"People would say, 'Yeah, she’s talented, but' – there was always a 'but' associated with me." JANE HANDCOCK has been involved in writing and producing for other artists since completing high school, beginning with her best friend, Adrian Marcel. She has penned songs for Kelly Rowland and collaborated with the legendary Raphael Saadiq for over a decade. Since 2022, she has been signed to Death Row Records as the "leading lady" under Snoop Dogg's direction, and has recently released her debut album, It’s Me, Not You.
Taking two years to finalize, the goal behind this project was to make it undeniably impactful, to eliminate the "but" from people's assessments, “You’re either going to love it, or it won’t resonate with you. But you can’t say it’s bad; you can’t say it wasn’t well-crafted.” True to this purpose, the album is introspective, soulful, and skillfully written, highlighting not just Handcock’s soothing vocals, but also her exceptional songwriting. It represents R&B at its best; when you peel away the layers, this is what genuine music enthusiasts will value.
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Handcock understands the significance of making a strong first impression, “I truly wanted to release an album that made a strong impact right away, because it would only get better from there, so I’m pleased with how people are responding.” The project features some heavyweight collaborators (Anderson .Paak, BJ The Chicago Kid, and of course, Snoop) while allowing ample space for Handcock to demonstrate her remarkable vocal range across the 15 tracks.
Legendary producer Raphael Saadiq has significantly influenced her career, but even more crucially, her mindset. Playfully referring to him as her “sensei,” Handcock shares a lesson from Saadiq that resonates throughout her album, “They try to condition us to believe that we don’t still enjoy the same things over generations. We still love good music. We still love instruments.” This is evident in ‘It’s Me, Not You,’ which doesn’t conform to trends yet remains relevant for today’s listeners.
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The recurring theme in Handcock’s career has been patience. Patience with the industry, patience with other artists, and most importantly, patience with herself. She began singing in church at the age of 3 in her hometown of Richmond, CA, and her faith continues to influence her today.
However, this patience has been tested as Handcock battles Lupus, an autoimmune disease. “I’ve faced many health challenges in my life. I was once legally blind and required surgery.” She also lost her ability to speak for four months. Yet, not only has she emerged stronger, but the experience has also “humbling” for her. She regards music as a gift but not her identity, explaining, “I really try to preserve who I am because when the lights fade and the cameras are off, what you have left is just yourself.” This mindset has undoubtedly protected Handcock and ultimately guided her to the Death Row family.
Snoop and Handcock first connected in 2021, prior to Snoop taking over Death Row, while both were signed to Def Jam, although that was soon to change. “I always joke and say that I was with Def Jam long enough to receive a chain and a jacket.” While working in Saadiq’s studio, she created a track titled ‘Like My Weed’. Saadiq sent it to Snoop, who responded immediately, eager to meet Handcock. Just weeks after their initial encounter, Handcock was released from her Def Jam contract and was able to join Death Row.
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Snoop quickly demonstrated his seriousness regarding Handcock’s career, stating, “We ventured into the NFT space, which ultimately convinced me. I’ve never seen that amount of money before… I cried looking at that balance in my bank account. He promised to make it happen, and after that, I never doubted him because he’s true to his word.”
With faith (and finances) secured, Handcock could concentrate on her role as the leading lady of Death Row, though it came with responsibilities, “I always say, 'Pressure makes diamonds'. He told me, 'We’re counting on you; you’re the first lady.' … So there’s a lot on my plate, but I’m eager to take it on.” This mindset has driven Handcock to work relentlessly on her debut album, and she nearly bypassed collaborating with Anderson .Paak on their song ‘Stare At Me’ because she thought the project was complete, saying, “Honestly, I was done. I didn’t want any more songs.”
However, the collaboration proceeded, and she had a specific vision for Paak, which he exceeded, “I stated, 'I want to create something like ‘Funkin’ for Jamaica,’ can we do it?' He replied, ‘
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“People would comment, ‘Yes, she’s talented, but’ - there was always a ‘but’ when it came to me.” JANE HANDCOCK has been creating and producing for other musicians since she