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Heartbreak and Hope: Jamai's Story and the Power of Music
28 Plays9 months ago
In this episode of Unsolicited Perspectives, host Bruce Anthony sits down with the multi-talented Jamai @jamaimusic6867 —singer, producer, entrepreneur, and former contestant on The Voice—to explore his inspiring journey of resilience and healing. Jamai opens up about his traumatic childhood, including the devastating loss of his mother to domestic violence, and how he found solace in music. This heartfelt conversation delves into Jamai’s diverse musical talents, his album 23, and his experience meeting Alicia Keys. Jamai also discusses his entrepreneurial venture, JTelegrams, and his directorial work on a poignant docuseries about his mother. This episode is an emotional rollercoaster that highlights the power of music as therapy and emphasizes themes of strength, hope, and raising awareness about domestic violence. It’s a must-watch for anyone interested in true stories of overcoming adversity and the transformative impact of creativity. #jamai #domesticviolenceawareness #musictherapy #DomesticViolence #unsolicitedperspectives
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Thank you for tuning into Unsolicited Perspectives with Bruce Anthony. Let's continue the conversation in the comments and remember, stay engaged, stay informed, and always keep an open mind. See you in the next episode!
Discover Jamai's World of Vision & Words!
🌐 Website: https://www.jamai.me/epk
📧 Email: Unhumanentertainer@gmail.com
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/Jamaimusic
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamaimusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jamaimusic6867
Docuseries: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqPpfLtzeWEeq6Vp_K5N5xJYho2VKrR7r&si=TCbZDNebk5Xu_ykD
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
01:05 Meet Jamai: The Multi-Talented Artist
01:53 Jamai's Early Life and Tragic Loss
04:22 The Healing Power of Music
07:36 Creating the Album '23'
11:02 A Mother's Tragic Story
14:21 Confronting the Past: Conversations and Healing
26:15 Jamai's Journey on The Voice
30:19 Reflecting on a Compliment
31:30 Choosing to Share My Business Story
33:38 The Birth of J Telegrams
37:36 Musical Talents and Inspirations
41:00 Creating a Docuseries
45:32 Future Projects and Creative Ventures
48:51 Final Thoughts and Gratitude
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Transcript
Introduction to 'Unlisted Perspectives' and Guest
00:00:10
Speaker
Welcome. First of all, welcome. This is Unslisted Perspectives. I'm your host, Bruce Anthony, here to lead the conversation in important events and topics that shape today's society. Join the conversation and follow us wherever you get your audio podcasts. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch our video podcasts. Great. If you like, comment, share, share with your friends, share with your family. Hell, even share with your enemies. On today's episode, I'll be interviewing Jamay. That's a one-word artist. He's a singer, producer, entrepreneur. He's been on The Voice, on Alicia Keith's team. He's doing a docu-series. He's released an album called 23.
Jamay's Background and Musical Passion
00:00:49
Speaker
We're going to be talking about all of that. His life, him growing up, and his work. But that's enough of the intro. Let's get to the show.
00:01:05
Speaker
Like I say at the top, I'm here with an artist, a singer, producer, director, entrepreneur, Jamai. Thank you for coming on the show and telling us your story. I'm excited to to to have this conversation with you. Hey man, thank you for for having me. Thank you for having me. Thank you for just letting me be a part of such an amazing platform. um been a fan I'm recently a new fan of the show. I love all the topics y'all dig into, especially in a time like this.
00:01:40
Speaker
So I'm just honored to be a part of the conversation, man. Thank you. Well, I'm honored to have you here. And as I say, with all of my guests, to give the audience just a little bit of an understanding, let's start from the beginning. Can you tell me a little bit about your early life? Whoa, I was born and raised in Chester, PA, was just like right outside of Philly. oh Always been into music, always loved music. And when I was very young, about six years old, my mom was murdered. My dad was in jail. He had been in jail since before I was born. And I just was raised by like a community, the village of grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins that ah just always kind of held me down.
00:02:23
Speaker
And I fell in love with music at a very young age and I honestly been pursuing it since I was about 14. So here I am 20 years later. So that was a quick synopsis of everything that we're going to be talking about and during this
Grief and Music's Role in Healing
00:02:37
Speaker
conversation. But let's go to let's take the audience on a roller coaster. All right. This this conversation is going to be dark. It's going to be light. It's going to be pain. It's going to be helpful. Let's start you at six years old. You brought up that your mother was murdered. I know that this is a big part of a lot of the work that you're doing right now. I know it's painful, but if we could go back to that time and tell us a little bit about how this situation shaped you for the rest of your life.
