The Questlove Show - QLS Classic: Dr. Mathew Knowles

Episode Date: May 5, 2025

In last month’s QLS Reunion Finale, Questlove named the 2021 conversation with Dr. Mathew Knowles as one of the podcast’s most meaningful. So let's revisit it. You may think you know the story of this Alabama native who rose above segregation to thrive in corporate America and later as a powerhouse music executive—but there’s so much more. Listen in for an honest, insightful conversation on the evolution of Dr. Mathew Knowles. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-heart podcast. Guaranteed human. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford 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, 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 Clifford show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 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, for wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slical Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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 IHartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Everyone, I'm Ego Wood. My next guest, it's Will Ferrell. My dad gave me the best advice ever. He goes, just give it a shot. But if you ever reach a point where, you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration.

It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to Thanks, Dad, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Questlove Supreme is a production of IHeart Radio. What's up, y'all?

this is Questlove and our recent finale episode of Team Supreme, I mentioned that one of my most underrated episodes of QLS is this particular one right here. This QLS classic conversation with

Dr. Matthew Knowles, father to Beyonce and Salonje. Oh, I love this 2021 episode for so many reasons. You know, Dr. Knowles got incredibly real, speaking openly about the trauma he's

faced and how therapy helped him and heal and grow. He also shared very powerful moments about physical, mental, emotional health, and this one kind of resonated with me. A little too much. Got emotional. Which is nothing wrong with that.

And I believe it's going to help you too, so here's an encore recap or redo of the Dr. Matthew Knowles episode of Questlove Supreme. Enjoy it. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode of Questlove Supreme. I'm your host, Questlove.

We have Team Supreme with us right now. Fontagallo. How are you? See? Fonte Gallo is good. Fonte Gallo. Yeah, Fonte Gallo. I'm Ernest and Giulio Gallo's brother.

Yes, exactly. No, I'm good, man. I'm good. I'm still, still down, still's down 31. I kind of hit, like, a plateau, so I think I'm kind of, like, I weigh in the same thing, like, every week. But normally when I do that, the next week is, like, I have a big drop, so I'm seeing, but I'm still on it, man. Hey, I'm there with you, bro. I'm doing a quarter pound a week, so.

Oh, really? That's what I'm, I'm hitting a plateau right now. I'm trying to hit that last 60, so. But you down, like, shit, you love them there 100, though, right? I'm like, yeah, one and ten. I'm going, I'm going for, in total, 180. I'm trying to get down to 200 and 10 pounds. You're trying to come out of the house looking like Idger's chestnut, niggis chestnut.

Yes. Is that why Morris chestnuts is trending today all of a sudden? Out the blue. Anyway, Steve, how are you? Hello, everybody. Nice to be here. That's good. I'm doing fine, you know.

I got to ask you, how you doing? Yeah, I'm doing good. I'm just waiting for people to applaud it after you say my name, but that didn't happen. Right. That's your golf clap right there. Laya, you're fine. I'm good, and I'm comfortable negative. I'm good.

As of your last week. Yeah. You got to say that when you vaccinated. Yeah, because I visited a couple places last week, and I was like, I was in Nashville. He was a little nervous? Yeah, I was like, yeah. You know what? You were in Nashville, yeah.

I'm one of those people that fell. I'm one of those people that fall. asleep and I'm too lazy to change the air conditioning situation and you know if you're a couple that really doesn't agree on the proper temperature of a particular room you know I'll go to sleep and you're still sneaking put it on air and then I'll sneak and put it on heat and whatnot yeah so last week I woke up with the flu and you know I was out of my mind right like I caught it but you know you're basically too too lazy though you so old a man black he's still blaming the flu on stuff like that.

Oh, okay, or maybe I got it. I don't know. Yeah, somebody just touched it and had the flu. I took like six, no, I took six tests. I definitely don't have it. Ladies and gentlemen, I will say that we've been on the air, what, this is our fifth anniversary, almost? Yeah, almost. Knocking on it, yeah. Yeah, that's kind of weird that we've been doing this for five years.

I still feel like we're on our second or third year. Anyway, we've been on the air for about five seasons, and I'll say that the seed of this episode was probably planted. I know that Salons was definitely one of the first 20 episodes. I think she was like episode 15 or something like that. Yeah, she was super early, yeah. Yeah. And she planted the seeds in that episode, basically that her dad wasn't just some random backstage dad, but rather an accomplished gentleman

with both his MBA and his PhD and his PhD in business. Doctor. Yeah, Dr. and Master. But she also led us down the rabbit hole of his involvement in the civil rights movement and basically just told us of the struggle and the sacrifice that it took to ensure

that the Knowles, legacy lived on forever in the history books, not only with her sister, but yeah, as in her father and the rest of the family. I'm beyond certain that they are in mission accomplished land right now, 100-fold, as far as being in the history books. He's the creator of music world entertainment. He's a movie producer, a college professor, successful kids, label in print, exec recording studio mogul real estate tycoon uh cannabis company owner oh wow podcast did everything but run for president right exactly he even has his own podcast like our first conversation was me being a guest on his uh podcast um not to mention uh you know he is a cancer survivor uh breast

cancer survivor. And, you know, incidentally, father of two of the most dauntless, indomitable artist recording music today, whoever those two people are, I don't know. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome finally to Questlef Supreme, Dr. Matthew Knowles. Yes, sir. Hey, Questlove. Thank you. Thank you for the introduction, brother. I have much respect for you. So thank you for allowing me having this opportunity. It was a little tough. We had a little upstarts and stops, but that's like. Yeah, we do.

We do the best you can in the pandemic, bro. Yeah. It was a commitment. I will say that you made the introduction easy because sometimes I have to add a lot more broth to the soup than, you know, deserved. You, you know, you came, you came well stocked. You know, I didn't, I didn't have to add any more flourishing words to your, to your impressive resume. Where are you speaking to us right now from? California.

Ooh, that's great. In my office, we have a corporate home here as well as in Houston. But I'm just, I love here because I get to, you know, when I was a, I was just, I was just, shared this story today 15 years ago I was in my office at Sony at 550 Madison you guys know whether that is and the president told me they had just hired head of A&R paid them five million dollars a year and I asked him I said why the hell did you hire this guy and he said to look out the window and it took me five to about seven years to understand truly what he meant by looking out of the window, that creative space we all get into.

And here it allows me to just look out the window. And you're saying that that sort of environment of looking out the window, and that's where the ideas come into play or just to... Absolutely. That's where the ideas come. That's where, you know, I work now on, my biggest thing that I work on, I'm very grateful the success of my kids and the success I had in corporate America and the music industry.

But I work on happiness. That's the number one thing I work on each and every day as happiness. How long it took you to figure that out? It took me damn near 60 some years to figure that out. You know, we work so hard to get plaques and be number one. And then we find ourselves in a space that we lack happiness. And that's what I work on. How can I be happy?

And part of that is gratitude and not doing a damn thing I don't want to do. Man, listen. Oh, wow. That's a good mantra. That's the episode right there. Thank you very much. That was Questlop Supreme.

I remember, man, I remember watching your interview when you were on Breakfast Club and, you know, you were talking with Charlemagne, and you were saying the way, It was when you had just put out your book, which I really enjoyed the DNA of achievers, the one that you did. And you were talking about how, you know, people compare Beyonce versus Salonj or whatever. And you were saying how every artist has to develop success on their own terms for what they mean to be successful. And I was curious, like, how did you learn that lesson in your career?

Like, how did you, you know, how did you make that realization? Well, I have really great parents. And they were poor. But I never knew we were poor until I got older in life. And they instilled in me the same thing that I instilled in my kids, and that is you can dream and dream big, because the same efforts and energy on a little small idea is the same energy and efforts on the big idea.

So my parents, you know, I watched them work their day job, but yet be entrepreneurs on the weekends and at night. My daddy was a truck driver by day working for white folks. And by night he convinced the white folks to let him use the truck all the time. And he would tear down houses and sell the metals and sell the wood. Tell the scrap, yeah. Yeah, scrap metal, yeah. I see you know that, man.

I'm from North Carolina. So this is home for me. I'm born in the race. Well, we make wine. So, now, I'm familiar. you. What was your what was her gig? You said with your mom, your dad. Well, my mother was a colored, a colored maid.

My dad made $30 a week as a truck driver. My mom made $15 a week as a colored maid. She convinced the white woman she worked for to give her all of her hand-me-down clothes and convinced her to ask her friends to give her to hand-me-down. clothes and on the weekend my mom and a couple of her best friends would make these beautiful quilts and sell them so I saw entrepreneurship my grandfather was on both sides and grandmother on both sides were entrepreneurs so entrepreneurship is part of our tradition and our family and where did you grow up what us what what what was this in the south gas gaston

Alabama it's Alabama got a little small town you know I'd grew up on a dirt road with an outside bathroom until I was about 13, 14 years old. An outhouse. A outhouse. Wow. Okay. Yeah. I have a question.

You said something really crucial at the top. Well, you said two crucial things. One, to find happiness, which you're right. That's something that we learned later in life. I noticed, I think last week, I forgot what I was watching, but I will say. say that one of the biggest mistakes that I think the average black household instills, and you know, this is not strictly just black households, I know this is a universal thought, is oftentimes parents will tell their kids, you know, it's better to be safe than sorry,

or, you know, have a plan B, have a plan C, but, you know, oftentimes when you said that, you know, following your dreams, especially, um, when you're living kind of in a poverty level, or at least below what the average income is for survival, for whatever time period you're speaking of. I know that oftentimes when people are in fight or flight modes for survival, they often think that daydreaming is kind of a waste of time. I sort of grew up, and my family's strong.

structure was definitely more about survival than anything. My actual inner family, like my mother, my father, of course, they were like the dreamers of my father was like one of nine kids. So, you know, kind of like, I'll say that his family was more or less about survival and in terms of getting a good job, making good money, surviving. And he pursued this dream. So how much of a risk is it when you are living in a situation in which you might not know where your next meal is coming from or that sort of thing? Yeah.

Like most people can't or it feels as though they can't afford to daydream when they have bills to pay and that sort of thing. So how do you like how what was different about your situation than the average household? well I share what my parents did I like to use the word rather than survival survival determination they would determine they they weren't passionate about doing their day job that was more determination to provide just like you just said it was a means to an end right but but my parents you know I think in the day day dreaming process At least for me with my kids, it was always about finding that thing you were passionate about and how soon and how early you can find that passion.

