← The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club
INTERVIEW: Donnie Simpson On Radio's Impact, Frankie Beverly, Studio Time With Prince, Marvin Gaye + More
01:16:29
Loading summary
Transcript327 lines
- [00:00]
Host 1
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
- [00:06]
HBCU Sports Announcer
What a matchup we got, y'.
- [00:07]
BET Sports Promoter
All.
- [00:07]
HBCU Sports Announcer
This is that classic HBCU vibe. Non stop action. The band is rockin and the crowd lit. Chance echo drum beatin. Everybody showing that school pride. A game like this. Yeah, it calls for an ice cold Coca Cola. Ah, crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there.
- [00:28]
Donnie Simpson
Mmm.
- [00:28]
HBCU Sports Announcer
Yeah, that taste always hits the right note. Just like the band at halftime. And just like that, we're back at it. Passionate fans, school colors everywhere and an ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo. No matter the sport, no matter the yard. Everybody knows fan work is thirsty work. So grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going.
- [00:52]
State Farm Advertiser
The wait was worth it. The keys to your dream home have been secured. Now comes time to fill it with memories. But first, furniture and movers. When's the housewarming? Who's cooking? Or should you cater? All that planning can be stressful. But ensuring your home shouldn't be. And that's where State Farm comes in. Because State Farm agents can help you choose the coverage you need. Just call, go online or check out the app. An agent is ready to help so you can focus on showing off your new home. If you know, you know, like a good neighborhood, stay for them. Is there.
- [01:22]
DJ Envy
Black Friday's here and the Home Depot's got the best prices of the year. You can get up to 40% off select Smart devices like the Ring floodlight camera, which is perfect for keeping your home safe during the holidays. Don't sleep. Upgrade your home into the smartest holiday home this season. Whether you're hosting family or throwing an annual holiday party, the Home Depot has savings on top brands and exclusive deals all in one place. It's your one stop shop for an entirely connecting home. So start shopping now at homedepot. Com. What up y'? All? It's DJ Envy. When I feel like I need to fresh my look, I always head straight to JD Sports. I know I can find some inspired styles whenever I drop into JD's. They've got the shoes, apparel and the latest essentials you could need. A couple of weeks ago I grabbed the new Jordans and the compliments have been non stop. I'm always able to find my style at JD Sports. Discover iconic styles. Now head to JD Sports. Curate your personal look from the brands that define the culture to JD Sports.
- [02:19]
BET Sports Promoter
Forward tonight at 10, 9 Central on BET. An all new episode of 106 in Sports from executive producers LeBron James and Maverick Carter. It's a new top five countdown with hosts Ashley Nicole Moss and Cam Newton. They're breaking down the top moments in sports, culture and entertainment and highlighting both established pros and the stars on the come up. Watch the all new series 106 in sports tonight at 10, 9 Central on BET on or catch up the next day on BET.
- [02:52]
DJ Envy
Tuesday nights are heating up on the court and if you love watching the stars put up numbers, this one's for you. Now I've teamed up with DraftKings sportsbook for the return of King of the court. And all customers get a shot at a share of $1 million in bonus bets every week all season long when they place a $5 pregame player prop bet on the night. Points plus rebounds plus assist leader. Here's how it opt in. Place your offer token on a $5 pre game NBA player prop bet and if the player you choose finishes the pra leader for the slate of games, you'll win your share of 1 million in bonus bets. Split it with everyone who picked the same player. King of the court hits every Tuesday this NBA season, so don't miss out. Download DraftKings sportsbook, sign up using promo code TBC and get in on King of the court every Tuesday. The crown is yours.
- [03:50]
Donnie Simpson
Wake you up.
- [03:51]
DJ Envy
Wake that ass up.
- [03:52]
Donnie Simpson
Program your alarm to power 105.1 on iHeartRadio.
- [03:56]
DJ Envy
Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlemagne the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. Lorna Rose is here as well, and we got a special guest in the.
- [04:04]
Donnie Simpson
Building, an icon, the legend.
- [04:06]
Co-host/Interviewer
That's right.
- [04:07]
DJ Envy
It wasn't for him, we wouldn't be here today.
- [04:09]
Co-host/Interviewer
Media royalty.
- [04:10]
DJ Envy
That is right. Ladies and gentlemen, we have the legend, Donnie Simpson.
- [04:13]
Donnie Simpson
Wow. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. Thank you for that, man. I feel like a million dollars and some change.
- [04:20]
DJ Envy
There you go.
- [04:21]
Co-host/Interviewer
You made that in the 90s a few times.
- [04:26]
DJ Envy
80S and 70s, too.
- [04:29]
Donnie Simpson
Been at it a while, bro. Been that in a while, man.
- [04:31]
Co-host/Interviewer
Season two of the Donnie Simpson show.
- [04:34]
Donnie Simpson
Yes, sir.
- [04:34]
Co-host/Interviewer
It's a podcast and I mean, you've seen all forms of media throughout the years. What about podcasting?
- [04:40]
Donnie Simpson
Do you like that? I own it.
- [04:42]
Co-host/Interviewer
Yeah.
- [04:43]
Donnie Simpson
You know, that's what it's about for me at this point, man. You know, I've always felt that I was a hired smile, you know, and I did. Well, I'm not complaining about it, man. You know, it was great, but nothing like owning you, you know, I want to own me at this point and that's what this allows me, man.
- [05:02]
Host 1
What has been the. The New things you're learning as you're owning you. And you're not just the higher smile. You handling everything.
- [05:08]
Donnie Simpson
It's hard. It's hard. It's hard. You know, it's a lot easier to walk in and have somebody hand you a check for what you do. But when you got to make all the calls, man, and, you know, all the disappointments that happen in business, it's hard. But, you know, I've been blessed. I have, as a mentor. Bob Johnson, you know, the world's first black billionaire. That's my boy, man. That's, you know, and so Bob has been with me every step of the way, man, helping me. I, you know, run into walls. That Bob, you need to do this, you know, he's just. He's so brilliant, man. Bob's. He's just fascinating guy, man. It's like, I don't care what you ask Bob about. He's already thought about it.
- [05:52]
Co-host/Interviewer
Yeah, Bob don't get enough credit. You know, we interviewed Bob via Zoom. But, you know, I've had this. I've had that pleasure, too, of being able to reach out to Bob and just ask for advice. It's like, why wouldn't you ask America's first black billionaire?
- [06:04]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, right.
- [06:04]
Co-host/Interviewer
Advice. Especially about media.
- [06:06]
Donnie Simpson
Right? Right. No question. He knows it, man.
- [06:09]
DJ Envy
I want to go back, if y' all don't mind, cuz a lot of people know Donnie Simpson for so many different things, right? Some people just know him from radio, some people know him from television. Some people know him for, back in the day, radio. So I want to get the start. Detroit. What got you into this thing called radio, man?
- [06:25]
Donnie Simpson
I. My mother owned a record shop from the time I was 12. So I was always around music.
- [06:30]
DJ Envy
Y' all know what record shops are, cuz they kind of young, you know.
- [06:32]
Donnie Simpson
I know what a record shop. People used to come in the record shop all the time. I had this deep voice. My voice changed between seventh and eighth grade, which I hated because I used to sit. I was the only first soprano in the choir, so I got to sit with the girls, you know, next I get to sit with the girls the next year. But people would always come to record shop and go, yeah, you sound like a dj. You ought to be a dj. And it was in one ear, out the other, man. I wanted to be a Baptist minister. That was my first goal in life. And. But one day, my mother had a live broadcast. One of the local DJs, Hal Perkins, came in. Well, set up his booth out front. They had a Portable booth with glass encased. And did his show from there for three hours. And so he invited me into the studio to do specials, you know. You know, we got the Temptations Greatest Hits on sale for 299 this hour, whatever. And. But while I'm in there, man, I'm sitting there, man. I'm watching him, and he's got his headphones on, man. He's jamming to the music, man. I was like, man, I could do that. I could. That's what I want to do right there. I mean, it's just this light was just. No doubt that's what I wanted to do. And within three months, I was on the air. I was 15 years old, you know, in Detroit. Detroit was fifth largest market in the country at that time. So, you know, I mean, what a blessing to get a start that young. And, I mean, I couldn't even do my whole show live. I was on from 8 to midnight. And law stated I couldn't work past 10:30. So after school, I have to go home. I mean, go to the station, record my last hour and a half, then go home, have dinner, do my homework and go back and go live from 8 to 10:30, put the tape on and leave.
- [08:18]
DJ Envy
What were you talking about at age 15 in Detroit when this is when. What Temptations and all those groups and the love and singing. What were you talking about at 15 in Detroit?
- [08:28]
Donnie Simpson
The Temptations. Yes, the Miracles, Four Tops. I mean, what year was that? 1969. Oh, yeah.
- [08:36]
Co-host/Interviewer
So 15 in Detroit.
- [08:37]
Donnie Simpson
69.
- [08:37]
Co-host/Interviewer
He was really 30.
- [08:38]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, right. But, you know, I would. I've always loved music, so I would go into a Smokey set, right? Or I remember this happened with Smokey and Stevie. I played four or five songs by them. They would call on the request line. They didn't even have a hotline number. Just call, man. I was listening to you, baby. You know, and talk to Smokey, talk to Stevie, man. It was just. It was magical. Detroit at that time, Motown was right there. Yeah.
- [09:05]
Co-host/Interviewer
Like, you were in the heart of it.
- [09:07]
Donnie Simpson
I was in the heart of it, man.
- [09:08]
DJ Envy
Picked the records you played back then.
- [09:09]
Donnie Simpson
I've always done that. Always. Well, that was, you know, that was the norm back then. Of course, now, you know, nobody gets that privilege. But my whole career, I'm proud of that. I always had total control of what happened on my show, man. I wouldn't have done it any other way, you know, because, you know, I'm not a bit. It was never a bit driven show, you know, it was, for me, everything Was. It was the music. I was. That was the main focus for me. So I had to have control of it or I wouldn't do it.
