http://aandrdepartment.com Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:44:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 en hourly 1 A&R Department A&R, Urban, Rap, Hip-Hop, R&B, Soul, Music, Business yes Doug Wade ar@aandrdepartment.com http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/03/23/a-voyage-of-discovery/ http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/03/23/a-voyage-of-discovery/#comments Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:11:36 +0000 Administration http://aandrdepartment.com/?p=1813 http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/03/23/a-voyage-of-discovery/feed/ Interviewed by Peggy Menard Written by Doug Wade         “Accelerate Your Life” is the slogan advertised by the United States Navy to win over new recruits, offering them hope and opportunity for a better future. For some, the phrase is an axiom that many officers and sailors can attest to. But for R&B singer LeMarvin Harris, his former stint in the maritime branch of the military was less rewarding than what he originally intended. Prior to his time in the Navy, LeMarvin had always been interested in music, with hopes of one day landing a record deal. But like some parents whose children have musical aspirations, his mother thought that he should find a more stable line of work in case his music career didn’t pan out. After spending two and a half years as an E3 level Seaman, in which LeMarvin spent many nights drinking and quarreling with Petty Officers (despite LeMarvin’s feuds with his commanders, the term refers to their rank, not their behavior), life at sea began to take its toll on the Inglewood, Ca. native, influencing his decision to go AWOL (he was discharged from the military for his actions, but not before serving two months in military jail and time at a halfway house). During the stretch of abandoning his military duties, LeMarvin revisited the place where he knew he would find the most comfort: the studio. He used the songs he recorded at those sessions to shop himself as an artist, eventually leading to deals with Tracey Edmonds’ Edmonds Record Group, and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis’ Flyte Tyme Records. Although nothing ever materialized from those deals, it didn’t hinder LeMarvin from pursuing his dream of becoming a professional singer. Instead of letting the setback deter him, he brushed himself off, recorded new material, and proceeded to solicit labels with his music again, resulting in him signing with Universal Motown. Unfortunately, LeMarvin’s time at the label was just like the previous others—a big letdown. “Oh I gave up, but kept finding myself in the studio,” says the singer. “I went through depression and all; I dont know what kept me at it.” Luckily, LeMarvin got another chance when Eric Nicks, the former Senior VP of A&R that originally signed him to Universal Motown, acquired a distribution deal with Universal Republic to form his own imprint, Brookland Entertainment, which LeMarvin is currently signed to. Gearing up for the release of his debut album, Confusion, scheduled to drop sometime in the spring, the West Coast representative decided to tap into his past to build upon his future. “Its a mix of a lot of experiences: relationships, growing up in Inglewood. Basically trials and tribulations within my crazy life,” says LeMarvin. The lead single off the album, “Too Many Patrons,” is a testimonial song about the results of overindulging in Tequila, while “Around My Way,” which features The Game and Dr. Dre’s classic “California Love” sample, capture the everyday occurrences of life in the ‘hood for LeMarvin. Indirectly, maybe the Navy lived up to its mantra and actually “accelerated” LeMarvin’s life, forcing him to choose the career path that he was supposed to pursue: music. With a sultry voice, a story to tell, a never give up attitude, and an executive behind him that continues to support his talent, LeMarvin is beginning to look more like the captain of his own ship, as opposed to being just another sailor. “Accelerate Your Life” is the slogan advertised by the United States Navy to win over new recruits, offering them hope and opportunity for a better future. For some, the phrase is an axiom that many officers and sailors can attest to. But for [...] http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/02/25/international-player/ http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/02/25/international-player/#comments Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:38:40 +0000 Administration http://aandrdepartment.com/?p=1249 http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/02/25/international-player/feed/        Long gone are the days when