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Founder's Story
The Untold Story of Eric Bellinger: Virality, Vulnerability, and the Real Business of Music | Ep 288 with Eric Bellinger
00:18:57
Eric Bellinger joins Founder’s Story while on tour to talk about the real journey behind the fame. In this raw, nostalgia-filled conversation, he reveals how a simple voicemail changed his life, what the industry gets wrong about virality, why R&B never died, how artists should really be making money today, and the mindset that kept him grounded from Compton to global stages.
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- [00:00]
Narrator (Walmart/AM PM Ad)
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- [00:32]
Carvana Advertiser / Sarah
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- [00:56]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
Carvana.
- [00:57]
Carvana Advertiser / Sarah
Pick up. Fees may apply.
- [01:01]
Grainger Advertiser
If you're a maintenance supervisor for a commercial property. You've had to deal with everything from leaky faucets to flickering light bulbs. But nothing's worse than that ancient boiler that's lived in the building since the day it was built 50 years ago. It's enough to make anyone lose their cool. That's where Grainger comes in. With industrial grade products and dependable, fast delivery, Grainger can help with any challenge, from worn out components to everyday necessities. Call clickranger.com or just stop by Ranger for the ones who get it done.
- [01:35]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
So I'm excited today because we have a legend here who is on tour right now, which is, I mean, that's. I don't think we've ever interviewed anyone who is currently on tour but Eric Bellinger. What a story, man. What a story. Let's go back to before you were famous, before you were writing hits for the most incredible artists on the planet. Who was Eric and what was your dream?
- [02:04]
Eric Bellinger
Yeah, man, Eric Bellinger was always an ambitious man of faith. You know, I grew up in, in church and strongly believed in God and spirituality and believe that anything I put my mind to, you know, I could achieve it. So I was always walking with faith and victory even before the winds started rolling in.
- [02:30]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
And I heard you talk about, you worked at Chuck E. Cheese. I mean, it's always funny to hear like the jobs that people had, but you were even, you were like literally the voice. Like you were the voice of voicemails or answering machines back in the day. How did that transition to. To being in the music industry.
- [02:49]
Eric Bellinger
So crazy part is, I used to sing, you know, back, you know, when I grew up, we would. We would have an answer machine on our cell phone and we would turn up the music. And then when it was time, like, leave a message and it's like.
- [03:04]
And then you turn it down. Yo, what's going on? This is Eric. Make sure you leave a message, call me back, and then you turn the music up. But I was like, all right, how can I take that experience to the next level? And I literally used to sing on all my friends voice messages and answer machines. And I actually got discovered because one of my friends who I sang on our voice on our answering machine, rather her godmother was an ANR for Babyface. So she was like, yo, who is that singing on your. On your answering machine? And sure enough, that's how I connected with, you know, my biggest supporter and believer.
- [03:43]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
I love how nostalgia is coming back around and that. That is a wild story. Sorry, going back to what you just said, I think a lot of people nowadays are like, you know, when they look at social media, like, I need everything to go viral, but I don't. But, like, why does it go viral? Why do you need it to go viral in the sense for you, literally, one person hearing your voice changed your life. So how do you. How do you think about that in terms of. Do you think we have it all wrong? Like, do we need a million people to hear us to be successful? Or if we just get into the, you know, the. In front of the right people? Is that all we need? Yeah.
- [04:18]
Eric Bellinger
Now, I always tell, you know, I have a label always entertainment, and I always encourage them to not worry about the numbers and to just pose. Because, for example, if Beyonce hears something that she absolutely loves and that she's a fan of, she'll just put it in the set. She'll put it in her tour because it inspired her. So, you know, it's not about how many people are watching, but it's about the right person watching to help amplify your vision.
- [04:45]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
Man, I love your story. So you're on this tour, you're with Jagged Edge and Lloyd and you. Epic, man. Like, it brings back so many memories. It's kind of crazy how music. You can listen to a song and you can remember exactly where you were, what you were doing, and the song lyrics, but I can't even tell you what I did last week. How is it to be on such this nostalgia tour and. And what's the Energy of the people going.
