Where Did Dr. King’s Dream Begin?

After a bill was introduced to Congress to make King’s birthday, January 15th, a national holiday, private citizens took up the cause, including entertainers like Stevie Wonder.

President Ronald Reagan signed the bill in 1983 and the holiday was first observed on January 20, 1986. Though several states resisted at first, the holiday was finally observed by all 50 States in 2000.

In this excerpt from his memoir written before he died last year, Gil Scott-Heron talks about when he toured with Stevie Wonder to establish Martin Luther King Day as a national holiday in the US.

Memphis, Tennessee was only 90 miles west of Jackson, my childhood home. But Memphis was as far away as the north pole in my mind. The history that we were given about it was done in light pencil that hopscotched its way to a semi-solid landing with Elvis Presley on The Ed Sullivan Show. Sun Records considered itself the fuse that lit the 1950s with Elvis and rock’n'roll. With Carla and Rufus Thomas and Otis Redding, Stax Records brought blues to the hit parade with hooks and horns and a solid beat, evolving into Al Green and Willie Mitchell. Memphis meant music.

And unless you stop to think for a minute, you might forget that it was in Memphis that Dr Martin Luther King, Jr was shot and killed on a motel balcony on 4 April 1968. Stevie Wonder did not forget. In 1980, Stevie joined with the members of the Black Caucus in the US congress to speak out for the need to honour the day King was born, to make his birthday a national holiday.

The campaign began in earnest on Halloween of 1980 in Houston, Texas, with Stevie’s national tour supporting a new LP called Hotter than July, featuring the song Happy Birthday, which advocated a holiday for King. I arrived in Houston in the early afternoon to join the tour as the opening act. By 15 January 1981, King’s birthday, I had been working on the Hotter than July tour for 10 weeks.

READ THE FULL EXCERPT AT THE GUARDIAN

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Maysa recorded her self-titled debut in 1995, In 2008, Metamorphosis peaked at No.1 on Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz top 100 chart and no.13 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. In 2010, “A Woman in Love”, Maysa 7th Solo cd Debut at No.1 on the Contemporary Jazz Charts.

Check out “Have Sweet Dreams,” co-written by Stevie, below:

[SOURCE]

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Sometimes it really does seem as though you never fully appreciate what you have until it’s gone. So now, rather than waiting to shed tears after another musical great makes their final transition from this world to the next, this blog is to celebrate the gifts of unmatched artistic talent we are able to enjoy now, while the artist is still around to share in the personal joys their professional career brings to the lives of millions.

In a great example of this practice, this past Monday, NoYouAintRadio.com posted backstage footage from The OVO Fest in Toronto… where one of Hip-Hop’s biggest superstar’s of the moment, Drake, brought out Motown music legend Stevie Wonder to perform with him during one of his shows. As one of the industry’s undisputed legends, this act of deference towards Stevie and the introduction of his legacy to an entire new generation of fans is what showing love to music’s living legends is all about.

In fact, did you know that today marks a moment of time that Stevie made history? That’s right, on this day in musical history, August 24th, 1963, Stevie Wonder became the first artist to score a U.S. #1 album and single in the same week. Wonder was at #1 on the album chart with “Little Stevie Wonder: The 12 Year Old Genius” and had the #1 single “Fingertips – Part 2.”

This blog is about giving props to artists of both the golden era and beyond, while they are still here to receive them. Through their musical careers, the following five acts have forever changed the face of the harmonic landscape forever, and deserve all the accolades they can be heaped with and much more.

As you go through the list, think about this: How has the music of these artists played a role in your life? What are some of your favorite songs or memories of the 5 Alive? And perhaps a question most intriguing, what would YOUR Top 5 Alive look like and why?

- @SamanthaGberry

Speak YOUR piece on this topic and leave a comment below.

New Music and Music News everyday at www.frequencynews.com

Frequency News: Inside the Business. . Artists. Radio.

Welcome to the Frequency-News-Sheet (FnS) on The Urban Daily. Our blog is all things industry news related from a fans voice, with an insider’s experience.

