- Title: Singing group The O'Jays call out 'turds' on their first album in two decades
- Date: 7th October 2019
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 29, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) THE O'JAYS MEMBER WALTER WILLIAMS, SR. SAYING: (ON THEIR SONG "LOVE OF MONEY" BEING USED ON THE APPRENTICE) "Unfortunately, we didn't have anything to do with that. We enjoyed the checks but we didn't have anything at all to do with that." (SOUNDBITE) (English) THE O'JAYS MEMBER ERIC NOLAN GRANT SAYING: "He wasn't the president." (SOUNDBITE) (English) THE O'JAYS MEMBER WALTER WILLIAMS, SR. SAYING: "No he wasn't. We joined him later on the TV show, on one of the finales he had and that all turned out to be good. But, we really didn't do that." (SOUNDBITE) (English) THE O'JAYS MEMBER EDDIE LEVERT, SR. GRANT SAYING: "And the checks kept coming and it was good, all good. But he stepped, he overstepped his - the line when he said he wanted to use 'Love Train' and call it the 'Trump Train' and we were and this was during the time that he was going to be the president - or trying to run his campaign. And we said no, you can't use it."
- Embargoed: 21st October 2019 20:37
- Keywords: The Ojays music group soul r and b Eddie Levert
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES / UNKNOWN FILM LOCATIONS
- City: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES / UNKNOWN FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Music
- Reuters ID: LVA006B03NJ9P
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: After twenty years, The O'Jays are releasing new music and testing their longevity.
"It's something that we wanted to see if we could survive in this day of social media and streaming, and see if we are as popular as some of these other people are because it's really a popularity contest now. So, if you can get two million streams then you're popular, but if you can't then you're, you're a dud." joked Eddie Levert, Sr. from the legendary R&B group.
The singing trio, comprised of Eddie Levert, Walter Williams and Eric Grant, have been making music for six decades with "Use ta Be My Girl," "Love Train" and "Back Stabbers" among their biggest hits. Their 1973 hit "For the Love of Money" was used as the theme song for President Donald Trump's television show "The Apprentice," in mid-2000, a decision they said they had no control over.
"Unfortunately, we didn't have anything to do with that. We enjoyed the checks but we didn't have anything at all to do with that," said Walter Williams, Sr. However, the group did veto a request from the Trump campaign about another hit.
"He wanted to use 'Love Train' and call it the 'Trump Train' and we were - and this was during the time that he was going to be the president - or trying to run his campaign. And we said no, you can't use it," explained Levert, Sr.
Their new 9 track album, "The Last Word," continues with the group's tradition of creating music with a message, including the single "Above the Law" with a politically charged music video to match.
"Everybody else want to act like they're scared to say it and to bring it out and say that you're a, you're a turd and we, I feel like it needs to be said. If you're a turd, you're a turd and you can always polish it but it's going to still be a turd," said Levert, Sr.
And in the end, the group hopes its legacy will be one of educators and entertainers.
"You want to be the messengers. There's not many messengers out there especially in music and we would like to leave an education. You learned from us," said Nolan.
"And, you know, we sort of helped the guys to get to get the girls too" added Levert, Sr. with a laugh.
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