00:03:15
Speaker
Well, I think um the biggest thing is anybody knows if anybody knows anything about grief, where the one of the interesting things is it takes on different phases. um I think when I was young and my mom was murdered, I wasn't really able to process it all. I wasn't able to really put it all in and accept it for what it was. I knew she was in heaven. I knew she wasn't around. I knew Connor knew. everything, but I wasn't able to really understand the processes. So I think, for the most part, I had sad moments, but ah it didn't really affect me, I think, until I became an adult. I talk about a story, how I remember my mom. She would come to my school where she would help my teacher teach and help out with the students. And then I remember a time where she wasn't able to do that. And so like in my own little adolescent,
00:04:10
Speaker
six-year-old way it was translated but I didn't understand the severity until well until a adulthood of like how permanent and how tragic it was so um
Family, Memories, and Musical Influence
00:04:22
Speaker
but I think uh maybe around 12-13 is when I really fell in love with music. I mean, or I really started to pursue music. And I think that has kind of saved my life in so many ways. Like early on, and I was singing with church choirs. I was singing with community choirs. um I was writing songs it and I started performing around like 15. So that kind of always kept me grounded. It was always something that I was fully invested in. So, you know,
00:04:52
Speaker
So the love for music, is there any connection because your mother passed away very, very young in your life? Is there any connection between their love of music and your mother? Was your mother a musical person? Do you remember that? Is music a part of your family? Where did this love come from? I think I like I remember her that love Tina Marie like I remember I remember a Portuguese love like while I'm in the sub is you know black folks be cleaning the house. you know what but They clean the music. So I remember her see and I think I was ah you know, I could labor eyes. Her memory a lot and I think when I was younger. I was like I always thought she could say because I love to see and nobody in our media. family say
Creating the Album '23' and Storytelling
00:05:43
Speaker
But she couldn't sing. She sang all the time, but I don't think she was a singer. I think what's interesting is I have like different, you know, not in my immediate family, but like some of my great grandparents or the Oakland's were singers or, you know, have records out. But I had no direct influence musically of my home, but I just was never ah discouraged. I was never like,
00:06:15
Speaker
you know I was never told to turn the music down. So it was like, this is what keeps him entertained is that this is what he loves. You know, my grandmother, she always pushed me forward. You know what I'm saying? So I guess it's a yes and a no answer. You know what I mean? so youre so you So you really become serious about music at 12 or 13 years old. And I know music is therapeutic to the soul. Do you think, because now you're now as an adult, you're really dealing with the grief of the loss of your mother. Do you think that the music helped you
00:06:53
Speaker
directly or indirectly, consciously, subconsciously, deal with the grief of a lost mother. Because you were raised by a village, as you as you said. you know You had family members that were pitching in and helping out. But your father's not there, your mother's not there. And I'm sure where now you're realizing that you were dealing with stuff that you just didn't know how to express it. Was music a way to cope with the world that was on your shoulders? For sure, for sure. Music was was definitely and and has been a way to cope, I think.
00:07:35
Speaker
ah She was murdered when she was 23. And so, if anybody has ever had a parent die, a lot of times, you know, I found that whatever it app whatever age that parent was, sometimes when you get to that age, you think you're gonna die at that time too. And I know a lot of people that have expressed and felt that way. So I remember approaching 23 and feeling like, wow, and I wonder if I'll live, you know, past this age. And so once I did, it you know another another different type of grief came because it was like, wow, I'm living longer than she did. And then in fact, when her 23rd anniversary was approaching,
00:08:21
Speaker
you know I grieved the fact that she would be gone for as long as she was alive.
Tragic Events and the Quest for Answers
00:08:25
Speaker
And so ah with that, I was as inspired to create an album ah basically of like 23 songs where I was basically telling her story and I was experimenting and I was trying new things. And so I produced the album of about 23 songs. um about my relationships, about just the effects of growing up when I'm a mom. And I think I didn't realize until after I released the album of how my grief evolved. And I say evolved because, you know, you have
00:08:59
Speaker
you know I don't know if you ever lost anybody close to you, but holidays, anniversary, birthdays, any milestones can almost have a dark overtone to it because it's like bittersweet. You're happy that you're in a holiday season, but you're really experiencing depression because you miss this loved one. And so I noticed, um not immediately, but I noticed that once I released my album, It wasn't until maybe most later that I started experiencing, my grief wasn't as traumatic as normal. It wasn't as, I took a page, I took a turn. And I think for me, music has been...
00:09:41
Speaker
Uh, my form of therapy in terms of just not only, uh, being creative and busy, but telling her story because her story was so tragic. And I think when I finally got to have adult conversations with my family members and adult conversations with her friends and people that was wearing that night and people that were closer at the time, it kind of. helped me process things. By putting it in her music, I think it was therapeutic for me. So to answer your question, music has definitely been a big part of my healing and a a part of me just coping. but Before when I was younger, I think the music is what kept me busy. But I think now is really where is what is a part of my sanity in a lot of ways. you know
00:10:30
Speaker
I want to touch on your album, but I also want to rewind a little bit because you just said something that family members were with your mom that night. What happened that night? you know Where were you? How did you find out? How did your family members take it? how how What was it like losing your mom and then also your father not being there? I think for me, in a short, I guess, quick way to say it, she was in a domestic violence situation. And if anybody knows anything about, ah my mom's case was not isolated in any way. She was experiencing all of the things that women had often experience in domestic violence, stalking, ah ah physical abuse, mental abuse.
