Luke James & The Dream: Good vs Great Musicians, New Albums and the Power of Broadway

Hey everyone, it's the Jonas Brothers with The Hey Jonas Podcast. We've been catching up with some great friends, Paul Rod, Michael Wubley, Seth Meyers, and making some new friends while getting into what's really like to have sisters, like Alex and Ashton Earl. She likes to control everyone and tell everyone to do that. Okay, well control is a harsh word. Plus, we've been taking your calls, listening to your voice mails and giving advice. Listen to Hey Jonas on America's number one podcast network, I Heart. Follow Hey Jonas and start listening on the free I Heart Radio app today. Hey Jonas is sponsored by Edible Arrangements. Order yours today at edible.com. Lisa, tell them about our new show. We have a new podcast. It's called Don't Lie to Me. I'm Lexi Yuanu, where two best friends, 22 years apart, but so close at heart. And I'm Lisa Di Giulio, the old one, which means we have wildly different references, occasionally different opinions, and at this point in my 50s, I've lived it all. Now in my 30s, being the founder of new shoes, good taste is my business. Listen on the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, this is Kylie breakman, Angel Jaretana, Jeremy Colhand, Patrick McDonald, and we're the hosts of the artists on artists on artists on artists podcast. The improvised character comedy podcast were each week a new panel of artists discuss their craft. Join us for a panel of Eurovision participants. And we do a little Halloween sometimes. Does the Pope dress up? Hi, he, he winks on Halloween. It's right up next to the microphone. I hear you get the elbows here, the eyelashes hate each other. You never seen Italy so quiet as when the Pope gets up to wrink on Halloween. Listen to artists on artists on artists on artists every Thursday on the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Lisa Mosley, author, actor, stand-up comedian, creator, and host of scam goddess podcasts. The true crime comedy podcast, all about robbery, fraud, and those who practice it. Each week I bring on an amazing cast. Ooh, I scam them. What? I could talk to you for an hour. You're a generational yapper, like me. That's why I had to make yapping a job. And now you can catch full episodes of my show on YouTube. Start listening to scam goddess on the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Let's get up, goddess. Welcome to the shop, I'm one of your host, Rolling Steelo Brim. And I am Taco, who's hadn't it. What's good job? Nothing. You think Kate respond? I know. You're right, you're right. You've been watching Love Island? I never got to Love Island, man. I wish I did. I had dinner the other night at this restaurant, and there was contestants from the past or the present. I'm not sure. Okay. I'm Love Island. And people were losing their mind, and I was very confused. I felt like I've aged out of all things reality television. Okay. And that's because most of my life is caught up on the OC Steel and Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. But is sports just not reality television? I mean, I just feel like, you know, well, I'm just saying, like, reality television. But I agree with you. I mean, I don't like, I'm not proud of myself, first of all. It's not me. But watching Love Island, I don't want you to think I'm like proud of myself of watching. I'm just married. I feel like. So me and my wife just watch it together as I think we do. Have you ever watched Game of Thrones? I have watched Game of Thrones. Some of the season when I didn't finish it, if I'm being real with you. But I know it's amazing. You know, my hair, I can't watch white period pieces. I need to get sprinkled in this room. In it. I know you said that. And the original Game of Thrones. I don't want a hundred white people in there and one. And now if I, he can get jumped at some point. I don't like this. It feels uncomfortable. In House of the Dragons, there is a black family. First of all, I don't-- In House of Dragons, you just said House of the Dragons. 'Cause I'm trying to cook. Let's be known as-- You're better than us already. Is that House of the Dragons? No, 'cause I've been saying House of Dragons for so long. I kept getting mad at you. That's what I mean. It's House of Dragons. It sounds better. It does. House of the Dragon? Too much. Too much. One? I know rhythm. House of the Dragons. House of Dragons. Also, we add a S Dragon. It's like Tony Hawks. Tony Hawks. All my homies. I never said Tony Hawks. But I hear you. I get it now. You know? I get it. Do something cool. Do the Tony Hawks. Do the Tony Hawks. That's such a-- You skateboard? I used to. I think skateboarding is like-- It's a California thing. Yeah. No. No. I feel like-- It is a California thing, but I will say. For us, skateboarding did not have a race to it. Hooked. Gated. White kids. Gated. Mexicans. Asians. I mean, I watched-- What was-- I remember Terry Kennedy? Of course. I watched Terry Kennedy. Yeah, yeah. That was the first time I saw a black dude, like, really skateboard. For me on the outside. I'm not-- I'm not the California thing. Yes, I'm looking. And I'm like, oh, it's like-- That, like, really skateboard? I need a skateboard. Cream Campbell. Cream Campbell. Yeah, CB Williams. CB Williams. I know some-- you know, I got around the sport enough to know some people now. You know? There's a bunch now. Yeah, I think like-- There was-- I think the style was like-- Big two, Terry style. TK was the first black one that was, like, polarizing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was just like, oh, he's cool with everybody. