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Omarion Addresses Apryl Jones & Taye Diggs Relationship, Chris Stokes B2K Issues and New Music
Mar 29, 2023
Prepare yourself for a jaw-dropping interview with Omarion on Sway In The Morning! Not only did he open up about his highly-anticipated album 'Full Circle: Sonic Book One' and his latest banger "Big Vibez," but he also got real about his complicated relationship with ex Apryl Jones and her new man Taye Diggs. You won't believe the shocking details of their encounters and why they ultimately split. And just when you thought things couldn't get any more intense, Omarion also spilled the tea on his relationship with Chris Stokes and the scandalous allegations between him and Raz B. Trust us, you won't want to miss a single moment of this explosive interview. Watch it exclusively here!
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0:00
wow you know what's
0:02
interesting uh when I watched this that
0:05
voice of that Spirit Tracy G that's
0:08
right he's transcended flesh and bone to
0:11
me talk about
0:13
it come
0:15
on he is an out of Body Experience he is
0:18
an out of body experience and uh I
0:21
remember remember first meeting this
0:23
young man I maybe even easily 20 years
0:25
ago facts and and just recognizing that
0:30
Spirit even then you know having met him
0:32
with a group of U other great
0:34
individuals B2K U but sometimes just the
0:38
same way that you know Justin Timberlake
0:40
may have stood out with in SN or Michael
0:42
Jackson may have stood out with the
0:44
Jackson it's no knocks to The Other
0:46
Brothers U but Michael has something
0:48
different yeah right and I knew that
0:50
this man has something different about
0:52
him and it it I knew no matter what he
0:55
set out to do he would be able to
0:56
accomplish it um through trials and
0:59
tribulations we watched this man just
1:02
transcend and Ascend as an individual
1:04
he's a R&B singer he's a songwriter he's
1:07
a producer he's an author he's a father
1:10
he's a friend he's a brother he's a
1:13
grandson he's a son he's all of those
1:16
things rolled up in one but one of the
1:18
things I truly know he is is he's
1:20
resilient and he's ever evolving so
1:22
every time we see this man we've seen
1:24
him um on different occasions we've seen
1:27
him as a performer we've seen him as a
1:30
father as a lover you know we've seen
1:32
his kids here on this show we've seen
1:35
him in all different sorts and faces and
1:37
places and ways and actions and um now
1:40
when I see them I'm just really trying
1:42
to understand what livestock has it been
1:46
that he's been drinking the blood of
1:49
because this man truly has not aged in
1:52
the 20 plus years that I've known him
1:55
and I'm happy for him I'm not hating but
1:57
I want to welcome him back to the show
1:58
and his energy give it up for the one
2:00
and only my little brother omaran is
2:02
here Omar in the morning greetings
2:05
greetings Greetings oh what is what is
2:08
your diet like what do you eat well um 3
2:12
years ago uh I um actually ironically
2:16
got winged off of fish I did this uh
2:18
parasite cleanse I haven't eaten me for
2:21
maybe like seven or eight years now so
2:23
um you know vegetables fruits you know
2:26
what I'm saying I try to stay as clean
2:27
as possible yeah but no meat though no
2:30
yeah you know what I'm saying what what
2:32
got you into that um really just just
2:35
wanting to maintain my own personal
2:37
health you know what I mean and um yeah
2:40
really just that you know what I'm
2:41
saying I I want to be strong out here
2:43
for a long time you know what I'm saying
2:44
so when you did the parasite cleanse
2:48
what came out of you um parasites
2:50
obviously you know what I mean but uh it
2:52
was interesting because it was never my
2:54
plan to not eat fish you know what I
2:56
mean and after after I did those 30 days
2:59
I just didn't crave it and I was like
3:01
dang cuz I remember how you know Lobster
3:03
bis you know what I'm saying warm butter
3:06
with the milk and I remember how all of
3:08
it tastes but you know I just didn't
3:10
have um you know desire for it so wow
3:14
okay I get it now interesting this also
3:16
kind of brings me to a conversation we
3:18
were H having at the top of the show
3:19
around cleanses but this is a very
3:22
intense cleanse with the use of iasa oh
3:26
okay yeah we know you to be a very
3:28
spiritual man yes so are you familiar
3:31
with this psychedelic but all natural
3:34
herb that's you know used in ceremonies
3:36
with Shaman to really help you be more
3:38
in tune with your soul and notice your
3:40
blockages is that something you have
3:42
done or would do yeah that's something
3:44
that I have done you done your was come
3:46
on now yeah my man oh I felt The
3:50
Vibes yeah for sure I went I went and
3:53
and went on that journey and what an
3:55
amazing journey you know what I mean um
3:58
I had a shaman there present and um it
4:00
was an amazing experience it was
4:02
something like that you need to
4:04
experience in order to fully understand
4:07
like I can describe it I could give you
4:08
words and verbs and adjectives but um
4:12
it's something that you have to
4:13
experience and something that I would
4:15
say you want to be ready for you know
4:18
because uh you you obviously you know
4:20
get an opportunity to observe yourself
4:23
and observe your experience wow and it's
4:26
really deep on that level you know if
4:28
you're ready to uh be the Observer to
4:30
die when did it take place to die um a
4:33
few years ago a few years ago I want to
4:35
say in like
4:37
2019 oh some recent oh y so who would
4:40
you say you were om Maran prior to iasa
4:44
and who are you post iasa um I would say
4:48
um before
4:50
iasa you know I was somebody that was
4:54
just seeking seeking more knowledge of
4:56
self seeking you know a stronger
4:58
relationship um with spirituality and
5:01
that's the thing that I love about
5:02
spirituality is it makes you uh Focus
5:05
within you know it's not any outside
5:08
forces you know um it comes with a lot
5:10
of philosophies but it makes you focus
5:12
you know on yourself and uh after aasa
5:15
it was like magical things happened and
5:18
I remember the first call that I got was
5:19
from Mike Tyson Mike Tyson yeah it was
5:22
to to be on his podcast and I was like
5:24
this is random like Mike Tyson okay that
5:27
is someone that has influenced me always
5:30
been a big boxing fan and uh he's
5:32
someone that you know I just it was
5:34
really ironic it was like magical things
5:35
start happening and then it was like a
5:37
wave after that it was like things were
5:40