00:11:24
Speaker
and know For a lot of people in the domestic violence situations, it's a cycle of business as usual. And um for most women, when they go to authorities or when they speak about speak about their own abuse, a lot of times the abuse heightens. In my mom's case, that's exactly what happened. She, ah Thanksgiving week, she put in a police, a restraining order, and
00:11:57
Speaker
This gentleman, this dude, her ex-boyfriend was ah already on probation for a drug charge. And so he had been threatening and spalking her. And so basically he was found out in front of our apartment with a gun. And they arrested this man because he was stalking her. on probation. He was arrested. At this time, they had not served him with the papers for the restraining order. And this is still something, too, that we don't know why. ah But he was arrested. And this was ah the day after Thanksgiving, 1995, on a Friday.
00:12:41
Speaker
a oh that does a random and let him out with them maybe 3 or 4 hours from it from being arrested. He killed my mom that night and so. What I realized now is that my mom actually went to her. She went to him. He did stalk her and follow her because she went out like we're out at night with her friends. He came to the club and they fleed and they got away from him or whatever. But he called her and she still eventually ended ended up coming to him. you know For many years, I was angry about that. I didn't understand it. um I thought maybe he threatened to
00:13:24
Speaker
you know do something to the family like nobody knows what he said to her but when she went to him ultimately that's when uh she was stabbed in there and uh basis of it is that's what happened and so For years, my family has been angry and ah created this project. I was able to have conversations to really confront people. Why did y'all let her go? Why did you, you know, I had a conversation with injustice recently, which was very powerful for me, you know? ah So having those conversations is what really assisted my healing. So,
00:14:04
Speaker
I just really want people to know how common it is of of what the what the common behaviors are of domestic abuse and women do go back because Stockholm syndrome is a real thing. So yeah. Okay. So let's get to the album because you You just mentioned that it was therapeutic in the standpoint where you are talking to family members and even the justice
Seeking Accountability and Justice
00:14:30
Speaker
to get some clarity of what happened. What was that process like in the ah addressing it with friends and family and the justice and then creating the music behind that? Because that seems like that's a ah really, really emotional process.
00:14:51
Speaker
yeah Well, out well ah the song was probably the first the first part of the process. It was the song, the song is titled 23, saying his last words. oh Her calls of death was an exangulation, which is basically the loss of blood. And so in the song, I imagine it where her last words could have been, where her last thoughts maybe were. and know
00:15:22
Speaker
I ended up having conversations with one of her friends who was with her, or two of her friends who was with her ah when they went out that night and what what their accounts were, oh what what they knew and didn't know about the situation, which a lot of, barely nobody knew that my mom was being abused. you know She was isolated in a lot of ways. oh So just her vibe and personality, You kind of just went with well whatever she said, and you went with the flow and nobody really questioned it. But I had a conversation with her friends. I had a conversation with, ah he would actually there was actually a victim, I mean a witness who actually witnessed her being murdered. I had a conversation with this witness.
00:16:10
Speaker
ah And so just just those kind of conversations can can be re-traumatizing, healing at the same time. and Eventually, I had a conversation with the justice. He was just about to retire. And this case in my area was a really big case. And so some other politicians in the area have always been supportive of me and was willing to help my family and say, if you ever want to have a conversation with this judge, I can arrange it. And I took that opportunity on. And so when I had the conversation,
00:16:53
Speaker
I didn't get much accountability. I got a lot of, a lot of in direct answers. oh I got a lot of just, it was it was disappointing, but my main question was why would you let him out, right? Why would you let this man out of jail that's on probation? And to kind of ensure his response was in a three hour conversation, his response was, ah He didn't and know that he was on probation.
Emotional Journey of Album Creation
00:17:23
Speaker
So that was that was ah his response. And so trying to get under that, you know, once you grow to a place of maturity, you kind of like
00:17:34
Speaker
I'm giving this man an opportunity to be accountable, and he chose not to be so. oh And so I can't do nothing after that. But I did have the conversation. I was able to sit face to face with this man and write. I mean, this was maybe a couple of weeks after he retired, I was able to have this conversation with him at his office. and him. This is another crazy thing. So the judge and my grandmother were at the high school together, right? Okay. Because it was all time. Right. It's like a movie, bro. It's like a movie. It's like it's so tragic that it's like you gotta laugh. Like it's so insane because it's an unbelievable story. And so this judge
00:18:24
Speaker
I went to high school with my grandparents, because it's a small town, you know. And they happened to be good friends, you know, throughout the years. And ever since that happened, my grandma, my calling mom, my mom has just never been able to speak to him or get it. And so part of him accepting this meeting was because he knew that my mom would be there and he has been trying to get in touch with her, trying to apologize to her for decades, you know? So only to have this conversation and still not be accountable or, you know,
00:19:01
Speaker
you know, not give a genuine apology. And so it is what it is. It was what it was. And I'm just in a space now of healing and keeping my mom's legacy alive and spreading awareness, man, because I realize how common and ah prevalent it is, especially in our community, you know.
