January 18, 2025 • 28 mins
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Raheem DeVaughn.
🎵 Key Topics Discussed
1. Independent Artist Journey
- Raheem defines independence as being “self-made,” trusting intuition, and investing in oneself.
- Emphasizes the importance of ownership, creative control, and publishing rights.
- Crowned the #1 Independent Artist on Radio in 2018.
2. Music Industry Evolution
- Independence is now viable thanks to streaming, social media, and direct-to-fan platforms.
- Artists can function as their own label if they manage marketing and promotion effectively.
- Importance of relationships in radio and music promotion—especially with DJs.
3. Live Performances & Mentorship
- Praises his band and their youthful energy.
- Mentors artist Tanya Nolan, helping her develop her sound and brand.
- Believes in creating a sound and image, not just a song.
4. Radio Career
- Hosts the legendary Quiet Storm on 96.3 WHUR in Washington, DC.
- Grew up listening to Melvin Lindsey and always dreamed of being on radio.
- Sees radio as a platform to uplift R&B and soul music and give artists their flowers.
5. Philanthropy & Community Work
- Founded the Love Life Foundation in 2013.
- Focus areas: HIV/AIDS awareness, domestic violence, and community outreach.
- Partnered with Gilead Sciences, reaching over 50,000 women with HIV education.
6. Entrepreneurship
- Recently invested in his own tour bus to reduce travel costs and expand outreach.
- Views this as a step toward greater control and flexibility in his career.
💬 Memorable Quotes
- “Time is the most valuable thing we have. From the time we’re born, we’re running out of it.”
- “You are what you ingest and digest—musically and mentally.”
- “Use the gift of time, decision, free will, and one another. Those are the greatest gifts.”
- “I don’t believe—I know. I know God exists. I’m an example of that.”
#STRAW
#BEST
#SHMS
Steve Harvey Morning Show Online: http://www.steveharveyfm.com/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, ra Sean McDonald host this weekly Money Making Conversation
Masterclass show. The interviews and information that this show provides
off for everyone. It's time to start reading other people's
success stories and start living your own. If you want
to be a guest on my show, hopefully that excites you,
Please welcome. Visit our website which is Moneymakingconversations dot com
(00:22):
and click to be a guest button. If you have
a product, you're an entrepreneur, you want to tell everybody
about it, come on my show now, let's get this show.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Roller.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
My guest represents the word independent. He is a masterful
architect of soul music has continuously ascended the ranks of
artistic brilliance, especially his live performances. That's my boy. I'm
about to introduce you. The Grammy winner and full time
Grammy nominated phenomenon. Isn't just a singer. He's a platinum songwriter,
(00:52):
a passionate health and human rights activist. Please welcome to
Money Making Conversation Masterclass. Raheem DeVaughn. You know what I'm saying, It's.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
A lot, a lot, It's a lot. Wow.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Let's let's let's talk about you. The word independent all right.
What does that mean when I say that to you? Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Man, I think for me, it's being self made, you know,
definitely listen to the voice of God at all times
and trusting that voice, that intuition, being a risk taker,
you know, uh, a hard worker. You know, it's a
lot of sleepless nights.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
And it's and it's constantly you know, it's constantly investing
in yourself, you know what I mean. In some cases
sometimes you have to take uh, you know, five steps
back and take you know, twenty leaps forward, you know,
and uh, yeah, you know it's it's it's it's not
for the it's not for the week.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Right. It's because in twenty nineteen, Yeah, you were crowned
the number one independent artists on radio in twenty eighteen. Yeah,
when that came about. Because I want you to explain,
because a lot of people hear the word independent. They
are by labels, they're a by streaming. The business has
changed so much in the last twenty five thirty years,
and the word independent used to be like a flag
(02:04):
for oh, he's not he's not gonna make any money.
But that game has changed. Social media, YouTube and all
that tell about to educate the young people who trying
to get in the business how being independent has been
actually beneficial to you and other people could do it too.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Well, you know, for me, it's been about again, it's
been about ownership, and we talk about you know, your
master's and creative control. It's not so much to be
a control freak, but it's more it's more about the
legacy that you're building. You know, you spend these hard
nights in the studio and create create this this content,
these records, these songs that are impactful. You know that
(02:43):
that people take their first dance to, can see their
first child, that type of thing. And you know, there's
a lot of money still in publishing and licensing and
sinking and things of that nature. So the more control
you have over your content and the ownership, the better,
you know, right, you know, if you I think the
main thing, you know, as an independent artist, as long
as as long as you can afford yourself the means
(03:07):
to have a you know, marketing and promotional budget. If
you if you're able to provide that for yourself, then
you actually are functioning, whether you know it or not,
as an artist, you are independent, You are functioning. Label
you know, you're you're you know what you renumbany. You're
an entrepreneur, your corporation, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
And that's important because in the era that we're living now.
You know, I'm older than you, and I met you
when I was managing Steve Harvey Steve Harry Morning Show.
And at that time, you know, you're that's like roughly
two thousand and seven, two thousand and five, two thousand
and seven, eight in the twentieth anniversary, because that's when
I first started hearing your sound and dragging you up
(03:46):
to the radio station. Every time I came to DC,
I was called you. You said, I'm hey, brother, get your.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Butt up here and get.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
It because you know what you you know, I like
to believe I was a mentor and just it. Let
you understand that there are twenty four hours in that clock.
Take advantage of every hour. Talk about that work ethic
that you have.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Absolutely you know, you know some days my day may start,
my day may end at six am and then.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Start again at twelve noon.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
You know, if that's the goal, and you know, and
the things that need to be accomplished, you know during
that day, you know, it's again it's about it's about ownership.
