JOHN LEGEND'S JOURNAL
(The official John Legend's diary)
This is John Legend's journal available also on his official website - JohnLegend.com.
Note: More recent entries can be found here.
November 7, 2006
Once Again Debut and U.S. Election Day
Greetings Everyone,
I hope everyone is happy and healthy. I'm doing well. The U.S tour is going beautifully so far. We just had a great show in Cleveland, Ohio, last night. Next stop is Motown--Detroit, Michigan. As many of you already know, "Once Again" debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 (#1 on the R&B Charts), with 231,000 units sold in the U.S. in its first week. This is over double the opening week sales of "Get Lifted." "Once Again" is also a top 10 record in Europe and Japan. Thanks to all my fans worldwide for your continued support. But we're not finished yet. If you enjoy the new album, tell all your friends about it. We've got a long way to go to 5 million!
And, more importantly, for all my U.S. fans, please do not forget that today is Election Day. Your vote matters, so please use it wisely.
Peace & Love
John
September 12, 2006
I'm Back...
Hey everybody. I know it's been a very long time since you've heard from me. But I'm back. I'm back with new music and the beginning of my promotional tour. I can't wait for you to hear and see the new album, Once Again. I'm truly excited about the songs and creative direction of the album. I worked with a great list of producers and co-writers, including Kanye West, will.i.am, Raphael Saadiq, Craig Street, Sa-Ra, Eric Hudson, Devo Springsteen, Dave Tozer and Avenue. I also had a special guest appearance from Mary J. Blige. I'm really proud of what we did. This album shows how I've grown and developed since Get Lifted . You'll hear a range of influences from soul to hip-hop to classic pop to alternative. I hope you enjoy it.
I spent most of the summer working on the new album, but I found some time to do a few other things as well. Here are some highlights:
. I had the privilege of recording a duet with Tony Bennett for his upcoming album and television special.
. I performed with Wynton Marsalis and his band for a fundraiser for Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. That was a memorable experience. Mr. Marsalis is a genius.
. I performed with Sergio Mendes for his 40 th anniversary concert at the Hollywood Bowl.
. I sang at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
. I did a duet with Hoots the Owl on Sesame Street. My best duet ever.
. I had a chance to perform my first ever concert in Trinidad & Tobago. We had a great time down there. I'm hoping to return next year...
. I co-wrote a beautiful song called "Finally" for Fergie's new album.
. I also recorded with Kanye West, Common, Consequence and Cassidy for future releases
As many of you know, we're doing a small set of promotional performances in a few cities in September and October. Tickets will be very hard to come by because the venues will be very small. But don't worry; we'll do a larger tour after the album is released on October 24th. I hope to see all of you out there on the road. The band has been getting ready, and I think we're going to be better than ever.
In the meantime, make sure you check out the new video for the first single, "Save Room." You can also buy the single at various online stores like i-tunes, etc. And be sure you request it on your local radio stations and video channels.
Finally, as we commemorate the 1st anniversary of Katrina and the 5th anniversary of the tragic events of 2001, let us continue to work and pray for peace and prosperity around the world. While we remember the lives of those several thousand Americans who were killed on 9/11, let's also remember that hundreds of thousands of people around the world are dying every year due to extreme poverty and preventable and treatable diseases. I recommend that you read Jeffrey Sachs' "The End of Poverty" which suggests ways we all can work to end this ongoing tragedy. It's a powerful book and well worth your time.
Thanks again for your support.
John
December 28, 2005
Happy New Year
Wow. What a year 2005 has been. We released Get Lifted a year ago today, and I hoped it would be a huge success. Well, our success this year has been well beyond my expectations. We've sold over 1.5 million records in the US and over 2.3 million and counting worldwide. We're platinum or gold in several countries. We've received nominations and/or awards at all the major award shows (including 8 Grammy nominations!). We've done 3 US tours, 3 European tours, 2 Australian tours, and tours in New Zealand, Japan and South Africa. I've met and played with some of my musical heroes. We've truly been blessed.
I'm so grateful to everyone who's helped make this year happen, my labels (Sony & Getting Out Our Dreams), my management team, my band, my family and many others I don't have space to name. And I'm especially grateful to you, the fans. Your support has been overwhelming and inspiring. I had quite a grueling touring schedule this year, but no matter how tired I was, I was always energized by the outpouring of love I received from you at every show. I've had the pleasure of meeting many of you at various events around the world, and I must say that I'm lucky to have such a positive group of people supporting my music. Thanks for your support. I hope I'll continue to make music that's worthy of your support in the future.
I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. I just returned from a great time in Ohio with my family. In this season of giving and receiving, I probably don't need to remind you to think of those who are truly in need in your community and around the world. As some of you know, I recently visited South Africa. It was a beautiful experience for me. The country is absolutely beautiful and the spirit of the people was so warm. I had some of my most memorable shows in Cape Town & Johannesburg. But I was also reminded that there is still a lot of suffering going on around the world. I saw some of the evidence of the legacy of apartheid still apparent in the deplorable living conditions of many black South Africans. And, as many of you know, the AIDS crisis has been absolutely devastating in South Africa and in many other countries throughout the continent. Those who can help should certainly do so.
Also, consider the victims of this year's South Asian earthquake. While the massive earthquake that hit Pakistan and India has not gotten much news lately, the situation over there remains very terrible and could use a lot more attention from those who are able to help. There are about 5 million homeless and a cold winter has begun. There is still not enough medical aid and not enough shelter. If something doesn't happen soon, experts estimate that another 100,000 will be dead by next month. I know it seems like this is just another disaster at the end of a disaster-filled year. But it's the worst of all of them and not enough is getting done.
And, here in the U.S., continue to remember the hurricane victims. Hold the President and Congress accountable for the promises they made to help those victims and address the larger issues of poverty and race in America.
I don't mean to preach to you too much. I just think that we should have some perspective as we partake in the festivities this year....
Speaking of festivities... It's also my 27th birthday today. Thanks to those of you who have already sent birthday wishes and gifts.
Also, this week:
Catch me on the Today Show this morning (the 28th) on NBC
Celebrate the New Year with me in Los Angeles at the House of Blues on Dec 31
Peace & Blessings,
John
September 19, 2005
Katrina Aftermath
Hey people. Greetings from Paris. The European tour has been incredible, sold out all over the continent and the UK, and we're having a great time. However, my mind has often been focused on the awful tragedy that has befallen New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast area. I've truly been saddened by the images and stories that I've seen and heard on the news. Even in Europe, coverage of Katrina and its disastrous effects has dominated the newscasts.
In all my recent interviews, reporters have asked me what I think of the hurricane and our government's tragically flawed response. They've particularly asked me about the comments made by my friend and frequent collaborator, Kanye West, who said, among other things, that "George Bush doesn't care about Black people." His comments may have shocked a lot of people, but he also inspired many and gave voice to a lot of people's frustrations about the truly disturbing images of so many poor Black hurricane victims who were getting the worst of the disaster and George Bush's seeming indifference.
So what do I think about the situation? First of all, I'm truly sad to see such an important, unique city as New Orleans made uninhabitable. New Orleans is such an important city in American and Black music history. It is the birthplace of so much culture, and there's no other place like it in America. I've always loved visiting there and performing there, and I get such an empty feeling knowing that I won't be able to perform there again for a long while.
