The second season of Power Book IV: Force, which stars Joseph Sikora as fan favorite Tommy Egan, will debut on Friday, Sept. 1 at midnight ET on all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms as well as internationally on the LIONSGATE+ premium streaming platform in Brazil, Spanish-speaking Latin America, the UK, and Ireland.
It will have its linear television debut in the US and Canada on STARZ at 8 PM ET/PT. In addition, the network unveiled a first-look image and a new teaser of Tommy, who is more motivated than ever to take on Chicago’s heroin trade or suffer the repercussions.
The forthcoming season’s summary reads:
After cutting ties in New York, Tommy Egan’s newfound family and ruthless drug game enticed him to stay in Chicago. The explosive second season begins with Tommy on a mission to avenge the death of Lilliana, his former nemesis turned business partner. With Diamond (Isaac Keys) and Jenard (Kris D. Lofton) at odds, the Flynn organization weakened, and a new connect on the scene, Tommy is more determined than ever to take over the Chicago drug world.
Season two of Force stars Joseph Sikora (“Power,” “Ozark”) as “Tommy Egan,” Isaac Keys (“Get Shorty,” “The Oath”) as “Diamond Sampson,” Lili Simmons (“Banshee,” “Ray Donovan”) as “Claudia Flynn,” Shane Harper (“Hightown,” “A Teacher”) as “Vic Flynn,” Kris D. Lofton (“Ballers,” “Snowfall”) as “Jenard Sampson,” Carmela Zumbado (“You,” “Chicago PD”) as “Mireya Garcia,” Manuel Eduardo Ramirez (“Snowfall,” “Queen of the South”) as “Miguel Garcia,” Miriam A. Hyman (“The Chi,” “The Laundromat”) as “US Attorney Stacy Marks,” Adrienne Walker (“Law & Order: Organized Crime,” “FBI”) as “Shanti ‘Showstopper’ Page,” Anthony Fleming III (“Prison Break,” “The Beast”) as “JP,” Lucien Cambric (“Chicago P.D.,” “The Chi”) as “D-Mac,” and Tommy Flanagan (“Sons of Anarchy,” Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2) as “Walter Flynn.”
Natalia Bryant, the 20-year-old daughter of late NBA icon Kobe Bryant, works alongside Beyoncé as an intern. The Jasmine Brand notes that Bryant has been named an internet on the Renaissance tour.
The full name of cast members was recently released, showing the University of South Carolina student listed among the batch of contributors.
Beyoncé started her RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR with a sold-out concert in Stockholm, Sweden’s Friends Arena. The show featured powerful dance music from her seventh studio album, RENAISSANCE, which has been widely successful.
It was an emotional return to the global stage, after a five-year hiatus, and the performance was mesmerizing for the 46,000 fans in attendance. The concert included songs like “PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA,” “COZY,” and “BREAK MY SOUL” from the new album, as well as iconic hits from Beyoncé‘s previous discography such as “Flaws And All,” “Crazy In Love,” and “Love On Top.” The concert lasted almost three hours.
Parkwood Entertainment is producing the 2023 tour, which comprises 56 dates and is being promoted by Live Nation. The tour will continue with a second night in Stockholm, followed by additional shows throughout Europe in May and June. Beyoncé will perform five sold-out shows at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before heading to North America for shows in July, August, and September.
You can see pictures from opening night below and the full run of tour dates.
