Mr. extraordinary
By: Raven Ekundayo
It’s amazing how people can assume things by simply looking at someone. Take Steph Jones for instance. This model turned singer who in all actuality is really a singer turned model turned singer (whew) probably looks like your run of the mill pretty boy right? Well look deeper. Once you get pass the top layer you start to learn more about this brother. You’ll learn that he was told to shut up when he use to sing at a young age. You learn that some of his musical inspirations are Frank Sinatra, Etta James and Bob Marley. You learn he’s spent time in jail. Ah yes, we often judge a book by it’s cover, but when you take the time to open it up and read, you find that the story isn’t as “ordinary” as you assumed.
Raven - I know that you have a history in the past of modeling,
but how did you get into singing and is it something you were
always into since u were young?
Steph - My mom has been a DJ my whole life, so music has always been around. My father had a band and I would go with him every week to check out his band. I didn’t really know that I was into music until I got into college. When I would sing around the house everyone would tell me to shut up. I never knew I had music like that in my blood. Every time I would try to sing, my brother, my moms, even in school everybody would always tell me to shut up. So I didn’t know until I got to college and was able to express myself freely that I had a gift to give to the world.
Raven - That was something interesting that I found while reading your bio. It starts off by saying “Shut up”. Lol. I read it and I thought it was funny because I had the same thing happen to me growing up. I didn’t think I could sing because my moms would ask me to stop singing when I hit puberty. It felt weird being told to shut up. I’m straight up able to identify with you man. How did you end up overcoming that?
Steph - Actually I didn’t overcome it. To this day I hold back a lot because I feel like someone is going to tell me to shut up. I even got kicked out of school. They had this thing called alternative school where all the bad kids go when they’re kicked out. I went to alternative school mainly because of singing. Almost every slip I had that explained why I was put out said “Student got kicked out, singing in Class”.
Raven - Haaaaaa
Steph - Every single one of them. It’s crazy. So I didn’t know I could sing until I got to college. Two girls heard me humming and said “Oh you can sing a little bit”. That’s all it took right there. That started building my confidence. Then I started going to Karaoke night. I messed up there. But see Karaoke means so much more to me than kidding around with friends. The 1st song I ever performed was Joe’s “I wanna know”. Their version was a different version. It was like half the song. I started singing the song and it seemed like I didn’t know the song because it skipped from 1st verse to like 2nd chorus. I was up there looking stupid. Hardly anybody clapped and I was like Damn! But the next week I went back and performed again, this time singing “All the things your man won’t do”. That’s a hard song to sing because of the key that Joe is singing in. I messed up again. That was two weeks in a row. The next week I went back and performed “I wanna know and nailed it”. I went back for like the next five weeks and performed the same song…
Raven - Over and over again…I got you, until you perfected it.
Steph - Yeah, it got better every single time. So every week for the next four or five years I went to karaoke. I sang all types of songs. I did 50 Cent, I did Coldplay, Garth Brooks. I just wanted to build my range. That got me to where I am now.
Raven - Ok, that’s wassup. Aight so I read up on some of you history and I found that you have quite a background in sports. So you’re a model, and athlete and a singer. Of all of those things what do you get the most out of?
Steph - Definitely my music, 100% my music. When I’m modeling that modeling someone else’s clothes. When I write my music I start from scratch. When I wrote “Mr. Ordinary” I didn’t have nobody’s beat. I made it up in my head. The 1st time I ever heard my songs played in a club was by far one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever had in my 25 years of living. Just seeing how people reacted to one of my songs. That’s when I knew 100% that music is what I’m suppose to do.
Raven - Ok, that’s wassup. So continuing with music, what artists past or present inspire you?
Steph - Awww man. (He exhales and we laugh). Hmmm, Definitely Stevie Wonder, Harry Belafonte, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles. See remember my mom’s a DJ so I was around a lot of music, Boney James and Kenny G, a lot of jazz music and a lot of pop music, Donny Hathaway, Etta James, Nat King Cole, Bob Marley. It just goes on and on. There are some artist who I don’t even know their names, they don’t even sing in English, but it’s all about the feeling I get when I hear them doing their music.
