Diva Worship
Diva Worship
Janet Jackson: Sage, Lotus, and Cucumber Goodness (w/ Michael Allen Harris)
This week Allen sits down with playwright, Michael Allen Harris, to worship our Taurean queen: Janet Jackson. We start off learning about Michael's kitten, Moesha, whom he saved from a hole in a wall. Allen describes being blinded by a tree dancing down the street while listening to "Feedback." Janet's music is just THAT inspiring. And Michael's remembers getting his Janet Jackson card after watching the "If" video. Allen learns Janet has over forty #1's and was the highest paid artist twice in her career! And Janet's like, "Meh. Casual. Whatever." Michael remembers Janet referencing the Matrix before the Matrix was even a thing in the "What's It Gonna Be Video." We talk about her iconic key earring. And Michael dishes on his Antigone-esque biography of Janet's life (the divas cannot wait for this to happen). Also, Janet is the reason Youtube exists! Finally Michael says "Thank you, Miss Jackson" because he's nasty. Worship with us!
Hi divas Welcome back to diva worship a podcast where we dish dissect dive deep and defend our divas. I'm not religious but I do worship divas. My name is Allen Darby. I am a non binary actor a dog lover a thottie witch and I love divas. My secondary diva this week is Steven Universe and specifically the Crystal Gems. The show has been out for forever those of you who've watched it know what I'm talking about this show is in credible. The it's a show about these this little boy this little chubby boy who's just so sweet and so cute. And he's part He's part human and part Crystal Gem and the Crystal Gems are these magical creatures. I'm not going to bore you all with like the like what the show is You can look it up and it's been around for forever, but it's so good. And it deals with single parenting. It deals with non traditional families. It deals with inherited trauma. It's just the most beautiful show and there's like music. And it's so funny and the voice acting is very, very good. And I actually learned this actually leads back to my secondary diva last week was Shira and the princesses of power they have so Shira and Steven Universe have the same voice director. It's such a good show. If you aren't watching it, you must it's on HBO max. It's a great show. Give it a watch. My guest this week is the incomparable the Uber talented, the spectacular Segun Oluwadele. Segun is an LA local singer songwriter, a new time real estate investor and has performed with acts such as Andy Grammer and Childish Gambino, he is also released songs that can be heard on many primetime television shows such as shameless. Also. So that's his wonderful bio that he sent me. Let me just say, Segun and I did acapella at USC together. He was in the SoCal Vocals. I was in Reverse Osmosis, pause for lols, those names. He, and from the day he, he joined, I think I was a junior when he joined the SoCal Vocals and I had just had studied abroad. So I came back and he was this force to be reckoned with. Everyone was telling him Do you know who Segun? Do you know Segun, do you know Segun? Have you heard him sing, and he's a star. He's just just incredible. And that is enough. Let me just get to the interview. Please enjoy my interview with Segun Oluwadele on Tracy Chapman. I mean, we've been talking a little bit here and there, but like that, first of all, hi, I haven't talked to you or seen you in so long. How are you? And it's an impossible question during these times.
Segun Oluwadele :Oh, it's you know, but I've gotten really good at it. I just got off a call with my therapist. How was it? It was wonderful. I liked her. Oh,
Allen Darby :as one
Segun Oluwadele :Well, I didn't lie outright. I just lied by omission. She, we talked a lot about the guys that I sleep with. And she asked me if I have seen anyone this week, and I literally said no. Your
Unknown Speaker :eyeliner guy was over.
Allen Darby :Yeah. Hey, live live all of your truth. Oh my gosh, good for all your identities. Good for you.
Segun Oluwadele :That's fabulous. I don't know why I should have just said something like, but for some reason. I just get Nervous that people are going to judge me. Even the last week, she told me that I need to stop judging myself because that's really what it is that
Allen Darby :Listen, I had I saw my therapist yesterday and for a moment like, I, you know, it was at the end of the session, that's when all the deep shit comes out. And she said, she said something to me. And she said, You know what the answer to that is right. And I was like, No, I don't I don't know what it is. And then she says, we've been through this so much just like basically saying, like, don't get down on yourself. Everyone's path has their own things that they're a good therapist should say, Yeah. Wow. That's that's Hey, you're living your truth. You're living your life. What are you watching? What do you like in? Also, I didn't even say your name. Oh my god, everyone. This is Segun Oluwadele. Did I say that? Right? Yes. Oh my god. This is Segun Oluwadele. Egun and I met in college. He's a star. He's fabulous singer songwriter, performer artists extraordinary. Just like diva himself. You know what I mean? Like this this is I know I'm stroking the shaft a little bit too much but you know, but you got to do that with your guests.
Unknown Speaker :Okay, we love a chef show
Allen Darby :say three times fast.
