Spit 2 Da Beat Podcast
"Spit 2 Da Beat Podcast is dedicated to celebrating the power of music, entertainment, and the performing arts. We are committed to bringing informative interviews of insights about the industry, offering behind-the-scenes perspectives, and sharing valuable knowledge that educates and empowers our audience.”.
Spit 2 Da Beat Podcast
A Maestro's Melody Desmond Parsons and the Rhythms That Shaped Him
Feel the heartbeat of a musician's life with Desmond Parsons as he sits at our virtual table, reminiscing about the rhythm that started it all on a coffee table back in Washington DC. Get swept away by tales of a boy, now a maestro, whose world spun in harmonies laid down by legends like Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind & Fire, and discover how these icons fueled his fire from the classroom to the main stage. Desmond's narrative not only charts a course through his professional achievements but also cues into the melodies that score his everyday life — a private concert that we all have access to, if only we stop to listen.
As we sync our rhythms to Desmond's beat, join me in revisiting the magic of musical collaboration, where separate notes on a scale find unity in an R&B groove. I'll take you on a journey through my own melodic blend of R&B and neo-soul, all while the Fender Rhodes piano casts its timeless spell. Together, we'll relive the thrill of creating a UK chart-topper with the incomparable Anna during a virtual songwriting session that proves distance is no barrier to a hit. And for the grand finale, witness how my band, Soul Fire Village, sets the Washington DC music scene ablaze, crafting a community with every note played and every word sung, honoring the greats that walked before us from Stevie to Jill Scott.
If your in the music industry- singer, songwriter, composer, indie, neo singer, rapper, country artist, promoter, manager, music lawyer or blues please email me to be a guest on my show at myguest@spit2dabeat.com I would love to hear your Spit about the Music Industry.
Thank you, so attention spit 2 Da Beat Podcast.
Desmond Parson:I'm your host, stacy aka Beyond Stopover Perrier. We are live on YouTube at Spit, number two D-A-B-E-A-T. Make sure you go there, subscribe, like, and hit that notification. We will be adding clips to my Facebook channel Stacy Be Unstoppable Puryear and Stacey 2 Da beat. Look, we are joined live in the studio right now. Tune in lock in on Spit to the beat on YouTube so you can see this broadcast live right now. As we speak, I got a very special guest joining me all the way from Washington DC, super excited. I ran over his information online and I was impressed with him, what he's doing and I had to reach out to him and get him on the show. So he's joining me today all the way again like from Washington DC. I'm going to bring him on and let him introduce himself. My man, hey.
Speaker 3:Peace, peace. This is Desmond Parsons. Thank you so much for having me on spit to the beat. It's certainly an honor and privilege for uh for you to reach out and again, thank you, brother, for all that you do appreciate, appreciate.
Desmond Parson:Tell a little bit about yourself, man.
Speaker 3:You know I'm getting ready to get to know you as well as my audience get to know you well, I'm a lover of music, as you can see behind me, I call these my, and so these are my grandmother's albums, my aunt's albums that I just kind of permanently borrowed, if you will.
Desmond Parson:And I was inspired.
Speaker 3:I'm a lover of music. I'm a lover of music and at an early age, I didn't want to just listen to music, I wanted to do what they were doing, I wanted to make music. And so I've been inspired by, of course, as you can see, stevie Wonder, earth, wind, fire, michael Jackson, and I just love creating. And so, yeah, you know, this journey continues from using the coffee table just pretending to play the piano to actually, you know, creating songs from it. And so I certainly, you know, thank God for the opportunity and the blessing and the gift of music.
Desmond Parson:Such deep determination. You're talking about using a coffee table to play. You know the stars. You almost said couldn't even afford, probably, to get a piano and things like that. That's amazing, man. Let's talk a little bit about your journey into the music industry as development from a child and and the many instruments that you played besides being a vocalist so, um, you know, I uh, I pretended, I mean I had toy keyboards and pianos and things like that.
Speaker 3:But I think I saw Stevie Wonder on a Grammy show and I just imitated him. It was funny. It was three people I liked Superman, if you remember, popeye the Sailor, and then Stevie Wonder Around 1980, if you caught me, I was one of three of them, you know, and I was acting out and being them and you know it stuck with me and so you know the key, about 10 years old, is when I actually started to play and pick out melodies and I had certain people in my family. I had an uncle that showed me a couple of melodies and it's kind of like how you know God set it up. Where this person is going to bring you here and show you this much, he'll show you melodies. The next guy is going to show you how to play chords. The next guy is also going to teach you how to vocalize and do things like that, and so it was like a stair step kind of a situation.
