Candidly Case: R&B Singer Answers All Questions

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When R&B star Kelly Price told me that her former Island Def Jam label mate Case was "one of the funniest people she knows," she definitely wasn't lying.

I sat down to interview the R&B singer recently at the trendy Busboys & Poets restaurant in downtown Washington, D.C., and the 'Happily Ever After' singer certainly proved that if he ever tires of crooning love songs, a place on NBC's 'Last Comic Standing' may not be far-fetched.

The New York City native, who now calls Atlanta home, is back with a new CD, 'The Rose Experience,' his first full-length recording in nearly eight years.

During our chat, Case openly talked about his hiatus from recording; how he shot himself in the neck; and rumors that he dated Beyonce, Foxy Brown and Mary J. Blige.

It has been eight years since your last CD. Why the extended break from recording?

There was a lot of stuff going on. First of all, I moved to Atlanta to be closer to my kids. They were there, and I was still living up in New York/New Jersey and that wasn't working for me, so I moved. Then, I had a mishap with a gun and I shot myself in the throat by accident. I didn't know where it hit me, so I looked and I saw the hole in my neck and saw that it came out the back. Once I saw that, I was like, 'Let me see if I can still sing.' Once I saw I could sing, I then I smoked a cigarette. Seeing if I could sing was the first thing I did. I was out of the hospital within four hours. For a while, my voice wasn't as strong, because I hurt the muscles around it. I recorded the first song for this album about three weeks after that. It didn't take too long.

How does an artist make money on a hiatus that long? Most artists' income comes from live shows and not record sales, so I'm wondering how you sustained your lifestyle.

I was still doing shows. I never stopped doing shows. I did a tour during that time. I was writing for other artists and had a couple of features. I did the deal with Def Jam before I left them, so I had that money, and I got the new deal for the independent thing so I had to do what I could.

Prior to this, all your other CDs were on Island Def Jam. What has the transition into independent land been like?

It's been cool and hasn't been that bad so far. Being independent, I have the option of doing what I want. If I believe in a song and I put it out and it's not working the way I want, I can still stay behind it and keep pushing it. On a major label, if there's a slight sign of trouble, I have to move on and that was a big problem for me. It's good because I'm sure it would be a much bigger transition had I been a new artist with just one album or one single under my belt.

Why is the CD called 'The Rose Experience?'

Blaxl Rose [as in the Black Axl Rose] is my alter ego, and he comes out a lot. On this album, I wanted the music itself to sound lighter, and I wanted to have a lot of fun with it. With my experiences, I've gone a little deeper into the twists and turns of a relationship. This is the first dose of Blaxl Rose that you'll get from me.

Is it frustrating for you now that most R&B artists are relegated to the urban adult contemporary format on radio?

It is what it is. It's nothing you can really do about it but keep doing what you do and make sure that people are aware of it. That is exactly what happens now, but that's what it is. It's like when you had to go to the back of the restaurant to get the food. If you were gonna eat, you had to go around back.

You grew up a Jehovah's Witness. You left that religion to pursue music. Do you look back on your experiences growing up and laugh about it now?

You have to laugh about it. It wasn't the worst thing in the world. It's just that as a kid, it was the worst thing in the world. I might as well have been a Nazi. One time we were coming out of the Kingdom Hall, and I was with my mother. I saw one of the kids from my class, and you know how you try and act like you don't see them and hope they don't notice you? Well, he saw me and was like, 'Are you still a thug?' This was in the '80s, and thug wasn't a compliment. I could feel my mother looking at me and she was like, 'What is he talking about?' I was the bad kid in school. The worst was to knock on the door of somebody you know. The other is when it's a girl you like and you knock on her door and she answers. Now, I just kind of do my own thing. In a way, I think that experience soured me on organized religion to some extent.

Let's tackle some rumors, man. Back in the day there was buzz you dated Beyonce. Any truth to that?

I didn't date Beyonce! She was 17 at the time.

You recorded 'Touch Me, Tease Me' with Foxy Brown. They said you two dated, too. Fact or fiction?

Nah, me and Foxy were just cool.

But you were involved with Mary J. Blige, right?

Me and Mary J. Blige did actually date. We lived together for a while. A couple of people told me that Mary said I used to beat her up and another girl said it was K-Ci [of K-Ci & JoJo]. If anything, she was the one throwing s--t at me. I still got a scar!

What's your status now? Are you married or single?

Single and not married.

You moved to Atlanta to be closer to your kids. How are you balancing work with your family life?

It's hard to balance the family life with the work life, but when I'm in town, I have to spend as much time with the kids as I can. And I call them all the time, too. At the same time, I've had seven years since I've been down there when I didn't have shows and things like that, so they understand. I make sure that I speak with them all the time. Before I left this last time, my daughter came and spent the night with me.

How old are your children?

I have two kids: A 15-year-old and a 9-year-old.

I read you are venturing into acting. Tell about the television project you worked on.

I shot a pilot for a show called 'ATL Homicide,' and I play a narcotics detective, which is cool. It was fun, and I think they're gonna be shopping it soon. I think they changed the name of it, too, because the 'ATL Homicide' thing wasn't going over too well with the suits. It was fun though.

BUY CASE'S NEW CD>>>

Black Music Notes Mar. 19

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3/19/09: Kanye West / The Dream
Seven years ago this month, music heavyweights R. Kelly and Jay-Z released their highly anticipated collaborative album 'The Best of Both Worlds.' Now it appears Kanye West and The Dream are vying to work on a similar project. "Everybody is trying to talk us into it," Dream told 'MTV News' of his and West's friends and business associates. "It was first thought of by me. I was in Miami at the time, and I gave Kanye a call and said, 'The best thing would be for me and you to do an album.'... Let's take the best of both worlds and put it on a CD and try to make something we can sell to the consumers. He says he's with it. We're gonna try to make it happen." For now, you can catch Kanye on Dream's potential third single 'Walking on the Moon,' which is featured on his newly released album 'Love vs. Money.'

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3/19/09: The Miracles
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3/19/09: Chester Gregory
After several years of blowing audiences away on the 'Great White Way,' Broadway Star and R&B soul recording artist Chester Gregory is preparing the release of his debut album 'In Search of High Love.' The March 31 release finds the multitalented singer introducing himself as a thoughtful and sensitive songwriter blessed with a voice that captivates and demands attention. "While I've thoroughly enjoyed performing on Broadway -- eight shows a week and telling other people's amazing stories -- now it's time for me to share my own," explained Gregory. Highlights of 'In Search of High Love' include the poetic 'Clouds to the Ground,' the crossover-bound 'Say it's Over' and Jackie Wilson's soaring 1967 chart-topper 'Higher and Higher.'

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3/19/09: Earth, Wind & Fire
Iconic Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group Earth, Wind & Fire is set to hit the road this summer for a 30-city tour beginning June 5 in Orange Beach, AL. In addition to Maurice White and company gracing the stage will be pop-rock band Chicago, which will perform a full show before joining for a final set together, according to Billboard. The tour will conclude on Aug. 1 in Lake Tahoe, NV.

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3/19/09: Prince
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