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Ron Fair: Discovering Hits, Building Artists & Music Industry Secrets • R&B MONEY Podcast • Hotney 23 Streams • 5 months ago

The Authority On All Things R&B !
Ron Fair—legendary music executive, producer, and A&R visionary—joins J. Valentine for a masterclass on artist development, hit records, and the business behind some of music’s biggest careers.

With a track record that includes working with artists like Christina Aguilera, The Black Eyed Peas, Mary J. Blige, Keyshia Cole, and more, Ron shares stories from inside the industry and breaks down what separates stars from everyone else. From discovering talent to shaping records in the studio, this episode is packed with insight from one of the most respected ears in music history.

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Tank: @TheRealTank
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J Valentine: https://www.youtube.com/@jvalentinetv
Director / Producer: Ruben Rivera
https://www.youtube.com/@KnowYourStudio/featured
Podcast IG: @RnBMoneyPodcast
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#tank #jvalentine #rnbmoneypodcast

0:00 Intro
1:15 Ron Fair Joins The Podcast
2:17 Why This Interview Feels Like Therapy
3:17 Growing Up In A Showbiz Family
4:13 Wedding Singer To Record Executive
5:04 Learning Engineering In A Small Studio
6:31 Recording The Original Rocky Score
8:26 “Gonna Fly Now” Becomes A Global Anthem
10:12 Receiving His First Gold Record
10:29 “You’re A Producer” — Life-Changing Advice
11:28 Becoming An A&R Executive At RCA
13:42 Getting Fired Five Different Times
15:04 The Pretty Woman Soundtrack Success
17:01 Discovering The O’Jays
19:31 Deciding To Produce “Emotionally Yours”
21:41 “One Square Inch To Groove In”
22:09 Learning R&B From The O’Jays
24:05 Building An All-Star Choir Session
25:20 The O’Jays Perform At Madison Square Garden
26:19 How The O’Jays Influenced Christina Aguilera
27:56 “Black Music Is The Major Food Group”
28:57 Seeing Christina Aguilera As An R&B Artist
30:29 Fighting For Music Over Politics
32:17 Why Hope Still Matters In Music
33:39 Eric Dawkins & Building Christina’s Sound
35:04 Mary J. Blige, Keyshia Cole & “The Hump”
36:12 Producing “Baby I Love Your Way”
38:41 Balancing Executive & Producer Roles
39:34 Producing Producers Like Jimmy Iovine
40:50 Wild Orchid, Fergie & Early Lessons
43:44 Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro After Christina
45:41 Jimmy Iovine Calls Ron Fair
46:41 “I Need A Guy Who Can Force Hits”
47:35 The Making Of “Lady Marmalade”
50:47 Maya’s Role In Building The Hook
51:41 Ron Fair’s Ad-Lib Arrangement Process
53:42 “Lady Marmalade” Goes Number One
54:30 Discovering Keyshia Cole
1:01:22 “I’m Forever A Video Hoe”
1:02:42 Keyshia Cole Wants J. Valentine In The Video
1:03:17 “You Need To Meet Ron Fair”
1:06:26 Ron Explains Label Protection & Contracts
1:07:24 Keyshia’s Early Singles Struggle
1:09:46 “Should Have Cheated” Changes Everything
1:10:38 Jimmy Iovine: “You Picked The Wrong Single 3 Times”
1:11:13 Tyrese Becomes Keyshia’s Video Co-Star
1:11:49 Working With Mya & “Moodring”
1:12:29 Turning Keyshia Cole Into A Reality TV Star
1:13:40 The Black Eyed Peas & Counterintuition
1:14:03 Mary J. Blige Calls Ron Fair
1:15:03 Jimmy Iovine Orders Ron To Fix “Be Without You”
1:16:35 Reworking Mary J. Blige’s Entire Album
1:17:12 “It’s All About What I’m Talking About”
1:17:42 The Story Behind “Take Me As I Am”
1:19:15 Why Today Is The “Star Business”
1:22:48 Speaking At An AI Conference
1:23:12 Dave Pensado Introduces Ron To Will.i.am
1:24:05 The Black Eyed Peas Tour Strategy
1:25:25 Justin Timberlake Helps Break The Black Eyed Peas
1:26:15 A Masterclass On Real Music Production
1:27:25 “The Vocal Is The Law”
1:28:35 The Making Of Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles”
1:29:38 Ron Fair’s Top 5 R&B Artists
1:34:03 Ron Fair’s Top 5 R&B Songs
1:35:28 Dream Project: Lionel Richie
1:36:42 Building The Ultimate R&B Superstar
1:39:13 Dream Producers: Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis
1:41:22 “No Names” Grammy Story
1:45:25 Working On Dionne Warwick’s Final Record
1:46:31 Outro

