Raphael Saadiq
a.k.a.
Raphael Wiggins
A SINGULAR SOUL After Tony! Toni! Toné! and Lucy Pearl, Raphael Saadiq Finally Goes It Alone
He got his start with the late-'80s funk-soul trio Tony! Toni! Toné! and founded the R&B supergroup Lucy Pearl, which also included En Vogue's Dawn Robinson and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest. But Raphael Saadiq, the multi-instrumentalist and producer who crafted contemporary soul classics for the Isley Brothers, D'Angelo, Bilal, and Angie Stone, has finally come into his own with Instant Vintage. The gospel-inspired, funk-pumped disc is a clear vision of soul, Saadiq-style, with classic-sounding melodies filtered through contemporary studio savvy. Prior to the disc's release, Saadiq spoke candidly with Barnes & Noble.com's R&B/Hip-Hop Editor Tracy E. Hopkins about the Lucy Pearl breakup, the future of the Tonys, his self-described gospel-delic sound, and more.
Barnes & Noble.com: You've been in a couple groups, but did you always want to do a solo album?
Raphael Saadiq: I think so. It just takes a lot of time to figure out if you want to do it. I was working on other projects and preoccupied with other things that were important at the time. And when you have other things that occupy you, you can kind of float without doing it.
B&N.com: What's different about your music as a solo artist?
RS: It's more of my experience -- the real me. During the thought process [of making the album], I didn't have to think about anyone else. I just focused on what I wanted to do. So that makes the music different.
B&N.com: You describe your sound as gospel-delic. What's the difference between your sound and neo-soul?
RS: Gospel-delic is funkier than neo-soul. It's more soulful than neo-soul. It's more commercial than neo-soul.
B&N.com: Sometimes being labeled "commercial" is equated with selling out. Are you comfortable with that?
RS: The word commercial doesn't bother me. Commercial to me is whatever you like. I might not go out and make a straight booty song and some label may not be happy about that. But to other people, me playing a conga and a harp is commercial. So I don't mean commercial in the sense of selling out. I just mean that people will like it.
B&N.com: Are there any other artists whose music you would describe as gospel-delic?
RS: I carved this sound out for myself, but there are other artists who are also gospel-delic. D'Angelo is one. [long pause] Wow, it's really scarce. [laughs]
B&N.com: Have you heard Cee-Lo Green's solo album? He has kind of a gospel-delic vibe.
RS: I haven't heard the whole thing. But yeah, Cee-Lo could definitely fit. But I don't want to brand anyone with a label they don't want.
B&N.com: What's the significance of the title Instant Vintage?
RS: It's sort of a contradiction, but it talks about vinyl. You know how people collect vinyl? When a DJ goes to a store to buy music for the week, once they find a Donell Jones or a Timbaland record or my record or OutKast or anything on vinyl, the second they get it it's vintage to them. They treat it like it's been out for 40 years or something. So that's how I came up with the term "instant vintage."
B&N.com: Could it also mean that years from now you hope that your record will be considered a classic?
RS: No, I'm saying I know it [will be]. What I'm saying is that it doesn't matter about the success of the record. It's about that you put a lot of work into it and somebody is going to appreciate it for what it is -- now and later on.
B&N.com: What happened with Lucy Pearl? First Dawn Robinson left and Joi came in, but then the group disbanded.
RS: Ummm, it just wasn't a good thing from the beginning. Early on, when I would hear comments... Ali would be a gentleman and say "no comment" most of the time, but Dawn would keep up the press and be messy just to keep something going. But I don't really want to keep anything going 'cause it's about the future.
B&N.com: Are you pleased with the music Lucy Pearl made together?
RS: Oh, I love it. You know, music's my thing. But I have to let the business side catch up with the music. Once that happens, I'm great. But one can't be lacking [laughs].
B&N.com: Will there ever be a Tony! Toni! Toné! reunion?
RS: I hope so, but I doubt it.
B&N.com: Is there a song you've written for someone else that you wish you had recorded yourself?
RS: A song I did for Total called "Do You Think About Us?" I like that song a lot, but I can always play it. The satisfaction for me is actually playing songs. So if you ever want to go back and play one of your songs, you get the same satisfaction just to play it for people.
B&N.com: Who are some of your biggest musical influences as a singer and a musician?
RS: As a singer, Stevie [Wonder]. As a musician, Sly [Stone], Prince, Shuggie Otis, and T-Bone Walker.
B&N.com: Throughout Instant Vintage, especially on "Say My Name," you can hear the influences of artists like Sly Stone and Curtis Mayfield. Did you listen to a lot of classic soul while making the album?
RS: Nah, I really don't have to listen anymore. I don't want to sound like this old-soul, but you hear those records in the house with your uncles and that kind of stuff just leans on you a little bit. You can't really forget it. But then there are records I produce for other artists who aren't really into that [sound], and I know how not to do it also. But for me, it's like playing Play Station. When you get by yourself, you can play the games you want to play. Timbaland is one of my favorite producers -- Battle Cat and Organized Noize, too. The Big Tymers are one of my favorite groups, since they first came out. I was like, they are going to blow up. So I have that commercial ear, but on my own time I like to venture out. Why not? If you can run fast, why not get on the track and run? A lot of people who play music are so deep into it that they don't know how to make a record that sells. So I'm blessed that I can make records that people like and still play what I want to.
B&N.com: What are some of your favorite recent records?
RS: [asks someone in the background, What's some of the best records I've heard this year?] Wow, we're all looking around. Jay-Z's MTV Unplugged, Nas's Stillmatic, and Hi-Tek's Hi-Teknology.
B&N.com: Do you listen to more hip-hop than R&B?
RS: Yeah, easily. It's more real.
B&N.com: I like the song "Faithful" on Instant Vintage. What inspired that song?
RS: It's just one of those fun type of songs. Why do you like "Faithful?" [laughs] Now I'm interviewing you.
B&N.com: It takes the opposite stance of a lot of the "baby I cheated but I'm sorry" songs out there. You're singing about making a commitment.
RS: Right. You think people will go for that, or will they think I'm bullshittin'?
B&N.com: Either way, I think the ladies will appreciate it. What's next for you?
RS: I think [getting better at] the business side and developing and producing groups for my label. I think that's going to be the beginning of it, and a lot of stuff will start coming my way after that. Hopefully something different than what everybody does. I don't know exactly what that is, but I can feel it coming.
June, 2002
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