'I Am Razah'

A lot of people have heard of Razah, they may not know what he's all about. With a fresh and cutting edge, he's taking R&B by storm. Austin King interviews Michael Sanders, President of Justus Music Group.

Album art courtesy of Justus Music Group

(SALEM / NEW YORK) - "I am Razah" is how the Jamaicain-born R&B singer presents himself, with a musical edge that is anything but typical.

Born in Jamaica and raised in Brooklyn, Razah (pronounced Raze-ah), born Martell Nelson, takes a less-walked route with R&B subject matter, generally avoiding today's over-done popularity of singing about relationships and breakups. Razah has written songs about his life, his experiences, and the things in the world that he sees to matter, often celebrating family and strong women.

I recently had a chance to interview Michael Sanders, President of "Justus Music Group", about what's going on in Razah's future, and the future of Justus Music Group, the label founded by Razah, along with family and close friends.

Razah's newest EP, "Champion", scheduled for release this November under his own label, is another step in the direction of Razah's independence and originality. The EP is set to showcase multiple singles, including "Heartbreaker of the Year", a collaboration with Sheek Louch of D-Block Records, and "Radio". Razah's first release under a self-made label helps establish the credibility of Justus Music Group among the ranks of well-known R&B and Hiphop labels.

Formed by Razah, family and close friends, Justus Music Group aims to give artists an opportunity to succeed without the mistreatment musicians are all to familiar with in this day.

Company President Sanders describes Justus and Razah,
"Justus Music Group is a company about family and friends. It's about sticking together, knowing what the grind is like, and learning how to come up in the world. Our number one is Razah. His music touches everyone, no matter who you are.

It's the kind of music you don't have to worry about turning off, no matter who gets in the car. There's something in it for everybody."

"You can definitely expect to hear 'Heartbreaker of the Year' on a radio near you." Sanders expects a hit out of the single "Radio", I asked him what the meaning behind the song was.

"It's more or less about getting a song on the radio, and turning everything up to get to that point. Making a video, and finding that kind of success."

A Little Razah History

Razah's first single "Feel so Good", a tribute to his mother, became popular on R&B stations leading to subsequent compilations with big-name artists like Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Rihanna, Sean Kingston and Jay-z to name a few. Razah has continued to climb up local music charts since his debut, hits like "Rain" and "Higher" are soulful and uplifting, leaving listeners high with the sense of positivity that Razah has been able to retain in life.

Despite the harshness of the streets he was raised on, through the guidance of a loving mother, Razah spent his early school days creating rap music with friends, eventually finding R&B and Reggae to be close to heart. Knowing better than to waste his talent writing songs referring to women as bitches, Razah keeps love for the people he cares about, who care about him, close at all times.

Other Plans

Razah is more than a musician, he is also slated to play a role in the film adaptation of Sanders's recent literary release, "Everyday I Ball", produced by Seque Productions, a multimedia group. Sanders sees a future for Razah in different platforms, explaining that he has diverse talents, and is not restricted to music alone.

Like Justus Music Group, Seque Productions was formed to be a progressive force in the multimedia world, giving creators fair opportunities to be involved in acting, film-making, literary publishing and other areas of human expression.

Since Razah's sound hit the airwaves, he's kept true to what he represents, avoiding the monologue and giving listeners something fresh and different. Razah is on the musical radar in 2010. The Champion EP is the next step in this young artist's career, though Razah has collaborated with some big names and achieved some success, he appears to be just blossoming as he finds his own and reaches for much more.

See additional Videos and Links below for more information.

IAmRazah.com
Follow Razah on Twitter
Razah on MySpace

Look for Razah's new EP, "Champion", in stores November 2010.