Case Returns With The Rose Experience

After eight long years of waiting for R&B singer Case to follow-up on his hit third album, Open Letter, it's finally upon us. March 24, 2009, Case will be releasing his fourth album, The Rose Experience. Named for Case's alter ego, Blaxl Rose, Case is pushing the envelope with this album. His first album on an independent label, he's been given the opportunity to have creative control over the work, and it's quality is already evident in the album's successful first single, "Lovely."

Despite his busy schedule as he continues to tour the country in promotion of the album, Case was able to take time out to talk with us at R&B Haven. In part two of our interview, Case talks about the album's various release dates, and what it was like working as an independent artist. And of course, an artist's work is never done, so Case also talks briefly about where things might go from here. Read on for all that and more.

Interview with Case

This is Matt Fyffe, R&B Guru of RNB Haven DOT Com. I'm back with R&B Singer Case, to talk about his upcoming album, The Rose Experience, due out on March 24th. Case, it's great to have you back with us.

What's up man, thanks for having me.

The last time we talked, we discussed how long it's been since your last album release. So it's finally coming to an end, you've got the new album, The Rose Experience, about to be released. How's it feel to finally get a new album out there?

It feels good. I'm happy that I finally got the situation the way that I wanted it and was able to put the album out cause I was real happy with what I was able to do with it. I've been waiting for the chance to put it out and see how everybody responds to it.

Now the album's had a number of release dates circulate, people saying it's coming out "January, February" now it's finally coming out March 24th. Can you tell us a little bit about what caused these delays?

Well, some of those weren't actually dates, we were trying to put it out in the Fall of 08 and then I wasn't ready. I had a couple more songs that I wanted to do, I hadn't gotten the single where I wanted it to be. So we wanted to wait a minute.

We had another date in February that we had to move because there was one more song that I wanted to do. I just wanted to make sure that everything was lined up the way I wanted it to. I mean since it's been so long, I figured making it wait a little bit longer wouldn't hurt for the sake of getting it right.

The Rose Experience has seen different names and faces over the months but it's finally out March 24th.

So one thing that's interesting about the album is its - You know, you're apart from Def Jam now, you're on an independent label - you can get a feel for how this has changed it already because you're saying "What I wanted to do" so how has working as an independent artist differed from working at Def Jam?

Well I mean, that in itself is the best thing about it. To me it's like, I get the chance to make the songs I wanna make and say what I want to say without having to go through the red tape and having to consider a whole bunch of other opinions about it.

At this point, it's like if I like it, I make it, and then we put it out. That's the best thing for me because one of the problems I had at Def Jam was that I would have a song that I wanted as the single, and I would get argued down that we couldn't do it, and they didn't want to do it. Then we'd put out what they wanted and six months later they'd come over and tell me I was right, we shoulda put out this other song.

That conversation is cool maybe once. But after a few times having that conversation, it gets real frustrating. So that was something I definitely didn't want to deal with anymore. Doing the independent was the best way to ensure I didn't have to deal with that anymore.

Now because of the greater input you had into the album, do any more experiences from your life highlight in the album or show up in the themes?

Yea actually, I think what shows up more than anything else is it's a little lighter, the sound of it. I wanted to have more fun with it and get deeper into the actual relationship issues that I'm talking about. I actually do have a song on the album that deals with the real life issues - some of them I've dealt with, and the others, I know for a fact that tons of other people have dealt with, especially now with the recession and everything.

So that definitely has crept into it.