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Shareefa Bio by Michael A. Gonzales

In an age when everything from fashion to furniture reeks of prefabrication, it is rare to find a genuine realness even in soul music. As the one genre of music that should send shivers through ones body while still managing to touch your heart, much of today's R&B feels as though more thought has gone into the choreography than the songs. And then, there is Shareefa.

The first soul woman signed to Disturbing the Peace/Def Jam, this Newark, New Jersey native introduces her special realness on the debut disc Point of No Return. Recruiting studio vets Chucky Thompson, Salaim Remi (How Good Love Feels), Rodney Jerkins and newcomers the Justice League (Butterfly), the mature voiced twenty-three year old Shareefa has created something special.

" From the first time I stepped into the studio, it was my goal to try and make classic material, " says the singer. Indeed, with one listen to Shareefa's vocal styling and production, it is obvious that Point of No Return stands-up next to such stellar debuts that include What ' s the 411 (Mary J. Blige) and Faith (Faith Evans).

Raised between Brick City (Newark) and East Orange, young Shareefa was a fan of legendary singers from the time she was a child. "I can remember taping the tributes to Smokey Robinson and Gladys Knight that were on the Soul Train Awards," Shareefa says. "I would be rewinding them all the time, practicing those routines until I knew them by heart. In the same way Patti LaBelle could make the hair stand-up on my arms with her voice, I wanted to be able to do the same thing."

Coming on strong with her first single "Need A Boss," it's obvious Shareefa has something to say. Produced by Rodney Jerkins, who has constructed past hits for Beyonce and Brandy, this track is the bass heavy jam that is destained for summer song greatness. Riding the rhythm with the confidence of a veteran songstress, "Need A Boss" also boldly displays Shareefa's talents as a budding songwriter.

"There are times when I can just feel the beat talking to me and I need to talk back," Shareefa laughs. "From the first moment Rodney played me the track, I felt an instant connection." Label-mate and DTP CEO and co-owner Ludacris also makes an appearance on "Need A Boss." More than pleased with his contribution, Shareefa says, "Luda told me he was going to come hard, but when I heard how good it was, I knew I was blessed."

Though Shareefa has cute childhood memories of dressing-up like 90s femmes TLC and Xscape, as well doing household chores with Micki Howard and Donny Hathaway as her soundtrack, her teen years were a little bit more rocky. Moving with her mother and two siblings to Charlotte, North Carolina when she was fifteen, Shareefa remembers, "I just started acting out and being disobedient."

"I needed to have a reality check. I woke up when I was seventeen."

Shareefa was then introduced to new jack swing innovator Teddy Riley. "At the time, Teddy was putting together a girl group, but he decided to work with me as a soloist instead." Teddy also taught his protégé much about the craft of songwriting. "All the love, frustration, betrayal or any other emotions that I feel sooner or later finds its way into my songs."

Later, when she and Teddy decided to go their separate ways, Shareefa was blessed to get her demo heard by DTP co-CEO Jeff Dixon. "Jeff liked what he heard, but he still had me audition for him," she says, smiling. "Right on the sidewalk on 114th Street in Harlem, and I sang on the spot." Later that same day, after meeting Ludacris over at MTV studios, Shareefa was welcomed into the family.

While all the collaborators on Point of No Return bring something special to the project, there is definitely a connection between Shareefa and producer Chucky Thompson. "There is something about Chucky that is just eternal," she explains. "From Mary J's My Life to The Notorious B.I.G., he makes the kind of music that has longevity, the kind of soulful sounds that people will be playing twenty years from now."

Chucky produced four ballads for Point of No Return including the amazing "Trippin." "He has a studio in Baltimore where we recorded," Shareefa states. "The day I wrote "Trippin" it was raining outside, which just put me in the perfect space to write something sexy and laidback."

Seductive as she is talented, Shareefa has no problem putting her message across on Point of No Return, be it about love, hate or indifference. "I'm just straight forward," informs Shareefa. "I'm not trying to put across any false images, I'm just being me."

Q&A with Shareefa

How long have you been with Disturbing The Peace?
About two years now.