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then we was like, all right. We're down with this. And an ice cream steak team and other-- Oh, obviously. Jesus Christ. We were talking about Love Island. Just in case, y'all didn't realize it. Yeah. We landed here somehow. I don't know. Love Island skateboarded TK. All the same thing. Honestly. But check it out, Love Island, if you get a chance to, you should watch it. You know what I'm saying? I'm saying it's like-- it's good to watch other people go through, like, you know, issues. Part of me feels like, I don't watch it from that perspective. I watch it as a-- as a dude who loves the producers. They're like the most sinister people in the world. And they like-- They'll watch somebody be in love and be like, you know what? If we recouple them right now. I think that's pretty hilarious. But that's what-- that's what all the game with throses. It's really-- If you think it's something's right, and they be like, you know what? This is the main character. We're going to file this character. And then two seconds later, his head gets cut off. You're like, all right. Well, then now what do we do? And that's a constant thing. It happens every episode. Somebody dies a year, like, I was in love and obsessed with this person. And now they're dead. You know, and Love Island is somebody dies emotionally every episode. So you should check it out. I think we both should watch each other's shows and stuff. We should both watch one season of each, and call each other after two happens. I watched one season of Love Island. I mean, I-- I mean, the game with thrones, though. But you didn't finish. I'm going to watch season two, though. I'm going to pick it up for you. If you didn't finish-- if you-- I'm going to watch it again. If you finish season one, and you're not excited about season two, then I can't help you. That's nothing I'm-- I didn't finish season one. Are you right? I watched some of it. I didn't finish it. End of season one, bro. I was on a tour bus in-- That's not the real one. I read it, right? No, that's season two. Two. See, I know a little bit, bro. I was on a tour bus, bro. I woke up. It was like, bro, y'all got to see this. Did they watch it? Nope. Just woke up. No reason. Today we're really excited to have two very special guests. Yes. Luke James. And the dream. And the dream. Two amazing artists. Two amazing songwriters. You? Bro. I got it. I'm going to ask you to walk me. Oh, man. Can we hold some? I wish I had it. I wish I had it. I wish I had it. Dude, I'm waiting to get in one of these kids. Right? I got air coming. Yeah, man. I just-- I might be missing one of these kids. Like this? No, Lee. Take one home. Oh, OK. It feels like a fool to take. Justin, you got that? Take one home. I agree with one of these. Back it up. You guys were here, I guess, both for the B2 award, right? Yes. What? I mean, the B2 award. I've been watching since I was a kid since I can remember. And it used to be, like, the most important thing. And every year, bro, I still take the time out and invite the homies over. On a Sunday, we watch the B2 awards. This was the first year I was like, all right. I think we have, like, not focused on the performance aspect of music and musicianship. Like, I feel like people get up there and they just do what they need to do and go on home. And I'm like, where's the care in it? Where's the process in it? Where's the people who are, like, excited to be there? And I feel like now it's, like, we show up because we feel like we got to show it rather than because it's like, oh, bro, it's the B2. Where's the-- It's tarn't we doing this? We pride. Yeah, you're saying it. Where's the sense of pride in it? Yeah. There are people who feel that way, who are there. Yeah. There are people who are on their way there. They got the tickets. Like, we're going to be-- they still see it the same. We've been here and we've seen behind the curtain and we've watched them. We've been here saying, oh, it's magical in the moment. But also now we're like, we understand how the magic is made. And we understand when it's like a lackluster in magic. Yeah. Or it's like, oh, that looks like magic, but it ain't magic. Especially when you're there, you're like, I mean, you know, a lot of performances are just for TV. Back when we were watching it, the performances were for the audience. There was moments also, like, Rick James. It's like, that was a moment. We remember that he came out and bodied that. Yeah. Came out saying this. Those moments, I feel like, we've lost those moments. I won Best New Artist in 2008 for the BET Awards. And everybody was like, where are you at when the thing came up early? I remember-- still remember Ella Cool J saying, the dream. And the reason why I ain't goes is because they will let me perform. So I'm like, so you're going to give me a new Best New Artist. And I was just off of Jay and Mary's tour opening for them. And so I was in that moment of excitement that you're talking about. New in that way of like, I'm from the win this thing that I love to death. Like, this is my favorite one. Everybody thinks the Grammy is like, this is my favorite one. And it's like, yeah, well, we got this other pair. But they're not even-- oh, somebody. And you know, I'm from the South. Who was the person who performed this? See, I don't even know. You don't even. See, the house in 2008. That's my point. I'm still here. And I didn't give my chance. The shine. Yeah. I'm trying to think like, how do you recreate that pride of anything? of people wanting to be there because I think they like it. I think most of the times you think about these big war shows, you're not showing up or pulling up unless you know you get no war number one. And then secondly, for some of these performances, these things do cost. I don't know of BET. If I'm turning over money, I don't know how much money turned over today versus when they were turning over by no. I remember Stephen Hill had this quote of him being like, he was talking about Beyonce before me that one year. He was saying they were still paying it all five years later. Oh, and as much as it was like a joke, it's also like priceless truth to that. So you're like, okay, I don't know if people feel the sense to be here, 