Raheem DeVaughn takes Indie R&B to A Place Called Loveland [VIDEO]
Singer Raheem DeVaughn’s fourth studio album, A Place Called Loveland, was released today and TheBobbyPen.com had the chance to get in on the action.
I want people to look back on this album and say, “Man, I got it in that Summer! … gotta have that Raheem DeVaughn!”
At a special media listening event last week at Studio202, where he recorded much of this album and hosts his weekly radio show on Blis.fm, the Love King himself hosted the fellowship of the minds. The intimate ambience left the men in the audience with Stevie J face and the ladies begging for more!
During the party, DeVaughn gave us the skinny on the motivation behind the album name and insight into each track. He began by stating, “It’s a great album– a great experience,” and that presenting the album after three to four years is like sharing his baby.
What’s unique about A Place Called Loveland is that it’s his first major release as an independent artist. DeVaughn was signed to a major label for 10 years and decided to return to his roots in indie music.
In our one-on-one below he tells me with much assurance, “Independent is the new major. Why not be in control of my own destiny? Why not own my masters? Why not just own it all?”
He believes in touching the people and feels that’s a huge advantage to being independent. DeVaughn says he’s always been the guy outside in the lobby after the show taking pictures, selling t-shirts, and signing CD’s, so his diligence in social media and guerilla marketing strategies (like pop-up office lunch listening parties) are simply an extension of that dedication to his supporters. Funny enough, his accessibility shines a new light on some of his fans.
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DeVaughn says he makes music to be the voice of those men who can’t hit that falsetto quite like him, and to make women feel beautiful; but sometimes his female followers forget their crowns.
“I feel like women get a bad rap lyrically. We’re in a ratchet era of music— and trust me I can be ‘Ratchet Raheem’ after 12 o’clock, #TwitterAfterDark, Facebook all that, but when it’s all said and done and the history books are written I want…women to be like ‘he made me feel like a queen,'” said DeVaughn during our interview above.
DeVaughn wants to see the way men respond to their women change—and even how they carry themselves, so he prefers calling women queens and men kings. He says he wants to see that catch on.
DeVaughn feels singers and songwriters are prophets or reporters in a sense and that it’s their duty to educate the masses through song and order them to “Wake up. Wake up. Wake up!” That’s why he produces more socially conscious music like Grammy nominated “Bulletproof” featuring rapper Ludacris and Trayvon Martin tribute track “Trigga Man” featuring rapper Styles P.
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Raheem DeVaughn expects that this album will prove he is here for the long haul and that his music will live forever. Drawing inspiration from great albums of the 90’s, A Place Called Loveland is described as a “relationship think tank” with a “retro-futuristic 90’s feel” that illustrates anything a couple could go through during the course of a relationship. We as listeners journey to this far off love fest via full-length songs and vintage album interludes to tease us into the next track. Featuring production by Hip-Hop legend Biz Markie, Jazz from R&B group Dru Hill and Ne-Yo, DeVaughn’s desire to produce “a strong contender for album of the year,” may in fact pay off.
Raheem DeVaughn is not the type of person to sit around and wait to see what happens. He says while he works on one album he’s planning for the next. At this point he’s about 90 percent into his fifth album already! When I asked him who he planned to listen to A Place Called Loveland with he said, “Definitely someone lucky. It could be YOU!” (…or was it me?)
Make sure you support this project by ordering online from iTunes, Amazon or GooglePlay, or go to the store and buy a hardcopy from Wall-Mart, Best Buy, any urban music distributor or Target for a delux edition featuring two bonus tracks!
Keep up to date with Raheem DeVaughn online:
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