February 22, 2022 • 31 mins
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and
TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transition to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Thomas.
I audition every rapper from Biggie's Balls to Tupac, and
(00:24):
I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help
transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from
Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Ye from The
Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons to name a few. I
also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel
(00:45):
I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director,
I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an
acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in
that room. Now I know, I know actors want to
get the job. I get that, but being remembered, my
casting director, that is powerful. And now it's time for
meditation of the day. Vision is the art of seeing
(01:08):
things invisible Jonathan Swift. So there are times in all
of our lives where our finances could be a little
tight or a little low. And a couple of months ago,
I woke up and it's something that I do every day.
I like checking my account. It could have zero dollars,
(01:31):
it could have hundreds of dollars, but it's something that
I enjoy doing every day. And this particular day I
opened up my account. The funds were a little low,
and I said to myself, I trust that this account
will grow, and I believe that this account will grow.
(01:53):
And I saw with my own eyes the account growing well.
The next morning, I woke up and I checked my
account and I had five hundred dollars in my account.
To this day, I don't know where it came from.
I don't know if it was a refund, I don't know.
And I was so nervous in the beginning, like, well,
maybe I should just take it all out for somebody
(02:14):
catches it, you know, But I said, no, Tracy, trust
the fact that it's in your account, it's for you,
and it's not going anywhere. And that's what happened. I
kept that five hundred in my account for a week
and it didn't go away. There wasn't any era in
my bank. I just want to say to you trust, trust,
(02:35):
the universe, whatever spiritual foundation you have, trusted a hundred
and fifty percent. By me saying that I trust and
I believed, I was rewarded something in my bank account
the next day. Today, I will learn to trust and
believe in my instincts. Before we get started, I'd like
(03:00):
to remind everyone to look out for my new show,
Inside the Black Box. I'll be co hosting with the
great Joe Morton. Will be on Crackle Network real soon.
I'll keep you posted. Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast
with me Tracy Moore. I'm a little excited today and
over zealous because of our guest. This is so special,
(03:24):
you know. I love the fact that in doing the
show that we have an eclectic blend of talent and
today legendary Uptown Records Soul for real. Welcome shop everybody.
(03:46):
That's right, you should move. It's going great. No, I'm
serious because and you know this, but your music, along
with other groups, is the baby making music. Right? Two things?
Baby making or wedding songs. We've been told both. But
like most of you hear that, like you made so
(04:06):
much love to you guys album. You know you felt
the love like I'm gonna talk about later how much
I miss R and B like crazy. I grew up
in the early seventies. It just pains my soul to
see how the shift has happened because I came here
in three I met Russell Simmons. My best friend was
(04:29):
being managed by him, So I went to Green Street
Studios and run DMC was there, Curtis blow full force.
That's how I sort of got into the music thing.
I met my husband there. But let's start in the beginning, Chuck,
how did like did you know at two years old?
Like you know, because you are if you have a voice,
you are a singer, you are a performance. So were
(04:53):
you little doing this? No? For me, I was little.
Um just at the age of two. I was mostly
in taking things because me and my my brothers and sisters,
we were brought up in church. So I didn't really Uh,
I had no idea I was going to be a
singer around that time. He didn't take me till about
the age of sixteen to really start to swim singing
(05:15):
in a music career. But um, I always had it
in me. I always knew I could sing. I just
didn't I just didn't tap into it to my team,
So when you tapped into it in your teens? Is
that when the group was formed? No, I was initially
with a couple of other guys that I went to
school with, Anthony Tony John John Carter, and we had
(05:38):
a group called a J C. Sounds, and I was
the only singer. We were like ahead of our time
when it came to the stuff we were doing because
it was a lot like what's going on today. But
unfortunately me and them guys, we didn't make it as
a group, but immediately, like I spun off of them
and it got with my brothers and did after that,
so for it was born. So we're going back, ladies
(06:00):
and gentlemen too. When the group signed with Uptown take
us through that. Oh, that was one of my favorite
years because I was on New York Undercover. Were you
you guys on New York under Cover? Yeah, so that's
where I met you them because you guys performed to
Natalie's Yeah, we also did the Molitia Show. We was
(06:23):
on there. Um we did like a few TV Yeah,
you guys did. Yeah, I mean, so let me ask
you how did that come about? Was that Andre Horrell
into on Uptown m c A Records, Uh signed. We
were labeled METS with Joe to see Mary, Dave Blige,
(06:43):
Christopher Williams, all the greats from that error. Yeah, it
was amazing to be labeled MATS with him because you know,
we were customed to just see any people on TV
right go from you know, coming from the hood to
actually being beside you know, heavy d and all these
other great thoughts that andre a real put out. It was.
It was amazing, and you guys were part of that.
