Tone Stith on State of R&B, Working with Chris Brown, H.E.R, New Project & The Importance of Having A Good Team

On the season finale, join us for a fun-filled episode as Ian Von welcomes his longtime friend, Van Lathan! This Academy Award-winning former TMZ producer and co-host of the Ringer's "Higher Learning" podcast gives his takes on his favorite R&B groups and artists and his controversial take on his favorite Usher album. You don't want to miss this episode. 

0:00 - 2:26 Intro 

2:26 - 3:30 Ian and Van Lathan’s background

3:30 - 4:30 Old R&B vs New R&B approaching women

4:30 - 5:33 New age R&B making music on what they think

5:33 - 6:14 Jagged Edge’s let’s get married

6:14 - 6:46 R&B is missing its Vulnerability

6:46 - 9:27 Player Proof vs Pink Ladies story

9:27 - 10:28 Songs that make you want to feel a way about someone

10:28 - 10:47 Vulnerability is frowned upon

10:47 - 13:36 Moving from Baton Rouge to LA

13:36 - 16:10 TMZ to an Oscar

16:10 - 16:30 Once again, for the very first time

16:30 - 19:50 Ian’s group

19:50 - 20:40 People who push and inspire each other

20:40 - 21:37 Being noticed by a fan

21:37 - 22:46 Mount Rushmore R&B Male Groups

22:46 - 27:08 Jagged Edge vs 112

27:08 - 28:49 Ranking Male Group

28:49 - 30:12 Mount Rushmore Girl Group

30:12 - 31:55 Why not Destiny’s Child?

31:55 - 32:42 Mount Rushmore for Male R&B Singers

32:42 - 33:21 Does Michael count as Pop

33:42 - 34:07 Mount Rushmore for Female Artists

34:07 - 35:55 What is considered R&B and Pop?

35:55 - 37:46 Rolling Stones Best R&B Songs 21st Century

37:46 - 41:40 Favorite Singer and Rapper

41:40 - 42:30 Frank Oceans Discography

42:30 - 43:15 Jay Electronica’s Rap Style

43:15 - 45:06 The top ten on the Rolling Stones list

45:06 - 46:30 Confessions better than 8701

46:30 - 47:40 Redoing the Mount Rushmore

47:40 - 48:30 Musiq Soulchild

48:30 - 50:50 New female Mount Rushmore

50:50 - 52:00 SZA’s Impact

52:00 - 53:24 Top Five on 8701 and Confessions

53:24 - 55:40 Confessions top to bottom wins

55:40 - 57:46 Comparing songs on Usher projects

56:46 - 1:00:06 Closing

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Hosted & Created by:  Ian Von

Produced by: Launch Pod Studio

Shot and Edited by: Lazy Pickle Studios

This week on "Can We Talk R&B" Will Gittens takes us on a journey!  The internet's favorite cover artist and hitmaker for stars like Chris Brown, Trey Songz, Tank, Josh Levi, Bridget Kelly, and more share his secrets to viral success! Learn how he captivated millions, discover his viral formula songwriting techniques, and how he navigated industry scams. Dive deep into music, motivation, and overcoming challenges. You don't want to miss this one!

0:00 - 1:34  Intro

1:34 - 3:35 What got you into R&B? 

3:35 - 5:44  Moving to Nashville from Trinidad

5:44 - 7:15 Have you found a Trinidad community in Nashville?

7:15 - 9:13 How was the transition to LA? 

9:13 - 10:20  Pursuing music in LA  

10:20 - 14:50 Navigating the Industry 

14:50 - 16:10 How did you grow your social media following? 

16:10 - 19:34 What was your formula for socials?

19:34 - 19:58  Performing and live shows

19:58 - 20:40 Making money on streaming platforms 

20:40 - 21:58 Touring independently

21:58 - 23:00 Understanding the digital marketing and promoting 

23:00 - 24:05 Labels aren’t bad  

24:05 - 26:30 Being constantly determined to grind 

26:30 - 28:53 Do you thing going viral is sustainable? 

