Angel: First off, I’m a big fan of your music, so it’s a pleasure to be interviewing you right now.
Musiq: Thank You
Angel: It’s been about 4 years since your last release and a lot of people wanted to know what you have been up to…
Musiq: Um…I’ve been busy. I’ve switched labels. I’m no longer at Def Jam; I’m over at Atlantic Records, which takes a lot of time and paperwork. I’ve changed management; I’ve changed producers – working on this new album. Well I worked with some of the same producers that I worked with on the past three albums, but I also worked with a lot of new producers. And it takes time to cultivate a sound and get comfortable.
Angel: Yeah, that’s true.
Musiq: I’ve done about three or four tours domestically and internationally. I’ve done a play for about four months, um, just basically been busy. And still at the same time just trying to be a regular human being just living out my life.
Angel: Ok. Well you brought up one of my questions – about the label switch. What was your reasoning behind that?
Musiq: That was actually an idea or a suggestion that was made by Kevin Liles. You know he was over at Def Jam records when I got signed – he actually signed me to Def Jam Records. But when he moved over to the Warner Music Group, and I would see him in passing and he approached me and asked me, “What you think about being over here with me?” Plus it took him a little while to figure out where he would place me and he had to talk it over with L.A. Reid and Shawn Carter [Jay-Z] to make the arrangements.
Angel: The game has changed a bit since your last album, so what do you expect to do to stand out this time?
Musiq: I don’t know. I’m pretty much doing the same type of music, I guess, that I’ve been doing on my past 3 projects. But I’m trying to introduce the idea of other things.
Angel: Un huh
Musiq: I mean there is just way more to music that R&B and Neo-Soul, and I want to be able to perform those different styles and genres and things.
Angel: You always have eclectic titles for your albums, so how did you pick this one?
Musiq: Just being very basic and simple, that’s what I’ve always wanted to give love & music.
Angel: Ok. So one thing I noticed about your new single Buddy is that is similar to your other single “Just Friends.” Did you do that intentionally or is that just how it came out?
Musiq: It’s pretty much how it comes out. All of my songs are basically reflections of my perception of things. I do my best to factor in a general objective perspective, but I’m still a human being and I can only see things the way I see things. And experiencing what I’ve experienced and learning what I’ve learned. I’ve always come back to that subject. I guess that’s why it turns out that way, because I still feel the way I feel about it.
Angel: I always wanted to ask you this ever since your first album came out. You had the song “Seventeen” on your first album; was that from a personal experience that you went through?
Musiq: In a way – it didn’t go like the song. I was being a little more dramatic, but that was an idea that was presented to me by writing partner at the time. Because I remember hollering at a girl and then finding out that she was seventeen. I was like “ooh ok, Imma have to leave you alone..”
Angel: [laughs]
Musiq: You know, but we just took that idea and just ran with it. And just took that idea and just ran with it. And just entertained the ideas of one of the worse case scenarios and then u have the song.
Angel: Ok, you just said that you plan on getting out the box of R&B/Neo Soul, so who do you plan to work with that is out of your genre?
Musiq: It’s not so much that I’m trying to get out of the box of R&B and Neo Soul, it’s just that I would like to be able to do more than just R&B and Neo Soul and not be looked at as being crazy and lost my mind because I wanted to do something else yanno?
Angel: So who would you want to work with?
Musiq: That’s the thing, anybody. I’m inspired my music itself. You know I might want to work with an emcee, I might want to work with a rock artist, and I might want to work with a classically trained maestro and conductor or and old school jazz musician. I don’t know. I would like to be able to do that and it being appreciated and respected for what it is. Rather than, Musiq just trying some new stuff, he just trying to be different.
MUSIQ ON THE STATE OF R&B/SOUL MUSIC // TALKS ABOUT HIS NAME
Angel: Some of my visitors wanted to know your perspective on the state of R&B right now. Because you know a lot of people say Hip-Hop is dead, so do you think Neo-Soul or R&B is dead?
Musiq: I don’t know [sigh/laugh] it just is what it is. In my opinion, and actually in my education too, of things and music, everything works in a cycle. I would say that the business has put more focus on commercial gain, rather than the creative substance of things. Which sort of altered people’s perception and contributed to people’s conditioning of how to listen to music and appreciate music. But personally, I wouldn’t go as far as to say Hip Hop is dead or Rap music is dead or Soul music is dead..
Angel: Un huh
Musiq: It’s just in a state that could use a fresher approach and a breath of fresh air. You know, I’m the kind of person that is not going to sit back and complain about the state of things, but will do my best to contribute to it being better.
