Rhymes & Reasoning with Rapsody

00:00:00
Speaker 1: Coming up. Keep it positive, sweetie.

00:00:03
Speaker 2: My question was like, yo, what is my real purpose? Same thing?

00:00:06
Speaker 3: Like, you know, with the talent and everything that I pour in to be the best that I could be, why are not you know, put up.

00:00:14
Speaker 1: Here in the light?

00:00:15
Speaker 2: And then you know, for me to clarity was.

00:00:19
Speaker 3: You know, sometimes you're not supposed to be in the light because you are the light.

00:00:23
Speaker 2: You know what I'm saying.

00:00:23
Speaker 1: Yes, this episode is sponsored by Better Health. Hey, sweeties, there is so much stigma centered around therapy, whether it's stress, sadness, words, or relationship issues. There's a shame that is attached with it when there really shouldn't be. I initially started therapy during the pandemic because this was the first time I actually got to sit with myself. With a hustle and bustle of life. We can suppress so much and often neglect getting the help that we need. When I first tried therapy, I didn't feel any mental clarity or that it was working. But that was because I was not being honest with my therapist. Once I found the right license therapist for me and I was honest, my world completely changed. If you're like me and you know you need to talk to someone but don't know where to start. I have something for you, and it's Better Help. It's convenient and easily accessible on your phone. All you have to do is download the app, sign up, and fill out the questionnaire. Within a few days, it pairs you with a licensed therapist. So what are you waiting for? Go to www dot betterhelp dot com. Forward Sized Crystal, Let's all get better together with Better Help. Hello on CHRISTOPHINEE Hazel and this It's keep it positive, Sweetie, a safe space to heal, a laugh, grow and love, MC creative and the soul forever becoming. If you look at her bio on Instagram, that's how Rhapsody identifies, with a style of her own and afloat draped in the essence of true hip hop. Rhapsody has evolved into one of the genre's most important voices. With twenty years in the hip hop game and lyrics that Reese's soul rapsit has cemented her place at top hip hop's most elite. I'm so grateful to spend some time with her today and talk to her about where she's come from and where she's going rap. Thank you so much for coming. Happy to listen no, I'm seriously like, I just had you write. She was my ghostwriter for the ve Et Ciphers, So that was my first time getting to meet you. Been a huge fan, and then I got to come to one of your shows recently here in Atlanta.

00:02:50
Speaker 2: I was so happy to see girl.

00:02:52
Speaker 1: That was my first time seeing you live.

00:02:54
Speaker 3: I'm glad that was the first show because these other years I've been working my way up to that.

00:03:00
Speaker 1: So I was just I was literally blown away. I was just like this because you're so like till, your demeanor super chillul. When you hit that stage, the other personality comes out.

00:03:09
Speaker 2: I was like, like, who was that?

00:03:13
Speaker 1: Yeah, right right? Have you always been like so chill?

00:03:16
Speaker 2: Yeah?

00:03:17
Speaker 3: I grew up shy, really busy, say have talent shows, and my mom will always try to get me in it. I was Paula Abdul one time you hearing the Cat, Yeah, I was the cat and I was supposed to I got on stage.

00:03:29
Speaker 2: I was like, absolutely not.

00:03:32
Speaker 3: But my mom like she's really into that. Like she's the youngest of thirteen kids, so she's the fun one. So every family union she was Tina Turner Wow, and I had to be her backup ground dancer. So we watch Tina Turner study the videos, the movements every year and that's where I learned to like really perform like she.

00:03:51
Speaker 2: She's the beginning of that for me. Wow, She'll have moms.

00:03:54
Speaker 1: I love it.

00:03:55
Speaker 3: But I mean I think like I was in La last night and the homies were like you, you are so confident. And I think because I've gone through this healing phase and I love myself more and I'm more secure in myself, I can be more free on stage to allow people to see all parts of me.

00:04:12
Speaker 1: Wow, I want to talk about that because I just recently went through a healing stage where I feel more comfort with my own skin. I know who I am. Nobody can tell me who I am anymore. You know a lot of times you're like, well, who do you say I am? Like, okay, okay, this is cool. No, Like I know what I like, what I don't like? What was that transition like through that healing phase?

00:04:30
Speaker 3: Yes, doing a healing phase, man, you really have to sit with yourself and be honest with yourself. Forgive yourself for some things, for not taking care of yourself and not speaking up for yourself. Because I think I had put myself in situations that you know, left me in a bad place, trying to be there for other people, trying to be that thing for other people, and you go home and mentally like it's so much.

00:04:56
Speaker 2: You're not happy, You're.

00:04:57
Speaker 3: Carrying a lot, and you have to learn, like I have to affirm myself, like I can't let this world do it. I can't, you know, look for the validation. I can't be sad if I don't get a certain you know, like let the ego part go. And I just had to learn to be happy with me. Whatever is for me is for me. Like I'm not trying to make y'all happy. I'm trying to make me happy. And I think once I understood that, it just fell into place. But it was a journey, like you know, it's not easier. It's not a lot of crying, a lot of solitude, like I ain't want to talk to nobody. It was during the pandemic, so that was a rough time for everybody. Yeah, I didn't turn the TV on. I hardly watch TV. Like my one of my best friends BYAKA loves.

00:05:43
Speaker 1: You Love Yeah, I love her Like you ain't seen.

00:05:48
Speaker 2: Sisters, I said, I haven't watched TV like that in four years.

00:05:51
Speaker 3: Yeah, Like I don't know what it is, but it's just like I just had everything felt like fantasy illusion and you in the music.

00:05:58
Speaker 1: Industry on top of that, Yeah, it's a lot.

00:06:01
Speaker 3: You know, they tell you these things are real, but you realize that's not the reality of the world. So I was just sitting with a lot and shitting with a lot and I had to learn my own truth and reality.

00:06:13
Speaker 1: Yeah. Wow, I love that because so many times, like we see I see you on stage, you wouldn't even know that you had to deal with something like that. And we all have our own journeys, things that we're trying to figure out. Shit we're trying to work through. Like me, like I know myself, Like people look like she's got it all together.

