Hello?
Hey Nick?
Hey.
Hey, what's up?
This is Maggie.
How are you doing?
Well, how are you?
Good.
Thank you very much for taking the time to do this interview with us.
We really appreciate it.
No problem.
Well, we're just going to get started.
Our first question is, you know, you're a musician, you're a DJ, you direct, you act,
you have your fashion line, you pretty much do everything.
How do you kind of stay successful in so many areas and be able to train your skills?
You know, even in just a film, as an actor, as a writer, as a director, and keep them
separate?
I think what it is is all entertainment to me.
I mean, I don't really separate or like, oh, okay, I'm doing music right now.
Okay, I'm doing comedy right now.
I'm acting.
It's just, it's all just entertainment.
And I think if you take your back to the days of people like Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis,
Junior, Jerry Belafonte, these people were just entertainers.
They were, you know, even when you think about, you know, the stage in New York, it's like
you've got to be able to sing, dance, act, you know, play instruments.
That's what an entertainer is.
So I think that's what it's all about more than just, you know, singing.
I think we kind of, in today's day and age, we kind of just really got focused on like
doing one thing and to keep it real mentality about, oh, I'm true to this, instead of just
embracing entertainment and expressing yourself too hard.
Definitely, definitely, I definitely agree with that.
Do you think now that you're coming back to Nickelodeon since that's where you started
and now you're the chairman of their new team network, do you kind of feel like you've come full circle with that?
I mean, it is definitely one circle in my life, but I appreciate it for what it is.
I always say Nickelodeon was not only like a playground for me, but it was a changing ground.
They gave me every opportunity to, you know, slip it off as a rider on that network to kind of hold my riding skills.
And I went from a rider to actually being on camera, then to actually producing and directing.
And now they give me my opportunity in the corporate world.
So, you know, I'm grateful for them to always kind of have that vision and foresight to allow me to, you know,
break my tools on whatever it is.
If we look at, you know, the past in those areas where they've allowed me to be the first to do this or the first to do that,
I've kind of always taken full advantage of it and, you know, did it to the best of my ability.
And do you think since then, since you started out at Nickelodeon and where you are now and where you're going,
has your perception of the industry changed since you started out?
And do you think it's going to change in the next 20 or 30 years?
My perception of the industry.
Yes.
My perception of the industry, I believe it's probably definitely changed because I'm still a kid.
When I first started, so it was just about, you know, cash and checks making sure my parents' rent was paid, you know.
And the fun of just being able to be on television and stuff like that.
But now, I mean, it's so not about that, you know what I mean?
I kind of approach it from a business and when I say from a business, it's more of a structured thing.
And at the same time, it's not solely about just, you know, making money.
It's about really, you know, trying to affect these young people a lot.
And kind of seeing it, you think you see it more in how you're affecting more people rather than just, you know,
this is what I want to do.
This is my career versus how it's affecting everyone.
Right. I think the phone broke up for a second, I'm kidding, really.
I'm sorry.
The middle part of what you said, but I think I kind of grasped what you were saying.
Well, I can't repeat it, just that it's less kind of now about your career and what you want to make or break yourself
versus kind of like how it's fitting into the overall, you know, scheme of the entertainment industry, the industry in general.
Right.
It's about affecting culture, you know what I mean? It's more about affecting culture and then giving other people opportunities.
You know, I kind of, like I went from trying to be like the biggest star in the world, which is cool,
but more about, you know, how can you affect culture? What can you do to make this place a better place?
And kind of, you know, following careers like, you know, Quincy Jones or even a Russell Simmons
where these people truly affected culture more than just trying to, you know, be the biggest star that they could possibly be.
Definitely. And kind of in that same vein, you know, you're very, I mean, you're very young
and you've also, you really kind of embrace the new forms of media.
I mean, you're starting a new network and you just recently launched your own blog.
Why do you think it's so important to use things like the internet to get your message out?
And what do you think are the most important tools in this new media environment and getting this message out to affect cultural change?
I think that you've always got to be, you've got to move and move with what's going on.
And I believe every aspect of media is extremely powerful and it's not upgraded at all.
It doesn't matter if you're on a television network where millions of people are still watching or you're on a website where, you know, you're just starting off with a few hits.
It's like media is media and the word travels and it's a way of just giving the public a voice out to me.
That's the cool thing about the internet.
And what makes it so, you know, cutting edge is that it's taking the range from, you know, these big corporations to saying, this is what's hot and this is what, you know, this is what we're going to feed you guys.
This is what we are entertainment and it gives the people a voice and opportunity to be a part of, you know, the experience.
