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Ralph McDaniels Talks The 40th Anniversary of Video Music Box | SWAY’S UNIVERSE
Feb 27, 2024
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Dive into the heart of hip-hop with "Hip-Hop's Unsung Heroes: Ralph McDaniels Tells All 🎤✨," an exclusive Sway In The Morning interview celebrating the incredible journey and the 40th anniversary of Video Music Box. Ralph McDaniels, a true pioneer behind the lens, shares unheard stories, his profound impact on hip-hop culture, and his connection with legends in the game. From Roscoe's enlightening journey to McDaniels' vital role in bringing hip-hop to the screens of millions, this video is a treasure trove of history, inspiration, and raw passion for the music that shapes our lives.
Don't miss McDaniels' candid reflections on pivotal moments, collaborations with hip-hop royalty, and his vision for the future of this unstoppable genre. Plus, discover how Video Music Box became a cornerstone of hip-hop history and the lessons Ralph McDaniels hopes to pass on to new generations.
For more exclusive interviews with icons like #RoyalFlush, #KirkFranklin, and #dee1, stay tuned to Sway’s Universe. This is your gateway to the souls behind the music, the stories behind the success, and the beats that keep the culture alive.
🔥 Watch more content from Sway's Universe for unprecedented interviews and groundbreaking reveals. 🔥
#SwaysUniverse #RalphMcDaniels #HipHopCulture #VideoMusicBox #40thAnniversary #HipHopHistory #MusicLegends
#VideoMusicExperience #HiphopStorytelling #HiphopCulture #SwaysUniverse #HiphopLiteracy
CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Intro
1:26 - Ralph Reflects on Last Year
4:10 - Recognizing Hip-Hop Pioneers
7:17 - Ralph's Journey to Profitability
9:54 - Roscoe Discovers Video Music Box
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:01
jeez ladies and
0:03
gentlemen icon walking New York's finest
0:07
come on pollinated the seeds of rap and
0:10
hip-hop culture all around the world
0:13
speak the truth here to celebrate a new
0:15
year new birth New Life new energy this
0:17
is my brother right here I'm so honored
0:19
I got a chance to be a part of his
0:21
documentary and speak peace about all of
0:23
his accolades and accomplishments and
0:25
when I see them I I smile and I'm so
0:27
happy that we're friends
0:32
and we still here give it up for the
0:34
legendary Ralph McDaniel
0:37
citizen come on video music box is in
0:40
the building hip hop we here weop we
0:42
here hold up hip hop we are that's right
0:47
we are hip hop hey look man it's always
0:49
good to see you I feel like I'm part of
0:51
the family with y'all now so are and
0:54
honestly I'll be taking time off to do
0:56
other projects I was going to ask you if
0:57
you come in the co-host with Heather and
0:59
Tracy some I would love to do that
1:01
that'd be an honor we got we already
1:02
signed up DJ Premiere man you think you
1:04
up to it oh man DJ Premiere got the
1:07
raspy voice I'll come with the with the
1:09
with the Brooklyn style of it he got the
1:11
Houston style of it I'll come with the
1:12
Brooklyn style with the Brooklyn so what
1:14
that mean you're gonna you're gonna
1:16
you're gonna steal stuff out their
1:17
purses what does that mean do that the
1:19
Brooklyn style what does that mean Ralph
1:21
um you know yo Ralph McDaniels is here
1:24
congratulations man I this past
1:27
year has been a great uh reflection
1:30
um point for us in our culture and it's
1:33
been great because a lot of people who
1:34
are have been getting recognized that
1:36
haven't been recognized in years yes
1:38
they've been on major platforms major
1:40
stages whether it's the Grammys on you
1:42
know sporting events the whole nine what
1:44
was your this past year like for you
1:47
because you are one of those people yeah
1:50
um you know when we did um Yankee
1:52
Stadium on August 11th and I bought out
1:55
K herk and we honored him um it was uh
1:59
you know we in the Bronx it was Yankee
2:01
Stadium it was perfect you know and I
2:03
looked out at the crowd later on you
2:05
know I B out Nas and I and I looked at
2:07
the crowd and it was packed and I was
2:09
like man this is what it's supposed to
2:11
be you know this is what it's supposed
2:13
to be I I do say that I wish we had more
2:16
handson with that us as the culture and
2:20
because hip hop is a business right now
2:23
we I don't think we were ready and we
2:25
weren't ready and there's plenty of
2:27
people that are billionaires and
2:28
Millionaires and got a whole bunch of
2:29
money that could have had a little bit
2:31
more say so on what and how it went but
2:33
other than that it was a perfect night
2:35
what kind of things would you because
2:37
here's the thing we don't have to put a
2:38
limitation on this celebration right
2:40
because it's been 50 years let's keep
2:41
celebrating until we can't celebrate no
2:43
more what kind of things moving for
2:46
would you had like would you like to see
2:47
done in celebration of the culture or
2:49
some of the people you feel should be
2:50
identified or and what ways you feel
2:52
like we can even extend the job we've
2:55
done so far well I'm I'm going to send a
2:57
rest in peace to a brother named Eddie
2:58
chba Eddie cha Eddie Applause for Eddie
3:03
Eddie cha man he was the first MC I ever
3:07
saw when I went to Community College he
3:09
was on the mic and he was rhyming and he
3:11
had the crowd going back and forth yes
3:13
yes y all to the beach all that that
3:14
kind of vibe and I was like this guy is
3:17
amazing like I want to do this how can I
3:20
get involved you know and like I heard
3:22
about him and then I saw him in person
3:24
and I was like this is crazy he just
3:25
passed away so I just want to
3:27
