The "Emotional" Evolution of Casely | Ft. JC Casely - Let's Talk Di Tings

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This one's emotional. I'm not offended. See slowly at the top.
You know when you gotcha? Are'm extended on me. I
won't know if they know you like stuff and tools,
Jc Douglas. They are from Panama, Trilia Dandy. You are

(00:22):
a dad and sometimes you get a little mad when
people don't make sense.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
But that makes sense because you're sad's crazy.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
If you're listening to the podcast on Apple Podcast, please
remember to rate and leave a comment below. Also, don't
forget to follow us on Instagram at Let's Talk the Tings. Now,
grab your tea, coffee, or a glass of wine and
let's Talk the Tings. Hello everyone, Welcome back to Let's

(01:03):
Talk to Things, where we discuss personal growth, music, film
and wellness while encouraging you to live fearlessly and fabulously.
I'm your host, Ash and this week we are talking
to Tings with a man whose music sits at our
unique crossroads contemporary R and B and pop threaded through

(01:27):
the pulse of the Caribbean, singer, songwriter and actor JC Caseley.
Hi Caseley, how are you?

Speaker 3 (01:35):
Hello? Hello? Hello? What's up? As? What an introduction?

Speaker 1 (01:40):
Thank you so much, You're welcome. It's so weird to
call you Caseley, but I'm just gonna call you that
Rocket podcast.

Speaker 3 (01:48):
Yeah we got is a long.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
Time so you know, Yes, guys, I've known Casey since
I was like twelve, so this is so interesting. But
I'm so happy to have you here. So thank you
so much for coming.

Speaker 3 (02:04):
I'm honored. I'm honored to be a guest. Congratulations on
the show. You've been consistently putting out amazing interviews over
the years, and I think it's just incredible. I love
to see the growth and just everything that you've turned
it into. So you know, I'm honored, excited to be here,
excited to catch up talking things. You know, I haven't

(02:29):
seen you anything I don't know how many years, so
I know it's you got to talk about.

Speaker 1 (02:34):
I know plenty things to talk about. But yeah, thank
you so much for that. I'm so excited to have
you here and just have people get to know your story.
Part of the reason that I have this platform is
because I think a lot of artists, particularly within our culture,
they don't really get a chance to tell their story
because they make such good music that sometimes people don't

(02:56):
even think about their story, they just love the music.
You know, but the story I think is really really
important and I had lyrical on here and he really
really representative of that.

Speaker 3 (03:07):
Yeah. Yeah, that's a good dude. And that makes sense
because I know his music, you know what I mean,
And we've crossed paths a couple of times and you know,
big a little big up and you know, but I
don't know him beyond those those those runnings, you know
what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
Yeah, see, so yeah, you should definitely listen to that
episode because he told some stories that I was like, wait,
what you've been through life? Wow?

Speaker 3 (03:34):
I'm not surprised, man, I'm not surprised because when you
see artists like that that that reach a certain level,
you know, it's easy to think like, oh, where did
this one come from? But a lot of times there's
a lot of blood, sweat and tears behind it that
you know when they bust is because they've been putting
work for a long time.

Speaker 1 (03:52):
You know, exactly exactly. And he's always such a positive person,
and I think a lot of times people don't recognize
that persons that have that level of positivity and are
always helping others, that usually comes from some sort of
I don't even want to call it suffering, but going
through things, it's not. Normally people just don't wake up

(04:12):
and decide they're just going to be kind and positive,
especially when it's genuine. It's usually you know, maybe they
saw persons being unkind, maybe they went through something, something happens.
So when you hear his story, it kind of makes sense.
It's like, oh, you know, he was destined for music
the whole time and kept ignoring it until he couldn't
ignore it anymore, you know. So I think, yeah, sharing

(04:36):
stories are just so important, and it's something in our
culture that we typically don't do because we're taught don't
tell people your business.

Speaker 3 (04:43):
So right, yeah, that is the spot on you know. Yeah,
and then like many of us, I to internalize pretty
much ninety percent of what I'm going through, you know,
and and that's not healthy. You know, it's not healthy
because it comes out in different negative ways. Stress, Stress

(05:07):
comes through your body in unhealthy ways, and you know,
so it's very good to what you're doing to give
that platform to tell stories. Yeah for sure, for sure.

Speaker 1 (05:19):
All right, So for our first segment to kind of
break the ice all right for you as a first
time guest, So you wouldn't be familiar with this, but
this is our favorite.

Speaker 3 (05:30):
It's our favorite segment. No, it's fun. I promise, I promise.

Speaker 1 (05:35):
So we begin each episode with our listener's favorite segment,
and it's called that Nason safe. So I'm gonna read
messages or social media posts that listeners sent in, and
if you think it sounds on a little crazy or
little concerning, you're like, ash, I don't.

Speaker 3 (05:56):
Know about this.

Speaker 1 (05:57):
You just saying that no sounds safe and why and
then if you agree, obviously, you know, say you agree, and.

Speaker 3 (06:03):
Right, okay, perfect, all right, cool, ready, all right, So.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
The first person said, I say long story short, and
then proceed to tell the double VHS Titanic version of
the story.

Speaker 3 (06:21):
Danna sounds safe for one reason for the person listening, okay,
because because you know, it's like, oh okay, yeah, yeah, yeah,
al right. You expected like a little a little few
minutes kind of kind of run down, and then all
of a sudden, it's fifteen minutes, and then it's twenty minutes,
and then somebody like me naha Ida tapped out, like

(06:43):
I can't concentrate that long.

Speaker 1 (06:46):
You know, that's only so much what you after, right, right, right, right,
there's only some Yo, that's crazy.

Speaker 3 (06:55):
I am the King you know that meme? That's great,
Like I am the King of that's crazy.

Speaker 1 (07:00):
Oh my gosh, that's so funny. Yeah, I love that
you were specific. It sounds safe for the listener for sure.

Speaker 3 (07:06):
Yeah, for the listener. It's fine for the teller because
you know, they just they just getting to express themselves.
But yes, exactly.

Speaker 1 (07:13):
And also, guys, I should mention Caseley is a Sagittarius,
so he would like for you to get to the point.

Speaker 3 (07:19):
Wow. Ye, and you notice from your father I do, Yeah,
I do, oh man, I do yeah.

Speaker 1 (07:28):
And my best friend Donald, he's a sagittarius as well.

Speaker 3 (07:32):
I'm surrounded, so I know I'm seeing I'm seeing dang.
I always try to like I don't know, I just
try to like cover up the desire to get to
the point and just try to like, you know, I
want to be like I think I'm a good listener.
I would I would say I'm a good listener to
a point. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (07:51):
I feel like for you guys, you're good listeners. But
it has to make sense what the person is saying, right,
And you know what I mean?

Speaker 3 (07:59):
Like, you can't just be fluff. It can't be fluff.
It can't run in circles or like feel like it's
repeating the same thing several times within the same conversation. Yeah, exactly,
that's rough. Sound safe? All right? This what do you
do with your What did you do with your guests

(08:20):
that are like, that's fully American? What did they say?
That's not very sack? No, they say that safe.

Speaker 1 (08:27):
Yes, that's actually why I kept it like this, and
I kept the name because I also bring persons here,
glad you brought that up that aren't Caribbean descent of
Caribbean descent, and it kind of forces them to get
acquainted with our culture. So yeah, man them say it.

Speaker 3 (08:45):
Yeah, I like it all right.

Speaker 1 (08:50):
The next person said, Oh, this is kind of like
a deep lesson, so I'll read it slowly. The next
person said, if you knew the plane was going to crash,
would you still board just because you spent a lot
of money on the plane ticket? And I'm not talking
about planes and.

Speaker 3 (09:08):
I'm not talking about planes.

Speaker 1 (09:12):
Yeah, so this is deeper. Let me okay, let me
read it again. If you knew the plane, if you
knew the plane was going to crash. Would you still
board it just because you spent a lot of money
on the plane ticket? I'm not talking about planes.

Speaker 3 (09:29):
So we're talking about relationships.

Speaker 1 (09:31):
I mean, yeah, I think that could be relationships, that
could be a business, that could be I think I'll
tell you what my interpretation is before you answer. I
think this is saying don't just don't stay in environments.
I'm making it general because obviously I don't know the
true intent from this person, But I think it's saying,
don't stay in environments just because you spent a lot

(09:56):
of money there or you've been there for a long time.
If you know it's not where you're supposed to be,
that's where That's how I interpret it.

Speaker 3 (10:03):
Yeah, Yeah, I think that's a great interpretation. Yeah, because
you know that the money spent on the plane ticket
is that time investment, whatever that might be. You know,
who's to say how much was invested?

Speaker 1 (10:19):
But true or.