It's about time management. I think it's another very important thing,
you know, being on time for things, you know, being
respectful one another's time. Time is the most valuable thing
(04:38):
that we have, you know, and I do believe from
the time that we're born, were running out of it,
so you got to use it.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Was there you go now live performances. So I'll be
remissed if I don't allow you to talk about your band,
because you're not out there by yourself like Frankie Beverly
in May you know what I'm saying, And so talk
about your band, talk about the components of what makes
your live performance is so successful.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
The unit that I have right now, for the most part,
they're very you know that they're young.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
It's like fresh, you know, fresh at the.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Game, and you know, and I'm hard. I'm hard on
the musicians, you know, but I'm hard on myself, you
know what I mean. I like to think that I'm
my best and my worst critic at the same time.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
You know, one of my favorite friends is Tanya.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Nola Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, And like Walter here.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
She just did a big session on cs X about
forty seven. I was proud of her. How did that
relations come about? You know, she took because we talk
all the time. She's an entrepreneur because she is one
of the largest daycare men in Texas, but she's also
as her own label that's independent. But she also is
a performing artist, so this is not a lonely club.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
That so yeah, so we met. We met myself in time.
We met through a mutual producer friend, Corey Mo. You know,
initially started out as as as me being hired to
come in and you know, work for higher things, coming
in and write it right tune and the feature on
the record. And you know, I had I had already
done my research on Tanya and knew that she was
bossed up, self made, you know, the whole.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
So that's right up my alley, you know.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
And once we connected, you know, Corey had expressed early
that that interested in, saying like, hey man, I'm not
a manager, and I know you're not either, but I
think I think, you know, this would be a great
artist for you connect with and mentor too, you know,
and and and the relationship just really started from there.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
We we we met on the first video shoot, and
you know, I had already, like I said, done my
homework on her, and I was keen on coming in
and not only you know, showing showing her what I
know about the business and what I've learned and tools
that I know, you know, fix to the trade that
I've learned, but also keen on just saying like, let's
let's focus on instead of giving you a record, let's
(06:51):
focus on creating a sound.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Right, Let's create.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
A Let's create a sound, Let's create an image, Let's
create a vibe, and uh, you know, quick learner. And man,
she's you know, she's ran off with the ball man,
and I'm extremely excited for her. You know, we're wrapping
up the finishing touches of what would be I guess
like her first uh you know, her first album or
EP by you know, I like to call them projects
these days.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
And I'm really, I'm really, I'm really happy for her. Cool.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
You know, this industry, you know is dominated by hip hop. Yeah,
hip hop, you know, Drake and Kendrick Ramar dominating with
their beef and performing at the super Bowl halftime talk
about the music, you know, like one of the things
and one of the major roles I played when I
was with Steve Harvey on the Morning show, was making
(07:40):
sure R and B had a voice in this industry, maintain.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
The respect that it should be receiving. What is radio
like today for the R and B sound?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
You know, let me just say this first and foremost
radio still matters. Yes, you know, it will always matter,
you know now being part of radio understand, don't jump
the gun.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
So it's still you know radio Still, radio still matters,
you know, uh uh, it serves a purpose.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
You know.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
I think that there are way that obviously we're in
We're in an era in the age now of music
and creativity where there's way more artists than there is space,
right Uh, you know, which which creates uh you know,
new platforms, your show, Uh you know, uh Front Porch,
which which my little nephew Nucci's doing, you know back
(08:36):
in d C. You know, you know, like the music
for me, you know, the artistry for me, the work
that I put in, the penmanship, the thought that I
put into you know, making a record that you know
uplifts our people up, up lifts women. You know that
that's a constant decision to do, you know, and because
of those things, you know, other opportunities have have have
(08:58):
come my way. You know what I mean, you know, uh,
as a as a as a love of hip hop,
as a love of all genre music. It's like understanding
that you know, you know what what you what they
say you are what you eat, sir. You know you
are what you ingest and digest and you know and
and whatnot. So I just try to, uh to use
(09:19):
my platform as not not always to edit, to to
to entertain, but to educate and and and you know,
I call it eduitainment, right, you know, you know, we
try to.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
We try to.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
I try to show that that how you can do
that as well, you know, in the music. But I
think I think that R and B is A is
A is a live and well you know, I think
the soul music is alive and well, you know, and
and although the machine is still the machine, you know,
and it's still very useful, radio still still very useful. Uh,
it's not your only means for how you.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Get to continue to absorb the music.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
Now you have all these different platforms and streaming platforms
and uh, you know, and content creators that that you
can utilize to expose the world to your music.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
It is the question here like you're an independent yeah,
because we are these record labels out here and they
going in there shop the music to the local program
directors who control the music being played on your local
favorite radio station out there. How do you get your
records on traditional free radio?
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Well, you know, you reach out, you know now, I
mean with technology, you can live, you can pretty much
you can chat GBT, right, you know, you know, figure
out connecting the dots, you know, and it's it's really
establishing relationships right right.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
I think when you I think where you really understand
the relationships, you know.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Uh, one thing that will never change is is uh
is relationships, you know. And a lot of times I
go in you know, I don't I don't go into
the meeting, you know, talking about what I need. I
try to go find out what what's needed first and
how and how I can be utilized, you know, and
that type of thing. And uh, you know, I think
with radio, Uh, it's the same, it's the same approach.
(11:05):
You know, Uh that there are they are cast that
are still out here breaking records, you know absolutely, you know,
I would say start with the DJs. You know, I
feel like I feel like the you.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Know, the DJ.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
The DJ's matter, DJ is still matter, you know what
I mean, some of my some of my close friends
you know, Uh are you know Kenny Dope and Louis Vega,
DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Terry Hunter out of Chicago. Uh,
you know DJ's DJs, all of your local DJs, your
mix show DJs, your your coalition of DJs. Like DJ's matters,
(11:37):
they stay tapped in with the DJs.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Absolutely cool when when you're looking at you because he's
about to jump ahead and talk about radio and his
new role in radio. But let's let's talk about back
in the day when you and I were we met, Yeah,
and I saw a young person who loved the aspect
of sitting down behind a microphone. That's one thing I
(11:59):
noticed you. You had no problem talking on a mic.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Was that a love for you radio period?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Absolutely, It's something that I've always wanted to do, at
least for the last like twenty twenty five years. I
was always fascinated you know, uh, coming, coming, coming, you know,
sitting down with you guys, sitting down with Steve, you know, going,
going to sit down with Tom Joyner. I was always
fascinated with with with what they did on the other
side of it. You know, I grew up listening to radio.
