INTERVIEW: Mýa Talks Creative Freedom, Navigating the Industry, Independence

Summary

The Breakfast Club — Interview: Mýa Talks Creative Freedom, Navigating the Industry, Independence

Podcast: The Black Effect Podcast Network & iHeartPodcasts
Episode Date: May 7, 2026
Hosts: DJ Envy, Angela Yee, Charlamagne Tha God, Jess Hilarious
Guest: Mýa
Theme: Artistic freedom, independence, and staying grounded in the music industry

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Episode Overview

Award-winning singer-songwriter Mýa joins The Breakfast Club to discuss her new album "Retrospect," her journey as an independent artist, and her commitment to creative authenticity. The conversation dives deep into her musical roots, the influence of icons like Prince, lessons learned from label politics, and the deeper meaning of self-love and artistic freedom.

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1. Mýa’s New Album "Retrospect" — Roots and Inspiration

[03:14–04:53]

• Mýa describes "Retrospect" as a time-capsule journey into the sounds that originally inspired her: 70s soul, funk, and R&B.
  • "This album is a journey back into time... When I fell in love with music for the first time, it was literally soul, funk, R and B that filled my household — vinyl days." (Mýa, 03:18)
  • Draws from block parties, skating rinks, family gatherings—a celebration of Black musical heritage.
• Prince and the Minneapolis sound are major influences.
  • “I’ve worked with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis before, performed with Prince before. But that whole era of funky... performance, the aesthetics, the fashion—the ultimate performance.” (Mýa, 04:07)
• The album is an intentional homage, embodying an entire era and her family's musical history.

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2. Prince’s Influence & The Independent Artist Path

[04:53–07:52]

• Mýa recalls performing with Prince and his impact on her independence.
  • “He was a big advocate of empowerment… No sampling, playing an instrument, really investing in your craft.” (Mýa, 05:08)
  • Prince counseled her to stay independent: “Prince always said, you know, I will help you if you stay independent.” (Mýa, 13:26)
• She founded her label Planet 9, embracing entrepreneurship, wearing multiple hats, and adapting to fast-changing music tech.
  • “You have to be very relentless and resilient in your grind, especially when you’re financing 100% of it.” (Mýa, 13:54)
• First time releasing an album independently in Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio for an immersive experience.

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3. The Making of "Retrospect"

[08:44–11:20]

• Album creation spanned years, begun in 2016, completed during the pandemic.
• Featured collaborations, including D-Nice and producer Mars (1500 or Nothin’).
• The pandemic inspired her and Mars to intentionally pursue joy over darker themes.
  • “If we had one direction… Let’s bring the joy. Let’s go in this direction.” (Mýa, 09:18)
• Legal clearances for features and publishing stretched out the process; she also has two more finished albums ready.

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4. Navigating the Industry: Labels, Independence, and Artistry

[11:21–16:39]

• Londell McMillan, associated with Prince’s estate, now manages her, supporting strategy and roll-out.
• Mýa values the education and agency that independence provides, “I was really just having a ball, experiencing what it is to create from a real, free, pure place… It got very addictive when I went independent.” (Mýa, 13:41)
• Shift in perspective on success: “My sanity is kept, my spirit’s intact. I’m literally having more fun now in my 40s than I was as a teenager.” (Mýa, 14:57)

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5. Creating Without Fear & Embracing 70s/80s Sound

[16:39–19:36]

• Not concerned about fitting into current eras — makes music for herself, not for charts/trends.
  • “My measure of satisfaction is, does it feel good to me?... Can I live with this in my car over and over?” (Mýa, 16:54)
• Cites dozens of influences: Rick James, Prince, Tina Marie, Michael Jackson, Shalamar, Atlantic Starr, etc.
• Album fuses soul, funk, and hip-hop under the guidance of producer Mars (who also brings in hip-hop roots).

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6. Womanhood, Independence, and Self-Validation

[19:36–23:40]

• Freedom comes from both being an independent artist and evolving in womanhood.
  • “The independency has allowed me to create from that space of freedom... I just want it out in the universe, you know, and that's success for me.” (Mýa, 19:45)
• Critiques social media and algorithms for their effect on youth and mental health.
  • “Algorithms can shoot, really affect validation... It’s affecting our youth — the likes, how they define themselves.” (Mýa, 20:57)
• Emphasizes learning the business side for mental resilience.

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7. Navigating Fame, Label Politics & Family Grounding

[23:40–32:54]

• Reflects on entering the industry young and avoiding “crazy stories” due to family stability.
  • “My dad was there during that time, and my mom was my accountant — she’s always kept me debt free and finances intact.” (Mýa, 26:54)
• Details obstacles with her fourth album "Liberation" — label changes, leaks, industry upheaval.
• Emotional impact: “To be thrown out, discarded, dropped... I just decided to sit with self for a minute and figure out, well, what it is I want to do.” (Mýa, 31:33)
• Spiritual transformation leading to the founding of Planet 9 and a recalibration rooted in family and faith.

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8. Visuals and Performing—Bringing the Album to Life

[40:38–43:32]

• Promises visuals for “Just a Little Bit” (feat. Too Short), emphasizes collaboration with creative director Derrick Brown—long-time collaborator and 70s baby.
• Strong commitment to live performance and bringing her show authentically to fans.

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9. Reflections on Past Work, Label Decisions, and Iconic Records

[43:40–55:42]

• Tells behind-the-scenes stories for hits like “Best of Me,” “Lady Marmalade,” and “My Love Is Like… Wo.”
• Many label-driven decisions for singles; sometimes resisted her creative wishes.
  • “My love is like whoa. I wasn’t really a fan of it when I first listened to it... I changed some words around so it could fit me.” (Mýa, 54:44)

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10. Owning Her Narrative: On Marriage, Motherhood, and Self-Love

[60:25–63:50]

• Discusses societal and industry pressure around marriage and motherhood.
  • “I am a godmother. I am the rich auntie, and I enjoy all of it. I love kids, but that's misconstrued as, oh, she don't like kids...” (Mýa, 60:42)
  • “The focus hasn’t been what the world may want of women… I want a mirror of me at my best and highest right to be matched and paired in divine timing with a reflection of the best me.” (Mýa, 62:03)
• Centers self-love, patience, purpose, and readiness for whatever path unfolds.

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11. Spirituality, Ancestry, and Staying Aligned

[34:23–35:46], [67:55–68:49]

• Roots musical inspiration in family history, gospel, and spiritual calling.
• Advocates for self-connection, ancestral wisdom, realignment with nature; hints at emerging wellness movements.

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12. Memorable Quotes

• "Teamwork makes the dream work." (Mýa, 13:32)
• "I'm having more fun now in my 40s than I was as a teenager." (Mýa, 14:57)
• “I don’t make music from fear. There’s nobody judging but me now.” (Mýa, 16:54)
• “A ring doesn’t hold any weight if the vows are not being adhered to.” (Mýa, 61:00)
• “You have to show up for you first before you can show up for anybody else within that space. That’s what I’ve learned.” (Mýa, 69:33)
• “I want a mirror of me at my best and highest right to be matched and paired in divine timing with a reflection of the best me.” (Mýa, 62:03)
• "There's a beast here though... that comes out when it's supposed to." (Mýa, 57:47)
• "I would rather be underrated versus overrated. And now is my time, you know, where I'm so aligned and educated and aware." (Mýa, 52:49)

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13. Notable Moments & Final Thoughts

• Mýa brings gratitude for past struggles and underexposure, seeing them as critical to her growth and current fulfillment.
• The interview ends on a light note with song requests ("Just a Little Bit"), reflections on fan-favorite tracks, and playful talk among the hosts.

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14. Key Timestamps

• 03:18: Mýa explains the origins and themes of "Retrospect."
• 04:53: What it was like performing with Prince.
• 07:52: Talking about immersive sound and new album technology.
• 09:18: How the pandemic shaped the album’s direction.
• 13:41: On the liberation and challenge of being independent.
• 16:54: Creating from intuition, not fear or trends.
• 26:54: How her parents kept her grounded financially.
• 31:33: Coping with career setbacks and industry politics.
• 40:38: Discussion of visuals and 70s-inspired album art.
• 54:44: When Mýa didn’t want to record “My Love Is Like… Wo.”
• 60:42: Her views on marriage, motherhood, and societal expectations.
• 62:03: On seeking the best of herself before partnership.
• 69:33: The importance of self-care within relationships.

