Lumidee’s Unexpted Stateside Return
Interviewed by Kenyatta D. Pious

Why the title “unexpected”?

I have been gone [stateside] for a minute and so “unexpected” refers to me returning, to the sound, my look and the confidence I have

How many videos have you shot yet?

We just shot She’s Just Like The Wind and the second video is going to be In It For The Money featuring Snoop.  I don’t know yet when we are shooting it.  We are also about to shoot and release Crazy featuring Pitbull overseas.

Why would you release two simultaneous videos in two different markets and not the same video in both?

Wel, first they are totally different markets so what they expect or what might sell there is different from here and vice versa.  I also still have my European deal with Mach 1 and this way I still keep them happy by giving them a video and giving my [stateside] label TVT a video.  In the end I win on all levels…also, both videos will eventually play in both markets.

Describe the creative process - - how do you write for music?  Did you go to school for that?

No, I didn’t go to school for it. I didn’t know I had talent until around age 14 when I became depressed because I became sick from rheumatoid arthritis.  I started writing poetry.  I used to freestyle/ rap with my friends in Jr High, but I didn’t know I could do anything with it until I started to sing to my poetry.

That is good to hear.  Many stars go Hollywood and never return to their roots.  Who do you still want to work with?

Oh wow!  I think the answer will surprise you: J Lo.  You see you paused.  Wouldn’t you open up an mp3 that has Jlo featuring Lumidee or vice versa?  It would be hot.  I love her and everything she has done.  I actually sort of look up to her and so I would want to see what we could work out together.

What do you think about the state of music - - the you tubes and how about all the places you can download music - - what would you like to see changed, if anything?

I like You Tube.  It can be scary if something goes really wrong on tour and then you see it on You Tube though.  Now the downloading sites are a scary thing.  They affect an artists livelihood because that is how artists make money.  [Even the sites that are sanctioned by labels hurt artists]  Now you can go to itunes and pre-listen to an album and get only the tracks that you want whereas you can buy and album, sit with it, and then discover that you love the whole album.  The problem is that labels love itunes - - they will come to artists and say we sold 600,000 tracks on itunes and that is great, but I miss that process of sitting with an album. 

Let me ask you about all the beefs going on in music especially hip-hop - - as an example, you just collaborated with Jim Jones who happens to have several feuds with a few people including Jay-Z and 50 - - do you ever think that it might hurt your chances to work with those artists he has problems with?
 
Yeah, I think it can, if the other side is being ignorant, which I think is kinda whack!  If I do a song with someone [another artist] might beef with me - - it can happen.  I look at it like music is music.  If I like an artist and want to make a song with them I  should be able to.

Do you answer all of your myspace emails?

Not all of them.  It gets crazy.  I will answer someone back and then they hit me right back, but I have to get to all the other emails…I try my best though.

What is your favorite food?

Oh man, fried pork chops with yellow rice and red beans?

Do you like gundules? 

I love them!  Of course!

And, lastly, are you in a relationship and if not, how do you like being approached? 

I like someone confident and someone who is just being himself.  I think confidence means something different to different people.  He has to have a sense of humor, loyalty is big to me and honesty.  He has to really make me laugh, I like that.

Lumidee’s album is in stores NOW!

For more on Lumi, visit: www.lumidee.net - - www.myspace.com/lumidee

Press:
Joe Wiggins/ TVT Records
www.tvtrecords.com