Secondly, it is truly heartbreaking to see the images of so many people taken out of their homes and made to live in sports arenas and convention centers with thousands of other evacuees. Many have been separated from everything they know and love: their families, their homes, all their earthly possessions. It's terrible. And for this to happen in a country as wealthy and prosperous as ours is shameful, leaving a number of very serious questions that must be asked and answered.
Regarding Kanye's comment, I'm proud of his courage to say what was on his mind. It heightened everyone's awareness of Bush's failings as a leader. And it may very well be true that Bush doesn't care much about the Black constituency. We can only speculate as to what's in his heart and mind regarding Black people, but there certainly is evidence that Bush governs like he cares only about the interests of the rich and powerful. His strategy has clearly been to keep his fervent base (the rich and the cultural conservatives) motivated. So he makes sure the tax cuts and corporate welfare keep coming. And he throws enough symbolic (rather than substantive) bones to the working and middle-class cultural conservatives to keep them motivated. And anyone that falls outside his fervent base, his administration disregards. That includes Black people because he figures that we won't vote for him anyway, so why waste energy and political capital on us? That doesn't mean he doesn't like Black people on a more personal level ("Hell, some of his best cabinet members are Black!"). He's just doing the math (well, his strategist Karl Rove probably is) and making sure he focuses on a winning strategy, which requires next to no Black votes to keep him in power. In addition, he turns a blind eye to the efforts of Republican foot soldiers to exploit racism and to suppress the votes of urban Blacks who tend to vote Democratic. So, the net result is that his administration governs with no regard for the concerns shared by most of the Black community.
But I think a more precise analysis is that Bush's policies are decidedly anti-poor and pro-rich. This is more of a class issue than a race issue. I think it's a mistake when people equate "Black" and "poor" as though they're interchangeable terms. Being poor and Black have been highly correlated in our nation's tumultuous history, but they are not the same thing. In New Orleans, the overwhelming majority of the poor are Black and the majority of the Black citizens are poor. But this nation is full of a wide range of Black experiences and the poor come from all colors of the rainbow (though Black & brown are clearly over-represented in that rainbow).
All that being said, I don't think that I agree that Bush's slow reaction to the disaster was because a disproportionate number of the un-evacuated victims of Katrina were Black. While there have been many instances of racism in the evacuation process in New Orleans and the surrounding areas and in the reporting about the aftermath, I don't think Bush's early inaction was based on his own racism. I think Bush was truly oblivious to the extent of the disaster and the despair that overwhelmed the city. From all of his statements and the reports of his behavior right after the hurricane hit, it is abundantly clear that the President was uninformed as to the suffering that was going on. He has insulated himself from the news (actually he's proudly announced that he doesn't read the news!) and anything that disturbs his bubble of ignorance, and it took several days before his staff and the overwhelmingly disturbing images on the news could penetrate his ignorant bliss. Not to mention the fact that his FEMA staff was headed by people that don't know much of anything about dealing with emergencies. He clearly de-prioritized emergency management as a federal responsibility and it came back to bite everyone in the ass with Katrina. However, simply saying that Bush was uninformed and unprepared rather than racially motivated in this case is not letting him off the hook. On the contrary, it is extremely dangerous and inexcusable for our President to be incompetent in these types of circumstances.
And, as usual, the people who are suffering the most as a result of the administration's negligence are the people with the least resources to fend for themselves: the poor and elderly of New Orleans and the surrounding region, many of whom are Black. To be clear, I'm not saying they're suffering solely because of their race. It's more exact to say that they're suffering because they're poor, and due in part to the nation's pervasive history of racism along with a number of other factors, many of the nation's urban poor are Black.
Not surprisingly, people around the world, including myself, are now admirably donating their time and money in a very encouraging display of generosity to help the impoverished Katrina victims. This generosity toward the needy gives me hope that Americans (along with our foreign donors) have the heart and the inclination to help those that are less fortunate.
But we have to also realize that a lot of these hurricane victims weren't made destitute by the hurricane and the flood. Many of them were already destitute! And they're not just in the Gulf region. They're in cities all across this country. That's an even bigger tragedy than Katrina, an ongoing tragedy of poverty that has grown every year for the last four years despite the national economy's continued growth.
The most important lesson from this disaster is not that Bush doesn't care about Black people. It's that poverty is a very real and growing problem in America despite the fact that you never saw it on TV until the last 2 weeks. This problem continues to fester while Bush's priorities are clearly elsewhere. And the American people haven't even asked our leaders to articulate any clear strategy to deal with poverty. It barely even came up in the last election; neither Democrats nor Republicans talked about it because we as an electorate (including me!) didn't require them to. George Bush and the rest of Washington have governed with little regard for poor people. All too often we rely on capitalism to solve everything while preaching personal responsibility to the poor (which is truly important) without also understanding that the cycle of poverty is exceptionally difficult to break (i.e., most of the people who become poor adults were born into poor families). It is particularly difficult when you factor in the abysmal quality of schools in poor areas and other issues such as class-ism and racism. It's time that Americans hold our leaders accountable for coming up with creative solutions to address the issue of poverty in America and around the world. I'll make it a personal goal to do all that I can in that regard.
Peace & Love,
John
August 19, 2005
Tour Update, "So High" Video & Remix
Hey People,
I hope everybody out there is doing well. A lot has been going on since my last journal. Where do I begin?
Well, the Get Lifted Tour has been going very well. We're almost through with our journey through the U.S. We're ending with a West Coast swing in the next few days, including the House of Blues in Hollywood, where we'll be filming a live DVD. We've done some dates on the Kool Tour with hip-hop veterans Common, De La Soul & Rahzel, and we've done most of the remaining shows with rising star & fellow Ohio native Lyfe Jennings. My band and I have really been growing together and I believe we're continuing to improve as each week goes by. We've had a great time in every city, and we truly appreciate the support we've gotten from all of you.
While I've had plenty of amazing nights during this tour, the most exciting night was when I went home to Springfield, Ohio, to christen the new Veterans Park Amphitheater with a free concert. It was an incredible experience. There were approximately 15,000 people in the audience, shattering the previous attendance record, and it was one of the most memorable nights of my life. My entire family and many friends, former classmates and neighbors were in the audience. And my family came up to sing with me during the encore. Also the mayor gave me the key to the city (I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with it :) ) and declared it "John Legend Day." It was truly a beautiful night that I'll never forget.
We've also finished the video for "So High", the new single from the album. We'll be debuting the video on 106 & Park (BET) and TRL (MTV) next week on the 24th. It's a really beautiful, sexy video, directed by Diane Martel and co-starring supermodel Jessica White. I can't wait for y'all to see it and let me know what you think.
And, in breaking news, I've just finished a duet remix of "So High" with one of my favorite artists of all time, Lauryn Hill. It is her first appearance on a record in quite a while. We've just released "So High" Cloud 9 remix to radio stations all over, so call them up and request it. I'm really excited to have Ms. Hill on the track. She's truly a genius. As you may know, I played on "Everything is Everything" off The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill album and I have been wanting to work with her ever since. It's great to see that wish finally came true.