Speaker 3 (10:21):
What's a lot to you know, Like if you're talking
about like relationship, it's relative, you know what I'm saying, Like,
it's a relative maybe you see it going down or
you or those could be the red flags. Let's say
true relationship that you know and you're like, that's not
going to end well. And in a case of a relationship,
mm hmm, with my level of toxicity that I have

(10:43):
now matured from, okay, all of me would have been like, yeah, man,
let me just see what you know, like it might
be worth the experience of that that that that that venture.
You know, I have an artist's heart, right, so I'm like, well,

(11:05):
something will come out of it that I can likely
write about or make art from, you know what I'm saying.
So you know, if the flight looked appealing enough, then
I might find myself in some trouble, right, But in
a business I think I think I would not do

(11:26):
I would not take the flight. I wouldn't take the
risk if you know it's going to crash. I mean,
it's just just look for the for the other the
next business opportunity or the next you know, thing to
work on.

Speaker 1 (11:40):
Yeah, and you spoke about stress earlier, and I think
that a lot of times people don't recognize that there's
no prize for over extending or over stressing yourself, especially
when you know it's not where you're supposed to be,
you know what I mean, Like, there's there's definitely not
a prize.

Speaker 3 (11:59):
If anything, you'll get sick.

Speaker 1 (12:01):
So right, right right, Yeah, I think that's definitely sound
advice for sure.

Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah, stress is not.

Speaker 1 (12:09):
A swear of distress that.

Speaker 3 (12:14):
As a general, as a general thing. As a general
there's too many, too many variable, unknown variables. You know,
what kind of airline is it? You know, like, what
are we what are we dealing with here? You not
what kind of airline? I can't manage? All right?

Speaker 1 (12:33):
The next one, the next person said, if you think
life is hard, try canceling a Planet Fitness membership.

Speaker 3 (12:44):
Yo, I have done that. I have done that. Yo.

Speaker 1 (12:48):
I can't tell the last time I had a fitness membership,
but I yeah, I can imagine. Yeah, it will keep
your credit card and keep charging it and act like yeah.

Speaker 3 (12:59):
I think I think you know in all honestly though,
it's just that they get real specific on how you
need to cancel, and then if you don't, if you
don't do every little thing, then that's where you find
yourself in trouble, you know what I mean. But I'm
gonna get that thing canceled, so I'm not I'll hear

(13:20):
about to be paying you know, six months membership beyond
what I'm trying to pay you know.

Speaker 1 (13:26):
Yeah, I don't blame you. Yeah yeah, Planet Fitness. They
don't need everybody's money.

Speaker 3 (13:31):
You gotta read the fine print.

Speaker 1 (13:33):
Yeah, that's true. And people don't read you. People don't
read it.

Speaker 3 (13:36):
Yeah, and not sound and say for the person that
don't read exactly, you gotta scroll down, scroll all the
way down, all the way down. Yes, that is true. Well,
turns and conditions. Yeah, oh my gosh.

Speaker 1 (13:55):
If it's one thing, I know, if a trainey's on here,
I go laugh.

Speaker 3 (13:58):
Because you know, we just try to make light of things. Yeah,
that's so true.

Speaker 1 (14:06):
Matter of fact, my dad pointed out, I've had I
think more training is on here than I've had Jamaica's
QUI Yes, I didn't even notice.

Speaker 3 (14:15):
Yes, wow yo. And then now now you have a
mix because you know my bloodline. I don't even know
if you know, but my blood line points back to
Jamaica of course them. Yeah, com prepared. I'll tell you
Jimmy an opera.

Speaker 1 (14:34):
Yeah, comprepared, almost reached, don't get ahead, that's.

Speaker 3 (14:43):
All right. So two more.

Speaker 1 (14:45):
The next person said what feels illegal but isn't, And
the person responded, sitting down while your mother is cleaning. Wow,
especially if you have a Caribbean mother.

Speaker 3 (14:59):
Yeah, that sounds safe. You better find something to like.

Speaker 1 (15:02):
You better pick up something quick, pick.

Speaker 3 (15:04):
Up something, or pretend you're picking up something, or find
yourself busy because otherwise for me, junk alows, I have
my cousins laugh because yeah they know that well, junk
colows and Saturday Morning get a.

Speaker 1 (15:22):
Full name called Man'll see for sure. It makes me
think of that song.

Speaker 3 (15:29):
How does it go?

Speaker 1 (15:30):
Pick up something anything, anything? Yes, when you see your
mom cleaning, just think of that song. Even if anything
book or you're gonna get asked you to take up your
book from money.

Speaker 3 (15:47):
So just have a book nearby, right, and you could
just move something from one side of the room to
the other side of the room. Just please stay in motion.
You know what I'm saying, in motion? I love that.

Speaker 1 (15:59):
Yes, that's so owned advice.

Speaker 3 (16:02):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (16:03):
And the last one, the person said moving houses or
apartments has to be the top three worst human experiences
of life.

Speaker 3 (16:12):
Oh my god, I think that's so true.

Speaker 4 (16:16):
Yo.

Speaker 3 (16:17):
And when you're a procrastinator, it's tenfold. I mean, now
now you're getting into my character flaws. Oh no, because
I have trauma from this last move that I did
a couple of years ago. I mean, I and here's

(16:39):
the thing. I just tend to think I could do
more things on my own than I can, right, so yeah,
and then I and then I wait till the last minute.
So I should have been packing up my space for
like at least a couple of months. I probably started
packing it up a week and a half, two weeks
before I had to move. And you never realized how

(16:59):
much off you accumulate, like right, so yo, I mean
I left, I had to leave things. I had to
I ran out of time to move everything. Yeah, that's trauma.

Speaker 4 (17:11):
Gosh, sounds safe, sounds it's not nice honestly, if you
if you can hire moving people and you know, yeah,
just do it, and you know you're like.

Speaker 3 (17:23):
A progression, just do it.

Speaker 2 (17:25):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (17:26):
Stress, Yeah, sometimes it's it's just worth it. As like
you said, you have to know, you have to know
your stress and your weaknesses.

Speaker 3 (17:36):
For sure.

Speaker 2 (17:38):
I love it.

Speaker 1 (17:38):
See that was harmless. You made it through just a
little bit of fun.

Speaker 3 (17:43):
Alright, survive, survive.

Speaker 1 (17:49):
So we're going to get into who Casey is. And
you've moved between music and the screen, between studio and
the stage, carrying your Trinida and Panamanian roots with you
into everything that you do, which I think is amazing.
And so for this episode, I want to talk about
your craft, your culture, and the legacy that you plan

(18:13):
to leave behind, and even the small things that make
an artist who they are, right, I think that's so important.
So let's begin with you, not any of your credentials,
but who you are. So I love it if you
could tell us something about home, about your earliest memory.

(18:33):
That's kind of unmistaken, unmistakably excuse me, Caribbean. So even
though you were born in the US, what like smells, sounds,
family rituals, do you recall that like shape who you are?

Speaker 3 (18:46):
Wow? That is unmistakeably Caribbean. I don't know why the
memory pops up when you were like earliest memory unmistakeably Caribbean.
The random memory for me that comes up is place Mats,
Place Mats likes so West Indian. Yeah, yeah, I don't
know if it's a vinyl you know now, I know

(19:08):
where it's like vinyl finish and thing like that, right,
But it was a certain type of bendable, almost shiny,
plasticky but soft leathery kind of place, Matt, I don't know,
and I remembered in you know, there was a time
I went to school in Trinidad. I was probably I

(19:29):
was like, I don't even know, four or five or
somewhere between three and five.

Speaker 1 (19:34):
Okay, so you were born in the US, but then
I was sad to leave.

Speaker 3 (19:38):
Yeah, I was born in the US. I was born
in Miami, and then I don't It's like I would
need my mom here next to me to kind of
like verify the timeline. But I know that I was
in Trinidad and actually enrolled in school. Now, how long
I was enrolled in school, I'm not really sure. It

(19:58):
might have been a few months. It might have been
six months, a year, I don't really.

Speaker 1 (20:03):
Know, right, But you have the experience, that's what.

Speaker 3 (20:06):
Yeah, I had the experience. So I have like vague
like visualization of like the classroom and the wood and
the smell of like place, Mats. I don't, I don't know,
so crazy, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, And you know, I
don't know what foundational imprint that has made on me.

(20:29):
These place these place maths, right, but I'm they're there,
I don't know in the back of my mind.

Speaker 1 (20:35):
Yeah, So maybe you can answer it twofold, right, So
that's a memory you have. But do you have any
experiences growing up that are like foundational to who you
are but that are uniquely Caribbean?

Speaker 3 (20:48):
Man, I don't know that, you know. Foundation, I think
about like just stuff at home, you know, like airing.
As we were just talking about, like your your your
parents cleaning or my mom cleaning. In this case, on
Saturday morning, it was there was like some AM station
that was like Socer Calypso Saturday mornings. Yeah, and she

(21:11):
would have that thing blasted. You know Caribbean parents how
they have them big old speakers, right, So we'd have
those big speakers and the music is what's like waking
me up? Right, So I just remember it's like Saturdays
were like every Saturday was like a spring cleaning with
Calypso and Soca. I was just gonna say exactly, you know,

(21:41):
And I think going to Trinidad like in the summers
growing up played a played a role in in my foundation. Yeah,
because I think you grow up when you grow up
seeing and you would know this because you're so well traveled,
but when you when you when you grow up seeing

(22:02):
places outside of the States, it can. You don't even
know at the time when you're growing up what it
does to you. But I think, I don't know, it
widens your view, whidens your view absolutely, you know, aside
from the culture that gets instilled in you. You know,
it just I think widens your view. And you're just
I don't know how you respond to society and culture

(22:25):
and stuff like that. You know, it's a sense of pride, like, Okay,
I'm from a few different places, you know what I mean.

