:50):
I learned that I have a family, I have kids,
I have a wife. You know that I have to
take care of correct and something have to stay that way.
You know, you can't. You can't give what you ain't
got to everybody. You know, you have to, you know,
(41:11):
make sure you take care of home first. And it's
hard for family. Family, But Bobby, we family. Bro.
Speaker 1 (41:19):
I was with you when you have nothing, and then
you go to my house and eat them a certain families.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
That should be worth about fifty grand because it's.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Funny though, but in all and in all honesty is
that people did for you, like now we owe them something. Okay, Bro,
I had a meal at your house. Is that worth
twenty five thousand day? Can I cook for you? So
let me cook a meal for you. That's that payback,
that's payback pay back enough. Here's something special for you.
(41:50):
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(42:13):
The Crown is yours Publishing. Let me ask you this,
When you sold twelve million hard copies, how much money
did you see actually see from that?
Speaker 3 (42:24):
I saw a lot of her A lot of it.
I saw a lot of it because my deal was
situated in a way where I made you know, money
dollars on each record, okay, so oh okay, not pennies.
(42:46):
So for me, you know, the way my mother had
it structured and the way my management made it so
that I saw a lot of the money. I still
see checks, you know, I still see checks. So you know,
(43:08):
it's it's it's not like the money is gone. Uh hm,
it's still. It's it's it's it's still it's still in
a way where I feel like my best years are
yet to yet to be, yet to come.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
Is that why it's so important for artists, artists to
keep their masters to keep their catalog.
Speaker 3 (43:33):
Yes, yes, you have to if after the first thirty
five years I obtained my masters. Okay, so now I
own my own masters and I can do what I
want to do with my music. Would you ever consider
selling it? No time soon?
Speaker 1 (43:54):
You're like, hell, I'd just got it back, trying to
get involve of it at all.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
Like if you had to guess what, what song do
you think? Says?
Speaker 1 (44:04):
Okay, they put the most money in the bank account.
They make sure that the wife and the kids that
we're gonna be good.
Speaker 3 (44:11):
Which song? Which what song you think pays you the most? H?
I think the Dumpy Crue album period, because we had
six seven singles off of that album. Right, that whole
album pays me enough to live. Wow today, that's nice
(44:31):
with a wife and three kids. Wife, and that ain't
bad living five kids? Oh by bad? That ain't bad
living about yeah? Three grandchildren?
Speaker 2 (44:43):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (44:44):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (44:45):
What have you learned when it comes to the music
industry and contracts?
Speaker 3 (44:51):
Uh, you gotta be careful. They get you, They get you.
Have a great lawyer. Always have a lawyer. Look at
all your contract doesn't matter what you have to pay
that lawyer as long as that lawyer is doing this
job you it'd be worth it to to to let
(45:12):
a lawyer look at it.
Speaker 1 (45:13):
If you can go back and resign a contract, what
would you do over? If so, I'm you're here, here,
you are now fifty six years of age. If I'll
transport you back forty two years, what would you do different?
Speaker 3 (45:23):
I'm be independent from the jump from the jump. From
the jump, I would bust my ass every concert, every
promotional thing that I had to do to make sure
that I sold the records and performed at my best ability.
Speaker 1 (45:41):
Is the situation where you do an album? You how
long after you do an album do you think about Okay,
I got the.
Speaker 3 (45:47):
Tour, uh right away, right away?
Speaker 1 (45:52):
So so, so what's what's common? When do When do
most albums drop? Or they are set time in which
albums drop?
Speaker 3 (45:57):
Nowadays albums drop. People drop albums every six months. Okay,
I dropped the album every three years. And it was
just like, because we were touring so much, dropped the
album and dropped the album we tore for the next
three years. Wow, that's what we did on the Don't
(46:18):
Be Crude. That's what we did on the Bobby Brown.
The Bobby album. We toured. We just toured and toured
all around the world.
Speaker 1 (46:26):
Do you think back in some of the contracts that
you signed and some of the money that you left
on the table, You're.
Speaker 3 (46:30):
Like, damn, what the hell was I thinking? Yeah, yeah,
it was a lot of money left. There's a lot
of money left. Uh, new edition, first deal.
Speaker 1 (46:41):
Is it true you guys only made five hundred dollars
at a VCR with a new edition before it went solo.
Speaker 3 (46:45):
Yes, five hundred dollars in a VCR. Five hundred dollars
in the VCR, that's all you got. And our royalty
was like a dollar sixty eight. Our royalty check was
like a dollar sixty eight. But we got five hundred
dollars to sign in a VCR. Well, it was a
Beta max at the time, so I would so which
one of you guys were the lawyer? Neither one of
(47:09):
us was good at being a lawyer.
Speaker 1 (47:12):
So you guys got Rake cross the cold and that
we got ranked. We got ranked. We didn't know anything
about it. We we all we wanted to do was perform.
All we wanted to do was make enough money to
go to the movies, buy candy, you know, date girls,
you know, that's all. That's all we thought about. We
(47:33):
wasn't thinking about the lay money.
Speaker 3 (47:36):
We didn't know. We didn't know.
Speaker 1 (47:38):
We didn't know, we didn't You were saying we were
treated like little slaves. Why do you think that we
worked all the time and didn't get paid?
Speaker 3 (47:50):
You know, new edition. I think right now we're at
our best time because we are. We're together as brothers, right,
and we fought a lot growing up, but we're together
as brothers. We pray together, we eat together, we sleep together.
