cover of episode The War and Treaty: Jesus & Lingerie

The War and Treaty: Jesus & Lingerie

2024/8/26
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The War and Treaty share their hall passes and discuss how Tanya's age difference and Michael's attraction to older women, stemming from his mother, influence their relationship. Tanya reveals her attraction to dark, mysterious men, while Michael, a Pisces, describes himself as emotional and prefers darkness, contrasting with Tanya's light and empathic nature.
  • Tanya is nine years older than Michael.
  • Michael's first hall pass was Felicia Rashad.
  • Tanya's hall passes include Johnny Depp and Idris Elba.
  • Michael is drawn to older women because of his mother.
  • Tanya is an empath and is drawn to dark men.
  • Michael is a Pisces and is very emotional.

Shownotes Transcript

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Is this thing on? What's up, you sexy motherfuckers? Welcome to another episode of Dumb Blonde. Today, I have my friends here, and I am so excited. Tanya and Michael Trotter, a.k.a. The Warren Treaties. I am so honored to have you guys on the couch. Oh, you have no idea. We are so happy to be here. I've been waiting to get on this couch. You interviewed my favorite person of all time, and she didn't even know. And people who know me would probably not believe

Who I'm going to say. Who? Renee. Graziano? Oh, she is the best human in the world. I was like. She would love you guys. I got to introduce you guys. She has a podcast. I'm in love. I'm going to hook you guys up with her. I'm in love. I don't care. Wait a minute now. You said I'm in love three times. I know. I was just about to say.

about to say so i heard you have a thing for older women because tanya's older than you correct yeah and your hall pass i heard was martha stewart oh i have many hall passes yes she does i mean you don't want to go there let's open it up let's open it up i have a short list he has a long list that's right yeah all right tanya tanya who are your hall passes and then we'll get into his well i have one guy he's the guy who was the lead in tutors

I don't know who that is. John Rhimes. Tom Rhimes? John Rhimes. Give it a goog. I need a goog. I think his name is Reese. Is it John Reese? Wait, wait. Have you ever seen August Rush? That movie, August Rush? No. Okay. I'm trying to think of what else he would be in. And I like Johnny Depp. Oh, of course. That's my guy. Jay Zapp. I mean, 21 Jump Street, Johnny Depp. What? You can't even touch him. I know, right? Johnny Depp's my all pass too. No, no, no. Ah!

I definitely love Pirates of the Caribbean Johnny Depp too because he has makeup on. I love this dark. He's dark. He has to have that dark energy. And then I like Idris. Idris is my guy. I don't know who Idris is. Idris Elba. Idris Elba. I need to see both of her. He's a British kid. British man. I love it. And does he have that dark mystique too? He does. Do you think

because you're such a light and like an you almost give me like an empathic I am yep I'm an empath yeah because I'm drawn to dark men too my husband believe it or not when we first got together was very he's always been very light but he he had so many demons that he was battling and I was like

Let me fix you. Michael is a dark. He's a Pisces. Oh, he's very emotional. Everything is very emotional. He likes to keep everything dark. He doesn't like the lights on. I'm like, what is this? We need to have light. I like everything light. I'm wearing light colors now. Yeah, he is today. I actually like this. It compliments everything. They look good. I'm trying to do my thing. Yeah, you guys look so good together. I'm actually a Pisces Venus. So I love my love language is of a Pisces. So I get it. We are very deep.

Escapists. Come on. There's nothing wrong with that. Highly emotional. Yes. But we're very romantic. Yes. Very romantic. We're like hopeless romantics too. Yes. And I'm a Libra. Oh, I love that. So, you know, we're the sign of love. You know, everything. Love, love, love. And balance. And the balance. You keep him balanced. Gotta have it all. I love that. Oh, you keep me balanced. I do. You know I do. This is going to be a long podcast. Say that I don't. Listen, I watched your TED Talk, okay? She keeps you balanced, sir. Okay.

Don't try to backtrack now. That's it. She has footage. I did my research. And listen, I tried to dig for some dirt on y'all. So I expect, I want all the gossip. Yeah, I got dirt. But let's get into your hall pass list. So Martha Stewart. So you have a thing for older women. Where do you think this comes from? I think...

My mom. Okay. My mother. I mean, like the values and just what I was allowed to watch, like what I grew up watching on TV, you know? And so my first ever hall pass was Felicia Rashad. Oh, yeah. Claire Huxtable. Claire Huxtable. Yeah. God, I mean, like even right now. I was like, Claire. He's obsessed. Can you get it? He rolls over in the bed. Claire, can you get it? He's like, look at this. It's like some 90-year-old woman. I'm like, great. She's fine. I'll eat gel pudding in hopes that one day. Yeah.

She's going to appear like a lady. She's going to magically appear. Absolutely not. And I'm like, Claire Hux was one. This is going to be some weird. This is going to be a weird. I'm on a snitch on myself. I love it. Annette Bening. Oh, Annette Bening is hot though. Wasn't she with Warren Beatty? She was with Warren Beatty for a long time. Yes. Yes, she was. Her...

- Renee. - Renee Graziano, baby. Renee, Renee's are coming for you, baby. I'm hooking you guys up. - Who did you just say? You said... - You know what? Let me see if I could FaceTime Renee, really. - Oh, my God. - Oh, I just wanna get my marriage. - Is that okay? Can I FaceTime her? - You sure you're fine? - Okay, let me FaceTime her. I don't know if she'll answer because she's gonna be like, "What in the hell is Bunny FaceTiming me for?" - But you know something? I have no music industry, what do you call it? Crushes. - You didn't say Doris Day.

Is she loud? Doris Day is hot, man. Doris Day is the number two. Okay. Let's see. Let's see if Renee answers. Hopefully she will. If not, I'll text her and tell her to call. Just so you guys know. Oh my God. She's answering. Hello, beautiful. I swear on everything holy, you just ran through my brain today.

We are taught where you're live on the podcast right now. My, my, my friends, the Warren treaty are here. So Tanya and Michael Trotter, he's in love with you. You're his hall pass. He is. You are his hall pass. So I was like, you know what? Renee has a podcast. We got to hook you guys up.

Yeah. Just promise me you won't take my husband when we come. This is me hugging you right now. All this man is hugging you. Can you see them? She's laughing. My son's standing behind me going, who's this? I love it. I'm going to plug. Hi, baby. Hi. Oh, what a cutie pie. All right. I'm going to plug you guys in. That just happened. That's why we're here. I'm going to plug you guys in. I'm going to give him your information so you guys can talk about a podcast.

All right. Bye, baby. I love you so much. I love you. Bye. I told you this day was for me. Yeah. It is for you. This is why we're here. But it's, I called her. So I did this for you. What do I get in return? No, no, no. Exactly. A menage. Yeah, a menage. Let's do it. Hey, the universe is working through you. I don't like older women, though. Thank you. We got to have a different kind of... 100%.

I don't like Goldrude. It's not for me. I would just watch. Okay, so I'm going to give you the real. Okay, okay. When my mom came home in 95, was it 95? Okay, so 95, mom came home with this movie and she was like, we're going to have family movie night. We had never had family movie night, like ever. I mean, we don't do that. That's not our family. So my mom put this movie on. My brother, my sister, and I were sitting down

And it's Sister Act 2. So I'm like, okay. You know, I'm a big fan of Sister Act, Whoopi Goldberg, you know, the whole nine. I was like, yeah, that's the movie. So 2, I hadn't known that there was a 2. And it was kids. You know, I saw Lauryn Hill. I saw Ryan Tobey. Jennifer Love Hewitt. You know, Yo-Yo is in there. I mean, like everything, like all the kids. And then this angel came across the screen. And I lie to you not. It was Tonya.

And I told my mom and dad, I was like, oh, that's my wife. No. I was nine years old. I love that. And I was like, yeah. Yeah.

So let me get this right because I did, I knew this about you guys and I thought it was like the coolest story ever. Just like the, what do they call it? The string theory where it's like you, you see somebody, but you don't know them. And then later on in life, you guys end up together. Like, so you were in sister act too. How did you, okay. So you grew up singing.

you started you grew up in take me on this journey really quick let's dive into this and then we'll connect it all together church you know grew up in a baptist church in washington dc grew up singing always singing around in in this town um always wanting to do music i can't since i was eight years old i can't remember yeah outside of when i got in college ever not wanting to do music it was either that or become an entertainment lawyer yeah either either but your father was a

police officer. My father was a police officer and he was in the army. He went to the army as well as Michael did. And I just wanted to do that. My mother was a singer. She sang classical music in Panama. I'm half Latina. And so I grew up hearing all kinds of stuff. And so, um,

And just moving around D.C. and then I met Michael. I did Sister Act. Whoa, no, let me just go back. Let me just go back. So I did a bunch of performing arts stuff. I'm getting right to the good stuff. And went and auditioned in L.A. for Sister Act, got the movie. How old were you? I was 17. Okay, so you were in your teen years already. Yeah, I was 17 and he liked me at eight, so that wouldn't work out, you know? Yeah.

Because you're nine years older than him. I'm nine years older than him. Gotcha. This is weird. Yeah, it's real weird. It seems weird now, you know, when you think about it. I'm almost five years older than Jay, so I get it. But it's cool, you know? And so I did a record with Island Records when I was 17, right after we did the movie. Yeah. And did the whole R&B thing for a couple of years. And that was really fun and cool and was signed to, I don't know if I should say his name, but I was with Diddy for a couple of years. Really? Yeah, I was over there with him.

And so were you signed? So let's let's rewind it back. So you grew up in Washington, D.C. with your family. So you kind of grew up in the suburbs. We're just painting a picture for everybody here because I know that you had a completely different upbringing. Right. So you grew up in the suburbs. You know, you were singing, you were doing acting, doing movies. What were you what was it like with your family growing up? Like how were you guys a close knit family?

We were. My mom and dad divorced when I was like eight. So it wasn't like the perfect picture, painted picture. But I spent a lot of time in New Bern, North Carolina with my grandparents and my cousins and stuff like that. So the family was very tight. You know, my friends, I didn't have friends there.

outside of my neighbor next door because all my friends were my cousins. And that's how I thought it was summer camp, but it wasn't summer camp. It was hanging out with my cousins and, you know, my grandparents. So I had that lifestyle and went to public schools, went to Catholic schools and everything. And it was just, it was just great, you know, and my parents, and when they divorced, I was kind of like,

You know, as a kid, you know, I'd really use music to be that thing that kind of carried me through that pain, you know, because every child that go through a divorce, you see a happy family and then it ends up being not a happy family. You go through that transition. So I had that transition happen for me. And but again, music was always that thing that kept me and I would always find a talent show or something to do, you know, that had me busy, you

Yeah. It was modeling. It was in pageants, whatever. I was doing a thing just to keep me busy from what was going on in my own house. Did you always have that voice? Because you have a very powerful voice. Oh, thank you. It's so good. Since I was eight. Yeah. I think how I figured out I could sing was crazy because my brother was the singer of the family. He was the famous one. You know, in churches, there's always the famous one. Yeah.

There's the one everybody goes to. And so there was this one Sunday morning. I had to be about maybe seven. And I went four years apart. And my brother was 13 or 14. And I remember him just lighting the church up like people were falling out. They were like rolling around on the ground, you know, typical Baptist church thing. And I was like, man, whatever he's doing to make people feel like that.

I want to do that. So I remember going home that week and I said to him, you know, how do you do what you do? You know, can you show me how to do it? And he was working some little job in the city and went out and got me Whitney Houston's record. Oh,

And Jennifer Holliday, who was a singer in the 80s, and he was like, now, if you want to do this, he was like, I want to hear you sing something that sounds like her or something that sounds like this. If you can't sing any of one of those songs, you need to forget about being a singer. I was like, really? Just...

that kind of drive. No pressure. No pressure. So I went on the path, you know, of just studying with my little vinyl downstairs in the basement and singing at the top of my lungs, you know, to, to hit those notes. And my brother was the one that kind of like pushed me into wanting to do it. And I always knew, um,

Once that voice came, I was like, this is it. And I found it just by looking at him saying, I want to do that. What's your favorite Whitney Houston song? Oh, my God. It's so many. I know. I mean, how can you pick just one? What's your favorite Whitney Houston song to sing? Oh, that's a hard one. Let me see. I love Didn't We Almost Have It All. Oh, my gosh. So good. I just got goosebumps. Yeah, I love that one. I love All the Man I Need.

Well, you know, Miss Tanya, I'm going to ask you to sing a little snippet so everybody can hear your voice. I'm not good with lyrics. Oh, dude, just do whatever you can because that voice, people need to hear it. I mean, I know they got to hear it on, you know, on your records and stuff like that. But I mean, we need to hear it in studio. Okay. Oh, God. I've got to hear it at award shows and you guys are phenomenal. Oh, okay. Okay.

Just throw me on the spot. Okay, let me see. That's what I do, baby. Let me see. I'm going to do... What's the one we just did? I'll Always Love You. I love that. I'll do just a little piece of it. Which is a Dolly Parton original. It's a Dolly Parton original. We love Dolly. Why don't you do the verse to the... What? All the mad me. Because I don't know if I ever know all the lyrics. Sleep at night. All that stuff. Oh, okay. No, because I only know that part. Do what you want to do. I only know what you do. I'm so excited. I'm so excited.