Coming soon... Check out the MTV Video Music Awards on August 28, and root for your boy. I'm nominated for 3 awards (Best Male Video, Best New Artist in a Video, Best R&B Video). Hopefully I'll grab at least one. Also, to my fans in Europe, Australia & New Zealand, I'll be visiting a city near you in September and October. I'm really excited about that. I'll be headlining throughout Europe and supporting the Black Eyed Peas in Australia & New Zealand. I look forward to seeing y'all out there.
Peace & Blessings,
John
July 12, 2005
Japan Photo Journal
Hey people. This is a special edition of my journal. In May, my favorite photographer, Nabil, came with us to Japan and took some photos, and we're sharing them with you today. Enjoy....(just click on the pictures to enlarge)
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 ...and great cars. Damn, this is the life. |
 I gotta get out of here and start making some more money. :) |
 Later that night, we have a big concert at Hibiya Outdoor Theatre. My first full concert in Japan. |
 The set list... |
 Me and the band prepare to rock the show... |
 Swiss Chris on the drums. |
 Kenny Wright on the bass guitar |
 Sharief on the guitar |
 Chris Rob on the keys & vocals |
 Devo on the turntables |
 Candice Anderson & Tara Michel on the vocals |
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I would show you pics from the show at Shibuya Duo Exchange on the 8th. But Nabil had to head back to the states. Oh well, hope you enjoyed this little glimpse of my trip to Tokyo. I also picked up a little sinus infection by the end of the trip, but it's all good. It was a great experience.
See you soon,
John
June 11, 2005
Get Lifted Tour Update + Oprah Winfrey
Hey People, I'm back! I just finished a great tour overseas.
We started out in Japan. I had a great time performing in Tokyo. The crowds in Tokyo were a lot of fun. We took some great pics which we'll post shortly. Unfortunately, I also picked up a little sinus infection that made me pretty ill for the next week or so... Just a word of advice, avoid flying if you have a sinus infection. The trip to Melbourne, Australia, from Tokyo made me even more ill. My ears were popping and my sinuses were bothering me for several days. I had a show in Melbourne the same night that I landed, and I barely made it through the show. I almost canceled it early, but thanks to the support of my band and the good people of Melbourne, we made it through the show. I had a show the next night in Sydney, which is short flight away from Melbourne. Unfortunately I couldn't fly again on doctor's orders. So I had to ride in a car for about 9 hours to Sydney, and I arrived just before the show started. Anyway, I made it through that show, and my sinuses began to improve from there. I want to apologize to all my Australian fans that I wasn't able to give you my absolute best shows, but it was the best I could do at the time and I hope you enjoyed yourselves...
After the Australian shows (and a visit to the doctor), I was able to fly to Santa Barbara, California, to perform for a luncheon at Oprah Winfrey's estate that kicked off her Legends Weekend. That was an incredible experience. I had an opportunity to play for a captive audience of all the amazing women that Ms Winfrey was honoring that weekend. I can't remember everyone, but the list of women attending included Halle Berry, Tyra Banks, Maya Angelou, Della Reese, Phylicia Rashad, Debbie Allen, Iman, Beverly Johnson, Naomi Campbell, Brandy, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Gladys Knight, Pattti Labelle, Chaka Khan, Angela Bassett, Tina Turner, Missy Elliott ... I'm sure I'm forgetting some people, but you get the picture. All these beautiful talented women at the luncheon and just one man was called in to entertain them. Yours truly.... It was pretty crazy for me to be there. I felt very moved by the whole experience. Anyway, I just came in, sang "Ordinary People," said a few words of appreciation, then sang "Live it Up" (Ms Winfrey's special request), then left and headed back to the L.A. Airport to continue my tour in London and the rest of Europe. It was a brief experience, but it was one of the most exciting things I've done in my career so far.
Anyway, the tour of Europe went really well. The fans in all the cities we visited were very enthusiastic and supportive. I hate to name favorites, but I think the most hype crowds were in the UK (Manchester, London & Birmingham), Paris and Amsterdam. But I truly had a great time at all the shows. I also received my first overseas gold plaques. We're now gold in Norway and in the UK. Hopefully we'll add some more countries to that list, and maybe even bump up to platinum in some places.
Again, thanks to all my fans around the globe for supporting the music. The tour has been beautiful so far....
Last night, we began the US portion of the Get Lifted tour in Atlanta at the Vibe Music Fest. My band and I had a great set, then we joined Kanye & Common (my VIBE cover-mates!) for a G.O.O.D Music jam session. It was a fun night. And I'm looking forward to many more great nights around the country (and in Toronto). Tickets are still available for most of the shows, but they are selling fast so don't wait till the last minute....
See you soon,
John
May 4, 2005
Diary Tour Ends, Get Lifted Tour Begins
Hey People,
I hope everyone's doing well. I just wanted to check in let you know what's going on with me. I just finished the Alicia Keys Diary Tour. I had a great time traveling the country with Alicia and her crew. We went to many of my favorite cities, and we sold out every show. Thanks to all the JL fans who showed me love throughout the tour. It's never completely ideal to be an opening act, but it was a great experience for me. I learned a lot, and introduced my music to many people who hadn't heard me yet. But I'm definitely looking forward to going out as the headliner...
Speaking of which, I'm so excited about the Get Lifted tour happening this summer. We start in Tokyo this weekend and then head to Australia, Europe and then all over the U.S. I can't wait to see you all out there on road.
I've been doing a few collaborations lately, which you should look out for. I did a couple songs with Common on his BE album, which is certainly a classic. Look out for it coming out in a few weeks. I've also done some work with Kanye for his upcoming album Late Registration and with the Black Eyed Peas for Monkey Business. And I've written a couple songs for upcoming albums by Aretha Franklin and Jaime Foxx.
Well, that's it for now. Take care and talk to you soon.
Peace & love,
John
March 31, 2005
Special Message About the Ontario Show
To my fans in Ontario...
I needed to write you all a quick note to explain why I didn't perform at Casino Rama last night. I was there at the casino, ready to perform. However the casino didn't really even want me on the bill. They wanted just an Alicia Keys show. They didn't want it to be a long concert because they wanted to get all their customers back onto the floor to gamble before they went to bed. The casino had discussed this with Alicia's agent, but no one informed my people about it.
So, though the casino billed the show as starting at 8pm, they asked me to go on stage from 7:15-7:45pm, before any of the crowd showed up. I refused to play in front of a bunch of empty seats (the seats were 80-90% empty when they wanted me to play). Alicia and her people were willing to let me play at 8pm, but the casino refused, so I simply left the casino without performing and headed back to Toronto. I'm sorry to anyone who showed up at the show expecting me to perform. Even if I did perform when the casino wanted me to, most of you wouldn't have seen me anyway because most of you weren't in your seats until closer to 8pm.
I'm sorry if anyone was disappointed. I tried to explain to the casino that many of you would want to see me and that they should let me go on at 8pm, but they refused. If you have any complaints, please address them to the casino management. I tried my best to perform for you.
P.S. Thanks to everyone who came to my headlining show at Docks in Toronto on Tuesday. That was a beautiful night. I'm looking forward to coming back as soon as I can.