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RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR DATES:
EUROPE
May 23, 2023 – Sunderland, UK – Stadium of Light
May 26, 2023 – Paris, FR – Stade de France
May 29, 2023 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
May 30, 2023 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
June 01, 2023 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
June 03, 2023 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
June 04, 2023 – London, UK – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
June 08, 2023 – Barcelona, ES – Olympic Stadium
June 11, 2023 – Marseille, FR – Orange Vélodrome
June 15, 2023 – Cologne, DE – Rhein Energie Stadion
June 17, 2023 – Amsterdam, NL – Johan Cruijff Arena
June 18, 2023 – Amsterdam, NL – Johan Cruijff Arena
June 21, 2023 – Hamburg, DE – Volksparkstadion
June 24, 2023 – Frankfurt, DE – Deutsche Bank Park
June 27, 2023 – Warsaw, PL – PGE Narodowy
June 28, 2023 – Warsaw, PL – PGE Narodowy
NORTH AMERICA
July 8, 2023 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre
July 9, 2023 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre
July 12, 2023 – Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field
July 15, 2023 – Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium
July 17, 2023 – Louisville, KY – L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium
July 20, 2023 – Minneapolis, MN – Huntington Bank Stadium
July 22, 2023 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field Stadium
July 23, 2023 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field Stadium
July 26, 2023 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field
July 29, 2023 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
July 30, 2023 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
Aug. 01, 2023 – Boston, MA – Gillette Stadium
Aug. 03, 2023 – Pittsburgh, PA – Acrisure Stadium
Aug. 05, 2023 – Washington, DC – FedEx Field
Aug. 09, 2023 – Charlotte, NC – Bank of America Stadium
Aug. 11, 2023 – Atlanta, GA – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Aug. 12, 2023 – Atlanta, GA – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Aug. 14, 2023 – Atlanta, GA – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Aug. 16, 2023 – Tampa, FL – Raymond James Stadium
Aug. 18, 2023 – Miami, FL – Hard Rock Stadium
Aug. 21, 2023 – St. Louis, MO – Dome at America’s Center
Aug. 24, 2023 – Phoenix, AZ – State Farm Stadium
Aug. 26, 2023 – Las Vegas, NV – Allegiant Stadium
Aug. 27, 2023 – Las Vegas, NV – Allegiant Stadium
Aug. 30, 2023 – San Francisco, CA – Levi’s Stadium
Sept. 01, 2023 – Inglewood, CA – SoFi Stadium
Sept. 02, 2023 – Inglewood, CA – SoFi Stadium
Sept. 04, 2023 – Inglewood, CA – SoFi Stadium
Sept. 11, 2023 – Vancouver, BC – BC Place
Sept. 13, 2023 – Seattle, WA – Lumen Field
Sept. 18, 2023 – Kansas City, MO – GEHA Field At Arrowhead Stadium
Sept. 21, 2023 – Dallas, TX – AT&T Stadium
Sept. 23, 2023 – Houston, TX – NRG Stadium
Sept. 24, 2023 – Houston, TX – NRG Stadium
Sept. 27, 2023 – New Orleans, LA – Caesars Superdome
Jorja Smith is getting ready to let you back into her world, announcing her highly anticipated second album, falling or flying, for Sept. 29. The album announcement follows the two recently released singles “Try Me” and “Little Things.”
Jorja has also unveiled the album’s moving cover art, a gorgeous portrait of herself that was taken on film by renowned British photographer Liz Johnson Artur. Jorja has also revealed a string of live performances in the UK during the month of September to celebrate the album’s release.
falling or flying is described as an album that highlights the music and emotional state Jorja Smith is currently in. Heading into her 26th year of life. “And despite it all,” she says, “it’s definitely a journey I’ve just started. That’s what’s crazy. It’s only just begun.”
Jorja Smith describes the falling or flying album as one that moves as quickly as Jorja’s mind does, with deep, thumping drums, frantic basslines, catchy hooks, and distinctive beats. “I don’t slow down enough” Smith said. “This album is like my brain. There’s always so much going on but each song is definitely a standstill moment.”
The dates for Jorja Smith’s falling or flying album launch live shows are available below and tickets go on sale on May 19.
Thursday 28th September – Pryzm, Kingston (with Banquet) Saturday 30th September – Level, Nottingham (with Rough Trade) Wednesday 4th October – Outernet, London (with Rough Trade) Monday 9th October – SWX, Bristol (with Rough Trade)
On this date in 2010, Queensbridge king Nas and reggae royalty Damian Marley dropped their collaborative album Distant Relatives on the Universal Republic/Def Jam imprint.
