Questlove Supreme Podcast | Larry Blackmon

Larry Blackmon has carried funk music across generations. He tells Questlove Supreme about his role as a visionary, piloting Cameo's transition from the '70s into the '80s, and connecting Bobby Brown and Teddy Riley.
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[@troylowe814]

Cameo are funk legends. Nothing but love for Larry Blackmon and his amazing bandmates.

[@ralphminer9414]

Didnt come in my bro ...

[@cameonation]

Quest! This was so much fun. Thanks for sliding into our DMs and shooting your shot. Keep it funky, brother!

[@lnapjr76]

Thanks for this interview. I was a kid in the 80s and grew up loving your music, still love your music, and now my sons (ages 16, 14, and 6) all love your music too! Salute to you for your gift to the world! Salute to my mom for having great taste in music!

[@bOmBAsTiK]

You guys (and Steel Pulse) should be in the Rock HOF like yesterday!! Larry definitely needs to write a book. Growing up in Detroit, y'all had a new JAM for us like every summer in the 80s...🙏🏽🤘🏽💯

[@forensicaccountant259]

I need a Wayne Cooper biopic!

[@draydayj1]

I love you Cameo!!!! ♥️♥️♥️♥️Larry, this was a great interview! Very humble!

[@Ebd1990]

Love you always Larry. ❤

[@ephramwalton]

What I love about bands from back in the day is that they could do it all. Ballads, midtempo, dance etc!

[@gregorygriffin6341]

I'm 44 y.o. and ALLIGATOR WOMAN was the first album I've ever owned. Cameo's music has been part of the soundtrack to my childhood since then. After acquiring and listening to their albums over the years, though, (all are great, but) I conclude that UGLY EGO (1978) is my favorite one.

[@MsMaurice23]

The woman on the front cover is Vanity of vanity 6. She is dead now. Vanity was from Canada

[@MsMaurice23]

She's also in cameo video "Shes Strange"

[@rawbluecheese]

I feel priviliged to have seen Cameo live when they were a 14 piece band when I was a child. Unforgettable

[@ccfunk1]

The first Larry Blackmon interview i have seen. way cool.

[@danielharris2378]

Cameo was always always on the cutting edge of the evolution of funk and style.

[@joepro3382]

My favorite and most respected Cameo drummers other than Larry Blackmon: Jonathan Moffett who went on to play for the iconic entertainer Michael Jackson, John Blackwell (RIP) who played for the musical genius Prince & Josh Foster, all mentored by Larry.

[@Regkam2]

Wow! I didn’t know Moffett came out of Cameo camp.

[@SoundScientist1]

@JoePro. Good Gosh... As much as I have read record labels & credits over the years... I never knew (until today) that Jonathan "SugarFoot" Moffett worked with Cameo. Posted 7/11/2023

[@howbouthatkim]

Miki Howard, Cameo and MC Hammer was my first concert and I still live from the electrifying energy from Cameo's set, when Candy, Single Life and Back and Forth was the leading songs at the time. Yesss!

[@glencro]

Wow, what a line up!!! Mine was Chic, Sister Sledge & SOS Band. Hate I never saw Cameo in their prime

[@terrantaylor9940]

Cameo has a huge footprint and legacy within the HBCU band culture. Pretty much every band to this day plays Talkin Out the Side of Your Neck.

[@user-wg4pw9oq3x]

Don't forget "Skin I'm In". Southern University's rendition of that one is dead on. ✊

[@lnapjr76]

Great interview. Cameo is legendary musically, vocally, and visually.

[@Parmoss1640]

Larry Blackmon was one of my musical heroes. I'm Questlove's age. I've been on stage with Cameo when we opened for them and Jay-Z at our college homecoming. Sugarfoot was drumming and I still have his broken drumsticks from that show. Thanks for honoring this legend. His persona and charisma was unmatched. Thanking him now for the inspiration! R.I.P. John Blackwell. I knew him from my college years in SC.

