EP #114 | Rodrick L. Swift & Philip Butler II | Top 10 Drummers

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We will be like join me as your host, Roger
Swell and this is your girl Mothers.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome to the Takeover.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Musicians Matters podcast live right here, four thirty pm Specific
Standard time. It's seven thirty pm Eastern Standard time. Every Wednesday.

Speaker 3 (00:20):
Hold all digital platforms, Power twenty one Christian Medium l
Let's go, we.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Have a dynamic show on tonight.

Speaker 4 (00:35):
Welcome to another session of Musicians Matters or the Takeover Podcasts,
or Chef Talk or the Top ten podcasts. Let's welcome
our co hosts, Philip Butler, what's going on?

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Brother?

Speaker 5 (00:53):
And now whole lot? How are you doing on this day?

Speaker 2 (00:58):
Oh?

Speaker 4 (00:58):
My gridnas is been a blessing on in disguise, you know,
been through a lot, still going through a lot. But
God is still good. What you say about that?

Speaker 5 (01:13):
And that's all that matters, you know, no matter we're all.

Speaker 6 (01:17):
No matter where the tests and trials come through, just
remember you know somebody is worse offt than what we
are at this moment.

Speaker 4 (01:28):
Yes, yes, And we're not gonna be too long on
tonight because we both have a mission tonight, we both
are leave vites, and we both have rehearsal tonight. Yeah,
but God is God. God is gonna still be on
this secssion, and I'm truly grateful for what God is

(01:50):
doing in our lives.

Speaker 2 (01:53):
On tonight.

Speaker 4 (01:55):
On August nine, at uh the Gas Station Recording Studio
off of twenty two seventy Losi Road at twelve WOM
we're going to have the Drummers United Music and Arts Fest,
the drum Fest twenty twenty five, and we're going to
have some dynamic artists that's gonna be there, like myself

(02:20):
and yourself, and we're going to still show this community
what we're all about. This has been going on fifteen
years and I'm truly thankful and honored to be overseer
over this event and over this this movement. We have
been had a lot of people's come in, a lot

(02:42):
of people come out, but God is still getting the
glory over this situation.

Speaker 5 (02:46):
My brother, what do these things all day? Every day?

Speaker 4 (02:52):
Yes, sir, Yes, sir. Yeah, we're just going to pick
it up, Yes sir, We're just going to piggyback off
of last week. You know it was just talking about
humility and humble yourself about in the ministry as us.
As Lee writes, I'm gonna come through first period, five

(03:18):
six to seven, humbling yourself. Therefore, under God's mighty hand
that he's may not, may lift you up and do
times and cast all your anxieties on him because his cross,
I mean he cares for you. First Peter five and seven,

(03:39):
five to sixty seven. The reason why I came up
with a scripture, we've been as musicians, have to go
through a lot. We have to be there as a
right hand to the pastor, the right hand to who
who's ever overseeing us as as a leader shuts out

(03:59):
to my pastor, Pastor Kelly and Lady Kelly at Vegas
View Church of Got in Christ, nineteen oh six Cliders
Street and Las Vegas, Nevada. If you're looking for a church,
this is the place. We have the services at eleven

(04:19):
am every Sunday and we have rehearsals on Wednesdays with Thursday.
So if you're looking for a church, this is the
place to be. It's going to be at nineteen oh
six Cliders Street, Vegasreet Church of God in Christ, under

(04:42):
the leadership of Pastor Kelly and Lady Kelly.

Speaker 5 (04:47):
Astir First, Lady Kelly, what's going on?

Speaker 4 (04:51):
Yes, right, that's right, that's right. So, my brother, So
we was talking about last week far as musicians, what
we go through as a musician, You, as a musician,
you have a lot of places to be, just like

(05:13):
I am as a musician. I have a lot of
places to be, people's to see. But we never get
that type of or that type of situation where we
can just say, okay, but I need you, I need

(05:35):
you right now and I need you to come through
right now.

Speaker 2 (05:40):
And on our behalf. How do you feel about that, bro?

Speaker 5 (05:45):
Well, you know, even though let's put it this way,
if we really did, if we really didn't enjoy what
we do. Yeah, that's the main thing, you know, enjoying
what we do. That's the first thing. And then the
second thing, you know, then another is the word no.

(06:11):
Because we enjoy, we enjoy our craft so much that
even as musicians, we we forget that we are human
just like the next person. But we're so in depth
in what we do, we just don't know how to
say no.

Speaker 2 (06:31):
You're right about that, You're right about that.

