HAPPY JUNETEENTH! (Loren and DJ Envy discuss the Holiday and the community)

Summary

The Breakfast Club Podcast Summary

Episode Title: HAPPY JUNETEENTH! (Lauren and DJ Envy Discuss the Holiday and the Community)
Host/Authors: DJ Envy, Lauren LaRosa
Guest: Honey Baby
Release Date: June 20, 2025

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Introduction

In this special Juneteenth episode of The Breakfast Club, hosts DJ Envy and Lauren LaRosa delve into the significance of Juneteenth, celebrate community achievements, and highlight the importance of supporting Black-owned businesses. The episode features an engaging interview with Honey Baby, a rising music artist from Jersey, who shares her insights and experiences related to the holiday and her burgeoning career.

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Juneteenth Significance

Lauren LaRosa opens the conversation by expressing her personal reflections on Juneteenth. She likens the holiday to "seasoning," emphasizing its role in bringing out the richness of Black culture and community spirit.

Lauren LaRosa [04:22]: "Juneteenth to me means seasoning... It feels like home, and I'm gonna feel community and love and a big hug."

Honey Baby expands on this by highlighting the importance of collaboration within the Black community, especially in celebrating freedom and fostering mutual support.

Honey Baby [04:32]: "Collaboration, in my opinion, is way better than competition. If we could collaborate with each other, there's so much that we can do."

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Community Events and Support

Lauren discusses the Juneteenth events held at the American Dream Mall in New Jersey, which featured Black-owned small businesses, an expungement clinic, and realtors assisting community members in home-buying. These initiatives aim to provide tangible support and resources to everyday people.

Lauren LaRosa [05:25]: "I would love to see more things like this where you're bringing in these small businesses... it's right there at arm's reach."

Honey Baby underscores the necessity of providing opportunities and resources directly to the community, advocating for initiatives that offer alternatives and support to prevent youth from making detrimental choices.

Honey Baby [06:50]: "If we put different things in his hand and say, hey, I can still make money, but I ain't got to worry about going to jail... those are the things that these kids need to see."

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Guest Interview: Honey Baby

The spotlight shifts to Honey Baby, who joins the hosts to discuss her music, her connection to Juneteenth, and her journey in the music industry. Lauren introduces Honey Baby, highlighting their shared background from Delaware State University and their collaborative efforts in managing and promoting her music career.

Lauren LaRosa [11:08]: "We gonna get into the things. But if y' all can't tell, I'm a huge fan of Honey Baby."

Music and Career Development

Honey Baby shares her passion for music and the challenges of navigating the industry. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity and building a strong support system.

DJ Envy [16:40]: "Being Black is beautiful. Period."

Discussing her upcoming EP, Raw Honey, DJ Envy reveals his desire to present a more vulnerable and fun side of himself, breaking away from previous slow, contemplative music.

DJ Envy [20:26]: "Raw Honey is the real raw, uncut version of me, like, bad or good, take it or leave it type vibe."

Lauren and Honey Baby commend DJ Envy’s ability to blend 90s vibes with contemporary East Coast music, creating generational bridges through his work.

Lauren LaRosa [21:10]: "Raw Honey, are we seeing any generational bridges on this project?"

Collaborations and Inspirations

When asked about dream collaborations, DJ Envy mentions iconic artists like Drake and Miley Cyrus, showcasing his diverse musical aspirations.

DJ Envy [17:25]: "Drake."

He also recounts his experience performing with Lil Kim at the BET Awards, describing it as an exhilarating and iconic moment in his career.

DJ Envy [18:00]: "It was really dope, especially being on stage with Kim and like, how iconic she is."

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Community Advocacy

Both hosts emphasize the importance of giving back to the community. DJ Envy discusses his commitment to supporting educational initiatives and providing resources to underprivileged youth, drawing from his own experiences growing up in a small town.

DJ Envy [22:36]: "I want to start pushing more towards that and just helping the people who are less fortunate, especially from where I'm from."

Lauren adds that initiatives like the ones hosted at the mall not only provide resources but also inspire younger generations by showcasing successful role models who care about their community.

Lauren LaRosa [08:15]: "When you talk about these programs, we have to actually care about them. We got to talk about them. We got to show up and do things like this."

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Audience Engagement: Q&A Session

The episode features an interactive Q&A segment where listeners submit questions for Honey Baby and DJ Envy. Among the notable questions:

1. Working with Lil Kim:

   • Question [24:00]: "What was the process like working with Lil Kim?"
   • DJ Envy [24:08]: "It was pretty smooth... just very, like, girly vibes."