[@blackbook1192]

Garage bands in the midwest during 60's and 70's were real. We listened to many musicians and singers that practiced in the garage weekly. That was a special time, neighborhood and training ground for many young men. This was a very special and informative interview. Thanks QL ...

[@placebosyndrome]

there's so many to choose from, but I think Be Yourself, sometimes credited as "Just Be Yourself" is my favorite Cameo song of all time. such a great message, groove and bassline! I love it so much.

[@monimon8115]

Omg, great Interview I lived/love the late 60s, 70s, & 80s music as far as live bands. I never knew Mr. Blackmon was from NY & ties to Philly! 💯❤️ Cameo, The Sun, Switch, Barkays, B.T. Express, M.F.S.B, Graham Central Station, EW&Fire, etc sooo many groups & individuals expressing themselves through learning to play an instrument. 🙂❤️ 👍🏾. Good TP (S. Philly) stories from those times. Kudos to live Bands🙂🙂❤️👏🏾🥁🎹🎸🎷

[@stirlingpickett5253]

There's nothing like talented live bands

[@waynefoote3781]

Mr. Blackmon is the undisputed king of Funk with a capital "C" on it Pure songwriting genius and outstanding producer drummer/singer...He and cameo deserve many many awards even the songs that were never on the radio are explosive...plus he re-did Slide by Slave which forever fused the two bands together in songwriting. Larry is the absolute best! Hey Quest love,Thank you for sharing this wondrous interview.

[@m.jackson2609]

Thanks Questlove for this interview with Cameo's Larry Blackmon. It was good to hear some background information of this legendary and multimillion record selling group. There's a lot more information I would like to hear, so I hope you do another interview with Mr. Blackmon.

[@WVandellHarris]

This is crazy! I just went down a Cameo rabbit hole during a long drive and had this same exact conversation with my friend!! They really brought a lot to the table! The round table to be exact!

[@barrytaylor3514]

The most creative "front man" in R and B. Larry Blackmon.

[@bu3J]

I'm just starting the show - I haven't even watched the episode yet, but I am SOOOOO glad you have Larry Blackmon on! I fell in love with them with "Funk Funk" (I'm 54) and was a fan up UNTIL "Emotional Violence" (different story), at some point I had every album on vinyl, have seen them perform live 3 times. I have always claimed to be their biggest fan - even to this point: I watched an interview with Tomi Jenkins and HE got an album cut placed wrong that I knew! I was screaming at the video, lol! Great job, Quest - you are THE MAN - aside from Larry, that is!

[@missj3434]

Wow. Larry Blackmon used to be in the band “Willie Feaster and the Mighty Magnificents” with my Uncle Tyrone Johnson. I remember my grandma keeping in touch with Larry’s mother from time to time & also seeing a pic of the band at my grandmother’s house while growing up. Good to see him looking good & healthy. 💪🏾🔥

[@michaelalexander670]

I was at All Platinum Records when Willie and the Mighty Magnificents were there, they would burn stages so that nobody anted to follow them, not the Moments, the Delfonics, the Whatnauts, They Were Really Something, way ahead of their time.

[@missj3434]

​@@michaelalexander670 Wow!! Was born in '74 so I really didn't get to experience any of it. Never even got to meet my uncle because he died of brain cancer at age 23 so it is SO nice to hear someone that has a memory of that time. Wow thanks Michael. 👌🏾💫

[@LMaxx5]

Straaaaaaaaaaaaannnngg! Next, one of the hippest drum lines in funk.

[@howbouthatkim]

Thank you very much for having Larry Blackmon I have been listening to and watching, Shake your Pants video for the past week in addictive rotation for the uplifting frequencies and energy of the song, music, band members, etc. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Cameo and look forward to something, anything from this absolutely AMAZING musician, creator, talented timeless music. Please come back...the music industry NEED your music to make It happen. Thank you a millions times over, Quest Love for knowing recognizing greatness and bring it to us. Much love!

[@avgolden1974]

Hanging Downtown us my favorite Cameo song. Cameo, Randy Crawford , George Benson and Quincy Jones have sophistication in there 🎶 music.

