The Breakfast Club - Rapsody Opens Up About New Album, Setting The Bar, "Female Rap" Labels + More

Episode Date: May 17, 2024

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yup, it's the world's most dangerous morning show, The Breakfast Club. Charlamagne Tha God, DJ Envy is not here, but we got Nylas and Moon, Jess Hilarious, of course. And we got the greatest lyricist in the world, whose name is not Kendrick Lamar. Rhapsody is him! What's up, girl? Good morning, good morning. New album, Please Don't Cry. How are you? Happy, I'm happy. I'm excited.

Look good. Thank you. Okay, we gotta get into it first before we talk about your album. Oh, I knew you'd be talking about us, girl. Who won, Kendrick or Drake? Come on, bro. Kendrick. Thank you. Okay, we got to get into it first before we talk about y'all. Oh, I knew you'd be talking about. Who won, Kendrick or Drake? Come on, bro. Kendrick. Easy call.

It's so easy. I can do it with my eyes closed. Kendrick. What causes an MC to win a rap battle? Because you an MC, MC. So what causes an MC to win a rap battle? You got to have strategy, right? I tell people it's like the art of war, you got to know who you're going against.

And for this case in particular, the type of person that Kendrick is, you know, he's strategic. Like if he goes quiet, you should know that he's cooking. But you got to have the right beats. You know, your bar has got to be up. Your performance is a thing. Like, I think all of those things matter. And the thing that I like that he did, he gave you,

he cooked that boy so many different ways. Like, I say he baked him, he stir-fried him, he grilled him. Like, he marinated a little bit. Like, he gave you stories. He gave you a banger. He gave you the classic hip-hop bar joint. It was however you want it, I got it for you. And, you know, anything Drake said, he came back and was like,

he just didn't have room. It's like when you boxing somebody on, you can't get your arms out. You can't do nothing. I really love that Char always used the parallel of you and Kendrick when it comes to rap and the current state of rap right now. Just like the Complexion record. I feel like that was also a great introduction to a bigger audience for you as well.

But I feel like it's a little weird because I would love to see that from Cole just because y'all both from the Carolinas. You know? What's that dynamic? Me and Cole? Yeah. Like working together like that? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Y'all did a record though. Yeah, we did Sojourner. You watched it? you know what like what is what's that dynamic me and Cole yeah like working together

like that yeah yeah yeah y'all did a record though yeah we did Sojourner you watched oh yeah yeah I did yeah yeah yeah what

you watched him on Sojourner he did I'd say it was Cole versus Phenomenal but yes yes yes Rap Rap watched him yes yes yes I think it's

you preference cause you know I see some people like nah Cole and I'm just like I ain't mad at either way you know we got all what you saying like why we ain't mad at either way. You know, we got all.

What you saying? Like, why we don't work together more? Yes. I think it's just like a friendship thing. Being from the town. Yeah, I don't know. Kendrick, Kendrick since the beginning, he's always been the one to come to the studio early in the days. Like, I just had a friendship with him earlier.

I had his number longer like we text as so the friendship was just there even though he from the west coast when he would come to um to north carolina they would always bring the tour bus by you know so you know cole was in new york you know i just didn't see him that much okay so it's a real relationship yeah it's just real relationship it's it ain't nothing funny but Cole, I think Cole just moved back to NC maybe like around the pandemic time. Okay. So that's just, he really wasn't in the proximity for me

to have a relationship with him. Have you and Kendrick ever performed Complexion of Power together? One time. He did that short tour run, remember? The Pimple Butterfly. He was doing those smaller venues, intimate spots for him. And we did it in D.C. The reason I'm glad we started the conversation like this

is because I'm trying to set the stage for how dope Rhapsody is for those who still don't know. Like, your peers, the MCs, MCs hold you in high regard. Yeah, they do. That's why they do these type of records with you. Yeah, and everybody says, like, you bring the best out of them. I'm just... You they do. That's why they do these type of records with you. Yeah, and everybody says, like, you bring the best out of them. I'm just... You really do.

You know, it's a beautiful, healthy competition. I think your features that are on all your projects, from Layla's Wisdom down to this latest one, from, like, A Black Thought to Erykah Badu to working with Hit-Boy, it's like... The quality is just different, you know, when you tap into an album like this. It's, you know, I'm creating this about the music.

Like, the music is the biggest ego in the room, and I think when you approach it from that point of view, everybody's going to bring their best. You know, it makes it fun and exciting, you know? Yeah. Even on Complexion, like, you go in there like yo i gotta i gotta meet they level even with the wayne joint on the album i wrote my verse over yo i wrote my verse over that one i feel like for a hip-hop purist that's the best one on there i love that record you wrote it over

i did and i'm not afraid to say that at all like first time i ever did that um but i i sent it to him first and I was just approaching it like I was trying to grow and like I don't have to be so lyrical I want to do something that's you know easier for people to learn but it's not dumbed down like it's still me but it's not like just more relaxed yeah when I got his verse back I was like nah I gotta I gotta match his level of raw like I gotta match it so I was like nah I can't I can't give the people that

what did he say when you rewrote it he said I just sent it back to him I was like I rewrote it I said I took your flow and I just put my words to it

I just wanna let you know what you think he sent me fire emojis so fire that was it the wild thing about this project is called

please don't cry yeah but ironically throughout the album all you're doing is giving us stuff to cry about like what is that about that's the point it was like the title got a real it's about like

I was never one to show my emotion in public or you know we grow up maybe men especially what you're crying about but it's really about allowing yourself to be human. Why you should cry. All the reasons you should cry. Don't cry just because you're sad.

Cry because it's something so funny. You laugh until you cry. Or you're so in love, you know, like, or you're joyful or you're angry. Like, I cry when I'm mad because if I don't, I'm going to say something or do something that I'm going to regret. So I'm going to just let it come out the tears. Like, allow yourself to just be human. I don't think we do that enough, especially in a day with social media. It's perfection, perfection in your face all day.