acknowledge him because he's not a name
3:29
that most people don't know he comes
3:30
from that era of uh Hollywood and love
3:33
bug starski and byy be and um the early
3:36
guys Uptown they say oh that wasn't
3:38
hip-hop then Ralph it was hipop it was
3:39
rying it was it was it was it was the
3:41
vibe before hip-hop really took off
3:43
that's why we made hip-hop records
3:45
because of those guys Hollywood and and
3:47
them cats DJ Hollywood that's right and
3:49
and Eddie chba and Eddie chba and love
3:51
bug and and and and many others that
3:53
would didn't get the popularity that
3:54
they had but if you were on the scene
3:57
you knew if they were on the flyer MH no
4:00
no the flyer was it the flyer was the
4:02
[ __ ] the flyer was the Instagram post
4:04
that was the original IG story you know
4:06
what I mean right if you was on that fly
4:09
that meant a lot so you know
4:10
acknowledging people like that um I
4:12
always push that you know I work with
4:13
the pyton full um Foundation we
4:16
acknowledged um um Scarface and um rock
4:19
Kim this past year and that was one of
4:22
my things was to you know let's talk
4:23
about some of the people that were you
4:25
know on the scene that never got the
4:28
acknowledgement and I brought up you
4:30
know a few of those people so hopefully
4:31
one day we'll we we'll be able to
4:33
recognize them but moving into spaces
4:36
like you know like I had a meeting with
4:37
the you know the Museum of Modern Art
4:39
and I meet with the the met and I meet
4:41
with all of these spaces you know these
4:43
in you know institutional spaces that
4:46
are here forever and the audience that
4:48
goes there clearly loves hip-hop right I
4:51
don't care what color you are you love
4:53
hipop you love hip hop you may not even
4:55
know you love it but you love hip
4:57
hop and so um just pushing it like that
5:01
you know pushing it Forward because we
5:03
belong in those spaces and um and and re
5:06
look at look at what H did with the book
5:08
of ho at Brooklyn library I work with
5:10
the queen library and you know we were
5:12
we were starting to do that like like
5:14
maybe five six years ago that whole hip
5:17
hop in the library thing and you know
5:19
and when HOV did the thing at Brooklyn
5:21
it was out the park so that was a good
5:24
Mark to set because when hve does it
5:27
everybody the door opens and even
5:29
Brooklyn Museum right now with swiz and
5:32
Alicia showcasing all of their art
5:34
amazing yeah that's all from um black
5:36
artists incredible and and and and it
5:39
feels fun you know we want to go to
5:40
those places but sometimes you know we
5:42
don't see ourselves on the album cover
5:45
on the flyer yeah on the
5:48
flyer yeah we don't see each other on
5:49
the flyer yeah so you don't feel invited
5:52
yeah that that's interesting and that
5:54
and and and I know and I'm a pivot but
5:57
you know when in the restaurant industry
5:58
like in my in our neighborhood where I
6:00
live up in Harlem a lot of new a lot of
6:03
new owners were coming in and they were
6:05
creating these uh these um restaurants
6:08
and these spaces that wasn't conducive
6:11
to people in the neighborhood right so
6:14
none of us wanted to go to the
6:15
restaurants that were in our
6:18
neighborhood SP of comfort place of
6:20
comfort right um and they're in our
6:23
neighborhood for our resources right uh
6:26
and so a lot of times even with hip hop
6:28
you you know the places and spaces where
6:30
you'll see these things they wouldn't
6:32
make it inviting for us to be there so I
6:35
commend Brooklyn library and and queens
6:37
they even in Oakland uh we set up a
6:40
tribute of Oakland hip hop culture at
6:42
the Oakland library near near Laney C
6:45
King Tech and I was actually in there
6:47
they featured me and Boots Riley nice uh
6:49
you know
6:51
boots from the coup they got some of our
6:54
an exhibit it's an exhibit and so we we
6:56
used to do like have Death Jam had their
6:58
jackets we had all City record jackets
7:01
that we did and they put all of our
7:02
stuff in there it's it's needed you know
7:04
the importance of you guys in that
7:06
Community is what makes it hot that's
7:08
what gets the gentrification to come
7:10
yeah you know Brooklyn was hot you know
7:12
big EJ you know everything was hot and
7:15
then they got gentrified so why did you
7:17
come here because it was hot we made it
7:18
hot we made it hot that's why those
7:21
restaurants come in we make it hot right
7:24
but they don't want to share the
7:25
dividends right you know it's all hey
7:27
man how long did you work in we're going
7:30
to talk about the book we were talking
7:31
about it today Ralph has a new book
7:33
Rosco learns about video music boxing
7:35
it's pretty incredible but we were
7:38
talking about our kids and I I want to
7:39
know when we came into the game it took
7:42
years before King Tech and I made money
7:44
before anybody wanted to pay us
7:46
especially I just started making money
7:48
two years ago really it's been that long
7:50
R you should have said something man I
7:53
would have treat it to to the um but how
7:55
long did you work before you made a
7:58
profit how many years you say I don't
8:00
even know when I started making money I
8:02
couldn't even believe it probably when
8:04
we started doing music videos uhhuh so
8:06
that was you know that was early early
8:09
90s I started in 83 with video music box
8:11
okay so maybe 10 years you know we were
8:14
still hustling for 10 years almost I
8:16
mean you you know you got a couple of
8:17
dollars here and there but it wasn't
8:19
like you know like drug dealer money you
8:22
know like when we walked in the club we
8:24
wasn't over there y didn't have the VIP
8:27
bottle popping money a bottle popping
8:30
when you tell your daughter that cuz he
