The Questlove Show - BONUS: James Alexander on The Bar-Kays' Rivalry With Cameo

Episode Date: February 21, 2026

In a bonus clip from James Alexander’s two-part conversation, he recalls witnessing The O'Jays and The Temptations go toe-to-toe musically on stage in Cleveland in December 1967. That showdown—shared amid Alexander’s reflections on Otis Redding’s final days—led into a previously unreleased account of how his band, The Bar-Kays, developed a rivalry with Larry Blackmon's Cameo—a situation rooted in showmanship and cash. Steel sharpens steel...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clivert Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media.

Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The Clivert Show on the I-Hard Radio app,

Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. This week on the Sports Slice podcast, it's all about the NFL draft. And we've got a special guest. The director of the NFL's East West Shrine Bowl, Eric Galco, joins the Sports Slice podcast to break down what really matters when evaluating draft prospects. From hidden traits teams look for to the biggest mistakes franchises make to the players flying under the radar. This is the insight you won't hear anywhere else. If you want to understand the draft like an insider, you don't want to miss this episode.

Listen to the Sports Slice Podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 and TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of fathering twins. But the pregnancy appeared to be a hoax. You doctored this particular test twice, Ms. Owens, correct? I doctored the test ones. It took an army of internet detectives to. to uncover a disturbing pattern.

Two more men who'd been through the same thing. Greg Gillespie and Michael Mancini. My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trapped. Laura, Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the Iheart radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. When a group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist, They take matters into their own hands. I vowed. I will be his last target. He is not going to get away with this. He's going to get what he deserves. We always say that trust your girlfriends.

Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The Questlove show is a production of IHeart Radio. What's up y'all? Welcome back to another many episode of the Questlet. show. So this month we dropped a

banger, if you will, a two-parter with James Alexander of the barquez. You can listen wherever you get your podcast or watch the full in studio conversation on the QLS YouTube channel. It's nearly two and a half hours. Not exactly

Jimmy Jam length, but you know, not seven hours, but two and a half hours is a lot. And trust me, he brought the stories. James actually flew in from Memphis to hang with us at IHeart Studios in New York. And one thing you won't hear in the episode happened when we were talking about that faithful moment

in December of 1967. Of course, I'm talking about the tragic plane crash where James lost four of his bandmates and his dear friend and leader, Otis Redding. So at one point, he got sidetracked, talking about the OJs and the Temptations, who had played a show the night before in Cleveland. You know, I wanted to know what the last 24 hours were like

before the crash happened. And he told this really compelling story about just having a night off, seeing the OJs perform, seeing the temptations perform. They had, you know, hung with each other, had some fun, went to see a concert and then they were going to head up to Wisconsin to do a show. But they went to Cleveland and that led to a whole conversation about bands battling each other on stage, the old-fashioned way with music ego and pure showmanship. And he even mentioned a similar rivalry between the barquees and cameo.

Sometimes like really good stories wind up on the editing floor and we definitely didn't want this to be a part of that. So we wanted to share that moment here. He walked me through December 9th, like the day before just whatever that time period was like. December the night, we had a show in Nashville, Tennessee at Vanderbilt University.

Vanderbilt was like the Harvard of the South. We had a show Barcage and Otis Redding at Vanderbilt University. We played Nashville December of the 8th. Then we were supposed to play Cleveland, Ohio, December of the night. So rather than spend the night in Nashville because he had his own place,

lane, hey man, the OJs and the temptations are in Cleveland. When we get through without show, let's take the plane and fly to Cleveland and catch their last show because they was doing two shows, our early show and the late show. So we left and went to the place, which we were going to be planning on December of the night. The temptation of the OJs were there on December of the eighth. OJs were the opening act. I mean, the temptations were on fire at that point.

And the OJs, this was back when they had five members, the OJs turned it out. They had one song. They had a song called, I'll be sweeter tomorrow than I was yesterday. Okay. When they got through doing that song, I mean, people just stood up,

I mean, kind of like about a 10-minute standing ovation. The Tempts didn't want to come out. Now, the Tempts, mind you, they had all these hits. And, you know, the Tempts, the devil there tall, well-dressed. They were the shit. Eddie Liverard, don't play fair.

Yeah. I've seen him many times in concert. He does not play fair. They came out there and they ripped it. Right. So being around a lot of that kind of stuff like that, you know, so we came to an era where we're going to,

I don't know if you know anything about this. You ever heard of people saying, we're going to cut your head? Yeah. Are you know about head cutting? I mean, I'm in a band. You're the best. I'm in a band.

