September 25, 2025 • 36 mins
Chuck Dizzle sits Live & Direct with singer/songwriter/rapper Iman Europe about her transformative new album Chrysalis, working with Kaelin Ellis, and turning life lessons into music that heals.
In this Home Grown conversation, we explore
Catch the full conversation to experience the energy behind one of Inglewood’s most soulful voices.
Stay Connected with Home Grown | homegrownradio.net
🎙️Subscribe on YouTube & all podcast platforms
📍Follow HomeGrown on IG | TikTok | FaceBook | X
👕 Home Grown Merch
In this Home Grown conversation, we explore
- The Caterpillar → Chrysalis → Butterfly trilogy concept
- Nearly quitting music before linking with Kaelin Ellis
- Stories behind “Sha’Carri,” “Breaking Every Day” & “Surrender”
- Lessons from Web3 and artist relations shaping her business
- Bringing Chrysalis to life on the 21-city “Hella Slept On” tour
Catch the full conversation to experience the energy behind one of Inglewood’s most soulful voices.
Stay Connected with Home Grown | homegrownradio.net
🎙️Subscribe on YouTube & all podcast platforms
📍Follow HomeGrown on IG | TikTok | FaceBook | X
👕 Home Grown Merch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
All right, be back at it, Chuck Dizzle Live Direct,
Keep it a Homegrown. Remember to subscribe to the Homegrown
Radio media group YouTube page. You can find the whole
conversations everywhere, not just the videos, the conversations and of
course if you're catching snippets of this on Real ninety
two three here in Los Angeles or across the iHeart
radio stations, I appreciate you. I welcome you. I got
(00:28):
the homegrill in the house. Man she repping Inglewood. Okay,
she took us to biology class. Her new album. I've
been slapping it for the last week and some change.
All right, Chrysalis is the album. Emon Europe is here.
It is so great to see you. How are you.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I'm so good, Chuck. So I'm so happy to be
here with you in YO.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
That energy, I swear, it's just infectious. Not only you know,
I've seen you here and there throughout you know, the
last couple of weeks, and just kind of been following
you from Afar. You know what I'm saying through social media.
It's just, you know, great to add this conversation. But
I want to get into this project because it's been
literally NonStop on my playlist from the last week and
some change chrysalis. Please talk to me about this transformation,
(01:12):
what what sparked the project? How do we get here?
And we'll kind of dive into it. But I love
it so much, but I want to know where it
stems from from, you man.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
So when I was in college, I took this entomology
class that's like the study of bugs, right, and I
remember when they let me take home these caterpillars and
had us do these projects where we watched them turn
into butterflies. They gave us these cups with the food
and everything, and I remember thinking, like, this is amazing, fascinating, right,
(01:44):
It's fascinating, But it also reminded me of humans in
our own process, like the way that we go through
different you know, phases in life, and maybe we go
through them over and over again, but you know, usually
like we start somewhere, maybe we're frustrated and we want
to get to the next level, and in that time,
we have like a time where we kind of go
(02:06):
alone and do the work needed to go to the
next level to be the butterfly. And I really wanted
to talk about that process, that inner working process, especially
coming out of a pandemic where we were all kind
of like alone, working on ourselves whether we wanted to
or not. You got to walk to you in the
(02:26):
house by yourself, you gotta you gotta look at you.
And I think a lot of us are coming kind
of out of that place, or some of us are
still in it, and we go through cycles over and
over again. But I think we talk about the caterpillar
and the frustration part not really being where you want
to be. We look at the Butterfly and we're like, oh,
(02:47):
this is like success and everything we want, but we
don't talk about that middle part where you really got
to do the work to change, and that's the most
important part. And you know, I put out my first
EP was called and this is a trilogy, So Chrystalist
is that the second part of the trilogy. And my
next album will be Butterfly.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Wow. Okay, So what's funny is that when I was
doing my research, I saw the Money Morphosis project and
I'm like, oh, this is a nice little intro or
segue into this project. But you're saying that there was
Caterpillar before this, before it was it that before Money Morphosis?
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Oh yeah, that was before Money that was my first EP. Okay, yeah,
got it, got it, but it's not really found like online.
So you hear that this should talk, you know, I was,
you know, I'm still working on but Money Morphosis was
the appetizer to kind of get people warmed up to
the idea of what this would be.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Yes, exactly, was that your well, I know with money
Morphouss it was your first time kind of doing a
full project with a pails on this one as well.
And when I'll tell you, when I pressed play from
from track one, it's it's it's rare that I get
a skipless album project. And for me, I'm telling you,
I'm like track one, I'm like, okay, the production is
(04:04):
what caught me. Before you even start saying or anything.
The production called me, and of course you just carried
it in and then I'm listening to it, just hearing
the message and the vulnerability and you know, things that
kind of relate to me, and I'm just like, damn,
being shit a tear. By the end of the project,
I'm just like, yo, it'll really make you just kind
of like internalize everything that you're talking about. So that's
why I felt like this conversation was needed. But so
(04:25):
when you and Kaylen linked up, are you know, give
us the backstory between between between you guys. Are you
guys homemies?
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Like how did you get together in the pandemic? Like
I was actually about to stop making music. I was
giving up on it because in the pandemic, you know,
we looked at ourselves and I'm like, I'm looking at
how much time and energy I put into being an
artist and independent artist, how much money I put in,
Like you know, everything stopped so we couldn't do shows,
we couldn't do nothing. Like I was, I'm like, thug
(04:54):
it out, you know what I mean. And I'm like,
what am I gonna do? And why did I put
I went to college? Why am I like to go
back to school and get a master's creative writing?
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Oh? Wow?
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, I got my being creative writings. But you know,
like I was like, I can do something else, you know.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
I figure it out.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
I go figure it out. I need to go make
some money. Like and then I swear I just came
across one of Kayln he was making beat videos in
the pandemic, and one of them popped and I was like, ooh,
I was already kind of getting doing freestyles over beats
I found and then I found that out and I
was like, hmm, so I did one and he was
like wow, and we were both like because Kaylen is crazy.
(05:37):
He's like insane. He's like a wizard. I don't know
how he makes this stuff up in his head. And
Kaylyn will set a timer for fifteen minutes and make
a beat. He made Shikari in fifteen minutes. I watched you.
That's one of my favorite songs exactly, So you know,
I think it was divine the way that we came together.
(05:58):
And then after that we were just like, let's actually
start working together. And we started, you know, making songs
here and there, and we really started working on Chrystalist
in twenty twenty. It was around twenty twenty. Yeah, that's
when we first linked up and set the intention Okay,
let's start making stuff. So he sent me some stuff.
(06:19):
I think the first one we did was and so
and so okay wow, and then we did better yea,
and then we just kept going yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
All of these so okay, wait, so you said you
would work. You started working on Chrystalis in twenty twenty.
So what is money? Morphous is kind of like a
byproduct of those tracks as well.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
It was that. Yeah, it was like, so we were
always working on Chrysalis first. That was always the main thing.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
And when you say that, it was like, Okay, this
is the concept, this is what we're doing.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah, okay, I told him I have this trilogy idea.
