Jon B Interview

Illuminati 2G got the extreme honor to interview one of the greats in the music industry, Jon B. In this candid interview we talk about his new album, Helpless Romantic, his favorite joints to listen to, his family life and sooo much more. So just “Cool, Relax” and enjoy the journey.

Alright Illuminati 2G is here with Jon B how’s it going?

Doing good man

Tell me about your new single with Paul Wall (Ooh Soo Sexy) and how it came about?

Yeah this is to lead off the new album coming out in October. It’s October 28th release. The new album is going to be entitled Helpless Romantic. I wanted to put out this song first. This is the only MC featured on my album. Probably the one uptempo club banger that is the best way to refer to this joint. I think it is a good way to lead the record off. Because it is definitely a strong record. As soon as we did it, I actually cut a record for his album called Tonight. We cut this joint right after. As soon as I cut it, I knew this is my first joint, this is the way I want to come back. Despite that record release primarily for a R&B record, I went back to my roots, my classics. As far as just my classic soul, retro. It’s a little bit of everything. For the soul lovers out there, lovers in general are going to appreciate this atmosphere that I create with this new record. Good vibe.

That leads right into my next question. How would you compare this album to say Cool, Relax or Pleasures U Like or Bonafided?

I would compare it nicely in terms of a blend, in terms of this is another album that you can play from beginning to end and you can feel the flow and feel the pacing of the record. First of all the subject matter for me is, I am in a very grounded place right now. I’m in a very nice, positive place. I just had a daughter in july of last year. She is a year old, well a little over a year now. She is walking now, I’m in a marriage. My wife is a beautiful woman. She is there for me, I am in a very good place in my life. So the songs reflect that and the love that I recieve from my fans, the people that are listening and the people that I know are listening to me are hugely a part of the whole vibe that you get from this record. So yeah I’m exicted man.

Is there a particular process or anything that you go through once you start a new album? What’s a normal process once you decide you want to do a new album, or are you constantly recording music?

Constantly recording so the process of starting a album would be more like the process of putting a list together in terms of your favorite songs that you have written. Also without kind of contriving the whole thing, I like to allow life to just kind of happen and the album it just kind of organically grows itself. Because I am constantly writing joints at the last minute, and this joint gets written, all of a sudden the last joint we did ends up being the 1st single. I am foever giving a album the constructive criticism it needs for it to be the best it can be. So yeah it is a little bit of a process but it’s fun. It’s all about writing and the whole process of it you come out with alot of really great records.

I remember back in the day you produced a track for Kurupt on the Streetz Iz A Mutha, actually it was on Space Boogie called Sunshine. Do you have anymore plans for doing anymore production for hip hop artists or working with Kurupt again?

Wow it is a trip that you just mentioned that. Me and Kurupt just spoke not too long ago, so I am really excited about you mentioning that. Because that how me and Kurupt is. I think people are feeling us to do another joint again. That West Coast, just us doing our thing. The thing I love about Kurupt is that he always felt my beats as well. He always felt my production. So he saw how important it was for me not only to be singing the hooks to a joint but for the music to have me doing the beats. Because then it is going to blend that much more. Production wise I definitely have something distinct to offer the game I would think as far as my style. I don’t really have a style, but I think I am more than tastefully coming with something more than different. I’m going to blend with the situation, I am going to blend with radio, but I am always going to bring something that is nice, something that is innovative. So I think Ooh So Sexy is that, Sunshine was that back then, why not, let’s do it again. So we talked on the phone. We are going to make it happen. It is just a matter of time, we just have not done it yet. I heard he just got married, so it is a trip how the universe is. It comes full circle. We will get back in there and make that heat again. But I appreciate man, good looking man on that Sunshine man, that’s what’s up.

Yeah that was one of my favorite joints. I never understood why I did not blow up in the clubs, but I was always looking forward to another Jon B/Kurupt collaboration. So that is definitely one of my favorite tracks off that album.

It’s crazy man, good looking I appreciate it.

No problem. Do you still keep in contact with Babyface at all and will you be collaboration with him on anything in the near future?

