I wrote this article in 2004 after the television show I was producing had the opportunity to interview the late great crooner about his upcoming album. I am convinced that our interview is the greatest most in-depth interview with him ever, as not only did we talk about the album but we talked about his love life, his family, and the first song he ever wrote. So, in honor of his life and in recognition of the second anniversary of his death, (November 10th), I am re-releasing this article. I hope you enjoy it but most importantly I hope you tell someone close to you how much you love them because one thing Gerald taught us is that tomorrow is not promised.
~d-the-VIP
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A Teddy Bear Squeezed: Gerald Levert on love, life, and his new album by D-the-VIP
The chocolate Teddy Bear of love walks into the room methodically. He’s tired but his perceptive gaze doesn't miss the interviewer, in the corner getting wired for sound, or the producer, around the corner, half-in/half-out of the bathroom, whispering about the questions. He takes his designated “hot” seat with the grace and skepticism of a panther in captivity. I feel like Loretta Divine in “Waiting to Exhale” when she walks away from Gregory Hines but looks back to check if he’s watching, One look in the closet mirror confirms, He’s Watching! Mr. Too Damn Good, I’d Give Anything, Made to Love You, himself, Gerald Levert. Dressed in jeans and a button down striped shirt, a beautiful diamond earring and an exquisite bracelet, his casual simplicity is more reminiscent of a suburban weekender than a major R&B sex symbol. This should be interesting. It’s time “Lights, Camera, Action!”
He starts answering questions with the guardedness of a pro. Until asked whether he gets tired or frustrated about people always mentioning his father when talking about him. That’s when the loveable bear growls. He’s more frustrated and annoyed with those who ask that question, than those who make the reference. His pride in his fathers accomplishments are written all over his face as he passionately reminds us that his first group was named Levert and he uses his first and last name. No hiding for the son of the legendary Eddie Levert of the O’Jays. The business has taught him one thing for sure. He would not have “Gotten out the block” if he didn’t actually have “something to offer in his own right.”
The questions pass with a newly revitalized G. When the interviewer tells him he’s challenging James Brown for the title of Hardest Working Man in show business and asks why he stays so busy? His answer is simple, “Keeps me outta trouble,” he says. What trouble? I began to wonder but before my imagination takes me too far he answers the next question about his work ethic. If you’ve never ever, in-your-long-legged-life gone to a Gerald Levert concert you have missed the best sex ever! After an hour and a half of him sweating, sanging, (That’s what we call REAL singing), rose tossing, and gyrating, the women are frantic and frenzied and the men are smiling like cats that ate the canary because they know that their wives or girlfriends are going to give them all the “love” that Gerald Levert has stirred up, as soon as they get home. “I like to make sure my audience is satisfied and they feel they’ve gotten their money’s worth.” As one who has witnessed this phenomenon let me be the first to say he leaves his audience more than satisfied!
After more of what I call the warm up questions we get to the one that makes him say, “Good Question!” How is he able to write from an average Joe perspective when he’s never been an average Joe? I almost didn’t include this question because I didn’t think he’d understand what I was really asking. How can a kid born rich, from the suburbs of Cleveland, with a famous father, write lyrics that make you feel as if he’s experienced the hardships of poverty, and the pain of anonymity? Now I was glad I had added this question. He took a second, as if gathering his thoughts or composing his words before answering. When he starts to speak, he speaks openly about why he’s able to write the way he does. He talks about being raised doing regular every day things right down to attending public schools. Maybe that accounts for his down-to-earth demeanor. He speaks candidly about the fact that the Levert household saw some lean years. After the 70’s, the O’Jays, like many other groups of that era, went through some years when the name, and fame, was there but the money was not as plentiful. “It was to the point where people had to get jobs.” Maybe this is what keeps him humble. He goes on to talk about how being famous and broke is not a place he’d like to be, “I’d rather be rich than famous” he says with no hesitation. I can definitely understand that.
What does he think is the most romantic song of all time? He quickly turns interviewer and asks the host what does she think is the most romantic song. She says the Dramatics, I Wanna Go outside in the Rain, the debate is on. After professing his love for the Dramatics and this song the lyricist in him proclaims his confusion about the songs story. “Go outside for what?” He asks. After reciting the lyrics out loud, and listening to the host as she tries to explain the story, he decides to give up the debate. “I still don’t know why he wanna go outside. I don’t get that.” Unfortunately, he never said what song he’d pick. That’s what I think he intended all along.
The most poignant moment came when he answered the question. What is love? “Unconditional” He says quickly, with all the hopes and dreams of a man that has everything, except maybe someone to laugh with, cry with, and share his world with. In his new single One Million Times, he sings about the one that he can’t let go, with the emotional intensity of a man that’s been there or the desperation of a man who is still there. When asked to respond true or false to rumors of a relationship with comedienne’s Mo’Nique, Kym Whitley, singer Kandi Burris or music exec Sylvia Rhone, he squirms more than Ben Stiller attached to the lie detector in the movie “Meet My Parents,” but he answers. “False.” He and Sylvia Rhone are just friends as are he and Kym Whitley, “Kym is my friend and she’s from Cleveland.” When asked about Mo’Nique he says “Things aren’t always what they seem. People see you hanging out with somebody and they assume that you have something going on, with Mo’Nique being a comedienne she just played on that, but nobody ever asked me,” until now. True! G once dated Xscape member Kandi Burris although the relationship didn’t last, listening very closely to One Million Times… makes you wonder if their last chapter has been written.
