- Born and raised in Orange Mound, this Grammy winning artist has shared stages and studios with artists like The Bar-Kays, Nas, Primus, Katt Williams, Stanley Clarke, Bootsy Collins, Mavis Staples, Prince, and George Clinton, standing out in his own right with a signature experimental sound and full body, colorful presence.

I'm Tonya Dyson, and this is a Conversation with MonoNeon.

[jazzy upbeat music plays] And Mono, thank you for sitting down with me and taking time outta your busy schedule to interview with me today.

- You're welcome.

- You've built such a distinct world as an artist, but I wanna start at the beginning.

What did growing up in Memphis, and particularly being around your father, who is also a musician, teach you about music early on?

- I mean, it was just in my blood, you know.

Definitely my grandfather, too, Charles Thomas, who played piano.

- Yes.

- You know, he played with Ron Carter and Billy Higgins.

But, you know, being around my dad and seeing him play that purple bass and that ponytail, I just thought it was cool.

You know, he just left a, you know, big impact on me.

So I just caught onto it, you know, and I just took it and just ran with it pretty much, so.

- So when did you realize you were creating something that was your own?

- I still don't; I'm still working on it.

But the older I get, I feel like I'm really sounding like myself, especially being around my grandma and how she sings.

I realize the influence she has had on me since as a child, so I'm tapping into that.

So I'm catching up to it, yep.

- Great.

- Yep.

- And so, you attended Stax Music Academy, and it was in one of the first classes, if I'm not mistaken.

- Yep.

- What did that experience mean for you as a musician?

- I was around some of the people that I really look up to, but I was around Skip Pitts.

I was around Earl Thomas, Calvin Newborn, Scott Bomar.

So it was a really big learning experience to be around those, you know, the OGs, so, you know, that really influenced me as well.

- Awesome; and so, of course, your grounding and your beginnings are basically in funk, blues, soul, you know, the typical Memphis staples.

So how did you take that and stretch it into something so experimental and uniquely your sound?

- I started getting into John Cage and Stockhausen, and when I got into that, I just, this thing just popping into my head where I just wanted to sound like Stockhausen and Albert King together.

So that's how it happened.

I got into John Cage.

I started getting into Dadaism and Surrealism and all the avant-garde art stuff, and Sun Ra and Cecil Taylor.

So all that stuff, yeah.

- So your bass playing is instantly recognizable.

How did you develop that voice?

- Just by doing stuff, you know, and just, especially now, since I'm up front, I'm really just letting go of a lot of people's expectations of how I should play.

So I'm just really just being me, you know?

And just trying to just be fearless 'cause I have nothing to lose, man.

I'm just doing my thing, so I'm just going for it, so, yep.

- Yeah.

So speaking of just going for it, what are you exploring right now that feels new?

- Working with my grandma and, I mean, I can't stop talking about her 'cause she's sitting over there but, yeah, just working with her and her singing and how she is.

She doesn't second guess herself, even though she's dealing with dementia.

She never second guesses her voice, and that's how I wanna play, you know?

So [claps] I'm really learning from her.

- Amazing; and so, do you think of the bass as your voice in a literal sense?

- Oh, yeah; I've been playing since I was four years old, so it's definitely like a part of my limbs, you know?

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- So your look is iconic at this point.

How did that visual identity come together?

- Well, the whole quilt thing, I used to carry a blanket around with me when I was young, so it just developed into this thing where I always wanna feel like I'm at home.

So that's why I like to be covered up and just feel comfortable.

And my whole neon colors, you know, came from, you know, liking construction workers.

You can see 'em far away.

I like that whole color scheme.

And, yeah, it just came from just liking stuff, you know?

Yeah.

- Does the way you present yourself visually affect how you play?

- Oh, yeah, you gotta connect that.

You know, it's part of the language, too, you know, so I just try to be this complete soca artist, you know, 'cause I was around one of the baddest dudes in the world, Prince.

He curated his whole world, so I needed that influence.

So when I was around him, that really put a fire in me.

Like, man, you better tap into whatever you feeling 'cause he did, and he was so unapologetic about it.

So I was like, all right, let me tap in.

Yep.

- So musical aspects aside, there's humor in what you do as well.

How important is play in your artistry?

- Well, comedians are some of my favorite performers and artists in the world.

I grew up, you know, watching Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber and the stuff he did on Living Color and all that stuff.

And David Alan Grier, Katt Williams, so, Dave Chappelle.

So, I love comedians, and that always has been a part of my upbringing, just making people laugh and just saying outlandish things that some people may not get, but it's funny to me.

