DevilsJim89 Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 http://www.nzgirl.co.nz/articles/1354 .......................... WILL SMITH 'BORN TO REIGN' INTERVIEW Will Smith answers some tough questions in this weeks interview, like "Why did you choose to call the album 'born to reign'?" Check it out... So what was your mission for your new album? To get it finished. The world according to hip-hop was the overview. There's latin-flavored tracks. There's reggae-flavored tracks. I have old school hip-hop records. I've got full orchestral records. We used lots of live instruments on this album. Historically it's been almost a hundred percent computer-generated and samples. We went for a different approach to create a whole different sound. The result is that this album that sounds more organic and even more soulful. Did it have that impact for you? Oh yeah. The real difference is real strings. Synth strings jut can't touch the flavor and the humanity of real strings. We used live strings on about eight tracks. It's kind of retro - but it's so retro, its revolutionary. Obviously the trio TR?-KNOX brings a lot to the album. What do you think these guys brought to your party? The thing with the TR?-KNOX is that creatively, I'd gotten to the point where my idea's were beyond my talent. The vibe that I wanted to capture and the ability that I had intellectually and creatively were beyond my ability to perform. And working with TR?-KNOX gave me the opportunity to fill the void in certain areas and make the kind of album that I was hearing in my head. They seem to have remarkable range musically. You know they are extremely talented. They're also actors so they understand the concept of drama and creating a three-act structure to a record. They understand building to a climax and bringing it back down. I think we speak the same language because of there acting experiences. How did you first find these guys? My buddy Charlie Mack met them in Philly, though they're from New York, and they sang at my wedding to Jada so I've known them for a long time. Speaking of Jada, you two duet beautifully on "1000 kisses." Now it can be a dangerous thing to collaborate with loved ones, but the track is a very sexy bit of domestic bliss. Jada's wanted to perform for a long time. She's always said that she's felt that she could sing and perform and I think she actually put out a single when she was sixteen in Baltimore. So when she got in the studio she was excited about working and she liked the track and the fact that she and I were doing it together. And these were lyrics we both felt, so it worked out beautifully. Why did you choose to call the album 'born to reign'? The piece at the beginning of the album -"born to reign" - sort of illustrates what I was trying to say. The concept has to do with destiny and the idea that destiny isn't necessarily something that is pre-determined. Destiny is something that you can choose. You can choose what your born to be. And I choose to be "born to reign." You also choose to use less sampling this time, but you have borrowed a little bit from a large range of source, from Gipsy Kings to Luther Vandross. That's quite a range. Is that just part of throwing this sort of global block party? Jada and I listen to everything and I'm inspired by lots of different kind of music. Rap music is essentially music without music. There are rap lyrics over different kinds of music, and really that's what I was trying to do on this album - expand my borders, just to open up. For instance, on the "men and black" track - that's the first time that I preformed with a full orchestra. And that's what I'm going for - expanding the borders of hip-hop. You've now released three albums in five years, which puts you ahead of some full time musical acts. How do you pull that pace off with your busy film career? Well, I write all the time, which makes it a lot easier. I never really come out of the lab. I'm always writing down ideas and concepts. I have a book full of em when I start an album. So generally, I only have to come up with three or four new things to make an album. Lets discuss a few songs on the album. For instance, how did the very spicy " I can't stop" start off? That was when Jada and I were on vacation in Mexico like three years ago and we were listening to Gipsy King the entire two weeks that we were there. That song was really just how that music made me feel, the emotion and the flavor I got from the Gipsy King music. How about "black suits comin" which is appropriately enough very cinematic? "Black Suits Comin" was really an experiment - live drums, live strings, live guitars. Full orchestra, tympani and everything. It's a big experiment that I'm holding out to see how people react to it. And the remix version with Christina Vidal has an almost chic-vibe. Yeah, we went with the really old school filthy hip-hop drums - we were defiantly going for a retro vibe on that one. I wanted to bring the remix back to a more familiar place. Then there's "how da beat goes" during which you name checked Russell Crowe and some of your Hollywood brethren. Yeah - "you see me with denzel or russ crow/ but you know movies are just a trick on the side/I'm in love with the flow." That really just illustrates the fact