88-Keys 'Death of Adam' album

On October 28th producer & rapper 88-Keys has released his original album "Death of Adam" including the hit-single "Stay Up (Viagra)" featuring Kanye West. The album has received good reviews and gained a lot of respect in the HipHop scene. MusicRemedy had the opportunity to talk with 88-Keys about the album, his style, etc...

Jermy Leeuwis [MusicRemedy.com] asks a question [Q1]: Being a producer and now releeasing your own album. Why? When did you decided to release your own album?

I decided to release my own album YEARS ago. I was on the the original line up for BBE's Beat Generation series. The late/great J. Dilla hooked that up for me. Long story short, BBE got burned by a producer (nobody who made an album for them: i.e. Pete Rock, Marley Marl, J. Dilla, Will.I.Am, etc.) who made off with a LOT of money from them so by the time they were supposed to do my deal, they were... "bearly breaking even" for real. Actually, they were pretty "broke". I got hit off with a lil' somthin'-somethin' though in good faith. A few g's to be exact & I didn't have to lift one finger or submit any beats. *ch'CHING*

88-Keys interview - continued
[Q2]: Your new CD is your first album release. Tell us about it.

My album is called The Death of Adam. Some people leave the "The" out of the title like they leave the hyphen out of my name. I frown upon that. Anyway, my album is about man's [Adam's] pursuit of 'happiness'. It's a heavily conceptual album with a really great story line which everybody could relate to. All you have to do is be a lover of great music & not a virgin then my album will speak to you. Actually, scratch that, even if you are a virgin you'd be able to relate to my album in one way or another. All virgins (not by choice) listen to "Nice Guys Finish Last" & "The Friends Zone" featuring Shitake Monkey. Then get truly inspired by "There's Pleasure In It" then listen to "Handcuff 'Em" & you'll be well on your way to getting some of that gushy stuff. This is my guide to you.

[Q3]: Which song on the album took the longest to complete? Why?

It would have to be between "There's Pleasure In It" & "Ho' Is Short For Honey". Making this album a lot of time, energy & effort went into making each song so every single song on the album has been revisited, tweaked & re-tweaked over the course of two & a half years. When I found the sample for "Ho' Is Short For Honey" I was still listening to the late great J. Dilla's Donuts album heavy. Somehow I compared the sample for "Ho' Is Short For Honey" to 'Dilla's "Workinonit" sample & I felt that if I couldn't make a beat as crazy as "Workinonit" with the "Ho' Is Short For Honey" sample then I have done both me, the artist I sampled from & J. Dilla a disservice. So I was literally afraid to even TOUCH the sample until I worked up enough nerve (approximately 4 months after discovering the sample) to fuck with it. And it proved to be very fuckwitable. Then, years later, I added Kid Cudi to the mix & eventually came up with lyrics of my own on some last minute, make a rap to get the submit for sample clearance type shit.

[Q4]: Many different artists are represented on your album. In what way did you and Kanye West managed to create an album enjoyable for all? Under which genre can we categorize it?

I created it by myself for the past two & a half years of my life then Kanye swooped in & refined what I had already made. He's truly a genius. he took my album from being a self-proclaimed hip hop classic to a widely shared view of my album being a "hip hop" classic. Some might even say a pop culture classic. Hey, I'll take it all. Just don't call my shit wick-wick WACK!

[Q5]: When creating a track, do you have a set theme and pre-written lyrics, or do you start with an idea or the music first?

I always start with the beat & God just delivers everything else accordingly in due time. Sometime He may not send it right away but it'll always be right on time.

[Q6]: You have learned from 'Adam' but since you have written the lyrics, were not your own experiences the basis for Adam's life story? If so, what exactly did you learn about yourself?

Everybody's experience is the basis for Adam's story. Just think about it, when's the last time (if ever) you were trying to bone one of your homegirls or how many times have you had a borderline nyphomaniac as a sex partner & after you bus' that good nut you're ready for beddy Freddy but SHE on the other hand... This is every man's story yet every woman could relate in one way or another. If not the entire story then a huge chunk. Trust!

[Q7]: Any other instruments you would like to learn to play on?

I wish I knew how to play the piano, guitar, bass, kalimba, drums... Emu sp-1200... Everything damn it!

[Q8]: Do you think success and credibility are mutually exclusive?

Definitely. There are only a chose few. I haven't been chosen for a long time (but I actually have, it just wasn't my time to get off the bench) but now that I'm on the court, it's time to ball & ball hard.

[Q9]: What artists are you listening to at the moment?

Kanye West, Guilty Simpson, Kid Cudi, Big Sean, N*E*R*D, J*DaVeY, Bilal, Jadakiss, Ra Ra Riot, Fallout Boy, Lykke Li, Land of Talk, J. Dilla - r.i.p., 88-Keys, Mr. Bentley, Q-Tip, G-Unit, Xzibit & that's about it. Oh & all of the records I sample. I won't reveal who because I got a lot of hidden gems I'd like to keep hidden. Oh & Charles Hamilton.

[Q10]: Are you living the American dream? Is it anything you hoped for?

