Published: Thursday - December 18, 2008
Words by Carl Lamarre
Avant
Avant (Photo: Capitol Records)
The R&B game has an array of talented musicians. While some delve into the land of heartbreak, others find their niche in making passionate music to make your bed rock. Though some have succeeded in those areas, only a few have mastered those mechanics. In the midst of 10 years, Avant has done all of that. Yet, he seeks more. From providing sapless romantics with hope in finding "the one", to elevating peoples' sex drives, he still feels he has more work to do.
Though Avant's last album Director went gold, the 30 year-old felt change was needed. He decided to leave Geffen Records, and join Capitol Records in hopes of finding new success. During his two-year hiatus from the music industry, the R&B craftsman began acting. He would go on to star in the play, "Love in the Nick of Tyme," and the DVD version of "First Sunday," both starring him, and Morris Chestnut.
Now, Avant has placed acting on the side, and has returned with his new self-titled Avant release. Ballerstatus had the opportunity to catch up with Avant to talk about his new album, joining Capitol Records, a duet album with Keke Wyatt, and much more. With Avant dedicating his time solely on music, you could expect the birth rate to boom right back up.
BallerStatus.com: The new video for your second single, "Break Ya Back" (In a Good Way), just aired not too long ago. What was your motivation behind that video?
Avant: Well really what I was trying to show man, was black love. You know back in the day, back in the 70s, when my mom used to show me some white film, I couldn't really make out what was going on. For my video, you could tell it was intense and heated. So that was what I was trying to bring across with that video. Take it back a little, show a lot skin, a lot of touching, and in your mind, you could take who you wanna take.
BallerStatus.com: First thing that came to mind, when I saw that video, was Ciara's "Can't Leave Em Alone". Was that a source of inspiration for showing extra skin, or just a mere coincidence?
Avant: It was a coincidence really because I was like "Yo I'm not afraid for her to hug me with no bra on, you know what I mean?" (Laughs) I was like "How far do you really want to go?" It was so tasteful. It ain't nasty. You know you could watch it with a lil shawty or whatever, without feeling like you're grossing somebody out.
BallerStatus.com: The past few videos you filmed, you had a real cinematic theme. For example, "4 Minutes", "Read Your Mind", "Separated" -- even the title of your last album. Did you ever consider doing something in terms of acting?
Avant: Actually that's why I took the two years off. I was really trying to dive into some movie roles. I was on "Barbershop 2" with Cedric the Entertainer on the L train. I was also in "First Sunday," the DVD version, with me and Morris Chestnut. I was really trying to dive into that and two different things going on for myself. But my love is so heavy for music right now. My fans, I just wanna show them that love. So yeah when I come back, they really wanna hear me. It's still heated up for me. I gotta give them that love and eventually I'll branch out and start doing the movie thing.
BallerStatus.com: Speaking of Morris Chestnut, I know you and him recently did a play together titled "Love in the Nick of Tyme." How was that whole experience?
Avant: It was real fun man. It was me and Mo's first time doing a famous play. We had Ella English, who was on the Jamie Foxx show. She was well experienced on Broadway. We had another girl. I forgot her name, but she was on "American Idol." She did a couple of plays in the show too. It was a more like ... it was a little different. On the stage, you gotta be on top of your cue every second. It ain't like music where you could be like "Every time I see you, I just get a bad vibe" (singing), and then sing the rest of the record. On this you have to have to the same energy every time when you come out on the stage. It was more challenging, but at the same token it was fun. It really was. Being around Mo, the rest of the cast, getting to know and connect with more people, really was a good look. Would I do it again? I don't know because to me it's like being in a singing group. You have to have everybody on the same page. Sometimes its gets a little hectic, and so I had fun doing it. I spent some good time doing that.
BallerStatus.com: Did you ever feel The Director album didn't necessarily get the attention it warranted in terms of sales?
