Source: Power 105
When Musiq Soulchild announced that he would now be performing under the new moniker called “The Husel,” with entirely new content, most of us weren’t here for it…at all. In our confusion and duress, Musiq Soulchild, as The Husel became the subject of quite a few memes. He was trending at one point. Sadly, most people interpreted the whole alter ego as a joke.
And historically during interviews, Musiq has been a little defensive about the backlash and complete lack of understanding of his new brand.
His defensiveness and Charlemagne’s frankness made for a very interesting interview this morning on “The Breakfast Club.”
Check out a few highlights from the conversation.
Charlemagne: “I cannot respect The Husel. Musiq Soulchild is a great R&B singer…
Musiq: He is
Charlemagne: Why conform to what these kids are doing today?
Musiq: Nobody’s conforming to anything
Charlemagne: So who am I talking to Musiq or Husel?
Musiq: You’re talking to both of them.
Charlemagne: So why is Musiq introducing the world to The Husel?
Musiq: Because I feel it’s only right. I’m an artist and that’s what I’m doing right now. And I figured y’all might dig it. And if you don’t, then it ain’t for you.
C: So why rap though?
M: Again…I’m not rapping. is anybody listening? Nobody’s listening.
Yee: I did listen, it is a little singy still. It’s not necessarily like rap. I listened to the music…
M: Oh, you actually listened to it? Oh cool.Thank you very much.
C: Yeah, see me I saw the viral video and you said you were going to turn into the Husel and you was gon’ rap and I said ‘oh hell no.’
M: Next question.
C: I don’t have anymore, since you’re still singing I’m cool.
M: But if you were really like peeping it…
C: I was not interested.
Source: Power 105
M: When did I say I was turning into a rapper? I need someone to find where I said, where I said that I was turning into a rapper named The Husel. The point that I’m trying to make is it’s a lot of people– a lot of rumors and heresy and re-quoting, and retweeting re-IGing, re-hashtagging inaccurate information.
E: What is The Husel?
C: Give us some context to this content
M: I already did that.
Yee: The Husel is a state of mind.
E: What is your hustle state of mind?
M: I’ve explained this before. Literally, everybody who’s in this room right now is on their hustle. I’m making soundtrack music for people like us. It’s as simple as that.
E: What is the reaction to The Husel
M: It’s 50-50. I get a lot of love from people who never really rocked with Musiq Soulchild. But then on the other side, they won’t give me like no chance. I’ve been called all types of stuff. And then I’ve also been getting all these memes. It’s actually hilarious to me.
C: Come on now, you’ve given us some great music. If I get this mix tape, am I going to get me some love songs. I used to rock my daughter to sleep with the record “Love” with you and Ghostface.
M: But I don’t get that. I do a whole lot of stuff and I don’t get that. So I’m feeling like it’s falling on deaf ears. Oh, nobody cares.
C: You really feel like nobody cares about your music, Musiq?
M: I still get people–everything that you’re saying– That they love what I put out that my music has affected them. I got people finding me on IG telling me I’ve been listening to you since I was ten years old when my dad used to drive me to school. I get all of that and that’s dope, don’t get me wrong. But you try to do shows and promoters act like you’re a new buck. And I’m like ‘Do you know who I am?’ And they want me to take that…I know bread is bread but there’s principles to this. And I know you’re going off of the numbers and I’m not mad…I’ve been able to get more accomplished with The Husel than I ever have with Musiq Soulchild.
Yee: So what do you care about? Musically, is this something you’ve always wanted to do or are you doing this because business wise, it makes sense?
M: I care about music and money. I’m an artist first.
C: A great artist, an amazing artist. This is why I don’t like to see you conform to such a gimmick…
Source: Instagram
Envy: You sound a little crazy, I’m not going to lie. You’re an artist and I thought you’re projecting your art form, what you truly love. But it sounds like you’re saying people don’t really love this, they love that so let me jump over here and do that. You’re chasing a check.
M: Like people up out albums, I put out personalities. Because I bet if you find anybody and get their attention, and be like ‘What’s on your playlist?’ I bet you it’s not going to be one genre of music. So why is it ok for people to have a diverse playlist but it’s not ok for an artist to make diverse music?
C: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I want it to be believable.
M: It doesn’t matter what you believe because it’s me as an artist doing it. I’m not always going to be perfect the first time out. Y’all are witnessing something unprecedented…
This is totally in my heart and totally in my soul. Being an artist, you’re influenced by your surroundings and your atmosphere, you soak it up and then eventually, you want to give it back…
…Those first three joints that y’all got, those are freestyles.
C: Musiq, Angela Yee was actually playing some of those records this morning. They not hot, dog.
M: Ok.
C: I don’t want to hear that from Musiq. If you were making records as good as that or better then I’d be like ‘do your thing.’
M: Well then let me get there.
C: Eehhh. I might not want to hear you get there.
M: Then it’s not for you then.
C: I don’t think it is dog. I don’t think it’s for you either.
M: It might not be for me.
C: And I don’t want you to feel like you weren’t appreciated as Musiq Soulchild so let me go do this.
M: That’s not solely what I’m doing this. That was just an observation that I made when people started attacking me. So I’m like, where was y’all first week when I put that album out.
I’m not stopping Musiq Soulchild. I’m actually working on a new Musiq Soulchild album…I’m not mad. I’ve never been mad. They’re the ones that are mad.
C: I just want the music to be of the quality of Musiq Soulchild. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters. If the music is great you can come out here butt naked. Prince used to come out with no pants, he had his ass out. But being that the music was so great, nobody cared. R Kelly peed on a little girl and made people “Step in the Name of Love.”
M: I’m working on it. They’re not all going to be winners.
And then Charlemagne took it entirely too far.
C: Somebody said your good eye is Musiq Soulchild and the bad eye is The Husel
M: You feel good about that one?
C: That’s what somebody said.
M: Yeah, you said it.
C: I’m sorry….busts out laughing.
Listen, Charlemagne often does the absolute most. And he shouldn’t have made the eye comment. But I appreciate this interview as a whole. He’s said what we all wanted to. This is a bit of mess. And even Envy let him know the real, he does sound a little off balance. But you know, people have to do what works for them. I just can’t rock with it.
You can watch the full interview below.
