The Questlove Show - QLS Classic: Nelly Furtado

Episode Date: January 11, 2021

Singer songwriter Nelly Furtado talks about her Portuguese-Canadian roots, expanding her sound and reach with Timbaland and what it was like touring with her 3-year-old daughter at the height of her success. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Quest Love Supreme is a production of IHeart Radio. This classic episode was produced by the team at Pandora. Ladies and gentlemen, this is QLS Classic from May 17, 5,200. 2017. We talked to our old pal, Nelly Pratatah, about our Portuguese-Canadian roots,

and her work with Timbalin, and the ups and downs of Tucker in the career, motherhood, squashing beef, and normalcy. We hope you enjoy this episode of Quest Love Supreme, with Nelly. Challenge. Yeah.

Were you Supreme fam nerds? Yeah. Whose opening bars don't rhyme whoa, promiscuous or birds. Roll bomb. Suprema. Sama. I got Suprema.

Roll call. My name is Fonte. on this instrumental My whole family with jam To Nelly on Dance Central Roll Kong Superma Subramis

Supreme Name is sugar Yeah Say it right Yeah Nelly Fratto Yeah Turn off the light

Roll Kong Subram Subram take no more. Yeah. Guess I'll go knock. Yeah. On a hundred doors.

Rocault. So it's my n'embre. Yeah. For goodness sakes. Yeah. Canada's not only. Yeah. That young boy, Drake.

Roll call. Supreme. Supreme. Role call. I'm Laea. Yeah. Wold's number one fan. Yeah.

Nelly Patto's here. Yeah. Abrigata, man. Roe call. Suprema. Suprima. So, sub, supremo, rocone. Supreme a Rolecom.

Nelly. Yeah. That's who I am. Yeah. Excited to rock with Quest again because he's my jam. Oh, oh. Supreme a Role. So I owe one, two, three, four, I owe $100.

Wait a minute. No, because, like, you said, whoa. Whoa's number one fan. I didn't rhyme it with Woe, though. Oh, shots fired. Damn. You saying that, that deserves the black guy thinking, pointing to his. That's what that belongs to.

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to another, a new edition of Questlove Supreme. I'm Questlove. This is Team Supreme. Say, what's up, y'all? Good up, y'all. Plus Love Supreme. Reloaded. Yes.

2.0 Quest Love Supreme. Our guest with us today, she is a. breath of fresh air, I shall say. I've been a long time admirer of this I'll say songbird for a voice or music. Her artistry

she came out the gate in 2000 as a solo artist with her debut, Woe Nelly that kind of captured our hearts and our minds and our ears with hits like turn off the light. Shit on the radio and I said it. I didn't say ellipses

on the radio. and of course like a bird She won multiple Juno Awards Grammy Awards Not stopping there She collaborated with Megastar acts like NERD, Missy Elliott

And the Roots Yeah On Sacrifice I forgot that she Collaborated On my own song Fonto thank you I appreciate that

There's also Nause Jurassic 5 Swivel members Chaos Kianon It just goes on and on Paul O'Confield Tiesto Probably our most

important collaboration. I was in 2006 with her her third album, which is loose with Timberlin. And she didn't stop there. Which sold a lot of copies. Yeah, 12 million. Amazing. A lot. If I sold 12 million copies

anything. I wouldn't even answer Amir's phone calls again. Exactly. Exactly. I sell 12 million t-shirt and it's over. She didn't stop there. She released an all-spanist record in 2009 with Miplan. I'm not used to mirror the Wikipedia man right here. This is like this is,

well, I'm trying to condense. No, you know, let him cook. Yeah. Oh, I see this is like, yes. This is instead of, let's start for the beginning. No, no, no, no, start from the beginning. So you were for. You did it.

And I'll let him cook. This is great. Della, you don't understand how much of my change this is. Really? Oh, I thought I was coming in like, No, no, I just said I wasn't used to it. I didn't say it was bad. I'm appreciated it.

This is great. This is amazing. It's amazing. You've got to be jealous. Anyway, thank you all for interrupting me, guys. No problem. Yeah. Yeah.

Anyway. Don't let the bother you. Yeah. Anyone else? Any other? He was about? Anywho, she's offering us her six studio album entitled, R. Oh, he missed a part about my Latin Grammy.

I just enjoyed that. I mentioned that. I mentioned, I mentioned that, but I was really rude interruption. I was in a lot. I was interested. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Talk about me some more.

Yes. I covered your whole life. Thank you. Thank you. That was good. That was good. No, I'm not. What's your social security number?

It's 5,55. Ladies and gentlemen. This is fondest childhood memory. Yes, and she's also heading up the Donald Trump Russia Gate investigation. Oh, shoot. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Nellie Furtado. Thank you. Thanks.

That was such a nice intro. My God. my first intro. It's good to see you again. It's great to see you too. What the hell? Yeah, man. We occasionally send tweets to each other. We're like, hey. So you guys are close. I don't know. I guess.

I've been to Philly. That's legit. I've been there in their old studio. Oh, the stripper join. Well, I don't know. Well, no, before then. It was like, I read his book. What's stripper join? You've been in that studio forever. Have you ever seen a stripper in that studio? Yes. When we were making, y'all making for naught. You still had that.

When y'all was. Yeah, that was so long ago. That was like in 2001 when we went and worked together in Philly. Yeah, working on finale. And you guys like had the whole thing written already, the chorus. And I was bummed out because I thought I'd get to co-write with you. Wow. And I'm like.

Because I don't think sacrifices. I'm like, okay. Like this is cool. You want me to sing. Like, yeah, you should have done that. It was like really breathy vocals. It was fun though. I like.

Look, I mean, that album's amazing, but like, yeah. So I was just happy to be there. It was fine. You felt like Missy, like, I ain't gonna be on your record, just singing no hooks. That's kind of ill. Well, because I always wrote my own song. So I actually, that was the first time someone had, like, written a thing for me to sing. So I was like, but it's the roots.

So I was like, of course, like, I'm just happy to be here. I'm going to be on your album. And I sang it. It was fun. Huh? Get that publishing check next time. Gotta be a next one. Yeah, and I was going to say that.

I was happy to be on the trip. There's always the future. Exactly. There's always the feature. Exactly, yeah. You know what? When I first met you, I think the very first time we opened for you, we walked in. Area one?

No, this, we did. We also sang together a bunch on Area One tour. Yeah. But even before Area One. I performed live with you a bunch. There was a show we did together. And I know that we, you came on first and then we came on, but I came in right when you were dancing to. BPD's poison.

What? An introduction. Yeah, and I was like, you know, I had an interlude, yeah, that I did. In my head, in my head, I already had it pecked out that you were just a pop show on Tuesday that I saw on TRL and, you know, like a bird leads you to believe, at least at that time when the single was just out. And we all looked at each other like, wait, who is this on stage?

Like, Nelly Fertado's the same person. Doing the B, BV, like, she was doing the dance that they were doing in the video. In the video. Yeah. And so it was like, it was a well, Nelly moment. Like, we hardly knew you. I did as I got to know you. L.L. Cool J and Mary and one other act,

Salt and Pepo on the same little routine. Yeah. I didn't know. Yeah. But then you explained to me about your days, even before your solo career with Nell Star and that stuff. Yeah. There's always so much, right? I mean, you know this you're an artist.

So it's like, there's so much it goes. into who you are that people don't see when you make like a product or a packaged thing. And you just roll with it. It's okay. But but, but the people, you know, who end up like digging deeper into maybe what you do or going to see. I make the same mistake today. Like I judge artists all the time. And then I listen to their catalog and I feel so guilty. Or I see their show, you know, and I'm like, ah, damn, I should never judge an artist until I've actually like last night I was listening to the new Drake album because I'm like, well, let me just put this on and listen to it.

You know what I mean? So like, you can't speak on something. unless you listen to you, unless you go to the show. And then he took you to South Africa. I feel like, you know what's fair? What you say? He took you to South Africa. Right now, he's making South Africa house the... No, but like, honestly, like, I feel like, I really feel like you can't judge an artist

until you listen to something, a whole album, one album, at least, and you go to their live show or watch, like, YouTube live clips or something. But is it fair to listen to the first album? Because sometimes not, it's not fair always to listen to the first one because you're... I know. You gotta like to... Yeah, sometimes you have to dig deeper. Yeah, you have to dig a little bit.

deeper. I don't know. I mean, but anyway, thanks for talking about that because, I mean... Well, no, I wanted to know what your beginnings. I said the word. What they were that at least led you to wanting to start a music career. Oh, God. And how did you... I was young. I was young. There was no Mickey Mouse Club. I was from a small town

in Victoria, BC, but they weren't. even any talent shows, but I had a church. I had a Portuguese church community. So like I got to sing there. I got to sing at church at our festivals. We call them fastas. Fastish? Yeah, at the festa.

Okay. And were you singing in Portuguese? And I sang with my mom in Portuguese and I was four years old and I got up on the stage and I just knew that I loved it. I just knew that I wanted to be doing that because I felt like I was spreading joy and love and good vibes. And I just, I felt that at the age of four. It was really kind of weird.

But I'd always sing songs. Like I would make up songs on the spot from when I was, apparently I was two or three. No around the house. And my sister would literally be like, sing, sing, sing, make up a song because my eyes would well up with tears and I'd get super emotional.

