PJ Morton (Photo by Patrick Melon)
You might know him as the black guy in Maroon 5. Yes, that's PJ Morton, but that’s only part of what makes him most the interesting man in R&B. Morton is an indie soul artist who has won Spirit and Dove awards for writing gospel songs, yet was signed to Cash Money, the most dominant rap label in recent years. If you haven’t heard, the label has become infamous for refusing to let one of its signature artists out of his contract, but Morton walked away freely when he felt it was time. The 36-year-old has also written a book, served as musical director for Beyonce’s kid sister Solange and featured Motown legend Stevie Wonder on his last album.
Before his Aug. 26 performance at Capital Ale House (623 E. Main St.), Morton explains how he ended up label mates with Lil’ Wayne, became a member of Maroon 5 and his new CD “Gumbo,” on his own Morton records.
Richmond magazine: So were you the only artist on Cash Money with a Dove Award?
PJ Morton: I haven’t checked officially, but I’m pretty sure that’s accurate [laughs].
RM: How did you end up there, and how did you move on?
Morton: It was not as random as it seemed to people on the outside looking in. The president of Cash Money, Mac Maine, he and I went to high school together. [When I was signed], they were trying to diversify and try different things. It turned out that the value I saw in certain things, they didn’t see. Certain things they saw value in I didn’t see. So I basically just asked to leave. It was that easy, actually. It was right before the Wayne stuff started to happen. I may have got out of there right on time.
RM: Talk about how you went from supporting Maroon 5 to becoming a full member.
Morton: The original keyboard player, Jesse Carmichael ... kind of wanted a break. I didn’t know this; I thought I was just coming in as another player to be alongside him. But I think the first two years they were grooming me on the road to see if I fit, see if I work. Then Jesse took a sabbatical for two years, and that’s when I became officially a member.
RM: Tell me about “Gumbo.”
Morton: It’s a project where I really wanted to challenge myself because, previously, I’ve talked about love and relationships. This time I wanted to challenge myself to just talk about more. So I talk about religion on this, I talk about creative freedom, I talk about racial tension in the world; I wanted it to be a gumbo of subject matter, that kind of reflected the times and I made it into one. That’s where the name came from, the subject matter being a bunch of different things and it being made in New Orleans.
RM: How has being a member of a pop band affected your efforts as a solo artist? Has it allowed you to take more risks?
Morton: If anything, this record has gotten more soulful, more into my roots than any other record before. I think [being a member of] Maroon has made me appreciate that side of me, who I am, and understand how important that is to keep that going as well. It opens doors for me that probably wouldn’t be open, because of the band. But then when I go through those doors, I do what I’m gonna do naturally anyway.