Speaker 1 (22:31):
Yeah, No, definitely, And I think you really hit on something.
And we talk about it a lot on this podcast.
I've mentioned that I grew up in a family as
you might know, where we always traveled on my brother
more than me because obviously it's older than me, but
just traveling around the world and going, you know, for
our birthdays, going to places like Soweto and South Africa,

(22:54):
and our parents taking us to villages and seeing how
these children live and you know, really immersing us in
the cultures of other people that making us feel blessed
or knowing how would we have it, you know what
I mean by going there and sitting with the children
and talking to them and things like that, and I

(23:17):
think it's something that makes us so well arounded and
able to fit in certain rooms, because, as you said,
when you're growing up and you're a child and you're
seeing all these different cultures, you have an appreciation for
persons that are not like you in different ways, you
know what I mean. So I definitely think you're one
hundred percent correct, whether you're going back to where you're

(23:39):
from or you're going to other countries. I think it's
just helpful for your worldview because my parents always tell us,
you know, the world is not one thing. You know,
the world is not full of one set of people.
So it's good to know different subsets of society and
have an appreciation for their culture for sure.

Speaker 3 (23:57):
Yeah. I love that.

Speaker 1 (23:59):
And speaking of your family, I know that your family
is what I would like to say, musically rich. So
your dad sings right, Yeah, Yes, your paternal grandmother was
a pianist, is that correct?

Speaker 3 (24:12):
Yes, My paternal grandmother, my abuela, she was a She
was a piano teacher for many, many years. I mean
she was teaching I feel up into her eighties, yeah,
like late seventies, like she was. She was teaching and

(24:34):
would have young students like like doing recitals and stuff
like that. I mean for decade We're talking decade aides
of instruction, and you see a legacy left behind when
you know, when she passed and the amount of people
that that that that came to just show love to

(24:56):
the family and and and give their their blessing and
their their condolences and just extend thanks and gratitude for
how she impacted their life. It was beautiful. It was beautiful. Yeah, Oh,
I love that. Yeah. She was always a big encourager
of of obviously the piano. I want to say most

(25:17):
of the grandchildren she's either tried to teach piano too,
or or got them kind of like on the training wheels,
on the footsteps of you know, like learning how to play.
And she just yeah, I think that was just really
important her. That was like her gift to her family,
I think was like, you know, music, and yeah, she led.

(25:41):
She had a in Panama. She had like a worship
group or like a worship I don't know if it
was a school or something, but they used to like
travel within Panama and like I don't know, she just
used to lead a bunch of kids in worship, singing
and piano and all different kinds of music instruction, you know.

(26:03):
So yeah, she she she did so so much, so
much when it comes to that.

Speaker 1 (26:10):
And your your grandfather was Jamaica, correct.

Speaker 3 (26:14):
My grandfather was. No, let me think my grandfather, ah
was he born in Jamaica. So my my abuela's mom
my was full Jamaican.

Speaker 1 (26:28):
Like, oh so your great grandmother. Yeah, so the same
on your father on my father's side. R That's that's
the same woman that we're talking about.

Speaker 3 (26:37):
My abuela, her mom was from Jamaica, and my grandfather
might might have been. I know, my grandfather worked on
the Panama Canal, but I think he was born in Panama.
I have I have to verify that he might have
been born in Jamaican and moved as over as well.
But that's where the Jamaica comes from though, obviously, is
that that Jamaican's kind of went to Panama they worked

(27:00):
on the canal, and I did hear about that? Yeah? Yeah, true?
So may Alita, that's how mixed it is, is like
my my, you know, we call them Spanish names because
that's how right she speaking of like unmistakably Caribbean. I mean,
she was just we just remember her being hard and

(27:21):
like tough and like tough on the grandchildren and never
really pleasant but just like grumpy kind of like it's
hard and like and the undistakably Caribbean part I'm talking
about it is like she would just boil provisions vision
like yam and ptato and like like things like I

(27:42):
don't even know all kinds of root vegetables and she provisions, yeah,
all kind of ground provisions. And she she lived a
long life. I mean I think she made it to
ninety ninety eight.

Speaker 1 (27:52):
Maybe I don't know, but eat yeah, yam, yes, yes, yes, yes,
I love that, love that. So it really makes sense
obviously where your musical background comes from. And we'll get
into that in a little while. But what did your
household sound like with all that you know musical background

(28:16):
and also the fact that your mother who is Trinidadian
but also loves music from what I remember, you know,
how was that like growing up in a house like that?

Speaker 3 (28:27):
Yeah, there was such a mix of music. I mean
in my mom's house, like I was saying, a lot
of calypso and soca. And then my stepdad is also Trinny.
So I feel like when when you leave home home
in that case, in Trinidad, you bring, you carry a
lot of that with you. And I feel like in
their daily lives wherever, they could play that music to

(28:52):
kind of reminisce and like almost I would, you know,
looking back on it, like almost transport themselves, like you know,
back home in a way. Uh, they would be playing it.
They'ld be playing calypso, soca and all of that stuff.
And then my dad, on my dad's side, I would
hear a lot of salsa, but more like around holiday events,

(29:19):
like holiday events as well as like car rides with
like my stepmom were like I don't know, like the
family and stuff like that. And why I'm why I'm
separating it like that is because there's also a lot
of times when we'd be on like road trips or
I'd be with my dad, me and him or something
like that, and I just remember him playing a lot
of like rock like like and putting me onto like

(29:43):
Journey and Eagles and and uh even Bob Marley and like, uh,
just a very eclectic mix of things that he liked
to play. And then for me, you know, I would
play like arm be a lot back then, and on

(30:03):
the other end of the spectrum musical theater, like like
Broadway tunes it's bad and show tunes as they call it, Yeah,
R and B. So I mean it was just a
big melting pot, a huge I love that. I love that.

Speaker 1 (30:18):
And you have a son of your own, So I
would also love to ask, like, how Leo.

Speaker 3 (30:23):
Big Leo anyway, Bleo started a new school today. Really,
that's so exciting. He was really excited. He no longer
has to wear uniforms, so, you know, freedom. Ye, he's
excited about that.

Speaker 1 (30:42):
But I wanted to ask, how do you plan to
pass down like those Caribbean traditions to him that real
brought up sea, you know, so he knows because you
don't want it to get separated, you know, generations.

Speaker 3 (30:55):
Yeah, and and I think to a degree, I have
to accept that there there will be a separation, a
level of it. Because I'm not born. I don't know
what you say, I first generation, second general, I guess
second generation first, okay, first right, Yeah, So since he's
second generation, you think you know, it lessens it's it's

(31:21):
it's I don't know, it's impact a bit with each generation.
And I don't want it to I just have to
accept to a degree like, Okay, I'm not playing I'm
not playing Calypso NonStop around around the clock, you know
what I'm saying. And I'm not I'm not doing certain
things that I was exposed to in my home, but

(31:44):
I am conscious of it and I and I and
I do do it to a degree. I just don't
do it to the same degree as my mom would
have because she was born in Trinidad and maybe wanted
to play it more. Right, So for me, I do.
I've taken him to he's been to a couple of times.
He's been to Panama. Yes, I'm super thankful that he's

(32:04):
been able to to experience that and be exposed to
that and like see it because it's like we were
saying earlier, you know, it's when you see it and
absorb it, it just does so much more than I
could explain to him. And so, you know, so randomly,
I play soca and I play, you know, music from Trinidad.

(32:28):
I play also reggaeton, and I play everything and I
and that's kind of my way to expose him to
the culture. Right, So then he'll asks, oh, it's this
music from Trinidad, you know, because he starts to recognize like, okay,
this is and I'll say yeah, yeah, yeah, this is
called soca or we we've listened to a lot of

(32:49):
Spanish music and he doesn't understand the language. But he
has really good ears, right, So that's what I love
about Lea.

Speaker 4 (32:58):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (32:58):
I'll put on a song of any genre and his
ears will perk up when he hears something intriguing or
that he deems to be a good song, you know.
And I is like the more experienced, like professional and
and musician or whatever. I'm like, man, he's got good
ears because this is a very good song as opposed

(33:20):
to something else that like mediocre that he doesn't bad
any about, you know. So he has very yeah in.

Speaker 1 (33:26):
His jeans and not to mention, and he spent I'm
sure a considerable amount of time, one of them being
with me in sam Ash. So once you get that's
like the listen, the amount of hours as a child
I spent in sam Ash should be.

Speaker 3 (33:40):
Documented, yes, yes, yes, but that is also my gosh,
she was like toddling around at that time.

Speaker 1 (33:50):
Yeah, oh my gosh, she was so tiny at that time.

Speaker 3 (33:53):
That was yeah, auntie.