00:06:29
Speaker 2: No I don't.

00:06:30
Speaker 1: And my brother can tell you because he helped me hold it together, cause i'd be like, ah, you know, it's like those times, and there's times where they don't understand when you're in the light and you're pushed out there so much, you need those moments by yourself.

00:06:44
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:06:45
Speaker 1: I want to ask you, like, as your stardom and your star continued to rise, like did that play a part in like, this is a lot. I need to figure this out. Did you feel that heaviness in that weight?

00:06:56
Speaker 2: Not so much.

00:06:58
Speaker 3: I'm talking about this earlier, like I'm I'm still I don't feel like I'm that famous where it's it's that much pressure for me.

00:07:05
Speaker 1: I put London, they know who you are.

00:07:06
Speaker 2: You were wide.

00:07:07
Speaker 1: What are you talking about?

00:07:08
Speaker 2: You were wide?

00:07:09
Speaker 1: Okay, they won world wide, but ID like they was like.

00:07:14
Speaker 2: You can't buy yourself.

00:07:16
Speaker 3: I was like, here, I try to travel myself a lot, you know, and I think I put more pressure on myself than anything because I feel like I have to check all these boxes off to be successful. And it's really not that. It's like I wake up and I get to do what I love every day. I'm happy, I'm at peace, I could eat. I like food me too. The only one thing I need more money because I like expensive clothes.

00:07:42
Speaker 1: You know.

00:07:42
Speaker 2: I want to try to go thrift to and all that, but I just have attraction too expensive clothes.

00:07:47
Speaker 5: No.

00:07:47
Speaker 1: Literally, when I'm online shopping, I was like, ooh, I love it. It's like five thousand dollars, but of course it's five thousand dollars. Why is my eye drawn.

00:07:54
Speaker 2: To that that is me.

00:07:56
Speaker 3: I'm just like you know, I don't need a big house, I don't need five cars.

00:08:00
Speaker 2: I just need a call of it full of fly cloth happy. So you know, I had to learn.

00:08:05
Speaker 3: Those things like you think, you know in my profession anyway, like you gotta get the Grammy, need my BT Awards, need the NAAC, you know, like and it's like, yo, you just gotta touch people at the end of the day, you know. And that's why this tour has been like I tell people it's my place of peace because in healings, it's not linear, right right, like I have my days, whereas there was some day on this tour, I did a lot of crime. Really yeah, like frustrated, like you know, just reverting back. And it was the shows Meet and Greece, like you know, people affirming you.

00:08:38
Speaker 2: Like the stories I heard.

00:08:40
Speaker 3: You know that can feel like it could be weight, but I don't make it. Wait, Like one of the girl told me, she was like, You're the reason I'm still here today. Like you know, you go, we go in and I write through lived experiences and I look at the but we make this music and you never know where it's gonna go. And how it's gonna affect people until you meet these people. Like that was just one story. Another lady was like, my baby was born with half a heart and the only way I was able to get through her surgeries was listening to your song Faith. It was just so many things. Another guy like my mom was murdered and you know, and it's just like, Okay, none of the other stuff matters. It's great to be acknowledged for your work, but it's it's always the people. So I'm thankful for this tour because it keeps me centered.

00:09:34
Speaker 1: Yes, yeah, no, I know exactly what you mean, because I'm pretty new to this, you know, to starving celebrity. It's maybe about four years, but as a like one inspiring actor and wanting to like just be at the top, Like I got caught up in that, like dang, like why hasn't our show gotten any awards? And like we're number one? You see the numbers. You know what I'm saying, Like I got caught up in like wanting the accolades. And then I also always wonder why I are never worried about that because you look back and you see all the people that you've touched, What are you really here for what is the mission? And I was like, got it? You know, And I think for me, acting was a vessel to get the notoriety to do this because the amount of people that I reach on a more personal level, on a more level where it's like you saved my life or it's because of you that I'm still living like you.

00:10:24
Speaker 2: I don't look at it as a weight.

00:10:26
Speaker 1: It's a blessing and an honor to be able to tell my story and be honest and transparent that I can help people. So I told it, I get it because I was like that too. I was like, dang, why ain't got this? And like the industry would make you feel like, oh, you ain't doing nothing.

00:10:39
Speaker 3: They will and things have changed so much, like it's just different. You know, everything is about numbers and that can be the illusion of it. It's not so much about talent and the image of things. So you know, when that changes, we have to change with it, you know what we look at.

00:10:58
Speaker 2: But the people are all They're going to keep us here for us.

00:11:00
Speaker 6: That will.

00:11:01
Speaker 2: Like I was telling somebody, I took my mushroom.

00:11:09
Speaker 3: Like that was my that was my you know, they say, ask just there's a question that you want to have answer, you may have your answer when you have that type of clarity.

00:11:17
Speaker 6: Wow.

00:11:17
Speaker 2: And my question was like, yo, what is my real purpose?

00:11:20
Speaker 3: Same thing, like, you know, with the talent and everything that I pour into be the best that I could be? Why are not you know, put up here in the light? And then you know, for me, the clarity was, you know, sometimes you're not supposed to be in the light because you are the light.

00:11:37
Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying, Yes you are.

00:11:39
Speaker 3: And I was with my homeboy, Niko Brahm, who's my artist, and he's like, your rap, you gotta understand. He was like, you know, like you don't know like how much many people look at you. It's like it's like you want an unbeaten path.

00:11:52
Speaker 2: You just got a machete and you should shoo shoo shoow so.

00:11:54
Speaker 3: We can walk behind you. And I was like, damn, I appreciate that perspective. And I was, and I you know, I thought, I was like, but so many people have cleared the path for me, and I had to think, like, but it's been untended to yes, so yeah, the weeds have grown up yea, So now you have to go in and be that and you know that was that was my clarity.

00:12:14
Speaker 1: Wow, I love that. That is beautiful Navigate. I did music too. I'm working on some music now. But when I first moved to Atlanta, I was working on music, and as a woman in the industry, it was really hard for me because it's such a male dominated industry and when you're do anybody yourself. I was really like just working relationships, trying to figure it out. What has been your path working in this industry.