I already started it, like I want to do the
second part, let's do it together. And we were working
on songs for it. But in the midst of that,
we started realizing we had all these songs. We just
have so much, so many songs, and we wanted to
warn people up with a small ep before we go
(07:12):
into the album.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
That makes sense. Okay, So when you have that many songs,
how do you narrow down? Like, okay, this makes sense
because you're creating so so much right and so much
I'm assuming a lot of quality records. Now, is are
there things that hasn't been on Money, Morphouses or Chrysalist
that you guys have that's cooked up that you were like, Yo,
(07:33):
this doesn't fit, but damn we have it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
We when we at the top of this year, we
did a an artist camp and we brought a lot
of creatives together in a week we made like thirty
five songs. We had already had a few scratch but
we came up with like thirty five scratch ideas. And
we've been all these genres we have rock pop, like,
(07:58):
we have so much stuff that the biggest part was
trimmy Yeah you know yeah like.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Dawn geez, I can imagine, man, that that's pretty you know,
challenging to kind of figure out like, Okay, we got
all this, Yeah, we figure out the messaging and trying
to like get it across that way. But I mean,
you guys needled across. I felt like the only critique
that I have on the album is Chica was too
short for me. I'm just like, damn. But as I
(08:29):
kept playing it more, I'm like, oh, I get why
because it makes you kind of thirst for more. And
as I played it more, I was like, Yo, this
is just enough. But the first time, I'm like, Yo,
what are we doing? The rest? Talk about that you
said he made that in fifteen minutes? That track or
get the beat and what's behind Chakari for those that
haven't heard it, kind of explained the background of the song.
(08:51):
What was your mindset and you know what you want
the fans to kind of get from that.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Yeah, so we're going to have a deluxe album and
on the deluxe album they'll be a remix Okay, and
it'll be long.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Okay, okay, okay, I'll.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Tell you so just no, yes, yes. But it started
off with a little baby, you know, a little baby maybe,
and then I liked it. But as I kept writing it,
I got to this line she'd call me, Shakari, how
I'm running it up? And then I was like, oh,
oh yeah, and then I got bro yes yes, so yeah, Shakari.
(09:39):
I don't know. I'm just such a fan of Shakari Richardson.
She's like phenomenal, and she's so dedicated to her crab
and she focuses in and like she's confident, and she's
like resilient, you know, and I think she really embodies
the things that you know, black women are do naturally
(10:00):
and like would make us so powerful. She embodies all
those things, and I'm just like a genuine fan.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
So there's two things that I learned about you by
listening to that song, right. One is that you can
be an angel and the bitch.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
At the same the same time, same time.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
I didn't know it was possible. Yeah, Angel and the
Bitch at the same time. Love that energy. It's like, yo,
and you're Taurus.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
I'm a tourist. You're a tourist.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Nineteen May seven. So you you right at the end,
but you you still I'm at the end but the
game and I'm like, oh, bull, yeah you get no
for sure. And so I'm like, okay, this there's a
lot of things that's just sinking up because again, and
I forgive me, I don't recall meeting you and letting
(10:49):
until the d smoke thing. Yeah, probably seen each other
before a lot of people, right, but that was the
first time I seen you and I man, just good
energy there. But I'm like, there's a reason why. And
then that was like, okay, she is there. So the
energy is all there for sure. The man talk about
the vulnerability though, because I feel like that's the thing
(11:10):
that you you kind of display in a lot of
your music, right, but in this one, you know, you
kind of just take it through, you know, dealing with
the ego and trying to kill the ego and you know,
mastering yourself. I mean for you when you actually create,
is that a tough thing to kind of look look
in your mirror and kind of like deal with like
certain things that you want to bring up in and
display that on on the track.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
It's not hard for me, Chuck, because like I think,
that's like my whole life's work is I'm trying to
figure out, even to a fault, how to always improve
and so that requires me to really look at myself.
One thing that I learned in this album though, is
that you don't always have to find things to change,
(11:54):
you know what I mean. Like in the search and
on the journey of change, I realized that it's sceptance
is actually a gift. It's like the greatest gift you
could give yourself. But but yeah, it's not it's not
really hard for me to to to do that just
in my day to day Like that's how that's the
type of friend that I am. That's just like who
(12:15):
I am is like trying to see you, like see
the real human behind you. And I think that's what
it's all for. I know I won't be here forever,
and I want to create something that, you know, if
people play it, that was really who I was and
really how I felt at the time. I'm not trying
(12:35):
to make it to radio. Although this would be great,
it's not the intention that I said. The intention that
I said is making something that matters, that's going to hit,
making something that resonates with real human beings, you know, had.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
That always been the case of when did you arrive there?
Because I feel like that that's always a struggle that
artists can deal with.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
You It is because when you're starting off, your intentions
are wrong, like you just want to be seen and
you just want to be heard, and you just so
that makes you bend your values and been your morals.
Oh well, then let me just make something for radio.
Oh well, everybody's listening to this kind of music. Now,
let me just do that. Let me make something for
the club, even though that's not something I really resonate with,
(13:18):
you know, unless I want to make a glove record
like Suard, like I can, you know, but I don't know.
I think when I first started off, I was too
busy trying to figure out how to appeal to others.
And then I think with time and maturity and eco death,
like I wanted to appeal to purpose and like things
(13:43):
that feed me more. And then from that point I
really started making good, like better music or music that
I was really proud of.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Tell me about your background, like when did you start
making music? Was this always? Did you grow up in
a family that were musically inclined? Like how did that
start for you?
Speaker 2 (14:00):
My dad? My mom and my dad actually met at
an album release party? Which is.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Which album?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
I always ask them and they always tell me, and
I always forget. I don't know why, but I do
know that they met at an album release party out
in New York. My mom was living out there for
a little bit, and my dad plays the bass and
he is a producer, and so that's why he was there.
And my mom she was just new in New York,
(14:29):
you know, from La, trying to see what's going on.
But she's a lover of lyrics, Like she would sit
and write the lyrics down just to really know them.
Like she really studied the music, and my dad really
studied production. So when I was with him, I'm really
listening to the music, and when I'm with her and
really listening to the words. And then when I was seven,
(14:51):
my mom's best friend is Jackie Guche. She passed, but
she is my aunt and she taught me how to
play the piano, so that's where I started learning like
music theory. And you know, then she when I got
a little older, she taught me vocal lessons. So it
was like all coming together slowly, even though still I
(15:12):
didn't know I would pursue music. I still thought I
was going to be like a writer or a songwriter.
But yeah, just it kind of all it was all.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
It was just kind of destiny. I always wanted to kind.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Of always wanted to. I always wanted to do this.
I've always been this before I knew.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
That's amazing to hear because it's rare that you get
people that know from jump like, Okay, even if I
don't know exactly where I want to go, you can
see the traces of like, oh, this is where I'm
supposed to be and there's nothing wrong with you know,
exploring and trying different things and kind of arriving where
you need to arrive. But it's it's always refreshing to
hear that, to hear that at you explore that at
(15:54):
a young age. So what was their you know, what,
how do they make all this right now? You know
if you you know, becoming your own artists and you know,
going to independent rounde kind of you know, going through
ups and downs throughout this whole business. Do they do
they try to steer you away from it because they're like, oh,
this industry is this or is it?
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Like?
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Yo, we welcome you with open arms. We're going to
support you. We love everything that's happening.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
My parents are extremely supportive, and I know that that's
a gift. My dad, of course, as a father, always
wanted me to understand what business I was getting into
and always wanted me to understand that it's the music business.
It's not fun. You should be making money. This is
(16:40):
like you there's a certain way you have to conduct business,
and you know it's not pretty, like it's nasty and
grimy it can be. And my mom she just has
been supportive because she knows that I've always been musically inclined.
So she just wanted me to do the best I
can do, you know, at what I want to do.
(17:01):
So they're pretty supportive.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
What was the last job that you had like nine
to five that maybe I mean it could be music
related or not, but like that you just did that
that you know on the way to this grind and
this journey that you were doing.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
What's so crazy? Check is Remember when I told you
that I was about to stop making music. I got
a job. Really, I was the head of artists relations
for a music NFT company and web three. So I
learned all about blockchain technology. I learned all about tech.