(07:04):
So you guys were just as amazing too, right. I
know everybody on the crew here knows you and loves
the group. I'm huge fan, like played your music, went
to shows. I want to talk about your view on
how the music business change because I remember back in
like I want to say, maybe ninety two, ninety three,
(07:26):
nine four two, when there was this transition as if
the black music departments were leaving and some of them
because I remember when m c A. My girl was
a big wig over there and she was head of
the Black music department, and I remember when she lost
your job, and then it just sort of trickled down
to other you know, what was that Like when you
(07:47):
speak about that, it reminds me of our transition of
just kind of just having a hiatus. The hiatus that
we've had. It kind of started back then in like
I guess music was shifting from the ends, like or
I should say groups, groups, uh, soloists. You know, if
(08:08):
you ask me, I think it was. It has a
lot to do with the whole cliche thing that comes
along with one minute they're together and then the neck
they're always breaking up. People like are always be disappointed
with that more or less, even though they still gravitate
to whoever it might be that just launches a solo
career and had success, but still they always long for
(08:28):
that initial mark. Yeah, and I speak from you know,
my own standpoint too, and just the errors of music
I've I've gone through. I'm glad to still be a
part of it. The astribute that we we hit the
music industry, it had a certain staying power that was
just beyond all of us, and it just took its
own life. You know, it's a blessing, Like you could
(08:49):
only appreciate it and still capitalize off a bit. Well,
I want to say, when you went solo, I bought
your records. So I just want you to because for me,
it was like the next logical move, you know what
I mean, Like Destiny Kids. Yeah, I mean Destiny Kids,
Destiny Child, like Beyonce. I always felt like there was
(09:10):
an open door to come back, Like you didn't really leave,
you just you know sometimes like artists might want to,
you know, change up and do country or do something else,
you know, pop and then you can still come back
to Soul for real. It's not like they locked you out,
but I thought that, Um, it was so logical to
me for you to go on your own. Let me
just say when it comes to with us, you've done
(09:32):
solo projects. We've never gone solo though You've never like
initiated launching a solo career. Anything that I've done by myself,
it's been supported by the guy. And that's just how
we like. Even we're not a group that ever broke up.
Like people didn't know that and then they made misconstruted
because they see solo endeavors and stuff. But we're still
(09:55):
together and you actually have new music out right now. Yeah,
you've got a lot of stuff that would work and
on that we're about to you know, present and how
to do the visual all visuals things that you know,
I can't really speak about everything, but it's a lot
about to pop off. Yeah, well, don't forget the Spirited
Actor podcast, but you can come back and give us
like a first look that we want to be a
(10:17):
part of, like you know, putting the word out because
I'm sure your fans will be crazy. I look at
like I think upcoming at the Barclay Center, there's like
music Soul Child new auditions, Like there's a bunch of
groups that I'm like, oh my god, it's so refreshing
to the soul. It really is. So I can't wait
until you guys come back out with new music. I
(10:39):
want to ask you a question before I transition into acting.
The climate today of music and these artists like you
are legendary, you are award winning, you are Billboard status,
platinum goal, So what advice could would you give some
of these artists that I just feel like I came
here in ninety eight three, and I you know that
(11:02):
it was like the beginning of hip hop and Russell
and my ex husband they were partners, and I saw
a lot that heard a lot. The opportunities, of course,
are abundant with musical artists, you know, from commercial work
to selling products. So I just think now and this
is my observation that a lot of these artists they
(11:25):
need guidance from you guys. Yeah, I would agree. I
don't know, Like I was always told to just be
yourself because you know, that's the only place you you're
gonna really find you the greatest, potentially looking inside of yourself,
a pushing yourself outside of your own box. In today's generation,
I kind of like what I see with how things
(11:46):
have evolved because it's more of a take charge generation
where everybody's more or less educated and far the business
and knows what it takes to do and the things
that is going to bring them their success and money,
and that's what they're about. So you know, I could
only commend there. I can only appreciate how things have
grown when you come to that. As far as like
(12:08):
ever our genre music again, I'm really really happy about
our astribution, like our contribution I should say, I mean
to say, to music and to be a part of
that error. It's one of the greatest or in music
and it's everything if you notice, comes full circle. Like
even the artists today they're using it like using a
(12:29):
lot of material from the nineties in our genre. It's awesome. Like,
I just I love it. I love the opportunities that
you have because I mean, you know, not to judge anyone, everybody.
I don't like judging yourself. I just think that when
you said smarter and more educated, I just think that
there was opportunities in the nineties that sort of spawn,
(12:52):
you know, and grew. And this is where they they have,
you know, these artists now because we didn't have social media,
you didn't have the numbers, you know what I mean. So,
but the good thing is is that now in reinventing,
you know, when people like, oh, reunion and come back. No,
like you said, you guys never broke up. It's just
you know, we're in So what is so for real?
(13:13):
Look like right, that's what it's really about. That's what
it's about. What you're doing. I'm actually happy to see
a lot of acts from our error. It is like
working like you know, we actually started to all right
now we pretended. Um, we got a lot of shows
on deck. We did one recently in Nashville with the
lineup was amazing. It was it just was like a
(13:35):
really really good flashback. Um, if I can recall, it
was Monica Jacket Edge, Charlie Boys to mend Us and
you know, genuine everybody. It was like fun just to
see and be with people that we've done. We've done
so many venues within the past, and that's so cool.
It was in Nashville, you know what I mean, Like,
(13:55):
that's so cool. Yeah, it was. It was dope. Good
for you. So I'm a casting director, Elsa who you
met earlier, wonder woman we cast together. I'm looking at
you now because you know it's visual and you you
have such a leading man face to me. Yeah, I
(14:18):
like that you do, because you know our job is too.
When we get your picture is you know, we look
at the picture and that's what we start doing. We're like, oh, cop, dctor, lawyer,
you know, all of those things. But when I look
at you, it's really your eyes that are alluring that
tell me like you could do leading man stuff. And
(14:38):
you've got a great smile. You just have an overall
great look. So are you interested And have you thought
about transitioning to acting? Yeah? I have actually, uh, even
before um we made the industry. That's something that I've
always had a passion for as well. I just never
took the initiative to pursue it and stuff. But if
(14:59):
I had opportunity, I would dive right in head first.
You know, I'm grieving my family right now, the loss
of my my parents. Like I lost my mom six
months ago. Then oh I'm sorry, yeah, then my dad
just left. Uh, we just just buried him a week ago. Um.
You know, it's just crazy how like it went with
(15:21):
losing them both. It seems like damn together. It also
feels like a lot of opportunities and things are unraveling
in our favor. So such great parents, and um, we
left a lot of great teams, you know about the project.