DJ Quik Reveals Why Modern Music Lost Its Sound | Trevbeats Show Hotney 11 Streams • 5 months ago

In this episode of The TrevBeats Show, DJ Quik breaks down why classic records still sound better today, the lost art of analog recording, mixing on tape, West Coast music history, studio discipline, and what separates real producers from everybody else.

This isn’t just a music interview — it’s a masterclass from a legend.

We talk:
• Analog tape vs digital recording
• Why modern music lost depth
• The secret behind classic West Coast sound
• Production techniques nobody uses anymore
• Engineering, mixing, and sonic detail
• Death Row era stories and industry insight
• Why Quik still records differently than everyone else

If you care about music production, hip-hop history, engineering, or timeless sound design, this episode is essential viewing.

CHAPTERS
00:00 DJ Quik Still Records to Tape — And Here’s Why
00:51 Welcome to The TrevBeats Show
01:15 DJ Quik’s Legacy in West Coast Hip-Hop
02:24 How Soul Train Sparked Quik’s Love for Music
03:57 Drum Machines, Turntables & the Birth of a Producer
06:49 How DJ Quik Became a Real Engineer
09:14 Tone, Color & the Art of Overdubbing
10:10 Why Live Percussion Changed the West Coast Sound
12:43 What Music Lost When Recording Went Digital
13:13 The Tape Machine “Glue” Modern Records Are Missing
16:20 Why Tape Captures Energy Differently Than Pro Tools
18:17 “This Is What Separates Me From Everybody Else”
19:03 Quik Challenges Young Engineers to Try Tape
20:16 SMPTE, Tape Machines & Flying Hooks
22:00 Did Pro Tools Make Artists Lazy?
23:14 DJ Quik on AI, Creativity & Cheating the Process
25:58 How Quik Uses AI the Right Way
28:16 Why AI-Made Songs Shouldn’t Replace Musicianship
28:57 DJ Quik, Stevie Wonder & Being the Voice and Producer
31:35 Why Quik Refuses to Use Stock Sounds
33:22 Microwave Music vs. Home-Cooked Records
35:30 DJ Quik on Working with Tupac
36:29 Pac’s Work Ethic in the Studio
37:25 Why Quik Turned Tupac’s Vocals Down
38:39 All Eyez on Me, The Grammy Hall of Fame & Pac’s Intensity
41:17 Digital Underground, Philly, Oakland & Hidden Music History
42:54 The Evolution of LA and West Coast Music
43:31 New West Coast Artists Catching Quik’s Ear
46:31 Balance and Options: Quik’s Philosophy on Life and Music
47:38 Why Studio Energy Matters
50:26 DJ Quik’s Return to Tape
51:48 Art, Authenticity & Getting His Copyrights Back
52:36 The Sound of a Tape Machine Button
53:21 DJ Quik’s Historic Firsts and Final Words
54:08 Thanks for Watching The TrevBeats Show

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T.I. on Legacy, Music, Business & Culture • R&B MONEY Podcast • Ep.177 Hotney 10 Streams • 5 months ago

The Authority On All Things R&B !
T.I. joins Tank & J. Valentine for a powerful conversation on music, legacy, entrepreneurship, and the evolution of Atlanta culture.
From pioneering the sound of Trap Music to building a career that expanded into film, television, and business, Tip reflects on the moments that shaped his journey and the mindset required to sustain success at the highest level.
We get into artistry, leadership, navigating the industry, and the responsibility that comes with influence and longevity.

