The Questlove Show - Questlove Supreme: Adam Blackstone

Episode Date: November 30, 2022

Adam Blackstone is an award-winning musician and musical director who has worked with JAY-Z, Dr. Dre, Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Jill Scott, and countless others. Fresh off of an Emmy win, Adam sits down with QLS to revisit his journey from New Jersey to Philadelphia to some of the world's biggest stages. He discusses Questlove's impact on his career, working this year's Oscars, and his new star-studded album, Legacy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. 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 Clivert 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. When a group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist, they take matters into their own hands. I vowed. I will be his last target. He is not going to get away with this. He's going to get what he deserves. We always say that trust your girlfriends.

Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, all. 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 understand. miss this episode. Listen to the Sports Slice Podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 and TikTok

podcast network on TikTok. What's up, everyone? I'm Ago Bodom. My next guest, it's Will Ferrell. Woo, woo, woo, woo, my dad gave me the best advice ever. He goes, just give it a shot. But if you ever reach a point where you're

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

Listen to Thanks Dad on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of fathering twins. But the pregnancy appeared to be a hoax. You doctored this particular test twice. of cellans, correct? I doctored the test ones. It took an army of internet detectives to uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing.

Greg, a lesbian, Michael Mancini. My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trapped. Laura, Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Questlove Supreme is a production of IHeart Radio. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to try to say this without tearing up. They grow up for a fan. Yes, exactly. Breaking news, I don't have kids yet. I will say that I probably, I heard that, I will probably say that I use my guess as an excuse to being with pride that of a dad watching. his kid or an older brother watching his kid brother shine in the big game.

It's literally because I've seen this person in his evolution. And yes, it's even scary to me. But, you know, I'm going to say this much. And this is where I get mafioso on y'all. If you are an entertainer or a singer, you know, worth your weight in gold or whatever.

Like, if you even think you're going to do anything creative in this lifetime without this gentleman. Oh, you are sadly mistaken. Seriously, I can go through it. It'll probably take a half hour before I say his name. Jill Scott needs work done, whatever. You call an Adam Blackstone. Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, Adam Blackstone. Maroon 5, Adam Blackstone. Al Javreau, Adam Blackstone. Andrew, Adam Blackstone. Andrew Stone, Al Green, Adam Blackstone. Who's Dr. Dr. Dr. Gray when his Super Bowl time? Adam Blackstone. Who's Jay Z called when it's time for

his show to be tight, Adam Blackstone. Even the artist now known as the unmentionable. Adam Blackstone. Janet Jackson, Adam Blackstone, Eminem, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, Timberlake, Rihanna.

Like, when you're watching the Oscars, even when I accepted my own Oscar. when you're watching the voice, when you're watching the Grammy Awards, when you're watching the Soul Trade Awards, all them specials on VH1, on BT, on MTV. Even my boss, Jimmy Fallon, uses for that's my jam.

The mass singer, Adam Blackstone. Let's not forget he's currently, yes, he will be an easy egot any day now. Like, he's currently working on his Grammy. for his awesome. I don't even get to talk to you about this. I really like legacy. Yes, even his awesome legacy LP.

I just have to say that I don't have the words to express the pride that I have for my guest. I'm sorry, use the entire 90 minutes to brag about our guest today, Adam Blackstone on Questlove Supreme. How you doing, man? I am wonderful. That was the best introduction ever. I'm trying, man. you know, you deserve your past flowers, man. You're like, you're...

I think everybody needs to know that 75% of the artists that you named for me came from you. Not, no, not even. Like, your reputation, like, I remember the day that, um, and rest in peace, Maroon 5's manager. Jordan, um... Jordan, man, Jordan. Yeah, Jordan. Rest and peace.

Yes. when Jordan hit me up, you know, about adding some spices to the group and arrangement or whatnot, I don't know, man. Like for you, I'm in all because of all levels of creativity, I say, even though people will say, like, the greatest strength of my career or my legacy, of course, is the Roots Live Show. The pressure that it takes to think of ideas to spice up someone's live show, man, is like, I don't know. I don't know how you do it. I will say that it's one of the most thankless jobs because no one ever thinks about what the music director has to go through.

Yeah, man, it's a, it's a beast. Yeah. And, you know, I have so many questions to ask you. So thank you. I'm glad we finally got to take time out to do this. Where are you hitting me from right now? We are in Las Vegas right now working on the Soul Train Awards. Of course. Just left, which I didn't see you at. We're going to talk about that, too. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Saturday.

How was it? It was really good, man. Any Lennox asked me to move to London with her, you know, don't tell my wife, but. Nice, nice. Honored DeRithmic's. Jamper & Lewis, right? Jam and Lewis, Charlie Simon, and Eminem, and Lionel, Dolly Parton. Really?

Did Lionel perform with you guys? He did. We did we did hello, easy, and all night long was crazy, well. Yo, can I ask you, Adam, because you did a few things leading up. And even though you didn't invite me and Jimmy Jam did, you did this nice tribute to Jimmy Jam and Terry. I just want this to be in the big quest love letters. Laia, you are invited to my life. Oh, okay.

You all raised up. Did you know about the jam session, Laia? When Jimmy Jam told me. Oh, after the fact. No, no, no, I went. So that's what my question was, because he did this jam section with a lot of kind of maybe unknown singers that were very dope that did like all these Jimmy and Terry songs. And I kind of wanted you to talk about that too. Yeah.

I will say that the night after, it's rare that Sean G., super manager, live nation executive, it is rare that Sean G will ever. That too. But it's very rare. Like, Sean is a family man. but I will say that if we get a text from Sean G. 11 o'clock East Coast Standard Time, like he's basically off the clock after 5 p.m. He couldn't stop talking about how much he liked this damn.

Legacy experience. Yeah. And he gave him like Black Lily. Exactly. He called the Return of Black Lily. Yeah, man. That's exactly what I did. And, you know, cultivating what you, Rich Nichols,

you know, my father in the game and, you know, Sean G. have brought to me, I brought East Coast vibes to L.A. man, and it was much needed. Like, yeah, it's interesting that you said you didn't know, but one of the things that happened with the lily before social media, it was word of mouth. Yeah. I'm really cultivating that.

I didn't post anything about it. Yeah, no, it wasn't like a thing. It was just like, you know, one of the, and I hope I don't get in trouble for talking about this, but I felt really bad with Jimmy and Terry for Rock and Royal Hall of Fame not getting a performance slot. You know what I mean? Their music has impacted me and culture and the global world past R&B or pop or whatever. It's just their induction wasn't really promoted like that either.

So it wasn't until he told me that I was like, oh, shit. And so when I found that out, this is my first year, MD in the whole show, when I found that out, I said, yo, I got to do something. You know what I'm saying? Because like this is what they need. When I called Jimmy, you know, we had an emotional moment because he was very thankful about what I was about to do. And we ain't know it was going to turn that into what it was.

But it was awesome, man. I got to give people their flowers, you know. So dude, where did you find? Because I've seen the clips. Yeah. And the one thing I always wonder about is the legacy. Like who, you know, where are, where are the heads that would have been at Black Lily in 2020? Like, who's that audience?

One, how did you find the singers? Two, how did you find the audience that would receive them as well? Got you. So a big part of what I've been doing with this legacy experience I'm here is that the narrative is that I've been on the road with everybody from OK player tour to more recent, you know, Jay and J.T. or something like that. And so along the way, because I'm such a fan of music and vocalists, I find my own favorite singers by playing with these incredible artists. So a lot of them have either sang backup for who I've rocked with or there'll be a new artist in the city. And you know how we used to like go to London or something and we just go to a jam session and find

you know, daily or find Amy or find Jesse Jay. I remember pulling up somewhere random in London. And same thing with Philly is like, you know, Jill, music, India, Erica, at any point somebody could walk in there. But then you also get somebody like a new kid at the time, Blau. You know what I'm saying? Or you get a new kid at the time Vivian Green or something like that. So it's like I'm cultivating that same structure that you guys have laid.

And what it is is I'm letting every. shine in their element, but also trying to dictate the same sort of tour type of set lists that I would do if I was out on the road with a Jimmy and Terry and matching the voice with the moment. That's why we had somebody like a Coco Jones do I get so lonely, which is the new, vibrant, sexy, you know, It Girl kind of doing that. But then I had Anaya do damage, and she's kind of like this raunchy, you know, Houston, rapper, singer.

And then I had somebody like Lena Bird Miles, a new gospel album coming out. And she did, I wanted to highlight Jimmy and Terry's Yolanda Adams catalog. You know what I'm saying? Who people don't know about. So she ended up doing, open my heart. And so, like, it was just a night full of gyms, man, like straight up. How many nights do you have to prepare from the moment you decide, you know what? I'm going to pay, you know, pay tribute to them.

how many nights do you have to prepare for such a thing? So this is where you have taught me wrong. Okay. I have been in so many instances where it's the day of through roots, through over there, whatever, and it comes off without a hitch or I would say externally without a hitch. You know what I mean? Because, you know, I might get a, I might get a, every once in a while.

for a note that I've missed or whatever. But yeah, so I take about a day and a half to two days. Really curating the set list is the most thing, is the most important thing for me because people move off of energy. You know what I'm saying? So it's like a bad set list, again, which I've learned from you, is like a bad set list can dictate a bad show. You know what I'm saying?

You got to know, we yelling. I've seen me yell, you yell, you yell. that Keith or whatever, it's like, go get two now. Right. Where's da-da-da-da. And so that's kind of what I've been doing the week leading up to. And then it's like, yo, I just want to catch a vibe. You know what I mean?