And you know, I have this belief that when people
(15:41):
who are really really, really really close to us transition,
that they really lift us up. You know, my mother
said when former President Obama was running and and and
it looked like he was gonna win, my mother was
like she's eighty seven, but at the time, I think
she was in her late seventies, but she said, um, oh,
(16:03):
they're gonna kill him. They're gonna kill him. My mother
is from Louisiana, nineteen forties, just and and she's fair skinned,
so my mother and her sisters could pass if they
wanted to. I don't know the history because she doesn't
really share that, so I feel like it's something traumatic.
But when I told my mother, I was like, they're
not going to kill him. He's not gonna die. Nothing
(16:23):
is going to happen to him because his grandmother had
just recently passed. And I was like, she's gonna lift
him up. She's gonna lift him up, she's going to
protect him. She's gonna be And it's even though the
body leaves the spirit and the presidents never leaves. When
I lost my it doesn't. We just don't know that dimension,
you know. But my dad I feel all the time
(16:44):
I'm likes him. What what do you eat? What do
you want? You know? But you grow into that after
that morning stage in the grieving. But just on behalf
of the Spirit Actor podcast, like we definitely our heartfelt
condolences to you, thank you. Yes, So just tapping in
that acting because you notice why I'm here and we
(17:06):
always scared. Listen, if you ever want to come, and
I'm extending an invitation to you to my next class
and you could just come sit in and audit, but
I think it's the logical choice for you. I you know,
music videos, that's the platform where you guys are acting. Yeah,
and you can see how I coached one twelve years ago.
(17:31):
This is one of their videos and I'm still friends
with Michael Keith. But they had so much fun giving
themselves permission to be crazy and to do all kinds
of things in the video and just sort of like, oh,
it's the video. But then I was like, you guys
should act, you know. So I feel like it's not
something where, you know, the industry is like why are
(17:53):
rappers acting and block? No, it's not about that. It's
so in your blood and logical. So I definitely want
to extend meditation because there's work out there for you.
You know, I never want artists, um, I coach Buster
Rhymes and even a lot of these artists um that
I'm really really blessed to work with. And it's your
(18:16):
creative bed. It's in you. There's so many outlets. You're
probably you know, I know you right, so you produce.
You might want to direct one of your music videos.
I don't know, that might be in the works. So
in terms of anything, I know that you have a
lot of things going on. Is there anything specifically that
(18:36):
we can talk about this coming up to let our
audience know. Well, we've got performances coming up. I can't
say exactly where, but I know I think it's starting
next month in March throughout April. You have a few
performances coming up. They're also about to have Unsung episode
dropped next month on TV one Ladies and Gentlemen. Yeah,
(18:58):
that's what we're looking forward to that as well. And
again we have a new single call after the Ring
Fell on all platforms because check that. And I just
think that that is so cool. You know that you're
still in it. Like sometimes you know, people make decisions
to do other things or maybe you know, pursue something
(19:20):
else that they wanted to do and at the time
it didn't have the time because of the success of that.
But to be able to be consistent throughout these years,
that right there deserves a standing ovation, you know what
I mean? Because you you're in this business. You've seen
from ninety four to present day. You know, you've seen
(19:43):
the changes and the ships and things like that. Have
you you know, because I told you I'm miss R
and B. Do you do you feel like R and
B is still in the top of the genres of
music today. I do feel like it's in the top
of feel like it could be. It's more of it,
like the way it's initially used to impact music, And
(20:07):
you know, it's about like, really these days, you gotta search.
You kinda gotta like really search. You can't just go
by what they're putting out sort of media, because they're
just putting out a lot of the raps. Like if
you if you look at it just from the from
the media standpoint, it's all about hip hop and stuff,
you know, but R and B is still very much
(20:28):
alive and it's strong too. It's about you taking the
time and just doing research to find the type of
music that you want. And I say that because that's
that's how with me, Like there's a lot of there's
tons of music that's out today that I love and
it's straight up, but I believe that we could use
(20:48):
more of that initial flavor um something like what we
used to deliver h with today's twist. And you know
that's where I come in again, Like that's something I
never left on. I don't think I'll ever believe I
reckon I can't take my musical talent. That's just my
(21:10):
origination and my core. Yeah, I'll always I'll always do
and express myself that way. I just want to say
that the when you can make music that literally touches
the soul, you know, where somebody's like, oh you want
to give it? Set the move they put on so
for real, or you know, like I'm getting married. Those
(21:32):
are big deals. You know what I'm saying. I have
to have soul for real. You've made an impact on
the world, the world, and I'm so grateful to have
this opportunity to speak to you. We are at the
end of our interview, which went by too fast. I
just want to give Oh my god, if you have
any words that of encouragement or inspiration that you want
(21:54):
to give any of these aspiring musical artists out there,
what would you tell them? I'll tell him like my
dad always told us. You know, UM, don't ever let
anybody convince you that you can't do what you feel
you can do it. You can also be whatever you
want to be, Like if you decide you want to
be anything that comes to mind, like, you can do it.
(22:17):
Like it's about persistence and um, you know it's seldom fails.
He she said, so you know, disguise the limit. I mean,
if you just push, you'll get there. And you are
a true example of that. Chuck, I am so so
happy to meet you, and ladies and gentlemen. He's not
(22:37):
gonna go away because he's going to stay with us
for class and session. So stick around. We'll be back
with the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore and Chuck.