Subscribe on YouTube - https://bit.ly/RnBMoneyYouTube

R&B MONEY Album out NOW !!
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Tank: @TheRealTank
http://www.youtube.com/@TheRealTank
J Valentine: https://www.youtube.com/@jvalentinetv
Director / Producer: Ruben Rivera
https://www.youtube.com/@KnowYourStudio/featured
Podcast IG: @RnBMoneyPodcast
https://www.instagram.com/rnbmoneypodcast/?hl=en

#tank #jvalentine #rnbmoneypodcast

0:00 Intro
1:21 T.I. Joins The Podcast
1:41 Becoming “The King Of The South”
2:50 Getting Blessings From Scarface, OutKast & UGK
4:15 Growing Up In Bankhead Atlanta
4:49 Rapping LL Cool J In Front Of His Uncles
5:28 Writing His First Rap In Third Grade
6:38 Discovering A Recording Studio In Sixth Grade
8:08 Meeting Kanye — The First Person To Record Him
9:32 Performing At Atlanta Strip Clubs At 17
11:01 Early Days With PSC
13:19 T.I.’s Artist Development Era
14:12 Trapping While Chasing Rap Dreams
17:24 Getting Introduced To DJ Toomp
19:35 Building The Team Around T.I.
20:17 Learning Street Hustles Beyond Drug Dealing
22:06 Opening A Barber Shop As A Front
24:52 Meeting Jason Jeter
26:33 Finding Out He Was Going To Be A Father
27:55 The Intervention That Changed Everything
29:20 Jason Jeter Introduces Him To Patchwerk Studios
31:20 “Where The F*** Have You Been?”
31:39 Meeting KP & LaFace Records
33:34 First Trip To The Source Awards In LA
35:18 Getting Embraced By Dungeon Family & OutKast
36:38 Realizing Music Was Bigger Than The Streets
38:50 Getting Signed To LaFace Records
41:23 Receiving His First Signing Bonus
41:51 Buying His First Car — The 1985 Suburban
44:03 The “I’m Serious” Album Era
45:16 Why He Changed His Name From Tip To T.I.
47:22 Expecting To Blow Up After “I’m Serious”
48:05 Pharrell Warned Him The First Album Might Fail
49:36 Building His Own Street Team
51:28 The Birth Of Gangsta Grillz With DJ Drama
52:34 Calling LA Reid For Financial Independence
53:17 Asking LA Reid For $2 Million
55:11 LA Reid Lets T.I. Walk Away From LaFace
1:01:49 ATL 20th Anniversary & Acting Challenges
1:03:15 T.I. Talks “Takers” & Filming With An Ankle Monitor
1:05:00 “What Did My Character Do Wrong?” — Breaking Down Takers
1:08:18 Why Every Superstar Needs Movies
1:09:05 Joining The Marvel Universe In Ant-Man
1:10:20 Dreams Growing Up On Bankhead
1:11:22 The “New T.I.” & Cutting Off The Ego
1:14:51 Why T.I. Is “Killing The King”
1:17:03 Starving The Ego & Finding Peace
1:18:07 Is T.I. Really Retiring From Rap?
1:18:53 Real Estate, Comedy & Life After Music
1:19:44 Why His New Music Feels Different
1:21:13 Making Some Of His Best Music 25 Years Later
1:22:50 Raising Musical Kids & Family Talent
1:26:40 Parenting, Driving Services & Responsible Kids
1:31:00 T.I.’s Top 5 R&B Singers
1:34:05 T.I.’s Top 5 R&B Songs
1:34:43 Building The Perfect R&B Superstar
1:37:56 “I Ain’t Saying No Names”
1:45:18 “We Have Since Killed The King”
1:47:10 Kill The King Album Tease & Touring Plans
1:47:42 Shout Out To Sessions Atlanta
1:47:47 T.I. Talks Touring Again
1:48:05 “We Want People To See Me”
1:48:17 Bringing Special Guests On The Road
1:48:40 Outro

HoneyKomb Brazy on Street Life, Loyalty, & The Music Grind | Still 400 Hotney 17 Streams • 5 months ago

Mannie Fresh and Juvenile sit down with HoneyKomb Brazy as he opens up about his past and how time in the streets and behind bars shaped the way he moves today. He talks through real situations where loyalty was tested and people switched up on him, which changed how he looks at both relationships and the music business. Lastly, Brazy reflects on what those experiences taught him and how he’s now focused on protecting his freedom and building his future.

