The Princess of Soul
Editor note this interview first ran in 2004 - the artist has since release new music and toured. In July 2019, Stone released her ninth studio album Full Circle which features the led track “Dinosaur.”
Angie Stone is one of the most versatile women in entertainment. As a soul singer and songwriter, she has been performing for decades, bringing a seductive and powerful breath of fresh air back in to the sound of hip-hop and R&B music. But her talents don’t stop there; she has contributed almost as much to the music business as she has to the music itself. Beyond writing and helping produce many songs, she has collaborated with countless artists, such as Stone Hill and Snoop Dogg.
Lauren Kent: Tell us a little about your new album “Stone Love.”
Angie Stone: The new album “Stone Love” has a lot of features on it, some up-to date samples on it, Luciana which I know you guys probably love. And Snoop Dogg performed on my first single with me. Missy Elliott produced a song, Floetry did a duet with me. Tweet is on the album, my daughter is on the album, and one of my rap artists is on the album, and Anthony Hamilton. So there it is in a nutshell all the guest appearances.
LK: How was recording this album different from your first and second albums?
AS: I think I was so happy and in love that it probably reflects a good feeling on the record. It’s not a dark album, more like a violet album.
LK: You also executive produced this record, is that correct?
AS: Yes, I executive produced as well as A& R’d the record.
LK: Your last album “Black Diamond” went near platinum. Do you have hopes for “Stone Love” going platinum?
AS: Absolutely.
LK: Do you have a favorite song on the album?
AS: “Stay For Awhile.” It feels good.
LK: So, back to the beginning. Where does your interest in music stem from?
AS: I think I grew up loving music because my Dad introduced me to it, there is a good influence of music in my family.
LK: How has your days in the rap trio “Sequence” and the soul group “Vertical Hold” affected your music today?
AS: I just think having that as a background really prepared me for what I am dealing with now.
LK: So you have collaborated with artists like Snoop Dogg, Beyonce Knowles, last month Al Green, is there an artist you liked recording with the most out of the many you have worked with?
AS: That’s a hard call to make, because everybody is so good, but I really loved doing the Gap commercial with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
LK: If you could record with any artist living or dead, who would it be?
AS: Marvin Gaye.
LK: He is down.
LK: It is a little-known fact that you helped break artists such as Erykah Badu and D’Angelo into the business. How do you feel about the lack of attributes from the media?
AS: Well I didn’t help to break them, I was just a part of their breaking point, and helped to educate them on the game since I was a little bit more experienced in situations that they were already in. For instance, Erykah Badu got discovered on one of the nights we were touring with D’Angelo, and I was asked my opinion in terms of her as an artist, and I remember giving her a great reference because my opinion weighed so heavily at the time. It was easy to get her the focus because at the time Masenburg, who was really just getting his feet wet on that level, wanted to make sure that his pioneers Angie and Dee felt the same way.
LK: I also read recently that you starred as Big Momma Morton in the Broadway production of ‘Chicago.’ What are your thoughts about pursuing a career in acting?
AS: You know I have been doing film, I just did “The Hot Chick” as well as “The Fighting Temptations,” and I am also in the process of developing my own sitcom, that I already have some interest in.
LK: So you are an accomplished singer, songwriter, producer, actor, mother. What is next on your agenda?
AS: I am doing an ‘Angie Stone Presents,’ my own label, my own artists.
Oh excellent, you’ll have a huge group.
LK: You have been heralded by the New York Times as the “new Soul Queen.” How do you feel about that title?
AS: I don’t want the new “soul queen.” I’ll take the princess of soul. There is only one queen, and that’s Aretha [Franklin].
by Lauren Kent
Lauren Kent: Tell us a little about your new album “Stone Love.”
Angie Stone: The new album “Stone Love” has a lot of features on it, some up-to date samples on it, Luciana which I know you guys probably love. And Snoop Dogg performed on my first single with me. Missy Elliott produced a song, Floetry did a duet with me. Tweet is on the album, my daughter is on the album, and one of my rap artists is on the album, and Anthony Hamilton. So there it is in a nutshell all the guest appearances.
LK: How was recording this album different from your first and second albums?
AS: I think I was so happy and in love that it probably reflects a good feeling on the record. It’s not a dark album, more like a violet album.
LK: You also executive produced this record, is that correct?
AS: Yes, I executive produced as well as A& R’d the record.
LK: Your last album “Black Diamond” went near platinum. Do you have hopes for “Stone Love” going platinum?
AS: Absolutely.
LK: Do you have a favorite song on the album?
AS: “Stay For Awhile.” It feels good.
LK: So, back to the beginning. Where does your interest in music stem from?
AS: I think I grew up loving music because my Dad introduced me to it, there is a good influence of music in my family.
LK: How has your days in the rap trio “Sequence” and the soul group “Vertical Hold” affected your music today?
AS: I just think having that as a background really prepared me for what I am dealing with now.
LK: So you have collaborated with artists like Snoop Dogg, Beyonce Knowles, last month Al Green, is there an artist you liked recording with the most out of the many you have worked with?
AS: That’s a hard call to make, because everybody is so good, but I really loved doing the Gap commercial with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
LK: If you could record with any artist living or dead, who would it be?
AS: Marvin Gaye.
LK: He is down.
LK: It is a little-known fact that you helped break artists such as Erykah Badu and D’Angelo into the business. How do you feel about the lack of attributes from the media?
AS: Well I didn’t help to break them, I was just a part of their breaking point, and helped to educate them on the game since I was a little bit more experienced in situations that they were already in. For instance, Erykah Badu got discovered on one of the nights we were touring with D’Angelo, and I was asked my opinion in terms of her as an artist, and I remember giving her a great reference because my opinion weighed so heavily at the time. It was easy to get her the focus because at the time Masenburg, who was really just getting his feet wet on that level, wanted to make sure that his pioneers Angie and Dee felt the same way.
LK: I also read recently that you starred as Big Momma Morton in the Broadway production of ‘Chicago.’ What are your thoughts about pursuing a career in acting?
AS: You know I have been doing film, I just did “The Hot Chick” as well as “The Fighting Temptations,” and I am also in the process of developing my own sitcom, that I already have some interest in.
LK: So you are an accomplished singer, songwriter, producer, actor, mother. What is next on your agenda?
AS: I am doing an ‘Angie Stone Presents,’ my own label, my own artists.
Oh excellent, you’ll have a huge group.
LK: You have been heralded by the New York Times as the “new Soul Queen.” How do you feel about that title?
AS: I don’t want the new “soul queen.” I’ll take the princess of soul. There is only one queen, and that’s Aretha [Franklin].
by Lauren Kent
