April 1, 2024 • 47 mins
In this episode of Naked, Cari discusses the lack of emotional songs in mainstream music and reminisces about artists like Marvin Gaye and Luther Vandross. The guest, Ruben Studdard, winner of Season Two of American Idol and Platinum recording artist, shares how the show changed the landscape of reality competition shows. We also learn more about his life in Birmingham, the inspiration for his new album, and the importance of authenticity in R&B.
Connect: @CariChampion @RealRubenStuddard
Learn More: RubenStuddard.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We worked so hard. Like what people don't understand about
that show is that there's not just the singing component.
The kids now on the show, they don't do it
as much. But we were basically product promoters. So every
week we had to shoot commercials for Coca Cola board,
Old Lavy, Did.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
You get any did you guys to make money off that? No,
they didn't pay you all to shoot those commercials.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
They paid us with careers.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Career that's Ruben stuttered, explaining what it really felt like
to be on American Idol. Can you believe they were
shooting commercials and not getting paid? Highway robbery?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Robbery?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I tell you they can't get away with that. Today,
enjoy this edition of Naked.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
It's the greatest discourse in entertainment.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Can they get putting?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Carry champions and carry Chappy is to be a champion
of check And they care with Sheppy and the job Chapion.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
They care with SHEPPI and they care with Shepy.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Hey everybody. So I have a I have a thought.
I And first of all, welcome to Naked, Thank you
for being here. You already know who our guest is,
mister Rubin Studded. But I will say this. Here's my thought,
especially after talking to Ruben. My thought is the days
of men, men specifically sinking about their emotions and how
(01:29):
they feel and how they need a woman and how
much they love their lady and how they need they
need her in their lives and they want to spend
the rest of their lives with her. I just don't
feel like we sing like that or hear those songs anymore.
That could just be me. Now, I will say this.
I know there are a series of artists that are
doing this indie, but I'm talking mainstream, like on the
(01:54):
radio here it consistently Marvin Gays if you will. Mainstream,
they're artists that are very similar. But mainstream is what
I'm talking about. Just in our zeigeists all the time,
Marvin Gays if you will, the Smokey Robinson's, the Luther
Vandros's of the world. Where are they? Where are those
songs where you're like, oh, he really loves me. He
(02:17):
remember back in the day. I don't think you'll do
because y'all not old enough. But back in the day,
somebody make you a mixtape. Now they send you a playlist,
but it is of all the stuff about how they feel,
you know, the oldest person loves me. I don't think
we do that anymore. And today's guest, in my opinion,
is one of the few that has that really soulful
(02:37):
voice where you're cleaning up the house on Saturday morning.
You know you're sweeping the carpet. You can't use the vacuum,
you're sweeping the carpet. Your mom is yelling at you
to make sure you clean the house. Well, his music
is really special. You remember him from American Idol Season two,
he won it all. He's continued to have an amazing
career and he has a new album out the way
(02:59):
I remember, but we talked about his American Idol experience,
which I believe really set the tone for competition reality shows. Today.
He explained how he was a part of what changed
our viewing experience when it comes to reality and competition shows.
He gives me a really great idea or illustration of
(03:23):
what American Idol was able to do for the voice
for the mass singer for all of these reality competition shows, survivor,
you name it. It's really really interesting to hear that perspective,
and also it's wonderful to see that twenty years later,
he is living his best life. He just had another baby.
(03:44):
As to babies, and he just got off tour with Clay.
Clay was the runner up from season two. Y'all remember
Clay Aigan. They had a whole tour that was like
a slice of nostalgia if you want to remember American
idol during that time. Genius who comes up with this?
I'm really grateful to have rub and stuttered on the podcast.
I also ask him who currently is the king of
(04:05):
R and B. I'd like your thoughts on that too.
Take a listen and welcome to Naked.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Champion and carry chatty and and carry chatty ween.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
This is exciting for me. Thank you so much for
being here, being a fan for for a very very
long time. I listened to your album this morning, and congratulations.
I think this is the first time that you put
out some original music in a decade or so.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Right or wrong, I'd spill about maybe maybe six years.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Yeah, six year. I just rounded all the way up.
Six years. I rounded way up then. And this album,
I know you said was inspired by your wife. But
I'm really curious because obviously I love the sports. Why Gretzky,
It's just.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
A playohold sports man.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
He is the one of the greatest hockey players to
ever play the game. I thought, I personally didn't write
the song, right, I just oh, okay, okay. I heard
that song and I thought, that's cool. That's a cool
way to you know, like talk about something in an
R and B way, you know what I mean. So
I went in the booth and I think it turned
out well.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
It turned out really well for those listening the way
I remember it. Ruben stuttered, and he has a series
of songs on here, and one of which is Gretzky,
and I'm thinking Wayne Gretzky. I don't know if you
all are familiar with the greatest ever to do it,
at least in my opinion and hockey side note though, Ruben,
I'd send a text to his one of his agents,
because I know I was like, tell Wayne to listen
(05:40):
to this, this is amazing. And then he goes, do
you know him? Do you have any relationship with Wayne
Gretzky at all?
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Bet Wayne Gretzky twice. Actually, one of my producers is
from Canada, David Foster, and so several of his events,
mister Gretzky is there. So I've met him like twice,
once I think in in Toronto and another time I
think in like a little small town outside of Bangkoop.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
If I not did you send him the single?
Speaker 1 (06:14):
I don't have his number to send it to of us, I'm.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Not like, maybe he like, hey, Wayne, I got something
for you, and who does right, I don't even think
he has a cell phone. But I'm saying, like, you know,
you got to get into somebody. Anyway. I sent it
to one of his marketing agents. I hope that he's
literally this was just minutes ago, like probably thirty minutes ago,
I was saying to myself.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
I also thought it was so cool because when we
were when I was a kid, like I remember being
in middle school with all of us either happened to
have anything with like Los Angeles even though we're Braham
and we had to have a Bo Jackson jersey because
of course he's from Alabama, Wayne Gretzki like anything with
that black and silver, like it was like hot back
in the day. So it was cool it was.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
And your love of sports, what I did not know
your love of sports began I probably for a long
time Obviously you grew up in the South. You guys
love football Friday nights or everything there. But you you
played your freshman year in college at Alabama and m
is that true?
Speaker 1 (07:16):
It's direct. I was on scholarship, went to Alabama and University.
I played well as a child. I played football and
baseball from like five to thirteen, and then I focused
prime minis did, well, this is what everybody does. Guy here,
like we you know, in the fall, you played football, spring,
(07:37):
you play baseball. So it was like, you know, it
is what it did. I think I really got serious
about football maybe my sophomore year at high school. I
had a coach that was like really impressed upon me.
He was like, man, you got the size, the footwork.
You need to like really focus on football. So I
started doing that and that's what landed me at Alabama
and University. But I really went there. People didn't know
(08:01):
I really went there because of the music a part,
like I was going to play football, but I was
secretly like excited to be there with doctor Carney Tucker
and all the people in the music department. So they
kind of like won me.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Oh, They're like they were like it didn't take much yeah,
I love that though. Well, obviously you made correct decisions, sir.
I have been interested in and when you have such
a gift, right when people are really talented. So if
you're talented at a certain age and you know you
(08:35):
can play sports well and you can sing, did you
know that singing was going to be your way to
reach people to do the work that you have been
blessed to do.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
I knew. I think when I was about twelve years
old that my voice had a different thing to it,
and I couldn't explain that to people like I could.
I could just see what people's reactions to my singing
at that age was right, because I've been singing since
I was fine, So people will always give you an
a man hallylujah. When you're a kid and you're singing
(09:09):
at church or singing at some programm at school, everybody's
going to give you an applause. But when I got
to be about twelve, their reaction shifted, like people will
be like that kid is like that's that's that's not average.
So I kind of I enjoyed the reaction that I
got from people, and it never stopped. And I'm I
(09:32):
think that I chose the correct career path because it
gives me, you know, a chance to be creative, but
also it kind of fulfills me in a way like
where I give you know, people something to listen to
and to grab a holl too, you.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Know, being a part of and I call it a
slice of Americana. Like for instance, Saturday Live is pop culture.
It's just a it's a part of who we are.
Jeopardy the TV show is a part of American culture.
You can go anywhere in the world world and you
know Jeopardy, or you'll know Saturday Night Live, and you
will know American Idol. You won season two, and I
(10:08):
know that you thought, from my understanding that you didn't
want to participate, but after Kelly won season one, you're like,
well why not? Right, Take me back to that moment
of auditioning and ultimately winning. I just want to talk
about that whole experience because I would think that would
have to feel surreal for you being from Alabama and
(10:31):
then being a part of something that was larger than
life at the time.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
You know, the reason why auditioned is because I was
in a band called justsic Ucatz at the time and
one of the background Singers was like, listen, I think
I'm an audition for America ILOM you should go with.
