I Heart My Polo Lifestyle

Dem Polo Boyz

88-Keys — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:43:26 +0000

Matt Fizzy, 88-Kizzy & Just Blizzy... The Izzies

More on my boy Matt Fingaz a little later folks… “Saynomore”!

Note: And, just for the record, I seriously don’t do the ‘hip hop spellingz’.

Shouts:

Matt Fingaz for getting me my very first check in this crazy industry we call ‘The Music Business’.
Just Blaze for hookin’ me up with Beanie Sigel thus my entry to The Roc-A-Fella family.

88-Keys – “Set It Off” (Sprite Commercial Demo)

88-Keys — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:56:12 +0000

This is yet another song I ‘dug up’ from my Roland VS-2480 board recently. I think it’s from a year+ ago. I, and a few other rap artists who shall go unmentioned, were given an opportunity to do a commercial an undisclosed company’s product. The only guidance we were given was to: 1. Include the catch phrase “set it off” in our song somehow 2. Think ‘challenge’ & ‘think out of the box’. I believe I did just that in both my rap content & production but, needless to day, I didn’t land the gig. However, NOBODY else did either as the campaign had been deaded at the door. I never finished this song because I found out that the whole project wasn’t even going down anymore so I was on some ol’, “why bother?” Turns out it was for Sprite. Anyway… Obey your thirst & enjoy!

Lyrics

Verse:
Is this a test for the emergency?
It’s fine
I’ll keep my cool
This ain’t disturbing me

(“Set It Off”)

The crowd’s chants
Are like a blur to me
The loud amps
Are what gets built into my circuitry

I’m just a little left of center
If you’ve heard of me
But if you hadn’t then your data’s
Not updated currently

(“Set It Off”)

I do this to you purposely

(“Set It Off”)

You can’t box me in
I think faster
By your third wall
I’m on the other side of your plaster

Laughing… with laughter – Sheer disaster
While you’re standing there
Wondering what happened
It must’ve been something that I said in my rapping

I won’t apologize
My forward thinking’s cutting edge
Will cut you
Down to size

If you’re not built to progress
I guess you got just a few minutes
To digest
Before I dissect – C’mon!

Chorus: (2x)
“Set It Off” C’mon!
“Set It Off” C’mon!
“Set It Off” C’mon!
Set “Set It Off” C’mon!

Verse:
Yup!
Who said
‘The sky’s the limit’?
They must not’ve known
That outer space existed

I see further
And they label me ‘the misfit’
Willing n’ able
We could table these statistics

And review the evidence
Like these ballistics
And from the shell casing
You’ll that we the only one who be like Hell raising¹

Notes:

This weak line I came up with was only a place holder; I was going to come up with something way fresher… I swear.

Shouts:

Daniel C. Glogower for linking up with Phil Chang to (almost) make this happen.
Phil Chang for linking up with Daniel C. Glogower to (almost) make this happen.
All of the MCs who submitted to this project. I’m sure you know who you are & I’m quite certain you all made bangers as well. I probably didn’t even stand a chance.

Bolivian Folk Dance

88-Keys — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:56:17 +0000

I pretty much explain exactly what this video clip is within the video (which took place at The Great Hill, in Central Park, NYC) so that pretty much saves your *ss from yet another lengthy 88-Keys read. Congrats!

The music was so dope that all I could really think about was diggin’ for some Bolivian folk music; my thought process lead me to believe that if a small group of guys with marching band drums & a few heavy brass instruments could sound THIS good… Imagine what a studio recording of professional Bolivian fan favorites must sound like. Hmmm… *chop suey*

Pants lookin’ like Rock The Bells tour! Sorry… Had to get in a ‘cheap shot’ real quick but honestly Bolivians ROCK!

Shouts:

Kamsi the birthday boy. Your homegirls Chloë & Luca had fun today.
Bolivia… Your country was thoroughly represented this afternoon. *kudos*

Bilal – “Think It Over” (Live!)

88-Keys — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:55:54 +0000

This is my first time hearing a live version of this song I produced for Bilal’s upcoming (long awaited) album: Airtight’s Revenge. I’m really looking forward to going to his next show in the Tri-State to hear this & check out his new set. I remember I DJ’d his set on May 23, 2010 in Toronto, Canada¹ where he performed this song for a HUGE audience for the first time. Man… They LOVED it! This was an awesome feeling considering most people don’t take too well to brand new/unheard songs even if it’s from their favorite artists; they just want to hear ‘the singles’ man! But Toronto showed love & ate this up & I hope you will too once you hear it. Enjoy!

