Prince "Blkmagic" Damons: Take a Picture Before Entering his Atmospheric Soul

This article was written by Danielle

With a voice smooth as cognac in a smoky Harlem lounge and looks of a finely chiseled porcelain statue , triple threat musician, songwriter, and producer, Prince “Blkmagic” Damons is ready to invite his listeners inside his Atmospheric Soul. Out of the soul of Mississippi, Damons is one of the hottest new producers in R&B, Soul, and Hip Hop. Though the “Dirty South” claims Prince “Blkmagic” Damons as one of the area’s top producers, his hot tracks are being heard all over the world. He is the musical force reconstructing the soul of today’s music. Working with artist ranging from Too Short, E-40, soulsters Dwele, Goapele, LaToya London, and Rosie Gaines. You can hear Damons’ bangin’ tracks in the background of several CW Network TV shows and movies including “90210,” “Tyra Banks Show” and “TMZ.”

Damons is currently finishing his highly anticipated solo project, Atmospheric Soul scheduled for a Fall 2009 release, and buzz around this album rumors Damons to be the “Quincy Jones” of a new era. Atmospheric Soul takes Soul to the next level embracing and compressing the sounds of R&B, HipHop, Jazz, Spoken Word and a hint of Country influence.

Urbane Perspective: At what point in your life did you realize u were an artist?
Damons: I started playing my first instrument when I was about four or five years old and I knew even way back then that I had a serious passion for music but I think it was in elementary school when I first realized that I was an actual artist. I started being in all of the local talent shows and I used to win every talent competition I was in. I loved the rush that I would get from being on that stage in front of all those people screaming for me. It was such a magical, yet natural, feeling experience each time. The stage became my outlet to express my artistry of music and dance.

Urbane Perspective: Explain the concept of your album, Atmospheric Soul.
Damons:Atmospheric Soul is simply different elements and styles of music all living together in harmony on one project. The album is influenced by various moods, emotions, sounds and real subject matter that I try to bring together to make up one unique body of work. Now as far as the “soul” part…When I use the term “soul music” I’m not meaning it in the traditional realm that we normally refer to it in. I personally have to dig deep within my soul to find the good stuff (regardless of the genre) that people can relate to. Likewise, I think most artists have to dig deep within to pull out good music that connects and relates to other people and the things that they’ve experienced on whatever level. That’s soul music to me. If the energy came from deep inside where the soul and realness dwells, I think that’s “soul music,” because after all that’s the only true place you can find unfiltered realness. My thought is that all music that touches someone emotionally or mentally is “soul music.” Thus I came up with the title of my album, Atmospheric Soul.

Urbane Perspective: What artist did you work with on this album?
Damons: There is an amazing and wide roster of artist on this album. Bay Area legendary rappers Too Short and E-40 are on the album. Soulsters Dwele, Goapele, LaToya London (“American Idol: Season 3”), Rosie Gaines (probably best known for her amazing duet, “Diamonds and Pearls” with Prince aka “The Artist”), Ras Kimono (Nigeria’s Finest), my good friend and living legend Archie Bell (from Archie Bell and The Drells). Archie had the whole world shaking their hips and doing the “Tighten Up” back in 1968-’69. I also have features from “Ms. Sprinkle Me” Suga T and my Tapa Records labelmate Nicci Nix. As you can see the list goes on and on. I even featured a few new artists that I wanted to introduce to my fans.

Urbane Perspective: Did you write any of the songs yourself and if so, what inspiration did u draw from?
Damons: I either wrote or co-wrote on all of the songs on the album. Actually, outside of a few exceptions I wrote, produced, and played all the instruments on the entire album. As I was writing the lyrics and composing the musical arrangements for the songs on the Atmospheric Soul album, I pulled from so many different feelings, genres, life experiences and so on. I wanted to create an album that had different elements from various styles of musical expression. I would usually just draw inspiration from whatever was going on around me or within my spirit at the time. During the creation of this record, life had me in so many different places mentally, physically and spiritually. Some of the songs came from fun, happy, funny or just plum silly moments and others came from the thoughts of my inner soul as it expressed itself on various personal subjects like my childhood, my father battling lung cancer, friendship (in my case a spiritual friendship), and of course I had to address all the nay-sayers and the haters that tried to discourage me when I was just a little youngster growing up in Mississippi.