00:12:36
Speaker 2: I can say mine has been blessed. You know.

00:12:38
Speaker 3: I've heard some horse story, yeah, and you know, the industry getting a bad rap. I don't think everybody's experiences like that. I'm not saying mine was all good. You know, anything you want to have, it's gonna be challenged, absolutely. But I came up under ninth wondering young gul Wow, and I could say in the early stages of my career, the men really looked out for me.

00:13:01
Speaker 2: You know.

00:13:02
Speaker 3: They were the first two that saw my talent, that poured into me, that told me I could do it. Because being from where I'm from, like a small town in snow Hill, North Carolina, for me, I never had exposure to that type of success to be able to think like I never had anybody I could look to touch same you know what I'm saying.

00:13:21
Speaker 2: I was like, I want to do that. I have no idea how you know.

00:13:24
Speaker 3: So they were the first ones, but they protected me. Like the first thing they sat down and told me was, before you do anything in this industry, before you get in the booth and record a song, I want you to define your line. The line you will not cross, you will not lose yourself over. They made me do that before anything, since I had to sit and know who I was first, and a lot of artists asked me for advice. I said, before you do anything, you have to ask yourself, who am I? What do I want to do in this business? That'll answer all the questions of how you moved from now? And we just moved with intention like that organic, authentic everything that we had like it was off organic relationships, like just building with people. I got nothing easy. I had to learn every bit I had. I wouldn't want it any other. No, you know anything easy, you lose it easy? Yeah, I say that, And you know there are some challenges, like you know, as a woman, I had to work ten times harder coming up in the era that I did. You know, it was early two thousands, so it was like, you know, the late nineties, early two thousands, a woman image and hip hop change, you know, yep. And so it was like finding our way back into that. And I felt like I had such a hard fight with them, you know. And it wasn't about the sexual image to me, it was all about the talent. I didn't have a strong sisterhood village at that time, right, Like, I'm so excited to see so many women now and to see like their friends.

00:14:56
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that's so dope.

00:14:58
Speaker 3: I didn't get that experience, know, so the God Kendrick held me down, Big crit held me down, Yeah, held me down. Nipsey held me down. Like the guys really looked out for me. So you know that's but otherwise it was just it was just really hustle. I just put my head down.

00:15:18
Speaker 1: I don't know.

00:15:19
Speaker 3: I wouldn't take no for an answer, you know, yep. And you know it was like I've been called everything ugly. I was chunky there, you fat, You'll never make it. Nobody wants to hear that you're boring, you know, it's too black, like it's just thing a thing, and a lot of it from the early beginnings was from black women and that, you know, I remember that that was probably the hardest way that I had to like but you know, you find your village. Yeah, yeah, And this season is so beautiful. I can see it on Your energy is just so like like.

00:15:53
Speaker 1: What you said, you're looking for the light, but you are the light and not see that in you And I love that you found that piece of happiness in this season. You said something about sister circles in the in the industry. Have you found like your sister circle in the industry?

00:16:08
Speaker 5: Now?

00:16:08
Speaker 1: Are you still with the boys? I mean, I'm old you with everybody? Yeah?

00:16:12
Speaker 3: Nah, it's I grew up with boys all my life. Like I'm from a big family. My mom is one of thirteen, but all my cousins around my age were boys, So that's what I was used to comfortable with. But it's you know, you grow up and you really experience life and you realize it's not till you find you like your sisterhood village. I have like four or five really really close best friends, and I was like, I understand the importance of having sisterhood now because the way we show up for each other and the way that we see each other and understand what we go through. I can't really have with guys, and they have been my rock. But in the industry, like I have a beautiful village, Ray Digga, Queen Latifah mc light, Erica by do like the last two or three years, we built a beautiful friendship. She's one of my best friends. I love her to death. So Nihilatan, you are now in my village of course. Yes, Beyonca, Sherry Bryant's and even like the girls Lady London.

00:17:16
Speaker 1: I love her.

00:17:17
Speaker 3: Yeah, Tierra Wack I talked to her, so yeah, I'm so happy.

00:17:23
Speaker 1: It's amazing. Do you guys talk to each other about like your struggles in the industry are like what you may be battling in this certain season, especially like the women like in the industry that you're cool with.

00:17:34
Speaker 2: Yeah, Light has.

00:17:36
Speaker 3: Given me advice sometimes Bia has hit me before asking for advice. I've given her advice.

00:17:44
Speaker 1: Yeah, I love it. I love it.

00:17:48
Speaker 3: It's very important to me because I know how it feels to not have that, yeause, so I try to for me anyway. I extent myself to everybody but clean my teeth, hats taking me under her wing and giving me advice, Like, but I.

00:17:59
Speaker 2: Do is always giving me advice.

00:18:01
Speaker 3: You know, my sit I didn't sit down like this with her talk for maybe just twenty minutes, and she dropped so many jewels like it was past music.

00:18:12
Speaker 2: It was just life love relationships.

00:18:16
Speaker 1: Yeah. So yeah, do you ever just sit back and when you were like, think about the names you just name, like these are people that are sowing into me. They'll be like, wow, these are like icons that we grew up to. Now this is your life.

00:18:27
Speaker 6: Like that crazy.

00:18:28
Speaker 3: It's so crazy. It's like it's twofold, right. I definitely look at that. I'd be like, yo, me and be Be are really cool. But I'm like at the end of the day, they's just like me too, you know. And they'll have people hit me and they're like, yo, we got to meet and greet. I don't know what to say to you, and I'm just like just being something. I mean, I'm the homegirl, right, They like they want the same thing. But it is crazy because like I grew up being inspired by these women, right.

00:18:57
Speaker 1: Mama's gun Listen.

00:19:01
Speaker 3: Said when I started rapping up times are wasting was like my soundtrack. Yeah, don't waste your time every day like Lauren have. I don't have a deep relationship, but I'm able to email her.

00:19:15
Speaker 2: It's like those things.

00:19:17
Speaker 3: Yeah, but yeah, light like em light calls meeting the most rappity rap.

00:19:24
Speaker 2: I'm just checking on you where you at. Like it's just so dope.

