On Feb.19, BJ The Chicago Kid made his Motown debut after dropping his second studio album, In My Mind. The critically acclaimed project received rave reviews from critics and fans. In a recent interview with AllHipHop.com, the soulful musician goes into detail about the themes visited throughout the album and voiced his opinion about rappers like Drake and Kanye West singing.
The Windy City crooner puts a special spin on the traditional R&B sound by adding modern day flavor. He called on a few familiar faces to guest appear on the album, including Kendrick Lamar, Big K.R.I.T., Chance the Rapper, and more. Fans are met with different emotions as BJ, who's real name is Bryan James Sledge, visits a variety of subject matters including faith, intimacy, devotion, and love throughout 15 tracks for 62 minutes.
The 31-year-old artist believes his album will shine a different light on his beloved hometown and help shed the negative image it has gained over the years. Coming from the South Side, BJ has seen the affects of living in a city with a high crime rate, but he's here to prove there are still reasons to celebrate Chicago. He says his background is what helped make him who he is today.
A photo posted by B.J. The Chicago Kid (@bjthechicagokid) on Feb 2, 2016 at 5:17pm PST
"First, if they buy the BJ The Chicago kid album that will help change the perception of Chicago," BJ told AllHipHop.com. "I am the positive light of Chicago. You’re talking to a young man that does not have a police record, never been in jail. When speaking my name – knowing my history or not knowing my history – you’re speaking positivity."
Thought to be a dying genre by some, many new artists are embracing legends of soul music, like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Diana Ross, who have paved the way for some of today's leading musicians. Some of today's chart-topping members of the hip hop community have based their careers by crafting a mixture of rapping versatile lyrics and singing over melodic tunes.
Despite being criticized for singing in his songs and being in tune with his emotions, Drake has excelled in his career because of those same factors. BJ embraces those who have learned to combine rap and R&B, believing they're tapping into the essence of soul music.
"I think Soul music is always in a great place," BJ said. "When you got Kanye making songs like "The Joy," it's always welcoming us. All roads lead back to Soul music. That's why you have Drake trying to sing. Fetty Wap is a singer. Ty Dolla Sign is a singer. If all these guys don't make soulful music, they still do it soulfully. All roads lead back to Soul music."
BJ The Chicago Kid's new album, In My Mind, is currently available on iTunes for purchase, as well as, to stream free on Spotify.