And if you think about when we think about the William sisters or Michael Jordan or Michael Jackson or Tiger Woods, they found their passion very, very early. And so my parents gave me that space gave me that that ability to daydream and supported it, just like I supported my kids with whatever their passion. And I always say, you know, had Beyonce or Ceylonge both said, Daddy, I want to, I want to be a doctor. I would have supported that. I would have sent them to a school that had science. I would have gone to the, you know, library, let them.

them read about science and medicine and surround them with that. But I would have said, though, once you get your license and graduate from med school, your dad will have bought a hospital. Think about that. It was never you're going to work for somebody. It was you're going to be in a position of entrepreneurship and wealth, which, like people, we always hesitate and, and a shy about talking about building wealth.

Not anymore. Yeah, yeah. I admit that in my personal situation, like, you know, and even now I still wrestle with that because, you know, I come from West Philadelphia. And I mean, like you can attest to this, like when I'm in Philadelphia,

I still feel the need to drive my first raggedy car. I have sentimental value. to it, but of course, you know, I also have a grown man's car. I have a Maybought, but... And you have a Oscar winning documentary we put in this in the world. Quit trying to play broke, nigga.

You're out here, huh? And guess what's there? Quit trying to play broke and also break us down how you diversify because some of us is trying to get there because it's dope the way that you do the way you do with the products with all your 51 jobs. Yeah, he got like, I'm with Matthew. No, no, but here's

the thing though. Here's, okay, so again, you two have been following me the last year, so you know, I've kind of been running the same narrative on the show. I'm now learning that okay, when I was doing the 19 job thing

where I said yes to everything, 19 job, yeah, I'll do that, I'll produce that. I don't, no, no, no, no, no. According to someone nameless, she said that that was me being the mayor. She's like, you enjoy being the mayor.

Like, the mayor is the person. that it's sort of like the super of the apartment you know like bookman like fixing the pipes and I'll fix your electricity and da da da da da and she's like first of all you know because you're in fight or flight mood

you know that's why you keep saying yes to everything and she's like it's the moment you let those things go and give yourself a chance to breathe and look out the window which is why when he said looking out the window I knew exactly what it meant because you know

I finally discovered that look out the window moment during the pandemic, you know. Now, a person who said this was this, that their name start with G and rhyme with race? Yes, it was grace. So. P.S., why didn't we pick up on this looking out the window thing when good times came on? Because we knew that what they were looking at was not motivated. Yeah, that was depressing. That's what they were telling us, though.

Just looking out of the window watching the ass far row. No, but it's daydreaming. You know, there's a really interesting episode of Sol. train in 75 Don Cornelius asks you know at this point Michael Jackson's like 17 and um you know it's like a senior year of high school so you know Don is joking with Michael Jackson about like him and Danny Bodanjucci in the same high school and how Danny always gets in trouble and Mike doesn't get in trouble and you know he asked Mike like what are you doing your spare time like as a 17 year old and Mike had a very very interesting answer that he's

to always laugh at until now. Mike's first answer was, you know, I'll just like to sit and daydream. Which, right, that sounded silly, but I didn't realize the importance of daydreaming. That puts your mind space in the space of achievement. And if you, you know, if you follow Michael Jackson's career,

especially in the Spike Lee documentaries, like he was world famous for like documenting his daydreams. One day, I want to achieve the dinner, and then I want to be the dinner. So I'm realizing that now, you know, in this late stage of my life. But, you know, I really wish I could hone in and tell people, at least listen to this episode, how it's so important to encourage your kids, to dream, to, you know, really take the time out to sit in silence and to daydream. because, you know, I kind of came from a school where it was like, you know, bird and a hand beast doing the bush and, you know, if you don't work, you can't eat.

Like all those idioms that my grandmom used to say like, wait a boy, and, you know, they ain't going to feed itself, that sort of thing. Like, I grew up in that sort of household when my parents were on the road. And, you know, I always thought, like, you can't afford to daydream. Like, you've got to work to survive. And now I'm realizing it's the opposite. it. And daydreaming allows us also to visualize, to visualize where we can be in the future. Because if we don't, if we don't visualize and see it, like people ask me all the time, like, did you ever think that, you know, Desi Child or Beyonce or Solange would be as successful? Absolutely. I used to visualize it. I actually

used to see it. And that's one of the things that daydreaming, and just taking time out sometimes, just like you just said, Questlove, just to take time out. And the older I get, and I think it also has to do as you get older and experience life more, you begin to see life differently.

I'm, you know, I'll be 70 years old in five months. Hey, good. That's good. Okay. And so I'm a reality, I'm in reality. mode that you know time is is my window is getting short and and so I see life differently as well so that's part of it well you just reminded me that it's going to be 2002 in five months like in my mind

it might be May I was doing a minute no you was born in January that's like next year and now I'm realizing that January is next year exactly Can I ask a question about your upbringing a little bit? Because I know that one of the things that brought folks to the attention of how kind of dope you are, for lack of a better term, was the Salonj album. And when you do the piece, it's the right to be mad, which she wrote, but it's your story. And it made me think about you talking about fantasy and how you basically were raised.

And yeah, you can fantasize, but you also have this reality in your face of being like a first. Can you just talk about like that piece and, Yeah, I tell you, people just don't know Salange. Salang, you know, we made a big, big mistake on her first album. You know, Salon's was 15. Was that the Hadley Street Dreams record? No, no, no. That was a great record.

Solo star. Oh, the solo star, right. Solo star. Got me. Gotcha. You know, I made a big mistake. Columbia Records made a big mistake of trying to make her something. she really wasn't and trying to make her a pop artist and that's not really who she is and it was

with Hadley Street Dream dreams that she really took a stand about her artistry and she was right and she wrote her way and performed her way out of the shadow of her sister you know we used to say And Beyonce's little sister, Solange. People don't say that anymore. And people don't even know that Kelly Rowland's first album, which people don't know Kelly Rowland either. Most people don't know Kelly Rowland's album. First album sold four million records outside of America.

Four million. And that album, half of it, Salon's wrote. Right. or the song she wrote for Beyonce or Destiny's Child or all the other many artists. So, you know, I really look back, you know, it's crazy because the next book I'm doing is called When I Look Back. But when I look back, that's the one thing I'm proud is that Shalange stood up for her artistic expression and to become part of the process. Because, you know, when you're small, young, rather, you don't really get an opportunity to be part of the process.

So I'm proud of Salon's. I still wanted you to just talk about the interlude, though, with the you got the right to be mad and how you felt when she came to you and said she wanted you to be. Well, it was really an interesting moment. What you don't know is Salon's orchestrated. I had never seen my former wife since our divorce. And we actually

didn't know it, but we walked into a room in New Orleans. And so that was a special moment in itself, you know. You know, Solange, with her creativity, she knew how to, I think she knew also how to bring something out of me and took me back to my childhood, which as a child, I never went to a black school.

Growing up in Gaston, Alabama, George Wallace, the governor, Al Lingo, my age from Alabama, you know that name, because this guy was over the state troopers. You know, it was really tough for me, being the very first,

one of the first and going to a Catholic elementary school in Gaston, Alabama. Who does that? I mean, they get hit you. Who does that? And then going to a junior high school with a thousand white kids and first days. You know, George Wallace had this thing about freedom of choice. You can go to any school you want to, but you're on your damn own. Don't ask me to save you, support you, protect you,

protect you on your own your own. So those were tough times being one of the first. And my mother was so frightening in my junior high that she actually took a job at the school. I know that's right. In the lunchroom so that she could be there as a cook so she could be there with her child. Because we never knew what was going to.

happen we got in fights you know the white kids would circle us and here we are in the middle of a fight we didn't know what was going to happen that day and mr. novo you're a only child at this time you have any brothers or sisters well you know i have my brother it has passed on he was nine years older and my sister who my parents adopted uh is nine years younger so we all in a way we're the only child Because I always spirits and stuff by y'allself. Yeah, right. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.

And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Cliverts Show isn't just a podcast.

It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clivert Show on the IHeart 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. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl. You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And rule two, never mess with her friends either. We always say that trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield.

And in this new season of the girlfriends, Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hit by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me? The cops didn't seem to care. So they take matters into their own hands. I said, oh, hell no.

I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 Galko,

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. iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 and TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. What's up, everyone? I'm Ego Vodom. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers Anchorman, Saturday Night Live and the Big Money Players Network. It's Will Ferrell.

My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with them one day. And I was like, And dad, I think I want to really give this a shot. I don't know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through, and I know it's a place that come look for up and coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet. Yeah. He goes, but there's so much luck involved. And he's like, just give it a shot.

He goes, but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to Thanks Dad on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of The Fultonar Stars. And now, I guess also is the co-host of the Away End, a brand new world soccer podcast. I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist, and John and I have known each other since we were kids. My first World Cup was Mexico 86. I was nine years old. I watched every game, and I fell in love. On our new podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup.

For us, soccer, football, is a story we've shared for over 30 years since Daniel was the star player on our high school soccer team. Very debatable. And I was there most loyal and sometimes only. fan. I love this game. I love its history, its hope, its heartbreak, and above all, it's beauty. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to the away end with Daniel Alarcon and John Green

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. When do you consider Salon's made a lot about your involvement in the civil rights period? Of course, you know, If you're in Gatson, Alabama, as a elementary school student, I'm certain that every day was a day for civil rights. But when do you consider your actual entry into participating in the civil rights period? It would be my first demonstration. You know, most people, Questlove, don't realize how young we were as kids participating in demonstrations. And when the state troopers were beating, they didn't care of you a woman, a man, or child.

And so in that period of leaving a church, going to a penny's store and sitting at the counter there in a cafeteria, and state troopers coming, people running, screaming, those were the experience. I've been beaten, I've been spit on, I've been electric prided. And those of you that don't know what that is, it's like a tool. It's a cattle pride pretty much. Yeah, that's used for cattle. And they use that a lot, that electric prodder on us. And it was really, I remember one time I was demonstrating, and they made the older men take off their shoes and walk barefoot.