Welcome back to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore,
and we are at classes session. So today you guys,
instead of doing a scene, we're going to do a
monologue and so I will have l Slathan introduced our actress. Hey, hey,
(23:03):
hey everyone, Well today we have our good friend and
the Spirited Actor alumna Leametrius Starks, and she is going
to wow us with her version of the Fences monologue
eighteen years Okay, we love August Wilson, So Leametria spirit
(23:24):
Actor alumni. O G. I'm put on it now. Um.
You take a breath, and whenever you're ready, let us
go on action. I've been standing with you. I've been
right here with you, Troy. I got a life too.
(23:44):
I gave eighteen years of my life to stand in
the same spots with you. Don't you think that I
wanted other things? I mean, don't you think that I
had streams and hopes? What about my life? Mm hmm?
What about me? Did it ever cross your mind that
(24:05):
I wanted to get to know other people, that I
wanted to lay up somewhere and forget about my responsibilities,
That I wanted someone to make me laugh so I
could feel good. I'm not the only one who's got
wants and needs. But I held onto you, Troy. I
(24:27):
took all of my feelings, my wants, and my needs,
my dreams, and I buried them inside you and at
the seed, and I watched it and I prayed over it.
You know, maybe, but it didn't take me no eighteen
(24:50):
years to find out that the soil was hard and
rocky and it wasn't never gonna boom. But I held
onto you, Troy. I held you tighter because she was
my husband. And I owed you everything that I had,
every part of me that I could find to give
to you. And I'm stands at that room with the
(25:15):
darkness falling in on me. I gave everything I had.
That's right to remove any doubt that she wasn't the
finest man in the world, because wherever you were going,
I wanted to be right there with you because you
were my husband, and I told you everything and the
(25:44):
only way I was gonna survive being your wife. You
always talk about what you give, what you don't have
to you, what you take to you, and you don't
know what excuse me M give her around me. Applause
(26:17):
mm hmma, beautiful. So right, so Leamtria. That's why we
call you O G. We gotta put the O G there.
That was some great work. The only adjustments that I
would make in this and the savings sort of grace.
And this is the fact that you have held your mouth,
you have held your voice in for eighteen years, because
(26:39):
this is nineteen fifties, and in the nineteen fifties women
were more submissive. Your job was to cook, clean and
take care of your husband, and that's really what was
established in your household. And then on Friday he takes
with a little change. He has go hang out with
his boys. But also you knew that he had a woman,
another woman that he was having, because he trickled in
on Saturday mornings ement like her, okay, But at that
(27:02):
time you just keep it under the rug. You don't
say anything, and you just go about your business. But
at this moment when he tells you he's getting ready
to have a child with this woman, then this is
when all of that eighteen years just festers and comes
up and you're and through your voice. And so I
love the emotional roller coaster that you took us on,
but at the end, I would just grab those moments
(27:24):
of empowerment of independence because you know what happens after that,
she says to him, because the woman dies, and then
he has the nerve to ask you to raise that
child right, And you say to him that child will
have a mother, but you no longer have a wife.
That's what you say to him. And then everything changes.
Now you're going to the church. You're not really cooking,
(27:44):
you cooking dinner, but putting foil on it as opposed
to it being hot, and place it in front of him.
You know what I'm saying. So there are little things
that you do to show your independence of this man
after he did this to you and hurt you. So
those that I would just kind of give to him
a little bit more at the end. Um, Okay, thank you.
You want to add something, You're welcome. Yeah, I totally
(28:07):
agree with you. But if I didn't hear your input,
I would have just been lost in the fact. I
have a question for her, like if that's something that
an actual moment that you were reliving, because it was
it was that convincing and the way you solved into
the role, it was amazing. You did a great job.
(28:30):
I think, you know. The only thing I would suggest,
like I would just agree with everything that thank you
just said. Thank you. It is kind of real to
me because when I was married, my husband did have
a double life because I didn't know about so that
I picked up on that because it kind of played
(28:53):
in with the way you were acting in and it
was real. Thank you, and that's makes acting real. If
you have the experience, then it's great then you know,
like Leomitria, right, But if you don't have that experience,
that your job as an actor to do research, find
references so that you can understand, you know, what that
(29:13):
feels like, because that's what makes it authentic. That's a
great note. Chop well, Chuck, Leamitria is a spirit actor.
O G. She's always in class, so this is what
we do. Okay, thanks Elsa for casting Leomitria Starts. Ladies,
put your hands together for her and also save well,
(29:35):
save some love for Chock. You guys, Chuck, thank you
so much for coming on, and you always have an
open invitation to come back so we can brag about you.
Thank you. I will all right, well, thank you again,
and we will be back with the Spirited Actor Podcast
with me Tracy Moore and I'm gonna give you love,
and now it's time to give love. Not everyone will
(29:57):
see your dreams, and that's a okay. Your dreams are
not for them. Your dreams are for you. All you
need are two people. And I say too, because my dream,
which has been manifested today, is for Inside the Black
Box to happen. And it did. It launches on Crackle
(30:21):
TV Thursday, February seventeen. It would not have happened without
two people that I am eternally grateful to, Cassidy Arkins
and I get to hang out with him every week,
my producer, Spruce Henry. When I told Spruce about this
little podcast called The Black Box, he looked in my
(30:43):
eyes and said, nah, I see a show and I
was like, yeah, but I'm not really in front of
the camera. Like being behind the camera, people see things
in you that you don't see. And I am eternally
grateful to Cassidy and Spruce for seeing that in me
and allowing me to grow in the vision. Don't forget
(31:05):
to look out for us on our new show, Inside
the black Box. My co host will be Joe the
Legend Morton. It's going to be The Spirited Actor Podcast
on Steroids. We'll be streaming on the Crackle network. I'll
keep you posted. Thank you for joining us on the
Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore. I look forward
(31:27):
to our next Spirited Podcast. Thank you.
Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and
TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transition to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Thomas.
I audition every rapper from Biggie's Balls to Tupac, and
(00:24):
I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help
transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from
Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Ye from The
Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons to name a few. I
also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel
(00:45):
I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director,
I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an
acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in
that room. Now I know, I know actors want to
get the job. I get that, but being remembered, my
casting director, that is powerful. And now it's time for
meditation of the day. Vision is the art of seeing
(01:08):
things invisible Jonathan Swift. So there are times in all
of our lives where our finances could be a little
tight or a little low. And a couple of months ago,
I woke up and it's something that I do every day.
I like checking my account. It could have zero dollars,
(01:31):
it could have hundreds of dollars, but it's something that
I enjoy doing every day. And this particular day I
opened up my account. The funds were a little low,
and I said to myself, I trust that this account
will grow, and I believe that this account will grow.
(01:53):
And I saw with my own eyes the account growing well.
The next morning, I woke up and I checked my
account and I had five hundred dollars in my account.
To this day, I don't know where it came from.
I don't know if it was a refund, I don't know.
And I was so nervous in the beginning, like, well,
maybe I should just take it all out for somebody
(02:14):
catches it, you know, But I said, no, Tracy, trust
the fact that it's in your account, it's for you,
and it's not going anywhere. And that's what happened. I
kept that five hundred in my account for a week
and it didn't go away. There wasn't any era in
my bank. I just want to say to you trust, trust,
(02:35):
the universe, whatever spiritual foundation you have, trusted a hundred
and fifty percent. By me saying that I trust and
I believed, I was rewarded something in my bank account
the next day. Today, I will learn to trust and
believe in my instincts. Before we get started, I'd like
(03:00):
to remind everyone to look out for my new show,
Inside the Black Box. I'll be co hosting with the
great Joe Morton. Will be on Crackle Network real soon.
I'll keep you posted. Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast
with me Tracy Moore. I'm a little excited today and
over zealous because of our guest. This is so special,
(03:24):
you know. I love the fact that in doing the
show that we have an eclectic blend of talent and
today legendary Uptown Records Soul for real. Welcome shop everybody.
(03:46):
That's right, you should move. It's going great. No, I'm
serious because and you know this, but your music, along
with other groups, is the baby making music. Right? Two things?
Baby making or wedding songs. We've been told both. But
like most of you hear that, like you made so
(04:06):
much love to you guys album. You know you felt
the love like I'm gonna talk about later how much
I miss R and B like crazy. I grew up
in the early seventies. It just pains my soul to
see how the shift has happened because I came here
in three I met Russell Simmons. My best friend was
(04:29):
being managed by him, So I went to Green Street
Studios and run DMC was there, Curtis blow full force.
That's how I sort of got into the music thing.
I met my husband there. But let's start in the beginning, Chuck,
how did like did you know at two years old?
Like you know, because you are if you have a voice,
you are a singer, you are a performance. So were
(04:53):
you little doing this? No? For me, I was little.
Um just at the age of two. I was mostly
in taking things because me and my my brothers and sisters,
we were brought up in church. So I didn't really Uh,
I had no idea I was going to be a
singer around that time. He didn't take me till about
the age of sixteen to really start to swim singing
(05:15):
in a music career. But um, I always had it
in me. I always knew I could sing. I just
didn't I just didn't tap into it to my team,
So when you tapped into it in your teens? Is
that when the group was formed? No, I was initially
with a couple of other guys that I went to
school with, Anthony Tony John John Carter, and we had
(05:38):
a group called a J C. Sounds, and I was
the only singer. We were like ahead of our time
when it came to the stuff we were doing because
it was a lot like what's going on today. But
unfortunately me and them guys, we didn't make it as
a group, but immediately, like I spun off of them
and it got with my brothers and did after that,
so for it was born. So we're going back, ladies
(06:00):
and gentlemen too. When the group signed with Uptown take
us through that. Oh, that was one of my favorite
years because I was on New York Undercover. Were you
you guys on New York under Cover? Yeah, so that's
where I met you them because you guys performed to
Natalie's Yeah, we also did the Molitia Show. We was
(06:23):
on there. Um we did like a few TV Yeah,
you guys did. Yeah, I mean, so let me ask
you how did that come about? Was that Andre Horrell
into on Uptown m c A Records, Uh signed. We
were labeled METS with Joe to see Mary, Dave Blige,
(06:43):
Christopher Williams, all the greats from that error. Yeah, it
was amazing to be labeled MATS with him because you know,
we were customed to just see any people on TV
right go from you know, coming from the hood to
actually being beside you know, heavy d and all these
other great thoughts that andre a real put out. It was.
It was amazing, and you guys were part of that.
