INTERVIEW: Kem Talks Career, R&B Then vs. Now, Struggles, Sobriety Journey, ‘Give My Love’ Line Dance +More

Summary

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The Breakfast Club: INTERVIEW – Kem Talks Career, R&B Then vs. Now, Struggles, Sobriety Journey, ‘Give My Love’ Line Dance + More

Date: August 22, 2025
Host(s): DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Guest: Kem

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Episode Overview

In this powerful and candid Breakfast Club interview, acclaimed R&B artist Kem joins DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, and Charlamagne Tha God to discuss his enduring career, the evolution of R&B, his candid struggles with addiction and homelessness, the journey to long-term sobriety, the meaning behind his music, and the story behind his new single “Give My Love” (and its viral line dance). Kem opens up about the real-life experiences that shaped his art, his faith, fatherhood, and what he hopes to inspire in his audience.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kem’s Legendary Career and Authentic Connection with Fans

Timestamps: 02:29–03:49

• Kem expresses gratitude for a career lasting over two decades, noting that continuing to make music feels like a true blessing.
  • “To be doing what I do for a living for over two decades, and I don't feel like I'm done yet. That's really, really a blessing.” – Kem (02:49)
• He attributes his enduring connection to listeners to his vulnerability and authenticity, forging music in the tradition of R&B greats like Luther Vandross, Marvin Gaye, and the Isley Brothers.
  • “I'm trying to keep the light on for what I feel is good R&B, and I think people appreciate that.” – Kem (03:09)

2. Independence, Business, and Building a Legacy

Timestamps: 03:33–04:24

• Kem discusses the shift to operating independently after years at Motown, emphasizing greater autonomy, equity, and the importance of legacy as a husband and father.

  • “I'm thinking about my legacy and how I want to move forward. More equity, more autonomy… I feel real good.” – Kem (04:07)

• Touring and publishing have been his main revenue streams, particularly since he writes most of his own material.

  • “Touring is definitely the gift that keeps on giving, as well as publishing… I write most of my stuff.” – Kem (04:26)

3. Struggles with Addiction, Homelessness, and Sobriety

Timestamps: 04:36–08:18

• Kem recounts overcoming addiction to alcohol and drugs in his early 20s, acknowledging homelessness, estrangement from family, and time spent in jail/hospitals.

  • “My testimony is everything… the music is infused with it. I look at it as ministry in a way.” – Kem (04:46)
  • “You get sick and tired of being sick and tired… I got sober when I was 23 years old.” – Kem (05:29)

• Credits a moment of “surrender” and divine help for his recovery:

  • “When I gave up, when I surrendered, God brought some people into my life who showed me how to live a better way, and I've been doing it ever since.” (05:29)

• Discusses the generational cycle of addiction in his family and the difficult but necessary act of his mother kicking him out, which ultimately saved him:

  • “Best thing that ever happened to me was my mother throwing me out of the house.” – Kem (08:10)
  • “My mom's in recovery too… We did a lot of good work to get to a good place.” – Kem (08:18)

• On being a generational curse breaker:

  • “My mother got sober first. And I have continued the curse breaking… hopefully my children will carry it forward.” (09:20)

4. On Mental Health, Therapy, and Breaking Stigma

Timestamps: 09:44–19:33

• Kem reflects on his upbringing in a household where emotions were not discussed and explains how this lack of coping skills fed into addiction.
• He shares how panic attacks arose after achieving career milestones, and how therapy and medication played a crucial role in healing:
  • “I thought that getting a record deal… was gonna be the cure all. But… all this other baggage… still needed to be unpacked… She [therapist] recommended a therapist… it was life changing.” (17:12–18:18)
  • “You need Jesus and a therapist. And you might need some medication.” – Kem (18:52)

5. Music Born from Darkness and Healing

Timestamps: 14:06–16:38, 21:02–21:54

• Even at his lowest, music was the light that guided him. He recalls playing piano at the Detroit Rescue Mission and Salvation Army while homeless:
  • “Music has always been a light… If you get honest and surrender, nothing is wasted.” – Kem (14:16)
• Kem emphasizes that all of his early records were “aspirational”—a yearning for love and connection that he hadn’t yet experienced.
  • “All the early records… up until I met my wife are aspirational… I’m an introvert pretending to be an extrovert… All of my songs were this… aspirational.” (25:28)

6. Love’s Central Role in Kem’s Life and Music

Timestamps: 26:21–27:56, 32:47–34:58

• His music, both before and after meeting his wife, explores the concept of love as a healing force and aspiration. After finding deep love, his writing deepened.

  • “Give My Love… all the music is still inspired by love, but now really inspired by love in a much deeper way.” – Kem (32:53)
  • “All that ails the world is a lack of love to some degree.” – Kem (27:37)
  • “Love, empathy and care… that's what’s missing.” – Angela Yee (27:39)

• Memorable discussion about the viral “Give My Love” line dance:

  • “We called [Kenny J] to put a line dance to it, and then he taught it to me. … We dig it.” – Kem (37:30)

7. Sobriety and Navigating Social Spaces

Timestamps: 28:04–29:59, 36:29–37:48

• Kem affirms sobriety is the foundation for all his accomplishments:
  • “I am most proud of being sober, because upon that… everything else is built.” – Kem (28:04)
• Asked if venues serving alcohol is ever an issue, Kem responds with confidence and ease:
  • “Me being sober is just a choice for me, you know… People innocuously offer alcohol, and I'll just say, ‘No thank you,’ and you just move on.” (36:39)

8. Writing Process, Aspirational vs. Autobiographical Songs

Timestamps: 38:05–40:11

• Kem reveals that some songs, like “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” are autobiographical and candidly about infidelity, while most love songs were written from a place of yearning or as lessons for himself:
  • “I Can't Stop Loving You is one of those… yes, it is about infidelity… people always want me to sing it at their wedding. … Have you listened to the lyrics of this song?” (38:05-38:56)

9. Faith, Discipline, and Intention

Timestamps: 40:15–42:46

• On the intersection of faith and discipline:

  • “You can… when you ask God to move a mountain, you bring a shovel with you. … There’s work to be done.” (40:24)
  • Cites the Serenity Prayer as foundational to his approach: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” (40:24)

• On career as calling vs. platform:

  • “I see it as a calling mostly. … Trying to be mission-driven, calling-driven… what’s really important, right? And not chasing the trends.” (41:20–42:46)

10. Reflections on R&B, Influences, and the Modern Landscape

Timestamps: 43:41–45:28

• Kem names his R&B and soul “Mount Rushmore”: Prince, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Ron Isley, Earth, Wind & Fire, plus inspiration from newer artists like October London, Kendrick Lamar, SZA, and Summer Walker.
  • “If they did a time capsule of somebody to represent R&B and soul, Ron Isley’s voice is that to me.” (44:28)
• He wishes to collaborate with Sade, but hasn't yet connected with her team.

