Dwele

Biography

Andwele Gardner (born February 14, 1978), known professionally as Dwele ( DWEH-lay), is an American R&B singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer from Detroit, Michigan. He is best known for his guest appearance on Kanye West's 2007 single "Flashing Lights" as well as his often-uncredited performance on West's 2010 single "Power", both of which peaked within the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100. Gardner's 2003 debut solo single "Find a Way" narrowly entered the chart and led his debut studio album, Subject×Subject20 May 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Poppa Yo (intro)2:372Truth3:563Find a Way4:104Twuneanundra3:215A.N.G.E.L. (interlude)2:206Day at a Time4:357Subject4:028Sho Ya Right4:179Money Don't Mean a Thing3:3010Hold On3:4311Kick Out of You4:0712Without You4:0713Whoomp (interlude)3:3614Lady at Mahogany4:0715A.N.G.E.L. (reprise)3:5116Let Your Hair Down4:12 (2003), released by Virgin Records.

Biography

Gardner was raised on the west side of Detroit in a musical family. He played piano from the age of six, later taking up trumpet, bass and guitar. He was deeply affected by the fatal shooting of his father outside his home when he was age ten, later stating "I learned to put my emotions into music; it was my therapy." He cites Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Roy Ayers, Miles Davis, and Freddie Hubbard as favorite artists, and took inspiration from hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, becoming an MC, and working with Slum Village.
Gardner recorded a demo in his bedroom, called, The Rize, and sold it out of the trunk of his car. He had about 100 copies, which sold out within a week. He caught the ears of local hip hop group Slum Village and their producer J Dilla. Slum Village invited Dwele to sing the hook of the song "Tainted" for their album Trinity (Past, Present and Future). It was successful and led to more high-profile work with rapper Bahamadia, the group Lucy Pearl and London's New Sector Movement. Dwele signed to Virgin Records in 2001, and the label released his debut album, Subject×Subject20 May 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Poppa Yo (intro)2:372Truth3:563Find a Way4:104Twuneanundra3:215A.N.G.E.L. (interlude)2:206Day at a Time4:357Subject4:028Sho Ya Right4:179Money Don't Mean a Thing3:3010Hold On3:4311Kick Out of You4:0712Without You4:0713Whoomp (interlude)3:3614Lady at Mahogany4:0715A.N.G.E.L. (reprise)3:5116Let Your Hair Down4:12 in spring 2003, which mixed neo soul and hip hop.
In a 2005 review in The Independent, his style was summed up: "Dwele's rooted in vintage soul but isn't stuck in the past, overly reverential or an exercise in pastiche - there's a major hip-hop edge which betrays his original incarnation as a rapper." A second album, Some Kinda..., followed in 2005. He then later signed with RT Music Group and KOCH records in March, 2008. He released his fourth album titled, W.ants W.orld W.omen×W.ants W.orld W.omen29 June 2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Wants (intro)1:202I Wish3:073Grown3:494Dodgin’ Your Phone / Smoke Up the Back (interlude)5:405Dim the Lights4:326World (intro)1:077How I Deal3:438Hangover3:069My People4:2710Detroit Sunrise3:3611Women (intro)0:4112I Understand4:3513Love You Right3:4914“More Than a” (interlude)0:4615What’s Not to Love3:2616Give Me a Chance3:3817I Wanna4:16, on June 29, 2010.
Dwele was featured on the first single from Ye's fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The song is entitled "Power". He is also featured on "Flashing Lights" from West's 2007 album Graduation.
Dwele released the first single, "What Profit", from his fifth studio album Greater Than One×Greater Than One28 August 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Greater Than One Less Than Three1:132Going Leaving3:543Takes22Tango3:584What You Gotta Do4:445What Profit3:316Obey5:237This Love3:208Must Be4:149Swank3:5410PATrick RONald3:5811Special3:3912Love Triangle3:2213Frankly My Dear (I’m Bennett I Ain’t Innit)3:14. The song was written and produced by Mike City, the same producer behind his other singles "I Think I Love U" and "What's Not to Love". The song was sent to radio on May 22, 2012.