The Questlove Show - Questlove Supreme: Eve with Kathy Iandoli

Episode Date: September 18, 2024

Twenty-five years after "You Got Me," Eve and Questlove have an in-depth conversation alongside Team Supreme. The Grammy-winning, chart-topping Hip-Hop artist is joined by author and historian Kathy Iandoli to discuss her new memoir Who's That Girl? The discussion traces Eve's steps from West Philadelphia to Hollywood to London and success in music, film, and television. Listen as Eve's passion for rapping and her journey with self-love are apparent in this special conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-heart podcast. Guaranteed human. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits,

my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, the Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated.

So let's get to it. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. I'm Daniel Alarcon, and this is my friend. This is my friend. I wouldn't go that far. But I'm John Green, co-host of the podcast The Away End with my old friend Daniel. On our podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup.

Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer is the most important. Listen to the away end with Daniel Alarcon and John Green on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of IHard Media, and I'm kicking off a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Math and Magic takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries while sharing insights from the smartest minds in marketing.

Coming up this seasonal Math and Magic, CEO of of Liquid Death Mike Cesario. People think that creative ideas are like these light bulb moments that happen when you're in the shower. It's really like a stone sculpture. You're constantly just chipping away and refining. Take to Interactive CEO, Strauss Selnick, and our own chief business officer, Lisa Coffey. Listen to Math and Magic on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. On paper, the three hosts of the Nick Dick & Poll show are geniuses.

We can explain how AI works, data centers, but there are certain things that we don't necessarily understand. Better version of Play Stupid Games, win Stupid prizes. Yes. Which, by the way, wasn't Taylor Swift who said that for the first time. I actually thought it was. I got that wrong. But hey, no one's perfect. We're pretty close, though.

Listen to the Nick, Dick, and Paul show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Saturday, May 2nd, country's biggest stars will be in Austin, Texas. Our 26 I Heart Country Festival presented by Capital One. Tickets are on sale now. Get yours before they sell out at Ticketmaster.com. That's Ticketmaster.com. Questlove Supreme is a production of IHeart Radio. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our Cool Kid Clubhouse.

Quest Love Supreme. I'm your host, Questlove. We're giving the honor today to celebrate the release of a brand new memoir. I will say that guest number one, of course, is no stranger to this show. If you're also a lifetime vet of hashtag that site, then indeed our first guest should be no stranger. She's been on the show before, music historian. Don't cry. Because the last time Kathy was on this show, she blessed us with Prodigy,

so I'm just having a moment the last time she was here. By here, you had to. You had to. I'm sorry. Start off big, like you. Sorry? I just, yeah. I love we will never, ever get through an introduction without just breaking it.

No, for real, I will say this, one of my favorite music historians. She's been pinning articles and books and pieces for the greater part of the last two decades. Her books include God save the Queen, the essential history of women in hip-hop. She's also released a baby girl, but as known as Aaliyah. And the last piece that she came on the show with back when our brother Prodigy was still with us on this earthly plane, the commissary kitchen, my infamous prison cookbook. Not to be all done, the forthcoming Little Kim Queen Bee memoir is also on the way. But of course, we are here today to celebrate her particular piece right now with our guest today.

I will say multi-platinum, legendary Grammy Award winning, singer, songwriter, mother, actress, entrepreneur, and MC, and Westville native. Currently in London, this is like the reverse story of their roots. I had to run away from London Now you're living in London She's blazed trails For a greater part of the late 90s Making hip hop history Top of the charts

With countless singles and her albums And right now we're here to get into Her brand new memoir Who's That Girl Ladies and gentlemen Please welcome Kathy I'm not going to mess this up

I'm not going to mess this up You can do this from You're from Philly Come on do it Iandoli, correct? Yandale, it's only been 25 years, but Eve comes first. Dude, I've never called you by your last name. Amir, it's pronounced Rundran.

Shut up, Steve. And not to be outdone, the legendary. Their middle name. No, the legendary. The legendary, I don't even know if I can say put bull and skirt. That's too old of a reference. Welcome Eve to Questlove Supreme Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you. Thank you.

How are you guys doing? Good. Great. I've not spoken to you since you became, I mean, I've seen you on and off since you became a London native, but where exactly in London do you live right now? We're in West London. So like near Notting Hill area. You that near?

Yeah. Mm-hmm. No, I did it? Yeah. Oh, she has the accent. All right. I told you some words happen. I can't help it, especially now that I have a kid,

because I say stuff for him so it's consistent, and now it's like it's a lot more. Can't help it. Oh, man. I missed that. Kat, how are you? How are you doing? Living the dream.

How are you doing, Amir? I'm good. I'd like to know how the, what the Genesis or the beginning of this, putting this memoir together. Because I know that as far as I'm concerned, like when I was told to do a memoir. I was like resistant because I thought memoirs and autobiographies are stories for people that like turn 70 and 80 and people don't necessarily like to start reflecting when they're still in the journey of their career. So tell me how like this book came to

be. I would say well one, me and Kathy just hit it off. We kind of were talking on a different project and then once we kind of got into like it was supposed to be a 30 minute call that turned until like a two hour call and it was just like we kept kind of like this episode okay and then um and then we kind of yeah it was the question was like Kathy asked me kind of like you ever thought about doing a book and I was like yeah I kind of thought about it and I've been asked before years before and I definitely I said no like I had said no I wasn't into it. But those reasons you pretty much just named.

But this book, while it is a memoir, it is a look back. But it's also, we figured a lot of it out on the page as it went through. A lot of the things that I talk about in the book are pivotal moments in my life of lessons that I've learned that kind of helped me get over certain things or get to the next place in my career. But then the other thing that kind of made me feel like, yo, I'm really ready to talk about certain things was I was definitely ready to be vulnerable, even more vulnerable, things that I already mentioned in my life, whether that was my drinking situation, my fertility situation. And there are other things in there. But the other thing is having a child and as cliche as it sounds, I feel that much more whole having that little piece of. me and it made me feel confident to say like okay while we're reflecting it's also about my future it's also about with lack of better term it's the next chapters of my life as well so

yeah did you also go through with kathy uh what this book is not about in a way yeah we we definitely talked about it not being salacious not being like if people are named it's not so much like oh yeah, it's about them, them. Everything comes back to what that person meant at that time in my life particularly. We didn't want to make a book that was like juicy because you didn't want to be boring, but we didn't want it to be like clickbait. We didn't want it to be like, oh, you just name and names, the name names. But don't you think, Kathy?

What do you think? Absolutely. But I think like, I think the best part about it was like, this is the first time for me that it's collaborative writing too. So it wasn't like me getting a bunch of information. I go run away and do something. Like it was funny watching like Eve right on the page in the Google Dog with me.

So it's like, you know. Are you allowed to do it? No, no. It's just I've had that type of battle where I wanted to sort of redo stuff. And they were like, no, just give just notes to me. Like, don't touch the page. Don't touch the Google doc.

Just give us notes and we'll just in, wow. Okay. Well, talk about that, Kathy, because you said this is the first time. So why was the Eve that you kind of trusted in that way? Well, Eve trusted me. I mean, that's the, that's, I think that's more of the. Even more so, yeah. Yeah, you know.

But I think with regards to like in collaboration with other, you know, artists that I've worked with and ones for our future projects, you know, Like you mentioned Prodigy, Prodigy and Eve are both Scorpio's. And I'm a Pisces. So that working relationship is actually, like, wonderful. But when, you know, with something like a memoir, because, you know, P and I didn't do a memoir, you know, there was so much of like, I didn't take for granted the fact that, like, Eve was being so open.

So making sure that her hands were on the page two is just equally important. because this is our life, you know? So being able to kind of go and go through certain things on the page and just like, be like, okay, so do you want to go there? Do you not want to go there? You can't, it can't just be me going like off into the wild with my laptop and then bring him back, you know, results. Now that I understand that probably the most important part of storytelling is editing.

Right. Like purging is no problem, like, you know, getting everything out. But I'll say like in any form of creativity, be it music or books or whatever. Like what's the process of editing like in terms of what to let go and what to let fall on the floor and how to structure a story. No, I think, you know, when it comes to, you know, what are you going to keep and, you know, for yourself and when are you going to give to the world? I think it was like kind of like striking that balance where it doesn't. necessarily have to be. I'm only reserving all of this for my own personal story and the rest I'll tell. Like, I think we split the difference a lot, right, Eve? Like, where there's like,

okay, I'm going to talk about this, but, and I'm going to process it. That's the one thing about this memoir that I have to say is very different from so many other memoirs that are out there, is that, like, it's a lot of Eve processing what happened. Yeah. Which, it provides like this like deeper look. So in the process, having to go back in and see what we're able to kind of like take out while still keeping the sentiment, I think, you know, it was the good part was we didn't have a lot of edits from the publisher because we kept going in and doing our thing. I can only imagine what y'all had to cut out. As we were getting ready for this interview, I was just saying to Jake, I was like, you know, when you think about Eve, it's been an interesting long 20 years.

And for you personally, but also professionally, like the chapters, we were like, somebody, we were like, fetish. You know, we were like, oh, the talk. So for y'all, it had to be amazingly hard to figure out what to cut out in that way. We definitely got to a point where it was like, okay, what, how do we want people to read this book? And then we got to a point where we were like, you know what? And this was Kathy's like brilliant idea. She was like, let's make it more like essays, like bite size.

