- 1 week ago
For the latest edition of Chief-To-Chief, 5- year old rapper and internet sensation Savannah McConneaughey, better known as VanVan, takes ESSENCE Ventures President and CEO Caroline Wanga to the playground to talk about the fundamentals of life, as she inspires the generation of future leaders to be bold and to dream beyond what’s expected.
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00:00Today, I have Miss Savannah, who I have decided is the chief of outside.
00:08My name is Bambi, I come play, playing outside every day.
00:13Yeah, okay.
00:15What do you think about that?
00:16I'm the chief of pull-up keys.
00:18The chief of what?
00:19Pull-up keys.
00:20Gotta call, pull-up keys.
00:23Hey.
00:24Gotta call, pull-up keys.
00:27All right, ready to go play outside now?
00:28Yes.
00:29Come on, please don't lock the door.
00:30Hello, Essence family.
00:31This is Caroline Mwanga, president and CEO of Essence, and we are recording another edition
00:36of our series called Chief to Chief, where we are meeting black women around the world
00:41who are doing phenomenal things in different chief positions so that you can find the chief
00:46within yourself.
00:47So I want you to look into that camera, and I want you to tell people who you are, what's
00:53your name?
00:54Kavanaugh, Zoe McConaughey.
00:57Zoe is your middle name?
00:59Yeah.
01:00I didn't know that.
01:02I love that middle name.
01:03And then tell them how old you are.
01:06You gotta say it with your mouth.
01:08Five.
01:09Five?
01:10Tell them when you turn five.
01:11Yesterday.
01:12Yesterday only.
01:13Yesterday only.
01:14So this is like kind of still your birthday.
01:16Yeah.
01:17Yeah.
01:18So tell us about your new album.
01:20Tell us about, can I put this on?
01:21I won't fit.
01:22Okay.
01:23Tell us about your new album.
01:24Tell the camera about your new album.
01:26So it's a lot of keys.
01:27So what is so great about your new album?
01:29Tell us about it.
01:30What is it about?
01:31It's about driving some car and the robo car.
01:37What is a robo car?
01:38A robo car drive by itself.
01:40It drives by itself.
01:41So are you in the robo car or you just wrote a song about the robo car?
01:46Just about a car.
01:49About a car.
01:50And the keys.
01:51And the keys.
01:52And so that's the name of the song.
01:53Yeah.
01:54Pull up keys.
01:55So can you tell us, tell me about your mommy and daddy.
01:59So my dad, we work on the, um, the raps and I do the lyrics.
02:10My mom, she's really my stylist, so we work, she's the greatest stylist in the world.
02:21Stop.
02:22Tell me why.
02:23Because she do my hair.
02:24Uh-huh.
02:25She dress up my clothes.
02:26Yeah.
02:27My mom, like, like I'm the fanciest girl in the world.
02:31Really?
02:32And I just love her.
02:33I love her too.
02:34And my mom, and my dad, and yeah.
02:37That is so, so, so your dad helps you with the raps.
02:40Yes.
02:41And your mama is the best stylist in the world.
02:43Yes.
02:44And you love them dearly, which is so wonderful.
02:47So tell me about, talk to me about the raising part of her.
02:53I mean, clearly the child remembers she started when she was two, but like, talk to me about
02:58her.
02:59And like, how did you discover this?
03:01How do you parent this?
03:02Like, let's talk about this little phenom.
03:04Yeah.
03:05When she was really little, and I think she gets this from us too.
03:07Like two years old, she has this two years on her mind, but literally when she was born,
03:11everybody's like, oh my gosh, she's going to be a start like before anything.
03:15What is she doing that people said that to me?
03:16I think it was like her smile, her look, her like, her mannerisms.
03:21I think just when, as a baby, she just, her personality was just real bubbly.
03:26And you know, and she's the same, literally the same person.
03:29I love that.
03:30So how did you start rapping?
03:33Like, why do you like to rap?
03:35Because I started at two years old.
03:37Why?
03:38Because I like rapping, it's my favorite thing to do.