Segun Oluwadele :Right? Um, thank you. Thank you Alan. Thanks for having me.
Allen Darby :Of course so what else are you what else are you like? Like binge eating or like watching to survive quarantine and the revolution to get your mind off it or to like embrace that or what what else do you like ingesting artistic Well,
Segun Oluwadele :in all reality I am. So back in January, I decided to pick up a second profession job I want to start a business and I was trying to figure out which avenue to go in and I ended up choosing real estate development. That's right, you sent that to me? Yes. And investing and so I was just going to do that like intermittently between you know, my creative ventures, but because COVID hit so aggressively, I've been able to focus only on that. And I can work locally and the market hasn't really gone anywhere. So I haven't really been watching anything at all. I've really just been kind of working every day and
Allen Darby :Yeah, well, is that that actually, I should ask you feel good. I feel
Segun Oluwadele :really good about it. Because I feel like I have a slight sense of purpose. You know what I mean? And it's a It enables me to forget that there is a global pandemic happening.
Allen Darby :Which we all need to do at this point, you know, just have a moment to just like, think of something else, you know? Yeah, yeah. Well, I'm glad I'm glad and you're you're healthy. You're well, other than that.
Segun Oluwadele :I'm healthy. I feel like we everyone's telling me this not telling me Oh my god, I can't imagine everyone has been mentioning this about themselves. Like, you're the freshman 15 like there's like a Corona like five that's happening.
Allen Darby :Oh, at least five at least five.
Unknown Speaker :So I'm you know, she did go ahead of us but
Unknown Speaker :whenever
Segun Oluwadele :I started doing some calisthenics, not even what
Allen Darby :is calisthenics? It sounds like a drag queen name. Oh, totally calisthenics? Yeah.
Segun Oluwadele :calisthenics is the use of your bodyweight. So it's workouts that involve only your bodyweight. Oh, like push ups like free squats. There are a bunch of other ones too, like tons of different types of planks. You can do, um, just floor stuff. Pretty much.
Allen Darby :I just wish I had the energy to work out at this point in time, but I really just lay in bed and I'm like, this is my workout.
Segun Oluwadele :Right Shavasana
Allen Darby :period, Period. End of story. Close the bug put it back on the shelf. Watch a movie.
Segun Oluwadele :Anyway, I've been watching what money highest actually money? What's that? I don't know what that movie is that movie or show. It's a TV show on Netflix and it's actually called the Casa de Belle. And oh, okay. In Spain and in the like Latin American countries, but they have. It's not an English version is still the same version. So it's all in Spanish. I just have to watch it with subtitles. But it's so good. It's so good. He called the highest
Allen Darby :right when you said it was Spanish. I was like, Oh, I you know when you first said I pictured that movie with gabourey Sidibe a unit was a Tower Heist. I think Eddie Murphy's in it. Oh yeah. But then when you said it was spinning, I was like, Oh, now I picture it on Netflix. I can like picture it in the queue. Yeah, fabulous. I love it. I'll give it I'll give it a watch. Excellent. Listen, we could we could we could talk about we could talk about money heist and the guys we fucking corn ad nauseum. I could cut that out if you don't want. But truly, but the reason we're here the reason we're here we're here to talk about divas. My favorite. Yes. Yes. Snap, snap snap. My favorite topic as always, I'm so okay, who is your diva? And how it Oh, was that mine or yours? I think that was mine. Sorry. Okay. Who is your diva? And how are you worshiping her today?
Segun Oluwadele :My diva is Tracy Chapman. Ah, first of all, we love a queer bitch. We love
Allen Darby :we're Yes. star icon. Ah,
Segun Oluwadele :just author. I actually don't know if he's written any bugs but I'm just gonna say that
Allen Darby :but probably and Grammy Award winner for time looked it up. Oh, oh, for a time. They looked it up.
Segun Oluwadele :They looked it up. Get it to her multiplicity. Okay. I am worshiping her today by Well, first and foremost, you know, talking with you about her. But I think every day I kind of worship her in the sense that every time I pick up the guitar, I have a little classical guitar that I just bought over here. And every time I look at it, she is the type of person and the artists that I, I think of every single time I pick up to play anything because her artistic trajectory is something that I really, really want for
Allen Darby :myself. What a trajectory she has, like yeah, I mean, started in she's from Ohio. Yes. And then went to Boston and then became a superstar and is kind of chilling now. You know, chillin, straight chillin. I want to say one thing. I'm pretty sure I picture a video of you singing fast car, like on Instagram, it like when we were still in college. I'm pretty Pretty sure that was my introduction to that song. And so when I heard it again, I was like, Oh, I thought she goon wrote that song.
