September 14, 2006 @ 3:27 pm

Sleepy Brown: Smooth Criminal

by: Mark Lelinwalla

Throughout the history of the genre, capable R&B artists have been able to guide couples to the bedroom with their intonation and direction. Soul crooner Sleepy Brown is one such artist. While most fans may have first seen him singing the hook to Big Boi’s smash single, “The Way You Move,” Brown has actually been a longtime staple to the music as one of the original members of the Organized Noize production trio. Right now, however, the focus is on his new album, Mr. Brown and crooning the way into womens’ hearts. Vibe.com sat down with Mr. Brown and learned first hand that his set is "Saturday cleaning music" that’s bound to get the ladies’ legs shaking. Vibe.com: Kanye released his Late Registration LP and he said “It’s Saturday morning house cleaning music.” Does Mr. Brown fit in that category. Sleepy Brown: That’s exactly what it is. It’s Saturday cleaning music. It’s card-playing cookouts, it’s ladies getting ready to go out to the club, brothers getting ready to go out to the club. This album reminds me of when I was little and I would come in from outside and find my momma cleaning up. She would be vacuuming and singing along to the music. It’s exactly what it is. As one third of Organized Noize you have been behind a lot of great records. Can you talk about which ones might have been the most memorable? right Sleepy Brown: "The Way You Move", "Waterfalls", TLC’s "Don’t Let Go" is off the Set It Off soundtrack, songs I did for Curtis Mayfield before he passed away. How was that experience? Sleepy Brown: I had a chance to work with him. He had heard about me and said he wanted to work with me and I thought that was incredible. He actually passed away on my son's 5th birthday. How was it doing "Margarita" with Skateboard P? Sleepy Brown: That song is so Miami and Pharrell blessed me with the record. He called me and said he got a fly ass record for me and I was like great. I heard it and I was like that’s the one and I want and he already had a hook on it. So, with him on the song, I just went and finished it. Then, Big Boi got on it and completed it. I’m just very, very happy with it. How about the rest of the album? What can we expect? Sleepy Brown: With this album, I did not want to take it to problems. I wanted it to be a celebration of love and being grown and having a good time. So, it’s feel-good records and it’s love records. It’s all kind of stuff, but it’s no hurt, or I hurt you. In an issue of VIBE, Cool & Dre mentioned how much they admire Organized Noize. How does that make you feel? Sleepy Brown: I read that in Vibe, where they said we were their favorite. That blew me away. So I’m hoping to work with Dre on the next album because working with Pharrell you know, empty pockets man! What artists out there haven’t you worked with that you'd really like to get a chance to work with? Sleepy Brown: I'd love to work with Lenny Kravitz. I would like to work with some of the new MC’s like Rick Ross. You know it would be so gangster. Plus, two brothers with the beards and bald heads! What do you think a collabo with Lenny would sound like? Sleepy Brown: That would be like the funkiest soul song or album ever. I always looked up to that brother, how he played and his melody. I think that would be a great, great collabo man. A matter of fact, if Lenny see’s this, let’s try to make this happen folk! Let’s talk about your record, "Till Your Legs Start Shaking". Tell me how you create the whole concept for it. Sleepy Brown: Well you know, dropping on them ladies, you know what I’m saying, make them ladies legs shake. So, I just had to go and put that out there like that. That’s all it was. It’s just, behind every song of the album is kind of what I been through. I like to have fun, but you know, appreciate women, love women and just tell them that they are loved and appreciated. I just want women to know that. We do love you. We might talk slick, but hey, it’s just out of love baby. That’s just what it is. Do you feel like when this album really hits people, that it’s going to fill a void in R&B? Is that your mission? Sleepy Brown: I would really love for it to do that. It just feels great because I mean, it’s something different. It’s not like your average R&B album right now. September 26 on Purple Ribbon Virgin Records. Ya’ll get ready for it because I’m ready. It’s so grown, it’s so sexy. Just vibe with me. Read more vibe.com online exclusives.

Article tags: Big Boi, Cool & Dre, Margarita, Organized Noize, Outkast, Sleepy Brown 

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