8:31
he has he has an amazing Daughter by the
8:33
way um I remember when I sat and did the
8:36
interview she was um for your for your
8:38
series Showtime did I mean um massal did
8:41
yeah and I met your daughter I was uh
8:43
flattened you know floored by her she
8:45
she and I have a daughter like that too
8:47
I have a daughter that daughter yeah
8:49
these daughters walk in the room and
8:51
just light up the room and they own the
8:53
world and that means we did our job
8:55
right yes but they not willing to do the
8:57
same sacrifices that we did like my
9:00
daughter graduated from college and got
9:02
a job offer and the money I thought was
9:05
great I was like yes that was that was
9:08
back in the days Dad it's not like that
9:10
it's not like that no more man so you
9:12
you so how was it with your daughter and
9:14
you passing the torch and and does she
9:17
listen to your education she listens but
9:19
that's not her actions her actions is
9:21
like no you charging to less charge them
9:24
more you this is not 198
9:27
1995 what you doing and I'm like yeah
9:30
but you know I don't think they really
9:32
they got it they got this they got that
9:34
they
9:35
got wow I gotta get my cut Dad I'm like
9:39
yo I hear you all right so see what they
9:42
say she said they agreed to it I said
9:44
okay oh snap how old is your daughter 36
9:49
okay shout out to the daughters man
9:51
getting their dad's paid is was she the
9:54
inspiration behind the book no no no she
9:57
wasn't but you know um so so the book
9:59
was a combination of myself and a young
10:03
lady um named sha Donaldson sha
10:05
Donaldson is from Baltimore big up bore
10:07
on the check-in and she is a teacher and
10:10
worked in the public schools and she was
10:12
introduced to me by her uncle who said
10:14
you know my um my niece wants to do a
10:16
book on you know on hip hop and you know
10:18
she doesn't really know too much about
10:19
would you be interested in doing
10:20
something with her and we got on the
10:21
phone we started talking and you know
10:23
it's like anytime you meet somebody for
10:25
the first time it's you know it's you
10:27
know one out of 10 that it might click
10:28
off you know and we clicked off perfect
10:31
you know and I got her you know she was
10:32
serious about she really didn't know too
10:34
much about hip hop but she knew about
10:35
education and that's the part that I
10:37
needed help with you know and like okay
10:39
how do we put this together and you know
10:41
we got workbook here we got a coloring
10:43
book how do we do that and she said let
10:45
me do a a mock of it and then you tell
10:47
the story about video music box and it's
10:50
called Rosco learns about video music
10:52
box so it's a a guy who's you know kind
10:54
of U moved out the hood and he wants to
10:57
show his son how it was back in the day
10:59
takes him back to Manhattan and takes
11:01
him to Time Square and you know his
11:02
imaginary like break dancing going on in
11:05
the in the street and like you know back
11:07
in the days and um and and and it's
11:09
awesome because it's it's it's a coming
11:11
an age for you know folks and you know
11:15
now they've got 40 years old they got a
11:17
family they got a house they got the
11:18
cars and you know they don't want to let
11:20
go of their Roots so he's taking his son
11:22
Rosco back to to the neighborhood can I
11:24
can I read from it I haven't read it yet
11:25
it's a dry read so if I you know but I
11:28
we believe in you so thank you the
11:30
morning shined bright through Rosco's
11:32
bedroom window was the first day of
11:34
summer Rosco sat up in bed and yelled
11:37
yeah it's summertime I'm out of school
11:40
roscco reached for his cell phone and
11:42
turned on A hip-hop song Rosal is a
11:44
7-year-old boy he lives with his father
11:46
and mother in apartment building in the
11:48
Bronx New York Rosco does not have any
11:51
pets then you go into the workbook part
11:53
this is what I like this is this is
11:55
where I would Excel all right it's not
11:57
easy it's not easy I know says fill in
11:59
the blank from the story so it starts
12:01
the morning and it's a blank shine
12:05
bright through rosal's bedroom so you
12:07
got to remember the word that was in so
12:09
this is for retention so when you read
12:13
in comprehension so as you read these
12:15
things that they're sticking and you
12:17
actually know what it is you feeling
12:18
shine bright through Rosco's bedroom I
12:20
like this yeah keep it between the ears
12:23
yeah you know because the kids are so
12:25
quick and they they give up you know
12:27
information they get it and it's that's
12:29
going through their from their mind I
12:31
said we originally it was supposed to be
12:32
a coloring book I said we got to put
12:34
something else in here they'll run
12:35
through this coloring book like it's
12:36
nothing so we got to put some other
12:38
things in here and that's why we put the
12:39
workbook part of it so that'll slow it
12:41
down a little bit because they could do
12:42
all you know all this on their phone but
12:44
we want to I like the idea and when I
12:46
was a kid and I'm not sure if the
12:48
listeners I used to like the doodle and
12:50
draw little thing I mean I wasn't an
12:51
artist clearly but I was you know oh wow
12:54
I didn't know I could create that with
12:56
my hand and and some type of crayon or
12:59
marker or something so for all of the
13:01
people that were like that this book is
13:03
for your kids I love it man and so you
13:06
have this book in school curriculums
13:07
already or where can people we're
13:09
working on that yeah you can get it
13:10
right now actually um we're doing um
13:12
Barnes & Nobles so we'll be in Barnes &
13:14