28:53 - 30:47 Creating music to find the hit 

30:47 - 32:35 Writing 350 songs in a year 

32:35 - 33:32 Deep Dive: Say the Word 

33:32 -  35:30 Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 

35:30 - 36:46 The desire to change the industry 

36:46 - 37:40 Closing 

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Hosted & Created by:  Ian Von

Produced by: Launch Pod Studio

Shot and Edited by: Lazy Pickle Studios

This week, Can We Talk R&B welcomes a true icon: Multi-Platinum Selling/ Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, dancer, and all-around powerhouse Mya! Get ready for a deep dive into the evolution of R&B, from Mya's early days to the current landscape. Mya reflects on the 25th anniversary of her iconic self-titled album, ‘Mya’. She shares the keys to navigating the music industry, and the exciting new music she is gearing up to release without the major label backing.  Mya also shares her thoughts on the changing musical climate, the pressures of maintaining a social media presence, and the secrets to staying relevant in the game. Plus, you won't want to miss her insider stories about legendary moments with Michael Jackson and Prince!

This is more than just an interview - it's a conversation with a legend who continues to inspire. Don't miss Can We Talk R&B with Mya, a celebration of artistry, resilience, and the enduring power of R&B!

0:00 - 3:00 Intro

3:00 - 4:35 What got you into music?  

4:35 - 5:10 Why R&B? 

5:10 - 6:20 Where are you pulling from when writing? 

6:20 - 7:00 Growing up in the Church

7:00 - 9:00  How does impacting people through music make you feel?

9:00 - 10:50 Being in an era where music has gone digital 

10:50 - 12:29 Digital versus physical album copies 

12:29 - 15:30  How do you feel about major labels vs being independent 

15:30 - 16:00 Being R&B on a Hiphop/Rock label

16:00 - 17:55 What was that experience like? 

17:55 - 19:20 How important is your team, being independent? 

19:20 - 21:20 Do you think about how your career has changed? 

21:20 - 21:40 Can you talk about some humbling experience throughout your career? 

21:40 - 22:58 Getting a phone call from Michael Jackson

22:58 - 23:40 Having empowering conversations with music icons 

23:40 - 25:40 What was it like for Prince to be a mentor to you? 

25:40 - 26:21 Prince at Essence Festival

26:21 - 28:18  What are some things that you are most proud of?

28:18 - 29:12 Do you still love it? 

29:12 - 29:54  Reflecting on your younger self  

29:54 - 31:08 Do you have artist that reach out to you?

31:08 - 34:31 How has the business changing affected you? 

34:31 - 35:30 Streaming platforms and selling numbers  

35:30 - 36:30  What is your experience like touring? 

36:30 - 37:22 Taking care of self while being a touring artist

37:22 - 38:24 Girls Dem Sugar with Beanie Man and Lie Detector 

38:24 - 39:30 What can we expect in the future? 

39:30 - 39:53 Any cool collaborations coming up? 

39:53 - 41:52 Who inspires you right now in music?

42:52 - 43:50 Why did you decide to be on a vegan diet? 

43:50 - 45:40  How long have you been vegan? 

45:40 - 47:04  When can we expect the new project? 

47:04 - 49:29 Being an artist for 25 years 

49:29 - 49:47 End 

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Hosted & Created by:  Ian Von

Produced by: Launch Pod Studio

Shot and Edited by: Lazy Pickle Studios

On this episode of Can We Talk R&B, Ian Von welcomes Singer/ Songwriter, Kevin Ross. Kevin Ross talks about his upbringing in DC, falling in love with music, musical influences, and career building. He recalls a pivotal time in his career touring with Neyo and Maxwell. Kevin also explains why he left the major label and how he went viral, reaching over 100M+ views on his videos throughout the pandemic, plus so much more. You don't want to miss this episode.

0:00 - 2:45 Intro

2:45 - 5:00 Being from Dc 

5:00 - 6:03 90s era of music

6:03 - 7:20 Music adapting new sounds

7:20 - 8:55 Musicianship  

8:55 - 12:10 When did you decide to pursue music

12:10 - 13:15 Spending time on music 

13:15 - 14:00 Learning how to use recording machines

14:00 - 16:20 What inspired you to make videos? 