2. Dream Directors:

   • Question [25:05]: "Do you have any dream directors you’d like to work with?"
   • DJ Envy [25:13]: "Hype Williams is a great vibe for you, right."

3. Artist Advice:

   • Question [26:13]: "What advice would you give to young men and women wanting to enter the industry?"
   • DJ Envy [26:22]: "Get a really good team and get people that you can trust... that set the tone for your career."

4. Choosing the Name Honey Baby:

   • Question [25:37]: "What made you choose the name Honey Baby?"
   • Honey Baby [25:42]: "Because I'm sweet."

5. Advice on Being Authentic:

   • Question [26:13]: "What’s one thing you learned from the industry?"
   • DJ Envy [27:13]: "Being myself gets me a lot farther than I thought it would."

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Conclusion

The episode wraps up with Lauren encouraging listeners to support Honey Baby's new EP, Raw Honey, and to continue engaging with the community through events and initiatives that uplift and empower. The hosts reiterate the importance of unity, authenticity, and giving back, embodying the true spirit of Juneteenth.

Lauren LaRosa [27:48]: "At the end of the day, there is always a lot to talk about... I appreciate you guys, Lowriders. And I will see you in the next episode."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Lauren LaRosa [04:22]: "Juneteenth to me means seasoning... It feels like home."
• Honey Baby [06:50]: "If we put different things in his hand... those are the things that these kids need to see."
• DJ Envy [16:40]: "Being Black is beautiful. Period."
• DJ Envy [20:26]: "Raw Honey is the real raw, uncut version of me."
• DJ Envy [17:25]: "Drake."
• DJ Envy [27:13]: "Being myself gets me a lot farther than I thought it would."

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This episode of The Breakfast Club not only celebrates Juneteenth but also highlights the power of community support, the importance of authenticity in the music industry, and the ongoing efforts to uplift and empower Black communities. Whether you’re a regular listener or new to the show, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiring conversations that resonate beyond the airwaves.

Transcript

[Lauren LaRosa]

This is an I heart podcast. I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything and everybody.

[DJ Envy]

You know, she don't lie about that, right?

[Honey Baby]

Lauren came in hot.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Hey, y' all, what's up? It's Lauren LaRosa. And this is the latest with Lauren LaRosa. This is your daily dig on all things pop culture, entertainment news, and the conversations that shake the room. Now we're doing a quick little check in before we get into this artist interview. Yes, we. We have an interview. Y' all love when we do the interviews here on the podcast. Just checking in real quick. Coming off of Juneteenth, a day off of work, sort of, kind of. I'm feeling energized and ready for the weekend. More days off of work that won't be off of work for real, because this weekend I'm headed to Delaware. We are doing a gala for the HBCU week experience. I'll be honored with Anthony Anderson. So I'll be coming back and talking to you guys a bit about that and all the things that went down there. But I'm getting ready for that. And as we get ready, I want to. I wanna let you guys listen to this interview that me and DJ Envy did with Honey Baby. She is a rapper. I'm sorry. She is a music artist. She's a singer from Jersey. Music is everywhere in New York right now. But the conversation we had with her was special because it was in celebration of Juneteenth. We did a celebrating freedom sit down at the American dream mall in New Jersey. And this was a dope day. Like, they had small businesses set up that you could shop from. Black owned businesses. They had an expungement clinic where people from the community could come and fe getting their backgrounds expunged and have conversations with prosecutors about how to move forward once that's done. It was just a day full of us. About us and American dream, uplifting black business, black community. There were realtors there helping people figure out if they could buy homes. And then we brought on the music and the entertainment. Now, Honey baby talks a lot in this interview about her upbringing, what Juneteenth means to her. It was just fire. Take a listen.

[Honey Baby]

Good afternoon. How's everybody feeling? How's everybody feeling? How's everybody feel right now? I'd like to welcome to the stage my brother, DJ Envy, and my sister, Lauren LaRosa. Can we get a round of applause, please? How y' all feeling? Y' all? All right?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Hey, y' all. Happy Juneteenth. Y' all electric slidey yet. Tamia slide. Y' all ain't heard none of the slides yet. This ain't really Juneteenth then.