Like, the highlight reel, but where's the raw stuff? So you just got to remind people, like, you're human. So you're giving people permission to own their feelings, basically. Absolutely. For the record, Rhapsody is an Aquarius. So like you human. So you're giving people permission to own their feelings. Absolutely. For the record, Rhapsody is an Aquarius. So, you know, the Aquarius too.

Aquarius. You all, when your birthday? February 13th. Okay. February Aquarius. Yeah. January.

January 21st. Aquarius, they have a hard time showing emotion. Like you guys have a face and y'all will keep that poker face so strong. Yes. So that's why I think this is a great...

It is. See, I've been healing. You've been healing. But it's not real. Because whenever she upset and tried to play it off, I know when she mad. I'll be like, she'll say something to me, and I'll literally respond back to her like,

you just going to say that to me? Like, I don't know what's really going on? Oh, no. He knows you. That's a to me? Like, I don't know what's really going on? Oh, no. He knows you. That's a good thing. Yeah, that's, yeah. That's a good thing. But I really don't show my emotions.

He'll make you show them. Yes. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Especially if he knows you, you know, and that's honestly a cancer. Yes.

That's a cancer. Yes. Very fitting. Like, I sent her a text the other day. She responded back, okay. And so I texted back. I said, you think I don't know you rolled your eyes and sucked your teeth? I know when you read this, that's what you did.

Yo, Aquarius. But ain't nothing wrong with it. I know on the first single that you released for the album, Asteroid, you talked about how you almost wanted to step away from this completely. It was a thought, yeah. Why? That broke my heart. Yeah, why?

I was just at a place, like I was just seeing the music business and everything that was in front of me. I was like, yo, I feel like I'm getting tired. Like there's no place for me. You know what I'm saying? Like I don't know if people care. And it's like I could do music by myself like I don't even have to play this game I want to get into the film world anyway but I love it too much I got too much purpose in it I have to be the example I want to be the example rather

I get to be the example so you know but it was a real thought like man what does it look like in this space you know and you know hip-hop likes to aid you out. I was, you know, as a woman, it was just so many things going through my head, and it's just like, yo, let me just pause and just really sit with it. So how did you get over that part of it? Because I can imagine you don't feel that way now.

You better not. You have to unplug from the matrix, right? And you look at it, and you're like, I feel this way because I'm trying to validate myself through all these other things that everybody like yo why don't why aren't you know I why don't I get this award or why I'm not in this space are these same spaces as other people and you figure out like yo whatever space is for me is for me and that's what it was like I had to validate myself and not look for anybody else

or any of these false measurements to do it. It's like, what are you in it for? I was like, damn, I just really like to connect with people and make music to inspire people, so do that. Anything else is a blessing. How did you feel last year? I mean, it's still going on now. Last year it was like this thing where it was like female rappers are keeping hip hop

alive. Female rappers are holding it down for hip hop. But then when I look at the rappers, I'm like, I don't think Rap City fits in to that. How did you feel? It's a unique position. I think it's beautiful because there's so many women. We've never seen it like this on this stage before, like especially with social media.

So it's exciting because, you know, women, I think it was like an all-female lineup for like a hot summer, hot 97. I've never seen that before. So I'm like, wow, that's beautiful for the space and women, but it's still not enough variety and harmony when you look at it. So it's like, but, you know, we still got a long way to go because this can't be the only thing that we make the reason why you're successful. Yeah. Like so that's where I was at. It was like, yo, I'm not trying to dog nobody. But at the same time, like I got to advocate for myself and others who have other stories to tell.

Like, you know, I don't see us, you know, as one of those ones that people are like helping to push this beautiful resurgence of women in hip hop in the forefront, you know, in your face. So it was like, yeah, it's great for women. But on the other end, it's like it's nothing different than any other thing America sells. Sex, sex, sex, yeah, it's great for women, but on the other end, it's like, it's nothing different than any other thing America sells. Sex, sex, sex, sex, sex. You know what I'm saying? So that was it. Did you feel like your pen wasn't being respected?

Is that one of the reasons you wanted to walk away? No, not necessarily. It's respect about the right people. It was just like people not listening. Yeah. That was it. I, I see comments. They be like, don't look at it. But I like to look.

The psychology of people is interesting to me. I see. I see. I would see all the conversations. And I'm just like, what people say about me, what they think. And I'm like, oh, you never press play. You don't have to like it. But I know you never press play and really sat with it.

So it was just like, man, what a fight. What's the, what's the comment that bothered you the most? Like, well, there's always one that sticks out in our mind that motivates you when you wake up in the morning. That motivates me? Or pisses you off, right? That pisses me off? I don't know.

It was, I just see it. I would just take notice. I was, I just see it. I would just take notice. I was, I was in a space of healing Charlemagne. So it would be like, you know, I could tell you older things, but now it was just a place of like, I could look at it and observe and I didn't have to be emotional about it.

I could just be like, okay, I see where you are. Um, you know, you got some growing to do as a human. but it would, it would be things like, you know you got some growing to do as a human um but it would it would be things like you know

one of the conversations is between mostly the guys right the guys that i would see mostly is like uh all all the women do is shake their ass and you should be rhapsody like that's the thing like i'm the standard and other women like all y'all only bring up rhapsody when y'all trying to put down another female so i'm sitting in the middle like i see both sides of what y'all saying like don't make me the standard to put down nobody else i ain't never with that but at the same time there is something to be said about why don't you women uh tap into tierra whack rhapsody or LaKali 47 where does it have to be that you need something and somebody to tell you

that this is who you should pay attention to? So that's what it was. Because you don't have to be me, but I know there's a lot more women that don't get the opportunity to get the support. And then if you're trying to appeal to men why not listen to one?