Speaker 5 (06:34):
I'm the first to tell your truth. I have a
problem saying no then, because I feel like if I
would have said no, then I felt like I would
have missed out on the next great epidemic of the

(06:54):
next waves to come and come, and to find out
it's the same old things. So those are you know,
like teachable moments of learning how to learning how to
say no. And it's okay to say no because, for one,
it gives your mental a break from from musical madness,

(07:20):
musical train wrecks. Uh. You know, people who think they
can play and people who think they don't know how
to play, and you know, dealing with dealing with multiple
attitudes that message, that's a lot that messes with a

(07:40):
levite's mental dealing with egoistical, problematic people who think they
have arrived. Yes, but you know, to to to the
young levites that's listening. Uh. Yes, I encourage the young

(08:03):
upcoming levites to say to learn how to say no.

Speaker 2 (08:09):
Mm hmm.

Speaker 5 (08:10):
It saves you a lot of headaches. It saves you
a lot of he says, she say, it saves a
lot of unnecessary drama.

Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yes, sir, yes, sir.

Speaker 5 (08:23):
You learn about that then sometimes you know, if we
don't say no, it puts us in a place and
I'm experience that now. It puts you in a place
where instead of people glad to see you people tolerate you,

(08:46):
and that's a that's a bad feeling to have as
a as a gifted anointed levite, whether you're a singer,
you're a musician, whether you run sound, where you run media,
wherever category your line of work is in. You don't

(09:09):
you don't want to feel that people with people is
tolerating you because they have no choice. They have nobody else.
You're the last resort. So but it all steps back
to saying no and all money and all money ain't
good money, youngsters.

Speaker 2 (09:31):
It's not. It's not. It's not.

Speaker 4 (09:34):
And it says in the Bible, I'm kind of kind
of actor off what you said. It says you are
my refuge in my shield, and I have put all
my hope in my words in you Lord. So basically
we just got to put it in our word. And
I hope in.

Speaker 2 (09:54):
God and not in just man.

Speaker 4 (09:55):
That's coming from some one nineteen fourteen.

Speaker 5 (10:02):
Yeah, because and if you really think about it, right,
we are in this world. We're not part of the
world's shenanigans. Where we live in this world, but we're
not we're not partaking what the world is doing. Yes,

(10:25):
and and the worst and the crazy thing is the
worst people. I can't say the worst people. The people
that have it the worst, That's what it was mean
to say. The people that have it worse is the
annoyance they had, they had, they have the they have
it worse because you know, if you're annoying it, you're

(10:50):
gonna go through some stuff you're gonna you gotta deal with.
You're gonna have to deal with people leaving you out
of the loop of things. You have to deal with
people will call you at the very last minute. You're
gonna have to deal with people shaming you and throwing
all kinds of evil manner against you. But at the

(11:10):
end of it, you know you you're you're going to
read from going through. I mean, everybody got to go through.
It's called the process. Yes, pruning, as they say, yes,

(11:33):
you know, prunin hurts.

Speaker 2 (11:35):
It's something. It's something that.

Speaker 5 (11:38):
It hurts, and so many it hurts on so many
different levels. You know, like the thing if you don't
if you're not headstrong, and this is just I'm not
just talking to the anointed, but I'm talking to in general.
Let's we're just going to say in general, if you're

(12:00):
not mentally headstrong, going through the process of where you're
trying to go, you're not going to make it.

Speaker 4 (12:10):
That's true. That's true.

Speaker 5 (12:13):
You know, as as as a musician, you can attest
we're just not instrumentalists. We wear different hats away from
my instrument. So that's a whole another that's a whole
nother monster within itself. If you're multi talented, if you're

(12:37):
if you're if you're a musician, but your your strong attributes,
you're a businessman, or you know how to do administrative work,
that that's a that's another devil attack attached to what
you're dealing with on top of being a musician.

Speaker 4 (12:57):
That's true, that's true.

Speaker 2 (13:00):
Level talking about like we.

Speaker 4 (13:02):
Were just talking about a little bit earlier, we just
got to stay humble and regardings of what ministry or what.

Speaker 2 (13:09):
Hack that we do with. You know, we just got
to be humble and God do and take care of
the rest.

Speaker 5 (13:18):
You know. Humility. Humility plays a huge part of going
through the process. That's what people don't really people don't
know that going going through the process, it molds you
to shape you into becoming the next what God is

(13:43):
preparing you for. Humility and within humility you know that
comes tests. God gives us tests while we're going through
our processes.

Speaker 4 (13:58):
That's true that he.

Speaker 2 (14:01):
Puts us through.

Speaker 5 (14:02):
He puts all of us through tests to see for one,
can we trust him? But two, how you going to
act in this scenario? And how are you going to
you know, conduct yourself? There's double.

Speaker 2 (14:22):
Yes, it is, it is.