'cause it's like number one, either you guarantee me an award, and then secondly, you gotta get the big people to come to get everybody else excited. - And you can't have them live their life down. That's what anything you earn, like you're like, yo, this is what I need in order to do that thing that you saw me do at the support. - At the support? - Yeah. - So if I can't do that, then I'm not doing it. Because just because, like, yo, these are my people, but we can't do that. We got that same excellence we talked about has to be excellent, even more excellent on outside. - Exactly. - Y'all need to figure it out. That's called strategist, whoever needs to get that money, needs to find whoever got that money. It's enough money to get that money to say, hey, we're gonna make sure that B, a Rhee, or whoever it is, get on this stage, 'cause it's just, by the way, we need it, and we need that pressure and by the way, it affects everybody that's performing. It wants to perform, knowing. Someone's gonna be there tonight, like, oh, shit. - Let me make sure I got my (bleep) - Oh, really? - I was like, one of the greatest moments of the four, man. - Yeah, four, man. - You hear something like that? - I ain't, I ain't, I used to break it down like that. - I was locked in the VT-Words, but I really care, 'cause, like, as a kid, the Grammys was boring as a kid. They got a bunch of people who I don't know, singing a bunch of white people, and you're like, all right, cool. M-T-U-Words was all right, because at least it was cool. - All right, cool. - There was that aspect of it that was, like, sports-related, and there was rappers in it. But to me, VT-Words was like the one thing, like, my mom could watch it, and I could watch it, and my grandma could watch it. My little girl could watch it. It was like, I mean, it was so for you had Gerald Averd, and then you had whoever was, like, the new, but also talent is another thing. - Yeah. - I think also that stage is a certain beach you only got. You only, and it's a lot. Sometime, most times, live, you get that one second to get that thing right to make people believe, and a lot of these artists ain't practicing. - They ain't developing at all. But they getting up on there and you watching a talent show or a church and got a Christ experience. - Yeah, yeah. - And they ain't hitting it, and also their label, you have to put money in, 'cause that production costs. So how much of a production you're trying to get, and also in your mind, you're like, I want, Beyonce gonna be here, I gotta have water too on the stage too, because this is my dream, but then it's like, no, we can't, for artists like me, I'm like a mic in a light. Give me great lighting and give me that mic right there, and quiet the noise. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - And cook, but a lot of ours don't have that. - Yeah, not you get to album number six, and you're trying to evolve. - Yeah, you want to expand, put up the stuff. - But you, (laughs) - He still loved that with a mic in a light. - Right, yeah, bro, bro, before new artists, I feel like that's like, the mic in a light is like, that's what you should stand on that, because that'll never go away, all this other stuff. For us first time seeing you, to be fair, all the choreography, if it doesn't, if first time seeing you, we wanna know who you are. - I'm trying not to say that. - I'm trying to hear you sing, I'm trying to hear whatever this song is, but it's you first that gotta give me the song. And if I feel any, something that's just not, like you're not there, you're just, you're performing for whoever's out there in the TV world, and not giving it to the crowd, the audience, the reaction doesn't, it doesn't hit the same. You know when they do that side stage, and there's new artists or whatever, it's only the artists that, like, say, yo, that, like, you're like, who the fuck was that? - But they do it, and then they go into a commercial in the middle of it. And that to me, I'm like, that's not the foul. - But bro, you just told me to go get that money, and they try to get to that money. - But you all hear him, you hear him, see, like, talking over the. - Yeah, but you all, let me write it back in the music world. - See, that's the thing, that's the thing. When I did, when I got, when I had my first, my first televised performance was on the B.T. honors. And I came there just as Luke James, Island Def Jam, that's it, right? And I just always had a thing, 'cause also I'm a flounder while I'm a sponge. I've been around, I sang background for a lot. And so, I just know how, at Soundcheck, dress rehearsal, you gotta, as a new. You better bring that right in there for these producers, and everybody to know that you're not to be played with. And also just me being comfortable on stage, I want you all to know where I'm coming, right? And Stephen Hill was out there. And at first, I'm just Luke James, give it up for Island Def Jam, Luke James. I did the first little run, trying to get back to do it one more time. It took forever, and then all of a sudden, the teleprompter changed. B.T. music matters, artists. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - Something that, that, that, that, that. - Yeah. - Presenting by. - The tie. - The towel. - No, what about that? And so it's like, you know what I mean? It's like, oh, I had to make this believe. My own label was there. It was like, oh, so what's he doing? He's tributing, Stevie Wonder or something like? No, he's singing this single. A song nobody knows. Well, I mean, B.T. is giving him that option to do it. And okay, but also it's like, the artist has to say, okay, that's how y'all think, that's how everybody's thinking. That's what's on the line, bro. You got to take this moment like it's y'all. - Everything, everything, right? And Mike and the light saved me in that sense, 'cause I don't have the budget to, what else I'm gonna do, right? But I got this record. It allows me to go into this high falsetto. And nobody heard that in a minute. Just hit that falsetto, bro. And that's where you go, have it, right? And I mean, that's, sometimes it's just that. I think new artists get into the space of like, I mean, you gotta want what you want. I don't, I can't. Well, nobody from wanting what they want, pushing envelopes. But I think you gotta get back to the talent. The energy of the talent is just there first. And then all the bells and whistles and the colors and the dances and all the spot and all that that. But if you can't just flat foot sit right there, lyrically hit me with the record. And your vibe here, it's lackluster. - Yeah, yeah. - It's so many artists in the world, right? Somebody, it's the, you have to have that ism that really like, unlocks his is a million. Like everybody, don't you, everybody's gonna come with it. You knew, you know everybody's about to come with it. And nobody's heard these records. Man, I don't, I don't know, I'm like, I'm thinking, I mean, I've been thinking of all the while I can do that, I mean, that, I know nobody else is going to do. - What's going on here in a moment? - I'm jumping in the crowd. I'm standing right on top of somebody's woman. I'm gonna sing right to her face with the camera. Drop the mic, lead up. - Well, I don't give a. - No, you saying. - You, you, I'm saying it, walk away from that. - Gerald LaVert, like also is the study of OGs, how they used to body, man, with no bells and whistles. It was just the mic. How Gerald LaVert was just walking, as a kid, watching him walk away from the mic and just start singing to the crowd. - Huh, huh. - If you hit his lap, Eddie, you could just hear the audience losing it. That's on BET Awards, you're right. And then after him, it's probably a new, a new act come out, but that new act has, and got the hit single, but that meant nothing compared to with Gerald. Just did. - Okay, Luke, we get it. You know how to sing. - All right, Luke, Luke's singing everybody under the stage. - No, no. - Okay, all right, we get it. - You know what you know? - Y'all knew that. - No, but you know, it's the, that's what you lack in, though. You watching, you're like, why is it this, why is it that? I mean, there's a lot of things that play in the park, but it's always the artist. - Of course. - It's the talent that we, you have access to that is, you know, this is the machine that's moving them to get up there, but also it's the artist gotta bring this. - Dude, one question I have for both of y'all is like, have you, do you have something that you've been a part of that's been super successful? Like, please, the art that you've done that's been super successful that you like, don't enjoy? Or something that you was like, oh man, like, I wrote that song. - There's some bread at the time. - Yeah, well, I want to be like, I don't want to even keep thinking about that girl, that record that hit now. Like, you know. - Every, anybody that grew up in a certain part of life, like we did in the, the street mentality of what things are, and you have a talent, and especially with, at that time, you had all the, like, everybody had a label. - Mm-hmm. - Man, you know how many songs I've done that I would never have again? I've done a lot now. I have probably 20,000 songs on my heart drive that I've done now that I have in my possession. And with that being said, though, all of those records, and it was a certain part of the time, it's like, yo, come do a hook for my heart. It's like, all right, cool, he'd go $200. - Yeah, yeah. - He'd go $150. I'm like, man, wish I could double back and just buy that on back. Like, get that drive back. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - Now make some smashes, you just, yeah, that's the thing I, I don't regret it 'cause it got me to where I am, but it is one of those things you look back and you don't know how many umbrellas you wrote, that I just, yeah, sitting out there. - There's some random things. - Oh, no. (laughing) - Play it back in the costume time, just to hear it. - It's a dream right here, but no. - I told you, I told you, it's over here. - That's him. - Yeah, for sure. - How about you? How about you, how about you with that $200? - Yeah. - He got me, he got me. - Yeah, he got me. - Should've came to me, how'd he got that $150? - That's cool. - You know, I know. - Well, I knew a songwriter one time, and I'm producer who like, wanted to do, I won't say gimmicky, but he wanted to do a certain style of record at the time at the year. You know, I should be working. I was like, "Hey, it didn't match who he was." as an artist or as a writer/producer. So he made up a fake name that he could put under like-- - It works. - So you've done that as well? - Not yet. - No, yeah. - Okay. - I've been thinking about it. - No, Prince did a lot of that. - Yep, he did. - Definitely. - Also, he was a business man about that. - Definitely. - I have a good question for you. Do you think if right now, right now you are a unknown artist. Right now, if you, the resources, not with the resources you have, with no resources, like you're some ran-of-do moves L.A., but you have your songs in your hard drive. Do you think you can make that person go? - Absolutely. - What? - I'm just asking. I'm not, that's not like I ask. I'm not asking that with some like-- - Oh, my chain again. (laughing) - No, I just wonder now because the landscape of music has shifted so much over the last few years, and it feels like now artist development doesn't exist as much. Now it's one big song. We're gonna give you a bunch of money and do it again. If you can, and if you can't, we're just gonna shelf you and move on to the next one. - I think people are smarter than we think you can give them credit for. I think the fans are way smarter than we get them credit for. Sometimes they're just pissed off and they're, they're not turning their backs on the artist, and the songs per se, they're turning their