UB Anniversary ReVisit: Faith Evans Talks Catalog + 90s R&B

UB is spotlighting features from our e-zines from the last 25 years. T M H Entertainment, T M Hxone and Urban Bridgez.

As the longest running website for R&B online, since 1999 – We’ve been able to conduct some amazing interviews with R&B Royalty, as well Hip Hop Legends.

For Black Music Month, this year UB celebrates Women of R&B, we’ll talk to some of the women who have helped shape melody, grace and style in the genre over the past four decades. Plus we speak and feature some ladies who are on their way, to longevity in the industry.

We’re starting with the R&B Divas, starting with Faith Evans, tomorrow Syleena Johnson, followed by a new interview with Keke Wyatt on Monday and special Kelly Price feature Tuesday.

Faith Evans celebrated her birthday this past Monday on June 10th. Faith is the epitome of a Women of R&B and a trailblazer in her own right.

Faith Evans has enjoyed a successful music career spanning almost three decades. Faith is a Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and songwriter, New York Times best-selling author, autism advocate, and most importantly – a mother.

Faith Evans discovered her voice at just three-years-old, but a lack of confidence as a child almost derailed her destiny. Influenced by her mother, Helene Evans, a professional singer and “trailblazing renegade,” and inspired by the harmonies of the Clark Sisters, Faith honed her gift in the Baptist church.

Her formative years were spent in Newark, New Jersey, where she began to rebel as a teenager. She would sneak out of her grandmother’s home and trek to New York for studio time, where she eventually matured as an artist, and developed her skills as a vocal arranger, producer and songwriter.

While attending Fordham University on a full scholarship, the unexpected happened – Evans discovered she was pregnant and fled back to New Jersey.

Nicknamed “the Doctor,” Faith ultimately found her confidence in the booth, providing background vocals and penning hits.

From 1992 through 1994, she wrote songs and/or sang backup for Al B. Sure!, Hi-Five, Christopher Williams, Usher, and Mary J. Blige. While working on Usher, for which she co-wrote six songs and sang backup. Faith was then was offered a Bad Boy contract by Sean “Diddy” Combs.

In need of a female voice for a track, a chance encounter with Sean “Puffy” Combs would forever change her life. Slipping into the vocal booth, Evans rearranged melodies, captivating the room with her smooth, gospel-infused soprano.

Combs was mesmerized and offered Evans the opportunity to write for Mary J. Blige and Usher, as well as a recording contract with his pioneering label, Bad Boy Entertainment – making her the first female artist to sign.

Faith‘s debut album got jump-started with the single “You Used To Love Me.” Tri-State area radio started to pump “Falling In Love Again,” while quiet storms were rotating her cover of Rose Royce‘s “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore,” a duet with Mary J. Blige originally.

Faith Evans is a seven-time Grammy nominee; winning “Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group” in 1998 for “I’ll Be Missing You,” an homage to her late husband and hip-hop legend Notorious B.I.G.

Faith has released eight studio albums, with over 18 million albums sold and spawning over 30 singles. Faith has also performed on 20+ soundtracks and a host of guest appearances during her career.

Faith has three platinum-certified albums under her belt, including her debut “Faith” (1995), “Keep The Faith” (1998) and “Faithfully” (2001); the gold-certified “The First Lady” (2005), and the holiday release, “A Faithful Christmas” (2005).

In 2008, Faith penned her New York Times best selling book, “Keep the Faith: A Memoir” with Aliya King, which won the 2009 African American Literary Award in the “Best Biography/Memoir” category.

In 2010, Faith released her first independent album through her music imprint Prolific Music Group, entitled “Something About Faith.” The lead single “Gone Already” was nominated for “Best Female R&B Vocal Performance” for the 2011 Grammy Awards.

In August 2012, Faith co-created, executive produced and starred in an original reality series, “R&B Divas”, which became TV One’s most watched original premiere in the history of the network and later released a compilation album of the same name.

The “R&B Divas” album earned Faith her seventh Grammy nomination for “Best R&B Album” for the 2014 Grammy Awards.

Faith released her eighth studio album in November of 2014, “Incomparable”, via Prolific Music Group.

