William Washington and Daniella Washington

00:03 Hi, my name is William Washington. I am 34 years old. Today is Sunday, January 12th, 2020. I'm in Santa Monica, California. And my interview partner is Daniella Washington. She is my wife.

00:20 Hi, my name is Daniella Washington. I am 29 years old and today is Sunday, January 12th, 2020. We are in Santa Monica, California and I am interviewing William Washington and he is my husband.

00:42 So let's get started.

00:46 The first question I have for you is can you remember your earliest childhood memory of happiness and that of fear?

00:56 Earliest childhood memory of happiness

01:00 Early when I got my first bike.

01:03 Yeah, that is actually good. It was Christmas is had to be.

01:11 Like 1988 I had to be later than that. It was probably early 90s cuz I can remember my sister.

01:19 I got a bike in the only thing I can really remember is that I was so excited after getting it that I like just wrote it around. We stayed in a condominium complex and so was like a big square like, you know you of houses in this little area where we stay. Just like Road around the square was just like so excited. I was just like we was my earliest memory of Happiness fear AstroWorld also in Houston Wireless memory of fear. There was a roller coaster. I'm pretty sure was called Excalibur

01:56 I promise you I feel like I was about to fall out of this roller coaster. Like it just went so fast and it you know, it gives you that G-Force effect whenever you can and go a little sideways and I thought I was going to die. So earliest memories of fear. Definitely that roller coaster then I still get on them here. They're pretty fun. Well, let's continue on with fear. What has been your scariest dream.

02:25 But the derelict holster no no, no.

02:29 You know what? Honestly, I guess it's weird because like as an adult like I don't remember a lot of my dreams. I know.

02:38 Early on in life I could and I had really vivid dreams and I don't know if that's an omen or you know, some sort of.

02:46 No thing that you know is happening to me as an adult. Maybe I just don't get enough sleeping. That's why I can't remember things but scariest dream.

02:57 I don't know. It probably was a horror movie relives. I can't I can't give you anything on that one. I wish I could.

03:09 Okay, if you won the lottery, what are the first three things you would do and what are the five things you've been most longing for that you would buy the first three things I would do in the first 5 things I would buy.

03:26 Pay off our house, right? Everyone could actually kind of talked about this the other day or night.

03:33 Two will just resolve all debts. That would be one right. So yeah mortgages part of that student loans as part of that. So the edge of all debts are off the table right there taking care of.

03:45 Second thing I would do three times running necessary and then third thing would be

03:55 I don't know. I would probably take account of where immediate family and friends have needs and probably like going to dress those things if they are things that aren't going to be enabling but you know, make sure my mom and having to worry about taking care of my grandma, you know these people and no no, I wouldn't I wouldn't I wouldn't call him at all. It would literally be kind of like, you know, who we had a situation where we do something for a friend that wanted to go on a trip you remember this friend and he would literally be one of those things. We were just being honest and just get resolved. I wouldn't even make it my business to let them know they'll be done. It would just be one of those things where it's like now, it's okay. I'm just going to okay what school they go to cool like all right, Christopher your new tuition Spade, right? And he would just look up in they would be like, there's no more tuition and nobody would know, you know ya be anonymous.

04:55 First five things. I would buy that you've been longing for.

05:01 Annoyment u-87 microphone. It's just a big part of my heart, right but things I've been longing for.

05:13 I got vacation taking you somewhere. I would get out like that. Kind of I don't know that I'm I've been longing for things for the sake of things a Tesla just because there's no more gas at that point right maybe a couple of Tesla's that way if one runs out of charge and we're having to wait for the charge. This is the lottery were talking about it. Lots of money. We can afford a couple

05:38 Maybe another dog.

05:41 I know I've been I want that you got to be real this is for all of history to know what it is that we're talking about. Yeah, I don't I don't know things. I would buy another house and Studio Yeah by Studio a whole lot of money and then you become a responsible and and I'm already responsible enough as it is and I don't have a lot of money. So when I think about like getting a lot of money what I would do, I probably think about how I could help people more than helping myself. So probably buy something that would better the community or create a new business that would enable, you know, creative minds to be more successful than what they want to do.

