Macy Gray

This week's guest on Questlove Supreme has one of the most distinctive and extraordinary voices of our time. The dynamics and textures of Macy Gray's are, in the words of Quest, "a producer's dream". Since her debut 30 million albums have been sold, she continues to impress us with her acting chops and now she's helping folks who have lost their loved ones to police brutality. But what's her real story? Gotta listen and find out!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Quest Love Supreme is a production of I Heart Radio.
Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to another episode of Quest of Supreme.
I mean, who's quests love? You mean we have Team Supreme.
We have the one and only Sugar Steve. You should

(00:21):
be Stone Steve? What I think you need a new moniker?
I mean you over this? I thought you said you
should be Stone right now, Steve. I was like a
mission accomplished that. Yeah, now Stone Steve. I think I'm
good with a Sugar Steve. It's a brand now she's
made a brand out of it. It's like a hold
the way of life. I'm good as long as you

(00:43):
still living. That's that's. That's all. Camera. You know I'm living. Uh,
I'm paid Bill, It's also my house. How's it going? Fantastic? Life? Nantastic?
All right? How are you? Yo? For real? I was
real calm, but then I saw her face and I
got really happy. Okay, I'm like I'm excited, like, yeah,

(01:04):
we've we've missed the ship out of me. How are you?
I can leave them and come back just just for
the for the whole hour and a half. Just come
back and come back, and ladies and gentlemen, Uh, what
can I say our guest today. Well, for starters, she's

(01:27):
sold over thirty million units of her albums and in
the last two decades, I believe their ten in total. UM.
But besides all that she personally UM, I will say
that she's one of my favorite voices in music, and

(01:48):
not in that oh I like niche unusual uh sounding singers,
but it's it's rare to hear any trace of of
of soul or life in such a um technically perfect
culture that we live in now, where everything is overdone
and overwrought and too perfect. Like she has a pulse

(02:10):
in her voice, and that's what I always loved about her.
Welcome to uh coess Love Supreme Macy Gray. Hello, how
are you doing right now? I'm in my bed in
Los Angeles, California, sitting on my bed. The Internet in
my house is best in my room, so I want
to have stuff like this. I get in the bed,

(02:32):
I see, well, yeah, well I thought we were all
in our beds. But wait, before I ask anything, this
is what I have to know. So I'm I'm I'm
getting my first real, real real house hooking up right now.

(02:54):
And and the one thing that the one idea I'm
stealing from you, uh, is the idea of the chocolate room.
When I first went to your house, you had a
room dedicated all brown, all chocolate. Which do you still
maintain that in your house. It's been a while since

(03:16):
I've ever been back to your crib. I'm just asking, Mike,
I got a chocolate room. But you have to. It's
very important. You have to get the paint sueded or
else it will just look like do to brown. You
gotta get like a proper painter and tell him you
want it sueded, sued Okay, Okay, Yeah, So I was

(03:41):
about to say, um, damn, It's it's been so long
since since we wrapped to each other, you know. Now
I feel like I'm we're reintroducing ourselves to each other.
I mean, of course, in your circle, always heard people
call you Nat Nat, but I know that, Uh Macy's stage.
How did you How did you get that name? I

(04:02):
never asked you, like, how did you get the name
Macy Gray? Um? I saw it on a mailbox. I
guess there's there is a real Macy Gray. So you
know in Ohio, you know how I like back in
the day, so everybody used to make up their name,
like now, everybody used to. I know when I when

(04:25):
I was coming to everybody had a fake name, right,
messic man everybody. And so I thought I had to
make up a name. So I just I saw this
name on a mailbox and I was like, you know
that sounds good, you know, I mean I saw it
on a mailbox when I was much younger. But when
I decided to make up my name, I went to
that name. Wait, have you ever looked up the actual

(04:46):
Macy Gray? Yeah, I mean the one from the mailbox.
He he lived across the street. So someone your neighbor
has told that story. Least, oh my god, she's named

(05:06):
after me. Yeah, And like I knew who he was,
but it didn't like resonate till I saw it that
spelled out on a mailbox. It just it was kind
of like you remember in a Boogie Nights and he
goes Dirk Diggler. I saw it in like Dirk Diggler.
It was kind of like that kind of moment, I
look nice, Yeah, you need to go steal that mailbox

(05:30):
just for your chocolate. Is he still living? No, he
passed a few years ago. Names on the name lives
on Oh Wow okay, and like have you has he
seen you since you christened yourself? Basic? No? I never
ran into him after that, but you know he lived

(05:50):
on my my mom and dad's street and then um
and then they moved, but they were they were never
like friends or nothing, but you know, it was just
a guy across street. Some older crosses the streets. So
I believe you were born in Ohio. Okay, I was
gonna say, what city was it in? What type of
town was it? So Canton, c A and t O N.

(06:13):
It's most known for the football Hall of Fame is
and Kieron that's a sport of her. Yeah, okay, okay, okay.
So I went to school with Marilyn Manson. He's from
Canton wow O. Jason from Canton to the barges Le

(06:36):
Browns from from Akron. Akron's like twenty minutes away, like
you know, it's like the next little city over and
then a bunch of people Steph Curry's from Akron. Trying
to think who else? I don't even know if it's quietly,
but it's it's definitely the heartbeat of America, like yeah,

(06:57):
four okay, okay. So Steve's in the sports to me,
why why why are all the Hall of Fames of
sports in Ohio? I understand why the rock and Roll
Hall of Fame is there because allegedly Alan Freed, They
claim he coined the term rock and roll. But I

(07:18):
tend to think that he just stole it from whatever
black person was saying that that's how he coined the term.
So that's that's why I know the rock and Roll
Hall of Fames in Cleveland. But I mean just in
terms of Cooper's town or the football hall, like why
is well Cooper's towns in New York? That's how much

(07:38):
I don't know about the sports, um, But I don't
know they actually right now, Like Jill, I don't think
I've ever embarrassed you more. You're pondering your future on
this podcast based on that last question I just asked, Yeah,
Cooper's town is very much in New York. I how

(08:02):
that's how much I don't do the sports. We know
we went. I went to a baseball game with you.
Remember we had geese steaks. It was a big night
for the team lose when we went probably yeah, yeah, yeah,
I know that. How's commedn't like sports. Wait, why don't
you watch No, it's not that I don't like sports.
I just joke that, you know, you can't worship two gods,

(08:24):
And for me, there's music. People stick to music and
sports people stick stick to sports. And then some people
get really, really defensive when I say that, well, I
like sports and I do music, And then behind their backs,
I'd be like, so you dedicated your life a little

(08:48):
harder to music than most of mirror, so that that's
not healthy to just love one thing only you know, like,
come on, experience a little bit more than that. But
do you meditate three hours a day? I played when
I was a kid, I played kickball, played dodgeball. None
of those are I'm saying they're not professional sport and

(09:15):
ESCA yeah, that's real good at pong, Ping pong, dominant
girl space teg kingball sport. People get people get serious
on stage, they get upset. Have you guys? Are you?
Are you guys keeping up with the now that they
have the spades tournament on the poker channel? Shut up?

(09:39):
Now we talk about that later. I wonder what, okay, yes,
there now starting spades tournaments on the my game? Can
you win money they're playing professionally. Yes, it's about respect
the name. I played one Spade the Game of my

(10:00):
life with with Jill and Lazel, and I did horrible
and that was it. That was he played. He played
like chess, checkers, domino see after watching Queen's gambit, I
was gonna try for three days. I was on fire
about chess and then I lost that fire. So I'll

(10:24):
stick a yeah, but saxis like I played ghetto vers,
not not the There's so many ways to cheat it.
There are so many ways. Okay, we're never going to
talk about Macy's career. Um, I get offended when white

(10:46):
people won't allow the ghetto rules of of UNO to stand.
And even crazier, you know, once you try to clap
back at me on Twitter because I told him like
staxis are allowed. Yeah, that was a triples all day.
So yeah, and they tried to, like you know, the
Twitter account of UN try to correct me and I
had to send them black foot to shut that ship down.

