Heavy D
The Boy Hollywood
CHAMP: You just dropped the "Vibes" album; how do you feel about the response of the album so far?
HEAVY D: So far, so good you know. I feel like it was one of those things where it was just a passion project, cause I haven't come out with music in probably 10 years because I couldn’t really find the passion or whatever. To do another album it’s so easy but it would be unjust to the hip-hop culture because it wouldn’t be my best best and I believe my best best is behind me. I can give you a hot 16 bars here or there but to put out a full album out which is hip hop music it wouldn’t be the quality that people are used to or the standards that I hold up for myself. So I just went back to the roots and I will always make records with Supercat, Buju Banton, and all those legends. I wouldn’t want to make a reggae album when I was in the big systems like the universal systems, they wouldn’t let me to do it because it didn’t make sense to them. They wouldn’t support or push the album like it would now. But since I have my own label I just push the button, I love it you know, and I feel good, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. I guess I’m just embracing the change but some people are kind of disappointed because they wanted what they remember but once they give it a chance and get used to it they fall in love it.
CHAMP: Of course; like you had mentioned before the influence behind the album is because it was something that you wanted to go back to your roots; rather than give another Heavy D Hip Hop album, you wanted to change it up. What was the process like in coming up with the album?
HEAVY D: Not so much just change it up but it was more about quality and as an artist what I can deliver the best. I didn’t want people to feel like they were cheated. I can be honest to say that everything I put out on the album was honest. I put my heart in it. I have no reservations about where I stand in terms of my dignity and the quality of the music.
CHAMP: Was there a specific type of mood or vibe that you were trying to reach when putting out the album?
HEAVY D: There was actually. When I was younger I was always dancing and my house was the party house. I was just trying to catch it all with the sounds and mix it up with the hip-hop vibe such as Studio 1 and sounds I grew up with.
CHAMP: Whom do we have assisting you with the production and whom do we have featured on the album?
HEAVY D: Well, featured I have Sizzla on a record called “Private Dancer” and then the legendary Barrington Levy on a song called. Production wise I have myself and then Warren Campbell and Mike City who are big on the R&B side of things.
CHAMP: It’s almost been about 10 years since you dropped your last album; what have you been up to since?
HEAVY D: Well you know mostly just being a dad. I got a soon to be 9 year old daughter. I couldn’t find a balance between how I could be a father, a GREAT father and not just a voice on the telephone. How could I be father and an artist? Me personally, I couldn’t find the balance so I chose just to be the father for the time being. My daughter would be with me for five days a week for years because her mother would work 15-16 hours a day. My daughter is 9, almost never had a nanny or a babysitter so it was like a fulltime job. It gave me a chance to mature more and step outside of what I was doing to see where I could go with everything.
CHAMP: I’m pretty sure you’re aware of today’s market in terms of album sells and how different it was 10 years ago. How much of an importance is it to you to do well with this album?
HEAVY D: It’s relative. What I respect and what I honor most in 20 years when my daughter is in her 20s or her 30s she can look back at my material and boy my dad created something special. The older I got I realized I took things for granted and seen that, I used to make record after record, that shit stays there, you can’t take it back. Now I’m in a position where I pride myself on quality and now I even think more deeply into that. I mean I want to put it out and have people rediscover it in 10-15 years.
CHAMP: So you’re looking to make long lasting music?
HEAVY D: For sure. I’ve been working on one of the singles off the album for like 6,7,8 months. This whole album is gonna take a least a year and a half to two years to make. Nobody does that anymore! Nowadays everything is in and out in 6 months, album, single and video DONE!
CHAMP: Seeing today’s new breed of artists, whom can we catch Heavy D vibing to?
HEAVY D: I love Kanye. Give me a second let me pick up my IPOD. I like the “Cool” record from Anthony Hamilton, the first album from Knarls Barkley, T-Pain, and “I Know You Got Soul” Erik B & Rakim. There’s also this record a friend of mine sent me from Northern its called “Carpool” by Joe. My favorite 50 Cent verse of all time, I don’t care how many more albums he comes out with “Hate it or Love it” with the Game, the first verse on that record. Mase- “What you want”, as well as the LL “Baby” record, “Vibrant Thing”, “Hypnotize”, and on the reggae side Movado & Erupt.
CHAMP: When was the last time you hit up JA?
HEAVY D: About two-three years ago. I can’t really go as much as I used to because you get consumed with the life up here. You have to live and eat you can’t just up and leave. But now I think I’m going to be up there six times a year because I’m traveling with the right music.
CHAMP: If people don’t know, you and Notorious BIG were friends; he had referenced you in one of his songs and made a cameo in one of his videos. The movie “Notorious” is coming out in January 2009, how do you feel about the trailer that came out?
HEAVY D: I saw one trailer where he actually said my name. It’s flattering and it’s cool. Puff is my friend. I met Biggie because of Puff. I put Puff into the business with Uptown Records. I’m really anxious to see the movie because it’s like wow I get to see that their making movies on the history of Hip Hop. I mean, when I watch movies like the Temptations or I just seen Cadillac Records the other day and it’s great because you get really into it and you think what was it like to be there. So now here I am watching a movie about shit that I actually been through.
CHAMP: The single “Long Distance Girlfriend” is a great record. What was the influence behind that single?
HEAVY D: My mother and my father. My father came up first from Jamaica to make money and get an apartment. It was a year without my mother and then she left us for 9 months to work as well. When I think about the idea, they’ve been together for 45 years. My father couldn’t afford to see my mother. So that time alone is what inspired me to write the record. There isn’t any stronger love than that they’re inseparable.
CHAMP: In Toronto we have a strong West Indian culture, when can we expect Heavy D to come up here?
HEAVY D: Next year for sure. The biggest thing about this album, I feel good, I feel like I’m ready to travel. I want to touch the people again. Its not just Jamaican’s, its every Island. Reggae music reaches everybody. I’m really excited about traveling and performing.
CHAMP: What else can we expect from HEAVY D?
HEAVY D: The movies mostly next year. The acting thing for me is still a passion. As well as check out the new Anthony Hamilton album, there’s a record there called “She’s Gone”. Just get ready for the live shows next year.
LONG DISTANCE GIRLFRIEND - HEAVY D