I want to know that part. Okay. If I should stay, I would leave me in your way. So I'll go, but I know I'll think of you every step of the way. The way.

Look at my arms. Look at my arms. My nipples are hard. I'm like my dog even.

Michael, do you make her sing you to sleep at night? No, I do. Yes, yes, I do. I have to do other things at night. Oh, do tell. No music doesn't sing in the house. I don't really. Why do you think that is? I don't know. I think because it's work.

Okay. And because I respect that. I'm like, we, you know, you know, the life we're doing this 24 seven. Yeah. So when I come home and now he's taking this away from me, I'm like, I want to clean and I want to do all the household stuff. And wait, now it's like, you, you, you, you, you know,

- You know what, it's only-- - Listen, we have one too and I understand where you're coming from because sometimes it's like therapeutic for us to clean. So I'll clean before the maids come over. - That's what I did. - Like last night, I cleaned the bathroom and Jay walked in, he goes, "Did you clean the bathroom?" And I go, "Yeah." He goes, "You did better than the maids did." I don't know if we're allowed to call them maids anymore

What do we call them? Housekeepers? Yes. Housekeepers. Housekeepers. Yeah. So he's like, you clean better than the housekeepers did, you know? That's what happened before we came here. I like cleaned up and then some people are pulling up. I'm like, who are these people? And our daughter's like, I think that's who they're coming to clean up. I'm like, I just cleaned up.

It was hard for me to give into that too. In the very beginning too. Like I was just like, I know I just feel like, I feel like my womanly duties are being taken from me, but now I'm like, Oh Lord, when are they going to be here? Cause I'm, you know, your schedule gets so packed and you have so much to do. And honestly you deserve that because you guys do work so hard and you're on the road. So don't, you know, mistake,

someone helping you as like a weakness because it's not we need that it's so hard to accept help it is you know when you've come because we you know our story is so we you know crazy we've been homeless we went through the whole yeah we're gonna get you know all that so it's just been like

really crazy to just now receive. To just be able to sit back and kind of be in a safe space. Yeah, for sure. So you said that you signed with Diddy. How old were you when you signed with Diddy? And was it Bad Boy that you signed with? I was with Bad Boy. I was with him for five years. Okay. Awesome. How was that, working with him? Was it... You know, I was just talking to my old manager. During the Biggie era. During the Biggie era. Oh, we were just talking about Biggie this morning. So, you know...

Biggie and everybody that was there in the 90s, we all got to work together and party together and stuff like that. Oh, how fun. How was it meeting Biggie? Great. I mean, he was funny. He was a genius. Going to the studio with no, you know, lyrics and stuff and just rip it, you know? Wow. To be able to freestyle like that is a talent. To be able to freestyle is crazy. And Puffy was interesting because being with him was like... To say the least. You know, he was my...

My manager said this. We didn't see this Puffy that people are talking about now. I never saw him drink. I never saw him smoke. Maybe he did. I don't know. But I never saw that guy. And being around him was kind of like being at school because you were literally learning on the job training how to market. I mean, this guy, this is a guy that would have a party and literally be on the streets with his flyers and tickets, passing them out to people. Mm-hmm.

And at the end of the night, the party would be packed. And I'm like, wow, he got all these people here because he was on the streets earlier for three or four hours. So I think everything has good and bad that comes with it. And to me, it was just a learning experience. And I'm really appalled at the stuff that I'm hearing about now. I feel like maybe before all the fame and the ego, I think with a certain level of just

money shit kind of gets weird for some people. And, you know, like I said, this, this is just, you know, me saying this, I don't know, did he personally, and I can't speak for him. Um, but I think, you know, maybe somewhere along the line, something switched, but thankfully you didn't have that experience with him. I never had that experience. And I had protection too. I was young, but I had a manager that was like, Oh, you're not going to that party or no, you need to be

You need to be in bed, you know, that kind of thing. So I think I was protected. And a lot of that is God, you know, just protecting me from whatever was happening and the people that had to experience it. I really feel bad for them. Yeah. So you met Michael when you were how old? What was I? 30? We've been together 14 years. So I was...

Okay, so what we'll do is we'll go over to your upbringing and we'll kind of bring you guys in together. So you grew up in the streets of Cleveland. Yep. Take me on this journey because that's completely different than what baby girl over here grew up in. It's wild. I don't really, you know, Cleveland is not a thing I talk about often. So, and I don't really get asked that, but this is interesting, you know, so growing up in Cleveland,

I grew up in a strict Christian household, 70th Venice household. And it was like very cultish to me. You know, like I was telling you, Friday night sundown all the way to Saturday night sundown. It's nothing but like God. So you can't do anything. You know, you can't watch TV. I couldn't go outside and play with friends and kids and that stuff. It was just church, church, church and everything.

and um that's heavy it's just deep i mean like yeah it it really uh it it really altered my life for a minute there you know well it makes you angry i was very like on top of it was a big contrast to what real life was right you know i mean friday to saturday is like hallelujah jesus and then for the rest of the week you're just living like shit so it's like

I don't get how this is panning things out. And, you know, in the Adventist faith, when you come into the church, you say happy Sabbath, you know, so everything is like happy Sabbath. Everybody's putting on his painted face and saying they're happy. And, you know, the divorce rate is extremely high, you know, and the drugs, the drug rate is like super high, you know, and even in my household. So my father was a,

alcoholic and a drug addict, but he was a school teacher as well. So I started rebelling heavy. You know, he and my mom were clashing. My mom was, you know, she puts Jesus on everything. And so she's not really being protected. I'm her protection.

And so, you know, I turned to the streets early, you know. Was it an abusive relationship also? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But only when he would,

we get high you know when the drugs happen he's a different dude yeah you know and um that's got to be such for a child that has to be such a mind fuck because it's like jesus jesus jesus and then there's abuse alcoholism and drug you know and it's just kind of when i i grew up in a very we talked about this briefly before i grew up in a very strict pentecostal home and my dad was a womanizer cheating and like and i would just be like i learned about hypocrisy you

you know, hypocriticalness, if that's even a word about being a hypocrite very early. And it made me so angry because I'm like, everybody here is fake, you know? And it just makes you, I think, I feel like it contributes to rebellion as a child. It does. And it, it teaches you also how to lie. Yes. You know, and in my household, I mean like, uh,

my my I'm the oldest of all my siblings too. Just just three of us, but I'm the oldest and my mother, her background, she couldn't tell the truth about what was going on to her parents and her sisters and her brother, you know, so all her friends and I became my mom's confidant like very early, you know, like I'm talking about.

My mother would just talk to me about stuff at like four years old. That's a heavy load. And I can remember every conversation I've ever had with my mom. She's my, my mom is, you know. Your best friend. My lady. But I also learned responsibility very quick.

We just had this family conversation about this. I had my first real job when I was five years old. Wow. Yeah, I would go to the corner store in our neighborhood, Mr. Farrell's Corner Store, and I asked him for a job because, you know, I thought...

I didn't know about the drugs at that age. I thought we were just poor and broke and dad was just stressed out and needing help. You know, I would always hear him talk about he's not, he didn't have enough money. And so the job I had, I would tie the boxes from the shipments that would come in. I would zip tie the boxes and then drag them across the street to the city dump.

And I would do this. Yeah, at five and I would get paid $8 a day when I would go and do it. So I would do that. And then I would buy a loaf of bread. I'd buy bologna, cheese, punch. And I would have like some

money left over to buy like little Debbie snack cakes for me and my brother. My mom didn't realize that I was that young. You know, we were bragging about it. And she was like, yeah, because he had his first job. He was a young man. And I said to her, how old do you think I was? She was like, oh, he was young. He had to be about like 11 or 12. And I was like, well, mom, remember how you sent me to the corner store

Because you were pregnant with Deb, which is my sister, and she just wasn't, it just wasn't moving. So my mother had me buy all these Mars chocolate bars because when she would eat the chocolate, my sister would respond in her belly. She was like, yes, I remember that. I was like, now, mom, Debbie and I are six years apart. And she was like, and it shocked her. All the trauma blocked her from reality. It blocked her from what really took place, you know, and my dad.

But, you know, I turned to streets and Cleveland had a strong gang life. You know, it still does in some ways. And the gang association is called Folks in Cleveland. And I had a cousin who was very high up in the gang life in Cleveland. And so I got my little initiation and I started selling drugs.

you know I mean I had how old were you whenever you got initiated in I was 11 oh my goodness yeah yeah I I got stabbed when I was 12 and I think that was the turning point like I was laying in the streets of Cleveland bleeding out and my cousin had been killed so my mom then was like

We need to get out of Cleveland and get to D.C. And she was trying to, at that time, she wanted to escape my dad. This was like the straw that brought the camels back. Okay, my baby is like,

he's going to die if he stays here. You know, were you in school during this or did you have dropped out? You know, it was crazy. I was in school, but not to be in school, you know what I'm saying? Just doing, going through the motions. Yeah. In fact, when we finally went to DC, which was 96, I stayed in DC to about 98 before my mother sent me back to Cleveland to live with my dad because I was wild. I mean, like,

Well, I mean, you talk, I know you're very open about the PTSD and stuff after you had gotten out of Iraq, and which we'll talk about that. But I feel like you went in having PTSD. I had a lot of different things going.

But I never knew how to identify them. Right. You know, and yeah, PTSD is. I mean, being stabbed at 12. Yeah. That's trauma. Yeah. Like emotional, physical, spiritual. Yeah. You know. You don't know what you're dealing with. Yeah. I mean, you're so young to, you're not even supposed to be able to process that kind of violence at 12. Yeah. Yeah.

But I think I was able to identify that because I had seen it so early with my, with my pop, you know, and, but it was weird because when I came back home to live with my dad is when I finally learned my dad. How old were you? I was about maybe 12 or 13 when I went back to Cleveland. Gotcha. And my dad shared, you know, everybody's got a story and, and,

My father finally opened up to me. He got some help a little bit at this time and told me that he had been on drugs since he was like 13. Like every drug you can imagine, my dad had already done it. And he was hiding, trying to get some pain out of him. And my father, he comes from a, you know, he's got a big family that he comes from, 13 siblings. But

not all 13 are from his father, you know, and the first set of kids, his brother, which was my uncle, Andrew had actually raped my dad. And so that's what Andrew had mental, mental, mental issues, mental health problems. And so that's what sent my father down that path. And, and, but I'm happy to report even today, you know, so mom and dad had got divorced and then,

rekindled and got back together and just to look at my dad or to hear him talk or anything you know you would you would think I'm lying because he's so like yeah free sober clean you know he's dope you know he's the dad today he's the father I wish I had growing up but

I need him now. So that's, that's what, you know. And to break that, that trauma and that, that generational trauma, it sounds like from his family, like he, he's doing it and you, you know, like you're doing it too. So you guys are like the, the cycle breakers in your guys' families. I remember telling my father, you know, I was like, um, when I found out that my dad had went bankrupt and then, um, we lost everything, you know? And so dad and mom, um,

you know, Section 8 and all that kind of thing, and then finally rebuilding enough to, like, get apartments and stuff. So my father, around 2015...

had rebuilt his life so much that he had just bought a house. And I remember finding out, like, I was like, what are y'all doing? And he was like, oh, me and your mom, just moving our stuff in. I'm like, moving stuff into what? He was like, oh yeah, I bought a house. I'm like, what the fuck do you mean you bought a... But I remember telling my dad that night, I was like, dad, you just broke a curse in all of our lives. Now I can...

make something happen with myself because we were like homeless from like 2010 to 2013.

So let's, let's circle back to like, so it all comes to fruition. So you got, you saw her in sister act. You told your family, like, this is the woman I'm going to marry. You, you know, they didn't think anything of it. No, you, you know, are going through your shit. She's going through her shit. Everybody's growing up and stuff like that. When, tell me about how you guys met and where you guys met. Well, it's crazy because, um,

I had, so I have to start here with my first daughter. You know, I had a baby and I had dropped out of high school, you know, so high school was just done for me and I had no parents.

aspirations of going back or trying to do anything. So I took my GED test and they made me take this test three different times because my score was way too high to be a high school dropout. I spent like three weeks in the ninth grade and I was like, I'm done. So, um, I got my GED too. Yeah. Passed it the first time. I couldn't believe it. I was shocked. I

I was like, how did I do this? It's crazy. They say it takes eight hours. It's an eight hour test. I did it in like five. I mean, I was trying to get the hell up out of there. But I had an option to go to college or to go to the army. And I had my baby and I was like, I refuse to raise like a bastard kid. Like, I'm not going to put her through that.

I don't care. Which is amazing considering how you grew up. You had that dedication to be a father. But honestly, I think it's probably because your dad, you know, no matter what you guys went through, still was, you know, your dad. I mean, you're right because I remember the fondest memory I have of my dad, other than what we're creating now, is this. We were starving. I mean, like we were looking at cupboards.

