March 05, 2004 @ 6:37 pm

Interview: Avant - Third Time's A Charm

by: Mariel Concepcion

One minute you profess your love, the next you propose marriage. Then, you separate… But, you still know that if you had a choice, you’d definitely do it all over again — exactly the same way. Okay, so you don’t literally do it, but you certainly feel

VIBE Online writer, Mariel Concepcion, had a one-on-one rap session with the endowed artist. They talked about his latest production, Private Room, women, and his opinion on the current upsurge of black male superstars and sexual assault. This is what Avant had to sayÂ… VIBE Online: You primarily wrote and produced Private Room yourself, tell me about the album and what makes it different from the rest. Avant: Basically what I tried to do is, I tried to make it more private. The first two albums didn't get the publicity I really wanted them to get, even though they were very successful. They both went platinum. With Private Room, I tried to be more personal with my fans, 'cause I feel like they didn't know me. I tried to sit down and think out every song, and make it so that when the ladies are listening to it, they feel like I'm in their living room, bathroom, or kitchen. Wherever they are, I'm right there next to them. VIBE Online: How do you feel about your fans' embracement of this album? Avant: I really love it. I get a lot of people coming up to me saying, "Yo, this is your best work so far," and it's just my third album. With every album I try to out beat the last one. I think that I've shown progress, and I've grown as a person. I've experienced more scenarios to talk about. You have to have fun with music, but, at the same time, treasure it as one of your first loves. I think they can feel that in this third album. VIBE Online: Who do you think your fans are? Avant: I think it's universal. Men and women. I try to make songs that mean something to people, that will stick with them 'til the time that they pass even. I think in doing that, you really can't say who's listening to it. It's more about a period in your life, and what you're going through, and that's the type of music I like to make. VIBE Online: Just the other night a male friend told me that he was in his SUV with a group of his friends, and they were blasting "Read Your Mind," while they all sang along. I thought it was kind of sweet and funny at the same time. Avant: That's love. I get a lot of that in concerts, too. It's more like, "Yo, man, you helped me out in my situation," from guys as well as girls. I like to deal with reality music. You can't put a sex on that. It's just what life is all about, feel me? VIBE Online: How do you feel about being compared to R. Kelly? Avant: Being compared to R. Kelly is a compliment in itself. He's been in the game for about twelve years. He is Mr. R&B. To be in the game, and to be named in the same sentence as that man is truly a privilege. I respect the game, but I'm also looking forward to stretching out, and letting people know who I am as an artist as well. VIBE Online: What's your opinion on black male stars and sexual assault? Avant: Well, it's hard for me to say. I don't really like to stress my opinion 'cause it doesn't really matter to anyone. But, I know as a man, and as a human being, we all make mistakes. That's where I would leave that. VIBE Online: You're in Barbershop 2. Is there a possibility of crossover for you? Avant: Anything is possible. Am I trying to force myself over? No. I'm just trying to give people what they love from me so that people can say, he didn't change, it just happened for him. I want to give people great music to listen to, and if the people respect it on the other side, I love them for it. VIBE Online: What do you think of the direction hip hop is going in now? Avant: We've seen the likes of the great Jay Z, Biggie, Tupac. It's going to take its downturns and transitions, because everything does. But, I think it's very promising right now. It had a big run. I don't think it'll ever fade away. VIBE Online: What kind of women does Avant like? Avant: There has to be something else other than your beauty that will attract me to you, or keep me there. You have to be intellectual, and it's gotta' sit right. You can be that perfect 10, but, mentally, you're not there; you feel what I'm saying. That's not very intriguing to me. But you could be a seven-and-a-half, and have ambitions and goals, and you know what you want to be in life. That makes you more than a 10. That's what I look for in a woman. VIBE Online: Who or what inspires you? Avant: I would have to say likes of the great Barry White, Ron Isley, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, the OJay'sÂ… The guys that did songs with all their souls. When you listen to those guys, no matter how old or how young you are, it's like you can fall right into that timeframe they created. VIBE Online: Whom do you consider your peers? Who do you consider to be parallel to you as far as music goes? Avant: I think you have a lot of them. You got Tank. You got Joe. You got Kelly. You got Jaheim. You got Musiq. Those are my peers. You have Alicia Keys, you have Jill Scott, Angie Stone. Those are my peers. They are, or we are, I should say, the people that are going to hold up R&B. I can only speak for myself when I say I try to give them a taste of new school and old school, just to let them know there are roots. Ginuwine, Jagged Edge, Joe, and Avant are about to go on the - Ladies Night Tour - enter the sweepstakes to win a 15gb iPod and music from these artists. Click here to enter. Check out the new Avant video for "Don't Take Your Love Away"

Article tags: Interview, Avant, Third, Time's, Charm 

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