Segun Oluwadele :Oh,
Allen Darby :my dumb ass but I'm truly like, I know. I know. So how did you meet? Like, how did you meet Tracy? Like, how were you introduced to her? Like, what was your introduction?
Segun Oluwadele :My it's so wild. My introduction to Tracy Chapman was at a very, very young age, probably the age of nine or 10. I started singing at eight, just in like, you know, school choirs. I had some a few solos and then my family is very musical. So we all just like song and dance and it was just a gale time. But when I started just like singing to myself more often, I had a my mom's friends. She's like fabulous queen. And fabulous women and and my stepdad would always say like, Oh, you sound like Tracy Chapman. I was I was just this like young queer man who had never really listened to Tracy Chapman before. Mm hmm. didn't even know who she was until I think I was like 16 so I just kept hearing this name over and over. Oh, your Tambor, like, well, you sound like Tracy Chapman. I think it's because I had a rather androgynous singing voice. Um, and she is like, has the same thing. You know, a lot of people think that she's like, a white man.
Allen Darby :Yeah, I won't. I won't. I won't dispute it. I just haven't made that but I agree with you. Sure. Yeah.
Segun Oluwadele :So that's, that's how I was introduced to her and then I stumbled upon the song fast car and high school. I think I was around 14. I just started posting YouTube videos. And I heard this cover of the song Hmm. And it was just this Piano Piano cover and there was no like music video to the cover or anything. It was just like a picture of a lady. I'm guessing the lady who covered it. And the saw the audio underneath and I was listening to this over and over because it was gorgeous, of course. And then I I remember so specifically when I typed in like fast car, Tracy Chapman to figure out who the artist was. This weird video kept coming up. I just didn't understand the artistic direction behind it was just like, you know, Butch goddess. Yeah. With this like really low budget video, and I was like, This can't be it. a year or two. I just ignored that video. I was like, I guess Tracy Chapman is like, you know, some indie singer songwriter who doesn't like put her image out there. And then I think a few years later, I was like, Oh, no, this is Tracy
Allen Darby :is chasing
Segun Oluwadele :her and I was like okay, and then I listened to it and you know, I didn't I didn't get it at first which is the interesting thing about it at first I was like okay people say I sound like her and I was like I guess like honestly she kind of like you know sounds like you know like and then like androgynous you know like she you know it was there was a really like lowered sultry contralto type thing to her voice Yeah,
Allen Darby :it is a bit like it I don't want to say gender less it's more just kind of like it is what it is. It's not trying to be any one thing I would say. Absolutely. And she doesn't utilize any like I feel like with pop singing a lot of people utilize
Segun Oluwadele :like gender cues within their tone and tambor and even like lyrics like a Brittany like a
Allen Darby :like the baby boys. Yeah,
Segun Oluwadele :exactly like and she doesn't yeah Let's hear voices very genderless as well.
Allen Darby :It means fucking fabulous. Like it's I was, I was listening to her today on my walk. And I was I went through two albums and I was like, first of all, there's no like, there's no real like, like, production to it, I would say like, there's no like, there's no auto tuning. There's no like bullshit like that. It's real. That's just her. That's just, these are my motherfucking songs. I know. And so like when you listen to it, it's truly like, it's just so simple and so honest and so good. You're kind of like you like there's like, of course, like, I as I was going through, I was like she's won four Grammys, and then I was like, there's plenty of people who've never won Grammy, Diana Ross has never won a Grammy. And Tracy Chapman has four. So it's really like you can't you can't you can't go wrong with her. I mean, what a star and she's helping you get through quarantine. You're listening to her and stuff like what's what, how often are you listening to her?
Segun Oluwadele :Well, I rotate and when I do listen to her, I listened to her for like a large block. of time. And so last week, I was listening to her probably a few days in a row. Just the matters of the heart record.
Allen Darby :I don't know if I listened to that one yet. Is that what you got it you're probably got to the first two right. I did the first two and then I did one from 2008
Segun Oluwadele :was it like a red and black cover?
Allen Darby :I think it was like a flowers what I'm picturing. Oh, 2008 Oh,
Segun Oluwadele :yeah, I know what you're talking about. Like a yellow gold flower.
Allen Darby :Yes, that's it. That's it. It was yet new beginning new beginnings. 95. Okay. And then there's our bright future, which is 2008 where she's like on this road and like Two roads diverged. Beautiful, right? Okay, so so you're going in blocks with her?