never the same you know what I mean so
5:42
it was an amazing experience for me but
5:44
be ready be ready to go down that rabbit
5:47
hole just one thing you saw though when
5:50
you went down that rabbit hole that you
5:51
recall myself myself my experience you
5:55
know what I mean um it was like I was
5:57
sitting there but I was able to see my
5:59
EXP experience that's why I said it's
6:00
something that you have to experience
6:02
because it's it's hard to explain in
6:04
that way but it it makes You observe
6:06
your life in a way that isn't like uh so
6:09
emotional you know um at least that was
6:12
my experience you know for some people
6:13
it is very emotional because you know we
6:16
all hold pain in our body differently
6:19
you know especially with our experiences
6:21
you know what I'm saying um but I didn't
6:23
have a lot to let go so I I was kind of
6:26
more so like just revisiting certain
6:28
things and I was like oh okay I was
6:30
making peace with it so it was a great
6:32
experience for me how did that
6:33
experience uh with aasa if at all helped
6:36
you deal with the experiences that was
6:38
happening on the surface world you know
6:41
uh whether it's uh relationships that
6:43
you were in um business or personal it
6:47
allowed me you know the the freedom to
6:50
understand you know the power of this
6:52
life cycle which is really like short
6:54
and long you know it helped me
6:57
appreciate you know um as they say you
7:00
know when when you die or the ego death
7:02
and you you have those kind of personal
7:05
you know uh you know deaths of you know
7:08
maybe things that you are holding on to
7:10
that you need to let go it allowed me to
7:13
be at peace more it allowed me to you
7:16
know uh understand the importance of
7:18
creating certain boundaries and certain
7:19
experiences standing up for myself uh it
7:23
it just revealed you know in in totality
7:26
like how I wanted to show up in the
7:28
world so it it made me feel like more
7:31
myself did that happen before the
7:33
Millennium tour or during it was after
7:36
huh it was after because I needed it you
7:37
needed the cleansing right that's what
7:40
it it was after it was after cuz I
7:44
needed it I was like oh my
7:45
Lord yeah it was great it was a great
7:48
experience and you know um I wouldn't
7:50
take anything back for real how did it
7:52
affect um how you you and I were on the
7:55
stage they we we were watching clips
7:57
from Omega the gift and curse that
7:59
coming on all
8:03
blackv AMC I don't know I'm saying all
8:05
the names no that's no that's right and
8:08
then we also have a 14-day free pass um
8:11
just use uh the code word Omega on there
8:14
so if y'all want to check it out cuz all
8:16
of the episodes are out now we're about
8:17
to drop the fifth episode this week so
8:19
y'all can B binge watch so when you go
8:22
back because I was in a crowd yesterday
8:24
looking at these clips I forgot I was in
8:26
it I'm in it too y'all sh it I even do
8:30
I you
8:31
know that's true going to walk with me
8:34
when I go through that Journey come
8:35
let's go and I was looking at some of
8:36
the clips and I was like wow this life
8:40
of yours was at one point just so
8:42
fragile and volatile to me and and I was
8:45
looking at the clip of when fiz was
8:47
apologizing to you on stage it's not
8:50
something I haven't seen seen before but
8:52
it landed different last night and if
8:55
you heard somebody in the crowd that
8:56
went damn yeah that was me
9:00
Dam I was when you watch that clip now
9:04
you could kind of watch it out of body
9:06
um um did you believe that the apology
9:09
was sincere and then what did you see in
9:11
yourself as you was listening to it yeah
9:13
so I I feel like there was aspects of it
9:15
that was authentic some of the things
9:17
that he was saying was definitely
9:19
authentic but you know uh the thing
9:22
about you know apologizing and being
9:24
sincere is is that certain actions have
9:27
to follow and you know that's where you
9:30
can kind of gauge on what level an
9:33
apology is like you know truly sincere
9:35
or not you know what I mean so I felt
9:37
like in that moment you know he
9:39
definitely um you know parts of it was
9:41
sincere parts of it was sincere parts of
9:44
it was sincere you know I mean the
9:45
followup is different you know a
9:47
different thing but
9:49
um you know I feel like you know he he
9:53
he had the you know he had the go to to
9:56
stand in front of everyone and say that
9:58
and you know not everyone is that uh
10:01
strong you know what I'm saying so you
10:03
know I would definitely say like yeah
10:05
for whatever reason you know what I'm
10:06
saying whatever you know thing that you
10:09
could come up with that you could just
10:10
be like you know what I mean it's still
10:12
a tough thing to to apologize and you
10:14
know what I mean did you sorry go ahead
10:17
yeah go ahead I was just saying look at
10:18
yourself look at yourself so looking at
10:20
yourself did you
10:21
apologize I I was just going to say like
10:25
I feel like there was there wasn't
10:27
anything that I needed to you know um
10:29
apologize for you know and this is a
10:32
real touchy issue for certain people you
10:35
know um because everything is not always
10:38
right or wrong you know what I'm saying
10:40
every you know people just have their
10:41
perspectives and differences you know
10:43
what I'm saying and uh I always try to
10:46
keep a balanced perspective you know I
10:47
mean because a lot of our information
10:49
and how we move in the world really
10:51
comes from the history of us you know
10:53
what I'm saying so um I didn't feel like
10:56
in that moment particularly that there
10:58
was anything that I needed to apologize
11:00
for but I will say that I am a person
11:03
that if I really uh feel like I did
11:06
something wrong I'm quick to apologize
11:08
it's better to just get it out the way
11:11
than kind of like hold on to it or feel
11:13
you know I think that when you do that
11:15
you leave room to you know just feel
11:19
worse you know what I'm saying so I'm a
11:20
I'm a quick to apologize person but in
11:22
that instance I don't feel like there
11:24
was anything that I needed to apologize
11:26
for I'm not going to be apologizing or
11:27
saying sorry just to say sorry you know
11:30
and uh too often we do that in our in
11:32
our community it's like yo did you do
11:34
something did you do something so bad
11:36
that you know like you you can apologize
11:39
for or or did you do you know do you
11:41
stand by your words and how you showed
11:43
up and I really I really stand by that
11:46
you know what I mean and on even in the