This Hip Hop/reggae collabo album was the first of its kind, with its release coming after Nas’ controversial Untitled album and Marley’s landmark Welcome To Jamrock LP. The production was very organic and exempt of super producers except for Jr. Gong and Stephen Marley, having Marley explain , “We’re trying to have a sound that’s reminiscent of both of us, but not exactly like either… A lot of charity albums come off corny. We want this to be something you’d play in your car.”
The album did daily well commercially, entering the Billboard 200 at number five and selling over 125,000 in its premiere month. Distant Relatives also served as a refreshing alternative that coupled as a vehicle of consciousness to younger listeners who were captivated by the more popular gangster themed music. Features boasted the likes of Joss Stone, Junior Reid, Lil Wayne and others.
Salute to Damian and Nas for this pivotal piece of Hip Hop history!
30 years ago, on this day, the almighty Baldhead Slick, more commonly known as the “Guru” of Gangstarr, dropped his first solo project, Jazzamatazz, on Chrysalis Records. The album featured a slew of artists in and outside of the ciphers of Hip Hop, as this album was the first of its kind, with “Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal” fusing the sounds of Jazz with Hip Hop’s boom bap to create a groundbreaking album.
Jazzamatazz, which was executive produced by Guru, featured Jazz legends such as Roy Ayers, Branford Marsalis, Donald Byrd, and N’Dea Davenport of the Brand New Heavies. Guru also introduced Hip Hop in the states to the international community, recruiting MC Solaar of France(not to be confused with the controversial producer Solar with whom Guru was connected before his passing).
Salute to the Gangstarr Foundation, DJ Premier, MC Solaar, jazz icons, and everyone who was a part of this trailblazing project! RIP Guru!
Tamika D. Mallory, co-founder of Until Freedom, and Reverend Michael McBride, co-founder of the Black Church Political Action Committee, have criticized sports and entertainment collectibles company Panini for lacking diversity in its leadership team. They addressed a letter to Panini America CEO Mark Warsop, highlighting the fact that despite black and brown athletes contributing 75% of the company’s revenue, its executive team does not reflect this diverse athlete base.
Mallory and McBride argue that the situation is even more problematic considering Panini’s significant profits from black and brown players. They pointed out that out of the 800 employees listed on LinkedIn, only three are black, indicating a severe lack of black representation throughout the company.
The activists issued an ultimatum to Panini, demanding immediate action to rectify its hiring practices by appointing black leadership in crucial positions. Failure to do so would result in a joint effort to encourage Panini’s athletes and partners, including the English Premier League, NBA, NFL, NBA Players Association, and FIFA, to boycott the company.
In an interview with The Source, Tamika Mallory highlights the changes needed to be made by Panini, the need to address Black leadership, and more.
What prompted you to write this letter to Panini, and why do you feel it’s important to address the lack of black leadership within the organization?
It came to our attention that Panini America, a sports card and memorabilia trading company, has zero Black leadership. However, 75% of the athletes whose imagery they use for their products are Black and Brown. We think that’s unacceptable and must be remedied immediately. We will not accept another company profiting off of Black people and black talent without Black people in the company’s leadership. It’s nothing more than exploitation.
Can you elaborate on the significance of Panini’s reliance on black and brown athletes for their business, and how the absence of diverse leadership contradicts that?
Panini America’s roster is close to 75% Black and Brown athletes from the NFL, MLB, UFC, NBA, and FIFA. It’s ludicrous that any company profits off of majority Black and Brown athletes but employs no Black People in executive leadership. According to one website, Zippia, that connects people to job opportunities and rigorously analyses publicly available data about companies – Panini America only has 10% African or African American employees but none hold positions of leadership in contrast to 75% of Athletes on their sports cards and memorabilia who are significantly Black and where the profit lies.
What specific changes or reforms are you demanding from Panini regarding their hiring practices and the inclusion of black leadership?
