20 Years Of Beats For Lovers - The Album That Affirmed Me

Twenty years ago, at 23 years old, I released an instrumental album called Beats For Lovers.

This was mid-2000s South Carolina. Crunk ruled the airwaves. Club records dominated. The South was in a very specific sonic pocket, and soulful instrumental hip-hop wasn’t exactly the wave. But I wasn’t chasing what was hot — I was chasing what felt good. What felt good to me were drums, samples, space, and emotion.

When my friend Jessica (J-Lynn), who I met at Midlands Technical College, transferred to the University of South Carolina and had a late-night radio show on WUSC as part of her major. That sparked an idea that I felt would make the project more cohesive and I built a concept. Because I’m a comedian when I want to be, the storyline was this: I paid $3000 to take over the fictitious WHOP – Hopkins, SC’s number one easy listening station — for one night only. And during that “broadcast,” they played nothing but my instrumentals. Quiet Storm energy. Easy Listening vibes. No lyrics. Just mood.

It was fun, it was different, and 100% me!

Once the CDs were pressed, I was READY. I hit the streets! I went anywhere I knew I’d find artists and music lovers:

• Non Stop HipHop Live shows at New Brookland Tavern (back when it was on State Street in West Columbia — if you know, you know).

• Showcases at Mr. B’s on Two Notch Rd, next to Fantasy Island.

• Anywhere the vibe felt right.

During the day, if you passed the vibe check, you probably got a CD.

Yes, I was handing them out.

Part of it was excitement, part of it was strategy, but if I'm being honest, a large part was fear of rejection. Selling a product meant risking a "No" so I treated them like business cards at first since my contact info was printed on the disc

I want to apologize to whoever was assigned that phone number after me. I know you're still getting calls because from 2006 to 2012 that number was printed on THOUSANDS of cds and flyers, not to mention digital flyers on projects that were downloaded Hundreds of thousands of times

One day I handed a copy to a drive-thru worker at Taco Bell on Devine Street. Later that same day, he called and asked to buy two copies! That phone call meant more than he probably knew. It was more than confirmation and encouragement, it was a seed. I still gave away copies but I sold them also. What I didn’t realize at the time was that this was the beginning of a fanbase that showed up just for the instrumentals.Twenty years later, it’s still a good listen. It still attracts new listeners. And every now and then, someone who met me during that era brings it up.That project didn’t give me what I thought I wanted. It didn’t make me instantly famous, but it gave me what I needed.

It affirmed that I am a complete artist.

A composer.

An arranger.

A remixer.

Lyrics are powerful. But instrumentals speak too. It’s a different type of listening. A deeper one sometimes.

I’m grateful I followed that idea all the way to completion.

Whether you met me in Year 1 or Year 20 — thank you.

You’ve shared my music.You’ve spoken my name in rooms I may never get to visit.You’ve kept the foundation alive.

Raise your cup.

Here’s to 20 Years of Beats For Lovers.