Coco Jones • R&B MONEY Podcast • Episode 035

[Music] money [Music] take Valentine we are the authorities on all things r b ladies and gentlemen what's going on I am tank I'm Jay Valentine and this is the r b money podcast the authority on all things all things r b today in the building uh we we talk about um New Edition going from Boys to Men this young lady has gone from young lady to grown woman um right before our very eyes she is gifted she is beautiful and she is none other than Miss Coco Jones [Applause] okay did you rehearse that that was a good intro I just it just the Lord it is for me being a rapper before we get started um tequila to you oh up her um you went crazy on the Soul Train award thank you the [ __ ] Mike's be off whatever oh this is delightful what is this it's it's it's a part of life that you know most clearly too so today you are just good yeah because normally it's tequila comes with a side of burn but this is good comes with snigger here comes with that it is whatever Coco I'm great yeah you went so crazy on the Soul Train Awards and I hate to start right here because we we're going to go back to the beginning right but you were going so crazy and I actually didn't get to see the show because I was doing so much running around and I sat and watched the show on TV and you started singing and I was like that's singing yeah that's that's r b music it was a real deal no that's how you deliver it yeah Mike on yeah okay you're giving them face fit period you know what I'm saying drip everything you're giving them the whole thing do that again you talking about my hair being laid yes the hair was late I mean write that down so you know that next the hair was laid the hair was laid not dripped because then yeah I mean I just wanted to say drip from head to toe oh okay okay that's fine yeah just adding that to your you know her Lord Jesus supper was out there you know you could say I was eating like it was the Last Supper you know because it makes me like you ate you rap too you can say that okay do you rap can you rap I'm not even gonna speak on that because the girls who really be rapping really be rapping yeah but sometimes I do surprise myself with a little bar but I just don't tell nobody I surprise myself too um in my in my earlier days everything okay on the side as MC hurricane I was oh I started though I started I was a terror in the hood was it really empty hurricane he doesn't see hurricane oh in the hood I battled you know this ain't about you so Coco sorry Mister if you go too far it bothered me and and and something you said that was really dope before we started like you know you hearing you sing and you getting into that moment and delivering and then the announcer the commercial comes up and starts talking while you're singing and I get it um you know I guess in terms of the format of the show or whatever they have to do to promote and all these cool things that [ __ ] ain't cool but that should work okay well I look at it like this and you said humble beginnings right that's why I said respect but at the same time as a fan angered and when somebody getting busy like the other the young fella Q getting get busy commercial okay guys first of all it's a whole show and they gotta fit a whole show into the lineup that's cool just cut something else not the singing what they supposed to cut I don't know I don't know something I don't edit right but and and then we gotta figure out okay if there is a commercial then let's set aside let's find a moment to where that can be because it's going to be re-aired right so let's find a moment for that full performance to be televised that's what performance is available for people to watch it's just not on the entire show and they had already told me that before I even did my performance but here's why I said humble beginnings because a year ago I was watching it mad as hell why am I not on it so now I'm there and then I'm gonna be mad that they cut my performance a little bit no I know it's just a start you are doing it the right way we're gonna be angry for you thank you I'm a customer that's how I live my life because we are so oh you you won't have my my performance you're not gonna get to fool me then I'm not I'm not coming I'm screaming one day maybe one day no no not one day it's Saturday it's gonna happen it's coming no they just got here okay I'm just happy to be here you gonna be here you are here you're gonna be here and we want you we just we are celebrating we are in the space of of motivating and encouraging those kinds of moments those are the moments that are going to continue to inspire the Next Generation as you are the new generation of r b but the next gen the kids coming you know what I'm saying when I was a kid seven years old he already had a record deal but anyway when I was a kid seven eight nine years old watching amazing performers on television you know what I mean those are the things that inspire me and so that you know for me your entire performance I felt you know was necessary in that it but I digress it upset us thank you and we'll move how political thank you all yeah I got some training okay yeah we'll get to that too soon um you refer to USD say a few times and they bought oh crazy okay um let's go back to as you say humble beginnings the very beginning yeah like when was the first time somebody said oh that baby right there got it or that you saw and felt that moment happening he was like oh [ __ ] that's so funny that you asked that the first time somebody noticed that I could really sing I don't even think I was two years old so basically my mom had her friend over and her friend was a violinist and they were talking and I was just watching Barney literally they're talking and the lady's like hold on I'm sorry she just stopped talking my mom's like what what she's like you're a kid they're singing everything back in Perfect Pitch your child has a perfect ear and my mom was like okay like period when I tell you from then on I literally have never stopped making sounds singing humming like in all the baby videos it's all I'm doing at all times literally it's crazy like I'm always making some sort of music and um that was the first time it was noticed the first time I felt it was like I would come from athletes my dad played professional football so I know what it's like when you like score and everyone reacts to the score it feels like you ate that you know what I'm saying you feel that momentum you feel that energy up in the house with Mike Jones when like when it's like [ __ ] you're just running around like oh my job like this [ __ ] doing that together okay like he's not that one but um yeah we'd be outside doing drills in the summer I'm like sir I'm in third grade I don't know what this has to do with much but okay here we go outside doing drill outside with like but I was also very competitive like I'd be the one on flag football all like dodging all types of dudes and then like I'd go and score and then I like pose and they'd be like I'd be like for me period like I was always so competitive so I knew that feeling of like doing something good and seeing the reaction and I remember I had done like this little Broadway Type show with my school like young kids and I had a little solo and I remember seeing the reactions and I was like this is the same reaction as when I score I was like what what is this one at school it's giving everyone's cheering so I'm like what does this mean um I say that was like the first time that I really noticed it really young though all this stuff was really young you're from the south right I'm from Tennessee so was a country at first for you was it country music or no you know what's funny it was definitely gospel my mom was like you are going to serve the Lord with this voice of yours I was like okay she's like Courtney you will serve the Lord with this voice yeah that's my mom and I was like okay I'm nine so like whatever you want to do that's what we're gonna do like what am I gonna object so my mom was trying to get me in all these gospel lanes and it just wasn't happening it wasn't panning out like I was supposed to join this one Christian group like pure NRG hope you guys are in a group right now if you are I'm so sorry I hope you're doing well if you are it just like wouldn't work like the the doors would just keep closing and the doors that would probably wanted to pose too I did want to post but you could pose for Christ don't even do that right don't put yourself in a box what the post for Christ is it's like this or this one you do not need a cross I don't think that's gonna work this is the heart he knows your horse I think it was just like God had a different plan for how I'm gonna impact you know because you can be in the gospel category and be a light and you can be in the secular music and be a light it's about your actions it's not about like what job you do you can be a postman and be a lie you know what I'm saying it's about what you're carrying what you're bringing to the world what you're what you're offering what you're talking about so it just wouldn't pan out like that but the doors that would open would be like like Kidz Bop or like a commercial about like a broccoli cereal and I'd be like I do it and it would happen and that's just kind of how it panned out and you're doing this from Tennessee yes I would um audition and they'd have like Cattle Calls and things like that and I would do music there like as much as they could offer me I mean but I was also just trying to figure it out like my mom made this ghetto little EP on her computer and I was like talking about basketball and singing about like sleepovers and stuff but you know it was really dope was I would do all these live performances like you want to pause there I want to hear the sleepover song they all come over and then it starts it's sleepovers you know what stop playing with me because it would be giving Soul this one this one about basketball it was like uh it was like jump ball hey kicking it to me oh watch me work it hey I'm jumping out the gym it was fire it was fire and then I had this other one about like doing chores uh excuse me don't play with me because I always was giving Soul now you sounded yes yeah and it had like a cute little it was like monkey like anyway because it's good [Laughter] was like all these like older musicians musician guys like yeah that's all they do they didn't know hip hop they always put the old [ __ ] it really did give that like this guy that was a judge at a talent competition that I won he was like I'll work with you for free until right until whenever you saw the talent he saw the talent so it'd be him and like he'd be like Courtney you ready I was like here we go rob jumper I I felt like I was personally [Music] [Music] this is my camera right here Mama Jones Mama Jones can you send this jump ball is that what it's called I don't know what we're gonna call it a jump off yeah it's the basketball song we need to hear the battle she knows the basketball song my mom would also help me write I'd be like thanks girl but you want to know something crazy when I was also a rapper because I used to sing at grab as well my brother my older brother would write all my raps oh wow you're about to sleep over different ones okay I'm trying to play I'm trying to put two and two togethers oh that's all I'm trying to do there were other songs it was what I was going through in my life not doing chores my best friend moving away basketball sleepovers I mean I don't know but that's I'm actually with it um it is supposed to be there at that age that's what else was I supposed to write you were writing your life which is crazy because that's what we preach right yeah we're literally like writing yeah the very nuances and it sounds funny but those simplest things those are hit records yeah okay a sleepover record right now my son will sing the mess out of the sleepover that's what I'm saying no we need those records again yeah we actually do for kids like when we we had Ray Parker Jr on here and he talked about writing Mr Telephone Man for New Edition like obviously you don't even need a telephone man no more really but in that when he wrote that record when I was a kid and I heard that song it connected so we actually do need that again we need younger artists especially if you're you know pre-teen or teenage you should be singing about that you shouldn't be singing about you know what grown-ups there should not be a club in your song but you know they do they they had kid clubs when I was young too I don't know you never you could go outside I went to a kid Club you went outside you