11. Success, Legacy, and Staying Grounded

Timestamps: 45:21–46:33

• Kem is candid about still striving for career milestones, but remains deeply grateful for the road so far:
  • “I haven’t won a Grammy… There are all of these marks that I haven’t hit yet… But if I was done, I’ve had great success doing what I do.” (45:28)
• Writer’s block is a challenge, but returning to the love of songwriting is his focus:
  • “The hardest thing is… just sitting down… and just let it flow.” (46:40)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On recovery and self-sabotage:

  • “How do you get kicked out of rehab? … Drinking.” – Kem (12:06)

• On family cycles and tough love:

  • “There’s a risk… they won’t make it, but there’s also a risk that they’ll die in their darkness. I’m glad my mother made that choice.” – Kem (08:18)

• On the real work of recovery:

  • “You’re overhauling your entire life… you’re not gonna get better in two weeks… It took a lifetime for our dysfunction to reach its peak. It takes time in order to get better.” – Kem (13:03)

• On aspiration in songwriting:

  • “All of the early records … are aspirational… a shy, skinny, dark-skinned kid… I’m standing in the gap for my brothers: you ain’t got the words, there’s a Kem record for it.” – Kem (25:28–26:28)

• Viral line dance:

  • “[Kenny J] put a line dance to it, and then he taught it to me… We dig it.” – Kem (37:30)

• On music as calling, not just a platform:

  • “Trying to be mission-driven… What’s really important? Not chasing the trends.” – Kem (41:20–42:46)
  • “You have to do things for intention, not attention.” – Angela Yee, quoting Paris (42:52)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Kem on legacy, independence, and business | 03:33–04:24 | | Addiction, family, generational change | 04:36–09:20 | | Therapy, mental health, Black community stigma | 17:12–19:33 | | Homelessness and music as salvation | 14:06–16:38 | | Meeting his wife, evolution of songwriting | 29:01–34:58 | | “Give My Love” line dance—creation and story | 35:33–37:48 | | Songwriting: aspirational vs. autobiographical | 38:05–40:11 | | Faith, discipline, and career as calling | 40:15–42:46 | | R&B Mount Rushmore, new vs. old school | 43:41–45:28 | | Definition of success, ongoing passion | 45:21–47:51 |

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Episode Tone & Final Thoughts

Throughout the episode, Kem’s humility, humor, and authenticity shine. The hosts match his vulnerability with thoughtful, sometimes playful questioning, yielding both serious insight and relaxed camaraderie. Kem’s story is one of resilience, gratitude, and deep faith—not just in God, but in music and the possibility of renewal. The interview is a stirring lesson in perseverance, love, and the eternal joy of R&B.

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Transcript

[Host 1]

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[DJ Envy]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Kim Burrell]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Kim Burrell]

He never thought he was going to get caught. And I just looked at my computer screen, I was just like, ah, gotcha. This technology's already solving so many cases. Listen to America's Crime Lab on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Lola Blanc]

Everyone thinks they'd never join a cult, but it happens all the time to people just like you and people just like us. I'm Lola Blanc. And I'm Megan Elizabeth. We're the hosts of Trust Me, a podcast about cults, manipulation and the psychology of belief. Each week we talk to fellow survivors, former believers and experts to understand why people get pulled in and how they get out. Trust Me. New episodes every Wednesday on Exactly right. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Hope Bryant]

It's Black Business Month, and Money and wealth podcast with John Hope Bryant is tapping in. I'm breaking down how to build wealth, create opportunities, and move from surviving to thriving. It's time to talk about ownership, equity, and everything in between. Black and brown communities have historically been lasting lives. Let me just say this AI is moving faster than civil rights legislation ever did. Listen to Money and wealth from the Black Effect podcast network on iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Angela Yee]

Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up, Breakfast Club.

[Kim Burrell]

We are finished or y' all done.

[DJ Envy]

Morning, everybody.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's DJ Envy.

[DJ Envy]

Just hilarious. Charlemagne the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. Lorna Rosa is here with us as well. We got a special guest in the building.

[Angela Yee]

Yes, indeed.

[DJ Envy]

His new single comes out this Friday. Give my love, ladies and gentlemen. Cam, welcome.

[Kim Burrell]

What's happening, man?

[DJ Envy]

How you feeling, brother?

[Kim Burrell]

I'm good. I'm good. How's everybody?

[Angela Yee]

Blessed, black and highly favored, sir.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Good morning.

[Kim Burrell]

There you go, man.

[Angela Yee]

You are a legend. You know how many people love you, man?

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah. You said yes.

[DJ Envy]

He said yes.

[Kim Burrell]

I say that with gratitude, though.

[Angela Yee]

Absolutely.

[Kim Burrell]

Absolutely right. It's gratitude, man. It's gratitude to be. To be doing what I do for a living for over two decades, and I don't feel like I'm done yet. That's really, really a blessing.

[Angela Yee]

Why do you think you have the connection with the audience that you do? Is it because you bear your soul? Is it because you're so vulnerable? Is it because they can maybe see some of their struggles and struggles you've been open about?

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah, I think it's the vulnerability. I think it's the authenticity. And I'm making music in the tradition of, you know, Luther and Marvin and all that great music that we grew up with. The Isley Brothers and Patty, you know what I'm saying? I'm holding. I'm trying to keep the light on for what I feel is good R and B, and I think people appreciate that.

[DJ Envy]

But you're independent now, so you pay for everything. So how does that feel, that part.

[Kim Burrell]

Of the business feel in my life? Well, it's incredible. I started as an independent, though, right? My first album, Chemistry, I released on my own label, Chemistry Records, we sold. That's when we. You know, I was selling CDs, literally out of my. Out of my trunk. 17,000 units on my own. So I'm just returning to. I've Come Home. You know, it's a full circle moment. 23 good years @ Motown. You know, Motown was good to me, and I was definitely good to Motown.

[DJ Envy]

You know, kept the lights on.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah, we kept. You know, we kept it pushing. But in this season of my life, you know, as a husband and a father, we got a lot of kids, a lot going on, and I'm thinking about my legacy and how I want to move forward. More equity, more autonomy, you know, So I feel real good.