So it was always inside of me. I did an experiment at MoMA PS1 in the fall. I did an installation where I wrote songs with 100 strangers in the course of three hours. And I was trying to explore this connection we have to like the source and why we write songs. and why it comes to you and how we can tap into that and prove that it's an empathic thing

and prove that a song can prove how we're all similar rather than different. Wait, can you back up? Yeah. Without me making any Houston 500 references. So you, there are 100 people in the room. No, okay, so it was anywhere from like one person, the smallest group was one person

and then the largest group was 10 people in a dog. the last group. And the moment of PS1 had this back-to-school fundraiser and I'm friends with this performance artist named Ryan McNamara and he told me I could do anything with the one room. He's like, do you want a room with this thing? And I was like, I do because I have this idea. I want to do this experiment where I sit with my guitar. And this started in, I used to do songwriting workshops where I'd ongoing like in this place

called Neroq Kenya and with these girls at this high school called Al-Lailashua. So I go there all the time, made a bunch of friends there over the years working with this nonprofit. And what I do is do a songwriting workshop and we write a song, but it just exists in that moment and then it's over, you know? So I'm very into this idea that a song is just this expression. And because you know as well as I, we don't record everything we write. We just do it to do it. You know what I mean? So I wanted to in that room, like, okay, so like one person would walk in and sit down. I'd have my guitar. I'd tape it on tape recorder because I didn't want it to be like this branded moment that was videotaped. I wanted it to exist in that moment. Yeah. And so I'd come and sit down. I'd be like, okay, what did you dream last night? And they'd tell me about their dream the night before, or I'd be like, what was your favorite childhood vacation? And then I'd start singing a song, and they would contribute sometimes

if they had any musical ability or not. And by the end, after 15 minutes, someone would knock on the door and I had two minutes left. Then I would record the thing. Then I would wrap the cassette in the paper with all our lyrics. And usually there were different reactions. Some people would cry. There were two people fighting because some people didn't know each other in the groups

because everybody was trying to get into the thing. And they had to like, some people didn't like each other but then there was a lot of laughter and I felt great because sometimes you wonder like will your inspiration ever run out you know what I mean?

Will it ever just like end and then the truth is more is more like the more you share with people like the more you get how's it I mean I'm just trying to figure the logistics like if I'm a fan of Nelly Fretado like wouldn't you be freaking out

and all that like how do you just calm them down just to get to the point of the experiment I think they saw how chill I was and Ryan had lit the room in this really moody orange light and it was like a back to school theme that night at the museum so it was almost like I was a teacher so you were coming into a classroom it was maybe just one or two people

maybe you were with a friend and so some people yeah maybe I got them in this weird vulnerable moment where they're like whoa this is weird you got them in the sunken place and why is she so chill and peaceful and they're probably like the version of me in that room is nothing

like anything they've seen in a video or something. So I'm just like, hey, you know, when I start writing. Because, you know, it's a different vibe when you write a song. It's nothing like your stage persona or anything like that. It's a whole other thing. So most people were pretty calm. Some people, I don't know.

Some people were songwriters, aspiring songwriters. And they were just enjoying it. They're like, sweet, this is so cool. Were there any particular moments in that experiment that stood out too? These two people were arguing because, like, the lady didn't like the lyrics. this younger guy was writing because they were kind of goofy.

They had like some like Prince Arthur reference or like something crazy or like perverted or something. And then the lady was all like I don't like those. You know what I mean? We had to agree.

So it was like oh. There were some people who weren't really participating. They were just staring at me. But I was still people. I would have been one of those people. I know you would have been. You would have been like,

show me how you're going to do this. if I don't participate. Yeah, but you asked me, you asked me, and I wrote this whole statement about it, and the whole point was, since I was little, I never understood where the songs came from?

I was like, where is this words coming from? The melodies, blah, blah, blah, the music in my head. I never really understood it, so I just wanted to explore that a little bit more, I guess. But the answer to your question is I eventually moved to Toronto after I graduated high school from Victoria,

a very small town, and I moved to Toronto, and I got immersed in the scene. was an urban scene that was burgeoning. And so I started a trip-hop group with my friend Talas, and we called it Nell Star. And I just kind of did my thing. And I was 17, 18 years old. I missed my parents.

I moved back home and went to college for a year in Victoria. I bought a guitar. I started playing at like coffee shops and trying to get my songwriting better. And then, but right before I left, I sang at a talent show called The Honey Jam. I was 18. And it was mostly rappers and R&B singers, all female. And then I kind of came up there and did this like weird little trip hop song. And my manager at the time was there.

And I met him that night and sort of kept in touch and ended up. This is like a Cinderella type thing. It was like, ooh, you're getting flown to New York because they like your demo. I think the reason why it was because do you remember back in the day when people had professional writers write their bio and you got a professional headshot for your photo? Yeah. Press kits and got a lot. Yeah.

So when you had a demo and you were an artist who wanted. wanted a record deal, you like would have a professional photo and a pio. So I said, I don't want that. I want to stand out. So I went to the local like gallery of mall photo booth down the street from my aunt's where I was staying on her sofa bed. And I took strip mall photos of myself. I scanned them at work because I had a job doing customer service at an alarm company. I snuck into like the room with the scanners and the computer and I made friends with the systems guy who worked there. Let me use a computer. And I photocopied my. own like strip mall photo

like cool photo. With the crazy background? Like did you have like the Michael Jackson dance like Coming out of a war? Yeah. The two, not the two part. Not the club background was it like Two champagne glass.

Why? Yeah, champagne glasses. No, I had like a dusty like orange curtain behind me or blue and I just made it look all like trippy. And then I wrote not a bio. I wrote like a weird mantra. Like I just did like a journal entry style bio. And at the time, nobody was doing that. Yeah, I was like,

what made you do that? I don't know. My manager was cool. He was just like, this is great. This will make you stand out. That's cool that you did this. Write down what you said to me in your office that day, you know, where I said some super like megalomaniacal stuff. Like, I want to be Gandhi and Mother Teresa. Like, you know, that ambition, that burning, like, get me out of my circumstance, ambition. And you're just like, I wrote this bio myself. I wrote some crazy. like mantra journal entry style bio and people were like who's this girl we want to meet her and I had a demo to go with it that was also. Maybe I should have done that no because the protocol uh at least that I learned is whatever critic um pans your album the most yeah uh when when it's reviewed yeah you get that

person to write the bio to write your bio so that way it's a conflict of interest from them reviewing your album again. Black man pointing me. Music industry hack. Oh, because the same ones. The same ones will get you again, is what you're saying. If they don't like you, they'll continue not to me. If writer blah, blah, blah, blah, has written your bio.

They can't review your record. He'll pass at Rolling Stone from giving you another mundane three-star writing. But, yeah, yeah. Yeah, black movies, black man, pointing. If you can't, if you can't beat them, hire them. See, can we just say then that the reviews, all us artists were like, we don't care. No, we know.

We know that's a lot. We so care. It hurts when someone writes a bad review, I think. But I'm saying that your, you're, you're, I mean, Well, Nellie was, was, it came out the gate as in, I mean, everyone universally agreed that it was an unusual record. For starters, I, the thing that impressed me about it the most was, well, as Bill and I were noting before,

I realized that your production team was definitely into quote unquote real hip hop. This is, when I say real hip hop, it's from the old guy, the old hip hop fans is real hip hop. But it is just certain nuances, certain snares used that I realized like, oh, whoever's producing this record really, is dipped in the hip hop culture because,

but it wasn't done in a way where it exploits it. Like, you didn't come out the gate or you weren't marketed as a hip hop artist. No. Yeah, there were a lot. We let it come to us. It was probably the most pure, you know, because at least in between like 1998, 99, 2000, you know, people's version of hip, like hip hop being infused inside the pop music was like,

all right, let's steal my sunshine. Yeah, let's get the impeached to president's here. Oh, man. Like the theme to scrubs. Right, right, yeah, yeah, yeah. Or, you know, Atlanta's Marcette using impeached to president or George Michael using funky drummer. A happy, wow.

Nine times. Gotta go back and listen to. On the missing without prejudice album. Yeah, it's just like, okay. I like, you know, let me just put this loop there. But your people were using, like, some obscure shit and using it the right way that real hip hop heads were like, hmm. Hmm, okay.

She just isn't the average, oh God, the culture, vulture. Yeah, like, you're coming on some real shit. So what was the process like doing the first record? I'm glad you asked me that. So we started with a demo and we did it in Brian West's like attic studio, the three of us, me, Gerald Eaton, and Brian West. They were part of an R&B group called The Philosopher Kings. kind of like what used to be called

acid jazz, pop, like that kind of band. They were really good live and really talented musicians. They've all gone on to have their own production and writing careers. But anyway, I got two of them. I got Brian West and Gerald Eaton, who was a singer in the band. That was really key because Gerald Eaton was such a good singer that he really knew how to vocal arranged me. He really knew how to make sure that the vocals were interesting

and make sure that my harmonies were interesting on the album. Because there's a lot of ideas floating around. Yeah, and the three of us, we co-produced the album together. We actually worked as a team, and I actually programmed, like, the baseline on Turnoffelai. Like, I just, like, actually played it on the keyboard. And shit on the radio, I wrote on guitar. I played the guitar on the record. And I think that the three of us were so invested in just having fun, you know.

Pro Tools had just been invented, so the actual process was interesting. We were working in this really cold It had no heating This studio place in Toronto In a warehouse building And Pro Tools kept crashing Because Brian didn't fully know how to use it yet And it was bugging out

So in the long spells of time Yeah No Steve's looking at me like it Still crashes all the time No it still crashes all the time But like imagine like when it first like Literally no No

But you know like when it first came out There were like a lot of glitches And like he was trying to merge the, he was trying to merge a MIDI with it, all the sounds, and that was causing problems for us. And so I'd just like take naps and stuff. So I'd wake up and Gerald would be like, your voice sounds so cool right now. You got to sing the vocal for this song right now. And it'd be three in the morning.

