Leon Thomas on Roots Picnic Highs, Broadway Challenges, "Recipe for the Change of the State of R&B", & Upcoming Album "Mutt"!
Jun 25, 2024
Nyla Symone
What does it take to balance the artistry of music with the business side of the industry? Multi-talented artist Leon Thomas joins us to share his journey, from the exhilarating highs of performing at his first Roots Picnic to the challenges of a Broadway performance while ill. Hear his insights on blending generations of R&B talent at the "Recipe for the Change of the State of R&B" event, and the essential role of goal orientation and teamwork in harmonizing creative and business pursuits.
Leon recounts a chance encounter at a red light that sparked a dynamic collaboration with Ty and Sean Baron under the Motown imprint, Easy Money. He provides a behind-the-scenes look at producing for other artists like Bryson Tiller, the hurdles of working abroad, and the importance of maintaining an abundance mindset. With a musical heritage rich in collaborations with icons like Babyface, Leon offers a unique perspective on the significance of sharing creative ideas and the journey from producer to solo artist.
In an exciting preview of his upcoming album "Mutt," Leon draws fascinating parallels between dog training and relationship dynamics, offering a fresh take on personal growth and control. With stories about his chemistry with long-time bandmates, the constraints and freedoms of live performances, and a heartfelt connection with his German Shepherd-Husky mix, this episode is a deep dive into Leon's creative world. We also spotlight an electrifying collaboration with director Haji from August, underscoring the power of creative synergy. Join us for a candid conversation filled with reflections on personal growth, legendary influences, and the thrill of anticipating future projects.
What does it take to balance the artistry of music with the business side of the industry? Multi-talented artist Leon Thomas joins us to share his journey, from the exhilarating highs of performing at his first Roots Picnic to the challenges of a Broadway performance while ill. Hear his insights on blending generations of R&B talent at the "Recipe for the Change of the State of R&B" event, and the essential role of goal orientation and teamwork in harmonizing creative and business pursuits.
Leon recounts a chance encounter at a red light that sparked a dynamic collaboration with Ty and Sean Baron under the Motown imprint, Easy Money. He provides a behind-the-scenes look at producing for other artists like Bryson Tiller, the hurdles of working abroad, and the importance of maintaining an abundance mindset. With a musical heritage rich in collaborations with icons like Babyface, Leon offers a unique perspective on the significance of sharing creative ideas and the journey from producer to solo artist.
In an exciting preview of his upcoming album "Mutt," Leon draws fascinating parallels between dog training and relationship dynamics, offering a fresh take on personal growth and control. With stories about his chemistry with long-time bandmates, the constraints and freedoms of live performances, and a heartfelt connection with his German Shepherd-Husky mix, this episode is a deep dive into Leon's creative world. We also spotlight an electrifying collaboration with director Haji from August, underscoring the power of creative synergy. Join us for a candid conversation filled with reflections on personal growth, legendary influences, and the thrill of anticipating future projects.
Talk Soon! ✌🏾
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Speaker 1:
I made a complete fool of myself when I blinked.
Speaker 2:
I made a complete fool of myself when I was younger. I threw up on stage, but actually I had this stomach flu and I was like you know what, I can still do the show. It was on Broadway too. It was bad Fuck, straight straight like barfed on stage. Yeah, I was like that. I should have just called out. You know what I'm saying? Yes, I'm your boy, leon Thomas, and I want to let you know about my brand new single Month that's out now. Nylah, we got to talk.
Speaker 1:
What's going on, guys? Nylah Simone here with another episode of we Need To Talk, and today I have a very special guest in the building. We got Leon Thomas here. What up, what up, what up. I'm excited, man. I'm a fan. I've life's been busy for you lately. You just hit the stage at Roots Picnic. How was that? Yeah it was crazy.
Speaker 2:
It was crazy. That was actually my first festival, so it was really cool to feel that environment. I mean, it's very fast-paced, but to get out there and to get that much love in a city I'm not from, you know, was amazing. Philly showed a love and they knew the lyrics, which is really cool. It's interesting when you're performing on a stage like that, you need to have in-ears in, so I couldn't hear if people were like actually singing along with me. But when I looked back at the footage I saw it like they were. They were definitely tapped in they were into it.
Speaker 1:
Yeah damn, I did not know that was your first first festival.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yeah damn that's a big deal there's like two festivals I was supposed to do before that, but they both got canceled for weather reasons. So I don't know. God had a plan.