I was in there for like three years. I was
(17:37):
onboarding new artists. I was still able to drop my music,
but I was able to kind of take a backseat
to my own career and champion other artists. And it
helped me fall in love with the music part again
because I had lost that. I just was tired, you know.
And yeah, I learned blockchain technology. I like taught different
(17:59):
artists about I got hella artists paid. I think we
paid out like over two million in the first year
to independent artists. And and you know, I got to
learn this new I got to learn tech, you know that.
And it's a part. It's something that I think is
gonna I'm gonna hold on to forever.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Lessing. What a blessing because it's like it, you know,
and it again, there's no shot to it, no not
to it. Everybody has to make a living how they
want to make it. But it's it's rare that you
hear that story because people have to do what they
have to do to make ends meet. So it's like
they get jobs that they're not happy and it's only
for a season, or sometimes they get stuck there. So
you hear these these tragic stories of people that want
(18:40):
to pursue it, and you know, for whatever reason, life
just be life in and it's like you got to
go in a different direction and kind of pulls you
away from it. Here you are doing something that you know,
even though you were turned off by the business, you
learned it and adapted to it and got to do
it in the field that you know that you were
meant to do.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
And I was able to finally see the other side
of the table because now I'm an artist and a
music exec. So I'm able to see what's really going on,
you know, and I'm able to see even the flaws
in artists that I didn't see before as just being
an artists.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Oh wow, So what leverage do you feel that that
gives you now moving forward when it comes to the business,
when it comes to elevating your career and when you're
assuming taking meetings, are talking to different people about your career, Like,
what leverage have you seen that that's given you that
you know, maybe some opportunities you have to pass on
or it's like, nah, that's not for me, because I
(19:34):
know my worth and I know what's on the back
end of this.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
I think knowledge, just the knowledge of you know, what
is expected, that has really been helpful for me. And
I think integrity, like it has helped me stay in
my integrity because you can always have an opportunity that
can move you out of alignment. It's always some thing
(20:00):
to do, you know. Integrity shows up when you start
turning stuff down, you know. And I have gotten tested
a lot, you know, on both sides, but one I
think the main thing that I learned is just like
seeing the flaws of artists helped me become a better artist,
(20:20):
help me become especially as an independent artist. We're entrepreneurs,
so it helped me take my business side more seriously.
I got a lot more serious about my calendar and
my organization and like my connections and my follow up,
you know, and like these are very important things when
it comes to handling business in any you know, business,
(20:43):
you need to have those tools. And I think as artists,
we just we don't really hold on to those tools,
like we don't see them as important. I think sometimes
artists can be a little more extractory or expectant of things.
And I didn't see it before because I you know.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Did you did you recognize that same flaw in yourself?
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Absolutely? Absolutely? I was disorganized. I was late. I still
be late. You know, I'm a working private but I.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Ain't gonna put you on. Plus I was like lokey.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
I mean, she was ten minutes late. But hey, but
look I was way worse before. And I just I
wasn't as organized and I didn't know that there's certain
things that are my job to do. Like you, I
think artists just expect the world to just fault because
(21:40):
I made an album. You are supposed to play it
in hear it, and you are supposed to like no,
like you still have to show up for your purpose.
You have to show up for your business, your work.
And yeah, it really helped me like look at myself
and say, where can I be a little better.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
It's so good to hear that because I feel like
that's one of the things that you know as somebody
in media and as somebody that just champions new artists,
and you know what a lot of people. I've seen
their story and their come up, and it's like being
where I started to where I'm at and wanted to
open the doors and get as many people in. There's
only so much that I could do, and it's so
(22:17):
disheartening when people don't understand that, and it's like, yo,
I still got a job at the end of the day.
It's only so much I can do. I don't control
what's on the playlist we gets played. I can control
some of the narrative and the conversations, and you know,
when I'm on Instagram Live or like what events that
I decide to show up and talk to, or the
artists that I talk to, There's certain things that I
can do when and when when artists specifically don't see that,
(22:40):
it's like, damn, like I wish you could just see
like I'm trying my best, but you know, some people
are meant to get in. Some people don't know. It
just is what it is. I do want to talk
about the artists that you do have on the project,
Man Saluta, of course, Kaitlyn Ellis, who's exact main, amazing,
Rex Life, Rajh Simple Tam, it's a little we're going
on to so talk to me about the tour because
(23:02):
you guys are leaving Zoon.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Right, Yeah, we're leaving like in twenty five days. So
he's coming back to look at you and you just
got back to Loom.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
You're doing your run. I see you in New York
as well on your run. So what cities are you
hitting in? How can people actually go and support and
grab tickets as well?
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Yeah, we're hitting like twenty one different cities. I think
we tour from October sixteen to November twenty third, so
we're ending right before Thanksgiving. La Sacramento, The Bay, Houston,
three three cities in Texas, New York. Man, we're in Kansas.
(23:40):
Were all over the place far, We're all over the place.
So I think it's called if you go to hell
us left intour dot com. I think that might be it.
Get mine, I'll get that. I'll get that actual link
for you. But but you can find it on my Instagram.
(24:01):
It's in the link in my bio. You could get
tickets right there. Yeah, and they're still available, but you
you might want to get them soon.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Because so what's the difference what's the difference between Emmon
Europe in the studio in mine Europe. On stage, since
people that will see you perform, like, what's well, how
do you how do you set the intention for to
present the music versus recording it.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Yeah, I'm really big on theater. Yeah, theater was one
of my favorite classes in college. We had a hip
hop theater class by record behind shout out to him. Yeah,
and he taught us. He taught us how to perform.
So I take all of those things in mind when
(24:45):
I'm performing and try to make it like an actual show. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
I love that. So yeah, A Hello slept On Tour Man,
you can grab those tickets again, it's on It's on
your ig so I mean folks can go there for
sure and hit that link. But yeah, A Hello slept
On Tour Shelter, uh rex Life, raj Man and a
couple other folks on the project. I noticed my girl,
I'll Camille on there. Salute to Camelle. What's so funny
is that? So the way I listen to music, I
(25:09):
don't look at the playlist, I don't look at the
features and anything. I just let it play and just
go from there. And I didn't realize it was it
was something familiar about the Homegirl song, right, and I'm like,
sounds familiar, but whatever, I'm just thinking it's you and
I go back and I'm like, oh, that's commill.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Wait a minute, girl Home.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Yeah, talk about Camilla and you guys' relationship. Man, it
just how amazing individual she is, what.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
A pure heart man like, she is just so amazing.
Like I'm forever in awe of ill come ill, Like
I remember when I moved out to New York for
a little bit to be with my dad's side, and
my dad's side of the family lives in New York.
Two damn ho bram As Right, Yeah, but you last
(25:57):
three years? Significant?
Speaker 1 (26:00):
She was gonna say three months and like, nah, I
couldn't get them seasons.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
No, No, I could do it because.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
They got Winner for real. Our Winner was like, man,
you know sixties, maybe you might hit a little fifties
over there. You got snow you got and it's long,
it's so long.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
I was so sad. But she had heard one of
my songs from Caterpillar the EP and she knew it
and she when we met, I think I was at
one of her shows and then she was like, eman,
here you got that song ice Cold and I'm looking
at her like you are amazing, right, So it was
just immediate like honor, you know, and respect for the craft,
(26:41):
and you know, she was on my last any any
out of my guy, I'm gonna try to figure out
how to get her on it. So I'm just grateful
that she she came and blessed me, and she really
gave me, you know, something that I'm gonna hold on
to like forever. It's that homegirl to homegirl. Amount of
luck that she did is so impact full to me.
And she knows me. So she really wrote that for me.