Focused on the urban music industry, it keeps you up-to-date on the who, what and where questions about your favorite artists, new music and the industry in general.

THE FREQUENCY NEWS is the official print and digital music industry publication of one of the nation’s largest radio and media conglomerates, Radio One, INC. To find out all things relating to urban and gospel music go to www.frequencynews.com and download the latest edition.

And now we are blogging on our sister site Theurbandaily.com every Monday and Wednesday. On Mondays, we will post the music charts and analyze what is happening with some of your favorite artists and music. And on Wednesdays, our staff writer Samantha Granberry will sound off on a variety of music industry related topics.

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5. Quincy Jones ft. Patti Austin – Betcha Wouldn’t Hurt Me
When Quincy Jones released his seminal album, The Dude, music fans
couldn’t get enough. What more do you need? Stevie Wonder writing a
song about finding the strength to leave a selfish lover, Quincy
handling the music, and Patti Austin’s impeccable voice is a recipe
for success.

4. Minnie Riperton – Perfect Angel
In 1973, Minnie Riperton had abandoned the bright lights of the
entertainment world for a quiet life as a homemaker and mother.
Stevie Wonder convinced Riperton to record one last album. Out of the
sessions came the title track, “Perfect Angel.” The smooth track
evokes feelings of love and appreciation for the love in your life.
Also, Wonder is the catalyst behind the album’s biggest hit, “Lovin’
You.” He asked Riperton and her husband, Richard Rudolph, to come up
with a song that would most embarass them. They wrote and recorded it
and the rest is history.

3. Rufus – Tell Me Something Good
Hitting the airwaves in 1974, “Tell Me Something Good” became a
signature hit for Rufus and Chaka Khan. This song showcases Stevie’s
experimental nature. “Tell Me Something Good” was one of the first
songs to feature the talk box. For its originality, this became a Top
Five Billboard hit and has been covered by countless artists since.

2. Michael Jackson – I Can’t Help It
There isn’t much that needs to be said about this record. “I Can’t
Help It” is a jazz piece interpreted by a pop/soul artist. Wonder’s
romantic lyrics combined with Jackson’s lithe tenor created magic. If
you ask fans one of their favorite MJ songs, this is usually at the
top of the list.

1. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles – Tears Of A Clown
A collaborative effort between Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder,
“Tears Of A Clown” became an international success in 1967. Wonder
created the music and Robinson was reminded of the circus upon his
first listen. That notion of the circus prompted the two musicians to
craft one of the best pop songs in history. The track was so popular
it forced Smokey to continue to perform with the Miracles until 1972
despite his plans to leave the group in 1969.

Happy Birthday Stevie Wonder! Stevie Wonder’s 5 Greatest Sampled Songs

Stevie Wonder Is ‘All About The Love Again’

VIDEO: Stevie Wonder “Happy Birthday” Live In Japan, 1982

Stevie Wonder Is ‘All About The Love Again’

VIDEO: Stevie Wonder “Happy Birthday” Live In Japan, 1982

“Hey Love”

De La Soul sampled “Talkin’ Bout Hey Love” on their 1991 album De La Soul Is Dead.

“Don’t You Worry About A Thing”

John Legend covered this song for the 2005 film, Hitch.

“As”

Mary J. Blige covered “As” in the late 1990′s.

“That Girl”

Tupac sampled “That Girl” for his hit song “So Many Tears.”

“Higher Ground”

Red Hot Chili Peppers covered “Higher Ground” in 1989 on their Mother’s Milk album.

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Grab a glass of spiked egg nog, put on an ugly Christmas sweater, and wrap up a few gifts for the kids while this song plays!

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RELATED: Happy Birthday Stevie Wonder!

Sixty years ago today, Stevland Hardaway Judkins was born in Saginaw, MI

Arguably one of the greatest American music talents the world has ever known, Stevie’s career spans six decades and shows no signs of slowing down.

Go down memory lane with us, and check out some of our favorite Stevie songs!

