The Breakfast Club - Best Of Full Interview: Kehlani Speaks On New Album, Motherhood, Mental Health, Fitness Journey + More

Episode Date: December 27, 2024

Best of 2024 - Recorded June 2024 - Kehlani Speaks On New Album, Motherhood, Mental Health, Fitness Journey. Listen For More!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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We got a special guest in the building. Yes, indeed. Kalani. Welcome back. Thanks for having me. How are you feeling? I feel good. I think the last time we did this,

we might have been on a Zoom call. So it's cool to be in person. Yeah, it was Zoom. How's your spirit? How's your energy? I'm super good. I'm like probably the best I've ever been. Amazing.

Yeah. And why is that? I think just life is really cool. I think I made something I'm stoked about. My fans are stoked. I got to do all these cool signings and see all of them in person and just like be back in the swing of things.

So I'm good. I said they say you a gym rap. They said you're up at 6 o'clock this morning in the gym. They say every morning you don't miss the gym. Oh, they might have lied about this morning. Oh, maybe not this morning. I was dead sleep this morning. Okay, okay.

But yeah, I'm up. I'm always about my fitness stuff. I'm super healthy and the healthiest I've also ever been. Yeah, I've been watching videos of you all weekend in New York. And, like, you know, a lot of people have been coming to your signings and your pop-ups. Crowds have been crazy. Yeah, it's been nuts. How did that make you feel getting that type of love?

It's been cool. I mean, I've been doing this for so long and I've been doing signings for so long. And at some point, like, my brain tricked me into being like, you know, they're probably going to lessen over the years because it's like, you know, we've seen her a bunch. She dropped a bunch of projects. I'm on Project seven. Or six on Project Six.

Is it seven? Seven. Oh, I was right. See? So much music. I forgot. That, you know, I didn't expect it to be getting bigger. So they're actually the craziest signings I've ever had so far because it's growing.

And that's, you know, that's all you can pray for. I will say, you know, listening to your new album and just seeing you over the last few several months talking like there's a confidence in a sense of self that you have now yeah that you didn't have years ago yeah for sure why is that I mean I think it's been a long mental health journey I think it's been a lot of contributing factors new motherhood different angles of like public being publicly aligned with certain things or publicly misaligned they're just like not stepping into myself I'm 29 I'll be 30 next year like I'm just I'm growing up in a real way so like I know how

to prioritize and take care of myself differently now. Why did you name the album crash? So essentially, a crash is the height and the peak of a moment. It isn't like the anxiety that comes before and it isn't like the overthinking that comes after. It's just this like, excuse me, cluster fuck. It's just this thing that happens. And I knew this album wasn't going to make sense to most people.

I knew that it would be something that you either loved or that you hated and that kind of just is a crash. And that's kind of been the reception Some people hate it Some people love it Some people think it's my worst And some people think it's my best And I think that's really cool

It's a little bit of everything It's a little bit of It's a crash It's really a cross It's a little bit of everything Was that what you wanted to do? You know, I didn't start wanting to do that It started as myself titled

And I went on this mission To like make finally make the Kealani album Because I haven't done that yet And we started in like going to all these different cities And we got all these Airbnbs in different places And it just kind of grew into this thing that resembled I feel like me as a person

I feel like I've always been kind of this thing that doesn't make sense to everyone they can't figure out like who I am what I am what my story is how it's been all of these things like can't figure me out

in whatever kind of way how I look versus how what kind of music I make how I sound and once it started taking its own life I was like oh okay it's just me as an album so yeah

what is the self-titled Kalani album supposed to be like because you said it was supposed to be a Kalani album what was that supposed to well that album to me is more rooted in the core things that shaped why I sing. I feel like the Kealani album will be much more referencing

like my actual core musical references. It'll probably be a lot more R&B. But this album really reflected all the things that I listened to that I grew up listening to but didn't necessarily shape my identity as an artist but reflect like, you know, worldly where I'm at. So basically we're still getting Kailani album. Absolutely. That'll probably be my next album probably.