Avant: You know what happened to the Director album to be all the way honest, is that it got caught up all the way in the shuffle because there was a lot going on at Geffen Records. That's why I felt it was time for me to get out the way because it was like I gave them a great album. At the same token, they were firing people and re-hiring. So the album didn't get the plug that it did deserve. So I was like "It's time for me to go." I'm glad I moved on because now I'm a Capitol Records. Capitol Records is good look over here. They understood my vision, and came hard with the first single "When It Hurts". I got many more. Hey if you think the last album was great, check out this one. It's 2008. It's a different look. A different sound. It's a different Avant, ya heard?
BallerStatus.com: With you opting to go to Capitol Records, after spending years at Geffen, was the transition process of switching labels smooth for you?
Avant: It was kind of smooth, but at the same time, you got to understand, I got 10 hits from those people. You had people saying "Wow, you gotta leave? Do you really gotta go?" So, a lot of people didn't want me to go, but I felt like it was my time, and I had to go. So the transition was smooth, in the sense of me needing to go, even though a lot of people wanted me to stay. Big ups to them over there. They're still working hard. Hopefully they could get themselves off the ground. I'm just happy to be over here. Capitol, they see exactly what's going on. They popped the first song off. It's doing well. You know, I got one hit with Capitol, now I'm looking for 19 more. (laughs)
BallerStatus.com: On the Director album, you featured Nicole from the Pussy Cat Dolls twice. Those records included the "Stick With U" record, and "Lie About Us". What was so unique about her being featured on the album twice?
Avant: Well what had happened was with that whole scenario was that "Lie About Us" was going to be on the album right? "Stick With U", they had their own version on their own album, but they wanted a remix. So, they called me in. I had my people vouch for me to get on the record. So I put my voice on the record, and everybody was telling me "Yo this record is hotter than the first one." I was like "We might as well just drop it on the album." So it was like one of those freak accidents that really just happened, but it's good that it did happen. It was a good duet. Everybody know. If it makes sense, then we could make it happen. I got a record right now that's out with Letoya Luckett. It got leaked some type of way. It was supposed to be on her album ... but I love the whole duet situation. After this album, me and my girl Keke Wyatt, we're going to do a duet album, period. I'm going to be doing cover, and also original songs. My focus right now is just giving people good music.
BallerStatus.com: A lot of these young cats are falling into the hype and are receiving contracts without understanding the essential behind the business. How important is to understand to understand the trades behind a contract, especially with you switching labels?
Avant: Well I would say it's very important to understand the business aspect of it, period. Also these cats gotta get in their heads that they're bigger than the music. That's the biggest problem I'm seeing now with everybody -- It's like "Dude, without the people you're nothing." You can't go south. You can't change it up, and do this, because you want to pull the people. You want to pull as many people as you can. You gotta stay consistent, because that's what they like. People are buying you because they like your music, not like you as a person. See what I'm saying? Just stick to what you do.
BallerStatus.com: You and Lloyd Banks had two records together. Those records were the "Exclusive" record on your album, and the remix to "Karma" on his. Possibility of seeing a best of both worlds album between you two?
Avant: Nah. To me hip-hop and R&B is two different worlds. It's ok to get a piece of it every now and then, but I don't think we should these two entities come together and then try to put everything into one perspective. That's what's happening right now. It's like you have two different whole genres of music that they're trying to put in one big pot, and say hip-hop is R&B. That's so unfair. That's so untrue. I don't think cats should do that. They should keep it tasteful because if you do too much of that, then what's gon' be so special about that?
BallerStatus.com: On your new album, you did the "Attention" record with Snoop. How was it to work with him?
Avant: It was beautiful. You talking about the Snoop D-O double G, ya heard? You know, for one you gotta have your conversation right before you could even get on the phone with him. You know, because you're going to hear a lot of "ya dig", and all type of Snoop philosophies. He's bringing the conversation, so you gotta make sure that you got your ghetto dictionary out or thesaurus or however you do it. Then you gotta make sure you could keep up in the conversation with Snoop.