It was like a snowstorm in Cleveland. We had absolutely nothing in the house. And my father was supposed to be bringing groceries home. Six o'clock p.m. comes, no dad. Eight p.m., 10 p.m., no dad. One a.m., I remember my father saying,

Literally, we can hear his town car, his Lincoln town car pull up. It's not tuned, so you definitely can hear everything. And I hear the fumbling of the keys. And, you know, I'm like running downstairs because, I mean, he's still my dad. I love dad. And I remember the door opening and my father falling into the house.

groceries everywhere. And he lifts his head up. It's so cinematic. He lifts his head up and he looks me in my eyes and I'm looking at him and I'm like, this is the first time I encounter my father and realize he's high out of his fucking mind. I mean, his eyes are bloodshot red. Sweat is everywhere in a snowstorm. He's sweating profusely. And he looks at me and I look at him and he's like,

And he just shakes his head and he gets up and he crawls back out to go back on the bench. We don't see him for another week. And I told my mom, my mom was like, how do you feel about this? What do you, what is on your mind? I was like, mom, I can't believe that he cared that much. That even in the middle of his bench, he remembers like, I have to stop for this second. Like that moment,

is a big deal for an addict you know oh absolutely so for me I hold that and I held that and and that reminded me that okay no matter what I cannot um not be with my my children my my daughter so this beautiful little girl Michaela um I joined the army now I'm from the hood I don't know shit about politics I don't know nothing about

anything so i didn't realize i was joining during wartime yeah one of the craziest times to join the army the wildest war we've ever seen prior to this was there any music in your life very very much so um of course church like tanya yeah okay um all my mom and my grandmother my uncles they all sing play instruments and all all the things but yeah

music stopped for me around the ninth grade. - Okay. - I just was like, you know what? I gotta go to the army.

And that shocked everybody, you know, to a little beat. I remember when I enlisted and we were on the bus and I'm like riding away and trying to be hard. I'm like, what the fuck did I just do? Oh my God. I couldn't imagine. I was listening because I've listened to a few of you guys' interviews and I just couldn't imagine signing up and just being taken all the way to a different country. Uh-uh.

you know and like just having to be brave no you know like i just couldn't do that and the things that okay so i'm there in time it's gonna be shocked what that i'm gonna talk about this part okay i love that she's just got your back she's like okay here we go i mean she's she's this is really gonna shock her because it's uh so my um

I got my baby in my mind, you know, and before I leave for Iraq, I mean, I'm all over her. That's my, my, my daughter. And I got another one on the way. Okay. So it's, it's all clicking to me like, okay, this is, this is going to be the rest of my life, but I'm, I'm a part of one sixth infantry, second brigade, first armor division. We're in Iraq. Thank you for your service, by the way. Thank you. Um,

And my first encounter was with an eight-year-old Iraqi boy. And that is where the PTSD came from. It's right there. Because he's eight on paper, but he's our age in reality. And he's shooting. And I've got a decision to make. And either accept that or, you know, take that life.

And the latter is the decision that I had to make because it's, at this point, it's between him and Mikayla. And when those kinds of things happen, they just happen. In the war, it's a part of war. You just keep rolling. And I wasn't built like that. You know, I mean, the most things I ever did in the streets was fight. And I got, yeah, I got stabbed and I made it, you know, but...

When you have to take a life, it changes you. So it changed me. And then the rest of the fighting changed me. And then realizing that our freedoms do come at a high price. And then when you have a connection with God, you're like, God, keep it 100 with me. How do you really feel about this? Because...

That's my brother over there. I know that we don't really act like it right now. And we've got a history of fighting with each other on earth. But the truth is we're all brothers and sisters. And so how do I justify my actions? And when his father and mother are doing the same thing I'm doing, you know, so. I couldn't imagine. Yeah. So I had a lot to carry on.

into 2010 august 28th when i met tanya and we met at a love festival in laurel maryland i want to rewind really quick because there is a really honestly it's a it was a beautiful story that kind of made me gasp out loud whenever you talked about writing your first song um in sadan on saddam hussein's

Yes. Yeah. Like, can we talk about that? Because that's honestly as much of a monster as he is. It's so, it's a beautiful story. You, you, you, you, you, yeah, we're definitely, so we, we think very, um, yeah,

Every soldier has a profile and the profile is like the height, weight and all things, but it's also likes and quirks. And so for me, music has always been the thing. And so when I got to Iraq, I was not a squared away soldier. I was like, I joke about it.

with my union, with everybody. But I was like the fat black gomer pal. Like, this is just what it was. I mean, everybody was like, Trotter's going to get us killed. Like, I was not... Trotter's going to get us killed? I was not squared away at all. Like, I... And I did not mind letting everyone know that...

That I was terrified to be in the war. I mean, when we flew in, we were doggy barreling. And I, you know, I am not ashamed to say I pissed my trousers. Poor baby. I would, too. I mean, it ain't no joke. I'm going in saying who needs home cooking? I'm cooking for everybody. Really? I was like, why didn't I be a cook? And they saw that. And so one of the commanders was like, you know what? We need to.

find a way to connect with trotter beyond yelling and all the things that come with the military he looked at my file and realized oh he likes music and we have saddam's palace and saddam a lot of people don't know it but saddam had pianos everywhere which i never knew i found that fascinating when i heard you say that and so they took me down in the basement of the the forward operating base which we call fob yeah they took us down and took me down the basement and showed me

it's piano. And I was like, well, I don't play. And he was like, well, you've got nothing but time. You know, when you want to find your way back home, come down here and find your way back home, you know, be at peace. This is your space. No one else comes down here. We use it as a chapel and they only come down here on Sundays. So I went down there and that's how I really just started teaching myself to play. I started with lean on me and, um,

it really helped, you know, and, but it wasn't until that guy was killed to where I really emotionally connected with the piano and really thought like, okay, you know what? I'm gonna write my first song about this situation. And I did. And I asked my unit if I could

could sing it but it was some weird stuff happening even with that because um the guy i had to go through to get this permission was a guy named michael ire and he was our sergeant major and he was about this tall stocky like popeye and a straight up like motherfucker just a gangster yeah oh my god ready for it you know like i'd be like he was so gang like like he would be

he would be appalled to hear me say this right now. And I'm going to say it. Oh yeah. We were like this, but Michael Iyer was a short ball head, white male who had no problem with calling you the N word. If you got in his nerves. Oh, he would go there with you. But it wasn't like, I didn't feel the right, like racist. It was like,

He grew up in this part of New York. You know what I mean? So it was like one of those things to where I was like, oh shit. You mean to tell me I got to go through that guy? Yeah, to get approval for this song. And I have to go to him. And you know what he does? He's like, Trotter, wait a minute. Can you sing? And I was like, yeah, all right. And I asked him, I was like, but what I want to do also is I want to pray with you and it. Because...

We were hurt. Yeah. And I only knew, the only thing I knew to do in that moment is pray. That's how I was raised. And he was an atheist.

So again, I'm being set up. The Lord was testing you left and right. How about this? At this point, we had no chaplain. Our chaplain was more afraid than I. And he put in an early request to leave. He's like, I'm done. I'm out of here.

The Iraq was at that point, we were like in a real thick mess. Yeah. I couldn't imagine living in that fear every day. That's just fight or flight all day long. Just hearing the bombs go off around you, seeing people dying, falling like flies around you. I could not imagine. So you guys need God in the moment. And we fantasize through movies, but it's nothing like...

what we, what we, the cinema that we see. I couldn't, yeah, I couldn't imagine. But he says,

to our commander sir trotter wants to pray with the fleet i'm new to like no one don't really know i mean i'm in a unit now about three months so like the guy that peed his pants but i he says sure go ahead and i stand up on this picnic table in iraq and this is just this is

A wild wrap up to. No, you're good. I love it. I can listen to you guys talk all day. I'm on this picnic table and I take my helmet off and it's 986 soldiers in our battalion and all 986 follow me.

This is actually incorrect. We're at war. You don't take off your helmet. Right. But again, how I'm raised, when you pray, you take your hat off, you know, do other things. And then I get down on one knee and all 986 gets down on one knee. Oh, I got goosebumps. And then I lay my weapon down on the table. They lay their weapons down in the sand. No. Which again...

It's an incorrect thing because you're going to misfire because your weapon is dirty, blah, blah, blah. But everybody's following the guy that wants to pray. And I remember my prayer because at this point, this is the only way I knew how to pray. But I was like, OK, God, it's your boy. I'm here. We all here. We don't know what we're doing, but we do know we need you.

to protect us and to give us a clear path of what we're supposed to do. Are we supposed to fight? Are we supposed to talk? Whatever it is. But I know we want to make you happy. I was like, that's it. That's all I got. Amen. And we didn't, from that point on, we didn't lose another soldier. From that moment on. Yeah. Oh my God.

That is amazing. Isn't it crazy how we could be so mad at the religion that we were kind of forced to follow? Yeah. But man, when we have that first, you know, that fear, that encounter that we just don't know what to do with, we drop to our knees and pray. Oh, yeah. Yeah. No, it's crazy. So while he's in the army doing all this stuff, what are you doing during this time? I am having relationship woes. Oh, gosh.

When I say going through shit, I'm like, you know, I was married. I was in an abusive relationship. I was living on a farm, caring for animals and all that kind of stuff. And just really trying to find myself. You know, I started music so young and that's all I ever wanted to do that I never really knew how to be a person. Right. You know, I didn't know what it felt like to just be, you know, music was it. And I think that's probably why I don't sing around the house because I

That was, I think, you know, you grow up and you're like, I got to make it. I got to make it. I got to make it. So you're always rehearsing. You're always practicing. My mom was like a drill sergeant. I mean, you clean the windows with vinegar and water. You know, there was everything. Do the white glove. Yeah, with the white glove. Everything was white around the house. So, you know, I couldn't go outside and play like regular kids could because she was just that strict. And so I was just in relationship drama, you know. So when did you get out of your record deal? And why? What made that decision? Yeah.

God, actually, I felt like. I'm so sorry, guys. Let me back up. I felt when I went to get my record deal, I actually went and sat down with the pastor and asked him if it was okay for me to sing secular music. So that already tells you how strict that was. So when I was in it,

And I was recording because this was my second record deal. I was signed to Island first. I put out a record in London that then worked itself to the United States. Gotcha. And then signed with Puffy. And by that time, I was kind of over it. To be very honest, I signed the deal. Once I got in it, I was like, Biggie died three weeks after I got the record deal signed.

And we were just recording like 100 songs. And I'm like, I'm so over this. Like, I don't feel the passion anymore. They were trying to do the whole label thing. What kind of artist are you going to be? I didn't necessarily want to do R&B all the time. I wanted to take... And I was listening to all kinds of music. I was listening to country and rock and all kinds of music. And when you're signed to a label, they kind of try to put you in a box. Yeah, you're in a box. And half the time, it's not the box you want to be in. It's not the box. It's what they want you to be in. Yes. And you become this...

doll baby that they put on the chair and they're like okay you're gonna look like this you're gonna sound like this and I was like nope before I do that I'll I'm out you know so they spent a ton of money on the record and I got out of the deal and then I just went into a really dark depression

I mean, it was really dark. I mean, suicide attempts, you know, depression. And once that happened. Why do you think that was? Why do you think you went? I love how she skips over her trauma so fast. She's like, yeah, so this happened. And I was like, I'm the same way too, though. I'll be like, I'll be like, I sawed my vagina lip off, but like, can we order pizza? And people will be like, wait. We just talk about you every night. Yeah. Let's talk about that. I think it was, I think it's not being in tune.

Right. You know, when you're not in tune with who you are and what you were created to be, and then you put God on top of all that, you become a robot. You don't become a person. You live in fear, too. And you don't become a person. You are open to everything because you don't know who you are. You know what you do, but you don't know who you are. And also being under your mom's thumb like that is, you know, you were never able to think for yourself. Yeah. You know, so that...

kind of, you've probably felt squashed a lot because you didn't have a voice. Yeah. And you have to have a voice, you know? And I think that was a part of the relationships I was going through, you know, um, the, well, I was in a relationship when I tried to commit suicide because I felt squashed, you know, I was like, I just want out, you know, not just out from this, but out from me, out from all this pain that I feel that you don't think you would feel if you didn't grow up with trauma, you know? Um,

So I'm creating trauma. You do have some trauma. Oh, yeah. You're creating trauma as you go into these crazy relationships. Or if you don't process what your parents were through with a divorce, this is still traumatic to you. It may not be...

you're getting stabbed, but your family being uprooted and your family going through a divorce is a huge trauma to a child. Well, even having a mom that's overbearing is traumatic. My stepmother was the same way. Very, very traumatic. I mean, I had no privacy. They would take doors off the hinges. That stuff really affects you as you get older. And you don't realize it until you're in your darkest hour and you're like, why am I feeling like this? But it's because we've just shoved it down so deep. Yeah. Yeah.

And that was it for me. I was like, this is it. And I don't want to, I don't want to feel like this. I don't want to be in this. I just rather in this after all this good outside stuff is happening. And then, you know, after that last bad relationship before I met Michael, I went to work. I literally was like, I'm getting a therapist. I was a praise and worship leader. And on Monday morning I go to a therapist and I realized I was like,

I don't need God in that way anymore. So I stopped being a worship leader and I went strictly into like meditation, realizing that I was an empath kid, realizing that I was a healer, you know, in different ways than what the church kind of taught me I was. And all the stuff that made me feel spooky and weird because there was nobody around me like that. I literally just tapped into it. Yeah.