And let it be a natural thing. Okay. So for our audience, that is not familiar. Because, I mean, to the industry, you are literally the Quincy Jones. I mean, the part of Quincy Jones that I play is being a connector. I always said that Quincy Jones's telephone or his roller decks was always his best instrument, his ability to reach people.

But the idea of what we think Quincy Jones is, which he also is, is just to be the go-to guy to get the right performance out of the artist, live studio or whatever. And the thing is you do have to do both because, you know, in my world, I will say that maybe, yes,

With the addition of like Stroh Elliott or even with Jeremy, like in the roots, we're now just adding sample elements to the show in the last four or five years. But with you, I know that you not only have to comb through their entire studio history and grab background vocals. And are you doing this all yourself? like, all right, take me through a process of, so I assume that since Rihanna's got something cooking in the kitchen for top of 2024, let's just hypothetically, let's just hypothetically say that you might have gotten a call from Rihanna,

you know, saying that, all right, I'm about to ramp up and surprise dropped this album in maybe April of 2024. And she wants to go on tour. And the way you're smiling right now, Now, I think that this conversation actually might have happened, even though I don't know Jack. So I know how NDAs are. But walk me through the process.

Yeah, no problem. So I used to do everything. I was super hands-on as far as like curating the set list. I would sit down with the artist. I would say, what is the story you're trying to tell, like through either this album or through this live show process? I've done it with every artist. I just want to sit down and talk. I just want to see where your head was when you were singing, freaking pour it up.

I want to see where your head was when you wrote diamonds. You know what I'm saying? Like, what is the story? Are you trying to go to the strip club? Are we going to the stadium to hold up the phone light? Are you trying to do both? Okay, cool. So now I take an artist like Rhee and say, you know, how do we start?

What's the middle and what's the end? to build my show in what I call acts, right? Because you take the listener, the audience on a journey. So that first process is about getting the song list together, no specific order or anything. Then I kind of work backwards. I say, how do we start? How do we end? And then I fill the middle in like that. Now, with a pop artist and a lot of artists these days, but pop specifically, as far as getting the tracks and stuff together, the backing tracks, playing with a little bit of backing vocal,

stuff like that. I call my programming team, and I call my, you know, a lot of my, a lot of my... How many on the programming team? It depends on what it is.

What I just did with this past Super Bowl was myself, Terence Vaughn, and Derek Cobbs, and I had Omar there with me, Omar Edwards there with me, every step of the way. Because in a gig,

like the Super Bowl specifically, I'm going to set design meetings, I'm going to choreography rehearsal, I'm going to how are the instruments going to look. So once I have the concept and the idea, my team for sure begins to try to execute in a rehearsal setting where I'm in and out of because of the other things that are going on as a musical director. And like I said, I've learned that a musical director is half about the music. and more about the other stuff. And it's really, really crazy. The higher up you go, I'm going to get blasted for saying this,

but the higher up you go, the less it is about the music when it comes to the MD. All right, question. So, all right, and you just, you just, okay, now, in, there's always an inside joke with musicians, and we do it all the time. And that is hashtag, you've been black. Oh, okay. And this is a real hashtag.

Whenever we joke, you've been Blackstone. That always means that there's a part of the song that just has extra spice into it. Yeah. And you add your little trademarks. It's almost like the way I can describe it to you, if you guys remember TLC's video version for digging on you. I knew you was going to say that. Yes. Yes.

Yes, yes. If you also remember the Hoovey Baby sample, da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-in-a-n-n- There's always that happens and I always wondered, when you add your trademark, like that's your version of it. Trade-up. When you adds to trademark. Yeah, yeah.

Wow. Wow, really. Oh, yeah. Yeah, but when you add your trademark blackstone-eyes thing. Yeah. I wonder where does that come from, but then you tell me that you are also in the meetings with the choreographers. That's 2017 and above. You feel what I'm saying?

This is why this interview is so good because these young kids, they see the work that I put in in 2004, 05 coming off of favor. And like you throwing me to Kanye and you throwing Omar to Jay and all of that where it was like we then had to take everything. we had learned for the last seven years and put it together on our own and give that same amount of energy, same amount of musicianship to these new artists out there. And, you know, I have been big, the hovey baby thing means so much to me that you would even say that because I try to make my shows a movie. You know what I understand? You are the John Williams of a musical directors. Oh, I'm, that is a really, I appreciate that, but that is a great analogy because I want to

take, like, you know, I got a folder of sounds that's called Jurassic Park, you know, and it's just like, boom, shots. Like, it's like, you know, I'm saying, like, I'm, in my head, I'm like, yo, if somebody, if I start my show like that, you are too. tuned in from minute one. And it's very different than what I grew up on, but I've always been a fan of pop music and not like, you know, just Brittany pop, but just like, you know, popular and what was on the radio.

It was something for me about adding that backing track. One of the first times I did it was working with a 1680 over at Carvin and Ivins because they were programming music Soul Child's show. Right. You know what I'm saying? And so they wanted some of those samples like Girl Next Door, because we didn't have an upright out, or they wanted like the Just Friends beatbox.

And it was like, how do we accomplish that? And so I started being like, yo, why don't we just play alone to the loop? You know what I'm saying? And then that grew from there to me, you know, me and Yeh at Fade the Black and then like doing glowing the Dark tour. And then it was like, okay, there's a song with Daft Punk. in it and we don't have daft punk on stage with us.

What's the best way to achieve that? Okay, let's run with their track. But then at the same time, I always like to have the backing track playing along with us. This is what I call it and us not just playing to the backing track. If you notice with my tracks on mirror, they all kind of move. Even though we're locked into a tempo, it's a live feeling thing. And so, yeah, I've been the one to create that sound. you know, now I'm able to

and when you laugh with me all the time depending on who's coming on Fallon and you be like, did you do this? Did you do this? I'd be like, no. You know, you're, you're, you now have a generation of new blackstones and that to me is

is even crazy of your legacy. Wait, I always wanted to know. All right now in the DJ world. Yeah. There's been a new development that's happened for DJs and most of us are using

beta products and the risk when you're using beta programming is you might get a visit from the rainbow wheel. Absolutely. And I always wanted to know Yeah. One,

have you ever been in a predicament where you've been rainbow wheeled or in a predicament where fuck I left my laptop at the hotel? Or it fell to the, like a hard drive, crashed or yeah yeah yeah and how do you handle a situation well this this is where the musicianship comes in right like don't get it twisted we are rocking with some backing track and we got some

samples and some loops in there and as budgets get cut i may not have a percussionist and stuff like that so it's like whatever but when that swirly wheel comes up we plan good and live like don't I will wear you out on that bass, like, live. Right. And Omar will wear you out on them keys. And Brian Frazier Moore will wear you out on the drums. And, you know, Randy Bowling will wear you out on the guitar. So, like, the backing track is there, but that's really given album vibes.

Sometimes when we hit that swirly will, it doesn't happen often. Knock on wood. Right. But when it does, we are able to go live. I remember one time at Essence Fest with Janet, we was playing funny how time flies. we got the swirly wheel, and we were able to just vibe. You know what I'm saying? Because it was just like the two chords, and then we were right.

We had the guitar solo just coming until it, so we had to shut down. Boop, boo, bo, bo, bo, bo, bo, bo, bo. We ran it up, but it was like we was playing. Is it like an eye language? Y'all look at each other and even acknowledges it. And does she know? Is there a warning that she gets like we might have a technical deal faculty or? Well, I'm talking to her in her ears, or I'm talking to Justin, or I'm talking to Ria or whatever.

it might be like, you know, give me a second. I need, like, we're going to vibe for a second. Don't worry about it. Because you know, I mean, when that click cut off, we all look around like, what the heck? Okay. It's like the sound, silence is the sound of death when you run into it with some backing track.

But it doesn't happen often. One of the craziest things I remember is, it's not that it crashed, but walking to the stage, Kanye said, oh, yeah, Adam, I don't want to do the second verse tonight. And it's like, five, four, three, two. And the lights come on. And I'm like, wait, what did he just say? And so I run over to the side of the stage with my programmer, Demetrius. The show is playing. Demetrius is God. Yeah, Demi is the guy. Yes. The show is playing on one laptop. We're editing on the next laptop for the next song. and we take the verse out of that song.

We switch to the B rig when the second song is about to come on and then we switch back to the A rig. So you have two computers running at the same time in case? Yep, what we call redundant systems. Yeah. But you also walk into the stage, talking to Demetri is at the same time

while you walk into the stage because he just said it and you got to hurry up and make sure that all happens, right? He's on this. Demi is at the stage already and me and Ye are walking. He's like, oh yeah, I don't want. want to do. I was like, wait, what?

So you got it. I was going to ask, who is your, who's been your most wild pitch client? That's the easiest question I've ever. Kanye West, after I did the Kanye West, glow on the dark tour, I could do anything. He said, I want you to make a robot fly across the stage and score it. But I want the scoring to sound like flashing lights. I was just like, Huh? Huh? And we did it.

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

Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment,

and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The 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're you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. There's two golden rules that any man should live by. Rule one, never mess with a country

girl. You play stupid games, you get stupid prizes. And rule two, never mess with her friends either. We always say that trust your girlfriends. I'm Anna Sinfield. And in this new season of the girlfriends, oh my God, this is the same man. a group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. I felt like I got hit by a truck. I thought, how could this happen to me? The cops didn't seem to care. So they take matters into their own hands.