couldn't go oh he was full of religious Church they had a thing in the bay called Black Saturday hmm whoo boy okay okay mine was not giving you ask your manager yeah he's from the bay fashion manager I should tell you about Blackstone interesting yeah yeah yeah but back to Coco Jones writing the songs about basketball oh my God can you play basketball I I did play for a really long time and then when I started singing I was missing practice and stuff and I couldn't balance them both okay and I just chose singing all right so we went to missing practices and so apparently at some point things started getting crazy yeah when was that what what time period was that where you just felt like there was an influx of demand for what you what what your gifts were um around 12. around 12 is when I did next big thing which is like American Idol Disney's version of that okay actually Chloe and Haley were on it too but I did that and then once you kind of become one of the people that they go to they send you out to a lot of things so I was on tours I was performing doing our shows yes I was doing shows and then I would be auditioning at the same time for roles my acting was real real crusty at that time though so wasn't getting a lot but I was getting better and better with time and I just would always be in LA and every summer I'd be like all right y'all I'm gonna go be Hannah Montana I'll see y'all I don't know when I'ma see y'all again but you know you can definitely come to my show yeah whatever you know he was he was flexing too I was I was just I knew I was going that way I was like is this for me okay I don't know about a job so 12 years old you get your ears you get to you get your you get your Mickey Mouse ears You full okay no seriously though that's when I was really really working with um Disney Channel a lot and I mean that's like the perfect place to be at the time you know because you want to be me personally my mom is not a stage mom my mom was like if you're not trying to work I'm going home I'm tired so I was always the one like okay what can I do more of like I was hungry for it this whole time you know so for me it was like the perfect scenario like I'm doing these guest stars and then I get this movie and it felt like a dream to me like it was just like a dream like I would go to the the park and I'd sing there and then I get to ride rides no lines like this was everything this was everything I ever needed you know I was very very happy but yeah so did you clean it for you though was it a choice to go to Disney route or was that just what was available it was it was just we didn't know anything like we were just like going like I'm just grateful that my mom and dad had started some businesses so they did know like certain things like Coco is is my business name and I have like business you know it's all business savvy the things that they did but as far as like we had never they had preparation set up for you yeah stuff like that and like to protect me and whatnot um but as far as knowing what we were doing in the industry we were just going through the doors that opened like is your dad still playing at this time oh no no he retired when I was much younger okay yeah okay so they were able to focus on pushing your career well yeah my mom was really the one that like would be on the road with me and then my brother and sister they both played Sports so my dad would be like nurturing their careers you know what I'm saying and um it was really just like whatever opens that's where we're going that's what we're gonna go through you know and my mom she did a really good job of just finding as much opportunity as she could you know for a while how she was management agent stylist you know performance coach she was everything you know that's crazy because it's like it's like it's so different because where I guess where we come from or where I came from anyway we didn't I just didn't know what that was I knew I could sing yeah I knew I could write a song I know I could make a track I don't know what to do after that yeah yeah my mama didn't know you know I'm saying father military mother working two jobs at department stores did you do any like talent shows or anything I mean I was oh I was always already a professional gospel singer in high school but if it wasn't Church yeah I wasn't doing it I didn't know and I didn't know much about it I wasn't doing it you know what I'm saying so it was always choirs and I had been you know introduced to John P Kee and all these things at an early age so that's you know I still didn't know what it was on the other side of the television of the TV screen yeah yeah I still didn't know how any of that worked because it sounds like from what you're telling us that you were the one pushing for it early yeah I mean finding these things to get involved in yeah yeah I I was very very passionate like I would wear like my pajamas to the studio because I knew I had to get up for school but like I would rather be there doing that all night and my mom would be like you're ready to go I'm like no Mom one more try and you know another thing too like I would sing all the way through it was old as equipment so I would have to sing the takes all the way through yeah I feel like a lot of the stuff that I do now is because of how hungry I was and just using whatever resources were around me preparing you first yeah it was definitely preparing me and my mom like she saw my passion for it she's not you know she's going to do whatever she can so she would research like casting opportunities or like see something or hear about go and meet this person or like call one of my uncles or something be like do you know anybody like just whatever yeah whatever whatever we can do man shout out to your moms shout out to for real because we talk about that we always talk about that about you know parents believing yeah and buying in because even from whatever that is if it's music if it's Sports if it's television and film whatever it is your parents have to sign up with it with you yeah it becomes their life too yes yeah and that's a really tough thing especially as a parent and tank and I both noticed as a parent it's like okay you say you won't do this because now it's going to take this amount of time out of everyone's lives right not just yours and obviously kids don't really understand that I was you know I was in a music business as a kid so I know it never really clicked to me that oh they're doing this for me um you know what I'm saying I always just looked at it like this what they want me to do so this is what we're doing and but as I'm pushing for it that's a great perspective someone has you know I mean like they gotta sign up you know I mean right they have to that's their that's their career as well absolutely it's not like they can go and follow their other passions while making sure your passion gets off it's not it's a balanced game and the child's dreams and goals win that's why I ain't try to have no kids no time soon I'm like hey I'm not that just took a turn and they were saying that I was thinking about it I was like so you made you not want to have kids no oh you when you were saying I was like yeah you old ass [ __ ] I'm good on that no I love it that's great I'm just like I really am finally just dipping the toe in all of the dreams that I've been wanting since yeah I was doing these little commercials at nine I'm just dipping the talk I got to dive in you have to and I'm not having no little kids no time soon what is what is a turning point what is a you know as you're young and you're getting all of these opportunities like what is what what you would consider Your Big Break like oh [ __ ] I'm in it now yeah looking around and you see craft services this [ __ ] loves Crafters but what what is the moment as you're looking around and you're like okay I've arrived we're not in Nashville no more um yeah I don't even think she was in that what I don't know she wouldn't even know yeah I was in Lebanon who Lebanon Lebanon Lebanon Lebanon yeah we probably called 119 n-o-n but we call it Lebanon Leb what l-e-b-a-n-o-n sounds like that to me um my big break my big break was definitely let it shine I mean that is still what people talk about and Associate me with first yeah even with all this other stuff going on um I remember like the audition process and like pretty much everybody that we know was in that auditioning room you know all of us as little kids and young girls young black girls so like it would just get smaller and smaller and smaller and smaller this pool and I think I auditioned like seven times so that meant we had to come to La multiple times you know you have to fly here to audition yeah I didn't move here until I was an adult oh wow okay okay or like if it was important important then it'd be like all right let's get out so what what was the audition on their dime or you all had to pay for it to get got it got it LOL got it l-o-l yeah if you want it you want it come on okay this is the time you need to be there very much it's giving or next yeah yeah um so when I got that film and it came out it was the number one TV movie that year and I just remember the momentum like right after that like it was like okay now you're gonna have this TV show and you're signed you're at a record label like it was just going so fast and it feels kind of like now you know like all this momentum and and like building up to something but I was 14 you know and I didn't know I didn't know that that would ever stop so I was like I told y'all you try to play me there we go soldiers Hannah Montana giddy up but literally like it was all these things that were supposed to happen and I did put out a project it's so crazy like Victoria wrote on my first epic yes and Tommy was on it too Tommy produced it on it too like all the people like we you know we are all like doing big things now but it was like Taylor Parks was on it too like crazy but it all was like going like this and then it just like stopped but not drastically in my mind it felt like that but it was more like okay my management at the time did not know like what to do they didn't know how to create opportunity they knew how to keep because umbrella too right um what do you mean as far as like no not even just the business out of it from from your business side I'm talking about the business that you guys were in because like you were signed to Hollywood Records right yeah and they're connected to never said that out loud eek well you said it I said it I did agree but all of these companies were connected to each other though yeah yeah I mean they kind of it's like a it's not a full package deal but you kind of know if you have a show you're gonna make music yeah and if you're doing really well with music they're gonna try to put you on a show you know and you're only going to do a deal with their company you're you can do whatever you want to do but at the time I mean when you're a young kid and this looks like the next obvious step the whole golden ticket that's what you're gonna do you don't think like you know that I have leverage let's see what you can do for me for sure for sure what I was like sign it yeah but my mom was like um something in my shondo says no so I did do the record deal but I didn't do the TV show hmm then and I asked that because our podcast is informative we want it to be as informative as possible and your situation is so unique for a guest that we've had that's why I asked that like you know because it's kind of American idolish like you said like when you when you do American Idol you're signing to a certain label that's connected to American Idol yeah it's not like oh I won American Idol and now I'm about to go do you know this this whole campaign and go meet all these labels right right and run it up right ain't no running it up no it's giving like we put you on yeah you're gonna stay right on here okay but like these are all things that I wanted to I didn't I didn't know what shopping was and going to other labels and I didn't know any of that I I was like I want to do what can I do to be Raven Hannah Montana like what can I do this is what this is what you do this is what we're doing you know so at the time like it looked like all of these things were gonna work out but there's also a formula and if you're a black girl who can sing you're not going to fit into that formula like you're already throwing throwing off the balance you know yeah because I don't look like those girls that I said I wanted to be like I definitely don't sing like them I don't even the music doesn't even fit me that I'm being told to do so what now what