Speaker 1 (33:57):
Yes, but I was gonna say, listen, Leo just needs
to spend a weekend with me. So for a weekend,
I could say, Leo, your being from money?

Speaker 3 (34:06):
Yes, yeah, I just give him a couple of those.
Tell me good to go. That's what he means. And
so the other thing I'll do is I will cook,
you know, I'll cook curry chicken and uh and and
give him like curry chicken and routie at home. Yes,

(34:26):
you know, he gets to have the food and and
just unt you know. And that's like another aspect is
like my my mom and my stepdad they were cooking
at a lot, right, But I don't cook it a lot,
but I I mean I intentionally like kind of like
do things like that culture wise to to have him still,
you know, I want him to be ton and be

(34:48):
in touch and you know call himself a trinity, which
he does so I love that.

Speaker 1 (34:53):
And he can call himself many things. So that's many
things literally, and that's what I'm saying. That's so good
for a child to just be exposed to different cultures
so he can have appreciation for all different types of people.
You know, I think that's like really really important. So
you're doing a great job.

Speaker 3 (35:13):
Thank you. Thank you. If you ask him where are
you from, he'll tell you like seven countries.

Speaker 4 (35:19):
Oh.

Speaker 3 (35:19):
I love that. He's so intrigued by that. At his school,
he's done a heritage project for the past three years,
and each year it's a different country, Like yeah, oh cool.

Speaker 1 (35:32):
Yeah, he's gonna have to start when people ask him that,
he's gonna have to start saying how much time do
you have because they go.

Speaker 3 (35:39):
To your pen and paper exactly. Yep, all right.

Speaker 1 (35:44):
So I would love for you in your own words,
because obviously I could tell people, but I like for
artists to tell their own story how you got started
in music, like your earliest memory right up until I
would say when you got signed.

Speaker 3 (36:01):
I believe you got signed in like two thousand and six, Yeah,
two thousand and seven, okay, or so yeah, I would
say two thousand and seven turning two thousand and eight,
kind of like the fall of two thousand and seven.

Speaker 1 (36:13):
I believe got you Okay. So I remember this whole ordeal.
I was little, but I just remember it was a
big thing happening at Coral Springs and all this stuff.
But like I said, I want you to tell it's how.

Speaker 3 (36:25):
You would like all right, I'm gonna time you have.

Speaker 1 (36:30):
But don't give me that so unsafe V.

Speaker 3 (36:35):
Yes no, no, no, no no. I couldn't even do that version.
I couldn't even do it to myself, honestly, I would
be like tired to hear myself talk now. Yeah. So
for music, my earliest memories are really in elementary school,
like first and second grade, you know, like they do
those like end of the year performances, and then I

(37:00):
would be chosen for like the solo of that performance
to do you know, at that time, I don't remember
being conscious about I just remember doing it, like I
remember being chosen and having like the solo and things
like that. And I think my so my love for
music was really probably there from about six years old,

(37:25):
singing national anthem in the shower and like really really
passionate about singing. I just used to love singing all
the time. And then I got into doing like musical
theater and plays around like the fifth grade, and I
guess my love for music and all things musical art

(37:49):
related just continue to grow. And that brought me to
go to uh, you know, all my friends I remember
they were going to whatever the neighborhood middle school was
at that time, but I was going to a performing
arts school. Okay, Yeah, so then that furthered my education
and and you know, honing of of the skills of

(38:11):
just music and singing and stuff like that. Fast forward
to to high school, right, so I and I remember
in middle school, I I had like that that vision
and that dream, like, man, I want to be a singer.
Uh when I grow up, I wanna, I wanna. I
just want to do that. I want to make it
big doing music and being a singer. Yeah. And uh,

(38:35):
in in high school, from freshman year, man I got.
I got. I got linked up with like just some
really like minded individuals I think that were upper classmen,
but we're on the path of doing music and seeking
out a career in music and and being a recording

(38:56):
artist as well. And there, you know, kind of took
me under their wing and and you know, did like
the talent shows and like just kind of you know,
building that awareness in the school like oh, that's that
cat that sings and and and you know, just that
that whole thing, like I don't know, it's a really
fun time. And at started to get like kind of

(39:18):
like industry attention in those kind of high school years
that led to at the time Komorley Simmons came to
the to our high school, Crossings High School to speak
and we did like this big I think three l
W came and like it was just like a really
big assembly that the school put on for me for

(39:44):
Jive Records, like which is really wild, Like I don't
even know, yeah, like the I've never heard of that happening,
but there was. The assembly was not like an educational assembly,
it was not for like it was literally like yo,
it was literally a concert. And the school allowed Jive

(40:05):
Records for me to have this showcase assembly in the school.
It's kind of nuts, I need.

Speaker 1 (40:11):
To like I didn't even know all these details because
I was but I wow, that's crazy.

Speaker 3 (40:17):
So they put on this assembly and let me think
from from there. I I didn't end up like signing
with Jive at that time. I had I would I start.
I had meetings with like the head and and R
Jive at that time. This Katwayne Williams, who was behind

(40:39):
a lot of big acts including like end Sync and
and some other people okay yeah, and some of which
are incarcerated right now. So I just I just like, yeah, yeah,
donna sound safe. So you know, God has a way
and he in.

Speaker 1 (41:01):
Everything.

Speaker 3 (41:02):
Yeah, yeah, that is not for you maybe with that person.
So it's true, it's you know. So from there, I
went on to Berkeley College of Music.

Speaker 1 (41:16):
Yes, and it's smart, you know people a little you know.

Speaker 3 (41:21):
My mom made me made sure I don't sound like
a like an idiot, right, so even though at times
I struggle. Now, So I went to Berkeley and I
went for like a year and a half or maybe
I went for a year, and then I left for semester.

(41:43):
And then I went back for one semester and my
teachers I remember, were like, what are you doing here? Why?
Like you don't need to be here. You need to
be out there in the industry, like full time, like
you need to go for it. You don't need to
be here in school. And that was the encouragement that

(42:08):
I needed. And I left that semester, you know, shout
out to the teachers that I keep it real and
encouraging a way with boldness to like speak to a
student to be like, yo, these are the movies you
need you should be making, you know what I'm saying
that that was the affirmation that I'll never forget of Like, Yo,
what are you doing here? You know what I'm saying, like,

(42:29):
go out there and get it, get after it. So
I left and then I linked up with the Daz
brothers Lou Diaz and Hugo Diaz, who were the foundational
producers for Pitbull. Okay, yeah, and I signed. I started
working with them and then we did a song called Emotional,

(42:54):
which is one of the first songs we did together
ninety six, a little tit, you know what I mean. Yeah,
that was that was an exciting time. And started putting
it in rotation and it went to like number one,
and they're like top countdowns like for weeks, and you know,

(43:17):
that's when the label started knocking down the door and
they're like little little label battle between Death Jam, Motown, UH,
Epic and Atlantic Records. All was kind of taking place,
and then ultimately we decided to go with Epic and
then yeah, that was like that was just a huge,

(43:38):
huge moment, huge milestone for me. I remember getting that
call from my producer Lou at the time, like Yo,
we're gonna go, We're gonna do the deal. We're gonna
ink the deal with Epic. I was driving on the
way to the barber shop, I remember, and I had
to pull over. Yeah, man, and I started started crying,

(43:59):
you know, the tears started being shed. It was like,
this is crazy.

Speaker 1 (44:03):
It is your dream, right, oh it's your dream, like.

Speaker 3 (44:07):
Like this is happening, Like yeah, man, it was crazy.
It was crazy. I remember, I remember the street I
was on, sample road, pulled over, and it was just
I couldn't believe it, like just overwhelmed with like just overwhelmed,

(44:27):
overwhelmed with.

Speaker 1 (44:28):
And let me let me ask you a question stick
up here in the story for a second. What what
was the support like from your parents? Because we often
talked about on this podcast, especially with musicians like you know,
the lyricals and persons of that nature, like support is
so important. But in our culture we're often told doctor, lawyer,

(44:52):
you know, nurse like those type of props. So home
supportive or non supportive? Were your parents during that time?

Speaker 3 (45:00):
I would say very supportive, you know. Yeah, I would
say I had a lot of support from my from
my parents growing up. I know that's not always the
story and the story of a lot of people. So
I'm just grateful, you know, I feel for that, but
I am grateful that my parents were and have been

(45:24):
supportive very much throughout and and it didn't come without
some tension, you know what I'm saying, because I do remember,
like as young as in middle school, having almost I
guess an argument or a pushback with my mom because
I had a I was like in like a little
like R and B group in middle school. Yeah. Yeah, yeah,

(45:47):
it was before of us, uh, Travis, Eddie Demani and myself.
We were called eternal love, you know, like all their olds.
Literally is the fact that you guys were in middle
school with that exactly exactly eternal love, you know what
I mean. So I remember, I remember we had like

(46:09):
the opportunity to perform at at Eely High School high
school in the neighborhood, okay, yeah, and then my mom
would let me go because my mom was Caribbean overprotective
and she's like, no, you're not going to leads in
like a bad neighborhood or whatever. And you're not. You're
not doing it. You're kind of rough. It's a little
it's right still, right, yeah, yeah, it still has its sound.

