Love and Go-Go: Cal and Tasha

Killa Cal and MzLaydee

Rapper Calvin “Killa Cal” Henry recently left the What Band and created a bidding war of sorts as he tested the waters with the Backyard Band and The Junkyard Band before settling permanently with Rare Essence.  Natasha “MzLaydee” Kelly got her start with the Dynasty Band, where she was often overlooked and underrated as a vocalist., though she has an amazing voice and is a triple threat who can also rap and lead talk.  Eventually, she left the band and was hired by Derrick Holmes to replace Kimise Lee with the Vybe Band.  Kimise came back and now Tasha, Kimise and Derrick make beautiful music together.

I thought Cal would be a hard sell, but after I explained exactly what I was doing, he agreed Cal is a very private person and doesn’t usually let the public see this personal, softer side of him, so I hope you enjoy the interview.  Tasha on the other hand…  That girl can talk.  See for yourself.

Bobbie’s Beat: How long have you two been together?

Tasha: About six, no seven years.

BB: How did you meet?

Tasha:  We officially met at Gee’s, right? (Gee’s Nightclub in Bladensburg, MD)

BB: Did you know of each other from TMOTT (Take me Out to the Go-Go)?

Tasha: No, Cal wasn’t on TMOTT.  I used to go see Junk all the time at the Market Lounge (Cal was playing with the band Natural Causes then and they opened for Junkyard), but I had seen him previously, but not with his band.  I had actually seen him at a gas station.  He didn’t pay no attention to me, because he didn’t see me. He don’t remember that, ‘cuz he didn’t pay no damn attention to me.  I knew a friend that knew Kelly.  I always saw Kelly around him.

BB: Who’s Kelly?

Tasha: Cal’s friend Kelly.  I asked her to ask Kelly if he was single or if he was seeing anybody, ‘cuz if he was, I wasn’t going to pursue it.

BB: So you came after him?

Tasha: I inquired about him.  Yeah.  After he said he was single and he wasn’t involved in a relationship, I said “Okay,” and I just left it at that.  A couple of months later I had my show. I was performing with Dynasty and Kelly came up to me and was like, “Yeah, this my man right here you was inquiring about. Give him your number.”  I was like, “Alright, let me do what I want to do on my own time.”  Then I was like “Alright, what’s your name?”  We did the introductions and I gave him my number and I was like “Alright, I’ll call you.”

BB: Did you call, or did you wait three days?

Tasha: Nah, he called.  It was like the next day.

BB: Cal, you kind of quiet.

Cal: You didn’t ask me no questions.

BB: Have you guys ever had to deal with outside forces trying to come between you?

Cal: Definitely.

BB: Tasha?

Tasha:  Yeah.  Oh yeah!

BB: Tasha, do you like to go to his shows?

Tasha: Yeah.  I like to support everything that he does.

BB: Cal, same question.  Do you like to go to her shows?

Cal: Yeah, I do.  No problem. I like to support.

BB: I ask that question because some people feel like, “It’s his job and I don’t want to go to his job.”

Cal: We have the same job, so…

Tasha: Its kind of different because it’s not like I work in a bank and he works somewhere different and he’s just up there everyday hanging around and stuff like that.

BB: And then security will think he’s casing the bank and then when the bank gets robbed, you get fired.

Tasha: (laughs) Right. So he just can’t be hanging around the bank. I mean if he was a paying customer, then I’d expect him to come to the bank.  This job is different.

BB: So do you think that with both of you being in the business it makes it easier to have a relationship because you’re both in the business or harder?

Tasha: I can’t really say how it would be if we wasn’t, because we are.  But, I think it’s easier because I know what comes along with it.  I just know the ups and I know the downs.  The ins and the outs.  I think it’s easier.  It’s a lot more understanding.  It’s like if somebody was a police officer and then they had a wife that was a school teacher, when they come home does she really wanna hear, “Yeah baby, I shot somebody. I did this, I did that.”  She really don’t want to hear it.  But if I come home like “I had a bad show.” He can feel it and he’s like, “Why, what happened?”

BB: Cal, same question.

Cal: Basically the same answer.  She summed it up.  That’s the bottom line.  It works because we both understand our profession and we know what comes along with it.  Any relationship it’s gonna be ups and down.  It kind of helps when somebody can relate to what you’re going through.

