Up next in 10
Lola Brooke reveals deep album insights exclusively on Sway in the Morning! The Brooklyn rapper opens up about personal songs "Dennis's Daughter" being a letter to her late father and using music as therapy. Don't miss Lola's raw stories behind the hits off her debut album, plus why Sway calls her the new voice of New York. Subscribe now for more uncensored interviews.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Lola Brooke Interview Introduction
2:19 - Behind the Scenes: Dennis's Daughter
5:19 - Authenticity in Music
10:15 - Caller Rich: Maryland's Perspective
11:42 - Jay's Call from Boston
13:23 - Tribute to Hip-Hop Artists
16:34 - Al's Insights from Seattle
17:44 - Collaboration with Teyana Taylor
19:35 - Ciara Feature Experience
21:21 - Lola's Mystery Sack Segment
25:25 - Discussing "Vacant Heart" Single
30:03 - Lola Brooke on Fame and Success
32:40 - Future Plans and Projects
34:01 - Sway in the Morning: Lola's Audition
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0:00
[applause]
0:01
had to take them back.
0:03
Do [cheering] it.
0:04
That was January of this year. What a
0:06
great month. [applause] I just came back
0:08
from Ghana. I was on my new frequency. I
0:12
was only when I came back from Ghana
0:15
only agreed to talk to certain people.
0:17
Felt like I had that right. You know
0:19
what I mean? And this voice right here,
0:21
this this young lady right here is
0:24
something special. I don't know why I
0:25
had this such an affinity towards her.
0:27
But it's things that she does as an
0:29
artist that really appeals to to my
0:32
palette. And this is a palette that's
0:34
been around for decades, probably longer
0:36
than she been alive. I've been in the
0:38
music business. So, I'm able to detect
0:40
things and and feel certain things and
0:42
trust my intuition and my impulses about
0:45
when I find someone that I think is
0:48
special. And I think we identified this
0:51
the first time she came. And I've been
0:53
very interested in her career. I love
0:55
the song. I loved her in the double XXL
0:57
freshman class cipher. Y
1:00
um she came in that [ __ ] ripped
1:02
it to shreds and did it her own way.
1:05
Make sure she stood out in it. I love
1:07
when she when she when she collaborates
1:09
with other artists, whether it's a
1:11
French Montana, whether it's a Young
1:14
Miami, whether it's a lot, whether it's
1:16
a Bryson Tiller, all the different
1:18
people that she's had a chance to work
1:20
with. It's incredible because I like it
1:22
when people rise to the occasion, right?
1:25
And that has a lot to do with
1:27
preparation um and opportunity. That's
1:30
what creates success. She's no newcomer
1:32
to the game, but she might be newcomer
1:34
to you. And the fact that you discovered
1:36
her, you in for a treat. She's Dennis
1:39
daughter, y'all. That's the name of the
1:41
[laughter] new album, and we here to
1:43
celebrate it with her. Give it up for
1:44
the one and only Lola Brook. BROOK,
1:46
[screaming]
1:52
THE VOICE OF BROOKLYN.
1:53
WE'VE BEEN SAYING that the entire
1:55
morning, my dear.
1:56
The voice of Brooklyn.
1:57
Oh my god. What's up, Sway?
1:59
Giving you a minor curse right now. The
2:01
voice of Brooklyn always. Yo, Sway gonna
2:04
always amp me up.
2:05
Come on. I gotta amp YOU UP. LOLA BROOKE
2:07
IS IN THIS [ __ ]
2:09
LOLA.
2:10
CO-HOST. SO, you're supposed to come up
2:12
here and co-host the show.
2:13
No, I'm ready.
2:14
You ready? [cheering]
2:15
Yeah.
2:15
Okay, this is it then, Lola. This is
2:17
going to be different. Um, before we get
2:20
into the fun. Um, well, this is the fun.
2:22
Congratulations on the album.
2:24
Yes.
2:24
This is Is this the first official?
2:28
First official project I've ever put out
2:31
body of work. I've never put out a body
2:32
of work. The debut artistry.
2:35
Yeah. Debut.
2:36
Who Who did you when I You know, a lot
2:38
of people's first albums are very very
2:41
definitive. I think of Jay-Z's
2:43
Reasonable Doubt, you know. I think of
2:45
Lauren Hills first, you know,
2:47
Miseducation,
2:49
you know, um, Outcast Southern
2:51
Playlistic Cadillac
2:53
sort of kind of music. I think
2:55
[laughter] that that was the name of the
2:57
album. What the hell? Nice.
2:59
Did you think like because the first
3:01
album is that sets the tone like did you
3:04
did you uh reflect on other first albums
3:07
or what was your objective?
3:09
I honestly didn't know the direction I
3:11
wanted to go and I didn't want to
3:13
overthink it. So I was just saying to
3:14
myself, yo, when you go to the studio
3:16
when you finally get so much songs,
3:19
it'll tell you where you need to go. So
3:21
I just was just going in the studio just
3:23
doing my thing.
3:25
But
3:26
it was a song that I did. I said, "I'm
3:28
Dennis's daughter." And I was like,
3:31
"Oh, I think that's the project name."
3:33
Yes.
3:34
So after that, that's when I knew I was
3:36
like, "Okay, so you basically telling
3:37
yourself to tell your story.
3:39
Don't be scared to tell your story." Cuz
3:40
I was like petrified to tell my story.
3:43
Dennis daughter. That's your dad. Yes.