Panini needs to hire an outside firm to review its hiring practices, promotion processes, and recruitment strategies. We are confident that talented Black candidates are inside and outside the company. We want Panini to address any limits to their current policies and commit to do better and ensure fair and equitable hiring and opportunities to excel in the company for all people, regardless of race.
How do you think Panini’s lack of black leadership reflects broader systemic issues of racial inequality within the sports and entertainment industry?
Panini America is but only one of many companies that has fallen short of practicing true diversity, equity, and inclusion. Across major corporations, Black senior executive leadership is lacking, especially for Black women. We know this is a systemic issue, and we choose to call companies like Panini America to a higher moral ground where they acknowledge their deficiencies and commit to a process to make their company a more diverse and equitable space that values Black leadership and representation amongst their ranks and not just of their profits.
Is there anything else you would like to add or any message you’d like to convey to Panini, its partners, athletes, and the public regarding this issue?
Panini America is not the first company and won’t be our last. We hope Panini takes our concerns and requests seriously and sets an example for other corporations in similar situations moving forward.
Jack Harlow has already amassed a flourishing career as a rapper. Now he has his sites set on taking over the acting world. With his rendition of White Men Can’t Jump ready to be viewed by fans, Harlow is looking to sink deeper into the acting world.
Speaking during a Q&A session for the film, PEOPLE notes Harlow confirmed his journey into acting is serious.
“Through this film, I was able to gain my confidence as an actor, and to me, this shit is not a side quest,” Harlow said. “This isn’t a side mission that I’m tacking on just to keep the entertainer thing going and make some extra money.”
He added, “I really got the bug and fell in love with this, and I’m developing a deep passion for the craft of this the same way I had in music.”
First released back in 1992, White Men Can’t Jump starred Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson as streetball hustlers, joining forces as a black and white man taking over the basketball courts in hopes of taking home a bag. Written by Ron Shelton, the comedy did outstanding numbers at the box office, standing to this day as one of the top go-to basketball movies within pop culture.
Harlow plays the role of Jeremy, a former star of the game whose injuries stalled his career. His co-star Sinqua Walls plays Kamal, who also had the potential to make it to the big leagues, but his temperament kept him stagnant. Other notable names include Teyana Taylor who plays Sinqua’s wife, Vince Staples, who plays Sinqua’s teammate and friend, and a cameo from Blake Griffin, who also executive produced the film.
At the LA premiere, Lil Nas X briefly walked the red carpet in a Jack Harlow tee-shirt, before running off. This mimics Harlow’s support of Lil Nas X, who previously rocked a shirt with Nas on it for last year’s BET Awards. The support was real, as this served as Jack Harlow’s first big-screen debut as an actor.
On this day in Hip Hop history, 33 years ago, Ice Cube released his debut solo album Amerikkka’s Most Wanted. Following the tragic breakup of N.W.A., this album’s unexpected commercial and critical success set the tone for Ice Cube’s solo career and was also a launching pad toward success.
Being able to peak at #19 on the Billboard 200 and be certified platinum in the year if it’s released, all while staying true to the hardcore gangsta sound that is prevalent in all of his other work shows, since the beginning, Ice Cube has been a force to be reckoned with. His lyrical style and choice of subject matter force the commercial music world to be comfortable with a narrative uncommon to most of those who would consider themselves fans of the work. With this album, Ice Cube can paint a vivid and accurate picture of his particular experiences as an artist in making it out of Compton yet still thriving as a product of the said environment.
Unlike his previous NWA cuts, Ice Cube can get a little more theatrical with the delivery of his message while remaining just as straightforward. From the project’s title to the outro, it is prominent that Ice Cube had no intention of sugar-coating what he had to say. The violently righteous theme of this album shook the rap world showing a more militant side to the consciousness movement going on in the early 1990s. Cube even worked with Public Enemy’s production team, The Bomb Squad, to harness the high-energy sound paired perfectly with his flow.
Critically, this album is held on a pedestal with some of the best-selling and most respected projects in Hip Hop. It has been ranked on a plethora of “Best of All Time” and “Best of the 1990s” lists by publications in the US, Canada, and Europe. The album has been awarded 5 out of 5 ratings from The Source, Rolling Stone, Allmusic, and The Austin Chronicle.