Notes:

Hawk… Get Your paperwork straight!

Shouts:

Bilal for smashing this beat (I literally made for him about a year ago) into itty-bitty teeny-tiny pieces.
Mikael Colombu for posting this on his YouTube channel.
Hip Hop-N-More where I spotted this.

Post Script: When I first sent this beat to Bilal he was like, “Yeah… it’s ‘cool’.” NEXT!!!

Super Mario Bros. (Paper Stop Motion)

88-Keys — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 14:20:07 +0000

I thought this was pretty cool for two reasons: 1. The obvious 2. The nostalgia.

I don’t know about you (fellow 30-somethings reading this) but this just brought back a LOT of fond memories for me:

Living in the Bronx, NY (Eastchester stand up!).
Listening to my De La Soul, Special Ed, Big Daddy Kane, The Jungle Brothers, Kool G. Rap & Polo cassettes & 12″ vinyls.
Rockin’ Timbs w/Champion hoodies & field (Army) jackets… & gold fronts (a.k.a. grillz [this term was used by me only for explanatory purposes; I NEVER use this term myself]).
Buying a slice & a Sunkist for a “buck-fiddy”.
Trying (very hard) to get laid but never quite making it.

Ahhh… The good ol’ days! *sigh*

Shouts: Spotted on MySpace.

“Stakes Is High” – 12″

88-Keys — Thu, 27 May 2010 13:58:56 +0000

Hey Common... I Saved You A Spot

The only one missing is Common. I have to have this on deck the next time I see him.

Shouts:

De La Soul (Pos, Dave & Mase) for being an incredible influence on my career since day one. We have to get in the stu’ again big brothers (beat!)
J. Dilla rest in peace & thanks for the vibes. God bless!
Krista thanks for snapping this photo for me this morning.

In The Streets of Austin

88-Keys — Sun, 23 May 2010 04:16:30 +0000

Yes... I Am That Short & Yes... He Is That Tall.

This photo was taken on the very day Travie & I met (in person). We were virtually introduced thru a very good long time friend of mine who works at Atlantic Records: Emmannuelle. She’s friends with a lot of people in this music industry. She is well liked & well connected. Anyway, she made introduction because I had mentioned him & she thought that we’d get along. The introduction was made by cc’ing us both on the same email. I replied yet didn’t hear from him for a few weeks. I didn’t take it as any form or disrespect or being blown off; I know that artist (or people in general) this high up on the ‘food chain’ usually are über busy so it may take a while to get back be it a hectic schedule or email getting buried in tons of emails they maybe receiving. Either way he eventually got back to me & invited me to his video shoot during his brief visit to The Rotten Apple. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it because my wife had to work & I couldn’t find a babysitter in time. Any other reason I may have been slightly piss’d that I had to sit something like that out but when it comes to my girls… They make everything feel a-okay.

Our second chance ‘meeting’ was when we jumped on video iChat while Travie was gigging Down Under. I knew he was good peoples when my daughters seemed to take a liking to him… & they don’t like anybody straight off the bat. Well, it’s not really like they don’t like anybody but they get into super shy mode when meeting people they’re not familiar with. Even with people they are familiar with they just drop the “super”¹ but with Travie they were playing Peek-A-Boo with each other, making all sorts of crazy faces with each other & just carrying on like long-time buddies. It was so bug’d out to me that I had to call my wife into the room to show her our girls’ interaction with Trav’. She was pretty surprised as well.

Trav’ & I spoke about a lot of things that early morning. He played me music from his upcoming mixtape (which was dope by the way) & I played some songs by my boys The Morning Benders. Travie likey. He cop’d the album². After hearing his new material it made me realize how dope he was just on some straight spittin’ sh*t. This is when I asked him if he could be on my song “Ross & Chandler”. I had not yet come up with my second verse at the time. I sent him a rough so he could get the idea of where the song was going, it’s meaning & intentions. Again… Travie likey; He’s in! He even suggested flying me down to FL to record the song at his new studio set up at his crib. I’d have love to take him up on that offer but again, trying to find a babysitter on short notice can prove to be a difficult task at times. I’ll make it down there one of these days though for sure.

Ha Ha Ladies... You Can't See His Screen name.

Fast forward a few months & we’re both gigging in SXSW. I didn’t know he was there ’til my last show date. So we eventually get up & meet in person for the first time. He is TALL; I am short. We are cool. We sat down at his hotel room & talked for hours. Conversation went from light to deep & back. We shared a lot of good laughs & enlightenment with each other. He’s a good dude. I actually knew this way beforehand because my daughters warmed up to him instantly.

