Monday
Jul202009
Digital Soul Experience INTERVIEW: K'Jon
Monday, July 20, 2009 
I had the pleasure of speaking with K'Jon about his hot single, "On The Ocean", his upcoming album, "I Get Around" and his journey to this point. This guy really gets around...this interview is evidence of that fact; I had to conduct it with him while he was in the airport getting ready to catch a flight en route to another city to promote the album.
You might be surprised to know what your favorite singer is listening to, who he'd like to work with and why rapper, Maino is on his iPod playlist.
Read why he's so excited about the release of this album. Learn how he feels about being compared to R. Kelly and Maxwell. He is down to earth and a really funny guy.
Check him out for yourself - first, let me make this introduction..."K'Jon...the people...people...K'Jon".
Martin/DSE: K'Jon how you doin' man?
K'Jon: What's good Martin?
I'm good bruh, right now what I wanna do is get this interview with you so we can get this readership exposed to you and hip to you.
Okay..yessir!
Cool. Let's talk about your background, now you're from Detroit?
Yes sir!
So tell me a little bit about how you got into music, how long you been doin' it?
Well, I was a studio junkie in Detroit, I always dabbled in music, from Hip-Hop to R&B. I was always recording at an early age, but, I always had a job, I always had a 9 to 5 man, so when I got laid off and had a baby on the way, I switched careers. I went full throttle with music and put out some demos and got a call out of New York. I got serious when I lost my job, but, I've always been recording and writing and all that kinda stuff man.
Yeah, because you produce and write lyrics...right?
Yeah...actually, I'm a throwback kind of producer, but, I have an in-house production team. We did most of the production on the album.
I was gonna ask you, if you guys did the majority of the production on the "I Get Around" album?
On the new album we did 90 percent of the production on the album. My team is The League of Extraordinary Gentleman.
[smile] That's good to hear!
Man, I'm excited!
I can tell. [laughs] Are you aware of how big this record is and your buzz right now? Are you really aware?
[laughs] Kinda, but, then I know there is the potential to get bigger. I do check the blogs...I do check the charts, I do check the testimonies from the iTunes and Myspace. A lot of people are pouring their hearts out to me about this record so I do feel like I have the hearts of the people out there in the world.
Let me ask you...people are comparing you to R. Kelly, Charlie Wilson, Maxwell and they are saying that in your songs, you give them the feeling that those guys give them? How do you feel about that?
[smile] It's a compliment. That's the ultimate compliment to be compared to R. Kelly! [laughs]I would like to say, I would like to have a legacy where I can move from genre to genre and be able to mix it up. I do consider myself like R. Kelly because like to do a little Hip-Hop, do a little R&B and do a little live music.
I've noticed you do that.
That's right. I don't want to be found in one place on the shelf sitting there when you come looking for me. It's natural. One thing about R. Kelly is it's believable and the reason why is, it is him. So when you see me move around it is me. I started off young in Hip-Hop mode, but, I had the Donny Hathaway, Al Green...all of those things as my father played them, I got exposed to and they come out of me.
People are saying that style's coming through.
I see it as a compliment to be compared to them...the only thing is I don't consider myself like a superstar. You'll never catch me like that, I'm very down to earth. I'm a father first(daughter age 7, son age 5), but when I put on my "stunna shades" [laughs], that's when I become Superman, that's my superhero ego with the shades. [laughs]
I wanna switch gears a little bit...now this record "On The Ocean"... I watched it coming out of the mid-west and this was primarily a stepping record and it was mostly big in the mid-west. How did your situation with Universal/Republic come about? Was it from the success of the record?
Exactly. I was writing for industry artists(2 Fast and 2 Furious Soundtrack), but as far as being an artist as far as the full scale project, it wasn't happening for me man. So I abandoned writing and being on the road, working for others and just said, "Let me go home". I went back to Detroit and started Up and Up Records and it's funny, when I was out there writing songs for other artists, that's when "The Ocean" came about.
I hear you man...
Man, I felt like my time was passing me by. It wasn't going to come. I was around the movers and shakers - the execs and producers, but, as far as that artistry, it wasn't happening for me.
So I went back to Detroit, started my label. I put out these independent albums and I kept on pushing" The Ocean" because I knew how big that record was going to be! I never stopped pushing that record.