So that way you get in the juicy kind of font bits that enough that needs to be there that tells the story of if people have been on my journey. They're like, oh, yes, I remember that. Okay, okay, that makes sense. And it just, that's when I think we figured it out. Once you said that, Kathy, I think that's when it was like, okay, this makes sense. because it definitely could have been a lot more. I definitely have kept some things to myself that I felt like I needed to keep to myself. I understand.

Well, and it's funny because I've been obviously doing interviews before, and this is such a new process with me that I feel so raw in a way that I've never felt before, ever. But having said that, I feel so proud and confident of the book that we have. have done. Like I, and I called Kathy. I actually called Kathy. The day that I finished the audio, I called her, was like, girl, this is a good book, girl. Like, thank you, girl. Like, it was, I felt proud. I felt actually, like, so proud. So, yeah, I look Kathy, girl. Thank you, girl. So wait, the audiobook, I got to know, is it like straight read, just eat reading, or are we getting like a little production? In my mind, I was like, it's Swiss. Is it immersive?

So I wish. Yes. Rest me when I tell you, I wanted that I wanted a little. little more like tried to get something but the publisher kind of it's still fun it's still good there's emotion like you definitely feel parts of it but yeah I wanted to do a little bit more but they just yeah she is an actress so I'm still excited you know you'll feel things you'll definitely you get emotion and things so yeah hopefully hopefully yeah okay so as as a Philadelphia I will ask you. What are your earliest memories of growing up in Philadelphia? You were born in West Philly, correct?

West Philly, yeah. What part? Down 46th Street. The bottom? The bottom? Of course. No, I used to they'd grow up the bottom in. My dad was like, where are you walking to?

No. I'm just going to 46th Street, the bottom. That's how I found out what the bottom was. I didn't, you know. I'm from there. So that's where I'm from. What? Yeah, from Mill Creek.

So, yeah, I mean, my earliest, earliest memories of Mill Creek is music and noise, kids, you know, the building I lived in because I was born in the building and we moved to the local houses outside. Block parties, DJs, like, you know what I'm saying? Like, even back then was crazy back in the day. I know, like, there used to be food trucks back in the day. Like, that I remember that in the summertime.

Like, I remember food and music and, yeah, those are my earliest memories, actually, of Philly. Okay. What were your earliest memories of listening to hip hop or discovering hip hop? and actually becoming an emcee. What were your earliest memories of that? Earliest memories of hip-hop come through my aunt Karen,

who I talk about in the book, who to me was the epitome of hip-hop. She loved L-L. So we always heard music. The radio was always on. I loved Queen Latifah, Salt and Pepper. That was always on. My dad was a DJ.

So music was always somewhere around me. Like, I started writing poems first. And then I joined the choir, and then I sang, and then ABC came out, and I wanted to rap. And then, like, another bad creation. Another bad creation. That's when I was like, I want to rap. Like, I want to sing and I want to rap.

And I want to dance. I want to do everything. And then, yeah, and then I would have, like, little groups, like my friends. And I would do all the block parties, all the little, like, talent shows, the school talent shows. I was nonstop. Like, I was that kid that was like, I have to do something. I got to be busy. So I was always, even if I was just singing somebody else's song, I was doing a talent show.

And then when I turned 15 is when I was like, this has to be my life. Like I want to be an emcee period, point blank. I don't want to go to, I knew I didn't want to go to college. I knew I wanted to pursue music. 100%. Where did you go to high school? Martin Luther King. Oh.

You went to King? King's still open too. On Stent Avenue. That was our Lean on Me school. That was the Lean on Me School. We talk about that in the book. We talk about that. Three of my boys went to the King.

Bless the beautiful Martin Luther King alumni. Bless them, bless them all. Chris wasn't lying. Martin Luther King was brought up. There was some violence going down. Lots. So somewhere. A win is a win.

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 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,

follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of The Fault and Our Stars, and now I guess also is the co-host of the Away End, a brand new world soccer podcast. I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist, and John and I have known each other since we were kids. My first World Cup was Mexico 86.

I was nine years old. I watched every game, and I fell in love. On our new podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. For us, soccer... Football is a story we've shared for over 30 years since Daniel was the star player

on our high school soccer team. Very debatable. And I was there. most loyal and sometimes only fan. I love this game. I love its history, its hope, it's heartbreak, and above all, it's beauty.

Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to the away end with Daniel Auerkone and John Green on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I feel like it was a little bit unbelievable

until I really start making money. It's financial literacy. Month, and the podcast Eating While Broke is bringing real conversations about money, growth, and building your future. This month, hear from top streamer Zoe Spencer and venture capitalist Lakeisha Landrum-Pierre, as they share their journeys from starting out to leveling up. If I'm outside with my parents and they're seeing all these people come up to me for pictures, it's like, what?

Today now, obviously, it's like 100%. They believe everything. But at first, it was just like, you got to go get a real job. There's an economic component to communities thriving. If there's not enough money and entrepreneurship happening in communities, they fail. And what I mean by fail is they don't have money to pay for food. They cannot feed their kids. They do not have homes.

Communities don't work unless there's money flowing through them. Listen to Eating While Broke from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. When you listen to podcasts about AI and tech and the future of humanity, the hosts, always act like they know what they're talking about and they are experts at everything. Here, the Nick Dick and Poll show, we're not afraid to make mistakes. What Coogler did that I think was so unique. He's the writer-director. Who do you think he is?

I don't know. You mean it to like the president? You think Canada has a president? You think China has a president? Love Crosette. God, I love that thing. I use it all the time. I wrap it in a blanket and sing to it at night.

It's like the, it's like the president. old Polish saying, not my monkeys, not my circus. Yep. It's a good one. I like that snake. It is an actual Polish saying. Yeah. It is an actual Polish saying. Better version of Play Stupid Games, win stupid prizes. Yes.

Which, by the way, wasn't Taylor Swift, who said that for the first time. I actually, I thought it was. I got that wrong. Listen to the Nick, Dick, and Paul show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of IHeart Media, and I'm kicking off a brand new season of my podcast, Math and stories from the frontiers of marketing. Math and magic takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries while sharing insights from the smartest minds in marketing. I'm talking to leaders from the entertainment industry to finance and everywhere in between.

This seasonal math and magic, I'm talking to CEO of Liquid Death Mike Cessario, financier and public health advocate Mike Milken, take two interactive CEO Strauss Elnich. If you're unable to take meaningful creative risk and therefore run the risk of making horrible creative mistakes, then you can't play in this business. Sesame Street CEO Sherry Weston and our own chief business officer, Lisa Coffey. Making consumers see the value of the human voice and to have that guaranteed human promise behind it really makes it rise to the top. Listen to math and magic, stories from the frontiers of marketing on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I want to get the white elephant out the room right now.

Let's go. Look at, like it. All right, damn it. At least, you know, like the whole conference, how it, yeah, come on already. No, no, no, no. You know what? Because this is the thing. I want this to be because I listen to the music episode.

I'm not off of a banana in the tailpipe for third time. I think he has a beautiful, probably version. She probably is a beautiful version of the story. No, you know what's weird? I actually had the last. Three months, I'm talking about my therapy sessions. There have been a lot of conversations about how I suck at communication. So when breaking this down and various exercises I have to do,

I now realize how what went down between the roots and Eve went down. Here's the quickest version because this is still Eve's episode. This is not the roots. No, it doesn't fit. There's not the first love therapy. This is not the Roots, Mia Copa version, but this is the most distinct version that I know of. The kilo version. Yeah, I'm ready for this.

My version. My version. I only know my version. I haven't even been full glasses. So this is what I know. For things fall apart to be our, like, career-defining album, I'm very, very shocked at how cohesive it sounds. for a unit that pretty much piece-milled that album together without, like, communicating with each other.

So the shortest version of it is that there was a period in 97 or 98 in which by that point, we had always recorded everything at Sigma Sound Studios in the former Philly International classic songs made, studio, Sigma. There is a period that we got kicked out of Sigma for about two weeks. Without getting too personal to it, we covered the subject on the next album fromology concerning our beloved fallen soldier Malik's struggles with his addictions. And that got us kicked out of Sigma for about two weeks. Fatine of Kendrit, the family soul, recommended to us that we move operations to what we now lovingly called the studio,

named the studio, Larry Gold's studio, which will subsequently be still our home technically for the last like two and a half decades. Two weeks into recording there, I realized that I don't like his board. And so kind of hat in hand, I go to owner Joe Tarsi of Sigmund and say, look, I know we've been kicked out the studio and banned from the studio, but like I was using the, you know my dad,

if I promise not to bring people around here, can I still remain here and record? He thought about it, he granted it. So he allowed me and Scott and certain members back into the studio to record. So what winds up happening is there becomes a triangle of creation. So all the music is recorded at Sigma. And then we send those tapes.

This is about you got me just so they know what we're doing here. We're setting it up. So, thus, we will record music at our studio and then send the tapes to the studio where Tariq and Richard. So basically, I will say that every song that ever appeared on Things Fall Apart, I'm hearing it as a song for the first time when I'm mixing the song. So, which is very unusual because normally it's like, hey, we made it. You know, here's the complete song.