- [09:41]
DJ Envy
And how did you get to D.C. because most people. A lot of people thought you were from D.C. yeah. How did you get from D.C. so you're on radio in Detroit. You're 15. Your radio career starts.
- [09:49]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah.
- [09:50]
DJ Envy
And how does this young individual get out to Washington, D.C. yeah, well, I.
- [09:53]
Donnie Simpson
Got a call one night on the air on the request line, and this guy sound very official voice. Hello, is this Donnie Simpson? I go, yeah, this is Bob Henneberry from NBC in New York, and we'd like to talk to you about working at one of our stations at our station in Washington. I said, come on, man, who the hell is this? Really? Because your boys would play tricks like that, Clyde. And then they hear you get all official, and then they go, oh, man, this is Claude, man. What you doing after the show tonight? You know, And. But it was real. And so I went there to meet with him. At first, I didn't want to go because it was a disco station. And I said, no way I would do that. But then my oldest brother, who had a very smart business mind. I always wish I had his business mind. But he said, you always have to talk. Whatever the offer is, you have to listen. So I went. They picked me up, took me on an interview at Arlington Cemetery. And it's like, is this Washington, D.C. or not? I mean, why is clandestine at the cemetery? It just was weird.
- [10:55]
Co-host/Interviewer
But.
- [10:55]
Donnie Simpson
But I ended up going because when I went there, they were playing the Enchantment and some stuff other than just disco. And. But, you know, I felt like it was opportunity for me, that it was NBC, that the station I was at in Detroit. We were their biggest station in their chain, that you had opportunity for growth there. And they were gonna make me rich, man. I left Detroit making 13,000. They were paying me 27 5, baby. What up? What.
- [11:26]
Co-host/Interviewer
What's the first car you boug.
- [11:28]
Donnie Simpson
But. Well, let me. First car. First car I ever bought was a 1964 Ford Fairlane. Okay, $225, man. I burned so much oil, man. I pull in the gas station, tell them, fill up the oil and check the gas. But I thought I was rich when I moved there with that money, man. But I was broke as hell, man. I mean, very. Because I didn't factor in cost of living. From Detroit to D.C. it was like three times more. And I lost my side hustle because it wasn't popular. So you know, so I didn't, you know, you're not doing the concerts and all that stuff. I didn't think about all that, man. Man, it was tight for a minute. And for me, man, the moment that I remember most from that is I had a set of pictures. Back then, you had to get pictures developed, and it was $26, man. And I couldn't afford to get him out of the shop. And he kept sending me notices, man. It was the last pictures of my grandfather, man. And that, you know, we're going to destroy him. You get three months, finally got enough money, man. It was too late. You're gone. Wow. You know, so that was always a motivating factor for me. It still is, man, that I don't ever want to be in that position again, you know, but it was that kind of tight for me.
- [12:45]
Host 1
I'm sorry, go ahead.
- [12:46]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, no, I said for a minute. But, you know, that was 77 when I moved to D.C. and by night, the end of 79, I'd started. Things just started to really, really, really pop for me.
- [12:56]
Host 1
I was just wondering what you did in that time between. When that was happening before things started to pop again because there wasn't social media, so it's not like you're posting or like, whatever. So how are you building back up your popularity in this new market that you're in on the ground? Like, what are you doing?
- [13:09]
Donnie Simpson
Well, for me, well, with that station, at first, the first two. First two years I was there, before I started programming it, the station was just very. It was wow. They had a thing instead of like 93.9. They said, we want to be sophisticated. You know, I was looking at the, like, some people in their house, instead of having the numbers, they have the written out, 9, 3, 9. So that's what they became. 9, 3, 9. A sound as sophisticated as Washington. Man, get out of here with that mess. It was horrible. Station was 16th place. They made me music director. And eventually I was gonna leave because I, you know, I worked under this program director. He was a white guy. And, you know, we had these meetings that. Because I was the music director and I had two guys that worked under me. So he'd go around the room. Donnie, what do you think of this? You know, like, I remember the. The classic one for me. He plays the Rolling Stones. Beast of Burden. She goes around the room to my. Says, dave, what do you think of this? I think it's great. I think it's great. John, what do you think? Oh, I love it. I love it. Donnie, what do you think? Oh, I love it, but we can't play that. It's like I said, man, black people don't want to hear that, you know, I mean, I was just always real with it, you know? And he got tired of hearing that and asked me for my resignation one day. And I. So I said, uh, okay, cool. No, it. Was that. What happened? No, I just walked out.
- [14:44]
Co-host/Interviewer
I just walked out.
- [14:45]
Donnie Simpson
I just walked out. Yeah, see, I just walked out.
- [14:48]
DJ Envy
You walked out? What, did you go to the station across the street? What did you do from there?
- [14:51]
Donnie Simpson
No, well, I just wasn't going to work for a few days. And then the general manager called me and program director kept calling my house, and my wife would take the call and say, now. Yeah, well, he's. You know, he's not here. And finally, after three days of that, the general manager called, said, donnie, will you have dinner with me tonight? So, yeah. So I sat down with dinner. He told me, well, what's the problem? I said, man, station is terrible. We're in 16th place. You know, we play music that doesn't nobody can relate to. I said, it's just awful. We're not part of the community, you know. He said, well, what would you do? I said, well, you know, we. You got to be involved. So we. And I remember what we used to do. We had a basketball team and a baseball team, you know, stuff like that. And so he says, will you meet with me tomorrow? I said, sure. He said, would you put that in outline form? Just something simple. You can just write it out. So, yeah, I do that. So met with him the next day at noon and brought my outline. Brought him a. I told him. I said, man, I had arguments with the program director about Brick House, the Commodores, which he tells me is a ballot.
- [16:00]
Co-host/Interviewer
Get the out of here.
- [16:01]
Donnie Simpson
I'm telling you, man, the biggest dance record of the year. He's a. How can you. How can I even have a conversation with somebody that thinks like that?
- [16:11]
Co-host/Interviewer
Man, you about to say. He didn't like the content at the time. He thought it was risque.
- [16:15]
Donnie Simpson
He thought it was a ballot. So I put together a cassette tape that's recording and told him why, you know, these songs are here because this is. This is the way it should flow, you know, and gave my outline. He sat there and looked at and he said, okay, will you implement this? I was like, what do you mean? He says, I want to make you program director. Wow. It had never crossed my mind that that's what he was. Where he was Going. I never wanted to be a program director, you know. So I thought about it for all of two minutes, man. I said, you know what? I can do better than this. Yeah, let's go, man. He fired the PD. By 3 o', clock, I was the program director. And that was one of the greatest days ever, man, to go into that studio. This is out, this is out. Put this in. And in nine months, man, we went from 16th to number one.
- [17:10]
Co-host/Interviewer
Wow.
- [17:10]
Donnie Simpson
In nine months, man, just. It was gone, man, you know, and then I would go to these conventions, man, where you get all these whiz kid white programmers, you know, and they all got two shares. But I'm sitting in the audience listening to them. I don't know nothing. And we got a 10 share.
- [17:26]
Co-host/Interviewer
They know something. You knew culture.
- [17:27]
DJ Envy
Yeah, you know culture.
- [17:28]
Co-host/Interviewer
You knew people.
- [17:29]
Donnie Simpson
Absolutely, man. That's it right there, Charlamagne. You know, I remember one of the stations did this big research project, man. Man, we spent $65,000 to research music, man. Guess what showed up as the number one song with our audience? I said, marvin Gaye, Let's Get Along. How'd you know that? Cause you outside, we all know that.
- [17:52]
Co-host/Interviewer
Look who on my hoodie right now.
- [17:54]
Donnie Simpson
Barbin.
- [17:55]
Co-host/Interviewer
There you go. That's right. That's right.
- [17:57]
Donnie Simpson
I love it.
- [17:58]
Comedian Guest
Did that previous program director have any smoke?
- [18:00]
Donnie Simpson
You on the way out? No. Okay, cuz you said you was a.
- [18:04]
Comedian Guest
Program director by 3 o'?
- [18:05]
DJ Envy
Clock?
- [18:05]
Comedian Guest
Yeah, he was waiting for you about 2:45.
- [18:08]
Donnie Simpson
No, he was, he was gone. They let him go before I came in, you know, and we made that transition. But it was, you know, it's just been a remarkable career for me, you know, it really has. I've just really blessed, man. I just feel like God's been with me every step of the way.
- [18:25]
Co-host/Interviewer
Was there a mentor who gave you like a piece of advice that still guides you today?
- [18:30]
Donnie Simpson
Wow. Well, I'll give you this. And it's from, well, my greatest mentor and the greatest advice I ever got from anyone. And that's my mom. And my mom told me something, man, that helps me in all situations, contract negotiations and just in life in general. And she said, baby, when the time is right, the Lord will let you know, because there will be no question. And it's true. When you get in hard times, man, and you don't know which way to go, you're trying to figure out what's right for you, what's. You know, man, I know it's hard, but that time comes eventually. When it's crystal Clear what you are to do. It always comes. You know, it's similar, but Frankie Beverly once told me something. It was personal stuff I was going through, man, 30 years ago. And Frankie said, man, Donnie, don't worry about it, man. Life always works itself out. It has no choice. And it doesn't. It has no choice. It always works itself out. You know, it does.
- [19:38]
Co-host/Interviewer
I feel like I'm glad you brought up Mr. Beverly. I feel like his passing, I don't know, I don't feel like he got celebrated the way he.
- [19:45]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, he should have. Yeah.
- [19:47]
Co-host/Interviewer
Why do you think that is?
- [19:48]
Donnie Simpson
Well, I, you know, I think black America celebrated him like he should, to. To a great degree. White America just kind of never really.
- [19:57]
Co-host/Interviewer
Gravitated towards them, right?
