Why Your Biggest Gambles Must Always Be On Yourself (with Kandi Burruss)

Summary

Aspire with Emma Grede

Episode: Why Your Biggest Gambles Must Always Be On Yourself (with Kandi Burruss)
Release Date: August 19, 2025
Host: Emma Grede
Guest: Kandi Burruss

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Episode Overview

This episode features Kandi Burruss: Grammy-winning songwriter, reality TV icon, entrepreneur, and Broadway producer. Emma Grede engages Kandi in a candid conversation about career evolution, self-advocacy, financial literacy, community impact, navigating success across industries, and the power of betting on oneself—especially as a Black woman in entertainment and business. Kandi shares hard-earned lessons on ownership, resilience, risk-taking, and overcome setbacks, offering actionable insights for entrepreneurs, creatives, and anyone seeking to "build the life of your dreams."

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Historic Broadway Moment & Representation

• Kandi describes the significance of producing the highest-grossing production on Broadway, "Othello," and witnessing an unprecedented turnout of Black and young theater-goers ([04:03]–[05:48]):
  • “To be able to do Broadway with Denzel, a producer, as a Black producer, and say, we made history... It's a blessing.” — Kandi Burruss ([04:05])
  • “We never, as Black Americans, anyway, felt like that was our place... Broadway was known as the Great White Way. But we as a community have to put ourselves in those spaces and help bring each other up.” — Kandi ([05:57]–[06:40])

2. Early Beginnings and Escaping the Box

• Kandi shares how her entrepreneurial mindset took root, despite having no business examples growing up ([08:09]–[09:09]):
  • Signed her first record deal in high school; survived family tragedy.
• Formation and rise of Xscape at a performing arts high school alongside future stars like Outkast ([09:24]–[11:11]).
• Kandi’s early drive and determination: “I always just used to be like, all we gotta do is get a deal. When we get our deal, we gonna blow up.”

3. Songwriting, Ownership, and Iconic Hits

• Writing “No Scrubs” (originally for herself and Tiny), and the business of publishing ([13:32]–[16:32]):
  • “In my mind, delusional as it may be, I always feel like I can write another hit.” — Kandi ([14:29])
  • “The song was like the biggest song that year or something. It was the most played song in history at that time... And you still make money because people license it again and again.” — Kandi ([16:14]–[16:37])
• What makes a great songwriter: storytelling, strong melodies, memorable “B sections” ([16:48]–[19:59]).
• The importance of contracts and being business-savvy:
  • “You gotta be very— and as a woman in the music business—people sometimes feel like they can chomp you off or get over. So you have to be very about your business and very stern when it comes to this, your—what you deserve.” ([20:25]–[21:06])

4. Fierce Advocacy, Financial Discipline, and Lessons in Money

• Both Kandi and Emma stress uncompromising attention to contracts and finances ([25:06]–[26:44]):
  • “I sign all my checks. I don’t have anybody…” — Kandi ([26:29])
  • “Never been one to care about what other people think about me. And I’m okay with being disliked.” ([77:27])
• Fear of being broke catalyzed Kandi’s financial discipline:
  • “I read a lot of financial books as a teenager... In order to be a millionaire, stay a millionaire, you have to live below your means.” ([30:45])
  • Saved first $100,000 as a teen instead of spending on luxury. Now spends more, but mostly on investments and others.

5. Risk, Resilience, and Self-Reliance in Business

• Kandi describes her entrepreneurial style as constantly betting on herself:
  • “I’m a gambler. I gamble on my ideas. So I’ll take a big gamble if I want to see something work.” ([33:10])
• Self-funding rather than taking outside investment, due to trust and practical learning ([51:46]–[52:37]).
• Willingness to try, fail, iterate: “Just because I make a mistake or something goes wrong... not me. Okay, let’s do—let’s go back, roll the dice again. Let’s go.” ([53:03])

6. Transition To Reality TV & Building Platforms

• Becoming a Real Housewife of Atlanta after initial hesitation ([33:21]–[36:20]):
  • “I thought it was just gonna be something I did for fun for a year. I had no clue that that was gonna turn into... me being on this show for 14 seasons.”
• The impact of reality TV exposure—both benefits (huge, loyal fanbase; business leverage; meeting her husband) and drawbacks (scrutiny, limitations in broader media) ([36:46]–[41:12], [71:07]–[73:26]):
  • “Reality fans are way more supportive and feel more connected to you than music and TV fans... It surpasses music.” ([37:57]–[38:38])
  • “As wonderful as a platform Housewives is, people discriminate against Housewives. The business community discriminates... It was a gift and a curse.” ([71:36]–[73:26])

7. Strategic Execution and Scaling Businesses

• Kandi’s philosophy on execution: if she says she'll do it on TV, it must be done and visible by season’s end ([54:49]–[57:05]):
  • “If I say I’m gonna do something, it’s done. I cannot stand seeing people on TV talking about what they wanna do and you never see it happen.”
• Origin and growth of Bedroom Kandi—leveraging her platform, shifting stigma around sex toys in the Black community, using MLM to empower others ([53:44]–[58:59]).
• Builder mindset focused on creating opportunities for others as her success scaled ([58:59]–[59:49]):
  • “I want to be a person that I use my opportunity to help make more opportunities.”

8. Navigating Failure, Focus, and Evolution

• Candid admissions about failed ventures (e.g., Blaze Steak & Seafood), learning to narrow focus and prioritize passion over sheer diversification ([63:15]–[66:57]):
  • “As my kids are getting older, I want to narrow my focus... I want to do more music again... do more film and TV projects produced by me and my husband... Just narrow my focus.” ([65:39])
• Letting go of needing to please everyone, evolving from seeking approval (especially from her mother) to internal confidence ([75:49]–[77:10]).

9. Legacy, Motivation, and Future Aspirations

• Desire to become an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony winner) and the power of speaking goals into existence ([47:48]–[49:01]):
  • “I want to have the EGOT so bad... I speak things into existence... It’s all about the work you put in and what you put your energy to. And if you conceive the thought, you can make it happen.” ([47:54]–[47:59])
• Ensuring her family is secure for generations and empowering her daughter as she begins her own public career ([28:45]–[33:02], [70:08]–[70:53]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Betting On Herself:
  • “I’m a gambler. I gamble on my ideas...If I want to see something work...” — Kandi ([33:10])
• On Ownership and Advocacy:
  • “I have no problem saying yeah, that’s not gonna work. I think I come from a family of strong women... I’m not meek.” — Kandi ([22:08])
• On Financial Savvy:
  • “I saved until I saw the 100,000 and I was like, okay, I guess I can get a car and I’m going to build up my credit.” — Kandi ([30:53])
• On Navigating Failure:
  • “I’m figuring it out... If you went to school for it, you’re like, ‘okay, we gotta do this and we gotta do that, it’s gonna take another year before we set up this...’ Me, I’m like, okay, bye.” — Kandi ([53:41]–[54:01])
• On Housewives’ Cultural Perception:
  • “As wonderful as a platform Housewives is, people discriminate against Housewives...in the business community.” — Kandi ([71:36]–[73:26])
• On Evolution and Letting Go:
  • “It took a long time for me to get there, though...But now, I’m like, she'll be alright.” — Kandi (about her mother's approval, [76:46])
• On Her Resilience:
  • “Every time my name ends up in a blog of some hating ass ho got something to say about me, me and my friend Carmen laugh—‘Oh, there go the I Hate Candy bars club...God was training me; I know now for what I had to come.’” — Kandi ([79:43])

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Important Segment Timestamps

• [04:03]–[06:40] – Making history on Broadway—impact and Black community representation
• [13:32]–[16:32] – Writing “No Scrubs”; publishing and financial implications
• [20:25]–[22:37] – Contracts, advocating for herself as a woman in music/business
• [25:06]–[26:44] – Reading contracts, Oprah’s influence, attention to financial/contractual detail
• [28:07]–[33:02] – Early attitudes to money, saving vs. splurging, investing in others
• [33:21]–[36:20] – Transition into reality TV and the leap to Real Housewives
• [36:46]–[41:12] – Reality TV benefits and downsides; lasting impact on career
• [54:49]–[58:59] – Creating Bedroom Kandi; leveraging TV exposure for business
• [63:15]–[66:57] – Admitting business failures; narrowing focus for fulfilment
• [71:36]–[73:26] – Industry discrimination against Housewives and new beginnings
• [73:44]–[79:43] – Rapid fire questions; reflections on approval, growth, and resilience

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Kandi’s Advice, Habits, & Philosophies

• Invest in Yourself: Always bet on your own ideas and be prepared to lose money as part of the entrepreneurial journey.
• Financial Literacy: Live below your means, know your numbers, and stay intimately involved in your finances (“I sign all my checks”).
• Fierce Self-Advocacy: Read every contract and never outsource accountability—especially as a woman.
• Authenticity and Vulnerability: “I’m okay with being disliked.” Don’t base decisions or self-worth on others’ opinions.
• Resilience: Failures and detours are not the end; pivot, learn, and keep rolling the dice.
• Platform Leverage: Use any public platform (TV, music, etc.) not just for fame, but for building businesses and creating opportunities for others.
• Legacy Building: Aim higher than your current position—speak your dreams, build your legacy, and pay it forward.

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Tone and Style

The episode is candid, energetic, and empowering, reflective of two women who’ve navigated male-dominated spaces with vision and grit. Humor, vulnerability, and wisdom are woven throughout Kandi’s storytelling and Emma’s supportive, insightful questions. Both demand excellence and clarity—about money, contracts, and self-worth—while also affirming the power of setting audacious goals and uplifting others.