I love that. I feel like religion is religious and spirituality is spiritual. Completely. And you don't have to be religious to be spiritual. I preach that on this podcast all the time. Exactly. Yeah. Because I feel like religion is so fear-based, whereas spirituality is so much more fluid and loving. And I really feel like that's what Jesus and just...

higher beings are all about is leading with love, not fear, not anger, not ruling with an iron fist. Jesus was a freaking Capricorn. Okay. We know he smoked weed. We know he did something. He drank wine for sure. Yeah. He saw a burning bush and no one was around. You're

You're walking on water. Hello. I mean, he was, I think he was a cool dude. You know, I don't think he was this rigid human that they are, you know, they tried this rigid being that they try to make him out to be. Yeah. When you tried to commit suicide, thankfully that didn't work. Yeah. Did you realize, did you get out of that relationship then that you were in and then you got into another one that was another bad one. Oh no.

No. Can you take me on that journey too? Because I feel like women need to hear your story about being a domestic violence survivor. Yeah. And it came in different forms. You know, the first one was physical. I did my first tour on crutches.

Yeah. How could you leave that out? That is crazy. Yeah, I did my first tour on crutches and, you know, left immediately after that happened. And I hid that from like, you know, my family as long as I could. I wasn't in it a long time, but the trauma was enough, you know, for it to dramatically. He broke your foot? Well, I was running, almost about to get thrown off a 10-floor apartment building, trying to run from him. And I ran, ran, ran. And

Hit my foot on a stair master. You remember the old stair masters? Oh my gosh, yes. And my foot got cut. Got caught in it and it just...

So I hopped down the hallway to the elevator. It was like a movie, you know, dragging my leg, trying to get out, get away. And so that happened. That was the first bad one. And I was- You saw the cars? Oh, the cars. He stole, he took my car. I was trying to get away. I'm in the car driving and runs it into a wall. You know, I was able to call my sister and say, come get me. You know, this fool is crazy. She comes to get me. He runs up because we called the police by that time. And then, but they can't find him.

goes to my mom's house down the street and once they're gone he shows up there you know so it was just very dark and not the kind of dark we like not the not the Johnny not that kind of dark but but I learned you know every situation you learn what you saw in them and you're like okay well the next one I'm not gonna I see that sign but then you go to the next one and you don't see the rest of the signs so the other one was more like a friend you know almost like you're running from

a bad situation it was a friend and then i had a son and so i had and he wasn't abusive at all he was my friend and we're still friends to this day and i have a my son tony antonio who was the light of my life and you know and he's beautiful he's a beautiful beautiful son of family he's so great and both of them are beautiful but still didn't get the work done yeah he's a great he's a great guy

Still didn't do the work, you know, had a baby and still didn't do the psychological work that needed to be done. So, of course, you had another bad relationship, you know, and that was bad. Didn't work out. And right before I met Michael, I was in another one that was bad. And right after that one, I was like, that's it.

Yeah. And here we go. Therapy. And now I'm pulling it back into the worship part. And I went, got off the farm, left him, left everything. And I was homeless. I left everything and stayed with my mom. And across the street from her house was this therapist. I didn't have a car. So I would walk across the street, go

Go to my therapy sessions three or four times a week. Hey, but you were doing it. You know, I was doing it. Living off my little residual checks, you know, from movies and doing the movie and music. And I met Michael.

Sorry, he's over here snoring. I love it. I love it. So you and Michael have an interesting story of when you guys met each other. You were with somebody else. Yes. And you guys were at a love fest. Yes. Not a swingers fest, right? No. Okay. No. All right. Just wanted to clarify. It was a

It was a festival. Because now that I know you guys, you guys might be a little freaky. You know, we are. Martha Stewart and shit. I mean, come on. Yeah, we have different names. But we met. It was a love festival I was doing out in Laurel, Maryland. And giving school supplies back to kids and stuff like that. And the lady I was working with, she hired Michael to come. And I met him.

After I saw him perform, he was killing it. He was with this guitar player who had to be in his 70s. It was 900 degrees outside and he had on a sweater.

And I was doing hip hop. He was doing hip hop. With an 80-year-old guitar player? Yeah, it was weird. It was a weird little... It was like a B.O.B. kind of thing. Yeah, I love that. It was so dope. And I'm listening because at this time I'm broken. I'm going through therapy. I'm still trying to find my way. And I see this guy out here and out there that's like maybe...

40 people on this big field. Imagine a big festival and we hit 40 people out there and he's performing like just getting it. It's thousands of people. And I remember I'm like, dang, I used to have that passion to do it like that. And I'm looking at him like, this is so cool. And so when he got off the stage, I rushed across in the heels to meet him. And he shows up with his girlfriend. Yeah.

So, you know, I buy like nine CDs from him because he had these little...

They were like homemade CDs they had. Burners. You were out here hustling. Yeah, I'm hustling. He had his burner CDs. I bought them. And I'm like, did you write all these songs? He's like, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm like, gosh, you're amazing. So I'm like, you know, can I get his number? And I think I gave my number to your girlfriend. Did I give it to you? You gave it to me, definitely. Okay, now I'm thinking about it. You may have thrown it away because you're together. But anyway, so I gave him my phone number. Wait, wait, wait, wait. I have to clear this up. What? She was actually not my girlfriend.

I will be honest. She wasn't my girlfriend. I've heard you say in other interviews she was your girlfriend. Thank you. Well, she wasn't my girlfriend. Like, we... Did you kiss her?

Did you guys bone? Did you bone? Yes. Okay. So she was my jump off. I mean, this is what it is. I'm keeping it above. Like, you know, like. I hope she's not watching this. Oh, she will be. But this is the truth. You're going to call her jump off? No, no, no, no. She sounds like a sweet jump off though. She's a sweet girl. Because what she ends up saying to you. Yeah. Yes. That's why I wanted to clear it up. Yeah. She, uh.

Because I thought that was pretty crazy that a girlfriend would say that. So I kind of understand where you're coming from too. Yeah. Yeah. Like she recognized the fact that, and I was adamant about us not being boyfriend and girlfriend because of Michaela and Courtney. I have been through too many other rebound moments because I was married to their mom. Okay. We were married. Like we were, we got together when we were young, you know, and had our kids, but we were married and we divorced. And I went on like a,

Every girlfriend was like a fiance. You know, like I never, I was just like trying to rebound heavily. Well, you're a Pisces. Yeah. You consume. Yeah. And I had a lot of, like, let me tell you this, because I don't talk about this either. When I went into the army, I weighed 191 pounds. When I came out, I was literally 4'10". Oh, emotional. I had a lot going on. Like, I had a

of insecurities, low self-esteem. I mean, I didn't recognize me physically, mentally, in any way, shape, or form. But for some reason, when I met Tanya, that day when we met, I was just smitten and I didn't care who knew it. And the young lady I was with saw that. But I didn't see it.

I didn't see that he was smitten right away. No, I didn't. The same thing happened with Jay and I. Not to interject our story, but he was interested in me, but every time he would come around or try to hang out with me, he would bring other bitches. One time I left him on the roof because I was like, if this isn't about me, I'm not hanging out with you. I am the main...

attraction here. Okay. And I think he caught on to that after a while, you know, girl number six. Exactly. Yeah. So no, I, I understand how you feel. You're like, wait, what? Yeah. But he was, we, we connected on friendship immediately, but you threw her number out. Yeah. Yes. See, she likes to belly through the, I'm like, look, I need, I need a small detail. She gives me her, I mean, I, I, I, again,

When I was nine years old, I said, that wasn't going to be my wife. That's Tanya Blunt to me. And when I get to the festival, Diane Gray was like, do you want to meet Tanya? And I was like, oh, shit. Yes. I want to meet her. Did you recognize then that that was her? You knew her name and everything? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I got booked for the thing. I was like. And brought his girlfriend. So, yes. Not my girlfriend. But we meet.

Tanya just was like, hi, I'm Tanya Blunt. She's all light and I'm like...

I was in therapy. I'm like, I thought she was high. I didn't know what the hell was going on. I was like, oh, this is going to be it. I'm saying that to people from now on. I was in therapy. So, you know, when she came over after I performed and was telling me like she wanted me to be there, I'm like, listen, you're signing blood. I already knew she was signing a bad boy. I'm like, you could work with anybody in therapy.

who's actually in the industry. I'm not in the industry. I am trying to survive. You were self-sabotaging. I was like, listen, this is bullshit. This ain't even a real number. She's just being nice.

I tossed the shit in the trash and kept it moving and thought nothing else of it. But the ex, I don't want to call her a jump off. The ex. No, she's not a jump off. Let me do that. She's not. She actually told me that that's what we were. The friend. Yes. The friend. The friend said to you, like, hey, you guys have like chemistry. Well, she was like.

You like her, don't you? We were in the car and I was like, no. And I was like. Whenever a man answers like that, it's automatically yes. Look at her legs. I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah. You noticed her legs. And she was like, you know what's so crazy about this? She was like, I can see this. Like y'all would be so amazing together. And she was like, and I'm in the way of that.

That's a woman right there. That's a cool woman. She's married now with a kid. They doing their thing. She was right. I looked at her and I was like, for real? She was like, yeah. I was like, okay. I dropped her off. You were like, peace. I was like, this is it. That was my chance. You threw her number out. I did. I didn't think nothing of it. I just was chilling. The next day was a Sunday, so I was

um going to church and everything and to try to make a little I was getting paid like 125 bucks to go play at a church I was out of military by then and yeah struggling and everything and

my little track phone started ringing and my homie you know my boy Chris was with me and I was like I don't know this number so you called the next day oh yeah I found his number I tracked it down I'm a detective my dad is a detective you're not gonna not call me I'm not gonna find your number dude I was a little scared yeah

That's hot, though. Yeah, I got it. That's hot. A woman who knows what she wants. I mean, I was in, again, I was in there. I figured it out now, you know? I'm like, okay, I want what I want, you know? So I call him and I'm like, okay, we're gonna... He was cute. He was really cute. No, she calls me and I'm like, hello? She's like, hi, can I speak to Michael? I was like, oh, this is he. She's like, hi, Michael, this is Tanya. I was like, Tanya...

Tanya who? And she was like, Tanya Blunt? And I was like, hold on one second. And I'm like, stop the car. Pull over. Pull over. He's like, what's wrong? I was like, Tanya Blunt is on the phone. He was like, y'all. I mean, it's a long time, too. I'm like, on hold. I'm like, what is happening? I'm trying to get it together. I'm trying to get everybody in the car to shut the fuck up. He's trying not to pee his pants. Maybe. I don't know. I think I want to pee my pants. I don't know.

But I put the deep voice on me. Hello. I was like, oh, this is my shot. Okay. What's up? No, I think I said, I was like, what you need? What's going on? Yeah, what's going on? What you need? What you need? She's like, excuse me, sir. Yeah.

Oh, the rest was history for me. Yeah, the rest was history. So take me on the first date. I've never heard you guys talk about your first date. Oh my God. Wait a minute. I need to hear about this. Okay. Yeah. Her birthday is September 30th. Yeah. That's my birthday. DC is throwing her like this. I love big parties. Oh my God. So when I do have a party, it's like a thousand people I don't know there. Yeah. I tell everybody, bring a hundred people that you know to the party. So it's like- My kind of girl. It's like so many people at this party.

But we're talking up until this point. So I'm like... You guys haven't seen each other? No. We like on the phone doing the thing. Fall asleep. I'm like... Romance on the phone. Yeah, romance. So I'm like, I think she's starting to dig on me. Like, okay, I think... So I tell her straight up, hey, before her party, I'm like, don't fall for me. I'm not a catch. Because I know her story. We...

We know each other's story. I'm like, I have nothing going on in my life. Like, I don't have a car. I'm sleeping from couch to couch. And I got two little girls that I haven't told her about just yet. Like...

So I'm like, don't fall for me. I'm not. And I feel you're starting to dig on me. And I just tell her my story. I'm like, listen, I'm nothing. I got nothing. And I was like, I know I'm supposed to be something in life and I don't know how to get there, but I know how to love. And that's not enough.

So don't fall for me. But that was what I was looking for. That is enough. That was more than enough because I had the things, you know, I had the liars and the things and all that stuff that comes with it. And I was like, I never had anyone be honest with me. Yeah. And so his honesty, I was like, I could,

that's what made me fall in love with him because he was, I could tell he was honest by the time I really knew who I was and all that stuff. I was like, I felt him, you know what I mean? I was connected with, but I hadn't been honest to anyone. Yeah. So again, when I, when I said earlier about the being trained to lie, I was trained to lie about what I like, how I feel, you know, my first marriage, um, you know, we were, we were friends first, um,

And we should have never crossed that line. But I was trained to lie. So she was the first person I wanted. I was desperate to tell the truth to. I was like, here we go. I'm not the dude. I'm not what whatever it is you're building in your head. I'm going to save you the drama. No, it's not me. And and.

Tanya then says, okay, I heard what you said. Now let me tell you what I see. She's like, I see a king. You just need the right kind of queen in your life. That's right, baby. And I'm looking at her and she's looking at me and I'm like, she starts crying. All right, I'm about to pee out the air. I was like, I'm done. And so she then tells me,

Here's where it gets. The first thing. She says, I'm having a birthday party. I want you there. The limp, what she says, the limo picks me up at. So now I'm like, here come that Hollywood shit. I mean, I'm keeping in the bug with you. I'm like,

Nah, we've never had this pop up shit in the limo. And I'm really like low key. Like, I don't do shit. Like, time would say I am like a western. He does westerns. He does movies and me. No. That's it.

