Keep it Positive, Sweetie - Standing On My Own Name

Episode Date: September 6, 2026

In this episode of Keep It Positive, Sweetie, Crystal sits down with Grammy-nominated artist and songwriter Johnny Venus as he steps into a new chapter and gears up for his solo album release. Johnny opens up about what it feels like to carry the vision more personally, how his solo work is revealing new sides of his creativity, and what he’s learning about trusting his own taste. It’s a conversation about identity, creativity, purpose, and what happens when you give yourself room to follow your own voice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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On the new podcast, Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling, alone as a woman. I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I chose option B. I'm Julie Pinero and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes without asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word Solita, trading the pity for possibility. Listen to Solita on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I survived nine months. I survived nine months. in captivity, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are the Survivor Files. Every week, I'm with survivors who live

through the unthinkable, abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. These are stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to the Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. bookshelf and your for you page are equally important to your personality. Welcome home. Pro Society is a weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for anyone who thinks Pride and Prejudice and Love Island to serve the same level of discourse. Each week, we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and pop culture with your favorite writers, book talk creators, and plenty of overthought opinions. Yeah, I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. Listen to pro

society on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Catch the latest Roland Martin Unfiltered podcast. Here's what you missed. People wake up and go, oh, damn, wait a hold up. They change all of that. Yes. It's real. This is a wholesale attack.

It is targeting black people in every federal agency. It's raw. White folks have never allowed that reckoning to last more than a decade. Catch Roland Martin's daily commentary on the Black Information Network. And download Roland Martin Unfiltered on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts. Or wherever you get your podcasts. Calling all my sweeties to the forefront. I'm your host Chris Renee Hazlett, and this is the Keep It Posit Sweetie Show.

Welcome to Keep It Posit, Sweetie, the place where we heal, grow, and learn together. There's something powerful about a season where you stop creating from expectation and start creating from instinct, where the music gets more personal, the decisions feel more intentional, and the artist gets a little closer to the person. Today's conversation is about what happens when you give yourself wrong. room to follow your own voice. Today I'm sitting down with Grammy nominated artist and songwriter Johnny Venus. For years, people have known him as one half of Earth game. But now he's stepping into a new chapter, releasing new music and giving us a more personal

look at who he is as an artist and a man. We're talking about his solo journey, love, creativity, purpose, and what it means to trust your own voice in a new season. Kipps family, please give a very warm welcome. to Johnny Venus. Johnny, how you doing? How are you doing? I'm good.

I'm good. So happy to have you here. I'm happy to be here. This is the furthest I've been back in Tyler Perry Studios. Really? Yeah. I feel like we're getting in some real work right here. Some real business going on.

Real big business. Yeah. I love it. Well, welcome. It's always exciting when people come through the gates and actually get to see the property. They're like, oh my goodness. I didn't know all this was here.

So I'm glad you got to witness it. It's really dope to see Anne inspiring. It hasn't gotten old to me, and I've been working out of the studio since 2015. Yeah. Yeah, from working here to acting here, and then now having my podcast studio here, yeah. I mean, I'm from the West End, so, like, I passed by this complex countless times. Right. Like, hitting 160C is going out to Greenbri coming back and forth.

So, like, being able to, like, see it continue to flourish and, like, you know, new talent continue to keep propping love and coming out. It's really, really far. I appreciate that. Thank you. welcome we're happy to have you here um our producer shelly and you go way way back she's just singing your praises all day she loves you but we're happy you're shely's family you are family so welcome we're going to break the ice by playing a game called johnny's call you are now entering this chapter of being a solo artist so we want to know how you move when you have to make the

call i'm going to give you a situation you have to give an immediate answer to you No overthinking, no team meeting, just Johnny's call. You ready? All right, the first one is, a record is emotionally perfect, but technically imperfect. Do you fix it or protect the feeling? We put it out. He said, put it out.

Don't overthink, okay, I like that. Somebody you really like leaves you on red. You double text and say, hey, what's up? I text you, or do you just let them come find you? They gotta see me a person. I love it. You hear a song idea in the middle of the night, middle of the night. Do you record a voice note or trust that the feeling will find you

again? Voice notes. So you're waking up in the middle of night. Man, you're not going to get that again. That's a message. You got to tap in, right? You got to leave on. Grab that phone. That's it. I love that. You meet somebody incredible, but the timing is terrible. You explore it anyway, or you respect the timing? You got to explore. The timing is the time. You know what I'm saying? It may not have to be whatever you think is supposed to be, but you got to acknowledge it. That is a great answer. I love that. Because at first I was going to say, I think be aware of the time if you know you're not available. But I like that. Explore it, because it could, you could think it's not the right time, but then it's your blessing. I like that. You make something that sounds nothing like

what people expect from Johnny Venus. Do you follow the curiosity or you question the direction? I think you follow the curiosity. You know, how you put it out is up to, you know what I'm saying, the team and the strategy and stuff. Or sometimes, you know, you just put out sketches and, you know, gravitate towards that also but like it's art you know put it out right for sure final one what's one decision Johnny Venus makes now that an earlier version of you would have needed way more reassurance to make that's a good question I'll hop on a plane like that listen out of here like like that somebody hit me was like I need to leave here and go pack I do it you will leave us I mean not I'm absolutely

That's crazy. He's the right now. Afterwards, no, out of this. Got to go. I go. I love that. Are you the type of person that will just, like, get on a plane with no bags or you got to pack? No, I got to pack.

All I need is, like, I don't take too long. I love that. Thank you so much for playing with me. I like that. Johnny Kawee, you know how to make the calls. We like that. All right. So I'm excited to sit down with you, especially in this new chapter of your life.

