Mick Unplugged - Tandy Weems | - Lesson Learned By Being a A Trailblazer in Hip-Hop - Mick Unplugged [Ep 7]

Episode Date: March 28, 2024

Mick Hunt engages in a profound conversation with Tandy Weems, a pivotal figure in hip-hop. They delve into the roots and evolution of hip-hop, its cultural significance, and the importance of staying true to its essence. Tandy emphasizes the need for reeducation about the true nature of hip-hop beyond just music. She discusses her role in shaping the industry and her initiative to start the World Hip Hop Awards to honor authentic hip-hop talent globally.The episode is filled with insights on maintaining integrity and excellence in an ever-changing industry.Tandy Weems' Background: Over 25 years in the industry, worked with icons like Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang, Mary J. Blige, Method Man, Redman, and Mike Tyson.Defining Moments: Tandy Weems shares her journey in the hip-hop world and her experiences working with major artists.Discussion Topics:The essence and culture of hip hop.Importance of authenticity and knowledge in hip hop.The negative impact of commercialization on hip-hop culture.Tandy Weems' vision for the World Hip Hop Awards.Strategies for maintaining relevance and authenticity in the industry.Key Quotes:"Hip hop is not just a music genre. It's a culture.""We created a worldwide billion-dollar industry without a dime.""The most important element of hip hop is knowledge.""If your music or your art doesn't possess knowledge, it's not hip hop."Next Steps:Visit: World Hip Hop Awards for more information.Support: Help fund the World Hip Hop Awards and promote authentic hip hop culture.Engage: Share and discuss the episode using #MickUnplugged and #AuthenticHipHop. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you ready to change your habits, sculpt your destiny, and light up your path to greatness? Welcome to the epicenter of transformation. This is Mic Unplugged. We'll help you identify your because, so you can create a routine that's not just productive, but powerful. You'll embrace the art of evolution, adapt strategies to stay ahead of the game, and take a step toward the extraordinary. So let's unleash your potential. Now, here's Mick. All right, everybody, welcome to another exciting edition of Mick Unplugged. And I have to tell you, I am truly, truly excited about today's guest. Today,'re talking about hip-hop. When I say we're talking

about hip-hop, we are talking to the most respected professional and thought leader in the hip-hop industry. With over 25 years in the game working with the likes of the Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang, Mary J. Blige, I could keep going, Method Man, I could keep going, Red Man. I could keep going Red Man. I could keep going Mike Tyson. Ladies and gentlemen, we're talking no other than the queen, the OG, the original Brooklyn's Finest, Miss Tandy Wink. Tandy, how are you doing today? Wow, that was a great introduction. It is all the truth. I am doing just fine. Thank you so much for having me on your show today. Tandy, this is an honor. I have been a fan and follower of yours for many, many years. Like most of us grew up on hip hop. Hip hop is my jam. And I know a little bit of your backstory and I can't wait for this audience to hear it.

All the things that you're doing. Totally amazing. So truly honored and blessed to have you here on the show today. Thank you. Thank you so much. Yes, yes, yes. And in the essence of Mick Unplugged, right, Tandy, I like to challenge people to look deeper than their why. Like to me, your why is superficial. Everyone knows your why. Like my why are my kids. My why is my mom. But why? Right. And so we get our listeners to focus on their because. Right. If why is the question because is your answer, because is your reason. And I know you write hip hop wasn't always mainstream. Hip hop was not always easy. Right. Tell me about your because and what what your because is and then how that has resonated in your career. My because for hip hop is because we were able to be our best selves at that time. There was nothing like being around young people with brilliant ideas.

