The-Dream met R&B producer Laney Stewart in 2001, who helped him sign a publishing deal. He spent two years working on Nivea's second album Complicated, and continued to write and produce with Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Laney's brother. Together, The-Dream and Tricky produced Rihanna's 2007 smash hit "Umbrella", which boosted The-Dream's music career. He signed a deal with Def Jam Records in 2007, and released his debut studio album Love Hate later that year. In March 2009, The-Dream released his sophomore album Love vs. Money, and is currently working on his third album titled Love King, which is targeted for a December 2009 release.
The-Dream married girlfriend Nivea in 2004; however, Nivea filed for divorce in December 2007. The-Dream began dating Christina Millian in 2009, and the two got married on September 4, 2009. In July 2009, The-Dream announced that Love King will be his last solo album; however, he will still be producing, writing, and featuring on other artist albums. In August 2009, The-Dream was appointed Executive Vice President of Island Def Jam Records.
Early life
Born in Rockingham, North Carolina, The-Dream moved with his mother Reva Nash to Atlanta, Georgia at the age of three. Reva raised him until her death at the age of 35. After his mother's passing, The-Dream was raised by his grandfather in the Bankhead section Atlanta, Georgia. Influenced at a young age by his grandfather's appreciation of music and the soulful sounds of Sam Cooke and Al Green, The-Dream enrolled in trumpet classes at Grove Park Elementary School. He continued playing the trumpet throughout high school at Charles L. Harper High and later added to his musical repertoire by learning to play the drums and guitar. The-Dream's musical influences also broadened to include artists such as Prince Rogers Nelson, Timbaland, Missy Elliott, Aaliyah and Tupac Shakur. Before officially becoming a musician, The-Dream made ends meet doing everything from working at Checkers to becoming a collections agent.
According to The-Dream, his stage name was coined by his uncle who told him that he needed to be "the dream now" and "to have goals for higher things". The-Dream is quoted as saying:
"That [stage name] was coined, actually, by an uncle of mine, from a long time ago. I grew up in Atlanta on the West Side. A lot of my family was kind of like into this and into that so it's basically – the name came from me just tryin' to be the dream of the family, and he thought that I needed to be that. I'm quite sure he was probably thinking about college, and being a lawyer or something, not really in the music business. But either way, this is what I'm doin' and I’m livin' it."
Personal life
The-Dream married girlfriend Nivea in 2004, who he had been dating for one year. Together they had three children, daughter Navy Talia who was born on May 10, 2005, and two younger twin boys. They were married for three years when Nivea filed for legal separation in December 2007. The-Dream said that although he was in love with Nivea, his lack of experience in a family growing up meant he was "not taught how much more than love does it take to run a relationship. Like, 'cause love isn't just where it's gonna end. It can't start and stop with love. There has to be a certain amount of knowledge and patience that's acquired in order to keep it going and keep it straight, and I found out the hard way".
On September 4, 2009, The-Dream married Christina Milian at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The-Dream began dating Milian in early 2009, and they soon became engaged. In August, it was reported that they had applied for a marriage license in Los Angeles. The-Dream said he was eager to start a family with Milian, saying, "you have to do your work — then whenever she makes that time for herself, she'll make that time [to have a baby]. In the next couple of years, there'll be something around." The-Dream said in an interview that Nivea was still a good friend of his, and that she was also friends with Milian. On September 11, 2009, it was announced that Milian and The-Dream are expecting their first child together. The Daily Mail reported that "the pregnancy was a surprise, but they were getting married regardless".
The-Dream's song, "Bed," sparked a short feud with singer Chris Brown, whom he has vowed to never work with again. The feud started when Brown claimed to Vibe that the song was originally his. The-Dream replied to the comment saying that the tracks were considered for Brown, but that it was never his. The-Dream later apologized for his comments after talking to Brown, who said his comments were directed towards another part of the situation surrounding the song.
In addition to music, The-Dream revealed he is currently working on a TV reality series for MTV where he will scout aspiring singers, and plans to release a clothing line called Millionaire Love Affair. The-Dream is also an accomplished artist who has created many paintings and sculptures, some of which have been shown at various art galleries throughout Atlanta.