I said, oh, hell no. I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

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

podcast for wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. What's up everyone? I'm Ago Wodom. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers Anchorman, Saturday Night Live and the Big Money Players Network. It's Will Ferrell. My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with him one day. And I was like, and dad, I think I want to really give this a shot. I don't know what that means. But I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through, and I know it's a place that come look for up-and-coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet.

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

Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to Thanks, Dad, on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. In 2023, former bachelor star Clayton Eckerd found himself at the center of a paternity scandal. The family court hearings that followed revealed glaring inconsistencies in her story. This began a years-long court battle to prove the truth. You doctored this particular test twice in so-ins, correct? I doctored the test ones.

It took an army of internet detectives to crack the case. I wanted people to be able to see what their tax dollars were being used for. Sunlight's the greatest disinfected. They would uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing. Gregalespian and Michael Marantini. My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young.

This is Love Trap. Laura, Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, news, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Ladies and gentlemen, breaking news at Americopa County as Laura Owens has been indicted on fraud charges. This isn't over until justice is served in Arizona. Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. Do your artists have a basic general understanding that any slight suggestion they might have, might be a five-minute time? out. Like a guy like Prince never had patience for his engineer. I don't think any of the artists do right now and a lot of that is our fault. Armere, because we

make it happen. You know what I'm saying? You know, five minutes, 15 minutes, whatever, it's just like get it done. You know what I'm saying? I pride myself on making sketches ahead of time so that they know okay, yo, I was feeling that, but I'm not feeling this, work on this

as opposed to showing up to rehearsal or showing up to the gig and then ask for the change then because it is a stop down. You know what I'm saying? But that's why team is so important, man. When I have somebody like Demetrius or I have somebody like Danny Chung with me, I know they like, bloop, bloop, bloop, blo, and it's like we speak the same language. You know what I mean?

But I think every artist is impatient, especially when you on that stage or especially when you at the rehearsal studio, it's like, yo, let's get this popping. You know what I mean? I know that this is like a moment where y'all don't really get to talk that often. and we are in it and even Amir even forgot to say our names or whatever but Amir you got to ask him the question that we ask everybody.

We got to know the beginning of it. And even y'all's story. I forgot to go. Yes. Like who is the fuck Adam Blackstein? Right. I'm sorry. Ladies and gentlemen,

welcome to Clause Love Supreme. We got Montsegalo and Layaa sugar steed. Unpaid bill somewhere making millions. No, no, seriously. I'm so close to Adam. Y'all don't get this time. And y'all don't get this time. So I totally get it.

I'm so close to Adam that I'm actually having a conversation that I would have if we were actually on the telephone. Yes, you are. All right. So, yeah, let us start at the beginning. What was your first musical memory? My first musical memory? Yes, in life. Wow.

Yeah, well, I remember just playing at church. And one of the high praise moments was when I was about six or seven years old. and I went from drums to bass to Oregon. And as a kid, and everybody was like, you got to play, boy. Oh my God, you're right. And I was, go, got up on the band, play the bass, boom, got sat down to Oregon.

I don't know what I was playing good or bad, but they hyped me up. And I just, I was like, okay, I can do this. And one of my other early memories is more non-direct musical, but my dad came home and quit his job, and he told my mom, like, I want to do music full time. And we looked around like, what are we about to do?

And he supported us and sustained us, what you would call today, you know, wedding band singer or whatever. But it's like, you know, he played weddings, Bar Miffithas, three services on Sundays, you know, banquets, all of that. He did it full time, man. So it was like, that's one of my other early music memories. What did he play, Adam? What did he play?

My dad plays keys. My dad plays keys. As I look back at it, He was really the first MD that I saw because I don't know if I knew what that was, like, you know, getting into musical director terminology, but he had a little TR-909. He just throw on a beat at 110 and he would play Brick House, Electric Slide, Macarena, all to the same beat. It's just like, Hey, Macarena, she's all break.

And then it's like all night long. And then folks would just go crazy. Like, you know, like keep the party going. It's like, you know, it's electric. Like he was one of those dudes, man. And as I look back at it when I became older, I was like, yo, that's a big part of how I put set list together for freaking Justin Timberlake or Rihanna. I'm like, what's the thing?

What's the feeling? What's going to keep the party going? How I've done the last four Super Bowls is like, we can't stop. We only got 12 minutes. You know what I'm saying? And like a big part of that as I look back is my dad, like, curating his banquet sets or his Saturday night party, you know, Lodge. Yeah, straight up. And he's sustained this.

Did you ever join his actual? So I did as I became 13, 14, 15, like I played drums with them a little bit. I played bass with them a little bit. But, you know, that's also another detriment to, like, non-rehearsal, but it works. So it's like, oh, yeah, we don't need to rehearse. And I think when I got a little baby budget and I was like, oh, I can rehearse for a week, it was like, oh, we rehearsed. I'm tainted by Questlove and my dad, not rehearsed. No, man, sometimes just got to sink or swim with it.

You got to go with it. Yeah, but those are my first early memories. And then moving to Philadelphia in 2000 just changed my life. Like, hands. So what were you previously before? I was in Willembro, New Jersey. I grew up in early born in Trenton. You know, Willemborough was like, Juan Ye and Thai Tribut and City High High.

They were like, you know. Shout out to Jay Ski and Pooch and Pistoo. Yeah. And Shaka Zulu. Shaka and you know Yes Shaka Zulu Yeah

Mike Zombie All right all that You know Mike zombie Yeah So Willemboro man And then I went to

College at University to Arts And moved to Philadelphia And changed my What year did you go to University? 2000 I'll make you feel old

Yeah man You did I'll explain to our audience That you know You know Back in back in 97, late 97, where

Richard Nichols, our beloved North Star, where we were trying to do this for a fourth time. And Rich was sort of like, this is our do or die moment. And his suggestion was, like, we got to come up with a story for Philadelphia. This is what's not working. Like, we got the critical claim. And, you know, we're getting slow traction, but we need a story that will stick. And his version of the story was, we got to have.

have a jam session. And I was like, well, why do we have to have a jam session? He's like, well, one, you know, collaborators for your own record, but more than that, we have to build a music community. And because he said that, you know, it's like, we always thought we were going to be like the adopted little brothers of, you know, the native tongues and yeah, and all that stuff. And I mean, you know, they, they were feeling us, but none of them were really in the mind state of doing those things that they were doing earlier in 91, like posse cuts and all those things. So, you know, Rich was basically like, well, we could either wait for someone to adopt us or we better just do it ourselves. I'm so glad he did because you guys became the big brothers instantly, bro.

Like instantly. We have no choice. I walked into the five spot and I was like, I ain't never seen nobody play like this. look like this, smell like this, eat like this, sing like this, dance like this, rap like this. It was just a cold and shifting moment for me, even as a black man, because I grew up in Willembro, a very affluent African-American town, you know, almost, you know, huxable-like. But I thought Philadelphia was so far away culturally, you know what I'm saying?

And like just crossing the bridge 30 minutes, it's nothing, you know what I mean? But I thought it was so far away. and it was a whole other world when it came to the music meeting rich and jazzy fat nasties like changed my life like straight up like just my entire like literally

changed my life. Well yeah what I was going to say was that the plan worked. Everyone wound up getting record deals and every you know then we wound up going on tour and I will say that it morphed from the Roots Jam sessions and then around 99

it became more Black Lily focus. So for you, can you talk about just the because even I don't know. Like I would just come to the five spot to see the results of it. But are you guys

rehearsing with Jill all those times? Are you rehearsing? And how did you get in the mix? Period. I think I stalked Larry Gold's studio. I stayed there for days on end just with my

guitar. I was the big dude that played the bass waiting for my chance, like just waiting. I got invited down by a 14-year-old Jasmine Sullivan. She didn't invite. I love it. Yeah, I mean, her band, you know, Darrell Robinson and Aaron Draper. And at that time, it was like Aaron Draper and continues to still be the connector. Like, I don't care what nobody says. Yeah. Aaron Draper, you know, has really plugged 90% of our generation's musicians too rich, to Sean, to Amir, to Reek, to Hub, you know, I mean, rest of peace. It's like, you know, Aaron Draper was that guy, and he would just always say, hey, yo, come down to it.

He wouldn't ask. He still don't ask. He's out with Adele right now. He's like, man, just come on. over. Just talk to it. Yeah. Shout out to Aaron for my Adele discount because, you know, $2,000 a little bit too steep. Oh, shit.

Even for a guy with a good job like me. So we here now, bro, and they're killing. It's going to be worth it. We out in Vegas now. They over there, they cross the street. And so when I got the opportunity to go to the studio, I just sat there. Like, I just

sat there for days and weeks. It was a few of y'all. It was a lot of us. then, you know, Rich said, man, you want to be. So y'all was just chilling, wait. See. Waiting on, and then Rich would say. Lai is laughing because she knows where I'm about to go with this.

Like, I might not have been paying attention or using the background. You were not. You kept it straight B-line to the studio. You know how I'm there goes. I'll be like, damn, who these niggas? All right, anyway. So there was a couple of times, I think, like, as y'all were making, like, this might be a little. What's the album before tipping point?

Phrenology. Yeah, that's when they did the jam sessions, Phenology. That's when they started. On phrenology, it was like, let's just get Amir and Rik some ideas. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, you know, and me and Omar and Aaron and Darrow would just, and Randy and Kevin Hansen, like, we would just go down there and just give, like, do loopy ideas with you in mind with Rie mind with Rieke in mind from Dice Raw and stuff like that.

