Volume 1, Issue 1 |
MANY NAYSAYERS HAVE SAID THAT R&B IS DEAD but as far as RydaznRtist are concerned, that statement
couldn’t be anywhere near the truth. With their new smash single, “Sorry Ass Apology,” already making some
serious noise among fans of the genre, these three talented young musicians are ready to silence the non-
believers and resurrect the soul of R&B music.
IAE: So how did you guys get together?
KW: Well, Rtist and I started working together at the beginning of 2008, and we clicked so well that we knew
from that moment we had to make music together long term. So when Gabriel (GQ) came along, we met with
Nick (Cannon) and the rest is history as they say.
IAE: As a group, who inspires you the musically?
KW: All the great R&B groups, but especially the 90s R&B groups like BoyzIIMen, Jodeci, and 112.
IAE: What was your inspiration for your debut single, “Sorry Ass Apology”?
GQ: Actually, that’s a song that Nick, Kevin and Rtist wrote together...it’s basically a song that every person who’
s ever been in a relationship can relate to. We’re all human and we make mistakes, so, it’s our sorry ass
apology for anything that a guy or a girl did to mess up their relationship. And it’s not that the apology is sorry, it
could actually be real and heartfelt; it’s just that every apology seems pretty sorry from the injured party’s
perspective!
IAE: How do you start your creation process? Does the music come first or lyrics?
Rtist: It usually starts with an idea; Nick (Cannon) has the craziest concepts for records! When we hit the
studio, Kev and Nick come up with the sound and direction for the record and build out the song structure.
Then we all sit and write out the rest of the record.
IAE: Describe your roles within the group – leader, writer, joker, nice guy etc?
KW: Even though we sing about REAL stuff that we’ve experienced or witnessed, we’re all nice guys. All of us
have a background in the church. Between Rtist and GQ, those guys are the jokers...we all like to have fun and
play practical jokes. I’m (Kevin) probably the most level headed one of us all though. GQ has the craziest
stories that keep the group cracking up!
IAE: How did you come up with the name RydaznRtist? Were there any alternative names?
GQ: While we were writing “Sorry Ass Apology,” Nick kept asking us, “what are you gonna call yourselves?” At
the time we didn’t really know because we had been operating individually for so long prior to forming the
group. Once we said that, Nick said, “Perfect! Kevin Writer, Rtist and GQ Ryda are “RydaznRtist!” It really made
sense too, because that’s exactly what we are Writers and Artists.
IAE: What is your favorite track on the album, why?
KW: While we love all of the songs we have, we all pretty much agree that “One Last Time” has to be the one.
It’s such a great concept and the melodies move you. It just feels big!
IAE: What are your aspirations for the upcoming RydaznRtist debut album?
Rtist: It’s our first album, so, we’re communicating how real we are as artists. We want to make sure that our
fans are able to relate to every record, and really get everything that we are because the experiences are real.
We sing about relationships and things that other acts aren’t talking about right now; we have songs for the
club, the car, and the crib.
IAE: What’s it like working with Nick Cannon?
Rtist: Nick has great vision, so it’s a pleasure to work with him. He really takes pride in his work and guides us
as a group. He’s a great guy to work with.
IAE: Do you write and produce all of your own music? If not, who have you been working with?
GQ: Yes! We wrote and produced every song on our project.
IAE: Describe your sound and what makes you different from what’s currently being played on radio?
KW: We’d have to say that our sound is soulful and has pop appeal as well. We really pride ourselves on
making music that says real stuff, and having the ability to write from an honest place. Not just “cool lyrics,” but
lyrics that are stripped down and realistic.
couldn’t be anywhere near the truth. With their new smash single, “Sorry Ass Apology,” already making some
serious noise among fans of the genre, these three talented young musicians are ready to silence the non-
believers and resurrect the soul of R&B music.
IAE: So how did you guys get together?
KW: Well, Rtist and I started working together at the beginning of 2008, and we clicked so well that we knew
from that moment we had to make music together long term. So when Gabriel (GQ) came along, we met with
Nick (Cannon) and the rest is history as they say.
IAE: As a group, who inspires you the musically?
KW: All the great R&B groups, but especially the 90s R&B groups like BoyzIIMen, Jodeci, and 112.
IAE: What was your inspiration for your debut single, “Sorry Ass Apology”?
GQ: Actually, that’s a song that Nick, Kevin and Rtist wrote together...it’s basically a song that every person who’
s ever been in a relationship can relate to. We’re all human and we make mistakes, so, it’s our sorry ass
apology for anything that a guy or a girl did to mess up their relationship. And it’s not that the apology is sorry, it
could actually be real and heartfelt; it’s just that every apology seems pretty sorry from the injured party’s
perspective!
IAE: How do you start your creation process? Does the music come first or lyrics?
Rtist: It usually starts with an idea; Nick (Cannon) has the craziest concepts for records! When we hit the
studio, Kev and Nick come up with the sound and direction for the record and build out the song structure.
Then we all sit and write out the rest of the record.
IAE: Describe your roles within the group – leader, writer, joker, nice guy etc?
KW: Even though we sing about REAL stuff that we’ve experienced or witnessed, we’re all nice guys. All of us
have a background in the church. Between Rtist and GQ, those guys are the jokers...we all like to have fun and
play practical jokes. I’m (Kevin) probably the most level headed one of us all though. GQ has the craziest
stories that keep the group cracking up!
IAE: How did you come up with the name RydaznRtist? Were there any alternative names?
GQ: While we were writing “Sorry Ass Apology,” Nick kept asking us, “what are you gonna call yourselves?” At
the time we didn’t really know because we had been operating individually for so long prior to forming the
group. Once we said that, Nick said, “Perfect! Kevin Writer, Rtist and GQ Ryda are “RydaznRtist!” It really made
sense too, because that’s exactly what we are Writers and Artists.
IAE: What is your favorite track on the album, why?
KW: While we love all of the songs we have, we all pretty much agree that “One Last Time” has to be the one.
It’s such a great concept and the melodies move you. It just feels big!
IAE: What are your aspirations for the upcoming RydaznRtist debut album?
Rtist: It’s our first album, so, we’re communicating how real we are as artists. We want to make sure that our
fans are able to relate to every record, and really get everything that we are because the experiences are real.
We sing about relationships and things that other acts aren’t talking about right now; we have songs for the
club, the car, and the crib.
IAE: What’s it like working with Nick Cannon?
Rtist: Nick has great vision, so it’s a pleasure to work with him. He really takes pride in his work and guides us
as a group. He’s a great guy to work with.
IAE: Do you write and produce all of your own music? If not, who have you been working with?
GQ: Yes! We wrote and produced every song on our project.
IAE: Describe your sound and what makes you different from what’s currently being played on radio?
KW: We’d have to say that our sound is soulful and has pop appeal as well. We really pride ourselves on
making music that says real stuff, and having the ability to write from an honest place. Not just “cool lyrics,” but
lyrics that are stripped down and realistic.
| RydazNRtist - Def Jam Recording Group |
Nick Cannon's R&B Sensations Are Making Their Impact On The Music Industry
| RydazNRtist |
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