Yeah. lose my wife is such a toxic record it is so toxic K-Line like why would you make those choices and decisions knowing that it could cost you your wife oh you know it's not a true story I just wanted oh no that's what you tell them no it's true it's true so in my head crash is the story

of this anti-hero version of myself that goes to Vegas and has this crazy run in Vegas and ends with that lament of like damn I've like all this is crash instantly And it's almost like the come down song of like, oh, these are the decisions that I've made and like this is what happened. So it's more of like a sonic story

and an ending to the story than a true story that I needed to smack on there. It kind of feels like the hungover song. It kind of feels like the next day you're like, oh shit. This is your shadow side. Exactly. Yeah.

When you were in the studio writing these songs, you were like, I'm going to let my shadow side. I was like, you know, there is, there's been so many talks like Kalani songs. There really has. There really has. And I feel like it's, they are moments that people don't, people maybe want to say in their head and been like, I've had that perspective or I've gone through that or I've wanted to say that

and like, I would never say it out loud. And to me, after I wrote that verse, I was like, this is kind of like stingy and it is kind of harsh. But some people feel like that. Absolutely. But when I hear songs like after hours or like better nod or tears, it does feel like you're longing for a stable relationship. Does it? A little bit.

Yeah. In those moments. Yeah. I mean, I think everybody wants love. Everybody wants stable love, and we all just have different journeys through it, you know. How has motherhood been? Oh, it's the best. Through this journey.

It's the best. She's five. I can't believe it. COVID baby. Yeah. And that is a whole, that's a whole other thing. I got one. I'm literally like, I'll make the day seem so fun.

I'm like, we're going to the aquarium and we're going here. We're going here. And then she's like, no, kind of just want to stay in the house and play. I'm like, geez, what are we going to do? The other day, I took her to the park, and she was like, I'm just letting you guys know, I'm not playing with any of those kids. And I was like, I respected, but maybe we should try. And she did, and she tried, and she made some friends.

And she's in school, so, like, she has friends. She still got musical interests. I heard you say one time she had some. She's on the album. She's on the album. She's on deep. She actually sounds so good that you can't really tell that it's her, except for her tone is obviously sounds a lot younger than mine,

but she's singing her ass. Do you want her in the industry? I want her to do whatever she wants to do If that means industry, sure If that means she wants my help, sure If that means she doesn't want my help, sure Or if that means she wants to be a brain surgeon Or a rocket scientist, let's do that

It's her world, I'm just here. Is the industry good for kids? I mean, you're somebody who came in the industry Young, right? I think that compared, like, there's two different, there's pros and cons on both sides. One, I didn't have access to the proper, like, mental wellness type of regimen

or care to have grown up in it the way that I did. And we're seeing the effects of people who, you know, adults now and all these stories are coming out about them being like child stars or coming out young. And on the flip side, I feel like people now have access to that. But there's, it's also a different demon. Fame now is completely different. It's why I don't really post my daughter. I don't, there's too many creeps.

I don't ever heard it ever look back and be like, I actually didn't consent to any of this. I didn't give any permission. We already get embarrassed when our parents play home videos for our friends when come over like if i'm just subjecting my child to her home video her freaking growing up home videos being widely known all over the internet and she grows up one day and it's like i didn't get to tell you if i wanted that or not you know that's on me as a parent so yeah any more babies i would love to have more babies whatever god wants to bless me with i receive yeah can we talk about the record what i want yeah i want a bitch that look better than me pussy you're

Reading is so serious. Yes. Let's talk about what I want. Does it get better to me? He was so excited to read that too. But it seems on that record it seems like you're torn between wanting to be spoiled but also feeling comfortable being the one who spoils. Yeah.

Okay. I'm definitely like I fluctuate absolutely. I think I'm more of a giver than a receiver of like spoiling. I think that's just my nature. But I, it's just a classic song about naming all the things that I want. I don't think any of them are even cohesive. I think they're just like, here's a list of all my dream things that I want. But if you're having a wild weekend in Vegas, why would you lie to a woman like that?