Speaker 1 (46:32):
They have a little bit of a point, you.

Speaker 3 (46:34):
Know, yes, you know, shout out to moms just knowing.

Speaker 1 (46:37):
Right, right, and I'm sure now as a parent, you
can see where she was.

Speaker 3 (46:41):
Like, yeah, of course, that's so true. Yeah, there's so
many things where I'm like, nah, I got a safeguard
against this and that. Yeah, but I remember that frustration
because I couldn't join my friends and that, and remember
yelling like this is what I want to do, you know,
like I don't want to be a a whatever doctor

(47:03):
or a fireman or whatever, like I want a traditional job. Yeah, like,
this is what I want to do. And I just
remember her supporting from from there, you know, looking looking
for avenues to get like performing, performing our scholarships, and like,
you know, she would push me to get the piano lessons,

(47:23):
she pushed me to go to Berkeley, like all of
that stuff wouldn't happen without her.

Speaker 1 (47:27):
Really beautiful, and I noticed a dream. All of the
male artists that I've had on here always talk about
their mothers supporting them, so that seems to be a
very positive theme for sure.

Speaker 3 (47:40):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, and my dad supported And I
think what I what I'm grateful for my dad doing
is because he didn't force me to do what he
was doing, which I think, oh nice. I think many
many parents when they run a small business, they might
kind of push that onto the kids to like follow suit.

(48:04):
You know, my dad has run a tennis academy since
I was born.

Speaker 1 (48:10):
Oh nice, I didn't do that.

Speaker 3 (48:12):
Yeah, so I grew up around it's full of talent.
Oh man. Yeah, I grew up having to play tennis.
And you know, I remember having a conversation with him too,
is yeah, where I assumed that he wanted me to
be like a tennis player. I remember welling up and
thinking that He's like, no, I like, I like the

(48:35):
tennis was just for an activity, but he didn't want
He didn't want me to do that or have to
feel like I need to play tennis. You know what
I'm saying. Like my head was always in the clouds.
I would be on a tennis court like singing songs
and spinning and hitting the ball, Oh my gosh, like
I would. Yeah, I was funny. I don't know what.

Speaker 1 (48:58):
The tennis probably was good to YouTube discipline as well,
Yeah that way.

Speaker 3 (49:04):
Yeah, I think so. And I think, you know, discipline
is something that I could always use more of. And
but I think tennis would have played a role in
what I do have. And same with just the child
rearing from both parents.

Speaker 1 (49:19):
And yeah, and also like the stamina because like when
you're on stage and the way hello people, if you
ever see Casey dance, all that popping and locking, yeah,
don't run out of breath. I know it makes sense
because in tennis you have to move around like that.

Speaker 3 (49:34):
So see, it was a plan, there was a plan,
There was a plant. We have to run up the
stage right.

Speaker 1 (49:43):
Exactly, because that's so important. I know, as you know,
I love Beyonce and that's something that people talk about
often that, you know, the training that her dad had
her and the girls doing, like running on treadmills singing,
and that's why she's able to do what she can
now and nobody can help do her because persons don't

(50:04):
get that type of training anymore.

Speaker 3 (50:06):
Hmmm. And then you know, you hear you would hear
stories like that, and we'd implement it ourselves. I remember
doing the treadmill and singing, and for sure I would,
oh yeah, I would try to. I would do the
treadmill and my goal was to try to to sing
as straight as possible, like without sounding like you know

(50:27):
what I'm saying. And I was like, all right, my
training would be like, how straight can I sing this
without making my voice sound like it's all over the place,
you know? So yeah, man, wow, that's very serious.

Speaker 1 (50:41):
Yeah, no, definitely. And you're not only as I mentioned
in the introduction, you're not only a musician, you're also
an actor. So can you also tell us a little
bit about some of the acting roles.

Speaker 3 (50:54):
That Yeah, so I I one of my first well,
you know, I grew up doing musical theater and like
community theater, right, so, and then I spent some time
in New York. When I became frustrated with music, I
went to New York and started studying at the Susan

(51:17):
Batson Studio in Times Square. And Susan is incredible. She
she worked with like Jamie fox on Rey and Nicole
many of Nicole Kidman's roles, and many of Tom Cruise's
roles and uh many Oprah when she's done her acting,
I mean many, many prolific actors. So that's amazing. Yeah.

(51:41):
The funny thing about me is like, when I want
to get trained, I'm like, I need to go to
the best I want to be. I want to be.
I want to learn from the best people there are
to learn from. You know.

Speaker 1 (51:50):
Yeah, but that's that's amazing work ethic though, like you
wanting to be the best.

Speaker 3 (51:54):
For su Yeah, it's just there's a there's a self
drive there for sure. Yeah, and you know, so from there,
my my first I would say, like, notable role I
got was on this Nickelodeon show called I Am Frankie,
where I played this lab lab technician or something like that,
and that was fun. You know, it's a kids show.

(52:17):
But nonetheless you could literally go see it right now.
And whatever company owns Nickelodeon now, I think it's Paramount
or something. Okay, Yeah, I opened up the season actually
season one, remember.

Speaker 1 (52:29):
Guys, Remember I was at my friend's house and I
had I was like message my brother first because I
wanted to be sure. I'm like, is this is this right?

Speaker 5 (52:39):
Right?

Speaker 3 (52:42):
Yes?

Speaker 1 (52:43):
Amazing, amazing and what else have you been in?

Speaker 3 (52:46):
No? No, no, yeah. And then another one was so
on HBO Max, they have a show called rap Ship,
which is from Ray producer actress. It's one of her shows,
and I was in season one and two of that
and that was, I mean, wow, an incredible experience that
was like, yeah, an out of body experience. I remember

(53:09):
filming it and being like this is HBO, like this
is big, this is global, you know what.

Speaker 1 (53:16):
I mean, Like, yes, that's serious.

Speaker 3 (53:19):
Yeah. So and then and that's those are like my
biggest roles. And then you know, I continue to audition
and look out for. You know, the industry is so
weird and so up and down, and you know, yeah,
also being in Miami, mim is not like a huge
acting scene, you know, but but Atlanta's not too far.

(53:42):
So sometimes I'll submit roles that come up, and you know,
I just whatever whatever whatever comes up that that I
think I'd be a good match for that I'm requested
to audition for, I go for and and see what happens.

Speaker 1 (53:55):
You know, I love that and I find that each meetia.
You know, the music and the acting has constraints and freedoms.
So what would you say, is the one thing you've
learned from acting that maybe you now apply to music
or vice.

Speaker 3 (54:13):
That's good, that's good. I remember being in a in
a particular acting class and I was struggling with or
the like. The teacher said I was compartmentalizing too much
and I guess being too like in my head about
executing the scene. And he said, what do you do, Like,

(54:34):
what you what you need to do right now is
just like what you do in music, Like you just
need to flow and and it's like jazz, you just
need to play off of the moment that's happening in
front of you. And that, in turn, like that that
fed my music and it feeds my acting. So like

(54:56):
music helped to feed my acting in terms of like
flowing and understanding like okay, just relax almost. I don't
even want to just say improvising, because its not even
about that, but being in the moment in the same
way that when you're being in the moment in a song.
You know, it's just way more effective that way. And

(55:19):
with music music, I mean sorry, with acting, the discipline
of like diving deep into a role and just exploring that.
I think with acting a lot, I learned a lot
about the inner child. It was a huge emphasis on

(55:41):
connecting to your inner child and having your inner child
like wants and needs come through whatever character you were portraying,
and that would be the way to make it real
and feel make it feel grounded. Right. So whatever the
line might be, I wanna let's say it's something you

(56:03):
you have no personal connection to I want to I
want to jump out of a plane because I don't, right,
but I need to make it sound convincing, right, right, right?
You know, you find some core memory or core or
core need that of something that you really really want
or needed as a child, and you learn to parallel

(56:23):
these things. That's so awesome. Yeah. So then with acting,
even though it's acting and you're like putting on a character,
it actually taught me a deep vulnerability in my music
as well. Like it, it just taught me to be

(56:43):
more vulnerable and more like more sensitive, to just more sensitive.
Not that I needed help. I mean, I'm like naturally sensitive,
but it made me more aware of that, I think it,
and it brought that out, you know. So then when
I go into music, I always want my music to
feel vulnerable and feel I don't know, I wanted to

(57:09):
tug at your at your core and your heartstrings and yeah,
you know.

Speaker 1 (57:14):
Yeah. And it's interesting because you were almost about to
say it, but for some reason, I don't know if
it's intentional or unintentional, you're avoiding the word emotional.

Speaker 3 (57:24):
Emotional.

Speaker 1 (57:25):
That's so ironic because that's the name of like your
breakout song, have emotions and it's okay.

Speaker 3 (57:32):
Yeah, yeah, and that is that is literally me like
playing like leaning into who I am, you know, emotional.
It was like it just made sense. Like friends would
call me miss like yo mood swing JC because like
I just be in my emotions, like you know what

(57:53):
I'm saying, Like I'm not, I'm not proud of this
by any means, but but it is. But it's who
you are, It's who I am part of.