Nobles after this Saturday and um you
13:17
know um this is the first bookstore
13:19
we're in well there's not too many
13:20
bookstores anymore yeah this is true
13:23
yeah there is it mostly online right
13:25
yeah so we we we do signups um we do
13:29
house you know um book signing and I do
13:31
uh children's reads in the schools um
13:33
the schools have been um ordering them
13:36
and that's important because we uh we
13:38
sat down with a bunch of um principles
13:41
of uh black school of schools who um
13:43
were black um principles and they said
13:45
we love it and they all were like we G
13:47
to order it for the school for our
13:49
schools and that was across the East
13:50
Coast so they're in some of these
13:52
schools already yeah your daughter
13:54
getting you money dog to her man I Ain
13:56
mad at
13:57
her
13:59
hey look you know it's it's it's it's
14:01
something that um when I was coming up
14:03
in school you know like in my
14:05
documentary you know when I told the
14:07
story people used I used to be in all
14:08
these hardcore places and hanging around
14:10
you know how we do putting our lives on
14:12
the line every night just for a good
14:14
time good time and then I was like I
14:17
didn't grow up you know it was I mean I
14:20
hang around people that was in in the
14:22
tough neighborhood but I grew up in a
14:24
house we had a car and you know I had a
14:26
basement you know so I had a little
14:28
space
14:29
to move around that's why I could DJ in
14:31
the basement for hours and hours and my
14:33
mother would be turn it down turn it
14:35
down and so you know I had that space
14:38
and that was a um a blessing cuz not
14:40
everybody had that space you know and I
14:43
wanted to tell this my story I didn't
14:44
want to a lot of people front when they
14:46
talk about I'm grew up in the hood you
14:47
you didn't no you didn't you ain't grew
14:50
up in the hood come on kids come on you
14:52
you all day grew up and was considered a
14:54
hood but had nothing to do with hood
14:56
activities right right right right right
14:58
right so so you know look we we we um we
15:01
talk about our truth and everybody's
15:03
truth is what it is and that's what I
15:05
want to do when we did the documentary
15:07
and my my parents was always about going
15:09
to school you know and I said I don't
15:11
know if I want to go to college M my
15:12
mother said you crazy boy you better get
15:14
your butt out of here you going to
15:16
college and so I went to college I got a
15:18
degree and it helped me you know cuz you
15:21
know people say oh it doesn't help like
15:22
that's cool yeah when you get in certain
15:25
situations in a competitive situation
15:27
and you well I got that that degree
15:29
right there and they like oh okay so
15:31
that puts you in that group over there
15:33
you know you need it and so yeah there
15:35
are some people that you know are just
15:36
talented and they do their thing but you
15:38
know don't let this hip-hop thing fool
15:40
you man it's entertainment what V Fat
15:42
Joe said that all his raps was was was
15:44
not was a lie 95% of them that Jo don't
15:47
when them used you know you know they
15:50
taking them words and using them in
15:51
court hey look right that's what's going
15:53
on so you got it's it's it's amazing
15:56
what's happening right now in the world
15:57
and you know we just have have to make
15:58
sure that we move forward and take care
16:01
of our families you know
16:02
self-preservation you know is the key
16:04
don't worry about you know what the next
16:06
person is doing you know and and and
16:08
keep it moving man Ralph McDaniels icon
16:10
tra you want to jump in on that yeah
16:12
Ralph what would you tell the rosos of
16:14
the world in your opinion are the top
16:18
five hip-hop music videos oh music
16:24
videos it's
16:26
different okay so I'm uh I'm I'm just
16:30
going to name videos that I direct how
16:31
about
16:32
that
16:34
that okay um cream by um wuang Clan wow
16:38
Nas it ain't hard to
16:41
tell um Black Moon who got the props who
16:45
got the props look what I'm B today oh
16:48
he got the duck down Music Joint on
16:50
that's nice that is nice nice yeah um
16:54
camera's over there way oh my oh x-clan
16:57
heed the word because we Black History
16:59
Month and um and one that I produced my
17:03
partner Lono directed
17:05
self-destruction
17:06
um stop the violence movement incredible
17:10
hey man are there are
17:12
there there's some footage that keing
17:15
Tech and I got yes that we lost that
17:19
happens yeah is it what like what are
17:22
some of the the biggest lost moments you
17:26
had when a c man wasn't recording the
17:29
sound or the video
17:32
the camera
17:34
guys because you're so excited you
17:36
forget the little things we in the club
17:38
this is back in the days now we in the
17:40
club it's Smokey it's wild you know we
17:42
like okay got it he's looking at me the
17:45
girls is dancing around and he's he's
17:48
occupied and bro you didn't turn the
17:49
camera on you didn't heit
17:51
play wow so you know so yeah we've had
17:54
those moments um it was something man I
17:57
I remember we did something with LL and
18:00
it was it was he we we he lost the whole
18:03
thing and I was like I said no it can't
18:05
be I saw you holding the camera
18:07
up and disbelief wow but yeah we've lost
18:11
some moments but you know what I've been
18:13
doing now is digitizing everything I
18:15
have so absolutely everything that was
18:17
on these tapes is now a file and people
18:19
have seen you know my my collection is
18:22
crazy all these tapes but many of them
18:25
are are digitized now and we're going to
18:27
start doing some events around around
18:28
that I'd love to do something with y'all
18:30
because people just never saw some of