Why would you make her feel? Like, she's so special. Isn't that what you do in Vegas? Doesn't Vegas make you mean? No, not like that. But I'm saying, does it? Is Vegas not like some adult Disneyland of like all your vices and you don't talk about it when you get home? Actually, actually, I have a tiny residency in Vegas.

Thank you. I have a show. Thank you. I have a show at the end. end of next month and in August, that's what I do in Vegas. Because even on the song Vegas, maybe I'm tripping it didn't sound like you was actually in Vegas. You just said what we do is like Vegas. Exactly. The only, I made a couple of songs. Actually, I made part of what I want in

Vegas. I made part of Susie on Vegas. I mean, actually, I made most of Susie on Vegas and a part of Groove Theory in Vegas. But the song Vegas I made in Los Angeles. Okay. And then nobody go to Vegas to fall in love. Like, they go to creep, have fun, you know. But that's why you ain't got a lie to the person. Who said I'm lying? I don't know what I got going on. Right, we don't know. Right, hello.

The record's sushi. Sushia, doesn't that mean, isn't that Spanish slang? But dirty, right? Sousia. Sousia. It's Sousia. Sousia. Sousia.

No, it's just Sousia. There we go. Here's a list. And that's dirty, right? Dirty girl. Period. There we go. Bilingual.

Is that what the record symbolizes? Yeah. Basically. Okay. I mean, Yon Miko. versus crazy if it's translated and Jill Scott is Freaky Auntie Max extreme

She is the freak lord Honestly the original freak So I had to tap her in Yeah she that was an honor I noticed that you don't have a lot of features Yeah Was that intentional? No I tried to get more features

There was a couple of things that were going on different time things And not necessarily being aligned at the time Different people not aligning with me And just things not making sense But the ones that did stick around for me And really, you know, held me down I'm super appreciative and they killed it

Yeah Now after hours Were you surprised of how fast I took off Especially on social media? Crazy Yeah TikTok was like a huge dance And yeah

Honestly I have to give a lot of credit To Darius Hickman Who's an incredible dancer And he was in the after hours video And he left rehearsal For the after hours video And went home and just like Made this little dance on TikTok

And it just like It took it on one I think it's such a testament to how powerful, like, dance is and how, like, dancers are, like, DJs. Like, they can really break songs. Like, it's, I give them all the credit for that because it's crazy.

Did you know who Lummi D was before here? Yeah. Okay. Of course. Why you disrespect her like that? I'm just asking, damn, that's a classic record. I'm like, of course, the one song. Lumie D had one songs, or, you know, maybe people,

well, did she have one? Of course. I think she had one. Yeah, she had one. Now, you also mentioned that this album isn't rooted in your personal experiences or relationships like your previous album. Are you saying that just so you don't get in trouble

and people be like, Dan, Kalani's so toxic. No, I think. Running through these chicks. I think any time a running through these chicks. He wants you to be a pimps. So bad. So bad.

You know what's so funny is I think people would be surprised if they sat down with me to actually ask and inquire about my experiences because they might look one way but it's so many different scenarios that lead to why my love life looks the way it does and so many, you'd be surprised what's happened with this

and what's happened with this and it's just it's my business and it's my world and I'm pretty much in good standing with anybody ever so like running through these chicks is extreme you do really want me to be a pimp maybe I'll just start embodying it maybe I'll just live in it maybe I'll just accept it

Does that bother you people in your regular business not just your music business all the time? No I think it comes with the territory I think I At one time you didn't feel like that Oh my God I hated it so bad But I also, I have been, again, your mental health journey and your journey in being a public-facing person, those have to be in lockstep. Like those, if you are ever having poor mental health, there are so many times I could say I've been at a table with y'all and been in the worst states of my life.

