September 29, 2025 • 22 mins
In this episode of We Need To Talk with Nyla Symone, rising R&B artist Khamari opens up about his musical journey, from his early influences in Boston to building a career in Los Angeles. He reflects on the creative process behind his latest project, the role of spirituality in shaping his sound, and the lessons learned along the way. Khamari also shares his aspirations for the future and offers an honest look at the challenges and triumphs that have defined his path as an artist. Tune in and comment in the socials below.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Peaks to the plan.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
This charlamagnea god here. Before we get into today's episode,
we've got to celebrate the Black Effect Podcast Network. It's
turning five years old, man, five years of powerful voices,
unforgettable moments in the community that keeps growing.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
This is the power of the platform. Now let's get
into it.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Welcome to We need to talk with production of the
Black Effect Podcast Network, Growing on the Moon.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
And your Wesday.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I'm trying to get me down with you. We're good,
your boy, what's up to talk? Your girl? Money long
and you're not. You need to talk my girl.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
We need a time.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
What's going on? Guys? And welcome to another episode that
we need to talk Today. I have a very special
guest in the building. We got Kamari here. How are you.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I'm good, I'm good. Thank you for having me good.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Of course, I'm so happy for you to be here. Man.
R and B has really been shaking things up lately,
and I'm happy to be here because you're one of
the people who has been doing that. So congrats on
that part. But for those who aren't familiar with you,
before we get into your new project, just tell them
who Kumari is. Where is he from and what is
his is? I like to call it villain origin story,
(01:15):
my villain origin.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
So I'm from I'm from Boston, Massachusetts, from Dorchester more specifically,
been making music my whole life. About to drop my
second project.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yeah, and the villain origin story is just like this
was the moment I knew I was committed to singing.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
I don't know, maybe I was. I don't know. I
feel like there was never a moment where I didn't know.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
But maybe my villain origin story, it's probably when my
grandfather got me my first keyboard and I just like
never looked back. I always was making music after that
and writing songs.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
So so.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Okay, so growing up in Boston, and I just I'm
curious of your ethnicity. Are you black American? Are you
are Black American?
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Yeah? But my dad's also my dad's from Barbados.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Okay, Okay, I was gonna say, because there's a lot
of like Haitians, there's a lot of it's very honestly
very cultural in Boston, similar to New York City, and
I think a lot of people don't know that that's like,
what what was it like growing up in Boston? How
did that shape your sound.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
I think I just I was lucky to be exposed
to like a lot of different types of music there,
and my family and my parents. My mom always you know,
bumping Beyonce. She's the biggest Beyonce fan. Well, my dad's
the biggest jay Z fan, you know what I'm saying.
They were always bumping the classic R and B artists
like Alicia Keys and Keisha and you know what I'm saying,
(02:45):
like fat Asia and music so child when they was
cleaning the house. And I was just always exposed to
a bunch of different things. And my grandfather is such
a fan of music too, like jazz records and has
a giant record collection.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
And I think also outside.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Of family too, just growing up in Boston, it was
a lot of like because Berkeley's there, and there's a
lot of music conservatories there in a lot of places
and opportunities to study in music.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
So I was really exposed to a lot of classical.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Music there too, and just able to like grow up
with a really wide range of.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Things that I like to pull from.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah, yeah, I think we hear that in your music.
But Okay, were you involved in the church at all? No,
real dang, you have such a soulful voice. I don't
know what I always just assume that, but okay, cool.
So you always knew you wanted to be an artist.
Did you go to college at all or were you
into other sports or activities.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I went to Berkeley for like two semesters.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
Okay, yeah, I jogged out because it wasn't I don't
think it was helped me be a better artist. It
was helped me be a better musician, but at that
time that wasn't the priority, and so I was like
there for a very quick period.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Do you feel like the technicality of the music is
still important today?
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yeah, one hundred percent. I feel like it's so important.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
I think, like you were saying earlier, I think when
you were saying R and B is having a moment
right now, I feel like that's in large part.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
A large part of it is.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
I think right now you're seeing records where the musicality
is really important, and it's there, and it's kind of
like paying homage to the things that you know, our
parents liked and our grandsparents liked in a way that
still feels original to us now.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
True.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
And I think there was maybe a period where that
wasn't the case to a degree, you know as much.
But I think, like, I think a lot of the
artists that are making music right now really like you
were saying, feel really soulful and like really you know
earnest about that.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Yeah, no, we're loving it. I'm loving the renaissance. I
think what shifted it was rappers leaning more into melody
and then all the line just got blurred. So then,
like you know, everybody just started dabbling and everything. But
I mean, I'm just a fan of good music. I
don't really care how you do it as long as
it's good exactly. But Okay, so I know you're now
(04:56):
on the West coast. Talk to me about that trans position.
How did you end up moving why? And has that
change of sound at all?
