Jaheim hails from New Brunswick, NJ, where he grew up in the 176 Memorial Parkway Homes public-housing project. Coming from a musical family helped him overcome the tragedy and the many pitfalls of his environment. Jaheim?s stories come straight out of the inner city and his sound is about what¹s happening on the street. It’s nothing but what he lived through and how his survival has made him stronger. Singersroom had a chance to get up with Jaheim, wait until you read what he had to say.
Your single “Everytime I think about her? is soothing. It continues on that edgy R&B that?s been missing. Why did you choose that song as your first single?
Because it?s just so soulful and touching, spiritual you know. It?s like something in your stomach giving you that feeling.
I definitely got that feeling Man I can?t wait. It?s like something you can?t have, but you know you can get it but it aint out yet. It?s like the new Jordan?s.
Who were your influences besides Luther Vandross?
My mother and grandfather. When my grandfather pasted that was real hard for me, so he keeps me doing well. My grandfather sang with the drifters. He wasn?t the lead singer but he did it up with them back in the days.
Did your childhood help you survive in this music industry?
Yeah, pretty much cause I grew up fortunate. I choose the wrong path at an early age. Every time I choose that path I ended up in a dead end, the street. You live and you learn and just move on.
What producers did you work with for this album?
This album I worked with, Scott Storch, of coarse Kay Gee, The Co-Stars, and I worked with my own in house producers.
Did you write any songs on the album? If so, how did you get your inspiration?
All my inspiration comes from my grandfather, Sam Cook, Luther… Those are like my favorite singers. Luther is my favorite; Sam Cook is someone I learned about later. Luther was kinda like that classical, you know, something that was just rear, something that I never herd before. I feel like I choose the right umbrella as a child. Nobody else was doing the Luther. Everybody else had their own sound, you know, Stevie (Wonder), Donnie (Hathaway). I fell in love with that Luther sound. I guess I started liking Sam Cook, cause when I first herd Luther, he sang a Sam Cook song, so that just open up the door for Sam.
Are their any guest appearances?
My dawg Styles P. and Jadakiss. I tried to holla at a couple of kats, but you know, with me being on the east coast and them doing movies and other things, it didn?t work out. But the album is crazy and I think I had the chance to show people that I can hold it down by myself. I was definitely excited about that, I was like wow, we really did a lot of songs, but it?s kinda good because a lot of people don?t do that.
In any genre of music it’s hard to break out, but it seems like you’ve carved out your niche. What do you think makes you stand out from today?s R&B talent?
I think it?s just me being so real and working so hard. You know as they say, ?hard work pays off in the end?.
You always say that your music is about your life. For this new album, what aspect of your life will you show the world?
This is it. This is all I have. This is my last demonstration. This is Jaheim trying to fall out of competition with everything else around me and just do what I do. Show up every time that I come up.
I?m still learning, I?m a new artist right now. I?m so hungry right now that I gotta go out here and continue to work hard, I?m willing to get it. I gotta keep doing what I gotta do to make it happen.
With two platinum albums behind you, what have you been doing to prepare for your third release?
I?ve been in the community working with the children, flag football tournaments, basketball tournaments.
You?re a b-ball player?
Yeah, I play a little basketball
Lets talk about your new deal with Vcast?.How were you able to ink that deal?
My management made it happen. I guess we just made it happen, we had some fans over their, I was like magic. What can I say, the lord is good.
We all know that controversy sells. As a veteran artist do you think you can continue to do good numbers without any marketing controversies? If so, how?
I think that marketing is important. If the marketing team has to do what the gotta do to make that artist sell, then they gotta do it.
Besides your music, are you looking to do anything else, like acting etc?
The acting thing, I can?t wait. I?m so natural with it, especially when I?m around the fellas. I might be the next Sanford and son or something like that.
So, how is the love life? Is their a special lady?
My love life is pretty clear, I?m single, still looking for love and taking my time. I?ve been working pretty hard and I can?t wait to find the right one. I got a lot of pretty babies to work on.
Any upcoming tours?
We about to head over seas and hit up the whole UK then we gonna head back here and do a thirty five city tour and I might even find that special ?Ghetto Queen? cause I know she?s somewhere out there. —— By: Interview by: Tiffanie Simone
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