11:48
docu you know everything wasn't to make
11:50
me look good yeah you said that you know
11:52
what I'm saying it it was the truth you
11:54
know what I mean and the truth is
11:55
strange like that you know what I mean
11:57
with with April um wonder and then I'll
11:59
let you come in Tracy but I'm just
12:01
thinking about um you talked about the
12:04
relationship with April I'm not going to
12:06
linger on this but I just found a lot of
12:08
um Dory Jackson I think the young lady
12:10
name was from People magazine that did
12:12
the interview I say salute to her she
12:14
did an excellent job yeah um and you
12:18
speak about what made y'all break up and
12:22
that you know y'all saw love different
12:24
your love language was different and you
12:27
needed to at that time time paraphrasing
12:30
find time for yourself yeah and it's
12:33
almost like you abandon the situation
12:35
yeah right um and she didn't understand
12:37
it she's young y'all got kids she's
12:39
probably like what the hell what are you
12:41
doing right did you feel the need to
12:43
apologize to her um yeah I felt like you
12:47
know I did and you know it it's always
12:51
uh tough and difficult when you uh share
12:54
something like children together with
12:56
with a person you know what I'm saying
12:57
so yeah I think that um for me in my
13:00
journey you know especially in the
13:02
relationship field you know I realized a
13:04
lot about you know my style and what I
13:07
needed you know as far as support for my
13:10
life and because we were so very young
13:13
and saw that differently you know um and
13:16
not to generalize women but you know um
13:20
Sometimes women think that you know love
13:22
stories are supposed to be this kind of
13:24
like happy thing and it's like oh We
13:26
Vibe and then we you know we we get
13:28
married and then we have a family and
13:30
then you know but it's really it's
13:31
really not like that you know um that
13:33
wasn't my experience you know um looking
13:36
back on the history of how I view
13:39
relationships like my mom is not married
13:42
you know my Nana was married at a very
13:43
young age like stepping back and
13:46
realizing like oh you know your love
13:49
style your support the things that you
13:51
actually need you know is is different
13:54
from what you perceive and it allowed me
13:56
to really see you know what it is that I
13:59
truly want and it is acceptance you know
14:02
it is love it is that's what love is you
14:05
know what I'm saying it's it's it's not
14:07
judging a person it's actually
14:09
supporting them you know what I mean
14:10
whatever that is that's what true love
14:12
is to me so seeing that you know we were
14:15
both in different places at the time in
14:17
our life you know was just kind of like
14:19
damn we got to chalk that up as you know
14:22
being uh teachers in each other's lives
14:25
rather than you know me meant to be
14:28
together for the rest of our lives even
14:30
though in an aspect we will because you
14:32
know my kids they have all kind of
14:34
things that they have to do for school
14:36
that we both show up got be there and I
14:38
will say you know um we have been moving
14:41
towards you know uh a better uh
14:43
relationship at this particular point in
14:45
time you know what I mean yeah come on
14:48
man there you go for the kids cuz that's
14:50
black love kids come on yeah for the
14:53
kids you know what I mean so you know
14:56
it's all good it was just something that
14:57
we we went through and and you know with
15:00
with all respects to you know um people
15:03
feeling complete in their life like you
15:05
know everybody from my past that you
15:08
know I may have uh had a challenge or
15:10
adverse things with like I wish them
15:12
well you know what I mean I want them to
15:13
be happy you know it's up to you you
15:16
know what I'm saying it's your choice
15:17
Joy is your choice period you say that
15:19
in your book yeah Joy is your choice Joy
15:22
is your choice Choose Wisely guys om
15:25
Maran is hanging out with us the new
15:26
music video is Big Vibes the new is full
15:29
circle Sonic book one set Sonic book one
15:32
um to be released May 5th yes okay yes I
15:36
loved your definition of love that you
15:39
just shared around support and I think
15:42
it is important to acknowledge all the
15:44
different variations of black love you
15:46
know if you share a child with a woman
15:50
you may not be with to me that's still a
15:53
form of black love that can be healthy
15:55
and that can grow through support we
15:57
often speak about um Blended families
16:00
here and everyone kind of has like a
16:02
different protocol or like ethics
16:05
rubrics on how they approach a blended
16:08
family you know specifically if thinking
16:11
about April in a relationship now what
16:13
would you share with others on how the
16:16
children fit in yeah if the mother is in
16:19
a different
16:20
relationship when do you think is a good
16:23
time for that significant other to meet
16:26
your kids what do conversations look
16:29
like in your position with the you know
16:31
mother of your child significant other
16:34
what would you say in regards to
16:35
creating that blended family someone
16:37
should keep in mind well I come from a
16:39
family you know and and I think it's
16:41
important for everyone to realize their
16:43
love style because it comes from your
16:44
family you know I mean it comes from the
16:46
people you know that help raise you um
16:49
my Approach has always been an open arm
16:51
approach you know what I'm saying and um
16:54
you know for forgiveness you know what
16:56
I'm saying I think is and communication
16:58
so for me um you know showing up as a
17:02
man for my kids means you know we got to
17:05
have some tough conversations sometimes
17:07
and I don't think there's nothing wrong
17:08
with that I think as long as you know uh
17:11
respect you know is uh overstood and
17:14
appreciated within the scope of the
17:17
blended family then I think you could
17:19
virtually get through anything you know
17:21
what I mean um I'm still walking through
17:24
that you know my my son U Mega and aay
17:27
you know my baby just turned 7 on on
17:30
March 7 yes them babies was here in this
17:32
studio yeah yeah me time is time I'mma
17:35
bring Mega down he got to rap with you
17:37
you got to just check this I got to
17:39
check me he's different is he different
17:43
bringle man yeah he's like he's like Dad
17:44
he's like Dad um you know we're living
17:46
in an assimilation right now I'm like
17:49
what yeah yeah he deep he deep he came
17:52
from a different dimension he deep he