[Angela Yee]

I would think majority of your money was probably made touring, though, right?

[Kim Burrell]

Touring, yeah. Yeah. Touring is definitely the gift that keeps on giving as well as publishing, you know, Publishing. Right. Because I write most of. I write most of my stuff.

[Angela Yee]

You know, you've been very open about things like, you know, homelessness and addiction before finding, like, you know, your breakthrough. How did those struggles shape you as an artist and a man?

[Kim Burrell]

Look, coming through the other side of my darkness is really the foundation that's got me sitting here with Y', all, you know what I'm saying? My testimony is everything, you know, and the music is infused with it. And I don't just look at what I'm doing as an entertainer, you know, I'm in the business, you know, and I'm in the game. But I also look at it as ministry in a way, you know what I'm saying? People who are going through, you know, hopefully I. I say something that. That. That resonates with them, that helps them. Helps pull them through the other side of their darkness, too.

[DJ Envy]

What made you give it up?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What was that.

[DJ Envy]

That final thing that says, I'm going to give this up, and I'm a change. When you talk about the drugs and.

[Kim Burrell]

The alcohol, you know, I. I know it. It sounds. It sounds trite, and people say it all the time. It's a cliche, you know, but it's like you get sick and tired of being sick and tired. Sick and tired, man. You know, I got sober when I was 23 years old and in and out of jail, hospitalized because of my addiction, estranged from my family, you know, couldn't go home, sleeping outside, you know, my friends were people that my contemporaries were. You know, they were in school, they were in college, they were starting their careers. Saturday night, they're out on dates, they're doing their thing, you know, and I'm eating out of trash cans, you know what I'm saying? And I'm. You know, when people think my story is one of rags to riches, but it's really the story of the prodigal son, you know what I'm saying? My parents, two cars, I mean, wanted to send me to school and all of that, but, yeah, I got sick and tired of being sick and tired, and I gave up on my idea of how to change it myself. There's an adage I love that says, when the student is ready, the teacher appears. You know, when I gave up, when I surrendered, you know, God brought some people into my life who showed me how to. How to live a better way, and I've been doing it ever since.

[Angela Yee]

If you don't mind me asking, how did the addiction start? Was it recreational or.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah, it started recreationally, right. You know, man, the first time I had a drink, man, it was like, you know, and, you know, I was. I was. You know, I think to some degree, we all have some degree of dysfunction in our homes, and I just. I didn't have. I didn't have any coping skills, right? And my parents, you know, God bless them, they did the best they could. We were. You know, we didn't talk about anything in our house. You know, we didn't. There was anxiety. And what I know now is childhood depression and adhd. We didn't have them labels, you know, everybody. We all depressed. Just get up and put your head down and plow through it. So all of those things. So by the time I found alcohol and drugs, dude, it was like a light went on, you know what I'm saying? It was a place of. I thought that it was a place of refuge. I was free to be me. I was the life of the party. Until I wasn't. So my upbringing, it laid the foundation to seek something outside of myself to medicate.

[Angela Yee]

You know, as soon as you walked in, Jessilaris offered you a mimosa.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Shut up.

[Kim Burrell]

You have to say that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm so sorry.

[Kim Burrell]

No, it's all good.

[DJ Envy]

Now, you mentioned your parents, you know, so I'm sure your parents had to kick you out for you to get to where you need to be.

[Kim Burrell]

Best thing that ever happened to me was my mother throwing me out of the house.

[DJ Envy]

Break that down. Cause a lot of parents won't do that. Cause they feel like that's their son. They don't want to, but I feel like sometimes you have to.

[Kim Burrell]

You have to. Yeah, she had to. It was the best thing that ever happened to me, you know? And when we. And when we do that. And I'm saying that as a father, and I don't know that I'd have the courage to do that, you know what I'm saying? Even having had the experience, but, you know, because there's a risk. And when we. When we show that type of tough love to someone, there's a risk that they won't make it. You know what I'm saying? But there's also a risk that they'll die in their darkness. So I'm glad that my mother made that choice. What was your relationship after? Oh, today it's all good, right? It's all love, you know, it was necessary. My mom's in. My mom's in recovery, too. You know, the whole dynamic in our house, you know, shifted, you know, and we were able. We did a lot of great, A lot of good work to get to a good place. And we lost my father last fall. But, you know, we're all in a good place, man. And I'm grateful for it.

[Angela Yee]

Were you the generational curse breaker?

[Kim Burrell]

I would say, as far as addiction is concerned. As far as addiction is concerned. My mother. My mother got sober first. You know, and I. And I. And I have. I have continued. I have continued the. I like that. I'm gonna take that with me. I have continued the curse breaking, you know, and hopefully my children will carry it forward.

[Angela Yee]

Absolutely.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I heard you say that, you know, y' all didn't talk about things in your house when you were younger, before your father's passing, leading up to that. Did you guys get to have those conversations? Did you say. You know, we didn't talk because we didn't talk about anything. Can we talk about it now?

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah, yeah, we. Yeah, we. You know, we were good, you know, and, you know, and I think that that's. That's not exclusive to our culture, but I'm sure that, you know, our culture, we identify. You know, you talk. You know, grown folks are talking. You go in the other room, you know what I'm saying? You're seen and you're not heard. You know what I'm saying? And, you know, but. But we did a lot. Again, we did a lot of great work to get to the other side of that. Yeah, yeah.

[Host 1]

What were the conversations like while you were going through the homelessness and trying to figure out the. I know you got kicked out of a rehabilitation center at one point.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

Were your parents calling and checking in on you? Y' all were talking then, or like, was it just solely, just you?

[Kim Burrell]

You know, when I was. I spent a lot of time in the. In the Salvation army, in the soup kitchens. Detroit Rescue mission in Detroit. And during that time, I would. I would try to. I would try to go home, you know, and prove to my folks that I had changed, you know, that I had turned over a new leaf, so to speak, but I hadn't really. I was. I wanted to change, but I had the. I may have had the outward appearance of change, but I didn't even know what change required, you know what I'm saying? So there were conversations. They came and visited me in some of the rehabilitation centers that I was in, and I was really trying to get back into their good graces. But by the time I was really, really ready to stop, I wasn't concerned about repairing my relationships. Right? I wasn't concerned about getting back into the good graces of anybody. I was just trying to stay alive. I had to do it. I had to do it for me. Right? Not because of my job. Not because, you know, and I'm talking to addicts who are out there. Not because I want to get my wife back or get my kids back. No, I need to do this. I need to do this for me, you know what I'm saying? And then hopefully all of those other things will be added, you know, and. Yeah, yeah, but my parents, they, they support, they wanted the best, you know, but, you know, I was, you know, I was crazy.

