#readingmagazines

Trey Songz is at a different place now. A better place than he was. I met with him in December 2009, New Year's Eve. Amidst a growth. We met and talked in six different locales over a few days. That's rare for "us," yeah. His NYC hotel room, BET Honors rehearsal, Wendy Williams greenroom, the BET Honors show,  his Madison Square Garden concert and on the set of our photo shoot for his first significant cover. The resulting April/May 2010 cover, it's one of my favorites. I did this with Mos Def on my old blog. Below, raw, uncut notes

2010, Untitled Notes

Before BET Honors

W hotel lobby - comfy living area black and white floral carpeting and lots of different chairs, black white and red decor some zebra stripes. Black floor lamps with hanging crystals like a chandelier - red vinyl vintage looking chairs but upscale vintage unlike the affinia. Some girlie pop playing in the background on the music system. Black pinstripe chairs with beaded accents 3 crystal chandeliers line the room.

National treasury across the street from the hotel - Obama making or already made his speech about Haiti. When Trey is in "show mode" or "rehearsal mode" or "warmup mode" I can't interview him, like he zones out.

Mjb in velour suit black scarf and shades singing I Am gray uggs and glitter mic. Huffs and puffs alright puff I just wanna say I love you and if you dint come get me off thatshelf I would be.  Live no limit, pretty memories, mj: yeah I'm good. Need some oxygen? Andre Harrell. Funny photo of didd frozen on screen, boppin stage hands and producers

Jennifer Hudson in front row dressed down in red tee , India arie preparing with guitar as Ruth summons video plays in background, arie in tights and gray boots black turtleneck. "to celebrate president simmons" Screen drops by mistake.

Balcony seating, decorrative emblems, embroidered, church stained glass on ceilings. Small theatre a little bigger than Apollo gold extravagant detailings on wall

Laptops set up recording the show Kevin liles here around 2pm. Ryan Leslie white getup looks like genie pants, boots, mini keyboard set up hoodie, looks like an astronaut 14 piece band afterward playful "are you not entertained?" They picked invented sex for him to perform. Jhud fur boots - girl behind me says  mmm after she rehearses I will always love you, burgundy seats

3:40pm

4pm Stevie finally hits stage in all black and sunglasses and black hat

Hugs Stevie and stevie fumbles a soul shake. India arie too, 12345 

they're all testin vocals. We can play together n problem, give me a little more voice

"wake up"

Kevin and mike

Is that the only part I sing "the world won't get no better" - India

I need Ray I my ear -Trey

So I was gin mayb do the intro lurk plays keys. Kevin standing in 

aisle holding his chin, to the left of stephen hill, tapping feet

Wake up everybody

Kevin wearing same corduoroy jacket with scarf

Trey near middle of stage etting instuctions from ray on vocals

Saying...I think it should be in the hook..te fact is you can't change it.

Stephn hill in white tee

Stevie: Trey you gon' be like the world won't get no better

India: Hey Stevie so you wanna...

Song that part together. Trey and India behind Stevie near Ray in the middle of the stage. Atlantic folks in front row. Crescendo. Stevie plays around with gruff voice when  he says "change it yeah"

Yamaha motifx58 - Stevie fumbling words

Stevie: Why don we let trey do that part?

Trey you wanna do that?

I got you

After done, Mike goes "woo!"; Him and stephen Easily excitable

Kevin goes on stage for a little and then leaves said something funny

Transition to "That girl"

Trey gray charcoal zipup

Stephen jumps to front when Stevie starts doin invented sex on harmonica

Transiiton to invented sex that they were practicing

Kevin goes on stage up to Trey

Mike: You feel a moment in the making. It felt very good

Stephen: Big possibilites

Trey sits next to Stevie on the bench in front of the keyboard

Stevie: I know this song he says grinning

Few watching in crowd whoop and holler

Trey laughs with his hand around Stevie

Stevie sings "think I ivented sex"

mike claps and Stephen hops out of his chair when the that girl 

transition "you think I invented that girl"

Stevie: But don't tell eerybdy my business. Let's keep it on the low"

Stephen leans forward in chair, stomps in chair can't contain his excitement as if this should make up for the bad mj tribute; Stephen 

TVT records shirt

  Dressing room after

Basement all white walls; next to Take 6 and Ryan Leslie dressing room Alright youngn good job (mike says in the dressing room afterward)

Showing video of Stevie still rehearsing with take 6

First time meeting stevie?

"Nah I met him before but it was years ago." 

Trey: It felt great. Crazy. Two songs with stevie, one night. It's amazing.

Jessie the producion guy: Real good match. It killed me when he was 

playing your record on the harmonica. That was No practice. Watching 

Stevie harmonize on samsung flat screen small in the dressing room in 

the basement; Singing along with on screen Stevie 

In his dressing room he watches the video that his handlers recorded while getting ready for the show  Mom will be at the show; his rep 

Tweets photo of Trey and Stevie that says "legendary status" 

Painted Pipes full length standing mirror against one structural column. horizontal mirror with lightbulbs along one wall. no cell service concrete walls

Mom petite dressed in brown evening gown with fur around shoulders.

Sitting in chair in evening gown and pearls, hair in a curly updo 

seems cheerful and grounded

  Backstage at Wendy Williams

Talks about how Hard freestyle wasn’t supposed to come out, supposed to be on mixtape. Blue jacket for tour not gonna work. I was gon put it out how I wanted  to put it out – plays I wanna rock freestyle; Hard wasn't supposed to leak

Bodyguard Kenny

Talking about snoop verse, speaking through yawns

Wendy got pictures like she been here for years. Photo of her laughing with Vanessa Williams

That ring, that shit is obnoxious

That's real?

Yeah

She doin it big though with radio she used to do don divas

She still do that

Purple seats

Hey how you doin baby, doing mic check and women file in

They told me it was on be about 20. 30

Rehearsing Say Aah

Gimme more lead in the ear

You can actually gimme less cause he's gon be scratching. Very subtle in the ear.

Very dark blue jeans, black tee on black long sleeve

Cold studio

Clipboard is purple, NYU violet, padded red vinyl walls, hanging disco balls

Stand by everybody, singing ain't no sunshine, static trying to 

adjust, staff cards have her busty photo on it; moving camera 

threatens to knock down balls

Photos with Kim kardashian vivica coolio 

10 x 10 room with hardwood floor

Lot of how you doins going around

DJ Foot