In 2003, Latif silently came onto the scene with his debut album Love In The First. Although the majority of the world slept on his project, the ones that did catch wind of him were not disappointed. Still grinding and penning songs for most of today's music artists, Latif is enjoying life and contemplating a return. MiddleChild spoke with Latif about music, life and the future.

MiddleChild: First of all, I've been ride or die for you since your first video "Don't Wanna Hurt You" in 2003 man.

Latif: That's what's up man.

MiddleChild: For real. (laughs) And I still play the album. So tell me how you got interested in the business.

Latif: Well I started out pretty young as an artist. Had my first record deal situation and that pretty much got my foot in the door. So you know you're working and you see the ends and outs of the game. You see the writers. You see the producers.So I pretty much saw how everything worked in the music industry. I've always admired writing and of course performing while being an artist and I tried my hand at being an artist first...always writing a majority of my own material so you know that was my introduction. That's how I got my foot in the door.

MiddleChild: So as far as the writing thing, where do you draw your inspiration?

Latif: Man. Anything. Life. Movies. Relationships. People. Conversations. You know from being the youngest child in my family I would look at my cousins. Always just being quiet and really observant and dealing with life I just picked up different things. Every situation or anything that you can see I feel can be put into song. Everything is inspiration to me. It don't matter, I can draw from it.

MiddleChild: And you get to cut a lot of these demos that you write so you still get a chance to be behind the mic, so is there a possibility of getting another album from you?

Latif: I mean the way the business is right now it's kind of crazy. It's like you know...the artist thing...I see it in the near future. Let's put it that way. It's definitely going to happen. To me I enjoy writing records just as much and it's really time consuming. Not to say that you put yourself on the back burner, but people be looking sometimes like "What about you?". I enjoy it man. You know?

MiddleChild: And how does it feel to see some of the people you came up with about to do their music thing. Like your boy Ryan Leslie is about to drop an album and then you have Sean Garrett about to release one.

Latif: Man. I'm just happy for them because when you work with them...I came out as an artist and right now I'm writing and they both always wanted to do a record. Even when I first met Sean, when I first met Ryan. Sean was an artist when he was younger and Ryan always had a passion for it. So you know. I'm rooting for them man. They always test records and let me hear them before they put them out. It's all good. They got a little buzz going. It's cool.

MiddleChild: That's what's up. So tell me about some of these artists you linked up with. Like I just found out that you did the Tiffany Evans joint, "Lay Back and Chill"...

Latif: Yea.

MiddleChild: Like I usually listen to albums first to see what I like before I read the credits and I know you did my joint by Cheri Dennis "Pretend". Chris Brown's "Damaged" and I really didn't get into that one as much until I heard your demo version of it and it made me like it even more. (Latif laughs) So tell me how you end up linking up with these artists to work for them.

Latif: Well I have a relationship with a lot of the A&R's and if there is a project that I know I want to be involved in I'll submit them my new material to them or I'll shout em out and let them know that I got to get in with that artist and give them my vibe. And I only work with stuff that I'm passionate about you know. Otherwise I could be writing on everything, but I just sit back and take my time and really deal with what I'm feeling at that time. A majority of the time this is how it goes. I cut the record first and if I have an artist in mind...like Musiq was an artist that was really cool. When I made a record for him, I made six or seven records with him in mind and "Teachme" came out of that batch. So yea, just me sending the record to them and them liking it and they cut it.

MiddleChild: And speaking of the Musiq joint....Grammy nominated!

Latif: Yeaaa.

MiddleChild: Congratulations on that again. Tell me what was going on with you at the time you got the call saying "Ay man. You got nominated for this record."

Latif: You know what? I'm a firm believer..I'm a hard worker and I didn't expect it, but at the end of the day it just felt like a natural thing. It really felt natural man. I just didn't expect it to come so soon in my career. It's like "wow", but even like going to the Grammy's and experiencing all of that, it just makes you work harder. It's a humbling experience man. Straight up. I ain't believe it though, but it was kind of crazy. It was good. It was a good feeling. My parents and everyone were so excited.

MiddleChild: I hear that. Well you know working with all of these people and like you said the ones you really believe in, who has been the one artist that has given you the best experience so far?

Latif: Uhm...as a writer? I would have to say Chris Brown. Chris Brown. It was a real pleasure to work with him because he's really humble and he's like a sponge. You know what I'm saying? There's no ego's. None of that. He just comes in there ready to work and he makes records his own. You know what I'm saying? That's very important. Like you give an artist a record and you expect them to at least put their little twist on it. It's like with actors, you write a script and if Denzel get's it he is going to put himself into it and make it him and that's what I love. So Chris Brown. All of them though. Jim Jones. Cheri Dennis. They're all dope. They're all dope.

MiddleChild: Okay. So you do rap records and you do R&B records. How do you approach each situation? Do you approach it a certain way depending on the artist you're working with or how does it work for you?

Latif: You know what? It's the same concept pretty much. There are a couple of ways that I write a record. Hook first, verse first, rhythm first, melody first...often times like rap records...I don't know man I just go away and listen to some of these artists and of course I'm a fan so I kind of know what type of stuff they would put out and what's going on. Or if I was to do something that I think they would try to go in a different direction then I would do that too. But I approach it the same way man. I just go in. Often times the beat speaks to me too. Whatever that beat fits, I just do it.

MiddleChild: I hear you. So what you cooking right now? What artists do you have on the stove right now?

Latif: I think I'm going to go with Monica.

MiddleChild: (laughs) Ayyy!

Latif: Who else? It's a bunch of new artists. Ciara is still working. Candice Jones, this new artist on J Records, and I also have some artists on my own. I think that it's really important to give back in that way. Just bring in new artists as well as songs because I don't think it's that many out there right now.

MiddleChild: Well you don't know how happy you just made me to know that you're going to do some work with Monica because she is my favorite artist. So that's the business.

Latif: Yea. Monica is dope. Monica is dope. She’s dope. As far as her career go and everything she is naturally hood. You know what I mean? And I feel like the label didn’t embrace that, but now they’re ready and willing to embrace that and really know what they dealing with because like Keyshia Cole of course and Mary J. Like Monica was the first Keyshia. Know what I mean? Like she was the first one. I’m a fan of her old work like “Don’t Take It Personal (Just One Of Dem Days)” and…she is dope man. I love her tone man. There is so much that you can do with a vibe like that. So I’m excited about that. It’s a couple other people I can’t think off hand, but I got a bunch of stuff. A lot of records. A lot a lot of records.

MiddleChild: Well I'll definitely be looking forward to that. Definitely. Definitely. So your fans can reach out to you on your myspace page.

Latif: Absolutely! And I got my whole resume on there. (both laugh)

MiddleChild: Got to. Well I appreciate your time for real. This conversation has been four years in the making. (laughs) Maybe five.

Latif: I appreciate you man. I really appreciate it. We never got to talk. I know we would correspond through email and stuff like that, but I really appreciate it because you really know music and it's a pleasure to meet somebody who is making it known how the music is made and all that goes into it. The people who play an intrical part in the process, so that's what's up man.

MiddleChild: No doubt. Thank you. One more question before you go though. It's Black Music Month, so tell me what black music month or black music in general means to you.

Latif: Life! Everything. Black music is like the blood that runs through our lives. We can't live without it. Black Music Month is important and we really must learn. We're students of music and everybody should be too. There are so many greats that's been here before us. So many things that it mean, but those are like the two major things.

MiddleChild: Well that's what's up. Again. Thank you for hollering at me.

Latif: No problem. Thank you.

MiddleChild: Have a good one and I'll be in touch.

Latif: You too.