“Fingertips (Part 2)”

“Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” / “A Place In The Sun”

Drum Solo!

“Signed Sealed Delivered (I’m Yours)”

“Superstition” (Live On Sesame Street)

Living For The City

“Sir Duke” / “I Wish”

“Rocket Love”

Do I Do

“Ribbon In The Sky”

“Part-Time Lover”

“These Three Words”

What are your favorite Stevie Wonder songs?  Let us know in the comments!

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RELATED: VIDEO: Stevie Wonder “Happy Birthday” Live In Japan, 1982

I actually just found this song a few days ago. Its pretty dope. It’s kind of like “You Must Learn” by BDP, “Hey Young World” by Slick Rick or “I Know I Can” by Nas. Stevie produced the song and did the hook. Gary Bird was more known for being a radio deejay than a rapper.

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After the sexy chanteuse sang his praises on The Tom Joyner Morning Show earlier this week, Raekwon decided to serenade one of his biggest fans, Sade.

Check out this video of Raekwon dedicating Stevie Wonder’s “Overjoyed” to Sade.

Spotted at RapRadar.

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If you missed last night’s “Hope For Haiti” telethon, your television must have been turned off as it was on every channel.  Check out some of the performance highlights from the telethon below!

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Jay-Z, Rihanna, The Edge, Bono “Stranded”

Justin Timberlake & Matt Morris “Hallelujah”

Beyoncé “Halo”

Jennifer Hudson & The Roots “Let It Be”

Alicia Keys “Prelude To A Kiss”

Stevie Wonder “A Time For Love”

Mary J Blige “Hard Times”

John Legend “Motherless Child”

Wyclef Jean “Rivers Of Babylon”

Quincy Jones & Lionel Richie To Remake “We Are The World” For Haiti

In the early ’80s, Stevie Wonder launched a campaign demanding the recognition of Rev Dr Martin Luther Jr.’s birthday as a national holiday. Stevie composed “Happy Birthday” in honor of King and the song quickly became a hit.

King’s birthday would not become recognized as a holiday until 1986, but certainly Stevie’s efforts helped make it happen.

LOST IN TRANSLATION: Is Dr. King’s Dream A Beautiful Nightmare?

Here is video of Stevie Wonder performing “Happy Birthday” in Japan in 1982!

Today marks the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street. Last week we showed you how the Emmy award winning program influenced hip-hop. Today, we take a look at some of the best guest appearances and sketches from The Street.

1) Stevie Wonder brings the FUNK to Sesame Street.

2) The Pointer Sisters and Herbie Hancock teach you how to count.

3) Jesse Jackson delivers his famous “I Am Somebody” speech.

4) The Fugees perform “Just Happy To Be Me”

5) Queen Latifah and the letter O

Tell us some of your favorites in the comments section!

Why do we say it’s fake? Look at the nonsensical posts (ie, he’s blind so this is what he’d be “typing.” smh)

Burn!

VIA YBF:

Stevie Wonder’s son Keita Morris was arrested Monday morning on domestic violence charges. Apparently Keita started arguing with an unidentified woman before it turned physical. LAPD saw the marks on her body when they arrived on the scene, so Keita was arrested then and there. He posted $50,000 bond later that day.

Please get your son Stevie.

Already gaining mainstream appeal, Stevie Wonder’s new singles titled “All About The Love Again” has been performed live on The Ellen Degeneres Show, The Grammy’s, ABC’s Neighborhood Ball, and American Idol.

This song is the focus track on the Change Is Now: Renewing America’s Promise official Inauguration CD which is due to release on Tuesday, April 28h. “All About The Love Again” will be specially anchored around today’s renewal state for America with a handful of non-profit driven projects to be announced very shortly.

For detailed information on this yet another exciting project from Hidden Beach Recordings, please visit here!

Check out Stevie’s performance on The Ellen Degeneres Show below:

Stevie Wonder’s big White House tribute tonight will include serenades from Martina McBride, who will sing Wonder’s hit “You and I,” Will.I.Am, Tony Bennett, Paul Simon and India.Arie.