Segun Oluwadele :Yeah, I tend to like worship like in, like religiously and like a focused amount of time. Like, she's not something that I'll necessarily put on. Like once a day in the midst of like a bunch of other music. It's like if I want to be in that world I'll just like block out a day or two. Yes, like, be in the world. Yeah,
Allen Darby :that's how I worship Audra where it's like you just I go I dive deep shaker and just like clenched his pearls I want everyone to know oh my
Segun Oluwadele :god yes wait is this only is only gonna be an audio
Allen Darby :is the video well maybe we can maybe we can add a clutch promo mat to like the video
Segun Oluwadele :I did clutch my pearls 100%
Allen Darby :listen I'm doing it you can't see because I've got my my pop filter but they're all clips them too but yeah so I dive deep that way too. What's your What's your favorite song? What's your favorite album? What like what like what is it like what's your favorite your top like when you when you need her most? Where do you turn to for Tracy?
Segun Oluwadele :I used to be a sailor.
Allen Darby :I don't know that when Tell me about it. It's so
Segun Oluwadele :it's like a deep cut. It's on the matters of the heart record. Okay, and I don't know what it is about the song that puts me in In my feelings so aggressively. It's um I just found the song out I think two years ago. But I think it's just the perfect song. Like when you think about composition as a songwriter, and storytelling, the song it just it's like you could teach an entire songwriting class on it itself. You know what I mean? And so basically the song is about the perspective of this lover who I think is dealing with unrequited love. But it's in the metaphor of this sailor and the beginning is I used to be a sailor sailed across the seas. But now I'm just an island since my since my true love and comfort me. So it's basically saying like how, when you are in love with someone, it feels as if you are you You know traveling the seven seas and going throughout this adventure that they leave. You become kind of this like, cast away on this deserted island and you're static Oh my
Unknown Speaker :god.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah. I
Allen Darby :like want to hold my Chris I want to get my rose quartz and just like a hold it to my heart and so the song is called I used to be a sailor.
Segun Oluwadele :Yeah. Oh my gosh I love that. And the chorus which is also my favorite it's just the lyrics I I don't like being stationary. I like the rocky wave emotions of the sea I sit in rock behind these heavy walls hoping one day they'll fall in comfort me.
Allen Darby :The woman can write you know no one
Unknown Speaker :just
Allen Darby :true. I mean, you know what else I'm thinking about is like she wrote all her own songs. Right, I'm not talking about she wrote all her own songs. And then you look at like the 20 producers that are on like, some of these divas tracks no shade no shade because they make their coin. But Sure, come on, like,
Segun Oluwadele :Yeah, she does her thing herself. Yeah, what a star. She said press record
Allen Darby :that I'm reading she said, go write that red circle. Oh,
Unknown Speaker :practice period.
Allen Darby :Don't don't don't and then it just like I immediately went press I press this little towel on my table and then I just immediately heard dun dun dun dun dun I love it. I love it. You know, I know this is this podcast isn't about me, but I want my deep cut. It's probably not a deep cut. You're like yeah, I what I've been listening to today was I put in my diva worship playlist. But it's where is it? Well, I put a I put fast car on talking about revolution because I always try and put Like to like no one's like people now. And then I am what behind the wall from her original album.
Segun Oluwadele :acapella heartbreaking. Last night I heard the screaming out loud voices behind the wall. It was I was like
Allen Darby :this is and I was like literally washing my face. I was like, Oh my god, this is heartbreaking. And there's no it's all about. Yeah. And then my last one was this time where she's talking about like holding she's like not gonna she's gonna make the other person reveal. Oh, I was literally like picture my day. I was like cutting up onions to make my tuna salad and I was like tears streaming bride lads. And that's from Lion King. Okay, okay, she's, she's, I just love her. I just love her. She's incredible.
Segun Oluwadele :what's what's the biggest diva Moment are the most delicious thing she's done that shocked to that's made you gag like what like what is it? Absolutely. Okay, so the biggest deal excuse me, the biggest diva moment for me for her is and I come from, like a lot of our friends a classical background throughout high school and stuff. And there is a video of her performing at this festival with Pavarotti.
Unknown Speaker :What
Segun Oluwadele :Yeah, do wet this it's so diva. Why do wedding her song baby can I hold you when the training verses off? Yeah. And it's on YouTube. Oh my god. I'll send it to you please do next level because you hear um, through like the composition of the band and Pavarotti being literally an opera singer. You hear how good her songwriting actually is? Because it's it perfectly fits. It sounds like you know, like a song that could be on the same record as the prayer.
Allen Darby :Oh my gosh.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah.
Allen Darby :I'll have to look it up. That sounds amazing. I mean, and that's the thing with her like, she's kind of understated. You know, she's not gonna be out. She's not gonna wear like, she's not gonna wear cardi B like, like, diamonds on her titties. You know? Like I literally just pictured her at the neck or no, there was like rubies on her on her nipples. Anyway, but like, Tracy Chapman's? Not that because it's just it's just raw talent. It's just raw talent.