and I didn't do the TV show so now the main marketing strategy is not I didn't do that was there a reason you didn't do the TV show um I think part of it from what I can I mean I don't I don't really know because I was much younger but part of it I feel like was how long I was going to be under you know that umbrella on that contract keep getting longer and longer yeah yeah um I got a little record company and then also to like I knew that I wanted to like have a different type of longevity and so I do feel like my mom was smart in like taking what we could get from the experience but not diving so deep in that you're really really stuck as that character you know what I'm saying like stuck no because like it's it can happen yeah yeah and especially if you do it really really well yeah you were that person you knew everyone forever in the transition is that much more difficult or growing up for that matter yeah is that much more yeah yeah and I think I mean God was definitely protecting me but at the time I was like so disappointed because it just wasn't I was like this is what I was saying I was going to do the whole time it didn't pan out the way you said it didn't pan out the way so when you say slow down as you put it in that moment what does that feel like to you and and what are you doing to I guess feel the space or feel the time or void that you're feeling man well I was also trying to graduate early so now I'm like 15. are you in school or homeschool homeschooled I was trying to graduate early because I was like I need to move to LA now I need to move there because that's where the opportunities are that's why I'm not like this big star I'm I'm here I need to go so I was trying to go like finish school and get out of there and um I also was like I guess I was really in my religious mindset because I was like where am I sinning because this isn't happening the way it's supposed to happen so what math what didn't I do right and so I was like like my friends would call me like the nun because I'd be like no I'm gonna sit this one out and let y'all have oh yeah you're not feeling this one no no no no not that I'm not feeling it I just don't understand that I see because I wasn't raised that way so there is no there is no um how do I say this there is there is there's nothing telling me because I did this this is not happening right right that's the best way that I can put it you know what I mean there's no like Commandments of I didn't follow that so this didn't happen for me yeah I've never I think we will I don't I don't have that in that church space that we were in I mean it was very much everything was connected to you know what I'm saying the good and bad things were definitely centered around yeah well how are you living you know what I mean yeah so you missed curfew yeah it could be anything anything you know what I'm saying like like you said some bad words last week that's why the Lord is you know that's why this this opportunity didn't come through it you got to slow that down you know what I'm saying like I was trying to tell you something you ain't doing something it's all it was it's all it was always that you're not doing something right therefore that's why this is not happening I'm so done very much done but no at the time like I really like was diving into that like what exactly were you what okay I was like how do I live perfect because that must be why my prayers aren't answering so I'd be the nun like the goody like I wasn't doing I was not doing nothing but I just wanted to graduate and I wanted these things to work out and then I got dropped and then I was like oh now I'm rebellious cause something someone lied and I'm serious I'm 16. I haven't done anything all the girls are doing everything I'm done I'm outside girls are doing it are you snitching to the Lord no this was really me talking to God I'd be like okay for real I'm like I didn't do anything I was sitting here and now and it's not okay so I'm done and that's really how I was like and I mean I wasn't out here Wilding because first of all I was homeschooled it's not like I was about to go like I went to like some parties with the girls who would dance with me like my dancers yeah and I'd be like sneaking out yeah like I was so not like really with it you know what I'm saying um but then I did graduate she's the greatest this is great we're gonna have so many sound bites Lily but you wanna know something so funny can I can I tell a funny story whatever you want go crazy okay so this this was the first time I ever snuck out right and my mom and dad went to go somewhere my sister for volleyball so me and my brother were at the house my brother was like yeah I'm singing out and I was like what he was like I'm sneaking out I was like I was older than him like I was I was 16. yeah I was 16 and he was 15. he was like I'm out I was like where I was like where are you going he was like I don't know he's gonna be outside I was like well what if I mean like what I was just like wow we're rebellious okay okay I was like so me too I was asking my I was asking my dancer I was like where the party at she was like okay yeah you can come meet his party like it was like deep Nashville now I don't really go outside like that I was with my mom I was very much like trying to like be booked I was on sets the only times I had went to Nashville was for the studio sessions auditions performances and now I'm gonna go to the party right so how far is Nashville from Lebanon it's like 45 40 45 okay yeah oh yeah y'all sneaking out there 45 minutes yeah and here's the thing too like we had a long driveway right back so I was driving with no lights on I was like I was sweating I was like I was it's foreign I was scared I was driving could not see I had my glasses on it's so much forestry and deers I was like oh my God Bambi please like I can't say that okay so I sneak out right and my mom sends like this text she's like thank you guys so much for like not having any attitude when we were like stay home we love y'all and I was like I was like no Mom no problem girl I was at this party right I was at this party and so then this guy that I had liked at the time who also went to my church I was such a square okay he went to my church but he was like the rebellious type I was like oh he's definitely sinning okay he was so hot okay so he was saying he was gonna come there or whatever and I was like okay period so when I walk in or whatever I remember it was like a cloud of smoke it's my first time like even being around anything I was like oh my God I was like this is the haze this is the SP this is the spirit this is the dark Spirit Haze this is that I was like I was like I should leave and then I was like it's almost day so I went in there whatever so then I was like dancing with my friend and I couldn't find my phone this was after my mom had texted me my phone had like a Bedazzled case like somebody was going to see my phone it was like pink bedazzled Claire's Sparkles bright and so I'm like okay where's my phone now I'm really freaking out because I didn't snuck out I just responded to the I said you're welcome in the group chat I'm scared so then I was like I was asking my dancer I was like my phone off on my phone I can't find it so literally all these girls I felt like such Sisterhood very much Cheetah Sisters literally all of us came together we did like this and they had their phones with the lights and we went like all through the dance floor and like we didn't see it so I was like freaking out I was like about to have a breakdown and then the DJ was like yo we got a pink phone at the DJ booth pink phone to the DJ booth I was like oh thank you Lord I went and got my phone I was like okay I really need to leave that was the Lord saving me I should just leave and then I was like I want to stay so then I stayed and then the guy that I liked came and I was like what up he did pull up I was like okay yeah what was his day I'm not saying his freaking name you know who you are Church stuffy money podcast I was nice your little sister but she was bad I was just trying to hang with you though she was bad but anyway so yeah he came to the party or whatever and then like I was like oh my God but anyway yeah so then I went home and I didn't get caught or anything but that was like my first time sneaking out fully 16. hey this [ __ ] is great this is awesome so yeah that was my first time sneaking out um you didn't get caught I did not get caught I mean I'm telling now but girl yeah don't try me Mom anyway but yeah so I got dropped and stuff and like I was just I didn't know what was happening you know what's also so weird like I was watching a lot of interviews I would watch like interviews like Beyonce being interviewed like Kobe like I would watch anything like just to see what these people that I looked up to what they were talking about and like what they would say about the journey and I'd be like I always feel like they are not saying enough about the journey like where's the bad parts you know like where are the where are the bad like how long did it take yeah what did you do when did you get dropped right right I was looking for something related or spoke to to make it feel normal that it wasn't happening good for me absolutely so that's why I try to be like more transparent about everything that happened just because I was like is this okay like does this mean I'm still gonna win absolutely or what what does this mean yeah so yeah that's kind of like what I was doing to fill the space yeah and you would live still living with your parents at the time yeah yeah I was 16 and then when I was 17 I graduated early and I moved to LA and I was staying with like kind of like God Parents type and then I got this opportunity to be on Broadway so then I moved to New York by myself and then I was like oh I'm definitely not have a roommate in the same year in the same year you're on Broadway you book a Broadway show that's great so then I was in New York and all my family came to New York for Christmas but for the most part I was like there by myself at 17. 17 and then I turned 18 I had my 18th birthday in New York that's correct oh yeah where were you staying in New York I was staying they had like they had put me up in this like old s house it was not giving yeah but you know um respectfully be giving overworked and underpaid I wasn't living for that Broadway yes like a labor of love isn't it I mean like yeah a labor of something I don't know uh one two three four five six seven eight it's almost like eight to nine shows a week depending on what you own okay and then I was like okay who's doing hair makeup they were like you I was like oh you're doing design you well who's putting my mic on you I was like okay literally I was over there doing my makeup I was like so it's the same script same everything every day and we're doing this multiple times today okay okay how long were you on Broadway I did that like almost a year at the time it feels a way but that's real training that's the real [ __ ] it was I was like I'm sorry y'all y'all deserve way more than this because this is a lot like it was the hardest job I think I've ever done like being on top of everything I remember the first couple shows like if I didn't know where I was supposed to be placed like the other girls that played my friends and stuff they would look at me and I'm like this is a live show oh my God it was too much I was so I was so green and then by the end of it I was like anyway I got right there I'd be like absolutely I because I've done it so much I feel like a robot you know yeah and then like at the beginning I would always be nervous because I had to kiss this guy because like we were in love and I'd be like and then by the end I was like all right anyway let's get this over come on Tom give me something literally like I mean it was just crazy like how how different my mindset was on it at the end versus at the beginning but I don't know I would I think I would do it again but it would have to be like boss that definitely bossed up and then also like it's not going to be bossed up it's like very much passion project yeah about to say it's like when you do Broadway you know it it is a labor of love yeah you know what I mean and because you really dare to sharpen your tools and but it's like I'm never doing if you can have the children never say never no no no no no if you have to live my life to pick the project okay then that's uh that's the plus if you can pick the project in the moment yeah that's the plus but outside but but the work yeah I respected that all right yeah I mean yeah okay how much is Right wow