Last week, I caught up with R&B singer/songwriter RL [formerly of the hit late 90’s group “Next“] By far one of my best and anticipated interview to date. Here’s an artist that I grew up listening to and not to mention, I used to dance my butt off to his classical hit songs “ ButtaLove “, “ Wifey “, ” Too Close “, at the clubs during my late teens. RL’s passion for writing combined with his vocal talent nabbed a record deal during his high school bid and his dreams of being a superstar skyrocketed quicker than he ever could’ve imagined. As the group peaked billboard charts, RL’s songwriting abilities also grew attention in the industry and everyone of your favorite artist wanted to work with him.
However, with fame comes sacrifices and like many artists RL too struggled with his inner demons and by the start yof the 21 century 2001-2002 RL went solo. RL tell us that “Everything Was Not What It Seemed On The Television Screen” and he wanted out. His penmanship for song writing was instrumental to his solo career as RL went on to work with big acts like Deborah cox [ We Can Be Friends], Destiny Child , Jaheim, 50 Cent, Ginuine, and more. After multiple signing attempts to Mathew Knowles, Music World Entertainment, and G-Unit/Interscope records, RL decided to full branch onto his own.
[nggallery id=87]On Why He Decided To Return To The Music Industry As An Artist:
“I just felt I was READY, I had been behind the scenes for a long time while writing for other artists, and the FANS [I call them friends] – because they pay my bills. But, the friends said they wanted me to come back – So, I decided that I was Comfortable and Confident enough and I had a body of work. I recorded 70 records for my album before I felt like it was done. I really wanted to make sure I was ready because I left the game not because of anything musically or business -wise but because I needed to grow up, I needed to mature, I needed to live. Because I honestly feel like – to be a good writer and a good artist – you need to go through some things and I wanted to live a little. “
On His Decision To Go Solo From “Next”:
“What no-one really knew was it really wasn’t as ” EASY ” as it looked. I tried to commit suicide as a senior in highschool, so all of sudden right after that we had SUCCESS and then the ALBUM is out….. MONEY and WORKING can mask so many things – so many insecurities. After that show, after you’ve made that money, after everyone’s left, you’re left ALONE with that same insecure person – it was those moments that made me want to get away and I had to get through that. My personal struggle was with my SELF -ESTEEM – it was with INSECURITIES and wondering was I good enough. And getting away and being able to hide on the other side of the camera -and write for other artists and write about my insecurities and have them sing it, was COOL. “
On Songs He’s Written For Both Male & Female Artists:
“Some of the songs that I wrote were personal experiences or experiences of people that I was around. I grew up in a hair salon. My mother did hair and I would cut hair in her shop and I would hear women talk about their man and I see how women would be really in tune when it was something NEGATIVE [they would chime in but when it was something GOOD they would wait til the woman leave to say a BUNCH of negative stuff… And I wanted to be the spokesperson for men. I felt like there was so many things that MEN had to say and I could be around guys and they would be comfortable enough to say it with me and I could understand their language. The problem is that they didn’t know how to articulate it so I wanted to be the one to say it where women can go – I Get It. “
When it came to writing for women, I always wanted to treat a woman how I wanted my father to treat my mother. Both my parents are STILL TOGETHER and MARRIED] but he [his father] was from the old school and it was like, I pay the Bills don’t I? , I Love You – Doesn’t That Show you… And I Felt like there was s many things missing that my mother needed EMOTIONALLY and I wanted to give that musically.
RL also talks about his SHYNESS, the meaning of his new album entitled “5:15′, his new single “Boo’ed UP” and more.
Watch the full interview below:
Here’s RL new single Boo’ed Up featuring Taylor J:
Stay tuned next week for our Part II video of RL singing acapella exlcusively for ThatPLUM.