Pursuing Your Calling When No One Understand- Jovonta Patton

[00:00:00] I'm too afraid to be disobedient. Like, I can't afford disobedience. Agreed. Like, that's the difference. So, I don't have any other thing that I can listen to that's trusted that would give me the life that obedience has given me. So, if God tells me, hey, you gotta get up and go, I'ma trust that voice before I trust I got a million dollars for you. So, have a great day. Don't bring no drama.

[00:01:06] So, that you guys know that you can persevere too. And my guest today most certainly qualifies. He has been singing most of his life in the game of gospel music for the past 16 years. Probably more than that, actually. Has been someone who has been through trials and tribulations but has never let that stop his praise. He is beloved by his peers, which means a lot in this industry.

[00:01:36] And he has a project out right now that is Emmy nominated. So, ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, we're gonna have an amazing conversation today with Javonte Patton. Welcome. What's up? What's up, what's up? Thank you for allowing me to come. Absolutely. I'm so glad to have you here. I read a post from you saying how, no, good, how surprised you were by the Emmy nomination.

[00:02:02] Yes, very surprised. You know, in our space, we're used to doves, Grammys, and Stellars. So, Emmys is kind of like a far stretch because being an E-God or things of that nature, it's not that it's not realistic. It's just not the road most traveled. Yeah. So, this was just like very unexpected. Yeah. But we honor God. We honor God. We honor God. And, you know, when I saw that, I wasn't surprised. Ooh. And I'm gonna tell you why. Uh-oh.

[00:02:28] I believe that God blesses people who want to bless others and who pray for others' blessings. Ooh. And you don't remember this. Uh-oh. But the first time I met you. Oh, Lord. Was at 2025 Stellars. Uh-oh. I was up in a radio room. I was supposed to do the red carpet. It didn't happen for whatever reason. Now, my job done flown all the way there from, you know. I done did all this, paid all this money. Supposed to be on the red carpet.

[00:02:55] You're not doing the red carpet. It's not negotiable. They stick me up in the radio room, right? Amen. I'm gonna make the best of it. So, people would come in and, you know, whatever, after they do the red carpet. Most people didn't make it up to that room after they did the red carpet. Exactly. You came up. You had on a Christian Dior sweater vest. I'll never forget it. It was a birthday gift. And you looked fly. Oh, wow. And we did our little talk. And then before we got up, you grabbed my hand and you said, Can I pray for you? Oh, Lord.

[00:03:25] And you prayed that God would give me opportunities. You specifically said, I know it's expensive. You coming out here. You doing it. And I pray that you feel like it's worth it. I'm sure we still have the footage. Oh, God. That was the first time I ever met you. Oh, God. And that's what you did. And me and my husband literally had this conversation recently. Like, remember? And then so when I got this email today, I said, Oh, yeah, most definitely. Oh, wow. Well, look at that. Full circle. Shout out to Roland Jack.

[00:03:55] Yes. Who made who that was the spirit of the God. Yes. Because he was like, you should. Let me let me do my thing. So here we are. Here we are. Well, I'm glad. Thank God for the power of intercession. Not the power of me. Yes. The power of intercession. Amen. It doesn't allow us to pray for people. It allows us to pray as people. That's good. Ain't you a minister? Now look at you. Now look at you. Can't help but preach. I'm sorry. Can't help but preach. No, listen. They told me I preach sing now. I'm like, oh my God.

[00:04:25] And I love to see it. It's good. As you age, the hooping voice is going to come on. The hooping voice is starting to come out. Lord Jesus, it's hitting me. Let's talk a little bit about choir music. Yes. Right? Because the choir is really the backbone of gospel music. It is. The community of it. As we try, you know, and this is no shade to nobody, but once we started straying away from the choir, things got weird.

[00:04:55] Things got odd in the music. From one. Bring the choir back. Come on. Okay? We need Uncle Ricky or somebody up there. Come on. Please. Please. The choir master. Yes. Order in the court. Right. Hello. Okay? Get it together. So, as you are releasing this, have released this project and are working, you know, to really make sure that choirs don't lose their place in this industry, what is on your heart for people to understand about why choir music is still needed? Absolutely.

[00:05:24] So, it's a themed album. And the reason why it's so important is the choir is the Embro. It's the birthplace of most artistry in the genre. Yeah. And now we're starting to allow people to go and become outside of how we really condition you. Everybody has become through social media. Everybody has become through being viral. Yeah. And it's like, no. I started in the choir. I was a back row tenor.

