December 28th, 2004
Hey people. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. As you know, today's the big day that my album, "Get Lifted", finally hits the stores. I'm so excited for everyone to be able to hear what me and my team worked so hard to make. I hope you all enjoy it.
We also just filmed the video for "Ordinary People", my second single, last week. The final cut will be released in the first or second week of January. I can't wait for y'all to see it. I think it's gonna be beautiful.
Thanks again for all of your support and encouragement.
Have a wonderful New Year.
John
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
The Tour/The Album Release
December 14, 2004
Hey People,
I'm back. Once again, I apologize for not writing in so long. As you
probably know, I've been on my first headlining tour for the last
month, and I've been pretty busy.
Well, the tour is nearing its end, and I just wanted to thank all of
you who have come out to support us. It's been an amazing experience
so far. We've been all over the country (with the exception of the
South/Southeast, which we'll be hitting in January, I promise). We've
sold out or nearly sold out in almost every major market so far. For
those who have attended the shows, I truly appreciate the energy and
enthusiasm that you've contributed to our performances. We truly
couldn't do it without your support. It's been so inspiring to see
you out there.
Shout outs to my very talented band (and tour bus-mates):
Vocals - Tara Michel, Alia Marie
Keys/Vocals - Chris Rob
Guitar - Sharief
Bass - Kenneth Wright
Drums - Swiss Chris
Turntables - DeVon "Devo" Harris
I also had the opportunity to do a show in my hometown of Springfield,
Ohio, on Thanksgiving night. That was a beautiful night. I performed
in the auditorium of my alma mater, Springfield North H.S., in front
of about 800 friends, family and former classmates. My family joined
me on stage to perform a couple songs (including "It Don't Have to
Change" from the new album). It was definitely a Kodak moment. We
got it on tape so we'll probably post some footage on the new site
soon.
Tonight, I'll be performing for a sold out crowd in my home for the
last 5 years, New York City, at the Bowery Ballroom. I'm excited to
perform for the city that has been supporting me since I put together
my first band back in 2000. It's exciting to see how things have
grown since then...
In just 2 weeks, I'll be releasing my first major album, Get Lifted.
I can't tell you how excited I am to finally have my album in stores.
This is the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of people. I
hope you all enjoy it. I'm so proud of all the positive response
we've gotten so far (including the 4 star reviews in such publications
as Rolling Stone and the Guardian in the UK). Oh yeah, and I'm glad
so many of y'all like the bootleg too. ;)
Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and I'm hoping
you all get to the stores on the 28th to support the album. I think
2005 is going to be an exciting year. I pray that you and your family
have a happy and blessed new year.
Much love,
John
Hey People,
I'm back. Once again, I apologize for not writing in so long. As you
probably know, I've been on my first headlining tour for the last
month, and I've been pretty busy.
Well, the tour is nearing its end, and I just wanted to thank all of
you who have come out to support us. It's been an amazing experience
so far. We've been all over the country (with the exception of the
South/Southeast, which we'll be hitting in January, I promise). We've
sold out or nearly sold out in almost every major market so far. For
those who have attended the shows, I truly appreciate the energy and
enthusiasm that you've contributed to our performances. We truly
couldn't do it without your support. It's been so inspiring to see
you out there.
Shout outs to my very talented band (and tour bus-mates):
Vocals - Tara Michel, Alia Marie
Keys/Vocals - Chris Rob
Guitar - Sharief
Bass - Kenneth Wright
Drums - Swiss Chris
Turntables - DeVon "Devo" Harris
I also had the opportunity to do a show in my hometown of Springfield,
Ohio, on Thanksgiving night. That was a beautiful night. I performed
in the auditorium of my alma mater, Springfield North H.S., in front
of about 800 friends, family and former classmates. My family joined
me on stage to perform a couple songs (including "It Don't Have to
Change" from the new album). It was definitely a Kodak moment. We
got it on tape so we'll probably post some footage on the new site
soon.
Tonight, I'll be performing for a sold out crowd in my home for the
last 5 years, New York City, at the Bowery Ballroom. I'm excited to
perform for the city that has been supporting me since I put together
my first band back in 2000. It's exciting to see how things have
grown since then...
In just 2 weeks, I'll be releasing my first major album, Get Lifted.
I can't tell you how excited I am to finally have my album in stores.
This is the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of people. I
hope you all enjoy it. I'm so proud of all the positive response
we've gotten so far (including the 4 star reviews in such publications
as Rolling Stone and the Guardian in the UK). Oh yeah, and I'm glad
so many of y'all like the bootleg too. ;)
Anyway, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and I'm hoping
you all get to the stores on the 28th to support the album. I think
2005 is going to be an exciting year. I pray that you and your family
have a happy and blessed new year.
Much love,
John
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Election Message
October 30, 2004
Hey People,
I hope everyone's doing alright out there. I had a great weekend
performing at at the D.C. Music Conference (hosted by WPGC), William &
Mary, UNC-Wilmington and UNC-Chapel Hill. Thanks for all the love
you've been showing me on the road. And I'm glad y'all enjoyed the
Smokey Robinson tribute on BET. I appreciate the words of
encouragement you've posted at the Graffiti Wall. Anyway, I wanted to
take a break from the music to talk about something else that is very
important to me and hopefully is very important to all of you.