Speaker 1:
God had a plan 2024 has been a very interesting year when it comes to shit like that. But, I think Roots is actually the perfect first festival for you, just because obviously the Roots, the live band and just the quality and cloth of music I feel like aligns.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely, man. I'm a child of Ne-Yo Soul so I was definitely a big fan of Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, just like that whole Philly world that they built out there. So to be associated with it was nice, it was real cool, pretty fly.
Speaker 1:
And then I saw you did the recipe for the change of the state of R&B. That was a cute little content piece.
Speaker 2:
I like to see.
Speaker 1:
R&B coming together, the older generation Tank with the newer generation. That was really cool. Talk to me about that.
Speaker 2:
It's amazing. First off, tank was hosting, so I knew it was going to be popping. That's like the OG right there R&B. I actually sat down on his podcast as well and talked about R&B and the love of it and all that jazz, so having him there made me feel really comfortable. But I've also been working with Eric Bellinger since I was really young, so to just be there with my brother was dope.
Speaker 1:
So that was like family.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, but like a lot of the other artists, I was meeting for the first time and kicking it with. I knew Amber, but it was nice to just talk about R&B and hear everybody's perspective. I mean, it's tough being in this specific genre because we've had our ups and downs when it comes to the amount of love and support that we get from the public. But it's really cool to see that people are finding a way to tour and sell music and build fans. So it was cool to hear.
Speaker 1:
Hell yeah, and everybody has their own different come up and stories.
Speaker 2:
Oh, for sure, but now that you guys have met.
Speaker 1:
I definitely would love to see you and Kenyon collab.
Speaker 2:
Oh yeah, Gotta put that into the. I've been seeing your bro around a lot. Man, we haven't ran into each other in the studio. That's usually how it happens, organically.
Speaker 1:
Okay.
Speaker 2:
So I'm looking forward to, like you know, maybe just setting something up at some point.
Speaker 1:
Yo, that is going to be Baby. Please type. I can see that you guys going back and forth, that would be fun yeah leather and rain.
Speaker 2:
You know what I'm saying. So leather and rain going on.
Speaker 1:
I'm telling you there's something to that. But two things that I thought was really interesting that I learned from that conversation that you had. One was your perspective on music business versus the art and having to balance both, which I feel too as a creative from a different perspective, that shit gets draining.
Speaker 2:
It does, it does, it does. And I mean, I think it's kind of tough trying to really wear both hats, but you have to. I feel like even being signed to a major label, which I'm very blessed to be signed to, you still have to run the ship and know exactly what you want and be goal oriented and say, alright, this is the number I want to hit. These are the people I want to talk to In order to really gear your creativity to even make that a possibility. It can take a lot of work and it's definitely a team sport.
Speaker 2:
So you got to know how to run the team.
Speaker 1:
At what point did you learn like, all right, let me switch it, because you were saying, I could easily just get lost in my art. You know what I'm saying right and there's times where I'm like, okay, I don't want to do shit for business, I just want to get lost in my art so just talk to me about that balance I mean honestly, um, I'm just watching people that I'm a really big fan of that are close to me.
Speaker 2:
You know around Ty Dolla $ign I'm signed to his imprint, so I'm around him a lot, so I see how he's able to balance being lost in the music. I mean, the guy doesn't go a day without creating something, but he also spends time being outside, cultivating relationships with amazing artists and really mobilizing his creativity into places that will really reach the masses, because he's not like one of those guys that's like online every day in your face, but you hear about him consistently because he places his music in the right places and I learned a lot from him with that. I'm trying to use more of that process.
Speaker 1:
So there's really no stop to it.
Speaker 2:
It doesn't stop. But I think balance is the key and that's something I'm really trying to get into a little bit more, like the idea of an off day or the idea of even like a week vacation at some point this year. You know I'm saying like things I never would think about in the past six years. You know I'm saying but, like you know, now it's things I'm trying to work in so that you don't get burnt out, you know.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, no, I get that Speaking of Ty Dolla $ign. I love the relationship and partnership that you guys have garnered. I'm stoked and I actually did not know you were signed to his imprint, but I was just going to say my favorite joint off. The last project was Love Jones with Ty Dolla.
Speaker 2:
$ign Appreciate that yeah yeah, that's cool.
Speaker 2:
So talk to me about how you guys even got together.