You want the demo? because of my back and forth with DeAngelo and really not, even though I was very present for this record, I'm also working with DeAngelo. So I'm hearing everything for the first time. I'm hearing the next movement. Like song titles. Oh, what's this one?

What's the Hawaii song called? The next movement? Oh, okay, cool. Let me hear it. Oh, that's cool. Oh, what's this called? Oh, okay, step into the room. Literally, so when we finally got to you got me,

there was a gap in verse two, whether there was no rhyme from Tariq. And I was never told there was another guest on it. So there was like a 20 minute back and forth. Like we can't find Tariq's vocal. Where is it?

Where is it? And Rich is like, turn up track 18. And I turned it up. And I'm like, wait, who's this? He's like, Eve. Who's Eve? He's like, you know, Eve, the join the room for the jam sessions.

I'm one of those members of the roots that's sort of like just, why are you look so disappointed, like you? I'm disappointed. I just wanted you to get to it. I want to hear E's version. So we're about to hear this twice because I know that it's a different story. But I'm right. So I'm getting there. I'm ending the story now. So as a result, one, you got me was the very last song. I mean very last song. Like we should have turned the album in two weeks ago, you know, before. That was the last song worked on the album. Meaning I had already did credits and all that stuff. Like I literally didn't know until. the day of mixing that Eve existed. You know, by the way, ain't saying nothing new, which you're also on,

was a last minute song added on the record as well. She's doing backgrounds. Okay, okay. Right. Even the morning of shooting the video, because Keel was like, wait, why don't you invite her to the video? And I was like, well, I don't know.

Like, I thought you guys invited her. No, I thought you invited her. Well, Rich, did we invite her? No, we didn't invite. Oh, Jesus, grace. So we were just extremely inconsiderate. And so insular and so non-communicative with each other that things like that always spilled on the sidelines. But I never wanted you to think it was the thing where it was like, let me erase her out of history.

No, I didn't think of it so much like that. Everything you're saying makes complete sense. I totally understand. I didn't think of it like that. What I took it as is like, here is this girl who's, I wasn't signed at the time. Nobody did know who I was at that time. So I kind of took it as, well, you know, you guys were like,

this was a huge record. Then Erica got on it. So it did feel like, oh shit, because someone somewhere sent to the person that I was hanging out with, the girl who was kind of like helping me out in New York. I lived in New York at the time, got an address, but nothing was at this address. So I don't know who, how, and it became a miscommunication possibly. All that you're saying makes complete sense.

But I definitely felt like, damn, they lied to me about the address. Saying what I mean in the video. Oh, wait. You got up and got dressed for the video and they sent you the wrong address. Yes. I, like, yes. It felt like it was like, oh, that's not. Oh, shit.

I didn't even know this part. Yeah. We deserve a redo because it's too late. Well, let's go back in time to 30 years ago. You know what's amazing since all of that has to happen? Like, the story has been told. But we've performed together since then. We've seen each other since then.

We've seen. We've done. You got me together in New York a long time. It was a long time ago. We did it like three times. We did it once at Electric Factory once I remember. Oh, for the Grammy Party. Yeah, I think we did it once like when the album came out.

We've done it. But it's still like, you know, it's one of those things because it's like, it's such weirdly because I was in such a holding pattern at that time in my career. I was like this unknown but signed, but no budget, no nothing yet. But I was signed and I was working on music. It was such a weird place. I was kind of impergatory-ish for a minute as well. So like, yeah.

And it's the story, Eve, because the urban legend that I always heard was that Kilo Samson was the one that introduced you to that process of that song. But how did you become the Eve and you got me? How did you? You know what's funny. I don't remember who said come through to the studio because I used to kind of just be around. I don't know if it was Scott or was it Keith. I don't really remember how it kind of happened because I used to come through to the studio. So I don't know who you know what I'm saying? Like it was kind of almost like, oh shit. It might have even been like, oh, shit. Oh, Eve would be dope on this.

I don't know who, how it. I don't remember. Can I ask you all a question? Because at the time for y'all, I'm watching your careers as a radio personality in Philadelphia, right? And what's interesting is for most of us who were there, we understood that like the first time we really heard Eve commercially was on You Got Me. However, being a Philadelphia radio personality, it was interesting to see your careers grow, right? So for the roots, y'all became international every other city. but Philly.

And it was interesting because for Eve, not only did you do all that, but you also became like a Philadelphia hero in that way. Yeah. And I always wonder what that was like for y'all going those directions. Maybe because I was still so close to Philly being in New York. Like my career was still just kind of. So with the Rough Riders, I was in Harlem or Yonkers most of the time. So I was so close to Philly for the first beginning of my first,

probably two years of my career, really. And when you run around, I would tell people, like, your mom would fill in. She would be, she would show up at a community events and stuff. Literally. Literally, my mom was, like, always there. So, like, yeah, maybe that's what it was. Because I didn't really go international at all, probably until mid-second album, I guess. Yeah.

How about for you, Amir? What was that? We had to leave Philadelphia. Yeah. To move to London. I mean, at that time, the only example I knew of was Jimmy Hendricks. And it was like he couldn't get arrested. Well, it's not that he couldn't get arrested in the United States,

but I don't think the United States was necessarily ready for a primitive exotic. Has you been watching Eves Rise? Because at the time, she's got like two, three radio hits, you know what I mean? And whatnot. And so that's what I just thought it was interesting in that way. Yeah, in my mind, I was like, yeah, this is about right. The last part of this story was when we did, what's the story? Stock 3, X was mad as shit.

We shared a backstage with X and DMX, the roots and James Brown, like, Jamarquah, everybody's like on Woodstock 3. And we walk in and, you know, like, the talking that you get right before you get a weapon from your pops, when Black men start talking with the back of their hand on the left palm, I got to ask him something. Why I'll do he even dirty like that? No, did he for real? Oh, dog, he read us the riot act, yo.

I love that. Oh, I love that. I love that so. He read us the riot. He said, oh, I love it so much. Yes. But that's him, though. That's an ex-man.

Please tell us a story. He read us the right. about that. And I was like, all right, I got to make this right. That's beautiful. Wow. And what did y'all say? What y'all say? Okay. I think at the time, I was like, well, dude, she's like the biggest thing to slice bread. Like, she wasn't going to blow up on us. Like, if anything, we needed her, then that, like, she got the last word. Because simply because even with the Jill story and the Erica. Like, you got me was a mess all over the place. There was the Erica Jill thing. There was the, your situation, like, it was so many small compartments that it was almost like,

yeah, we deserve this screaming. All right, let us hear X. So we just took it. I mean, of course, we got cold later, but he was mad as shit that day. But no, dude, I've always, always, always, always, always been proud of it. This is what I didn't know. So even when I'm asking Rich, Who was this person? He brought up to me that you were part of what we now know as the Black Lily jam sessions, that you were coming to the jam sessions? What? I used to be there all the time.

At Amir's house? I mean, not all. Yeah, I mean, not all the time. I was there. Like, I used to just be around. And I think it was like one of those things where people knew what I did, but maybe, you know, everybody hung out. It became one of those things, like, because it just was, I was just an artist hanging out.

It wasn't, you know how it would, you know how it gets. But it's very Philly, though. It's special. It was still a special time. The Strather broke the Camels back for me was when 10-year-old Jasmine Sullivan was just hanging in the living room. By week five, I mean, you've heard the stories. Amir will call the cops on his own party. I wouldn't show up.

Like by week five I was put A good cop A mere bad cop Yeah Like it was my crib Like the next day No one's around

To pick up beer bottles And Burt beaties on my rug Oh not a beady It was the 90s Yo Yeah Beat

She's got all nostalgic for beatties shit Emotional So by week five I have been protesting My own jam session And by week five Yeah, like, I apparently missed John Legend being in my crib.

I missed Beans, Freeway, Chris and Neef. Balat, well, Balau was hard to miss because he, I mean, he was like yodling back in 1997 when nobody was doing primitive yodel noises in jam sessions. But, I mean, pretty much I would say that I was disconnected to the jam sessions in my, own living room until it moved to the five spot of which it was out of my house. And Eve was gone by then. She was soaring. Literally. But what I want to know is, okay, because you got me isn't your first debut a year before you were on the Bullworth soundtrack as Eve of Destruction. So can you tell the story of how your brief journey, I guess, with Dr. to Drey first before you went to Rough Riders?

Yeah. So Drey was, I mean, aftermath was my first record deal. Right. And that song was a demo. It was one of the demo songs I did for Drey. I basically met Mike Lynn, like during a week, like my homeboys, that was my managers at the time,

drug deal slash managers, was like, yo, come through. Mike Lynn is coming to my house, but, you know, I've told this story many times. pretend to be the weed girl because he thought I was selling some weed. So I was like, okay. And then I get to the house and we put on music immediately. And I start rapping.

And he's like, what the fuck is going on? Why is the weed girl rapping? But then he listens. And they quickly talk to him like, yo, I know you ain't going to hear nobody else, but I'm telling you you need to hear her. And he was like, all right, fuck it you here. And I start rapping. And he calls Dre right there.

Like, yo, I think we found our girl. And that weekend, I got flown to L.A. To do a demo with Melman. And that song, Eve of Destruction, he took it and put it on the Bullwark soundtrack, which was like, how is this happening? Like, I was like, first demo, first professional, real demo. I did demos all the time, but, like, you know, first one that's shits on the line. And that to be put on the soundtrack was crazy.

