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 don’t 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. “It’s 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.