17:54
deep but um you know just considering
17:56
you know your kids and also I think that
17:59
it is important you know that you
18:01
realize as a parent like your kids don't
18:03
ask to be here and it it is your it is
18:06
you know your duty to be in servitude to
18:09
them and make sure you guide them up
18:11
until that point when you know it's time
18:13
for them to make decisions you know I
18:15
mean and you give them the tools to be
18:17
able to articulate themselves stand up
18:19
for themselves and stand for something
18:22
and um as a father I see how important
18:24
that is for my kids so I keep it real
18:26
with them you know um I do my best job
18:29
at you know uh communicating things in
18:32
the best way I can on their level but
18:34
you know it's levels to this so you know
18:36
certain conversations that we will have
18:38
in the future will be different from now
18:40
and I'm prepared for that you know you
18:42
can only pray that you that you get
18:44
along with that significant other too
18:46
you know I think Taye is a cool guy Tay
18:48
digs did y'all know each other prior to
18:50
him in April no but um I just met him
18:53
for the first time and he seems like a
18:54
cool dude you know what I mean and he
18:56
has kids of his own so you know and he
18:59
he's he's an older man so you know I I
19:02
only expect you know uh good things from
19:04
him how did that meeting go it was cool
19:07
we met at uh at my son's uh what they
19:10
call when they have um it's like a a
19:13
class project I forget what they call it
19:15
but it was a class project and he came
19:17
through and um yeah it was cool nice to
19:20
meet you it's all good y your kids are
19:23
wonderful you already know that exactly
19:26
you know what I mean it's all good man
19:28
enjoy yourself you know what I mean okay
19:31
maturity yourself unbothered get the
19:35
oil unbothered works yeah it's all good
19:38
now I love that because we all we all in
19:40
our community we we have to learn how to
19:42
cope with those sort of things come on
19:44
man and you know at the end of the day
19:47
you know what I mean like it is a
19:49
beautiful thing you know when somebody
19:51
finds a good thing and you should be
19:53
supportive of that you know what I mean
19:55
because uh you know that allows and
19:58
creates that that better that that space
20:00
you know for for the kids because I
20:02
would say that you know uh to a degree
20:04
you know my kids were were affected you
20:06
know I mean kids are affected absolutely
20:08
you know what I'm saying like they they
20:10
are Keen observers and and they know
20:12
like okay wait a minute yeah pops and
20:14
moms they don't really you know what I'm
20:16
saying they can fill the energy yeah
20:17
what's up with that you know what I mean
20:19
and um you know there there's been some
20:22
definitely some um you know some
20:24
important conversations that needed to
20:26
be had in front of my children yeah you
20:28
know
20:29
andad knows to see that you know I mean
20:32
so it's all good om Mar's here man full
20:35
circle I get it it's a full circle baby
20:38
it's a o it's a o it's a o hey when you
20:41
did U verses um what did you feel about
20:44
the outcome did you feel like it was how
20:46
you planned did it turn out beneficial
20:48
for you or I I think it was beneficial
20:51
you know I think as an artist it's so
20:53
important you know um when you've been
20:56
doing it as long as I've been doing it
20:58
to have moments like that you know every
21:00
great Entertainer has moments like that
21:02
no story is a flat line or a plateau you
21:05
know what I mean great stories are up
21:07
and down there's challenges you know
21:09
there's things that you can change
21:11
there's you know uh ways that you can
21:13
get stronger you know what I mean and I
21:14
feel like um you know outside of you
21:17
know the first you know um I guess
21:20
proverbial perspective it was um
21:23
something that I needed to go through
21:24
and I look at everything in my life that
21:26
way you know um it's not by chance you
21:30
know um it's it's intentional you know
21:33
what I mean and uh it's helped me grow
21:35
tremendously I can't wait for people to
21:37
hear my growth as an artist as a
21:39
creative on this new album you know it's
21:41
been a minute since I put out an album
21:43
so yeah I'm I'm ready to show that
21:45
growth and and isn't growth sexy oh man
21:49
isn't growth sexy ladies T good too okay
21:52
you feel me yeah no I feel that you know
21:54
what I mean I I know exactly what y'all
21:56
mean it's a grow if you were a grower
21:58
you'll know
22:00
oh I experienced some Growers though
22:03
I've experienced some
22:05
Growers this also makes me think aaran
22:08
um you not only share the evolution of
22:11
yourself but I kind of want to tap into
22:13
the evolution of your relationship with
22:15
your fans right cuz thinking about B2K
22:18
that time in general like pandemonium
22:21
was very much welcomed you know and that
22:24
Dr Phil clip that I had seen recently
22:27
one of your fans got catfish it made me
22:30
think and also this conversation we're
22:31
having around mental health it makes me
22:33
think that I believe we're approaching
22:36
times where we may not want a fan to be
22:39
as ecstatic and obsessed with us you
22:43
know what I'm saying do you feel the
22:44
same way um I I feel two ways you know I
22:48
think that there is uh a level you know
22:51
what I mean of of like being fanatical
22:54
you know like there's like okay this is
22:56
crossing the threshold of like you know
22:59
you don't want nobody trying to figure
23:00
out your address and pop up at your
23:03
house you know what I'm saying that but
23:06
yeah it's crazy but to a degree you know
23:10
uh music is a a type of tool that is
23:13
very prolific and you never really know
23:15
what people are going through I've had
23:17
you know um this one one fan I forget
23:20
her name but shout out to her her first
23:22
concert was you know my concert and her
23:25
mom took her to that concert and her mom
23:27
since then passed away so it's a ritual
23:29
for her every time I go on tour to make
23:32
sure she comes to a show wow so it's
23:34
like yo that's something personal for
23:35
her you know I mean you never really
23:37
know how you touching people out here so
23:40
uh I think it's levels to it you know I
23:42
mean but I definitely you know honor and
23:44
appreciate those fans that you know
23:46
however I showed up in their journey and
23:48
they appreciate that they continue to
23:50
support me in appreciation you know what
23:52
I mean so uh to a degree there's a a