okay I'll be like um okay okay but it was like it was the the best experience for me because of you know of course the people that I was on the road with they were like you know from TV shows and from movies and they were the they were the real deal I was this singer Guy you know what I mean who was the only singer guy on the stage in this you know kind of prominent role and they're looking at me like what you got what you got wow I think it's so interesting because when I was doing it I was like the girl from Disney so they were like what are you doing here for sure I was like I really don't know actually I'm just happy to be doing something yeah sometimes you gotta go to the trenches I mean it's it's all preparation yeah for all of these things that we're involved in and it goes back to your Soul Train Awards performance you're prepared for those moments it showed yeah everyone is not prepared for when that light come on yeah and when it's time to do your job you understand okay this is my spot these are my these are my these are my notes this is what I'm supposed to finish yeah and I'm gonna handle this like a professional yeah you know what I mean you got so many artists out here now and I won't even say now we've always had we've always had some [ __ ] at times but I think it's it's it's more it's it's normalized now that people aren't ready ready and I think also because we are in this fast culture so then sometimes people do pop off fast because of social media and Trends and then it's like yeah what do you do when you're just singing and doing something on your computer you know well I think it pops off I think it's like like if if we're saying okay this this record is jumping off Tick Tock is going crazy this major label comes in and say hey you're popping we're going to give you a deal let's go and then you just throw them to the Wolves yeah and that's the part that all these development costs money but I want to spend that but that's the part that's missing so it's like it's why we have I think more of it you know we've always had the [ __ ] for sure but I think we have more of it because there are more avenues for people to get cracking and people will just throw money at it yeah as opposed to throwing some type of tutelage in education and understanding at it a fun word tutelage you need it you do we need it and so um let's get out of New York okay back to back to L.A back to L.A okay you're back to LA with no roommate I was blowing that yeah that was not a bag okay it was not a bag but I had all these you know I had savings and stuff because I've been working since I was literally 12. yeah okay yeah period um so yes I was back in La auditioning and this was pre-covered when you would go into rooms and like meet casting people and stuff it just seems so so long ago when we would go into rooms but I'll be driving like all over the place Santa Monica Downtown North Hollywood auditioning auditioning auditioning auditioning auditioning auditioning auditioning oh D yeah like at least I'm grateful that like I did have opportunities and audition some people just want that you know just the fact that they even are getting a shot to take is like oh my gosh wow but I think for me like my pride was checked because I had already expected it to go I already thought I was at this level and go up from there but it was like it doesn't matter what you did when you go into these rooms they do not care brand new you're brand new so I feel like I was constantly like just proving myself to people like proving it proving it proving it and at the same time with music I'm independent now so like I don't really know what I want to sing or whatever you're back recording too now when you come back to LA yeah but like very very like I want to spend money on to do you know because when you're independent yeah it's on you and then the people that want to rock with you you know maybe get it on the back end or like just believe you know and I had plenty of all of those different things so like I would make music and then I was also going to this music school but that was just so I could tell my family that I was in school you know because they were like what is she doing out there and my parents would be like she's in school but um I was doing that too that was that didn't lead to much and like it was so crazy because every time it would get to the point where it looked like I would need to Pivot and like do something else something would happen literally every time I would get something or like a song Would pop off or like I would get a sponsorship like a promo like a Content piece to do something on social media and my numbers were not even giving like that so it was just so opportunities they would come like something would always keep me going from all the music being a none I mean if that were it worked listen if that's what it was if I was thinking [Music] yes some totally different you mentioned it the school uh-huh what were your expectations of music school did you have did you walk into because you said something you were like it didn't really pan out so did you have expectations when you when you signed up for music school like this is going to help me through get X wires it no I did not expect that I I only wanted to go to the school to network and to possibly learn I was thinking I was going to learn how to produce I was like okay I can learn that there Lauren I was studying like music business like entertainment law like I was like I want to learn what all of this stuff means those were the things that I really knew I could get out of it but what I thought was going to pop me off was a job like an acting role so that's where I was like whenever I get this role I'm out of here I don't even care how long I was studying any of this I'm gone because this is what is going to open the door for me okay you know no because I I think sometimes people it's it's a weird space with um with the music business and music education yeah and I think a lot of people don't look at it as really a real resource into making it because so many people have done it without it yeah so it's and I and I said in a funny space because I didn't you I didn't utilize I didn't go to school for music either but I do understand the value of it yeah and I think sometimes it's it's not really it's not really brought up at all when people talk about okay this person went to Berkeley School of Music or this person you know they went to the engineering Academy and these type of things and I I personally think it should be promoted a little more because I do think we need more people that you know have some form of Education yeah in music business and in music period I think that as we look at a curriculum for music business I don't think that that's been curated no properly no and I think that there are so many things so many nuances and actual music business of us doing the music business that's not in a music business school that at some point there's we're gonna have to help curate that program so that when people come out of music school music business school they're not starting over from the very beginning because that's normally what happens now if you have the gift like if you go to Berkeley or one of those schools and you come out in here or you know you technically Savvy you know how to you know you engineer you know all these cool things like there's a there's a there's a good chance that you can be a dope session engineer or or catch a tour and go on the road or or catch a cool engineering job or up and coming rapper or something like that you know what I'm saying like but when it's just music business the things that I've seen from music business school is that they it's a book thing for them and not necessarily it doesn't it doesn't entail the nuances that we go through that we really go through in this business yeah you know what I'm saying like those negotiations with lawyers and and with promoters you know what I'm saying and with the label and yeah and and and and taking less to get more you know the number says you should get this but I mean you know like and realizing that standard is a [ __ ] standard is a horrible term there's no such thing there's no such thing in the music business but that's the first thing they tell you when they're trying to [ __ ] you over this is a standard agreement next [ __ ] show you that slapping okay when they say standard agreement slap them with the paper that they wrote it on yeah yeah I agree there's what you're there's there's what you're willing to do yeah for what is being offered that's it yeah I do agree with with both points I do feel like looking back I'm like I could have been taking these courses online and be way more Savvy in my business um and then at the same time I'm like nothing I studied really prepared me for what really was going on so I just look at it more like you don't know what you need to know and what you don't know so you might as well try to learn it all you know what I'm saying like what else are you doing at the time so do it like do everything you can do at the time get in the streets and be outside and really learn from like your actual experiences while studying like that's what I wish I would have done I had such a mindset of like it's going to be a job from somebody spare job someone give me a job when I could have if I would have had a different mindset I could have been like let me create a platform what oh Vine is the thing right now okay how do I get on there how do I put my music on there how do I create jobs for myself yeah you know how do I what else can I do I could intern at a label but like I could there was so much stuff that I thought about and I was like no it just needs to be an acting job someone give me a job job casting people give me this job but were you suffering from two things though you suffered from really talented yeah yeah early success and early success that's the T that early success it threw my perception off and then I was like just trying to do everything to make it seem back to that again like back to that trajectory and that was hard but another thing that was fun while I was figuring out what I was doing with my life I did have fun at the club turn up another Club come on the club has to be in there as they call me you know what I'm saying um I'm the turnip King they've done me that for quite some time yeah which club which club was your what's your what's your did you fancy there was one club now this is LOL there was this one Club I feel like it was two different clubs but it was called like lejardin or something yes yeah they changed but they always changed the name after somebody get shot they usually change the name of a club so if it was something that used to be something else that means somebody Guys somebody got shot okay just know that when somebody go yeah we're gonna go to such and such but you know it used to be the old yeah yeah [ __ ] shot somebody yeah that one was fun and then what was the one that literally got shut down because and the girls would come down into things uh it wasn't that uh something with a p like Partners was it that in on Hollywood like it was on Hollywood you know was that there yeah man one time the girl cut my freaking fake ID in front of everybody it was so embarrassing I was like girls don't wait for that because I'm like hold on she said she said I enjoyed the club so this is gonna happen Okay so I'll go to the clubs most of the time to be like the guys there they'd be like ID and I'd be like hey girl and they'd be like and I'll be like and maybe like come on in I'd be like yes but my shondo said this lady's not the type she's not giving that so she was like ID and I was like oh she already had a bad night I was looking at my friends I was like I don't know y'all oh nobody no no no no no no okay it's a pack and then I started but I did start to like hang with some girls who like were like yeah and they knew like the promoters and stuff so then it was you gotta had a homie who knows it was like it was like a whole new world shout out shout out to the girl who knows the promoter okay okay keep taking one for the team you finish now two weeks get Coco in the club go with us I hope you let that girl backstage now that I don't think she lives here anymore I think I think she's married now I don't know I don't know why someone always marries them she was a nice lady look at those are nice young ladies they are nice young ladies nice young ladies but anyway yeah so like at the time I was also so green so like I would go to the club and like At first I'd be like oh people wait in line here okay cool and then I started