[Angela Yee]

How do you get kicked out of rehab?

[Kim Burrell]

Drinking?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How you get it?

[Kim Burrell]

Using. Using, Right. Showing, showing up drunk. You know, you can't, you can't, you can only help somebody that want to help themselves. You know what I'm saying?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So it wasn't like a live in a stay in situation.

[Kim Burrell]

It was a stay in situation. I mean, we got, and you got breathalyzed every time you, you know, you came back. I mean, but you, you know, you could, you could, you could sneak. I mean, you know, got you, right? Yeah. Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

Not the first time, though.

[Kim Burrell]

Like, you know, not the first time. No.

[Angela Yee]

Okay.

[Kim Burrell]

Okay. I completed, I completed a program and was still a resident and, you know, I completed the program and you know, and, and continued. And continued to use. So, I mean, you know, you only, but you're only, you're only, you know, cheating yourself.

[Angela Yee]

So I wonder if those programs. This might be a stupid question. I wonder if those programs actually work or is it just something that gets you to realize, I gotta make a change?

[Kim Burrell]

That's a great point because we live in a, in a culture, in a society where, well, a certain segment of society where people think, you know, somebody has a, you know, a celebrity has a, has a flare up and get caught and then they go to rehab for like two weeks where he's in rehab, you know what I'm saying? Two weeks. Two weeks. I mean, that's, you know, that's a place. But you talking about an overhauling your entire life, you know what I'm saying? You're not gonna get better in two weeks, you know what I'm saying? You can abstain, you can get some clarity. You can get, you know, a, you can get some tools. But it took a lot for most of us, it's taken a lifetime to become the peep for our dysfunction to reach its peak. It takes time in order to get better. So you leave treatment, you gotta continue to be doing something, you know what I'm saying? And this is, you know, the Internet is littered, you know, with stories of, of, of people who've been to treatment and, and didn't make it, you know, and, you know, so. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Angela Yee]

So when you was at your lowest point, like, what was that thought, our moment that made you believe you could still change Your life.

[Kim Burrell]

Music has always been a light. Makes me want to cry.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's okay.

[Kim Burrell]

Music has always been. I've always known that that's what it was. So I would be in the Detroit Rescue Mission, on a piano in the corner, writing the chords for my first album. You know what I'm saying, right? Nothing is wasted, you know, I'm talking to you, you know, nothing is wasted. Your struggle, whatever you're going through right now, if you get honest and surrender to it, nothing is wasted, you know, because that first album, dude, that's all Salvation army, right? That's all Detroit Rescue Mission. That's all, you know, so music was always. Was always a light pulling me through. I wanted to be, you know, I'd be, you know, somewhere sleeping on the Detroit. On the Detroit riverbank and right across from the Detroit river, you know, Windsor, you know, and at night, dude, I'm, you know, I'm home. I'm trying to nurse a can of King Cobra till the next day, and I'm looking across and there's all these lights, there's all this life, you know, and I'm not a part of it. You know, it's like, dude, how do. Right? I saw this, but how do I get to. How do I. How do I get to that? You know what I'm saying? How do I. How do I get to the. To the next thing, you know, that. That. That God has for me and, you know, and, and, and. And surrender. Surrender, you know, I just didn't. It's not overnight, you know, I just didn't. I just didn't show up, you know.

[Angela Yee]

That'S so powerful, man. When you. Trapped in darkness, the light is there, right? You just have to, you know, have the clarity to see it. And I guess that's why you self medicate, because when you self medicate, you don't see it, Right?

[Kim Burrell]

Right. You have to let go. You have to be willing to let go of what's holding you back to get to the other side. You got to be willing to let it go. You got to be willing to let it, whatever it is, you know, we're just talking about, you know, addiction, but that those principles apply to everything. Whatever you trying to get to the other side of, it applies to everything, you know what I'm saying? So, you know, everything. It applies to everything, you know.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So this is amazing, just hearing your journey and the things that you were going through. I grew up listening to you. I would wake up Saturday mornings, it was chemistry and Anita Baker, my mom would. That would be ringing through the house. Right. And your voice. Right. We love the music. The whole time you're hurting, you're going through this. So it's just amazing to be able to hear your story now.

[Angela Yee]

Right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And I also. You had said that your music was your therapy, you know, at your time of homelessness, right, when you were away from your community. Have you ever done any other therapy? Like, real therapy?

[Kim Burrell]

Real therapy? Yeah, for sure. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Dude. When I get. When I signed. When I. When I signed my contract with Motown, I had a panic attack. First time I ever had one. Wow. And I didn't know what it was. Right. And I'd lived with depression. Like, you know, you just get up and.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Kim Burrell]

You know, the degree of my depression is not as severe as other people, obviously, but I had never. And I didn't know, you know, And I felt like I was underwater. I thought that getting a record deal, which I had been, you know, proverbially chasing, like, all of my life, I thought that that was gonna be the cure all. But I got the record deal now. I'm cool. Right? But there's all this other stuff, all this other. All this other baggage that still needed to be. To be unpacked. It didn't. More. What did you say? More men say. More money, more problems. It didn't resolve, you know, a lot of issues. So I ended up. I was talking to someone, a friend of mine, and I was explaining to her how I was feeling, and she happened to be a. A child psychologist. And she said, have you ever been diagnosed with depression? And I said, no, no. And she recommended a therapist. So I saw a therapist and educated myself. I was on medication for a while, and it was life changing. And that's after, I think I got a record deal. I had been sober for maybe 10. So these layers there. There are layers to our lives, Layers of the onion that we peel back. And there's more to discover, there's more to unpack. There's always, always more to be done, you know, And I know there's a lot of stigma and not as much today probably, as. As, you know, I mean, that was 23. As. As. As there used to be about, you know, you know, the black church. And we're talking about, you know, you only need Jesus. Like, yeah, you need Jesus and a therapist, right? You need a Jesus and a therapist. And you might need. And you might need some. Some. Some medication. You know what I'm saying? Don't let those things keep you from getting. From Getting the help that you need. You know what I'm saying? How did you get your deal?

