PJ Morton is aware of a way to live busy. Alongside his tenure as the keyboardist and history vocalist for Maroon five, Morton has always been developing bright, provocative soundscapes of his own, with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Lil Wayne, and Solange (for whom he served because of the musical director of 2016’s wondrous A Seat At The Table). His 2017 album Gumbo (and its partner, Gumbo Unplugged, released in 2018), notched a mixed general of five Grammy nominations and one win for Morton, establishing him as one of the track’s greatest resourceful, intrepid virtuosos.
Today, Morton debuts PAUL, his 2nd self-launched album (and fourth usual), providing guest appearances from JoJo, Jazmine Sullivan, Tobe Nwigwe, and CNN commentator Angela Rye, whose spoken-phrase bit closes out the album’s final quantity, “MAGA?” (absolutely the most earnest and fashionable use of the acronym, ever). Before his display at the historic Hippodrome Theater in Richmond, the multi-hyphenate musician chatted with Interview about the internet’s maximum scintillating headlines, starring Aretha Franklin, emojis, and a giant, prehistoric parrot.
“‘EMOJI HOUSE’ FEUD ERUPTS AS FRUSTRATED NEIGHBORS URGE MANHATTAN BEACH TO TAKE ACTION”
(LA TIMES)
“They need to be glad. Is it a satisfied face at the residence? I sense like they need to have achieved glad faces so people might be glad approximately it. If you’re going to paint a residence purple and do an emoji house, as a minimum, supply people with appropriate emojis, what I’m announcing? Maybe they’re just emoji haters all collectively. That’s now not appropriate.”
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“ACTOR DANNY TREJO COMES TO AID OF BABY THAT WAS TRAPPED IN OVERTURNED CAR”
(CNN)
“That’s courageous. I suggest greater strength to him, and I’m certain they’re thankful. That’s great. I’ve by no means saved everybody from an overturned vehicle, so I got to offer props to that. I don’t know what you’re thinking of extra, the fact that you’re in an overturned car or that he’s rescuing.”
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“BON IVER DROPS ALBUM THREE WEEKS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE”
(VULTURE)
“It’s like the opposite model of a marvel album. It’s like pre-marvel. I’m a fan. I love the soundscapes that they invent. I’m glad to get a new tune. I surprise why it become ahead of time table. I’m certain lovers are satisfied. I’ve got to check it out.”
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“SCIENTISTS DISCOVER PREHISTORIC GIANT ‘SQUAWKZILLA’ PARROT, AS BIG AS SMALL CHILD”
(NPR)
“Sounds scary. But they’re extinct even though, proper? So we mustn’t search for them coming back. No, no, thank you. Somebody wasn’t ok with it. It’s probably why they aren’t right here anymore. Somebody become like ‘no, no, this isn’t always going to work.’ I imply we can take different animals being massive, but I’m now not taking the massive fowl flying over me; we’ve were given to cut that one out. Somebody took care of it for us.”
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“OF COURSE NICOLAS CAGE ONCE WENT ON A “NATIONAL TREASURE”-STYLE QUEST FOR THE HOLY GRAIL”
(INDIEWIRE)
“Of direction, Nick Cage did that. I mean, no person was amazed approximately that. Nick Cage being Nick Cage.”
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“ESTATE CONFLICT REVEALS ARETHA FRANKLIN ONCE KEPT $750,000 IN UNCASHED CHECKS IN HER PURSE.”
(THE ROOT)
“That’s a rainy day right there. I concept my grandmother saving coins beneath her bed; it becomes probable like $2,000. I concept that became wet day; however, $750,000 that is a wet day. The queen. Queens pass special, you recognize? My father and Aretha, without a doubt, had been simply true pals. My father’s from Windsor. However, their dads have been both preachers and were friends, so I’ve recognized and cherished Aretha for a long time. But that, in reality, doesn’t marvel at me at all. She didn’t play video games with any part of her career, so I don’t doubt that. It assessments out.”
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“FRONTIER AIRLINES OFFERS FREE FLIGHTS TO CUSTOMERS WITH LAST NAME GREEN OR GREENE”
(KWCH 12)
“How did they pick? Just random? It sounds like an amazing advertising campaign. Because of the shade of the airline? Maybe they’ll get a few people who could in no way fly Frontier to fly it. They’re trying to get greater people on their plane, guy. That’s what it comes down to.”
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“WESLEY SNIPES, JAMES EARL JONES, AND RICK ROSS ARE COMING TO AMERICA”
(VULTURE)
“Oh, I love it. Coming to America is one in every one of my preferred films of all time. I omit Wesley Snipes. And it suits that movie. I hope it’s top, man. I’m scared a touch bit. That’s traditional for me. I think Rick Ross will be a terrific actor. I suppose he has that vibe. The manner he affords, you know? It’s all presentation. I suppose he’d be a terrific actor. I assume he’s were given it in him.”
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“PIZZA HUT SIGNALS IT PLANS TO CLOSE UP TO 500 STORES”
(NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)
“It seems like brick and mortar shops are simply going away, guy, and those have become on these apps. I haven’t been in a Pizza Hut bodily in, I mean, years. So it makes me feel. It’s unhappy to look it past, but they’ll get cash from the actual property and now have human beings shopping for on-line. If people aren’t physically moving into there to sit down and patronize the interior, then it doesn’t truly make sense for them to have bodily places like that. Just kitchens and enough space for human beings to take out. Maybe they ought to lease me. I’ll consult Pizza Hut. We’ll get it poppin’.”