I'd be like, really? You'd like, yeah, and I'd sing this like hook or whatever. The other thing we were doing was we were going to the record store a lot. We were going to our friend, Ackie's store called Cosmos in Toronto. Even that one, it's the best. You should go. Anyway, so we would go there

and get a lot of Brazilian music and stuff like that and just kind of listen and get inspired. You know, everything from Milch and Nassimento to, like, Martino de Vila or whatever, and we would sample it and kind of create things that way. And vocally, too,

I had experimented with a lot of things in NELSTAR that I kind of like ended up kind of bringing that. Kind of like that sort of Scat-like singing, you know, that kind of sing-rap type of flow and delivery. When you do the, I don't know what you call it, but you do it up.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was very influenced by like Brazilian vocal percussion. But the process was long. So the reason, whoa, Nelly, that first record sounds like that and it sounds like this crazy pastiche is because it was very conscious, the making of it. Like, I brought in albums that I love. Like, I was really into Corner Shop at the time

when I was born for the seventh time. Yeah. Because they were one of the first groups to really merge pop with like cultural music. You know what I mean? A lot of Indian influence. Thank you for seeing me on that. Yeah.

You don't remember recorder shots? Citars and everybody. I've heard everybody needs a bosom for a pillow. Yeah. Writing it down. But we'd find like street buskers, street musicians in the subway like playing pilling a vibraphone

or satar and we'd be like can you come to the studio today? Like we had lots of people come play and we just sampled them. And, well, we'd not sample them like we wouldn't pay them. We'd pay them for their session and then we would use it in different ways. There's even Brazilian Barimbao. There's some quirky instruments on there.

So anyway, all that hard work and time and energy and technical difficulties led to the sound of the album. Technical, so you say mistakes? Yeah, man. Like Pro Tools crashing, you know, and things like taking longer. Like, there's a song on that album that took one month to record. And I mean, we were in the studio every day. experimenting. It's called trying to find a way. Okay.

Okay. Yeah. That makes sense. I left my heart. In San Francisco with some club kids on creditorses somewhere. That one. Yeah. So were you, how did you feel about the reception of the record in? The first album? Yeah. It was weird because I wanted shit on the radio to be the first single. I'm glad it.

Yeah. So how? I was going to say, how do you present that? that idea like as I'm into criticize the radio and to be like hey accept me

but I don't think you came out of the gate thinking hey you know what it was it was my friend like you know your friends and then your real friends so it's like

there's always like the peanut gallery who's like too cool for everything and it's like oh I feel like it was a random conversation in a car and somebody said

what do you guys I was like, you mean us? No. No, I mean us as in we are too cool and we're snobs and. Yeah, but that's cool. You can do that, but not to your friends. So, like, someone in a car. I ain't got no friends.

No, but, like, shit on the radio happened because I was in a car with a friend from back home. It was a group of people and someone said to me, hey, it was more like an acquaintance was like, you signed a record deal. Make sure you don't make cheesy music. Make sure you don't make bad music. Make sure you make cool music. And I was like, excuse me?

Like, that was like, it's like really hating before you even had a chance to do anything and people would just hate just to hate. And so shit on radio was about that. It was like, you know what? I don't need to prove myself to you or anyone. I can just like do what I want to do. And I don't want to worry about shoe gazing, you know?

And so, yeah. So anyway, so present into a record label. Yeah, Mo Austin. I don't know, do you know Mo Austin? Yes, we know the legend of Moe Austin. Yeah, man. Like, he worked at Dreamworks. Like, my label has.

I'd like Lenny Werenker and Mo Austin and like Robert. You inherited the Warner Brothers guys. You inherited the Warner Brothers crew. Oh really? Yeah. Nice. Yeah, they were like the classic

James Taylor. It was James Taylor Prince. I got real lucky, you know. I had these like amazing seasoned people behind me and they believed in everything I did. And Lenny Warenker came to the studio when we were almost done, Woonelli and he looked at me and he goes,

savor this moment. You will never make music like this again because you're just starting out and your impression and the way you think and the way you create will never be the same again. I was going to say that in a sense, and you can feel and hear that in a sense, like the boundaries of, they're not being boundaries, you coloring outside the lines and that sort of stuff, you sort of, you get the sense of that, like, oh, this is a person that's just discovering their body parts, metaphorically speaking, like, you know, like, oh, the limited power I have.

And then it's almost like you get tainted or, you know, there's, there's a pressure on your hands when you work upon following material. Like, did you, how did you feel afterwards like? I know exactly what you mean because I hear that on records when I listen to them now. You know what I mean? So like I heard, I think I heard drums album and I was like, oh, I love how he doesn't care. And it just seems so, you know, like there's an intentional. And it will never happen again. Because you're wiser.

Because you're wiser now. Oh my God. This is so beautiful because it's so free. You know what I mean? Like, oh, this is so free. You know? But anyway, myself, yeah. Oh, my God.

Are you kidding me? Pressure. Plus, I was a girl. I was like a 21-year-old girl. Like, all of a sudden, like, what? Like, I'm nominated for a Grammy. And like, my mom sitting next to me and weren't the Grammys. And I went to a grand.

Like, it was all surreal. How'd you feel when they announced your name that night? I think I was there that night when you won your... Yeah, you were probably there. Yeah. Back in the good old days. I mean, it was amazing. I was like... Well, you kind of...

I mean, you expected to win. I mean, you were unstoppable. I don't know. Like, it's still cool. Like, it's still... But the funny thing that happens is afterwards. Like, I remember I was living in... I remember actually exactly,

because I was living in L.A. for like a year. And I remember you invited me to a party one night, and I couldn't go. And I don't remember why. I couldn't convince my friend to come out with me and I didn't go. Right. My roommate, my friend. But I remember. that time I remember starting to feel like, oh, I got to deal with all the other ways I actually feel about this business.

You know what I mean? The starry eyes are gone. I'm now wondering, does it all come down to wearing a pretty dress on the red carpet? And that really messes with you when you're only 22. This is before the second album? Yeah. It was right when I was about to record it. So you're worrying that you might become the establishment that you were.

Yeah. And that's why my first single on folklore is called Powerless. where magically sign of the times they asked me to sing it tomorrow in the Today Show. I was like, is this a typo? Do you be promiscuous? Right. Like, do you know what I mean?

Like, people want to hear songs like powerless now. Which was kind of like a protest song at the time. The first line says... I mean, look at the time we're living in, though. It kind of fits now, I think. I know, but it's amazing to me that music can live on in that way and still inspire people because the first line says, paint my face in your magazines,

make it look whiter than it seems. paint me over with your dreams shove away my ethnicity because this life is too short to live it just for you but if you feel when you feel so powerless what are you gonna do

oh wait I gotta learn lyrics before tomorrow what are you yeah gonna do so say what you want but is that true now like really at some point somebody because your ethnicity is a part of your sound so somebody really came at you in a label type way like

I felt that way in photo shoots yeah I felt like there was an ang angi how do I say anglicization angloisization Yeah, anglicization on me. I've always had olive skin, you know what I mean? I was aware of that because I grew up in a small town, British colony. I was like the only ethnic kid in my class in kindergarten.

So it's all relative. And then I, and so by the time I was done with my first record and I was doing powerless, I was like, well, what about who am I really? You know what I mean? Like, what am I really about and what do I want to say on this next record? So I started talking about the next record I have a song called like, Fresh Off the Boat. You know, my parents are immigrants. I was born in Canada.

I have a song called Picture Perfect about my dad's, like, immigrant dream of, like, coming to Canada and how everything looks so good in the old 70s photographs when you look at it. Right. So anyway, yeah, that's what happened. Yeah. Sometimes I would feel, like, there was a paradigm you needed to fit into at the time. I actually, I didn't always match how I felt. Do you know what I mean? Yeah.

Yeah. A win is a win. A win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clever Taylor the Forer. 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 Galko, joins the Sports Slice podcast to break down what really meant. 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 Slica Life 12 and TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. I have a theory about folklore, which is, you know how like Weezer fans will now swear by Pinkerton.

Right. Like, that's their Pinkerton. I actually think that your folklore could be your Pinkerton moment. Okay. Because even though it, it

again, you could tell that you were older, wiser sort of cynical eyes, even based on the album cover, because when I copped the record, that's the first thing I noticed. I love the fact that you've always kept your logo the same. Right.

But based on the album cover, even I was like, oh, Nellie gets serious here. My tone, my face. Right. And if you look closely, I got a little nevis in my belly too. I'm like four months, five months there.

But I also know that, I mean, what we also have in common is that, well both of us got shipped to Geffen oh my god you were in that crazy the turnover well yeah because every all you on dream works before well we were on MCA and when they announced in 2003 like you know we're getting rid of the following 11 labels that was such a weird feeling we all got shipped and it was like the racial draft it was like why is a cooler company buying me it was the it was the It was the racial draft of labels. All the black artists pretty much went over to Geffen, right?

Yeah, but it was a weird process. Like, Dr. Dre told, I mean, Dr. Dreh kind of, kind of, you know, told, President of Interscope, Jimmy. Yeah, told Jimmy, like, okay, here are the cool artists. Wow. What? Yeah, Dreys is my man. He comes through.

Oh, because he picked you, but if not, you know what I'm saying? Like, that's awful for the people who didn't get. You know what I'm saying? So I'm just saying that unfortunately, a lot of notable records got overlooked in the shift of getting to that moment. So, I mean, how did you personally feel when that album sort of got lost in translation as far as the commercial? It was kind of weird because I felt like because I was like kind of playing guitar and more songs and kind of being more, I guess, traditionally what you would see more like a rock aesthetic. I felt like it wasn't accepted because people just wanted me to be that girl with the pigtails and like, you know, like the fun ethnic girl with hoop dearing's bouncing around. It's like she was so happy.