[Honey Baby]

We gonna start in a little bit. So if you don't know, first and foremost, salute to American dream. Who does this each and every year? Juneteenth. And it just gives us an opportunity to talk about Juneteenth, what it means to us, do some dope panels with some dope artists, talk about financial literacy, and talk to different politicians and talk to different things that we need in our community. A lot of times, we don't necessarily get that. So the fact that we're in the middle of the mall while people are shopping, hopefully they can stop talking, express some of their feelings. So first, we'd like to discuss Juneteenth and what it means to each and every one of us. You know, the funny thing for me about Juneteenth is it was kind of a holiday that we just started celebrating a couple of years ago. Right when I was a kid, there was no Juneteenth, and it just popped up.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Well, envy. We know you Dominican, so I am not Dominican.

[Honey Baby]

I'm black. But, you know, it came up something that we started celebrating really heavy the last couple of years. And it meant a lot because, you know, for us, it was like, oh, a day off of school, a day off of work. But now we have to get to the meaning of what it means and why it should be celebrated. So before we get into that, what does Juneteenth mean to you?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Juneteenth to me means seasoning. And when I say seasoning, I think about, like. We joke around and say, like, okay, you eat in a black household, you feel full. You feel the seasonings, all of that. But when you think about it, seasoning is culture, is death. There's substance. There's a feeling of community, of family. I think anytime you get a group of black people together and we're talking about, like, things that Juneteenth makes people remember, like, you know, where we came from, what we've overcome, where we're looking forward to in the future, it feels like home. Juneteenth is that it's a day to just be like, you know what? I'm chilling today. I'm gonna be with my people. I'm gonna eat good, but I'm gonna feel at home, and I'm gonna feel community and love and a big hug.

[Honey Baby]

Yeah. So if you don't know, of course, Juneteenth was the day that slaves in Texas finally found out that they were free, right? They were free before that, but that was the day that they finally found out. So for me, I like to do these events because I love collaboration. Right? Collaboration, in my opinion, is way better than competition. If we could collaborate with each other, there's so much that we can do. We can go a lot further, and that's what we need to start doing as people. We look at all these different communities and for them, they collaborate a lot easier, right? They spread the knowledge a lot better. And I think we have to do a lot of that ourselves. If we know something that can benefit your brother or your sister, we need to start talking about it a lot more. That's why I call Lauren my sister. If there's anything that she's going through or I can help, I try to be there to help because I don't want her to make the same mistakes that I made. I don't want her to see the same pitfalls and the same everything. And that comes from relationship to business structure to radio. And hopefully she's doing the same with her family. And that's what we need to do more. So what's one thing that you want to see more on Juneteenth?

[Lauren LaRosa]

I think I want to see more of. Like, I thought that it was interesting when they were telling me what they're doing here in the mall, because I didn't even know that this happened until you invited me to come. They're highlighting small businesses, there's an expungement clinic, things like that. Like, things that, like, drip down to the people, like everyday people. I think a lot of times when you talk about, like, you know, diversity and inclusion, all these things that, like, affect us as black people, sometimes it's so high level that the everyday person who's just trying to figure it out in a real way, you don't feel it, nor do you have the time to stop and care. So I would love to see more things like this where you're bringing in these small businesses, you know, these different resources, like an expungement clinic that actually help people that are on their day to day just walking through the mall that really need it, and it's right there at arm's reach.

[Honey Baby]

Yeah, I agree. And I was actually talking to the prosecutor earlier and we were just talking about different things. And a lot of times we're bred to hate certain things, right? We're bred to hate, you know, prosecutors and attorneys. We're bred to hate police officers. But I tell everybody all the Time. My dad is a retired cop, so I look at it from two different sides. When I was talking to the prosecutor, I was telling her she was talking about expungements and doing different things. And I was like, that is great and that's wonderful, but what we really need to do is do more things in the community. And she said, well, what do you mean? I said, it's hard to tell a 16 year old that if I go take that car and don't get caught, I can get $10,000 for doing it and tell him not to do it.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Right.

[Honey Baby]

But now if we put different things in his hand, different opportunities in his hand and says, hey, I can still make money, but I ain't got to worry about going to jail. Those are the things that these kids need to see.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah.