23:55
great level of gratitude that um only
23:58
you can um transfer within the art and
24:02
the support you know what I mean so
24:03
right so who do you feel like has in a
24:06
sense more ownership over your music and
24:09
I bring it up in that way where say if
24:11
you're going out tour as you continue to
24:13
get older you may want to do a different
24:15
version of ice boox just so it's new for
24:18
you but your fans may want to hear the
24:20
original version so do you lean more
24:24
towards the consumers and they always
24:27
are right or do you lean more towards
24:29
your own soul and what it wants to do I
24:32
feel like you give them a happy medium
24:34
you know you give them a happy medium
24:35
because it's important as an artist to
24:37
continue to transform your art and also
24:40
to you know show people that uh you know
24:43
even though things stay the same you
24:45
know things change too you know what I
24:47
mean so uh yeah I always like to infuse
24:50
I got a couple of different versions of
24:52
ice box I got a couple of different
24:53
versions of touch that I've been doing
24:55
over the years touch you know what I'm
24:56
saying so um I think it's about the
24:59
happy medium but I feel like fans do do
25:03
have um at least my fans have a great
25:06
sense of some of the things that they
25:08
like and they love and because they've
25:10
been on this journey with me this
25:13
transformation I I think that they um
25:16
like what I like too you know what I
25:17
mean so even though I I consider them I
25:20
think that um they love being being put
25:22
on them new Vibes too you know what I'm
25:24
saying and I think it's important as an
25:26
artist to continue to you know um you
25:29
know keep stay updated you know what I
25:31
mean and not jaded you feel me because
25:34
then you gonna get faded okay and then
25:36
we'll be saying happy bled
25:40
okay come on come on I should have been
25:43
on this album um uh Danny P shout out to
25:47
Danny P from the touch video If y if you
25:49
ever decide to redo that video a new
25:52
versin make sure you get Danny P back on
25:54
that touch video shout out to her what's
25:56
up love um I remember speaking with
25:57
Usher privately um um not too long ago
26:01
uh when this whole R&B dead narrative
26:04
was floating around and I was like how
26:05
could it be you know right and he was
26:07
like come on sway I'm selling out Vegas
26:10
facts he got the the concert that they
26:12
do out there in Vegas too I can't the
26:14
name slips my mind right oh you talking
26:16
about um Lovers and Friends tiv you
26:20
doing it this year yep doing it this
26:21
year in May and then R tank got the r
26:23
and uh Jay Valentine got the R&B money
26:26
podcast I love that have you done that
26:28
yes I have okay all right I got to check
26:30
out that episode do you feel like cuz I
26:32
I I think of those names J even Jay
26:35
Valentine he's from where I'm from tank
26:36
Usher Chris Brown these guys are the
26:38
upper echelon of R&B in my opinion right
26:42
um do you feel like you get that prop
26:45
you know do people respect you on that
26:47
level yeah I believe so you know the
26:49
real ones no you know what I mean um and
26:52
I think that it's it's so interesting as
26:55
you know we go along in this
26:56
entertainment business how you know what
26:59
do they say the pride before the fall
27:01
you know it's essential it's the same
27:03
thing with R&B it's like R&B did but now
27:04
it's back you know what I mean like you
27:06
got to look for those those telltale
27:08
signs that something you know is uh you
27:11
know resurfacing you know what I mean
27:13
and I think that you know R&B did take a
27:15
turn you know um and now you know we're
27:19
able to get back to this feeling and
27:21
this Vibe and and full circle is
27:23
definitely that energy okay because you
27:25
know a lot of you know um and and this
27:28
is no shade to any any artist out there
27:30
you know what I mean but a lot of songs
27:32
you know um don't motivate me to to go
27:35
within you know and I feel like that's
27:37
what true R&B does I I call it Rhythm
27:40
and Beyond you know what I mean real
27:42
songs make you go into a whole other
27:46
realm you know of of emotion of of of
27:49
self reflectiveness you know what I'm
27:51
saying and it feels like we're we're
27:53
we're growing into that space and and
27:55
you know here I am
27:58
here I am like a Genie in a Bottle with
28:00
the Book of Love With The Book of Love
28:03
okay like Hey Y'all we got to we got to
28:05
get into
28:06
this so has like your studio Vibes
28:09
changed in terms of like the environment
28:12
obviously you know you don't have the
28:13
other members of B2K that's a big
28:15
difference but you know there's some
28:17
folks who in the beginning prefer to
28:18
have lots of women around or maybe would
28:21
like to have lots of brown juice around
28:24
you know what I'm saying what is your
28:26
environment like now yes so my
28:28
environment is pretty much like it
28:30
always has been I think that the um the
28:32
thing that's changed the most is my um
28:35
work work progress I mean a process and
28:38
that is with the people that I work with
28:39
I love to work with people that I
28:41
actually like you know um a lot of times
28:44
artists are getting songs from producers
28:47
they never work with or who is the hot
28:49
producer but uh on this album um shout
28:52
out to Greg Curtis and uh miltone and uh
28:56
maybe a few other people worked on the
28:58
album but in the scope of this whole
29:00
album is like virtually three people so
29:04
um I like to keep my my work tight and
29:06
um of course I like to you know smell
29:09
good I light a little incense you know
29:10
what I'm saying and if there is you know
29:13
any special women that I feel
29:14
comfortable creating around because you
29:17
know the studio is uh a lot of people um
29:21
you know don't know is a place where you
29:23
can make mistakes you know to get it
29:25
right you know I mean it's like a gym in
29:26
a way you know what I mean before
29:28
everybody else gets to hear it you know
29:30
you you work it out you know what I mean
29:31
um so when I create it's a very personal
29:35
and private space so if a woman is
29:38
around when I'm create creating more
29:40
than likely she is motiv you know
29:42
motivating like a mused yeah she's
29:44
amused she's motivating things and
29:46
sounds and feelings and Vibes she might
29:48
even get on the track you know what I
29:50
mean so yeah from time to time I have a
29:53
lady in the studio but for the most part
29:54
when I'm in the studio you know I mean
