As Dreamgirls has garnered nominations at every award show known to the Western hemisphere this year, one of its leading men found some ‘oh so precious’ time to talk to femalefirst.co.uk. Keith Robinson talked about the movie and his singing career away from Dreamgirls.The Georgia native who played C.C in the movie has been acting and singing since an early age. Now quenching the thirst of his fans with a single called The One, released digitally on I-Tunes, Robinson is eager to deliver his forthcoming, as yet untitled album to his expanding fan base. With movies, TV and a voice to his credit, this multi-faceted Southern Gent has all bases covered. And even though Keith Robinson may have been prevalent in Tinsel Town since the turn of the millennium, the foundations he has already laid reek of nothing but success.
I saw your photographed at the NAACP Theatre Awards last week in Hollywood, how was that
It was cool, it was nice. I was actually presenting an award there. The awards are honoring a lot of people so it was cool.
Do you like the award shows
You know what I have been to 85 in the last two months.You have the big one coming up on Sunday though [The Oscars©.]
Yeah then after that I will exit stage left for a while.
Are you looking forward to that
Yeah I mean we are performing that night so I am amped about that. Me and the girls are performing a medley from the movie, so that should be cool.You have your new single, which you have put out on I Tunes. Why did you opt to go digital
Well there was a demand to hear something from me before the album came out, a lot of times with the industry, the timing is not always up to you and I wanted to put something out in the market place immediately as an appetizer and as a pre-album teaser. I felt with this, if you have digital access and with me already being in the market place, it makes sense. That is the way the industry is going now and I wanted to take a pro-active approach about putting something out and creating a buzz and filling in the blank about what has been happening since the movie.
Technology has advanced in the last decade, is this something you have kept up with personally
You know what; I really have just started to keep up with it as of late as I am not really a technological type of guy. Everyone is forcing the digital as that is what everyone is on. You know the days when you would go in and buy a record, those days are gone now, so I pretty much have been forced to keep up with it.
You have a myspace page, are you readily involved in that page as this is one advancement a lot of artists have benefited from
I mean I have someone who keeps it up to date but I am active on that myself. I check in on it when I get free moments. I keep in touch with my fans that way.You have been involved in a good amount of TV, would you be able to choose a platform between TV and movies, or is it just acting period you are interested in
I think if I had to choose it would be movies, but the thing is if it is good material, it is good material and a lot of the times the line between TV and film is pretty much invisible now. If it is good material I am with it. TV audiences are a lot bigger than the movie audience anyway. I have just signed on to do another TV show. I just finished shooting a movie yesterday and I am starting a TV show in March, so I am happy doing both.
In terms of Dreamgirls, was it just a no-brainer to be part of that movie
Yes it was. I mean it was a little surreal at first as it was a perfect role for me; everyone was at the top of their game. It was a project that came along on queue and it was phenomenal.
There has been some criticism about the movie resembling the life of Motown founder Berry Gordy, and you were actually signed to Motown early on in your singing career. Was this something that bothered the cast? Did anyone ever voice concern over this
Not at all. We were focused on the material and doing the work.
Back to the music, your track ‘The One’ has a subtle reggae vibe to it. What music has influenced you
You know what The One is probably the most Hip-Hop has it has a sexy bounce with a catchy in your face hook. After the One I am going to take you a little deeper into my brain with my thought process. My music as a whole is Hip/Soul; you know classic soul mixed with Hip-Hop. The single is more cross over, you know it is more radio, which is a no brainer for reaching a larger market place. It was in your face because we just wanted it out there. But if you really get into my album and the second single, my music is very melodic, high concept, always a big beat. It is something for the clubs and I think it is something that anyone from 8 to 80 can get when it comes on.You worked with The RZA on the Blade soundtrack..
Yeah me RZA and O.D.B worked on a song on the Blade II soundtrack and that was one of the last songs he did before he passed.
What is your process, do you liked working in the studio with producers or does it not make a difference to you
You know what either or, as I produce my own vocals a lot of the time and really it just depends on the situation. For Blade III, he had a beat and I actually free-styled that whole song I went there only once and did it off my head and that one was pieced together. I mean I have worked from scratch where we are right there together, or a producer will give me a beat and I will take it, go write something and then come back with it. Then there may be times when a producer will make up the beat and I will just go into the booth and make something up. I am creative and my process is creative.
What came first for you the music or the acting
The music definitely came first for me. I was always singing in church and stuff and then I was in groups in High School and college.
You grew up in Georgia, where is home to you now
Now I live in Los Angeles. L.A is cool, it has been great for the career and I have been able to do my thing here so I cant complain.
Was that a big change going from Augusta to L.A
Well I was in Atlanta before I came to L.A and Atlanta is a big city in itself, so I was always on the grind and the hustle; so the hustle was no different. The terrain and the weather were a little different with it always being nice out here. I didn’t really feel any major adjustment as I was already in the business and was used to moving around.
Once the hustle and bustle of Dream Girls as died down I am assuming you will be concentrating on the album
Yes. I am hoping to do a couple of walk throughs and a couple of shows and a couple of spot dates with some artists. I am going to finish up this TV pilot which is going to take two to three weeks, then really press the button on the album and get it out there.
What is the title of the album
It is called Utopia. There is going to be another single coming out after we have had so much success with The One and that is called Red Eye. This will probably come out after The Oscars© and there you will really begin to see my vibe and where I am coming from.
Who have you turned to to supply you with production on this album
My main producer is a guy called Step 1. We have been the brainchildren behind the whole vision.
Saying that, has he been with you since the early days of your career, as you were signed to Motown back in the early 2000’s
He is someone who I have worked with since I moved to L.A, so about five or six years. He really understands me creatively and I understand him musically. So it is a god partnership.
Do you think that is important for any artist to have that understanding with a producer
I think it is yes, because the better the understanding with the artist and the producer the deeper the niche you can form, coming with your own sound and being original. I think what I am trying to create is really my own sound within the marketplace so everyone can understand it and take a liking to it.