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Ask Ben One about Mighty Mouse or G.I. Joe, staples of pop culture from his childhood, and a blank stare is the best you’re going to get. That’s because when other kids were watching cartoons, shooting layups with their tongues out like Michael Jordan, or mimicking their favorite Heroes In A Half-Shell, Ben One was making music.
Born into a musical family, Ben One made it his profession at an early age. Before he learned to drive, Ben One was a recording artist who penned a hit single on the Billboard Top 100, and sold 325,000 units as a member of the R&B group, Strong. Strong showcased Ben not only as lead singer, but also as big brother, as the group was exclusively composed of Ben and his four younger siblings. The group was signed to the Undnyable Records, a label which was owned by former White Sox Slugger and Two-Time MVP, Frank Thomas. Hits were nothing new to Big Frank, but he found that being a king of the diamond didn’t always translate to diamond sales. Despite Ben’s tremendous success as part of Strong, the record label closed its doors in 1999, forcing Ben and his brothers to look for a new recording home.
The group did not have to look for long as they quickly found a new home on RCA. Ben’s ability only grew. Under the tutelage of Public Announcement’s Feloney Davis, Ben grew his repertoire to include production and arrangement. He became as skilled behind the scenes as on the stage. However, label problems resurfaced and RCA shutdown it’s Urban Division less than a year after Strong joined the label.
By this time the group had a strong buzz in the music industry and a bidding war ensued. Ben and his brothers relocated to a new musical home at Sony where once again, they became the victims of music industry politics and label restructuring. By 2004, Ben had been through his third record deal when Sony’s Urban Division folded.
Music was Ben’s life, and he never once thought of doing of something else. So while his group became a casualty of the recording industry, Ben One continued to work and to grow. “I felt myself growing and going in a different direction than my brothers,” Ben says. “The adversity affected us in multiple ways. It’s cliché, but it really did make us stronger and allowed us to explore our own growth as artists.”
Perhaps the label problems didn’t stop Ben’s hustle because he had already lived through much worse. He describes his childhood as, “going from shelter to shelter…I went into the music to take away a lot of the pain. The more I did it, the better I got at it.”
Ben’s current work is the embodiment of that growth. He’s ready to put the past behind him, and focus on what really counts, making music that touches the people.
“I write based on my day-to-day journey and make music that the people can relate to and grow with. I’m not making music to show that I’m a good singer. I’m making music to show I’m a complete package, and most importantly, to inspire others.”
In April 2008, Ben did just that when he wrote and recorded “Never Leave My Girl,” which featured Def Jam recording artist Shawnna. The local response was incredible and once again the industry and fans were embracing him. Weary of major labels based on his past, Ben and Connected Records (company who he’s a partner within) decided to ink a deal with Universal Republic (Amy Winehouse, 2 Pistols, Jack Johnson), an indie with personal focus but major label resources, in July.
September 9th, 2008 marks the national radio ad date for “Never Leave My Girl” and the next step in the process for Ben One.