Speaker 4 (05:05):
So I moved to LA when I first signed my
first deal to RCA, and I moved from Boston, La.
I drove from Boston all the way to LA And yeah,
I packed my car and I drove all the way
there because it was heat COVID and.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
First of all, flights for dead cheap during peak COVID. Yes,
you were, and the flights is like fifty dollars. You're crazy, Yeah,
you just want you just wanted your car.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
I did.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
I did, you know, because that was part of it.
I got the deal obviously, you know. I was like,
I'm gonna get myself a little song, you know. So
I got my car and I drove out to LA
and I packed all my things, which is basically just
like my keyboard, my guitar, my clothes, you know. And yeah,
I moved out to LA. Been here since, been probably
about four years.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Yeah, I hear good, bad, all types of things about LA.
First of all, I hear the dating life as ship.
I hear.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Lying about that.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
I hear that, But I also do hear it's really
good for your career, similar to how you asked me
about New York. And I'm like, I love it for
my career. Is that how LA is for you as well?
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Just like the creative opportunity you get out there, and
like the people that you're exposed to, and and like
the frequency that you can be exposed to them, and
like it's a lot easier than being like scheduling stuff,
and like all can come out there. Like I think
it's it's just it's convenient to be out there if
you're a creative. I think making music.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Yeah, understood, Okay, Well, I know you're dropping a new
project to Dry a Tear, and so far we got
three records out, Heading the Drawer, Lonely in the Jungle,
and Sycamore Tree. Now my first question is, wait, did
I pronounce that right? Okay? My first question is who
is the insport behind this project? Who is to blame.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
What you wanted when you said the villain origin story
is that's what you are now? You know? I think,
you know the interesting thing about I feel very lucky
because I feel like I've.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Been able to take some time between this project and
my last project, and I think part of it is
just taking moments from things that have happened over the
last you know, two years before you know now, leading
up to now, that have kind of made me feel
inspired or made me feel like I had something to say,
or kind of reminded me of a song that I
(07:27):
really was inspired by and couldn't like get out of
my ears. So I don't know if it's like if
it's one person, or if it's one situation, or if
it's I just think it's over the last two years,
I've just the experiences like this album is just a
culmination of those experiences.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
You know.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Okay, So if you had to define this project and
one word like this is killing, this is growth for like,
maybe phrase it in an er, what would you call it?
Speaker 3 (07:54):
M I would say probably.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
This album To me it just feels it was like
I've been describing it as just musical.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
It feels more musical.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
But if you're looking for like an emotional word, I
would say, like, it feels.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Confident.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
I think I feel more confident in my direction and
just like who I am as a person, and I
feel like I've grown so much as an artist in
my taste that like I set out to make a
certain kind of album and I feel like.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
I did that.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Yeah, the production is definitely fire. Who has been doing mad?
Is that all you? That's all you have?
Speaker 4 (08:31):
I have collaborators that I work with too, But I'm like,
I did a lot of this myself.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
What wait, So do you just play the piano or
you play other instruments as well?
Speaker 4 (08:40):
I played the piano, I play keys, I play I mean, yeah,
so I played piano.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
I play guitar. I play bass poorly, but I play it.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
But it counts.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Yeah, when it counts, you know, I could I could
fake the funk.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
I play a couple of different other instruments, but like
those are those are the main ones?
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Yeah, fire, So talk to me about your creative pross
in making this project. Do you write first or are
you more with the instruments and then you come up
with the create like the song.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
I feel like it's different for every song.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Like I feel like for me, the beautiful thing is
like I'm so in love with the process that it's
not I'm not married to It's not like an equation
for me in the sense of I have a specific
way I have to work because I'm just excited about
figuring things out and like figuring out the answers to
the equation that seemed like they're non existent when you're
(09:32):
starting out and putting the pieces together, and so I
feel like, you know, when I start sometimes it's just
with the music. I'll start with this, the chords and
the guitar, and then I'll kind of build out from
there and I'll chop something up and make it sound
like something completely different. Or I'll have a concept in
mind and I'll write something in my notes because somebody
said something to me that made me feel the kind
of way, or like I said, because I went through
something and it was like, da, I gotta write about this,
(09:53):
and then like three weeks later, four months later, I'll
be like, Okay, this is the musical idea for that song,
you know, like this is that thing I felt, you know,
four months ago.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
This is the right vehicle for it.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
It takes time.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
Sometimes, yeah, sometimes it happens quick too, though sometimes it
happens really quick.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Yeah. No. I I appreciate the fact that things take
time because it's like a download from the universe that
like finishes your thoughts, like all right, this is put
on hold until I get the missing pieces.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
So no, that's real.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
I feel like the times where I've written my favorite things,
I feel like the boundary between my thoughts and what
I was making was like non existent, you know what
I'm saying. Like it was just the flow state was
just it was a perfect seamless Yeah, it was very seamless,
and it was like there was no second guessing.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
It was just this is what I want to do.