BallerStatus.com: Not too long ago, you had a chance to be part of the super group TGT (Tyrese, Ginuwine, and Tank), but you turned it down, and apparently the group never came about anyway. Can you ever seeing yourself in a group, or do you feel solo is the way to go?
Avant: I think solo for me is the way to go because it's hard to basically be accountable for other people. Like if we have a wonderful record, and one person is sick and can't show up, who's going to do his part? Why ... When you're already successful doing your solo thing, that you wanna put that type of vibe up in your whole hook-up and shake things up that way.
BallerStatus.com: With a lot of the new cats catering to the younger generation in terms of the R&B game, being a veteran, what's your take on the new dudes coming up in the game?
Avant: I like what's going on because I feel like everybody has their own lane, feel me? Now I do have a problem with a new artist that's trying to get the big name rapper, and put them on their album. One, you're a new artist, don't nobody know you. That's not gonna help you. It could be a big hit. It could be out till the next year. But then, there going to say "Oh I want to hear the song that Lil Wayne is on." They don't know you. So you gotta watch how you do it. I think coming up in the game, people respected me, and understood what type of a person I was. So when I did the song with Lil Wayne, it was like "Oh it's Lil Wayne & Avant." Feel me? You have to make your name known first before you have Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kanyeeze or whoever because that's all they're going to know. All they're going to know is Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kanyeeze, because they're not going to know who you are. So you gotta make sure you're name is known first.
BallerStatus.com: Do you feel that way about any particular artist right now, in terms of piggybacking that hottest rapper?
Avant: I don't even focus in on who the next hot R&B artist is. I mean there's a lot of cats out there doing their thing. I don't believe in the whole beef thing. Like why is there beef in R&B when we sing to the ladies? I don't understand that. (Laughs) Like wow, that's so far out over my head. I'm just really trying to help them, and let them know that you should get all the shine that you can because you only get one opportunity really in the game to make yourself known. Don't hurt yourself, and have a hit record in, which nobody really knows you on.
BallerStatus.com: Is there anything else that irritates you in the R&B game?
Avant: Not necessarily. I mean we sing for the ladies. I don't got time for these brothers. If I took time to say "I don't like dude," or "he don't like me," how would that help me if I was trying to sell out a concert? It don't make sense to me.
BallerStatus.com: Let's say you have a lady at your house. What personal record of yours would pop in the CD player to set the mood for your lady?
Avant: Wow I can't even listen to my music man (laughs). If it was any record I had to listen to, it'd have to be (singing) "Don't Say No, Just Say Yes." Man no man wants to hear yourself when he's about to go down there (laughs). BallerStatus.com: Your album just dropped, why did you choose to come out in the fourth quarter when the competition is normally stiff?
Avant: Man when I got back in this game, I was about making game music. I didn't care who was going to be in the fourth quarter, and what was going down. It was all about me giving reality music. I feel like that's what they're missing right now. There missing that Luther Vandross (singing) "Don't You Remember You, Told Me You Love Me Baby," nah mean? All that. That's what I'm bringing to the table. So hey go pick up the album. I don't care about no fourth quarter. Man if you're talking basketball, that's when you win the game anyway. (laughs) The fourth quarter baby. Shoot or dribble. What you gonna do?
BallerStatus.com: In an interview you said you wasn't ready for a relationship. Do you feel the industry can't allow you to remain faithful when you are in a relationship?
Avant: I don't think it's the industry itself. I just think it's the nature of the beast. It's gonna be hard to stay faithful because you're out all the time. You're in front of your fans all the time. Not only that, but it's like you don't have time for your relationship. You don't because you're trying to cater to everybody else. So it would really be unfair for me to say "Baby sit down, and I'll be back. I gotta go to Japan for a couple of months, but I'll be back, so we could be cool." So it's really unfair that you're taking somebody else's quality time, when they could spend it with anybody else. Now some people are designed for that and are ready to make that happen. There's a lot of young ladies that say they are, but they're really not.
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