So, yeah, it's part of my thing.

- Yeah, and so, speaking of comedy, you've worked with Katt Williams on quite a few songs.

- Yeah.

- How was that experience, and how did that come about?

- You know those speech and music things I do on those memes?

I turn the speech into music.

He saw one of those videos I did with him from the Shannon Sharpe video, and I turned it into a track.

And he heard it, then I arranged it and, you know, put a verse in it so he can rap over it.

Then he came down to Memphis to hang with me and with Lil' Mo, and he rapped on the track and everything, so that's how it came about.

Yep.

- So, do you see similarities between comedy and music as far as timing and performance?

- In a way, you know, yeah.

Especially the stuff I wanna do.

I really wanna get people to open their ears and their minds and just what the, like, really, what the hell is he doing?

But, yeah, that's [claps] what I want.

That's the type of thing I want.

- Right, right.

And so, outside of comedy, you have an impressive list of collaborations.

I mean, some of the people that I named, Mavis Staples, Primus, Bootsy Collins, George Clinton.

How did those collaborations come about, and which one would you name, I guess, the most memorable?

- I guess it came about from just being persistent and just consistent and just hardworking and wanting people to know who I am and hear me.

It came from that.

But, you know, it came from just trying to get in touch with these people and just try to, man, I love what you do.

I wanna reach out; I wanna do some work with you.

That's how it came about, you know.

Just really being confident in what I do so they can see that, okay, he's the real deal, so let me work with him.

That's what I live in, so, yep.

- Awesome.

And you've taken your music on international tours.

How has that changed your perspective culturally?

- I know they like me in Europe.

I know that but, yeah, I just try to play everywhere so people can hear where I come from and just be real about it, so, yeah.

Yep.

- Interestingly enough, I was in, somewhere in, oh, in DC not too long ago.

I don't know if you remember that message.

And I was like, it's some guys from Albania that asked me, since I was from Memphis, - Yep, I remember that.

- Do you know MonoNeon?

- Yeah.

- And it's like, yes, actually [laughs], so, yeah, - Yep.

- Very popular in Europe and just globally, all over the world, people have taken on to this newness of you, and I feel like that's directly contributed to your style, the comfort that you show on stage, and how you display your talent.

And so, do you think audiences in the world respond differently than here?

Or is it basically universal?

- I'd say it's universal, but it is a difference, but I really don't pay no attention to it.

I just get on stage and do my thing.

If you like it, that's cool.

If you don't, that's cool as well.

- Right.

So being on the road, is there a moment that really stuck with you?

- I think when Eric Gale sat in with me a few times, that was kind of mind blowing.

Not really, you know, 'cause every moment is so different, and I try not to recreate any moments.

So I just let things be what it is.

So, yep.

- Indeed.

So picture this.

We're sitting inside the MonoNeon archive.

What does that feel like to see your work documented like this in real time?

- I want more; I'm not satisfied.

But, yeah, it's cool.

It's cool; I mean, I look at it, it's like, man, that's pretty cool, but there's a lot more work to be done.

- Yes.

- Yeah.

- Yeah, and so, when you look at all of this, do you see a through-line to yourself or different versions?

- Yeah, different versions.

Just a gradual version 'cause I'm, you know, I ain't trying to keep up with nothing.

I'm just trying to learn more about myself and work with that.

- So I can imagine your brain moves at a million miles per minute.

When you create, are you thinking about legacy or are you just creating?

- I'm just creating for that moment so people can hear it, then I move on.

Then I do it again and move on.

So I'm never really satisfied with nothing I do.

So when I do put stuff out, I really don't like it no more 'cause I'm hearing something else.

So, yeah.

- So let's talk about the manifestos.

So the MonoNeon manifestos are such a unique part of your work.

What sparked those?

- Having social anxiety early on, but it was inspired by Dadaism and Surrealism.

They created their own manifestos and stuff, how they wanted things to be in they little world, so it came from that, but it also came from, you know, especially early on when I started posting, I wanted people to know me before I walked in the room, and that was really the whole nucleus of me posting videos 'cause I don't have social skills.

I'm still working on it.

I'm not the type of person to go meet and greet so you can know who I am.

Like, I want you to know me before I walk in the room, so that's one of the reasons why I did the manifesto.

Started posting videos so people can hear me before I start talking.

So, yeah.

- Awesome; and so, with these, if you've added a manifesto today, what would it be?

- I need more money.

[Tonya laughs] No, I'm just, I don't know.