Well, no food. He can cook his tail off. I'll tell you about that later, buddy. Oh, I ain't going to tell you about my plot to get Jelly and me and him do a duo. And he'd be Jelly Roll and I'd be Belly Roll. And then that's it, baby. The hottest duo ever. You know, and we just sing and eat. My husband loves you. He would probably do whatever you want. Okay. And then we have to do a duo. And I've already started because every performance we've done so far outside, I

I sing and play with a hot dog in my hand. Yeah, he's like this. But I digress. Talk to you later. Yeah. But I just was like, okay, you know what? She doing that Hollywood shit. I knew it. And I saw, I was like, nah, I'm not going to come. So she sends her, she has her assistant call me and was like, you need to be at the house. You can ride in them. I was like,

I'm not Hollywood. I don't do the flash. Nah. So then she hits her back and was like, well, tell him he can use my car and he can drive himself there. Now I'm insulted because I'm like, I know you don't have a car. I'm not going to get there. I'm like, wait a minute. There's no making you happy, Michael. No, because I'm like this. I'm never like, I'm one of those, like Tanya knows, I'm one of those guys who,

I'm not a scrub. So I'm like, I'm not about to fucking show up and drive your fucking car. Like, hell no. But I won't get in the limo. So I'm just going to walk in. Well, then the next call I get is her.

So she's like, hey. I was like, hey. So I'm like trying to play it. She's like, the limo leaves at 7. You need to be here at 6.30. Okay, bye-bye. I love that. Mama was like, look. Chop, chop. And we ain't dating or nothing. So I show up because I'm like, okay, now you didn't like son me. So I'm going to show up now. And me and my homeboy, Chris, Chris Newday. So we pop up. He drives me there. I'm like, I need your wheels. So we show up.

And we do the DC party and everything. And then she says, I'm having an after party at the place I'm staying at. Karaoke. You gotta have a party after a party. We love karaoke. So we get back to the house and she's like, you want to go with me? I need to go get ice for the party. So this was perfect for me because I got her a gift. So I know that her favorite artist is Aretha Franklin. Yes. And so I found like this in CVS. I found like the greatest history for five

bucks and had all the right songs on it so I was like good and then I also wrote her a song recorded it at my boy Chris New Days and I got it for her and I was like I'm going to give you my gift now so we're in the car and I gave her the Aretha Franklin thing and she's like wigging out and then I put in the CD and I play her the song and she's listening to it and I'm used to like you know

Women love male singers. So I'm like, oh, I'm about to wrap it up. She's like, oh, that's so sweet. Come on, let's go get the ice. I was like, what the fuck? Like, did you just shit on my gift? Like in my head, I'm like, oh my God. I'm nothing. I told you. I told you. Tanya's a gangster. One thing I've learned about Tanya, she's a G. Straight up G. As if that wasn't bad.

I get ready to leave this party and I tell my guy, I was like, yo, I think I'm going to let her know how I feel. So we're driving and he's like, bro, that's Tanya Blunt, bro.

you've got nothing everything he's like don't do it yeah he's like bro don't do it bro like we in fact the reason why we were kicking is because she wanted me to write music for her and her brother and be the producer and it was gonna pay me and all that stuff so my friend who was my partner at the time like we do music together yeah he's like bro this is just a payday like chill man like like so i'm like no i'm about to tell her bro so we're texting me and her

And she says, Michael, you left your sweater. What else will you leave? Because I'm always leaving things at her house. So she's like laughing. And so I was like, I'm not doing it, bro. He's like, don't do it. I was like, it's about to go down. So I take back. What else am I going to leave? My heart. And you know what she said? And I was, I was. Nope. Nope. No. Do you know what she said back? Not a damn. I,

It was because I was drunk. I've been drinking all night and my phone died. So when I got up the next morning. When I tell you. Not the wrong time. It was like 12 a.m. My butthole is puckered for you.

When I tell you all night, I was texting her about it. I'm so sorry. I read the room wrong. I was like, I'm sorry, Ms. Blunt. I didn't call her Ms. Blunt. I was like, ma'am, I'm sorry. I was like, I...

I read the room wrong. I was like, and your friends over there like told you, he's like, you just lost our job, bro. And I'm like, he was like, yo, you can't sleep on my couch. Bro. I was like, dude, all night. I did not sleep. I'm texting her all night. Do you know when I finally,

Heard from Tanya was 12 p.m. the next day. That's when I got up. You poor baby. What did you think of the song that he wrote you? I love the song. It was called The Beauty in You. It was so sweet.

It was really, really sweet. And you just probably weren't used to receiving love in that way. No, no. So you didn't know how to react. Yeah, I didn't know how to receive it. You know, I just, it was beautiful and it was thoughtful. And we haven't even, think about getting like the Aretha Franklin CD and writing his own song. I was like, this is so crazy. But October 1st, 2010, that next day was the first date. That was our first date. So it was like a 48 hour. And she calls me from a whole nother phone. So I don't know it's her.

And I was like, this phone keeps calling me. And so I answered. I'm like blowing him up. And she's laughing. She was like, oh, hi. And I'm like, hello. She's like. That was my next question. How did you feel when you read that text message? I was laughing. I was like, oh, my God. It's like 20 messages. That's what I said when I answered the phone. I'm like, oh, my God. You like called me 20 times. What's wrong? Way to humble the man. Okay.

I knew from that point on. That's why you love her. She keeps you humble. Oh, my word. We go to our first date at this Thai restaurant in Tyson's Corner, Virginia. Yeah, I asked him to go to a restaurant. Were you ready? Were you ready for love with him? Or were you more kind of just scared? Oh, yeah. Go ahead and tell this part. I wasn't ready for love. What were you ready for? I was ready to have sex. Yeah.

done the whole, you know, I'm going to wait. I'm in church. I'm a church girl. I'm like, I'm ready. Let's go. She's like, let's get it. Not him. Not this guy right here. Lover boy. He's a lover boy. Oh, he was not a lover boy then. He was like, I'm waiting. Oh, I want to, this is bad. My mama told me. This is so bad. And I'm like, here I am. That was just amazing. And he's like, I'm waiting. I don't want to have sex because it's going to mess things up. I'm like, that was

That was like my husband. My husband tried not to have sex with me. No. The first time. It's because you guys, it's because you guys saw something more in us. That's true. Like I was ready to just hump and send him on his way. Yeah. Yeah. And literally my husband made me sit down or not sit down, lay down in bed with him the night that we decided to have sex and make a five year plan with him. A five year plan. Nothing puts you in the mood. This guy. This guy. This guy.

This guy. Don't tell her. Please don't. Please do. You have the pleasure of saying this around. I'm worse. I did not know he did that. No, he did. Oh my God. Yeah, he did. I told her.

I said, my mother said. Yep. He did. His mother. I said, my mother said that sex complicates things. He sits me down before. I'm like trying to, you know, get it out. I said, my last situation. You know, like someone's trying to do it with him. And he's like, stop, stop. I said, no. That's why.

I'm like, dude. No, I smacked her hand. I was like, uh-uh. I was like, no. I said, and. No, let's go back. Let's go back. Let's go back. So, let's go back. So, after this movie happens, I come back. No, you didn't tell her. I didn't tell her? We went to the movies. We went to the movies. We ate first and then went to the movies. October 1st, 2010. Yeah, we got typhoon and then went to the movies and we left the movie early because it was terrible. The movie was horrible. We don't even know what movie it was. I don't even remember. Probably Nacho Libre. I walked out

It was horrible. So I get to the house. I go upstairs and put on my nice little lingerie. No, I tell you, I said, I have a movie. Yeah. That I, at home, at where I'm staying. I said, you want to watch a real movie? I want to get this movie. Cause at the house she was staying at, there was a movie theater in the basement. So I was like, we're going to go get some popcorn, get some grape juice. And we're going to watch this movie that I have. And I will tell you what it is.

It's a real movie. Let's go. And I'm like, this is perfect. So I go upstairs. I get smell goods on and I get ready. I love that you did the lingerie too because I did too. Oh, yeah. I was ready. I was so ready. And I come downstairs. I'm like, you know, he likes Doris Day. So I'm giving it. And I'm in my lingerie. And he stands up in front of the TV like this. There's a television in it. And he stands up in front of it. He was like, you are going to love. He's like, you're going to love this movie. And I'm giving him the eye.

and I'm like getting moist and you know, ready to tear him up. And he, the TV comes on and he starts, that's my face. And I'm like this. I'm like this. I'm watching this happen. And then this man walks on the scene.

In the screen. And it's Cecil B. DeMille. Yes. And he starts giving a oratory, whatever this is. Speech about the movie. Speech about the movie.

So the whole time I'm looking, I'm like, okay. And Michael's smiling just like this. He's so happy. And I'm reciting everything. Because I want to show her. I know the whole movie. So he starts, when the guy's talking, he's talking. And it comes up and it says, The Ten Commandments. Oh my goodness. Charlton Heston. Charlton Heston. John Dar- Listen, that movie has so many- Yul Brynner, Charlton Heston, and Baxter, who's another hall pass if she was alive. Oh, but-

I'm in lingerie. The Ten Commandments. In your mind, you were like, this is going to really get her going. Yeah, because she's the most fashionable person I ever met in colors. And I followed all the women in that movie with all the colors and fashion. He told me all this. So I went and got dressed. He was like, you're going to love it. It's your kind of movie. The women are beautiful. The clothes, everything is great. It's my favorite movie. It's his favorite movie. The Ten Commandments told us. All the time.

So it comes on. Oh, shit. Oh, millions of people are about to know. So by this time, I'm like, okay, how do I get out of this? Oh, no. And Moses comes in the water. I'm standing up reciting the entire thing. And he bursts into tears. I'm like, what's happening? He's crying because Moses is rolling down the way. He's like, this is the part.

And I'm like, no. So I said, I'll be back. I go upstairs and

I was like, no, keep it going. We've been two hours now. The movie's three and a half hours long. He didn't try to make a move on you this whole time? No. He's just putting on the... He's Moses. He's standing up. Smashing that popcorn. He's standing up for two hours watching the movie. And I'm just sitting there. I'm like, I'm trying to be nice. Like, this is going to stop at any moment. Were you scared? No. I...

You just really couldn't read the room. I'm a nerd. I mean, like, I am horrible. Like, my father... It's so bad when my... My father and mother heard this story. My dad looked at me. He was like, what is wrong with you? I was like...

I just, I don't know. I wanted to show her this movie. And it gets worse because when it was over, I looked at her and I was like, all right, the next film I have. Oh my God, a three and a half hour film? I'm trying to feed him grapes. It was the greatest story ever told about Jesus. I'm doing everything. I'm trying to feed him grapes. I'm doing, I'm like, this is... I take the grape out of her hand. He takes the grape out of my hand and he's like...

At Easter grape, I'm like, am I here? He is so uncultured over here. He's like, no. And then the next day is the first day we ever did it. Yeah. I waited 24 hours. Damn. And they grew in the night. Forget that. And she, and she, I will say, I tried to fight her off then. I was like, no. I was like, okay. All right, keep going. I feel like. I'm like, never mind.

We're doing this. Finally. Finally. She sat through your movie-thon. I know. Reward me, please. Listen, she loved you. She loved you from the start. Oh, my God. Because I'm not sitting through the Ten Commandments when I'm in lingerie. I would have.

I would have had to turn that shit off and be like, this will be to be continued. I kept waking her up. I was like, oh, wait a minute. I'm about to miss the best part. She was like, okay. Oh my goodness. That is so funny, you guys. Oh my God. I thought me and my husband had a crazy first night story, but that takes the cake. I'm so embarrassed. No, don't.

That's hilarious. 14 years. So 14 years. I mean, you guys have gone through a lot. So you guys finally, you know, have sex and you guys are together just from that moment on. You guys are like, you know, together. When did you guys decide to get married? Like take me on this journey after we got through the Ten Commandments. Oh, we got married six months, five months later.

Yeah. It was great. We were together. I mean, I did know at age nine that that was my wife. The day we met, we never separated from that day. We had never been apart. One time. When was that? When you went to... That was when we were married, though. But we got sick, remember? Yeah, we got sick. And that's when we knew...

Yeah. Legend was coming. I couldn't have another son for 14 years after I had my oldest. They told me I would never have kids again. So I had surgeries and went through the whole thing and I wanted a baby. It was so sad. But when I met Michael, I told him, I said, I'm going to have your son.

And I knew I couldn't have kids, you know, because the doctor told me that. But I believed in it. And I didn't think I could have boys because I had two girls. And they were kicking my ass. And we got pregnant. Right away? Like, what? I was eight months. We weren't together eight months. No. No? November. November of the following year.

You're right, because he was born in July. Because he was my granddaddy, my grandfather. Three months later. The same day I found out my grandfather had passed, the same phone call. My sister was like, hey, granddaddy died. And then Tanya was coming out of the bathroom with a pregnancy test. Oh, my goodness. Yep.