(27:04):
Yeah specific, it wasn't just very specific.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
Also, am I getting this right?
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Uh huh?
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Okay, maybe bigge you were just the way you introduced yourself.
You didn't say that all right, you gave the government name. Okay,
you was eating on there, all right, eat not the
little one. Also, salute to Imano Maria Man. That's I mean,
(27:35):
just people that I'm obviously fans of, I'm familiar with
as well. Tell me about VCR man. That was that
was somebody I wasn't familiar with. Yeah, yeah, so you
put me on put you please please please man, because
that I'm gonna be honest with you. When I told
you earlier. I was like, listening to the project, there
(27:57):
was certain I'm on the fifteen and that ship hit
and I swear almost, I'm like, man, it just didn't
get home because we've all been there. It's like it
just feels like hopelessness and just like, yeah, taking every day,
It's like, ah, just so that one right there was
the one that I damned shed a tear ty yeah,
(28:19):
and another one of my favorites on the project, but.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
That Breaking every Day, you know, and shout out to
Fat Ryan get to that too. I almost didn't put
it on the album. He was listening and he was like, okay,
but where's Breaking every Day? And I was like, oh,
I'm not gonna do that one. He was like, what
that's my favorite one.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
See now, I'm gonna I'm gonna tell you something. I
don't trust you jump. You said, there's other songs that
didn't make it, and you almost let go of Breaking every.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Day almost because I was grieving my aunt Jackie. God,
that's where I where, That's where I wrote who I
wrote it about, and when I wrote it, it was
just so hard for me. I wrote it in the
midst of my grief and am trying to do it
in the studio was so hard. I kept crying and
I just was like, I don't want to do it.
You know, I was just avoiding it because I was
(29:11):
avoiding the pain of it. But I'm happy that they
pushed me to go ahead and finish that because I
needed to get that one out.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Can I ask you how? And this is another one
affect my favorites on a project and it's been a
conversation I've been having and it kind of spoke to
me as far as surrender. What does that look like
to you? How do you surrender? What does that look
like for somebody that's trying, like because you hear that,
I just got to surrender. I'm tying you got to surrender,
my niggas, What does that look like?
Speaker 2 (29:40):
I said, I'll tell you this, thinking you know your
next move is your arrogance. Look at you with your
big plans and intelligence, holding on to your stubborn goals
with no evidence that is heaven sent, but believe it's true.
Gotta give space, gotta let go, gotta let it come
to you. No, we don't chase if it ain't forced,
(30:02):
then we don't do pursuit. If it don't stay, if
it don't grow, then it's not meant for you. It's like,
that's it.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
I'm so glad you you really put a pin in that, man,
because I feel like that that's something that people need. Man.
And that's again, if you haven't heard the project, or
if you have and you know you weren't like me,
and just let it play through, go back and revisit
that song. You got a very very powerful.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
How to let the whole album play. Please do me
that I spent so much time and energy and effort
and money on this album. I just hope that the
least you could do is just take thirty eight minutes
start to finish so you could really soak up the story.
It's a story that I wrote there, you know, I
(30:54):
use my creative writing major to write. It's like an
essay to me, you know, So it's like, really get
the whole thing. Don't just sit and don't don't and
don't put it on shuffle either.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
Don't feel like I know. Look, I know y'all probably
came in off Sheikari and yeah, but once you're there,
do yourself that service. And I do want to mention
a couple of more people, man, Jimm and.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Nel, Jimm and now Jimm and L, Jimm and L.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
She just actually followed me on IG So I'm I'm
gonna definitely tap in with her, but you know, salute
to her because she's on that breaking every day.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
Song it is and she's also the project manager of
this album. She helped me like put it all together
and bring all the people and the administrative work Jimm
and L like it is a big pivotal part of this.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
So that was Thirds. I was trying to get you
to come outside, right, Yeah, Okay, I heard him. I
heard him on the problem Like, Yeah, that was him.
Also Coco Sajhuo I met last week. Saluted her. She
was here with Thirds and then Man, amazing talent, crazy
just just just incredible people that you have on here.
And Toby as well.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Toby's great.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
Is there anybody that I'm missing that we didn't get
a chance to mention fat Ryan. We didn't say fat
Ron we did you you said it?
Speaker 2 (32:06):
But yeah, Tequilla in.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
The studio, of course he did. He made it a
point last week to say Tequila is how he gets
through with most of his sessions. Yeah, So for you what,
what do you prefer. Do you prefer laying everything out
top to bottom when it comes to creating, or do
you like, you know, with technology. We mail versus back
and forth, like what's your preference when it comes to
(32:31):
like creating.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
I love locking in, Like I'm a I'm this kind
of person, like we can do it that way if
we have to to get it if I'm you know
what I mean.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
You know, they playing me out there anyway? You know.
I saw it on g I'm so phenomenal that that
that they were playing your music out there.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
We went the first day and my friend was like, Yo,
she's a she's a singer in a rap for we
go back the second day, they playing my music. I'm like,
God is so beautiful, man.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
But you prefer that lock in though with people?
Speaker 2 (33:08):
I do. I I'm a lock inner, you know. But
but yeah, we can we can do it any other way.
I think a couple of the features we had we
were we weren't together like me and Raj and me
and Toby, but I think everybody else they came to
the studio, you know, and we were able to like
get footage. We documented this whole process, well not the
(33:31):
whole thing, but most of it, about eighty percent of it. Yeah,
so it was.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
What's up with that?
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Oh yeah, it's coming, hold on you. Yeah, we got
a we got a thirty minute documentary coming, but we
also blocked it off and just like little snippets so
people could see the creative process.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
Yeah, and that's amazing. Well, I encourage people to check
it out.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Man.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Again, Chrysalis the album out right now, and I mean
I give it away anyway, but it's like, I love
how the project ends because it ends on a you know,
an empowering note, you know what I mean. You go
through all these things, you're breaking down, you're surrendering, You're
in your feelings, you're letting your ego die, you're getting
your ass whoop by ego, you packing out the ego.
(34:13):
It's a lot of back and forth. But then you
get to the moment where you know, you become better,
you know, and you're mastering yourself. Man. So talk about
the completion of this and you know, walking away from this,
do you feel like you gave everything you got for
the people?
Speaker 2 (34:28):
I got nothing left right now?
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Empty with it? Huh except the Deluxe.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Until we get to the Deluxe after to where I
will get to the deluxe. But you know, I needed
to empty myself, like I didn't want to leave nothing
on the table, you know, like I needed to say everything.
I felt that in that transitional time, and I think
I did. I really think I, you know, if it
(34:55):
would happen to be my last project, because sometimes I'm like,
am I gonna make another album? I could? Is why
I'll be talking taking another album, but you know, artist stuff, right, Okay.
But I say that to say I'm really proud of
this album, Like I really think I gave it everything
I had.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
I feel like it's your best work because I did
go back and press play on you went back on
the catalog and I didn't catch the caterpillar, So I
gotta go back on that one if I can find it. Camille,
she got you find somebody that got folks. Yeah, but
it's definitely your best working again for anybody that's that's
(35:34):
listening or watching. Man definitely tap in for me. The
biggest thing I want people to take away is Man
support don't cost nothing, right, So share this with somebody.
I put the homegirl that I work out with the gym,
I put her onto the album she was like, She's like,
oh damn, this is phenomenal. Who is this? I'm like,
you artists, check her out. And when I'm posted Cai
(35:54):
stip at the day, she was like, that's my favorite
song too. So it costs nothing to support man, So
press play, share it. Like Emona says, listen all the
way through. That's the way you intended for people to
check it out. Is there anything else you want to
tell the folks?