I don't know; I gotta think about it.

I did write a third one.

I can't remember what I wrote on it, but I'm pretty happy about stuff.

Only thing I want is, like, my mama and my grandma to be cool.

That's my manifesto right now.

Yep.

- Awesome; and so, speaking of your grandma, and that was one of the things that you mentioned in your work, not only I see you not only being an artist and a musician, but you've also turned into somewhat of an advocate, specifically, you know, about dementia.

A lot of people are learning about this particular ailment through your videos.

Did you even picture that?

It was just something that you wanted to do to engage your grandma, and did you see your role within that developing?

- I mean, once she got diagnosed with dementia, you know, I was, you know, I actually just started crying, but I didn't know what I was crying 'cause I didn't know really much about it.

So I started reading into it, and I started being around her more, and I started to see the gradual decline.

It's like, okay, this thing is kinda real, so let me get involved.

So I really didn't plan on being no type of advocate for anything.

I'm just here trying to make sure my grandma is here forever, as long as she can.

So I'm just trying to work with her, get her creating, get her stomping her foot to these grooves I'll be putting on 'em.

So, yeah [claps], I'm just here for her.

That's all.

- Indeed, indeed.

And so, I guess question about, like, your playing and just the rituals around that, you play with time in a way that feels almost conversational.

Are you thinking in rhythm, melody, or emotion first?

- It's starting to change.

I'm definitely thinking more emotion than I used to.

And definitely rhythm.

I really don't think notes 'cause all the notes gone work.

It just depends on your attitude behind it.

So that's why I be going for stuff, you know?

I really don't think about what key I'm in anymore.

I just go because it's gonna work if the right spirit and the right attitude is behind it, so I just go; I just go with it.

Yeah, especially being upfront now, so, yeah.

- Right.

So creatively, do you practice traditionally or is your growth more experimental?

- I try to practice traditionally.

I try to, you know, make a day where I'm working on my reading, you know, my scales and all that stuff, but it's really just picking up my bass and just seeing what I can create and record and write for either myself or with her or for my grandma or just I'm really in just a always-creative mode.

I'm not really traditional with the thing, yeah.

- Awesome; and so, I can imagine so many different musicians have a definition of pocket.

What does that mean to you?

- Oh, who cares [Tonya laughs] about that thing?

No, I'm just playing.

[Tonya laughs] Pocket don't always mean funk and always mean just staying in one place, you know.

It means just being able to use things with taste, I guess, you know?

Whatever that taste means to you, you know?

I may have a certain pocket that a person may not agree with so, you know, just establish your own pocket, and when you do that, the right people gonna come to you and accept it, so just continue doing what you do.

That's what pocket means to me.

Just be you.

And once people know that you're really being you, that's all that matters.

- Indeed, indeed.

So we've discussed, like, all your different influences, some of the artists that you were exposed to at a younger age, some of the ones that you made it your point to expose yourself to as you became an adult.

Is there a sound or technique now that you're currently obsessed with mastering?

- Mm, maybe some more microtonal stuff.

I want definitely to get better at my songwriting.

That's a technique I need to work on.

Let me see.

I don't know, just understand where I wanna go musically.

Just really having a clear vision.

That's the technique I need to work on.

Having a clear vision of what I want in this thing because sometimes I don't, 'cause I'm so used to just creating and just doing whatever, but I think it's time for me to just have a clear vision of what I want so I can go up to the next level, you know, the thing I be dreaming of so, yeah.

- So, I have a question I wanna ask you about how you drive your audience and how you drive the listeners.

So with bassline, are you trying to push your listeners forward or pull them into your world?

- Probably both, but I don't even be thinking like that, man.

It's like, this is my moment.

I'm gonna do what I gotta do.

You can go with me, or if you don't want to, that's cool, too, but I'm still gone do my thing [claps].

- Indeed.

- Yeah.

- So is there anything that you feel like people still don't understand about your playing?

- I mean, it really don't matter, but people think I'm gimmicky, but that's fine.

I don't care.

But once you hear me with my grandma, I ain't no gimmick, buddy.

But anyway, no, I don't care.

People can think whatever they want to think.

I know where I come from, but yeah.

- Awesome, awesome.

So we, of course, a little bit earlier, we talked about the manifestos.

Have you ever had a manifesto to contradict itself in the moment?

- Let me see here.

I don't know.

Probably the DIY thing.

You know, I got a little manager now, so I ain't by myself like I used to be but, yeah, you know, I'm still DIY, still put out my own music and stuff and then, you know, I don't know.

