Jennifer Lynn Lopez Biography, hot actress

• 42, from The Bronx
• Began her career as a dancer on the TV show In Living Color
• Her first two albums debuted at number one on the Billboard 200
• Was named the most “Beautiful Person” by People magazine in 2011

Biography

Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), popularly nicknamed J.Lo, is a Puerto-Rican American pop and R&B singer, actress, record producer, dancer, model, fashion and perfume designer and film and television producer. She is the richest person of Latin American descent in Hollywood according to Forbes, and the most influential Hispanic entertainer in America according to People en Español’s list of “100 Most Influential Hispanics”.

Starting in 1999, Lopez released seven albums, including two #1 albums on the Billboard 200 charts and four Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles. She won the 2003 American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and the 2007 American Music Award for Favorite Latin Artist. She has appeared in numerous films, and has won ALMA Awards for outstanding actress for her work in Selena, Out of Sight, and Angel Eyes. She parlayed her media fame into a fashion line and various perfumes with her celebrity endorsement.

Media attention has also focused on her personal life. She has had high-profile relationships with Ojani Noa, Cris Judd, Sean Combs, Ben Affleck, and Marc Anthony. Her first children, fraternal twins named Max and Emme, were born on February 22, 2008.

Jennifer Lopez was born and grew up in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents Guadalupe Rodriguez and David Lopez. She has two sisters, Lynda and Leslie.

Jennifer Lopez financed singing and dancing lessons from the age of 16. After she dropped out of college, Lopez pursued her talent for dance. She split her time between her job at a law office, taking dance classes, and dancing in Manhattan clubs at night. She got her first spot and started out in television as a video girl for rap artist MC Hammer, also a guest spot on the American Music Awards. Her first regular high profile gig was as a “fly girl” dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color in 1990 after being twice rejected. She then left the show after the second season due to friction with another dancer.

Lopez’s debut album On The 6, a reference to the 6 subway line she used to take growing up in Castle Hill was released on June 1, 1999, and reached the top ten of the Billboard 200. The album featured the Billboard Hot 100 number-one lead single, “If You Had My Love”,, as well as the top ten hit “Waiting for Tonight”. The album also featured a Spanish language, Latin-flavored duet “No Me Ames” with Marc Anthony (who later would become her husband.) Though “No Me Ames” never had a commercial release, it reached number one on the U.S. Hot Latin Tracks. On the 6 featured guest artists such as Big Pun and Fat Joe on the track “Feelin’ So Good”, which had moderate success on the Billboard Hot 100. “Let’s Get Loud”, the final single, earned Lopez a Grammy Award nomination in the “Best Dance Recording” category in 2001 Grammy Awards. “Waiting for Tonight” was nominated for the same category the previous year. “No Me Ames” received two nominations at the 2000 Latin Grammy Awards — “Best Pop Duo/Group with Vocal Performance” and “Best Music Video”.

Lopez’s second album, J. Lo, was released on January 23, 2001 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. When her film The Wedding Planner achieved number one shortly after, Lopez become the first actress-singer to have a film and an album at number one in the same week. The lead single, “Love Don’t Cost a Thing”, was her first number-one single in the United Kingdom and took her into the top five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. She followed it up with “Play” which gave her another top twenty hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number three in the UK. Her next two singles were “I’m Real” and “Ain’t It Funny” which were quickly rising up the charts. To capitalize on this, Lopez asked The Inc. Records (then known as Murder Inc.) to remix both songs, which featured rap artists Ja Rule (on both) and Caddillac Tah (on the “Ain’t It Funny” remix). Both remixes reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for several weeks. She re-released J. Lo on her thirty-second birthday with the remix of “I’m Real” as a bonus track. Also, “Si Ya Se Acabó” was released in Spain, due to the success “Que Ironia”.

Following the success of the re-release of J. Lo, Lopez decided to devote an entire album to the remixing effort, releasing J to tha L-O!: The Remixes, on February 5, 2002. This album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first remix album in history to debut at the top on the chart. Featured artists on J to tha L-O!: The Remixes included P. Diddy, Fat Joe, and Nas, and the album included rare dance and hip hop remixes of past singles. It is the third all-time biggest-selling remix album in the world, after Michael Jackson’s Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix (1997) and Madonna’s You Can Dance (1987).

On November 26, 2002, Lopez released her third studio album, This Is Me… Then, which reached number two on the Billboard 200 and spawned four singles: “Jenny from the Block” (featuring Jadakiss and Styles P), which reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100; “All I Have” (featuring LL Cool J), which spent multiple weeks at number one; “I’m Glad”; and “Baby I Love U!”. The album included a cover of Carly Simon’s 1978 “You Belong to Me”.

After a year away from the music scene, Lopez released her fourth studio album, Rebirth, on March 1, 2005. Although debuting and peaking at number two on the Billboard 200, the album quickly fell off the charts. It spawned the hit “Get Right”, which reached the top fifteen in the U.S. and became her second Platinum hit (after “If You Had My Love”). “Get Right” was also successful in the UK, becoming her second number-one single there. The second single, “Hold You Down”, which featured Fat Joe, reached number sixty-four on the U.S. Hot 100; it peaked at number six in the UK and ascended to the top twenty in Australia. Another song, “Cherry Pie”, was slated for a release in late 2005, but the plans to make a video were cancelled as the album sales were definitely too weak and the promotion budget exceeded. It was released to radio stations in Spain. Rebirth was certified Platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA. Lopez was then featured on LL Cool J’s single “Control Myself”, which was released on February 1, 2006. It reached number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the UK Singles Chart. It was Lopez’s first U.S. top ten hit in three years.

Lopez officially released her first full Spanish-language album, called Como Ama Una Mujer, on March 27, 2007 in the U.S. and March 23, 2007 in Europe. Her husband, singer Marc Anthony, produced the album with Estefano, except for “Qué Hiciste”, which Anthony co-produced with Julio Reyes. The album peaked at number ten on the U.S. Billboard 200, number one on the U.S. Top Latin Albums (for four straight weeks), number one on the U.S. Latin Pop Albums (for seven straight weeks), and number one hundred and thirty-one in the UK. The album did well in Europe peaking at number three on the albums chart, mainly due to the big success in countries like Switzerland, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Greece, Germany, Austria, and Portugal. The lead single, “Qué Hiciste” (Spanish for “What Did You Do”), was officially released to radio stations in January 2007. Since then, it has peaked at eighty-six on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Latin Songs and the Hot Dance Club Play. It also went top ten on the European chart. The video for the song was the first Spanish-language video to peak at number one on MTV’s Total Request Live daily countdown. The second single released is called “Me Haces Falta” and the third is “Por Arriesgarnos”. Lopez won an American Music Award as the Favorite Latin Artist in 2007. Como Ama una Mujer according to the United World Chart, it is #3 on the best selling Spanish albums of 2007 and #37 on the best selling albums so far of 2007. Como Ama una Mujer holds the record for the best opening week internet sales for a Spanish album. With Como Ama Una Mujer, Jennifer Lopez is one of the few performers to debut in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 with a Spanish album.

Just over six months later, on October 9, 2007, Lopez released her fifth English studio album (sixth studio album overall). She collaborated with producers Midi Mafia, J. R. Rotem, Lynn and Wade and Ryan Tedder, with Rotem working on some tracks with writing partner Evan “Kidd” Bogart.[20] Earlier, on August 26, 2007, ABC premiered a promo for the fourth season of Desperate Housewives, featuring a snippet of the song “Mile In These Shoes”. “Do It Well” was released as the lead single and reached the top 20 in many countries. “Hold It, Don’t Drop It” was released as the second single in only in some countries from Europe.

Billboard Magazine reported, on July 24, 2007, that Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony would “co-headline” a worldwide tour called “Juntos en Concierto” starting in New Jersey on September 29. Tickets went on sale August 10. The tour was a mix of her current music, older tunes and Spanish music. In a later press release, Lopez announced a detailed itinerary. The tour launched September 28, 2007 at the Mark G. Etess Arena and ended on November 7, 2007 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.

At the end of their last concert in Miami on November 7, 2007, Jennifer and Marc proudly announced that they were expecting a child, officially putting to rest the widespread speculation that she was pregnant. Rumors of the pregnancy involving twins soon erupted, and were finally confirmed with the birth of twins, Max and Emme in New York on February 22, 2008.

To celebrate 10 years in music Jennifer will release a Greatest Hits album which will include, besides her smash hits, new songs she is currently recording. The Latina superstar hopes her upcoming Greatest Hits album will hit stores in October this year. The new material for the album will be produced by Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, Cory Rooney and The Matrix. On the album the singer will resume to her musical style, but she will add rhythms and a danceable style to her remarkable funky, hip hop, r&b and dancy sound, so it will be different from her previous music productions.

Lopez is one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood and the highest-paid Latin actress in Hollywood history, though she’s never had a film grossing over $100 million in the U.S. She rose to fame in 1997, when she was chosen to play the role of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez in “Selena”. Lopez earned a critical and commercial approvament and a Golden Globe nomination. Lopez appeared in the 2007 Guinness World Records as the most powerful actress. She was on the The Hollywood Reporter’s list of the top ten actress salaries in 2002, 2003, and 2004. She received $15,000,000 for her role in Monster-in-Law. Her top-grossing film domestically is Maid in Manhattan which grossed $94,011,225, and her most successful international film, Shall We Dance?, grossed $112,238,000 at the international box office. Domestically, Shall We Dance? grossed $57,890,460 and a total of $170,128,460 worldwide.