00:19:33
Speaker
So I'm curious, you said that um this case was a big case in your area and you had a lot of politicians who who said that they would give you direct access to this judge. What was it now in this moment? Was it the the creation of the album, the working on the album and the conversations that you were having with other people that you that you decided now is the moment that I can have this conversation with the judge? Yeah, I think for me, ah because of my long-standing relationship with grief, I have always been very
00:20:13
Speaker
cautious or present when it comes to time when it comes to appreciating the family members that I do have when it comes to making sure I take a lot of pictures and videos and I've been always like really passionate about that. And so for years, I knew I wanted to talk to the judge. I knew I wanted to talk to some of her friends. I knew I wanted to talk to my grandfather. I knew I wanted to speak with the ah The officer, because we small town, so the officer who actually was the first on the scene was referred to the family. You know, he was the last person to see her alive. The person who told my family.
00:20:55
Speaker
I still haven't had that conversation, but for years, I know I've been wanting to have these conversations and I just wasn't ready. I just, it's the scariest thing for me, you know? Having a conversation with a judge, which I kind of know all in their circumstances, so I can't imagine what his answer could be. Right. So will I be ready when his answer is a crock of bull? You know what I'm saying? Will I be ready to hear details from the killer sister who happened to wake up and witness what she witnessed. Well, I'll be ready to have those conversations. you know and It wasn't until the album was just about done and I knew that i was I was getting ready to move forward with the promo for the album that I said I need to have these conversations because
00:21:47
Speaker
The story of my mom was a was put out as a double murder. The murderer, he he also died as well as my mom, was protecting herself. But the public at large, I don't think knew about the domestic violence the way that my family and I knew because I witnessed it and I was a part of it. So I knew that I had a passion to tell the truth about what happened to my mom and defend her as as a true victim. With that being said, his family
00:22:22
Speaker
was still ah maybe expressing a different narrative.
Experience on The Voice and Industry Insights
00:22:26
Speaker
And so I knew that I needed to have conversations for the sake of being ready for whatever backlash it may may get from his friend who doesn't know nothing about the scenario. So I had to be prepared to take on all of that just by telling him a wrong story. And I know it's kind of complex. I'm sorry for rambling, but No, no, because you just said something and ah the audience that's watching it on the video saw my face drop. Um, wait a minute. It's a double murder. Yeah. So, and she would, she's being attacked. Your mother's being attacked. She's defending herself. And in that defense, not only does she die, but he also dies. Yes, he died.
00:23:18
Speaker
I think about 10 days later. He died on the scene. He died about 10 days later. The other thing is... From the attack? The attack, yes. He was, he was, he was... Now, I do not know his technical cause of death, but I know he was in a coma for about 10 days after the attack. And for context, my mom was... 115 pounds, maybe five, six. He was about 250 pounds, six, four. And the the witness, ah she said that she, she know that they were attacking each other, that they were, that ah she saw them fighting. Like she heard my mom screaming and she saw, you know, they're attacking each other. ah But I mean,
00:24:07
Speaker
I already, I already know what it is. I have things that I witnessed that I mean, uh, And so was the pack. I'm sorry, but my mom was actually suffering from seizures because of the hair trauma prior to her murder. She was suffering from seizures from the abuse prior to the murder. OK, correct, correct. So she had been having seizures and because nobody knew she was being abused, she
00:24:42
Speaker
was lying to even the doctors. Yeah, I went to the doctors with my grandmother. And of course, because you i guess because my grandmother was present, the doctor was asking her, like, the only time people get seizures like this is normally from head trauma. And so what they were doing were currently monitoring her. And I just found this out. She was wearing, like, ah ah some kind of and thing that would connect to the end or whatever. She would wear a hat because they was monitoring her brain acting. But she was not telling people that she was getting knocked down cold, you know, into seizures. She would have seizures. So so the fatal night that happened
00:25:25
Speaker
You know, I'm thankful that she protect herself. I can't imagine her not being here, and him being here. And after 20 years coming home, or 10 years, you know, I can't even imagine. I mean, you know. But ultimately, the story was, it was a double murder, it was tit for tat, which was truly not fair to me, my mom, and her family. and I'll just here to set the set the record straight and ah just just keep her legacy on and spread awareness, man, spread awareness. So you're definitely doing that, not only with the album, but like I told the audience is that we're going to take a roller coaster ride. There's going to be some pain. There's going to be some light and
Singing Telegram Business and Spreading Joy
00:26:13
Speaker
hope. And part of the hope is you were on the voice. Not only were you on the voice, but you met my boo.