And I was like, okay, that interview is going to be whatever. And times I've been like, I'm actually not doing interviews this year because all of this shit. But I've done, though, you said about it. Absolutely. But I also was not in a positive space to, you know. even be able to walk in a room and, like, hold that. Granted, I think the interview at the time that caused things like that, wasn't my favorite experience with someone, no.

But I also, at multiple times in my career, just have not been just aligned with where I needed to be to be able to show up in that way. So now I can hold that. You could probably say anything to me, and I'd be like, all right, cool. Have record labels gotten to the point where they actually respect our artist's mental health,

meaning like, if you wake up a morning or you say, look, I'm not doing no interviews today. I'm not doing no interviews for the next six months, but they're like, no, you have to. Like, they'll push you to do it anyway. Well, I've been signed to the same label since I was 19 years old, and I'm 29, and they have seen me through everything.

So I think they're at the point with me where they're like, we get it, and we also know what you are going to show up and show out for and ask, you know, your fans. Like, I never play about my fans. I never play for showing up for them. And we've always been super transparent and developed a really good relationship

with people in media to where, like, I've been able to call people personally and been like, it's not you, I promise, like, I'm not doing well, or I've been on a run and going and going and going for six days, and I just need to come in a little later. I need to reschedule this, and people have been super gracious with me, so. I'm a huge mental health advocate. So what got you to that place where you are now, you know?

And I mean, I know it's a journey. I know it's ups. I know it's down, but what got you to this? Yeah. Honestly, I'm going to use this moment to be really transparent and to really advocate for people, you know, getting psychiatric care. And I got a psychiatrist and I got a proper diagnosis after what felt like years of getting soft diagnosis and missed diagnoses and I'm able to get medicated help and it keeps my mood stable and I'm here and it keeps me like I would absolutely recommend it to anybody that feels like they need it because it's not something that anybody needs to shame or like be nervous about. And it's probably the best thing I've ever done for myself for sure.

What got you there? Because most people like you said, they feel like they can't talk about it. They can't discuss it. They can't get the help because they don't want to be shamed, especially in celebrity. Do you feel like somebody will see me do this, then, yeah. But what got you to the point was like, F this, I need to get help? You know, I was medicated when I was a kid. And I remember not having the most proper experience with it just because I was really young.

And like, you're in school and like every kid has ADHD and like is hyperactive. And what age were you first Medicaid? Do you remember? I had to be in like the third grade maybe. On riddling? On riddling. And it really messed with my personality. And my mom was like, yeah, no.

like you can't be a zombie like I'll take hyperactive turned up you know over like whatever this zombie you know and um I then on top of that still I just remained with a psychiatrist and then I went into teenagehood and I didn't have that anymore and then I became an adult and just like my experiences in the music industry and the amount of like honestly PTSD that that causes paired with you know all your childhood trauma and like all these things you kind of get to a point. point where you're like, all right, I'm not an expert. Like, I can't keep being the one to dictate this or to supplement or like to try to fix it.

I used to smoke a lot of weed. Can't do it, won't do it. So you don't smoke anymore. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I haven't been a smoker in five years. Wow. People bring me weed all the time and I'm like, dang.

That's the old. What about indigo? Indigo kind of calms your anxiety. So Teva makes you have panic attacks. You know, it was because I got pregnant and I couldn't. And then I went to a throat doctor and he was like, oh, you don't want to sing for the rest of your life. way your shit looks because I was smoking backwards I was smoking blunts like I was what you can find

pictures of me with like backwards like backwoods like pack spread out like like like a money spread psychotic and um just nasty just nasty um and it just I couldn't do it anymore and I'm just I got to a point where I was like okay I'm doing all the things that I can possibly do I'm going to the gym I'm developing good hobbies I'm not going out I'm not doing this and I'm still struggling, it's to the point where I need to, you know, I need to ask for help. Does it affect your art when you're on whatever medication? No, no, it doesn't. It honestly is the first time maybe ever in my life that I feel like I have been, I have,

I'm clear. Yes. Well, congratulations. Like I told you when we first started, you can really see it's a different level of confidence, it's a different level of a sense of security, I would say. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. I appreciate it.