And I was like this, I don't know, I'm kind
of all the fans about that, and I did ultimately
(10:56):
just just decided to go and just see what it
was all about now, really like caring whether or not
I won or lost, not having any expectation of what
was going to happen. And I went there and of
course we had to camp out for a day to
get a number. It was a whole deal. And then
when I finally got the audition, it was several different
(11:16):
auditions before I got to be in front of Randy
Paula inside. So you had the audition once for assistant producers,
executives and then Randy Paula inside, So three auditions before
you get to the one on television, right, So you
go through that. And I knew pretty early on in
(11:39):
my going to Hollywood that I was like, you can
you can kind of tell like that you were in
the talent group, because there was like you can tell
they had a group of people that were there for
the image part, and they were there and they had
a group of people that was just there to flat
out Sin and like I remember the first time I
(11:59):
heard French like she was like you knew, like she
was there to bring the house down, and Clay for instance,
like all these like they had like Kimberly locked these
people they brought to Sin and I felt like I
measured up with everybody that I felt was the best
in the crowd and kind of gave me the confidence
to keep moving forward. As far as making it into
(12:22):
the top ten, that was you know, I didn't have
an expectation of that. I just wanted. I really wanted
to go and get the experience because I was from Alabama.
There aren't very many opportunities in the music industry that
are happening in Alabama at that time that are now,
but there wasn't at that time, and I knew I
(12:44):
had to get away from Alabama to do what I
wanted to do. So it gave me that opportunity. Being
on the show was surreal because you learn how people
how the world were fans of the show because of
who you would seeing the audience. He would you know,
show up to the to the sound check or the
(13:06):
show and there's some random celebrity sitting in the front row,
like they had.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Like humomom dish please.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
I remember all the people from Days of our Lives
will be there because we take we were in the
same lot like CBS Lives, so like they had a
lot of shows going on. So like we were eating
like I remember eating lunch at like the Victor Newman
like came into uh cafeteria. All of us were like,
what is his name? Is not Victor Neward? I think
(13:36):
that's just his name?
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Ye, yes, yes, his name is Victor Newman. He don't
have no other name that I know. He will forever
be Victor Newman.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
I think, Uh, I think Gabrielle Union came to an episode.
I mean it was just like all the time, there
were people showing up, like Ta and Tamara were there
a lot. They would they actually had signs and stuff
like they were like and we were.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Like, they were like, we're here, We're here to support.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Yeah, we would be bugging out backstage because of like
all the people and then of course our guest judges
like Bertie White, Gladys Knight, all Burt Background, all these
legends that were there to like give us advice, which
it was unexpected. We only expected to be around Randy
Paul that sign, like we never expected to meet Oprah
like that, Like Oprah takes an episode of her show
(14:25):
from our set while wow, yeah, like she's the whole
thing our house, like taking us around, like you know,
she was really like into it. So it was it
was a big deal in the moment.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Could you enjoy it her? Were you just sitting there
freaking out inside? Was a little kidding you like this
is unreal? God, thank you. There were moments that I
had an opportunity to enjoy. And it's especially because I'm
like a music geek, right and so like a lot
of the people that were helping us behind the scenes
were like these world over and Now music shits at
(15:00):
singers and you know people that I've seen like help
like Tina turn Luke all these people like are working
around the.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
American Idol set. So it was just every day like
you're getting to meet people that shape music at entertainment
culture Culture Culture.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
We had to take a quick break right here, pay
some bills, fast forward through the commercials. Will be right
back with Ruben Stutter.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Every Champion and Kerry Champions to be a Champion of
Champion and Kry Chappion and carry Chappy out a champion
and carry Chappion and carry.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
Chap pray is his sports and entertainment can nake you weird?
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Kerry Champion and Carrie Chappion is to be a champion
of Champion and Carrie Chappi and Nigger Kitty got a
champion and carry Chapion and carried sheby pray is the
sports and entertainment Cannnegie.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Were welcome back to Naked. He is here and he sings, Guys,
he gave us, He gives us a little bit, just
a little a little bit of we need that. Thank you, Ruben.
You were clearly easy to love because of your spirit
and how easy going you were, and then you had
the voice. I remember Gladys Night calling you a teddy bear.
I think something like silky teddy bear. What was the
(16:12):
compliments you gave you that?
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Hey?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
And so, so I wonder because I know me, and
I know I'm competitive, and I don't care how kind
I am. There's this competitive edge that comes out. And
I want to know when you when it started to
get down to like the last three or four, last two,
were you still close with these people? Were you guys
still rooting for each other? Or was this there was
(16:38):
this I'm gonna sit in my room and work on
what I'm about to do this week. I can't be
were not best friends no more.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
You know what.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
I think the culture of the show kind of shifted
to that a couple of seasons after. They were very
intentional about making us feel like family, so that the
reactions to people leaving would be it was, you know,
clearly a television show, like and you can't see that
(17:03):
while you're in it. But they were very intestinal about
making us like we had family dinners, like we lived
in the house together, Like it was like very intensement.
So when somebody left, it was like your cousinly were sister?
You Like, I really had no expectation of what was
going or or or desire to be the top person
(17:27):
until we got into like the top three and I was,
and then you was like, so.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Then you started? Did you start pushing people around and
bullying people?
Speaker 1 (17:35):
No, right at all.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
I just like I'm kidding.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
I was sharp focused on making sure my performances was good,
you know what I mean, because we worked so hard.
Like what people don't understand about that show is that
there's not just the singing component the kids now on
the show, they don't do it as much. But we
we were basically product promoters. So every week we had
(17:59):
to shoot commercials a Coca Cola board, old Navy one
or two.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Did you get any Did you guys make money off that? No,
they didn't pay you all to shoot those commercials.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
They paid us with careers. That's fine.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
But then bet you now, I bet you now they
getting paid if they have they don't do that, I
bet you're getting paid now because you can't do that
no more.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
It's definitely different, so you know, like yeah, because.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
It's different when you're the first, one of the first
it's different, and so there are a lot of new
rules that are established as you guys go along.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
I mean we were people like they were giving us.
I mean we had a new phone every week, you know,
anything that came out on AT and T, they were
like sending it to us, of course, but you're not
thinking like, of course they're sending it to Ruben, like
maybe you know, yeah, yeah Ruben.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
That was before we knew that product placement really could
be uh a cash cow if you would And also too,
when you when this show was first starting out, a
lot of people and not in and and and not.
And I'm not disrespecting the outcome because it worked out
well for you. But there are these these contracts, these
predatory contracts. We all have had them. Like when I
(19:10):
first started in the business, my very first contract was insane,
and I was like, why is this even my contract?
How am I even dealing with this? You know what
I mean? Why isn't there like why is this allowed
to happen? And then as you go on and you
figure out the business, you learn what's right and what's
not right. So I am not saying anything disparaging, but
I am saying that they couldn't you know, they couldn't
(19:31):
do that today. Like you if you if they said
Ruben Kubat and shoot ting commercials, you'd be like, Okay,
my agent will talk to you about the take commercials.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
We're gonna share absolutely. But it was you know, I
call America out of entertainment book is exactly. Yeah, like
you get the singing part is what that is? If
you got that, when you calm, you will be fine.
But we were taught how to interview, how to do copy,
(19:59):
how to you know, you know, do things at the radio,
stations that require you to be fast, like miners and notes,
all these things that we, you know, wouldn't have known otherwise,
Like people said you like, most times people get shot
out into the music industry or the whatever industry without
any experience, And we got six months work experience doing
(20:21):
all these things which made us basically professionals right after
we left the show.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Wow, that's great, and that's invaluable. By the way, that's invaluable.
That that is invaluable in a lot of different ways.
So the runner up, Clay and you are still friends
to this day. From my understanding, now this is from
my hardcore American Idol friends. My best friend Kendred. I
was just talking to her. I go, I'm an interviewing Ruben.
She was like, oh, I love me some Ruben. Him
(20:47):
and Clay just went on tour like she has the
whole rundown. She gave me your schedule. You guys just
finished I believe in February, and it was a slice
of nostalgia. Not only did you do covers and sing
sing the songs that you guys did on American Idol,
you made the experience visceral. It could reach out and
touch the set. Maybe talk to me about who came
up with this concept. Well, we wanted more specific, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
We wanted to produce a show that made people feel
like they were back on America outset. So I mean,
we don't really really have the idle props because we couldn't,
but you know, we definitely had the sound effects and
all the things, you know, the drops from the legendary
(21:32):
guest judges that came and you know, you would hear
those kinds of things during the show. And we also
talked about you know, you know, we had all the stories.
We really went through. This is something that most people
don't know about the show that we just produced. We
went through absolutely every episode at our producer's house. We
watched all of it to kind of get the gems
out of like because you know, it's after twenty years,
(21:54):
you don't remember all the things that were saying or
thrown at you, and so we had opportunity sit down
and watch all that stuff and kind of put it
into the show where people can get you know, because
a lot of times people are always asking us what
was it like on the show, We kind of like
talked about the experience. We sang a lot of the
songs that not just we sang, but a lot of
the other contestants saying during our season we kind of
(22:18):
you know, took a trip down memory Lao season two.
I love that.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
I really truly loved that. And then you were on
Kelly's show and you guys are going back and forth,
back and forth. Kelly was like, I'm glad I wasn't
on your show, and you guys were giving each other.
I will say this just as a fan watching the
show the earlier and I know you've heard this. The earlier.
The earlier years were the years, right, the golden years
where you really had true I think people artists before
(22:43):
it became you know, you know, like social media, before
it was infiltrated with what wasn't necessarily authentic all the time.