Urbane Perspective: Describe some of your most important career accomplishments
Damons: I think each of the 13 instruments that I learned to play were important accomplishments for my career because they allowed me to have a broader spectrum to pull from as a producer. I’ve had one of the most-viewed music videos on nabbr.com for the past several weeks with more than 4 million views. My music video for the single “Can I Take Ya Picture” ft. Too Short and E-40 was recently added to the lineup on MTVu after being nominated as one of the top 5 videos on MTV’s show “The Freshmen.” It was a competition of who could get the most votes and supporters. I literally had thousands upon thousands of fans going online voting for my video non-stop within a five day competition period. I felt it was a big accomplishment to get into the MTVu rotation of videos, but an even bigger accomplishments to have that many fans and supporters that care enough about me and my music to take time out of their busy schedule to vote a countless numbers of times on my behalf. Last but not least, this album, Atmospheric Soul, has been in the making since I picked up my first instrument at the age of four. I literally fell to my knees crying and thanking God when I finished the long journey of completing this album that many people said couldn’t be done. I get emotional just thinking about the trials and tribulations that I endured during the journey. Atmospheric Soul is definitely one if not the most important career accomplishment that I’ve had thus far.

Urbane Perspective: What unique experience or qualifications separate you from other artist out there?
Damons: I’m a left-handed, Scorpio, country boy from a small town in Mississippi (not generally known for music), who plays 13 musical instruments (all self-taught initially), who’s had to work relentlessly for every break I’ve ever gotten in my musical career, and who still works ridiculously hard every day like my career depends on it. I came to have a personal spiritual relationship at a young age that grew right along with my musical gifts and recognize that I need spiritual guidance along with the wisdom of elders and others around me. I know to duck if I see someone else in front of me bump their head. Likewise in my career, my unique experiences are often observing or listening to the experiences of others who have traveled similar paths to the one I’m on. As a producer, singer, and songwriter, I’m able to go into the studio and create a complete song from beginning to end without any other musicians, writers, engineers or outside producers. I’ve been blessed with an amazing gift to be able to hear and see the finished product before I ever lay down the first note or record a single track (similar to the way a painter can envision his work before ever putting any paint on the canvas). If we look at what is different about me just on this album, you will find that I did what some artists and record labels would consider album suicide. I tried something different than the norm. I didn’t put myself in a box and make the entire album sound the same. To get the full Atmospheric Soul picture and to understand what I was trying to do, you have to listen to my album all the way through. It’s a musical journey. I approached the album as a producer more so than as an artist. Most artists have a distinct sound. Producers can usually create different sounds depending on who the artist is.

Urbane Perspective: What motivates you and how do you want to evolve as an artist?
Damons: Real life emotions, issues, and experiences: love, hate, happiness, anger, jealousy, envy, pain, spiritually, lust, confusion, war, sickness, family, sounds, sceneries and anything else that people may experience or be around from day to day. I want to keep climbing the musical charts with my music as well as with the music I produce for other artists. I want to be one of the best producers, performer, and songwriters to ever hit the music scene. I want my music to elevate to reaching people internationally.

Urbane Perspective:Are u comfortable labeling yourself as a “brand” or do you feel it dilutes your artistic integrity?
Damons: I’m okay with it because as major recording artist you just kinda have to know that it comes with the territory if you plan to be a marketable major artist. Now I do draw my lines in the sand as to how far I will go with it, but I understand the whole “brand thing.” As a matter of fact, I was the VP of Urban A&R at Visual Records in Muscle Shoals, Alabama when I was just 22 yrs old, so I had to understand and convey to other artists how to market their “brand.” The key is to find artists who have a personality that is already marketable so that way the brand isn’t a fictitious character. With Prince “BlkMagic” Damons, my brand is pretty much the real me. That makes it much easier than trying to re-make someone.

Urbane Perspective: What are your plans for the future?
Damons: I definitely plan to keep making music and performing, but along with that I want to continue to work as a producer/songwriter with extraordinary artists and record labels that aren’t afraid to be innovative in their thinking. And, if I can ever find “the one,” I think it might be cool to change her last name so that it rhymes with mine… hahaha. I’m a family-oriented kind of guy. As far as touring, My management is working out some tour dates in the U.S. and Canada right now, but it hasn’t all been finalized. I’m not quite sure when the tour will start or who I will be touring with, but I know it will be a show that you don’t want to miss. I know I’ll be doing some shows with the various people from the album, but I don’t have any specific dates as of now.

Urbane Perspective: Any last remarks for the Urbane Perspective Readers?
Damons: Don’t ever let anyone tell you that your dreams are unobtainable. Remember it’s called “Your Dream” so oftentimes other people want be able to see it until it becomes a reality. You can do anything you want to do in life if you believe in yourself and don’t plant negative seeds. Negative seeds can kill your dreams. If you are waiting for a cheering team to motivate you, then you will be waiting a long time. The bigger the dream the harder it is to find supportive like minds. With that said, never miss out on big or small opportunities that may come your way and could possibly help you excel in doing what you love. Often we don’t recognize a good thing or the possibilities of a good thing even when it’s right in front of us. The catch is, possibilities are translucent not transparent.