And we knew there was no limit to those ideas. Right. We supported each other, and because we supported each other, we created a worldwide trillion dollar industry without a dime. Say that one more time. What kind of industry? A worldwide trillion dollar

industry without a single dime. All we used was our genius, our togetherness, our unity, and our best selves you you got me going to church right now miss tandy you know i was looking for a collection plate to my right i was i was in my pocket getting ready to put something in there getting ready to put that's amazing and i know that that road is not always easy, right? And one of the things that I love

about you and when I read about you, you talk about re-educating, right? Talk about re-educating. Can you dive a little bit deeper into that piece for me? Absolutely. Right now, a lot of our young people and a lot of us that's been in hip hop for a long time need to be re-educated and re-reminded exactly what the culture of hip hop is. We hear all about the music of hip-hop, but hip-hop is not just a music genre. Hip-hop is a culture, and what we're seeing now is because we have taken the music away from the culture, the foundation, its roots. Hip-hop is not only the five elements, dance, DJ, emceeing, you know, art, but the most important is knowledge. Up here. That's right. So if your music or your art don't possess knowledge, it's not hip hop.

As defined by those that created it, the African-Americans that created it, and the communities that shaped it. Right. It's not intelligent to market death, destruction, and gun violence, and drugs, and crime to your community. So that's not hip hop. That's not hip hop. Right. And we need to stop calling that hip hop because we are doing a disservice to ourselves and

to the world and the culture of hip hop. That's right. And I'm not going to speak for the queen. So what I'm about to say next are the words of Mick and Mick only. There's a lot of garbage out there right now. Don't call this garbage hip hop. That is not the essence or the core of what hip hop was founded for. Right, Miss Tandy? Absolutely. Again, that brings us back to your first question, the re-education. You know, money has corrupted just about everything in our society, has it not? Right. It has also corrupted hip hop. It has also corrupted the culture. In searching for money and fame, we've forgotten what hip hop is, you know, what it can do. Years ago, it transformed not only our community, but the communities all over the world.

Marketing, management, fashion, newspapers. We had our own media. We had our own artists, our own booking agents. We were this close, African-Americans in this country, to creating another upper middle class. It's by hip hop. Right, right. So we all need to remember what that culture did for us and let it do the same

for this generation. And we haven't done that. We haven't passed on the benefits of hip hop. We haven't passed on the lessons we learned when Biggie and Tupac was murdered. Right.

And Jam Master Jay. You name it. Very, very few. So now here we are, my children, watching not three or four rappers being killed like we did back then. Five, six, seven, and eight a month. And ten times that many young black males going to prison trying to emulate this energy that's going out. Correct. Music is an energy.

You know, you just brought up something with the emulation. One of the things that I always teach people and tell people is to be yourself because everyone else is already taken. Right. There's not another Tandy out there. Right. There's not another Mick. Like, be yourself because everyone else is taken. And you've worked with a lot of great artists and a lot of great influencers in the hip hop community.

What are the top two or three traits that they all have in common? Like if you had to think back to a biggie, if you had to think back to a young Method Man, right, that hungry Method Man. What are the traits that they all had in common? They didn't strive to be famous. They strived to be excellent. Excellent in their writing. Excellent when they took that stage. Excellent in the culture. It wasn't about being famous and making money. That came later on. Yeah, that was the infiltration. It changed the mindset. But strived to be mobbed deep. The goal was to put out the best album with the best lyrics.

That was the competition. Right, right. And they took their time and put out their best work, main source. There's so many. KRS-One, Public Enemy. Yep. You know what I'm saying? KRS-One taught everybody about Black history that we did not even know.

Right, right. Kumo D. Yep. Poor Right, right. Kumo D. Yep. Poor Righteous Teachers. Mm-hmm. Dead friends. I can go on and on. If we're not careful,

we'll never see that type of genius again. And we're close to not seeing it. I don't know if you've listened to a lot of music today, Ms. Tandy, but I can't do it. I can't do it. That's why we need the World Hip Hop Awards. So let's go there. Let's talk about this. The World Hip Hop Awards.

Talk about that vision. Talk about where that came from. Where do you want it to go? I'm so enamored about hearing about the World Hip Hop Awards. Now, the crazy thing about the World Hip Hop Awards, I wrote this show when I was working for Biggie. Really? I wrote this show when I was working for Biggie. I dreamed the show when I was working for Biggie. And I got up that next morning when I got behind my desk and just wrote it on a piece of paper.