They know this is what we think is hot or no. This is what we're saying is the right thing or the hot thing at the moment.
And by doing that, it kind of levels the playing field out and it kind of gives everyone an opportunity to voice their opinion.
It gives everyone an opportunity to kind of set trends and I think that's the way it should originally be.
So that's definitely something that I agree with, especially in music in terms of, you know, not giving necessarily radio or something, complete control over everything.
Right because, you know, if you're big enough company but got enough money, you know, you can get a radio station to kind of come out and they're going to play the same 10 records, you know, for a month straight and the audience may not even really be feeling it, but it's kind of, you know, embedded into the system so much that they kind of got to roll with it.
But now, you know, with the internet, you know, so many different areas of people have the opportunity to create their own, you know, favorite playlists and favorite records without having to always just have the same 10 songs playing.
Exactly, exactly. And just in terms of music, I mean, since you're a DJ and we're, you know, we're from grownfolksmusic.com, what are some of your favorite records to spin when you're out DJing?
My favorite record to spin on, they definitely are grownfolks music. I would say my favorite three records to put on in the club are Book of Adgers, Never Too Much, Frankie Beverly, or the main feature, Frankie Beverly, Before I Let Go, and they're probably guys I like.
Nice, nice, thank you. And tell us about, you know, it's one of your favorite concert experience, like either one of your own when you were performing or just someone that you've seen and why it was so special to you, why you keep remembering it.
My favorite concert experience for me is more than the day at the time, and that's my favorite girl. And like just, they're so entertaining, they don't just get up there and just perform, music, they're funny, they well trust, they interact with each other.
It's just, it's a high show and I've been a fan of this for like three years now. It's one of those experiences where like, I don't get up and be dancing too much, even at a concert, but like at a boys' day and the time comes, I'm going there.
It is.
Definitely, definitely.
Every step, every word.
Is there one in particular that you remember the most, or you have really good memory of, or is it everyone?
I think that's the best part of the experience. If we were to ask you, what is growing folks' music to you? How do you describe it?
Grow folks' music to me. Grow folks' music is like music that, you know, your parents will put on or that you like cook out music. Music that just makes you feel good and it's not necessarily, it ain't the type of music that necessarily is always played in the club, but it still feels good music to where it's just real nostalgic for you.
Grow folks' music is the music that your mama will put on when it's time to clean up the house.
Where do you go when you're discovering new music? Do you look to the internet, the radio, the clubs, people you know?
It's a bunch of different places, but it's probably just a few circles. I just go to a few different people and ask them what they're listening to, you know what I mean? I'm always asking people like Quincy Jones and why I could ask them, you know what I mean? Like just a different sort of individual that I don't want to know what they're checking on right now, and that gives me the opportunity to hear new things that I probably would have never heard of me.
The radio, it's always going to be a certain type of music and even the same thing on the internet, but if you go and you kind of understand people's playlists that you admire, they're going to turn you on to something that's more good, they're going to turn you on to something that you would never hear anywhere else.
Is there something that you've heard or a musician or a song that you've gotten from one of these channels that you just are really excited about or really touched you recently?
Recently, uh, I mean, think.
I try to think of the song as recent, but I've heard, I think I don't know who turned me on to it, someone turned me on to like the cars, which is kind of crazy like a rock band, but I mean, I play guitar and stuff too, so the cars is like my new thing.
Then I kind of picked up and kind of fill in the old school rock, so that's probably the newest music which is kind of ironic.
I mean, I would never play none of those songs in the club and stuff like that, but they look like I respect big groups.
Definitely, definitely.
And then kind of what our mantra here at Grown Folks is bridging the gap, and that's kind of on one hand trying to bridge the gap between the old school and the new school and trying to pay homage to the diverse legacies in music, as well as the new artists who are carrying the torch for the future.
And then secondly, it's about providing education for artists and fans and tape makers to experience Grown Folks music and prosper, I guess, in the new music economy.
So what sort of advice is someone like you, would you offer a young person whose age is starting out and be a seasoned professional who's looking to navigate the new environment?
Stay true to who they are, to their art. You know what I mean? That's what it's all about, because regardless of what happens, you can say that you enjoyed it and appreciated it for yourself. That's all that really matters, you know?
The point is that, you know, don't work and old ideas that work well. It's just that you just got to find your niche and stick with it, and, you know, if you've got ten people who are in love with your stuff, I believe that's better than having, you know, millions of yogurt about your stuff.
No, I definitely completely agree with that. And then, you know, another, you know, we were talking about education and educating young people about how they can become successful in this industry or any industry, which is something that you're obviously on the same page and you're doing with T. Nick and all the, you know, activist programs you've been doing in the past.
