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R&B Legend Jon B Shares His Tupac Story, Addresses Justin Timberlake Issue & Talks New Music
Nov 17, 2023
R&B legend Jon B stopped by Sway In The Morning and shared an incredible story about playing his music for the late Tupac Shakur. Jon B discussed his upcoming single and music video “Waiting On You” featuring Tank, his highly anticipated album that includes collaborations with Tank, Faith Evans, and more. Jon B turns another year older this Saturday (November 11th), and to celebrate, he has another single with Rick Ross dropping soon. Keep reading to learn more about Jon B’s fascinating story.
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R&B Legend Jon B Shares His Tupac Story, Addresses Justin Timberlake Issue & Talks New Music
https://youtu.be/q56rooe6h8I
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
still down for me still down for me
0:02
legendary for so many reasons keep the
0:04
Applause going for me
0:07
torch still down for me are you still
0:11
down what an are you still down amazing
0:14
song I will forever be connected to that
0:17
song by John B and the iconic Tupac
0:20
Shakur for many of reasons but I was
0:24
gifted to be in a certain space at a
0:26
certain time it was like lightning in
0:28
the bottle and me and our next guest who
0:31
has written songs for so many of the
0:33
greats whether it's after seven Tony
0:36
Braxton Color Me Bad the Spice Girls
0:39
Michael Jackson Working With The One and
0:41
Only Tupac Shakur actually recorded his
0:45
last verse on that song we just heard of
0:48
him being alive yeah y the one and only
0:53
John B is in the
0:56
studio what's good my brother
1:00
man come man yo when we saw D we had to
1:05
hug each other that's my Bri right here
1:08
bro this is my family for real and just
1:11
you know so glad to see you bro we got
1:14
so much history bro this it all begins
1:15
right here to this song yeah this song
1:17
right here well it actually because at
1:21
the time you you know I was working on
1:23
Kel when you first came out up in the
1:25
Bay Area we we supported and played all
1:27
of your music back then at you to come
1:30
up to the bay and per but this
1:32
particular song citizens if there's ever
1:34
story that I love to be told by someone
1:36
else other than me is this one John B
1:39
Tupac and myself well listen man I came
1:42
you know because my man bezo who's here
1:44
today be over um he he shouted me out
1:48
and he was like I'm at I'm at um the
1:50
video shoot with Tupac and he wants to
1:53
talk to you and I was like what all
1:54
right cool put him on the phone so he
1:56
gets on the phone he's like man I need
1:57
you down here John B I love your music
1:59
bro I'm a fan come down I was like done
2:02
I'm there so I literally showed up like
2:04
30 minutes later I was just you know a
2:07
sped on down to the video shoot and um I
2:10
remember it was you it was uh Casey and
2:14
JoJo y it was Johnny J rest in peace
2:18
Johny the producer of the track of are
2:20
you still down that's that's who did the
2:22
track for are you still down was Johnny
2:23
J mhm um I remember everybody was on the
2:26
RV you know and and I walked in and it
2:29
was po and he was just like what's up
2:30
man and of course I felt instantaneously
2:33
comfortable cuz I already knew you so I
2:34
was like what's up sway you know we
2:36
chopping it up and he was like well what
2:37
you got for me man what you got for me
2:40
so I actually had a beat tape of all my
2:42
production my Beats that I had and I
2:44
started playing it right away and I
2:46
remember you remember this he started
2:48
freestyling to my beat right off the
2:51
right off the Jump and it was just
2:52
like like that Pac like everybody was
2:55
just like okay y'all got one like you
2:57
need to get in the studio with that
2:58
right away you know you know what I mean
3:00
and just the energy of us cuz I was
3:02
telling him what my concept was for the
3:04
song we going back and forth and he just
3:06
knew that we were going to come up with
3:07
something good but we we hadn't done our
3:09
still down yet so it was like what are
3:11
we going to do man let's make it happen
3:13
anyway a couple weeks later man he hit
3:15
me up he was like come down to the
3:16
studio came down man I thought I was
3:19
going to make a track and like impress
3:22
him and you know do all this production
3:23
or whatever in front of him and I said
3:26
before I start making the beat do you
3:28
have anything that you want to play me
3:30
that you know what I mean you think it's
3:31
dope that's smart and he played me are
3:33
you still down the track uhuh by Johnny
3:36
J was the first thing he played me I
3:37
said done I'm putting all my equipment
3:40
away let's let's get this going right
3:42
now put this beat on tape right now
3:44
let's write to this and I think three or
3:46
four hours later man we had are you
3:47
still down wow and that's how it came to
3:50
be so I didn't know that it happened so
3:54
fast the day we were on that RV yeah for
3:57
you but I do remember you John B was so
4:01
focused you was so focused I try to
4:04
shoot my shot as best I could man you
4:06
know what I mean get a get a song with
4:07
Tupac man yeah right and this was in