Okay, so the one thing I'm obsessed with now, that I'm older, is the amazement when artists don't get in their own way or figure out how to mess it up when they get an opportunity? I did mess it up, though. I messed it up. But you're still here, though, so. No, so this is why I'm going to tell you why I'm here. Okay. I messed up and got dropped and got humbled. and then I had another chance, and that's how I got signs to Rough Rider.

So the eight months that I was in L.A. with Drey, I was Philly Fisty and was showing up to sessions. I wasn't supposed to be at, like, when am I recording? You got me all the way out in, I was being super... Are you slamming in this, me? That's full... All day, all day.

You got me all the way out in L.A. Like, I thought I was supposed to be recorded. Like, I was super Philly. And then I got dropped. because he was like, I can't deal with this. Like, what's happening? So I got sick specifically after I had a big going away party, after I've been living in a condo, living my, you know,

had a bank account everything back in my mom's house, had to catch the bus again, all of that. And at that time, I decided I wanted to drop the of destruction because I had to talk with myself, like, if I ever get this opportunity again, who is it I want to be? as an artist, who do I want to show the world? And I was like, I just want to be easy. And then I got the phone call to go to Yonkers.

And I was like, okay, this is it. This is it. I got a rap. What was the moment from them that felt like this was it? One, and it's funny, because I talk about Jimmy Iveen in the book, but he was the person that was like, and he could have dropped me. I was obviously aftermath interscope. Right.

Jimmy could have been like, oh, cool. Like, you drop in this girl, we don't need her anymore. He decided to keep me. Jimmy was the one that decided to keep me and was like, I think Rough Riders would be a good fit for you. And that's when I got the call from management again. Like, yo, Jimmy called and said you need to go to Yonkers to meet Rough Riders, which I had already known of the Rough Riders. Like I met X when I was signed to Dre already. So I used to kind of hang out with him when he would come to L.A.

Melman actually introduced me. So we'd be in the same, you know, at the same places and whatever. When X had a show, I would go. So they knew me kind of. And the rough riders, they also are a Philly crew as well. I always got confused with that with the bikers. Like it was a it was a whole Philly. It's a whole national thing.

So like, yeah, you know how Philly is. Philly love their bike. So there was a huge Rough Riders like set of people in Philly for sure that wrapped. Rough Riders more for riding than they did for music. Right. Okay. So yeah. So yeah, once I got that call and I was like, okay, we're going up here.

I have to make this happen. I have to make this happen. This is the moment. This is the moment. Was there a song moment that when you was working on something, you was like, this shit just clicks. Like, it's just it. It wasn't so much that.

You know, with Roughwriters, they treated us like, it would, and I've said this before, but they treated, it was like a boot camp. So when I finally got signed a Rough Riders, they would have us in different rooms. Like some artists, they'd be like you, same beat. We all writing on the same beat, but we will be in separate rooms.

Ah, the motel method. Yeah, and D or Y would come in and be like, let me hear what you got. Let me hear what you got. And see, whosoever fucking verse was hottest would get on the beat or whatever. So it was constant, like, you know, it was where I learned how to write an actual song, because I'm a battle rapper. That's how I used. I was bars.

I was 16, 24 bars in ciphers. That was who I was. I didn't know how to make a song. I didn't really, I knew what a hook was, but I didn't know. know how to do that myself. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me.

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

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

and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of The Fault and Our Stars and now I guess also as the co-host of The Away End, a brand new world soccer podcast.

I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist and John and I have known each other since we were kids. My first World Cup was Mexico 86. I was nine years old. I watched every game and I fell in love.

On our new podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international. All leading up to the 2026 World Cup. For us, soccer... Football is a story we've shared for over 30 years since Daniel was the star player on our high school soccer team.

Very debatable. And I was their most loyal and sometimes only fan. I love this game. I love its history, it's hope, it's heartbreak, and above all, it's beauty. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to The Away End with Daniel Alarcon and John Green on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I feel like it was a little bit unbelievable until I really start making money.

It's Financial Literacy Month and the podcast, Eating While Broke, is bringing real conversations about money, growth, and building your future. This month, hear from top streamer, Zoe Spencer, and venture capitalist Lakeisha Landrum Pierre as they share their journeys from starting out to leveling up. If I'm outside with my parents and they're seeing all these people come up to me for pictures, it's like, what? Today now, obviously, it's like 100%. They believe everything. But at first, it was just like, you got to go get a real job. There's an economic component to community striving. If there's not enough money and entrepreneurship happening in communities, they fail.

And what I mean by fail is they don't have money to pay for food. They cannot feed their kids. They do not have homes. Communities don't work unless there's money flowing through them. Listen to Eating While Broke from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of IHard Media, and I'm kicking off a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Magic, stories from the frontiers of marketing. Math and Magic takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries while sharing insights from the smartest minds in marketing. I'm talking to leaders from the entertainment industry to finance and everywhere in between.

This seasonal math and magic, I'm talking to CEO of Liquid Death Mike Cessario, financier and public health advocate, Mike Milken, take two interactive CEO, Strauss Elnick. If you're unable to take meaningful creative risk and therefore run the risk of making horrible creative mistakes, then you can't play in this business. Sesame Street CEO Sherry Weston and her own chief business officer, Lisa Coffey. Making consumers see the value of the human voice and to have to have. have that guaranteed human promise behind it really makes it rise to the top. Listen to math and magic, stories from the frontiers of marketing on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. When you listen to podcasts about AI and tech and the future of humanity,

the hosts always act like they know what they're talking about and they are experts at everything. Here, the Nick Dick and Poll Show, we're not afraid to make mistakes. What Cougler did that I think was so unique. He's the writer-director. Who do you think he is? I don't know. You meet the, like, the president? You think Canada has a president?

You think China has a president? Los Angeles a Rosette. God, I love that thing. I use it all the time. I wrap it in a blanket and sing to it at night. It's like the old Polish saying, not my monkeys, not my circus. Yep. It was a good one.

I like that saying. It is an actual Polish saying. Yeah. It is an actual poem. Better version of Play Stupid Games, win stupid prizes. Yes. Which, by the way, wasn't Taylor Swift who said that for the first time. I actually thought it was.

I got that wrong. Listen to the Nick, Dick, and Paul show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So in those eight months, did you work with Dre at all personally? Maybe like once. I worked with a lot of different other producers. It really didn't work with Dre. Everyone under his tools, like Michael Elizondo or? Yes, exactly.

But even then within that time, at that time, at Aftermath, there were no real A&Rs. Really. I think Dre was great at, especially because, you know, he's a producer or artist, but I think it was, and that's why when Eminem got signed, it was easy. That was easy because Eminem came fully formed in a way, if that makes sense. You know what I'm saying? I think whenever they needed to figure out how to play someone or how to direct them, it just didn't work out. when you get to rough riders because you've done like your most powerful work with with swizz

what's what's the working relationship with how you and swiz make songs together swiss is great i always call him a bouncing ball because swiss is like energy and you just it is so infectious so we sometimes would bang out like three four songs a day like just like and some of that shit was cool some of it wasn't some of it wasn't some of it wasn't some of it was. of it was piece, you know, it was little piece. Maybe it's a hook over here, but here's a verse here, so maybe we take this whatever. But we, because we,

and even though Swiss was family, because I always say I'm the adopted kid of the rough riders, because everybody else, I are either actual blood family or like from the yonkers, from Harlem or whatever. They know each other. Right. But with me and Swiss, we both had something to prove, same age, same position, basically. So we just clicked.

And energetically, we just got each other. And it's the same to this day. Like, you know, yeah, we just get each other. But you mean it's the same to this day, y'all in the studio? Oh, no. No. No. That was good.

That was good. No. But, you know, we both know what we gravitate towards, like, sound-wise or whatever. Because, well, sometimes it has, it's been a while now. I will say. But sometimes we'll send a song or send a beat or he'll send me something. He'll be like, oh, you know, you might like this, whatever. It's been a while for that.

But yeah, no, we just, I feel like we both knew we had something to prove, but we also wanted the same. We wanted to be like at the top of the pecking order in a way. They never played us against each other. They never put it against each other. But you felt it within the crew. It was healthy competition. and you wanted to be that next one

that was called to get on the verse or called to make the beat. So we both had that same like, no, we got to make this happen. Let's fucking, let's fucking do it. Let's do it. So, yeah. As when you figured out the hook thing

because you said that if you didn't know how to do hooks, but then, you know, you became good at it. Darren, Darren, um, Darren helped me with that. Darren Dean.

Darren and why, I think just being in the studio and as we got closer to like, when we really figured out like okay when I was picked I was they after the Rough Riders anthem and they were like you're next to do the album then it became like all right you need to and he already was doing this anyway like you know how Philly people we talk fast sometimes so he used to just be like you need to lay back a little bit more now end it here do eight bars over here do this over here like so it took it you know it was just I guess coaching really was coaching

Yeah. I'll say probably the song on your debut that resonated with your fan base, of course, is love is blind. Can you talk about just the genesis of how that song came to be in the process behind it? Yeah. I wrote that. I wrote it as a poem when I was 16 because my friend at the time, she was 17. She was dating this dude.