18:33
these things once or twice on video
18:34
music box which is just a New York thing
18:37
you know the rest of the world was like
18:39
I didn't know that this happened or
18:40
that's where that came from you know
18:42
often I hear people say oh this was like
18:44
Jay-Z at Summer Jam and me holding the
18:46
mic and he's talking about well he know
18:48
he doesn't talk he doesn't say anything
18:49
people go oh that was the end of
18:51
Rockefeller and Jay was just overwhelmed
18:53
that night yeah when he this is a famous
18:56
clip where was that the same Michael
18:58
Jackson came out too Michael Jackson
19:00
came out on stage at Hot N Hot 97 Summer
19:03
Jam and you caught the interview right
19:05
after Dame Dash Memphis Bleak freeway
19:09
everybody's there and they going bonkers
19:10
they can't control themselves rightfully
19:13
so and Jay is just like staring off into
19:16
the clouds and you said he he was just
19:19
overwhelmed he just it was so much yeah
19:23
it took to get to that just to get to
19:24
the him to come to the to the venue
19:26
probably was a lot yeah then there then
19:29
you did it and everybody's there his
19:31
family was there like his nephews and
19:34
the whole rock you know and everybody
19:36
you know when they see these these I see
19:38
these comments they go oh man that
19:40
wasn't that was the end of of
19:42
Rockefeller and so one day and when we
19:44
shot the documentary I said Jay you see
19:46
the comments when that he says yeah I
19:47
know he's exactly what you're talking
19:48
about I said can you tell me on camera
19:51
how you felt that day he said yeah let's
19:53
do it so he did it and he said that I
19:55
was just overwhelmed man I was so I
19:57
couldn't believe that that just happened
20:00
he said none of that was true about that
20:02
was the end of you know rock Rockefeller
20:04
anything none of that was true it was
20:06
just he was just overwhelmed and he
20:08
couldn't believe that they had pulled it
20:10
off that was one of the biggest moments
20:12
in hip-hop at up to that time wow hold
20:15
on let that breathe for a second man
20:17
Jesus um I'm curious cuz I'm coming from
20:20
a behind the scen mindset I'm I'm coming
20:23
from a producer or director mindset
20:25
Michael Jackson walks in where are you
20:28
your cameraman and did you were you so
20:31
Michael
20:32
Jackson well according to the station
20:35
they said Michael Jackson is one of the
20:37
cameras I like you talking about giant
20:42
stadium so so they were like you can't
20:44
have any cameras Ralph don't pull out
20:46
that camera he's gonna get back in the
20:47
van and leave I'm like no he's not he
20:49
came all the way here
20:53
so ask for forgiveness not
20:56
permission we hipop we
20:58
hiop right he did we go get it but you
21:01
know there was so much security so many
21:03
people that when he did get out it was
21:05
like a wave of people so we couldn't get
21:07
to him ah so we got to it from the side
21:10
and then we got you know Jay after but
21:12
Michael Jackson was just it was just
21:13
like and he just pulled up like you know
21:16
it was you know like 11:30 at night like
21:18
pulled up and he was laughing in the
21:19
back and talking and Jay was on stage
21:21
like we got Michael Jackson or we got a
21:23
special guest he wasn't paying no mind
21:25
to Jay and them talking on the stage
21:27
like they like looking back like where's
21:29
Mike and Mike is in the back laughing
21:31
and playing around having a good time
21:33
having a good time he wasn't it was
21:34
nothing to Mike yeah this is light right
21:38
this is light light work Summer Jam JayZ
21:41
and Mike in the back playing playing
21:43
around wow wow what was his demeanor
21:45
like did you how close did you get to um
21:48
it was Michael Jackson it was it was it
21:50
was the icon you know you just was he
21:53
had some little some kids with him
21:54
though I'm not sure why he was out so
21:55
late but for real and I was like you
21:57
know like like where them kids come from
21:59
but you know that's how Mike moved you
22:01
know he he got the kids with him and
22:02
they all come up and they get on stage
22:04
and
22:05
stuff I'm sorry I didn't want to look at
22:08
DB I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm
22:12
telling it's Mike mik Mike come on Mike
22:15
I first of all Mike is my first hero
22:18
Mike I'm I'm I'm born a year year after
22:21
Mike okay so when I was coming up
22:23
Michael Jackson we got to get Michael
22:25
Jackson album Jackson 5 Dian Roos
22:28
presents Jackson 5 that's what he said
22:29
on it I was like this is me this is me
22:32
right here uhuh uhhuh I'm going to be
22:34
like Mike and but yeah I mean you know
22:37
it was Mike you Mike how tall was
22:40
Mike um a little bit taller than me very
22:43
very slim dude yeah very slim dude uhhuh
22:47
and clearly a lot lighter than he was
22:49
when on on the album cover
22:51
so damn come on man was he taking
22:55
pictures with anybody like were fans
22:56
coming up to him was he they were
22:58
respecting his space yeah I think
23:00
security kind of kept whoever he came
23:01
with is who he kind of was hanging with
23:04
and then when they said all right we we
23:05
got to go to the stage they all moved
23:07
and at that point it was just security
23:10
Ralph will you mind taking a couple of
23:12
questions sure we got Ralph McDaniels
23:14
here big round of applause he's the
23:16
greatest there's only one goat at this
23:19
there is only one goat at this hey big
23:22
up soulbeat big up Soul big soulbeat yes
23:25
I was just shouting them out did you
23:26
hear me shout okay there's and that's
23:29
Ralph McDaniels and then Sobe Sobe in
23:32
Oakland you know was the first show that
23:34
