In the early 1990’s, brothers Dawkins & Dawkins (Eric and Anson Dawkins) were creating music well beyond the times. Hit songs like Everybody Needs Somebody,” “Need to Know” and “I Will Rest” are what helped define their sound as “Rhythm and Praise,” which combines elements of contemporary gospel, rap and R&B. Over the years, their music has served as a launching pad for much of the contemporary gospel we hear today.
Although the duo stepped away from recording music professionally for a while, their love for God never waned. Finally after a decade away, the pair is back with a new release on Light Records entitled From Now On. Eric and Anson spoke with Hear What I Hear (HWIH) about life and their return to music:
HWIH: What have you been up to during your ten-year hiatus?
D&D: Over the last several years, we’ve been working on becoming what God has called us be. I’m a family man and have also been very active in my church ministry and mentoring program. Eric has also been involved in ministry, but his focus has been on reaching the “unchurched” as he’s been around the music industry working as a producer for some of the biggest names in Pop and R&B.
HWIH: Why has your music stood the test of time?
D&D: When we started out, we were doing music that was ahead of our time. Our sound was difficult to classify as one genre versus another. Many have called us the pioneers of much of the urban/contemporary gospel that’s prevalent today. We’re excited to see that the industry has caught up and that there’s now a place for the kind of music we create.
HWIH: Tell us about your latest project, From Now On.
D&D: We like to describe From Now On as organic. It represents who we really are. On this project, we’ve tried to be as true to ourselves and our sound as possible. This CD is melodic and its messages are straightforward. It will encourage you to be better in your walk and help you draw someone else into the body of Christ.
HWIH: How have you grown musically with this cd?
D&D: We’ve worked on improving our craft. Our production has grown. It’s tighter and overall our presentation is more polished. Spiritually, we’ve grown as well. We are more concerned about pleasing God and less concerned about pleasing others. We know God has a huge plan for our lives.
Learn more about Dawkins & Dawkins at www.lightrecords.com or follow them on Twitter @dndmusic.
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