It’s about 2:45 and I’m sitting down in Bus Boys and Poet’s on 14th & V streets NW preparing to talk to one of DC’s hidden Neo-Soul jewels. I’m talking about Tamika Love Jones. I’ve seen her perform before and she has one the strongest voices I’ve ever heard, her live performances are great. The way she commands the crowd and her stage presence are definitely a breath of fresh air. I got a chance to sit down with her to hear how she got her start and see what drives this talented and beautiful artist to do what she does so well.

DMV Unplugged: So How did you get started in music?

Tamika Love Jones: I got started singing when I was about 14years old. I always liked to sing in the choir and some of my friends from school found out I could sing really well and they introduced me to a producer who lived right down the street from me all my life, Chucky Thompson. At the time he was working with Mary J. Blige, Biggie and all these great people….I was really shocked and they pushed me up to him and I preformed form him and sang Joyful Joyful and he liked it. He kind of put me on as an artist of his at the time he had a production label called Chuck Life Productions and he worked with me on a demo project …And it just blossomed from there.

DMV: That’s cool. You mentioned Chucky Thompson, what was your experience like working with him?

TLJ: Chucky is amazing to work with. He knows what he’s doing. He’s in the top echelon of producers; he knows how to make that crisp industry standard sound. He didn’t care that I was only 16 or 17. He told me and sat me down….he took me in to the booth and said, “this is the track I’m gonna leave when I come back I want the song written” and he came back and I had the song written. He would always push me to push myself. It really just pushed me to a higher level. He would work all night and get up 6 o’clock in the morning to take his kids to school, that really taught me work ethic, I still to this day try to have his work ethic. Most importantly he’s a good person. He took me in when I was 12 after my mom passed away and I never had my father in my life and he and his wife knew there were things I could

DMV: Well as an artist what do you find most challenging about the music industry?

TLJ: (Laughing) The business side. It takes money to make money. So you don’t always have the resources to stay independent. Online is making things easier but still the marketing …As an artist you have to take the lead if you want things to happen so on top of being an artist I can sing and write music. I have to have the drive also to make sure my shows are being promoted properly, I have CDs at the end of the night, the mail list is being passed out so that I’m getting more of my crowd in……

DMV: You have an email list?

TLJ: I do have an email list.

DMV: How does someone subscribe to your list?

TLJ: Basically at the shows I pass out the sheet…..but at the end of the night I ask did this get done? It’s about having a good team. I commend artists on the scene like Black Alley, they have a really good street team…you can go see them at Indulj on a Sunday night…everything is tight. They’ve had this following for years and artists like that in the area I really look up to because they’re really making a name for themselves. …that’s really a challenge just making the business side come together and not compromising because of the money situation because you just want to make it and you want to support yourself full time.

DMV: I read your bio on your website and it mentions Nina Simone, who are some of your inspirations on helping you find yourself in music?

TLJ: Nina Simone, Sade, Stevie Wonder, all the jazz greats…I’m a huge Ella Fitzgerald fan, Billie Holliday because I also do jazz music as well. And then lots of newer artists today….um Lauryn Hill and D’Angelo are like my absolute favorites. Amel Larrieux, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu. T Locally W. Ellington Felton…I just love it, whenever he opens his mouth he just commands the audience.

DMV: So then what has been the most memorable moment so far in music?

TLJ: I would have to say this summer The Washington Post Music Review, I think that’s what they call it (laughs)…. they selected to me to perform at the Neo Soul Night at the Carter Barron. The Carter Barron is like the best venue I’ve ever preformed in…it was beautiful. It was a great honor for me…and I felt like I did a wonderful job. And I also got some press from the Washington post.

DMV: So have you seen an increased following?

TLJ: Yeah. People still come up to me like “you were at the Carter Barron!” I feel like more opportunities will be happening for me even on a national level. It kind of put a stamp on me….Like there is this singer in DC whose wrecking shit and her name is Tamika Jones…Tamika Love Jones. (Laughs)

DMV: I’m gonna use that line

TLJ: (Laughing) Okay.

DMV: Now, some of your music is very positive. Music doesn’t always convey that message what is your opinion on that or how do you feel about that?

TLJ: My whole goal in music….well I saw Cornell West at Howard about a year ago…

DMV: Yeah I remember that…

TLJ: Yeah he talked about having a vocation…he talked about making what you do, what you love to do, not only to make money but to actually serve a purpose within your community, and I feel like that is my calling. And not put out music that’s untrue to me. As an artist I want to express myself sometimes I may have bad days and good days, but at the end of the day the song it still has a positive message. I think that music is about inspiration. I personally would not want to promote things that are destructive in my community.