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Conclusion

This episode is a masterclass in self-leadership and entrepreneurship “without a playbook.” Kandi Burruss shares invaluable lessons on self-reliance, betting on oneself, building community power, and refusing narratives that limit women’s ambition. For listeners looking to redefine success, create generational wealth, and live boldly—Kandi’s story is both blueprint and inspiration.

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For more from Aspire with Emma Grede, subscribe and follow the show on your preferred podcast app.

Transcript

[Emma Greed]

Kandi Burruss is a Grammy winning songwriter, reality TV icon, serial entrepreneur and Broadway powerhouse.

[Interviewer]

Kandy has never fit into one box because she never planned to. From girl group fame with Escape to penning hits for music legends like Whitney Houston and Destiny's Child, from dominating Real Housewives of Atlanta for over a decade to rewriting the rules as one of the most successful producers on Broadway, Kandy's.

[Emma Greed]

Built a career on talent, tenacity and.

[Interviewer]

A fierce commitment to ownership. But behind the spotlight is a woman shaped by early values, smart hustle and the belief that every opportunity is a chance to create another. Today we talk about what it means to build leverage, learn from mistakes and make bold moves across industries that weren't always built for women like her. This is a conversation about evolution, influence and what it takes to play the long game. Coming up on the Aspire Podcast today.

[Emma Greed]

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[Interviewer]

Of the most brilliant minds on the.

[Emma Greed]

Planet, make sure you never miss an episode. And follow Aspire with Emma Greed on Amazon Music. It's free and easy. Just tap follow in the Amazon music app so every new episode is ready when you are.

[Interviewer]

Kandy, I'm so happy to have you here today in Atlanta. Welcome to Aspire.

[Kandi Burruss]

Well, thank you for having me.

[Interviewer]

I have so much to talk to you about, but I have to tell you, I went to see Othello on Broadway.

[Kandi Burruss]

Oh, you did?

[Interviewer]

Of course I did. With Denzel and Jake and I literally. First of all, I never seen more black people in the theater. And I thought, one I have to ask you, do you think that that's because of you? And how proud are you to have the highest grossing theater production on Broadway?

[Emma Greed]

What an achievement.

[Kandi Burruss]

Okay, first of all, that's an amazing achievement. To say that we made history, it's crazy. It was crazy. Like, I mean, it's a blessing to be able to put up numbers, obviously, in any project that you're a part of, but to be able to do Broadway, Broadway with Denzel, a producer, as a black producer, and say, we made history. Like, on opening night, you know, I was, you know, sitting next to Anna Wintour and Joe Biden president Joe Biden. Excuse me. I don't wanna just act like we're so familiar. He was like, you're right, Joe. Right next on the same aisle, right? Like, two seats over. So it like, wow. In my mind, I think I was sitting there thinking to myself, like, wow, this is such a blessing. And you know how you have one of those moments when you're doing the thing and you like, this is. Yeah, this is what I'm doing. But then you have that moment where it sinks in like, wow, not only am I doing the thing that I've always wanted to do at a level. At that level.

[Interviewer]

At a level.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

It's crazy.

[Kandi Burruss]

It's a dream come true.

[Interviewer]

Honestly, I could feel that for you because it felt. Feels like such a monumental moment, and I feel like just understanding your journey. Could you take it in? Could you sit there and be like, I am so proud of myself right now?

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, I definitely. It was definitely a proud moment because it's, you know, so many people that I admire and look up To. Were in the room.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Kandi Burruss]

You know, but not just that.

[Interviewer]

Right. The audiences. Because I go to the theater a lot. I grew up in London, and it's just, like, part of what I've always loved doing. Yeah, but the audience just looking around, I mean, it was palpable, the difference in there. Never have I seen more black people. More people of color, but also more young people.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

And I think. Do you. Is that directly attributed to the fact of your involvement?

[Kandi Burruss]

Do you think it's so important to be supported by our community?

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Kandi Burruss]

And I have definitely used my platform, and I go here, there, and everywhere to make sure that. And I think it's a thing of. We never, as black Americans, anyway, felt like that was our place.

[Interviewer]

Of course.

[Kandi Burruss]

Meaning that was the place that welcomed us for years, you know, Broadway was known as the Great White Way. And it's not that, you know, obviously, America itself has become, you know, more aware of race and trying to do. I guess, hopefully, people want to do better, but we as a community have to put ourselves in those spaces and help bring each other up.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. But also to have stories that are more reflective of that audience.

[Kandi Burruss]

Right. Yes.

[Interviewer]

And I feel like that's what you've done. I mean, I want to talk to you about your entire theater career, because this is just like, the cherry on the cake, but there's so much work there and a body of work that is so reflective of your community. And to me, it just. It felt like a big deal. I sat down and I said to my husband, who is a white guy, I was like, look at this. And he said, oh, yeah, like, there's a lot of black people here. That must be candy. And I was like, damn right it is.

[Kandi Burruss]

This funny thing is, I lost. I know. I find it so hilarious that people actually recognize that because it's funny. I mean, I'm just gonna be honest, you know, I do see some people in certain, you know, platforms and blogs that like to be like, I mean, she's not the only producer. What is she doing? Like, oh, that's what you think? You think. Do you think I have. No. Oh, okay. Because I'm not gonna take anything away from anybody on our team. Right. I think all of us bring a lot to the table.

[Interviewer]

No doubt.

[Kandi Burruss]

You know what I mean? But I will say that I know I bring a lot to the table, and it's in everything I do, not just Broadway. I'm always trying to find a way to bring more opportunity and bring. Just allowing us to just be grand.

[Interviewer]

Well, honestly, I think you do it beautifully, and you should be really, really proud of yourself. And I want to get a better understanding of how you got to where you are today.

[Kandi Burruss]

Okay.

[Interviewer]

Can I ask you, did you grow up around anyone who had a business? Like, did you have an early example of what it means to be an entrepreneur?

[Kandi Burruss]

No. I always tell people I didn't go to college. I did not have a lot of college graduates around me because, like I said.

[Interviewer]

When did you leave school?

[Kandi Burruss]

Well, I got my record deal when I was still in high school. So we signed the so. So deaf when I was in 11th grade. Wow. And coming into my senior year, just kicking. It was like, already top of the. The chart, you know, so it was like. It was like a dream come true. But it's a lot that happened in my younger years, I guess that kind of made me reflective of who I am. My mom was a single mom raising me and my brother. And then, you know, I lost my brother when I was summer before 10th grade. So it was a lot that, you know, happened, I guess, leading up to the success, I guess.

[Interviewer]

Yes. So I have to. I mean, we've got to go back and talk about escape a little bit, because, I mean, escape was absolutely huge. But like you said, you started that when you were in high school. You were so, so young, doing a pretty big woman job, I imagine, at the time.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, right.

[Interviewer]

And getting big woman attention. What do you remember about that moment in your life? Like, can you just take me back to, like, how that was founded and like, how you felt being so young and having all that attention?

[Kandi Burruss]

I mean, I feel great.

[Interviewer]

I love you for saying that. So good.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. I mean. Okay, so did the kids around you.

[Interviewer]

Like, did the kids in your high school embrace it? Were they like, oh, my God, this is amazing?

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, at first, I mean. Yeah, I would say for sure. See, so our group, our high school was a performing arts high school.

[Interviewer]

Right.

[Kandi Burruss]

So I went. Our group went there, Outkast went there. So a lot of us, you know, went to the same school before we took off. You get what I'm saying? So everybody had dreams of being an artist. You know, I met my group members when I first got there. I was in the 9th grade, and Tamika Scott was in the 10th, and Tasha was a senior at the school. And so we met. I started hanging out with them all the time. We were singing at church together all the time. And when we first started, like, actually becoming a group, we ended up. We were a group for, like, two years before the deal actually. Happened.

[Interviewer]

Wow. So I think what, you were, like, gigging and you were going and, like, doing shows in places, you know, we.

[Kandi Burruss]

Would just go sing for anybody who would listen.

[Interviewer]

Have you?

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, yeah. And Hope, you know, finally, we sang for Jermaine Dupri.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Kandi Burruss]

And we sang for him at his 19th birthday party. I remember that. And he was like, oh, yeah, I'm going to sign y'. All.

[Interviewer]

But was that a big deal then? Like, was Jermaine Dupri at 19, like, a thing?

[Kandi Burruss]

Well, he had done some things, but he crisscross, hadn't come out yet.

[Interviewer]

Okay, fine.

[Kandi Burruss]

So he was actually working on them at the time. And so he was like, you know, I got a group that's about to come out. And once I. You know, I remember that's how I finished with that.

[Interviewer]

Every boy in my neighborhood turned their pants around and went around, and it was like, the biggest thing all over Europe, obviously in the States, but all over Europe.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. Well, he said he was going to come back and sign us, but I was like, oh, yeah, right. Because a lot of people had kind of said they want to work with us, and it didn't work out for whatever reason. So we were kind of feeling like, oh, it's just another person that's in it.

[Interviewer]

Did you know you were gonna be successful? Was that, like, a feeling that you had?

[Kandi Burruss]

In my mind, we were. I always just used to be like, all we gotta do is get a deal. When we get our deal, we gonna blow up. I had no idea, no clue that it could happen any other way. Like, I just felt like all we needed was a chance. Somebody sign us, it's out of here. That's how I felt. That's how it actually happened. But that's not the norm, and I didn't realize that. And I think we kind of took things for granted, you know, as the sex.

[Interviewer]

You're so young. You would have, right?

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. But with that being said, you know, we did, you know, he did come back and sign us a year later, and once we took off, it was good and bad. Like, our group, you know, we was killing it. I still had to go to school, though. I was the only one that was still in high school, so.

[Interviewer]

So how did you do? Like, you literally just.