4:10
1996 right wow and Casey and JoJo was on
4:14
there there was some other uh um people
4:16
on that on that RV yeah casy and Jojo
4:18
and my boys too like we toured a lot
4:20
together and we at that point we were
4:22
already like brothers so they were like
4:23
all right that's little you know that's
4:24
little JB that's I was part of their
4:26
click too so it was like in you know
4:28
coming into them you know made me feel
4:30
instant instantaneously comfortable you
4:33
know and Pac he was a real wild guy you
4:35
know what I mean you know he's like
4:37
cursing out the director I come on the
4:39
Sip when I want my video man you know so
4:42
it's real intense you know what I mean
4:44
well the video was was cool to us you
4:45
know it it was how do you want it yeah
4:48
how do you want it and it was the clean
4:50
version it was the x-rated they had the
4:52
x-rated version as well with Heather
4:53
Hunter Ron
4:55
Jeremy Ron I haven heard his name in a
4:58
while pons in the video it was Wild Man
5:01
wild scene to come into I'm I'm so happy
5:04
that we just did a a street renaming in
5:06
Oakland for Tupac and all of us got a
5:09
chance to tell these stories of how we
5:11
hung out with him in Oakland and the
5:12
whole n and I'm sitting on this story
5:15
with johnb for decades that
5:17
nobody I can really talk to about it
5:21
until now and so you are a part of
5:24
history and that song is in the history
5:26
vaults yes sir because of you and that
5:29
man sought after you and that's one of
5:30
the things he did he sought after people
5:33
and he delegated you didn't know what he
5:36
wanted from you like you didn't know why
5:37
he called you man I was I felt so
5:40
shocked you know and then when I went to
5:42
the studio and did the song with him
5:44
after I remember him telling me hey come
5:46
on I got this other record I want you to
5:47
check out in the other room and he had
5:49
the other Studio booked they had two
5:51
rooms in the studio and uh he goes in
5:54
there and he puts presses play on the
5:56
tape machine is To Live and Die in LA
6:00
is the place to be and he's playing that
6:02
record and he did his first the first
6:05
cuz he did two tracks of his vocal that
6:07
he would do he he would he would spit it
6:09
once and he hear it make sure he liked
6:12
it and then he'd go right back in and
6:13
spit it right over on top of the boat
6:15
and double track his vocal okay but
6:17
literally you could not tell that it was
6:19
two voices because he would double his
6:21
voice so perfectly that it was just like
6:25
it was like photographic memory that he
6:27
had of how the tone you know changes in
6:30
his voice and he just would match it so
6:32
perfectly so he went in there and he did
6:34
the second take for uh to live in like
6:38
right in front of me like it was nothing
6:40
like I was like like that for real I'm
6:44
sitting there with Val young who was the
6:46
singer for the song she sang the hook on
6:47
there and we would just mouth drop and
6:49
still to this day we always when we see
6:51
each other remember when Pac just went
6:52
in there bust that verse like it was
6:54
nothing it just doubled his vocal like
6:56
so perfectly yeah he was a d damic
6:59
person I mean he was if you ain't doing
7:02
three joints a day man you ain't really
7:04
about it man you know what I mean like
7:05
to make three joints in the studio a day
7:07
you know that that's his pacing was like
7:10
that he did he drop any gems on you that
7:12
you recall yeah he did the last thing he
7:14
said to me man it was it was crazy a
7:17
quote he's like don't waste your talent
7:19
bro he's like you're so talented brother
7:21
just don't waste your talent man that
7:24
was the last thing he said to you that's
7:25
the last thing he said my man John B
7:28
what a heck of a story man come on man
7:30
he got a new project I got a new video
7:32
waiting on you that's out right now
7:34
featuring Tank y okay tank is in it come
7:37
on that's our tented up my brother tank
7:41
and that's off the upcoming album he has
7:42
another single with Ricky Ros dropping
7:44
soon yes sir John B I mentioned has
7:47
written for Michael Tony braaton after
7:50
seven Spice Girl
7:52
Tupac let you got to write our album
7:55
what you going to do on it huh I
7:58
got my ad Li are dope I got some I got
8:02
killer ad lips John come on
8:04
man you know my voice you heard it a
8:06
long time all right Mike m is here and
8:08
he has um um he want to speak with you
8:11
as well yes I had no idea you were
8:12
coming in today but what's interesting
8:14
you I'm C I don't think you remember me
8:16
but you might remember the
8:18
moment I I know your face absolutely I
8:21
know your face I remember I remember
8:23
faces exactly so what happened was uh
8:26
for those who don't know I sawed a
8:27
record label called Muse recordings and
8:29
at the University of Michigan we
8:31
sponsored homecoming uh as part of our
8:33
album release and I'm the one who
8:35
brought you and my business partner
8:37
Marcus Collins brought you University of
8:38
Michigan to perform and to headline our
8:40
homecoming
8:41
concert do you remember that time I do I
8:44
do I do un Michigan at least yeah yeah
8:47
for sure man for sure and crushed it so
8:49