And it was like 100 degrees. So you can imagine that. Or when we would demonstrate, I remember many times at night we would demonstrate at the courtroom. And we had no outside facilities. The ladies had to surround. The men had to dig holes in the dirt. We did what we had to do to survive. People don't realize what really went through that civil rights movement.

and how people risk their lives to get us to where we are today. That's why I still hold people accountable because COVID and a lot of what's happened is because when Donald Trump ran for president, black folks, we didn't vote like we did eight years previous. And I'm going to always hold and remind black folks the accountability of that. I had to take a moment of silence. to just digest that. In terms of, well, when you were knee-deep in these protests or whatever, like, did you, you're

saying you did this at a young age, correct? Yes. I'm talking 12 years old around that age. So even then you had the wherewithal to even comprehend what you were doing and why you were doing it? Did you, and at 12, did you feel as though there was going to be an end-game or? a time period in which you wouldn't have to do this anymore? Or did it just feel like hopeless?

I just knew it was wrong. I was a child. My mother was an activist. My mother grew up in Marion, Alabama. My mother went to high school with Koretta King and Andrew Young's wife. They all went to high school, the same grade, Lincoln Memorial High School in Marion, Alabama. By the way, we don't know the proper story. Now, if Martin Luther King and Andrew Young

married these two women from Marion, which is about eight, nine miles from Selma. Ah, okay. We don't know about Brother Jackson who got hung in Marion. Because we talk about Selma, it really started in Marion. But not to get on that, But my mother was really engraved in the civil rights movement.

So I understood a lot. When you're a kid, you don't totally understand it. But you know wrong and you know you're being treated differently. And I had to go to therapy. Years of therapy. Years of therapy for racial trauma. And if today women can talk about things that happen, 30, 40, 50 years ago

and sexual trauma, then we have to acknowledge that also racial trauma impacts us. When did you start that journey of going to therapy and addressing that? How old were you? This was my adult. I'm talking in 2004, 5.

Yeah, it's fairly recent. Definitely a new trend for black men to talk about going to therapy. I love to facts. Yeah, I was in therapy for, I mean back-to-back weekly therapy for almost 10 years and at the beginning didn't quite understand because I had this personality and still have to work on it still have to work on it this compulsive personality you know I love I I I don't

know if that impacted cranes in the sky but when so long say I I I'd drank too much, a dance too much, a party too much. That was me. You know, I did everything too damn much. Try to drink it away. Try to drink it away. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so that was me and doing that period, just compulsive.

Got to do more, got to do more, got to do more, got to do more, not enough. And so I had to come to grips of that. It actually caused me my marriage, that behavior. And I take responsibility and accountability for that. I don't run or hide from that. But, you know, it was up when I finally met and got a black male therapist. Things changed for me. How did you find one of them?

Oh, my God. I've been looking for it forever. There's a couple of websites, Delfand, days. Yeah, that's one in Dallas, Texas, a brother there that, really, really impacted. Because I had been going to a Jewish white woman from New York who was traditional, you know, all the acronyms. And this brother said, no, no, let's go back to your childhood from a different perspective.

What was the trauma? And the trauma was you were a kid fearful of your life. The trauma was, you know, you. were taught to feel not as equal less than that you had to do all of this stuff to get acknowledgement. And it's when I began to understand that better. And I still have to work on it. Yeah.

I can see I'm touching. I'm touching some things. Yeah, because I'm not right. Wait, I'm going to tell you all, this is almost, I want you to take over this interview because like you don't know in my head, in my head right now. now I'm like really trying to hold back the the like this is shit I wish like my my main regret was like right now I'm just really overwhelmed it's got to start talking to hear an older black man talk this way because like I'm in my head I'm like damn man like this is shit this is the evolution

I wish my dad had went through before he passed away like he kind of he kind of he kind of landed the plane nicely, maybe in like the last, sort of like the last year of his life when he knew he was going to leave, you know, and then we finally, like, you know, because like Black men just didn't talk about feelings. Well, especially boomers, like especially boomers. Like, I think Dr. Knowles is the exception to the rule. But yeah, like this is really, I really have no questions left. Like, I'm just, I'm going to hear.

Like, can I just ask? Okay, so this is my question because you said you did some racial therapy and it's interesting. because I thought about something when Amir said, said something about the way his parents raised him about not being daydreamers and stuff. And it seems like the reason to go toward the racial part is because, and the reason sometimes for a black therapist is because the trauma is so deep and generational that you need to understand why that generation before didn't allow for daydreaming because they didn't feel like it was allowed to them.

That was how to protect themselves. Hell yeah. Everything that we do has such a cause. And a lot of us just don't even, we think that it's just something fresh. new and something wrong with us, but it's so generational and generational trauma. It's just, am I, and every generation is, oh, I'm sorry, go ahead. No, no, no, no.

You're all on the right path here. I, and again, I learn and learn so much. I mean, there was a part of me, a chaotic part of me. And I think we all have a chaotic part of ourselves that we have comes to come to grips with. And in that process, it was just a lot I learned. Like eroticized rage, probably a word you've never heard before. Tell me, tell me, tell me. Eroticized rage.

Yes. Erodicized, like, okay, got it. Okay, that's what we sure heard you. It's a therapeutic term. I, because I was the skinny black kid, the coach in junior high school, asked me to play basketball, and I was always the last kid to get picked on the sandlot with the black kids. but he thought I could play but I couldn't. Same.

You looked apart. I thought I could play football, but. Yeah, it looked like Tarzan, play like James. Black tall kid must play basketball. But, you know, I picked up kind of quickly and then something happened. I understood quickly that by being a basketball star, it gave me privileges.

And so I started dating white girls and started dating white girls only. In Alabama? Primitive exoticism, yes. But it wasn't over. You couldn't just be out there with it. Right. You know, but it made me,

and my mother was a good mom, but some things, as all of us, she used to tell me, and it was embedded. Don't you ever bring no black nappy-haired girl to my house. Trauma. Trauma. Really?

Wow. Right. So hearing it from your, and you were hearing that from your mother. His mother. My mother. Told you not to bring no black girls on. Right. No nappy-haired.

No nape girl. Wow. But she would have been okay if she was light complexion. She passed the paper bag test then. Right. Mr. Knows you're making me so happy. happy with this conversation right now. This is the first.

I didn't even think conversations like this could happen with any black person at least not born before 1975. All right. Because are you basically admitting that she had an effect on your choices in that way too, like subconsciously? Because

yeah, she understood that, you know. But a lot happened a lot happen to black folks that we don't understand those impacts and I'll just let you guys ask the question because this is it's going to a place this conversation that I think the universe wanted it to go 100% I'm forward um no seriously I was yeah where do we start I got it's all it's okay Questlove so how did you okay so in in this in throughout this journey

one thing that came to mind was once you got to the point where you were successful and, you know, you had got your girls' careers kind of off the ground and Descentra was pointing everything, how did you fight against that, I guess that survivor's guilt or that survivor's remorse kind of like seeing how far you've come and realizing like, oh my God, like I actually made it, so to speak, you know, how did you fight against when you talk about just those old traumas, old, no, bad behaviors? how did you stop from, I guess, self-sabotaging yourself in that way? Or were you able to, you know? I had to go through this process of understanding why. And like I said, it cost me dearly. But to your question of feeling guilty about success, you know, my dad, again, my parents, my dad was a volunteer fireman. He wanted to be, that was his dream was to be a fireman, but you couldn't

be of firemen in Alabama, Gaston, Alabama, we're talking in 60s if you were black. So my dad used to, my dad was six, four, 400 pounds, call him Big Mac. Oh. And there's one word to describe my dad, gentle. What else? Yeah. Gentle. All he did was help people.

So this whole thing about giving back, I don't feel guilty about success because I learned as a kid watching my parents give back to their communities and giving back to help people. So I can say I never felt guilt from success because I worked very hard for it and was fortunate to find my passion early in life. which was the ability to communicate effectively. In the early days when you were, when you and Ms. Knows and y'all were working with the girls and doing Justin's child, how did you learn, I guess, to kind of differentiate between being the dad and being the manager, being the coach? You know what I'm saying? Like how did, you know, how did you kind of, I guess, compartmentalize all those roles? Well, that was, that's a good question. You know, I have to say I'm guilty of last night.

watching Jermaine DePree's show called something rap. The rap kids, the one with the kids of rap or whatever? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I watched six or seven episodes, and every episode had about five or six. I mean, I was up about four hours. I couldn't. And they had the parents and the kids.

They were all between 12 and 16. You know, fortunate for me again. I did 20 years of corporate America. So I brought a different skill set to the music industry than most. And, you know, most people in media would have what I call the Jedi Mind Trick have you to believe that I left corporate America to be Beyonce's manager. And that's not true. I left, and they always say Xerox. Well, I left Xerox in 1988, and then I was one of the first blacks.

And in my life, have followed this pattern of one of the first blacks. So listen to me through. I was fortunate and grateful to work at Xerox Corporation in the 80s, which was a number one corporation for blacks to work in. And I was the president of minorities united in the southern region, which was about 400 black employees. I was the president of that organization for three years. I was fortunate to be the number one sales rep worldwide Xerox medical systems three out of four years.

To be the first or one of the first blacks, I'm not sure, to sell MRI and CT scanners in America. What? And to be a neurosurgical specialist with Johnson and Johnson. and Johnson, that's how I ended my career. See, people don't know my career. I don't know what that is. A neurodural. The neurosurgical specialist. I would work with neurosurgeons and implants and certain surgical procedures

dealing with the head and neck. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clever Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football or my career in sports media.

Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told,

and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl.

You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And Rule 2, never mess with her friends either. We always say that trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield, and in this new season of the girlfriends... Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hit by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me?

The cops didn't seem to care. So they take matters into their own hands. I said, oh, hell no. I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe.

On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. 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 Podcasts

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. What's up, everyone? I'm Ago Vodam. My next guest, you know from Stepbrothers, Anchorman, Saturday Night Live and the Big Money Players Network, it's Will Ferrell.

Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo. My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with them one day, and I was like, and Dad, I think I want to really give this a shot. I don't know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through, and I know it's a place they come, look for up-and-coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you,

which is really sweet. Yeah. He goes, but there's so much luck involved. and he's like, just give it a shot. He goes, but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat.

Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to Thanks, Dad, on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of The Fault and Our Stars,

and now I guess also as the co-host of The Away End, a brand new world soccer podcast. I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist, and John and I have known each other since we were kids. My first World Cup was Mexico 86. I was nine years old. I watched every game and I fell in love. On our new podcast, The Away End,

we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. For us, soccer, is a story we've shared for over 30 years since Daniel was the star player on our high school soccer team. Very debatable. And I was their most loyal and sometimes only fan. I love this game. I love its history, its hope, its heartbreak, and above all, its beauty.

Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to the away end with Daniel Alarcon and John Green on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Okay, we kind of went way deep into the future of the 80s, but there's one question I have. One, when did you leave Gadsden, Alabama? And how did you wind up in Houston? I left Gaston, Alabama in 1970.

I was fortunate to have a number of scholarships, and my mother wanted me to stay close to home, so I accepted, University of Tennessee. That's where I play basketball for two years. And then transferred because I had never been to a black school. And we had scrimmage. You know how major white school, scrimmage, little small black school.

We had scrimmage, Fisk University in Nashville. And Coach Ronald Lawson, when he was leaving the floor, whispered in my ear, knows if you ever want to come to a black school. school you have a full scholarship and so I ended up transferring to Fiss University and and graduated there and 74 worked at AT&T for a year and a half and then me and my frat brothers Omega side 5 fraternity I was waiting for it up I was what was your major before we go what was you study in FIS I had a degree in economics and one in

business okay got you business administration uh and we we actually me and three frat brothers got in my 98 osomobile that the university tennessee gave me oh you know used to get cars and stuff it was legal right there yeah back okay back in the 70s you know you can do that uh and and we tennessee state played texas southern and we got to houston we were like man Wait a minute, something's wrong. These fratboats got these good jobs, man, and they weren't even as smart as us. So I just got in a car, December 6, 1976,

and made one stop, which was a crazy stop, but got to Houston and had a job. I mean, I literally worked at Lanier Business Products and Pitney Bowles at the same time for a month. Bode. Wow. At the same time for a month, because what they used to do was give you a big book and you would go and study at your apartment and then they would send you to training.

So I wouldn't, I was like, wait a minute, I could do that at my apartment and get paid by both of them. So I got paid by both of them and then I ended up taking the Pitney Bowes job. All these. 50 bowls? Pitney Bowls. Pitney Bowls. They used to be the leader and you used to have to, if you were in a business, you had this machine that did this postage.

Mailing and postage. It was still envelopes and stamp envelopes. Stamped envelopes. It was like the number one leader in that area. But it was, I was in sales and marketing. You're telling us you're like the ultimate salesperson. And I think oftentimes people don't realize the talent that it takes to be a salesperson like that. Like, especially on equipment and things of that nature.

Like, that's that whole other talent that now I see that transitions well into management. No, you're selling yourself. You ain't selling the product. You hit it on the head. People buy you. Then your product. Yeah. And in the music industry, we always tell my artists, I call it the three second rule.

When you see a new person for the first time, in three seconds, your brain comes up with, what you think about them. You say, they're attractive, they're not so smart, or whatever it is. Your brain in three seconds, and it's hard to change that opinion

once someone has opinion of you. Hmm. Three second rule. So, okay, if you apply that, I'm certain that you, well, you're at least in a field in which you know you have to make an impression.

It's, okay, now that you, you say that, now I really regret a lot of life decisions. Because in my profession, now I'll be honest with you. In my profession, I thought our advantage was if you underestimated me. And that's a lesson that Richard taught me. Because here's the thing, my late manager, Richard, who passed away with leukemia. He, Rich, Rich was a guy who's, I mean, to say Mensa level genius would be, an understatement when it comes to Rich. But because of Rich also taught me the value of what he would call primitive exotica,

which was he knew that there was a sort of curious, fetish-sizing factor about him that interest certain prominent white people. Here's a great example. Norman Lear, creator of good time. I mean, I met him. And, yeah. Yeah, Norman is actually 99 now. Like, he's still alive. Don't.

We happen to be at an event in L.A. And Rich is the kind of guy that, you know, like, when white people discover, like, that smart black guy that really impresses them, almost like it's like their new tour or that sort of thing. Like, that's the person that Rich was. Rich was the guy that read science books and all these things. And so, you know, he would sort of just work his stick, knowing that people were. underestimating him as he spoke but realizing like wow how amazingly smart he is and next you know like norman lear literally said can you go on tour with me and rich trying to explain like no i'm actually a manager of like a band and i have a real job but norman's like no i just i want you

to and rich actually spent two weeks with norman lear in beverly hills and norman just took him to every all this friends like look at my new i know this sounds really weird like it's the update of the toy. Also, because I know what Rich looks like, and Rich is a nice chocolate brother with locks, and it's very, yeah, yeah. Right, but Rich also knew that the scary factor, like the fact that if you see

Rich in the first three seconds, you're thinking of the scariest thing. And then, you know, he starts with this Harvard, you know, intelligency of thing, and that just totally throws you off. And I don't know. Like, I think in

our, I'm now, I'm now trying to unlearn everything that Rich taught me. And because the way that we entered through the gates was to always be underestimated. Like, people would see the roots and like, oh, my God, what are you all? Like, a rest of development, PM, doing like, y'all is whack. You're in Birkenstocks and all those things. But then we start playing and be like, you know, it's like when Dame Dash said on Kanye's Westing, like, oh, shit, it's not whack. Like, oh, you guys are good.

we i sort of used that factor for the longest instead of trying to make a good impression i would always try to go through the door to lower the expectation yeah like i lived life trying to lower expectations and then i'm now noticing now 30 years later that maybe that didn't serve me too well well you know we all learned and and and i'm sure he was a really really good manager But we have different perspectives. I think for me, it's the reveal, just similar to when you see an artist for the first time come out on stage. You know, at Music World, we work on that reveal those first three seconds. Think about it for a second when you see Solange and Beyonce, what happens in the first three seconds of their show.

Dude, you don't even have to tell me. Matter of fact, the first time I ever met you, the first time I met you, you know, Beyonce was starting her her first solo tour, the one that she did with Missy and Alicia. Ladies first. Yeah, the ladies' first tour.

Yeah. And by that point, I had seen maybe three of her shows in which, you know, I always told her, like, I'm really impressed with your interests. Like, you do these amazing,

the way that you enter the stage is really, you know, crazy. like I so so when they came to town to Philadelphia I'm from Philadelphia right before she goes on I was like okay so what's the entrance like she's like you're going to see go running the audience stay stay by the soundboards I didn't realize okay so she did the thing where she entered from the back of the stadium uh with the gentleman carrying her on the care I don't know like the queen of sheba thing right and the thing was is that I came just to see how she was how she

he was going to enter the stage because by that point next to Michael Jackson I'd never met anyone that really really concentrated hard on making a first one like a good impression on the first minute and I also know I learned another thing that show at least five minutes later okay so the way that the stage is set up at one point if you if those who are listening to the podcast. If you remember like those old like sort of like Vegas review shows where the person's name would be spelled out in and

lights like a bunch of light bulbs. There was one light bulb out on the letter O of Beyonce and I saw you lose your mind in the sound and then suddenly I stopped

watching her show for like 20 minutes and suddenly I had never seen like this is my Malcolm X moment where the guy goes up to him in the cafeteria. You never seen nobody taught no police like that. Yeah, right? Exactly. Like, I'd never seen one person bark in order and sent 12 people absolutely running to the hills for

their lives to fix one light bulb on stage. I've never seen that in my life. And, and you know why? Because that light bulb was blinking. which could affect it Beyonce's concentration. Ooh. Yes. You affected the show.

Yeah. Yeah. I watched you for the next 20 minutes because, you know, normally in that setting, I'm on stage and I'd never get to see, you know, the runnings of the show. Because if I'm at a concert, I'm watching the show or I'm on stage. So this is one of the rare moments where I'm watching someone run the show in a way that I'm, I'd never, ever, ever. And most people don't realize

Destiny's Child entire performance career, Beyonce's first three of four world tours, Salon's first tours, I did the front of the house sound. Oh, wow. And I did that because Destiny's Child did their first tour was with boys to men.

and when you have four ladies singing and everyone played a role one one person in between songs that's who talked to the audience and so I would punch in and out punch in and out vocals and we had the background tracks on the tape and so the engineer back then you paid the junior engineer 50 dollars a show but he didn't know who was singing and went. He didn't know the show. And so it sounded awful. And I said, hey, teach me. Teach me.

And so from that point, when we're doing TV tracks, and then when we got to when Beyonce was doing band, I didn't do the band, but I always did Beyonce's and vocals. How long did it take for you to master that? I mastered it quick. I mastered like two or three shows. because I just knew when to put the delays, when to punch in, punch out.

I mean, these are things people don't know about me, Questlove at all. That's why you hear. Hey, talk your shit, right? Come on, what I know. You know, they don't know this at all. They do now. Okay, so the thing is, is that, okay, so when you get to Houston, I don't know the exact year that you moved, but.

December 6, 1970s. 1970s. Oh, okay. All right, 19776. When you are developing, first of all, how do you know

that the talent that your kids have? How do you know that it's beyond just like performing at family functions and Thanksgiving? Like I used to be called to the table all the time

to do the robot. Amir, do the Michael Jackson real quick. That's what it. Like, where it comes from, every parent has that story where they,

you know, they wake up kid from sleep and you know they're having a party downstairs all right go sing oritha franklin for some like that was teddy pendergrass i'm with you on that yeah yeah right wait what you sang teddy pendergaret oh yeah go sing that teddy pendergast song oh what teddy pendergast you sing you? wait you know what my parents was good parents I know what I'm saying what I'm just trying what song did you sing I'm trying to hear what key like what you even sing oh you would sing close the door I don't know what I'm saying close the door you would get that low you could

That deep. For a kid, it'll be cute. That was your point. You wanted to know where kid did she see that in. Yeah. That's amazing. I was like, I said I knew the words.

If it's cute that I knew the words. I can. Laid, I think you just might have won the animated spot. For real. Laia seen close the door. Are you shitting me? Dude, that's amazing. Come on, huh?

Hey, that was Teddy May Pendergrass. Oh, you got jokes, Mr. Nose, Dr. Nose. You have no idea. I have jokes, man. I'm quick with my jokes, man. What's your sign? I'm sorry, I'm just, Capricorn.

Oh, yeah. Yes, indeed. Yes, indeed. What's your birthday? January night. Okay, you're gentlemen. I'm December 28th. Yeah.

Dang. Between all of us. We're all capricorn. Sorry, Steve. We are. Yeah, we are. Wait a minute, Steve. We don't never claim it.

Soon, right? Yeah. September 6th, Virgos. Yeah. We're amazing people. We just can't figure out what to order in a restaurant. But other than that, it's pretty great. You are amazing people.

