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The
evolution of Lyfe Jennings was bound to happen. With his authentic, soulful
voice, innovative, creative style and undeniable talent, Lyfe is ready for a
Lyfe Change. He’s ready to establish an even deeper connection with his fans and
garner new ones. He has grown and his latest album proves it.
“The
album is called Lyfe Change because I’m changing it up a bit,” explains Lyfe.
“In the past I didn’t work with different producers, I produced and wrote most
of my albums by myself. But on this project I actually worked with different
producers and a few writers.”
The
11-track album, slated to be released late this year, features Snoop Dogg, Lil
Wayne, Wyclef Jean (who wrote “Wild, Wild, Wild”), and two of Lyfe’s protégés,
rapper Doc Black and singer Gritz. Producers include The Underdogs, Rich “Killa”
Keller and Jean. He decided to work with more people on this album to add a
diverse, eclectic spin to Lyfe Change. “Everybody has their own genre of music
and their own audience,” he expresses. “By working with different people,
naturally I am able to tap into those different genres and audiences.”
Lyfe, a
native of Toledo, Ohio, entered the music world in 2004 after the release of his
critically acclaimed, platinum debut Lyfe 268-192. Hailed as gritty and raw, the
album created devoted fans from everywhere. With its brutally honest lyrics,
Lyfe walked listeners down his rough, turbulent road, brilliantly giving them an
edgy autobiographical history lesson that made many able to relate to him. He
captured an even broader audience last year with his sophomore effort, The
Phoenix, which expanded on his story, taking listeners through different phases
of a man with new fame and money. The Phoenix featured the smash hit and
cautionary tale, “S-E-X,” and made him a household name.
But what
makes this album different from Lyfe 268-192 or The Phoenix is that Lyfe has
matured and he’s ready to take his life and music career in a different
direction. He also opted not to include his signature story interludes. “I
wanted people to just flow from song to song,” explains Jennings. On this album,
he’s looking forward to showing how he’s evolved. “People have become accustomed
to me singing about sad stuff. When they listen to my albums, usually they’re in
their car or they’re at home doing something,” he says. “But I added some up
tempo songs to this album, so some of them can be played in the clubs, some of
them are happy and funny, but there are some serious songs as well.” Lyfe admits
that he didn’t do a lot of planning for the album, which is definitely hard to
tell from its exquisitely written ballads, melodic beats and the remarkable vibe
of the entire album. “I wanted Lyfe Change to be a fly album. I just went in the
studio and just liked kicked it and came up with the songs.”
The first
single “Cops Up,” is a fast-paced love tale that’ll move any crowd. “My heart is
definitely with the ballads,” Lyfe confesses. “But you have to mix and match.
With ‘Cops Up’ the hook is great, the beat is great, and I think it’s a song
that these kids could get into. And I think it will allow me to expand my young
audience even more.”
“She’s The Ish,” is a fast-paced celebration of special confident women. It’s a
story told with a spirit of fun and reality delivered with sincerity. “My heart
is definitely with the ballads,” Lyfe confesses. “But you have to mix and match.
With ‘She’s The Ish’ the hook is great, the beat is great, and I think it’s a
song that's ageless And I think it will allow me to expand my young audience
more.”
On “It’s
Real,” and “Wild, Wild, Wild,” Lyfe masterfully discusses touchy subjects
affecting the community such as AIDS, with his classic straightforward style and
message-filled, reality-based lyrics. On “Midnight Train” and “Never, Never
Land,” Lyfe does what he does best—deliver rich, euphonic ballads, guaranteed to
tug at anyone’s heart strings.
In the
midst of it all, Lyfe is enjoying his successful career, but handling it smartly
and professionally. He has added businessman to his singer/songwriter/producer
resume, becoming CEO of his own label, Jesus Swings, with a deal through
Universal and Motown Records. The musical virtuoso is looking forward to wearing
many hats. “I don’t really do the celebrity thing, you know, hanging at industry
parties. I got two sons and during my free time I try to be with those boys,”
says the devoted father of sons, Phoenix and Elijah.
But if Lyfe could change one thing, it would be the way some people still react
to him. “Sometimes people know about my background and about the trouble I was
in, so they’re intimidated by me,” he points out. “When I have a conversation
with them, they’re trying to match the persona of who they think I’m supposed to
be—this tough guy who did all this time in prison,” he says. “They say things
like, ‘Yeah, I’m a hood dude too.’ And that immediately kills the mood and
alters the relationships that I could have had with these people. I’m a regular
person who likes to play basketball, go to clubs with my guys, play with my kids
and work. I’m not an institutionalized thug.”
Lyfe is ready to move on and focus on the future. The world is about to meet the
grown, fun, sexy Lyfe. He's anxious to expand internationally with his new
album, new label and artists, as well as upcoming movies and soundtracks on the
horizon, maybe even a rap career (“Before being a singer or anything else, I’m a
lyricist and rapping is a lyrical game”), Lyfe is cleverly reinventing himself.
“I’m just trying to do something classic,” he says, “something that can be
remade in 20 years.” And so the evolution of Lyfe begins.
Bio courtesy of
ThinkTank Marketing |
