Rising pop star Jeremih, a product of Chicago Public Schools who graduated from Morgan Park High at only 16, has been tapped to spread a positive message to kids about going back to school and sticking it out until graduation. Some have taken issue with the fact that Jeremih (born Jeremih Felton) is mostly famous for the massively popular song, “Birthday Sex.”
“I wasn’t trying to spread the message of, or condoning, ‘Hey, kids, have birthday sex!’” says Jeremih, 22. “It was more, ‘Stay in school.’ But, you know, I understand.”
In fact, Jeremih said he at first thought about titling the song—a slinky bedroom jam about giving a birthday gift that requires nothing but bodies—the more PG-13-level “Birthday Text.” Had he done that, the R&B singer—who also plays piano, drums, saxophone and more—might not be blowing up like crazy and opening for Lil Wayne as “Birthday Sex,” off Jeremih’s self-titled debut, racks up more than 105 million plays on MySpace.
From Montreal, the South Side native-who recently moved downtown-talked about his hit single and what makes him so Chicago.
Why do you think “Birthday Sex” has caught on so much?
Because it’s catchy; it’s about someone’s birthday, which there’s one everyday in the world; and it’s about sex. I think if you attach sex to anything it’ll probably sell, which is a proven fact. While writing that I didn’t think about it. I was actually writing just for the sake of writing another record. But after hearing everyday people calling in, like, “Yo, it’s my birthday”--not even just for the fact that they wanted to have sex, which is probably essentially what they wanted to do. [Just] the fact that it was a birthday song and it was their birthday, I feel like people began to embrace it.
That’s a great formula: Combine two things everybody loves. Can we expect a song called “Naked Chocolate”?
Uh, that don’t sound bad. That don’t really sound bad at all.
I think with “Birthday Sex” people also get stressed out about giving gifts, and they’re excited to have something simple to give. Like “Dick in a Box.”
Oh, yeah, I remember that song. Yeah, I wouldn’t say it’s the only gift that I would give; it’s probably the icing on the cake that I would give.
Is your album more likely to be played in the club or the bedroom?
Probably the bedroom. I wouldn’t say the whole album, being that it is so versatile. The club probably wouldn’t play joints like “My Sunshine,” which is a slow tempo … Right now only “Birthday Sex,” “Break Up to Make Up” and now “Imma Star (Everywhere We Are)” are club type of joints in which y’all would hear those more. But the album could be played in the bedroom probably more.
What if someone plays it in the bedroom and they get to an uptempo track and have to start dancing?
Well, then you gotta go super-hard then. [Laughs]
How would you describe your sound in five words or less?
Unique, distinctive, Chi-Town, original, creative.
What is particularly Chicago about your sound?
My swagger … my flow, my delivery, my speech. I feel like definitely you can tell, even while hearing the record I was told people would say, “You know, I could tell you was from Chicago. You sound like a Chi-Town dude.”
What do you love about the South Side?
Man, it’s just where I’m from. Born and raised. I like the people, I like the home, the acceptance. I love the air. I breathe the air, man.
If you and former South Sider Barack Obama were hanging out, what would you do?
Probably go bowling or something.
Would you let him win?
Probably not.
You can bowl more than a 140 or so?
I think so. I’d just put that under my belt, like “I beat Barack Obama in bowling.” Actually, “I just bowled with Barack.” I think it just sounds better.
Tell me something totally random about you.
Me and my momma got the same birthday. No pun intended for the song.
Matt Pais is the metromix music and movies producer. mpais@tribune.com
Chicago personality test
Fave bar: Bar Louie
Best burger: Top-Notch Beefburger Inc. (2116 W. 95th St.)
Fave Chicago celebrity: Kanye West
Least favorite: Lupe Fiasco (only in the sense of being behind Kanye, Twista, others)
Fave sports team: Bulls and Bears