Beyonce is September 4th. Bam. That just solidified. Tell us what's up. There we go. There you go. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clever Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.

And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health,

purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be.

Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart 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. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl. You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And rule two,

never mess with her friends either. We always say that, trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield, and in this new season of the girlfriends, Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hit by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me? The cops didn't seem to care, so they take matters into their own hands.

I said, oh, hell no. I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. 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 Slicalife-Live 12 and TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. What's up, everyone? I'm Ago Vodam. My next guest, you know from Stepbrothers, Anchorman, Saturday Night Live, and The Big Money Players Network,

It's Will Farrell My dad gave me the best advice ever I went and had lunch with him one day And I was like And dad I think I want to really give this a shot I don't know what that means But I just know the groundlings I'm working my way up through

And I know it's a place that come Look for up and coming talent He said if it was based solely on talent I wouldn't worry about you Which is really sweet Yeah He goes but there's so much luck involved And he's like

Just give it a shot He goes but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right. It wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to Thanks Dad on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of The Fault and Our Stars, and now I guess also is the co-host of The Away End,

a brand new world soccer podcast. I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist, and John and I have known each other since we were kids. My first World Cup was Mexico 86. I was nine years old. I watched every game, and I fell in love. On our new podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. For us, soccer, football, is a story we've shared for over 30 years since Daniel was the star player on our high school soccer team. Very debatable. And I was their most loyal and sometimes only fan. I love this game. I love its history, it's hope, it's heartbreak, and above all, it's beauty. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to the away end with

Daniel Auerrecon and John Green on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right. So when how do you know that this is much more than yeah just you know good for good for the church choir how do you know that okay my my daughter might have something so parenting you know I think the role of a parent with their kids is to surround them with as much as they can I would take the girls and me and my former wife would take the girls to like I said to the library we would take them and

support their science fairs we would get them in dance lessons and so that they could figure out and we could see what they gravitated towards and both Solange and Biazzi gravitated towards

music and so then we surrounded them even more with support so for Beyonce she was in the she was eight years old she was in a talent show against the 12 13 year old kids and we were sitting there it was her first time performing and she said mom dad I'm I'm ready to go so we can go eat because I need to win a hundred dollars and take my get my trophy and we said well how do you know you're going to win this talent show and we weren't paying attention to her practicing or anything.

And she said, I just know, I just know. And sure enough, she got a standing ovation. Well, after she won 31 consecutive talent shows, we then start thinking, oh, maybe this is what she really likes. And maybe this is what she might be one day, entertainer. And the same with Salerns, same kind of story.

Do you... I got to say this, Salern's did something really different. Salon's, when she was about nine, one day we came home, she was with the maid, she dismantled about 12 of Beyonce's trophies. Totally completely dismantled them. I understand it now as a parent, she was saying, what about me? What about me? So, you know...

Well, these trophies don't mean nothing. Wow. Wow. Okay, so I know that, in sort of that, what's his name, Blink and the tipping point. Oh, Malcolm Gladwell. Malcolm Gladwell. Outliers. Yeah, and outliers. He says that 10,000 hours of preparation equals genius.

I've seen, you know, some clips about, you know, Camp Knowles or whatever, how. you would train them. How, okay, first of all, can you explain about the decision to leave your cushy comfort job as a salesman? And how did that, how did your wife work that out? Yeah. Yeah. What's the, what was the decision to really make the leap into, okay, I'm going to now steer

this? steer this empire to where it should go so that we can have a legacy so so you know when i was at xerox medical systems i told you i was highly successful there highly successful at phillips not so much successful at johnson and johnson in that neurosurgical position uh i i didn't like it because you know i came from selling a five million dollar piece of equipment to selling a whole bunch of $1,000 instruments. And I didn't like that. I didn't like on the weekends going to the operating room and having a pager every other

weekend. I just didn't like getting up at 4 in the morning going to surgery. And so one of the hospitals in the medical center, after a procedure, I got paged. So I thought, did the patient die? Did I say something wrong? did I do something wrong? So I run up to the neurosurgeon's office and he tells me, Mr. Knows,

I can't use your instruments anymore. And I asked him why. He said, showed me the letter that if he didn't reduce his cost per procedure, if he didn't reduce that, he was not, he was going to lose his privileges at that hospital. Wow. And no surgeon wants that,

because that's their livelihood. at that point I called Tina my former wife and said I can't do this shit anymore quote that's exactly what I said because I was like I'm not selling quality I'm selling costs and I just can't do that I'm really ready selling a whole bunch of little stuff and I just didn't like what I was doing so I realized at that moment that was a defining moment and we all have defining moments in our lives that I had to do something else. I was going to get fired anyway. So I knew I had to do something else,

and I decided I wanted to change my career. What people don't know is when I was a kid, my dad at 400 pounds could dance his butt off. And they would go my mom and dad on Sundays into the living room that had that plastic on it. Y'all too young to understand that. Oh, no. Who you talk about?

I'm not. We're that young? I'm, I sweat it on that. I'm still got plastic on the couch now. So they would go in there, man, and they started dancing. And my job was to put, I had a nickel, a dime, and a quarter. And we had vinyl. And my job was to put and look at that vinyl.

And finally, you know, more I heard it, I knew. So it went scratch because my dad would get really mad when he was dancing if the record scratched. And so I then. start reading the liner notes and I didn't realize but I became a DJ every Sunday they did this every Sunday you know they I knew I could tell by my my dad's emotions what songs to play and that's really what a DJ does anyway I knew peaches and herbs close my eyes read the room you know I do I better put close my eyes on right now fat fat's domino you know that was one of his jams. I knew if he wanted to do some up-tempo, I better do fast domino.

But, and most people, not most, hardly anybody knows that in high school I was actually, we had a boy group, you know, back in the day, talent shows was a big thing in the black community. But at our high school, we had a, you know, we, we won, actually. We did psychedelic shack by the temptation. By temptation. Temptations. Wow. Seconding, that's where it's it. Yeah. And I just love music.

I always love, love the music. And so I decided, and at the same time, Beyonce was in this girl group called Girls' Time. All I did, because my former wife, we owned a hair salon. And so on the weekends was her big days. And that's when the girls would practice Fridays and Saturdays. So I would drop her off at practice, go play basketball, come back and pick her up. And then they got to Star Search, which is like American Idol, and they lost. And I'm there.

They asked me to come to bring all the wardrobe because their managers thought they were going to win for a month, and had a whole room just for the wardrobe. And then when they lost, I went up to Ed McMahon. I said, well, these kids are crying their hearts out. What do I do? And he said, I don't know why, Mr. No. Actually, he said, I don't know why. He had a Don Cornelia's voice.

He said, but everyone that consistently win on the show professionally go on to do nothing. It's the people that lose. Alia, Justin Timberleet, Usher, Alana's Marce, I can go on and on. They went on to be successful because they recommitted, rededicated, changed their organization.

And I never forgot those words. And that makes sense. Because the people that win think they want. They think, oh, I made it. And it's like, nah, you didn't. Right. And so, it's interesting. It's like 18 A-list artists.

Google it sometime. You'd be surprised all the people. But, but, but I, actually ended up because I have always believed in knowledge is power so I went back to junior college Houston Community College here in Houston and on the weekends I took artist management music production and I took publishing on the weekends on Saturdays and over a year period and went to every seminar I could and And I would be the guy you want to shut up because I keep asking every question, everybody's shy and quiet.

I'd be like, oh, well, how about this? And why do you do this? And I understood relationships. Now, this is what's going to surprise you. The first artist, and Google this, the first artist that I ever signed to a major record deal, and the first artist that I signed as a manager, was not Destiny's Child. Who was it?

Little O, his single is Can't Stop. He was signed to MCA records in the peak when they had Mary J. Blige, Joe Dissy, P. Diddy, I can go on and on. MCA A.

And what was his name again? What was his name again? Lil O. Little O. And a single is called Can't Stop and it features Destiny. How the hell did I convince MCA

records to put a Columbia records artist that didn't even have a record on his first single, but I did. But oh, it's my first artist, a rap artist. The sample is loose ends. Wow.

Yeah, you can't stop the rain. Oh, okay. Wait, question. Okay, because I didn't ask this about your Xerox thing, but who is your communications expertise, is that self-taught? Or did you, is this something you learned in college?

Because, yes, I do know that the key to a successful business person is one that remembers names. And, you know, it's personable, is a people person. All things I kind of don't like about this industry. But I realize that I have to jump in the pool somewhat begrudgingly. But like, who talks? you the art of communication. Yeah, my foundation is and was from Xerox Corporation. And if you research, there's been so many presidents of corporations, black men and women that in the 80s, talking back in the days, 70s and 80s that worked at Xerox in Leedsburg, Virginia, there was

actually a college that we would go to. I credit Xerox Corporation for all of my success in communications and understanding people and understanding how to sell myself build relationships. I always will credit them because they taught me and many others a foundation that is unparalleled. But it doesn't get exhausting, like remembering names and... I'm terrible with that. Have to, okay. Do you have any tricks? I can remember faces, faces I would never forget a face.

I remember I used to do sales calls and I would have everybody coming to the meeting in a conference room and I have on a piece of paper a chart where I had everybody's name so I can remember their name. A seating chart. I'm terrible with names. I'm still bad at names. It's one of things I never did. Some people get the joy out of, you don't remember me, do you?

And now I'm just blatant, like, absolutely not. I don't remember. Yeah, I'm absolutely terrible with names. But, you know, that's where I learn it. I learned from Zerot's Corporation. Could you talk about pounding the pavement, actually landing a record deal? Yeah, I can because I got a number of letters that said,

we formally pass on your group called Destiny Shal. Then, you know, the group went from Girls' Time. Then they signed with Darrell Simmons, L.A. and baby-faced partners still to the day in writing, and solid partner production. They got dropped by electoral records. Sylvia was the president then. She hates when I say this. Yeah, I was about to say.

She hates when I say that. But it was, she literally, Darrell had a new production. deal and he had three artists the girls were called the dolls a name I really dislike then and he she ended up ending the production deal but she had the right to continue with the girls but I understood that she had this girl group called invoke and so why they hell would you want another girls group and some bunch of parents I get it so I understand that now but yes the week we The girls, you know, I came up with this idea when they came back from Atlanta.

