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Sean Kingston talks about 'Beautiful Girls,' being homeless
By Alicia Quarles
Associated Press
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NEW YORK -- Sean Kingston proves that how you start out in life doesn’t always determine where you end up. Just a few years ago, Kingston was homeless with just a dream of making it big in the music industry. Today, the Miami-born, Jamaican-bred Kingston has one of the hottest songs of the summer, “Beautiful Girls.”

But Kingston is not content with appearing in front of the microphone. He says he also writes all of his own music. Kingston sat down with The Associated Press to speak about his newfound fame, family and why his music is profanity-free.

AP: What inspired “Beautiful Girls”?

Kingston: I was dating this girl for two years and she ended up cheating on me with one of my best friends, like a real close best friend. ... Basically in the story of the track I am talking to her.

AP: So, with the success of the song, should you thank her?

Kingston: I really don’t want to thank her personally because she really dogged me, but if happens to be that, shouts out Ashley. She knows what it is.

AP: How did you get your record deal?

Kingston: For those who don’t know, I got my deal off MySpace.com. I wrote to J.R. Rotem. He is big producer. He’s done a lot of stuff for Rihanna, 50 Cent, Britney Spears and etc. ... I saw his MySpace (page). I thought, “Yo, this guy is really talented I want to work with him.” What I did was hit him up on his e-mail like, “Yo please take time out to listen to my music. I’m in a struggle right now. I’m in a bad situation. Music is my life. Just give me a chance.” Once I sent him that message he didn’t reply back. I kept on sending the messages. I kept on hitting him back like eight times a day. He eventually replied back like, “Yo, I want to hear more music.”

AP: You seem to have gone through so much at a young age. Tell me about the hardships you have had to overcome.

Kingston: Those who don’t know, my mom, she got taken away from me when I was 14 years old. She is incarcerated. My sister was incarcerated. I was homeless. When my mom went away when I was 14. ... I was forced to live with my aunt. My aunt, she doesn’t like rap music. She thinks rap music is the devil’s music. Basically she said, “Yo, if you are going to do music you can’t do it in my house.” ... I breathe, I sleep, I eat music. Music is what I wanted to do. When she told me that I was left in a weird situation. I wanted to do music and she heard me coming in with demo CDs and she kicked me out. When she kicked me out I was sleeping in a Fort Lauderdale bus station for two days.

AP: Why are you against using profanity in your music?

Kingston: With everything that is going on with hip-hop and with what everybody is doing I don’t want to be in that lane. I think my lane is very different. I am 17 years old, that’s one. I don’t really curse in general, when I am talking to people. I come from a good home. It might slip out sometimes but it’s not really that big of a deal. To put it in my music, that’s not the message I am trying to send out. That’s not the type of artist I am trying to be. That is not the type of lane I am trying to take. I’m looking for a crossover, wide audience. I am here to make great music and pursue a great career and connect with the fans — this big artist that is making great music and sending positive messages.

AP: How do you describe your music?

Kingston: I describe me sound as international: reggae, pop, rap, R&B all in one. I think I have my own style. I can’t really even describe it. People say, “What type of genre is your music?” It’s Sean Kingston genre. I have my own genre. No disrespect to no artist or dudes out there. I feel like I am my own person. I am doing my own thing.

On the Net:

Sean Kingston

http://www.seankingston.com/
Take a look
Singer Sean Kingston performs onstage during MTV's "Total Request Live" at the MTV Times Square Studios Tuesday, July 31, 2007 in New York. Kingston's self-titled debut album hit stores Tuesday. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)
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Reader comments on this story - 14 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

darkwrath wrote on Aug 9, 2008 9:38 AM:

" "I have my own genre. No disrespect to no artist or dudes out there. I feel like I am my own person. I am doing my own thing."

What a big, fat liar! If it wasn't for artists like Ben E. King, Nelly Furtado and Led Zeppelin, you wouldn't have a career! "

Ycart. wrote on Sep 24, 2007 10:20 PM:

" I'm glad the kids making it but he needs some damn originality. Writing your own lyrics isn't even the half of it, you have to have origuinal music. Its one thing to do a cover that's cool right but just using the music? That's dumb. And if he has original songs on his album, then cool but he should have released those as singles not that stuff he ripped off. Goood luck gaining some respect kid. "

blabla wrote on Sep 19, 2007 2:38 PM:

" okay if you think he is so gay why are u even looking him up or reading this article. second of all, he is doing more with his life then anyone talking here is and he did it on his own. get over urselfs. just because you dont like someones music doesnt mean hes a fag..and the name calling is just pathetic. "

kettle23 wrote on Aug 29, 2007 4:07 PM:

" His new song "Me love" rips off the look directly from a led zeppelin song. "

ASHELY JONES wrote on Aug 29, 2007 11:32 AM:

" MY NAME IS ASHELY AND I DONT LIKE SEAN FAT BUT. "

Just me wrote on Aug 24, 2007 1:46 PM:

" His mom and sister are incarcerated and he is homeless........but he can email everyday and he comes from a good home???? Makes sense?? "

yardman wrote on Aug 17, 2007 9:39 AM:

" i love his songs and i respect him for his determintion. i can relate to his struggles and know how he feels now to overcome what he had gone through. keep pushing on me brethren. "

angela lovett wrote on Aug 17, 2007 8:06 AM:

" i love your songs and i love u "

Young brother wrote on Aug 15, 2007 5:59 PM:

" 'Always enjoy seeing young brothers making it . I wish him luck with his career!. "

yeah wrote on Aug 15, 2007 11:42 AM:

" Beautiful Girls is, if you haven't already notice then you're pretty stupid, a rip off of Stand By Me by Ben E. King. This isn't different than most artists who have contracts w/big record companies. If you listen carefully, over twenty pop songs played on the radio have the same music, just different instrumental sounds and tempo. It's sad - nothing is original. "

to i think.... wrote on Aug 15, 2007 10:09 AM:

" the song is not about committing suicide.....yes he says it in the song but that is not what the song is about...little ms spears wrote a song about committing suicide and that wasnt a big deal so get off his music......listen to the whole song and learn the real meaning....thanks "

... wrote on Aug 15, 2007 9:55 AM:

" I LOVE ALL OF HIS SONGS. ITS GOOD TO SEE SOMEONE COMING FROM SUCH A ROUGH BACKGROUND MAKING SOMETHING BETTER OF THEMSELVES!! "

I think wrote on Aug 15, 2007 9:54 AM:

" It's terrible for someone to sing about committing suicide. I can not believe that "Beautiful Girls" is played on the radio. "

V wrote on Aug 15, 2007 9:04 AM:

" I don't like any of his songs. "
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