Trey Songz (June 2005)
Trey Songz: What’s poppin’, baby?
MiddleChild: What’s up wit ya man?
Trey Songz: Ain’t nothing.
MiddleChild: Alright. Well let’s jump right into this. Lets get you to talk about this album that everyone is buzzing about.
Trey Songz: Oh, they buzzing about it, baby? (laughs)
MiddleChild: Oh they buzzing. (laughs) Everyone is buzzing.
Trey Songz: That’s what’s up, baby. How you feeling?
MiddleChild: Oh. I’m good. Who all do you have on the album?
Trey Songz: We got Twista, of course, on the single. We got the amazing, which is incredible to me, Aretha Franklin on the remix. Along with Juvenile right now. And all throughout the rest of the album it’s just me. We got a couple of featured appearances on the side, but they probally won’t appear on the album. Yea, but the rest of the album is just me. I wanted to, with my features, just show everybody what I was about.
MiddleChild: Oh I feel that. Did you do most of the writing?
Trey Songz: Oh yea. Yea, I did all the writing. If not, I cowrote with Harold Lilly on the single. We did that and Troy Taylor did the track. Throughout the rest of the album it’s just me and Troy Taylor primarily. That’s my producing scientist.
MiddleChild: How does it feel to have a fanbase growing so quickly?
Trey Songz: Oh man. It’s crazy. I’m ecstatic. I can’t explain it. That’s what’s up! (both laugh)
MiddleChild: Not ready for it, huh? (laughs) You worked with Gerald Levert and Patti Labelle…so many people. How did you hook up with such heavy hitters at a young age?
Trey Songz: When I was young, my producer Troy Taylor….he always molded me to be a writer and an artist. So when it came that time to write for the Trey Songz project, I wasn’t really attached to a lot of records. Like cause I did records like everyday, everyday, everyday. So in the meantime of waiting and having my deal, I was just on my grind with Troy. Like if he was working with a new artist, they would see me with him…they’d fall in love with me. You know what I mean? Like…they say I’m likeable baby! (both laugh)
MiddleChild: Can’t go wrong with that.
Trey Songz: Naw. But yea. I was in the studio with Troy and Gerald saw me and was like “Is this your guy? The girls going to be all on him when dude starts singing”. And umm, I met up with Miss Patti. I actually had that song already written….had a girl do the vocals and that got to Patti. I’m blessed man. I’m working with legends.
MiddleChild: Hey…and it seems like you’re gonna be one as well.
Trey Songz: Ah man.
MiddleChild: So who had the brilliant idea to get you on the mixtapes?
Trey Songz: Oh, that was me baby! (laughs) Actually how that works…my boy, DJ Radio, he took a song. I don’t even know how he got it…a song I had recorded, “Pimp A lot”, my first song on a mixtape ever. He put it on there. That was way early…and from that point on I was like “Shoot, well I can do songs just for mixtapes”. Cause like I said, I was always recording. So if I had a chance to record stuff for the album while we were waiting for things to get situated at the label and record other records that would get my buzz up in the street…cause I had the work ethic to keep up with it. The mixtape game is all about your work ethic. All I had to do was take the time and spread my name. I picked up quick cause I was the only one who was doing it.
MiddleChild: Yea, I heard your freestyles over Amerie’s “One Thing”, 112’s “U Already Know”, and your spin on R. Kelly’s “In The Closet”. You doing your thing! What’s your favorite song on radio right now?
Trey Songz: My favorite song on the radio probably is “In The Closet”. (laughs)
MiddleChild: So R. Kelly is an inspiration to you?
Trey Songz: Yea, man. He’s creative. He’s a genius. You already know…I did his song. Back when I was young, I’m not but 20 years old, when I was coming up, R. Kelly was the only R&B that my uncles played. You know I have uncles five and six years older than me, so hanging with the big guys, that’s all they listened to was R. Kelly and rap. So R. Kelly was acceptable. Not only after that, but R. Kelly...he can do anything on a song. I mean from Michael Jackson to B2K to The Space Jam Soundtrack.
MiddleChild: Oh Ok. How do you feel about being called “The Prince of Virginia”? Do you feel pressure in any kind of way with a title like that?
Trey Songz: Naw, I feel like I can hold it out. [pause] Naw, I don’t feel no pressure, baby. (laughs)
MiddleChild: OKKK! (laughs) Well we touched on R&B singers a little bit. And they seem to be disappearing. I mean Musiq, Ginuwine, Dave Hollister…I mean men were heavy in the game for a minute, but now when you say R&B you think primarily females like Mariah, Faith, Toni, Tamia…are you going to try and get that focus back for the males?
Trey Songz: Yea man, for sure. I’m holding it down for the males right now. I’m very blessed right now. It’s looking like it’s gonna be grand, baby! I’m in it! I want my own spot. I just want to make sure I have my own light. You know what I mean? Just like you said, I’m trying to hold it down for the males right now.
MiddleChild: And let’s talk about these relationship songs. I’ve heard a few tracks like “Cheat On You” and I believe it’s called, “In The Middle”.
