July 17, 2025 • 54 mins
In this episode of Odejuma, Harry chats with singer-songwriter Rob Milton about music, identity, and the transformative power of finding oneself through art. Rob reflects on his journey from discovering his voice in college to consistently releasing music since 2012. He shares important lessons he has learned as a Black queer artist and storyteller dedicated to joy.
He also discusses the origins of his latest single, "Chains," the significance of R&B in his life, and how collaborations with icons like B. Slade have validated his creative path. The episode interweaves themes of resilience, joy, representation, and self-expression, inviting listeners to explore the importance of being fully seen and using that truth as a source of strength.
For more information on Rob Milton, visit: https://linktr.ee/therobmilton
You can follow Rob on all social media platforms - therobmilton
For more information on Harry Itie, visit: https://www.harryitie.com/
Follow Harry on all social media platforms - harryitie
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hi, my name is Harry andwelcome to Odejuma.
Odejuma recognizes the magicof storytelling.
From personal experiences tostories of adventure, from tales
of resilience to finding joyin the simple things, this story
seeks to inspire, entertain,and educate.
Because there is power in thestories of everyday people.
(00:21):
And these stories are worth telling.
Hi, folks, welcome to anotherepisode of Odejuma.
I'm super excited about thisone because I have someone who is
(00:41):
super talented, very creative,rather multi hyphenated artist, and
also a friend of mine, I haveRob Milton.
Hi, Rob, how you doing?
I'm good.
How are you, Harry?
I'm doing really awesome.
Really excited to have you todive into our conversation, to talk
through your work and yourjourney and your creativity and your
(01:05):
career and everything in between.
So we're just going to goahead and start right now.
Yeah.
How did the journey start for you?
When did you realize thatmusic was your passion and something
you wanted to explore?
You know what's funny?
I have literally always been acreative person.
I just did not realize thatthere was value to it because the
(01:26):
way that my brain worked, Ibelieve that, that everyone was expressing
themselves the same way that I was.
So I didn't, it, it didn't, itdidn't really hit me until I got
to college and I startedgetting asked to like, you know,
lead solos in the choir, like,stuff like that.
And I'm like, me, like I.
You know what I mean?
(01:46):
Like my sister, I grew up witha sister who was like, really, really
into sports and she playedbasketball and she was a cheerleader
and she ran track.
And so like, I'm just at home,you know, reading liner notes and
like learning like the wordsto songs that just came out on the
radio for the first time.
I was that kid, like myfriend, like my, my family members
(02:08):
would be like, how do you knowthat song?
It literally has only been onthe radio once.
But it's.
I just thought that that's howwe all were.
And then, like I said, I wentto college and other people started
seeing it in me before I saw it.
And I'm like, okay, wait,there's something happening.
And I just went with it.
And so my last, last semesterin college, a friend of mine, Jackie
(02:30):
Hammond, invited me to thestudio to record a song.
She was working on her firstsolo project and she asked me to
come record the song with her.
And again I was like, me.
And she was like, yeah.
And so we went and we wrotethe song, which I believe she wrote
the song and I helped a Little bit.
(02:51):
But we kind of, like, wentthrough the vocal arrangements and
practiced them a bunch oftimes before we recorded.
When we went to record, shewas like, hey, have you ever done
this before?
And I had a little bit, butnot, like, at this level of, like,
fully getting an idea out inthis way.
And so I was like, not really.
And she was like, I just wantyou to know that once we do this,
(03:12):
you're never going to stop.
Like, you're going to be addicted.
And I was like, okay.
And I literally have notstopped recording since that day.
Like, I have not stoppedrecording and releasing stuff since
that day.
You know, rewind surprised in that.
I grew up in, like, my church choir.
I always say I was.
(03:33):
I think you had to be six tobe in the choir.
And I was in the.
I was in at 5 and, like, onthe, like, board, like, the president
of the choir or somethingcrazy, like, at 5.
So I've always, like,literally always been this person,
but I just didn't realize that.
That it was a unique thing.
Like, I literally justthought, everybody's like this.
And it's funny because, youknow, I didn't spend a lot of time
(03:54):
with my father as a youngperson, but I rekindled a relationship
with my brother on my father'sside as I got older.
And the first time we hungout, he was like, hey, what do you
like to do?
I'm like, I like to sing and,like, write music.
And he was like, yeah, we all do.
But, like, what do you like to do?
Like, who is.
We all come to find out?
Like, my father's whole familysings in quartets and all of this
(04:16):
stuff.
So, like, in my.
Somehow, I want to say in myspirit, I knew that because, like,
I was the only person on mymother's side of the family that
was this way.
But I just thought it was natural.
Like, I really just thought,like, everybody, like, even before
I knew I was writing songs, Iwas writing poetry.
You know what I mean?
Like, I've just always been aperson who expressed themselves through
(04:37):
creativity.
And so it took some time, butonce I.
Once I realized that.
What it really was and, like,who I really am, that was it.
I dropped my first project in2012, and I have not stopped releasing
music since then.
At least once to twice a year,every year since 2012.
(04:57):
That is amazing.
And, yeah, it seems like musicis in your genes, you know, from
what you described.
So that's pretty cool.
You talked about releasingmusic every year since you.
Since you had that firstexperience with your friend when
you worked on her project.
And since then, in 2012.
Since 2012 till now, rethere's been an EP from Rob Milton
(05:21):
or a project or music or something.
What was the inspirationbehind that?
Because I feel like a lot offolks, and even for like back in
the day, when coming up in.
Well, I wasn't coming up inthe music industry, but, like, you
know, listen to music, youknow, I think an artist will put
out.
I think Brandi Brandy, for example.
Brandi put out self titled in94, I think.
(05:41):
And then her next album, Neversaid never came out in 98 or 99.
Then full like, basically allthese breaks between, like, albums
and stuff.
What was your intention for,you know, being like, I want to keep
on putting out music, whetherit's his collaborative work or personal
solo project?
Well, first of all, that istrue that when we were coming up,
(06:01):
there was a time there was a gap.
People would work an album.
They could work an album forthree years back then.
But if you go back, there alsowas, when you look at the 60s and
the 70s, there was a timewhere people were putting albums
out.
Like Aretha, before her big.
Before she really had a bigbreak, she had like 30 albums, like,
(06:23):
legit.
You know what I mean?
But honestly, you know, Jackieput out Lazy Love.
I think that came out.
No, actually, I think I endedup putting out my EP first because
I had, like, I was so excited,you know what I mean?
Like, and I was graduating, Igraduated college, and it was just
kind of like, I remember, Ithink after.
Right after graduation, Iposted like, oh, I have a secret
(06:46):
or a surprise or something toshare or whatever.
You know, very dramatic.
But I put out my first project.
It was an EP called Love Todayon Bandcamp.
And it's like, pretty muchwithin a week.
Within.
I posted it pretty much within a.
Within a week after I postedit, it was.
It was on a blog in Japan.
(07:09):
And then shortly after that,it was music.
Soul Child posted the COVID ofit on his Instagram.
And again, it was moment.
It was a moment where I wasrealizing, like, oh, because I wasn't.
Like, I didn't have at thispoint, how Rob Nilsen today has connections
and like, all of these things.
(07:30):
But at that point, I was justa kid who just got out of college
who was like, I want to putout some music.
Let's see what this gives.
And when it was.
When that was the response, Iwas like, oh, no, you actually can
do this.
Like, straight out the gate.
Someone in Japan, like, notonly is listening but, like, feels
the need to share.
Like, that's crazy to me.
And so I just kept going.
And the reason why I releasedso much was because, for one, the
(07:55):
more I released, the more Iwas figuring out how everything works.
And that's the thing aboutgrowing up with the Internet is like,
wow, technology is progressing.
You.
It was kind of.
It was kind of easy for me togrow with the times to a certain
extent, you know what I mean?
With social media and with,like, even being able to upload music
(08:16):
where we used to use Bandcampand then SoundCloud and then, like,
you know, I mean, all of these things.
Like, I grew with that.
So I was just processing.
And, like, you know, likeTisha Campbell says, it's the journey.
Granted, there have been verymany no's.
Very, very many no's along theway, but every yes was like a connecting
dot to make me want to keepgetting to the next one.
(08:39):
And so something would happen,and I would be like, okay, I got
to do X, Y, and Z to try toget this, and then it will happen.
And then insecure.
And, like, all these thingsthat I have been, like, believing
that I. I believe that Ibelonged in the world to do these
things, but truthfully, theway that I show up in the world,
(09:00):
I'm not supposed to be able todo that.
Like, I'm not supposed to beable to be successful.
You know what I mean, becauseof my size, because of my race, because
of my sexuality, because.
You know what I mean?
Like, there are very manybullet points that say, you're not
supposed to be here.
But, like, none of that was mattering.
Like, things were continuingto happen, and so I just believe
(09:21):
that I could keep going.
And so kept going because Ikept believing that I could keep
going.
And then it just came to apoint where I just.
It just was who I am.
Like, even if.
Even if I never releaseanother thing, I'm gonna be at home
with, like, I'm gonna be athome with a vault full of, like,
songs and albums and moviesand whatever, because it is just
(09:44):
literally who I am as a person.
Yeah.
And, you know, you said, TishaCampbell, it's the journey.
It really is the journey.
And this journey has been goodto you.
You had placements, like yousaid, on Insecure.
Yeah.
You've had the Insecure moment happen.
You have your co writer onFriends by Monica.
(10:04):
You've had all theseoccurrences and all these performances.
What has this journey taught you?
Looking back at this past,over this past decade of you been
in this Industry.
What has this journey thoughtyou so far?
Honestly, this journey hastaught me.
Like, I think I went from notunderstanding that there was value
in the way that I expressedmyself to then knowing what the value
(10:28):
really was and wantingeverybody else to see it and like,
you know what I mean?
Wanting everybody else tovalidate, like, oh, and it wasn't
happening.
And so I feel like I startedlike just trying so hard to get people
to see it.
And I think what it has taughtme is that regardless of, at the
end of the day, regardless ofwho sees it, regardless of if I.
(10:49):
My album is number one in the.
In the country or number onein my apartment, it's who I am.
You know what I mean?
Like, it's who.
Who I am.
Like what.
I think we've kind of losttrack of the fact that especially
when it comes to music andfilm and you know, like, these are
the, this is the way thatpeople express themselves.
(11:09):
Like, this is their, likepeople are telling their story.
So to tell someone like theway you're telling your story, I
don't like the way you'retelling your story.
Like, how could you?
You know what I mean?
So I think my biggest lessonhas really just been understanding
that at the heart of it, it'swho I am.
And so like people finallyseeing it and understanding the value
(11:30):
is great, but I'm not chasingthat anymore, even if you know what
I mean.
Because it's also an up anddown thing.
And one day people see you foryou, the next day they don't.
And so you really do have toget to that space where you understand,
you understand who you are for yourself.
And that's all that matters.
Because that's also where,when, how I've been able to do my
(11:50):
best work is just beingmyself, just 100% being me.
So that's real.
That's real.
Thank you for sharing that piece.
How would you describe yoursound to someone who is trying to
figure out who Rob Milton is?
I know it's very, like,there's the.
It's very R and B, it's very soulful.
But what would you, how wouldyou describe your sound from an artistic
(12:11):
perspective?
You know, a lot of people shyaway from saying R and B and I'm
never going to do that, nevergoing to shy away from saying R and
B.
Because for me it's black music.
Black music over everything.
Like, that's always going tobe that for me.
I grew up in church, so gospelis absolutely going to be the core
of what I do.
But Gospel and R and B are okay.
(12:32):
They were sisters, like, likethey belong together, you know what
I mean?
And so at the core of what Ido is gospel.
It is R and B, but it's black music.
And black music is also pop music.
The other day I made a rock song.
Like it really is just whatever.
However I'm choosing toexpress myself that day.
But absolutely at the core ofit is R and B.