Segun Oluwadele :Yeah, definition raw talent. Yeah,
Allen Darby :I'll so I'll also just like I'm just thinking about as I was listening to her first two albums today, like she I mean, not to make it too poignant. But Hello, it's my podcast. I'll do what the fuck I want. But like hell yeah, like everything she's writing about. I was like this could be written today. Absolutely behind a wall. behind the wall and just like all this stuff about the racism she experienced and just like
Segun Oluwadele :this across the lines,
Allen Darby :yeah. Oh my god. I just Yeah. Oh, I forgot to add that to the playlist but that one Ah, it's just like, it's just it's it's genius because it's timeless. Hopefully we are changing that I am getting out. I hope we all get out there and make our voices heard to change that we don't need to have songs like this. But also absolutely This is a moment to reflect on like, God, what a fucking brilliant songwriter an artist, you know?
Unknown Speaker :Yeah. Ah, just I mean,
Unknown Speaker :yeah, what a star.
Allen Darby :Where have you disagreed with this is my diva don't segment. Like how do you ever or like, has there been a moment where you were like, I can't believe she just did that or like, Oh, you know, like, cuz a lot of divas. We get that way.
Segun Oluwadele :Yes, actually. There are a few moments that I want to touch on. Which, and I don't want to judge her for this because I understand that being queer in any industry is hard. And you know, it's everyone's right to do whatever that they whatever they want to do regarding disclosure. But for, for me for her, I know there was a lot of like, ambiguity around her her sexual identity. And for me as an artist, I'm gonna tattoo it literally on my fucking forehead and say, yeah, you know what I mean? And I get I get that we live in a different time now, and I'm not necessarily trying to be, you know, on the scale that perhaps you want it to be on when she came out as a singer songwriter. So I understand that there are things that influenced their decision, but that's just my personal thing. I just I don't want to be ambitious. I use he pronouns and my songs like, you know, I'm talking about a doodle
Allen Darby :You know in which we love we stand we adore
Unknown Speaker :Yeah.
Allen Darby :Yeah it is it is tricky because it's like a lot of queer people who I follow and talk to and converse with it is like I feel so similar but similarly where it's like I'm not going to tell you what to do with your life I'm not gonna tell you when to come out um oh god I just had some reflux I was talking about oh god i'm not editing it I'm keeping it in raw it's it's vulnerable. But but like I'm not gonna I'm not gonna like out anyone unless they're like a lindsey graham like or somebody who's like actively doing their part to like limit and like diminish my right to the rights of oppressed people. I'm going to out you haven't never did that. So I'm not going to do that. But I can also be like Come on, like, you've got this platform. You've got these people and most of her songs. She does say he, from what I know. Yeah. Which is, which makes me like, I touch. I touch my chin and I tilt my head and I squint a little, you know,
Segun Oluwadele :saying, Yeah, absolutely the same. And I remember my mom even saying to me, when she saw that I was getting into Tracy Chapman and the music and she saw the songs that I was writing in high school were more like singer songwriter type stuff. She would tell me all the time that when Tracy Chapman came out, that's when her career ended. You know, finally when she told everybody that's in her career ended and my mom was just, I mean, she was she would deny this if you told her that she said this was a different time when I was in high school and she was basically advocating for her to stay in the closet for longer than she initially had. And so yeah.
Allen Darby :It's really a shame. It's really a shame like Like a shame that she had to do that, but also like, just that we live in that world where our parents, they were trying to protect us, you know, and yeah,
Segun Oluwadele :yeah, yeah.
Allen Darby :I also sidebar sidebar for one moment. I literally have an image in my head. And this is how my brain works it literally I see something and then I like get a vision. It's like, that's a raven are like, yeah, Phoebe from charmed. But it's like, it's on Instagram, and it's you and your family. And I picture like a large ballroom and the smoke detector went off from the incense and people were like dancing to the beat of the smoke detector. And I pictured your mom in this beautiful I think was like a white gown and a feather head, a long feather head. It was the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen. So I'm just picturing her right now as we were talking about I was I just pictured that feather head. It was gorgeous. Gorgeous. She is a fashionista. Yeah, a diva an icon herself. It truly is.
Segun Oluwadele :And you know, she's really I really am so proud of her and just madly in love with her because she has, she just continues to evolve, you know, and I'm so blessed to have a parent that is willing to evolve with the kids and with the times and she's done such a great job of just, you know, parenting me and teaching me what she knew, but then also allowing my generation to, you know, help her grow and understand our perspective. And she's just, Oh, I love that woman.