[00:05:54] I was a side tenor. I was the tenor on the mic. Like, it was levels to move up in the choir. Yeah. You know? It used to be in the back. Then you got on the mic. And then, you know what I'm saying? And so, I just feel like we just need to bring not the hazing of the choir back. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. But the community that builds great showmanship for the actual journey. Yeah. Yeah. I think about those choirs. I was a part of a choir growing up in my school. And we used to sing Have a Talk with God. Come on.

[00:06:23] Oh, this is a sanctified school. Mr. Cummings. Shout out to Mr. Cummings at 308. Come on. And Best Hour, Brooklyn, growing up. Hey. And I think about, you know, what I learned from that, which was a Stevie Wonder song. Okay. You know, when you feel your life is hard, have a talk with God. It's from Songs in the Key of Life. Shout out to 50 years. Come on. 28 to 50 years? 28 to 50 years. Yeah. Come on. So, he turned it into a choir song for us. Wow. So, we could learn a different part. There was a young girl on bass.

[00:06:53] I didn't even realize. Yes. And this was in my school. We had a gospel choir in my school. And I didn't even realize how much of the showmanship that I had as a person. From choir. Came from the training of that choir. Yes. Donna Lawrence calls gospel choir the most unaccredited style of teaching in music. I agree. And he's not wrong about that. Speaking of Donna Lawrence, you are beloved by your peoples.

[00:07:21] I was watching a video, a day in the life video you did. Uh-oh. To go to Unscripted Nights. Tasha. Tasha Cobbs. Unscripted Nights. I was watching a day in the life video. And you were able to just run to anybody. Put your phone up. Nobody hesitated. Everybody was having the time with you. They be letting me in. They be letting you in. That's not easy to do in the music industry. Because although it's gospel, sometimes it could be a little... Yeah. And there's still stars. Yeah. There's still stars.

[00:07:50] And people are still people. People want people no matter what. Right? That's what Lena Burr is. And so when you see these people and they welcome you with open... I'm talking about from what people would consider the top of the top. The most preachers, artists, all of it. And they love you the way that they do. I think it's a testament to who you are. What do you do to maintain and sustain those types of relationships? Try to keep integrity. And try to stay supportive publicly.

[00:08:19] And try not to put myself in any communities of hate. I don't post about nothing going on. My career in advance is enough to post about nothing going on. Let's get there first. Okay? I don't have anything to say. But it also just doesn't allow me to be on the fence with anything. Because as soon as you get on the fence with something, it allows you to create enemies that you never would have had if you wouldn't have said anything about something that you really don't stand for.

[00:08:49] So I just try to stay neutral. Not neutral where I am silent on injustices. Right. But neutral where if it doesn't have my name in it, I don't mean to say anything about it. Yeah. Yeah. I love that. That's good. We got enough live reporters on our posts every day. This is true. It's okay. It's so funny. I was working with an agency a couple of months ago. And we no longer work together. Not for bad reasons. But it just wasn't a line. You ain't there no more. Yeah. I'm not there. Come on now. Thank you. I ain't there no more.

[00:09:18] Anyway, one of the things they were trying to get me to do was start speaking more on current events. Like, oh, because I do a lot of talking head content outside of red carpets in my podcast, obviously. I'll talk about things that inspire me, whether this be funny or something serious, whatever. Anyway, they were like, we just think you should start talking on current events. And I told them I can't do it. Come on. Because it forces you to be salacious. You want to be the first to say something. So you just start talking. Yeah.

[00:09:46] And then also, like, for instance, right now, by the time you guys see this, this will not be a thing anymore. But right now, everyone's talking about Savannah James. And her best friend. Exactly. What if one day I want to work with Savannah James? Exactly. But I got on the internet making a video about, I don't care. I would pay for my whatever little stupid thing. And then now you have spoken yourself out of an opportunity for some quick little clickbait. Exactly. I just can't do it. So I can totally relate to staying quiet. I'm like, don't y'all got group chat? Call your best friend. Tell your mama how you feel.

[00:10:15] And that's what have the covenant conversation. Yes. And I try not to do current topics when I preach. Yeah. I just feel like that is what has caused soundbites in the church to go left. Yes. Because we're talking about things and we're using those as comparisons. Yeah. And we have the word. The word has a lot of chapters, a lot of verses. Use that to make your point. Yeah. Absolutely.

[00:10:39] If the current event is not glorifying God, we don't try to use anyone's name or situation to make them become the subject. It's very true. And I think there's a whole lot of wisdom in that. Because one day it could be you. Exactly. And it's just, it's insensitive. And I feel like we talk too much on these podcasts about the wrong thing. I agree. And it shrinks the main thing. Yeah. I agree. Keeping the main thing, the main thing is very important. And speaking of keeping the main thing, the main thing. You're good. You are. I think.