hip-hop was strictly regarded as a domestic experience. The cultural art form that originated at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx is now a global phenomenon, swaying numerous people from various countries throughout the world. One particular individual affected by the widespread expansion of hip-hop is the Stockholm, Sweden rapper Henok “Achido” Meharena. Born in Eritrea, East Africa (he moved with his family to Sweden around the age of 4-years old), the 26-year old emcee, who’s rap moniker is a combination of his birth name (Henok) and the name of a relative who is a known warrior in his homeland (Achido)— which also means acid in his native language—was introduced to rap music by an uncle who grew up listening to ‘80’s hip-hop music, especially the seminal rap group N.W.A. Henok Achido soon found himself seduced by the powerful aura of the music and its creators, stating: “This was the mid-‘80s and hip-hop was still very new and fresh to the general public, and it still had its mystique and instantly had its influence on me. I wanted to be just like them cause they carried themselves with such swagger.”   In May of 2007, Henok enhanced his international profile after he dropped  That F—king Guy: The EP online. “The release of my EP opened a lot of doors for me, he says. “My approach was to start a buzz, create a name and a market for myself which I did. I got fans all over the world now. Anchored by the soulful production of Sakis, who Henok refers to as his Just Blaze, and bolstered by Henok’s cocky rhymes and acrobatic flows, as heard on songs like “That F—king Guy,” “Rockstar Rollin’,” and “Million Dollar Baby,”  That F—king Guy: The EP immediately commands the attention of any fan of hip-hop.  Constantly working to further his goal of becoming a household name, Henok Achido just released his ambitious debut album Almaz Charming Child. Led by the Astma & Rocwell produced single “Pusher,” which features Sophia Somajo, Almaz Charming Child is a musical odyssey of Henok’s personal perspectives on a host of topics, including: family (“Almaz Charming Child”), romance (“Heartbreak Hotel”), struggle (“High on Life [When The Drugs Don’t Work]”), and hip-hop (“Mirror Performance”).  If all you had was Henok Achido’s music and no bio to provide you with background information as to what region of the world he comes from, it’s quite possible that you would think of him as the next up-and-coming rapper from the States worth taking notice of. Like most other top-notch emcees, Henok possesses that all-so important characteristic called “confidence” that propels his art from ordinary to engaging. “My motto in life is to be better than yourself … cause youre the only one that can make you better,” says self-assured rapper. Long gone are the days when hip-hop was strictly regarded as a domestic experience. The cultural art form that originated at 1520 Sedwick Avenue in the Bronx is now a global phenomenon, swaying countless numbers of people from various countries [...] http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/02/16/riding-solo-in-the-3rd-lane/ http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/02/16/riding-solo-in-the-3rd-lane/#comments Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:54:20 +0000 Administration http://aandrdepartment.com/?p=787 http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/02/16/riding-solo-in-the-3rd-lane/feed/ One of the major stumbling blocks for new artists is the concept of identity, and R&B singer Lee Carr was no exception. Back in 2005, the 21-year old Mt. Vernon native signed his first deal with Def Jam Records as an artist on Russell Simmons RSMG imprint. Despite Carr’s obvious talent, he never got the support from the label that he anticipated, resulting in a debut project that never saw the light of day. Reflecting back on those years, Carr now understands why he wasn’t a priority at the label, attributing it to not fully knowing who he was as an artist: “To be honest, I probably wasn’t ready. I was just a good songwriter and a good singer, but I didn’t have any identity.”  After being released from his Def Jam contract, Carr used his shortcomings as an opportunity to mature professionally and develop his repertoire as an artist, stating: It was like the best thing in the world that happened to me because I added a third dimension to my game, which was producing.” A few months into his free agency, labels started courting Carr again, initiating a bidding war that led to his current deal with Jive Records (he originally intended on signing with Universal Records twenty-four hours prior to signing with Jive).  