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UB Exclusive Interview: Bei Maejor Speaks to UrbanBridgez.com

Remember the name Bei Maejor, a Grammy nominated songwriter and producer who’s worked with Trey Songz, Bun B, Drake, T-Pain, Bow Wow, New Boyz, Ciara and Ne-Yo to name a few! A graduate of the University of Michigan who later became a member of Ne-Yo’s Compound Entertainment production team. Now he’s finally stepping out on his own with the release of his debut RCA single “Trouble” featuring J. Cole!

With four mixtapes under his belt and production on the soundtracks for Bratz: The Movie, The Princess and the Frog and the MTV hit reality show Jersey Shore, if you didn’t already know his name…you won’t forget now!

UrbanBridgez.com recently caught up with the rising star and Tishelle spoke with him about his up-coming debut album, his musical style upscale, the most challenging artist he’s worked with, the upside down movement he has going on and much more!

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UrbanBridgez.com: How does it feel to finally be from behind the scenes and getting your own shine, after producing so many hot tracks for so many hot artists?
Bei Maejor: It’s exciting because I’ve had all these ideas in my head forever. And some were to write for other people and create new styles and things for people to except. So finally being able to let the world hear it, is just cool. It’s more personal of my own feelings, my own expressions and my own thoughts. So that’s the most exciting part.

UrbanBridgez.com: “Trouble” is a hot single and video! Explain for our readers the whole upside down thing you got going on in shots in the video as well as online with your pics and the mixtape title?
Bei Maejor: Well thank you, for saying “Trouble” is a hot song!

UrbanBridgez.com: You’re welcome!
Bei Maejor: I’ve been putting my stuff upside down from when I first started as an artist. All my pictures and everything, that was my style. I remember initially when I did it, the label was like no, you can’t do that people need to see you. But it became a movement and thousands of kids would put their pics upside down and would send me pics upside down, so the label saw it. So next thing I know I’m on the site [label site] next to Britney Spears, upside down! The meaning behind it, I think I’m going to put in my album. Right now I’m going to kind of keep it to myself, but it’s definitely something I’ve seen catching on. In the “Trouble” video, I told them I wanted to incorporate that, so they brought some crazy equipment where I had my legs strapped into some bars, I was hanging upside down and blood was running through my head it was crazy. But I survived it, so it’s all good!

UrbanBridgez.com: Fans have heard a variety from you as far as production and writing for other artists, what can they expect from your album as far as the journey you plan to take us on when we press play?
Bei Maejor: I came with my style that I created and “Trouble” is the first song that uses this style. It’s called the upscale sound, what it is, is it’s still hood but it might have leather in the car. It’s like the hustler who’s still on the block, but he has on the Gucci sneakers, you know. It kind of sounds expensive, but has that little sweetness about it. That’s the style I created, I call it upscale. That’s what I plan to use as I transition to my album as well. “Trouble” is the first song that uses it, so I wasn’t really sure if it would work on the radio and stuff. Because it is new, but I think once people start to hear it and get use to it because it doesn’t sound cheap…it sounds like quality and I want to continue to make my music like that.

UrbanBridgez.com: Who are some artists you’ve worked with for your debut?
Bei Maejor: I’m still working, but one of my favorite songs features Waka Flocka. He’s just so raw on there, that’s one of my favorite songs. But I’m still working on the album…

UrbanBridgez.com: What are your goals with this release and your career moving forward?
Bei Maejor: To touch people in a positive way, I’m all about positivity right now. Alot of people been doing music and it’s kind of negative and that’s cool; but I think there is space for and people want to feel good and something to uplift. That’s what I’m working on and trying to make my album and in life general. I wrote this song called “Teardrops & Telephone Calls” on one of my mixtapes and this kid heard it, he called me because I have this number online it’s 313-242-7775, I just let anybody hit me up, text me or whatever. So I was playing my voicemails and there was this kid on there like yo I listened to your song and it stopped me, I was going to kill myself tonight. It really touched me so much I didn’t do it. And that type of impact, there is no comparison to that! To have that type of positivity on peoples lives and that is my goal with this project and my music in general.

UrbanBridgez.com: That’s great! What makes you make yourself so accessible to your fans?
Bei Maejor: I just believe as an artist, the people who are helping you become what you are…and anybody. I don’t look at it like they’re fans and they’re below me, we’re all the same and we all cool. So if you wanna hit me up, I may not answer all the time because I’m just like you! But I don’t think it should be such a big separation where you think you’re better than the people, we’re all the same. All going through the same problems and struggles. I’m just like them, so if you wanna hit me up and you feel connected to me, I would like to at least provide an avenue for people to reach out.

UrbanBridgez.com: When can fans expect the album?
Bei Maejor: Sometime next year, I’m still working on it. But sometime next year for sure!

UrbanBridgez.com: Out of all of the artists you have worked with, who would you say were the most challenging, not because of anything personal or ego related but as far as trying to create the perfect tracks to fit them?
Bei Maejor: That’s a good question, a really good question. You guys created a question I’ve never heard. Ummm, maybe Wiz [Khalifa] . I did a song on his album and because he’s creative like me and he knows what he likes & what he doesn’t like. I did “Rooftops” featuring Curren$y, so when we did the song I just really wanted to bring him something different and he loved it & it worked out cool. But I really didn’t want to give him something regular, so that was a challenge for me. Shout out to Wiz, that’s the homey!

UrbanBridgez.com: Who are some artists you would like to work with in the future if given the opportunity?
Bei Maejor: Definitely some old school people like Anita Baker and Stevie Wonder. I love and look up to them, I admire all the classic artists.

UrbanBridgez.com: Any upcoming production you can tell us about you have coming up?
Bei Maejor: Yeah, I did the new record for Bow Wow that just came out [Sweat], I co-produced on that with Lil Wayne. I’ve been working with Justin Bieber, I’ve been working with my boy Mike Posner. I’ve been writing and producing for a lot of different people like New Boyz, I’m just excited, really excited.

UrbanBridgez.com: When did you first discover your gift as a songwriter and producer?
Bei Maejor: When I was around 15 is when I started and at first I sucked, I wasn’t good. But I kept trying and making new styles, that’s all I cared about. So when I was 17 I met Trey and I’ve been on every Trey Songz album, that’s one of my favorite artists since then. It was around that time, that I felt that maybe I could do this!

UrbanBridgez.com: Who are some of your influences?
Bei Maejor: People, regular people. People I see on the street with a new style. Anything creative, like artists, Mr. Brainwash, not sure if you know him but like street artists. People who like to draw and paint. Kanye, I feel like he is constantly making up a new style. That’s about it, really Kanye for real!

UrbanBridgez.com: Outside of music, what do you enjoy doing in your past time?
Bei Maejor: Music is my past time, I like doing music, I just really love it so much. If I get free time, that’s what I would do with it. And lately I have been reading alot of books also.

UrbanBridgez.com: Anything else you want to share with your fans?
Bei Maejor: I love y’all! Anybody who has ever supported anything I’ve ever done, much respect! Anybody who’s ever hated on anything that I’ve done, thank you as well! You got me some attention…and just keep rocking with me and I’m really excited to give people new stuff and new styles.


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