So, to bring my wordy WordPress blog to a close… Trav agreed to come thru & performing during my set at Aces Lounge. It was a full house in the middle of the afternoon. Judging by the crowd reaction, I was already killin’ it but then Trav’ came out & completely tore the roof off with his explosive freestyle (…off the top of the head by the way). Gave me a whole new admiration for that dude. My salute to him was real people!

Notes:

This includes my daughters’ godfathers: Daniel C. Glogower & Kanye2Tha
Here’s my Twitter hashtag for those who actually support artist they dig: #iTunesLove

This song inaccurately entitled friends is accurately actually called “Ross & Chandler”. It will either be on my next mixtape or album & will feature Travie McCoy for a guest verse. I wonder whom people would think is Ross & whom people would think is Chandler… BING!

Travie shocked the Hell out of me by completely going off the top of his head & killin’ it… w/o missing a beat. Uh… Yeah… He’s that dope!

Shouts:

Travie for being a cool brother & coming thru to my show to ‘tear the roof off the mother sucker’. I’m looking forward to putting the finishing touches on “Ross & Chandler” m’man. Word! Oh yeah… “AMBER LAMPS”!!!
Emmanuelle thanks for linking us up. By the way, for all these years I’ve known you, I had no idea there was more to your first name & that it is actually hyphenated… Chandra.
Report2Detention for capturing these moment, & many more, during my SXSW performances this year. Please add the hyphen to my name.

Post Script: I introduced Travie McCoy to The Morning Benders after my set. Meeting of the (creative) minds.

“Ho’ Is Short For Honey” ft. KiD CuDi – Live

88-Keys — Tue, 11 May 2010 14:17:58 +0000

Running around with my daughters in NYC right now. I’ll add more to this post to give you a little more insight & background story to the events of this show.

Shouts:

Tegan & Sara – “Alligator” (88-Keys See Y’Later Remix)

88-Keys — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 02:02:14 +0000

Here’s a remix I submitted to Tegan & Sara for their 2nd single “Alligator” from their Sainthood album. I played this for a few people & they all seemed to have dug it; many thought I should have added a 2nd verse to this. I didn’t want to impose since they weren’t expecting any verse (or remix for that matter) from me. Also, I didn’t bother to ‘clean up’ my verse when I found out this wasn’t going down as I expected. Unfortunately this was left on the cutting room floor so… Here you go. Enjoy!

They're Identical Twins... Can't You Tell?

Yo, you cried “Alligator” tears?
Don’t make me laugh
When I kissed you on the face
Girl your cheek was salty

You put me in my place?
Please don’t insult me
If you do
I’ll shake it off like Cerebral Palsy

So please support the
Fact when I ring
That you run up to the truck
Like Mr. Softee

You want to run a muck?
I’m like, “Please get off me!”
How ’bout a pack of
Puff’s Plus

Next thing you’ll be saying
You faking the upchuck but

Sometimes I gotta wonder,
“Damn!
Can these twins really go
Crying on command?”

‘Cause a fake boohoo
Is worse than a ‘screw you!’

(Click Here To See Original Video)

Shouts:

Ra Ra Riot for nailing 1 of the SEVENTEEN remixes chosen for this release. See… I told y’all they were ill… (Stay tuned!)
Ryan Whalley (A&R @ Sire Records)… 17 remixes??? Really? SEVENTEEN??? Not to sound like the stereotypical disgruntled ‘underground’ hip hop producer or anything but was 18 decided on as being ‘the unlucky number’? *sigh*
Wentz thanks for the replay & helping me put this together. We’ll get ‘em next time homeboy. F’shiz!
Post Script: Download & BANG!

The Unshaven

88-Keys — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 20:33:34 +0000

This is how you should look after putting in several weeks of hard work. “Hygiene”… What’s that mean?

Grizzly Miles & Lumberjack Ocho

This was the first time Wes Miles came to my apartment to work on my song “Emoticons” featuring Ra Ra Riot. Wait ’til y’all hear THIS song. *booyaka*

Shouts:

Wes Miles thanks for staying a long as you did but hey, you know you can’t rush ‘genius’.
Spree Wilson, you were looking quite scruffy that day too. I’m going to have to add your photo up on here.
Allie Lawn, thanks for your super dope cello parts & getting it done in breakneck speed. Amazing! Oh & thanks for resending your parts without the delays. Gives me more room to play with. *ch’yeah*

Post Script: I’m plan on using my iPhone’s WordPress app more often; Try to get nice wit’ it as they make new updates for the app.