PEOPLE’s former Sexiest Man Alive chats with Grammy-nominated star D Smoke in an all-new episode of Facebook Watch’s Forward: The Future of Black Music
John Legend has been perfecting his craft since the tender age of 4.
Chatting with Grammy-nominated rising star and Rhythm + Flow winner D Smoke during their appearance on an all-new episode of Facebook Watch’s Forward: The Future of Black Music in celebration of Black History Month — Legend, 42, opens up about his early desire to master playing the piano. PEOPLE has the exclusive first look at the segment, which airs Friday.
“When did you first start playing the keys?” Smoke (né Daniel Farris), 35, asks. “When was the first time you sat down and was like, ‘Okay, I’m gonna do this for myself?'”
“Probably a lot like you, we had a piano in our house growing up,” PEOPLE’s former Sexiest Man Alive recalls. “I saw it there and I was like, ‘Well, obviously it’s meant to be played.'”
That’s when the “Bigger Love” hitmaker decided it was time to start learning. “I was like, ‘Mom, I wanna take piano lessons.’ I was 4 years old,” he says. “I started taking classical piano lessons at 4 and then my grandmother was our church organist and she started to show me how to play gospel music when I was like 7 or 8.”
Eventually, he adds, “I had gotten to the point where I could play for the church.” But Legend quickly quips, “I wasn’t that great back then.”
The icon credits his childhood influencers for molding him into the EGOT-winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) he is today. “That’s really where I became a musician. You know the feeling? I wouldn’t be where I am without that experience,” he tells D Smoke, who agrees.
Also during their intimate conversation, D Smoke jokes about his own love for soulful music, which began as early as his teenage years, despite his peers’ opinions. “I love R&B [like] Destiny’s Child and Beyoncé. I was that kid at Inglewood High [School] hanging with the gangsters but listening to Destiny’s Child,” he says with a laugh, adding that when asked what he was listening to, he would say, “Don’t worry about it.”
D Smoke is up for two Grammy wins next month. On March 14, he may win the Grammy Award for best new artist; his debut album Black Habits has earned him a nomination for best rap album.
Rhythm + Flow Winner D Smoke Opens Up About How His Childhood with His Dad in Prison Changed Him
Facebook Watch’s four-episode special, Forward: The Future of Black Music, in recognition of Black History Month, kicked off on Tuesday. Next week, Erykah Badu will guest on the show alongside rap star Tobe Nwigwe on Tuesday. Chance the Rapper will appear with his brother Taylor Bennett on Friday, Feb. 26.
The episode of Forward: The Future of Black Music starring John Legend and D Smoke will air on Friday at 3 p.m. EST on Facebook Watch. All episodes will also be available on Messenger’s Watch Together feature.
News
Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Travis Kelce admits he’s going through a “tough” time with his pop star girlfriend Taylor Swift.
Travis Kelce Admits He’s Had A ‘Taxing’ Year Amidst ‘Tough’ Time With Taylor Swift Last week, we reported that the Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was going through a “tough” time with his pop star girlfriend Taylor Swift. Now, Kelce is admitting…
NFL world blasts ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr for absurd rule change idea
The NFL has seen hundreds of rule changes since the league was formed in 1920. That’s a good thing because, without adaptations and growth, we’d still be watching a game that features no forward passes. Imagine how much of a…
Mel Kiper calls for absurd NFL rule change as scoring continues to fall
Scoring is down, running is up and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has had enough of it. In an attempt to open up passing offenses, Kiper wants to outlaw what is known as “Cover Two” or “Two High” coverage, which features…
Legacy is making the superhero fan community buzz about the new Superman costume: Henry Cavill’s shadow is too big
Behind-the-scenes photos from Superman: Legacy are getting superhero fans talking about the new Superman’s costume. Outstanding images on the set of Superman: Legacy – Photo: Cleverland.com Late on June 24, Vietnam time, many behind-the-scenes photos of the movie Superman: Legacy…
In a new statement, Kamala Harris’ campaign took advantage of Trump’s “hate for Taylor Swift” and won over the singer’s fans by mentioning Swift’s song 28 times.
According to Variety, Kamala Harris’ campaign took advantage of Trump’s “I hate Taylor Swift” statement. Harris’s side issued a lengthy statement, including 28 mentions of the song’s name or lyrics. The post released by the Democratic candidate’s campaign on the…
Americans like Trump more than Taylor Swift
A new poll shows that Americans have a more favorable view of Donald Trump than Taylor Swift. However, the pop superstar has a lower negative rating than the former US President. On September 20, the results of a nationwide survey…
End of content
No more pages to load