(11:09):
Yeah I can't. We took over that game. I'm sorry. Anyway.
What was your first musical memory? My dad whooping my
ass because I wouldn't practice my piano was getting my
ass beat every because I had to practice a half
hour every day. And sometimes I would like wait till
he fell asleep, and I'll think he was sleep and

(11:30):
then and then I would say yeah, and he would
that I would get a whooping if if I didn't,
if you didn't practice your skills, yeah, man, So wait,
how old were you when you first started playing piano? Seven?
Was this like a church requirement thing or like just
something to do to pass the time or no, it's
my mom. My mom had this thing for signing me

(11:52):
up for activities so she could go do what she
was gonna do. That was like my babysitter. So if
I was at the y m c A all day,
then you know I was coming. That was just or
like um, after school, I went to piano and then
she would drop me off and she would like go
grocery shop like that was her, Like you know that

(12:12):
those were all my babysitters. But but I learned, you know,
I learned how to play the piano. She had me
an archery, swimming, I could do anything. When I was
a little you guys didn't have the white the white
mom just dropping you off on set boys and girls summertime. Yeah, yeah, basketball, gymnastics, everything.

(12:33):
I know, gymnastics, that forward row you get dropped off
at the school on Sundays. Yeah, we had that. We
had a Jewish center and I had to go to
that too. Where did you have to go to that?

(12:54):
Because they had what class did I take? That's why
I took a cleaner gym? I took the I took.
That's why I took women lessons. You're right, that's funny, Yeah,
because it was those women pull It was nice like that. Yeah,
I couldn't. I could go to the Jewish wine on
Broad Street, but not you get one. That's really Do

(13:22):
you remember the first album that you purchased the boat
with my own money was Purple Rain Huge Prince fam
And how was your first record? First record I bought
with my own money? I mean, you know before that,
I was just listening to my mom and lad's records
all the time. Okay, before then, there wasn't like a

(13:44):
large record collection in the household. Uh No, My dad
was a huge. All he did all day was play
eight tracks. But you know I just listened to that.
That's what I grew up on dad, my mom and stuff.
Was your dad listened to? He was huge James Brown fan.
He thought James Brown was just everything, and uh, you

(14:06):
know the Asley Brothers and my mom was really into
Glady's Night and all that, you know, mostly soul music.
And my mother was a huge fan of Elvis Presley,
so I knew a lot of Elvis Presley sent fan,
I mean songs, and I knew a lot of Frank Sinatra.
She really liked those two. But other than that, it
was all like that old soul stuff, you know, you know,

(14:28):
grown grown people stuff. Did you bring Purple Rain back
to them? Like? Did John listened to it together? No?
I didn't. I didn't. I kinda So I got really
in the prince. Uh when MTV came out. When was
the MTV nineteen four? M was good between eighty one

(14:49):
and eighty five. Yeah, so that's when I got really
into like all different stuff. That's when I really got
in the rock and roll. I was like a big
Poison and fan. I like thought it was van Hey
and Recondisance, and I got really in the Prince. I
painted my room purple and saw the night I saw
Purple Rain, and I watched I sat there for three

(15:10):
three shows. I set down, what a time to be
alive when you would have to sit and watch a
movie over and you would never see it again as
long as you live. Was obsessed with that. So after
so that I was like, you know, my big fanatic
is print. Some print was so I mentioned at the

(15:34):
top of the show that the texture of your voice
is probably the most even when you talk, it's a
it's a melodic it's a melodic sounding voice. Like did
you always have this texture in your voice even as
a child? Like was this always like something that stood

(15:56):
out from anyone else that was speaking. Yeah, I always
had an unusual voice. And then but you know, when
you're little and then and the kids make funny So
I stopped talking. I mean, I know, I didn't stop talking.
It just made me really quiet, made me shine, and
like I was, I didn't want to speak because all
the kids would start laughing. You know, I didn't talk
much outside of maturity. What's the difference in your voice

(16:19):
than than now? Like what it was? It just way different?
Or has it evolved into something? Had it evolved in
something different? Well? Yeah, I grew up with me. I
mean it's changed for sure. And then uh, probably a
lot of singing, you know, because I took a vocal
lessons for a while and then and then you know
when you go on tour, that's like that's like practicing.

(16:40):
That's like a two hour vocal lesson every night. So
oh so it's it's definitely changed. But but yeah, I've
always had a you know, funny voice. They call it beautiful.
What was what was the first do you remember the
first concert you ever attended? Okay, so my mom took
me to see Michael jack so when I was super little,

(17:01):
but on my own. It was a Prince concert. Yeah,
he took me to see and I remember Michael Jackson
running through the crowd and everybody a little girls jumped
on him and my mom grabbed his cheeks like the
bottle on his face, on his face. But let me

(17:22):
tell you how funny laughing. So, what was that last
thing he did? It was like a big MTV. It
was like MTV ten or something. Well he did something
for that, uh all of his album titles, YEA Invincible,
I don't know. It was like a talking about the
movie he did, but it was a MTV remember that type.

(17:44):
His bodyguards beat up, beat up that guy. Oh oh god,
that's my favorite moment. The dude from he Is He
from Pulp at the World Okay, at the at the
at the World, you know that awards show where it's
like the World Music Awards. It feels so like staged.

(18:06):
While he was performing, Um, he was performing Earth song,
I think Jarvis Cocker, uh is he I Pulp? I
believe he decided to run on stage and and moon
Michael's performance. You know, like Michael was doing that whole

(18:28):
Jesus angelic fleating out the sky ship or whatever, like
save the Earth, and and then the guy was just
like this, you know, this bullshit and it just ran
on stage and um it became it became like a
what do you call those like Charlie Chaplin chase scenes,
like a Keystone cops. Yeah, Like it was like six

(18:52):
people chasing Jarvis Cocker while Michael Jackson's trying to perform
do this majestic ending of a song. But all you
could see was like the song that should have been
playing in the background was sort of like like those
old timey thirties fly to the bumblebeeute, like just chasing
him all like they couldn't catch this guy for nothing.

(19:14):
I don't know what happened, but yeah, he got beat
up really bad, but they up anyway walking through, He's
walking back here has fifty bodyguards and I took my
mom and she reaches in and grabs his cheeks and
he goes hey, He goes hey, makes his mom and

(19:37):
then he walked away. I'm just glad the bodyguards didn't
didn't beat up your mom. You know how moms are,
Like bodyguards don't mess with you know, mom, They just
don't go to him. What what prince tour was? The
was your first concert? What tour was that rain? Okay,

(19:59):
I'm memorize the show. I knew I'll moved what you wear? Oh,
I know, I did my hair, I had my you know,
like you know the mullett put my hair over one side.
I don't remember what I wore, but I was trying
to get that hairst out that one at least. Oh yeah,

(20:21):
who was the first Prince tour that you saw? A quest? Okay,
so wait, this is a pretty simple question. Yeah, questions
the first the first two princes. I had to wrap
it up that I don't. I haven't. I haven't yet
to admit to my parents yet. So it's so it's okay,

(20:44):
you fifty anyway. Yeah, technically technically the Love Sexy Show.
But I saw him in and D three somewhere. How
old were you up telling me Jackie? How old was he?
Shut up? What? Okay? So what what? What do you

(21:13):
what would you think you would come to Jesus? Moment
was as far as you wanting uh to sing? Where
like did you form a band in high school or
any of those things? Like? Uh? So, so I went
to USC and I used to hang out without the
music majors. I was in the film school and and

(21:36):
I just gravitated to the musicians because that's you know,
I know how to pray and uh so, you know, college,
we I would like we would form bands and stuff
like that. So, so I met this kid, right he
had a four track. I'm giving away my age again.
He had a four track and he used to write
songs and he was super cute and he was like,

(21:56):
I told him I wrote songs because you know, just
so I can hang out with him in now. I
just want to get it. So the way I got
attached to it, I started like writing songs and I started,
you know, I really liked like you know, and so
you know, when you write a song you have to
kind of sing it. Uh so the person knows how
it goes. Are you writing it for him? Yeah? I

(22:18):
was writing songs for his tracks, tell you know how.
So we had all these little recordings of me having
melody ideas on his songs. And then one of his
friends had a every Sunday, uh like little brunch gig
down at the Ramada Inn down by USC downtown l A.

(22:39):
And and he needed a singer, and we were all
get up. We would all get a hundred dollars every Sunday.
And I had no intention to be in a singer.
But when you told me I would get a hundred dollars,
I was just like, yeah, I'll singing. And so I
started doing uh grunted every Sunday money I couldn't you know,
I didn't know anything about singing. And then gave me
all these little records. You know, stand there's to learn.