Speaker 2:
So about I want to say five years ago I started working on his project featuring Ty Dolla, $ign, which was an album filled with amazing songs and I was around a lot for that and I started playing him some of my own music as an artist and he was really very supportive of that.
Speaker 2:
And during the pandemic I was like gearing up to do an independent release and I went to do like a grocery store run because I had rented out this really nice studio house and his partner, sean Baron, who he works on a lot of businesses with, randomly stopped me at a red light and was like yo, what's up? And I'm like, hey, so we're like in the middle of the street, there's nobody on the road, luckily and we were just chopping it up in the cars. And I'm like, hey, so we're like in the middle of the street, there's nobody on the road, luckily, and we were just chopping it up in the cars and I was like yo, call me man, because I was looking for like an A&R to kind of help build my business around for my independent label. I guess you would call it. He told me that him and Ty were doing an imprint called Easy Money and they were running it through Motown and it just felt like very serendipitous because I had just wrapped up my project and had everything set up.
Speaker 2:
So that is so we just made it work and it wasn't something planned. I just feel like God, god, had a move for me, you know had to be at a stoplight is crazy, stoplight is a million different times we could have been on that road yeah, yeah, thinking about it, yeah, it's kind of nice that that had to be God.
Speaker 1:
Um, so okay what I was gonna say, because Because you said that this happened five years ago. So I just want to say excuse my ignorance, because Electric Dust is my introduction to you.
Speaker 2:
It's all good. It's all good.
Speaker 1:
I just want to put that out there, but I know you've been at this for a long time not just in music, but just in entertainment in general.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely.
Speaker 1:
But, that being said, not only are you at it as an artist, you kind of got your fingerprints all over music right now, which is pretty fire, and I don't even think people are familiar with all the hits that you've been working on, but Bryson's project which, by the way, so glad Bryson is back in this bag I feel like this is my favorite project since the first one, but yo you producing on Bryson's? Talk to me about that.
Speaker 2:
Child was a really dope record. I was in Italy. I was working with Ty and Ye on their project Vultures 1.
Speaker 1:
Damn, not even in Italy. I was out there for two and a half months. The flex was crazy.
Speaker 2:
I'm going to drop that, because I was out there for like six days, so I literally had like six outfits for two and a half months, oh shit. So I'ma flex that whenever I can, because that was actually hell Laundry man, but anyway, yeah, yeah, just laundry.
Speaker 2:
Just like yeah, yeah, rotating six fits. But regardless, I was out there chilling and Neil, his manager, hit me. He was like listen, we're trying to finish up the album, if you got anything. And I just did that song right before I left to go out of the States and it was a song I was originally kind of putting together for another big artist I won't say who, but I'm just glad that Bryson liked it and that he sounded so good on it. It just worked out.
Speaker 1:
What Toxic as hell. He sounded toxic as hell on it. I like it, man.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, you know, get into their toxic bags sometimes. I just produced on that joint, but you know, shout out to everybody involved for real.
Speaker 1:
It was a team sport on that one, I love that man and talk about just like the difference or, I guess, balancing, producing for others, because you said you had that in mind for somebody else. But how do you balance what's for me and then what is for others, or do you?
Speaker 2:
You got to let music find its home. I do my best to just consistently share ideas with my talented friends and if they want to mess with the idea, cool. If not, I don't know. I just use it for myself.
Speaker 1:
Were you always open to sharing, because I feel like sometimes you can feel so attached to the things that you create, but it seems like you don't really have that.
Speaker 2:
I feel like that's not operating from an abundance mindset If you truly believe that you're going to continue to be blessed with creative ideas, like hoarding your ideas for a potential album that you don't know when is coming out. It just seems like closed-minded. So for me I'm like big on, you know, sharing the music for people that I feel like can really tell that story to a massive audience and I'm still connected to it. You know I still get all the wins and accolades and the businesses right. So you know, I think for me my sound is so specific to me I don't really have to worry too much about it being in competition with my own work.
Speaker 1:
Love that Great answer, so talk to me, because now I'm just curious what was like your entry point into music?
Speaker 2:
It's a long story, but we're not going to go that crazy.
