After six years, Musiq Soulchild explores all lanes on his latest album, 'Victims & Villains' in collaboration with HitBoy.
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00:00Hey, this is Marty with Blavity, and I am here today with Mr. Music Soulchild.
00:04How are you doing?
00:05I'm good.
00:06You?
00:07I'm good.
00:08I'm good.
00:10Today, we are going to talk about your long-awaited album, Victims and Villains.
00:13You teamed up with Hit-Boy, of course.
00:15Right.
00:16Tell me how that came together.
00:17You know, Hit-Boy's known for working in the hip-hop spaces, but you, of course, being
00:20the king of neo-soul.
00:22How did y'all merge on this one?
00:25Well, it's funny that you say that.
00:26I was identified as hip-hop soul, and for that specific reason, I think people kind
00:32of missed that part about Music Soulchild.
00:36And it's been an interesting timeline navigating in these R&B streets, trying to get people
00:42to...
00:43I mean, I know I make R&B, but I'm not an R&B artist, but don't worry about it.
00:47Yeah, I'll do it.
00:48It's fine.
00:49You know?
00:50But the spirit is, I'm able to work with a hip-hop producer that, and he's not just
00:56a hip-hop producer, but he's mostly known for being in that hip-hop space, where now
01:00I have an opportunity to promote and project a whole part of my identity that was lost
01:07this whole time.
01:08As much as I try to keep swinging and get you guys to know that it's still here with
01:13Just Friends and with Buddy, and it's there.
01:16The hip-hop is there.
01:17People focus more so on the R&B or the neo-soul or what have you.
01:22And I've accepted it because it's still an offering from me, and it's still a way for
01:27you guys to connect with me.
01:29Whereas though now, I feel like I'm being more of myself by adding more hip-hop into
01:34it, so that maybe you guys would start to get a better picture of what it was that I
01:38was trying to do this whole time.
01:39I love that.
01:40I love that.
01:41When you took the time to actually write this album, Versus Your Last, when was that one
01:45of your main focuses on making sure that we saw yourself added some of those extra
01:49components as an artist and bringing back some of the stuff that we loved about you?
01:54What was the process in this timeline for this album?
01:58It was interestingly more easier than before.
02:00I was just being more myself, whereas though before, I had to fit myself into something.
02:05You know what I'm saying?
02:06Yeah.
02:07It's like the difference between getting dressed up and trying to be presentable and appropriate
02:13for a job that you're working at versus having your own business.
02:16You can wear what you want.
02:17I love that.
02:18I love that.
02:19You can do what you want.
02:20You can be more of yourself.
02:21You can bring people into your world.
02:25I feel like the last past 20-some odd years, I've been doing my job, whereas though now,
02:29I feel like I'm doing me now.
02:32You're touching your passion.
02:33You actually, the passion of music, so it's a little bit different coming into this space
02:37because we see you-
02:38Yeah.
02:39And the whole artist.
02:40Right.
02:41I'm not ashamed for taking anything away from what I've done before.
02:43I'm very proud of that.
02:46Those were moments in time.
02:47Those were my learning curves, actually.
02:50I had to learn what it was like to do this and what was out there and how people respond
02:56and react and what do people like.
02:58That's what helped me identify better that, okay, I get that people like this and I'm
03:04able to do this, so I'm going to do it because I know people like it, but I would much rather
03:09do this over here.
03:11I feel like now I'm being given that opportunity or the opportunity has presented itself where
03:17I'm able to move in that more and I hope that people still rock with me.
03:22I don't think that's going to be a question.
03:23I like to tussle with a bunch of y'all.
03:24I like y'all stuff.
03:25I don't think that's going to be a question.
03:28Are we going to be able to see that, I guess, that new excitement to approach all aspects
03:32of you and everything that's accompanied with the album as far as any visuals or-
03:36Oh, yeah.
03:38All the music that you're going to put out, the singles.
03:39I know you've held back from releasing some teasers, so I know everyone's looking forward
03:43to it.
03:44Well, the plan is to do a visual for each song.
03:46There's 10 songs on the album, so I'm going to plan to do that.
03:49I'm currently on tour, on the Soul to Soul tour with Camille Legacy, so I don't know
03:54what kind of time I'm really working with, but I got a really cool team that's about
03:59it and that's ready to go.