- [19:59]
Donnie Simpson
They didn't. You know, first time I had Frankie on video soul, man, we became instant boys. I mean, that was my man. And. But after the show, we were in the green room talking and he was telling me, he says, man, you know, we're going to London in two weeks. You know, we're bigger than the Beatles in, in London. I was like, yeah, right. He said, no, I'm serious, man, you should come see. I said, okay, let's go. So I went, man, it was amazing. It was the complete opposite of America. The audience was 90% white. Everywhere I went, all you heard on the radio stations was Frankie Beverly and Maze all day. Twice while I'm in the stores, white guy comes, I don't even know him, he doesn't know me, just walks. Going to see Maze tonight. Got my ticket. Wow, it was crazy. He played The Hammersmith Odeon, 4,000, 4,500 seats. The Beatles had the record for 14 sold out nights. Frankie did 17. So it's amazing how it can change from one culture to another. You know how Frankie was so loved in this other market in London like that. And I just always wish it was like that for him here, you know. And we had this conversation one night, just here, one more thing. Just we were talking about. I was saying to Frankie, I said, to a great degree, me and you are similar in this way that we have this. Black folks in America, they know you, they love you. White folks, they don't really know you. I said, frankie, I would never speak for you, but I think I would on this. I think you would feel the same way that I do, that I would love to have everybody else, but man, I can dive totally happy that I just had this. That that's what's important to me, that my people feel this way about me is Bigger than the rest, man, that's. Nothing's bigger than that for me. Frankie said, Man, 1000%, bro.
- [22:04]
Host 1
When you were in it and you were doing what you were doing with Video Soul, did you. You felt that all the time, like the support from your people?
- [22:10]
Donnie Simpson
Oh, without doubt.
- [22:12]
DJ Envy
Well, before. Well, how did you get to video? So break that down before you jump into that.
- [22:15]
Donnie Simpson
Okay. Well, I was doing radio in Detroit, in D.C. wkys was my station at that time. It was owned by NBC. They're trying to sweeten the pot for me. So they started. They gave me television locally there. I did backup sports. I was a sportscaster for George Michael. I don't know if y' all remember him, but George Michael did the George Michael Sports Machine, which people consider the precursor to espn. And so I was George's backup for about three years and. But Bob Johnson had seen me doing tv. He knew, of course, of my music interests and love. And they were starting up this show called Video Soul. And he wanted to know if I. He called and wanted to know if I would be interested in doing it. And at first, I wasn't. Well, because I've always felt that I was always very careful about what I got involved in because I only have one thing to sell this image. I can't give you 20 rebounds a night. You know, it's just image. And so you have to be very protective of that. And I only got involved in things that were top shelf. BET in its infancy. Wasn't a very pretty baby.
- [23:29]
DJ Envy
It wasn't a top seven.
- [23:30]
Donnie Simpson
Okay? No, it wasn't. It looked like access, public access tv, you know. So after two days of thinking about it, it came down to this for me, that this is our first black television network. If you have something to offer it, you gotta do it. Let's go. And I was so glad I did, man. You know, I mean, I had no idea that think would go as far as it did. I honestly only thought the show would last eight or nine months because we didn't have the titles for videos that the white artists had. We had like 20 videos. You know, record companies didn't give black artists budgets like that. And so. But, man, that thing just blew up, man. We went from one, and we were in one and a half million homes when I first joined it. And when I left, it was numbers like 40, 40 million, you know, and, you know, and then for me, it gave me. You know, it puts you in every nook and cranny of this country, man. Just, you know, I'm just Grateful for that. I'm just so glad that I did that, you know.
- [24:36]
Co-host/Interviewer
What was your question?
- [24:37]
Host 1
What was your question I'd asked? Did you feel the support at first and the reason why with. From your people for real? Because from the outside looking in, it does feel like that. But I know a lot of times people celebrate people and things after the fact that.
- [24:47]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah.
- [24:47]
Host 1
And being here at the Breakfast Club and coming from a non black outlet. I always say that I feel like people don't appreciate the Breakfast Club the way that they should right now. And it's unfortunate to see because, you know, you've lived this in real time and you had that support. I just think that we, I mean we do a lot, but I think it would be the conversation around Breakfast Club amongst us. I just feel like should be different sometimes. And we get, we. I think Breakfast Club gets the flowers. But I think on the other hand, I don't think people understand what's happening as it's happening.
- [25:14]
Co-host/Interviewer
Yeah, I think haters come with. I mean you got, you got both.
- [25:16]
DJ Envy
Yeah.
- [25:18]
Co-host/Interviewer
You have your supporters, you're gonna have people that got something negative to say. That's just life. Yeah.
- [25:21]
Host 1
I just wonder what it felt like to have the support and like how that helped you to further what you were doing just show wise.
- [25:27]
Co-host/Interviewer
Donnie had haters. Donnie was out here knocking on, knocking down all these women, listening to all these, you know.
- [25:35]
Donnie Simpson
This back in the.
- [25:36]
Co-host/Interviewer
Day, man, back in the day.
- [25:39]
Donnie Simpson
Now.
- [25:41]
Co-host/Interviewer
See that nice smile on television.
- [25:44]
Donnie Simpson
Hey, bro, I was old early, I'm telling you, seriously. Cuz we were married, me and my wife, man, we, we were high school sweethearts.
- [25:54]
Co-host/Interviewer
Okay.
- [25:54]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah. Married at 19, had our first child one year, two days later, you know, got you like. I never even lived the college life, the campus life. Oh, wow. You know, I mean, I went to school, but man, I had a house with a wife and kid at home, you know, so I never. So that's why I said I was old early, man. But Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, we always, they always say this, that, that had everything to do with my success because you had your base set so early man said we still out, you know, we 28, not 29, 30 years old. Still trying to look for what you got, you know, you got it, man. You've had it for 10 years at that point, you know, so, yeah, so it was always solid like that for me. But the support of the people of man, people have always given me mad love. I'm telling you. That's all I've ever known. And I I. It's just the most consistent thing that I've ever experienced in life, man. Just the. What. What my fan base gives me is just amazing, man.
- [26:56]
Comedian Guest
Is that why you're still so passionate about radio today?
- [27:00]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah.
- [27:00]
Comedian Guest
Podcasting and people hearing your voice, because you've always been connected.
- [27:05]
Donnie Simpson
Always, always. You know, and it reminds me, I said this at Frankie's funeral, Frankie Beverly's funeral. That. Because you know how people loved him. I said, you don't get love like that unless you give love like that. You got to give it first. And that's why he gets. And I think that's what people feel for me, you know? I love people, man. I just. I love people, man. They just been good to me, you know? They really have been all my life, you know?
- [27:31]
Co-host/Interviewer
BET gave you a platform that became essential to black culture.
- [27:35]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah.
- [27:35]
Co-host/Interviewer
Was there a moment on Video Soul where you felt like, this isn't just entertainment. We're documenting our culture in real time?
- [27:41]
Donnie Simpson
No, not. Not when I was doing it, man. You know, it's like, to me, I think that, you know, whatever it is that you do, you're just doing it when you're doing it. It's. It's a line in Elton John song Rocket man that I love so much when he says, in all the science I don't understand is just my job five days a week, a rocket man. You know, it's like, I'm an astronaut. People look like, wow, this, man. And that's just what I do, man. That's just my job, man. You know, and. And that's the way I feel like when you're doing what you do, you. You know, now all these years later, you look back because people make you look back and see the importance of it. And it's. It's. It's. It's mind blowing, because I know I didn't have those thoughts when I was doing it, man. I was just, I think, going to work.
- [28:31]
Co-host/Interviewer
That's the differ in this generation. Now, in the previous generation, we watched y' all make history. Y' all didn't know y' all were making history. So now we understand we're in history in real time.
- [28:40]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah. You know, and y' all are, man. I mean, what y' all doing is amazing, man. You know, I mean, the platform that you have, I. The reach that you have. You know, I never had that in radio, and my show was always local. It did come to me once about syndicating it, but the problem for me was, well, go back to music. I said, well, what Happens if I'm on this particular station. I know they're all slow, adult contemporaries. Just, you know, it's Kim. And you know what happens when I play Tupac? Well, we covered a Tupac song. You can talk about Tupac because everybody knows him, but we'll cover that with a Luther song. See, you have no interest in that. You know, it's the whole experience or it's none.
- [29:29]
DJ Envy
That's why Thea does what she does. Thea doesn't change for nobody. It doesn't care what market it is, what area. She's whatever that. What you get on that Breakfast Club is what you're getting.
- [29:37]
Donnie Simpson
I love that, man. That's where it should be. You know, you want the whole experience. This is, you know, what you're presenting. This is who you are. I can't do a moderated version of me, you know? No. You know, and then, plus, for me, I felt like the only reason to do it was for money. I was okay, you know. Well, two reasons. Money and then for to further your brand, you know, and it's like, man, BET gave me that in the way radio could never give it to me. You know, you put me in every nook and cranny of this country. I don't need it for that. I just. I'm not going to compromise on me, on who I am.
- [30:16]
DJ Envy
You talk about owning your brand and owning the podcast because that's very important to you. At any point, do you think about owning your own radio station? Because you were programming stations, you were making the station millions and millions. Do you ever think about, you know what? I can do this myself.
- [30:30]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, I did think about it. I mean, we can go back a whole bunch of years where I had conversations with people about doing that. Now, not so much. You know, a lot of local radio stations are struggling. It's not the kind of, you know, the dollar is not the same, you know, as, you know. I mean, that money, the advertising dollar, a lot of it's gone to the Internet, you know, and so I don't know that I would want to do that. I see. You know, watch how they cut staffs and stuff, man. It's just, you know, I don't know.
- [31:03]
Co-host/Interviewer
Your moms and pops are damn near non existent.
- [31:06]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, right.
- [31:06]
Co-host/Interviewer
You got to be conglomerate, like I.
- [31:09]
Donnie Simpson
Exactly. Exactly.
- [31:10]
DJ Envy
Man, when you talk about brand, you look amazing for your age right now.
- [31:15]
State Farm Narrator
Like you.
