Drummer "Lil' John" Roberts '92 Meets and Performs with Students

During a month-long break in the midst of touring with Janet Jackson, drummer and producer Lil John Roberts '92 returned to his alma mater on December 9–10, 2015. He performed with Berklee students and shared advice and experiences from his extraordinary career working with some of the biggest names in music, including Stevie Wonder, George Duke, Prince, and Michael Jackson.

“It’s just great coming back here, and giving back to the school what they helped give me to do what I’m doing now,” Roberts said before a packed audience in the Shames Family Scoring Stage at 160 Massachusetts Avenue. “Those shed rooms, I used to be in there six to eight hours every day, so it’s good to see other people doing it now. It’s been 23 years since I’ve been here. I’ve been blessed.”

Performing solo and with a band comprising Berklee students and Jeff Lockhart, an associate professor of guitar at Berklee (whom Roberts called "one of the funkiest guitar players in the world"), Roberts dove into an eclectic array of funk and jazz tunes from Miles Davis's "Jo Jo" to "Give Me Something" from his debut 2014 solo album The Heartbeat.  Throughout the performance and again the following day during an interview with Karen Bell ’90, Berklee's chief alumni affairs officer, Roberts shared stories from his impressive list of credits, including touring with Stevie Wonder on the Songs in the Key of Life Tour, recording with George Duke, writing drum parts for Janet Jackson, as well as advice from his two-plus decades in the music industry. In addition to those in attendance, Roberts's Periscope followers got access to the interview as he broadcast via his smartphone.

The following is an edited and condensed account of Roberts's interview:

From Berklee to Atlanta


"My career just progressed as the years went by. I stayed here from ‘91 to ‘93 and I left and moved to Atlanta—then Atlanta was really popping in the music scene with R&B and the pop stuff. I was working with Dallas Austin and Jurmaine Dupri, Organized Noize. When I moved to Atlanta, my first recording was "Don’t Let Go" by En Vogue. Things just started lining up.

One thing led to another. I did a lot of Motown stuff, whatever gigs I could do, whether they were paying or not. I did it for the experience, not knowing that those would set me up for the bigger gigs I would get later on. Like Janet [Jackson]; I had no idea I was going to play with her; I don’t know where that came from, but it was my destiny. But I prepared myself for it. All the things you guys are doing now—all the practicing, playing around town, all the classes—all of that is leading up to what you’re going to do five, 10 years from now. Stay in it and don’t get discouraged. I know it’s hard work, but it’s definitely going to pay off, and it’s up to you to make it happen."

Building a Brand

"Trumpet players should be in heaven with Terence Blanchard here; sax players should be in heaven with Tia Fuller here; Terri Lyne Carrington is here. Berklee has a lot to offer as far as that’s concerned, hands-on stuff. Just different things to give you inspiration and learn from.

Like I said, I was shedding six, eight hours a day—I almost slept in the [drum rooms], I was always in there getting my craft together, not knowing I was setting myself up for a call from a Janet Jackson. I didn’t do any auditions or anything like that, really it was the reputation I was building for myself; your name just starts getting out there, so you’re building your brand at [the] same time. What you’re doing now is helping build your brand—personality, reputation, professionalism, showing up on time.

You should always have your own sound. Of course it’s cool to emulate people you respect, to pattern your style after, but after that, take it and turn it into your own thing. Have your own sound, have your own identity, and people are going to recognize it."

Space Is the Place

"The groove is the most important thing. We keep time for the rest of the band, first. We’re the clock, we’re the heartbeat of the band. I don’t know if you notice, but this is my first time playing with this band, and yesterday, when we first started playing, we were feeling each other out—you have to play like a team. I’m not coming in saying, 'This is my thing, forget all the other players—follow me.' That’s not fun.

You want to vibe with the rest of the guys. It’s a conversation. Space is the place. Sun Ra said that, and Miles was one of the biggest sticklers of space; he wouldn’t play for bars and bars, just waiting for something to happen. Don't always force it, just wait for it. If you know it or don’t know it, that moment is going to come, and when you all do it at the same time, you feel a lift from the whole band."