We lately had the chance to interview Corey “Latif” Williams on Instagram Stay. Throughout our dialog, we talked about his debut album “Love In The First” and what he remembers about creating the venture with Ryan Leslie. We additionally talk about his songwriting behind the scenes for likes of Musiq Soulchild (“Train Me”) and Chris Brown (“Harm”). We additionally speak about his success abroad in markets like Japan and Germany. Lastly we speak about his new duo venture with Aalias below the identify Lo Boii.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What do you bear in mind about making your debut album “Love In The First”?
Latif: I met Ryan Leslie like my second 12 months in class and we began collaborating nearly immediately. We had that chemistry and we began writing songs with the understanding that we’d simply be writing these songs like a Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. We determined with me taking a report deal and a whole lot of songs that we had been writing ended up being my demo. I imply we re-recorded a whole lot of them, however these are songs that obtained me my deal. Then as soon as we moved to Chicago and did the remainder of the report except the Adonis, Sean Garrett and Teddy Bishop songs. These songs got here approach later. Ryan and I did songs like “It’s Alright”. My demo at the moment was executed by James Poyser. From the soar, I at all times had like the very best materials. However yeah, Ryan and I did the meat of that venture in Chicago and it was an expertise.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Sean Garrett did the one “I Don’t Wanna Damage You”. You had been a younger artist on the time, however your music was nonetheless mature and it was by no means kiddie. Was that intentional?
Latif: Yeah, for those who discover like even just like the Jackson 5 data, they’re grown data, My voice has so matured a lot and now I can emote approach higher than I might even on the report. If you consider Teddy Pendergrass, for those who consider his songs and also you hear his ad-libs, they’re primarily proper? Like I at all times needed to make a music that anyone might relate to you understand whether or not it’s a child or an grownup, however what I observed concerning the nice songs and nice artists earlier than me just like the Jackson 5, they didn’t make kiddie data. They had been actual songs. I used to be like 19-20 years outdated, so it’s such as you actually you assume you’re grown. Neither me or Ryan had been married, but it surely was a lot power. individuals had been popping out with so many various types and stuff. It was so recent and like we had been listening to what Pharrell and Chad had been doing and we might research that.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What was your subsequent transfer after the discharge of your debut? I really feel like that album is underappreciated.
Latif: I knew instantly how that the album was dealt with that I needed to I needed to go away Motown. This was in opposition to their recommendation for me to be off the label, however Ryan and I had been writing first. A part of the explanation why we moved to Chicago was for me to give attention to my album. You see with the labels, the mismanagement of funds and tour help. I believe they shipped out 40,000 of my album, so you’ll be able to’t go gold. If you happen to observed like typically an album would come out round that point and ship platinum, meaning they despatched out 1,000,000 copies. So for those who ship out 40,000 copies, it’s rattling close to a miracle that it’s reached individuals the way in which it has. I knew instantly I needed to get off of Motown and as soon as I obtained off a Motown and then you definitely obtained to assume, September 11 occurred in order that shifted the enterprise, I knew that I had to return to my grind as a result of I used to be a songwriter initially.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You’ve written some nice songs behind the scenes. Discuss concerning the “Harm” music that you just did for Chris Brown.
Latif: I did that music with the Runners. We’d at all times discuss to one another by way of Myspace or no matter, so after I lastly went to Atlanta, it was me and I used to be in a single room and Jasper Cameron was in one other room. Jasper did songs like “Promise” by Ciara and he wrote a bunch of Lloyd smashes. The Runners gave me the “Broken” observe and on the time, it was a bunch of dudes within the studio. So I used to be like “Oh man, just like the stress was on”. I used to be on the pc simply pondering like “Possibly I’ll do that idea”. I fell asleep and after I wakened, the room was closed however I had the entire music written. It’s just like the music got here to me in my sleep. Jasper instructed me “That music is for Chris Brown!”. I bear in mind I had a hyperlink to Tina Davis’ brother, however I by no means heard something again.
I simply stayed on my grind since you by no means know the place a music goes to land. You simply put it to the facet and anyone might decide it up in a while or no matter. So I did a writing journey in Atlanta. I’m strolling by way of the airport and my telephone goes up and it’s DJ Khaled on the telephone. He’s like “Congratulations! That music is a smash”. So I went out to LA and lower the report on Chris. Chris was really hoarse. His voice was hoarse once we obtained to the studio, however his voice simply got here to life after he had some tea and actually, Chris Brown is like after I hear individuals speak about Michael Jackson. Chris Brown is like one other stage together with his aura, like he’s simply so inquisitive and he’s simply naturally inclined.
YouKnowIGotSoul: I do know you’ve gotten an enormous following abroad in Japan. Was that out of your working relationship with Ryan Leslie?
Latif: The Japanese market got here to me due to the music I did with Stargate known as “Promise Me”. The harp was much like Ne-Yo’s “So Sick” and lots of people cherished it. Lots of people don’t even know that Ryan and I labored so carefully collectively. Like even when he had the movie crews round, however I wasn’t into the cameras and stuff like that at the moment. Japan was the “Promise Me” Stargate stuff. Now Germany? That was Ryan Leslie. That was as a result of the Subsequent Choice server was hacked they usually couldn’t get sufficient of that stuff. So “Assume You Know” was the catalyst for that. We had a buddy who was like “You guys are tremendous large in Europe”. Individuals would promote the vinyl for 20 euros and this was all of the songs that they’d hacked. They had been promoting it and we had no concept. Reasonably than simply taking the loss fully, we had been “Let’s go over and do some exhibits”. Throughout one of many runs, the membership went loopy for “Assume You now”. Ryan didn’t even like that music as a result of it wasn’t quick sufficient. Individuals assume Ryan produced it however Kadis & Sean produced it. Ryan put the rap verse on it approach later after he noticed everyone favored it.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Speak about your new duo Lo Boii.
Latif: The main focus is LoBoii. It’s with my accomplice Aalias. He’s labored with Rihanna, Eminem and DJ Snake. So he and I began writing data for different individuals round 2012 and our chemistry is unbelievable. That’s the brand new wave and like particularly with this pandemic, it’s important to prioritize. It’s the primary time I really took time to give attention to a venture that we had been going to launch. The following venture is silly. I see lots of people discuss heavy and stuff about R&B music, however you gotta create some new stuff and it’s important to take dangers. It’s important to push it and you’ll’t push it with lure drums. It’s important to evolve it. I simply need everybody to be tuned in and this subsequent venture is actually going to push it.