But at the same time, we didn't know that that was our audition, right, for Rich to actually bring us to you. Because there was a vetting process. I don't care what nobody say about that back room. If you make it to our mayor's room, you made it. Hey, Fonte, am I telling the truth? Nah, all facts. If you don't know that bell door to the studio and you just go straight. On the secret route.

That's hilarious. You don't know. My hideout. So when you go past the main door and you go to the back room, that's the audition. That ain't. And so listen, and then fast forward when you make it through the big door, right? You be peeking your head out like, oh, y'all going in the back. Yeah, no, we in here, bro.

We in the J room. We in the J room. That was the J room. Yeah, man. So that we, you know, huge. I can't do any interview without big enough rich Nichols and his vision for us and his vision for me and us as a generation under you guys where it was like we passed some of us past the test to make it to you for then you to say and James to say like, yo, come do black party or come do hove or come do whatever where it was like you guys. were then, to me, like, you know, it was hard to lock y'all down because you was on the road so much, you know what I mean?

But we also still had to make records. And we were getting calls for bigger gigs. And I got a whole not. Still doing the Lilly too, though, right? Adam, like, so how does that work? Yeah, when did you officially, like, grow the Lily? No, I never outgo to Lily. I'm bringing the Lily.

What I'm doing now is, oh, Lily five. in my head. Not that, but I know that. But it's like, it's like, so you guys got all these people and themselves as well. So let me big up to all the artists. But once somebody gets a deal, they then have to, they want that same vibe that got them the deal to how to grow with them. Right.

You know what I'm saying? Let me explain also that once this outgrew my living room and then went to the five spot and sometimes wetlands in New York. Yep. Then eventually these artists started getting record deals. And next thing you know, like they would pull six band members and whatnot. There was one point where I came home. And without any context whatsoever, I was walking down the fire spot.

I was like, yo, they look like ditty. And I called Rich. I was like, yo, what the fuck is Pop Daddy doing here? Yeah. And watching the new artist. And literally, like, you know, I've been going for like four months. And Richie's explaining to me like, you don't even know. Like, now is the wild.

Wild West and everybody done heard that Philly has the best musician and they're literally coming down stealing. But even even the musicians that I felt weren't even up to par on that level. Like everyone was getting work. The stigma of Philadelphia alone got people a lot of work based off of the city. Listen, yo, it's funny. I just had a flashback. I'm like, I remember when Fonte had his album release at the Five Spot in Philly, like, for an exchange. change. Nah, no, we had our release party at a 5 spot in Philly. And then when we did, this was 03, I want to say, when we did the roots, y'all did

your Christmas winter break tour. And Adam, that was when y'all, you were playing bass for us, little brother. That was the first time we met. Yeah. What? Straight up. That was the first time we came. Oh, brother, yo.

It was us, Gene Gray. Okay player tour. Okay, play a tour. That's right. It was okay player tour. Yep. O three. That was the first time me and you worked together and you played for us.

And I just remember thinking like, yo, this is the happiest bass player I've ever seen in my life. I was like, I just got to say, man, going on an okay player tour, my first tour. That was your first tour? Yeah, as I look back at it, Amir had us there to, he overworked us, right? But, did I know? No. Now, this is what I want to say. You stayed on the drums the whole night, too.

So it's like I always, I tell young kids, no, I'm like, yo, if I'm playing too, like, I'm not, you know what I mean, I'm not telling y'all to do anything that I wouldn't do. And so I don't see it as that, what I see it as, as setting the blueprint for how to work hard to achieve success. And you have to go above and beyond. and we love music so much. I was like, I'm going to play for everybody out here that they allowed me to play for

because that relationship equity means more to me than anything. You know what I'm saying? So what was the first time that you played for a non-lily act? My first big gig I tell the story was you guys did unplugged. Right. And big homie called you to... Oh. That's right.

I forgot the Ily Delophonics. I forgot. He was going to retire. And it was just like, and it was super loose though, bro. I don't know if you remember that, but it was like, we went up to SIR. Wait, Fade the Black was your first big, big gig. Yes. Seriously?

Oh, three. Yeah, man, I might have sworn by then. You was kicking at Michael Jackson's house. I mean, you know, Vivian, Music Soul Child, all that. But 03 is like, you know, that's, that's, that's, I was, I was 19 turning 20. So that's the first time you were in like Madison Square Garden and all that stuff? Absolutely. First, first time.

Oh, man. You rarely hear me say. I mean, now I'm having fun. But that week was so fun to me, man. No fun, bro. So fun. And that taught me so, so much about how to curate a set. You know, at that time, we didn't know who was going on next, second, last first,

whatever, it was like, yo, I saw you put that whole thing together, but at the same time, utilize the genius people around you. And, you know, young Beyonce and Mary and, you know, just like this is Jay's last album and we're playing encore to, and everybody's saying, hova, ho. Right, yeah. It's just like super crazy. And that gig spawned me meeting, yay. which spawned me meeting Ree, which spawned me meeting Janet, which spawned me meeting Drake,

which, you know, with spawn me meeting Justin Timberlake. So that fade to black alone set the path for my entire career. And I'd like to tell the other thing I just wanted to speak on real quick is that one thing in Philly that we do do as musicians is we try to be nice and speak to everybody because you never know who up next, right? So it's like, you know, that week as well, Ameri can expound on. it, but, like, it was some heavy hitters in there in them rehearsals that who they were then is not who they are right now.

Right. And, like, they, we, we treated everybody equally. Like, and so, you know, Beyonce then was not Beyonce now and, you know, just blazed in and Swiss and, you know, I mean, arguably even, you know, what Jay has done the last 20 years from that show alone, you know what I mean? Right. They didn't even let, yeah, it was. on that night. Yeah, I was going to say that I remember him not being able to get backstage.

Yep. You remember speaking to him? Yeah. So one of the things that happened after that, he was like, yo, I'm working on my music too. We should work together. Like, you know what I mean? I just I just say yes to everybody because that's how it was for me being in Philly. You know what I mean? I was just like, you never know which opportunity is going to be the next big thing. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music.

The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and 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 proliferation. 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.

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and TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. What's up, everyone? I'm Ego Vodam. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers Anchorman, Saturday Night Live, and The Big Money Players Network. It's Will Ferrell. Woo. Woo.

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

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

Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to Thanks, Dad, on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. In 2023, former bachelor star Clayton Eckerd found himself at the center of a paternity scandal. The family court hearings that followed revealed glaring inconsistencies in her story. This began a years-long court battle to prove the truth. You doctored this particular test twice in so-ins, correct?

I doctored the test ones. It took an army of internet detectives to crack the case. I wanted people to be able to see what their tax dollars were being used for. Sunlight's the greatest disinfected. They would uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing. Greg Alesspian, Michael Marantini. My mind was blown.

I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trap. Laura, Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. and gentlemen, breaking news at Maricopa County as Laura Owens has been indicted on fraud charges. This isn't over until justice is served in Arizona. Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Okay, I'll ask you now, because I know that you're older and wiser now.

When you are vetting and auditioning, if someone says, yo, I got this young boy and da-da-da-da-da-da-da. like my dad told me the audition process. He used to always make me audition musicians by playing a ballot. He would make me play the most simple. He would say, no, don't do the intricate shit. He says, I'm going to teach you something. Pick the simplest ballad that we got in our repertoire and make them audition that. And sure enough, like, musicians would fall apart because they couldn't play something so simple.

They knew the intricate ship, but they couldn't play the simple shit. Well, first of all, are you a don't come to me, I'll come to you type of cat. Like if I say, yo, I got this young boy. Da-da-da-da. He's the shit. You should use him. How do you know how good he'll be? Do you just go to his YouTube page or like what?

Yeah, but like, you know, are we talking now? Because before, you know, 12 years ago, we didn't have none of that. Like, you know what I'm saying? So it was total word of mouth and that's how I got on. You know what I mean? like my career spawned from people seeing and hearing the music on stage but also word of mouth like yo let me get that dude's number whatever whatever so what I look I mean more or less like I know that you should at least know two to three people that play the same thing like you'll

use clay Sears for guitar and if not you'll use Randy Bolin but I'm certain that there's put me in coach energy always always all the time so how do you how do you deal with with the expectation factor of the music. And I'm sure right now is even past Philly. I'm sure that you know musicians worldwide now. It's global, man. The DMs go crazy with videos and stuff like that. Now, I have to be honest and say,

people hiring me are hiring me for my sound. So I'm not mad at using the same 20 folks because I know I get what I get out of them. You know what I'm saying? It's very rare that, you know, even back in the day, we used to just tag somebody in. It's very rare that that happens, you know what I'm saying? And so when it does happen, it's because they have a vocabulary of genre that I love. Like, I love a dude to, you know, play country beat and then play a hip-hop beat and it still feel very authentic.

You know what I'm saying? And then just like feel, timing and feel. James Poyser let me have it the first time I played the bass, yo, I had a six-string, Ken Smith, and he said, hey, yo, don't ever come in this studio with this, he said it was a piece, he said my bass was a piece of furniture. Seems an asshole. And so I didn't know what that meant.

I went to a jazz school, you know, I thought I was freaking Anthony Jackson at the time. Like, I was doing everything like that. And he handed me. me little brother, slum village, voodoo, and then I was like, pine,

pine, pine, Pinot. Pino. Pino. Pino. And I was like, oh, Pinot palette, okay, cool. Or like Dilla, oh, okay, my electric bass should sound like some MPC pads. Like, you know what I'm saying? And like,

he put me, James and Omar put me on so much music that you had either given them or that opened their ears up to. When he told me my base was a piece of furniture, bro, I was like, I saved up, I saved up the fastest $375 that I could to just go get a four-string fender jazz. And I don't know. Is that still your weapon of choice? It's still my weapon of choice.