16:20 - 18:35 Adding mixing and mashups

18:35 - 20:00 Reaching 100M views

20:00 - 21:50 Motown’s writing camp

21:50 - 23:00 Being isolated

23:00 - 23:40 The development phase

23:40 - 24:27 Touring with Maxwell and Neyo

24:27 - 26:13 Ponder on artistry

26:13 - 27:27 How did touring with Maxwell and Neyo happen

27:27 - 28:33 Understanding the vision

28:33 - 30:00 Deciding to leave the label

30:00 - 31:00 Talking with the label

31:00 - 32:08 Going independent

32:08 - 33:22 Benefits of an independent artist

33:22 - 34:12 Having a good team

34:12 - 35:01 Using resources to be successful as an independent Artist 

 35:01 - 36:33 Telling the story in music

36:33 - 37:53 Transitioning throughout the project

37:53 - 38:58 Exploring in Songwriting

38:57 - 41:06 Artists telling stories in music

41:06 - 42:58 Being able to have longevity

42:58 - 43:54 Dream Collab

43:54 - 44:53 Kenyon Dixon collaboration

44:53 - 46:20 Where does the freedom to express yourself in your music come from? 

46:20 - 48:30 Earth Wind & Fire vs Franky Beverly and Maze

48:30 - 50:50 The cultural impact of the bands

50:50 - 57:15 Deep Dive - God is a Genius

57:15 - 1:03:30 Top 5 R&B Songs Written

1:03:30 - 1:07:00 R&B being on the rise

1:07:00 - 1:07:50  Check out the Patreon

1:07:50 - 1:08:02 Ending

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Hosted & Created by:  Ian Von

Produced by: Launch Pod Studio

Edited by: Lazy Pickle Studios

On this week's episode, Ian Von welcomes Grammy nominated, Samoht on Can We Talk R&B. The Rising Singer/Songwritter talks about his new album ‘Amore’, his upbringing in The South, the story behind how he discovered he was Grammy Nominated and opens up about a dark period in his life. You don't want to miss this!!

0:00 - 3:00 Intro 

3:00 - 4:45 What was the inspiration behind this project?

4:45 - 5:44 Growing up in North Carolina

5:44 - 6:52 Having a Church background

6:52 - 8:10 Singing in chorus

8:10 - 9:22 When did you fall in love with R&B

9:22 - 10:50 Gospel Influences

10:50 - 11:28 Contemplating on releasing music

11:28 - 12:30 Who worked on this project with you

12:30 - 13:55 What’s missing in R&B

13:55 - 15:10 Sangers vs Singers in R&B

15:10 - 16:20 Better record

16:20 - 18:40 R&B Male Vocalists

18:40 - 20:57 How do you compare R&B male vocalists to Gospel

20:57 - 22:00 Working with Pj Morton

22:00 - 22:20 Finding out about the nomination

22:20 -23:05 Pj Morton’s artistry

23:05 - 23:50 Struggles of an independent artist

23:50 - 24:37 Having to work harder

24:37 - 26:00 How important is your team

26:00 - 26:23 Pushing through struggle for success

26:23 - 27:35 Process of creating a project

27:35 - 29:22 Fashion in R&B music

29:22 - 31:38 Signature fashion

31:38 - 35:55 Deep Dive - Shine On

35:55 - 37:11 Working with Luke James

37:11 - 40:32 Respect the Pen Game - Moonlight

40:32 - 42:10 R&B losing its romantic feel 

42:10 - 44:08 Sitting with the new album 

44:08 - 46:17 New Artist you’re listening to

46:17 - 47:59 Top 5 Favorite R&B Singers 

47:59 - 49:26 What’s next following this album

49:26 - 52:20 Vocal range and strength 

52:20 - 52:52 End

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Hosted & Created by:  Ian Von

Produced by: Launch Pod Studio

Edited by: Lazy Pickle Studios

On this week's episode, R&B duo, THEY. joined Ian Von on Can We Talk R&B to discuss touring with Bryson Tiller on the Trapsoul Tour, as well as their music influences and leaving major labels and becoming  independent artists. You don't want to miss this episode!!

