If you had only five minutes on earth to perform one song that could leave a great impact on the world today, what song would you perform and why did you choose this particular piece?
Chel’e P: Hmmmm… let me think. I would sing the very first song I’ve ever sang in front of an audience. “The Greatest Love of All”. When Michael Masser and Linda Creed wrote that song. You can tell it was coming from a place of love and concern, empathy. I love children. They truly warm my heart. At a very young age, the song had an impact on me. But not like it does now. It means so much more to me now that I am older and a mother. Even before I became a mother, I’ve loved children.
When I found out for medical reasons, I could never boar a child of my own. It meant so much more. My daughter Markee is adopted. She’s my cousin’s biological daughter. I found out my cousin was giving her baby up for adoption upon delivery. Her Mom told my Mom (cousins) and my Mom said. “Oh no!! We don’t do that in this family. I’m gonna ask my daughter if she wants the baby. She’s headed for a Hysterectomy (fibroid tumors and endometriosis). That way she can stay with her family.” My Mom sat me down, explained everything to me and told me to call my cousin. My Mom said to me “Baby if you do this, I promise, I got your back.” I called my cousin and she said “I’m so serious Pappy!” My nickname is “Papoose”. That what my family, close friends and people I grew up with call me “Papoose, Pappy, Pap, and Pooh” for short. (Laughing).
I started taking my cousin to her prenatal appointments. She went into labor, called me, I picked her up. Took her to the hospital. My Mom met me there. She was also with my cousin and I in the delivery room. My baby was born June 24, 2002(7lbs 5oz) with birth defects . She had a Cleft Palate, Pierre Robin Sequence, Sleep Apnea, Abnormal Lung Dysfunction, Asthma and wore a feeding tube. That didn’t matter to me, I would have taken her with one arm and one leg. They flew my Baby to Children’s National Medical Center. She was in the hospital a few weeks. I picked her up. With the proper paper work of course. The adoption became final August 25, 2003. That was the best day of my life!
Yahweh is great! Especially, growing up with feelings of inadequacy and low self esteem. When I started loving myself, Yahweh blessed me with the greatest love of all. Besides him of course. I thank him everyday, literally.
Just for fun… fill in the blanks!
Without music, I would be: empty.
Music is: food for the soul.
My music makes me feel: alive and whole. Not only my music, great music in general. It nourishes me. It’s my vitamin D, C, B12 & B6.
I write the songs because: songs for therapeutic purposes. It’s a way to let out my deepest feelings and thoughts. It’s helps to release stress and or happiness into the universe. Just so I can breath deeply. When you hold things in, it’s hard to take a deep breath. Know what I mean?.
Support music because: its deep and realistic. Dramatic and soulful. Bluesy, happy and funky. I’m telling stories that people can relate to. Been there, done that music. I’m gonna make more mistakes in my life because I’m human. The great part about that is, I get to share it with the world. Every sad, broken hearted woman. Young and old. Telling it like it is music. I love my brothers but they get on my nerves sometimes type of music (laughing). Music about break ups and makes up. Self Empowerment and Awareness. Music about Social Issues and Injustices. Life and Death. Music that will make you feel that you can conquer anything, no matter what the situation is.
Please feel free to add any other information you want to share with the public audience/readers. We want to extend our warm wishes for your success and thank you for the awesome interview. We hope we can attend one of your shows so please be sure to keep us informed on your updates!
Chel’e P: I would like to thank Yahweh (God) for protecting me, blessing me continuously. His forgiveness for favoring me and for his never-ending mercy on me. I owe you “Yah”. My Beautiful Baby Girl (Markee Miche’ Perry) for being patient with me when I have to work, go out of town and be in the studio for long hours. I think about you all the time, even when I’m working. Mommy loves you! You are my driving force! My Mom (Vernell Perry- Garey) for always holding me down no matter what. I love you Mommy so much, you are the best Mommy any girl could ever ask for. I get my strength and morals from you. I owe you a lot as well. I would like to thank my manager “Jackie Black” for believing in me know matter what. And for encouraging me and not allowing me to give up. Im elated that Yahweh has bought you back in my life. I have been blessed to have a manger with a beautiful spirit and full of humility. You are the best and I love you!