00:19:28
Speaker 1: That's beautiful And it warns my heart to hear that because a lot of times I feel like in our culture, especially in our in our society, we don't see that in the black community. Yeah, just like you said, there was when you were sit hearing these comments. It was mainly from women that look like you and like, so it feels really good to know that, like we're checking on each other, doing those check ins because is important. So yeah, because they can see you on stage and I know you're hurting when you go into the dressing room.

00:19:54
Speaker 3: Boy, you know, I'm trying to tell you. Some days I'll be like, yeah, they knew how it started my day.

00:20:01
Speaker 1: Baby.

00:20:02
Speaker 2: Oh.

00:20:02
Speaker 1: I had a moment like that one few seasons ago. It was an episode with even Marcel and I was in my closet just like trying to cry and trying to get it together and got on the sofa and I literally was like she said something and I just lost it and I was like, if you knew what I was going through before I wiped those series off, like hey, you would be like what you know? And they don't see that. They don't. So it's always good to have good people to check on you. Yep, check on your strong friends. I know people hear that and things cliche, but seriously, check on your strong friends.

00:20:35
Speaker 2: And it could be just as simple as just sitting a note yep, Like I just randomly check somebody like create a great day, breathe easy, Yeah, ooh I love that.

00:20:43
Speaker 3: Yeah, sent me one day at random, like I declare. She had like twelve things to declare that day and I was just like, my saving. So it's just things like that. But we got to get back to community. We've gotten so far away from community.

00:20:57
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:20:58
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's what we were build on, you know, like looking out for each other and making sure you heard them. I'm about to go, I'm about to be random. Heard of this term called ekey guy.

00:21:08
Speaker 2: So it's based on this small island in Japan where the oldest people live, and it's like, why do they live so long, and they practice this thing called ekey guy and it's living within your purpose. And so the whole community they walk a lot every day, they eat like a lot of rice, they only eat to eight percent full. But I thought it was so dope that if.

00:21:29
Speaker 3: Someone in the village and everybody has to get a job in their purpose that makes them happy.

00:21:34
Speaker 2: You have to do things that make you enjoy.

00:21:37
Speaker 3: But if somebody loses their job, they're about having those stress in life. So the community take care take care of that person until they get back on their feet.

00:21:45
Speaker 2: Wow.

00:21:45
Speaker 3: And I just think about, like if it's all operated from that place.

00:21:49
Speaker 1: Like I don't know, I like that. Yeah, that is maybe you should like kind of create like a space for that, yeah, just to get people's minds in that space, like you know what. Yeah, we should like continue to support each other and help each other. Yeah, I love that. I recently went to Costa Rica won the five blue zones where people live the longest. Now I feel it's probably like one because there is one I feel like in Japan as well. It may be the place. Yeah, because where I went to the people they grew their own food, They hiked every morning and like they did the cold plunges in the natural river did the hot plunge in the natural like they had different spaces. But these people lived to be over one hundred years and even cooking for their families was a way to show love and to exercise.

00:22:40
Speaker 2: Same, yes, the same. Yeah we got the cold.

00:22:43
Speaker 1: Yeah right, we so far gone to America. It's like, but I won't chick fil a. Now. You told me earlier that you are now vegan, and I told you seeking on about longevity. I told you about my v journey.

00:23:04
Speaker 2: Don't do what I did.

00:23:06
Speaker 1: So when I was vigan, I was vegan for about two years. Shout out Luke James. He actually inspired me to go vegan a few years ago. This is probably like maybe was it five years ago?

00:23:14
Speaker 6: Geese?

00:23:15
Speaker 1: Around five years ago? I did for two years.

00:23:17
Speaker 2: What did he do with that? Inspired you?

00:23:19
Speaker 1: He was vegan. This's when he was filming Star and I did a Thanksgiving like a friend's giving, but he was like, I'm vegan. I was like great, So now I got to figure out vegan Thanksgiving as well as the normal southern thingsgiving. So I did it, and I tried, and I was like, oh, this isn't half bad. I was like, I can do this stuff. I can still have what tastes like what I want. So they had like vegan turkey, vegan mac and cheese, the sweet Tata cast a role all the things. I was like, okay, even the stuffing didn't have milk in it, so it worked. So I was like, I could do this. So I stuck with it. My cramps and everything went it way cause I had like really bad cramps for my minstrel and I was like I can do this until they ordered them JR cricket wings. That broke it baby loud. I mean, I was like, just give me one that was a red scratch like a little cracker. I was like giving one of the waing's, so I would chew the wing and spin it out just like it. I thought that you girl, they were makeing like you gotta fake began. I said, I'm a flancetarian. That's why I did not go in my body the juices.

00:24:27
Speaker 2: I got it.

00:24:28
Speaker 6: I got that fix.

00:24:29
Speaker 2: I made it my cravings.

00:24:32
Speaker 1: I'm telling you it was. They've made my like, oh yeah, I was vegans. Somebody who was around the time. They were like, she was not vegan. She was eating chicken and spitting out.

00:24:41
Speaker 2: I was like, it was technically eat it. I chow did?

00:24:46
Speaker 1: Did what actually like inspired you to go vegan? I'm always interested in.

00:24:50
Speaker 3: Chicken chest because I felt like, you know Grand Luck's cafe out here, Yes, they have this bourbon chicken. It's got like this sauce on it. With One day, I stared at her on door dash for thirty minutes.

00:25:02
Speaker 2: I was like, it's today gonna be to day, I believe cause I could just taste it about it what inspired me?

00:25:10
Speaker 3: I was in the studio session with Amanda Rifer and she and her manager were talking about a cleans that they did and they were like, yo rap, Like you know, we lost weight, but they were like we had the most energy we ever had, Like we felt this state of euphoria.

00:25:26
Speaker 1: Wow.

00:25:27
Speaker 3: And I was like I wanna feel like, yeah, I don't know what that feels like. And I had been like wanting to go bigger for him a while, but I was like I don't, Yeah, I don't know how to get this. So I was like, Okay, before tour, I'm gonna do this cleans, you know. So it was it was it's a pretty intense clean. It's twenty one days. Wow. And I just started it one day, and it was I had the most energy because I have Graves disease, so my metabolism is low and you know, s W when I travel a lot, I could miss pill some my you know. So I would go home and I could nap four or five times a day.