Speaker 1 (58:00):
It, you know what I mean, Like you know who
you are and that's fine. Yeah, that's definitely fine. And
I think it's important to speak about as a Caribbean
man as well, because that's something we've also talked about
on here. You know, just men's mental health. I believe
this month is Men's Mental Health Awareness Month if I'm
not mistaken, but you know, year round, just the importance

(58:23):
of men even feeling like they have a safe space
to express emotions because a lot of times anger and
things of that nature arises from not being able to
express those emotions or when men do, from the men
that have come on this podcast and explained when they
do express emotions, then it's kind of like kryfa, like

(58:45):
you know what I mean. So it's it's good because
you're making it okay for other men to say, yeah,
you know, I cry sometimes, I have emotions, I have
feelings about certain things like and it's fine.

Speaker 3 (58:58):
Yeah, yeah, you know. I want to be a representative
of that and help, you know, help meet other men,
like talk about things that are difficult to speak about.
You know. I've I've had the the opportunity, the privilege
and the blessing to like lead men's group even you know,

(59:19):
within my church and like really like, like I don't know,
create that safe space or help to lead a safe
space where like other men can be really vulnerable and
and and I could be an example of that vulnerability
to be like, yo, I went through this, I went
through that whatever, And yeah, I love that. I love
representing that, you know, I love that.

Speaker 1 (59:41):
No, for sure, And it's definitely definitely important. So yeah,
thank you for that.

Speaker 3 (59:46):
It's much appreciated, oh for sure.

Speaker 1 (59:50):
So I cannot have you here as a trainey and
not talk about Carnival. Oh so we have to talk
the Carnival teams.

Speaker 3 (59:59):
Now.

Speaker 1 (59:59):
I I have not yet, I say yet because it's
on my list right. I have not yet been to
Trinidad Carnival. I am dying to go and I will
get there, don't you worry. But can you please, as
somebody that has been as a trainey, explain what I mean.

(01:00:19):
Make sure I asked this correctly. Trinidad carnival specifically, right,
I personally feel like Trinidad owns Carnival.

Speaker 3 (01:00:28):
Okay, all right, I said, Look at Jamaicans said that.

Speaker 1 (01:00:32):
Yes, you heard it here first reporting live from Jamaicans
who support Trinidad.

Speaker 3 (01:00:38):
So Trinidad depressing segment, and I'll tell you why. I'll
tell you why because you know I too have not been.

Speaker 1 (01:00:50):
Yeah you okay, okay, so let's let me let me
go back, let me meel and come again. All right,
So you have not been I stand corrected. However, you've
actually been to Trinidad. I haven't even been. So you've
been to Trinidad, So you know the atmosphere, I would say, right, yeah,
So I think anyone as onlookers know that Trinidad is

(01:01:13):
full of color and rhythm and really community.

Speaker 3 (01:01:16):
Right.

Speaker 1 (01:01:16):
It's not just jump up and down and why not drink,
although that is a part of it, it is not
only that there's a lot of cultural components to it, right, yeah,
So I love to know how carnival makes you feel
and how it's influenced your music or your sense of performance.

Speaker 3 (01:01:37):
Hmmm, how it's influenced my music or sense of performance. So, yeah,
carnival is a beautiful thing. I unfortunately haven't experienced it
in Trinidad. I've been to like Miami Carnival, which this
is the next best carnival outside like for like a
Caribbean carnival or whatever. Then you know, Miami Carnival is

(01:01:57):
a big thing, right, But I have been plenty of
FETs in Trinidad, so I've experienced the energy of it.
I've experienced the community of it. I've experienced just that
just that buzzing of like I don't know, just just
just like I said, the energy, you know, and it's

(01:02:20):
just it's so it's such an incredible time. And and
you know, a lot of my family is there and
my cousins are there, so that's like a connection point
for me and my cousins and like going to FETs
and and just like oh my gosh, I mean some
of the best memories to where I could experience a

(01:02:42):
carnival Tobanca, which is like missing like you know, you're
like you're in the season of like feting and and
and it's you're on a high for so long of
just like top of the world. And then like when
it's gone in this case, when I when I go
back to the States, yeah, the tabanca is there and
you're like, yo, I yearned for that feeling again, you know.

(01:03:04):
And and obviously Trinidad has iconic performers like Marshall. You know,
I had I had the fortune to collaborate with, perform
with yeah man, yeah yeah on two of on two

(01:03:27):
of my songs, Sweat being one featured in Marshall and
then Burn It Up is another one featuring Marshall and
Sweat was another one of my really big songs after Emotional.
And I remember when Marshall was in town performing at

(01:03:48):
Best of the Best, a big Caribbean concert festival in Miami.
He brought me out. We did Sweat, and I mean,
the man is electric, you know what I mean, Like
the man is the man is.

Speaker 1 (01:04:02):
And he's been doing this since Jesus was a boy.

Speaker 3 (01:04:05):
Yeah, man, Like this guy is the day one. Like yeah,
so he is just seasoned and so professional, and you know,
you just learn you just learned from being around a
performer like that, even backstage, like you just learn like
just pick up, you know, pick just the way, the

(01:04:27):
way to be and the professionalism. And I love the
freedom when I see like my shall perform he has
a level of freedom on stage, which is something that
I always seek to to do in my performances. Is
I want my performance to feel as free as possible,
you know. And so yeah, I mean I think that's

(01:04:49):
the connection point. You know, my my music, my perform
my performance isn't let's say, directly tied to Carnival. Like
You're not gonna to see a performance and be like,
oh this is this is what that is. No, but
it's there in your blood. And sometimes you can't see

(01:05:09):
how those things are within you, you know what I mean. Right,
But like I'll hear things like oh the way you
dance or or you know, like there's some other sauce there.
I'm like, yeah, that that sauce is probably coming from
the curry, you know what I mean. Yeah, So yeah,

(01:05:37):
you know, I love I love home, I love Trinidad,
and I love Panama, and I just I love my
roots and have grown to to own them more and
more over the years.

Speaker 1 (01:05:48):
You know, I love that. I love that, and I'm
glad you mentioned like the FETs too. I've heard about
like Brian Laura's party and like just some really big
als of this world, bigger, biggest score, yeah, happy and
all my people, man, all my people, yeah yeah, and

(01:06:12):
I love you know, and and and over time, I've
I've gotten to collaborate with really big training producers as
well that I've become friends.

Speaker 3 (01:06:21):
Yeah yeah yeah, like uh Kevin Bahari Vex Money from
System thirty two. You know System thirty two is one
half Kevin, one half Mikaele, who's she's brilliant.

Speaker 1 (01:06:33):
Yeah, my goodness, he's a brilliant, brilliant writer.

Speaker 3 (01:06:37):
Yeah, so my song lighted up. They produced that. Yeah.
Boys summers a collaborate with my with my boy Brave Boy,
who is in a trainey residing in Trine as well.
Rood Boy Summer came out like kind of pandemic and ye.

Speaker 1 (01:06:58):
That yeah, I'm like, I know I know that name.

Speaker 3 (01:07:02):
Yeah yeah yeah. So another one is Keshav another producer,
and he's working like Bungee Marshall as well. And you know,
so it's like I've gotten to these have all become
like friends, associates part of like your community, your musician,
your musical community, which is important. Yeah, and it's been

(01:07:26):
It's been beautiful for me to tap into my roots
that way, because you know, I like to always seek
out like who's the who's the one, Who's the the source?
You know what I'm saying. And I like to work
with the source. You know what I'm saying. Yeah, Yeah,
I love that. I love that.

Speaker 1 (01:07:43):
Okay, So two more questions before our last segment for
Caribbean artists that are trying to navigate the industry, whether
that's music or film. What would you say is a
practical piece of advice that you wish someone had given
to you when you were starting out?

Speaker 3 (01:08:01):
Man, I think just being being yourself is just paramount.
I think you know the good and the bad of
like of that. Right. So we're in a day and
age now where I think that being eclectic and being
mixed and being cultured is a lot more elevated than

(01:08:26):
it was obviously like twenty years ago, where we had
many little boxes back then. Now people want something different
and I think are more open to two different now.
I know I have Caribbean artist friends who who have
struggled with not wanting to do what is expected of them,

(01:08:51):
Like they don't want to do soca and they don't
want to do Calypso, and but they're expected to, you
know what I'm saying, but because of their heritage, because
of their heritage, and it's almost like, well, we're not
putting you on because you're not doing what we want
you to do. And you know, I honor and respect

(01:09:13):
those artists who just want to stay true to themselves
at the end of the day, because when all this
is done, is just you, you know what I mean,
you have to deal with you when you get home.
So that is it. You know. I just feel like
being yourself is going to be it. That's going to
be the thing that gives you longevity. You know, you
could only play a role for so long, so as
a Caribbean artist I was. You know, collaboration, I think

(01:09:35):
is really a good practical outlet and a good practical
action step, whether that's collaborating with other artists in your
genre or stepping outside of that to see what else
is out there. It's a big world, and sure, you know,
the answer might not be right on your doorstep, so

(01:09:57):
we'll find out that's.