03:43I be myself and I do the favorite things I like on rapping.
03:48Yeah.
03:49And me and my daddy listen to beats.
03:51Yeah.
03:52And yeah.
03:53I love that.
03:54So where did the rapping come from?
03:56So she jumped on YouTube listening to that girl Lele and Young Dylan.
03:59And she just like, daddy, I want to do that.
04:01And you know, as a parent, you know, you got parents that take their kids to AAU
04:06and send them to practice and things like that.
04:08So I'm like, if this is what you want to do and you will be serious about it,
04:11then I'll help you as much as I can on my end to pursue this.
04:16What was the first rap you remember doing with your daddy?
04:20My name is Van Van.
04:22Come play.
04:23Okay.
04:24And why was that so special?
04:26Because, like, I was playing outside and I like to play outside.
04:31You do?
04:32Why?
04:33Because I like to play with my scooter.
04:35Okay.
04:36And did people like that song?
04:38Yes.
04:39Why?
04:40Because it was a, it was a great song.
04:42It was a great song.
04:43What made it a great song?
04:44Uh, my, um, my dad's best friend Jay, he, um, helped me did the song and, um, yeah,
04:54and my dad.
04:55And your dad, and you keep looking over there at your dad cause you love him, right?
04:58Yeah.
04:59So your daddy's best friend Jay helped you write the song and you put it out.
05:02And what happened when you put the song out?
05:05Did people start to talk to you about it?
05:07Did people start to like it?
05:09Yes.
05:10They loved it.
05:11How did you know they loved it?
05:12Because my daddy been telling me that I'm very hot.
05:15Playing outside every day was funny because that wasn't even going to be a song.
05:19Really?
05:20We were sitting in the room and I cut on the beat and I'm like, baby, rap something to it.
05:24She was like, my name is Van Van.
05:26I ain't coming to play.
05:27And I put it up and like two days later it was going viral.
05:31And people was like, yo, let's make y'all.
05:33And so she did all her own lyrics.
05:35So the hook.
05:36She writes all her own.
05:37She writes the hooks.
05:38Got it.
05:39She does the hooks.
05:40But the songs, we do those together.
05:41Yeah, it makes sense.
05:42I mean, I can't do it at 40 something.
05:44Like five.
05:45Right.
05:46So we do those together.
05:47And if I put something down, she'd be like, that don't sound right.
05:50I'm telling you like, we be in the studio or anything, she'd be like, daddy, that don't sound right.
05:55She throws her own words in there and Kenya's like, yo, that does sound better.
05:59Like, because she knows music so much.
06:02The way she knows music is out of this world.
06:04I'm going to do a better one.
06:06I heard you want to be an actress.
06:08Yes.
06:09Why?
06:10Because my favorite thing to do.
06:12So do you like?
06:13My movie came out.
06:14Girl, tell me.
06:15You can tell me nothing about a movie.
06:16What do you mean a movie came out?
06:18My movie that I did, Crossover the World.
06:21So when did you finish this movie?
06:23Last year.
06:24Last year.
06:25Last year.
06:26That's a great answer.
06:27Tell me about, I think, do you have a little brother?
06:31Little sister.
06:32Little sister.
06:33Little sister.
06:34How does it feel to be a big sister?
06:37Oh, oh, oh.
06:38What is that?
06:39Amazing.
06:40Yeah.
06:41Why does it feel so amazing?
06:44Because I get to play with her.
06:47Yeah.
06:48And when she turns two years old, it's so much fun.
06:51Yeah.
06:52I think she's not going to be a rapper like me.
06:56You don't think she's going to be a rapper like you?
06:57Why?
06:58Because I want us to be rap sisters.
07:00Yeah.
07:01But I think she's not going to rap like me.
07:04I think she's going to sing like my mama.
07:06Your mama sings?
07:07What's your favorite song to hear your mama sing?
07:10Oh, I want to dance with somebody.
07:12Hey!
07:13So tell me the origins.