[@marvinhagler4721]

Hangin Downtown was the JAM...STILL IS

[@stirlingpickett5253]

My favorite song too

[@kutzoffdchain]

I Love Cameo So Much . I've Been In Love With Their Music Since I First Heard It Playing As A Kid , Thanks To My Aunt And Uncle That Had All Of Their Music And The Biggest Album Collection I Had Ever Seen As A Child. I Spent Hours At The Record Player And Cameo Was Always At My Top Favorite To Play🙏🏿

[@k.stewart3626]

CAMEO IS EVERYTHING STILL LISTENING 😎🤩☀️💕

[@marvin469]

I liked the first version of cameo but when they came back with candy/word up I loved em

[@marcuswitty375]

One of my favorites Word Up Peace to You and Yours

[@bert3163]

I’m hereby applying for Suga Steve’s spot on the roster. My audition tape will consist of showing up late, cleaning my room, checking my textses, and picking my toes for an hour, split-screen with Sly Stone discussing his creative process, personal history, and upcoming releases. 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@stirlingpickett5253]

I don't know why people do stuff like that it shows he doesn't take the interview seriously

[@jazzbassoonpaul]

Don't forget drinking beer and smoking a cig

[@lynej2011]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@yoshluv7]

When I was coming up Cameo was a band, all the members were/is talented. All of their albums were/are the bomb!!!!!!!

[@jakorabane]

Larry is absolutely a legend

[@barrytaylor3514]

Only Larry can make a jock strap look 😎 lol. I would never wear one but he kept it "G"!

[@iamgambit6797]

Wow ! Cameo is very Underrated.

[@yvette9172]

Larry Blackmon is so talented!.

[@ceecarlos5876]

Really enjoyed this and I was definitely left with the feeling of wanting more...It's been a long time hearing from the legend.

[@qarsiq]

good see and hear Larry Blackmon!

[@lotshario3771]

What are you doing at 14 yrs old. Larry Blackmon was seeing Parliament, The Flamingos, The Manhattans, SLy Stone at the Apollo.🔥

[@marselluswallace6597]

I was amazed to find out that Larry also plays the bass. I can't think of another group with a tighter bass guitar and drums combination. They fit together like a hand in a glove. Sad that some original members have left the group.

[@DJWOLFLIVE]

Cameo along with The Sugar Hill Gang and The Sylvers was literally the first major band i ever saw in concert in the fall of 1979 at the height of the hits they were cranking out and they tore it up!!!!

[@davidmorgan1374]

My Favorite Group Ever! I have ALL of their CD's!

[@musicnauts]

I wish they would have discussed Wayne Cooper. Great vocalist. R.I.P.

[@masonjones3780]

Frankie Crocker world premier! I remember Frankie playing Maxwell and Mariah Carey 12x or more one his show. Frankie was the man

[@VINZBROWN]

QUEST!!!! I was VERRRRY surprised and disappointed you didn't ask Larry about BOBBY DEBARGE. It was rumored Bobby was gonna (or had) signed to his label back then. He even mentions it in the lyrics of a song on the "Style" lp. "We come on right after Bobby DeBarge".

[@drumdiscussion7776]

Thank you, Mr. Larry and Mr. Questlove, for an enlightening informational musical journey of The Apollo, Cameo, and funk music evolutions. I appreciate you!

[@onealheard7622]

2022 Cameo much love Mr Blackmon for all the Great Music

[@DORANDLEEKOUS]

Wow Quest 😁 Thanks for this interview. I didn’t know D’Angelo had a group called “Twice” I had to Google and listen to the “Sparkle” remake one of my favorite Cameo slow jams 😍❤

[@MrLadonne]

Dinah Shore after school, first time seeing any real hot black group live. I remember that was the bomb I was 4th grade. Had the pleasure of meeting Larry in San Fransisco in the airport, got some nice advice from him about keep playn that bass.

[@user-nm3hg7tt3g]

I still have my "ALL ACCESS" pass when Cameo performed in 1998 New Year's Eve Bash featuring Roger/Zapp, Cameo, and Flipsyde. It was Thursday, December 31, 1998, held at Hara Arena in Dayton, OH. Wow!!! The show was awesome. I am a Cameo's fan. Much Love.