(12:53):
And I think that's importantto say because we're at the space
where people enjoy having theconversation about what R and B is
missing versus actuallysupporting R and B.
And so one thing that I'malways going to do is be.
A lot of times, like when theconversation happens on Twitter,
I jokingly say, like, I haveto now be like a Power Ranger for
(13:14):
R and B, because I'm alwayslike, for fighting in those conversations.
Because the thing that wedon't talk about is the reason why
R and B has like some sort ofbeen shrunken is because of the chase
of money and the chase of.
It's like you can.
It's like we're.
We're trying to do what other.
(13:35):
I'll say all the other cultures.
We're trying to do what othercultures are doing in order to make
money, and they're doing whatwe do and making money off of it.
I don't.
That's not.
It's not for me.
So I'm always.
It's always going to be R and B.
When you, when you think RobMilton, think R and B for the rest
of my life.
Amen.
Amen.
And I was going to, becauseeven ask.
(13:56):
Because you talk about how,you know, the car is very, very R
and B.
It's very gospel.
But I also know you've doneother genres too.
You've played with othergenres too, and your work is very
evident that it's not justlike a lot of influences in there.
There's R and B, there's soulas funk, you know, there's gospel,
there's some electronic,there's new soul.
All of this is very muchinfused in the work that you do and
(14:17):
that you put out.
I'm just curious about what isyour creative process like, from
idea to execution?
How does that work for you?
How are you?
Where.
Where are you getting yourinspirations from?
All the tea.
So first of all, at this pointin my life, I work a lot in collaboration
with Dana Johnson, who isAvery's the husband and co producer
(14:39):
and co writer to every Sunshine.
And so he co produces a lot ofpretty much most of my stuff, my
solo stuff, as well as thegroup that I was in.
Cousin.
And so it varies.
First of all, my writing, forthe most part, is, like, straight.
Just diary.
Like, it's straight.
Not to sound like Jay Z, but,like, I don't write down anything.
(15:02):
I will hear the music and justbegin to catch something, and I'll
record it.
Whether I record it in a voicememo or whatever the case, or whether
I just play in the mic andjust automatically start recording,
but it's honestly pretty much,like, straight from the heart to
the microphone.
And granted, like, sometimes Iwrite, like, you know, some.
If it's like a prompt, youknow what I mean?
(15:23):
Like, I can write a. I canwrite based off you saying, like,
I need a song that's like X, Yand Z or whatever.
Sure.
But for the most part, soloRob Milton stuff is, this is how
I felt today, or, like, thisis a thing that I wasn't able to
communicate verbally.
And so I'm communicating in a song.
(15:44):
And that has gotten a bittricky over the years, you know what
I mean?
Because eventually peoplestart asking, like, are you talking
about me?
That gets awkward.
But, you know, it's real.
I write straight.
My.
I write my life.
I write my life.
That is.
That is really good to know.
And speaking of your writing,the new single is Chains.
(16:06):
Yes.
This is with Kristen Lowe.
Did I get that right?
Kristen Lowe, Sisters.
Yeah, she's super incredible.
She sung background for AriLennox, Anita Wilson, and, like,
quite a few really incredible people.
But she, in her own right, is incredible.
And this actually.
So Dana Johnson has a thing hedoes on Instagram called, I think,
(16:31):
Jam of the.
Something like Jam of the Day or.
Or Vibe of the Day orsomething, where he just, like, goes,
cuts his camera, starts, like, producing.
Producing a track.
And so those are just tracksthat he has, like, laying around
on his computer.
And so I was scrolling throughInstagram and I saw him.
I saw it was like an older oneof these.
And so I text him, like,where's this?
(16:53):
He went in and sent me thetrack, and I wrote the first verse
and the hook, and I hitKristen, like, yo, I've been watching
Ray Charles videos, and I'm,like, really, really obsessed with
Ray Charles and his backgroundsingers, the Raylettes.
And I want you on this record,but I want it to feel like that.
Like, I wanted to feel likeRay Charles and his background singers,
(17:14):
and then one steps up to themic to do a solo.
And that's really exactly,absolutely, positively what it Sounds
like.
Like, we really hit myinspiration 100% on the head.
And so it feels like Ray Charles.
It feels like Aretha.
It feels like all of thosepeople who taught me what music really
(17:36):
is.
And that is so, like, it feelsreally good to me to have something
like this in my catalog.
That is pretty.
That is pretty cool.
And how would you describe thereception to the track?
How folks responding to chains?
Have you got any, like, coolfeedback from folks who are, like,
(17:57):
your peers or in the industry?
What has that been like for you?
So, you know, I released it onmy birthday, and so I haven't really
been able to, like, really getinto what people are saying about
the song because it was mybirthday, so it was, you know, mass
hysteria.
It's Rob Milton day.
You know what I mean?
But honestly and truly, again,like, I hate to say it like this,
but it is my truth that thesong is the song, like, regardless
(18:21):
of what.
Regardless of feedback.
You know what I mean?
Like, I absolutely wanteveryone to hear it and to love it
and to love it as much as I do.
But it's kind of like your kid.
Like, you can't tell me aboutmy kid.
You know what I mean?
You can't.
I already know.
I already know how good my kid is.
Like, if you come tell me,like, oh, your kid was so good today.
Like, it's like a.
(18:41):
It's like, oh, thank you.
But, like, I know.
I know, because my kid is good.
And that's how I feel about my songs.
I hope everybody feels likethat about their.
About what.
How they express themselves, but.
Yeah, yeah, that.
But I felt like you have tohave got into a place of knowing
to be able to have that confidence.
And, like, you know, it is my song.
(19:03):
You know, I really don't carewhat you think about it.
Like, it's a good song.
You know, it's artistic.
How did you get to that space?
I'm curious about that becauseI feel like there are folks who are
going to be listening who arelike, you know, I really want.
Certainly when you're, like,you know, emerging in this industry
where, you know, you reallywant to be liked and desired, how
do you navigate that?
(19:24):
Well, the truth is, the musicindustry is a place where you really
have to walk in the roomknowing what you bring into the room.
Because when you walk in theroom and you're unaware of what you
bring, it's so easy for you toget taken advantage of.
And so, truthfully, I waswalking into rooms and realizing,
like, no, no, no, no.
(19:44):
So I Know who I am.
I know what I'm bringing here.
I know what you'll get out ofme being here.
Honestly, what brought me hereis the journey.
Like, if that's the only.
That's the only way I can put it.
What brought me to this spaceof confidence in my music, in myself,
and in my dreams.
It's just the journey.
It's the journey.
(20:05):
And I know that might not be,like, it's not.
I can't give you a tutorialof, like, how other people can do
it, but I can tell you.
And this is going to sound soold, but, like, keep living.
I swear to God, you'll get it.
Like, you'll get it.
You'll get it.
Yeah.
You know, they say.
They say experience is thebest teacher.
Right?
And I feel like that is whatyou're saying.
It's like, I've been in.
(20:25):
I've been in the space for a while.
I've had all these experiences.
I've seen people come and go.
I'm still here.
And so heck with time.
You also will learn and yousee how to, you know, stand on business
when it comes to, like, yourwork and your art.
Earlier on, you talked abouthow there's, like, a checklist of
four of things you have tonavigate, you know, being in this
(20:45):
industry, talk about yoursexuality and all these other things.
How does that come into playin your work?
Because I feel like a lot oftimes when we're creating work, the
personal always influences theartistic process.
So how.
How.
How does that work for you andhow you.
How do you navigate that whenit comes to your art making?
You know, I grew up in thechurch, and so sexuality in general,
(21:08):
sex in general, is just aconversation that's, like, taboo
and that you don't have at all.
You know what I mean?
And so growing out of that, Iinitially was at a space where I
felt like I want my art and mysexuality to be completely separate.
I think this part of my lifedeserves to be private, and I don't
(21:32):
want it to.
I felt like I don't want it to overshadow.
I don't want it.
I didn't want it.
I didn't want to be a gay artist.
You know what I mean?
And if I.
Again, I think it was theconfidence and the understanding
and the finding strength inmyself and strength in who I am and
(21:56):
not being ashamed of it helpedme just, like, naturally, the things
just naturally merged.
Like, I can't think of amoment where I was intentional.
Like, I'mma be gay.
As hell with my music today.
But eventually it just, like,happened because it's just who I
am.
You know what I mean?
It's just who I am as a person.
(22:17):
And what I've 100% done mybest at doing is with whatever I'm
creating being 100% me.
And so after a while, it was just.
Just kind of like to try tocontinue to keep this over here is
almost beginning to feel like hiding.
And I never really also wasinterested in hiding either.
(22:39):
I just also am a very private person.
And so it really was the.
The.
The battle of finding abalance, of maintaining my privacy,
but also just being who I am.
And I think I've done a goodjob at it.
I mean, if I have it, I willget better, but I think I've done
a good job at it.
Do still.
I enjoy the idea of.
(23:00):
Of my music being universal,like, anyone, anywhere, being able
to pick up one of my songs andsend the.
Sing the words and not feel isolated.
But I do have moments where Ifeel like this is for the little
boy that needs that representation.
You know what I mean?
So I do have moments where Ijust, like, completely give it.
(23:23):
Like, I do have some songswhere it's like, no, this is specifically
for a young, black, queer,possibly fat boy who needs to hear
Rob Milton so that he knows,oh, shit, I can do that too.
Can you?
Do we blink me out if you needme to.
I cussed, but I just.
You get cursed.
You can curse.
Feel free.
Feel free.
Sometimes when I'm writing, Irealize, like, no, this is important
(23:46):
for him to know.
You know what I mean?
And so I really am stillworking on keeping a balance of.
I want everyone to be able tofeel it, but I also want some stuff
is really, really for him.
You know what I mean?
And so, yeah, yeah.
And by writing and creatingmusic that can connect to that boy,
(24:08):
you're also helping a bunch ofother kids who are navigating that.
Also curious, what song, like,what do you think is for young Rob,
who's figuring out life andsexuality and existing in a fat body?
What song would you think, youknow, folks who are having that experience
as young Rob can go listen toin this moment.
(24:29):
I have a song on my albumcalled All Boys Cry, which is called
Waiting.
First of all, I wasintentional about the name of All
Boys Cry because for a fewreasons with that album, because,
for one, I'm a cancer.
And the first song I wrote forthat album was called Cry.
And this, like, the story thatpeople tell is that, like, Cancers
(24:50):
cry all the time, and they're so.
They're, like, overlyemotional or whatever the case may
be.
And so part of it for me was,like, not just Cancers, but, like,
we all cry.
Like.
Cause we're kind of all human,and everybody cries.
So that's, like, kind of thesilliest thing.
But then it was.
I was also intentional aboutthe boy of it all, because I had
an experience as a kid where Iwas at my grandmother's funeral.
(25:15):
I come from a family of mostly women.
Like, I.
Like my grandfather and then me.
You know what I mean?
Um, and.
But anyway, my grandmother hadpassed away, and I was at the casket,
and this is so dramatic to.
This is so dramatic, but mygrandmother passed away, and I was
at the casket, and someonethat I love dearly told me to stop
crying because I'm the onlyboy in the family.
(25:36):
And they meant well.
But again, it was just kind ofa recurring thing for me to acknowledge
the fact that boys, men,whatever, where, like, we're.
Everyone is human and everyonehas emotions.
Everyone cries.
And I think people are scared.
Like, people were scared to.
Even when I.
When I was naming the albumAll Boys Cry, I remember one person
(25:58):
I was working with, I toldthem that it was.
That was the name of thealbum, and they were like, that's
actually really cool.
But I don't want to be on that one.
I want to be on it.
And so, like, people got.
I feel like people were alittle bit scared, and I don't think
I had ever been brave in thatway with my art.
(26:20):
As little as.
To me, small as that is, itwas almost a way of being rebellious.
But anyway, waiting is really,again, kind of a moment where I was
saying, you already know whoyou are and what you bring to the
table, so what are you waiting for?