07:14Because what she is going to show me when we start again is how to do the Van Van Shuffle.
07:17But tell me the origins of the Van Van Shuffle.
07:20Man, she's just been moving ever since she's been born.
07:22Yes.
07:23Moving.
07:24Yep.
07:25And she always like to move her arms and stuff.
07:26So me, being an old head, you know, I think about old school stuff.
07:30So I just, you know, the Shawty Lowe and all of them from Georgia just used to do that all the time.
07:35So I'm like, Van and just move your arms, baby.
07:37Because you don't want to get into that other stuff.
07:39Yeah.
07:40So she just stopped.
07:41But all that extra stuff, she put it with it.
07:43Wait, hold it.
07:44Okay.
07:45Like this?
07:46Yes.
07:47Like this.
07:48Okay.
07:49Yes, ma'am.
07:50And then I put my left hand up and then I move it like this.
07:53There we go.
07:54Come on!
07:55Look at me shuffle it!
07:56But I don't know no lyrics.
07:57You got to do the lyrics.
07:58I put my right hand up, then I bring the left.
08:00Wait, I lost my rhythm.
08:01Hey!
08:02Did you go to a studio to record it?
08:03Yes.
08:04I went to a studio to record it.
08:05Yes.
08:06I went to a studio to record it.
08:07I went to a studio to record it.
08:08Yes.
08:09I went to a studio to record it.
08:12Yes.
08:13I went to the studio that we're at right now.
08:16So tell us what you did when you came into the studio.
08:19So.
08:20I was singing like this.
08:21Uh-huh.
08:22My name is Vivi.
08:23What?
08:24And here, and in here.
08:25Uh-huh.
08:26So they can hear what I'm saying and hear what I'm doing good.
08:30What was your favorite thing about being in this studio?
08:32Uh, because I like these animal prints.
08:35You like the animal prints?
08:36Like which one?
08:37All of this.
08:38All of this?
08:39You call these animal prints?
08:41Yes.
08:42Which animal is it?
08:43Uh, I think it's a zebra.
08:44It could be a zebra.
08:45I mean, some zebras have squiggly lines.
08:48You have a zebra on them.
08:50Yes.
08:51If there were other girls that are five years old that wanted to rap, what would you tell
09:00them about how to rap?
09:02Just work hard and listen to your parents and be yourself.
09:07I think that's phenomenal advice for grown-ups.
09:10Interviewing her here.
09:11I don't think I've seen Van Van smile that much because I watch her videos.
09:14Mm-hmm.
09:15Because one of my favorite things about her content is that happy, sad, same face.
09:19Right.
09:20Especially when she's doing a shuffle.
09:22Right.
09:23Because I was like, this child has the same face.
09:25Right.
09:26What's happening?
09:27It's like...
09:28Right.
09:29And it's hilarious.
09:30Yeah.
09:31It's hilarious.
09:32So, you can imagine that in this day and age, kids who are on social media and what is
09:38both how parents are celebrated but also how they're criticized unfairly.
09:42Oh, yeah.
09:43Do you guys deal with some of that?
09:44No.
09:45What do people say and how do you deal with it?
09:46Oh, yeah.
09:47They criticize me.
09:48Because they make up some stories.
09:49They will.
09:50Because we ain't some other family to start with a cake.
09:52Yeah.
09:53Yeah.
09:54They'll make up.
09:55But one thing that we keep her content wholesome.
09:59So, when Van Van is all grown up, who does she want to meet?
10:06Do you have any favorite singers?
10:08Yes.
10:09Who?
10:10Beyonce, Lele, Young Dylan.
10:12Who is your favorite person you have met?
10:15Because you meet a lot of people and a lot of people are your fans.
10:18Three stops.
10:19Are you still playing outside every day?
10:21Oh.
10:22Wow.
10:23I hope you are.
10:24Well, you know what?
10:25Can I say something to you?
10:26It's you.
10:27Sister, I was about to say you're my favorite person.
10:29So, guess what?
10:30No high five of you is going to leave me hanging.