Why not, like, listen to what these men are saying? And to be honest with you, I've been put on by your music by men like my brothers, my father, my cousin. And then when I got this, well, before I got the job officially, just before I told everybody I got the job and I didn't have it yet, I was guest hosting. He would bring you up a lot.

He would always bring you up. Big supporter. Yeah. But I always heard about you from men. Like, you have a big male fan base. They like to hear you spit that shit. But you can rap. Yeah.

And that's crazy because I tell people that. Like, I would see comments. They'd be like, if y'all support Rhapsody, why y'all don't buy a record? I'd be like, I got a big male following yeah you know what i'm saying so it's that was i don't know that was just part of my fight and then too like another conversation i would be thinking about was you would see like especially when it comes to women and and the sex appeal it'd be like it's empowering and i'll be like yeah i could see how it is for sure like especially when Kim came up and you know it wasn't a thing like she made like it's okay to love our bodies but it's it's so

one-sided now and I'm thinking like is it really like this is a conversation me and somebody else were having and they brought it up and I was like that's a great point is it really empowering if a man is writing it because if but there's women that write their own but a lot they're men pinning it let's just be real it's still the patriarchy it was still the patriarchy like you know we try to take ownership because we the face of it but is it really empowering if it's not your story if it's not your words you know like it's just a thought that i'm just like i would love to people to explore that thought more because i you know i it's just a thought that i'm just like i would love to people to explore that thought more because i you know i have conversations with some women and they'll be

like yo rap i love what you do yo i want to rap like this i want to rap like that but this is what they like i'm just like you should do what you like you should do what you want that's my only thing like you should be able to show up how you want to show up if it is sexy and if it's real to you then do that but if you're doing it just because you feel like this is the only way that i could be successful and this is i see everybody else doing it so this is what we got to do to make it that's whack to me you know like i don't feel like you could be all the way happy doing something that's not true you think a woman can take off and rap without a male cosign? Absolutely. Okay.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think, you know, we have so many resources. If you make great music, one thing 9-4 always told me, it might take you longer, but people can't deny it. So it's kind of like either down for the marathon or not. You know, that's everybody. Like man, woman, it don't matter. If the music good, somebody going to find it eventually.

I think you can, but you got to make great music and still be on your brand and in marketing and, you know, all the little things. But I do think it's possible. Because I always think about how dope it would have been if, like, the way a Drake embraces a sexy red, Kendrick wouldn't embrace you in that way. I just think that goes a long way sometimes. Yeah.

No, it does. And he has. It's cool. You know, complexion was an alley, big alley for me. But, yeah. And then a lot, I mean, to be honest, a lot of embracing from, like, you know, older generations. I noticed a lot of people like to embrace people that can't touch them yeah yeah they will embrace people

that they know cannot yeah beat them lyrically can't even I'm just gonna throw you in because yeah yeah your popularity you got a big platform right now you with their what they want to be like. You're playing into what you, you know, pussy, money, drugs, all that.

All right, cool. So I'm going to take you under my wing. You know what I'm saying? Just to keep me in the game. Yep. Keep my name out there attached. But yeah,

that's a real thing. That's crazy. It is a honor though, to be the bar. I know it's so like misweighted because it's like everybody else and then rhapsody do you feel like a pressure at all because you are the bar no no pressure no only because it's real to me the things i talk about it i i don't like i'm gonna do this because i i do it because i want to. You know what I'm saying? Like I care. The things I say I care about.

So it's not a pressure in that way. I will say like sometimes I think about like, yo, if I wanted to have fun and just do something and show people the side of me like I like the club too. Like that's I'm a well-rounded human being. And then I'd be like, yo, those are the times I feel a little pressure. It's like you don't have room to do that because nobody else is talking about the things that need to be talked about. It's a lot of people having fun.

So, like, okay, we got enough of that. Who's going to be the voice to make sure we talk about those things? So that part sometimes I'm just like, yo, I would love to let people see what a fun album for me. Like, I'm just having fun. Would it bring you peace, though? I mean, I think with the albums, maybe your intention is different. But I feel like you could still do that.

Maybe give us a tape. Yeah, I started one. Really? Yeah, I explore, you know. A turn-up tape? Is it fun? Yeah, I call it my ignorant album. But ignorant for me.

And I mean that just by the beats like but yeah i wanted to do something that was that that side of me because i haven't shown that side yeah so you haven't shown this side either of no please don't cry i started working on three albums at one time damn yeah i called sherry i was like Sherry that's the co-president of Rock Nation I said I want to put out three albums in one year she was like

rap I was like I need to show people all sides of me she was like no absolutely not we have to give proper attention

and support to the albums each so I was like okay how did this album you said because I've heard you say

that this album has brought you the most peace you've ever seen. How does an album this raw and vulnerable bring you peace? It brings me peace because it's the most me I've ever been. I'm so fearless now.

Again, like I'm Neo, like unplugged from the Matrix and living my reality. So that's like everybody's been asking me, how you feel? How you feel? Like the album's about to come out. And I tell them I'm at peace because I have no expectations. I'm not thinking about I need to do this amount of numbers. Like, yo, what's good?

Do we need to do this? I'm just like people like it or they don't. I made an album that I was happy with, and I shared things that I wanted to share that were for me. So many albums I was shining a light on the world, and this one was like, I need to shine a light on me. And so to be able to, like, because I'm so private and I protect myself in that way and I held so much in I don't

I feel lighter because you know I'm I'm so confident and again I'm not afraid to just share I was afraid before because I was afraid of judgment what people would think like you're not perfect you're not always the good girl you have disappointed yourself in some people but it's like it's okay We all do at some point. I like that mindset to have you don't have any expectations. Charlamagne said it a lot about his books, events, all of that. People out here

are like, are you excited about? We just had the second annual Black Effect Podcast Festival in Atlanta and someone was like, are you excited? He was like, I mean, I have no expectations. You know, it was big. It turned out big last year. It's going to do that this year.

