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Producer/Singer Ryan Leslie Talks About His Music

Earlier this year you finally released the album Ryan Leslie, how would you describe it?

Ryan Leslie: I describe the album as a collection of songs that make up the soundtrack for what I was going through at the time. To be very honest I felt like since I make music what I have to do is make the music which is the best soundtrack for what I'm going through so that everyone else that does something else for a living and has the same experiences can have a soundtrack for it. If I make a really good soundtrack to a break-up, hopefully those who don't do music can have it as their soundtrack and help them to get through it or just enjoy it, because sometimes you should enjoy the pain and just enjoy the experiences of living.

I've always wondered why artists self-title their albums. What was your reason?

Ryan Leslie: [Long pause] It is the first collection of music that was distributed by my record company, so I thought in doing I'll self-title the album so that I could give an introduction of Ryan Leslie to the world.

I've done many interviews with artists and many mention your name as either someone they respect or who they'd like to get into the studio with. But do you feel underrated to the mass music public.

Ryan Leslie: Erm, not at all. As you said, people who come across what I do and see the obvious passion that I have for it usually rate it very well. I would say underrated would mean an extraordinary athlete being told he won't go very far. I don't think I have that stigma or general impression of my rating per se. I don't think people say 'He isn't going to go far', they say 'he has an obvious passion and what he needs to do is create an advertisement - meaning song or record - that is going to expose his talent'. Once people get exposed to it they'll feel the way my current die-hard audience feels. I don't consider myself underrated, I feel it's more about exposure and more universal recognition, and I guess that's the goal for anyone who makes content.

People say contemporary R&B lacks soul and is more euro-dance/ pop-oriented. You've had to overcome not getting played and explored different avenues to get success. What's your take on that?

Ryan Leslie: I want to clarify because I don't think I was having trouble getting through per se, it was just about what was relevant to the television and radio audience at the time and I think maybe that's what you're referring to.

What's relevant to the radio and television audience is very much consumer-driven, so if the consumer demand is for light-hearted, less cerebral, fun, easily digestible music then that's what the media and record companies will promote - that's why they are in business. There was a time, and you can look back on that time - you know the golden age with like Motown - people always look on that and say that was the golden age but that's what the people wanted to hear and it was making a lot of money for record companies so of course it was promoted, given more support and encouraged.

Right now, especially with the music industry taking the hit it has taken in terms of sales, it just makes more sense for the record labels to invest in promoting what will be commercially successful. If that's more the dance/pop driven music then you know that's what the consumers demand and as a capitalist enterprise you have to supply the demand.

So what would you say you're bringing to the table?

Ryan Leslie: [Long pause] I'm bringing my A-game to the table, that's what I bring everyday. What does my A-game consist of? It consists of many things; entrepreneurially pushing the boundaries through social-media and its ability to be woven into an entrepreneurial venture, especially one that is music and content driven. And musically I bring to the table my years of consistent practice doing my best to express through music that which I experience in life.

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