29:56
it's fam and we rocking out we making
29:58
great music and Good Vibes are you
30:00
single right now yes I am I'm single
30:03
right now um in in the fashion of
30:05
whatever single is because I mean I
30:07
think at this point we all got to be
30:09
honest you know what I'm saying well we
30:10
going to be honest I can't wait to hear
30:12
this be hon Mo most people have their
30:15
rotation you know what I mean okay are
30:16
you most people um I would say that you
30:19
know I'm I'm a half of people you know
30:21
what I mean I'm half of people you know
30:23
what I mean I'm one foot in one foot out
30:26
you know what I mean um I definitely
30:27
have have uh people over time or or
30:29
young ladies you know over time that you
30:31
know I bond with and from time to time
30:33
I'm able to see you know what I mean if
30:34
I'm in a city or you know um they get an
30:38
invitation but for the most part you
30:40
know the idea of the being single I
30:43
don't know in dating I don't know it's
30:46
not really um I guess in in my
30:49
wheelhouse you know what I mean I I
30:51
primarily focus on you know being a
30:54
father and doing and handling my
30:56
business so you know dating is not like
30:58
you know um a to uh a a thing on my
31:02
to-do list you know say so is this a
31:04
season or is this a preference it's a
31:06
preference it's a preference okay just
31:08
because you know um you know with with
31:11
uh my experiences you know I see how
31:14
important it is to you know create um a
31:18
foundation of friendship you know what I
31:19
mean like I'm very much so that person
31:22
that's like okay I don't want to just
31:24
you know hey I Vibe with you you know we
31:27
have a good time now meet my family you
31:29
know what I mean like nah let's take our
31:31
time take time right yeah let's let's be
31:33
patient let's see if we can laugh and go
31:36
to the movies and you know okay so
31:37
you're not closed off to a relationship
31:39
in the future okay no I'm open I'm open
31:41
but I'm I'm I see the importance of of
31:43
just being patient and taking my time at
31:46
it at its greatest abundance yeah how
31:49
high was your rotation how many did you
31:51
have in
31:52
rotation um that its greatest abundance
31:55
well well well let's well well let me
31:58
ask like like what what level of
32:01
consistency are we talking about because
32:03
you know when you think you got a
32:05
rotation for you know two three months
32:07
it might be going well and then you know
32:09
okay let's do a quarter of the year
32:11
three three to four month quar I would
32:13
say um maybe like three women maybe
32:16
three yeah maybe like three three every
32:18
quarter okay yeah maybe like no not no
32:22
maybe maybe not like three every quarter
32:24
but like three every other quarter maybe
32:27
three you know like yeah I'm I'm not
32:30
somebody that like um again like I said
32:34
you know what I mean like I'm on daddy
32:35
duties you know you got yeah but do you
32:37
do you let them know what it is how do
32:40
you say that to a woman that hey you're
32:42
we're here but you're not the only one
32:45
how do you say that I think that it's
32:46
important from the outset you know what
32:48
I mean to have um you know a
32:51
conversation about views when it comes
32:54
to uh relationships and I always I'm I'm
32:58
pretty honest just about you know my
33:00
Tempo and my speed and what's important
33:02
to me and usually you know really mature
33:05
people are like they're cool with that
33:07
they understand they respect it you know
33:09
what I mean um because a lot of the
33:11
times I'm traveling or like I said I'm
33:13
on Daddy Duty so it's not like I got you
33:15
know a bunch of time to be like hey what
33:17
do you need do this let's go on a date
33:19
let's do that let's do this like no I'm
33:21
I'm working you know I'm a um first
33:23
generational uh wealth Builder you know
33:25
what I mean so primarily my focus is my
33:28
business you know I mean and um a a real
33:31
a real a real woman respects that you
33:33
know I mean she actually aligns with
33:35
that and she supports that you know what
33:37
I mean so that's the only thing I I have
33:39
time for real women you know could she
33:41
have a rotation as well are you cool
33:42
with that yeah I mean I respect it you
33:44
know what I'm saying because um because
33:47
um you know we we got to show up fair in
33:49
this world you know what I mean um I
33:52
mean I think it's a little hard you know
33:54
I mean because of the type of person I
33:55
am you know I mean to have you know like
33:58
this big rotation you know I find that a
34:00
little bit different for women than you
34:02
know it is for men but um if we just
34:05
being real it's like you know it's not
34:07
my business you know what I'm saying
34:09
it's not my business to you know know
34:11
what it is that you doing when we spend
34:13
time together that's that's us you know
34:15
what I mean growth tastes good I'm just
34:17
saying you get it now we we having a
34:19
good time it ain't about what what you
34:22
know what I mean it's all good you know
34:24
as long as you know we keeping it you
34:26
know um safe
34:28
CLE clean energy clean you know and
34:32
respectful it's all good you know what
34:34
I'm saying um I see Melle here who I've
34:36
seen throughout your Michelle I'm sorry
34:38
Michelle here I've seen throughout your
34:40
care career for a long time now uh who
34:43
said some really awesome things also in
34:45
the docu series I remember one time we
34:47
bumped into each other in Vegas I feel
34:49
like it was at Michael
34:50
Jackson's party or something I don't
34:53
know Michelle um you know uh it's hard
34:56
to find
34:58
good partners in business facts man
35:01
that's oh my gosh it's hard to find good
35:05
partners in business yeah that's facts I
35:08
want to know about your business
35:11
philosophies and how did you and
35:13
Michelle came together and for other
35:16
artists not even young artists coming in
35:18
the game artists who've been established
35:20
who've had these roller coaster rise in
35:22
business we see it all the time right
35:24
what is it that you look for how do you
35:26
determine what's good for you and what
35:28
do you think uh if it's any formulaic
35:32
process that people could kind of adapt
35:34
to that could probably help them in
35:35
their business well I will say you know
35:38
um I've always been a person you know
35:41
that looks for the meant to be people
35:43
you know the people that show up in my
35:45
journey you know not only for a check
35:48
but but for a purpose and they see my
35:50
intentions and they support that and um