Tonight, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will present Wonder, 58, with the Library of Congress’s Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

Obama has called Wonder his musical hero and played some of his classic hits during stops on the presidential campaign trail. Obama last year told Rolling Stone that he really got into music during Wonder’s heyday in the early ’70s, when he released albums like “Talking Book,” “Innervisions” and “Songs in the Key of Life.” “

The salute will be held in the White House’s East Room and broadcast Thursday night on PBS.

Prince will again host an afterparty jam at his Beverly Hills mansion for a select few following the Academy Awards on Feb. 22.

According to E! Online, the singer’s get-together joins a crowded night of celeb-hosted Oscar soirees, including Elton John’s annual gala to benefit his AIDS foundation, a private bash hosted by Madonna and Demi Moore at Guy Oseary’s home, and of course, Vanity Fair’s fete at the Sunset Tower Hotel.

Last year, Prince joined Stevie Wonder and John Legend for a post-Oscars concert in the middle of his living room that didn’t get started until 1:30 a.m. Guests included Oscar winners Marion Cotillard, Tilda Swinton and Javier Bardem, who danced with his still-undercover girlfriend, Penélope Cruz.

Sean Penn, Kate Beckinsale, Eva Longoria Parker, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Rosario Dawson and Brett Ratner were also in attendance.

The list of nominees for this year’s Grammy Awards isn’t particulary different from previous years. Commercial heavyweights are peppered with critical favorites and a few quirky newcomers. Business as usual. Sure, there’s something amusing about Lil Wayne’s leading eight nominations. Album of the year pits him against Coldplay, Ne-Yo (a nice addition), Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and Radiohead. But I never warmed to Tha Carter III‘s crass, loopy rhymes. Lollipop? I’ll pass.

Kanye West’s six nominations were a nice surprise, but they’re all for collaborations with other artists (Estelle, Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne). It’s nice to see Kylie Minogue in the mix for best/electronic dance album. And Jazmine Sullivan’s terrific Fearless disc stands to earn some well-deserved attention thanks to her five nods.

Shame on Grammy voters, however, for inexplicably excluding Leona Lewis from the best new-artist race. Lewis’ debut disc, Spirit, is a just-OK collection of diva balladry that could have made better use of her talent. But her singles have been sterling, and Bleeding Love was the sing-along song of 2008. She’s clearly a star on the rise.

Instead, we get Sullivan (good), British songbirds Adele and Duffy (not bad), the Jonas Brothers (OMG!) and Lady Antebellum, whose name is almost as groan-inducing as the country trio’s music.

Notably absent, even in the R&B categories, is Solange’s Sol-Angel at the Hadley Street Dreams. It wasn’t a huge radio success, but the Houston singer’s fantastic, retro-electro disc should have merited some sort of recognition.

I’ll likely be looking to the evening’s performances for real electricity. The evening’s most emotional moment is likely to come from Oscar-winner and Grammy nominee Jennifer Hudson, who is slowly re-emerging after a horrible family tragedy. Will she belt a single, her nominated duet with Fantasia Barrino (I’m His Only Woman) or a soaring gospel tribute?

Carrie Underwood will also add to the Idol lustre, and count on Chris Brown for slick dance moves and serious lip-synching.

There will be big band moments from U2, Radiohead and Coldplay; duets from Estelle/Kanye, Plant/Krauss and T.I./Justin Timberlake; and A-list pop from Rihanna, Katy Perry, the JoBros and a Miley Cyrus/Taylor Swift pairing that should immediately rack up the hits on YouTube.

Whatever the results of the evening, we’ll likely be talking, Twittering or texting about it.

SOURCE: Chron

The BET Honors gala was not an official, pre-Inauguration event but honorees at the event last Saturday in DC were excited about Barack Obama taking over as President.

Mary J. Blige thanked Obama for “helping us to look at ourselves and lifting us higher.”

NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, who was honored for developing businesses in the inner-city, said, “We have to do better now.”