Why is she mad? Wait, because get your freak on came at what point in the midst of. Oh, early, like in Roanelli times. Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, I do. That's how I organically felt just to be completely honest with you.

I felt like, oh, I'm not allowed to be angry. Okay. Look, I'm not allowed to sing my truth. I'm not allowed to be more emo. Why are you pretty, like, why I'm, like, it's that first feeling of like, oh, shoot, I'm in a box. Oh, shoot. So you never blamed it on a label. No, I just kind of blame it on like just people and perceptions.

And luckily the album took off in some markets. Thank God. It, like, really took off established. Your worldwide market was still. Other markets, yeah. Like, I think the song was number one in Canada and, like, Germany and some other places. And I really felt the love on many levels. So it was okay.

But, yeah, in the U.S., I was kind of like, oh, well, I guess nobody wants to hear me singing about stuff I don't like and biting the hand that feed me. We are so picky. Aren't we? America, it's just weird. I never really thought it was about the label folding. Really? But maybe I was wrong. But, I mean, it helps.

Well, Tribe was a really good song. Try could have maybe been on the radio. I don't know. But it helps to have your label intact during the six or seven month lifespan. Yeah, it would have helped a bit. Yeah, probably. Because the same happened with Common. Yeah, like Comen released Electric Circus.

And then the transition happened. Why did you get that before? Oh, because I was sitting here thinking electric circus, that might have been actually when Nellie thought about like folklore was maybe a little bit of electric circus thought. No, well, it went to the same thing. She released it and then DreamWorks sort of imploded. This was all happening simultaneously. Yeah.

But it's still a different project. So it's kind of like you'll never really feel like you know if it was a lefty type project. And you know what I mean? No, you bring up an important point because I think it's perception too. So you as an artist, you start to believe the hype of like, that album wasn't as commercial. And then you forget that, wait a minute. The label died. The label died.

Other people to blame. Well, I think that. People will say the same thing about electric circus. They won't remember that the label folded. They'll be like, Electric Service. But it wasn't right because it was. It still had life in it.

Yeah. Oh, yeah. I loved it. I mean, but again, for common core fans, it might have... But then if Wohnelli never blew up, they could have been like,

well, Nellie, her debut was a little bit weird, so it never connected. You know what I'm trying to say? It's weird how that works. But it's second album. Yeah, shit is always weird when it don't sell. You know,

you always get the weird title, you know, when it don't sell. Yeah, people, yeah. It was a weird, right? No, that's a weird. But the thing was, I think, well, Nellie,

was, I think the charm of Will Nelly was the weirdness of it. It was a weird record. This one was more focused and... Yeah, it had more of a concept. Straighthood. Which really leads to... It was like an exploration of identity, really.

But that leads to, when Luce came out, pay dirt. But at the time, here's the thing. I told you, motherfuckus. Totally had something to prove, though. My introduction to Luce, though, was when you did SNL. Oh, shit. Right.

In like a bra. It was like, huh? Oh, snap. Google. Seriously? But the funny thing is I always showed my midriff on tour. You remember? I know.

You don't remember me coming out with Moby with like a bikini top on and saying south side? You were like hippie-nilly. Like, that's what I was used to. I've seen your feet more than I've seen it in shoes. So what was? Okay, did you feel? I've never seen your feet in high heels. I saw them in sneakers, yeah.

Yeah. Or sometimes you just walk around your bare feet backstage. But with loose, was it just all systems go and let me just. I'm looking at the picture. You're literally looking at the picture. I had to. You have the internet. Nelliportado on a bra.

You got to lose. Let me see that. That's what you typed. No, I didn't. I did Nelly Prato. I did Nelly Prato and F&L. Oh my God. That's so fun.

Honey. No, but you're right. It's a far cry from my like moon boots and crazy like raver pants the first time I did as an out. So you're right. Like you mentioned that you did work on the Get Your Freak On remix. Yeah, but that was a full tomboy.

No, no, no. But that was that was a crucial summit meeting between you and the Timberlin group. It was. And everybody forgot about it because they were like, how'd you meet Timbaland? We forget about it. There was actually you guys worked together before that. hip-hop people. Oh, not the black movie.

They know what's going on. You guys, you worked with Timlin before that remix, right? You did a remix. Okay, so, we did three things before Luce.

Like, we did three things like five years before Lose. Turn off the light remix. We toured together. On that tour, we toured together. He was, he came on the road with Miss Jade for at least six or seven shows.

Jay, I forgot about me. Yeah. Because I was on Ching, the other song with Ms. Jayette. And then the Miss Ginging. I love that record. Yeah.

Oh, Jade. I'm sorry. So, Jay. Jimmy Ivy and actually told me to go work with Timberlin again. And he's like... Of course. Why don't I think of it? Yeah. He was like, you know, you guys made a promise with the work you've done together and you haven't fulfilled on it.

I think you should go to Miami. Timbalin's in a really great creative space right now. And I was like, sure. At that point, I had already worked with Farrell, Scott Storch, Nellie Hooper in England. Wow. I was just like enjoying my record contract flying around with my daughter. recording recording with people

so I was like okay sure and so because she's a toddler she's not in school yet or anything so I'm just having fun so we flew to Miami

I worked with Tim first day speaker caught fire straight up we did manneder and the speaker caught fire really yes

that's got to be a good sign it's got to be yeah sounds bad beat it speakers caught on fire when Eddie Van Halen did his solo and yeah

have notable hits, have had burning speakers. Michael Jackson's hair actually lit on fire during a Pepsi commercial once. Because the commercial was so hot. Camerone was actually covered by fire on the Confessions of Fire. In overalls with no shirt off. You guys are funny. Is it everyone? So, so, Pan Eater was the first song you guys worked on.

Yes. What is the process? Oh, or was it glow? You know, when you got your A game on and you're like, I'm going to pull out all the tricks in this first session, you know, I'm going to knock his socks off, Timberland. And so Timberland. Yeah. So I was all like, oh, like doing crazy stuff with my vocals. Like in this song, Glow that's on the record.

Right. And then we did Man Eater that same day. Yeah. So what is, is he one of those? Sorry. Is he one of those? Is he one of those work from scratch producers or is it like, you like this track? He's worked from dance move.

You like this script? Yeah. Work from dance move. So if he's dancing and he's hearing the beat and his hand wants to do something different, like the body's missing something, he'll add a sound so that he can complete that physical connection with the song. So he'll dance first and then figure out what the. It's all vibe. It's all vibe.

Motion creates. See motion. He's, I don't know, he's just powerful. He has this, he has this connection. I don't know. It's neat. And him and I, we're weird. Like, when we get together, we hardly see each other.

I just saw him because he invited me to come, like, meet some kids he was mentoring on a show called The Pop Game for HLN or something. I think, I hope that's a network, but. It is a news network. When we get together, we talk like old people. Like we talk, we talk about life, death, love, marriage, divorce. We talk about big things. There's no small.

talk with Timbalin. Timbalin doesn't do small talk. I know. Right? I know that for a fact. Yeah. No, Tim doesn't do small talk. So it's the same approach to music. There's no small talk. It's either good or it's over and I don't care. You know what I mean? It's either popping. It's either I'm moving and I'm loving it or for God, I lost interest, you know? So you're constantly trying to get his interest back when you're writing. So it's like, all right, you feel like you're like at the World Series. And you've got to like, you know, you got to knock it out of the part.

But if you're building a song from scratch. Yeah. Which I imagine. He came up with the cadence, the flow for Man Eater. He was like, I was about to say, did he mention Guns and Roses at all? Like, was Welcome to the Jungle. And then I wrote the hook.

And then he wrote the cadence for that. And then I wrote the lyrics. Okay. And then we had an amazing vocal producer named Jim Beans in there. And he was just coming up with really cool, like harmonies and things. Like, say it right. Half the reason it's cool is because there's all those little, from my body, I can show you. You know, like all those little, like, calling responses.

Right. That's what I think takes it to the next level. We were watching a Pink Floyd movie that day when we did say it right. I put an alien effect on my voice to inspire myself. And then just kind of like, you know, I just started singing that. And then, yeah, him and I just kind of just like ping pong, you know. And that type is. Nate, Danger Hands was in that session, like Nate Hills, who's an incredible programmer and producer.

Yes, he is. So. And that was early days when they just started working together. This is before, right before they did Justin Timberlake's album. We had finished our album. So, okay, well, in that type of collaboration process, where it's you and him alone working and with danger as well. Mm-hmm.

And you're kind of building this jenga. game piece. Has there ever been a time where you build something and the idea doesn't work? Like, how do you distinguish? Or is it just everything you work on adjusted until it works? Until it works. Because usually, like, in a band scenario, like, if I'm, if we're, if me and the guys are playing a groove and maybe it could stay out of 45 minutes or I could clearly see

that the client isn't feeling this. Then I'll just throw it away and then we'll start all over again. But because of the intricacy of Timberland's production, you know, does every song have to be... Take No Prisoners? Like... Yeah, does it have to be finished to completion or do you have like five songs that we worked on that didn't make the record and, you know,

is just sitting in the... Him and I had a really cool experience with Luce because... Every single song we made was on the album. That's what I wanted to know. Everything made it. It was nothing left over. Okay. There were two things that didn't end up getting completed.