- [31:15]
DJ Envy
You don't still look like you in your 30s and Fortnite.
- [31:18]
Co-host/Interviewer
This when your wife got to watch out. Donnie, he get the flirting. He get the flirting, Donnie. Oh my God.
- [31:26]
Donnie Simpson
Why does he keep trying to take me down this road?
- [31:34]
Co-host/Interviewer
Continue, continue.
- [31:35]
DJ Envy
I'm a married man now and I got six kids. Don't let him play with you. But what I was saying, what I was saying, you know, did you focus on brand to make sure, like, I gotta stay in shape, I gotta eat right, I gotta make sure. Cause you look at a lot of people, they get older, they get bigger, they look outta shape, they look bad. Was that part of the brand? Like I gotta look this way for.
- [31:53]
Donnie Simpson
Well, yeah, but more importantly, just a lifestyle. It's like important for me to live, you know, that I want to be healthy. One of my best friends in Detroit, my best friend period really, was a guy named Lem. Barney Lim was a cornerback for the Detroit Lions hall of Fame, man. Look him up, man. Dude was a beast, man. I mean, amazing. And I used to work out with Lim, you know, I remember getting ready for camp with him and man, I just, I learned discipline from Lim, you know, just to stay in shape, man. Give your body an hour a day or whatever, you know, and. But he limb also tried to talk me into trying out for the Lions. He's like, man, he should try out. This is the hardest part, man. You should try out, man. First day of camp, I went out there and saw them refrigerators walking around there, man, these boys ain't never getting their hands on me.
- [32:50]
Co-host/Interviewer
You went to actually you thought about it?
- [32:52]
Donnie Simpson
No, no, no. I just wanted to see. But just going to camp with him. But no, but, but he also. Marvin Gaye was one of Lim's best friends. As a matter of fact, it's. Lim was the first, the second round pick in 1967 for the Detroit Lions. The first round pick was Mel Farr, running back. It's Mel and Lim that start off Marvin Gayes. What's going on? Yeah, what's happening, brother? Yeah, like solid. Right on. Yeah, that's them. And Marvin wanted to be a running back. And I used to see Marvin running down the street, man, with his hoodie on, trying to get in shape. And the day he was supposed to try out, Coach Rick Frazano wouldn't allow it. Said if something happened to you out here, I could never live it down. And Lim told me, man, Marvin went home and cried like a baby, man. He was serious about it.
- [33:39]
Co-host/Interviewer
That's crazy.
- [33:40]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, he wanted to play football, man.
- [33:42]
Co-host/Interviewer
How much music did he have out at the time? He was Marvin.
- [33:44]
Donnie Simpson
Marvin. Yeah, he was. Oh, yeah, yeah, he was Marvin. Marvin. This is after what's going on? Let's get it on.
- [33:49]
Host 1
He thought they were gonna let him walk on the field.
- [33:51]
Donnie Simpson
Hey, yeah.
- [33:53]
Host 1
Wow.
- [33:53]
Donnie Simpson
But lim told him. He said, man, Since I was 8, I was on the football fields and you were on that piano. That's why you do what you do.
- [34:00]
Co-host/Interviewer
And I do what I do whenever I meet people who met people like Marvin Gaye. Because, you know, those are like mythical figures to us, right?
- [34:07]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah.
- [34:07]
Co-host/Interviewer
Like what. What type of person was Marv?
- [34:09]
Donnie Simpson
Man? I'll just tell you this. First time I met Marvin, I'm riding down the street with Ronnie Banks from the Dramatics, right? And he says, man, there's Marvin, man, going, you want to stop and say hello? Yeah, man, listen. So we stop and get out Marvin.
- [34:24]
DJ Envy
He says, marvin was just walking down the street.
- [34:26]
Donnie Simpson
He's walking from his car to his house.
- [34:27]
DJ Envy
Okay?
- [34:28]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah. And he says, so Ronnie says, hey, Marvin, this is Donnie Simpson, man. He works on WJLB at night. He said, yeah, man, I know. I listen to him every night, man. I said, wow. Wow. How cool is that? And so Marvin invites me to the studio with him, and he says, hey, man, let me give you my number. Call me tomorrow morning before you come, because I'll get up in the morning and decide to climb Mount Everest, and I'll be gone, you know? And it just. I've never forgot that. It was just he do. He was. You know, some people try to say stuff like they're trying to come off eccentric. He's just telling you, dude, this is who I am, man. I get up in the morning, I'll be doing something else, and I'm gone. But I went into the studio with him that night, man, and it was just magical, man. Yeah. For me, to four people, it just blew me away that I got a chance to spend time in the studio with Marvin Prince. Sly and Stevie just what. What an experience, man, for somebody who loves music so much to be there in the studio and watch these guys create legends, man.
- [35:35]
Co-host/Interviewer
You remember what they recorded.
- [35:37]
Donnie Simpson
Stevie was doing, good morning, evening, friends.
- [35:41]
BET Sports Promoter
Wow.
- [35:42]
Donnie Simpson
Friendly announcer. Yeah. Loves in need of love oh, isn't that the truth Boy, I don't. God, I hope there's a day that that song does not apply. But it's so far every day fits that. Loves in need of love Today, Marvin was actually working on the originals. A group. A Motown group. So he's recording someone else, but he's singing, showing them how to sing the song. And Sly. Sly was the weirdest thing. Sly was working on three different songs. Sly would say, all right. Till engine. All right. He lay down line.
- [36:15]
State Farm Narrator
Go.
- [36:15]
DJ Envy
Ah.
- [36:17]
Donnie Simpson
All right, all right. Put up. He laid down one line. One grown or whatever. All right, now put up. It was just so.
- [36:26]
Co-host/Interviewer
It was.
- [36:26]
Donnie Simpson
It was different. But, Stevie, what an experience that was, man, to see my prince. The Prince of Prince. Prince was actually doing. He was in D.C. he performed that night. I went to see him before the show, and he sent me a note that. He said, man, I'm sorry I can't see you before the show, but I'm going in studio tonight after the show. Would love to have you join me. So me and my wife went, and for me, it was just a great experience. The music. My wife was just like, God, you see those turquoise pumps he had on? Oh, my God, I love those.
- [37:01]
Comedian Guest
But the fact that he went to the studio after a show.
- [37:04]
Donnie Simpson
Oh, yeah, he was all went.
- [37:07]
Comedian Guest
Horse never got tired of performing.
- [37:09]
Donnie Simpson
That dude was always at it, man. Prince was amazing. One more cool night with Prince. We. I went to David Bowie was on the show on Video Soul. So after the show, we were talking, and David says, man, you know, I'm going to Minneapolis this weekend. I said, well, me too. I got to go Friday to interview for the Time Reunion. He said, well, you should come to the show. I said, I would love to. So I go home, call my boy Sugar Ray Leonard. It's just too much name dropping. Let me know that's what it was, you know. And so I said, ray, I'm going to Minneapolis Friday, man. You want to go? Yeah, man, let's go. So me and Ray go to the show. Dave set us up at the soundboard and, like, 12 seats there or something. So as I'm walking to my seat, I bump into the lady in front of me, and I said, oh, excuse me, ma'. Am. Prince turned around and said, no, it's all right, Donnie. It's cool. I said, oh, Prince, I'm sorry, man. He said, no, it's cool, man. It's cool. So then he turns back around a minute later, he says, man, look, I'm having a party tonight at Paisley park, man. You and Ray ought to come. Said, all right, cool. So we went there, man. It was like a dozen people, man. A Prince party. It was me and Ray, David Bowie and two or three of his room bandmates. Cat, Princess, Dancer, who later claimed that she had his baby. Wow. My producer, Jeff Newman. Just two, three other people, man. It was. But it was the coolest night. And he played the Black Album that night. Wow. And it was notorious because it had not been released. And so I told him, and I said, man, God, Prince, why don't you release this, man? This is such a groove, man. I run into him again maybe two years later, and he says, you know you're the reason I didn't release the black album, don't you? I said, what do you mean? He said, you know what you said that night at Paisley Park? You said, this is such a groove. And I was about so much more than that. Wow. Oh, dang. And then. And so now let's fast forward another six months or so. I'm thinking about it. I'm going, damn, I wish I would have thought to tell him, man, all I hear is groove. I don't hear lyrics. You know, that's really. It's. It's a struggle for me to hear lyrics unless I'm going through something. Then you hear everything because you're looking for answers.
- [39:31]
Co-host/Interviewer
You know, that's so interesting because they always talk about the black album. And I thought it was intense. I thought he just wanted to record something and not put it out. I didn't know that he had intentions to put it out.
- [39:39]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah. Yeah. Well, eventually he did, but I got a copy of it. This is cool. This is so cool. Donny Osmond sent me a copy of the black album when it didn't exist. I had him on video soul with me. We were talking about it. Next day or two, I get a package at home from Donny Osmond. I said, how can somebody this white in Utah send me something this freaking cool? It's the black album from Donny osmond.
- [40:09]
Comedian Guest
When the holidays start to feel a.
- [40:10]
Host 1
Bit repetitive, reach for a Sprite Winter spiced cranberry.
- [40:14]
Donnie Simpson
And put your twist on tradition. It's a refreshing way to shake things.
- [40:18]
Host 1
Up this sipping season and only for a limited time.
- [40:21]
Donnie Simpson
Sprite. Obey your thirst.
- [40:24]
DJ Envy
Turkey touchdowns and takes. It's Thanksgiving Feast on some winnings with pick 6 DraftKings newest fantasy pick em game. Just pick more or less on two or more player stats. It's that simple. Pick six brings you upside those other pick em sites can't touch. The better you perform, the bigger your Payout. Download the DraftKings Pick Six app now and use code Breakfast. That's code breakfast. New DraftKings customers can play just $5 and get $50 in pick six credits. Make the call. Ride the upside. In partnership with DraftKings Pick Six, the crown is yours. Gambler problem. Call 1-800-Gambler Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org in Connecticut must be 18 plus. Age and eligibility restrictions vary by jurisdiction. Pick Six not available everywhere, including New York and Ontario. Voidware prohibited. One per new customer bonus awarded as non withdrawable. Pick Six credits that expire in 14 days limited time offer terms at pick6.draftkings.com promos what up y'?
