In the heart of Atlanta’s music scene, a powerful partnership is reshaping the landscape of inspirational music. Jevon Dewand, the self-proclaimed “activation speaker,” and legendary super-producer Jazze Pha have joined forces to create what they call “trap stars” – a innovative fusion of gospel, soul, and inspiration aimed at reaching audiences beyond traditional church walls. Their latest collaboration, “Without You,” is climbing the charts, currently sitting in the top six, marking a new chapter in their 20-year brotherhood that began with a $25,000 handshake.
[Editor’s note: This is a truncated transcription of a longer video interview. Please see the video for the extended version. Some errors may occur.]
Tell us about who you are and your work, particularly “Without You.”
Jevon Dewand: I go by Jevon Dewand beyond. I came up with this new thing called trap stars because I was trapped. I was from the ghetto, from the hood, one parent home. It’s an acronym for talent revolving around purpose. If our kids understand they can use their talent to revolve around purpose, they’ll never be trapped again. I’ve worked with everyone from Jermaine to Where the Jacket to Skate. I have a movie on Peacock and Amazon Prime called “Dating in Atlanta” with Jock and Anthony Dawton. I also have a movie called “Hate” because hate is the number one disease in the world.
How did Jevon convince you to hop on this album?
Jazze Pha: Me and Jevon have been rocking for about 20-something years now. It wasn’t even a question. I come from gospel. I’ve been singing in choirs since I was about 11 years old. My mom sang with Philip Bailey and the Living Epistles, also DJ Rogers, and Barbara Streisand. She kept me rooted in the word. I had also done some gospel stuff with Snoop Dogg on Bible of Love and worked with Our Eyes of Korea.
How hard was it to pivot into inspirational music?
JP: When you live every day and you walk every day by faith and you put God first in everything that you do, it’s kind of like it feels like an industry question. When you’re living for the Lord all your life, it’s not really a pivot for me. It’s just kind of like a new introduction to some people who might not have been listening to the Jazze Pha over here.
Let’s talk about this brotherhood because there’s no ego here. It’s been 20 years. Tell us about it.
JP: When I first met him, he had a business partner, and they reached out down and their bank account and paid me $25,000. We probably trade off $25,000 times now. We never fought. We never argued. We just always fight over the check at dinner. We’re really friends. My mother calls him son and vice versa. And so does his mom. God rest his father’s soul. I was there when he passed and loved him.
This was Ciara’s 20th anniversary. Let’s talk about that and what that meant to you.
JP: It’s just a blessing to even be still considered and called upon to produce records and to do music and to be able to go on that stage with her at State Farm Arena. I was able to give her the key to the city and present her with the plaques. A lot of people don’t last five years in this game, and to be in the game 30 years plus – what a blessing that is. And we got a new record coming out.
Let’s talk about your glasses. Tell us about your brand.
JP: These are actually originally made from Goliath out of New York City. A lot of the old actors and Italian gangsters used to wear the black ones and the big reading glasses. I think my most memorable moment was wanting to have DMC’s glasses from Run-DMC. By the time I was able to buy those glasses, I wanted them in red. A friend of mine, Corey Shapiro, who has a company called Vintage Frames, built a replica, and we did red.
What are your next projects?
JD: We’re taking our inspiration, our motivation into different rules of where God is. We got a Christian contemporary EP coming out called “Everybody Praise.” We got the old school with the choir called “After Service” and “The Tabernacle.” We got the international music called “Passport Music.” We got a new venture called “The Booth” that we executive produced, featuring Neo, Scrappy, Tiny, and many others. We’re also doing something very powerful for Father’s Day about Black men having conversations that break stereotypes.
JP: More headphones, more ear pods, glasses, of course. Fashion, clothes, more Thanksgiving, more thanks, more music. New music with the Trap Stars. My daughter has a clothing line coming called Toomaro. I’m also focusing on better health, working on my weight loss journey, and being more consistent.
How do you describe the tone of “Without You”? It doesn’t fit one genre.