Speaker 1 (01:09:58):
Very sound advice. And you bring up something that I
think is just very important to repeatedly talk about, and
we end up talking about it on this podcast in
different ways, as you would know. And I remind people
all the time, I guess never know the questions, no
matter how well they know me. I always tell people,
not even my dad, you know. So these are like

(01:10:21):
genuine conversations that we're having and you bringing up you know,
just in general, people knowing themselves and being themselves. I
think it's so important because I think we live in
a time where persons can look at someone and think, oh,
I can just copy them. I can just copy the
way they dress, I can copy the way they move,

(01:10:41):
I can copy the way they sing or act. And
what you don't understand is you cannot copy someone's innate ability.
You can try, but it's never going to be the same.
And then you have to think, why would you want
to be the second great version of somebody else?

Speaker 3 (01:11:02):
Right? Right? Right?

Speaker 1 (01:11:03):
Because that person is who they are because of their experiences.

Speaker 3 (01:11:07):
Right.

Speaker 1 (01:11:08):
So you look at somebody and you'll see you'll say,
for example, you know they're quiet, or they don't really
say much like you know, as you know my brother,
for example, and you will never know that this person
has been traveling the world and has seen things and
been in rooms with people that you never see in

(01:11:28):
probably your lifetime. But because they may not have the
personality to share that, you might think that person, well,
maybe isn't valuable to you, you know what I mean,
or like maybe that person isn't really worth like listening to,
or I don't even want to say coppying, but like
getting help from because they're not this big person. But

(01:11:50):
it will it will usually be like, and this isn't
any aspects of life I've phound. It's usually those persons
that are not outwardly boastful about who they are and
where they've been that have the most knowledge to give,
because people have a presumption that if you're not outwardly
you know, like you're so incredibly talented, and maybe because

(01:12:12):
you are not outwardly saying I'm Caseley and I went
to Berkeley and my grandfather was this and I can
sing in this many octaves, maybe you could be a
huge YouTube star right now, or you know, getting Grammy
nominations if you were outwardly screaming that you're so great
and you're so amazing, but that's not who you are, right,

(01:12:35):
You get what I'm saying, Like, yeah, you know when
you were younger, I'm sure, yeah, you were young so
you're probably like dancing and doing this, But I mean
that being your personality, Like your personality is this boisterous
person and reminding people.

Speaker 3 (01:12:50):
How great you are.

Speaker 1 (01:12:51):
And when someone or that person is supposed to find
your talent and take you to that next place, it
will happen organically, you know, And I think think that's
a good lesson. When you're just yourself, it happens in
the way that it's supposed to happen. So if it
takes twenty years, if it takes five years, that's how
it's supposed to happen. And you know, lastly, you pointed

(01:13:13):
it out earlier when you said, you know, we kind
of both thought it about I thought it, but you
kind of said it under your breath. But it's an
important fact. Some people are in prison and that could
have been you early on if you made that choice,
you know what I mean. So like that just goes
to show you. I think it's like a full circle moment.
I love that you ended with that, that it's really

(01:13:34):
important to be yourself.

Speaker 3 (01:13:36):
Yeah, man, because it's like yo, yeah, just what I
said before, like what you have to go back to
and home too, is you and if you're going to
self destruct trying to uphold some trying to be something else,
I mean, and you see it through time and again,
the amount of artists are just like, you know, kind

(01:13:57):
of have a breakdown or have this this and that
or abuse issues because they're they're facing themselves or they
want you know, they're or they're they're they're just up
against some battle. Yeah, and a lot of the times
as an identity battle that they're dealing with. So yeah,
but it's just comarpagates and be you exactly.

Speaker 1 (01:14:20):
And I think it's harder for persons like yourself that
actually have real talent because unfortunately, as you would know
and as some people might not know listening the music
business is as hard as it is for persons like
me that aren't in it to conceptualize is really not
that much about talent, right, so when you go into

(01:14:42):
it exactly, So like when you go into it, and
I'm sure you have a song that's about this, because
as I'm talking, it's it's making me recall, but just
in general, when you go into anything in the entertainment
industry and you're thinking, I'm so good at this, they
must see me, they must be me. I think that's
where the disappointment starts. And then maybe the comparison to

(01:15:05):
other people, which is really sad, but it's kind of
like you have to separate the two, I would think,
to not lose yourself.

Speaker 3 (01:15:12):
Yeah, I mean I've struggled with that a lot. You know,
those last points comparison and and what about me and
all of that. You know, those are very hard things
to work through as an artist, and as an artist
a commercial artist where you're dealing with commerce and business

(01:15:35):
and you know, what people want from you and stuff like.
It's just a hard thing on your mental you know.
So it's important that you have people around you to
give you perspective, you know, like your like your brother.
You know that. You know, it's given me just a
tremendous amount of perspective, which has helped my get ahead

(01:16:00):
of like what this industry can naturally do to any human.
You know, it's ruthless. You know, it'd be hard, I
think to find any artist that doesn't have some kind
of like unfortunate story to tell about the industry.

Speaker 1 (01:16:18):
Yeah, which is so like deeply concerning, you know, because
like I said, there are some people that they just
want to be famous, like they don't care put them
on auto tune. But then there's people like yourself that
actually have like real talent and like you said, are
thinking about melodies as a child playing tennis, like you

(01:16:40):
have a whole story, and you're having to compete with
persons that are like, oh, you think because I'm look
this way or I address this way, I can be
an artist. Okay, put me on TV and they're now
superstars and filthy reach. That's just really just disconcerting. You know,
I one hundred percent empathize. Obviously I don't know what

(01:17:04):
that's like, but I think that it's amazing that you
continue to push through despite that being the case, because
it's been that way for decades. As I'm sure you
know you know what I mean. So all you can
do is, just like you said, be yourself and focus on.

Speaker 3 (01:17:21):
What you can control.

Speaker 1 (01:17:22):
Absolutely when you imagine your own legacy, not like I
don't know the press or anything like that, but what
friends and family remember about you? What image do you
hope that they carry.

Speaker 3 (01:17:41):
Come on, man, that's so deep profoundly, we get deep.

Speaker 5 (01:17:45):
Here, you know, I just seeing I just seeing little
ash like cell of your old ass. I'm like, thank
you the Harvard uh therapezm me.

Speaker 3 (01:18:02):
Wow. Legacy Legacy has been a has been a word
that's come up recently. Yeah, so that's you know, it's
interesting that you had asked that. Yeah, man about me.
You know, I want people too. I want people to

(01:18:26):
walk away from me, yeah, you know, regarding me as
someone who worked hard and was passionate and who gave
it everything that that they could, it being their art
or anything or anything that I that I chose to

(01:18:47):
commit to. You know, I want people to remember me
as someone committed. Ah. And you know, it's like a
love for music is it goes without saying. So I'm
trying to think outside of just like art, you know

(01:19:08):
what I mean. At the end of the day, I
want to be a great father, a great husband, a
great brother, a great friend, a great entertainer, and someone
who just added value to society. I think, you know,
y're decades from now, hundreds of years from now, when

(01:19:28):
we're just dust and and it's just like I just
want to. I just want to have added to society.
You know.

Speaker 1 (01:19:36):
I love that, and I think you've done that already,
but I love that that's something that you know you
want to continue to do because you're not dead yet.

Speaker 3 (01:19:43):
Yeah, we got more, We got more to do, We
got more to do.

Speaker 1 (01:19:49):
Yes, for sure, this is just just the beginning. I
know you started young, so it probably feels like you've
lived a few lives. But yeah, this is just the
beginning for sure.

Speaker 3 (01:20:04):
I'm not around too now, you know. Yes, there we go.

Speaker 1 (01:20:09):
What does Drake say the second act is tragic? I
don't want to start wrapping on here because I don't
want anyone to try to sign me.

Speaker 3 (01:20:15):
It's not about me. But he had it right like,
and it's gonna be tragic for me.

Speaker 1 (01:20:21):
Feel exactly exactly.

Speaker 3 (01:20:24):
I love that. All right.

Speaker 1 (01:20:26):
So before I do my thank you, quick rapid fire
questions and I want you to answer with the first
thing that comes to mind. Okay, all right, what is
one song you can't perform without getting emotional?

Speaker 3 (01:20:42):
Oh my gosh, without getting emotional? Yes, no, I know,
I know, yo, it probably have to be. That's so funny.
I know it's supposed to be like upid fire I'm
here thinking it's fine. Many songs, man, you.

Speaker 1 (01:21:04):
Just have to pick one, so you have to take
your time to think.

Speaker 3 (01:21:06):
That's fine, right, all right. I want to say made Away.
This is it's made away by Elevation worship Chandler more
And I think the emotion in that is just knowing
that the incredible mountains that I've had to face where

(01:21:31):
literally only God could have brought me through it. Mmmm. Yeah,
you had to take it there.

Speaker 1 (01:21:38):
No, listen, We've all been there, so trust me one
thing about God.