I changed the name to something fresh. And then we did a photo shoot, and I sent out packages. I used to spend a lot of time. Way, I didn't have a clue then. I would have a package with maybe 20 pages, photos and all kind of stuff. Not understanding less was more. And then I would get these past letters, and then I came. up with another name of the girls. And then we came up with the name Destiny. And then Destiny

became Destiny's Child. So this started, this journey started when Beyonce was eight years old and she got signed when she was 15 also. So you're telling me that you would get a round of news and then your idea was, okay, we're going to come back as another name. Like how do you convince them like okay let's re let's regroup and this time we're going to call ourselves this and do it all over again yeah it was a bad idea and i would assume that you would also try to do the usual uh payment pounding at the jack the rappers of the world and all those commissions i can i be down all of those i was there i was there with a whole stack of business cards you know but a whole stack CDs.

I actually had cassettes back there. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversation. with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio, app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country girl. You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes.

And rule two, never mess with her friends either. We always say that trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield. And in this new season of the girlfriends, Oh my God, this is the same man. A group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hit by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me?

The cops didn't seem to care. So they take matters into their own hands. I said, oh, hell no. I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe.

On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 Galko, 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, for wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slical Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. What's up, everyone? I'm Ago Vodam. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers Anchorman, Saturday Night Live, and the Big Money Players Network. It's Will Ferrell. Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo.

My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with him one day. And I was like, and Dad, I think I want to really give this a shot. I don't know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through, and I know it's a place that come look for up and coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet. Yeah. He goes, but there's so much luck involved.

And he's like, just give it a shot. He goes, but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck.

Listen to Thanks Dad on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of The Fult and Our Stars. And now, I guess, also is the co-host of the Away End, a brand new world soccer. I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist, and John and I have known each other since we were kids. My first World Cup was Mexico 86. I was nine years old. I watched every game, and I fell in love.

On our new podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. For us, soccer, football, is a story we've shared for over 30 years since Daniel was the star player on our high school soccer team. Very debatable. And I was there most loyal and sometimes. only fan. I love this game. I love its history,

its hope, its heartbreak, and above all, it's beauty. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important.

Listen to the away end with Daniel Alarcon and John Green on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm amazed that you never gave up because from the story

that I'm hearing is that you have to make a few rounds to the same labels over and over again with new names or, you know, like a new A&R. New outfits, new whatever. Yeah. And, I mean, you never once worried about like the proverbial eye roll of whoever is at, you know, this particular. Oh, God. Matthew, no.

Matt knows again. Okay. I'll take the call. Yeah, but you got to remember my background. I was the number one sales are up in the world. It sells you're going to hear no No is just I didn't present it correctly That's how when I get a no

It's like okay I didn't present that right And there was And the girls weren't taking this person Or any of those things like You just like how do you break it to them That it didn't work out or it's not our time Like how do you break bad news to them That doesn't break their spirit

Well it was being honest first of all And they weren't. I mean, in reality, they weren't ready. They really weren't ready. And they accepted the fact that they weren't ready, that they had to improve. They had to grow. They had to practice. They had to get more focus.

This was their passion. And they accepted that. And they did the things because they also were best friends. And they got to spend time and had a lot of fun. fun as little girls do together. Can I ask, because I'm now realizing I have a rare chance to ask a question of this manner that I probably wouldn't have, you know, it comes into 20 years ago to ask you. And I'm kind of jumping ahead a little bit. But that, that, that period between like 1999 and 2001, where you're making personnel changes and whatnot.

And I know, you know, just from the line of work that I come in, how discipline, rigorous discipline, and, you know, you kind of have to be on your P's and Q's in this business, and oftentimes you might have weak links. I mean, not to just dismiss people as weak links or whatnot. But, you know, I know that especially pre or the beginning stages at the end, internet, a lot has been said of your sort of backstage dad control of the group. But what is the biggest misperception of your role during that period in which your

changing personnel, like right before Michelle Williams came into the group? What do you feel the, of course now, you know, post 2001, 2002, 2000, 2003, like post-survivor, then, you know, now it's like, you know, your dad of the century. But there was that, that period where we didn't know what was happening. Like, was this going to be a Dreamgirl's Supreme situation or was it going to be a destiny fulfilled situation? But what did you feel during that period was a major sort of misconception of just like how that situation went down?

Yeah, I just never really cared what people said about me. I understood, again, from Xerox leadership and what true leadership really means. People aren't going to, and when you're visionary, people aren't going to get that most people. Matter of fact, I'm glad most people don't get it. Because for those of us that are visionaries, if everybody got it, it would make it really tough to be successful. So I had a vision. I had leadership. I had an amazing team. And I just said earlier, the team has been together for a long time. from road manager to accountants to, you know, music directly, publicist, Yvette Newell Shore, 20 plus years.

These guys have been together. And so I built a really good team. It wasn't just me, but we had our own vision. You know, Tina, my former wife, did an exceptional job on the imaging. You know, back then, those girls. groups were in no boots and baggy jeans and we wanted to do glamour and and bring back the Supremes we always had a vision that we had and we didn't stray from that and if you know anyone Questlove that actually really worked in the left record label and really was

there I think you would get a totally different perspective of of the role I played and what really happened. I mean, fans, you know, we are in the industry. Fans are going to have their perspective, but they don't really know. Fans don't really know what's happening. Yeah, from an outsider's perspective, I think my kind of Matthew Knows moment,

I had heard like all the Descent Child stuff and, you know, I were going through the group changes and everything. For me, I understood the type of businessman you were, when I saw you sign De La Soe. When you signed them, I was like, word the fuck up. Yes. Like, you get it. You know what I'm saying?

I was so happy to see that, man. I like that first single shopping bags. Yes. See, people don't know this about me. You know that? We know. We know. We know.

We know. We know. Everybody else about to know. Yeah. They don't know. In 2002, I sold music world. It's, you can Google it for $10 million and $30 million and stuff.

and we've sanctuary was at that time in 2002 the largest independent record label rock was their thing they had all the major rocks and we formed the urban division and I was the president of it and we had an urban record label the largest urban management company in the world you know we had Nelly young man I made all these these kids were all in their 20s they're men I shouldn't say kids these young men were all in their 20s and became millionaires. And when I look back and I see that, you know, can do Isaacs. You know, we brought him on board.

He was at that time producing for Mary Jay. We brought in from Philadelphia, Dr. God's basketball player. I just had a mental heart. Julius Irving, Julius Irving III. Oh, yeah, yeah. They had floor tree and they had Eve. I brought those guys on.

That's early Troy Carter. And Troy Carter, who was my number one draft pick. When I tell you this young man. He trained, George Carter? Absolutely. And just the other day I heard on one of the social media platforms, he talked about it, where Troy was my number one, The first person I brought on board, I didn't know Jay Irvin at that time, but I had really followed this kid with Eve.

And he had a rapper. They had a rapper also. I can't remember his name. But. Journalists. Yes. Journalist. Oh, my God.

That's who it was. Wow. He was the win. He was good people. And then I brought in the management for D12. And so this is what I managed. roster was now you understand when they had the MTV tour and Desti's Charles Nelly and Eve was on it now you understand why now you understand

and Kelly and Kelly and Nelly well I was just about to say now you understand that just wasn't happenstance that was because they were part of music world I mean sanctuary music world sanctuary urban management and then on the record labels side, I signed Earth Win a Fire. I'm about saying you did the Illumination record, right? Illumination. Ray J's biggest hit, One Wish. You know, I did a deal with Ray J and his mother.

We did the OJ's, Cooling Again. I convinced Shaka Khan to go to London and do a standard's records with the London Symphony. Yep, you did. You know, we did a whole lot there. Now, as the media on the record label side, they gave me the black eye because sanctuary ended up going downhill. Obviously, they always look for who's going to be the scapegoat, but on the record label, on the management side, we made plenty of money.

On the record label side, you know, it takes time to recoup those, you know, I spent money with these artists. I believe in spending money with my artists. And it takes a minute to recoup those investments. But it was a great, great time, wonderful time that I had. Got a little too, a little too, like we talked earlier, Questlove, had too much going on at the time. And during this period is where I began to unravel when the stress came

with all the travel because I had an office on sunset Boulevard. I had an office in New York. I had two offices in New York. I had an office at 550 Madison. I had an office downtown in New York. Our corporate office was in London. I was in London. Damn near every other week.

We had an office, my 1505, Hattley, which is where Hatley Street dreams, because that's where we own the whole block with records, labels, studios, rehearsal. You were there. You've been there. How'd you know I was there? I was about to say, I think that.

I'm going to call a music compound. I went there for some reason. I forget why I went down there. And it wasn't even to work with your daughters. Yeah, it was something we did with one of, you know, we used to rent it out to different events. Your memories good. That's right.

Because when you were saying that, I was like, wait a minute, didn't I visit music world for like a week or so? It was one of those power drinks. It was one of those power drinks. I'll probably bite him, vitamin. It was right. No, that was futuristic. Like, to see, that was, that was important for me to also see the development.

Like, when I went inside music world, I was really impressed because the only other, oh, God, okay, I'm like, I'm a, all right, the Prince bass is about to come down on me for this statement. I mean, the last time I went to something as close to that was Paisley Park. And during that time period, you know, it wasn't that well kept and, you know, it was basically just by that point, just his vanity studio. Like it was far from the utopian. Glory days, yeah. Yeah, it was far from the utopian vision that I think that he envisioned where it was like

a full-scale video and a Latin video, like a rehearsal spot and a club and all those things. But like to see it in real time, like in full operation, I was very, I was really impressed with how that operation was running down there. Yeah, and then we had, you know, we had not only, we had the, we built the largest gospel label. Only Sony. Sony beat us out one year by like a 10th percent. And market share. You know, we did a partnership with BET Sunday Best, Leandro Johnson, Grammy Award.

winner, number one female gospel, Trinity 5-7. Trinity 5-7, six records on them. Vanessa Bell, Armstrong. Vanessa Bell, Armstrong. I can go on and on. We had a real burgeoning gospel label. Most people don't know this stuff. It's time for you to collect your trophies.

They just know I'm Beyonce's, that was Beyonce's dad. I mean, that's not a bad thing. Yeah, really. That's not a bad thing at all, but, but I, you know, at one point, we had 140 employees. At one point, my overhead was $300,000 a month. Ooh, you got to give us the business. A month. And as you know, Questlove, you know, I'm very proud.

