Sacred: Hey Guys! First let me just thank all of you for taking the time to have a little convo with me. It definitely is a pleasure to have 5 handsome men on the phone all at once. How are you guys feeling today?

Unique Image: Hey what’s up, good thanks and before we get started we always like to do this first one thing with any interview. We would all like to thank you Jenni, and 24 Hour Hip Hop for allowing us to have this outlet to reach out to people so you get to know more about Unique Image because we realize without this outlet or without people like ya’ll giving us this opportunity, we would not be. People wouldn’t know what we did or who we were, so we just had to put that out there and tell ya’ll thank you.

Sacred: Hey guys, thank you very much. On the behalf of 24 Hour Hip Hop and myself we say it’s actually our pleasure and our honor to get this opportunity to get to know Unique Image a little bit. We are very happy to be able to share with our readers a little inside scoop on such a new and talented group. So we thank you all.

UI: Thanks. We appreciate that.

Sacred: So Congratulations on the recording of the new album and the hit of Unique Image’s first single. There has been a lot of positive feedback swarming around about it. The song “Fresh Off The Lot” has a great vibe and is full of R&B soul. People are really diggin the sound. Must have you guys very excited?

Mic (Michael Welch): We take it as a blessing man. We look it as an opportunity for people to actually get to know us. This right here being our first impression, we really really appreciate the love that its been getting. I mean we get feedback all the time from the different places that people are picking up on the song. Like over in London and overseas. London and Belgium, over here in the states. Chicago. They are playing it a lot in California and back home Mississippi, New Orleans, Florida, and it’s just a wonderful feeling to know that our first impression, is a good one.

Sacred: Yea, the song really does have a great soulful vibe to it and just by doing some research on the fan response’s, the popularity is very high and positive. Now, this buzz has brought a lot of attention and interest towards the group. But you guys are not new to the music industry though. Its been said you gentlemen first met up and created the group “Unique Image” while attending The University of Southern Mississippi, is this true?

N.O. (Corey Norwood): Um no. I did, Mic did and Veedoe’s (Vince Heard) did. Frank (Frank Clark also known as Franky) didn’t. We met Frank later on. Frank was actually the only one who didn’t attend the university.

Sacred: Oh, I see. So, who was the first to initiate putting together Unique Image? Gathering the four of you together?

N.O.: Ah Mic was actually the first one. I had to beg Mic to be in the group five years ago but Mic was the first one to conjure up the idea that they really didn’t have any R&B groups in the area of the college and he thought we could capitalize on that void. So, he had the mastermind and kind of conjured up everything.

Sacred: Nice and what made you all decide to zone in on the R&B and Neo Soul? We’re you all feeling those types of vibes?

Veedoe: Yea, we decided to go with a real soulful R&B because we felt it was a lane that wasn’t being pimped at the time. So, we heard a lot people saying what happened to that soulful music from back in the day, so we are trying to bring that soulful R&B back.

Sacred: Definitely. R&B is all about the sensual side of music. Bringing out soulful artists such as Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Jodeci, Dru Hill and so much more. What groups did you all find yourselves listening and relating to?

Franky: More so like 112 and the band H-town, Jodeci and groups like that, that were real real hot. Those were really the hottest groups that we really paid attention to back in the day and got our flavor from.

Sacred: Yea, those groups were hot stuff. What other genre’s of music have had influences on Unique Image’s flavor?

Franky: We listen to a little reggae (happily laughing). Um, ya know gospel. Ya know we come from that root.

N.O.: I think really everything has had a small influence into the whole gumbo that we call Unique Image. I think hearing from pop music, to country music, to gospel, to the rhythms of reggae music…. ya know what I mean, the blues…all of that I think play factors and I think we can take parts from them. A lot of the rhythms from reggae and we like to take actual story telling like country singers do. If you listen to a lot of country music, it actually tells a story. We’ve been doing that. Ya know what I mean. We’ve been doing the whole…telling stories, letting people understand that we are just not singing about nuisance. You can listen to our music and be like ‘awww man, this tells a story’…you can visualize the whole video by just listening to the song and be like, ‘damn, this make sense’.

Sacred: Yes! I can’t tell you how excited I am to hear you say these things. This type of thoughtful creativity is exactly what should be included in the processes of making music. Its very refreshing N.O. to hear that Unique Image feels so strongly about the content in their music and the way people will portray it. That type of sincerity is what truly brings music to life.

Ok, so speaking of inspiration and creativity, where did the idea behind the groups name come from?

N.O.: Basically, to put it short and sweet, it’s four guys, from four different areas, four different backgrounds, with one agenda and one common goal.

Sacred: And of course the result of combining all that difference and talent would create Uniqueness. So Unique Image came together in 2002 right?

Mic: That is correct. We have been a group since 2002. Each one of us has had our individual start in music even before then but we came together as a group in 2002 and started Unique Image and have been going strong ever since then.

Sacred: And in 2007 you guys busted out and won BET’s 106th and Park’s Wild Out Wednesday and then took first in the championship. What was that like for you guys?

N.O.: That experience was phenomenal. We always like to thank Phat Charles the senior writer for BET for bringing us aboard man. That whole BET staff for showing us so much love was a great experience. Like I said, we were up and coming and known in the area where we were, but to be on a national level man, who could ask for something more than that? Dealing with the national exposure, there’s been a lot of different outlets, feeding us a lot of different people who recognized that we were coming back to bring the soul back to this game man. So it was a good look.

Sacred: Very exciting. Also you fellas performed on the infamous Apollo stage. What kind of feelings arouse there?