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Summary Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is open, reflective, and empowering. Mýa is grounded, self-assured, and optimistic, radiating gratitude and wisdom about the industry and her personal evolution. She invites listeners—especially artists and women—to define success on their own terms, to honor creative freedom, and to prioritize spiritual and mental well-being.

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For fans and artists alike, this interview is both a celebration of Mýa’s legacy and a candid master class in navigating music, self-worth, and independence with resilience and joy.

Transcript

[Maya]

This is an I heart podcast. Guaranteed human.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

Okay, so quick behind the scenes moment about my business because people always ask me, how am I actually able to run everything? We got Brown Girl grinding on social media for the stories, but brown girlgrinding.com is Shopify in the merch. Shopify is literally the platform where I turn this tiny idea into a real business. And right now, my storefront, browngargrande.com and the black Effects storefront are booked and busy and Shopify is handling all of the heavy lifting, y'. All. I'm so excited about the fact that Shopify is going to show up at the Black Effect Podcast Festival this year in a really big way. Go to shopify.com Ben if I can do it, trust me, y' all can do it too.

[State Farm Narrator]

You've been working in the garage with your dad every week, Monday to Sunday, trying to get the old school up and running. Today, after all the hard work, y' all finally finished it. Even better. Your dad says all yours, son. Yep. Same car that belonged to your grandpa and that your dad helped him fix is yours. To really keep the tradition going, you need to get State Farm Insurance just like them, generation to generation. Remember to choose the agents that your family counted on. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

[Nissan Narrator]

Peace of mind starts with knowing what supports the journey is steady, grounded and dependable, especially during seasons of change. That's why Nissan engineers push their vehicles to the limit to demonstrate quality, reliability and durability, making those principles a foundation across every vehicle built. That commitment has earned recognition from J.D. power, ranking Nissan number one in new vehicle quality among mainstream brands. Because when trust is built into the foundation, it creates more space to move through life with clarity, confidence and intention, getting the most out of the journey wherever it unfolds. For J.D. power 2025 U.S. initial Quality Study Award information, visit J.D. power.com Awards Awards based on 2025 model year newer models may be shown Most

[Joybox Narrator]

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[Maya]

hold up every day I wake up.

[Joybox Narrator]

Wake your ass up.

[DJ Envy]

The Breakfast Club finished Or y' all done?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlemagne, the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. Lorna Roast is here as well. We got a special guest in the building.

[DJ Envy]

Yes, indeed.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Maya, welcome.

[Angela Yee]

Good morning, beautiful. Is this your first time here?

[DJ Envy]

Is it?

[Maya]

I think so.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wow. Good morning.

[Maya]

I feel like I met everybody before.

[DJ Envy]

How's your energy this morning? How you feel?

[Maya]

Good. I got a good night's rest.

[DJ Envy]

Okay.

[Angela Yee]

That's important.

[Maya]

Tacos for Taco Tuesday.

[DJ Envy]

She's married to a Mexican, so, yeah,

[Angela Yee]

every day who's also black as well, so it's.

[Maya]

Yes. Good. How are y' all doing?

[DJ Envy]

New album, Retrospect.

[Maya]

Yes, sir.

[DJ Envy]

What does this album mean to you?

[Maya]

This album is a journey back into time. The time that influenced me to sign up. To me, music, you know, when I fell in love with music for the first time, it was literally soul, funk, R and B that filled my household vinyl days. The collection that my parents had. A lot of dancing going on, a lot of singing going on in the living room, but culture as well. The block parties, the skating rinks, those gatherings where your family would come over, laughter, children playing. So it's a celebration.

[DJ Envy]

Nobody could look at you and tell you grew up in that era, by the way.

[Maya]

Like, literally. Oh, no, I'm a 70s baby.

[DJ Envy]

I know.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Nobody.

[Maya]

Yeah. So the whole experience.

[Angela Yee]

But I'm glad that you said that, because we were listening to the album, and I instantly got Prince.

[Maya]

Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

So it's like, that was totally intentional.

[Maya]

Oh, yes. The Minneapolis sound.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Absolutely.

[Maya]

I've worked with Jim and Lewis before, performed with Prince before. But that whole era of funky, the performance, the aesthetics, the fashion, you know, the little eye expressions and the facial expressions and the hand gestures, Just the ultimate performance during that time. The rehearsals, you know, I'm a musician's daughter.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Maya]

And it really inspired me. I've done stuff like that before on previous albums. I did a Rick James cover, but I just wanted to embody a whole body of work, which is what. Is what an album is to me. So Retrospect is literally digging into the crates of my influences and going back into time. Those joyful times of my childhood that first influenced me and introduced me to music.

[DJ Envy]

We were fast performing with Prince, either. What was that like?

[Maya]

It was beautiful. You know, I got to see him two nights in a row at the O2 in London, and he had a lot of artists join him on that run. And I learned a lot just by being there for two nights. There was a jam session, of course, afterward at the Indigo. And of course the conversation about independency. You know, the first conversation. I'd met him before that, but he was a big advocate of empowerment. No sampling, playing an instrument, all of those things. And then really investing in your craft. And they, they were gems that were dropped. See, I'm not Prince and I started this independent journey very early, before it was a thing. Yeah. Planet nine is my label and I didn't necessarily know what it was all about when I stepped into that new territory. And he was the person that was the voice of reason that sort of kept me on that path even when it got tough. You know, it requires you to of course Finance 100. That's the way I've done it. And you know, grinding. But also wear several different hats and wear many roles. And it's been a beautiful educational journey of empowerment. But learning and then also developing relationships when you become the label yourself and figuring it out because, you know, the business of music and then also the technological side of things changes.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Maya]

Every few weeks there's a new platform. So it's. It was really wonderful just to be in his presence, but also to receive the spiritual conversations, the business conversations, the new business models, the rehearsal conversations, finding your niche conversations, the performance aspect of it. And then encouragement.

[DJ Envy]

How ahead of his time was he?

[Maya]

Oh, I mean, he was in his own world. He was one of one playing over 17 instruments. You know, I. I don't know anybody that does that.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Maya]

And was very passionate, meticulous, very detail oriented. I witnessed him doing a sound check at the O2 both nights. And so I actually ran into him on my way to my sound check, coming from his sound check. And he was out there mixing on the board in the front of house.

[State Farm Narrator 2]

Wow.

[Maya]

And he cares that much about how the audience or the listener receives the art down to the mixing. And so, you know, I get asked often how come the. There's been an eight year gap in between albums. I mean, I too have really taken my time to be in that process of mixing. This is the first album that I am releasing independently and Dolby Atmos as well as Sony360 spatial audio, which is an immersive experience. So the chip like inside of the music, surround sound.

[DJ Envy]

Okay.

[Maya]

Like when you go to movie theater, 360 degrees. But now that you know they're doing this with music now versus just soundtracks for films, what if I can't afford

[DJ Envy]

the sound system in my house? Like what's going to sound like when I'm just listening on my little.

[Maya]

There are Headphones actually being developed now so that you can get the immersive experience.

[DJ Envy]

Gotcha.

[Maya]

Yeah. It's so wild. I did the whole test thing at the Sony studios where they have these little wires that they stick in your ears and they can actually see how you're ingesting the sound. And then they calibrate it to your ear.

[Angela Yee]

Oh, wow.

[Maya]

It's so crazy. And then they take it off with I don't know how many speakers are around you. 360 degrees above, left, right, and below. And you cannot tell the difference between like 30 different speakers in the room and the little tiny wired earbuds that go in your ear. You're like, what's going on right now? This is so advanced.

[Angela Yee]

So how long did it take for you to make this whole album? Retrospect, how long was it?

[DJ Envy]

Just don't whisper because Maya whispering,

[Maya]

this is my morning voice.

[Angela Yee]

She just settled the energy in the room.

[Maya]

It's still early.

[Angela Yee]

All right, so. So how long did it take you to make this? Okay, how long did it take?