- [41:28]
Donnie Simpson
All?
- [41:28]
DJ Envy
It's DJ Envy. When I feel like I need to fresh my luck, I always head straight to JD Sports. I know I can find some inspired styles whenever I drop into JD's. They've got the shoes, apparel and the latest essentials you could need. A couple of weeks ago I grabbed the new Jordans and the compliments have been non stop. I'm always able to find my style at JD Sports, discover iconic styles. Now head to JD Sports. Curate your personal look from the brands that define the culture JD Sports Forward this past weekend.
- [41:58]
State Farm Narrator
Like every other Sunday, you were on the court with the guys playing ball. Just a pickup game, living out your hoop dreams. No triple doubles, but a mean set of threes in between buckets. One of the homies mentions he closed on a new crib. This is big. And while everyone's asking about the housewarming and making plans to celebrate, you're asking the real questions. Like has he spoke to his State Farm agent yet about coverage? See, home ownership is one thing, but the right coverage is the real game changer. Even more than your last hot streak is how you protect your legacy. Dropping buckets and bars on the court. A State Farm agent can more than assist you with finding the right coverage for your new place. If you have a claim, your local agent can help you file it. Yep, that's right. Over the phone, in person, online or on the app, they're ready to help you and they don't drop the ball, if you know what I mean. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.
- [43:00]
BET Sports Promoter
Tonight at 109 Central on BET, an all new episode of 106 in Sports from executive producers LeBron James and Maverick Carter. It's a new top five countdown with hosts Ashley Nicole Moss and Cam Newton. They're breaking down the top moments in sports, culture and entertainment and highlighting both established pros and the stars on the come up. Watch the all new series 106 in sports tonight at 109 Central on BET or catch up the next day on BET.
- [43:31]
Co-host/Interviewer
Plus, I want to ask you a question right what's the biggest mistake new radio and TV hosts make when they're trying to find their voice?
- [43:41]
Donnie Simpson
Wow. Using someone else's voice and not theirs. I think, you know, I think that it's inevitable when you come into this, that you come in emulating styles that you like, people that do good radio, do good tv. I get that. But eventually, you have to find yours. You have to find your voice, you know, who you are. Because, well, for me, it took. I was doing radio for 12 years before I got to that. When that morning came, man, I was like, wow, I'm not Teddy Richards CKLW anymore. I'm not, you know, I'm not Jay Roberts Night Flight 96, you know, I'm Donnie Simpson. And when you get to that point, man, that's when it gets good, bro. You know, because you're not trying to do anything. You're just doing you. And. And that's the thing that people connect with, you know, it's like I've always felt this, that there were a thousand people out there waiting to take my job. 500 of them are just as good as I am. The other 500 are better. The only thing I can beat them all at is being me. You can't beat me doing that, man. So that's. And that's what people connect to. They connect to what's real. When they feel you, you know, that's what gives you longevity. They feel you, they know you. And that's the magic. I remember, look, Johnny Carson, to me, was just the greatest TV host. You know, I look at so many of these guys now. They use their guests to set up their lines. Johnny, man, this is your time. Johnny was this ultimate setup guy, man. You know, he was a facilitator, man. This is your moment. Do your thing, man. And it is something that I learned from Johnny Carson, not personally. Never met Johnny. Got close, met Ed McMahon. But Johnny talked about this, something that he got from the legendary Jack Benny, and he. It was this. He said Jack Benny told him that it doesn't matter who has the line. It only matters that it's on your show. Because tomorrow all they're going to say is, did you see Jack Benny last night?
- [46:00]
Co-host/Interviewer
That's right, right.
- [46:02]
Donnie Simpson
And that's. That's so important, man, you know, that it only matters. It's on your show. So you got to let other people shine, man. You know, and so. So it would be that to. To be you and, you know, to let others shine around you. It's enough light for everybody, you know, radio and media.
- [46:21]
Co-host/Interviewer
Right. Because you're talking about it now. I want to expound on it. It used to be about Personality and connection. But now it's about virality, right? And just garnering attention by any means. Where do you think the industry lost its way or do you think it's just evolving?
- [46:35]
Donnie Simpson
Wow. I don't know exactly when it lost its way, but for me, you know, I mean, this issue of personality is so important that I was taught from the very beginning that we all get the same records, we all get the same music. The only thing that's different is the presenter, is how it's presented, you know, And I think that radio has lost its way in that arena that, you know. Well, a couple things for me, radio. I had this. There was a seminar with programmers from all around the country, about 200 programmers one day. And they asked me to be there to interview. They wanted to interview me in front. I was like, why would they want. I'm like the most anti programming guy ever. Why would they want to hear from me? And I was kind of nervous about it. And then that morning on the way there, I just said, hey, man, do you, you know, whatever that is, just whatever they ask, just tell them the truth. So we got to talking about it, man, and at one point, and this became the headline from this thing, it was all over the Internet. Donnie Simpson says radio has lost its balls. Because that's what I said. I said, you know, the radio was always a progressive form of broadcasting. You know, we pushed the envelope, we. We just push it, we licked it sometimes, you know, and all of a sudden it got very conservative. People got scared of losing their jobs, you know, not just talent, but management people, programmers, everybody. It's just.
- [48:08]
DJ Envy
It just like that.
- [48:09]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, just. You lost your balls, man. You can't, you know, you can't do this. Afraid. I agree, you know, yeah, you gotta be progressive, man. That's the way I've. And that's the way I feel about radio now that it's not as aggressive as it used to be. I missed that I was talking about my radio station in, at that time that I said, I walk in the station, man, I said, I hear more music at the dentist's office when I walk in. It's so cool. It's like a dale I walk. It's like, is this. Are we doing accounting now? What is this? You know, man, I'm sorry, but it's old school for me. When you walk into a radio station, it used to be a special place, man. You walk in, you hear the music blast. It was a vibe, man. It was just magical. Just magical, man. And that's what it should be, you know. You know, for me, man, like when I would do my show, like, I would not listen to music all day. When this was later, when I was doing Afternoons by Design, I wouldn't hear any music. Just if I listen to radio, it'd be a talk show or whatever, because when 3 o' clock hit, man, when I sit down in that seat, man, and put those headphones on, man, it's the first time I heard music that day. Oh, my God, it's just magical.
- [49:22]
Host 1
Get the feeling in real time, man.
- [49:25]
Donnie Simpson
It'S like time to go. This is what I live for, you know, I think that programmers have taken control from talent.
- [49:35]
Co-host/Interviewer
I agree.
- [49:35]
Donnie Simpson
Which is.
- [49:36]
Co-host/Interviewer
That's.
- [49:37]
Donnie Simpson
That's the thing that I hate most, man. You know, like, for me, one of the biggest moments of my career, man, I broke Benny and the jets by Elton John in Detroit, you know, I loved Elton. My boy had turned me on. Elton sit there every night, man. I was listening. God, I love this song. Benny and the jets, man. And. But I was scared to play it because Elton Black folks didn't know Elton. Finally, after a week of that fear, I said, man, I'm playing it. I went on and played it that night I played it twice because the phones were jumping off the hook from the first time I played it. I've never seen anything like it before nor since, man. It was amazing. The next morning, the morning DJ calls me, Donnie, what's this song you played last night? Jenny and the Nets or something, man, you gotta bring that thing down here, man. I get in the car, take it down to him so he can play it. In two days, Elton is on the phone from London, called the radio station. What is this I hear? Benny and the jets is breaking black in Detroit? It was. Yeah. Six months later, he comes to Detroit to hold a press conference to present me with a gold record for this thing. It became his biggest selling single ever until he redid Candle in the Wind for Lady Di and. But he wasn't in town for a concert. He came there for that reason. That's how big this was. And it was just amazing to me, man. And it was important to him. He always wanted our money. He always wanted the black market. I bring all that up to say this, that it saddens me greatly that there are young people out there now with great ears, man, that hear this great music and can't play it. They can't create a moment like that. Being in the jets was for me, because they're not allowed. Everything's programmed for they can tell you today what they gonna play next Monday at 3. You know, man, that's not radio, man. You know, I was look out the window, counter guy, you know, I want to feel the day. I would get out, go walk around during a break. I literally would go outside, like, I need to feel the day, you know, I know that sounds kind of hokey to some people, but it's real.
- [51:46]
Co-host/Interviewer
What you're saying is so.
- [51:47]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, man. Yeah.
- [51:48]
Co-host/Interviewer
Like, it's like, you know, I used to lick your finger and hold.
- [51:51]
Donnie Simpson
Right? Exactly.
- [51:52]
Co-host/Interviewer
Like everything is too data driven now.
- [51:54]
Donnie Simpson
Right?
- [51:55]
Co-host/Interviewer
Like, everything is about daddy research, nigga. Go feel the motherfucking.
- [51:59]
Donnie Simpson
No question, bro.
- [52:00]
DJ Envy
We used to do that, though. We used to go out and see what the DJ in the club is playing and bring it back to radio. This was the biggest record last night and break it to an audience that never heard it before or go to another market and hear something. But like you said, now it's more of an algorithm. What song is. What do we get more calls for. And our listeners know, they'd be like, I'm tired of hearing this song all day long. I'm tired of that.
- [52:22]
Donnie Simpson
And to me, that's part of your job as a dj, man. Absolutely. Telling you what's up. And they blame him.
- [52:28]
Comedian Guest
They'd be like, what dj?
- [52:30]
DJ Envy
But. But they know. I think they playing with it too. They know that ain't that. You know, that ain't. That's music.
- [52:34]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah. Some of them don't.
- [52:36]
Co-host/Interviewer
Yeah.
- [52:37]
Donnie Simpson
In that seminar that I told you, I spoke before all the programmers, man, at one point, I got. I just yelled, let my people go. Let them go. You know, really, man, you gotta let. Let creative people create, right? Let them do what they do.
