Feature
Jesse Boykins III: You May Rise
Following a phenomenal night at London’s Cargo, Jesse Boykins sat down with Blues & Soul's Richard Ashie in a coffee bar to give an insight into his world. The talented young New Yorker has a big smile, big hair, and a big heart, but what set him apart from the crop is his rich soulful voice.
Having sung in church, been in a boy band, studied with classical trainer Kamal Scott and mentored by neo-soul sensation Bilal, Jesse is the real-deal when it comes to soul artists. In 2008 Jesse released an EP entitled ‘Dopamine: My Life On My Back’, which became a viral sensation on the internet when he allowed people to download it for free from his website. Months later he released a full length album entitled ‘The Beauty Created’, which caused some controversy because of the title of one track. He’s a modern day band leader, he’s a ladies favourite, he’s known on every continent of the world, and he has big plans for his future. However what I wanted to know is, does he have secret fetishes? Is he the boss from hell? What does he really think about his UK fans? Read on to find out the answers to this, and the exclusive disclosure that had me stunned.
Welcome to London. Is this your first time in London?
It’s my first time in Europe period. It’s been a learning experience. I’m an observer so I like watching how people act in different environments, and this is definitely one of those places. It has a big city feel but it’s a little smaller, but there is definitely a good energy and vibe here.
How was your show last night?
It was amazing! There were a lot of women there, and I got more love than I expected. From the moment they introduced me women were screaming and stuff I really didn’t expect …
I would have expected nothing less
Really? I am glad.
You’re going to become one of those singers where you go to their concerts and women just ignore their guys and their eyes are glued to the stage
(Laughs) The energy was amazing, I couldn’t have asked for anything better for my first show in Europe; it was definitely a great experience. After the show I took photos, signed cds, gave autographs, and showed love. It was good to finally see the people that had been messaging and sending me facebook messages saying “Come to London! Come to London”.
How much do you feel the internet has helped you?
Oh the man the internet is an amazing tool when it comes to marketing music and not having a budget, and not having a label behind you, not having that machine to have your poster up on every wall on the street. The internet has definitely what has helped me in my career to help me stand out and have people from Russia contact me and say they love my music, and also in Australia, China and Japan. I am very appreciative.
The next album is out in September is it complete? Are you happy with it?
It’s at the last stage where I am listening to it before I finalise it. Most of it is done, most of the tracks and vocals are arranged. We are going into mixing in May, and release the first single in June. I don’t want to put it out and it not be the right time. There are a lot of things about this album that I really want the world to hear. The underground scene is cool and they say “yeah you get creative”, but I want to it be one of the things that you listen to right away and feel it.
What can we expect?
The song writing and production are like…. (smiles and sighs). I am working with a producer called Machine Drum, he usually does glitch, and dub effects; that’s the vibe that he does. We have been working on this project for a while, for like 8 or 9 months; that’s my homie man. The sounds that he chose to use and even the arrangements of the tracks inspired words out of me that I probably wouldn’t write if I was just writing it for my tracks for my production. That’s what I like about collaboration the feeding of energy back and forth, like waves. Its one of those albums where you will listen to the song over and over again; every song is its own song. Its definitely it’s a conceptual album; if I play you one song you’ll probably listen to the song for the next six months.
How did your music go down at the concert yesterday?
I didn’t perform any new music; I know my fanbase in UK love my previous albums and I wanted to see their reactions live. When I sang ‘Amorous’ they screamed, ‘Come Into My Room’ is a fan favourite, as is ‘Tabloids’ off my first album. I definitely wanted to see the energy and feel that back. It’s like when you listen to an album over and over again, and you imagine yourself at the show, you imagine seeing that person live and then finally you see them and you’re like “wow!”.
Have you fallen in love with any songs again when you perform it live, especially after you recorded, mixed it and listened to it so much, and after you’ve sung it so many times?
Well I perform with a live band so it’s never the same twice. My band is awesome; it’s like a concert in my ears [just] inspiring me. So if I hear anything with my band then I am going with it, like an energy thing or a moment thing. Like jazz standards are never the same twice; that’s how I see my live performances.
Talking about your band, you are the front guy so do you feel responsible for them on top of it being your name out there?
Of course, definitely. I see myself as a band leader, and I believe in band leaders. These days artists are getting bands out but they are not the band leaders, they don’t have anything to do with the band. For me when I am out on the road that’s my family; my band is definitely my family. We have been around and lived together for years, we went to college together, we went to class together, we cheated off each other on tests; we definitely looked out for each other. So I wouldn’t want to put them in a situation that I wouldn’t want to be put in myself. I would never ever take my band for granted. They make me better, they inspire me, as musicians they are awesome.