Speaker 2 (36:09):
And I want to tell you that I got you
a CD.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
We're doing that.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
We're doing that.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
That's for you. Absolutely, I appreciate this.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Oh she got this all the way around, baby chrystalist
the album Emmon Europe going to tap in, show some love,
show some support, and just thank you for coming in
and having a great conversation. I know this is gonna
be one of many, so thank you for taking your time.
I know you international with it. You know what I'm
saying here, you're here, While you're here, you better get
(36:45):
her while you can eat. You know what I'm saying
that the little one over there, uh yeah, it's homegrown.
Chuck di Live and direct, catch y'all next time.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Peace
All right, be back at it, Chuck Dizzle Live Direct,
Keep it a Homegrown. Remember to subscribe to the Homegrown
Radio media group YouTube page. You can find the whole
conversations everywhere, not just the videos, the conversations and of
course if you're catching snippets of this on Real ninety
two three here in Los Angeles or across the iHeart
radio stations, I appreciate you. I welcome you. I got
(00:28):
the homegrill in the house. Man she repping Inglewood. Okay,
she took us to biology class. Her new album. I've
been slapping it for the last week and some change.
All right, Chrysalis is the album. Emon Europe is here.
It is so great to see you. How are you.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I'm so good, Chuck. So I'm so happy to be
here with you in YO.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
That energy, I swear, it's just infectious. Not only you know,
I've seen you here and there throughout you know, the
last couple of weeks, and just kind of been following
you from Afar. You know what I'm saying through social media.
It's just, you know, great to add this conversation. But
I want to get into this project because it's been
literally NonStop on my playlist from the last week and
some change chrysalis. Please talk to me about this transformation,
(01:12):
what what sparked the project? How do we get here?
And we'll kind of dive into it. But I love
it so much, but I want to know where it
stems from from, you man.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
So when I was in college, I took this entomology
class that's like the study of bugs, right, and I
remember when they let me take home these caterpillars and
had us do these projects where we watched them turn
into butterflies. They gave us these cups with the food
and everything, and I remember thinking, like, this is amazing, fascinating, right,
(01:44):
It's fascinating, But it also reminded me of humans in
our own process, like the way that we go through
different you know, phases in life, and maybe we go
through them over and over again, but you know, usually
like we start somewhere, maybe we're frustrated and we want
to get to the next level, and in that time,
we have like a time where we kind of go
(02:06):
alone and do the work needed to go to the
next level to be the butterfly. And I really wanted
to talk about that process, that inner working process, especially
coming out of a pandemic where we were all kind
of like alone, working on ourselves whether we wanted to
or not. You got to walk to you in the
(02:26):
house by yourself, you gotta you gotta look at you.
And I think a lot of us are coming kind
of out of that place, or some of us are
still in it, and we go through cycles over and
over again. But I think we talk about the caterpillar
and the frustration part not really being where you want
to be. We look at the Butterfly and we're like, oh,
(02:47):
this is like success and everything we want, but we
don't talk about that middle part where you really got
to do the work to change, and that's the most
important part. And you know, I put out my first
EP was called and this is a trilogy, So Chrystalist
is that the second part of the trilogy. And my
next album will be Butterfly.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Wow. Okay, So what's funny is that when I was
doing my research, I saw the Money Morphosis project and
I'm like, oh, this is a nice little intro or
segue into this project. But you're saying that there was
Caterpillar before this, before it was it that before Money Morphosis?
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Oh yeah, that was before Money that was my first EP. Okay, yeah,
got it, got it, but it's not really found like online.
So you hear that this should talk, you know, I was,
you know, I'm still working on but Money Morphosis was
the appetizer to kind of get people warmed up to
the idea of what this would be.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Yes, exactly, was that your well, I know with money
Morphouss it was your first time kind of doing a
full project with a pails on this one as well.
And when I'll tell you, when I pressed play from
from track one, it's it's it's rare that I get
a skipless album project. And for me, I'm telling you,
I'm like track one, I'm like, okay, the production is
(04:04):
what caught me. Before you even start saying or anything.
The production called me, and of course you just carried
it in and then I'm listening to it, just hearing
the message and the vulnerability and you know, things that
kind of relate to me, and I'm just like, damn,
being shit a tear. By the end of the project,
I'm just like, yo, it'll really make you just kind
of like internalize everything that you're talking about. So that's
why I felt like this conversation was needed. But so
(04:25):
when you and Kaylen linked up, are you know, give
us the backstory between between between you guys. Are you
guys homemies?
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Like how did you get together in the pandemic? Like
I was actually about to stop making music. I was
giving up on it because in the pandemic, you know,
we looked at ourselves and I'm like, I'm looking at
how much time and energy I put into being an
artist and independent artist, how much money I put in,
Like you know, everything stopped so we couldn't do shows,
we couldn't do nothing. Like I was, I'm like, thug
(04:54):
it out, you know what I mean. And I'm like,
what am I gonna do? And why did I put
I went to college? Why am I like to go
back to school and get a master's creative writing?
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Oh? Wow?
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, I got my being creative writings. But you know,
like I was like, I can do something else, you know.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
I figure it out.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
I go figure it out. I need to go make
some money. Like and then I swear I just came
across one of Kayln he was making beat videos in
the pandemic, and one of them popped and I was like, ooh,
I was already kind of getting doing freestyles over beats
I found and then I found that out and I
was like, hmm, so I did one and he was
like wow, and we were both like because Kaylen is crazy.
(05:37):
He's like insane. He's like a wizard. I don't know
how he makes this stuff up in his head. And
Kaylyn will set a timer for fifteen minutes and make
a beat. He made Shikari in fifteen minutes. I watched you.
That's one of my favorite songs exactly, So you know,
I think it was divine the way that we came together.
(05:58):
And then after that we were just like, let's actually
start working together. And we started, you know, making songs
here and there, and we really started working on Chrystalist
in twenty twenty. It was around twenty twenty. Yeah, that's
when we first linked up and set the intention Okay,
let's start making stuff. So he sent me some stuff.
(06:19):
I think the first one we did was and so
and so okay wow, and then we did better yea,
and then we just kept going yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
All of these so okay, wait, so you said you
would work. You started working on Chrystalis in twenty twenty.
So what is money? Morphous is kind of like a
byproduct of those tracks as well.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
It was that. Yeah, it was like, so we were
always working on Chrysalis first. That was always the main thing.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
And when you say that, it was like, Okay, this
is the concept, this is what we're doing.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yeah, okay, I told him I have this trilogy idea.
I already started it, like I want to do the
second part, let's do it together. And we were working
on songs for it. But in the midst of that,
we started realizing we had all these songs. We just
have so much, so many songs, and we wanted to
warn people up with a small ep before we go
(07:12):
into the album.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
That makes sense. Okay, So when you have that many songs,
how do you narrow down? Like, okay, this makes sense
because you're creating so so much right and so much
I'm assuming a lot of quality records. Now, is are
there things that hasn't been on Money, Morphouses or Chrysalist
that you guys have that's cooked up that you were like, Yo,
(07:33):
this doesn't fit, but damn we have it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
We when we at the top of this year, we
did a an artist camp and we brought a lot
of creatives together in a week we made like thirty
five songs. We had already had a few scratch but
we came up with like thirty five scratch ideas. And
we've been all these genres we have rock pop, like,
(07:58):
we have so much stuff that the biggest part was
trimmy Yeah you know yeah like.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Dawn geez, I can imagine, man, that that's pretty you know,
challenging to kind of figure out like, Okay, we got
all this, Yeah, we figure out the messaging and trying
to like get it across that way. But I mean,
you guys needled across. I felt like the only critique
that I have on the album is Chica was too
short for me. I'm just like, damn. But as I
(08:29):
kept playing it more, I'm like, oh, I get why
because it makes you kind of thirst for more. And
as I played it more, I was like, Yo, this
is just enough. But the first time, I'm like, Yo,
what are we doing? The rest? Talk about that you
said he made that in fifteen minutes? That track or
get the beat and what's behind Chakari for those that
haven't heard it, kind of explained the background of the song.