- [05:13]
Eric Bellinger
It's a lot of music lovers, a lot of R B heads. And it feels great because for a long time people were trying to say like, R and Boo's day or R and B is not. That's popping. But, you know, I'm just glad I have to stay true and just kept doing what I love doing because sure enough, it came back around. And the energy in every room, every show, every night is sold out. You know, I finished my say, I go in the crowd, I watch the rest of the set. You know, it's. It's just beautiful to celebrate R and B together in a communal way in 2025.
- [05:47]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
You know, man, I love. I grew up hip hop. R and B is pretty much what I grew up listening. But you've had hits for Chris Brown, Usher, Justin Bieber. How is it for you being behind the scenes when you're writing versus being at the forefront?
- [06:03]
Eric Bellinger
Oh, man, it's totally different. Totally different. It still feels, you know, like a connection while. While I'm watching. For example, I went to Chris Brown's concert recently, and it was fire to see the songs that we created together perform on such a large scale and see all the people singing along and seeing all the feelings. 50 dancers and the, you know, him flying in the air. Like there's nothing like seeing the vision on that scale. But to also be able to perform my songs, you know, when I'm on tour and feel that same feeling, except I'm able to look at the people that I've actually impacted, see the people that sing along to my music every day in their cars, do the meet and greets with them. So I get the best of both worlds because not only do I get to feel the love on the artist side, but I get to see the love on the songwriter side.
- [06:55]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
What's the feeling like when you're sitting in a restaurant or somewhere and all of a sudden a song comes on, whether it's your song or a song you wrote. I always wanted to know, what does that feel like?
- [07:07]
Eric Bellinger
Yeah, man, it's definitely. It's definitely good. You know, at times I wonder if they know I'm there. You know what I'm saying? Sometimes it's like they do and sometimes they don't. But I stopped trying to figure out which one it was and just enjoy it, you know, when it comes on, it's like, y. You know, me, maybe some people around me might. Might put a camera out, but it's definitely a celebration because not only is that, you know, ASCAP checks bmi, royalties from the song getting, you know, that play. But it's just a celebration for the hard work, you know, especially being music is the gift that keeps on giving because even when the artist isn't performing, the song is still performing.
- [07:53]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
It's amazing. I think social media now is like, bringing back a lot of these songs. Like, all of a sudden your hit from 18 years ago becomes like a dance trend out of nowhere. So how are you seeing, like, this whole. This TikTok trend of music and dancing, merging, and then also now with AI and AI being able to write and now create songs? Like, how are you. How are you looking at technology since you have a label and you're also, you know, helping artists?
- [08:21]
Eric Bellinger
Yeah, well, man, it's dope. Especially TikTok. You can't ignore TikTok. I've seen the stat recently where it was like 70 to 80% of the songs that are the top charting songs on Billboard started off viral on TikTok, you know, so it's obvious because that's just the platform, you know, that's where most of the new next generation is, and that's their discovery point of music, as opposed to MTV, BET and VH1 that we grew up on. So you have to pay attention to the social media. You have to pay attention to these platforms because that is your direct.
- [08:57]
You know, visibility to the consumer. So when it comes to AI, you know, I see a lot of people kind of shunning away from it, but I'm just embracing it and knowing that no one is bigger than the program. So it's like, why not get involved? Why not see the ways that you can use it as a tool as opposed to try to fight against it?
- [09:15]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
I love that mindset when you talk about mtv. I remember mtv, the grind. I used to dance, like all, you know, just 247 dancing on that show. I'd be like, dancing along. That was like TikTok before there was TikTok. You've. You've collaborated with, you know, legends, right? Is there any sort of story that you remember that came out while you were either collaborating with them or maybe there was a collaboration that didn't even happen for whatever reason. Is there anything you can share?