Thanks,
John
March 11, 2005
Update from the Diary Tour
Hey People,
Greetings from the road. Actually, I'm in the air, flying over the Atlantic Ocean right now. Modern technology is great. They've even got wireless internet access on the planes now. Anyway, I'm returning to the US from a brief trip to Europe. It's time to get back to the Diary Tour.
Thanks to everyone who's been coming to see us on the tour. We're having a great time out there. So far, we've been through most of the South and I'm looking forward to our western swing which began in Denver on Wednesday and continues tonight in Phoenix. So far, we've gotten great feedback from the fans and the critics on the show. I'm glad we've had so many true JL fans out there in the crowd even though it's Alicia's show. I appreciate all the love you've been showing. It's always a challenge being an opening act; you don't get a lot of time and space to do your thing, and some fans just come to see the headliner. But this experience has been great so far, and I'm glad to be a part of this tour.
I'll close this note with a brief comment about scheduling and Alicia's tour. As my fans in Austin and Houston know by now, I did not perform with Alicia in those cities. In Houston, it was because the Houston Rodeo didn't book an opening act for Alicia's performance, so I booked my own show at a small club in the area. In Austin, due to a previously scheduled TV performance I had already confirmed in London, I wasn't able to perform at Alicia's show on Sunday. That's why we didn't list the Austin show on my online schedule. However, many of you bought your tickets to the show assuming (understandably) that I would be performing at all the Alicia Keys dates (plus I think some radio stations were saying that I'd be in town too). While I am performing at the vast majority of Alicia's shows around the country, there are a few dates which I'm not scheduled to do with her (plus I've booked some additional shows that I'm headlining in certain cities). So please check my online schedule for updated information on when and where I will be performing and when Alicia's schedule and mine differ. JohnLegend.com is the only schedule listing that me and my team control. Any other source could be mistaken.
Anyway, my sincere apologies to anyone who thought I would be performing at the Alicia Keys shows in Houston or Austin. I know some of you were quite upset and disappointed that I didn't perform with Alicia. Trust me, I would never intentionally disrespect or disappoint my fans. I only missed those shows because I had to. Anyway, I'll try to make it up to all my Austin fans when I come back for South by Southwest on March 18th.
And to the rest of you, I look forward to seeing you at future shows.
Peace & love,
John
February 9, 2005
Update: Get Lifted Sales, Touring & the Grammys
Hey People,
Once again, I apologize for taking so long to write. I haven't written since the album release, and so much has happened since then...
I'm so happy about the success of the album. We debuted at #7 on the Billboard album charts and haven't left the top 7 since then. And we just got the 6th week numbers: We sold 93,000 copies of Get Lifted in week 6 (an over 50% increase from week 5) and we're #5 on the charts! It's really amazing how people have continued to spread the word about the album. Thanks to all of you who have been telling your friends and loved ones. I truly appreciate your support. It's so satisfying to see everything coming to fruition. Anyway, enough about record sales...
I've been on the road non-stop since the album release (and before the album release, for that matter). Thanks to everyone who's been to the shows. We've hit a few cities that hadn't had John Legend shows yet, and we've had a great time everywhere we've played so far. If we haven't gotten to your city yet, we're hitting most of the major US cities on the Alicia Keys "Diary" tour, so I'll hopefully see you then.
I'm excited about the Grammys this Sunday. I just flew into LA, and I'm preparing to perform with Kanye West and Mavis Staples on the Grammy broadcast. This is really a great honor to perform at the Grammys this early in my career. I'm also glad to be able to support my good friend and collaborator, Kanye, who's nominated for an incredible 10 awards this year. Hopefully, he'll take a few trophies home with him. He deserves to (I know, I'm biased).
Right after the Grammys, I'm taking my band to Europe for the first time. We'll do shows in Amsterdam, Oslo, Stockholm and London. That should be a lot of fun. Thanks to all my European fans who have been supporting the album (we debuted at #2 in Sweden, and we hit #1 in Norway!). I'm looking forward to seeing many of you at my shows.
Alright people, until next time...
Love,
John
December 28th, 2004
Hey people. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. As you know, today's the big day that my album, "Get Lifted", finally hits the stores. I'm so excited for everyone to be able to hear what me and my team worked so hard to make. I hope you all enjoy it.
We also just filmed the video for "Ordinary People", my second single, last week. The final cut will be released in the first or second week of January. I can't wait for y'all to see it. I think it's gonna be beautiful.
Thanks again for all of your support and encouragement.
Have a wonderful New Year.
John
December 14, 2004
The Tour/The Album Release
Hey People,
I'm back. Once again, I apologize for not writing in so long. As you probably know, I've been on my first headlining tour for the last month, and I've been pretty busy.
Well, the tour is nearing its end, and I just wanted to thank all of you who have come out to support us. It's been an amazing experience so far. We've been all over the country (with the exception of the South/Southeast, which we'll be hitting in January, I promise). We've sold out or nearly sold out in almost every major market so far. For those who have attended the shows, I truly appreciate the energy and enthusiasm that you've contributed to our performances. We truly couldn't do it without your support. It's been so inspiring to see you out there.
Shout outs to my very talented band (and tour bus-mates):
Vocals - Tara Michel, Alia Marie
Keys/Vocals - Chris Rob
Guitar - Sharief
Bass - Kenneth Wright
Drums - Swiss Chris
Turntables - DeVon "Devo" Harris
I also had the opportunity to do a show in my hometown of Springfield, Ohio, on Thanksgiving night. That was a beautiful night. I performed in the auditorium of my alma mater, Springfield North H.S., in front of about 800 friends, family and former classmates. My family joined me on stage to perform a couple songs (including "It Don't Have to Change" from the new album). It was definitely a Kodak moment. We got it on tape so we'll probably post some footage on the new site soon.
Tonight, I'll be performing for a sold out crowd in my home for the last 5 years, New York City, at the Bowery Ballroom. I'm excited to perform for the city that has been supporting me since I put together my first band back in 2000. It's exciting to see how things have grown since then...
In just 2 weeks, I'll be releasing my first major album, Get Lifted. I can't tell you how excited I am to finally have my album in stores. This is the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of people. I hope you all enjoy it. I'm so proud of all the positive response we've gotten so far (including the 4 star reviews in such publications as Rolling Stone and the Guardian in the UK). Oh yeah, and I'm glad so many of y'all like the bootleg too. ;)
Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and I'm hoping you all get to the stores on the 28th to support the album. I think 2005 is going to be an exciting year. I pray that you and your family have a happy and blessed new year.
Much love,
John
October 30, 2004
Election Message
Hey People,
I hope everyone's doing alright out there. I had a great weekend performing at at the D.C. Music Conference (hosted by WPGC), William & Mary, UNC-Wilmington and UNC-Chapel Hill. Thanks for all the love you've been showing me on the road. And I'm glad y'all enjoyed the Smokey Robinson tribute on BET. I appreciate the words of encouragement you've posted at the Graffiti Wall. Anyway, I wanted to take a break from the music to talk about something else that is very important to me and hopefully is very important to all of you.
I want to encourage everyone in the U.S. 18 & up to exercise your right to vote this Tuesday, Nov 2.