I'm doing it.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
I'm not going to double think, I'm not going to
step back, I'm not going to be try to be
too objective or whatever about it. I'm just going to
act on what I feel, and that resulted in something that,
you know, whether I put it out or not, felt
like more honest and more vulnerable than you know, a
lot of the other things.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Yeah, I think the vulnerability though, is what people love
the most in the music. So, but I was gonna say,
with that being said about like your favorite ones being
the seamless ones, what song on this project is your
favorite or you connect to the most, and why.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
I feel like, you know, being able to take so
much time to build this project again, I think like
part of my attention in building this project was trying
to make sure that all of the songs served a
different purpose and they all felt equally as intimate and
as personal as the next one.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
And so I don't know if I could choose, Like,
I don't know if I.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
Could choose a favorite, but I think musically I really
love like Lord Forgiving Me. I really love Euphoria had
the Jar and Sycamore tweet. That's like a basics Ye,
I don't know. I don't know, but like you know,
I'm just a fan of the music, you know what
I mean?
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Like that, See that's Liker your thing.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
There's just some musical elements in everything that I feel
like I really can be proud of.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
So would you put yourself in the R and B
box or do you feel like, yeah, for sure.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
I think it's Yeah. I think it's it's impossible to
not be.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
I think, you know, I'm so inspired by you know,
because of who I am, you know, because of what
I look like, because of my background, because of how
I grew up. It's impossible for me to be to
not an R and B artists, You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
You know, I think that's kind of the default.
Speaker 4 (12:22):
But I'm inspired by other things, whether it's appreciated in
that way or not. I think it's impossible for me
to not be in the automate category.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
I respect it. I could hear you in all yeah,
I could hear you in other things, but I agree
because esthetically, yeah, yeah, you know, you could be in
a d Angel chart. But okay, there's something else you
said in that that I wanted to pick apart. I
think creations.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
It's talking about the process, how I was piecing things together.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Yet oh oh oh, you you mentioned Lord forgive me.
And I was talking to Lacreta the other day and
we were talking about how a lot of artists are
actually incorporating like more spiritual aspects and like, you know,
some songs, though they might be about love, or they
might be about something else, could kind of be gospel. Yeah,
do you lean into that?
Speaker 3 (13:20):
And what what do you mean just at all?
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Like, are you leaning into spirituality within your music?
Speaker 3 (13:26):
I think.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
I think that's definitely a part of the conversation. I think,
you know, I think as an artist it's kind of
like our job to give our perspective. And I feel
like in that song, yeah, I feel like that's definitely
a spiritual conversation in me trying to figure out, like
whether you're able to write your wrongs or not, how
to be at peace with that, you know what I mean?
(13:50):
And a lot of for a lot of people, the
answer to that is spirituality. And so I was kind
of battling with that myself, I guess. And that's the
result that song as the result of it.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
Have you performed that record yet? No, I'm curious to
know how you feel. Oh yeah, tonight, I'm going to
ask how does it feel? Okay? Cool? Well? On the show,
we play game called Questions That Need Answers all you
gotta do is feel the blank.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
The older I get, the less I think I'm screaming up.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
I think too much about everything. I think just being
more again, just doing what you feel.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Okay, okay, with that explanation, that makes sense. But you
said that fastest ill like think I'm not thinking, not
doing it, overthink, overthink Okay, Yes, what's your sign?
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (14:37):
I figure you neither that or a virgo when you
said that. Yeah, only because you said I'm overthinking. Because
tourists they want down plans to every tee and then
if it doesn't go that way, it's like a problem. Yeah.
How long did it take for the label to get
this project from you?
Speaker 3 (14:54):
A minute?
Speaker 4 (14:55):
No?
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Minute?
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure it's great. I'm sure it's great.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Sometimes I look back at my life and regret what no, why? Yes?
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Yes, please, you know I think again too, Like with
the point of overthinking too.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I just I think.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
I've lived a lot of my life and just wanted
things to go a certain way, and I think because
of that, I made certain decisions in ways that if
I were looking back at it, and I'll just be like,
just relax, you know what, I'm saying again, just do
what you feel, be inspired by what you're inspired by,
you know, move the way you want to move, you know, go.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Out and talk to what we want. You know what
I'm saying, Just enjoy yourself, Like, that's what I mean
by that.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
And then I talk about that in Doctor in my
Eyes too, and a lot of the records are right,
So that's that's always been a part of my artistry too.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
I like that. Okay, no, good for you ten years
from now. I want my legacy to be.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Impactful.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
You would never believe me if I told you one
word or story.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
You would never believe me if I told you I
just found out I'm allergic.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
To everything like food wise, that's rough chicken, pork, onion, garlic, vanilla.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Air water basically.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Yo, I'm sorry. How did you find out?