kicking it with the girls with the promoters and they'd be like this way and I was like oh exclusive okay cool yeah and then like I'd be like we're all on the floor dancing and they were like no we stand on the sections only I was like and don't dance and we don't dance we just go like that we post you know how to post though he was right I didn't know how to post I already had it correct what are you doing at it it's so funny and then like I honestly like I was so green sometimes I think about it I'm like that's amazing though that you wanted to come and dance though I did I still I still want to go to the club and dance internally but I'll be having to be all cute you don't you don't have to you don't get it okay you don't get a party with you I can only party at my if it's my event let her do it yes five okay thank you next what's that cheerleader movie with the black girls that's all that's stop playing because you know I just did it I just did Gabrielle for Halloween I didn't bring it on it's perfect I didn't know that it's perfect but you ain't let me up friend we did a whole interview that's crazy they're sad you gave that too I was like this wow I did it thank you don't do that [ __ ] at the club though I would have fun though I would be like sometimes I do forget and I go back to like the girl that when I first moved here and I'd be in the club and I forget I'm like oops sorry guys but you know what that's you got to be that that's needed like like you you now look y'all know y'all be outside y'all know y'all see the club environment it's just in L.A in L.A it's like that but in other places they actually dance you don't go no more I don't I I don't see a reason okay not like because you never like because I like to party yeah okay if you're going to do this no I like to have a good time yeah I don't post okay it's not like a post no not sure if you pretend no there's like a glass in that vase it's not it's not at you like like when we was going to Guys and Dolls and and my studio and and supper club and we was party last last Club I went to where it wasn't no glass what you call it the glass vase yeah you pretend like you're in a glass vase was Keith powers no you told me about that you told me about that my young player partner player partner what I don't know if he sent out like a bad signal that said don't come in here with that [ __ ] [ __ ] was partying in Los Angeles let me tell you how lit it was nobody could walk I bought a table when you weren't supposed to buy tables it was an open bar you bought a table and I bought a table so we could turn up turn up my player partner Lydia was at my table with me and we had a great time and it was but it was about just having a good time yeah and for your age group and your age demographic somebody gotta stand in front of that and say listen y'all need to party get loose yeah and with you being Who You Are they gonna follow you that's just what I believe this is what I believe they're not going to look at you like oh my God they're gonna be like oh [ __ ] go go out there okay guys it turns into something I'm telling you okay and the thing is I have no problem being the one like oh Coco out there but when it's my event if I'm going to someone else's turn that [ __ ] up thing I'm just not getting me a tank they turn the gang and [ __ ] [ __ ] up somehow I just end up on the mic and just in the middle of the Dance Floor just going crazy have a good time I agree I agree I agree music's cool waiting on the gig declare the club the club the club does not forget the club you wanna know something else funny I would never drink alcohol I would only put the juice in there nothing wrong with that are you mad at that no no you don't be drinking yeah oh that was that was the past yeah I took the sit with y'all yeah but I don't yeah but but now I think the Lord is is always leading me to have a beverage so it's always communion it's always when I walk in the club past my mother my little drink and my piece of cracker you want a lightning strike so bad stop playing why did you move if the lightning strike was coming back he know my heart he rock with me different okay what is the next move what is the next moment uh like how much time how much time elapsed the next moment was actually like what inspired I think me to really get into my Artistry so I kind of like fell in love so basically I had met this one guy and he was visiting USC so oh also when I was going to the clubs I met these this group of girls so I was in this one movie and this guy that was like a part of it I liked him so he was like come to this USC party and I was like okay cool so I went there and he had all female friends and I was like skirt but anyway I really liked his friends so I was like okay so you're that but I started kicking with his friends I'm like I still talk to like a bunch of them to the day like we all got really close I'm like you traded him in for his friends yeah because what I look like I'm just asking I'm just asking questions yes he had to go okay and he had to go anyway but I also we don't like friendlies he's too friendly all females all females you know it's just a little bit nicer what did you want him to have um all guys and I'll have all girls okay okay I mean at the time I was like 18 I was just like what but yeah so I fell in love with this one guy that that was his friend knew oh okay anyway he didn't have any male friends but this guy like we started we were in like a long distance cyber relationship so he ended up choosing he ended up choosing another school and like we just didn't want to stop talking to each other so that was like I have to say that part because it taught me like so much about myself like keep in mind I'm green like you know what I'm saying like homeschool all type of stuff like that and like that was my first time really learning about love and who I am because I was so like I was so into that that I feel like I kind of had to lose myself to find myself because like the acting stuff the music stuff it wasn't making sense but like that made sense to you you know what I'm saying oh you kind of you pushed your career to the side no it was already on side I I wanted it I'm talking about I couldn't push it I'm talking about any further than what hustle that you were on that first week like you said you were auditioning crazy I mean I would still do that it was I mean it was long distance it wasn't like I like relocated I would still do the auditions and everything but I wasn't as hungry for it to work I was like whatever like you know I'm in love so yeah when that like kind of erupted is when I was just too I was too I was more confident in him and him succeeding than me you know I was like okay this is what we're gonna do like and you're gonna like love here and then I'll like this and it was just like I didn't have me anymore you know because I wasn't confident that my life was gonna work out so then we stopped dating or whatever and then that's when I had gotten this campaign with Fanta it literally came out of nowhere I love Santa I do too yeah so basically like I was one of the fantanas I was the great one I I didn't know like I remember I had gotten this email and my agent was like congratulations I was like for what Robert and I was looking at it and I was like what is this an audition I was like how do I audition and he was like no they chose you I was like why it was like are they Jersey I don't know like so I I did this for a year and then they redid the contract for another year like they were like happy with all the everything that I was doing for the brand so what does a Fanta girl do um well I did like a commercial with them I did like Billboards and stuff it was me and then a bunch of other different categories of influencers like social media like acting you know what I'm saying it was like one two three four different races different you know I'm saying so that was like the goal was to like spread this new version of the drink or whatever so I did that for two years the hood soda sir listen I'm from the hood and we drank fasting [ __ ] what flavor great severely I mean as if you didn't already know what the answer was going to be all right and give me a great Fanta some Funyuns and a Chico stick you gotta have Funyuns I'm crying but yeah so I did that and then um at the time after that I was once again like what am I gonna do here what am I going to do and that's when I had wrote this song called just my luck just my luck was a song that I put out independently and I put out an EP um about the boy that I had broke up with so you wrote about him I wrote about him and I wrote about the industry but just my luck was a song specifically to the industry and it was kind of saying like oh great like this is just my luck I fell in love with his career and it doesn't give two rats about me you know what I'm saying like doesn't care at all about me me not cursing because it's a podcast I don't know how the neutralization I know you're right I did realize that but I was trying to make sure I didn't know what it's going man [ __ ] all that go ahead anyway um I had put that song out and that was my first time being like what just happened because it was like another wave of momentum that wasn't from acting it wasn't from like somebody doing something or pushing something paying for the advertisements it was just a song that I put out independently yeah and like it kind of went crazy on Twitter for a minute so then I did more music and I was still auditioning and I did a couple like little things that were like cool or whatever but nothing nothing too crazy the next thing was I was in this like toxic type relationship and it was not giving but what it did give was this guy was like really like he was smart he was a really smart guy so I learned a lot about like business and whatever whatever so at the time there was tick tock tick tock had just come out this was around the pandemic and um I was like not another social media platform I'm already doing like stuff on these platforms and My Views aren't good compared to when I was literally 15 like I don't want another platform where I have to keep up I was so like don't don't talk to me about Tick Tock I don't want to hear about it literally my siblings were like get on Tick Tock I was like I'm not doing it so there was this tweet and I still I literally like messaged this girl and I was like thank you so much but of course it was God too and this tweet was like man what happened to Coco like she was supposed to be next up like she was supposed to be it and the Tweet went viral and so I like showed it to my mom I was like look what they're saying on the interwebs about me and I showed it to the guy he was smart and he was like you should respond to it and I was like and say what and So I responded to it and I was like do you want to know what happened and that tweet went viral and I was like whoa so then I got kind of like scared because I I hadn't had like like think about it like this peak engagement yeah my numbers were going crazy I had like sponsorship advertisement everything to drop down to where it's like just humbling humbling okay and then other people are popping off on social media and stuff and the same girls that I was auditioning with popping off it was just humbling and then for me to see this tweet go viral I was like oh okay so I literally make this video about like what happened my entire literally what I'm sitting down telling y'all this whole video the whole time the engagement is crazy on this YouTube video like my most one of my most watched videos I didn't know what was going on and then somebody took a sound bite from that and put it on tick tock everyone was using the sound everything what was the sound it was like um I was talking about Disney or whatever and I was like and you would do a two for a check okay I was an employee like I was saying like something like that and they took that sound bite and it went yeah crazy literally all over the world so then I was like what the hell is Tick Tock now people are like we support you we're not gonna let they're not gonna fumble your bag we're in your corner I was like okay okay okay we'll see high yeah the Coco look they're called the co-captains oh the Coco captains okay yeah she already got a name that's what they that's what they said they were like where yeah they were saying I was like okay I'm gonna pass and deceit so they were telling me what to do they were like do more videos like this get on Tick Tock change your Twitter header that this is old delete I was like okay okay I I don't know what was going on they're walking you through yes yeah literally