(12:28):
You know, I grew up listening to h U R.
You know, primarily that was the station of choice, you know,
riding with my mom's.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
And d Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Yeah, yeah, Howard University, Yeah, how the Meccan in ninety
six point three, you know, to be exact, Yeah, So
I grew up, you know, I grew up listening to
listening to h U ARE you know, as far as
I can remember, you know, the Daily Drum, yes, which
is still was just still prevalent, uh, you know and
(12:58):
needed till this day, one of the longest running number
one you know segments in radio.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
You know. Uh.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
So I again, I just grew up listening to it,
and I always was fascinated with it, and said, and
I felt like, you know, that's something like I was
told myself, I could do that.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
You know, that's that.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Why why did you think you could do that? Right?
Speaker 3 (13:17):
I just I just felt like, you know, being being
a student of the music, you know, being a student
of the culture. Uh, and then understanding like you know,
it's it's the changing of the guards, you know what
I mean, Uh, not so much. I don't look at
it so much as being necessarily a gatekeeper, being a
condouant for for the culture, you know, and as somebody
(13:40):
who's out here, you know, supporting you know, I support
a lot, not just the Titian Knolas of the world,
but there's so many artists, you know, my even my
peers who've been in this game that have never received
the roses that they deserve.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
You know.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
It's one of the things that I you know, that
that I said, you know, if and when I'm ever
in position, you know, this is a way for me
to keep the torch burning of the culture that I love,
you know, R and B and soul music.
Speaker 5 (14:04):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making
Conversations Masterclass hosted by Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass
continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making
(14:26):
Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Absolutely Quadstorm, Yeah, what when was your introduction to Quadstorm
and how did it impact you? That's what you're now
hosting at w u R ninety six four and three
in Washington, d c It's so surreal.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
You know, I grew up listening to Melvin Lindsay. Not
to be cliche cliche, but if you if you were
if you were Washingtonian, you know you're in You're in DC, Maryland,
Northern Virginia. It was just it was it was the
late night you know, it's the Bible, it you know,
it was written that this is what this is what
we do from you know, from from from seven seven
thirty to midnight, you know, my day Monday through Friday,
(15:09):
you know, so it was I just remember hearing the records,
you know that I love that. I grew up on
the Marvin Gaye Earth Winding Fire. You know, a lot
of Phillis hymen. Uh, you know, Luther and Melvin, Melvin
used to go in. I discovered them, a lot of
these artists, you know, for the first time, you know,
listening to the Choirt Storm, listening to Melvin Lindsey, so
(15:32):
to be, you know, almost some fifty years later, Be,
you know, Be Be the new face and radio you know,
the voice and personality you know for the original Choir Storm.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
You know, it's been an honor.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I'm still I'm still I'm still I'm still a semi virgins,
you know, still getting my feet wet and you know
I just.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Been but it was an opportunity you pursue, you pursue
to be the host.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Yeah, absolutely, storm absolutely absolutely, you know not what do
they say? You know when you ask or when you
pray for it, be very descriptive in your prayers. And uh,
you know I always say, I always say that God
has a sense of humans.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Because if you know, there's many other opportunities that I
applied for in radio, you know, filling in and things
of that nature.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
But to but to be at hu Are just feel
so surreal.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
I gotta hit you your your your top three songs
if you you sat down on Quadstone and you had
to say program director because you know your program director.
These are the list I want you to play. What's
your what is Raheem Duba?
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Oh man, I'm to three?
Speaker 3 (16:39):
I'm it's given uh uh average white band, a love
of your own? Probably go I probably I probably go
with the with the Alia record like one in a million.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
If you're gonna go, I we're gonna go. If we're
gonna go eighties. I wanna go, I wanna go. Yeah, yeah,
we wanna go eighties.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
I mean, we gotta go with one of the greatest
artists and records of all time to thriller album, you know.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
And I would go with like Lady in My Life.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Okay, Okay, okay, okay, let me take my three. Let
me tell you my three. Let me my three, Let
me tell my three. My three will be uh uh
let me see. Uh gotta be an o J song.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Okay, cry together, Okay.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Crying and crying the whole time, Okay. And then I
then I go, uh. Then I go with uh, I
gotta go rough a little bit with with with Teddy Pendergred.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Okay, all right, you know, turn them off, turn.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Them out, and then and then then I wrap it
up with a little uh, a little lot Iley Brothers.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
It sounds sound Hello.
Speaker 5 (17:47):
Here, Hello, Welcome back to the Money Making Conversations Masterclass
hosted by Rashaan McDonald.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
You know, we talked about music. We talking to being
an independent artist. Yeah, we talk about do you know,
establishing your brain your DC board new host Quair Storm
a dream gig for you. Now, let's talk about the
foundation that I wouldn't say the human side, but the
philanthropy side. And a lot of people don't get to
know about you and your foundation talk about the importance
(18:18):
of your foundation.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
So my foundation, the Love Life Foundation, has been you know,
established since twenty thirteen.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
You know.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Some of our major initiatives currently are you know, the
partnership that I have personal partnership that I have with
Gilliad Sciences, you know, to to you know, further my
efforts to fight HIV and AIDS.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
You know, I've had similar partners in the past.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
That we that we've worked with, you know, doing a
holiday annual holiday concert you know, back in DC Raheemed
Divine and Friends, which we're looking to probably bring back
at some point and the near future, you know, doing
Queen for a Day, spa takeovers, and our efforts to
fight domestic violence, you know, and and to bring that
to the forefront and have that be a conversation not
(19:01):
just with men and women, but children as well, you know,
with the best of violence being such a prevalent thing.