- [09:47]
Eric Bellinger
Yeah, I mean, definitely. I think it's dope. You know, every time I get in the studio with Chris Brown, it's always just something different, you know what I mean? And I just enjoy creating with people that are fearless, you know, when it comes to creativity. Like from the first session we had.
- [10:07]
Carvana Advertiser / Sarah
Hey, this is Sarah. Look, I'm standing out front of a.m. p.m. Right now and, well, you're sweet and all, but I found something more fulfilling, even kind of cheesy. But I like it. Sure, you met some of my dietary needs, but they've just got it all. So farewell oatmeal. So long, you strange soggy.
- [10:25]
Narrator (Walmart/AM PM Ad)
Break up with bland breakfast and taste AM PM's bacon, egg and cheese biscuit made with K tree eggs, smoked bacon and melty cheese on a buttery biscuit. AM PM Too much good stuff.
- [10:37]
Time.
- [10:37]
Carvana Advertiser / Sarah
It's always vanishing. The commute, the errands, the work functions, the meetings. Selling your car. Unless do you sell your car with Carvana? Get a real offer in minutes, get it picked up from your door. Get paid on the spot so fast you'll wonder what the catch is. There isn't one. We just respect you and your time. Oh, you're still here. Move along now. Enjoy your day. Sell your car today, Carvana. Pick up. Fees may apply.
- [11:07]
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- [11:36]
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- [12:34]
Eric Bellinger
Everything that we were doing, we were trying something that we had all never heard. You know, it was like let's mix Michael Jackson. Let's mix Stevie Wonder. Let's mix French sounds, let's mix London sounds, let's mix, you know, and we did a song called say It With Me and we did a song called oh My Love the very next day. And it's interesting because you go back and you listen to them now, and it's like, this is still something that I've never heard, you know, so to be able to just create with people that love music, it's just such an incredible feeling because you go into the studio with nothing, and now you come out with a product that lives forever.
- [13:18]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
It reminds me in like 2002, I was selling ringtones for next cell phones. And our number one neck, our number one song was reggaeton at that time. This is 2002. I didn't really understand the words, but I love the music. And it got me thinking about how universal music is. Like, nowadays we're hearing. What do you. What is your thoughts on this in terms of, like, different languages, different. Different countries? Music is merging together now, and you have artists collaborating from all around the world, man.
- [13:51]
Eric Bellinger
It's important, you know, like, if you think too regional, it's impossible for your music to go international, you know. My last two albums that I did were based in Africa, you know, I flew out to South Africa and recorded them all. All the songs in Kicktown, you know. And recently when I just did the album release party and all that stuff, I did it in Lagos, Nigeria, you know, so it's important to plant seeds in different territories so that, you know, you can be a global artist, you know, and all of the countries that are out there can, you know, be able to share your music.
- [14:27]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
I. A couple years ago, I was in Lagos, Nigeria, and they wanted me to dance to Afrobeats. I had such an amazing time. Like, the people, it was so much fun. The food was amazing. It was. It was definitely a magical experience that I still connect. I made so many great friends while I was there. Fascinating place to visit. How do you. How is it when it. When it comes to, like, fan interactions? I've always wondered, like, how does it feel to be an artist to have all these people, like, they want you to do an autograph or they want to take pictures. Like, how is that feeling to somebody? You know, this. This fame. Fame is always an interesting thing, right? Like, I'm not sure if it's always good for people or if it can be negative for people, right? Like, how is it. How is fame and this whole process.
- [15:18]
Eric Bellinger
Man, I look at. I look at it like you just have to keep a humble mindset, you know, in it all. Because the people are giving you so much gratification. And I do think it's necessary for artists that truly pour themselves out, you know, as much as I dedicate my time and my energy, blood, sweat and tears, as they say, it would be a lot if no one were to come. Like yesterday, for example, someone gave me an entire bouquet of flowers at my meeting Creek before the show. So I have a line of people to meet and hear their story, give them a hug, thank them for listening to the music. And someone gave me some flowers and it was just incredible. And then the T shirt that I'm wearing right now, someone gave me this T shirt. It's two songwriters.