Many of them don't know that you are from Atlanta. You played football back in the day. Went to Mays. school, then went to Hampton University on a scholarship where you studied architecture. Come on, like, that's so, I love your multi-layered and I love it. So your fans know you from Earth Gang and Dreamville, but now you're getting to experience Johnny Venus. Who is he?

Like you said, I'm very complex, you know what I'm saying? Like I have a multitude of gifts and talents and on. On the inside, looking out, I'm just being me. Yeah. But on the outside looking in, I feel like people constantly are asking me to define myself and, like, put myself into a space that's palatable or marketable or comfortable. And sometimes I just can't do it. I could just be me, you know.

Do you feel like this industry tries to box you in sometimes? Yes. But I don't think it's in a vindictive type of way or anything. Like, there's no negative, you know, energy around it. I think that's just the nature of product and marketing. And they see what's working and what you're really good at. So, like, let's stick to this. And that's important because, I mean, we say it all the time in the industry.

Like, if you want to just make art, you might as well make art for you and your friends. But if you want to market it and turn it into a business, then you have to understand and decide what parts of you, you want to present making sure that it's authentic you know what I'm saying you being yourself but like what size you want to present and promote I love that I love that so you spent years with earth gang I want to know what are some of the lessons in business that you learn then that you're now utilizing as a solo artist now that you're calling the shots I got to keep it a butt with you man like I feel like being in earth gang and and having the people around me that I gravitated to

tours and I reached out to sometimes I feel like I put myself kind of behind the eight ball because I allowed the people to do what their best at and I kind of just focused on making music. You know what I'm saying? I'm like, okay, you're good at, you know what I'm saying, handling

tour. You're a manager, you can talk to people in the buildings and get them to do what we need to do. You're good at helping us, you know I'm saying, increase our international exposure and I'm going to just trust you all to do it. But now, that you know what I'm saying it's just me me me I feel like I'm back in college y'all I swear like

every day it's a lesson it's like you know what I'm saying this goes with this goes with this and I feel like it's it's like putting a puzzle together but the pieces keep changing shapes you know what I feel like trying to figure it out but I think at the essence of it is be yourself and and and and put your yourself in the spaces where people naturally gravitate towards you know what I'm saying like don't go chasing something or don't go try to you know what I'm saying run after things let be things and people and opportunities come to you and put yourself in those like spaces yeah I love that as the pieces of the puzzle keep changing

shapes have you ever found yourself getting frustrated in this new area of business that you're learning as a student now oh every day every day I mean I mean, it's love always, but I think people don't really know what it takes to do what we do as actors, as artists, as musicians, as producers, as anybody who is not being told what to do every day from 9 to 5. It takes a lot of discipline and it takes a lot of collaboration, teamwork, risk, faith to, to, continue to navigate and be innovative, you know, and failure too, you know what I'm saying? Absolutely. A lot of failure. And I think with me, because of the success that I've had in Earth Gang, a lot of times

I'll look at the 10 years plus of Earth Gang and compared to the one and a half to two years of Johnny Venus and be like, why is this not moving like this? You know what I'm saying? It's like I kind of have to give myself some grace. you know and continue to hustle but I still got to get myself some grace I love that that is so good what feels different now that you're no longer contributing to the vision of a group but now you're defining it I think that it's a it's a lot more pressure you know it's a lot more pressure not like it's insurmountable but it's a lot of pressure the vernacular it's crazy insurmountable it's a lot

I love it. As M.A.'s high school APS education right now, you feel you feel? Let's go. It's a lot of pressure to, like, I'm basically the CEO of a business, and I'm learning and I'm putting on different hats every day. I put on 12 hats a day, you know what I'm saying? So I try to, you know, make sure that I am giving myself time to, like, be, time to create, and then time to market.

And it's all learning. It's all learning. It's all learning. It's still a collaborative effort because, you know, going into the studio making music, working with different producers, different writers, different executive producers, and enjoying the process.

And then you're like, all right, let me take this hat off and put this other hat on and go study these marketing trends and see what's working. But I think it's just a lot more pressure. But I'm ready for it. I believe in myself. The people around me believe in me, and I believe in them.

It's just funny being on the outside looking in and on the inside looking out and seeing the differences of what it actually takes. For sure, to be a successful artist, especially now. And you've been in the industry for a long time. Even from 10 years to now or 12 years now, being in the industry, I'm sure you've seen how it's changed. Things have changed drastically, you know?

Like, I mean, today my manager, hit me up and was like, you know, they're counting YouTube, like the first second of a YouTube video watch is a view now. Yes. And like, that changes so much. It does. I'm like, thank you, Lord. You feel me? You know what I'm saying? Because attention span has changed.

Like, people may, that's all they might watch because they're like on their phones, getting distracted. So thank you. But like somebody who isn't in the industry or in the content industry or in the documentary or video

space or podcasting space, they are looking at it as like oh so but like for other people like that's life changing huge yes you know what I'm saying like a decision that some people made thousands of miles away who we never met has effectively changed how we approach our business today for sure so it's like things like that that I think a lot of people don't really take into consideration yeah no for sure the new red bull dragonberry and tropic berry energizers now at McDonald's made with freeze dried fruit and an electric burst of flavor. The all-new Red Bull Energizers.

Now at McDonald's. This product may not be right for you. High in caffeine, details at McDonald's.cai at participating in Canadian restaurants, excluding Quebec. When I was 14 years old, I was kidnapped and held captive for nine months. I survived, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are the Survivor Files. I just remember this look.