Speaker 5 (01:21:43):
Make away, always make a way.

Speaker 3 (01:21:48):
Yeah that's nice. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:21:52):
I didn't even have to pay for that.

Speaker 3 (01:21:53):
People, you know that's the house.

Speaker 1 (01:21:58):
I love it, love it. Okay, name your This might
be a little bit difficult, but that's why we're here.
Name your top five favorite Soca artists right now.

Speaker 3 (01:22:10):
Oh my gosh, Marshall Voice, yeah, voice is he's fired,
Cass Yo, I really really like oh my gosh, oh

(01:22:30):
not named failing me, mister.

Speaker 5 (01:22:37):
Mister, oh mister, Yes, I love him.

Speaker 3 (01:22:43):
Chiller and I love Former. Yes, I love that. Like
like Yo, he elevated Soca because yeah, man, he's he's
just a great performer, a great perform.

Speaker 1 (01:23:00):
And his legs reach some places you never know said
legs could.

Speaker 3 (01:23:04):
Have got even know, and you know it's possible. And
you know, mister killer is I think he's he's a yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:23:13):
Grenadian Soca is definitely getting up there now.

Speaker 3 (01:23:16):
So it's intense for sure, for sure.

Speaker 1 (01:23:19):
All right, what is what is one industry myth that
you wish would go away?

Speaker 3 (01:23:32):
Fake it till you make it? Oh?

Speaker 1 (01:23:35):
And that's when I think I heard someone say the
other day.

Speaker 3 (01:23:38):
Really, so I think people are feeling that it's like, man,
you gotta do away with that. Man, it's not it's
not healthy, Like it's not mentally healthy, because then you
start like believing whatever it is you're faking, and then
you try and then you're like stuck in this loop
of like who am I? Then you got to go
through like decades of like soul searching and ident Christ

(01:24:00):
Like you don't want to do all of that, you
know what I'm saying? Like that's so true. And I
think now more than ever, people are going back to
what we were discussing earlier, Like people are more open
to just the realness and just like yo, give me that,
give me that real Like we're inundated with so much
content and so much crap every day and stifting through

(01:24:20):
to find these gems. It would be a lot easier
to define the gems if if people were just bringing
their authentic cells to the table. So yeah, yeah, true,
good off, fake it till you make it. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:24:32):
I love that perspective on that, because I promise you
I heard someone say that the other day. Oh, it's
definitely really still a thing. I love that, beautifully said.
All right, what is a film that always teaches you
something new about performance?

Speaker 3 (01:24:50):
Purple Raine? We're going back to quick Fire, Purple Raine.
I used to have Purple Rain running in the studio
and I was working on my album nineteen eighty five,
and I just love the imagery of it, the cinematography
of it. Obviously, the music is iconic, and Princess just
just a g so incredible, and I would just I've

(01:25:13):
seen that movie so many times and it'll never get
old to me. Yeah, I love that.

Speaker 1 (01:25:20):
Okay, A couple more questions. Name someone who has inspired
or infused or influenced you musically outside of your family.

Speaker 3 (01:25:31):
Outside of my family inspired me musically, there's so many
more or influence. I mean, Kanye is a big one,
you know, Kanye, and and in the sense of boldness,
like in the sense of choices. It's not like my
music sounds anything like Kanye's music. But I love, you know,

(01:25:54):
when his mind is working in the well and the way,
you know, and and he brings that that he produces
beautiful art. I just think it's so it's so impactful,
and it's it's incredible, and I think it and what's
powerful about it is that it can influence art in

(01:26:14):
so many different ways, you know, I love. Yeah, that's
a good perspective. Nice.

Speaker 1 (01:26:20):
Okay, What is one Caribbean dish that instantly makes you
feel like home?

Speaker 3 (01:26:27):
Oh, Doubles.

Speaker 5 (01:26:29):
You know, we're always joking about it, always like yo,
doubles Doubles.

Speaker 1 (01:26:38):
Yes, you answered that so quick. I knew you were
going to say that.

Speaker 3 (01:26:44):
All right.

Speaker 1 (01:26:44):
And the final question before I thank you. If you
could record one song with your younger self, what would
I guess the context of that song be, or maybe
what message would you tell yourself through that song?

Speaker 3 (01:27:02):
I don't know. As you as you were as you
were asking the question, the title fight to be you
came to mind.

Speaker 1 (01:27:09):
Oh my god, Wow, that's actually an amazing title.

Speaker 3 (01:27:13):
Yeah, I don't know it just that just stood out
to me. I just started seeing those words like fight
to be you?

Speaker 1 (01:27:20):
Can you give us a brief? Like I feel like
I know where you're going, but can you give us right?

Speaker 3 (01:27:27):
Yeah, because I do feel like, you know, I grew
up with a lot of older friends and older people
guiding me through not just life but through the industry.
And you know, you're you're impressionable and you don't really
know who you're supposed to be. You know, no one

(01:27:49):
really on that on that upper level as being like
just be yourself, you know what I'm saying, or helping
you to be yourself. They're just everyone's doing the best
they can. And yeah, and I just feel like, you know,
I spent a lot of time not not on not

(01:28:10):
knowing who I was, you know, And I think, yeah,
A Fight to Be You is a song that is
like it's saying, Yo, you're all that you need outside
of like God and your family, but like you don't
need the approval of X, Y and Z, Like yeah,
you don't need to put on this look to have

(01:28:32):
that that sauce. That sauce is within you, you know
what I'm saying, Like, yeah, so Yeah, I think that
is it.

Speaker 1 (01:28:40):
I love that that's so beautifully said, and I do
think that that's something that whether persons listening are even
interested in the industry or not, just in general, people
need to hear more of because the older you get,
and for me, the more I talk to people, which
is why I love this platform, because most of the
time I'm talking to people that I actually don't know,

(01:29:01):
and if I do know them, like you who I've
known forever, the things I learned that I didn't know,
you know. And I think that unfortunately, persons don't always
have someone, whether it's a friend or family member, to
encourage them to be themselves. So yeah, I think that's
really an important message for sure.

Speaker 3 (01:29:21):
Yeah, that's one you know, and I'm grateful for I've
had people in my life to help me with that message,
you know what I'm saying. So I just think what
if I didn't have that or have people in my
life to help give that perspective, you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (01:29:38):
Right, which is a real thing for a lot of people.

Speaker 3 (01:29:41):
Yeah, sure, you know, I count my blessings man.

Speaker 1 (01:29:44):
Love that love that. Okay, So this is a final
portion of the show where I do my thank you,
and I tell people about to cry because I don't
mind saying it to me. Love cry so.

Speaker 3 (01:29:59):
Trying.

Speaker 1 (01:29:59):
I would say, try that to get emotional. But since
you say yeah, since you already warned me, this is
a safe space, so you're you're free to get emotional
as long as you let me get through it.

Speaker 3 (01:30:12):
Okay, okay.

Speaker 1 (01:30:13):
And this one is a little bit longer because I
actually know you, so I have a little bit more context.
But Casey, your story is not just a career, but
I view it as a continuum. I think that you've
carried melodies that begin long before you, long before you

(01:30:36):
were here on earth, in your father's voice, in your
grandmother's piano keys, and the courage of your mother's journey
from Trinidad to the States. I think that's where your
music really started, you know, in that course of in
that chorus, excuse me of lineage and love. You've moved

(01:30:57):
through the world with rhythm as a pawer sport or
a compass, and from your record label signing you to
all the independent releases that you've done, from Nickelodeon to HBO,
you've shown that art can live wherever integrity does, and
wherever you can show up and be yourself. And still

(01:31:20):
you've stayed rooted in culture, in brought up sea because
that's important and purpose, you know, which is really all inspiring,
And perhaps what moves me the most is how that
purpose has evolved, because no, when you speak of legacy,
you're not just talking about music or film. You're talking

(01:31:41):
about Leo and the kind of man and artist and
father that he'll see one day when he looks at
you and thinks, my dad turned the noise of the
world into something musical. I think that you are, in
every sense, a bridge between heritage and modernity, between Caribbean

(01:32:04):
rhythm and global sound. And in a time when so
many chase trends as be spoken about, you continue to
chase truth. And I think that's what will always make
you unforgettable and I hope you never change that. So
from me and everyone listening and my family, which you

(01:32:25):
are a part of, basically, thank you for coming to
talk it things with me. Thank you for all the
work that you've done. Thank you for sharing your music
and your gift with the world. For the music, the
message and the mirror that you hold up to the
Caribbean diaspora.

Speaker 3 (01:32:42):
Wow, thank you, thank you so much. Welcome, thank you
for having me. That was so beautiful and I'll take that,
take that with me just as I continue on this journey,
you know, and I'm here anything you need. I love
talking anything.

Speaker 1 (01:33:00):
No, definitely, and you're welcome back anytime for sure.

Speaker 3 (01:33:04):
Look forward.

Speaker 4 (01:33:08):
H

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The "Emotional" Evolution of Casely | Ft. JC Casely

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}The "Emotional" Evolution of Casely | Ft. JC Casely