One was a song I started with Justin Timberlake, and it was called Crowd Control. But that was late in the game because I was almost done. And then there was like a song that, some other weird song. I just remember it feeling like a Shakira song. I don't remember what it was. It was like, it just had that feel, but we never finished it.

And then we just, it just fell to the wayside, you know. But it was very potent our time together in that particular wave. And we just finished all the songs, all in the same section of time. Now, did you feel nervous in? It's like we couldn't make a bad song at that time or something. It was weird. I mean, yeah. It's easy to be in the zone.

And at the time, I felt like... Oh, and like Kismet, too, you know, because, like, Chris Martin from Coldplay was in town. Mm-hmm. So we invited him. I knew him. Timberling did not know him, but admired him. And it was on a big Coldplay wave at the time.

I invited Chris in, and he wrote The Hook, all good things come to an end, which ended up being a huge hit around the world. Really? Uh-huh. Okay. Okay. So things like that happened, too.

Like, it was just a wave. It was just a moment. Were you at a, all worried about not the label, but in terms of your original. Everyone has their original, in my case, it's almost like the barbershop theory. I don't know if you ever have your barbershop thoughts. Like, Tariq has barbershop thoughts. This verse, I got to face the dudes in the barbershop when I do this verse, which is like his sounding, his soundboard, which could be it an okay thing and sometimes can also be a handicap.

And I see it more as a handicap than anything. Why is it a handicap for you? Well, I see it because it's a handicap because if your initial, say if her crew of six has those thoughts about, if that's echoing in her head, like, yo, don't make shit on the radio or keep it real or whatever music fans be like, you know, the side eye ready for you. Are you thinking, yo, what is my original crew back at home going to think when I drop this record with Timberland, which has the potential to sell goillions, which it did. I mean, but it's also a risk because it's such a 180 from how you started. Like, were you worried at all?

I was really just kind of, with Loose, I just kind of, well, two things. I came up with the title Loose about two years before I got in a studio with Timbalin. I wanted to make a more broad project because I found that my early material didn't translate well to larger arena festival shows because of the sounds. So I really dreamed of playing arenas with a broader sounding album. So I wanted to also prove to myself that I can make a big shiny pop album like any other pop star. And I just set myself to that challenge because I'm real challenge motivated. So I just set that goal for myself. I was like, I want to make something huge.

I admire that shit because... To see if I can do it, you know? I admire it because I know that most people, especially that are hip-hop based, are so, again... So at least my generation was so keep it real. I know. And anti-pop that... Well, then I know I could do it in a way that I still loved. Right.

But I'm saying that I think it's actually... I think it's... I think pop is noble, which I know it's weird. to say. I'm not saying that I'm the world's biggest Taylor Swift fan, but I kind of... You're not? I respect her stees. Yeah, it's kind of like a 50 million of his

fans can't be wrong. I like... Not even that. Not even that. No, no, no, no. Not even that. It's just that I feel like with pop music, it's hard to write a song that millions and millions and millions of people all feel is great. At the same time. I think it's harder

to... Like, okay, some of the producers that we've interviewed on the show have made some of their best work with limited materials. Oh, hell yeah. And then, or even with like prints or whatever, like when you have limited materials, you're at your most creative. But when you're given the world, then suddenly like, uh, results are iffy at best.

I think it's harder to write simple pop songs. I agree. I agree. If, again, I always say like, for now's these water, like 11 minutes, I has the whole diagram out. Okay. So minute number seven, we're going to go to, you know, free jazz here. And then we're going to pan to left and right and do all this crazy shit.

Well. I could do shit like that in my sleep. I could never do a three minute pop. It's like, all right. It's like you could just throw colors up against a canvas and call the shit abstract. But it's harder to draw a perfect circle. You know what I mean? Isn't it a lot of pop on by accident?

No? No, but there's a, there's a beauty and the simplicity. Math. It's all math. I think it's hard as shit. It's hard to be disciplined. It's hard to be disciplined. It's hard to be disciplined.

It's hard to bullseye something that can translate to millions instantly. My inspiration was... Oh, no, no, it's okay. Oh, no, I was just saying, I do think once you find out what that formula is, it's easy

to replicate it, though. Like, if you... Fear smart. But the hard thing is finding it. You know what I'm saying? And caring about it, because you know it, but you just don't feel like doing it sometimes. Right?

That is true. No, I think that's a misperception. You know it because every time you always give us a girl record on a Roots album, we talk about, like, you, that's one. But no, but that's the thing, though. I think the misperception, especially with the roots, is that, oh, you guys are artists. You don't want to sell.

You don't want to get played. You don't want to be on radio. That was wrong. I don't know how to do it. But you knew Water was not going to be a pop record. You understand what I'm saying? No, I know I know how to do what I do well, which is the opposite. But until I became a DJ in the last five years and really understand what people respond to,

now I know what the answer. answer is. I still don't know if I know how to execute it. I don't know how to execute it, but I'm just saying that I know what the answer is now. Back then I thought, hey, just put a girl on the hook and it'll be a hit. No, man. There's so much more than that. And there's so much of his imaging, I think, and like lifestyle, because I mean, it's not really you're selling the music. Like, you're selling the lifestyle. You're selling, you know, it's like some kind of code of personality shit. You know what I mean? So it's like. Or it's way different now. Yeah, you got to be a personality before you're even talented.

Yeah, because I could make a future record, but like, I'm a dad of two. I mean, not the future's not a dad, but. Yeah, because he's a dad of six. Yeah, of six. Yeah, I mean, it's like, who's going to believe that shit? It's like, no, motherfucker. Well, let me ask, because by that time, you had a daughter.

Yeah, I did. So having kids change you? Yeah, a few things. Like, I feel like, okay, so my inspiration for Lewis was definitely, like, I looked to albums like, like Madonna, Ray of Light. right is pop but it had so much artistry and direction and it had a sheen and a kind of mystery too

to it I thought and then Janet Jackson's album when she came out as Janet when she had the photo with someone holding her boots from behind I was so inspired by that album as a I guess 14 15 year old my friends and I they called us the Janet's who all had very curly long hair and I really wanted Luce to be like my Janet album I did and it was

I was very lucky that yeah my version right vanilla version and yeah and so with promiscuous I had trepidations I was like wow I've never sang a song like this before but I'll say you sold it well because when I saw SNL

I was like whoa I I hardly knew you. Yeah, you must have been like that because you had know me like real early days, you know? Yeah. And no, it's not even criticism. I was like, oh shit. I'm with this. But it's- I came from my heart because I always, I did grow up in R&B and hip-hop music. So for me, it was very natural to sing that way. It was very natural to sing that type of music. You know, it was in my heart. So I just, you know what I really think it is? I think my musical vocabulary is large.

So that's why I can't, I don't fit into a box in every album. different because I just, I don't like to speak the language in different ways, the musical language, you know? When you grow up playing instruments, you play the black notes on a page. Like, there's no genre, you know, it should be a democratic thing, I think, music, you know? Do you feel freedom in that? Because, you know, a lot of artists don't really have that at the end. Like, some people would want to do other things, but I feel like what you, you can do so many things because you're not in a box. But do you feel that privilege in that way? I guess so, because I don't know how to do it any other way. Like, I don't know how to adhere to a genre. I don't know what that is.

I don't know what that is. You know what I mean? Or if I did know, I would get bored after doing it once. I get so bored. I get bored. That's pretty much that's all it is. I just, very curious person. I just led by my curiosity. And if I can be interested in something, then I'll do it, you know? But if I have no interest, I just can't, I just can't do it. Well, the success of Luce was really unprecedented. Like, did you expect, especially coming off of folklore was it just like let me throw the spaghetti on the wall and see what happens. We had nothing to lose.

Yeah, but then suddenly it's like I mean 12 million is nothing to scoff it. Yeah, it was crazy. So at the height of the madness of you surpassing even your debut record, I mean what was it like suddenly

like especially when you having to be an artist, having to be a mommy, having to be a songwriting, having to be a songwriter, like wearing all these hats. Where does that, you know, what does 10 million feel like at the height of the madness? It was exhausting. I was so tired because I was traveling with my daughter around the world. I.

For two years, right? Two years? Yeah. Like I toured, like I was making the record. When I made loose, she was almost two. Who were you on tour with at the time? Or who were you touring with? Well, okay, so I made the record.

Then it was like, I guess she was three when I brought her on the road. Because by the time we went on the road, I was just like three. Three years, four years old. Anyway, so I was really tired. I was on the road. It was amazing because I got to play these arena shows I dreamed of, right? It was like, ooh, these songs sound great in an arena. This is cool.

And now fit in all the old songs, too. And it was like really fun. But, yeah, it's a lot of pressure because this, okay, this is what I will tell you. And I sympathize when I see pop star. with these huge careers, because I know what they're really thinking and what they're really thinking is, wow, I had two number ones.

Why was my third single, not number one? I feel like a failure. I have an arena tour. Why isn't Hamburg sold out? I have a sold out arena tour. Why didn't we sell out Hamburg and Munich? So you're one of the people that, if 99 people in the room love you, you only care about the one that's, like, indifferent?

It's the nature of the business, because all business models are based on growth and expansion. I think that's human nature though. Yeah. So that's the problem with the music business is because you can never stay on top. So it's like you're on top

and all you're worried about and every single person who's number one right now, all they're worried about is, is this album gonna hit? Is this gonna hit? Like, am I gonna, like that never goes away. Like I was at a Sting concert and like somewhere strange.