[Kandi Burruss]

I literally would go do the show and then come back and be at school with everybody else every day. And then I had all this work that I had to do while I was on the road, so while all the other girls was, you know, kicking in and chilling and having a good Time you went to your school. Work, schoolwork. And then I had to come home and do more schoolwork. And then some teachers was trying to land on thick just so they could say they didn't give me, you know, give it away to me or whatever. So it was. It was what it was. But I'm kind of a determined person, so I was like, okay, I. I'm gonna get my diploma. I know I'm gonna have that. So whatever we gotta do to make that happen, that's what's gonna happen.

[Interviewer]

So when did you realize that you were more than just a performer and that you could actually write? But more than that, like, you could write hits? Because, I mean, I. Look, you've written for Whitney Houston, Ariana Grande, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, don't forget Destiny's Child, tlc, so many more. But it's like a roll call of. I feel like it's my whole life. Like, that was, like the 90s. That was the golden moment in the 2000s. But was there a moment? Oh, my goodness. Like, I have a talent and I'm not just a performer.

[Kandi Burruss]

Well, you know, when our group was working with Jermaine, I used to always be like, let me write. Let me write. But he would let us write, like, a little bit here and there. But when our group started having issues, that's when I was like, okay, Tiny, we need to get in the studio because we're gonna have to try to figure out what we're gonna do, because we knew one of our group members was gonna go solo when the third album was being created. So we were like, okay, we gotta make a plan. And I was like, let's go in the studio.

[Interviewer]

How old are you at this point?

[Kandi Burruss]

Oh, I was like, 19. 20.

[Interviewer]

Pretty mature decision for a night.

[Kandi Burruss]

I was 19. No, I was 19.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Kandi Burruss]

So we was going in the studio, working on. We called it Cat at the time, Kandy and Tiny. Original.

[Interviewer]

I love that.

[Kandi Burruss]

And no, Scrubs was actually a song that we did for ourselves. Wow. They gave it to L A Reid, and he was like, I want the song for tlc. I was like, cool, let him have it. And you did.

[Interviewer]

That was. That's your first reaction. Cool, let him have it.

[Kandi Burruss]

Because in my mind, delusional as it may be, I always feel like I can write another hit. That's just in my mind.

[Interviewer]

Well, it's not that delusional for you. You had a few. You had a few.

[Kandi Burruss]

But people at the time, right? Well, people. Well, actually, we had a manager that was working with Us. That was like, yeah, that's a good song, but it's not as good as y' all other songs. No.

[Interviewer]

Did you know it was a hit?

[Kandi Burruss]

I loved it right off RIP When I was doing it, I was like, oh, this. This jamming right here. I thought it was hot.

[Interviewer]

I feel like we all knew as soon as we heard that introduction. I mean, I don't know how long I sang that song for, but it was also, like, such a turning point in, like, I don't know, like, the zeitgeist of, like, what. Like, what you said and the words in that song. Like, that was a. That wasn't just a hit. It was like a moment. Like a moment in popular culture. It did. It felt like that, though, right?

[Kandi Burruss]

Well, I didn't know it was going to do what it did, though. I was just hoping that. Yeah, I didn't even know they were going to make it a single. I was just hoping they kept it on the album because I ran into L. Reid at a party before the song came out, and he was like, I'm going to make this the biggest song of your career. And I was like, in my mind. I was like, yeah, thank you. And I was like, man, please. I was like, escape. We already got hits. Like, in my mind. That's what I was thinking. You know what I'm saying? Like, yo, whatever. I'm like, just keep that song on the album. That's what I'm thinking.

[Interviewer]

But what is the deal that you did? So you sold that track, but you retained some rights around it? You retained the publishing.

[Kandi Burruss]

Oh, yeah. So basically, if you're a writer on the song. Yeah, somebody can record it, but you still have your own. All your publishing. Like, I didn't sell my publishing to them, so they recorded it, and the song was like, the biggest song that year or something. It was the most played song in history at that time. People have passed it now.

[Interviewer]

Wow.

[Kandi Burruss]

But, yeah, so it was a moment, and it's still a moment because people still sample that song. And so it gives me more publishing on other people's songs without having to be there. Did you pay for people now?

[Interviewer]

Did you make a ton of money on that song?

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. And you still make money because people license it again and again and again and again.

[Interviewer]

Oh, my God, that must be so satisfactory. It's unbelievable.

[Kandi Burruss]

Is a blessing. Out of this world.

[Interviewer]

What. What actually separates, like, a good songwriter from a great one.

[Kandi Burruss]

Do you know, I feel like there are certain people who. It doesn't matter what you give them, they can write something to, like. It doesn't matter what track you give me. I can probably write five songs to the same track because I'm a good melody person, and I am a great person at putting concepts together. So, like, as soon as I hear the track, first of all, I can listen to a track sometime and tell ya that's gonna hit or that's not before I even put a word to it. Matter of fact, I really don't even need your beat. I can come up with a song, and you put a beat to my song. Because I'm a melody person. I can hear it in my head how it should go, you know, from just a click track. You get what I'm saying? But I am good at bringing to life concepts and stories that people can relate to.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, that's clear. It's the relational part that I think is that, again, the reason I say it was a moment in popular culture because people felt it deeply and they really related to the words in that story.

[Kandi Burruss]

It's a real story. I mean, it was inspired by people that I actually knew at the time, but. But I just kind of feel like.

[Interviewer]

You say goddamn.

[Kandi Burruss]

No, but, like, the thing is, it's like a lot of. How many times have we been walking down the street and a guy's, like, trying to holler at you from the curb, and you're like, nah, nah. Yeah, nah. You know, the first one that's always popping the most is the person who's with the person who's really popping, you know? Like, it's always. You go to a section and it's always the guy that's, like, not paying for nothing and be like, oh, you want a drink? You want this? You want that. That dude? That's the dude I'm talking about.

[Interviewer]

That guy?

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, that guy. Yeah. It's like, we all know that person. So I feel like it was just. People could relate. It was funny as well.

[Interviewer]

It was funny. There was humor there.

[Kandi Burruss]

And the melody is easy to sing along with.

[Interviewer]

Yes, yes.

[Kandi Burruss]

The other part of it is, for me, for a majority of my songs, I like my B section to be as hooky as the hook.

[Interviewer]

What's the B section?

[Kandi Burruss]

So the part that comes right before the hook. So, no, I don't want your number. No, I don't want to give you mine. You know what I'm saying? So it. Almost everybody can sing along with that part. Right? It's memorable. Just like a hook is very.

[Interviewer]

So, like, you feel like there's a formula to great songwriting.

[Kandi Burruss]

This is for me, I don't know what everybody. Everybody has a different formula. But for me, I like my B sections to be as strong as the hook. Now, a lot of times now, because everybody changed, you know, times have changed. So sometimes now people don't even put a. A B section or a pre verse or whatever pre chorus they call it. Sometimes they don't even put it in the song anymore because the songs are much shorter now. But even in a song I did.

[Interviewer]

Recently, they are shorter now, right?

[Kandi Burruss]

Way shorter.

[Interviewer]

Way shorter.

[Kandi Burruss]

But even in a song I did recently, it's very short. But I still have a hooky part before the hook.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Kandi Burruss]

It's sections of the song that everybody, no matter who they are, once you hear it once or twice, you can sing along and you feel that it's like it's in you. You can sing along with this.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Kandi Burruss]

Sometimes I'll be writing a song and I'll be like, oh, this is a hook. And then I'll be like, it's good, but it's not strong enough. So this is going to be my pre chorus and I'll write another hook that's stronger. You get what I'm saying?

[Interviewer]

Yeah, I totally get what you're saying.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

What do you think? I'm just trying to understand what you've learned from the music industry. Like when you think about contracts, ownership, publishing. What did you learn from the music industry that's been, you know, something that you could bring into your life as an entrepreneur?

[Kandi Burruss]

Okay, well, obviously with contracts, I mean, definitely gotta have those lawyers. Reading, reading, reading, reading, reading. You know, you gotta be very. And as a woman in the music business. Okay.

[Interviewer]

Especially in any business.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. People sometimes feel like they can chomp you off or get over. So you have to be very about your business and very stern when it comes to this, you know, your. What you deserve. So when it comes to the splits or, you know, the percentage, meaning your percentage of the song or whatever. And that's just in any business, right?

[Interviewer]

Yeah. How have you navigated that? Do you feel like you've had to fight for what you deserve?

[Kandi Burruss]

And in certain situations, some situations, everybody's fair. Everybody's like, okay, this is what we're gonna do. Whatever, you know. And in some situations, yeah, they thought they was gonna try me, and I'm like, yeah, nah, it don't work like that.

[Interviewer]

Are they more.

[Kandi Burruss]

Doesn't work like that.

[Interviewer]

I would imagine there's more. They're more gentlemanly maybe in the theater than they are in music. Or is that just my imagination. Well, because entertainment's entertainment at the end of the day, it's a tough business.

[Kandi Burruss]

Music industry can be very, a lot more grimy to me than film, tv, in the theater.

[Interviewer]

I can imagine.

[Kandi Burruss]

You know, music, they try you all the time. Especially back in the 90s they think they could chump you off and like oh yeah, you only getting this? Oh no, that's not what I'm getting.

[Interviewer]

Were you always like that? I mean, because obviously you had success so young. Do you think you were always there advocating for yourself or have you learned to be a better self advocator?

[Kandi Burruss]

I feel like even as the youngest in the group, I feel like I was very outspoken when it came to anything that you know, had to something to do with this is business. As long as it's right, you know, I'm cool because. But I have no problems with saying yeah, that's not gonna work. I think I come from a family of strong women and you know for sure I am definitely. I'm not meek.

