Within the coronary heart of Atlanta’s music scene, a robust partnership is reshaping the panorama of inspirational music. Jevon Dewand, the self-proclaimed “activation speaker,” and legendary super-producer Jazze Pha have joined forces to create what they name “entice stars” – a progressive fusion of gospel, soul, and inspiration aimed toward reaching audiences past conventional church partitions. Their newest collaboration, “With out You,” is climbing the charts, at the moment sitting within the prime six, marking a brand new chapter of their 20-year brotherhood that started with a $25,000 handshake.
[Editor’s note: This is a truncated transcription of a longer video interview. Please see the video for the extended version. Some errors may occur.]
Inform us about who you’re and your work, notably “With out You.”
Jevon Dewand: I am going by Jevon Dewand past. I got here up with this new factor referred to as entice stars as a result of I used to be trapped. I used to be from the ghetto, from the hood, one mother or father dwelling. It’s an acronym for expertise revolving round goal. If our children perceive they will use their expertise to revolve round goal, they’ll by no means be trapped once more. I’ve labored with everybody from Jermaine to The place the Jacket to Skate. I’ve a film on Peacock and Amazon Prime referred to as “Courting in Atlanta” with Jock and Anthony Dawton. I even have a film referred to as “Hate” as a result of hate is the primary illness on the planet.
How did Jevon persuade you to hop on this album?
Jazze Pha: Me and Jevon have been rocking for about 20-something years now. It wasn’t even a query. I come from gospel. I’ve been singing in choirs since I used to be about 11 years outdated. My mother sang with Philip Bailey and the Residing Epistles, additionally DJ Rogers, and Barbara Streisand. She stored me rooted within the phrase. I had additionally achieved some gospel stuff with Snoop Dogg on Bible of Love and labored with Our Eyes of Korea.
How arduous was it to pivot into inspirational music?
JP: Whenever you stay each day and also you stroll each day by religion and you set God first in all the pieces that you just do, it’s type of prefer it looks like an trade query. Whenever you’re dwelling for the Lord all of your life, it’s not likely a pivot for me. It’s simply type of like a brand new introduction to some individuals who won’t have been listening to the Jazze Pha over right here.
Let’s speak about this brotherhood as a result of there’s no ego right here. It’s been 20 years. Inform us about it.
JP: Once I first met him, he had a enterprise associate, and so they reached out down and their checking account and paid me $25,000. We in all probability commerce off $25,000 occasions now. We by no means fought. We by no means argued. We simply at all times struggle over the test at dinner. We’re actually mates. My mom calls him son and vice versa. And so does his mother. God relaxation his father’s soul. I used to be there when he handed and beloved him.
This was Ciara’s twentieth anniversary. Let’s speak about that and what that meant to you.
JP: It’s only a blessing to even be nonetheless thought-about and referred to as upon to supply information and to do music and to have the ability to go on that stage together with her at State Farm Area. I used to be capable of give her the important thing to the town and current her with the plaques. Lots of people don’t final 5 years on this sport, and to be within the sport 30 years plus – what a blessing that’s. And we obtained a brand new document popping out.
Let’s speak about your glasses. Inform us about your model.
JP: These are literally initially produced from Goliath out of New York Metropolis. Loads of the outdated actors and Italian gangsters used to put on the black ones and the massive studying glasses. I believe my most memorable second was desirous to have DMC’s glasses from Run-DMC. By the point I used to be capable of purchase these glasses, I needed them in crimson. A buddy of mine, Corey Shapiro, who has an organization referred to as Classic Frames, constructed a duplicate, and we did crimson.
What are your subsequent initiatives?
JD: We’re taking our inspiration, our motivation into completely different guidelines of the place God is. We obtained a Christian modern EP popping out referred to as “Everyone Reward.” We obtained the old-fashioned with the choir referred to as “After Service” and “The Tabernacle.” We obtained the worldwide music referred to as “Passport Music.” We obtained a brand new enterprise referred to as “The Sales space” that we govt produced, that includes Neo, Scrappy, Tiny, and lots of others. We’re additionally doing one thing very highly effective for Father’s Day about Black males having conversations that break stereotypes.
JP: Extra headphones, extra ear pods, glasses, in fact. Trend, garments, extra Thanksgiving, extra thanks, extra music. New music with the Lure Stars. My daughter has a clothes line coming referred to as Toomaro. I’m additionally specializing in higher well being, engaged on my weight reduction journey, and being extra constant.