Speaker 4 (16:30):
Just having issues with my voice, like my vocal core
is I feel like I could sing properly and as
consistently as as I want to, and I went to
the doctor and that's that's nuts.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
I'm lgious, So no, but.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
If it makes you feel only better, I'm allergic to
damn near everything too. I don't know the first one
you named though, and I feel like that was odd.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Chicken.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Yeah, but you're probably just allergic to the GMO, not
actual like chicken. But okay, yeah, so vegan now damn there.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Yeah I used steak, you know, steak and lamb and.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Oh oh the love lamb. Okay, you do you like lamb.
It's a very specific taste.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Actually, I don't. I don't mind it.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
It's just until now, I haven't really tried. I hadn't
really tried it, so I'm having.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
To get used to it. But it actually is.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
It's good.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Okay, I gotta get the recipe.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
The key is to let it sit for a long time,
like with onion and garlic. You can put it a
little bit of water parchment paper, set in the in
the oven and just let it bake like slow simmer,
almost like a crop pop cheated like that. Do that
for like five hours. Oh my god, don't do the
air fryer. Lamb in the air fire is crazy. Okay,
(17:46):
that is crazy to put myself on this, but that
was such a telling sign. Oh it's okay, we're gonna
get you right. We're gonna we're gonna get you right.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
To get the recipe.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
But okay, so blank is one movie I can watch
with the sound off. Okay, okay, No, I tell a
lot about the movies. You feel like, what is.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
That good thing say about me?
Speaker 1 (18:15):
That one's possible, but you know, usually you get scarfaced,
you get you know that that I'd be like, oh, okay,
see where we're going. So you're you're palatable, you know,
but oh, jay Z is.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Lyrics.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
If I wasn't an artist, I would be a.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Teacher.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
What really? What type of teacher or teachers? Oh okay, I
can see that. Okay, okay, I'm like, wow, that was
all right, last two questions.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
It's a history teacher. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
I don't know, I don't know what subject. Maybe science teachers,
I don't know. Nah, music teacher. Let's just keep it
with me.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
He's the teacher.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
I feel like it's good for you. That feels in pocket.
The craziest thing that's happened to me at a show
had to be the time when.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Fight broke out. Oh no, yeah, R and B show
brief Nirvanator.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Very Chris Brown and very Chris Brown of you broke.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Out and I was just getting ready to go on
the stage. Two.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
So the intro is the music is going, and I'm
like in the doorway ready to I'm pulling the curtain
walking outside. We got my inears in and mic in
my hand and the power the power plug got pulled
because they were fighting, no, and so I had to
go back and had to reset it and it took
a little bit, but that was definitely the craziest.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
I'm sorry. They were fighting on stage the crowd and
they knocked the power Yeah, that's nuts, ridiculous. Okay. At
the R and B Show, yo, that's hilarious. The R
and B artist low Key v Gangster Man, Yo, they
do Tank Chris Brown. We see it time and time again.
We see it, so be safe at our V show, guys.
(20:01):
But okay, my favorite album of all time.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Is Songs in the Key Life.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
That's a good one. A lot of people say that
one too. And then my last one is with my
first check, I bought my car. Oh per per Yay,
that's a good investment. That is that's a good investment.
But okay, so is there anything we should be expecting
coming from you this year?
Speaker 4 (20:30):
Just more music, more music. I'm working on hopefully getting
to share that experience of the album in the room
you know what I'm saying, because I was that was
a huge part of the intention behind creating it. And yeah,
it's just just more.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
More, just more, just more.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Okay, Well, we are looking forward to that. And also
I don't think I saw any features on the tape.
Was that intentional?
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (20:56):
Yeah, I feel like for me, like a feature has
to be an extension of the storytelling for the project too.
And there's a lot of people that I think could
have been dope as features. But it's really important that
if I have a feature, it's someone I really admire
or respect artistically. And also I feel I can add
to whatever it is I'm saying or the song, and
(21:17):
so I never want to just make a decision just
for the sake of doing it, you know, even though
there's a lot of dope collaborations, I feel like that
could be happened.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
So maybe at some point in the future I do it.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Okay, Well, I definitely would be looking forward to it.
I'm super excited for this project dropping and I'm super
excited for tonight. Are you are you nervous?
Speaker 3 (21:37):
No? No, I'm not actually no, Okay, I'm excited. I'm excited.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
Okay, cool, Yeah, it would be great. Shout out your
grand Let everybody know where they could follow you if
they don't already.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
At Kamari on every platform.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
And until next time, guys, peace. We Need to Talk.
It is a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network.