Most definitely. Too quote some movie, "I AM the American dream". Not quite sure what that meant but I always wanted to say that. Thanks for that set up. Oh & it's everything I hoped for.

[Q11]: How does the weak US economy affect your daily life? How many houses are for your sale in your street?

I don't directly see how it has affected my life other than people trying to download my album for free. Well, I guess that answers your question right there. I take the first sentence back like the Indian giver I am.

[Q12]: Recently, what is a typical day like for you?

Waking up next to my beautiful wife & taking care of our two beautiful daughters @ the butt crack of dawn (or earlier). Getting my Polo game right for the day. Then between hanging with my family, running personal errands, doing several interviews/photo shoots & meeting per day & playing with my iPhone... Not much else just yet. I'm still trying to construct my new stage sure which I'm sure will wow people (as soon as God delivers the full concept). I have an inkling of an idea I'd like to do but I have to flesh it out. Oh & I've been gearing up on getting my singles together for the top of the year & quite possibly a video or two. We'll see.

[Q13]: Final words?

Yes. Buy my album! 88-Keys of Locksmith Music, Inc. - The Death of Adam
www.myspace.com/88keys

88 Keys Death of Adam information
88 has produced tracks for artists like A Tribe Called Quest, Consequence and The Pharcyde and now, he's ready to step up to the microphone on his debut album, The Death of Adam.

"The entire album is about the power of the punan, if you will," said 88-Keys. "The album follows the story line of my man Adam who passed away and basically how he died. It all started off with him catching a boner one morning, morning wood, and his life starts to spin out of control from there."

The lead single, "Stay Up! (Viagra)" features 88's best friend and executive producer of the project, Kanye West. The two producers met back in the day at Just Blaze's Baseline Studio. Despite their friendship, 88 says he never explicitly asked Kayne to get involved with his project.

"I really didn't approach him at all," he explains. "Him and I, we're best friends, so he's kinda been there almost every step of the way. So just me playing him the album, he was diggin' it a lot. He liked it a lot."

Though he was initially reluctant to bring him aboard, 88 is happy that he let Ye step in as Executive Producer at the tail end of his recording process.

"He definitely brought something to the table as far as the story line is concerned," said 88. "He actually helped me rewrite the story, trim the fat off the album and then he gave the story a brand new twist ending that was so genius."

In addition to Kanye, The Death of Adam features alternative rock group Shitake Monkey, Kid Kudi, J.Davey, Redman, Bilal and Phontae of Little Brother.

Though his guest features span a wide variety of genres, 88 says there was a method to his madness. "They all have two things [in] common. One, they're all my friends and two, they're all like super dope at what they do."

88-Keys' debut album, The Death of Adam comes out on October 28th.

88 Keys biography
Moving from a behind the scenes producer to frontman, breakthrough artist 88-Keys presents his first solo album, The Death of Adam on Decon Records. A highly conceptual release, The Death of Adam examines mankind’s most common storyline; the relationship between men and women. The album, Executive Produced by longtime friend Kanye West, will be an introduction to 88-Keys the musician, extending beyond his production credits (A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, Macy Gray and others) to highlight his skills on the mic as MC, singer and collaborator.

The album, two years in the making, started out as a series of instrumentals from 88-Keys. Throughout the artistic process, and with the addition of Kanye West as Executive Producer, the album has grown to become one of the most well-executed and artistic conceptual records to date. 88-Keys appears on vocals on more than half of the tracks, and the album features the likes of Kanye West, J*Davey, Phonte of Little Brother, Redman, Kid Cudi, Shitake Monkey, & Bilal.

“My album has a deep & detailed story line which follows my boy Adam (whom EVERYBODY knows) through a day in the life of him trying to get 'some', and all of the trials and tribulations he goes through in order to get it,” 88-Keys explains. The first single, “Stay Up (Viagra)” is a perfect illustration of that universal storyline coming to life, and features the album’s executive producer Kanye West.

Other tracks on the album follow suit, expanding on the story of Adam, and his repeated run-ins with the fairer sex. "’The Burning Bush’, which features Redman, is a song which embodies the essence of the Funk Doctor Spock at his best,” 88-Keys says. “This song captures the soul of James Brown, hard knock and melodic funkiness of my hip-hop spirit and the grit and dirt of Redman’s humorous/Brick City-bred lyrics, all mixed into one. Use as prescribed!”

“’The Friend Zone’ is a hard rocking song with crossover pop appeal aimed directly at the spirit of today's youth but contains adult undertones. Let's rate this one PG-13. This is a man's guide to not settling for being HER best bud since you can't be her best LOVE.”

88-Keys continues, “’M.I.L.F.’ (featuring Bilal) is a soul-drenched song which deals with the pleasure & pain of having a child with someone you're no longer (or probably never were) in love with. Bouncing bass, orgasmic organs, sexy strings. Basically this is baby-making music at it's finest. (Uh oh!)”

“The Death of Adam is heavily conceptual (and exceptional).” 88-Keys reflects. “I think it will remind people of how relationships work for the better or worse. I learned a lot about myself, as I am 'Adam', you are 'Adam'. 'Adam' is your father, your brother, a best friend or a friend of a friend whom you've heard about."

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