Dwele

Enter Dwele. He may be young and fresh but Dwele plunges into the heart of soul and takes his cue from both the masters of the past and his own vision of an urban music future. Dwele’s universe is one where R&B, spoken word, jazz and hip hop collide to create a singular genre. Dwele’s boundless vocal prowess, meticulous musicianship and deft songwriting skills challenge the best of the best. Imagine a producer/singer/instrumentalist schooled by hearty helpings of Marvin Gaye, Donnie Hathaway and Stevie Wonder, yet still influenced by the raw street artistry of today. As a former rapper, Dwele might have the trademark underground-hip hop swagger but the self-described “old soul” possesses a heartfelt sultriness and sensuality that’s been missing from R&B since the 70s. His debut ‘SUBJECT’ (released June 23rd) fills a void in today’s market. There’s everything from music for lounging to smooth jazz, Sunday afternoon cool-out arias to the hip-hop-charged street-litanies, tracks where his production skills shine in tackling the radio format formula-free. On the first couple of album tracks ‘Find A Way’ and ‘Truth’ Dwele eases you into his world of smoky café soul, and from there, the ride begins, each track melting into each other with buttery transitions. The gears shift with “Kick,” where Dwele displays the versatility and scope of his voice (infusing classical Jazz and poetry in the form of a traditional ballad). Then Dwele loosens the tie a bit and gets downright dirty with his version of the notorious club track in “Show Ya Right” big band instrumentals meet guitar riffs meets hip hop bounce. Who exactly is the man behind this eclectic magic? Dwele was brought up in Detroit in a highly musical family. Spending half his time in predominantly white private schools in Detroit and the other half discovering Detroit’s underground club scene, Dwele learned at an early age that he would be devoted to going against the grain. “I was different in that I didn’t listen to what everybody else listened to. I listened to a lot of jazz and ‘70's music.” In fact, the first song I remember hearing was Stevie Wonders’ Songs in the Key of Life. “Stevie, he was the man!” Dwele also studied the piano at age 6 and was a trumpeter in both the marching and jazz bands at school. At the same time, experimental hip hop innovators such as A Tribe Called Quest inspired him deeply enough so that by high school Dwele also became a local MC. It earned him a good name but the moments in which he’d break out in song is what captivated everyone’s attention. Finally encouraged by his crew, Dwele decided—just for fun—to try his hand at singing. Thus his first demo was created. “It was done in my bedroom and we only made 100 copies because I didn’t how it was going to sell. It sold-out in a week!” At the same time, Dwele took on gigs playing the rhodes for local bands at his favorite Detroit club, Café Mahogany, but one night, Dwele was called to take command of the mic when they needed a fill-in for an absent singer. The crowd’s enthusiasm proved to him this was the musical path he was destined to take. “I only knew I could find a pitch and imitate a record well,” Dwele recalls, confessing that he never had a day of vocal training. Through the demo’s widespread underground success Dwele met three like-minded individuals by the names of Jay Dee, T3, and Baatin aka the underground hip hop savants Slum Village, who had already made a name for themselves on the Detroit streets. With a creative bond founded on mutual admiration, Dwele spent his free time in the studio, expanding his production skills. It was no coincidence that once Slum’s managers, Tim Maynor and Ron Estill heard Dwele’s demo, they took him under their wing. Even with a manager and club gigs and friends in high places, Dwele kept his feet on the ground—he stuck by his family, lived at home, briefly attended Wayne State University, managed a pizza chain, and even worked for AAA. Bahamadia recruited him to be featured on two tracks for her BBQueen album, and soon Dwele began expanding his musical armory. Having mastered the trumpet, piano, and decks early on, he now took to learning the bass and guitar. Inspired by the implicit narrative within certain soundscapes, the natural songwriter in him flourished via production. “A lot of times I produce the music first, sit back and listen... then let it dictate what I write. Other times I start a composition with a lyrical concept.” And SUBJECT is just the tip of the iceberg—unlike some producer/singer’s who prefer the comfort zone and polish of the studio, Dwele is proud of his live performance. If you didn’t catch Dwele’s gigs at the 2001 Detroit Electronic Musical Festival or the Family Tree tour (with Mystic, Phife, Slum Village, Phat Kat, etc), be prepared for one soft-spoken Aquarius to really let loose this spring. “You feed off the energy! My whole thing is about setting a mood—I like crowd participation to get the energy going but at the same time I want it to be a concert where you can just close your eyes and listen.” The unpredictability of a live set also intrigues him. “Sometimes when you listen to a live joint the bass might stumble a little bit or fall off and come back—it throws your neck a little bit, it makes you vibe a little bit harder. You never know what’s going to happen really.” For now, Dwele, who won’t budge from his hometown, modestly attributes his skills to something in Motor City air. “Detroit is full of talent. I don’t know what it its—it’s in the Corn Flakes or something—but there’s so much talent here! Detroit is creating their own sound. One day it’s going to be seen—I can’t wait. We are the new Motown, baby!” And Dwele is not shy about taking on that torch.