[00:11:09] You're really good. Yeah. I appreciate that. Transition us. We got to put you up as the service coordinator. She going to know how to bring the praise break out where it doesn't take away from the praise, but it gets us to the next phase in ministry. I try. Amen. Okay. Okay. Simmer down, y'all. We going to come back to that. The lady going to be screaming in the back, but we going to come back. You stupid announcements for church. Amen. I'll see. Was you the fire starter with the announcements? Not really. That's a yes. I would have been associate minister. That's a yes.

[00:11:38] I would have been all through the days. So that means you know what to do. Yes. Yes. I know what to do. Following. I do want to talk about this. You're in a season of wins. How do we ever see that? You're in a season of wins. Being Emmy nominated is a big deal. Right? Thank you, Jesus. But you haven't always been there. And you've had lots of losses. Oof. I want to know what your losses taught you about how you're going to behave in this season of wins. Oof. That is good. And I almost got up and shouted.

[00:12:07] It has taught me to not let my emotions rule me during the loss. Because your emotions will make you act out like you'll never win. So your emotions will lie to you more than the loss will. Because you start going off. You start, I ain't dealing with this person. No more. No more. And then two years later, you up. You winning. And they right there. What are you going to do? You going to go back in the emotions of loss?

[00:12:35] Or are you going to learn the emotion of wins? Yeah. Yeah. That's good. Hallelujah. That'll preach. What you just said about the emotions will lie to you more than the loss. It's so true. Because a lot of times, the way that we react to something is stealing our joy more than the thing that even happened. Exactly. The reaction is what steals your joy. And that's why my wife was always screaming about the fruit of the spirit.

[00:13:06] The spirit and- Come on, wife. Okay. Love, joy, peace, long suffering. And now when you go through loss, you understand what is there for. Yeah. Because I don't need the fruit of the spirit when a good day is happening. Hello. What you need peace for when the sun's shining and you got enough money to go to McDonald's? Mm-hmm. Or to the Christian Dior store, whichever you may choose. Oh, it was a birthday gift. Okay. I'm not mad at it. I'd be up in there too. Hallelujah. I'm not worried about it. No. But seriously, I do agree.

[00:13:33] And I think there's so much wisdom in that, which probably comes from the fact that you have been doing ministry since a youth. Since a youth. I'm a church pew baby. Yeah. Born and raised in church. And I started directing the youth choir around 13, 14. The youth choir director left. Yeah. He was ready to spread his wings. So it wasn't anything bad. He just wanted to go to a different church. He had been there probably his whole life at the time. He wasn't there no more. He wasn't there no more. We be explaining.

[00:14:03] He wasn't there no more. I'm trying to be over there. Okay. But so he went, he wasn't there. And I went and told my pastor, Pastor Charles Ford. I said, I don't want the youth to die. And I said, you know, I'll step in and do whatever I got to do. And that was my first charge of leadership. That was my first charge that was available to me. And so I always honor him for seeing my heart. Yeah.

[00:14:30] Even though it came out of a need, it was still the opportunity for God to start to condition the leader that God knew I was. Not even that I knew I was. I was just trying to make sure that the youth in the choir didn't die in 2004. Wow.

[00:14:49] And so doing that from that age to this age, you know, there's a famous quote that Muhammad Ali says, you know, if a man asked the same at 24 as he did at 12, he's just wasted, you know, 12 years of his life. 12 years of sleep. Yeah. I'm sorry. I'm wondering the quote, but that's pretty much it.

[00:15:16] If you could look back to yourself, 2004, the ambition, the desire to help the youth of God, to help God's people in that way, and look to who you are now, what would you tell that young Javante? Which camera? This is you right there. Run! I'm trying to, I'm trying to, I'm trying to. Go, go, get out, go, get on the Greyhound.

[00:15:44] Megabus wasn't invited, invented there. Oh, Lord. Run! Did you have a bad experience? No, no, no. I would, I would, I would say, I would say. Tell the truth now. I would say buckle up. Okay. And enjoy. You know, I don't have any regrets on my decisions. I do regret people's reactions. Okay. More than I regret my decisions. Okay.

[00:16:09] I just think people, to this day, to a degree, and I'm not labeling myself in this, but I think people will see your ambition. And when it's not the normative, it's kind of like this cynical label. Yeah. And route that they put your success in. Yes. And just because it feels like you can't trust it or you don't know how it happened.