- [52:55]
Co-host/Interviewer
I agree.
- [52:55]
Donnie Simpson
You know, I mean, you. Man, it's a whole different thing that you will get when you control it. And as opposed to having someone. It's a different show if I'm presenting me, you know, if I have the freedom to be me and to do. But if. You know, man, I remember one stretch when I first moved to D.C. and we had. It's the only time I ever worked under control of a program director. And, man, it was crazy. He would come in with his stopwatch, go, that's 18 seconds. You know, you're only allowed to speak for 15 seconds. And eventually I told him, man, I'm talking to your watch, you know, I'm not talking to the people. I'm talking to your watch, man. So when I started programming, man, man, I'm telling you, could talk to any of the jocks that ever worked for me, man. They never got a call from me on the hot. If they got a call from me, it was, man, what's up, man? I've talked to you in a while, man. You good? Yeah. Kids good?
- [53:54]
State Farm Advertiser
Yeah.
- [53:55]
Donnie Simpson
All right. All right, man. Love you, bro. Later. You know, that was. It was never correcting you on anything, man. You already knew it was bad. You did it.
- [54:03]
Co-host/Interviewer
Can I go back to something you just said about talking to the watch? The reason I think that's so dope is because that program director wasn't even listening to the content that was coming out your mouth.
- [54:13]
Donnie Simpson
Absolutely.
- [54:13]
Co-host/Interviewer
I want to know, is the content good? If the content's good, do your thing. Yeah, I say it all the time. I'm like, man, stop listening for time. Listen for the content.
- [54:22]
Donnie Simpson
There you go. There you go. Good. Content is just as good as music, man. If you're saying something that's powerful to people, you know? You know, I think about you sharing, you know, your struggles and stuff, man, what. What that means to people, you know, how do you put that on a watch, man? You know, you're talking about you helping people's. You saving lives, man.
- [54:43]
Co-host/Interviewer
Thank you, bro.
- [54:44]
Donnie Simpson
You know, for real, man, it's. You know, you. It can't be. It can't be all data driven. You know, it's. You know, it's just like, to me, the new thing, AI, you know, it's like you. You better embrace it, because it's here. This is happening. This is real. So you better figure out how to use it. But don't let it use you. You know, you gotta use it. And that's the way I look at all data, man. It's like. It's okay as input, but it can't dictate. You know, it's just input. It's just another tool. That's the only way to look at it. You have to look at all that stuff like that, you know?
- [55:20]
DJ Envy
And how do you pivot? How did you pivot when music changed, right? A lot of jocks and a lot of radio station, when they get older, they. They stop looking to the music.
- [55:28]
Donnie Simpson
Like you.
- [55:28]
DJ Envy
You mentioned the Temptations to Frankie Beverly to Tupac. How did you know to pivot and say, this is the new type of music and have your ears open for all types of music?
- [55:38]
Donnie Simpson
Well, man, I'm. That's just makeup, bro. That's who I am. You know, it's. I love music, period. I don't care what it is. I listen to every man. When I'm on the golf course every day, man, I, I have my phone on random and I'm telling you, it could play Johnny Cash, Vladimir Horowitz, Mahalia Jackson, Biggie Scissor. And it all makes sense to me, you know? You know, so for me it's, I always felt this, that I never wanted to be that guy that said, man, they don't make music like they used to, first of all. It's true, they don't. They never have and they never will. It's always changing. You know, the perfect example for me, Quincy Jones is back on the Block album, you know, man, I sit down, when I first got it, I talked to L A Reid, he had the same experience. I said, here I'm expecting old jazzy Quincy, Gula Matari or whatever, you know, put it on. First thing I hear is Ice T, let me kick my credentials. Young player bread in south central Louisiana, home of the body bag. You want to die, wear the wrong color rag. I used to walk in stores and yell, lay down. You flinch your end inch AK spray down. I was like, whoa. What I mean, just, it took me 40 minutes to get through that song, man. Through the first song, I kept backing it up, couldn't believe what I was hearing. But the point I'm trying to make is that Quincy understood what you talked about to change that. The beatbox thing. Oh, see, music without instruments. Okay, so we be doing it. So, but the beat boxes, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Bobby McFerrin, and take six, it's like, all right, so again, that's comes up what I'm talking, just using whatever it is that's new to make it fit what you do, you know, and that was just such a lesson to me. That album is just so amazing to people that don't know it. It's like a black music history lesson. You should check it out. We did a special with Barry White for that album for Video Soul, man, and with Quincy, everybody was there at his house, man, that was on the album. Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Big Daddy Kane, 12 year old Tevin Campbell, Kumo D, man, it was unbelievable. You know, it's Quincy, man, It's Quincy. But so, so for me, that, that's, that defines me, man. Just, I don't care what it is, you know, I, I, I just love music, man. I want to hear everything. What are you doing? You know, I'm always asking my kids, my grandkids, man, what do you. I have a feature, as a matter of fact, on I have A platform. Well, this is going back to what we're talking about, the beginning, about owning your own stuff. Discover tv, Right. That I'm part owner of. And on that, we have a feature that I created called Play Something for Me. And the trigger for that, for me, was you remember these two young brothers that went viral, like, three, four years ago, listening to Phil Collins in the air tonight for the first time. I don't know if you ever saw it. And when the drums and they were. Oh, my God, they were freaking out, I was like, wow. You know what? I love that. I love playing music for people, but to see their natural reaction to stuff that they haven't heard before. So all of my guests on the podcast I have do a segment of Play Something for Me. The first one was Big Daddy Kane. And, man, I played some for Kane. And what you play from Kane? I played a song by El DeBarge that's so serenading you. It's so smooth, man. So I put it on. It was. And this was exactly what I envisioned it to be, because he's sitting there, you know, we both groove into it. He starts grooving. She's like, man, I like this, man. What is this? Just wait a minute. Just wait for the chorus, man. You hear the background vocals, you'll know El DeBarge. Yeah, man, I love El DeBarge, man. Why you play this? I said, cause it's smooth, man. You don't. This is the smooth operator, baby. And then he plays something for me, and he played a real cool song. He played Marvin Gaye, Piece of Clay. And he was talking about how today, everybody wants to mold someone into what they want them to be into their own piece. They want to mold their own piece of clay, which is you. And just, wow. I didn't go that deep. I just went with groove. But. But that's on Discover tv, that feature, man, it's really cool. I love that.
- [60:28]
Host 1
How are you finding, like, your new music now? Like, are you listening to radio? Is it Pandora? Like, what's feeding you now? Cause I saw a list of get, like, top music pics for people to listen to, and Dolce was on there.
- [60:40]
Donnie Simpson
I love her.
- [60:41]
Host 1
And I'm like, is it social media that you're, like, using as kind of like a. Like, how do you find music today?
- [60:47]
Donnie Simpson
Well, from asking my kids grandkids from. For her was just on the Grammys. She just blew me. I was like, man, who is this sister? She. She killed me. She. I thought. She was just amazing to me. So download the Album, man. It's like, oh, my God, I love her. Same thing happened to me with, like. First time I saw Lady Gaga, you know, was on the Grammys. And I never forget it because she comes out and said, okay, all this makeup and get up and all this stuff is like, boy George, you know, whatever. That's cool. And then she sits down at the piano, she starts singing. I go, damn, there's a voice there, too, right? Then she gets to this dramatic passage in the song. She reaches behind her and grabs a champagne bottle and crashes across the piano. I said, damn, I'm in love. Who is this that dares to this different, you know? I love different, you know, I just do. I mean, I just. Me again, me. I talk Jim and Terry all the time because those are my boys. But we had this conversation about that. That for us, different is the norm because we've always been around music, man. George Clinton's my friend, you know, man, I know different, you know, And I'm okay with it, man. My son always tells people, like, when he was 14, he came home, I forget to rap with. That had inspired him. But he had dyed his hair orange at 14. He said, Man, I walked in and my dad said, I like it. Hey, man, it's your hair. You know, Express yourself, man.
- [62:19]
Co-host/Interviewer
Just, you know, I got a couple more questions. Okay.
- [62:22]
Comedian Guest
Yeah. In all your years of journalism, right, what was your most challenging interview?
- [62:28]
Donnie Simpson
Ooh, that's a great question. Most challenging. Well, I'll give you two. And they were challenging, but they shouldn't have been. They were challenging only because I was afraid. And that was Maya Angelou and Dr. Cornel West. And it's amazing. It's interesting that they're both word masters. I think that's what intimidated me. They're just so brilliant. And I just. I dreaded the day. I just felt intimidated, like, almost to the point of just not feeling worthy of talking to these people, you know? I'm telling you, I just did not. I was not looking forward to it. Then Dr. West comes in, walks into the studio. Brother Simpson, but gets down on his knees, man, what for? You wouldn't be no bet. I was like, whoa. You know, it was just. Immediately, all of that was gone. All of it was gone. He was so cool. He reminded me about my oldest brother, Calvin. Same kind of guy, looks it just. And then, same thing with Maya. She can get down her knees and do all the bowing and all that stuff, but was just so cool and so sweet, and it's just like, wow, you had nothing to be afraid of, you know, But I, you know, I guess.
- [63:52]
Comedian Guest
Did you realize they want to meet you too? So it was like.
- [63:56]
Donnie Simpson
That'S always a trip, ain't it? I know y' all experienced that too. It's like, man, you know, wow. You excited to meet me. Wow.
- [64:03]
Co-host/Interviewer
The people ever tell you stay in your lane because of those interviews? Like, you shouldn't be interviewing. No. Maya, Angela and Cornell.
- [64:09]
Donnie Simpson
No, no, I never heard that. No, I did hear that line, stay in your lane. When. When we were in those conversations about syndication and because they were saying, man, like, you know, we have in syndication, if you're on these different stations like we have, because once the conglomerate took so took over, you know, we. Well, we have a station that plays hip hop. We have a station that does smooth R B, you know, so you need to stay in your lane. I said, man, you know what? I'm old school, man. I was taught that this was broadcasting, not narrow casting.