I mean, if it doesn't, it's like I like to have that. I like that mindset. I'm trying to get there. You can get there. Girl, I'll be like, before every show, you're like, you ready? I'm like, yeah. Yeah, I'm always like that. People love you for you. Yeah. And when you like that. People love you for you.

Yeah. And when you like really, I think, take that in and hone it, it's just like, I just got to go up here and be myself. That's right. And I end up doing it. I just can't ever be that calm before a show. Before it's the night. Yeah.

I think that's because you care, though. Yeah. I still get like that before shows. Normally, when I go on a show too easy, it make I'm like yo you too relaxed yeah you're gonna mess up so that just shows you care I don't think that's too bad so what pushed you to the point of wanting to live you know like this much in your truth and be this transparent I wanted to grow you know um I had gotten out of relationship when I started this project and healing from that you you know therapy um you realize it's never about the person it's about you so once you like start to sit and ask yourself these questions trying to figure out

how to heal from the relationship the relationship is over with it's just like oh what are the mirrors in front of me what are the things about me that make me feel you know incomplete or all the things why do I act like this when this happens so it was like an onion I was just peeling back peeling back peeling back and I was just peeling back, peeling back, peeling back. And I was like, crying, crying every time you peel back. Boy,

that 2020 year was crazy. Yeah. A lot of solitude, a lot of tears, a lot of praying. Um, and I, I have a beautiful village. So my home girls would tell me like,

yo, you, your next phase is you gotta to let people see you. The human part of you, you got to be vulnerable. And so I love a good challenge. It was hard, uncomfortable. It was not fun. But the other side is so beautiful.

So it's like that you really got to let yourself sit in the fire and burn. And some days I was like man i'm gonna feel like this forever but now i i was gonna ask like which specific experience led to like the journey of self-exploration and self-acceptance so it was a breakup yeah it's like you is my life it's making sense now it's a lot of my life all pieces of it relationship was dope though I learned a lot in a relationship

about even how to begin this journey they was back to back relationships I got out of a long one had a little time and got in another one but um the second one was just a rebound no really why are you on no I mean yes that happens but that that wasn't my my experience it was uh the one the relationship that impacted me the most I wouldn't have become the person I am now without that relationship.

So they gave me like the starter pack tools, you know, to figure out. They say people come into your life for a reason, season, or lifetime. And there was definitely reason in this. I think it could be multiple things. So, yeah, you know. But once it was like now you're on your own, you're by yourself, I was like, oh, I got to do the work work, you know. Are you ready like now you on your own you by yourself I was like oh I gotta do the work work you know

are you ready to answer those questions though cause this album is going to be having people ask a lot of questions about yeah some things that I share yeah some things I'm okay with and some things I'm okay with like I gave you what I gave you some things are for me though

so you know there's some things I'm okay with talking about and there's others it's some things are for me though yeah so you know I'm there's some things I'm okay with talking about and there's others it's just like you don't need to know the rest you know you talked about um unplugging and you also talk about it on one of them days that you sampled Monica fire sample I kind of wanted to know what was the inspiration behind it did somebody like piss you off and then you heard the record and you kind of like went into a daze like talk to me about that no it was like um having my conversation with my homegirls she's um my homegirl Raina Bitty she's a poet she did stuff on uh eve um she was texting me she was a list of things people need to know what makes you mad what makes you sad who you in with, do you like to have sex?

I was like, okay. That's why when you have too many friends that's healing, when you got too many friends that's doing the work, it's like, come on now. They need to know why, like how you fucking. And I screenshot it. I was like, okay, so I'm in the studio. I'm writing on a whiteboard.

I'm like, what are all the things about me that people I want to share? And that was just Aquarius, like very, you know, personable person. But my social battery goes down really fast. And I don't want to be the, don't call me. I don't want to talk. You like that? I'm very much like that.

I just had a conversation in there, like early in this episode. Like, no, I don't like to talk to people. It's turned off now. So it was just like, okay, that's a part of me that I want to share. And especially, too, because of the pandemic, especially, I spent so much time by myself. And I was healing, and my friends would hit me, and I probably wouldn't hit them back for eight months. Damn. Yeah, like, they might not hear eight

months yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah i was not quarantining yeah i'm like nah you know or if i did it yeah no i was not hitting people back you had to be like in a really really really close circle for me to talk to you during that time I got you yeah so um and it was just like I heard the song so I was like yo that's the perfect flip because that's exactly how I feel like don't take it personal it's not personal it's a me thing um and that's where that came from like I knew I and I wanted it to feel good and not sad because the very first version of this album was it was it was heavy and sad and I was like I don't want to make something that people can

feel but they don't want to go back to it because it's too heavy mmm so it was like let's lighten it up mm-hmm yeah what was it like writing when you was unlearning like those habits and those beliefs and those behaviors that didn't serve you no more man the writing was so easy. Wow. When I tell you things were pouring out, it's probably the best writing I've ever done. And I think because I was healing and unplugged and just had no expectations,

I didn't write to have to prove anything. Before, it was like I'm trying to make my way in the game. I'm trying to get the respect and all those things. And it's like when you don't care no more, you can be profound. And I think that's some of the best music that you can make. You know what I'm saying? Like the simplest word, it don't have to have a crazy metaphor, but people connect with it.

And I was like, because I was listening to Lauren's Unplugged a whole lot during this process. And I was just like, she don't have like a lot of crazy double entendres and all that, but the things she's saying are hitting because they just real. It's profound lyricism. And I was like, dang, that's what I want to work on. But, yeah, it was just easy because I knew myself

too when you healing and you know exactly who you are how you want to show up and like you finding yourself again I wasn't creating through anybody else's perception like early in my career I had knife I had guru I had a beautiful. And because I was so unsure and not confident, and we was trying to figure out how we going to get you to this next level, they would be like, let's do a song about this, or let's write about this. And I'd be like, yeah, okay, bet. And there's nothing wrong with it. The intention was beautiful.