3:45
Right. Salute to your dad. Dennis. We
3:48
got to say his name three times.
3:50
Can you say his name?
3:51
Say his name in the mirror three times.
3:53
What up, Dennis? What up, Dennis? What
3:54
up, Dennis? Now, now was that a that
3:57
song is like a letter to your your pops,
4:00
right?
4:00
Yeah. It's basically like a letter to my
4:02
dad for sure. Um I just wanted the world
4:04
to see that you can still bond with a
4:07
relative that's deceased. Amen. Like,
4:09
you know, and you don't have to do it my
4:11
way, but I just want to encourage people
4:13
to do so because sometimes people um
4:15
they don't have closure before they let
4:18
go,
4:19
you know? So, I just wanted them I just
4:22
wanted to be relatable. Mhm.
4:23
You you asked him questions in that
4:25
song.
4:26
Yeah. Cuz it was real questions. Like I
4:28
really still speak to him as if he's
4:29
here.
4:30
So you asked him about loyalty. What
4:32
what are the questions that you talked
4:33
about?
4:34
Is there such thing as too loyal, too
4:36
faithful?
4:38
So it was like there is a such thing as
4:40
being too loyal, too faithful.
4:43
Really?
4:43
Mhm.
4:44
What made you ask that question?
4:45
Yeah. Was there a circumstance? because
4:47
I'm a giver and I like to give, you
4:50
know, so sometimes I might not know when
4:52
to stop giving
4:53
and um I've learned to mature
4:57
and sometimes maturity can hurt you when
4:59
you're around other people that don't
5:01
have that same mindset.
5:02
So I had to teach myself when to stop
5:05
and know that it's okay that I gave
5:07
enough of me.
5:10
Damn.
5:10
Come on. That's
5:11
Brook. You better you get to know where
5:13
Lola Brook is up in here. And you get a
5:15
lot of extra wisdom when you gain an
5:18
ancestor.
5:19
Yeah.
5:20
You know, um, and so I love that you
5:22
have that spiritual intelligence.
5:25
Have you always been spiritual in that
5:27
way or was it with your father's passing
5:29
that deepened it?
5:33
I'm the only child I feel like
5:35
[laughter]
5:36
I feel like anybody that's grown up with
5:39
no siblings is spiritual because you
5:42
don't have nobody to lean on, you know?
5:44
You just talk to yourself all day. So
5:46
mad imaginary friends.
5:48
Yeah.
5:48
You have a connection with God for sure.
5:50
You got a lot of imaginary friends. Lola
5:52
Brook.
5:53
I tried that. Like I I tried to have an
5:55
imaginary friend. That didn't work. It
5:57
It just It was It didn't exist.
5:58
They ghosted you.
5:59
It didn't exist. That's
6:01
Wait. Hold up. That was Tracy tried to
6:02
hit you with one right there. Did you
6:04
That was a bar. Lola. Come on, MAN.
6:05
FEATURE ME, BRO.
6:06
TRACY TRIED to [laughter] hit you with
6:08
one, Lola.
6:09
Yo. Yo.
6:11
Oh, man. Uhuh. [screaming] Uh oh.
6:14
[laughter]
6:15
I tried though.
6:17
What happened though?
6:18
I ain't see them. [laughter]
6:20
Seeing is believing.
6:22
You feel me? Do you have friends from
6:25
when you were younger who are still
6:26
present in your life? Cuz often times
6:28
when someone star is rising, that's when
6:32
those who are around you who you thought
6:34
you knew, you realize they were really
6:35
good at maintaining a mask for very
6:37
long. It can ruffle feathers. But do you
6:39
have anyone from your past that is still
6:42
here? as a friend.
6:43
I have a few Yeah, I have a few friends
6:45
that's still in my life that like 10
6:47
year 10 years plus for sure.
6:49
Word.
6:49
And not not everybody though. But um
6:52
see me um any friends that I don't
6:55
mingle with as much is just because we
6:58
outgrew each other. There's no hard
7:00
feelings like you know that happens. So
7:03
that happens. Lola Brook is here. We
7:05
celebrating the album. It's called
7:07
Dennis Daughter.
7:08
Daughter.
7:09
Uh what you got to love? I'm I'm curious
7:12
because you did so much work to get here
7:14
whether people saw it or not.
7:16
And I I just a lot of times I reflect I
7:19
started off as an artist um before I got
7:21
into radio and journalism and all of
7:23
those different things. And I a lot of
7:25
stuff wasn't working and a few things
7:27
did work. Right. Right. And so I had to
7:30
identify where things do work, you know.
7:33
Mhm.
7:33
How have you um navigated through your
7:36
career and what things you find do work
7:39
even when the spotlight isn't on you?
7:42
Um being myself knowing that my
7:45
personality is bigger than my artistry.
7:49
Okay. Wow. Okay.
7:50
That was easy for you to welcome in cuz
7:53
there's some folks who want their
7:54
artistry to be first to be known, you
7:56
know, by that. But we're in a day and
7:58
age where some folks they don't care if
8:01
you don't listen to the music and
8:02
consume that if you're going to get in
8:04
through your merch or through being um
8:07
in films etc etc. You always wanted to
8:11
be many things.
8:12
Yeah, for sure. Because I was always the
8:15
kid where my mom would be like Shnie's
8:17
into everything.
8:19
I I couldn't pick.
8:20
So, um I feel like being myself allows
8:25
me to be everything else. Yes.