[Maya]

Gotta remind me. I'm so chill and laid back. Okay, so I didn't have an actual timeline. You know, I actually cut the very first record in 2016, which opens my album, give it to you. I released it as a single in June of last year. D. Nice is now on it for the album version. Yes, legendary D. Nice. And he introduces this album with that song. And so I'd release other albums during that time. There was Smooth Jones that came in 2016, and then TKO, which is more of the slow jams baby making music project in 2018. In 2017, I recorded the second song. So it was like in between touring and in between album tours and promotional and grind stuff that I would just go in the studio. My production partner is my guy Mars from 1500 or nothing. And we would get together in between albums. But it was actually the pandemic that was confirmation for both of us. Like, yo, let's start making some playlists that get us out of this funk. Because this is a very uncertain time for all of us. The world, world. We had so many different directions we wanted to go. There was a mixtape, Lang, Maya Lansky. But we were like, it's too dark right now. Let's bring the joy. Let's go in this direction. We had a face to face conversation. Look, if we had one direction we wanted to go in and we only had one choice, which one would you do? This one or that one? We chose Joy. And then in the end of 2020, is when I rented a studio in Glendale, California, and we got to work. And so we literally finished the whole project, just the blueprint, without all the features in 2021. But the pandemic inspired that. And then the process of reaching out in the DMs, et cetera, or relationships that we already had, came the features. And then all of the legal processes took place over the years and featured artists clearances and publishing and all this kind of stuff. And now it's seeing the light of day. But I'd also recorded two other albums in between, TKO 2018 and now, so those are already mixed, mastered, ready to go.

[Angela Yee]

Damn.

[Maya]

And, you know, we've been working.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I gotta ask, you know, when we heard the album, we were listening very 70s, 80s, right?

[Maya]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Then when you walk in, I see Londell behind you.

[Maya]

Yes, sir.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Londell is a state manager. I don't know if he's still a state manager for the Prince estate. So he's estate manager for Prince. Did he have any. I guess. Did you go to him for advice for dealing with Prince and the music, the sound, et cetera, et cetera?

[Maya]

Well, Lundell was very instrumental in. In Prince's entrepreneurship, you know, and the empowerment behind that. He started in law and does so many other things, and he's been in that practice for such a long time. But he also has a management company, media company, owner of Source magazine. And I'd been dealing with several lawyers to try to get this project solidified, and there was no luck, you know, but L has a lot of weight in this business and can literally reach out based.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Knows a couple people.

[Maya]

Yeah. And so I actually know Londell. My dad and I know him for a long time. We've known each other for a long time. And we've had business conversations in the past as well. And so I had told my dad, I like, look, I'm so frustrated right now with these lawyers. Find out where L is. Get him on the phone. So we started talking collectively, and Landell mentioned, you know, I'm doing other things outside of law. Let me listen to the music, see where you're at. There were lots of conversations to also find out if this was aligned with him, if I was aligned and what my mission was. And it holds that entrepreneurial spirit always, which was also held together by Prince for so long in spirit. You know, we lost him and he's still here in spirit. But Londell is now my manager and. And leading this thing so that it sees the light of day with a quickness but also supporting the project with strategy. There's other teams that are very necessary to roll things out and I was just kind of throwing out music during my independent career. So happy anniversary, fans. Thank you all so much for riding with me. But now it's a new day and I want to do it right. I want to do it better and elevate every time. So teamwork makes the dream work.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Got you.

[DJ Envy]

You know, it's interesting because you said it's your first studio album in eight years. It makes me think, were you protecting your piece or protecting your artistry?

[Maya]

Honestly, I was really just having a ball, experiencing what it is to create from a real, free, pure place. It wasn't even protection. It got very addictive when I went independent because I had the freedom to create whatever genre with no ceiling I wanted to. The timeline I set, no deadlines. I didn't have to focus on charting or numbers and validate myself based on someone else's definition of success. And all that pressure that does come from the major label system. And the investment I knew, excuse me, the investment I knew was going to be very boutique, you know, and very startup, under the radar because I started in Japan on my very first few releases. So it was really fun because I didn't have all those rules and of course the criticism that comes with releasing a full body of work over me. But that was the time to get acclimated to what this independent journey was about. Do it in a very under the radar situation, in A1 territory, release here and there, mixtapes, EPs, along the way. And then something magical happens. Your relationships are built, you know the process because of that, education and practice. And then you show up and you put together an album, throw it out just for the love. It gets nominated for a Grammy and then it's additional confirmation to keep going. And Prince always said, you know, I will help you if you stay independent. And there's been so many times you want to throw in the towel, questioning self, is this really worth it? Do I need to go back into the system and all of these things? Because it is very hard and it. You have to be very relentless and resilient in your grind, especially when you're financing 100% of it. And then sometimes people don't even know it exists. So you're also getting, oh, you're washed up or you fell off. How come you don't make music anymore and nobody's paying attention. So nobody's paying attention. So to answer your question, you know, there's been so many Times that question mark has. Has popped up. But I don't measure success in the way I used to when I was in a system, because there's a new definition that's been introduced to me. My sanity is kept, my spirit's intact. I'm literally having more fun now in my 40s than I was as a teenager. Just kind of trying to figure it out in understanding that, you know, if it doesn't reach a certain number or a chart position, then you can be canceled, you can leave, you can be shelved. And I love music so much, I think I've protected just the love of the art. Not intentionally, but that's what Prince was always talking about, and that's what he was an advocate for for those he thought or maybe saw a little spark of love and passion in so that they could preserve their art themselves and still work in the business.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Were you nervous about going into the 70s era? Because it's like, you know, you have to think about, well, does it fit? Where does it fit? And especially with this generation so loving the 90s, the era that you came out, and the cool gowns, cool down is different now.

[Maya]

Like I was in the 70s when it was pure. People comment on this album and they're like, oh, you go into the era when it was pure Rick J's. But no, I don't even create from that place anymore. From Fear based on who I think should like it or considering every demographic, you'll go in circles trying to do that. My measure of satisfaction is, does it feel good to me? You know, does it feel right? Does it feel ready? Is a modulation needed? Is. Is this in the right key? Do we need to rework this record so it has a little bit more slap? Is the mix right? Is the feature right? Did I do my best on it? Can I live with this in my car over and over and over and over again? Can I ride to it? Can I share it with others? You know, and that's where I create from. And if I love it, of course, I start sharing secretly and privately to my friends, the people that know me, the dancers, my creative director. And, you know, you can always test with your fans. We have private chats. You can always go on Instagram Live if you really want to test a record before you invest as a business. But no, I don't make music from fear. There's nobody judging but me now, you know, And I'm never nervous about my favorite era of music because I knew. I knew that it hit different during that time. My eye My dad is a singer performer. I watched him and his band in my childhood right in my living room rehearse. And I was just dancing away and singing away with hairbrushes and broomsticks. And that's the feeling that I wanted to capture. So you'll get all of that joy from the trailblazers, the Rick James, the Prince, the Tina Marie Shalimar Atlantic star is all over the ballads, SOS Band, Gap Band, Evelyn Champagne King Patrice Rushin. So many influences, mj, you can hear it this like Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton influences all in that that come from my favorite era of music, which is the late 70s and then it bleeds into the 80s with synthesizers. And you also have the hip hop element on this project because my guy Mars, the executive producer partner of my as well as Mike and Keys, who work with Nipsey Hussle and List goes on and on and on. They know hip hop, they know drums. The iconic pioneers like J. Dilla are all over, you know, their productions. So you get that Fuse and I'm in love with this project.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

You said nobody's judging but you. Now does that come from the independence. Okay, I was gonna ask. Or does it come from where you are in your womanhood now? Like just.

[Maya]

It comes from both places. The independency has allowed me to create from that space of freedom where there's no number that I have to meet, there's no sale, there's no first week pressure. I just want it out in the universe, you know, and that's success for me. Like, hey, enjoy. I might not be here tomorrow. We never know when our last breath is. But the fact that I've birthed something and I just put it out for those to enjoy, whoever's ready to receive it, wants to receive it, stumbles upon it, you know, word of mouth is shared with that's successful, you know. And then to bring it to the stage is like the cherry on top for me because I love to perform and if my dad likes it because I always play it for him being a musician, you know, is he satisfied with it? Those are some good ears back here. And you know, I. I'm not really fearful also because of my womanhood. And there are a lot of lessons that I've learned along the way, even just as a songwriter. Some gems practice I've had. And it's a wonderful journey to just kind of be refined and step out fearlessly. That's the era that Maya's in now.