backs on the labels and the people that handle them. And whatever that comes from, and that comes from a certain platform, they're like, I'm good. It ain't even because of you. You put that same artist over there and they go crazy. - Yeah. - The same records on that hard drive. Go crazy, so it's presentation is the thing. - Yes. - You know, for a lot of people, I try to, I try to make sure I tell a lot of the young artists this other song is like, you only have, and because y'all already been overexposed, you can't just reinvent yourself when you feel like, so the first time you invent who you are, you gotta take your serious. Don't just throw something out and just say, hey, 'cause I just put up my joint, listen to it. I'm like, you're not ready. - Yeah. - You're not, you're not even ready yet. And you put that thing, that cake, what's your mom gonna say? Don't be walking in the kitchen. You know, they're cakes in the oven. My cake dropped and with me on. (laughing) It's like, they're just walking in the kitchen while they're still baking. - Yeah. - But they won't just, you know, just stay still. So, actually the thing y'all talking about, even with the BET thing is artist development. - Yeah. - Nobody has the patience to just develop. The songs are there, and I've heard them. I've heard them crash. I've heard certain records artists saying, and they just wasn't ready to sing them at that particular point. And so, audience also, you get like 500 million, you look at how many albums you're selling from those 500. That means that coming from the idea of what our IG is, in all respect, and everything that they do that we love about them, they're not a music presenter. - True. - You have to be careful. Like, nobody looks at them and say, "Hey man, this is like death row." And the night's like, "No." Like, you telling me, your algorithm is telling me what to like. That's not even why you looking at that. You looking at that's because she scrubbing the ground. - Yeah, literally. - Yeah. (laughing) - Right, right. - I wonder if that's gonna ever shift again, if we'll get into the place where artist development actually does matter, or we'll be stuck in this like, situation where it's just like, "Big single, big single, big single, if you can't make it work." Artist development has just died out. I think labels look at everybody like a business instead of looking at them as the potential business. So it's like, if I can't get 100 out of you right now, I'm just gonna give up. - If I can get it started right now. - Yeah, it is, but it's like, no, they don't. - You don't feel like they don't. - No, they don't. They go with whatever you feel is cool. You wanted to come in here, you got a smash record, you want to just go, we go help you, we go help you get that breath. - And they mind, they don't know. All they look at. - And they don't know. That's the other part. - But what they do know is the numbers. - There you go. - There you go. - The numbers, and the numbers. - The numbers have. - The numbers, right. - They're just numbers, but then. Now you put up, you got a great platform, a Jimmy, whatever, a late night, whatever, 'cause he got this record that's just going crazy. Everybody's sharing it. It's a part of their videos. It's that in the third. Commercials wanted. All of that. Now you about to go do this late night, whatever is your first time. And you ain't, you don't, you didn't even have a ideal how you would perform. - Yeah. - Being a. - How I'm a performer. How do I want the camera to see me in this thing? - But they're not thinking it. - I was about how, about how? 'Cause I think even if you're a kid, just gripping your backyard, wanting to make it to the NBA, you know how you want to perform. You know how you want to get there. You know how, if I had a buzz beat it, if you were a man's dreaming of singing or being an artist, how are you not seeing that thing? - They take that artist thing as being famous. They don't want to be artists. - They want to be famous. - So you want to be famous. You can actually, that dopamine hit so quick, they're gonna give you exact, you want it to be famous. We know you wasn't trying to do this as an art form 'til you're 60. You wasn't trying to be Lionel. We would know whether you're trying to be Lionel. - Yeah, yeah. - You wanna be famous because this person's being seen, this person's being seen and you wanna be seen like them in that space, present from IG. And that's not what you need to go the other way. - Yeah, yeah. - It's a different route for you. Because you're talented. That's something else other than looking good. Putting those, so whatever the thing is, the topic is other than, and when you're that talented, you have to find out what those avenues are for yourself. But you also have to wanna be here in 40 years versus, nah, let me go get it, let me get the bag. Bring a quick, which, I ain't knocking nobody else, you know? - I'm not knocking the bags out. - But yeah, I understand it. It really is about development. - That's it. - It's about growing. And you guys have both worked with legendary artists. What is the biggest difference between somebody who is a legend in their own right, top of their game versus somebody who's coming in? Is it that, is it that they don't care? Or is it, once you get the money, is it like, well, at this point, I can just do whatever I want. - I mean, they put everything into their thing. Like, you know what I mean? Like, be, walking around with the computer. Like, on that computer is other things about her thing. About this universe, this world. - Everything is about her thing. - It's about this experience. Everybody else is like, I'm in a studio. We're talking here, we talk. All right, well, we going tonight, you know what I mean? - Yeah, the focus. - Whereas, that's it. Her and people like that, athletes like that. In the gym, I'm not going out, bro. I'm sleeping, it's better to get recovery. I'd rather watch a reality show or something and sit and let my legs recover 'cause tomorrow we gotta wake up early, woo woo woo. - That's why I say that's about the artist. - You gotta be crazy about this. - It's literally you. - Everybody else. - It's crazy about this. - Everybody else is. - Maniac, maniac. - It's what I'm saying. - It gotta be selfish. - Selfish. - 100%? - Like, yo, this is my joint, this is what I want to do. This is all about, this whole dream thing is all about dream songs, dreams, idea of how it should sound. 