Speaker 3:Throughout my life. I did study formally at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. I was a music minor, so you know there was rudimentary steps I took along the way, but all while inspired from that same childhood love. So keyboards, percussions, as you mentioned, I do play percussions as well. A little bit of guitar, but the keyboard is my main instrument.
Desmond Parson:Amazing. Look, I know we sent you some questions and everything about the before the interview, but one thing just triggered just now what you're saying and I wanted to ask you from your professional life to your personal life in the music, how has that effect has affect you as being, you know, just doing your everyday thing each and every day, and then your personal life involved in your music. How passionate is that part?
Speaker 3:Very. I look at music as the soundtrack of my life. So at any point, positive or negative, the music has served as kind of that backdrop of whatever I'm going through, from the time that I've had my first crush to obviously getting married and things like that, it's been the backdrop. When we go to church it's there to revive your spirit. I'm a mood person. I like to cook and listen to music. I'm on the grill and listen to music.
Desmond Parson:It's all in that, amazing, amazing. Now let's jump back into the professional you said earlier number of people that are inspired to impact you. We'll say Michael Jackson, jill Scott, stevie Wonder, who was the most Earth Wind Fire, who was the most impactful person or group on you for your music?
Speaker 3:Without question, it was Stevie Wonder From the writing. You know, I'm driving home from work today still listening to Stevie Wonder. I mean, I'm a Stevie Wonderologist. You know, he's my Michael Jordan, he's my. You know he, he's. He's my Michael Jordan, he's my. You know this. Maybe this generation is LeBron, you know, if you will, you know I you know from the album art, I think when I was younger, before I knew who Stevie Wonder was, it was the cover art. If you remember, back in the day you had the albums which you see behind me and going to the record store and opening the gatefold to see who did what, who played on this, and I was just blown away by the art itself. And you know, without question, I would say, stevie Wonder from his writing ability, what he wrote about. But he does just like Earth, wind, fire, michael Jackson. They do two things that I pray that I do to my audience, which is entertain and inspire.
Desmond Parson:That's one thing I noticed when I was looking at your social media platforms. You I ain't never seen well, you're the first artist singer person I had on my show on my podcast singer a person I had on my show on my podcast. I see an artistic viewpoint from you with your coloring of reciprocity and it's beautiful. Your photos and everything like that. It's artistic by yourself. I see now how you gravitate towards Stevie Wonder being that that artistic, come out of you. What is that all about, man?
Speaker 3:I love. That was the first thing that drew me to all of the artists that you see behind me was the cover art. You know, my aunt or my grandmother, they had parties and they would have all these albums out and I'm like, I'm like, why are they standing like this? Why are they posing like this? You know, I'm young, I don't even know what the lyrics are about, and so, um, I thought about it fast forward to answering your question.
Speaker 3:If you never heard of desmond parson, if you never heard my music, I'm gonna try to catch your eye first yes, you did you know me, I'm trying to catch your eye first, so I had I had some.
Speaker 3:Uh, you know, funkadelic is one of my favorite bands too, and their cover art is way out there. So I said you know what, if I can't get you by listening first, you definitely going to remember the cover art that you saw. I ain't going to do nothing crazy, but you know, I wanted to catch your eye. If I can catch your eye and see, you know what is this about, kind of remind me back in the day when Prince used to do his album covers.
Desmond Parson:You know, you started to cover so long you you hadn't even got to the music. So exactly, and that's the way I look at yours, man, like it just pops out at you and you, like you just intrigued with the artists artists of the cover and everything and even before you listen to the music, so it draws you in. That's a great, great point that you made, man, about doing that. That's awesome. Let's talk about a little bit about before we take a break. I want to talk a little bit about your song process and your process of writing. How do you come about? You know what? What puts you in the mood to uh, for songwriting and composing your music?
Speaker 3:um, a lot of it is. Uh, there's two different, two different avenues. So the first avenue is me. A lot of times I make music and I don't know what I want to write about, so it's just a beat, it's a loop, um, a lot of times I'm at the keyboard and I'm just come up with a pattern and then, you know, just kind of ask myself, what mood does it put me in?