Each of you should make your own personal decision on who you think is the right candidate (check out www.voteforsomething.com if you want some quick advice on the candidates' positions). I'm personally voting for John Kerry for President. I'm doing so for a number of reasons:
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I prefer Kerry's philosophies on foreign policy and national security. I believe President Bush has consistently misled the public on the reasons for going to Iraq. He has mismanaged the plans for post-war Iraq, and, overall, he has made America and the world a more dangerous place by alienating the rest of the world and taking his focus off of the actual terrorists in order to pursue the war on Saddam, who had nothing to do with 9/11 and had no nuclear weapons. (Read the 9/11 Commission Report at http://www.9-11commission.gov/)
Terrorist cells exist in many countries throughout the world, including some of our allies like the UK, France, Canada and even right here at home. We can't and won't go around declaring war on all these countries just because there are terrorists there. The main way to destroy these terrorist cells is to cooperate with the law enforcement and intelligence officials in all these countries to help stop the cells before they can plan another attack. In addition, we need to focus on alleviating the conditions that lead people to become terrorists in the first place. Attacking Saddam had nothing to do with that and only helped these terrorist cells recruit more people willing to threaten our safety.
As much as he tries to scare people about what will happen if Kerry wins, President Bush is the one who has failed to make this country safer. His policies continue to create animosity around the world, and he refuses to admit that he's wrong, so don't expect things to get any better in the next four years.
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Bush's domestic policies are not very encouraging either. He does not have a comprehensive plan for bringing health care to poor or working class people. His priorities are on tax relief for wealthy Americans. Everybody likes lower taxes (I know I hate paying taxes myself), but you can't get something for nothing. Every President has to decide what is a priority, because the government can't do everything. When it comes down to it, Bush's priorities are with the rich and powerful. (FYI: Bush is expected to sign a bill that gives $140 billion in new business tax breaks to big businesses and multinational corporations, the bill is so extreme that Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, called it "the worst example of the influence of special interests that I have ever seen.") In the meantime, Kerry has a plan to bring healthcare to nearly all Americans. To pay for it, he'd restore higher taxes for really rich people. I think this is a small sacrifice to make sure nearly every American has equal access to quality health care.
While Bush pays lip service to education and helping the middle class, he fails to put his money where his mouth is. This is part of a common pattern with this so-called "compassionate conservative." He'll talk like a moderate, but he always governs from the far right with a very divisive agenda. He claims to be a man of his word, but he so frequently misleads the American people and fails to deliver on his promises. He said he'd "leave no child behind" in his education policy, but he'd rather spend that money on attacking Iraq and cutting taxes for the wealthy than fund his own education programs. He said he was for an assault weapons ban, but he intentionally made no effort to get the ban passed in the congress. I guess he was more preoccupied with trying to pass a constitutional amendment on gay marriage than protecting his own citizens from gun violence.
Additionally, George W. Bush has been the worst president in decades when it comes to the environment. Again, he always sides with the rich and powerful when he sets his policy priorities. He is oblivious to the long-term effects of his policies and refuses to accept the overwhelming scientific evidence about global warming and its harmful consequences. I could provide more examples, but this note is already getting long. (Read Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s new book "Crimes Against Nature: How George W. Bush and His Corporate Pals Are Plundering the Country and Hijacking Our Democracy;" I hear it's very good.)
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And, perhaps most disturbing of all is the Republican effort to suppress the ultimate symbol of democracy-the right to vote. In Michigan, Republican State Rep. John Pappageorge unapologetically said that his party would not win the presidential election if the Republicans failed to "suppress the Detroit vote, [which as we know happens to be overwhelmingly African American!]."
Please know that this is a common sentiment among Republican officials. In addition to Michigan, they are making a concerted effort to suppress the black vote in key "swing" states such as Florida and my home state of Ohio. (In Florida, it has been so bad that state police officers have gone into the homes of elderly black voters in Orlando and interrogated them as part of an odd ''investigation'' of voter fraud). They have recruited an army of Republican volunteers who will raise frivolous challenges to registered voters in heavily minority/Democratic counties and spread misinformation and hostility to voters. They spread rumors about false voting requirements; they create conditions that will lead to longer lines and confusion at the polls. They DESTROY the registration cards of Democratic new registrants!
All this in an effort to discourage people from exercising their constitutional right to elect the next President. This is quite simply immoral and intolerable. These are not underground conspiracy theories, people; these efforts are public knowledge and have been documented extensively by many of the major news organizations. I can't believe there isn't more public outrage on this subject.
Don't allow yourself or your family to be misled, discouraged or intimidated. The only way Bush can be re-elected is if he succeeds in suppressing the votes of young people and minorities. He knows this; his party knows this; you should know this too.
So, I urge you to GO VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2nd. I believe this is the most important election of our lifetime. I know Kerry's not perfect, but this country can't take another 4 years of deception, mismanagement and misplaced priorities by the Bush administration.
If you've gotten this far in my looooong message, thanks for your time. :)
Peace,
John
October 16, 2004
Update: The Tour, BET Walk of Fame & New Album Release Date
Hey People,
I'm back. Just checking in to let y'all know how things are going.
First of all, the Truth Tour has come to an end. We performed at the world-famous Madison Square Garden this week then had our closing show in Hartford, CT. I had an amazing time on the road with Usher and Kanye. Thanks to both of them for providing me with this opportunity. It was great meeting so many fans around the country and introducing them to my music.
Coming next is my first headlining tour! I'm so excited to start touring on my own. I'll be doing a few solo acoustic shows in the rest of October, then starting a tour of the U.S. (and hopefully Canada) with my band in November, going thru mid-December. We'll be playing at colleges and clubs throughout North America. We're still confirming dates and venues. They'll be posted on my site as we confirm. Make sure you come out and support and bring all your friends. I need to see you out there. Thanks to all my fans in Philly, Toronto and New York. I played solo shows to packed houses in all three cities over the last 2 weeks. I had such a great time.
Also, last weekend, I was in D.C. to participate in the taping of the BET 10th Annual Walk of Fame honoring Smokey Robinson (more info at www.bet.com). It was a very humbling experience. I was fortunate enough to be asked to sing one of my favorite Smokey songs, "Quiet Storm." Among the other featured performers were Stevie Wonder, India Aire, Boyz II Men, New Edition, Gerald Levert, Cristina Milian, Brian McKnight and Smokey himself. I was so honored just to be in the same show as all these incredible artists who have been around for such a long time. I even got to meet Smokey & Stevie. Thanks to BET for asking me to contribute. You can check out the show on Tuesday, October 26, at 9pm ET. You don't want to miss it.
Speaking of October 26... as some of you may have already learned, Sony has decided not to release my album on that date. The new release date is Tuesday, December 28. They wanted to give me a chance to get some more exposure on radio and television before we put the album out. I know that all my loyal fans have been waiting a while for the album, but most people in the country don't know who I am yet, and the label wanted to give them a chance to hear more about me before we put the album out.
Now I know there's a new bootleg leak of the final version of the album on the internet and on the streets, and I know some of y'all are bumping it in your stereos right now. You know who you are... Anyway, I appreciate your enthusiasm. I don't mind you listening to it now. I'm glad you cared enough to check for it. Just do me the favor of purchasing it and telling all your friends about it if you think it's deserving. I tried my best to make it so... So please support the album in stores on December 28. Think of it as your birthday present to me. (Yeah, December 28 just so happens to be my 26th birthday. Capricorns, stand up!). :)
Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing all of y'all out there on the road in the next few months. Get ready to Get Lifted...
