December 07, 2006 @ 10:50 am
Deemi
Twenty-seven years ago, just moments after her complicated birth, she stopped breathing. Her grandmother, a devout santera, called upon the protective African warrior spirit Tahu to revive the newborn.
Named Tahu Aponte, the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter has since internalized that will to survive. Deemi grew up on her mother’s welfare checks, but at 7, she found a ticket out of her ’hood when a rendition of Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All” won her first place at a community talent show. Deemi was eventually admitted to Manhattan’s Talent Unlimited High School, where she studied music and sang in the concert chorus. “When I got there, they were singing classical music,” Deemi says with a chuckle. “Me and my friend looked at each other like, ‘What we done got ourselves into?’”
Deemi’s singing aspirations were put on hold when, at 19, she gave birth to her son, Nathan, now 8. Her daughter, Felicity, 7, was born a year later. The pressures of being a poor, young mother were compounded by an abusive five-year relationship with her kids’ father, a round-the-way hustler known as Butta. In 2000, at 21, she finally left him (Butta was killed in Virginia in January 2004) and decided, she says, to take charge of her life. After a brief stint with the unsigned girl group DNA, she met Waynne “Bruce Waynne” Nugent, one-half of production crew Midi Mafia (50 Cent’s 2003 hit “21 Questions”), who signed her to their Atlantic Records–distributed imprint, Family Ties Entertainment.
Already, her painfully honest piano-led ballad “Soundtrack of My Life,” from her forthcoming debut of the same title, is in heavy rotation at New York’s Hot 97 (WQHT-FM) and was featured in the compilation album Wendy Williams Brings the Heat Vol. 1 (Noo Trybe, 2005) as well as on buzz-heavy mixtapes like DJ Scope & DJ Biz’s R&B Overdrive and DJ Finesse & DJ Envy’s RNB Heat Wave 2k6 Part 2. The single finds Deemi revisiting her real-life wounds—from having no one to help babysit while she went to the studio to watching her baby daddy beat her mom with a metal dustpan.
Through her intimate lyrics and hard-hitting vocals, Deemi recalls a young Mary J. Blige and seems to be striking a chord with wronged women everywhere. “You know how you have groups for domestic violence survivors?” Deemi asks. “It’s like I got a big ass support group all over the world.”
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Article tags: Deemi, Mary J. Blige, Soundtrack Of My Life
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Previous: SantogoldPage printed from:
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Comments
1.
THEHERO says:
view profile
Da Backwudz are now..
LABRATZ!!
Former Rowdy Records act Da Backwudz, have left Dallas Austin’s camp to form the four man super group LABRATZ , and are set to release their first project on upstart label Royal Family Music. The former Rowdy signees site business and creative differences for their departure and were eager to find some like minds to spread their creative wings. They found that with long time Decatur homeboys and collaborators Heavy Slim and G-Wiz. The final piece to the puzzle appeared upon meeting super producer Sol Messiah (Chamillionaire, David Banner) who is also the co-founder of Royal Family Music. LABRATZ and Sol Messiah got right to work on the soon to be classic ATLANTIS RISING . The project has two guest appearances featuring Dead Prez and Nappy Roots. The rest of the album is an exclusive collaboration between LABRATZ and Sol Messiah. LABRATZ have the southern artistic stylings of an Outkast, along with a musical and lyrical assault likened to Wu Tang Clan. Still, LABRATZ has a style all of its own and they are destined to start a movement. Limited edition cds have hit the streets and select tracks have started an internet buzz. If you want to find out more about LABRATZ, check out www.myspace.com/thelabratzmusic and send all messages to thelabratz@gmail.com .
LABRATZ members are:
Big Marc (aka Leon Rothstein)
Sho Nuff (aka Marty McFly)
Heavy Slim
G-Wiz
*Sol Messiah (honorary member)
December 16, 2007 at 5:49 pm
2.
HENNY BREWER says:
WHEN I FIRST SAW THE VIDEO SOUNDTRACK OF MY LIFE, I WAS AT THE STAGE OF GIVING UP AND LEAVING THIS WORLD..HOWEVER AFTER LISTENING TO HER AND SHEDDING TEARS WITH HER ABOUT HER LIFE AND MINES..I DECIDED TO GIVE LIFE ONE MORE CHANCE..GOD BLESS YOU DEEMI..AND I KNOW I CAN MAKE IT JUST AS YOU WILL...MUAH
November 11, 2007 at 9:50 am
3.