Wilson, Renowned Gap Band Singer Charlie Wilson Discusses His Album, Charlie, Last Name Wilson

Charlie Wilson

Charlie Wilson is considered by many to be one of the great R&B male vocalists of the past three decades. As the lead singer and co-writer for pioneering funk/R&B group, the Gap Band, he has sung on such classic hits as “Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt

Me),” “Outstanding,” “Early In The Morning,” “You Dropped A Bomb On Me,” “Yearning For Your Love” and “Party Train.” Now with the help of executive producer R. Kelly, Wilson has returned with a new solo album, Charlie, Last Name Wilson on Jive Records. The album’s first single, also titled “Charlie, Last Name Wilson,” has already become a Top 10 R&B hit.

This is Wilson’s third solo album release, and his first since Bridging The Gap in 2001. It is an excellent CD, containing a diversified set of smooth, soulful ballads, funk/rap uptempo tracks, and solid midtempo cuts. Charlie, Last Name Wilson features three songs written & produced by R. Kelly, including the title track single and the beautiful ballad, “No Words.” The album also features guest appearances by Snoop Dogg, Twista, Justin Timberlake, and will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.

In a new interview, Wilson talked about the making of this album, and how he collaborated with R. Kelly and other top artists and writer/producers. He explained that his current focus is definitely his solo album and touring as a solo artist. However, he mentioned that he still enjoys working on Gap Band-related projects, and at some point in the future, he will perform and record again with Gap Band members (and his brothers) Robert and Ronnie Wilson.

The foundation for this new album was laid when Wilson got together with R. Kelly, who is a longtime admirer of Wilson & the Gap Band. “From day one, R. Kelly has always proclaimed himself a modern day Charlie Wilson,” said Wilson. “He and I had been talking about collaborating for years, and now it’s finally happened.” Besides writing three songs for the CD, R Kelly introduced Wilson to Jive Records, and served as the album’s executive producer.

Wilson usually co-writes and produces his own albums, but he decided to concentrate on his singing, and let R. Kelly and others handle most of the writing and producing (except for “Cry No More,” which Wilson co-wrote). “I decided to step back and let R. Kelly and the other producers do the work, and they did a great job,” explained Wilson.

“The first song I recorded with R. Kelly (at Kelly’s studio in Chicago) was the title track. I already knew he was talented, but it was then I realized he was a genius,” Wilson said. “We also did the ballad ‘No Words,’ which is my favorite song, because it’s so powerful. Basically, it’s me singing from the women’s perspective. I know some men are going to be mad that I’m saying these things, because now they might have to stop playing basketball long enough to buy their lady some flowers.”

For the new album, Johnson also wrote about what she was going through, which was a period of being single again and experiencing new love and relationships. “Being single changes things. You know how when you get free from somebody you get kind of loose? You wanna party. I was sort of in that quote-un-quote ‘crowd’ for awhile so I began to see and experience a lot of things. I’ve been around my peers more since my divorce. My material has been influenced by that.”

Following his sessions in Chicago with R. Kelly, Wilson returned to Los Angeles (where he lives) and collaborated with longtime friend Snoop Dogg on the uptempo cut, “You Got Nerve.” Wilson and Snoop have recorded together on several projects since 1995. In addition, Wilson hooked up with Justin Timberlake and will.i.am on the laidback, funky track, “Floatin’.” “It was great working with both Justin and will.i.am. Justin is a very talented kid, and he’s also real humble. And Will is like a modern day Sly Stone – he’s on his way to great things.”

Wilson also worked with rap artist Twista on the high-energy funk track, “It’s So Hot.” “Twista came in near the end of the project,” explained Wilson. “We were mastering the album and about to deliver it to Jive, and he came in to do a great rap on ‘It’s So Hot.’”

Another noteworthy song on the album, is Wilson’s excellent remake of the hit ballad by Guy, “Let’s Chill” (written by Teddy Riley & Bernard Belle), which was produced by the Platinum Brothers and Larry “Rock” Campbell. It’s interesting and slightly ironic that Wilson chose to record this song, since many music fans have long thought that Guy (and lead singer Aaron Hall) was highly influenced by the Gap Band’s sound and vocal style. But the song is a perfect match for Wilson’s soulful vocals, and it’s a terrific cover idea for this album.

Now with the album release of Charlie, Last Name Wilson, this veteran artist is looking forward to additional success with his solo career. “I think the new album came out great – it’s one of my finest pieces of work,” he said. “I’m excited that people will be hearing this album, and I hope they feel the same way about it as I do.”

Syleena Johnson

Syleena Johnson

During the past few years, singer/songwriter Syleena Johnson has emerged as an unique and popular artist who skillfully blends modern R&B, hip-hop and classic soul/blues. She has already had two successful album releases on Jive Records, Chapter One: Love, Pain and Forgiveness and Chapter Two: The Voice, which included the R&B hit singles “I Am Your Woman,” “Guess What” and “Tonight I’m Gonna Let Go”. In addition, she was the featured vocalist on the Kanye West smash hit, “All Falls Down” (from his The College Dropout CD).

Johnson has just released her third album, Chapter Three: The Flesh, which again demonstrates her powerful, soulful vocals. As this title would indicate, this CD explores more openly passionate and sexual themes. The new songs reflect Johnson’s perspective and experiences this past year, following her recent divorce and subsequent return to experiencing life and romance as a single person. Johnson co-wrote most of the songs on the CD, creating lyrics and melodies.

For her new album, Johnson collaborated with several of the top writer/producers in urban music, who were excited to be working with her. She again teamed up with superstar R. Kelly (who has written & produced cuts on each of her albums) on two songs, the uptempo “Hypnotic” (featuring a rap by Fabolous) and the sensuous midtempo tune, “Special Occasion". “R. Kelly is my mentor,” said Johnson. “He’s a great friend. But I’m one of his biggest fans at the same time. I strive to be the female R. Kelly.’

The CD also features excellent collaborations with other leading hitmakers, including Kanye West, Jermaine Dupri and Kay-Gee. In addition, the album features guest vocal appearances by Anthony Hamilton, Common, Twista and other artists. One of the highlights is a strong, emotional and hooky ballad called “Another Relationship” (co-written by Johnson), which is her latest single.

Johnson discussed how she likes to create a concept and theme for each album (thus the titles Chapters One, Two and Three). “As a writer I’m like a storyteller,” she said. “When I first signed with Jive Records, I wrote about what was going on in my life at the time. I kept a journal, and I wrote many of the lyrics based on my journal notes. For my second album (Chapter Two: The Voice) I was in a place of spirituality, discovering God again. I was in such an anointed place that I didn’t need to keep a journal – the lyrics were flowing out of me because I was so moved.”

For the new album, Johnson also wrote about what she was going through, which was a period of being single again and experiencing new love and relationships. “Being single changes things. You know how when you get free from somebody you get kind of loose? You wanna party. I was sort of in that quote-un-quote ‘crowd’ for awhile so I began to see and experience a lot of things. I’ve been around my peers more since my divorce. My material has been influenced by that.”

Syleena Johnson

Johnson also discussed her writing and recording process, and how she hooked up with the writer/producers for her CD. “When we’re starting a new project, my A&R exec Wayne Williams does the searching for tracks and collaborators. Wayne goes shopping for me. It’s kind of like shopping for a couple outfits. I’ll try it out, and if it doesn’t fit I’ll take it back to the store. You discover which collaborations work and which ones don’t. In many cases I would receive a track, then I would write the melody and lyrics and see how the song develops.”

Now with the release of Chapter Three: The Flesh, Johnson is keeping a busy schedule, promoting her new CD and preparing for a concert tour. In addition, she remains a full-figure model for the famous Wilhelmina Agency, and she’s the spokesmodel for the Ashley Stewart clothing line. And this Fall, she will be acting in a major production called Cheaters: The Stage Play, which also stars Brian McKnight, Michael Jai White, Wendy R. Robinson, James Avery, Gerald Levert and Tammy Townsend.

“I’m excited about being in Cheaters, which is the first play I’ve done on a major scale,” she said. “It’s got a great cast, and I’m happy that I will be singing ‘Another Relationship’ (her new single) in the play. We will be performing in 10 cities, including Detroit, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Atlanta.”

In the midst of all these projects, Johnson has already thought of an excellent theme and concept for her next album. “Chapter Four will probably have Love as its theme. I want to have an album of beautiful love ballads, about all kinds of relationships which express love. It will be about such relationships as a husband to wife, mother to child, family love, friend to friend, and a love of God.”

Ne-Yo Tells

Ne-Yo

24-year-old Ne-Yo has already established himself as a top, in-demand R&B writer/producer, who is known for co-writing Mario’s #1 hit “Let Me Love You.” In addition, he has recently collaborated on cuts with Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Faith Evans, Chris Brown and Jamie Foxx. However, Ne-Yo will probably be best known soon as a hit artist and performer. His

excellent, debut CD In My Own Words will be released this month on Def Jam Recordings, and he has been showcasing his live performance skills, opening for John Legend on tour.