[Honey Baby]

And it's not going to come from our parents. It's going to come from us. Right. Because they want to see it from us. It's like when your dad or your mom tells you something like, you really be like, I'm whatever, all right, pops, whatever. But now that you get that same information from somebody that looks like you, the same age as you, that's making this 10 times the money you are, you're. You're more likely to see it.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah, I agree with that. I also think too, when you, when you set up things like what they have happening in the mall, I think kids see that it's important because other people care about it too. Because a lot of times, especially nowadays with kids, my niece is. She's 10 years old. A lot of what she cares about and what she thinks is important depends on who also thinks it's important and who also cares. So I think even being able to do something like this and just putting things on platforms like this, it shows kids like, oh, shoot, okay, Lauren and Envy were there and all these people gathered. Let me at least see what this is. And then they learn about the small businesses and they learn about. And even what you're talking about, right? Like creating these opportunities in the community. Sometimes you got organizations that will come in and create these opportunities, but the kids got to. They got to want to go, so you got to. I think we have to do a better job. I know, like, for myself, one of the things I try to do with even being from Delaware, just talk about being from Delaware because nobody's from Delaware, but go ahead.

[Honey Baby]

But Joe Biden. But go ahead and y' all don't claim him, but go ahead.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Anyway, I talk about it because now you have a Lot of kids who are like, okay, when I go somewhere, I can say, oh, I'm from Delaware. And I could feel good about it. But that wasn't always a thing because we a small state. You know what I mean? We not New York, but just something like that. Like, people seeing you care about something makes them care about it. I think when you talk about these programs, we have to actually care about them. We got to talk about them. We got to show up and do things like this, whether it's at a ymca, it's at the American Dream Mall. So the kids are like, okay, this is lit. This is where I should be.

[Honey Baby]

Yeah. And I also feel like we have to feed these kids and not feed, like, as far as food, but whatever they want to do, we have to make sure we pour into them. Right?

[Lauren LaRosa]

I agree.

[Honey Baby]

And I say that all the time. Because when I told my dad, who was a police officer at the time, that I wanted to be a dj, he was gonna smack the black off me.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Envy, why you keep giving. You keep giving me the jokes.

[Honey Baby]

What?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Smack the black off you.

[Honey Baby]

It's not much, right? I know you, but you know what I mean? But I wanted to do it anyway, and he poured into me regardless, even though he didn't believe. And that's what we have to do. When my son came to me, I would say, about eight years ago, and said he wanted to be a streamer, I laughed. I was like, a streamer. He could have been consonant, right? He could have been Mr.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Beast, not Mr. DJ Envy, mixtape DJ, right? Laughing at his son wanting to be early on something.

[Honey Baby]

But I didn't get it because I wasn't involved in it. It didn't make sense to me. It didn't make sense that you could make money playing video games all day. I was like, this is a joke. You're just doing this because you don't want to do your homework. But he could have been the next this. And that's what we have to start pouring. Just because we don't get it doesn't mean it's not right. Doesn't mean it's not a career. It doesn't mean that it can't be something that they can do for long periods of time, you know?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah, you're good at that. Even though you. The old head, you're good.

[Honey Baby]

Go ahead.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You're good at. No, you're good at, like, understanding, like, when things are. Well, now, I don't know what happened a couple years ago, just some. But I feel like for me, like, I'LL I'll have an idea or, like, something, and you'll be like, well, let's just try it. Let's just do it. And then it'll work out. Sometimes it might not always work out, but it'll work out. But you're really good at being like, no, just go ahead. Go try it. Go do it. You gotta try it. You gotta do it.

[Honey Baby]

Well, a lot of times I'd rather invest in my friends and family than invest in something that I don't know. Because if my friends and family connect, no matter what happens in this world, they always come back and get you, you know?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. 100%, man. This is so beautiful. Look at us. It's Juneteenth.

[Honey Baby]

That's right.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Did y' all listen to Sounds of Blackness this morning? What y' all do this morning? Yes. You did? Okay, I did, too. I woke up like, I'm black, y' all. I'm black, y' all.

[Honey Baby]

Blackity black.

[Lauren LaRosa]

The black black, y' all. Yes. This is so beautiful.

[Honey Baby]

Now we have a special guest that we gonna bring out and talk to. Yeah, you ready? Yeah. We're getting her mic. This is actually the first time I'm meeting this individual.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, this my girl. She put me in a music video. What? Yes. I'm a whole video vixen out here. Yes.

[Honey Baby]

So now you're a video vixen.