[Interviewer]

No, you're wired that way.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, that's just how I'm wired.

[Emma Greed]

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[Interviewer]

Started by talking about lawyers, and I'm someone who reads every single contract that I'm involved in. Right. It's. I have lawyers, I have business managers, I have people around me. But I'm going to read before my signatures go in, something I'm going to read. And even with my home stuff with my husband, it's like, my husband will be like, this is something that we're doing. And I'm like, yeah, I'm going to look at that. I'm going to check that. Because that's just how I'm wired.

[Kandi Burruss]

I am, too.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. I was raised to think that someone's always trying to get something over me, and so I'm just going to check, check and check. Well, that's not how all women operate.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, no, I've always been like that. And. And actually, my husband, he's the one that's. Can you read over that? Because I already know you're going to make sure it's right. Or even with some of the business people, except for my lawyer, they'll send stuff to me and I'm like, yeah, you know, that's not correct. You need to fix that. Or, you know, the wording on this is that I'm very anal, even though I wasn't a woman who. I never went to school for this. But I'm definitely like, yeah, that's incorrect. Can you. You know, why do you have. And I'm so petty. I'm like, why? You got an extra comma here? That's not right.

[Interviewer]

No, you're not. That's.

[Kandi Burruss]

That's a contract.

[Interviewer]

Attention to detail.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. Like on my tweets, I'm going to talk crazy in any. What they say Ebonics. I'm doing all that. But when it comes to this contract, that's not right.

[Interviewer]

Ticked and tied.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. No.

[Interviewer]

What do you think?

[Kandi Burruss]

And I sign all my checks. I don't have anybody.

[Interviewer]

A thousand percent. I remember watching Oprah when I was younger and she was killing stuff. Do you remember? Yes.

[Kandi Burruss]

That's why I did it, too.

[Interviewer]

I was that power of attorney.

[Kandi Burruss]

What?

[Interviewer]

Like never. I'm signing every check. Every check.

[Kandi Burruss]

Exactly.

[Interviewer]

Yes. Yes.

[Kandi Burruss]

Thank you. That's. That's the one thing that drives me crazy about being in a group versus doing things on my own.

[Interviewer]

Oh. Because there needs to be consensus in the group.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, it will. In the group. You know, I'm trying to be a team player. So I'm, you know, saying, letting them make decisions or kind of go. I'm trying to go with the flow. As a grown woman.

[Interviewer]

I was gonna say, don't really feel like your personality having known you.

[Kandi Burruss]

No, I've been doing so much better in this stage of my life. Because when I was younger, Sharon, they would be like, you know, you know, oh, she's gotta be the bitch. No. But I'm gonna make sure it's right. They not gonna play with us.

[Interviewer]

How did you get that mindset? Like, do you just think my mama.

[Kandi Burruss]

My mother is very. Well, they see it on tv, you know, my mama don't play. My mama doesn't play.

[Interviewer]

We know, but, you know, she's not playing at all.

[Kandi Burruss]

As a young person. She always used to be like, don't put all your eggs in one basket and all this stuff. And because I had started my career at a young age and started making money, not a lot at first with the group, but making money, though, at a young age, it was always this concern of I did not want to be the one hit wonder or the artist that is old. And they were like, they had all this money or whatever when they was a kid, and now they, you know, old and broke. I did not want to be that person.

[Interviewer]

Coming from a place of fear of.

[Kandi Burruss]

Being broke or like, fear of being broke. I had a fear of being.

[Interviewer]

Do you still have a fear of being broke still?

[Kandi Burruss]

Well, I feel like I've set myself up at this point in life that I'm definitely going to be comfortable from this day for my family. My inner household is going to be comfortable no matter what because of the way the things that I put in place. Doesn't say that.

[Interviewer]

Doesn't that feel so liberating to you to say, like, my inner family will be comfortable? No, Matter what because of you.

[Kandi Burruss]

Oh, it feels great. But I feel like there were times where people don't have the expectations from their female. Does that make sense?

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Kandi Burruss]

Where they feel like, oh, well, if I had a son, he'd be doing this and doing that. I'm like, well, I'm a daughter and I'm doing it a whole lot. You know what I mean? But I just feel like at the end of the day as a woman and you know, you get. Everybody's always want to make a comparison about relationships. Obviously, you know, who is making the most money and all this other kind of stuff. You know, I love my husband. My husband is very. He's. He pushes me and he's. His mind is like very. He's an extremely great businessman and extremely creative mind. You know, obviously I've been financially successful for a very long time. So, you know, of course I'm, you know, I've made more and that's okay. People have a lot of. Have a major problem. A lot of opinions.

[Interviewer]

A lot of opinions.

[Kandi Burruss]

But it works for us. So when I say this, I'm not taking anything away from the things that my husband is doing.

[Interviewer]

Well, we can't all sit here and talk about female empowerment and then get mad. When a woman earns more than her partner, the two things are not congruent. Like, they don't work.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yes. Like no way.

[Interviewer]

Do you remember the first time you made real money and how that felt?

[Kandi Burruss]

So as a teenager, it was just my goal to see $100,000 in my bank account.

[Interviewer]

I love. We all have those numbers. I love it.

[Kandi Burruss]

$100,000. $100,000 I had saved. I didn't buy nothing. Everybody else in my group was buying cars.

[Interviewer]

Really? Is that what you did? You saved, you didn't buy nothing?

[Kandi Burruss]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

Oh, see, I'm such a struggler.

[Kandi Burruss]

My mom was old car now. Yes.

[Interviewer]

Really?

[Kandi Burruss]

I'm that girl. I firmly believe. See, the thing is what I was telling about being afraid of being broke. I read a lot of financial books as a teenager.

[Interviewer]

You did?

[Kandi Burruss]

Yes. So they say in order to be a millionaire, stay a million, you have to live below your means.

[Interviewer]

Yes, you do.

[Kandi Burruss]

Okay.

[Interviewer]

They are right.

[Kandi Burruss]

I was living below my means and I saved until I saw the 100,000 and I was like, okay, I guess I can get a car and I'm going to build up my credit. So I didn't want to pay it off at once. I put so much down and I made my payments. Yes. I was like, I used to. Not anymore. I feel Like, I was better with money then, but I used to, back then, before everybody was like, doing it on their apps and stuff. I used to balance my checkbook to the penny as a teenager.

[Interviewer]

Yes, I understand that. I have always been so. Even to this day, I tell everyone. It's like, I know the cost of.

[Emma Greed]

A pint of milk.

[Interviewer]

I know the cost of bread. I know what everything is, and I know how much is going in and how much is going out. And that will never leave me because that's just how I was raised.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

And that's one of the reasons that.

[Kandi Burruss]

Like, I don't know. And that's why I say I'm not as good with money now, because now I spend a lot of money. But it's because you have more money. Yeah, I got more money. And I know I have, like, you know, you have your nest egg that you don't touch, hopefully. Oh, no, you're not touching. No.

[Interviewer]

Do you consider yourself now as someone then who is good with money? Like, if you like. I'm just trying to understand because I think when you come from not very much and you make a lot of money, like, your relationship changes to money all the way along. Like, do you still feel like. I know you still have the fear, but you've obviously grown around, like, how you think about money.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

You're more relaxed with, like, how you spend it now.

[Kandi Burruss]

I'm very much relaxed. I'm spending it right now. And I was just saying I need to dig on, pull the reins because I've been spending too much lately. But I spent when my spending is not buying frivolous things like buying a new car or buying a house. Well, not least it's an investment property. Like, I don't just buy that type of stuff. I invest in more things for my business. But right now, my daughter is about to do her career. I'm investing in her and setting her up properly. Or a group. I'm working with a girl group now, so spending money on them to help them develop, you know.

[Interviewer]

But it's that speculate to accumulate. You're actually investing in things in your career, in your child, in your businesses.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, yeah, but I spend a lot.

[Interviewer]

What is your relationship like with your money? What do you mean, you gamble?

[Kandi Burruss]

I'm a gambler. I gamble on my ideas. So I'll take a big gamble if I want to see something work. You know what I mean? I gamble at the casino too, but only if I'm on vacation.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, I love that. I really love that about you. All right, so first of all, you get to the point where you win this Grammy Award, which is so unbelievable. And coming, like, from your background or the work that you've put in, that was, like, obviously a massive achievement. And then you end up on the Real Housewives of Atlanta, and I just need to understand, like, that jump in your life.

[Kandi Burruss]

That was crazy. Okay. So basically, you know, I had got comfortable with being behind the scenes. Then Tiny hit me up. She had this bright idea of this talk show she was trying to do that she wanted to put together. She's creative, too, but she loves to lean in on me for stuff like execution or whatever.

[Interviewer]

Make it happen.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, she's one of those. So, Candy, I was thinking about this idea I had. I want you to come. You know, so had this great idea doing this show. So it was me, her. It was Toya, which is Toya Johnson now. She's our friend. And then another young lady named Joy. Four of us, they had already started on the talk show they was trying to do, and they had already was working with James Dubose, who's a big producer. Anyway, in the midst of doing that, it was. Somebody had an interest in the show that we were putting together. And my friend Derek J. Who's a hairstylist, and he had appeared on Housewives with the first season, he had come to me. He was like, girl, so they looking for new Housewives for season two. He was like, I think you should be on the show. And I was like, oh, no, I'm busy. I'm doing something.

[Interviewer]

Had you seen the show?

