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H.E.R. On Finding Her Voice, Starring In 'Beauty & The Beast' & Prepping For 'The Color Purple'
Dec 14, 2022
H.E.R. is in an amazing space in life. She stopped by Sway In the Morning and had an intimate conversation on finding her voice. She spoke about growth and gave some sound business advice. And as she gets more into acting she spoke about being the first Filipina woman to play Belle in 'Beauty And The Beast'. She is spoke on getting ready to play in a new version of 'The Color Purple'.
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Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
listen that voice right there Heather B
0:02
talk to me I don't even believe me no
0:04
you gotta go back and watch that video
0:06
you gotta go back baby
0:12
I never watched the interviews we do but
0:15
I was like yo Gabby is coming up and I
0:16
was just trying to do the math in my
0:18
head of how long I've known this young
0:21
lady crazy and I remember I remember the
0:23
first time seeing her and she redid that
0:25
Alicia Keys song yep
0:28
and you might have been 10 goodness
0:32
10 years of age and then I remember Psy
0:36
Suzette Williams the legendary executive
0:40
business Mogul that comes from
0:42
publishing in the record industry my
0:44
sister let him know her daughter
0:49
told us about hey Uncle sway do you know
0:52
this incredible artist that's coming
0:54
from the bay I know every artist that's
0:56
coming from the bay area but it's
0:58
surprised but I didn't know the name at
1:01
the time gotcha because this brilliant
1:03
marketing genius
1:05
um who goes by the name of Gabby Wilson
1:07
had a plan of her own that nobody
1:10
probably really understood when she
1:13
switched up her identity and then
1:15
created this movement of who she is but
1:18
extended called her
1:21
having everything revealed
1:24
is that it yes exactly having everything
1:27
revealed that volume one came out in
1:30
2016. crazy right we're in 2022 six
1:35
years later when you saw her it was a
1:37
silhouette on the cover and then when
1:40
you saw her you saw her with the shades
1:41
on and the glasses which was genius
1:44
because you didn't have to just focus on
1:46
her amazing Beauty you had to focus on
1:49
her talent and what she had to say
1:52
something happened citizens
1:55
something happened
1:56
I don't know what it was but Heather and
1:59
I went to go see uh the final taping of
2:02
Beauty and the Beast streaming on Disney
2:04
plus right now
2:06
and I saw our niece Heather I told her
2:09
she's our niece she's my niece playing
2:12
the role of Belle first African-American
2:16
Filipino woman to do it round of
2:18
applause
2:20
that's sick
2:21
sick big big sick and I thought it was
2:25
so poetic that in that last scene
2:28
when you see the scene since it's
2:30
streaming now I'm not giving up nothing
2:36
[Music]
2:43
damn oh I'm about to give up the goods
2:46
don't do it don't do it do it you can't
2:50
homie I'm not gonna do it now
2:52
it's a good thing she jumped in yes it
2:54
is
2:55
but there's something that happened in
2:58
that scene that I think correlates to
3:01
what's happening to Gabby Wilson in real
3:03
life
3:05
when I saw you at the after party that
3:09
you paid for out of your pocket for all
3:11
your castmates to come celebrate the
3:14
finale of this major huge historical
3:17
event Beauty and the Beast
3:20
when Gabby walked in the room
3:23
um
3:23
she was dancing I remember that she was
3:27
doing a spirograph
3:34
and it caught me off guard because she
3:37
was like dance with me yes and my rhythm
3:39
wasn't right that day
3:46
it's been years
3:49
and I said something and I told my
3:52
sister
3:54
and I told you
3:56
I know that young lady has to be happy
3:58
because she's living her dream but I
4:00
ain't never saw that energy come from
4:02
her since she's been in the business
4:04
since I've known her in the business
4:06
something happened
4:09
and I'm glad it did because she has
4:12
arrived give it up for the one and only
4:14
Gabby Wilson AKA
4:22
let's go break this in the
4:25
building's Mission academy award tonight
4:28
[Music]
4:33
did I mention the Billboard Awards I
4:36
don't know if I'm here did I mention the
4:38
BET awards
4:40
did I mention the her festival with
4:43
Northern California
4:45
[Music]
4:47
[Applause]
4:53
[Applause]
4:56
you deserve more you you are when I'm in
5:00
the first interview we was calling you a
5:02
prodigy and all these different amazing
5:04
words I don't know if his words
5:06
um that could there's one word that
5:08
could really be appointed to I think who
5:10
you are as an artist
5:12
um as some as a voice you know you you
5:15
you said uh Beauty and the Beast I saw
5:18
you talking to our good friend Michael
5:19
Strahan
5:21
um and you talked about wanting to be
5:23
able to see somebody that looked like
5:24
you in these roles
5:27
and now you are in this role
5:29
how does that feel for you because now
5:31
kids Filipino girls and black girls from
5:34
all over the world get to see somebody
5:36
that look like them
5:39
and it's it's
5:41
I I wish I had so it's really really
5:44
cool that
5:45
I don't know that I could be that yeah
5:47
you know and I can kind of be the bridge
5:49
between like the Philippines and you
5:52
know
5:53
Filipino and black girls and
5:56
mainstream you know like it's such a big
5:59
deal to be a Disney princess yeah um
6:01
because I'm sure there's young black
6:03
girls young Filipino girls I don't think
6:05
they could even be Disney Princesses
6:07
because they don't see it
6:09
um so it's it's really dope and it's so
6:12
much fun and I'm walking different
6:14
different things