Raven - Now do you think it makes you a more well rounded singer because you appreciate and respect so many other types of music?
Steph - Most definitely. Music today is so processed. It’s so processed that I think we’ve kinda strayed away from what actual really good music is. It’s like one person puts out this type of music, then that artist has about 8 or 9 little followers. But then when you think about artist like Marvin Gay and Stevie Wonder, if you actually go back and listen to their music it’s like you couldn’t put them in a box. Stevie didn’t have songs where you listened to one and the next one sounded just like it. It was about making good music and that’s what we’ve strayed from now a days. That’s what I’m trying to bring back to the table….
Raven - Well that flows great into my next question. What category of music would you consider yours to be?
Steph - That is by far one of the hardest questions for me to answer. In all honesty whatever category you can put John Legend or Stevie Wonder. I’m an innovator. It’s hard to put me in a box. If you sit down with me and get into my personality you’ll realize you can’t even put my personality into a box. It may sound a little crazy. I’ve been all over Europe, I’ve been all over The United States, I’ve met so many different types of people and it’s like If u listen to my music you tell me where you think I fit. I call my music “My soul music” because it’s from my soul.
Raven - Well the first time I heard “Mr. Ordinary” I thought to myself “That’s not normal R&B” Listening to it…I mean I have a hard enough time calling music like Donny Hathaway or Stevie Wonder R&B. You feel me? R&B to me seems to be boring….
Steph - And I’m trying to make it so fun just like my personality homey.
Raven - LOL, and you get that from your Myspace page man. There have been times you’ve sent out bulletins on there and I’ve had to ask myself, is this actually him..lol..because you’re so free and that’s not something you see with artist often.
Steph - Maaaan. I’m just a young boy from the south. My arms are open and my doors are open and I can smell shit from a mile away. I’m into good people and it’s like they get that type of vibe from me. That’s what they get from my Myspace page. That’s why the turn out for my party that I publicized on Myspace had no negativity. It was a really really really good party. People had come who I had never met or had just spoke with that day for the 1st time on Myspace and they made my party look really good because I had photographers and a camera crew following me around. It was a good vibe.
Raven - I also appreciate that you sing a lot of your songs Acapella on your page. A lot of people wouldn’t take that chance for fear that people will find out that they can’t sing. But ever when you’re doing that you’re still silly. And that helps. It makes you seem very down to earth. You look at people like Patti Labelle and people feel like they can talk to her. I think it has to do with not putting on Falsehoods.
Steph - One of my favorite phrases is “Real recognize real all day everyday”. I try to keep it as natural as possible. There’s a lot of fake people in the industry. Not naming any names but you can see it. And it comes out.
Raven - Aight next question. Are you signed to a label at this time?
Steph - I am not signed to a label. There are maaaaaaaaaany things up in the air right now. We’re in the process of making some decisions in who will best represent Steph Jones and the movement that’s about to go down. However, they have to understand me creativeness (pauses to speak to someone off the phone). Creativeness is a word, shut up (He gets back on the phone).
Raven - Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Steph - Lol. (The person on his end corrects him) Oh, My creativity. (We both fall out laughing) But yeah, they definitely have to understand my creativity and not pull away pull away pull away until I’m actually a different artist from who I am now. See I spend a lot of time on Myspace and I check everyone’s comments to see how genuine their comments are. And I can honestly say I’ve yet to see anyone’s page resemble my page when it comes to that. It must mean that I’m doing something right.
Raven - So how have the industry heads responded to you? Do they take you seriously seeing how you’re a model making a transition into singing?