A low taunting voice next to my ear saying, shut up, don't say anything. Every week, I'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable. I knew if he woke up, without a doubt, he was going to hurt me. I started feeling that there was someone at the end of my bed, and I just started screaming. They are abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. But these aren't stories about what's taken from them. There's stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to the Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

On the new podcast, Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman. I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I chose option B. I'm Julie Pinero, and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can see. say yes without asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word solita, trading the pity for possibility. Every time I tried to be alone, I kept meeting people and they were like, you smiled at us. Not a lot of people smile around here. It's when you're alone that you're most receptive to the world as it is and not the lies you're sold about it. It can be a time where you

push your limits, change your mind, or wake up to a new version of yourself. So, you're a So whether you're a solo travel veteran or you're too nervous to book your first trip, I hope you listen to Solita on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If your bookshelf and your for-you page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. This is Prose Society, the weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for thought daughters, pop culture obsessives, and anyone who thinks Pride and Prejudice and Love Island deserve the same level of discourse. I'm Eli Rallo and every week we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and the conversations everyone can't stop having. I'm going to have to look up this story. I'm obsessed.

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Here's what you missed. And the argument is, do you want to win? If you don't win, you have no power. It's real. Those are the very people who I always say vote against the same. their own economic interest and they complained about the very thing they're receiving. It's raw. I knew that the issue of transgender athletes was not going well with a lot of black men.

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wherever you get your podcasts. We talk about the pressure that comes along with doing it on your own now. You have a team, so you're never really alone, but as an artist in the aspect you are, you're alone in it. I want to know, does that also? come with a freedom now that when it comes to the sound that you want to explore or the different type of genres you want to tap into, how do you navigate that newfound freedom that you have? It's funny because, you know, in Earth Gang, a lot of the stuff that I would do would just be

intuitive, you know what I'm saying? Like, I wouldn't go into the studio with a plan of like, I want to make this type of music for these type of people that are do well in this market. You know what I'm saying? Like, nah, I was just going out there. Coming up with the first thing, I mean, you know what I'm saying? We having fun in the studio. We're making records, whatever. And then you start to see, I mean, you could call it success, but you just start to see certain patterns of like what works,

what are people gravitating towards, and then, you know, you take a step back and kind of redefine how you want to insert yourself into the business, you know. So I think a lot of people do that, even if it's not an entertainment business thing, but just in people's personal life. It's like you take stock of where you are and what's been working. and what you want to increase and what you want to change. And I think going into the studio is a little bit of the same thing.

It's more fun right now because I think when we go into the studio with the idea or just a feeling or something that inspires us, we come out with so much more, but we have a goal in mind. You know what I'm saying? Like we know what the end goal is and it's not just throwing paint at the wall and seeing what sticks. Right. Absolutely. I love that. So you grew up as an only child.

Yes. Now you're in your solo era. What part of this chapter is reminding you of that child? Are you starting to pick up any of those, was like, okay, I'm used to this. Being by myself is something I'm used to. I grew up by myself. Or were you always around other people? I was around other people so much that I am surprised more and more of the alone time that I spent,

especially at this part of my career. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, I mean, I got my cameraman right here. I met him like three days ago. If he wasn't here. Stranger danger. No, no.

Jayne's a cool dude. But if he wasn't here, I'd be here by myself. I'd have pulled up by myself. You know what I'm saying? I go a lot of places by myself. Like, and I'm used to it. The older I get the, you know, I'm used to it. But it's still kind of weird.

You know what I'm saying? And like knowing that I have all of this support, but still there are times where God is like, you don't need, you don't need anybody else to be in there, which you just go out there. Just go out there. You know what I'm saying? Sometimes I think it's weird because I see my contemporaries. They got, you know what I'm saying? Entourage.

And people who hold towels with people who hold the tiles. And it was like, you know what I'm saying? Everybody is there. So I'm like, you know. And I'm just dolo. You know what I'm saying? I'm cooling it by myself and I, but it's like, yo, I have the energy to hold the space. You know what I'm saying?

Like, and that's fine with me, you know, and I'm leaning into it. I'm learning to just appreciate and accept it. Yes, I love that. And good for you. Do you feel like a part of that is because has anybody come to you and said, bro, you do realize you're Johnny Venus, why are you heard about yourself? All the time. Yeah, like, do you feel like you sometimes forget who you are?

No, I'm always, like, I try to, I don't know, it's just me personally. If I'm not, like, on, if I'm not on stage about to do this, like, I'm cooling and I'm chilling. I ain't really trying to bring a whole bunch of attention because I like to have the one part and then my personal part of life, you know what I'm saying? But I'm just really surprised because people just be like, yo, like, what are you doing here? And I'm like, bro, I just want to get some food. Like, I can't get no food too. Like, I got to have some type of normalcy in life. That's real.

I mean, apparently, like, people think I'm supposed to be, you know what I'm saying, living some other type of life. But I just, I enjoy being able to still be reachable to a certain instinct. I think that's really important because people like personable people. For sure. You know what I'm saying? And then it makes those moments where people see you on TV. or people see you on award shows or like they see your video or you got new music out

it makes those moments that much more like impactful you know what I'm saying because people like they brag into their friends it's like you I actually had a conversation with dude he cool I know the music hard but like I got to meet dude you know what I'm saying and it had a profound impact on me so I love that that's good so I want to talk about your music because right now it feels very open emotionally There's desire, there's romance, there is longing and vulnerability where most guys, they try to play it cool, but you're putting it all out there. Where do you feel like that comes from, especially in a world where everybody is committed to just acting like they don't care? That's always been who I am.