He might have been like, I don't know, 28, 30, something. He used to keep her in an apartment, like all that kind of stuff. But he used to beat her and he was married, like all of that. And sometimes she would come to my house. She had a black eye or she has like some bruises on or whatever. And then she got pregnant for him. Had his baby. He wasn't there.

I was the, I held the baby first. I was there while she got the epidural. I'm 16. She's 17. Like I wrote the first two verses of Love is Blind is the poem. And then when we, when I decided to turn it in the, into a song, I just added that third verse for obviously dramatics because I obviously didn't kill anybody. But then when that beat in the hook, I just wanted to keep it super simple, like love is

blind and it'll take a go. Like, it's so simple, but it really was how I felt. Like, she really did love this dude. Like, we were so young. Like, um. Eve has always been forthright because I just saw a clip of y'all from forever ago. If you were Andrea, that was her name. and her on stage and y'all talking about that do y'all keep in communication at all or? No, I haven't spoken to her in years. We kept in touch for a while, like once I kind of got into the industry. And then even once I was on the road, she moved in with my mom, she with her kid. Like, you know, we tried to and then things just fell apart, sadly.

Life be life. Life be life. Life, be life. And also, it was one of the. things too and I talk about this in the book that I tried to take all of my friends on tour because I felt like I didn't want them to think that I was changing and it's not good idea guys I'd recommend not doing that. Did you get them jobs? They got to have us on me. I gave them jobs but they didn't do them. I gave them jobs. I haven't been in the book as well. I for my friends

that had the baby, Andrea, I gave her a bit more because I was like, she has a kid and then, but she told one of the other people and then they was like, well, why she'd get more money? Like, it just became a thing. Yeah, I don't recommend doing that. We haven't talked about this, but it feels like Rough Riders was a nice comforting place, but you have always been the women in a male place. And I know you talk about this in the book a lot, but can you talk about like protection in that way? armor like were you protected or did you have heavy armor on yourself can you

are there situations when you couldn't use either one I mean you know can you just talk about it I definitely was protected I feel so lucky thankful grateful that I was in the crew that I was in because they protected me respected me and celebrated me for sure so I think I was lucky in that way but outside of that um I'm just trying to figure my life out. Like, I'm this, you know, I'm young. I got money now. I'm famous like I want to be, but don't anybody tell you about fame.

I'm drinking, I'm smoking weed. I'm trying to keep up with my friends. I got to perform. I got to make decisions. Like, it was so much at one time. And it happened so fast. Everything happened so fast. And then you're exhausted.

I was exhausted in a way that I never even knew what that was. I don't, so I think in a lot of ways, the armor that I did have for myself personally just got broken down and chipped away. You know, I had a breakdown. I had to quit my first tour. You know, I had a lot of stuff that went on and it took me a long time to come back to a sanity and a happiness, which is what I prayed for when I had my breakdown. Like I was like, I don't give a fuck about fame. If I can get my sanity and my happiness back, I can do anything. Yeah, because I hope y'all make clear in this book that Eve was a first and a lot.

So therefore, she didn't have a lot of peers that could be like, hey, do this. I mean, you were the first, I felt like you were the first female MC to have a successful clothing line. The first to have a TV show, like, all these first. So now it's easier for everybody else because Eve kind of opened the door. Was there ever a network with your peers at the time? Like, were you ever close to Kim or Fox or Lauren, where you just talk about things or were you kind of in this thing isolated? Is commonality of just being a woman enough to form a bond or? That's a good question.

I, when I got signed, I thought it was this big sisterhood. So, like, I was such a nerd. I used to run up to everybody and be like, girl, I'm going to be so much, girl. Are you to listen to you all that guy? Girl, what you get on my album? Girl. And they would be looking at me like, this fucking nerd. Like, who the fuck?

who the fuck is this? Like we talked about this, Kathy. And the first time I met Kim, I was like, girl, me and my friends used smoke weed to you all the time and a hedgeback, like, my album girl. And she was just like, wow. Like, it was a lot.

It was overwhelming. And I learned, it took me a minute to learn, like, oh, it's really not like that. There's not a sisterhood here. And I do think a lot of it was people, the industry, crew, whatever was pitting each other against each other. because why can't we get along?

Why can't we hang out? It's only us little minority. We should be hanging out. That's not to say, listen, I love Missy. I love Trina. They immediately, they are, have always been. You know, my people always have been. Kim, I love.

We had a situation. I love her to death. But it was more of a misunderstanding. It wasn't even kind of us. You know what I'm saying? So I think sometimes there's this. Sometimes they don't want y'all to compare paychecks and things like that too

and budgets and things. I see that. A hundred percent. Yeah, I don't know. Kathy, you can speak to this too, but I just feel like, you know, it's sad.

Why? Why can't we hang out? Shit. What you say, Kathy? You did the research. I mean, it's the first lady trope, right?

So it's like this idea that like mentally it's always like I'm the first lady of this crew. So, I mean, because that media coach all the new girls and I see that they don't have a crew where they're singled out

and they're all hanging out now. They are. Yeah. So it's amazing. Yeah. It's interesting to see me. I like to see, I see Megan with glow and I'm like, oh, I love it. You know, it's beautiful.

I just, yeah. But it's also, it had, it was an evolution because also it was a time when they felt like female emcees needed a male crew. And so these girls have to know that. It's true. It did. It was the cosine. It was the co-sign back in the day.

It's true. How did you feel about Let There Be Eve breaking the barriers that it did? It not only broke barriers just for women in hip-hop, but just hip-hop in general. Like, a number one album is the number one album, no matter how you slice it. It's a victory for, you know, the art form itself.

But going into making Scorpion, what was your your mental state at least as far as your creative process, the feeling of pressure and keeping that momentum going? Yeah, I definitely, definitely felt the pressure. I definitely felt that people were like, can she do it again? Is it going to be as good? Like that sophomore curse or whatever, that is something I definitely thought about. but that being said

I definitely felt like I wanted to I don't know expand a little bit more maybe do something slightly different I always feel like it was weird because I didn't have the same I always feel like my first album is the album I wrote I've been writing that my whole life

and then you get in the business and they're like you need to hurry up and put out another album and you're like shit I got two months I've been working on this one piece of thing forever. You know what I mean? Like I've been waiting to show the world this one thing. So the only cohesiveness I really had about the second album, like, Squirping was like, I want everything to be red. I want red hair. Like, that was the only kind of things I could kind of control and think about. And the song we kind of just did, you know, it was the first time

I really traveled. We did it. We did the whole album in Miami. The whole crew came down. So it was kind of just being in the studio to see what, what, what, would strike what would happen. And then I had to fly to L.A. with Drey, do blow your mind, which was great, with Scott Storch. Was that the last song you worked on?

Was it the last, but probably close to last? I don't know if it was the last last, but it was probably close to last. I always feel like the biggest... I love that for y'all. I love that for y'all how y'all intermingle like that. Like, I just,

the Scott moment just came me like, oh, yeah, Scott, roots. I'm like, that's dope. But also, yeah, I always find the bigger songs are the last ones down the line. There's one song in particular I always wanted to know about. You had Tina Marie on your album. She did,

Life is So Hard, I think. Wow. I had to start on my album. Wow. I just was like, that would be, it was a dream come true to me because I, like me and my friends used to listen to her, you know, who didn't? But I feel like Philly love Tina Marie.

I don't know, like I guess every way I did, but I feel like she was a part of my music growing up as well. And I had to have her on that album. I didn't get a chance to work with her, though. We talked, I think we talked on the phone or something, but we didn't. Oh, and she did it at her studio.

Yeah, because it was designed to cash money. Cash money at the time. That's right. That was the last thing. But, yeah, I just was so, like, thankful, grateful, legend. Like, yeah. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care what I'm 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 at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of The Fault in Our Stars, and now I guess also as the co-host of The Away End, a brand new world soccer podcast. I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist, and John and I have known each other since we were kids. My first World Cup was Mexico 86. I was nine years old. I watched every game, and I fell in love. On our new podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. For us, soccer, football, is a story we've shared for over 30 years. since Daniel was the star player on our high school soccer team. Very debatable.

And I was their most loyal and sometimes only fan. I love this game. I love its history, it's hope, it's heartbreak, and above all, it's beauty. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to the away end with Daniel Auerkone and John Green on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. I feel like it was a little bit unbelievable until I really start making money. It's Financial Literacy Month, and the podcast Eating While Broke is bringing real conversations about money, growth, and building your future. This month, hear from top streamer,

Zoe Spencer, and venture capitalist Lakeisha Landrum-Pierre, as they share their journeys from starting out to leveling up. If I'm outside with my parents and they're seeing all these people come up to me for pictures, it's like, what? Today now, obviously,

it's like 100% they believe everything. But at first it was just like, you got to go get a real job. There's an economic component to communities thriving. If there's not enough money and entrepreneurship happening in communities, they fail. And what I mean by fell is they don't have money to pay for food. They cannot feed their kids. They do not have homes. Communities don't work unless there's money flowing through them.

