By Tonisha Johnson

This platinum selling artist doesn't boast or brag. At least not in a negative way. Catching some rays while driving in Houston, obviously a much needed break, Frankie J talked about how he knows first hand the hard road to succeed in this business. And he'll guarantee nothing is set in stone. When he brags about his career, he overly expresses that discipline and sticking with what works is the best formula. As Frankie J enjoys 'Priceless' you can almost bet he's got in mind the blueprint to the 4th installment of his musical career.

This is your 3^rd time around. How exciting is that for you?

Frankie J: Well, you know what they say? Third times a charm. So I’m really excited about it. I’m really focused. I go the chance to work with Bone, Thugs & Harmony.

Is it intimidating working in the studio with those guys?

Frankie J: I’ve met Krayzie Bone and Layzie at an event. They both seemed like really cool guys. I was more thrilled than anything else. I was more happy about it. They’re just very talented individuals. To be able to work with them was such an honor. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to be in the studio while they were recording. I recorded my part first. And then the tracks were sent to them and then they recorded wherever they were at. The good thing about it is that I was able to meet them in person before that. And they were really looking forward to doing something cause their management was friends with my management. There was already a connection there before.

Will they make an appearance in the video?

Frankie J: We will definitely meet up for that song. We believe that that song is a big single. A big record.  We definitely want to release it maybe as a second or third single. We don’t know yet. With the single that’s out right now ‘That Girl’, I did write it on the spot with Mannie Fresh, Chamillionaire…it was more of a hands on thing which was kind of cool for me.

Did you find with the 3^rd album you had more control than the 1^st?

Frankie J: I think so. After you get the platinum plaque then the label gives you that much more leeway. Because they know you’re definitely doing something right. There’s a great formula there that’s already been formed so you definitely don’t want to take from it. They gave me the opportunity to work with whoever I wanted to work with. Sometimes labels get really hard headed at times and don’t let you do what you really want to do but you got to sell the record to make sure you have that power to do what you want to do.

With the first album and transitioning to the 3^rd album in regards to growth, what can fans expect from Frankie J?

Frankie J: Wow. From the first album… in the beginning the label was trying to figure me out. How to market me as a pop artist and a Latino artist. Now that where on the 3^rd album they have a way better idea of how to market me and what to do. On this album there is definitely more of an urban appeal. Some more dance tracks in it. Everybody knows me as the ballad guy. I can sing ballads but can I really do the club tracks. And I think with this album we definitely came through with that. That’s why we went with that club vibe.

You’re doing the McDonalds Music concert. How’s that been?

Frankie J: It’s been going. I tell you…it’s a headache. You try to put all that stuff together. They ask who’s going with you. I have my band, my techs, and my dancers…everybody who’s going to be working with me. It’s a headache to put all that stuff together but I know once we go on the road we’ll get really excited about it. We’re doing 12 cities. At the same time we’re routing my schedule for the album which comes out October 17.

That’s a couple of days after my birthday.

Frankie J: Oh. Happy ‘early’ Birthday.

Do you think Latin artists are beginning to get the crossover exposure they deserve?

Frankie J: It doesn’t matter what you are as long as you have great music that’s really all that matters. And at the end of the day music is what makes the world go round. There is definitely a lot of talent coming out of the Latino community.

What is your favorite song on the album?

Frankie J: There are so many I can’t even decide. There are many that have a great potential to be singles which is a great problem to have when you’re writing and making an album because nowadays you get one or two tracks and that’s it. That’s why you have a lot of artists that are not selling those records like they should. In order to go platinum or double platinum you have to have that quality in your records.

If you had to pull a fan on stage and sing to her; what would be the line that you would sing?

Frankie J: Wow. Oh my god. I’ve never had this question before. I would sing…remember the group Mint Condition?

Yes.

Frankie J: I would sing ‘Pretty Brown Eyes’.

www.myspace.com/frankiej, www.frankiejonline.com