That's amazing. That's meant to be. It was meant to be. You guys were meant to be. And so take me on this journey. You guys have babies. What happened whenever you guys were homeless? Because I've heard you guys mention that before. That's the wildest thing. We met homeless. We sure did. She was staying with a friend. Taya was coming out of her recovery period. I was with my mom, and then I went and stayed with my girlfriend. And I was a homeless vet.

so I just couldn't when I came out of the military I was still married but when we got divorced um that's when I went away and just was couch to couch um

Which is crazy to me to ever hear the word homeless vet. I feel like when you go and you go through what you guys go through over there and for our country, you guys should never be homeless. Ever. And I will say, I just didn't know what it meant to be a veteran. I didn't know what was out there for me. I knew nothing. You know, I just knew that was wrong. Well, you didn't. I didn't know he was even in the military when we met. I didn't find it out for three years.

Why didn't you tell her? Because I was embarrassed. So when I came home from the war, we were being protested against. So when I got in the airport, I was in my uniform. I'm all proud. I'm like, I survived. I didn't get killed. You know what I mean? I'm like...

really happy to get home. And in Baltimore, there was like protesters and they were throwing things at us and they were just like, you're killers. And they were protesting the war and Bush babies and all the thing. And I was like, oh, so this is how my country feels about us. Okay. And then that's terrible. And then I couldn't get a job. In fact, I remember sitting on the couch and

And me and this other guy who was just released from prison, we were going for the same job. And he was like, oh, bro. He was like, man, I might as well pack up and go home. I was like, no, man. I said, you know, maybe we both get hired. And they hired him over me. And I remember trying to figure out, like, why does this keep happening? But in their mind, like,

They would rather hire an ex-con because the ex-con knows that he can't mess up versus a military guy who has just come home from war. And if he flips the fuck out, he can blame it on the war. And they're, you know what I'm saying? So in their mind, the incentive was to hire...

So I just could not get a job. Also, I'll say this on this podcast. It's also a plan of our countries. This isn't a conspiracy theory. The military is understrength in a real way. The Army Marines, they are understrength. The Navy and the Air Force is overstrength.

So what does that mean? What does understrength overstrength mean? Which means they're numbers. So they need people to join. And nobody's joining in war. Like, hell no. So what was happening for during my time is, well, let's make it so hard for the war veterans to get jobs to where they have to go back into the military. Right.

so that we don't have to implement a draft. Wow. So that's what was going on. And so I made up in my mind, well, you know what? Maybe I shouldn't tell anyone about my service. Maybe I should just be quiet and just say I'm trying to get ahead. And that meant in anything because even my friendships that I left and tried to return to didn't last because they were holding me to the old Mikey attitude.

And I'm not that guy anymore. You know, I'm not laughing and joking and smiling. And who you see even today is a complete 180 from what they got to see come home. I was very serious. I was very like short, you know. Well, you had been through a lot. Yeah, I didn't have any time for it. And the stuff they was laughing at, I was still thinking about the killings and the deaths and that kind of thing. So, yeah.

I just was like, you know what? I'm going to be quiet about it.

But to hide it from the woman you love? And did you notice in him any PTSD, anxiety, stuff like that? Because I'm sure there was things that, you know, had to have presented themselves. I noticed maybe once Legend was born and he kind of wouldn't want to hold him, kind of the noise. And then he got to the point where he was maybe like one and a half, two. You know, little kids like balls, right?

So Michael would see a ball and kind of just stare at it for like minutes at a time. And then the big boom was a boom. It was July 4th and Detroit, Michigan and fireworks were going off. Hmm.

And he has this episode. He's like diving up under. Well, when does fireworks enjoy? I mean, it hit it. They had some shit on there that sounded real close. Yeah. It hit it in both. Well, the thugs, boy. Don't come to our July 4th party. No. What's going on? And he's freaking out. You know, he's up under the bed. And I'm like, I kind of saw signs. And I'm like, this time I'm going to die.

We just got to talk about it. I don't know what's going on, but this isn't normal. And he's just like, get down, get down. I'm like, get down. What are you talking about? And then he kind of just starts telling me, you know, I went to war. And I'm like, you went to what? You know, you were in the military? He's like, yeah, I went to the military and I went to war twice. And I'm like, okay, and you're homeless and we're figuring this out. And I'm like, you need to go to the VA. Okay.

To, one, figure out what's going on with you. And two, see how they can help you. And it was an angel, as always, when you go to places and God's with you. It's angel inside the VA. And he walks up to us randomly. You're at like a regular doctor's appointment. And he's like, are you guys getting your benefits like that? And I'm like, benefits? Yeah.

Jamal. Jamal. And I'm like, no, I don't know anything about it. And he educates us about it. And it's not moving as fast as we want it to move. And he's like, well, maybe you can take it up a notch. And the next thing I'm thinking is let's go to the government, you know, to see what they can do. So I write the senator, Barbara Murkowski. And I'm like, we're homeless. We don't have anything. My husband's served two tours in Iraq.

Is there anything you all can do for us? And they looked at my file and realized that all the stuff that was written up in my file about me and what I had done out there. And I remember her saying, how did we let you slip through the cracks? She was very like charismatic and very like... Very compassionate too. Yeah, she felt it. It made me feel like someone actually cared what was popping off other than Tanya. Because Tanya saved my life. I mean like...

We talk about legend, but even before that, you know, I came to her with two little girls. And my little girls were my, and still are in my world, you know. But I was lost, you know. And when I met Tanya, I felt hope. Even before we were dating, you know, I felt like,

I think my life is about to change. And I remember my daughters, my baby girl, Courtney, she was like, Courtney was like how old? Six. She looked at me and she was like, don't you mess this up for us, mister. And Courtney is, wow, Courtney is not a people person. Like she does not, like she did not as a baby say,

I used to have to tell people, she's not trying to be rude. She's just straightforward, you know.

I love her. But they took both of them. Mikayla introduced herself to Tanya. She was like, hi, I'm Mikayla Tanish Trotter. Can I have your autograph and your number? And I was like, what? I fell in love with you. Who are these little girls? They had better game than you. I know. They chastised me about that game. I love them so much. But yeah.

That was a wild period. But to the homeless point, when we realized, when we started dating and stuff, we just never separated. And I was over that house October 2nd until we would leave. Like, I never left. I didn't leave. Like, we would wake up, eat, watch TV, whatever.

Fuck. That was our lives. It was bad. No, that's how the beginning of passionate relationships are. Oh, yeah. It was very passionate. It was all day. And then one day...

The people were like, okay, y'all got to go. It's too much noise in here. You all need to go. Here's a fact. We counted this. Get your own house. Our first year. I love it. They're like, you're making us look bad, right? You're making my husband have to step his game up. Well, our first year we counted this. Yeah. We stayed in 20 different houses. Wow.

Just like rentals? No, people would let us stay and then two weeks later kick us out. Oh my goodness. Yeah. And we found one guy who was an ex-military himself and he and his wife. I got into a spat with the first lady of a church I was working for in Virginia. They were having us stay in one of their members' homes. He had a duplex and legend was about... It was two and a half, three.

No. Was he walking? Mm-mm. Remember we was holding him? Remember she would hold him and he'd freak out? Oh, that's right. Because he was about a year. Mm-hmm. He probably just turned a year. Yeah.

This lady had very bad energy and Legend, whenever she would hold him, he would scream and claw. And she was like, he's got a demon in him. No, you got a demon in you, lady. Crazy lady. Well, we got into a little disagreement about, you know, they hired me to be the music director, but she wanted all the solos.

And I was like, lady, y'all hired me to do a job. So I put in a plan that if you're late, you can't sing on Sunday, no matter who you are, because we have rehearsals and stuff. And so she was late and wanted to sing. I said, I'm sorry, that can't happen. So we got into it. And I was like, all right, you know what? I can't, I can't do this. And they were like, well, if you're not going to be doing it, then guess what? Y'all need to move out.

right now yeah we had nowhere to go like with a little baby like they kicked us out of this little apartment and um this this this guy uh james cooper he said why don't y'all come on sunday uh come come up to our church they had a little house church and um i was like man we gotta go on fave time because we i got i got literally eight bucks to my name and uh

Without any hesitation, they take up this offering for us and then they open this door and show us this room in their house. And they were like, this is your room. This is your house. Y'all stay with us. Rent free as long as you need. No strings attached.

We went back to Richmond, got our things and drove back up there because they had given us enough money from an offering. And we would be there from 2012. Yeah. 2011. We would be there from 2011 all the way to 2016. Aww. Rent free. I mean, like, we would give them things in 2016. Wow.

That's when your pension... That's when the military finally finished processing all the things for me. Yeah. Jeez. They sent me a check for $5,675 as a holdover. They were like, listen, we're almost done processing your claim. But until then, here's five grand. Mm-hmm. And then...

Tanya's mom this was in November 2015 is when I got that then Tanya's mom had passed away and um we were war and treaty by then we became war and treaty in 2014 okay yeah um and we had a little tour plan and Tanya quit time was like I'm done I remember my mom I was devastated oh my god I mean I just couldn't she wasn't sick and three weeks later she just died I was like

What happened? She got, she had a little fire in her house and it raised her blood pressure up and triggered vascular dementia. So when your blood pressure gets high, your memory leaves. And she ended up going to a hospital and it was just one thing after the other, one thing after the other. Two weeks later, they were like, we're going to have to put her in hospice. And we're like, hospice? She was just...

She just had a stroke, but she kept having a series of strokes. And the vascular dementia just kept getting worse. But now that we look back, she knew she was going to die. Her entire house was clean. She had all her paperwork together. So, you know, she knew something was going to happen. And then she passed away. But Tanya had quit. And I never forget this moment. Yeah.

we were done. Like, we had nothing. And we were still living in their home. But Tanya was like, she was starting to get that

I need my own... I'm ready to get out of here. You know, that kind of thing. A woman wants her own space. Yeah, we want a wig. We had food stamps. We were, like, living... We were in it, man. Yeah, we were... That was our life. I mean, you hung in there a really long time together doing just, you know, pick the couch signing. But we were happy. Like, that's the thing. Like, I had...

Tanya was getting her residuals. And each year, this is how bad it was. Each year, Tanya could rely on one main check to pay her like 10 grand to come to Switzerland and do like a Christmas thing with this one church. I was making literally $125 a Sunday to play. That was the only work I could actually find. But it was two hours away. Right. Yeah.

And I would be driving. There's still two hours to go and do that and then driving back. And finally, I looked at my wife and I was like in tears because I knew that I was done. I was like, Tanya, I'm dying. I can't physically do this anymore. Right. And I don't know what we're going to do. And she was like, baby, it's okay. And then I was really at the height of my depression with PTSD. Mm-hmm.

Yeah. And I'll be in the basement in the dark and Tanya will be showing me

different like videos of like certain bands like Mumford and Sons, Civil Wars, Lone Bellow. Like she was just showing me all these artists and she was like, yeah, you know, I'm seeing other people doing what we may be able to do. You know, let's, let's consider it. I don't know what it's called, but I sure like how it feels, you know, it looks good. There's something to say in my life because this was the first suicide moment I was having in 2020.

And Tanya was in the shower and it just, depression just came in like a Mack truck. And I was like, I'm going to end this. And two artists came on my TV in that living room. The first one was Lee Bryce. And he had a song called I Drive Your Truck. And it was like military dog task swinging it. And the lyrics, and I was just like,

And I was just like stuck. Like, what's going on? Like, what's happening? And then the second cat was an artist named Brantley Gilbert. We love Brantley. And he's got this song at this time called That's One Hell of a Name Man. And that was it. The dam just cracked in half. And I was just like yelling and bawling. I couldn't take it anymore. And Tanya came in there and I was like, I don't know how. I don't know what I'm going to do. But somehow...

I need to be doing that, what they're doing. And then, so we, in 2014, we became a duo though, because we recognize something that, you know, Tanya is immaculate alone, like by herself. Her voice is just, her stage presence. Tanya is a superstar. Me alone, I can make it. I can fare. You know, I can get along. You guys together is so special. But when we,

We started doing something, rehearsing together, songs that I wrote for a brother. And a mutual friend was like, oh, hell no. That is what y'all are. Yeah.

So 2016 comes and- So let's pause right there really quick. Tell everybody how you guys came up with the name Warren Treaty because that is such a distinct name. I remember the first time I saw you guys perform, I was like, who are these people? I was so excited. And Jay's like, that's the Warren Treaty. And he's like, he was happy that I didn't know who you guys were and he got to fill me in. We were fighting. Yeah. Yeah.

Got to one hell of a fight. We were fighting because Michael is a- She said we were not in therapy. We were not in therapy. That was, I needed therapy at that time. You know, but we were fighting. We had changed the name like nine times. Well, Michael.

changed the name nine times and I'm like the steady Libra. You know, I'm like if that skill starts going off, I'm like, it freaks me out. So I'm like, we're not changing the name again. Yes, we are. And I'm like, we're not doing it again. I'm like, we're not. It's not happening. We are changing it. And this is happening for like 15 minutes, right? And I'm asking him, why does he want to change it? He's explaining. Yeah. And I'm like, no, it's not going to happen. And so I say, listen,

This is not... But we're getting loud. I mean, we're like... We're fighting. We argue and you would think, okay, I'm about to get divorced. Everything's passionate. But you guys are both passionate people. Respectfully passionate. That's why I tell my son. I'm like, you know what? We're having a... We're having a respectful debate. It's just loud. All right. Here we go. Everybody just walks out of the room. All right. And then, you know. But he...