I do play five, but like that base, you know, we did yes, sirs with it. We did John Stone. That's on a lot of records. We did Al Green, you know what I'm saying? That was the one. And to the point where even Rich was like, hey, yo, where's the, bring the four string in? Like, you know what I mean? Like, I had to learn genre-specific vocabulary, not just what I had known through chops or whatever.

So that's even what I look for, you know, the antithesis of what I started is what I look for now. You know what I mean? So you made the music. I made a lot of money and a big living playing low on the base. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I don't have to do all that up high stuff to make it feel right for me, personally. You know what I'm saying? And, like, coming from a Diller record, it's like that ain't even what he was doing.

Coming from a, from a slum or a voodoo place is like, you know, I mean, I can play anything, but it's like it was really about the groove and the feeling. And so that's what I tried to hone in on for about two years. What were you listening to growing up? Because you were saying that James and everybody, they were putting you on like the slum. Yeah, I had never listened to that stuff. So I was listening to the Clark sisters.

So gospel straight. And then like a lot of Nile Rogers, but through samples. Like you couldn't tell me. I was Biggie Smalls in my head. So I was like, who's hot? Who's not? Tell me who got the boot? So I was like, wait a minute.

But that guitar part is cold. Like, let me find out what that is. So Bernard Edwards, it was your bass god and Nile Rogers? Nile Rogers. And then I was like, a lot of, yo,

I'm gonna keep it a hundred. I ain't never said this out loud, but like, you couldn't tell me that bad boy didn't have the coldest musicians before I knew they were samples. I was like, I was like,

who did that. I should have came up with this. Stevie Jane nice, man. I was like, boom, boom. I was like, yo, they're killing in the studio. I was 12 years old, you know what I'm saying? So I'm listening to What More Chance? I'm listening to More Money, More Problem.

I'm listening to Hypnotice. Boom, boom. I played that at my marching band, Joe. And they was like, yo, you play a big and he small. But the way you described that album, that's the same way, that's what Midnight Marauders was for me. Yeah, I swore. You couldn't have told me, Midnight Marauders wasn't them playing all that role. Doug.

Like, you know what I mean? The amount of times I grill Bob Power about electric relaxation. Yes. Even Michelle DeGiotella gave, like, damn near her whole entire Rolling Stone interview about, like, Q-Tip is the next, uh, this is his chord structure of blah, blah, blah, blah. You buy the record like, ah, damn. No, but I mean, even then to discover it and hear it in that way, it's still genius.

So that's not to take away from. No, no, no, but I'm just saying, like, those are the baselines that, like, tell me what you want from. Doong. I'm like, yo, these dudes is cold. The hitman is cold. Yeah. And so, you know, learning where they,

came from and El de Barge flips and and and you know Bernard flips and Niles flips it was like it was mind-boggling to me so then when I finally dove into the original records and really honed in on my own tone I was like this is where it comes from you know what I mean the original the original vibe and then like you know a huge Ron Carter fan and you know flipping that from tribe as well like yeah it was mind-boggling too and did you uh commission Fred Hammond you were you I was more take six. You would take six. Okay, got you.

I was more take six. Wow, the generation after commission. Right. I was, I'm going to be honest. I was a friend Hammond fan, and then it was like, oh, he came from commission. So, you know, I'm just being honest. I'm just. I don't know, 100%.

East Coast Church. All right. And then lastly, my uncle had a gospel group. So to me, they was like, they was commissioned in Trent, New Jersey. I was like, oh, that's, they went. They better than it. They like Jodacy in my town. I always wanted to know.

Have you ever been in a musical situation where it did not work out well? I don't know if this is what you mean, but I'm going to tell this one story. We're doing Coachella with Dr. Dre, right? Right. Is this the Tupac hologram? He brings in this new young kid rapper from L.A.

Compton. Right. I'm like, he's all right. I mean, y'all want me to arrange his, he's going to, he's going to do two songs in the middle of ourselves. I was like, I don't know, man. Like, he, he okay. You know what? I was like, you know what?

I'm going to let my man do this one because, like, I really want to concentrate on this park and I'm a really, you know, I really want to get this right. M&M's on the way. And it's like, nah, like, yo, just, you know, help the kid out. I was like, I can't do it. And it was like, all right. He comes in, great energy. I was like, what's your name? Man?

He said, Kendrick. And I was like, all right, all right. Okay. Like, you know what I'm saying? So it's like, I've lost twice like that in my life. Really? Wasn't really feeling it when I first heard it. And then I'm at his, his energy is what brought me into him.

if I can be honest, you know what I'm saying? Before the energy than the music. Before the early music, it was like he was just like, and then same thing. Sean G. said, yo, I need you to work with this kid from North Carolina. I was like, oh, you know, I'm busy, bro. Like, he said, listen to this. He can rap, bro. I was like, Friday night lights.

All right, you know. Yeah, Sean tried to ram Friday night lights down my throat, man. Like, yo. They cold, man. Jay Cole, bro. And it was like, yo, just let me fly you to North Carolina. I was at Ninth Wonder,

it was like Conan North Carolina. And same thing. His energy is what did it for me over the music. So I got two Ls for sure. I got two else. Like, you know, they arguably top 10 of all time right now. Yo, but how many more Kendra shows have you been kind of forced to MD anyway

based off of like from halftime to award shows? Like, it's been great to work with. him, you know, specifically last half time, you know, and like I said, the relationship and the energy is always right. But I'm saying, I've taken creative L's because I was like, I don't hear it, you know, I don't, I don't know what to do. I don't know how it's arranged. I'm not, I'm not connected to this. Two Ls, Kendra and J. Cole for sure. Arguably, like I said, number one, two great human black men, just great guys. And then arguably top 10 lyricists. And then it was like, you know, I almost missed it.

I did admit. I do want to ask, I mean, so many questions to ask you about your career, but now with you winning the Emmys. Woo. Yes. And I, you know, I know that to be in that particular position, like, it's such a Teflon, airtight space where one person can monopolize a whole marketplace. Like, for the longest, I thought, what's a brother's name, a base player?

Ricky Mining. Yeah. Like, I thought like, oh, God, Ricky Marner is going to own the Emmys until he's 197 years old, like, not ever giving up space or whatever. But tell me about navigating your way through non-concert stage, non-studial world, like getting into television scoring. And, I mean, eventually, I guess you're going to start doing movies soon. Yeah, man, I'm looking forward to that as well.

I've worked on a couple big ones. greatest showman. I did the soundtrack in the Heights. And I just did a kid's one called La Lao La Crocodile and all of that is with our Philly brothers Benjian Park. But yeah, you know, how I got into the television space

for sure, you know, I remember 2012-13 BET Awards. I had about six or seven clients on the BET Awards. And Jesse Collins was like, you know, I'm giving this dude seven checks, like just hire them to do the whole show. We could save some money.

Right. You know what I said? I'll never forget that. I just remember, like, showing up to meeting after meeting. And they were like, yo, you here again, you hear again. And that was one of the things that I saw Ricky Minor do. And, you know, at the time, like, Patrice Russian and, like, you know, Ray Chu, of course, and on front of Apollo, I had been doing killing touring sets. So in my head, I was like, yo, what of these artists for three minutes and 30 seconds get a touring Adam Blackstone experience on television? And when I made up in my mind, I was going to spend the same amount of time programming and arranging one song as I did a whole show. It was a game changer, man.

And they haven't been able to, you know, like move forward from that because I give each artist an experience. that TV moment that they've never had before. I'm not just playing the record most of the time. I'm giving them that live show experience in their three-minute segment. You know what I'm saying? And so that makes audiences excited. That makes the network excited. It was hard to navigate though.

And I'm still learning. I'm here like, you know, MD in the Oscars last year and following you, it was like making those sandwiches and writing out charts and, you know, Condupting 60-piece orchestra It was like, yo, I'm still learning, but at the same time, I believe in myself so much that I know I can do anything. And if I don't know

something, I'm a huge question to ask her. All right. Answer this question from you. I've been dying to know. For awards shows especially. Yeah. When you're doing award shows, how much leeway do you have in knowing

who the winner is going to be or like what is the process do you have five different sets of music on standby and they're like the winner is supper of soul you're like all right see two three like how

so what we did for Oscars was the winner music specifically I pre-recorded down there in the pit each of the five nominees so that we could just trigger it almost like playback depending on who won. You know what I'm saying?

They do not let me know. I want to be super clear with that. I do not know until it flashes up on the screen, but I've been able to kind of trick the system a little bit with how our normal playback works is now just putting all the music for that one moment in playback and they can play whichever one that they want to play. Now, if I'm doing something a little more general. Not even a 10-second warning or?

Not really, man. Nah, it might flash up on the screen five seconds before, you know what I'm saying? But if I'm doing something a little more general category, I might just do something super, you know, in that space, you know what I mean? Or tempo for somebody to walk up on stage or something like that. But when it's a direct, you know, Oscars, movie song thing, I'm like, yo, without us messing up, let's record all of the nominees' music and let you guys pick what you want to play. So if there's 37 categories for the Oscars. Times five or six or seven. Yeah.

So you're trying to tell me that you have to at least prepare once, like 130 plus music cues? I was at 87 because some of the categories weren't on TV this year. I did 87 music cues, bro. It was nuts. And that's not also play on music when they say, ladies and gentlemen, pub daddy or ladies and gentlemen, Dan.