But the as you said earlier, you knew the people
who could sing, and you know the people that were
there for you know, the looks and the talent of
it all. And I feel like it's set up this
(23:06):
reality TV show where you have to entertain. You see
it with the mask singer, which I believe you and
Clay were on. You see it with what does that
America's got talent? Like over and over again. It's been
replicated and there seems to be some some sort of
success with it. Do you think that you that you
(23:28):
specifically had something to do with this, this evolution of
the entertainment singing reality show.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
I think that our participation in the show definitely had
something to do with the evolution of reality competitions in general.
Like when you look at the way that all the
reality competitions are produced now they have three judges. Everything
is like, you know, like the way the camera shots look,
(23:55):
they look exactly like older American Idol shots. Like everything
it's watching the boys watching all these shows. It makes
me think about America Idol. Everything just has a different
twist to it, you know, but it's the same war.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
No, it didn't. Simon Kyle have his hand on a
couple of these shows that when popular. We need our Simon,
we need our we need our Randy Dog, we need
our pa you know, our paulap Duel, we need that.
Like he was able to kind of make a couple
of more shows. And you're right, there was a formula,
you know, and you knew what would work. You then
you produce it. You you have this album that goes
(24:31):
platinum after you leave. And I wonder if there was
any when you leave them at what'd you say? Two taps?
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Wait?
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Would tell me again? Two tames? What twice? Two times?
Two times? Two times platinum? Carrie? Get it right? Okay, yes,
got it by bad? So then you then you leave?
Was there a soft landing into the real world, the
real world, if you will, of entertainment without without all
of the props of American idol? Or was there this
(25:07):
jolt of oh, while I'm out here and it's not
American idols?
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Because Clive Davis and the people at RCA Sony were
in partnership with our people at America I. We really
went straight from the biggest televiusiness show to the biggest
record covery like there was no you know, and and
we we definitely benefited from being on the show because
(25:33):
now we're getting to learn but the next part of
the business from other greats, right Because I mean, you
can think about to have Clive Davis involved with your
first three albums, you know, that's that's that's Aretha Franklin
in County, you know what I mean? That's ye like
that that put category people that we idolized and so
(25:54):
definitely was really blessed to have the opportunity to be
on j RCA Records with him getting the opportunity to
go around the world thanking people for voting for me.
That was like, you know, yeah, how And then you know,
we went shortly after the show. We didn't really leave
each other. We went on like sixty to any tour,
(26:15):
like three months after.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Oh you guys did do a tour together. It still
wasn't over. You guys still went out on tour together.
Did Wow? Do you miss it?
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Do I miss American Ardoll or just what? I don't.
I'm going back to the show enough not to have
a feeling of wanting for the show. But I definitely
I love those people that were there working with us
(26:48):
like family. So anytime I get a chance to go
back there, it's like a class reunion where you're like
hugging everybody that you know. All of our assistant producers
all like assistant producers are now executives on the show.
So there, you know, it's you know, it's different going
back and seeing them like just like we'd elevated, they
(27:09):
all elevate.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Okay, so here's my question for you. I'm really curious
about life in Birmingham, Alabama. For you post American idol
like you have to be. I know that you have
a couple of honorary degrees, but you have to be
one of the biggest stars out of Birmingham. Or do
(27:31):
you have streets named out for you there? Do you
have to play for any kind of meal when you
go out and tell me all the perks? Because I
want to be able to say, I know Rubin and
can I get a hookup?
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Well, listen, Birmingham is my city and they do love me.
But there are you know, we have several superstar athletes
that are from Birmingham. So I guess people are not
as starstruck as you may think. You know, you know,
Bear Bryant used to walk around here and be eating
who could have whatever?
Speaker 2 (28:04):
A Bear who don't nobody, don't Bear caseing. He just
brought you guys. He just created that wonderful program there.
It's fine.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Three of the original Temptations are from Birmingham.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Okay, so you you like carry let me just put
this in perspective. Give me all the famous people, athletes
and entertainers from Birmingham. Three of the original Temptations Bear Bryant.
Uh do you get Tuscaloosa is not considered Birmingham if
people make but everyone loves they love the head coach
over there, right.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
Yeah, Nick Saban, But you know it's it's you know,
thirty minutes up the world.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
So okay, and who else?
Speaker 1 (28:42):
I said, Bo Jackson, Let's see.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
I mean, I don't know, you haven't named anybody more
famous than Ruben Stuttard. I'm gonna go, I'm gonna put
him in order.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Oh nos, stop stop, ma'am. I have yet to have it.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Don't do that.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
Don't that the greatest athlete to ever touch a football
or baseball? Like?
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Hey, guess okay, Bo? No, okay, all right, Bo, Ruben bear, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:15):
I have to.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
I would have to put a list out of the
people that are from here we have.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
I'm gonna ask. I'm gonna ask Siri when I get off,
when I get off this this podcast, and see what
series says?
Speaker 3 (29:31):
He says, every champion and Kerry champions to be a champion,
a champion and Kerry champion and carry chap out a
champion and carry champion and carry chap.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
Is the sports and entertainment can Naki were.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
Every champion and carry champions. To be a champion, out
a champion and carry champion. They shout a champion and carry.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
Champion and carry chapfraid is the sports and entertainment Nick.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Okay, So I'm really really excited about a couple of things.
So I remember it you said this is inspired by
your wife. Tell me about that. And you have a
song called Wife, which I think is beautiful. Tell me
about the process of deciding six years later it's time
to make a song. I know you just had another child, congratulations,
(30:22):
and I think this is beautiful. It's full circle. But
I want to know the process of making this particular
album for you.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
I wasn't very interested in making a new album only
because I had a different business model. I started doing,
uh these nostalgic cover shows, produced a show called Ruben
Singh's Luther, which did really well for me and I.
You know, I had no desire to be in the
(30:53):
studio doing a project, and I went to So I'm
a very big hip hop fan, and I went to
see eight Ball at Mjgen at an outdoor festival in Mobile,
Alabama with me and this lady that writes scripts for
(31:15):
b et Just She's from Mobile, Alabama. She's had several
scripts like produced and she was like, we've been looking
for you. I said, Okay, who are you. She's like,
just poop my number of your wife's pall y'all called me.
Uh So I called her and they were producing straight
(31:37):
to the TV film on BT where they needed a
song for me. So I sang the song and I
really enjoyed it. And the producer that I recorded the
song where it was like, man, if you like that,
I got like twelve songs that you could hear, and
he played the way I remember it, which is something
(31:58):
that he had previously recorded, but the words were a
little different. I was like, oh, I love this, Like
I got write this a little bit to fit my relationship.
But you know, it definitely was one of those kind
of like musical aha moments. I was like, you know what, baby,
I should do a new record. You know, baby, it
(32:21):
is time. And I remember the very second studio session
I had. He's like, I'm thinking about writing song like
Easter speech. Like what is he talking about? What are
you talking about? He said, remember when we were kids,
we were do these Eastern speeches. That's like he is
for Easter every data and so anyway, I come downstairs
(32:41):
and he was like, what would you say if we
were spelling out? And so we just started going through
like the wife, like all the things that we would
say that out my wife meant to me with that
letter and it it turned into a smash and from
that point on that's how the album what was built.
And then to raw the album off. Most of my
(33:04):
very pop most recognizable songs were produced by a production
group called Underdogs with help from like Tank, Eric Dawkins
and all these other people that work with them. And
Eric came in at the very end with the song
called the Shake in My Head. It was just, you know,
(33:27):
the album just it happened. It really was just late
in my lap. I didn't have to do much to
make a great record with Balawil, the guy Balaywha Mohammad
Whun is one of the executive producers on the project.
I didn't have to do much because he really just
heard my voice. Because of that TV song we did.
It was like I got songs from you, let's do.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I love this by the way, I love all of it. Okay,
So then Masterpiece, from my understanding is doing really well.
You perform that as well, where's it at right now?
Speaker 1 (33:58):
I have no idea. I have not keeping up, man,
I have listen, I have a new baby.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
You're like, I'll get to that.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Sorry to be keeping up where those chart positions are.
But listen, my Papa says, saying, it's doing what they're
supposed to do, talking to y'all. I got some other
shows coming up later in the season, so listen. It
must be doing okay, because otherwise nobody want to have
anything to say.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Hello Hello. That's what's the best part about being a dad.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
Two times, the best part about being a dad is
watching these little people that look like you and their
mother kind of emulate you in a way. Like I
didn't know that my song was paying very much attention
to me performing until one day we were downstairs watching
(34:52):
a video and he grabbed the microphone. He was like, Daddy,
I want to sing like you, and I say you
want to. From then on, like he just started like
grabbing anything and just like singing with by right now,
his favorite song is Won't He Do It? A song
by Korean Hearth of Heart. He's always singing there. That's
(35:13):
his jail now. By the way, I got to take
him to see Hary consort because he loved us, so you.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
Said, and this really piqued my interest. You said, the
Luther Vandross the cover, what the covers were doing well?
And I noticed that you just launched your own app.
Are you still in terms of your business model? Are
you still doing that?