As a black man, we owned a city block. Let me change that. The land. When I say we, people think Beyonce and Sludge, I fucking own a city block. Talk that shit. In downtown Houston. Yes. And the land that it sits on, too.

It got gross. Right. People don't understand about that land. Talk heavy. That's a man from Alabama owning his land in the corner. What? I'll ask, how hard or how easy was it for you to let, Beyonce in the last stages of her caterpillar period

blossom into a butterfly and basically go handle her business on her own. Well, I think it was the same for Beyonce's Lounge and even some other artists. I'll ask how hard was it to not walk away, but to let your artists fly. Yeah, I always say we forget that most artists, I work with, not most, I would say half of them were teenagers.

You know, how you manage a 15-year-old in the business is different than how you manage a 35-year-old or a 30-year-old in the business. As you know, I always say this. We don't, in the industry, let 14, 15-year-olds make million-dollar decisions at all. on the business side. Because they're not equipped for it. So I managed them differently. But my kids got to see their mother on the business, their dad on the business, being corporate America.

They got to grow as they got older. And I hope, and I've seen them say it now, and I'm very proud. Even Beyonce is on the cover of a magazine. She just recently said that it was me that instilled in her to be a right. to be a producer, not just to be a singer artist, but to be an entertainer. But to watch them growing as they got older, they got more information.

When they were younger, wanted them to focus on their artistry, not on the music business, because the music business is most of this stuff. And if you're trying to do both, at 18, 19, 22, it's going to fail. It's just too much at the level of success that they had. That's why we had 150 employees.

How is one person who understand marketing, understand the international marketplace, understand all the financial, no one artist at 17, 18 years old can do that. So it's ludicrous when people say that, that, well, he was controlling. That's what you do when you manage teenagers. You control their business.

And as they get older, they get involved as they understand it. That's why I teach this in class. You know, I have a, in my classes, I've been doing this in a classroom for 15 years. There's 193 definitions, starting with ANR going all the way through. Like a lot of people 90% of all the people in the industry don't know it

It's a lot to know on the business side So when they kind of went and when Beyonce's got into that point Where they wanted to control their careers or have more of a say or however you look at it You just saw that as like a natural progression like you kind of anticipated that coming And it was a combination it was a combination of that and it also as I spoke can candidly earlier, there was a period in those mid-2000 that I unraveled as a father, as a husband, and that impacted it. You know, when you're a father and you have daughters, they look at you way more than just as their manager.

That's why I felt so full circle. I feel like at a certain part of their careers, I think Beyonce with lemonade and the songs and Solange with Cranes, it felt like such a full circle moment for your family just as a person who don't know y'all but just kind of been watching from a long way but it just felt like a mate like you said that moment if you'd be in the studio with miss tina and just hearing your words and hearing your story and them now embracing those stories as a part of their art form it just felt like such a full circle like moment right and and you know i always say that when we make mistakes uh we have failures it's an opportunity to grow, not a reason to quit.

And most of us, we first don't face up and acknowledge that we made a mistake. That's the only way we grow is first of all saying, hey, I fucked up. And then go get help and grow from it. And I'm fortunate, I'm in my eighth year, married to an amazing woman that also has impacted my life.

I would marry a Tina and a Gina. I sometimes get... I sometimes get confused. Oh, no. Oh, man. Don't do that. Don't do that, bro. You know this how this knows me like my former wife,

so I don't have to even say the name. Right. But, you know, Tina and I are really friends. She's an amazing woman. And I will always honor her. I never use that. that word X because I think that diminishes and as a negative. And out of respect, I don't use that word to say my former wife.

And Gina, Gina was Vanessa Williams assistant and international road manager for 10 years. My former real model. So she has experience in entertainment. And our whole key is we don't talk business unless. unless I need a sounding board. We don't talk business. And that can really devastate a family when you can be talking about dinner

and that becomes, yeah, but what about this song? What if we did that? Yeah. And that's what I was asking earlier. I'm like, yo, how do you draw that line? Because it's so, I know some people that can work with business. And, yo, I just, I could work with family. Like, yo, that is so, oh my God, that's such a fucking head.

Yeah. And that became a real challenge in our family dynamics is separating both two. When are you a dad and when are you a manager? And especially, it's easy with all my other artists because I was their manager. Actually, I was most people think I was the manager. I did more record label stuff than management. But with Destiny's Child, it was difficult because I have a fiduciary duty to all four of the ladies

or three of the ladies. And actually, Beyonce actually probably got hurt more than anybody because I was tougher on her than the others. I appreciate you with all this evolution. You can tell when something, somebody's lying, man. I'm just giving you truth. Yeah, it sounds so easy, but it's not easy for everybody.

Yeah. Hey, Dr. Knowles, can you talk about your battle with cancer and how you've handled it? And, you know, to be honest with you, it's very rare that I hear men speak of breast cancer. I didn't even kind. I didn't know that was a thing. Mm-hmm. Can you, and I, most of us didn't even know that you were going through this. Can you walk us through the process of your discovery of it and how you've dealt with it?

I love to. I love to. You know, oddly enough, when I was the number one sales rep, a Xerox medical system, oddly enough, what I saw was zero radiography, which in the 80s was a leading modality for breast cancer detection. Go figure. Wow, the irony. Wow, man. Okay. And even back in the 80s, we realized and talked about men and breast cancer. I'm really about messaging.

So I chose not to message as male breast cancer, but male chest cancer. And I've gotten support from the medical communities and every man that I've talked to. because a lot of the stigma and it brings the embarrassment for men to use that word breast and also in respect to women because it's three four guys now and one woman none of us would be other guys would think hardly twice to take our shirt off a woman's not going to do that that's a special sanctuary place for a woman so i i choose to say male chest cancer. And a lot of that stigma, and the way I make it really come home, is for women, if you are going to have to open a door that said male prostate exam, I think you'd be quite

embarrassed. And for men, when we have to open a door that says female breast center, a women's breast center, that's quite embarrassing. That's not something. you feel good about. So first of all, I like to just really on the messaging of how we say it. The second thing for me, I knew because I sold the equipment, and I had, I used to wear, I still do, white T-shirts a lot under my shirts, and I noticed one day a dot. So imagine you had a white sheet of paper and you had a dot. I didn't think anything, I actually thought my wife had bought some new t-shirts and maybe it was just a manufacturing malfunction.

The next day, I noticed five or six dots. Then I, the next day I said to my wife, I was like, huh, did you buy some new t-shirts? I see these little red dots. And she was like, that's interesting because when I clean your sheets today, there was a bunch of red dots of blood. on your side of the bed. Again, just imagine several dots like on a white sheet of paper. Well, through my training of selling zero radiography,

that is a very common sign for men. And so I knew that. And when immediately got a mammogram, then got a biopsy, and then literally a week later had surgery. That's not the end of the story. the beginning. During surgery, and there was a delay, we should have done this before, but we didn't, I won't get into that, but when we did the pathology, it turned out that genetically, which is where

medicine is going, that I had a genetic malfunction. And because of that genetic malfunction, called Braca 2 mutation, it means that for men that we have a higher risk of prostate cancer, male chest cancer, pancreatic cancer, and melanoma. From a genetic standpoint. And so a lot of men are walking around thinking prostate, when the real cost of it, real cause, of it rather is because they have male chest cancer. And we're finding this out.

And I'm part of research at the University of Pennsylvania, actually. Oh, whoa. I've been there. That's where I'm part of the research there. This is my second year of recovery. I always say today I'm cancer-free. But it also meant a lifestyle change. And I get really excited, Quest.

when I hear you talk about weight loss. It's a sensitive subject in the black community. My dad was obese. I've been obese. Myself, I was up to 268. I'm now at 235. My goal is to get to 230, which is easy, you know, should be something that I can obtain.

It meant also in that lifestyle change, stopping drinking alcohol. it also meant in that life because of the sugar and because also just the effect of being crazy on alcohol also were you a big drinker was that was that a thing for you you were a big drinker I wouldn't say a big but or a celebratory drinker but when I did drink I drank you know okay gotcha it meant it meant

changing my diet I don't seldom I eat meat and when I do is only chicken or fish this week most weeks is many vegetables so I changed my eating habits I exercise I just got a knee replacement

four and a half months ago which is doing really good just my basketball days but I was up to jogging two miles a day and I'm getting there I'm on the bike five miles on the bike You're on the peloton?

You're on the Pelotine? Only if there's the Beyonce version. You know, the one thing I'm... Always be selling. The one thing I brought to the music industry was branding and endorsement, which the industry was selling records. I was selling a brand, which is totally different.

But to get back. So it met the lifestyle change for me. And I've accepted that. I've seen the results. Every six months, I've been getting a mammogram. MRI, I sold MRI. Is it more painful for you, Dr. Knows? Because I was wondering for men in a mammogram,

I'm going to just have a truthful moment. I'm having my first one. I'm having my first one this year. And my biggest fear is just how painful I've heard that it is. But especially maybe if you don't have a lot of tissue up there. So I imagine that is. Well, I put things in perspective. If I can save my life.

Okay, there you go. Because of two minutes of fucking pain. Okay, you are. The bucket helps. So be it. Take the tigs and get tested. I am. I'm doing it in two weeks.

Sorry. I just don't want it to bust. I just don't want it to bust. Two minutes? It's not going to bust. Two minutes, please. Two minutes? Two minutes.

Two minutes? Yeah, each one. Oh, okay. I mean, at most, but it's based on the different angles. Okay. Overall, it would be about 20 minutes. but that's about it. But we put it in perspective.

It's just the rewards. Early detection. It's best. And this is for men and women. As medicine is changing, we understand. And I say we, I'm not a medical doctor. I just say we as a cancer survivor are understanding family history. We know, black people, we don't pay attention to our family history.

It's right there in front of you If you just take a moment To ask what the mama Nym and Uncle Nym And Grandma Nym died up You might see You might see a common thread Mm-hmm Sugar Steve

How are you doing in your journey? There's a reason we call him Sugar Steve Oh Yeah How your levels Yeah everything As long as you manage stuff You know

You can It's something you can live with I got the diabetes, doctor. Well, well, you understand weight loss and diet, you understand that, and exercise. Yeah, try and try and be good. No, we don't try shit, sugar, Steve. We don't talk.

We don't use trying our vocabulary. We fucking do. Do or do not. There is no try. Yes. Facts. We don't try. I don't try.