Tyler Perry told the audience that Obama’s election means, “The days of excuses are over. This is a time for people who are going to be strong … There is so much more to us than we have shown this world.”

That opinion was echoed by House Majority Whip James Clyburn (Democratic Congressman from South Carolina) who said that with Obama in the White House “every child has lost every excuse.” But Clyburn also warned that racism is still alive in America. “This idea that we’re in a post-racial age is nonsense. You can never take race out of the equation,” Clyburn said.

The BET Honors featured performances by Stevie Wonder, Queen Latifah, Ne-Yo, Joss Stone, Yolanda Adams and Anthony Hamilton. Whitney Houston did not perform but she was in the house as a presenter. Whitney got a standing ovation when she entered the stage.

Beyonce, Mary J. Blige and Usher will join more than a dozen other music stars for the official kick off of Barack Obama’s presidential inaugural festivities at Washington D.C.’s Lincoln Memorial on Jan. 18.

The free event, which is open to the public, will also be broadcast on HBO and include 19 other performers across various musical genres, including Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, will.i.am, Heather Headley, John Legend, Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Garth Brooks, Shakira, and Sheryl Crow.

Queen Latifah, along with Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III and Denzel Washington, will give historical readings at the event, which carries the official title “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial.”

The celebration opens a four-day schedule of Inaugural events that will include 10 official Inaugural Balls, as well as an Inauguration-Day-eve youth concert at the Verizon Center.

A number of other music events celebrating Obama’s Inauguration are being planned to take place around Washington D.C. as well, including the Beastie Boys and Sheryl Crow headlining a “Hey, America Feels Kinda Cool Again” event on Jan. 19 at the 9:30 club; WAR and Marc Anthony appearing at the Latino Inaugural Gala at Union Station on Jan. 18; Jay-Z Jan. 19 at the Warner Theatre; and Bela Fleck and Wynton Marsalis performing at CNN’s Inaugural event on Jan. 19 at the Kennedy Center.

Here is the initial music lineup for “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial”:

Beyonce
Mary J. Blige
Bono
Garth Brooks
Sheryl Crow
Renee Fleming
Josh Groban
Herbie Hancock
Heather Headley
John Legend
Jennifer Nettles
John Mellencamp
Usher Raymond IV
Shakira
Bruce Springsteen
James Taylor
will.i.am
Stevie Wonder

MediaTakeOut.com just got word that producers of the ABC hit series Dancing With The Stars have approached Stevie Wonder to be on next season’s show.

And according to a snitch close to Stevie – he’s actually considering it. The insider told MediaTakeOut.com, “We’re taking the offer seriously, but no one has agreed to do [the show] yet.”

Quincy Jones will deliver the keynote address at the 2009 South By Southwest Music Conference on March 19.

Jones is expected to discuss the power of music to influence and create positive change in the world and the responsibility of the artist to use their craft to unite people to better mankind.

His current projects include the recently released book “The Complete Quincy Jones: My Journey and Passions,” a feature film documentary on Brazil’s annual Carnival Festival that will benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina and Brazil’s impoverished Favelas; a mini-series on Louis Armstrong, a duets album with Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder; and a tribute album of his recordings featuring artists such as Usher, John Legend and Amy Winehouse. He continues to work on plans for a chain of nightclub-restaurants.

SXSW Music Convention runs March 18-22 in Austin, Texas.

SOURCE: Variety.com

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Inside the mag, an oral history and portfolio presenting stories and images both famous and infamous alike, are told with startling detail by the people who were there. Stevie Wonder, Berry Gordy, Jr., Lionel Richie, Martha Reeves, Otis Williams – the lone surviving original member of The Temptations and Suzanne de Passe separate fact from fiction in this must-read issue of Vanity Fair.

Topics such as The Jackson Five and Michael Jackson are talked about, as well as, the inaccuracies of Dreamgirls, what inspired Gordy to create Motown and how their music impacted the world.

The issue of Vanity Fair is in stores nationwide now. Do you think Dreamgirls got under Berry Gordy’s skin? Speak on it!