Tonja says:
Deemi,
All I can do is applaud you.
Girl, SoundTrack of My Life is playing all day. I play it when I am getting ready for work, on the way to work,at work and on the way home. The whole song touched my heart. You are going places and let no on steal your joy. God gave you a blessing and use it. Hope your kids and mother are well.
The first time I heard the song, I clapped so hard my hands were hurting. You have a fan in me
September 26, 2007 at 11:09 am
4.
LoLiN says:
Deemi is my cousin. I am very proud of her and I hope she'll see the day when she's as big as MJB b/c she surely deserves it. Love Ya Girl!!!
July 31, 2007 at 9:14 pm
5.
erica t. 26 says:
Something about Deemi caught my eye when I first saw her in VIBE. When I finally realized that I'd heard her "Soundtrack of My Life" I was like " oh thats who that is". She is amazing, I can relate to her on so many levels. She is a true talent and I wish her the best in venture. I am a true hip-hop and r&b fan ( as well as other genres).
She deserves any shine coming her way. God Bless
Erica, 26
Hartford, CT
July 18, 2007 at 8:48 pm
6.
naresh says:
i want sex
July 14, 2007 at 5:45 am
7.
marlena says:
Hola, I just wanted to say that I love Deemi!!! My roommate and I have every song! We cant wait to see more of her!
July 6, 2007 at 8:50 pm
8.
alexa says:
deemi is an admiral inspiration. and she sings complete honesty throughout her song. i love this song with a passion and look forward to hearing more because a lot of women could relate to the obstacles she encounters.
June 27, 2007 at 11:49 am
9.
Nyema says:
Deemi is an big inspiration to a lot of young females who has and are still going threw the struggle everyday.Threw her songwriting her voice alone will make a person like me stronger because its the truth about what a lot of women are going threw in this world today.I thank her for her truth and her songs it helps me keep my head up at all times. Thank you so much
June 19, 2007 at 4:00 pm
10.
jasmine says:
deemi, girl keep doing what you do. i love ya music.
June 7, 2007 at 4:22 pm
11.
Carline Aponte says:
Deemi, all the Blessings you!! I knew you would make it! God Bless...
May 30, 2007 at 1:39 pm
12.
Connie Star says:
I'm so glad to hear someone make some real music. I'm definietly feeling soundtrack of my life and I can relate to Deemi's music. She's a star in the making and she gon hold it down for the hood.
May 5, 2007 at 7:14 pm
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April 3, 2007 at 9:16 am
14.
FARES says:
slt
March 24, 2007 at 5:06 am
15.
january says:
Hi Deemi,
Oh my God you made it Mommie.Im so happy for you, I remeber i met you and Anita and your other friend in a nail shop in VA and we didnt know each other at all but we just clicked and partied that night. Im glad to see all this success for ya and God Bless.
March 23, 2007 at 2:08 pm
16.
Sheila says:
Deemi had "soundtrack of my life" since 2003....oh my...well im jus glad its out for the world to hear!
March 10, 2007 at 5:17 am
17.
Sheila says:
I think her sounds like Shareefa cept a whole lot stronger, with soulful lyrics like mary j.blige...i enjoy her music and am glad she is livin a better life for herself n family!i blame MN for not bein up to date on new up n comin national artists cuz i didn't know this songs been out since last year! I'll be lookin for a cd!
March 10, 2007 at 5:15 am
18.
Kendall says:
weLL Deemi iZ a greaT Artist..& Mi UnclE BrucE Wayne"Nugent" iZ Livin hiS dream so0o keeP doIn yaLL thing MAfiA !!!!
February 18, 2007 at 2:19 pm
19.
Ra says:
Honestly,
I heard this track in 2003 in my friends basement(Don't worry he works for a label) And was totaly taken back. I love it!!!
Hope that life has allowed you to let go and move on to bigger and better things.
Congrats!! great track. great voice. Glad it finally made it!!!
January 12, 2007 at 12:51 pm
20.
vempi says:
you my sezy baby.sex-sex-sex...
January 5, 2007 at 4:27 pm
21.
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January 5, 2007 at 7:00 am
22.
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hi
my name martin
how r u .............DEEMI ,i like u image i well met u when many image u send i send my ferind all so my like u
December 31, 2006 at 7:33 am
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December 10, 2006 at 2:31 pm
24.
jessica says:
this is my auntie and she has been through hell its good to see she finally liven her dream i love you titi deemi
December 9, 2006 at 9:51 am