(23:00):
So I learned a bunch of jazz energy and stuff like.
And that that was the beginning. No, No, I got
into it. I like it so not not one person
until that moment. I saw you as a lightning in
a bottle moment because like again, the texture of your
voice is like that's a music producer's dream to capture

(23:24):
something that unusual and unique for singing. Like it's just
like no one had heard your voice. It was just
like Jesus Christ, like we gotta get you at least
in your teen years up until you went to college,
not not once that that moment ever occur. Chrise, I

(23:44):
was gonna say, you look exactly like you didn't want
to met you. He's got a team of people working
on that. I wait a minute. Your family's last name

(24:06):
is McIntyre. My mom and dad my last name is hans.
I was married. I mean, I'm not married any more,
but I was married. I didn't change my name back,
but my mom and dad, i'm McIntyre's. Yeah, good Irish people.
And what because my family is mc and tires. Are
they from any of the Carolinas or yeah, my dad's

(24:28):
from the south on huh wish of Georgia, Florida. I
don't know if they're from the Carolines, but I know
his family is in Tampa. Brackneers, Well, do you know
who won the Super Bowl? Quest? Steve? She asked you, Yeah,
she asked you. Yeah, I knew who wanted to the

(24:51):
Super Bowl, the weekendol as you like Tom Brady, Tom
Brady and the weekend one the week he lost the
Super Bowl. I didn't like the weekend at Super Bowl.
I thought it was cool. I wasn't out of it. Yeah, exactly,

(25:21):
That's all I think at this rate, if you can
get a good meme out of something like, yeah it's
a win, it's like what magical point you know, seven
seconds can you take from this moment? But yeah, that jack.
I just found out that jacket he wore, that red

(25:42):
Ryon Stone jacket that costs three million dollars. What Yeah,
that that that Ryan red Ryan Stone jacket. It's like
hand stitched and I know he gave that up to
feed somebody. I know he did between million dollars. He
did something with them, uh made of I think made

(26:04):
of rubies, not run and it should have cooked for
him and and exercise him and had kids for him.
Three million dollars. Well, he worried every uh the thing
that he's promoted so far for this record. That jacket,

(26:28):
the jacket, that's you know, it's what do you very
expensive jacket? What do you think of artists having to
pay to do the Super Bowl? Artists were paying to
do the Wait a minute, now, breaking news. Now what'd
you saying that? What's going on there? You have to
pay to do half time? Will you pay for your
own show? Which is cost him about five million dollars?

(26:50):
I don't think. I don't lie. I think you're responding
to did he paid to do it? No? They do.
You still have to come to you like, organize that
rock to him. But you know what what you want
to do to it depends on how deep your pockets.
They don't have a budget for a show, but you're
what she just said was there is no budget for

(27:10):
the show. It's like you could come. I would invite
you to come and then you can figure it out. Right, Well,
there's a limited budget, but if you want more than
that's coming out of your pocket. So yes, in addition
to those what two to three million dollars just for
that jacket, I think he paid an additional seven billion.
What's the that remembers? Okay, So I didn't used to

(27:31):
be like that, though it started with Katie Perry was
the first one to pay to do have Time three
years ago. Yeah. Well, you gotta make an impression and
if you you know, sometimes it works. For you, like,
what's the return what's the returns? I was about to say,
what's the return on? Well, I mean it's I mean,

(27:51):
if you if you know you're gonna make twenty million
dollars that night from streaming people streaming your music or
something like that, and you spend ten million, you know,
it's probably a scared money, don't make none situation. So
I think I think at the time, maybe he agreed
to do it, kind of thinking that it was going

(28:11):
to be a victory lap. But um, I don't think
he was expecting to get shut out at the Grammys
this year, so that kind of made it, uh man,
that sort of thing. But you know, you should have
taken the weekend off. This is where I would press words.

(28:37):
It makes I know often I can tell when critics
are lazy when they start bringing up Billie Holiday, because
I actually think your voice is closer to uh Esther Phillips.
Was she at all an influence on you? Like the
range in the tone of your voice and the texture

(28:58):
of it. It's more closer my opinion, to Esther Phillips
then Billie Holiday. But you know, not many people no
of no of Esther Phillips and her catalog like that,
but like, is there is there a north star for you,
like someone that vocally that you admired, Not in a

(29:21):
Prince I'm a Prince fan way, but like as far
as you're singing, Um, there was a lot you know,
I think, Uh, when you're into music, you listen to
a lot of different singers, and you know you can
learn so much. So Billie Holiday is is Uh what's
so magical about her is you can you can understand

(29:41):
every word she says. You know, She's not like she's
not gonna get with Houston and belt out some crazy note.
But so I learned from her to get my words
in there, you know. And then uh so like from
like like I told you, I liked what's his name
David Lee off from Van Helen and like I learned
from them. I learned from them. Yeah, but I can

(30:05):
scream because also and then you listen to like hip
hop like Biggie, like you learn to sing on rhythm,
like learn the hit the beat, you know what I mean.
So there's all these lessons, um, and I'm still learning.
You know, I'm trying to think, um Shaka Khan you know,
or somebody like uh, Fritz is interesting because he did

(30:27):
so many things with his voice, like he could go wow, wow,
yeah they will on the picture and then you can
do the falsetto. So I learned from him to try,
you know, experiment with my voice and and and and
hit high notes and stuff like that. You know, do
you prefer singing in a lower range or falsetto range? Um? No,

(30:53):
as I learned what as you know, there's a head voice,
your chest voice, and I've i've I've learned to not
have to use my throat, So I got all kind
of voices. It's okay. Is as a non singer, I'm
gonna ask this question, is that really important? Like I know, uh,
vocal trainers or whatnot are real big on like sing
from your diaphragm, singing from your diaphragm. But why why

(31:17):
why are most people that teach people to project be
acting coaches or singers. Why are they so insistent on
singing from your diaphragm and not your throat because it
takes the work off of your throat, because your your
vocal cords will wear out a lot faster than your

(31:38):
your stomach. You know, probing that can can sing from
like I can sing from my cheeks. I can I
can do all kind of stuff. But yeah, that the
idea is to use your throat as as little as possible,
because your vocal cords can wear a lot fasts a

(31:58):
lot of canceled shows stuff like that. I was gonna
ask if you're when you were actively touring, um, like,
how how much damage would have to occur for you
to cancel a show, because even if you have a
slightly horse or slightly scratched sort of goes into what
your tone already is. But no, I've only I swear,

(32:21):
I've only canceled two shows in my whole career because
of my voice. Once I missed because you know, a
couple of shows I miss because of the weather, but
my voice I got, Like I call myself super vocals
because I like and and and when I when I canceled,
it was it was all karma against Seal. It really
wasn't my fault, Like he was so awful to me

(32:42):
and I think I messed my That guy just reached
down and just like you don't have to take this
ship and it seal Samuel will see, Yes, that's a seal.
The cel in the ocean but I opened for CeAl

(33:05):
for a couple of weeks and it didn't go well.
And that was only to them. My voice, my voice
ever pumped out of me. Why didn't go well? He's
just you know, just we just didn't connect. You know.
It wasn't you know, you know I didn't go like that. Well,
you know when I when I opened for the Route,
that went great? Was it? That was my first my

(33:28):
first tour. You guys rot wow, shout out to a
doing when's the last time you wrapped it? Doing? Or
Stefi formerly known of Star sixty nine. It used to
be in a the Jazzy Fat Nasty Is before they
went down to a duo. But the one was the
one that put me onto you. Oh really, she's talked,

(33:50):
she stalked me like I gotta let you because the
thing was um. I was so over the over the
top excited for when the Jazzy's were on Tommy Boy
as a foresome when Jay Swift was producing them. It's
like the next to slum Village. That that was like
the demo I was the most excited about ever hearing

(34:11):
no offense fante, I love you too? Yeah, so uh,
I think knowing the the excitement I had for the Jazzys.
She like hit I remember her hitting me at like
it was past men. It might have been one am
and I was in l A. I think was like

(34:33):
right after a House of Blue show and she's like,
I'm driving over to play you this. And I sat
in her car and listened and like I was like,
who that was this? And yeah, like Dawn was like
your your your biggest champion. So Dawn Beckman, my love.

(34:53):
I haven't talked to. I don't know if she's on
social media or anything. I've I haven't talked to Dawn
and like ten years maybe, God, I keep I'm in
denial about what year we're living in. Yeah, I'll say
like a few years back, thinking I'm talking about like
two thousand four, two thousand five. But that's the year
you're all talking about. Is that when the tour was

(35:15):
two thousand four nine out two thousand one. So I'll say, yeah,
you're right, because it was before I told you, before
my record broke. Wow. Yeah she did remember the time.