it was so crazy that's why they're good guys because they drove the boat I was just investing to see so then I was on Tick Tock and I was like okay this is Tick Tock what is this and I remember I was scrolling and I saw somebody do like a cover and it was like if I was on this song I was like oh I can do this I know how to do this too yeah so at the time hit different by sza just come out and so I found the bee on YouTube or whatever and I literally remember I was about to go somewhere with my friends so I recorded it with like my I didn't even put the stand up or nothing and I was just like yeah yeah yeah sang the whole thing and then I was like I'll post it later left when to post it went with my friends and then the next morning my phone was blowing up the thing had went viral yeah literally the cover had went viral like even scissor had hit me about it like it was so weird so like from there I mean 24 hours but that's how Tick Tock is it can literally go viral like like an hour after you post it I don't know how that mess works but then after that like I would get um people like Executives and stuff were like oh we had no idea I had no idea hey back then they didn't want to know I was about to get on the camera again I ain't gonna do it you know you gotta forgive him again um yeah so fast forward yeah I mean like I just meet different people different producers um I had different like management I had a new acting management and then I get this audition opportunity for Hillary and they're like I have new acting management now and like I knew people like on my team and they're like my active manager is like you need to audition for this I was like I'm not auditioning for this I was like Hillary is a light-skinned girl I'm definitely not that my hair is not do that I don't even know what a reimagining is I'm not I'm not what waste of time and they were like on camera and audition I was like okay so I did this audition I didn't even like really read it because I was just so used to rejection I was like you're telling me the characters like him you're telling me that yeah okay I'm gonna give this my all right you know so I did it and um the director Morgan Cooper he wanted to talk to me and so my um my acting management was like uh we have a director session I was like oh I did not think I ate that but okay so I was talking to him and he was like I've been following you he was like do you be you he was like I'm looking for you not whatever you're thinking this is yeah and I was like uh okay because of course your mind goes into the old show yes yeah I mean I know exactly I know exactly what y'all want yeah I got about four girls like I was like I don't even think I'm bougie my friends were like well you're a little bougie friend but yeah so I auditioned again with a completely different perspective and then literally like a week later I found out I got the part so when I found out that I got the part at the time I had um you know all this new team and they were working on a deal with me and Def Jam so at the same time at the same time that I found out I got it I was like oh perfect this will help like convince them more like yeah I'm supposed to be on the show I don't know what's going to give but I'm playing Hillary you know what I'm saying so they were like oh okay cool Okay cool so then literally I'm signed to Def Jam now and I have this show I'm filming this show and I'm going to the studio after and I'm making music like I did this literally every day like I have like 60 songs and it was giving whoo tired the show comes out and Pops the hell off absolutely I mean everyone everyone knows like that was what everyone was talking about you know and it just like it was like I was back in time to when I had that number one movie and like all the momentum all those people want to talk to me you know what I'm saying and then my music comes out and people are like oh my God you sing I was like oh Lord come on y'all stop playing with me like you know I've been wanting to say this whole this all started from music right right yeah but you never know when the discovery comes though you never know which I didn't know what was going to hit first and in my mind I was thinking auditions are like jobs you can apply for them you can get them so it's like a job and they tell you when to come in you have your schedule yeah this is normal this is as close to normal as you can get in the industry is like acting like and everyone on the set you know like producers Riders every Wednesday morning not you know it's like a job so I was like I can do this while I'm trying to pursue music that feels more chaotic you know what I'm saying more like there's no formula no Foundation no consistency it's whatever it is you know so that kind of brings us to like where we are now and then I put out this EP and that went number one yeah come on man you know what let's just get enough I got a little bit left yeah okay but it was like so crazy because I people don't even know I had this vision board like this it's the same vision board I always just like would update the pictures it's the same things though same thing since when but since probably since I was like 18 okay um because at 18 I was also just like what the how do I like how do I how do I get my mind around that this can still happen so that this can happen like you know you're just trying to figure out how to keep the faith yeah so I would make like vision boards and stuff like that and like you know of course like I would Speak Life over myself and all these things but I had this picture on my vision board and it was me and it was like number one album like I just edited it like I put like cropped it took somebody else picture out put my picture in and so when I saw that real number one like I was so emotional because I remembered when I edited my picture into somebody else's number one and now I ain't even got to edit it I have a screenshot you know what I'm saying it's crazy but wow I talked a really long time that was literally my whole journey no it's it's your show that's why we brought you here thank you it's here for you yeah period um we we want to know the journey I mean and the real journey and you know I mean like not not all the kids and yeah the party's full of smoke no seriously because people need to understand all the routes and that it's not just a straight line yeah they need to know the Peaks and The Valleys they need to understand that this thing takes time man it takes time even if it seems to be overnight it takes time it takes preparation it takes hours of practicing hours of rejection yeah hours of rejection because when you think about it you start piling that [ __ ] up you're like [ __ ] they told me no for a long time oh my gosh yes you know and and it builds character but it also sets you up for the rest of your life in this thing if this is something that you really want yeah if it's something that you're really after you're like oh I've seen that before yeah that don't affect me yeah and then also too like the people around you like I was grateful that of course I had my family and they were sometimes I'd be like y'all I I can't do this no more like I really can't do this anymore and they'd be like they would just remind me of how far I've already come and all the sacrifices that my whole family my whole family when this is a win it's for my whole family everybody had to sacrifice my brother and sister had to sacrifice time with their mom my dad his wife like it was a whole sacrifice you know what I'm saying coming out here and flying to go audition then nobody was recouping that you know it was a whole thing everybody's recruiting ain't nobody giving that back I gotta I got a big cousin who says something to me that just it just stuck with me and he was very successful at putting his kids through Sports he said to me I just always stuck with me he said to me he said don't disappoint the investors dang especially when it's the people that really love you like it's one thing for the investor to be like somebody that come along when the record's moving a little bit but no no no no no no the real investors yeah your mommy and daddy your brother and sister those are the real like what you just said is super important when you win it's a win for your family that's real [ __ ] real [ __ ] because we don't get here by ourselves okay we get here by not disappointing the investors that's a fact that's a fact that initial push and that's just that's really really dope that it's something that you haven't forgotten about yeah because we also have people who forget about that no matter who those you know I mean like it don't matter if people say parents or not they like yeah you know I did this and you know I I've been around people too that just have forgotten where they came from and I I feel sorry for them because I was so humbled that's the only reason that I feel like I could never get an ego about it because I was just so humble watching it all just fall down you know that was like traumatizing you know but when you're around all these Yes Men type people you're doing numbers you're you're getting money like you're people need you more than you need them how I mean it's only the grace of God that you don't Lose Yourself that that's too much power for a human being that's too much clout it's just like that is not healthy or normal and then people get scared to upset you you know what I'm saying yeah or like tell you the truth like they're scared it's tough to create a surrounding of objective people you know what I mean and so like when when Eve was here you know what I'm saying we're talking about how friends those get those people who you share a Happy Meal with or or or a Long Island iced tea it was him and J Cole sharing Long Island not at the same time but they would take it they couldn't afford that's crazy but that friendship and the truth within that friendship the truth within that relationship yeah of somebody being able to say that ain't cold up let's not do that those things are are tough to find in the business yeah and sometimes you have to bring those kind of things with you and then some people do try you know they'd be having like day ones around them and then their day ones think that yeah it can get tricky but there's no true formula humans and their flesh you know yeah and they're like sinful nature it's just like talk about it don't nobody teach you when you're a kid anyway but every but everybody goes on their trip yeah you know what I'm saying yes whether it be the star or the person standing next to the star you know what I'm saying helping this everybody goes on they're interesting such and such as cousin or brother acting as if it's like hey [ __ ] you can't dump you know who I am that is hot what's the name assistant what relax yeah let me in here he popped bottles here all the time it's good to see you um having having great success having a great moment you know what I mean and every time I see you um you smile and having a good time I am I am having a good time because I'm a goofball you are I'm always gonna make you have a good time no you for real are a character we're just hosting it at the uh um at Joy's uh coach creative culture creators for sure and uh and I was talking to Joy because Joy is like Joy's our dog it's like she was my first product manager at Atlantic oh wow that's my wow people that's family and she's like what do you think about Coco Jones I was like I like Google jokes that'll be dope yeah that'll be perfect and then you walk in and jump right on in you know what I'm saying you're like a long lost cousin that's my dog right there we good like I just I love seeing that energy because it could be another way you know what I mean you could take all of the success and all of the um I look good and I got all the cool that you could you could easily take that yeah and and and use it use it for evil I think there was a time like when I was much younger where I was like I could have gone down that path where I was like everyone was like she's such a star oh my gosh like she's the next big thing like it just felt like huh hmm maybe I am a star you got humble I mean yeah and then I got whoa and then you got humble so never again but sometimes I do get scared though I'm like it's happening like but scared of what like scared to lose it you know or for things to like I just the the decline is scary it is but it's not always I think what I'm learning now is it's about Seasons too you know like you can't be like the hottest thing ever all the time like you gotta go somewhere create and grow and then come back out again yes so I'm more like