The-Dream Speaks On Why He Can’t Produce For Ciara & His Success As An Artist

Published: Wednesday 4th Jan 2012 by Sam

The-Dream‘s recent interview Tim Westwood seems to be the gift that keeps giving.

For, after revealing in part one how much he made for penning Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’, part two seems the singer-songwriter open up about why he can no longer work with R&B star Ciara, as well as his thoughts on his own success as an artist.

Check out his comments after the jump…

Via The Rap Up:

On why he can’t work with Ciara: “I have a contract under Def Jam so it’s only certain people I work with. [The executives] were real smart by putting that in there, I made them pay for it.”

On R. Kelly’s influence: “He held it down. I don’t think this generation of R&B would be at this particular stage without that. R. Kelly was doing it in a hip-hop-dominated culture,” he says, adding, “But we all gotta go down.”

On his success as a recording artist: “I don’t really care about the million album sales. I don’t really care about the number ones because I do those things writing for everybody else, so I can just stay in this spot and I’m comfortable selling 500k and under. Everybody wants to go pop, I don’t.”

On why Rated R is one of Rihanna’s best albums: “That was right after Good Girl Gone Bad. She could of went up and went more pop, but she regressed and went down back into it.”

With Dream’s deal at Def Jam not being recent, one has to assume mega-stars such as Beyonce are exempt from any such restrictions on who he’s able to write for. For, ultimately, the stipulations surrounding who he can work with boil down to the age old battle between Universal Music (where Def Jam is housed) and Sony Music (where acts such as Ciara and Beyonce call home).

Whatever the case, it’s doubtful anyone in the equation is losing any sleep; Dream will stay counting his coins, Ciara supporters needn’t worry about his nightmare numbers for her, and Ciara herself can focus on working with folk who actually bring out the best in her (see: Soundz, Infinity, Darkchild, and Polow Da Don).

Sidenote: It’s great he understands approximately no one is checking for his own material. Still, his redundant riddims aren’t hurting anyone. So as long as he keeps up serving up that good-good for everyone else, we’re good.

Your thoughts?

 

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  1. Twista January 4, 2012

    I agree with what he’s saying with regards to his music – he obviously does well financially writing and producing for other artists. His own albums are passion projects for him, so it doesn’t really hurt him if he doesn’t go platinum; he easily covers that ground and more in royalty revenue. More power to him.

  2. Imgunnacheckuboo January 4, 2012

    He won’t work with Ciara because he atleast wants the potential to have a song be successful.

  3. White girl mob January 4, 2012

    Kreayshawn debut album coming soon people on twitter & Facebook is already calling this album a classic wow!!!! Kreayshawn gonna have a BIG year

    • Bowlegged In Brooklyn March 7, 2013

      You can’t be serious. You “reported” that as if people are actually checking for this chick. Have 2 seats.

  4. HeavyHeavy January 4, 2012

    @IMGUNNACHECKUBOO shut up like you know anything….Ride was successful, that was the only dream song she released as a single cause all the others he gave her were whack. Maybe if he gave her some better songs like High Price should would release them as singles

  5. The_LoveCult January 4, 2012

    Follow The-Dream ( @MrTeriusNash ) The Single 4 the New Album Coming This Week #TheLoveIV Dropping early 2012 #RadioKillaRecords TheLoveCult

  6. White girl mob January 4, 2012

    @heavyheavy & @Imgunnachuckuboo ya both shut up and make sure ya go cop kreayshawn debut album when it hit stores near you ok!

  7. White girl mob January 4, 2012

    @the_Lovecult why are you copying me go somewhere else and promote your wack artist this is my spot you bum ass n****

  8. LeviLovesCiara January 4, 2012

    The Dream is a flop producer so Im glad hes gone. He did great with Fantasy Ride but dropped the ball completely with Basic Instincts. Hes just too inconsistent with the out come of his songs with artist in general. Soundz, Polow Da Don, and Darkchild usually always follow through with their work with Ciara, especially Soundz. His Slow Bass remix of Gimmie Dat is incredible.

  9. LeviLovesCiara January 4, 2012

    I hate when I type my email wrong 🙁

    @White Girl Mob
    Kreayshawn should release 2 more hits before she releases an album

  10. beyonce is demonic January 4, 2012

    ciara cannot sing anyway she has the weakest voice i ever heard ! Beyonce stans cannot hate because beyonce’s next album number 5 will cell lesser than ride .

