Ahmir Brings R&B The Gift

To many visitors of our site, R&B music stopped with the beginning of the new millennium. Where the 90s offered silky smooth ballads and great harmonies, the 00s seemed to focus more around solo artists and an up-tempo hip-hop sound. I'm not afraid to admit it, I thought that a lot of what made R&B great, had long since left the mainstream. That is, until I found this video on YouTube by a group named Ahmir titled 'The Wedding Song.'

To anyone who hears this smooth joint, it's evident that Ahmir is bringing some much needed change into the R&B industry. The group, comprised of Mark 'Sing Sing' Robertson, Michael 'Big Mike' McDonald, KC Washington, and Leon 'Mr. Jones' Jones, is gearing up to release its debut album, The Gift, on April 10th and it is looking to turn some heads.

Despite being an unsigned act, the group as already made some major headway in the industry. The group has opened for many big name R&B artists including John Legend, Jagged Edge, 112 and Jaheim and have already performed around the world. In addition, their debut single, 'Welcome To My Party' was #19 on Billboard's Year End R&B/Hip-Hop Sales charts. Still not convinced? The group is eligible for a Soul Train Award for Best R&B/Soul Single and Best R&B/Soul Dance Cut. When it's considered that the group is eligible alongside acts like Beyonce, Anthony Hamilton and Eric Benet, it's clear that this group offers something special.

I recently had a chance to speak with the guys and find out more about who they are and what they've got planned for the R&B scene. If the interview leaves you wanting more, check out their Myspace Page or visit their site, Ahmir Music.

Interview With Ahmir

It sounds like the group is from all over the place, with members from NYC, Philly and Boston. How did each of you come to be in the group Ahmir?

Two of us were friends already from singing together and we met KC through auditions from our management at the time. Then, we actively looked for another singer to complete the group... we saw Sing-Sing at a local show and just knew we had to have him be a part!

What background in music did you have before joining the group?

Many of us had sung in local church choirs and had a gospel background. Big Mike actually was a member of the prestigious Boys Choir of Harlem. Sing-Sing was trained through several musical institutions including Berklee College of Music.

Who does most of the actual writing?

Probably Mr. Jones, He's an amazing individual when it comes to songwriting. He's great at wordplay, imagery, and very quick with turning his ideas into a song with an incredible chorus, strong verses, and a standout bridge.

Nevertheless, the entire group has a hand in writing and arrangement. We often have writing sessions where we all bring our ideas to create something incredible!