And I protected it, copyrighted it, and forgot all about it for over 10 years. Wow. Well over 10 years. Wow. And it 10 years. Wow. And it was when my brothers passed away and I was just kind of in a funk. I didn't know what I wanted to do. And Jada Pinkett did an interview

because she was very angry that Will did not win an award that year. And she said, begging for acknowledgement or even asking diminishes dignity and it diminishes power. And we are a dignified people. So let's do us differently. When she said that, I got a chill and I remembered the World Hip Hop Awards.

Because at the same time, everybody was screaming that we needed to have our own award show. Right. And that's what I remember that show. I ran to my desk, nearly knocking down furniture. Go get them. Digging this show up, pulling it up. And of course, everything that expired.

And I just did all the work, got it back together, got the logo, built it so that they would come. Took it to the next level. And the World Hip Hop Award is what everyone was saying that they want and what the culture needs. It's the first hip hop award show where we'll see hip hop artists gathered from all over the world on one stage with iconic and inspirational hip hop artists here in America doing their own style of hip hop, their own language, their own unique interpretation of the music and the culture. And one thing that I'm really proud of with the platform is

we'll be able to highlight under the title of knowledge, amazing people doing amazing things for their community, for the planet, for the world. And this is going to be streamed all over the world. Love it. It's the platform we must have in order to unite and educate our young people on the true culture of hip hop. We must have a platform that celebrate artists that up here, the true essence of hip hop, that honors family, culture, education,

excellence, and having fun. There we go. I love it. And having fun. So do we have a date chosen for this year yet for 2024? No, actually we don't. We're looking to do it in 2024 in September. We're still trying to get funded.

We're trying to get Dave Chappelle and Queen Latifah to be a part of this event. There's no better dream team host than the both of them. We are talking to people in Dubai about 2025, but I really want to see it done in America the first time, you know, and I'm still pushing for that, you know what I'm saying, for the first time. But if not, it may be the first time in Dubai. No, we're going to make it happen this year. I hope so. It'll be a shame if the first one is overseas. Whatever I can do to help, you know, I'm going to make it happen this year. I hope so. It'll be a shame if the first one is overseas. Whatever I can do to help, you know, I'm going to help.

You know, whatever the troops we need to rally, we'll rally the troops. It's going to happen. Everyone listening, 2024 World Hip Hop Awards this September. We need to make that happen. Absolutely. We're going to do it in Vegas at the beautiful Spear. It'll be a total different experience. That's right.

Total different experience. We've never seen anything like this on the stage. It's the most revolutionary event produced in hip hop thus far. Can't wait. And I'm going to be there. I'm going to be there too. You better. Front row.

I got you. There we go. So Ms. Tandy, you talked about some of the traits that some of the best that you work with have. Yes. We know when we see the best, there's 99 that never make it right what are some of the things that you saw or have seen an artist where it's like nah you're not there what are those bad habits that those that don't make it happen they don't respect the art they see it as a means like i said to make

money or to get famous they don't study the craft like right now some of the artists. What they've done with hip-hop, what they call hip-hop, they've slowed down the beat to a crawl. They've taken all the soul out of the music. So it's anybody's game. So back in the day, when it came to producers doing beats, they did their best beats. They studied different old school artists, Gap Band. James Brown is the most sampled artist in hip hop. That's right. You know what I'm saying? So we had the most amazing beats and amazing producers.

They don't study the craft. It's all about making money, being famous. To me, it all sounds pretty much the same. Looks the same. Garbage. Garbage. I said it. Tandy didn't say that. I didn't say it. You said it. But you know, what you just said also plays out in other industries and walks of life too. If you're a salesperson and you're not working on your craft, you're never going to be the top salesperson. If you're a leader, if you're a manager and you're not honing in on your skills, if you're not doing the things behind the scenes when people aren't paying attention, you're never going to be there.

If you're an athlete and you're not working hard and you're not training when people aren't paying attention, you're never going to be the best. That was one, and I have my pen and paper right here, so I just wrote that down. You've got to work on your skill and hone your craft because you're never going to be the best. You're never going to be a biggie or a method man who relentlessly work at being the best at every little thing that they did. If you don't have that in you, you're not going to make it. Absolutely. A lot of the artists today, if you make it, you'll probably just end up being an artist that they'll give you your name. They'll give you your image.

