Dwele

Andwele Gardner (born February 14, 1978),[1] better known by his stage name Dwele is an American soul singer, songwriter and record producer from Detroit, Michigan.
== Biography ==
Gardner was raised on the west side of Detroit in a musical family. He played piano from the age of six, later taking up trumpet, bass and guitar.[2][3][4] He was deeply affected by the fatal shooting of his father outside his home when he was age ten, later stating "I learned to put my emotions into music; it was my therapy."[2][5] He cites Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, Roy Ayers, Miles Davis, and Freddie Hubbard as favorite artists, and took inspiration from hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, becoming an MC, and working with Slum Village.[2]
Gardner recorded a demo in his bedroom, called, The Rize, and sold it out of the trunk of his car.[2] He had about 100 copies, which sold out within a week. He caught the ears of local heroes Slum Village and more specifically their world-renowned producer J Dilla.[4] Slum Village invited Dwele to sing the hook of the song "Tainted" for their album Trinity (Past, Present and Future). It became an instant classic and led to more high-profile work with rapper Bahamadia, the all-star group Lucy Pearl and London's New Sector Movement.[4] Dwele signed to Virgin Records in 2003, and the label released his debut album, Subject, which mixed neo soul and hip hop.[2]
In a 2005 review in The Independent, his style was summed up: "Dwele's rooted in vintage soul but isn't stuck in the past, overly reverential or an exercise in pastiche - there's a major hip-hop edge which betrays his original incarnation as a rapper."[6] A second album, Some Kinda..., followed in 2005.[2] He then later signed with RT Music Group and KOCH records in March, 2008[7] He released his fourth album titled, W.ants W.orld W.omen on June 29, 2010.
Dwele was featured on the first single from Kanye West's fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The song is entitled "Power".[8]
Dwele released the first single, "What Profit", from his fifth studio album Greater Than One. The song was written and produced by Mike City[9] - the same producer behind his other singles "I Think I Love U" and "What's Not To Love". The song was sent to radio on May 22, 2012.
== Discography ==
=== Albums ===
Year	Album 	Chart positions	Chart positions	Chart positions
Year	Album 	US[10] 	US Ind[10] 	US
R&B[10]
2000	Rize (Self-released)	 	 	
2003	Subject 	108 	 	
20 	 	 	 	
2005	Some Kinda... 	54 	 	
10 	 	 	 	
2008	Sketches of a Man 	35 	4 	7
2010	W.ants W.orld W.omen	28 	3 	9
2012	Greater Than One 	30 	6 	9
=== Singles ===
Year	Title 	Chart positions	Chart positions	Album
Year	Title 	US 	US R&B[11] 	Album
2003	"Find a Way" 	93 	42 	Subject
2004	"Hold On" 	– 	53 	Subject
2005	"I Think I Love U" 	– 	53 	Some Kinda...
2006	"Weekend Love" 	– 	116 	Some Kinda...
2007	"The People" (with Common) 	111 	56 	Finding Forever
2007	"Flashing Lights" (with Kanye West)	29 	12 	Graduation
2008	"I'm Cheatin" 	– 	29 	Sketches of a Man
2008	"A Few Reasons (Truth Pt.2)" 	– 	75 	Sketches of a Man
2010	"What's Not to Love" 	– 	43 	W.ants W.orld W.omen
2012	"What Profit" 	– 	38 	Greater Than One
2013	"Drive the Future" 	– 	– 	TBA
=== Featured on ===
Year	Information
2002	Trinity (Past, Present and Future) (Slum Village)
2003	New Awakening (DJ MITSU The Beats)
2004	Pure (Boney James)
2004	Detroit Deli (Slum Village)
2004	The Undeniable (Phat Kat)
2006	Shine (Boney James)
2006	SOULidified (Hil St. Soul)
2006	The Shining (J Dilla) "Dime Piece (Remix)"
2006	Dirty District Vol.3 (Brucie B.)
2006	Witness My Growth (Elzhi)
2007	Desire (Pharoahe Monch album)
2007	Nu-Mixx Klazzics Vol. 2 (2Pac) "Straight Through My Rear View"
2007	Interpretations: Celebrating The Music Of Earth, Wind & Fire
2007	"Flashing Lights" (with Kanye West) from Graduation
2008	Brooklyn's Don Diva (Foxy Brown) "Never Heard This Before"
2008	Of All The Things (Jazzanova album) (Jazzanova)
2008	The Dresden Soul Symphony
2008	Tronic (Black Milk) "Long Story Short" (flugelhorn solo)
2008	Man vs. Many (Nefew)
2009	Death of a Man Rebirth of a King (Pryslezz)
2010	"Lay It On The Line" & "Mad At Me" (with Marv Won) from Wayne Fontes Music
2010	"Power" (with Kanye West) from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
2011	"Flower Girl" (with Maysa) from Motions Of Love
2011	"Celebrity" (with Big Sean) from Finally Famous
2011	"Time Stands Still" (with DJ Quik) from The Book of David
2011	"All I Know" (with Ro Spit) from The Glass Ceiling Project
2014	"Bad Boys" (with Hush) from Danny Boy: The Life & Times Of A Kid In The D