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POOKIE
ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS FEATURING
THE EAGERLY AWAITED REUNION
The ever-innovative Raphael Saadiq is about to flip it into something along the lines of “Bass, Treble, BOOM” when he drops his second solo studio album, RAPHAEL SAADIQ AS RAY RAY. The Grammy®-winner promises the new album will bring ghetto cinematic flair to modern R&B, including a cover concept inspired by Bill Cosby & Sidney Poitier’s `70s classic, “Uptown Saturday Night” (with a photo of Saadiq--wearing vintage clothes--standing in front of a `67 white convertible Cougar). There’s plenty of fun to go along with the funk. “It's all about a feeling,” Saadiq explains of the album, which will be released late September on his Pookie Entertainment label (distributed by Navarre). “I want this album to feel like a movie, only it will tell several stories. I always try to come with concepts--to keep myself amused more than anything. It's not about trying to be deep. I just like to have fun.” Commenting on his nickname, Saadiq explains, “My mother calls me ‘Ray Ray.’ My homies call me ‘Tanqueray.’ ‘Ray Ray’ represents the fun side of Raphael Saadiq.” And he’s bringing some old friends along for the ride. Most notably, the long and eagerly awaited reunion of Saadiq with Dwayne Wiggins from Tony Toni Tone as well as Dawn Robinson from Lucy Pearl, both of whom contribute vocals to “Rifle Love.” It seems that the fans won’t have to wait to long to hear it, since the song leaked through an undisclosed source and is already being heard on a few radio stations across the country, including Power 106 in Los Angeles and KMEL in San Francisco. The first official single will be the funky, infectious and sexy “Chic Like You” featuring yet-to-be-announced surprise guests. It should hit radio airwaves by August. Sharing skills on the boards this time around, other guests on the album include acclaimed hip-hop producers Michaelangelo (Busta Rhymes) and Focus (Dr. Dre). Jake & The Phatman and Kelvin Wooten—who first worked on Saadiq’s previous album, INSTANT VINTAGE—reunite with Saadiq once again to lend a hand as songwriters and co-producers. RAPHAEL SAADIQ AS RAY RAY is the follow-up to 2002’s critically acclaimed and three-time Grammy-nominated album, INSTANT VINTAGE. Saadiq was also nominated in 2002 for two Grammy Awards for co-writing—along with Jake & The Phatman, Erykah Badu and James Poyser--the #1 smash hit “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)” from the “Brown Sugar” soundtrack. He ultimately took home the “Best R&B Song” prize for “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop).” Ironically enough, Saadiq garnered the Grammy nominations for INSTANT VINTAGE only weeks after amicably parting ways with Universal Records, who released the album May 2002. Here’s how Vibe magazine described the “gospeldelic” sound of INSTANT VINTAGE: “If his new sound were an outfit, it would be a bell-bottom, patchwork catsuit of silk, suede, cashmere, and macramé, with funky armpit stains.” Most recently, Saadiq was honored at the prestigious ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Award ceremony for “Love of My Life,” which was recognized as one of the most played songs of 2003. Just like a movie, RAPHAEL SAADIQ AS RAY RAY even has a theme song, “Ray Ray’s Theme,” featuring Raphael’s Pookie Entertainment labelmate Joi handling the vocals. Songs on the album also include a Sam Cooke-influenced song titled “The Fence,” which assures folks they can get over all of their problems, as well as a Chic-meets-SOS Band inspired club tune that features hot female vocal newcomer Teedra Moses. Still other songs will bring to mind such intriguing vibes as the Delfonics meets the Meters, the Spinners, Earth Wind & Fire, even Prince. For Saadiq, there is no shame in this game. “Musically, I pull from everybody…I can't help it. Cats as great as James Ingram and Leon Ware have been to my studio and told me they do the same thing, so I don’t worry about it. Once the production is 100% done, it will end up sounding like me anyway.” For further information about Raphael Saadiq and Pookie Entertainment, please check out www.pookieentertainment.com.
CONTACT: Amanda
Cagan
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