Dwele stepped outside his usual habits of mostly writing and producing his songs when he recorded Mike City’s “I Think I Love You.” Dwele approached the uptempo some with his smoothness unruffled by the vulnerability and excitement of new love. It was Dwele’s 2005 sophomore album Some Kinda… and he was known as a romantic in the tradition of most great R&B men but still acknowledged living in a post-hip-hop world. The J.Dilla-produced “Keep On”  with Slum Village also appeared on Some Kinda…. “I Think I Love You” expanded Dwele’s reach with minor radio play and was embraced by the ever-growing audience of online R&B “crate diggers.” The single became one of Dwele’s signature songs and it would not be the last time he and Mike City would make music together. Dwele’s fifth album Greater Than One was released in 2012. 

[youtube id=”vRS8e-lysQU”]Common’s “HER Love” finds him doting on the way hip-hop has embraced him for a lifetime with vocals from Daniel Caesar and Dwele. Savannah Leaf directed the video of him at the center of activity that includes dancers, a woman co-star and people in a neighborhood setting. He remembers the way hip-hop gave him a voice and confidence to go out into the world. The ending features a makeshift altar to his late friend and colleague J.Dilla. 

[youtube id=”1Bw-aRctefo”] Phife Dawg’s spirit was in the building when his band A Tribe Called Quest delivered an explosive performance of “We The People” at The Grammy’s. “Wanna Dance” is a collaboration with Dwele that was written and produced by Mike City from Phife Dawg’s forthcoming Forever album. The song will also be on Dwele’s Same Book…New Chapter. This is the official lyric video for “Wanna Dance” directed by Konee Rok and you can download the song from The Soul Brokerz.

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Mike City has returned to music after a hiatus and he is now focused on making dance music inspired by his trips to London in recent years. “I Rock Wit U” featuring Dwele has a lyric video with a woman dancing at the center of it. “I Rock Wit U” is from his Feel Good Movement series of albums.