Speaker 1 (35:33):
Yes? The Ruber singing Luthor, I don't think will ever
be something that I stop doing because the music is
so well, it's so good, and people people always want
to hear Luther Vandross's songs sang right, and I think
(35:53):
I do a good job of doing that as ring Good,
not as Luthor, but because no one could ever I
try to tell people like, this is not a Broadway musical. Well,
I'm trying to be Luther. I'm just doing my best
interpretation of what I feel like I felt when I'm
(36:13):
a material, and I love it. I love the nostalgia
of it. I wouldn't normally ever be on stage with
Sparkley jacket on I'm gonna wear it like I'm generally
like a blazer kind of guy. But on that show,
I get to be outside of myself and I get
to like give people a real production because there you know,
(36:35):
it's a lot that goes into it. I have like
fool band a three background singers, like all these production
people that come with the Ruben singing Ruth of packets.
So it's it's a blessing that I've been able to
produce that.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
And yeah, it's beautiful and also too people no one
today in my opinion, men, the R and B is
not the singing of how I feel in my emotions.
It's things have changed. It's it's very a lot of slang.
(37:09):
It doesn't it doesn't remind me of love songs, of
ballads of I really care about you, I want to
be with you. You know, the baby making music of
the days are no longer here in my opinion, and
you're still able to give us that with your album,
this album. And also when you sing, you're like, oh,
this is what's missing. You know, when I hear you,
I'm like, this is what's missing? That that soul. It's
(37:32):
and I don't want to say nostalgia, but it's it
feels very cultural, it feels very warm, it feels authentic.
Although that was a way in which everyone used to
do it, we've gone away from that. Do you intentionally
or is that just what you have. Do you intentionally
make music and sing music that reminds us of that
(37:52):
or is it just who you are in you?
Speaker 1 (37:54):
I think it's a part of who I am. I mean,
like we all are the sum told of our lives experience.
Instant my mom was a really big news for Evangelois fan.
Father also had this very large record collection, which you know,
allowed me to kind of explore and listen to things
I probably would normally have listened to based upon his
travel and army, so he brought things back that I
(38:16):
was able to listen to. And also I just love
music in general. So Luther's music was hot, was produced
at the highest quality. You know, the orchestrations and some
of the things in front of this albums were just
you know, unmatched and that. And there are a lot
of singers now are doing very nostalgic retros, uh you
(38:41):
know Marvin Gaye sound.
Speaker 4 (38:43):
And.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
Even ty Reese still has that kind of luther Esque
to me feel to his music. One of the last
songs he produced, uh, I'll thank you. That song is
just that is like nostalgic R and B like you
got you know, so many October London, all these people
(39:06):
are coming out now with you know that real throwbacks,
bringing it back. I think really have a hunger for it,
and so I'm glad to be a part of that renaissance,
so to speak.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
I love it. I'm glad you are a part of it.
Speaker 4 (39:20):
Can I.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
There was a social media question going around the internet
and people were answering it two ways. There's one way
to answer it to be politically correct, and there's one
way to answer it if this is just how you feel,
truly how you feel. But who would you say is
the king of R and B? And you know why
that conversation started to come up living king of R
(39:42):
and B? Uh huh? Or who period? He doesn't have
to be living. I'll ask you period, and then I'll
ask you living.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
I don't think that there is and let me just
because there's so much great work, it's hard to say
who was, Like if I, if I was to compare,
it's like comparing apples to oranges, Like Al Green is
amazing and so is Marvin Gate. Do we do we
(40:11):
have Did we get classic, great, amazing material from both
of those people? Yes?
Speaker 4 (40:17):
We did.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
Yeah, Yeah. Rookie Robinson is amazing and so is Wilson.
Did we get interior from both those people? Yes, we did.
Luther vandros Is was amazing, but so was Freddie Jackson.
Speaker 2 (40:32):
Oh what about Jeffrey Osborne. I just saw him on
someone's page the other day.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
I mean, especially the eighties, Jeffery Osborne, people, Bryson, like
all these people that were singing, and I mean we
could go on billy oshit like you know, and I would.
I hate what nobody has to be at the top
of anything. You know, we called miss Aretha the Queen
of soul, but there were a lot of other great
(40:59):
bat soul saying and I loved her. There were gay
there were.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
And but that's why she's queen, you know. There there
is there is a hierarchy in what we're getting and
so so for them to say Aretha is queen is
appropriate based on singing. I think what she gave us,
what she did for the culture and the community, I
get it. But there's some You're right, I want to
come on and say, well I did another queen for
(41:23):
me is someone can say, Patty, you know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (41:28):
There was this vocals.
Speaker 2 (41:31):
Unmatched, So I think queen is apropos and.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
The thing that was so great her is that everybody,
whether it was Gospel or the R and B or sacred,
they all respected her voice like she shut everybody like
you get no work.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
The internet, she look queen. They would go to Aretha.
There was this infamous clip and they go to Aretha
and they ask her about all thes have you ever
seen that that are out currently? When that was a
while ago. May she rest in peace? And I knew
what she was doing. She's classy as she could be,
but if she talked about singing, she's like soulful singers.
(42:13):
She would say things very complimentary, but you knew she
was just like, yeah, they don't do what we do anymore.
And someone said Taylor Swift, she was like nice dresses,
you know, Mariah Carrey, Oh she's pretty. Like it was
very respectful, but she was saying what I do isn't
what they do. So I have one. The debate that
was on the internet started when Usher did the Super
(42:35):
Bowl okay, and they were like Usher Chris Brown, who
dances and sings better? And there was this divisiveness I know,
but I also felt like it was a compliment as
well to all the talent. When you start asking if
it's hard to make that choice, would you make a
choice between the two between singing and dancing?
Speaker 1 (42:58):
You know what, because Usher and I are closer in age,
I will just give it to him just because we're
closer in age, like you know, we're but man, Chris
Brown is like he's amazing, And that's why I don't
like that. I don't like that kind of situation, like
the versus if you will after your after you made
(43:18):
it to a point you're not in competition with anybody
but yourself.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
Amen, Amen, I like it. So I'm gonna I'm gonna
title this the King of R and B of Soul.
The King of Soul, Ruben Stuttered is the name of
this of this podcast. And you can't tell me. I
can't because I am.
Speaker 1 (43:41):
Kick. It's all. You better talk to agree, You better talk.
Speaker 2 (43:44):
To Congratulations on everything. The album, the way I remember
a masterpiece single out now. I love gret Sky. I
think that's great. I love the the the homage to
the wife, and I'm really excited that you're back doing
new music. I'm glad the Luther covers will never stop
(44:05):
because I will be there to watch live in person.
You really truly are a kind soul. So thank you
so much for taking the time.
Speaker 1 (44:13):
Thank you guys for having me. It's been an amazing
pleasure to speaking to me.
Speaker 2 (44:17):
It's hard to say who the king of R and
B is is very true, And let me tell you this.
When I have this discussion with any black man specifically,
they'll say R. Kelly. Hands down. They'll say you can't
say it publicly, but they will tell me. I mean.
I went to an impromptu survey, I said, R Kelly,
Chris Brown Usher, and they have told me over and
(44:38):
over again it is R. Kelly. And for obvious reasons,
I disagree. But even if I had to just listen
to his catalog, I felt like all of R. Kelly's
music sounded the same. It just didn't register with me.
But for black men, he is the king of R
and B. And that is because I went back to listen.
He was singing like they think, you know what I mean.
(45:00):
He was saying things that they love. Like I'm not
saying it gets representative of all black man, but I
am saying he really registered, which has a lot to do,
and I'll go I want to get into Obviously, he
will be in jail for the rest of his life,
but probably had a lot to do with why so
many people ignored his hillacious past and who he was
(45:20):
as a human because he made good music. Let's just
keep it poky and make it uncomfortable that we do
not have that problem with one. Ruben stuttered, wonderful inside
and out, a big teddy bear kind good spirit. You
could see it, you could feel it, you could hear
it in his songs. He didn't want to necessarily say
anybody who's a king of R and B. Although we
do agree that Aretha is the queen and we're not
(45:42):
taking that from her. You're gonna have to debate that,
which Huntie with the slide and wig, because it's not
up for debate. Rip Aretha last, will not least you guys,
go out and check out his album. I think it's
really interesting that he is able to make music some
six years later and admittedly did not even think about
making any more music. His business model had changed. He
(46:03):
was doing covers, he's doing tours, he was doing things
that he really enjoyed, and now he's back in the
studio and giving us more of his music, more more
for us to enjoy. And I think you guys really
really ought to check it out. Support Ruben, you got
to support the good ones. My thoughts on who the
king of R and B is? If you oh, is
that what you ask I hear you asking, well, I'm
(46:24):
gonna say Usher. I'm gonna say Usher over and over again.
That's for me, not for you, but for me. If
you say Prince versus Michael, who you taking? I'm taking Michael.
Debate your untie with the sliding wig, because that is
my take. Okay, debate your untie with the sliding wig.
I'm going Michael over Prince day in and day out,
(46:47):
and then twice on Sundays. I don't care what you think.
And Man narrated my entire childhood and adulthood. If you
ask me, I okay. So we got Whitney and Beyonce,
and you're talking voice strictly voice. Where y'all going. We're
(47:08):
going Whitney. Obviously Beyonce had the bigger career, but we're going.