Listen to Eating While Broke from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of IHard Media, and I'm kicking off a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Magic, stories, stories, takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries while sharing insights from the smartest minds in marketing. I'm talking to leaders from the entertainment industry to finance and everywhere in between. This season on Math and Magic, I'm talking to CEO of Liquid Death Mike Cesario, financier and public health advocate, Mike Milken, take-two interactive CEO, Strauss. out of name. If you're unable to take meaningful creative risk and therefore run the risk of making horrible creative mistakes, then you can't play in this business. Sesame Street CEO Sherry Weston and her own chief business officer, Lisa Coffey. Making consumers see the value of the human voice

and to have that guaranteed human promise behind it really makes it rise to the top. Listen to math and magic, stories from the frontiers of marketing on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. When you listen to podcasts about AI and tech and the future of humanity, the hosts always act like they know what they're talking about and they are experts at everything. Here, the Nick Dick and Poll Show,

we're not afraid to make mistakes. What Kugler did that I think was so unique. He's the writer-director. Who do you think he is? I don't know. You mean the president? You think Canada has a president. You think China has a president?

Does law crusette. God, I love that thing. I use it all the time. I wrap it in a blanket and sing to it at night. It's like the old Polish saying, not my monkeys, not my circus. Yep. It was a good one. I like that saying.

It is an actual Polish saying. It is an actual Polish saying. Better version of Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes. Yes. Which, by the way, wasn't Taylor Swift who said that for the first time. I actually, I thought it was. I got that wrong. Listen to the Nick Dick and Paul show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Most people in the hip-hop realm will start to pivot maybe 10 years after their career starts. But you pretty much started pivoting. Really, by album one, by album two, you know, you were already doing acting and sort of expanding, doing shows and whatnot. Can you just talk about in general the feeling of, I guess when the world is your oyster. And I'm asking this in terms of I'm kind of studying people who get these opportunities

and again self-sabotages kind of an obsession of mine and watching other artists operate. But getting these opportunities, you know, doing the Barbershop series or getting your own sitcom. Like at this time... I remember her acting, Amir.

I don't remember her acting before she had her own show. Like, I don't. Do you? No. Were you in the woods? I don't know when the woodsman came out. I was from the woodsman, but the woodsman was after the show, I believe. Okay, okay. I should know these things, but I'm pretty sure.

Do you do Triple X and Barber shop at the same time? Then you went. Maybe during the same time. As the Eve show? Wasn't Eve 2001 to 2006? Yes. Yes. Yes.

And Scorpion early 2001. It is in 2001, I guess. Yeah. But Barbershop, I feel like it was, wasn't it after. No, it wasn't. It wasn't after Eve. It was the same time. Yeah, it wasn't.

So, yeah, I guess it all commingles. I will say that that was Troy Carter's. Thank you for saying his name. Yeah, I know, you know, I've known Troy's and I was like 15. And then he became my manager. Mark Byers was my manager first. And then Troy Carter. Thank you for saying his name, Lord Jesus.

I love Mark Byers. Shout out to Mark. Shout out to Mark. And Troy, you know, Troy came from the Overbrook, Will Smith camp. That for him, that blueprint was very easy of like music. We're going to act. If you want longevity. So I was kind of like, okay, cool.

I was kind of just like, let me see how it goes. And at first I was actually opposed to acting because I was like, I make music. I don't really want to act. I was going to say most people will figure out a billion excuses to not do it. Yeah. It's like going down a San Francisco hill with no breaks. I did try and you know what happened. This is why Troy was good.

He was like, look, why don't you meet with an acting coach? If you hate the process, I will never bring it up again. And my acting coach was Tracy Moore Marable, who is amazing. And at the time, yeah, she had been working with pretty much every rapper that was about to, that was starting to act. She was like, it was like, she was doing bust the ludicrous, like everybody. And I met her and she literally said to me, because I was like, well, I don't know if it's for me, blah, blah, blah. She was like, you know, every time you do a video yet, basically acting. And I was like, done.

And I was like, and that just like opened my whole brain up to, accepting like, all right, well, let me try. You know, and I am very much that person, though, in my personality, I am a very much like, let me see, let me just see. I am that person. So she opened that part up. What was the first? The barbershop were triple X.

So barbershop was the first official role I got that I read for. Triple X came by mistake because the rapper that was supposed to do it, and I believe it was ludicrous. I think he got sick of something. And I happened to be in L.A. at that time. And we got a call. Troy got a call like, but she want to come do this movie? Like, and I was like, yeah, well, fuck it.

So that was the first movie, but official role was Barbershop Terry. I love how everything happened for a reason because Luda wasn't supposed to be in that movie with him. He was supposed to be in Ben Diesel. He was supposed to be in Fast and Furious. Yeah. Uh-huh. I think that was Luda. Pretty sure.

Do we say that in the book? Yeah, I can't remember. too. I don't think I say his name. I don't think I say his name, but I'm pretty sure it was him. I'm pretty sure I'm not 100%. But yeah, maybe I'm wrong. By the way, I just want to also mention for the people listening, like, the beautiful parallel of you and Troy Carter's career and how we wouldn't have not only just you, but a person named Lady Gaga. Like, we don't speak often. We had a moment where we, when we kind of split ways, that was probably one of my hardest relationship breakups. Because we have been together for a long time and he did a lot for me. But we, every birthday, because we're both Scorpio's as well.

So we do happy birthdays every year to each other. And when I see, you know, I've run into him over the years. all love always. He's amazing. Our Black Bill Gates of such. What will you say is the most important lesson that you've learned and not meaning like if you could do something over again, would you or are you fine with the journey that you're on right now, this very path that you've taken? If you could go back in time, what's the one bit of advice that you wish you could dole

to your young adult self? probably to truly, truly, truly, truly trust your gut. I got to a point there was a few years in my, like, where I just did not trust myself or trust any of the like decisions that I was making for some reason. I just didn't trust my gut. I couldn't feel my gut. And I think it had a lot to do with my anxiety and I was drinking. So, yeah, a lot of that.

I definitely would not have numbed myself as much as I tried to numb myself. That probably would be the biggest thing. But there's so many, you know, as artists and you feel so much, you see so much. And I think that I was just trying, I don't know, to try to stay grounded. But all that shit is learning as well. You know what I'm saying? I mean, now we kind of live in an era which artists are really transparent about their mental health recovery and actively participating in, be it therapy or life coaching or that sort of thing. At times,

like, did you ever, like, actively go to therapy or that sort of thing to? I did. I love healing, like, healing work. So whether that's, like, crystals or meditation or literally seeing a healer or a shaman, things like that, I'm into all that kind of stuff. Talk therapy, I did try. I wasn't good at it because I did. I didn't. didn't feel like telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth because I wasn't in touch with those feelings. Right. I didn't want to really feel those feelings.

So talk therapy means shit when you're not really showing up. So when did you allow yourself to be vulnerable? Only when I was really drinking. Or if I was like taking Molly and then I'd be like, oh, in the world and then let me tell you how I got to. Because I also was one of those people who never cried. I didn't cry. Are we the same person?

Damn. I'm serious. I didn't cry, really. I mean, one of my besties, E Lefty, shout out to E Lefty was, I remember one time she got big boobs. One day she was like, girl, please, you need a hug. Please put your head, head. You need a head, put your head on my bosom. And it's okay to hug.

She's like, it's okay. You're my friend. Like, we can huggy. Like, I just didn't grow up in a family of touchy, lovey. So it took me years, but even, you know, I talk about this in the book. I also grew up in a family that I didn't. really know how to communicate, going back to communication, whether it was good or bad. So, like, we didn't say, I love you. You kind of knew it. But we also really didn't scream or

argue. It kind of was just quiet or crazy in the house. Do you find yourself counteracting that with your own child? As in like, if you grew up in a colder family, do you find yourself being over there? Oh, I am the smotheriest mother of all. I figured that. He's like, he's two and a half and he's already like, Mama. I can't read it. It's very important. To Bill's point, too, I was wondering how you incorporate all of this history and stuff into this new life that you live in a whole other country. Like, I'm thinking

do your stepkids even understand the legacy of who you are? And then the filliness. Like how, because I know even with your son, like, how do you still let it get Philly British accent is really impressive. It keeps on morphing. Just to see to you talk, like all of a sudden we're in

somewhere. I know. This right. I have a lot in me. It's funny because my son he definitely has a twain on top of like British words. He definitely says stuff in a twang that is like, that's definitely Philly. But, you know, having kids, I will say, is huge for me because even though, again, I didn't grow up in a house

that I said, I love you, or we argued, when it did blow up, there was screaming. I don't want to be a screaming mom, but I want to be a tough mom because I'm not into that, you know. Soft. It's just not, I know it's not going to help with my kid is that gentle parenting. Being the best friend. Gentle parenting, that's what it's called.

Yeah, being a best friend, you know, so I'm trying to figure that out. I'm trying to figure out how to. Oh, there's a nice middle in there. Like, I mean, I'm scared of my mother, but she's my best friend. You know, so I'm trying, I want that because the other thing was I was so terrified of my mom, I wouldn't come tell her anything. So I don't know that either. It's a constant thing.

I talk about this now in therapy of how I want to. want to be and how I want to be for him. And, you know, Philly is always here. Like, you could take out honey, but you can't take the, like. Yeah, I was like, does he hear this? I need him to hear it sometimes. No. We don't play that game at all.

We're not having it. We're not having it. And plus, I'm still scared of my mom. I'm 45. Julie don't play games. Yeah. Even if you can't play no game. Your mama tall, so I was scared of her too.