Allen Darby :I love my dad. Now we're talking about parents but you know, my dad it's interesting like talking to him about like pronouns and stuff like teaching them about like, you know, pay them and stuff like yeah, and like he had a LGBT lunch and learn on his for his work and it was like the sweetest thing I like walked in. And I overheard someone say, I'm seeing people put pronouns in their their, or their email BIOS. Like, what's that? About and like hearing people talk it was is very sweet. That's awesome. Anyway enough about parents and about parents Listen, okay. This is so wait, was it whether there was another thing you were going to for your diva don't was like,
Segun Oluwadele :Oh yeah, it's just how she, um, her viewpoint on like, there was one interview that I heard her talk about money and things like she even has a song called mountains and it's a song I'm not I won't get into it too much, but it's basically like denouncing material wealth and things as something to be like sought after. And I know that there's a lot of people who, who think that you know, material gain is the cause of suffering. Mm hmm. But I don't necessarily think that I'm, I completely disagree. That's one of her philosophies that I don't agree with because Personally, I think that we live in a material world and so to a material girl.
Allen Darby :I saw the door I had to open.
Segun Oluwadele :Oh, absolutely. Via I mean, we live in a physical world and to say that something physical isn't spiritual is to denounce as existence, the existence of spirituality. You know what I mean? It's all interconnected. You can't You can't compartmentalize one versus the other, you know, how can we be spirits and human bodies? If there is not spirit in absolutely everything you know, or something, you know? So, it's about how you use your energy though. Yeah, people use their material gains for good and other people use them for evil. So yeah, I just didn't think it was as black and white as she was making it out to be Oh, my
Allen Darby :God. I could literally will usually have a podcast where I could literally listen to just talk about that because I was fucking Just captivated. But yeah, like, I mean it is it is interesting seeing well you're welcome. Um It is interesting seeing how like what like how people like measure value and for Tracy it doesn't like this materialism is like something she denounces. And it's kind of like but there it like other people place value into why would you denounce and then it brings in capitalism and it brings in the pitch and that's that's another podcast But anyway, now Now's my my favorite one of my favorite segments to do this is called defend your diva gotcha okay and then I do like a like flutter clap sound so has there been a time where you have had to defend your diva like a moment when like, somebody was like, oh, them like, you know, Pasha and you had to be like, Ah, no. Tell it
Segun Oluwadele :tell us Absolutely. I won't To use anybody's names particularly but I do have one specific person so a friend of mine told me once that they did not like Tracy Chapman because they thought she was boring. Oh man. I I literally like I had to first of all I had to like rein myself in so that I didn't become physical. I'm sorry. And then I went off to say, she's not boring. She just requires a larger intellectual spectrum for you to use when you're digesting art. Yes, it's not mindless and I love I love mindless Music City girls all day act up real as bit you
Unknown Speaker :love it. I don't even know but but come on.
Segun Oluwadele :I had to explain to him that like art sometimes requires the full capacity of emotion and intellect that you possess in order to digest it. And that's what she has. She isn't boring. She's stressful because you don't want to put the time in to learn how to appreciate her.
Allen Darby :Oh, oh, oh, oh, ah. Oh, that was so satisfying. Oh my god I just that was like watching pose just like watching somebody like just like like when when a lecture just read someone. Oh that was delicious. Oh, I need a secretary yes period period. Oh I'm like sweating god she I don't I don't even have anything to add to that that was like a full meal that was like a steak dinner with mashed potatoes a salad, cornbread and a beautiful banana Flom bay for dessert. Oh, okay with the cocktail menu also god
Unknown Speaker :Okay, absolutely lesson.
Allen Darby :Ah, okay. So, I mean this kind of you kind of answered my my next question. But like, what is it about her? Can you say more to this? Like, what is it about her that makes you like, want to protect this artistry? Like what? Like? I mean, you kind of already answered it, but like, say more about it like, definitely.
Segun Oluwadele :So I think the reason I am so passionate about the type of music she makes is mainly it mainly has to do with the culture of music consumption in this current day. And I think as technology advances, and we become, I mean, pretty much we're we're walking androids because we have technology. It's our Cyborg attempts. Yeah, yeah. cyborgs. Yeah, exactly. And, um, I think the way we digest things is becoming quicker and quicker and quicker, you know, and our attention span is becoming shorter and shorter and shorter. So we're using less of our intellectual capacity to, you know, to retain information and it's translating into how art is consumed as well. And the benefit of that is that there's a lot more art. And there's a lot more stuff out there that can make people happy and you know, dance and
Allen Darby :there's diversity of like, things to take to taste. The buffet is lashley.
Segun Oluwadele :Exactly. But one thing that is missing is the artists that requires you to sit down at their concerts. Say it again. Yeah, you know what I mean? requires you to actually listen in the same way that you would if you were watching a movie, or if you were watching a TV show or at a Broadway show, and you have to take part in it and put stock into it. Oh my god. Yes. You have emotional equity in that.