6:16
[Applause]
6:18
did you just pop your colors
6:21
it did something to me so
6:25
um
6:26
I don't worry about that you've got
6:28
money now you can fix that for us
6:31
no I'm I'm um I'm feeling really blessed
6:34
and the timing couldn't have been better
6:36
so why do you say that because
6:39
um you know with the first project as
6:41
you said like I've really been in the
6:43
shadows and I kept it about the music
6:45
and now I'm able to lock into all the
6:48
other things that I love and people can
6:50
get to know the person behind the music
6:52
and you know people that really know me
6:54
know like this Disney princess thing is
6:57
super fitting like I'm I'm a huge Disney
6:59
fanatic like I'm super animated when I'm
7:02
not like chilling so um I'm excited for
7:05
people to get to really know me wow man
7:08
um you're such a beautiful spirited
7:10
person and you're a beautiful niece your
7:13
beautiful young lady yeah and I realize
7:15
I'm looking at you without your glasses
7:17
so and Gabby said to me in the hallway
7:20
hey I took mine off when you put yours
7:22
off no you put mine on what do you mean
7:26
you stole those for me don't do that
7:28
that's really all yours don't get Petty
7:29
not in front of them I think of me they
7:32
would probably look thank you she knows
7:35
she knows
7:37
but so how is that for you now facing
7:41
your public without glasses how has that
7:44
felt for you it's kind of crazy I feel
7:46
like before you know when I would walk
7:49
around like this people would be like
7:51
that looks like and and it is a weird
7:55
thing it's like now people are looking
7:57
at me and they're like is it that can't
7:59
be her she ain't got no glasses on
8:01
I don't know I was really kind of hiding
8:04
in plain sight it made a really big
8:05
difference but now people could see see
8:07
my baby face and really see me see
8:09
that's what I love about it though to me
8:11
guys because they say like the eyes are
8:14
the window to the soul right and is your
8:16
soul different now like is it different
8:20
do you feel different you know I feel
8:21
different because of many many reasons
8:24
right now
8:25
um I feel like this year being 25
8:29
um I've just gone through a lot of
8:30
different things and I've gone through a
8:33
lot of personal growth and change and
8:35
it's all been really really good um
8:37
because I'm still who I am I think I'm
8:39
more who I am than I've ever been
8:40
honestly
8:41
um amen but you know to me my music was
8:45
the window to my soul and and that's
8:46
been great and I think that is what
8:48
brought like my core fans who always be
8:51
there with me but but
8:53
um there's there's a bigger world out
8:55
there for me and I'm excited for I don't
8:57
know I'm excited to see that and
8:59
experience that and for people to
9:01
experience who I am I love this me too
9:04
love it did you say 25 yes [ __ ] how are
9:07
you 25 but I'm still 30. cause you're
9:10
lying she's telling the children you you
9:12
30 because you lying
9:14
that's how truth is different
9:25
that's what it is
9:45
looking different I mean obviously going
9:47
back to 2016 when you were 19 good right
9:52
which is so wild if you think of 19
9:54
compared to 25 right it's a big
9:56
difference and you know us on the
9:57
outside we see all your external changes
10:00
right and Heather like touched on the
10:02
internal a little bit I'm wondering like
10:04
what aspects of you from the inside have
10:07
stayed the same versus what has changed
10:10
and like even if your music from that
10:12
first EP are there songs that still are
10:17
accurate of who you are now and which
10:19
songs just feel like they're so
10:20
different from The Gabby of today it's
10:22
crazy that's a great question and
10:25
there's multiple answers to that
10:27
question I think there's so many songs
10:29
that are still relevant to today there's
10:31
certain songs I'm like man that's that
10:33
was such a crazy time and I'm not there
10:35
anymore and then there's other songs I'm
10:36
like oh yeah that's still hit the same
10:39
you know
10:40
um but
10:41
you know it it's I don't think I've I've
10:45
changed in the way I don't know how to
10:48
explain it it's like it's really been
10:51
ah
10:52
in the beginning of this whole thing in
10:56
the beginning of my career I really was
11:00
super Unapologetic and very much excited
11:04
and nervous and it was new and you know
11:07
when you first coming into the first
11:09
project the First shows it's really
11:11
really exciting because the pressure's
11:13
not there yet and the opinions aren't
11:16
there yet because nobody cares until
11:18
everybody cares and when everybody cares
11:22
it's like you start to or at least for
11:25
me I started to try to either repeat
11:29
what I did or like oh if I make the
11:31
wrong move now then I'm gonna fail or if
11:34
I don't do this then you know I'm not
11:37
this won't be a career for me anymore
11:38
and it's all the talk and all the guilt
11:41
of well you know you're not going to be
11:42
making that much money for the rest of
11:44
your life you don't know what's gonna
11:46
happen it's like all that guilt
11:49
it creates this like perfectionist and I
11:53
was already a perfectionist and I was
11:54
growing comfortable in being imperfect
11:57
and and embracing my flaws and that is
11:59
what got me here in the first place and
12:01
being super authentic and unafraid and
12:06
um I feel like it started to kind of do
12:09
the reverse where I was like okay I
12:12
gotta you know what I mean like and and
12:15
that totally went against everything
12:17
that I believed you know not that I've
12:19
ever you know been disingenuine but I