JD: I describe it soulful, meaningful, transparent, a story, and praising the good and the bad on top of the mountain. Jazze’s like the whipped cream for me. He’s like going to Disney World. He has the energy. When we come in that thing, we come in there with that energy on top of the mountain. That’s why you hear the record start telling you that I’m blessed. I know that he did it for me telling you that I’m blessed.
Tell us about your collab with Dave Hollister.
JD: This record that we’re coming out with in 2025 is called “Life.” Gas Money, Jazze Pha and myself, we produced and wrote this record. I wanted to come up with a concept because 80% of my life, I wake up, I look up, I speak up, and I tell, thank God, thank you for waking me up. People tell me family, love, health are the biggest blessings, but you can’t have none of that without life. Life is not a given – it’s a gift.
PHA: It’s a full circle moment for me and Dave. I was actually on Dave’s first album, “Get O’Hem.” I produced on that.
Can you talk about taking charge of our narrative as Black men?
JD: We’re not going to do it the same way. They already got Kurt, they got Ty, they got Commissioned, they got BeBe and CeCe, and they’re doing it well. But I want to bring something new. My grandma told me to give God my burdens, but she never told me to give him my celebration, my dreams, and my energy too.
Tell us about your business ventures.
JP: The headphones deal came through Tammy Pha with Astrum Electronics. You can find everything on my website, djjazzepha.com. The glasses will be available next week, and the headphones are already on my Instagram bio.
JD: I want to add something about collaborations. I just did a book called “Three Cs.” If you’re a business owner, you want collaborations, you want connections, and then you’ll get the check. Don’t think check first. Think how can I find a new connection that I can make a collaboration with, and then I’ll get new checks.
What’s coming up next?
JD: We’re doing “The Booth” that we executive produced, with Neo, Scrappy, Tiny and many others. It’s about how The Booth changed their lives. We’ve got some movies coming out, including something powerful for Father’s Day about Black men having conversations that break stereotypes.
JP: More headphones, ear pods, glasses, fashion, clothes. My daughter has a clothing line coming called Toomaro. I’m excited about that because she’s really getting into it. I’m also focusing on better health and weight loss, trying to be more consistent.
JD: I’m down with him in the gym too. When I go to the sun in the gym, I pray for people, I claim it, and I order it. That’s three different steps. And Jazze makes my list every time. And brother, let me tell you about your new record with Glow, Really, and Friday – it’s crazy.
JP: We’re going up right now. The album is almost gold, headed towards platinum.
JD: And I love to give shout out to pioneers like Jazze, Jermaine Dupri, B. Cox, Tricky Stuart – people who stay relevant and keep putting out great music. We’re manifesting collaborations with LL Cool J, Chance the Rapper, Snoop Dogg, Jagged Edge, Pitbull, Bad Bunny – watch, it’s all coming.
You’ve been dropping gems this whole time. Our culture needs this. And Jazze Pha, thank you for talking about your weight loss journey because you’re going to free up and encourage someone else.
JD: We work out live at workoutlive.com. Sometimes they need quick sweats too. Like I say quick reads, you got to meet people where they are. Jazze don’t need but 15 minutes a day. My back was so messed up before – I was on my knees for six hours in a prayer position. Then I decided to get stronger. I went from 30% to 95%. Once you make up your mind, you will make up your steps. Once you make up your steps, you’ll change your life.
I want to shout out Sharnaya Allen, my sister. She’s on these songs too. Anthony Hamilton. Amazing. And I’m manifesting now – we’re getting LL Cool J, Chance the Rapper, Snoop Dogg, Jagged Edge. I’m like the fifth member in the group. Bad Bunny – well, here come Good Rabbit. It’s going down.
JP: Bad Bunny. You got to be Good Rabbit.
JD: That’s a good rabbit. I’m telling you. I’ll be manifesting all these things and putting it down. Watch me. LL build a record. T-Pain. That’s our dog. We just ain’t drove out there yet. We coming, T-Pain. We coming.