But now it's just like, it was just all me. You got to do what you feel. Yeah. I love when rappers rap about things I've never heard before on records. So that's why I love Mr. Morales and the Big Stepper so much. Your album, Please Don't Cry, is the same way. You got a song about dementia, which is something that impacts so many of us. We all have a loved one that's suffering from dementia or had dementia.

What made you want to speak on that? Because it was such a big part of my life. many of us like we all have a loved one that you know suffering from dementia or had dementia like what made you want to speak on that because it was it was such a big part of my life during that time um my aunt who's my mom's sister oldest sister helped raise me so she's like all my aunts like my second mom so when she got diagnosed it hit me like yo my grandmother had it. But, you know, to sit with somebody and see it progress, it was just a big part of my life, and it affected me so emotionally. And it was just like I want to talk about it. And because I do know so many people that go through it, and that's just everything I was just, everything I was feeling,

I was just putting on paper, you know? And I think people need that. But that's just what it was. Like, I think about her all the time, you know? Every time I go home, that's the first place I go. Sometimes before I stop at my mom. And this last time I went, I was there for like four hours. We was talking, laughing.

I think the last hour, somebody came in the house and they was like, you know who that is? She was like, I don't know. I was like, damn. Don't that hurt? Yeah, yeah. It's tough. It's tough. And, you know, I think about my cousins.

That's her kids. So it was just like, you know, a story that I wanted to share. Like, if you want to know me, this is what I go with. This is what I go through when I'm with my family. Your grandma got dementia, right? Yeah. And that's why I say that definitely hurts. My father gave my grandmother a birthday party and he DJs and he does karaoke and she loves to sing and dance and all of that stuff

right and I came me and my little sister went and she ain't know who I was like you know what I'm saying she and I can you can tell yeah because she don't greet me like that you know she called me Jade or Boo Boo or whatever and she was just like oh how are you how are you how you doing just like I'm like you know a regular person but then, we like, our favorite song to perform karaoke is UTFO, Roxanne, Roxanne. So he put that on. She instantly knew who I was. And she came up, she said, where's Robin? Robin is my mother.

I'm like, I've been here for two hours. And you just now, so I'm getting smart with her. But my grandmother's a firecracker at the same time. She's like, yeah, where's your mother at? I don't want to see you. I want to see Robin. You now so I'm getting smart with her but my grandmother's a firecracker at the same time just like yeah where's your mother at I don't want to see you I want to see Robin you know what I'm saying so I I still treat it the same way you know because she wouldn't want me to treat her like oh grandma it's gonna be okay like we've never been like that you know she's still hard on me and all that type of stuff but that to relate to relate to that, it does hurt. Yeah, it's just a hard, hard disease to go through. Like the mind goes and the memory, you know.

But same thing, my family's the same way. Like I remember the first time like she was really doing things where I could really see it because I couldn't always see it before. But I remember the day my other aunt came over and we was just talking about it. She just said, she bust out laughing, you know, like talking to pictures or whatever. Like I was in my feelings.

She started laughing. She's like, girl, we got to laugh to keep from crying. And that just changed me. So it's beautiful to see like how the family takes care of her. And we just, whatever she on that day, we just all a part of it. You know what I'm saying? That's good. And it makes it a little easier.

But yeah, it's tough. Is it true you credited Sanaa Lathan with helping you make this album? Yeah. Why? Finishing it. Okay. She be rapping?

She be rapping? She don't rap, but she sing. Oh, okay. And I'm with a camera. Sanaa Lathan sings? Sanaa Lathan can sing. Like, yeah, yeah. And when I worked, we worked on the movie on the come up in 2021.

And she brought me on to help with the music and coach the actor. But I got to see how much of a music fan, especially hip hop, she was. Because, like, I'd send her demos and stuff. She'd tell me about the beat and what she liked. And I was like, you know what you're talking about're talking about and you know we talked about music a lot but um she was a big part of the healing process for one right you know healing goes in phases so she had put me on to this course it was called how to be magnetic.com or whatever and um i did the course and it was so instrumental like meditation she helped me get through

over the hump so we was in New York at a premiere and she was always asking about the album we talked about pretty much everything and she was like you not finished with it yet just like everybody on the internet I was like nah I'm still not finished

she was like what's taking so long I was like I don't know I said I feel like it's too I'm still not finished. She was like, what's taking so long? I was like, I don't know. I said, I feel like it's too gray. Like, I see music in color sometimes. I said, I don't know. I think it's too gray. It might be too sad. Like, I'm just overthinking it. I could do that sometimes.

And so she was like, play me some songs. So I played her like three or four songs. And she was like, it's not too sad. It's exactly what people need. I finished the album. And because she said that, I was like it's not too sad it's exactly what people need finish the album and because she said that i was like okay and i finished the album other than i probably would still be recording right now i believe that i believe that yo man you i i do love um having felicia on the project i thought that was first such a great touch. First of all, say the full name. Yeah.

Rashad. Yes. That's Felicia Rashad. Okay. Y'all know who I was talking about. No, we got to spell it out. Felicia Rashad. Yes, we have Felicia Rashad Narae.