Speaker 2:
My grandfather was an opera singer, my mom was also a singer and my stepdad. They had like a club date band together, him and my mom. So I grew up in all the New Yorkork clubs, like you know, just essentially doing homework backstage while they were like performing um, that's fine. So, yeah, yeah, growing up I was always around like amazing musicians. I played with chaka khan and all these big like old school artists so I was able to I don't know kind of like absorb like soul, funk and r&b in a way that was really really true to my roots, you know. But from there I kind of started working with Babyface. Like around 18 years old he opened up his studio to me and I really got heavily involved in producing and songwriting for other people as well as for myself.
Speaker 1:
You know, coming from such a deep and soulful background and then being in the climate of R&B because you've been doing this for a while and I feel like now we're getting to a point where, like um, quality is starting to hit and peak through.
Speaker 1:
But there's definitely times where like bullshit was flying and doing very successful. Is that um, or couldn't that be discouraging, or like? Because there was a time period, I guess, for me I'll just use myself as an example where I was like yo, I'm not really feeling none of this shit, and then it kind of made me feel like, well, why am I here? Have you hit that? And when you did hit that, what was your, I guess, motivation to keep going?
Speaker 2:
I've been discouraged before, but I feel like once I discovered the blinders and what I mean by blinders is just essentially being focused on myself and evolving myself and not really comparing myself to others. I think that was a negative attribute I had early in my career. So, once I discovered how to really just focus on the man in the mirror, really continue to evolve what I do. Personally, none of it bothers me and, honestly, I feel like any black man, any person who can find a way to make money in music. Kudos to you, do it, even if it's not my cup of tea. It's not easy to do. It's not easy to keep going. I know how exhausting it can be in a multitude of ways. So, because I have empathy in that way, I'm not even tripping, I think. Live music, though, though, is making a comeback, with artists like Cleo Soul. I don't know. There's so many amazing artists doing really cool things that really inspire me. I don't know. I don't feel alone right now. I feel like, yeah, I'm a part of a new wave.
Speaker 1:
I'm excited to be here. Yeah, no, we're excited for the new wave. It's very refreshing. And even seeing you live for the first time, I was like damn, this is different, Because seeing something live makes you fall in love with the music even more.
Speaker 2:
I don't know why yeah.
Speaker 1:
But it definitely did that for me.
Speaker 2:
It's interesting doing shows like that, though me. Um, it's interesting doing shows like that though it's like. You know, when I come to new york, I I usually, um, I like the fact that it's like not like a la audience, because la audiences, even when you're out there, it's like, um, the audience kind of acts like an industry audience, even when it's like a regular vibe.
Speaker 2:
You know, they're kind of just like standing there like when I came to new york I was like oh yeah, yeah, it's lit, but I forgot it was like an all-industry thing. So I had to acclimate to that energy once I got in there. But it was really amazing to perform for y'all. I'm glad y'all opened up the opportunity for me.
Speaker 1:
That was super dope. I'm glad I got to go Shout out to Chris for inviting me, because that was fire.
Speaker 2:
It was really cool.
Speaker 1:
Okay, I also saw you got to attend the White House for the Recording Academy.
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
Super dope to see all the places that music can take you.
Speaker 2:
It's amazing. Yeah, talk to me about that experience. I was at Capitol Hill in a button-up just like talking to senators. It was insane. We were advocating on behalf of this bill. That was kind of fighting for rights with AI in music, because it's going to be pretty easy for people to kind of just, you know, swipe your entire swag with, you know, the state of technology being where it's at. We got some work to do. We'll see. We'll see if that ends up being passed.
Speaker 1:
Are you nervous about it.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I'm nervous you are. I feel like most of the politicians and older people in the music industry are just like let's burn it. But you can't burn this genie that's out of the bottle. You've got to kind of acclimate to it. It's in the same way that how Spotify came about and it was like, oh, the music industry is over, but it's not. You've just got to find a way to actually be fair to the artist and create boundaries and parameters around this newfound tech. But I kind of feel like it's going to take a long time to get there.
Speaker 2:
I think it's definitely going to take a long time.
Speaker 1:
Hell. I think Spotify and Apple are still taking a little time to be fair to the artist.
Speaker 2:
They're figuring it out, they're figuring it out, but that's not just Spotify and Apple. We also got to talk to our board members at the University of Sony as well.
Speaker 1:
I don't even want to go down all this.
Speaker 2:
They all got a little bread in that.
Speaker 1:
I don't want no problems with nobody, so I'm going to pivot and no smoke.
Speaker 2:
I don't want to be vocal about that, because you know it's two-sided.