You know what I'm saying? She's 5'9. Okay. What I really admire about your journey is you allowing loving in a way because I think it's major if you leave your home base to start all over again far away from which you came. And probably one of my biggest faults is a lot of decisions I make are based on other people. In other words, like, I would like to move but now I can't because I got to be here I gotta be in proximity of

it's almost like I put myself eighth or ninth on the list. How easy or hard was it to really make this decision where you're walking away actively recording, walking away from the talk, from acting all those things to find love,

to put your family first, to that sort of thing. And put your family first. Like, I really want to ask you, what does that like? It took me a long time to respect my feelings, to respect the things that I really want that actually bring me actual happiness without feeling guilty. because we can make ourselves feel so fucking guilty about things. And I would say being in the industry breathed that fucking guilt as well.

Because sometimes you have a manager or an agent or somebody that's like, you can't say no to this opportunity. Yo, if you don't do this right here, then we're going to fuck up this over here and then this. And I think, you know, once I kind of got myself through an understanding what my anxiety was, why is this? this anxiety. Why am I trying to numb myself? Why am I so I got all this shit going on, but I'm still not very happy. I feel lonely. Why am I drinking so much? All those questions kind of came down to like, what is it that you want? What do you want? What is it that you want? That shit's hard. It's still hard. It is hard. And now that I have a kid, it's even harder to be away. I wish my mom was around the corner. That shit is hard. You know, I never thought about it before them because I

was so okay with being like, all right, I'm out. I'm fucking out. When it comes to being at home, the Philly, I would say. When it comes to business opportunities, yeah, that definitely took a little bit longer. But like walking away from the talk, for instance, was the major decision for that was we had, we were in the midst of that, the whole pandemic. But then I was getting older and I was like, I want a kid. And I can't have, I mean, it's just impossible to try to have a kid when I'm in L.A. Most of the time. And he's in London, most of the time.

And I'm only flying in two weeks out of the freaking, you know, every two weeks. So that made that decision while it was hard, because I actually really enjoyed it. It was such a crazy thing to say. Like, I talk about this in the book. I appreciated that opportunity. I needed that opportunity, but it did. It served the purpose that it served. voice was needed, like, in that opportunity, as a person who watched, like.

Thank you. And it also helped me. Like, it was the first time that I was, I was vocally vulnerable. Yes, you were. It was a foray into vulnerability because I can't sit at the table and not really talk about myself and talk about things that are going on. So I do think it helped me on a lot of ways and with issues I had with myself. With Queens, Queens was, when I watched it back, it was such a great, it is such a great show.

but it was such a hard shoot and it was the first time that I had had I talk about anxiety like I was at anxiety master level like and I was pregnant and I was like you know here is I going through all this fertility stuff and I'm like here is I'm now working my ass off am I going to mess this situation up am I going to mess the baby I was always at the doctor I was like it was so many things going on that I was just like I don't want to have this kid and be on a set for 16 hours I'm an older mom. Like, I don't want to miss that shit. I just don't.

So now my driving force of all things are like, can I bring him with me if it's going to be a while? Or if I'm away, it's two or three days. Like, I don't play when it comes to that. There was a community of women who watched you and Queen and knew what you were kind of going through and saw you leave that was like, she is up, felt it. Like, she is of a certain age.

She is making a fucking decision and she's picking her joy. And we're, that's fine. You felt it. That's unheard of it. I had to. And I had to, but it, and it's hard, but fuck me, man. When am I going to do it if I ain't going to do it? We admire you because you did it.

Like, you did it. 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 at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of The Fault and Our Stars, and now I guess also is the co-host of the away end, a brand new world soccer podcast. I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist, and John and I have known each other

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

I feel like it was a little bit unbelievable until I really start making money. It's Financial Literacy Month, and the podcast, Eating While Broke, is bringing real conversations about money, growth, and building your future. This month, hear from top streamer, Zoe Spencer, and venture capitalist Lakeisha Landrum-Pierre, as they share their journeys from starting out to leveling up. If I'm outside with my parents and they're seeing all these people come up to me for pictures, it's like, what? Today now, obviously, it's like 100%.

They believe everything, but at first it was just like, you got to go get a real job. There's an economic component to communities thriving. If there's not enough money and entrepreneurship happening in communities, they fail. And what I mean by Phil is they don't have money to pay for food. They cannot feed their kids. They do not have homes. Communities don't work unless there's money flowing through them.

Listen to Eating While Broke from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. When you listen to podcasts about AI and tech and the future of humanity, the hosts always act like they know what they're talking about and they are experts at everything. Here, the Nick Dick and Poll Show, we're not afraid to make mistakes. What Coogler did that I think was so unique. He's the writer-director. Who do you think he is? I don't know. You meet the president?

You think Canada has a president. You think China has a president. Those law crusade. God, I love that thing. I use it all the time. I wrap it in a blanket and sing to it at night. It's like the old Polish saying, not my monkeys, not my circus. It was a good one.

I like that saying. It is an actual Polish saying. It is an actual. Yeah, better version of Play Stupid Games, win Stupid prizes. Yes. Which, by the way, wasn't Taylor Swift who said that for the first time. I actually, I thought it was. I got that wrong.

Listen to the Nick, Dick, and Poll show on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of IHeart Media, and I'm kicking off a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Magic, stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Math and Magic takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries while sharing insights from the smartest, minds and marketing. I'm talking to leaders from the entertainment industry to finance and everywhere in between. This seasonal math and magic, I'm talking to CEO of Liquid Death Mike Cesario, financier and public health advocate Mike Milken, take two interactive CEO Strauss Zalny. If you're unable to take meaningful creative risk and therefore run the risk of making horrible creative mistakes, then you can't play in this business. Sesame Street CEO,

Sherry Weston, and our own chief business officer, Lisa Coffey. Making consumers see the value of the human voice and to have that guaranteed human promise behind it really makes it rise to the top. Listen to math and magic. Stories from the frontiers of marketing on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. For your professional career, what were like three pinch me moments? Like, oh shit, this is actually happening. Like, for you. I don't know if it's meeting someone or.

Yeah. one is Prince, period, first point. Like one, I mean, it's like one, it's like one, number one, but an umbrella of Prince being that he knew who I was, that I got to have conversations with him, that I got to be on stage with him and perform with him, that I got to see him that. So Prince.

Nice, nice. The Grammy, of course, for my mom to see, because that was a big deal for me, that my mom got to see that I'm going to be all right. because I wasn't great in school. None of us were. Yeah. Three, I don't know.

You know, three, it's hard to just pick a few because I do feel that I've been so, I am so grateful and so, I won't say, I like the word lucky, but I don't like that word lucky because I do believe. I think lucky is a good word. Lucky's a good word. Bless is like a nice middle. Yes. I've been super blessed. Career highlight. I mean, shit, I'm on a single right now with Shaka Khan and Sia and it's called Immortal.

So like, I'm still having moments. Like, when the fuck would I ever think that I'd be on a song with Shaka Khan? Like, I mean, now, if I get to meet her and do the song in person as I'm putting this in the universe, even just to meet her, I don't even care. I just want to sit and talk to her. I've met her before, but I've not, like, sat and spoken with her. So that would be... You and her are damn near the same person. Yes.

And on the same journey and the same journey. Are you serious? I absolutely encourage this. Yeah, she's been on the show. Yes. He's meditating her crystal room right now. I bet. She came up.

Kathy, remember? We saw that on TikTok. I said Kathy like, bro. She came up on my FYP, like, we sit and meditate. I was like... I didn't know she was on her meditation, John. That's good for her. Yes.

And it was a beautiful, like, was it a new moon? Yeah, yeah, it was it Lions. Lions Gate, one of them. Three weeks ago, right? Yeah. Yes. Yeah, I saw it. Because me and Kathy loved the Woo-woo.

So we were very excited about that. That was a beer. She gave me a crystal and I, it's somewhere. Isn't it? It's somewhere. E. Do you ever want to act again? Yes.

If the, yes, yes. I will say yes, but also create, I want to be on the more creative side. Okay. Directing. Well, if not direct, then definitely except producing and creating. Me and Kathy, I talked about some things. So. Oh, you and Kathy?

Okay, okay. Very exciting things, but yeah. I was going to say, what does creativity mean for you now? Like, is there a season as in like, okay, the summer, I'll do eight weeks devoted to because I know you get a lot of offers. Can you do this? Can you do this? Can you do this? And it has to be I am actually still figuring it out. I need to be more

creative. I'm not, I don't write as much as I used to. I think I'm project for project, which is fine. But I don't, I'm not doing anything that's serving my soul. Okay. I need to do a bit more of that. And that is my next hope. That's what I want to get into. I'm not doing anything that's serving that part.