Speaker 3:Um, in the case of, say, reciprocity, um, the track was made, um and um, I wanted to just find a word or something, a syllable or something that that would fit, a phrase that would fit in that loop that I had, and so that's how reciprocity came about. Now, conversely, there are some times where I am feeling a certain type of way. I could be overcome with emotion about new love, or thinking about something sad, and that can spark what I actually say, what I write about. So there's a lot of different ways that I come to compose music, but more often than not it's about the feeling, how I'm feeling, because that can sometimes it'll, just the lyrics will write themselves based on how I feel. So, definitely two different streets.
Desmond Parson:Okay, cool. Look, we're going to take a short break, we're going to come back and we're going to talk a little bit more about your music and what you got going on. Okay.
Stacey Be UnStoppable Puryear:All righty, you're listening to Spit, 2 Da Beat Podcast with your host, the one, the only, stacey Be, unstoppable Puryear.
Desmond Parson:Hey, this is Stacey aka Be Unstoppable Puryear Spit 2 Da Beat Podcast. Would you like to be my guest? If you're a singer, songwriter, musician, producer or promoter, give me a call at 901-341-6777 or email me at myguest at spit2dabeatcom, and we're back to Spit 2 Da Beat podcast. I'm your host, stacey beUnstoppable Puryear, and joining me live from all the way from Washington DC. Desmond Parson and how you doing man. Welcome back, I'm doing well, bro. Thank you so much. Good good
Speaker 3:Welcome back. I'm doing well, bro. Thank you so much.
Desmond Parson:Good, good, good. Let's talk a little bit about your music and what you've been working on. You had some projects back in 2022. It was called November, I believe that's the name and title of it. Can you tell me what it was again?
Speaker 3:Yes, so, like November, was my second album, uh, released in november of 2022. Like in november. Um, is what I basically what? What it is? I wanted to create music that sounded uh, like that time of the year. There's music where you know, you think of certain songs, you want to be outside. You may, may be at a cookout. You put on some Frankie Beverly and you at a cookout, or you're outside.
Desmond Parson:You said November. It's late fall and winter. You're cooking that up in DC.
Speaker 3:You get all four seasons up here. Yes, sir, I remember around my 10th grade year it was a lot that I was just just feeling. It wasn't, you know, not negative, anything like that, but it was just the feel of that fall I love.
Speaker 3:I think spring and fall are my favorite times of year, but fall, you know, it can be warm, it can be cool, and I wanted music that reflected that time of the year. You know, as opposed to you know, there's always, you know, music for the summer, there's music for the spring. Of course, you have your holiday music for the christmas season in the winter, but I wanted something in that november uh feel or vibe for me, and so that's what those songs were inspired by okay, cool, awesome, let's dive into your your song.
Speaker 3:This is your latest song reciprocity yes, sir okay, uh, talk a little bit about that before we play it yes, so reciprocity is, uh, basically on on face value, what it is. I mean, uh, teddy pendergrass spoke about it and you know, loving somebody, it feels so good loving somebody when somebody loves you back. Basically, reciprocity is that same energy that you bring me, not just a relational type of reciprocity. It could be your boy, it could be your brother, it could be you know whomever. It could be a coworker, it could be your brother, it could be you know whomever, it could be a co-worker. I want that same energy, that same. You know the excitement that I bring to you, or the love or affection or whatever. I want that in return and I think that's something that most people would agree with is that, you know, particularly in a, you know, like a love relationship, you want that same energy. I want that same love and affection. You know, lauryn Hill spoke about it in Next Factor. You know where's the reciprocity.
Speaker 3:you know where's that same energy that I'm giving you? You know I want that back towards me, and so that's what reciprocity is about.
Desmond Parson:And definitely about that energy, putting out the positive energy versus, you know, being around the negative energy. I understand exactly where you're going, absolutely super, super. Okay, let's check it out. Reciprocity through the storm.
Stacey Be UnStoppable Puryear:We always seem to give each other what the other needs. Now the sky is clear, doesn't seem to be so clear to me. I can always best it, every trial and tribulation, but I've given every piece of me. All I ask is for you to give me a little reciprocity. Reciprocity, that's all I'm asking for. Reciprocity, reciprocity, reciprocity, that's all I'm asking for. Reciprocity, reciprocity, reciprocity, reciprocity, reciprocity. It's the way you hold me, the way you hold me. Reciprocity, it's a word or two that keeps me hanging on, keeps me hanging on, keeps me hanging on, and I feel the same for you. I feel the same for you. You, so you know, the way I feel for you is so very strong. Love is very strong.