[DJ Envy]

So you said you got your deal. You said you thought your problems would go away.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah. How did they. How did you get your deal? I. I was selling the Chemistry album out the trunk. Out the trunk. You know, I was. I was. I was passing CDs out in the streets, you know, in Detroit. I put some people on the plane and flash to Chicago and pass CDs out in the streets, you know, I was literally, you know, living in. In. In Detroit. And, you know, my neighbors thought they didn't know what I was doing. I'm out in my pajamas. UPS trucks, you know, loading CDs. I couldn't keep them in, you know, I couldn't keep them in the, you know, the beauty. Beauty supply store. So we were. I had my own. My own barcode. You know what I'm saying? I was set up as a. You know, set up as a. As a. As a business. My then manager, Toya Hankins, and we were just, you know, we were just hustling. So every time a CD sold it, there was a blip on Billboard, right? It wasn't a lot, but it was a. There was a blip. And then we started to get local airplay in Detroit, D.C. miami. Started playing love calls before we ever had a deal. You know, and so, you know, and, you know, if you get the. And I don't know how you. Well, I don't know how you. You know, you're obviously not selling CDs today, but if you get the people behind you, industry will follow.

[Angela Yee]

How were you able to create a soundtrack of love during that dark time in your life? Because you. You didn't love yourself, right? I don't know if you had somebody to love, but how were you able to write?

[Host 1]

You were really honest about all the things you were going through.

[DJ Envy]

There's something special about folks who come through without being asked. Like your coworker surprising you with your favorite coffee just because. Or your friend handing you the aux cord the moment you get into the car. No debate, no fight, just positive vibes. That kind of love. It just hits different. And that's exactly the energy. AT&T is on with their new guarantee. If there's ever a network interruption, AT&T will proactively credit you for a full day of service. No calls, no emails, no jumping through hoops. It's just handled. It's like the universe saying, I got you. Except this time it's not the stars aligning. It's your network. And let's be real, that connection is everything. Whether you're holding down the group chat, checking in on your parents. Scrolling TikTok. Your network's gotta come through. And if there's a problem, AT&T is on the case. No stress, no drama, just real backup. When it counts credit for Fiber downtime lasting 20 minutes or more or wireless downtime lasting 60 minutes or more caused by a single incident impacting 10 or more towers. Restrictions and exclusions apply. See att.com guaranty for full details. AT&T connecting changes everything.

[Hunter]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bites of stories of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson. As she drove toward Galvez, she was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car and she never returned home that day. One podcast, one mission. Save our girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Lola Blanc]

The Super Secret Bestie Club Podcast Season.

[Kim Burrell]

Four is here and we're locked in. That means more Juicy Cheeseman, terrible love.

[Lola Blanc]

Advice, evil spells to cast on your ex.

[Angela Yee]

No, no, no. We're not doing that this season.

[Lola Blanc]

Oh, well, this season we're leveling up.

[Angela Yee]

Each episode will feature a special bestie, and you're not going to want to miss it. Get in here. Today we have a very special guest with us. Our new super secret bestie is the diva of the people.

[Kim Burrell]

The diva of the people.

[Angela Yee]

I'm just like Texturex. My theory is that if you need to figure out that the stove is hot, go and touch it. Go and figure it out for yourself.

[Kim Burrell]

Okay, that's us. What the heck?

[Angela Yee]

That's us.

[Kim Burrell]

My name is Curly.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And I'm Maya.

[Angela Yee]

In each episode, we'll talk about love, friendship, heartbreaks, men, and of course, our favorite secrets.

[Lola Blanc]

Listen to the Super Secret Bestie Club.

[Kim Burrell]

As a part of the Microtura Podcast.

[Lola Blanc]

Network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple.

[Kim Burrell]

Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Narrator]

What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the Most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on earth. Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced.

[Angela Yee]

He said, you are a number, a New York state number, and we own you.

[Narrator]

Shock incarceration, also known as boot camps, are short term, highly regimented correctional programs that mimic military basic training. These programs aim to provide a shock of prison life, emphasizing strict discipline, physical training, hard labor, and rehabilitation programs. Mark had one chance to complete this program and had no idea of the hell awaiting him the next six months.

[Angela Yee]

The first night was overwhelming and you don't know who's next to you, and we didn't know what to expect in the morning. Nobody tells you anything.

[Narrator]

Listen to shock incarceration on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kim Burrell]

All of my. All of the early records are. All of the records up until I met my wife are aspirational, right? You know, skinny, dark skinned kid, shy, you know, I'm a. I'm a introvert pretending to be, you know, an extrovert, you know, shy, you know, don't get, you know, want the. Want the look from the pretty girl. Want the, you know, so I'm. I'm. That's, you know, too. Too afraid to talk, you know, so that's. All of my songs were this. All inspirational. It's all aspirational and it's all, you know, when I did have a girlfriend and then the loss of. The loss of love, you know, that first, you know, you know, the first album Chemistry is. It's all of that, you know. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's crazy how you say. You ain't even know how to talk, man. Your music got so many guys cheeks.

[Kim Burrell]

But I can do that, right? I'm standing it so my brothers. I'm standing in the gap for my brothers, right? You ain't got the words. There's a Kim. There's a Kim record for it, Right?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Right?

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

So did love inspire your music or did music inspire the way you love?

[Kim Burrell]

Both. Both. Both, right? And people talk about, you know, I used to be in bands and they would be, you know, everybody's. We were coming up in, you know, some Minneapolis sound. It was, you know, Tony, Tony, Tony. It was all the dance tracks and all the. All my bandmates and my musical peers, you know, they were chasing this thing, dude. And I'm sitting over here in the corner with these little quiet ass, you know what I'm saying? How you always writing the love, you know, why you always was like, dude, I don't know, you know, that's just, you know, that's just. That's just what it is. And I. And I'm, you know, and I'm grateful for that, you know, because I think that all that ails the world is a lack of love. To some degree.

[Angela Yee]

No, I think not even to some degree. I think that's what's missing. Because love gives you empathy. Love gives you caring. If you have those three things right, you'll show up and be the human that we need you to be.

[Kim Burrell]

You know what I'm saying?

[Angela Yee]

Love, empathy, and care.

[Kim Burrell]

That's it, you know? Yeah. For real. Yeah. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Looking back now, right, what are you most proud of now about your journey back then?

[Kim Burrell]

I am most proud of being sober because upon that is, you know, upon that, that's the foundation for everything else. If I'm not sober, I mean, that's, you know, I mean, God and sobriety, you can go, which one comes first? Because if I'm drinking, dude, God may still be with me, but I'm not. I'm not. Right?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I got you.