I hope so man. We did not actually collaborate on this album, we actually just recently did a benefit for multiple sclerosis. Yeah he is a big charity person. He recently ushered something for New Orleans a while back. It was about 6 months ago in Vegas I ran into Face. Everytime I run into Face, it’s like seeing a family member.  Even though we have not worked together in a minute, we have so much of a established respect and we got albums to be able to look back and remember producing those records and that’s life man. It’s nice to know that you can go away and not see someone for years and come back, you have your wife and your baby, and he is about to have a little girl as well. So big up to Babyface. I love his new record. His new record is awesome. It’s like you see this whole youth thing coming back. Even though I am 34, I feel younger than ever in terms of my ability. The grown man swagger is definitely there, but in terms of my hunger to get back to writing and just doing my thing it’s just there man, hard. I think my daughter has alot to do with that. Rejuvenating my life ya know? And in regards to Face, I know he is in a good place as well. It’s nice to know that we have records coming out within the same time period. With all due respect to other artists that got records like Ne-Yo and Robin Thicke, all these cats that have come out within the past year or 2 years. It’s a great time for music. I am really inspired and really charged up to be coming back as well.

You mentioned Ne-Yo and Robin Thicke. Who are some other upcoming R&B artists that you listen to that you check out their music or what do you have in the playlist right now that you like to listen to?

Honestly I was feeling as far as new music there is always new music, but I was feeling the way that Britney Spears came back with that record Gimme More. I really love that record. I love the way that Duran Duran came back. The collaboration they did with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland and Danja Handz. I love Gnarls Barkley. I love a big variety of music, so it’s goes beyond R&B. I love Ne-Yo really kind of bringing house into R&B and fused the 2. The thing that’s funny about that is I have been doing that on the underground, well I don’t want to say underground, but on the low at least, I have been doing that for a minute now with the house thing. People can check that stuff out at www.digibag.com. Anything that is under the name Vibe Select is a Jon B production as far as house music. But yeah man, but I mean in regards to as far as Ne-Yo bringing back that house, that old, that 80’s type of sound, it’s great for music now, so I am really inspired by all of that. But you know nothing beats the classics. Sade, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, I mean and the list goes on, but it all keeps me inspired. I really feel as far as hip hop Common’s album and I feel Kanye West as a producer is probably bringing the most innovative tracks right now as far as the game goes. And I still am a HUGE Neptunes fan. Everything that NERD does is incredible. It’s a good time for music. 

Do you have any album in your catalog of music that is a favorite of yours and what would be the reason why it is your favorite?

My own catalog?

Yeah your own catalog.

You know that is a hard question to answer. I can honestly say right now, I am mostly attached to the records that are the most freshest on the mind. What I am going through right now, it’s like my movement. It’s my life right now. It’s how I am thinking everyday. The song that is called Helpless Romantic. It’s the title track to the new album. It’s definitely a special record. Self explanatory I think as far as what that record is about (laughs).

Yeah my personal favorite I could have to say is Cool Relax. You have helped me set the mood on many dates on that one if you know what I mean so I appreciate that (laughs).

I appreciate that man. With regards to that man, I mean I did that song with Ali Shaheed Muhammad from A Tribe Called Quest and from Lucy Pearl. I was always a big fan of Ali Shaheed’s beats and Tribe Called Quest, all the Tribe albums. So back in 1997 we hooked up and I went out to Jersey and worked with him and that song came about. That ended up being I felt the title track for that album. Just the way that song felt, is the essence of what the entire, this new album? This new album, the entire album sounds like that man.

Oh ok!!!

It’s got that very mature element, but there is the street element, the beats all that is still there. I do what I do man, I blend it all so I think people are going to be surprisingly impressed with this new record hopefully (laughs).

When did you say the new album is dropping?

October 28th.

Alright Jon that is all the questions that I have. Congrats on the marriage and congrats on the new baby. Are there any last words or requests or shoutouts that you want to get out to the fans?

Thank you so much. Just to everybody that stuck with me for all this time man. I don’t let you down. I know there is others and there is favorites and all that, but that is life. It is what it is. Lets just all do what we do and do us and not even worry about how it all happens. But honestly this record is my heart yall. It’s a privelege to give it to you again and I want to continue the relationship so it’s a musical thing. It’s all about the music. Beyond the music I am going to see you live in your towns in your areas soon so look forward to a live Jon B show coming. To a place near you (laughs).

Alright appreciate it.

SIDENOTE: I accidently cut the interview short after this while he was still talking (Sorry Jon). But he stressed that EVERYONE go out and vote. He is a strong Barack Obama supporter, but he stressed whoever you support to go out and vote. Let your voice be heard.

To check out more from Jon B, hit up his myspace page at www.myspace.com/jonboogotti and to also check out his new single Ooh So Sexy featuring Paul Wall.