Ne-Yo is currently keeping a very busy schedule, working on an array of projects. In between his concert performances, he is co-writing and producing cuts for several artists, and overseeing his production company Compound Entertainment, which has a staff of active writer/producers. In addition, Ne-Yo, who has a co-publishing deal with Zomba Music, has been hired to write the entire soundtrack for the upcoming film, Save The Last Dance 2.

In a recent interview, Ne-Yo talked about his debut album, and how he landed his label deal with Def Jam. He also recalled how he got his first cuts as a songwriter, and how he teamed up with hot writer/producer Scott Storch and Kam Houff to write “Let Me Love You” for Mario.

Ne-Yo was born with the name Shaffer Smith, but he changed it to Ne-Yo a few years ago. The name is derived from the character Neo of The Matrix films. His producer friend Big D Evans (whose credits include Digital Underground and Tupac Shakur) once told him, “You see music like Neo sees the Matrix.” The name stuck and he has since become Ne-Yo (with the spelling changed for legal reasons).

Ne-Yo grew up in Arkansas, and later relocated with his mother and family to Las Vegas. He became a musical performer when he was a child, and as a teenager, he gained experience by performing in the EFX Show at the MGM Grand Hotel. Ne-Yo also started to write songs, and he became skilled at writing lyrics and melodies. He also began to network and make connections with pro producers and writers.

“I started getting cuts by collaborating with different production companies,” he recalled. “My first cut was a song called ‘That Girl,’ which was on Marques Houston’s first album. [Throughout this period} I was building connections, and I made sure that I wrote every day. My next cut was “Still In Love,” which was on Nivea’s first album. I also wrote songs for B2K’s movie soundtrack, and for Christina Milian.”

It was in early 2004 that Ne-Yo met Scott Storch, when they were both working on Teedra Moses’s debut album (on TVT Records). Storch invited Ne-Yo to collaborate with him at his studio in Miami, FL, and when Ne-Yo was in Miami a few months later, they got together. At the time, Storch was in the studio working with Mario, so Ne-Yo, Storch and Kam Houff wrote “Let Me Love You” for him. “I had just met Mario,” said Ne-Yo. “We knew we had written a very good song, and Mario went into the studio and knocked it out. Mario did a great job of singing it.” “Let Me Love You” subsequently became a smash single, reaching #1 on both Billboard’s Hot 100 and R&B charts.

It was during the hit period of “Let Me Love You” (in early 2005) that Ne-Yo landed his label deal with Def Jam. “When ‘Let Me Love You’ was moving up the charts, I happened to be in New York with my producer friend Sauce (Curtis “Sauce” Wilson, a member of the group Somethin’ For The People). He knew Tina Davis (Sr. VP of A&R) at Def Jam, so we went up to see her. Sauce was talking to Tina, and I was just sitting there. Then I played Tina some of my songs. It was very casual – I wasn’t auditioning for her. When she heard [and liked] my songs, she asked me if I could perform. So I sang right there in her office. Tina was impressed, so she set up a meeting for me to sing that same day for L.A. Reid (Chairman of Def Jam) at his office. Other Def Jam people also came to his office to hear me sing. I felt like a zebra surrounded by lions. But it went well and they offered me a label deal.”

Ne-Yo spent much of 2005 writing and recording songs for his debut CD, In My Own Words. The album is an excellent collection of R&B/pop songs, and features solid singing by Ne-Yo. The CD includes his first single, “Stay” (featuring Peedi Crakk), and other key cuts such as the midtempo “So Sick,” the old school/R&B “Get Down Like That,” “When You’re Mad,” and “Let Me Get This Right.” In My Own Words should establish Ne-Yo as a prominent new artist in 2006.

Lastly, when asked what advice he would give to aspiring newcomers who want to break into the business, he said: “My advice to new writers and artists is – hone your skills. Take the time to hone your skills. A lot of what the business is today, is meeting the right person at the right time. You’ve got to establish relationships and connections. Somebody’s going to hear your music at some point – someone’s going to find out about it. So you’ve got to be ready for when your opportunity comes. When I met with Def Jam (to see Tina Davis), I hadn’t planned on auditioning for them. But the deal happened because I had the songs and I was ready to perform.”

Anthony Hamilton , Acclaimed R&B/Soul Artist Anthony Hamilton Discusses His Album, Ain't Nobody Worryin'

Anthony Hamilton

Two years ago, Anthony Hamilton emerged as one of the most acclaimed, best-selling artists in the R&B genre, with his platinum album Comin’ From Where I’m From and his hit single “Charlene.” Then earlier this year (2005), the release of his older album Soulife went gold and further solidified his reputation. And now with the release of his new CD Ain’t Nobody Worryin’ (on So So Def/Zomba Records), Hamilton is set to attract an even larger audience.

Hamilton has become known for having a powerful, distinctive voice, in the tradition of great soul singers like Bill Withers, Bobby Womack and Otis Redding. He is also a talented songwriter, and he co-wrote all 12 songs on his new album, with such top writer/producers as Mark Batson, Raphael Saadiq, James Poyser and Kelvin Wooten.

In a new interview, Hamilton talked about the making of Ain’t Nobody Worryin’, and some of the key songs on the album. He also discussed his long, career path (starting with his first record deal in 1993) and the struggles and frustrations he experienced, before finally breaking through as an artist. In addition, Hamilton spoke about his collaborations with other artists (as a performer or songwriter) for their

projects, which have helped establish him as multi-faceted, wide-ranging talent.

Hamilton grew up in Charlotte, NC, where he first heard the classic soul artists that inspired him. “I loved listening to Al Green, Bill Withers, James Taylor, Johnnie Taylor, Gladys Knight and other great artists when I was growing up,” he recalled. Hamilton began singing in local church choirs at age 10, and he spent his teen years making the rounds and performing on the local nightclub and talent show circuit.

Then in 1993, Hamilton left Charlotte for New York City, where he signed with Uptown Records, which was one of the hottest R&B labels at the time (with Jodeci, Guy and Heavy D). However, by the time Hamilton had recorded his debut album (in 1995), the label had folded. He did make a switch to MCA Records, but his official debut album XTC was largely overlooked when it was released in 1996.

In 1999, Hamilton signed with Los Angeles-based Soulife Records, and he was anticipating the release of this album, which he had recorded and completed. However, this label also went out of business, which left his album unreleased (until it was finally issued with the title Soulife in 2005 by Atlantic/Rhino Records). This was an unfortunate series of events for Hamilton. It’s a fairly common plight for an artist to be caught in one, bad label situation. But for Hamilton to be victimized by two labels before he could establish his artist career, was a devastating blow.

“I became depressed,” said Hamilton. “I was like, ‘Why? Lord, why? All this love I have for music – what’s going on?’ Still, I kept praying and working and looking for a better deal. I knew that I had come too far to turn back.”

On the positive side, Hamilton (during this period of label struggles) became a successful songwriter, co-writing songs for other artists such as Sunshine Anderson (“Last Night”) and Donell Jones (“U Know What’s Up, “Pushin’). In addition, he toured extensively with D’Angelo as a background vocalist, and he sang vocals on cuts by Eve (“Ryde Away”), Xzibit (“The Gambler”) and 2 Pac (“Thugz Mansion”).

It was in 2002 that Hamilton caught a big break, when he was brought in by the Nappy Roots to sing the catchy chorus on their song, “Po’ Folks” (from the group’s debut CD, Watermelon, Chicken and Gritz). The song became a hit (thanks in part to his vocals), and received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. On the day of the 2003 Grammy Awards, Hamilton was invited to perform at the star-studded brunch, where he impressed music veteran Michael Mauldin (who is the father of Atlanta hitmaker Jermaine Dupri). Mauldin set up a meeting for Hamilton to meet with and sing for Dupri, which led to Dupri quickly signing him to his So So Def label.

Hamilton went on to record his breakthrough, platinum CD Comin’ From Where I’m From, which included the hit “Charlene.” He also received three Grammy nominations, for Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance (for the title cut), and Best R&B Song.

Three of the album’s key songs (including “Charlene”) were written by Hamilton with hit writer/producer Mark Batson, and the duo teamed up again to write five songs for the new Ain’t Nobody Worryin’ (including the single “Can’t Let Go” and the sexy, uptempo “Sista Big Bones”). Hamilton also wrote three songs with Kelvin Wooten, and a song with Raphael Saadiq (from Tony! Toni! Tone!).

For his latest album project, Hamilton was in a relaxed and positive mood as he recorded the new CD, since he had finally established his artist career with the success of Comin’ From Where I’m From. “It was great to just focus on the music for the new album,” said Hamilton. “I knew I didn’t have to fight with a label anymore – I could just have a great time, write and record the songs, and make the best music possible.”