changing my mindset about what it looks like now that these doors are opening right and like not to be in fear you know right because sometimes I'll be like okay I need to do this opportunity because what if it doesn't happen and then I want to make sure that I'm pleasing everybody because I'm scared you know and sometimes that fear is connected to not just not just status but also the financial side of it because it's like now how do I support myself when I'm not the hottest thing because I've I've I've I've I've run up this tab you know I'm saying right now I'm looking at I'm at fifteen twenty thousand a month [Music] the other thing that we have to remind each other that there's there's life in business outside of music business yeah you know what I'm saying and things that the smallest things that could be generating just the coolest monthly Revenue that you're you're investing a little bit in that will sustain you yeah until that next piece until that next day or during the valley or fool around and go to the moon this twenty thirty thousand dollar investment turns into two million out of nowhere that'd be great that'd be great all right wonderful so you know as as as you think about as we look forward because listen valleys are coming yeah to you firsthand Valley's gone I haven't been I've been broke so many times I don't don't bother me none don't bother me man that go broke tomorrow bro we can split up ultimate feast you know it's so many other cool things happening you know what maybe this will you know we'll be good with this until this happens again yeah and if it don't happen again but I think the other the other thing that's not even the other thing the most important thing that's the most valuable is you and not just what you do not oh I'm on a TV show oh I have a record deal I'm putting out music no no no you your personality the fact that as soon as you came in here we were smiling that in itself is the most valuable thing that you have that's your goal you will reach a point in your career where people have to say I just like her and I'm willing to do this with her because I just like her because she may it may not just be at that hot at that point yeah but when you have that you always have a career you always have a shot it's the artist who have been so scorned or whatever it is if they want to pay everybody back because now they hot oh as soon as they not they can't wait [ __ ] is like oh no yikes that [ __ ] be tripping or her attitude so terrible I'm not nah I'm cool mm-hmm and it's almost like tank said they're almost waiting to you to fall off for you to fall off so they can be like man who next so close but the people that you enjoy and the people that you like to have around you'll give another shot to um purely off of that well he's he's saying uh what am I saying what am I saying be yourself be a joy to have around don't find yourself on the outs with no friends to hold you down be yourself and you'll stick all right that's what he said [Music] okay listen Okay okay I'm screaming go go you're awesome in all things that's what you've told us okay you've told us without telling us you flexed on us okay since you were this hot you've been doing it at a high level thank you um we're gonna get into your mind okay your r b mine be mind period your top five why does everything sound like a bad beer commercial this is the moment for the time oh my gosh [Music] [Music] [Laughter] um [Music] um your top five okay hold on male or female okay well I already had I already thought about this they're all female okay come on come on um in no particular order but five of them okay Brandy hmm Jasmine Sullivan you going happy you're happy yeah yeah yeah Bay Area Aaliyah Beyonce wow oh that's a tough list Ed dangerous sounded like they check ball man what monster I want to go against that Bob okay who want to go against that [ __ ] no one yes no one I feel like they all have different elements like Jasmine is like this raspy Soulful type thing and like Aaliyah is like this Vibe you can't help but be like you're it her songs are magnetic you know yeah yeah and they stick in your head Beyonce's the execution it's going to be executed to Perfection you know her is like Artistry like all these instruments you know yeah at least I didn't say ready Brandy yeah you already knew yeah I feel like as I listen to your music and your EP like your body of work you cover all of that ground yeah you cover all of your inspirations thank you in your music because it was like you you really were morphing into different moments you know what I mean which is tough to do to be able to you know cater your voice to the different Sonics and to the different tempos like I didn't I didn't lose anything from you from a Tempo record to a slow record you should stay here or not you better hear or you should like everything was like okay because and then that comes with the execution when you talk about Beyonce like you didn't you didn't you didn't lay off on any of those moments on any of those temples like we got to nail that right let's do that again because if if it's not the run then it's got to be the swag and if it's not the swag then it's got to be the Cadence and if it's not like you were on facts all of that yeah congratulations your top five you're welcome you're welcome r b songs okay um and no order Say My Name Destiny's Child Thinking About You Frank Ocean wow when you touch me Brandy oh don't you do this today okay all times I mean that's an amazing okay um focused by her with the harps it does it for me and then I said my own song Just My Luck come on call you shout out yourself why shouldn't your song be one of your top five I mean I I realize that the theme Here is do whatever you please do please do and well damn right oh you went to that brand new one yeah when you touch me oh my gosh listen Brandi sang one time at this r b we had an r b night that you I used to host every Wednesday and Brandy sang came in here saying and I saw dudes huddled up all my guys huddled up together shoulder to shoulder in the frenzy it's like I would I wasn't one of those guys women in this in this like frenzy over an artist together it was guys huddled together strong solid dudes that were had that were that were they were broken they were emotional Brandy had done this her vocal is serious it is it is it's the backgrounds as well like it's the detail yeah it's now she don't play she don't and it's like what's crazy is you remember the song and you remember the ad-libs like that's a whole nother verse is the ad list you've been trying to sing all the parts running out of breath it's a whole thing I want to sing your ad-libs and the backgrounds okay at the same time at the same time along with this lead line that Rodney's playing what is the lead line I want to do all of that okay okay here we go foreign you're making an r b Voltron okay we're building we need the vocal performance style ing and passion for the artist for this Voltron who are you getting the vocal from put your phone down put your phone down okay put your phone down all right all right Google's not your friend I was gonna say the vocal I would say Jasmine I want Jasmine's vocal on this Voltron um you the one with that yes Jasmine vocal I'm gonna say I mean I could say Brandy of course no but you but I love Jasmine I'm I I love it this is like this is this is one of my voltrons this is one of them okay there's one just built in here you're gonna build another one later got it yeah okay I already did the Brandy one is like it's on its own okay leading the pack and then this is the second in command all right here we go performance style on stage Beyonce um I would pick that as well yeah did you go to them and run two two part two get on my nerves I have a thing aware I only want to experience these things at the top tier like I would rather I want to go to the concert when she's like hey girl and I'm like hey Pete what's up she's like come to the concert I'm like okay yeah I'm on the way oh Stables she didn't know where the show was just saying that you're not really proud to be high like the rest like the rest of us I'm saying like I just I I just wanted to be experienced that way as a member of The Beehive I I was in the audience experiencing Beyonce I want to be like I wanted to come upstairs we'll talk about your membership after this um okay styling of the artist what you want what you want to put the drip who who put who put that [ __ ] on I would say Aaliyah put that [ __ ] on um I mean the trends are still very much the trends absolutely she definitely put that on absolutely yeah and I also feel like she was sexy but it wasn't giving like okay no mystery huh that's really we're all out here with it period okay it was more like how does she what is that what's under there like what is this I I'm captivated by the unknown you know yeah I just feel like that's something that is not as popular anymore like you know what I'm saying especially like as women you feel like okay this is what everybody doing this is what this is what I got to do like will they care if I don't you know well so I like that for me it was like oh wow she gets to like not have to do that you just got to decide what you want to be on and and not you and stand on these things right of course you do but then it's a girl as a young girl coming up all you see is the certain things that are like this is pushed out here where you see it yeah in order for me to get there I gotta right there right I just feel like she for me was like a breath of fresh air for sure oh I could wear that too for sure I feel like that that's something I would wear I would want to do that not for like okay I have to do this to keep up right you know Passion of the artist who you don't get the heart from then because Beyonce also has a passion as well I'm gonna say Michael Jackson um oh you want to rehearse eight to ten hours a day you don't want to play with it yeah that the passion was passion yeah yeah you don't want to play with it yeah no playing with it yeah he didn't play the car being polished buff that's me that's yeah I love it different that is different that's a great Voltron that's a great vulture and then I also had to say dancing but you guys didn't ask me that well performance style oh oh okay that is that is yeah look at her come over here don't make me regret oh yeah in fact okay oh yeah okay sorry [Laughter] oh Lord what and don't go to your damn phone for it neither you can't get this off your phone what I ain't saying I have to guess I ain't saying no names he was there who's doing it you gotta look into the clouds When You See It Might Have Been Me might have been them I don't know what it was like singing no names I ain't saying no names foreign [Applause] [Music] [Music] what is going on so I have a portion of the show segment of the show it's called I ain't saying no names will you tell us a story funny or [ __ ] up or funny [ __ ] oh I was over here trying to guess the song I was like no names and the Only Rule to this game say no names we're gonna do no snitching oh here you can't say nobody name tell your story though uh um come on listen let me think because me telling this story I mean I'm in the stories okay so I'm like what do I want to say oh on the interwebs okay yeah and into whims I like it I like it I like it give me a lot it was funny you can't say it was me Minnie and Mickey oh my gosh and I told a good story already and didn't say no name let me think hmm I'm scared I'm also a little nervous yeah tell the people you got them stories yeah that's the one hold on when it hits you yeah yeah that's what we want you yeah I have to keep that in mind say no names okay so before you start this is Coco Jones I ain't saying no names whoa um okay I'm going to talk about a first date that I had went on first day so basically this okay it's fine sure so this was a recommendation from a friend okay my friend was like I think you guys would really hit it off because the impression that I get from this guy is that you guys would really match you know what I'm saying you guys seen birds of a feather flock together type and I was like okay my friend had never recommended me do any first dates and nothing like that so I was like okay cool I'm gonna see what we're talking about so the first kind of date was like all like kind of a group hangout type thing like to get just get the vibe and then like you know how girls we're like uh you want to go to the bathroom so basically it means like you want to go talk [ __ ] in the bathroom yeah and so it's like yes I do great so we go in the bathroom and after I had like met him I thought