I heard about um there was the M it
23:37
called Bud Riser Superfest this is
23:39
before hipop and um and my my man was
23:43
doing that tour he was working on he
23:44
said you ever heard of soulbeat and I
23:46
said no and he said it's the show it's
23:48
the show in in Oakland in San Francisco
23:50
that's the show and so when I finally
23:53
met the cats from soby Big up to um um
23:56
joh yeah yeah you know I was like yeah I
23:59
heard about y she yeah because they
24:01
always talk about you video about we I
24:02
said I know y'all been here y'all been
24:04
here who was first so be the video music
24:06
I think so beat was before me jeez I
24:08
didn't even I I gota stand corrected
24:10
yeah soulbeat I mean listen Soul it was
24:13
called Soul be Soul be like train yeah
24:17
yeah wait a minute y'all I stand
24:20
corrected but they know that they know
24:22
that they know that they know that they
24:24
pay you no mind way they know they know
24:26
your heart you know where your heart is
24:28
soulbeat is where
24:29
Tracy in Oakland thank you Tracy you got
24:32
it
24:33
right Tracy is so sharp today all right
24:37
we GNA come back talk with Ralph
24:38
McDaniels 888 742 3345 Ralph McDaniels
24:43
Here video music box you got the new U
24:44
book Rosco learns about video music box
24:47
it's an opportunity for us to tell our
24:49
stories in in a great format um this is
24:52
a what kind of book would you call
24:53
learning book or uh yeah it's a learning
24:56
workbook coloring book um interactive
25:00
book yes thank you thank you see the
25:03
book it's got colors and I've been asked
25:07
that question a few times but I'm G to
25:09
take that if you don't mind interactive
25:11
book uhuh good yeah that's contributed
25:14
to the culture that's all you know Ral I
25:16
was wondering when you were talking
25:18
about sharing that story about hve and
25:20
Michael Jackson it brought to mind the
25:23
evolution of archiving and documenting
25:26
and you know there was a time where it
25:27
was few people who were given that task
25:31
yes of holding the camera of holding the
25:33
mic and we're in a day where everyone's
25:35
phone comes with a camera you can use it
25:38
as a mic um how do you feel about that
25:42
Evolution and maybe if you can give is
25:46
there a way things that folks should
25:49
think about when they are going to
25:51
documents yeah before they start so it's
25:54
not looked at as like invasive yeah I
25:57
mean I mean um I think that the phone is
26:00
awesome because one thing about your
26:02
phone it documents the time the date um
26:06
and you can download it to another
26:08
source you know we didn't have that
26:10
before back in the days you know I
26:12
wasn't able to do that um and if people
26:14
you know go to concerts or go to parties
26:18
or events or something at their college
26:20
or whatever it is you know you you you
26:22
might be the only person that will keep
26:24
it like some people may not have
26:25
interest in it and that becomes part of
26:27
hist history and history tells a story
26:29
and it tells the story of a particular
26:31
region it might be might be in um in
26:33
Chicago it might be in Baltimore it
26:35
might be in Oakland wherever it is is
26:37
there's a story that needs to be told
26:39
about that particular Community because
26:42
you're in a community you know we talked
26:44
about that a little earlier that the
26:45
community is a the culture hip hop is a
26:48
culture and the community is in is just
26:51
where you came from and and so those
26:54
moments are important so I know
26:56
everybody's not thinking about saving
26:58
you know that that that um that that
27:01
clip but if you are like me who is a
27:04
nerd about that kind of stuff I save
27:06
everything I've saved everything since I
27:08
shot since 1983 so I have like the Run
27:11
DMC dock is out that's like 30% my
27:14
footage in that new Run DMC doc because
27:16
I was there you know like I lived in
27:18
Hollis with them Russell was like I got
27:21
a group called Run DMC and listen to it
27:24
and he played it's like that and I was
27:26
like when's the Baseline coming in and
27:27
he played sucker MC's and I was like yo
27:30
this is dope and so I was like all right
27:32
and then next thing you know they were
27:34
on the radio they were at the Disco
27:36
fever in the Bronx and then they were on
27:38
stage like in front of 10,000 people I
27:39
like that was fast but you know those
27:43
moments happened so quickly that Rundy
27:45
MC just went and did what they did and
27:48
then we had we we I had the footage to
27:50
we could look at those moments back you
27:53
know in Jamaica park in holl Queens you
27:55
know so archiving is is my baby when you
27:58
said archiving that's my thing you know
28:00
um I'm not an archist technically but I
28:02
do do the work and so big up to anybody
28:04
who's an archist because that's
28:06
important to tell our story and people
28:07
want to do documentaries all the time
28:09
I'm like do you have footage of it do
28:10
you have pictures of it that's how you
28:12
tell the story that's how it begins yeah
28:14
what about concerts you know um a couple
28:16
years back we've seen a lot of different
28:19
artists come out and say yo I don't want
28:21
any cameras at my show and comedy shows
28:24
and comedy shows in particular um is
28:26
that to our detriment or is that
28:29
something that we should accept because
28:32
now everyone is a documentarian it's
28:34
important for their own memories and for
28:36
their own family yeah I know I've been
28:38
in a couple of those situations where oh
28:40
you got put your phone in some kind of
28:41
bag or something yeah and um I always
28:44
feel a little uncomfortable about that
28:46
but I get it because there's a lot of
