It's been quite a while since my last blog, so I'll definitely try to make up for lost time here. Life itself has pulled and pushed me in so many different directions, and at times, it feels like I'm just running around getting nothing done, and going nowhere fast. That, however, is a conversation for another day. Today, we talk about the new record, "lover boy, in A minor"...
The original post was sent out to my lil unit of 3 fans via IG story on August 7th. Final mixes and masters were completed on the evening of August 8th.
ri's lyrik, pt. I
*cracks fingers*... this one will always be interesting because it ended my dry spell following the release of "slam". I actually had no intention of creating another album when this track was written. I was listening to Kenny Garrett's new single and realized that I really do love jazz, but I don't use enough of it in my music. I was hearing this lush and simple melody on the piano, and wanted to intersect it with the subtle, but still booming 808s that are found in most of my productions. Finding a track with the right swing drums on it was incredibly difficult, but after an hour or so, the music for the album's first track was complete.
The interesting thing about this project is that all of the poems were written after the music was recorded. I normally work the other way around. WAIT A MINUTE... I just realized... for the newcomers that are still getting introduced to my music, welcome. This album is essentially a continuation of my "signature" style. Back in April, I released my debut spoken word project entitled, "lil' lover boy". That record was full of ambient beats and chronicled an old northeast Atlanta love story. 4 of the 6 songs stamped either locations or routes, and track 5 revealed that the entire album is a letter, where the song titles are the route to the letter's destination.
Anyway, so with song 1 on the new album, the idea was to address the thoughts that come from developing interest in someone new. Because I've really lived the life of a lil' lover boy (running these streets STUPID), there was a moment of self reflection where I posed the question of why I pursue love in the first place. That's where the line, "wondering if this pursuit is humane, or does the touch of another could-be love keeps me human?" comes from. I turned my voice down to make it all deep because I just wanted to add a layer of mystique to the introspection. I truly love listening to this track.
ri's lyrik parts I & II were actually written and produced on the same day. Within the same hour, actually. I finished pt. II and then had to speed to choir rehearsal for my job at the time.
ri's lyrik, pt. II
About thirty seconds after I finished pt. 1, I realized that I wanted to try something interesting. I used the same two melodic motifs from the first one and put them over a new chord progression and made a beat for a more new-age R&B style. The entire album follows that pattern led by the two motifs in A minor. I wanted to challenge myself to create a continuous piece of work that journeys through different moods while using the same foundation. I was recently informed that in art, this is called a concentration piece.
Clearly, I was feeling the artsy vibe. I spent 20 or so minutes trying to figure out what I would say after the line I ended up posting on my Twitter (pictured above). As you can see, these tracks were short. I wanted the words and the sounds to really work together on this album, and the best way to do that was to make sure that my words allowed the music to say just as much.
I exported the tracks, saved them to my Dropbox, and then sped on off to rehearsal. At that time, I was not planning on turning this into an album at all. Kind of figured that I'd just hold on to the songs until I figured out what I wanted to do with them. Welp... y'all are learning that once I get started, I keep going. So, on July 29th, a new album was born.
I needed a visual aide for "Lately", but it looks like I'm just giving away the secret to my electric piano sound. Oh well...
Lately
*cracks fingers again* boy, this was a LONG night. I didn't even try to hide how emotional I was. This track was actually done a few hours after I finished "body, body". It was a Sunday. I left church knowing I was going to make my favorite track for the album that day. Had to pick up an XLR cable from Guitar Center, and then slid on back to 1708 and got to work. After "body, body" was done, I went on my bi-weekly trip to the trusty Dreamland BBQ in downtown Duluth (I'd go there and then walk around the park listening to... you can guess what kind of music I was listening to... Just having my good ol' country time).
As the day passed, I realized that I was enjoying the production of the album, but I didn't have any tracks that made me sit back and just think. I needed to have one that gave me Cole vibes. So I started producing "lately". I finished that intro and had to sit and listen to it a few times. I was too proud of myself. That intro is a true flex, especially once the drums kick in. After a hard-hitting conversation and then a moment of intense processing, I played the beat on loop and got to writing. I was in vintage Wallace mode, writing with a weight on my shoulders and a tight chest.
What's really interesting is that I didn't have a place to make this song as lovey-dovey as the other ones, but it actually speaks out of more love than all of the other songs combined. There's a special kind of love in being able to reveal your inner, and outer, struggles to someone. I didn't hold back on this song. If there's anyone that assumes that life is smooth on my end, give this track a listen. Times are tough, and have been for a while. This song speaks to my spiritual side, as well. The poem is a conversation with God, and also a conversation with myself, while inviting "you" in for a listen. I performed the poem for an open mic with Da Poetry Lounge in LA, and the crowd's favorite line was "but then I'm hit with the desire to have some company within the struggle, you be the Bonnie to my Clyde, bring your bonnet and your slides because I've been here for a while"... so I guess it still was lovey-dovey enough to resonate, even amidst all of the other intense emotions expressed throughout the piece.
