YNIGS: It’s been nearly four years since you released “Journey of a Gemini,” what have you been up to since then?

DJ: Working man, I’ve just been working on the new project. I got a new album coming out right before Christmas, it’s called “The Lost Files,” and this album is just comprised of songs, like every time I do an album, that in between time where there is no album out, I always record a lot of songs, and they don’t make the album because I like to start from scratch when I make the new record. What I did was just grab a lot of those songs and put them on this “Lost Files” album just as a prelude to when my new album comes out in 2010.

YNIGS: I was actually going to ask you about this album you are releasing of unreleased material, are these songs you recorded all through your career?

DJ: I got songs dating from ’96 in the beginning of my career all the way up until 2004. You will definitely hear songs that sound like they are from the “My Heart” era, you will hear songs that sound like they are from the “Where I Wanna Be” era, it’s just a whole bunch of songs that’s throughout my whole career, that I’m like “Man, people need to hear this stuff, I need to stop keeping to myself, you know?”

YNIGS: So besides the album of unreleased material you will be releasing, you are also working on a new album for next year?

DJ: Definitely. Working on a new album as we speak, and it’s going to be incredible. It always takes me a little time to finish albums, and that’s because I’m always looking for a great song, you know? I don’t like to rush through an album because I hate when you buy an album and it’s only like two or three songs on it, so that’s why it takes me a little bit of time. Plus at the same time, I’m not with the label anymore, everything I’m going to be doing from now on is going to be independent.

YNIGS: Did you approach your new album as you did with your previous albums, or did you set out to do something different? What should we expect to hear?

DJ: I approached it the same way that I’ve done all my other albums except for that it will sound fresh and for today. I haven’t gone outside of my comfort zone or anything like that. It will just be the same Donell, but just with new songs, new flavor. I really think people appreciate it because with me it’s all about the subject matter, it’s all about what people actually go through in real life, and those are the songs I’m touching on right now.