| Source: ReactMag.com |
| TQ might be from California, but he's got
a lot of love for the UK. "Definitely that's my bread and butter over there,"
notes the Cash Money Millionaire, who continued "the first album sold a helluva
lot of units over there, much more than over here. The second album only
came out over there, in the midst of a record company battle. Overseas plays
a big part in my cycle now." TQ feels everyplace on the map is important,
as he notes "music connects everybody, regardless of the geographical barriers.
I've seen everything, I've shook a million hands, I've signed a million
autographs, and I want to do it all again. I love the fans, I love how they
treat me, I love the whole culture (in the UK)."
Expect him to be back soon as he has a new album to promote on the way. "Gemini" is due out July 15th and TQ is thrilled with the finished product. "It's done man, I'm happy with it. I'm like a proud father right now." He describes the album as "good R&B music, that's really what it is. More R&B than any of the other stuff I've ever done. I really wanted to showcase this time around that I'm a singer, not a rapper." Despite the fact that he doesn't consider himself a rapper, TQ was called out on 50 Cent's infamous dis track from 1999, "How to Rob," when 50 said "I wanna stick TQ, but his shit ain't sell." TQ didn't get mad, though, he actually considered it to be a positive thing, saying "for a rap cat to be mentionin me just shows, as far as R&B, that I had the streets on lock. He came to rob me whether I was sellin or not," he took a second to laugh then continued, "I like his new album, I'm happy for him, he's on top right now." As for TQ, right now he's in a pretty good place as well, Cash Money Records. He signed to the label in 2001 and says everything has been great ever since. "I was signed to Epic for three years and probably saw Tommy Mottola three times," he noted, continuing "it's night and day. (At Cash Money) I'm with my CEO's everyday. We eat together, watch the game together, ride the (tour) bus together, we hustle together. Cash Money is a bridge, a bridge between me and my distributors." Born in Alabama, and raised in Los Angeles, TQ says that, according to his mother, he's been singing since before he could talk. He realized he wanted to make singing his career "when Michael Jackson performed on Motown 55. I was like spellbound, that's when I said I wanted to be a performer." Even with that goal reached, TQ doesn't have a swelled head, or a big ego, at all, in fact he wants to hear from his fans. "I want feedback. I got the new sidekick joint on my hip, I can hit fans back. Pick a site, get on the message board." Just another example of how TQ realizes something more artists should, that the fans are important. |
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