I want to encourage everyone in the U.S. 18 & up to exercise your
right to vote this Tuesday, Nov 2.
Each of you should make your own personal decision on who you think is
the right candidate (check out www.voteforsomething.com if you want
some quick advice on the candidates' positions). I'm personally
voting for John Kerry for President. I'm doing so for a number of
reasons:
----
I prefer Kerry's philosophies on foreign policy and national security.
I believe President Bush has consistently misled the public on the
reasons for going to Iraq. He has mismanaged the plans for post-war
Iraq, and, overall, he has made America and the world a more dangerous
place by alienating the rest of the world and taking his focus off of
the actual terrorists in order to pursue the war on Saddam, who had
nothing to do with 9/11 and had no nuclear weapons. (Read the 9/11
Commission Report at http://www.9-11commission.gov/)
Terrorist cells exist in many countries throughout the world,
including some of our allies like the UK, France, Canada and even
right here at home. We can't and won't go around declaring war on all
these countries just because there are terrorists there. The main way
to destroy these terrorist cells is to cooperate with the law
enforcement and intelligence officials in all these countries to help
stop the cells before they can plan another attack. In addition, we
need to focus on alleviating the conditions that lead people to become
terrorists in the first place. Attacking Saddam had nothing to do
with that and only helped these terrorist cells recruit more people
willing to threaten our safety.
As much as he tries to scare people about what will happen if Kerry
wins, President Bush is the one who has failed to make this country
safer. His policies continue to create animosity around the world,
and he refuses to admit that he's wrong, so don't expect things to get
any better in the next four years.
----
Bush's domestic policies are not very encouraging either. He does not
have a comprehensive plan for bringing health care to poor or working
class people. His priorities are on tax relief for wealthy Americans.
Everybody likes lower taxes (I know I hate paying taxes myself), but
you can't get something for nothing. Every President has to decide
what is a priority, because the government can't do everything. When
it comes down to it, Bush's priorities are with the rich and powerful.
(FYI: Bush is expected to sign a bill that gives $140 billion in new
business tax breaks to big businesses and multinational corporations,
the bill is so extreme that Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican,
called it "the worst example of the
influence of special interests that I have ever seen.") In the
meantime, Kerry has a plan to bring healthcare to nearly all
Americans. To pay for it, he'd restore higher taxes for really rich
people. I think this is a small sacrifice to make sure nearly every
American has equal access to quality health care.
While Bush pays lip service to education and helping the middle class,
he fails to put his money where his mouth is. This is part of a
common pattern with this so-called "compassionate conservative."
He'll talk like a moderate, but he always governs from the far right
with a very divisive agenda. He claims to be a man of his word, but
he so frequently misleads the American people and fails to deliver on
his promises. He said he'd "leave no child behind" in his education
policy, but he'd rather spend that money on attacking Iraq and cutting
taxes for the wealthy than fund his own education programs. He said
he was for an assault weapons ban, but he intentionally made no effort
to get the ban passed in the congress. I guess he was more
preoccupied with trying to pass a constitutional amendment on gay
marriage than protecting his own citizens from gun violence.
Additionally, George W. Bush has been the worst president in decades
when it comes to the environment. Again, he always sides with the
rich and powerful when he sets his policy priorities. He is oblivious
to the long-term effects of his policies and refuses to accept the
overwhelming scientific evidence about global warming and its harmful
consequences. I could provide more examples, but this note is already
getting long. (Read Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s new book "Crimes Against
Nature: How George W. Bush and His Corporate Pals Are Plundering the
Country and Hijacking Our Democracy;" I hear it's very good.)
----
And, perhaps most disturbing of all is the Republican effort to
suppress the ultimate symbol of democracy—the right to vote. In
Michigan, Republican
State Rep. John Pappageorge unapologetically said that his party would
not win the
presidential election if the Republicans failed to "suppress the Detroit vote,
[which as we know happens to be overwhelmingly African American!]."
Please know that this is a common sentiment among Republican
officials. In addition to Michigan, they are making a concerted
effort to suppress the black vote in key "swing" states such as
Florida and my home state of Ohio. (In Florida, it has been so bad
that state police officers have gone into the homes of elderly black
voters in
Orlando and interrogated them as part of an odd ''investigation'' of voter
fraud). They have recruited an army of Republican volunteers who will
raise frivolous challenges to registered voters in heavily
minority/Democratic counties and spread misinformation and hostility
to voters. They spread rumors about false voting requirements; they
create conditions that will lead to longer lines and confusion at the
polls. They DESTROY the registration cards of Democratic new
registrants!
All this in an effort to discourage people from exercising their
constitutional right to elect the next President. This is quite
simply immoral and intolerable. These are not underground conspiracy
theories, people; these efforts are public knowledge and have been
documented extensively by many of the major news organizations. I
can't believe there isn't more public outrage on this subject.
Don't allow yourself or your family to be misled, discouraged or
intimidated. The only way Bush can be re-elected is if he succeeds in
suppressing the votes of young people and minorities. He knows this;
his party knows this; you should know this too.
So, I urge you to GO VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2nd. I believe this is
the most important election of our lifetime. I know Kerry's not
perfect, but this country can't take another 4 years of deception,
mismanagement and misplaced priorities by the Bush administration.