So you are a singer. Where are you from?
I was born and partly raised in Jersey. Left when I was 14 and went to Charlotte, North Carolina. Now I stay in Atlanta.

What was it like growing up in North Carolina when you were down there?
Cool. It was alright.

How did you end up hooking up with DTP?
Somebody actually handed the demo over to Jeff Dixon who is one of the co-owners of Disturbing The Peace. I got a phone call the next day.

And the rest is history.
The rest is history. They wanted to meet me so I flew up to New York and I met Ludacris on the set of TRL backstage cause everybody wanted to see what I looked like. After that it was a go.

So when can we expect to hear your first single?
Well my first look is actually on the Disturbing The Peace compilation. It's called I'll be around. My album doesn't come until the top of the year which is first quarter.

Do you have a title for the album?
No but I'm leaning toward Point of No Return cause I feel like that is where I'm at in my life right now. I feel like there is no turning back in my life. All I can do is move forward I can't move back.

When did you decide that you wanted to pursue music professionally?
When I was little. I don't have no story like, "Since I was two." I wasn't singing in church or nothing. I was infatuated with videos and I would listen to people sing and that would give me goose bumps. I would think, "I want to do that, I want to give people that feeling." I have an infatuation with cameras. I love the limelight and drama. I would play out every movie scene in Color Purple every video it was funny. They got me on tape doing all type of stuff when I was seven. I always knew that is what I wanted to do.

How have you adjusted to living in the Atlanta area?
I love Atlanta. Atlanta is like another home.

Did you do any writing on the new album?
I wrote everything.

Can you tell me about your song writing process? I mean do you have an idea or do you have to hear the music?
The beat has to automatically catch me. The beat has to be speaking to me. Like, "Whoa, I feel like talking about something." It has to make me want to speak about a situation a month ago or a week ago. That situation might pop in my head and I just go in there.

What have you found to be the hardest thing about being a new artist?
I don't know. I mean shit, its what you make it. You have to come in this industry with an open mind. You want to hit the first time but that doesn't mean you are going to hit the first time and I'm content with that. I'm going to give it 150% but you have to have an understanding. Don't come in thinking it's going to be all gravy and your single is going to pop off. It's a constant grind that comes with you and the label. It's not easy. It's what you make it.

Shareefa's Debut
Point of No Return

IN STORES NOW

Need A Boss (feat. Ludacris)
Cry No More
Phony
Hey Babe (feat. Bobby Valentino)
and more!

DTP "Got Reefa?" The Mixtape Vol 1
Click HERE to buy it

Reefa Intro
Need A Change
Game Freestyle
Back In The Day
Rich Nice Interlude
Foolin Me
This Life Freestyle
Phony
Jay-Z Interlude
I Like The Way
Position of Power Freestyle
Impossible
Hatin On Me
In The Pen Prelude
In The Pen
Fugees Freestyle
Reefa Outro

The DTP Family Affair Mixtape
Click HERE to buy it

Intro - Bobby Black
Ludacris Speaks
Georgia - Ludacris ft. Field Mobb & Jamie Foxx
Players Circle Freestyle
Shawn J Speaks
Family Affair - Ludacris ft. Players Circle, Shareefa, I-20, Lil Fate, Field Mobb & Norfclk
Norfclk Freestyle
Ludacris & Players Circle Freestyle
Players Circle Speaks - Players Circle
Gettin' Some Head - Shawnna
50 Cent & Funk Flex On Ludacris
How the Hell - Ludacris ft. I-20 and Young Buck
Future Thugs - Ludacris ft. Redman & Ghostface Killa
Shareefa Speaks
I'll Be Around - Shareefa
Bobby Black Speaks / DTP For Life ft. I-20 & Lil Fate
Bobby V Speaks
Table Dance - Bobby V ft. Smoke (Field Mobb) & Lil Fate
DJ Mars Speaks / Throw That D ft. Luke & Trick Daddy
Break a Nigga Off - Lil Fate ft. Rich Boy & Gangsta Boo
Outro - Bobby Black
Blood In The Air - Lazyeye ft. Shawn J (Field Mobb) & Small World (Norfclk)