Hip-Hop Lives Here
Hip-Hop Lives Here
Mr. Timberlake, have you had your quarter-life crisis yet?
Quarter life crises are so last generation. (Laughs) I’ve never thought about it, but I can tell you that this year of my life has been the most different. I feel like I’ve learned so much every year since I turned 25. I feel like that was a turning point for me.
Why?
I just made this conscious decision to appreciate what I do have and not wanting what I don’t have. That way I feel like you’re able to pack in more memories. I feel like each year of my life since I turned 25 I’ve had so many more memories.
You certainly made a lot of memories before then too…
… I don’t remember anything before 25. (Laughs)
People are freaking out about their age earlier and earlier these days, some even starting Botox in their twenties.
(Laughs) I’m just trying to imagine Botox at 25.
I’ve heard it’s very normal in Hollywood.
It is. From my understanding, they do it so that when they get older it doesn’t look like such a shift. It’s more so that in the future they can hide that they had plastic surgery. They’ll start doing Botox early so that their skin stays tight until they’re 35 and then they’re 40 and then you never question when their skin looks older and then all of a sudden it looks completely different. It’s so that they can hide it more.
For some people it’s as normal as brushing your teeth.
Well, dental hygiene... I think that’s different.
Of course it is.
That’s like taking a bath, that’s not paying somebody for Botox.
Maybe it has to do with the wish for immortality. How important is that in your work, that it might last long after you’re dead?
I think the only way to achieve something that’s classic is to be in the moment. You don’t sit around and think, “Oh, I hope this is remembered forever!” You just have to be honest and I think that requires being in the moment. I don’t think you can worry about what is going to happen with something after that. I think the only thing that you can do is be honest and let the chips fall where they may.
"At the end of the day, we’re just actors and musicians and I don’t think we’re saving the world."
When did you learn that?
Playing concerts and touring is very much about creating a moment. I think making music is about being in the moment as well. Being in the moment to me is more about when you don’t have to analyze what it is that you’re doing, when it just feels right. I think you find the same moments in acting, when you don’t have to go back and think about it. You don’t have to ask as many questions when you know what you felt when you were in the moment portraying that character.
Is that why a lot of people don’t enjoy watching themselves on screen?
Yeah, because then all of a sudden you’ll start judging it yourself and that’s not why you did it. To me, that’s not what any type of art is. I find it interesting that art gets judged, that some sort of price gets put on it. Honestly, there are a lot of similarities to that part of the industry and the way we classify people by how wealthy they are. How struggling can you be as an actor? How real can your music make me feel? I don’t know… My last album wasn’t real at all.
And that doesn’t bother you?
I’m not trying to compare myself to someone who’s as brilliant as John Lennon so please don’t write this like that…
I can’t make any promises.
If you do I’ll come find you. And stab you. (Laughs) But I never felt more vindicated than when I watched the movie Imagine and there’s this moment where a guy shows up on Lennon’s doorstep and says, “You wrote that song to me.” And Lennon is like… his reaction made me laugh. He’s like, [with mock English accent] “No, man. I take words and put them together. They don’t mean anything to me. I didn’t write that song to you… Now do you want something to eat?” When you take the pressure off of it… at the end of the day, we’re just actors and musicians and I don’t think we’re saving the world.
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N2K is a musical trio consisting of members Norman Burns, Nigel Finley and Kenny Vaughn. The name of the group comes from their first names and the musicianship and focused mindset runs through them all. With combined years of musical experience, this is a group that formulated through commonalities of all kinds and continues to showcase their intentionality with everything that they do.
At the center of all the musical talent the group has is a passion and love for God. When speaking with the group, they constantly credited Him for all that they were able to do and all they have done in their ongoing careers.
“At this point in our lives, we’re thankful for the fact that God and the Holy Spirit keep giving us all these opportunities. The blessings just keep coming in.” said Kenny
The commitment to bringing God all the glory comes through in all the music N2K puts out. While their music is not “traditional” Gospel - the message of God’s love still reverberates through it no matter what the genre is. With a background in church both spiritually and musically, it was a natural process to bring those elements into the music for the group.
“Gospel music has changed and evolved throughout the years. It’s always been a field that incorporates different things. In my journey, I’ve had experience with classical music, musical theater, jazz and more and all of that has informed our musical ears of the multiple ways the music can go. Whatever genre, vibe or atmosphere the setting calls for, we can actively respond to it.” said Nigel.
N2K’s latest single, “Come My Way,” is an ode to the beauty of black women anywhere and everywhere but women of any background can still appreciate it. Built on an amalgamation of Soul, R&B and Hip-Hop, it’s a danceable and uplifting track charged with both positivity and relatability.
Kenny shared that the original inspiration for “Come My Way” came from how he saw people responding to both former First Lady Michelle Obama and former Vice President Kamala Harris - two of the most powerful black women we’ve ever seen in this country. While one would hope the entire country respected both of them, the reality is that this is not the case. He saw the derogatory remarks some had made about them and wanted to do something about it.
Rather than respond with the same hostility those people had, he wanted to respond with the exact opposite: affirmation. By crafting a song that empowered black women, the trio knew it would reinforce the mindset of having reverence and appreciation for black women. However, the message was still universal for all women too.
“It’s a song about black women but I feel women in general have not been given their just due and have been maligned and underrated in this country. The song is about affirming black women but also all women.” said Norman.
The original name of the song was actually going to be “Beautiful Black Sister.” But, Norman and Kenny realized that from a commercial standpoint, this might push some listeners away. Kenny stated that the fact this was even a factor was why the song was needed in the first place. People needed to hear that there’s music uplifting women of all kinds - especially black women.
“Come My Way” was created with intentionality in both the song itself and the visuals for it. The music video features black women from all walks of life and ages who showcase beauty in multiple ways. They aren’t models, they have day-to-day beauty we see from black women all around us as we go about our lives. The women featured in the video are all friends of the group which doubles down on the relatability of it.
“The word that best describes it is authentic. Not contrived.” said Kenny.
“There was no audition process.” said both Norman and Nigel.
With sung vocals and rapped ones, the lyrics of the track are pure poetry - and considering Nigel Finely is a spoken word artist and the one who rapped the verse - it makes total sense. Nigel’s words paint a picture that resonates emotionally with anyone who has had a black woman make an impact on their lives.
“These are things that you think about when you were reared by a black woman. Those women were always instrumental in your upbringing and cared for you when you couldn’t care for yourself and made sure you had what you needed to in order to become a contributing member of society.” said Nigel.
Kenny shared how the song’s producer Andre Best came up with the idea to make sure the rapped verse was at the forefront of the song instead of just being tacked on at the end. This way, the message of the song continues to be displayed as strongly as possible and it showcases the range of the group in an effective way too.
“With spoken word and rap, you can get more information and emotion across in a quicker way.” said Kenny.
“Come My Way” is the second single from N2K this year and their previous release, “You’re Gonna Need Him,” is right at home in the house music genre. N2K has plans to continue releasing music and performing live shows all over the country and spreading the message of God’s love simultaneously though it all.
“Come My Way” is available on streaming services now.
You can experience even more of God’s love through music by connecting with N2K on the following platforms:
Spotify
Apple Music
YouTube
Facebook
Instagram
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