The Authority On All Things R&B ! Deon Cole—comedian, actor, writer, and producer—pulls up for a masterclass on craft and longevity. With Tank & J. Valentine, Deon breaks down the evolution from late-night writers’ rooms to Netflix specials (Charleen’s Boy) and dramatic turns on screen, the discipline it takes to build an hour, and how real life shapes the jokes. We get into timing, story, audience connection, and what it means to keep leveling up without losing your voice. Subscribe on YouTube - https://bit.ly/RnBMoneyYouTube R&B MONEY Album out NOW !! https://tank.lnk.to/RnBMONEYID Tank: @TheRealTank http://www.youtube.com/@TheRealTank J Valentine: https://www.youtube.com/@jvalentinetv Director / Producer: Ruben Rivera https://www.youtube.com/@OpenLoopLife/featured Podcast IG: @RnBMoneyPodcast https://www.instagram.com/rnbmoneypodcast/?hl=en #tank #jvalentine #rnbmoneypodcast 0:00 Intro 1:50 Deon Cole Joins The Podcast 2:06 Music, Comedy & Admiring Artists 3:43 Discovering DJing During The Pandemic 5:03 Knowing Music But Not Knowing How To DJ 6:14 Growing Up Around House Music In Chicago 6:38 Predicting Hit Singles Before They Drop 8:14 Why Deon Never Calls Himself A DJ 8:42 Winning On “Name That Tune” 9:47 Going Viral During Pandemic DJ Sets 10:34 Jimmy Jam Sends Deon An Exclusive Record 11:20 DJs Sending Deon Music To Break 12:13 Breaking Records In The Strip Club 13:07 Why Everybody From Chicago Is Funny 14:10 Deon Cole Never Thought He Was Funny 15:54 Working Toward A CTA Job In Chicago 16:42 The Friend Who Pushed Him Into Comedy 17:30 His First Time On Stage 18:23 Realizing Comedy Was His Calling 19:08 Why Perspective Makes Great Comedy 20:52 Tank & J. Valentine Could Do Comedy 21:15 Studying Jamie Foxx’s Greatness 22:12 Why Jamie Foxx Is Underrated 23:04 Jamie Foxx vs Sammy Davis Jr. 24:02 Learning Comedy Through Repetition & Bombing 25:20 Doing The Same 5 Minutes For 6 Months 26:00 A Fan Repeats His Entire Joke On Stage 27:09 Getting Sent Home From The Def Jam Tour 28:38 Learning To Write New Material Fast 29:01 Writing Crank Call CDs For Ricky Smiley 29:24 Writing For ComicView & Conan 31:02 Writing Jokes For Other Comedians 31:50 Writing For Diddy’s Billboard Awards Monologue 35:12 Tailoring Writing To A Person’s Real Personality 36:03 Why Great Writers Study The Artist 38:01 Writing Songs With K. Michelle 39:18 Is It Easier To Write With The Artist Present? 41:04 Writing For Television vs Stand-Up 41:37 “You Need The Right Amount Of Corny” 43:31 Steve Harvey’s Secret To Mass Appeal 44:54 Why Deon Wants To Reach Everybody 45:27 Taking Two Years To Build A Comedy Special 46:42 The Process Of Creating A New Hour 47:24 Why Comics Start From Zero After Every Special 50:37 Bombing In Front Of 40 People At The Lab 52:15 Making House Music Records 52:47 Bombing While Performing Music In Chicago 53:48 Why Singing Is Harder Than Comedy 59:04 Performing In Front Of Tough Crowds 1:01:18 Why Comedians Can’t Be Lazy 1:02:04 Deon Cole’s “Funny Knowing You” Series 1:02:42 Why Creatives Are Often Damaged 1:03:45 The Emotional Weight Of Comedy 1:07:24 Old Spice Ad Read Chaos 1:08:34 First Comedy Special vs Black-ish 1:12:28 The Netflix Special That Changed Everything 1:14:06 How Comedy Specials Really Make Money 1:15:43 Balancing Comedy While Working On Black-ish 1:16:05 Buying His First Ferrari 1:17:03 Why Comedians Are Underestimated 1:21:43 Watching Kevin Hart Sell Out Arenas 1:23:49 Tank Introduced J. Valentine To Comedy Clubs 1:25:31 TV, Film & Stand-Up At The Highest Level 1:27:19 Why Stand-Up Is Still His Favorite 1:28:16 Deon Cole Asks About Today’s Music 1:34:39 “We Need The Church Back In Music” 1:41:00 Fame vs Talent In Today’s Industry 1:43:34 Kendrick Lamar’s Rise & The Importance Of Work 1:45:40 Andre 3000 Walking Away From Music 1:46:19 Why Talent Alone Isn’t Enough 1:47:11 Beyoncé’s Rise Was Built On Work 1:49:19 Why Chris Brown’s Work Ethic Is Different 1:50:25 Old Spice Commercial Stories 1:52:04 The Real Grind Behind Comedy 1:56:05 Phyllis Hyman Heckled Deon Cole For Two Weeks 2:02:17 The Truth Behind Phyllis Hyman’s Tough Love 2:03:57 Discovering Phyllis Hyman’s Music After Her Passing 2:05:45 Top 5 R&B Singers 2:24:30 I Aint Saying No Names