A lot can happen over the course of a decade. 
However, certain things—thankfully—stay the same. In 2004, Lyfe Jennings captivated countless listeners worldwide with his seminal platinum-selling debut Lyfe 268-192. Since then, the singer and songwriter created four more critically acclaimed and consistently powerful offerings, including 2013's Lucid. He also collaborated with everybody from Alicia Keys and Talib Kweli to Rick Ross and Bun B.  
Now, by doing what he does best, he's making his most personal and passionate statement to date in the form of his sixth album Ten Years Later. 
"We're already deep into the story," he explains. "This is another chapter. Everybody feels like they have to reinvent themselves. I don't think you can reinvent the truth. It is what it is. I'm not focused on reinvention. I want to go deeper. First, Lucid let everybody know that I was back. This album reaffirms the reasons why people started loving this music in the first place."
In early 2014, Lyfe began recording what would eventually become Ten Years Later. He opted to cut everything at his home studio in order to capture each idea as it arrived, preserving magic in the moment. Producing and writing everything himself, it's an extremely personal affair.
"It's very simple," he goes on. "You'll never get back the way you feel in the moment so you have to put it down as you're experiencing it. That's been so crucial to this entire process."
As a result of this approach, he strips the music down to its essence. "It's soul music," he affirms. "I don't want to classify it as anything else. It's not R&B. It's not pop. It's not alternative. It's soul. That's the thread tying everything together."
Lyfe's own soul drives the track "Always". With its doo wop bounce and lithe swing, the track immediately stands out. His inimitable voice takes center stage, jumping from a vibrant croon to a big falsetto. 
"Everybody has that one person," he says. "For whatever reason, good or bad, he or she showed you a lot about yourself and life. Some people say, 'First love', and other people say, 'Last love'. They were loved, and that love will always be a part of you."
Elsewhere on the album, "Look At Em Now" relays a story of growing into success after high school. Then, there's "I Love You", which celebrates natural beauty and espouses an empowering message for women.
"I'm talking directly to the ladies with this one," admits Lyfe. "They try hard with the makeup and clothes, but the song asks, 'Who are you trying to impress? I know you don't look like that when you wake up in the morning.' You're spending so much time trying to sell this dream. However, when you give someone reality, they're liable to like you and respect you more."
In many ways, the title encapsulates his entire mindset. "I haven't varied from the kind of music I do," he explains. "I'm not doing booty shaking music, which I certainly could've done. I'm still doing meaningful music."
However, there is one change after all these years: Lyfe Jennings conveys his message even more clearly. "Ten years later, I feel like I'm more conscious of reality, and I can write about it better," he concludes. "This is a continuation though. I'm in the most positive place I've ever been in. Now, I'm looking at everything like, 'Wow, I'm really going to be able to do this forever'."



SONG WRITER, ALL AROUND ARTIST. SERIOUS INQUIRIES EMAIL ME @cgodxdash@gmail 

CHECK THE NEW E.P
http://www.datpiff.com/HIPPIEAZZDAH-NAMELESS-EP-mixtape.673890.html

Born and bred from the streets of New Orleans, Louisiana, enter into the game, 20-year-old August Alsina...

With the love and hustle of the Crescent City running through his veins, August is eager to follow in the footsteps of the NOLA music legends that paved his way. His recently inked deal Def Jam Recordings looks to be a great step in the right direction, but music wasn’t always in his future. 

August learned at an early age that drugs and money could make you, or break you. With both his father and stepfather battling crack addiction, August’s mother moved their family to Houston, Texas in search of a fresh start. But Houston provided no happy ending. For years a young August endured a home life plagued by drugs and violence. At just 14, he got word from New Orleans that is father, August Sr., lost his battle with drugs and alcohol. 

In an attempt to escape his reality, August took to Youtube, where he posted dozens of homemade performance videos. His clips covering Musiq Soulchild, Lyfe Jennings and others went viral, generating millions of views in just over a month. It seemed that he was finally taking his first steps toward a bright future in music, but just a year later, reality hit home when his best friend was shot and killed in the streets of Houston. As quickly as August appeared, he vanished form Youtube, back to the real world. With tensions mounting at home, 16-year-old August was kicked out. Alone, he returned to New Orleans and took to the streets, selling drugs as a means of survival. 

With his older brother also in the streets hustling, it wouldn’t be long before August learned that the addiction to money could be as deadly as the addiction to drugs. Just days before August’s 18th birthday, his older brother was gunned down in New Orleans East, another unsolved murder in one of the nations most dangerous cities. “I never expected them [the police] to find his killer”, August explains. “People die everyday in the streets of New Orleans. Unfortunately, death has become a way of life,” but not for August. His brother’s death became his motivation to not become a statistic, but to pursue his musical aspirations on an entirely new level.

Under the guidance of Noontime Unlimited (management and production company), August relocated to Atlanta in 2011 to begin carving his own musical path with his life experiences at the center of his artistry. He recently teamed up with Hoodrich/MMG’s own DJ Scream for the release of his debut mixtape, ‘The Product’, which spawned the internet and radio buzzing anti-love single, “Sucka” which features fellow New Orleans crooner Lloyd. 

Yet to reach 21 years old, with already a lifetime of experiences behind him, August is living proof that your past doesn’t have to dictate your future, and that life’s hardships can be the motivation required for success. With Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter The Dream prepping August’s debut project for release through his Radio Killa/Def Jam imprint, the path to success has been laid. Look for August to make 2013 his official coming out party.


#GloBoi
#GloGang
#300
For feature
rupert.antonio@ymail.com

user663767714 is following