Oh, shit. I forgot the nominees and all that stuff. Yeah, yeah, no, it's like... What is that in time? Like, in time, how many... How long is that? You think of music? They called me Christmas to do the Oscars, which was April.

And I work every day. Like, straight up, my team, Dante Winslow, thank God. And Derek Hodge, thank God I brought them on. First, all-black conducting team. Yes. Oscars. And those of you who know those two gentlemen... Oh, yeah, now, Derek Hodge, that's my man.

I'll pay him, man. Yeah, they don't, they don't let nothing get passed. So it was like, we pretty much divvied it up and just was like, yo, you take these 30, I'm going to do these 30. So how do you notate like orchestral arrangements? Because I even, you know, there was orchestra there. You know, summer of soul, big winner. It's like, you know, we took one of those records from the thing. And then I orchestrated it with no vocal.

So maybe trumpet is playing the lead line for a BB King joint. You know what I'm saying? Right. And then I put, you know, low brass and strings playing like it's an organ, you know what I'm saying? Well, I'm only asking because like, all right, so the year before you did it last year, because of COVID, I DJed it. You know what I mean?

Yeah. And even then up until 45 minutes beforehand, you know, there were, there were a lot of monkey wrenches. Regina King's going to now do the intro. So find some, you know, to clear stuff. Like, shit, we were calling. Londell McMillan like a half hour before the Gramerick's like, yo, can we please clear this Prince song right now? So I can imagine for you it's even more of a nightmare.

Yeah. Interestingly enough, I will say about the orchestral music, if you choose four bars, and let's just say we're going to vamp something or we're going to move these four bars to a different intro, because it has a similar vibe, you're able to do that. But that still comes with the preparation. I still got to do 89, 90 pieces to know

which bars make sense for Regina Hall and to know which bars make sense for Amy Schumer and to know which of the third set of bars makes sense for Wanda Sykes this year. Like, you know what I mean? So we had to play through the whole thing. It was, it was,

I was one of my hardest jobs ever and very much like my first big, huge, huge tour with Kanye, I feel like like now orchestral-wise, I can do anything. You know what I'm saying? And as you know, with the Oscars or Grammy

specifically, we're not linked to any time thing. So all this talk about playback and stuff like that. No, we're rocking live. So if somebody trips or if somebody starts way back, you was kind of far, bro. We had to keep playing. Yeah, I was going to say, my one, I can say with certainty that I have the most slowest awkward walk of all time to that podium.

All time. Well, who could blame you? Who could blame you? It was rough. So it was all processing thing. Are we going to talk about this or no? Oh, wow. I'm going on record before.

I do want to hear from the three. It's interesting, too, coming from, like, y'all who also share this night of being from the same area. I mean, it's just so many levels to it, right? There's so many tears. Like, I cried in that moment. Happy for my brother. Sad for my brother.

Right. You know something, though? I will say this much. So, yes. because of the whole COVID situation, first of all, and you know, they chose the right theater. It was the Kodak, right? Where were we at the...

Right. So they sat us, they set the documentary people way in the back. You know what I mean? So even then... That's probably what they do every year. It's just to happen that they got you this year, so... Well, I think in normal times, we would have been...

The tables are a little closer and like a little more intimate and... Yeah. And if it were normal times, we would have been in a... bigger thing and we would have been closer to the front, but they had us all spread out because of COVID and the documentary people way in the back. And so even then, I mean, three things are happening in my head. One, was that a, was that a bad sketch going wrong? Wrong. And it wasn't until, you know, and then like, I'm managing my mom and then she's

crying on my shoulder or whatever. So that's distracting. And then I distinctly, all right, I distinctively remember by the time I got towards the front, I was looking at the William sister. And the look they had on their face like were being held hostage, then I was like, oh shit, that might have been real. Yeah. Right? Because even then when it's happening. No, you don't know.

I was in the pit, bro, watching it from underneath directly. And I was like, man, I'm, yo, I'm. man, I promise to God. Like, yeah, I'm like, that's not in the script. I'm like, what? Right, right. And even as it's happening. Like, yo, somebody, what, where is that?

Like, where? Right. So, one, I was doing trans meditation. And when you're doing trans meditation, I mean, I do it all the time. Even with the Grammys, knowing I'm not going to win. I'm like, okay. And remember your mom. And remember.

I'm like trying to remember names and shit. And only when I heard the word fucking. when I heard fucking twice I look at my mom like yo that's how you know it was real when the expletives started right no even then I said I said dag mom like Will Will Packer is

allowing cursing on television Taking wrist Right and so I'm talking to my mom Still not hearing What's happening and there's no Television monitor I'm way in the back So when I'm walking to the front The first thing that I know

noticed, I was like, these bastards, they're playing a, they're playing a J. Dilla, the J. Dilla sample. Sample to the movie. The Fat Cat Loop that was in Summer of Soul. So that was the first thing that helped me down.

And then once I got closer, then it was like, oh shit. And then, you know, by then my mind went blank. But I do remember, at least from walking to my chair

to when I saw the Williams sisters I was like, oh damn. Adam chose a Jay Dilla sample from Summer of Soul to bring me on to. I really appreciate that. I ran up there because like I said, in my head, I'm about to go crazy

because I'm like, y'all didn't tell me about this, this wrestling. This extra skit. And then by the time I got in the room, I saw Latifah and she was, she just had a dejected, sad look, you know what I'm saying? And I was like, oh, that was real. And then they said, Questlove and these four of the white guys, that it was just so much.

Yeah. Oh, God. I'm, no, it just was like a, I was like, wait, what's going on? Y'all should have seen us at home watching like, oh, God, no. Oh, yay. Yo, I'll say this much. I never went on record with this before. Walking offstage, maybe I mentioned it.

Obviously, you know, once you win your award, you've got to take the march to the backstage and the press room. So I don't know what segment was next. I assume that it had something to do with the anniversary or either the godfather or something my feel serious. Because backstage, I'm looking at De Niro, Vichino like Scorsese

like all the characters that I've known from these gangster joins right and walking past them and you know Chris kind of went to them like

I remember hearing like that heavy talk like this fucking guy like that sort of thing like yeah yeah who's fucking guy

father yeah I don't want to you know I'm not I didn't even try to lose it. But it was definitely that sort of energy of like, oh, my God, this entire cast of like the Godfather and Goodfellas like here in the corner.

And they were definitely like. Yeah, it was, it was weird. But I was saying that moment, man, like we was all so proud. And like, you know, his speech was amazing. And you honestly brought a Stephen Hill just text me. He said, uh, um, um, you brought it back and then shout out to Amy Schumer

because she came in the next segment and said, man, I was in the back it's real heavy in here. What happened? I just remember laughing like about that. Like, you know, like she was like, did I miss something? Like, it's real heavy in here right now.

Yeah. So, yeah, man, but that was an amazing experience to see you represent in Philly and I felt the same way. Like going up to get my Emmy, I was like, yo, like all the work that you do because, listen, Summer Soul was never going to be a bad movie. I feel like the Super Bowl, my Super Bowl was never

going to be bad. We do things in excellence, right? But it feels a different way to have the outsiders recognize it as an award-winning whatever. You know what I mean? Right. Whether you won or not, And I got to say, I might be easier to say this now because we got the trophies.

But whether you won or whether I won, it doesn't diminish the work that we did. You know what I'm saying? That's instilled in us in such a young age that, yo, whatever you do, I don't care if you at the five spot, Amir's living room, wetlands, Oscars, Emmys, do it in excellence. And that's what I continue to strive to try and do. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying.

Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, three. 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. 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. own hands. I said, oh, hell no. I vowed. I will be his last target. He's going to get what he deserves. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This week on the Sports Slice podcast, it's all about the NFL draft. And we've got a special guest. The director of the NFL's East West Shrine Bowl, Eric Galco, joins the Sports Slice podcast to break down what really matters when evaluating draft prospects. From hidden traits teams look for to the biggest mistakes franchises make to the players flying under the radar.

This is the insight you won't hear anywhere else. If you want to understand the draft like an insider, you don't want to miss this episode. Listen to the Sports Slice Podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slical Life 12 and TikTok podcast network on TikTok. What's up, everyone? I'm Ego Wodom. My next guest, you know from Step Brothers Anchorman, Saturday Night Live, and the Big Money Players Network. It's Will Ferrell. My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with them one day, and I was like, and Dad, I think I want to really give this a shot. I don't know what that means, but I just know the groundlings. I'm working my way up through, and I know it's a place that come look for up-and-coming talent. He said, if it was based solely on, talent, I wouldn't worry about you, which is really sweet.

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

Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot in luck. Listen to Thanks, Dad, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In 2023, former bachelor star Clayton Eckerd found himself at the center of a paternity scandal. The family court hearings that followed revealed glaring inconsistencies in her story. This began a years-long court battle to prove the truth. You doctored this particular test twice in someone, correct?

I doctored the test ones. It took an army of internet detectives. to crack the case. I wanted people to be able to see what their tax dollars were being used for. Sunlight's the greatest disinfected. They would uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing. Greg Alesspian and Michael Marantini.

My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trap. Laura, Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Ladies and gentlemen, breaking news at Maricopa County as Laura Owens has been and indicted on fraud charges. This isn't over until justice is served in Arizona.

Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What is hard as Super Bowl preparation or like award shows? I'm going to say award shows for me because the last four Super Bowls I've done, I've been fans of the artists. so it helps me navigate how I would want to see it and hear it as a fan. I'm a fan of Justin Timberlake and Timberlin music. And then after that, I did Shakira and J-Lo. So I really dove in to what that Latino sound and culture was. You did the weekend before, right?