06:31 Okay talking about going on vacation. What is your dream destination? And why?

06:41 Dream destination

06:44 It's not a really dreamy place.

06:48 What is your dream destination Egypt? I don't know why I just I want to see like the pyramids, you know, Christian. So do you know if we hear about all these things that no Moses went through with the Hebrews and what they're going through it in Egypt and let's see some of that stuff, but that's cool. I obviously, you know, it's a very tumultuous region of the world, but

07:16 I really still want to go to Egypt.

07:19 That sounds good. So would you go inside a pyramid? Absolutely how far and now they're like, they're really deep Indiana Jones Kalima all of that. Turban. You know anybody that wears a turban. I just I just want you. Want to take part in the whole experience? I think like when you do this whenever we go places we try to participate in the culture as much as possible. So yeah, I want to be there as a tourist, but I also want to like honor the culture that I exist in while I'm there. So yeah if they ride camels in each of them riding a camel

07:58 Your favorite song of all time and why is it because of the lyrics because of the memories associated with it or just the whole package?

08:10 That is a very unfair question to ask and I wish I would have given it to you.

08:16 Favorite song of all time

08:24 We could just spend 40 minutes with me thinking of all time 00. There's so many Goods.

08:37 Not fair

08:40 Give me another question. I don't know that I can pick a favorite song of all time.

08:49 I can't go away.

08:51 Let me see your mind.

08:54 It's probably a biggie song more than likely know. You know what actually my favorite song of all time is Dead Presidents by Jay-Z. Yeah, that is I just think in terms of his rhyme scheme the music.

09:12 It was probably one of the most impactful songs in terms of like imagery from from a lyrical standpoint that I heard at the time that I first ingested that song and it really has stuck with me. I can listen to that song on repeat every single day and I wouldn't be annoyed by it. It's one of those songs with just yeah. It's probably my favorite song of all time.

09:36 Talking about songs. I'm curious to know what has been the best decision you've ever made.

09:45 On a phone call the best decision I ever made. That's it. I mean, you know, I feel that I've done a lot of bonehead things in my life and making the decision to get married is one thing right but choosing that person to make that decision with is a completely different thing, you know people that want to be married but then you know, and I've been married before so this is not like okay, you know, she's being married is the best thing I've ever done clearly. We know that was a mistake because now we're married what

10:26 Yeah, it is probably the best thing that I've done aside from all the other accomplishments. I can say that there hasn't been anything that has brought as much growth enrichment maturity and lessons to be learned in life. Then you have to be married to you. Yeah.

10:46 What is a decision you regret the most?

10:58 Go down in the annals of History talking about stuff, huh? Cuz that's that's a pretty big decision.

11:09 We Clarence talk about this like the one in the relationship.

11:19 That's a regret a lot of yeah, but you said the greatest larger than that. Are we going to tell me about your biggest regret with your dad? Okay, so it because I don't know probably I think just the time later on in that relationship especially towards the end of my Dad's life. I think because of the the sour note that we left off on at the end of my time living with him and feel high school and in college in and then it's kind of being a strange for a long. Of time as result of

12:01 Yeah, it just

12:06 I regret not spending more time or probably making a relationship a priority and I think that because of the amount of

12:14 Ways I felt smothered in that relationship and because he was so, you know very hard line with how it is that he parented that there wasn't any space for a relationship to grow you know, or two in a elevator evolve into it being a camaraderie amongst men. It was more, you know a dictatorship or you know, like how you do this, you know, there are two sides to the story. So I'm sure that he would have a different person living in the bad kid, you know, that's why I had to be that way. I'm sure that all parents say that but yeah, I think that would be a big regret. You know, I just kind of came in on the back in knowing that he was really sick and spent some time with him, but it wasn't really like we had a a close relationship towards the end of his life. So spending more time.

13:14 Relationships what upsets you most in a relationship? And what makes you the happiest relationships with friends family marriage?