Love,
John
September 16, 2004
Update: London, the Usher/Kanye Tour, and the latest news on Get Lifted & "Used to Love U"
Hey people,
Once again, it's been a long time since I've written to y'all, so I had to give you an update on all the exciting things that have been going on with me.
Right now, I'm on a plane returning from a 3-day trip to London, England. I had a great time there. Much love goes out to all my fans in London. Y'all really made me feel welcome there. I did a sold-out solo show at London's renowned Jazz Café. It was a beautiful night. I think the highlight was hearing the whole crowd sing the backup vocals for "Used to Love U". 300 people singing "Holla, holla, holla" sounded real hot.
Anyway, I'm returning now to the Usher/Kanye tour. Next stop is Memphis, TN. So far, the tour has been great. It's hard to beat the feeling of hearing 10,000-20,000 people scream when they hear your name. Thanks to Kanye & Usher for selling all those records so that I have this opportunity. :) While on tour, I've been working really hard to promote my new album. I've been making radio appearances everyday to promote the single, then meeting up with Kanye & co. to rock the Usher show, then capping the night off with solo performances at smaller clubs. Thanks to all my fans around the country that have come to support my solo after-shows. I've had a lot of fun with those.
The album Get Lifted is wrapping up production now. We've mixed every song and we're going to master the whole album over the next few days. I'm so excited to finally be done with it. I've spent so much time and energy making this album the best it can be. Hopefully, it will not disappoint. By the way, I've heard that there may be bootleg copies online claiming to be my album. If you've seen these fakes, they are NOT the complete album. Don't be fooled by the impostors.
Anyway, my first single, "Used to Love U", is working its way up the charts and getting more and more radio play across the country. Thanks to all the radio stations who have supported the record in this early stage. And thanks to all of you fans who have called in to request it. Speaking of requests, it's almost time to start calling BET to request the "Used to Love U" video. That's right, my first video! I'm really excited about the video, directed by Ben Mor (of Nas's "Thief's Theme" video) with an assist and guest appearance by Kanye, who co-produced and co-wrote "Used to Love U". We all worked together to make the video special. It was a cool learning experience for me to be involved in making this, from collaborating on the concept to making sure the edit came out right. I can't wait for y'all to see it and let me know what you think. We'll premiere it on BET's 106 & Park next week (a joint premiere w/ Kanye's "New Workout Plan"). With MTV rotation not too far behind. So look out for it.
One last note of clarification: y'all may have read the recent article on me in the Vibe magazine. I was really disappointed with how I was portrayed in the article. My words were manipulated in a way that misrepresented my intent and I felt that it made me sound really arrogant. Please know that this was a misrepresentation. Anyone who knows me knows that article didn't accurately portray the way I really am, and I don't want you who don't know me to get the wrong impression...
Sorry, I had to get that off my chest. I think that's it for now. I look forward to seeing y'all on the road again. Please keep supporting my project and we'll try to take it to the top this year.
Love,
John
July 22, 2004
"Get Lifted" Album Update + More News
Hey people. First of all, let me apologize for not writing in so long. You know I love you, but I've been so busy working on the album, I haven't had time to sit down and reflect. Well, we're almost done with the album. Everything's being mixed and mastered over the next few weeks. I'm so excited to let y'all hear it, I'm tempted to leak it myself. But my label will kill me, so I'll chill. You'll have to wait until the new release date, October 26, to hear the album (entitled "Get Lifted"). Sorry we had to push the date back. We wanted to give ourselves time to make sure a lot more people get a chance to hear about me before we put it out. Hopefully, it'll be worth the wait...
Anyway, I've worked with some great producers. Some you've heard of (Kanye West, who is co-executive producer of the album, and Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas) and some you will hear a lot more from in the future (Devo Harris and Dave Tozer). Oh, and I produced a couple tracks myself. I've got some brand new songs and some you've heard already on my demos and live cds. One of the highlights of the album is a new joint called "I Can Change," which features none other than west coast hip-hop icon, Snoop Dogg. He came in and checked out my tracks at the studio in L.A., and he loved this one so much he had to bless it with a verse. It came out hot. Can't wait for y'all to hear it. The most special song to me is called "It Don't Have to Change," featuring my family (the Stephens family) on background and lead vocals. My family is so musically talented. I'm so proud that I was able to include them on the album. I hope this one will be a family reunion classic for years to come.
The first single for the album is "Used to Love U", which some of you first heard (in demo form) on my site or on Kanye's "I'm Good" mixtape. Well, now the whole world is going to hear it. We're shooting the video in a couple of weeks. And it went to radio this week. In fact, Tuesday the track was officially added to its first playlist at Chicago's #1 urban station WGCI. Thanks to my friends there. Hopefully, you're the first of many to add the song in the coming weeks. And, to all my fans in Chicago, make sure you call in and request it. Everybody's always complaining about how wack the music on the radio is. Do something about it. Ask them to play some good music!
Speaking of Chicago, I've got to send love to all the people who came to check out my first solo show there at the Metro Theater last week. It was amazing to see so many of you there. I didn't know so many people cared about me in Chicago. It was such a fun show for me. I'm looking forward to coming back there this weekend with Kanye.
I don't have time to tell you everything I've been up to in the last few months, but I've done a few new collaborations: I wrote and sang the hook on a joint with new Chicago rapper Bump J. I did some more writing and singing with the Black Eyed Peas. I did some more work with Talib Kweli and British rapper Estelle. Worked on some new stuff with my Very Good Music family members GLC and Consequence. I'm probably forgetting something, but you get the point.
Up next, I'll be in London doing some press interviews next week. Then I'll be touring the U.S. (and Toronto!) with Kanye on the Usher tour. I'll be throwing in a lot of solo performances in between Usher shows. I'll let y'all know about those when we confirm them. Keep checking the performances page on the site for more updates. I'm looking forward to seeing you all out there on the road. Until then...
May 18, 2004
Columbia/Sony Signing
Hey people. Big news. After about 6 years of making demos and shopping to countless A&Rs and record labels, I've finally signed my first major record deal. I'm very excited to announce that on Friday, I signed with Columbia Records/Sony Music. Columbia has an amazing legacy that includes such greats as Miles Davis, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Prince, Nas, The Fugees, Lauryn Hill and many more. I am excited to join their family.
The album drops on September 14 of this year. Mark your calendars!!! We are hitting the studio immediately so we can finish it up in time.
peace,
John
March 11, 2004
Hey people. It's been a busy month since my last entry. A lot to write about. I'll probably forget something, but here goes...
I've been on a few TV shows w/ Kanye to promote the now-platinum College Dropout (I told y'all it was good). We did 106 & Park on BET and David Letterman & Carson Daly on CBS & NBC. You can get a sample of our performances if you check out "Through the Wire (Live)" on the Kanye West page at mtv.com or vh1.com. We have live performances on yahoo and Sessions@AOL too. Check it out.
