Ryan Leslie To Release Les Is More on October 22
Harvard-educated producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, entrepreneur and recording artist Ryan Leslie will release his third studio album, Les Is More, on October 22 via NextSelection Lifestyle Group/BDG. The first single from the album “Beautiful Lie” featuring Fabolous is being serviced to mixshow radio this week.
Les Is More is the very first rap album from Ryan Leslie, and is the follow up to the Grammy-nominated R&B album Transition released in late 2009. Les Is More is influenced by Leslie’s collaborations with top rap artists such as Fabolous and Kanye West, both of whom appear in the video for the autobiographical track “Glory.” Leslie was further inspired when he sat in for the recording sessions of the Grammy award-winning album Watch the Throne. “Watching Jay and Ye’s creative process further inspired me that rap was the right direction for this album. However, I also knew that a departure from my previous critically acclaimed R&B work would require an even more robust artistic contribution.”
Fueled by that challenge, Ryan Leslie created an unprecedented body of work. Along with the music which was written, arranged, produced and performed by Leslie, he also directed and edited a series of music videos to accompany each record. The result, Les Is More is a ground-breaking visual album shot in Paris, Milan, Switzerland, Miami, Las Vegas, and Manhattan that provides a unique and intimate window into Ryan Leslie’s life.
Leslie recently sat down with Sirius XM’s Sway In The Morning Show to discuss his inspiration for creating a rap album, and performed at the 3-day J&R Music Fest in New York City on August 24. Ryan Leslie will also kick off his world Les Is More Tour in San Francisco on September 18, an electrifying show with live instrumentation and sweeping keyboard solos. Below is a current listing of tour dates and more shows will be announced on LesIsMoreTour.com.