If I am contradicting myself right now, who cares?

It's my thing.

So it's my stuff, so who cares.

Yeah.

- And so, speaking of being your thing, are these manifestos something that you consistently revisit or you kinda just make 'em up on the fly in a sense?

- Sometimes I look back at the first one 'cause that, for some reason, that means the world to me.

How I tap into that, I don't know how I got there, but sometimes, I go back to the first one.

But now, man, I'm just living it.

I don't know what that means, but I'm just in it, so I'm just trying to just take off with it [whooshes].

- Yes.

So speaking of living it and just being in it, do you remember the first time you stepped out dressed fully as MonoNeon?

- Let me see here.

It kinda started off when I was at Berkeley.

I started wearing the, you know, the neon-colored hats.

Then I started wearing the high-visibility pants, the lime green joints, and it really started when I was at Berkeley 'cause I was around a lot of musicians, and that was the first time I was around a lot of musicians that could play as well, so something tapped into my head.

It's like, bro, you gonna have to figure something else out.

You can't just be a good bass player.

You're gonna have to figure the visual out, a persona, you know, your own iconography.

You gonna have to figure that thing out because you just can't be a bass player, you know?

There's too many good musicians out here to just be that.

So figure something else out.

So that's what I did.

- Amazing, amazing.

And so, do you think people sometimes miss the depth of the music because they're focused on the visuals?

- Maybe, but that's they world.

I ain't worried about them.

I know the depth of what I do.

It's up to you to figure it out.

- Mm-hmm.

So what is something that you've learned about yourself just being on the road, doing these collaborations, and just becoming you?

- I'm learning that I am very in my head a lot about things, even though I may show this sort of confidence.

I'm so fearful, you know, of people's perceptions of me sometimes.

But I'm still working through it, but I'm just learning more and more about myself and especially being around my grandma, man.

I don't care what, I don't care about nothing else.

Being around her has such a big influence on me on how I am right now, and really trusting myself because she's dealing with something that's taking her memory.

So for her to still be goofy and musical and funky, [claps] that's the thing I'm on right now.

Never second guessing yourself.

No matter how the world is coming at you, you still got your thing, so, yeah.

- Indeed, indeed.

So have you ever looked back on older work and felt disconnected from it?

- Oh, yeah, but that was me.

So that's why I leave it up.

[Tonya laughs] Some of the stuff I have out now, man, it's like, man, what were you thinking?

That's trash, but I leave it up so people can see the evolution of, oh, he started here, but, man, oh, that's a pretty cool growth.

So I just keep everything up.

Whatever.

Let's go.

- Awesome.

And so, I can't imagine this ever happening, but do you ever feel like you've run out of ideas?

And if so, what do you do to, I guess, to rekindle that imagination?

- I feel like that now, man.

I be so depressed at home.

I be feeling like, man, you ain't doing nothing.

But I just stay with it.

That's all I got, you know?

And I just try to listen to stuff.

You know, and again, being around my grandma, that's so inspirational and, you know, just a lot of things that's not, may not be music, like when my mom make it home safe from work, that's inspiring.

So I may get inspired by that, you know, just things like [claps] that.

It's not always music that inspires me, so yeah, I just try to stay in there.

- Awesome; and so, you mentioned boredom.

Does boredom play an important part in your creative process?

- Most definitely; that's why I always be putting music out 'cause I be bored at the house.

I just put a live album out.

I didn't even tell my manager.

I just put it out; I don't give a crap, man.

Just put everything out; just do it.

There's so much we can do, but we be limiting ourselves because we be in our own head.

This thing is limitless, so you can do whatever you wanna do.

- And I guess, speaking of limitless, one of the things that I've always admired about you is just your, your gumption, so to speak, you know, 'cause you're like, why not?

Your thinking is always like, why not?

Why aren't you doing it?

Tou know, why have you talked your way out of doing this?

And you should just go ahead and do it.

So how do you feel or how do you protect your creativity from outside noise or expectations from others?

- I guess just to simply do it because why not; like you said, why not?

You know, man, these people don't control our vision.

I'm just talking about anybody that's outside of what God has given us or what we feel.

Nobody's in control of that, in control of that but us.

So just own it and cultivate it, improve it.

If you find some people that can relate to it that can help you get to another level, that's cool.

But you can't depend on nobody.

You can't depend on nobody 'cause at the end of the day, you the only person you got, so own it.

- Great.

So what does the perfect creative day look like to you?

- Having a beer with my grandma over there.