Now, we're doing this album, you know, usually people see Kalani as an R&B, artist, but this album is popped, it's country, there's house music, is reggae music. Were you nervous at all to be like my fan fans, my core won't get it? I actually felt the opposite. I felt like my core fans, my actual core fans would get it because there's been hints of all these things. When my mixtape was nominated for a Grammy, it wasn't nominated for R&B, it was nominated for like contemporary, you know, R&B.

So there's been hints of things my whole life. And I felt like they would really understand. I felt like everybody else who really loved one really R&B project of mine or like R&B SoundCloud drops or features would be like, what is this? And so far, for the most part, that's kind of what I've seen.

Plus this little subgroup of people who are going like, wow, I didn't even know she had this in her. This is what's going to make me fuck with her. So it's honestly, it's been cool. I'm kind of really liking the polarity of the response. At this point, if I make the same album again, you want to know what my evenings actually look like? Homework questions.

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advice, IT solutions, and customized hardware powered by Intel Core Ultra processors help you stay ahead of the competition. Business goes pro with Lenovo Pro. Sign up for free at Lenovo.com slash pro. Hi, I'm Dr. Priyanko Wally. And I'm Hurricane DeBolu. It's a new year. And on the podcast Health stuff we're resetting the way we talk about our health. Which means being honest about what we know, what we don't know, and how messy it can all be. I like to sleep in late and sleep early. Is there a chronotype for that, or am I just depressed?

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Listen to Better Offline on the IHot Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you happen to get your podcasts. I'm not an artist. If I make the same project after seven projects, this is my chance to pivot and I took it, and I'm just, I'm stoked to be here. Isn't this what art is, though? Yeah.

Some people don't like it, some people are like it, some people are like it, some people are like, it's a subjective. Exactly. Some people are like, this is the best thing I've ever heard you do, and some people are like, this is chicken scratch, and it sounds like noise, and I hate it. No, it's so versatile. It's like, oh, I don't listen to anyone.

I made the album I wanted to. making. I'm happy with it. It's a bunch of different genres within. It's so different. It was so fun to make. It was the funnest process. It was so many people involved that were all feel the exact same way about it. It felt like our album, not just mine. We got to celebrate it.

Like, I'm happy. I keep hearing you talk about your fitness journey. Yeah. But then they said recently you were body shamed on the one? I didn't see you. You know, it was an interesting body shame because what it was was the accusations that I got ab etching. But...

Girl, we're so stuck at people. Yeah, she got the same, she got the same pregnant. Yeah, it's really interesting. The thing is, I have diastasis recti and a hernia from being pregnant. So my muscles are split down the middle. So I have, I have this space right here. And I have like a lump because it's my intestine, it's a hernia. And it kind of looks like an extra ab randomly above my belly button.

Everybody was like, that's the proof. Like, then they were like, yes, proof because she's not super musseling anywhere else, but just her core. And one if you go back, like genetically, I have. My dad is super buff. Like, I'm damn here built like my father. And then I've always kind of had, right. You can really see it. And I, and I've always had abs.

And then upon, like, just really training my cord to, like, make up for the fact that I, my muscles aren't connected. And I have to get my core together to be able to do anything because it's the center of everything. I have to go a little hard on that. And I honestly thought it was hilarious. And then people just being like, is that a man? And I was like, do you want me to be? Would you like me to be? But what I love is like you didn't get mad and like go get online and start going crazy back and forth.

It doesn't do anything. Yeah. I used to do that a lot and then you just realize like there's crazy shit every day. Like people talk about some new shit the next day. I remember when the internet used to destroy me. Like it you what? I remember the other day maybe last week somebody might have tweeted like, oh like y'all don't call Keelani dirty and she has tattoos and someone said, oh, you must be new here. And everybody was like, yeah, because 2016 to 2018, that was it.

