Commentary 3 (from Verzuz: Gladys Knight x Patti Labelle) [Live]

Life is just, just everything, wonderful and happy
And those kind of things
And some of the things that we go through in this life
They never know or never get a chance to see, you know?
There were times when we were hungry
There were times when things were happening in the theaters and those kinds of things
That made us afraid because it wasn't something that, um
Wouldn’t hurt us
Right, right
You know, you got people fighting and cussing
Right
And all that kind of stuff, you know
You're so right
And, and we have to be very very very, um
Aware of those things
They think this is all just fun and games
Trust me, it's not
We love what we do
We’re in love with what we do
We're in love with what we do
We do, I mean
Girl, do you realize these seven months we've been off
Do you know how I'm crying?
Yeah
That's why I have my shoes and my stage stuff up here
Like I used to do for real on stage when I'm on tour, I have a whole
Yeah
All my shoes and stuff
I remember
On the piano
I don't have a piano but I have my trunks
Uh-huh
So I pretend I'm doing a show tonight
I remember
Like you are
I mean, it’s like the closest we’ve gotten since COVID to performing
Absolutely
And this is such a blessing for us to do these two hours or three hours or whatever long we're gonna do
Yes
Because it’s like stage
Yeah
It's like a concert
And I hope that the music we're delivering them, uh, right now
Is something positive
Yes
We're talking and we’re singing about love
Mhm
We're talking about sisters and family and all of those kinds of things and
Yes
I think those are the things
First of all Him
That we need to focus on
Mhm
No you're right
Rather than some of the other stuff that's happening because it kills me
It hurts
It just, it just wears me out
I know it does
You know?
I know
And what's happening to our kids?
I know how we raised our kids, okay
Oh my goodness, yeah
It's so, it's really sad, it's like crazy sometimes
You look and you see what's happening
Mhm
And you just pray for somebody to watch over them
Absolutely
That's that song "It's So Real"
It's like we all need someone to watch over us
Especially the babies
Absolutely
Who are out there with like, just, buck wild
That's right
You know, they don't know anything else to do
That's, that's for real
And when they see things like, that are so ugly and bad and nasty
Mhm
You know
It enters into your spirit without your realizing it
And the people who are doing it aren't realizing it
So what kind of, uh, people are we raising?
You're right
It comes from us
We have to set the example
We have to do it, you're right
Yes we do
And we all can do it
Yes
I know why your son is like he is
Because of you and your husband
And I know why your, your kids are the way they are
Because my son Zuri and my adopted kids
They're all really nice people
Yeah, you know
But it comes from you
Guess what, Zuri does not like to let people know he's my son
No, for real
It's like when we do a show and the promoter comes in to meet me after the show and he said
This is my son Zuri, he said
"Zuri is your son?"
Yeah
I said, "Yeah, Zuri, you didn't tell him?"
He said, "No, ma"
He don't bang like that
He don't tell nobody he's my blood
Yeah
And I love that
You know, like Shanga and all your kids
Right
They don't wanna sometime be Gladys Knight's babies
That's true
To tell people to get extra points and stuff
That's very true
You know
'Cause they want to be their own man
Go on your own, boo
Yes
They don't wanna ride you
And that's the way they are
He doesn't wanna ride you
He doesn't wanna ride me
Never would they
But we have things that we can help them with
Of course
And that's when we should step in
And that's what we do
And we do
He won't let me, honey, unless he begs me
I know
"Okay, ma, I need a favor"
Really Zuri? You're asking me to help you?
I know, I know, yeah, Zuri
Come on wit' it
Come on, Shanga
It's so good
Yeah
He used to wear raggedy pants and shoes
Yeah
And I would say when I'd come home from tour because his father would watch him
I said, "Let mommy go buy you some shoes"
He said, "Ma, these are perfect"
Yeah
When the limousine came for him he rode in the baggage truck
See
Which I loved, with raggedy shoes and high water pants 'cause they were so old and short
Absolutely
But that's my boo
Yeah, and, and my son Shanga
He was the one that called me about this show
Really?
Absolutely
Oh
And I had, excuse me, y'all
And forgive me please
Say it
'Cause I didn't know what the heck it was he was talkin' about?
You didn't know?
He said, "Mom
You got to try to get on this show"
I said, "What are you talking about Shanga?"
What show?
Yeah
Oh really?
This show where we would sit down and
And do music and people could hear us and talk about
Things that we feel in our hearts and that kind of thing
Right?
You know
They know a lot more than we do
Yeah, they do
They be on top of stuff
Okay, let me be honest
Let me say something, Gladys
I have a flip phone
Yeah
I don't have a iPhone, a payphone, or a talk phone
I have a flip phone for about twelve years
Yeah
That's how I roll
So when real calls come in
I use Zuri's phone or Kim's phone or somebody's phone
Their real phones
Yeah
But I love my flip
Yeah
Yeah, I'm very low-key
Ain't nothing wrong with what happened yesterday
Right, and you all missed out on your flip
I tell you
Okay
I tell you, you're missing out on your, on your, on your flips
Oh my God, girl, he had a story
Yeah, he called me up, he said, "Mom, you gotta do this"
Shanga
Shanga called me
And, and yeah
Well, see
And told me all about this show
That's what they're for
To remind us what's hot
And they get into things
And what's happening
Or they see things
That we don't see
That we don't see
You're right
And they into it
Very much
And I am so
Very much into it
I am so glad he made that call to me
I am too
And I called and told him that I was gon' do it
Right, and then somebody called me
Yeah
And said, "Would you do Verzuz?"
Yeah
And I said, "With who?"
I said, "Because you know you have to have a partner"
Yeah
They said Gladys Knight
I said, "The best person in the world for me to do this with is you"
That's what I told Shanga
Really?
You know?
He said, "Mom, you gotta call Patti"
Oh, he did?
I swear
I know he did
He said, "You gotta call Patti"
"And you gotta call Dionne"
Auntie Dionne too, you know?
Oh gosh
And this, this is what
This is what it is
I hope, I hope you're proud of us, sons
Yeah, please be proud of us
I hope you are
I think they are
Proud of us
I know they are
Yeah
'Cause I asked Zuri this morning was he excited
Very low-key, "Yeah, ma"
Yeah
You know
Right, but he is excited for this for us
Of course he is
Good
Oh wow
Yep
Okay