13:29 The thing that so many things that upset me in relationships in general, I think a reciprocity if I had to say anything right b a friendship bday, you know, you know a platonic relationship with co-workers or no colleagues or Indiana mentors, whatever I think you know, somebody reciprocating the amount of either thought effort or time invested in something and so I think that that frustrates me the most especially when I know that I'm giving of myself probably way more than I even should I'm in some aspects with some regards and either one that it's not seen cuz I don't think they'll always be reciprocated with that. It's not even recognized I think is the most frustrating thing for me yet. And what makes me the happiest is he being being acknowledged whenever

14:29 Things are taking place cuz you know.

14:32 You can imagine how it feels right. Tell me all the time. What is your perception of how people see you?

14:44 He loaded question cuz then

14:48 My psyche is like a hot but this is how we see us, you know, really weird sound like Venom. So, I don't know maybe people's perception is that I am a little rough around the edges intelligent nice.

15:10 I guess.

15:13 I can only assume that people think that I've got some sort of depth to me right people listen and engage whenever have conversation. So they feel that there is some sort of wisdom or something there on a philosophical level that they can glean from but yeah, I guess

15:36 Can you narrate to me your proudest moment?

15:43 Proudest moment

15:46 Graduating from college like the proudest I've felt in a very very long time just personally right like I could talk about so many things we've accomplished like as a you know, so as a unit are as a family but it took me 10 years plus to get a degree. So proud of what is is yes finishing and I just dragging myself across the finish line and actually finishing like well or better than I anticipated I would say no, but yeah I finished.

16:26 Sunehray that moment I mean, what was that moment like what was happening? How are you feeling?

16:36 We were in the movie and there was a voice over what would he be today?

16:44 He's waited 10 years for this moment.

16:48 Through trials and tribulations

16:52 He even came to class and fell asleep.

16:55 But through it all he persevered his mom doesn't even have a degree and she wants one badly.

17:02 But here he is. He made it. Look he's crying on the field as they call out the graduation class. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, there was just there with that would be it, you know, like he finally made it through everything through through giving up. You know, he

17:22 He made it. What was everything?

17:27 Take us to take us back where you from. What would LED you to that moment?

17:34 What means I was born in Houston Race in North Carolina.

17:39 Okay, let's get a little bit of a story and write I graduated high school in 2003 and after graduating in the spring of 2003 fall 2004. I tended a college and Venom first year college was the learning curve right socially and second-year college was cool but parents didn't pay for my schooling. So all of my phones were on my own so, you know going back to the conversation about, you know, being estranged from my father and turn into that relationship, as a young adult we had conflict and I have used on being an adult and he didn't like those views and so I moved out and so then life became harder and then I ended up living with my cousin for a while, but then didn't have money to pay bills at my cousin's place so I couldn't work a job and go to school so then had to drop out of school and work to survive, but I didn't have anybody taking care of me.

18:39 I'm so you know, that was 2005. I started I had probably already been hanging around with the wrong element during that time in my life. And yeah got into crime and stole a car and was out and about joy riding in my stolen car and on somebody's car that I still call it my MBA ya got caught went to jail and you know just School wasn't anywhere in that picture, you know, so, I mean, I probably spent the

19:15 Cool, 30 days in jail got out people have said that I had tried to run from the police and I had pounds of weed in my car and all these other things that weren't true that I had this whole glorified gangster story about me going to jail. And yeah, I thought I was going to move to LA and my grandfather told my aunt that I was going to move in with that. I've been in jail and so they change their mind and they want to let me move in with him. And then I moved in with my mom in Fayetteville and worked and try to go back to school and then that didn't work and dropped out again and you know, just so many winding turns, you know, but the wife before you yeah, she was there too and I was just School wasn't working married wasn't working. Then we just all these different things and essentially just given up at that point and you know fast forward 2 2010 I get to LA.