(08:51):
What was your mindset and you know what you want
the fans to kind of get from that.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Yeah, so we're going to have a deluxe album and
on the deluxe album they'll be a remix Okay, and
it'll be long.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Okay, okay, okay, I'll.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Tell you so just no, yes, yes. But it started
off with a little baby, you know, a little baby maybe,
and then I liked it. But as I kept writing it,
I got to this line she'd call me, Shakari, how
I'm running it up? And then I was like, oh,
oh yeah, and then I got bro yes yes, so yeah, Shakari.
(09:39):
I don't know. I'm just such a fan of Shakari Richardson.
She's like phenomenal, and she's so dedicated to her crab
and she focuses in and like she's confident, and she's
like resilient, you know, and I think she really embodies
the things that you know, black women are do naturally
(10:00):
and like would make us so powerful. She embodies all
those things, and I'm just like a genuine fan.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
So there's two things that I learned about you by
listening to that song, right. One is that you can
be an angel and the bitch.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
At the same the same time, same time.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
I didn't know it was possible. Yeah, Angel and the
Bitch at the same time. Love that energy. It's like, yo,
and you're Taurus.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
I'm a tourist. You're a tourist.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Nineteen May seven. So you you right at the end,
but you you still I'm at the end but the
game and I'm like, oh, bull, yeah you get no
for sure. And so I'm like, okay, this there's a
lot of things that's just sinking up because again, and
I forgive me, I don't recall meeting you and letting
(10:49):
until the d smoke thing. Yeah, probably seen each other
before a lot of people, right, but that was the
first time I seen you and I man, just good
energy there. But I'm like, there's a reason why. And
then that was like, okay, she is there. So the
energy is all there for sure. The man talk about
the vulnerability though, because I feel like that's the thing
(11:10):
that you you kind of display in a lot of
your music, right, but in this one, you know, you
kind of just take it through, you know, dealing with
the ego and trying to kill the ego and you know,
mastering yourself. I mean for you when you actually create,
is that a tough thing to kind of look look
in your mirror and kind of like deal with like
certain things that you want to bring up in and
display that on on the track.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
It's not hard for me, Chuck, because like I think,
that's like my whole life's work is I'm trying to
figure out, even to a fault, how to always improve
and so that requires me to really look at myself.
One thing that I learned in this album though, is
that you don't always have to find things to change,
(11:54):
you know what I mean. Like in the search and
on the journey of change, I realized that it's sceptance
is actually a gift. It's like the greatest gift you
could give yourself. But but yeah, it's not it's not
really hard for me to to to do that just
in my day to day Like that's how that's the
type of friend that I am. That's just like who
(12:15):
I am is like trying to see you, like see
the real human behind you. And I think that's what
it's all for. I know I won't be here forever,
and I want to create something that, you know, if
people play it, that was really who I was and
really how I felt at the time. I'm not trying
(12:35):
to make it to radio. Although this would be great,
it's not the intention that I said. The intention that
I said is making something that matters, that's going to hit,
making something that resonates with real human beings, you know, had.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
That always been the case of when did you arrive there?
Because I feel like that that's always a struggle that
artists can deal with.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
You It is because when you're starting off, your intentions
are wrong, like you just want to be seen and
you just want to be heard, and you just so
that makes you bend your values and been your morals.
Oh well, then let me just make something for radio.
Oh well, everybody's listening to this kind of music. Now,
let me just do that. Let me make something for
the club, even though that's not something I really resonate with,
(13:18):
you know, unless I want to make a glove record
like Suard, like I can, you know, but I don't know.
I think when I first started off, I was too
busy trying to figure out how to appeal to others.
And then I think with time and maturity and eco death,
like I wanted to appeal to purpose and like things
(13:43):
that feed me more. And then from that point I
really started making good, like better music or music that
I was really proud of.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Tell me about your background, like when did you start
making music? Was this always? Did you grow up in
a family that were musically inclined? Like how did that
start for you?
Speaker 2 (14:00):
My dad? My mom and my dad actually met at
an album release party? Which is.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Which album?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
I always ask them and they always tell me, and
I always forget. I don't know why, but I do
know that they met at an album release party out
in New York. My mom was living out there for
a little bit, and my dad plays the bass and
he is a producer, and so that's why he was there.
And my mom she was just new in New York,
(14:29):
you know, from La, trying to see what's going on.
But she's a lover of lyrics, Like she would sit
and write the lyrics down just to really know them.
Like she really studied the music, and my dad really
studied production. So when I was with him, I'm really
listening to the music, and when I'm with her and
really listening to the words. And then when I was seven,
(14:51):
my mom's best friend is Jackie Guche. She passed, but
she is my aunt and she taught me how to
play the piano, so that's where I started learning like
music theory. And you know, then she when I got
a little older, she taught me vocal lessons. So it
was like all coming together slowly, even though still I
(15:12):
didn't know I would pursue music. I still thought I
was going to be like a writer or a songwriter.
But yeah, just it kind of all it was all.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
It was just kind of destiny. I always wanted to kind.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Of always wanted to. I always wanted to do this.
I've always been this before I knew.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
That's amazing to hear because it's rare that you get
people that know from jump like, Okay, even if I
don't know exactly where I want to go, you can
see the traces of like, oh, this is where I'm
supposed to be and there's nothing wrong with you know,
exploring and trying different things and kind of arriving where
you need to arrive. But it's it's always refreshing to
hear that, to hear that at you explore that at
(15:54):
a young age. So what was their you know, what,
how do they make all this right now? You know
if you you know, becoming your own artists and you know,
going to independent rounde kind of you know, going through
ups and downs throughout this whole business. Do they do
they try to steer you away from it because they're like, oh,
this industry is this or is it?
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Like?
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Yo, we welcome you with open arms. We're going to
support you. We love everything that's happening.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
My parents are extremely supportive, and I know that that's
a gift. My dad, of course, as a father, always
wanted me to understand what business I was getting into
and always wanted me to understand that it's the music business.
It's not fun. You should be making money. This is
(16:40):
like you there's a certain way you have to conduct business,
and you know it's not pretty, like it's nasty and
grimy it can be. And my mom she just has
been supportive because she knows that I've always been musically inclined.
So she just wanted me to do the best I
can do, you know, at what I want to do.
(17:01):
So they're pretty supportive.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
What was the last job that you had like nine
to five that maybe I mean it could be music
related or not, but like that you just did that
that you know on the way to this grind and
this journey that you were doing.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
What's so crazy? Check is Remember when I told you
that I was about to stop making music. I got
a job. Really, I was the head of artists relations
for a music NFT company and web three. So I
learned all about blockchain technology. I learned all about tech.
I was in there for like three years. I was
(17:37):
onboarding new artists. I was still able to drop my music,
but I was able to kind of take a backseat
to my own career and champion other artists. And it
helped me fall in love with the music part again
because I had lost that. I just was tired, you know.
And yeah, I learned blockchain technology. I like taught different
(17:59):
artists about I got hella artists paid. I think we
paid out like over two million in the first year
to independent artists. And and you know, I got to
learn this new I got to learn tech, you know that.