Daily, if that makes sense. Or more consistent. Yeah. I look forward to whatever it is, whatever. I was about to say, now that you live in London, I wish you would cross paths with this cat name Inflo, who he is the one. Inflo is the only person that makes,

like when he comes to LA Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis asked to be his interns like Inflo of course is the brain child behind the group salt Oh they're awesome

Jesus Yeah but also like for me One of my favorite emcees right now is a London emcees Little Sims Little Sims Right she's just out of her mind Of course his wife is Cleo's soul

And everything Like right now Just the epicenter of the creativity that gives me goosebumps lives in London right now. So, you know, hopefully you guys will crossbath. Are you and Little Sims together? Jesus, I would love that. I saw her last year actually at the Brits on the red carpet, and I was like,

she's so dope. How is it when people geek out on you the same way that you were geek out on Lil Kim or whatever? It is funny. It's really funny because what's funny out here, too, is like, people be like, wait, you fucking live here? You know how that British life. Where the fuck is. Are they still to register that? No, some people, because I keep it, I'm chill, I guess, home. So, like, if people see me out or if, like, where I live, I live close to, like, Portobello. So, like, a Goldborn Road, if anybody knows about London, like, where, you know, the Rastas B or the Jamaicans be, they're my cousin. Eve, a walk, walk, like, you know, it's like, because they now have seen me in the neighborhood so much.

Like, oh, yeah, you theirs. Which, yeah, like, it's all good. I love it. I love it. It's been, before you get off this call, somebody asked me, I have to ask you,

hip-hop wise, is anybody moving you these days? The answer goes to be nobody. I feel bad because the music I'm listening to, like the things I listen to, is not hip-hop at the moment. That's okay, then.

Give it to us. What do you listen to? I go back to, I go back to, to like Kendrick. I go back to like, I listen, I, Nipsey, if I want a little hip-hop rush,

like, I go, I listen to other stuff. But I, what am I listen to? I listen to my, right. I listen to a lot of, I'm a piano.

I'm a piano. I'm a piano. Okay. Oh, my God. I mean, Ray, I murdered that album. Ray is a British artist here who is so insane. Kathy, shaking in the greens.

Okay. I mean, you look at that. Ray's album. All right. It's an R&B. You know what I love it? I'm going to tell you. It's an R&B.

So she mixed a lot together, but lyrically, it's a hip-hop album. You agree with that, Kathy? Like, lyricity is like. Oh, absolutely. You know what I'm saying? She came to SNL last year and, like, destroyed us. Oh. So she, I murdered that.

And then, you know, what else am I listening to? I mean, I listen to a lot of soft for geo chill music meditation to keep my anxiety down. You know what? All right. When this is over, either Kathy, whatever, give me your, and don't get mad like you. And I promise I'll put you on the subscription list. I, all right. Stop with the frown.

I don't go ahead. You're getting, you're getting the coveted, you're getting, you're getting your. Oh, Kathy's on it. I do this monthly for people. All right. I will add you. So we're together. Like we're together.

We're together. Okay. Yes. I'll, I'll put the R thread into the list. I'd like to meditate a little bit. Please. Oh my God.

I love to like. Wait, you know some. Wait, this one question I've been dying to ask you. So what happens when you have a catalog is rich and is varied. But somehow when history, when the smoke clears and all the hits and all the achievements are done, what happens when someone picks the most unlikely song to define your career for Earth, when it's fire at September.

For Run DMC, it's tricky. It is weird. Of all the iconic songs from Run DMC, for some reason, it's tricky has managed to outlast everything. I believe more than anything, blow your mind or who's that, for some reason, tambourine is refusing tambourine is refusing to go away.

What? It's actually, it's still, it is still in my playlist. Like I've not dropped it. Oh, I love that. In my sort of default, like my 20, 30 songs that will always be in my join. I love that. 30 years ago, if I were to play the intro to Troy by P. Rock and C.L. Smooth. The place like, shit, you hear the horns.

For some reason, the screams for tambourine gets louder by the year. Is there something I don't know? Did it become a TikTok sensation? Like, is there a comeback for tambourine that I don't know about because... It's the song of Peloton. It is the Peloton. Shut up, happy. I didn't know.

It's the Peloton song. I forgot about that. I forgot. They did use it for that. You forget about that check, Eve. Don't forget about that shit. No, but I was thinking too like, wait, why? I forgot.

But I forgot. I did. I did. Bless, bless. Blessing. As a person who has a Peloton as close. hangar. Same.

Same. They send me a bike. I have yet to get on that joint. Damn. I didn't COVID. I literally was thinking about it. I've had that pellet time for four years, yo.

I've not sat on it. But every last outfit of mine just hangs over it. So it's good for that. Yeah. No, it's a great song. But it's a good bike. It's a good bike, though. We got it.

Yes, I love Pelotan Pai. Wait, you want a free Peloton bike? No, I just don't want them to take it out. You know, I'm just saying they pay anything. You know what I'm saying? I know, but no, no, I'm just saying that for me, the fact that I get screams on that song, like I judge if a song is working if immediately when it comes on, people scream. And I feel like that song might be.

No, it's funny about that song, though, because that's when I was having kind of like, like issues at the label and they were just like this song is one they said it was too pop that urban radio was never going to like it so they didn't put anything behind it they didn't work it at all because they immediately were like and that song did its own thing and urban radio actually took it before any top 40 anything and it just did its own thing it was a record they were like this is never gonna this is not going to take off like so that's kind of dope I'm kind of not bad It was because of that touch of go-go. They've been hating on DC for years.

It might be, actually, though, for real. People don't know about the go-go. Wow. This is our one-thing story. Right, right, right. This is a one thing story. Right. So, Kat, you know, Kat, and we said this last time,

you actually have to come on and do a proper show. Yeah. So I can unlock your storytelling. But just before we go, in your mind, Is it like I have to elevate the story of people that might get forgotten about in history and... With my collaborators, right? Outside of the books I write on my own, I think there's a whole career, a whole body of work that is completely separate from a book. So the thing that I said to Eve was like, where do you want this to go next?

You remember? and she said, I don't know, biopic, TED Talks, like all of those things. So there's a difference between like, I want this book to live on the shelf and then that becomes the book in addition to the clothing line or the fragrance line. A lot of celebrities, as you know, view a book as an accessory, right? Like Eve viewed it as an extension of who she was. So going into the project, it's with that intent to reach multiple audiences the way her music has. You know what I mean? Because it could be that thing.

I mean, we see celebrities all the time, like, buy my book, by my book, and then also buy my shirt. But that wasn't, like, really what this memoir is. Especially since it's so much history since she's made so much history. I see the whole TED Talk thing. And like, yeah, this is a guide in a way, too. But also there's more books, right? Like, there's more books to come. Like now it's like,

he's a career author. So I think it's very different from. Yeah, I was going to. Oh, look at the part. Yeah, I was going to say,

are there more stories coming from you as far as books are concerned? I think the next thing will, yes, there are more stories, but more along the lines of self-exploration. Exploration and modalities that I use to help me get to certain

places, if that makes sense. Oh, it sounds like we're using songs in history. Okay, I got, okay. I'm trying to put the puzzle together. There's lots of code talk on Quest of Spring. All the codes. Oh, we don't know. And this time, not for me.

Yeah, for once. I thank you for taking time out to speak with us. I thank you for your journey and your conversation and your growth and your book. Kathy, I think you. And I'm serious, let's let's let's give Kathy three thousand. thousand. Yes. Her own episode and her flowers. So I already talking about it. Yeah. We got to do this. But no, on the real, I'm really proud of you. And I'm glad that you blessed us with your art and your gift. And I really appreciate. And sad to say this, like our first real extended conversation since we've known each other. It was nice to meet you, Eve.

But you know what? It's okay because everything's meant, everything as in when. And this was perfect, perfect timing. And I'm grateful and thankful. So thank you. I love this version of you prioritizing your mental health and your family and yourself first. And, you know, everyone out there, please support Eve in all of her endeavors. Who's that girl?

Yes, absolutely. That's why I think every time. Oh, no, no. His finest is everywhere. Yes. Oh, James. James is giving you kisses. Get out of here, James. Anyway.

On behalf of Steve and James and I'm Pey Bill and Kathy and Lai'eah, Kat, and Eve, thank you very much. This Questlove, we will see you on the next go-round. You, y'all. See you. Thank you for listening to Questlove Supreme. This podcast is hosted by Mir Questlove Thompson,

Laia St. Claire, Sugar Steve Mandela and myself, unpaid Phil Sherm. The executive producers are Mirr, just walked into the goddamn room, Thompson, Sean G, and Brian Calhoun. Produced by Brittany Benjamin, Jake Payne, and Laia Sinclair, edited by Alex Conroy. I know Alex Conroy. Produced for Iheart by Noel Brown. Questlove Supreme is a production of IHart Radio. For more podcasts from IHart Radio, visit the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me. Clivert Taylor the fourth. 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, unfiltered 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. I'm Daniel Alarcon, and this is my friend. It's much more famous than I am.

I wouldn't go that far. But I'm John Green, co-host of the podcast The Away End with my old friend Daniel. On our podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to the Away End with Daniel Alarcon and John Green on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of IHard Media, and I'm kicking off a brand new season of my podcast, Math and Magic, stories from the frontiers of marketing. Math and Magic takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries while sharing insights from the smartest minds in marketing. Coming up this seasonal Math and Magic, CEO of Liquid Death Mike Cicario.

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Listen to the Nick, Dick, and Paul show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey there, folks, Amy Robach, and T.J. Holmes here. And we know there is a lot of news coming at you these days from the War with Iran to the ongoing Epstein Files. allow government shutdowns, high-profile trials, and what the hell is that Blake lively thing about anyway? We are on it every day, all day. Follow us, Amy and TJ for news updates throughout the day.

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