[00:16:34] So I think that, for me, has been, God has been equipping me for years on how to not let people's reaction change my reaction of happiness. And enjoying the fruits of my labor. You know what I'm saying? Like, somebody said something to me today that the choir music album went number one on iTunes charts. Come on now. And hallelujah, right? Number one choir music. Exactly. Go stream that. Please go stream it. Yeah. Go download it. Stream it. YouTube it. Whatever you do.

[00:17:04] Okay? Spotify it. Whatever. But they was like, yeah, somebody said, yeah, he be sending out text messages telling people to buy stuff. And I said, so what is the response I'm supposed to give back? Am I supposed to be embarrassed? Did I do it wrong? Did I break a rule? And it's like, you get looked at for being the first person to believe in you versus waiting for them to just have some random virality happen where then they feel like, oh, it's organic.

[00:17:34] No, it's organic because if I call you friend, I should be able to text you to my album out. Hello. Hello. Yep. What's the problem? What's the problem? And if you ain't got $10 for me, then I always think, this is how I get out of friendships now. I always think, would I want this friend to be a friend of my children? Is this a behavior I would want my child to have? And that is what gets me out of friendships now. Yeah. Because I shouldn't be, I wouldn't want my kid dealing with a friend like that. Right, right. It's important. Did I answer the question?

[00:18:04] Somewhat, but I got something for you with that. Yeah, circle me back. I went on a tangent. One of the things that I feel like the church, let me not say the church because I said I was going to stop doing that. Okay. And we love that. And mixed company. I said I was going to stop doing that. And I appreciate that because we making a church the world issue. Like, no, it's America. One of the things I feel like people do, people who really believe in God, they believe God can do big things except to the people that they know. Agree.

[00:18:34] God can do it. Agree. But don't let somebody in their local church want to do something outside of those four walls. Sit down, baby. It's like, God ain't doing that. Yes. You know, and listen, I was once fired from a church for being a Christian rapper. And going on BET. They fired you. And people don't even know that. I'm sprilling tea right now. For being an evangelist. Hello, somebody. Okay. The five foes. This is not the focus of our ministry right now. And I was like, huh, okay, you know.

[00:19:04] And so. What city was this in? It was in New York. Brooklyn. This was many years ago. Many, many years ago. Okay. But, you know, I've been apologized to. It's all good. Okay. Okay. Thank you for saying that. Yes. I've been apologized. People know. But it happens. If it's not the way they see God working, people have a hard time. They don't trust it. The God can do all things, but not that. And then they act like their opinions regulate your blessings. Yeah. Oh, that's good.

[00:19:32] It's like, okay, you got an opinion. I got one about you. Yeah. I got one about what you do. Like that, that, that could not be the Holy grail of why I stopped because you have an opinion. Yeah. Well, so many people need to hear that as well, because there's so many entrepreneurs, artists, people who watch this podcast. That's my main demographic who are letting the voice of someone who may not even be alive anymore reign in their mind about why they can't do a thing.

[00:20:01] And you guys need to listen very carefully because what he is saying is true. Opinions are just that. They're opinions. They're opinions. We have opinions about people every day, but you can't let it stop you from walking through your God-given doors. Had you stopped, you would not have this album out right now. I wouldn't have it. That's number one. That's Emmy nominated. Devil Wars nominated. Stella always been on Billboard six times. All the things. What about that? If you had stopped at 16 or 17 because a few people didn't understand.

[00:20:32] Then understand. You know, your purpose, the purpose on your life. How do you hear the voice of God through all the noise of other people? That is good. I'm too afraid to be disobedient. Like I can't afford disobedience. Agreed. Like that's the difference. So I don't have any other thing that I can listen to that's trusted that would give me the life that obedience has given me. So if God tell me, hey, you got to get up and go.

[00:20:59] I'm going to trust that voice before I trust I got a million dollars for you because that's when you going to go bankrupt as soon as you try to give it to me because that's not the move of God. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? So I'm too afraid to just not follow the same voice that's gotten me here. Like I can't take a look. You have to say you're wrong. Yeah. I can't lead a loud voice. Like I know this is, I know this like a lot of influencers and concert creators on socials now and I think it's great. I think it's absolutely amazing.

[00:21:27] However, I can look back and I can realize doing vlogs and showing my family and just really allowing people into my life since social media's inception. I've only used social media as a marketing tool. Yeah. I never used it as, I got to tell everybody how I feel about this or that. And so now when I see the world catching up to how God led me to use it 10 years ago, it's like, I'll just keep following God because he could be leading me to the future and I don't even know. I ain't got AI Holy Ghost.

