Artist Spotlight: Maurice Williams
We had the privilege of sitting down with Maurice Williams for an intimate conversation on music, meaning, and evolution.
Upcoming 100: What inspired you to become a musician, and how did you know you wanted to make music a career?
Maurice Williams: I have a pretty big family as on my mom and dad side my aunts and sisters love Rnb music. As kid I remember summer times riding with my mom playing en vogue “never gonna get it” and my dad playing the Chi lights “have you seen her.”
Maurice Williams: I have a pretty big family as on my mom and dad side my aunts and sisters love Rnb music. As kid I remember summer times riding with my mom playing en vogue “never gonna get it” and my dad playing the Chi lights “have you seen her.”
When I was about 7 years, my late brother Clifton, my cousin Markel would freestyle rap and write raps. We find cassettes of Too Short or any other rap cassettes with an A and B side that would have the instrumentals on the b-side and we would overdub using a mic and a boombox. This is when I knew it was music and nothing else.
In elementary I was in a drumming class, which lasted a month or less as the school lost funding from what I remember.
One day I was home and as a kid, I found a keyboard in my older sisters closet that was collecting dust but, when she saw me using it, she took it back, lol!
Not knowing, but something kept pulling me to music. By the time I reached Jr. High school, I told my mom I wanted to join the schools band class. Yet, I was stopped due to the school say my reading and comprehension wasn't to grade level and band wasn't and option for the moment.
So I continued writing music and once I got my first job, is when I bought my first keyboard and Cascio Wk1800.
Upcoming 100: Can you tell us about your songwriting process? How do you come up with ideas, and what inspires your lyrics?
Maurice Williams: The process for me is never the same. Hearing sounds and melodies throughout the day. Or sometimes I'd roll out of bed and a few beats hearing melodies I record scratches of hooks.
Having a studio in my apartment and operating a commercial recording studio with my cousin Jamon makes the process work.
Having to travel to San Francisco, to our commercial studio seeing the city as I cross the bridge, I feel like a tourist every time, which opens up my creativity every time. Also having people in the studio bring my creativity alive as it feels like a party.
Upcoming 100: What are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your sound?
Maurice Williams: In junior high school, I met a friend, a friend that I call family now. His brother is a Bay Area rap legion from the rap group The Delinquents. Watching their hustle, walking through the malls seeing the respect and love he received from the fans and other artist was dope as hell to me. Also, listening to the Gap Band’s “Computer Love.” made me appreciate the arts even more as I grew to be a hug fan of Roger Troutman and how he played the talkbox on many records.
Upcoming 100: What's the story behind your latest release/album/single? What inspired you to create it?
Maurice Williams: Romance Love and Lies, I was in a relationship years ago with someone I was in love with. Hell, I don't know if she cheated, but how she played me as fool. We were looking for a new place together and on the I had had to got to work and she was off; I get a call from her say I found a place. I was like cool, I can't wait to see it. She replies, you have to find you a place now. I thought everything was good during our relationship, this is where I thought of the title Romance Love, and Lies years ago. So as a release, I figured out a way to speak to many who feels the same in regard to relationships.
Upcoming 100: How do you approach your live performances? Do you have any rituals or pre-show routines that help you get ready?
Maurice Williams: Rehearsal is key. If you are not rehearsing and treating your passion all the way, then you'll be left behind.
Upcoming 100: What do you hope fans take away from your music? Is there a message or theme that you're trying to convey?
Upcoming 100: What do you hope fans take away from your music? Is there a message or theme that you're trying to convey?
Maurice Williams: I hope the fans are able to find feel the passion that Goldiie and I put into this project.
Upcoming 100: How do you balance your creative pursuits with other aspects of your life, such as personal relationships or business responsibilities?
Maurice Williams: Its pretty challenging, but my lady is pretty understanding that this is my career and has been my first love, but getting the family to understand is the hardest part. What I havecome to realize, is that everyone will never understand that all of our dreams are different and our work towards or passions will never be the same.
Upcoming 100: Can you tell us about some of your favorite songs or albums that you've worked on? What made them special to you?
Maurice Williams: Id have have to say working with Goldiie has been amazing and my favorite song from Romance Love and Lies would be “There.” its a RnB crossover record that is powerful soundtrack, club and radio smash!
Upcoming 100: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as a musician, and how have you overcome them?
Maurice Williams: One of the biggest challenges I've faced is finding artist who only want to follow trend beats or songs. As a producer, its ok to follow, but why not create from the scratch when you have the opportunity with a producer.
Upcoming 100: How do you stay inspired and motivated to continue creating music? Do you have any specific habits or routines that help keep your creative juices flowing?
Maurice Williams: I stay motivated by finding new talent. I love watching the talent walk through the doors of our studio complex, and they see the golden, platinum and billboard plaques on the wall.
But, being a producer, I am able to shift gears when I lose motivation from making beats, I fall into mixing or recording artists. Or I dive into the business side registering working with ascap and so on.
Upcoming 100: What's next for you in terms of new music or projects? Can you give us a sneak peek into what's coming up.
Maurice Williams: I am currently working on the male perspective of Romance Love and Lies.
Upcoming 100: How do you balance your creative pursuits with other aspects of your life, such as personal relationships or business responsibilities?
Maurice Williams: Its pretty challenging, but my lady is pretty understanding that this is my career and has been my first love, but getting the family to understand is the hardest part. What I havecome to realize, is that everyone will never understand that all of our dreams are different and our work towards or passions will never be the same.
Upcoming 100: Can you tell us about some of your favorite songs or albums that you've worked on? What made them special to you?
Maurice Williams: Id have have to say working with Goldiie has been amazing and my favorite song from Romance Love and Lies would be “There.” its a RnB crossover record that is powerful soundtrack, club and radio smash!
Upcoming 100: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as a musician, and how have you overcome them?
Maurice Williams: One of the biggest challenges I've faced is finding artist who only want to follow trend beats or songs. As a producer, its ok to follow, but why not create from the scratch when you have the opportunity with a producer.
Upcoming 100: How do you stay inspired and motivated to continue creating music? Do you have any specific habits or routines that help keep your creative juices flowing?
Maurice Williams: I stay motivated by finding new talent. I love watching the talent walk through the doors of our studio complex, and they see the golden, platinum and billboard plaques on the wall.
But, being a producer, I am able to shift gears when I lose motivation from making beats, I fall into mixing or recording artists. Or I dive into the business side registering working with ascap and so on.
Upcoming 100: What's next for you in terms of new music or projects? Can you give us a sneak peek into what's coming up.
Maurice Williams: I am currently working on the male perspective of Romance Love and Lies.