04:02I already released a couple, and I have a few that's being processed right now, and
04:09then I'm scheduled to shoot a few more looks.
04:16The plan is to do a look for each song, because I personally feel like you'll get more out
04:21of the experience if you have that contextual reference.
04:27I don't know what people's imagination is at, and some people are at different levels
04:32with their imagination, and their takeaway may not be as intended.
04:36I think that it helps to give that visual aid to help people, to bring them into that
04:40world and be like, oh, I get the vibe now.
04:44Because I can sense that it may be a little different than what people may be accustomed
04:50to.
04:51I made a statement one time I thought was actually cool.
04:53I don't know where it came from, but I said, this album is as different as it is the same.
05:02It's a reminder of what you know and more of what you don't.
05:09I love that.
05:10Yeah, I thought it was fresh, too.
05:13I like it.
05:14I want to use it and just make it a point to say what I'm doing right now has always
05:19been there.
05:20I'm just pushing it to the forefront, even for myself, because I've operated so much
05:26out of something else.
05:27I want to know what it's like to go this way now.
05:29Cool, cool, cool.
05:30So this is going to open up a whole new fan base for you, possibly, as far as you walk
05:35into that space.
05:36Even one, like you said, associated with Hit-Boy, who's more than just a hip-hop producer, but
05:40has gotten a lot of exposure as to it.
05:43So people who follow him that might not have been introduced to you, they'll be able to
05:46see you.
05:47Talk more about the actual tour, if you could, as far as where y'all are doing.
05:51How's the chemistry with everyone on the tour?
05:53Because I know that's a vibe.
05:55It's very professional.
05:57We see each other doing soundcheck and through the halls, and it's all love.
06:03The other two artists, Cam and Lettucey, they're very dope, very professional, very great at
06:07what they do.
06:08They get really, really good responses from the crowd.
06:12And it's just a whole vibe, and I'm just honored to be a part of it.
06:16And for people to get that experience, I think it's a really cool lineup, and I'm grateful
06:24that I can be mentioned in the same conversation with these two.
06:28Have you performed any of the new music on the tour?
06:32Not yet.
06:33I'm kind of waiting for people to kind of be more familiar with it, because it is still
06:38new.
06:39And most people, they come for the hits, they're like, I don't care about any of this stuff.
06:44Do what I know.
06:46So it's fine.
06:47It's all good.
06:48Got it.
06:49Got it.
06:50So when it comes to the lineup, do you feel like it's going to, based on, I guess, the
06:54reception that you get when you get it, are you going to be a little bit more excited
06:57to test out the new stuff versus-
06:58Yeah, I'm going to be excited, but I don't know how people are going to react to it.
07:02But I try not to focus so much about that.
07:04As long as I know that myself and my band, we're doing it, and it sounds cool, it ain't
07:11my fault you're not enjoying it.
07:13This is great, as far as I'm concerned.
07:16No, that's such a bad...
07:17This is for you.
07:18This is your whole round of album, as far as you as an artist, so I'm pretty sure it's
07:22going to be a lot more, people are going to see the enjoyment versus, you said, doing
07:25the job.
07:26They're going to see you as the artist that they're doing this, so I think they're going
07:29to-
07:30Well, even when I've been doing my job, I still do it with a smile, and I still mean
07:35to do it because I'm still grateful and excited that I get to do this.
07:38So I don't want that to be misconstrued.
07:41What I'm saying is, you can be happy and excited to do your job, it just hits different when
07:46you're doing you.
07:47That's all I'm saying.
07:49Got it, got it.
07:50So as far as timing, I know you actually do have the initiative that you're working on
07:54right now.
07:55So with the tour, with the album, the Bringing Music Back to School initiative, how are you
07:58fitting all that in, and tell us about that.
08:01We're still trying to figure that out, and we get to it whenever we can.
08:04I'm working alongside with a school called Utopian Academy out here in Atlanta, and they
08:11have definitely helped facilitate this whole process.
08:16And alongside with the Harvey Foundation, Stephen Marger Harvey Foundation, we've been
08:21working alongside each other to try to figure out better ways to promote and support this
08:28initiative because I think it's really important that, especially, specifically the young people
08:32get better exposure to music education.