Intro: 0:00 - 3:30

Experimenting with R&B: 3:30 - 5:49

Why did y’all choose to create R&B? 5:49 - 8:06

Producer and artist team: 8:06 - 10:58

Boy band influences: 10:58 - 11:41

Jumping onto the Bryson Tour: 11:41 - 13:58

Bryson Tiller’s impact: 13:58 - 14:45

inspirations in your music: 14:45 - 16:08

No rules in creativity: 16:08 - 17:55

Just Contribute: 17:55 - 19:13

Spotify’s data: 19:13 - 20:53

R&B groups: 20:53 - 21:17 

The authenticity in r&b: 21:17 - 22:25

What’s your musical background: 22:25 - 25:03

Learning from Brian Kennedy: 25:03 - 25:50

Playing instruments: 25:50 - 27:17

Deciding to be independent: 27:17 - 28:46

Major labels vs being independent: 28:46 - 30:36

Art is Subjective: 30:36 - 33:05

Deep Dive - Blu Moon: 33:05 - 37:60

Why no sampling: 37:60 - 39:50

Using resources to create the same feel: 39:50 - 42:41 

Are you listening to current R&B? 42:41 - 44:40

What’s lacking in R&B: 44:40 - 45:50

The new style of R&B: 45:50 - 47:35

Gate keeping in R&B playlists: 47:35 - 48:42

Upbeat R&B songs: 48:42 - 49:55

Top five favorite R&B songs: 49:55 - 56:02

Musiq Soulchild: 56:02 - 58:15

Respect The Pen: 58:15 - 1:05:40

New Tour? 1:05:40 - 1:06:45

Ending: 1:06:45 - 1:07:24

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Hosted & Created by:  Ian Von

Produced by: Launch Pod Studio

Edited by: Lazy Pickle Studios

On this episode of Can We Talk R&B, Ian Von welcomes 7x Grammy Nominated Singer/Songwriter, BJ the Chicago Kid. BJ’s reflects on his upbringing in Chicago, the Gumbo pot of varying music genres that has shaped his ear to create timeless R&B music. Having a wide vocal range and musical knowledge has allowed BJ to work with artists like Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Chance The Rapper, Offset and more. BJ addresses the “R&B is dead” conversation while advocating for the amazing decades the genre has had and shedding light on the dominating artist in the genre today. He also talks about what we can expect from his new album, "Gravy". You don’t want to miss this episode!!! 

Intro: 0:00 - 4:00

Growing up in Chicago: 4:00  - 5:03

“The cross and the corner”: 5:03 - 7:10

The Bj Chicago Kid Sound: 7:10 - 8:26

Which artist inspires you: 8:26 - 10:40

Being able to create a lane: 10:40 - 12:25

Working with Hip Hop artist: 12:25 - 12:55

Creating and producing music with vocals: 12:55- 13:54

The decline of Hip Hop’s charting: 13:54 - 17:35

Being a Passionate artist: 17:35- 18:10

Live Shows: 18:40 - 20:45 

Roadblocks in your career: 20:45 - 24:00

Revolt performance: 24:00 - 24:48

Being too  musical: 24:48 - 26:04

Heartbreaking the game: 26:04 - 27:55

What keeps you motivated? 27:55 - 30:50

New Album - Gravy: 30:50 - 31:51 

Phillip Bailey: 31:51 - 34:08

Being determined to get the yes: 34:08 - 34:50

“R&B is not Dead” : 34:50 - 37:21

Creating an R&B experience musically: 37:21 - 38:20

Jazmine Sullivan and Brandy: 38:20 - 39:04

How do you rank yourself: 39:04 - 40:50

 Deep Dive - Turning me up: 40:50 - 44:41

How do you translate the vibe to melody: 44:41 - 45:32

Best Decade for R&B Music: 45:32 - 47:18 

Never Shoulda let you go: 47:18 - 47:54

90s R&B: 47:54 - 49:06

Missy Elliot: 49:06 - 50: 50

Black Culture in Music: 50:50 - 52:02

Respect the Pen Game - Church: 52:02 -53:03

Marvin Winans: 53:03 - 55:46

Detroit music culture: 55:45 -56:18

Six Months: 56:18 - 57:37

The ability to be timeless: 57:37 - 58:30

Songwriters and Producers: 58:30 - 1:00:11

The Underdogs: 1:00:11 - 1:01:58

New Male R&B Artists: 1:01:58 - 1:02:58

New Orleans: 1:02:58 - 1:03:18

What are you working on: 1:03:18 - 1:10:14

Closing: 1:10:14 - 1:11:06

Stay connected with Us! #CanWeTalkRnB #CWTRB

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Hosted & Created by:  Ian Von