- [16:08]
And that's why there's two V's for the next. And you know, I wear it, I appreciate them. And it's super dope, man, to touch the people.
- [16:18]
That I've touched musically and for them to come back and, you know, give me that same energy and connection when we meet at the shows.
- [16:29]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
I've heard nothing but amazing things about you, by the way. I did a lot of research, I watched, I talked to people and everyone has said the same thing, that you are like an incredible human being and you're super humble and kind of. And I've talked to other artists who may not always, or people in the entertainment industry, I should say, and they weren't always the same way. So hats off to you. I think that's part of what's enabled you to stay relevant for so long when you. I'm really interested in like the business of music nowadays. I think it used to be like, sell albums, you know, platinum selling and. And obviously there was tours and like people were making money and know you had to sign with a record label. Now there's a lot of like independent artists and people doing their own thing and obviously making money in different ways. How, like what is the way that artists nowadays can. Can make money from or. Or create a business from music?
- [17:26]
Eric Bellinger
Yeah, well, I mean, for starters, if you are making your own music and you're putting it out yourself, you get checks monthly. You know, it's as simple as that. You might have been wait like three or four months for the music to actually get through the system and people, you know, actually start streaming and your music actually starts making money. But every single month you can get a check from royalty statements. And another thing is shows, you know, once you get enough of demand, like I was saying, people will want to see you. Promoters will pay to have you at their venues. And it doesn't just start with the music. You know, you can be funny and people will want to see you, you can be fashion and people will want to see you. Whatever you can do that makes a promoter feel like if they put you on that flyer, some people are going to come because they want to see you, they want to take a picture, they want to, you know, you will bring the aura, you'll bring the atmosphere. It's up to you. You know what I mean? So now that's that department. Now you also have like brand deals where say for example, someone loves, you know, this hat. For example, someone sent me this hat. And now we're potentially going to do a partnership with hats. And this is company called Circa Studio. And it really starts with just networking and being willing to work and let people know like, yo, I support you and I'm down to cross collaborate because that automatically shares your fan base with their fan base. And it's really what it's all about is collaborating because you know, we can all get to bigger audience, bigger returns and just from working together. So I think that's just a few things, you know, and not including what else features. If someone wants you on their song, it's like, yo, you know, you could start off at 500, but it can go up to like $50,000 just from someone wanting you on their record. So you can't look at it like it's going to play pay you only from the streams or only from the publishing because you know, there's so many different avenues and streams of income possible through music.
- [19:29]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
Well, I appreciate how much you're encouraging artists to do their thing and to live their dreams. If there was one lesson that you learned that you think every artist needs to hear, it could be, you know, from a really down and out situation that happened or, or something that you missed along your journey. What is one lesson that you, you think every artist should hear?
- [19:50]
Eric Bellinger
I think you just need to be aggressive with what you feel you're entitled to, you know, and also be open to the reality of the truth, you know, so if someone is like not aware of what they're making, not aware of their contracts, not aware of what their percentages or ownership is, that's on them. I would say, yo, find out and be on it. You know, be relentless until you can find out. If and when it comes to your expectation, you just have to be a realist and know that, yo, it's up to me to get hot. You know, if no one wants to come to the shows or if it's not going platinum or if it's not viral or whatever it is, it's like it's no one but you, you know? So instead of looking for someone to blame, always, you know, look for a crack in the system on your end or a flat tire on the car. You know, just look in the mirror first instead of trying to figure out the issue with other people.
- [20:49]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
I like that sometimes we get caught up, you know, paying too much. I think social media, we pay too much attention to everyone else around us versus really looking inward and seeing how, you know, how we can get better. So, Eric, if people want to get in touch with you, they want to find out more, Obviously they can. You still have this tour going on. How can they do?