What else... I've been in the studio with some good people lately. I recorded a couple joints with Talib Kweli for his upcoming album. I'm singing the hook on "Around My Way" and I co-wrote and did piano and backup vocals on the first single "I Try" featuring Mary J. Blige. Also went back in with Alicia Keys and Kanye to co-write and sing backup vocals on our remix of Alicia's new single "If I Ain't Got You." Listen for that remix on the radio soon. I also sang the hook and played piano on a track with V2 Records' hot new rapper/singer from the UK named Estelle. Look out for her in the future. She's very talented.
There's more... Check out Janet's site to hear her new single "I Want You", produced by Kanye and co-written by me. And check out the new Slum Village single Selfish featuring me on the hook. Also check out the new Dilated Peoples video featuring yours truly on vocals & piano (be patient; you have to wait till the end to see me).
Speaking of Dilated Peoples, they along with the Young Gunz will be special guests of ours on the Kanye West School Spirit Tour. Check out my performances page for the schedule. We'll be all over the country. It'll be my first time living on a tour bus. Should be interesting. Hopefully, I'll see a lot of you out there on the road. Make sure you say what's up to me.
Until the next time...
February 4, 2004
I have a good feeling about this year. Things are already off to a great start.
I've been traveling the world with Kanye, promoting his new album The College Dropout. It's been really exciting to see the momentum grow for this project. We've played at clubs all over and we've been feeling a lot of love from y'all. It's a beautiful thing.
Highlights of our tour so far have been in DC, London and Houston. We played at both VIP & Platinum in DC over MLK Weekend. The crowds there were ridiculous. We played to packed houses at both venues and the people knew every single word to the hits (and they even knew the words to some of the joints from the bootleg). We love y'all in DC.
And we performed for our first time in London a couple weeks ago. We were special guests of Roc-a-Fella CEO and London scenester Mr. Damon Dash. Dame showed us around town to all the hottest clubs (and to his beautiful new house), and we exposed the Brits to our music. It was a lot of fun. I wanna go back soon.
And we just got back from Super Bowl Weekend in Houston. We played a few of the pre-Super Bowl parties; then, to cap it off, we played the afterparty for the world champion New England Patriots. Much props to them, and thanks to Willie McGinest (and to the lovely Patriot cheerleaders) for hosting us. We played between Aerosmith and Snoop Dogg. Not a bad lineup, eh? I guess that's how it goes when you win the biggest game of the year.
But you can't talk about the Super Bowl without talking about Ms. Jackson. I'm not going to focus on her breast like the rest of y'all. I'm about the music. Since everyone's paying attention to her, it should bode well for her next single "Have Your Way With Me" which is gonna drop next week. We're just wrapping up the production now. It's produced by Kanye West and co-written by Kanye, Harold Lilly and yours truly. I played some piano on there too. It's a sweet, soulful song. I think it'll be a smash. Look out for that soon.
That's all for now. I'll talk to y'all soon.'
December 12, 2003
The College Dropout
Hey people. Haven't written in a while. I've been in the studio with Kanye West finishing up his debut album, The College Dropout. I know some of you might have stumbled across some bootlegs of the album, but, trust me, that is not the final version. We've got some pleasant surprises still in store. Expect the real album in stores on February 3, 2004. And expect to hear your boy J.Legend all over the album.
MTV & XXL are calling it one of the most anticipated hip-hop albums of 2004. I'm predicting it will be one of the best hip-hop albums of 2004. (I know I'm biased, but just wait and check it out).
November 15, 2003
SOB's Show
Just wanted to thank everybody who came through to my show @ SOB's in New York. It was a beautiful night. The energy in the place was incredible. This was my first full band show in New York in almost a year, and y'all reminded me why I love doing this. Very inspiring.
See you next time...
November 6, 2003
Black Album Update
So everybody's talking about the Black Album leak. I'm out in L.A. right now shooting a video with two of Chicago's favorite sons Kanye & Twista ("Slow Jamz"). Anyway, we turned on the radio and all the hip-hop stations are playing Jay-Z's whole album. Yeah, they have every track. Bootleggers always find a way. If you've been fortunate (or sneaky) enough to stumble on the album, you might recognize my vocals and piano on the hot Kanye-produced joint, "Encore". If you're an upstanding citizen and you like to do it the legal way, you can wait and cop the album on the new advanced release date, November 14. Man, it's an honor to be a part of that album. History in the making.
October 7, 2003
Must B 21 - will.i.am Compilation
Hey. will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas just released a new producer compilation on the UK label BBE Records. I've got two songs on there: "Swing By My Way" and "Ride, Ride". Will produced both tracks (he produced some tracks that'll be on my album too). It's some fun stuff. Check out BBE's site for more info on how to order it.
October 2, 2003
Shows in NY
Yo people. Just checking in to thank everybody for all the love you've been sending my way and to let you know the latest and greatest. I'm glad everybody's feeling the new site and the new music. Thanks for all the positive comments. Y'all know how to make a brotha feel good.
Anyway, the last few nights have been hot. Tuesday, I did another solo show at the Cutting Room in NYC. We had a packed house once again. Thanks for coming out to support. Thanks to Kanye West, J. Ivy and Tarrey Torae for coming through to bless the stage. And thanks to hip-hop heavy hitters Talib Kweli and DJ Enuff for coming to check the show out. We had a great time.
And for those of y'all who were at SOB's last night, you know it was crazy. Kanye did his first major headlining show in New York. I was one of his featured guests. It was hot. First of all, it was sold out, with people lined up around the block. Lots of special guests came through. Common ripped a crazy freestyle. Talib Kweli did a couple of his classic collaborations with Kanye ("Get By" and "Good to You"). Twista rocked a verse on "Champions". The hip-hop violinist, Miri Ben-Ari, killed it on Kanye's new joint, the "Workout Plan." Consequence and GLC, my new label-mates on KonMan, did a few verses. And yours truly was there on the keys and vocals all night.
And, though I'm listing all these guests, I can't neglect to say that Kanye personally did his thing. His performance was hot. I think some of his new songs are going to blow people away. Look out for his debut album The College Dropout on Roc-a-Fella/DefJam in February 2004. I'll be singing and playing piano all over that album. And if you can't wait that long, cop some of his mixtapes. I've been featured on all of those too (Get Well Soon, I'm Good, Akademiks Jeanius Level Mixtapes Vol. 1 & 2).
Oh, and Monday night, Kanye and I were working with Common on a new song. Kanye's gonna produce a bunch of Common's next album. I'm predicting a hip-hop classic. Look out for that...
September 9, 2003
Jay-Z's Black Album
We were in the studio with Young Hov last night. Kanye produced several tracks for the Black Album, which is supposed to be the last Jay-Z album ever. Look out for it in a couple months. The tracks are crazy. Plus you'll hear me singing and playing piano.
August 23, 2003
In Chicago with Kanye West
Last night I did my first ever performance in Chicago (unless you count my high school choir...). This time I was featured in Kanye's set at the "Neo-Soul Explosion" (are we still saying "neo-soul" these days?). Virgin's new "neo-soul" artist Dwele co-headlined the show.