8:28
The song I am Lola. Is that what what
8:30
was the motivation? Was that part of the
8:32
motivation behind that song?
8:33
Yeah. I am Lola was basically me saying
8:37
this is not a mistake. I did not get
8:39
lucky. I'm very blessed and I've worked
8:42
to be here. Like I've worked to be in
8:45
this seat right here.
8:47
So
8:48
you're not an impostor.
8:50
No. Like I'm really an artist. Like I
8:52
love to go in the studio and express
8:54
myself. like this is therapeutic for me.
8:57
You did TV. Did you do any Yes, you did
9:00
TV, right?
9:00
I did.
9:01
I saw that. CBS. Yeah. CBS
9:04
East New York.
9:05
East New York. And I was like, "Wow, I
9:08
love seeing that because
9:09
when we were coming up, you only could
9:11
do one. If you was a rapper, they fought
9:13
you if you started to sing. If you was a
9:15
singer, they fought you. If you started,
9:17
they called you a sing. When Will Smith
9:19
went from rapping to movies, they
9:21
thought he was selling out. When MC
9:23
Hammer went from rapping to making big
9:26
commercial deal, advertising deals, they
9:28
called it a sellout.
9:29
So what they say about NBA plays?
9:31
They rap was different. Rap was like cuz
9:34
rap was supposedly based on
9:37
who you are, your personality, your
9:39
reality. And when you switch it up,
9:42
people didn't always gravitate towards
9:44
that. You see yourself as more than just
9:46
an MC.
9:47
Yeah.
9:48
I'm I'm an artist. I'm an entertainer
9:50
and artist as well.
9:51
Okay. What's the difference between
9:53
both?
9:54
Um, see, a entertainer, uh, somebody can
9:58
give you something to do and you can do
10:00
it flawlessly being yourself. A artist
10:03
is just straight you. That's nobody
10:05
directing you to do anything. That's
10:06
you.
10:07
Oh [ __ ] Thank you, Lola Brook. I never
10:10
[laughter] I can use that now. Listen.
10:12
All right. Um, Lola Brook is here. We
10:14
got a couple U callers. 8887423345.
10:18
Rich is in Maryland. Rich, welcome to
10:19
the show.
10:20
What up, Big Rich? Rise and shine, Rich.
10:22
What we doing?
10:22
SAY WHAT UP TO LOLA BRIDGE. RICH, MAN.
10:26
How you doing today, young lady?
10:29
I'm doing okay. I can't complain.
10:30
I'm really pr I'm really proud of the
10:32
work that you're doing and the work that
10:34
you've been putting in over the years.
10:36
My daughter introduced me to you.
10:38
Really?
10:38
And she's 16 now, but she introduced me
10:42
to you when she was 14.
10:45
Two years ago. Okay.
10:47
and she really she's a real super fan.
10:51
But my question to you is
10:54
with the state of hip hop right now with
10:56
the female artist and this being the
10:59
50th anniversary, where do you see
11:01
yourself in the next 10 years?
11:04
In the next 10 years, I see
11:07
I see myself being a another face of the
11:12
city of New York City.
11:14
Another face. Another legend. Legend.
11:19
Oh,
11:20
for New York City.
11:21
Working hard.
11:22
You know, I want to be the new face for
11:24
New York City.
11:25
There you go. The new face for New York
11:27
City.
11:27
I already called her the voice of
11:29
Brooklyn. I already called her the voice
11:30
of Brooklyn.
11:31
She's a 718 princess.
11:33
Hey, Rich. 718. 71.
11:35
718. You know that area code.
11:37
Hey, Rich. You [laughter] a citizen,
11:38
Rich. Okay. Thank you, Rich. We got um
11:40
Jay from Boston. Go ahead. We got Lola
11:42
Brook in here. Go ahead, Jay.
11:45
Yeah. What's What's up, Lola?
11:47
What's up?
11:48
Yeah, I just want to give you your
11:50
flowers. Um, when I first heard you, it
11:53
was just like, wow. It brought me back
11:56
to that 90s Lil Kim raw feel. And, you
12:00
know, that's really what hip-hop needs
12:02
right now.
12:05
You definitely got Brooklyn on your
12:07
back. I'm respecting what you do.
12:11
Thank you. I appreciate
12:12
wondering.
12:14
So you got a man?
12:16
[laughter]
12:18
Set it up, Jay. That's right.
12:20
Do I got a man?
12:23
That was Listen, let me let me tell you
12:25
something. That was the first question
12:27
you asked, BOO.
12:29
[laughter]
12:30
More foreplay. Jay,
12:31
how you going to do this, Lola?
12:33
How you going? That how that's going to
12:34
be the first question you asked?
12:37
I I'm just wondering. You straight to
12:40
the point kind of
12:41
listen baby. Uh I can't I can't I can't
12:44
give you I listen I can't even answer
12:46
that for you. You know why?
12:48
Cuz you ain't even ask if I ate. You
12:50
ain't taking care of me to be like if I
12:52
got a man. So I don't know what your
12:54
like what you trying to do.
12:55
What you trying to do, man? [laughter]
12:58
You ain't see if I had breakfast or
12:59
enough.
13:01
Hey hey hey Jay, go listen to the song
13:03
Bacon Heart. Right. And then [laughter]
13:06
and and then listen to that first verse.
13:08
Right.
13:09
Yeah.
13:09
Listen to that first. First, okay. Hey,
13:11
man. You're a super citizen, brother.