[DJ Envy]

Do you think modern music lost something emotionally like when everything became algorithm and

[Maya]

numbers Drew Well, I think there's pros and cons to everything. You know, algorithms can definitely be a focus when you're talking about business and return of investment. When somebody's investing because they're putting up some money, they're literally financing something and they want their money back plus some, you know, when you're doing it for the fun, it's a little different. Sometimes you're like, I don't care if I'm in the red zone, I can go in debt for this. I'll pay extra to just be there. Or I'll, I'll pay extra so that this is out and I'll get my money elsewhere. Whether it's touring or a brand deal or whatever it is, algorithms can shoot, really affect validation. And I think it's affecting our youth, the likes, because they're also growing into themselves in real time. And that's a part of what they look to, which is also addictive as how they define themselves. And that can be dangerous. As a grown woman, I'm not thinking about that. But of course, you know, when you're talking to a social media team or your pr, that's their job to let you know, okay, this is actually working. You should do more of that raw stuff. You don't have to be put together all the time. You know, those are the things I'm still open to. Cuz people want to be talked to. You got to connect some way. But algorithms are how businesses make their decisions because it's a risk out here. And if you're not a ticket sale, if you're not putting butts and seats, if you're not selling, then we have some hesitation. That's right, that's it's just business, so you can't take it personal. And so I encourage artists to learn the business so that first of all, you can protect your mental health and know that it's not just criticism in an attack on you all the time. It's literally business. And you don't find that out until you become the business and it's your money, you know, so you gotta of course have tough skin. But it's an awareness and it's an education and it's an understanding. So I think all of that is really essential now when you're dealing with other financiers to understand or major labels, with a lot of people and a lot of voices involved for your own mental health. But also awareness and how you navigate so that you can still be open, learn as a student and then move forward with some grace. But also know that everything's not going to be perfect. You know, you're going to have some wins and some losses. But it's very essential that you define that yourself. And then also have a degree of separation while you're operating in both. And they can coexist and they can intersect.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know, I was going to ask, you know, you started so young.

[Maya]

I did.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But we haven't heard a lot of Maya crazy stories. Is that because your dad is still with you now and he's still guiding, making sure that he's controlling everything else? Because a lot of times when people start young, you start hearing crazy stories. The industry runs them down. The industry makes them crazy. But we haven't heard that those stories from you.

[Maya]

I mean, there's always controversy. There's wild stuff out there, of course, that I actually experienced at the birth of, you know, a lot of the bottom feeder type of sites. You know, you can't avoid that in a public forum, you know, as a public figure and everybody's a public figure nowadays. But look at Lauren, Lauren going to

[DJ Envy]

all the bottom feeder sites right now.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

I saw you talking to. I was talking about.

[DJ Envy]

She just started typing.

[Maya]

You get thrown into it.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

I saw you talk about this with Melissa Ford on her the sit down that y' all did. And I made some notes about just what it felt like being there at the break of it all. Because we feel like we get it so bad from what we experience now.

[Maya]

Anytime you step out into this world, be prepared to get attacked from every direction. Even if you are Mother Teresa and your fundamentals, it does not matter. So you do have to understand that the world that we live in, plus everybody's opinion being who on Front street, it's going to happen. And if you know that everybody's kind of going through it, wonderful. We didn't have social media when I was a teen, so I survived. We had, you know, tabloids and blogs. But I was really under the radar because also, and I'm thankful for that because I was still a test dummy when I first started. They weren't sure of R B and if it could live on a rap and rock label. I was literally on Interscope when it was just rap in rock as an experiment. I was not signed on my first album during their investment to see if it could even work and exist.

[DJ Envy]

I'm gonna say that again.

[Maya]

I was not even signed to Interscope on my first album. I was signed to Haka Islam out of D.C. on university music Entertainment So it was real soft pedal. Ish. I didn't get the Britney Spears exposure but we were positioning and aligning on oh soundtracks, ghetto superstar pop stuff here and there. Good looks to just try to figure it out. So I didn't have that initial, I would say stamp of approval yet. I was in a real void, gray area like R B. We don't know what that is.

[State Farm Narrator]

Right.

[Maya]

We don't know if that's going to work over here we're willing to take a chance somewhat. Let's see how it does. But what's the first best business decision? Shout out to Baltimore, Drew Hill, Cisco. It's all about also on the same independent label that helped me break onto the scene. You know, there's a lot of piggybacking that happens when you're new to this business, which is a very competitive business. And I'm thankful for that move. Even though that wasn't my first choice for the first single. I had a strong camp. You know, my dad was there during that time and my mom was my accountant. She's always kept me debt free and finances intact.

[Angela Yee]

Amazing.

[Maya]

Even in the hardest times, you know, so that I'm very responsible but I also understand, understand how quick it could go out the door but also, you know, to plan for the future estate planning as well and what you want to avoid. So I've been really truly privileged and blessed to have family involved in my business but also present to just kind of keep me protected from all the things that we do hear about.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah. You think social media would have helped your career more or hurt it?

[Maya]

Both. Both. You know, you get to know people too much. You know, there can be some strong effects personally, spiritually. You know, to open yourself up to the world is dangerous. And I think there's a lot of judgment that's very fragile when you're learning yourself as a teenager. Yeah, I see it all the time with child stars in the public eye trying to grow into themselves. So I think the popularity and of course the investment might have been enhanced because of the exposure that you get from social media. But it could have gone so many different ways. Are you ready for it? What are the dynamics going on in your personal life? I don't think at that time I would have been ready for too much popularity. I was still learning me. I was also still learning the business and also just how to conduct an interview, how to do radio drops like the real things when you're just to a newbie to any territory.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

I was watching a lot of fans when they have conversations about your career. They always talk about how like your fourth album was like either was delayed or like the release wasn't as big as fans feel like it should have been.

[Maya]

Yeah.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

And they feel like it was unfair to you and that's why certain things didn't happen for you afterward. How did you feel about that time period of your life?

[Maya]

It's so interesting looking back at that time. So when I mentioned Interscope.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

Yes.

[Maya]

A series of events go like this. Hawk Islam, you know, signed to an independent label, they invest in you. Demos were shopped to several different labels. Interscope said yes, but it's still a maybe second album. I got signed to Interscope, officially, did another album. Third album was Mood Rain 2003, did a tour, all that. I start wanting to record my fourth album and the budget was closed and they're still recouping. A lot was spent making that third album with Ron Fair. And you know, I didn't have management at that time. So I'm now kind of in a transition where I gotta either put up my own money. And I started to do that and it was like a lot of money. Every week I was spending in Studios.

[DJ Envy]

How much?

[Maya]

20,000 over the course of two weeks. I said, this is ignorant. What I'm going to do is go home. I want to build a studio, I want to build a rehearsal space, but I'm also going to purchase a house so I can have living, take care of family, but also cast a crew that's based from my hometown, that's hungry, that's thirsty, provide opportunity, start a foundation. Because something doesn't feel right. Living in la. Something is missing. And I was out there by myself. So I called my dad up. I was like, look, I'm not happy here. Let's sit down. I can't create. I don't want to come home. And I want to do things from the ground up. He took me to Motown via Sylvia Rome. It was still within the universal system and that's where R B was supported. It was understood, culturally understood. It has a history going back to Detroit. So Sylvia Rohn allowed me to executive produce my own project. And it was a wonderful project called Liberation, which would have been my fourth album. Things happened. There was Napster, there was social media, there was itunes. And so when you change the release date so many different times, there's the farthest territory, furthest territory, Japan. That's a whole day ahead, right. And when they changed the release date the last minute Japan had the album and it was out. And then it leaked and then it got shelved and a whole bunch of other stuff around that time.

[DJ Envy]

It was out 24 hours prior.

[Maya]

Well, they're just ahead, you know, regarding a whole day ahead. So they got it before they got the memo or somebody didn't click in the metadata to check off that one territory. And so once it's out anywhere it's out and your whole rollout is fumbled, the whole investment, it gets shelved. You can choose to go back in the system. I was just in a place of, look, processing, which has happened after spending a year and a half literally putting up even some of my own money.

[DJ Envy]

Did you cry?

