Death of older brother inspires Texas artist
to create soul-searching new album ‘Versatile Child’
WACO, TX – When Shawn Love was young, one of his favorite things to do was ride around town in the car with his older brothers, Aston and Deon. The three of them would turn on music and freestyle, making up their own songs from other people’s music and competing with one another to see who could have the hardest adlibs. If Shawn’s adlib was off, his older brothers would coach him and help him be better. The three formed a close bond.
So it came as a hard hit when Deon was killed in 2017 after being shot in the back three times. The family is still reeling from the loss, and for Shawn, the best outlet has been music. And so, taking the nickname passed onto him from his older brother – Big Love – this budding young musician has put together an album that pays homage to the late Deon in a way that also connects to others around the world who have experienced loss and heartache and pain.
The album is called “Versatile Child,” and it serves as Big Love’s introduction to the world. It’s a project that showcases his unique sound and style in a way that new fans around the country are already clamoring for. With hints of Dolph and Wiz Khalifa, Big Love takes inspiration from some of the legends of Hip Hop and puts his own spin on it, creating a one-of-a-kind sound that is undeniable.
“I’m in my own zone,” Big Love said. “I just want to sound like me. What you see is what you get. “Versatile Child” is fueled by the passing of my brother, but it also has songs on there that a lot of people who don’t like rap will like. I make music for all people to like. I talk about a lot of different things on the album which makes it unique because it’s not the same on every song. The main reason I started making music was because my brother passed. But we actually lost more people after that almost back-to-back. It felt like one person would pass this week, then after a few weeks another person, and so on. So seeing my family go through heartaches for so long, I took it upon myself to make it my mission to be the reason why everyone smiles. My family is strong and blessed. I wouldn’t trade them for the world.”
Big Love said “Versatile Child” lives up to its name by showcasing a lot of different styles and deliveries. Sometimes he’s singing on the hook and sometimes he’s giving listeners straight rap. He’s always trying new things while staying in his own lane, which is part of what makes him so versatile.
“People don’t really know me, and this album is my way of easing them into my world,” he said. “I have a few songs that are heart-touching and some that are more upbeat. People who have heard it have been saying they love it, and I’m eager for more people to check it out.”
One of the standout singles from the album is a song called “KingPin.” It’s a song that explores the various reasons relationships shift and evolve over time, and Big Love uses an experience with an old friend to illustrate the sometimes-hard roads that have to be navigated when it comes to meaningful relationships.
“’KingPin’ is me expressing the disloyalty of my friend and how you can’t trust no one,” Big Love said. “However, it’s also my motivation to keep going. If you really want to do something, then you have to invest in yourself. It’s also me being in my own lane and trying to get to be the best person I can be. When I cut that song on, it makes me want to go harder. I catch myself replaying it over and over because it’s basically my motivational song. This song is talking about real-life stuff and it really brings together everything that I want my music to be known for. I want my music to be known for getting my message out. It’s just me and as I progress, you’ll get to know me more and join me on the journey. I just want to make some good music and at the end of the day, if you can enjoy my music, then that’s everything.”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkQBCwdZRGg]
To listen to Big Love’s music, or to follow him on social media, please visit:
https://mobile.twitter.com/biglove_shawn
https://www.facebook.com/shawn.d.love
https://www.instagram.com/therealbiglove254/
https://www.reverbnation.com/biglove32
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcIDwRdp-bg_GpcPPONgJkA
“Versatile Child”
http://itunes.apple.com/album/id/1502000887