00:26:22
Speaker
Alicia Keys. She don't know it yet. She don't know it yet. I know she yeah know she's still married, but come on now. They can Hey, people out there doing polygamy relationships all the time, I'm willing. Alicia, just let you know, baby. Hey, I'm here. but No, seriously. So you're on The Voice. Tell me about that entire process, how you get on The Voice, what it was like being on The Voice, what it was like being and meeting and working on Alicia Keys' team. It was a it was ah it was a phenomenal experience, man. It was it was truly... um
00:27:02
Speaker
Something that I can't even put in some words, man. I i was ah actually did an audition, like how you usually audition. They have a thing because it's TV called additional casting. And so what they do is, you know, they need so so many country singers, so many this to have a certain demographic. is so Right. It's with the irony and the reason I'm telling this part of the story is because I had auditioned him for the Voice of America Idol maybe for like 10 years every year, waiting hours in the lawn prior to the one year that I didn't audition and they actually called me. Hey. And so it's just funny how time and opportunities work. But Casa and I are to reach out to me. They flew me out of audition, maybe three rounds of auditions. And I made it to the actual taping. And it was it was a great experience I met. This was the first year that Kelly Clarkson was a judge. And this happened to be latin the last year that at least the Keys judge. And um it was just like,
00:28:12
Speaker
Of course, I'm gonna pick Alicia Keys, like Kelly turned it around and like, and Alicia turned it around, but it's like, it's Alicia Keys. Right. And ah the the first thing I can think of is just strikingly beautiful. I think ah I can honestly say that You know, whenever you see Alicia Keys on TV, it really does no justice to how beautiful she looks in person. like see it Like, you don't see somebody that beautiful but just on the street. Like, you just it's just strikingly beautiful. So that was my first.
00:28:48
Speaker
my first day, ah but she was cool. she was she was ah i'm ah I'm an analytical person. So when I was on a team, you know I was looking at how the machine works. I was looking at the audio team and the camera crew and the production and the script writers. that you know That's just how I experienced life. So I learned a lot about how TV works. and That was probably the most I took away from this show. I think when I was eliminated, I asked Alicia, like, what was it? Like, what could I have done better? What do you think I need to work on? Because I was looking for, I was looking to grow. I was there to try to like, you were Alicia Keys? What's up? Like, why you were like, so we was with what I need to get better at, you know?
00:29:41
Speaker
and Her response was was merely, ah you're already good enough. You know, her response was, and I'll be honest, I was i was a little dissatisfied with that. when i You wanted a little bit more, and you're like, OK, all right, but just give me a little bit more detail. Yeah, like, give me something to go home with like to work on, her you know? And she was like, honestly, she said, of My partner, the person that was battling at the time, she was like, she needs this more than you. She was like, you already got it. She was like, I don't have no pointers for you. She said, you already there. you could I could just tell that she'd done this for years. She was like, and she talked about my business. My second time around business, she was like, I just can tell that you love to help and serve others. She was like, so um so I that
00:30:35
Speaker
this is just the right decision for me. She said, because you already what it is. It's nothing I can do. it's not like case I don't have no pointers for you. You already polished. You already put together. So it was like it was a compliment. And I appreciate it now just for her to affirm me and validate me in that way. yeah But at the time, I was kind of like, like I need something else. I mean, what I need to work on, like in my picture. So it was it was it was a bittersweet for me, if I'll be honest. I'm sorry. I was glad that I'm glad now. And I agree with her at this point. You know, looking back on it, I agree with her.
00:31:19
Speaker
And I'm just thankful that she was able to see that in me and kind of kind of a fur Furby with that. So I think that was that was cool. That's dope. So you brought up. your business, Jay telegrams. I wanna get into that. But now we gotta go back to that roller coaster. We gotta go down that slope. On the show, The Voice, you chose to tell the story of your business as opposed to telling the backstory of everything that you told the audience in the first segment about your mother. Why did you choose to talk about the telegram and not talk about
00:32:00
Speaker
The history of your use. I think, uh, authoringly, I was paranoid. I was paranoid of being exploited. I was paranoid of, ah you know I have a thing of about being genuine and authentic and it's TV. and though like The truth of the matter is, in order for people to watch, you have to pull people in emotionally for them to root for you or to stay tuned. and I understand that now, but at the time,
00:32:37
Speaker
I was not in this base to what I look like when I felt at the time I was exploiting yeah my mother's story for y'all to pick me to go to the next level. And so, you know, I look at it now as It would have been a great story to tell because I was on a platform that could really help people, even just being a black man, talking about grief in that way could have helped a lot of people. And so I won't say I regret it, but
00:33:09
Speaker
ah If i had I had that opportunity, I may have made a different decision, but um but I just wasn't ready. I knew that I didn't control the edit. I didn't control what parts of the story that that got aired. I didn't control if it got aired. you know I didn't have control over anything. I was just like, if you're going to pick me, it's going to be because I'm a hell of a singer. Right. and You want it to be based on your talent and not your story. I did that. are So tell the audience about your business. My business is Jay Telegram. It's a luxury singer-telegram service. I travel throughout the US, primarily to the East Coast, ah and I sing to people. and I show up when your wife got you sleeping on the couch. You want to get back on the bed.