(35:36):
Remember the time you I don't know, maybe you were
on tour with Dave Matthews. It was in Boston and
you were drummerless, and yeah, I was thinking about that yesterday.
You called me on a woman and I tried to
get up there, but it was like the weather was
was just hard. Did you did you do a drummerless

(35:57):
show that night? No? No, I forget what we did,
but I thought about that yesterday. I was like, he
was so cool he was going to fly out and
do my show because you were on tour too, right, Yeah,
I just never casually. I mean, that's the first time
where it was just like I'll be like going out
to get cigarettes, like, hey, I'll be right back. I'm
running Boston real quick to play for Mac at the stadium.

(36:20):
Then you ever seen? That was like before I knew how,
you know, how everybody was and how the music business was.
So I didn't think it was you know, I'm I'm
used to being on the streets in l A playing
the rock seat and you know what, I'm used to saying, hey,
will you play jumps for me tonight? So I didn't
know like that was a big request, you know, because

(36:41):
you asked Quess to come fill in for you, like
you I was like, I mean, but I didn't know,
you know, that's the type of person, I am. Can
we talk about lessons because because Maze you said that
your first time going on tour was with the Route,
so like, of course we know that Ultimate Showman and whatnot.
But what were some of the lessons or things that

(37:02):
you learned since that was your first experience. Well, it
was my first like real you know run and uh
we we watched The Roots every night, so my band
was really I remember my band was really fascinated with
the Roots and they wanted to have that kind of
synergy and I remember that. And then, um, I remember

(37:27):
partying a lot. You partied a lot because that was
my first time, and I just went crazy. Why not? Yeah,
I remember, you know, I remember drinking a lot and
just having a really good time. I don't know if
I was focused on learning, but my band was that
did you totally? Like we actually know it was. It

(37:49):
actually taught us how to tour because I was my
first tour. I learned how to go from city to
city and get on stage of an Adam and uh,
you know, you know, you have to learn how to
how to talk to your crowd. You know a lot
of artists don't get that. You really have to have
a conversation with because if you just sat up there
and sing and they're not engaged. Yes, I remember really

(38:13):
learning about being with different crowds because you play in
New York, it is a different crowd and mean you
go playing I don't know St. Louis, you know, So
I remember learning how to adjust. I remember that was
because that was my first time I ever had to
do that. If if I recall correctly, UM, I think

(38:36):
is did you tell me that? Um? Not that Epic
wasn't your first choice? But you you had a record
deal before you signed the Epic. Yeah, I was on Atlantic,
uh like three years before my Epic deal. But that
trick never came out. Vow what was his name? No, no, no,
Val didn't tim me. He was the president at the time.
But the guy who signed me was Tom Caroline. Okay,

(38:59):
I was thinking and it was that who's our guy
social justice Greig Well not craigman Bred. Okay. I met Jason.
I met with Jason. He turned me down. I met
with him when he had Lava. Does he still have lava?
He still has LoVa? Yeah, he called me in. Jason

(39:22):
was my first record label meeting ever. Okay, he got
my demo tape. So what what what happened in the
Atlantic situation that didn't work out that led you to epic?
I got pregnant. I um, and and they didn't know,
and and and my A and R came to the

(39:43):
studio and and and then I got dropped like right after.
Remember they could not they could do that. But I
can't believe it for decades, Like remember in the fifties
and said, oh god no. But even in the music world,
like why why is life over? Once you know? I'm saying,

(40:05):
like why would life be over? In terms of the
record label saying, well, does men run labels? Yeah? There
you go. I mean still most most artists have babies
way later. Actresses, A lot of girls don't want to
mess their body up. It's not always And why don't
I want to mess their body up when naked? Because

(40:28):
why is that? That's just crazy to me? That I mean,
was that their exact reason or did they make up
an excuse? I assume they made up an excuse. Oh okay,
that's what you mean. That's they just told you like, Okay,
well you're pregnant, so this is over, goodbye. That's label.
They can't work you as much as they could. You

(40:50):
know that that's the thinking, you know what I mean.
They once you have a kid, it's like, oh, well,
whatever we had planning for you to touring and the
studio and the running back and forth just all the time,
you can't. That's no longer possibility. Yeah. But sir, if
you just had a kid, come on, let's go, because
you know you ain't gotta stay home. You got to
you gotta make that money. Exactly. Um, So did you

(41:14):
get um when you arrived that epic? How much control
were you given as far as the direction you wanted
your project to go? Not a lot. I mean, I
had we had written the songs, um, most of the
songs on that first album. We were on my little
demo tape that they heard and then uh but they

(41:37):
hired this producer and Andy Slater. Okay, so his concept
he wanted to do because my my demos were strictly
like beats and and you know, with you know, base program,
you know, so he wanted to do. His concept was
to do an R and B record with live instruments.

(42:00):
And I had no idea what that was all about,
but I was just you know, I went with the
floor we had a lot of fights. There was a
lot of fights with me and him because, um, because
I was used to things the way I wanted it,
Like I wanted a tuba on one song and he
had a fit. But really, yeah, he just you know
he I think he had a really clear vision and

(42:20):
I think he felt like he knew what he was doing.
So um. It was very you know, draining for me
making a record. But once it was done, you know,
I liked it. And then and then it grew on me.
I really I really liked it, you know, much later,
I'm really dismayed that they didn't put a lot of
muscle behind uh do something because I always felt like

(42:44):
out the gate and again I heard um do something
her um, her cover of Outcast is get up, get
out and get something. I instantly heard them. I was like, Oh,
this is gonna be across the board hit like this
is I can't I can't miss situation. And was it
just that, I mean they didn't know how to market

(43:07):
it or properly work it, or even get outcasts to
do the remix or something like that. Like I just
felt like it was such an easy value shot that
really didn't get maximized, Yeah, that was an interesting time
because uh, okay, so someone got that. Someone I don't
know who put it all together, but they felt like

(43:29):
it was really important for me to go or to
go to the urban audience first. They felt like if
I if I skipped over and went straight to I Try,
I would I wouldn't have that base or whatever. Like
I said, this is the time I knew nothing about
the record business. So they did put out and do
something first, but it was kind of put out as
a set up track for them to just get me

(43:51):
out there and then and then and then they but
they couldn't wait to get on I Try. So I
don't know if they didn't give it the time at
need it. Uh it was just you know, just kind
of set set me up and get me in all
the papers and stuff, and then and then they went
on I Try. And then that was that was that,
you know. So I don't I don't know, like I

(44:12):
didn't know, like I said, I didn't know what was
going on. They were like, you know, show up on
Fort Street and I will be there. I was. I
was just having fun, you know. Yeah, well I'll say
I Try. Well, now that it's two decades old. Um,
what is your relationship with the song do you? Is

(44:33):
it a thing where it's like, Okay, I dread having
to still do this this long into my career. You
are you comfortable with still people coming up like, oh,
that's my song or you know, no, I love that song.
I just hate that. That's some people already know me
for that song. I hate for that. Yeah, I hate that,
but no, you know what thought you guys, I still

(44:54):
don't get it. I know it sounds stupid, but like
I do my shows and people like still scream on
that sudden. They still get up there, note every word,
every ad, lip, every beat. We still have to do
it on the end. So because I still don't get
what our pusses about. I mean, it's a good song,

(45:15):
but I still don't get like classic song from twenty
years I had no if I wouldn't have ever put
money on that. My theory, my theory on I try
was in this Rich, my manager, Rich and I had
this conversation and we said, if I tried, it's probably

(45:38):
the best song that Al Green could have maybe recorded
or attempted to do in the arts in in if
he were allowed to like it just it was a
very I don't know, it's like an authentic kind of

(45:59):
you know, it was it was. It was drifting, sort
of an authentic soul cloak that I think resonated with
a lot of people and you know, and it and
it took off, like was it was it exhausting at
some point because you know, there was some point where
like literally every commercial, every ere it was everywhere, it

(46:22):
ran vation type of romantic comedies like yeah, like in
your in your head, like what was all right? So
what was that rush? Like once you hit jackpot, Oh,
it's amazing. You know you get to see the world
and everybody's you know, sweating you and giving you free stuff,

(46:44):
and you know you say boo and they get all excited,
and you know, and you make a lot of money
and you know, people look up to you. It's cool.
I don't I know, people complain about same, but I
refused because that I enjoyed it. I mean there's there's
other stuff, you know. That was the first time I like,
you know, did mushrooms and you know, stayed up for

(47:08):
three days. I mean a lot of stuff with that.
But you know, I did a lot of shopping things.
I couldn't back before I had a ball. What's life like?
I was gonna as we talk about fame. What's life
like for you now? Is it still you know, like
crazy like that? Or are you able to go to
trade of Joe's in peace? You know? Oh? Yeah? You know.