00:26:04
Speaker 2: It was like I could never get enough sleep.

00:26:06
Speaker 3: So I started this cleanse, and I had the most energy I've ever had in a long time.

00:26:12
Speaker 1: Like I didn't.

00:26:13
Speaker 2: I would lay down at least try to take one nap. I couldn't naps.

00:26:15
Speaker 1: I get back up.

00:26:17
Speaker 3: It was like I had restless leg I just always wanted to be moving. I would go to the gym and he'd be like, you're only doing juices. We He's like yeah, Like I was like, no, I'm good, Like you know I was. I was asking him to do more in the gym than normal. So I just felt really good. I reached the state of clarity in euphoria. My skin looked good. But I have been telling myself, like, I want to get to the point where I don't have to wear makeup if I don't want to, because my skin looks good enough. Yes, and yeah, I just felt good. So once I finished it, I was just like, I don't have an urge to go back, and I just I haven't gone back. Wow, I'm proud of you have been tasting good, Like now do you ever have like because for me, I was rob vegan for a while too, and I would tell my friends who come try this and it'd be like tacos, but it was like ground walnuts with some cumin and stuff, and I'm like, oh my god, it tastes just like tacos.

00:27:18
Speaker 1: Did not yourself. I was tricking myself and my friends like it's just.

00:27:24
Speaker 5: Not taste like a taco.

00:27:26
Speaker 1: I know the taco tastes like I'm like, girl, it tastes just like it like psyching myself out.

00:27:31
Speaker 2: It might have tasted because you don't us it be God, Yeah, dude.

00:27:35
Speaker 3: I tried to get my mom stopped drinking like certain types of water, like try this mountain valley.

00:27:40
Speaker 2: She'd be like, I don't like it. I was like, you see the toxic in your water? Little taste right, sound like that is funny?

00:27:52
Speaker 1: She went messing with the water to no, not at all, Like she makes like that's one of my friends who was around with I was eating chicken as a vegan.

00:27:59
Speaker 6: She was like, she's like then she.

00:28:03
Speaker 1: Would come in here and be like, oh, taste this, and she's like and did not tastes nothing like when it was supposed to taste like, oh my god, girl. I did though. It was good. It was right like you. I had so much energy. I felt really good. I was probably the best shape of my life. I go back and look at that twenty nineteen body. Yeah, I need Yeah. So right now I'm doing plant past plant based pescatarian, trying to like wean myself. I just couldn't quit everything. So I stopped the chicken. I stopped the steak because I love steak too. That's my problem. I love a good steak. So I cut that out and that like within probably like two weeks, I've already was I'd gotten them like two o five. I'm down to one ninety five. It's amazing, thank you, thank you, And I feel good. I'm like, okay, because I went to the doctor like two weeks ago to get every good blood taken, just check out everything. And she called me then and she's like, You're blood sugar level was pre diabetic. I said, wait, what how we get through and I don't even eat sweet. It's like, I'm not really a sweet person. I was like, She's like no, it's like she said, she said, I'm not gonna put you on anything because your lifestyle. You got a chef, you're eating better, ain't working out, but said we gotta monitor this. And my father he was diabetic and now he's like down the one pill. He gets up every morning like five am and works out. He doesn't eat as much. Yeah, Like he's like Dad is seventy two and like really like I'm so proud of him because I was like, Dad, I want you here. You know. I was like, we made it. You know what I'm saying that you got to experience all these amazing things, but you're not gonna do that if you if you keep eating and living the way you're living. And want to tell you he turned that thing around. He's like, now I'm down to just one pill a day, and I'm like he did so.

00:29:47
Speaker 3: Much just shaging our diet, you know, like how bad our food is. Like my dad is diabetic too, that runs on his side of the family. So it was something too. But like I remember, like before I went V and I would be in the gym working out, and I get down to like one forty five, I'm like yes, yes, And then you know, traveling two months, I'm back in one seventy and I'm just easy.

00:30:10
Speaker 2: Traveling is so hard, you know, because I don't know how to do hair.

00:30:14
Speaker 1: So okay, and I love Cybar. I love your like long bot. I've never even seen that. And at the show it's like it's.

00:30:22
Speaker 2: Her hair cut in the back.

00:30:23
Speaker 1: I thought it was just like pulled all to the front. She's like, no, it's a bother. I said, that's fire. I love your hair.

00:30:30
Speaker 2: Me Hill doing that, well, oh yeah, that's fire. But you know, on tour, them like these tracks are hanging on by a thread. That's why I keep my I keep something on my hair wrapped up because I've lost the track of the show before.

00:30:45
Speaker 1: You just got it. You gotta roll in the school days. Who's that's funny, you know.

00:30:53
Speaker 2: So it's just I forgot where I was.

00:30:56
Speaker 1: So you know, it's okay because I just had to tell you about your hair. So but yeah, like trying to keep up on the road, like you know, Like so I'm like I can't go to gym. I haven't swept my hair out. Food you know, you want something quick and it's late, like and especially I have Graves disease. My metabolism is already slow. Can you tell us exactly what Graves is easiest? Because I've heard of it, but I'm not really educated.

00:31:22
Speaker 2: On I haven't.

00:31:22
Speaker 3: Mister Elliott has it. It's an autoimmune disease, your thyroid. It's a butterfly shaped organ that sits right over.

00:31:29
Speaker 1: I just learned about that. The shape of it.

00:31:31
Speaker 3: Doctor, She's like, it's like, yeah, butterfly got like a bowtie kind of yeah. It's like a bull time and it creates a hormone. It's like the thermostat for your body. Creatures your body temperature, me and metabolism, you know, your mind sometimes Like it's it's a lot of part of the human body that it affects. So I got diagnosed in two thousand and nine. I was hyper so I was creating too much of a certain horn. My metabolism shot up. I could eat anything, and I was still like one ten. What Yeah, I got down to one. I hadn't been one ten since I was fourteen years old. Like, you know, my eyes bulged yep, Like at one point I thought I wanted surgery just to get them back to normal, but you know, they've gone down. And so I had to have radioactive iodine treatments and one didn't work for me.