BB: What advice would you give to someone in a band or to someone dealing with someone in a band to have a successful relationship?

Cal: Talking and communication no matter when it’s done, is important in what we do.

BB: So you being in a band, what would you tell someone else who asks, “What do you and Tasha do to make it work?”

Cal: First I’d tell them that every relationship is different.  Me and Tasha might look like everything is great on the outside, but we got our issues just like anybody else.  I’d just say, “you got to go through what you go through and you gotta go your own journey.”  Everybody has different issues and things that they can deal with and how they handle things.  I might handle something different than somebody else.  My way might be the wrong way.  It’s not winging it, but it’s kind of like on-the-job training because everybody’s situation is different. But my only advice is just be communicating.  The best thing to do is communicate.

BB: And Tasha, how would you answer that question?  What advice would you give for someone dealing with someone in a band?

Tasha: Communication is number one in any relationship, band or no band. Participating in his business, in his craft, would be good. Being supportive of the situation.  Don’t always assume.  I know a situation where the guy is in a band and the girl is not and she just always assumes that just because she was a patron to the Go-Go and she has girlfriends, so she knows how thirsty people are, male and female.  So I think being a part of it, not all the time, but just be supportive.  Just don’t be blind to the obvious.  Who doesn’t, male or female, like their ego stroked?  Everybody might tell you on the outside, “Oh we love you,” but to have your significant other tell you, “Baby your rocked it tonight…”  I think the core is, be supportive of your situation.

BB: How do you guys make time for family time and then alone time with your busy schedules?

Tasha: Its’ hard.

Big sister Je'niah, 9 and Coi, 4

Cal: Very hard.  Because, unfortunately I don’t have a lot of family. I have a very small family and I’ve had a lot of deaths within the past few years.  With me being fortunate enough to be in these kinds of bands where I’m always busy, unfortunately it’s always a downside to it.  One of the downsides is not always having the free time to do what a lot of other people have the ability to do, so I just take advantage of the free time and I sacrifice to spend time with my family.

Tasha: I mean the sad thing is the ups and the downs of it.  Sometimes we’re there for each other, sometimes we’re not.  I probably have more free time because not only do he play in a band, but he is an artist within himself.  He does a lot of other things like being in the studio, hosting, just things like that on has his own career.  But with me, with being the custodial parent (Cal and Tasha have a 4-year old son Coi and Tasha has a daughter Je'niah, 9, from a previous relationship), with me, I’mma make a way. I’m going to take off, or whatever.  It’s my job, I love it, but family first.  I hold it down.  I’m not tripping.  You go do you, that’s you.

BB: So it sounds like you guys have traditional roles.  Cal, you’re the supporter.  You support the family and Tasha you take care of the family at home.

Cal: Nah, it’s pretty equal.

Tasha: Yeah, it’s 50-50.  He holds it down. He takes care of the family.  If I have a show, he holds it down. He’s Mr. Mom. He cooks and clean and all that.  He cleans more than me.  (laughs)

BB: Cal is she messy?

Cal: (laughs).  Is she messy?  She might not be messy, but I’m just extra clean.

BB: Which one of you is the most romantic?

Cal: Probably Tasha.

Tasha: Me.

BB: Tasha, what’s the most romantic thing Cal has ever done for you?

Tasha: Everybody has their own definition of romance, but it could several things.  After continuous requests to go get our nails and feet done and stuff like that, he was like, “Nah, I’m a man, it’s not for me, but you can go ahead though.”  So one day after a couple of years, just recently he was like, “I’mma take you to get your nails and feet done.” I was like, “Alright.  Okay, that’s cool.”  After we get to the place the guy comes up and asks how many and he’s like, “two.”  I had no idea that he was going to stay, so that was special to me.  It was so special because I assumed he’d be like, “How much that cost?  Here go the money.” But, it was like, “Okay, we’re going to sit down and we’re going to do this together.”  It was like a couple’s thing and it was really special to me.

BB: Because he listened.  He heard you.

Tasha: Yeah. Exactly.

BB: So Cal, what’s the most romantic thing Tasha has ever done for you?

Cal: I don’t know, she does a lot of things.  Something memorable would be the trip to Punta Cana.  That was quite memorable.  That was one of the best trips.