So we had, we did some ballots with Cameo. There was one of our main ballot groups. But anyway, I'm going to get to that. They kicked the ass. We were playing the reunion arena, and I never will forget it. In Dallas, reunion hosts 20,000. Okay. The venue sold out, right?

Uh-huh. So we actually hired Larry Blackman, the cameo to be, do a two-day run with us. I think they were supposed to do Dallas with us and Houston play the reunion arena and the summit, which, by the way, the summit now is Joel O. Sting's church. Gotcha. Anyway, I think we paid them, you know,

40 grand for the two shows. So the deal was Cameo's supposed to go on at 9.30. So it's 9.30. And, you know, we're still in dress room, but we don't hear on music. How come cameos not on? So I sent my road manager around and see

Why camera he was not on? Well, you know, Larry Blackwood don't feel too good right now. So, man. I know this trick. He needs to be on stage right now, dude. We don't pay him this money. So as it turned out, he looked out at the audience and saw the place that sold out and said,

come back and the message got back to me. He's not going on unless you get five more $1,000. So I'm the band leader, and back in those days, we had what you call a Democratic band. You know, the majority rules, all of that. Right. So I said, man, I went back and told my band, said, man, we got an issue.

Larry Blackburn does not want to go on unless he get $5,000. And those were, Mary Flavisland. But I know if the MC go out there and say Cameo would not be performing tonight, and they was hot. I think they had out, keep it hot. I mean, they had out,

shake your pants, all that stuff like that. So I had to make a leader decision. So I told my guy to go around to the box office. And, you know, I mean, we had maybe $100 grand in the box office. Go around and get them $5,000 so they can go on. And so a guy has to be. They'd be, oh man, you're weak. But if the MC had went out there and announced

that Camryo's not going to perform, they would have tow that place up. We would really have a problem then. So we gave them $5,000. They go out on stage. They kicked our ass bad. So with the psychological and all of that and, you know, getting it five grand,

so our guys, you know, was feeling some kind of way. But we went out there and did a, you know, just an okay show. Cameo show was right here. Our show was right here. So I said, oh, hell no. So what we were going to do, you know, we're supposed to spend the night in Dallas. You know, I'd say, look, everybody, we pack it up, we leave it tonight. We're going to Houston.

Rent a room, I mean, get one of the rooms inside of the venue and set us up there. We're going to rehearse. Yes. You know, this can't happen like this no more. Never again. We had to come back at them. And you said the OJs kicked the Timm's ass the same one. Kick their ass.

Okay. Smoked them. And they only had one hit. Tim's had multiple hits. That's all it takes. This is when David Ruffin was in the grove. Got you. David Ruffin, Eddie Kendrix, Paul Williams.

Yeah. Otis Williams. And who am I missing? Melvin. Melvin Franklin. Yes. Oh, I cannot forget. Yeah.

Can't forget Melvin. Yeah. So. So there was still. Now, Larry was still playing, yeah, Larry was still playing drums. Oh, got you. Yeah. Oh, yeah, okay.

I know that area of the pre-pre-red Cup. Yeah, yeah, but it was about nine or ten people on stage. We had actually had Larry Blackman, founder of Cameo on the show a few years ago. Classic episode, if you haven't checked it out, check it out. And I kind of love seeing how both of those guys are still carrying with their bands to this day, still entertaining audience, still making art. But stay tuned for more bonus content. From the Questlove show, we've been getting your mailbag questions and comments.

And I've even been jumping in and responding online here and there. You can always drop us a note. Find tons of info at Questlovesup supreme.com. Or if that's too much, just DM us. Give us feedback. We read it. We love it. All right.

Enjoy. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care where you're talking about. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. This week on the Sports Slice podcast, it's all about the NFL draft, and we've got a special guest. The director of the NFL's East-West Shrine Bowl, Eric Galco, joins the Sports Slice podcast to break down what really matters when evaluating draft prospects.

From hidden traits teams look for to the biggest mistakes franchises make to the players flying under the radar, this is the insight you won't hear anywhere else. If you want to understand the draft like an insider, you don't want to miss this episode. Listen to the Sports Slice podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slical Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of fathering twins. But the pregnancy appeared to be a hoax. You doctored this particular test twice, Ms. Ellen's, correct?

I doctored the test ones. It took an army of internet detectives to uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been. through the same thing. Greg Gillespie and Michael Ranchini. My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trapped.

Laura, Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. When a group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist, they take matters into their own hands. I vowed. I will be his last target. He is not going to get away with this. He's going to get what he deserves.

We always say that trust your girlfriends. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.