ever since I've always been a huge I was
8:51
a huge fan obviously beforehand we
8:52
brought you but ever since then always
8:54
had special place with us bro so it's
8:56
good to see you again man oh man it's
8:58
glad glad to be seeing glad to be here
8:59
I'm so blessed man thank you so much
9:01
Mike got you a check huh Mike got you a
9:03
check what he's trying to tell you he
9:05
got you a check you remember that money
9:08
I remember I
9:10
remember cool story man um when you
9:12
first came out with Bonafide right and
9:15
that that's the one that we we played a
9:17
lot in the bay too we was very
9:19
supportive of you yeah but I recall at
9:22
that time there wasn't um R&B singers
9:24
that look like John
9:27
B no that's a fact
9:29
for sure that's what I was going to ask
9:31
it was not it wasn't and in fact I I
9:34
that was the bunch of many jokes in the
9:35
morning you know what I mean um come to
9:37
The Breakfast Club you know or whoever
9:39
you know what I'm saying in the morning
9:40
wherever whatever kind of breakfast
9:42
morning show was happening in in every
9:44
state I was literally like the joke of
9:47
the morning like how you sound like that
9:48
you know what I mean and so if it was it
9:50
was cool and because what it was for me
9:53
was I never anticipated getting to that
9:56
place like that you know I didn't expect
9:59
to be accepted so quickly and also for
10:01
to have that um that uh you know to be
10:05
able to be welcomed into the music
10:07
industry that I love so much R&B music
10:09
was my pride and joy to be welcomed in
10:12
by the R&B producer baby face you know
10:16
was it felt so official for me I didn't
10:18
I didn't feel intimidated by by the
10:21
jokes I felt like okay you throw me that
10:24
curveball Watch Me Hit It Out the park
10:26
you know I mean and um cuz minute I
10:27
start talking about what I do
10:29
and how much I love what I do there was
10:32
no denying that you know I was going to
10:33
be a person that people had to take
10:35
seriously you this blue eyes sold is
10:38
that is that an insult to you well I
10:39
don't have blue eyes but I'll take I
10:41
take the
10:42
reference but is that derogatory to you
10:45
no no no you know what I mean we got to
10:47
you know just live with the the things
10:48
that are set you know in terms of like
10:51
the way that you know people refer the
10:53
things I get it you know what I mean but
10:54
um but I want to live out a deeper
10:57
meaning so that I don't it doesn't
10:59
always have to be blue-eyed soul forever
11:01
yeah like I'd like to redefine that you
11:03
know what I mean with the way that I
11:04
carry myself and the way that I make my
11:06
music um because it's not just about
11:09
separating ourselves with you know these
11:11
physical things I feel like we're tuning
11:13
into a Consciousness that's that's um
11:17
very very easy to tune into if you if
11:19
you tune into it the love frequency baby
11:21
you know I mean I think everybody can
11:22
relate to that so go deeper than the
11:25
Skin Man deeper than the skin you think
11:27
your high top fade my last thing you
11:30
know
11:32
what oh boy top F now um but John the
11:37
thing with John is you had authentic
11:40
swag to us app so we didn't feel like
11:42
you was trying to fake being black and
11:44
Soulful thank you we just felt like this
11:46
is a Soulful being we felt this hard
11:49
yeah at least I did yeah no and then you
11:51
heard the music and welcome to the show
11:53
by the way um you know you heard the
11:55
music you got to say Heather be that's a
11:57
leg come on come on the only other bee
12:00
up in the building that's
12:02
it um no but we heard the music first
12:05
and then you saw the video but by then
12:07
you was already so stuck on the song and
12:09
hooked like it just did not matter and
12:11
then to sway's point it was authentic
12:13
but I asked you as an artist um there's
12:17
one thing to get a stamp by like a baby
12:19
face right you're like okay I'm in no
12:21
matter what people think I got the baby
12:23
face stamp but then come on dog Michael
12:25
Jackson like what was that whole thing
12:27
about and how did that make you as I had
12:29
to get to Michael because Michael was
12:31
sort of like the he was the Genesis of
12:34
it all before baby face before New
12:37
Edition you know New Edition was a big
12:39
giant Absol stepping stone in my in my
12:41
evolve you know involving evolving as a
12:44
R&B artist and producer songs like Can
12:47
You Stand The Rain are like that's
12:49
probably one of my favorite Ballads of
12:50
all time uh but Michael Jackson was sort
12:53
of like the Genesis he was the Rhythm he
12:56
was the the swag he was the energy
12:59
behind um behind R&B that I felt like
13:02
was sort of like the leading Catalyst
13:04
you know what I mean that he was the the
13:06
guy that I paid the most attention to um
13:09
so when it came to working with you know
13:11
collaborating with artists that I they
13:12
said who's your dream list Michael was
13:14
at the top you know and um actually I
13:17
had the uh the pleasure of being managed
13:20
by his management team I went straight
13:22
to his manage that was one thing that
13:24
Babyface did right away was he made sure
13:25