Like Latvia, I ended up there because I had a show. And he saw me. Was he going to his car and goes, oh, thank God, I didn't know you were here. I would have been so nervous. And I'm thinking you're Sting. It's never good enough for these

sensitive artists. You're still that nerd who like nobody likes me. You do. It's so great. It's so weird. Or you're worried that you don't have credibility. Or you're worried that the peanut gallery doesn't like you anymore because you're like,

you know what I'm saying? Like you're all, you're always somebody to prove something to. That's never perfect. There is no yellow brick road. For these people to keep me in line. Yeah. No.

Yes. That's why. But no, no, no, that happens a lot. Like, you'll find out that you do your best shows ever in obscure towns that, you know, industry, people aren't watching you? Totally. Like, have you ever had a really, really good L.A. show or a really good New York show? A handful. A handful.

You know. British Columbia. With us, it's always fails. No, I can remember maybe one, you know? Yeah, it's always a fail. But yet, you know, Montana, best show ever. because yeah I mean there's no pressure

of people watching you you know the people there are actually want to be there and they're not just trying to be seen That's the other thing when you have radio singles You think people are just there to be cool

And they're just there Because your thing is the cool thing to do that night It's very different than when you have an album That's less successful And you know everybody who's there They actually want to be there Not because the radio

Had a commercial Your friend invited you like my outfit in the video. You know what I'm saying? This is real stuff. It's real stuff you think about. So, okay, so how do you handle? I know, do you think I'm crazy, right?

Are you like, what is she talking about? No, I'm thinking because I'm on the other side of radio for the last 15 years. So I'm just really thinking about it in an artist. I never thought about that. It's true. Everything you say makes perfect sense. Okay, cool.

Okay. I think you're crazy. You do? Steve, have you had your medicine? I was trying to. Come to my song writing workshop. That would be good. Steve, you would fit right in.

at the songwriting workshop. I want to see one of these Montana Root shows at some point. So do I. Fuck you, Steve. Whatever. Helena. Anyway, no, so with,

with, but it's so self-defeating. It's a horrible attitude to be like, they're only here because they're following a wave. But that's not true. I don't think that happens, though. You don't come out the house

just because your outfit was cute in the video. You come out of the house because at least I like one to two songs. Not that totally happens. It does. It does. And the thing is, okay. It's kind of an obscure way to look at it, but.

If your breakout, if your true breakout arena album is your third record. And you know you had some heat on the first. Like, how do you, if you have a lot of broth and very little chicken. Yeah, meat. Did you ever have moments where you're like, that's amazing. Okay, well, a lot of strange. Yeah, we, yes. Food analogies on this show.

here. Right? Broth sounds so good on the radio. Yeah, but I'm just saying that if you're there because you know a particular fan is really there for like, oh, they're going to come in line when I start promiscuers or whatever. Then it's like, how do you pace your show then?

Like, okay, well, you want to get the diehards and the new fans. Oh, it's hard. You know what I used to do on the Looster? I'd play Parties Just Begone, this track from my first album. He's like, parties just begun. And I do this whole like, you know, No, yeah, like this like dodgy did, I do this all like vocal percussion thing. And that kind of got my jollies off in that song.

Like I was like, okay, I'm being artistic in this song and any of my old fans might know this one. And I enjoyed all the, I love playing that role. I love putting all the fancy ball gown and singing showtime. Like it was fun. But it was fun times. I enjoy it all. It's fun learning a new skill.

It's fun learning how to act on stage and do choreography. That was cool. I liked it. 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, 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, 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 cliford 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 this. 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, for wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slice of Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Wait a minute. Oh, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Okay. I'm sorry. I just had a moment. I just had a moment that I totally forgot about. Okay. Oh, damn. I feel like I'm about to have a lie of you

moment. Okay. Okay. Uh-oh. And I'm also going to mirror it up because I got to be sort of ambiguous with the question. Uh-oh. I love these. Because I don't want to be... He's still disclaiming. Yeah. There's a lot of... There's a lot of... There's a lot of...

It's going to be more preface than it is... Yeah, ask the question. We understand. This is a safe space. Think usher. Think usher. Any minute show me. Okay, did you really hit TLC? No, I'm playing.

I'm playing. I'm playing. That was an usher question. Oh, okay. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Okay.

Okay. Um, I have a question about... Give it to me. Okay. Yeah. Now, we know who Timerlin

was bushing shots at the purple guy No, that was, that was Justin. That was, oh, Justin, yeah. Oh, Timble in particular, yeah, that was a Stoich. Right. Scott Stoge.

And we know that Justin was, okay, you're just laying all the tea out. Yeah, I mean, because people are listening, they don't know all the, so give it to me was Justin. I know, I just don't want to establish this show as a common denominator. All right.

But no, it happened in the past. Everybody knows it. Everybody knows it. The listener contact. So Justin was talking. shit about prints. Timbalin was Dissons Scott's thoughts. Okay.

I've got a disclaimer. Can I ask you a question? Can I ask you a question? Yes. And we don't have to mention the name. That's okay. Monte. I'll do a disclaimer.

No, my disclaimer is that, let me just say. It was like at the end of the movie, it's like the thoughts and feelings of the artists do not reflect the artist. Because like I, nobody, we recorded the verses separately. I was there to help write the hook. Right. Right. And I wrote my verse, but I was not present when Justin recorded his verse,

and I was not present when Timbling recorded his verse. But wait, that's not my question. My question is, just yes or no? Yeah. Were you bucking a shot at someone in your verse? I was. Can you play it? No, no.

I'm not even going to go to there. Can you just remind us? Here's the thing, though. But I was egged on, though. I was egged on in the studio. And I won't name names. It wasn't necessarily Timbalt. Secondly,

Yeah, yeah, I was. Secondly, I told her And she'll tell you, because we've made up. We've made up since. Thank you. That's what I wanted to know. Yeah, yeah, no, no. Because here's a thing.

But I was honest with her about it when she asked me about it. I was hired. Yeah. I was hired by that person to do their birthday party. Oh. Oh. And I didn't know nothing about this shit. Who is it?

Bill. Dude, not only did I play the record. I don't know who it is. That's who it plays twice. No. He's giving us context clues. Oh, my gosh. This is like how many years ago was it?

Like, dog. No, no statute of limitations. I'm establishing a precedent of the show that we don't. That I'm not, I'm not throwing people under the bus. No, we're not throwing about it. We're discussing history. I will tell you off air. I will tell you off air.

I will tell you off air. I'm sorry, this is where I got Quest Love Supreme the moment. I got set the president. Anyway, I was hired by this particular person to do their birthday party. Okay. Not knowing the history of the song. Out. And this was just when the shit came out.

So this was like, usually in my first five records, two of those records are going to be the song of the moment. And I played this shit. And God damn, the whole party just looked at me and ran up to me. Like, are you crazy? And I was like, uh-huh. And then finally, the person came to me. And someone explained. Oh, I got it.

Someone explained to me, and then I was, I just slightly took the record off and put Billy Jean on. We made up, we made up at Princess Diana's Memorial Show at Wembley Arena in London, England. I'm glad. And it was a beautiful moment. I'm glad. Yeah. Yo, because I'm thinking about the listeners. I don't recommend making a diss song ever.

It's bad karma. Bad karma came back. Yeah. It's bad karma. Bad karma? Wait, what do you mean it came back? Well, it was a number one song. So at first you're like, cool.

You know? And it was fine, you know, like the hook, you know. That's just like the little things we said in our verses. But like, we didn't need to do that. We could have probably done it without it being like that. Like that was just a subplot. Like, you didn't even know about it when you played it at the show. I didn't know shit.

And I regret playing it. I don't think I've touched it. Negativity is. The idea of you fading out real slowly. It's never a good thing. But, you know, it was a good experience. It was a good experience. And I was, I guess, as honorable as one could be doing that type of thing.

Like, she asked me about it to my face at an event. And I actually said, yes, it is. And this is why. You're so polite, though. I wouldn't know what a polite conversation. This is why I dished you. No, I was about to say that's awfully considered of you. And she didn't agree.

And she didn't agree with what I said. What were the lyrics if you don't? No. But it's fine. We kind of worked it out like ladies, you know? Like we always worked it out. It had a happy ending, so I think we can talk. I think we thought it had a happy ending.

It's not still only. I think I was in the wrong. Wait, time out. Have you ever publicly talked about this? I'm not really detailed. No, actually. Oh my God. Yeah.

You've been that trick. Exclusive. This woman is women, right? Oh my God. It's quite, do, do, do it. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not going to be punked on my own show.

I'm not mousling. We're not muslin. We're talking about history. If I bring up the Holocaust, it ain't muslin. It's only, Are we about to have a fight over this? Wait, can I just say that the womanly thing that was interesting is that you admitted that it was your fault. So, well, I think so.

There was no real reason for me to just go on the record and do that. No, no, no, no. It's like it would only be musling if she was continually. I was defending my creativity. That is all it was. But it was like, I was defining my creativity, or that's how I saw it. And I might have been wrong about the things I was kind of thought, the things that motivated it. And she kind of also, like, explained that.

And it was still kind of heated at that moment, but we made up, which was so beautiful. Chapter closed. Yeah, we made up. Let's move on. But at least, wait, wait, wait. The listeners know. If we can talk to prodig. If we can talk to prodigy about the JZ beef.

How about that? All of it. Yeah, because the world knows there was a prodigy JZ beef. Well, I'm going to tell you, I googling Nelly for Tidal Beef, and her name was the, it came up immediately. Well, this is not a secret. Let our listeners do that. I just don't want to set a president.

I never went down Beef Lane again, you know? That's the sole beef. I learned my lesson. You've been down Beef Lane. I mean, I just want to talk about the Holocaust. The Holocaust on Questless Supreme. So, there was a once, a unnamed dictator. Oh, God.