Trey Songz: yea, yea, yea….
MiddleChild: Man, that is my joint right there! I’m loving that one. Me and my homegirl is stuck on that one.
Trey Songz: That’s actually…I put that on my first mixtape, “Young and Hottest: Part 1”.
MiddleChild: That’s a hot one. I play that record to no end.
Trey Songz: Yea, it’s got that old, uhh, that old 90’s feel. (laughs)
MiddleChild: Yep. So are you speaking for the fellas more or to the ladies more?
Trey Songz: I’m speaking for the fellas, but I’m speaking to the ladies. (laughs) You already know. Speaking for the fellas because I want a dude to be able to pop Trey Songz in when he don’t know what to say. And speaking to the ladies cause that’s all the time, baby! (both laugh)
MiddleChild: What’s the hardest thing about recording to you?
Trey Songz: The hardest thing about recording? Uhm, recording is fun. Recording is hard when people put restrictions on it and they try and make something instead of letting it be an art. That’s when the technicalities come into it…all the label stuff. Like when it’s not just creativity flowing and it becomes technical. I don’t do music like that. But recording… recording is fun. Cause I record myself you know. I got the pro tools up in the room right now. I gets it done baby! (both laugh)
MiddleChild: If you were to choose two other male artists to cut a soundtrack record with…who would it be?
Trey Songz: Jay-Z and T.I.
MiddleChild: So you’re more of the street type person?
Trey Songz: I mean, I’m from an urban neighborhood. I’m from the hood…from poverty. I wouldn’t say I’m moreso street, because everybody’s done seen something street if they come from poverty. I’ve just seen that side of the world. I got people still in there. You know what I mean? So, what I get to do with the rappers…I get to talk about a lot of what’s going on on that side of the world.
MiddleChild: Ok. Who would choose if you get to duet with an R&B lady?
Trey Songz: An R&B…Beyonce.
MiddleChild: Beyonce. Is that for the vocals or because you’ll get to chill with her in the video? (laughs)
Trey Songz: Oh that would be cause she is an all the way around artist. She’s a beautiful singer, great dancer, a beautiful woman. Like...she’s an all around superstar. Know what I mean? Like Whitney Houston was bad and all that, you know what I mean? Beyonce got the total package. It’s a lot of shifty stuff out and Beyonce is a total star. Like, if I owned a label…I wish I had signed her. That’s how that goes. (laughs)
MiddleChild: And you’re going to be hitting us with a tour, right?
Trey Songz: Oh yea.
MiddleChild: Are you all in talks right now? Do you maybe have an idea?
Trey Songz: Right now, I’m on promo. But uh, as far as a tour…we don’t have dates lined up yet.
MiddleChild: The ladies, of course, want to know what qualities do you look for in a female.
Trey Songz: Sex appeal, man. Sex appeal. Sex appeal is nice. Let me get this together so they don’t think I’m handling them or I’m playing. (laughs) But, it’s who you are. Not just if you’re sexy or if you look good. It’s how you handle yourself. Being sexy is not something you can put on…being sexy ain’t a shirt you can wear. Being sexy to me is all about…it’s your whole demeanor. It’s your whole aura. You can’t put a shirt on, you can’t…you can, but to be a sexy person you got to have your thing together. So, I like somebody with some intelligence. Of course somebody that can have fun, somebody that ain’t uptight. I like to laugh and joke around a lot. I aint no uptight dude. I need a girl that’s bound to trip!
MiddleChild: (laughs) Ok. No doubt. Well I like to wrap things up in my interviews with a game of word association. What I need you to do is tell me the first thing that you think of when I call out a name. If you want you can always expand on your answer. You ready?
Trey Songz: Yea. Ok.
MiddleChild: Bobby Valentino
Trey Songz: My boy
MiddleChild: Keyshia Cole
Trey Songz: Keyshia Cole? Hmm, let’s see what I wanna say. (laughs) Dag, I can’t think. You got me up early in the morning. Watch me have something like five seconds from now. Hold on…let me get this breakfast.
MiddleChild: Aight.
Trey Songz: (laughs) Alright. I’m sorry. That was room service. Keyshia Cole….pretty.
MiddleChild: EnVogue
Trey Songz: WHEW! EnVogue…that’s what I say, WHEW. (laughs)
MiddleChild: Jay-Z
Trey Songz: King of New York
MiddleChild: R. Kelly
Trey Songz: King of R&B
MiddleChild: April Tucker (Trey’s Mother)
Trey Songz: My world
MiddleChild: Troy Taylor
Trey Songz: My brother!
MiddleChild: Bobby Fisher
Trey Songz: My boy boy! He gets it done. Bob Fish gets it done!
MiddleChild: Butta Murphy
Trey Songz: Butta Murphy…The beloved Count Olaft (laughs)
MiddleChild: Ok Trey. I enjoyed you for real man. Keep up the hot work and MiddleChild is going to hold you down!
Trey Songz: Thanks man. It’s all gravy.
