Shareefa

Music:

Member Since: 4/21/2006
Band Website: dtprecords.com
Band Members: Ludacris, Shawnna, I-20, Lil Fate, DJ JayCee, Bobby Valentino, Playaz Circle, Norfclk, Lazy Eye & Field Mob

Q&A with Shareefa

How long have you been with Disturbing The Peace?
About two years now.

So you are a singer. Where are you from?
I was born and partly raised in Jersey. Left when I was 14 and went to Charlotte, North Carolina. Now I stay in Atlanta.

What was it like growing up in North Carolina when you were down there?
Cool. It was alright.

How did you end up hooking up with DTP?
Somebody actually handed the demo over to Jeff Dixon who is one of the co-owners of Disturbing The Peace. I got a phone call the next day.

And the rest is history.
The rest is history. They wanted to meet me so I flew up to New York and I met Ludacris on the set of TRL backstage cause everybody wanted to see what I looked like. After that it was a go.

So when can we expect to hear your first single?
Well my first look is actually on the Disturbing The Peace compilation. It’s called I’ll be around. My album doesn’t come until the top of the year which is first quarter.

Do you have a title for the album?
No but I’m leaning toward Point of No Return cause I feel like that is where I’m at in my life right now. I feel like there is no turning back in my life. All I can do is move forward I can’t move back.

When did you decide that you wanted to pursue music professionally?
When I was little. I don’t have no story like, "Since I was two." I wasn’t singing in church or nothing. I was infatuated with videos and I would listen to people sing and that would give me goose bumps. I would think, "I want to do that, I want to give people that feeling." I have an infatuation with cameras. I love the limelight and drama. I would play out every movie scene in Color Purple every video it was funny. They got me on tape doing all type of stuff when I was seven. I always knew that is what I wanted to do.

How have you adjusted to living in the Atlanta area?
I love Atlanta. Atlanta is like another home.

Did you do any writing on the new album?
I wrote everything.

Can you tell me about your song writing process? I mean do you have an idea or do you have to hear the music?
The beat has to automatically catch me. The beat has to be speaking to me. Like, "Whoa, I feel like talking about something." It has to make me want to speak about a situation a month ago or a week ago. That situation might pop in my head and I just go in there.

What have you found to be the hardest thing about being a new artist?
I don’t know. I mean shit, its what you make it. You have to come in this industry with an open mind. You want to hit the first time but that doesn’t mean you are going to hit the first time and I’m content with that. I’m going to give it 150% but you have to have an understanding. Don’t come in thinking it’s going to be all gravy and your single is going to pop off. It’s a constant grind that comes with you and the label. It’s not easy. It’s what you make it.

Email:

Influences: Im influenced by everyone and everything! But my biggest influences are definately Mary J & Lauryn Hill.


MYSPACE.COM/NVISUAL

Record Label: Disturbing Tha Peace Records/Def Jam
Type of Label: Major