that I had the right representation and
13:27
he walked me straight into Michael
13:29
Jackson's management uh Sandy gallon and
13:31
Jim Mory at the time oh wow and got got
13:33
me signed to them you know so it
13:35
wouldn't be e it wouldn't be that hard
13:37
to get a record on Mike if I'm managed
13:39
by the same manager you know what I'm
13:40
saying so that's the way I got that
13:42
remix for You are not alone and um y did
13:45
you ever go in the studio with him I
13:46
didn't get to actually get in the studio
13:48
with him I work with his voice alone but
13:50
it was really cool because he called me
13:52
in the studio when I was working on it
13:55
said Michael Jackson's on the phone
13:56
would you like to speak to I say yes
13:57
please put him through yeah you know
14:00
me hi how you doing John and this
14:03
Michael and I was just like oh my gosh
14:05
so nice to meet you sir and just what an
14:07
honor and a pleasure to do this for you
14:09
and well I Love the remix and I love
14:11
what you're doing so keep doing your
14:12
thing and I just want to give you my
14:14
heads up and shout out just like oh my
14:17
God Mike thank you so much sir I'm just
14:19
an honor to meet you I just kept
14:21
repeating that over I don't know what to
14:24
say and then we actually had the the
14:26
pleasure of meeting each other at the
14:27
Brit Awards
14:29
um my manag his manager walked Walked me
14:31
back and um I remember seeing him
14:33
backstage and he was really nervous to
14:36
meet anyone he was in fact it made me
14:38
feel in incredibly awkward because he I
14:41
don't have time for this I'm gonna be
14:43
late for my show and and I was just like
14:45
oh man is this not the right time they
14:47
walk out the room and then they were no
14:49
no it's cool it's cool he's good and
14:51
when he said it's John B and then I
14:52
walked in he was like oh hey John and
14:55
then we took a picture together and I
14:56
look hella nervous in the picture damn
14:59
you blew it I'm standing like oh man I
15:01
don't know if this is okay but right you
15:03
know we took the picture and it was a
15:04
great picture and you know that's my
15:06
moment that I actually got to shake his
15:08
hand you know there you go and just say
15:10
thank you you know what I mean how many
15:12
people can say that John B man you got
15:14
the picture still too yes I do yes I do
15:17
I'll keep that in my phone that be a
15:18
screen
15:19
saer playing John B but but let me say
15:22
this John John B has new music waiting
15:25
on you featuring Tank that's out now he
15:27
got an album coming up as well
15:29
right yes I'm looking forward to putting
15:31
this record out you know it took a long
15:32
time to uh to make this one you know
15:34
with all the touring and everything I've
15:35
been doing I've been one of a hardest
15:37
R&B know hardest working R&B you know
15:40
artist in the game you know um I can
15:41
honestly say that I'm not not afraid to
15:44
go where I need to go to to sing for my
15:45
people you know what I mean people that
15:47
is the reason why I'm still here today
15:49
so still making records um still
15:51
collaborating with my favorites you know
15:53
I did a record with tank that's the it's
15:55
just this is a movement right here I
15:57
love this song it's called waiting on
15:58
you you uhhuh and for all my fans that
16:00
been waiting on me you know this is this
16:02
is my uh this is It's a masterpiece for
16:05
me I just having tank blessed me with
16:07
the bridge like he did you know what
16:10
interesting I went on his podcast and I
16:12
R&B money and we had a great time love
16:16
we had a great time man and you know I
16:17
told him I said bro I got to play This
16:19
Record because it was inspired by you
16:21
you know I want to say you know your way
16:23
of you know that you do your thing
16:25
really you know it it it influenced me
16:28
and um I want to play you this record
16:29
and see if you if you you know if you
16:31
Vibe it and right away when he heard it
16:33
he heard the influence and he was like
16:35
yo I got to be on that joint and I said
16:37
oh my gosh here we go this is going to
16:40
be a this is going to be a movement so
16:42
yeah man he he blessed me he came to the
16:44
crib and you know Tank's such a
16:46
wonderful guy he just makes everything
16:47
so easy he's so consistent of a person
16:49
too he's always been the same since I
16:51
met him from day one we worked together
16:53
back in 2004 on my Stronger Everyday
16:56
project so it was really nice to get
16:57
back in the studio and do things now you
17:00
know what I mean everything he's
17:01
talented let's play that waiting on you
17:04
yes John B is here 888 742
17:09
3345 that's my John B voice I know John
17:12
B you should do radio I'm just waiting
17:14
on you my brand new single right here
17:16
baby we Back featuring my man tank this
17:19
is waiting on you waiting on you baby
17:22
that's why I've been single this long
17:24
just wait song is for me right there
17:27
John B is hanging out waiting you knew
17:29
the video was here the single was here
17:31
featuring Tank album got Faith Evans on
17:33
it
17:35
ironically Faith Evans and you put out
17:37
she put out the Faith Evans album when
17:39
you put out the Bonafide album yeah yeah
