Music:
Member Since: 30/07/2007
Band Members: My life and my music career are so entwined that you will not always know where one begins and the other ends. From the time I was 9 years old I knew that music was what I wanted to do for the rest of life. Of course I thought it was all about being on TV,being famous, and being in the limelight.But now as a young male in 2006 I understand that there is much more that goes into being in the music business. My life thus far has nurtured the singer/songwriter/performer in me. I feel like I'm the people's champ in the music gameBeing born and raised on the westside of Chicago, the reality of my surroundings made me turn to music as a escape. Being born into a lower mid class family,the one thing I was rich in was love from my mom,aunt, and grandmother.But where there was love and happiness also came darkness and horrible times. Seeing and being a victim of metal,verbal,and physical abuse from my father caused me to turn inward to express the hurt and anger that I was feeling through poetry and song. My mom,sister,and I left that broken household and moved in with my grandmother and aunt. It was there that as a means to still escape the lingering effects of the abuse I experienced the sounds of music as a sweet smoothing to my ears and soul. I would remember my uncles playing records from Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis, Etta James, The OJays, The Jacksons, The Temptations, Smokie Robinson, The Supremes, Prince, Michel Jackson and so on and feeling like wow these artist were telling there stories of love,happiness, the ghetto, sex, everything. I knew that as I grew that I wanted to become a storyteller in music like these artists.I was always a shy child and I wondered how I would be able to get over my shyness to become this person on stage that I felt laid deep within. I remember seeing two concerts that changed my life. In the same year , I went to a Bobby Brown concert and the Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation tour. I was like 7 years old and these were my 1st concert experiences. I was just in marvel of energy and stage presence these two artist had. I was like ok that what I wanna do and be.As I entered high school, was like the strange guy. I joined the high school marching band and learned music theory and music history .While perfecting my skills of playing the tenor saxophone, I also started to explore singing and songwriting more. I was so good one time I caught the attention at the age 16 of a record executive at Jive records that so happened to be there at my high school for career day. I was all excited and ready to do it but my mother wanted me to go to college and be academic. I listened to here and followed her wishes and did as she asked.I went to college down in New Orleans and I still wanted to explore my music career. But I didn't have the courage to tell my mom that I was living her dream not mines. So secretly for 3 of the 5 years I was in college, I would take secret trips to Chicago and New York City to push my career as a songwriter and a singer. After a while the lying was too much for me to handle and I came clean and told my family. My grandmother and aunt were supportive but my mother was not and for a about 2 years after that we had a difficult time talking about my life and the music path that I feel that destined to take.After finishing college, I moved to New York City and I started working on doing more singing and songwriting. In the last 3 years here in NYC, I have been blessed to have headlined a show a solo artist at the legendary Knitting Factory in lower Manhattan and performed at numerous places showcases such as the Village Underground, Nightingales, Groove lounge/nightclub, etc. I have also been able to do song submissions for Ciara, Toni Braxton, Jill Scott, One Chance, Shaliek Rivers, and etc. Get ready to see and hear more of what Maurice has to offer as a singer/songwriter in 2007/2008.
Influences: Michael Jackson
Prince
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Diane Warren
Babyface
Glen Ballard
Sounds Like: Unique
sounds like orginal good music
Type of Label: Unsigned