We're going Whitney. Stop playing. Thank you for listening to Naked.
We'll be back next week.
We worked so hard. Like what people don't understand about
that show is that there's not just the singing component.
The kids now on the show, they don't do it
as much. But we were basically product promoters. So every
week we had to shoot commercials for Coca Cola board,
Old Lavy, Did.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
You get any did you guys to make money off that? No,
they didn't pay you all to shoot those commercials.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
They paid us with careers.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Career that's Ruben stuttered, explaining what it really felt like
to be on American Idol. Can you believe they were
shooting commercials and not getting paid? Highway robbery?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Robbery?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I tell you they can't get away with that. Today,
enjoy this edition of Naked.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
It's the greatest discourse in entertainment.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Can they get putting?
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Carry champions and carry Chappy is to be a champion
of check And they care with Sheppy and the job Chapion.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
They care with SHEPPI and they care with Shepy.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Hey everybody. So I have a I have a thought.
I And first of all, welcome to Naked, Thank you
for being here. You already know who our guest is,
mister Rubin Studded. But I will say this. Here's my thought,
especially after talking to Ruben. My thought is the days
of men, men specifically sinking about their emotions and how
(01:29):
they feel and how they need a woman and how
much they love their lady and how they need they
need her in their lives and they want to spend
the rest of their lives with her. I just don't
feel like we sing like that or hear those songs anymore.
That could just be me. Now, I will say this.
I know there are a series of artists that are
doing this indie, but I'm talking mainstream, like on the
(01:54):
radio here it consistently Marvin Gays if you will. Mainstream,
they're artists that are very similar. But mainstream is what
I'm talking about. Just in our zeigeists all the time,
Marvin Gays if you will, the Smokey Robinson's, the Luther
Vandros's of the world. Where are they? Where are those
songs where you're like, oh, he really loves me. He
(02:17):
remember back in the day. I don't think you'll do
because y'all not old enough. But back in the day,
somebody make you a mixtape. Now they send you a playlist,
but it is of all the stuff about how they feel,
you know, the oldest person loves me. I don't think
we do that anymore. And today's guest, in my opinion,
is one of the few that has that really soulful
(02:37):
voice where you're cleaning up the house on Saturday morning.
You know you're sweeping the carpet. You can't use the vacuum,
you're sweeping the carpet. Your mom is yelling at you
to make sure you clean the house. Well, his music
is really special. You remember him from American Idol Season two,
he won it all. He's continued to have an amazing
career and he has a new album out the way
(02:59):
I remember, but we talked about his American Idol experience,
which I believe really set the tone for competition reality shows. Today.
He explained how he was a part of what changed
our viewing experience when it comes to reality and competition shows.
He gives me a really great idea or illustration of
(03:23):
what American Idol was able to do for the voice
for the mass singer for all of these reality competition shows, survivor,
you name it. It's really really interesting to hear that perspective,
and also it's wonderful to see that twenty years later,
he is living his best life. He just had another baby.
(03:44):
As to babies, and he just got off tour with Clay.
Clay was the runner up from season two. Y'all remember
Clay Aigan. They had a whole tour that was like
a slice of nostalgia if you want to remember American
idol during that time. Genius who comes up with this?
I'm really grateful to have rub and stuttered on the podcast.
I also ask him who currently is the king of
(04:05):
R and B. I'd like your thoughts on that too.
Take a listen and welcome to Naked.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Champion and carry chatty and and carry chatty ween.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
This is exciting for me. Thank you so much for
being here, being a fan for for a very very
long time. I listened to your album this morning, and congratulations.
I think this is the first time that you put
out some original music in a decade or so.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Right or wrong, I'd spill about maybe maybe six years.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Yeah, six year. I just rounded all the way up.
Six years. I rounded way up then. And this album,
I know you said was inspired by your wife. But
I'm really curious because obviously I love the sports. Why Gretzky,
It's just.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
A playohold sports man.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
You know.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
He is the one of the greatest hockey players to
ever play the game. I thought, I personally didn't write
the song, right, I just oh, okay, okay. I heard
that song and I thought, that's cool. That's a cool
way to you know, like talk about something in an
R and B way, you know what I mean. So
I went in the booth and I think it turned
out well.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
It turned out really well for those listening the way
I remember it. Ruben stuttered, and he has a series
of songs on here, and one of which is Gretzky,
and I'm thinking Wayne Gretzky. I don't know if you
all are familiar with the greatest ever to do it,
at least in my opinion and hockey side note though, Ruben,
I'd send a text to his one of his agents,
because I know I was like, tell Wayne to listen
(05:40):
to this, this is amazing. And then he goes, do
you know him? Do you have any relationship with Wayne
Gretzky at all?
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Bet Wayne Gretzky twice. Actually, one of my producers is
from Canada, David Foster, and so several of his events,
mister Gretzky is there. So I've met him like twice,
once I think in in Toronto and another time I
think in like a little small town outside of Bangkoop.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
If I not did you send him the single?
Speaker 1 (06:14):
I don't have his number to send it to of us, I'm.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Not like, maybe he like, hey, Wayne, I got something
for you, and who does right, I don't even think
he has a cell phone. But I'm saying, like, you know,
you got to get into somebody. Anyway. I sent it
to one of his marketing agents. I hope that he's
literally this was just minutes ago, like probably thirty minutes ago,
I was saying to myself.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
I also thought it was so cool because when we
were when I was a kid, like I remember being
in middle school with all of us either happened to
have anything with like Los Angeles even though we're Braham
and we had to have a Bo Jackson jersey because
of course he's from Alabama, Wayne Gretzki like anything with
that black and silver, like it was like hot back
in the day. So it was cool it was.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
And your love of sports, what I did not know
your love of sports began I probably for a long
time Obviously you grew up in the South. You guys
love football Friday nights or everything there. But you you
played your freshman year in college at Alabama and m
is that true?
Speaker 1 (07:16):
It's direct. I was on scholarship, went to Alabama and University.
I played well as a child. I played football and
baseball from like five to thirteen, and then I focused
prime minis did, well, this is what everybody does. Guy here,
like we you know, in the fall, you played football, spring,
(07:37):
you play baseball. So it was like, you know, it
is what it did. I think I really got serious
about football maybe my sophomore year at high school. I
had a coach that was like really impressed upon me.
He was like, man, you got the size, the footwork.
You need to like really focus on football. So I
started doing that and that's what landed me at Alabama
and University. But I really went there. People didn't know
(08:01):
I really went there because of the music a part,
like I was going to play football, but I was
secretly like excited to be there with doctor Carney Tucker
and all the people in the music department. So they
kind of like won me.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
Oh, They're like they were like it didn't take much yeah,
I love that though. Well, obviously you made correct decisions, sir.
I have been interested in and when you have such
a gift, right when people are really talented. So if
you're talented at a certain age and you know you
(08:35):
can play sports well and you can sing, did you
know that singing was going to be your way to
reach people to do the work that you have been
blessed to do.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
I knew. I think when I was about twelve years
old that my voice had a different thing to it,
and I couldn't explain that to people like I could.
I could just see what people's reactions to my singing
at that age was right, because I've been singing since
I was fine, So people will always give you an
a man hallylujah. When you're a kid and you're singing
(09:09):
at church or singing at some programm at school, everybody's
going to give you an applause. But when I got
to be about twelve, their reaction shifted, like people will
be like that kid is like that's that's that's not average.
So I kind of I enjoyed the reaction that I
got from people, and it never stopped. And I'm I
(09:32):
think that I chose the correct career path because it
gives me, you know, a chance to be creative, but
also it kind of fulfills me in a way like
where I give you know, people something to listen to
and to grab a holl too, you.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Know, being a part of and I call it a
slice of Americana. Like for instance, Saturday Live is pop culture.
It's just a it's a part of who we are.
Jeopardy the TV show is a part of American culture.
You can go anywhere in the world world and you
know Jeopardy, or you'll know Saturday Night Live, and you
will know American Idol. You won season two, and I
(10:08):
know that you thought, from my understanding that you didn't
want to participate, but after Kelly won season one, you're like,
well why not? Right, Take me back to that moment
of auditioning and ultimately winning. I just want to talk
about that whole experience because I would think that would
have to feel surreal for you being from Alabama and
(10:31):
then being a part of something that was larger than
life at the time.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
You know, the reason why auditioned is because I was
in a band called justsic Ucatz at the time and
one of the background Singers was like, listen, I think
I'm an audition for America ILOM you should go with.
And I was like this, I don't know, I'm kind
of all the fans about that, and I did ultimately
(10:56):
just just decided to go and just see what it
was all about now, really like caring whether or not
I won or lost, not having any expectation of what
was going to happen. And I went there and of
course we had to camp out for a day to
get a number. It was a whole deal. And then
when I finally got the audition, it was several different
(11:16):
auditions before I got to be in front of Randy
Paula inside. So you had the audition once for assistant producers,
executives and then Randy Paula inside, So three auditions before
you get to the one on television, right, So you
go through that. And I knew pretty early on in
(11:39):
my going to Hollywood that I was like, you can
you can kind of tell like that you were in
the talent group, because there was like you can tell
they had a group of people that were there for
the image part, and they were there and they had
a group of people that was just there to flat
out Sin and like I remember the first time I
(11:59):
heard French like she was like you knew, like she
was there to bring the house down, and Clay for instance,
like all these like they had like Kimberly locked these
people they brought to Sin and I felt like I
measured up with everybody that I felt was the best
in the crowd and kind of gave me the confidence
to keep moving forward. As far as making it into
(12:22):
the top ten, that was you know, I didn't have
an expectation of that. I just wanted. I really wanted
to go and get the experience because I was from Alabama.