Speaker 1:
I'm going to pivot because I don't want no problems, all right. So I know you gave us a project. I know you already Grammy nominated. Talk to me about what's going on in 2024. I know you just dropped a new single yeah, dangerous Game. Yeah, with Esther.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yeah, yeah, talk to me about that record.
Speaker 2:
That was an amazing song that just came about. I wrote it and recorded it in my living room and my boy, esther, sent it to me. I was like traveling around but I didn't have my equipment with me so I had written the song prior to recording it, so it was nice to finally be able to finish it in my living room, sent it to him. He really loved it Just came out and it's been cool to see the response. He had somebody else do a guitar solo on it and I was like you know what? I want to try one. He was like you can really play like that.
Speaker 2:
I'm like yeah, yeah, I got it like that. So I went on there and I did my thing and it just really sounds dope. I mean I see you got a pillow. No, is that a backpack of Prince? Yeah, it's a bag.
Speaker 1:
Ever to Grace, or Mike, that's why you be like, let me get my own solo. Yeah, Prince used to go crazy with the solos on the record.
Speaker 2:
I mean I'm not as nice as Prince, but one day one day, one day I'm going to stay. I'm going to practice.
Speaker 1:
Prince is a great one. That's why I wanted to know your entry point into music, because I remember on the interview with Tank you said songs in the key of life for that one question.
Speaker 2:
I was like yo.
Speaker 1:
How old is this? How old?
Speaker 2:
This is crazy. I just got very classic taste. Hey you got good roots man, you know Got classic taste, got classic taste.
Speaker 1:
I'm here for it, All right. So we are going to play a game called questions that need answers. All you have to do is fill in the blank. All right, bet, all right. The older I get, the less I blink.
Speaker 2:
The older I get, the less I think, the less you think. Yeah, I think overthinking was a real problem for me earlier. I'm trying to feel more you said you're trying to feel more. Yeah, because I think overthinking I could like overthink my way out of a great song, overthink my way out of a great song, overthink my way out of an amazing relationship. I think now I'm at a place where I'm just operating with a little less overthinking going on. So it's like the less you know, less I think comes from that.
Speaker 1:
What do you?
Speaker 2:
think is helping you not overthink and just follow the flow. I'm just being more present. You know not to get too, I don't know, hippy dippy.
Speaker 1:
No, do it. I'm here for it, being you know not to get too.
Speaker 2:
I don't know hippy-dippy, but, like you know, being in the present moment is like a tough thing, like not worrying too much about the past or the future, like just like really enjoying what's happening in the moment and focusing on that and using your gut to like kind of move forward, I think is a special thing.
Speaker 1:
It is Not a lot of people even get to that peace of mind. Are you doing uh meditation?
Speaker 2:
I'm not even gonna sit here and hold you Like. I'm like sitting here doing like 15 minutes of meditation a day, nah, but I find my time I find my time and I'm trying to carve more out, you know.
Speaker 1:
Okay, understood. I can't believe I actually blinked when I was younger.
Speaker 2:
I can't believe I actually, mmm, when I was younger. Okay, I can't believe I actually when I was younger okay, I can't believe I actually.
Speaker 2:
Either you was really bad or yeah, I mean, I was such a goody two-shoes but like bad behind the scenes so I feel like I can't believe I actually, you know, got away with certain things and certain relationships back in the day. You know what I'm saying. Okay, got away with certain things and certain relationships back in the day, you know what I'm saying. When I was younger I felt like you know. I think now I'm a little bit more like present and like mindful, you know.
Speaker 1:
You was sneaky.
Speaker 2:
I was sneaky, I was sneaky, you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 1:
You was sneaky, I was sneaky, leo men okay, that's the men. All right, I'm a little embarrassed by the fact that I know so little about Blink.
Speaker 2:
I'm a little embarrassed that I know so little about geography. I want to know more about it. You know what I'm saying? Like I want to be able to like pinpoint any place on the map and be like, oh, that's da-da-da-da. I'm like really bad with that shit.
Speaker 1:
Are you bad locally?
Speaker 2:
No, I'm more like globally, globally okay.
Speaker 1:
No, I have.
Speaker 2:
I'm like bad Not to tell my best friend under the bus.
Speaker 1:
But I've lived in the same house for mad long and she's still in these directions when I tell you.
Speaker 2:
She lives 10 minutes away. Some people are just bad locally too but Word I can usually figure it out if I know the main space.