(47:29):
What I find is when you roll out alone, nobody
really bothered you. But when the people take out eight
bodyguards and they said, oh yeah, but when you roll out,
especially now in a mask, even though it's crazy, people
recognize me with a mask. I don't get that, son,
So but yeah, I go to store all time, and
I mean it's cool. It's not. No, it's not nearly

(47:50):
as crazy as a it used to be. But I
still I still tour a lot, and I love tour,
and that's like my heaven. How did you manage to
maintain all of that and then still be mommy to
the three babes? Oh? You know, I just lock him
in the closet when I'm gone. And I'm afraid to

(48:10):
ask this question. How old is Happy now? Three? Yes?
You remember Nissa and mel like, in my mind, your
kids are still three? Yeah, wanted a drum set. Happy

(48:37):
is like a past college now Yeah, she has one
more year. She she took some time off. She's a
photography major, and she got an internship and then and
now she's going back to finish and and it's online.
It's such a drag. I feel so bad for for students.
So glad I'm not in school. M h old, I'm

(48:58):
sorry that through me for ar. I wasn't ready for
it fourteen, like, oh yeah, happy, he's about to start
in high school. Have they been around during this COVID time? Like,
are you guys intending the close petunity to each other? Yeah? First,
when I first started, my mother my mother was here
and my mother has cancer, so everybody was extra careful
not to really um do too much. But now I

(49:20):
don't know. I don't know either. It's hard to, you know,
keep that up. It's been a year. Hard to sit
around the house again. And you know, you got Generation
Z babies. I know they're just like I'm going out.
Yeah I did. I did tell them no company, you know,
But now you know, I've come home sometime and it's
a little you know, straight straight Okay, So okay, Now

(49:53):
I have a question of your catalog, and I'm not
being biased like the it was always my favorite, and
of course I know about the do you do you
subscribe to the to the the nine eleven Jinks of
of all those records in case I don't know, like

(50:15):
there were at least seventeen albums that were released between
uh September eleventh, two thousand and one and uh like
the subsequent week like September of which, um, you know,
because of of where the country was during that time period. Um,

(50:37):
you know, a lot of albums just fell by the wayside,
kind of just landed, and and with the exception of
like the Blueprint, but you know, everyone like Mariah's Glitter,
like everything, movies, everything, Um, did it disappoint you that
or you know, the epic not at least try to

(50:57):
like do a re release or just you know in time,
like why did they just let I thought that al
was so brilliant and you know it's due to unfortunate timing,
but what were your feelings of it at the time?
And also why wasn't I'm so mad you meet Shed
a hidden track and not that was the tool of

(51:19):
a track. I don't want to get that's track I was.
That is my all time. I still play Shed in
my DJ sets, now sheds my ship. But it was
a hidden track, So like, why why did we at
least try to uh revive it or did they just say, like, look,

(51:40):
just go back in the studio and start the what
was the next one? The trouble with being myself like
to start on that. But what what was the what
was the situation at the time. Uh? Yeah, I think
I think the label was disappointed. Greg I said, I
was still chilling, you know, but people forget I'm I

(52:02):
sell most of my records overseas and I sold four
million copies that I Reckon in Europe in the UK,
so okay, but I know here there was kind of
a you know, what do you call it? Not a
letdown but antil whatever, you know, because they hided up
there you go, they hicked it up and it didn't
do as well as as they wanted me to. But

(52:26):
it did well. I think if it weren't for nine eleven,
it would have been a different story. But yeah, I
always erect ye wait a minute, it just hit me,
this is what I always wanted to know. Okay, So
when you were promoting, when you were promoting the id H,

(52:48):
there was an interview in Vibe magazine. Do you guys
remember this at all? Give me more. I'm waiting for that.
Ye like that. But it was. But but I feel
because the thing was because there wasn't because it wasn't
social media, you know, even though it was two thousand
one and we were like definitely living in uh social

(53:13):
media esque times. But I just remember how people responded.
I think Marco Margot Watson, who I cannot believe you
remember that, dude. You know what my my obsession is.
I remember every attempted takedown article of any black artists

(53:39):
that I ever. You know, loved her that sort of thing.
So a u X right, m A r G A
u X. I think she's a music executive now, but
back when she was a journalist, I mean she did
a Q and A with with Macy and Vibe, and
I think that people were just like thrown off by
the interview you and but that she screwed me because

(54:03):
she wasn't a cute name. She came over with my house.
We hung out for two days. I thought she was
like my best friend. By time it was ill her
like like I just told you, you know, I went over,
I did mushroom and and okay, you know what I mean,
I'm talking to her like she's my girl, even though
she was, and I was that could have been a mistake.

(54:24):
And then she put it on in the article and
I just I didn't know that she would do that.
So that's just something I learned the hard way. But
you know, you're just gonna be telling people stuff like that,
but I didn't. I gave her a proper interview, but
she took all the stuff I told her off the record. Yeah,
after regular I like, she said, so have you ever

(54:47):
blah blah blah, And I said, girl, you know right,
it would have been like her talking just to you
like you. But I could have been sister girl of thing.
But instead, you know. But in her defense, she sent
me the actual article that she wrote because I called

(55:08):
her right away, and her whoever the editor was at
the time, totally just picked out those parts because the
article she wrote wasn't that bad like the things that were,
you know, not so right, you know, so godly. She
and I got beef with her too, but I'll be nice. Yeah,

(55:30):
she totally. I don't know why she came out to
me like that, but it wasn't all marble her article.
I wish I still had it. I think I do.
But her article wasn't that bad. Like if her article
had been published, it wouldn't have been that bad, right
it was. I always wanted to know, like what, Yeah,
I knew like people were thrown off and then like

(55:52):
you didn't hear anything about it, But I always wanted
to know what you felt. Yes, So I begged my
label to let me speak on it, and they thought
if I if I said anything, I would bring attention
to it. But I was like, everybody read it already.
I don't know. Would y'all just random question now that
you said that, I'm like, would y'all trade coming out
then to now in a social media error? No? Because

(56:14):
I mean it was social media. You could have just
said what you needed to say, right, But no, not
because back in the back in the day we met,
we made a lot more money. We had a lot
more fun. Here all that word about that pulse life.
We was out party and you know, having fun, set wreckage.
You know, I don't know. I also think I don't

(56:37):
think that there was anything that scandalous in the article.
So I think in this particular case, if Twitter were
a thing in two thousand and one it probably you know,
probably could have been cleared instantly, whereas like because there
was no explanation of it and just it was left
out there in the you know, kind of there in

(56:58):
the in the atmosphere that it just caused a lot
of confusion at the time. Yeah, it was that that
really hurt me, and that was I was down to
back out for a long time. It took me a
while to get over that. Yeah, because you know, it's
not always just she was like when your mom reads it,
you know, right, and your family and they're looking at

(57:19):
you sideways, like girl. During this time period, you were, um,
you know, getting your your acting chops on h especially
with like I think you did Idlewild, uh like I
want of Blues. Um you did Spider Man. Oh you

(57:41):
did training, especially training What was what was the training day?
Like it was wild? Because okay, so I'm in the
studio and the but my manager said Antoine food will
I wants to stop by and meet you. Hm. So
I didn't really know who he was, and I was like, okay, whatever,

(58:03):
and then he goes, you know, I want you to
be in my movie. So I thought, you know, something's
wrong with him because I don't have any acting background.
I had no interest in acting. And then he goes,
you know, let's um so he hung out of the
studio and then he said, let's go to the dinner tomorrow.
So we went to Mr Child's and he's sitting there
and he's telling me all about his movie. And then
he says, you know, yeah and and uh, the guy

(58:24):
that is playing the characters is Denzel Washington. So I
was like, what you know? So then so then I
got all into you know, then I was calling my manager.
I was like, yeah, I want to do that movie,
and and then you know, I got serious about it eventually,
But at first I was just you know, just putting

(58:49):
my heart out because I had no skill or background
in acting. So that was all hard, you know what
I mean. Through I really I really enjoyed watching you
as as an actress, and I always wanted if you
had plans to do more, because you really you really
pop on screen. Thank you. But he's cool. I went
to his trailer and he gave me some advice and

(59:09):
he was very I forget the name of his character.
What was his character's name, um, Scary, No, not Alonzo.
It was Alonzo Fante is the most memorizing, like things
are walking IMDb every actor for every character. But he

(59:32):
was very much in character. He was like it was
like in his eyes it was kind of scary. What
was his advice? Um, he said, just if you don't
know what to do, just just beat you do in
your part. That's what he does. That's hilarious. So he
had the same character that whole time to not break
it or Yeah, he was in the trailer that he

(59:56):
had this look in his eyes. I'll never forget, like
I thought like he and he was watching but Ken
Burns documentary on was it on Thelonious Monk? And I
think he felt like that. I think that's why his
character would watch and he had the whole set and
he was just watching documentary at the documentary and its channel.