Eight thing related to community, you know to you know
is you know, the Love Life Foundation allows me to
keep a pulse on community, uh, to go into these
different cities that that support me, you know, that buy
a ticket or sell out a show.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
And we don't just run off with the bag.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
You know, we like to stick around after the show
or to come in town early and just do community
work and touch to people and you know, and get
a pulse for what's going on you know city, the
city and and the woes and you know, things that
we that we that that I can be impactful, impactful
on or to use my voice, you know, as I
said to like Edutain, you know, right, let me ask you.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
This because, like I said, there's a journey where you
start seeing things of what I can do. Because like
two thousand and five, we're about to celebrate twenty years
or the first one and that this year. Then it
took you about eight years before you establish your foundation. Yeah,
what were you seeing along the way? You went, I
gotta do this, I gotta make time, Yeah for the
(20:08):
Love Life Foundation.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Well always I was always I realized, you know it,
just I just had the epiphany one day. It wasn't
until I till I till till I received the key
to the city and you know in in d C.
And you know proclamation, did I realized the impact that
I had made, you know, on on my city in particular.
You know, I've always been the guy that you could call,
but whether whether you waited til the last minute to call,
(20:31):
or somebody flaked or or I was the first person
you called, you know, I was being the guy that
you could kind of call locally to do things. And
then I started to notice that it was happening nashally
as well. So you know, when I when I received
you know, when I received the proclamation and you know,
they made it officially rahiem DVN day.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
You know, in the district of Columbia, I felt it
was a premature thing, and I was thankful for that.
I was thankful, but I was I was you know,
I was a bit in shock. And you know if
that really put the battery in my back to say,
you know, for a city that's given me so much
and that I poured into, you know, uh, let's start
the foundation. And it's really you know, it gives me
(21:09):
more opportunities to say, you know, and and and decide
and support the things that I want to support, you
know directly as well.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Well. You know, it's really important. So that's that's the philanthropy. Now,
you were impacted a lot of women through your whole
foundation just recently talk about that. I think like fifty.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Yeah, so shout out to Gilead Sciences.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Last year I toured with with with the Incomparable Incomparable
lettercy Uh yeah, for the Good for the Good Life
tour right on Fire. Yeah, she stayed Lets stays on fire,
right on schedule. In fact, she's you know, she's about
to go on a tour with Marsha Ambrosius. I think
that I think they're just getting started or about to start. Ironically,
(21:50):
last year this time, we were on tour together.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
You know.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
We started in the month of March and went all
the way through the month of uh, like mid mid April.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
You know.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
I was apro by Gilead for my work that I
have done previously involving HIV and AIDS, and they told me,
you know, the demo that they were trying to reach,
and we felt like it was just like a great
partnership and I was able to do uh these thirty
plus dates.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
And they set a goal, they said they didn't wanted
to reach over thirty thousand women, you know, within thirty days.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
And we were able to touch.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Fifty thousand, you know, letting them know the new statistics
and how black women and girls are being affected by
HIV and AIDS here and you know in in in
the country here, you know, and it's been it's been,
it's been great. You know, they've they've been a great partner,
spending over you know, twelve million dollars with their with
their PACE program. You know, also letting let it, letting
(22:44):
women and men know about you know, prep and and
preventative measures. You know, so you know, education is key,
of course, getting tested regularly and you know, and and
and and and breaking and breaking down the barrier is
of all the things that you know, uh, that people
(23:04):
may think you can't happen to them.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
Back to you.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Like you've written in this interview, you've written that word
consistently about the educating, whether it's through music, through your foundation,
through the the having a career as an independent person.
Education plays a role in your success story. Now let's
talk about the business man. Okay, the entrepreneur, we're talking
about that. But now you've got this new tour bus,
(23:32):
tour bus, come talk about this and why you need
a tour But you.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Know, it's it's it's it's an investment. You know.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
I think one of the biggest expenses that you know,
we have as artists is like traveling.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
And you know what I mean. So again, you know,
it's a it's a it's a just for.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
You absolutely, absolutely, you know, be able to move around
a lot more that we look I look forward to
getting you know, getting getting getting on the road and
and and and and further my you know, my community work,
you know, being able to touch some of these these cities,
in these in these in these towns that we haven't
been able to go to.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
You know, but.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
That's that's what your life is now. Man, you feel
like you're in control of your life. Well, you know
we can say that, but I guess understanding there's a
direction in your life.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
Absolutely, you know this.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
It's the highest source, you know, you know, the creator, God,
God is in control. You know, uh, but but but
but but I'm more intuitive to listening to the whispers
and intuition when when he say go this way, my child,
do this, Oh hold on, take it, take way.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Wait.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
Wait, it's not it's not it's not time yet, you
know it's not you know, it's not time.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
For syndication, right, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (24:43):
You know, you know so I think you know a
lot of times, you know what's been what's been a
major key to my success, you know overall and definitely
as of late, it's just understanding, you know, far, far
too many times we we we we focused on what
we don't have, but we're so busy chasing what we
(25:03):
don't have, we don't recognize what's like right in front
of us, the opportunities in the right in front of us,
you know, and you know, and I you know when
I when I'm on h U R, you know, I
constantly you know, I always close out my show saying that,
you know, use the gift of time, decision, free will
in one another.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
You know, those are the greatest gifts given.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
You know, from the time we're born, you know, we're
running out of time, uh.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
The gift of decision and free will.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
From the time you wake up in the morning to
the time you go to sleep, you have all these
decisions that you that you can make, you can decide,
you can sell, you can decide to get up, go
out and go get it, you know, be lazy rather
Netflix and chill whatever, whatever your vibe is you. You know,
you can you alterally decide what it is you want
to do with your time and your day. And I
think one of the most the third greatest gift you know,
(25:52):
in no particular order, is the gift of one another,
you know, the gift of people, relationships, you know, cult
of how you cultivate the you know, uh, you know,
how you respect one another, your word being your bond,
and and all of these things you know, and these
values and it's and you know, all roads have all
these things have led me to where I am now,
you know, And I think that you know, if that
(26:14):
was anything, if any advice you know that I would give,
you know, any artists or any dreamer creative out there.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
It is to you know, if you respect those.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
Things, the gift of time, the gift of decision, and
gift of one another. Uh, there's nothing really that you
can't achieve, achieve or obtained, you know.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
It's the art of It's for me, it's the art.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Of knowing, Like you know you I don't, I don't.
I don't believe and I don't I don't I don't
believe it. I know it like I know God exists.