It's funny because you've, like you've got to embrace the dark side, right? You got to embrace the shadow side or whatever. Whatever you want to call it, you got to embrace the. the uncontrollable, you know what I'm saying? Because a lot of people want to have control. Like you can't, sometimes the longing or the yearning or the desire and stuff, you're like, man, I might look a fool if I go tell this person exactly how I feel. I can't control their response, so I can't control, you know what I'm saying,

where this is going to go. But those are really the moments where you find what you made of, find out who you are. So I think that is what people gravitate towards in the music. It's like, you know, that passion. And, you know, that intensity, but the honesty and that rawness of not always trying to be perfect. You know what I'm saying? And it's like, I was playing the album for my mom a couple of days ago. She was like, you know, you got a lot of, somebody break your heart?

I was like, my people like sad music. They do. You know what I'm saying? Like, because it helps people feel something. Because most people aren't happy. Yes. Most people on the outside. More people are going through heartbreak than being happy.

That's so true. On the outside, a lot of people want to project. that everything is fine. And, you know what I'm saying? I think when you hear music that has that passion and that rawness, like Chadee is it a crime, you know what I'm saying? People sing that song.

Happily married people. Yes. Seeing that song. You know what I'm saying? Because it's just raw. It gives you that. And that's what I want to do with my music. I love that.

You're doing it. You are doing it. When you go into the studio, you say like you just kind of, you don't go in with like an accent. actual like you know your end goal but you're not take me through a day in the studio when you wake up you're like all right we're going to hit the studio today what is a day like that look for johnny venus a day like that okay so i call my engineer or i call the intern at the studio tell them

you know what i'm pulling up can you get the flowers ready we might want some rosé in there you know what i'm saying like if i have some guests coming they might like the hook i'd like bring the hook or whatever you can be around smoke yeah it don't bother me it don't bother me like it is the only time it bother me is like on tour because the tour bus be like 12 degrees because you got to keep it really cool so people don't get sick like germs and all of that stuff yeah so tour buses be freezing and then the smoke sometimes that's the only time it bothers me but in the studio is cool we got like air purifiers and stuff in there you know what I'm saying we do it the right way I know see top notch do it the right way so we got air purifiers in there but I'll have a producer

in there who, you know, I really, really like the relationships that I have with my producers. Like, we'll call each other up, go see live shows, ask each other, like, what you're listening to right now, what you're working on, what's something that you're trying to do. And then we'll come in with ideas of, like, certain sounds or certain directions where we want to go certain elements that we want to focus on, and then we'll just start, you know what I'm saying, and it'll be, we might put a fashion show on the TV or something, you know what I'm saying? And it's just be inspired by the clothes. And by the way the women are walking and what they're wearing and the attitude, you know what I'm saying, from the models and stuff, that can inspire a song.

So I got a song on a project called Runway Killer. And it really was based off of, like, us continuing to, like, just put on fashion shows. And it's like, man, what we do is a form of storytelling. It's a form of art. And the same thing is going on in this fashion show. So let's find something here that speaks to the, you. the lifestyle that these women are experiencing. You know what I'm saying?

Like right here, they look fly. They're going crazy. They look amazing. But who knows what it's like hopping on the plane to go do a show, get your makeup done, stay up all night, take the makeup off there, maybe get back on the plane and go to another city. Who knows what you're going through? You know what I'm saying?

You got relationships, stuff. You got family stuff. But like people expect you to be the finest thing on earth for 20 seconds, though. You know what I'm saying? It's just like that. It's just like that. So it's like we're inspired by things like that and we pour all of that into the music that we make. I love that.

You have worked with one of my favorite songwriters and producers, The Dream. Yeah, shout out, Jerry. We love you over here. I want to know what was it like working with him and what was that conversation like when you talked about like the direction that you wanted to take this new project? I'm going to give you the raw. I'm going to give you the real story. So my manager has reached out to his team.

Like, you know, Atlanta, small. Everybody know everybody. Everybody knows everybody. So they sent to him like four records, four demos. Some of them was already done. Some of them was demos. And he responded back, you know what I'm saying? He loved the music.

He wanted to work. So we went to sessions. Tricky Stewart's studio. Yeah, a little tricky. Shout out Tricky. That was the first time we met. We had a studio session at Sessions. That was the first time you dream met.

Okay, wow. So I think we did like two nights, two or three nights. first night he came through and he's rapid fire he's like what we doing pull something up you know what I'm saying like pull up a record pull up anything so we pull up a couple of records that I've already

been working on and he go in there he started moving stuff around and da da da da da doing this let's add a part right here and there's some stuff he'll listen to he's like I see where you're going right here and then he starts working and stuff so like me I've never like had this one-on-one type of experience

with somebody yes you know what I'm saying somebody a creative genius or somebody and a creative genius is just basically somebody who trusts a flow of the downloads that they get you know what I'm saying it don't always have to be the biggest thing

in the world right. Right. Just trust the flow that's happening right now. So I'm in there I'm working I'm responding to you know what I'm saying, his coaching his direction. He asking me to sing notes that I'm like yeah okay

I'm gonna hit that note you know what I'm saying I heard you I was like that is definitely a dream. You know what I'm feeling? And sometimes he'll just like, he'll do, he'll just do like a, he'll say a few words and then do some notes and then he'll be like, you put the rest of the words in there.

You know what I'm saying? I'm like, all right, let's do it. So that's like the first night. The second night, we do another record and stuff. I got personal stuff I'm going through, you know what I'm saying, figuring things out, moving and stuff. So like my mind is in the studio and outside the studio at the same time.

So we spend the first two, two nights working and then I don't see him for like maybe like a month and during that month my team his team we're trying to figure out how we want to move forward right and I was a little hesitant because I even though I think that I was being challenged and pushed to pull out to be put out my comfort zone in the music which I think is necessary I personally felt like we hadn't spent enough one-on-one time outside of the music. You know what I'm saying? It's got nothing to do with the music.