In this ReVisit, Faith talks to Aries about the 90s vibe compared to now, the development of R&B Divas, plus she tells UB her favorites from her catalog and explains why she wrote her memoir “Keep The Faith” and more!

Plus Kelly Price, Karen Clark Sheard, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Rahsaan Patterson, Teena Marie and more, share their love for Faith!

UrbanBridgez.com: What was it like being an artist in the 90’s compared to now, what obstacles have you faced being an artist from then to now?
Faith Evans: In comparison to the 90’s to now, but I’m so glad…and not to say I’m up to a bunch of BS or anything. I appreciate that it wasn’t the speedy real time media and social networks like it is now. I’m like thank God back then none of this stuff was around (all laugh). It was definitely different that it wasn’t such an outlet for unsigned artists, which is a good thing now that people are able to get their music and talents out there. As far as obstacles, there’s many, there are still obstacles to be honest with you. Due to the technology advances and huge outlets for new talent, it seems like there is a new sensation every other day, every other week. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I don’t look at it as a bad thing. I think it just makes you have to work that much harder to satisfy your audience and make sure you keep your audience! Again, I’m not complaining about it, but it’s clearly very different.

UrbanBridgez.com: How do you think we can get that 90’s vibe back in the music of R&B, oppose to now where it’s like labels are looking for just a hit and back then artists like yourself seemed to be making memorable music?
Faith Evans: I don’t know, we definitely can’t get back to the 90’s (laughs). I mean I know with me personally I try to just stick with my program and I think that’s what my fans appreciate about me. Not that I’m giving you the same song I made back in 95, but at the same time I don’t try and stray away from what I think feels good to me. It’s never like, oh I need to do this because this is what’s current or I hear this sound the most on the radio. Someone told me recently and I was very happy to hear it, someone who I really respect like a huge artist. They said you do such a good job at staying the same, but keeping it updated! I’m like oh really, okay (laughs). I don’t necessarily do it on purpose but it is 2011 and I’m still me so let me just do what I do (laughs)!

UrbanBridgez.com: Well you do it well and you do great with incorporating current R&B with what you’ve been doing from the start, so yeah you do it well!
Faith Evans: Thank You!

UrbanBridgez.com: What is like one of the best memories you have from the 90’s from being out on the road, I always hear these crazy tour stories from artists from back then?
Faith Evans: I would have to say, when I was on the road with my first album. Not the big Bad Boy Family tour, but I was out on the road doing my little weekend shows. And I was with my manager at the time Cheryl (Flowers), Chyna and one of my homegirls from Jersey. We were at this club in like North Carolina and the promoter was saying he didn’t have the money. My homegirl and Cheryl walked him around that whole club and made him go to every single cash register he had and get whatever cash that was in it and they were like you’re gonna give us something, we don’t work for free! So you’re gonna give us that money (laughs)! It wasn’t fun but looking back it’s like you know what, we been through it! I was out there like I’m not going on this ish for free, I’m going to make my money and we got our money!

UrbanBridgez.com: Speaking of Divas, can you tell us about Diary of A Diva (R&B Divas), that has so many people excited!
Faith Evans: Diary of A Diva is a reality docu-series that myself and my friend Nicci Gilbert are co-executive producing. We’re actually shopping the show, so it’s not in production yet. I think someone kind of jumped the gun and made an announcement about it, but it’s not like we’re in production now. We’re still keeping our fingers crossed and trying to shop the show. To be honest I don’t think it would fair to whatever network decides to pick it up to discuss alot about it, because I’m sure they would want to make their own announcement about it. But it’s basically something that myself and Nicci are working on with a few more R&B divas! I got a chance to tell my story, I did my memoir and it was very well received. There are other “divas” who have have stories of their own, because people don’t really know their stories because of whatever reason. They might not be as commercial & on your radar as the next person, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to help them tell their stories by way of my platform.

