Nobody Knows | The Tony Rich Song Everyone Thought Was Babyface

9 min

•Dec 30, 20255 months ago

Summary

Shawn Stockman discusses the long-standing misconception that Babyface wrote and produced Tony Rich's hit song "Nobody Knows," when it was actually written by Tony Rich about his father. The episode explores how artist comparisons and industry assumptions led to decades of confusion, with Stockman sharing personal anecdotes about correcting the record.

Insights

Artist misattribution persists for decades due to sonic similarities and industry timing rather than actual involvement, requiring direct correction from creators themselves
Radio personalities and media gatekeepers can perpetuate false narratives based on assumptions about label relationships and artist associations rather than verified credits
Emerging artists inevitably face comparisons to established contemporaries until they develop distinct enough identities, which is a natural but sometimes frustrating part of career development
Direct communication with media outlets about factual errors is necessary to combat misinformation, though it often requires artists to repeatedly defend their own work

Trends

Persistent misattribution of songs to more famous producers despite clear album credits and liner notesSocial media amplification of false music industry narratives that spread faster than correctionsNeed for better music industry transparency and education about production credits and songwriting attributionArtist identity confusion when working within established label ecosystems with multiple high-profile producersGenerational knowledge gaps about music credits as streaming era reduces liner note visibility

Topics

Music production credits and attributionBabyface's influence on R&B production in the 1990sTony Rich's "Nobody Knows" songwriting and productionArtist identity and brand differentiationRadio station accuracy and music journalismSongwriter and producer recognitionMusic industry misconceptions and urban legendsVocal comparison and artist similarityAlbum liner notes and production transparencyR&B music history and production trends

Companies

Star 94 (Atlanta radio station)

Radio station where Stockman confronted a DJ about incorrectly crediting Babyface for "Nobody Knows"

People

Tony Rich

R&B artist and songwriter who wrote and produced "Nobody Knows" about his father, subject of the episode's main discu...

Babyface (Kenneth Edmonds)

Legendary R&B producer frequently misattributed as writer/producer of "Nobody Knows" due to sonic similarities and era

Shawn Stockman

Boyz II Men member and podcast host discussing music industry misconceptions and artist comparisons from his experience

Anita Baker

R&B artist referenced as example of artist who faced early career comparisons before establishing distinct identity

Tony Braxton

R&B artist referenced as example of artist compared to Anita Baker early in career before establishing own identity

Quotes

"Every artist gets compared to another artist until they're not."

Shawn Stockman•Early in episode

"My brother wrote that song. It's about our father who passed away from the 1719."

Shawn Stockman (quoting Tony Rich)•Mid-episode

"Why did you lie? Why did you just say what you said?"

Shawn Stockman (quoting his confrontation with radio DJ)•Mid-episode

"I understand comparisons because when people hear a voice, if they don't hear those voices, like if you play me and Kenny's voice side by side, we don't sound the same."

Shawn Stockman•Mid-episode

Full Transcript

You know what's interesting is I saw just going around a few weeks ago that people thought for the longest time that nobody knows was baby facing in that record. Yeah, bro. Yeah, I know. I know. I want. Yeah. Like what you guys have seen it too. Yeah. Oh, for sure. Everybody thought. I mean, I was used. I was like, that's important to me. Everybody. Yes. I thought it was baby because you had that the yodel kind of like, you know, that way. And we're both second tenor. Yes. Yes. And I was on the face record. Yeah. And he was on the face. And and then we thought all face wrote it because it had very much where and can I see you again type vibes and that type of thing. The acoustics that, you know, so how did that? I've actually heard this before. So how did that make you feel? Well, I didn't feel good about it, but I understood where it was coming from because every artist gets compared to another artist until they're not. Tony Braxton was compared to Anita Baker until she wasn't. But what it was was amazing to steal to this day in 2025. There are people online that swear up and down that Kenny wrote and produced that song. They even swearing down that they've seen a performance live that he has an actual video for it. And I said, it's not true. Yeah. I remember one time. I was starting at his weird star 94 in Atlanta. I was pulling in because of the face. Their offices was in the same building. I was pulling in and nobody knows his plan on the radio. And then I heard the guy said, and that was the Tony Rich project. That song was written by a baby face and baby face even doing the backgrounds. I went straight to that radio station. And I go in there and I'm talking with the guy said, dude, I just heard you. He said, man, I love the record. I said, but why did you? Why did you lie? Why did you just say what you said? He said, because they faced rowdy, didn't he? I said, no, he didn't actually. He said, I said, my brother wrote that song. It's about our father who passed away from the 1719. And I said, if you look on the credits, I did the background. Yeah. Just you look at the production. I produced it. I played the instruments. But I was like, I'm just on the label. He says, well, my bad. We just assumed that that was the case because you're on the label. And and I understand comparisons because when people hear a voice, if they don't hear those voices, like if you play me and Kenny's voice side by side, we don't sound the same. No, you don't. But but it's memories and because of that time too, right where face was at his height. Exactly. And and you hear face-ish. Exactly. Type of things you're going to instantly think like people's swore that shy was boys' demand. Like if I ever fall in love. Yeah. Because we were the they thought it was us because we were the ones that only ones at that time that scored a big record like a fella. Yeah, exactly. So anybody else that I always thought that record obviously could have gone your way. They swore it was us. They swore it was us. We had to keep telling people that's not us. But I wasn't upset about that because I understood, you know, I came to the face as a writer producer at the time when LA and Kenny had had split. Yeah. I've only met Kenny on two occasions. I've spoke to him on the phone one time. I've been around him only twice for like a couple minutes at time. So we never had an opportunity to we never got that it never happened where we were able to work together. Yeah. Yeah. That would be interesting because yeah. Because I got I got married respectfully for him as a as a as a songwriter and producer. Amen. I hate to be a cliche. What's that? Well, there's always a segment in my show where that baby face record. Yeah. He's a thing that baby. That was funny because recently Kenny did an interview and someone asked him that he's like, no, he said, no, I didn't write that song. And I wanted to say like, did y'all hear that? Right. Oh, what kind of guitar is that? It's a it's a Yamaha. Oh, Yamaha. Yeah. Yeah. And was funny about this is that you know, I never since I've been playing. It's a very cool guitar. It's a looper and it has like effects and oh, it has a looper built into. Oh, yeah. Oh, that's nice. It's a looper and everything. So I could loop this if I wanted to. Yeah. But yeah, I think I heard you doing that with like 112. Yeah. Mmm hmm. Mmm hmm. And I pretend that I was glad you went away. And these four walls closing more every day, and I'm dying inside. And nobody knows it but me. And I'm dying inside. And nobody knows it but me. Like a clown, I put on a show. The pain is real, even if nobody knows. And I'm crying inside. And nobody knows it but me. Or I did not say the things I need to say. How could I let my angel get away? And now my world is just a tumble and down. I can say it so clearly, but you know where I belong. The nights are lonely, the days are so sad. And I just keep thinking about the love that we had. And I'm missing you. And nobody knows it but me. That's all I need. Ladies and gentlemen, please give it a nice one once again. And the days are so sad. And I just keep thinking about the love that we had. And I'm missing you. And nobody knows it but me. Mr. Tony Rachel. Come on man.