[Kim Burrell]

Sobriety is probably the first thing. Upon that, everything else is built. And after that is, you know, is my family, my kids, my wife and I, we've got seven kids. He got you between us.

[DJ Envy]

Got me built by one, right?

[Kim Burrell]

The oldest is 30. The youngest is one. You know what I'm saying? So we started over. Look here. Still sharing your love, you know what I'm saying?

[DJ Envy]

How did you meet your wife? How did you meet your wife?

[Kim Burrell]

I met my wife at a show in Atlanta, right. And I was never. I was never the artist who is, you know, sleeping with fans. Hey, yeah, you know. Yeah, go give, you know, bring that one back and Go bring that one back. And my wife came to a meet and greet on a tour that I shouldn't. That I. Well, I, you know, that at the time, I didn't feel like I should have been on. We had told you. We had just. We had just. It was just me, but we had just. This was 2015. So in 2014, you know, me, Joe and Charlie Wilson, you know, we was out killing them for months, right? And then I came back and tried to do. And do another tour. So we had been out there, so I really felt, you know, that I shouldn't have been out on the road. But, you know where you are. We don't all. What you think you're someplace for is not necessarily why you're there. We think we're there for one reason. But there's something. There's something else, something Else is going on and. And I met my wife at a, at a meet and greet. She hates it, dude. Cuz when we. You get into. I call her. Oh yeah, meet and greet. I got you meet and greet, right? She gonna see this. We gonna have a right, right? Meet. That's my meet and greet.

[Angela Yee]

It was a divine meet and greet though. That's the difference.

[Kim Burrell]

You knew she was the one as soon as, huh?

[DJ Envy]

You knew she was the one as soon as you met her.

[Kim Burrell]

Oh, boy. There was something that made me want to stay in contact with her. Right. Which I never, you know, and you know, and I'm lame. I'm a square, right? I'm asking her if she got a. You got a business card? Ain't nobody carrying business cards.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You only know if she got a business.

[Kim Burrell]

You got a business card. Yeah, but I met her at a show. Yeah. Met her at a show. Yeah.

[Host 1]

And then so after the like, not that night, but like following the show, you guys keep in contact. You're dating. Like, what's the.

[Kim Burrell]

We kept in contact via social media and then on. And our first date was I flew to Atlanta and I was in, I was in Detroit, Detroit was home. And I flew to Atlanta on New year's Eve of 2015 for our first date and we had, we had sushi and then we went to a watch night service at a church to bring in the new year. And you know, I mean, right there you can go, I can go on. I mean it was, but it was, it was divine, right? Because it was lined up. Everything was, it was lined up. And then, you know, we tried to remain, you know, good Christians and then.

[DJ Envy]

That went out the window.

[Host 1]

Seven kids later.

[Kim Burrell]

Seven kids later, right? And when she said, you know, she told me she was pregnant with my first son and I got the news and I was like, okay. I was like, okay, all right. So I'm like, you know, I'm going, I'm going all. I'm going all in, you know, and I went and I went all in, you know, and haven't. And haven't looked back.

[Angela Yee]

I just want you to know you looked your lips through that whole story.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, yeah.

[Angela Yee]

You know what I'm saying?

[Kim Burrell]

We got seven kids. So, you know, and the last one is one. You know what I'm saying? No, you gotta do the Mm, girl, look here.

[Angela Yee]

When you write songs like Give my love, do you write from a place of healing you've already reached or from like pain you might still be processed.

[Kim Burrell]

Give my love is give my. All of the Music. Since I've met my wife, there is a much. And I was concerned about that. About, like, how is this going to. You know, we talked earlier about, you know, my angst and my aspiration for love. So now that I'm in this relationship with this woman, you know, the most spiritual, you know, I mean, how is that going to affect my writing? So now my writing is richer. It is. You know, I'm talking, I'm thinking. I'm really thinking about communicating, you know, the ebbs and flows of my relationship with my wife and the spiritual component to our relationship. Yeah. So give my love. All the music is still inspired by love, but now really inspired by love in a much deeper way. Yeah, yeah.

[Angela Yee]

What about music in general? Like, is it. Do you write from a place of healing or from, like, pain you might still be processing, dealing with?

[Kim Burrell]

I don't. I. You know, I talk about my pain and my writing only in retrospect. Got you. Not in. You know, I mean, you know, every day, you know, I mean, you know, it's up and down and in and out, you know, all the time. You know, we only post. We only post of the good stuff. Right. But it's mostly the pain is in retrospect, or it may be lessons that I'm learning. The single that we're dropping next is called Rock With Me, and it's talking about wanting a relationship to grow, understanding that in order for a relationship to sustain itself, both of y' all gonna have to. You got to, you know, you got to grow, and you got to make room for the other person. And.

[DJ Envy]

And Rock With Me comes out this Friday.

[Kim Burrell]

Rock With Me comes out this Friday.

[DJ Envy]

Give my love But I'm in. Rock with me.

[Kim Burrell]

No, it's all good. It's all good.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Lauren, you can resonate with that. She in the new relationship. She don't really know where it's going, so she.

[Angela Yee]

Got kudos.

[Host 1]

I don't have to. I don't have to. And please stop saying that. Don't disturb our peace.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Trying to get exactly.

[Host 1]

When you get there, y' all will all be invited. We'd love to have you sing because I know exactly.

[Angela Yee]

I have two.

[Host 1]

My wedding. Okay.

[Kim Burrell]

Whoa.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, yeah.

[DJ Envy]

We all look like. Yeah, it's all. Gets crickets when she says something like that.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Trying to get up right?

[Host 1]

Don't.

[Kim Burrell]

Why? What are you doing?

[Angela Yee]

I just want to show what. Kim.

[Kim Burrell]

What?

[Angela Yee]

Rocking. What you look like.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What you look like.

[Host 1]

Give my love. I saw that. There's a blind dance to the.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Don't look at that.

[Angela Yee]

Remember them days, Kim?

[Kim Burrell]

Oh, I.

[Host 1]

No, you don't. You don't do that.

[Kim Burrell]

Is that you? She is.

[DJ Envy]

She had a different wig on.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

She a different person.

[Kim Burrell]

That's the night wig.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

This is the daytime wig. That is the night wig.

[DJ Envy]

Different way going that.

[Kim Burrell]

Was.

[Angela Yee]

She on a 30 day alcohol fast?