- [21:08]
Eric Bellinger
So, yeah, make sure you hit me up, man. My Instagram is Eric Bellinger. Just my full name, Eric C, B E L, L, I, N, G, E, R. And you can also hit me up on X. You can hit me up on my website, ericbelinger.com and man, all wins ENT is the Instagram to reach out to me or any of my team members. If you want to join our distribution company and get some help with your artist development, get some help with media training, producers, songwriters, studio time, executive production, graphics, videography, you know, A and R ing. That's what we're all about. Bringing that back to make sure people have the proper tools and they're led in the right direction from the beginning.
- [22:00]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
Well, Eric, it's honored to have you. I remember listening to your songs like Go and all the other hits you've had on top of this. Like, when I was looking at the songs that you've written for other artists too, I'm like, oh, I love that song. I love that song. I love that song. Got that song on Spotify. I'm like, man, I sometimes, because like you said, you don't always know who. Who is involved with the song because it's normally just the artist. So when you. When you break it down, it's incredible. So I'm honored that you're on here today. And I think the audience is going. I think our audience is going to have a nostalgia. They're going to be like, I need to go to this concert. And whatever you're doing, I hope they reach out. But, Eric Bellinger, thank you so much for joining us today on Founder Story.
- [22:44]
Eric Bellinger
No problem. I appreciate it. Thanks for the love and time and just, you know, the opportunity to tell people a little bit more about my story.
- [22:57]
Carvana Advertiser / Sarah
Hey, this is Sarah. Look, I'm standing out front of a.m. p.m. Right now and well, you're sweet and all, but I found something more fulfilling. Even kind of chill cheesy, but I like it. Sure, you met some of my dietary needs, but they've just got it all. So farewell oatmeal. So long you strange soggy.
- [23:15]
Narrator (Walmart/AM PM Ad)
Break up with bland breakfast and taste AM PM's bacon, egg and cheese biscuit made with cage free eggs, smoked bacon and melty cheese on a buttery biscuit. AM P M Too much good stuff.
- [23:27]
Grainger Advertiser
If you're a maintenance supervisor for a commercial property, you've had to deal with everything from leaky faucets to flickering light bulbs. But nothing's worse than that ancient boiler that's lived in the building since the day it was built 50 years ago. It's enough to make anyone lose their cool. That's where Grainger comes in. With industrial grade products and dependable, fast delivery, Grainger can help with any challenge, from worn out components to everyday necessities. Call clickgrainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.
- [23:57]
Indeed Advertiser
Hiring isn't just about finding someone willing to take the job. You need the right person with the right background who can move your business forward. If you want candidates who truly match what you're looking for, trust Indeed Sponsored Jobs With Indeed sponsored Jobs, your post stands out to quality candidates who actually fit the role. According To Indeed data, 90% are more likely to be hired and trusted by 1.6 million companies. Spend more time interviewing candidates who check all your boxes. Less stress, less time, more results. Now with Indeed Sponsored Jobs and listeners of this show will get a 75 doll sponsored job credit to help your job get the premium status it deserves@ Indeed.com podcast13 just go to Indeed.com podcast13 right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.com podcast 13 terms and conditions apply. Hiring do it the right way with Indeed.
- [24:54]
Eric Bellinger
Using my GI Bill taught me I.
- [24:56]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
Can do anything and seeing me graduate.
- [24:58]
Eric Bellinger
Taught my daughter she can too.
- [25:00]
Interviewer / Podcast Host
VA benefits cover tuition, housing and supplies. Get what you earned.
- [25:04]
Grainger Advertiser
Visit choose.va.gov not all veterans are eligible for the hyper amount of benefits mentioned here.
- [25:10]
Eric Bellinger
If you like the show, please take a moment to rate, review and subscribe. It really does help the show to grow. Thank you for listening.