12:21
think I was so focused on always doing
12:24
the right thing that I didn't focus on
12:27
what felt right for me that makes sense
12:29
and and it's like people around you can
12:33
make you feel like
12:34
you know oh well don't do that because
12:36
if you do that then you got to do this
12:37
and then if you do this and it's like
12:39
it's no way to live and I couldn't even
12:41
be vulnerable and I couldn't even listen
12:42
to my own voice except in the studio you
12:46
know where I could really just
12:48
be but um it's got to be that way all
12:51
around and um I'm coming into that and
12:55
I'm I can now say I'm proud of the woman
12:57
I'm becoming and I know life is going to
12:59
be like this but it was it wasn't like
13:03
that you know so
13:04
yeah the expectations man they will
13:07
cause suffering yeah and and you gotta
13:10
trust yourself and sometimes be like nah
13:13
this is what I want in this moment and
13:16
that's okay and if I make a mistake at
13:18
least it's on my own terms and I used to
13:20
say that you know but now I really know
13:22
that to be true yes and and it's even I
13:25
would add not that I'm a woman but I've
13:27
been in the business for decades and
13:29
I've always supported especially black
13:31
women in the business and it's it's even
13:33
harder what you're talking about on a
13:36
woman you know with these expectations
13:38
and then a lot of women artists don't
13:40
feel like they have the permission to do
13:43
some of the things you've done to get to
13:45
where you are yeah what would you say to
13:47
them
13:49
um it's really tough but stand your
13:51
ground like don't take no for an answer
13:53
don't compromise yourself and it's funny
13:55
because I've said these things for years
13:57
but I'm just I'm saying this for me now
14:00
um but yeah I think it's so important
14:03
like to pay attention somebody told me
14:05
pay attention to those immediate nose
14:08
and those immediate yeses because
14:09
sometimes you ignore that immediate no
14:12
or yes and then you settle into like
14:14
well and you try to convince yourself or
14:16
people try to convince you of something
14:18
you may actually be uncomfortable with
14:21
and then for for a long time if you keep
14:25
saying yes when the answer is no it just
14:27
becomes automatic and you stop listening
14:29
to yourself and you stop paying
14:31
attention to yourself and you don't even
14:33
know what you want anymore and you have
14:34
to figure out like wait wait a minute
14:37
wait a minute wait a minute so don't
14:39
even put yourself through that process
14:41
like be Fearless with your voice and
14:44
know that you have a voice because
14:45
people make you feel like especially in
14:47
this industry in this business people
14:49
make you feel like it doesn't matter
14:51
until the lights are on the cameras are
14:53
on but behind closed doors it's like no
14:55
no no you don't know you you haven't you
14:57
haven't done anything or you don't know
14:59
any better you know you're just starting
15:01
like no you know what's right for you so
15:04
trust yourself I love it
15:17
this is a celebration
15:20
Gabby is starring as Belle on the 30th
15:23
Anniversary Special of Beauty and the
15:25
Beast crazy streaming now on Disney
15:41
y'all see Gabby the bay HB is different
15:48
where I go it's out now wherever I go
15:52
it's out now let's play that we coming
15:54
back with Gabby Wilson
15:57
888-742-3345
16:00
we on top yo Bay Area we up Bay Area
16:06
paid off that was Gabriella with Wilson
16:10
accepting the Oscar War for fight for
16:12
you for Judas in the black Messiah and
16:15
she's here with us today AKA her I was
16:19
calling you Gabby that's who you was in
16:21
your first iteration of who you are and
16:24
then it became her and now it's
16:26
Gabriella yeah well you know I go back
16:28
and forth I'm gonna be her a little bit
16:29
I'm gonna be Gabrielle
16:31
you know yeah what's the difference
16:33
between all three
16:35
you know I really feel like Gabby was my
16:38
young self that's like my family calls
16:42
me that and then as I got older
16:43
everybody started calling me G and I
16:45
then I was her and then you know I I
16:48
wanted to be introduced as Gabriella as
16:52
an actress
16:53
[Music]
16:54
yeah that's really important and yeah
16:57
it's just time for people to to really
16:59
get to know me I did that too
17:01
um yeah you accepted an Academy Awards
17:07
just a second you know I used to be MC
17:10
sway right and then I went by sway of
17:13
swaying King Tech and then when I did um
17:16
stumped the yard or what's the other
17:17
ones I did have who you play to stop the
17:19
yard let's let's watch this game when
17:21
you play this stuff the yard I would
17:23
sway what about Empire
17:25
our sway what about Luke Cage I was
17:28
swayed
17:30
and who are you today sway Calloway
17:37
sway Callaway so when I you know I would
17:40
start putting this way
17:41
the area be thinking of like that's what
17:45
it is so I love that that you mentioned
17:47
your family because
17:49
um I had opportunity through you thank
17:52
you and and and Uzi AKA Suzette to hang
17:55
out to meet like Gabby's mom and and I
17:58
met her dad years ago and her aunts and
18:01
her aunt in particular and I watched how
18:03
she is around her family and you can see
18:05
where that love and that um authenticity
18:08
comes from like just being around family
18:11
you know but then I'm watching her work
18:13
as well and I know that she's on tour
18:15
opening up doing dates and then I'm like
18:17
she has appearances to make and doing
18:20
Disney how in the world do you manage
18:24
