BROOKLYN BASED SINGER CHATS WITH BROOKLYN BLOGGER

FORT GREENE SINGER SPEAKS WITH HEART OF BROOKLYN WRITER

Brooklyn has produced a great talented singers including Lena Horne, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Full Force and Aaliyah, and Soul/R&B singer Nathaniel P, plans on keeping the legacy alive with his singing, and songwriting. Born and raised in Fort Green projects, Nathaniel honed his chops be singing in Church with his family, while listening to the Soulful sounds of Boyz II Men. He later stated to perform in a group that included his brothers, but decided to pursue a solo career, when the group decided to pursue other interests. Nathaniel has been making a name for himself by performing at various venues (with some upcoming dates in the Midwest next month) as well as shooting his first video for his single “Let Me In.”
I had the opportunity to meet this talented and cool singer at his video premiere party in Manhattan where he spoke about his influences, and the

DA-PROFESSOR: HOW DID YOU GET INTO MUSIC
NATHANIEL: My moms raised me in church singing in the choir like most of the best singers out their. They started in church. I’m trying to be like them.

DA-PROFESSOR: WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND RAISED?
NATHANIEL: Brooklyn, New York. Fort Green projects. Farside (laughs).

DA-PROFESSOR: WHICH SINGERS GOSPEL AND R&B INSPIRED YOU?
NATHANIEL: I would say as far as Boyz II Men. I’m still bumping my ole Boyz II Men (both laugh). I like real music like Carl Thomas, R. Kelly, Dave Hollister. All the real substantial artists, and on the Gospel tip, Smokey Norfil, Shirley Caesar, Tonex. Just the real Gospel artists.

DA-PROFESSOR: Nathaniel you brought up a good point about the real soul music . It seems that most record executives tend to sign artists who want to do the Pop computerized sound instead of signing the ones who wants to be original and have a authentic and original sound. How do you feel about that?
NATHANIEL: It’s true. I think that it’s kind of what the game is missing now. Labels are looking for the one single to push it to get rid of the artist instead of looking for an artists that they can groom and develop and put out substance. You know what I’m saying? I feel that there’s gonna be less money made in the game; our genre in R&B is gonna deplete if they don’t put out real R&B.

DA-PROFESSOR: WHEN DID YOU START PERFORMING PROFESSIONALLY?
NATHANIEL: Professional. I’ve been with my group five years, but solo, six months (laughs). That’s when I started solo; six months. I would say with my ground five years, so it’s been about five years since I stepped on stage.

DA-PROFESSOR: DID YOU RECORD ANY SINGLES WITH THE GROUP?
NATHANIEL: We recorded a lot of different songs,. We never put out one single. We just had a lot of different music, so it gave me that ear to develop harmony so now that I’m a solo artist, I still incorporate the same harmony because I’m used to it.

DA-PROFESSOR: WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO PURSUE A SOLO CAREER?
NATHANIEL: We went out separate ways just from us being grown men. We wanted to do different things. We all believe in each other and I listened to how I sounded doing solo material. A lot of people supported me and now I’m running with it and it’s looking real good.

DA-PROFESSOR: WHAT WAS IT LIKE FILMING YOUR FIRST MUSIC VIDEO?
NATHANIEL: It was official man. I had mad back-up dancers, I had real casted video girls. Everything was a big movement. It was new for me because as a group, we never did something of that magnitude so new to do it solo it let me know that maybe I should be doing this for real.

DA-PROFESSOR: YOU HAVE AN EP OUT. WHAT DOES IT CONSISTS OF?
NATHANIEL: I say it consists of a nice melody CD. You’ve got your slow jams. You’ve got your club joints. You got your I’m on the block joints. A quick collage of songs; I try to give you each side of me in five songs real quick.

DA-PROFESSOR: YOU MENTIONED SLOW JAMS. I LOVE BALLADS (BOTH LAUGH)
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE BALLADS?
NATHANIEL: We all make love don’t we? (Both laugh loudly) I mean that’ s what it really is. I like that moment and freeze it. I don’t technically write. I kinda record and go along so I try to freeze and record it.

DA-PROFESSOR: I SEE THAT MICHAEL JACKSON WAS AN INFLUENCE BY THE DANCE ROUTINES IN YOUR VIDEO. HOW DO YOU THINK HE MADE AN IMPACT ON MUSIC?
NATHANIEL: I feel that was a big than M.J. did for us as African-Americans. Him going was way too soon. He made me realize that it’s a magnitude of fame and just touching people if you work hard enough and that’s the direction I’m going with.

DA-PROFESSOR: WHICH ARTIST YOU LIKE TO WORK WITH?
NATHANIEL: I would like to work with artists who are making numbers now. That’s making a positive change. Usher cuz I like him. Musiq Soulchild, definitely one of my idols, but let’s go back; Stevie Wonder. I would love to do a joint with him. John Legend. I would love to do joint with John Legend. Rap artists, Hova. He’s from Marcy. I’m from Fort Green. Fabulous.

DA-PROFESSOR: YOU MENTIONED YOU’RE FROM BROOKLYN. THERE HASN’T BEEN TOO MANY R&B ARTIST THAT EMERGE FROM BROOKLYN SINCE FULL FORCE. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE PUTTING BROOKLYN ON THE R&B MAP?
NATHANIEL: I think it’s a good look. As long as I keep Brooklyn behind me, I think I definitely will fill changed like I got an battery in my back cuz I know I got to hold down. Brooklyn artists come out and they go hard so I’m not gonna drop the ball and mess it up from Brooklyn so I’m going hard.

DA-PROFESSOR: WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE NEXT 5-1- YEARS?
NATHANIEL: I see myself an entrepreneur with my own label. My clothing line. My own cologne. Production company. Publishing company One of the promising and provident writers out there. I want to write for everybody out there.

DA-PROFESSOR: HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR ARTISTS TO OWN THEIR OWN PUBLISHING?
NATHANIEL: Yes. Very important. Especially nowadays where labels are trying to take more and give less. If you come up with any ill melodies and you feel like you’re nice and you can come up with your own stuff, go with it! It’s important to know that’s where the money’s at.