[Kandi Burruss]

I watched the first season. I thought it was fun. I didn't see myself on it. So I was like, yeah, I'm doing something. And so then he was like, well, I'm gonna tell them to call you anyway because they need somebody with their own money. And I said, that's what he said. Those are his exact words. And I was like, yeah, yeah, whatever. So literally, like, maybe a week or a couple weeks after the people that were working that were signing the show. Well, actually, I can say it now. It was bet. BET was gonna do the show, but they decided to just use Tiny and Toya. Right. And so myself and other young lady, I said was a part of it. They no longer wanted us to be a part of it. And so I was just like. I was disappointed, but I was just like, all right, it's cool.

[Interviewer]

And is that just like, the normal ebbs and flows of being in your table? You didn't take that personally?

[Kandi Burruss]

I didn't Take it personally.

[Interviewer]

You were like, it's not for me.

[Kandi Burruss]

You know, they're still my friends. I wanted Tiny to still win, and she was the one who introduced it to me anyway.

[Interviewer]

Fair enough.

[Kandi Burruss]

So I was just like, okay, well, that's fine. But the thing about it, the reason why I brought her up is because she made me open minded and excited about the idea of possibly doing something on tv. And then a week after they told me they didn't want to use me, the people from Housewives called me and asked me could they interview me for the show. And I was like, all right, am.

[Interviewer]

I open at this point?

[Kandi Burruss]

You know, I was open. See, if it wasn't for doing the other thing, I wouldn't have been open to it.

[Interviewer]

Yes, I get that.

[Kandi Burruss]

But when they called me, I was like, okay, cool, you know, take a meeting, I'll take the meeting, or whatever. And I thought it was just gonna be something I did for fun for a year. I had no clue that that was gonna turn into something like me being on this show for 14 seasons and all the other spinoffs that came from it. I was. Who knew that my life was about to change at the time? But I guess you just have to be open.

[Interviewer]

You have to be open. I mean, Housewives has come with so many unbelievable benefits, I think for you, but for everyone who's gone through that show. But there's like the highs of it and there's like the low. The scrutiny that the housewives get is kind of unimaginable. Right. Like we. I feel like I know all the housewives. I tell everyone, Housewives is my guilty pleasure. I've watched Beverly Hills, Atlanta and New York probably every episode. It's like, I love it. And I watched it from early days, like, early nene you days. I was obsessed. But what have the downsides being versus the upsides? Like, do you look at it like that and go, it's bought you so much?

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, it has brought a lot. So what I will say the benefit of Housewives is in Bravo overall. It's a fan base that comes with it that is like no other.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Kandi Burruss]

You know, loyalty, loyal.

[Interviewer]

We've been watching that, like, our whole lives.

[Kandi Burruss]

Bravo fans are like no other fans. You know what I mean? And so the support that you get from the show now, when they don't like you, the hate can be brutal. They're gonna tell you too. Yeah, it can be brutal.

[Interviewer]

I think they have a right to tell you too.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. See, the thing is, that was crazy. Like, I thought because I had been in a music group, and we had already been in the public eye. I didn't think it was really gonna change my life like that, But I did not realize that. It just gave a whole second wind to everything I've been doing. Like, it took it to the next level, I guess. Like, it surpasses music, you know? And I'm going to say this, and people may or may not agree. I feel like reality fans are way more supportive and feel more connected to you than music and TV fans. I mean, now you can go, I'm.

[Interviewer]

Not musician or reality TV star, but I could understand that. Because you feel more of a sense of. I don't want to say ownership. That's the wrong word. But the familiarity, it feels really real. I feel like I know you and I don't know you.

[Kandi Burruss]

Like, I. Yeah, but you know, my family.

[Interviewer]

You know, your mom, I feel. I know your daughter. I feel like I know something about your relationship. Like, that's.

[Kandi Burruss]

That's the people I work with.

[Interviewer]

Yes, we feel that.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yes. So it's a different connection. So with that, a lot of great things have happened. And on top of it, I met my husband doing the show. Now, did I have a couple things that went left on that show.

[Interviewer]

I love one or two worst, but did it outweigh the good stuff? Like, when you look back with the hindsight. Cause now you've left the show after, like, so many years, you look back and you feel like, net positive. Or like, I could have seen net positive.

[Kandi Burruss]

I would say anytime net positive. And the reason why I say that is because, like I said, I met my husband on that show, and the support of the fans that I gained while doing that show, I cannot complain.

[Interviewer]

You cannot complain? Did you ever feel like. Because obviously you were there for so long, you see so many housewives come and go, and I mean across the franchise as well.

[Kandi Burruss]

Longest running straight, 14 season. That would be me.

[Interviewer]

She said, hands up.

[Kandi Burruss]

That would be me. Because everybody else and most people made it to number. But even if they do say they come to that number now, they never did it straight. They all were my favorite.

[Interviewer]

And I feel like so much of that was your favorite vulnerability, right? Because you went all in. Like, we knew the good, the bad, the ugly, all things. Did you ever feel like a sense of, like, I can't leave this, like, it's too good, like, almost like that golden handcuff kind of feeling?

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, it was a. It was definitely a hard decision to make. The reason being is because, you know, when you do something for that long, it's like, becomes a part of you and what you are used to. So it's like it's life changing to say, you know what? I'm not gonna do it anymore. You know, so that was the hard decision. Plus, the money was good. I'm not gonna lie.

[Interviewer]

It's that, yeah, that guaranteed check can't be that.

[Kandi Burruss]

It's a difference now. I know I'm still gonna make money, but it's like, it's a difference when, you know, all I gotta do is show up to this set and I'm. You know what I mean?

[Interviewer]

1,000. And that it's additive to so much of the rest of your business stuff. Cause there's a guaranteed amount of coverage. There's a guaranteed amount. It's built in right through the territory. What is it like watching from the sidelines now?

[Kandi Burruss]

It's like I don't. Do I have a fear of missing out? No, no.

[Interviewer]

No FOMO for you.

[Kandi Burruss]

No FOMO for me. And the funny thing is Cynthia told me that I probably would feel it once the show started, and I don't. And I think really the reason probably why is because I've been doing so much with Othello and. Yeah. So I'm. I don't feel like I missed a thing. Like, while they were filming last summer, I was on tour with Xscape and SWV and we had our big. We. We was killing it, so I had a great time.

[Emma Greed]

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[Interviewer]

Did you set up a bunch of things knowing you were coming out of the show? You're like, I gotta keep my relevancy. I've gotta keep myself busy.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yes, for sure. So coming. When I had made the decision to leave, I already knew that Othello was going to be happening. I already knew that the, well, the conversations about the tour was already happening as well. So I knew that I was gonna have.

[Interviewer]

That you're booked and busy.

[Kandi Burruss]

Well, I already knew I was gonna be doing something. Yes.

[Interviewer]

But so, because it's really difficult to leave if you don't have something going on, right? I mean, let's be fair. Would you have left, Would you have left in a quiet time and like, maybe. I mean, again, because all that time on that show, you could have been like, I'm gonna take a year off.

[Kandi Burruss]

Never. I wouldn't have never. I wouldn't have never did it even if I didn't have those things. I would have already. I would have already been putting, putting things in place, like certain things even when there's nothing going on. I'm going to make something. Like me and my husband, we've shot two movies in the past few months that we're Going to release soon. So it's going to be the thing about it. I always tell people I'm always working on my next move while I'm in my current move.

[Emma Greed]

But that's a big deal.

[Interviewer]

That is a very big deal. And I feel like it's one of the keys attributes of an entrepreneur. Like, you're always cooking. It's a bit like, you know, I just feel like that is the number one thing that you have to do. You always have to keep moving and keep creating and keep figuring out like, what's next? What's next.

[Kandi Burruss]

So remember when I said that I felt like my group, we kind of took for granted the success, right? So in the beginning we had our songs was to the point where you couldn't turn on urban radio without it being on one station. And sometimes we'd be like, ah, change the station, right? But when our group had split up and it was, you know, I started writing songs for people, but it was like a period of time where the songs weren't out yet. It was like that in between time where I just. I didn't know where my career was gonna be. I didn't know what was gonna happen for me. And I was really kind of like, stressed. Cause I get stressed if I don't know what's gonna happen next, right? And I remember the songs wasn't playing on the radio as much. It wasn't like to the point where, you know, oh, every time I turn on the radio, they're playing an Escape record anymore. And so I started feeling like, okay, panicking. And I said, if I ever get my career back to where it once was, I'm never gonna take it for granted again.

[Interviewer]

And have you never, never.

[Kandi Burruss]

You never. I never be. I never sit there and like, I don't believe my own height because I know for a fact, like, when I see people, they have, you know, they popping right now, they think that moment is gonna last forever.

[Interviewer]

And it never does.

[Kandi Burruss]

It does not.

[Interviewer]

It never does.

[Kandi Burruss]

By next year, people are gonna be sitting there looking at like, okay, onto the next one.

[Interviewer]

Especially now in today's culture because things move too much. Do you feel like you crave the limelight or do you crave the creativity? Or is it a mixture of both somehow?

[Kandi Burruss]

I crave the accomplishment. I'm an accomplishment person.

[Interviewer]

How do you stack up your accomplishments? Like what to you feels like? I mean, obviously a fellow, right? It's like when you get an award and you're standing on a stage with something, but how do you measure your Accomplishments these days, I just like to.

[Kandi Burruss]

Be able to say, okay, I was the first to do this, so I'm going in history. That's why I want to have the EGOT so bad. Because you do.

[Interviewer]

I love that you say that out loud.

[Kandi Burruss]

I don't, because I feel like you.

[Interviewer]

Speak to stand yourself up for.