your time because I'm like Uzi she ready
18:27
did she study like does she know her
18:29
lines
18:30
we're on the set she invited us down to
18:33
the set to the Disney lot and I'm
18:35
watching I'm like this this is
18:37
incredible like because of everything
18:39
that you're doing when do you find time
18:41
to like rest and chill and then work how
18:44
do you do it
18:45
oh I don't even know youth no no
18:48
no no yeah
18:58
um no I think for a long time I wasn't
19:01
prioritizing the things that were
19:03
important to me and I kind of was just
19:05
going going and I didn't know it was
19:08
okay to take a break
19:10
um and I think I think I'm now learning
19:13
that it's okay to prioritize the things
19:16
that are important to you to prioritize
19:18
rest if anything you can't even be your
19:20
full self if you're not fully rested
19:24
um but I do a lot and I love it you know
19:27
what I'm saying and so that keeps me
19:29
going
19:30
um but I did two tours and a movie and I
19:34
was being a Disney princess all while
19:36
doing thank you thank you
19:38
oh wow you know just dealing with
19:41
personal things and having to just like
19:44
keep my game face you know so um but
19:47
yeah it was crazy it was like tour and
19:50
then I got to a certain point where I
19:52
was in Europe for two months and I was
19:54
like you know I kind of want to go home
19:55
this is really hard but
19:58
um I I came home and my mom was waiting
20:00
there you know for me and uh shout out
20:02
to your mom yeah it's beautiful
20:05
beautiful Kenny Wilson shout out to you
20:08
Katie Wilson put on the board some
20:10
keyboards yeah shout out to your aunt
20:12
she what's your aunt's name Joanne
20:14
Joanne yeah that's my homie yo
20:17
everybody in a Filipino Aunt named
20:19
Joanne
20:26
he's fine speak to your relationship I
20:28
love daddy-daughter relationships
20:32
can you speak to that and how how that
20:36
has been uh I I like to think my
20:39
daughter told me uh made me feel like
20:41
I'm a blanket of security for her when
20:43
she's out in the world even though I'm
20:44
not present yeah can you talk about your
20:47
Dynamic with your father man who I don't
20:50
want to get emotional because um
20:51
I love my dad so much like he was my
20:54
best friend he still is growing up like
20:57
every time I had a question he had
20:59
answered you know
21:01
um yeah and and I I would I would ask
21:04
him like you know oh well uh who
21:07
invented candy you know he was like
21:09
dentists
21:13
I said I said I said Dad I want I think
21:17
I want to be a lawyer what's a lawyer he
21:19
said a professional liar I was like
21:23
so you know my dad is funny he's the
21:25
king of dad jokes uh you know I didn't
21:28
take that seriously by the way
21:30
but he he was my biggest fan like when I
21:35
tell you my dad thought the world of me
21:38
like my kid is the most talented kid in
21:40
the world in the universe and she's
21:42
gonna be done like if anybody saw
21:44
anything that's happening now it was him
21:46
and um
21:48
[Applause]
21:53
instruments as well correct yeah he
21:55
taught me because he he he he even talks
21:58
about it like he learned how to play
21:59
Alicia Keys songs on piano and it took
22:02
him months and then when he taught me he
22:04
was like it took you days you know yeah
22:06
and uh you know it it got to a point
22:09
where I had to like be like okay dad
22:11
like I'm gonna spread my wings you know
22:14
and do my thing and I think that was
22:15
really hard for me broke his heart you
22:18
know every little girl kind of does that
22:20
at some point I hate to break it to you
22:22
but it was happening you know it's like
22:24
you grow up and you you pray that all
22:28
the tools and all the lessons you
22:29
instilled in your child takes them you
22:32
know where they need to go and they're
22:34
gonna make mistakes and you have to be
22:35
okay with that and
22:37
um that was hard for him that was really
22:39
hard for him and and uh we we got to a
22:42
point where it was just it was just
22:45
tough like it was tough and and I didn't
22:47
understand certain things that he he had
22:50
been fearful of and I think part of that
22:54
was God because I needed to learn a lot
22:57
of lessons and I needed to figure out
22:59
who I was going to be without my dad you
23:01
know trying to protect me all the time
23:03
because he's not always going to be
23:04
there and that's okay and um
23:07
we're so tight now yeah you know we are
23:09
so so so tight now like that's my homie
23:13
that's my best friend and we fish
23:15
together all the time he comes to the
23:17
house I have a new little sister now a
23:19
little little sister so that's that's
23:22
really cool to see him you know in that
23:24
way and he still plant seeds
23:27
still working
23:30
out here but
23:32
[Laughter]
23:35
um yeah it was tough and I I realized
23:38
the further I get from toxicity the
23:42
closer I get to my family oh my gosh you
23:45
about to tear me up I swear and I'm not
23:48
I'm not being facetious you just helped
23:50
give me some clarity on my relationship
23:52
with my daughter who's 24. going on 25
23:55
same age you know and we we she was I
23:58
came in last night and she got her own
24:00
place near me but when I'm not in town
24:03
she'll go stay at my place you know she
24:05
didn't know I was coming back in town so
24:07
I came back in town last night at 11
24:09
something and I opened the door and the
24:11
chain is on my door I'm like hey
24:13
she's here you know what I mean I knew
24:16
she was there and we sat up later than I
24:18
wanted to but it's just something that
24:20
you just thank you you gave me some
24:21
