I Heart My Polo Lifestyle

The breaks’ over? Nah, not really. I’m just posting this for all of those who truly miss my blog posts updates. I must admit I have seriously been “slackin’ in my pimpin’.” My sincere apologies. I had to take a break to get some work done & family time in. I don’t know how ‘ye does it to be honest. He is a beast with his blog (as busy as he is on a daily basis).

Anyway, for those who follow me (& I’m not talking about Twitter here) & my career you may have heard me mention quite a few times in my interviews, when asked, that the first beat I ever sold was to a group called Network Repz. Everytime I’ve told the story of how that beat came to be I always mention how I strongly tried to convince the group to switch my beat out which was used for a beat which was way better, but they refused. They liked what had originally been given to them via my boy Matt Fingaz; that beat was the very first beat I ever made on my MPC 3000. The beat was pretty bad & was my poor excuse to TRY & sound like DJ Premier. The song title was “Dos Collabo (Hip Hop’s Delight)” which was a remix that featured Bahamadia & a few others. Even my ‘group¹‘ was on there; I think we were listed as background vocals. Yes… I said, “my group” but more on that in a future I Heart My Polo Lifestyle post.

Now, for the record, being asked “what’s the first beat you ever sold” is quite different from being asked “what’s the first beat you ever placed.” I remember the day I got the news when my boy Consequence hit me up & said he wanted 2 beats out of a small batch of beats he got from me via my former manager Shaka Doc [r.i.p.]. I was happy as a failing student on a snow day. I couldn’t believe one of my beats was actually going to get written to & recorded, tracked, mixed AND mastered. I didn’t even know what mastering was back then but I knew I wanted my beat mastered. Even more to my surprise, ‘Quence told me, “yo, I think I’m going to get Busta on this one too.” Man… I was hype WILLIAMS at this point. Dope!

I want to say this all went down in ’96 I believe. I may be off by a year. I think we recorded this at Battery Studios. This song was to be 1 of 2 songs I recorded for what would have been Consequence’s debut album entitled Hostile Takeover. Believe you me when I tell you this album would have been an insta-classic had it seen the light of day. It was set to be released thru [my hero] Q-Tip & the god Ali Shaheed Muhammad‘s label imprint on Elektra Records called Museum Music. Dope name right? Consequence was first up to bat on Museum Music. I have to say ‘Quence did not have one wack verse or beat on that album. It was flawless. Production by Q-Tip, Ali-Shaheed Muhammad, Havoc, the late great Jay Dee (pre-J. Dilla moniker) & myself 88-Keys. What a line up aye²?

I’m not 100% certain why Hostile Takeover never came out but I believe a lot of this hasn’t surfaced (just yet) because, from what I vaguely remember hearing way back then, the masters (along with hundreds of very rare collector’s vinyl, DAT tapes & other items) may have fell victim to the infamous & tragic fire that happened at Q-Tip & our boy Litro’s house in NJ.

So recently, while looking through my own record collection for drum samples to take with me to Santa Monica, CA for my studio sessions, I came across this ‘A Tribe Called Quest’ white labeled album. I totally forgot I had this. Normally my records are in alphabetical order but my collection has seemed to have outgrown my system; so now when I leave my records lying around, my wife pretty much just sticks them in any box which has space in ‘em. *booo* Anyhow, the recording you’re about to listen to comes from a BOOTLEGGED copy of the song “Armani Frames” (incorrectly titled as “The Riot” & credited to Jay Dee – r.i.p.). Again, this was one of two song I produced for Hostile Takeover. The other song was called “Willy Overnite” which featured our boy Lo-Income of Know Naim. We were all part of a crew lead by A Tribe Called Quest. More on that in a future I Heart My Polo Lifestyle blog post. Please pardon the vinyl ‘pops’ on this .mp3 converted song & (just so you don’t think ‘Quence rapping or my beat programming was ‘off’), I just noticed a ‘skip’ in the song @ 1:11. Damn bootleggers!
They couldn’t even get the transfer right.

So, without any further ado (from my long winded self), I hope you all enjoy, comment & spread the holiday cheers with this long lost & almost completely forgotten about song:

Humanoids Charles & Dexter w/android Kanye @ Complex Magazine party.

“Armani Frames”
featuring Busta Rhymes
produced by yours truly

(Click On Photo Above To Get Your Head Bus’ Wide Open)

Notes:

1. I was in a group called ACG Live! with one of my then best friends Nat (a.k.a. Reckless) & my current DJ (Drastic… the REAL DJ Drastic damn it!!!)
2. I feel absolutely NO shame whatsoever for giving myself props when I feel I deserve them.

Shouts:

• Shaka Doc my former manager & manager/friend to Q-Tip, Mos Def, Consequence, Know Naim, Jane Doe & PJ. Rest In Peace! You are greatly missed.
• Consequence my brother for giving me my first shot at this music sh*t. We both have come a LONG way. I had to pay you back for that by introducing you to Kanye2Tha.
• A Tribe Called Quest for puttin’ me on (like Bonita… but not quite like Bonita.) *pause*
• Busta Rhymes. Thanks for breathing even MORE & life n’ hot fire into this song.
• To the bootlegger(s) out in Germany who got our sh*t. I guess I should be thanking you… but not really. WHERE OUR MONEY AT!?!?!?

~ by 88-Keys on July 8, 2009.

Posted in Ear Candy (Music)
Tags: 88-keys, ali shaheed muhammad, busta rhymes, consequence, hostile takeover, museum music, q-tip