This mural is in Atlanta's historic West End, and is actually something that resonates with me because so much of my art addresses Black women. Seeing this during the process of recording the album definitely gave me more purpose in providing love and positivity to that audience of women.
the quiet side of beale
For those that don't know, my mother passed last summer to cancer. The city of Memphis and the Memphis River Parks Partnership honored her by dedicating a portion of RiverGarden to her, and named it LaShaun's Meadow. Right off of Jefferson and Riverside, it's a beautiful sight to see all of the life being lived in that meadow.
You'll hear me mention "the meadow" pretty often in this song, as it is actually the setting for this story. The story takes place along Riverside Drive, between the meadow and Beale Street Landing. It's amazing what you can discover when the city winds down and the mosquitoes relax on the vampire behavior for a minute. What you'll hear on this track belongs in movie scenes, and it was definitely a pleasure being able to present it in that way and do it some justice.
Ironically, I didn't like the music for it at first. It was the last track produced for the record, and the piano and 808s were laced the night before I sealed the mixes. The poem saved the track, in my extra-critical mind. Once I got a feel for the words, I was able to surround them with the right piano playing. It honestly turned into something so beautiful. It's my pops' favorite track, and he also thinks it'd be my mom's favorite, too.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the allusion found in the song's title. Baldwin's "If Beale Street Could Talk" is a true masterpiece. Although it is about a completely different Beale, the one in Memphis definitely holds some memories that deserve to be told in stories of love and desire. I'm glad I was able to experience enough of it to inspire me to be the one to tell that story.
Y'all probably thought I was lying about playing trumpet on this album.. but there I am, in the middle of the night in 1708 just daring the neighbors to knock on my door and complain.
btrfls
This one was a fun one to create. The beat itself was originally titled "feelysoul" (I wouldn't have released it under that title, but I was doing a lot of listening to classic Philly neo-soul records at the time). The highlight of the song is really me admitting that I don't get nervous because I'm a professional lover boy... but I was just joking... kind of.
"btrfls" is very flirtatious in nature, and was my opportunity to play off the idea that my life is a movie. Most people that are close to me have said that at one point or another. So in this case, my response was "if my life's truly the movie you say it is, maybe we could watch it together"... it sounds smoother on the track, but you get the point. I'm pretty good at what I do, you know what I'm saying?
Aside from the flirting on the song, this song also serves as the runway for the final track on the album. Going from date (quiet side of Beale) to dancing with words (btrfls) to intimacy (body, body) gave the album some real shape. I'll talk about that intimacy in a second, because I know you all's minds went to the gutter and you probably thought I was getting loose on the blog. I only do that in Facebook comments and IG stories.
My bag runs deep when it comes to this lover boy stuff... don't sleep.
body, body
*cracks fingers one more time* So as I mentioned earlier in the blog, I wrote this one on the Lord's holy day of Sunday. And I'm actually talking about a mental, emotional, and spiritual connection more so than a physical one. "I'm pleased to aim, ain't it nice to be noticed... heard... where words fail, ain't it a dream to be understood?". The song is really on the whole "needs of a woman" tip. With a little sprinkle of "She's Gotta Have It"... and a dash of "Sumthin' Sumthin': Mellosmoothe"
The quality of the production on this song makes it my personal favorite. It's actually interesting that my two favorite songs on the record were made on the same day, but I guess that means I was on a real wave that day. I really love the sax stuff happening in the background, and I was way too hyped about the drum pattern. It's a very irregular beat as far as the placement of the kicks and snares. I think it sets that intimate mood perfectly, in a very classy way.
I truly love all of the contents of this album. It's a great record from cover to cover. Major shoutout to the artist that brought my sound to life visually. Lyrikal Jenkins is a name that you all will hear many, many times as her career progresses. I'm very glad and honored to have been able to be the first album cover that she worked on. Already got her set up to do the cover for LCB, so stay tuned for that.
Closing Thoughts?
Peace and Love to those that made it through the whole blog. If you didn't... oh well
Much love to Ken, Markus, Lyrikal, my DPL fam in LA, Mina, and the cousins group chat for being part of the process. I know I'm long-winded and I send a lot of music whenever I get in my zone. Words can't express how grateful I am to have all of you to give me feedback and encouragement whenever I get into album mode. Love.
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