Anyway, Kanye brought me along as his pianist and singer, and we did some cool collaborations. It wasn't your average hip-hop show. Kanye did some joints with me on the piano as his only accompaniment, then he brought out the beats for some other songs. The highlight of the night was when Kanye's mom came up during his rendition of "Hey Mama". Mrs. West was dancing on stage w/ Kanye, then she grabbed the mic. And, to everybody's surprise, she was really holding it down. She was damn-near flawless on the lyrics and the flow. Watch out Eve & Foxy... There weren't too many dry eyes in the place. It was a beautiful thing.
Much love to all the people I met in the Chi. I'll be back....
August 22, 2003
Back in Philly - North by Northwest
I just had a great show in Philly. It was so nice to see all my faithful supporters. I've performed at NXNW more than anywhere else in the area, and now I remember why. Y'all always make me feel so welcome. I did this one without any special guests or collaborations. Just me on the piano all night. But I wasn't alone. I had a bunch of old friends and fans in the place that clearly have been doing their homework. They knew all the background parts to the old songs like "Sun Comes Up", "Tossin & Turnin" and "Must Be the Way" and they had my back throughout the show. It was crazy. I might have to take y'all on the road with me.
August 20, 2003
Detroit - Eminem & D12
I spent the last couple days working with Kanye West in Detroit. We were doing tracks with Eminem & his crew from D-12 for the next D-12 album. (I'll pause for the thud from that serious name-drop). OK, Mr. Mathers wasn't really around that much, but I did meet him. We did most of our work with the rest of the D-12 crew. Anyway, it was fun. My favorite D-12 member is Bizarre. He played us some hot solo tracks. Hopefully, he'll come out with his own project. That sh@# was funny.
August 16, 2003
Blackout
So I was supposed to be in New Haven & Philly the last couple days, doing some more appearances w/ the Black Eyed Peas. But, like most of y'all in the Northeast, I got hemmed up by the blackout. Luckily for the Peas (and their fans), they escaped NYC just in time and were able to do both shows. I had no such luck... But it's all good. I spent a couple relaxing days in the darkness of the East Village. It was a good excuse to be lazy. And it looks like they're blaming the entire blackout on a little company in my home state of OHIO. Don't ever let it be said that Ohioans don't make an impact. When we go down, we take a whole region with us! Now show some respect!
August 13, 2003
Cutting Room Show / Black Eyed Peas in NYC (+ Justin & Cameron) So last night was kinda crazy. First, I had another solo show at the Cutting Room. Thanks to everybody who made it out to that. We definitely had a good time. This time, I brought back special guests Kanye West & J. Ivy (both back by popular demand). Kanye performed his hilarious new song "18 Years," his take on the baby mama drama of superstar athletes and rappers, capped off by the always-controversial "Free Kobe" chant. J. Ivy did a couple hot spoken word pieces. Plus I had my favorite backup singer, Tara Michel do a duet w/ me. Tara's been with me since day one, so it was great to have her back on stage....
Then I went over to SOB's to do a little cameo with the Black Eyed Peas. For those who don't know, I've done a bunch of collaboration with Will.I.Am of the Peas. He's an exceptionally talented producer. Look out for a couple of our collaborations on my first major label solo album (hopefully next year). Plus I have two songs on his soon-to-be-released producer compilation "Must be 21". For now, you can cop the Black Eyed Peas' new album Elephunk which features a track I sang on and co-wrote, called "The Boogie That B" (I take no responsibility for the song title).
Anyway, I was scheduled to perform that song with the Peas and their band last night. Little did I know, there was another cameo by a slightly more famous collaborator of theirs: none other than N'Sync's most talented member, Justin Timberlake. And, just my luck, the Peas decided to bring him on stage BEFORE me. Thanks a lot guys. So, anyway, Justin's really talented. Don't let his boy-band status fool you. He did their #1 single "Where is the Love" and some hot improv on the beat-box and the keyboard. Then they brought me up to do my song. Thanks to all the Peas fans for showing me love. I know I'm no Justin, but y'all made a brotha feel welcome. By the way, I got to meet my second-favorite Angel (next to Lucy Liu, of course), Cameron Diaz, who was there w/ JT. She told me my performance was "hot". :) But Justin came off stage right when I was kickin' my A-game to Cameron. Oh well...
July 31, 2003
Knitting Factory Show in NYC
Thanks to everybody who made it out to my solo show at the Knitting Factory last night. Man, I had a great time. Much love and respect to special guests Kanye West, Imani Uzuri, J. Ivy and Sharief in Burgundy. J. Ivy started the show off with a hot spoken word piece about a twisted blind date. Then Sharief played a couple of his songs on acoustic guitar. Then I did my set, which featured duets w/ Kanye, Imani and J. Ivy. I introduced a few new songs, including some of my personal favorites "She Don't Have to Know" and "So High". "So High" was one of the highlights (no pun intended) of the night despite the technical difficulties. And, of course, I played some of the old school joints like "Sun Comes Up" for those of y'all who have been with me since way back (you know, WAY back in the year 2000). We recorded the whole show. Stay tuned, I might put some of the tracks online.
July 30, 2003
Chicago Idol Recordings
So I just spent a couple days recording in L.A. with the runner-up of the "Chicago Idol" talent competition, not to be confused with the "American Idol" show w/ Simon and Paula Abdul. For this competition, the prize for the runner-up was a track produced by none other than Chicago's finest hip-hop super-producer, Kanye West (the winner got a track written & produced by R&B's "Pied Piper" and Chicago's favorite child therapist, R. Kelly)... I digress... Anyway, Mr. West brought me in to help with the track. So, all you Chicagoans should keep your radios tuned to WGCI and listen to hear me playing piano and singing the ol' school hook on "I Just Want You to Know" by White Boy (yeah, that's the runner-up's name), featuring Kanye West and BeLo from Do or Die. I pulled out my Sam Cooke vocals for this one
July 20, 2003
Alicia Keys Session
I just spent the night in the studio with Alicia Keys and Kanye West. I did some backup vocals on this new song they wrote together for Alicia's upcoming album. The track is called "You Don't Know My Name". I think this one's gonna be a smash. Look out for it this fall. You heard about it hear first. Y'all might not really recognize my voice, but it'll be laced throughout the song like an old school vocal samplef Much respect to Alicia. Y'all already know she's talented. Plus she's mad cool to work with...
July 16, 2003
Luther Vandross Tribute
Another month, another tribute show at the Village Underground. This time, our honoree is still alive, but he could use all the energy and prayer that we can send his way. I did a couple songs last night, a solo version of "Love Won't Let Me Wait" and a duet w/ Jeremiah on "There's Nothing Better than Love" a la Luther & Gregory Hines. But fellow New York soulsters Na2 and Imani Uzuri brought the house down with a crazy version of "If This World Were Mine." They took it to church, literally. It turned into a revival service by the end of the show. It was fun to be a part of that....
June 15, 2003
Nina Simone Tribute
I just performed in a tribute to Nina Simone at the Village Underground. Man, this event was a beautiful thing. It was an honor for me to participate. Much love to everybody who took part, including Imani Uzuri, Somi, Jeremiah, Adrienne Brown and more. There was such a beautiful spirit in the place. I'm glad I was a part of it. It was one of those rare times when everything really clicked. There was some real magic going on. We had a special surprise appearance by Nina's brother. He set it off with a few tunes that he sung and played on the pianof I performed my cover of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." It was all love in the place. Sorry if you missed it...