00:34:11
Speaker
you called me. And I show up with some roses. I got a florist, beautiful bouquet of roses, it's a bottle of wine, some chocolate. And I'm gonna sing y'all favorite song that makes you think of when y'all first started dating or y'all wedded song or, you know, the song that y'all was on your first date, whatever. and then she calls you, and then I have a wonderful night, and you thank me, and then everything is amazing. So that's the, that is the beauty of Jay Telegram's. It was a business, it was something I did in high school just to get girls, because I could sing. And Mother's Day, and Valentine's Day came around, and dudes would give me $20, $30 to go sing to that girl, or girls, you know.
00:35:01
Speaker
you know that was That was my hustle in high school. yeah i a little you know I was an artist. I kind of felt like you know that's beneath me. I got a little kid no more. Then in my early 20s, I got my business hat on and I was like, this is an amazing thing. Nobody really does it. um but I'm going to put my best foot forward and I'll be doing it. I have clients um and from a south pass Atlanta to as a north pass Connecticut and I'm located in Philly, Eric. So I travel constantly i was thinking of people and it's really a gift for me.
00:35:46
Speaker
because I get to see people's marriage, that fire reignited, I get to be a part of families that haven't spoken to each other in a while, or certain family members might be bedridden, or in a kids' center where they kids celebrate their birthday, and I get to show up and be a part of like these magical, you know memorable moments. So it's truly a gift for me as much as it is for other people, you know? Yeah, that's dope. you get Once again, I told the audience, we're going to take them on a ride of pain and then hope. That is essentially giving people hope. And and it has to bring so much warmth to your heart to know you're genuinely helping people.
Learning Instruments and Creative Growth
00:36:37
Speaker
definitely got. Sometimes I feel like, sometimes I really do feel like I was giving the gift. Like I was giving a bigger gift. If anybody knows, I'm sure, you know, like giving, it really does better for you to get like receiving. and Like it is the best feeling in the world. Nothing traps that. Like just doing something to somebody that Maybe you know they can't do something bad, or you would just really love to see that how it helped or benefited them. It's such a blessing, man. So like the fact that people actually pay me to do it, like, what? You paying me? You giving me a gift? like That's how I feel. um and It's really, really a blessing, man, because you get to see the effects of it. Nobody is never not shocked. Nobody is never like,
00:37:26
Speaker
not bless it or not like appreciate it. It's all always, you know, it's always a great response, you know. That's dope. All right. So not only are you a singer, producer, because you produced the album 23. You produce that album. OK, so not only your singer and producer, you also play a multitude of instruments. Which instruments do you play again? I played piano. So you play the guitar and the piano. Yeah, I play the guitar and piano. I self-talk as an adult, actually. yall I was never instrumentally inclined as a kid. But I kind of just got tired of dealing with musicians that that are flaky. Like, anybody know musicians are like, can be very flaky. Well, artists can be flaky.
00:38:20
Speaker
that shirt. That's actually very, very true. Yeah. So, shout out to the musicians and the artists out here, man. I get it. Y'all are trying, we all trying to make it. But my experience was I can't afford to keep putting shows together with musicians that flake or musicians that, I'm in the Philly area, so Somebody that played for me today, because the musicians are so good here, they could be on tour with Jay-Z next week. And then my little check is like, yo, I know what you said, but I'm with Laura Hill this week. And realistically, you can't be mad at that. I mean, right you land in the fact that they're not honoring their word, but at the same time, it's like, ah the Roots just asked me to go on tour.
00:39:15
Speaker
And it happens so often, you know, it happens so often. And I was like, man, I'm gonna give myself a year to learn this guitar. And if I can't figure it out, then I give up. So a year turned into, you know, it's been 10 years now. And then I picked up piano because I was just like, if I could learn guitar, I got into this high of like, that self-confidence of like, hey, so if I really just discipline myself, I could do anything, oh, all right, I'm gonna play piano then, you know. It was initially guitar because Prince played guitar, I went to the biostate, with the solo, like, nobody's firing at Prince, so that was my initial inspiration. oh And then I found out he played piano too, so I was like,
00:40:02
Speaker
Prince and Stevie, let me see if I can, you know, see if I can, see if I can touch on the keys or so. Yeah, I think he played it. I think in the movie Purple Rain, he was playing the piano. Prince, was it, Prince is a beast, was a beast or a piano? Me and my sister get into it, because that's my sister's favorite artist. And and I like Prince too. I i love Prince, but back in the day, you had to choose between MJ or Prince, just like Jay-Z and Nas. Sometimes you just, just like Kendrick and Drake. true Sometimes you just gotta choose. Yeah, yeah you gotta just choose. Yeah, you did. You did have the picket. And, you know, I love it because Mike was was, Mike was the king, number one, and but Pris was always a little off the center. Like he was always like, yeah
00:40:50
Speaker
um You know what I mean? So like, I love that rebellious, you know, image of a prince. So I'm a born prince.
