Eric Roberson: The Jazz Man

As an independent artist, the milestone of a 30-year career carries a particular tone of perseverance, resilience, and a lot of luck. 

His first year in the music industry began after he dropped out of Howard to chase his music dreams, then, after a few years of struggle, he returned to Howard to finish his degree in 1997.  Roberson spent a year in Atlanta as a songwriter. (He showed love to Rico Wade, producer in Organized Noize and Atlanta native, who recently passed away at 52 on April 13). 

 “Even when I went back to school, I was writing for other artists,” Roberson said. Since then, he’s lived through several life-changing situations, including undergoing vocal chord surgery. Roberson says “little moments of success, then progressive growth,” have followed.  

“My fan base is earned,” Roberson said. “My first show in D.C. was 50 people and we just did the Kennedy Center for 2,500 people. I’m very happy with the fact that I’ve been able to run my business the way we run it...I think I’ve been able to make the best albums I can make, the truest albums, the most transparent albums I can make. Most of my staff members have been with me for over 10+ years, some 15, 16 years and I’ve watched them grow to be amazing men and women, husband, wives, and parents now.” 

Howard’s history in Black music played a role in Roberson’s understanding of the genres that neo-soul is a descendant of. His freshmen year, Roberson would sit back after English classes to speak with his professor, the same instructor who taught Donny Hathway and Robert Flack. 

“She said, ‘The main thing I remember about Donny Hathway is that he waited after class like you’re doing,’” Roberson recalled. “‘His questions were about his grades, your questions are about him.’” 

Roberson’s musicianship is more than vocals; as a producer and songwriter, his pen was highly requested amongst his peers such as Musiq Soulchild, Dwele, and Jill Scott. TIDAL has commemorated Roberson’s contributions with a playlist featuring songs in which he’s credited with a role.  

“’PreviousCats,’ which I wrote for Musiq Soulchild, I actually wrote that song while at Howard,” Roberson said. “It was an autobiographical song, very much what I was going through at the time that I wrote it. With Jill Scott, I had the fortune of just being around when she made her first album. I have a duet with her called ‘One Time.’”  

For Roberson, perfecting his craft in songwriting requires incorporating multiple influences to filter out “breathtaking” moments with emotion is its nucleus. “I believe it’s already written and it’s more so my job to find it.” Roberson said.  

“So, if I have to go back to a fourth-grade heartbreak, I’ll go there, if I have to back to losing my grandmother, or walking on Howard’s campus for the first time [for] that newness, I’ll go there,” Roberson explained. “I’ll pull from those areas so I can brighten, thicken the color of what I’m writing about. It’s about how connected to the process I can be.” 

Roberson also says neo-soul is a child of hip-hop, with distinctive jazz melodies as Billie Holiday and Miles Davis serving as influencers too. “When I think of the D’Angelos and Erykah Badus, there were hip-hop kids who grew up on soul music...who slowed things down to make our raps a little more melodic and soulful.”