Singer Omarion talks to BV Buzz about the Scream Tour 5, about the changes at Sony Urban and the chances that B2K will reunite. "R&B sensation Omarion has come into his own. After being a standout in the defunct boy band B2K, where he earned gold and platinum plaques, countless awards and sent girls into a frenzy all over the country, Omarion (born Omari Ishmael Grandberry) opted to go solo when the group broke up in Jan. 2005. He released a solo album, 'O,' in Feb. 2005 and the album was certified gold.On Dec. 26, Omarion, who actually turned 22 on Nov. 12, will release his sophomore CD, '21.' The singer will promote the album while headlining the Scream Tour Five, presented by BET, which kicked off last Friday in Miami and will wrap on New Year's Eve in Washington, DC.
OMARION ON BEING APART OF THE SCREAM TOUR:
"Having been on every one, just the evolution of it growing has been a major process. Now to be on this one and to be headlining… we started with myself, Bow Wow and B2K starting on the first Scream Tour. It was represented as that tour that most young people could be involved in and most young people could come and go to. But the Scream Tour has taken a different turn this time. Its more grown up, more mature," the singer told me over the phone, while waiting to board a plane from Los Angeles to Oakland. Joining Omarion on the road for Scream Tour 5 will be Ne-Yo, Mario, Pretty Ricky, Yung Joc, Jibbs, Sammie and Usher's new group One Chance. "Everyone on the tour is adults pretty much. It feels good to be part of the evolution of it," he added.
OMARION ON SONY URBAN ADDS & DROPS OF URBAN ARTISTS:
The tour kicked off just as news of a restructuring at Sony Music was announced. The Sony Urban division is being dismantled, with the artists who are not being dropped having to be reassigned to various Sony divisions like Epic and Columbia. Omarion confessed that it makes him nervous to be releasing new music during this time. "Yeah, man its real nerve racking. You just hope at the end of the day, like in the past, my fans just come through for me and support me. I've come to realize that in my business, I may have to start from the bottom and just build. It's a really tough time in the industry right now. I'm humbled to the fact that I am going to have to work a little bit harder," he shared, before adding: "Sony has been nothing but amazing for me, but at the same time, its important for me as an artist to understand the things that I need in order to become a superstar and be respected among my peers. It's a must! You have to know your business!"
OMARION'S UPCOMING FILM PROJECTS:
On the movie front, Omarion said his horror film with business partner and longtime friend, Marques Houston, 'Somebody Help Me,' is slated to open in March. He also recently wrapped production on the Jennifer Lopez-produced movie, 'Reggaeton.'
OMARION ON A POSSIBLE B2K REUNION:
In case anyone was wondering if there was in chance that the singer would ever reunite with his former B2K cohorts, Raz-B (De'Mario Thornton, J-Boog (Jarell Houston) and Lil Fizz (Dreux Frederic); Omarion was honest about the issue. "I don't personally think so. I think that we're now all at that point in our lives where we're really just trying to find our niche as men. Everyone is really cool with that. Fizz calls me on a daily; I call him on a daily. Just as well as Raz B. More important than the entertainment side, what needed to be re-patched was our relationship and that has happened now," he closed." {Source} I made Omarion's days as a solo artist and the front man of B2K on my throwback video blog. Check it out [here]