Interview Series: Jagged Edge Speaks to UrbanBridgez.com

The new project boasts a mix of the old and new; Jagged Edge’s sexy R&B sound and contemporary beats by producers such as Brian Michael Cox, Cool & Dre, Drummer Boy, Lamb, and Jim Johnsen. While the album also features collaborations with the likes of Gucci Mane and Trina, the The Remedy is sure to be a solid body of work that openly expresses trials of life in addition to the sweetness both revenge and love have to offer. The Jagged Edge that sold 8 million records, won countless awards, and gained impressive nominations is headed on a new path.

Jagged Edge recently spoke to Tishelle of UrbanBridgez.com about their new album “The Remedy,” the JE sound, real singers, why the move to Slip-N-Slide, how they really feel about RL of NEXT and much more!

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UrbanBridgez.com: What can JE fans expect this time around with the new release?
Jagged Edge: One word, Heat! (all members).
Jagged Edge (Wingo): They can expect what they have always gotten from a JE album. We don’t ever go too far from what we do because that has allowed us to be here almost 14 years now. Now 7 albums deep, so we don’t try to mix it up too, too much! We always want to venture off into whatever music is in itself venturing off into, because music takes turns and you can see trends start and you wanna be on top of those things as well.

UrbanBridgez.com: Tell us about some of the people you guys worked with on this project?
Jagged Edge (Kyle): Of course our Slip-N-Slid family like Trina. But at the end of the day, it’s really just Jagged Edge. We don’t wanna venture off too much from what we’ve done in the past. And it’s been awhile, so we wanted y’all to get Jagged Edge again, we didn’t want to do a collaborations album. We got a few new producers on their like the first single is produced by a producer name Lamb. We always try to do that and out new producers on, we’ve been blessed to be in this business a long time. So anytime we can lend a helping hand we like to.

UrbanBridgez.com: What was the best part about recording this album?
Jagged Edge (Wingo): I think the best part was the fact that we’re still current! And we just want to tell the fans to go out and support us, because we are the last band standing. We’re not trying to discredit other groups you hear on the radio but we are the only original group that is still together and we just love what we do. So we just encourage our fans to love us like we love us! (all laugh)

UrbanBridgez.com: Tell the ladies about the “Love Remedy Kit” and how they can get one?
Jagged Edge (Wingo): Well log on to www.jaggededge.net or tweet us and sign up, it’s going down!
Jagged Edge (Brandon): Tell them what we got in it Wingo!
Jagged Edge (Wingo): We got oils, a nice little set to even it out. Like if you don’t feel like going to the club, y’all can just bring it back to the crib and you rub some oils on him or him on you. We also got bath bubbles in their, so when you get ready to take that bath before the moment (all laugh) it will be alright! It’s really just about relaxing and romancing the one you’re with.

UrbanBridgez.com: You guys always touch on alot of different subjects in your songs like with “True Man, “Best Man,” Head of Household,” etc. Did you guys touch on any subjects this time around that you haven’t on past releases?
Jagged Edge (Brandon): It’s one song called “Spaceship” it’s about, well you know when you see the Snicker commercial, I think it’s Snickers. Where they ask you if you could just disappear, “Spaceship” is that type of song. I’ve been accused of it so many times in my life, that’s what got me to thinking about it. Sometimes I can just be in a zone. It’s like I’m sitting there with everybody, but I can just be in another world. And others will notice and try to get my attention. That’s what “Spaceship” is about. Like when so much stuff is going wrong, you wish you could just jump in a Spaceship and leave earth for a little while. Not anything crazy, like suicide or anything, but just leave earth for awhile and come back when you’re ready.

UrbanBridgez.com: You guys have been doing a lot of promo for this release including 106 & Park recently where you guys talked about “real singers,” what’s JE’s true definition of a real singer?
Jagged Edge (Brandon): People that sing from their heart and soul and physically their gut! To me I love a person who anytime they open their mouth I feel something emotionally. Anybody who can evoke those emotions with their mouth to me are real singers!
Jagged Edge (Wingo): Someone who’s not ashamed and is telling their story. And you’re identifying with that person, you know. It’s almost like a Preacher, you know when you hear that good Pastor speaking on it, he just takes you to a place where he’s painted this picture. It’s like what Brandon said, some people get up their and it’s all scripted and others it’s like their testifying. Give you a testimony of their love, their faith, where they’ve been and where they’re going. So once you deliver that, I guarantee you will have you a fan hands down!
Jagged Edge (Kyle): I’m going to give you the key ingredient. If someone is singing and you feel chills up your arms.

UrbanBridgez.com: I knew you was gonna say that (laughs).
Jagged Edge (Kyle): Then you already know what time it is (laughs).

UrbanBridgez.com: What made you guys make the move to Slip-N-Slide?
Jagged Edge (Brandon): After leaving Def Jam, we put the word out we were looking for a new home. A friend of ours ended up having a conversation with Ted Lucas (CEO) and I guess just one day he let our friend know he was a fan. So one day he put us on the phone and after a couple conversations we just made it happen. We felt like after being in big buildings and with big companies like Columbia and Def Jam and to be on a small independent label was right up our alley for the next stage of our career. Sometimes when you’ve been around for awhile, a label, a producer even tend to take you for granted a little bit. We wanted to be somewhere where we felt we were still a top priority. So that made going over to Slip-N-Slid very attractive!