[00:22:01] You, as you just alluded to, you're the first to do a lot of things. My God. Um, and our genre, especially when it comes to your use of YouTube, social media, showing your family almost like reality show type vibes. Um, when you see where your family is now, we're talking about your kids before the cameras came on, uh, their ages and their maturation as a dad and husband, what do you feel like God is teaching you in this season?

[00:22:28] Ooh, he is teaching me a lot with my, with my children. I was telling my wife that my kids are not greedy.

[00:23:05] Mm-hmm. So it was a functional need, not a greed need. Yeah. And that spirit that they have makes me want to give them whatever they don't want. You're preaching. Go ahead. And so that is teaching me to just enjoy God's blessings versus when- Give me, give me, give me, give me, give me. Lord, you da-da-da-da-da-da. And I'm not saying you can't ask. Don't get me wrong.

[00:23:33] However, what I am saying is a good father knows how to give good gifts. And so I should let him be the gift giver. Yeah. Absolutely. My therapist always tells me- Come on, therapist. They got good medical. Yeah, we do. It's my husband. Y'all know. He's going with the job and the benefits. Y'all come on. Y'all got good medical. I'm on my wife medical too. I get it. The artist got to- I tell artists all the time. This is a segue. Get a stable. Please marry someone who is not a dreamer like you. Exactly.

[00:24:03] Because we will both have nothing. Exactly. I'm like, you got to keep that job. Yeah, got to keep the job. They ain't got healthcare over here. No. Okay. The podcast ain't no healthcare with the podcast. What about y'all? I started a business. Your business ain't got no healthcare, no benefits. No. No, no, no. Stop. You ain't got no business. But my therapist is always reminding me- Nonprofit. Okay. Okay, sorry. I love it. Okay, okay, okay.

[00:24:30] My therapist is always reminding me that God wants to be God and he wants us to be his people. And when we start trying to be God and treat him like he's the people, that's when we get messed up. That's when we get messed up. And when you said let God be the gift giver, that convicted me because quite honestly, I'm in a season of my career where I'm building and things are starting to ramp up, right?

[00:24:53] And I have to check myself when I'm going after certain opportunities and maybe people are taking a long time to get back to me. They will take a long time. Oh, no. People run me around in circles, right? Not you, Roland. Shout out to Roland. See, shout out to Roland. Roland, he's on it. But people will run you around. But I always feel like that's an opportunity for me to stop and pray because it's like, why are you so anxious? Like this person could change your life. He's the changer. He's the lifter. Of my head.

[00:25:21] Why are you so anxious and so worried about whether this person, and also because you've done this enough times to know that the interview is not going to change your life. It's not. Exactly. Like it may give you a further connection and it may further your story, but God is too infinite to let one person do it. To let one person do it. Because he know we'll give that person the credit. Exactly. So he literally breadcrumbs us in the best possible way. In the best way.

[00:25:50] To the glory that he has for us, which is glory, glory, right? That he has for us. So that we can't put it on any one person. Oh, when I had this one interview with Javante, that changed my career. He's going to make sure, okay, now Javante led you to this and led you to that. And I just believe that. Letting him be the gift giver is really the thing. That is the thing. You're very multi-talented. Jesus. Because you do this as well. I saw you interview Jimmy Jim and Terry Lewis recently. I'm still like pinching myself.

[00:26:20] She did her research. Hey, listen, the girl is a researcher. Hey, let me say something to what she said and I'm done. Ja'Kalen Carr told me something. She said, your job is to be obedient. Let God choose the reward. Shout out to Ja'Kalen. I said, okay. She said, yeah, that may be a reward option. Yeah. But let God choose how, which one he wants to give you. Yeah. I love it. Okay. Go ahead. Jimmy Jim, Terry Lewis. Love them.

[00:26:50] Your future and potential podcasting, broadcasting. Go ahead. Okay. This is good. Okay. So, Jimmy Jim and Terry Lewis. I'm from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Born and raised. So are they. So is Prince. So is Sounds of Blackness. Long as you keep. Yes. Miss Ann Nesby. Yeah. So for me, they have always been the barometer of local music. So when you see. What a barometer. Exactly. So when you see them and, you know, everybody's like, yeah, we went to Southern Southern. We grew up. We went to high school.

[00:27:19] It becomes so normal. But when you see how big their impact is, it's not normal. No. You know what I'm saying? And so it becomes an oxymoron in your musical brain, in your local brain, because you got Janet Jackson. They got stories of Michael Jackson coming in town all the time. They got stories of Yolanda Adams' Open My Heart. Yeah. And their music has gained a brand new life in social media. Yeah. Encore and all of those different things.