00:32:26
Speaker 2: I had to have three, which is super rare.

00:32:30
Speaker 3: And so now I'm hypo, which means I don't create enough for the home, right. I have very slow metabolism, which tired brain fall. It can affect your memory, your joints. Like I was cold all the time and neemic, so all these things. But once I did that clean and started eating vegan, I was just like, I haven't felt.

00:32:51
Speaker 2: This good in a long time.

00:32:54
Speaker 1: Health as well, it is, yeah, and I'm glad that you were smart enough to be like, hey, let me go get this checked out because something's not right. Because a lot of times we let things just fly because we can still move around. I'm good, I'm good, but you know something isn't right. You have to trust listen and listen to your body. Yes.

00:33:10
Speaker 3: Yeah, and it's crazy, like I knew I knew someone to write just from the weight loss.

00:33:15
Speaker 2: I threw up one day. I never get sick, yeah, but I went to three or four doctors and they all were like nothing's wrong with you.

00:33:23
Speaker 3: Nothing's wrong with you. I woke up one day and my eyes had were bulging. Or my brother looked at me. He was like, why your throat so big?

00:33:30
Speaker 1: Right?

00:33:30
Speaker 3: And I had to develop on a small quarterer And my brother was the one that was like, wow, you got a quarter and that's how they figured out what was wrong.

00:33:38
Speaker 1: Oh my god, I'm glad. Your brother was like, hey, sis, yeah, I mean he was looking at reading a joke for sure, right.

00:33:49
Speaker 3: So yeah, but you you know, like our healthcare system, especially with black people, and.

00:33:54
Speaker 1: That's why you said they sent four people. It was like, oh, you're fine, you're.

00:33:57
Speaker 3: Finding wrong with you, Like you know, I guess we superhuman out of this face, Like that's what that thing bothers us. So yeah, we have to listen to our body and demand and go back and go back. Like I watched my mom deal with that for almost twenty years.

00:34:10
Speaker 1: Wow.

00:34:10
Speaker 3: And I look back and I tell her all the time, I wish that we were more supportive, you know, of how you were feeling and what you were going through.

00:34:19
Speaker 2: Doctor, doctor, doctor.

00:34:20
Speaker 3: Doctor would be like, yo, the doctor said, nothing's wrong, and she's like, no, something something's wrong, Yes, right, so yeah, it was.

00:34:28
Speaker 2: It was a good reminder.

00:34:30
Speaker 1: I love that. I love that the police don't cry to her. I got to see this live, and what I'm seeing is like, this is one of your most trans your most transparent albums. What inspired this? And like, what made you say? You know what, I'm really going to just put it out there.

00:34:48
Speaker 3: I wanted to grow in that way. I wanted to have a better connection with my fans. You know, we sometimes in our process of like, yo, why aren't I more well received?

00:35:00
Speaker 2: Right?

00:35:01
Speaker 3: And it's always a self I try to be self reflective with it and not projected out on other people. And it was like, Okay, maybe you make it too hard for people to break down your lyrics. It's you're so lyrical. That's why in the beginning it was heavy men fan based, when women like we operate sometimes for more emotionals. Yeah, and you know, I don't people don't want to think like they think all day at work, so I don't want to think too hard to break down all these lyrics. So it's just like, you know, I'm already in this healing phase and for me, when you do music, it should be a snapshot of your life. So you're already in this space, like just documented. But it was scary to put out, like I'm a private person.

00:35:47
Speaker 1: Very girl don't know except for your music. I was like, this girl is like under the radar.

00:35:53
Speaker 3: Like and when I thought like I was sharing things with my music, I realized, like, no, you were hiding the thing so deep in your lyrics, and it was because you were afraid for people to see you like I was. You know, I tell people like, I'm at the space now. I even want to go by my real name because I don't need rhaps City anymore. She was a protection from Marlana.

00:36:14
Speaker 2: Wow what I'm saying, Like.

00:36:16
Speaker 3: I understand where I was, you know, like I talk about a lot of things on the album, talk about abortion, I talk about, you know, having a relationship with a married man, my first experience, my one time experience with a woman, like it's you know, Alzheimer's, you know, family, you know the hard times that I go through personally with the music industry. You know, I'm gonna show up always, and you know you talk like loving let anybody see your car, see your weakness, so you.

00:36:46
Speaker 2: Know, but at home, like you say, like we're going through things.

00:36:48
Speaker 3: So it was like, the only way you can have a better connection with people is they have to see that you're human, you know.

00:36:56
Speaker 2: And it took my friends circle to get me there.

00:37:00
Speaker 3: Yeah, like two two three. Really, Misa Hilton was one of my friend Rayna Biddy, who's a poet that's annihilate than you know. During that phase, they were like my guys. They taught me so much about self reflection, about manipulation, about fear, and I had a lot of unlearning to do and relearning. But you know, it was a pandemic. I was just in the house just pouring out poorn out, like I had two album ideas before. I just you know, the pandemic you sit still and again TV was off and it was just like all these things that I was hoarding and holding, it just came in researchace and I just put it out in the music and I was just.

00:37:49
Speaker 2: Like, this is this is the album. Yeah, you know.

00:37:55
Speaker 6: So good.

00:37:57
Speaker 3: You want to grow, you have to do the hard things, And it's the best decision that I made that I had to make.

00:38:03
Speaker 2: It scared, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, because you.

00:38:07
Speaker 3: Know, it was like I'm afraid of the world to judge me. But I learned that nobody is perfect, you know. And what I learned and putting out these albums, a lot of people have been through a lot of things.

00:38:16
Speaker 1: That you've been through.

00:38:18
Speaker 3: You can say I'll never do that and never do that until you're in a situation and you're like, I don't know how I got here. I'm not happy about this decision I made, but I got to learn from the experience and I got to share it and hopefully you know it's a guy for somebody else, you know, or healing from somebody else, So you know.