For more podcasts from the Black Effect Podcast Network, visit
the Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen
to your favorite shows. Mixture you guys, follow We Need
to Talk at WNTTLK on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Thanks for listening and celebrating five years of the Black
Effect Podcast Network with us. Keep following because the next
five years are about to be even bigger.
Peaks to the plan.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
This charlamagnea god here. Before we get into today's episode,
we've got to celebrate the Black Effect Podcast Network. It's
turning five years old, man, five years of powerful voices,
unforgettable moments in the community that keeps growing.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
This is the power of the platform. Now let's get
into it.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Welcome to We need to talk with production of the
Black Effect Podcast Network, Growing on the Moon.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
And your Wesday.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
I'm trying to get me down with you. We're good,
your boy, what's up to talk? Your girl? Money long
and you're not. You need to talk my girl.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
We need a time.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
What's going on? Guys? And welcome to another episode that
we need to talk Today. I have a very special
guest in the building. We got Kamari here. How are you.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
I'm good, I'm good. Thank you for having me good.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Of course, I'm so happy for you to be here. Man.
R and B has really been shaking things up lately,
and I'm happy to be here because you're one of
the people who has been doing that. So congrats on
that part. But for those who aren't familiar with you,
before we get into your new project, just tell them
who Kumari is. Where is he from and what is
his is? I like to call it villain origin story,
(01:15):
my villain origin.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
So I'm from I'm from Boston, Massachusetts, from Dorchester more specifically,
been making music my whole life. About to drop my
second project.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yeah, and the villain origin story is just like this
was the moment I knew I was committed to singing.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
I don't know, maybe I was. I don't know. I
feel like there was never a moment where I didn't know.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
But maybe my villain origin story, it's probably when my
grandfather got me my first keyboard and I just like
never looked back. I always was making music after that
and writing songs.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
So so.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Okay, so growing up in Boston, and I just I'm
curious of your ethnicity. Are you black American? Are you
are Black American?
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Yeah? But my dad's also my dad's from Barbados.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Okay, Okay, I was gonna say, because there's a lot
of like Haitians, there's a lot of it's very honestly
very cultural in Boston, similar to New York City, and
I think a lot of people don't know that that's like,
what what was it like growing up in Boston? How
did that shape your sound.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
I think I just I was lucky to be exposed
to like a lot of different types of music there,
and my family and my parents. My mom always you know,
bumping Beyonce. She's the biggest Beyonce fan. Well, my dad's
the biggest jay Z fan, you know what I'm saying.
They were always bumping the classic R and B artists
like Alicia Keys and Keisha and you know what I'm saying,
(02:45):
like fat Asia and music so child when they was
cleaning the house. And I was just always exposed to
a bunch of different things. And my grandfather is such
a fan of music too, like jazz records and has
a giant record collection.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
And I think also outside.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Of family too, just growing up in Boston, it was
a lot of like because Berkeley's there, and there's a
lot of music conservatories there in a lot of places
and opportunities to study in music.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
So I was really exposed to a lot of classical.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Music there too, and just able to like grow up
with a really wide range of.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Things that I like to pull from.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah, yeah, I think we hear that in your music.
But Okay, were you involved in the church at all? No,
real dang, you have such a soulful voice. I don't
know what I always just assume that, but okay, cool.
So you always knew you wanted to be an artist.
Did you go to college at all or were you
into other sports or activities.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I went to Berkeley for like two semesters.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
Okay, yeah, I jogged out because it wasn't I don't
think it was helped me be a better artist. It
was helped me be a better musician, but at that
time that wasn't the priority, and so I was like
there for a very quick period.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Do you feel like the technicality of the music is
still important today?
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yeah, one hundred percent. I feel like it's so important.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
I think, like you were saying earlier, I think when
you were saying R and B is having a moment
right now, I feel like that's in large part.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
A large part of it is.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
I think right now you're seeing records where the musicality
is really important, and it's there, and it's kind of
like paying homage to the things that you know, our
parents liked and our grandsparents liked in a way that
still feels original to us now.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
True.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
And I think there was maybe a period where that
wasn't the case to a degree, you know as much.
But I think, like, I think a lot of the
artists that are making music right now really like you
were saying, feel really soulful and like really you know
earnest about that.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Yeah, no, we're loving it. I'm loving the renaissance. I
think what shifted it was rappers leaning more into melody
and then all the line just got blurred. So then,
like you know, everybody just started dabbling and everything. But
I mean, I'm just a fan of good music. I
don't really care how you do it as long as
it's good exactly. But Okay, so I know you're now
(04:56):
on the West coast. Talk to me about that trans position.
How did you end up moving why? And has that
change of sound at all?
Speaker 4 (05:05):
So I moved to LA when I first signed my
first deal to RCA, and I moved from Boston, La.
I drove from Boston all the way to LA And yeah,
I packed my car and I drove all the way
there because it was heat COVID and.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
First of all, flights for dead cheap during peak COVID. Yes,
you were, and the flights is like fifty dollars. You're crazy, Yeah,
you just want you just wanted your car.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
I did.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
I did, you know, because that was part of it.