[Lauren LaRosa]

First of all, Ben. Ben. I just had to start dressing different when I got a job. But yes, Honey Baby. Y' all know Honey Baby? Yes. Honey Baby is. Oh, we're gonna put her on chair. Okay. Honey Baby. I met her a few years ago, actually, talking about community and black things and all things black. So I went to hbcu, Delaware State University, and one of Honey Baby's managers or management team members actually went to school with me. So she came to me and was like, yo, I'm quitting my job. I'm about to manage this artist. And I was like, okay, what does that look like? What does that mean? And she was like, we're going to start a company. We're going to manage this artist, and I'm going to just figure it out. Years later, like, probably, like, what it's been, like, maybe two years later, her artist is Honey Baby. This is the artist she was talking about. And they're everywhere and they're moving. She's like, she. I feel like when I listen to Honey Baby, she is New York. It's very.

[DJ Envy]

She.

[Lauren LaRosa]

She throws a lot back to the 90s and the vibes of the 90s. And we gonna get into the things. But if y' all can't tell, I'm a huge fan of Honey Baby.

[Honey Baby]

She from Jersey.

[Lauren LaRosa]

She's from Jersey.

[Honey Baby]

Don't mix up. Jersey, New York.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I didn't know she was from. She give me.

[Honey Baby]

See how they try to do y' all Jersey.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I did not know she was from Jersey. Oh, Jersey is here to do your Jersey. Okay. Yeah.

[Honey Baby]

Can you play Honey Baby record right fast?

[Lauren LaRosa]

That's it.

[Honey Baby]

Turn it up a little bit. There we go. Give it up for Honey Baby one time.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You always look so, so good. Look at her, y' all. Ain't she so cute? I love the blonde over here. Yeah. They gave you a chair.

[Honey Baby]

Can y. Y' all got a mic for Honey Baby?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Hey, girl. Hey.

[DJ Envy]

How you doing?

[Honey Baby]

What's up?

[DJ Envy]

Hey, guys.

[Honey Baby]

So for people that don't know. Where are you from, Miss Honey Baby?

[DJ Envy]

I'm from Jersey.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I'm from A.S. here he is.

[DJ Envy]

Jersey.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I thought you. I did not know that. I thought you were from New York.

[DJ Envy]

Everybody thinks I'm from New York.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Y' all be trying to claim me.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I'm not from New York.

[Honey Baby]

You're from Delaware.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Delaware.

[Honey Baby]

They try to claim everybody. So how did you get into singing? What got you into singing? What was your inspiration and everything?

[DJ Envy]

I was just around music a lot when I was younger, and I don't know, I just grew an attachment to it. I was always singing every chance I got.

[Honey Baby]

And how did you get your deal? What got you signed and you got you your deal?

[DJ Envy]

Me? Hello? No, but I don't know my team. And then, you know me as an artist, they like, I make good music, and I got good energy, so I'm a superstar.

[Honey Baby]

There you go.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I was telling them before you came out here that we were talking about, like, just community and all things black and it being Juneteenth. And I'm like, I met you through Jamila, who works on your management team, and me and her went to HBCU together. And that's the beauty of having community, because she came to me a while back and was like, yo, I'm about to quit my job, and I'm about to manage this artist. We about to start managing artists. And I was like, okay, bet. Just let me know, like, what? I don't know what that looks like, but just let me know. And then I started hearing your music everywhere when I moved to New York. And I remember I saw her post you one day, and I was like, this is the artist. And she was like, yeah, I was like, yo, she is so fire. Like, she's such a vibe. But to see her journey as on the management side and then to see your journey on the artist side is really beautiful to watch because you guys are figuring it out together. Talk about that.

[DJ Envy]

I mean, it's a lot. It's a lot of trial and error for me and my management. It's just. I don't know, like, it's a lot. It's kind of just hard to explain because so much goes on behind the scenes and so many strings that are being pulled and, you know, outside of, like, just making music, it's so, so much that people don't see. We're just going with the flow.

[Honey Baby]

Do you love it? Do you love the music industry so far?

[DJ Envy]

I love it. Like, I wouldn't want to do anything else. Like, no, thank you. I'll stay here. Okay.

[Lauren LaRosa]

What did you. When you talk about it being a lot behind the scenes, I know creatively you're really involved in, like, your video setups and all that. We did a video together.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

So talk about.

[Honey Baby]

She was a video vixen.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, she was in Left Eye.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Didn't I do good?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, she did really good.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yes, it was. So the video for Left Eye, which we're going to talk about, the video is. Is about her getting upset. She finds out her man is, you know, doing the things. So she calls her homegirls, like, yo, we need to handle this. We gotta. The house need to be set on fire. We got some things.

