INTERVIEW WITH ‘DREAMLANDS’ JEVON ‘VAWN’ SIMS

Jevon “Vawn” Sims creator of BET’s new show “Welcome To Dreamland” speaks to Aries from UrbanBridgez about the series, his recording career and much more!

UrbanBridgez: Tell me about Welcome to Dreamland?
Jevon “Vawn” Sims: Two producers battle against each other, Jazze Pha and Drumma Boy, show created by myself Vawn. It’s really about the ins and outs about how to get in the game. But not really just get in the game, but to stay in the game! It’s 5 stars to success is what I call it, a producer, writer, choreographer, image consultant and photographer. They take 8 girls and they eliminate them down one by one, til there are just two. And you get to see the trials and tribulations, not only from the contestants. But this is one of the first shows that goes behind the scenes and you get to see the trials and tribulations of the producers. What they go through and how things don’t always pan out like they want. They really have to really go in and make this person a star. It’s not really all about singing, a star comes in all different types of packaging, ya know.

UrbanBridgez: What made you want to put together this project?
Jevon “Vawn” Sims: I been in music game awhile, behind the scenes and I’m signed to Def Jam. So I’ve seen both sides. I understand we chase so much music and don’t realize it takes so much more. If you’re behind the scenes, kind of like being a puppet. The people behind the scenes really make it happen. I thought it was time for consumers to see what it really takes. You see a Ciara or a Janet, but at the end of the day. You should see what it took to get there. Everybody wants to see the progress and never the process. So this is the process physically, mentally and emotionally. That’s what it’s really about. It’s not scripted, it’s real. I don’t even call it reality, I call it actuality.

UrbanBridgez: What should viewers expect in the upcoming episodes?
Jevon “Vawn” Sims: Jazze and Drumma are gonna make up their challenges of what they feel like they want to do with their teams. Bootcamp starts in the morning, I have them. I mentally and physically break them down and I hand them off. So they go through it! So you’re going to see the singing, you’re going to see them go in and record the single. Then somebody taking they’re ass home!

UrbanBridgez: According to members on my site, Versatile is one to watch, who do you think is?
Jevon “Vawn” Sims: That’s really good! Man it was hard to pick. I picked 14 and only kept 8. Versatile is very good and does everything, that’s why I named her Versatile. She is someone to watch, Lisa and Bianca and Kia. Really all of them, but it’s a preference. Like Sabrina in the third episode, you’re gonna see how a big girl got heart. It’s so crazy how looks can be deserving, it’s all about your heart and your passion and how far you wanna go. This episode is gonna be crazy. Drumma and Jazze are really going at each other like Tyson vs. Holyfield. Greatest show on earth, you know I promote the best fights!

UrbanBridgez: How did you meet Jazze Pha and Drumma Boy?
Jevon “Vawn” Sims: Jazze I’ve known for awhile, I been doing my thing on my own for awhile. I was on my grind, doing an independent album with my boy Smoke Wood and my boy Jeff. He seen me perform and he liked it, so we did this record called “Hollyhood.” I went in L.A. Reids office and smashed it! Drumma Boy, I was actually going for Polo Da Don because that’s my cousin. But when I met Drumma Boy, I asked him one question. Can you beat Jazze and he was like of course I can (laughs). He’s from Memphis and kinda idolizes Jazze, he calls him his big Brother. It’s really about passion and how dedicated you are to your craft. I think for him, God was telling me to pick him because he is very dedicated and loyal to give a great fight. Know what I mean, instead of just plain. That’s why “Dreamland” is so great because everybody’s dreams come true. When was the last time you saw Jazze on TV, you never see me, you never seen Drumma and he got alot of hits, but you never put a face with the work. Plus the people are around who worked on it. We’re making dreams coming true everyday.

UrbanBridgez: At this time will there be another season of the show?
Jevon “Vawn” Sims: Oh yeah we got another season, I can’t talk to much about it right now. Look forward to it. We’re gonna make someone like the next Usher. Gonna use someone like Akon vs. Swizz Beats. Gonna be crazy, gonna audition up top 5 cities, low 5 cities and meet in Atlanta. The difference this time people will be able to vote. We’re gonna put out a single in the end on each winner and see who sells the most records in the first week.

UrbanBridgez: Tell me about SmoakWood /RockHard Entertainment.
Jevon “Vawn” Sims: It’s a company I have with my two best friends Jeff Wood and Smoke, we grinding, I started from Artist development. I found Blu Cantrell, I found The-Dream and I was like I’m tired of being in the background. So that’s how it happened. I was grinding and went to the front. We independent! You gotta be like Obama, you can’t go in thinking you so.. you gotta be humble enough to leave a presence. So that’s what I did, I left a presence. So from there I just built a fanbase. On my website, I got over 5,000 people and that’s how it went. We’re actually doing three more shows right now. I’m shooting one with my sister, we’re doing a Lifetime movie, it’s crazy. That’s what it’s about, when you have loyal people around you to diversity & keep it growing. We’re not even on paper, our contract is heart to heart.

UrbanBridgez: You’ve also done some movies, how did you break into that?
Jevon “Vawn” Sims: Oh that’s my love man. I went on auditions, got turned down alot of times. So I went and took acting classes that’s my first passion so I kept grinding. There are a lot of roles I lost out to rappers. That’s another reason I wanted to be a rapper. I knew they wasn’t better than me, and they just got the role because they had a big name. So I was like shit, I might as well rap. Then we’ll be equal and I’ll win.

UrbanBridgez: You had a single out recently, when will you release your album?
Jevon “Vawn” Sims: Oh man it’s coming. I was working on the album and it was coming out. But then Shakir Stewart passed, that was the person who really believed in me at Def Jam. It slows up, that’s why “Dreamland” is so great. You always think it’s your time, but I guess it wasn’t my time. The thing was I was frustrated, I know I work hard and so on. But God sent me the idea of “Dreamland.” I wasn’t even thinking about being in TV. I thought about being on TV, about in movies, but never a creator or executive producer. But God sent me that idea and three days we got the green light, I shot it in two weeks. Now we national on BET, so there it is!

UrbanBridgez: What’s next on your plate after the series wraps?
Jevon “Vawn” Sims: We gonna come with some great music, show you how to make a star. I’m doing another show with Sean Garrett called “Where’s My Pen.” A new songwriters competition, it’s gonna be up and coming. And we’re just gonna go out and make some more things happen. Another show “In My Shoes,” a really touching story I’m gonna do. It’s one of my favorites actually. You take someone who complains all the time and make them change places with like a bum. You live like that person for a whole week. What they do, where they sleep, stand on the corner and ask for food. Everything, so you can really understand, the blessings in life.

UrbanBridgez: Any last words for your fans?
Jevon “Vawn” Sims: Make a small buzz and all the bees will flock to you. Keep God first in life and you can do anything. And if you can not convert a hater, then you’re in the wrong business in life, it cost everything to be a leader and cost nothing to be a follower.

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