Everyone wants to be a millionaire, but not too many people get the chance to really be an actually Cash Money Millionaire. Mayer Hawthorne has gone from being a Hip Hop DJ to being acknowledged by the West Coast Hip Hop legend Snoop Dogg for his singing and songwriting abilities. He has taken a long and eventful journey that has allotted him the opportunity to make music that is fun, diverse and free. We had the chance to catch up with Mayer in the Cash Money vault. Check out what he had to say about creating music, Snoop Dogg, breaking all the rules as he laid on a bunch of cash money.
[Cash] Money Team … I'm speaking to you from the Cash Money vault. I’m looking at a lot of money. Hopefully I’ll put this album out and make a little bit of my own cash money. LOL
Where Does This Door Go Bro? … My new album is called "Where Does This Door Go". It is about a journey into the unknown. It’s about going through a door and you’re not sure what is on the other side. I didn’t know how this album would sound. I didn’t know if anyone would like it. I didn’t know who I would be working with. I didn’t know what it would be about. It was about doing something that was different for me. I really wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone. It was my first time for so many things.
Creating … This is the first time that I have worked with other producers. I work with a lot of amazing producers like Pharrell Williams. I’m used to producing everything myself. I produced my whole first album myself… I learned so much from them. The experience made me such a better producer.
The Lyrics Tell A Story … Ahhhh, yeah I did work with other writers, but I wrote all the lyrics pretty much for this record. This record was really about telling stories which was something that Pharrell Williams wanted me to focus on. He wanted to make sure I was telling the story in the most vivid manner possible with the most details. Most of these stories are coming of age stories from my childhood. They are stories from me growing up and being a dumb kid.
Escaping From Love's Frustration … “Her Favorite Song” is about being frustrated with the opposite sex. It is about searching for that somebody that makes you happy. I know everybody has been in that situation when they feel frustrated. It’s about finding an escape. It’s about getting your escape and having freedom. I’m still in that race everyday. You know you hope to get that escape, but you never know … it keeps the world turning.
Music Is My Life … I think I always kind of knew that I wanted to do music. Crazy thing is I went to school for computer science of all things. But in the back of my mind, I always knew that I wanted to make music. I don’t think I ever took anything more seriously then music. I moved out to L.A. in 2005 … that was the big do or die moment. This is when I really had to tell myself that this was the time to really commit to it. I moved out to L.A. to be a Hip Hop DJ. LOL
On The 1s & 2s … I still DJ all the time. It’s like my security blanket. I still consider myself a better DJ then singer.
Doggy Style … It’s a really surreal thing to have someone like Snoop Dogg, who is an artist I really look up to, like my music. I used to listen to “Doggy Style” in my high school parking lot while I’m playing hooky in school. It’s amazing to even know that artists I look up to have even heard my music. It’s really a humbling thing.
The Present … I’m the kind of a dude who is always very focused on the future. You can never go back … you can only go forward. The greatest moment is the present. Hopefully, I am able to make music for a living for a long time. I think about that every time I go into the booth. I ask myself, can this song last forever? I hope people can discover my music fifty years or even a hundred years from now.
Influences … I was listening to a lot of Steely Dan when I was creating the album… a lot of Steely Dan. It’s a very distinctive sound and it is a divider among music listeners. No one just sort of loves Steely Dan. You either really love it or just don’t get it. Most people know that there is nothing sexy about Steely Dan. However, I incorporated artists like the Beastie Boys, Earth, Wind & Fire, Roger and Zapp, The Cars, Black Sabbath and more. It’s really all over the place. This album is really about me throwing all the rules out the window and just allowing one rule, which is to have fun.
Music is Powerful … I think what I love most about playing music, especially from being a DJ, is bringing people together to party and have a good time. Positivity is a big thing with me. I have been big on that and also creating positive change. Music is powerful and has the ability to make positive change.
Touring & Eating … I’m going to drop this album on July 16th. I will start touring, eating the best food in every city, partying and introducing as many people as we can to this new music.
A Classic Party Album … The only way I can describe this record is that it’s fun …it’s a party record. I wanted to make a record I would play at one of my house parties like Prince’s “Dirty Minds” or Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall”. I wanted to make an album with all killers, no fillers. I want people to be like, 'this is my jam' no matter what song it is…an album where all songs could be a single.
Mayer Hawthorne is dropping July 16th and will be coming to a city near you, but you can pre-order the album HERE. Also, check out his new singles "Her Favorite Song" Ft. Jessie Ware and "Crime" Ft. Kendrick Lamar.
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