And it's a part. It's something that I think is
gonna I'm gonna hold on to forever.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
Lessing. What a blessing because it's like it, you know,
and it again, there's no shot to it, no not
to it. Everybody has to make a living how they
want to make it. But it's it's rare that you
hear that story because people have to do what they
have to do to make ends meet. So it's like
they get jobs that they're not happy and it's only
for a season, or sometimes they get stuck there. So
you hear these these tragic stories of people that want
(18:40):
to pursue it, and you know, for whatever reason, life
just be life in and it's like you got to
go in a different direction and kind of pulls you
away from it. Here you are doing something that you know,
even though you were turned off by the business, you
learned it and adapted to it and got to do
it in the field that you know that you were
meant to do.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
And I was able to finally see the other side
of the table because now I'm an artist and a
music exec. So I'm able to see what's really going on,
you know, and I'm able to see even the flaws
in artists that I didn't see before as just being
an artists.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Oh wow, So what leverage do you feel that that
gives you now moving forward when it comes to the business,
when it comes to elevating your career and when you're
assuming taking meetings, are talking to different people about your career, Like,
what leverage have you seen that that's given you that
you know, maybe some opportunities you have to pass on
or it's like, nah, that's not for me, because I
(19:34):
know my worth and I know what's on the back
end of this.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
I think knowledge, just the knowledge of you know, what
is expected, that has really been helpful for me. And
I think integrity, like it has helped me stay in
my integrity because you can always have an opportunity that
can move you out of alignment. It's always some thing
(20:00):
to do, you know. Integrity shows up when you start
turning stuff down, you know. And I have gotten tested
a lot, you know, on both sides, but one I
think the main thing that I learned is just like
seeing the flaws of artists helped me become a better artist,
(20:20):
help me become especially as an independent artist. We're entrepreneurs,
so it helped me take my business side more seriously.
I got a lot more serious about my calendar and
my organization and like my connections and my follow up,
you know, and like these are very important things when
it comes to handling business in any you know, business,
(20:43):
you need to have those tools. And I think as artists,
we just we don't really hold on to those tools,
like we don't see them as important. I think sometimes
artists can be a little more extractory or expectant of things.
And I didn't see it before because I you know.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Did you did you recognize that same flaw in yourself?
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Absolutely? Absolutely? I was disorganized. I was late. I still
be late. You know, I'm a working private but I.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Ain't gonna put you on. Plus I was like lokey.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
I mean, she was ten minutes late. But hey, but
look I was way worse before. And I just I
wasn't as organized and I didn't know that there's certain
things that are my job to do. Like you, I
think artists just expect the world to just fault because
(21:40):
I made an album. You are supposed to play it
in hear it, and you are supposed to like no,
like you still have to show up for your purpose.
You have to show up for your business, your work.
And yeah, it really helped me like look at myself
and say, where can I be a little better.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
It's so good to hear that because I feel like
that's one of the things that you know as somebody
in media and as somebody that just champions new artists,
and you know what a lot of people. I've seen
their story and their come up, and it's like being
where I started to where I'm at and wanted to
open the doors and get as many people in. There's
only so much that I could do, and it's so
(22:17):
disheartening when people don't understand that, and it's like, yo,
I still got a job at the end of the day.
It's only so much I can do. I don't control
what's on the playlist we gets played. I can control
some of the narrative and the conversations, and you know,
when I'm on Instagram Live or like what events that
I decide to show up and talk to, or the
artists that I talk to, There's certain things that I
can do when and when when artists specifically don't see that,
(22:40):
it's like, damn, like I wish you could just see
like I'm trying my best, but you know, some people
are meant to get in. Some people don't know. It
just is what it is. I do want to talk
about the artists that you do have on the project,
Man Saluta, of course, Kaitlyn Ellis, who's exact main, amazing,
Rex Life, Rajh Simple Tam, it's a little we're going
on to so talk to me about the tour because
(23:02):
you guys are leaving Zoon.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Right, Yeah, we're leaving like in twenty five days. So
he's coming back to look at you and you just
got back to Loom.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
You're doing your run. I see you in New York
as well on your run. So what cities are you
hitting in? How can people actually go and support and
grab tickets as well?
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Yeah, we're hitting like twenty one different cities. I think
we tour from October sixteen to November twenty third, so
we're ending right before Thanksgiving. La Sacramento, The Bay, Houston,
three three cities in Texas, New York. Man, we're in Kansas.
(23:40):
Were all over the place far, We're all over the place.
So I think it's called if you go to hell
us left intour dot com. I think that might be it.
Get mine, I'll get that. I'll get that actual link
for you. But but you can find it on my Instagram.
(24:01):
It's in the link in my bio. You could get
tickets right there. Yeah, and they're still available, but you
you might want to get them soon.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
Because so what's the difference what's the difference between Emmon
Europe in the studio in mine Europe. On stage, since
people that will see you perform, like, what's well, how
do you how do you set the intention for to
present the music versus recording it.
Speaker 2 (24:23):
Yeah, I'm really big on theater. Yeah, theater was one
of my favorite classes in college. We had a hip
hop theater class by record behind shout out to him. Yeah,
and he taught us. He taught us how to perform.
So I take all of those things in mind when
(24:45):
I'm performing and try to make it like an actual show. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
I love that. So yeah, A Hello slept On Tour Man,
you can grab those tickets again, it's on It's on
your ig so I mean folks can go there for
sure and hit that link. But yeah, A Hello slept
On Tour Shelter, uh rex Life, raj Man and a
couple other folks on the project. I noticed my girl,
I'll Camille on there. Salute to Camelle. What's so funny
is that? So the way I listen to music, I
(25:09):
don't look at the playlist, I don't look at the
features and anything. I just let it play and just
go from there. And I didn't realize it was it
was something familiar about the Homegirl song, right, and I'm like,
sounds familiar, but whatever, I'm just thinking it's you and
I go back and I'm like, oh, that's commill.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Wait a minute, girl Home.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Yeah, talk about Camilla and you guys' relationship. Man, it
just how amazing individual she is, what.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
A pure heart man like, she is just so amazing.
Like I'm forever in awe of ill come ill, Like
I remember when I moved out to New York for
a little bit to be with my dad's side, and
my dad's side of the family lives in New York.
Two damn ho bram As Right, Yeah, but you last
(25:57):
three years? Significant?
Speaker 1 (26:00):
She was gonna say three months and like, nah, I
couldn't get them seasons.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
No, No, I could do it because.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
They got Winner for real. Our Winner was like, man,
you know sixties, maybe you might hit a little fifties
over there. You got snow you got and it's long,
it's so long.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
I was so sad. But she had heard one of
my songs from Caterpillar the EP and she knew it
and she when we met, I think I was at
one of her shows and then she was like, eman,
here you got that song ice Cold and I'm looking
at her like you are amazing, right, So it was
just immediate like honor, you know, and respect for the craft,
(26:41):
and you know, she was on my last any any
out of my guy, I'm gonna try to figure out
how to get her on it. So I'm just grateful
that she she came and blessed me, and she really
gave me, you know, something that I'm gonna hold on
to like forever. It's that homegirl to homegirl. Amount of
luck that she did is so impact full to me.
And she knows me. So she really wrote that for me.
(27:04):
Yeah specific, it wasn't just very specific.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
Also, am I getting this right?
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Uh huh?
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Okay, maybe bigge you were just the way you introduced yourself.