- [64:45]
Co-host/Interviewer
That's right.
- [64:46]
Donnie Simpson
You know, stay in my lane. I drive like this, man. I'm all. I play everything, man. I mean, seriously, on the air, I played B.B. king, Jimi Hendrix, Garth Brooks. I play some everything. Yeah, play some Garth Brooks, man. It's all in setup. Because you wouldn't expect a black station to play Garth, right? But I didn't know who he was. But I'm. What? I mean, I didn't. I don't mean to say I didn't know who. I didn't know his music. So. But I'm curious. And so one night I went to the store when you had to buy records, went to Tower and got a couple of his albums. Listen to it. Next morning I go on the show and by then I given up programming of KISS in the. In D.C. and so I said, man, I wanted to know this guy Garth Brooks. I said, because I, you know, look at the charts. He's got six albums on the left hand side of the charts, meaning top 50 behind them little pyramids, denoting a million in sales. Behind that numbers 12, 6, 8, you know, it's like 67 million in sales on the chart right now. I need to know who this is. So I went and got a couple of Z. Manless, man, I love this dude. Just complete a little sample of quick things for you just to show you who he is. So I do little snippets of three songs, man. The whole thing takes me five minutes, something like that, you know, man, after the show, program director who was used to be my assistant, now she's programmed her, comes to Me, Donnie, why would you play Garth Brooks? I said, barbara, you don't talk to me about music. What? But why would you. We don't have this conversation. You don't talk to me about my music. And next thing I know, the, the general manager calls me, wants me to come down to his office. I go down there, he says, donnie, you know, Barbara has a problem with he playing Garth Brooks. Why would you. I said, skip, with all due respect, man, y' all do not talk to me about music. See you. I was gone. Next morning, front page of the style section in Washington Post has a three quarter page article on Garth Brooks. First paragraph, it starts out with, how big is Garth Brooks? He crossed over to the Donnie Simpson show yesterday.
- [67:10]
Comedian Guest
That's right, man.
- [67:12]
Donnie Simpson
Right. So, you know, so it goes back to what I was saying earlier about not being scared, being aggressive. Do what you do. Do radio, man. People, you know, I always felt like this, man, if one song is going to end my career, I shouldn't have been doing this anyway. That's real, you know, I ain't scared of that, man. Not scared of that, man. Do what you do. Do what you do. Don't no fear, man. Be creative.
- [67:36]
Co-host/Interviewer
I just got a couple more questions. You always radiate joy, but, like, you carry a lot of joy, especially on air. But joy is heavy work. So what's something the public has never understood about what it takes to be that consistent, joyful presence all of these years?
- [67:53]
Donnie Simpson
You know, for me, I think, man, it probably goes back to my beginning, man, which I told you was my first ambition in life, was to be a Baptist minister. It's the joy of the Lord that I feel, you know, it's. It's a joy that enriches me every day, man. I don't mean to get too preachy, but it. But it is. And, but what about when you down. Moments happen. Yeah, but, but you know, even when I'm in that, man, I still know that as Frankie said, life always works itself out. It has no choice. And you know, and I'm not gonna lie, there are times when all this advice you've given that you need yourself, it's like, God, I need to remember that myself, because I'm struggling here right now. You know, you have those moments, man, but tomorrow always comes, man. And, you know, it's like, even in marriage, man, we, you know, there are always struggles. But always looked at it like a tennis match, you know, that you can lose a game and not lose the set. You lose a set and not lose the Match, you know, so it's about that final score, man. And so, you know, I've stuck through it through the years, man. Me and my wife have been together now for 52 years. I've been easy, you know. Thank you, bro. Congrats. And it's not all been easy, you know, but it's, you know, and I'm gonna give you one more story, man. Just the day we did the Quincy Jones Special for Back on the Block. I get lost trying to get to Quincy's house. I see this elderly white guy.
- [69:33]
DJ Envy
There was no navigation back then, guys.
- [69:34]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, right, Absolutely. But so I see this white guy walking down the street for exercise, and I stop him and says, excuse me, can you tell me how to. Do you know where Quincy Jones lives? Yeah, sure, man. You should have seen the smile on this guy's face. It was so radiant that I. I knew it could only come from one place, you know? And he says, go up, tubal. Blah, blah, blah, blah. It was Tony Curtis, the legendary actor Tony Curtis, man. And I just. I never forgot his. I see it just as clearly right now. And for me, I always felt that that's what I want people to see in me when they see me. I want you to see that joy, you know, and. And, you know, and I don't want to think about it too much. I think it's just who you are. It's the makeup man. It's. I'm always upbeat. Just, you know, I was getting ready to write a book. My story for 10 years, we're talking about this, but the guy I was working with said we should call it Silver Linings, because every story you tell ends there with a silver lining. And it's true. That's how I feel. I always see good and stuff, man. It's always something, you know? Like, for me, I always felt like there's no such thing as a bad experience. If the word experience is attached to it, then it's good, you know, you learn something from him, you know, that's the way I feel, man.
- [71:09]
Co-host/Interviewer
How do you want your legacy taught to the next generation of hosts? Broadcasters, Just black creatives. What's the headline of Donnie Simpson's story?
- [71:18]
Donnie Simpson
Wow. He did him, you know, he did his thing. You should do yours, you know? Just never tried to be anybody else. I never. I've never met the man I wanted to be, you know? Never have, man. You know, And I've met some. Some great people, from Bob Johnson to Michael Jeward. I never wanted to be any of them. I'm the only person I ever wanted to be. You know, I. I remember this guy was out playing golf one day. I was with this older guy, and these. These kids were in the playground next to the golf course, and I hit my ball over there. And so I'm over there, and this kid is about six, seven years old, and he says, hi, mister, I know you wish you were Tiger Woods. I said, no, I like who I am. And. And the guy I was playing with said, that is just the greatest response I've ever heard to anything. I mean, without hesitation. No, I like who I am. You know, I don't want to be Tiger. You know, his money, his golf game, whatever. Yeah, I love his ball like him, but, you know, I just. I'm happy with who I am, you know, I am. I always have been. You know, I'm not perfect. We all have faults, you know, but, you know, even the bad things that have, you know, the stuff in my closet, man, whatever it is, all of it has made me who I am, you know, And I like who I am. Because even those bad things, man, that you are, tests, you know, to correct you and to make you, you know, who you. Who God wants you to be, you know? And so. So, you know, so I. I like who I am, man.
- [73:08]
DJ Envy
What do you tell the next generation of broadcasters, the one that's waking up right now, listening to this, and say, I want to do this.
- [73:15]
Donnie Simpson
That if this is what you want to do, first of all, just to know that it's possible, you know, that anything can happen, that it's not some pipe dream, that it's real, you know, Like, I used to take my kids with me to everything, man. My kids been the Neverland Ranch, you know, they knew Michael and Janet and Prince, everybody, you know, and it was for two reasons, was by design. One was that if you meet Michael, then you know that he's human. Two is that if you know one, then you must know that you could do that too. It's not magic. It's not, you know, whatever it is, I don't care who it is, it is real. I would say that to kids when I spoke in schools that, you know, that. I know parents tell you sometimes, well, let's, you know, I want to be an actor. I want to be a basketball player, you know, that's such a fun. Oh, yeah, somebody's gonna do it. There will be the next Denzel Washington. There will be the next Michael Jordan. It may as well be you.
- [74:17]
Co-host/Interviewer
That's right.
- [74:18]
Donnie Simpson
Why not? Why not dream big? That's what I would say to them. Just dream big, man. Just don't be afraid of big man. I love people with big eyes, man. You know, don't be afraid of big man. Whatever that big is to you. And it doesn't necessarily mean money. Not everybody keep score like that, you know, Whatever it is, man. So if this is what you want to do, then go after it. Be relentless. Be great, and be you. I love it.
- [74:47]
Comedian Guest
All right, hold up real quick. There's so many things that you're known for. So many people know you from different things, right? I didn't study radio, you know what I mean? But I studied comedy. And that's where I saw you on Martin season four, episode 19 and Love Jones connection. You was on two episodes. And then he was on the Jamie Foxx show in 97. I saw you. Right. And I'm a comedian, so I love those shows. Did you have fun doing those?
- [75:13]
Donnie Simpson
Oh, it was.
- [75:13]
Comedian Guest
You remember what that was like Chris Rock Martin.
- [75:16]
Donnie Simpson
Oh, it was awesome. Especially with Chris Rock. And I know they were kids to.
- [75:20]
Comedian Guest
You at this time, but, like, they my OGs. That's what I look up to in comedy. And to see you on that show, that's dope that you're sitting in front of me right now.
- [75:28]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, well, Chris was so brilliant because, I mean, every day in rehearsal, you know. Cause you're there for a week, and it was. He would do something different. And then the day finally tape still, Chris is gonna do something totally different. Just have you crack it up the whole time. It was just awesome. But for me, it was unbelievable that they asked me to do that because I used to watch the Love Connection, and it's the only time I ever watched a show and went, I would love to host that.
- [75:57]
Comedian Guest
There you go.
- [75:58]
Donnie Simpson
That would fit me well. I could do that and never told anybody that. And then I get this call to be the host of the Love Jones Connection to do two and two. You know, it was. It was awesome. But you know what? You got to check out now. The coolest thing I've done a. An episode well, last season, and now we got a new one for this season, but a little Kev Kevin Hart.
- [76:20]
Comedian Guest
I did Little Kev, too.
- [76:21]
Donnie Simpson
You did?
- [76:21]
Comedian Guest
Yes, Yes. I miss Loretta. So I actually go and do another episode tomorrow. But, yes, I was.
- [76:26]
Donnie Simpson
Oh, that's awesome. That's.
- [76:28]
Host 1
What's up.