Following this album, Ice Cube grew to be the mega-star he is today. He released eight solo studio albums and has no plans on stopping anytime soon. He also took his talent to the screen as an actor, writer, and director.
In a captivating interview with Patrick Adams, the music industry luminary, and visionary producer, he unveils his insightful take on the transformative power of his latest release, “If I Ruled the World,” and more about the artistry that makes him one of the must-hear multi-hyphenate talents out today.
In conversation with The Source, Adams delves into the inspiration behind the track, shedding light on his artistic process and the profound message he hopes to convey. Adams brings a wealth of experience and musical expertise to the table, making this interview a must-read for music enthusiasts and admirers of his work, and new fans that will join the journey.
How did you get your start in music, and what inspired you to pursue it as a career?
I had some relatives that were musicians, and they actually still are. So they’re all a little bit older than me. I was the little cousin that was always hanging around, watching everybody rehearse. And then the house next door to me was filled with musicians and they had a band. And so, during this time period, there were a lot of bands that were out and playing in Minneapolis. I was the little young pup that would hang around, and I got to hear it all the time. And so I just was like, you know what? I think that’s something that I want to do. I would watch and listen to them, and then I’d go into my own space and my own time to grab my little ice cream buckets and make me a little drum set. And that’s how I got started.
Can you describe what your creative process is and how do you go about writing and producing your music? Cause I know you do everything in-house.
The process has evolved over time. It got to the point where you’re just experimenting, and you just turn the mic on, like you do a beat, or you get on the piano or the keyboard, and you come up with something. You’re then writing in real-time without even using a pen. And so experimenting with that lately has been fun. It gives you this opportunity to be free and create on the spot. I love it.
You span different types of genres. Who are your biggest musical influences, and how have they impacted each era of music that you’re creating?
For sure, family members and then Herby Hancock as a child really sparked my interest. A couple of the albums that he had back in the day were major influences. Also, the Ohio Players, The Stylistics, and The Chi-Lites. Even listening to songwriters like Crosby, Stills and Nash, and James Taylor. And then evolving into Prince and Earth, Wind and Fire, and Stevie Wonder. Sly Stone, Babyface, Teddy Riley. And then, moving forward to current artists like Drake and how he would create his songs. That is parallel for me when I look at how Prince would write a lot of his music, they carry melodies.
Anybody could sing some of these melodies. A good example for Prince, even when he did the song, “Money Don’t Matter 2 Night,” the way that he sang it, which he did a lot of songs this way, anybody could sing that melody. And with Drake, they make it listener friendly where anybody can feel like “I can do that.” So just listening to and studying how they do that craft is a major for me. You listen to people like Charlie Wilson, and it’s like, nah, I could never do that. Stokely, you can’t, no, I could never do that. It’s some people who are just so ridiculous with their vocals.
What do you think sets your music apart from other creators?
I don’t really approach music thinking of genre. Whatever God gives me in that moment, I accept it. I can sit down and accept whatever is coming out, and I take that and let it go to where it’s going to go. I don’t sit down and say, you know what? I’m gonna write a song like this, or I’m gonna try to fit into this. It’s just being free and being able to create in a free space. Letting it happen organically.
If you are working in one genre and creative energy pushes you into another. How do you manage mentally? How do you make that shift or know when it’s time to go back?
For example, I could be working on songs for my gospel project, and then I may go down, and I get in the studio, then my keyboard and hands take me somewhere else to a different melody. I just let that take me where it’s going to go. Depending on how far I go in that moment, it could take me all the way through the arrangement, or it could take me through part of the arrangement, and then I just save it and table it for later and then get back into what I was initially working on.
Right now, what’s buzzing for you heavily is “If I Ruled the World.” You mentioned just having that energy that takes you away to places of creation. Do you recall what specifically was in your heart, mind, spirit, or musical energy when you started to work on that?