UrbanBridgez.com: What keeps JE together when so many groups don’t make it to a 3rd album, let alone a 7th together with all original members?
Jagged Edge (Kyle): The love for what we do! We love music & we love each other. We’ve been together before the music happened and we’ll be together when the music is over. At the end of the day we always planned to be that group! I mean we came up and wanted to be around like The O’Jays and groups who have been together 20 and 30 years. We plan to do that by keep making good music for your guys for years to come.

UrbanBridgez.com: I hear a tour is planned, when can fans expect to check you guys out on the road?
Jagged Edge (Brandon): We’re planning a tour, right now different names is being tossed around. I can tell you this, from the names involved this is going to be something people want to come out and see. Whether every name involved makes it on the bill or not. If any portions of the names make it (laughs) it’s going to be something that people will come out and see. Haven’t seen us in a few years and we’re trying to link up with other artists that will make people come out. So we don’t have all of the particular info yet, but just know it is definitely going to happen. It’s been awhile and we plan on going all over the world this year.

UrbanBridgez.com: Do you guys ever feel under-rated? I mean you have received many accolades from being nominated for almost every major award to selling millions of albums. It just seems like you guys don’t get the credit you deserve?
Jagged Edge (Wingo): We definitely feel that way, but you know what you gotta keep pushing! You can’t fight something that’s not your battle. Every battle is not yours to fight and we can sit here blue in the face, cross our arms and stomp our feet, and be like we’re not getting the love we deserve. In our earlier years we was feeling that way and sometimes now it still crosses our minds. I remember I think it was Brian who said it, one day we’re going to get that award and we’re going to be on that show and people are going to recognize what we’ve done for the R&B industry. When he said that God gave me a premonition of us just sitting down in the front row and them saying the Trumpet award goes to Jagged Edge for the years they’ve put in and people will recognize. But one thing we know the power of God, ain’t nothing going to happen, til it happens!
Jagged Edge (Brandon): I also want to add to what he said that yeah, it’s on Gods time not ours. But it’s all about perspective and all about the way you look at it. For along time I did have those issues, feeling like well damn *N-Sync they let these white dudes do everything. And we gotta struggle for every little thing. Because people gotta realize that we’ve been around that long. And then again you gotta look at it like 13 years later there is no *N-Sync. Even though they were big and bad and everywhere at one time and point, Jagged Edge we’ve stood the test of time. We still have alot more doors that we’re trying to open, we got alot more things that we want to do and we’re going to stay here as long as it takes to accomplish that! So again it’s all about perspective, we’re still winning everyday. Everyday we’re here, we’re still winning somebody’s respect. Everybody is going to turn their head and look at us even if it’s for one brief moment!
Jagged Edge (Kyle): I hope it’s one day soon! (everybody laughs)

UrbanBridgez.com: Years ago UrbanBridgez did an interview with RL where he kinda took shots at you guys along with some other groups. Then when I spoke to you guys, you guys mentioned seeing the interview along with members of 112 on the site. RL recently spoke on being snubbed by one of the twins in an online interview.
In recent years we were led to believe everything was squashed with you guys is there still some tension there and what do you guys think about what he had to say in his recent interview?
Jagged Edge (Brandon): Nothing! Man we don’t even think about those guys. He is always trying to link himself with us some type of way. We don’t think about RL, the reason why my brother felt like I can’t fake it with this dude to take a picture with him, because over the years the man has always had something slick to say! Then he’ll be in your face trying to smile and take pictures with you. We ain’t cool like that and we ain’t on no thug sh*it like we’re not trying to beat the nig*ga up but we don’t kick it like that. And if I don’t like you…I just don’t like you! I’m not about to fake it and be in your face and as soon as you leave my company I got something slick to say.
Jagged Edge (Kyle): And it shows what type of man you are. Because if you’re a real man and you got a problem with me, I expect you to be a man and come to me with that. Don’t get on WorldStar and interrupt Jazze Pha’s interview. To try to make yourself look big and then turn around and want to take a picture with us. So it just really makes yourself look crazy and Jagged Edge don’t have any beef with anybody! We’re the type that will end it, we’re not going to put it on WorldStar or YouTube, we’ll just confront you with it. Hopefully you’ll learn next time how to handle it a whole lot better or think I should of handled it a whole lot better.

UrbanBridgez.com: What else are you guys working on outside of music?
Jagged Edge (Brandon): With Jagged Edge it’s always music first. That’s our everything but I feel like at some point in time I am looking more to be a sought after writer and producer. Not just JE records but to write for other artists, that is something I would like to transition into. As well as put out artists but I don’t think we’re doing ourselves or music a good justice by just putting out any artist. We’re trying to find something that nobody has seen or heard before! And that’s hard to do because I’ve been looking for a long, long time. But I guarantee when I find it, I will go 110% for it.

UrbanBridgez.com: You guys have any last words for your fans?
Jagged Edge (Kyle): We just want our fans to know that we really appreciate them, like Brandon said we’re talking like 14 years. We have raised some kids off of our music (laughs), we feel like God fathers because there are alot of kids out there from our music. But the important thing is I’m proud of my group! Not just our fans, but I have to say to my group, I’m proud of them three guys. For them even putting up with me & maturing me, because I’m the baby out the group. So I look up to them in alot of ways and more than they even know. So for the fans to love us and for me to love my group, it’s just a blessing and for us to even be here. Our group came from a Church and I know God is the reason we’re still here, he’s in the midst of JE. Even when we felt it was heavy we still stuck in there! It’s because of good fans and the years, I’m just proud!