20:14 Neither a bunch of schools out here, but I really wasn't chasing after that 2014 we get married and I'm coming home and you're like what the hell. You got an attitude like what's going on? Do not like your job and so you like go back to school. And so if you do it again, one of the best things I could have done marry you right? I was just kind of culminated at this point where I really didn't feel like

20:44 It was ever really going to happen. You know, I just kind of given up on that. You know, I even whenever I was in school, like I wasn't the best student, you know, because of my life experience and things that were going on. I wasn't that attentive to my courses and so my grades suffered and so, you know, like it was a lot of work cleaning that up having to go back and fix things that I've done 10 years before, you know, I'm 10 years senior to any of my classmates. It was all of these different things, you know, finally getting to like the point where not only have I gone through this process, but I'm graduating this process, you know, and I've learned something and have gained something from an incineration my life like I was just

21:24 The Protestant that I feel that you know, how I've accomplished beyond anything else but I've done like as a professional just like as an individual line, I struggled with this thing hard for a long time and finally got to see it through. What are you doing after graduation fall semester after I graduated I got a job and I'm a professor of African American studies which sounds really fancy, but I guess it is in retrospect. So yeah, I apply for the the other team now, right I grade papers and hold students accountable.

22:05 Oftentimes ones that are as responsible as I was so yeah, I to do it from play some empathy knowing that the students are going through real life situations that made me or what I went through could be worse could be better but just being open to the possibility of whatever that looks like for them. So yeah.

22:32 So what else do you do? What do you do? Post-graduation is everything I need you to not be so I asked interview. Well, thank you interview her you're not a very good campus graduation. I am running a independent record label doing artist development singer and songwriter and vocal producer.

23:08 I'm a DJ.

23:12 Do our stuff. Yeah. I know. What is your favorite role of all of the rules you have definitely Google producing the ability to go into an artist studio session and have real human beings that I can say. Hey using the shooting that you sing this and see not only, musical ideas come to life in real-time, but how it also resonates with the artist that then you know, it's either taking a chance on bringing me into their session or you know has heard of what it is that I'm done before and they feel so good about it is the most rewarding thing probably I've ever done in my professional existence here it just

23:58 Wow, if I could do that for the rest of my life, I'll be

24:02 Happy day. How what is the craziest day you had been in the music industry. I was the crazy take it walk us through the craziest day of work that you had.

24:17 Wow, so many but yeah, I've got I have got one. I think that this day it was like an insane week. Actually there was like a music video shoot one day and then the next day I had like cuz I must one audio engineer and so the next day I had like at Studio sessions at the studio that I work at that evening and so like the vocal production session great ride like the same experience where I went in there created a bunch of stuff on the spot. They loved it great singers feel good about the session producers feel good about the session. Everybody was happy. I'm happy awesome. Right and then I go to the job that doesn't pay nearly as much as a vocal reduction does but it's still feeling because I work with artists who are up and coming in and growing and this session I think was like a

25:14 Like a five or six hours session and these guys just it was wild because they just had everything under the sun are the Studio's like non-smoking so you can smoke weed but everything else is on the table. What is everything everything else? They had there was cocaine everywhere. They had a tank like a like, you know, like the helium tank but it had not sinned it and so they were like blowing up like Nas balloons in the studio and like inhaling them. I think the technical term for these things will be called whippets or whatever but I think I'll whip. It is like with Freon whenever you can hear Freon, so I think it might be different in my differ, you know between whatever the gas is the these people inhaling but yeah, it was just, you know at some point it was it was so loud and then there were like

26:06 15 people in the studio. Some of them were extremely drunk there was beer being passed back and forth. I'm being offered lines of cocaine and I'm politely declining. Thank you so much. But no thank you. I am good. You know, I'm not trying to be judgmental but you know this kind of like finding finding that balance. How do you the client somebody offering you something in a space where their mental state may be different than yours not knowing how they're going to receive that because you don't know what the chemical reaction looks like and their brain. It's still trying to do your job in the mist of essentially it being like a frat party. I'm still trying to focus and give somebody a good mix while you've got balloons being blown up popping affecting, you know my ears. Yeah. It was it was insane. So they were there tickets for audio engineering