clarity because we we've gone through
24:23
that that transition of having to let go
24:28
and Wing spread let the wings spread you
24:31
know but still you know these dudes got
24:34
to go through whoever she decides today
24:36
got to go through a filter so Gabriella
24:41
let let Kenny stand and be that filter
24:43
right okay I'm there too I'm Uncle
24:46
Swiggity so you bring them to me all
24:48
right so listen this is my cousin rap
24:50
he's from the town
24:53
there ain't much more Town than he
24:57
okay tell her where you came up what
24:59
what area are you wrong uh East Oakland
25:02
and so he has a really great um podcast
25:05
called No vultures and he's been putting
25:08
in this work for years and we've been
25:10
talking about it for years and he took
25:12
matters into his own hands and there's
25:14
no other platform that really can
25:16
explain Bay Area artist history
25:19
independent artist history as well as he
25:21
does he does deep Dives you know he was
25:24
like early hey you know that Nick Cannon
25:25
paid for some piano lessons is that true
25:28
you know what's crazy Nick Cannon
25:31
actually actually he let me use his
25:34
Studio every day after school and his
25:36
Engineers nobody knows this
25:39
um and I love Nick because he he really
25:42
saw something in me and he wanted to do
25:44
music with me and he would like find
25:46
samples and we would it was it was
25:48
really funny time but I was like 14 and
25:50
I lived in LA with my dad and and um
25:52
every day after school I would be in the
25:54
studio and he'd be right there and he'd
25:56
be letting me just use the studio he
25:58
doesn't get the credit that he deserves
26:00
so thank you you know Nick yeah it's
26:04
crazy because kailani and I we've known
26:06
each other since we were kids and we
26:07
were in a band together with Dwayne
26:09
Wiggins
26:10
pop life exactly wait a minute and you
26:13
know how we got the name we used to do
26:14
the song Pop Life by Prince yes
26:18
exactly yeah
26:20
[Music]
26:22
yeah exactly so we yeah
26:30
thank you Gabby I'll be telling him he
26:32
can't say you know every time
26:37
so yeah we used to be in a group
26:39
together and then I left the group and
26:41
kind of did my own thing but me and
26:42
kailani kept in touch and I remember me
26:44
and Nick were talking because she was on
26:45
America's Got Talent with the group and
26:47
he was like oh yeah where's keilani and
26:49
I was like she's in Oakland and he was
26:50
like oh well connect me to her and my
26:53
dad talked to her mom and her aunt and
26:55
was like because we were mine was at the
26:57
time she was like a teenager can she
26:58
come to LA and she came to LA and and I
27:02
moved out at that point and we stayed in
27:04
contact I remember when my song played
27:06
on the radio then her song came on the
27:07
radio we were like oh my God this is
27:09
crazy so wow it's crazy to see where we
27:11
are now and um I'm so proud of her and
27:14
happy for her Nick Cannon shout out to
27:17
Ray too
27:18
so wrap on behalf of no voters do you
27:22
have a question for Gabriella I
27:23
absolutely do well first of all I want
27:25
to say we super proud of you today like
27:27
just super proud of you and coming from
27:29
a city that went bankrupt don't let that
27:31
go over nobody that's right she come
27:33
from a city that went bankrupt so it's
27:34
not a lot of opportunity coming out of
27:36
our city
27:37
um and so what I wanted to know is how
27:40
do you Translate yo what we call in the
27:44
Bay Area isms right so how do you like
27:47
slide right so we have such a regional
27:50
sound that sometimes it don't translate
27:52
to the rest of the world but somehow you
27:55
La Russell Simba people like that of
27:57
that statue have been able to translate
27:59
how we are our Behavior how we talk how
28:02
we dance how you guys have been able to
28:04
translate that over to the rest of the
28:06
world and I just wanted to know how are
28:08
you able to do that so so seamlessly
28:10
because slide is like basically a slowed
28:13
down hyphy song yeah exactly exactly
28:16
that's exactly and in fact in fact my my
28:18
little homie was in the video on 85th I
28:21
didn't know you guys was there yeah he
28:23
was on a bike yeah yeah so I really want
28:26
to know how how do you do that like how
28:28
do you make the rest of the world you
28:30
know come to your world or our world
28:32
yeah and understand what's going on I
28:34
feel like we've been one of the biggest
28:35
info emphasis though because people they
28:38
try to be like hey
28:41
no the hyphy movement even if they don't
28:43
know the hyphy movie you know what I'm
28:44
saying but I grew up on all that stuff
28:46
like it's just a part of my DNA so it's
28:49
like kind of the approach even to my
28:51
first project is paying attention to
28:54
what's going on in the world today and
28:55
bringing your energy into that and you
28:58
invite people in you know what I mean if
29:00
that makes sense it's like you're you're
29:02
kind of bringing people into your world
29:04
and like you said it's a slow down hyphy
29:06
song but it's got different elements in
29:08
it and the Cadence is a little bit it's
29:10
Bay Area but it's got so many other
29:13
aspects of it you know it kind of has a
29:15
bit of East Coast flavor you know what I
29:16
mean but it also has that like cool
29:19
laid-back thing and then YG brought the
29:21
LA thing you know so it's like I think
29:24
there's a few different elements in
29:25
there mixed with the the foundation of
29:27
the Bay Area where people could
29:29
appreciate and be like wait I I kind of
29:32
I'm feeling this I know this you know
29:34