Who had a little mustache. We don't want to say his name because, you know, we don't want to ruffle any feathers or bring up, you know. Ladies, but Google it. But Google it. Did we really just compare that beat? I'm taking my show back, damn it. Take it back. Nellie, did this originate from you watching some old wild orchid videos?

Wow. No. Okay. I like that. I like wild orchid. Okay, can we stop? So pretty. Oh, my God.

I really regret asking this question. All right, move on, move on. Please. Hitler distus. This is so funny. Can we go to Me Plan, please? Yes. I feel like you're the most proudest of this record.

I love that record. What brought it on? Well, because it's hard to, like, sing, like, properly in another language. I mean, when I was little, I learned Portuguese first. Spanish came easily by, like, grade nine. I guess I was 14 when I started to learn Spanish. When I came out with Wo'nelli, this amazing artist from Colombia named Juanez, invited me to sing on this song that became an international hit called Photographia.

So it was a big song, big duet. And after that, I just kind of got embraced by like the Latin community. And so I decided to do a full album in Spanish. But I did it, did it. It wasn't translations. It was like, I had had the opportunity to do like a translations album of Luce, but I wasn't feeling it. So I waited till I could do it right.

I hooked up with a great co-writer named Alex Cuba, who was based in Toronto. And we started a Spanish album in the snow in Toronto. And it ended up way bigger than I ever thought. because all these artists really just joined on to the, you know, onto the project and it featured seven or eight really great collaborations. And I found the... I was supposed to say, you worked with my favorite, Salam. Salam.

Salam. I love Salam. Yeah. Salam Rumi. Do you guys ever get together here? He's currently working on the never-ending Roots album that, you know. I didn't know that. He's on the project with you? That's so cool. We're, yeah, we've done about six songs together.

See, even, like, he embraced the opportunity to do Spanish records, you know? So we worked on that. Why not Portuguese? Just curious, because that's your first. I know. See, there's me, again, doing idiosyncratic movies. Right. And I'm like, you.

Everybody asks me that. They're like, why not Portuguese? And I'm just like, I don't know. I started, I like Latin pop. Or the market, too, you know. And if I did, Portuguese, it'd probably be more, um, boutiquey, like, fado music or something. Right, because they don't get nominated for Latin Grammys. Is that an...

They do, actually, to make matters more confusing. So, like, Laudeau-Pasini's Italian. She's won a Latin Grammy. Katana Velos is Brazilian. He's won a Latin Grammy. It's kind of broad, the whole genre. But, like, Portuguese is Hispanic on the U.S. census form. Very confusing.

Very confusing. And so I decided to sing a Latin pop album, kind of like a very inspired by, like, rock in Spanish, stuff like that. You know, Julietta Vanegas? She co-wrote a couple tracks. She's a Mexican artist. I had a rapper named Mala La Mala Rodriguez. She's from Spain. I had like a proper Mexican ranchero singer

Alejandro Fernandez. She's covering all bases. Conche Buica, Flamenco. You covering all bases? I really went there with it. I had fun with it and I collaborated a lot. And honestly, the Latin world, the Latin world of music is far larger than I ever imagined.

And it was welcoming. I felt a sense of community that I really, really, really needed. I was about to say, did you go to the Latin Grammys and, like, how did you feel in that community? Amazing. Really? Yeah, I did. Yeah, I felt, I don't know.

I all felt humbled by it too, right? Because, yeah, here I am this English singer, and then I decided to make a Spanish album and it gets embraced. So it was like, wow, I feel very lucky, but I also feel indebted to the artists have collaborated with, like, Juanis, right? It takes people to kind of bring you in, right?

Like with any genre, right? Yeah, you need somebody to vouch for you. Yeah, you need all the co-sanes. Fonte's are about you. Yes, indeed. Fonte, he's like right now, not right now, motherfucker. No, no, look, man. I ride for the squad, man.

Thank you. I ride for the squad. In good times and bad times. I'm sorry. Are you going to sing the song? Josh Grobin's on my Spanish album. So he was like, I want to sing in Spanish. And I was like, great.

I sent him the song. And, well, no, I invited him. And he said, oh, that would be a good opportunity. And he sang. So then he was. both of us, like, singing a Spanish song together, but... Yo, forgive me for asking this question, because I'm about to go listen to that

album, but I haven't. Are there... Yeah, is there any, like, Samba Nova-type influence? I don't really go in the samba direction. No one can't see your side-eye as you asked that question. Oh, it's not a side-hand. I mean, you're...

Single lady slow-motion hair. Yeah. Yeah. Not really. The closest thing... There's a flamenco song. There's, like, a real, like... Like, ah, Salam did that.

track. That's my favorite. I think that's by the best track. It's called Fuerte, strong. And Conche Buick is this amazing flamenco singing with this really throaty, powerful voice. She's amazing. Wait, Salam also worked on the next join, too, a spirit and

Destructa. Salam and I did a song called Something, which features Nas. Yeah. And another track that Salam did on Spirit was, oh, he did more than one that ended up on the record. He did some B-sides, too. And you were, why did you? We wrote a lot together.

I got to ask. Rodney Jirkins? Yeah. Dark-Chile. Dark-Chile, let me tell you. What was Darcytall working with? Amazing. I'll tell you what he does.

You want to know? And how many Michael Jackson stories did you get to hear? Do you want to know? Yes. This is what he's like when you write with him. So he'll sit behind the keyboard. And he looks at you when he's writing. he'll be like,

like, and he'll be really intense. You're facing him, he's like a doctor, like, therapist. And he's like, he's moving and he's looking in your eyes while he's writing. And I loved working with Rodney. Actually, Rodney's a very good vocal arranger. As we all know, he produced Say My Name.

He produced The Boy Is Mine, like, hello. And it wasn't until I was in his studio. I walked around and I had this crazy moment where I realized he had produced all my favorite 90s R&B records. And that's why we did the song, big hoops and we reference all my favorite 90s artists on that song because I don't know I guess I was in that energy. It was the last record I made with Interscope and I actually, I don't know, there was a bit of pressure to make something big and bouncy again because it was my next English

project after Luce. But I was just having fun. Like Rodney and I had a genuine connection. We had genuine connection and vibe together. I did enjoy making that album as well. Which leads us to the ride. Now, the thing is, when I saw the cover, when I saw the cover to the ride, I was like, why did you drop your logo? Who designed your logo? I'm a font nerd, by the way, so.

I know. Do you know, it's like a sacred geometry logo. And my friend from, it's called Create. It's like a media company in Toronto. And they did, yeah, they did a new logo for me. And it's basically based in all this, like, mathematical equations of, like, space. angles and stuff like that.

I just really liked. I know, I get so bored. But was it symbolic to to drop your classic psychedelic logo? I think so I just got so sick of seeing that big old thing on every cover. Like I was like, not again. But it's like, I mean, it's rare.

I just looked like I had all the same album cover every time. Like, I was just like, oh. It's continuity though. I know, but I'm independent now, so I don't care. And I'm just like, whatever. Do that. I know.

I'm a horrible marketing. It's just so rare as a lover of record collecting, it's so rare to find product with good consistent logo with history. Like Earth One and Fire has their consistent logo, Chicago. Chicago has theirs, well, Wutain has more of a logo than like fonts associated. I mean, you know, I mean, the roots have kept are, are. our boring blue nose Helvitica

American typewriter Yeah but when you When you be thrown off If you saw a Roots album in any font Other than what you're used to seeing I didn't even realize So you said that

But I guess so Because you don't like the roots Nellie Oh Nellie I love them But Nellie's album looks like It reminds me like Those 80s albums

Everybody goes to that stage Of like The Secret Life of Plants when you put the picture inside the block of color and I lost everybody. Yeah, you were reaching. Thank you for that. I appreciate that comment.

Thank you. Charles did. Everybody did a picture and a lot of color. I'll take anything. We're going to edit that one now. Are you serious? This is edited. Was that really a reach?

Was that really a reach? Yeah. I don't know. I worked with my friend on it. I honestly just wanted to capture the energy space of mine that I was in when I recorded it. And I did that photo shoot for internet stuff, and I ended up using it for the album cover

because it was like a snapshot of kind of the week I finished the album in Dallas, Texas, and the artwork features local Dallas artists and visual artists. The artwork on the fronts by Samantha McCurdy, you can't see the whole thing, but you buy the vine. I should have brought you a vinyl.

Yeah, you should. Why the hell did I not bring this final to you? It's so cool. But you open it up and it's just, it has a sense of community. I met a lot of cool people in Dallas and I ended up working on all these projects with them, the video directors from Dallas.

There's a good musical community down there. Did you shop... Bobby Parks, Jr.? You ever met him? I've not met him. Really talented, keyboardist. Okay. Moo, Clabinet.

He plays it all on my album. There's a really cool... I don't know if you go to record stores a lot, but... I used to work at my friend's store in Toronto. Okay. A couple years ago. One of the... After selling millions of records, she did.

I did for fun. Yeah. The key to, uh... I forget this. The leader of Polyrhythmic spree. Polyphonic spree owns like one of the coolest record stores, mom and pop spots in Dallas right now. It's escaping. Is it no cliff?

That's a real funky neighborhood. Don't give me to quote it. But it's a really. John Congleton produced all the records, Polysvonic Spree. The guy who did my record. Yeah. That's what I'm saying. in that area of Dallas.

Yeah, it's a vibe. It's like, you know what it is? It's like that whole like artists and then like the patrons of the arts. You know, and then there's this great divide. And I think it creates this wildness to like the left side. You know what I mean? Like it just creates this more you have to kind of, you got to be even weirder in Dallas to be weird. You know what I mean?