(01:00:20):
Now what my relationship is based on Theolonious Monks? Kim
the Kim Burns Alonious Monk documentary by the way, Yeah,
that's wild because that's that's what he was watching. Training
day was Project number what for you? That was my
first movie. Can I ask you about filming in Philly
and doing shadow Boxer and their role and working with

(01:00:42):
Lee Daniels. Yeah, that role that you played even in Dying. Yeah, yeah,
can you talk about that and how that came about
and what was it like doing that way? It was
the same ate Lee came to see me and that
you know, that was Lee's first um directing he had

(01:01:05):
he had he had produced Monster's Ball, but that was
his first directing and and was that the one he
worked on with Damon Dash Yeah, David gave him the money. Yeah,
so I've seen the clip I went. I went to
a party with Lee and Lee It's like he'll just

(01:01:25):
walk up to people who said, I'm making a movie.
This was way back when he's starting out. I'm trying
to make this movie. You got their money, like seriously,
like yeah, excuse me, and he wouldn't care. And I've
never seen that before, no fear, and he raised the money.

(01:01:46):
But that is very much a Lead Daniels thing. That's
my favorite. Yeah really wow. Yeah, yeah, so we hit
it off and then I did the movie. It's cool,
but you didn't answer if I asked, are you are
you planning on getting jumping back into a little bit
of acting. I know you got an album you working

(01:02:07):
on and whatnot, but what about the acting? Yeah? My
record is coming out, and then I'm doing a movie
in October, and then I got a horror flip coming out.
In April, I did my first horror movie. Who assisted
this new girl? Her name is Jess Farley, just Varley.
She's only twenty six. It's the first movie. Okay, I

(01:02:28):
gotta sick mind. It's actually pretty good? Is that a shot?
Really really good? Mace? I totally forgot one of my
all time favorite moments. Uh with you in any medium?

(01:02:49):
M hm um, you gotta tell me. I don't even
know if you remember this or I don't even know
if you know what? How how viral at this moment was?
But do you have any memories whatsoever of the New
Year's Eve night of of two thousand thirteen, that whole

(01:03:11):
Jamie Kennedy thing with bone Thugs and harmony and you
and whoever else was on that show. Have you guys
ever seen this clip at all? If you do, God,
I feel like, no, you guys don't this? You know again?

(01:03:32):
Was this two thousand I think it was two thousand eleven,
two thousand twelve, whatever it was? Um if The only
way I can describe it is if um if the
white version of funky Finger productions from a Living color
if they were allowed to throw Dick Clark's rocking New
Year's Eve Special, but but kind of with the finesse

(01:03:56):
of like Wayne's World, um like public access. So it's
one of the things where like, you know, the host
doesn't know the cameras on him, and he'll be like,
why told the pitch you give me some fry chicken?
Huh oh, Like there's a lot of that. A fist
fight breaks out on stage over two drunk girls. A

(01:04:17):
bone you know, busy Bone was in rare busy Bone
moment and if oh, you don't even know my band
got robbed wait that night. Yeah, that's not even Yeah,
I was gonna say it. Just just google Jamie kennedy
New Year's Eve Special Los Angeles and is one of

(01:04:40):
the greatest. I think the version that's on the internet
now is sort of a condensed like maybe six minute version,
but the entire production is in like Macy counts down
to midnight and it's still like maybe like eleven oh four.
She's like the producers like, no, Macy, it's not even midnight. Like,

(01:05:07):
so just act like his New Year's half a million
and then you know like it. It was so horrible
that I knew that I knew it was like mcgarthur
mcgarthur genius levels of just excellence. That's how bad it was.
It was the best thing I've ever seen in my
life on a couple of the videos. Yeah, you gotta,

(01:05:31):
you gotta watch it. I mean, I think I discovered
after seeing if there were any more busy bone uh
moments that need to be witnessed besides his uh. I'm
saying it's lightly his his drunken rant. But it was
an alcohol and they had it in the same dressing room.
Well it was like a big room, but that room.

(01:05:52):
But and there was like a little divide between us
that ain't enough. So you weren't aware that this was
like a highly viral moment for the internet. No, we've are.
First of all, we were super drunk. Everybody was drunk.
But I didn't know. I've been drunk on New Year's
even done shows. Great. I didn't know it was gonna go.
It wasn't a drunk part. Yes, there was a lot
of drunk parts, but it was just like the the

(01:06:14):
production was horrible. Everything was chanky that you know, the
jokes weren't landing. The host didn't know where he had
to be, like, it was horrible, It was horrible. I
can't believe you remember that. It's my favorite thing to watch,
Like I would say, three times a year, three times
a year, I watched that ship. Do you have Do
you have memories of of doing the fail Out project

(01:06:37):
with us? I do. I tell everybody about that. That
was another time and you just called me if you're like, hey,
come down and you know, you know nowadays when people
said that you gotta call your manager and you gotta
assistant hester but it was just like okay, and I
came down and we did it. And that's the night
I met d' angelo. And I'm not considered that the

(01:06:57):
last night of Voodoo, like yeah, that was close chapter
of it. But he was, he was really impressed, like
he he knew, he knew of you. But you know,
I think after the session when you and him did
the vocal session together, Yeah, he hit me up like, yo, man,

(01:07:20):
you are really foxed with her. Man. I didn't. I
didn't know. I know that, like he he was really
he I think he was like kicking himself that he
didn't at least jump on the bandwagon. Before or what
you know, like two years earlier, because I mean this
was two thousand now. But like he was really kicking

(01:07:41):
himself that he didn't pay attention in when he should
have been paying attention, Like he didn't realize like yo,
like she has chops like a foxed with it like that.
But yeah, but then I never heard from him again.
He was like, yeah, let's do something, and I never
heard nothing. Yeah, well, you know his next album came
out fifteen years later, so I never thought about that.

(01:08:10):
Can you talk about working with why did why did
you choose Dallas Austin? Um? When you did the Trouble
with Being Myself album? Like what how was your working
relationship with him in the studio? Um? So that was
that was different. That was the first time like, um, Polly,
Polly and the Shoes ahead of the label, And had

(01:08:32):
I known Polly passed? Yeah, I didn't know that ship.
Oh damn, I didn't know that. Yeah, damn, I'm sorry
to hear that. Polly was the chance like the last

(01:08:54):
of the last of uh, I won't say the Mohicans,
but definitely the last the breed. Damn. So she she
had been like meat producers, like because my first two albums,
I just decided who I wanted and was Andy kind
of came in, but but it wasn't a choice. She
just said, and he's gonna produce your record. So then

(01:09:16):
I was like, okay, so, but this is the first
time I like sett with producers and they played me
stuff and on this record was Andy No, no, no,
I mean he's a great producer. We just thought we
it's too much like fire like far all the time.
So I met with Dallas and Dallas was like, um,

(01:09:41):
he just kept talking about how much he loved, you know,
the songs that I had and blah blah blah. He's
kind of juiced me up. And I felt for it,
like okay, that was it? Was it? Was it not?
Was it not a pleasant experience? Or were you not
pleased with the outcome of those songs that y'all did together? No?
We uh, we have fun. Um he's hard to uh,

(01:10:06):
it's just it's hard to get him to sit. You know,
he's very We were much younger at the time, so
he we both just had a lot going on and
so it was it was cool. We got it done,
but um, I think um he got upset with me
because some of his ideas I didn't like. And you know,
it was always the first So that was like the
first time I had been in with somebody like Hamon

(01:10:29):
and I didn't you know, like now I would handle
it totally differently, right. And also the thing with single choices,
man like for that album like Come Together, I felt
it would have been the song and you know, oh
my god, the fact that you know that song. May
see I'm an actual fan of yours, Like I'm not

(01:10:50):
just like, oh yeah, I know her and she's sing
as I try, like I know your entire discography, trust
me stuff. Well then okay, so what I well, first
of all, shortly before she pat while I mean she
passed in two thousand sixteen. But what was it like,
uh working with Natalie Cole? I know that she was
on you used on the big album? Um? Yeah, what

(01:11:15):
was it like? But even more than that, I gotta know,
what's it like working with Ron Fair? Like in my mind?
And I hope, I hope. I don't get you know,
you don't you don't ever want to rock the boat
of Ron Fair or or Jimmy Ivan when you talk
about them. But you know, Ron always when I when

(01:11:37):
I think of like when they talk about like a suit,
you know, like when there's a suit in the room
and people like trying to be creative, Like that's Ryan
and Ron like infamous. He infamously told Will I Am.
This is when Will was pondering whether or not to
put Fergie in the group or not, and Ron says, well,

(01:11:58):
you know, look, I know you guys have your fantasies
of of being like the Roots, but you know you
could either be like the Roots or you can win
and sell some units. What do you want to do that?
I know, But I mean I'm not offended because that
that's how Ron. Ron's just cutting dry, like yeah, yeah.