(07:04):
So you guys were just as amazing too, right. I
know everybody on the crew here knows you and loves
the group. I'm huge fan, like played your music, went
to shows. I want to talk about your view on
how the music business change because I remember back in
like I want to say, maybe ninety two, ninety three,
(07:26):
nine four two, when there was this transition as if
the black music departments were leaving and some of them
because I remember when m c A. My girl was
a big wig over there and she was head of
the Black music department, and I remember when she lost
your job, and then it just sort of trickled down
to other you know, what was that Like when you
(07:47):
speak about that, it reminds me of our transition of
just kind of just having a hiatus. The hiatus that
we've had. It kind of started back then in like
I guess music was shifting from the ends, like or
I should say groups, groups, uh, soloists. You know, if
(08:08):
you ask me, I think it was. It has a
lot to do with the whole cliche thing that comes
along with one minute they're together and then the neck
they're always breaking up. People like are always be disappointed
with that more or less, even though they still gravitate
to whoever it might be that just launches a solo
career and had success, but still they always long for
(08:28):
that initial mark. Yeah, and I speak from you know,
my own standpoint too, and just the errors of music
I've I've gone through. I'm glad to still be a
part of it. The astribute that we we hit the
music industry, it had a certain staying power that was
just beyond all of us, and it just took its
own life. You know, it's a blessing, Like you could
(08:49):
only appreciate it and still capitalize off a bit. Well,
I want to say, when you went solo, I bought
your records. So I just want you to because for me,
it was like the next logical move, you know what
I mean, Like Destiny Kids. Yeah, I mean Destiny Kids,
Destiny Child, like Beyonce. I always felt like there was
(09:10):
an open door to come back, Like you didn't really leave,
you just you know sometimes like artists might want to,
you know, change up and do country or do something else,
you know, pop and then you can still come back
to Soul for real. It's not like they locked you out,
but I thought that, Um, it was so logical to
me for you to go on your own. Let me
just say when it comes to with us, you've done
(09:32):
solo projects. We've never gone solo though You've never like
initiated launching a solo career. Anything that I've done by myself,
it's been supported by the guy. And that's just how
we like. Even we're not a group that ever broke up.
Like people didn't know that and then they made misconstruted
because they see solo endeavors and stuff. But we're still
(09:55):
together and you actually have new music out right now. Yeah,
you've got a lot of stuff that would work and
on that we're about to you know, present and how
to do the visual all visuals things that you know,
I can't really speak about everything, but it's a lot
about to pop off. Yeah, well, don't forget the Spirited
Actor podcast, but you can come back and give us
like a first look that we want to be a
(10:17):
part of, like you know, putting the word out because
I'm sure your fans will be crazy. I look at
like I think upcoming at the Barclay Center, there's like
music Soul Child new auditions, Like there's a bunch of
groups that I'm like, oh my god, it's so refreshing
to the soul. It really is. So I can't wait
until you guys come back out with new music. I
(10:39):
want to ask you a question before I transition into acting.
The climate today of music and these artists like you
are legendary, you are award winning, you are Billboard status,
platinum goal, So what advice could would you give some
of these artists that I just feel like I came
here in ninety eight three, and I you know that
(11:02):
it was like the beginning of hip hop and Russell
and my ex husband they were partners, and I saw
a lot that heard a lot. The opportunities, of course,
are abundant with musical artists, you know, from commercial work
to selling products. So I just think now and this
is my observation that a lot of these artists they
(11:25):
need guidance from you guys. Yeah, I would agree. I
don't know, Like I was always told to just be
yourself because you know, that's the only place you you're
gonna really find you the greatest, potentially looking inside of yourself,
a pushing yourself outside of your own box. In today's generation,
I kind of like what I see with how things
(11:46):
have evolved because it's more of a take charge generation
where everybody's more or less educated and far the business
and knows what it takes to do and the things
that is going to bring them their success and money,
and that's what they're about. So you know, I could
only commend there. I can only appreciate how things have
grown when you come to that. As far as like
(12:08):
ever our genre music again, I'm really really happy about
our astribution, like our contribution I should say, I mean
to say, to music and to be a part of
that error. It's one of the greatest or in music
and it's everything if you notice, comes full circle. Like
even the artists today they're using it like using a
(12:29):
lot of material from the nineties in our genre. It's awesome. Like,
I just I love it. I love the opportunities that
you have because I mean, you know, not to judge anyone, everybody.
I don't like judging yourself. I just think that when
you said smarter and more educated, I just think that
there was opportunities in the nineties that sort of spawn,
(12:52):
you know, and grew. And this is where they they have,
you know, these artists now because we didn't have social media,
you didn't have the numbers, you know what I mean. So,
but the good thing is is that now in reinventing,
you know, when people like, oh, reunion and come back. No,
like you said, you guys never broke up. It's just
you know, we're in So what is so for real?
(13:13):
Look like right, that's what it's really about. That's what
it's about. What you're doing. I'm actually happy to see
a lot of acts from our error. It is like
working like you know, we actually started to all right
now we pretended. Um, we got a lot of shows
on deck. We did one recently in Nashville with the
lineup was amazing. It was it just was like a
(13:35):
really really good flashback. Um, if I can recall, it
was Monica Jacket Edge, Charlie Boys to mend Us and
you know, genuine everybody. It was like fun just to
see and be with people that we've done. We've done
so many venues within the past, and that's so cool.
It was in Nashville, you know what I mean, Like,
(13:55):
that's so cool. Yeah, it was. It was dope. Good
for you. So I'm a casting director, Elsa who you
met earlier, wonder woman we cast together. I'm looking at
you now because you know it's visual and you you
have such a leading man face to me. Yeah, I
(14:18):
like that you do, because you know our job is too.
When we get your picture is you know, we look
at the picture and that's what we start doing. We're like, oh, cop, dctor, lawyer,
you know, all of those things. But when I look
at you, it's really your eyes that are alluring that
tell me like you could do leading man stuff. And
(14:38):
you've got a great smile. You just have an overall
great look. So are you interested And have you thought
about transitioning to acting? Yeah? I have actually, uh, even
before um we made the industry. That's something that I've
always had a passion for as well. I just never
took the initiative to pursue it and stuff. But if
(14:59):
I had opportunity, I would dive right in head first.
You know, I'm grieving my family right now, the loss
of my my parents. Like I lost my mom six
months ago. Then oh I'm sorry, yeah, then my dad
just left. Uh, we just just buried him a week ago. Um.
You know, it's just crazy how like it went with
(15:21):
losing them both. It seems like damn together. It also
feels like a lot of opportunities and things are unraveling
in our favor. So such great parents, and um, we
left a lot of great teams, you know about the project.