17:42
actually Faith isn't on this album she's
17:43
not she's not she's not she was she was
17:46
going to be but something happened and
17:47
then we end
17:48
up yeah but we do have a song called uh
17:51
Overjoyed that was on my third album
17:53
uhhuh and is one of my favorite records
17:55
I ever did collaborating with anybody
17:57
Pleasures you was it pleas you like
17:59
pleas you like like and the song was
18:01
called Overjoyed featuring Faith evens I
18:03
wrote and produced that song and oh man
18:05
to have her come through and not want to
18:06
change anything she's just like I love
18:08
it I love let's do it like that I like
18:11
man okay let's go anybody ever really
18:13
want to change
18:14
something I
18:16
mean I mean labels you know what I mean
18:19
would recommend things they would say
18:21
you know um why don't we do this a
18:24
different mix or whatever you know what
18:26
I mean and they so you know you try to
18:28
appe because you want everybody to feel
18:31
as connected and like it's theirs as
18:33
much as possible because then evidently
18:35
those are the people are going to
18:36
gladiate situation for you you know what
18:38
I mean and so the more personally they
18:40
are connected to the record then I feel
18:41
like that kind of can tell whether
18:44
they're going to do a good job for you
18:45
or not but um other other times I feel
18:47
like people come in with such a respect
18:50
and and
18:52
uh love for what you do that they just
18:55
compliment you and they just say Well
18:56
done man and that's the that's the the
18:58
greatest feeling when you can just turn
19:00
something in and everybody's like with
19:02
it you know I mean not trying to pick it
19:03
apart
19:04
or you know cuz I mean we could always
19:06
do a remix whatever but I mean it's just
19:09
nice to uh hit it hit it on the head
19:11
from the jump you know what I mean John
19:12
B is here Tracy I really enjoyed that
19:14
record with tank waiting on you yeah
19:17
you're so welcome and it makes me think
19:18
about the evolution of R&B you know and
19:22
how both Heather and sway said you've
19:24
always had a very authentic Soul we've
19:27
just connected with the purity of your
19:29
voice and over the years more recent
19:31
years maybe in the last like 10 to 12 we
19:33
all saw a shift in a lot of mainstream
19:36
armb less conversations about love more
19:39
conversations about lust yeah less
19:41
emphasis on romance more emphasis on
19:44
raunchiness yeah right and we had um Jim
19:47
Jones on the show and it was funny a
19:49
couple days ago and he was saying how
19:51
all of the rappers initially wanted to
19:53
be R&B singers and in my mind I'm
19:55
thinking there are so many younger R&B
19:58
want to
20:00
be in your in your opinion true true
20:03
what do you think is like the change in
20:06
our culture that you know kind of
20:09
brought took down love as a priority and
20:12
put everything else which obviously
20:14
changed the sound of R&B for a time
20:17
that's a hard one to answer I
20:20
mean I don't know I think that um the
20:24
the classic music will always be the
20:26
classic music and you can always turn to
20:28
that that that energy when you need it
20:31
so it's there the 90s are there the 80s
20:33
are there the 70s are there the 60s are
20:35
there so we have and we've evolved and
20:37
we're we're so evolving but I think that
20:40
we kind of have to get to ground zero to
20:42
need that love again in our life you
20:45
know in order to need it again in order
20:47
to want it again you have to long for it
20:50
and in order to long for it you have to
20:52
be lonely again you have to be you know
20:55
Ground Zero as you said you know what
20:56
I'm saying and so sometimes we got to
20:59
break it all the way down to figure out
21:01
what we actually need and I want to be
21:03
the one to pick you up so when you do
21:05
need somebody that song is waiting for
21:08
you right there in that consoling voice
21:10
saying that you do deserve love you do
21:12
deserve to be happy you do deserve to be
21:14
content in your life you know what I
21:15
mean those voices are you in a
21:17
relationship now I'm actually 16 years
21:19
married there's my wife there Queen
21:21
right there love you must have felt her
21:25
eyes on your back of your
21:27
neck
21:29
my neck got hot up my neck got hot all
21:31
of a sudden like something's going on
21:34
are you let me represent this family
21:37
well you AB
21:40
absolutely my baby girls are at the
21:42
hotel waiting for are they my 16 and my
21:45
nine yeah I think to um Jahim started a
21:49
trend of music that a lot of people
21:51
started to go in the direction that you
21:54
like the RB Thug kind of yeah I do and I
21:56
don't mean that because I love Jim's
21:58
music I don't mean that in a
22:00
disrespectful way at all but it started
22:02
a trend where I think people just kind
22:05
of kept extending on and extending on it
22:07
and got to the point that we were
22:08
speaking about you know versus what I do
22:11
you one even pre Jim Dave holl Dave
22:15
Hollister was in black street right
22:18
what's name he was in black street but I
22:20
still think something about those beats
22:23
maybe from kg from from from Naughty by
22:26
