69 In-spire LS
You have collaborated with a number of key figures in
music including: Lil Wayne, Ludacris and Timberland
to name but a few, what was it like working with them
and who would you like to collaborate with that you
haven't yet had the opportunity to work with yet?
I would have to say Drake and Kanye West. They are both
very talented guys; Drake is a great
songwriter, he can write RnB and he
can write rap. Every time I hear a Drake
record, he delivers. He's a really creative
person and I really respect the way he
works. It's the same thing with Kanye
West, he pushes the envelope and takes
a chance in doing things different. I
have full respect for people who do what they want and
don't care what other people say.
In the interim; between the transition from group
member to solo star, you embarked on an educational
journey and successfully graduated from Clark Atlanta
University with a communications degree. How much
did attaining this help you, particularly when it comes
to the business side of the entertainment industry?
It helped me so much! I always say it's not the music
business, it's the business of music. This is a business at
the end of the day and you need to be business minded.
I have been asked how I have managed to maintain and
sustain in such a cutthroat industry. People don't last as
long as I have lasted and I credit a lot of that to having
gained an education.
Who would you list as your biggest
supporters?
Honestly, I would say it's the fans that keep
me afloat, I have a really great fan-base who
support everything I do. I tour a lot and
even when I don't have anything on the radio you know
people still want to see me perform. Thanks to social
media it gives me the opportunity to be in direct contact
with my fans. I am thankful for it because my fans are
the true reason for me still being relevant and being in
demand.
"You just have to
develop tough skin and
have faith and belief in
yourself."