  11. beyonce is demonic January 4, 2012

    first week sales ciara sold 37,000 keri hilson sold 102,000 kelly rowland sold 77,000 hopefully she can bounce back because keri hilson is killing her vocally ,and kelly rowland is a one hit wonder who sounds s***** live and cannot dance.

  12. FRESHBOi January 4, 2012

    Chile F*** THE DREAM , who is that behind him !? HEY BOY HEY

  13. Pucci January 4, 2012

    I think its a career move… The record company wants him to work with someone who they think is guaranteed to make him (thus them) money. Ciara’s last 2 albums didn’t pull in big numbers so it’s understandable. However, I do think he should write maybe a song or 2 for the album because he had some winners on both albums (High Price, Like a Surgeon-> Fantasy Ride; Ride -> Basic Insticnt).

    And I agree with him about Rated R, it was definitley Rihanna’s best work to date. Its ashame the public & majority of her fanbase didn’t buy it because she wasn’t singing upbeat songs, something that ppl down her for now. smh

  14. Joy January 4, 2012

    Ciara don’t need that overstuffed q**** bunny in her records. he is has poor writing skills when it comes to CC. He like he is half sleep giving her records. Only time he was woke was for Ride.

    Even then that’s not a track to hit #1 on billboard and worldwide charts. Ciara needs that super crazy club uptempo light urban pop record to claim her spot at top again in music. I have faith in LA and Ciara.

  15. JER January 4, 2012

    i respect Dream for knowing his limitations. He’s right, he can get smashes with his collaborations, that’s what he does. If only will.i.am would note that without Fergie squawking next to him, nobody is checking. His only hits are as features with other artists or particularly with Fergie as her solo s*** or in the BEP.

  16. pop royalty ( The BeyHive ) January 4, 2012

    CIARA : NO VOCALS , epic dance moves ! so i don’t expect much from someone like her.
    the dream : no one take his “career” as an artist *laughs* S E R I O U S L Y ! no one gives a flying s*** about him being an artist.

    he should stick to making hits for other ppl. 2 songs per album for every artist ! no one should allow him to make his/her whole album from “a” to “z” as ciara cuz it will be a “BASIC” flop 😡
    and ciara need no ” bad luck” at this point of her career. so staying away from that ” bad luck” is good for her ass.

    and as @sam said : it is good he’s not delusional 😡 ! he knows his place 😆

  17. BLAH January 4, 2012

    @BEYONCE IS DEMONIC b**** take a ticket and sit your silly ass down hating on everyone because u get f***** by your own father and male family members dumb h** keri hilson is a big ass flop she doesn’t even have any platinum albums lmao only 1 barely(gold) album at least ciara has some b**** bye, ciara can’t sing but she has a little voice at least she aint mess up on a damn national anthem rofl keri hilson is the worst singer that h** sounds squeaky as f*** can’t even it a high note with her week ass voice b**** down, ciara will slay keri any day at least ciara can also actually dance which add’s to her little singing #TheEnd. and please kelly sings better than them both especially live so go google something better yo dumb ass. lol @ you saying beyonce 5th album gonna flop b**** go die go flop back on yo daddy d*** and make the little money you do make weak ass. anyway the dream is ok he has written a few hits he is rite album his own music flopping which it does but at least he’s a honest guy…… anyway at least ciara doesn’t lip sing or sing generic wack ass pop to keep a career so i will give it to her she a real artist even with that epic flopped last album she still holding on til the wheel fall off, can’t knock her down for that. Good Luck this music world is controlled with dumb ass kids who like wack ass pop music that don’t even have a meaning to that b******* so she better bring it.

  18. Darianna Jones January 4, 2012

    Shut up with the first week sales. Everybody wants to bust that crap out. First week sales never stopped anybody on here from getting an album they really wanted. That’s the point The Dream is trying to make. Going number one doesn’t matter. It’s the actual music making and finished product that counts.