[DJ Envy]

We need to cry. I'm crashing out.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I'm a good crash out friend. I pulled up. But being on that set with you and seeing how, you know, you and your team are so hands on. What's the planning process for you? What's your. What kicks off your creative process?

[DJ Envy]

I don't know. I got a big imagination. My brain just be running rapid all day. So I just come up with ideas. I sometimes write them down or I just tell somebody. Like, if, like, whoever the video director is, I'll tell them my idea, we share ideas, and I'll make a template for them and then I'll just have them clean it up. Like, I don't know, it just. It could be whatever the song is about, make the video about it, or if I want to do something different, like, I just try to make it make sense, make it look good.

[Honey Baby]

So we are here for Juneteenth. So what does Juneteenth mean to you and the fact that your community supports you so much?

[DJ Envy]

Being Black is beautiful. Period.

[Honey Baby]

Period. Now, the fact that you got so much support so fast and that people are supporting you and your record is playing, what does that mean? Because it takes artists years and they don't connect. But you have been connecting to and people really been messing with you. So what does that mean for you?

[DJ Envy]

That means that I must be doing something right. And I'm glad that people are enjoying my music and I'm glad that it's connecting because, you know, everybody goes through a phase where it's like, what am I doing? How am I going to do this? How am I going to get people to like, to like, rock with me? And now it's like starting to happen now. But it feels really good. It feels really, really, really good.

[Honey Baby]

And what artists would you love to work with that you haven't got a chance to work with yet?

[DJ Envy]

Drake.

[Honey Baby]

Okay. All right.

[DJ Envy]

Drake.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Drake. Drake. Drake.

[Honey Baby]

And more Drake.

[DJ Envy]

Drake.

[Honey Baby]

Beside. Besides Drake, Anybody else?

[DJ Envy]

Kaylani.

[Honey Baby]

Okay.

[DJ Envy]

And Miley Cyrus. Miley Cyrus.

[Honey Baby]

All right.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I love that.

[DJ Envy]

That shocked you?

[Honey Baby]

Yeah, that shocked me. I mean, you went Drake this one and then Miley Cyrus next. Taylor Swift next. No.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Honey Baby]

Okay. All right. Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

All right.

[Honey Baby]

All right.

[Lauren LaRosa]

BET Awards. You just did one of the pre show stages with Lil Kim.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

What was that like? Cause a lot of your music gives odes to, you know, the 90s and the like Quiet Storm vibes and all those things.

[DJ Envy]

It was crazy. It didn't like really hit me until I got to the stage and I was like, oh, wow, what did I just sign myself up for? Like, with all the cameras and stuff like that. But it was really dope, especially being on stage with Kim and like, how iconic she is. And not a lot of people could say that they did that. That was like really crazy. The prep for it was a lot too. Like, I was exhausted. I was running off adrenaline all day. I was just like, like Sonic the Hedgehog.

[Honey Baby]

Now, you also performing here next weekend or this weekend coming up. How was that for you? Cause I'm sure you grew up on Summer Jam, so now that you actually performing in there, how was that for you?

[DJ Envy]

I did Summer Jam last year, but I didn't, like, have my own set. They, like, had it, like, set up a certain way. But now I have my own set this year, so I'm still so excited. I actually was never allowed to go to Summer Jam when I was younger. My brother, because my brother wasn't having it got you. Like, you're not going to. What you. What you doing at Summer Jam?

[Honey Baby]

I'M not mad at you. I'm not mad at her.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah. So my first time ever at Summer Jam was me performing at Summer Jam.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Wow.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

So what was that like? So I know during the last year, that being your first time now you're artist, but what was the whoa moment for you?

[DJ Envy]

Well, last year, a lot of people knew me and knew my music, so that was like, kind of. Of shocking to me. Cuz I, like, I always underestimate myself. Like, I go out to, like, places or, like, performances, and it's like so many big people there and I'm like, oh, okay. Like, I'm nervous. Like, what if there's like, what if it's just crickets in there? But I go out and like, everybody's like, singing and like recording me and like, I go on Instagram. Like, there's people, like, making these wacky ass videos. So, yeah, I'm like, yeah.