If you've gotten this far in my looooong message, thanks for your time. :)
Peace,
John
Hey People,
I hope everyone's doing alright out there. I had a great weekend
performing at at the D.C. Music Conference (hosted by WPGC), William &
Mary, UNC-Wilmington and UNC-Chapel Hill. Thanks for all the love
you've been showing me on the road. And I'm glad y'all enjoyed the
Smokey Robinson tribute on BET. I appreciate the words of
encouragement you've posted at the Graffiti Wall. Anyway, I wanted to
take a break from the music to talk about something else that is very
important to me and hopefully is very important to all of you.
I want to encourage everyone in the U.S. 18 & up to exercise your
right to vote this Tuesday, Nov 2.
Each of you should make your own personal decision on who you think is
the right candidate (check out www.voteforsomething.com if you want
some quick advice on the candidates' positions). I'm personally
voting for John Kerry for President. I'm doing so for a number of
reasons:
----
I prefer Kerry's philosophies on foreign policy and national security.
I believe President Bush has consistently misled the public on the
reasons for going to Iraq. He has mismanaged the plans for post-war
Iraq, and, overall, he has made America and the world a more dangerous
place by alienating the rest of the world and taking his focus off of
the actual terrorists in order to pursue the war on Saddam, who had
nothing to do with 9/11 and had no nuclear weapons. (Read the 9/11
Commission Report at http://www.9-11commission.gov/)
Terrorist cells exist in many countries throughout the world,
including some of our allies like the UK, France, Canada and even
right here at home. We can't and won't go around declaring war on all
these countries just because there are terrorists there. The main way
to destroy these terrorist cells is to cooperate with the law
enforcement and intelligence officials in all these countries to help
stop the cells before they can plan another attack. In addition, we
need to focus on alleviating the conditions that lead people to become
terrorists in the first place. Attacking Saddam had nothing to do
with that and only helped these terrorist cells recruit more people
willing to threaten our safety.
As much as he tries to scare people about what will happen if Kerry
wins, President Bush is the one who has failed to make this country
safer. His policies continue to create animosity around the world,
and he refuses to admit that he's wrong, so don't expect things to get
any better in the next four years.
----
Bush's domestic policies are not very encouraging either. He does not
have a comprehensive plan for bringing health care to poor or working
class people. His priorities are on tax relief for wealthy Americans.
Everybody likes lower taxes (I know I hate paying taxes myself), but
you can't get something for nothing. Every President has to decide
what is a priority, because the government can't do everything. When
it comes down to it, Bush's priorities are with the rich and powerful.
(FYI: Bush is expected to sign a bill that gives $140 billion in new
business tax breaks to big businesses and multinational corporations,
the bill is so extreme that Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican,
called it "the worst example of the
influence of special interests that I have ever seen.") In the
meantime, Kerry has a plan to bring healthcare to nearly all
Americans. To pay for it, he'd restore higher taxes for really rich
people. I think this is a small sacrifice to make sure nearly every
American has equal access to quality health care.
While Bush pays lip service to education and helping the middle class,
he fails to put his money where his mouth is. This is part of a
common pattern with this so-called "compassionate conservative."
He'll talk like a moderate, but he always governs from the far right
with a very divisive agenda. He claims to be a man of his word, but
he so frequently misleads the American people and fails to deliver on
his promises. He said he'd "leave no child behind" in his education
policy, but he'd rather spend that money on attacking Iraq and cutting
taxes for the wealthy than fund his own education programs. He said
he was for an assault weapons ban, but he intentionally made no effort
to get the ban passed in the congress. I guess he was more
preoccupied with trying to pass a constitutional amendment on gay
marriage than protecting his own citizens from gun violence.
Additionally, George W. Bush has been the worst president in decades
when it comes to the environment. Again, he always sides with the
rich and powerful when he sets his policy priorities. He is oblivious
to the long-term effects of his policies and refuses to accept the
overwhelming scientific evidence about global warming and its harmful
consequences. I could provide more examples, but this note is already
getting long. (Read Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s new book "Crimes Against
Nature: How George W. Bush and His Corporate Pals Are Plundering the
Country and Hijacking Our Democracy;" I hear it's very good.)
----
And, perhaps most disturbing of all is the Republican effort to
suppress the ultimate symbol of democracy—the right to vote. In
Michigan, Republican
State Rep. John Pappageorge unapologetically said that his party would
not win the
presidential election if the Republicans failed to "suppress the Detroit vote,
[which as we know happens to be overwhelmingly African American!]."
Please know that this is a common sentiment among Republican
officials. In addition to Michigan, they are making a concerted
effort to suppress the black vote in key "swing" states such as
Florida and my home state of Ohio. (In Florida, it has been so bad
that state police officers have gone into the homes of elderly black
voters in
Orlando and interrogated them as part of an odd ''investigation'' of voter
fraud). They have recruited an army of Republican volunteers who will
raise frivolous challenges to registered voters in heavily
minority/Democratic counties and spread misinformation and hostility
to voters. They spread rumors about false voting requirements; they
create conditions that will lead to longer lines and confusion at the
polls. They DESTROY the registration cards of Democratic new
registrants!
All this in an effort to discourage people from exercising their
constitutional right to elect the next President. This is quite
simply immoral and intolerable. These are not underground conspiracy
theories, people; these efforts are public knowledge and have been
documented extensively by many of the major news organizations. I
can't believe there isn't more public outrage on this subject.
