Welcome to B’more Entertained the place where interviews and commentary mix. The last three issues I have interviewed artists who are considered “Neo-Soul” or under the radar.
Teedra Moses, Conya, Doss, and now K’Jon and Dwele are all neo soul artists who have a solid audience with the older crowd. Their audience is people who shun 92.3, 93.9, and 95.5 and love the jazz and old school stations. These artists have the ability to win over the new generation who are die-hard Lil Wayne, T-Pain, and Trey Songz fans. This generation only gives a song one chance before they deem it boring and put it in their “no” pile. As far as I know, Dwele is the only one of these artists who has gotten recognition from the 106&Park crowd, having two videos debut on the popular countdown. In this issue, we will interviews with K’Jon and Dwele and a rundown on music: why I love it and which songs create the soundtrack to my life. Thanks for stopping by and enjoy.
First, we have an interview with Dwele.
Dwele, nee’ Andwele Gardner, may not be a household name, but if you read his résumé you would be pleasantly surprised at all he has accomplished. The rapper turned singer has directed videos for R&B/Hip Hop group Slum Village, won a Grammy with Kanye West for the single “Flashing Lights,” and put together a multimillion-dollar campaign for McDonald’s McCafe coffee. And for the record, he is the only man who can cheat and get away with it.
Dwele is a major independent artist. I know some people just asked what that means because I just asked myself what that meant but it means he is an independent artist with major label backing. He is currently signed to Koch records but enjoys the freedom of being an independent artist. The man with the wild hair, as he calls himself, released his independent album in 1998 and quickly signed a record with Virgin records. Twelve years later, Dwele is content with being a major independent artist.
Currently, Dwele is promoting his fourth album, Sketches of a Man. The first single “I’m Cheating” quickly moved up the charts, landing comfortably in the top 30. “This album is a lot of songs that make up who I am. They’re sketches of me. You have everything from jazz, old school flavor, and you have songs that bounce a little bit more. I feel like musically I’m hip-hop, jazz, and I’m soul. You get all of that on this album. There’s something for whatever you need music for,” says Dwele.
For more information go to www.dwele.com, myspace.com/dwele, but leave wikipedia alone because a lot of their information on Dwele is wrong.
Next we have an interview with up and coming singer K’Jon.
If you read this column, you know I have a lot of “boyfriends.” First it was Joe, then I dumped him for Idris Elba, and now I’m weighing my options between Idris Elba and K’Jon. When I first saw K’Jon, I was immediately taken with his fashion sense. This man matched from head to toe. The sunglasses were black, the shirt was black, the belt was black, the jeans were black, and the shoes were black and I am not ashamed to say he looked good.
The self described underrated artist is finally getting due respect. His major label debut single “On the Ocean” has been on the charts for nearly a year and has hit number one, not once but twice and he just sold a song to Lyfe Jennings. Life is definitely good for the Detroit native. Although he just released his first major album I Get Around, which hit #1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, K’Jon was performing in local talent shows since he was eight and has been an independent artist for over a decade, even scoring a spot on the 2 Fast and 2 Furious soundtrack in 2004.
It was only after “On the Ocean” hit number one on Chicago stations, that executives came calling and the rest fell into place. “If I can compare the two, the independent game was like a college game of basketball then getting a major deal is like the NBA it’s the same thing just a faster pace.” says K’Jon. “I felt good about what I was doing independently but it’s so difficult on the independent level because you don’t have the finances to take it to the next level. I have a lot to accomplish and I’m looking for it all.”
The Rundown: I Love Music
Music. What can I say about it that hasn’t already been said? Music is universal. I have yet to meet one person who has told me they don’t like music. From the simple melody of a harp to the fast paced ones and twos of Baltimore Club Music, I can safely say that everyone can find a musical genre that fits their personality. I believe we have lost the essence of what music is. Music is not random words on top of a nice beat. Music is supposed to be so powerful that it moves you to deeper feelings. Even if you think Alicia Keys is a home wrecker and you can’t stand her, when you put on that CD, you go “Alicia, I feel you,” “I’ve been there,” “I had to learn that lesson too” or “I remember my first teenage love affair.” That’s music. It moves you to feel something deeper then lust, it moves you to love. Back in the day, the right Barry White, Luther Vandross, or Stevie Wonder song can make you call your cheating ex-boyfriend to reconcile. I challenge you to go beyond the beat and look up the lyrics to your favorite songs and if the words don’t make sense that’s not real music. A few weeks ago, I did this exact thing and looked up the lyrics to Plies’ song “Becky” out of pure curiosity. I wish I hadn’t. I could live to be 100 years old and I still would not be old enough to listen to the song; it’s that raunchy. That’s not music; it’s a how-to manual set to a beat. And I won’t tell you what the “how-to” is because I may get fired and I’d like to keep my job.
Now everyone knows how I feel about rap music but that doesn’t stop me from respecting it. I think people would be shocked to find out that my favorite rapper is Tupac. I respect him for his politically and positive conscious records as well as his negative stuff because Tupac was Tupac and it didn’t matter what anyone thought about it. I will even go as far to say that Tupac has one of the greatest poetry books ever. I also respect artists like Jay-Z, T.I., and even Lil Wayne who actually goes deeper than the surface to give us their lives in gritty, raw details. These artists are such an integral part of pop culture that their popularity goes beyond the black community, and garners them recognition and respect from the likes of CNBC, Oprah, and even Katie Couric. I believe that good and bad music transcends genre and color lines. I also believe that good and bad music is also a matter of opinion. It is a rare that a song is deemed bad universally. Either the critics love it and the general public ignores it or the critics slam it and the fans eat it up. There is rarely an in between.
If someone were to make a soundtrack of my life, it would go something like this: the Backstreet Boys’ Millennium album, Vitamin C’s “Graduation,” Keyshia Cole’s “I shoulda Cheated,” Destiny Child’s “Free,” India Arie’s “Video,” Chrisette Michele’s “Ima Make It,” P!nk’s “Dear Dear Diary,” Natasha Bedingfield’s “I Bruise Easily” and so many more. Also, in case you cared, Angel Taylor’s Album Love Travels is currently on heavy rotation on my iTunes. I like to listen to a little of everything, even Taylor Swift and Nickelback.
I want thank you for spending this time with me and learning a little about my musical taste. As I say in every column, you are free to email me with your questions, comments and concerns. I wanna hear what you have to say. I want to thank the people who have been commenting, I appreciate you taking time out of your day to comment on my column and I hope you keep reading. I am still looking for talent for my upcoming “Who’s Got Next Column?” so email me if you know someone who has next or if you have next, stop reading and email me at my new email address
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Until next time, remember you create your reality.
Dwele, nee’ Andwele Gardner, may not be a household name, but if you read his résumé you would be pleasantly surprised at all he has accomplished. The rapper turned singer has directed videos for R&B/Hip Hop group Slum Village, won a Grammy with Kanye West for the single “Flashing Lights,” and put together a multimillion-dollar campaign for McDonald’s McCafe coffee. And for the record, he is the only man who can cheat and get away with it. 
If you read this column, you know I have a lot of “boyfriends.” First it was Joe, then I dumped him for Idris Elba, and now I’m weighing my options between Idris Elba and K’Jon. When I first saw K’Jon, I was immediately taken with his fashion sense. This man matched from head to toe. The sunglasses were black, the shirt was black, the belt was black, the jeans were black, and the shoes were black and I am not ashamed to say he looked good. 
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