10:32Vanna loves church.
10:34She loves God.
10:35Listen, she'll come to me and be like, Daddy, we need to pray.
10:38Really?
10:39And that's one thing, like, people don't see that stuff about her.
10:42And I honestly think that's why God is blessing her career, just because of who she
10:46is, like, in that light.
10:48Listen.
10:49I want you to know that I came to visit you because I am one of your biggest fans.
10:56I think you're great.
10:58I love everything that you do.
11:01What I really love about you is that...
11:04Your raps.
11:05My raps.
11:06My raps is so cool.
11:08Your raps are cool.
11:09I mean, I have to give that, sister.
11:11Your raps are cool.
11:12But you know what else I like about you?
11:15What I love about you is you are yourself.
11:18And you are yourself.
11:20What I love about you is how kind you are.
11:22What I love about you is how you use music to make people happy.
11:28And what I love about you is how creative you are.
11:33And how much you already know and do at only five years old.
11:39You are phenomenal.
11:42You are wonderful.
11:45You're welcome.
11:46And I am a fan of yours.
11:48I am a Van Van fan.
11:51You're welcome.
11:52How do you nurture and take care of that that is her?
11:59Like, what do you guys do?
12:00Like, what do you do?
12:02So, I think that, you know, like my husband said, we are grounded.
12:07So, we are family of prayer.
12:08We pray over her.
12:09But also, like, for her, she likes to express herself.
12:12And I feel like some parents, like, they may feel like, okay, that's being, you know, like, too easy.
12:18I think we have a nice medium there.
12:20Like, we allow her to express herself.
12:23But also, she knows, like, there's rules.
12:25There's discipline that she, you know, you have to, you got to know when to do this and when to do that.
12:31And just, you know, but still let her have fun.
12:33Like, she, I mean, I'm sure people can see online and on any platform or any person that she has fun.
12:39She, you know, she has a good life.
12:42She loves her life.
12:43She loves her family.
12:44She's family-oriented.
12:45And I just think that you just got to allow them to be themselves.
12:51Like she said in her previously, she said, you know, just be yourself.
12:55I love that advice.
12:56Yeah, that's her advice.
12:57Again, from a five-year-old.
12:58Yeah, that's her advice.
12:59And that's what she does.
13:00The magazine that you're going to be in is called Essence.
13:05Have you ever heard of it?
13:06Yes, Essence Festival.
13:08What you know about Essence Festival?
13:10Were you there?
13:12I performed.
13:14When I wake up in a Christmas tree.
13:18When I wake up in a Christmas tree.
13:22Do you know who's in charge of the Essence Festival?
13:25Yes.
13:26What?
13:27Okay, so listen.
13:28So, when we are done with all of this, you will be in the pages.
13:37Of Essence Magazine.
13:39And I'm pretty sure you're probably the youngest person we've ever put in there.
13:46But you know what makes me even happier?
13:48What?
13:49That you are a gorgeous, smart, talented, creative, and kind black girl.
14:00And that magazine Essence, which is 50 years old, so like five plus zero.
14:08I know that's a big number, isn't it?
14:10But it is 50 years old.
14:11And for 50 years, the people in that magazine have been wonderful black girls.
14:19And you get to be one too.
14:21One thing I love about Vanna is, like when you ask them, you want me to call you Savannah or Van Van?
14:27Savannah.
14:28Yeah.
14:29Like she knows what she does and what she loves to do.
14:33But at the end of the day, I'm Savannah.
14:35Yes.
14:36You know, even at school.
14:37Yes.
14:38Decisively.
14:39You know, the teachers be like, hey.
14:40I remember when she first saw, hey, what do you want us to call you?
14:42Savannah.
14:43Yeah.
14:44You know, and like she loves that.
14:45Even me, one day, and this is funny, just this week, I made up.
14:49I was like, Van Van.
14:50She's like, daddy, why you call me that?
14:52I'm like, baby, you're right.
14:53I meant Vanna.
14:54She's like, daddy, why did you call me that?