In the process of developing his musical talents, Carr gained valuable insight into his strength as an artist, claiming: “I realized that I make strong love songs.” This past summer, Carr used his skill as a songwriter to charm and win over the ladies, playing to their sensibilities for shoes on his promotional single “Stilettos. While the song garnered a mild buzz early in its release, it wasn’t until the addition of his Westchester county brethren, Jadakiss, on the remix that the record generated national attention.  Now that he is taking complete ownership of his career (he formed his own company 3rd Lane Music Group, which hes signed to as an artist), Carr decided to exercise his newly added production chops in preparation for his self-titled debut album, as can be heard on his lead single “Breathe.” During Carr’s period of reinventing himself, the self-reliant, triple-threat (singer/songwriter/producer) even went as far as creating his own genre, which he’s dubbed “ghetto-euro pop.” The first song to embody his new sound is the power ballad, “Lost It All.” On the song, Carr faces the lonesome reality of life after losing his lover, pouring his heart and soul out with the lyrics: “Baby you got me wishing on a star/and I just wanna be where you are/baby it’s not fair/my heart can’t take it.”  Finally comfortable in his artistic skin, Carr now believes that he is ready to achieve great success. “I understand there’s a lot of guys out there doing it, but it’s three guys that I can think of that songwrite, produce and sing—that’s Akon, R. Kelly and T-Pain—so why can’t I be the fourth,” says Carr. Fortunately for him, Jive is home to the latter two artists, so hopefully that is a sign of extraordinary things to come.  Lee Carr is tentatively due out early this year. In addition to Lee Carr, the album includes production from L.O.S. Da Maestro: J. Holiday (“Bed”) and Dream (“Shorty Is A Ten”); and Warren “Oak” Felder: Chris Brown (“Superhuman” featuring Keri Hilson).   One of the major stumbling blocks for new artists is the concept of identity, and RB singer Lee Carr was no exception. Back in 2005, the 21-year old Mt. Vernon native signed his first deal with Def Jam Records as an artist on Russell Simmons' [...] http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/01/14/factz-is-how-you-define-the-truth/ http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/01/14/factz-is-how-you-define-the-truth/#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:00:00 +0000 Administration http://aandrdepartment.com/?p=96 http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/01/14/factz-is-how-you-define-the-truth/feed/   As many new artists have experienced on their journey to success in the music business, the road to the top is no easy task. Beyond talent, it takes some out-the-box thinking, work ethic, and a daring attitude to get consumers and music executives alike to pay attention. Emerging from the underground rap scene to become one of Web 2.0’s most blogged about new artist is Mickey Williams, better known as Mickey Factz. The 23 year-old Bronx, New York emcee transcends the term “rapper,” eschewing hip-hop norms by challenging its conventions. Rhyming over everything from Portishead to Royksopp’s “Remind Me” (it’s the song used in Geico’s caveman airport commercial), Factz has distinguished himself from his peers with his avant-garde brand of rap (coined “hipster” by some). At the root of Factzs uniqueness is his zeal to be different, creating music that defies formats: I wouldnt call it hip-hop; I wouldnt call it pop; I wouldnt call it R&B; I wouldnt call it house or techno; Ill just call it global because itll reach every living person on the planet, states Factz. While Factz’s image and music is cutting-edge and futuristic, his foundation is cemented in the essence of hip-hop and the art of rhyme. He proved with the distribution of his successful online mixtapes Flashback: Vol. 1, In Search of N.E.R.D, and Heavens Fallout that hes lyrically up to par, and that his music is more than a novelty. Far from being one-dimensional, part of Factzs appeal is his ability to compose songs with diverse subject matter: I Like Your Supras (fashion); I’m Sean (50 Shots More) (police brutality); Machine Gun (abuse/rape); and Wonderful Place (pregnancy/parenthood). Good ol fashioned hustle and innovative internet marketing paid dividends for Factz in 2008, experiencing glimpses of mainstream notoriety, including the addition of his video Rockin N Rollin (featuring the Cool Kids) on MTV, as well as his appearance on the cover of XXLs Class of 09 issue. Now that Factz has gotten the ear of the music industry, he hopes that his next musical impact will resonate on a much larger scale. “Its also about me changing the world. When a dude hits me on