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De La Soul sang the words, "me, myself and I" in the '80s, then Beyoncé made it the women's anthem in 2003, and now it has been remixed and made into hip-hop personifi ed - Selfmeyi.

"It just means be yourself; be an individual in this world where everybody's copying and doing something that's already been done," he explains.

A Detroit native, Selfmeyi was forced at a young age to migrate between the city and the suburbs after his parents divorced. The experience enabled him to experience a world of new and diverse cultures. The exposure to another side of life allowed him to learn to view the world with an open mind.

The ability to quickly adapt and venture out of his comfort zone to try new things trickled down into his music. With a look that screams neo soul and a swagger that points straight to hip-hop, Selfmeyi rejects being pigeonholed as yet another cookie-cutter act. Showcasing a style with a hint of old school, sprinkled with twist of alternative rock, Selfmeyi creates a sound that's undeniably different.

The release of his second CD, Self-Identity, has taken his musical journey into an unconventional arena. Selfmeyi has garnered a tremendous amount of success by touring local beauty shops and doing live performances to promote his album. His off-the-cuff promotional savvy landed him a role as himself in the hit stage play, Drama in the Shop, and a performance at this past summer's White Party at Chene Park.

As an artist, writer and businessman, Selfmeyi fi nds tremendous satisfaction in the hustle and welcomes the challenge of pushing himself to the max.

"I try to look at everything from an optimistic and positive point of view," he states. "You get out of it what you put into it. If you do you with the same type of confi dence that somebody else does anything else, people will respect it."- janaya black

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