Don't allow yourself or your family to be misled, discouraged or
intimidated. The only way Bush can be re-elected is if he succeeds in
suppressing the votes of young people and minorities. He knows this;
his party knows this; you should know this too.
So, I urge you to GO VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2nd. I believe this is
the most important election of our lifetime. I know Kerry's not
perfect, but this country can't take another 4 years of deception,
mismanagement and misplaced priorities by the Bush administration.
If you've gotten this far in my looooong message, thanks for your time. :)
Peace,
John
Saturday, October 16, 2004
Update: The Tour, BET Walk of Fame & New Album Release Date
October 16, 2004
Hey People,
I'm back. Just checking in to let y'all know how things are going.
First of all, the Truth Tour has come to an end. We performed at the
world-famous Madison Square Garden this week then had our closing show
in Hartford, CT. I had an amazing time on the road with Usher and
Kanye. Thanks to both of them for providing me with this opportunity.
It was great meeting so many fans around the country and introducing
them to my music.
Coming next is my first headlining tour! I'm so excited to start
touring on my own. I'll be doing a few solo acoustic shows in the
rest of October, then starting a tour of the U.S. (and hopefully
Canada) with my band in November, going thru mid-December. We'll be
playing at colleges and clubs throughout North America. We're still
confirming dates and venues. They'll be posted on my site as we
confirm. Make sure you come out and support and bring all your
friends. I need to see you out there. Thanks to all my fans in
Philly, Toronto and New York. I played solo shows to packed houses in
all three cities over the last 2 weeks. I had such a great time.
Also, last weekend, I was in D.C. to participate in the taping of the
BET 10th Annual Walk of Fame honoring Smokey Robinson (more info at
www.bet.com). It was a very humbling experience. I was fortunate
enough to be asked to sing one of my favorite Smokey songs, "Quiet
Storm." Among the other featured performers were Stevie Wonder, India
Aire, Boyz II Men, New Edition, Gerald Levert, Cristina Milian, Brian
McKnight and Smokey himself. I was so honored just to be in the same
show as all these incredible artists who have been around for such a
long time. I even got to meet Smokey & Stevie. Thanks to BET for
asking me to contribute. You can check out the show on Tuesday,
October 26, at 9pm ET. You don't want to miss it.
Speaking of October 26... as some of you may have already learned,
Sony has decided not to release my album on that date. The new
release date is Tuesday, December 28. They wanted to give me a chance
to get some more exposure on radio and television before we put the
album out. I know that all my loyal fans have been waiting a while
for the album, but most people in the country don't know who I am yet,
and the label wanted to give them a chance to hear more about me
before we put the album out.
Now I know there's a new bootleg leak of the final version of the
album on the internet and on the streets, and I know some of y'all are
bumping it in your stereos right now. You know who you are...
Anyway, I appreciate your enthusiasm. I don't mind you listening to
it now. I'm glad you cared enough to check for it. Just do me the
favor of purchasing it and telling all your friends about it if you
think it's deserving. I tried my best to make it so... So please
support the album in stores on December 28. Think of it as your
birthday present to me. (Yeah, December 28 just so happens to be my
26th birthday. Capricorns, stand up!). :)
Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing all of y'all out there on the
road in the next few months. Get ready to Get Lifted...
Love,
John
Hey People,
I'm back. Just checking in to let y'all know how things are going.
First of all, the Truth Tour has come to an end. We performed at the
world-famous Madison Square Garden this week then had our closing show
in Hartford, CT. I had an amazing time on the road with Usher and
Kanye. Thanks to both of them for providing me with this opportunity.
It was great meeting so many fans around the country and introducing
them to my music.
Coming next is my first headlining tour! I'm so excited to start
touring on my own. I'll be doing a few solo acoustic shows in the
rest of October, then starting a tour of the U.S. (and hopefully
Canada) with my band in November, going thru mid-December. We'll be
playing at colleges and clubs throughout North America. We're still
confirming dates and venues. They'll be posted on my site as we
confirm. Make sure you come out and support and bring all your
friends. I need to see you out there. Thanks to all my fans in
Philly, Toronto and New York. I played solo shows to packed houses in
all three cities over the last 2 weeks. I had such a great time.
Also, last weekend, I was in D.C. to participate in the taping of the
BET 10th Annual Walk of Fame honoring Smokey Robinson (more info at
www.bet.com). It was a very humbling experience. I was fortunate
enough to be asked to sing one of my favorite Smokey songs, "Quiet
Storm." Among the other featured performers were Stevie Wonder, India
Aire, Boyz II Men, New Edition, Gerald Levert, Cristina Milian, Brian
McKnight and Smokey himself. I was so honored just to be in the same
show as all these incredible artists who have been around for such a
long time. I even got to meet Smokey & Stevie. Thanks to BET for
asking me to contribute. You can check out the show on Tuesday,
October 26, at 9pm ET. You don't want to miss it.
Speaking of October 26... as some of you may have already learned,
Sony has decided not to release my album on that date. The new
release date is Tuesday, December 28. They wanted to give me a chance
to get some more exposure on radio and television before we put the
album out. I know that all my loyal fans have been waiting a while
for the album, but most people in the country don't know who I am yet,
and the label wanted to give them a chance to hear more about me
before we put the album out.
