John Legend begins Part 2 of this episode of Club Shay Shay by sharing his experiences of making music for other artists, like his childhood crush, Janet Jackson. He also shares what it was like to collaborate with DJ Khaled, who he praises for bringing people together in the studio. John expresses a desire to work with Beyoncé and Adele and recounts his collaborations with music legends Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones. He also reveals that Oprah's "Legend Banquet" played a role in introducing him to Quincy, though these relationships almost didn’t materialize due to business disagreements.
John admits that while “Ordinary People” is his personal favorite of his songs, “All of Me” is his most commercially successful track. He recalls writing it for Chrissy, who was his fiancée at the time, and drawing inspiration from a Billy Joel song. He also shares a tender memory of singing the song in her ear for the first time. John credits the song's massive success to his decision to market it as a pop rather than an R&B song, which led to its instant popularity after his live performances. He ranks his top five songs he's written, reflects on how his political activism is inspired by the sacrifices of his ancestors, and his musical heroes involvement in the Civil Rights Movement.
John discusses selling his music catalog while retaining control of his songs and weighs the pros and cons of being an independent artist versus signing with a major label. He touches on Prince’s advice about the music business, how modern technology allows artists to bypass gatekeepers, and the challenges of creating another talent like Prince. John laments that fewer people perform in church today, which he believes is leading to a loss of musical talent. He also praises Frank Ocean's unique approach to the music industry.
Looking ahead to the upcoming presidential election, John talks about Kamala Harris's potential impact on underrepresented communities and critiques Donald Trump, stating that he does not want his children to grow up to be like Trump. He praises Kamala for being the first U.S. Vice President to have attended an HBCU and acknowledges the misconceptions about her time as California’s Attorney General. John also discusses the Obama and Biden presidencies, arguing that their policies have served the American people better than Trump’s did. Finally, he reflects on the potential impact Kamala could have on the Black community if she ascends from Vice President to President.
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