Angel: Awhile back on 106th and Park, you said you were going to drop Soulchild from your name. Or did you decide to keep it now, or what’s going on with that?
Musiq: I never really dropped it, the point was to try to focus the attention on one part of the name, and later put the attention on the other part of the name – in the attempt to explain the name. But it got a little confusing to people, so I used this opportunity in reintroducing myself, and to bring the name back as the full name, Musiq Soulchild. Hopefully later on I will be able to explain the purpose behind the two names.
Angel: So a lot of people wanted to know if a Neo-Soul tour was in the works. I’m talking artists like: Bilal, Jill Scott, The Roots… is that something we can expect in the future?
Musiq: Not particularly, but I would love to.
MUSIQ ANSWERS RANDOM QUESTIONS
Angel: Ok, so here are some random questions that some of my visitors want to know. Um, what was one of your most embarrassing moments in the spotlight?
Musiq: One of my most embarrassing moments in the spotlight?
Angel: yeah
Musiq: Um, I remember having to sing “Love” and when it came to singing that high note, I couldn’t do it because I was so horse from doing shows back to back.
Angel: [laughs]
Musiq: That was embarrassing.
Angel: See I was hoping you would bring up that National Anthem thing, because I didn’t really want to ask but..
Musiq: That really wasn’t that embarrassing.
Angel: So you weren’t embarrassed?
Musiq: I mean I was embarrassed, that I forgot the line, but I’m human it happens – people forget.
Angel: Well a few years back you and India Arie were reported to be an item. And you were in one of her videos; I spotted you at the Grammy’s etcetera. Were you two dating, and how is that relationship now?
Musiq: I guess we were dating if you let the people tell it. I didn’t think we were dating.
Angel: Oh, so you weren’t dating?
Musiq: [stutters] I mean well, what do you call dating?
Angel: going out to movies, dinner, chilling at the house. I don’t know.
Musiq: Now is it possible to do that with someone that you are just cool with?
Angel: Yes, it’s possible. But if you do it more than normal, get what I’m saying?
Musiq: Well then, I ask you another question. What is normal?
Angel: Oh lord.
Musiq: You see, you see what I got to deal with?
Angel: I get what you saying.
Musiq: You know because everyone has their own perspective of what dating is. I just saw it as this is somebody that I met – I thought was cool and I loved to spend time with. But when you start saying dating, then you imply that we are together and that we are an item.
Angel: Yeah
Musiq: And then you start commiting with the people and that may not be the situation with the people that are you are “commiting” to each other.
Angel: Ok.
Musiq: You know she has her own life to lead and I have my own life to lead. You don’t know, she probably had other people that she was seeing…
Angel: See, I just wanted you to clear it up yanno?
Musiq: ..She might have had someone else she was trying to get serious with, but everybody else was trying to put us together. And it’s not like it was like I wouldn’t have liked the idea of us being together, but that just wasn’t the reality of things.
Angel: Well, I just wanted you to clear it up..
Musiq: But that’s just for you, but I’m going to have to explain that for the rest of my career.
Angel: That’s true, but you’ll educate some people though.
Musiq: And just to answer the end of your question. We’re still cool, that’s still my homie. I just saw her not to long ago in Atlanta. I did a show in Atlanta and she came through and showed love and support. Like we are still cool, and she is still somebody that I love to spend my time with.
Angel: Ok. Well if you could choose a celebrity to be your “buddy” who would it be?
Musiq: [sighs/laughs] Oh God
Angel: Who would it be?
Musiq: India Arie
Angel: [laughs] See, now you playing around.
Musiq: No, I’m not playing around, that’s a fact.
Angel: Okay..
Angel: Some people wanted to know.. can you cook?
Musiq: I won’t starve.
Angel: So you microwave it up?
Musiq: I can cook a little bit.
Angel: So what music are you listening to right now? Like artists and albums?
[ATLANTIC REPRESENTATIVE CUTS IN: Hey sorry to cut in, but this is going to have to be the last question, you have to rap it up okay?]
Musiq: I listened to so many things, from John Coltrane to Gnarls Barkley to… I don’t know, I listen to so many things.
[I ASKED HIM TO DO THE DROP AND THEN THE INTERVIEW ENDS]
Angel: Alright, well thank you.
Musiq: No doubt
Angel: Have a good one.
Musiq: You too.
Sorry, I couldn’t get more questions in yall, but you know how that goes. Hopefully you enjoyed the interview and make sure you sign up for the LuvanMusiq contest.
LuvanMusiq is in stores on March 13th!