For, like, why are you waitingfor everyone else to acknowledge
(26:43):
it or validate it or whatever?
Why would you be waiting for that?
Like, you were.
You and I, me and you lookingin the mirror here.
We're eye to eye, and we're100% aware of what it is.
So stop waiting and just go beand go do.
And I would absolutely saythat's for him for sure.
Speaking of always cry, Irealized that you had the iconic
(27:04):
B. Slade on the project beslayed for folks who know all the
way back has been making musicfor the longest time.
I was great at it.
So how did that come about?
How did that connection happen?
Talk about that for a bit.
So I grew up a huge, huge fanof B Slade, formerly Tone, when as
(27:27):
a kid, it was Tone.
But him as well as Georgia andMel Joe were two artists that I really.
When I started making music, Imean, I had already been a fan of
his, but when I started makingmusic, I began.
They gave me the freedom tojust release as often as I did.
(27:48):
Let me say that because therewere two artists that I loved, and
they were, like, constantlyreleasing full bodies to work at
this era of my life.
And it was like back to back,like banger albums, like, top to
bottom.
I'm like, my God, this is whatI want to do also.
I want to know these people.
I want to work with these people.
But, like, you know, growingup in the church, we all knew that
(28:10):
God is not forgotten and allof that.
But that truthfully, the erafrom the era in which he transitioned
brands, I should say I beganto have a level of respect for him
in a way, because having seenall that he went through and still
releasing music at this leveland at this quality made me believe,
(28:30):
like, you can do it, like you can.
Because the other part ofbeing an artist that is often not
talked about, especially inthis era, is that life be life, and
to us, the way that it happensto y', all.
But it's even worse because weare investing all of our time and
money and energy into.
Into being a creative right.
And that costs so much morethan people really understand.
(28:53):
But I say all that to say Ijust have always been a fan of not
only his voice, but hissongwriting, his production, just
the way he pieces things together.
In some ways, I believe thatwe are kindred spirits.
And through time, on theInternet, of me supporting and just
listening.
I mean, you know me, like, youknow, I'm really big on, like, posting
the music that I'm listeningto and letting the artist know that
(29:16):
somebody's listening.
And so he kind of has justalways respected that about me.
And we've always, through theInternet, talked here and there.
And during the pandemic, Ijust got bold, and I was like, I
really want to do a song with you.
And he was like, let's do it.
And I was really shocked.
And so we did it, and I sent him.
There was a song initiallythat I asked him to get on, but it
(29:38):
didn't work out.
And then I sent him in withagain with my verse and with the
hook.
He loved it so much.
Which the part about that,that is crazy is the sound is very,
like, 80s inspired sound.
But he has an album calledDeLorean, which is 80s inspired.
And while I'm absolutelyinspired by the original sounds that
(30:01):
happened in the 80s.
That song specifically,honestly, was inspired by that album.
And so I think that that iswhat even more so helped was that
whether he knew it or not, Iwas writing as if I was.
As if it was a part of his old outing.
You know what I mean?
And so he got it and was like,it's like, you understand me?
(30:23):
Like, it was just.
It was just very much likesensei meets student and like, wow.
But also, as a young churchkid, to know that I was having this
moment with him and that wesaw each other, as Dee would say,
really is something that evento this day, I don't think that I
have gotten over because thesong is so beautiful and the way
(30:46):
our voices blend together isso beautiful.
And it's just.
It's honestly one of myfavorite songs in my catalog, for
sure.
And I often think if I was to meet.
If I was to meet Beyonce and Ihad one song to play for her of mine,
it would be that one.
It would.
That is.
That is pretty.
That is pretty cool.
(31:07):
You've had.
You have.
My curiosity peaked again.
So I'm going to ask.
I'm going to ask, what aresome of your favorite songs?
We've talked about waiting.
We've talked about the songwith Be Slayed, but what are some
songs of you that you really,really like?
That you're like, damn, Ireally put my foot in this.
This is such a dope song.
If you're like five, to nameoff the top of your head of songs
(31:29):
that you say these are, like,the iconic Rob Milton classics that
everybody needs to listen to.
I'm not going to say these arethe iconic Rob Milton classics because
I feel like that's a differentfive of my favorite kids.
Okay.
It's gonna be NB SlavedWithout a Question.
(31:50):
It's going to be my song.
Comfortable.
The solo version.
While I love, love, love thecousin version, the solo version
is, to me, one of my bestvocal performances recorded to date,
in my personal opinion.
So.
And comfortable.
And then I'm gonna say Roller Coaster.
I think that Roller Coaster is.
Is absolutely slept on.
And I think that it is a,like, timeless song, if I can say
(32:14):
so myself.
So that is.
And comfortable.
Rollercoaster.
And then I'm going to go.
The very first song that Irecorded with my friend Jackie Hammond,
I'm gonna say Lazy to thisday, that is one of the best things
that I've ever been a part of.
And her and I have recordedvery Many songs together, but that
one is just something that is undeniable.
(32:36):
Undeniable.
And then I'm actually gonnaSons of the James album, which is
an album between myself and aproducer, D.J.
harrison.
It was released on FreshSelect's label and the song with
Georgia Imadaro was onInsecure all of the things.
But the song that I'm gonna gowith is called can't believe you
(32:57):
love me.
That is one of the mostbeautiful things I've ever done in
my life.
But it's very interestingbecause at that point in my life
so you know I talked about howa lot of my writing is very personal
from the heart.
Very much what I'm dealingwith at the time.
Well, at that point in my lifeI was not dating anyone, was not
involved in that way at all.
I was just really like working.
(33:17):
So I really don't know who Iwas talking about.
Like I have no idea what I waswriting about.
But it is absolutely one ofthe most beautiful songs I've ever
written.
And if I could give a bonus Iwould do Asterisk I wonder by Avery
Sunshine which is a song thatI can co wrote during the pandemic
(33:38):
that fast forward is a part ofher now Grammy award winning album.
So glad to know you.
So yeah, a round of applausefor that.
Absolutely.
That's a nice.
That's a nice girl but a niceway to end it.
Yeah, shout out to that.
You know, I'm super excitedfor folks to be able to get into
(33:58):
your music.
I think your music is really good.
I think you're really talented.
I have my own personal favorite.
I like Over a lot.
Oh wow.
Yeah, yeah, I like Over a lot.
Fun fact.
Over was written had gottenapproached about being signed for
a publishing deal for Iredacted person's publishing company
(34:24):
and they sent me to somesessions to write with people who
were already working with thatcompany and that was a song that
I created in that space and Ia lot of times with those spaces,
nothing happens with thosesongs and then they just exist like
in someone's hard drive.
And so when I got to la I waslike knock knock, remember that song
(34:49):
we did in 2020?
Go on and send me that.
Because I felt like it neededlike it really was so beautiful and
so well written and I feltlike it deserved and I'm glad that
I was able to give it life andI outside of someone's computer.
It is a really beautiful song.
I like it.
I know it's short andeverything, but it's the way you're
(35:09):
singing on the song.
It's the goodbye of it all.
Yeah.
Yeah, I think.
I really like that.
I really like that one.
I like wish you well.
I like to fun.
Yeah.
And it's a really.
It has a nice groove to it.
So.
Yeah.
Like you said, you celebratedyour birthday.
You were in this new iterationof your journey.
What is this new chapterlooking like for you musically?
(35:30):
I know you've put out chains,but what should we expect from this
new chapter from Rob Milton?
So you know what's funny?
I put out chains, and beforechains, I put out honey.
And it was actually.
I was actually working on anep, so there are a couple more songs
from that space that I'm stillfiguring out.
(35:51):
Like, am I gonna make it an EPor just drop those separately and
go ahead?
Because I am really interestedin doing an album again.
I mean, it's been a while.
I put out All Boys Cry the same.
It was it the same year orlike a year or so in between with
the Sons of the James album.
And since then, I have beengiven a full.
(36:11):
Like, haven't really given thefull shebang.
So I would love to do that.
But right now it's just, youknow, going with the flow of life
and you know what I mean,trying to.
To really step out more withthe content of it all, you know,
we gotta do so social media.
My girl Twinkie said computersrule the world, but God is still
(36:32):
in control.
And I'm just trying to holdon, but I'm really just trying to
get out there more, have myface out there more, my energy out
there more, so that thesesongs can be heard by more people.
Should be and should have 20million streams, if you ask me.
And so whatever I have to doto get my song to get them that.
To get that, I'm gonna do that also.
(36:52):
You know, this year is theyear that we got the Grammy for Avery's
project.
And so I've also been turn alot of my energy more there.
And so I worked.
It should be announced by thetime this comes out, but I was a
part of the Grammy nextprogram and I was able to kind of
like hang out with a couple of.
With other songwriters andother creatives and talk about our
(37:13):
journeys and listen to themtalk about their journeys and offer
us advice and all types ofcool things.
So that is.
That's been really cool.
At the end of the day withthis, with Avery's project, I receive
a certificate that will saywinner, but my goal is to have a
trophy.
So I'VE really been turning myattention to continuing to understand
(37:34):
that system and how that worksand how I could conquer that.
You know what I mean?
So.
Yeah.
But as far as sound wise, Idon't know.
I'm still figuring it out.
Like, stuff is just.
You know what I mean?
Honey sounds nothing like chains.
I have another song in thechamber called Cake.
Cake sounds nothing likechains, and it sounds nothing like
honey.
And so who knows?
(37:54):
But just know it's gonna beblack as hell always.
Okay.
Okay.
I'm here for.
I'm here for it to be black as hell.
I was gonna.
I was gonna ask, what is Cake about?
Because I was like, cake.
Is it like a.
Is it like.
Is it about, like, actual cake?
It's just.
It's one of those momentswhere it's definitely for.
(38:16):
It's definitely for my.
For.
For us.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's a little hot and heavy alittle bit.
You know what I mean?
I have my homegirl, AriaLanell, I believe is how you pronounce
her name.
She's on it.
She actually just dropped thisfire record called Meow.
Yeah, but she's on Cake.
And.
(38:37):
And, yeah, you'll see.
You'll see.
It's definitely.
It might be a little surprising.
It might be a little like you.
It might.
You might choke on your watera little bit, but you're also gonna
love it.
Okay.
Okay.
I am.
I am excited about it.
I'm excited about it.
Okay, cool.
Thank you for sharing.
Before we.
(38:57):
We start to wind down, I dothis trivia section where I just,
you know, it's like rapid firequestions that people can get to
know about you.
Like, some, like, really,really fun things to know.
So I think the first one is,what are the current top three songs
on your playlist as of now?
Okay.
My top three songs right now.
Meow by Aria Linnell.
(39:17):
I hope I'm pronouncing hername right, because, you know, we
talk to people on theInternet, but we don't say it out
loud.
So then when you say it outloud, you're like, is that.
But.
Okay, yeah, but it's thisrecord called Meow.
And then I'm actually lovingthe SZA and Lizzo record IRL.
So that.
And also Lakeley 47.
(39:38):
Honestly, her whole project.
But I love Starstruck and Sandhills.
Sandhills is like.
Yeah.
You know, I'm the type ofperson that, like, when I like a
song, I literally can listento it on repeat for hours at a time.
And all of these songs, I havebeen doing that for the past couple
of weeks.
So.
Yeah.
But also number four, Chainsby Rob Milton featuring Kristen Lowe.
(40:01):
Okay.
Yeah.
Get into Chains.
Get Into Chains by Rob Milton.
Okay, cool.
So we have those ones.
What are three albums to getto know you.
Okay.
Knowing by B. Slade.
The Breakthrough by Mary J. Blige.
Okay.
And Full Moon by Brandy.
Okay.
(40:21):
Everybody loves Full Moon andI love Full Moon.
I think Full Moon is a great album.
I love Full Moon, but I'mlike, y' all don't never say Never
any love.
I like, I love.
I think it's a great album.
Full Moon is definitely in hertop three.