Steph - Oh they take me seriously now. Before when I was on all these billboards and commercials and campaigns and stuff I would tell them I sing but I didn’t have any songs. They were like “yeah yeah alright, another pretty boy trying to sing”. But then I got a couple of songs under my belt. Then came Myspace and I tell you…….Rafeal Saadiq came up out of nowhere, I never met the dude before and he says “Man, your music is really dope, I want to get you in the studio, maybe you can write for me”. And that wasn’t a one time thing. Things like that happen all the time now.
Raven - Man please, I’ve tried to explain to people. Pass all the negative press it’s received, Myspace has been a networking blessing for me.
Steph - Right!
Raven - Yeah, it really blows me when people hit me up. I’m like you actually took the time out to read my profile and see that I’m a journalist. This interview wouldn’t even be taking place without Myspace..lol. Ok so next question
Steph - Ok
Raven - Often times a persons musical taste can tell you tons about their personality. Can you tell our readers what artist Steph Jones listens to?
Steph - Ummm, You and I would have about 20 minutes of tape for that. Lol. Right now I’m really into Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder. I’m really getting into that real soulful R&B. That real good music. Every once in awhile I may turn on the radio and listen to what on nowadays but I’m Donny Hathaway, Stevie, pretty much the people that I pattern my music after. That’s who I’m listening to now.
Raven - Ok. Are there any artist or producers that you’ve yet to work with and would like to? And how have you worked with thus far?
Steph - I’ve worked with a couple of people that you haven’t heard of but they’re definitely on the rise. I base my music off of feeling. It doesn’t matter who you are, if we’re not meshing together I won’t try to make it. There are some producers that haven’t hit yet, but we mold well together. I’ve worked with White Leaf productions, I myself have done a couple of records. There’s a couple of other people on the roster too. Now I would like to work with Chris Martin from Coldplay, Will.I.AM, Kanye West. I’d like to see what would happen if I worked with Pharell because he’s a weirdo just like I am.
(We both laugh)
Steph - You got two peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches instead of one. Peanut butter and jelly with some chips on the side…
Raven - LOL.As a poet I think of some of those people as artist I would like to work with. People like Kanye and Pharell think outside the box.
Steph - Those are the kind of people that I think would understand what I’m trying to do and that will enhance it.
Raven - Right. Ok, so what are some of your favorite tracks that you’ve recorded thus far and why?
Steph - My favorite by far would have to be “Mr. Ordinary”. I actually wrote that song 4 years ago. It’s something about that song. Basically it’s about me doing my ordinary, which just so happens to be extraordinary. The type of message I’m trying to relay to people is if you do your ordinary instead of trying to do someone else’s, that’s when the uniqueness will come out. So that message is much deeper than the happy song that it is. They’re a lot of carbon copy people. It gets a little annoying after awhile. But that’s why your boy Steph Jones is coming out.
Raven - Ok, that flows perfectly into this. The song is entitled “Mr. Ordinary”, what about Steph Jones would be considered out of the ordinary by the Status Quo?
(Silence)
Steph - Can you ask the question again…
Raven - Haaaaaaaa. I was like where did he go? Ok I said what is out of the ordinary about Steph Jones?
Steph - The phone beeped the exact same time you were asking your question. Lol. My whole life is out of the ordinary, if you were to just look at my life from the ages of 2 thru 6 it would be enough to write an autobiography. I’m 25 years old. It’s crazy. It’s definitely a roller coaster ride for the better. I wouldn’t be where I am today if not for everything I’ve gone thru.
Raven - Everything happens for a reason.
Steph - Yeah most definitely. My life is like an improve, I just do what I feel. When you meet me you’ll notice that there’s something about me. I don’t know how to say it. It’s the vibe I get from everyone. They say they get a warm feeling from being around me.
Raven - And that’s a
blessing man. It’s a wonderful feeling to have people feel that
way about you. Ok, my next question for you is what are your
short term and long term goals? Where do you see yourself this
time next year and where do you see yourself in five years?
Steph - Well
this time next year I’ll be doing an interview with you talking
about my album sales and how they soared.