he was like mad fine like tall you know in La it'd really be giving like you're either five eight or you're six five like the it's rare for me because I'm tall I'm always like you're five ten okay all right I'm five two anyway so I was like he's actually tall like oh my God he's cute like bunny like I was like girl I think you ate that she was like okay period so cool so after the like group hang he was like yeah let's hang out one-on-one I was like yeah for sure so he like he was like you want me to like pick you up send the car videos like whatever I was like you know like you can like pick me up whatever he's gonna stop in the car yeah I was like yeah okay I was in that car yes Prince Charming and like you know I'd have these Impressions like he's like cool like Suave type you know like like with a little side of like corny which I like that like I don't like like yo what up I'm like oh okay I can't read you he's so scary like I like a little fun because I'm like a little corny too you know so we go on this date or whatever and um when he gets there to pick me up I get in the car and there's a balloon there's a what a balloon yes there's a balloon a happy birthday balloon and it's not my birthday and I don't think it's his okay like why would you want to hang out with me on your birthday I just met you this is crazy so I'm like oh I'm like what is it what's that and he's like okay so he's like I uh I wanted to do something a little different you know like and it was like hard to get a reservation so I told him it was your birthday so we gotta like pretend it's your birthday like is that okay okay and I was like okay like I was I was thinking this is different I'm never gonna forget this but then I was like do you buy a balloon for every girl like it's a lot of balloons I mean I don't know how you get down but like is this what you're doing every time I was like is he doing this because like I'm in the industry and I like like the rah-rah like what's happening I was like okay but in my mind I'm like but I think he's being like nice and trying to be different Okay cool so like we drive and we go to the wrong destination first the the old restaurant and it wasn't even there anymore so then we had to go to the other one and so it's kind of like a longer drive and I'm like let's play some of our favorite songs so that we could like not have to like sit here and talk the whole time like we got a long drive so he plays some of his music and I did not like any of it like that was also very concerning I was like what are these songs like I've never heard them and I don't like them at all so I was like okay and the balloon's like bouncing around the background I'm like oh I was like oh I was like okay next so so literally like he gets to he was like I just have one more song like I need to play it like this is my favorite cover and I was like okay a favorite cover like okay so no names it's this song this cover and I can't even sing the song because the song would give it away well no it's a cover okay so I'm just gonna say a hypothetical song and pretend to be him because I need to play this out we're driving or whatever and he's singing his heart out and I just met him so let's pretend it's uh Revo uh and so he's like delay and it's not on tune like he's it's not giving it's like I don't wake up like he's singing and I'm like all the cool points went out the window you said like I said I like cool I like cool with a with a side of course like save that on the side so I can dabble in the south side it's not not even family style honestly like kids a kids a portion of corn a kid's portion like you can fit it in the small plate that the cup won and I was like whoa whoa whoa wait this is not who I met the other day like what's going on here the balloon I'm like oh the balloon I'm holding the balloon and I don't like the song and he's singing his heart out and then he like takes my hand and he's like this is I'm like damn so now I'm like no I'm telling the my hand is the mic and I'm like holding the balloon and I'm like okay wait wait I'm just like what happened where did the cool points go so then we pulled up to the restaurant I didn't even get to play my songs you know I didn't get to play anything and he's still singing and the ballet is like are you so he's looking in the window and he's like damn and I'm like oh okay and the guy's like are you coming out like I don't know and he's like we just gotta finish this real quick and he's like like literally I don't know what was going on I didn't know what was going on so I'm like I'm getting nervous because I'm like oh my gosh like what did I sign up for what what where who is this man yeah so anyway the song Finally ends like and I was like trying to like get get that over with so I was like I was like come on let's go I was like the ballet's like waiting on us like come on and he's like okay yeah I was like come on please so then we get out of whatever and he's like was that too much and I was like no no no no it's fine but I'm like so I'm like carrying this balloon I'm like walking past people I'm like hi how you doing so this date was on Halloween so just think about that this was on Halloween so I'm carrying this balloon and people are like Halloween birthday like oh my gosh they're like they're like get Jerry Jerry Jerry Jerry comes out he's like I do not see a lot of Halloween birthdays but man oh man aren't we special huh and I'm like yes I yes it's so it's so nice and then the guy's like yeah I tell her all the time like it's her birthday like you know she got to live it up and I'm like like this is so not what I thought was gonna happen not what I thought was gonna happen so literally like that's where we're like the balloon is settled because it was messing with the heat lamps and so I had to like I was like sit your ass the balloon was like settle there and like I'm talking to him and everything like I would say it would give like oh yeah like your wifey I was like oh first person it was like you already sang though it was like your cap because there's no way he did sing I was like you don't even know me I'd be like oh yeah I've tried that that food before like shrimp is really good he'd be like shrimp is good you were so wifey like yes I'd be like I mean I don't know I don't think that qualifies me working overtime haven't asked me like any core questions about myself but shrimp is good I guess like yeah so like we're talking or whatever and the day progresses or whatever and I know I'm like not really feeling it if I'm just ready to go like yeah you know when you really like somebody you're like oh well you know there's a little Lounge we could go it's kind of cute like whatever but at the end I was like yeah I'm so uh so tired working working you know man working so I just need to go I'm gonna rest like I need to rest and he's like yeah no problem he drops me off whatever whatever and then um he like walks me to the door and I was like no don't try it sir that's right literally I was looking at him and I feel like I literally gave him telepathy I was like you are gonna get embarrassed I would really appreciate it if you just settle the score and leave and then I felt like he was like understood thank you so much for telling me I will head out so anyway he didn't try to kiss me whatever but I get into my lighthouse or whatever and then he texts me and he was like I just cannot get over how beautiful you looked he was like thank you so much for spending time with me sleep well and um text me tomorrow and then he was like good night mi amor I was like damn I was like man I said good night that was your answer yeah that was an interesting story I don't know what I don't know what that was I really don't she was excited why like what see and that's what that's what's not gonna work for me it's like yes for sure yes this is all very much young and exciting yeah no because the even the verbiage that shrimp is nice you wifey like that's a very young I don't do like they throw that out like that you know what I'm saying to it was just like I felt like I don't like to feel I feel I want to feel valued and like oh you you are treating me like a prize you know yes I want to feel that but I don't want to feel like you're you're looking at me up on this pedestal like wow hope one day I can get up there because then I'm like that means I'm looking down at you why am I on a date with you and I'm looking down at you you know I don't want to feel like that anyway that was a funny-ish story yeah kind of cringe I'm gonna use that seems but I didn't count them out there he tried I didn't count him out he tried hard he said you didn't count him out no no you gave him another date yeah yeah I actually did like oh [ __ ] but don't be over here buying balloons for the first date that's not hot it worked though it did not work it did not work I I liked him but it wasn't giving that so you liked it I I I don't know I don't know bye a happy birthday balloon you little corny fellas okay it might it it's gonna work no but we do corn is memorable corn is memorable of course Digest [Applause] it doesn't it corn doesn't break down this is not your giving science fair now this is not giving nutrition anyway I I thought he was a good guy that's why I gave him more of a chance because I was thinking about it and I was like okay he definitely went all the way corn City with it but the opposite of that is the tool cool for school like I do this like I say everything everything that I'm saying sounds rehearsed like I'm not nervous at all you don't give me no type of butterflies like whatever you know I don't want that right so I'm gonna give the guy a chance yeah see what happens yeah you know what I like that you gave him a chance yeah yeah because you just never know you never know you never know you never know you just never know I've seen some odd couples wherever like [Laughter] okay I don't look like it's her birthday I know I was like man what y'all really got me carrying this balloon around literally I always remember it I will never forget it I'll never forget it I'll never forget it and I still like I still think the guy has great qualities and all of those things it's just giving that's not how it was going to pan out but I would if a guy was corny on a first date I'm definitely gonna have another day with him because I'm like hmm you're nervous and you're trying the effort is there we'll take that yeah come on guys now the level of corn one of these cool [ __ ] don't watch this and be like you know what when I get my chance yeah just a little side dishes right here it's right in here just enough to compliment the entree just enough to compliment don't over don't be overbearing with the corn like half a cup half a cob at best it's right in here right there with it right there with it just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down you know you get it um Coco Jones thank you thank you um we we we think you're really dope thank you we appreciate the light yeah thank you we appreciate your energy um pure in RG don't do that because they could be a whole group right now great bring back great that's what I did um I'm never gonna live these points no you you're still high up on the cool with us yeah you got it um I I see so much um so much dope [ __ ] in your future thank you and I see it um I see it in the very simple space of you just being you thank you you know absolutely I I absolutely that you will never you will never have to compromise who you are and people are going to love it they're already gravitating to it and it's just going to keep taking you higher and higher and higher so from r b money um you have our support you have anything you need from us that goes without saying thank you I need a a hit song with a duet let's get into that okay that sounds simple yes that's easy that doesn't sound hard yeah okay great yeah so listen you just heard it first there's gonna be some music yeah some R B Money Coco Jones yeah everybody Coco Jones tomorrow we gonna talk about it I am tank I'm Jay Valentine and this has been the r b money podcast featuring the dopas thank you guys

Channel: R&B Money Podcast

Views: 644,572

Keywords: Tank, jvalentine, r&b, money, podcast, music, entertainment, 90s, 2000s, hits, playlist, slowjams, r&bmoney, rnbmoney, r&b money podcast, r&b money, r & b money podcast, r and b money, tank podcast, j valentine, rnb money, tank, r&b podcast, tank r&b money, r and b podcast, rb money, r&b money tank, tank and j valentine, r & b money, j valentine podcast, tank j valentine, j valentine tank

Id: G6eSGBryCfs

Length: 117min 15sec (7035 seconds)

Published: Sat Jan 28 2023