NEW VIDEO: JEREMIH- “BREAK UP TO MAKE UP” + EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW…

NEW VIDEO: JEREMIH- “BREAK UP TO MAKE UP” + EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW…

Check out Jeremih’s new video “Break Up To Make Up” off his debut album.

Also, J’More recently got the chance to chop it up with Mr. Birthday Sex himself- where he talks about breaking into the biz, crazy groupie stories, how he works on not being a “one hit wonder” and much more…

POP THE HOOD FOR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Str8NYC: Your debut album sold over 60,000 copies in its first week and your debut single “Birthday Sex” was the song of the summer. How are you managing not becoming just another one hit wonder?

Jeremih: Well, I mean at the end of the day this is all pretty new to me. I didn’t even think I would be an artist. I was going to sell most of my songs to someone which I felt would represent them. But, as a musician I don’t feel like there’s really no limit with me right now. Everything people are hearing is what I only come up with in a half of a year. One aspect I’m looking forward to right now that I’m missing is recording while being on this tour. That’s just what I do. I make music, before it all if anything I’ll just keep making music. I’ve never really stopped and now people are just finally getting an opportunity to hear it. A lot of stuff on my computer no one has ever heard but me. So I’mma make sure a lot of people get out of that “one hit” wonder mode especially, hopefully if they got the album they’ll definitely not think that and look forward to the future.

Str8NYC: How did you land a major record deal with Def Jam ‘cause you basically came from out of nowhere, lol?

Jeremih: Long story short. Wrote the records in 2008 and it got to October and went to Chicago and pretty much they heard and were like this guy is from Chicago. Shouts to the radio stations. They wanted to support the next new big thing out of Chicago. Especially after R. Kelly there hasn’t been an upcoming R&B singer that really had some good music coming out of Chicago. It’s been a lot of rappers. So they supported me and started playing the first record “Birthday Sex” which was chosen for me as a single. It got into the likes of a lot of listeners out there; people were calling in requesting it. We were able to get up to 2,000 fans in a matter of two months which is rare for an artist with no label backing and with no money behind it. It was just off the love and the support of Chicago and the record. By March it got into the hands of L.A. Reid and some of the A&R’s there after accumulating all those fans on our own and no one really believed we didn’t have no money behind it and that it was a real record. Def Jam went up there, did a showcase and they wanted to see how I looked and if I had other records and if I could at least sing the records live for them in the showcase. And so I did “Birthday Sex” along with “I’m A Star” and another record called “Starting All Over”. And from then on after that third record I felt like I had them sold. I looked around they had all their eyes closed just listening to the music and just listening to me and it was like ‘Okay I got ‘em’. And sure enough that day they didn’t really want me to leave, but we ended up having to come back the next day and from there it was history.

Str8NYC: Birthday Sex is geared more towards the ladies, so what’s the feedback you’ve been getting from the ladies with regards to the single?

Jeremih: Well, yeah it’s definitely towards the ladies, but from a male perspective. The reaction I get now when I go out–it’s crazy. I stop singing it at shows now ‘cause people sing it for me. It’s the first song people have heard. At times I’ve even felt like I was at Mardi Gras. The first front rows throwing the bras and throwing all kinds of stuff on stage. I’ve went through that now. I hear lot of people talking about how most R&B cats talk about what crazed fans do. But, the craziest shit to me is to go up there in the aisle and see my very own records and that happen to me it’s hard at the same time…it’s hard!

Str8NYC: Do you have a crazy fan/groupie stories you’d like to share?

Jeremih: Ahh well, thanks to Twitter…probably yeah. At first I didn’t really know the logistics of it other than it just being an updating type of service to let people know what you’re doing. But, I didn’t know that people would really come to where you are. I was updating where I would be at or eating at especially in New York which is good ‘cause I actually put ‘I’m not from out here, where is a good place to eat?’. And they’ll tell me, but I’ve actually put that I’m there and crazily fans would come up there and I didn’t know it would get to that point. Actually, once I was in New York, I think we went to BB Kings and updated that I was there and a group of girls just came in there screaming and pictures you know it was just crazy. That’s when everything was first kicking off. It’s crazy to see what my music makes people do and how it makes them feel.

