Stevie Wonder once said that, "Ability may get you to the top but it takes character to keep you there." What character traits have kept you in the limelight?
Just being sincere, being honest, being authentic, and just staying true to the game. I believe character plays a lot in the success of a person in general because that's all you have. I'm a hard worker. I know the game I'm in. I'm very knowledgeable of it. My work ethic – I think that's the most interesting thing about me and the fact that I'm willing to do whatever it takes.
As an independent artist, when do you see your character being tested the most?
I may not travel the way I'm accustomed to traveling or I may not get to stay at this level of a hotel. I may not record in some level of a studio. If that's what I have to do just to show them – anybody – I'm always willing to do whatever it takes.
The title of your first solo project is called Real Talk. Is there a specific life event that inspired the title? And what kind of elements can listeners expect?
We have weekly meetings with my whole team. I hadn't had a title at that point. I thought about all the titles in my records and how they all came about. The phrase that I just kept saying was, "That's real talk, man. You have to understand that this is what it is. That's just real talk." I said it so many times that I said, "You know what? This is a "real talk" album because I'm talking about real experiences, real issues, real fantasy."
Everything about this album is authentic, from my lyrics to my vocal performance, the instrumentation. I believe in the message of my generation. I came into the industry in the mid-90s when everything at that time was authentic. We had real singers. We had producers that really produced. I'm a true testament, a product of my generation, and I believe a lot of artists have steered away from that. I'm one of those artists that stand firm on R&B.
If I were to say, "R&B is dead," what would be your response?
I wouldn't say that it's dead, but I think it's in rehab. Artists like Beyonce and John Legend, Alicia Keys, Ne-Yo, Keyshia Cole – regardless of what's going on in the format of radio, they found their lane and they speak to us. Real Talk will be my contribution to that field. It will definitely be a healthy contribution, something that I think the few that really love R&B music are going to gravitate towards.
Article comments
1 - jpharraway
Hello Mr. Q, I'm still proud of your success. You may still remember me but if you have forgotton, I want hold it against you. Love ya, Mrs. Pharr, Long Middle School