what I mean um but yeah I think it's
29:36
about bringing the fun because that's
29:37
really what it is like going stupid dumb
29:39
and hyphy it's like just fun going crazy
29:41
like you know that's that's a bay area
29:45
that that's just always gonna be part of
29:46
who I am let's let that slap real quick
29:49
we gonna come back with some callers and
29:51
some mystery sacks okay
29:55
[Applause]
30:03
give me something
30:07
get me something something Gabriella
30:11
let me get on the tail end I could talk
30:13
some bass [ __ ] on one of your songs okay
30:15
all right you know what I mean
30:18
and hopefully it get nominated for a
30:20
Grammy
30:30
yeah what's up I want to thank the team
30:33
academy
30:36
oh wow okay we got we got we got on the
30:39
line right now who we got who we got we
30:41
got Chris from the Bay Area Chris what
30:44
up Chris hey Chris
30:46
what's up everybody hey Chris first time
30:49
caller
30:50
a long time listener of the show and
30:52
have used way in general since you're uh
30:54
although for nowadays at MC sway
30:58
that was that was my hit record no
31:00
nominations no Billboards just Vibes
31:03
that's all they did no that was the bump
31:06
yeah man that breaking break into that
31:09
song was man that was the yeah but um
31:13
yeah no problem uh Gabby I just you know
31:16
I wanted to congratulate you on the
31:19
journey you know I'm Filipino hey um
31:21
yeah
31:22
I have a black wife with you know
31:24
talented Malaysian kids sway I got a
31:27
daughter too nine years old so I'm a I'm
31:29
a girl Dad too you know well according
31:31
to Gabriella she's gonna break your
31:32
heart so get ready for it
31:35
that's awesome
31:37
I have to walk out of the gym during
31:39
that whole dad thing or I was getting
31:42
glossy eyes
31:46
cause that's his daughter standing
31:48
behind him and she turned 16 uh tomorrow
31:51
wow yeah happy birthday
31:53
but that's amazing
31:57
yes oh absolutely oh absolutely yeah
32:00
been talking to God since I was little
32:03
but um yeah I just wanted to
32:04
congratulate you all but
32:06
I wanted to mention you know I we caught
32:08
on to you early early uh because of
32:11
adobo Nation wow and um you know my
32:15
homie my longtime homie Pete Alexander I
32:18
know you know yes he's my great school
32:21
buddy
32:24
yeah on the piano scene like all these
32:28
instruments that this little girl was
32:30
playing and I'm just watching and then
32:32
now I have this daughter I'm trying to
32:34
follow in the footsteps of you oh
32:37
um and also shout out to your parents on
32:39
the way they handled your business and
32:41
how they brought you up thank you behind
32:43
the scenes because I know it's a lot of
32:45
work I know it's a lot hey Chris you got
32:47
a question Chris
32:50
thank you thank you Chris no cause you
32:53
know wait you got to understand girl dad
32:57
I got a I'm a dance dad you know so I'm
32:59
like I go back and forth to LA and so
33:02
like I really try to follow what she's
33:05
doing and you know wow Gabby asks Chris
33:07
a question
33:24
yeah
33:26
you know
33:29
I just I just wanna you know my question
33:31
is you know
33:33
requested
33:34
just say the question say there's
33:36
nothing else but the question right now
33:38
Chris go ahead
33:40
what advice do you have for her as she
33:43
tries to strive working her way up to
33:46
your level in the industry you know oh
33:48
man
33:49
um number one uh
33:52
just trust yourself and have fun like
33:55
that's the main thing and also keep your
33:57
business and your personal separate
34:00
that's a big thing and it's good to know
34:02
when you're young that's a big thing and
34:04
stay close to your family and make sure
34:07
you give her the space to grow you know
34:09
that's my advice for you also in her in
34:11
her career but but absolutely be there
34:13
hey Chris you're a citizen brother in
34:15
the morning
34:16
I'll put you on hold Chris because I
34:18
knew he was going to talk over there
34:28
that wasn't the cue to keep talking
34:31
let me ask you this
34:33
um I've always believed in Uzi uh could
34:37
voucher that you're very business savvy
34:39
um
34:41
um
34:43
I know so now if you could give folks
34:46
who've come from the Independent game to
34:49
the major game on the level that you've
34:51
reached based on your experiences three
34:54
solid things to look for
34:57
advice that you give about business what
35:00
would it be number one there are no
35:02
stupid questions ask all the questions
35:05
and find out the answer no matter what
35:09
always find out the answer there are no
35:12
stupid questions that's number one okay
35:14
number two
35:16
um read your contracts come to the
35:18
meetings find out all the meetings that
35:21
are happening
35:22
make sure make sure you're at the
35:25
meetings
35:26
um yeah no matter what like make time
35:28
for that so people take meetings without
35:30
you on your behalf I mean you know you
35:33
don't know you never know what could
35:35
happen you know things happen or maybe
35:36
you can't make it but you know try to
35:39
try to be there okay okay try to be
35:41
there okay
35:42
um yeah that's that's number two and um
35:45
man there's so many other things I I
35:48
could say but um it's really just like
35:52
know your value you know like because
35:54
that's important to walk into a room and
35:56
not feel like you need everybody it's
35:59
like working as a team is so important
36:02
and I feel like people always think
36:03
there's a you gotta be the boss but
36:06
being a boss and being a leader means
36:08
being able to be a team player and being
36:10
able to work as a team and not seeing
36:13
yourself as above anybody or people that