What happened next?
It eventually caught fire in Chicago amongst the ballrooms and steppers. I did the "chitlin' circuit", did a little touring across the country to the small ballroom and stepping venues.[laughs] The DJ's and some radio people started liking me, started blowing that song up in the mid-west. I put up some Soundscans and sold a couple records and Universal saw the grind. They saw the numbers, called me up and with their support blew the record up.
Cool. So what can listeners expect to hear from this album? This is "THAT" project, so talk to me.
Finally here. The full blown national release is finally here and I'm excited and can't wait. One thing I've noticed is my fan base molded me... I cater to them. So on this album, I'm giving them everything, but, what the world is feeling is the substance of hope and faith...man they need to be lifted up. You're gonna get a lot of that out of this album, but, you're also gonna be able to go to the club, you're gonna feel good, you're gonna hear some power ballads.
Right, I hear you bruh.
Man we got it all. I'm gonna come in with my fan base and take them somewhere else and hopefully I can get everybody to understand how I can hop around without losing my audience.
I'm looking forward to that.
I know, because I definitely hear that authenticity and I believe the people are going to get that from you. I noticed you have a flow as you do your lyrics. Sometimes it flows like a rapper, but, you're always singing.
Well, that's my identifiable sound. I've been recording for so long that I found out who I really am. That's the thing about an artist...you can make an artist and sometimes they know who they are. So maybe that's what you're hearing, my signature... I hope that's what it is.
I know you come from Disturbing Tha Peace and Ebony Son Entertainment so I wanna ask you, having worked with the best talent - who would you like to go in the studio with, that you haven't worked with.
You know what's different about me man, I love to work with everybody, but, I'd like to work with some of the ladies; Jennifer Hudson, Jazmine Sullivan, Keyshia Cole...ya know... the up and coming Laura Izibor, Chrisette Michelle. I'd like to get work with one or all of them!
I can tell by the people you select that you have a certain ear for a certain type of music. There is a distinct quality... even to what you listen to.
It's so weird because we were listening to the satellite radio and my kids had it on the Disney Channel so I'm listening to Daughtry and all the cross over music. [laughs] Man it would be good to work with anyone. I've waited so long for this opportunity.
What's in K'Jon's iPod? What's K'Jon listening to?
I'm checking out Anthony Hamilton, I just bought the Maxwell, I got Keyshia Cole. I picked up the Black Eye Peas...I try to support an artist each month.
Do you?
Yeah. I haven't picked up a Hip-Hop record in a while, but, I'm hearing a lot about Maino with Atlantic(Records), so I'm gonna have to check him out.
I'm gonna tell you, you're surprising me man! You're listening to Maino, from Brooklyn? That's what's up.
[laughs] I try to listen to it all, even my competition.
We're going to wrap things up soon, so let me say this... A lot of artists after a certain amount of time, they kinda get jaded...they get burned out. One thing I notice with you is that you are like a fresh new artist.
I am! This is my first shot man. I'm going national and getting the chance to prove myself. It ain't the chitlin' circuit no more, it's the big stage, the big lights man. I gotta go and I gotta be ready. [smiles]
Well, K'Jon I look forward to speaking to you again after the album drops and I want to let the readers get to know you.
Hey man, I will be in the New York area July 30th and 31st. Definitely tell the people to come out to support your boy!
You know they'll be there because I'm getting emails from people are interested and they want to see you.
I'm ready!
Are there any people you'd like to mention before we finish up man?
Definitely my "Up and Up" staff, I gotta thank all of them. The Republic family- Avery and Monte Lipmann over there...my A&R guy. I definitely want to thank all of them because they gave me total control in the studio. At the end of the day I think we'll be able to impress fans, the country and get them to support me.
It was good talking to you K'Jon and I appreciate you taking the time out to let me interview you.
Hey Martin, it was nice meeting you and I look forward to seeing you in New York man.
Definitely, no problem. Peace.
K' Jon's album "I Get Around" (Universal Republic) will be released Tuesday, August 4th, 2009.
Written by Martin Cameron Smith
Special thank you to Michelle @ audibletreats for making this interview happen.
Shouts to Dan @ audibletreats for making the connection.
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