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

I think it should be forever, but, you know.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah. When you. When you do. When you do find the one. When the dust settles and you find the one, just holler. Just. Just. Just holler at your boy. I got you. You'll sing, I'll sing. I'll be happy to.

[Host 1]

You know, I'll call you.

[Kim Burrell]

Jesus Christ.

[Host 1]

And you not invited Charlemagne, like.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So you was about to say he line dance.

[Host 1]

Yeah, I was trying to distract, but yes, there. I saw that as a line dance to you.

[Angela Yee]

You don't even got a real question.

[Kim Burrell]

There's a line dance to give my love. Yeah, yeah.

[Host 1]

So when you're performing at these venues, because I'm seeing the people do the line dance on stage with you and people are out and people are drinking. How does that ever, like, bother you? Because you've been sober for so long, or how does that work?

[Kim Burrell]

No, it doesn't. It's just me being sober is just a choice for me, you know, and you, you know, and you. You know, I mean, people innocuously offer. They offer alcohol, and I'll just say. And I'll just say, no, thank you. Like, she didn't have to. You know, I appreciate that, but she didn't have to. Right? It's just, no, thank you, and you just move on. It's no. Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

You know, Jess was so aggressive. She's like, you know, mimosa?

[Kim Burrell]

You want to mimosa?

[Angela Yee]

No. And he was like, d show.

[Kim Burrell]

I did not say.

[Hunter]

I did not.

[Host 1]

She just didn't want to have two. Cause he was trying to push it over here on me, and I told.

[Kim Burrell]

Him, I'm doing a picture. I have a mimosa. This would be the most dangerous morning show for real. Look, y' all be having me escorted out the building, man.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I was more about the lion dance. Did you feel pressure to do it, or did that just happen? Did you make up the line dance?

[Kim Burrell]

Like, what? No. Kenny J, who's a lion dance choreographer extraordinaire, you know, we. We called him to put a line dance to it, and. And then he taught it to me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Got you.

[Kim Burrell]

You know, and, you know, and. And. And we dig it. You know, we did. We dig it.

[DJ Envy]

I still can't get the tamiya one. So I got a long way to get to know. I still be confused.

[Kim Burrell]

Going left. Right. I can't get none of these lines.

[Host 1]

Yeah, just don't.

[DJ Envy]

I'll be trying.

[Host 1]

I have a question about. About one of your older songs about I Can't Stop Loving youg.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

So I know you said a lot of those songs were aspirational, but I was reading the article on ebony, and they talked about that song being about infidelity.

[Kim Burrell]

That particular song is about infidelity.

[Host 1]

Was that aspirational? Fidelity.

[Kim Burrell]

No, no, no, no, no. Aspirational.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What the hell?

[Kim Burrell]

No, no, no, no, no, no. The love songs are aspirational. Give my love. And there are those songs that are. That are autobiographical. Autobiographical. And I Can't Stop Loving you is one of those. And yes, it is about infidelity. It was about me being. I was in a relationship with someone, and I stepped outside and people. And the strange thing about I Can't Stop loving you is, like, probably next to love. Well, it's a big record, and people always want me to sing it at they wet. And I'm like, dude, have you listened to the lyrics of this song?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You wasn't at that goddamn shot. You stepped out, right? You wasn't that interesting.

[Angela Yee]

I heard your wife reply to an aspirational cheating song. Like, if you wrote I just can't stop thinking about cheating on you.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah, it would. It would.

[Host 1]

It would ask that. Because you said all those songs are aspirational. But then I read that article, so I was confused.

[Kim Burrell]

Right. No, no, no. That's. That's. That's true.

[Host 1]

You had to track in my mind. Because I also didn't know it wasn't a song about infidelity either. I thought it was just a love song.

[Kim Burrell]

Sorry.

[Host 1]

Stop looking at me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You start drinking, I can see why people want you to sing it at their wedding. I ain't gonna lie. That song puts you in a mood where you just want to love up on your guy or your girl, whatever. You know what I mean? They not even listening to it because I ain't gonna be honest until she just said that. I mean, I'll be honest. Till she just said that, I had no idea that it was about infidelity.

[Kim Burrell]

And it is aspirational in the sense that I want to be a better man. I should ask you. I'm gonna come on the radio and tell the whole world that I cheated on you Damn. And I can't stop loving you there's some narcissistic Ass.

[Angela Yee]

Damn.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I cheated on you. I'm gonna tell the world.

[Kim Burrell]

I'm telling you, stop loving, you know? Right. Right.

[Host 1]

I guess it gave you something you had to like. Like you couldn't go backward. You only could go forward from there because you didn't. You said it to the world. So now you have to be better.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah, I am better. I love that.

[Host 1]

I know that's right.

[Angela Yee]

You know, they always say faith without works is dead, right. So do you think your faith saved you or did discipline save you?

[Kim Burrell]

Both. It's both. It's both, right? Yeah. Faith without. Yeah. Yeah. You can, you know, when you ask God to move a mountain, you bring a shovel with you. Right. There's some. There's work that needs to be done, you know, and, you know. Yeah, there are things that you can do and there are things that you can't do, you know, One of my favorite pairs is the prayers, is the serenity prayer. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change and the courage to change. I can't. So what is mine? The wisdom. No different. Right. What is my. What is God's to do? And what is mine to do? Right. If I can't do anything about it, I can. This is, you know, this is. Then this is in God's hands, you know. But what is mine to do? I'm expected to. To get busy.

[Angela Yee]

So do you see your career as a calling or a platform?

[Kim Burrell]

I see it as a calling mostly. Right. And there is a deception in the world that we're living in right now. Everybody wants to have a platform. Everybody got you thinking about your gym shoe line on my new cologne. Hold on, you preaching now, right?

[Angela Yee]

But everybody don't have that.

[Kim Burrell]

This jewelry that I. This jewelry. This jewelry that I designed. And you need to be, you know, and I'm, you know, and I'm. I am an author. I'm an author and I'm a. You know, I was on the phone with somebody who said, well, you're not just an artist anymore, you're the host of Chemtv, you know, and so it's just trying to find the balance in that in order to stay. In order to, for one thing, to feed the other. Right. In order to be, you know, you gotta be on social media in order to, I mean, you gotta do to it to an extent, but really not getting away from that. This is, you know, trying to be mission driven, you know, calling driven, you know, what's really, really important, right? And not chasing. Not chasing the trends. Not, you know, Everybody's skipping. You need to skip, you know, well, that. Right. It's like, yeah, yeah, this. This is a platform, but it's. It's. It's more than that. First.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Kim Burrell]

You know, so I'm still, you know, I'm still working all of that out.