Everybody was calling me ugly, dirty, everything. And I used to be, what? I was fucked up about it, like, consistently. And then I just got to a point where I was like, well, life kind of goes on. And, like, I know myself. And, like, there are people that know me and love me deeply and care about me. And, like, I. Hello.

Yes, if you guys would like to come to my house for a week and don't. check if I shower twice a day and the levels of aftercare, like that's on you guys. But you know, you don't, you can't prove those things to people. People who already want to be like that are going to be like that regardless. Are you still on social media or you got off because of that? No, I had got off for a second. I actually didn't have Twitter for two years. I just got back on because it's just, why'd I get back on?

I haven't been on in six, seven years. It's not good for my mentor. Oh, it's a terrible place. It's a terrible place. But the people that I need to speak to, my fans. Once I learned how to really put blinders on and not theoretical blinders. but like actual blinders to be consistently like this is what matters and these are the people that love me it's been the best thing in the world sometimes I have my moments someone yesterday said some shit to me like I think Kailon is confused about her sexuality and I was like I've been exclusively dating women for three years and like the music's really gay but sure and then somebody was like how am I confused I think I'm the least confused I've ever been but like sure I left the tweet up for 10 seconds and and deleted it.

You know, you have your moment. Yeah. Now, how did your record label? And I guess just the industry period, react to your advocacy for Palestine. You know, I think we're in a kind of a loop for so long of like what's safe to speak about and what's not safe to speak about,

especially with the powers that be being so powerful and that running so deep. Obviously, my music came out and obviously I'm super supported, so absolutely no problem from my record label. I have experienced a lot of pushback I've experienced a lot of loss I've experienced a lot of things that were promised

and set up for this rollout and album to happen that were supposed to be a lot of first Yeah, magazines and these things and those have brand deals and opportunities that were sad to lose by at the end of the day like I don't I don't regret doing something that I can go to sleep at night I can go to sleep knowing that like

what I learned to be as an artist I'm aligned with because I grew up fully understanding you know the role of art in liberation and that's not to place myself in alignment with you know those artists and those revolutionary acts but that's to say like I understood what it meant to not be silent even if I never you know put it with the song in the video even if just me speaking out I always knew what it meant to have a platform and that responsibility in that way and like I can go to sleep knowing that like I don't I can look myself in a mirror you know and know that I did I did

the right thing do these magazines and stuff tell your people why do they say you all was her advocacy of Palestine? Those are really big buildings with a lot of people involved. So it always makes its way back. Yeah. Now you speak clearly. You also mentioned that your advocacy for Palestine caused a lot of artists to ignore your request for collaboration. So I was talking very fast on a live, very caffeinated early in the morning. And I wasn't able to like really elaborate on that. There are a lot of more people involved on artist teams than just the artist. And it also wasn't every single feature. There were certain people who didn't get it back in time or it wasn't aligned with like the timing of their album i didn't mean every single artist but there were artists

that i did reach to and someone on the team was like we don't fuck with her or they said this and then another thing made its way to me or like another like things you we know we know things travel we know people have conversations and those people have conversations and people were respectful enough to not you know text me back and say girl fuck you i'm a zionist you know things like that but I wasn't able to really elaborate that when I, and I would never sit here and name names because it's not about that. It's more about how insidious the industries are and that we can be so afraid to lose what we've built because so many of us have come from nothing to where we have this scarcity mindset of like I have to protect what I have going on so hard that I will do anything to stay in that world to protect it because I have to keep feeding my family. I have to keep, you know, building my legacy. I have to do that.

I don't want to chance that. And it's sad because that thing, that does get dangled in front of our faces when it comes to really important political matters that people don't align with. It's sad. It's unfortunate. And I don't,

I'm not mad at anyone. I'm not holding anything against anyone. I was definitely on that live like, yeah, and by the way, let me tell y'all about that, but I definitely have those moments where I'm like, this shit is fucked up.

But typically I'm a longer thinker and I have more to the thought. And it was just unfortunate, really. So you understand when artists don't want to speak out about political or social issues? Or how do you feel about it that they don't? Especially coming from a particular background.