As far as you know, we stay in the same building.
(48:13):
When we're in the same buildings, you can't touch us. Wow,
that's the supergroup. You had a family.
Speaker 1 (48:23):
It was family members that actually did the contract the
first time around.
Speaker 3 (48:26):
You still have family doing anything for your car drown No, no, no, no,
unfortunately not. I mean, my brother is still in my life.
You know, we'll always be in my life. But I
found that me handling my own stuff my wife with
(48:48):
my lawyer is a lot easier to deal with than
you know, having, you know, to put that pressure on him.
Speaker 1 (48:56):
Some people say you can do it. A lot of
people say you can't mix business and family.
Speaker 3 (49:01):
Right.
Speaker 1 (49:01):
Have you found that it was it's really because at
the end of that, that's my brother. I don't want
my brother losing his job, but my brother ain't doing
the damn job good enough to keep a job. It's
as simple as that. This ain't Bro. You still gonna
be my brother forever. But Bro, this's just certain things
that you can't.
Speaker 3 (49:17):
You can't. You can't depend on family members to do right,
but you have to, you know, still love them the same,
you know, and always be there for him.
Speaker 1 (49:30):
If I ask you to put a dollar amount on
how much money you guys think you lost with that
first album, considering that you was making five hundred dollars
in a BCR you got a dollar say State Royalty.
How much money you think you guys missed out on Bobby.
Speaker 3 (49:45):
Thirty thirty thirty to forty million apiece? Wow? At we
should have been making that amount of money a piece.
New Edition. Wow, you guys have this run a group
(50:06):
do we?
Speaker 1 (50:07):
Do you ever think before we get into the new addition,
do you ever think we'll see a group again like
New Addition, Like we saw new Kids on the blog,
we saw end Sync.
Speaker 3 (50:15):
It used to be groups. Do you ever think we'll
see that again? About it? I hope. I hope because
you know, it's an art form that is it's filled
with passion, you know, brotherhood. It's like playing playing a
(50:36):
game of football. You you have to depend on each
one of the players to do their job in order
for you to be successful. And I think I hope
that we see groups come back, bands come back.
Speaker 1 (50:51):
How you guys who were who were? You went solo first?
I went solo first because you guys were You guys
grew up in the same area. You knew each other,
so it wasn't like, Okay, we got an audition and
we're gonna find out who can do this and who
can do that. You guys knew each other from the jump,
so you already had that kind of bond. What started
(51:13):
to happen to make you decide, I think I need
to step out and do my own thing.
Speaker 3 (51:20):
I was just tired of the bubblegum bubblegum experience. You know,
you want to be a little bit more hardcore. I wanted.
I wanted to be more hardcore, but I wanted more
control over what I did. Okay, you know the songs
that I sang, the clothes that I wore. I wanted
to have more control. And thank god that I that
(51:43):
I got kicked out of the group at that time,
they kicked you out, They kicked me out of the group. Oh,
I was voted out of the group. So when you
found out? So hold on?
Speaker 1 (51:52):
Did they find out find out that you were going solo?
Is that why they kicked you out before you actually
wanted to exit? Or how did this happen?
Speaker 3 (51:59):
No? I was picked out first, and then they found
out that I was doing a solo Why they kick
you out? I was just doing the wrong. So you
had a little something to do with now I had.
I had a lot to do with it. You had
a lot to do it. I had a lot to
do with it.
Speaker 1 (52:13):
So they voted. So did anybody vote to keep you in?
Or they are whether whether unanimous body gotta go?
Speaker 3 (52:19):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (52:20):
I think from what I heard, there was one against four, damn,
one against well, one against three right that wanted.
Speaker 3 (52:30):
Me to remain? To remain?
Speaker 1 (52:33):
Did you have a conversation like, hold hold on, God,
look check this out. I didn't get a chance to
have a conversation.
Speaker 3 (52:38):
You didn't. No, they didn't even give you that courtagy body.
Speaker 1 (52:40):
No, no, no, But this is my These are my brothers,
I know because you're my brothers, and got been able
to come back together. Yes, and our relationships are stronger
than ever.
Speaker 3 (52:52):
Did you hope for this moment? Yes? Yeah. Once I
once I was out of the group and I found
a little success, and I found a different way of
doing things, and I was successful at doing it that way,
doing it my way. I wanted them to know that
they could do it and in that same same form
(53:16):
and make more money, you know, doing it that way.
Speaker 1 (53:19):
Well then kind of like I think Ralph was probably
the next one that go solo. Right, No, it was
BBD Okay, okay, Bell BBD Right, they went, and then
Ralph and then Ralph, and then of course Johnny was
already already, so Johnny came once you left, So Johnny
was what replaced you. No, Johnny was supposed to replace
(53:40):
Ralph because Ralph was going solo. Okay, okay, So Johnny
was putting the group to give the give the group
a new sound, okay. And then Bell Bivdevaux went up
to charts and blew up and.
Speaker 3 (53:57):
The group just you know, it was about pieces. And
then once we figured it out, we figured out that
we have all of these pieces that we can bring
back together and form this supergroup, this supergroup. Why not
do it?
Speaker 1 (54:18):
This concludes the first half of my conversation. Part two
is also posted and you can access it to whichever
podcast platform you just listen to part one on. Just
simply go back to Club Sha profile and I'll see
you there.
Host
Shannon Sharpe
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