13:13
I swear avoid it. Tried it. You tried
13:15
it. Say you got
13:16
got a man. The whole room got quiet.
13:18
Did I eat mister?
13:20
Okay.
13:22
You have some breakfast. You got a song
13:24
um on this project called God Bless All
13:27
the Rappers.
13:28
God bless all the rappers.
13:29
All the rappers.
13:30
There you go. You got even merch. You
13:32
got merch. Okay, cool. Excel. Um, what
13:35
made you write a song called God Bless
13:38
All the Rappers?
13:40
It just came to me when I wrote that
13:42
song. It just
13:43
the beat
13:45
was there and I just felt like I needed
13:48
to speak for me and for others
13:51
and it just came out. And then I just
13:53
look at it like this. I finally get a
13:55
chance to benefit off my community,
13:58
you know?
13:59
So, why not speak up for my community?
14:01
Mhm.
14:02
So, I just wanted to get that across.
14:04
And I'm an artist, too. And And to be
14:07
honest, I'm a rapper.
14:08
Yeah.
14:08
Whether I'm a female or male,
14:10
I'm a rapper. I'm in the same room as
14:12
these other guys, female artists that
14:15
might be into things that they don't
14:17
even know about.
14:18
People might envy them in the in the
14:20
same room that I'm in and they don't
14:21
they have they have no clue. So, they
14:24
need to be protected as well. You know,
14:26
like rapper. I feel like when people see
14:29
see the word rapper, they just
14:31
automatically feel like ah thug.
14:36
Like rapper is the new word for thug.
14:38
It's crazy. So I had to speak up for it.
14:41
You feel like rappers get a bad rap.
14:43
Yes.
14:44
Yes. Just because we express ourselves.
14:47
So some of y'all be [ __ ] too,
14:48
though.
14:50
And they not helping out, right?
14:51
[laughter]
14:52
A meeting,
14:54
right?
14:54
A meeting.
14:55
Um listen, let's play that one. I don't
14:56
want to play that song. And then we
14:57
going to come back with Lola Brook. Um
14:59
8887423345.
15:02
Listen to the bars. God bless all the
15:04
rappers.
15:05
Come on. God bless them. I love this
15:07
song for that reason.
15:08
Same.
15:09
God bless all the rappers. You shooting
15:11
and killing your brothers, your sisters
15:13
from your own community. You probably
15:14
related to them a few generations
15:17
removed. You don't even realize that
15:18
your anger and with the rappers.
15:20
Your anger is with your circumstances.
15:22
You dealing with yourself and you taking
15:24
it out on those rappers. They're just
15:26
rappers. They're artists making music
15:28
trying to live, trying to survive.
15:30
The voice of the community. Whether you
15:32
agree with it or not, they had a right
15:33
to express themselves. Why you killing
15:35
them?
15:35
This song sounds like a prayer for
15:38
protection.
15:39
Yes. A covering.
15:40
Yes.
15:41
No, it was.
15:42
It was. So, I felt like that means this
15:45
song being out to the world. I done
15:48
prayed for. So, I done prayed for people
15:50
I probably don't even know. M
15:52
and they might really need it too cuz
15:55
some people don't have you got to
15:57
remember it's it sounds crazy but some
15:58
people don't have that relative or that
16:01
friend to pray for them. It's people out
16:03
here that feel like nobody is praying
16:04
for them.
16:04
Yeah. And also when it comes to the
16:06
industry, how many times do we hear how
16:08
dark it is,
16:10
right? And like satanic and these like
16:12
selling your soul to the devil,
16:14
right?
16:15
You ain't did that right.
16:16
Oh, I could curse.
16:17
Yeah. Yeah.
16:18
[ __ ] no. I had to say [laughter] like
16:19
I'm sorry
16:21
good.
16:21
[ __ ] no.
16:22
All right. Good.
16:23
God is too good to me.
16:24
There you go. Give that a round of
16:26
applause. Torch. God is too good.
16:29
Standing.
16:30
Too good.
16:31
Too good.
16:32
We even worthy of it. Ala is on the line
16:34
from Seattle. What up, Ala?
16:38
It's Alta. How you guys doing? Good
16:39
morning, Lola.
16:41
Morning.
16:42
Yeah, good morning. I just wanted to let
16:44
you know you did a great performance uh
16:46
this June at the Chicago
16:49
um Highest Hide Fest Summer Hide Park
16:53
Summerfest. Sorry.
16:54
That was fire. Cali open. And I just
16:57
want to know, do you have any upcoming
16:58
tour days coming? I'm I'm in Seattle
17:00
now, but I'll travel to come and see
17:02
you.
17:03
Oh my god.
17:04
Hey, why I ain't got no DAYS SO I CAN
17:06
TELL. Come on now. That means a lot. Yo,
17:09
I'mma get them days for you, mama. I'm
17:11
I'm sorry. You going to get them
17:13
promise. Your show was great.
17:15
Y'all showed me so much love. I remember
17:17
that day, too. I remember what I had on,
17:19
and everything. I got in the crowd. We
17:20
took pictures. We had fun.
17:21
Yeah, you did. It was nice. It was nice.
17:24
Thank you.
17:25
Anyway, thank you for uh doing you and I
17:28
look forward to seeing you soon.
17:29
God bless you, my love.
17:30
Ala, thank you for your call. What's up?
17:32
How you doing? We know you up in the
17:34
building, Altera. Hey, you super
17:36
citizen. Come on. You already GIVE IT UP
17:38
FOR ALA.