Nature and that music and that undertone
22:28
it's like we left the bricks for the BBS
22:30
it just turned into something else you
22:32
know and it started it was like Thug
22:34
lyrics with har but it started a trend I
22:38
think and it it went that makes sense CU
22:40
it probably gave a lot of permission to
22:42
more of like hyper masculine dudes to
22:46
start getting in touch with their
22:47
emotions and then there was like a
22:49
hybrid of the two as well I love the
22:52
fact that hip hop and R&B kind of like
22:56
fused in the 90s you know used it we
22:58
didn't want it to be separate anymore we
23:00
got tired of saying things was R&B and
23:02
hip-hop and could
23:05
you a lot of hip-hop guys still want to
23:07
put a suit on and go dress up you know
23:09
what I mean and not have to wear the
23:10
baggy pants or whatever the hoodie
23:12
whatever just let that look alone and
23:14
then vice versa on the other side so you
23:16
had a lot of this crossing over and um
23:19
and you know are you still down was one
23:21
of the first records that was an R&B
23:24
singer on the verse and then a a rapper
23:27
on on the verse and then the hook came
23:28
in R&V again so it was like mixing the
23:31
Both Worlds and I remember how what of a
23:33
tough what a tough record that was to
23:35
work at Radio because you had these um
23:38
you had these uh rules at Radio where
23:40
they wouldn't play rap on certain
23:41
stations they wouldn't play rap music
23:43
they wouldn't play
23:45
MC
23:47
they take the tone out of his voice and
23:49
he's just speaking on the record they
23:50
don't want to play it but if he's
23:51
singing okay we'll play it so it was
23:53
really weird that we had these um these
23:56
rules you know and so to go against the
23:58
grain back then in the 9s wasn't
24:01
something that the labels looked at as a
24:03
good thing they looked at you're making
24:05
our job harder what the hell can you
24:06
just make a pop song so we can get a hit
24:08
and I'm like listen I did this with
24:10
Tupac this is a little deeper than you
24:12
guys understand what this is do you know
24:13
we had to fight for like a whole year
24:16
with the label to try to get them to put
24:18
this record out in fact the record got
24:20
leaked and that forced the label to put
24:23
oh wow I mean not only did we have Pac
24:26
who was you know just had passed MH um
24:29
not able to have him to vouge for the
24:31
record but we had AI Shakur who came to
24:34
my Aid and and actually making sure that
24:36
the song came out because she said my
24:38
son played me that song and my son never
24:41
played me his music very often because
24:43
of the language and stuff like that and
24:45
so you know but he was proud of this
24:47
record he said mom look at I look what I
24:49
did this song with John B and I came to
24:52
you know his mother invited me to be
24:54
sing at the memorial wow um and so after
24:58
the Memorial she invited me back to her
24:59
home and I went back to aini Shakur's
25:03
home manam and went into Tupac's bedroom
25:06
where she had all his pictures and he
25:08
had swords that he collected like Conan
25:11
the Barbarian sword and like all these
25:13
different swords that he was into and
25:15
they were all hung up on the walls what
25:17
about pictures you and pictures after
25:19
pictures a whole room that was literally
25:22
like it it was like wallpaper of
25:24
pictures of Po there was not a a spot in
25:27
the room that was not covered with
25:29
pictures of her and her son and the
25:31
family and everything with Pac so I felt
25:34
very much welcome I remember his his
25:36
sister was there set mopr was there
25:39
Talib yeah and um it was just a family
25:42
experience man you know what I mean and
25:44
they did they cook for you I cried you
25:46
know what I mean in front of her it was
25:47
just like I didn't even really know how
25:48
to hold my emotions cuz I was just so
25:51
grateful you know and I'm just going
25:54
tohe say man we smoked the blunt
25:55
together too okay you want to so you
25:58
definitely have food there then up
26:01
that's something when you can say that
26:02
you smoked the
26:03
uhak you bless her spirit wasn't B you
26:07
know that was high grade we was in the
26:09
middle of this beautiful man she had a
26:11
beautiful beautiful Country House in the
26:13
middle of the U country Atlanta you know
26:16
what I mean in the in the in the sticks
26:18
bro and it was just like you had to a
26:20
long old driveway with all these trees
26:22
and be that was that was I could tell
26:24
that was her um her pride and
26:26
joy thank you for sharing that brother
26:29
oh man such a pleasure come on man Mike
26:31
you want to close us out here yeah John
26:33
you're one of the Contemporary R&B
26:34
artists that still relevant still making
26:36
music today that we grew up with and so
26:38
I'm just curious like what season are
26:40
you in like we hear that you're married
26:41
you have children like what is this
26:43
album about what season are you in I'm
26:45
curious about that I'm I'm really this
26:47
is the season of letting the flowers
26:49
bloom you know what I mean like finally
26:50
letting them bloom because they've been
26:52
you know they've sort of been uh planted