27:06 It could actually was in the thing is is that because it was like groupies there were like four girls on the couch there like random guys in and out there were people from other Studios. There was this guy in there passing out his own business cards for his studio in the studio that I was working at an inn studio is not the same. So it was just it was really weird but crazy enough like the music was still good. And so I think that's why I enjoy even in that space doing what I do because then

27:35 If I maintain a Cool vibe, then it still facilitates everyone else with creativity that makes sense. And so like I have to draw a thin line like separate myself or my personal preferences as long as it's not infringing on whatever the rules of the space art that working then cool. You know, you can't, you know get naked in studio. God forbid, you know, but yeah, whatever else is going to get you in that space thing go for it and they felt good, you know, they felt really good. They were really confident, you know at one point like the drunk girls are like singing that right now, it's like you are the microphone singing that right now. I'm like, yeah, like we're recording it and they like everybody like chills for a moment in life a cool like 10 minutes. Everybody was locked in like a regular studio session when people don't know what's going on and they're just kind of watching the engineer and then after that there life outside of crazy day was really crazy.

28:35 Of sorts. Do you consider yourself an artist? Absolutely. So what do you think is the most important thing to you regarding our like what's really important to you regarding your art?

28:55 Authenticity, but I think continuity. I don't think that

29:03 I experienced at least an hour days. I'm sure that there are a myriad of artists out there that do it but I don't feel that you really get a clear understanding of somebody, you know, I was Lee at the Arts like you have the ability to be able to paint a picture of what it is that you wanted to look like. I could look like Bilbo Baggins, but I could sound like Prince on a record and you never know. All right until you know, you're a you're able to kind of crate this beside of this pisana. I'm within your music that people have you know, this impression of who is that you are and so I've always tried to be as realistic as possible while still maintaining my individuality and not obviously inviting the entire world into my personal business but sharing something that's relatable, So I think that's really most important right? Like I don't don't be selfish with what you create and so for me like I don't I don't like to be selfish.

30:04 So you've been and I like 10 years August 2010. Did you think you would be where you are now?

30:21 Jenna things that you're doing. Yes.

30:26 I don't think would ever matter of if it was just a matter of when and so, you know, I I came here broke and didn't know how it was going to happen. But I don't ever think that I ever doubted. I hesitated to believe that it was going to happen it like operating like living full-time off of music like I don't do any other jobs, but music jobs. I don't I'm not working a nine-to-five and then going and having to spend an extra 30 hours a week chasing my passion like I'm chasing my passion steel, but I get paid from doing it as a professional like I didn't know how I was going to happen. I knew it was going to I had no idea when but yes seem that now like 10 years later. It's like wow and then it's like the saying right there like it takes 10 years to become an overnight success on light wall overnight me baby. I need it, you know.

31:26 Where do you hope to see yourself?

31:30 Hopefully in a position not to be a gatekeeper of sorts in terms of the music industry of the entertainment industry in general, but I don't know probably pushing further further ahead in terms of still getting into some of those places that I haven't gotten into. I still have a strong interest in at one point scoring a feature film getting into more of the acting side of things like that. I haven't explored ya getting into you know, haven't even more placements in in television and film and being in a position to help others figure out how to thin monetize their creative ideas and in 10 years. Hopefully, I have a question for you. Let's go back maybe 20 years. Your dad was a teacher like most of your life in urine out teacher let you know. So asking the question. Did you think you would be here? Like, how does it feel to kind of be?

32:25 Like what you doing what your dad was doing? You don't so I told myself I was never going to teach because I saw what my dad went through and then I'm like he's in heaven like laughing at me. Like I look at you right. I never I never thought that that would have been the case especially right because everyone called him Mister Washington and now they will they call me Professor Washington. But yeah, I never saw that part of things, you know, I understand the feel.