- [76:28]
Donnie Simpson
Well, I'm Donnie Simpson. The whole thing I just would love. You know, I've been in like three, four movies, but I'm always me. It's like, man, I want to be somebody else once. I want to act, but. But it was really cool to see yourself in animation. I'd never. Never seen that before, and I hadn't seen the episode until just two weeks ago. And I've been out a year because I never thought about it. It's like, you know, I just did the voiceover. I never thought, like. Like, no, there has to be an image. Like, it's like, wow. No. And then it was really cool, the way they played and, you know, and it's so raw. It's awesome. So.
- [77:04]
Comedian Guest
So now I can say I'm on a project with Donnie Simpson. That's what's up.
- [77:07]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, man. That's awesome. I love it. How long you done comedy? I'm sorry?
- [77:11]
Comedian Guest
I've been doing comedy for 11 years.
- [77:13]
Donnie Simpson
Wow.
- [77:13]
Comedian Guest
11 years.
- [77:14]
Donnie Simpson
Have you seen Eddie's Special by the Day, the new documentary?
- [77:17]
Co-host/Interviewer
Yes, I watched it twice.
- [77:19]
Donnie Simpson
Love it, man. Awesome, man. You talk about inspirational, man.
- [77:23]
Co-host/Interviewer
I wanted him to go deeper just in, like, maybe just like, his personal life. But as far as, like, how they documented his career and how big he was, yeah, I thought it was cool, but I still don't think they captured how big he actually was.
- [77:35]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, man.
- [77:36]
Co-host/Interviewer
You know what I'm saying?
- [77:37]
Host 1
How do you even capture that, though?
- [77:39]
Co-host/Interviewer
I don't know. Because, like, that was real celebrity. This we seeing now ain't real celebrity. Like, that was real celebrity back.
- [77:46]
Donnie Simpson
No question, man. Just, like, as big a star as you could be. It's Eddie Murphy, man.
- [77:51]
Co-host/Interviewer
Not even just black.
- [77:52]
Donnie Simpson
Just period, period, period.
- [77:55]
DJ Envy
That dude, before we close out, you got to tell us a Michael story before you. Before you leave.
- [77:59]
Donnie Simpson
Michael Jordan went to the Neverland Ranch and just let that go.
- [78:03]
Co-host/Interviewer
You ain't hear what he said, though. He said.
- [78:10]
Donnie Simpson
I love it.
- [78:11]
DJ Envy
He just can't say, I think I took the kids Neverland Ranch.
- [78:13]
Co-host/Interviewer
They was on the rides, biopic coming out. And speaking of celebrity, that's another person we'd be trying to say, stop saying somebody is the new Michael Jackson.
- [78:22]
Donnie Simpson
There is no such number one, man.
- [78:24]
DJ Envy
That's right.
- [78:25]
Donnie Simpson
That dude, man, when I first met him, he was. God, I was 16, so Mike would have been 14, I think. I think that's right. Or 13 or something like that. First time I met him, but, man, you know, Michael was just. He's just a special dude, man. He was. The first time I went to the house, this was before he owned Neverland. This was the Havenhurst house. I couldn't believe they had a little cookout for me there right and so when I got there, man, all these people stand out across the street. I thought it was a bus stop. They're just fans. Wow. It's like that 24, 7, man. 24, 7, man. People out there, it was just. It's just crazy. But Michael. Michael was very, very cool. As long as it's a small group, you know, if it gets more than five, six, seven people, he kind of tightens up, you know, he was just be a little uncomfortable in that. But, you know, just me and him or a couple people, he's, you know, kicking. Just a regular dude, man, you know, but just brilliant, man. And to me, I look at people like him and Eddie, and you don't get to that level of success without being smart, you know, that ain't no accident. That's not just talent. That's just brains, man. Michael was just. The dude was brilliant. I knew a guy who used to do lighting for him, and he told me. He said one night Michael came to him and said, look, when, you know, we get to this point in this song, I want you to hit me with this particular light. Told him which light to hit and the angle to hit him from. And he said, I'm sitting there, man. Like, man, dude, I've been doing this for 30 years, man. Tell me what to do. He said, but I did it because he's paying me, you know? He said, but it created the exact effect that Michael said that it would. He said. And then I realized he's been doing this for 30 years, too. Michael, he was like. Like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis told me Prince was that. Jimmy says, man, I thought I was great piano player. I could play. Prince would come in and show me how to play my instrument. So I don't care who you were. He could outplay you on your instrument. That's Michael Jackson to me, man. You know, he can look at the reverence which all the dancers looked at him, and this is it. I mean, they're just freaking. These are dancers, professional dancers. But when Michael does it, it's just. And on top of that, he's a singer and a writer and performing all that. But he can do that part, too, better than anybody, man. You know, that's just.
- [81:01]
Comedian Guest
Did he have a deep voice for real, or is that.
- [81:03]
Donnie Simpson
Yeah, man. He talked like Barry White. No, no, no, no, no. It was light. I remember one day we had. He had a party here in New York. As a matter of fact, he had just done a. I think a show for the uncf and just a little Small party. And so we went and it couldn't have been but 20 people there. It's me, my wife Liza Minnelli was there. Cyndi Lauper. She had just happened with Girls Just Want to have Fun. Jimmy and Terry and just a few more people. But Michael was upstairs. It was a two story townhouse in the hotel. And so finally Michael comes down after about 45 minutes. And he comes in and he says he's with his bodyguard, Chucky Dabease. And that was his name, D I B I S E. But he looked like Dabis. Cause he's like 6 foot 8 and always wore a top hat, if you remember that guy. It's very imposing. And Michael walks into the room and he goes, he says, it's so bright in here. Chucky, stand here. And he positioned Chucky next to a lamp to block out the light in the room. I was like, damn, this is crazy. This is crazy, man. A human light shade. Now I've seen it all, man.
- [82:12]
DJ Envy
We appreciate you, man.
- [82:13]
Co-host/Interviewer
I can't wait to read your book, man.
- [82:15]
Donnie Simpson
We love you.
- [82:16]
DJ Envy
Thank you so much for all you've done for us. Us out.
- [82:18]
Donnie Simpson
Appreciate you. Thank you, man. Thank y'. All. Good meeting you. And you too. Thank you all for having me, man. I really appreciate y'.
- [82:25]
DJ Envy
All.
- [82:25]
Host 1
Plug the show. Season two, the Donnie Simpson Show.
- [82:27]
Comedian Guest
That's right, Season two of the Donnie Simpson Show.
- [82:29]
DJ Envy
That's right, the podcast. Check it out.
- [82:31]
Donnie Simpson
Check it out, man. Thank you, man. God bless y'. All. Thank you.
- [82:33]
DJ Envy
Up on Donnie Simpson, it's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.
- [82:36]
State Farm Narrator
Hold up.
- [82:38]
Donnie Simpson
Every day I wake up, wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club.
- [82:41]
Co-host/Interviewer
Y' all finished or y' all done?
- [82:45]
HBCU Sports Announcer
What a matchup we got, y'.
- [82:47]
Donnie Simpson
All.
- [82:47]
HBCU Sports Announcer
This is that classic HBCU vibe. Non stop action. The band is rocking and the crowd lit. Chance, echo drum beat. Everybody showing that school pride. Game like this.
- [82:59]
BET Sports Promoter
Yeah.
- [82:59]
HBCU Sports Announcer
It calls for an ice cold Coca Cola. Ah, crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there. Yeah, that taste always hits the right note. Just like the band at halftime. And just like that, we're back at it. Passionate fans, school colors everywhere. And an ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo. No matter the sport, no matter the yard, Everybody knows fan work is thirsty work. So grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going.
- [83:32]
DJ Envy
What up, y'? All? It's DJ Envy. You can go anywhere and find clothes, but at JD Sports, you can discover your style. Like, I needed a pair of blue and white sneakers and I couldn't find them. Anywhere. So I stopped in at JD's. I know what I like and I got it at JD's. I found a pair of kicks, blue and white. That was exactly what I was looking for. I'm always able to find my style at JD Sports. Discover iconic Styles now cultivate your look at JD Sports. Head to JD Sports to discover the latest gear to elevate your style. JD Sports Forward with Venmo Stache A.
- [84:03]
Donnie Simpson
Taco in one hand and ordering a ride in the other means you're stacking cash back.
- [84:09]
State Farm Advertiser
Nice.
- [84:10]
Donnie Simpson
Get up to 5% cash back with Venmo Stash on your favorite brands when you pay with your Venmo debit card. From takeout to ride shares, entertainment and.
- [84:18]
DJ Envy
More, pick a bundle with your go.
- [84:19]
Donnie Simpson
Tos and start earning cash back at those brands. Earn more cash when you do more with Stash. Venmo Stash terms and exclusions apply. Max $100 cash back per month. See terms@venmo me stashterms Today's episode is.
- [84:33]
DJ Envy
Brought to you by Ascent that's made a legendary comeback. Degree Original Cool Rush the OG is back and better than ever. Cool Rush isn't just a scent, it's a movement. The kind of fragrance that millions of guys ask for by name. It's bold, fresh and delivers all day sweat protection with that cool, crisp vibe that made it a legend. Whether you're heading to the gym, the office or just staying fresh, Cool Rush has your back. So if you haven't tried it yet, head to your local Walmart and grab Degree Cool Rush, the fan favorite scent from the world's number one antiperspirant brand.
- [85:04]
Donnie Simpson
Hey Ryan Reynolds here wishing you a very happy half off holiday because right.
- [85:09]
DJ Envy
Now Mint Mobile is offering you the.
- [85:11]
Donnie Simpson
Gift of 50% off unlimited. To be clear, that's half the price, not half the service. Mint is still premium unlimited wireless for a great price. So that means a half day.
- [85:24]
State Farm Narrator
Yeah.
- [85:24]
DJ Envy
Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront payment.
- [85:28]
Donnie Simpson
Of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required new customer offer for first three months only. Speed slow 135 gigabytes of networks busy taxes and fees extra c mint mobile.com.
- [85:34]
Host 1
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.