Desmond Parson:How can this be All right, all right, all right, man, nice, very nice, very nice, thank you. I've been listening to it all day. Oh wow, Thank you. All right, man, nice, very nice, very nice. I've been listening to it all day. Oh wow, thank you so much. Yeah, man, I enjoyed it. Smooth R&B How's your? You talk, go back a little bit, your mixture of R&B and neo soul. How did that come about, that mixture?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I've been a lover of R&b music since, um, I can recall, I guess as early as 1980, dating myself. But I was about four years old and you know what a time you know, coming out of the disco era. Um, you know r&b back in the in the 70s and 80s, I mean, you know it's funny now, um, that sound that artists are coming or sampling, you know, but to be alive in that time, you know the roger troutmans and you know that sound of the early 80s and, um, you know, I mentioned, like michael jackson earlier, but like, just that time period, so the r&b part was there.
Speaker 3:Um, then I'm a, I'm a nineties hip hop head, so I'm, I'm, I'm seeing, you know, the Fugees come in, I'm seeing D'Angelo you know come on the scene and the roots and, and I love that sound, that Jay Dilla sound, and so I find myself inspired by both, and so I found, you know, the instrument of choice that I, particularly on the keyboard I use is the Fender Rhodes or the Rhodes Piano, which you also hear in Reciprocity. I love the sound of that. That's the same you know, stevie's main keyboard, that's. You know what the roots use, that's what that's kind of like the the center point a lot of your R&B music. That's kind of like the the the center point a lot of your r&b music. And so I find myself being inspired by both and um try to bring both of those uh styles into my music yeah, yeah, that's amazing how you uh able to collaborate both of those.
Desmond Parson:Uh, let's talk about. You had a number one over in the uk, a song, uh you did you collaborate with anna. What's the last name? I'm like a survey uh serve.
Speaker 3:So yes, yes, yeah, so how?
Desmond Parson:was that process with the collaborating with her? Did y'all do it in the studio, over the waters or what no?
Speaker 3:so anna is um no so Anna is actually in Atlanta. So we followed each other on Instagram back in 2021. And at that time I had been doing music, but I would do cover songs, and so she followed me after one of my ads and I found out she was an artist as well, and her and her crew down down in atlanta uh, the service squad um, she, you know, we talked about doing, possibly doing a song together, and sometimes that kind of yeah, let's do something together, and it just never comes to fruition. Well, in our case, it actually did.
Speaker 3:Um, I had an idea, uh, back in july of 2022, about, you know, this beat I was working on. I sent it to her and we just kind of wrote it back and forth. Um, we didn't meet until after the song was completed. So, um, we, uh, we recorded. It's also a part of the like a November album and so, uh, you know, shout out to, uh, the UK. It was number one in November of 2022 on the Urban Influencer Chart and so much love to the people of the UK. Actually, it's the lead off track to the Like a November album. So, just on it, my first number one. You couldn't tell me nothing, bro.
Desmond Parson:I know right, you was on 13, 14.
Speaker 3:I was gone, I was gone, I was gone, yes, sir.
Desmond Parson:Hey, congratulations on that man. You well deserve it. I know you put in the work as well, as Anna did too, so y'all made that happen. Yes sir, cool, cool. Let's talk about your band, man Soulfied.
Speaker 3:Yes. So Soulfied Village is kind of my version of Sliding the Family Stones, so it's a mixture of almost like six degrees of separation. So family members, church members, neighbors, we all came together and we do R&B, we actually do some of my songs, we do a lot of my music, but we also do your, you know, your Stevies, your Jill Scots, your Earth, wind, fires, all of that. And so you know, we've been touring the Washington DC area as far as Eastern Shore Been down to Hampton. Actually, this month in particular, we have quite a few shows. And so, yeah, you know I love this band and we have quite a few shows.
Desmond Parson:And so, yeah, you know I love this band and we've been doing it for about eight years now Amazing, amazing. I know collaboration is one of your biggest thing with you. How do you feel about that and what's the value of collaborating and building that partnership with other artists?