Raven - Right right…haaaaa
Steph - I’ll probably have a video or two out or a single or two. I can’t really put it in words, but ummm, my short term goals…I’m kinda at a lost for words when it comes to that. I guess I want to stay on steady ground. I want to have people saying “Have you heard that new Steph Jones?”. I’ll have over 3 million friends on Myspace and I’ll continue to check my page on there. Writing for other artist, Finally getting a ticket to an awards show instead of trying to hustle so many people just to get a ticket because I’ll finally be invited to an awards show. Maybe I’ll be nominated, maybe I’ll just present.
Raven - Aight, I feel that.
Steph - Now in 5 years, I’ll probably be on my 2nd, maybe my 3rd album. I’ll most definitely be a voice in the music. I’ll be a piece in time. You know there was a certain timeframe where Stevie Wonder was in his prime, like how you can’t mention the 80’s or 90’s in basketball without mentioning Michael Jordan’s name. I see myself in five or six years being a timeframe piece like that as far as music goes.
Raven - It’s great to see an artist with confidence in where they’re going. Ok, final question. What does “eXcape The matriX” mean to Steph Jones?
Steph - To get away from all the craziness I guess…..”eXcape The matriX”? I don’t know, it could mean like 5 to 6 more things. Lol. “eXcape The matriX”. Like a world without words…eXcaping that.
Raven - Ok
Steph - I don’t know. Lol. I can’t even put that into words. I’ll stop there. No, I got it. What about eXcaping what everyone else is doing.
[I believed the interview was over and turned off the tape recorder. However there were a few more things Steph wanted to touch on that I decided not to mention. I explained to him that I consider peoples personal lives to be just that, and I stick to the point in my interviews. He informed me that he was comfortable talking about this next issue and with that I turned the tape recorder back on]
Raven - Now concerning around January 9th 2004, there was a an issue that took place at an airport in France. Now instead of me explaining further can you please tell AIRR’s readers exactly what happened.
Steph - Pretty much it was like this. The authorities knew that I knew of a certain…well I know a lot of people, good people, bad people. People want to be around Steph Jones. Lol. So I knew a certain somebody and the authorities knew that I knew this person so they stopped me and started questioning me in the airport and they knew I wouldn’t give up that certain name. So since I didn’t give up that name they put me into custody and basically I got the time in jail that the person who’s name I didn’t give up was suppose to get. I wasn’t suppose to get out of jail in France until 2010 but they came to me at the 20th month and told me I was getting out in a week. I didn’t ask any questions . The Embassy didn’t know why or how I got out. So maybe strings were pulled I really don’t know. I try not to think about it to much. I didn’t give up a name, or “Break the code”. So basically that’s the story.
Raven - Wow…I have like endless questions concerning that. What was it like being in a French prison?
Steph Jones - Actually I made the best out of the situation. I learned how to speak damn near fluent French. I read like 225 books. I learned to use my left hand just as good as my right. I learned who my real friends were and who wasn’t. I learned so much about myself. Half the people I know who are free don’t vote. I got an absentee ballot and voted. I call it the unfortunate/fortunate situation. I figured if you’re going to take 20 months away from me I’m going to show you what I can do with it. It was in there that I realized that music is what I wanted to do.
Raven - Ok. So as far as your unwillingness to give the name up….concerning the whole issue with Busta (Rhymes) and his body guard and Carmelo (Anthony) and the “Stop Snitching” tape, have you ever had any second thoughts, seeing how you did time for this man and although positive things came out of it, have you ever had second thoughts about the whole issue.
Steph - I’ve never had second thoughts. I mean, this guy wasn’t like the Easter Bunny or anything, If I would have snitched that would have put my family and myself in danger. Since I didn’t snitch I’m good, that’s all I’ve got to say about that. Because I didn’t snitch I have cats that come up to me and tell me that I don’t have to worry about anything, they got me. You know?