I didn't do the weekend. Thank God. That year is when I did Jasmine Sullivan. Yes. National Anthem. I raised the anthem. And then Dre last year, a huge fan. And then coming up now, we got a special one.

You're doing Ri-Re. I need to know this, Adam, because for a lot of folks that don't know, like you're connected in a lot of different ways, whether you're music directing, whether you're for a award show or for a tour, but then also your business, your agency with your wife. So I'm kind of curious with your history, with everything that you've done with this agency,

are you ever present in a moment, whether it be at an award show, probably an award show, probably a music award show is when it really happens. When you look around and you see every single band and you see some of this background singers to everybody where you have a deep musical connection with, like you could say either I played with you

or I put you on this gig. Like, have you had a present moment like that? I think like a couple Coachella's in a row I'm like looking at the lineup, And I'm like, that's my folks, that's my folks, that's my folks, that's my folks. But I really see the fruit of it like when I do something like that legacy experience where we're jam packing five, six, seven hundred people in the room, no posting, no ticket sales. And they come out and support and love on one another through the gift of music spawned by

whatever I've done to create that environment. And so that's one of the times that are those are the times where I really see feel to love. genuine. I feel thankful. I feel humbled by who comes out. You know, Stevie hopped on stage last week, new addition, you know, before that, Stokely and just all these people where, you know, they want to just say thank you for what I've contributed to music in their own way. And so those moments feel really good. I have to get more into the moment of the preparation. And I don't know if I know how to do that yet because I'm waiting for it to be over

unfortunately, if I can be honest. I got a question I've been dying to ask you. Yeah. Okay. I know you're dealing with a new crop of what we call young boys. For instance, I saw Omar Edwards's kid backstage at the 10th. I'm like, yo, dude,

I used to take you bowling when you were six. Yeah. And you're now 23. 24 years old, yeah. Yeah, 24. You're drunk. Like, what the hell?

Yeah. Like, you used to put up the boundaries on the bowling alley, so you're, you're ball and gutter now, like, that's happening. So how are you, how do you deal with mentoring? Because I know that also when you put, sometimes you could put a package together and not even step on stage. Yeah. Like, you could put, you could put Timberlake show together and not have to be on tour.

So I guess this is a two-part of. One, how do you deal with artists that. expect you to physically be there with them as opposed to you just put their join together. And how do you train the band? Like, do they hire the band or do you also put together the band that you feel can best do it? And how do you just, how do you deal with like, yo, make sure you're on time, make sure you're not late? I think the easiest thing, bro, is for me with putting things together, I make sure people have seen me lead by example.

You know what I'm saying? Like, they see my work ethic. They see me on time. They see how hard I work in rehearsals. They see I'm a no-nonsense guy. You've got to do a little something on the side and all that. Don't bring it into the rehearsal. Like, there's time.

Everybody has their own extracurricular thing. But when we're here to work, we're here to work. As far as managing the artist's expectations, that just comes with time and comfortability and trust. If I get on the phone, and we just did a little baby on Fallon, right? So it's like I was in L.A. and I'm talking to baby and I'm like, yo, I got you. I have a set of guys.

What I'm going to do again, we're talking about these sketches. I'm going to send you a sketch and a rehearsal recording so when you walk in, you know what it is. Or if you hear something that you don't like, I can fix it ahead of time so you're not walking in having to try to communicate an idea with me not being there. So it's very much still myself pre-prepping so that when they walk in, they already know what they're walking into. And then as far as the guys are concerned, I'm like, yo, if you ain't seen me do it, don't do it on my gig. And I know that sounds simple, but it's like. But have you had to have a situation where you're like, I got to let you go and I'm sorry?

Like, yo, it's not going to work. And then I break it down and say, this is what you did. Like, and I mean, me and you are very similar in our countenance with people. If you explain to somebody what they did and they actually take a step back and know who we are to know that we don't want to fire them, really? Right. They'll be like, yo, yeah, I really jacked up, huh? So sometimes it's not a hard thing I've learned to in the last five years. Like, people really want me.

And so whoever I put on that stage represents me. And if there's anything that goes wrong, it's a bad reflection on me and my brand and my business that I've worked so hard to build. You know, we talked about spawning, you know, inspiring young, young boys with the program and the stuff. It's getting easier and easier to find out who has studied me and who has, you know, their Adam Blackstone BBE template already in that laptop. But at the same time, being a people person, you can't teach that. You know what I'm saying? And so that's one of the one thing that I would tell the young kids is like, yo, be humble. But at the same time, don't be afraid to speak and say hello, look people in the face and, you know.

Oh, yes. Talk through ideas and shake hands and it's all love because you remember those people who have had an impact on you over their playing, yo. Real talk. Everybody can play and sing these days, everybody. And they play in circles around me these young kids now. But at the same time, when I need to talk to a Justin Timberlake or I need to talk to an M&M, they don't know how to do that. I think social media has been a crutch. I've been saying that.

And not be able to actually articulate their ideas verbally and just play. You know what I mean? Right. Who are five of your most pleasurable clients to work with? I'm sure you love working with everybody. but like when you're like ah man this is going to be fun i can't wait for this no particular order at all j z um i love playing his music i'm a fan of the music as you as you see i'm married from o three on it's gotten more and more musical as well

you know what i'm saying so i'm going to have to say i don't know if this is another person or slash, but Puff Daddy, I did the bad boy reunion tour 2016. And like I said, I was talking to Fonte, like that music spawned how I felt sampling and hip hop and live bass playing, like what that was about for me as a kid. Before I met the roots and before I was able to, you know, kind of do things, it was like the samples alone were the music bars that I was like, yeah, I got to, I could play this. And when I play this at the football game on Saturday morning, oh, they're going to go go.

crazy. That was a must-see tour that year, too. I'm so mad I didn't see that shit. I heard it was amazing. Jenny Jackson. Even one verse, one-verse penny? One-verse penny, listen, when I smack miss you much, just the chorus, it's okay. It's okay.

You, it went and she taught me that. She'd say, like, yo, we're just going to get in and out, you know. I hate that, but go ahead. This is a, this is a, you can ask me this every day and it might change, so I apologize. Ed Shearing. Oh, okay. Very musical. He's the white quest love.

He don't want no tracks. Yeah, I was going to say, every time I see him, Sharon, he's on stage by himself with his guitar. So he's been doing this looper thing all his life, but very recently we just did Tiny Desk, and we've taken that Tiny Desk show to a bunch of different things, whether it be TV shows, or whatever, like that NFL. And so that's been really cool. Man, like I said, you asked me this any other day. It's going to change.

But the last one I'm going to say, Kurt Franklin, Mary, Mary, Nickyman, Nage, Justin Tim. You can't do the way. Come on. Hey, hey. Everybody. All right, number five is everybody. Kirk Franklin, Nick, Miner, Mary, Mary, Justice,

Tim. How does it feel, too? to finally, like, fulfill your wish of making albums? Yo, I never in a million years, I'm going to be completely honest, thought that I would be an artist. And what took you so long? Well, I'm going to be honest with you, man. Like, I lost some friends through COVID, like straight up.

You know, one of them, I lost a cousin, 45 years old through COVID. COVID. A couple of my friends lost their parents. But specifically, I lost Paris Bowens who Paris. Paris, that's right. It is arguably one of the greatest keyboard players and over that one of the greatest human beings, right? And so when I went to this celebration services, it really inspired me because I was like, yo, Bible says like, you know, our days are numbered and it's like, we don't know the time or the day. But I don't want. And this is no disrespect to anybody, but I don't want my service at the altar. And the screens is showing me at the Super Bowl.

Or like I'm on to. And other people. Support. Or I'm at, you know, that's my jam or something like that. I said, yeah. I understand what you're saying. Those are all, listen, let me tell you something. Those are all positions that I'm so thankful for.

people would die to be in right now. But I had to leave a legacy of something for my family, my children, and the people who know and love me to be proud of that I did on my own. I did my album in 30 days, man. And what me and my team have been calling relationship equity, right? And what that means to me is I have poured so much into people without, asking for anything in return just because I value people and relationships for the last 20 years that when I made a call

to Questlove, when I made a call to James Poison, when I called Jasmine Sullivan, when I called Mary Mary, when I called Kurt Franklin, when I call Leslie Odom Jr., when I call Queen Latifah, when I call Robert Glasper, they immediately said, whatever you need, we got you. You've had us for all this time. And I get choked up even thinking about it because like nobody Nobody in 2022 got the track list that I got, period. I don't care what, maybe call it.

Right. But like, my track list is crazy. And it's like, it's only because I've loved on these people. I exclaim it. I'm proud of who I love. I'm proud of the people that have inspired me. And for whatever reason, they also felt like I've inspired them. And so they returned that musical favor.

And we made this album called Legacy that I'm so, so proud of. So that's what took me so long, man. I think, you know, seeing loss and experiencing joy with my children, I was like, you know, it ain't nothing like having my son sing my song as one of his favorite songs, hearing him wake up and sing Fly Me to the Moon. I was going to ask you, what made you do the singing? Because people know you for playing, but also on his record is special because we get to hear you sang. Yeah, I sang a little bit.

You know, I've been inspired by Big Band music all my life, Tony Bennett. and Rat Pack and Sinatra and Sammy and Nat King Cole. You know, there's, I mean, they all can sing, but it was the swag that made them songs cool too. You know what I'm saying? Like Louis Armstrong, it was like the swag behind it. So I was like, you know, man, I got some swag. Let me throw it on a record from Brooklyn.

