Sean Garrett is the man behind your favorite song and U.O.E.N.O.
But you should.
Since Sean wrote Usher’s smash hit “Yeah!” the singer/songwriter has penned and produced some of the biggest pop hits of the decade. The singer was behind Ciara’s “Goodies,” Beyonce’s “Ring the Alarm,” Chris Brown’s “Run It,” Usher’s “Papers” and so much more.
Sean is also an artist as well. In 2008, he put out his solo album, Turbo 919, and, a couple of years later, he released The Inkwell mixtape. Now the singer is getting ready to release a new mixtape.
And if songs like the Migos-featured “Anytime” are any indication, the project is going to be great.
Not only that, the singer/songwriter has been in the studio chopping it up with the likes of Miley Cyrus, Meek Mill and other big artists that Sean couldn’t really talk about yet.
GlobalGrind caught up with the singer to talk about Miley, his future plans and his musical legacy.
Check it out below.
GlobalGrind: You have been working with Miley Cyrus recently. What do you think about critics who say she is exploiting black culture?
Sean Garrett: I mean, I think that’s just bullshit. I got a chance to work with her myself. Like, I know she’s pretty true to what she feels. I don’t feel like she’s riding no bandwagon.
I just feel like that’s really who she really is. She likes to create the kind of music she likes to create. She’s pretty true to what she does, man. And I ain’t really trying to have no interview about Miley cause you know I love her. I fuck with who she is. I like what she does, and I can’t really speak on, you know, what people think. All I can say is I think she’s really true to what she is, and I think her music dope as shit.
There’s not a lot of people from this era with your kind of resume. If someone was to ask you what your greatest achievement was, you would say what?
Well first off, all I just want to say thank you [laughs]. I’m just so happy that you say that because a lot of times, man, people do not really understand how much work I done put into this shit, how hard I’ve worked, man, how blessed I’ve been to be apart of some of the biggest records of my generation.
“Yeah” was my first release as a songwriter/producer, and it was number one in 42 countries and the number two record of the decade. Usher sold 1.1 million albums off that one single, and, on top of all of that, it was a record that wasn’t even supposed to come out.
What do you mean it wasn’t supposed to come out?
It wasn’t the official first single. It wasn’t deemed the official first single. The official first single was supposed to be “Burn.”
So what changed?
Because “Yeah” got leaked, and it just completely blew up. So if it would have been left up to the music world, it probably wouldn’t have been what it was. I’ve had so many of those confirmations in my life. And what it is that I know what’s in my heart, what’s hot and what the people want. That’s why I have to stay tuned, because there’s a lot of people in this game who throw your shit off just because it ain’t in line with their pockets. So you gotta really stay grounded and do what it is that you do. And know that if people don’t appreciate it, then there is somebody that will.
I got an opportunity to work with some beautiful people like Destiny’s Child, I got a chance to work with Beyonce. I got a chance to work with Chris Brown and Ciara, Mary J. Blige, Fergie, Pussycat Dolls, Enrique Iglesias and I was able to deliver number ones for each and everyone of those artists. I just had my 18th number one with Brandy.
That’s crazy. Who has been your competition over the last decade?
If I’m going to talk about my real competition I’d have to be talking about Max Martin, I’d have to talk about Dr. Luke. Those the only people I feel like are my competition, to be honest with you. I don’t really feel like nobody else is my competition.
There’s rumblings that you’ve been working with Meek Mill — do ya’ll have a project together?
We’re working on a label situation together. He’s still in MMG doing his thing, so him and I is just an extension. I want to make it clear: [Rick] Ross is included in everything, so it doesn’t alienate that at all. It’s really just branches of a tree.
So are you helping him develop acts?
Yep, I’m helping him develop acts. So we’re just partnering up like that. We’re just helping each other out with some things.
Did you have a role in him signing Lil Snupe?
Nope, that was all him.
So he has a good ear.
Yeah, he has a great ear. Matter of fact, I wouldn’t even have gotten in business with him if he didn’t have a really really great ear. And he knows music. He knows what’s hot. He’s dope and what I’m gonna do is bring another side of music to him. And that’s really what music is about, man: It’s the opportunity of working with each other and building.
So what’s up with the mixtape?
It’s being worked on right now. And when it’s coming out, I really want to surprise people. I just want to be a little bit more protective of some of things I’ve been doing. When they see ’em, they’re gonna see ’em. I don’t want to speak too fast, too soon. Just look forward to that new single, with me and Migos. It’s a crazy record; girls gonna love it.
What’s your favorite record off the Migos YRN tape?
“Bando” is one of my favorites and “Versace,” of course. I love those guys, man. They represent what they represent and they do it well. They ain’t trying to be nothing but themselves. And this record that we created is gonna be a record that changes the perspective of them from a mainstream perspective. It’s gonna give you a different look.
What’s the song of the summer and the album of the summer?
The song of the summer is gonna be Sean Garrett featuring Migos “Anytime.” And the album of the summer, I got to give that to Jay Z. I love Jay Z album, man.