In addition to recording Ain’t Nobody Worryin’, Hamilton has been busy contributing to other artists’ projects, recording duet vocals and co-writing. “I did a song called ‘Twisted’ for the new Santana album (All That I Am),”

he said. “It was written by Nandi Willis & Dante Ross. We did this song, and it was magic. I really like how this song turned out.” Hamilton also recently worked with blues legend Buddy Guy for his album Bring ‘Em In (singing a duet with Guy on the Bob Dylan classic, “Lay Lady Lay”), and he just collaborated with The Game on a song for the rapper’s next CD.

T-Pain

T-Pain

Just a year ago, hot singer/writer/producer T-Pain was an unsigned solo artist, whose music career consisted of being a member of the regionally-popular rap group, Nappy Headz. However, this Florida-based artist has demonstrated that a lot can happen in a year. Now in 2006, T-Pain has landed a label deal with Konvict Muzik/Jive Records, and he has already released two, smash pop/R&B hits, “I’m Sprung” and the

current single, “I’m N Luv (Wit A Stripper).”

Avant Returns With A Fresh Sound On His Album, Director

Avant

Cleveland, OH-based singer/writer Avant has been one of the top-selling R&B/pop artists for the past six years, starting with his platinum My Thoughts album in 2000. He’s had two other gold albums since then, and he is now releasing his fourth album, Director, on Geffen Records. The album maintains Avant’s soulful, romantic style, but it also marks a fresh, new musical approach. Avant recruited several top writer/producers to create a more cutting-edge, modern R&B sound for this album.

Director could become Avant’s most successful album to date, with two singles becoming hits even prior to the album’s release: “You Know What” (featuring Lil’ Wayne) and “4 Minutes.” In addition, Avant is also enjoying chart success via his guest appearances other artists’ hit singles. For instance, he sings a duet with the Pussycat Dolls on the remix of their hit “Stickwitu,” and he appears on the Ying Yang Twins’ “Bedroom Boom” and Lloyd Banks’ “Karma.”

In a new interview, Avant talked about his new album, and how he decided to take more creative control of his songs and production (which is why he titled the album Director). Avant recalled how he co-wrote 30 songs for the album, before whittling it down to the final song lineup on the CD. In addition, he spoke about his new collaborations with hit writer/producers Jermaine Dupri, Rodney Jerkins, and the Underdogs (Harvey Mason Jr. & Damon Thomas), as well as co-writing new songs with his longtime, writer/producer collaborator, Steve Huff.

“I had done three albums with my man Steve Huff, which I’m very proud of,” explained Avant. “Steve and I did do two songs for the new album. But I also wanted to spread things out a bit, and get different sounds from different producers. I teamed up with some legendary people for the new album. It was easy to approach them – these guys had respect for me. They heard my albums, and said they’d love to work on my new album.”

Avant described how he collaborates on the songwriting. “Usually how it works is, the guys (the writer/producers) do the tracks and I write the lyrics. With the Underdogs, they did the hook and track, then I wrote the verses. It was a beautiful marriage. One of the songs we did was ‘4 Minutes’ (the current single). We wrote this song as if it was a movie story, with the clock ticking down for four minutes – it was a new idea for a song.”

“For ‘You Know What,’ I got together with Jermaine Dupri,” he added. “I was in Atlanta, and Jermaine played me this new track. We took awhile to get a personal connection and vibe, but it turned out great. He came up with the beats. We also did a second song, called “Ghetto Public Service Announcement,” which is the last song on the album. I really like this song – it has a message, and it gives me a chance to express myself on other subjects, such as world issues.”

In addition, Avant collaborated with hit writer/producer Rodney Jerkins on two songs. “We worked together for the first time,” said Avant. “We did two songs, and one of the songs we wrote is called ‘Grown Ass Man.’ It’s a beautiful record.”

For Director, Avant decided to utilize more hip-hop tracks for his songs, and he also invited rappers to perform on certain cuts. “I love hip-hop. (Rapper) Lloyd Banks worked on the album. I also worked with Lil’ Wayne on ‘You Know What.’ The joint was hot, and he’s a hot new rapper. I love doing hip-hop, although I’m an R&B singer first. My fan base would like me to visit the world of hip-hop, but not stay in it.”

Overall, the new album not only displays fresh sounds and tracks, but shows lyrical growth, taking on more ambitious and mature themes. “Things have changed since my last album two years ago,” said Avant. “I have a two-year-old son now, which has given my life a whole new perspective. I also changed management and focused more on the business end. I’ve definitely matured, and the new album is basically about growing, about taking it to the next level.”

Teena Marie

Teena Marie

Teena Marie has been one of the most acclaimed, popular R&B artists for the past three decades. Starting at Motown Records in the late ‘70s with such hit albums as Lady T and Irons In The Fire, on through to her later albums on Epic Records such as Starchild (featuring her smash “Lovergirl”) and Naked To The World, Marie has been known for her powerful vocals and stirring live performances. And now she is back in fine form, with her new album Sapphire on Cash Money Classic/Universal Records.

What is lesser known about her but equally impressive, is that Marie is a gifted songwriter and record producer. In fact, she has written or co-written the vast majority of her songs over the years, and she has produced all of her albums since her second album, Lady T.

In a new interview, Marie talked about her new album Sapphire (which includes the hit “Ooh Wee”) and about being the first artist signed to Cash Money’s Classics label. She also discussed the album’s guest appearances by Smokey Robinson, Kurupt, saxophonist Gerald Albright, and her 14-year-old daughter, vocalist Alia Rose. In addition, Marie explained how she wrote the songs for the album, and that two of the songs (“Romantica” and “Make It Hot”) were written about her late, legendary friend, Rick James.

Sapphire is Marie’s second album on Cash Money, which is a top, urban label known for its hip-hop stars, Lil’ Wayne, Brian “Baby” Williams and the Big Tymers. Three years ago, Cash Money CEO Ronald Williams heard that Marie was looking for a label to release her La Dona album. He loved the album, and invited Marie to become the first artist signed to Cash Money’s new Classics division. She signed with the label, and the album sold very well, spawning two R&B hits, “I’m Still In Love” and “A Rose By Any Other Name.”

Following the success of La Dona, Marie began writing songs for next album, Sapphire. She explained her songwriting process: “I write in all different ways. Sometimes I have the melody first, or the lyrics come first – I keep a few journals for lyrics. I write at home, and sometimes in the middle of the night. I’d wake up late at night, and write a song with my guitar.”

It was during this period, that Marie was deeply affected by the sudden passing of her close friend and early mentor, Rick James. “Rick was one of my best friends, and he was like a brother,” said Marie. “His musical genius speaks for itself. We fought a lot, but it was a great time working with him at Motown.”

Teena Marie

“[When he passed away] I really couldn’t deal with my pain, and I think God intervened.,” she added. “Actually, I felt like Rick was with me writing. Some nights I would just sit up in the bed [and I could feel him] tapping me on the shoulder, saying ‘Get up and write this song.’ It was a blessing that I had this new album to write, because I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t have that creative outlet.”

In addition to her songs that were inspired by Rick James, there are a wide range of songs on the album, and two cuts feature Motown legend Smokey Robinson. “Smokey is my idol, and it was a thrill of a lifetime to record with him,” said Marie. “We’d never had a chance to work in the studio before. (In 2005) I had gone to Detroit for a special event and concert, the 20th anniversary of the Motown Historical Museum, and Berry Gordy’s sister (Esther Gordy Edwards) was also honored. Smokey performed great at the show, and then I said onstage that Smokey got 2000 people on Cruise Control. Then when I got back home, I wrote this called ‘Cruise Control,’ and I called Smokey. He agreed to sing this song with me, and it was wonderful working with Smokey in the studio. He was so gracious.”

Lattimore & Chanté Moore Talk About Their Special 2-CD Set, Uncovered/Covered

Kenny Lattimore & Chante Moore performing live.

The married couple, R&B team of Kenny Lattimore & Chanté Moore have enjoyed major success as hit solo artists over the past decade, and also with their first duet album Things That Lovers Do (released in 2003). Now the duo has returned with their second joint project, Uncovered/Covered, which is an ambitious 2-CD set which contains a full disc of R&B/pop material (Uncovered) and a second disc of contemporary gospel songs (Covered). This double set was released this month (Oct. 2006) on LaFace/Zomba Records.

Uncovered/Covered is an extensive collection of 24 songs: 13 cuts on the R&B disc and 11 songs on the gospel disc. The R&B Uncovered features the duo’s collaborations with such hit writer/producers as Bryan-Michael Cox (whose credits include Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey), Barry Eastmond (Anita Baker, Whitney Houston) Carvin Haggins & Ivan Barias (Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown) and Eric Roberson (Musiq, Carl Thomas). The gospel Covered was largely produced and co-written by Fred Hammond, who is known for his work with gospel group Commissioned, the Winans and Ruben Studdard.

In a new interview, Lattimore & Moore discussed how this project came together, and how they co-wrote most of the songs on the album. The duo also expressed their love for gospel music, and that their Covered disc is a natural extension of their music and beliefs. In addition, Lattimore & Moore mentioned that they will eventually begin working on solo projects again, although their main focus now is as a duet team.