I’m from Minneapolis, and the neighborhood I grew up in was over where the situation happened with George Floyd and the riots. That was my neighborhood. And my kids grew up in that neighborhood as well. So, that incident and many other situations that have happened not only in our country but around the world was the motivation. The tipping point for me was the invasion of Ukraine, and that led me to enough is enough. I can’t take this anymore. And so I just started playing, and then those words started coming out.
We all just need to look in the mirror, and we can’t keep pointing the finger here and pointing the finger there. We all just have to look in the mirror and figure out what we can do to make this space better. And so with the creative process musically for it, that’s where that derived from. I wanted to go back into that neighborhood and grab some of the pillars in the community and others that grew up in that neighborhood and be a part of the video. We took over the square, and it actually was minus two out there. So we were hurrying up trying to get those scenes done.
You had the experience of seeing your graphic on display on a billboard in Times Square. How did that feel for you?
It was a humbling experience, and it was crazy cuz I got the phone call the night before the release of the single and the video, and I was asked how I would like this particular ad for that song to be displayed in Times Square. The release comes out, and someone sent me a clip of the ad being played in Times Square. I called this individual up and said, ” man, thank you so much. I really appreciate that. So long story short, I was out there that following Friday and actually got to see it in person. God is good. That’s all I can say.
You are currently working on your R&B album. What energy do you want to bring with that release?
It’s a mixture of uptempo and dance songs. Some ballads, some mid-tempo. It touches on a couple of different areas. As far as musically, it’s some stuff that reminds you of back in the seventies and some stuff that might be like in the eighties. We just wanted to touch on these different areas musically. I think it’s a fun project. I’m out here in LA, mixing one of the dance songs right now. It’s coming out really nice, man. I’m excited about it.
What challenges have you had as an artist, and how do you set out to overcome them?
The main challenge for me is creative control, which is probably a challenge for almost every artist out here unless you’re doing your stuff independently. The freedom to be able to release your own stuff and have the avenues to make it work is an unbelievable thing. I’m excited about that, and the challenges are staying on it from the advertising and marketing side. I’m not a huge social media guy, but it pushes you to do it a lot more. So right now, that’s the biggest challenge.
In a captivating interview with Patrick Adams, the music industry luminary, and visionary producer, he unveils his insightful take on the transformative power of his latest release, “If I Ruled the World,” and more about the artistry that makes him one of the must-hear multi-hyphenate talents out today.
In conversation with The Source, Adams delves into the inspiration behind the track, shedding light on his artistic process and the profound message he hopes to convey. Adams brings a wealth of experience and musical expertise to the table, making this interview a must-read for music enthusiasts and admirers of his work, and new fans that will join the journey.
How did you get your start in music, and what inspired you to pursue it as a career?
I had some relatives that were musicians, and they actually still are. So they’re all a little bit older than me. I was the little cousin that was always hanging around, watching everybody rehearse. And then the house next door to me was filled with musicians and they had a band. And so, during this time period, there were a lot of bands that were out and playing in Minneapolis. I was the little young pup that would hang around, and I got to hear it all the time. And so I just was like, you know what? I think that’s something that I want to do. I would watch and listen to them, and then I’d go into my own space and my own time to grab my little ice cream buckets and make me a little drum set. And that’s how I got started.
Can you describe what your creative process is and how do you go about writing and producing your music? Cause I know you do everything in-house.
The process has evolved over time. It got to the point where you’re just experimenting, and you just turn the mic on, like you do a beat, or you get on the piano or the keyboard, and you come up with something. You’re then writing in real-time without even using a pen. And so experimenting with that lately has been fun. It gives you this opportunity to be free and create on the spot. I love it.
You span different types of genres. Who are your biggest musical influences, and how have they impacted each era of music that you’re creating?