There aren't very many opportunities in the music industry that
are happening in Alabama at that time that are now,
but there wasn't at that time, and I knew I
(12:44):
had to get away from Alabama to do what I
wanted to do. So it gave me that opportunity. Being
on the show was surreal because you learn how people
how the world were fans of the show because of
who you would seeing the audience. He would you know,
show up to the to the sound check or the
(13:06):
show and there's some random celebrity sitting in the front row,
like they had.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Like humomom dish please.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
I remember all the people from Days of our Lives
will be there because we take we were in the
same lot like CBS Lives, so like they had a
lot of shows going on. So like we were eating
like I remember eating lunch at like the Victor Newman
like came into uh cafeteria. All of us were like,
what is his name? Is not Victor Neward? I think
(13:36):
that's just his name?
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Ye, yes, yes, his name is Victor Newman. He don't
have no other name that I know. He will forever
be Victor Newman.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
I think, Uh, I think Gabrielle Union came to an episode.
I mean it was just like all the time, there
were people showing up, like Ta and Tamara were there
a lot. They would they actually had signs and stuff
like they were like and we were.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Like, they were like, we're here, We're here to support.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Yeah, we would be bugging out backstage because of like
all the people and then of course our guest judges
like Bertie White, Gladys Knight, all Burt Background, all these
legends that were there to like give us advice, which
it was unexpected. We only expected to be around Randy
Paul that sign, like we never expected to meet Oprah
like that, Like Oprah takes an episode of her show
(14:25):
from our set while wow, yeah, like she's the whole
thing our house, like taking us around, like you know,
she was really like into it. So it was it
was a big deal in the moment.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Could you enjoy it her? Were you just sitting there
freaking out inside? Was a little kidding you like this
is unreal? God, thank you. There were moments that I
had an opportunity to enjoy. And it's especially because I'm
like a music geek, right and so like a lot
of the people that were helping us behind the scenes
were like these world over and Now music shits at
(15:00):
singers and you know people that I've seen like help
like Tina turn Luke all these people like are working
around the.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
American Idol set. So it was just every day like
you're getting to meet people that shape music at entertainment
culture Culture Culture.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
We had to take a quick break right here, pay
some bills, fast forward through the commercials. Will be right
back with Ruben Stutter.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Every Champion and Kerry Champions to be a Champion of
Champion and Kry Chappion and carry Chappy out a champion
and carry Chappion and carry.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
Chap pray is his sports and entertainment can nake you weird?
Speaker 3 (15:39):
Kerry Champion and Carrie Chappion is to be a champion
of Champion and Carrie Chappi and Nigger Kitty got a
champion and carry Chapion and carried sheby pray is the
sports and entertainment Cannnegie.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Were welcome back to Naked. He is here and he sings, Guys,
he gave us, He gives us a little bit, just
a little a little bit of we need that. Thank you, Ruben.
You were clearly easy to love because of your spirit
and how easy going you were, and then you had
the voice. I remember Gladys Night calling you a teddy bear.
I think something like silky teddy bear. What was the
(16:12):
compliments you gave you that?
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Hey?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
And so, so I wonder because I know me, and
I know I'm competitive, and I don't care how kind
I am. There's this competitive edge that comes out. And
I want to know when you when it started to
get down to like the last three or four, last two,
were you still close with these people? Were you guys
still rooting for each other? Or was this there was
(16:38):
this I'm gonna sit in my room and work on
what I'm about to do this week. I can't be
were not best friends no more.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
You know what.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
I think the culture of the show kind of shifted
to that a couple of seasons after. They were very
intentional about making us feel like family, so that the
reactions to people leaving would be it was, you know,
clearly a television show, like and you can't see that
(17:03):
while you're in it. But they were very intestinal about
making us like we had family dinners, like we lived
in the house together, Like it was like very intensement.
So when somebody left, it was like your cousinly were sister?
You Like, I really had no expectation of what was
going or or or desire to be the top person
(17:27):
until we got into like the top three and I was,
and then you was like, so.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Then you started? Did you start pushing people around and
bullying people?
Speaker 1 (17:35):
No, right at all.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
I just like I'm kidding.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
I was sharp focused on making sure my performances was good,
you know what I mean, because we worked so hard.
Like what people don't understand about that show is that
there's not just the singing component the kids now on
the show, they don't do it as much. But we
we were basically product promoters. So every week we had
(17:59):
to shoot commercials a Coca Cola board, old Navy one
or two.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Did you get any Did you guys make money off that? No,
they didn't pay you all to shoot those commercials.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
They paid us with careers. That's fine.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
But then bet you now, I bet you now they
getting paid if they have they don't do that, I
bet you're getting paid now because you can't do that
no more.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
It's definitely different, so you know, like yeah, because.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
It's different when you're the first, one of the first
it's different, and so there are a lot of new
rules that are established as you guys go along.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
I mean we were people like they were giving us.
I mean we had a new phone every week, you know,
anything that came out on AT and T, they were
like sending it to us, of course, but you're not
thinking like, of course they're sending it to Ruben, like
maybe you know, yeah, yeah Ruben.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
That was before we knew that product placement really could
be uh a cash cow if you would And also too,
when you when this show was first starting out, a
lot of people and not in and and and not.
And I'm not disrespecting the outcome because it worked out
well for you. But there are these these contracts, these
predatory contracts. We all have had them. Like when I
(19:10):
first started in the business, my very first contract was insane,
and I was like, why is this even my contract?
How am I even dealing with this? You know what
I mean? Why isn't there like why is this allowed
to happen? And then as you go on and you
figure out the business, you learn what's right and what's
not right. So I am not saying anything disparaging, but
I am saying that they couldn't you know, they couldn't
(19:31):
do that today. Like you if you if they said
Ruben Kubat and shoot ting commercials, you'd be like, Okay,
my agent will talk to you about the take commercials.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
We're gonna share absolutely. But it was you know, I
call America out of entertainment book is exactly. Yeah, like
you get the singing part is what that is? If
you got that, when you calm, you will be fine.
But we were taught how to interview, how to do copy,
(19:59):
how to you know, you know, do things at the radio,
stations that require you to be fast, like miners and notes,
all these things that we, you know, wouldn't have known otherwise,
Like people said you like, most times people get shot
out into the music industry or the whatever industry without
any experience, And we got six months work experience doing
(20:21):
all these things which made us basically professionals right after
we left the show.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Wow, that's great, and that's invaluable. By the way, that's invaluable.
That that is invaluable in a lot of different ways.
So the runner up, Clay and you are still friends
to this day. From my understanding, now this is from
my hardcore American Idol friends. My best friend Kendred. I
was just talking to her. I go, I'm an interviewing Ruben.
She was like, oh, I love me some Ruben. Him
(20:47):
and Clay just went on tour like she has the
whole rundown. She gave me your schedule. You guys just
finished I believe in February, and it was a slice
of nostalgia. Not only did you do covers and sing
sing the songs that you guys did on American Idol,
you made the experience visceral. It could reach out and
touch the set. Maybe talk to me about who came
up with this concept. Well, we wanted more specific, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
We wanted to produce a show that made people feel
like they were back on America outset. So I mean,
we don't really really have the idle props because we couldn't,
but you know, we definitely had the sound effects and
all the things, you know, the drops from the legendary
(21:32):
guest judges that came and you know, you would hear
those kinds of things during the show. And we also
talked about you know, you know, we had all the stories.
We really went through. This is something that most people
don't know about the show that we just produced. We
went through absolutely every episode at our producer's house. We
watched all of it to kind of get the gems
out of like because you know, it's after twenty years,
(21:54):
you don't remember all the things that were saying or
thrown at you, and so we had opportunity sit down
and watch all that stuff and kind of put it
into the show where people can get you know, because
a lot of times people are always asking us what
was it like on the show, We kind of like
talked about the experience. We sang a lot of the
songs that not just we sang, but a lot of
the other contestants saying during our season we kind of
(22:18):
you know, took a trip down memory Lao season two.
I love that.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
I really truly loved that. And then you were on
Kelly's show and you guys are going back and forth,
back and forth. Kelly was like, I'm glad I wasn't
on your show, and you guys were giving each other.
I will say this just as a fan watching the
show the earlier and I know you've heard this. The earlier.
The earlier years were the years, right, the golden years
where you really had true I think people artists before
(22:43):
it became you know, you know, like social media, before
it was infiltrated with what wasn't necessarily authentic all the time.