08:35Because a lot of people come to me, like I'm the authority on music, I know my name is
08:38music, but I don't own and run music as a whole.
08:43I just work here, just like everybody else.
08:47But since I do, and I do have a position in the platform of influence, I do want to direct
08:53the attention to what I feel is important, which is music education, because people do
08:57come to me asking my opinion and perspective on the state of music.
09:01And I'm like, hey, it's going to be whatever we want it to be, whatever we support, whatever
09:06we contribute to, whatever we consume.
09:09But I do think, in large part, it's impacted by the lack of exposure in education to the
09:15legacy and the standards that were set before.
09:17And so this is basically what the point and the reason why I'm a part of it is so that
09:22I can get in it rather than just talking about it and debating with people about it.
09:28I'd rather just get in the traffic of trying to do something about helping it get to a
09:33better place.
09:34And I can't think of a better way to do that than through education and exposure to information
09:40as it pertains to music legacy and all the artists and the institutions that help build
09:47the house that we all get to be a part of and be entertained by, and work within, and
09:54make money off of, and have a livelihood within.
09:57So I think all of these things are important, but it definitely starts with the young people,
10:02because they're the ones that's going to grow up to affect how things are going to
10:05be later.
10:06Definitely.
10:07Definitely.
10:08Do you think if you would have been a part of something like that when you were coming
10:10up in school and stuff, it would have changed the trajectory of who you are as an artist
10:14or-
10:15I believe that I would, professionally and creatively, may have been way further along,
10:19but who's to say?
10:21Because I feel like going through what I went through gave me an intimate relationship with
10:27the game that I could impart on other people.
10:30So I don't know, like hypotheticals and shoulda, woulda, couldas, we could talk about that
10:36all day and paint a perfect picture in our mind, however, I think everything happens
10:41the way that it happens for the reason that it needed to happen so that you can be a part
10:45of something in the way that you need to show up because of what you've been through for
10:50that reason.
10:51So I'm grateful for my timeline.
10:52I'm grateful to be able to contribute in a way that I can, hopefully inspires people
10:58and what's to have them inspire other people, just pay it forward and it just keeps moving
11:04along in a more constructive way rather than, some may say a very destructive way.
11:12I love that.
11:13I love that.
11:14So while you're on this trail of promoting and getting ready for this album, I guess,
11:17what are some of the changes that you've seen from when you were doing that with your last
11:20project as far as like how marketing looks, how promotion looks, how entertainment, engagement
11:25with your fan looks and things like that?
11:27I took a backseat a lot because I didn't know a lot.
11:32Everything happened for me so fast that there wasn't time to really develop anything.
11:36That's why I tell people my timeline is my developmental process.
11:39That is my learning curve.
11:41So I've been doing what essentially a lot of people do before they get signed, before
11:47you know about them, but I just did it for a longer stretch of time because it was literally
11:56like I was live the whole time.
12:00I didn't get to go practice.
12:01I didn't get to go rehearse.
12:02I didn't get to go develop.
12:03It was like, no, you're doing this now, you know, and I was taking my L's and, you know,
12:11bones and bruises and all the turbulence along the way.
12:15However, despite that, I'd like to say that I've been pretty successful.
12:20I was going to say you made the bumps look good.
12:24You know, I try not to be too cringe, you know, and, you know, it got really interesting
12:29a few times.
12:30We're not going to talk about those times, but I'm grateful, you know, and I can't say
12:37too many people have had the timeline that I've had and still be able to be here putting
12:45out stuff that people want to talk to you about, you know, so it's not lost on me how
12:50much of a blessing it's been.
12:53I wasn't fully aware in the beginning, but you go through enough stuff and you realize,
12:56oh, wow, okay, cool.
12:57That's probably why that had to happen or this is the reason why, oh, wow, that was
13:01dope.
13:02I didn't get it then, but I appreciate it now, you know, so, yeah, I'm grateful.
13:08Yeah, don't let your impact be lost on you, even though, you know, we put you as Ne-Yo
13:13Soul, not hip hop, so we'll work on that, but don't let that get in the way.
13:17That's just like a personal thing.
13:19I don't let that get in the way.