Finally gives in. I say, Michael, this is not a war.

We have to find a treaty here. Some peace. And he's like, I'm gone, gone, gone. I said, you just did. That's the name. She was like, what? I was like, the war and treaty. And that's it. The natural tug and pull of life. But it actually kind of applies to both of you because you have the war and the war inside of you that's been going on. And you're kind of like the peacemaker and the treaty and like the balance of the relationship. So it really does fit both of you guys. I saw it immediately. When she said it, I was like,

oh, this is our life. Like this is, you know, that settles it for me. And she was like,

- It's too long. - Typical woman. - Yeah, uh-huh, it's too long, what does it mean? - I was like, so what? - She said, what does it mean? - Yeah, what does it mean? After I said it, what does it mean? - Yeah. - It's your idea. - I love it. So how did you guys finally decide to keep it though? Like how did you convince her that it wasn't too long? - I just told her what it meant to me. I was like, you know what, Tonya? I said, to be honest with you, you have been my peace in every single war.

That's it. That's a great wife. I was like, I don't know what other name we could come up with that would represent our time together here on earth. And I hope to be that same thing back to the struggles and the wars you have inside of you that I have yet to see. And she was just like,

Oh, okay. I'm in. That's it. That's what it is. I was like, all right, bet. So take me on this journey because now you guys are making music. I mean, how did you guys get your foot in the door, especially in country? Because it is not an easy avenue. Wow. It's weird because...

I can't pinpoint the win. Can you? You can't? I can't. This man knows dates. You're like my husband. That's how Jay is. He'll tell you dates, times. I don't know. I never know. I don't know. I mean, we were just... I don't even know what day it is. You know, ever. I'm like that too. I'm like, okay, where's the phone? Yeah, exactly. I don't know. I mean, we were recording music and we did a record with Emmylou Harris. We did EP first in Albany, Michigan.

After my mom passed, I wasn't doing music and I kind of fell in love with it again in Albion. And put it out and Michael didn't want it out initially. So I kind of snuck it to this lady on Twitter. Rob Markman: Oh, that's "Ha Ho," the song. The single, yeah. And it was kind of folky. It wasn't a mainstream country sounding record. And it kind of took.

you know, to certain parts of the country that we call the heartland. Well, country wasn't in the cards. No, at all. We had no, no, no, no aspirations to be a country. Because to me and Tanya, that meant something else at the time. Oh, okay. Like keeping it 100. I mean, the thing I knew of country music as it pertains to people that look like us, I was like, no, we, we don't be over here. There's not room for us. Yeah. That's how you felt. Yeah. That's how I felt. And, um,

But and also, I didn't want to be in the industry at all. No, I had a problem with selling the music and doing all because remember now I got into writing music. I think that's what I skipped over to tell you. When I wrote that song about the fallen comrade, my my colonel saw how it affected our battalion and he changed my job.

I became the songwriter for our unit. So I had to go to every memorial, every, every death and learn about the soldier if I didn't know them and write the song and turn around and perform it that afternoon at the memorials. So I had gotten to a rhythm of literally writing songs about a life and not really trying to be clever and not trying to be cool. I was literally writing about one individual who was living and is now no longer with us.

So when Tanya presented the idea of, you know, sending the song to the radio and all that stuff, my famous saying was like, they go to Hollywood shit again. Hell no, I ain't in. I'm like, I just bought some bootleg CDs from him. But it wasn't... But even that album was more his story kind of... Now that I think about it, it was him letting it out. Right. It was whatever he had gone through, it was letting it out and that I purchased. So we never... I don't think...

Again, I can't remember the when. You have the dates and you know when. Oh yeah, I know exactly what took place. We got to go back to a guy named Peter Cooper. Peter Cooper is a Nashville staple at the Country Music Hall of Fame. They were inducting in 2018 the late, great Dottie West into the Country Music Hall of Fame. And somebody had caught wind of an interview with

me and Tanya on NPR talking about our story and talking about the homelessness and the military and all that stuff. And Peter was like, you know what? Dottie West would have loved the Warren Treaty because of her character and because of the stories of her. I mean, she would just let people stay on her couch for days and months at a time, you know, and she kind of lost her

her marriage a little bit to that amongst other things what they what he was doing but nonetheless um they were like we we want to present the war and treaty to the family and the family was like oh let's do this let's let's get them to sing

And so our first moment was we sang Lessons in Leavin' at the Country Music Hall of Fame for the induction. And it was from that point on to where we just... Country music grabbed hold to us. We didn't grab it. It grabbed us. Isn't it crazy? And I tell everybody this whenever I talk about it on the podcast because...

my husband and I thought it was going to be so hard for him to get into country too. And once they grab ahold of you, they love you. And they really just try to like bring you in. And like, it's the most, you know, cause my, my husband was in hip hop before this country rapper, if that's even a thing anymore, but it's like, it was just so different. You know, everybody, nobody had each other's back.

Everybody was fighting. It's fueled by drama. And then you come to the country circle and it's just like everybody loves everybody. And like everybody wants to help everybody. And I don't know if that's you guys' experience. But that's what it's been for us. And it's been so beautiful to watch. And we're like, we feel so fortunate to be a part of the family. That's how we got to meet you guys and see you guys. It's been amazing. It's been amazing to see.

what country music allows to represent itself as well. I remember we were laughing with your husband because it was like the day the Grammy started announcing the nominations. It was a wild thing because every year we get prepared for it by our teams at the time. And

it never happens for us. And so this particular year, I was just like, I'm not interested. You know, we're in the airport. And so we get a nomination for best new artist. And when you understand the inner makings of how that happens, certain genres have certain slots that they'll slate you in as the future of the genre, right? And so...

I didn't know that. I was just like oblivious to that. Like, okay, I'm just like, hell yeah, we nominated one. I didn't realize that that nomination, it's not so much about the win. It's more about the nomination and what it means to a genre. And so Jelly, I'll never forget. Here's the crazy thing. I go into my inbox and do a video because I'm like, I'm going to send...

Now that I know what this means, I'm like, okay, Jelly Roll and the Warren Treaty are actually representing in this genre country music, the future and the present of country music. So I'm about to send him a message failing to realize he has beat me to this.

He's like, my one time Warren Treaty, you know, doing the thing. He's like, can you believe that we. And honestly, no, I cannot. Because, I mean, when you look at Jelly Roll and when you look at Warren Treaty and you put them face to face against what has represented this genre for years, starting with

Johnny Cash, starting with Loretta Lynn and all the things. And as you travel Garth and Randy Travis, and you look at that and then you look in today's industry, there are artists who on the outside, they want to reflect that. You know, I mean, even me, my stylist had me trapped for a while into believing that I had to reflect this in order to be, in order to be accepted as a,

country artist versus realizing my talent was already putting me in the room right but then when you look at the stories and you look at the outer makings like when you look at jelly roll it's like you cannot ignore and miss the fact that authenticity is what bubba

is thirsting for. Because, I mean, like, people shit on this genre a lot. Yeah. Especially the genre itself, because they'll say things like... Country music fans are crazy. Well, they'll say stuff like, well, you know, we got to make music for Bubba, and Bubba is not that bright, is what they say. But they don't realize something. I just had this conversation the other day with someone. I said...

Do you understand what's happening? Like, we just left Iowa State Fair. Oh, you guys were there with Daddy? Yeah. We were there. Oh, yeah, yeah, that's right. 21,000 plus. Yeah. Crazy, right? And you cannot go anywhere without hearing on the intercom,

Oh, jelly just pulled up or to hear what a fan says about jelly or, or realize people wearing these shirts and people are really connected and, and people are, you know, the, those who are, there's maybe 25% or 50% of the audience is connected to the music. People who look like me who are showing up, they're connected to the speech, right?

That's different. Like people, people think it's a joke and they think it's cool that someone will put organs behind his acceptance speech. And I'm like, y'all don't understand what that means.

That means he's preaching to them and he's touching a part that makes them feel like somebody's hearing them or they feel better. I remember for me, I just kept listening to, I only talk to God when I need a savior because that's how I felt in Iraq. I felt at first, I felt real shitty about that. I felt like,

Man, I've been hearing about you all my life and this is what it comes to. Like, I got to get on my knees and talk to you now because I'm fucking scared. Yeah. I'm terrified about what the guy is going to do over there. But then I started listening to what God was telling me. It was like, it's okay if that's how you want to come at me. And that's that because I understand you more than anybody. So that is to represent country music. And then you got...

The war and treating, let's just be honest, got a black husband and wife representing country music.

I don't know when I saw you guys the first time I was fascinated. I was like, you were like just Jessica rabbit up on the stage looking all gorgeous. And then we have, you know, your hunk of a husband. And then, but when you guys open your mouths, you guys already have such a presence, you know? So when people see you, they're like, what is, what's going on? You know, when you guys start singing, it is like so angelic, dude, it is just, Oh, it's amazing. And I just remember looking at my husband and I'm like, who are these

these people and he was just so stoked for you guys you know because he just loves you guys so much and he just filled me in on you guys and ever since then i've just been watching you guys's journey unfold and i get to see you guys at all the award shows we got to sit together at the grammys yeah i was wearing a diaper it was really uncomfortable it was the worst day of my life but we fucking got through oh girl my period started the day of the grammys oh you had the nice tight dress on me

into a diaper in my dress and I like had to keep asking Gracie Abrams right next to me I'm like do you see blood on me like every time we stood up I was just but I was so thankful for all of us to be able to share that moment together and sitting at the table and I think you and my husband are a meme oh my god they are a meme they were jamming watching Tracy Chapman wait did y'all hear about Tracy today no

This is going to freak y'all out. So earlier in the year, it was just released that Stevie Wonder and the Jacksons, like Michael and Janet are actually cousins, like blood cousins. Well, Janet just said, well, I mean, now we're talking about it. So Samuel L. Jackson is their cousin, but Tracy Chapman too. Really? Crazy. Sorry. What a crazy.

musical family that's insane like that's wow that's insane that's insane but that's why we were freaking out I mean like we were freaking out because that moment was so like I forgot while I was there I mean like yeah yeah it was a beautiful moment it really was beautiful like you had to have been there to actually like really get to feel like I'm sure it conveyed on TV to everybody too but being in that moment getting to see Tracy Chapman on stage with Luke Combs who's

who's an amazing performer. It was just a moment. And it was like, it's kind of took us all back to our childhoods. Cause I know, I don't know how old you guys were whenever that song came out, but I just remember that song when I was younger. So it was like, everybody just had a moment of their childhood, you know? It was so, it was so wonderful. And to be able to see Luke in that moment, you know, I sent him a message afterwards and they responded back to see him.

You could see how he was, he said, I was so nervous. This is the most nervous I've ever been. But you saw one of our giants just become so small in that moment. And like a, you know, humble, humble, just standing next to her. It was beautiful. It was so beautiful to see. A part of creating a moment. I think that people, so when I say, you know, to be black and representing this particular genre, I think people are afraid to acknowledge that.

the history, but in a pure way. Right. So, you know, Tanya and I, when we got our nomination in the ACMs and the CMAs, we are the first African-American husband and wife duo to ever get nominated, period. Wow. Like people didn't know that. I did not know that. It was a big deal.

the fact that we were even nominated. It was like, whoa. How does that feel though? Coming from the streets of Cleveland, coming from your upbringing to the struggle that you guys have had to face together to now being at these shows and being nominated, the first people to be nominated like that. I cry all the time. I cry all the time. I'm driving down the street sometimes. I'm just like bursting in tears. You know what I mean? Because it's,

You can't dream this up. You couldn't put it down as a marketing plan. But just the thought of it now even brings me to, you know, wakes my eyes. Just make me want to cry because I'm like, so many people had this dream, you know, and for it to happen for us, you know, it's just, it's mind blowing. And on the other side of it, it changed everything.

me personally, it changed my life. And people will say, well, of course. Yeah, it's got nothing to do with music. It's got nothing to do with getting shows or fan base or nothing. I've actually got healed at the CMAs from fireworks and from the 4th of July situation. And I wrote a post about this, but I'll briefly tell you. Our manager at the time was like, Michael, I need to talk to you

um, Miranda and Carrie both have, um, pyro in their performances and you're sitting very close to stage. So, um, we're going to pull you at a certain time so that, you know, we got headphones on the back so you don't hear it. And I'm like, man, I don't feel like making a scene. You know, I, I didn't want people to be worrying about that. And I didn't want me and Tanya to be

Because we couldn't do it. Overshadowed by that. We couldn't go watch fireworks. Legend has never watched fireworks with us. Oh, yeah. We've never. And when we do festivals, we have to find a place to put Michael where he can be calm and I'm soothing him because it's a trigger. Especially on 4th of July like North Carolina. Yeah, like North Carolina. We did a festival and he's like freaking out in the back of the stage, like shaking and everything. Well, we had the CMAs.