I am the type of person that is very nuanced. Like I understand how people got to most things. It's unfortunate. I feel like it's unfortunate. I am saddened by it does make me sad because I really do believe in our power as people with influence. This is why the presidents involve music artists. What? They've got all type of music artists campaigning for,

for the president. They bring us out to sing out all the campaigns, all the events. Whenever there's anything going on, they want us to all get together and drop a song for it. Like, they keep showing us how powerful we are. There's people, there's a younger generation

who don't know what a policy is, but they know their rapper's favorite songs. They know their R&B singer's favorite songs, and they will learn about anything going on in the world if their favorite person tells them. And I may have expressed it super, like angrily every single time I've talked about it online but that's because I understand that also sometimes shame works as a teacher so if I got to come on there and say fuck all of y'all

because wake your ass up you if you want to sit and have a longer conversation with me we can get to this point but it has made me viscerally angry so many times to feel like look what we could do and they also wouldn't be able to hold us back anymore if we all band it together they can't cancel all of us they could cancel me and they'd be like okay we got somebody out of here that's cool They get canceled a couple of people that speak up. But if everybody spoke up, that power imbalance wouldn't exist anymore. We're just the people united. That's the quote.

So we have to like stand on that. And you raised over a half a million dollars for Gaza, Sudan, and the company. Yeah. Do you think money is the only way people can help? Absolutely not. I think in every single issue, the idea is that you're supposed to listen to the requests of the people at the core of the issue. You're supposed to abide by the request of the most oppressed. and they have asked us to literally speak.

Like, that's the thing about this whole, like, social media doesn't do anything. Speaking doesn't do anything. Awareness doesn't do anything. But those, there are people in Congo who are just saying make our stories heard. There are people in Sudan who go, just speak about us. They're not talking about us on the news. They're not talking about us in these magazines. They're not talking about us anywhere.

But you guys are. Gaza opened the door for people to even be aware of Congo and Sudan on a global. scale because those issues have preceded this genocide. Those genocides have been happening, those famines, that extreme like displacement. Those have already been existing. And Gaza has opened up the world to Haiti, to Yemen, to all of these places that all this is going on. So the least we can do is share things here and there. And you don't have to have money. But if you do, you should put it where your mouth is for sure. I was going to ask, well, Kamala Harris being from your side of town. Did y'all ever have a conversation?

did you ever reach out to her for everything that's going on not at all i'm not really uh big on presidents or they're their folks not a governmental girl really yeah like there's not really i mean there's power in government but the real power is with the people it's in the people absolutely yeah you are a west coast girl and it is yeah what you think about kent i knew where this was going i just want to i'm too keen me about yeah president's in the serious stuff who was running for drink what was you rooting for drink i haven't publicly rooted for anyone Have you not seen me at the club dancing and not like us? Oh, you could hear me through the soundproof door?

Oh, okay. You see what they're trying to pin on me in his way? It's amazing. I very much respect both artists. Drake actually named my album. It was good until it wasn't. He showed me a lot of love over time, like publicly, privately. So has Kendrick.

He named that album? He did. You were having a conversation and I told him what I wanted to name it. And then he was like, no, what's going on in life? And I told him and he was like, and I was like, yeah, I was honestly, it was good until it wasn't. He was like, if you don't use it, your album title I am and I was like okay right you're right it is a very Drake album title

um I think it it came down to if I'm on some west co shit I'm from the west like I know I know what how important this unity is of all of us and I know how imperative this representation of us is like I love Kendrick I that's the only artist I've ever stood in the line and like waited to get something signed for when I was in high school like a soundtrack to my life so I have no like personal entrances in anything. I'm just as a fan of the music. What sex is right?

West, West, West, West, West, West, West, West,

just music. Yeah, just music. I mean, we have to respect what we saw. We saw it. He didn't make it

for us as baby people ever since, though. Oh, my God, hilarious. So listen, when you sing not like us, do you feel bad because it's so catchy?