35:52
you know me and Michelle go way back you
35:55
know um when I was uh 14 years old
35:59
that's how far we go back yeah we have
36:02
um a very uh long journey you know
36:06
together um I would say for for people
36:10
that are coming up in this business and
36:12
and just in general like you got to
36:14
really find your tribe you know so that
36:16
means you have to radiate you know uh in
36:18
a certain type of way you know in order
36:20
to call your folks out to you because
36:22
you know like you said in this business
36:25
you know people are shady and some
36:26
people are there Just For a Check you
36:28
know what I mean but Michelle is
36:30
somebody that uh aligns with my purpose
36:32
she's such an amazing woman you know
36:34
just on her own you know um it's really
36:38
interesting because um after you know my
36:41
journey in the music business you know
36:43
when I came into an impass and figuring
36:45
out what I needed to do because you know
36:47
I needed the right representation that
36:49
was something that I saw was lacking in
36:52
my career you know somebody that you
36:54
know would generally not only speak for
36:56
me but speak to to me and with me about
36:59
you know um how representation looked
37:02
you know what I mean um because a lot of
37:04
times you know we hire people and we're
37:06
just like do your job you know what I
37:07
mean but it's like okay well what do you
37:09
want you know we had a lot of those
37:11
conversations early on find your tribe
37:14
find the people that's going to you know
37:16
uh not only speak how you would speak of
37:19
yourself but how they would speak of
37:21
themselves you know what I'm saying it's
37:23
really important that um you know you
37:26
find people that align with your
37:28
integrity in business and um she
37:31
represents all that I represent so we
37:33
like definitely a match made in heaven
37:35
we both Scorpios so get it you know I
37:38
mean
37:39
freak I didn't know that about Michelle
37:41
yeah yeah
37:44
yeah oh yeah yeah that's a that's a a
37:47
layer woman right there you know what I
37:48
mean and uh she show up for me and she
37:51
shows not only up for me but for people
37:54
you know what I mean like if you if you
37:55
all got to know uh how amazing this is
37:57
and she you know she used to have a RM
38:00
practice so she shows up in in the world
38:03
like hold up let me help you you know if
38:05
if it's going bad hold up hold up you
38:07
know what I'm saying let me let's stop
38:08
the bleeder let's you know and she's
38:10
very much so been like that for my
38:11
career because as you can imagine you
38:13
know a child coming up in this world you
38:16
know uh seeing the different versions of
38:18
what people call good doing good
38:20
business and you know my my version of
38:22
that was centered around family you know
38:24
what I mean and when you mix family with
38:26
business it's not always a positive
38:28
thing you know it can get convoluted and
38:31
you can get um confused easily you know
38:34
what I mean um but you know we have a a
38:37
clear code of conduct and we respect
38:40
each other um you know uh we respect
38:43
each other's experiences so shout out to
38:46
Michelle happy wom history you know what
38:49
I'm saying outside of music because
38:51
you've been in this a long time you've
38:53
made money a long time lost money I'm
38:55
sure we all go through our roller
38:56
coaster ride outside of music what has
38:59
been some of your most favorable
39:01
Investments that you made what other
39:02
areas have done well for you I got a
39:05
shout out uh Michelle again okay because
39:08
um when we initially hooked back up um
39:12
she used to work for this financial firm
39:14
called uh Northwestern Mutual now I'm
39:17
telling you she probably over there she
39:18
looking at me like but she used to work
39:20
for this financial firm and um initially
39:23
when uh we started working back together
39:26
it was for me to make Investments so
39:28
that was the moment you know when I
39:30
essentially started rebuilding you know
39:33
um you know all of my different arms and
39:36
um you know portfolio of uh Investments
39:39
you know what I mean so she was right
39:41
there you know what I mean so yeah I
39:43
mean in companies and um I I invest in
39:47
myself a lot yeah you know what I'm
39:49
saying oww is a business you know what
39:52
I'm saying so you know um yeah I think I
39:56
think it's important and and uh she's
39:57
been an important piece to that too we
40:00
love to see okay that's what's up have
40:02
you been able to forgive your former
40:04
manager Chris Stokes um how difficult or
40:07
easy was that I I would say I would say
40:10
I have um come to a a greater
40:13
understanding you know that um you know
40:17
certain people do things certain way
40:19
because of their experience you know I
40:21
mean and I've more so made peace that um
40:25
that was an important you know um grow
40:28
through for me to realize what what um I
40:32
deserve you know what I'm saying and how
40:35
do we how do we grow into that we have
40:37
to go through adverse experiences so you
40:40
know um while it's you know wasn't a
40:43
positive thing for me while you know um
40:47
you know a lot of things that I went
40:49
through not just him but a lot of people
40:51
you know um haven't haven't uh
40:54
necessarily left a a good tase in you
40:57
know my experience I I uh forgive
41:00
everybody and I've completely moved on
41:02
and I've elevated you know myself on
41:04
another level to where those things
41:06
don't even matter so people like you
41:08
know him other people I'm just like hey
41:11
you know it was my experience I moved on
41:14
Good Luck you know what I'm saying om
41:16
Mar man I appreciate you brother I'm G
41:18
let Anthony Anthony been sitting on this
41:20
whole time bunch of people a you still
41:21
there a a where you at Aunt a you still
41:25
there sir good morning family how y'
41:27
doing excellent how y doing great doing
41:31
excellent what's your question for
41:34
Maria U my question for om Maran was
41:38
what was it like working with Keenan
41:40
Thompson and F Albert and did you get
41:42
any advice from him working with him oh
41:45
that's hilarious because I just I just
41:46
noticed um that they're doing a good
41:48
burger they bringing back the Good
41:50
Burger bring yeah that's dope so shout
41:53
out to uh you know Keenan has always
41:55
been professional there's not any
41:57
anything particularly that we have uh
41:59
you know discussed and or talked about
42:01
you know but he is someone that I can
42:03
see that has continued on in this
