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When Brian
"Baby" Williams hit the music industry in 1997, neither the
critics, fans, nor Baby himself ever imagined that the rap
industry would have allowed him and the Cash Money
Millionaires to play a significant role in the signature sound
that is now known as the Dirty South. In the short span of
five years, this certified entrepreneur has amassed multiple
gold albums with various artists and 3 platinum albums, as a
member of both the Hot Boys and rap duo Big Tymers. He has
also helped create an empire that has forever changed the
music industry. Now, with the evolution of the newer,
stronger Cash Money Records, a new solo artist has been
born...Baby aka #1 Stunna. The debut album entitled
Birdman is the first self-portrait of the man behind the
music and his mirror image.
A
year ago Baby and the Cash Money Millionaires found themselves
in a place of reconstruction. Surveying the state of the
industry and the influence of his realm, Baby decided to
recreate himself as a full-fledged rapper. "That was the day
I decided I had to evolve into a full blown artist. I went to
my brother Slim, (Co-Founder and CEO of Cash Money Records),
and began to plan our new roles and positioning within this
rap thang." Deciding to juggle another hat within the
company, Baby put himself on a vigorous training schedule
honing his verbal skills day and night writing; practicing in
the studio; and critiquing himself. His savage determination
and drive for perfection produced his debut solo album
Birdman.
Birdman, which was released on
November 26th, 2002, shows that Baby, along with his comrades,
are not holding back. Baby teams up with P. Diddy for the
first single, "Do That" exemplifying a more musically mature
Baby over a new head-banging Jazze Pha track. The second
planned single entitled, "Baby You Can Do It" featuring Toni
Braxton, is a SOS Band inspired rendition that could not have
been more timely with his debut release. "Baby if you're
ready/ take your time/ do it right / you can do it Baby/ Do it
to night," croons the lovely Toni Braxton, melting classic R&B
with Baby's southern drawl. "I went to Fresh and I asked him
to do this song for me, I just felt it was right and he came
back with a hot-ass, fire-ass track and next thing I knew it
was recorded and we're shooting the video. I'm a tell ya
something, when thangs are right for you, they are gonna
happen to you." "I ain't no rapper, I'm a talker and on
Birdman you're gonna hear Baby talk. Songs like "On The
Rocks" and "Heads Up" illustrate the "talk rap" style coined
by the Birdman.
In a
dirty-flow collaboration with Jermaine Dupri on "How It Be,"
Baby settles in himself as a "rap conversationalist."
Identifying a subtle gap in the music and seizing it, Baby
found the glue to his music. "We always had the nouns (the
beats) and verbs (the lyrics), and now we've got the
conjunction (the R&B) and his name is TQ.
“I knew
bringing on TQ as part of the unit would bridge any potential
gaps we might come across musically and it's working. Before
I take any step or make a move, I consult with my brother Slim
and Mannie Fresh,” says Baby. “When I decided I wanted to
expand my sound on this album by bringing on other platinum
producers like The Neptunes, Jermaine Dupri and Jazze Pha, I
had to make sure everybody felt comfortable especially, Mannie
Fresh, who has been Cash Money Records' in-house producer
since the beginning. Bottom-line, each producer that got on
this album I respect and understand their craft, so my words
and their beats created an easy gel. We made music and that
was the goal."
Birdman features thumping spitfire
beats for the jeep, unveiling a new galaxy-high sound from
Mannie Fresh. Representing for Memphis is the articulate one,
8-Ball on the "Hustler, Pimps & Thugs" along with Jazze Pha
and TQ solidifying the meaning of 'Southernplayistic.' The
album is crafted using a plethora of heavy spitters including
Petey Pablo, Keith Murray, and Cash Money's own new groups
D-Boys and Boo & Gotti, R. Kelly’s proteges. And just when
you thought you'd heard it all, Baby Webster's us with a new
term – ‘Birdlady’. The full terminology can be found on "Ms.
Bird," and it is official! "Sometimes I just sit back and
listen to the album and I am really in disbelief. I came a
long way and it ain't no secret, but I did this thang right,
and I ain't ashamed to put it out there like that. I'm proud
of me."
Already
contemplating Birdman Volume 2, Baby continues to
blossom as an artist while strengthening his ever-growing
empire. However, his positive influences and charity in the
community have not been thwarted by his success. Baby and
Cash Money Records continue to give back to where they came
from by hosting an annual Thanksgiving Turkey give-away, and
by recruiting new talent from their own backyard. Baby has
truly made a difference in his community and will dent the
industry with his freshman solo release. He is testing his
wings as a new solo artist and is soaring high above the
industry's standards. The game has been changed. BABY aka
BIRDMAN...like you've never seen him before.
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