N.O.: That was another phenomenal experience. We didn’t win but the crowd, man the crowd went crazy. People stood up, clapped and had a good time. We didn’t get booed. We had a great time….that was an awesome experience.

Sacred: Performing in front of a big audience can be a hard challenge for a lot of people. Stage fear and so on. There can be a lot of pressure. Do you guys ever feel overwhelmed by the pressure to perform well?

Mic: I think Apollo was a much tougher stage to perform simply because you can feel the pressure because that was a show you know everybody use to watch back in the day and a lot of people still watch that show now and we also grew up watching Showtime at the Apollo. I mean to actually be on the flipside of the TV and to be on that stage looking out at the crowd was like tremendous. It was almost overwhelming at first but um, once we got onstage, we gathered our composure and everything and it was great. Normally onstage it’s actually quite normal to be onstage because that’s what we love to do.

Sacred: The label has really come a long way since its 1999 foundation. Levatte serving as the CEO and Plies demonstrating his rapping talents as well as bringing in tons of amazing artsists like Chris J. I’m sure it’s a real honor to have such strong support behind the group?

UI: We love our Record label. Them dudes believed in us. When we talked to them and with the plan that they had and the way they were going about it, them dudes are some real hard working thoroughbreds. Everybody over there at Bill Gates Records, we love that label. We really appreciate those guys over there. They are really ya know, God-fearing and humble, humble humble. They handle business and they do what they say they are going to do. They give us room to do us; they are not trying to change who we are.

Sacred: That is a great family to be part of. Now, with your new album “More Than Music” can fans expect your label mates like Plies and Chris J. to be featured on LP?

N.O.: We tell everybody, we are not going to let the cat out of the bag (teasing laugh), and we got a lot of surprises on the album. I guarantee your going to be enthused and your going to love this album “More Than Music”. I’m telling you we got some stuff on there that you’re really going to like.

Sacred: Yes, yes. We are all really excited about it. Do you guys have a release date yet?

Veedoe: Right now we do not have a specific release date, but we will keep you posted.

Sacred: How about plans for a music video?

Veedoe: We have plans coming up. Hopefully in June or July for our first video.

Sacred: “More Than Music” is a strong title for an album. It sounds like Unique Image means business with their music. Can you guys give us a little incentive on what fans should expect with this LP?

Veedoe: Basically we want the ladies to know its’ all about them and that they are important. We want to send out a positive vibe and send out an up-lifting message to women all over the world. To let them know that they can be themselves and do not need to act or be a certain way.

Sacred: Such a positive attitude from all you young men. Your fans, especially the ladies will appreciate that. How much participation did each of you par-take in writing for the album?

Mic: We write quite a bit of our music. When it’s all sad and done, we probably are going to write at least half of the album. Probably about 6 or 7 songs are going to be written by us, Unique Image. We are very much involved in our project. With the production as well as with the lyrics.

Sacred: This brings me to ask the question that a lot of curious female minds are wondering about. Are any of you in relationships?

N.O.: We are all single and ready to mingle.

Sacred: Hooray! (Laughing)

Ok, so what is Unique Image trying to bring to the music industry?

Franky: Well, Unique Image is trying to have longevity in the game. We just want to be true to ourselves. You know, make people love our music like how that was back in the day. We want to bring back the love to the new generation and be talked about like it was back then.

Sacred: That is exactly what the music industry is looking for. Groups like you and we look forward to your sound.

N.O.: It’s crazy because its like you have so many groups out there that… that have kind of fallen into that whole mold of ‘what’s happening right now or what’s hot right now?’ And they want to do exactly what that is, thinking that’s going to get them where they need to be and we’re deviating from that and really sticking to our roots. We are really coming hard with real singing and real soul and R&B. We are going to have choreography, but we are not going to be those dancing, dancing, dancing groups but we are going to get you busy and give you those butterflies and make you understand what we are talking about and really perform. We really perform! We love this music, that’s what we are bringing back, is just that singing. Getting down there and letting those vocals fly…acceplla running and getting it done.

Sacred: Well guys it’s been such a pleasure, hope to do another interview with all of you once the album is released.

N.O.: Yes of course. We don’t want you to be a stranger (Forest Gump accent) Jenni. But, also one thing we really want people to know is that we are approachable, so come chill, take a picture or sit down and eat a sandwich or something with us. We are the same old same old. We are not the types who are untouchable. We also really want to thank everyone over at 24 Hour Hip Hop and let you all know how much we appreciate you all. We really can’t stress this enough how much we appreciate the fact that you guys are allowing us to have this outlet to reach out to people and introduce ourselves. This means the world to us. We want to thank everyone over at our label, Big Gates, Plies, Chris J and our management. All our supporters’ man. Even everybody who hates us we thank them to death and tell them we love them because they keep us motivated. Everyone in our hometown. Everybody in the (504) and (601), we love you all for sticking by us and encouraging us to do our thing.

Sacred: Well I got to tell you guys I’m personally really hyped about “Unique Image” and really appreciate artists that are adding quality music to the R&B world. It’s been great talking to you gentlemen and we all anticipate the release of the new album “More Than Music”. I know a lot of fans are interested on getting in touch with the group as well as getting updated news, pictures and information on Unique Image. Where can you guys direct us to go to get news on the group?

N.O.: We definitely want people to go on Myspace at www.myspace.com/UIENT and www.myspace.com/BigGatesRecords and check us out. We’re going to be updating new music, tour dates, new pictures and everything else.