They'll give you your clothing. they'll give you your name they'll give you your image they'll give you your clothing they'll give you your lyrics it's a puppet making money for the machine right right you know i'm saying and then you'll always be off balance because you know if you don't do say or whatever that is told you on to the next so in order to be an artist a true artist you gotta study the craft you to study those that went before you. And you can tell those that have done that, you know what I'm saying, that really respect what they're trying to do. And that's what we want to do with the World Hip Hop Awards, re-educate, reintroduce the culture, not just hip hop as a music genre. Right. We need to bring the music back into the culture, back to its roots to inspire a new renaissance in the music and the culture. There we go. There we go. Worldwide. Worldwide. That's right. That's right. So let's talk about you or ask you a question,

Miss Tandy. What was that defining moment in your life that took you from here and for those that are listening i'm using like a low bar those that took you from here to here do you remember that that moment in your life when you were like i'm going to be great what was that like for you in hip-hop yes when uh when mark pitts who's now a ceo of rca uh records hired me to work with him at by storm entertainment and out of nowhere, I was working for him, Biggie Smalls, Changing Faces, and Faith Evans. And just before that, I was working with Angelo Ellaby. I knew nothing about PR, but he saw something in me that I didn't see. So he calls me in his office and he goes, I have a client and he's throwing a party.

I'm like, OK, who was the client? Mark Pitts. He was throwing Biggie Smalls Platinum Party. I was fortunate enough out of nowhere. I was the executive, you know, for that party. And Mark hired me to work for them after I threw that party. It was a huge success. So once that happened, I knew, all right, I'm here. Now what am I going to do? And I knew what I wanted to do was my best work. There it is. So if you could describe yourself in five words, what would those five words or those five adjectives be? Passionate, honest, dedicated, spiritual, and a go-getter. That's what I'm talking about. Those are the key success factors right there. So being a go-getter, how has that taken you to new heights in your career? Combining all of those. Okay. Because

there's different ways you could get there, you know, and you have to choose the way you want to get there. That's right. You know, and one thing that I've all fortunate to do in working for a lot of CEOs, and I was fortunate to be the right hand to a lot of made men, as they call them in the industry. And like I said, you want to study your craft. I taught myself with the help of a lawyer, an entertainment lawyer, Stuart Levy, who's now a head of a major entertainment law firm now, how to read and write contracts. So I can read and interpret and compose contracts just like a lawyer. So that made me really, really essential to a lot of people in the industry. I got so good at it. I was selling legal documents. I would get a producer, an artist, they go, tell me what the deal is. They'll tell it to me in 10 minutes and I'll come back with a 12-page

contract. See, that's that go-getter. Yeah, I studied my craft. I studied marketing. I studied management. I studied branding, legal, and made sure that I understood all those areas of the business so that I would be essential. And then I genuinely care about people. So it was easy to bond with artists and make sure they were taken care of properly and didn't take care of the business as well. So I was always known as someone that if I do the job, don't worry about it. It's going to get done. It's going to be done properly. Paper going to be where it's supposed to be. So I was always the buffer between sometimes my guy and the record label.

So I can go in the room with the guys and talk that lingo, put on the heels and a briefcase and go to the record label. You know what I'm saying? So that was really the way that I decided to do it and keep my integrity in doing it. It was never for sale. It was never changed. That's it. That's it. I'm going to unpack something that you just said. You talked about making yourself essential in today's world where AI is almost taking over. Some people are starting to realize they were not as essential as they thought they were.

I think the key to success in today's world is what you just said. You've got to make sure that you are essential, that you are relevant, and that you've got a game plan. If you don't do that, I will never say technology or AI will replace you, but you're going to make it easy for somebody to control it. Exactly. It's not easier for someone to control it. What do you think about that as far as how do you make yourself essential in your life and then in your career? Well, you have to have a combination of both.

You have to understand what exactly happening with new technology, understand the benefits and the limits to it. They can talk about AI all they want, but I know one thing, human consciousness, they will never be able to recreate that and don't let them fool you that's right you know i'm saying that they can and that's what they're really trying to do you know i think people are planning on or want to do some really evil things that they want to blame on a machine absolutely you understand what i'm saying no no because you still got to program that machine. It's just a machine. There you go. With information you put in it.