UrbanBridgez.com: What made you want to write your memoir, “Keep The Faith” at this point in your career?
Faith Evans: To be honest I didn’t think I was ready. This book agent had been pursuing me for like three years. I was like I don’t think now is the time, my career ain’t over or I’m not about to hang it up & hang up the microphone. But he was like that’s not the case, people really want to hear your story. To be quite honest the thing that really made me decide to go ahead and do it and entertain this offer was the fact that A. I was pregnant with my last child who’s going to be 4 and B. I knew I wasn’t going to be in the studio recording because I knew I wasn’t moving forward with my Capitol deal. So I was like I got some time on my hands what else could I be doing, let me think, let me think. Well okay maybe I should call this dude back that keeps telling me I should write this book (laughs). That was really what made it come together and to be honest God works in mysterious and wonderful ways because I’m so glad I did, it was well received. I’ve had offers to do Lifetime specials and movies about the book. Which I didn’t entertain those at the time, but I’m definitely going to look into some of that now. I won an African American Literary Award, so I’m really proud of it. And I didn’t even heavenly promote it, I didn’t go on a big book tour or anything like that. The reason being is the movie NOTORIOUS came about and the time it was ready to come out, that’s when they wanted to release the book. They were two totally unrelated things, I didn’t realize the movie was going to be coming out around the same time as the book. So I was really nervous and didn’t want people to think I was trying to piggyback off the movie. So I was like I don’t want it to come out right now, but the publishers wasn’t trying to change their date because they felt like one thing had nothing to do with the other. But thankfully people were able to receive the book and I’m still getting alot of great feedback about it.

UrbanBridgez.com: I for one am happy you wrote it, it’s a great read and cleared up alot.
Faith Evans: I still pick it up and read it when I’m on the plane and I just be gagging out loud (laughs). I be like I am stupid (laughs)!

UrbanBridgez.com: You mentioned Chyna and recently she started college, how does it feel to have such a talented and beautiful daughter following in the footsteps of her mother?
Faith Evans: Oh my god I’m so proud of her! I hardly hear from her and that’s a good thing in this case, because she’s doing well. I’m hearing so much about her from other people, like yeah Chyna Doll up here doing her thing. She’s definitely got her own thing, her own swag, her own talent like she’s my child for sure, but this girl is amazing! She’s way beyond where I was at that age, she’s like a producer, a writer, a engineer, she can do it all. She just played me this Lady Gaga song that she remade for a project at school for Halloween. She did a remix of “Bad Romance” and made it a ballad. I’m like girl I want to tweet it so bad (laughs). And I’m not even the one that be putting stuff on Twitter like that, but it’ so incredible I’m like wow. She has her own dopeness and I’m just really proud of her. I miss her, but the fact that I know she’s doing so well it kind of over takes the sadness, you know what I mean. I kind of expected to be crying and everything but I know she’s doing her thing and she’s enjoying it which is a plus. She’s up there and making her mark and I know that she’s going to be successful. People are going to be like that’s Chyna Doll, that’s Faith’s daughter. Matter of fact, she’s just going to be just Chyna, Faith’s daughter is going to be so far in the background (laughs).

UrbanBridgez.com: How are the other kids doing and can we expect CJ in any more roles anytime soon?
Faith Evans: They’re all doing good! We all actually thought that Josh would be the first one to be an actor in our family. But because of NOTORIOUS CJ was kind of able to jump into it sooner. They’ve both been going on auditions here and there, it’s nothing that we heavenly pursue because I’m more about y’all have to get it together in school. So if they’re doing alright in school and an opportunity comes then we’ll let them do auditions and what have you. And if they’re lucky enough to get a call back and their grades are right then we’ll let them do it. Other than that, we’re trying to keep them focused and finishing school and getting into a good college and all those other talents are cool but I don’t really play that! Let’s get a degree…let’s get a diploma honey (laughs)!

UrbanBridgez.com: (laughs) Off the top of your head from your catalog, what are your favorite top 5 songs?
Faith Evans: Out of my catalog, ummm. One would be “Where We Stand (Faithfully),” that’s one of my favorites. Oh wow, umm “Tears Away” (Hav Plenty SDTK), “Soulful Christmas” (A Faithful Christmas), hmmm oh “Come Over” (Faith) and “Get Over You” on The First Lady I was just listening to that yesterday, that’s one of my favorites!

