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Dwele Interview

Dwele: Sketches Of A Man Interview by April Arasia Graham As summer consumes us, we await the emergence of those days where we can mellow out and enjoy the sounds of good music and exuberance. Dwele, who is known for his smooth and sensual music, has released his third album entitled, Sketches Of A Man. This brilliant artist is a product of the Detroit sound that is known for its rich musical history and artistry. He blends jazz and soul to create a plethora of melodic stories that make timeless memories. His fans embrace their "prince of jasoul" (jazz and soul infused) and look to him to make their seasons a little more pleasurable. Nu-Soul: How do you think being from Detroit influenced you as well as your sound? Dwele: I think it influences me because when I create I base off everything. I am influenced by everything from the scene, what I did the night I was making the music, down to the weather. Detroit is a place of many seasons. You have the hottest of hot and the coldest of cold. If it's cold outside and I have the fireplace going, I might make a song like "Old Lovers." If it's hot outside and cars are driving with their tops down, music blaring, I might make a song like "Holler." It all plays a part. Nu-Soul: Originally you started as an emcee. How did you gravitate to becoming a soul singer? Dwele: I think it is just the way it happened. I put out the Rize album in 98' and it had a little bit of rhyming and vocals on there and people were leaning more towards the vocal side. I think it's because everybody in Detroit was rhyming at that time. I was cool with Slum and D12 and all of them and there wasn't anyone really doing the vocal thing. I think I kind of stood out because of that and people were really feeling it. It kind of urged me to do more of it. Slum introduced me to their management and they shopped me as a singer. That kind of solidified it. Before 98', if you would have told me 3-4 years later I would be signed as a singer, I probably would have laughed. Nu Soul: What was it like working with Slum Village and Jaydee with you all coming up together at that time? Dwele: At that time with Slum and Jay, I was a big fan. And by me meeting them I was like wow, this is the greatest thing that's ever happened in my life. To be downstairs in Jaydee's mother's basement and watching him do beats after I had been a fan for so long and heard so much great stuff coming from them, it was inspiring to see that and actually work with Slum. Of course you know Slum and I are still working; that's still fam. And I feel honored to have known Jay and to have worked with him. Nu Soul: Do you think Jaydee influenced your sound at all? Dwele: Most definitely. I think Jay, whether people want to admit it or not, influenced a lot more than people give him credit for. Jay has influenced the sound of music right now today. I call it the neck snap and beat where the snare hits a little bit earlier than it should. So, I think Jay was kind of the pioneer of that and he did influence a lot of music. Nu Soul: Can you tell me about you new album, Sketches Of A Man, and what makes it different than the last two? Dwele: With this project, I really wanted a chance to introduce my art and sketching. We had a lot of fun with this project. With each song, I actually created a picture to coincide with the song and part of the pictures sketch. It's a little fun because when you look at the picture first before you hear the song, you can almost hear the song just by looking at the picture. So, it makes it interesting and a little bit different. Nu Soul: You are no longer with Virgin Records of course. What happened with that and what lead you to the relationship with Koch? Dwele: With Virgin, I had a two album deal and we fulfilled that. I really wanted something to base my experience with Virgin off of. And Koch Records gave me that opportunity. I actually wanted to step indie and see what the difference is between being with a major label and being with an indie label. I wanted to know if I would have even more creativity and how is the push going to be different. I wanted to know if I was catching the back burner with Virgin or if they were giving it the full push because they have so many artists that have been there forever that they are putting all of there attention into and I was just coming on. This is really just an opportunity for me to compare what I have been through and to see what was what. I am really looking forward to seeing what Koch will do with the record. Nu Soul: Tell me about the album that you did called The Breakfast Club. What happened with that? Dwele: Yeah, I am not sure what happened with that. That album was me, Ta'raach, Big Tone, Elzhi, 87, and a few other people. I don't even remember what songs I had on that album. I think I was rhyming on that album too. It was a cool project and it was fun, I'm just not sure what happened to it. We spoke recently about getting the breakfast club back together and actually putting an album out which would be dope in 2008 and 2009. It would be different because everybody is kind of doing their own thing now and making their own path. Nu Soul: What is one thing about you that your fans would be surprised to know? Dwele: That is a good question. I guess that I am into photography and sketching. I am trying to make that known with this album right here. Hopefully it will be a shock to them. Nu Soul: What is your favorite memory of soul music? Dwele: Hearing Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key Of Life album for the first time. That album showed me that being a soul artist opens up a lot of different avenues. He took that album everywhere. He did jazz, soul, some world music, and I don't know what you would call "Sir Duke" but he did that and it just showed me that there are so many different ways you can take being a soul artist and with music, you can express yourself in so many different ways. It was inspiration for me. Nu Soul: When I think of the name Dwele, I think of raw soul music. What do you want people to think of? Dwele: (Laughing) That right there, what you just said. I try to be the soundtrack for people's lives. That is what I am about and that is what I want to do. Fifteen or twenty years from now, I want people to look back and hear a song on the oldies but goodies station and remember where they were or what happened when they heard that song. Nu Soul: What do you think about different media outlets labeling certain artists neo soul? Dwele: I'd rather just call it soul music because it is music from the soul. Whether I'm doing hip hop or vocals, it is all soul music because that is what I operate with. At the same time, I do understand they need to label everything for the consumer so they know where to find you. I understand that point. I am a huge fan of those they classify as neo soul so I take it as an honor to be classified with them but if I had too, I would just call it soul music. Nu Soul: How do you manage to stay so true to soul music despite a lot of industry standards? Dwele: With my last two albums it's just where I was at that time and I can only do me. I think it's cool to bring in a song that is more radio friendly and for me personally, I am not just a singer or producer but I'm a singer and a producer. I have to be able to display that on the album and hopefully people get it and roll with it. Nu Soul: Dead or alive. Who would be your dream collaboration? Dwele: Minnie Riperton. I would do a brand new song with her. How classic would that be? (Laughing) Nu Soul: I heard the Rize album went platinum? How do you feel about that? Dwele: Yeah, it went bootleg platinum. (Laughing) It feels good to know that people are interested in the music like that. Nu Soul: If I wrote a movie about your life what would the theme song be? Dwele: Wow. That's too hard of a question (Laughing). Probably Curtis Mayfield's, Move On Up. It's an inspirational song but it could be that music if you need to make an entrance. It crosses the whole spectrum. www.dwele.net www.myspace.com/dwele Purchase Dwele's music at Itunes Purchase Dwele's music at Amazon

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