Leethal

Porscha: What is this new sensation coming str8 outta St. Pete, FLAWDA?!? Ha ha, I guess you wanna hear the buzz that's going around town and beyond. If you haven't already heard this cat performing around your hood, then you betta tune in right chea! Born Arthur Lee Dennies Jr., this St. Petersburg native, is mos def coming on strong with some annointed music that's guranteed to ignite the spirit into some unconsuming flames. I personally had the well-worth experience to check Leethal out, and I must say.....man oh man, does he set it off with his undeniable vocal skillz. Ok...enough of me talking. Check out the interview and get to know him! Oh, one more thing....I must shout out Mrs. Latrice Dennies (Leethal's wife) and his absolutely adorable baby girl, Arnesha.


Porscha: What does Leethal stand for?
Leethal: Leethal is just an acronym that I made recently. I gave it to myself as an R&B singer just to say Leethal was a name. But when as I began to do more Gospel music I turned it into an acronym which stands for "Live Expecting Eternity Through his Anointed Love".

Porscha: Wow, that's a great acronym too. At first, I thought it was "Leethal Weapon, Leethal Arts, Bruce Leethal...lol ....and all that great stuff. It all worked out though.

Leethal: I actually used the "Leethal Weapon" thing once. I would say that I'm a Leethal weapon in the hands of God.

Porscha: This is your first album that you're working on. Do you have a release date?
Leethal: At this point, no. I'm just hoping that I will have it done by the end of the year. It's going to be more of an EP than an actual full cd. About 6 or 7 tracks that will be more for radio play and also available tracks for purchase online.
Porscha: What inspired you to do an album?

Leethal: I would have to say, pretty much all the time in church singing with the choir. Just seeing how music can affect people and just getting God's word out to the people. Just seeing how it affects people, makes me feel good, knowing that I'm able to spread God's word through music.

Porscha: How many years have you had the passion to do this?
Leethal: I would say probably about 3 or 4 years.
Porscha: You were supposed to open up for Grits back in '04. But due to the hurricanes that year, it was postponed. How did you feel about opening up for Grits?

Leethal: I was excited about it. I was really looking forward to meeting those guys and doing it. I think at the time, I wasn't ready for it though. I think maybe that it was a sign for me that I wasn't ready for me to do that kind of thing and God was showing me that. Considering that the day before we went up there, we got in a car accident too.

Porscha: I remember you telling me that. It was you and your daughter, right?

Leethal: Yeah.
Porscha: And everything was Ok?

Leethal: Yeah, but the car was totaled.

Porscha: With all those things happening, what would you say is the moral to the story?

Leethal: I mean, part of it is patience. If God is telling you to do something, it's going to be in his timing not mine. Because I didn't end up doing the show, I actually ended up getting in touch with Jacob Izrael, who was Young Izrael at the time. That's how I actually started doing what I'm doing now.

Porscha: So do you think that by you meeting Jacob Iz first, Do you think that it was the stepping stone into being taught for something like this?

Leethal: I def think that it's been a big stepping stone for it. He has more knowledge about this kind of stuff more than I do. Even though he's younger than me, taking me under his wing and giving me this kind of information.

Porscha: What's you relationship like with Jacob Izrael?

Leethal: I've known him about 2 years now. He's given me a lot of information that I'm still researching. There are so many things about the industry that I do not know. He's helping me with recording too.

Porscha: So are you learning the Engineering as well?

Leethal: I wouldn't say that, but I'm watching everything that he does when he uses his Pro Tools.

Porscha: Do you think that as a new artist, you should have the same respect as the mainstream?

Leethal: Not so much because I'm a new artist, but what I'm doing and Who I'm doing it for, I'm sure if God wants me to have it then He will provide it. Just the respect of what I'm doing and Who I'm doing it for should be there.

Porscha: Who's on your album?
Leethal: Jacob Izrael. K-drama (Platinum Tips) produced a track. J-Gatz also produced a track. M. Hill (Fool Proof Productions) produced a track. I'm open for any opportunities.

Porscha: Everything seems like it's moving pretty fast for you. Do you feel that way?

Leethal: I was just saying that the other night at praise and worship rehearsal. I was saying how doors are opening for me. Even the small shows. For me to not have been working so hard as I could have, a lot of things are starting to happen for me.

Porscha: What's your take on the Gospel music industry (things you like/don't like)?

Leethal: There's a lot of good music coming out with good messages that have came out recently. "True praise and worship." Things I don't like are.... that a lot of the new people aren't getting the light to show what they are doing.

Porscha: Any encouraging words that you will like to leave us with?

Leethal: The only thing I can say is, whatever you going for, keep doing it. I've been to points where I told myself that I wasn't right for this.... "Your voice aint right for this." Just don't let things get to you. No matter what you're telling yourself or what others are telling you, if things are happening for you, and God is there, things are going to happen.


Peep some pics of Leethal: here.
You can contact Leethal @ www.myspace.com/leethal or www.soundclick.com/leethal. You can also email Leethal @ arthurandlatrice@yahoo.com. (He does respond!) - Porscha Jones

AWOE: Now before you became a Christian you said you wrote songs that you weren't comfortable sharing. How did you get over that roadblock?

LEETHAL: Well I really just kind of threw myself out there, the main part that helped was when I was in basic training (Army Reserves) it was like hey they don't know me so it was like I could be more open.

