Paula Abdul’s journey from rejection to leading the Laker Girls and choreographing The Jacksons is one of the great underdog stories in pop culture history.

In this Part 1 episode, Paula walks through her earliest timeline chronologically — being born premature with lung complications and hip dysplasia, growing up idolizing Gene Kelly and Bob Fosse, and fighting against the idea that she wasn’t built to dance. She explains how relentless preparation, resilience, and rejection shaped her work ethic, leading to her breakthrough moment with the Laker Girls during the Showtime Lakers era, performing in front of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and catching the attention of executives that opened the door to her first professional job choreographing The Jacksons and contributing to their Victory Tour. This is the origin story of the dancer and choreographer who built the foundation of her legendary career long before global fame.

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L.A. Reid tells the origin story of how meeting Babyface led to the creation of LaFace Records — and why that partnership changed music forever. He connects the label’s impact to the artists and eras that followed, from Usher to OutKast to the broader R&B legacy.

In this conversation, L.A. Reid walks through what it took to build LaFace from the ground up, what made that Babyface collaboration work, and how real artist development created a run that still shapes how people think about timeless records today.

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Sheila E reveals the unforgettable moments that shaped her rise — being called out by Marvin Gaye mid-song, secretly recording percussion for Michael Jackson, and the night Prince pushed her into becoming a solo artist. These stories show the pressure, magic, and turning points behind one of music’s most iconic careers.

Sheila E shares the untold stories behind working with three of the biggest legends in music history. From the moment Marvin Gaye froze an entire rehearsal after catching a single extra beat… to secretly creating percussion for Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough” without being credited… to Prince pushing her out from behind the drums and into the spotlight. This is a rare inside look at the moments that shaped her career and changed her life forever.

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Sheila E joins On That Note for Part One of a two-part conversation, tracing the early life and foundation that shaped her into a musical prodigy. Raised in a household where music was constant, Sheila breaks down how rhythm, discipline, and instinct were ingrained in her from a young age — long before fame ever entered the picture.

She reflects on growing up surrounded by working musicians, learning by feel instead of theory, stepping on stage as a child, and the moments that made it clear music wasn’t just something she loved — it was who she was. This episode focuses on the making of Sheila E: the environment, mindset, and early experiences that set the stage for everything that came next.

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Reginald Hudlin breaks down the stories behind three culture-shifting lanes: writing Black Panther at Marvel, building Marshall with Chadwick Boseman, and the real origin of House Party. He shares what Eddie Murphy taught him about comedy (“go for the joke”), why passion is the difference between a smart move and a timeless hit, and how one night of inspiration turned into a classic.

Hudlin walks through how his love of comics led to his Black Panther run—and why he believed a sci-fi scale story could change the ceiling for Black storytelling long before the billion-dollar moment arrived. He opens up about producing Marshall, why that specific Thurgood case was the right movie (and why the courtroom setup made it uniquely cinematic), and what Chadwick was like behind the scenes—down to the integrity that made people protect him and speak about him differently. On the film side, Hudlin revisits Boomerang and the mindset of directing comedy at the highest level, then closes with the House Party origin story: hearing Luther Vandross, seeing the movie in his head, and banging out pages on the spot—plus what it took to grind a student film into a real launchpad.

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Mike Colter joins Shawn Stockman for a powerful conversation on Million Dollar Baby, working with Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman, and the real journey behind becoming Marvel’s Luke Cage.

From early career grind to major film sets, Mike breaks down how the right roles change your life — and how discipline, confidence, and timing can make or break your shot in Hollywood. He also talks the pressure of being an action star, what he learned watching legends operate, and why Luke Cage still has unfinished business.

#MikeColter #LukeCage #MillionDollarBaby #ClintEastwood #MorganFreeman #Marvel #OnThatNote #ShawnStockman

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Nicky Jam joins Shawn Stockman for a stripped-down acoustic performance of El Perdón, the global hit originally featuring Enrique Iglesias.

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Nicky Jam adds fire to the reggaeton “pure hitmaker” conversation as he breaks down crafting early records with Daddy Yankee, surviving addiction and street life, and rebuilding his career into a global comeback story decades in the making.

In this episode of On That Note, Nicky reflects on moving to Puerto Rico as a kid, learning Spanish through music, witnessing reggaeton’s rise from the inside, and navigating the dangerous realities that nearly derailed his career. He opens up about recovery, faith, longevity, and what it takes to last 30 years in a genre built on pressure, competition, and reinvention.

An honest, deeply personal conversation about music, survival, and earning your second — and third — chance.

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Shawn Stockman warms up the guitar as the conversation turns musical, and Jemele Hill breaks down her all-time favorite artists — Aretha Franklin, Sade, Prince, Michael Jackson, and Mary J. Blige. Then Shawn jumps into an acoustic performance of Human Nature, and Jemele gets pulled into the moment for the iconic “why, why, why” — reluctantly, hilariously, and fully aware she’s about to get roasted. A raw, fun, and playful moment that captures everything On That Note does best: great music, great taste, and zero pressure to be perfect.

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Jemele Hill and Shawn Stockman break down why the 1990s became the golden age of culture, from Michael Jordan’s mystique and NBA rivalries to MTV’s grip on music, media, and shared experience.

They explore how scarcity, radio dominance, and fewer platforms created bigger stars, stronger legacies, and a level of cultural focus that’s nearly impossible to recreate today — and what’s been gained (and lost) in the modern media era.

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