Urban Mystic

by Jason Birchmeier Contemporary R&B upstart Urban Mystic, the son of a church minister, grew up in a world of music and made his jump into the industry while still a teenager. Born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, as the youngest of four children, Brandon Williams developed his passion for music at his father's church, where he began performing at a very young age. By the time he reached his teens, he knew he wanted to make music his life, and under the tutelage of his brother Christopher, he began preparing for a career in the industry. In addition to his God-given talent for singing, Brandon developed himself into a likewise talented songwriter and also a studious producer. Under the moniker Urban Mystic -- a name that reflects both his street mentality and his heavenly singing -- he signed to SoBe Entertainment, a division of Warner Music Group. The label released his debut album, Ghetto Revelations, in October 2004 along with the lead single "Where Were You?" For the album, the young singer/songwriter worked with such experienced, diverse producers as Kay Gee (a contemporary R&B hitmaker and former Naughty by Nature group member), Red Spyda (a trendy, sometimes abrasive rap producer), and El DeBarge (of early-'80s Motown chart-toppers DeBarge, among other credentials). Only 19 years old at the time of the album's release, Urban Mystic found himself positioned alongside the likes of Usher, Jaheim, and other young urban male singers, though his spiritual side made him somewhat unique. His follow-up, Ghetto Revelations, Vol. 2, was released in 2006.