(01:12:19):
He always gives you his his unsolicited opinion, like if
you guys just had a girl in the group and
you know, you guys will win too. And I'm trying
to tell him, like, you know, just winning isn't just
like that's not my life goal just to win that
sort of thing. But what was it like working with
him on this album? He's very you know, precise, and

(01:12:40):
you know everything was really big orchestral and thought out
and stuff like that, and you know he's run fair.
He was always really nice to me. I hear a
lot of horror stories, but he was always really nice
to me. So I don't know, but you know I did.
I Will did that label. I don't know how much

(01:13:02):
he produced it. There's there's one joint on there that
there's one joint on there. I loved um called Okay,
and I always wanted to know if the Neptune at
anything to do with that or um Justin Timberland wrote
that song there you Go Okay, just I felt there

(01:13:23):
was like at least a one degree to for real ye,
the way the bridge sounded and all that. I was like,
you know this, but you know, because we were past
the CD era, I never once looked up the the
credits and whatnot. So, Masie, I wanted to always ask
you about the song I Love Won't Wait off the

(01:13:44):
Black Eyed Peace first album that was. That was my
favorite song on that album, and I loved your performance song.
Do you have any memories of doing that song session
for it? It's always honest right in your mind. Do
you have memories like the your favorite Cowbok collaboration moments though,

(01:14:06):
because you've done so many, I mean even the mirror
asking for about Natally Cole, I for like, I forgot
about that. But are there some memorable ones in your
head to stick out the most? Stick out the most?
Probably I was. I did a record with Robin Sake
and then he left to go out to dinner and
he never came back speaking of the Angel record, and

(01:14:36):
y'all never spoke after that ever. I mean I run
into him, but and it was it was a Ryan
Fair record WHI supposed to do and it just never
came back. Oh you you you gave? I think you
you gave. He gave Hip Boy one of his first looks,

(01:14:57):
like how did you how did you cho use him? Um?
Especially before you know his his blow with niggas in
Paris and all the other stuff that he did. Yeah,
he was at the record plan. I was. I was
at the record plan and he was with UM. I forget,
but he came in my room and he just said, hey,
you know, I'm a cruiser and you know, blah blah blah.

(01:15:20):
And then I'll call him to see what he had
and we worked together. You know. He was just hustling.
But I always I keep my out for like, I
listen to everything, like people come up to me and
because you just never know you know what I mean.
So people want to play me stuff then and listen,
you just said that out loud. You really mean it
because you know, I mean no, she just said that

(01:15:42):
out loud. So I mean, if it wasn't happening before,
now people listening like, okay, cool, I feel comfortable just handed.
But that's how I met for for Rell. Actually, um,
and he I didn't record with frel He was nineteen
and nobody knew who he was. Not really he did.
It was me and Guru. It's a I could call it.

(01:16:03):
It was all I said. It was all I said. Yeah,
I forgot Yeah, the three the Street Soul one, it
was the one with certified. You were on that record. Yeah,
Like they were like, um, there's this new kid, and

(01:16:27):
I mean, you know, and I wanted to stay there
when it came out. Cool he was out, but not
like he wasn't frail yet frail? Yeah, just he still
at the mustache. Yeah yeah, still with the mustache. Um.
I always wanted to know this, and I've never heard
this before, but how what was the what was the

(01:16:51):
idea of covering the entire Talking Book album by Stevie Wonder?
Whose idea was that that was okay, you know how
how Willness he's the he's know me too, I love him.
So he had this idea he was like, nobody's ever

(01:17:12):
covered the whole album and um, and then he had
Somebody Ears and one that and and and Talking Book
is like the one album I know backwards and forwards,
I know every word ever beat mhm. So we did
that when I was on this little label, and uh,
I could do whatever I want. So we just we
just wanted this to real dead but everybody's plugged in.

(01:17:36):
And but then you followed it up with another cover album,
like what was the logic behind that you covered? Was
at least half covered? Was covered all covered songs or
just no, it was all It was all coveras okay,
some that were obviously singles and some that were like
cool album cuts. And yeah, I was on this little

(01:17:57):
label and and my manager didn't think I should give
them any big records or something. I mean that I
should probably shouldn't have announced that. But the whole goal
is to shoot your shot, like no matter what. Yeah,
no not in some in some cases you should shoot

(01:18:18):
your shot, not always, but they were this little label
and and my my manager didn't think they were capable of, like,
you know, properly promoting a song, and so he was like,
he's just two covers and then let's get up out
of there. And it's not we'll just covered, but some
of my favorite songs of matter on that on that records.
I know I shouldn't have said that. It's it's just honesty.

(01:18:43):
I take it back. I take it back. You know,
you give me another. We still talk some good songs.
It don't really matter, it's like good you just I
was like, I'm gonna be down with this covered. I
don't even know about this no cover. There has some
good records on it of your cannon. What's your favorite them? Uh,
probably definitely my first one, the ad and then my

(01:19:05):
last one I love I did uh reube there. I
think it's yeah, Ruby is good. Someone called that a
return to form um. Is there anyone that you have
yet to work with it you would like to um?
I actually got the song on my new album I
want you to play on. I was gonna send it
to you. Send it to me, Steve, give her your emails.

(01:19:28):
So working drum one is that? The one that I
think study sent us to Spotify is that it's not
it's not a it's really actually like a a like
a breakdown in the song and you just kind of
just do some solar ship. Okay, it's out right right maze,
it's out the song you're talking about. No, not a
song for a quest, but there's a song. Okay, so

(01:19:49):
everybody listened stream a song called thinking of You, and
then there's a song out called Dear America. Those because
we're setting up my album, because is this the first
time you're doing it? Correct if I'm wrong? A jazz record, Now,
I've done a jazz record. This is at my first minute.
So my I've been with my touring band for about
five years. So we decided to be official source called

(01:20:10):
Macy Gray and the California Jet Club. We're like a band.
Go ahead to ask her, where did that name come from?
Maybe it's really boring. So we all live in California.
We fly a lot club. I don't know, I didn't
come up with I want to cable with some way
better now it's cool, but so yeah, thinking of You.

(01:20:36):
If you go on Spotify, you look up masic in
the California Jack Club, You guys would love there. America.
That's my favorite, but it's it's a good record. Okay,
damn you know what? I did have one question about um?
Whose idea was it to do the stripped album the
way you did it? Steve? What's what's the technical term

(01:20:58):
I'm looking for? Do you remember neural? By neural? How
did you know before I even asked? Because never mind,
forget it. This is why request love supre But yeah,
what was the what was the decision to make it
by normal? Which I assume that it was basically too
strategically placed microphones in the room? Oh, just one microphone?

(01:21:21):
The Cowboy junkies first did this idea? Correct? I believe?
Were they infamous? Lee went to this church to record
this album? But yeah, you placed one microphone perfectly in
the center of the room, and I guess each musician
has to fall in proximity to that microphone so that
the balance is perfect. And you all played at the

(01:21:41):
same time a church in Brooklyn. Okay, it's it's like
an audio version of Dogma like it's it's it's a
challenging sound to achieve. But was that your idea or
just your producer at the time or no, there's a
Chesskey Records do you know Norman Chesky, No, I don't.