[Kandi Burruss]

You speak things into existence. You speak them. Just. I have been saying that for years, let me tell you. Years. And I know people probably looked at me like, yeah, okay, whatever. But that year when we did Piano Lesson, I had. I was nominated for an Emmy and a Tony at the same time. And that's when I knew it's real. Even though I didn't get it that year, I was like, it's real because it's all about the work you put in and what you put your energy to. And if you concede the thought, you can make it happen. I'm telling you. So it was like, for everybody who doubted that that was possible, for me, it became very possible in that moment. And I'm gonna keep chasing it until I get it. But what I line up. Okay, so I was the first black woman to get songwriter of the year for ascap, which. That is one of my tops. Having a Grammy for a song of the year, that's a major thing to be the first woman to win. Masked Singer.

[Interviewer]

I love that one. I love that one, too.

[Kandi Burruss]

You know, to be the longest running housewife, no matter how you put it, there's a lot of them may come and go, but it's going to be a long time to say they did 14 years straight with no breaks. You know what I mean?

[Interviewer]

No one. I mean, no one. And I do look at that as achievement because, I mean, I look at you and I think you are. You've become known and someone who's synonymous but collecting their checks, right? Because while you've been doing Housewives, it's not like you've just been doing housewives. You have the restaurant business, you have a range of sex toys, you've got the theater. You've got all the things that have been going on in the background. So it's like you never essentially rested. Like, it's like you never just did housewives. You were always building. You're. You're a real entrepreneur.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah.

[Interviewer]

How hard does that thing?

[Kandi Burruss]

Too hard. I mean, it's stressful, especially some of it. That restaurant business is a doozy.

[Interviewer]

It's a doozy. It's a doozy. I have to tell you, my dream, like, in my heart, I See myself, like, it's like, I'm a cook, I'm a chef. I love it. And every now and again I'll say to my husband, I'm like, I should open a. And he's like, no, you don't.

[Kandi Burruss]

No, you absolutely don't do it.

[Interviewer]

Don't do it. It is hard business as well.

[Kandi Burruss]

It's extremely hard because it's not about if you are good at what you do. It's about the entire infrastructure and. And it's a lot of turnover.

[Interviewer]

Is that the hardest business that you've been a part of? The restaurant business?

[Kandi Burruss]

Extreme. The. I would give it number one. For sure. For sure.

[Interviewer]

Has it been worth it, Kandy? I feel like when your voice goes.

[Kandi Burruss]

Like that, I mean, because everything is not about the money. Yes.

[Interviewer]

We've definitely not.

[Kandi Burruss]

We've done put up great numbers, but it was a great. While we were doing it, like full steam ahead because. Yeah. I mean, it gave us a place where the fans could come and then it's also, you know, more of a connection that way. When you have a place where your fans could come and they can actually see you there.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Kandi Burruss]

You know, that's fun. And then, you know, the TV show that came from it and all of those things, and then my family was a part of it and it was giving us something fun and cool to do.

[Interviewer]

And that must be so lovely when you can involve them in your success. Yeah, yeah. And hard too, because working with family ain't easy.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, yeah. But I think after the pandemic happened, it just. The restaurant business became super hard.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah. And for so many people, not just for you. I want to talk to you about money because I read that you are self funding a lot of your businesses. How do you find that? And I guess, I guess my question is, given who you are and probably your ability to go out and raise money if you needed to, you've chosen to self fund a lot of what you've done.

[Kandi Burruss]

It's not that I feel like, because I, And I have to just say, because I did not go to school for this. I don't know that way. I only know the. Okay, I got an idea. I got some money. Let me figure it out and make it.

[Interviewer]

But no one's ever come to you and been like, let me, let me do this thing with you.

[Kandi Burruss]

I have a hard thing. I have a trust issue too. Yeah. And I'm just gonna be honest. I wouldn't even know how to set that up, you know, and so that's why When a lot of people ask me questions, I feel like I am learning as I'm doing. I'm definitely a person learning on the job, you know, so it's like, yes, I've been able to accomplish a lot in a lot of different areas, but it's mainly by trial and error. It's not because I knew what I was doing when I did it. You know what I'm saying?

[Interviewer]

You make a bunch of mistakes.

[Kandi Burruss]

Of course, of course. And. And for sure I have. But I think the thing about me, just because I make a mistake or something goes wrong or, you know, sometimes the people, first time they lose a little bit of money, they're ready to quit. Not me. I'm like, okay, well, that's to do.

[Interviewer]

Even when it's your own money, you've been like, okay, I can go back to the drawing board. I like, I gotta make it back.

[Kandi Burruss]

I gotta make that bet. I'm a gambler. That's what we do. We, we gamble on idea. It didn't work like that. Okay, let's go back, roll the dice again. Let's go. You know what I mean? And don't get me wrong, I. I feel, and I say this from the heart in any business because I don't know the normal way to do things or the to do it by the book. I feel like it works for me better a lot of times because people sometimes make too many rules to get to the point. I just know, okay, I'm here at A, I want to be at B.

[Interviewer]

You're gonna figure out.

[Kandi Burruss]

I'm figuring it out.

[Interviewer]

Figure it out.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, I'm gonna get to B. But if you went to school for it, you like, okay, we gotta do this and we gotta do that. It's gonna take another year before we set up this. And then no. Me, I'm like, okay, bye. That's the same thing with bedroom candy. I never forget. So I wanted to have a sex toy. And where did that come from?

[Interviewer]

What do you mean you just wanted to have sex? Why don't you just go and buy some sex toys? Why did you need to make the toys?

[Kandi Burruss]

Well, I was doing candy coated nights at the time, which was like an online talk show. I guess it was a podcast before podcast, and we talked about sex and relationships all the time. So we had built a following for it. And I was like, oh, it'll be cool if we had our own products or something to go with this. One of my friends at the time, she was like, you should have a sex toy. I Was like, that's a good idea. Don't ask me why, because at the time that wasn't popular. It wasn't. It was kind of taboo, especially in the black community, because everybody is always hush hushing everything about sex. Now everybody's more outspoken about it. But at that time, it was kind of like, what are you doing? You know, And I'm like, I want a sex toy.

[Interviewer]

Did you get backlash from your community?

[Kandi Burruss]

No, actually, I think it's all about in how you introduce ideas.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Kandi Burruss]

So I think the problem was back then it was always the porn star on the box or you had to go to some like, like scary sex shop to get a toy. Okay. No, my whole point in it is, is based on facts. Facts are a majority of women never accomplish an orgasm from penetration. So therefore get a little help. We need to learn our bodies and all of that. And it's all about sex and education. And that was the one thing that we never allowed to happen within our community. We had nobody who was just the normal woman who was a mom. Me, I was a single mom. I'm a business woman. And this is what it is. And I'm telling you, this is the truth. Whereas a lot of women, they wanted to have a toy or they had a toy, but they were scared to talk to people about it. I never had a problem talking about sex to anybody. So it just made people who, you know, kind of followed me, followed my journey, they felt more comfortable being part of the conversation.

[Interviewer]

How did that business work out?

[Kandi Burruss]

Excellent.

[Interviewer]

It did, yes. So glad for you. That's crazy because I read about it.

[Kandi Burruss]

I mean, it's been over a decade now. We're like 12 years in CVC model.

[Interviewer]

Right. Like people. Is it that type of thing?

[Kandi Burruss]

So after having our tours for you. Oh. So what I was saying was I decided anything I did on the show, if I talk about it, it has to be done and be able to see by the world by the end of the season. Meaning that has to happen. You're very developed. It has to be developed. And I need to have a product in my hand for you to see.

[Interviewer]

Where did that decision come from? How did you learn that?

[Kandi Burruss]

My first year on the show, I felt like, this show is cool, but the money ain't matching its popularity. And I was like, that money gotta match. So I was. And I'm a dependable. I'm a Taurus, dependable. If I say I'm gonna do something, it's done. I cannot stand seeing people on TV talking about what they wanna do and you never see it happen. And I was like, if I do that, you never gonna see me say something and it don't come together. That's just who I am as a person and I don't wanna be looked at as flaky. So if I say I'm gonna do it, it's gonna get done and it's.

[Interviewer]

Gonna come out by the end of the season.

[Kandi Burruss]

Exactly. Which means you working overtime while filming while you got all this other kind of stuff to make sure you got something that's quality that, you know, looks good, makes product and is ready to be seen and not just out by the time the show airs. I mean, by the time we finish filming.

[Interviewer]

Wow.

[Kandi Burruss]

So it has to.

[Interviewer]

You can actually use. Yes. It's like so you can use the leverage of the show to get the sales. Were all the Housewives doing that back then? Because I feel like it's become much more commonplace.

[Kandi Burruss]

Right.

[Interviewer]

You set. You set the actual benchmark for that being more of a thing, I guess.

[Kandi Burruss]

I guess.

[Interviewer]

I mean, in. In the Housewives. Not. No, yeah.

[Kandi Burruss]

I mean, yeah. I mean, I know Bethany, she had her product as well, her drink, she did very, very well with that. I don't know what her process was because I'm not gonna lie, I didn't watch the show at the time, so I didn't know what her process was. But for me, that's just how I work and that's anything that was with the product, you know. So you saw the bedroom candy, the toy, the actual toy. And we had a Candy Kisses, which is still one of our popular items to this day. We had it available and out. It was. No, not. It was. Came out by the time the show aired. But it was available for you to see at the party at the end of the season.

[Interviewer]

Amazing that year. Amazing.

[Kandi Burruss]

So. And then following out that year, it wasn't about the show, it was just about the business. And I wanted to do the multi level marketing for Bedroom Candy to help more female entrepreneurs. And then now we don't even just have women, we have, you know, non binary female, male. It doesn't matter. They're all a part. It's. I feel like we're like a clique now. More than a.

[Interviewer]

That's a real business for you 10 years later?

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, over 10 years. But yeah, you must be really proud.