[@WayneBoucaud]

Loved every second of this interview, couldn’t wait to share this on the socials, your an international treasure Q, thank you so much for this. Truly inspirational!

[@emsmith2519]

JDBlair with Victor Wooten, just a snare and kick only. Great interview, loved it. Learned so much about him. Thank you.

[@kincamell2]

Heavy Gratitude Ps So grateful my Dad played that She's Strange when I was a child

[@buckwheat1401]

Cameo was one of my favorite groups I still play your music matter fact I was playing Skin I'm In yesterday 2023 I've been to 3 of your concerts you might not believe this but I had all of your album covers on my wall music haven't been the same without groups like your.... I'm from the Old School I still have memories of what real music was with that being said I thank you for the Memories.... Word Up !

[@mymonitor1348]

Is that really Blackmon's hair?? Man i'm jealous. Im younger than him mine is disappearing fast. Legend.

[@RoLPeace]

I was thinking the same thing. I'm gonna blame my curl from back in the 80s.

[@garfieldharrison510]

When I was coming up in the business in the early 80's. I started in the area Dance. One of the funk groups I used to work out our routines too was "Cameo". New York wasn't getting down like that. It gave us another sophistication on the Dance scene being the fact we were New Yorkers. Being Caribbean it gave us an edge. A lot of their Funk songs like Flirt, I Just Wanna Be. Larry Blackmon had a lot of charisma. I knew that he was a Drummer. So it was strange to see him in the front. When Hip Hop was coming up. I was on the cusp of developing myself in production. Cameo was one of the influences along with Rick James , Prince and Michael. Translating that in a New York context was hard. So moving to Europe I became neutral and more eclectic. I love the flavors of the women in their videos. I felt that world is what I'm going for.

[@paxtongay5703]

Now on the Haircut part I beg to differ. In Dallas, TX in we are second in Fashion to New York, because I used to love to read GQ Magazine That style of Haircut blew up in Dallas(Highland Hills,Oak,and South Oak Cliff) we called that cut a Clark Kent, and later it became a Box cut because some Barbers was messing up this particular style,and the White Boys used to called them Sgt. Carter, or a Buzz Cut as well, because that's all I rocked WAYYYYY before 1986 that's when we saw it on a Album cover, but we were rocking that cut since 82, and Larry was wearing a Curl, and I have the albums to prove it, because I was a CAMEO Fanatic.

[@yoshluv7]

Secrets of time is my jam!!!!!!!

[@dwaynejordan6750]

I saw "Quest Love" with the "Roots" Two years ago at the "Hollywood Bowl" and QL was "Killin it"!!! Drums were Moving the Bowl!! Larry Blackmon is an was also a very good "Drummer" "Cameo" wasn't No joke 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@georgeharris529]

Keep It Hot my favorite Cameo song that BASSLINE!

[@cantgetrightlife]

Man I heard Cameo Post Mortem & Rigor Mortis Them Are some Funky joints 👍💯

[@heidichua1221]

OMG i love the idea of Larry Blackmon being neighbors with my Filipino aunts in Henderson, NV! whut whut!

[@d-train258]

Big Larry Blackmon and Cameo fan. I really loved Spending time and Girl next door that he did for Bobby Brown of his King of Stage album.

[@godscience7821]

The great Larry Blackmon salute 🫡

[@2KGrind09]

cameo still on my bucket list ... I was trying to see them when they were in Vegas but covid shut that down

[@gunniellottjr483]

I dapped Larry up one time on South Fulton Pkwy in AtL at a Quick Trip real cool guy

[@ElliottBradenS]

🎉 How can you talk about the song Candy and not mention 1 of the greatest solos of all time? 🤔They should've asked about Michael Brecker's sax and those amazing backup vocals & ad libs too.