Like, Never Said ever is rightthere, y'.
All.
I need y' all to get into everything.
(40:42):
And hell.
211, B7.
But full moon for me, like,literally when I travel, I listen
to Full Moon because it's acomfort album for me.
Like, when I'm walking throughthe airport, I'm listening to Full
Moon.
You know what I mean?
Like, it's.
It's Full Moon for me is likeLiving Single.
Like, Living Single is myfavorite show of all time.
I watch it every single day.
(41:04):
That's what, like, Full Moonis like.
It's like my blanket.
You know what I mean?
Like, that's real.
Yeah, yeah, I'll take that.
I'll take that.
You know, I'll take that.
Totally.
Who are the top three artistsyou want to collaborate with?
Aspirational that you be like,before I leave this earth, I want
to work with these threeartists today.
So first of all, I would havesaid B. Slade and thank God.
(41:26):
I would have said Georgia Ammo Joe.
And thank God.
I will say Beyonce.
I will say Brandy.
And he's not an artist, but Iwant to work with Questlove in some
capacity.
Absolutely.
I can see that.
I can see that.
I think that.
I think that y' all will makereally great music together.
(41:48):
Actually, I would love to havehim involved in the Rob Milton universe.
That would be.
That would be really cool.
Okay, cool.
I'm excited about that.
Are there any non musichobbies that you think that you have
currently that is taking yourtime apart from, you know, being
(42:08):
a full on musical creative?
You know, that's funny becausecoming to LA kind of makes you really
get into like all of all ofthe pieces of who you are.
And so, you know, I've alwayshad an interest in acting, in comedy
and all the things.
You know, in college, I playedthe lead character in Fences.
(42:29):
People may not have knownthat, but like, like, so it's crazy
because for the last month,I've been going to improv class,
and it has been the mostamazing thing.
I go with this troupe calledBernie Mac and Cheese, and it's been
so much fun.
It's really been a.
(42:49):
It's been, like.
I hate to make everything,like, dramatic, but it's really been
not dramatic, but.
What's the word I'm trying to say?
Deep.
I hate to make, like,everything, like, super deep, but
it's been.
It's been transformational forme because while I'm very unserious,
like, you know, I'm silly, andI play, like, you know, everybody
that follows me on Twitter andall those places, they know, but
(43:09):
I'm also very serious.
And, like, I'm not normallythe person that's gonna be the first
person to, like, jump in themiddle of the floor, like, do an
eight count.
You know what I mean?
Like, I'm kind of in real life.
I'm a bit reserved, and Ioften, like, play my part of the
room, and you know what I mean?
But with this class, it's beenpushing me to be more willing to
(43:32):
step out and to be morewilling to say something without
having thought about it for anhour, you know what I mean?
It's been pushing me tobelieve in my first thought and really
be willing to just, like, stepout and not let anxiety or whatever
(43:52):
it is hold me back from justthe smallest things.
And so it's really been.
It's been fun.
You know, I'm silly.
Everybody knows I'm silly.
So, like, that it's been funalso being able to, you know, often,
like, have tweets that goviral and, like, People magazine
and, like, all this stuff,like, writing about my funny tweets.
But it's different to stand ina room full of people and to say
(44:16):
something funny that you just,like, made up off the top of your
head in that moment and toreceive the energy in that way, honestly,
10 out of 10, far better thanthe Internet interaction.
Honestly.
It really is.
It really is.
And so that's been fun.
And so that's the thing Iwould say I've been.
I've been doing improv.
That is pretty cool.
So we're gonna see you gueststarring on a show or even maybe
(44:39):
being a main star.
You're gonna be in your actingbar really soon.
So with Avery.
With Avery Sunshine's album.
So glad to know you.
Last year, we turned everysong into an episode of a show, and
so we had a pretty much, like,a Limited series called so Glad to
know you named after the album.
And initially I came in assort of like a creative director,
(45:02):
creative manager, but sheended up asking me to be in the show.
And so that was kind of thereigniting of that flame that I had,
because, you know, when itcomes to music, it's like, it's something
that you have to very muchtunnel vision on.
And, like, I feel like Ineeded to solidify myself in this
space before branching out toother things, but now I'm getting
(45:23):
back there, and that was kindof like the kickoff of it, because
with that, I got to really,like, play with Avery on camera.
And she is honestly, her andher husband as well as her children,
like, they're like family to me.
So being able to do it therewas really cool because we know each
other really well, and, like,we already have, like, you know,
(45:46):
inside jokes and stuff like that.
So, like, to be able to turnthat on camera, that chemistry is
something that I don't know ifyou can create on the set.
And so that kind of being myfirst thing back into that space
made it easy.
And now just, you know, I'mopen to whatever.
Yeah, I'm down for whatever.
Well, it's Hollywood, so maybenot whatever, but I'm down.
(46:09):
From your lips to God's ear.
To relieve the God's ears, definitely.
Final question in this sectionis, what is your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure?
I mean, I live in la, so,like, I smoke a lot of weed.
Does that help?
Okay.
I mean, you know, I would sayalso, like, my guilty pleasure is,
(46:30):
like, watching stuff that Iknow is terrible, but everybody's
talking about it.
And so I want to watch it.
Like, hit watching a showthat, you know, is bad.
But, yeah, like, I'm justgonna watch this.
This, and I give my commentaryas I do director.
We won't say his name, but youknow what I mean?
But, you know, you know, I hear.
(46:53):
You loud and clear.
There's a. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So, yeah, I would say that aswell, too.
My friends hate it.
They're like, rob, youliterally don't have to have FOMO
over stuff that, you know, isnot bad.
But I, as a.
As a media, like, person, Iknow what it is like.
But also that's, to me, is howyou stay relevant.
(47:14):
Like, that's how I'm able toeven continue to making jokes on
Twitter that go viral becauseI. I'm.
I'm keeping up to date now.
Some stuff at this point inthe world has gone too far where
it's Like, I can't anymore.
You know what I mean?
But some stuff.
I can still dabble a littlebit and get a laugh here or there.
We deserve a laugh.
We deserve a laugh.
I love.
I love where you guys are on Twitter.
(47:34):
We've seen your.
I can see your sweet soundlike Rob.
Oh, my God.
But it's.
It's good.
It's great.
I love it.
I'm here for it all the way.
My favorite notification iswhen I get a notification from Twitter,
when it's someone telling meto put my phone down.
Yes.
Yeah.
I want you to know that everytime they're gonna.
They're gonna pull up on youreal soon, bro.
(47:56):
They're gonna pull up.
Every time y' all tell me toput my phone down, I'll be in here.
So weak.
Like, it is my favorite.
But, like, truthfully.
Truthfully, even all of thatfor me is intentional because I genuinely
believe that a part of mypurpose here is to bring joy.
Like, I really think that weget caught up in all of the things
(48:18):
happening in life, and wedon't remember to not only seek joy,
but to, like, hold onto it.
And so it's just reallyimportant to me to be that.
It's really important to me tobe that.
I love that.
I love that.
Thank you for sharing that.
That.
Yeah, I think this lastquestion, sometimes people are always
like, oh, why are you asking this?
(48:38):
But I feel like, you know,regardless of where you are in your
journey, I feel like.
Or who you are, I feel like weall have the power to make an impact
in people's lives.
And I'm curious to know, whatdo you want your legacy to be as
someone who is trying to makea name for themselves as an artist
in this time where it's harderto even be an artist.
(48:58):
Now, what would you want yourlegacy to be?
If you don't mind sharing?
I want a few things to be remembered.
He was black.
He had joy.
He was talented.
He spread joy.
And I can do it.
I can believe that I can do itbecause he believed that he could
do it, and he did it.
Yeah, that's real.
Yeah, that's real.
(49:19):
And I feel like you arealready an inspiration.
People already know they can'tdo it because of you.
We see how hard you grind.
We see how hard you work.
Folks are fully on social media.
Like, I do know that you arevery hard working, and I can.
And it's not easy to put outmusic every year.
It's an investment.
(49:40):
You know, it's like, you'reand you're.
You're doing it yourselves.
You're pushing and you'repulling through, but you're doing
it, and you make it.
You make it look effortless.
And I know it takes a lot ofwork to do it, but you do it so effortlessly,
and the music is actually also quality.
It's not like you're making,you know, crappy stuff.
So just want to let you knowthat you're doing amazing.
(50:03):
Thank you.
We are inspired.
You're sharing joy, and, yeah,we love you and we support you, and
we're rooting for you all the way.
And like I was saying, also,so are you.
Like, I want you to know thatyou creating this space, not only
for you to tell your story,but for other people to tell their
story is important.
And your theater content, it'sso cool.
(50:24):
And, like, I hope that youkeep doing it and really continue
to help change the face ofwhat people believe.
A theater fan looks like we bein there, too.
Yeah, we are there.
We are there.
And I remember, oh, my God,this is another segue.
Hold on.
Because, you know, we love a segue.
But I saw the Bob the Drag Queen.
(50:47):
I was like, another reason why.
I was like, we need to beflawed, but to be fair.
To be fair.
I started to realize that,like, we don't talk about those black
plays as theater.
When we talk about theater, wetalk about it has to be done in a
certain way.
It's an aesthetic.
But I.
On Broadway or off Broadwaywith, you know, some kind of playwriting,
(51:09):
like, growing up, I used towatch those black plays on.
On DVD to Tyler Perry plays.
Watched a bunch of them.
Them with the music and all ofthat, like, and they used to grip.
They used to have me, youknow, stuck on the screen.
So I'm like, that is also theater.
In some ways.
That's the first way thatthere are many black people are introduced
(51:32):
to theater.
And so, like, if I startedthere and then I later get to go
see Gypsy or whatever, youknow what I mean?
Like, it still was anintroduction, and I hate to always
turn to this, but, like, ifyou really look at the heart of it,
the thing that makes usseparate them is racism.
Hello.
So at the end of the day, itis what it is.
(51:55):
Do I think that there aredifferences in the storytelling and
maybe even differences in the quality?
Yeah, because there aredifferences in the resources, but
it's absolutely musicaltheater, for sure.
Yes.
Yes.
Cause they're.
And they're sinking down.
You're singing down.
You're singing in those Playscould sing circles around the girls.
(52:18):
So, like, you know what I mean?
So, yeah, maybe they haven'thad the training, you know what I
mean?
They might not hold their toesa certain way, but baby, when they
pick that mic up, you knowwhat I mean?
And they have people leavingthose theaters, those often, what
was called chitlin circuittheaters, people leave those theaters
changed, you understand?
(52:39):
Like, they leave thosetheaters, their life is changed.
And so, again, one thing aboutme, if it's black, I'm screaming
for it.
Oh.
And if it's black and queer,I'm shouting for it.
Like, you know what I mean?
Because often, like, it also just.
It's always the underdog.
Like, I'm always rooting forthe one who is not supposed to.
(53:01):
Because what does that even mean?
Like, we're here.
We're all supposed to.
So, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm herefor it.
I. I want to see.
Because I. I never.
I never.
I'm not going to experiencethose plays in person because I only
watched them.
I only saw the.
At church, you know, they willsell the.
The bootleg copies.
(53:23):
My church back in Nigeria.
Yeah.
That's all I was able to watch.
So those are the plays that I saw.
And actually, I really enjoy them.
I really liked them.
And so you talking about itnow brought it up to my head that
I'm not, you know, what Idon't see, and I don't live in the
South.
Maybe that's why I never getto know when those plays are airing.
(53:43):
But it's like now, when youtalk about theater, there is a certain.
Oh, it has to be.
Look a certain way or sound acertain way or, you know, but like,
and we have those.
That is also theater, and thatis even a way more accessible theater.
And the theater that y' allare putting out, you know, in New
York and in all these places,which I do love also, but I feel
like there's room for everything.
(54:04):
And you brought that up inthat interview.
So shout out to you for that.
Yeah.
Even when I'm being silly,there's a method to my madness.
You know what I mean?