Miranda's performance and Carrie's performance happens and they don't pull me at all. And I'm just sitting there with Tanya and I'm staring because Tanya's in like this bad motherfucking dress. She always looks so damn good. I am like, OMG. Like this is, but then it, and then I heard a still small voice said, you made it. And I was like,

And I just started bawling because I realized I sat through those two performances that had the pyro. And from that moment on, I've been able to do fireworks. You felt safe for once. Yeah. I felt safe and I felt powerful.

in charge. Yes. I didn't let them pull me. Yeah. I tell everybody that cause I suffer from OCD and like severe anxiety too. And the way I've gotten through it was my husband came to me. I told them this the other day, or I forget who I was talking to, but my husband came to me about two years ago and he said, bunny, I love you. You haven't left the house. You are reminding me of my mom and it's very triggering to me. And he's like, if you don't leave this house,

we're going to have to rethink our relationship. Because that's how bad my OCD had gotten me to where I couldn't barely even go to the store, do anything. And so my way of

curing that was like, okay, I'm just going to hop on tour with my husband. Wow. You jump right in. The last tour, I got my own bus and I got, people don't realize they're like, why does she have to have her own bus? Blah, blah, blah. Well, because I'm conquering fears, motherfuckers. I'm paying for it. So don't ask questions. But,

I got on that bus. My crew hopped on with me and I conquered every fear I've ever had. And now I fucking am like, it's crazy. You have to go through it to get through it. And especially when you're conquering fears like that. You really do. Yeah. And now I'm like, I'm ready to go on tour. I can't wait. We leave in three weeks. And like, I go places now and I don't have panic attacks. And like, it's just a work in progress. And I always tell everybody, if you're dealing with any sort of anxiety, OCD, depression,

Be in charge. Yes. Be the captain of your ship and don't let it fucking own you, dude. And that is so cool that you got through the fireworks, man. That's huge. I'm proud of you. That's the CMAs. That's the CMAs. That's so awesome. Miranda's coming on the podcast tomorrow, actually. Oh, she is? That's our girl. I can't believe I landed her. That's my girl. Oh, my God.

Oh, my God. I love her. And kudos to you. Oh, everybody loves you. For Kyle. Everybody. Of course he's coming over here. Everybody loves you. I love you. I actually experienced that. We opened up for the Rolling Stones. And the last time I had that kind of anxiety was I missed my mother's funeral. That's how bad my anxiety is. And it gave me a really bad heart condition because- Ty almost died. I almost died. That's how she missed it. Yeah. My anxiety is that bad.

And I thought I had it under control. I was like, okay, I'm touring. This is great. I'm in front of people all the time. But now that you're talking, I'm realizing that I have kind of like isolated. I don't go out as much. You know, Michael wanted to go dancing. And I was like, no, I don't want to go. I used to do that too. And so then this was like, what, seven weeks ago, eight weeks ago when we opened up, when they rolled the stones. Yeah.

I was just like a ball of, I was a mess, like getting on Michael's nerves, just whatever. And I think it was because I was, I was being, I was like, I was really getting on his nerves because it was irritating me that one, I felt like something was happening, but I didn't know what it was, you know? And so when I got out and it was time to do the sound check, I felt it. I was like, okay, this is,

I don't know if I can do this. And I felt myself just like getting smaller and smaller and smaller. And then I just, I don't think we talked the whole day. You were like sitting across the room. And I was like, we were in the same space. And I said nothing to him for like hours. Because you're just so anxiety ridden. I was so just trapped. And I realized that. I was like, this is what it is. And it just showed up after nine, ten years. That's trauma, baby. Like it never had done before. And it's the trauma. It's trauma. So when you just said that, it just reminded me that, you

you know, but you're not alone. Everybody is going through something and there's just different levels. I, when I was going through all my trauma, I was like, I don't, I've never had anxiety. I've never had, or I'm sorry. I've never had depression. I always had anxiety. I never had depression. I've never been suicidal, blah, blah, blah. When I turned 40 years old,

I'm telling you my suicidal ideation hit me so hard that I didn't think I was going to make it to 50 years old. You know, I was like, just the thought of living that long was like, this is exhausting. I can't do it, you know? And you're going to go through levels like that with your anxiety. But the best thing I could ever tell you, and if you need to text me, text me anytime, do not let it control you. Because when you let it control you, you're giving in, you have to fight back and, you know, do it on your own time and when you can, and it'll happen when you can. But

do something different that you would never do before. Like next time Michael asks you to go dancing, go dance with him, but say, you know what, baby, I'm going to go dance with you, but I'm going to go for an hour. And that's what I used to tell myself. Okay. I'm going to go do this. Remember I would give myself time limits guys. And like I would show up to Jay shows and I would be out like before halfway through his show. But I started to learn how to trust and feel safer more and more and more. And it's a process, but you'll get through it. I promise. Yeah.

Thank you. That's amazing that you said that because that's actually why the housekeepings were hired. Because, see, my wife is the kind of person, I just wrote this in a post the other day, Tanya does everything for everybody. And, um,

I've realized that's also a part of her super strength, her superpower, but it's also a part of the thing. Right. And so I know how long to let it go. And then I'm like, well, hey, Tanya, I need to be involved. I need to know what's my role. What do I what can I do? And so, you know, finally, she's like, OK, you need to pay this bill. You need to hire this, that, that.

And so I did. And because, and it makes me feel like, you know what?

I'm doing something for her, even though it's for us. Yeah. Well, it's taking the load off. Yes. Yeah. My husband had to do the same thing for me because I was just like Tanya. People don't know this, but when Jay and I first got together, I used to kind of quote unquote manage him and I would do everything. And it got to a point where it was just crazy. Now I don't know anything that's going on with his business at all. Is your name Tanya? Yeah. I said manage Michael. What?

His country name was Trotter Michaels. You forgot this one. We need Trotter Michaels. I've tried everything. I've tried everything. My R&B name was Mike Ivory. Oh, wow.

Oh, God. And she managed me. I love that. It was so funny. I love it. Jay was Totem Pole Roll. Oh, I can't. Call Totem Pole Roll. He will love you forever. He'll be like, oh, my God, because that's like his Antioch name that everybody calls him. Wait, do you want to know some of our duo names before? I would love to know some of your duo names. Okay, so here's a classic one. You go back and forth. So we were first called N.Y.A.,

Which stood for nine years apart. Oh, okay. And then it was Empty Earth. Empty Earth. I actually kind of like Empty Earth. It's a rock band. That was our rocker phase. That was our rocker phase. We had Beyonce. We had phases. We had eras. We had eras before they were eras. I love it. I love it. Oh, we never put no music out. Never. I love Empty Earth, though. I do love Empty Earth. Empty Earth. And we were playing on things. I was like, oh, empty, like M-T? Yeah. Earth? She was like, no, no. No. No.

and then we were um dear martha yeah okay and then we were mike and tanya dear martha does that have to do with martha stewart now that i think about it you know what i didn't think about that i'm using your gift i'm so great i used to be at my house you have dumb blonde i used to be here i'm like that's the name yeah no um it was uh so my military uh buddy uh

Who was killed. His wife was Martha. And we have a song called Dear Martha. So we were trying to do that. And then we were called I'm Not Your Sister. I ain't your sister. I ain't your sister. What phase was this?

This was the folky. Yeah. Then it was Mike and Tanya. He's trying to change the name. Mike and Tanya. You, you, you want to change it again? And then we're trying to read the Warren treaty. Yeah. It's solid now. Yeah. So can we dive in really quick? Um, and I'll, I'll let you guys go. Cause I have had you guys for over two and a half hours. This has been amazing. This has been amazing. Um,

I just want to let you guys know, Hey driver, my daughter, our daughter played that song over and over again. It's her daughter's favorite song. Yes. How did you guys connect with Zach Bryan and take me on that journey with you guys? Cause I know it's a huge hit on Tik TOK and I want everybody to know the story behind it. It was at the ACM. We were doing the ACMs and Zach was

It's time to leave, you know, behind stage. Everybody's leaving. And he runs back there. No. Yeah? We weren't going to meet him. We were not going to meet him. No, we were going to talk to, was it Nate? Nate. Yeah, Nate Smith. Uh-huh. We're going to meet Nate. And Zach runs back there as we're talking, finishing up talking to Nate. And he's like, guys, he's like, I'm sitting next to my dad.

I got chills. My dad grabs my leg. He's like, what is happening to me? He's like, I don't know what's happening to me. And so he says, we got to exchange numbers. He was like, do you understand? I don't think people understand what just happened to us in there. He said, but they will.

And so we exchanged numbers and not even a week later, he sends Michael the song. No, it was the next day. Was it the next day, right? Yeah. And maybe a couple of days, no, the next day and we send him a voice memo. He's like, I just want to hear whatever you guys want to do. Like, here's a song, whatever you want to do. Send me a voice memo back. Yeah. And so we send the voice memo back to him and he puts it up.

Here's my new songs. He puts it up in an Zach Bryan kind of way. I love that about him though. I love that he doesn't give a shit. He knew what he wanted. He knew what he wanted. His classic line was, wait, are y'all signed? Yeah. I was like, what the

What the fuck you think, bro? Take that down. We're going to get in trouble. So we had to do the whole industry thing and, you know, get the paperwork together. Who were you guys signed with? Universal Nashville. Gotcha. Okay. So with them and he flew us to Philadelphia and we are in the studio. And if you hear on the record, Zach Bryan say that the song is Michael's. This is your song, Mike.

It's his song because Michael goes to the bathroom and I like start talking to Zach. I'm like, yeah, Zach gets on his guitar. I'm like, you know, Michael plays the piano like that. He said, oh, he does? I said, yeah. I said, he would sound really good on this record with you. He said, he would? He said, you think he'd play? I said, hell yeah, he'd play. Now, Michael doesn't like to play.

just like exposed. Right. You know, by himself. So he gets back from the bathroom and Zach's like, yeah, Michael. Wait, yeah. Yeah. And he's like, yeah, Michael, his piano right here, man. I was like, what? He's like,

He's like, what are we doing? He's like, come on, I'm doing this. You know, you start playing. So Michael starts playing, he starts playing. And then Zach leaves out and goes on the other side because he's recording out there and we're recording in the booth. And Michael's kind of apprehensive, like not playing the song the way he was doing it with Zach. So Zach says, come on, man. He says, it's your song, Mike. And we just go all the way down and start. And I got the stupid ass Ned Flanders laugh from The Simpsons. I'm like, okay, okay.

I hate that part. It's your song, Mike Lyle. He's laughing. And that's how the song happened. I love it. I love it. It was so natural. It was so organic. And who knew? It's a few people in our business, in this industry, that you just want to stay connected with. I mean, Jelly is one. Zach is another one.

Dierks Bentley. Miranda. Miranda's my little spicy taco. We got so fucked up. Okay, never mind. Gotta tell you that's the moment. Who was it about? Oh my God. We did alright in

I think we got so fucked up in that, right? Oh, with Miranda? See, people think me and Ty are so like conservative and so not. Honestly, that's kind of the idea that I had just from watching you guys' interviews because you guys are so proper. But then the minute you guys sat down, I was like, oh, this is game on. We're like, I mean, we're,

It's bad. No, but you guys, you know what? You guys are real. Miranda was like, wait, are we doing this? Oh, yeah. Miranda gets saucy. She don't play. I love her. Yeah, she's amazing. And she's brilliant in the studio. Brilliant. She's brilliant. I mean... She is, and I know I'm going to get some heat for this, but besides Dolly, and which...

To me, Dolly's the queen of country for other reasons. Miranda's the queen of country because she is just... She's the truth. No, she for real. I love that you said that because it's hard because of the history of Miranda and not... It's when you are married in the industry, you know, things overshadow, you know, like...

And then when both of you are like powerhouses, like, I mean, Blake is a G. You know, Miranda is a real G. Yeah. No, Miranda's the G. She's the truth. Like, straight up. She's like street country. And I feel like Blake is like, you know... He's that poster child. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you know what Miranda is? Okay, so you...

I could say this to you and you'd be like, damn, I get that. You know, in church people, the preachers used to say, if you don't praise them, the rocks will cry out. Yeah. Well, this is the rock moment. These are the rocks. We are the rocks. Yeah. And the rocks is the real thing. It's like that over there, you've abused this gift of spirituality for so long.

by creating this poster picture of what it is and trying to force people to live up to that. And then now it's like, okay, now we unchained. Yes. We're unchained. We are like, everybody's making their own path. Everybody is. My husband, you guys, I mean like, you. Yeah. Thank you. Hell yeah. I appreciate you guys. You got a

fire torch just burn the damn path up after six years I'm fucking I'm just glad to be here I love it I love you guys and I appreciate you guys so much thank you for sitting down with me and whenever you guys want to come back if you guys have new projects anything you guys always have a seat on my couch we would love to

Thank you. Thank you so much. I know. I'm so excited to have you guys. I'm so excited for the world to get to hear this and just love and embrace you guys. Like, I'm really stoked about it. Thank you. More than they already have. So shout out your socials and then like, let me know of any projects you guys have coming up. We actually, well, we're touring. We have the record coming out next year and they can reach us on the war and treaty.com, the war and treaty on all socials.

Except X. Is it X now? Twitter? X? Whatever. That place scares me over there. War and treaty. It is scary over there. Is there anything else you guys want to shout out? Your tour dates? Anything like that?

This is where we're badass. Yeah, we're going to be somewhere. Just look at warrentree.com. Yeah, just look at warrentree.com. There you go. There it is. I appreciate you guys so much. Thank you for coming. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you guys for tuning in to another episode of Dumb Blonde. I will see you guys next week. Bye.

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