That's it. So I think that we should never ever get to the point that we give up our intelligence, our gift, our genius, and think that something someone else created that don't even possess that can create something better than you. Amen. Nobody creates better than you. Amen. Nobody creates better than the God. You know what I'm saying? That's right. With that understanding, continue to grow your own inner self, grow your skills. Because you can use AI, which I do, for looking at grammar.

We're not writing a letter. That's what I use it for. But do I let it do my thinking for me? Absolutely not. Do I let it do my thinking for me? Absolutely not. Do I let it do my creating for me? Absolutely not. That's right. Stay your authentic self.

Stay your genius self. Nothing is better than that. That's right. Because the fifth part of hip hop is what? Knowledge? Absolutely. They're going to lose me. That's good.

All right, Miss Sandy, two things. I'm going to get you out of here. Number one, what is your most proudest moment in hip hop for hip hop? Like if you were to look back at the 20 plus years and I know you started when you were one years old in hip hop. So what's the one moment that you're proud of the biggie platinum party okay when i was on that stage with them and and uh everybody was at that party diddy mary j blige wendy randy everybody that was anybody in the game was at that party okay and uh watching biggie put on that crown and and be celebrated that way and then working with my idol, Mike Tyson. And that was bestowed upon me by Jimmy Hinchman.

I worked as his right-hand woman at his company, Czar Entertainment. He put me in charge of that account, working with Mike Tyson, Miri Ben-Ari, who was at the time called the hip-hop violinist. And Mike was my hero. There you go. He still is. Those are the most cynical. Yes, those are the moments that were really the greatest.

There's so, so many more, but those are the ones that come to mind right now. Okay. Working with Biggie and Mike Tyson. Okay. All right. And for the listeners out there and those that are watching, what's one thing you want the world to know about the World Hip Hop Awards and how they can help? What's the one thing? The World Hip Hop Awards is FUBU. It's for us, by us. And if we want to save our communities,

save our culture, and stop the killing of all these young Black men that are emulating things that they shouldn't emulate, then you need to support the World Hip Hop Awards. Not just the community, but the celebrities and all the brands that hip hop created and supported and the black community created and supported. They need to support the World Hip Hop Awards. And I'm not for banning any type of music. I really am not. But what I am for is bringing balance back to hip hop.

There we go. Too much of anything is not good. That's right. Too much of anything is not good. It's bringing balance back to hip hop. There we go. Too much of anything is not good. That's right. Much of anything is not good. It's not good. We got too much of not good. That's right. That's right.

That's right. Well, that is awesome. So, Miss Tandy, where can we go to to find you, to follow you? Where can we go to support the 2024 World Hip Hop Awards? Where can we find you? We definitely want artists all over the world to nominate artists that they would like to see on the World Hip Hop Awards on our website at www.worldhiphopawards.com. As well as supporters, tag Queen Latifah, tag Dave Chappelle and tell them you want them on this event. Tag your favorite hip hop artists and tell them to get on over here and make this happen.

And it's for brands that they're interested in partnering with us. And we definitely funding and we do need partnership. They can reach that at info at worldhiphopawards.com. And you can find me,

Tandy, at worldhiphopawards.com as well. I love it. Ladies and gentlemen, the OG, Brooklyn's finest, Miss Tandy Williams. Tandy, thank you so much for being on the show today. gentlemen, the OG, Brooklyn's finest, Miss Tandy Williams. Tandy, thank you so much for being on the show today. No, thank you, Mick. I really appreciate it.

I am humbled. Thank you so much. There you go. You got it. And as always, your because is your superpower. Unleash it. Until next time, Mick Unplugged. Thanks for listening to Mick Unplugged.

We hope this episode helps you take the next step toward the extraordinary and launches a revolution in your life. Don't forget to rate and review the podcast and be sure to check us out on YouTube at Mick Unplugged. Remember, stay empowered, stay inspired, and stay unplugged.