There is a madness.
But, yeah.
Thank you, Rob.
Very, very appreciate you forbeing here, for spending time with
us and talking with us and forthe folks at home.
(54:24):
Thank you so much for watchingon YouTube or listening, whether
it's on Spotify, Apple, orwherever you stream your podcast.
Very appreciated.
Don't forget to check out RobBulton's new song.
It's called Chains and it's everywhere.
You can stream your music.
Thank you again.
Hi, my name is Harry andwelcome to Odejuma.
Odejuma recognizes the magicof storytelling.
From personal experiences tostories of adventure, from tales
of resilience to finding joyin the simple things, this story
seeks to inspire, entertain,and educate.
Because there is power in thestories of everyday people.
(00:21):
And these stories are worth telling.
Hi, folks, welcome to anotherepisode of Odejuma.
I'm super excited about thisone because I have someone who is
(00:41):
super talented, very creative,rather multi hyphenated artist, and
also a friend of mine, I haveRob Milton.
Hi, Rob, how you doing?
I'm good.
How are you, Harry?
I'm doing really awesome.
Really excited to have you todive into our conversation, to talk
through your work and yourjourney and your creativity and your
(01:05):
career and everything in between.
So we're just going to goahead and start right now.
Yeah.
How did the journey start for you?
When did you realize thatmusic was your passion and something
you wanted to explore?
You know what's funny?
I have literally always been acreative person.
I just did not realize thatthere was value to it because the
(01:26):
way that my brain worked, Ibelieve that, that everyone was expressing
themselves the same way that I was.
So I didn't, it, it didn't, itdidn't really hit me until I got
to college and I startedgetting asked to like, you know,
lead solos in the choir, like,stuff like that.
And I'm like, me, like I.
You know what I mean?
(01:46):
Like my sister, I grew up witha sister who was like, really, really
into sports and she playedbasketball and she was a cheerleader
and she ran track.
And so like, I'm just at home,you know, reading liner notes and
like learning like the wordsto songs that just came out on the
radio for the first time.
I was that kid, like myfriend, like my, my family members
(02:08):
would be like, how do you knowthat song?
It literally has only been onthe radio once.
But it's.
I just thought that that's howwe all were.
And then, like I said, I wentto college and other people started
seeing it in me before I saw it.
And I'm like, okay, wait,there's something happening.
And I just went with it.
And so my last, last semesterin college, a friend of mine, Jackie
(02:30):
Hammond, invited me to thestudio to record a song.
She was working on her firstsolo project and she asked me to
come record the song with her.
And again I was like, me.
And she was like, yeah.
And so we went and we wrotethe song, which I believe she wrote
the song and I helped a Little bit.
(02:51):
But we kind of, like, wentthrough the vocal arrangements and
practiced them a bunch oftimes before we recorded.
When we went to record, shewas like, hey, have you ever done
this before?
And I had a little bit, butnot, like, at this level of, like,
fully getting an idea out inthis way.
And so I was like, not really.
And she was like, I just wantyou to know that once we do this,
(03:12):
you're never going to stop.
Like, you're going to be addicted.
And I was like, okay.
And I literally have notstopped recording since that day.
Like, I have not stoppedrecording and releasing stuff since
that day.
You know, rewind surprised in that.
I grew up in, like, my church choir.
I always say I was.
(03:33):
I think you had to be six tobe in the choir.
And I was in the.
I was in at 5 and, like, onthe, like, board, like, the president
of the choir or somethingcrazy, like, at 5.
So I've always, like,literally always been this person,
but I just didn't realize that.
That it was a unique thing.
Like, I literally justthought, everybody's like this.
And it's funny because, youknow, I didn't spend a lot of time
(03:54):
with my father as a youngperson, but I rekindled a relationship
with my brother on my father'sside as I got older.
And the first time we hungout, he was like, hey, what do you
like to do?
I'm like, I like to sing and,like, write music.
And he was like, yeah, we all do.
But, like, what do you like to do?
Like, who is.
We all come to find out?
Like, my father's whole familysings in quartets and all of this
(04:16):
stuff.
So, like, in my.
Somehow, I want to say in myspirit, I knew that because, like,
I was the only person on mymother's side of the family that
was this way.
But I just thought it was natural.
Like, I really just thought,like, everybody, like, even before
I knew I was writing songs, Iwas writing poetry.
You know what I mean?
Like, I've just always been aperson who expressed themselves through
(04:37):
creativity.
And so it took some time, butonce I.
Once I realized that.
What it really was and, like,who I really am, that was it.
I dropped my first project in2012, and I have not stopped releasing
music since then.
At least once to twice a year,every year since 2012.
(04:57):
That is amazing.
And, yeah, it seems like musicis in your genes, you know, from
what you described.
So that's pretty cool.
You talked about releasingmusic every year since you.
Since you had that firstexperience with your friend when
you worked on her project.
And since then, in 2012.
Since 2012 till now, rethere's been an EP from Rob Milton
(05:21):
or a project or music or something.
What was the inspirationbehind that?
Because I feel like a lot offolks, and even for like back in
the day, when coming up in.
Well, I wasn't coming up inthe music industry, but, like, you
know, listen to music, youknow, I think an artist will put
out.
I think Brandi Brandy, for example.
Brandi put out self titled in94, I think.
(05:41):
And then her next album, Neversaid never came out in 98 or 99.
Then full like, basically allthese breaks between, like, albums
and stuff.
What was your intention for,you know, being like, I want to keep
on putting out music, whetherit's his collaborative work or personal
solo project?
Well, first of all, that istrue that when we were coming up,
(06:01):
there was a time there was a gap.
People would work an album.
They could work an album forthree years back then.
But if you go back, there alsowas, when you look at the 60s and
the 70s, there was a timewhere people were putting albums
out.
Like Aretha, before her big.
Before she really had a bigbreak, she had like 30 albums, like,
(06:23):
legit.
You know what I mean?
But honestly, you know, Jackieput out Lazy Love.
I think that came out.
No, actually, I think I endedup putting out my EP first because
I had, like, I was so excited,you know what I mean?
Like, and I was graduating, Igraduated college, and it was just
kind of like, I remember, Ithink after.
Right after graduation, Iposted like, oh, I have a secret
(06:46):
or a surprise or something toshare or whatever.
You know, very dramatic.
But I put out my first project.
It was an EP called Love Todayon Bandcamp.
And it's like, pretty muchwithin a week.
Within.
I posted it pretty much within a.
Within a week after I postedit, it was.
It was on a blog in Japan.
(07:09):
And then shortly after that,it was music.
Soul Child posted the COVID ofit on his Instagram.
And again, it was moment.
It was a moment where I wasrealizing, like, oh, because I wasn't.
Like, I didn't have at thispoint, how Rob Nilsen today has connections
and like, all of these things.
(07:30):
But at that point, I was justa kid who just got out of college
who was like, I want to putout some music.
Let's see what this gives.
And when it was.
When that was the response, Iwas like, oh, no, you actually can
do this.
Like, straight out the gate.
Someone in Japan, like, notonly is listening but, like, feels
the need to share.
Like, that's crazy to me.
And so I just kept going.
And the reason why I releasedso much was because, for one, the
(07:55):
more I released, the more Iwas figuring out how everything works.
And that's the thing aboutgrowing up with the Internet is like,
wow, technology is progressing.
You.
It was kind of.
It was kind of easy for me togrow with the times to a certain
extent, you know what I mean?
With social media and with,like, even being able to upload music
(08:16):
where we used to use Bandcampand then SoundCloud and then, like,
you know, I mean, all of these things.
Like, I grew with that.
So I was just processing.
And, like, you know, likeTisha Campbell says, it's the journey.
Granted, there have been verymany no's.
Very, very many no's along theway, but every yes was like a connecting
dot to make me want to keepgetting to the next one.
(08:39):
And so something would happen,and I would be like, okay, I got
to do X, Y, and Z to try toget this, and then it will happen.
And then insecure.
And, like, all these thingsthat I have been, like, believing
that I. I believe that Ibelonged in the world to do these
things, but truthfully, theway that I show up in the world,
(09:00):
I'm not supposed to be able todo that.
Like, I'm not supposed to beable to be successful.
You know what I mean, becauseof my size, because of my race, because
of my sexuality, because.
You know what I mean?
Like, there are very manybullet points that say, you're not
supposed to be here.
But, like, none of that was mattering.
Like, things were continuingto happen, and so I just believe
(09:21):
that I could keep going.
And so kept going because Ikept believing that I could keep
going.
And then it just came to apoint where I just.
It just was who I am.
Like, even if.
Even if I never releaseanother thing, I'm gonna be at home
with, like, I'm gonna be athome with a vault full of, like,
songs and albums and moviesand whatever, because it is just
(09:44):
literally who I am as a person.
Yeah.
And, you know, you said, TishaCampbell, it's the journey.
It really is the journey.
And this journey has been goodto you.
You had placements, like yousaid, on Insecure.
Yeah.
You've had the Insecure moment happen.
You have your co writer onFriends by Monica.
(10:04):
You've had all theseoccurrences and all these performances.
What has this journey taught you?
Looking back at this past,over this past decade of you been
in this Industry.
What has this journey thoughtyou so far?
Honestly, this journey hastaught me.
Like, I think I went from notunderstanding that there was value
in the way that I expressedmyself to then knowing what the value
(10:28):
really was and wantingeverybody else to see it and like,
you know what I mean?
Wanting everybody else tovalidate, like, oh, and it wasn't
happening.
And so I feel like I startedlike just trying so hard to get people
to see it.
And I think what it has taughtme is that regardless of, at the
end of the day, regardless ofwho sees it, regardless of if I.
(10:49):
My album is number one in the.
In the country or number onein my apartment, it's who I am.
You know what I mean?
Like, it's who.
Who I am.
Like what.
I think we've kind of losttrack of the fact that especially
when it comes to music andfilm and you know, like, these are
the, this is the way thatpeople express themselves.
(11:09):
Like, this is their, likepeople are telling their story.
So to tell someone like theway you're telling your story, I
don't like the way you'retelling your story.
Like, how could you?
You know what I mean?
So I think my biggest lessonhas really just been understanding
that at the heart of it, it'swho I am.
And so like people finallyseeing it and understanding the value
(11:30):
is great, but I'm not chasingthat anymore, even if you know what
I mean.
Because it's also an up anddown thing.
And one day people see you foryou, the next day they don't.
And so you really do have toget to that space where you understand,
you understand who you are for yourself.
And that's all that matters.
Because that's also where,when, how I've been able to do my
(11:50):
best work is just beingmyself, just 100% being me.
So that's real.
That's real.
Thank you for sharing that piece.
How would you describe yoursound to someone who is trying to
figure out who Rob Milton is?
I know it's very, like,there's the.
It's very R and B, it's very soulful.
But what would you, how wouldyou describe your sound from an artistic
(12:11):
perspective?
You know, a lot of people shyaway from saying R and B and I'm
never going to do that, nevergoing to shy away from saying R and
B.
Because for me it's black music.
Black music over everything.
Like, that's always going tobe that for me.
I grew up in church, so gospelis absolutely going to be the core
of what I do.
But Gospel and R and B are okay.
(12:32):
They were sisters, like, likethey belong together, you know what
I mean?
And so at the core of what Ido is gospel.
It is R and B, but it's black music.
And black music is also pop music.
The other day I made a rock song.
Like it really is just whatever.
However I'm choosing toexpress myself that day.
But absolutely at the core ofit is R and B.
(12:53):
And I think that's importantto say because we're at the space
where people enjoy having theconversation about what R and B is
missing versus actuallysupporting R and B.
And so one thing that I'malways going to do is be.
A lot of times, like when theconversation happens on Twitter,
I jokingly say, like, I haveto now be like a Power Ranger for
(13:14):
R and B, because I'm alwayslike, for fighting in those conversations.
Because the thing that wedon't talk about is the reason why
R and B has like some sort ofbeen shrunken is because of the chase
of money and the chase of.