[Honey Baby]

Now she's out here. We're gonna open up the phone line. Well, as I said, open up the phone. No, I think I'm at work. I'm always at work. We're gonna open up a little bit and ask if you guys have any questions, you just raise your hand and we'll get some questions for you guys as well. So when is your new project dropping?

[DJ Envy]

It dropped already.

[Lauren LaRosa]

May 30, right.

[Honey Baby]

You ain't come by the Breakfast Club, so we ain't know.

[DJ Envy]

Y' all ain't had me on the Breakfast Club.

[Honey Baby]

You'll be scared. We tell you anytime you want to come. Anytime you want to come.

[DJ Envy]

I could come on Monday.

[Honey Baby]

I don't know about Monday, but exactly.

[DJ Envy]

You scared of me.

[Honey Baby]

No, I'm serious.

[DJ Envy]

You scared of me?

[Honey Baby]

Monday might work. Monday, I'll talk to you.

[DJ Envy]

I've been waiting to get on the Breakfast Club.

[Honey Baby]

All right. Monday might work. We might bring you Monday.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I'm just looking. Cause I'm like, envy. You told her that she will show up on Monday and be expecting her interview.

[Honey Baby]

She come on up.

[Lauren LaRosa]

But talk about the new EP Raw Honey, right?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

May 30th, it dropped. Yes, yes. So talk about. Cause Raw Honey, to me it sounds like, okay, you're exposing yourself a bit more, giving a bit more of yourself. But you already are so open in your music. So what is Raw Honey?

[DJ Envy]

Like, it's me kind of just like taking a little bit more control and being a little bit more vulnerable and, you know, having a little bit more fun with it and not making it so sad. Like so many people don't know me.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yet.

[DJ Envy]

And the people that do, I don't think they got to see, like, certain sides of me. It's always, like, very, like, slow, like, go to bed music. And that's just not me at all. That's not even, like. That's not me at all. Like, Raw Honey is the real raw, uncut version of me, like, bad or good, like, take it or leave it type vibe.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Got you now in Raw Honey because one of the things that you did with some of your last projects where you were able to bridge the gap between, like, the quiet storm era and where we are today. So, like, that 90s vibe of where we are today day on east coast music, that's a big, like, shoe to step in. Raw Honey, are we seeing any generational bridges on this project?

[DJ Envy]

I mean, yeah, because Left Eye is on there. Like, Tricks for your was on there. So there's definitely some music like that. But I definitely started to go out of that box too, because I didn't want to be stuck in that box. So I took the opportunity to take this project to just show people that I'm capable of more than just that.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Are you a type of artist who that like. Because stepping out of that box so you sing. But are you a type of artist who that will try different, like, ways of expressing musically, like rap or. No, you don't try. Are there people that try to push you to. Because from, you know, your energy gives rap artists? Do people tell you that?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yes. Like, your energy gives rap girl 100. So I don't know if you've ever, like, tried it. That's what made me actually, that I.

[DJ Envy]

Did it before, but, like, I don't. That's not like a route I want to go. Like, I'm a singer. Like, that's just who I am at heart. God ain't giving me this voice for no reason. I'm gonna use this mug.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Well, let's talk a little bit about, too, about any community advocacy. So, honey, baby, this year, going into 2026, being from Jersey, I just learned that what is community for you and what are you looking to do in the community, advocacy wise?

[DJ Envy]

I feel like community means a lot, especially like, when it comes to kids, because it's takes a village and you know, you want to be. You want your kids to be in certain environments that will uplift them. And where I come from, it's a really small town and it's just a lot going on. So I'm ready to give back now that I'm able to, especially when it Comes to school. Because I remember when I was in school, like, there were kids that didn't have anything, and we didn't really have, like, those give backs, those giveaways. Like, we never had that in my neighborhood at all. So I feel like now that I'm able to do that, I want to start pushing more towards that and just helping the people who are less fortunate, especially from where I'm from. Because, again, we just don't have that out there. We don't have any of that. And it's kind of just like, fend for yourself type vibe, and I don't think that's cool.

[Honey Baby]

Well, let's take some questions if you had a mind. Does anybody out there got any questions?

[Lauren LaRosa]

I'll go. I saw one girl.

[Honey Baby]

She gonna walk out there. Any questions out there at all? Don't be shy, Green. Next time y' all see Honey Baby, it's gonna be 10,000 people here, and you ain't gonna be able to ask one question, so.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, we lost her. It was a little baby girl in the green. She said she had a question. Don't know where sis is at?

[Honey Baby]

No, not at all.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I think Arman has a question.