Now I know there's a new bootleg leak of the final version of the
album on the internet and on the streets, and I know some of y'all are
bumping it in your stereos right now. You know who you are...
Anyway, I appreciate your enthusiasm. I don't mind you listening to
it now. I'm glad you cared enough to check for it. Just do me the
favor of purchasing it and telling all your friends about it if you
think it's deserving. I tried my best to make it so... So please
support the album in stores on December 28. Think of it as your
birthday present to me. (Yeah, December 28 just so happens to be my
26th birthday. Capricorns, stand up!). :)
Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing all of y'all out there on the
road in the next few months. Get ready to Get Lifted...
Love,
John
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Update: London, the Usher/Kanye Tour, and the latest news on Get
September 16, 2004
Hey people,
Once again, it's been a long time since I've written to y'all, so I
had to give you an update on all the exciting things that have been
going on with me.
Right now, I'm on a plane returning from a 3-day trip to London,
England. I had a great time there. Much love goes out to all my fans
in London. Y'all really made me feel welcome there. I did a sold-out
solo show at London's renowned Jazz Café. It was a beautiful night. I
think the highlight was hearing the whole crowd sing the backup vocals
for "Used to Love U". 300 people singing "Holla, holla, holla" sounded
real hot.
Anyway, I'm returning now to the Usher/Kanye tour. Next stop is
Memphis, TN. So far, the tour has been great. It's hard to beat the
feeling of hearing 10,000-20,000 people scream when they hear your
name. Thanks to Kanye & Usher for selling all those records so that I
have this opportunity. :) While on tour, I've been working really hard
to promote my new album. I've been making radio appearances everyday
to promote the single, then meeting up with Kanye & co. to rock the
Usher show, then capping the night off with solo performances at
smaller clubs. Thanks to all my fans around the country that have come
to support my solo after-shows. I've had a lot of fun with those.
The album Get Lifted is wrapping up production now. We've mixed every
song and we're going to master the whole album over the next few days.
I'm so excited to finally be done with it. I've spent so much time and
energy making this album the best it can be. Hopefully, it will not
disappoint. By the way, I've heard that there may be bootleg copies
online claiming to be my album. If you've seen these fakes, they are
NOT the complete album. Don't be fooled by the impostors.
Anyway, my first single, "Used to Love U", is working its way up the
charts and getting more and more radio play across the country. Thanks
to all the radio stations who have supported the record in this early
stage. And thanks to all of you fans who have called in to request it.
Speaking of requests, it's almost time to start calling BET to request
the "Used to Love U" video. That's right, my first video! I'm really
excited about the video, directed by Ben Mor (of Nas's "Thief's Theme"
video) with an assist and guest appearance by Kanye, who co-produced
and co-wrote "Used to Love U". We all worked together to make the
video special. It was a cool learning experience for me to be involved
in making this, from collaborating on the concept to making sure the
edit came out right. I can't wait for y'all to see it and let me know
what you think. We'll premiere it on BET's 106 & Park next week (a
joint premiere w/ Kanye's "New Workout Plan"). With MTV rotation not
too far behind. So look out for it.
One last note of clarification: y'all may have read the recent article
on me in the Vibe magazine. I was really disappointed with how I was
portrayed in the article. My words were manipulated in a way that
misrepresented my intent and I felt that it made me sound really
arrogant. Please know that this was a misrepresentation. Anyone who
knows me knows that article didn't accurately portray the way I really
am, and I don't want you who don't know me to get the wrong
impression...
Sorry, I had to get that off my chest. I think that's it for now. I
look forward to seeing y'all on the road again. Please keep supporting
my project and we'll try to take it to the top this year.
Love,
John
Hey people,
Once again, it's been a long time since I've written to y'all, so I
had to give you an update on all the exciting things that have been
going on with me.
Right now, I'm on a plane returning from a 3-day trip to London,
England. I had a great time there. Much love goes out to all my fans
in London. Y'all really made me feel welcome there. I did a sold-out
solo show at London's renowned Jazz Café. It was a beautiful night. I
think the highlight was hearing the whole crowd sing the backup vocals
for "Used to Love U". 300 people singing "Holla, holla, holla" sounded
real hot.
Anyway, I'm returning now to the Usher/Kanye tour. Next stop is
Memphis, TN. So far, the tour has been great. It's hard to beat the
feeling of hearing 10,000-20,000 people scream when they hear your
name. Thanks to Kanye & Usher for selling all those records so that I
have this opportunity. :) While on tour, I've been working really hard
to promote my new album. I've been making radio appearances everyday
to promote the single, then meeting up with Kanye & co. to rock the
Usher show, then capping the night off with solo performances at
smaller clubs. Thanks to all my fans around the country that have come
to support my solo after-shows. I've had a lot of fun with those.
The album Get Lifted is wrapping up production now. We've mixed every
song and we're going to master the whole album over the next few days.
I'm so excited to finally be done with it. I've spent so much time and
energy making this album the best it can be. Hopefully, it will not
disappoint. By the way, I've heard that there may be bootleg copies
online claiming to be my album. If you've seen these fakes, they are
NOT the complete album. Don't be fooled by the impostors.