BB: Cal, remember in 2010 when Tasha was on stage at the Go-Go Awards and I texted you and was like, “Are you getting moist watching Tasha perform?” and you said, “I don’t get moist.”

Cal: (laughs) Yeah, I remember that.

BB: So, what’s the one thing she can put on to make you think, “She’s gonna get it when she gets home?”

Cal: I don’t know.  She always wears nice stuff.  I like heels.  Heels look good. Heels are my favorite.

BB Thinking: No wonder I always see Tasha in heels.

BB: Tasha, do you ever get turned on watching Cal perform?

Tasha: Its not while he’s performing. I’m just intrigued.  I wouldn’t be turned on while he’s performing because it’s something I can’t do.  I mean we are both performers, but he does something I cant’ do.  I look at it all; what he does.  I have so much respect for him. I’m always listening because he’s so lyrical.  So, I’m not really thinking about anything sexual or anything like that.  He don’t have to be performing. I can just look at him and I’m like, you know.  He has sex appeal, so…

BB: Cal, do you feel the same way about [watching] Tasha because you and I have had conversations about her talent and her being underrated. Do you feel like she’s finally starting to get the shine she deserves?

Cal: Yes and No.  It’s kind of different. In the game that we’re in now, there’s more politics involved. You got some people that’s on a pedestal and some people that just may be on name recognition. Some people are not given any kind of opportunity or any kind of respect that can blow people out of the water, so it’s kind of weird. I am happy that she’s in a position with a bigger platform to show her talent, but the kind of person I am, I like to push, so I’m not gonna never ever say that I’m happy with where she’s at. I think she can be better and I think she can push a little harder and do some other things to broaden her talent and let people know that she really can compete with anybody in this area and up and down the coast to be honest with you. 

BB: You think she has the talent to be bigger on a national level whether it’s a solo artist, or song writing or background singing for a national artist or touring and stuff like that?

Cal: All of those.  That’s just me though..

BB: What’s a joke that you guys share that nobody else gets but you? A word or phrase that will make you giggle or bust out laughing because the two of you get it and nobody else would?

Tasha: (laughs)

Cal: Then if we tell you it’s not gonna be a secret.

Tasha: (still laughing). That’s the reason for my laugh. I don’t think there’s one particular thing.  We just laugh at so many different…  We have so much in common. We have the same humor so we think the same things are funny.  So it could be something we see on TV and we bust out laughing.

Cal: Right.

Tasha: Something that somebody, if they were watching the same thing with us, they would be like, “What the hell are y’all laughing at?” We just got the same dumb humor.

BB: That’s why I asked you that question, because I know that you both are silly.  People don’t always see Cal’s silly side, but I know he’s simple.

Tasha: Yeah, he’s silly. It could be someone walking across the back of the screen and nobody else saw it.  We’re just freaks for details. So, it’s not just one particular thing.

BB: Tasha, what do you love most about Cal?

Tasha: I think I love most, that things change as the years go on or whatever, but the thing I love most is for the past four years is he’s an excellent dad.. That’s the best thing, the most sexiest thing, that’s the most loving thing about him.  I do have an older child that’s not Calvin’s, but he stepped up to the plate with my daughter.  Just being a dad, there’s something sexy about that.  I had a dad, so I know what it takes. I know what it is, so it’s not something new to me.

BB: You’re dad lives in a different area, right?

Tasha: Yeah, he lives in Denver.

BB: Y’all are pretty close, right?

Tasha: Yeah, I talk to my dad everyday.  I’m a daddy’s girl.  So, you know how some girl’s say they are lacking the father figure, they don’t know better like the Kimbella (of VH1’s Love and Hip Hop) story? I know better.  I know how much my dad meant to me, and it’s very, very important.  It’s nothing sexier, other than him being himself, than being the excellent dad that he is.

BB: And Cal, what do you love most about Tasha?

Cal: What I love most about Tasha is her ability to make things happen.  Any time she’s in a situation, she works it out and I can appreciate that.  Whenever there’s adversity or something that needs to be done she gives her word on it and she can make something happen.  I love her for it.

Song Dedication

Cal to Tasha – “Wind Beneath My Wings: by various artists. (We’re going with the Gerald and Eddie Levert version.)  Cal’s going to get me for saying this, but I had his answer via text before I had even hung up the phone.

Tasha to Cal – “Bonnie and Clyde” by Jay Z featuring Beyonce

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