Docu-series and the Power of Storytelling
00:41:01
Speaker
So not only did you teach yourself how to play instruments, you definitely picked up something from your run on the voice because you said you were looking at audio and stuff because now you're directing a docu-series based on everything around you and your mother's story. Can you tell me how that process developed and how it's developing? Because you sent me a clip of it and it looks good. I can't wait for the entire thing because I definitely want to watch it. So can you tell my audience a little bit about how you got there, the details of what it's about, and just what made you do this?
00:41:44
Speaker
ah ah Thank you, man. ah Well, and and initially, this documentary was scheduled to come out with the album. When I had those conversations that we talked about in the segment earlier, all of that was planned to be a part of this documentary because I felt like it was time to tell her story. the documents The documentary was scheduled to come out with the album. a I had those conversations that we talked about in her first segment and all of that was you know supposed to be a part of it. And then specifically after I spoke with the the witness and after I spoke with the judge, it just was so heavy for me and I needed time to process it.
00:42:32
Speaker
It's other conversations that I still want to have. and I just wasn't in a space to continue creating the documentary. i just was At the time, my grandfather had just passed. I'm sorry to hear that. The album was. supposed to come out, ah like within a month's bed of my grandfather passing. And it was just like a lot. And so I just decided to focus on putting a project out, putting the album out, you know, promoting the album. And at a later date, at another time, you know, I'll be able to tell this story. And so just a few months ago, a few weeks ago, I ran across what is considered like would be like the first act
00:43:17
Speaker
of the documentary. oh And I was just so inspired. I thought it was so good. I thought I told such a great story. I thought that even in a time like this, that it was just a good story to tell. And more importantly, from that album, Being out, my healing had evolved so much that I felt strong enough to tell the story, that I'm in a place now that I could talk about it in interviews like this, or ah you know just just in a different space. And so a lot of people don't realize that we're artists. Sometimes we are passionate about projects, and if we don't put them out,
00:43:59
Speaker
we move on to different things. And so I wanted to put this out because I said it's something I started. And even though it I didn't and completely finish the way that I played, I want to put out what I have. And so that's why I call it a docu-series because that first act is when I decided to divide into two episodes. And I don't get into every single detail that we talked about, oh but I tell the story, and more importantly, I introduce the world to my mom, you know? ah i' I'm singing about her, I talk about her, but I never share footage of her. I never i have shown my fans who my mom is, one end,
00:44:48
Speaker
The world will be blessed by being able to see just the magical, special, beautiful, wherever she was. ah And then it'll start a conversation that I'm willing to be a catalyst or or a face of. And so that's kind of where where it was. And me directing it is simply where people, where people ah where you can't find people to do things, you get it done yourself. And I'm sure you know an entrepreneur as a businessman, You figure it out. And as an artist, you just figure it out until it's good enough to your likey to put it out. And so that's what I did, and that's what I'm doing. So um here we are. All right, man. I'd like to hear that. OK. So aside from the docu-series and the album that you released, what's next? What's the future hold? Well, the future holds is ah what the future holds is
00:45:45
Speaker
ah ah Aside from people's lives being changed and new opportunities from this docu-series, ah I have a bunch of things stocked up already. that ah the summer and the fall is gonna be crazy. and okay oh What I've been doing is I have ah the song, my album has 23 songs for the project. And so, you know, we live in a day and age where the consumption is is almost immediate, people always want more, people don't really listen to old albums, especially dry album would totally do so there the It's the same old industry. And so I decided to,
00:46:23
Speaker
create my own version of the Tiny Desk, create my own live in studio performances. so For a lot of my songs, I have started ah doing live versions, acoustic versions, because I play guitar, so you're about to hear the song acoustically. I play piano, so I'm going to play it acoustically. I've been building sets. If-all check out any of my my YouTube channel, or I have ah I so-called my life, my looks, my music, where I talk about my creative process, building my sex, I'm hating stuff, I'm styling myself, I'm painting, it's break painting, and I'm doing all that things, building my sex. I got a so-called weave in. It's about you know a girl sitting on me wearing weave in. Wait a minute. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh.
00:47:18
Speaker
um It's funny, it's hilarious. I mean, it's funny, it's painful, but it's funny and painful at the same time. It's real, bro. Yeah. It's real. Don't let that girl get the weed herself. You get the weed sometimes. Because who that policy? Or, or, She shows you who she was, and you can move on to the next one. fact The song, you gotta check it out, man. So the song starts with me waking her up, because I got something I need to say. And then I'll be like, is you gonna weave me? And that's literally the hook, are you gonna weave me? So check it out. But I brought that song up to say that I have a live version, studio version of it, ah
00:48:04
Speaker
where I built this set and I have like bloods hanging from the ceiling and it's like acoustic and I'm playing the guitar and I got like mustard, it's like a wee shirt. It's pretty dope. Okay, that's what's up. I just, you know, I'm directing. I do have a videographer, shout out to Ju, that helps me out, but I direct the edit, the color, do all of that because I'm an artist, I'm a creative, and I gotta get it out. My way through life is just to create. That's my form of worship. That's my form of my livelihood. So I'm gonna always be created something. I'm gonna always be added something to my catalog. And ah where people get it, they get it. They'll get it, they'll get it soon. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, that's what I wanna hear. All right, so.