Myspace and says, ‘Im homeless but I listen to your music everyday on my CD player to get me through the day,’ that means more to me than the money.” As many new artists have experienced on their journey to success in the music business, the road to the top is no easy task. Beyond talent, it takes some out-the-box thinking, work ethic, and a daring attitude to get consumers and music executives [...] http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/01/14/a-writing-course-in-penmanship/ http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/01/14/a-writing-course-in-penmanship/#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:00:00 +0000 Administration http://aandrdepartment.com/?p=98 http://aandrdepartment.com/2009/01/14/a-writing-course-in-penmanship/feed/    At a young age, Claude Kelly knew that one day he would become a fixture in the music industry, presumably as a singer. He was so steadfast in pursuit of his dream that on Saturday afternoons, along with his cousin in tow, he would travel around New York City collecting the names and addresses of various record labels, fantasizing about the day when he would wow executives in those exact offices. All grown up, Kelly’s childhood premonition of dazzling industry personnel with his musical abilities has come true, although part of his dream is still being momentarily deferred.    Emerging as one of the new rising songwriters in popular music, the 27 year-old Lower East Side native has turned a bleak beginning into a very promising future. Back in 2003, after returning to the Big Apple following his graduation from the prestigious Berkley College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, the then neophyte songsmith reconnected with some old friends who were actively pursuing music when he was pitched the idea of songwriting. Despite not having any prior experience or even any real interest in being a writer, Kelly decided to try his hand, stating: “I kinda fell into writing. My main thing was really being an artist, and I just kinda realized that being an artist doesnt pay the bills until you get signed.” His professional path immediately changed directions when he secured his first song placement for “Take Your Time,” which was included on Bathing Ape founder Nigo’s compilation CD, “Nigo Presents: (B)ape Sounds.” The boost in confidence from his initial song placement led to other projects, allowing Kelly to develop his talent as a songwriter. Using each project as a stepping-stone, Kelly eventually established a relationship with Akon, where the two forged a musical bond rooted in respect and admiration for each other’s musical capabilities. The first public Akon-Kelly collaboration was Leona Lewis’ “Forgive Me,” off her platinum debut album, “Spirit.” Kelly’s contribution on “Spirit” heightened his profile, leading to the opportunity to work with two of music’s most acclaimed artists: Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson. For both records, he again partnered with Akon, writing the lyrics to “Like I Never Left” (Whitney Houston) and “Hold My Hand” (Akon and Michael Jackson). Fulfilling his childhood dreams, the budding penman reflected on the significance of his participation on the projects of two pop culture icons: “Those are two artists that I grew up listening to that were like—they were it. They were two black pop stars to me.” Besides the personal satisfaction Kelly enjoyed, he also understands the significance it has on his professional growth. “To have conquered both of those so early in my career is like—it tells me two things: it tells me that I’m doing the right thing, and tells me that if it happened now that means great things are coming after that.” Even though he is making headway in the music industry behind the scenes as a songwriter, his childhood aspirations of making it big as an artist still haven’t waned. Having written the lyrics for some of the industry’s most noted artists, he hopes his resume softens industry resistance when he decides to pursue a career as an artist, stating: “songwriting will basically give me the opportunity to do what I want as an artist, because now that I’ve proven that I can write for other people, there’s a lot of things I want to say that I feel only I can say.” Claude Kelly’s most recent songwriting contributions can be heard on Brandy’s “Human” (“True,” “Camouflage”), Britney Spears’ “Circus” (“Circus,” “Shattered Glass”), and Akon’s “Freedom (“We Don’t Care”). At a young age, Claude Kelly knew that one day he would become a fixture in the music industry, presumably as a singer. He was so steadfast in pursuit of his dream that on Saturday afternoons, along with his cousin in tow, he would travel around [...]