Still 400 memberships are live! Get uncensored episodes, ad-free, and early access. Tap Join to get the full experience.

This episode is brought to you by Rythm Drinks. Go to https://rythmdrinks.com and use code STILL400 to get 20% off!

About Still 400:
Still 400 with Mannie Fresh and Juvenile is where the South got something to say! The name comes from Still Fly and 400 Degrees and the show carries that same energy. Every episode brings real conversations, wild moments, hot takes, and legends showing up to talk their talk.

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0:00 - Intro
0:40 - Welcome HoneyKomb Brazy
1:29 - What's a Normal Day Like?
2:20 - Three Albums That Shaped You
3:26 - Alabama Artist Collab
4:34 - Your Biggest Influence
5:03 - Did New Orleans Steal Mardi Gras?
7:03 - What Do You Carry From Alabama?
7:43 - Give Us Your Backstory
10:48 - What Made You Choose Rap?
12:10 - Who Holds You Accountable?
13:36 - Are You Hard to Deal With?
16:48 - Caught Between Two Sides of the Family
20:07 - Streets or Music
25:11 - Wrong Person vs. Right One
25:44 - Best Life Lesson You Apply Daily
26:10 - Your Favorite Line People Know You For
26:41 - Your Most Misunderstood Line
27:23 - Growing Up on Mannie & Juvie's Music
37:06 - Your Recording Process
37:56 - Partner Deleted YouTube
40:41 - Who Are You Mentoring?
41:11 - Too Personal to Drop
42:23 - Dream Collaborations
45:38 - How Are You Moving Right Now?
47:59 - Any Regrets With Old Music?
49:06 - Opportunity You Turned Down & Regretted
50:24 - Are Artists Being Turned Against Each Other?
53:41 - What Would Peace Look Like for You?
56:33 - What Do You Want Your Legacy to Be?
58:07 - True or False Game
1:00:06 - Keep the Rhythm
1:04:18 - Apology Segment
1:07:06 - Outro

#still400 #juvie #manniefresh #breakbeat #still400podcast #still400pod

From Gold Records to ROCK BOTTOM in Just 2 Years: Cold’s Tragic Story Hotney 14 Streams • 5 months ago

The story of Scooter Ward's band Cold best known for songs like Stupid Girl

Podcast on Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/....podcast/the-rock-n-r

My second YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@RockNRollTrueStories2

Cold’s story is one of brutal bad luck, label disasters, and personal tragedy that nearly destroyed them.

The band began as Grundig in Jacksonville, Florida in the late 80s, with Scooter Ward, Sam McCandless, and Jeremy Marshall forming a moody, heavy “redneck goth” outfit inspired by everyone from Depeche Mode and Sade to Nirvana and Alice in Chains. They hustled hard, working day jobs, playing up to 100 shows a year, and sinking money into an 8-song demo that still left them thousands of dollars in debt. A move to Atlanta was supposed to bring them closer to the industry, but instead they found cliquish scenes, tiny hostile crowds, and mounting frustration, all while Ward battled Crohn’s disease and ended up hospitalized.

Their luck seemed to change when old friend Fred Durst, now fronting Limp Bizkit, reconnected with them. Durst produced a demo that impressed famed producer Ross Robinson and led to a six-album deal through Flip and A&M. Just as things were taking off, the German electronics company Grundig threatened to sue over their name, forcing a rebrand to Cold. Their 1998 self‑titled debut drew praise from Kerrang! and Guitar World, but radio support was spotty. Then disaster struck: A&M was dissolved in a major label merger, staff were cut, and Cold’s first album was essentially left for dead before being quietly shuffled over to Interscope/Geffen.