Produced by: Launch Pod Studio

Edited by: Lazy Pickle Studios

On this week's episode of Can We Talk R&B, Ian Von welcomes Singer and Songwriter, Phabo. The R&B star chats through his career and music. Phabo Talks quitting his job to write for Kehlani. He discusses Gospel artists who have influenced his music, and takes us on a journey through his lineage and new album "Don't Get To Cozy", his experiences on tour with Kiana Lede, and writing for Khelani, Eric Bellinger and more. 

Intro: 0:00 - 6:00

Where are you from? 6:00 - 9:20

Being inspired by gospel vocalist: 9:20 - 11:50

R&B missing gospel music: 11:50 - 13:17

Soul Music having Gospel influences: 13:17 - 14:07

Songwriting Process: 14:07 - 15:21

How did you get into the music business: 15:21 - 20:10

Working with Mario: 20:10 - 20:40

What is the feeling of your music being received? 20:40 - 24:00

Working with Kehlani: 24:00 - 28:45

Respect the Pen Game: 28:45 -30:25

Don’t Get Too Cozy writing style: 30:25 - 31:37

Being inspired by Jonathan Butler: 31:37 - 35:00

Learning lessons through the Journey: 35:00 - 37:04

Working with Troy Taylor: 37:04 - 41:40

Recording with Troy: 41:40 - 43:10

The Love Songs record : 43:10 - 44:10

The visibility of R&B music: 44:10 - 48:36

Viral moments and visibility: 48:36 - 50:00

The need for artist development: 50:00 - 53:03 

Platforms for R&B Artist: 53:03 - 55:28

The importance of R&B conversations: 55:28 - 56:00

Current artists on the playlist: 56:00 - 57:37

Surprising artist in the playlist: 57:37 - 59:10

Gatekepept artist: 59:10 - 1:00:40

Growth in R&B Production: 1:00:40 1:02:15

Tour Stories: 1:02:15 - 1:06:20

Vulnerability of Artist: 1:06:20 - 1:08:43

Egos in artist peer relationship: 1:08:43 - 1:11:02

Learning from other artist: 1:11:02 - 1:13:10

Honing in on artistry:  1:13:10 - 1:15:39

Ending: 1:15:39 - 1:16:18

Stay connected with Us! #CanWeTalkRnB #CWTRB

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Hosted & Created by:  Ian Von

Produced by: Launch Pod Studio

Edited by: Lazy Pickle Studios

On this week's episode of Can We Talk R&B, we have a first, an Academy and Grammy Award Winning  Singer and Songwriter, Tiara Thomas. Tiara reflects on her 10 year journey in the music business -- she talks crossing paths with Wale and the backstory to their 3x Platinum song, "Bad" as well as her Pioneering the R&B sub genre, dark R&B. 

Tiara provides insight on the current state of R&B, her love for all things 90s R&B and her songwriting journey including penning Grammy nominated song, "Good Morning Gorgeous" for Mary J Blige and  H.E.R.'s songs "Slide", "We Made It", "Damage"and more. Tiara also talks about receiving a Golden Globe nomination and winning a Grammy Award and an Academy Award for Best Original Song, for co-writing the song "Fight for You", from Judas and the Black Messiah with H.E.R.  Tiara talks about parting ways with Interscope Records, and her venture back into her artistry with her new song with Tone  Stith "Hit You Right Back"...Plus much more you don't want to miss this one!

Stay connected with Us! #CanWeTalkRnB #CWTRB

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Hosted & Created by: Ian Von

Produced by: Launch Pod Studio

Edited by: Lazy Pickle Studios