Tweet: It's Me Again...

After a few failed attempts as a member of an all-girl group, Tweet received a life-altering phone call, from Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, that forever changed her life. The, then aspiring, singer-songwriter immediately went to work as a backing vocalist, not only for Elliott, but for Timbaland & Magoo, Ja Rule, Bubba Sparxxx, and Petey Pablo, before eventually inking a solo deal with Missy's Elektra distributed, now defunct, The Goldmind Inc. imprint.

Southern Hummingbird, her gold certified debut, which spawned her signature hit, "Oops (Oh My)," finally dropped in 2002. Its' underwhelming follow-up, It's Me Again in 2005, was a commercial disappointment, but also still an overall good album.

BallerStatus.com got a call from the Rochester, New York, native, who now resides in Atlanta, Georgia, to find out where's she's been? What she's been up to? And, basically, all things Tweet...

BallerStatus.com: Love Tweet, why did you decide to call your third album this?

Tweet: It's just fact... just from my signature, like I'm writing a letter. Like I would be writing an autograph or anything like that. I couldn't really come up with nothing creative for the title, so I just titled it, Love Tweet. So, it's nothing significant, just, you know, giving back to the fans that I've been there, you know, from the beginning.

BallerStatus.com: Well, is Love Tweet different from your previous works?

Tweet: I don't think its any comparisons. It's still in-your-face lyrics, and it's still good soul music. So, I don't think it's any different. I haven't done anything out the ordinary. It's the same Tweet.

BallerStatus.com: Tell me what can be expected from the album?

Tweet: Basically it's just all me. I did not have any features on it. There are a couple of records that was in the mind of, you know, Outkast or Mary J Blige, but it's just still Tweet. Like anybody that knows my music knows that I'm gonna tell the truth, and I'm gonna give you a page out of my diary. Or, you'll actually know what I'm going through if you just listen to the music. You'll be able to put it in and let it play from beginning to end.

BallerStatus.com: There were rumors that you and Whitney Houston collaborated on Love Tweet...

Tweet: Well, on the last record we did a song called "Cool Breeze" from ... But, it didn't make the album. So that's probably what they're talking about. It's in the archives. So, we did do a record together, which is a very hot record, but I didn't actually get to put it on the album.

BallerStatus.com: How come It's Me Again didn't get much recognition?

Tweet: I didn't get the push that I deserved, only because it was a brand new set of folks that were handling the project. When I recorded the album, it was still on Elektra, and then by the time it came out it was on Atlantic. So, it's another merge, and the whole people, you know? I guess they didn't have the same cast supporting it that had been there from the first album. So, things didn't work out.

BallerStatus.com: You are now labelmates with Patti Labelle and Carl Thomas, and signed to impresario, Jheryl Busby, and producer Mike City's brand new record label, Umbrella Recordings. How did this whole thing come about?

Tweet: Actually, John Monopoly worked for Violator for awhile for ... And then, Jheryl and John got on a conversation about who they would, you know, put out again if they had an opportunity and things like that. Who didn't get their just reward or whatever, and they mentioned my name. Then, just through John Monopoly and Mona Scott, my name got, you know, into the whole equation, and that's how it happened. Word of mouth. Just somebody that Jheryl just wanted to give me the opportunity to come out as a new artist.

BallerStatus.com: How have you kept yourself relevant over the course of time?

Tweet: Um ... just good music. It's not a gimmick. I'm a true artist, and people appreciate me being honest. I first came out and told about my life and uncovered everything about me. People appreciate that, knowing that people can go through the same things. I think that's what keeps me around. It's just the honesty that I have.

BallerStatus.com: What sets you apart from both your peers and friends in music?

Tweet: I don't think nothing really sets me ... Again I'll go back to the honesty. I mean, everybody has their ... everybody's their own artist. I think we all, collectively, just give what we're designed to give. So, I don't really like to compare or say what's different, I just do me.

BallerStatus.com: You appeared in the now canceled sitcom, "The Parkers." Is acting on the horizon for you?

Tweet: I would love to, of course. That was funny, and "The Parkers" situation was something that I would love to go back and do again. So, I would love to invest my time in doing it right. I don't want to be a singer that's just poppin' up and doing acting. I would want to give it justice, you know? So, yeah, definitely.

BallerStatus.com: What is probably the biggest misconception about Tweet?

Tweet: I don't know. I think I tell everything in my music. I'm just a simple person. I don't like all the glitz and glamour. I'm just a jeans and t-shirt type of girl.

BallerStatus.com: What do you like spending your free time doing?

Tweet: Obviously at home reading a book, or at home watching some funny stuff. I love comedy! Or, out listening to a live band or something like that. I'm just simple.

BallerStatus.com: There has been another rumor spreading over the net, that you are dating Juanita Bynum's ex-husband, Bishop Thomas Weeks. Care to clear the air on this?

Tweet: It is not ... it's totally a rumor. That's my pastor, that's my spiritual father, and if someone wants to kinda make that into something, that it's not, it's really not even worth addressing. You know, rumors are rumors, and I take it with a grain of salt. It has nothing to do with my music or anything. It's kinda funny. I'm just trying to live my life, and live it right, and if you see a harm in that, I don't. I can't even defend it, because it's ridiculous.

BallerStatus.com: How does something like that even get started? Were you shocked when you first heard about it?

Tweet: Yeah, it did shock me. But again, it's not even worth talking about, so I didn't even get any calls from my, you know, close friends or anything like that because people who know me just know that is out of character for me. That's not even... there's nothing in me that can do that, so...

BallerStatus.com: What happened to "real" R&B music?

Tweet: I don't think R&B is really out right now. It's just more ... I don't know what to call it right now. I don't really listen to music. I like Mary J Blige, you know, I like Alicia Keys, and, you know, that's about it. I think it just needs to be resurrected. A lot of stuff that is out, we could do better. Just put it that way, we could do a lot better.

BallerStatus.com: When did Tweet get her start in music?

Tweet: Back when I was young, I started out in church, so... And, I just, as a young child, just knowing that music has been in my family since my mother and father, and just on down the line. So, it's been in my blood.

BallerStatus.com: Did you ever foresee making a career out of it?

Tweet: Not really. It was always a dream, and just that's what it was.

BallerStatus.com: How did you come up with the name Tweet?

Tweet: Well, it's a nickname that I've gotten from one of my family members. I think my father. But, I don't know what it means. That's my nickname. It's not a stage name, that's who I am.

BallerStatus.com: What are some of your future goals in life?

Tweet: Giving people the opportunity that was given to me, maybe having a small record label, a few artists, and just, you know, giving back. Maybe a few movies under my belt, maybe a couple of more albums, and living happy, you know?

BallerStatus.com: It seems that Missy has been less involved in your career these days. How come?

Tweet: It's time for me to be Tweet. And so, I kinda just want to do this on my own. That's not to say that we won't ever do music again together or anything like that.

BallerStatus.com: So, there is no bad blood?

Tweet: No, no bad blood. I'm not that type of person.

BallerStatus.com: Is there anything left that you want to enlighten our readers with?

Tweet: No, just go get the album. I appreciate all the support and love for those that stuck by me.

GO BACK TO SITE