Dwele Gives You His “World” in New Album
MN: So is “Wants” more clubby?
Dwele: It’s more club, it’s some laid back, it’s more about the subject matter and the way I’m making the songs. It’s the way I’m making these songs.
And then you have the “World” section of the album which is a bit more political. I’ve been sitting on a few political driven songs for a minute, because I didn’t actually have that platform to do before…because it’s hard to do a political song in the middle of baby-making music. I think by making this contrast with the “World” section of the album it’s giving me a chance to get those songs out. I also talk a bit more about the state of the economy right now. And that’s a bit more soulful, more live instrumentation. I actually did my very first live band and I really enjoyed that.
And then you have the “Women” section is more of the baby-making music for the women. It’s very much for the women, uplifting them. And that’s where the single came from—“What’s Not to Love.”
MN: You said all your political tracks you wanted to do before. Are they all new or have you been holding onto any of them for a while?
Dwele: Two of them were previously recorded. One, I made last year. And there’s two I made specifically for the World section.
MN: Were you able to play instruments?
Dwele: Usually, all of my past albums, if you heard anything live it was probably me playing it. In the “World” section I wanted to feature other musicians. I haven’t really done that before, that section was all about that. I still produce the songs. I come up with a concept and they played it in the studio together. I like the way it came out. Even though I can play the instrument like the base guitar, the base is not my main craft. So if I send it to another base guitarist he can bring another element that I can’t and I think that was the case with all the musicians that I brought on. I think it’s dope.
MN: Creatively have you been able to expand with the live band?
Dwele: I think with the live band the song comes out a little bit more dynamic. If we’re thinking of just me producing the song, I have more control over everything. As oppose to dealing with the live band – I can’t tell a drummer to hit a stab here and hit a stab there. With a live band it’s more unplanned and organic.
MN: Any collabos?
Dwele: This time we collaborated with DJ Quik from the West. David Banner from the South. My home girl Monica Blaire, she’s ridiculous and out of Detroit. Slum Village again and Raheem Devaughn repping the East. So we’re covering all the bases with this one.
MN: How’s the track with Raheem?
Dwele: The Raheem song is a two-part track and the first part of it is actually gonna throw people. [Laugh] Because I’m doing something different. Also on the baby-making section of that song, I actually did pick up a talk box, you know the instrument that Zapp & Roger used to play back in the day. It’s not auto tune—it’s completely different from auto tune. You actually have to play the keyboard and mouth the notes. We got it in on that joint.. Rah definitely blessed the album.
MN: Other projects this year?
Dwele: The album is my main focus. I have a few things here and there I’m working on, but can’t speak on them prematurely. Just promoting the album, touring and we’re heading to South Africa soon. In early September.