17:38
ALA. YEAH. Follow Lola on Instagram
17:40
because that's probably how you can stay
17:42
up to date. I love that Lola. Brook.
17:44
Mhm. Lola. Brook. I love that Alta was
17:46
speaking about your stage presence cuz
17:50
one of like the best sites I saw was
17:52
Tayiana Taylor and you
17:54
like really working together and it was
17:56
such a a sense of female empowerment.
17:58
But also, I felt like it was important
18:00
for folks to see the process, the
18:02
preparation, the rehearsal part of a
18:05
stage performance cuz sometimes that
18:07
gets um critiqued a lot in hip-hop or
18:11
people just forget that there's hours
18:13
where you got to be like in a dance
18:14
studio getting it together. Like speak
18:16
about what that process was with working
18:18
with the one and only Tiana Taylor,
18:20
working with Auntie Titi.
18:22
Okay. And so we had like literally 48
18:25
hours for me to know the choreography.
18:28
So it was brand new.
18:32
Um I was panicking but she believed in
18:35
me and I believed in myself. I believed
18:38
in everybody else as well to help me
18:40
carry that stage. So we did the things
18:42
that we like to do. But it was an honor
18:44
because me growing up I used to always
18:46
feel like I'm not a girly girl. Like I
18:48
like to tap into my my girly side, but
18:52
I'm more of a [laughter]
18:55
and she had a she had a sweet 16.
19:00
[laughter]
19:01
She had a sweet 16
19:04
um on MTV and she wore she was wearing
19:07
sneakers with a tutu. She had a
19:09
skateboard in there. Um um a bike. She
19:13
just was so tomboyish and I was like,
19:15
"Oh, so I don't have to be that girl
19:18
that people tell me that I should be. I
19:20
can be who I am."
19:21
So, it was a full circle.
19:23
Wow.
19:23
Because I knew she understood me when
19:24
she was helping me out.
19:26
Mhm. She's amazing.
19:28
She is. And she deserve her flow.
19:31
Absolutely. And And so is Sierra, who's
19:33
a Get Sierra a round of applause, man.
19:35
We talked about CeCe.
19:37
Um, and you got a chance to collaborate
19:39
with Sierra.
19:41
Sierra's Oh my gosh. Did she call you?
19:43
Like, how did that Did you know she knew
19:45
of you?
19:45
No. I said, "Man, what sizzy want me
19:48
for?" [laughter]
19:50
I'm like, "Me?" I'm like, "Nah." They
19:52
was like, "She said you?" I'm like, "Oh
19:55
my god." So, the first thing I did was
19:57
like, "Oh, let me hurry up and get this
19:59
lady this verse back before she change
20:02
her mind."
20:03
I don't need her change her mind. She's
20:05
a big sister. I went to her house. She
20:07
had her chef cook for me. We done had
20:10
talks like real talks like big sister
20:12
little sister talks
20:14
and she gave me some
20:16
she gave me some wisdom.
20:17
She gave you some words about the
20:18
business about life
20:20
about life.
20:20
Okay.
20:21
And it meant so much to me because you
20:23
know you you bump into people and they
20:25
always talk about the business but this
20:26
was like your sanity your where your
20:29
mental at how you feel. Do you feel
20:31
good? What makes you happy?
20:33
And that meant a lot to me.
20:34
What makes you happy outside of outside
20:36
of music? What sort of things? Um,
20:40
I'm family orientated. So, my family is
20:43
happy. I'm happy.
20:46
Yeah. I just I just want like a
20:48
a family of my own
20:50
soon. Not right now.
20:52
Not right now. Okay. Whenever you're the
20:53
mama, Lola Brook ready to be a mother.
20:55
Not right now. Yeah.
20:56
But I mean, you know, [laughter]
21:00
not right now. Not
21:01
at the moment. But but the idea of that
21:03
like um
21:04
Yeah. The idea of it
21:06
I love that. Uh, give it up for Lola
21:07
Brook. Mama Brook.
21:09
Yeah.
21:09
Um,
21:10
Mama Brook.
21:11
Mama Brook.
21:11
Oh, that's cute.
21:12
You like that? Mama Brook. I come up
21:14
with all kind of monikers for you every
21:15
time you come up here.
21:16
Yeah. I got like I mean I got
21:18
You got about three now. You got about
21:20
three now. We going to keep moving on
21:21
it. Tracy, you want to um interject?
21:24
Yes. We have a special segment that we
21:26
do. Lola, I realized the first time that
21:28
you were here, I wasn't on the show. I
21:31
was um off. But because we get to have
21:34
you again, it's time for the mystery
21:36
sack.
21:37
Go ahead and reach in. Dig deep. Dig
21:40
deep.
21:42
Put your hands into Sway's sack.
21:45
That sounds gross.
21:47
It's Sway's mystery sack. [music]
21:50
Unshade 45.
21:54
Hold up. It's a bag, y'all.
21:55
Right. Right. Right. No.
21:57
The glitter on it.
21:58
So, listen.
21:59
Lola skin. These aren't harmful
22:02
questions at all. They will bite you,
22:05
but these are a compilation from our
22:07
citizens who are very thoughtful and who
22:09
are aren't able to get on air. And you
22:11
just have to choose three questions, one
22:13
at a time,
22:14
read it out loud, and answer
22:16
transparently.
22:16
I've seen careers looking like they know
22:18
what's going on.