32:54 I still have mixed feelings about it. It's the you know, it is what it is. Absolutely. That's why I have mixed feelings about you know, there's always going to be that one teacher who you know, even though he seems like they're they're really hard on students they do it because they care and so I know that he was at first because I see how you know, the lives of all the students that he's heading out the students over the years. They still say hey like your dad was just kind of person, you know, he really liked inspire me to do this and they've gone they've done phenomenal things in a pack, but I'm trying to also like dude in a cool way right? I don't want to be like just the old guy telling the kids like now you don't do that. I want to be inspiring and the old man.

33:44 So if you weren't in the profession you are in the music industry doing music. What would be your other dream profession and one that I think of you like this adventure speaker, like climbing mountains like villager. What would your drink I want cuz I have always had an affinity for space exploration even still to this day in because I also like Love Languages and I know all these little nuances about you know stuff that happens in countries. And you know, I just feel like I would be well-suited for that. I could be a chameleon of the world do things for the agency.

34:29 I guess the question I want to ask you is in the next 10 years. What is the craziest thing you helped to do like the most adventurous thing?

34:40 You jumped out of a plane. You've done dive into your career. You've graduated marriage. I mean, what what what's crazy like, what are you going to do?

34:52 Kids I bet that's got to be the final frontier like space to find kids the final front of me literally like not only having them having them in that mess it up. You know, I think that's the there's nothing crazy that I can do. Like I can climb a mountain I could go base jumping may be jumping out of a plane in a squirrel suit. Okay, that would also be a kid crazy and kids.

35:21 Maybe not jumping out of a plane in a squirrel suit with those things are equally as crazy. I think that they they kind of Wise Kids such a crazy thing.

35:39 Because I don't have any in it and then you know, I am the king of my bloodline. That's how can I find it? Right? So all of the males in my family with some gel the same blood right have passed away. So I'm the oldest living person get on my grandfather and my father and uncles

36:01 There's nobody else right? It's me. I'm the oldest living person. So I am the patriarch of sorts and so being able to create a legacy and continue that Legacy I think is it's just going to be a crazy experience in general just because I feel like there's a huge weight on my shoulders to do that. Even though nobody's imposing it on me.

36:22 I'll let you do the last question. If you were asked him, you know, what is your favorite flavor of ice cream your favorite junk food in your favorite dessert or if your house was on fire and you had a chance to grab only five things before leaving they would be

36:37 Your choice will in their house on fire or ice cream junk food and dessert. What's your favorite dessert flavor flavor of ice cream?

36:53 Vanilla or French vanilla or vanilla bean not water down. Okay, it's amazing. What's the next one peanut butter and jelly with a mixture of Hot Cheetos and regular Cheetos. You don't put them inside the sandwich. I just need to make this completely clear. You have the peanut butter and jelly sandwich grape jelly.

37:26 Smooth peanut butter not crunchy and then you take a $0.25 bag of regular Cheetos and a $20 probably like $0.50 an hour 75 and a bag of the xxtra Flamin Hot Cheetos and then you mix them together. So it's kind of like Chex Mix but it's Cheetos and then you have the hot and the regular it's amazing. I love it and dessert favorite dessert.

37:54 Vanilla ice cream

37:57 And let's not forget that your favorite is also popcorn to popped popcorn being the house. You got enough time and got 2 minutes passport.

38:16 Yeah, if my house is burning. Where am I going to live with might as well go to another country. Okay passport all my hard drives. So like I'm going to throw them all in a bag because all of them are really important have all your music on it any any any type of personal documents like marriage certificate.

38:38 The dog

38:40 Priapism poor baby my baby Penelope for my babies. What else? Oh my God. There's nothing like it's going to burn to burn baby. We got insurance. Will you lose your phone?

39:05 No, I mean we don't maybe that book that we have liked from the wedding with people's like signing stuff like that. That would be a big deal. But yeah, I've actually had our house catch on fire before you know, you were mine, but when I was a kid with my parents and so, you know, she's one of those things where it's like if it burns it burns baby and dog your passport your hard drive in any photos or but other than that, I'll leave the popcorn so I can pop in the fire. But thank you. You're very welcome.