For him to know who I am, the type of person I am, for him to translate what I'm saying and what I'm doing, you know what I'm saying, to put into the music. So I, like I said, I was a little hesitant. And I'm like, man, like as far, you know, you, you're great. Like, you know, love on top. One of my favorite songs, one of the best songs ever. You know what I'm saying?

One of the best songs ever written. And perform. Shout out, Beyonce. Yes, shout out. But I'm like, I just want to make sure that this is right for me, you know, because a lot of times artists get in with producers and then it don't sound like the artist no more, you know what I'm saying? Yeah.

Or producers are trying to like just like flood their sound and like make that their second chance of like being heard or seen against like, I made another one, I produced another one. You know, and but he never had. That was never his intention. For sure. You know what I'm saying? But it was just me making sure that like this is the right person to do this for me. So like over the course of the next few months,

sent a couple of songs back and forth, worked on some more things. And then I kind of just got to the point where I was just like, look, man, this is how I feel about it. This is what I told you is like I want to make sure that we're on the same page. You know what I'm saying? Like not just musically, but just like, you know what I'm saying? people to people. This is my hesitance

and this is my fears about it. And you know what I'm saying? Put that out there. I love your work. I love what you do. And from there, it's like, ain't no problem,

player, like I feel you. You know what I get what you're saying. I understand it. And you know what I'm saying? We just continue to develop the relationship. I think we really clicked when I went out to Vegas. That was one of them times

where I was out there on Cascade, you know what I'm saying? And my partner, he was just running for election, like my boy, Nate, this on Southwest, Atlanta. and stuff. So I'm at his like election watch party and stuff. I get a call from my managers. They're like, you got to go out to Vegas. I'm like, he can't work here. We both live here. We're from the A and stuff. And he's like, no, he's working at Vegas because that's where he's

getting the energy and stuff. You know what I'm saying? So hopped on the next thing smoking. Casey put him on that flight. I was on that flight. Bought that flight, packed my bags late at night. You know what I'm saying? And was out there. So we out in Vegas. And I think for both of us, We got a chance to like get away from everything else that was calling us. Yes. Whether it was errands, household stuff, business stuff, family stuff, like we got a chance to fully immerse ourselves in the creative process. He was working on his project in another room.

I was working on mine in another room. And we used to just jump back and forth into each other's rooms and like see what we're working on. Sit down for a second. Come in and like have conversations and play music that we love listening to. and inspired and stuff. And I think we got to a point where the trust was built. You know what I'm saying?

You needed that. Yeah, and I needed that for sure. I think that's the most important thing with anybody who I work with, regardless of who you are, what you've done. You know what I'm saying? Like, as long as we build a share trust and understanding of what we're trying to do with who we are, and there's a quality of something that we're trying to achieve,

let's get it. Absolutely. I love that. I love that. And I think that the trust shows through the music as well. You can tell when our artist isn't comfortable. We've heard it. We've seen it where artists will start working with a new producer because of who they are.

And then it's like, it don't even sound like themselves. It's not the person we fell in love with. Who is this? And a lot of times because they're trying to do something else. But the fact that you stood strong and like this is what I want, I want to make sure this is right before I just jump into this was honorable. And we can tell like it worked out in your favor. And Vegas definitely was the move, I'm sure.

Man, what? We did one record. I got this record on this. It's called American Dream. He wrote it. I produced it. Shia Lowe's because Lowe's laid his producer, laid the foundation first, but then I went out there and put my sauce on it

and turned it into, you know, something that feels right for me. And they was like, man, you don't even know what you got right now. You got to go out and buy something right now, man. You got to put that energy right back into the world. You're like, you got to go out and buy something. It don't even matter. I'm like, boy, y'all. But y'all boys really living.

I like that. Living, yes. It's crazy, right? That's crazy. That is funny. I want to ask you, Ports 9-11, it feels like a clear example of where you are in this chapter. It celebrates joy, fun, adventure of love instead of centering around everything that could go wrong.

Why is it important to make a love song that lets love just simply feel good? And does that reflect where you are personally right now? Fourth 9-11, a little ghetto love song. I think it's important to enjoy life. Because when you lose your joy, nothing works. You know what I'm saying? Like people, and you could be the most successful person in the world. You could be winning games or, you know what I'm saying, like taking care of this, that, and the third.

But like when the joy is missing from your life, it's noticeable. You know, like you move a little differently. You're not laughing at the same jokes. You're not as silly. You're not checking in on people. You don't have enough to give. You know what I'm saying? When the joy is going from your life.

So it's important that we find joy constantly and hold on to it. I've learned through tragedy, hard way. You know what I'm saying? It's like the joy is the most important thing. My father passed in 2018. And thank you. He had congestive heart failure for like maybe like eight years before he passed. and I could just see him like fighting for his joy consistently you know what I'm saying

it was tough but like to see somebody continue to fight for their joy despite their health declining and what they're able to do you know what I'm saying being limited more and more by day it's like yeah but like that don't stop this person from smiling and from like seeing the beauty and the little things so this record to me was about finding the joy despite everything that's going on. You know what I'm saying? It's lyrics like, City on Fire. I'm right with you.

Downtown Day Riot, I fight by you. Or I took your raindrops and helped you translate them, basically. You know what I'm saying? Like, I help you make sense of your tears. Yeah. And we're going to enjoy this moment. We're going to let the top back. You know what I'm saying?

It's a nice day outside. Like, it don't matter. It's cool. We don't been through a lot. But we're going to enjoy this moment. So I think it's really important that people, you know, hold on to their joy. Yeah, no, I love that. I also heard you play the drums.