Str8NYC: What sets Jeremih apart from the other R&B dudes? IE. Ne-Yo, John Legend, Trey Songz…

Jeremih: Of course I’m the new kid on the block right now and everybody would have to get used to my sound and to my album, but I feel like my music speaks for itself. As far as what makes me different from other artists, is the fact that I’m a musician before it all. I know you named Trey Songz whose been killin’ it now. I’ve really become more of a fan of him now than ever before especially after his mixtape and collaborations with Drake. I feel like when you surround yourself with greatness you should probably become great yourself. They’re all great artist and I feel like they make great music, but at the end of the day I feel like when it comes to my album you’ll get a lot of different ranges with my music. You won’t just hear one sound. You’ll get the urban, you’ll get the pop, and you’ll get the old Motown soul R&B side of me. That’s really my heart, that’s my passion and just to be versatile right now I feel like that’s what probably makes me more than different from other artists right now and also the fact that I’m a musician.

Str8NYC: What’s are your thoughts on the current state of R&B?

Jeremih: R&B has evolved period. I really wouldn’t even know what to call an R&B record anymore. Years ago you’d definitely hear your K-Ci & JoJo, Mint Condition and R. Kelly; even he’s definitely evolved and is trying to keep up with the state of music and how R&B is. I twittered the other day actually about how I miss the old sound, that classic sound with the strings and the live sounds and the live vocals. But, everything now is synthetic. Everything is pretty much computer generated which is what you’re hearing. Like I wouldn’t think Drake’s “Best I Ever Had” would be considered R&B– but it is or even Keri Hilson’s “Knock You Down”–but it is. I feel like there’s great music that’s still out there but it’s just classified now as that genre ‘cause there’s nothing else to title it.

Str8NYC: As the new kid on the block, you’ve already gotten the opportunity to go on tour with heavy hitters Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy, what was it like working alongside those two?

Jeremih: Great! You know just yesterday I was rapping with Wayne. Everybody is just cool. By the way, it’s all rap artists on the tour. It’s a rap concert that you’re going to see. Really, it was just me at first, but now Pleasure P has also been added to the tour. Soulja Boy, Nicki Minaj, Drake and the whole Young Money crew. But, just being out there kickin’ it with them it’s just crazy. I mean hittin’ the stage is one thing that’s the business side, but off stage everybody is cool. There’s no beef, nobody looks at me like you know ‘Oh this is the R&B dude’. Nobody’s ever been on that, it’s all been love. Especially with my song, I feel like it caters to women, but a lot of fellas they’re like ‘Man you know you got me some last night’ type of conversations. I feel like this is the song that caters to both audiences. Being out there hitting the stage with the greats, I kick it off. I’m the first artist that people see which is a gift and a curse at the same time. But, to be apart of the tour and for my name to be attached to it is great! This is my first tour, I didn’t get a lil’ shady tour, it’s more so this is like “Americas Most Wanted” right now and that’s great.

Str8NYC: How do you feel about The Dream being the new Executive Vice President of Def Jam?

Jeremih: I think he deserves it! Actually, the last vice president was cool, but I feel like The Dream put in a lot of work. He’s made a lot of money and made Def Jam a lot money and gave them a great name. Having L.A. Reid as a big supporter of my music, I’m sure he’s a grand supporter of The Dream. I don’t even think he wanted to be an artist like that. He just had so much music and was writing for so many artists that who else could represent his music other than himself? I think it’s a great move. Everybody wants to move up from being just an artist. I think he’s put in enough time, enough music and made them enough money to even be classified or even considered Vice President. So I think it’s great for any artist to be in that position.

Str8NYC: Are you currently working on any new material? If so, what can fans expect to hear from you in the near future?

Jeremih: Yeah. I’ve actually done some collaborations. I think I’ve landed the DJ Khaled single with Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, Drake and Kanye which is going to be on his new album. I have got some collaborations which were already set up, but this tour kind of really set me back ‘cause I haven’t had much time to get into that recording zone. I know the other artists have studios on their busses so they’ve been able to knock it out. The second album I feel like I’m half way done with it, it’s definitely a more mature album. My first album was so versatile; I want to keep that going. I don’t want to just keep putting out all types of songs that sound alike. I think I’m already half way there with this album. I’m happy and excited already with the songs we got. I think they’re possible singles, but who knows with how this happens I wouldn’t even want to assume what my single is ‘cause people are out there assuming and making them singles for themselves. So I’m just gonna keep making it fun, that’s what I love to do.

Str8NYC: Is there going to be a “Birthday Sex” Part 2?

Jeremih : Who knows. I don’t know. You know I’m birthday sexed out musically and physically. I kind of want to move on from that era and branch off and let people hear other sounds and other genres from me. ‘Cause I feel like there’s really no limit, I just love making music and I make all types and try to top all charts if I could if they would let me. But, right now they want me to grasp the target audience. Right now with “Birthday Sex” it’s a No. 1 smash hit with the urban audience, so I’m definitely going to stick with that. But, I make all types of music and I’m probably going to release it more on this album.

Jeremih Posted under Exclusive Interview, New Video by LexAve