Halftime Chat RnB Podcast With Nnamdi Okoye
Oct 26, 2026 · 56 min · 13 segments
After more than three years away from releasing a full-length studio album, Melvin Riley Jr., the legendary founding member, singer, songwriter and producer of Ready for the World, joins us for an…
Melvin RileyGuestNnamdi OkoyeHostWith the way music is today, unlike before, when we first met, you spoke about how it was trying to promote your first single and everything.
Putting out singles now, is it for the fun of it? Because getting airplay and getting the streams, it feels like a very complicated thing to be able to make money from it.
What's the motivation and passion for you when you are releasing new music in today's environment?

You know, for real, the world's music has changed from the 80s to the 90s, 2000s.

To put out new music and for the world to taste your cooking, is the reward for me.

And you still, when you get that mainstream radio, like a heart and soul, serious radio, XM, serious radio, you know, it's really a great way to get your music heard in the bigger platform.
And

yeah, And look at me, you know, I've got two singles now talking in my sleep and then they won't leave me alone.

So I think that if you're still putting music out and letting the world hear what you got, man, that's it.

You know what I'm saying? their ways of making money for one, nowadays, if a major takes you on, they wanna put you out on the road as possible so that they can recoup their investment.

But if you're independent and you know how to go about doing it, there are ways to still make money in that way, besides having to go on the road.

You can just sit at home and put out music and, you know, you go out on the road when you want.
And with the other guys, like the original Ready for the World, everyone, was there ever a time where if the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame come knocking on the door, does everyone think, okay, you know, we might get the old band back together kind of thing or...
With the way music is today, unlike before, when we first met, you spoke about how it was trying to promote your first single and everything.
Putting out singles now, is it for the fun of it? Because getting airplay and getting the streams, it feels like a very complicated thing to be able to make money from it.
What's the motivation and passion for you when you are releasing new music in today's environment?

You know, for real, the world's music has changed from the 80s to the 90s, 2000s.

To put out new music and for the world to taste your cooking, is the reward for me.

And you still, when you get that mainstream radio, like a heart and soul, serious radio, XM, serious radio, you know, it's really a great way to get your music heard in the bigger platform.
And

yeah, And look at me, you know, I've got two singles now talking in my sleep and then they won't leave me alone.

So I think that if you're still putting music out and letting the world hear what you got, man, that's it.

You know what I'm saying? their ways of making money for one, nowadays, if a major takes you on, they wanna put you out on the road as possible so that they can recoup their investment.

But if you're independent and you know how to go about doing it, there are ways to still make money in that way, besides having to go on the road.

You can just sit at home and put out music and, you know, you go out on the road when you want.
And with the other guys, like the original Ready for the World, everyone, was there ever a time where if the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame come knocking on the door, does everyone think, okay, you know, we might get the old band back together kind of thing or...
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