UrbanBridgez.com: Anything else you wanna share with your fans before we go?
Faith Evans: I’m getting ready to work on my next book, I’ve been starting to work on it for the last couple of years, but I finally think I’m going to move forward with doing a deal for it. A handbook of tidbits and jewels and experiences that I’ve learned as a writer, a producer and a artist and business woman. To sort of understand this whole new industry so to speak. There was a similar book back in the day that Kashif did called “Everything You’d Better Know about the Record Industry.” But he left off where we are right now. It was the future coming and the more technology side that it is now. So it’s going to pick up where he left off, is fair to say. Not that I’m re-doing his book, but if I had to compare it to anything that would be it.

As always I’m so grateful to everybody whether if I get to come in contact with them or not. It’s such a sincere thing when I say that I appreciate the people that support my music. You never know what it is about you that touches people, so you know I’m just grateful that God has put me in a position to touch people whether it’s by my music, whether it’s by the life that I have lived and continue to live. I’m definitely going to keep trying to do my thing, whether it be by way of recording or the TV things I’m doing. Just trying to be a good person, that’s really what it’s all about. And if I ever get the chance to come in contact with them, then I’m sure they will know, yeah that was real because I’m definitely sincere! I appreciate the love and your support Aries because you’ve always been in my corner. And as long as there are people out there who want to hear Faith Evans music, I’m going to keep on doing it & hopefully y’all will be satisfied!

There’s Something About Faith! Love shared to Faith Evans in UB Interviews.

In August 2014, BET’s Centric celebrated their new season of “BEING” with Faith Evans. UB attended the L.A. screening event and spoke to Kelly Price about all things Faith.

UrbanBridgez.com: Describe your friendship with the woman of the hour, Faith Evans.
Kelly Price: If we go back to when I met her, that would be late ’80s. We kind of crisscrossed each other in church as young girls. But as a professional, I got an opportunity to meet her for the first time after she released her very first album and I was a writer over at Bad Boy. From that, we’ve had a mutual respect and love for each other that grew into a really, really tight bond. I love her for real. It’s not about lights or cameras or whatever. She is the girl that I can pick up the phone and call and say. “I need to vent.” And I can come to the house and do just that. And vice versa.

UrbanBridgez.com: Tell us about the side of Faith that the public doesn’t get to see.
Kelly Price: Faith is a very private person, but I think when you see Faith, it is, what it is. She’s very loving; she’s very caring; she’s very much so the even-tempered one. She’s always going to be that. But she has a lot of wisdom. She’ll sit and she’ll listen and she’ll let you get it all out. And she’ll say, “OK, but you know, this is what this is. You know that is what that is. And you need to do this and make sure that…” So she is motherly and nurturing. When you look at her, you’re like, “Whaaat?” because she is a hottie! But she’s all of those things. And an incredible cook.

UrbanBridgez.com: What’s your favorite dish of hers?
Kelly Price: Salmon! She makes an incredible salmon.

UrbanBridgez.com: What do you love about Faith’s voice?
Kelly Price: Everything! Outside of the generation of Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Patti Labelle and that generation of singers, when I first heard Faith’s music when she dropped that first album – “You Used to Love Me,” “Won’t You Come Over,” “Soon As I Get Home” – all of those songs resonated with me because they put me in the mind of the kind of singers that I grew up listening to…The Clark Sisters, Karen Clark, in particular. When you talk about Faith, she very much reminds me of her in terms of her intonation. But she brought a marriage of the power of gospel with the sexiness of R&B, if that makes any sense. And that’s what I loved about it. I love R&B music, but she was sonically familiar to me, so I loved her.

UrbanBridgez.com: What is your favorite song from Faith?
Kelly Price: There are too many! I’m probably the closest friend that she has that’s actually a real groupie.

The late great Teena Maria shared her desire with UB to work with Faith in our 2006 Black Music Month interview with the legend.

UrbanBridgez.com: Now if you could do another duet on your next album per se, would you work with a female great or someone from the younger generation?
Teena Marie: I would love to. I tried to put something together on the last record. A demo singer Dee O’Neal came in and she sang the song so tough that it was like I’m leaving her on here. She really, really brought it on the song from the last album called, I Love Him Too. But yeah, there are a few people I wouldn’t mind working with. Mary and I have talked about doing some stuff together before; Faith Evans, who just has a beautiful beautiful voice.

The collaboration happened with Teena’s next album release “Congo Square.” released in 2009 on the single “Can’t Last a Day.”

