This is the blog I've waited for over a year to write. My debut album , "There Can Only Be One King" is finally finished and the music and poetry sounds amazing! I'm so thankful to God for allowing me to finish this project. A poet who recently heard teh CD summed it up in one word, "Timeless".
Over a year ago, I released my 27 track mixtape "The Soul of a Poet." The success and overwhelming response to the CD was totally unexpected. Thousands of copies were sold within weeks. The success of the mixtape earned me a strong buzz in the music industry which lead to two major labels offering me a recording contract. The money was enticing but after consulting my attorney, I decided to remain an independent artist. I declined to sign to a major because I wanted to keep control of my masters and use the majority of profits from my CD sales for my daughter's college fund.
So I took $10,000 of my own money and invested it into the creation of this CD. I wanted to create a CD with all original music. I've had so many people who wanted to purchase my music/poetry on iTunes that I decided I needed to create an official album that could be played and sold on major music retail outlets such as XM Satellite and iTunes.
Before I go any further, I want to thank all of the talented musicians who appeared on this album. William Taylor (Keyboard and Bass), Kirk Crumpler (Bass), Verb the Exclusive (Beats), Shannon Lacy (Congas), Jonathan "Truck" Hendricks (male vocals), and Bernard Anderson (Saxophone).This album would not sound nearly as good as it does without them. It was amazing listening to such a talented group of musicians come together and collaborate on this project. The chemistry was amazing and the music is off the hook.
I began working on this album last January. I took a break from performing and focused on writing this album. I wrote over 80 poems for this CD and only 17 made the final cut. Below is the official track list for the CD:
1. The Boy who Wrote Poetry
2. Granny's Soul Food
3. Thickness
4. Teddy Bear
5. While you Slept
6. Go Deep
7. Squirt
8. Thanks for Our Child
9. More to Love
10. Deadbeat
11. Family Reunion
12. If I Could Bring You Back
13. Bombshell
14. Lost Paradise
15. Cherish
16. Heart Transplant
17. There can only be one King
There is something for everyone on this album. There are songs that will make you laugh, cry, and cherish life! I honestly feel that this CD is my best work ever not only because of the music but the lyrical content. You will love this album!
I intend to travel after the Holidays to promote my cd. I'll be performing in NYC, ATL, Florida, Texas, and Miami next year. Teddy Bear is already getting a huge reception out here in the Bay Area so I know it should be a huge hit in other areas (especially for Valentine's Day).
I also want to thank everyone who has pre-ordered the CD. All CD orders will be shipped out this week and each CD is personally autographed! I decided to sell the CD for only $12.00 because in these times of economic recession, I want my poetry to lift everyone out of depression! LOL Only $12.00 for 17 tracks! ;-)
You can order the CD by clicking on the pay pal button on my myspace page.
I'm not going to elaborate on the tracks in this blog because I prefer to let my poetry and music to speak for itself. Instead, I'm going to keep this blog open so that I can respond to everyone who purchased the CD. Tell me what you think of the album! I will respond to everyone who posts in this blog!
This CD is my gift to you all and I pray that the songs touch, inspires and uplifts and touches everyone who listens. I appreciate everyone who has ever supported my work! I love you all!