24: Going into to making this album “Transition” did you want to pick up where left off with the last one or did you want to go in a different direction?
Ryan Leslie: I definitely picked up where I left left off. If you listened to the last album it’s a few tracks on their with some live instrumentation on records such as “Baby You Fly“, “Want To Be Good“, “Shouldn’t Have To Wait” so we carried on in that tradition using some of the new cats in my current band.
24: What made you go with “Transition” for the title of your album?
Ryan Leslie: As humans we all go experiences and grow. So as I was growing and on tour I wanted my music to change and grow as well so that’s one of the reasons I named it Transition.
24: You have a record on your new album called “I Choose You” which is one of my personal favorites so tell me how did that record come about?
Ryan Leslie: That record is a testament to that when you do choose that special someone you should let them know and let them know in a way which they can understand. That’s really the only way the other person can make a choice. Sometimes people want to make a decision but they are not sure how the other person is feeling so they might not say anything. I’m grown so I have no problem saying exactly how I feel. So just like I say in the song “Over My Pride even if you don’t choose me, I still choose you“. An that’s really where it came from and a lot of people have responded well to that song. I have got a lot of folks on Twitter telling me that the song will be their wedding song. So hopefully I’ll be getting booked to do a lot of weddings.
24: Will “I Choose You” become your next possible single?
Ryan Leslie: It’s possible but if you go through my entire album you can pick any record and call it a single, let me make that clear now. So anyone reading this interview you can pick any record on my album and make it a single but the bottom line is will it blow up. So if all of your readers decided to call up their local radio stations and request that record and say hey, I love this Ryan Leslie record. That’s the beauty of the time now. If you tell your friends and radio programmers by calling up the station. I’m no stranger to making my own videos so if I see it’s a huge demand for the record and it needs a visual than the video is on it’s way.
24: For the readers out that that have not ever picked up a Ryan Leslie album before what should they expect from this album Transition?
Ryan Leslie: I never ever answer that question, I just say you never bought a Ryan Leslie CD before cool. We are in a time where you can easily hear music and albums before buying it so go to www.rynaleslie.com or my Myspace page or Amazon and listen to the music it only takes a few minutes. An if your really lucky hit me on Twitter and I’ll give you some passes. Just hit me up and let me know that everyone has been telling you about my music but you yourself have not heard anything as yet and you’ll really like to come out to a show. You can come out to a show that I’m doing and you can witness exactly what I do up close and personal.
24: There’s not many producers/artist that have fans that stand by them no matter what and really show that support but it seems that you really have that type of following. It doesn’t matter if you have a new record out for if you just did a new video Blog and put it on Youtube your fan base supports you. An you make sure to show your appreciation every chance you get and never let them down with your finish product on both album or even if it’s records your producing for others so talk about that for a bit?
Ryan Leslie: Your entirely correct and I just want to say thank you. Thank you to everyone who supports me and thank you so everyone who watches my videos and share it with others. That’s one of the reasons why I do it. #1 I like to and I want to be the best that I can be. An #2 I do it because they are people who appreciate it and enjoy it and that inspires me to devote my time into it the way I do.
24: In our last interview together you mention Michael Jackson as one of your many inspirations so when he died how did you take it and huge much of a lost was that to the music world in your eyes?
Ryan Leslie: For me I don’t look at his death as a loss, I look at his life as a gift. I look at this contributions as a gift. I think if we all look at Michael Jackson passing in that light it gives us a lot more value in looking at the situation. His music gives us a standard of excellence in which we all should hear.
24: If you were set to be performing at this years “Grammy Awards” which is said to be one of Music’s biggest stage in some eyes but you could only perform one song off this new album “Transition” which would it be and why?
Ryan Leslie: I have really great arrangements of “All My Love” and the reason I would do that one is because that arrangement is a great representative of what my next album will sound like. I have been doing a lot of research and I realized that The Rolling Stones started out as a R&B Band. An so on my next on album I want to do an R&B album in the spirit that The Rolling Stones would do it. So if I had to perform at the Grammys I would definitely do “All My Love” and I think the fans would enjoy it and be excited for my next album which is entitled “Les Is More“.
24: On the production side who are some of the artist you have been working with and I got to know when is that collaboration “Diamonds & Maybachs” between you and Rick Ross is coming out, because I know you have mentioned that it might have been on your next album but it did not make it so will it be on Rick Ross next album?
Ryan Leslie: I strongly believed that it would make Rick Ross album but I would definitely put it on my next album. I actually held it so he could have the opportunity to place it on his album but it not like I said I will place it on my album. I’m working with Mary J Blidge, Jazmine Sulivan, Kid Cudi, Fabolous, etc. There’s a lot of folks that I missed their album because I put out two albums of my own so that took away a lot of my time.
24: A lot of your fans are of course Cassie fans as well so I’m sure they would like to know how she’s doing and when will her album be coming out?
Ryan Leslie: Cassie need up moving to Interscope and she has an album called “Electro Love” that she’s working on and she’s taking her time. I just spoke to her the other day and I’m like look whenever your ready, whenever your interested because she’s going in a different direction with her project that my studio is always available. An she responded pretty well to that. So we might be looking at a Ryan Leslie and Cassie collaboration for her next project.
24: I know your someone who knows a lot about hard work and good music so I wanted to know how do you feel about what Drake has been able to do so far in the music world before he even released his official album?
Ryan Leslie: I think what Drake is doing is great and I think what Drake is doing brings to light what a lot of young musicians is doing which is just working very hard and making a lot of music. But the difference is that I think Drake has been able to captivate the right people who can expose him. So with the Young Money crew when he makes a record that record goes straight to radio and people are now able to decide whether they like it and since he’s making good music people are loving it and that then feeds into the success that he’s been able to enjoy. I believe Drake like I said is an example of handwork and what I want to say to everyone out their is that they should realize it’s not just about that. I would argue to say many artist work just as hard as Drake but what they are missing is the exposure and Drake has been very fortunate and he’s been able to earn the respect and receive the exposure. I think that young people need to really understand is that even though you are making a lot of records and you work hard all of the time because I get my hands on a lot of demos etc but that music has to be exposed. An 9 times out 10 that exposure comes from a great record. So whether it’s Drake or Cudi you need a record that people will respond to and share with their friends. For Drake it was “Best I Ever Had” and with Cudi it was “Day & Night“. An I think that kids needs to understand that getting that record requires great perseverance and timing. With Soulja Boy that record “Crank That” just came out of nowhere and using Youtube and Myspace he was able to bring in a huge fan base.
24: Did you and Drake do a collaboration because I noticed that he was actually in the studio with you during the making of “Sunday Night“?
Ryan Leslie: What is interesting is that he actually wrote a verse which he end up using on Trey Songz record “Invented Sex” he wrote that in our session but I’m sure we’ll need up working again.
24: What should everyone be looking forward to from yourself and Next Selection?
Ryan Leslie: I would just say look forward to hearing some new music from Chris Ivory I have been working with him overseas in Japan and he’s in the developing stage so once that’s done expect a single and an album. Also Cassie album “Electro Love” and also a few visual projects I’m working on which involves music & fashion. Than of course my new album which is called “Les Is More“.
24: Before we get out of here is there any last words you want to leave with the readers?
Ryan Leslie: Well, I hope it’s not last words because I hope we can have a relationship where that when I’m doing something new you can have me back for another interview. So stay up with me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ryanleslie and www.ryanleslie.com.
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