Initially, the duo’s project was going to be a single disc of R&B material. In fact, the R&B Uncovered was fully completed by the end of 2005. “Uncovered was the first part of the idea – the theme was about uncovering the secret things that lovers do,” explained Moore. “We had finished this R&B album, but then we got a call from Max Siegel, who is President of the gospel Verity label (which is part of the Zomba Label Group). Max wanted us to record a gospel album, so we then decided it would work great if we combined these two projects and themes into one, cohesive set.”

“The concept for the album is that there are two sides to love – earthly love and heavenly love,” Moore added. “This is the way our lives are – we love each other and we love the Lord. I think our gospel and spiritual side is naturally intertwined with our pop/R&B music. For us, both sides flow together.”

Kenny Lattimore & Chante Moore.

With their R&B disc already completed, the two were able to focus in early 2006 on writing and recording the gospel material. “The gospel disc really came together fast,” said Lattimore. “We worked with Fred Hammond, and we wrote and recorded all the songs in just three weeks, during late April and early May. We had a few song ideas before the sessions started – Chanté had the idea for the song ‘Make Me Like The Moon’ – but we pretty much created and recorded all the gospel songs during a short period. It was great working with Fred Hammond, and we’re very happy with the way the gospel disc turned out.”

Uncovered/Covered contains a wide range of material, from hip, modern R&B tracks to sexy soul ballads on the Uncovered disc, to the praise & worship songs and other unique, gospel cuts on Covered. The first single for R&B release is the uptempo “Figure It Out” (produced by Bryan-Michael Cox) and the first gospel single is the ballad “Make Me Like The Moon.” The album also features two, excellent cover versions: “Love Ballad” (by L.T.D.) and “No Ordinary Love” (Sade).

Lattimore & Moore are currently promoting their album to both the R&B and gospel markets, and they are looking forward to launching a new concert tour together soon. “It’s great that we can go on the road together,” they said.

When asked, Lattimore & Moore recalled how they decided to become a duet team. “We were definitely a couple first before we decided to record as a duo,” explained Moore. “We got married because we fell in love. Then later on, it was our manager Michael Mauldin (who co-manages the duo with Jeff Sharp) who had the idea for us to record our first duet album. There wasn’t a lot of duets out at that time, so it worked really well that we came out with our Things That Lovers Do album.”

In addition to their now-established career as a duet team, both Moore and Lattimore are planning to record solo albums again. In fact, Moore has already signed a solo deal with jazz label Peak Records. “I’ve had meetings with writers about this project, but we haven’t recorded yet,” said Moore. “The style for my album will be more quiet storm, with a jazz flavor.”

Hit R&B/Pop Artist Bobby Valentino Talks About His Album, Special Occasion

Bobby Valentino

The first R&B singer signed to rapper Ludacris’ DPT/Island Def Jam Records label, Bobby Valentino, who was born Robert Wilson in Jackson, Mississippi, came upon his romantic last name naturally. His parents expected him to be born on Valentine’s Day, 1982, but he arrived 13 days later. The moniker is a perfect fit for his hip yet retro brand of sensuous soul and the way he captured the hearts of fans worldwide with his 2005 gold-selling debut album Disturbing The Peace Presents Bobby Valentino.

The disc’s first single “Slow Down” reached #1 on the Billboard R&B/hip-hop chart and #8 on the pop chart; its follow-up “Tell Me” (featuring Lil’ Wayne) was also a R&B hit, which was followed by Valentino’s guest appearance on Ludacris’ smash pop and R&B hit “Pimpin’ All Over The World.” After promotional appearances on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live and Live With Regis & Kelly, he earned a headlining spot on one of the year’s hottest summer package tours, the 7-week “Scream Tour IV: The Heart Throbs,” with Bow Wow, Omarion and Marques Houston, presented by BET. Valentino, who also got his first taste of international success during a two-week tour of England (where “Slow Down” hit #4 on the U.K. singles chart), received an Outstanding New Artist Nomination at the 37th Annual Image Awards, plus two Soul Train Music Awards nominations.

While Special Occasion, Valentino’s highly anticipated follow-up album, isn’t due to drop until May 8, there’s been a lot of pre-release momentum between officially released singles from the record label, a few songs posted by Valentino himself on websites and nearly 20 unauthorized tracks that were leaked on the internet. The first advance single, the heartfelt ballad “Turn The Page,” released last October, was the #1 most added single at urban mainstream radio upon its release. More recently, the slightly edgier, Timbaland-produced single “Anonymous” was recently the #1 most added single during its impact week at urban radio.

Valentino, who narrowed the final tracking on Special Occasion down from a total of 60 recorded songs, kept his fans in the loop of his recording process by putting tracks he knew wouldn’t make the final album on his MySpace and mixtapes pages. “This was just a little something for them to ride to until the album is released,” he says. “The reason we kept pushing the date back was because these other tunes were leaked out there, and we had to switch things up so none of those songs would be on the official release.”

While Valentino’s debut was primarily produced by Tim & Bob (aka Tim Kelley and Bob Robinson), the singer is excited about expanding his palette this time to include collaborations with award-winning hitmakers Sean Garrett, Delite, Bryan-Michael Cox, Dre & Vidal, Rodney Jerkins and Timbaland. He’s so excited by the “extra hot” vibe of the project that he’s making an unofficial 10-song guarantee for all those who buy it - if you don’t like at least 10 songs, you can return it for a full refund.

“With each producer I consider working with, I’m not just interested in big names that everyone’s after, but their overall track records and how their vibe fits into what I am trying to accomplish vocally and musically,” he says. “I’ll even find albums of theirs no one remembers to make sure I’ve heard all they can do. Timbaland is hot now, but I’ve studied him for a long time. And I’ve known Tim & Bob since I was 15 working with my teen group Mista years ago. Then while I’m studying them, I put together a wish list of guys I want to work with.”

Valentino, who had a hand in writing all but three songs on Special Occasion, adds, “Whoever I work with, at the end of the day, you’re gonna get a Bobby vibe because my own flavor is going to be on the song. A lot of times, artists aren’t in the whole project creatively, they just let the producer come up with tracks and then they sing. So it sounds like someone else did them. But I’m hands on with my music. I like to give them direction, let them know what I want to try. On my first album, I wanted to create a classic R&B styled project for an American audience. But now that I’ve been overseas, I’m really excited about making music for the world, for everyone. Performing in the U.K., where they appreciate R&B even more than rap, really opened my eyes to what’s out there.”

Reflecting back on his younger years, Valentino - who was raised in Atlanta, where he still lives - says, “I grew up listening to artists who were either old school or their modern equivalents, like Marvin Gaye, Boyz II Men, Jodeci, Prince, Babyface and the Isley Brothers, and even though hip-hop was taking over, I always wanted to get back to real R&B.” Though at first he had a hard time convincing his skeptical parents that the music business was the place for him, the singer won them over at 16 when he hooked up with Organized Noize Productions and formed Mista, a Boyz II Men-styled group that made some waves with their single “Blackberry Molasses.” Mista released a self-titled debut in 1996 and recorded a second album with Timbaland, but management problems led to a group split and Valentino decided to focus on his education.

While working on his degree in Mass Communications at Clark Atlanta University (which he received in 2003), he tried to jump-start his career by auditioning for the first season of American Idol. The judges ultimately rejected him, which led him to a unique philosophy that he uses to advise talented upstart singers to his day: “Never give up on yourself because the day you give up could be the day you made it. There will always be people who hate on you, but you should let your haters be your motivators.” Valentino got back to work and sometime later, armed with three full albums of demos, hooked up with William “Poon Daddy” Engram, a longtime friend of Ludacris. Engram sent them on to Ludacris and Chaka Zulu, President of Disturbing Tha Peace Records. Impressed with his incredible vocal ability and strong work ethic, the two quickly signed Valentino to the label.

“The time between Mista splitting up and going to college was a tough stretch,” he says. “One day you’re on TV living the life, and the next day you are back to reality. But I didn’t give up. My dream was to do music and that’s what I did. Every day it was the same routine, school in the morning, baseball practice in the evening and the studio at night. Now that I look back, I wouldn’t trade those days for anything. From that I learned to never give up, believe in yourself and stay humble. I’m able to meet so many different people and bring joy to people’s lives by doing what I love to do most, singing.”

Broadway Star Elisabeth Withers of The Color Purple Enjoys Hit R&B Success With Her Debut Album

Elisabeth Withers

Singer & actress Elisabeth Withers has become known for her acclaimed, starring role in the hit Broadway show The Color Purple, which opened in December 2005 and is still going strong (American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino has joined the cast). Impressively, Withers was nominated for a 2006 Tony Award for her role as Shug Avery. Now in addition, Withers is building a career as solo recording artist, scoring two R&B chart hits from her debut album release, It Can Happen To Anyone, which was released in January (2007) on Blue Note Records.

Withers has had two singles on the Billboard R&B chart – first the sexy midtempo cut “Be With You,” followed by the soulful ballad “Simple Things.” Notably, she is also a skilled songwriter who co-wrote both of these singles (with New York-based writer/producer Toby Gad), and she co-wrote or wrote eight of the songs on her CD.