[Maya]

Of course. You know, to be thrown out, discarded, dropped, all of these things with negligence and made to look like I wasted somebody's money. When I show up, I show up on time. I really invest my own money into situations. I just decided to sit with Self for a minute and figure out, you know, well, what it is I want to do. Broadway called immediately, which was wonderful. Prince called immediately when he heard the word independent. And there were these wonderful things that happened immediately for me where I was quickly gathered up and shown that this actually is probably going to be your greatest blessing. There are opportunities coming. You have a catalog already. But I was always living in this fight or flight correctional facility mode. Yeah. Like, I want you all to understand that I'm not lazy. I want you all to understand that the perception is not I wasted anybody's money. The perception is, is I'm gonna go get this and I'm gonna go show you that I mean business. Show you that I'm really about this art. Show you that I'm really about this music and. And do the best I can with what I got to work with, whatever that is. It's always just figuring it out in real time.

[DJ Envy]

Can you expound on that? You said you're always in fight or

[Maya]

flight correctional facility mode. When you're in that devastation after you've had all of this press, all of this expectation, the release dates announced, changed, you know, investment made, but also a narrative that says, oh, you wasted $2 million of Motown money. All of these things, like you're somebody irresponsible or real high maintenance and doing all these crazy things. That's not the case. Things happen.

[DJ Envy]

I feel like that energy can exist for everybody now if you allow it to because of social media, of course. Fight or flight correctional facility. You always feel like you're in fight or flight, and you always feel like you got to correct some because.

[Maya]

But you also get Called washed up. You fell off, your career is over. And all of those things are placed over your head. So you go into a real deep spiritual dive to save yourself. And that's actually what I did. I started studying outer space DVDs because I finally got the chance, which was a blessing, to sit down, went to the library, got a library card. And that's how Planet nine was birthed. By being in this state of self, like insignificance, but also significance at the same time. We all exist in this very blink of an eye moment, right on this little ball amongst trillions and trillions, infinite universes.

[DJ Envy]

But you're connected to all of that,

[Maya]

though, Connected to all of that.

[DJ Envy]

I created all of that. And he created you.

[Maya]

Yeah. And then what is your world look like? You're no longer a part of that world. It's time for you to build your own from the ground up. And it was so spiritual for me. And things just started happening when I finally just made the decision and got out of my funk, that I had to prove something to others, others, others. And it still stays with you, of course, to just learn the lessons that this was trying to teach me. But I also took myself to where music inspired me. My great grandmother's name was Alberta Davis. And at 4 years old, I knew I wanted to sing when I heard her sing. My dad is also a singer. And at Ken Kingard Baptist Church in Kensington, Maryland, I witnessed something, but I also felt something so undeniable when I heard her singing. Her tenor voice, she had a very deep voice in the Baptist church. I took myself in 2007 to go study Disciples class. And I went to the altar. Just so happens the same day that I go to church to just receive a word, I'm just spiritually called to that altar. It was the 80th anniversary of that church that I didn't even know my great great grandmother Carrie Davis founded. Wow. And that's the same place that I was moved musically through gospel music.

[DJ Envy]

That was the ancestors.

[Maya]

And I didn't know what a recording artist was. I just knew that music is in my blood, it's in my veins. I'm on an assignment to do music. And that was my source of everything. And everything has just been so aligned since then because that's always where I pull from. And I'll never forget that. I don't walk alone. It's in this record retrospect, all face to face. So I just go back to my roots.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

Okay. So quick behind the scenes moment about my business. Because people Always ask me, like, how do I actually run everything? So Shopify is literally the platform where I turned this tiny idea into a business. Before this, I was really just like popping up at any in person event, any vending opportunity I could, which I still do, but I wasn't really as focused online. I, I, I was like, you know, the websites are going to be too much to build out. I'm not like a super techie person, even though I can make things cute. And I didn't want to put up a website that would run my customers away. I wanted it to be efficient, to be easy. And Shopify helped me build brown girlgrinding.com out. Once I switched to Shopify, it finally clicked like, okay, I can actually do this. It's not about it being tough. It's about using the right platform to make it easy. Shopify takes all of the guesswork out. I build my own store, I manage my community, own my own customer relationships. Plus, this is my favorite thing. Shopify gets my products everywhere. I'm able to link stuff through Google, YouTube, TikTok, Shop, the Shop app, even ChatGPT and Instagram, which is very important for me. And Shopify's AI co founder, sidekick, game changer, let me tell y', all, right? So it's helped me not only optimize my site, it helps me look at my sales trends, it updates my product skills, all the stuff I'm absolutely not an expert in, but it's like having a genius business partner that never sleeps. And right now, the Bronco grinding storefront and the Black Effect storefront is busy and Shopify is handling all of the heavy lifting. I love that for us. I am pumped, like so pumped that Shopify is going to show up at the Black Effect Podcast festival this year in a big way. And I will be there preaching this platform to all of the small black owned businesses that partner with us. So if you've been sitting on an idea or if you're ready to scale, which you've already started, this is your sign. Go to shopify.com Ben if I can do it, you can do it too.

[State Farm Narrator 2]

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[Maya]

My foundational roots, which is black music but also the core of everything and American music is black music and that's what this project is rooted in. So that helps me always get out of any funk when the world is judging you just to go back and retreat to the time that you fell in love and were spiritually moved where you couldn't even articulate it at the time. And that's how I pick me back up and keep going.

[Angela Yee]

And in this era, the 70s and 80s, it resonates with you. So that's how we got retrospect. Are we seeing any visuals? Because I love the single cover art for just a little bit like this was obviously you intentional you intentional but your idea and then also the album cover it gives 70s 80s funk disco. I'm ready to get fucked up. Oh, sorry dad. But like I'm ready to get fucked up and just Robin, you know.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

Exactly.

[Angela Yee]

Are we getting visuals to match this?

[Maya]

Yes, you are. And I want to give a shout out to my creative director who's been rocking with me for over 20 years, Derrick Brown. When I made that shift to go back home, I did an audition. We had a gym audition. He started off as a dancer for me, but he shoots videos now. He edits, he choreographs, he does everything. He's a director and he put his foot up in my album shoot. He's doing a lyric digital booklet right now. That was his idea because he was there. He's a 70s baby as well. So we kiki in my basement or in my studio or in rehearsals or whatever and we said, you know, I had done a previous photo shoot that leaned a little bit toward more pop 80s and we just both agreed it's not resonating culturally. This is the culture.

[Angela Yee]

This is perfect.

[Maya]

We were both there. That's what we wore, that's what the hair looked like. Let's lean into all of it so that people get it when they see it. But also the music complements it. So that was the thought process behind that. And yes, to answer your question, just a little bit featuring Too Short the music video. Just a little bit featuring Too Short the music video just dropped a couple of days ago and it embodies all that 80s glam. 80s glam from that era. Two shorts and a suit. I've never seen them in a suit before. It was really dope.

[Angela Yee]

You're gonna have so much fun performing this album on tour.

[Maya]

I am.

[Angela Yee]

You already be having fun. I just saw you in D.C. just, oh my God. Killing it with the Go Go roots. You love having fun. So I totally believe when you say I'm having the most fun I've had like in my life now in my 40s.

[Maya]

And I've always wanted to do it. Yeah, I did Cold Blooded by Rick James, a cover on my third album way back in 2003. I've always wanted to go in that direction. But the labels, the labels, excuse me, the labels were looking at me cross eyed. When an R and B artist wants to do funk, you know, especially on a rap rock label. It did, but they didn't even get R and B. You see what I'm saying? Interscope was rap and rock. So if you don't understand R B and all the things and my influences, it was kind of hard to digest at that Time. What that was. So now I. I get to do that. And I'm. I'm so happy that it's out in the universe and coming out. But also, you know, I'm looking forward to the tour, the retrospect tour, the Maya live experience, the real Maya show. And of course, bringing my roots to the arrangements.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Maya]

And the dance and the fashion.

[DJ Envy]

You weren't happy when you was having fun doing, like, it's all about me and ghetto superstar and girls.

[Angela Yee]

Them.

[Maya]

Of course I was happy. No, no. I said I always wanted to do a funk album.

[DJ Envy]

Got you.

[Maya]

But also being on a rap and rock label where R B itself wasn't even understood, when you start talking about other genres that also stem from soul and R B.

[DJ Envy]

But I guess just the creation, it's

[Maya]

hard for others to understand. No, you know, I was always happy, okay. For the opportunity. I was always happy to be able to create. And very grateful. And I'm still grateful for all of those things. I'm grateful for all the pitfalls as well. And some of the things that supposedly didn't work out because they redirect you and propel you into spaces that you wouldn't even start dreaming of if those things didn't happen. And then cultivate you sharpen the iron. So I'm happy all the time, you know, and truly acknowledging how great I do have it. You know, that I'm here, I'm breathing. I'll start there and have the opportunity every waking day to make somebody else's day a little better through music and the catalog, too.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I was watching your interview with Gina Views and she was talking Best of Me. She didn't know Best of Me Part 2 was a remix to the original with Jadakiss.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

I didn't know that either.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You didn't know that either?