26:55
the seeds have been planted they've been
26:56
you know watered and I've done a lot of
26:58
cultivating over the years so to to
27:01
watch them Blossom and to actually pop
27:02
out the ground and have the you know I
27:04
mean start to show the flowers it's like
27:07
it's a beautiful process cuz I didn't
27:08
get into it I didn't get into the game
27:10
for the same reasons I I see a lot of
27:12
people in this game for and that is for
27:14
the accolades for the fame for a lot of
27:17
the the the icing on the cake you know
27:19
I'm for the cake I want not only do I
27:21
want the money but I want the you know I
27:23
want the the the the level of Rapport
27:27
that have in this industry I want to
27:29
maintain that because I've been able
27:30
hasn't been an easy thing to maintain
27:32
you know I have to perform my ass off
27:34
every single time I get on stage and I
27:36
do that with with pride you know what I
27:38
mean for my people that have been
27:39
supporting me all these years but you
27:41
got to keep the energy you know you got
27:43
to keep creating you got to that's one
27:44
thing my wife never let me do is stop
27:47
you know what I mean she's just like I
27:49
don't care you feel if you feel bad
27:50
today you got to pick yourself up dust
27:53
it off and try again as aiyah said what
27:55
are you writing about I'm really writing
27:57
about my my life as best as possible in
27:59
the different aspects of being in a
28:02
relationship um you know waiting on you
28:05
is about waiting on the that that moment
28:07
of intimacy of you know where everything
28:09
calms down and you can have a real
28:12
moment together um that's what it means
28:14
to me but to other people it might mean
28:16
I'm waiting on an actual person I'm
28:18
actually waiting on my you know the one
28:20
I'm supposed to be with and so that you
28:22
know kind of covers all the basis with
28:24
that record and U tank kind of put a you
28:26
know when he brought the bridge he he he
28:28
brought the sexy to it you know what I
28:29
mean he made it he made it a bedroom
28:30
record when he when he when he brought
28:32
the bridge in you know what I mean so it
28:34
it kind of covers all the basis for me
28:36
but yeah there's another song called um
28:39
Hills to the hood which is featuring
28:40
Ricky Ros and I'm I was just talking
28:43
about basically being married to like a
28:45
down toe woman you know I mean being
28:47
with somebody who's just down toe she
28:48
can she could be anywhere at any time
28:50
and you know she belongs there cuz you
28:52
know it's the spirit she brings with her
28:54
so I want to take her around the world I
28:56
want to travel want to do all that and
28:58
that's what the song basically talks
28:59
about you know it's beautiful I love
29:00
that from the hills to the hood anywhere
29:02
anywhere I love that your wife make you
29:04
make you work on the track even with a
29:06
broken leg she don't care she said get
29:08
out there yeah no she she will not let
29:11
me you know the the touring is the grind
29:13
main mainly you know that keeps you busy
29:15
you know the touring is you know is the
29:17
planes you know it's the hotels so you
29:20
know no matter whether you're having a
29:21
good time or not you know it's still
29:23
it's a grind you know and um I feel like
29:26
sometimes you can come home and feel a
29:28
little bit discouraged feel like ah man
29:30
I'm tired you know what I mean I just
29:31
want to go on sip some peanut coladas on
29:34
an island somewhere for a little while
29:36
but you know um but that work ethic that
29:39
work that grind is nothing like it you
29:41
know when you jump in and you just stay
29:43
in it's man you feel that rhythm in your
29:45
life and things start to happen man you
29:47
know you inhabitant you watching the the
29:49
you watching the the Seas blossome John
29:52
B he's a he's legendary give this man a
29:55
round of applause yes thank you that's
29:58
Trac g g
30:02
appreciate thank you and and you've
30:06
inspired so many um and you opened the
30:09
door for so many there would there
30:11
wouldn't have been a if it wasn't for
30:13
Bonafide there wouldn't have been a
30:15
Justified okay oh snap your CL
30:20
W but I always felt that was crazy that
30:23
he named it Justified and my my album
30:25
was called bonafide
30:27
is there is there a connection is there
30:30
can we make a record Someday Justin
30:31
Timberlake oh let's make a record bro
30:33
let's put all that to bed what they say
30:35
man you know what I mean like it's this
30:37
is John Bolling at you you know what I
30:39
mean big bro let's make a record let's
30:41
go it was never no energy between you it
30:43
was never no energy you know what I mean
30:44
I feel like it was um it was the thing
30:47
that we just happen to have the same
30:49
complexion man you know I mean so they
30:50
wanted to compare us and I actually um
30:52
was able to chop it up with Robin Thick
30:54
recently too and like you know and get
30:56
and get and get get past that level of
30:59
the surface and be like y man you what
31:02
he say he's a good dude man he's a good
31:04
dude you know we have he's like I'm a
31:05
real R&B artist now because I've been
31:07
through some things and I like yes you