Allen Darby :Oh, yes. It's not a Marvel movie. It's not like Exactly. It's not popcorn. It's a steak. Yeah,
Segun Oluwadele :exactly. And I think That those artists I like to think of it similar to what you said like it's not popcorn, it's a steak like there are certain artists that you know you need in order to survive. And there are other artists you enjoy it for the thrill of it, you know? Yeah, like a snack or like fast food or you know something because it's just tastes really fucking good. Hell yeah. And then there's artists who need you know, you need to be emotionally balanced. And I really do think and because I've been thinking about arts place in society and how essential it is. And I've come to the conclusion that not all art is essential, but there are there are artists who influence culture so dramatically and so effectively that they become as essential as you know, a newscaster or a modern The Newton intelligence station or something like that. So that's why I really want to protect artists like Tracy Chapman because I do I believe that their content isn't just enjoyable but it's something that can you know, help people learn how to navigate the emotional realm
Allen Darby :and that they're like, their historical figures at this point like, and like some historical figures will go down in the books and be remembered a long time but did they add much whereas there are people who like, do both do it all you know, like a Tracy Chapman? Yeah, absolutely. I just I could listen to talk about her all day. All week. What What is, what is her next act? What if you could or like or dream cat if you could put her in like a like a movie? Or like, or like, What's her next album? Like, what do you what do you think is like the next thing for her that you want for her?
Segun Oluwadele :Oh my god. What I want is a documentary.
Allen Darby :Tell me about it tell me what's it gonna be?
Segun Oluwadele :I want from her because I don't mind if she doesn't if she's done writing music I think that that's totally understandable. If there's no song inside of you don't write Oh yeah. What I really want from her is a full long documentary outlining her entire journey from start to finish and what caused her to retire early. why she's you know, I want to know everything along the way because I think her Her story is so specific, that a lot of artists these days could benefit from it. Because we are kind of taught that we have to acquiesce to this machine that is Hollywood. And she so successfully built a career completely like almost like putting a middle finger to that machine. 100% and it would He's just so wonderful to see the behind the scenes of it all. And just to let ya
Allen Darby :like, like, see her like, have a cup of coffee, whether it just be like what, like, get inside the brain and like but not be invasive. So yeah, I definitely love this idea of a documentary. Like, let's fund it. You know what I mean? Like, let's do it. Let's do it. Let's
Segun Oluwadele :do it.
Allen Darby :That subset,
Segun Oluwadele :even if it's just like a documentary, she just like sits and talks, and intermittently plays like clips of shows that aren't on YouTube that she probably has like, or like songs that haven't been like, I don't know. There's so many creative ways we can do it like, well, she could do it. But that's all I really want a documentary or a long ass interview.
Allen Darby :A bunch of questions. And you would have to be the one asking them that's the thing. Totally, totally. Have you ever met her or seen her live forgot to ask
Segun Oluwadele :that? I haven't. I think she stopped really performing. Um, before I was old enough to go anywhere to see her.
Allen Darby :I was looking up she lives in San Francisco now I'm pretty sure are in the Bay Area Alicia was for a bit.
Segun Oluwadele :Last I checked. Yeah, she lived in San
Allen Darby :Francisco, which I'm kind of like, like, Where is she? I want to see her like I want to hop and skip away.
Unknown Speaker :Bases how
Allen Darby :to spin distance, you know what I mean? Like, just like hey. Anyway, okay. Last two questions. Like literally, like I said, I could talk to you about Tracy and just art in general and hear you pontificate and it's so fucking incredible captivating. But you know, I don't want to I don't want to, you know, take time away from you. What do you what? Okay, what do you think she's doing right now? this very second. What do you think she's doing?
Segun Oluwadele :Okay, well, she lives in San Francisco. Then it's she's on our time. So it's like 350
Allen Darby :timestamp.
Segun Oluwadele :She's probably like, reading what she reading He's probably reading something that is nonfiction.
Allen Darby :What's the room look like? what's the what's what's, what's it smell like?
Segun Oluwadele :It smells like, um, like Palo Santo? Yes. And the room has a few instruments and a bunch of bookcases and maybe some like a cute tribal rug. And, you know, she's reading and drinking some type of like herb, yerba montay Oh, yeah. With a metal straw with a metal straw. Absolutely. Yeah, I really picture her life right now is just like complete like, like she's in for retirement and or in just like, you know, consumption mode. I hope she's just like, reading 17 books a day. And like, you know, going, nevermind, I'm never gonna say that as a joke, but I can't
Allen Darby :Tell me off air we absolutely
Segun Oluwadele :hope she's reading and just enjoying and I hope she's I hope she's in love. Oh yeah. Oh no, she has a partner, someone that I hope she's, you know, sharing her life with someone and helps you or something. I don't know. I just hope that Yeah. Oh right now she's living a standard life because I know that she's always really wanted that, you know just a normal ass life look at me talking about her like we grew up together. I know she's always
Allen Darby :wanted. She's always what? Woman Tracy and I would hang out she would just like sit on the porch and we were just like where we would be in 50 and
Segun Oluwadele :you'd be like shaking when I'm gonna be famous, but I really just want to be normal.