00:38:35
Speaker 1: I love it. I love And I could tell by just the crowd participation and how everybody was singing a lyric for a lyric right there with you, how they resonate with it. That was proof that you opening up and they've been resonating with you. But that the passion that the people were rapping. I was like, oh, I could feel it, like you could literally like feel it in the room.

00:38:58
Speaker 2: It was so dope. I'll have my internet is I can't hear it?

00:39:03
Speaker 1: Yeah, I know when I put my literally can't hear anything. I'm like, but you can feel it though, you can like feel the vibrations of the energy they were It was crazy. Actually, I'm going to show you when we wrapped, I had some I'm sure you've seen the footage, but when you went into the crowd and all the cameras were on you, it was so dope. I was like, this is when she went into the crowd.

00:39:21
Speaker 5: I was like, this is a rock star right here.

00:39:23
Speaker 2: We started that in Chicago.

00:39:25
Speaker 3: Like I was on stage and they were so crazy and jopped my playback engineer.

00:39:30
Speaker 2: He was in my ear. He was like, you gotta go in the crowd. I was like, what go in the crowd?

00:39:39
Speaker 1: It was They loved that, Yeah, it was. I was like, wait, where is she? I was like, she's in the.

00:39:45
Speaker 6: Crowd right now.

00:39:46
Speaker 2: They laughed at me because security came at one point. They were like, and I told him, I mushed myself move with the people.

00:39:54
Speaker 1: Yeah right, we don't even track that kind of all exactly. They're not going to do exactly.

00:39:59
Speaker 6: Yeah.

00:40:00
Speaker 3: No, this album has been It's the most important and my favorite album of my career.

00:40:05
Speaker 1: I love it. I love that. Speaking of your album, and then you talked about so many things on your album and you are such a mystery is there? Like how do I need to know? Maybe give me some tips on do you have like are you in a relationship or is there like any love that is going on?

00:40:21
Speaker 2: How do you keep it private? Because like I kept that one I shouldn't have been in private for nine years. It was horrible.

00:40:32
Speaker 1: Yeah, like.

00:40:35
Speaker 2: I've been single now almost five years.

00:40:37
Speaker 1: Wow.

00:40:37
Speaker 3: Yeah, but like retro going back that one relationship I was in nine.

00:40:43
Speaker 2: Years shouldn't have been in. Yeah. I ain't gonna get too deep in yeah, you know, but you know how it goes like I was. I never do that.

00:40:53
Speaker 3: You know, somebody tells you like, oh, that's not really what my situation is they you know, like and you find yourself stuck, right, especially because I was a people person and because I put other people's feelings in emotion before my own. It was like I have to be there for you, I can't be there for myself. I be in a shower sometimes crime because I felt so bad about what I was doing.

00:41:18
Speaker 2: But you know, it was.

00:41:21
Speaker 3: Only hotels, you know, you know, movies looking like yeah, but I ain't in a relationship, so it's not I don't I don't have Are you open to one?

00:41:36
Speaker 1: So what would be your because I would like to ask you what the what's their love language? Out of the five, like, what's rats love language?

00:41:46
Speaker 2: I think words of affirmation? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I love that one.

00:41:51
Speaker 1: Mine is all of them.

00:41:53
Speaker 2: I wanted to say that give me everything.

00:41:58
Speaker 1: I want to touch. I want to as a reformation, I want that. What's the what's that love? Guess? Yes, somebody said guess twice, but guess. I really liked that one. Like that one in touch I love and I'm a very touching person, so I love touch. So yeah, all of them.

00:42:21
Speaker 2: I'm learning to be more affectionate in that way. Yeah, Like I grew up with my mom and dad.

00:42:27
Speaker 1: And not affectionate a lot of people, like a lot of us, Like my parents definitely showed affection in front of me, so like I'm very much like yeah, but like guys that I've dated before were not, and it was kind of like why are you touching me? And I'm like like like stop, And then they realized, Oh, when you start to do the work and realize where these certain like triggers come from, it's like, oh, now I get it.

00:42:52
Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, my mom and dad they show different. My mom likes to do things, she's acting service.

00:43:00
Speaker 1: That's the other one that.

00:43:02
Speaker 3: Was clean, make sure clothes, like you know, I'm anna pay for somebody to come cut the grass, things like that, I would say my dad it's the same way in his older age, he's a lot more words of affirmation, like that's cute. But I had to learn, Like it took me a while to say I love you. I remember the first time my mom told me, like said it. I felt so uncomfortable. Like me and my sisters talk about it all the time, and we always knew that we would love and we have great parents, but like for them to be like I love y'all, yeah, that's weird.

00:43:45
Speaker 2: But I've come to.

00:43:47
Speaker 3: I say it a lot to my friends now, like they've helped made me comfortable. My relationship in the past have made me comfortable that. But yeah, no, I'm I'm open to dating. I asked me, like, how do you date like me and you? I'm like, it's a new it's so hard, Like no one the dating pool us girl, we.

00:44:09
Speaker 6: Just I just had tragedy.

00:44:10
Speaker 3: A conversation with that is so bad tragedy. I was like, I don't I don't really go out like that. I'm not a club girl. I don't even know where to go I don't, you know, you're.

00:44:22
Speaker 2: Just always in the industry.

00:44:23
Speaker 3: Somebody was like, I know you got some money in d MS. I was like, ain't nobody in my dam there's like I said, the only the only people in my d M or married men people.

00:44:35
Speaker 2: I'm not. I don't want to say that, but yes, I said.

00:44:40
Speaker 1: I'm like, now look at you, look at me, and then look at you again. It asked yourself, why are you here?

00:44:49
Speaker 2: And one of my homeboys that was like, tell you what your problem is? I was like, what is my problem? He was like people men, men know that they have to come correct. Yes, and a lot of them know that they ain't coming correct, so they're not gonna step to you.

00:45:03
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, that's like probably ninety percent of them. Yes, I can't play with this one.

00:45:08
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:45:09
Speaker 6: Yeah.

00:45:09
Speaker 2: And then you know, like.

00:45:12
Speaker 3: In the last one and a half year, I've probably been taking on maybe two or three dates.

