Latif (singer)

Corey Latif Williams (born November 25, 1980), sometimes known as simply LATIF, is an American R&B singer and songwriter. He was the winner of Teen People's Who's Next contest. He is a mentee of Teddy Pendergrass. He was once signed to Motown Records.

Biography

Early Life

LATIF was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His early passion for music came mainly from his parents, who, ironically, were not musically-inclined. This passion for music developed into an interest in singing for LATIF and his older brother. A close friend of LATIF's family, Teddy Pendergrass, served as a mentor for the young budding artist. It was this mentorship that taught LATIF how to "deliver" songs. This relationship was nurtured by LATIF being taken along with Pendergrass to various interviews and appearances. He would often be allowed to sing alongside Pendergrass. It was this that led to LATIF being noticed by the daughter of a label executive.

Early Success

LATIF was given a demo deal, which helped him hone his writing skills, and gave him knowledge about the recording process. LATIF's vocals were featured in a highly popular commercial for a local bank. After LATIF graduated from high school, he enrolled in the Berklee College of Music, located in Boston. It was in Boston that he met Ryan Leslie. Together they produced a song and submitted it to a contest looking for young talent. This song would chosen the winner of Teen People's Who's Next contest. This win made it possible for LATIF and Leslie to perform at the Apollo Theater.

Deal With Motown

In 2001, the buzz from winning the competition was enough to draw the eye of Kedar Massenburg. This actually worked out well for LATIF, because the "taste of spotlight" from the performance convinced him to tell his parents that he did not want to go back to school. He wanted work on his music fulltime. His mother gave him one semester to prove himself, or he had to go back to school. Massenburn became interested in LATIF, and signed him to Motown Records.

Love in the First

LATIF's debut album on Motown was called Love in the First. Only one single, "I Don't Wanna Hurt You" was released. It was mainly produced by Ryan Leslie, with additional production by Andy C, Teddy Bishop, Mechalie Jamison, D "French" Spencer, and Sean Garrett. Due to poor promotion, the album did not do well.

After Motown

LATIF is no longer signed to Motown. He is currently in the studio working on his second album. He has garnered a large fanbase in Europe, with Germany leading the pack. One song that may be attributed to his international popularity is U Think U Know, a song that features Ryan Leslie. He has also continued to work with different artists, such as JoJo, Cassie, and Musiq Soulchild.

Discography

Singles

• "I Don't Wanna Hurt You" (2003)

Albums

• Love In The First (2003)
• TBD (2007 or 2008)

Unreleased Tracks

• "B4 & After"
• "It's Killin' Me"
• "Last Year/This Year"
• "No Mystery"
• "Ridah"
• "Slo Roc [f/ R. Les & Twista]"
• "Things Ain't The Same"
• "U Think U Know [f/ R. Les]"
• "Where Did The Love Go?"
• "Fix That"
• "It's Over Now"
• "Set It Off" produced by Kadis & Sean
• "Actin' Crazy"
• "I Got Her"
• "Stop Sayin'"
• "What's Da Deal"
• "Ride On"
• "Play"
• "Hold Tight"
• "Pretty Pink"
• "Damage"
• "Anything 4 Ya Love"

Collaborations

Title	Artist	Album	Released
"My Life"	Memphis Bleek	M.A.D.E.	2003
"Why (What's Goin On?)"	The Roots	The Tipping Point	2004
"Lil' Daddy"	Young City (aka Chopper)	Hustle & Flow OST	2005
"Honey Dip"	Jim Jones	Harlem: Diary of a Summer	2005
"Babygirl"	SunN.Y.	Overnight Celebrity	2005
"Serve 'Em"	Sonnie Carson	-	2006

Selected Production Credits

Title	Artist	Album	Released
"I Love You"	Cheri Dennis	--	2006
"Like That"	JoJo	The High Road	2006
"Ditto"	Cassie	Cassie	2006
"Teach Me"	Musiq Soulchild	Luvanmusiq	2007

Trivia

• Co-wrote Cheri Dennis's hit "I Love You."
• Co-wrote Musiq Soulchild's hit "Teach Me."
• Latif is sometimes incorrectly credited with the song "Sweet Misery," a song by Rashad.

External links

• Official Myspace Page