You know, I don't have to believe that, Like I know.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
God exists.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
I'm an example of that, your example of all examples
of that, you know.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
So it's the art of knowing.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
My brother. I'm glad you came down.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
From d C.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
Thank you live in studio or I take this opportunity
to say thank you for being you and what you've
done for us in the platform and for the game
and for the culture, and congratulations on all you're doing
as well.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
I thank you, brother. Thank you for having no money
Making Masterclass, I don't. This has been another edition of
money Making Conversation Masterclass posted by me Rushaun McDonald. Thank
you to our guests on the show today and thank
you listening to audience now. If you want to listen
to any episode I want to be a guest on
the show, visit Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media handle
(27:27):
is money Making Conversation. Join us next week and remember
to always leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
Hi, ra Sean McDonald host this weekly Money Making Conversation
Masterclass show. The interviews and information that this show provides
off for everyone. It's time to start reading other people's
success stories and start living your own. If you want
to be a guest on my show, hopefully that excites you,
Please welcome. Visit our website which is Moneymakingconversations dot com
(00:22):
and click to be a guest button. If you have
a product, you're an entrepreneur, you want to tell everybody
about it, come on my show now, let's get this show.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Roller.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
My guest represents the word independent. He is a masterful
architect of soul music has continuously ascended the ranks of
artistic brilliance, especially his live performances. That's my boy. I'm
about to introduce you. The Grammy winner and full time
Grammy nominated phenomenon. Isn't just a singer. He's a platinum songwriter,
(00:52):
a passionate health and human rights activist. Please welcome to
Money Making Conversation Masterclass. Raheem DeVaughn. You know what I'm saying, It's.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
A lot, a lot, It's a lot. Wow.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Let's let's let's talk about you. The word independent all right.
What does that mean when I say that to you? Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Man, I think for me, it's being self made, you know,
definitely listen to the voice of God at all times
and trusting that voice, that intuition, being a risk taker,
you know, uh, a hard worker. You know, it's a
lot of sleepless nights.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
And it's and it's constantly you know, it's constantly investing
in yourself, you know what I mean. In some cases
sometimes you have to take uh, you know, five steps
back and take you know, twenty leaps forward, you know,
and uh, yeah, you know it's it's it's it's not
for the it's not for the week.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Right. It's because in twenty nineteen, Yeah, you were crowned
the number one independent artists on radio in twenty eighteen. Yeah,
when that came about. Because I want you to explain,
because a lot of people hear the word independent. They
are by labels, they're a by streaming. The business has
changed so much in the last twenty five thirty years,
and the word independent used to be like a flag
(02:04):
for oh, he's not he's not gonna make any money.
But that game has changed. Social media, YouTube and all
that tell about to educate the young people who trying
to get in the business how being independent has been
actually beneficial to you and other people could do it too.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Well, you know, for me, it's been about again, it's
been about ownership, and we talk about you know, your
master's and creative control. It's not so much to be
a control freak, but it's more it's more about the
legacy that you're building. You know, you spend these hard
nights in the studio and create create this this content,
these records, these songs that are impactful. You know that
(02:43):
that people take their first dance to, can see their
first child, that type of thing. And you know, there's
a lot of money still in publishing and licensing and
sinking and things of that nature. So the more control
you have over your content and the ownership, the better,
you know, right, you know, if you I think the
main thing, you know, as an independent artist, as long
as as long as you can afford yourself the means
(03:07):
to have a you know, marketing and promotional budget. If
you if you're able to provide that for yourself, then
you actually are functioning, whether you know it or not,
as an artist, you are independent, You are functioning. Label
you know, you're you're you know what you renumbany. You're
an entrepreneur, your corporation, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
And that's important because in the era that we're living now.
You know, I'm older than you, and I met you
when I was managing Steve Harvey Steve Harry Morning Show.
And at that time, you know, you're that's like roughly
two thousand and seven, two thousand and five, two thousand
and seven, eight in the twentieth anniversary, because that's when
I first started hearing your sound and dragging you up
(03:46):
to the radio station. Every time I came to DC,
I was called you. You said, I'm hey, brother, get your.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Butt up here and get.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
It because you know what you you know, I like
to believe I was a mentor and just it. Let
you understand that there are twenty four hours in that clock.
Take advantage of every hour. Talk about that work ethic
that you have.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Absolutely you know, you know some days my day may start,
my day may end at six am and then.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Start again at twelve noon.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
You know, if that's the goal, and you know, and
the things that need to be accomplished, you know during
that day, you know, it's again it's about it's about ownership.
It's about time management. I think it's another very important thing,
you know, being on time for things, you know, being
respectful one another's time. Time is the most valuable thing
(04:38):
that we have, you know, and I do believe from
the time that we're born, were running out of it,
so you got to use it.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Was there you go now live performances. So I'll be
remissed if I don't allow you to talk about your band,
because you're not out there by yourself like Frankie Beverly
in May you know what I'm saying, And so talk
about your band, talk about the components of what makes
your live performance is so successful.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
The unit that I have right now, for the most part,
they're very you know that they're young.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
It's like fresh, you know, fresh at the.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Game, and you know, and I'm hard. I'm hard on
the musicians, you know, but I'm hard on myself, you
know what I mean. I like to think that I'm
my best and my worst critic at the same time.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
You know, one of my favorite friends is Tanya.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Nola Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, And like Walter here.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
She just did a big session on cs X about
forty seven. I was proud of her. How did that
relations come about? You know, she took because we talk
all the time. She's an entrepreneur because she is one
of the largest daycare men in Texas, but she's also
as her own label that's independent. But she also is
a performing artist, so this is not a lonely club.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
That so yeah, so we met. We met myself in time.