It's like you can.
It's like we're.
We're trying to do what other.
(13:35):
I'll say all the other cultures.
We're trying to do what othercultures are doing in order to make
money, and they're doing whatwe do and making money off of it.
I don't.
That's not.
It's not for me.
So I'm always.
It's always going to be R and B.
When you, when you think RobMilton, think R and B for the rest
of my life.
Amen.
Amen.
And I was going to, becauseeven ask.
(13:56):
Because you talk about how,you know, the car is very, very R
and B.
It's very gospel.
But I also know you've doneother genres too.
You've played with othergenres too, and your work is very
evident that it's not justlike a lot of influences in there.
There's R and B, there's soulas funk, you know, there's gospel,
there's some electronic,there's new soul.
All of this is very muchinfused in the work that you do and
(14:17):
that you put out.
I'm just curious about what isyour creative process like, from
idea to execution?
How does that work for you?
How are you?
Where.
Where are you getting yourinspirations from?
All the tea.
So first of all, at this pointin my life, I work a lot in collaboration
with Dana Johnson, who isAvery's the husband and co producer
(14:39):
and co writer to every Sunshine.
And so he co produces a lot ofpretty much most of my stuff, my
solo stuff, as well as thegroup that I was in.
Cousin.
And so it varies.
First of all, my writing, forthe most part, is, like, straight.
Just diary.
Like, it's straight.
Not to sound like Jay Z, but,like, I don't write down anything.
(15:02):
I will hear the music and justbegin to catch something, and I'll
record it.
Whether I record it in a voicememo or whatever the case, or whether
I just play in the mic andjust automatically start recording,
but it's honestly pretty much,like, straight from the heart to
the microphone.
And granted, like, sometimes Iwrite, like, you know, some.
If it's like a prompt, youknow what I mean?
(15:23):
Like, I can write a. I canwrite based off you saying, like,
I need a song that's like X, Yand Z or whatever.
Sure.
But for the most part, soloRob Milton stuff is, this is how
I felt today, or, like, thisis a thing that I wasn't able to
communicate verbally.
And so I'm communicating in a song.
(15:44):
And that has gotten a bittricky over the years, you know what
I mean?
Because eventually peoplestart asking, like, are you talking
about me?
That gets awkward.
But, you know, it's real.
I write straight.
My.
I write my life.
I write my life.
That is.
That is really good to know.
And speaking of your writing,the new single is Chains.
(16:06):
Yes.
This is with Kristen Lowe.
Did I get that right?
Kristen Lowe, Sisters.
Yeah, she's super incredible.
She sung background for AriLennox, Anita Wilson, and, like,
quite a few really incredible people.
But she, in her own right, is incredible.
And this actually.
So Dana Johnson has a thing hedoes on Instagram called, I think,
(16:31):
Jam of the.
Something like Jam of the Day or.
Or Vibe of the Day orsomething, where he just, like, goes,
cuts his camera, starts, like, producing.
Producing a track.
And so those are just tracksthat he has, like, laying around
on his computer.
And so I was scrolling throughInstagram and I saw him.
I saw it was like an older oneof these.
And so I text him, like,where's this?
(16:53):
He went in and sent me thetrack, and I wrote the first verse
and the hook, and I hitKristen, like, yo, I've been watching
Ray Charles videos, and I'm,like, really, really obsessed with
Ray Charles and his backgroundsingers, the Raylettes.
And I want you on this record,but I want it to feel like that.
Like, I wanted to feel likeRay Charles and his background singers,
(17:14):
and then one steps up to themic to do a solo.
And that's really exactly,absolutely, positively what it Sounds
like.
Like, we really hit myinspiration 100% on the head.
And so it feels like Ray Charles.
It feels like Aretha.
It feels like all of thosepeople who taught me what music really
(17:36):
is.
And that is so, like, it feelsreally good to me to have something
like this in my catalog.
That is pretty.
That is pretty cool.
And how would you describe thereception to the track?
How folks responding to chains?
Have you got any, like, coolfeedback from folks who are, like,
(17:57):
your peers or in the industry?
What has that been like for you?
So, you know, I released it onmy birthday, and so I haven't really
been able to, like, really getinto what people are saying about
the song because it was mybirthday, so it was, you know, mass
hysteria.
It's Rob Milton day.
You know what I mean?
But honestly and truly, again,like, I hate to say it like this,
but it is my truth that thesong is the song, like, regardless
(18:21):
of what.
Regardless of feedback.
You know what I mean?
Like, I absolutely wanteveryone to hear it and to love it
and to love it as much as I do.
But it's kind of like your kid.
Like, you can't tell me aboutmy kid.
You know what I mean?
You can't.
I already know.
I already know how good my kid is.
Like, if you come tell me,like, oh, your kid was so good today.
Like, it's like a.
(18:41):
It's like, oh, thank you.
But, like, I know.
I know, because my kid is good.
And that's how I feel about my songs.
I hope everybody feels likethat about their.
About what.
How they express themselves, but.
Yeah, yeah, that.
But I felt like you have tohave got into a place of knowing
to be able to have that confidence.
And, like, you know, it is my song.
(19:03):
You know, I really don't carewhat you think about it.
Like, it's a good song.
You know, it's artistic.
How did you get to that space?
I'm curious about that becauseI feel like there are folks who are
going to be listening who arelike, you know, I really want.
Certainly when you're, like,you know, emerging in this industry
where, you know, you reallywant to be liked and desired, how
do you navigate that?
(19:24):
Well, the truth is, the musicindustry is a place where you really
have to walk in the roomknowing what you bring into the room.
Because when you walk in theroom and you're unaware of what you
bring, it's so easy for you toget taken advantage of.
And so, truthfully, I waswalking into rooms and realizing,
like, no, no, no, no.
(19:44):
So I Know who I am.
I know what I'm bringing here.
I know what you'll get out ofme being here.
Honestly, what brought me hereis the journey.
Like, if that's the only.
That's the only way I can put it.
What brought me to this spaceof confidence in my music, in myself,
and in my dreams.
It's just the journey.
It's the journey.
(20:05):
And I know that might not be,like, it's not.
I can't give you a tutorialof, like, how other people can do
it, but I can tell you.
And this is going to sound soold, but, like, keep living.
I swear to God, you'll get it.
Like, you'll get it.
You'll get it.
Yeah.
You know, they say.
They say experience is thebest teacher.
Right?
And I feel like that is whatyou're saying.
It's like, I've been in.
(20:25):
I've been in the space for a while.
I've had all these experiences.
I've seen people come and go.
I'm still here.
And so heck with time.
You also will learn and yousee how to, you know, stand on business
when it comes to, like, yourwork and your art.
Earlier on, you talked abouthow there's, like, a checklist of
four of things you have tonavigate, you know, being in this
(20:45):
industry, talk about yoursexuality and all these other things.
How does that come into playin your work?
Because I feel like a lot oftimes when we're creating work, the
personal always influences theartistic process.
So how.
How.
How does that work for you andhow you.
How do you navigate that whenit comes to your art making?
You know, I grew up in thechurch, and so sexuality in general,
(21:08):
sex in general, is just aconversation that's, like, taboo
and that you don't have at all.
You know what I mean?
And so growing out of that, Iinitially was at a space where I
felt like I want my art and mysexuality to be completely separate.
I think this part of my lifedeserves to be private, and I don't
(21:32):
want it to.
I felt like I don't want it to overshadow.
I don't want it.
I didn't want it.
I didn't want to be a gay artist.
You know what I mean?
And if I.
Again, I think it was theconfidence and the understanding
and the finding strength inmyself and strength in who I am and
(21:56):
not being ashamed of it helpedme just, like, naturally, the things
just naturally merged.
Like, I can't think of amoment where I was intentional.
Like, I'mma be gay.
As hell with my music today.
But eventually it just, like,happened because it's just who I
am.
You know what I mean?
It's just who I am as a person.
(22:17):
And what I've 100% done mybest at doing is with whatever I'm
creating being 100% me.
And so after a while, it was just.
Just kind of like to try tocontinue to keep this over here is
almost beginning to feel like hiding.
And I never really also wasinterested in hiding either.
(22:39):
I just also am a very private person.
And so it really was the.
The.
The battle of finding abalance, of maintaining my privacy,
but also just being who I am.
And I think I've done a goodjob at it.
I mean, if I have it, I willget better, but I think I've done
a good job at it.
Do still.
I enjoy the idea of.
(23:00):
Of my music being universal,like, anyone, anywhere, being able
to pick up one of my songs andsend the.
Sing the words and not feel isolated.
But I do have moments where Ifeel like this is for the little
boy that needs that representation.
You know what I mean?
So I do have moments where Ijust, like, completely give it.
(23:23):
Like, I do have some songswhere it's like, no, this is specifically
for a young, black, queer,possibly fat boy who needs to hear
Rob Milton so that he knows,oh, shit, I can do that too.
Can you?
Do we blink me out if you needme to.
I cussed, but I just.
You get cursed.
You can curse.
Feel free.
Feel free.
Sometimes when I'm writing, Irealize, like, no, this is important
(23:46):
for him to know.
You know what I mean?
And so I really am stillworking on keeping a balance of.
I want everyone to be able tofeel it, but I also want some stuff
is really, really for him.
You know what I mean?
And so, yeah, yeah.
And by writing and creatingmusic that can connect to that boy,
(24:08):
you're also helping a bunch ofother kids who are navigating that.
Also curious, what song, like,what do you think is for young Rob,
who's figuring out life andsexuality and existing in a fat body?
What song would you think, youknow, folks who are having that experience
as young Rob can go listen toin this moment.
(24:29):
I have a song on my albumcalled All Boys Cry, which is called
Waiting.
First of all, I wasintentional about the name of All
Boys Cry because for a fewreasons with that album, because,
for one, I'm a cancer.
And the first song I wrote forthat album was called Cry.
And this, like, the story thatpeople tell is that, like, Cancers
(24:50):
cry all the time, and they're so.
They're, like, overlyemotional or whatever the case may
be.
And so part of it for me was,like, not just Cancers, but, like,
we all cry.
Like.
Cause we're kind of all human,and everybody cries.
So that's, like, kind of thesilliest thing.
But then it was.
I was also intentional aboutthe boy of it all, because I had
an experience as a kid where Iwas at my grandmother's funeral.
(25:15):
I come from a family of mostly women.
Like, I.
Like my grandfather and then me.
You know what I mean?
Um, and.
But anyway, my grandmother hadpassed away, and I was at the casket,
and this is so dramatic to.
This is so dramatic, but mygrandmother passed away, and I was
at the casket, and someonethat I love dearly told me to stop
crying because I'm the onlyboy in the family.
(25:36):
And they meant well.
But again, it was just kind ofa recurring thing for me to acknowledge
the fact that boys, men,whatever, where, like, we're.
Everyone is human and everyonehas emotions.
Everyone cries.
And I think people are scared.
Like, people were scared to.
Even when I.
When I was naming the albumAll Boys Cry, I remember one person
(25:58):
I was working with, I toldthem that it was.
That was the name of thealbum, and they were like, that's
actually really cool.
But I don't want to be on that one.
I want to be on it.
And so, like, people got.
I feel like people were alittle bit scared, and I don't think
I had ever been brave in thatway with my art.
(26:20):
As little as.
To me, small as that is, itwas almost a way of being rebellious.
But anyway, waiting is really,again, kind of a moment where I was
saying, you already know whoyou are and what you bring to the
table, so what are you waiting for?
For, like, why are you waitingfor everyone else to acknowledge
(26:43):
it or validate it or whatever?
Why would you be waiting for that?
Like, you were.
You and I, me and you lookingin the mirror here.
We're eye to eye, and we're100% aware of what it is.
So stop waiting and just go beand go do.
And I would absolutely saythat's for him for sure.
Speaking of always cry, Irealized that you had the iconic
(27:04):
B. Slade on the project beslayed for folks who know all the
way back has been making musicfor the longest time.
