The-Dream makes mark as writer and producer

Grammy Award-winner The-Dream seems to be everywhere. He has written for artists like Mariah Carey, Beyonce and Usher in the past year and a half, and this past Tuesday, The-Dream released his second LP, Love vs. Money.

THE MIAMI HURRICANE: How did you come up with the name of your album? 

THE-DREAM: Love vs. Money is just where I am now. It is indicative of what I believe in. There are two things that I need. One thing may be greater than the other. I have two songs on the album that I pose the question to myself, “Is it, do you wake up and do the things you do for the love of it or do you wake up to warrant a certain amount of money?”

TMH: How is this different from you last album, Love/Hate? 

DREAM: This album is different from my last CD just based on the fact that it provides so many structures and so many breaks. It has different parts in any particular song. I think the first album I tried to keep it simple and didn’t move that much so people would just identify me as an artist. So this album is sonically better and, lyrically, it’s better in the content of what I’m talking about. There is a lot of personal stuff I talk about in there.  

TMH: What is your favorite song on your album? 

DREAM: My favorite song on the album is called “Fancy.” It is six minutes and thirty seconds long. In the old school, people would do a lot of records that would last over five minutes, but now I think we are in this digital era where it’s different. I think we need those six-minute songs again. If you can do something for six minutes, it may incline someone to go buy your CD versus just listening to a three-minute song. So “Fancy” is my favorite song on this album, me and Mary J. Blige.  

TMH: What’s one word that describes you Dream? 

DREAM: That’s a good one. So many words. I have a lot of them. I would have to say greatness to describe me but that’s not saying that I am great. But that’s the word that I look to in order to do whatever it is I need to do. I just try to make sure I don’t do a half-assed job. I give it the most and everything. So when I say great, it’s not an ego thing. It’s not me being cocky. That’s the word I look to, if I feel like I’m not at the point where I should be. 

TMH: Who is your idol? 

DREAM: My mother and grandfather were my idols. At this particular point, they are everything I am. So everything I achieve and everything I have I wouldn’t be able to do it without those two individuals in my life.