I have had moments where I was like in the club and I seen that it's a club thing. And I was like, damn, this is crazy. But I also remember every single big disc track in history being able to be played for massive groups of people gathering and it being a thing that everybody is like I was too young for like the ether era but like

everybody talks about it and they're like this was crazy this is in the club every night though Ethan wasn't in the club I mean back to back to back was in the club back to back to back to back was in the club yeah so it's eras it's moments honestly I'm I'm not in hip hop so I can't speak to the sport of it but like it's a sport I guess you have a text Drake Like, yo, man, you did your thing. Nothing to be ashamed about it. It was all good until it wasn't. No, I feel like he has real people around him who hold them down.

And I feel like it's taking that moment to be like, hey, by the way. Let me make sure you know I support you. Yeah, he's got his folks. Damn. You mentioned a tour. Are we getting a crash tour? Absolutely. I made this album two tours specifically.

Like, there was so many sounds where I was like, this is going to be so fun to sing. It's going to be so fun to dance, too. It's going to be so fun to play with a band. So absolutely. I think for me, touring is the epicenter of my career to the point where sometimes you don't even see, you can't even really tell what's going on with the music streaming and charting-wise.

People are like, what? And then you come to the tour and it's these huge venues and people are like, I actually had no idea because when I look at how it's doing over there and it's just a classic example for me of like impact versus, you know, numbers. And my shows are huge. My shows are a blast Everybody has a great time Everybody feels safe

Everybody has fun Like that That is what's important to me So we're gonna do it again for sure That's what's up Because by then I would have my baby And I can get big high

You miss it? Very much Okay I'm not like you girl I'm gonna smoke Okay But not backwards though Yeah no

I'm good Yeah that's good Yeah I'm starting to get off The Backwoods movement With all the friends Take care of yourself You know like no plant-based medicines I like CBD

I like mushrooms I ate a lot of mushrooms making this album you might tell there's some trippiness on here yeah that one that you played me oh my god which one it was

what was that when she oh my god it sounds like a oh my god it sounds like if we was what I want no it was there next to you I don't know but he had played it and I was like damn

if I'm sure I'd probably be like he's about after I was on crazy no not after hours I can dance to that one but this one just seemed like there's some trippy one so I have no idea I forgot but he was

playing the whole album earlier, but it was one particular song. I was like, oh yeah, I'm gonna get, can't wait to get out of listening to that? I was probably on mushrooms when I made it for a yeah. Are you aware of like the journey in life that you're going through?

And if so, what era would you define this era? So comparatively to where I was at with my last album, I feel like my last album I had reached the ending of what was like toxic positivity and like toxic spirituality like almost psychosis being like really in my like and not accepting that also what comes with that is like they're really getting into your shadow and really getting into also like every single part of myself and now I'm in this I feel like

this era is just really standing in it I feel like I'm down to be whatever everybody thinks I am for the first time of my life I'm not over here trying to prove anything different I'm not over here. I don't care to clear up anything. I don't care to address anything. I have nothing to say about any of that. If you think I suck, let's do it. If you think I'm a terrible person, let's do it. If you think I'm the best person in the world, thank you. I appreciate you. And I think that that that truly speaks to what you were saying about how different I feel is that I'm settled in a way where I'm so at peace with who I know I am and my core foundation that it's not going to be rocked by anything else going on. Yeah. I love that.

Yeah. Great answer, Kalani. Thank you. The album Crash is out now. What you want to hear? Don't say after hours. We play that already. So what you want to hear besides that? Play deep.

Deep? That's a fun one. Deep. All right. Well, let's get into deep right now. Make sure you pick up the album if you haven't got it already. And congratulations on everything. I love the fact that you're just happy.

You just look happy. That's the most important thing. I'm happy that you are in a place of peace. Thank you. I'm super happy. Well, it's Kalani, ladies and gentlemen. It's the Breakfast Club. Hi, y'all.

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