Anyway, my first single, "Used to Love U", is working its way up the
charts and getting more and more radio play across the country. Thanks
to all the radio stations who have supported the record in this early
stage. And thanks to all of you fans who have called in to request it.
Speaking of requests, it's almost time to start calling BET to request
the "Used to Love U" video. That's right, my first video! I'm really
excited about the video, directed by Ben Mor (of Nas's "Thief's Theme"
video) with an assist and guest appearance by Kanye, who co-produced
and co-wrote "Used to Love U". We all worked together to make the
video special. It was a cool learning experience for me to be involved
in making this, from collaborating on the concept to making sure the
edit came out right. I can't wait for y'all to see it and let me know
what you think. We'll premiere it on BET's 106 & Park next week (a
joint premiere w/ Kanye's "New Workout Plan"). With MTV rotation not
too far behind. So look out for it.
One last note of clarification: y'all may have read the recent article
on me in the Vibe magazine. I was really disappointed with how I was
portrayed in the article. My words were manipulated in a way that
misrepresented my intent and I felt that it made me sound really
arrogant. Please know that this was a misrepresentation. Anyone who
knows me knows that article didn't accurately portray the way I really
am, and I don't want you who don't know me to get the wrong
impression...
Sorry, I had to get that off my chest. I think that's it for now. I
look forward to seeing y'all on the road again. Please keep supporting
my project and we'll try to take it to the top this year.
Love,
John
Thursday, July 22, 2004
"Get Lifted" Album Update + More News
July 22, 2004
"Get Lifted" Album Update + More News
Hey people. First of all, let me apologize for not writing in so long.
You know I love you, but I've been so busy working on the album, I
haven't had time to sit down and reflect. Well, we're almost done with
the album. Everything's being mixed and mastered over the next few
weeks. I'm so excited to let y'all hear it, I'm tempted to leak it
myself. But my label will kill me, so I'll chill. You'll have to wait
until the new release date, October 26, to hear the album (entitled
"Get Lifted"). Sorry we had to push the date back. We wanted to give
ourselves time to make sure a lot more people get a chance to hear
about me before we put it out. Hopefully, it'll be worth the wait...
Anyway, I've worked with some great producers. Some you've heard of
(Kanye West, who is co-executive producer of the album, and Will.I.Am
of the Black Eyed Peas) and some you will hear a lot more from in the
future (Devo Harris and Dave Tozer). Oh, and I produced a couple
tracks myself. I've got some brand new songs and some you've heard
already on my demos and live cds. One of the highlights of the album
is a new joint called "I Can Change," which features none other than
west coast hip-hop icon, Snoop Dogg. He came in and checked out my
tracks at the studio in L.A., and he loved this one so much he had to
bless it with a verse. It came out hot. Can't wait for y'all to hear
it. The most special song to me is called "It Don't Have to Change,"
featuring my family (the Stephens family) on background and lead
vocals. My family is so musically talented. I'm so proud that I was
able to include them on the album. I hope this one will be a family
reunion classic for years to come.
The first single for the album is "Used to Love U", which some of you
first heard (in demo form) on my site or on Kanye's "I'm Good"
mixtape. Well, now the whole world is going to hear it. We're shooting
the video in a couple of weeks. And it went to radio this week. In
fact, Tuesday the track was officially added to its first playlist at
Chicago's #1 urban station WGCI. Thanks to my friends there.
Hopefully, you're the first of many to add the song in the coming
weeks. And, to all my fans in Chicago, make sure you call in and
request it. Everybody's always complaining about how wack the music on
the radio is. Do something about it. Ask them to play some good music!
Speaking of Chicago, I've got to send love to all the people who came
to check out my first solo show there at the Metro Theater last week.
It was amazing to see so many of you there. I didn't know so many
people cared about me in Chicago. It was such a fun show for me. I'm
looking forward to coming back there this weekend with Kanye.
I don't have time to tell you everything I've been up to in the last
few months, but I've done a few new collaborations: I wrote and sang
the hook on a joint with new Chicago rapper Bump J. I did some more
writing and singing with the Black Eyed Peas. I did some more work
with Talib Kweli and British rapper Estelle. Worked on some new stuff
with my Very Good Music family members GLC and Consequence. I'm
probably forgetting something, but you get the point.
Up next, I'll be in London doing some press interviews next week. Then
I'll be touring the U.S. (and Toronto!) with Kanye on the Usher tour.
I'll be throwing in a lot of solo performances in between Usher shows.
I'll let y'all know about those when we confirm them. Keep checking
the performances page on the site for more updates. I'm looking
forward to seeing you all out there on the road. Until then...
"Get Lifted" Album Update + More News
Hey people. First of all, let me apologize for not writing in so long.
You know I love you, but I've been so busy working on the album, I
haven't had time to sit down and reflect. Well, we're almost done with
the album. Everything's being mixed and mastered over the next few
weeks. I'm so excited to let y'all hear it, I'm tempted to leak it
myself. But my label will kill me, so I'll chill. You'll have to wait
until the new release date, October 26, to hear the album (entitled
"Get Lifted"). Sorry we had to push the date back. We wanted to give
ourselves time to make sure a lot more people get a chance to hear
about me before we put it out. Hopefully, it'll be worth the wait...