You got to really. How do you feel to be, how does it feel to be on your own? and truly independent note without without label of labels well I really followed my heart I really wanted to work with John Congleton and Annie from St. Vincent introduced me to him

we clicked and I just in my heart thought I want to know what it's like to work with like an alternative producer I want to see what that's like I want to see if I could do it and when I met him we started working and Interscope I was still with them but I always

kind of go off and do my own thing and I don't really album what I'm doing. But eventually I did and it felt like they were kind of like, yeah, well, maybe we could do this or that or this. And I was like, no, I really want to finish this album with John Congleton. So I was able to get my album back from them.

Wow. I own this album. You can do that now? I own the Masters. Wait, wait, wait a minute. That greatest time. Out. Wait a minute. You had a conversation with them. No, my manager helped me.

Like I haven't helped me. Well, not you. Yeah. Literally, but I'm just saying that they were willing to amicably part with you. Yeah. Yeah, they gave me my master. They gave me, like I got to keep the masters of this new record. And it was a blessing because I was able to make this beautifully produced album essentially independently, you know, which is you're not usually able to do that, you know, because John's a really in demand producer. So we took our time with it because we were both really busy

But yeah man You know sometimes it's just time to move on You look really confused right now Wait time out of way to move on I need this That's the sound of my brain right now Which It has to do more with the relationships

Like there's a lot of old relationships in the music business Like the people you don't see on TV I guess if you ask you'll receive And it's like you know between business relationships, like sometimes, like, there's certain people who know how to get stuff done quickly. I was just lucky enough to be working

with some of them at the time. The only reason why I'm mind-blown is because now that I think of it, I think I did the same thing. Good. It happens sometimes. Oh, yeah. With Jay?

Yeah. Well, no. Jay, I asked Jay like, yo, take us with you to Def Jam. And he's like, oh, I don't want to get involved in Jimmy's business. Yeah. And I simply just ask.

But my selling point was, I was like, dude, you have 17 mega platinum artists on Interscope. You're not going to miss us. I said, all we're doing is wasting your money. You won't miss us. And he sat and thought about it. It's like, okay. Thanks. And that was it.

And I got my freedom papers. You're, well, because you were respectful. You know what I mean? And I think even when I presented what I was working on with John, I was respectful. Did you get your master's too? I'm just saying, if you sell. If you. I wrote.

a handwritten note. You know what I mean? If you sell 12 million units, I'd be, yeah. I kind of want to make sure you're good to the last drop. That's true.

Okay, okay. That's, yeah. There's always risk involved, I guess. But like, they still get the, you're at least Jordan 45. You've got some Jordan 45 time left in you. So it's like, that to me, that to me is an amazing,

like I can't believe that happened. Yeah, it's like kind of like a little mini miracle. I felt very grateful, but then when I signed those documents, I said, wow, I signed this record contract in 1998. 1998's a long time ago because I take too much time in between albums. So for me, signing a six album deal, like at that age, I never knew, you don't think, right, when you sign your first record contract, you're like, yeah, hoo, like, it's making album. Right.

You read it. I was always smart about reading my paperwork. But at the same time, you're not really processing, like, how much time. You don't know that it's going to take that long to record six records. You know? So what do you, what do you hope to get out of? I don't know, you visualize and it happens. Something I wanted.

I mean, you've taken, I mean, you kind of taken the dream as far as an evolution's concerned. You made all types of records, done all types of collaborations and musical experiments. Like what, what, I never believe in happy. I believe in satisfied. So what, at what point are you satisfied? Like, if you were to stop now, are you, like, are you, like, you were to stop now? Are you like, okay, you have a beautiful daughter.

You pretty much lived the dream. Yeah. What is the satisfaction destination for you? For me, okay, if I had to stop today and was like, okay, I'm going to quit now. I'm never going to make music again. I might regret like never doing like a Portuguese language album actually. Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to put that on you.

Oh, no, but it's true. No, it's not you. Yeah, so that could be cool at some point. But again, I won't know until across that bridge. But yeah, generally speaking, I just wanted this time out's been really cool. Like a week after I got out of my record contract, like I think a month later, I was rehearsing with Dev Hines because we were going to sing together at his charity show. He did.

Did you go to that at the Harlem Apollo? It was really cool. It was a fundraiser. And so I said to him, Hey, Deb, you know, I'm not with my label anymore So we could put out our new song on cassette Like and sell it at the merch table for charity So that's the type of stuff you can never do

If you're on a major label Who has a cassette player, though, now? I do. Yeah, it's bad. Yeah, cassettes are bad. I didn't know that. You can go to urban outfits right now and get a boom box. Oh, okay, there are urban outfits.

And also I did an installation at Art Basel this year with my friend who's a photographer. So normally, like, you can't just do that stuff when you're assigned to a contract, sound art installation, songwriting, you know what I'm saying? It's just a different flow in your brain.

And it's really nice. I've been experimenting with that. So I'm going to see where that takes me, you know? I don't really know. I just want us to keep asking questions, you know? I took a playwriting class last year at university. That was fun. So maybe writing arrangements or something

for like a different type of like paradigm, maybe theatrical. I'm not sure. See, I get the feeling that, you know, the ongoing, the ongoing evolution will, you know. She'll probably be prime minister. Well, I was going to ask you Toronto, like, musically, Toronto has been put on the map since you first stepped on the scene. It really has been. I was about to say, I feel like a 40 Drake collaboration is coming up.

Yeah, Melanie Fiona. 40's like so nice. Even Cardinal Fisciano, I was post-Mel. I love Melanie Fiona. Yeah, you know, I feel cool. because I watched the scene grow and I stayed in that city I've stayed in Toronto my whole life and career

well from age 18 out but like I've watched it grow urban scenes finally on the international map I mean we were just doing our thing for a long time thanks defante but I mean I need to know did Maestro Fresh West let your backbone slide

was that a hit over here? No Mastro Freight wasn't a hit Let your backbone slide I know about my sense. Okay, because I wouldn't know because we played 30% CanCon in Canada growing up. So 30% of everything you see and listen to is Canadian. Did you say CanCon?

It's called CanCon. Yeah, it's a government rule. Yeah. So for me, this is before Clear Channel took us over in 97. Yeah. So basically speaking, yeah, it's so nice to meet these new artists that are coming out and they have an appreciation for what happened in the past, but then they're moving things forward.

So like my favorite from Toronto is, his name is River Tiber. And then he's featured on the Cajon-West. record. Yeah, man. He's based in Toronto. New artist, you got to look out for. Mustafa Ahmed. I've known him since he was 15. He sings. He's a spoken word poet. Really got to look out for him. He's making his he's managed by Doc actually and he's making his debut right now. Thanks, Natalie. I was literally going to ask you to put us on to

some new Canadian acts. Also, I really like Charlotte Day Wilson's EP. Have you heard it? Yeah. I've heard her. Same manager as River Tyburn. She's on her, she's on Bad Bad Bad not good. It's new album as well. I love bad, bad, not good. She's dope. They're really good.

Fonte's are, Encyclopedia? That is a voucher. He's a voucher and an encyclopedia. I feel irrelevant when his IQ is way, way above us. I love that. I love all the new stuff coming out.

Fonte's Drake's spirit animal. Really? Drake is going on record to say that this man. I wish everybody could see the look on a Fonte's face. Has he right? Animal. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, he said that in, yeah, on, on, uh,

He dedicated his, he dedicated his, he won a BMI award, I think. And he dedicated it to me. Really? He dedicated it to me. That's cool. He dedicated it to me, Andre, and Kanye. Wow. And then they asked me what I thought about it.

And I was like, I think it's great. But I wish you would have dedicated time to do a verse for my album. How about it? And we haven't spoke since then. But, I mean, you don't love the brother. It's all good. You know? Can I get that gun sound effect real quick?

It is what it is. I have a soft shots fired. I have Nintendo. Yeah, my shots fires. We worked early, early on in his career. And, I mean, he's always like showing me. I didn't know you did. I don't know.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. I didn't find out till later that he was on the loose tour because he sang backgrounds for Socrates on a couple shows. Wow. A Canadian tour. He sang background. Yeah, for Socrates.

He got to start somewhere. He did double. That's all starting on the bottom. He did doubles. He did doubles. He did doubles. No, he did doubles for Socrates. Yeah, on like, I think, three or four shows

on our Canadian tour of Luce, yeah. But I didn't know at the time. Like, I just found this out recently. Wow. Yeah. But everybody loves Drake. Everybody's so proud of him, right? Right, y'all, she said.

She said everybody loves Drake. Yeah. I'm Canadian. No, no, no. It was time for the CN Tower to be on the cover of an album. It's a beautiful building. Well, Nellie, thank you very much for joining us today at the QA.

Pena Gallery. Give it up for Nellie. Yeah. Yeah. Everybody needs the peanut gallery. That new album. Yes. You're grounded.

Please get the new album, Ride. The ride. The ride. I'm sorry. You got to enjoy it or get off of it. Yes. Enjoy the ride or get off the ride.

Yes. You've been thinking that all day, haven't you? You just, good time. Enjoy or get off it. Anyway, we're getting off the ride. On behalf of

Of Fon Tigolo and Sugar Steve and Boss Bill and unpaid Bill and Laia, a.k.a. A.k.a. Marg.a.a. Get off it, it, ride. This is Questlove. Quest Love Supreme. Thank you very much, Nelly. I appreciate it. Questlove Supreme is a production of Iheart Radio. This classic episode was produced by the team at Pandora. 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 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 Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to The 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 IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.