28:49
money maybe on the line for that they're
28:51
getting to broadcast this somewhere
28:54
maybe six months from then and they want
28:56
to make sure that nobody's putting the
28:58
whole concert on IG live s for free true
29:02
yeah good ass point right and so um so I
29:06
get it you know but as long as
29:08
somebody's documenting it to even the
29:10
artist they have their own like crws you
29:12
know like they roll with now so you know
29:14
that concert films yeah yeah like the
29:17
Renaissance right I went to the
29:18
Renaissance with my my daughter back to
29:20
my daughter we going to see
29:22
Renaissance and my wife and they were
29:25
like I was like I don't know if I could
29:27
sit through that like that's like that's
29:28
for y'all you know I love Beyonce but
29:30
I'm not you know it's not really my
29:31
thing and so he's like no we're going in
29:34
and everybody was dressed up and they
29:36
were dancing around in the aisles and it
29:38
was fil right for the film and I was
29:40
like okay this is interesting uhuh I get
29:43
this I get what this is go ahead B I see
29:46
you did you ever film her coming up yeah
29:50
yeah all of the um Soul Train Awards and
29:53
all remember we used to they used to
29:54
have a press day yeah the Press day you
29:55
got all those I got all of those with
29:57
with Destiny a couple of them and
29:59
backstage when she was uh behind the
30:01
scenes like of of music videos couple of
30:03
music videos we did yeah she she she
30:05
done the work she's made herself like
30:08
she don't have to be available now she's
30:10
done it she was available she was there
30:12
you know if you wanted to do something
30:14
with her she made herself available so
30:16
she's put in a lot of work so you know
30:18
and now you know country song I'm like
30:20
yo that's country song banging Texas
30:22
hold him hot I'm learning the little
30:24
line dances all that yeah right it's a
30:26
line danc yeah I got do ly dancing when
30:29
we get to our age I'm sorry we get to
30:31
our we line dancing we line dancing
30:33
simple all right hey DB what you got
30:36
yeah um I want to go back to what you
30:37
said about um the video being the how
30:39
you tell the story the visual aspect and
30:41
that's a big component for me in terms
30:43
of like how I remember certain songs and
30:45
you know growing up with all these
30:46
different Outlets of showing music
30:47
videos um I wanted to ask you about the
30:50
evolution of the music video because you
30:52
know in the early stages of hip-hop
30:53
coming up you know you had stuff like
30:55
the message or self-destruction that
30:57
were portraying what was happening in
30:59
their surroundings and their environment
31:00
where they were growing up then it
31:01
became a little bit more flashier you
31:03
know in the 90s and things like that and
31:04
then it really went over the top where
31:06
it was like how much money can we spend
31:08
to get the you know the the nicest car
31:10
or whatever the best outfits and jewelry
31:11
and all that stuff and then now I don't
31:13
know where really where it's at in terms
31:15
of like are they doing more Grassroots
31:17
yeah because yeah because now it's like
31:18
Tik Tok and like social media as opposed
31:20
to like really people really competing
31:22
music videos for spots so I don't know I
31:24
just wanted to get your take in terms of
31:26
like how important it is not to devalue
31:29
the music video I think that the music
31:31
video gave birth to a bunch of major
31:34
directors and film feature film
31:36
directors um when you look at you know
31:39
um yeah hyp
31:41
William um G uh Gary gr you know all
31:44
these people yeah that came out of music
31:46
video and many more than that um you
31:49
know because it gives you three minutes
31:51
to tell a story with back in the days
31:53
when you'd watch Rap City and yo and all
31:56
these shows you you could tell a story
31:58
and you you learned how to tell that
32:00
story and then you started to do it with
32:01
feature films many people that was their
32:04
goal from day one to do music videos and
32:06
then go to Future films and so um I
32:09
think that taking away that opportunity
32:13
to tell stories is not good I still
32:15
think that there are some great music
32:17
videos out there that periodically
32:19
people tag me in y r check this out I'm
32:22
pretty sure they do that to you way all
32:23
the time and you know and I'm like man
32:25
but nobody's seeing this like how come
32:27
we not seeing this because there's no
32:29
show and it's on YouTube but if you
32:31
don't know it's on YouTube you ain't
32:33
looking for it I I had an executive tell
32:35
me at bet one time nobody wants to watch
32:36
music videos no more Ralph that's dead
32:39
because they can watch it on YouTube I
32:40
said but how do they know that um The
32:43
Bad Boys in featuring K Love by um
32:46
Inspector Gadget is on YouTube and he's
32:49
like what I said right ex exactly it's
32:52
going to take that show but then too I
32:54
think if if if even though they're
32:56
everywhere
32:57
right but if Ralph McDaniels curated a
33:01
hourong video show of videos of his
33:03
choice why he likes some telling the uh
33:06
giving the context to it the backstory
33:09
to these artists uh today you know I
33:12
would watch that I would want to see a
33:14
curated video playlist experience
33:17
experience right yeah and and it would
33:19
lead you to other things which is you
33:20
know what you know what happens and so I
33:23
think that is you know people ask me all
33:25
the time yo man you should bring it back
33:27
and I said well you know we have to have
33:29
some Executives somewhere you know take
33:32
get out of the Lazy Boy y'all and you
33:35
know try something a little different