Cold regrouped with a stronger lineup, adding guitarist Terry Balsamo and crafting a darker, more melodic sound. Their 2000 album “13 Ways to Bleed on Stage” was a slow‑burn success, earning a gold certification on the back of relentless touring and singles like “No One” and “Just Got Wicked.” They followed it with 2003’s “Year of the Spider,” written amid personal tragedies: Ward’s sister’s ovarian cancer, a breakup, deaths in the band’s circle, and his struggles with substance abuse. The album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200, went gold, and produced their biggest hit, “Stupid Girl,” a song they hadn’t even wanted as a single.

At the peak of their success, everything unraveled. Cold clashed with Geffen over single choices and felt the label had stopped supporting them after recouping its investment. Guitarist Terry Balsamo left to join Evanescence, and Amy Lee’s public comments about Ward’s personal issues exposed his private struggles. Kelly Hayes soon exited as well. Ward’s sister’s cancer returned, his addiction worsened, and he spiraled to the point of not wanting to live. He found faith, bought his childhood home, and poured his pain into Cold’s fourth album, “A Different Kind of Pain,” a dark but hopeful record released through Lava in 2005. Yet label turnover and weak promotion echoed their earlier A&M nightmare, and the album underperformed.

By 2006, worn down by lineup changes and industry battles, Ward announced Cold’s breakup on MySpace, thanking fans but clearly exhausted. A few years later, fan demand and the enduring bond of the “Cold Army” pulled them back. The classic core regrouped, new guitarists came in, and Cold returned with albums like 2011’s “Superfiction” and 2019’s “The Things We Can’t Stop.” Their legacy became less about charts and more about survival: a band that kept getting knocked down by illness, addiction.

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Anthrax FIRED Him… He Ended Up MOWING LAWNS! Hotney 20 Streams • 5 months ago

The story of why Anthrax fired Joey Belladonna in 1992.

Anthrax-Public Enemy Bring the Noize collaboration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnnmeRTn8M0&t=30s&pp=ygUgcm9jayBuIHJvbGwgdHJ1ZSBzdG9yaWVzIGFudGhyYXjSBwkJBAsBhyohjO8%3D

Podcast on Apple Podcasts
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My second YouTube Channel
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What happens when you’re the voice of one of the biggest metal bands in the world, and then one day, it’s all gone? For Joey Belladonna, frontman of Anthrax, that was reality. He went from commanding tens of thousands of fans to mowing lawns at a horse barn, in one of the strangest rise-and-fall stories in metal.

By 1991, Anthrax were one of the “Big Four” of thrash alongside Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth. Their dark, acclaimed album Persistence of Time hit number 24 on the Billboard charts, and they were co-headlining the massive Clash of the Titans tour. Fronting them was Joey Belladonna, whose melodic tenor stood out in a genre of guttural barkers. After he joined in 1984, their trajectory went vertical with Among the Living, followed by State of Euphoria and the Grammy-nominated Persistence of Time. From the outside, Anthrax looked bulletproof. Inside, things were cracking.

Their usual writing method had Charlie Benante on music, Scott Ian and Frank Bello shaping arrangements, Scott on lyrics, and Joey working out vocals. This time, it wasn’t clicking. The Persistence sessions felt strained. Scott’s lyrics were deeply personal, and he felt Joey’s interpretations didn’t match his intent. On top of that, the band had already confronted Joey about drugs and alcohol back in 1988 and quietly floated Armored Saint’s John Bush as a possible replacement.

During the “Bring the Noise” collaboration with Public Enemy, Scott saw Joey looking out of place while the rest of the band dove into rap-metal territory. It raised a hard question: where did Joey fit in the future of Anthrax? Meanwhile, money and tour offers were rolling in, but Scott felt the core of the band was “rotten.” Firing Joey became, in his words, a slow burn rather than a single explosion.

Complicating everything, Anthrax were in the middle of signing a huge deal with Elektra Records reportedly worth $10 million. They’d already decided to let Joey go, but feared telling the label. When they finally did, Elektra backed them, and Joey still received an equal share of the advance as recognition of his role in getting them there.

The actual firing was handled by their manager Jonny Z, something Scott later regretted not doing himself. Joey was blindsided. “I didn’t quit!” he said later. “It was unexpected and it wasn’t my idea.” The band moved on with John Bush, scoring their highest Billboard debut with 1993’s Sound of White Noise.