We met through a mutual producer friend, Corey Mo. You know,
initially started out as as as me being hired to
come in and you know, work for higher things, coming
in and write it right tune and the feature on
the record. And you know, I had I had already
done my research on Tanya and knew that she was
bossed up, self made, you know, the whole.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
So that's right up my alley, you know.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
And once we connected, you know, Corey had expressed early
that that interested in, saying like, hey man, I'm not
a manager, and I know you're not either, but I
think I think, you know, this would be a great
artist for you connect with and mentor too, you know,
and and and the relationship just really started from there.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
We we we met on the first video shoot, and
you know, I had already, like I said, done my
homework on her, and I was keen on coming in
and not only you know, showing showing her what I
know about the business and what I've learned and tools
that I know, you know, fix to the trade that
I've learned, but also keen on just saying like, let's
let's focus on instead of giving you a record, let's
(06:51):
focus on creating a sound.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Right, Let's create.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
A Let's create a sound, Let's create an image, Let's
create a vibe, and uh, you know, quick learner. And man,
she's you know, she's ran off with the ball man,
and I'm extremely excited for her. You know, we're wrapping
up the finishing touches of what would be I guess
like her first uh you know, her first album or
EP by you know, I like to call them projects
these days.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
And I'm really, I'm really, I'm really happy for her. Cool.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
You know, this industry, you know is dominated by hip hop. Yeah,
hip hop, you know, Drake and Kendrick Ramar dominating with
their beef and performing at the super Bowl halftime talk
about the music, you know, like one of the things
and one of the major roles I played when I
was with Steve Harvey on the Morning show, was making
(07:40):
sure R and B had a voice in this industry, maintain.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
The respect that it should be receiving. What is radio
like today for the R and B sound?
Speaker 3 (07:53):
You know, let me just say this first and foremost
radio still matters. Yes, you know, it will always matter,
you know now being part of radio understand, don't jump
the gun.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
So it's still you know radio Still, radio still matters,
you know, uh uh, it serves a purpose.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
You know.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
I think that there are way that obviously we're in
We're in an era in the age now of music
and creativity where there's way more artists than there is space,
right Uh, you know, which which creates uh you know,
new platforms, your show, Uh you know, uh Front Porch,
which which my little nephew Nucci's doing, you know back
(08:36):
in d C. You know, you know, like the music
for me, you know, the artistry for me, the work
that I put in, the penmanship, the thought that I
put into you know, making a record that you know
uplifts our people up, up lifts women. You know that
that's a constant decision to do, you know, and because
of those things, you know, other opportunities have have have
(08:58):
come my way. You know what I mean, you know, uh,
as a as a as a love of hip hop,
as a love of all genre music. It's like understanding
that you know, you know what what you what they
say you are what you eat, sir. You know you
are what you ingest and digest and you know and
and whatnot. So I just try to, uh to use
(09:19):
my platform as not not always to edit, to to
to entertain, but to educate and and and you know,
I call it eduitainment, right, you know, you know, we
try to.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
We try to.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
I try to show that that how you can do
that as well, you know, in the music. But I
think I think that R and B is A is
A is a live and well you know, I think
the soul music is alive and well, you know, and
and although the machine is still the machine, you know,
and it's still very useful, radio still still very useful. Uh,
it's not your only means for how you.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Get to continue to absorb the music.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
Now you have all these different platforms and streaming platforms
and uh, you know, and content creators that that you
can utilize to expose the world to your music.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
It is the question here like you're an independent yeah,
because we are these record labels out here and they
going in there shop the music to the local program
directors who control the music being played on your local
favorite radio station out there. How do you get your
records on traditional free radio?
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Well, you know, you reach out, you know now, I
mean with technology, you can live, you can pretty much
you can chat GBT, right, you know, you know, figure
out connecting the dots, you know, and it's it's really
establishing relationships right right.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
I think when you I think where you really understand
the relationships, you know.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Uh, one thing that will never change is is uh
is relationships, you know. And a lot of times I
go in you know, I don't I don't go into
the meeting, you know, talking about what I need. I
try to go find out what what's needed first and
how and how I can be utilized, you know, and
that type of thing. And uh, you know, I think
with radio, Uh, it's the same, it's the same approach.
(11:05):
You know, Uh that there are they are cast that
are still out here breaking records, you know absolutely, you know,
I would say start with the DJs. You know, I
feel like I feel like the you.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Know, the DJ.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
The DJ's matter, DJ is still matter, you know what
I mean, some of my some of my close friends
you know, Uh are you know Kenny Dope and Louis Vega,
DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Terry Hunter out of Chicago. Uh,
you know DJ's DJs, all of your local DJs, your
mix show DJs, your your coalition of DJs. Like DJ's matters,
(11:37):
they stay tapped in with the DJs.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
Absolutely cool when when you're looking at you because he's
about to jump ahead and talk about radio and his
new role in radio. But let's let's talk about back
in the day when you and I were we met, Yeah,
and I saw a young person who loved the aspect
of sitting down behind a microphone. That's one thing I
(11:59):
noticed you. You had no problem talking on a mic.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Was that a love for you radio period?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Absolutely, It's something that I've always wanted to do, at
least for the last like twenty twenty five years. I
was always fascinated you know, uh, coming, coming, coming, you know,
sitting down with you guys, sitting down with Steve, you know, going,
going to sit down with Tom Joyner. I was always
fascinated with with with what they did on the other
side of it. You know, I grew up listening to radio.
(12:28):
You know, I grew up listening to h U R.
You know, primarily that was the station of choice, you know,
riding with my mom's.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
And d Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Yeah, yeah, Howard University, Yeah, how the Meccan in ninety
six point three, you know, to be exact, Yeah, So
I grew up, you know, I grew up listening to
listening to h U ARE you know, as far as
I can remember, you know, the Daily Drum, yes, which
is still was just still prevalent, uh, you know and
(12:58):
needed till this day, one of the longest running number
one you know segments in radio.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
You know. Uh.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
So I again, I just grew up listening to it,
and I always was fascinated with it, and said, and
I felt like, you know, that's something like I was
told myself, I could do that.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
You know, that's that.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Why why did you think you could do that? Right?