For sure, family members and then Herby Hancock as a child really sparked my interest. A couple of the albums that he had back in the day were major influences. Also, the Ohio Players, The Stylistics, and The Chi-Lites. Even listening to songwriters like Crosby, Stills and Nash, and James Taylor. And then evolving into Prince and Earth, Wind and Fire, and Stevie Wonder. Sly Stone, Babyface, Teddy Riley. And then, moving forward to current artists like Drake and how he would create his songs. That is parallel for me when I look at how Prince would write a lot of his music, they carry melodies.
Anybody could sing some of these melodies. A good example for Prince, even when he did the song, “Money Don’t Matter 2 Night,” the way that he sang it, which he did a lot of songs this way, anybody could sing that melody. And with Drake, they make it listener friendly where anybody can feel like “I can do that.” So just listening to and studying how they do that craft is a major for me. You listen to people like Charlie Wilson, and it’s like, nah, I could never do that. Stokely, you can’t, no, I could never do that. It’s some people who are just so ridiculous with their vocals.
What do you think sets your music apart from other creators?
I don’t really approach music thinking of genre. Whatever God gives me in that moment, I accept it. I can sit down and accept whatever is coming out, and I take that and let it go to where it’s going to go. I don’t sit down and say, you know what? I’m gonna write a song like this, or I’m gonna try to fit into this. It’s just being free and being able to create in a free space. Letting it happen organically.
If you are working in one genre and creative energy pushes you into another. How do you manage mentally? How do you make that shift or know when it’s time to go back?
For example, I could be working on songs for my gospel project, and then I may go down, and I get in the studio, then my keyboard and hands take me somewhere else to a different melody. I just let that take me where it’s going to go. Depending on how far I go in that moment, it could take me all the way through the arrangement, or it could take me through part of the arrangement, and then I just save it and table it for later and then get back into what I was initially working on.
Right now, what’s buzzing for you heavily is “If I Ruled the World.” You mentioned just having that energy that takes you away to places of creation. Do you recall what specifically was in your heart, mind, spirit, or musical energy when you started to work on that?
I’m from Minneapolis, and the neighborhood I grew up in was over where the situation happened with George Floyd and the riots. That was my neighborhood. And my kids grew up in that neighborhood as well. So, that incident and many other situations that have happened not only in our country but around the world was the motivation. The tipping point for me was the invasion of Ukraine, and that led me to enough is enough. I can’t take this anymore. And so I just started playing, and then those words started coming out.
We all just need to look in the mirror, and we can’t keep pointing the finger here and pointing the finger there. We all just have to look in the mirror and figure out what we can do to make this space better. And so with the creative process musically for it, that’s where that derived from. I wanted to go back into that neighborhood and grab some of the pillars in the community and others that grew up in that neighborhood and be a part of the video. We took over the square, and it actually was minus two out there. So we were hurrying up trying to get those scenes done.
You had the experience of seeing your graphic on display on a billboard in Times Square. How did that feel for you?
It was a humbling experience, and it was crazy cuz I got the phone call the night before the release of the single and the video, and I was asked how I would like this particular ad for that song to be displayed in Times Square. The release comes out, and someone sent me a clip of the ad being played in Times Square. I called this individual up and said, ” man, thank you so much. I really appreciate that. So long story short, I was out there that following Friday and actually got to see it in person. God is good. That’s all I can say.
You are currently working on your R&B album. What energy do you want to bring with that release?
It’s a mixture of uptempo and dance songs. Some ballads, some mid-tempo. It touches on a couple of different areas. As far as musically, it’s some stuff that reminds you of back in the seventies and some stuff that might be like in the eighties. We just wanted to touch on these different areas musically. I think it’s a fun project. I’m out here in LA, mixing one of the dance songs right now. It’s coming out really nice, man. I’m excited about it.
What challenges have you had as an artist, and how do you set out to overcome them?
The main challenge for me is creative control, which is probably a challenge for almost every artist out here unless you’re doing your stuff independently. The freedom to be able to release your own stuff and have the avenues to make it work is an unbelievable thing. I’m excited about that, and the challenges are staying on it from the advertising and marketing side. I’m not a huge social media guy, but it pushes you to do it a lot more. So right now, that’s the biggest challenge.