[Angela Yee]

You know, my man and Paris, he always says that people, you have to do things for intention, not attention.

[Kim Burrell]

Exactly.

[Angela Yee]

And we're in an era where everybody does things for attention.

[Kim Burrell]

But what's your intention exactly? You know, Right. Everybody. We want to be influencers. Like, dude, just, you know, can. I. Can. I'll do good. To influence my household. Right. My community. Right. Or the people that I'm meeting every. That I'm just. That I see every day deal with how you dealing with them people, you know what I'm saying? As opposed to being at the whims and the ebb and flow of strangers and people that you don't even know, you know, and then taking hits, right? You all off, you know, off center because of. You know what I'm saying? No, it's like really, really having to be, you know, really be, you know, intentional.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I really want to know this about you. Who is your mount? Who is on your mount? Rushmore of R B and soul?

[Kim Burrell]

Oh, yeah. It's a lot of people.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay, so it's not just four.

[Kim Burrell]

No. How could that. And I'm a songwriter first, so I dig songs, right? So I'm, you know, the songs have. Have affected me. So it can be, you know, well, there'll be, you know, Prince and Michael would be. I mean, you know, but. I mean, but there's, you know, but there's Luther, there's Ron Isley. I'm working on something right now. I'm like, dude, I may have to call, you know, Ron Isley, to me is like, if they did a time capsule of somebody to represent R and B and soul, like, his voice is that to me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's right.

[Kim Burrell]

You know, everybody. Or Earth, Wind and Fire, you know, and then the songs and then the, you know, the new artists that are, you know, October, London. And I was just listening to the star, Kendrick Lamar and sza, you know, and you know, Summer Walker.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Do you like Gideon Givian? You know who giving is? I gotta put you on with giving.

[Kim Burrell]

Me on B singer.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He's great. He's great.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah. And everybody's talking about R B is, you know, like, dude, you can get. You can push a button and listen to all the R B that you want to listen to. You know what I'M saying, you know.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You did an interview back in November where you said that you wanted to collaborate with Sade.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Did you hear anything from her team?

[Kim Burrell]

No, no, no. I'm still.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Because that would be amazing.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah, that would. That's. That would be my jam. Right? Yeah. Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

So how do you measure success now? Is it about the awards and the charts or it's about how many lives your music touches?

[Kim Burrell]

You know, that's. That. That's tied into the. For me, that's tied into the platform question. You know, I. I, you know, some of the things that I haven't hit, you know, I haven't won a Grammy. I've been nominated, you know, but I want a Grammy. You know, I want to make some more money. I want number. I want more number one records. I want all of that. Those things. There are all of these marks that I haven't hit yet. And, you know, the good thing is, is that I don't feel like. I don't feel like I'm done, but if I was done, I've been doing this for 23, you know what I'm saying? Right. I. You know, it's like. No, I. You know, I've had. I've been. I've had great success doing what I. I do and, you know, keeping my head above water and. And. And, you know, and just being cool. It's been good, you know, Do I want more? Yes. More is on the table. You know what I'm saying? But I'm not, you know, I have to be. I'm. I'm grateful for what has been.

[Host 1]

Do you ever have days where you, like, lose the passion or, like, you're, like, drained or. Cause you're. You put so much into your music.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah.

[Host 1]

What are those days like for you when, like, writer's block or.

[Kim Burrell]

Writer's block is, you know, really the biggest job for me is writing is the hardest thing. It's the hardest thing, and it's the most rewarding thing because nothing. Nothing, you know, for. You know, for what we do, you know, as an artist, as a song, you know, everything starts with a song, you know, so the hardest thing is to. And we're calling, my team and I, we're calling this the season, a return to love and just returning to the love of it. You know, it's just sitting down at the. Because when I started, dude, I could sit at a piano or keyboard, like, all day and not move and not have to find anything. You know what I'm saying? And now it's Like, I'm looking for something when I sit down, you know what I'm saying? So now I'm just flush out every idea. That's the most challenging thing just to sit and just. Everything don't have to be, you know, my albums, all the albums are not. They're all. Not number one. They're not all supposed to be number one records. They're not all radio songs. They're not all, you know, and just let. And just. Just, you know, and just. And just let it flow. Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

So, brother, thank you for your testimony, man.

[Kim Burrell]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Angela Yee]

And thank you for, you know, you know, turning your testimony in. The art that. That heals, man. Thank you, bro.

[Kim Burrell]

Thank you. Thank you for having me. It's really, really been a blessing to be here today.

[DJ Envy]

Well, thank you. Let's get into the single. You want to introduce it?

[Kim Burrell]

This is Rock with Me, and you're hearing it right here. Iheartradio. This is the Breakfast Club.

[Angela Yee]

Yes, sir.

[Kim Burrell]

That's right. Come on, now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We love you, Kim.

[DJ Envy]

It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

[Kim Burrell]

Hold up.

[Angela Yee]

Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. It's the Breakfast Club.

[Kim Burrell]

We all finish or y' all done?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Every case that is a cold case that has DNA right now in a backlog will be identified in our lifetime.

[Kim Burrell]

On the new podcast, America's Crime Lab.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Every case has a story to tell, and the DNA holds the truth.

[Kim Burrell]

He never thought he was going to get caught, and I just looked at my computer screen, I was just like, ah, gotcha. This technology's already solving so many cases. Listen to America's Crime Lab on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Lola Blanc]

Everyone thinks they'd never join a cult, but it happens all the time to people just like you and people just like us. I'm Lola Blanc. And I'm Megan Elizabeth. We're the hosts of Trust Me, a podcast about cults, manipulation and the psychology of belief. Each week we talk to fellow survivors, former believers and experts to understand why people get pulled in and how they get out. Trust me. New episodes every Wednesday on Exactly right. Listen, wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Hope Bryant]

It's Black Business Month. And Money and wealth podcast with John Hope Bryant is tapping in. I'm breaking down how to build wealth, create opportunities, and move from surviving to thriving. It's time to talk about ownership, equity, and everything in between. Black and brown communities have historically been last in line. Let me just say this AI is moving faster than civil rights legislation ever did. Listen to money and wealth from the Black Effect podcast network on iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Narrator]

What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on earth? Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced.

[Angela Yee]

He said, you are a number, a New York State number, and we own you.

[Narrator]

Listen to shock incarceration on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Host 1]

This is an iHeart podcast.