33:37
get on get on the edge because hip hop
33:39
is always on the edge and it's not
33:41
costing y'all nothing but me in the
33:42
studio you know doing talking and I
33:46
don't think it would be that difficult
33:47
you know so that's that's easy it's not
33:49
an expensive job and we we pull up some
33:51
music video it helps the catalog of the
33:54
that these these people have and and it
33:56
would sell you know and I think it would
33:58
it would move some other cataloges
34:00
forward as well oh I got an idea for
34:02
that too all right Ralph McDaniel is
34:03
here 8874 I know how you can create
34:05
different vertical from that too woo
34:08
yeah the wheels is turning well you know
34:10
all these labels talk about you know oh
34:12
man I got uh we got these amazing
34:15
cataloges Ralph I said well but y'all
34:17
are selling your own catalog that's
34:19
corny we want to get the dirt like I got
34:22
let me show let me go to some footage of
34:24
wuang in Staten Island in in 19 93 MH I
34:28
got that too so we could show some of
34:31
that and then okay let's play protect
34:33
your neck now boom but y'all tell it
34:35
like it's a beautiful story everything
34:37
was not beautiful about hip-hop I me oh
34:39
yeah it's amazing album The Purple tape
34:41
BL BL yeah right but let ghost and them
34:45
say it and let let Ray and them say the
34:47
story you know that's what we need
34:49
because you got somebody sitting in the
34:50
office and they just want to no this is
34:52
the way we're going to do it we going to
34:54
keep it real simple we don't have to
34:56
have any Interac action with anyone with
34:59
anyone and we'll just put the music out
35:01
and I'm like that's corny nobody rock
35:04
and roll didn't do that come on man
35:06
don't do that to us there you go Ralph
35:07
McDaniels there you go icon talking icon
35:11
talking Kev is in Charlotte Kev what's
35:13
your question hey Kev cool and cool and
35:15
what's up y'all how y'all doing today
35:16
happy uh what is it in Tuesday just
35:19
happy Kev go ahead man
35:21
what hey I really just had a comment Mr
35:24
McDaniel appreciate you man appreciate
35:25
your contribution to the uh culture hip
35:28
hop and music and everything visually
35:30
thank you um I really am looking forward
35:33
to this uh workbook the what Tracy call
35:35
it the interactive workbook book um just
35:39
because it's implemented into literacy
35:41
if y'all remember me I'm always calling
35:43
about education absolutely that's I put
35:45
you on Sir go ahead but I love how you
35:49
are coming from the old era and I look
35:52
at it as a giant catching up to the
35:54
Future and you're bringing that to our
35:56
children you know what I mean we got
35:57
music out here now and a lot of us
35:59
adults may or may not relate to it or
36:01
adapt to it but we even got the the the
36:03
older ones yeah coming up taking that
36:06
big giant step forward saying you know
36:07
like we here we're still here and you
36:10
know this is what we're bringing to the
36:12
culture from back in the past that your
36:14
parents know about you know what I mean
36:15
as far as coming from the kids so I
36:17
definitely appreciate that being
36:18
implemented into literacy and literature
36:21
and in a fun and Interactive Learning
36:23
way so I'm definitely looking forward to
36:24
it being in Barnes & Noble you said
36:26
after this Saturday correct yeah yeah
36:28
okay all right cool well I'm definitely
36:30
looking forward to it and sway I'm also
36:31
a big fan of rap dads I actually got EST
36:34
from him a couple of months ago
36:37
promoting that so I'm always always
36:39
looking forward to adding things into my
36:41
home that I hear from you man so I
36:43
appreciate that as always man Kev you
36:45
you all right with me man come on man
36:47
Kev you are all right with me rap we got
36:49
a new episode too rap dads Ralph we have
36:52
to hit get you on rap dads I'm with it
36:54
yeah and it's just just people come from
36:56
the and they talk about their
36:57
experiences being a father kind of like
37:00
what we've been talking about today
37:01
right and daughters daughters we ain't
37:03
even talking about Sons uh and then uh
37:06
we had uh cot of the fiend on the show
37:09
uh just this week and we're featuring
37:10
cot of the fiend on the show we've had
37:12
Jim Jones we've had a lot of people just
37:14
really open up we got rap dads merch too
37:16
if you go to the rap dads show on
37:18
Instagram the rap dads show we got some
37:21
cool hoodies that we're doing and other
37:23
things that we doing around I like that
37:25
I like that one of those
37:27
seg there you like that thank you Kev
37:29
I'll put you to work baby you a super
37:30
citizen all right yes sir thank you man
37:33
love y'all love you too man oh man I
37:35
love how call great man that dude is off
37:38
Ralph thank you you're welcome brother
37:41
than you thank youal can you keep coming
37:43
back up cuz I well you know I do have a
37:46
job but you know give me a give me a
37:48
little little little heads up I'm with
37:51
it Ralph Ralph has agreed to co-host the
37:53
show on days when let's get him okay so
37:57
torch torture connect with you just so
37:59
we have your number you got Ralph's
38:00
number nope damn right torture I got it
38:04
I got it don't worry about it okay Ralph
38:06
thank you very much anything you want to
38:07
say in closing brother hey man look
38:09
thanks for the uh the the love as always
38:11
follow me at video music box um if you
38:14
out there and get Rosco learns about
38:16
video music box right now you need that
38:18
in your house you need that in your
38:19
house man all right thank you on that
38:21
not we're going to conclude our
38:25
show
#Arts & Entertainment