As the interview wrapped I reflected on a moment when he was asked to sing a song he wrote when he was five called Silly Me. The thought makes me laugh to this day. He sung it with all the boyish charm of a five year old and when asked to say goodbye to the viewers, he did so in a crazy high pitched ladies voice, and laughed. Does Gerald Levert Speak for the World? I’ll let you be the judge. One can be certain he speaks from the heart.
The chocolate Teddy Bear of love walks into the room methodically. He’s tired but his perceptive gaze doesn't miss the interviewer, in the corner getting wired for sound, or the producer, around the corner, half-in/half-out of the bathroom, whispering about the questions. He takes his designated “hot” seat with the grace and skepticism of a panther in captivity. I feel like Loretta Divine in “Waiting to Exhale” when she walks away from Gregory Hines but looks back to check if he’s watching, One look in the closet mirror confirms, He’s Watching! Mr. Too Damn Good, I’d Give Anything, Made to Love You, himself, Gerald Levert. Dressed in jeans and a button down striped shirt, a beautiful diamond earring and an exquisite bracelet, his casual simplicity is more reminiscent of a suburban weekender than a major R&B sex symbol. This should be interesting. It’s time “Lights, Camera, Action!”
He starts answering questions with the guardedness of a pro. Until asked whether he gets tired or frustrated about people always mentioning his father when talking about him. That’s when the loveable bear growls. He’s more frustrated and annoyed with those who ask that question, than those who make the reference. His pride in his fathers accomplishments are written all over his face as he passionately reminds us that his first group was named Levert and he uses his first and last name. No hiding for the son of the legendary Eddie Levert of the O’Jays. The business has taught him one thing for sure. He would not have “Gotten out the block” if he didn’t actually have “something to offer in his own right.”
The questions pass with a newly revitalized G. When the interviewer tells him he’s challenging James Brown for the title of Hardest Working Man in show business and asks why he stays so busy? His answer is simple, “Keeps me outta trouble,” he says. What trouble? I began to wonder but before my imagination takes me too far he answers the next question about his work ethic. If you’ve never ever, in-your-long-legged-life gone to a Gerald Levert concert you have missed the best sex ever! After an hour and a half of him sweating, sanging, (That’s what we call REAL singing), rose tossing, and gyrating, the women are frantic and frenzied and the men are smiling like cats that ate the canary because they know that their wives or girlfriends are going to give them all the “love” that Gerald Levert has stirred up, as soon as they get home. “I like to make sure my audience is satisfied and they feel they’ve gotten their money’s worth.” As one who has witnessed this phenomenon let me be the first to say he leaves his audience more than satisfied!
After more of what I call the warm up questions we get to the one that makes him say, “Good Question!” How is he able to write from an average Joe perspective when he’s never been an average Joe? I almost didn’t include this question because I didn’t think he’d understand what I was really asking. How can a kid born rich, from the suburbs of Cleveland, with a famous father, write lyrics that make you feel as if he’s experienced the hardships of poverty, and the pain of anonymity? Now I was glad I had added this question. He took a second, as if gathering his thoughts or composing his words before answering. When he starts to speak, he speaks openly about why he’s able to write the way he does. He talks about being raised doing regular every day things right down to attending public schools. Maybe that accounts for his down-to-earth demeanor. He speaks candidly about the fact that the Levert household saw some lean years. After the 70’s, the O’Jays, like many other groups of that era, went through some years when the name, and fame, was there but the money was not as plentiful. “It was to the point where people had to get jobs.” Maybe this is what keeps him humble. He goes on to talk about how being famous and broke is not a place he’d like to be, “I’d rather be rich than famous” he says with no hesitation. I can definitely understand that.
What does he think is the most romantic song of all time? He quickly turns interviewer and asks the host what does she think is the most romantic song. She says the Dramatics, I Wanna Go outside in the Rain, the debate is on. After professing his love for the Dramatics and this song the lyricist in him proclaims his confusion about the songs story. “Go outside for what?” He asks. After reciting the lyrics out loud, and listening to the host as she tries to explain the story, he decides to give up the debate. “I still don’t know why he wanna go outside. I don’t get that.” Unfortunately, he never said what song he’d pick. That’s what I think he intended all along.
The most poignant moment came when he answered the question. What is love? “Unconditional” He says quickly, with all the hopes and dreams of a man that has everything, except maybe someone to laugh with, cry with, and share his world with. In his new single One Million Times, he sings about the one that he can’t let go, with the emotional intensity of a man that’s been there or the desperation of a man who is still there. When asked to respond true or false to rumors of a relationship with comedienne’s Mo’Nique, Kym Whitley, singer Kandi Burris or music exec Sylvia Rhone, he squirms more than Ben Stiller attached to the lie detector in the movie “Meet My Parents,” but he answers. “False.” He and Sylvia Rhone are just friends as are he and Kym Whitley, “Kym is my friend and she’s from Cleveland.” When asked about Mo’Nique he says “Things aren’t always what they seem. People see you hanging out with somebody and they assume that you have something going on, with Mo’Nique being a comedienne she just played on that, but nobody ever asked me,” until now. True! G once dated Xscape member Kandi Burris although the relationship didn’t last, listening very closely to One Million Times… makes you wonder if their last chapter has been written.
As the interview wrapped I reflected on a moment when he was asked to sing a song he wrote when he was five called Silly Me. The thought makes me laugh to this day. He sung it with all the boyish charm of a five year old and when asked to say goodbye to the viewers, he did so in a crazy high pitched ladies voice, and laughed. Does Gerald Levert Speak for the World? I’ll let you be the judge. One can be certain he speaks from the heart.
~d-the-VIP
1 comment:
Nice!😊
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