Speaker 5 (14:25):
You know being d Yeah, but the main thing is
that the problem, the problem is right is we have musicians.
Well I can't just say musicians to be like. We
have people who have the mind set to right a servants,

(14:51):
including myself when I was going through it, we have
the mindset of well I snapped out of it, thank God,
I said doubt it. But watching the upcoming, they have
the mindset of ileis.

Speaker 2 (15:10):
Oh no, it's not like that.

Speaker 4 (15:11):
And and that's not a good situation to set yourself
on the throne all like that, because God is the
only person that's on the throne.

Speaker 2 (15:23):
He's the one that gave you that gift.

Speaker 4 (15:25):
He's the one that looked at you and said, okay, yes,
you are the one that's for this particular spot. You're
the one that's prefor that particular journey. So I'm putting
you on this good journey because I know that you can.

Speaker 2 (15:40):
Hell of this.

Speaker 5 (15:42):
Right, and and what's said is the higher up each level,
some musicians don't make it to the very top level.
They fall at mid level.

Speaker 7 (16:00):
A lot of good sight to see when people, you know,
even if it says in the Bible, when people fall,
you're not supposed to laugh at their downfall.

Speaker 5 (16:14):
No, you have people who laugh at downfalls because they're
not going through, or they they see something totally differently.
Oh well, if I was me and this predicament, I
would have did this and did that, which my pastor,

(16:39):
Bishop Johnson always say, you won't know unless if you
go through.

Speaker 4 (16:46):
That's right, that's right, fact, none of us won't. Matter
of fact, speaking of that, shouts out Tramission Bronson. He's
exactly with you as them made of. He spoke that
on this the closing of the seventy sixth Holy Convocation

(17:07):
of this week of Sunday.

Speaker 2 (17:09):
It was amazing.

Speaker 4 (17:10):
Even though I was in the chair just sitting down
and relaxing, trying and recoup off of that road trip,
it was just amazing just to see God use the
man of God and our Bishop of Las Vegas District

(17:31):
basically the Las Vegas community, the ecclesiastic district. You know,
it was just a situation just to see Bishop brasson
work and the gifts that God has given him as
and and he's not even backing down, He's standing up.

Speaker 2 (17:56):
And I was loving that, you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 5 (17:59):
Yeah, And the thing about it is, you know, I
never met Bishop the only two the two bishops that
I have met when I lived in Vegas was Bishop
Hall and at that time it was administrative assistant Leon Johnson. Yes,
so yeah, Leon Smith. I mean, so those were the

(18:22):
only two bishops that I've met when I lived in
Las Vegas. And I remember Bishop Hall anointing my hands
to play. And then after that talking with David Blakelee
and David Blakely gave me some encouraging words which I took.

(18:46):
I took it to heart, and he told me you
will get there, and you're going to be all right.
You'll get there. And I wanted to cry but I couldn't,
but you know, he was right, you'll get there. It
takes arney.

Speaker 4 (19:02):
Yes, So speaking of that, speaking of that, let the
will know what you're about to do on this coming week,
this coming week.

Speaker 5 (19:13):
What's happening on the coming well that's not until August.

Speaker 2 (19:22):
That will let them know, let them know, so let
let them know so they'll know where you're gonna be at,
you know.

Speaker 5 (19:28):
Okay, all right, So so to all my viewers, to
all the listeners, your boy Philip Butler the third will
be playing drums for the Missouri Western second Ecclesiastical Jurisdictional
Convocation of the Church of guid Christ up under the

(19:50):
leadership of Bishop John Mark Johnson, who is also the
Senior Executive Assistant to present and Bishop J. Drew Sheard.
And that's that, yes, yes, that's that's the first week
of August from August. Uh. I know the official day

(20:13):
is what August eighth, which I'm not gonna be there,
sad to say, but I'm gonna be there for the
first for the first two nights I could. But and
then also also September eighth. If you don't have anything
to do, if you're looking for something to do, uh,

(20:35):
you can catch me on drums playing at the twenty
twenty five National Baptist Convention musical The Open the very
opening night of the National Baptist Convention. Not only I'm
I hold the drum chair. But also I am the

(20:55):
band coordinator for the twenty twenty five. Now I should
know a Baptist convention mass choir.

Speaker 4 (21:04):
Look at God, Look at God. God, Why they'll put
you in certain certain places that you group that you're
not well qualified. But you are qualified because the God
has opened the doors and said that you are you,
you are fit for this. That's a that's a blessing.

Speaker 5 (21:23):
And the thing about it is you you gotta be
You gotta be in a you gotta be in a mindset.
You know, the Bible says they'll keep you on perfect
peace if you keep your mind stayed on him.

