Marsha Ambrosius Talks on Aftermath Debut, Working w/Dr. Dre & Eminem + More

[Rebel]

Floetry’s Marsha Ambrosius talks to Archna Sawjani about what we can expect from her new solo album on Dr. Dre's Aftermath Records.


Sitting with Marsha Ambrosius in her dressing room as she gets ready for her performance with Floetry collaborator Natalie at the infamous Jazz Cafe, you cannot help but notice how her whole face lights up at the mere mention of her impending solo career.

Having already achieved huge success as one half of the six-time Grammy nominated duo Floetry, it seems it is now time for the spotlight to shine on The Songstress alone. “I am 29 years old now, I have to fulfill this piece of me that has been dying to escape and be set free for such a long time,” she says of her impending solo album. “If I don't do it now, I will be letting myself and my family down. I'm not going to get any younger and I'm not going to get another opportunity like this again."

PRESSURE
Does she feel under any pressure going solo? "No. I feel free. For the first time, I don’t have any obligations or compromises to make. I don’t have to step back and share the spotlight. I have dreamt about this for such a long time and I feel really, really excited."

You cannot help but smile at her excitement. And excited she should be, especially if the past year is any indication to where her career is headed.

After signing to the legendary Dr Dre's Aftermath label just over a year ago, Marsha has fast become the new go-to person for a classic hip-hop hook.

She has spent the past year working with some of hip-hop's biggest artists including her label-mates Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent, Eminem as well as others like Nas, The Game and Jay-Z.

Despite the attention, she remains well grounded. “I can only remain humble about it and appreciate that they are inviting me to be involved with very, very classic hip-hop work. I have to put my best foot forward and make sure I don’t disappoint as these artists make history with their music, and I'm just honoured to play a small part."

What’s it like working with different artists who may have beef with each other?

“If you visit my MySpace page, my screen name is ‘Everyone’s Best Friend’. It seems like everyone that I work with has a problem with one another.

“I have worked with 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Nas, Dre, The Game, Busta, Eminem, Lloyd Banks and Snoop. The funny thing is none of them have a problem with me, so they all come up to me and say things like ‘I'm feeling you on that track’ and I'm like ‘Okay, so are you guys cool now’ and it's like ‘Nah I hate that guy’.

2007 undoubtedly has big things in store for Aftermath and the newly turned solo singer.

“I am a perfectionist,” she admits. “I have waited a long time for this, so the last thing I want to do after waiting all these years, is to rush the album and be disappointed. I am aiming to release the album this summer. I am focusing on making this a classic album, that will stay relevant across time. I have been doing some stuff with Timbaland, Scott Storch, Just Blaze and I am meeting up with Pharrell next week but that’s not to say that they will all make the album. The relationship between Dre and myself has become so strong that it may not be necessary to use any other producers.

“I have recorded 50 songs so far that I absolutely love. Narrowing them down to 12 was near enough impossible but I have cut it down to what I think could possibly be my album.

“But this is with me still working with Pharrell and seeing what we can come up with, we will probably knock off three of the tracks that I absolutely love at the moment. “Maybe I'll even do a track featuring Nas and Game for my album and we can do mini shows together.

“Who knows."

Source: Voice-online.co.uk

Marsha's yet to be titled LP will probably be released in the end of the year. The album will be Executive Produced by Dr. Dre.

[everlast1986]

sounds dope

[Tanjential]

Dre's story in his own personal history book will be he was the greatest rap producer but he wanted to be the great R and B/ Funk producer that his heros Quincy and George Clinton were. It's easy for him to make Kurupt and Eminem sound dope, his passion always lied with a soulful woman like Michel'le, Jewell, Truth Hurts, now Marsha, and I think that is what the real challenge is for him.

-T

[dameons]

Will never see the light of day...

[J$crILLa]

Will never see the light of day...

[Tha G In Deee]

sounds dope

[Rebel]

I'm curious to what she's doing with Eminem and Dre.

[Digital Pimpin']

Dre's story in his own personal history book will be he was the greatest rap producer but he wanted to be the great R and B/ Funk producer that his heros Quincy and George Clinton were. It's easy for him to make Kurupt and Eminem sound dope, his passion always lied with a soulful woman like Michel'le, Jewell, Truth Hurts, now Marsha, and I think that is what the real challenge is for him.

-T

I want him to produce a funky RnB album for Nate Dogg - which may be on its way.

[Tanjential]

did we ever find out where that new nate dre song is gonna be released?

-T

[XaNdEr]

I'm curious to what she's doing with Eminem and Dre.

prolly suckin their dicks


anyways, i remember one particular none hiphop record dre was workin on and was kinda uhm a let down....but yeah i guess the truth hurts 

[Sikotic™]

Will never see the light of day...

[GangstaBoogy]

Dre isn't successful when it comes to releasing r&b artist. Michel'le went plat after a year or so, but no one remembers here. Jewell never got released. Truth Hurts flopped big time. Let's see what happens this time...

[Rebel]

Dre isn't successful when it comes to releasing r&b artist. Michel'le went plat after a year or so, but no one remembers here. Jewell never got released. Truth Hurts flopped big time. Let's see what happens this time...

That's not Truth's fault. Actually her album was doing good. But because of the lawsuit, the album was pulled from stores and a second single was never released. DJ Quick never revealed the sample nor got the clearence of the "Addictive" song.

[LyRiCaL_G]

^^imo addictive was ahead of its time, it never really got the sales it deserved for such a bangin 1st joint, ra killed that shit like he still a smooth mofo, like if anything, if truth hurts came out at a later date when the aftermath and co buzz was huge, she would have had huge numbers with such a banger....it was just out to early, no real promotion...or anything , even 1st week sales were not good...but to me, the fact she dropped was atleast one thing dre got out....but i guess jimmy let him take a chance with that but after he took more control since that shit never really worked....truth was not all bad though still, i never thought she was really talented or anything, but i can never forget break ya kneck with busta, she was part of that, so i cant hate

[Dargine]

^^imo addictive was ahead of its time, it never really got the sales it deserved for such a bangin 1st joint, ra killed that shit like he still a smooth mofo, like if anything, if truth hurts came out at a later date when the aftermath and co buzz was huge, she would have had huge numbers with such a banger....it was just out to early, no real promotion...or anything , even 1st week sales were not good..

Just read what Rebel just said again, DJ Quik produced Addictive but he never cleared the samples and shit for it, that's why the album got pulled outta stores and there was no second single... That's also why Dr. Dre did a remix for that song with Ra' droppin' a second verse, but it was too late because the album was already out at the time he did that, so they couldn't replace the song.