But the as you said earlier, you knew the people
who could sing, and you know the people that were
there for you know, the looks and the talent of
it all. And I feel like it's set up this
(23:06):
reality TV show where you have to entertain. You see
it with the mask singer, which I believe you and
Clay were on. You see it with what does that
America's got talent? Like over and over again. It's been
replicated and there seems to be some some sort of
success with it. Do you think that you that you
(23:28):
specifically had something to do with this, this evolution of
the entertainment singing reality show.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
I think that our participation in the show definitely had
something to do with the evolution of reality competitions in general.
Like when you look at the way that all the
reality competitions are produced now they have three judges. Everything
is like, you know, like the way the camera shots look,
(23:55):
they look exactly like older American Idol shots. Like everything
it's watching the boys watching all these shows. It makes
me think about America Idol. Everything just has a different
twist to it, you know, but it's the same war.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
No, it didn't. Simon Kyle have his hand on a
couple of these shows that when popular. We need our Simon,
we need our we need our Randy Dog, we need
our pa you know, our paulap Duel, we need that.
Like he was able to kind of make a couple
of more shows. And you're right, there was a formula,
you know, and you knew what would work. You then
you produce it. You you have this album that goes
(24:31):
platinum after you leave. And I wonder if there was
any when you leave them at what'd you say? Two taps?
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Wait?
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Would tell me again? Two tames? What twice? Two times?
Two times? Two times platinum? Carrie? Get it right? Okay, yes,
got it by bad? So then you then you leave?
Was there a soft landing into the real world, the
real world, if you will, of entertainment without without all
of the props of American idol? Or was there this
(25:07):
jolt of oh, while I'm out here and it's not
American idols?
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Because Clive Davis and the people at RCA Sony were
in partnership with our people at America I. We really
went straight from the biggest televiusiness show to the biggest
record covery like there was no you know, and and
we we definitely benefited from being on the show because
(25:33):
now we're getting to learn but the next part of
the business from other greats, right Because I mean, you
can think about to have Clive Davis involved with your
first three albums, you know, that's that's that's Aretha Franklin
in County, you know what I mean? That's ye like
that that put category people that we idolized and so
(25:54):
definitely was really blessed to have the opportunity to be
on j RCA Records with him getting the opportunity to
go around the world thanking people for voting for me.
That was like, you know, yeah, how And then you know,
we went shortly after the show. We didn't really leave
each other. We went on like sixty to any tour,
(26:15):
like three months after.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Oh you guys did do a tour together. It still
wasn't over. You guys still went out on tour together.
Did Wow? Do you miss it?
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Do I miss American Ardoll or just what? I don't.
I'm going back to the show enough not to have
a feeling of wanting for the show. But I definitely
I love those people that were there working with us
(26:48):
like family. So anytime I get a chance to go
back there, it's like a class reunion where you're like
hugging everybody that you know. All of our assistant producers
all like assistant producers are now executives on the show.
So there, you know, it's you know, it's different going
back and seeing them like just like we'd elevated, they
(27:09):
all elevate.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Okay, so here's my question for you. I'm really curious
about life in Birmingham, Alabama. For you post American idol
like you have to be. I know that you have
a couple of honorary degrees, but you have to be
one of the biggest stars out of Birmingham. Or do
(27:31):
you have streets named out for you there? Do you
have to play for any kind of meal when you
go out and tell me all the perks? Because I
want to be able to say, I know Rubin and
can I get a hookup?
Speaker 1 (27:43):
Well, listen, Birmingham is my city and they do love me.
But there are you know, we have several superstar athletes
that are from Birmingham. So I guess people are not
as starstruck as you may think. You know, you know,
Bear Bryant used to walk around here and be eating
who could have whatever?
Speaker 2 (28:04):
A Bear who don't nobody, don't Bear caseing. He just
brought you guys. He just created that wonderful program there.
It's fine.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Three of the original Temptations are from Birmingham.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
Okay, so you you like carry let me just put
this in perspective. Give me all the famous people, athletes
and entertainers from Birmingham. Three of the original Temptations Bear Bryant.
Uh do you get Tuscaloosa is not considered Birmingham if
people make but everyone loves they love the head coach
over there, right.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
Yeah, Nick Saban, But you know it's it's you know,
thirty minutes up the world.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
So okay, and who else?
Speaker 1 (28:42):
I said, Bo Jackson, Let's see.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
I mean, I don't know, you haven't named anybody more
famous than Ruben Stuttard. I'm gonna go, I'm gonna put
him in order.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Oh nos, stop stop, ma'am. I have yet to have it.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Don't do that.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
Don't that the greatest athlete to ever touch a football
or baseball? Like?
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Hey, guess okay, Bo? No, okay, all right, Bo, Ruben bear, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:15):
I have to.
Speaker 1 (29:20):
I would have to put a list out of the
people that are from here we have.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
I'm gonna ask. I'm gonna ask Siri when I get off,
when I get off this this podcast, and see what
series says?
Speaker 3 (29:31):
He says, every champion and Kerry champions to be a champion,
a champion and Kerry champion and carry chap out a
champion and carry champion and carry chap.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
Is the sports and entertainment can Naki were.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
Every champion and carry champions. To be a champion, out
a champion and carry champion. They shout a champion and carry.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
Champion and carry chapfraid is the sports and entertainment Nick.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Okay, So I'm really really excited about a couple of things.
So I remember it you said this is inspired by
your wife. Tell me about that. And you have a
song called Wife, which I think is beautiful. Tell me
about the process of deciding six years later it's time
to make a song. I know you just had another child, congratulations,
(30:22):
and I think this is beautiful. It's full circle. But
I want to know the process of making this particular
album for you.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
I wasn't very interested in making a new album only
because I had a different business model. I started doing,
uh these nostalgic cover shows, produced a show called Ruben
Singh's Luther, which did really well for me and I.
You know, I had no desire to be in the
(30:53):
studio doing a project, and I went to So I'm
a very big hip hop fan, and I went to
see eight Ball at Mjgen at an outdoor festival in Mobile,
Alabama with me and this lady that writes scripts for
(31:15):
b et Just She's from Mobile, Alabama. She's had several
scripts like produced and she was like, we've been looking
for you. I said, Okay, who are you. She's like,
just poop my number of your wife's pall y'all called me.
Uh So I called her and they were producing straight
(31:37):
to the TV film on BT where they needed a
song for me. So I sang the song and I
really enjoyed it. And the producer that I recorded the
song where it was like, man, if you like that,
I got like twelve songs that you could hear, and
he played the way I remember it, which is something
(31:58):
that he had previously recorded, but the words were a
little different. I was like, oh, I love this, Like
I got write this a little bit to fit my relationship.
But you know, it definitely was one of those kind
of like musical aha moments. I was like, you know what, baby,
I should do a new record. You know, baby, it
(32:21):
is time. And I remember the very second studio session
I had. He's like, I'm thinking about writing song like
Easter speech. Like what is he talking about? What are
you talking about? He said, remember when we were kids,
we were do these Eastern speeches. That's like he is
for Easter every data and so anyway, I come downstairs
(32:41):
and he was like, what would you say if we
were spelling out? And so we just started going through
like the wife, like all the things that we would
say that out my wife meant to me with that
letter and it it turned into a smash and from
that point on that's how the album what was built.
And then to raw the album off. Most of my
(33:04):
very pop most recognizable songs were produced by a production
group called Underdogs with help from like Tank, Eric Dawkins
and all these other people that work with them. And
Eric came in at the very end with the song
called the Shake in My Head. It was just, you know,
(33:27):
the album just it happened. It really was just late
in my lap. I didn't have to do much to
make a great record with Balawil, the guy Balaywha Mohammad
Whun is one of the executive producers on the project.
I didn't have to do much because he really just
heard my voice. Because of that TV song we did.
It was like I got songs from you, let's do.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I love this by the way, I love all of it. Okay,
So then Masterpiece, from my understanding is doing really well.
You perform that as well, where's it at right now?
Speaker 1 (33:58):
I have no idea. I have not keeping up, man,
I have listen, I have a new baby.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
You're like, I'll get to that.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
Sorry to be keeping up where those chart positions are.
But listen, my Papa says, saying, it's doing what they're
supposed to do, talking to y'all. I got some other
shows coming up later in the season, so listen. It
must be doing okay, because otherwise nobody want to have
anything to say.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Hello Hello. That's what's the best part about being a dad.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
Two times, the best part about being a dad is
watching these little people that look like you and their
mother kind of emulate you in a way. Like I
didn't know that my song was paying very much attention
to me performing until one day we were downstairs watching
(34:52):
a video and he grabbed the microphone. He was like, Daddy,
I want to sing like you, and I say you
want to. From then on, like he just started like
grabbing anything and just like singing with by right now,
his favorite song is Won't He Do It? A song
by Korean Hearth of Heart. He's always singing there. That's
(35:13):
his jail now. By the way, I got to take
him to see Hary consort because he loved us, so you.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
Said, and this really piqued my interest. You said, the
Luther Vandross the cover, what the covers were doing well?
And I noticed that you just launched your own app.
Are you still in terms of your business model? Are
you still doing that?