How do you describe the tone of “With out You”? It doesn’t match one style.
JD: I describe it soulful, significant, clear, a narrative, and praising the great and the dangerous on prime of the mountain. Jazze’s just like the whipped cream for me. He’s like going to Disney World. He has the vitality. Once we are available that factor, we are available there with that vitality on prime of the mountain. That’s why you hear the document begin telling you that I’m blessed. I do know that he did it for me telling you that I’m blessed.
Inform us about your collab with Dave Hollister.
JD: This document that we’re popping out with in 2025 is known as “Life.” Fuel Cash, Jazze Pha and myself, we produced and wrote this document. I needed to give you an idea as a result of 80% of my life, I get up, I search for, I converse up, and I inform, thank God, thanks for waking me up. Folks inform me household, love, well being are the largest blessings, however you possibly can’t have none of that with out life. Life isn’t a given – it’s a present.
PHA: It’s a full circle second for me and Dave. I used to be truly on Dave’s first album, “Get O’Hem.” I produced on that.
Are you able to speak about taking cost of our narrative as Black males?
JD: We’re not going to do it the identical means. They already obtained Kurt, they obtained Ty, they obtained Commissioned, they obtained BeBe and CeCe, and so they’re doing it effectively. However I need to deliver one thing new. My grandma informed me to provide God my burdens, however she by no means informed me to provide him my celebration, my desires, and my vitality too.
Inform us about your small business ventures.
JP: The headphones deal got here by Tammy Pha with Astrum Electronics. Yow will discover all the pieces on my web site, djjazzepha.com. The glasses might be accessible subsequent week, and the headphones are already on my Instagram bio.
JD: I need to add one thing about collaborations. I simply did a e-book referred to as “Three Cs.” In case you’re a enterprise proprietor, you need collaborations, you need connections, and then you definitely’ll get the test. Don’t suppose test first. Suppose how can I discover a new connection that I could make a collaboration with, after which I’ll get new checks.
What’s developing subsequent?
JD: We’re doing “The Sales space” that we govt produced, with Neo, Scrappy, Tiny and lots of others. It’s about how The Sales space modified their lives. We’ve obtained some motion pictures popping out, together with one thing highly effective for Father’s Day about Black males having conversations that break stereotypes.
JP: Extra headphones, ear pods, glasses, trend, garments. My daughter has a clothes line coming referred to as Toomaro. I’m enthusiastic about that as a result of she’s actually entering into it. I’m additionally specializing in higher well being and weight reduction, making an attempt to be extra constant.
JD: I’m down with him within the fitness center too. Once I go to the solar within the fitness center, I pray for individuals, I declare it, and I order it. That’s three completely different steps. And Jazze makes my listing each time. And brother, let me inform you about your new document with Glow, Actually, and Friday – it’s loopy.
JP: We’re going up proper now. The album is sort of gold, headed in the direction of platinum.
JD: And I really like to provide shout out to pioneers like Jazze, Jermaine Dupri, B. Cox, Tough Stuart – individuals who keep related and maintain placing out nice music. We’re manifesting collaborations with LL Cool J, Probability the Rapper, Snoop Dogg, Jagged Edge, Pitbull, Unhealthy Bunny – watch, it’s all coming.
You’ve been dropping gems this entire time. Our tradition wants this. And Jazze Pha, thanks for speaking about your weight reduction journey since you’re going to release and encourage another person.
JD: We work out stay at workoutlive.com. Generally they want fast sweats too. Like I say fast reads, you bought to satisfy individuals the place they’re. Jazze don’t want however quarter-hour a day. My again was so tousled earlier than – I used to be on my knees for six hours in a prayer place. Then I made a decision to get stronger. I went from 30% to 95%. When you make up your thoughts, you’ll make up your steps. When you make up your steps, you’ll change your life.
I need to shout out Sharnaya Allen, my sister. She’s on these songs too. Anthony Hamilton. Wonderful. And I’m manifesting now – we’re getting LL Cool J, Probability the Rapper, Snoop Dogg, Jagged Edge. I’m just like the fifth member within the group. Unhealthy Bunny – effectively, right here come Good Rabbit. It’s taking place.
JP: Unhealthy Bunny. You bought to be Good Rabbit.
JD: That’s rabbit. I’m telling you. I’ll be manifesting all this stuff and placing it down. Watch me. LL construct a document. T-Ache. That’s our canine. We simply ain’t drove on the market but. We coming, T-Ache. We coming.