In a new interview, Wither recalled how she got her start in the music business, and how she landed her role in The Color Purple (which is co-produced by Quincy Jones and Oprah Winfrey). She also talked about writing and recording the songs for her debut album, and why she decided to sign with CEO Bruce Lundvall at Blue Note Records (the renowned jazz label which also releases Norah Jones’ CDs). And lastly, when asked, she gives advices to young artists and performers who are trying to break into the music and stage industries.

Withers was born and raised in Joliet, IL, where she was one of four children, all of whom have grown up to be college-educated and successful. “My parents were strict – we had to be accomplished in our education and graduate from college,” explained Withers. Following her high school years (she attended the Chicago Academy for the Arts), she moved to Boston to attend the Berklee College Of Music, which had offered her a scholarship. Withers said that it was at Berklee that she first developed her songwriting skills.

After graduating from Berklee in 1997, Withers moved to New York City to pursue her music career and seek gigs, while also attending New York University (NYU). By the time she graduated from NYU in 2000 (with a Master’s Degree in Music Composition & Education), Withers had caught the attention of hit writer/producer Tony Moran (whose credits include Patti LaBelle, Whitney Houston and Luther Vandross). She started doing session vocal work for Moran, which led to her recording (under the alias “Elle Patrice”) and co-writing with Moran two dance club hits, “Rising” and “Emotions.”

Elisabeth Withers with writer/producer, Toby Gad.

Withers continued to work successfully as a vocalist and songwriter, but it wasn’t until 2005 that she got her big break with The Color Purple. “I had wanted to take a year off because I just had a baby daughter,” she recalled. “But then Valerie Simpson (of the renowned songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson) called and said Quincy Jones was looking for someone to play Shug Avery. She and Nickolas (Ashford) had recommended me to play her. Then three days later I got a call from the Bernard Telsey talent agency, which is a big agency in New York. They asked me to audition in front of the show’s director and producers. Then after I had auditioned, they called me to say I got the job.”

From that point on, Wither kept an extremely busy schedule with the show and later with her album project. “For the first eight months of The Color Purple, I’d be performing eight shows a week, breast-feeding my baby, and writing songs. Also, by then I had been contacted by several record labels, and I decided to sign with Bruce Lundvall at Blue Note Records. When I met Bruce, and when I did my showcase, it felt right for me. Bruce never tried to change me – he just loves good music.”

Soon after, Withers began recording her debut album, It Can Happen To Anyone. She co-wrote seven songs with hit writer/producer Toby Gad (whose credits include Fergie, Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias), who produced the album. Besides the chart singles “Be With You” and “Simple Things,” other key songs on the CD include the contemporary urban cuts “The World Ain’t Ready” and “Somebody,” plus the melodic old-school “Next To You,” which Withers wrote by herself.

Now with the release of her album, Withers is enjoying success on two fronts: as a promising recording artist and as a top Broadway performer. “Things are going well – I just finished a mini-tour to promote my album, and my contract with The Color Purple was extended for another year,” said Withers. “The producers of the show have been terrific about letting me take time off to promote my album, and I’m happy that they’re selling my CD at the concession stands at the theatre.”

Lastly, when asked what advice she would give to young artists and performers, Withers said: “Stay true to yourself. There will be people who like what you do, and those that don’t like what you do. Be true and work hard. Be prepared for auditions, and be open to different ideas – don’t be afraid to try new things.”

Macy Gray Teams With Will.I.Am (of the Black Eyed Peas) For Her Album, Big

Macy Gray

For Grammy winning R&B songwriter & vocalist Macy Gray, the title of her new album, Big, is appropriate on many levels.

“I’m a big woman,” says the six-foot songbird, but the word “big” hardly begins to describe her coarse, sultry, one-of-a-kind voice, which quickly brought her worldwide recognition. Her first album, On How Life Is, garnered her 1999 Grammy nominations for Best New Artist and Best Female R&B Performance. Then in 2000, she won the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and was nominated for both Record of the Year & Song of the Year for “I Try,” one of the year’s biggest singles.

“Big” also describes Gray’s popularity worldwide. Her first album went triple platinum in the U.S. and Canada, and quadruple platinum in the U.K., selling over seven million copies worldwide. She has continued to tour and enjoy a huge fan base in Europe and across the globe. “I’m starting my tour [to promote] the new album in Europe.” She cites London and Rome as two of her favorite cities. “The fans over there are great,” she says.

After a nearly four-year hiatus from the recording studio, Gray got together with old friend & producer will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, who recently produced fellow bandmate Fergie’s mega-hit solo album, The Dutchess for his label, Will.I.Am Music Group/Geffen Records. He is currently working with music legend Michael Jackson on his comeback album, and he has recently worked on projects with Rihanna, the Pussycat Dolls and Hilary Duff, among others. “I’ve known Will for about eight years now,” she said. “He’s like a little brother to me.”

For her new album, Gray decided to take will.i.am’s advice and collaborate with other songwriters, artists and producers. As a result, many top music pros came together to make Gray’s fourth studio album a musical event. “With this record I wanted to try to get some different energy. It’s been a really great learning experience and we got some incredible performances,” she said.

As co-producers, Gray and will.i.am share an interest in many different styles of music and this is reflected in the album, which is the second release under will.i.am’s label deal with Geffen Records. Geffen Chairman Ron Fair, who produced Mary J. Blige’s triple Grammy award-winning The Breakthrough as well as Christina Aguilera and the Pussycat Dolls, also worked closely on the project.

For Big, Gray puts her unique set of vocal cords through their paces, with the help of some of today’s music industry giants such as Justin Timberlake, Fergie and Natalie Cole, who sings backup vocals on the album’s first single, “Finally Made Me Happy.” “I’m a huge fan of all the people I worked with,” she says. “Natalie Cole is a legend and Justin (Timberlake) is really intense and talented. We had a great time making this record and I know everyone’s going to love it.”

In addition to her impressive musical credentials, Gray has found the time to become an accomplished and busy actress. Her first acting job was with no less than Denzel Washington in 2001’s Training Day. Since then she has starred in such movies as Spider-Man, Scary Movie 3, Lackawanna Blues, Domino and most recently Déjà Vu (again with Denzel Washington), for which she also performs “Coming Back to You” for the movie’s soundtrack. “I’ve had a ball,” she said. “I’ve been lucky that I’ve gotten some really good roles. Working with Denzel was a lot of fun.” Although she has recently been focused on recording, she says she’ll be back to the movies soon. “I took a break from the movies so I could work on my record, but when I go out on tour I’ll be taking some scripts with me.” She has also made television appearances in Ally McBeal, That’s So Raven and Blue’s Clues, to name just a few.

Gray has also found ways to express her philanthropic side. In addition to playing poker for Habitat for Humanity on Bravo TV’s eighth season of Celebrity Poker Showdown (she finished third), she opened The Macy Gray Music Academy in 2005. Located in North Hollywood, CA, the academy offers affordable after-school and weekend music classes for youth in the area. She has been highly praised for her work with the academy and has given underprivileged children and teenagers the chance to perform. “One of my kids just got signed to a record deal,” she proudly reports.

In addition, the always glamorous Gray has a clothing line, The Natalie Hinds (her real name) Collection by Macy Gray, a men’s fashion collection called SNAC, and she will soon launch a joint fashion venture with Interscope Records for curvaceous women called HUMPS.

Gray kicks off her Big concert tour in Europe early this summer, to be followed by an U.S. tour. And Gray couldn’t be happier with the way her album Big turned out. “This is a really, really great album,” she says, “everyone should get a copy right away.

Joe Discusses The Making Of His Album, Ain’t Nothin’ Like Me

Joe

New Jersey-based singer/writer Joe has been one of the top-selling R&B/pop artists for the past decade, releasing two platinum albums, All That I Am and My Name is Joe, plus two gold albums, Better Days and And Then. He’s had such major chart hits as “Stutter,” “I Wanna Know,” “All The Things (Your Man Won’t Do)” and “Don’t Wanna Be A Player.” And Joe is also known for having sung

with Mariah Carey on her hit ballad, “Thank God I Found You.”

This month (May 2007) Joe has just released his sixth album, Ain’t Nothin’ Like Me, on Jive Records. The album is already off to an impressive start, debuting at #2 on the Billboard Pop chart and #1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. The 14-song CD includes the uptempo hit “Where You At” (featuring a rap appearance by Papoose) and the classic soul ballad, “If I Was Your Man.” Ain’t Nothin’ Like Me maintains Joe’s romantic, gospel-influenced R&B style, while also mixing in more hip-hop elements. Besides Papoose, the album also features guest rap performances by Nas, Fabolous, Dre, plus Tony Yayo & Young Buck from the group, G-Unit.

In a new interview, Joe talked about his new album, and how he worked with top writer/producers such as Bryan-Michael Cox, Sean Garrett, Stargate (Tor Erik Hermansen & Mikkel Eriksen), Tim & Bob and the Underdogs (Harvey Mason Jr. & Damon Thomas). He also discussed his current U.S. concert tour with fellow R&B star Brian McKnight, and how he will also be touring Japan, Australia and Africa later this year. Lastly, when asked, he gives advice to young artists who are trying to break into the music business.