Speaker 1 (35:33):
Yes? The Ruber singing Luthor, I don't think will ever
be something that I stop doing because the music is
so well, it's so good, and people people always want
to hear Luther Vandross's songs sang right, and I think
(35:53):
I do a good job of doing that as ring Good,
not as Luthor, but because no one could ever I
try to tell people like, this is not a Broadway musical. Well,
I'm trying to be Luther. I'm just doing my best
interpretation of what I feel like I felt when I'm
(36:13):
a material, and I love it. I love the nostalgia
of it. I wouldn't normally ever be on stage with
Sparkley jacket on I'm gonna wear it like I'm generally
like a blazer kind of guy. But on that show,
I get to be outside of myself and I get
to like give people a real production because there you know,
(36:35):
it's a lot that goes into it. I have like
fool band a three background singers, like all these production
people that come with the Ruben singing Ruth of packets.
So it's it's a blessing that I've been able to
produce that.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
And yeah, it's beautiful and also too people no one
today in my opinion, men, the R and B is
not the singing of how I feel in my emotions.
It's things have changed. It's it's very a lot of slang.
(37:09):
It doesn't it doesn't remind me of love songs, of
ballads of I really care about you, I want to
be with you. You know, the baby making music of
the days are no longer here in my opinion, and
you're still able to give us that with your album,
this album. And also when you sing, you're like, oh,
this is what's missing. You know, when I hear you,
I'm like, this is what's missing? That that soul. It's
(37:32):
and I don't want to say nostalgia, but it's it
feels very cultural, it feels very warm, it feels authentic.
Although that was a way in which everyone used to
do it, we've gone away from that. Do you intentionally
or is that just what you have. Do you intentionally
make music and sing music that reminds us of that
(37:52):
or is it just who you are in you?
Speaker 1 (37:54):
I think it's a part of who I am. I mean,
like we all are the sum told of our lives experience.
Instant my mom was a really big news for Evangelois fan.
Father also had this very large record collection, which you know,
allowed me to kind of explore and listen to things
I probably would normally have listened to based upon his
travel and army, so he brought things back that I
(38:16):
was able to listen to. And also I just love
music in general. So Luther's music was hot, was produced
at the highest quality. You know, the orchestrations and some
of the things in front of this albums were just
you know, unmatched and that. And there are a lot
of singers now are doing very nostalgic retros, uh you
(38:41):
know Marvin Gaye sound.
Speaker 4 (38:43):
And.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
Even ty Reese still has that kind of luther Esque
to me feel to his music. One of the last
songs he produced, uh, I'll thank you. That song is
just that is like nostalgic R and B like you
got you know, so many October London, all these people
(39:06):
are coming out now with you know that real throwbacks,
bringing it back. I think really have a hunger for it,
and so I'm glad to be a part of that renaissance,
so to speak.
Speaker 2 (39:18):
I love it. I'm glad you are a part of it.
Speaker 4 (39:20):
Can I.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
There was a social media question going around the internet
and people were answering it two ways. There's one way
to answer it to be politically correct, and there's one
way to answer it if this is just how you feel,
truly how you feel. But who would you say is
the king of R and B? And you know why
that conversation started to come up living king of R
(39:42):
and B? Uh huh? Or who period? He doesn't have
to be living. I'll ask you period, and then I'll
ask you living.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
I don't think that there is and let me just
because there's so much great work, it's hard to say
who was, Like if I, if I was to compare,
it's like comparing apples to oranges, Like Al Green is
amazing and so is Marvin Gate. Do we do we
(40:11):
have Did we get classic, great, amazing material from both
of those people? Yes?
Speaker 4 (40:17):
We did.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
Yeah, Yeah. Rookie Robinson is amazing and so is Wilson.
Did we get interior from both those people? Yes, we did.
Luther vandros Is was amazing, but so was Freddie Jackson.
Speaker 2 (40:32):
Oh what about Jeffrey Osborne. I just saw him on
someone's page the other day.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
I mean, especially the eighties, Jeffery Osborne, people, Bryson, like
all these people that were singing, and I mean we
could go on billy oshit like you know, and I would.
I hate what nobody has to be at the top
of anything. You know, we called miss Aretha the Queen
of soul, but there were a lot of other great
(40:59):
bat soul saying and I loved her. There were gay
there were.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
And but that's why she's queen, you know. There there
is there is a hierarchy in what we're getting and
so so for them to say Aretha is queen is
appropriate based on singing. I think what she gave us,
what she did for the culture and the community, I
get it. But there's some You're right, I want to
come on and say, well I did another queen for
(41:23):
me is someone can say, Patty, you know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (41:28):
There was this vocals.
Speaker 2 (41:31):
Unmatched, So I think queen is apropos and.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
The thing that was so great her is that everybody,
whether it was Gospel or the R and B or sacred,
they all respected her voice like she shut everybody like
you get no work.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
The internet, she look queen. They would go to Aretha.
There was this infamous clip and they go to Aretha
and they ask her about all thes have you ever
seen that that are out currently? When that was a
while ago. May she rest in peace? And I knew
what she was doing. She's classy as she could be,
but if she talked about singing, she's like soulful singers.
(42:13):
She would say things very complimentary, but you knew she
was just like, yeah, they don't do what we do anymore.
And someone said Taylor Swift, she was like nice dresses,
you know, Mariah Carrey, Oh she's pretty. Like it was
very respectful, but she was saying what I do isn't
what they do. So I have one. The debate that
was on the internet started when Usher did the Super
(42:35):
Bowl okay, and they were like Usher Chris Brown, who
dances and sings better? And there was this divisiveness I know,
but I also felt like it was a compliment as
well to all the talent. When you start asking if
it's hard to make that choice, would you make a
choice between the two between singing and dancing?
Speaker 1 (42:58):
You know what, because Usher and I are closer in age,
I will just give it to him just because we're
closer in age, like you know, we're but man, Chris
Brown is like he's amazing, And that's why I don't
like that. I don't like that kind of situation, like
the versus if you will after your after you made
(43:18):
it to a point you're not in competition with anybody
but yourself.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
Amen, Amen, I like it. So I'm gonna I'm gonna
title this the King of R and B of Soul.
The King of Soul, Ruben Stuttered is the name of
this of this podcast. And you can't tell me. I
can't because I am.
Speaker 1 (43:41):
Kick. It's all. You better talk to agree, You better talk.
Speaker 2 (43:44):
To Congratulations on everything. The album, the way I remember
a masterpiece single out now. I love gret Sky. I
think that's great. I love the the the homage to
the wife, and I'm really excited that you're back doing
new music. I'm glad the Luther covers will never stop
(44:05):
because I will be there to watch live in person.
You really truly are a kind soul. So thank you
so much for taking the time.
Speaker 1 (44:13):
Thank you guys for having me. It's been an amazing
pleasure to speaking to me.
Speaker 2 (44:17):
It's hard to say who the king of R and
B is is very true, And let me tell you this.
When I have this discussion with any black man specifically,
they'll say R. Kelly. Hands down. They'll say you can't
say it publicly, but they will tell me. I mean.
I went to an impromptu survey, I said, R Kelly,
Chris Brown Usher, and they have told me over and
(44:38):
over again it is R. Kelly. And for obvious reasons,
I disagree. But even if I had to just listen
to his catalog, I felt like all of R. Kelly's
music sounded the same. It just didn't register with me.
But for black men, he is the king of R
and B. And that is because I went back to listen.
He was singing like they think, you know what I mean.
(45:00):
He was saying things that they love. Like I'm not
saying it gets representative of all black man, but I
am saying he really registered, which has a lot to do,
and I'll go I want to get into Obviously, he
will be in jail for the rest of his life,
but probably had a lot to do with why so
many people ignored his hillacious past and who he was
(45:20):
as a human because he made good music. Let's just
keep it poky and make it uncomfortable that we do
not have that problem with one. Ruben stuttered, wonderful inside
and out, a big teddy bear kind good spirit. You
could see it, you could feel it, you could hear
it in his songs. He didn't want to necessarily say
anybody who's a king of R and B. Although we
do agree that Aretha is the queen and we're not
(45:42):
taking that from her. You're gonna have to debate that,
which Huntie with the slide and wig, because it's not
up for debate. Rip Aretha last, will not least you guys,
go out and check out his album. I think it's
really interesting that he is able to make music some
six years later and admittedly did not even think about
making any more music. His business model had changed. He
(46:03):
was doing covers, he's doing tours, he was doing things
that he really enjoyed, and now he's back in the
studio and giving us more of his music, more more
for us to enjoy. And I think you guys really
really ought to check it out. Support Ruben, you got
to support the good ones. My thoughts on who the
king of R and B is? If you oh, is
that what you ask I hear you asking, well, I'm
(46:24):
gonna say Usher. I'm gonna say Usher over and over again.
That's for me, not for you, but for me. If
you say Prince versus Michael, who you taking? I'm taking Michael.
Debate your untie with the sliding wig, because that is
my take. Okay, debate your untie with the sliding wig.
I'm going Michael over Prince day in and day out,
(46:47):
and then twice on Sundays. I don't care what you think.
And Man narrated my entire childhood and adulthood. If you
ask me, I okay. So we got Whitney and Beyonce,
and you're talking voice strictly voice. Where y'all going. We're
(47:08):
going Whitney. Obviously Beyonce had the bigger career, but we're going.
We're going Whitney. Stop playing. Thank you for listening to Naked.
We'll be back next week.
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