|
Hit 'em Up Style (Oops!) Background: "I tell the truth about love. While I don't sugar-coat things, I'm also known for my sense of humor. Through my music, I bring a sense of light to dark subjects, especially in relationships. This album could have been a bunch of dark, vindictive songs. Instead, I wanted to give you real emotions with a sense of fun. I hope the fans enjoy the aural experience as much as I enjoyed creating it." Blu Cantrell. Grammy-nominated R&B and soul singer-songwriter Blu Cantrell, who has a four octave voice, starting out as a background vocal for such artists as Gerald Levert, Truth Hurts, Faith Evans, Puff Daddy, and Aaron Hall before went to fame in her own right with the release of the hit single "Hit 'em Up Style (Oops!)," from her debut album "So Blu" (2001). She later released two more singles, "Breathe" (featuring Sean Paul) and "Make Me Wanna Scream" (featuring Ian Lewis), from her second album "Bittersweet" (2003). Cantrell's other releases are "From L.A. to L.O." (2004; mixtape) and "Hit 'em Up Style: Chart and Club Hits of Blu Cantrell" (2005; unofficial release). The 5' 7'' half African-American and half Caucasian also appeared in the musical romantic comedy movie directed by Charles Stone III, "Drumline" (2002), starring Nick Cannon and Zoë Saldaña. Additionally, she has hosted a lot of fashion shows from Los Angeles to New York City and Atlanta and had posed nude for Black Tail magazine, Stuff Magazine and Playboy. "I have posed nude in the past and I will in the future, I'm not making porn, porn is when you do a video of sex. Posing nude is not making porn." Blu Cantrell.
So Blu
Childhood and Family: In Providence, Rhode Island, Tiffany Cobb, who would later be famous as Blu Cantrell, was born on October 1, 1976. Her mother is an Italian-American jazz singer, who used to take her from one jazz performance to another, while her father is an African-American NBA player. She has five siblings.
Bittersweet
Career: "I was standing in the lobby, waiting to go see my sister in the hospital, when someone came to speak to me. And they used a pickup line -- 'You look like a singer' -- they didn't even know that I could sing or anything. They heard me sing and then I got signed." Blu Cantrell. Daughter to a jazz singer mother, Blu Cantrell decided to follow her mother's footsteps and began auditioning for vocal gigs and displaying her dynamic alto at talent shows. In early 2000, she went to Atlanta and played her demo tape for A&R executive Tab and producer C. Stewart (aka Tricky) of RedZone Entertainment. They were so impressed by her voice and immediately provided studio work to the aspiring singer. She soon found herself singing backgrounds for such artists as Gerald Levert, Truth Hurts, Faith Evans, Puff Daddy, and Aaron Hall. Meanwhile, Cantrell began recording tracks for what would ultimately become her first full-length album and the producers promptly placed her to Antonio "L.A." Reid, the CEO and president of Arista Records who, after hearing the cut "Till I'm Gone," offered her a recording deal with his label Arista Records. She then went on to record sessions with Dallas Austin and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Cantrell recalled, "Tricky called L.A. [Reid] and told him that he had something for him to hear. Three days later, L.A. flew to Atlanta from New York with his entire A&R staff to meet me. We all went into this tiny studio and he asked me to sing 'Til' I'm Gone'-a song that I had recorded with Tricky-on the spot and acapella. Something just took over me: I had my foot up off the floor, like I was in church, and I just started singing and pointing at him. At the end of my performance, L.A. asked me to sign, and I've been with Arista ever since." "So Blu," Cantrell's debut album, was released on July 31, 2001. Primarily produced by Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, with additional production from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Jason Rome and Dallas Austin, the album reached #8 on the U.S. Billboard 200 charts and #5 on the U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It spawned the #2 hit "Hit 'em Up Style (Oops!)," whose lyrics, as a result of Cantrell's own experience entangling in a number of ill-fated relationships, propose that ladies should take revenge on cheating spouses. It earned Cantrell Grammy nominations for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. "I think you can feel the pain I've experienced in my music. It's something that a lot of people can relate to." Blu Cantrell. Meanwhile, in 2002, Cantrell played a National Anthem Singer in the musical romantic comedy movie directed by Charles Stone III, "Drumline." It also stars Nick Cannon, Zoë Saldaña, and Orlando Jones. "My new album is another chapter of my life; I'm getting a little further from the pain and closer to real love. That's why I titled it 'Bittersweet,' because I'm still bitter about some past relationships, but I've also experienced the sweetness of love." Blu Cantrell. Cantrell subsequently returned to the recording studio and released second album, "Bittersweet," on June 23, 2003. Climbing at #37 on the U.S. Billboard 200 charts, the album earned Cantrell another Grammy nomination, this time for Best R&B Album. It yielded the international hit lead single "Breathe," a remix version featuring Sean Paul. The song debuted at the #1 spot in the UK Official Download Chart and topped the chart for 4 weeks in August 2003. About "Breathe," Cantrell confessed, "That song is a snapshot of a recent relationship. Sometimes you just have to step back and give each other space... Singing about relationships is almost like therapy for me. It helps me stay focused and not allow outside influences to make me lose sight of what I'm trying to do." The second and last single of the album, "Make Me Wanna Scream," featuring reggae artist Ian Lewis from the group "Inner Circle," was not as successful as the lead single "Breathe," but still managed to chart in the Austria, Germany, Ireland, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. The album also consists of a single by rapper Lady May with Cantrell as a guest vocal, "Round Up," which is not featured on the US version of "Bittersweet" album. "I knew the first time I heard Blu sing that she was special. It's incredible to see her growth from 'So Blu' to 'Bittersweet.' She's definitely revealing more of her inner talent and artistry this time around." Antonio "LA" Reid President and CEO of Arista. Cantrell has an unreleased mixtape called "From L.A. to L.O.," which originally meant to be released as her third studio album in 2004. She also has an unofficial release called "Hit 'em Up Style: Chart and Club Hits of Blu Cantrell," a compilation/remix album released on July 26, 2005. It contains songs from the former two albums, including the huge hits "Hit 'em Up Style (Oops!)" and "Breathe," which features Sean Paul, as well as three new remixes. "I really liked working with Sean Paul; he is a very attractive guy, very hot. He was fun; the chemistry was really great, it was great to be in the moment." Blu Cantrell. While working on her forthcoming album, Cantrell will headline a play called “Gossip, Lies & Secrets,” on September 29, 2008, which will tour in fifteen cities. She will also appear in NBC's “Celebrity Circus,” whose first episode will air with a ninety-minute kick-off special on June 11, 2008. Cantrell, who is referenced in the song "Make 'Em Mad" by B.G. and the Chopper City Boyz, has hosted a lot of fashion shows from Los Angeles to New York City and Atlanta. She also had posed nude for Black Tail magazine, Stuff Magazine and Playboy. "You know, I do not think it is necessarily looks, I do not think I am the prettiest girl... Everyone has something that is their asset, some have the hair, some have the cheekbones, others have the lips. But once you know what is your asset, then you should capitalize on it." Blu Cantrell.
Awards:
|