(01:22:05):
He owns a jazz label called Chesky Records, and he
does most of the albums on his label like that, okay,
because there's no there's no mix, of course, and you
get it all done in two days, like you go
rehearse and then you go and you cut it. But
it's back in the day, I mean, one of the
most of the old records cut like that a lot. Yeah, no,

(01:22:28):
but I love love the way it sounds, and I
love the way that record time. But yeah, we all
got a kind of a what we call it, like
a you shape around the mic, and we cut half
of it one day and the next day we cut
the other half. I'm sitting there thinking I'm gonna go
back and do my vocals over so because I wasn't

(01:22:50):
like it just didn't hit me like this is it?
Oh you didn't know it's final. It was really final.
That's the only thing that would be cool for the
roots though. You guys would kill that. Oh my god,
something y'all haven't done. Huh. I would love to, but
I don't know if sonically we can achieve that. But

(01:23:10):
you know, I mean, no, there's people that the people
that know how to do that with would hook it
up for you. Steve Let's real engineer would be would
know how to do that mace before before I wrap up? Yes, um,
we gotta talk about my good Yeah, the charity. Oh

(01:23:33):
can I get that question out? Okay, we beat you
to the spot, right, that's a sports term, the spot.
Thank you. I have a question. I have a question.
What is that on your shoulder that's driving me crazy?
What is that? Who? Me? Oh? Yeah, I was like,

(01:23:53):
oh that isn't Oh wow, Dean Ricky. Um, they make
those legal hearts for me. Now they're making a donuts
just the new line. But did did jacket come like that?
You put that on there? No? No, I just put
it on the jacket because this is green and the
jackets green. So you know, I keep forgetting to go

(01:24:14):
to the Instagram page. Okay, every time I thought it
was a bagel for a minute, I thought it was
too No, it's a doughnuts. They dope Brothers dough Yeah,
I'm glad. I mere rocks dads. Do they make awesome?
You should rock the bagel one bill. Actually, they just

(01:24:38):
they just hit me three weeks ago. They're sending me
a locks in bagel. They actually paired up with uh
some high end Brooklyn, Delhi to do locks in bagels.
So they're gonna send me one, so I'll rock it
for you. That's or or I'll ask you permission back

(01:25:06):
and rocket. Um. Yeah, but what what I was asking you,
mass was um about my my Good dot org. Could
you explain sort of the process of you starting this foundation?
So my Good is, Uh, what we do is we
support the families who have lost loved ones due to
police violence. So we come in and help with funeral costs,

(01:25:30):
a lot of medical bills, mental health services. UM, a
lot of families, you know, they get sold down and depressed,
they lose everything. So we've had to get a couple
of moms uh housing. It's I think, you know, people
get all into their opinion of it and you forget
that someone's actually living, um, the death, someone's death, you know,

(01:25:54):
lost a kid, you know what I mean. And so
so that's that's what we do. It just started on
July and and I'm really proud of it. You know,
we want to make a difference, We want to help
change laws and stuff like that, but it's it's mostly
financial support because of what the families go through after
especially um, you know you hear about all the court cases.

(01:26:17):
I mean that's lawyers and and all kinds of I mean,
you have no idea what they go through. A lot
of a lot of you know, moms and dads break
up after there's been suicides. A lot of uh, families
fall into like addiction and stuff like that. So so

(01:26:37):
we're just there to help people get back on their
feet and help them get through it. And people can
go to it's my good dot org m y g
o O D dot org. Yeah, you go there you
donate or or you can go on the the email
if you want to be a part of it and
just support and stuff like that. But we're doing good.

(01:26:58):
I mean it's new, so so it's just coming together.
But we're doing good. We're gonna make a documentary and
we have our own shoe coming out. Your own shoe. Yeah,
we're gonna sell shoes to help raise money for the foundation.
That pretty though. Yeah nobody sells yo. Yeah. They like
sneakers that they like a little slipping. Yeah. Okay, yeah

(01:27:21):
the website Okay, I wanted to ask you, Um, I
saw the the interview you did on on on Oprah.
Oh god, I wanted no, no, no, no, it was
it was. It was amazing to see that. But what
I want to know is in in sort of in

(01:27:42):
the pandemic, how how have you been handling uh staying
clear and staying focused and and kind of well sober.
I guess you could say, how how have you been
handling it? I haven't. I'm sucked up right now. I'm
just kidding. Okay, so let me see, let me for
the show, is it? But my mother was here that

(01:28:09):
kept me in line. I mean, not that I don't
have I got. I got away from that so proper
healthy and black mamature now. But my mother made us
all be good while she was here, that's for sure.
And then and then I started working on my record,
so I was always in the studio. And then you know,
like that bench watched like everybody else, and I learned

(01:28:30):
how to cook and all that bullshit. But it wasn't
that learned other things to cook? I can I could
cook better. Put it that way. I like, like I
got all into my spices and my season stuff. I
had never really worried about before. Seasons and spices. You
know before you just make a hamburger, you flipped a

(01:28:52):
couple of times and put some barbecue sauce. Now I'm
all into you know, lemon and because it was nothing
else to do. Yeah, the rubs always. I didn't even
know what a rub was before, you know, I'll mete
you like, I've been paying a lot of tension to
the spice cabinet, way like, way more than I normally have,

(01:29:13):
you know, Yeah, cinnamon and lemon, pepper to reach word.
But boys in black garlic the other day, let's go
damn salt everything, traffle, oils, garlic oil, all the oils,
all everything. Yeah, because there was nowhere else to go
but the grocery store. Everybody got into like, you know,

(01:29:36):
let's get some black garlic. Ain't used it yet, but
you're nose there. Let me see what this. There's some
rub over there. I started like, um, you know how
they have the self checkout? You know before I was
way too boogy for that, Like I'm not checking out?
Are you kidding me? Now? I just go to self
check out. This is something It is just bagging my

(01:30:04):
little girls, like just like the highlight of my day.
It's horrible. A self self self checkout question, y'all. Ain't
nobody ever just you know, not put it across the
bar like, yo, never Steve past that point in my life, Steve.

(01:30:26):
I'm ready, I'm looking Steve looked me in the eye
right now. Fourth floor, How honest are you? Fourth floor? No?
I know, I know what you're talking about that I
have vending machines there with food in them. But it's
a level of trust on the floor thirty Rock that

(01:30:48):
I've never seen like it that I purposely like, don't
tell me more, just to not still. Yeah, yes, because
on the fourth floor there's just a complete like grocery
store that's just isolated, like if I wanted to, I

(01:31:11):
could just grab like sixteen yogurts if I wanted to
or whatever. Andy, And I'm like, wait, they trust us
to do this, Like I could literally just walk out
here with the entire refrigerator of how do you pay
for it? Aren't you supposed to pay for it? No,
you're paid. They trust that you will be honest and
pay for it, which I know they're not watching it,

(01:31:34):
but yeah, I just wanted to know if you ever
have the temptation to just like, you know, and target
every once and again reparation. Well, I believe in So
that's why I have not done it. Get on my nerves.
It's real, it's really it comes back. I'll take those

(01:31:56):
earrings back, man. I was gonna say for you wrap. Basically,
there's a connection I have what you have with two
bandmates of mine. I sing in a band called The
Foreign Exchange, and one of my bandmates that I sing with,
Carmen Rogers. She did a this is back in two

(01:32:19):
thousand one. She was working for a high end like
this high end design firm in Dallas or whatever, and
they had like a Christmas party or whatever, and they
her boss thought it would be a cool idea for
her to imitate Masy greatcause she did. She still does,
like a really good Macy Great personation. Yeah, so like, okay,

(01:32:39):
I think this would be cool, you know what I'm
saying to do it. So at the time, Carmen had
a big red throat and she went and they go
into the party or whatever, and they really thought it
was her. So people started crying and hyperventilationship and they
eventually had to rush out the building because they really
So she just wanted me to just tell you that

(01:33:02):
and also it also a very very differend um Cis Smith.
She just told me she was just telling you to
tell you to say what's up. She said it was
a blast one with you and she just wanted to
see you some love. Yes my favorite. Well uh thanky,
thank you for doing this with us. Yeah, your patience

(01:33:24):
is amazing. Thank you, thank you. Don't get to check
out she was here at like she just tell people
like y'all were at to go tell him to wrap
this ship like you know, she just roll with us.
I approciate, that's what's up? Okay, keeping us no, Yeah,
but thank you, thank you for doing the show, and
we we appreciate and we're fans of yours and we

(01:33:47):
love you. Um on behalf of Layah and Ship Step
and Unpaid Bill find take a Little My name is
quest Love and another episode of West Love Supreme. Thank
you very much. Seem the next one round, Yo, what's up?
This is Fonte. Make sure you keep up with us

(01:34:07):
on Instagram at q l S and let us know
what you think we should be next to sit down
with us. Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast, all right.
M Arslove Supreme is a production of my heart Radio.

(01:34:28):
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