[Interviewer]

Because I think there's one thing when you start a business and it does well and it impacts you and your family. But I think when you are giving people jobs and you're able to give people jobs like in their own. Like that feels good now.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, but that was something that I, that was a goal of mine back in long time ago, actually back when I did the Candy Factory. So that had to be like only three, four seasons in three seasons on tv. I guess when I did Candy Factory, it was a separate show. The first show I did. But I had my dream that year. Before the show even came about, I wanted to employ at least 100 people. That was my goal. Because I always want to like, I want to be a person that I use my opportunity to help make more opportunities. And I remember after we finished rapping Candy Factory and all the people that was working on everybody came together for a picture and I sat there and I was like, this is what I pray for. It's happening. So each year I make it a little bit bigger and bigger and bigger.

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[Interviewer]

Are you a builder, big goal setter?

[Kandi Burruss]

Yes.

[Interviewer]

Are you, like, physically writing them down or are you, like, praying and dreaming? Like, how do you do that? How do you do. How do you decide, like, this is what I want next?

[Kandi Burruss]

Well, right now I go through these modes of. Of doubt and, you know, like, where do I want to be right now? What do I want to do and what's my next move? You know, I started feeling all uneasy about it. In that moment, I'll be like, you know, I want to do this. And then all of a sudden, because my brain tell me that's what I want to do, I start doing it. And it just comes together somehow. Don't ask me how, but it just, it just does.

[Interviewer]

Because you're a force of nature. I mean that clearly it comes together because, like, you go and you put it together. It sounds like, like no one's handing you these opportunities. You are using your own money, you're bringing together your own connections. You're leveraging your, like, everything that you've built through the housewives and everything, like the, the legacy that's going to follow you after, but it's like you're making that stuff happen.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. But here's the other thing. I don't want people to think everything works because I do have moments.

[Interviewer]

Talk to me about that because I love to talk about failure. I had so many things didn't work out. But that's not what we post about on social media. But it's hard, right? It's like you have a lot of things that inevitably just like, flop. They don't work out.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. Well, I mean, I'll talk about, like, even with my restaurant right now, the old lady gang has done phenomenal for years, but the Blaze steak and seafood did not. You know what I mean? So the restaurant itself, it never really. It didn't, it didn't really make any money. It was just kind of there being a headache.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Kandi Burruss]

You know what I'm saying?

[Interviewer]

So many businesses are. I mean, that's part of it, right? Like, you're always. I remember someone saying to me, you know, running businesses, it's like you'll only ever be as happy as your. Your most Unhappy child. And it's the same with businesses. Like, you'll always have, like, one that's giving you problems, and that's just the life of an entrepreneur.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. And then even with. Because everything has been such a headache on the restaurant side, we decided to just narrow down old lady gang to one location.

[Interviewer]

Was that hard for you? Is it hard when you have to close something or take a step back? Like, how do you handle that?

[Kandi Burruss]

It's very much hard for me because, you know, I'm an accomplishments person. Like, that's my thing. So if I feel like I could not figure it out, I feel like everything can be figured out. I'm all about solutions. Anything can be fixed. But if I can't figure something out, it drives me insane.

[Interviewer]

Totally.

[Kandi Burruss]

It drives me.

[Interviewer]

I totally get that.

[Kandi Burruss]

Insane. So it's not that we couldn't figure it out. Just between. Just, you know, once you get, like, bad press on a situation, you know, it's hard to come out of that. And then you want to fix things. And so it's like our best way of fixing it. We're going to focus on the one and then figure out where we want to go from there.

[Interviewer]

Well, that's the added thing. Right. You have the scrutiny, which can be like a massive value add. But it can also, when things don't go right, it can really shine a light in places you don't necessarily need it or want it.

[Kandi Burruss]

It. Yeah, it is.

[Interviewer]

Yeah, it is what it is.

[Kandi Burruss]

I don't stress myself.

[Interviewer]

I want to ask you about your mistakes. Like, do you. I just want to understand more, like, the lessons that you've learned. Because again, I think that we don't talk about our mistakes. We don't talk about failure very much. But it is such a huge part of running businesses, of being an entrepreneur. What have you learned that you really think about and take to heart as you go into, like, as you're going into this next chapter, what are you thinking about, like, the last 15, 20 years of your career that you'll take forward?

[Kandi Burruss]

I'm trying to narrow my focus. Going as I feel like I am all over the place. And as my kids are getting older and they want to do things, I want to narrow my focus. Like, it's cool to have a lot of businesses, but at the same time is, you know, yeah, it's good money, but for me, things are not about the money right now. So I want to narrow more to the things that I love to do. So I want to do more music again. I want to Start writing more songs. And I want to do more film and TV projects that are produced by me and my husband. I want to do more creative stuff. Yeah, I'm going to try to make more time for that and just narrow my focus.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. I honestly think that's such amazing advice. Because to have priorities, like, I feel like, is the kind of key thing that makes you successful in business. When you can be really narrow and you can go really deep on a few things that actually really benefits you in such a big way. And I think it's interesting because, especially, listen, the more successful you get, the more choices you have. So it's hard to be narrow because you have a lot of opportunity in front of you. But again, if you said it's not about the check and you're such a creative that wants to do quality work, I understand that, like, narrowing it in makes it almost more interesting for you. No.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. I mean, I feel like I don't really have a point to prove about me being able to do a business because all the businesses that I did, did do were they lasted over a decade.

[Interviewer]

It's incredible.

[Kandi Burruss]

I would say that I don't feel like I have a point to prove to people about those things. What I have a point to prove to myself is getting this ego is I really want to focus more, Put it out there.

[Interviewer]

She said it.

[Kandi Burruss]

On the creative things and on the.

[Interviewer]

Things that are going to get you.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. Like, you know, whether it's music, tv, stage, whatever. Those are the things that I really want to hone in on. You know, take to the next level.

[Interviewer]

And you will, no doubt. I only have one more housewives question because I'm obsessed.

[Kandi Burruss]

Okay.

[Interviewer]

If you had to go into business with one of the housewives, or actually, let's do it like this. If you had to back a business by one of the housewives, who would it be?

[Kandi Burruss]

Oh, you trying to be funny?

[Interviewer]

It's a good question. Yeah. I feel like your face is the answer, but I don't know, child.

[Kandi Burruss]

Don't do it. Okay, okay, okay.

[Interviewer]

Let me say this, let me say this.

[Kandi Burruss]

Let me say this. Let me say this. Do I get to control everything? See, I think that's part of.

[Interviewer]

It's a partnership. Go on. You get to control it. You get to control it because we already know, like, you're a control person.

[Kandi Burruss]

Part of the problem is they don't be knowing what they doing or they don't. They don't have the gambler spirit.

[Interviewer]

They stop.

[Kandi Burruss]

They don't want to put up no Money. A lot of them don't want to use their own money.

[Interviewer]

Well, that's just a big. That's a big red flag for me. Anyone who's not willing to put a little bit of their own in, I'm like, well, why?

[Kandi Burruss]

And even if it's been people who probably want to invest money in them, they don't want to give up any control. So you gotta understand, you can't take the people money and the people have nothing to say. So if I was to be a part of anybody's businesses, they would have to let me kind of take the reins.

[Interviewer]

You're the CEO.

[Kandi Burruss]

Nah, it's just. I just wanna be able. Let me got the shit what you get. Let me help you. Let us get money. Let me help you.

[Interviewer]

It's a housewife as a staff member, Is that what you're looking for?

[Kandi Burruss]

No, it's not that I. Not that they can't make the money. I'm not trying to take any money out their pocket. No, but just let me make the decisions.

[Interviewer]

Okay. Okay. I think she didn't.

[Kandi Burruss]

That's all I'm saying.

[Interviewer]

I think she said none of them.

[Kandi Burruss]

I didn't say nothing. You know what, this is a funny thing.

[Interviewer]

I'm putting words in your mout.

[Kandi Burruss]

Even though me and Sheree fell out bad in that last season, I always felt like she by Sheree is the brand of the whole housewives. The biggest brand that never really made it to its full potential.

[Interviewer]

Okay, so it's a she by charade relaunch.

[Kandi Burruss]

Well, I don't know about that. I mean, back then. You mean right now? To this day? Nah, I wouldn't do none of them.

[Interviewer]

Okay, we'll move on. We're moving on.

[Kandi Burruss]

Nah, I thought you meant like while I was on the show or you know.

[Interviewer]

So talking of reality TV stars, your lovely daughter Riley is about to go onto a new show. Can you tell me a bit about it?

[Kandi Burruss]

Oh, Riley is going to be on the Next gen nyc.

[Interviewer]

So cute.

[Kandi Burruss]

And so I'm so excited for her because, you know, now, you know, I got her a publicist and a stylist and she's doing her thing. You know what I mean?

[Interviewer]

I love you. Are you. Are you a bit of a momager? Is this happening?

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I'm trying not to be too harsh, but you know, I'm paying for everything, so look, this is what needs to be done.

[Interviewer]

Well, you can have a Lego period.

[Kandi Burruss]

I see. I. I have a vision of where I want to see my daughter Go, yes. And, yeah, I need everybody to be on this vision. Let's get her where she needs to be.

[Interviewer]

So, given everything, your honestly extraordinary career as a creative, as a businesswoman, as an entrepreneur, you started out in Atlanta. I was really surprised when I was doing my research.

[Kandi Burruss]

Really?

[Interviewer]

Yes. Because I was looking. When I do research, I usually go. I'm looking for, like, the New York Times for Variety, for Hollywood Reporter. And I was like, well, you're so accomplished. You won so many awards. You did so many things. Like, where was that article? I thought it was, like, a little bit surprising because you have so many accolades, and I feel like maybe the best is just yet to come for you. Like, maybe, like, the end of Housewives is the beginning of everything. Like, I don't know.