[00:27:47] And so interviewing them, I felt a couple things. I felt mantle transferring, because I'm saved. I'm sanctified. So sometimes it could be an interview for them, but it can be God interfering with me to give me something else. You know what I'm saying? I'm with you. I'm picking on what you're putting down. Come on. See, we love saying that. My auntie loves saying that.

[00:28:12] And so that interview was so powerful to me because it let me know that God put me around something that says, you can go further than just gospel. Yeah. You could go further. I'm not having you sit down with just gospel. Yeah. I'm having you sit down with world domination that came right from the same location you did. Yeah. So it is not impossible. So that interview was just surreal. It was a blessing. And it was an honor that I got a chance to, you know, we be texting too.

[00:28:42] I love it. We friends. What up, Jimmy and Terry? No, no, no, no. But it was an honor. And anytime I come in their presence, I'm always elated because of what God has done through them. Absolutely. Yeah. When are you coming out with your own podcast? Because I'm going to ask you that. My range is good today. I'm going to ask you that.

[00:29:06] I'm asking you that because it seems so natural for you to be up there asking them questions, speaking with people. And I also think there's a way for you to do podcasting without talking about current events. I do it all the time. There is a way. A way for you to do it without, you know, bringing up things that are negative, but that still allows people to see your humor and gives you a place to share what God is putting on your heart outside of the pulpit. Have you ever considered it? I have.

[00:29:36] I've done some. Yeah. I have some on my hard drive and I have just not, I be singing so much and preaching and I be being a dad. And so sometimes I don't want to feel like I'm doing too much. Yeah. Erica Campbell said, don't feel that way. Oh, she'll tell you. I interviewed her. Yeah. She was like, she going to do all the things. She said, don't feel that way. She was like, put it out there. So I, so, so maybe this is a prophetic clarion call to get back to it.

[00:30:05] Cause I, I mean, I shot, I shot for choir music. I have a, a podcast interview, but I wasn't the, the, I wasn't interviewing myself. You know, we did it kind of like the Jay-Z HBO style thing for promo, but yeah, maybe I should get back into it. I started in radio too. It makes sense. Yeah. And so I, I learned the broadcasting and what's up? This is Javonte Paddle. You know what I'm saying? We got tickets coming up to 12 o'clock hour.

[00:30:32] So I learned all of the, you know, verbiage and how to present. So I hear you giving me a charge and a spirit. I'm encouraging. I saw you with my brother, Nico Flowers and Derek Harper. Yes. And Derek, I love, thank God for them. Praise 102.5. Listen, that's the best radio station in Atlanta. And on top of that, Derek and Nico, they have helped my music have such a reach. Atlanta is, and probably in most gospel, but Atlanta is number one. Yes. Yes.

[00:31:01] And them Spotify's and Amazon's, I don't care where you live locally. Atlanta gonna hold you down first. Absolutely. Absolutely. They've been integral in my career. Nico had me shadow him to teach me radio. Oh, good. And him and his wife just great. Incredible people. I love you. And so when I saw you with them, I'm like, oh, he's good people. They are good people. I want to be a flower now. I love it. I love it. I love it.

[00:31:28] I want to talk briefly about your hope for choir music moving forward. Okay. Because we know in this day and age, you promote an album before it come out. You got to keep promoting it after it come out. You got to do the work. You got to kiss the babies and shake the hands. You have to. As you are promoting this project, performing this project, going all around the world, doing what you're going to do for it. What's your hope for it? My hope is already coming to fruition. People have sang every song on the album already before it even came out. So that's good.

[00:31:56] But I also feel like I hope it just inspires the next generation or the next artist watching to not put choir down in their ingredients of what they're cooking up. Don't put the whole entire album together and not think the choir should be in it on track seven or the last track. So hopefully it is a... The choir never left, but hopefully it is a resurgence on it being on the mainstream and it feels cool again.

[00:32:25] That's kind of what... Yeah. And the album is a themed album. So I'm not trying to... I didn't come over here. Let me say this. I didn't come to do choir like I was a new student. I was... I'm not enrolling in the choir world. I'm an alumni of the choir world. You see it? This is homecoming for me. So hopefully I don't make anybody feel like I'm trying to come over there because, I mean,

[00:32:54] we want Praise and Worship Song of the Year and we at the Doves for Praise and Worship. So I didn't come over here because Praise and Worship wasn't working. Mm-hmm. Yeah. You see the difference? Like this was not a pivot. Yeah. Hallelujah. Yes. This was just... A return to form. A return to form. Yeah. And I want people to understand, even choir directors, to not feeling the way about it. Yeah. Feel I'm your ally. I highly doubt they will and I'll tell you why. This is not so different from what you've been doing.