I got the deal obviously, you know. I was like,
I'm gonna get myself a little song, you know. So
I got my car and I drove out to LA
and I packed all my things, which is basically just
like my keyboard, my guitar, my clothes, you know. And yeah,
I moved out to LA. Been here since, been probably
about four years.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Yeah, I hear good, bad, all types of things about LA.
First of all, I hear the dating life as ship.
I hear.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Lying about that.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
I hear that, But I also do hear it's really
good for your career, similar to how you asked me
about New York. And I'm like, I love it for
my career. Is that how LA is for you as well?
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Just like the creative opportunity you get out there, and
like the people that you're exposed to, and and like
the frequency that you can be exposed to them, and
like it's a lot easier than being like scheduling stuff,
and like all can come out there. Like I think
it's it's just it's convenient to be out there if
you're a creative. I think making music.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Yeah, understood, Okay, Well, I know you're dropping a new
project to Dry a Tear, and so far we got
three records out, Heading the Drawer, Lonely in the Jungle,
and Sycamore Tree. Now my first question is, wait, did
I pronounce that right? Okay? My first question is who
is the insport behind this project? Who is to blame.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
What you wanted when you said the villain origin story
is that's what you are now? You know? I think,
you know the interesting thing about I feel very lucky
because I feel like I've.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Been able to take some time between this project and
my last project, and I think part of it is
just taking moments from things that have happened over the
last you know, two years before you know now, leading
up to now, that have kind of made me feel
inspired or made me feel like I had something to say,
or kind of reminded me of a song that I
(07:27):
really was inspired by and couldn't like get out of
my ears. So I don't know if it's like if
it's one person, or if it's one situation, or if
it's I just think it's over the last two years,
I've just the experiences like this album is just a
culmination of those experiences.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
You know.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Okay, So if you had to define this project and
one word like this is killing, this is growth for like,
maybe phrase it in an er, what would you call it?
Speaker 3 (07:54):
M I would say probably.
Speaker 4 (07:58):
This album To me it just feels it was like
I've been describing it as just musical.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
It feels more musical.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
But if you're looking for like an emotional word, I
would say, like, it feels.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Confident.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
I think I feel more confident in my direction and
just like who I am as a person, and I
feel like I've grown so much as an artist in
my taste that like I set out to make a
certain kind of album and I feel like.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
I did that.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Yeah, the production is definitely fire. Who has been doing mad?
Is that all you? That's all you have?
Speaker 4 (08:31):
I have collaborators that I work with too, But I'm like,
I did a lot of this myself.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
What wait, So do you just play the piano or
you play other instruments as well?
Speaker 4 (08:40):
I played the piano, I play keys, I play I mean, yeah,
so I played piano.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
I play guitar. I play bass poorly, but I play it.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
But it counts.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Yeah, when it counts, you know, I could I could
fake the funk.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
I play a couple of different other instruments, but like
those are those are the main ones?
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Yeah, fire, So talk to me about your creative pross
in making this project. Do you write first or are
you more with the instruments and then you come up
with the create like the song.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
I feel like it's different for every song.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Like I feel like for me, the beautiful thing is
like I'm so in love with the process that it's
not I'm not married to It's not like an equation
for me in the sense of I have a specific
way I have to work because I'm just excited about
figuring things out and like figuring out the answers to
the equation that seemed like they're non existent when you're
(09:32):
starting out and putting the pieces together, and so I
feel like, you know, when I start sometimes it's just
with the music. I'll start with this, the chords and
the guitar, and then I'll kind of build out from
there and I'll chop something up and make it sound
like something completely different. Or I'll have a concept in
mind and I'll write something in my notes because somebody
said something to me that made me feel the kind
of way, or like I said, because I went through
something and it was like, da, I gotta write about this,
(09:53):
and then like three weeks later, four months later, I'll
be like, Okay, this is the musical idea for that song,
you know, like this is that thing I felt, you know,
four months ago.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
This is the right vehicle for it.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
It takes time.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
Sometimes, yeah, sometimes it happens quick too, though sometimes it
happens really quick.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Yeah. No. I I appreciate the fact that things take
time because it's like a download from the universe that
like finishes your thoughts, like all right, this is put
on hold until I get the missing pieces.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
So no, that's real.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
I feel like the times where I've written my favorite things,
I feel like the boundary between my thoughts and what
I was making was like non existent, you know what
I'm saying. Like it was just the flow state was
just it was a perfect seamless Yeah, it was very seamless,
and it was like there was no second guessing.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
It was just this is what I want to do.