Speaker 1:
Globally makes sense. Sometimes I look back at my life and blank.
Speaker 2:
Sometimes I look back at my life in awe. You know I've been really blessed and I feel like I've lived a couple different lives. So it's just a blessing to be this deep in this industry and in my career at this age.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, you definitely lived a couple different lives. Yeah, yeah, for real.
Speaker 2:
But that's the stuff.
Speaker 1:
I feel like that's what it's about, you know if, yeah, I was about to get cynical or something like that? No, that's true, but from time to time it's good to do blank.
Speaker 2:
From time to time it's good to let go. It's kind of going back to the overthinking thing. I mean not all the time, but I feel like letting go of overthinking and just overly worrying about certain things. I think is something I used to deal with. So that's just something I'm going to hone in on.
Speaker 1:
All right, I made a complete fool of myself when I blinked.
Speaker 2:
I made a complete fool of myself when I was younger. I threw up on stage, but actually I had a stomach flu and I was like you know what, I can still do the show. It was on Broadway too. It was bad. Yeah, fuck, straight straight like barfed on stage. Yeah, that was like bad. I should have just called out. You know what I'm saying? Yes, it was like it was during a scene where, like, there was a stampede in the Lion King, I was playing.
Speaker 1:
Young Simba there. So there's like a guy on stilts like dodging.
Speaker 2:
No, that is crazy, that was bad. That was bad, that was actually horrible, that is horrible, damn.
Speaker 1:
How old were you?
Speaker 2:
I was like 10, you know just like thinking I could really hold it down.
Speaker 1:
Lord have mercy. You know what? Says a lot about your work ethic, but my goodness.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, we could have called out sick that day. Yeah, I think, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, could have worked out Message to the people call out sick, it's okay. Yeah, just call out sick, it's over. I mean get out and study some time. You know what I'm saying. Let that man vibe.
Speaker 1:
All right. Last one is I definitely get low-key from you.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I'm a low-key dude, I'm just chilling.
Speaker 1:
Even at the concert you just popped up, made magic disappeared. Yeah, for real. Like one of them gave us a hell of a show and it was like that, was it? Yeah?
Speaker 2:
what do?
Speaker 1:
you got. That was it, but no. I really I fuck with your music and I love the vibe. I like the audience that it brings too.
Speaker 2:
You, I fuck with your music and I love the vibe I like the audience that it brings too. You know what I'm saying everything carries energy, so I appreciate that yeah yours is definitely and they told me I had 30 minutes. So you know, I stay, I stay right on the dot. You know, oh did they really say that, yeah, they said I had 30 so I was like I wanted to do 45. I had about 45 for y'all.
Speaker 1:
No, that shit was dope and your band, those are like your boys you grew up with.
Speaker 2:
Yeah Well, yeah, actually Me and Chris, we've been working together since I was like 17, 18. But it was like off and on. I mean, he plays with amazing artists like Robin Thicke and he works with this band called 1500 and Nothing, and they play for Nipsey Jay-Z everybody. So he's busy, booked and busy, but it's nice to be able to vibe with him when I can.
Speaker 1:
Lock in. Yeah, you guys make magic, so I hope to see more of that and what's coming? What's coming.
Speaker 2:
So I got a new album coming out. It's called Mutt and I'm really excited about it. I worked very hard on it with a lot of really close friends of mine.
Speaker 1:
He says it's called Mutt Interesting. I'm trying to understand the concept behind what I got you. I got you Okay.
Speaker 2:
It's really just genuinely about control. I feel like for me, when I first got my dog, it was interesting having to figure out how to get this motherfucker to sit, to really follow rules, and I feel like most girls, when they're in a relationship with a guy who's making a lot of money or is really focused on his career, it's trying to get him to sit. When are we going to settle down? When are we going to figure this out? And that whole storyline is the through line of this whole album, and Mutt is just a metaphor for a girl trying to get a guy to sit.
Speaker 1:
Interesting.
Speaker 2:
Sit down.
Speaker 1:
Interesting parallel between the dog and the relationship.
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
I will say, when I got my dog, it definitely made me view human interactions differently. Yeah, it's like we're similar, but we're so different.
Speaker 2:
Exactly, exactly, when I see my dog in heat.
Speaker 1:
I'm like damn. So. This is really just.