Ain’t Nothing Like Me is Joe’s first album release since And Then in 2003. “I think the album shows me reaching a new maturity level,” explained Joe. “With this new album, I want people to feel how real it is, and how much respect I have for the music. Hopefully, the music will inspire new generations of music fans and artists.”

Although Joe is also known to be an accomplished songwriter and producer (he did co-write five songs on this CD), he mostly decided to focus on his singing and just making the best possible album. “I look at what the record ultimately needs,” he said. “It’s about making a great record, not about how many songs I have on the album. A lot of artists get into writing too much, and the album starts to sound the same. I like working with several different producers who can bring their own sound to the record. It gives the album more variety and dimension.”

Two of Joe’s favorite songs on the album, “If I Was Your Man” and “It’s Me,” were written by the Norwegian duo Stargate, who are known for co-writing and producing hits for Ne-Yo (“So Sick”), Beyoncé (“Irreplaceable”) and Rihanna (“Unfaithful”). “It was a blast working with Stargate,” said Joe. “They are doing something great for R&B, creating strong midtempo and uptempo songs and tracks. There’s normally a lot of slow ballads in R&B, but they bring in more uptempo grooves and sounds.”

Other favorites on the album include the title cut “Ain’t Nothin’ Like Me,” which Joe co-wrote with the Underdogs. “I also really like the ballads on the album, and I like the songs I did with Bryan-Michael Cox (“My Love,” “Go Hard” and “Feel For You”).

Now with the release of his album, Joe has launched a major U.S. tour, sharing lead billing with another acclaimed R&B vocalist, Brian McKnight. “The tour with Brian is going well,” he said. “Our managers got together and came up with the idea for this tour. It kind of reminds me of some of the [concert pairings] of the past, when Nat King Cole and Marvin Gaye used to be on one great show.”

Joe will also be undertaking an extensive, international concert tour. “I will be on tour in Japan this summer – I usually travel there for shows two or three times per year. Then after Japan I will be touring in South Africa, then to Australia, and to countries in Northern Africa.

Lastly, when asked what advice he would give to young artists who trying to break into the music business, he said: “Come in with a full package that you can control yourself. If you can write and produce your own songs, that’s great. Or be already hooked up with your own great camp of songwriters and producers. If you sign with a label and then you have to work with new people to come up with your sound and style, it’s harder. Be a leader - get in the game. Learn the business as soon as possible. A lot of artists made one great record, but didn’t have the business savvy to maintain their career.”

T-Pain Talks About His Hit Album Epiphany, And His Songwriting

T-Pain

When Faheen Najm was launching his solo career a few years ago, he chose the professional name T-Pain in honor of his hometown, Tallahassee, Florida, and the pain and struggle he went through to get his music out there. Now one of the hottest new stars in hip-hop and R&B, T-Pain’s hard work, smooth voice and funky beats recently took the
20-year-old singer to the top of the charts. For the week ending May 26, “Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin’),” the soulful and infectious first single from T-Pain’s new Epiphany album, became his first #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. Two weeks earlier, the track - which he recorded with rapper Yung Joc - became his second #1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart.

In addition to the impressive popularity of the original version, “Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” has inspired an unprecedented amount of remixes featuring some of today’s genre superstars, including Kanye West, R. Kelly, Stat Quo, Pitbull, Lil Wayne, Chamillionaire, Trey Songz, Diddy and E-40. Another remix features Yung Joc and Akon, the famed hip-hop artist and producer who signed T-Pain to his Konvict Music label (distributed by Jive Records).

Having hit #1 pop in Billboard, “Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” has surpassed T-Pain’s breakthrough successes in 2005-2006 with “I’m Sprung” and “I’m N Luv (Wit A Stripper),” both of which appeared on T-Pain’s gold selling debut album Rappa Ternt Sanga. “I’m Sprung” became the artist’s first Top 10 single, peaking at #8 pop, while “I’m N Luv (Wit A Stripper)” featuring Mike Jones hit #5.

The racy content of the second single provoked a backlash from mainstream radio and video outlets that prompted the artist to record a toned-down version called “I’m N Luv (Wit A Dancer).” At the time, T-Pain told MTV.com, “[Exotic] dancers love the song. There's finally a song about strippers that ain’t degrading. It's not the shake-that-ass song or ‘Let's go in the backroom.’ It's a song that's appreciating strippers.” All told, T-Pain has sold a combined five million ringtones of “Stripper” and “Sprung.”

In a recent interview, T-Pain discussed the major differences between his approach to his debut album and his new Epiphany. “There has been a growth inside of me since I made that first album,” he says. “To be blunt, I had to learn to stop being lazy in the studio. On the first album I recorded what I thought people wanted to hear, but this time it was about me being an artist. I recorded over 40 songs in six months. “Of course, all of them weren’t the hottest, but creatively I felt truly inspired when working on these tracks.”

The album’s 19 cuts cover a wide variety of themes, beginning with a lively shout out to his home “Tallahassee Love.” But its first two singles, “Buy U A Drank” and the new “Bartender,” are centered around the club going experience. “Basically, these days lots of people begin their relationships in the clubs,” he explains. “Whole conversations begin with some guy buying a young lady a drink. I wanted to make a few songs for those folks. Sometimes, the bartenders are the hottest girls in the club. Guys are always falling in love with those girls, even if it goes no further than that night. ‘Bartender’ is an anthem for those guys.”

Beyond those poppin’ first singles, fans will be impressed by the unique variety of musical styles on Epiphany. In addition to the rebel reggae furor of “Shotz” and hypnotic dance tracks like “Church,” T-Pain also induces tears with songs like “Suicide.” Opening with the sorrowful chords of a Spanish guitar, T-Pain lyrically flashes upon the many ways the young people of today are killing themselves. He explains, “Having sex without condoms, driving drunk, selling drugs, all that is ‘Suicide.’ We do a lot of stupid stuff that only has one ending."

Having seen firsthand how drugs can destroy the fiber of family, T-Pain consciously chose to detour from that path. Recently, with his wife and daughter, he recently relocated to Atlanta in hopes of a fresh start. In addition, T-Pain built two studios in his sprawling basement. These life changes perfectly reflect the exciting growth he shows in the songwriting, production and performances on the new album. Besides being the creative breakthrough that its title implies, the collection is worlds away from T-Pain’s humble beginnings as a teenager as part of the Tallahassee rap group Nappy Headz.

“The title ‘Epiphany’ comes from me having an epiphany,” he says. “It's the best way to describe what this album meant to me. To me, there's a new ‘Pain,’ a new music, a new everything. So ‘Epiphany’ means new. The difference between my first album and my new album, is that I'm just more mature. I'm trying to look at things in a different way. It's just a different mind state.”

Epiphany was produced by T-Pain, with T-Pain and Akon serving as executive producers. “Just to let everyone know,” T-Pain says, “I’m the man of this album and I was the man of my last album. I wrote and produced 100% of this album and I feel good about that. I want people to know that I didn't just go in the studio with a Scott Storch or Timbaland or Pharrell (Williams) or Kanye or Lil' Jon. No disrespect to those producers, but I just didn't need them to do my album. I got my own kinda style and I'm the only one who can produce that style. But I got some people to come on the album: Akon of course, he’s feeling my style, he knows what I go through, and Baby Sham, Cee-lo, Shawnna from DTP. Plus my artist J-Lyric and Epic Boy.”

Traveling last year on a worldwide tour with label-mate Chris Brown (and later with Bow Wow) also gave T-Pain a different perspective on life and music. “I loved being in London, because overseas it seemed that people were taking different kinds of risks with their records,” he says. “I was also impressed when I was in Brixton, and the club was filled with black people and not one fight broke out. Where I come from, folks fighting inside the spot is a regular thing.”

In addition to Epiphany,

T-Pain is also gearing up to start working with various artists on outside projects including R. Kelly, Kanye West, Usher and even Britney Spears. While T-Pain embraces both the old-school and current R&B, his complete persona on Epiphany shows an artist who is unafraid of taking chances. “For me, soul music is about love, and it’s that kind of warmth that I want to bring back to the music. Right now, it’s a very exciting time.”

R&B Star Ciara Discusses The Making Of Her Platinum Album, The Evolution

Ciara

True to the title of her #1 breakthrough single “Goodies” and Top 5 debut album of the same name, Ciara’s been serving up the goods big-time, scoring hit after hit since emerging on the scene in 2004. Dubbed “the First Lady of Crunk & B” by one of her producers, Lil’ Jon, this Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter followed “Goodies” with numerous hits that have defined R&B and hip-hop in the mid-2000s. Her latest single “Can’t Leave 'Em Alone” (featuring 50 Cent) is the fourth to be released from her platinum second album Ciara: The Evolution, on
LaFace/Zomba Records

Ciara followed her debut success of “Goodies” with two more hits from her debut album: “1, 2 Step” (featuring Missy Elliot) and “Oh” (with Ludacris). Then in 2006, Ciara’s dance single “Get Up” (which was featured on the Step Up movie soundtrack) hit the Top 10 on the pop chart. That song is also featured on Ciara: The Evolution, which debuted last December at #1 on the Billboard album chart. Since its release, the album has spawned two more top hits: the #1 R&B/hip-hop smash “Promise” and “Like A Boy.”