Speaker 3:Oh well, it's like, like they says in the Bible, you know, iron sharpens iron, and so you know I love to, you know, collaborate, because there's some things that, not so much as a competition as it is, you know, learning something I didn't know before, you know, or coming together and not really realizing that, you know you gain new fans through, you know, befriending, you know, uh, building the relationships exactly. You know building relationships, and so I've done performances, live performances, with quite a few of the artists that I've collaborated with, and it's just a dual blessing um, good friends. And then from that friendship comes new songs and, you know, new markets, and so it's just a blessing. It's, yeah, I've been.
Speaker 3:I think my first collaboration was with my brother, sing Steph, who's an amazing artist out of the DMV area as well, on the story from our first album, the New Me. And, yeah, you know it wasn't anything I planned to do, but it was just organic, whereas, you know, let's work on the song and you know, just, it's been a blessing. All of the people Shout out, all of the people you know Shadeva, devon, danil, anna, serve, of course, just some amazing artists in their own right and I'm honored, you know, they would do the song with me.
Desmond Parson:So such a blessing yeah, definitely, I see your energy as far as you like. You say, collaboration and building those relationships can go a long way, especially in the music entertainment industry. Yes, sir making those connections all over the United States. Hey, we're going to take another little short break, we're going to come back and we're just going to talk a little bit more. Wrap it up about how people can find you on social media platforms and all that good stuff.
Speaker 3:Okay, Fantastic Cool.
Speaker 4:Thank you for listening to Spit 2 Da Beat Podcast. Want to know how you can help Be a sponsor by going to our website at www. spit2dabeatpodcast. com and click the support tab. You can also join us each and every week live at YouTube at Spit 2 da Beat. Don't forget to subscribe, like and follow. Thank you for your support.
Desmond Parson:Look, parents, I would like to let you know there is a boxing class after school program every Monday and Thursday by Bevo Boxing Fitness and Academy Youth ages 8 through 17,. Boys and girls training at Bevo. They can learn punches, drill, foot movements, shadow boxing and so much more. Make sure you register right now. Space is limited and it is free. Contact them at 901-610-1410. They are located inside the Hickory Ridge Mall or visit their website at wwwbevoboysfitnessacademycom. You'll be glad that you did. Thank you All right, we are back to Spit to the Beat podcast with my very special guest all the way from Washington DC, desmond Parsons. Look, man, I really enjoyed the conversation. Look. Last but not least, a question what would you tell up-and-coming artists that are trying to get themselves out there, noticed and to avoid the pitfalls?
Speaker 3:I would definitely say number one be yourself. Trends are going to come and go and as much as it is that you're going to try to make music for other people, make it for yourself. Make music for yourself that you enjoy making. Because if you chase the trends, then, just like trying to chase the money, you're going to burn yourself out. But if you're doing it for the love of it, then all of the byproducts are going to come that your moment in the spotlight, prayerfully, some of our financial blessings uh, you know blessings as well but do it for the love.
Speaker 3:Um, the more authentic you are, you know, you know that's that's key. Um, I had to learn that, and so I'm still working on that and just trying to just make music that you know, after it's all said and done, I love to listen to we make music, or music now that's been made is hot today, but it's been some good music. That it's, you know, love and happiness. Or, before I let go, the music that was made 30, 40 years ago still good today. So I would say, work on being authentic and making music that will stand the test of time.
Desmond Parson:Cool, cool. One last thing how can people find you on social media or all the platforms that you streaming in your music and information about you?
Speaker 3:Yes, so my music is found on all platforms Apple Music, spotify, deezer, amazon. But you can find me on Instagram at I am Desmond underscore Parson. Find me on Facebook at Desmond Parson. I'm on YouTube as well. I'm on TikTok as well. Desmond Parson on TikTok. Desmond Parson on TikTok wwwdesmondparsoncom. I'm everywhere. Twitter at DesParson and brother. I want to just say again thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of the conversation today.
Desmond Parson:Was looking forward to it yeah, I appreciate you, man, and I'm looking forward to, like I said, beautiful artwork cover and everything. I was just so impressed with your work. And, like I said, beautiful artwork cover and everything. I was just so impressed with your work and, like I said, I was jamming your music all day.
Speaker 3:Oh, I appreciate that. Thank you so much.
Desmond Parson:All right, hold tight, we're going to wrap it up. Okay, all right.
Stacey Be UnStoppable Puryear:All right.
Desmond Parson:Thank you for Spit 2 da Beat podcast. Join us again for another live episode next week on YouTube at Spit 2 da Beat
