Gabrielle Reece

When working out is a huge part of your daily life, you need a serious soundtrack to stay motivated. A fan of hip hop, the volleyball star and fitness entrepreneur chooses music with a positive message and a solid beat, and admits she is a “sucker for a love song.” Gabrielle tells Raul Campos how her roots in the Caribbean, New York and Hawaii – as well as some famous musician friends -- have expanded her musical horizons.

For More: http://www.gotogabby.com

Tracklist

1.)"Son of a Bush", by Public Enemy
2.)"Umi Says", by Mos Def
3.)"Colors", by Amos Lee
4.)"Hawai'i '78", by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
5.)"Don't Say Nuthin'", by The Roots

Transcript

Raul Campos: Hey, it’s Raul Campos from KCRW and I'm here with beach volleyball star, author, and health fitness entrepreneur Gabby Reece. How are you? Welcome to the studios of KCRW.

Gabrielle Reece: Hi! Thank you. Thank you so much.

Raul Campos: So we are going to talk about music that has inspired you over the years. When do you listen to music the most these days?

Gabrielle Reece: When I'm training, working out, not on the beach as much as when I'm in the gym. I actually lived in New York City in the late 80's so I used to even buy rap off the street. You know, on tape.

Raul Campos: Wow … Mix tape.

Gabrielle Reece: And I grew up in the Caribbean, so I grew up on reggae and rap, old school rap. You know the rap gets me going for the gym. You know, who wants to do it everyday?

Raul Campos: Well, why don’t we get into one of these songs?

Gabrielle Reece: My husband, especially, is good friends with Eddie Vedder and Eddie sent Laird this sort of an anti-war CD that they did with a compilation of a lot of artists. My husband is very rock ‘n’ roll so we have a little bit of different taste in music… so here, I'm in his car with him, and he is playing me this song by Public Enemy -- which of course I love, but I have never heard it coming from his speakers. It's a brilliant song, it's "Son of a Bush." It's funny, it's relevant and I really like Public Enemy and it's a lot of fun.

Song: "Son of a Bush," by Public Enemy.

Raul Campos: So the sounds of Public Enemy of KCRW. "Son of a Bush" Our guest DJ is Gabby Reece. Now working out and prepping, for whether it's a game or exercising, obviously you want the more energized stuff...

Gabrielle Reece: yes, absolutely

Raul Campos: Now when we go into something like modeling, you are getting ready for a shoot, or there is going to be some kind of show --do you get into more of like maybe, the softer stuff, the sexier stuff or... ?

Gabrielle Reece: Sure, I think you want to be relaxed and a lot of times they want you to appear pretty friendly. You know, I can be a friendly person but maybe I don't always look that friendly and this next song, for me, I'll even play it in a warm up or a cool down of a work out. I find that this song is inspiring to me.

Raul Campos: It's "Umi Says" by Mos Def

Song: "Umi Says," by Mos Def.

Gabrielle Reece: First off, I'm a really big fan of his. I think he's a really smart person. He says in this, I'm just doing the best I can but his Umi -- I think it's his grandma – says try to shine your light on the world for the world to see. And I think in life, if you are doing the best you can and you are trying to be positive, that's a pretty good start. I find this song to have a really great message without it preaching to you and it's just a beautiful little tale from him.

Raul Campos: Mos Def on KCRW. "Umi Says" It is KCRW, Raul Campos here hanging out with Gabby Reece, she's picking out some tunes that inspire her. What's next for you, are you planning to still do some more TV?

Gabrielle Reece: That's sort of my next thing. I've been doing all this health and fitness, all these videos, I've got programs on-line that people can go to everyday and get new routines. We're trying to take away all the excuses as to why people aren't taking care of themselves.

Raul Campos: Right.

