1 00:00:00,380 --> 00:00:02,823 - So, when I got fired from Office Depot, 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:07,200 the thing that I did which seemed like the best thing to do 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:08,770 was go straight to the studio 4 00:00:08,770 --> 00:00:11,060 and write a fucking song about it. 5 00:00:11,060 --> 00:00:13,643 (upbeat music) 6 00:00:16,930 --> 00:00:19,433 When I worked in Office Depot, um, 7 00:00:20,940 --> 00:00:22,100 it was quite interesting 8 00:00:22,100 --> 00:00:25,322 because I was also recording music at the time. 9 00:00:25,322 --> 00:00:28,380 I was writing and I was just kind of discovering my voice 10 00:00:28,380 --> 00:00:29,950 as an independent recording artist. 11 00:00:29,950 --> 00:00:32,160 And I was up to maybe like 5:00 in the morning, 12 00:00:32,160 --> 00:00:33,920 6:00 in the morning recording. 13 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,080 Four hours later, I had to go to Office Depot. 14 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:40,740 It was challenging and I loved it but there was an incident 15 00:00:40,740 --> 00:00:44,160 that happened (chuckles) where when I was responding back 16 00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:45,450 to one of my fans, 17 00:00:45,450 --> 00:00:47,750 I probably had like three fans at the time, 18 00:00:47,750 --> 00:00:50,030 and I didn't have a computer at the time. 19 00:00:50,030 --> 00:00:52,114 I couldn't afford a computer. 20 00:00:52,114 --> 00:00:53,610 So I used the company's computer. 21 00:00:53,610 --> 00:00:56,280 The display computers that were out there 22 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:58,870 and they were writing me on my site like, 23 00:00:58,870 --> 00:01:00,320 hey, when are you performing? 24 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:02,940 What time are you gonna be there? 25 00:01:02,940 --> 00:01:04,460 I love your songs. 26 00:01:04,460 --> 00:01:06,480 And I'm sitting up there trying to respond 27 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:08,700 and let them know I'll be there at 6:00 o'clock. 28 00:01:08,700 --> 00:01:10,780 Imma get off work, I'll be performing, meet me. 29 00:01:10,780 --> 00:01:12,851 And I heard on the intercom. 30 00:01:12,851 --> 00:01:16,209 Janelle Robinson, to the back please. 31 00:01:16,209 --> 00:01:21,209 And I went back and my supervisor, manager just said, look, 32 00:01:22,186 --> 00:01:24,430 we know you don't wanna be here. 33 00:01:24,430 --> 00:01:26,210 We see you using the company's computer 34 00:01:26,210 --> 00:01:29,350 for your personal business. 35 00:01:29,350 --> 00:01:31,538 We know that you want to be an artist. 36 00:01:31,538 --> 00:01:33,210 We're gonna let you go. 37 00:01:33,210 --> 00:01:34,213 You're fired. 38 00:01:34,213 --> 00:01:35,960 And it was devastating. 39 00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:37,740 Because I love slanging ink. 40 00:01:37,740 --> 00:01:39,640 You know, I was selling a lot of ink. 41 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:43,620 I was selling a lot of copy printer paper. 42 00:01:43,620 --> 00:01:45,190 Computers even, too. 43 00:01:45,190 --> 00:01:47,180 And it was my world. 44 00:01:47,180 --> 00:01:49,768 So, after I was fired from Office Depot 45 00:01:49,768 --> 00:01:51,910 I wrote this song called Letting Go. 46 00:01:51,910 --> 00:01:54,608 And it was my first single that I put out. 47 00:01:54,608 --> 00:01:57,590 Big Boi from Outkast was a mentor to me. 48 00:01:57,590 --> 00:01:59,790 He was like a brother to me, heard it. 49 00:01:59,790 --> 00:02:04,790 And he put it on this compilation CD called Purp Vol. 2. 50 00:02:04,990 --> 00:02:08,550 And that was like the first song that I had that was like 51 00:02:08,550 --> 00:02:11,820 available around the world and it was a big deal 52 00:02:11,820 --> 00:02:14,960 and it was about me being fired and what it was like 53 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,240 and what it felt like to not have any money 54 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,035 but still feel like there's so much possibility 55 00:02:21,035 --> 00:02:22,880 for you right now. 56 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,540 This is a blessing in disguise. 57 00:02:25,540 --> 00:02:27,590 Take advantage of it, don't look back.