Living up to the bold and ambitious name, Ciara: The Evolution capped an impressive two-year span for the 21-year-old singer, who was born in Austin, Texas but grew up an Army brat on several military bases before her family settled in Atlanta when she was a teenager. Beyond her global chart successes, Ciara earned four Grammy nominations (including Best New Artist), a five ASCAP Awards for songwriting, two BET Awards, and two MTV Video Awards. In addition, she won a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video for her collaboration with Missy Elliot on the Elliot’s hit “Lose Control.”

In addition to her appearance on “Lose Control,” Ciara has performed on major hits by many other artists, including Bow Wow’s “Like You” and Field Mob’s “So What.” Ciara’s high-impact videos have always showcased the singer’s formidable skills as a dancer, and the performer was able to demonstrate her skills on the concert stage, when the success of Goodies overseas led to her headlining shows in the U.K., Germany, Japan and in Africa. She takes her passion for dance so seriously that she even included an instructional dancing DVD with The Evolution, which shows some of the different routines from the “Get Up” and “Promise” videos.

“There have been a lot of emotional highpoints as I’ve been living my dream,” Ciara says. “Everything has been so great, and it’s all made me even more motivated. I realize I’ve really been blessed with just being able to make great music. That’s where it starts for me because at the end of the day, I feel that my records kind of carry all audiences from adults to kids, just everybody. I hear kids singing, ‘1, 2 Step’ or ‘Goodies.’ I hear adults singing it and dancing around, so I could say that’s really the blessing for me in this case.”

Ciara chose to call her second album The Evolution because she felt she had truly evolved as both an artist and a woman. “In this case,” she continues, “a lot of things that you see me do are honestly, just natural changes for me like I was growing. I guess you can say ‘Promise’ was definitely something different for me and the energy was…it was growing. When I was thinking about picking the first thing from my album, I felt ‘Promise’ was perfect because of the track alone to me is, it just makes a statement. And then the record was something different from what people were used to hearing me do. So this record does have a more mature sounding, sexier vibe.”

One of the exciting elements of hip-hop is the collaborative nature of the genre, as artists work with a multitude of big-name producers while frequently inviting other hit artists to appear on their tracks. As Ciara herself develops her songwriting and producing skills - she co-penned numerous tracks on The Evolution, and was the album’s executive producer - she has surrounded herself with the best hit and beat makers in the business. Goodies featured key contributions by Lil’ Jon, Jazze Pha, R. Kelly and Dre & Vidal. In addition to featuring performances by 50 Cent and Chamillionaire (on “Get Up”), The Evolution found Ciara vibing collaborating with Lil’ Jon and Jazze Pha, Pharrell Williams, will.i.am, Dallas Austin, Rodney Jerkins and Bryan-Michael Cox.

“What was really cool was that a lot of the producers I wanted to work with felt the same way about working with me,” Ciara says. “Pharrell said he had a song for me but when we got in the studio, we ended up writing a song from scratch which was ‘I Proceed,’ a track with a lot of energy. A lot of the tracks on this album are energetic like ‘Make It Last Forever,’ a real cool dance/party cut that Rodney produced. He also did ‘Can’t Leave ‘Em Alone.’ A lot of the music on this album was inspired by old-school records. There was a way music used to feel and I wanted to capture that. I felt the inspiration from artists like Michael Jackson, Prince, TLC, Jodeci, Madonna - there was a certain groove I wanted to have and I think we got it.”

Ciara also made some telling specific comments about the talented pros she had the opportunity to work with: “Working with will.i.am is a lot of fun. He’s such a sweet person. He has so much energy and his story, his life story to me is so intriguing. It’s just really cool to see him come up and just have a lot of fun. We talked about so many different things in life that we cracked up. We danced around. It was a lot of fun and he’s definitely an energetic musician.”

In addition, “I’ve always wanted to work with Rodney Jerkins since I was younger and was first starting out. Just knowing his history - that he worked with Whitney Houston when he was just 18 years old and produced one of her big hits - was incredible. His energy just grabbed me. I wanted to work with him on my first album, but this time everything fell right into place.”

She continues, “Pharrell, I’ve always wanted to work with him as well. I think he is an amazing producer. He has a different sound and I felt like if we got together, the energy would be crazy and it came out really cool. And Dallas Austin, I grew up being a big fan of his music - his work to me was so amazing. I really wanted to work with these producers, because their music speaks for itself. I wanted to make the best album that I could, so I wanted to work with the best.”

In addition to her career as a performer, songwriter, producer and recording artist, Ciara’s next step is conquering the world of film. She is set to co-star with Patti Labelle and play, appropriately enough, a budding pop star in Mama, I Want To Sing! The movie has just begun filming and will be released in early 2008.

“I had my first film experience for an MTV film called All You’ve Got,” she says. “I’m definitely ready to grow with that. I also want to take my time and perfect it. [Overall] I’ve learned so much and I feel like I’ve continued to get better. I’ve been blessed to have friends and family who have been so supportive. I appreciate all that has happened and now I feel like I’m going to a whole new place with my evolution in fashion, dance and in my music, too.”

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer

Most 13-year-old girls are in transition between childhood and their teenage years. But for 13-year-old Keke Palmer, the transition involves moving between acting and singing. At her tender age, she is already known for playing the lead role in the acclaimed movie, Akeelah And The Bee. Palmer has also had key roles in the hit movies Barbershop 2: Back in Business, Tyler Perry’s Medea’s Family Reunion and Jump In. Now the Chicago native is working with some of the hottest names in the music industry in preparation for the Sept. 18 release of her debut album So Uncool, on Atlantic Records.

Palmer recently took time from her busy schedule to discuss her career as an actress, and her love for singing that has inspired Palmer to write and perform the music that she hopes will connect with a generation of teens just beginning to learn about life and love.

Although her first professional work was as actress, Palmer has been singing since she was very young. She first performed for an audience in her hometown church, where she sang “Jesus Loves Me” at age five. Her mother, also a singer, had a home recording studio where Palmer continued to work on her vocal skills as she grew.

At age 10, Palmer auditioned for a role in an off-Broadway production of The Lion King. Although she didn’t get the part, she was bitten by the acting bug. Her family moved to California and she hired professional representation. In 2004, she won the next role she auditioned for: opposite Queen Latifah in Barbershop 2: Back In Business. “It was amazing working with her,” said Palmer, “I couldn’t believe it.”

Although she has never taken acting lessons, Palmer has landed several important roles. She has appeared in the CBS series Cold Case, and was chosen from a nationwide search to play opposite William H. Macy in the TNT Original movie Wool Cap, which earned her a Screen Actors Guild nomination, making her the youngest actress (then age 10) to receive a nomination in the Lead Actress category.

In 2006, Palmer played the lead, breakout role of Akeelah Anderson in the award-winning film Akeelah And The Bee. This role led to Palmer’s winning the 2007 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture as well as a ShoWest Award for Most Promising Actress. Later that year, she found herself working with Tyler Perry in Medea’s Family Reunion, which was #1 at the box office for two weeks. Her next role was for the Disney Channel as the lead character in the hit movie Jump In.

Keke Palmer

Palmer’s musical success took hold almost as quickly as her acting. She was signed to Atlantic Records shortly after Akeelah And The Bee. In fact, her first recording, “All My Girlz” was for the movie’s soundtrack. She also contributed her vocal talents to the Jump In soundtrack, and performed the end title song “Tonight” for Ben Stiller’s smash movie, Night at the Museum.

Now, Atlantic Records is poised to release Palmer’s debut album, So Uncool, which includes uptempo R&B tracks, inspirational songs and fun, youthful songs kids can relate to. The album’s title reflects Palmer’s philosophy. “I think people should celebrate whatever makes them unique and special, even being uncool is cool if you’re being yourself,” she reflected. The album’s first single “Footworkin’” refers to a dance craze from her native Chicago. Other songs explore first love, teen crushes and inner beauty - all issues that face young teens.

Four of the songs were written by Palmer herself. “I write with my sister Loreal mostly, and a man named Toby Gad (international hit writer/producer who recently co-wrote “Big Girls Don’t Cry” with Fergie),” she said. “First, we start with a chorus, and then we come up with the verses - what we want the song to say. We each have our own style and it all just comes together. Working with Toby was so amazing. He taught me so much and I really loved his accent.” Other A-list writers and producers who worked with Palmer on the album include Rodney Jerkins, The Clutch, Focus, Mischka, Stone Stafford, Troy Johnson and Sauce and Soli.

Palmer has no intention of becoming one of the child star tragedies who find themselves lost in the world of parties and paparazzi. “I have my family around me and people who keep me grounded,” she said. “I try to focus on my career and at the same time remember that I’m still really young and I have a lot of things I want to do (with my career).”

For the future, Palmer’s plans include more great acting and singing roles. “I look forward to inspiring other people the way my life was influenced (by her idols Beyonce, Aaliyah, TLC and Brandy). And, “I’d like to win a few more awards,” she laughed.

Lastly, when asked what advice she would give to young singers and actor who are trying to break into the industry, she said, “Stay focused and don’t give up. Just believe in yourself and other people will believe in you.”