Anyway, I've worked with some great producers. Some you've heard of
(Kanye West, who is co-executive producer of the album, and Will.I.Am
of the Black Eyed Peas) and some you will hear a lot more from in the
future (Devo Harris and Dave Tozer). Oh, and I produced a couple
tracks myself. I've got some brand new songs and some you've heard
already on my demos and live cds. One of the highlights of the album
is a new joint called "I Can Change," which features none other than
west coast hip-hop icon, Snoop Dogg. He came in and checked out my
tracks at the studio in L.A., and he loved this one so much he had to
bless it with a verse. It came out hot. Can't wait for y'all to hear
it. The most special song to me is called "It Don't Have to Change,"
featuring my family (the Stephens family) on background and lead
vocals. My family is so musically talented. I'm so proud that I was
able to include them on the album. I hope this one will be a family
reunion classic for years to come.
The first single for the album is "Used to Love U", which some of you
first heard (in demo form) on my site or on Kanye's "I'm Good"
mixtape. Well, now the whole world is going to hear it. We're shooting
the video in a couple of weeks. And it went to radio this week. In
fact, Tuesday the track was officially added to its first playlist at
Chicago's #1 urban station WGCI. Thanks to my friends there.
Hopefully, you're the first of many to add the song in the coming
weeks. And, to all my fans in Chicago, make sure you call in and
request it. Everybody's always complaining about how wack the music on
the radio is. Do something about it. Ask them to play some good music!
Speaking of Chicago, I've got to send love to all the people who came
to check out my first solo show there at the Metro Theater last week.
It was amazing to see so many of you there. I didn't know so many
people cared about me in Chicago. It was such a fun show for me. I'm
looking forward to coming back there this weekend with Kanye.
I don't have time to tell you everything I've been up to in the last
few months, but I've done a few new collaborations: I wrote and sang
the hook on a joint with new Chicago rapper Bump J. I did some more
writing and singing with the Black Eyed Peas. I did some more work
with Talib Kweli and British rapper Estelle. Worked on some new stuff
with my Very Good Music family members GLC and Consequence. I'm
probably forgetting something, but you get the point.
Up next, I'll be in London doing some press interviews next week. Then
I'll be touring the U.S. (and Toronto!) with Kanye on the Usher tour.
I'll be throwing in a lot of solo performances in between Usher shows.
I'll let y'all know about those when we confirm them. Keep checking
the performances page on the site for more updates. I'm looking
forward to seeing you all out there on the road. Until then...
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Columbia/Sony Signing
May 18, 2004
Hey people. Big news. After about 6 years of making demos and shopping
to countless A&Rs and record labels, I've finally signed my first
major record deal. I'm very excited to announce that on Friday, I
signed with Columbia Records/Sony Music. Columbia has an amazing
legacy that includes such greats as Miles Davis, David Bowie, Bruce
Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Prince, Nas, The Fugees, Lauryn Hill and many
more. I am excited to join their family.
The album drops on September 14 of this year. Mark your calendars!!!
We are hitting the studio immediately so we can finish it up in time.
peace,
John
Hey people. Big news. After about 6 years of making demos and shopping
to countless A&Rs and record labels, I've finally signed my first
major record deal. I'm very excited to announce that on Friday, I
signed with Columbia Records/Sony Music. Columbia has an amazing
legacy that includes such greats as Miles Davis, David Bowie, Bruce
Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Prince, Nas, The Fugees, Lauryn Hill and many
more. I am excited to join their family.
The album drops on September 14 of this year. Mark your calendars!!!
We are hitting the studio immediately so we can finish it up in time.
peace,
John
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Staying Busy in the Studio and Promoting
March 11, 2004
Hey people. It's been a busy month since my last entry. A lot to write
about. I'll probably forget something, but here goes...
I've been on a few TV shows w/ Kanye to promote the now-platinum
College Dropout (I told y'all it was good). We did 106 & Park on BET
and David Letterman & Carson Daly on CBS & NBC. You can get a sample
of our performances if you check out "Through the Wire (Live)" on the
Kanye West page at mtv.com or vh1.com. We have live performances on
yahoo and Sessions@AOL too. Check it out.
What else... I've been in the studio with some good people lately. I
recorded a couple joints with Talib Kweli for his upcoming album. I'm
singing the hook on "Around My Way" and I co-wrote and did piano and
backup vocals on the first single "I Try" featuring Mary J. Blige.
Also went back in with Alicia Keys and Kanye to co-write and sing
backup vocals on our remix of Alicia's new single "If I Ain't Got
You." Listen for that remix on the radio soon. I also sang the hook
and played piano on a track with V2 Records' hot new rapper/singer
from the UK named Estelle. Look out for her in the future. She's very
talented.
There's more... Check out Janet's site to hear her new single "I Want
You", produced by Kanye and co-written by me. And check out the new
Slum Village single Selfish featuring me on the hook. Also check out
the new Dilated Peoples video featuring yours truly on vocals & piano
(be patient; you have to wait till the end to see me).
Speaking of Dilated Peoples, they along with the Young Gunz will be
special guests of ours on the Kanye West School Spirit Tour. Check out
my performances page for the schedule. We'll be all over the country.
It'll be my first time living on a tour bus. Should be interesting.
Hopefully, I'll see a lot of you out there on the road. Make sure you
say what's up to me.
Until the next time...
Hey people. It's been a busy month since my last entry. A lot to write
about. I'll probably forget something, but here goes...