Unknown Speaker :I know Tracy, it's hard. Must.
Allen Darby :God it's really difficult. Okay, okay, my last My last question. If you could say one thing to Tracy Chapman right now, what would it be?
Segun Oluwadele :Thank you. Yeah. It would be Thank you. Um Yeah, I think I don't really like like meeting your, um, your heroes. Yeah. Yeah. Cuz I don't want them to fuck it up for me. Yeah, completely do it. I mean, but if I were to see her I would probably shake her hand and just say thank you. Because she she lived her truth. So specifically, and it's been such a guiding light for me when navigating a city like Los Angeles, right? Yeah. Thanks, babe tears you up? Yeah. Yeah. And I would probably then say thank you. And then if I were able to ask her a question. I would ask her if she writes her songs down.
Allen Darby :Oh, interesting. I don't even think like, do you do it? Do you write your songs down or do does it stay Your head.
Segun Oluwadele :Yeah, I don't, I used to. But then a few years ago, I stopped writing things down, um, as an exercise to strengthen my lyric writing. Because to me if the lyric is strong enough, I would remember it. Mm hmm. Um, and then it allows me to more to really like freestyle stream of contents right without having to like sing it and go to the pen and paper and then sing it. I could just like sing the whole thing in a matter of like 30 seconds. And then yeah, it expedite of the creative process. So I would just be interested in like, what her process is like or was like, gotta get
Allen Darby :this documentary made. Oh, my gosh,
Segun Oluwadele :right. Those that would be one of the questions. Yeah.
Allen Darby :While she's while she's while she's here, so that sounded morbid and scary. Like she's, she's, she's like, she's 95.
Segun Oluwadele :She might have Coronavirus,
Allen Darby :but don't spread misinformation. Okay, what what a lovely, lovely note. She goon. I, you're a star. You're thank you so much for coming on diva worship to talk about Tracy Chapman. This is incredible. Just Do you have anything else to say?
Segun Oluwadele :Yes, thank you. Like I absolutely am obsessed with you and everything that you do. So, when you reached out to me, I literally I think I was on the phone with Gabe at the time and I was like, Oh my god, I'm gonna be on Alan's podcast talking about it, and I just am so blessed and honored that he thought of me less than having favored
Allen Darby :and highly favored. Do you do? Do you want to sing fast car right now? Let's close this out. No, um, I actually know okay,
Segun Oluwadele :because I'm not set up. Okay. But if you do want to,
Allen Darby :yes, work out while I do. Yes,
Segun Oluwadele :yes. So you can find me on Instagram as shagun Ola delenn If you don't, well then I'm sorry. Yeah, I was gonna say if you don't know how to spell it Do your best.
Allen Darby :I'm always like, assume everyone can't read you know, just
Segun Oluwadele :know for sure I type in s e g is in green, you and as a Nancy, type that into Google and you're the first one that should that should it should come up I don't think I'm the first one up but if you type shagun music or something like that, like I'll come up for sure. And then you can search me there and on YouTube you can just type my name in Segun. s-e-g-u-n and type in fast car after that. And there's a video I have there from when I was in college saying that song It's in black and white, right? It's like okay, I took out some of the saturation and you know, edited the bitch.
Unknown Speaker :You playing with iMovie
Unknown Speaker :film star
Segun Oluwadele :but it's fun stuff and then yeah Some new videos up there just you know some stuff I've been writing but yeah, check it all out.
Allen Darby :Okay, fabulous. We're gonna say bye. And then we're gonna I'm gonna like will like keep just stop recording but say bye. Bye everybody. Bye.
Unknown Speaker :Oh what a great interview. Segun, thank you so much for coming on diva worship. You all can follow him @segunoluwadele. What a gem what a star. Thank you so much. I'll see you divas next week when I talked to playwright Michael Allen Harris about Janet Jackson. I'll see you then.
Allen Darby :Hey, divas. Thanks for listening. diva worship is a podcast hosted by me Allen Darby. You can find me at Allen Darby on Twitter and Instagram. Audio help is from Sarah which my logo was designed by Jose Hernandez you can follow him at j dot c dot art. If you like the podcast subscribe rate five stars and leave me a review on Apple podcasts. You know you want to stay safe, stay fabulous and don't take any shit from anyone like the star you are. Also drink water. I'll see you next week. Bye divas