I was great at it.
So how did that come about?
How did that connection happen?
Talk about that for a bit.
So I grew up a huge, huge fanof B Slade, formerly Tone, when as
(27:27):
a kid, it was Tone.
But him as well as Georgia andMel Joe were two artists that I really.
When I started making music, Imean, I had already been a fan of
his, but when I started makingmusic, I began.
They gave me the freedom tojust release as often as I did.
(27:48):
Let me say that because therewere two artists that I loved, and
they were, like, constantlyreleasing full bodies to work at
this era of my life.
And it was like back to back,like banger albums, like, top to
bottom.
I'm like, my God, this is whatI want to do also.
I want to know these people.
I want to work with these people.
But, like, you know, growingup in the church, we all knew that
(28:10):
God is not forgotten and allof that.
But that truthfully, the erafrom the era in which he transitioned
brands, I should say I beganto have a level of respect for him
in a way, because having seenall that he went through and still
releasing music at this leveland at this quality made me believe,
(28:30):
like, you can do it, like you can.
Because the other part ofbeing an artist that is often not
talked about, especially inthis era, is that life be life, and
to us, the way that it happensto y', all.
But it's even worse because weare investing all of our time and
money and energy into.
Into being a creative right.
And that costs so much morethan people really understand.
(28:53):
But I say all that to say Ijust have always been a fan of not
only his voice, but hissongwriting, his production, just
the way he pieces things together.
In some ways, I believe thatwe are kindred spirits.
And through time, on theInternet, of me supporting and just
listening.
I mean, you know me, like, youknow, I'm really big on, like, posting
the music that I'm listeningto and letting the artist know that
(29:16):
somebody's listening.
And so he kind of has justalways respected that about me.
And we've always, through theInternet, talked here and there.
And during the pandemic, Ijust got bold, and I was like, I
really want to do a song with you.
And he was like, let's do it.
And I was really shocked.
And so we did it, and I sent him.
There was a song initiallythat I asked him to get on, but it
(29:38):
didn't work out.
And then I sent him in withagain with my verse and with the
hook.
He loved it so much.
Which the part about that,that is crazy is the sound is very,
like, 80s inspired sound.
But he has an album calledDeLorean, which is 80s inspired.
And while I'm absolutelyinspired by the original sounds that
(30:01):
happened in the 80s.
That song specifically,honestly, was inspired by that album.
And so I think that that iswhat even more so helped was that
whether he knew it or not, Iwas writing as if I was.
As if it was a part of his old outing.
You know what I mean?
And so he got it and was like,it's like, you understand me?
(30:23):
Like, it was just.
It was just very much likesensei meets student and like, wow.
But also, as a young churchkid, to know that I was having this
moment with him and that wesaw each other, as Dee would say,
really is something that evento this day, I don't think that I
have gotten over because thesong is so beautiful and the way
(30:46):
our voices blend together isso beautiful.
And it's just.
It's honestly one of myfavorite songs in my catalog, for
sure.
And I often think if I was to meet.
If I was to meet Beyonce and Ihad one song to play for her of mine,
it would be that one.
It would.
That is.
That is pretty.
That is pretty cool.
(31:07):
You've had.
You have.
My curiosity peaked again.
So I'm going to ask.
I'm going to ask, what aresome of your favorite songs?
We've talked about waiting.
We've talked about the songwith Be Slayed, but what are some
songs of you that you really,really like?
That you're like, damn, Ireally put my foot in this.
This is such a dope song.
If you're like five, to nameoff the top of your head of songs
(31:29):
that you say these are, like,the iconic Rob Milton classics that
everybody needs to listen to.
I'm not going to say these arethe iconic Rob Milton classics because
I feel like that's a differentfive of my favorite kids.
Okay.
It's gonna be NB SlavedWithout a Question.
(31:50):
It's going to be my song.
Comfortable.
The solo version.
While I love, love, love thecousin version, the solo version
is, to me, one of my bestvocal performances recorded to date,
in my personal opinion.
So.
And comfortable.
And then I'm gonna say Roller Coaster.
I think that Roller Coaster is.
Is absolutely slept on.
And I think that it is a,like, timeless song, if I can say
(32:14):
so myself.
So that is.
And comfortable.
Rollercoaster.
And then I'm going to go.
The very first song that Irecorded with my friend Jackie Hammond,
I'm gonna say Lazy to thisday, that is one of the best things
that I've ever been a part of.
And her and I have recordedvery Many songs together, but that
one is just something that is undeniable.
(32:36):
Undeniable.
And then I'm actually gonnaSons of the James album, which is
an album between myself and aproducer, D.J.
harrison.
It was released on FreshSelect's label and the song with
Georgia Imadaro was onInsecure all of the things.
But the song that I'm gonna gowith is called can't believe you
(32:57):
love me.
That is one of the mostbeautiful things I've ever done in
my life.
But it's very interestingbecause at that point in my life
so you know I talked about howa lot of my writing is very personal
from the heart.
Very much what I'm dealingwith at the time.
Well, at that point in my lifeI was not dating anyone, was not
involved in that way at all.
I was just really like working.
(33:17):
So I really don't know who Iwas talking about.
Like I have no idea what I waswriting about.
But it is absolutely one ofthe most beautiful songs I've ever
written.
And if I could give a bonus Iwould do Asterisk I wonder by Avery
Sunshine which is a song thatI can co wrote during the pandemic
(33:38):
that fast forward is a part ofher now Grammy award winning album.
So glad to know you.
So yeah, a round of applausefor that.
Absolutely.
That's a nice.
That's a nice girl but a niceway to end it.
Yeah, shout out to that.
You know, I'm super excitedfor folks to be able to get into
(33:58):
your music.
I think your music is really good.
I think you're really talented.
I have my own personal favorite.
I like Over a lot.
Oh wow.
Yeah, yeah, I like Over a lot.
Fun fact.
Over was written had gottenapproached about being signed for
a publishing deal for Iredacted person's publishing company
(34:24):
and they sent me to somesessions to write with people who
were already working with thatcompany and that was a song that
I created in that space and Ia lot of times with those spaces,
nothing happens with thosesongs and then they just exist like
in someone's hard drive.
And so when I got to la I waslike knock knock, remember that song
(34:49):
we did in 2020?
Go on and send me that.
Because I felt like it neededlike it really was so beautiful and
so well written and I feltlike it deserved and I'm glad that
I was able to give it life andI outside of someone's computer.
It is a really beautiful song.
I like it.
I know it's short andeverything, but it's the way you're
(35:09):
singing on the song.
It's the goodbye of it all.
Yeah.
Yeah, I think.
I really like that.
I really like that one.
I like wish you well.
I like to fun.
Yeah.
And it's a really.
It has a nice groove to it.
So.
Yeah.
Like you said, you celebratedyour birthday.
You were in this new iterationof your journey.
What is this new chapterlooking like for you musically?
(35:30):
I know you've put out chains,but what should we expect from this
new chapter from Rob Milton?
So you know what's funny?
I put out chains, and beforechains, I put out honey.
And it was actually.
I was actually working on anep, so there are a couple more songs
from that space that I'm stillfiguring out.
(35:51):
Like, am I gonna make it an EPor just drop those separately and
go ahead?
Because I am really interestedin doing an album again.
I mean, it's been a while.
I put out All Boys Cry the same.
It was it the same year orlike a year or so in between with
the Sons of the James album.
And since then, I have beengiven a full.
(36:11):
Like, haven't really given thefull shebang.
So I would love to do that.
But right now it's just, youknow, going with the flow of life
and you know what I mean,trying to.
To really step out more withthe content of it all, you know,
we gotta do so social media.
My girl Twinkie said computersrule the world, but God is still
(36:32):
in control.
And I'm just trying to holdon, but I'm really just trying to
get out there more, have myface out there more, my energy out
there more, so that thesesongs can be heard by more people.
Should be and should have 20million streams, if you ask me.
And so whatever I have to doto get my song to get them that.
To get that, I'm gonna do that also.
(36:52):
You know, this year is theyear that we got the Grammy for Avery's
project.
And so I've also been turn alot of my energy more there.
And so I worked.
It should be announced by thetime this comes out, but I was a
part of the Grammy nextprogram and I was able to kind of
like hang out with a couple of.
With other songwriters andother creatives and talk about our
(37:13):
journeys and listen to themtalk about their journeys and offer
us advice and all types ofcool things.
So that is.
That's been really cool.
At the end of the day withthis, with Avery's project, I receive
a certificate that will saywinner, but my goal is to have a
trophy.
So I'VE really been turning myattention to continuing to understand
(37:34):
that system and how that worksand how I could conquer that.
You know what I mean?
So.
Yeah.
But as far as sound wise, Idon't know.
I'm still figuring it out.
Like, stuff is just.
You know what I mean?
Honey sounds nothing like chains.
I have another song in thechamber called Cake.
Cake sounds nothing likechains, and it sounds nothing like
honey.
And so who knows?
(37:54):
But just know it's gonna beblack as hell always.
Okay.
Okay.
I'm here for.
I'm here for it to be black as hell.
I was gonna.
I was gonna ask, what is Cake about?
Because I was like, cake.
Is it like a.
Is it like.
Is it about, like, actual cake?
It's just.
It's one of those momentswhere it's definitely for.
(38:16):
It's definitely for my.
For.
For us.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's a little hot and heavy alittle bit.
You know what I mean?
I have my homegirl, AriaLanell, I believe is how you pronounce
her name.
She's on it.
She actually just dropped thisfire record called Meow.
Yeah, but she's on Cake.
And.
(38:37):
And, yeah, you'll see.
You'll see.
It's definitely.
It might be a little surprising.
It might be a little like you.
It might.
You might choke on your watera little bit, but you're also gonna
love it.
Okay.
Okay.
I am.
I am excited about it.
I'm excited about it.
Okay, cool.
Thank you for sharing.
Before we.
(38:57):
We start to wind down, I dothis trivia section where I just,
you know, it's like rapid firequestions that people can get to
know about you.
Like, some, like, really,really fun things to know.
So I think the first one is,what are the current top three songs
on your playlist as of now?
Okay.
My top three songs right now.
Meow by Aria Linnell.
(39:17):
I hope I'm pronouncing hername right, because, you know, we
talk to people on theInternet, but we don't say it out
loud.
So then when you say it outloud, you're like, is that.
But.
Okay, yeah, but it's thisrecord called Meow.
And then I'm actually lovingthe SZA and Lizzo record IRL.
So that.
And also Lakeley 47.
(39:38):
Honestly, her whole project.
But I love Starstruck and Sandhills.
Sandhills is like.
Yeah.
You know, I'm the type ofperson that, like, when I like a
song, I literally can listento it on repeat for hours at a time.
And all of these songs, I havebeen doing that for the past couple
of weeks.
So.
Yeah.
But also number four, Chainsby Rob Milton featuring Kristen Lowe.
(40:01):
Okay.
Yeah.
Get into Chains.
Get Into Chains by Rob Milton.
Okay, cool.
So we have those ones.
What are three albums to getto know you.
Okay.
Knowing by B. Slade.
The Breakthrough by Mary J. Blige.
Okay.
And Full Moon by Brandy.
Okay.
(40:21):
Everybody loves Full Moon andI love Full Moon.
I think Full Moon is a great album.
I love Full Moon, but I'mlike, y' all don't never say Never
any love.
I like, I love.
I think it's a great album.
Full Moon is definitely in hertop three.
Like, Never Said ever is rightthere, y'.
All.
I need y' all to get into everything.
(40:42):
And hell.
211, B7.
But full moon for me, like,literally when I travel, I listen
to Full Moon because it's acomfort album for me.
Like, when I'm walking throughthe airport, I'm listening to Full
Moon.
You know what I mean?
Like, it's.
It's Full Moon for me is likeLiving Single.
Like, Living Single is myfavorite show of all time.