Karen Clark Sheard told UB how she feels about Faith and other singers who are influenced by her in 2006.

UrbanBridgez.com: How does it feel to have vocally inspired all the singing young female R&B; singers? Do you hear Karen-isms when you listen to them?
Karen Clark Sheard: I do hear a lot of me in Faith. Also in Mary, she loves Twinkie (Clark Sisters), she told me. I do hear a lot of us in them, it’s really an honor by them being these mega stars. They look up to us and it’s very encouraging, to know what I’ve done has made an impact on their lives. Them admiring our vocals and hearing what they’ve had to say has encouraged me. We’re always criticized for working with secular artists. We’re just doing what we are called on to do. We’re still doing what we’ve been doing, we’re ministering, talking about God. We’re the artists these stars have grown up on and to see them still worshiping, is refreshing.

UB spoke to J Moss for the 2014 release of his album “Grown Folks Gospel” and he shared why he wanted to work with Faith on the project.

UrbanBridgez.com: I absolutely love “Make Me Feel” with Faith Evans. What is it about Faith that made you want her to be on that record?
J. Moss: She’s my sister, we keep up with each other. She’s on the west-coast and I’m on the east and for years we’ve been able to keep in contact with each other and support each others career. When we did this track, I just kind of went in the studio and free-styled it. These are like just the first things that came to my mind. So once I finished the song, I was like whoa this isn’t really gospel. Lord did you really mean to give it to me like this? He just kind of gave me that afromation like yeah. I’m all about love, the reason that you’re still here is because I love you. Those times that you share with me, loving on me why wouldn’t I present that to my people. So I left it alone. I sent it to Faith and asked her if she wanted to be involved? First off she loves our family and has always announced it publicly just her love and respect she has for our family. When she heard it, she called me back screaming like this is so me. She laced her voice and killed it; even took the song to another place. I’m thankful for relationships for one and two for people like her who willing to lend her talents to spread the good news.

Legendary actress Sheryl Lee Ralph gushed about Faith in our 2013 interview with her for Divas Simply Singing.

Sheryl Lee Ralph: I want to see Alicia Keys in a unplugged situation. I also love Annie Lenox and I know it’s hard with the whole idea of bringing her over from London and all of that. That’s what I’m thinking about what do you think?
UrbanBridgez.com: Well you’ve had Shanice and Faith Evans already, so those would have been my picks.
Sheryl Lee Ralph: I love them! Let me tell you something, Faith is like a good friend and she just hangs in there, she just shows up and she shows out. I love Faith, that is someone who I would love to work with more. I think there is a lot more to Faith Evans than what people see. More to her than even herself sees you know.

UrbanBridgez.com: I would like that, so make it happen!
Sheryl Lee Ralph: I really would too, I just really like her. I think she’s a good person.

Rahsaan Patterson told UB in 2011, why he wanted to work with Faith on his album “bleuphoria.”

Rahsaan Patterson: Me and Faith have seen each other over the years. At industry events and around particularly in Cali. We both love and respect each others gifts. On my second album, there was a song I had called “Get Here,” when I was writing that song in Chicago back in 98. She was always in the back of my head, so on that particular song I had her as a reference in my head. It was kind of with me, when I was creating that song. And when I was writing and singing it. So she’s pretty much been with me (laughs) in a certain way, all the way up to this record. So I thought it was important to show her love and to show her how she’s been such a big part of my musical fiber and journey. Give her some shine as well and to share my space with her

Friend of Faith’s, Shanice spoke to UB about working with her on the Rahsaan Patterson track “Crazy.”

Shanice: And Faith, I’m like the biggest Faith Evans fan ever! The first CD she did, with me my mind is always going real fast and I got kids so I’m always all over the place. So usually when I listen to CD’s I kind of just skip to my favorite songs and I don’t really listen to a whole CD. But with Faith’s first CD I can put that on and listen from beginning to end without ever skipping a song. That’s like one of my favorite CD’s ever, I’m such a fan and I tell her that all the time. So I was really excited to be apart of that and Keith Crouch wrote and produced it with Rahsaan.

UBG Fun-fact, we designed and operated Faith Evans “Faithfully” official website during that era!

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Take A Trip Down Memory lane with The Incomparable Faith Evans!