Is there any other instruments that you play? I mean, I play. I produce that record portion of that. So I'll play whatever needs to be played in order to get the sound not and produce, yeah. So you read music and everything like you're... I could read. It's been a long time. But you just naturally tell you.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's been a long time since I read some music. You know, shout out to Brown Middle School. You feel on me? In the land. I was in a van. That's when I allowed to read a couple of half notes or quarter notes. But it's all just feeling.

Yeah. I love because when you said you dream would do something, you'd go and add your socks to it. I was wondering if that was instrumental or how that worked out. I love that. I think that it's always so cool when producers can get in and they're playing on the keys and then they're adding the 808. I'm just like, how are you doing all this?

This is so fascinating. So I would love. Chella, we got to go sit in on a session. Come on. Yeah. The new Red Bull Dragonberry and Tropic Berry Energizers, now at McDonald's, made with freeze-dried fruit,

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I was kidnapped and health capital. for nine months. I survived, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are the Survivor Files. I just remember this low, taunting voice next to my ear saying, shut up, don't say anything. Every week, I'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable. I knew if he woke up, without a doubt, he was going to hurt me. I started feeling that there was someone at the end of my bed, and I just started screaming.

They are abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. But these aren't stories about what's taken from them. There's stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to the Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the new podcast Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman. I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I chose option B.

I'm Julie Pinheiro and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes without asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word Solita, trading the pity for possibility. Every time I tried to be alone, I kept to. meeting people and they were like, you smiled at us. Not a lot of people smile around here. It's when you're alone that you're most receptive to the world as it is and not the lies you're sold about it. It can be a time where you push your limits, change your mind, or wake up to a new version of yourself. So whether you're a solo travel veteran or you're too nervous to book your first trip, I hope you listen to Solita on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. If your bookshelf and your for-you page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. This is Prose Society, the weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for thought daughters, pop culture obsesives, and anyone who thinks pride and prejudice and love island deserve the same level of discourse. I'm Eli Rallo and every week we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and the conversations everyone can't stop having. I'm going to have to look up this story. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. From bestselling authors and your favorite book talk creators to the latest pop culture moments, nothing is off the table. It's like if you can hide some real messages inside compelling characters, then that is a Trojan horse.

Whether you're looking for literary deep dives, smart pop culture conversations, or a community of readers who love to think a little too much, you're in the right place. Listen to Pro Society on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you between the pages. Didn't catch the latest Roland Martin unfiltered podcast? Here's what you missed. And the argument is, do you want to win?

If you don't win, you have no power. It's real. Those are the very people who I always say vote against their own economic interest and they complain about the very thing to receive.

It's raw. I knew that the issue of transgender athletes was not going well with a lot of black men. Roland Martin unfiltered. I went off, I said, this is exactly what I'm talking about. Y'all going to scream at Chanel,

but you don't want to see a black luxury company in the same vein. Catch Roland Martin's daily commentary on the Black Information Network. 12 seats, those are moving south. So if you Democrats, you don't wait to 2030, you better be hitting the ground going hard in the South now.

And download Roland Martin Unfiltered on the IHart Reefiltered on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Sounds like I want you back. You're being very direct about desire. Was there ever version of you that didn't feel comfortable being so emotionally honest in a song? Yes. Really?

But to me, like, I used to even with an Earth Gang, you know what I'm saying? We've got a whole lot of love songs. There's a lot of adolescents, wilding out. You know what I'm saying? Like a lot of young, young 19, 20-year-old lifestyle and stuff. So they ain't really trying to tap into their emotions like that, you know what I'm saying? For sure. But the old I get, the more confronted with, like, parts of myself that have to be revealed or they have to be acknowledged.

And you know what I'm saying? Like, you don't got to act like this part of you is bad or, like, you know what I'm saying? And show yourself. But these are parts of you that deserve to see the light because you never know what to come from. For sure. And they can only do that if you be an honest. with your delivery and the stuff that you talk about in the record. Facts.

I love that. You seem really aware about yourself, not just about yourself, but about people, the culture, and what's happening around you. What are you noticing around the world right now, even through music, that a lot of people aren't addressing or noticing? I think there's a lack of people talking about the societal issues. that's going on in a clever way, you know what I'm saying?

Like, because that's what matters, you know what I'm saying? You don't want to feel like somebody preaching to you. Right. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. But in a clever way, I feel like people want to feel heard and seen. You know, I think a lot of people are talking about, you know, stuff that's like real surface level. And it's cool for a moment.

But those records that stand the test of time are the records that, like, really, really, are speaking to like the lifestyle and what's going on. What's going on? Literally what's going on. One of those records, you know what I'm saying, that I'm saying, that I'm speaking to what people are living in. People love those records as well. And it don't always have to be, like I said,

like somebody preaching for doom and gloom, but like, you know, let me think, what was one of the way. She works hard for the money. Like that's one of the records, you know what I'm saying? Like people love singing the record, it's cool, what is talking about the women stepping up in the workplace and like being taking care of their self and like trying to figure out how to balance, you know what I'm saying, sustaining themselves and like enjoying life, you know what I'm saying?

No, for sure. I love that. I know as an artist, I'm sure you pull from a lot of different situations where it's community, people, places, experiences. What do you most pull from when it comes to creating your music? I pull from the women in my life, you know. in all areas, you know what I'm saying? Because it's a, it's, you can't really put words on what the existence is like as being a woman.

You know what I'm saying? You can't really put words into it. And the more that they open up to you, the more that you see like there, there's a lot happening at once. And it's being held together with grace and poised. For sure. You know? Yes. behind very beautiful concealer and blush and foundation, you know what I'm saying, being held together.