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

No, I didn't. I didn't know that Jersey dress that June Ambrose.

[Maya]

Yeah, June Ambrose.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

I literally created a Jersey dress because of that.

[Maya]

For real. How did you do it, though?

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

I have a. So I have a brand called Brown Girl Grinding. And we were trying to figure out something for the summer. And I love the music video. So we created the Jersey dress literally

[DJ Envy]

because of the way it look on her. Did not.

[Angela Yee]

That's not how I should have one.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

I didn't think about it. He's a hater. But literally that. I had no idea that there was a Jadakiss version until I saw Gina. Gina Views in that interview.

[Maya]

Ah. It was. See, it was my street single. So, you know, it was also a mid tempo as well.

[DJ Envy]

I knew.

[Angela Yee]

Don't. I know.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

I knew.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But, you know, they all people thought back then, that's when Jada and Jay Z were going back and forth.

[Maya]

Really?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And they always used to say that Jay did that because he wanted to one up Jadakiss because did they have beef back then? They were going back and forth. Absolutely. So that.

[Maya]

So I didn't even know that.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

I love that. You did.

[Angela Yee]

She was all on her own remove.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

I love that.

[Angela Yee]

Home world.

[Maya]

I thought it was just. Oh, a remix.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How did that come about? I heard you telling the story, but you were Swiss. And how did the remix come about?

[Maya]

So I was in the midst of recording my second album. I did a lot of it in New York and worked with Wyclef, got in with Swizz. I've always loved Swizz's rhythm on his tracks. And he was playing me some beats. I had Jimmy Cozier there. Taron Beal Machonda was there. I picked a specific beat. He was like, oh, no, no, no, that belongs to dmx. Oh, no. Swiss did the original featuring Jadakissimi. Original mix featuring Jadakiss. Swiss Beats produced. That was his very first R B record that he'd ever produced, but it belonged to dmx. The actual beat. There was another song over top of it that I didn't hear, but I think he stumbled upon it by accident. I said, oh, rewind that real quick. And so I said, I want to write to that one. And Jimmy Kozier and I, John Jimmy Cozier.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Jimmy Cozier is an R and B Rhonda.

[Maya]

I did know that.

[Joybox Narrator]

I'm sorry.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Go ahead.

[DJ Envy]

Jamie Records, right? Yeah, yeah.

[Maya]

So we're all in the studio, Jimmy Cozier, Toron B O, Machonda and I, and we just come up with a concept, what we want it to feel like. And that's how Best of Me Part 1 was born. It was a solo song first. Might have had a bridge on it. We took the bridge off and put Jadey Kiss on it because we decided that that would be my very first street single. What they do, or what they consider street singles to be, is to warm up, you know, the streets first before you go with your pop hit us all has.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, no, we know what it is with these. The younger ones didn't know, but yeah.

[Maya]

So we knew that we wanted Case of the Ex to be a single, but it kind of leans toward the pop world a little bit, and we did not want to leave the urban crowd out of this. So we did Best of Me featuring Jada First, Steve Stout and Hawk Islam were kind of working together. Steve Style was at Interscope of how Islam was running the independent label side of University Music Entertainment. And so Steve Stout had all these relationships and had Jay Z hop on the remix, you know, because of his relationship with him and Makeda and I, Makeda Davis wrote the remix here at the Hit Factory in New York.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What was the Tone and Polk track Masters.

[Maya]

And then Jay and I are shooting the video, and Malibu, California. June Ambrose shows up with a jersey. I didn't think anything of it. It was, I guess, you know, customized to fit my measurements at the time. And that was that. That was the shortest video set I'd ever been on. Six hours total, including hair, makeup, glam time. And then we were done. No choreography, no rehearsals. And then it comes out and kind of, like, takes hold of the clubs and whatnot.

[Angela Yee]

Oh, so she bought that, and June Ambrose bought that for you. You didn't even say, oh, this is what I want to wear.

[Maya]

Oh, yeah. I showed up, definitely inspired. No rehearsals, didn't know what we were doing. Wow.

[Angela Yee]

A bunch of Carolina Jersey.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, Carolina Blue kick.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

Yeah, but it's. But so did he know? Because I know they've been working together forever.

[Maya]

Maybe they did. I wasn't a part of that process. I kind of just showed up, got glam ready. I was fighting to put dances in the video. I was like, hey, can we at least have two girls? And, you know, I want to do a little dance or something. They're like, no, we don't have time for that. The shoot is here, the shoot is then. And we just got to go and run with it before we miss the summer. And that's what it was.

[DJ Envy]

How'd that make you feel when you wanted to dance? And he was like, nah,

[Angela Yee]

if I

[Maya]

could fit a little one to you to step in there, right here and there to give something more and just be cute, of course I will. But if the budget doesn't allow or the time frame doesn't allow, then it might not happen.

[DJ Envy]

So I try the Lady Marmalade era, right? It was huge culture. Did that success feel empowering, or did it come with pressure to compete with, like, I don't know, other women?

[Maya]

Oh, no. I didn't feel any competition because we're all number one. So different. We were all established at the time, doing our individual thing in this business. And that was also very quick. We got in the studio to just lay our backgrounds together on one session, in one session, and then we cut our leads separately. Ron Fair was involved in that. Missy as well as Rock Wilder laid the foundation and blueprint of that record. Ron Fair took our vocals and then he edited them and kind of oversaw the executive production process of that and that became this version of Lady Marmalade, you know, so got into rehearsals for a couple of performances, won a Grammy together. There was absolutely no competition. I didn't feel that. I thought it was a blessing. I thought it was wonderful to win with your sisters.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

How did you navigate always making sure that that was what happened, though, because I felt like during that, even earlier on, like, you had like, Brandi, Monica. Right. And then like, Aaliya and I know Brandi and Monica now they talk about it and it wasn't them, it was everybody around them. How did you make sure that, like, that didn't even come in your atmosphere and you, like, shut the competition thing down from Rip?

[Maya]

Well, it actually never did come into my atmosphere. Maybe if there were another, you know, female singer that was similar to me at the time, it could have become that. Yeah, on the record. But it always works in the press if there's a little controversy.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

Yeah, like, they lean into it.

[Maya]

They lean into that narrative often to pit women against each other or even men, because it's buzz. It's a big investment with big budgets, individual budgets that have to cohesively come together to make it work like clockwork. And some things happen, you know, in reality, and some things don't, but you can also play up into it in this business and people wouldn't even know. But that's also part of strategy that I've learned that actually works for rappers now and then when anyone. When you are just trying to get seen and heard. But I'm thankful I was never a part of that.

[DJ Envy]

So you want to beef with. You want to be. For right now, you got to sell to these 80s inspired.

[Angela Yee]

What are we talking about?

[DJ Envy]

You and Cindy. LAUGHTER let's go.

[Maya]

Who do I want to be with? That's not even in my nature. I don't like beef, so I don't. I don't do beef. You know, I'm vegan.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

I know that's right.

[Maya]

You know what I'm saying?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Ghetto superstar, huge records.

[DJ Envy]

Like, was there. Was there some type of disconnect between the label and you? Because I just feel like you had a. You had a great run, don't get me wrong. But I just feel like with the records you were on, it was another level.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

But that's how the fans feel.

[Maya]

Yeah. He said, was there a disconnect Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

I feel like there was another button should have been pressed between, I don't know, label management.