I'm listening to the blues.

[Tonya laughs] I mean, that's my thing, man.

That's so inspirational, and I just find, I just find a thing in it, man.

Especially right now, man.

She don't even know how much of an influence she is on me right now.

She don't even know, so that helps me be creative.

- Where do you feel like you sit in the lineage of American music?

- Down in the gutter?

[Tonya laughs] Nah, I don't know.

Nobody don't know me, but I don't know.

I really don't think that way.

If you wanna put me in the category, that's fine.

But I'm trying to just tap into everything the best way I can.

But if you wanna me in something, just put me in.

Let me see, holy music, I'm holy, I'm holy.

I don't know, whatever you wanna do.

- Well, I ask that question because oftentimes avant-garde musicians like yourself either get put in two categories.

You get forced into the whole traditional aspect where people feel like you have a responsibility to withhold tradition or to uphold tradition.

And then also, because you're such an artist as yourself, you feel a personal responsibility to break tradition, in a sense.

So which one, which side typically wins?

- Let me see here.

Well, you gotta know the tradition to break it.

So I'm always about, you know, knowing what the thing is first, then you can do whatever you want.

But if you wanna be the person that don't want to know about the tradition, that's cool, too.

But I don't come from that, you know?

I come from the teachings of my grandma, the teachings of my dad, the teaching of my OGs.

So I have a foundation where I can build off of to break through anything.

So it's really up to your own sensibilities.

- Great.

So what's been a recent moment where you felt genuinely proud of yourself?

- The answer may surprise you, but it's creating [Tonya laughs] with my grandma.

[Tonya laughs] You know what I'm saying?

- I hear you.

- I know.

Yeah, you can hear me.

Just creating music with her.

I'm so proud of that.

I've never been proud of nothing I do.

But to be able to sit down with her and write a song and get her to sing and produce her little vocals and listen to the playback, and she actually likes it, and she's stomping her foot to it, that means the world to me, buddy.

- Awesome.

- Yep.

- And so, looking at yourself, not five years from now and not even five years in the past, what does success look like for you right now in the current?

- Something like I want?

Like a success?

- Yeah.

- Let me see, more money.

- That's one.

- More quilts, like free quilts.

I don't even gotta buy 'em no more.

They just make 'em for me.

Let me see.

A better ear.

You know, I know my ear is cool, but I want, I just wanna be able to hear everything so I can play it and use it in my music.

And that's the thing I, that's a success I want.

And just make sure my grandma and my mama cool and all that stuff but, yeah, yeah.

- Awesome; and so, if someone was experiencing you for the first time ever, what do you want them to understand going in?

- Nothing.

[Tonya laughs] Pretty much, I mean, that's pretty much the answer, but you don't gotta understand nothing, you know?

I don't know; that's really up to them and their sensibilities and how they grew up and they life, you know?

I'm not about to try to pull nobody in to make them think any type of way of me.

Even when they see me or hear me.

That's up to you, man.

I'm just here doing my thing.

If you wanna join, come on.

If you don't, nice to meet you [claps].

- Great, and that, I think that's been one of the great draws about you as watching you just evolve as an artist.

That interpretation, you know, it's all about the listener.

It's all about the audience, and you've really played into that, you know, especially like on social media and just the things that you draw to.

So as we close out, you know, what is one of the things that you wanna leave the world about MonoNeon?

- It's kinda cliche to say, but just freedom.

Don't let nobody take your freedom away 'cause it can be easily taken away once, you know, when you're trying to get to another level and more people start coming around and you got people to start saying things in your ear, you should be this way, you should be that.

Don't, no, no; follow your heart, man, and keep your freedom with this thing because it's the most important thing you can have even when you're trying to go to the next level in whatever you do.

Just keep your freedom.

♪ Keep your freedom.

♪ - Indeed.

And so, I guess closing out on freedom, thank you for inspiring, - Yep.

- For the amazing inspiration.

It's been such a delight watching you grow as an artist and seeing new fans evolve.

Like, the younger, the mini, what I was calling MiniNeons.

- Yeah.

- And so many others.

You've been just a delightful change when it comes to music, and you've ushered in such a new way of doing things.

And just thank you for being, you know, being this person to the world.

And like I said, I hope you continue to inspire the world, but I hope you continue to inspire yourself and to open up new doors - I try to.

- Within yourself and new ways of doing things.

And that just that beautiful creativity that we've known as MonoNeon.

- I appreciate those kind words [laughs].

- And thank you at home for joining us for A Conversation with MonoNeon.

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