36:16
work for you everybody works to meet
36:17
people work with me like I don't like to
36:19
say people work for me they work with me
36:22
because I wouldn't even be able to
36:24
function without the moving Parts you
36:26
know without the The Village without the
36:28
people so yeah be a team player and yeah
36:31
just just like be a boss be a leader in
36:35
in a way that works for you and that
36:37
feels good because people they think oh
36:39
I gotta be a boss so I gotta you know
36:41
whatever or I gotta you know and that's
36:43
that's just not that that you don't have
36:45
to lead like that you know so um not
36:47
healthy yeah exactly exactly so when you
36:50
mention team
36:51
um which I think is very important we
36:53
all start I've started with a team
36:55
over the years and that team has changed
36:58
and it's hard to change teams Tracy sent
37:01
me a book uh what's the name of that
37:03
book you texted me uh yeah yeah I can't
37:05
think of the name right now I can grab
37:06
it though yeah grab it real quick and
37:08
the title of the book really uh I want
37:11
to read you the title of this book and
37:12
then I'm gonna uh hold on Tracy I got it
37:15
I
37:16
I saw on um Instagram one of my friends
37:18
had posted it so I was just reading a
37:20
bunch of her High
37:21
I was like this would be great for sway
37:23
but the premise of it is letting go of
37:27
certain things to be able to move
37:28
forward in career in your love life in
37:32
your family life and so sometimes the
37:34
equation is really subtraction yeah
37:36
versus Edition yeah it's called
37:38
necessary endings yes the employees
37:41
businesses and relationships that all of
37:44
us have to give up in order to move
37:46
forward I'm about to put that in my car
37:47
on Amazon like Dr Henry clouds do a book
37:51
club okay right up top I'll get on that
37:54
today
37:55
um that's oh that's a really striking
37:57
title but necessary endings is exactly
38:00
what it is is necessary
38:02
um well listen it's nothing personal and
38:05
that's why I even told Mr Chris you know
38:07
keep the business and personal separate
38:09
because it's not personal you know it
38:12
you have to do what you have to do to
38:14
grow in people who really love you and
38:16
who really believe in you will
38:18
understand and it will be tough in the
38:21
the beginning but they will understand
38:23
and they will just want you to be happy
38:27
and and want you to grow into the person
38:30
that you need to be and and you can't
38:32
you can't carry what do you call a dead
38:34
weight yeah I mean like you can't do
38:36
that because if you're being weighed
38:38
down how can you bring anybody else up
38:40
so you got to be good before anything
38:42
yes you know because you can't bring
38:44
people up if you're not okay and um
38:46
that's that's a big thing you know and
38:49
of course relationships are
38:50
relationships some people it just
38:51
doesn't work or you know things change
38:54
you change people change every day I'm
38:56
different than I was six months ago if
38:58
you knew me six months ago you don't
39:00
know me
39:02
because I'm I'm who I I will always be
39:06
at the core and thank God for my mother
39:08
you know the first thing she always
39:09
tells me stay humble you know all this
39:11
stuff is great she's super proud but
39:12
that's the first thing she say like be
39:14
who you are like stay true to yourself
39:16
and and be humble be grateful pray every
39:20
night and like you know so that's that's
39:22
a big thing and with that guiding you
39:25
you're not going to make the wrong
39:27
decisions and if you do it's okay yeah
39:29
you know man Gabrielle Wilson is here
39:31
man I like saying your name it kind of
39:34
flows it's kind of weird I'm like keep
39:37
hearing we'll get used to it you know
39:40
um
39:41
we got time too how much time I got five
39:43
ten ten the three minutes
39:49
though you is it anything you want
39:51
people to know necessary indeed
39:54
hello
40:05
is it anything you want us to know or
40:07
you want anything for people to look out
40:09
for well even though I'm a princess I am
40:12
still in the studio okay the music is
40:15
coming
40:16
um but mostly thank you for being on
40:19
this journey with me thank you guys
40:20
absolutely thank you for just you know
40:23
you've helped me so much and
40:25
um I I've been you know on all these
40:27
different TV shows and stuff and I'm
40:28
just you know very princess-like but I
40:30
know here I can say whatever the hell I
40:32
want it makes me feel really good and
40:34
and free and um I'm just super super
40:37
excited for the Future Okay so that's
40:40
all it is man Gabriella Wilson before
40:42
you leave
40:43
oh and also the color purple is coming
40:46
out next year so you're gonna see
40:49
Gabriella as Belle and you're gonna see
40:51
Gabriella as squeak you're gonna be
40:54
squeaky I am I am what's that Ray Don
40:57
chunk yes yes wow we got knocked out by
41:00
Oprah yeah yeah
41:02
well who's gonna punch you Fantasia
41:08
I'm just kidding not Fantasia Danielle
41:10
yeah okay not Fantasia okay okay
41:15
Danielle okay there you go there you go
41:18
um it's gonna be great it's gonna be
41:19
awesome congratulations before you go we
41:22
got to do one mystery sack I don't think
41:23
we did that with you before he's too
41:25
young she was too young I couldn't you
41:27
couldn't do the mystery you 25 now
41:28
that's how old Michael Jackson was when
41:30
he made Thriller
41:32
just saying let's do it mystery sack
41:37
go ahead and reach in dig deep dig deep
41:42
put your hands into sway's sacks
41:47
back up mystery sack and Shade 45.