10 years, 20 years from now, not even about what I did, but the study of that particular thing on my computers, on an iPad, if I googled in my phone, everything's connected to something that I'm doing in here. I can give a fuck about the club, what you about to do later on. I can really care if it doesn't feed my imagination or inspire me to do something, I'm not doing it. - Yeah. - So if you, I'm not shopping to put something to get something for somebody else to see. - Yeah. - It's for my feeling only. - Yeah. - Like this is great, I love it, that's why I got it. Now let's go, my Ferrari's a little bit different from yours, like yours does cost more than mine, but you didn't even love it and it wasn't even inspiring to even get it. - You don't even know why you got it. - Yeah, you're customized your life. So of course my Ferrari customized as well. - Yeah you know, when mine's turning the fast, - There's nothing to stand on. - Yeah. - You know what I mean? - A legacy, there's nothing to stand on because you don't want to drop it once in a while. Once all those funds, though that money, that machine that was like on top of with you, with like this, why are you on fire? That machine is like, oh, you don't fire, you're on fire. When you're not on fire, maybe you just made it or whatever, that machine got to go do what it's got to go do to make money other places, but you're the artist. You're the one that's got to wake up with these ideas and constantly, constantly stretch yourself, constantly trying to expand your creativity, and it's not contingent on whether somebody believes in me or not. I believe in it. That's what I'm now worried about. - That's the selfishness. - You know, and delusion. - Yeah, you got to be delusion. - Got to be mean, man. - You got to be delusion. - You can't even A, B this thing. You got to A, it all the way through. - Your parents would be like, oh, you all right, come home. You're not doing it. Like it, you sound like a right mean. - But I have a question for you. Just 'cause I moved here, like just as I'm here, you say you got to A this thing the whole way. Like I moved here on the notion that I was going to be some A and R and some big music, 'cause I'm working the music business. And obviously television and different things took over. And I was like, oh, you should be on TV, isn't it? - Yeah. - I asked somebody who I think is an incredible singer and like, you know, you have been called to sing. So let's be by still feel like you're known right now for your acting. You've been working consistently as an actor. Do you still feel like you're living your dream? - I think my dream is expanded. I think my dream, I think I wouldn't, I wouldn't see my dream in its fullness. You know, I was looking at it from, because I'm a music first, right? Music, music, music, but I didn't see what music can open up for me at first. - That's crazy, you know. - I never would have thought that. - I didn't, I didn't know you a long time. - Yeah. - I never, I thought that for you. That means you wasn't thinking it for yourself. - No, that's crazy. - That's crazy. - I was always music, music, music, just from, you know, and not looking at it like what music, music is. - Huge. - I mean, it's so much, it's so much. but it can be. It comes down to also realizing what type of artist you want to be. What do you want? Is it fame you're looking for? Because if that's what you're looking for, yeah, you'll never satisfy you. Because that's not where you started. The artist that inspired you, your thing will never look like that. Because you're going at it for, well, I want the instant thing. Give me the hit record, the instant thing that I can have, rather than development, longevity. longevity. Cultivating the relationships that allow you to have this long, long last and career, but also expanding yourself is like, you know, you see how other people do it and you want to go down that right road because you think that's the only way. But A, I still, it's still my A plan. It's just expanded. It's just a different road to get to the thing, you know. So what's the thing, I guess, what's the goal then? The goal is, it's to be an artist and totality, to make a living from it, but to truly wake up in the body that like I've always known, I was, you know, it's just accepting. I think for a long time, I was always listening to what other people saw for me, also what other people had and how to get there and taking those same routes to do that or you got to do it this way. And it's just, it's like jazz, man, like, you got to just stay in the groove, stay in the pocket and listen and you'll find it and somehow you'll be like, I, the idea was this, but it expanded to something even more. That's what's happened, you know. Everybody's yellow brick road is different. Yeah. Yeah, I'm outside. You say, oh, no. I was watching you on Sean Boyzman's podcast and said that you got into, to artistry based in like wanting your, I guess, your song writing to be more exposed out there and to get more placements and stuff. Like, when you come back and drop a new album, now, is that, are you just re-ing up to like, I'm about to start writing again with people or are you just like, no, I actually am back here as, as, I know, I know you never stop, I'm more, I'm sorry, I was just about, you're right. No, no, no, not like that. No, I don't take it that way. No, I'm more saying like, is you, what brings you back to artistry? It's