392442 05: (Editorial Use Only, Copyright Columbia Pictures ): Actor Snoop Dogg performs in the film “Baby Boy.” (Photo by Courtesy Columbia Pictures/Getty Images)
Detroit doesn’t just raise talent — it forges legends. That’s the message Mason, Angie Starr, and Devon kept circling back to in their deep-dive conversation about the Motor City’s unmatched musical legacy. “This is a different place,” Mason said. “You don’t come here and try to be.”
From Stevie Wonder’s 13-year-old road guitarist to the genius behind “Ghostbusters,” Detroit artists weren’t waiting for permission — they were already performing at world-class levels before they were old enough to drive. Mason recalled how Tony Green hit the road with The Dramatics at age 15, Ray Parker Jr. joined Stevie’s band at 13, and Michael Henderson was recruited by Miles Davis at just 14. “They weren’t dreaming anymore,” Mason said. “They were taking the stage — and they hadn’t even gotten their pimples yet.”
The discussion touched on more than just talent. It was about grit, grind, and humility. Angie noted how Kern Brantley — now a global musical director who’s worked with Lady Gaga and Mary J. Blige — never let fame define him. “The one denominator? They’re humble,” she said. “They care about the craft, not the celebrity.”
Even global icons recognized Detroit’s spirit. Michael Jackson wouldn’t record without Detroit-born Greg Phillinganes on keyboards. Ray Parker Jr., long before his chart-topping solo success, wrote “Mr. Telephone Man” for New Edition and played for Barry White. Yet when he visited his old high school in 1982, administrators mistook him for a student roaming the halls.
And it’s not just music. From baseball player Ron LeFlore — who went from prison to the Detroit Tigers’ outfield — to Snoop Dogg’s early job at a local McDonald’s, the city leaves an imprint. As Angie put it: “There’s something about our water. It’s spiritual.”
Detroit doesn’t just create stars. It refines greatness. Because as Mason says — this ain’t just any place. This is Detroit. And Detroit is different.