And you know, I have this belief that when people
(15:41):
who are really really, really really close to us transition,
that they really lift us up. You know, my mother
said when former President Obama was running and and and
it looked like he was gonna win, my mother was
like she's eighty seven, but at the time, I think
she was in her late seventies, but she said, um, oh,
(16:03):
they're gonna kill him. They're gonna kill him. My mother
is from Louisiana, nineteen forties, just and and she's fair skinned,
so my mother and her sisters could pass if they
wanted to. I don't know the history because she doesn't
really share that, so I feel like it's something traumatic.
But when I told my mother, I was like, they're
not going to kill him. He's not gonna die. Nothing
(16:23):
is going to happen to him because his grandmother had
just recently passed. And I was like, she's gonna lift
him up. She's gonna lift him up, she's going to
protect him. She's gonna be And it's even though the
body leaves the spirit and the presidents never leaves. When
I lost my it doesn't. We just don't know that dimension,
you know. But my dad I feel all the time
(16:44):
I'm likes him. What what do you eat? What do
you want? You know? But you grow into that after
that morning stage in the grieving. But just on behalf
of the Spirit Actor podcast, like we definitely our heartfelt
condolences to you, thank you. Yes, So just tapping in
that acting because you notice why I'm here and we
(17:06):
always scared. Listen, if you ever want to come, and
I'm extending an invitation to you to my next class
and you could just come sit in and audit, but
I think it's the logical choice for you. I you know,
music videos, that's the platform where you guys are acting. Yeah,
and you can see how I coached one twelve years ago.
(17:31):
This is one of their videos and I'm still friends
with Michael Keith. But they had so much fun giving
themselves permission to be crazy and to do all kinds
of things in the video and just sort of like, oh,
it's the video. But then I was like, you guys
should act, you know. So I feel like it's not
something where, you know, the industry is like why are
(17:53):
rappers acting and block? No, it's not about that. It's
so in your blood and logical. So I definitely want
to extend meditation because there's work out there for you.
You know, I never want artists, um, I coach Buster
Rhymes and even a lot of these artists um that
I'm really really blessed to work with. And it's your
(18:16):
creative bed. It's in you. There's so many outlets. You're
probably you know, I know you right, so you produce.
You might want to direct one of your music videos.
I don't know, that might be in the works. So
in terms of anything, I know that you have a
lot of things going on. Is there anything specifically that
(18:36):
we can talk about this coming up to let our
audience know. Well, we've got performances coming up. I can't
say exactly where, but I know I think it's starting
next month in March throughout April. You have a few
performances coming up. They're also about to have Unsung episode
dropped next month on TV one Ladies and Gentlemen. Yeah,
(18:58):
that's what we're looking forward to that as well. And
again we have a new single call after the Ring
Fell on all platforms because check that. And I just
think that that is so cool. You know that you're
still in it. Like sometimes you know, people make decisions
to do other things or maybe you know, pursue something
(19:20):
else that they wanted to do and at the time
it didn't have the time because of the success of that.
But to be able to be consistent throughout these years,
that right there deserves a standing ovation, you know what
I mean? Because you you're in this business. You've seen
from ninety four to present day. You know, you've seen
(19:43):
the changes and the ships and things like that. Have
you you know, because I told you I'm miss R
and B. Do you do you feel like R and
B is still in the top of the genres of
music today. I do feel like it's in the top
of feel like it could be. It's more of it,
like the way it's initially used to impact music, And
(20:07):
you know, it's about like, really these days, you gotta search.
You kinda gotta like really search. You can't just go
by what they're putting out sort of media, because they're
just putting out a lot of the raps. Like if
you if you look at it just from the from
the media standpoint, it's all about hip hop and stuff,
you know, but R and B is still very much
(20:28):
alive and it's strong too. It's about you taking the
time and just doing research to find the type of
music that you want. And I say that because that's
that's how with me, Like there's a lot of there's
tons of music that's out today that I love and
it's straight up, but I believe that we could use
(20:48):
more of that initial flavor um something like what we
used to deliver h with today's twist. And you know
that's where I come in again, Like that's something I
never left on. I don't think I'll ever believe I
reckon I can't take my musical talent. That's just my
(21:10):
origination and my core. Yeah, I'll always I'll always do
and express myself that way. I just want to say
that the when you can make music that literally touches
the soul, you know, where somebody's like, oh you want
to give it? Set the move they put on so
for real, or you know, like I'm getting married. Those
(21:32):
are big deals. You know what I'm saying. I have
to have soul for real. You've made an impact on
the world, the world, and I'm so grateful to have
this opportunity to speak to you. We are at the
end of our interview, which went by too fast. I
just want to give Oh my god, if you have
any words that of encouragement or inspiration that you want
(21:54):
to give any of these aspiring musical artists out there,
what would you tell them? I'll tell him like my
dad always told us. You know, UM, don't ever let
anybody convince you that you can't do what you feel
you can do it. You can also be whatever you
want to be, Like if you decide you want to
be anything that comes to mind, like, you can do it.
(22:17):
Like it's about persistence and um, you know it's seldom fails.
He she said, so you know, disguise the limit. I mean,
if you just push, you'll get there. And you are
a true example of that. Chuck, I am so so
happy to meet you, and ladies and gentlemen. He's not
(22:37):
gonna go away because he's going to stay with us
for class and session. So stick around. We'll be back
with the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore and Chuck.
