When you put together the likes of New Orleans born and raised Luke Boyd and Quinten Spears, you emerge with the J Records duo Luke & Q. At first glance you wonder if they are the next act to be added to the latest Gangsta Rap mixtape, but you would be highly mistaken. Luke & Q are on the verge of reviving R&B and taking us back to the soulful and passionate days of Jodeci and H-Town. Fans of the multitude have been patiently or rather impatiently waiting for this revival for a long time now. It appears that we may have found exactly what we?ve been looking for.
With their tough looking appeal, which they attribute from growing up in the hood and experiencing the day to day trials and tribulations that come along with it, who would have thought that these soulful and passionate crooners would be a breath of fresh air and an asset to the latest R&B movement. Their sound has been described as ?before their time? and even miss Beyonce herself commented, ?”The younger generation hasn’t witnessed such an authentic soulful sound from a male group since Dru Hill or Jodeci. They are a total package.” I think she hit it on the nose.
With their first single ?My Turn?, it explains it all. The duo admits to having done everything possible to get themselves exposure. Without shame they explained how they sang everywhere from cards games to baby showers to barbeques, and would even sing for an audience of twenty to an audience of a single person. It didn?t matter where or for whom they performed, but the goal remained to simply get the chance to be heard. When asked their advice for others trying to get into the game, they both agreed to do as they did, ??to hustle, get heard, get discovered and network with others by any means possible.?
?We?re R&B all day?just two single Gemini?s trying to bring you back to the 90?s where there was music for the ladies. We?re singing ?fall in love music? and music you can go to sleep to. We?re just trying to help the fellas say what?s on their mind.?
The two definitely have a plan and although fairly new to the game seem like they have direction. They describe themselves as being more conscious singers where they aren?t just singing to sing because they can, but rather incorporating the things they?ve learned by working with other artists such as Mario and Tyrese. Because of this they call themselves ?placement singers? using their experiences to their advantage. They appear to have a sincere and genuine desire for the music.
Luke & Q accredit Gospel, Blues, Jazz, Country, and Hip Hop music with playing a major role in shaping the two and allowing them to diversify their sound. They also remember the influence that superstar Michael Jackson offered as they listened to him while growing up, as well as R&B greats like Jodeci, R. Kelly, H-Town, and even the newer generation?s Usher.
They also give credit to their mothers who were endlessly supportive as well as their hometown of New Orleans. Both components were key in allowing them to reach beyond the local horizon making their dreams a reality as they ventured off to Hollywood just after high school where they signed with J Records and gained the opportunity to tour the country with Beyonce, Usher and Mario and a feature in The Destiny?s Child video ?Soldier?.
Since much credit is given to their hometown of New Orleans I felt it necessary to ask about the ?before and after? feelings in relation to Hurricane Katrina. They replied, ?Before Katrina we loved our city. From Mardi Gras, to French Quarter, to the Bayou Classics. After Katrina everything was washed away?our childhood friends, diplomas, pictures?everything was lost. We?re just trying to get our families back on track and get back in the studio. We want to let everyone know that New Orleans is the people ?not the bricks.?
The down-to-earth duo recently shot a video with Tyrese featuring Natacha Marx. Luke & Q plan to keep touring, promoting and have been working on a song where the video will feature Chingy and Tyrese. The release of their album is much anticipated; however the date has not yet been determined. Their unique sound of R&B with a drop of hip hop has definitely been an attention grabber and by the looks of it, the duo is guaranteed success. I think it?s safe to say that we might have found exactly what the genre has been missing. —— By: Written by: Liana Morales
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