that I really do still consider myself a rapper first. So is it funny to you that some people think that you're a movie star trying to crossover into music where that's really where your story started? Yeah, but I released my first single in 1986. so I can understand how somebody born in 1991 might have that question. Another standout is "block party." What does that one mean to you? That's my homesick track there. When I first heard that track, I got it from a guy named LES who's down there with track masters, and it hit me like summertime hit me. That sense of warmth and comfort made me think of Philly in the middle of summertime. With the first two verses, I wanted a sort of present day new school approach to it. Then on the third verse I tried to create a sense of how it used to feel. The word fresh has been associated with you for many years. How have you kept your music so fresh on "born to reign?" You know I like to try different things. A lot of people try to make their songs fir on the radio. You hear the phrases radio-friendly. Whereas when I make a record, I'm going for completely the opposite. I absolutely want to make a record that stands out on the radio. I generally get a sense of the tide of music only so that I can swim as hard as I can in the opposite direction. You're not interested in going with the flow - you want to reign. EXACTLY This album was recorded in LA, NY, new jersey and Australia. Were you taking it with you wherever you went? I kept this one with me until it was right. I was in Australia with Jada who's working on the matrix II and III. But by that time, the album was pretty much done and I was just fixing and tweaking and getting things just right. Finally, who exactly do you want to hear this album? I always want to make the album that parents can put on in their kids room and feel comfortable. That's always a priority. And beyond that anybody who appreciates old school hip-hop lyricality. Last updated: 1st of September 2002 ---------------------------------------------- I was looking in Google for "Born to Reign" lyrics just to see if they match up with the lyrics on this site. For the last 2 weeks or so (since that "I Gotta Go Home" appreciation post), I've been blasting "Born to Reign". I know, I know I'm was one of those cats who hated on it but its growing on me. Sure, its not as good as "Code Red" or anything else he's done but I was 14 when I got this album and I'm gonna be 19 this year and I understand the concept and the feel of the album more. Creatively, this album is another piece of artwork. It still sounds real fresh especially with all the live instruments. Will spits some good stuff on here especially on "Act Like U Know" and "Give Me Tonite". Damn shame Sony disrespected FP and this album. Lots of singles material on here. Born to Reign may not live up to the name but you gotta understand FP's point of view first before judging this album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bart5 Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 Thanks for the interview Jim. Born to Reign is the only JJFP/WS album that I still need to pick up, and I have heard some of the tracks off it already and I liked them. Block party is nice track. Also, its cool to read about how FP felt about the album before he dropped it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fan 4ever Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 Thanx 4 posting! That was a good read...I wonder if he still feels the same away about this album or Hip Hop in general! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzy Julie Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 Can some1 check hell, has it frozen over? Jim likes born to reign!!!!!! lol im just kiddin, thanx for the interview. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Da Brakes Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 Thats a good interview! I think I'm gonna go put on Born To Reign! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpinJack AJ Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 Ha ha...i'm happy Jim is opening up 2 the album. I've always liked the album. It isn't exactly what i wanted back in 2002, but i loved it anyways. I think reading some of the interviews like this one will help a few people understand the album better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turntable Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 I like Borne To Reign, I just dont like the caribian flava of some tracks, that's not my style (Caribina girls are tho,lol). But I definitly hear what he's talking about in this interview. Next to that, I still think that Trax-Knox was brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Hero1 Posted January 14, 2007 Admin Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 he was definitely in a more creative mood and wanted to try something different and you cant fault him for the attempt.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevilsJim89 Posted January 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 hahah yeah the album is growing on me however as much as I like it, it just isnt on the same level as prior albums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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