22:19
Well, I've seen careers end over these
22:21
questions.
22:22
Don't say that.
22:22
Oh, I'm sorry. My bad.
22:23
Careers have also begun and been
22:25
strengthened and blossomed.
22:27
Good luck, Lola. Hope you picked the
22:28
right one.
22:31
If [snorts] you woke up as a black man,
22:33
who would you be and why?
22:35
Oh, okay. That's
22:37
Barack Obama.
22:38
Hey, you better come OVER AND BE THE
22:40
PRESIDENT [laughter] OF THE FREE WORLD.
22:41
Barack Obama.
22:43
That was the right answer. How would I
22:44
Why?
22:45
Yeah,
22:46
cuz he's a standup man. You know what
22:48
I'm saying? And if I'm going to be in
22:50
the lighting of anything, I want to be
22:52
seen as a standup man.
22:53
There you go.
22:54
And he take care of his family.
22:56
I like that.
22:57
Barack Obama, she would be the president
22:59
of the free world. I love it. Great guy,
23:02
too.
23:03
And and I'm just saying any any type of
23:06
way I could get in change my height. You
23:08
know what I'm saying?
23:08
There you go. [laughter]
23:09
Change my height.
23:13
You'll be 6'2.
23:14
I'll be 6'2. [laughter]
23:15
62.
23:16
There you go.
23:17
Oh my goodness. Okay. Would you rather
23:20
be a whack rapper who makes a ton of
23:23
money or a gifted rapper who's making
23:28
nothing?
23:29
M. Well, I was a gifted rapper that was
23:31
making nothing. So, I mean, I've been
23:32
there already. [laughter]
23:35
I was making a damn thing.
23:38
Well, I did that already. Told
23:40
[laughter] you. I ain't scared of that.
23:42
I got two.
23:43
It is what it is.
23:45
All right. All right. Let me see.
23:46
I got one more. One more. One more.
23:50
That's hilarious. That is true though,
23:52
right?
23:53
Damn.
23:54
Talent with no dough.
23:58
If you lived in a foreign country for a
24:00
year, which would it be and why?
24:08
For a year. 365.
24:12
You know what?
24:15
[snorts]
24:17
Oh man, I'mma call it.
24:20
I like this. Take time. Take your time.
24:22
That's a real answer right there. This
24:24
right here is going. Oh, these people
24:26
going to be mad. Then why you ain't say
24:28
my country? You know what? I'mma just go
24:30
with since I've been in Brooklyn all my
24:33
life, I'mma tap in more into the culture
24:36
of Jamaica.
24:38
Jamaica.
24:40
Jamaica. Jamaica.
24:43
Roster.
24:44
You get me?
24:45
You get me? That works.
24:47
I like it. What do you think about that,
24:48
Lonnie Light?
24:49
That's righteous. You know what I'm
24:50
saying? Tap into the roots. You know
24:51
what I'm saying?
24:52
I got to tap into the roots. I got to
24:53
see what's going on.
24:54
Is your people got people from Jamaica?
24:56
Um, no. But I have a lot of friends.
24:59
Yeah.
25:00
That's from Jamaica.
25:01
Mhm.
25:01
And when I was um younger, when I was
25:03
like probably 11, 12, that's when I
25:06
start tapping into Caribbean culture and
25:09
I was interested in it. So yeah, why
25:11
not?
25:12
Mad West Indians in Brooklyn.
25:14
Mad West, you know.
25:15
Yeah, Brooklyn is the West Indies. No.
25:18
Hey, that's the mystery sack. Lola
25:20
Brook, you succeeded at that.
25:21
I did WHAT I COULD DO. YOU DID WHAT YOU
25:22
DID.
25:23
Get this thing.
25:24
All right. Now, before you before we we
25:28
end this wonderful conversation, um I
25:31
want to ask you about another song that
25:32
stood out um to me called Vacant Heart.
25:35
Vacant Heart.
25:36
Tell me about that song that like the
25:39
the title in itself. I was the title in
25:42
in itself attracted me to that song.
25:44
Yeah.
25:45
Vacant Heart. And in it, you give
25:46
different scenarios.
25:48
What what was the thought process behind
25:50
that song?
25:51
Um, the heart was vacant. I was very
25:54
empty. Um, I didn't know how to feel
25:57
sometimes.
25:59
And
26:00
now that I'm doing music and I get to
26:03
tap back on onto who I was, I'm
26:06
comfortable with speaking on it. So, it
26:09
just was like, listen, the heart was
26:12
vacant, but now you filling it in. The
26:15
music is helping you fill it in. Mhm.
26:17
And I just was telling my story and not
26:19
being scared like ah I struggled. I I
26:23
was down bad but I never wore my pain on
26:26
my sleeves. I just couldn't. And a lot
26:29
of people it's it's a couple people that
26:31
come up to me like that happened. Yes. I
26:34
I went through it real bad. But you know
26:37
my mom's raised me a certain way. So
26:40
that's why I was like I was told to wear
26:41
my chains well with my pain well.
26:45
heart vacant, account vacant,
26:47
and I've been chasing with nothing in my
26:49
savings. It got me thinking this [ __ ]
26:51
ain't changing cuz he never chipping on
26:53
the bills that I'm facing.
26:55
That That's real. That was a real
26:56
scenario.
26:57
That was real
26:58
being with a guy who wasn't helping you.
27:00
What? Did that change your criteria on
27:02
how you date or how you, you know, spend
27:05
your time?