Ask your daughters, can I get adopted in this family? Yes. I can't imagine Do it or don't There is no time Well I always thank you I can't begin to tell you How grateful I was to see that time

When you, out of all the people in the world You say the 10 people you would like to have dinner with And you said me I was like, what? Why? You just prove it today The backstories basically I did this thing and

Oh, when I did When I did my my food book, potlup mixtape. And New York Times asked me to name, I'm known up here for my dinner parties. And so they asked me, you know, who that I think would make an interesting dinner guest. And, you know, at the time when salons really, really sold us on you,

it was doing that period. And then I just really went down a rabbit hole of, like, all of your interviews. And I was just like, yeah, like he really, he has a story to tell that I really wasn't expecting. Because I think men in your position, like, we've been sold all of our lives. We've been sold the hustler. You know what I mean? The hustler, you know, even the hustler, like, wins the game and that sort of thing. But we haven't been sold, like, the strategist.

Visionary. Or, yeah, that sort of thing. And that's why, like, this. see because black people can't vision that they can't do that right they just a hustler that's the media you know that's the Jedi man trick that's you know behind the decision making of TV and and you know it's typically a white person you know I just this summer this my second summer going to Harvard and taking professional development and so I took this summer cultural intelligence which really increased my awareness

of how culturally different that we are. And these are classes that you're taking, that you're enrolled in. Yeah, that I took ethical leadership last summer. You know, you get to know me. I'm not the guy that they pitch you at all. Man, we know. I, I, I, see, I play the media like they play us.

Okay. Okay, talk about it. I won't get into that one. No, I'm not. That might be dangerous. Countrydom. I get countrydum. But, you know, they want to always paint a picture of who we are in success that it can't be because, as you said, that we're strategists or that we're smart.

It has to be, or we had a vision. It has to be with Swangali. You know, we've got an all. always be that, you know? And that was always black radio. My challenge to black radio when they used to have like an entertainer segment and and it would always be negativity on black artist that look guys, we need you to do the reverse. But unfortunately how social media has impacted our young people, negativity and the Jedi mind. trick is how they're played every day.

You know, I've sat in meetings. Our young people have no idea how, and when we learned through the last election, Russia, we found who did they go to? Black people on social media. Right. You know, we get played on this social media stuff. It's not news anymore. It's social conversation.

I got to know. I mean, really like, you know. I haven't had goosebumps moments like this from someone talking since, like, my mom used to religiously, like, watch Les Brown talk. Les Brown. This is Amy Brown's baby boy, Les Brown. Yeah, I like Les Brown. Yeah, I like Les Brown. And I know it might, well, yeah, I do know that you've done TED talks and you teach at universities and whatnot.

But, I mean, have you really considered, like, motivational speaking? I do a lot of that. I'm about to say, yeah. Where can we see you? Yeah, even my TED talk. My TED talk is a motivational. It's on the DNA of achievers. Oh, that's it right there.

The TED Talk. And what is that? I mean, I do a lot of motivational stuff on even in entrepreneurship, you know, and motivating our people and understanding the who, the what, the why. Who is the customer? What is the product? and why does somebody should buy it and motivating them to understanding that process you know we've been gosh we go back to the culture of black people and slavery and how it still impacts us in a negative way

you know policing came about through slavery if you go back you see in 1800s just post slavery bam policing started you know we this whole thing of colorism started in slavery when it got off the ship there was babies that came out looking white. It's just such a cultural conditioning that we have to overcome as black people. Cultural conditioning.

I appreciate you for speaking on that colorism too because I know that you in the media even try to speak on that but it's things that we need to talk about. It's uncomfortable. We ain't going to get no privacy, so we might as well. We don't grow without being uncomfortable.

my job in life is to make people uncomfortable and I had fun with Charlemagne I kicked his ass you did you spanked his ass actually just spanked his ass all over the room got it was great because it was the moment the moment where it went left like the moment listen I'm telling you you know the moment you know the recap so like charlemagne is doing show and it's a piece of Charlemagne he at Carolina he's south Carolina, but you know, black a fact, what? Come on.

All of that, you know what I'm there? So it's all whatever. But listen, though, now. So they're going for whatever and Charlemagne is kind of trying to get at him. So Mr. Nose just stops and he's like, you're really sad. Why are you so sad? And, yo, the look on Charlemagne face, he was like, oh shit, I wasn't expecting. Like, it was so.

It was so, it was so fucking brilliant. I was like, yeah. He said, yeah, Charlemian was kind of through jabs and. Yeah, he was kind of. These tactics. He was going left and left and left and doing what he did. Yeah, and I asked him. I said, you know, Charlemagne, this moment, what feelings are coming up for you right now?

That's a black man in therapy, so he already know. And that's a black man in therapy. Yes, yes. And we continue to talk and I said, Charlemagne, you're on that short bus, brother. Oh, oh. And by the way, you got too much fucking makeup on. Ladies and gentlemen, this is what's up to please.

Salon, come get your dad. Come get your daddy out to pain, Cubs. He was a wild. Hey, Liz. Oh, so, okay, so why are we talking about it? So being that you, you know, you manage your daughters you were over their careers, you know, they're going to write songs that are personal and, you know, may talk about family stuff and all that. How, what was your response to lemonade and hearing that record? What was your thought on it?

Well, I think everybody should occasionally have a glass of lemonade. and have a seat at the table. Always marketing. It's about the brand. It's about the brand. Okay. Well, I ain't got no lemonade. I got me some ginger ale.

I'll drag some ginger ale today. Well, you should have a seat at the table there. Mr. Noles, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This has been fun. You just got me unapologetically.

You know. I knew what it was going to be. Take all this appreciation. And it represents at least a million black folks that've been appreciating you like for real like this And I know that and I thank you for acknowledging that Yeah, I'm not man The work that you're your rigorous honesty your your your messaging You know we should we should you know happiness and and

And just the work you've done on yourself man the work you've done yourself. Yeah, man Yes Very come up seriously I'm really this was not the the phone call other the the the conversation that I didn't know I needed this week. Like he passed it, Amir, he passed. I'm just, yo, thank you. This was me watching this episode. I don't even feel like I participate.

Thank you for holding me down, Stephen. And, Fonte, in Lai. You know, when you interview with me, I got to listen to your journey, and it was similar because you shared your journey. And I think the more we share our journeys with people and let them know the challenges that we have to overcome, that we're no different than anybody else, no better, none of that. We wake up in the morning and we go to bed at night, hoping for another day. And the beauty about that is, I like to always leave. You know, I travel, as you know,

a lot. And I was in L.A. back in the 2000s, and I was going down an escalator at L.A.X. and there was a nun from Mexico who gave had a jar that said please give to the missionary and I learned not to be judgmental I give when people ask and she gave me a card and literally because I used to have you know you can imagine in the heyday how many business cards and CDs people were giving me and I finally looked at that card it might have been a month later. And that's what I like to leave you with. It said, pray not for a life free from trouble. Pray for triumph over trouble for what you and I call adversity, the universe, God or whatever name, calls opportunity for what you and I call adversity, the universe, God, Allah, whatever name, calls opportunity for what you and I call adversity.

the universe God Allah calls opportunity we pray too much that bad shit ain't going to happen it is look when it happened

what is the opportunity when I came with male chest cancer it gave me the opportunity to share that with other people hopefully save some lies

just by being honest about it and open and for everybody when bad stuff happened look at it as an opportunity rather than, oh, man, some bad shit happened. All right. Mr. Nose, how do you, in the artists that you work with when you're working with younger guys? Because I'm just sitting there listening to this conversation now, and I mean, I'm 42 now.

So now a lot of this shit is resonating with me. But had I heard it at 22, you know, maybe not so much. So with all just the experience and knowledge and game that you have, when you're working with younger artists, how do you make that knowledge palatable to them? Well, you know, I don't, you know, I'm done. with that side of that. I'm quickly eager, excited to say I'm done on the music side. I do have the real four film and TV projects that we're working on.

You know, when I was in the business, it used to really surprise the artists. They've come to music world and ready to sing, rap, have a band. And I wouldn't do that. I would want them to sit down on the sofa in my office and I wanted to talk to them. I wanted to get to know and understand is this really truly your passion or a hobby? And for most people, it's hobbies. And that's what I always look for if they were passionate. If they were passionate, then I could work with that.

But most people really aren't passionate because they don't know what they're passionate. They don't understand when you live this thing called passion. that you never work a day in your life. They don't know what co-exist with passion is work ethics. You find somebody that passionate, they work their butts off because they love it. And even Quest Love, when you said it earlier about all the things you were doing, I was asking him, but was he passionate about that? Because if you were, it wouldn't work to you.

It was fun. and and and I see my girls in Beyonce and Salons and they work hard but they actually love to the core what they do to the core. What a blessing. What a blessing. What a blessing through your journey. That's what your babies can do. That's what a blessing.

Yo, just thank you. Dr. Nolz. I appreciate it. I got to wrap this episode up, man. Now, this is a service. Yeah, this is this is a sermon right here. I say this a lot. I'm definitely sticking to it.

This is in my top five episodes of this five year. I don't know. Maybe since today, I don't know, the moon, whatever. I needed. Thank you. I needed to hear this today. No, for real. This is necessary.

I'm going to call my mama and my girlfriend right now. Not for nothing. I already text your mama. So he's not going to cry on the air. He's going to cry in the car. He's going to cry in the car. And he's going to cry in the car. I was like,

I'll take your mom and like this time. We'll be able to see you, and Fonigillo. And when you come this way, we got to get together. And if I come your way,

let's promise we go, let's promise we're going to have a meal. Yes, I will contact you through Laiaia. I promise. I really needed this conversation. Yeah. Thank you very much,

Dr. Knowles. This is Questlove. We will see. I don't even think we need to do no more episodes. Like, this might have been it. Right. No, no, no.

On the series finale of Questlove Supreme, starring Dr. No. Yes, exactly. All right. Thank you guys. We'll see you on the next go round. Thank you. Yo, what's up? This is Fonte.

Make sure you keep up with us on Instagram at QLS and let us know what you think and who should be next to sit down with us. Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast. All right. Much Love Supreme is a production of IHeartRadio. For more podcasts from IHeartRadio, visit the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford 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, unfilled 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 Cliford 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. 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 IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Everyone, I'm Ego Vodom. My next guest, it's Will Ferrell. My dad gave me the best advice ever. He goes, just give it a shot.

But if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat. Just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck.

Listen to Thanks Dad on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.