42:06
industry so if I could you know take
42:08
anything from him it would be you know
42:10
just stay resilient you know continue to
42:13
grow continue to transform try different
42:15
things and uh keep going shout out to
42:17
Keenan and kale you did yeah they both
42:21
you dig get I tell how you did that um
42:23
listen man this H we've been talking an
42:25
hour bro I didn't this what an amazing
42:28
conversation to have with you man I feel
42:30
like we're catching up I'm proud of you
42:32
extremely proud of you you know I knew
42:34
you were special uh from the first time
42:37
I saw you and I knew I'll be talking to
42:39
you 20 years later come on and we'll be
42:41
talking 20 years from now that's fact we
42:43
got a whole different uh uh philosophy
42:45
on time how do you view time now what is
42:48
time to you I mean time is linear you
42:50
know what I mean it it could be here
42:51
today and going tomorrow you know and
42:53
and especially with things that we want
42:55
to manifest in our goals you know what
42:56
I'm saying like once we arrive it feels
42:59
like oh we're here you know what I mean
43:02
so to me time doesn't exist it's really
43:05
all about the quality you know what I
43:06
mean and and also sway you know we we
43:09
going to be doing other things 20 years
43:10
from now you know we going to be jumping
43:12
on some Jets I'm ready for that man come
43:14
on we going to be meeting up on some
43:16
islands you know I mean come on we ain't
43:18
got to wait 20 years for that just to
43:20
put that out there right okay cool um
43:23
Fame yeah you know I almost wrote a book
43:26
about Fame when I um first came to MTV
43:29
Because by the time I came to MTV as you
43:31
know I did radio in California way
43:34
before I came to MTV so I met everyone
43:36
but folks thought I started on MTV right
43:39
and I just saw
43:40
people Fame just morph them right yeah
43:44
and so I had this idea this book and
43:46
somebody's going to do it now so
43:47
whatever congratulations but it was
43:49
called beware beware the cameras right
43:52
okay and
43:54
um you know being in the public eye not
43:57
to the extent you've been or others but
43:59
when you're in the public eye you're in
44:00
the public eye and in this digital age
44:02
we're all in the public eye now you got
44:03
to deal with some kind of celebrity
44:05
whether it's local National or Global
44:07
right and fame that comes with it um
44:11
Fame was something we all a lot of
44:13
people fight for in the beginning yeah
44:15
that's true what's your relationship
44:16
with Fame now how do you yeah so my
44:19
relationship with Fame now and back then
44:22
I would say it is a healthy one and the
44:24
reason why it is a healthy one is
44:26
because you know um I'm still aligned
44:29
with intention and purpose you know what
44:31
I mean and you know Fame and I would say
44:34
the cameras really amplify you and and
44:38
who you are and your experience you know
44:40
what I'm saying so for me you know um
44:43
when the cameras is on me I I just want
44:45
to continue to be a representative of my
44:47
purpose which is you know um showing
44:50
people you know that uh Joy is a choice
44:53
and um yeah my my my relationship with
44:57
with Fame is pretty healthy you know
44:58
what I'm saying yeah so yeah okay you
45:00
don't worship it um no I don't I don't
45:02
think it's to be worshiped you know what
45:03
I mean like don't get me wrong you know
45:05
I love you know the value of my face
45:08
card you know what I'm saying sometimes
45:10
I roll up in places they be like oh hi
45:12
Maran here you go this was ready for you
45:14
before you came I'm like oh fame fame
45:18
Ching you know what I mean but uh
45:20
there's adverse you know times too you
45:22
know what I mean when maybe I'm going
45:24
through something mentally and and
45:26
people don't you know realize like this
45:28
ain't the right time you know what I
45:29
mean um but you know there's there's
45:32
there's good things and bad things about
45:33
it I think it's it's healthy you know to
45:36
just be able to maintain you know what's
45:39
going on in your reality and as long as
45:41
you stay in tune with reality you know I
45:44
think youd be all right I think youd be
45:46
all right full circle Sonic book one May
45:48
5th make sure you pick up the album man
45:50
the book un the power of choosing Joy is
45:53
out now the new video and single is
45:55
called big
45:58
man I want to thank you my brother for
46:00
coming through man always pleas come on
46:03
man texted me and said uh man I'm coming
46:06
to New York what we doing I was like
46:08
damn I told him I want to be the fourth
46:10
musketeer hanging out with him and his
46:12
brothers and O came up here early yeah
46:15
he did man thank you brother anything
46:17
you want to say in closing no just thank
46:19
you so much and and also a big salute to
46:22
y'all you know what I mean like it
46:23
always feels like family like I was
46:25
telling you um you know know uh
46:27
yesterday it's so important that the
46:29
culture recognizes you know your
46:31
importance because you you help amplify
46:34
our message you know you support us and
46:36
Champion Us in this business and it's
46:39
not a lot of people that do that you
46:40
know a lot of people in media for
46:42
clickbait you know what I'm saying but
46:44
guess what your history doesn't show
46:46
that you know what I mean your your
46:47
history show you know support so again
46:50
to tap on your point show up early you
46:53
know be here sway is important to to
46:56
this culture you know what I'm saying so
46:58
we appreciate you I appreciate you and
47:00
mad love Man Forever Until the next time
47:03
you know what I'm saying my man Maran
47:05
Tracy G how can they reach you real
47:07
quick thank you all for pulling up man
47:09
we love big time Twitter Instagram it's
47:12
Tracy GS h y shout out to you too sh sh
47:16
okay Heather be you can catch her at the
47:17
happy hour whb she said she wish she
47:20
could be here she has some things but
47:22
she probably tuned in all right we'll be
47:24
back tomorrow u g Perico is coming by
47:26
Tom Tom right and we're going to hang
47:28
out with him and then Chris Pratt and
47:30
Russell Crow fall goes according to plan
47:33
no not yet that's um Friday okay I just
47:35
wanted to stunt though I know
47:37
they I
47:40
just R know you know level to this baby
47:43
I'm at real sway across the board we
47:44
going to end with this new single again
47:46
big Vib all right y'all stay on the
47:48
right side of positivity and citizens we
47:50
have nothing left to say
47:54
[Music]
47:57
oh
#Arts & Entertainment