Make me think I'll be sure more of a stylist. That's why I'll be sure I said. He said he wasn't a singer. I'm a vocal stylist. You know, and even the song that I sang on... Al B is lonely at the top. I play. So, yeah, the song I sang on,

it's called Back on the Strip, and it's a nod to Philly and Jersey and duet with Queen Latifla and it's going good. So, yeah, I'm so excited about Legacy and it's able to showcase many, many different, like, facets of who I am. You know, this is volume one. I don't know when or if volume two happens,

but it's like at the same time I had to do it you know people have been great to me music has been great to me we blessed what we do and this is my this is my ode and thank you to

the music industry love for putting Lauren Talese on there too because everybody might not know her name but you're gonna know that voice that's an affiliate Cleveland girl right there that's a thing and the Belder project is on the air you know represent

yes Dean Beller and then I you know made a call to John Schofield, he ended up jumping. Yeah, I was going to see you got Schofield on the record. Schofield on there. Keon, Harold, Wayne Bergeron, Dante Winslow, The Truth, Jilly from Philly, spitting bars.

Swizzy on the backgrounds. It's just, you know, it's fire, man. I'm so, so thankful. We just kind of went through your whole, like, crazy days and times. What does the rest look like? When do you end your day? Is your week seven days a week? What are the barriers?

you put on for your own self and your family? That is a great question. I'm still learning at 40 years old, like where to say no, where to draw the line. One of the reasons I think I haven't said no was, first of all, I grew up with the roots. Yeah, that's the thing. But at the same time, we are, and I'm there, you can attest possibly, but I'm so much further along in my head in my career than my dreams could ever imagine. So sometimes when I get an offer to do, I'm going to be completely honest. Like, Stevie called me today and was like, yo, I need you to MD his house or toys.

I can't do it. That's the craziest thing for me to say. I was going to say, what prestigious person? It just happened to me today. It just happened to me today. And it happens all the time. But I'm speaking of today because, yo, I got, I have Super Bowl rehearsal, right? And I've already committed.

And I would wear myself in my 30s or 20. be like, I'm doing it all. But the older I get, the more responsibility that these prestigious gigs have as well. So the responsibility for me to be at a meeting is different than me going to another gig. Yeah, the workload is higher when you, like, on kind of overseeing. Higher up, I get the more responsibility, the workload is, it falls on me. And my team is incredible.

Do not get me wrong. But at the same time, I got to show face and I have to implement my own, not. into what makes this show what it is. So I had to say no to Stevie. And I think that that is crazy, but it's also a testament to being a stand-up person and what you've already agreed to. And then also knowing the time that I spend with my family and my children and my wife, that's what makes me a better musician.

Because we've all had that moment when you get that nod in your stomach and you're like, I can't even perform the day. I'm jacked up. I don't know what's going at home or whatever the personal case may be in some of our lives. But it's like as long as I make sure that routine and that home is straight, I'm a better person for the rest of the world. And sometimes in this business, unfortunately, the world doesn't care if we're greater, if we're better people as long as we're servicing them.

I've been blessed to be able to, I've been blessed to be able to the last two, three, four years have people that want to pour back into me in certain, gigs and that is a blessing to me. It's a blessing when I can say, yo, I need a break or I can't do this or I got to get home when my son got a soccer game, when my daughter got swimming lessons, I promise you it's going to be okay. I'll be right back. They say, oh, man, we got you. It's okay. You know what I mean? So those are the moments that matter to me, which in turn supports why I do what I do for them, this legacy, you know? Adam, if there were a verses for, or MDs.

Whoa. Whoa. Who would be the Adam Blackstone versus or him? And someone that you didn't

and I don't mean like bro that you bought the this that's a really good no no no. Well who's an MD out there that's like okay. I see you. I see you. I mean listen you know my West Coast brothers 1500 or nothing

they're doing their thing yeah I got like parents and all I got Mars yeah I got Mars

yeah so that a lot of my influence and pop music came from Kevin Antunes okay

not sure people are familiar with him but he did every boy band in the 90s so backstreet insane

98 degrees Brady Spirley Spirits Christina Aguil them Jurassic Park sounds and all that like in sync was doing that. You know what I'm saying?

Okay. Remember when the TVs came over their heads at Massachusetts Square Garden? So like Kevin Antooms would be another one. And then I'm just inspired by so many others, you know, Ricky Minor with what he did with Whitney Houston, I took a lot of that catalyst and tried to bring it to Jill. You know what I'm saying? It was like our live versions of this music is almost just as good

or hopefully better experience than some of the record joints. That's how you feel about Whitney, you know what I'm saying? Right. He was doing when Ricky was doing Whitney. And so, like, Jill loves singing live. You know what I'm saying? And at that time, I hadn't experienced somebody that was like, yo, let's go on the stage and we're just going to vibe.

And it's Jill is such a, you know, a class act when it comes to that and commanding that stage. She taught me so much of how to just be in the moment. I got a lot of that from watching Ricky. Whitney and all the other TV things he has done. Does Jill still use colorful metaphors when she wants something? Like, I need, I need the beach. Yeah, yeah.

I sent her a song for my album that. This sounds like berries. She said it's not yellow enough. Yo, dog. Jill is the most song-rejecting person I know in this lifetime. And it's always a metaphor. Yeah, it's got to be. green. It's like, I need a blue.

She's big on her synesthesia. Yeah, she gets it. But, but let me write that word down. Say, what now is anesthesia? Synecesthesia. That's when you hear music or sounds and it makes you think of a color. Ooh. That is all, that is all Jill Scott is about.

Listen. She wanted like strawberry moon. Yeah, and her genius allows her to convey it, right, in a way where you like, oh, this sound, this chord, this stealing whether you're, I'm going to make this up, whether you're a synesthetic or not, you understand what she's saying.

Close enough. Back to you. We blank. We could do that. All right. So I learned a lot this episode. But I also, listen, I got to do this, man. Oh.

I got to give my man, Questlove, his flowers. I continue to say in every interview, every public. I was about to give you your flowers. No, listen. I just got to say this. Like, every MD. also has an MD. And AmeriQuest-Left Thompson is my forever MD. He can or cannot. I sat three in the morning and I say, yo, what you think about? Or what the court for this? Or how should I do this?

Or like, I'm still asking and gaining knowledge. And hopefully, you know, you know, bro, that what you've spawned in me is so many other now. The people you say I've inspired, they got to know that where I get it from. And so between you and James and Rich and just the whole crew, it's like I appreciate you for taking a chance on me. Literally Philadelphia changed my life. And, you know, here we are. QLS.

Well, thank you very much. You get it a beer again. Thank you. Yes, I'll take these damn flowers. Thank you. No, you know what I learned? You know what I learned this episode? And I was quasi-joking when it came to me, but now I realized like,

damn, Adam's right. like I got to control my, my death sizzle real. Yeah. I don't want nobody showing that damn. Like every time I go to a sports event, they always show the damn Justin Bieber drum battle. Yeah.

Like, you know, listen, I got to say, man, like. No offense to Justin Bieber. I'm only playing. No, no, no. We're not talking. It's not about Bieber. It's about what we've done in our lives, that what has made the, you know,

the impact on people. Because you don't, you know, that casket, man, is real. And we don't want to be like, oh, he was an asshole. Look at him up there with Jason Bieber. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, that ain't it. We want to, we want to know when you freaking started playing drumming jungle and drumming bass on you got me like how that just was like, what the, like, those are the things.

You know what I'm saying? That's my moment too, Adam. That's my favorite quest level. It's called a legacy. Legacy, baby. It's called a legacy. Is there anything left that you've yet to do that you want to do? Winning that Emmy, bro, let me know that EGOT was, was,

Oh, you're going to get the EGOT. Stop playing. Very much, it was very much a real thing. It's attainable. It's very much attainable. Watching you get two in one year, it was like, okay. There you go. And sometimes we just need to see our own, whether it's our own color or our own people

or our own friends, like, do it because you know that you can do it. What I want to do is inspire kids to know that follow your dreams and it could happen. Like, you know, early I might have thought I wanted to be in the NBA or play baseball. Now I'm like doing halftime at the NBA All-Star game every year. I'm like, if this is, if the music is what got me to the NBA. Yep. Thank you, Lord. You know what I'm saying?

Thank you, man. But I don't know if there's anything else, man. I'm just take it day by day and, you know, gig by gig and, you know, just be super thankful, yo, thankful. Music has the power to do anything and heal and take us anywhere. You're inspiring grown-ups, too, just so you know, a lot of us. What up, Steve? Yeah, well, you gave Questlove of all his flowers.

Now, to tell everybody who your favorite Jew is. Mandel Mix. Don't get in trouble. That's right. That's a hard question. That's a rough question these days. We is chilling and shit. Everybody.

We love everybody. Yo, no, Adam, I, you know, man, I couldn't be more proud of you, man. And just to see your growth, this is awesome. I thank you for doing this. And it's amazing to see your work. I can't see what you. you have in the future. And thank you for spending this time with us.

On behalf of Unpaid Bill, who's working on his umpteenth Tony and Sugar Steve, our favorite person of all time. Von Sigelow. An inside joke between me and Adam. I know. And,

and like, yeah, this is another great episode of Quest Love Supreme. You know, we'll see you on the next girl round. All right, peace y'all. Peace. What's Love Supreme is a production of IHeart Radio.

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