So I have the opportunity to like just listen and learn so much and understand so much. And then, you know, that creates the room and the space for great music. Yeah, and I love that. That's good. So you've been creating professionally for years. And oftentimes when you do something for so long, it can begin to feel like work. Have you ever hit that wall where you're like, I'm not enjoying this. Yeah.

Really? So what did you do to get past that? I took a trip. I went out to, this was Top of 20204. I took a trip to Bali. I went on a yoga teacher training retreat. I've been doing yoga since like 2019. And then in 2024, I was like, man, my manager has been telling me like,

bro, go get certified so we can make some money. Some money. So we can make some paper, okay? So I was like, I'm going to get certified, but I'm going to also do something for me. You know what I'm going to do it just for the money. So I went out there. And it was a teacher training retreat, but it was also a personal retreat for myself. It was the first time where, first time in my entire career where I took a month off.

Wow. And didn't do anything. You know what I'm saying? Didn't do anything. In your entire career. In my entire career, I've been making music since I was 18 years old, you know. So it was the first time where I took a month off. and if a decision had to be made, I trusted my team, you know.

And I got a chance to kind of like get away and dive into something that felt like a hobby, something that I didn't have to be perfect at, something that I didn't have to always get right, something that allowed me to get closer with myself and to like get closer with the people who were there too. People all walks of life, all different colors, all different shapes, sides of the world, you know what I'm saying? People coming from Brazil and Australia and Atlanta, you know what I'm saying? And all these different places and you get a chance to be around these people and enjoy like the, what's the word I want to use? Enjoy the unknown and the uncertainty. I think with the onset of social media and all the metrics and constantly being bombarded with like,

like performance, engagement, and all of this stuff. It's so much information that we take in. We were just talking about this today. Me and West are going to get flip-hones. Yeah. Tried. Gangsters. Gangsters.

I'm going to get flip-hounds so we can just tap out. It's just so much information. And you need to be able to have the certainty of, like, stillness. Yeah. You know? Yeah. That's a certainty that a lot of people ain't able to tap into it. anymore because you wake up at, you know, six, five in the morning and seven o'clock, you're getting

notifications from Time Magazine, you know what I'm saying? Like, you're just getting notifications and hitting you up, da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da. So a lot of people don't have that stillness. So I got like a month of stillness. And, you know, it took me a while, it took me almost two years to be able to translate that month of stillness into this music, you know what I'm saying? Into this album. And to not discard the parts of it.

me that the mistakes that I've made as in like I don't want to be this person anymore but just to be like like this is a part of you you know what I'm saying like embrace this part of you give space for this part of you and see see what happens from right exactly I love that I hear that Bali has some of the most kind people that you'll ever meet in your life yes there's no crime there because the punishment for crime is so. Why? What? It's so crazy that they don't commit any crimes there.

Under penalty of death. Literally. Not playing with you. Yes. You got a nickel bag. It's a rap son. I stop playing with these folk, man. Oh my goodness.

So like when you went out there, what are some of the things that you brought back with you? Because I know when I travel, there's different things and ways of life that I see other countries and cultures live, I'm like, man, we are, when I look back at America, it's like a lot of things that we put so much attention and focus on are trivial. What are some things that you brought back from that trip that you were like? That's a really good question. I think they just have a certain relationship with nature. That it doesn't.

It doesn't intercede in what they're trying to do. Like you can make money, you can have businesses and shops and run all of these things. But there are certain moments and times where it's like life comes first. You know what I'm saying? I think for us over in the West, I feel like the only time life come first is like maybe Christmas. Maybe because people shopping. People try to make sure we get in the right toys and the right. material things and like so maybe like come first during Christmas but like I feel like over here

there there is no moment where like we put life first where it doesn't it doesn't involve buying something to show that we're putting life first you know what I'm saying so it's like I think over there there it's like all right man like we're going we're going to put all this hustle and bustle down for me I love holiday like cultures they're like shut down for like a month and nobody goes to work or they close early every day for a certain times. We go on vacation. I'm like, we never do that. We never do that.

We never do that. And it's dangerous, you know what I'm saying? So I think over there I really enjoyed that. It'd be moments where I'm like, why everybody walking around with flowers today? We're like, oh, it's just, it's da-da-da-da-da-da-da day of the year. And I'm like, that's tight. That's what y'all be doing. It's like, yeah, people close their shops and like, we do this.

You know what I'm saying? It's fun, have fun, you know what I'm like. So it's like, and it's not a super commercialized thing. Right. I'm saying. They have respect for it. It's been going on for thousands of years, you know what I'm saying? So it's not like a corporation that can, you know what I'm saying, control it or be like

this is the thing. We're presenting it to you. So you got to come shop with us in order to enjoy this day. Exactly. Yeah, I love that. In closing, I want to ask you, with everything that you have going on, you talk about the many hats that you have to put on throughout the day, that's a lot of pouring. How do you pour back into Johnny Venus?

I pull up on my dog, Shelly. You know what I'm saying? Pull up on her on New Year's Eve, see what she got going on. You know what I'm saying? To be honest, I think the way I pour back into me is, I don't know, I'm still figuring that out. I can't, I can't, you know what I can't flex. Like, I work out. I love doing that.

Every now and then I get my yoga in. I'm trying to be more consistent with that. But I still got to figure that. out you know because I feel like I'm carrying so much and I'm trying to do so much that every day it's like I get up and do what you got to do today and I think that's pouring into myself I think having discipline is a form of pouring into yourself yeah sure but I started DJing recently yeah yeah like I try to do fun things like you know what should have him deep you feel me like I just

thought it you know You just started? I just started. That's cool. So next year we'll call you. I'm trying to, you know what I'm saying? But then my mind is like, okay, I got to do this for a job. Now let me go find a check with this.