In the R&B world of blonde ambition, the key to longevity is creating a brand. And at 21 years old, Jazmine Sullivan has already been pegged as the second coming of Lauryn Hill, while dodging the “neo soul” label affixed to fellow Philly singer/songwriters. But not many artists (old or new) get to say they had a vocal battle with legend Stevie Wonder or that they auditioned live for music giant Clive Davis. With the September 23 release of her debut album, Fearless, Sullivan hopes to showcase herself as an independently minded and eclectic artist, ready to change the way you think about her music.

The Urban Daily: How long have you been singing?
JS: I’ve been singing since I was like four or 5. I started singing when I was out at church. I decided when I was 12 to sing R&B and my parents were really supportive. My mom got me an audition from the Jazzyfatnastees for something called The Five Spot, which was an organization started for females. I sang there for about three or four years before Tory Green, who was an A&R at Jive Records, contacted me and I got signed to Jive when I was around 16. Well, 15 going on 16, actually. And I got dropped from Jive when I was 18. You know, I was so young, and I didn’t really know who I was as an artist at that time enough to be able to express it to them. They had one vision for me and I didn’t really have another. So it just didn’t work out. But it actually ended up being a blessing because I had time to go through some things that a teenager should go through and I took that time to focus on my writing.

During that time I wrote the song, “In Love With Another Man.” My mom and I realized that it was a special song, and we sent it out to different record companies. Peter Edge from J Records heard it, and called and said how amazing the song was and invited me to his office. And I got there, and I sang it for him live he was just like “Okay, we need to start doing something.”

So, for almost a year I worked on getting some songs together to present to Clive, because you know, you have to have your stuff together before you go and stand in front of Clive. So, we took that time out, got about five songs, including the single, “Need U Bad,” and I preformed for Clive he was like, “Welcome to the family.” So I’m here now. That was pretty much one of the highlights of my career, because I’ve always wanted to sing for Clive, and my mom always put it in my head that that’s who we want to get to. Because he was known for being able to recognize special artists and special talents and singers, so we’ve always wanted to get there. I’ve never been star-struck, but when we saw Clive I was like, “What?!”

TUD: How old were you when you wrote your song, “In Love With Another Man”?
JS: I was 19, 20? I’m not saying I went through all of these life-changing things and I wrote it; it still is a pretty deep song for somebody my age, but what I do is, when I write, I gather information from all different kinds of sources. So it could be from my parents, my friends, or anything – TV, movies, anything. I try to write music that is real and music that will relate to people

TUD: So how old were you when you started writing music?
JS: I started writing, I would say, at about 15. I wasn’t really good at it but I just wrote, and I just tried to do it just to learn. So I started writing early.

TUD: How do you go about writing? Do you write to music, or do you write first and then try to find an instrumental?
JS: Someone gives me a track, or gives me the music and I write to it. I try to listen to the song and what the track is saying so that when I write it’s not all over the place, so that when I write it, it should be a good marriage. Very rarely do I have the lyrics first. I may have an idea in my head like, “Okay, this is what I want to write about,” but if it doesn’t go with the track, then I won’t do that. Because I think that in order to have a great song, there has to be a good marriage between the lyrics and the music.

TUD: I know you wrote Christina Milian’s “Say I.” Are there any other songs that have been on the radio, or anywhere else for that matter, that people would know that you’ve written?
JS: That song, which was intended for my album with Jive, that’s been pretty much the only song that I’ve written. I actually co-wrote it with Cool and Dre. But I would like to write for other artists. But right now I’m just focused on my album and getting my stuff together. But once the album comes out and I kind of settle into the industry, then I’ll start writing for other people.

TUD: I’ve heard a lot of people compare you to Lauryn Hill. How does that feel as a new artist, being compared to someone whose work is still so respected in the industry?
JS: Well, Lauryn is great artist. I’ve listened to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill a million times like everybody else. I think it’s easy to compare me to her because of the reggae vibe on the single. But I think once people hear the rest of the album, they’ll see that we’re two totally different artists, and they’ll respect me for who I am. But of course, there’s no other Lauryn and I have no problem with the comparison [laughs]. She’s a great artist.