41:52
[Music]
41:53
that's the uncle [ __ ]
41:57
TMZ
42:00
[ __ ] nasty ass way
42:04
you about to get a call from Disney My
42:07
[ __ ]
42:25
[Music]
42:33
[Music]
42:38
uh three questions one at a time read
42:41
them out loud and you have to answer
42:42
honestly oh boy let's do it let's do it
42:45
I'm honest you know so what's the most
42:48
vivid memory you have interacting with a
42:52
fan oh I got a ton of those
42:55
um well honestly this one is a lot more
42:58
heartfelt because this girl came up to
43:00
me and she was like you saved me and I
43:03
was like what what do you mean she's
43:05
like I was going to
43:08
hurt myself and I didn't want to be here
43:11
anymore and your music got me through
43:13
and I just remember the look on her face
43:15
she started crying I started crying
43:17
because I never knew I could do that for
43:19
somebody and I could be there for
43:20
somebody so you know that is probably
43:23
the most Vivid wow
43:27
wow
43:29
jerking moments in this conversation
43:32
still got my heart broken
43:34
[Applause]
43:35
number two okay here we go
43:40
tell the story of the first icon who
43:42
really poured into you as an artist and
43:44
a human oh
43:47
um Alicia Keys I was like I'm gonna be
43:49
so cool when I meet her I must it was my
43:51
12th birthday I'll never forget this the
43:53
the year Michael Jackson passed away wow
43:55
at the ASCAP Awards and I was performing
43:58
I sang unbreakable on base and I did
44:00
something on keys and um I ended up just
44:03
bawling meeting her and she just gave me
44:05
this like motherly Embrace and it just
44:08
made me feel like wow this is crazy
44:10
years later we're super tight and she
44:14
allowed me to perform with her and we
44:16
did an Aerosmith song on this crazy
44:20
stage in Central Park for Global citizen
44:22
festival and it was 60 000 people and I
44:25
was so nervous and what we we sang and
44:28
it was crazy energy and I did this crazy
44:30
guitar solo and we had this moment and I
44:32
was like oh my gosh like and you could
44:34
just see the support and the love that
44:37
she has for me in that performance and
44:40
um yeah you know even to now the advice
44:43
that she gives and just sharing
44:45
experiences is in yeah it's like I love
44:49
that you know that she could do that for
44:52
me shout out to Alicia
44:55
last one they got that similar
44:57
background of you know Alicia was Young
44:59
when she came in the game yeah
45:02
exactly which is why I looked up to her
45:04
so much
45:04
[Music]
45:07
if you had to live in a foreign country
45:08
for a year which one would it be and why
45:12
that's a good question
45:14
um
45:15
it would probably be
45:19
I don't know that's a tough one I love
45:22
Japan I really love Japan I think it's a
45:25
really cool place
45:27
um and the food is amazing the shopping
45:28
is amazing
45:29
um I love Brazil I love Brazil I would
45:32
live in Brazil Brazil I absolutely live
45:34
in Brazil for a year because it's so
45:36
beautiful the language is is cool I'm
45:39
starting to learn a little bit actually
45:41
um but it's such a beautiful place like
45:43
the beaches the people the food it's a
45:47
beautiful place I would live there give
45:49
up give my niece a round of applause
45:53
I adopted too my niece got an Academy
45:56
Award
46:01
Gabriella Wilson you are amazing yes yes
46:05
and I can't tell you how proud We Are
46:06
yes yes and then and we learn from you
46:09
yes we learned today from you you know
46:12
at wisdom comes in all shapes forms and
46:14
sizes right don't mean I've been on the
46:17
planet
46:18
twice you know almost twice as long as
46:21
you
46:22
um but I could still learn from you you
46:24
know and thank you for sharing your
46:26
experiences in your career everybody
46:28
don't share the ups and the Downs right
46:30
all right you humanizing the whole
46:32
experience right and people will be
46:34
educated by you congratulations on Bell
46:37
on the 30th Anniversary Beauty and the
46:40
Beast coming out and streaming on Disney
46:42
plus December 15th not now December 15th
46:47
December 15th look for The Color Purple
46:50
too that's coming out win next year wow
46:53
and then she's still in the studio I
46:56
can't wait to hear what you create now
46:58
it's gonna be something else
47:01
come here niece Malay come here birthday
47:04
girl it's the birthday girl it's the
47:06
birthday girl shine the light on do you
47:09
mind just saying happy birthday to her
47:11
just a happy birthday to you wow happy
47:16
birthday to you happy birthday what's
47:21
your name
47:22
Malay
47:23
happy birthday to you wow
47:29
torch
47:34
[Music]
47:40
[Music]
47:47
[Music]
47:54
[Music]
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