13:20It's like, hey, you call it whatever you want to call it, as long as you still pull
13:23up, as long as you still support, that's what really matters.
13:27I appreciate it.
13:28As long as you press that, you know, that add button on there.
13:32So before I let you go, let me know, I guess, as far as like this album, the takeaways,
13:36what are some of the things you want people to truly, if you could paint a picture as
13:41far as what you want people to walk away with after they stop listening to it, what would
13:44that look like as them being reintroduced to you in possibly the way that you're open
13:49to now?
13:50I don't know.
13:51I think I would have to say, I want them to kind of, their takeaway to be like, this is
13:59like the beginning or like the first installment of a different direction, I guess.
14:06But I don't want to say that because the way that it sounds to me saying it and how I imagine
14:14how it sounds or may sound potentially to other people is that I'm making a hard left
14:19and it's not what's happening, it's just, it's essentially I'm giving you more just
14:24in a slightly different way, you know?
14:27So maybe not a hard left, but adding more routes?
14:31Ooh, I like that.
14:33More lanes.
14:34I like that.
14:35Yeah.
14:36Yeah.
14:37So no, I think that'll work.
14:38Oh, I do.
14:39Tomorrow, Music Soulchild Day.
14:42Oh, yeah.
14:43So Music Soulchild Day, March 10th.
14:45Also the release of the album, Victims and Villains, produced by-
14:48Look at Alignment.
14:49Look at that.
14:50Look at that.
14:51It's also Mario Day.
14:52So shout out to Nintendo.
14:53Long story.
14:54Don't worry about it.
14:55I'm-
14:56My last name is Bowser.
14:57It's fine.
14:58Are you serious, yo?
14:59Yeah.
15:00Crazy.
15:01And my mom's name was Zelda.
15:02We could have ruled video games on it.
15:04Oh, stop playing movies.
15:05Yeah.
15:06Let me focus and be professional.
15:07Oh, wow.
15:08That's interesting.
15:09Really?
15:10Tell me more.
15:11No.
15:12No, tell me about Music Day and-
15:16Oh, yeah.
15:18Music Soulchild Day in Atlanta.
15:19So shout out to Atlanta for honoring me on this day.
15:25And it's just basically, I just use that day to give back.
15:29I don't know.
15:31I'm not really a make-it-about-me type person.
15:34I've just never been that type of person.
15:36And I was like, oh, that's admirable.
15:38I don't do it to be admirable.
15:39I just don't like being in people's tracks.
15:42Don't talk to me until I'm outside.
15:47But yeah, I just feel like if the attention is-
15:51I'm already getting a lot of attention, more attention
15:53than I'm comfortable with.
15:55But I receive it and I appreciate it because I know
15:57that's just a feature of doing stuff that people like
16:00and people want to be closer to you and engage with you
16:03and be a part of it.
16:04I get that.
16:05You know what I'm saying?
16:06I don't want that to get lost.
16:07I get that.
16:09It's just that everybody ain't the same and everybody
16:13don't operate the same way with attention and being
16:17in crowds and stuff like that.
16:18So that's all another conversation.
16:20Anyway, so I utilize that moment, that day to give back.
16:24That's where the concept of bringing music back to schools
16:28is almost kind of-
16:29Okay, got it.
16:30It's to dedicate my time while I have a lot of attention
16:34on me to direct that attention to something
16:38that I feel I could use more attention.
16:40Like bringing music back to schools, helping the young people
16:43understand exactly what's out there and help unlock
16:46their potential in a more productive way.
16:49Awesome.
16:50All the lanes.
16:51All the lanes opening up.
16:52Yeah.
16:53That's what it's about.
16:54That's what it's about.
16:55So thank you so much again for your time.
16:56Everybody, remember Victims and Villains is on March 10th.
16:59It's going to be available everywhere to download.
17:01Yes.
17:02And get ready to get the full music from Music.
17:06All that good stuff.
17:08We're getting it started.
17:09We're getting it started.
17:10Hopefully it all goes well.
17:13I'm putting another one out later on this year.
17:15It will go well and you will.
17:17That's all I'm going to say.
17:19That's all I'm going to say.
17:20But thank you so much for your time.
17:23And we're looking forward to it.
17:24You have a good one.