Speaker 2 (21:40):
That's true.

Speaker 5 (21:41):
So so the thing is, I didn't even think I
was cut out for it. We're just gonna be honest.

Speaker 7 (21:52):
Can this is a place of honesty, right, Yes, we're
talking about humility today.

Speaker 5 (21:59):
Right right? I mean, you know, even even in my
prayer I asked God to bless me with more humility
like never before.

Speaker 4 (22:11):
Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen.

Speaker 5 (22:15):
Because we could get so easily wrapped up in and arrogance.
And you know I'm on this level. You're right here,
do as I say. I mean, we can easily get
wrapped up in this and that's not what it's all about.

Speaker 4 (22:37):
Yes, that's right, that's.

Speaker 2 (22:38):
Right, but we're not gonna hold it too long.

Speaker 4 (22:42):
But we're gonna stay stay positive and because we both
have a session that you gotta get to your rehearsal
and I got to get better rehearsal.

Speaker 2 (22:51):
Thank God, take this out, my brother. Thank God that
I'm writing the doors right now as we speak.

Speaker 5 (22:57):
But I'm just really nan Yes, so thank God that we.

Speaker 2 (23:04):
Made this happen.

Speaker 4 (23:05):
And God is really getting a glory on how we
are speaking to his one hundred and fifty countries right
now because I think this testimony, God has seemed fit
for us to come together and to make this happen.
And to all of our listeners in the United States
and the United Kingdom that's listening to musicians matters or

(23:28):
the top ten, we thank you.

Speaker 2 (23:32):
For listening to us.

Speaker 4 (23:35):
As brothers Philip Butler and myself Roderick's wept. We just
thank you for just opening your doors and open your
ears just to listen.

Speaker 2 (23:45):
To what God had to say through us.

Speaker 5 (23:49):
Yes, sir, I'm very excited and like to be honest
with you, I really this is gonna sound crazy. I
want to meet Bishop Bronson, Bishop Bronson, Oh my, he's
no joke. I love this bish Boon. Yeah, met h
he's he's no joke.

Speaker 2 (24:09):
Bishal Bronson is Oh my goodness, he comes right from
that word.

Speaker 4 (24:16):
So hopefully we can get a chance and I could
talk to my godfather, my uncle, Administrator Mason, and see
what we can do about that, because he's the secretary
to him, and he's the secretary International of the Holder
Communications to Bishop Sears, so he's.

Speaker 2 (24:41):
Just can it, can it can happen? Let's put it
like that.

Speaker 7 (24:45):
My brother, Yeah, yeah, it's something about me. Yeah, I'm
gonna hear what, guy, It's something about meeting.

Speaker 5 (24:57):
There's something about meeting. You know, bishops. You know, each
bishop has our own personality.

Speaker 8 (25:07):
Mm hmm.

Speaker 5 (25:09):
I ain't even gonna say in a loud to you.

Speaker 4 (25:11):
Man.

Speaker 5 (25:11):
When I first start, when I realized when I started
playing for Bishop Johnson, in all the years of playing
in church with God Christ, and I sat up on
our pastor who was a superintendent, and I set up
on our pastor who's well known in the jurisdiction, but

(25:31):
he's just a pastor. And for me to sit up
under the jurisdictional leader, I didn't realize. I didn't realize
what was happening.

Speaker 2 (25:47):
He was setting you up for something.

Speaker 5 (25:50):
And ten years, well next year will be ten years
since I've been at the Bishop's church.

Speaker 2 (26:00):
Awesome.

Speaker 4 (26:01):
So everyone, I would just like to thank everyone for
just listening to our podcast on tonight and everyone would
think he just listening. And it says considering pure joy,
My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials and truly

(26:22):
relations of many kinds change one and two. Y'all blessed,
be blessed, and be signing out, have a blessing posser's day.

Speaker 5 (26:31):
Well please true and me.

Speaker 1 (26:34):
That's your host, Roger Swift, and boy do I have
the Swift sauce for you musicians. Matters Podcast live right
here Thursday, five pm Pacific Standard time, eight pm Easter
Standard Time on all digital platforms on Positive Power twenty

(26:55):
one Christian Media LLC.

Speaker 5 (26:59):
Let's go.

Speaker 2 (27:01):
What's good?

Speaker 5 (27:01):
George?

Speaker 8 (27:02):
Your man Scolded the Narrow from the multi platinum group
Drew Hill. And I'm proud to say that I'm from Baltimore, Maryland,
and you're now listening to my man, Jerry Royce Live podcast.
The best international radio station in the whole wide world
peace and love.

Speaker 2 (27:22):
How you doing, everybody