The Breakfast Club: Swayvo Twain on Loss, Legacy, and Finding His Voice

Date: December 10, 2025
Podcast: The Breakfast Club (iHeartPodcasts)
Episode: INTERVIEW: Swayvo Twain On Losing His Parents; Angie Stone & D'Angelo, Music & Artistry, Questlove +More
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God, Lauren Laros

Episode Overview

In this poignant and heartfelt interview, Swayvo Twain—son of soul legends Angie Stone and D’Angelo—joins The Breakfast Club for an in-depth discussion in the wake of losing both his parents within the same year. The conversation explores the emotional toll of grief, lessons learned from musical giants, navigating legacy while forging his own identity, and the healing and impactful role of music in his journey. Interspersed are reflections on artistry, family, faith, and Swayvo’s aspirations beyond entertainment.

Main Discussion Points and Insights

1. Coping with Loss and Grief

• Opening with Empathy:
  The hosts offer condolences on the passing of both his parents (03:08).

  • Charlamagne: "So first we just say, you know, sending all condolences and well wishes and everything. How you doing, though? How you feeling, man?"

• Swayvo’s Approach:
  Swayvo remains lighthearted, reflecting on his personality and his mother’s sense of humor (06:42–07:30):

  • Swayvo Twain: “I'm not a complainer... I'm always trying to bring the vibes... even at funerals, the funeral be for the Living it don't be for the dead... Let's laugh and talk about the good times.”

• Faith and Perspective:
  Swayvo expresses his faith and understanding that his parents are in a better place (07:41):

  • “No, this. Man, When they leave here... I think I'm really seeing how much they was actually shouldering on the day to day.”

• Cherishing the Final Moments:
  He details spending his father’s last week together with family, focusing on music and presence (13:33):

  • “Me and him spent the last down there, like, last week together... just talking and laughing and listening to music.”

2. Childhood, Family, and Growing Up with Legends

• School and Identity:
  Swayvo describes realizing his upbringing was not “normal” in kindergarten when classmates recognized his famous parents (03:48):

  • “I was always the type. I ain’t never really tell people in school... if I get in trouble and my mama had to come up to the school, the teacher... in front of the whole class, be like, is such and such your mama?... That's when I realized that.”

• Life between Columbia and Atlanta:
  Early years spent with his grandmother in Columbia, SC before moving to Atlanta as a teenager—a “super culture shock” (04:30).

3. Lessons from Angie Stone and D’Angelo

• Artistry and Discipline (05:24):

  • Father:
    “He really put me on mindset. Things like, this is how you need to be with your business... your team... when you get overwhelmed.”
  • Mother:
    “She’ll be in the hospital and get out... that night and go do the show and nobody know... She was a real soldier, gangster.”

• Best Advice:
  On pacing himself and prioritizing peace amid pressure (24:49):

  • “Son, you gotta choose your peace over everything... I really started implementing that and it helped me a lot.”

4. Music as Therapy and Identity

• Following the Calling:
  Swayvo started making music in his Atlanta basement as a teen (08:40):

  • “I started going down there, recording myself, figuring it out, and before you know, I done did about 50, 60 songs... So she just put the battery in my back.”

• Parental Influence and Collaboration:

  • Mother: Recorded together for her last album.
  • Father: Never collaborated; regrets not doing so (10:53).

• Finding His Lane:
  He clarifies his desire to honor, not compete with, his parents (10:20):

  • “I can’t do nothing but be me... I’m on my own journey, you know, Sway World time.”

5. Navigating the Music Industry and Estate

• Signing/Independence:
  Swayvo remains unsigned but open to opportunities (“if it’s the right situation”) (20:59, 21:18).

• Learning from Parents’ Challenges:
  Hesitant but prepared to manage the business side with awareness of past industry pitfalls (21:37).

• Handling the Estate:
  As executor for Angie Stone’s estate, he addresses record clearances and management (22:00):

  • “...Me and the team, we handling everything. Gotcha.”

• D’Angelo’s Unreleased Music:
  Questlove hinted at a new album; Swayvo confirms unreleased material exists and hopes to be involved (22:22–22:51).

6. Processing Grief through Creative Work

• Writing “Dove Soar”:
  Song began as a dedication to his mother but was completed following his father’s death (19:58):
  • “When I was originally making the song, it wasn’t even about my dad... but after we did the funeral... I finally broke the writer’s block and was able to finish the song.”

7. Living Beyond the Legacy

• Purpose:
  Swayvo sees his music and presence as a means to uplift and serve others (28:55):

  • “I'm here to help people, man. I'm here to be a vessel... I want to use the music as a vehicle to definitely, like, go back and help people for sure.”

• Ten-Year Aspiration:
  He hopes people will remember him as genuine, and for impacting others (29:29):

  • “If you can look at me and think you can get through because I’m getting through, then you know what I'm saying, that’s fine.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On keeping spirits high at funerals (06:42):

  “I just always try to keep it light, man... Even at funerals, life... the funeral be for the Living it don't be for the dead. They going already. So, you know, let's laugh and talk about the good times. It's not, you know, as much as we can.”
  — Swayvo Twain

• Reflections on faith and loss (07:41):

  “When they leave here... I think I'm really seeing how much they was actually shouldering on the day to day. Like, you know, especially me in the music business. My mom been in the business since forever ago...”
  — Swayvo Twain

• On building his own identity (10:20):

  “I can't do nothing but be me... I ain't trying to battle them or trying to live up to what they did. They already did it. ...I'm on my own journey, you know, Sway World time.”
  — Swayvo Twain

• Hardest conversations with his parents (24:49):

  “My dad... said... ‘Son, you gotta choose your peace over everything.’ ...I really started implementing that and it helped me a lot.”
  — Swayvo Twain

• On helping others through hardship (29:29):

  “I just want people to say that I was a genuine guy or I helped them some type of way... if you can look at me and think you can get through because I'm getting through... that's fine.”
  — Swayvo Twain

Key Timestamps

• 03:08 – Discussion of Swayvo's parents and condolences
• 04:30 – Describing normalcy vs. fame in childhood/Atlanta move
• 05:24 – Parental lessons on artistry and discipline
• 06:42 – Maintaining positivity amidst loss/funerals
• 08:40 – Start of music journey, home studio
• 10:20 – Swayvo on his musical identity
• 10:53 – Collaborations with his parents—regret on missing the chance with his dad
• 13:33 – Spending final days with his father
• 19:58 – Writing and finishing "Dove Soar"
• 21:18 – Openness to record deals, importance of right partnerships
• 22:00 – Handling estates and music clearances
• 22:22 – Questlove’s comments on D’Angelo's unreleased music
• 24:49 – Personal life lessons about peace and sacrifice
• 28:55 – Articulating purpose: “be a vessel” and give back
• 29:29 – Legacy beyond his parents; being a source of hope

Tone and Atmosphere

The episode balances deep personal vulnerability with humor and wisdom, matching Swayvo Twain’s own personality: reflective, candid, and uplifting, all while honoring the complex and iconic legacy he inherits.