[Maya]

Well, things happen the way they're supposed to happen. And I really believe in the divine, you know, and of course, everything could have been bigger. It also could have been worse, you know, that's true. And I'm thankful for the specific, exact journey that I've been on because I hear that a lot. I would rather be underrated versus overrated. And now is my time, you know, where I'm so aligned and educated and aware. But like I said, being a test dummy and not being all in from your investors because they're very unsure and uncertain of you, that means a couple of years need to be put in to prove yourself, to prove your worth, to prove that you can as a teenager, you know, so maybe some buttons weren't pushed during that time. And that's understandable when you're taking a big financial risk in a territory and a genre that you haven't even played with before. So I don't hold that against anybody. I understand that. But it was an opportunity that I took full advantage of by saying, yeah, let's go, let's try this. Yep, it's rap, it's rock. And here I am, this little R B girly from the dmv. It may work, it may not, but I'm going to do everything in my power. But I'm also an art student. I have discipline. I'm used to rehearsing for 12 hours to get it right or days at a time. So we'll try it, you know, and my parents raised me like that to make sure that whatever I choose to. To pursue, I will win. I can learn, I can mess up, I can make some mistakes, but I'm at least armed to go for it with no fear and live with whatever happens. And that's also why I'm a huge advocate of arts programs, sports programs, to instill those life skills that you need to win in any field that you choose to pursue.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Was there any record that you didn't want to do or you look back at it was like, I really didn't want to do that.

[Maya]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Which one?

[Maya]

My love is like whoa. I wasn't really a fan of it when I first listened to it because it was mid tempo. I thought we needed something more dynamic. I thought it was real chill. I love the harmonies. But it was also kind of salacious when it showed up in my hands. It said a whole lot more that Missy can say because she wrote it. But when Maya, you know, coming from her second album, Fear of Flying, is going into this whole grown woman era back then, and what that was as a young woman, it was. It was a little uncomfortable. I changed some words around so it could fit me. And then, okay, I said, in order for this to work, how can I balance this out? So I brought the theater to it. Individuals where, you know, I can live a little bit more with that record. I wanted to go with something else completely out of the box from that project. But what about the Rugrats?

[Angela Yee]

You had. No, hold on real quick. You had me walking around telling, like, my mother's, like, whoa, boy. What? Like, I was really.

[Maya]

Yeah. Shout out to Black Rock.

[DJ Envy]

No, I didn't.

[Angela Yee]

Because of my yard. Don't ever play with me. I was. Girl, that was my, like, whole thing. Like, my love is like, whoa. And be like, what are you talking about? But it. It was still like a whole thing for me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Her pops looking at you like, God damn.

[State Farm Narrator 2]

I'm sorry.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

I'm sorry. This is on your daughter.

[Angela Yee]

I'm telling you. That was me from Maryland.

[Maya]

Yeah, yeah, a couple times. You know, it's not Baltimore, It's Baltimore.

[Angela Yee]

Baltimore.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

Wait, so you didn't want to do the song? Was it the labels push to do it then?

[Maya]

It was what was making you do it? It was. But, you know, they hold the weight. They hold the power with the finance. I cut everything, you know, just to see if I like it first. And, you know, I wanted to go with something a little bit more, like I said, the street singles. I wanted to leave with a record called why you got to look so good and start the way I started my second album and leave with the Streets. I did that record with Rock Wilder. Why you gotta look so good? The beat was so hard. Lloyd Banks was on it. And it's, of course, not what people think I would say, why you got to look so good? You make it so hard to leave you. Why you got to look so good? I don't want nobody else to have you, like. But the beat was so hard. And he was like, I can't give you this beat. One of those occurrences again. The beat belongs to Jay Z. I was like, please, just let me write something to it. And if you don't like it, cool. He had to give it to me because he's like, yo, this is fire. That's what I wanted to be my first single for my third album. But, you know, they're thinking about appeal. They're also thinking about investment. And it Worked, but it's not quite the one that I wanted first.

[DJ Envy]

Did people ever mistake your like, laid backness, you know, for, for being mysterious or maybe trying to be difficult?

[Angela Yee]

I don't.

[Maya]

Maybe. I, I think because, you know, I'm just like my parents. They're just real chill, real laid back. They only speak when they have something to say. And they're not really, really talkative people. They're very expressive people, maybe through art. My mom is a painter. She's, she's into fashion. She's sewn all my clothes that I went to school in or their dance recitals. And they're very artistic people and express themselves differently now, you know, when it comes to negotiations or, you know, getting on the phone and knowing business. My dad's been in this business since he was 17, so he's a very vocal guy when necessary regarding business. But yeah, I think it can be misconstrued that you may be meek or timid or shy or, or not confident or you don't have what it takes or bougie or stuck up or high maintenance. Yeah, that can come with being soft spoken. There's a beast here, though. There's a real beast here that comes out when it's supposed to, where it's supposed to, you know, and I'm just laid back naturally until I hit that stage period.

[Angela Yee]

Then you're giving it up.

[Maya]

But, you know, I got friends. We get loud, you know, it's, it's a time and a place for everything. And different parts of my personality come out depending on the environment, you know, and also I haven't really been on Front street for people to really truly get to know me.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

Yeah.

[Maya]

You know, and it's also a tricky world to navigate through during that time when you are meant or actually groomed to be put together. There was artist development. You don't say certain things in interviews. You gotta cross your legs a certain way. You can't just be out here anyway. You choose like you can now. You know, pregnancy was like, you can't be pregnant. You can't do this. You can't be normal human beings. And I, I look at a lot of the pioneers, you know, how they struggle with, oh, what the label said about them being a mother or having family time or taking time off. Like real human things that are necessary for the train to keep moving forward.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Maya]

And those things were punished back then. So I've come from the era of cassette tapes and recording to tape. Not pro tools and digital, but analog. But transitioning into the new world with just new ideologies and new fundamentals. So I can be a little bit more open now and not punish for it, I think, but also know myself more to be more open.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

I saw you talk. I saw you talking to Melissa Ford about motherhood and just different things. That right now you are focused on your independent music journey. So you can't.

[Maya]

You.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

It's just not your focus, right? Well, it's not my focus just right now being. Becoming a mom or being married and like that whole conversation that people throw on you.

[Maya]

Well, I am a godmother. I am the rich auntie, and I enjoy all of it. I love kids, but that's misconstrued as, oh, she don't like kids. Oh, something's wrong with you, you know? Or nobody chose her. How come nobody ever wiped you up? Oh, they've tried.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

Exactly.

[Maya]

Or they have. Or it just didn't work out. You know, you don't have a ring on your finger. Something's wrong with you. But a ring doesn't hold any weight if the vows are not being adhered to.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

Yeah.

[Maya]

What is a ring that I can buy myself if it means nothing? And the fundamentals of what a marriage really means, which I. That I deem sacred. And I, of course, want to be selective in choosing the right one. So that might take time. That might require me to be solo for a while versus just always being in something because I got to be taken and chosen for y' all to feel that I'm living in a happy space. But I don't know too many people that are happily married as well. I think for me, the focus hasn't been what the world may want of women and men on the world's timeline. I think it's a beautiful thing. Love makes the world go round and round. I'm an advocate of all of it.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

There's a lot of love in this project.

[Maya]

Yeah, projects. But I love children. Don't get me twisted. I love men. Don't get me wrong. It's just when there's a calling and you invest in answering it, but also being an example for the girls out there that may be discouraged and giving up and throwing in the towel. Something else is calling you to do something. And love is also all around me. There's different forms of love, which I'm very, very clear on and very vocal about. But I'm also an advocate of self love, because I don't expect somebody to just come into my world to be my savior and my end all, be all happily ever after. Because that requires self love for the right one to show up. I want a mirror of me at my best and highest right to be matched and paired in divine timing with a reflection of the best me. Because that means I'm also giving and pouring. I'm not here to be wiped up. I'm not here to be in a situation for validation. I'm here to give the best of me in every area of my life for the world, for myself, for my family, for a companion. But I'm also very aware that, you know, love is all around us every single day in so many different forms. And I'm patient, I'm not seeking. But that's different, you know, for the society that we came up in. But I think writing all this down,

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

right, Let me write this because of the ownership that you take in it, and especially coming from the air where they're telling you guys how you have to live your life. And you've been, like, kind of built that way as an artist to, like, no career. Career. Because I can't do it all. But you take ownership in. I can do what I want, when I want.

[Maya]

Yes. And so can you. But of course, you know, we grew up in a society that says to do it by a specific book and a specific timeline. And if you're not following that, you know, expectant. I'd say flow. Then are you happy? You must not be happy. Oh, that's really bad. It's gonna be too late. Eggs are gonna expire. Like something's wrong and everything's right for me right now. And I'm living in that space. I don't want to be in the wrong situation. So I'm gonna be more patient and align myself, but also not expect anything to show up and also lean on another person to make my world great. I'm gonna create the best world that I can for me to live in first, for others to live in. Make sure I can, first of all, financially take care of another person. A baby that is 100% dependent on me. But I also want to sit my ass down and have the time to do it. Pick you up from school, help you with your homework. I mean, it's so hard as a mother, a working mother, and just in general, I want to be available before I have kids. And I also want to adopt kids. It's not that I don't want kids. It's just not been the focal point and the end all be all of my journey.