    And everybody on here bringing up Beyonce can haveacoke.com

  19. lax January 4, 2012

    All Ciara Album were good

  20. Swaggin January 4, 2012

    Damn Sam. Still mad at dream? Bitter as n****

    But for those that saying dream made Ciara album flop. How much promotion did the label do for the album anyway? Gimme dat wasn’t even promo properly which wasn’t written by dream. Ride was almost there but the label didn’t find an effective way to promote a banned video.

  21. commanderofthedancefloor January 4, 2012

    Musically speaking rated r was rihannas best but it wasnt a commercial success which is why her label pushed out loud. To me talk that talk is also better than loud rihanna actually got into this album!

  22. Girrrl January 4, 2012

    I love the way the ciara stans are blaming dream for basic instinct flopping. Have y’all listened to speechless with an unbiased ear? Ciara cannot sing….at all. She is a dancer who’s trying to have a singing career.

  23. the one and only god all mnighty January 4, 2012

    dream wish iz he could work with cc cuz he knows cc is with the one adn only god all mighty!! what dream does not seem to know people wnat to hear a great meol-D and a great hook!! and if you put that on a great look hta more than any cooks and that looks is the cute est and sweet est female per-sun in teh world un furled what do you find???!!! what do you see? CC and cc is gonna fianllly get to do it her way with the one and own LAAAAAA AND IT ALL WILL TAKE OFF IN LA. AND IT WILL CUT CC’Z SLEEZ Z HATERS DIRTY ROT-SIN THROATS that gloat with filth with MILK & SILK!! & DEF JAM KNOWS THEY ARE IN A HUGE JAM WITH THE ONE ANE ONLY MORE THAN ANY SAM I AM GREEN EGGS INHAM CC NO LONGER IN THIS LIFE TIME IN ANY UNKING BLACK BALL LIST SCAM OR JAM!! BAM BAM BAM BAM AS BAM BAM WOULD SAY BACK IN THE DAY

  24. Pucci January 4, 2012

    @beyonce is demonic

    Have ya heard Cassie sing? I rest my case

  25. key1 January 4, 2012

    Now see this is the same mess that happened with Chris Brown, no one wanted to work with him after he got in trouble and songs wasn’t hits, but as soon as he started making hits everybody wants to work with him. Same thing will happen for Ciara. No one(excutives) wants to work with her right now but as soon as she gets back on top everybody will be knocking at her door. People are trif.

  26. Pucci January 4, 2012

    @GIRRRL

    Please sit down somewhere I’ve had enough of naysayers like you saying the same things over & over again. Find something new to criticize Ciara about, who by the way is not as bad a singer as you guys try to make her out to be. Furthermore, there are far more worse singers & not being a hater, just stating something that everybody else says. Rihanna proves that you don’t have to be a good singer in order to have a singing career & a successful one @ that. So please, sit down.

  27. key1 January 4, 2012

    Now see this is the same mess that happened with Chris Brown, no one wanted to work with him after he got in trouble and songs wasn’t hits, but as soon as he started making hits everybody wants to work with him. Same thing will happen for Ciara. No one(excutives) wants to work with her right now but as soon as she gets back on top everybody will be knocking at her door. People are trifilin.

  28. Girrrl January 4, 2012

    Don’t get mad at me because Ciara can’t sing! I asked a question about her song speechless. Ciara is pretty and can dance. I don’t hare the girl I’m just being honest.

  29. Cisus Allah-Princess Christ January 8, 2012

    Ciara SANGS wayyyyyyyy better than payola knowles aka the fraud and u f**** will DEAL. Cisus>>>God>>>Jesus>>>Earth>>>Life>>>>>>>>>>>Beyaki

  30. Cisus Allah-Princess Christ January 8, 2012

    4 Flop just went platinum and for beyaki thats a FLOP! now what

  31. REALTALK January 9, 2012

    “we all gotta go down”

    ^^^dreams comment about R Kelly.

    the dream’s career is no where near R’s career. his teddy ruxpin a*** needs to take a seat. acting like he done passed R up and is now an expert …niggrum please…

  32. Angel d January 25, 2012

    Wow lol @beyonce is demonic , tells how u really feel! I agree with ya, on most of what u said I know him and tricky are working on jlos next album (well see how that goes) I hope they gives are decent material cause lord knows she needs it! Side note “who is kreayshawn???? Lol 🙂

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