[00:33:24] Exactly. You sing, you minister, you holler when you sing in Praise and Worship. It's all... Hoor and holler. It's the same thing. Yeah. And if you come from any level of ministry, you've had to be the choir director, the Praise and Worship leader, the soloist because somebody didn't show up or you were short staffed. Whatever the reason was, you became multifaceted in the music ministry, whatever church you go to. So let's stop acting like the choir director wasn't the Praise and Worship leader.

[00:33:53] The Praise and Worship leader won the choir director. Yeah. Three more people get up there and it's the Praise team and the two people who had an attitude and now it's the choir. Hush. You know what I'm saying? You're not wrong. We got to stop acting like we don't understand church culture. Oh, the choir coming now. Your sister singing because y'all was mad at each other. She didn't sing for worship. Now it's the choir. Got it. For your goodness. Everybody just singing louder now. I love it. And I heard the little singer right there. You can keep going if you want to.

[00:34:23] Let me ask you this about singing. Tell me. Even with your solo stuff here. Who are your dream collabs? People that if you could get them on the phone right now, who would you be calling? Give me top three. Okay. Top three. In a current day like today. Yeah. Lisa Knowles. Okay. Putting that out there. Lisa Knowles. We laughing because Lisa Knowles is the manager in the room and he looked right.

[00:34:54] Amen. Amen. Okay. Well, rolling. Lisa Knowles. I want to work with Michelle Williams still. I love that. Michelle, I know what to do. Oh. I know what to do. Don't worry. Let me handle this. Javante. Can you? Okay. But like. That's a good one. I want to work with Michelle. I just know.

[00:35:24] I just know. I would know what to do. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not saying that she doesn't. No, no, no. I got you. So the whole day does not imply that because if she didn't then I wouldn't be a fan. Right. But I just know all versions from theater to R&B to gospel. What you could do with that. Yeah. Yeah. I like that. Yeah. So Michelle. Mm-hmm. Can you handle this? Okay. Okay. Okay. I need a mail. I need a mail. I like everybody.

[00:35:54] For the streets. Not that. Not with his wife right here. Go ahead. Exactly. Let me think. Okay. I need a mail because I've given you the females. It could be gospel or secular. Mm-mm. I'm saved. Maybe. Smokey Norfolk. Ooh. I need them now. Okay. Get out. I need you out. Get out. No.

[00:36:23] I can hear that. Yeah. Because Smokey can say. Power. You're in that voice. Yes. Yeah. And of course we all would want to collab with Kurt. Yeah. But I didn't want to state the obvious. Yeah. But you know. Yeah. I want to collab with Kurt. Exactly. Everybody want to collab. Kurt, come to the pie. No. Those are good choices. Those are good choices. Smokey. Michelle. Lisa. Okay. Give me artists. Okay. Who if you could go on tour with them. Whether this is opening or co-headlining. Okay. Okay. Or you headlining and they open for you. Right? Okay. Give me your dream artist.

[00:36:53] Ooh. My dream artist. Okay. Okay. Let me do like some peers. Okay. I would love maybe like Quilante. Enrique. Love Enrique. Enrique's friend of the pod. He's been on the pod. Oh, he's been on the pod. They just got the same style of songs. Antoine and I, we came up together and just to see what he's doing is incredible. That's hard.

[00:37:24] That's hard because everybody's so good. Yeah. If I was headlining, who would I want? Oh, if I was headlining, I would want it to be all of the community choirs. Like the Nate Beans, the Patrick Rittis, the Kevin Terrys. You know what I'm saying? The Mark Quinn Middletons. All of the choirs that keep choir music alive, even when a Javante Patton is not over there. Yeah. I would love to do something in that regard.

[00:37:54] But if I had to just give you like an artist, Cece Winantz. Oh, well, yeah. Yeah. They don't know you, lady. We gonna worship. Let's go. Ain't nobody saved like Cece. That's what the people say. Nobody. I saw her in under an hour and she gave me 12 songs and was done. And the Holy Ghost moved and people came to Christ. Yeah. I said, we gotta shorten the sadness. We shouting too long. No, I love me some Cece Winings. That's a good, good list of people right there.

[00:38:24] As we wrap this up, I do have a question that I asked to end the podcast. Okay. I'm gonna ask you. In the grand scheme of things. Okay. What do you want your legacy to be? Ooh, I hate that question. Cause you know, when people ask that question, then you, mm-mm. Oh, let me see. Say it. Ask me something else. Like, what you gonna do next to me? I'll be like, uh-uh, y'all ain't gonna wrap me up. See, they got a post. Look, PJ. Nah-uh, uh-uh. I am still here.