not the same in that, in that aspect. Now it's more of an old and always love letters to my fans because these are the fans that started with me in '07 when, you know, when Shawty's team was on the radio, I didn't even, I wasn't even in the deal. That was a handshake with me in LA. Wow. Wow, that's crazy. Wasn't in the deal. Yeah, it's like, yo, I'm, and I'm shaking hand, we go do, we got, we can do what we need to do. That's bonding in California. Oh. Yeah, handshake. Handshake, yo, let me get that fitting me. But no, that, how my career started in the, in the fans supported me from the beginning, ever since probably love king, I felt the need to, I owed them something, you know, and most times I'll, I'll get interrupted in the best way possible because I'm working on somebody else's project and we don't know how long certain projects are going to take. And that was different movies and different things that I'm scoring and doing. And even in the midst of that, I just tore my quad. I could easily be like, yeah, I'm cool, I'm just going to let this, uh, you love it. Yeah, and I'm like, I'm out here, you know, and doing, doing, I think before that particular love, this has nothing to do with songwriting at all. It's just had something to do with my old to the people that supported me so long. I want to, they care about the detail of what I'm doing, you know. And if, you know, somebody takes a little peek over what I'm, you know, they might want to call me. You want them? Yeah. I got you coming right up. I got 20,000. Yeah, 20,000. Yeah, 20,000. Hey, that's still working, my world. It was interesting. We had a showcase together. Um, and I remember you was talking, you were talking to the, to, I mean, it was, I mean, it was the late full label. Mm-hmm. The whole thing. I don't even remember. And you were talking about, you were talking about the importance of what you're doing. And I was, as I listened to, I was, it made me, it, it put me in another mindset. Two of, like, you're not just making music, like, it's, it can be self-centered in the sense of, like, just me, me, me, but when you think of the genre of rhythm and blues and the expansion of it and how it, you know, we have to, it has to be fed quality. Yeah. It has a lot of quantity, right? Technology has made it since GarageBand, has made it easy for everybody and my mom, which has probably come through and try, right, try, right, you know, and so we got to work through that. Yeah. Um, but you were talking, man, you were, and it was like, it was, it was, you were talking about the importance of, of, of this sound, of, to, to the state of music, right? And it, it, it made me read, imagine what I'm doing in the sense of legacy of where who can come, who can come after. What is, what doors is this opening up? What doors, does your style open up, right, for the genre to, that was going. Man, that was, that was it. I still stand by the same things today, publishing things even more important. I get a lot of calls from people getting ready to sign deals and like, don't do that, do it add me a deal. Like, that's, that's my thing. Go in, I'll find out if I fail that, I'll let you know, like, hey, that didn't, that don't work. Yeah. You're a disabled, doesn't work. - Oh, wow. - Yeah, it's beautiful by seven seven brothers, all different, named after the different, like anger, depression, love, lust, passion, wisdom, it was the other one, it was another one. I can't even think of it as seven, God dang, that was six. But a beautiful play, but it changed everything for me 'cause I realized that's off season, on season work, right? That's like true. - Yeah, the camera is beautiful, but it really isn't my form completely, right? It's director and editor, that's their thing, but on the day I give what I give, but on that stage, every day, the 90 minutes is yours, and that audience owes you nothing. You know, they owe you nothing, but just the respect to let you do what you're gonna do. And you get the same work that you get to work over, and over, no, man, it's like off season work, it just makes you stronger, that's really where it's at. They don't pay nothing, and we gonna work on that. (laughs) But it should though, it should, people, I mean, it's the upper echelon of our form, so as far as acting, and people should be compensated. Crew, everybody should be truly compensated for this thing to live, 'cause it's amazing though, when I did it, I'm not a theater kid. Now I feel like I'm more so into it. Now thereafter, I was trying to get my way out of it. I was so afraid to do that. But, and you would think, well, you perform, you sing, but it's a different dialogue, words that aren't yours. You gotta make yours. 90 minutes, and nobody's there to tell you your line. It's all right there. That's like, that's, it's really the pressure, but then when you get that number one spot, that big movie, and the calling you over and over, you've built up the, the. - Cashe. - For it, you've been developed that, you know, and just to be present. 'Cause that's what the stage teaches you truth, how to tell the truth every time. - No truth. - So you lie, then you know the rate, the. - What are you gonna tell? - You know, you go outside. - It's like I can tell you what you do. - You know you lie. - No, you lie. But it's, it's another interesting thing though, when you come after the play, you're outside and assigned things, and there's kids out there. And that's, that, like, you'd be surprised how many, there's so many kids who are just inspired by the stage, and it's like, wow, that means, it means something else for me. So to do this show that I'm about to do, warn it, the musical, it's my first musical. It's a Western, it's about two girls, two black sisters who are passing in 1895, I believe. And they gotta make, they gotta figure out how to make some money within a month to save their mom and the rest of their kin. And they go out to get jobs as passing women, but