[DJ Envy]

I thought she was over there trying

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

to cry of my journey for now. Yeah, but when. The reason why I brought that up is because I feel like a lot of people, when they talk to working women or women that have things happening and you say something like what I heard you say in that interview, the pushback is, oh, well, the time clock. And you are very much in control of what you want and when you want it. And I was like, I think you can kind of navigate that conversation a little bit differently now. For my own self, I don't like

[DJ Envy]

you comparing yourself to mine. You're not mine.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

No, but it's the thing of. You got so much going on. But like when I go home, Mother's Day weekend, this weekend, my family, I go home, the first thing is, you're doing great. But when you gonna have a baby or when you're pressure. You know what I mean?

[Maya]

Yeah, there is pressure.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

It's a real conversation that people.

[Maya]

But it's also coming from a place of love because experiencing having a baby. For many women fathers, there's of course, oxytocin on the biological, scientific side of things. But it's an experience that changes you forever. It changes you forever. The love is so overwhelming and it's so pure and it's so innocent. I mean, I love animals just the same, so I have a ton of animals. But it's coming from a place of love and tradition and our specific culture that we're here. I've realized, because they want you to experience it as well and not miss out on that. Of course, we live in a very interesting time where there's inflation and you want to have your bag and all these things together. But that's not how existence ever happened. We didn't have the modern world once upon a time. Women were popping out tribes of babies, you know, for. For a long time, ancestrally. And we're just not living in that natural world anymore. And so I'm also very aware of that so that I can set up, first of all, a safe lifestyle and a comfortable lifestyle and a supportive lifestyle for the life that I might want to build. And then I'm also growing at rapid rates, discovering new parts of myself, new parts of healing, plant medicine and ancestral wisdom that there are so many things I realized I didn't know five years ago. And I want to give myself time. It might not necessarily be my own child. It might be a whole orphanage of hundreds of kids that I want to build and invest in. My vision might be a little different than, you know, yeah, another person. But there's love inside of me that I still Want to give. It just may come across as different because it's not non existent right now to the world. But I'm working on other things and it just starts with self. And I've also been on a journey where it's all about alignment and all the beautiful things fall into your world in. Not my timing, the most highest timing. And I'm good with that.

[DJ Envy]

Sounds like you went on a. A journey with Mother Aya.

[Maya]

No, I've never done. I am Oscar.

[DJ Envy]

Okay.

[Angela Yee]

Okay.

[Maya]

But there are other things out here that the world will be put up on very soon. You know, it's already been being talked about. It's not even. It's not even drugs.

[Angela Yee]

Right.

[Maya]

But that's not for me to speak on today.

[DJ Envy]

Okay.

[Maya]

But administration is about to adopt some very powerful stuff that the world is going to want to align with because it comes from our source, which is God. No man made that and that is not a drug. Drug come from nature and then it becomes chemical compounds of it. But we're in a very unnatural time away from the natural world. And we all could use a little recalibration based on, you know, realignment the natural way. That's all I'm gonna say.

[DJ Envy]

Oh, it's coming. Did you see the. Did you see all of the religious leaders? Some religious leaders are saying they all had to meet and they got briefed on UFO disclosure. Did you see that?

[Maya]

I've seen a lot of that stuff. I'm deep into conspiracy theory and UFOs and outer space. Yeah, absolutely.

[Angela Yee]

Listen, I want this, the last thing I want, I want to say. Well, I want to ask you real quick before I say the last thing I want to say. You said you want somebody that's a mirror of you at your highest. What? Because I'm writing this down. I know I'm already married, but this is something nice. When I hit my husband with this, he gonna be like, damn.

[Maya]

So that means you got to take care of you inside of your relationship. You can't neglect you just because. Oh, it's your duty.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Maya]

Oh, as this title.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Maya]

To neglect yourself as a mother, neglect yourself as a wife. You have to show up for you first before you can show up for anybody else within that space. That's what I've learned. And I'm constantly being reminded of if I'm going to show up for my tribe the best possible way as a leader of that, then that means that I need to block out and carve out a moment over here to recalibrate my brain to Do a woosa breathe to a thousand if I have to go away for five days so I can be my best self. So everybody benefits from that. You know, if you're a source.

[Angela Yee]

Because we do this thing with me and my husband, we do this thing where we will ask each other, like, why did you marry me? And I want to say now, because I wanted somebody. Well, I'm not gonna say like that, all right?

[Electric Vehicle Narrator]

I'm saying

[Angela Yee]

that for real. I'm gonna tell you because he'll need. No, don't even do that. I want to say I married you because I wanted somebody who was a mirror of me at my highest self.

[Maya]

That's a flex broken.

[DJ Envy]

I do not want to be like you. You had nothing like me. Okay? God put me in your life to help you heal.

[Angela Yee]

Don't do that.

[Maya]

But you know what else else? You know, you don't have to be perfect for love to show up as well. Period. So I'm not. I'm not. I'm not preaching to anybody. Oh, you gotta be perfect and be your highest self to attract you. No, because you can literally attract light from being your most darkest broken self in a hole. And somebody's there to lift you up because they've done some work or maybe because they are just aligned and in tune or whatever the spirit calls that day. There are beautiful people that show up in your life at the most devastating time. So you got to trust that too. And some of them are just narcissists and smell the vulnerability. So be aware of that. And that's a whole education in itself too. And I've been through that. But my job have for my personal journey is I see what being aligned means. And I would only want the best partner. So let's start with self to become the best me so that I could pour into that person as well. I don't show up to any table empty handed. I want to pour in just as much as I want to be poured into.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Maya]

So that's what I'm saying. Without expectation and really give from a place of overflow versus lack. And that's up to me to. To fix or to generate.

[Brown Girl Grinding Founder]

All right.

[Angela Yee]

My favorite song is Falling. Just wanted to say that because girl, they trying to wrap it up. But my favorite song is fallen girl 2003. That had me like, that was my favorite song from Mo Ring. Now Mo Ring is my favorite album, but my favorite song is Fallen. So that's so beautiful.

[Maya]

Why is it your favorite girl?

[Angela Yee]

Because I thought I was in Love in 2003. And I was telling this guy, I'm telling you, like, it's a whole era you had in my Life. You're like 15 at this, so.

[DJ Envy]

Yes.

[Angela Yee]

And that's when you think that you. The. The boy that you love and you meet. That's the one you. I'm telling him like, you got me. You complete me. You got me falling head over heels for you. And just. And he just sitting there like, okay, yeah. He never even hear the song. And then when we broke up, he heard the song and was like, you quoting an artist the whole time.

[DJ Envy]

And now you gotta do the same thing to your husband.

[Angela Yee]

But this is not a song that. She told me this. This is a. This. She told me this in my. In my face.

[DJ Envy]

They might as well date Maya and marry Maya. Her language.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Get your little hot ass. I think he was 16 during that time.

[Maya]

Oh, my gosh.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Maya, we appreciate you for joining us. What you want to hear?

[DJ Envy]

You should do audiobooks or something, Maya.

[Maya]

That's what they tell me. I will. I'll get into radio. I do guided meditation. Follow all of it. I'll do that. Yeah. Voiceovers and whatnot.

[Angela Yee]

And then the game was Roger. I should have even known. Like a little hot ass. You a 14 year old named Roger named that your grandfather? I shouldn't even. I shouldn't even.

[Maya]

Toxic.

[Angela Yee]

It was so toxic.

[Maya]

Anybody with the letter R is toxic.

[Angela Yee]

That was my jam too. But this is my fault. She had me in shambles.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What do you want to hear? What do you want to hear? If you have Maya, what do I

[Maya]

want to hear off the album? My goodness, this. Let's play the latest single.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know, Too Short.

[Angela Yee]

Just a little bit.

[Maya]

Featuring Too Short.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

All right, well, the album comes out next Friday and we appreciate you for joining us. It's Maya, ladies and gentlemen, it's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

[DJ Envy]

Every day I wake up.

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The Breakfast Club.

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[Maya]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.