[00:38:53] Come on now. I'm still here. Exactly. What my legacy is. Come on now. Is innovation, determination, and... What can happen when the prophetic is in manifestation? Mm-hmm. I'm the, I'm the, I'm the prophetic in manifestation. Okay. Somebody had, you know how somebody gets you on the floor? Mm-hmm. And you walking out. God said, you gonna be just such a, and then you're like, oh wait, I'm actually here. Yeah.

[00:39:22] Oh, that was the Lord. Mm-hmm. I, I know that's what my life is. Mm-hmm. I am, I am the parking lot prophecy in real time. Parking lot prophecy. That should be the name of your podcast. Okay. You know, they get you like, do you? Like, I'm serious. No, I'm so serious. Like, I, I don't have many or many or any stories of prophecy not coming to pass in my life. Mm-hmm. I don't have that. So either God puts a demand on somebody to be honest when they talking to me. Yeah.

[00:39:53] Or false prophets in my life don't mesh. Yeah. Like, like last I was at Sam Franklin's church. Mm-hmm. Apostle Sam Franklin. I want to be respectful. And, um, a lady, she came and I don't know this lady from, she was from Memphis. She was with the guest church. And she was like, I don't know you. And I like that. That doesn't demote me. That doesn't make my accolades be non-existent or unseen. She said, I don't know you, but the Lord told me that this is going to be X, Y, and Z. And it's the third person that said this to me. Mm-hmm.

[00:40:22] So I didn't get a chance to formally respond. Mm-hmm. My spirit man responded. So I was flopping like a fish. Get on the deck and flop like a fish. I was just, ah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Because I know the Lord was speaking. And that's how he's always found a way to confirm or, and God doesn't always have to confirm his word. Sometimes he can announce his word. Ooh. Teach the people. And so it was just like, hey, the Lord is speaking.

[00:40:49] So I think my life is a prophecy in manifestation. And then when I'm 90, I'll be still saying, I prophesied this. The Lord spoke this. I know. That's right. That was a better way to answer the question. Period. The question that you hate. Well, I'm thinking- I hate the question. Thank you for being a bit of fact to answer the question for me. But I appreciate this time with you. You know, you're joking and you're playing around, but the truth of the matter is, you are a big deal. Okay?

[00:41:17] Billboard artist, Stella Award winner, Emmy nominated, have written with the people, sang with the people. And I just want you to know that what you're doing is not just seen, but felt in our community. I will literally never forget you taking my hands and praying for me. You didn't know what was going on in my life or that we had spent the money that we had spent to be and do the things we were doing. But somehow the Lord communicated to your spirit that I needed to hear those words. Wow.

[00:41:46] And I'm really, really grateful for that. And now we podcasting in here. Absolutely. Now we podcasting. So, ladies and gentlemen, go ahead and stream choir music down everywhere that music is available. Go ahead and give them your $10. Purchase the album. If he goes on tour and comes to your city- Come. Come on out. And let's make sure that we not just support. Because I hate to say support, right? You don't support Louis Vuitton. You patronize. Exactly. You like it. You patronize.

[00:42:15] So make sure that you go- Okay. Now you talking. Hello? Make sure that you go and stream this music because your spirit will benefit from the music. I pray that you feel loved this weekend. Mm-hmm. Absolutely. When you're around your peers and you're giving out flowers, that you get some of your own. Amen. And thank you for being on the podcast. Javante Patton, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for having me. Her jacket is 10 out of 10. Thank you so much for watching another episode of I'll Just Let Myself In. As you can see, I had a time. I'm cracking up right now laughing.

[00:42:44] But in all seriousness, I want you guys not to miss the message. The message is that God is the gift giver. Some of you are going through a really difficult time. I have a lot of entrepreneurs, a lot of artists who watch this show regularly. And you might be thinking, when is it going to be my time? When are things going to get easier? When is it not going to feel like this? Well, I want to encourage you and let you know that you have a God who is watching. He sees everything. He hears everything.

[00:43:11] And he, when the time is right, is going to put you right where you need to be, just like he did with Javante. Thank you so much for listening to this episode. If you're listening on SiriusXM, channel 168, Holy Culture Radio at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on a Monday night, we thank you for listening there. If you're watching on Holy Culture's YouTube, we thank you for watching there. And if you're watching on my YouTube, we thank you so much for watching here. Please make sure that you are subscribed. Make sure you hit the notification bell so that you don't miss any of our upcoming content.

[00:43:40] And we'll see you next week. Same time, same place. Peace.