Do you have to crack the whip sometimes?
Of course I do, they test me. I feel like they can be a band of hippies, everything is free and easy, they’ll get to stuff when they get there, so sometimes I have to make that call and say “rehearsal started 30 minutes ago, where you at?” Like James Brown he was good at that…
Oh wait do you fine them if they are late?
No, no, no, none of that, I can’t do what James did. But he was with them all the time; he wasn’t like he was off doing something else he was with them. They would groove through him and he’d groove through them that’s the kind of energy I like to have with my band.
Pantyhose.
Yes, pantyhose.
What’s the weirdest question someone has asked you about pantyhose?
That song… I feel like…. (Chuckles) Man…. That topic is crazy to me; the song is not even about pantyhose, it’s about the woman wearing the pantyhose. Some people ask “Jesse do you have a panty hose fetish or something?” It’s about me acknowledging a woman for being sexy regardless of what she is wearing, and being a hard worker, that’s all the song is about. I mean yeah there are some people that say “urgh your song is about pantyhose ha, ha, ha, ha”. But the people who really listen to the lyrics and the message of the song know its showing appreciation to the working woman. When I perform it live I bring a woman on stage, and I seldomly do that, I don’t feel like I am that kinda artist, but I am trying to show the crowd what it’s about and to say thank you.
‘ITIS’; have you ever had “ITIS” or is it really just a ploy to make more women love you?
(Laughs hard) Oh man, ‘ITIS’ is… it is so funny how that song came about. You know how sometimes friends tell you to write a song about something, well this was one of those songs. Me and a good friend of mine were eating at a restaurant and he said “I got the ‘itis’” so he said “you should write a song about it ha ha ha” 2 or 3 days later there I was singing “give me the ITIS”. You know the song isn’t really about a woman. (Yes you heard it here first, I tried my best to keep my composure and not let my jaw drop). This is how I explain it; it’s a modern day Mary Jane song. (Stunned silence as the penny drops).
Ah-ha! Now that makes sense when I look at the video.
Even if you listen to the lyrics its there; “Ain't nothing in this world to help me find peace, and I know I can count on your for my creativity. There is something about you I cant quite put my finger on it, but I really like you and I’m never ever gonna quit”. Yeah definitely my tribute to Mary Jane... I don’t usually tell people about that in interviews, I usually just play it off and say “yeah its about what you think its about”
Before you leave here are three quick fire questions for you to answer.
Name your 3 buckwild songs for which you can’t get off the dance floor
(i)Prince- SexyMF: That’s my joint. I don’t go out a lot, but when I go out and I hear Prince I get super excited. (ii)Jay-Z: Girls, girls, girls: Yeah that’s my joint. I love to hear that, as I have flashbacks, that song came out when I was about 15 and I remember going to house parties and them playing that song. (iii)Santigold: Anything from her, I knows it every different. I like watching people in a club; they play something like Day 26 or anything pop then they just go left and play some Santigold or M.I.A. Yeah I like that, I like that moment.
If you there was anyone you could write for or perform with who would it be?
That’s funny because all the artists that I wanna work with don’t work with artists. Sade, I’d love to write a song with Sade, just sit a studio and watch her create. I just want to see what that’s like, because her music is so emotion evoking and its the simplest thing. I want to see how its starts and want her to say “sing this Jesse” and I’d say “yes ok”, I want that (laughs). Or maybe Prince, he’s someone I look up to. I have some of his demos from 1979 or 1980 and they are amazing. Or Bilal, he’s my voice trainer and my homie, and one of my mentors. To do a song with him would be amazing, I have never heard anyone do what he does with his voice at any time day like he does.
If we flash forward 5 years from now, you are on the cover of Billboard Magazine or Variety magazine, there’s a big headline about you, what would you want it to say?
“Jesse Boykins is a very timeless brand”. Yeah, that’s what I push for in my music, I try to make it relevant for every demographic. I want to be a Marvin Gaye, I want you to listen to the Dopamine album like people listen to the ‘I Want You’ album; I want to be one of those cats.
Anything you would like your UK fans and Blues & Soul fans to know?
Check out my music. My albums are on itunes, there are free downloads on my website www.jbiiimusic.com and my new album should be out in September. Shouts and love, peace and hollas!
Words Richard 'Ricardito' Ashie