Speaker 3 (13:17):
I just I just felt like, you know, being being
a student of the music, you know, being a student
of the culture. Uh, and then understanding like you know,
it's it's the changing of the guards, you know what
I mean, Uh, not so much. I don't look at
it so much as being necessarily a gatekeeper, being a
condouant for for the culture, you know, and as somebody
(13:40):
who's out here, you know, supporting you know, I support
a lot, not just the Titian Knolas of the world,
but there's so many artists, you know, my even my
peers who've been in this game that have never received
the roses that they deserve.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
You know.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
It's one of the things that I you know, that
that I said, you know, if and when I'm ever
in position, you know, this is a way for me
to keep the torch burning of the culture that I love,
you know, R and B and soul music.
Speaker 5 (14:04):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
money Making Conversations Masterclass. Welcome back to the Money Making
Conversations Masterclass hosted by Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversations Masterclass
continues online at Moneymakingconversations dot com and follow money Making
(14:26):
Conversations Masterclass on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
Absolutely Quadstorm, Yeah, what when was your introduction to Quadstorm
and how did it impact you? That's what you're now
hosting at w u R ninety six four and three
in Washington, d c It's so surreal.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
You know, I grew up listening to Melvin Lindsay. Not
to be cliche cliche, but if you if you were
if you were Washingtonian, you know you're in You're in DC, Maryland,
Northern Virginia. It was just it was it was the
late night you know, it's the Bible, it you know,
it was written that this is what this is what
we do from you know, from from from seven seven
thirty to midnight, you know, my day Monday through Friday,
(15:09):
you know, so it was I just remember hearing the records,
you know that I love that. I grew up on
the Marvin Gaye Earth Winding Fire. You know, a lot
of Phillis hymen. Uh, you know, Luther and Melvin, Melvin
used to go in. I discovered them, a lot of
these artists, you know, for the first time, you know,
listening to the Choirt Storm, listening to Melvin Lindsey, so
(15:32):
to be, you know, almost some fifty years later, Be,
you know, Be Be the new face and radio you know,
the voice and personality you know for the original Choir Storm.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
You know, it's been an honor.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
I'm still I'm still I'm still I'm still a semi virgins,
you know, still getting my feet wet and you know
I just.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Been but it was an opportunity you pursue, you pursue
to be the host.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Yeah, absolutely, storm absolutely absolutely, you know not what do
they say? You know when you ask or when you
pray for it, be very descriptive in your prayers. And uh,
you know I always say, I always say that God
has a sense of humans.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Because if you know, there's many other opportunities that I
applied for in radio, you know, filling in and things
of that nature.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
But to but to be at hu Are just feel
so surreal.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
I gotta hit you your your your top three songs
if you you sat down on Quadstone and you had
to say program director because you know your program director.
These are the list I want you to play. What's
your what is Raheem Duba?
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Oh man, I'm to three?
Speaker 3 (16:39):
I'm it's given uh uh average white band, a love
of your own? Probably go I probably I probably go
with the with the Alia record like one in a million.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
If you're gonna go, I we're gonna go. If we're
gonna go eighties. I wanna go, I wanna go. Yeah, yeah,
we wanna go eighties.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
I mean, we gotta go with one of the greatest
artists and records of all time to thriller album, you know.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
And I would go with like Lady in My Life.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Okay, Okay, okay, okay, let me take my three. Let
me tell you my three. Let me my three, Let
me tell my three. My three will be uh uh
let me see. Uh gotta be an o J song.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Okay, cry together, Okay.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Crying and crying the whole time, Okay. And then I
then I go, uh. Then I go with uh, I
gotta go rough a little bit with with with Teddy Pendergred.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Okay, all right, you know, turn them off, turn.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Them out, and then and then then I wrap it
up with a little uh, a little lot Iley Brothers.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
It sounds sound Hello.
Speaker 5 (17:47):
Here, Hello, Welcome back to the Money Making Conversations Masterclass
hosted by Rashaan McDonald.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
You know, we talked about music. We talking to being
an independent artist. Yeah, we talk about do you know,
establishing your brain your DC board new host Quair Storm
a dream gig for you. Now, let's talk about the
foundation that I wouldn't say the human side, but the
philanthropy side. And a lot of people don't get to
know about you and your foundation talk about the importance
(18:18):
of your foundation.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
So my foundation, the Love Life Foundation, has been you know,
established since twenty thirteen.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
You know.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Some of our major initiatives currently are you know, the
partnership that I have personal partnership that I have with
Gilliad Sciences, you know, to to you know, further my
efforts to fight HIV and AIDS.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
You know, I've had similar partners in the past.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
That we that we've worked with, you know, doing a
holiday annual holiday concert you know, back in DC Raheemed
Divine and Friends, which we're looking to probably bring back
at some point and the near future, you know, doing
Queen for a Day, spa takeovers, and our efforts to
fight domestic violence, you know, and and to bring that
to the forefront and have that be a conversation not
(19:01):
just with men and women, but children as well, you know,
with the best of violence being such a prevalent thing.
Eight thing related to community, you know to you know
is you know, the Love Life Foundation allows me to
keep a pulse on community, uh, to go into these
different cities that that support me, you know, that buy
a ticket or sell out a show.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
And we don't just run off with the bag.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
You know, we like to stick around after the show
or to come in town early and just do community
work and touch to people and you know, and get
a pulse for what's going on you know city, the
city and and the woes and you know, things that
we that we that that I can be impactful, impactful
on or to use my voice, you know, as I
said to like Edutain, you know, right, let me ask you.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
This because, like I said, there's a journey where you
start seeing things of what I can do. Because like
two thousand and five, we're about to celebrate twenty years
or the first one and that this year. Then it
took you about eight years before you establish your foundation. Yeah,
what were you seeing along the way? You went, I
gotta do this, I gotta make time, Yeah for the
(20:08):
Love Life Foundation.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Well always I was always I realized, you know it,
just I just had the epiphany one day. It wasn't
until I till I till till I received the key
to the city and you know in in d C.
And you know proclamation, did I realized the impact that
I had made, you know, on on my city in particular.
You know, I've always been the guy that you could call,
but whether whether you waited til the last minute to call,
(20:31):
or somebody flaked or or I was the first person
you called, you know, I was being the guy that
you could kind of call locally to do things. And
then I started to notice that it was happening nashally
as well. So you know, when I when I received
you know, when I received the proclamation and you know,
they made it officially rahiem DVN day.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
You know, in the district of Columbia, I felt it
was a premature thing, and I was thankful for that.