I've been on a few TV shows w/ Kanye to promote the now-platinum
College Dropout (I told y'all it was good). We did 106 & Park on BET
and David Letterman & Carson Daly on CBS & NBC. You can get a sample
of our performances if you check out "Through the Wire (Live)" on the
Kanye West page at mtv.com or vh1.com. We have live performances on
yahoo and Sessions@AOL too. Check it out.
What else... I've been in the studio with some good people lately. I
recorded a couple joints with Talib Kweli for his upcoming album. I'm
singing the hook on "Around My Way" and I co-wrote and did piano and
backup vocals on the first single "I Try" featuring Mary J. Blige.
Also went back in with Alicia Keys and Kanye to co-write and sing
backup vocals on our remix of Alicia's new single "If I Ain't Got
You." Listen for that remix on the radio soon. I also sang the hook
and played piano on a track with V2 Records' hot new rapper/singer
from the UK named Estelle. Look out for her in the future. She's very
talented.
There's more... Check out Janet's site to hear her new single "I Want
You", produced by Kanye and co-written by me. And check out the new
Slum Village single Selfish featuring me on the hook. Also check out
the new Dilated Peoples video featuring yours truly on vocals & piano
(be patient; you have to wait till the end to see me).
Speaking of Dilated Peoples, they along with the Young Gunz will be
special guests of ours on the Kanye West School Spirit Tour. Check out
my performances page for the schedule. We'll be all over the country.
It'll be my first time living on a tour bus. Should be interesting.
Hopefully, I'll see a lot of you out there on the road. Make sure you
say what's up to me.
Until the next time...
Wednesday, February 4, 2004
A lot on the horizon...
February 4, 2004
I have a good feeling about this year. Things are already off to a great start.
I've been traveling the world with Kanye, promoting his new album The
College Dropout. It's been really exciting to see the momentum grow
for this project. We've played at clubs all over and we've been
feeling a lot of love from y'all. It's a beautiful thing.
Highlights of our tour so far have been in DC, London and Houston. We
played at both VIP & Platinum in DC over MLK Weekend. The crowds there
were ridiculous. We played to packed houses at both venues and the
people knew every single word to the hits (and they even knew the
words to some of the joints from the bootleg). We love y'all in DC.
And we performed for our first time in London a couple weeks ago. We
were special guests of Roc-a-Fella CEO and London scenester Mr. Damon
Dash. Dame showed us around town to all the hottest clubs (and to his
beautiful new house), and we exposed the Brits to our music. It was a
lot of fun. I wanna go back soon.
And we just got back from Super Bowl Weekend in Houston. We played a
few of the pre-Super Bowl parties; then, to cap it off, we played the
afterparty for the world champion New England Patriots. Much props to
them, and thanks to Willie McGinest (and to the lovely Patriot
cheerleaders) for hosting us. We played between Aerosmith and Snoop
Dogg. Not a bad lineup, eh? I guess that's how it goes when you win
the biggest game of the year.
But you can't talk about the Super Bowl without talking about Ms.
Jackson. I'm not going to focus on her breast like the rest of y'all.
I'm about the music. Since everyone's paying attention to her, it
should bode well for her next single "Have Your Way With Me" which is
gonna drop next week. We're just wrapping up the production now. It's
produced by Kanye West and co-written by Kanye, Harold Lilly and yours
truly. I played some piano on there too. It's a sweet, soulful song. I
think it'll be a smash. Look out for that soon.
That's all for now. I'll talk to y'all soon.'
I have a good feeling about this year. Things are already off to a great start.
I've been traveling the world with Kanye, promoting his new album The
College Dropout. It's been really exciting to see the momentum grow
for this project. We've played at clubs all over and we've been
feeling a lot of love from y'all. It's a beautiful thing.
Highlights of our tour so far have been in DC, London and Houston. We
played at both VIP & Platinum in DC over MLK Weekend. The crowds there
were ridiculous. We played to packed houses at both venues and the
people knew every single word to the hits (and they even knew the
words to some of the joints from the bootleg). We love y'all in DC.
And we performed for our first time in London a couple weeks ago. We
were special guests of Roc-a-Fella CEO and London scenester Mr. Damon
Dash. Dame showed us around town to all the hottest clubs (and to his
beautiful new house), and we exposed the Brits to our music. It was a
lot of fun. I wanna go back soon.
And we just got back from Super Bowl Weekend in Houston. We played a
few of the pre-Super Bowl parties; then, to cap it off, we played the
afterparty for the world champion New England Patriots. Much props to
them, and thanks to Willie McGinest (and to the lovely Patriot
cheerleaders) for hosting us. We played between Aerosmith and Snoop
Dogg. Not a bad lineup, eh? I guess that's how it goes when you win
the biggest game of the year.
But you can't talk about the Super Bowl without talking about Ms.
Jackson. I'm not going to focus on her breast like the rest of y'all.
I'm about the music. Since everyone's paying attention to her, it
should bode well for her next single "Have Your Way With Me" which is
gonna drop next week. We're just wrapping up the production now. It's
produced by Kanye West and co-written by Kanye, Harold Lilly and yours
truly. I played some piano on there too. It's a sweet, soulful song. I
think it'll be a smash. Look out for that soon.
That's all for now. I'll talk to y'all soon.'
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