TUD: How would you describe the album and yourself as an artist? I know you started in Black Lily, and a lot of people who come out of there – Jill Scott, Musiq, Floetry – they all get pegged as “neo soul” artists. But how would you label yourself?
JS: I try not to label myself; I make music. When people hear the album, they’ll realize that there really is no label for me. I been influenced by so many different genres, and its included in my album. There’s really not one thing that you can say I am. I try to be as creative as I can and include all those things so that it can reach everybody. I don’t want to leave anybody out. So, you know, if there’s somebody that loves jazz, they should be able to get a taste of it on my album. Or if there’s somebody that loves R&B, they should hopefully get a taste of it on my album. Or if there’s somebody that loves reggae, or hip-hop, or pop or anything, they should be able to get it all included in my album because that’s who I am. And I’m just not afraid to be different and try different things, and do different things. And that’s the main reason why I named the album Fearless, because that’s really where I’m at right now: I’m not scared to say certain things that other people may not say. I’m not afraid.

TUD: How many tracks have you written and co-written on your album?
JS: I’ve written and co-written every song on the album, which is a blessing because not a lot of artists, let alone new artists, get that opportunity. I’m just really happy to be at a label that supports me and let’s me be that creative.

TUD: What producers are you working with on this project?
JS: Of course, Missy, who’s a good friend of mine; Stargate, who are pretty big right now, Salaam Remi, Jack Splash, Fistacuff, Dirty Harry, and Anthony Bell, who’s from Philly. I think I have a well-rounded album. I think I have a mixture of really well-known producers, and producers that aren’t so well-known. And some in the middle. When I was working on the album it was really about getting good music and a credible album. So the music could come from anywhere as long as it’s good.

TUD: And how did you and Missy end up getting connected?
JS: I met missy when I was about 13. I was around singing for a bunch of people, a bunch of artists trying to get put on. But missy was one of the artists who just let us know early on that she wanted to be a part of my career, and that she believed in me. We reconnected when I got signed to Jive when I was 16, and she really helped with that situation, because they were like, “Why would Missy Elliot want to be a part of this girl’s album?” So that made them pay attention to me as an artist. And she’s my friend, so we’ve been in contact and have done things for a while now. I did “Free Yourself” for Fantasia, I sang background. So, she’s been in my life for a while now.

TUD: Who are your musical influences? Who did you listen to growing up? Who are you listening to now?
JS: I listened to a lot of gospel growing up, mainly because my mom didn’t listen to anything R&B or hip-hop or any of that. But then she started schooling me on the artists that were out during her time like Aretha and Chaka and Donnie and Stevie, and I actually got a chance to perform for Stevie when I was 13.

TUD: How’d that come about?
JS: I kinda of bumrushed my way there. Kindred were actually supposed to perform for him and his family at his grandson’s birthday party at his daughter’s house. And I kind of snuck in and I sang, “What’s Goin’ On?” And immediately we connected, and he started playing “These Three Words” and I sang a little bit of that. And we started having a rifting contest – he would do a rift, then I would do a rift, then he would do a rift – so we had a lot of fun that night. He invited me to L.A. for this annual Christmas event, which is still, to this day, probably the biggest venue that I’ve performed at.

TUD: Do you have any guests on your album, or is it all you?
JS: It’s all me right now, but I’d like to get Andre 3000 on it. He heard “One Night Stand” and wanted to be a part of it, so I’m crossing my fingers ’cause I really want him to be on it. If he doesn’t, it’ll probably just be me, but hopefully he’ll be on it.

TUD: Is there anything you want people to know about yourself as an artist?
JS: Pretty much that I’m open to trying different things; so don’t be so quick to label me as one thing, because I’m probably not that. Or if I am that, there’s more to it. I’m very creative and I like to do a whole lot of different things.