Gabrielle Reece: But I'm working on a show that is going to offer up real solutions for people in there life based on health, wellness, and fitness. You know, my thing is, contribute to who you are. And that's my background. I'm not trying to be someone other than who I am. You know, it's like if you're a hammer, be a hammer. We'll have lots of solutions, but in a realistic way. Like, I understand people don't have lots of zeros in the bank account and lots of minutes on the clock and so we are trying to take all things into consideration. But that you still want to look good and have fun.

Raul Campos: It's all about having fun and same with music. I mean music inspires you to do so many different things and having you pick out an artist like Amos Lee is very cool, just to see the range of the music choices. Why Amos Lee?

Gabrielle Reece: You guys just thought I was a dumb jock, right? Is that what’s happening like, ‘Check out the jock!’

Raul Campos: (laughing) No – absolutely not!

Gabrielle Reece: (jokingly) I get it-you know I get it. It’s not only actors and painters. We have depth, okay?

You know I’m a girl and I’m probably a sucker for a love song just like the next girl. You know what it is, when someone, no matter what they’re doing in their life, if they’re good at it, I’m going to appreciate it. It’s a beautiful love song and his voice is beautiful.

Song: Colors by Amos Lee

Raul Campos: It is KCRW, Raul Campos here hanging out with Gabby Reece, just picking out some tunes, like that beautiful tune by Amos Lee it’s called “Colors.”

Raul Campos: Where exactly did you grow up?

Gabrielle Reece: I was born here in Los Angeles actually, but I was raised in the Caribbean, in St Thomas. And my family, my father, is from Trinidad so that’s why I have such a strong love for reggae and that style of music.

Raul Campos: And these days you spend part of your time in Hawaii right?

Gabrielle Reece: Yes my husband, he’s from Kauai, the island of Kauai, so he has the heart of a Hawaiian. He loves Hawaii –the culture, the music. And I myself have been a resident of Hawaii half of the year for 12 years and have fallen in love, one of my daughters was born there so...

Raul Campos: I see you actually brought in some Hawaiian music. Gabrielle Reece: The reason I chose this song is, it’s by Brother Is, who also made that “Somewhere Over the Rainbow Song” very famous, but there is a timeless element. You know, they said that the Indians used to make decisions for the next seven generations. I think everyone’s sort of been dealing with, ok, the environment and war and all of these things that this song -- you know, there’s something really universal about it, where he talks about how the elders would feel if they came back and saw what was happening.

Song: Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s Hawaii 78

Gabrielle Reece: And just the fact the quality of his voice, it’s a really lovely song that makes you feel. I think it can be very emotional. And it’s something from Hawaii, so it was a little bit different.

Raul Campos: Israel Kamakiwiwaya, Hawaii 78 on KCRW. Getting back to like Hip Hop and I know that you brought in a song by The Roots...

Gabrielle Reece: Yes.

Raul Campos: “Don’t Say Nuthin’” is a great tune as well.

Gabrielle Reece: Yeah, they’re just cool. At the end of the day, what they’re so brilliant about is being so uniquely themselves. It is rap and it is rock ‘n’ roll.

See that’s the key. That’s what I always tell people when I’m talking about, like your body. It’s like, you’re only you and you can’t be other people and the minute you can dial into being the best ultimate YOU that you are is when things start to happen. And when you look at The Roots, you go here are some guys who trusted and believed in what their own vision was and it works.

Song: “Don’t Say Nuthin’” by The Roots

Gabrielle Reece: The way that it flows, the rhythm of it, and the way he sings it -- you know it’s so cool and it’s such a beautiful combination for me of how rap and rock can come together.

Raul Campos: KCRW, the sounds of The Roots and “Don’t Say Nuthin” is the tune, just fantastic. Gabby Reece has been our selector. Thank you so much for coming in and picking some of these tunes.

Gabrielle Reece: When you guys asked me I was like ‘Oh no here we go.’ You really have to reveal something about yourself when you pick music and sometimes, if it’s not your forte let’s say, you go ‘oh, am I pulling my skirt up over there?’ but it was great, thank you.

Raul Campos: That was Gabby Reece, as part of our Guest DJ Project.