27:05
Because see me, it's not about a I've
27:10
been broke before.
27:11
Okay. So it's not about a man being
27:13
broke. It's do you have potentials to
27:17
not want to be broke.
27:19
Where's your mindset at? So sometimes,
27:21
you know, people is not tapped into
27:23
reality as much as you are and they
27:25
don't know no better. And that's cool,
27:27
but sometimes you might not have the
27:28
time to teach them because you still
27:30
teaching yourself.
27:31
So yeah, I just I just I just had to
27:35
pack it up.
27:36
Yeah. And it also makes you ask like,
27:38
"Okay, do you rock with me only when
27:39
it's convenient or can you help me hold
27:42
it down?"
27:43
But see, with his situation was that he
27:48
was trying to find himself. So, he
27:49
didn't realize the things that he was
27:50
doing was affecting his relationship.
27:53
So, and I and I realized that like he
27:56
was so like not tapped into reality
27:59
because like I said, I never wore my
28:01
pain on my sleeves. So he just assumed
28:04
that everything was okay because I made
28:06
it seem like everything was okay. But
28:08
when I finally said something, it still
28:10
went in one ear and out the other. It
28:12
was like like what what are you talking
28:14
about? Like what am I talking about?
28:17
It's getting real out here.
28:19
And they just wasn't they mind just
28:20
wasn't there for some reason.
28:22
Do you So when those hap those moments
28:24
happen for me, I I try not to repeat the
28:27
same behavior to cause the same
28:29
potentially result. So, uh, moving
28:31
forward, did you start expressing
28:33
yourself in advance as opposed to
28:35
holding it back to the, you know, the la
28:37
to the final straw?
28:39
Yeah. Like I I speak up.
28:41
If I don't like something,
28:43
I say it immediately because sometimes
28:45
you will grow love for someone and you
28:48
be hurting yourself.
28:49
So before I grow this love for you,
28:51
Yeah.
28:52
I need to know that.
28:53
I ain't mad at that. Lola Brook giving
28:55
up game. I was heartbroken when I got
28:57
family out in Bama. I was taught to have
29:00
manners. I was heartbroken when my
29:01
mother moved to Atlanta. Lifestyle
29:04
different is surrounded by cameras. So,
29:06
who am I to live my dreams and not let
29:08
her?
29:09
Yeah. My mom always dreamed of having a
29:11
house in Atlanta or not just necessarily
29:15
Atlanta, just having a house in general.
29:17
And I guess the house that she found was
29:19
in Atlanta. And I was like, you know
29:21
what? Go ahead. She left me the house.
29:24
And I didn't want her to leave. I'm
29:26
like, I do not want her to go, but if
29:29
but I knew if I was to show my mom that
29:31
I was hurting, that she was leaving, she
29:33
wouldn't have left.
29:35
And I had to stand on it and let her go
29:38
so I could grow as a woman. I could
29:39
become a strong woman in adulthood and
29:42
learn myself and just push myself. So, I
29:45
just and
29:46
it worked out for me, you know. I I'm
29:49
very well on responsibilities
29:52
and she embedded that in that. She
29:54
embedded that in me. Oh, and
29:56
accountability. It seems too.
29:57
Accountability. Yes, I'm learning how to
29:59
take accountability
30:01
for sure.
30:02
That's what's up, man. Lola Brook, one
30:04
last thing um I saw in the second verse
30:06
uh that I heard. I was told I wear the
30:08
fame. Well, well,
30:11
and my chains and I wear my chains.
30:13
Well, I was raised different a different
30:16
way to wear the pain. Well,
30:18
you know, I I have, you know, I've been
30:21
in a this is personal, but I you know,
30:25
my early part of my career, I was um I
30:28
did really well on the West Coast, so I
30:30
was always in the I was in the
30:31
spotlight, right? And as a young man, I
30:34
didn't understand the power of the
30:36
spotlight, the power of the microphone,
30:38
the power of the cameras and and the
30:41
lights, camera, action, and fame and
30:44
celebrity.
30:45
They're their own entities. They're
30:47
their own agencies, their own monsters,
30:49
separate from the art.
30:50
Separate from the art. And and you can
30:52
see you probably see friends you came up
30:54
with and they having challenges dealing
30:57
with that fame, right?
30:59
How has that relationship with you been?
31:01
What do you discover about fame? What do
31:03
you know about fame now?
31:05
Um it's not something that you could
31:07
prepare yourself for
31:09
ever. And it's not something that uh
31:13
nobody that has hit the highest level of
31:15
fame could come to me or any upcoming
31:18
artist and tell them what they should do
31:20
to um dodge bullets. There's no such
31:24
thing.
31:25
You have you have to feel it. You you
31:27
have to go through your own your own
31:29
journey to know how to deal with it
31:31
because people deal with it in different
31:32
ways and some people just can't.
31:34
It's impossible for them to do so. But
31:37
um how I handle it,
31:40
I just I don't I just always remember
31:42
what I was doing it before it came.
31:45
So yeah, that's how I block it out.
31:47
What's like the most challenging aspect
31:50
of it? But also when we think about like
31:52
the spoils of it, the privileges, what's
31:55
also the part of it that you allow
31:57
yourself to indulge in? What are the
31:58
bonuses?
32:00
Um touching the people.
32:03
Just touching the people for sure. like,
32:04
you know, making them feel good. Like
32:06
when people see me, I like for them to
32:08
feel good
32:09
because they feel just as important
32:10
because they is. They are.