AWOE: Who were some of the groups you listened to before Christ?

LEETHAL: I listened to artist like - De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Run DMC, Black Sheep, Fu Shnickens, The Pharcyde, Arrested Development Hi Five, Silk Mint Condition Tony Toni Tone Stevie Wonder ... there are so many..

AWOE: How did they influence your way of thinking?

LEETHAL: Definitely negatively as far as glorifying sex, and drugs, however on some sides though some of the artists were bringing light to more positive things or society issues, so in a way I would say that some of it may have been the start of my interest in turning my life around. A stepping stone so to speak.

AWOE: Does it influence your music now?

LEETHAL: None on my thinking, maybe my sound a little cause I do get people telling me I have an old school sound.

AWOE: I find it cool that you became a Christian at your cousin's. What caused you to make that decision?

LEETHAL: Well I had already been exposed to it growing up, my dad would have us pray before bed(The old now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep) and for some reason in High school (You know God had his hand on it) I always ended up dating the girls whose momma's would make me go to church with them on Sunday I even carried a bible in my back pack everyday (even though I didn't read it)

AWOE: Did it ever cross your mind that you wouldn't be 'cool' any more or even do a lot of the old stuff you use to?

LEETHAL: Yeah it did, matter of fact I remember when one of my homies started doing songs talking about God, my first thought was but your music is so good why would you? to me at the time it just wasn't cool to do Gospel music.

AWOE: You said that you ended up with a church home, which is something a lot of people have a problem with. Finding a place where they can grow and call their church home. Why did you choose to stay there?

LEETHAL: The main reason was because of the feeling of being at home, I had visited alot of churches but I always felt out of place and even at my wife's church it was something that just didn't feel right. But I know that if God ever wants me to go somewhere else then that is what I'll do.

AWOE: Okay, how did you start singing in the Army Reserves?

LEETHAL: This actually was to get out of work because on Sunday's we had to do chores and clean up around the barracks, and I discovered that if I went to church on Sunday I didn't have to do the chores... and then of course because all of us missed home and being able to listen to music we would sing R&B songs and what not...

AWOE: Did you learn anything about yourself character wise while being involved in the Army reserves?

LEETHAL: I would say it definitely built up my confidence. before I went in I was the shy and quiet guy. But it helped me be more sure of myself.

AWOE: When you started attending church you said you weren't down with the gospel music. Why weren't you feeling it?

LEETHAL: I just didn't like the sound of it to me at the time it was too much moaning and crying and what not... and I was like how long are they going to sing this song for...

AWOE: Do you think that it is the music sometimes that turns youth away from the church?

LEETHAL: Sometimes, but I also feel that it's the church that turns youth away from the church, as far as not being open to new things, and allowing them to express themselves. Some churches are too tied up in the doctrine of the previous generations that they feel that if it isn't in the doctrines it's not of GOD. I personally had an experience where I was ministering at a church and mid song a deacon didn't like the sound of my music so he cut me off.

AWOE: Backing up a little bit, how did you meet your wife?

LEETHAL: Well we had mutual friends in high school but we didn't really know each other. But then I started going to Junior college and we ended up in a reading class together. and the rest is history...

AWOE: How did being involved with her influence your relationship with God and music as a whole then and now?

LEETHAL: Well she said to me at one point that we as a couple need to be in church, and I listened, I also already enjoyed singing so when I seen they had a choir I joined that too. And got hooked.

AWOE: What would you say to anyone, but young people who are jumping in and out of relationships.

LEETHAL:It's not worth it to be jumping in and out. When the right one comes along you'll know and it won't be on your schedule but it will be on God's time.

AWOE: What are some of the things you wish you would have watched out for as a teenager with your friends and girl friends?

LEETHAL: I wish I would have watched out for not trying to be part of the in crowd, and doing things just to get people to like me. I mean I wasn't the constant in the office kid or anything but I will say I did do some dumb stuff to try and fit it.

AWOE: Now your EP Can't Be Denied…you have a lot of great songs! I really enjoyed Ready or Not, It's Wrong, and 4Ever Praise. Who wrote the songs?

LEETHAL: Well I wrote everything except for the features. Praise God for the inspiration!

AWOE: And how did you choose everyone you collaborated with?

LEETHAL: I chose people that I had interacted with many times either on myspace or in person, people whose ministries had blessed me in one way or another, speaking of which my next CD will be less features I know I got a little feature happy on this first one, but what Can I say God kept blessing me with such awesome ministers I couldn't resist.

AWOE: How did your wife get in on 4Ever Praise?

LEETHAL: It actually happened when I was recording it, My friend Tredale aka Jacob Izrael was like you need another voice on here, so I was like let me ask my wife, at first she was hesitant, but then she went ahead and sang on it...

AWOE: What would you say to young people who love Christ, but aren't feeling the local church they've attended? And to the parents?

LEETHAL: I would say don't give up, There is a place for everyone, first and foremost seek HIM earnestly and whole heartedly, and when you do He'll fit you in. For parents (and this is for me too) pay attention to your child let them express themselves (within in certain limits of course... lol), one thing I have been learning with my 7 year old is they look up to us so much and we have to encourage them so much. And it's not always what we say that effects them our actions too are so profound to them. especially in their (and our) walk with Christ. - Jen Gault