I'm doing it.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
I'm not going to double think, I'm not going to
step back, I'm not going to be try to be
too objective or whatever about it. I'm just going to
act on what I feel, and that resulted in something that,
you know, whether I put it out or not, felt
like more honest and more vulnerable than you know, a
lot of the other things.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Yeah, I think the vulnerability though, is what people love
the most in the music. So, but I was gonna say,
with that being said about like your favorite ones being
the seamless ones, what song on this project is your
favorite or you connect to the most, and why.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
I feel like, you know, being able to take so
much time to build this project again, I think like
part of my attention in building this project was trying
to make sure that all of the songs served a
different purpose and they all felt equally as intimate and
as personal as the next one.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
And so I don't know if I could choose, Like,
I don't know if I.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
Could choose a favorite, but I think musically I really
love like Lord Forgiving Me. I really love Euphoria had
the Jar and Sycamore tweet. That's like a basics Ye,
I don't know. I don't know, but like you know,
I'm just a fan of the music, you know what
I mean?
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Like that, See that's Liker your thing.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
There's just some musical elements in everything that I feel
like I really can be proud of.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
So would you put yourself in the R and B
box or do you feel like, yeah, for sure.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
I think it's Yeah. I think it's it's impossible to
not be.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
I think, you know, I'm so inspired by you know,
because of who I am, you know, because of what
I look like, because of my background, because of how
I grew up. It's impossible for me to be to
not an R and B artists, You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
You know, I think that's kind of the default.
Speaker 4 (12:22):
But I'm inspired by other things, whether it's appreciated in
that way or not. I think it's impossible for me
to not be in the automate category.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
I respect it. I could hear you in all yeah,
I could hear you in other things, but I agree
because esthetically, yeah, yeah, you know, you could be in
a d Angel chart. But okay, there's something else you
said in that that I wanted to pick apart. I
think creations.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
It's talking about the process, how I was piecing things together.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Yet oh oh oh, you you mentioned Lord forgive me.
And I was talking to Lacreta the other day and
we were talking about how a lot of artists are
actually incorporating like more spiritual aspects and like, you know,
some songs, though they might be about love, or they
might be about something else, could kind of be gospel. Yeah,
do you lean into that?
Speaker 3 (13:20):
And what what do you mean just at all?
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Like, are you leaning into spirituality within your music?
Speaker 3 (13:26):
I think.
Speaker 4 (13:28):
I think that's definitely a part of the conversation. I think,
you know, I think as an artist it's kind of
like our job to give our perspective. And I feel
like in that song, yeah, I feel like that's definitely
a spiritual conversation in me trying to figure out, like
whether you're able to write your wrongs or not, how
to be at peace with that, you know what I mean?
(13:50):
And a lot of for a lot of people, the
answer to that is spirituality. And so I was kind
of battling with that myself, I guess. And that's the
result that song as the result of it.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
Have you performed that record yet? No, I'm curious to
know how you feel. Oh yeah, tonight, I'm going to
ask how does it feel? Okay? Cool? Well? On the show,
we play game called Questions That Need Answers all you
gotta do is feel the blank.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
The older I get, the less I think I'm screaming up.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
I think too much about everything. I think just being
more again, just doing what you feel.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Okay, okay, with that explanation, that makes sense. But you
said that fastest ill like think I'm not thinking, not
doing it, overthink, overthink Okay, Yes, what's your sign?
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (14:37):
I figure you neither that or a virgo when you
said that. Yeah, only because you said I'm overthinking. Because
tourists they want down plans to every tee and then
if it doesn't go that way, it's like a problem. Yeah.
How long did it take for the label to get
this project from you?
Speaker 3 (14:54):
A minute?
Speaker 4 (14:55):
No?
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Minute?
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure it's great. I'm sure it's great.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Sometimes I look back at my life and regret what no, why? Yes?
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Yes, please, you know I think again too, Like with
the point of overthinking too.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I just I think.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
I've lived a lot of my life and just wanted
things to go a certain way, and I think because
of that, I made certain decisions in ways that if
I were looking back at it, and I'll just be like,
just relax, you know what, I'm saying again, just do
what you feel, be inspired by what you're inspired by,
you know, move the way you want to move, you know, go.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Out and talk to what we want. You know what
I'm saying, Just enjoy yourself, Like, that's what I mean
by that.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
And then I talk about that in Doctor in my
Eyes too, and a lot of the records are right,
So that's that's always been a part of my artistry too.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
I like that. Okay, no, good for you ten years
from now. I want my legacy to be.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Impactful.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
You would never believe me if I told you one
word or story.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
You would never believe me if I told you I
just found out I'm allergic.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
To everything like food wise, that's rough chicken, pork, onion, garlic, vanilla.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
Air water basically.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Yo, I'm sorry. How did you find out?
