Shawn Xavien is a modern-day Hip-Hop artist who strives to create change through his music. Since founding Senih Circle Music, Shawn has acquired a vast amount of production credits for various artists and has released several critically acclaimed albums.
Recently, Shawn Xavien joined forced with Thadd Williams and Travesty to create the brutally honest of a release “Stand for Something II,” where it highlights current tensions going on both outside and within.
“Stand for Something II” is equally chill and driving to listen to, where you can’t help but feel fired up while listening and want to reevaluate yourself to become the best person you can be.
Featuring a sparsely minimalistic production that has a spaced-out lo-fi 808 drum kit and twinkling soft bells, the instrumental sets up the perfect soundscape for Shawn Xaviens vocals to shine above and deliver their honest message. To top it off, Shawn Xavien will be donating all proceeds from purchases of “Stand for Something II” directly to organizations that are geared towards change, and we love every aspect of that.
We can’t wait to hear what else is coming from Shawn Xavien and his lyrical storytelling.
You can learn more about “Stand for Something II” here.
Your latest release “Stand for Something II” really has us thinking about ourselves, what are some ways that you hope this release will change the lives of the people?
With this record, I hope those who choose to press play and listen feel it necessary to not only share it with others but encourage them to actually listen as well. One of the biggest issues in all of humanity is actually listening to one another and appreciating the dialogue. Having MEANINGFUL conversation and acting on it actually leads to change.
It is exciting to team up with some lyrical heavyweights in the industry! How did all you come to meet? What was that whole writing process like?
I've known Travesty for about 10 years. He and I collaborated on a song called "It's Alright" from a previous album of mine 'A Boy and His Beard' and we grew up in the same city (Newport News, VA), so the relationship is organic. Thadd Williams and I, believe it or not, have never met personally, yet I've followed his music for the better part of a decade and we have this kinship as Artist with a respect to match. The writing process was really my reaching out to both of them to see if they were interested, as the song was to be part 2 of the original "Stand for Something" that I released in May. There weren't any guidelines except to say what you feel. They both recorded their verses in their perspective cities and sent them right over. They both believed in my vision and the rest is history. The production of this one has a very minimalistic aesthetic to it, was this something in mind during the initial songwriting or did it come later? Did the beat come to life before you wrote the lyrics?
The production was created before there was ever a song but I knew where I was going during the process. I didn't want an overproduced song, it had to be concise. The inspiration came from one of my favorite movies, "Rocky IV," where Duke is motivating a battered and seemingly exhausted Rocky right before the final round. That line "...all your strength, all your power, all your love, everything you got!" resonates with where we are in the black community. We've gone round after round, trying to overcome racism, injustice, internal and external hatred but keep getting up.
It’s really awesome to hear you’re donating all proceeds to organizations that help create change, what would some of these organizations be and what are some ways you try to be the best person you can be?
Since there are three artists who came together to create this powerful record, the organizations will be of each of our choosing. Ideally, it would be organizations that would help where we live or what we are most passionate about. Being the best person I can be is something that I take into each moment and interaction. I believe you can only do that if you're at peace with yourself. I'll share knowledge and good energy with anyone I come in contact with if that's what the moment requires. What else can we see next from you Shawn?
More music is to be expected of course. I've been at it for 15 years and I have no plans of slowing down. I love the art of music and have this innate passion to create. Music is an integral part of my legacy, no matter how unpopular it may be.