And I love on the intro, the only way out is in. Do you even know who you are? I'm like, this project really takes you on a ride. But you having her, Naraate, I feel like was so vital just because as a black woman, you know, she's one of the ones that we looked up to due to Cosby. Even Saniya Lathan, I feel like, hell, Erica,

you got the holy grail black woman, you know what I'm saying, on this album. So it's just been fire. But how did you connect with her? It was a lot easier than I thought um because I was like I I think big I'm gonna always go big and I'm like all they can say is no so I was just prepared I was telling my manager I was like if she doesn't we can't get her then this person this person this person back up but um my manager got information on her manager and they just she sent her the request

and at first they were like we want to hear some music and i was busy at the time but before i could even send it it was maybe two days and i didn't went by you ate felicia rashad yo she she what you hit felicia rashad i'm too busy no i didn't hit it no no no you wildin that's not what happened i was to get you know the song i'm trying to figure out what exactly to send it because the album went all the way done so i was like you know i was moving around so it was maybe two days later um i was traveling something um but i think like they asked for the music. And then I think the next day she was just like, yes,

you know, I don't know if they Google, I don't know what happened, but I was like, my mouth was on the floor. I was like, what? And so I wrote out the parts and sent them to her and she recorded it.

And she's so good. Like I just, I wrote out my part and her part and um she did it on a voice memo in a hotel but she's she's just so good like you hear it um but i i chose her for that you know for the very reason of what she represents to the black community to us i was watching the matrix and i was so intrigued by the relationship of Neo and the Oracle. It was like that was the journey I was on

and how she guided him. So when we were in the studio, and I was with Black Odyssey in Austin, Texas, they helped executive produce the album with S1. They were like, how you going to put pieces together? And that's what I thought of, and she was the only voice that I heard. So what's her color?

If you say the album was black and white or gray at one point, what was her color? What color did she bring to it? She got to be like a brown, brown, orange, yellow, warm, very warm. The light, that's what she represents. So what color is the song, Diary of a Mad Bitch? That's red. I see red, I see blood.

No hesitation, blood on the floor. What was the impression of that record? Was that you saying, you know, people are always like, oh, that's the stereotype, angry black woman. Was that you owning that? I got a right always like, oh, that's the stereotype, angry black woman. Was that you, like, owning that? Like, I got a right to be angry. Yeah, we be mad sometimes. And I was, you know, one of the questions,

what makes you mad are lying niggas. Yeah. Like, and I just thought about every relationship I've been in, there'd be some lying niggas. And so I'd be barking. Before, like, I learned how to communicate or whatever. Like, you know, I'm super chill but when I go there I go there I was thinking about I was like oh I used to yell all the time and

cuss people out might throw a chair not at them when they leave you know like so I was like yo this and when I was creating this album I created it differently um I would get on Pinterest and I would find pictures it would be colors palettes sometimes or words or just photos and with Diary of a Mad Diary of a Mad Bitch there were two photos one of a Doberman growling

and I was like that's how I feel niggas be messing with me like that and then it was one that had hands and honey was dripping down really slow and I was I showed the honey one the S1 I was like what does it had hands and honey was dripping down really slow and i was and i showed the honey one the s1 i was like what does it sound like and um that's when he made the beat and it sounded so angry and aggressive the drums he did them in reverse so it sounds like it's sticky pulling

and i was like oh this is my mad song who i'm mad at? Niggas. Niggas. So, yeah. I own that. I be mad. I be mad. I really like how you're using the Pinterest images to create the sound. I love a good mood board, too. I do that for everything. Anytime I got to, like, execute something, I need to see, you know,

help inspo for the vision in order to execute. So that's dope. And also, just outside from just the music, I love the interview that you did with Erykah Badu. Very, very dope. And it's just real. Like, you and her are two people that, like, we can look up to and chime in and get, like like a direct reflection of us back so

seeing you guys have a conversation was dope but what inspired you guys to have a 3am combo to have the conversation i was really part of the rollout like we did it in chapters um so got with the label to my management team and they were like how are we going to tell this story to the people and we had a plan of like the singles we going to tell this story to the people and we had a plan of like the singles we wanted to release and I was sitting at home during the holidays and I called Sherry I was like I'm the single plan we had don't it doesn't feel good to me because it was like raw first I was like everybody know I can rap like they got to see something different they got to see the human part of me um and so I was like 3 a.m has to be in there you know it was like um rap is back of course

um unveiling which was staying tall and then Erica 3 a.m was unconditional you know learning to love yourself um so we we knew like it can't just be music. Like, rap, people don't know about you, so they have to see you have conversations. Right. And so we knew 3AM was going to come out, and we was like, we need to have a conversation piece about it. And she's so good to talk to. I felt like it was something to have for people to go back and reference.

Because there's so many conversations now, men women that and relationships and yeah you know it was just like yo what happened to just love like even in music like a lot of sex songs but what about love and that was it like i just knew like well that's the chapter so that's that that has to be the conversation but Erica is so insightful and wise that I already knew she was from Drop Mad Jim no

Erica Badu is not from here she's from out of this world look at the picture yeah that part right there that's not even our game here

she watching over the room yeah that's queen mother goddess right there look at his shirt you damn right yeah I like that you put that on today i will crash somebody you and me both i saw you tweet there's no such thing as female hip

hop yeah i don't like that what is that elaborate on that a little bit yeah it's it's just hip hop like somebody they try to rebuttal me like there are women who make songs specifically for women that's called an audience sir her audience is women but what she does is hip-hop yeah like when you when you label something labels are just there to separate us so if you labeling it female hip-hop and you put it in a category where this is just for females and you looking at it a certain way it's like no they do hip-hop they rap but their audience may be mostly women you know and and i just hate the separation and labels it's already hard for us it's just another form of sexism to me yeah um you know like i don't make female hip-hop i think i rap for everybody you get it or you don't make female hip-hop. Nigga, I rap for everybody. You get it or you don't.

And my fan base shows, I got men, women, older people, younger people. It's just, that's what it is. So it's like, we not about to do that. And I'm gonna advocate for it. You do address it a little bit on Asteroid though, because you said if I went basic, I'd be in the rave. If I had a dick, I'd be in the greatest of big.