Speaker 4 (16:30):
Just having issues with my voice, like my vocal core
is I feel like I could sing properly and as
consistently as as I want to, and I went to
the doctor and that's that's nuts.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
I'm lgious, So no, but.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
If it makes you feel only better, I'm allergic to
damn near everything too. I don't know the first one
you named though, and I feel like that was odd.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Chicken.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Yeah, but you're probably just allergic to the GMO, not
actual like chicken. But okay, yeah, so vegan now damn there.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
Yeah I used steak, you know, steak and lamb and.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Oh oh the love lamb. Okay, you do you like lamb.
It's a very specific taste.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Actually, I don't. I don't mind it.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
It's just until now, I haven't really tried. I hadn't
really tried it, so I'm having.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
To get used to it. But it actually is.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
It's good.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Okay, I gotta get the recipe.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
The key is to let it sit for a long time,
like with onion and garlic. You can put it a
little bit of water parchment paper, set in the in
the oven and just let it bake like slow simmer,
almost like a crop pop cheated like that. Do that
for like five hours. Oh my god, don't do the
air fryer. Lamb in the air fire is crazy. Okay,
(17:46):
that is crazy to put myself on this, but that
was such a telling sign. Oh it's okay, we're gonna
get you right. We're gonna we're gonna get you right.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
To get the recipe.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
But okay, so blank is one movie I can watch
with the sound off. Okay, okay, No, I tell a
lot about the movies. You feel like, what is.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
That good thing say about me?
Speaker 1 (18:15):
That one's possible, but you know, usually you get scarfaced,
you get you know that that I'd be like, oh, okay,
see where we're going. So you're you're palatable, you know,
but oh, jay Z is.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Lyrics.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
If I wasn't an artist, I would be a.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
Teacher.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
What really? What type of teacher or teachers? Oh okay, I
can see that. Okay, okay, I'm like, wow, that was
all right, last two questions.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
It's a history teacher. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
I don't know, I don't know what subject. Maybe science teachers,
I don't know. Nah, music teacher. Let's just keep it
with me.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
He's the teacher.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
I feel like it's good for you. That feels in pocket.
The craziest thing that's happened to me at a show
had to be the time when.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Fight broke out. Oh no, yeah, R and B show
brief Nirvanator.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Very Chris Brown and very Chris Brown of you broke.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Out and I was just getting ready to go on
the stage. Two.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
So the intro is the music is going, and I'm
like in the doorway ready to I'm pulling the curtain
walking outside. We got my inears in and mic in
my hand and the power the power plug got pulled
because they were fighting, no, and so I had to
go back and had to reset it and it took
a little bit, but that was definitely the craziest.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
I'm sorry. They were fighting on stage the crowd and
they knocked the power Yeah, that's nuts, ridiculous. Okay. At
the R and B Show, yo, that's hilarious. The R
and B artist low Key v Gangster Man, Yo, they
do Tank Chris Brown. We see it time and time again.
We see it, so be safe at our V show, guys.
(20:01):
But okay, my favorite album of all time.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Is Songs in the Key Life.
Speaker 1 (20:10):
That's a good one. A lot of people say that
one too. And then my last one is with my
first check, I bought my car. Oh per per Yay,
that's a good investment. That is that's a good investment.
But okay, so is there anything we should be expecting
coming from you this year?
Speaker 4 (20:30):
Just more music, more music. I'm working on hopefully getting
to share that experience of the album in the room
you know what I'm saying, because I was that was
a huge part of the intention behind creating it. And yeah,
it's just just more.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
More, just more, just more.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
Okay, Well, we are looking forward to that. And also
I don't think I saw any features on the tape.
Was that intentional?
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (20:56):
Yeah, I feel like for me, like a feature has
to be an extension of the storytelling for the project too.
And there's a lot of people that I think could
have been dope as features. But it's really important that
if I have a feature, it's someone I really admire
or respect artistically. And also I feel I can add
to whatever it is I'm saying or the song, and
(21:17):
so I never want to just make a decision just
for the sake of doing it, you know, even though
there's a lot of dope collaborations, I feel like that
could be happened.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
So maybe at some point in the future I do it.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
Okay, Well, I definitely would be looking forward to it.
I'm super excited for this project dropping and I'm super
excited for tonight. Are you are you nervous?
Speaker 3 (21:37):
No? No, I'm not actually no, Okay, I'm excited. I'm excited.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
Okay, cool, Yeah, it would be great. Shout out your
grand Let everybody know where they could follow you if
they don't already.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
At Kamari on every platform.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
And until next time, guys, peace. We Need to Talk.
It is a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network.
For more podcasts from the Black Effect Podcast Network, visit
the Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen
to your favorite shows. Mixture you guys, follow We Need
to Talk at WNTTLK on Instagram and TikTok.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Thanks for listening and celebrating five years of the Black
Effect Podcast Network with us. Keep following because the next
five years are about to be even bigger.
Host
Nyla Symone
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