I watch it every single day.
(41:04):
That's what, like, Full Moonis like.
It's like my blanket.
You know what I mean?
Like, that's real.
Yeah, yeah, I'll take that.
I'll take that.
You know, I'll take that.
Totally.
Who are the top three artistsyou want to collaborate with?
Aspirational that you be like,before I leave this earth, I want
to work with these threeartists today.
So first of all, I would havesaid B. Slade and thank God.
(41:26):
I would have said Georgia Ammo Joe.
And thank God.
I will say Beyonce.
I will say Brandy.
And he's not an artist, but Iwant to work with Questlove in some
capacity.
Absolutely.
I can see that.
I can see that.
I think that.
I think that y' all will makereally great music together.
(41:48):
Actually, I would love to havehim involved in the Rob Milton universe.
That would be.
That would be really cool.
Okay, cool.
I'm excited about that.
Are there any non musichobbies that you think that you have
currently that is taking yourtime apart from, you know, being
(42:08):
a full on musical creative?
You know, that's funny becausecoming to LA kind of makes you really
get into like all of all ofthe pieces of who you are.
And so, you know, I've alwayshad an interest in acting, in comedy
and all the things.
You know, in college, I playedthe lead character in Fences.
(42:29):
People may not have knownthat, but like, like, so it's crazy
because for the last month,I've been going to improv class,
and it has been the mostamazing thing.
I go with this troupe calledBernie Mac and Cheese, and it's been
so much fun.
It's really been a.
(42:49):
It's been, like.
I hate to make everything,like, dramatic, but it's really been
not dramatic, but.
What's the word I'm trying to say?
Deep.
I hate to make, like,everything, like, super deep, but
it's been.
It's been transformational forme because while I'm very unserious,
like, you know, I'm silly, andI play, like, you know, everybody
that follows me on Twitter andall those places, they know, but
(43:09):
I'm also very serious.
And, like, I'm not normallythe person that's gonna be the first
person to, like, jump in themiddle of the floor, like, do an
eight count.
You know what I mean?
Like, I'm kind of in real life.
I'm a bit reserved, and Ioften, like, play my part of the
room, and you know what I mean?
But with this class, it's beenpushing me to be more willing to
(43:32):
step out and to be morewilling to say something without
having thought about it for anhour, you know what I mean?
It's been pushing me tobelieve in my first thought and really
be willing to just, like, stepout and not let anxiety or whatever
(43:52):
it is hold me back from justthe smallest things.
And so it's really been.
It's been fun.
You know, I'm silly.
Everybody knows I'm silly.
So, like, that it's been funalso being able to, you know, often,
like, have tweets that goviral and, like, People magazine
and, like, all this stuff,like, writing about my funny tweets.
But it's different to stand ina room full of people and to say
(44:16):
something funny that you just,like, made up off the top of your
head in that moment and toreceive the energy in that way, honestly,
10 out of 10, far better thanthe Internet interaction.
Honestly.
It really is.
It really is.
And so that's been fun.
And so that's the thing Iwould say I've been.
I've been doing improv.
That is pretty cool.
So we're gonna see you gueststarring on a show or even maybe
(44:39):
being a main star.
You're gonna be in your actingbar really soon.
So with Avery.
With Avery Sunshine's album.
So glad to know you.
Last year, we turned everysong into an episode of a show, and
so we had a pretty much, like,a Limited series called so Glad to
know you named after the album.
And initially I came in assort of like a creative director,
(45:02):
creative manager, but sheended up asking me to be in the show.
And so that was kind of thereigniting of that flame that I had,
because, you know, when itcomes to music, it's like, it's something
that you have to very muchtunnel vision on.
And, like, I feel like Ineeded to solidify myself in this
space before branching out toother things, but now I'm getting
(45:23):
back there, and that was kindof like the kickoff of it, because
with that, I got to really,like, play with Avery on camera.
And she is honestly, her andher husband as well as her children,
like, they're like family to me.
So being able to do it therewas really cool because we know each
other really well, and, like,we already have, like, you know,
(45:46):
inside jokes and stuff like that.
So, like, to be able to turnthat on camera, that chemistry is
something that I don't know ifyou can create on the set.
And so that kind of being myfirst thing back into that space
made it easy.
And now just, you know, I'mopen to whatever.
Yeah, I'm down for whatever.
Well, it's Hollywood, so maybenot whatever, but I'm down.
(46:09):
From your lips to God's ear.
To relieve the God's ears, definitely.
Final question in this sectionis, what is your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure?
I mean, I live in la, so,like, I smoke a lot of weed.
Does that help?
Okay.
I mean, you know, I would sayalso, like, my guilty pleasure is,
(46:30):
like, watching stuff that Iknow is terrible, but everybody's
talking about it.
And so I want to watch it.
Like, hit watching a showthat, you know, is bad.
But, yeah, like, I'm justgonna watch this.
This, and I give my commentaryas I do director.
We won't say his name, but youknow what I mean?
But, you know, you know, I hear.
(46:53):
You loud and clear.
There's a. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So, yeah, I would say that aswell, too.
My friends hate it.
They're like, rob, youliterally don't have to have FOMO
over stuff that, you know, isnot bad.
But I, as a.
As a media, like, person, Iknow what it is like.
But also that's, to me, is howyou stay relevant.
(47:14):
Like, that's how I'm able toeven continue to making jokes on
Twitter that go viral becauseI. I'm.
I'm keeping up to date now.
Some stuff at this point inthe world has gone too far where
it's Like, I can't anymore.
You know what I mean?
But some stuff.
I can still dabble a littlebit and get a laugh here or there.
We deserve a laugh.
We deserve a laugh.
I love.
I love where you guys are on Twitter.
(47:34):
We've seen your.
I can see your sweet soundlike Rob.
Oh, my God.
But it's.
It's good.
It's great.
I love it.
I'm here for it all the way.
My favorite notification iswhen I get a notification from Twitter,
when it's someone telling meto put my phone down.
Yes.
Yeah.
I want you to know that everytime they're gonna.
They're gonna pull up on youreal soon, bro.
(47:56):
They're gonna pull up.
Every time y' all tell me toput my phone down, I'll be in here.
So weak.
Like, it is my favorite.
But, like, truthfully.
Truthfully, even all of thatfor me is intentional because I genuinely
believe that a part of mypurpose here is to bring joy.
Like, I really think that weget caught up in all of the things
(48:18):
happening in life, and wedon't remember to not only seek joy,
but to, like, hold onto it.
And so it's just reallyimportant to me to be that.
It's really important to me tobe that.
I love that.
I love that.
Thank you for sharing that.
That.
Yeah, I think this lastquestion, sometimes people are always
like, oh, why are you asking this?
(48:38):
But I feel like, you know,regardless of where you are in your
journey, I feel like.
Or who you are, I feel like weall have the power to make an impact
in people's lives.
And I'm curious to know, whatdo you want your legacy to be as
someone who is trying to makea name for themselves as an artist
in this time where it's harderto even be an artist.
(48:58):
Now, what would you want yourlegacy to be?
If you don't mind sharing?
I want a few things to be remembered.
He was black.
He had joy.
He was talented.
He spread joy.
And I can do it.
I can believe that I can do itbecause he believed that he could
do it, and he did it.
Yeah, that's real.
Yeah, that's real.
(49:19):
And I feel like you arealready an inspiration.
People already know they can'tdo it because of you.
We see how hard you grind.
We see how hard you work.
Folks are fully on social media.
Like, I do know that you arevery hard working, and I can.
And it's not easy to put outmusic every year.
It's an investment.
(49:40):
You know, it's like, you'reand you're.
You're doing it yourselves.
You're pushing and you'repulling through, but you're doing
it, and you make it.
You make it look effortless.
And I know it takes a lot ofwork to do it, but you do it so effortlessly,
and the music is actually also quality.
It's not like you're making,you know, crappy stuff.
So just want to let you knowthat you're doing amazing.
(50:03):
Thank you.
We are inspired.
You're sharing joy, and, yeah,we love you and we support you, and
we're rooting for you all the way.
And like I was saying, also,so are you.
Like, I want you to know thatyou creating this space, not only
for you to tell your story,but for other people to tell their
story is important.
And your theater content, it'sso cool.
(50:24):
And, like, I hope that youkeep doing it and really continue
to help change the face ofwhat people believe.
A theater fan looks like we bein there, too.
Yeah, we are there.
We are there.
And I remember, oh, my God,this is another segue.
Hold on.
Because, you know, we love a segue.
But I saw the Bob the Drag Queen.
(50:47):
I was like, another reason why.
I was like, we need to beflawed, but to be fair.
To be fair.
I started to realize that,like, we don't talk about those black
plays as theater.
When we talk about theater, wetalk about it has to be done in a
certain way.
It's an aesthetic.
But I.
On Broadway or off Broadwaywith, you know, some kind of playwriting,
(51:09):
like, growing up, I used towatch those black plays on.
On DVD to Tyler Perry plays.
Watched a bunch of them.
Them with the music and all ofthat, like, and they used to grip.
They used to have me, youknow, stuck on the screen.
So I'm like, that is also theater.
In some ways.
That's the first way thatthere are many black people are introduced
(51:32):
to theater.
And so, like, if I startedthere and then I later get to go
see Gypsy or whatever, youknow what I mean?
Like, it still was anintroduction, and I hate to always
turn to this, but, like, ifyou really look at the heart of it,
the thing that makes usseparate them is racism.
Hello.
So at the end of the day, itis what it is.
(51:55):
Do I think that there aredifferences in the storytelling and
maybe even differences in the quality?
Yeah, because there aredifferences in the resources, but
it's absolutely musicaltheater, for sure.
Yes.
Yes.
Cause they're.
And they're sinking down.
You're singing down.
You're singing in those Playscould sing circles around the girls.
(52:18):
So, like, you know what I mean?
So, yeah, maybe they haven'thad the training, you know what I
mean?
They might not hold their toesa certain way, but baby, when they
pick that mic up, you knowwhat I mean?
And they have people leavingthose theaters, those often, what
was called chitlin circuittheaters, people leave those theaters
changed, you understand?
(52:39):
Like, they leave thosetheaters, their life is changed.
And so, again, one thing aboutme, if it's black, I'm screaming
for it.
Oh.
And if it's black and queer,I'm shouting for it.
Like, you know what I mean?
Because often, like, it also just.
It's always the underdog.
Like, I'm always rooting forthe one who is not supposed to.
(53:01):
Because what does that even mean?
Like, we're here.
We're all supposed to.
So, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm herefor it.
I. I want to see.
Because I. I never.
I never.
I'm not going to experiencethose plays in person because I only
watched them.
I only saw the.
At church, you know, they willsell the.
The bootleg copies.
(53:23):
My church back in Nigeria.
Yeah.
That's all I was able to watch.
So those are the plays that I saw.
And actually, I really enjoy them.
I really liked them.
And so you talking about itnow brought it up to my head that
I'm not, you know, what Idon't see, and I don't live in the
South.
Maybe that's why I never getto know when those plays are airing.
(53:43):
But it's like now, when youtalk about theater, there is a certain.
Oh, it has to be.
Look a certain way or sound acertain way or, you know, but like,
and we have those.
That is also theater, and thatis even a way more accessible theater.
And the theater that y' allare putting out, you know, in New
York and in all these places,which I do love also, but I feel
like there's room for everything.
(54:04):
And you brought that up inthat interview.
So shout out to you for that.
Yeah.
Even when I'm being silly,there's a method to my madness.
You know what I mean?
There is a madness.
But, yeah.
Thank you, Rob.
Very, very appreciate you forbeing here, for spending time with
us and talking with us and forthe folks at home.
(54:24):
Thank you so much for watchingon YouTube or listening, whether
it's on Spotify, Apple, orwherever you stream your podcast.
Very appreciated.
Don't forget to check out RobBulton's new song.
It's called Chains and it's everywhere.
You can stream your music.
Thank you again.
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