14:56Like, but she knows who she is.
14:58You know, she knows when I rap, I'm Van Van, but I'm Savannah at the end of the day.
15:04So here's what's so powerful about that, right?
15:06Like we have these famous names in black culture, right?
15:11That are in entertainment that we hear these stories all the time.
15:15They have an entertainment persona and then they have their personal persona, but their entertainment
15:21persona overtakes.
15:23And we talking about grown adults.
15:25So for a five-year-old to have that sense of how to compartmentalize is, like I said
15:33before, is a foundation for what kind of phenomenal adult she's going to be if she knows that now.
15:40Right.
15:41Does she deal with anything from other kids that isn't necessarily positive or negative?
15:47Like how do other kids in her age group interact with her?
15:51I heard about all 72 of the best friends, which I put myself on that list.
15:55But like how does the interaction with other five-year-olds go?
15:59I'll go.
16:00Yeah.
16:01So her school, only one kid knows she raps.
16:05Really?
16:06One.
16:07And of course she, you know, she goes to a private school.
16:10But like her friends, they love her.
16:13You know, they want to always be up under her, be around her when she's around.
16:17But, you know, I don't know what it's still, I don't know if it's because she's Van Van,
16:22but at the end of the day, like people, kids just love being around her.
16:26What I loved about when we were interviewing her in the other location was as much as she
16:30has this confidence and clarity, she would pick these times to like look for her dad.
16:34Yes.
16:35Or look at her mom and like either try to whisper or like you would just move and she'd be like,
16:39what is he moving?
16:40Right.
16:41Exactly.
16:42Right?
16:43And I love that because to your point, it reminds you she's five.
16:46Right.
16:47Yeah.
16:48Like what five-year-old isn't always looking for their mom and daddy.
16:50Exactly.
16:51Right?
16:52And like I can imagine that when you have somebody who is that mature of a spirit, you
16:56may sometimes forget she's five.
16:57You forget.
16:58Right?
16:59So I think part of what I love about what you guys are saying about how you parent her
17:02is you let her be all the parts of her.
17:04Right.
17:05Because I love it.
17:06She was like, mom, what's the person's name?
17:07Right?
17:08And you just gave it to her.
17:09She goes over here, does a whole thing with no interruption.
17:12And I just loved watching her be five.
17:15I thought it was wonderful.
17:16And you guys are, you're creating.
17:18And I meant what I said to her when I was talking about the magazine, whether she fully
17:22understood it or not, it was really important to me to say it to her that being in that magazine
17:27will make somebody look at that magazine in a few years and say they want to be her.
17:31Yeah.
17:32Right?
17:33And I look forward to the world where more kids are like this at five because of what
17:38they'll then do when they're 50.
17:39Yeah.
17:40Right?
17:41Because we know 50-year-olds that are trying to repair the five-year-old themselves.
17:42Right.
17:43But I just want to like be sitting right here and pose.
17:47And I'll do the grand man show and I'll get up.
17:51Yeah.
17:52When you think about, when you think about her in 10, 15 years, what do you see?
18:03Handle your business, daddy.
18:05I know what you're doing.
18:06Yeah.
18:07Um, I don't know.
18:10And I, we talked to XXL and XXL asked her, it was like, can you imagine what she's going
18:16to be like when she's 12?
18:17I said, I, I don't know.
18:19I, right now I'm just trying to raise her to what, if I leave this earth, I want her
18:23to be strong and be able to take care of herself, like at all costs.
18:28Congratulations to you.
18:30Um, cause I can imagine that there's a, there's probably a duality to nurturing, but also
18:37still being a parent.
18:38Right.
18:39And protecting and letting her have fun.
18:41And so I look forward to seeing what her sister going to do.
18:44Can I have a hug?
18:45Bye.
18:46Oh, not my whole eye.
18:49Okay.
18:50It was nice to meet you love.
18:52Nice to meet you.
18:53Have a good day.
18:54Bye.
18:55Bye.
18:56Bye.
18:57Bye.
18:58Bye.
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