[Kandi Burruss]

Honestly, I think it is. And the reason why I say that is as wonderful as a platform Housewives is people discriminate against housewives. There's a little stupid business community discriminates against real Housewives talent or whatever, for.

[Interviewer]

Whatever the board you believe.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. Like, certain shows, you don't see housewives come on as guests. Certain magazines, you never see them highlight what housewives are doing.

[Interviewer]

I mean, it's factual because I looked. Yeah.

[Kandi Burruss]

So I think. And even in TV and film, it was one time before I did the shy. I had got a role on a really. Let me say this. The director, the producers, and casting wanted me for this role. And my agent was like, oh, you know, you got the role, and whatever, because that's norm. But it's another process. It has to be approved by the network. So he was like, yeah, you got it. You know, I was like, okay. I was excited. I told my friends, and next thing, I found out that I didn't get it. And I was like, what happened? And they were like, the network didn't want to look like they were stunt casting, so they didn't want to. It wasn't about if I had the talent to do the role. It was just because people knew me from Housewives. And, you know, I don't want to say what show it was or whatever ended up being a big show. And I was so sad about it, and I cried. It was, like, so messed up. But. But I tell you that to say it was a gift and a curse being on the show. So there are so many things that I want to accomplish, and I feel like the door opens a little bit more now that I'm not on the show, which is crazy.

[Interviewer]

Yeah. And thankfully, you've got this incredible platform. An unbelievable fan Base. And you've been building outside the show since day one, so no doubt you've got all the best things to come.

[Kandi Burruss]

Thank you.

[Interviewer]

No doubt. I want to take you to a very quick, quick fire round. The rapid. The rapid fire round.

[Kandi Burruss]

Okay.

[Interviewer]

Candy, what is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

[Kandi Burruss]

It's bad, but I pick up my phone and look at Instagram.

[Interviewer]

At least you're honest, girl. Don't answer the same answer to the next question. What's the last thing you do before you go to bed?

[Kandi Burruss]

Probably pick up the phone and look at Instagram. It's terrible. I'm terrible.

[Interviewer]

And he's not helping you get restful sleep.

[Kandi Burruss]

I know it's terrible.

[Interviewer]

That's not it. What are you currently aspiring?

[Kandi Burruss]

Well, last. Last night I was getting it in. Okay. Okay.

[Interviewer]

Using your products or. No, just natural. Oh, natural.

[Kandi Burruss]

Just natural. Okay.

[Interviewer]

Good for you, girl. Yes. What are you currently aspiring for in your business life?

[Kandi Burruss]

Oh, well, what I was saying to just kind of gain more focus on the things that fulfill me.

[Interviewer]

Yes, great answer. And what are you aspiring for in your personal.

[Kandi Burruss]

To find the balance. To make sure I'm giving my kids the time and, you know, all the. All the love that they need.

[Interviewer]

Do you believe in work life balance, Candy?

[Kandi Burruss]

I haven't found it yet, thank you very much, but I'm trying.

[Interviewer]

Correct answer.

[Kandi Burruss]

You feel the same?

[Interviewer]

Oh, girl. I mean, I've got a long. I don't know if I should mention work life balance anymore.

[Kandi Burruss]

You got guilt, you have.

[Interviewer]

Well, I have no guilt. I just get a lot of. I just get a lot of commentary on my feelings about work life balance because I don't think that it exists.

[Kandi Burruss]

Oh, okay.

[Interviewer]

And I think it's very hard to find it. And I think if we just stopped trying to find it, we'd probably end up with more of it. Because I don't. I don't think it's there. I think that you do whatever you're doing to the best of your ability in the moment, you're doing it. If I'm with my kids, I'm with my kids. If I ain't. And I'm doing something over there, I'm doing the thing over there, but I'm not going to be made to feel.

[Emma Greed]

Guilty about it the whole time.

[Kandi Burruss]

I love that.

[Interviewer]

I don't understand. Like, Like, I love it. Like, I'm just trying to live about a bit about me there. Tell me, darling, a book that changed your life.

[Kandi Burruss]

Oh, the Millionaire Next Door.

[Interviewer]

Oh, it's A good one? Yeah, it's a very good one. Okay, what is something that you valued when you were starting out your career that you don't anymore?

[Kandi Burruss]

Oh, something that I valued that I don't anymore?

[Interviewer]

Please.

[Kandi Burruss]

That's a good question.

[Interviewer]

There must have been something that you really cared about that you're like, that is not a thing anymore. Did you care about pleasing people? Did you care about what other people thought of you? Did you. Were you bothered about your. What your mom was doing? Like, I don't know, something.

[Kandi Burruss]

Okay, okay, okay. My mom. The mom is my mom. My mom, it used to like, totally. She'd be upset with me. It would totally ruin my day. And I could not like, like, think for the rest of the day.

[Interviewer]

Yes.

[Kandi Burruss]

Like, it would make. We know that it would be like crushing to me. But now I'm like, she'll be all right. It took a long time for me to get there, though.

[Interviewer]

That's training. That's real growth. That's hard.

[Kandi Burruss]

It took a long time.

[Interviewer]

Yes. Because you are raised to care about what your mom thinks. That you're constantly seeking your mother's approv. And then one day you're like, no.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. But don't get me wrong. I love my mom dearly. That's why I want her to see it. We know and think that I. You know, I'm not saying that I don't.

[Interviewer]

No, no, no.

[Kandi Burruss]

I'm just saying that now I don't get crushed with.

[Interviewer]

It's not day ruining. No, you think about it for a few minutes and then you're moving on.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yeah. Emily, she gonna be all right.

[Interviewer]

That's the real crush. Here we go.

[Kandi Burruss]

But I've never been one who. I've never been the one been one to care about what other people think about me.

[Interviewer]

That's the case.

[Kandi Burruss]

And I'm okay with being disliked.

[Interviewer]

You have a thick skin.

[Kandi Burruss]

I have a very. And on Housewives you don't have. You can't help but having a thick.

[Interviewer]

Thick, thick, thick skin. Because you would be dead on the floor if you cared for all those people. Think.

[Kandi Burruss]

Yes. No. But I laugh to this day. Me and my friend Carmen, we laugh about this all the time in middle school. Don't ask me why. I do not know what I did to these girls. These girls. It was a couple of girls. Lames. They had the I hate candy bars club that bitches.

[Interviewer]

How dare they? Did you know at the time, uh.

[Kandi Burruss]

Cause they didn't have. They didn't have the nerve to tell me. They basically. I'll never forget this. I was in the gym locker room, and it was the girls. It was like, you know, they were talking about their club. It was ihkb. And I was like, oh, that's cute. Y' all got a little club. What's up? And they made up a whole nother name to tell me that it meant, like, something heart, something. I don't know.

[Interviewer]

You didn't know?

[Kandi Burruss]

So they leave out the locker room. And so the other girl that I knew was, like, laughing, and she was like, you know what that really means, right? And I was like, what? And she was like, ihkb, The I Hate Candy Bars Club.

[Interviewer]

But you didn't laugh like that. Don't tell me you laughed like that.

[Kandi Burruss]

I did.

[Interviewer]

Oh, I would have lied.

[Kandi Burruss]

What? I was like, they are so lame. Like, come on. I thought it was, like, funny to be honest with you, because I was like, what? That's so corny. You couldn't even say that. You got the nerve to make the club, but you didn't have the nerve to tell me, like, okay, no, those people.

[Interviewer]

Those people ain't telling you right.

[Kandi Burruss]

So every time my name ends up in a blog of some hating ass ho got something to say about me, me and my friend Carmen laughed. He said, oh, oh, there go the I Hate Candy bars club. A group of lames in my. I said, see, I ain't know what it was. See, God was. God was training me. I know now for what I had to come. Like, I'm used to it. This is it.

[Interviewer]

You were just in preparation.

[Kandi Burruss]

I was in prepar.

[Interviewer]

That was to come. Yes. But let me tell you, Kandy, this is the We Love Candy Burris club. Now let me tell you over here at Aspire with Evergreen, we love you. I'm so grateful to you and I genuinely mean it. I'm so grateful for your time and I'm really happy to meet you. But also that, you know, some people, like. It's such a disappointment. You are the least disappointing woman in the world. This was a pleasure. Thank you.

[Kandi Burruss]

It's really great meeting you as well.

[Interviewer]

Me too.

[Emma Greed]

If you're loving this podcast, be sure to click follow on your favorite listening platform. While you're there, give us a review and a five star rating and share an episode you loved with a friend. We'll be so grateful. Aspire with Emma Greed is presented by Audacy. I'm your host, Emma Greed. Our executive producers are Corrine Gilliatt Fisher, Derrick Brown, and me. Our executive producers from Audacy are Maddy Sprung, Keyser, Leah Reese, Dennis, Asha Salouja and Jenna Weiss Berman. Our producer is Kristin Torres. Sound design and engineering by Bill Schultz. Angela Peluso is our booker. Original music by Charles Black Video production by Evan Cox, Kirk Courtney, Andrew Steele, Carlos Delgado and Arnie Agassi. Social media by Olivia Homan. Special thanks go to Britney Stone Smith, Sydney Ford. My teams at Jonesworks and WNE Maura Curran, Josephina Francis, Hilary Schuff, Eric Donnelly, Kate Hutchinson, Rose Tim Meekol, Sean Cherry and Lauren Vieira. If you have questions for me, you can DM me at Aspire with Emma Greed. Greed is spelled G r e D e. That's Aspire A S P I R E with Emma Greed. Or you can submit a question to.

[Interviewer]

Me on my website.

[Emma Greed]

Emma Greed Me.