Welcome back to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore,
and we are at classes session. So today you guys,
instead of doing a scene, we're going to do a
monologue and so I will have l Slathan introduced our actress. Hey, hey,
(23:03):
hey everyone, Well today we have our good friend and
the Spirited Actor alumna Leametrius Starks, and she is going
to wow us with her version of the Fences monologue
eighteen years Okay, we love August Wilson, So Leametria spirit
(23:24):
Actor alumni. O G. I'm put on it now. Um.
You take a breath, and whenever you're ready, let us
go on action. I've been standing with you. I've been
right here with you, Troy. I got a life too.
(23:44):
I gave eighteen years of my life to stand in
the same spots with you. Don't you think that I
wanted other things? I mean, don't you think that I
had streams and hopes? What about my life? Mm hmm?
What about me? Did it ever cross your mind that
(24:05):
I wanted to get to know other people, that I
wanted to lay up somewhere and forget about my responsibilities,
That I wanted someone to make me laugh so I
could feel good. I'm not the only one who's got
wants and needs. But I held onto you, Troy. I
(24:27):
took all of my feelings, my wants, and my needs,
my dreams, and I buried them inside you and at
the seed, and I watched it and I prayed over it.
You know, maybe, but it didn't take me no eighteen
(24:50):
years to find out that the soil was hard and
rocky and it wasn't never gonna boom. But I held
onto you, Troy. I held you tighter because she was
my husband. And I owed you everything that I had,
every part of me that I could find to give
to you. And I'm stands at that room with the
(25:15):
darkness falling in on me. I gave everything I had.
That's right to remove any doubt that she wasn't the
finest man in the world, because wherever you were going,
I wanted to be right there with you because you
were my husband, and I told you everything and the
(25:44):
only way I was gonna survive being your wife. You
always talk about what you give, what you don't have
to you, what you take to you, and you don't
know what excuse me M give her around me. Applause
(26:17):
mm hmma, beautiful. So right, so Leamtria. That's why we
call you O G. We gotta put the O G there.
That was some great work. The only adjustments that I
would make in this and the savings sort of grace.
And this is the fact that you have held your mouth,
you have held your voice in for eighteen years, because
(26:39):
this is nineteen fifties, and in the nineteen fifties women
were more submissive. Your job was to cook, clean and
take care of your husband, and that's really what was
established in your household. And then on Friday he takes
with a little change. He has go hang out with
his boys. But also you knew that he had a woman,
another woman that he was having, because he trickled in
on Saturday mornings ement like her, okay, But at that
(27:02):
time you just keep it under the rug. You don't
say anything, and you just go about your business. But
at this moment when he tells you he's getting ready
to have a child with this woman, then this is
when all of that eighteen years just festers and comes
up and you're and through your voice. And so I
love the emotional roller coaster that you took us on,
but at the end, I would just grab those moments
(27:24):
of empowerment of independence because you know what happens after that,
she says to him, because the woman dies, and then
he has the nerve to ask you to raise that
child right, And you say to him that child will
have a mother, but you no longer have a wife.
That's what you say to him. And then everything changes.
Now you're going to the church. You're not really cooking,
(27:44):
you cooking dinner, but putting foil on it as opposed
to it being hot, and place it in front of him.
You know what I'm saying. So there are little things
that you do to show your independence of this man
after he did this to you and hurt you. So
those that I would just kind of give to him
a little bit more at the end. Um, Okay, thank you.
You want to add something, You're welcome. Yeah, I totally
(28:07):
agree with you. But if I didn't hear your input,
I would have just been lost in the fact. I
have a question for her, like if that's something that
an actual moment that you were reliving, because it was
it was that convincing and the way you solved into
the role, it was amazing. You did a great job.
(28:30):
I think, you know. The only thing I would suggest,
like I would just agree with everything that thank you
just said. Thank you. It is kind of real to
me because when I was married, my husband did have
a double life because I didn't know about so that
I picked up on that because it kind of played
(28:53):
in with the way you were acting in and it
was real. Thank you, and that's makes acting real. If
you have the experience, then it's great then you know,
like Leomitria, right, But if you don't have that experience,
that your job as an actor to do research, find
references so that you can understand, you know, what that
(29:13):
feels like, because that's what makes it authentic. That's a
great note. Chop well, Chuck, Leamitria is a spirit actor.
O G. She's always in class, so this is what
we do. Okay, thanks Elsa for casting Leomitria Starts. Ladies,
put your hands together for her and also save well,
(29:35):
save some love for Chock. You guys, Chuck, thank you
so much for coming on, and you always have an
open invitation to come back so we can brag about you.
Thank you. I will all right, well, thank you again,
and we will be back with the Spirited Actor Podcast
with me Tracy Moore and I'm gonna give you love,
and now it's time to give love. Not everyone will
(29:57):
see your dreams, and that's a okay. Your dreams are
not for them. Your dreams are for you. All you
need are two people. And I say too, because my dream,
which has been manifested today, is for Inside the Black
Box to happen. And it did. It launches on Crackle
(30:21):
TV Thursday, February seventeen. It would not have happened without
two people that I am eternally grateful to, Cassidy Arkins
and I get to hang out with him every week,
my producer, Spruce Henry. When I told Spruce about this
little podcast called The Black Box, he looked in my
(30:43):
eyes and said, nah, I see a show and I
was like, yeah, but I'm not really in front of
the camera. Like being behind the camera, people see things
in you that you don't see. And I am eternally
grateful to Cassidy and Spruce for seeing that in me
and allowing me to grow in the vision. Don't forget
(31:05):
to look out for us on our new show, Inside
the black Box. My co host will be Joe the
Legend Morton. It's going to be The Spirited Actor Podcast
on Steroids. We'll be streaming on the Crackle network. I'll
keep you posted. Thank you for joining us on the
Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore. I look forward
(31:27):
to our next Spirited Podcast. Thank you.
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Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.