00:48:53
Speaker
Is there anything that you would like to leave my audience with? Because all the information, ladies and gentlemen, y'all already know. As I said at the top, all the information is in the bio of the descriptions of the podcast, both the audio and video. If you go on the website, there's a direct link that has a guest profile of all the information. But what would you like to leave the audience with before we get out of here? I would like to leave the audience with, first of all, man, thank you again, bro. I really appreciate you, man, for just allowing me to have this platform. I can't wait to hear what you're going to say about Trump picking his vice president, because you know it's a lot of crazy stories. I'm waiting for this. That episode, it literally dropped today. We got snuggled on there. Yeah, it literally dropped today.
00:49:46
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I need to hear about that. So I'm definitely just thankful to be on a platform where it's like you got your ear to the streets and you know what's going on and you're just so intelligent. And UMJ is just accurate about what y'all are talking about. So thankful just to be here. But I want to tell people that domestic violence is really, really prevalent among us. and People are not able to leave situations as easily as we think they can. And I think if I could leave anybody where anything is to truly be supportive of somebody, if you have an inkland, if you are intuitive about somebody being abused,
00:50:33
Speaker
don't just tell them you need to leave but when they ready just give them a space to be ready give them a space to okay you're not leaving but you're going they're going to make this step maybe they maybe they want to pack their bags slowly or maybe they want to wait till the kids get ours it could be all different kinds of things oh but give people space to be comfortable when it's time to talk about it. Then the other thing is I got a docu-series coming out. It premieres on, it may already be premier, but premiering July July 31st, telling the story of my time on The Voice and my experience with, ah sorry, losing my mother at such a young age with domestic violence.
00:51:19
Speaker
And I have an album titled 23. It's 23 songs at a variety of genres from duop, reggae, apro beat, R&B, or baby making R&B, like that real baby making R&B. Like yeah all that. Like it's really, really, really a treat. I got a little opera over there. I got some duop over there. I'm Christian, like CCM. It's really a plethora of genres. So check me out. I'm on all platforms. I want to thank you once again for coming on the show, telling your story. I know my audience has has learned something and maybe they're going to be out here making more babies to your music.
00:52:06
Speaker
I know. I think
Conclusion and Call to Action
00:52:08
Speaker
so. i think I think they will. I think they will. But thank you once again for coming on the show. Thank you, man. I enjoyed the show. Tell your sister I said, keep it up. And a thank you for having me, bro. I appreciate it. No problem. I wanna thank Jamay once again for coming on the show. I really appreciate it. Like I said before, all of his information is in the description section of both the audio and the video platforms. You go on our website, you can see his guest profile that has links to all of his stuff. Go check out his album, y'all, because this sounds fantastic. His docu-series will be releasing on the 24th and the 31st. There'll be a link in the descriptions to to click and to watch that as well.
00:52:53
Speaker
I fully, fully support this brother. I wish that you guys were going to support him as well. He's a really good artist. He's really talented. And the boy can sing. And I'm not saying all this just because he might hook me up with Alicia Keys, because I know that's completely unrealistic. I'm saying it because he really is a good artist. And he bared his soul to us, telling us a very heartwarming, heart wrenching and hopeful story. So read them like I said, go follow him. Go listen to him. Go watch him. Thank you for listening. Thank you for watching. over front And until next time, as always, a'ahala.
00:53:32
Speaker
That was a hell of a show. Thank you for rocking with us here on Unsolicited Perspectives with Bruce Anthony. Now before you go, don't forget to follow, subscribe, like, comment, and share our podcast wherever you're listening or watching into it. Pass it along to your friends. If you enjoy it, that means the people that you rock with will enjoy it also. So share the wealth, share the knowledge, share the noise. And for all those people that say, well, I don't have a YouTube. If you have a Gmail account and you have a YouTube, subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can actually watch our video podcast. But the real party is on our Patreon page. After Hours Uncensored and Talking Straight-ish. After Hours Uncensored is another show with my sister. And once again, the key word there is uncensored. Those who are exclusively on our Patreon page, jump onto our website at uncensoredperspective.com for all things us. That's where you can get all of our audio, video, our blogs, and even buy our merch. And if you're really feeling generous and want to help us out, you can donate on our donations page. Donations go strictly to improving our software and hardware so we can keep giving you guys good content that you can clearly listen to and that you can clearly see. So any donation would be appreciative. Most importantly, I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you for listening and watching and supporting us. And I'll catch you next time.
00:54:55
Speaker
Audi 5000. Peace.