[@ebsuede]

Wow Larry Played On Black Ivory's You And I.I Wonder Did He Play On Mainline Also

[@mcmarcuschapman]

No that’s Jimmy Young on Mainline

[@timwhiteside9971]

great conversation only thing is i wish questlove would've asked Larry more drum related questions being that he is a great drummer and producer himself .

[@michaellott210]

So much information, classic show 💎

[@ebsuede]

It's Serious & Rigor Mortis,Funk Funk, I Just Wanna Be Is My Shit

[@ebsuede]

43:18 The Interview Stopped Playing Damn

[@ryanwylie9252]

I love cameo

[@randyperfecto7468]

Quest the best!

[@matthewtobar3049]

Love Cameo Unsung should do a episode on them

[@jamesalston8134]

He said he could do music a couple of life times. I wish I felt the same about my life work.

[@ohbogey]

I dunno why but I always imagine Larry Blackmon talkin. like. howhe siiiiings....🤔❤

[@kincamell]

Stellar.

[@micahisgod5898]

This was a dope interview.

[@MTXSHO9732vV8SHO]

56:00 I just took a look at a Mitsubishi X-850 It's built like Microwave Communications Equipment with Card Cages. I'm going to imagine the architecture of that machine is like having multiple sound cards on a Computer along with some sophisticated Boolean Switching that's done easily in ProTools these Days. 1:10:30 "You're at +5(db)" There's no digital equivalent for because 16bit "0" = FFFF(base16) but good Analog Equipment can handle +5db for a few milliseconds. It's called "Dynamic Headroom". I hope I get to touch down when/if I retire in Vegas. My Studio is His Studio

[@royalbillionsmusic]

Amazing

[@angelalee4082]

👍👍👏👏👏💖💖💖 great show

[@Grnvolpe]

Fuck yeah. Cameo represent

[@leonardlawson2476]

I seen them in person in Chicago grant Park yes it was on my birthday .

[@ruff2007]

Larry Blackmon The Greats Peace.

[@user-yv5mv4wr7u]

A True Legend ⭐👆🏽💯

[@ebsuede]

Cameo & Miles Davis/ In The Night

[@omarlovett4120]

Great hair!

[@dkjay22]

We all know they belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

[@mikeblack2uk]

💎

[@user-wy7ev6hp8f]

Làŕry Blackman was a Juilliard graduate and very taĺentivè individual that made the group cameo

[@toddtollfree5659]

Wondering why Quest never ask Larry about almost joining funk band Mandrill as they drummer b4 Cameo?..

[@amihogatai8432]

my brothers need to work on the camera/light positioning. the light glare and diffusion is distracting.

[@kincamell2]

Sparkle by Cameo is one of the best songs, ever. Skin Im In is amazing as well. Tupac sampled them both and made some heavy songs.

[@jahnkonoo]

Quest Love You need to interview SLY DUNBAR....🥁🥁🥁🎶🎵🎼🖤❤💛💚

[@georgeharris529]

Also Flabba Holt of The Roots Raddics and Family Man Barrett of The Wailers

[@bassmanx357]

Aaron Mills on bass❤🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@dsp8884]

Ssssaaayyy whattt!!!!!! WORD!!!!!!

[@thumbsaloft]

What I want to know is when is CAMEO coming out with a NEW ALBUM? Did you find that out?

[@jamesalston8134]

At some point you have to accept the fact that there will not be anymore new music from a band that is as tenured as Cameo. They have a collection of music that will live on forever so we can appreciate what they have given us. It never gets old.

[@thumbsaloft]

@@jamesalston8134NO! You don't have to accept any such thing! There are old school groups still coming out with new music. One Way came out with a new album not too long ago, so did Confunkshun, Bootsy is still coming out with new music. Kool And The Gang have a new album getting ready to drop on July 14th. Even Melba Moore has a brand new song out, so no we don't have to accept any such thing!

[@peaceandcalm6928]

💕

[@andrewphillips8198]

Back back and forth and forth .... back back and forth ..... love Cameo

[@kboogie2323]

that was dope ?uestlove!

[@zurrah63]

“Rocks rolling down the hill won’t make people dance”

[@murloccc]

💪😎👍