Speaker 2:
Right, there's also that too. There's that too, there different aspects of it, you know. But you know my dog's a mutt and when I was doing the album I was definitely very introspective at the house just trying to figure out like what I was going to call this body at work. But when I was like looking at him just running around he kind of really reminded me a lot of myself, you know.
Speaker 1:
Well, you have a guide dog.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I do, I do. I do have a guide dog. Like his face and like it's kind of how he acts. Sometimes he does things and it's like you know he knows better, but he's so cute man, you kind of forgive him. So I was like you know what, let me go, let me like figure it out. I feel like this would be a cool title for the album.
Speaker 1:
So men are really dogs, something like it. You have to train them, it was my first time like really seeing that you know.
Speaker 2:
So you know, I'm. I'm seeing that parallel in real life.
Speaker 1:
I'm like, wow, this is probably how these girls be feeling with me now that you're a dog that do you have any obsessions like for your dog? I know some people become like obsessed with different tiktok pages where the dog oh, wow like that nah, you know what it is.
Speaker 2:
You know I feel like me and my dog. We're really good friends okay, you know we hang out a lot um but, but I I think the thing I'm most obsessed with is just his growth. You know I love to see that. You know he's becoming more comfortable around strangers and new people. It took him a while to kind of get to that place. Yeah, you know, he's getting a lot better.
Speaker 1:
He's getting a lot better.
Speaker 2:
But yeah, like we're like two trainers in, we're trying to figure this out. Two trainers in Two trainers. Man, this guy was tough. What type of dog is it? He's a German Shepherd, husky Mixer. He's like really smart. Oh hell, no, he's smart. He's like looking at the trainers, like no you can't do algebra, you need a great trainer. He's really smart. I'm like man and very manipulative too. You know, watch bro.
Speaker 1:
You gotta watch bro nah, it's funny because these dogs really have human personalities yeah, yeah, he loves the ladies.
Speaker 2:
Man loves the ladies that's what's up I love that, all right.
Speaker 1:
So, um, why? Why you didn't take the time to just try to do it yourself?
Speaker 2:
he wasn't listening to you well, time is the main thing. I've been running, you know, like I mean, even just these last couple weeks I've been, like you know, a couple different states and in and out of the state that I live in, la, so it's just kind of tough to be there and to spend the amount of time I need to really genuinely do it all myself. But I'm trying.
Speaker 1:
I thought you were trying yourself and it just wasn't going.
Speaker 2:
It was also that too. It was also that too. I'm not going to lie. You know what I'm saying. It's my first ever dog. I'm not a known dog trainer. It took a bunch of YouTube tutorials, but we got there Shout out to YouTube Academy. He's doing all right.
Speaker 1:
Well, I'm looking forward to the new project Mutt. Thank you, I'm going to have to have you back once it drops.
Speaker 2:
Nah, for sure, we got some of my favorite artists on there. It's going to be lit.
Speaker 1:
Who.
Speaker 2:
I got A$AP Rocky. You know Ty Dolla $ign. I got Baby Rose. It's really dope Wale, oh my god. Yes, it's gonna be a really, really, really amazing project. Madlib produced a couple joints on there. Fire it's gonna be a vibe.
Speaker 1:
Wait, I know that joint Wale is gonna be beautiful. What?
Speaker 2:
It actually is. It was produced by my boy Conductor and it's really special, very introspective. I love it.
Speaker 1:
Can't wait to hear that. And then Baby Rose, beautiful voice.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, phenomenal, great taste.
Speaker 1:
You and Ty dynamic duo Can never lose with that one. This is going to be good.
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
All right, cool, and then visuals.
Speaker 2:
Visuals. I'm working with Haji from Aug.
Speaker 1:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
He's really talented man, one of my favorite directors, so it's cool to work with a bunch of creatives that I'm a fan of on this. So it's like a genuine collaboration and I feel like I'm giving everybody who's involved the room to be creative Trippy. It's a good vibe.
Speaker 1:
It's definitely trippy.
Speaker 2:
Oh, it's definitely very trippy. Yeah, very trippy, very trippy, yeah, very trippy.
Speaker 1:
Very trippy. I'm here for it. I can't wait to see it. Thank you for tapping in with me.
Speaker 2:
Thanks for having me for real.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, no problem, shout out to Graham, let everybody know where they can follow you.
Speaker 2:
Yeah that's real. At Leon Thomas, you search my name, you're going to find me on every social media site. Yeah.