You know what I'm saying? It's like, hey, bro, chill out. Do it for fun. You know what I'm trying to like find other ways to do things for fun. You know, I like to travel and stuff. But Mama, I, I'm different. I got, I'm different. I think about business all the time.

You know what I'm saying? You know what I get it? I just be like, what's wrong with me, man? Don't I? anything I'm doing, I'm like, I can scale this. I can do this. It's some type of way. I'm brushing my teeth.

I can scale brushing my teeth. Y'all, I know a way. It's a way, bro. Exactly. Like, like, like, hey, bro, chill out, bro. Yeah, chill out. Seriously, I'm the same way. I don't know, man.

I might have to, like, go to Iceland or something, just sit in one of them black sand beaches or something. Throw my phone in the water or something. No, for it to myself. like that. Yeah, no, definitely. I think that if you love to travel, that's a wonderful way to pour into yourself and disconnect and learn new cultures and be with the community and people. That is my way. Honestly, like, I don't get a chance to do it often because I do travel for work, but it's exactly what you said. It's like going into different spaces and embracing culture,

but embracing, like, the multitude of, like, what it is to be alive. Yes. Because you learn a lot from people. You do. You learn how to live from different cultures that have been living thousands of years longer than this Western experience that we're in. Talk about it. That's a great way. That's so true. Well, we are going to challenge you to take time for yourself, to pour into yourself, to travel more. And like, I always say for me, like, because I'm the same way, I'm constantly thinking, we're creative, so our brains never really shut down. So I have to steal my moments, whether it's, all right, today I'm going to get a 90-minute massage, put my phone down, you know what I'm saying, just put the phone down, don't answer it, no texting, because it's easy

to have your phone still in your hand while you face down. You know, you're crazy. You know what I'm talking about? You don't put your phone down for massages. Now I do. I was about to say, you know, this big business right here, you feel me? People who will be on their phone during a massage handling big business. They're psychos.

Okay, like, that's crazy. No, I had to put my phone down because I will, yeah, I'll still be handling business. on the phone. So yeah, I want to challenge you to do that. And in closing, I want to ask you, we always choose one word to guide the conversation. And this season, our word is purpose. How do you feel you are living out your purpose right now, or is there something that you could do better? I'm living out my purpose right now by being brave. I think a lot of people, what they appreciate about me is just my fearlessness to do things. Yeah. And to, set my mind on a goal.

And I think that that's really important, you know, in our communities for to see somebody live authentically the life that they want to live without shrinking themselves, you know what saying, without being afraid to make mistakes, you know, because we're always told, like, this is how you be a black woman in America, you know what I'm saying? This is how you be a black man in America. Or this is how you be a creative and it's like, you know, I'm just want to be a black woman. want to live authentically and bravely myself. And I think that's my purpose.

Yeah. I love that. I love that. Johnny, thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks for taking the time and not leaving us to go catch a flight today. Please let us know where we can follow you. And if there's anything you have coming up that we can continue to support you on, let us know as well.

You can follow me on all social media platforms, Johnny Venus. I have my album sampler that I'm releasing right now, five. songs I'm slow rolling the music out because I want you to take time with the music. I want us to have shared experiences and we can't arrest, we don't want to rush none of this stuff. This is real, real, real treasure that we have that me and my people are created. So I have a sampler coming out. I want you to go check that out.

We will definitely check it out. Make sure you guys download it. Do everything on YouTube? I got videos on YouTube, Johnny Venus pull up to me, since my YouTube. YouTube channel. And stay for the journey. Yes, love it. Thank you so much. Thank you.

Yes. Thank you. Of course. Johnny, thank you for being so open with us and for letting us into this season, not just the music, but the intention behind it. Sweeties, I hope today's conversation reminded you that sometimes growth looks like giving yourself permission to explore more of who you already are. Trust what's pulling at you and follow the work that feels most aligned.

Make sure you stay tapped in with everything Johnny Venus has coming out and keep the conversation going with us on Instagram at the Sweetie Social Club. If this conversation moved you, be sure to like, share, and subscribe. And as always, keep it positive, sweetie. See you guys next time. On the new podcast Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman. I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I chose option B.

I'm Julie Pinero, and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes without asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word Solita, trading the pity for possibility. Listen to Solita on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I survived nine months in captivity,

and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart and these are the Survivor Files. Every week, I'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable, abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. These are stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to The Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If your bookshelf and your For You page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. Pro Society is a weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for anyone who thinks Pride and Prejudice and Love Island to serve the same level of discourse.

Each week, we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and pop culture with your favorite writers, book talk creators, and plenty of overthought opinions. Yeah, I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. Listen to Pro Society on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Didn't catch the latest Roland Martin unfiltered podcast? Here's what you missed. wake up and go, oh, damn, wait a hold up. They change all of that.

Yes. It's real. This is a wholesale attack. It is targeting black people in every federal agency. It's raw. White folks have never allowed that reckoning to last more than a decade. Catch Roland Martin's daily commentary on the Black Information Network. And download Roland Martin unfiltered on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Self-care September is your reminder to slow down, check in with your health. yourself, get off your phone, and maybe ask, why am I like this? I'm Jemisbeg, host of the Psychology of Your 20s podcast, and this month we're helping you make sense of the person that you are becoming, from setting boundaries and navigating friendships to understanding anxiety, confidence, relationships, and attachment. Sometimes our biggest decisions, without us even realizing it, aren't driven by what we truly want, but by what will prevent us from feeling lonely or being alone. Listen to the psychology of your 20s on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.