I feel that way too. So there is. Well, if you had a dick, I'd be in the greatest of big. I feel that way too. So there is. What if you had a dick that you would be? Oh my god. So there is a lot of sexism still in it. Because I'm like there's nothing that these guys are doing that Rhapsody's not doing better. You're not going to tell me

you don't listen to Rhapsody and just hear somebody barring motherfuckers up. They don't be trying to hear me. Because you don't got a dick. I ain't got a dick. You ain't got no hit. It's the hit or the dick? Both.

I'm going to just be real with myself. People so superficial, like that stuff matter to them. You know, because they've been programmed to think that now. People don't know how to think for themselves. So it's like if it ain't got mad numbers, a chart, and it don't matter. I disagree, though, because they don't mention women in the greatest debates. Nicki not. She should be, but Nicki's not in the GOAT debate.

Lauren's not really in the GOAT debate. They acknowledge them as being dope, but not like the dope, dope rappers they are. Yeah, that's true. That, dope rappers they are. Yeah. That's true. That's why we got to change that. You're out of here. We in the debate, baby. I just saw Lauren perform on Jimmy Fallon.

She spit a verse. I was like, my God. A new one? It was new? Yeah. I don't know if it's going to be on anything, but if you go on Jimmy Fallon, oh, man. You just got to go listen to the verse. What prompted you to address questions about your sexuality

on the Stan Tall record? Because it would be conversations throughout the years of my career. And so it was like things that I internalized, too, like the way that I dress or whatever. People assume things about you or because you don't know who I've been in a relationship. I'm private, so they just assume who you are. So it's just like, let me just address it head on then.

You know, you hear it from me. You said, the judgment's on me. They wondering if I'm gonna eat the coochie fan all because I choose the style and sneakers and some baggy pants. Used to make me Aggie wanna black out like the Aggie fan. Well, I heard that line.

I thought about not. Yo. Of course you did. No. Of course you did. The same, same, same judgment. That's what I'm, yo, I be like,

it's like if you dress like this, oh, you do not like men because you're not catering to men of what we think or what we think men want to be catered to and now the conversation i'll be seeing men having it like yo we miss having some imagination about it do you hit me that's why i'm like yo y'all gonna show us everything so listen to the man if all with these new you know newer brands of women are trying to appeal to men all the time.

Listen to them. They don't always want to get online and see titties and areolas and misplaced belly buttons and all that. They don't want to see that all the time. I'd rather not even see your stomach if your belly button is right in front of your titties. What are you talking about?

You know what I'm saying? I feel like it was more difficult to be taken seriously if they're focused on trying to get with me or trying to bag me. You know what I mean? So I would rather just be the bro. I'd rather you look at me and just want to push me forward to what I'm actually trying to achieve than you trying to bug me. That shit is the sexiest ever.

When you are not a bro, but when you are, not a bro, but when you are like in your most natural element, like, you know what I'm saying? You're not caked up. You're not like, that is naturally pretty to me. Like you naturally pretty to me. That's how I dress on stage. And I can beg any nigga in the show.

I'll start to show all that, you know, but they want me to be a stud real bad. You know what I'm saying? Just because I do stuff. Shut up. I come from Nas. When Nas is showing three-fourths of a cloth, never showing your stuff for a boo. That was fly to me.

You fly as hell. Thank you. I'm gonna affirm that to you. It's not even just in music. Like, I hear women in the business, they say, like, sometimes I cover up just so I can go in the meeting and we can have a straight on meeting. Yeah. I ain't about to do that. But yeah, it's just like, everything is up for display.

It's like, yo, I like to have you guessing. Like, you know, the days we do want to pop out they be like damn love that reaction so it's you know it's yeah and it's not comfortable I like to be comfortable I'm just being real with you

them heels hurt my feet but you know also it's like a weird it's a weird like social pressure because it's like all right in the workplace you got to be respected but then like with your home girls you know you still want to embrace your femininity but then you know with a black household it's like whatever you do don't be a hoe don't don't look like a hoe don't embarrass me like a hoe don't do anything you know what i mean so it's just like all right how do i juggle not embarrassing you but being myself but still embracing like my femininity that i'm growing into you know so i i like how you

talk about it because it is a journey you know to get through it's like being a whole part of the femininity though no but just don't act like black parents because i'm sure you know i get what you're saying it's too like uh-uh them shorts too short you a hoe same. Your daughter's too like, uh-uh, them shorts too short. You a hoe. Go upstairs and change. Why I say you a hoe? Not yet. I haven't had to say that yet. Not yet. It's coming.

It's in your back pocket. I know it's in your back pocket. You may not even have to say it. I would say that's how people are going to perceive you. I think knowing you, you're going to jump out the window and say you're dressed like a hoe. You're looking hoish out there. You're going to go upstairs and say, you know what, baby? i don't want you to think you're a hoe but you know you dress like other people yes that's how this is how hoes dress anyway that's what i would say something

like that you know but that's not a part of femininity though right no no no no no i don't think so no femininity i was just saying, like, all the pressures from different capacities and then trying to balance it and figure out who you are throughout that. That's all I'm getting at. Because you want to be respected.

You want to be respected. Even the women who don't, I mean, like, who go the extra mile to show, they still want to be respected. Yeah. They just want to fit in so bad. Yes.

You know, and keep up with what, you know, they think is the standard. You know what I'm saying? But they just want to fit in so bad yes you know and keep up with what you know they think is the standard you know what i'm saying but they they just be wanting respect but you know it's hard to have both i mean you know like women it's hard to have attention and respect it's hard to get attention and respect at the same time it's like you gotta pick well that's how i feel what do you think i think it's it's easy you just have to know Well, that's how I feel. What do you think? I think it's easy. You just have to know who you are and show up as that confidently. Yeah.

You know? People can see that, and they respect it, and they're attracted to it. That's what I think. You know? Definitely. It's not hard. I slept y'all's mind. I need to be respected straight off the rip, you know?