You didn't say that all right, you gave the government name. Okay,
you was eating on there, all right, eat not the
little one. Also, salute to Imano Maria Man. That's I mean,
(27:35):
just people that I'm obviously fans of, I'm familiar with
as well. Tell me about VCR man. That was that
was somebody I wasn't familiar with. Yeah, yeah, so you
put me on put you please please please man, because
that I'm gonna be honest with you. When I told
you earlier. I was like, listening to the project, there
(27:57):
was certain I'm on the fifteen and that ship hit
and I swear almost, I'm like, man, it just didn't
get home because we've all been there. It's like it
just feels like hopelessness and just like, yeah, taking every day,
It's like, ah, just so that one right there was
the one that I damned shed a tear ty yeah,
(28:19):
and another one of my favorites on the project, but.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
That Breaking every Day, you know, and shout out to
Fat Ryan get to that too. I almost didn't put
it on the album. He was listening and he was like, okay,
but where's Breaking every Day? And I was like, oh,
I'm not gonna do that one. He was like, what
that's my favorite one.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
See now, I'm gonna I'm gonna tell you something. I
don't trust you jump. You said, there's other songs that
didn't make it, and you almost let go of Breaking every.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Day almost because I was grieving my aunt Jackie. God,
that's where I where, That's where I wrote who I
wrote it about, and when I wrote it, it was
just so hard for me. I wrote it in the
midst of my grief and am trying to do it
in the studio was so hard. I kept crying and
I just was like, I don't want to do it.
You know, I was just avoiding it because I was
(29:11):
avoiding the pain of it. But I'm happy that they
pushed me to go ahead and finish that because I
needed to get that one out.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Can I ask you how? And this is another one
affect my favorites on a project and it's been a
conversation I've been having and it kind of spoke to
me as far as surrender. What does that look like
to you? How do you surrender? What does that look
like for somebody that's trying, like because you hear that,
I just got to surrender. I'm tying you got to surrender,
my niggas, What does that look like?
Speaker 2 (29:40):
I said, I'll tell you this, thinking you know your
next move is your arrogance. Look at you with your
big plans and intelligence, holding on to your stubborn goals
with no evidence that is heaven sent, but believe it's true.
Gotta give space, gotta let go, gotta let it come
to you. No, we don't chase if it ain't forced,
(30:02):
then we don't do pursuit. If it don't stay, if
it don't grow, then it's not meant for you. It's like,
that's it.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
I'm so glad you you really put a pin in that, man,
because I feel like that that's something that people need. Man.
And that's again, if you haven't heard the project, or
if you have and you know you weren't like me,
and just let it play through, go back and revisit
that song. You got a very very powerful.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
How to let the whole album play. Please do me
that I spent so much time and energy and effort
and money on this album. I just hope that the
least you could do is just take thirty eight minutes
start to finish so you could really soak up the story.
It's a story that I wrote there, you know, I
(30:54):
use my creative writing major to write. It's like an
essay to me, you know, So it's like, really get
the whole thing. Don't just sit and don't don't and
don't put it on shuffle either.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
Don't feel like I know. Look, I know y'all probably
came in off Sheikari and yeah, but once you're there,
do yourself that service. And I do want to mention
a couple of more people, man, Jimm and.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Nel, Jimm and now Jimm and L, Jimm and L.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
She just actually followed me on IG So I'm I'm
gonna definitely tap in with her, but you know, salute
to her because she's on that breaking every day.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
Song it is and she's also the project manager of
this album. She helped me like put it all together
and bring all the people and the administrative work Jimm
and L like it is a big pivotal part of this.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
So that was Thirds. I was trying to get you
to come outside, right, Yeah, Okay, I heard him. I
heard him on the problem Like, Yeah, that was him.
Also Coco Sajhuo I met last week. Saluted her. She
was here with Thirds and then Man, amazing talent, crazy
just just just incredible people that you have on here.
And Toby as well.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Toby's great.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
Is there anybody that I'm missing that we didn't get
a chance to mention fat Ryan. We didn't say fat
Ron we did you you said it?
Speaker 2 (32:06):
But yeah, Tequilla in.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
The studio, of course he did. He made it a
point last week to say Tequila is how he gets
through with most of his sessions. Yeah, So for you what,
what do you prefer. Do you prefer laying everything out
top to bottom when it comes to creating, or do
you like, you know, with technology. We mail versus back
and forth, like what's your preference when it comes to
(32:31):
like creating.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
I love locking in, Like I'm a I'm this kind
of person, like we can do it that way if
we have to to get it if I'm you know
what I mean.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
You know, they playing me out there anyway? You know.
I saw it on g I'm so phenomenal that that
that they were playing your music out there.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
We went the first day and my friend was like, Yo,
she's a she's a singer in a rap for we
go back the second day, they playing my music. I'm like,
God is so beautiful, man.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
But you prefer that lock in though with people?
Speaker 2 (33:08):
I do. I I'm a lock inner, you know. But
but yeah, we can we can do it any other way.
I think a couple of the features we had we
were we weren't together like me and Raj and me
and Toby, but I think everybody else they came to
the studio, you know, and we were able to like
get footage. We documented this whole process, well not the
(33:31):
whole thing, but most of it, about eighty percent of it. Yeah,
so it was.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
What's up with that?
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Oh yeah, it's coming, hold on you. Yeah, we got
a we got a thirty minute documentary coming, but we
also blocked it off and just like little snippets so
people could see the creative process.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
Yeah, and that's amazing. Well, I encourage people to check
it out.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Man.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Again, Chrysalis the album out right now, and I mean
I give it away anyway, but it's like, I love
how the project ends because it ends on a you know,
an empowering note, you know what I mean. You go
through all these things, you're breaking down, you're surrendering, You're
in your feelings, you're letting your ego die, you're getting
your ass whoop by ego, you packing out the ego.
(34:13):
It's a lot of back and forth. But then you
get to the moment where you know, you become better,
you know, and you're mastering yourself. Man. So talk about
the completion of this and you know, walking away from this,
do you feel like you gave everything you got for
the people?
Speaker 2 (34:28):
I got nothing left right now?
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Empty with it? Huh except the Deluxe.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Until we get to the Deluxe after to where I
will get to the deluxe. But you know, I needed
to empty myself, like I didn't want to leave nothing
on the table, you know, like I needed to say everything.
I felt that in that transitional time, and I think
I did. I really think I, you know, if it
(34:55):
would happen to be my last project, because sometimes I'm like,
am I gonna make another album? I could? Is why
I'll be talking taking another album, but you know, artist stuff, right, Okay.
But I say that to say I'm really proud of
this album, Like I really think I gave it everything
I had.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
I feel like it's your best work because I did
go back and press play on you went back on
the catalog and I didn't catch the caterpillar, So I
gotta go back on that one if I can find it. Camille,
she got you find somebody that got folks. Yeah, but
it's definitely your best working again for anybody that's that's
(35:34):
listening or watching. Man definitely tap in for me. The
biggest thing I want people to take away is Man
support don't cost nothing, right, So share this with somebody.
I put the homegirl that I work out with the gym,
I put her onto the album she was like, She's like,
oh damn, this is phenomenal. Who is this? I'm like,
you artists, check her out. And when I'm posted Cai
(35:54):
stip at the day, she was like, that's my favorite
song too. So it costs nothing to support man, So
press play, share it. Like Emona says, listen all the
way through. That's the way you intended for people to
check it out. Is there anything else you want to
tell the folks?
Speaker 2 (36:09):
And I want to tell you that I got you
a CD.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
We're doing that.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
We're doing that.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
That's for you. Absolutely, I appreciate this.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Oh she got this all the way around, baby chrystalist
the album Emmon Europe going to tap in, show some love,
show some support, and just thank you for coming in
and having a great conversation. I know this is gonna
be one of many, so thank you for taking your time.
I know you international with it. You know what I'm
saying here, you're here, While you're here, you better get
(36:45):
her while you can eat. You know what I'm saying
that the little one over there, uh yeah, it's homegrown.
Chuck di Live and direct, catch y'all next time.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Peace
Home Grown News
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.