Joey’s path was very different. Instead of spiraling, he took a maintenance job at a horse barn with his wife. His main duty: mowing the massive grounds. He later said he didn’t need the money, but wanted purpose and structure. At the same time, he kept playing in his solo project and cover band Chief Big Way, staying musically active without bitterness.

Years later, the classic lineup reunited for tours and eventually brought Joey back permanently. Anthrax’s 2011 album Worship Music and 2016’s For All Kings proved the chemistry was still there. Yet for Joey, the past never fully disappeared. He’s admitted it’s hard being around people who once decided he shouldn’t be there at all. Still, he’s back where he always wanted to be—front and center with Anthrax, after one of the strangest detours in thrash metal history.

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When Rockstars Can’t Take a Joke…Just Ask Weird Al! Hotney 13 Streams • 5 months ago

The story of the musicians who turned down Weird Al's request to parody their songs.

Podcast on Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/....podcast/the-rock-n-r

My second YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@RockNRollTrueStories2

For every hit parody like "Eat It" or "Amish Paradise," there’s a story of a music legend giving Weird Al the green light. Getting that call from Al has become a badge of honor, a sign that your song has become part of pop culture, ready to be reimagined with lyrics about food, TV, or total nonsense. For decades, artists have lined up to let Al work his magic.

But what about the songs we never got to hear? The parodies personally shut down by some of the biggest artists on the planet? For a man who built a career as pop’s court jester, there are surprising moments when the kings and queens of the charts weren’t laughing. These are the stories of the parodies Weird Al was forbidden to make.

To understand why a "no" matters, you have to understand Al’s most important self‑imposed rule: he almost always asks for permission. Legally, parody often falls under “fair use,” but record labels and publishers love to ignore that, especially on YouTube. Early on, Al didn’t always ask, but his longevity is built on more than clever rhymes; it’s built on respect. He wants to be morally and relationally in the clear, not just legally safe.

That approach has saved him from feuds and lawsuits and cemented his reputation as one of the nicest guys in music. Most artists, from Nirvana to Chamillionaire, saw being asked as an honor. But that courtesy also gives artists the power to say "no." And when they do, Al walks away. The undisputed king of these rejections was Prince.

Al pitched ideas for “1999,” “When Doves Cry,” and “Kiss.” Every time, Prince’s camp answered with a decisive no. Al never got a real explanation. Ironically, Prince apparently laughed at “Fat,” Al’s parody of Michael Jackson’s “Bad,” but he still didn’t want his own songs touched. He was notoriously protective, even about other artists covering his work, once saying that covering a song makes the original “not exist anymore.”

Some rejections were more personal than mysterious. Paul McCartney shut down “Chicken Pot Pie,” a parody of “Live and Let Die,” because he didn’t want to promote meat. The joke was perfect, but McCartney, a committed vegetarian, offered “Tofu Pot Pie” instead. Al, also a vegetarian, passed because it just didn’t sing right.

Even close collaborators sometimes drew lines. Michael Jackson approved “Eat It” and “Fat,” even letting Al use the “Bad” subway set. But he refused a “Black or White” parody called “Snack All Night,” feeling the original’s message about racial harmony was too important to turn into a joke. Al understood completely.

Then there’s “Amish Paradise.” Al believed Coolio’s camp had approved the “Gangsta’s Paradise” parody, only to face public outrage when Coolio claimed he never signed off. Al was mortified and later apologized, while Coolio eventually admitted he’d overreacted.

Not every "no" was absolute. Eminem allowed “Couch Potato,” a “Lose Yourself” parody, on Al’s album but blocked a video, worried about his song’s legacy. Daniel Powter initially denied a “Bad Day” parody, then changed his mind too late—by then, Al had moved on to “White & Nerdy.” And James Blunt loved “You’re Pitiful,” but his label killed the release, so Al posted it online for free.

In the end, these rejections don’t weaken Weird Al’s legacy; they enrich it. They show an artist who values respect as much as laughs—and sometimes, the parodies we never got say as much as the ones we did.

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