And what was that when you say? Attention or respect. And it's, girl, big attention with respect. Yes, I'm going to take the double platter. Well, I just said that to say there are some people who might show a lot more and get a lot more attention. I got you. What kind of attention, I guess, is the question.

That's true. You know what I'm saying? You're true. What type of attention are you looking for? And that changes the answer yeah good point

I'm very excited about your packaging your promotion is crazy thank you thank you you always got a creative way to appeal to your fans

like when she does Pass the Oxen she we always have your music she always samples a song like she'll tell us like little creative ways

that you be like like that one time yeah like the t-shirt like little creative ways that you'd be like um like that one time yeah like the t-shirt like yes the t-shirt joint like i'm like okay that's creative and shit she that's dope that's how you really know who you connected to as well like your fans are really loyal to you it's one of my favorite things about putting out an album like the music is of course but then it's like all right that part is fun like what how are we gonna roll this out creatively with this one I watched the movie Air I don't know if you've seen it

no it's about Michael Jordan yeah it's about Nike and Michael Jordan yes I did I'm sorry I was so inspired

by the branding and marketing of it and it was just like it ain't about the shoe it's about the person wearing the shoe I was like I called the team

I was like I wanna roll this out like a Nike ad for a shoe but with the album how we gonna do that and you know we, I was like, I called the team. I was like, I want to roll this out like a Nike ad for a shoe, but with the album. How are we going to do that? And, you know, we really wanted, again, like I was in the place of like free. Like I'm not worried about billboard or nothing like that.

It's just like let's just focus on the fan base. So, you know, we just made them a part of it, and we just told the story from that way, just being organic, and the ideas were just flowing my mind worked like that I can't explain it but yeah I'm glad you want me in film too that's good I can see that

thank you I just got a couple more questions I love to stand tall record and on the stand tall record you talk about the challenges of living with anxiety and the difficulty in finding effective solutions because you even mentioned how the doctors struggled to identify what was even your issue.

Yeah. Well, they identified it. I just didn't accept it. It was a journey. Like, I have Graves' disease, thyroid disease, and I was diagnosed in 2009, 10. But before that, probably from when I graduated high school up until maybe I was late 20s, I would wake up out of my sleep running for the door.

Because I felt like I can't breathe. I'm about to die. Somebody going to find me because I'm not about to lay in this bed. I would just get anxious. And it got worse and worse. And it was one day um i just i had lost like 15 pounds i got down to 110 pounds i wasn't exercising eating whatever i wanted having more panic attacks and so i was diagnosed um and i used to think the anxiety

came from there they'd be like don't drink caffeine you know to make it right and i'm doing all these yeah and i'm doing all these things and i'm you know i'm still getting anxious like now it's just not at night i could just be driving somewhere and it'll just hit me and you you know when you have anxiety i don't know if you you feel like you're really about to die heart attack yes i would go to er i called it the ambulance and they'd be like nothing's wrong with you go take a tums it's gas or it's just anxiety do you want anxiety medication they'd be like nothing's wrong with you go take a tom's gas or it's just anxiety do you want anxiety medication i'd be like no i'm not taking that and it got to a point where it was just like i have to that doesn't work so i have to figure

out a way to calm myself down instead of working on myself mentally it would be like i'm gonna drive to the er i'm gonna just sit in the parking lot till I calm down because for me it was like at least if if it's really something happening you you right there yeah um so I would do these these things and uh a friend of mine they were like they were with me when I had a panic attack one time and they were like it's nothing's happening to you you don't understand how strong and powerful your mind is you're're creating that. Like when you think about it, you create physical responses. And, you know, I sat with her. I'm just, you know, they send me YouTubes, and I watch YouTubes about it.

Your mind is powerful. First I had to accept that, right? And I think once you accept it, then you gain your power back. So I haven't had a panic attack since probably mid 2020 and it was not only getting my mind right and elevating my consciousness and awareness I was exercising every day I changed my diet I stopped eating pork I don't eat beef but maybe like once or twice a year um you know drinking a lot more water And now I can feel one coming on, but it don't even get there because I already tell myself what's happening.

It don't even affect me. I haven't had one since. That's why you said in the rap you can believe what you choose. Yep. Yep. You create your own experiences. And I just noticed this. We eat each other.

That's your label? Yeah. I didn't know. I was just other. That's your label? Yeah. I didn't know. I just noticed it. I wasn't ready to announce it. Oh, okay. I'm just looking at the back of the vinyl, and I see that we eat each other,

Jam Lane, Rock Nation. I'm like, oh. Yeah. Oh, that's fire. So you got artists, too? Yeah. She not ready. That's fire.

What you mean? It's on the album. It's coming out tomorrow. Well, it's not yet, but it's okay. It's okay. We here now. We here now. I can still have my moment when that time comes.

But yes, I started. This is my last album on Jamla Records. And that's my family forever. But it got to a point where I felt like, you know, I've learned so much. I feel like I reached the ceiling. And it's like you leave the nest many times over in life. You know, you get 18, leave the home, you leave the nest. And I feel like you do it many times over.

So, you know, I told Guru and I, I was like, I think it's time for me, you know, to try this on my own. So I have a business partner, Andre Meggo, who's also an artist. And our first artist that we signed together is Nico Brim. Yeah, Nico. Wow. Nico's interlude. Love it. Yeah, so I'm excited to, you know, introduce that more to the world.

Word. That was great. That's why he got his own interlude on the project. That's why he has his own interlude on the project. Yeah. Well, big CEO rap. You know what I mean? It's a pleasure.

Thank you for your time as always. Thank you. Thank y'all for making space for me. Thank you for always saying my name. I appreciate the love. Absolutely. Please Don't Cry is out right now. And it's Rhapsody, y'all.

It's The Breakfast Club.