00:45:17
Speaker 2: But they y' all be the young boy and girl I.

00:45:19
Speaker 3: Can't do nothing with you, be like, but age ain't nothing. But I'd be like, you're an actor.

00:45:27
Speaker 2: And you young, no.

00:45:28
Speaker 1: Baby, no. Not In that season, I like I went through that phase where it's like everybody that's coming. He was like, twenty eight thirty one. I'm like, yo, twenty six, what am I? What am I gonna do with you? You're young? And my little brother like, I can't.

00:45:43
Speaker 2: I was talking to this guy.

00:45:46
Speaker 3: And he probably see this because I never said, but I'm giving you attention, so you should know, like I think you're.

00:45:52
Speaker 2: Cool, right, And he was like, Yo, what shows you watching?

00:45:55
Speaker 3: I was like, I ain't watching a lot, but in the last years he's been my favorite.

00:46:00
Speaker 2: He sent me a listening. He had the Jamie Fox showing it and I was just looking at it. Then Jamie Fox, how was he Jamie Fox? Does he still come on through that?

00:46:11
Speaker 3: Yes?

00:46:11
Speaker 1: Like season one to whatever it was? Yeah, what to do with that? Sir? The Jamie Fox Show? Shout out, Jamie love that show? But what now?

00:46:33
Speaker 4: In the year by Lord twenty twenty four, the fact he was like, I was looking like.

00:46:44
Speaker 1: Like now, I'm not gonna say that because they play like all day and that's.

00:46:50
Speaker 2: Girls like just just be heard it.

00:46:52
Speaker 1: Give it a chance, Like he was like, that is so funny. I love it. I love it. Oh my goodness, a rap. I want to play a little game with you. I don't know how good. I'm gonna be at this, but I want to give you a word and we're gonna rap. Oh boy, we want.

00:47:11
Speaker 2: The freestyling game. I'm gonna wrap. Let me tell.

00:47:14
Speaker 3: You there's a difference in being a writer and a freestyler.

00:47:19
Speaker 1: Best.

00:47:20
Speaker 2: I'm a great writer.

00:47:20
Speaker 1: I'm gonna leap with the writing. Yes, give me a.

00:47:23
Speaker 2: Little shaky on the freestyle, but let's have fun. Let's have fun so you still kick it off me?

00:47:30
Speaker 1: Yeah, give us a word, surely? Okay, all right, she got to beat okay.

00:47:47
Speaker 2: H m yo.

00:47:52
Speaker 3: Two sisters talking love like the earrings my Simon and married. I got these freestyles and the words gonna carry. We can't through feeling like very white. I want to say a song he sings, but I don't know, like I don't know any boy. I ain't got no mike for more word. I can keep this tight.

00:48:10
Speaker 5: I don't know.

00:48:16
Speaker 6: Nothing bad. Give me word.

00:48:18
Speaker 1: Oh god, I can't believe I'm about to do this. Oh this is the negro of me? What is this? Fitness? That's a weird word to wrap about.

00:48:30
Speaker 7: Okay, okay, I'm in my fitness bag, a witness. Yeah, never snitching, never had a yeah, never brass up.

00:48:54
Speaker 6: Music.

00:48:55
Speaker 2: Music.

00:48:56
Speaker 1: Okay, what is this?

00:48:59
Speaker 6: What is?

00:49:01
Speaker 2: And that's your joint right there?

00:49:02
Speaker 1: That's how music. Yeah, music is the way I sing. Music is the melody to my heart from the start. I hope you with me and never part apart. The music, the one that David danced make me want to wave my hands, my hand, Hey, praise.

00:49:27
Speaker 2: Of high, Yeah, most high, put.

00:49:30
Speaker 1: My hands to the sky for the Lord. Yeah. When I sing, then I rapped. Yeah, I got my girl wrapped right here on the what Yeah, we're rapping music. I'm not even rhyming. That's what I.

00:49:43
Speaker 5: Do here, Yo, what's your again?

00:49:58
Speaker 1: Murder?

00:49:59
Speaker 2: You know you heard heard us somebody on the floor.

00:50:01
Speaker 8: That's what she did to the versus connected like sisters in cursive and if you want to see it, we're bringing the worsted.

00:50:14
Speaker 1: It'll be like rap.

00:50:15
Speaker 2: You suck never girl ever, I don't even aren't going together.

00:50:22
Speaker 1: Oh my god, Sis, thank you so much.

00:50:24
Speaker 6: That was fun.

00:50:25
Speaker 1: I appreciate you. I learned so much more about you. I know you guys, did I appreciate you so much and keep going. Yes, there's more to know about bees. So I gotta come back, Yes, please please come back. I love your energy and you were always welcome.

00:50:41
Speaker 2: Seriously, we're gonna be the kitchen dick Son yep.

00:50:44
Speaker 1: Make the walnut tacos, yep, the plant based BigGAN dishes, all the things. I got my grinder and some water for the walnuts. I got some cumin and little girlic. You were happy about that, you know, all right? You like girt to tastes just like some ground turkey. Yeah, because.

00:51:11
Speaker 6: I ain't gonna do it.

00:51:12
Speaker 1: That is that be so cruel like Okay.

00:51:18
Speaker 6: It's the latest on oh Man, thank you seriously.

00:51:26
Speaker 2: I appreciate.

00:51:32
Speaker 1: My conversation today with RAPSI really got me thinking. And something that really stuck out to me was when she said something about boundaries. Boundaries is so important to me, and she said, where do you cross your line? What is the line that you are not willing to cross? And that's something that I want to challenge you all. Whatever it is that you're trying to do, make sure that you have a line that you are not willing to cross, because if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything. Rhapsody came through with all the positive vibes, and I hope you failt them because I sure did If you want to share your thoughts on today's show, you can follow me on all social media platforms at Love Christophernee and you can also follow our show at keep It Positive, Sweetie. If you want to write into our Positive Outcomes listener letter, you can send us an email at keep It Positivesweete at gmail dot com. In the meantime, in between time you know what to do. Keep it Positive, Sweety. I'll see you guys next time.