get accosted by some white men on the train. And there's this gun that their mother gave them, played by lettucey. - Oh, nice though. - Yeah, played by this one singing, his gospel, his folk, his got, it's got all the bells and. - When is this? - In October. - In October. - All right. - Is, warn it, the musical, sister's clock, go see it. - Anyway, but no, but it's like, they get accosted, they pull out this gun, Obed, Obedsy, and everybody drops their money. And in the, in that moment, they realize how they're gonna make that money in a record time. They can go across Texas, robbing everybody, but everybody, they become wanted, but they're looking for two white women. It's an interesting experience, but it deals with the duality of colorism and that time and post emancipation and love and romance and just, you know, kinship and everything. It's another opportunity to flush out, you know, storytelling, another aspect of it, to shy was one aspect of it, but that's not mine. I don't control that, but on this night after night, I get to control what I give. And then I find my way to a studio after that, find my way somewhere 'cause it feeds. It just constantly feeds the storytelling of it all, expansion of learning, different aspects of life. 'Cause that's what we are, we storytellers. - Yep, that's it. - That's beautiful. - What's the story you tellin' us do out of it? - How love and hate are just based in the idea, however mature you are about it. It's so many things that change, I feel like, and the reason why this is called love hate too, is because in your early times when you're dealing with love especially, you have a fixed idea of what you think it should be. And as time goes by, none of that shit even matters. And you think about those older couples that you see, and that's where it comes from. You see them get out of their car, go on their little movies and they chillin', so all is about a companionship the whole time. - Yeah, yeah, nothing else. - Find somebody you like. I almost, so now I've almost graduated, I could've called it like a hate. (laughing) Like, I could love you from a distance. - Right, yeah. - You could be all the way over there 'cause, like family. Woo! - Yeah, love you. - It's good, love you. - Yeah, don't brag. - Don't brag, y'all want your man, don't brag. - Don't brag, y'all feel. - Yeah, yeah, love is that powerful. - Like, no, like is that powerful. - But like is. - I need to like you. - Yeah, if I do both. - The older you get, you have to like a thing. Like, no, I just don't like, but that's your, that's your own. - I'm not doing it, I don't like it. - Yeah. - Like, oh, my God. - I love. - I've been weird. - I love them, I love them. - To death. - Need somebody, and let me all find them. Got it. I'm on the way over there. No, you're not. (laughing) - No. - Did you miss me? - No, don't, don't, don't like it. (laughing) - So, is that, is that particular feeling, man, that you, that I've learned over time and why even people stay together, stick together, and have certain relationships that evolve into this space. It's like, man, you're either with that person or you're not. Like, nobody gave birth to the person that they were in their relationship. Like, you don't know me like that. For ever in life, you'll be getting to know me. And not only that, you're a child the whole time. - Yeah. - 'Cause you're constantly learning things. It's no way you get to, you get to 45. Like, I didn't just learn something new. Yes, you did. Every year is a new thing. You just learned that you didn't know five years ago. So, that person has to be able to stick with that. And I feel like love, hate, the first one was just about this young admiration of what love is. And also the watchful eye of hate. And this one is, hate don't actually even matter. 'Cause you're not gonna even affect me from over there. I don't even know why I'm giving you the credit for it. And now that love is what love is, we know who we love and what we love and what we love to do. Now, it's just about like, if I don't like it, I'm not leaving the house, I like playing golf. I leave the house for it. In it, I don't care if it's five, thank you. - Then you gotta leave the house for it. - That's true. (all laughing) Back to you, Bob. (all laughing) Just saying, man. Oh, golf, oh, Jesus. - It's all about it. - I wanna say thank you guys. - Yeah. - Thank you very much. - We're coming and joining us. But also for your perspectives. Because I think that perspective is the only thing unique to each of one of us. None of us live in the same shoes. None of us live the same life. So thank you for sharing your perspective. And drop in. Jens, you drop in. Jens, why don't you take these lessons with me for real for whatever they appreciate. - You're talking all that mess, but y'all been here too. - Y'all been here. - Y'all been here. - They trying to get to you. - Yeah, they trying to get to you. - Y'all been expanding, y'all, man. - They gonna do it extra as soon as we leave. They'll come back in and like, yeah, you know, we. - Right. (all laughing) - We gonna do it. - We're gonna see how we made Luke a train pull up, right? Yeah. (all laughing) Do I have to stop this? Do I have to stop this? Hey everyone, it's the Jonas Brothers with the "Hey Jonas" podcast. We've been catching up with some great friends, Paul Rod, Michael Wubley, Seth Meyers, and making some new friends while getting into what's really like to have sisters, like Alex National. She likes to control everyone and tell everyone what to do. Hey Jonas, on America's number one podcast network, I Heart, follow Hey Jonas and start listening on the free I Heart Radio app today. Hey Jonas, sponsored by EdibleArrangements. Lisa, tell them a better new show. seen it least so quiet as when the pope gets up to ring on Halloween. Listen to artists on artists on artists on artists every Thursday on the I heart radio app Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.