[Honey Baby]

Okay.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, yeah, go ahead, ask your question. Okay, so you gotta stand and let them know who you are.

[Honey Baby]

Hey, Honey Baby. Okay, so my question is, what was the process like working with little Kim?

[DJ Envy]

It was. It was pretty smooth. When it came to, like, Left Eye, she hit us up like she loved the record so much and she wanted to meet me. And we've grown, like, a really great relationship. Like, she's like my sister now. Like, I could just call her whenever I want to, which is so weird, but it's so good.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Cool.

[DJ Envy]

But the process of working with her definitely was, like. It was really smooth. It was just very, like, girly vibes.

[Honey Baby]

Okay, can you give us, like, an inside joke? You guys share something funny that we might not know or might not get? Oh, yeah, you got one?

[DJ Envy]

I might, I might, I might, I might. I'm gonna get. I'm gonna get back to you on that one. You trying to get me?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, there's another question. You trying to get me? Honey Baby? Baby Envy and little Kim are really close, too.

[Honey Baby]

Yeah. That's my homie.

[DJ Envy]

That's my. That's my homie.

[Honey Baby]

That's my homie.

[DJ Envy]

That's my homie.

[Honey Baby]

That's my homie.

[Lauren LaRosa]

We have another question. So you gotta say your name.

[DJ Envy]

My name is True. Hi, True. I was wondering if you have any dream directors that you would like to work with? Yes. Hype Williams. Yeah. Are you familiar with Haji films? Haji World? No. You gotta put me on. I definitely do. You should look him up. Hydre World is like the Hype Williams of our time right now. Okay. I gotta look that up. You write that down. Write that down.

[Lauren LaRosa]

That's fire. Hype Williams is a great vibe for you, right? Yeah. Cause you embody that era.

[DJ Envy]

Very fun. Stefanie.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Hi. Hi. My question is, what made you choose the name Honey Baby?

[Honey Baby]

Great question. That's a good question.

[DJ Envy]

Because I'm sweet. Okay.

[Lauren LaRosa]

She's very sweet. All right. Thank you.

[DJ Envy]

Thank you.

[Lauren LaRosa]

That was a good question.

[Honey Baby]

That was the PG antim. Sure.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I got a little nervous when she looked over and she. She. She paused. I'm like, oh, what is she about to say?

[Honey Baby]

Yep, yep, yep.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Another question. Oh, right here. I thought Celia had one. Yes.

[DJ Envy]

Hello.

[Lauren LaRosa]

My question is for other young women and men that want to go into the industry that are looking at you now. What advice would you give them?

[DJ Envy]

To just get a really good team and get people that you can trust and that have your best interest at heart and people who are going to protect you from what's going on in the industry. I think that's just really, really, really important, because that right there will kind of. What is the word I'm looking for? What is the word I'm looking for?

[Honey Baby]

I don't know.

[DJ Envy]

Like, if you got good people around you and it motivates you. It's not like, motivating. It's just, like, that'll set the tone. It'll set the tone for the rest of your career, basically.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Like, how people deal with you and, like, what you. Like your level of, like, what you're trying to achieve.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah. Like, who's around you and what they do and how they help you and the way that they, like, they treat you.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

That will set the tone for your career. Otherwise, it'll go to shambles.

[Honey Baby]

What's one thing you learned from the industry? One thing that you learned from the industry? Yep.

[DJ Envy]

Being myself gets me a lot farther than I thought it would.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh, wow. That's a good. When you. When you realize you need to be yourself. At what point?

[DJ Envy]

When I started being myself. When I realized that, like, I didn't have to dumb down myself. Like, I was getting a lot more opportunities and people were liking me a lot more. When I was just, like, Like. Like, this is who I am.

[Honey Baby]

All right, well, let's get into her other record. You gonna play Left Eye? Whatever. You got it.

[DJ Envy]

You.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You don't got the video.

[Honey Baby]

Give her a round of applause one time, y' all. Honey, baby, one time. Make sure y' all stream her supporter. Make sure y' all definitely check her out.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Okay, y' all. I will see you guys in my next episode. The next episode, of course, we getting back to the trending topics, but I tell you guys all the time, you could be anywhere with anybody talking about these things because at the end of the day, there is always a lot to talk about. And y' all choose to be right here with me each time. I appreciate you guys, Lowriders. And I will see you in the next episode. This is an I heart podcast.