32:13
You know, that was a tricky answer up
32:14
until you said that last part cuz if I
32:16
was to repeat that and somebody asked me
32:18
that, what do you like about it? And I
32:20
said, touching the people, making them
32:21
feel good. That might be the wrong
32:23
headline.
32:23
ESPECIALLY AS A GUY. OH. OH. OH. UM,
32:27
connecting with the people. Uhhuh.
32:29
[laughter]
32:29
Making them feel fabulous.
32:32
There you go.
32:34
metaphorically.
32:35
I love it, man. Give it up for Lola
32:36
Brook, man. Hey, listen. This your
32:39
house.
32:40
I love it here.
32:41
Do you cool?
32:42
No, but for real, I really want to um
32:43
co-host one day, you know, like you
32:45
know,
32:46
it'll be it it'll happen sooner than you
32:48
think.
32:48
Okay. [laughter]
32:49
Okay. Cuz we just we wanted to make sure
32:51
it's something you want to do.
32:53
Very We're very proud of you.
32:55
Like, and this is only the first album.
32:57
This is the debut. I see many more. I
33:00
see many verticals coming because of
33:02
your your rapping career. I see you
33:04
doing other things on that big screen. I
33:07
see brands coming by way of Lola Brook.
33:10
Your your style is impeccable. I know
33:12
some you know ser kind of merch you got
33:14
you ain't got no glasses.
33:16
I'm just you just making me up
33:18
man. Come with it. Let's go.
33:20
He But this the thing. This is what he
33:22
do, right? He give me my flowers and
33:25
then I just be ready to cry and stuff.
33:27
Then he be hit me with a real question.
33:28
I'm like, "Huh? [laughter]
33:30
She's so processing
33:33
hook. But did you just hear what you
33:34
said to me? Sway [laughter]
33:37
merch. Look, uh Big Gator merch is out,
33:39
man. I don't um I don't have nothing uh
33:44
completely or like sealed right now. So,
33:47
I don't like to promote anything that's
33:49
not real,
33:50
you know? And I'm being real, but I'm
33:52
working on some things.
33:53
Okay.
33:54
I'm working on some things.
33:55
Let's go.
33:56
You got the time. BUT I WHAT I DO KNOW
33:57
IS go get that Dennis Daughter though.
33:59
Get that Dennis Daughter album is out
34:01
right now. We going to play Vacant Heart
34:02
right now. I love you. Congratulations
34:05
on all of it. I can't wait to see you on
34:08
the next tour. Tell your crew you got a
34:10
great team around you. They're awesome
34:12
people.
34:13
Yeah, I love my team. Shout out to my
34:14
team. I love y'all.
34:16
She never heard the we did from the last
34:18
uh interview, so I was going to play it
34:20
back for
34:20
Come on, let's go. We did.
34:25
The young hyena Lola Brook knows where
34:28
to go to show and prove
34:30
today. Right now, I'm on Sway in the
34:32
morning and I could come back
34:35
anytime. Anytime. Come hang out with us,
34:37
Lola Brook. We in your corner. We're
34:38
part of your family now. Okay. And you
34:41
tell people ask you who's a part of your
34:42
team. Make sure you mention us. All
34:44
right.
34:44
I'm saying don't play with Sway in the
34:46
morning.
34:46
Don't play with it. Don't play with it.
34:47
Don't play with it. Come on, baby. Don't
34:49
play with it. Do not with Heather B and
34:51
Tracy G on Shade 45.
34:54
Oh, come on. Come on. I like that.
34:55
You see, we set up already.
34:57
YOU ALREADY SET UP ENERGY.
35:00
Come on. You already set up
35:03
now. That sound good.
35:05
All right.
35:05
Let me get a line. Give me a line. Let
35:07
me see. You want to say something?
35:08
No. You trying to do part two?
35:09
See how how y'all
35:10
Okay. Okay. Okay. Hey yo, the new host
35:12
on Sway in the new co-host on Sway in
35:15
the Morning. Hey, this is Lola Brook.
35:17
The new co-host on Sway in the Morning.
35:19
I got pro. I got, you know, make it seem
35:21
like you selling, you know.
35:22
All right, hold on.
35:25
Good morning. Good morning. Good
35:26
morning. Good morning. Listen, y'all.
35:28
It's Lola Brook and I'm the new co-host
35:31
and Sway in the morning is doing the
35:32
things that he like to do. You
35:33
understand what I'm saying? And tonight
35:35
we're going to talk about Oh, and this
35:38
morning in the morning, we're going to
35:40
talk about the things that we like to
35:42
do.
35:44
Call in. Who's calling in right now?
35:46
Hold on. Hold on. We got somebody
35:47
calling right now.
35:50
Next caller. Come on. Come on. Come on.
35:51
He ain't talking about nothing. She
35:52
ain't talking about nothing. Don't play
35:53
with it. Don't play with it. Don't play
35:54
with it. Come on, baby. Don't play with
35:55
it.
35:56
There it is.
35:57
Can I get a Uhuh.
36:00
Tracy, let's do it together. Three, two,
36:02
one.
36:04
She sounds sexy. Sweat. [laughter]
36:06
I don't know. I wouldn't say that. All
36:08
right. Cool.
36:09
Please don't.
36:11
Lola Brook, the voice of Brooklyn, the
36:16
new co-host of Sway in the Morning with
36:18
Heather B, Tracy G, and Lola Brookke.
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