Jon B Tells ALL: 2Pac, Suge Knight, Michael Jackson, Babyface & 30 Years of R&B

Jon B sits down for a powerful and revealing conversation about 30 years of R&B, the making of classic records, 2Pac, Babyface, Michael Jackson, the music industry, and the stories behind some of his biggest moments.From growing up on the East and West Coast to discovering his voice through gospel, building his own demos, and eventually meeting Babyface and Motown, Jon B. takes us through the journey that turned him into one of the most recognizable R&B voices of the 1990s.He opens up about being a white artist making R&B at a time when that came with serious challenges, his collaborations with Toni Braxton, Color Me Badd, After 7 and TLC, and the pressure that came with becoming a Grammy-nominated artist.But the conversation goes even deeper.Jon B. tells the story of meeting 2Pac, getting into the studio with him, and making “Are U Still Down?” He discusses the complications surrounding the record, Suge Knight, his relationship with Afeni Shakur and Mopreme Shakur, and what it was really like working with 2Pac.CHAPTERS:0:00 Intro1:31 Oi Oi out now! SHIZZIO x SPECIAL MC1:56 Welcome Jon B / Thank you3:37 London4:19 Born & raised / East & West Coast6:26 Outside as a kid / Rough area?9:15 No-go areas10:53 School was not for me12:35 School invited me back to honour me13:35 Joining gospel choir15:13 Always wanted to be a singer / Talent shows17:15 Shopping record deal18:06 Forming a music group / Self-made demo19:00 God-given talent or self-taught?19:59 Tunnel vision / Shopping demo21:53 Motown Records meeting23:02 Meeting Babyface25:33 Babyface vs Motown27:08 Tommy Mottola & Mariah Carey27:42 Label deal / Money made29:02 I didn’t want to be famous29:39 White guy doing Black music31:55 I was the 1st white R&B singer32:25 Getting the name Jon B33:17 Toni Braxton collab35:22 Producer vs Artist36:08 Color Me Badd collab36:37 After 7 collab38:13 TLC collab / Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes39:26 Debut album / Grammys / Celebs meeting41:04 Ego control42:29 Date setups with girls / PR game43:08 Grammy nominated / Babyface duet43:31 White Boy Wednesday / Facing bullies45:25 2nd album vs 1st album47:11 Making ‘They Don’t Know’51:08 1st single is ‘Don’t Say’54:05 Meeting 2Pac for the 1st time56:18 Studio with 2Pac / Are You Still Down?58:45 Babyface or 2Pac59:05 2Pac Are You Still Down Pt. 21:00:00 ‘They Don’t Know’ & ‘Are You Still Down?’ double release1:03:22 Suge Knight tried to stop ‘Are You Still Down?’1:04:35 2Pac’s mum made it possible1:05:03 Relationship with Afeni & Mopreme Shakur1:07:03 2Pac is not alive1:07:42 Double release of ‘They Don’t Know’ & ‘Are You Still Down?’1:08:21 Success / Tour / ‘I Do’ song1:09:44 Spending1:10:37 Ideal collaborations1:11:15 Nas collab1:12:33 Mos Def / ODB / Scarface / Jamaica1:14:00 R&B & Rap merge1:15:06 R&B landscape changes1:16:26 ‘Don’t Talk’ smash record1:19:45 Beenie Man / Sly & Robbie1:21:09 Expanding musical palette1:21:59 Best feature?1:22:41 Does 2Pac collab overshadow you?1:23:08 The Weeknd just sampled me1:23:39 ‘They Don’t Know’ 30-year classic1:24:06 R&B then vs now / Chris Brown1:27:18 Reuniting with Babyface1:28:31 Social media today1:29:30 New album out now!1:30:17 Rick Ross collab1:32:41 Independent / Chasing success1:35:18 Michael Jackson collab1:36:52 Meeting Michael Jackson1:37:59 Thoughts on MJ movie?1:38:41 Thank you Jon B / Flowers