31:09
have bro yes you are you know what I
31:11
mean and to be able to give it this
31:14
rythm and blues okay you know what I
31:16
mean you have some have you have to have
31:18
some blues and sometimes that that
31:19
brings out that you know authenticity a
31:22
lot you know what I mean so if you
31:24
didn't feel like you were um you know
31:26
all the way there before now you really
31:28
are all the way there and uh and you
31:31
know people love what you do so anytime
31:33
you can be encouraging to someone else
31:34
you know who's kind of feeling a little
31:36
bit like you are that's a beautiful
31:38
thing to do it so I love being you know
31:40
Justin and you ever talk you know me and
31:42
Justin have really spoken on one
31:44
occasion I came to his birthday party
31:46
and blessed him on his birthday party
31:47
and said Peace you know and and that was
31:49
enough but I think that uh definitely
31:51
you know as much as his name gets
31:53
mentioned to me in interviews and and
31:55
you know through the for the years I've
31:56
been holding them down with no kind of
31:59
no kind of friction or anything I feel
32:01
like it would be a Jay-Z Nas moment you
32:04
know what I mean for us um o I like that
32:06
you know what I mean uh for for Justin
32:07
Timberlake and I to get together and I
32:09
didn't know this is breaking news for me
32:10
I didn't know white male R&B artists had
32:12
beef with each other I mean we don't
32:14
have beef I think people try to
32:16
insinuate that so they can have
32:17
something to talk about you know what I
32:18
mean like how do you feel about whatever
32:20
you know well how should I feel about it
32:22
and more power to you I feel like it's
32:24
not about anybody's complexion or any
32:27
sort of like relation to their cultural
32:29
background religious background anything
32:31
I feel like what makes us alike is the
32:34
fact that we both love Soul music and if
32:36
we can relate to each other on who your
32:38
favorite is and I'm sure we have stories
32:39
we could talk all night you know what I
32:41
mean so that's what's up John B I
32:43
appreciate you man this is a great time
32:45
this morning brother absolutely hey man
32:48
come on man come
32:51
on come on mik got you a check I never
32:54
got you
32:56
paid
32:57
you were there baby you were there the
32:59
Genesis there you go I was there baby
33:01
come on I know I know Pac is smiling
33:04
down right now is smiling on us with
33:06
chills he brought us together brother
33:08
all right John B look for hey check the
33:10
new single and video waiting on you
33:12
featuring Tank we going to end with that
33:13
song again the day upcoming album um did
33:17
you get the title yet yeah it's called
33:18
waiting on you is this Al the name of
33:20
the album is called waiting on you we've
33:21
been waiting long enough y'all you know
33:23
what I mean it's been a long time and he
33:24
celebrating the birthday man Happ
33:26
birthday
33:27
and you know I didn't even mention I'm
33:28
performing at Madison Square Gardens
33:30
tomorrow man baby face damn so that's
33:33
just a little small little small stunt
33:36
small stunt for the way out my first my
33:38
first time my first time being at MSG
33:40
too so it's a big moment for me man it's
33:43
all happening the blossoming yes the
33:44
blossom it's the season of The Blossom
33:47
the blossoming oh that's a title or
33:49
something I don't know you might have
33:50
just change my name my name my album
33:53
okay all right go ahead you know just
33:55
put a picture of me I I don't want no
33:57
money that's the check you even now yo
34:00
DB how can it reach you everything is at
34:01
it's really DB torch I'm at torch and
34:05
that's torch i n g t o n Mike Muse yo
34:07
hit me up I am Mike Muse MN Twitter
34:10
Instagram at R and tune in to the Mike
34:11
Muse show tomorrow 4M Eastern Standard
34:14
Time right here on Ser XM Urban view
34:15
channel 126 all right we want to thank
34:17
Regis uh rugaru prus for being joining
34:21
us today he's fighting Deon the dream
34:23
Haney December the 9th and big horse
34:25
from Bridge Business make sure you
34:26
follow him at big horse Veron bully
34:29
Heather be us at the happy hour with whb
34:31
she's on Urban view right now Tracy how
34:33
can they reach you yo s says you can
34:35
reach me on threads Instagram H Tracy
34:37
git t s t a YG you can also find my
34:41
voice on my podcast glow in the dark the
34:43
latest episode number 46 is what happens
34:46
when you think you're losing your best
34:48
friend to Motherhood we give you tools
34:49
how to navigate it you actually get to
34:51
hear the conversation that I had with my
34:54
best friend who's about to go into labor
34:56
any day now and so you can check out a
34:58
preview on my Instagram and you can
34:59
listen to a whole thing wherever you
35:01
gobble up Podcast all right we're going
35:03
to end with John B's new single but
35:05
before that you can reach him at hey
35:07
everybody I'm at official John B
35:10
Instagram and all that all the different
35:12
social media networks offal John B and
35:15
he's waiting I'm waiting on you y'all
35:18
come on now get this get on this new
35:20
music mank
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