I would like to say thank you to my “Street Family” who held me down years ago. Thanks for feeding me, giving me a place to lay my head when I didn’t have any place else to go. For loving me when I didn’t love myself and encouraging me. It was because of you guys that I didn’t get strung out on drugs. Besides I’m to vain for that. (Laughing). Thanks for keeping me sane. It’s too many of y’all to name. You know who you are! I love you ALL! To ALL “My Sands” (sandbox friends) Thanks for supporting me (literally), loving me and being so genuine. I love you guys to life. Don’t know what I’d do without you! To all my homies locked away in prison. I think about you all the time. I would have died in those mean streets if it weren’t for you. To my best friend Gregory “Boy Boy” Bell, I love you so much! You are more than a best friend; you are my brother from another mother. I owe you so much! You taught me so much about being a great person and to never be selfish. To always give from the heart. I miss you! I can’t wait til you come home.
To my Big Brother Joseph “Big Joe” Brown (my only sibling by my Mom) I love you so much, you taught me everything I know. To stand up for myself be it Male or Female. We haven’t had the best relationship. Only because you taught me to think for myself and to be my own person. To never go against the grain and to be loyal beyond measure. I was listening! Although these folks know absolutely nothing about loyalty these days. It’s a every man for themselves mentality out here. It’s shameful! Keep your head up Big Bro and trust I will represent you well out here. I’m healthy and I’m alive. What more could I ask for?
To The Ryans’s (My Dad’s family) My two Aunts (Debbie & Cheryl) thanks for making me laugh and including me in everything you do. Aunt Cheryl you were more than an Aunt to me, you were a mother. I was your first born child. I know you love me; you’ve proven that ten times over. Both of you guys children are lucky to call y’all Mommy. To my Uncles Kenny, Derrick, R.I.P. Uncle Michael (my name sake) and last but certainly not least, My Uncle Russell, I love you all so much. Especially you a Uncle Russell. You were like my father I felt the love from you. I just wanted to say thanks. I love you and I am so proud of you. You mean the world to me. I will always be your “Papoose”. I couldn’t ask for a better family. Grandma Delores, I love you so much. You have been the best Grandma ever! You are so beautiful inside and out. Thank you for playing your position and doing it well. I love you more than you’ll ever know. To my cousins, I love y’all!
To my Mom’s side, I love you all!! We are thick as thieves! More like sisters and brothers than cousins. I love you all to life! I’m trying my best to make it easy for us all! We could sure use a HUGE Blessing in this family! Thinking about you all puts a huge smile upon my face! “The Perry’s” we rock!!
Also I would like to say thank you to The Legendary Donnell Floyd, Jahuar Abraham and Eric “Bojack” Butler (Familiar Faces) for picking me up out of the barrel of crabs in this city when everyone else was trying to hold me back. It’s been more than an honor sharing a stage with you. I appreciate you guys so much!
I would also like to thank my “Supporters”. I don’t call them “Fans”, because they could be anywhere in the DMV/World, but they choose to come out and “Support” me. Words could never express how that makes me feel. I love you and I do this for you! Thank you so much for believing and encouraging me to press forward. My heart is full with you all in it!
To the naysayers!!! All I have to say to you is, THANK YOU SO MUCH!! You just don’t know how much you mean to me! I get my strength from you!
Thank you again Kato for this interview. For your words of encouragement from the very start. From the very first time I stepped on this Go-Go Scene as an entertainer (2006) you never judged me and I appreciate you for that. I’m more than just a Go-Go Singer though. I’m an Artist! I sing all genres of music. Whatever inspires me. I Love Go-Go and I Love Music in General. Of all Kinds.
R.I.P. CHUCK BROWN!!! WE LOVE AND MISS YOU SO MUCH!!!
Ok now, WHERE DA PARTY AT?