I was thankful, but I was I was you know,
I was a bit in shock. And you know if
that really put the battery in my back to say,
you know, for a city that's given me so much
and that I poured into, you know, uh, let's start
the foundation. And it's really you know, it gives me
(21:09):
more opportunities to say, you know, and and and decide
and support the things that I want to support, you
know directly as well.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Well. You know, it's really important. So that's that's the philanthropy. Now,
you were impacted a lot of women through your whole
foundation just recently talk about that. I think like fifty.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Yeah, so shout out to Gilead Sciences.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Last year I toured with with with the Incomparable Incomparable
lettercy Uh yeah, for the Good for the Good Life
tour right on Fire. Yeah, she stayed Lets stays on fire,
right on schedule. In fact, she's you know, she's about
to go on a tour with Marsha Ambrosius. I think
that I think they're just getting started or about to start. Ironically,
(21:50):
last year this time, we were on tour together.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
You know.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
We started in the month of March and went all
the way through the month of uh, like mid mid April.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
You know.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
I was apro by Gilead for my work that I
have done previously involving HIV and AIDS, and they told me,
you know, the demo that they were trying to reach,
and we felt like it was just like a great
partnership and I was able to do uh these thirty
plus dates.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
And they set a goal, they said they didn't wanted
to reach over thirty thousand women, you know, within thirty days.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
And we were able to touch.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Fifty thousand, you know, letting them know the new statistics
and how black women and girls are being affected by
HIV and AIDS here and you know in in in
the country here, you know, and it's been it's been,
it's been great. You know, they've they've been a great partner,
spending over you know, twelve million dollars with their with
their PACE program. You know, also letting let it, letting
(22:44):
women and men know about you know, prep and and
preventative measures. You know, so you know, education is key,
of course, getting tested regularly and you know, and and
and and and breaking and breaking down the barrier is
of all the things that you know, uh, that people
(23:04):
may think you can't happen to them.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
Back to you.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
Like you've written in this interview, you've written that word
consistently about the educating, whether it's through music, through your foundation,
through the the having a career as an independent person.
Education plays a role in your success story. Now let's
talk about the business man. Okay, the entrepreneur, we're talking
about that. But now you've got this new tour bus,
(23:32):
tour bus, come talk about this and why you need
a tour But you.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Know, it's it's it's it's an investment. You know.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
I think one of the biggest expenses that you know,
we have as artists is like traveling.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
And you know what I mean. So again, you know,
it's a it's a it's a just for.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
You absolutely, absolutely, you know, be able to move around
a lot more that we look I look forward to
getting you know, getting getting getting on the road and
and and and and further my you know, my community work,
you know, being able to touch some of these these cities,
in these in these in these towns that we haven't
been able to go to.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
You know, but.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
That's that's what your life is now. Man, you feel
like you're in control of your life. Well, you know
we can say that, but I guess understanding there's a
direction in your life.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
Absolutely, you know this.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
It's the highest source, you know, you know, the creator, God,
God is in control. You know, uh, but but but
but but I'm more intuitive to listening to the whispers
and intuition when when he say go this way, my child,
do this, Oh hold on, take it, take way.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Wait.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
Wait, it's not it's not it's not time yet, you
know it's not you know, it's not time.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
For syndication, right, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (24:43):
You know, you know so I think you know a
lot of times, you know what's been what's been a
major key to my success, you know overall and definitely
as of late, it's just understanding, you know, far, far
too many times we we we we focused on what
we don't have, but we're so busy chasing what we
(25:03):
don't have, we don't recognize what's like right in front
of us, the opportunities in the right in front of us,
you know, and you know, and I you know when
I when I'm on h U R, you know, I
constantly you know, I always close out my show saying that,
you know, use the gift of time, decision, free will
in one another.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
You know, those are the greatest gifts given.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
You know, from the time we're born, you know, we're
running out of time, uh.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
The gift of decision and free will.
Speaker 3 (25:29):
From the time you wake up in the morning to
the time you go to sleep, you have all these
decisions that you that you can make, you can decide,
you can sell, you can decide to get up, go
out and go get it, you know, be lazy rather
Netflix and chill whatever, whatever your vibe is you. You know,
you can you alterally decide what it is you want
to do with your time and your day. And I
think one of the most the third greatest gift you know,
(25:52):
in no particular order, is the gift of one another,
you know, the gift of people, relationships, you know, cult
of how you cultivate the you know, uh, you know,
how you respect one another, your word being your bond,
and and all of these things you know, and these
values and it's and you know, all roads have all
these things have led me to where I am now,
you know, And I think that you know, if that
(26:14):
was anything, if any advice you know that I would give,
you know, any artists or any dreamer creative out there.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
It is to you know, if you respect those.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
Things, the gift of time, the gift of decision, and
gift of one another. Uh, there's nothing really that you
can't achieve, achieve or obtained, you know.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
It's the art of It's for me, it's the art.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Of knowing, Like you know you I don't, I don't.
I don't believe and I don't I don't I don't
believe it. I know it like I know God exists.
You know, I don't have to believe that, Like I know.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
God exists.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
I'm an example of that, your example of all examples
of that, you know.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
So it's the art of knowing.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
My brother. I'm glad you came down.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
From d C.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
Thank you live in studio or I take this opportunity
to say thank you for being you and what you've
done for us in the platform and for the game
and for the culture, and congratulations on all you're doing
as well.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
I thank you, brother. Thank you for having no money
Making Masterclass, I don't. This has been another edition of
money Making Conversation Masterclass posted by me Rushaun McDonald. Thank
you to our guests on the show today and thank
you listening to audience now. If you want to listen
to any episode I want to be a guest on
the show, visit Moneymakingconversations dot com. Our social media handle
(27:27):
is money Making Conversation. Join us next week and remember
to always leave with your gifts. Keep winning.
Hosts And Creators
Steve Harvey
Shirley Strawberry
Thomas "Nephew Tommy" Miles
Carla Ferrell
Kier "Junior" Spates
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