So what do you talk to them about to get them to see the different opportunities and hundreds of possibilities in this industry, perhaps more than just, you know, maybe being a rapper or a producer that, you know, a lot of people think of as the only way to break into the industry, and what kind of advice do you offer them in terms of education and personal development?
Yeah, I would say think outside the box for me. Don't just think that, you know, rapping and all of that stuff is the only way to make it. I mean, because to be quite frank, you know, being a rapper isn't the highest, you know, salary on the total pool.
It's a bunch of different things that you can do to still be in this industry that, you know, allow you to be far more creative, far more in control than just, you know, rhyming. I mean, if that's your art, that's your passion, I would definitely say stick to it.
But I would say, you know, explore different ideas and explore and perfect your craft, whatever it is, and perfect whatever around your craft. You know, if rapping is your thing, then, you know, figure out, you know, pick up a length and use a book, you know, figure out the art form of where all of this stuff goes into and where it comes from,
and from that you'll create new ideas and new environments to where you won't have to go looking for opportunities to come looking for you because you're so wealthy.
Definitely, definitely. And then, you know, a lot of young people are starting to get back to their roots and they're exploring, you know, some of this more classic stuff.
And, you know, in fact, last year, I don't know if you know that vinyl record sales are up like the highest they've ever been since they've ever started recording vinyl record sales and well, CD sales continue to go down and they're increasing.
And why do you think that the younger generation is starting to appreciate, you know, what we might call grown folks music or just music that's, you know, more organic now than when they have access to more media than ever before?
I think it's because it's going back to exactly what I said, like people are starting to appreciate the art form of the people are starting to allow to be a part of their lives and just to be something that's a product or something that a consumer is, you know, kind of forced into.
I have the ability to kind of go and search and find what I like and what I appreciate and what it means to my life instead of it just being, you know, forced upon me.
Definitely, definitely. And then just in terms of you, I mean, you've got a lot, a lot of stuff coming up. I mean, is it what are you looking forward to most this summer with your new gig is the host of America's Got Talent?
I'm looking forward to probably just seeing some, you know, new remarkable talent people actually getting the chance to recognize and follow their dreams. I mean, because that's what it's all about at the end of the day to see people really achieve what they want to achieve in life.
Definitely. And how have you adjusted to your new role at Nickelodeon? Is there anything that surprised you the most about your new jobs since you started it?
I love it. I love every aspect of it. I love, you know, kind of running a corporate office. I kind of embrace, you know, conference calls, you know, day long. It's kind of cool of me because at the same time, I'm still doing everything else that I was doing.
So it's a good balance. It's, you know, implemented a strong structure in my business because before it was just, you know, always all over the place and, you know, not really a set schedule right now because I have an office to function in that function.
You know, like a corporation, it kind of gives me that structure that helps me balance that I need it.
Do you think that structure is kind of like, do you think that's affected how you work creatively as well now too? Has that helped you in other ways?
It's given me more time. Ironically, you know, people would probably think, you know, he's going to be busy beyond belief, but now it's actually because that structure is set in place. It's, you know, I can't, you know, just lolly gag anymore. So it kind of makes every moment of my day count.
And then it just puts it in a place to work before I'm like, oh yeah, maybe I'll get around to doing this and maybe I'll do this to where everything is set to a schedule.
Gotcha, gotcha. And then, you know, if we were to ask you this one, just kind of our rapper question, you know, if you could, what would you say do you think is currently missing in the music industry or just even the entertainment industry that you wish that would come about?
What's missing in it is people having fun. I mean, and that's where my little record when I'm coming out at the end of the summer week is just like, I think people forgot how to have fun. Like, it's all serious and everything. And it's like, I think right now, we're at a time where everybody's looking for escapism.
You know, everybody's looking to escape it to something that, to take their mind off of whether it's the economy or the world as we know it is like, don't let it tire you. When you think about the tires of the Great Depression and all those type of things, entertainment was always a way for people to kind of just get their mind off of what's going on.
So I believe, you know, we need to implement fun back into entertainment.
And you said you're working on a new record for the end of the summer. Is that kind of what the vibe you said you're bringing to it?
Yeah, it's a comedy album. So it's one of those things where they're still going to have music and all that stuff, but it's just really, you know, stepping in and focusing on that side of my career.
Well, great. Thank you very much. We really appreciate it. We'll look forward to that album and checking you out on pretty much every media channel because you're going to be across pretty much everybody.
It's going to be hard to miss me.
But no, we really appreciate it. And we're really glad to have you on growingfolksmusic.com. And thank you.
No doubt. Thank you.
