88 keys – producing the unexpected
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Producer, The Death of Adam
Since his introduction to the music business at the age of 14, producer 88-Keys has cultivated a reputation for crafting distinctive and innovative beats. Whether it was through his work with Mos Def, Scarface or Macy Gray, music fans came to expect the unexpected. So it should come as no surprise that his debut solo effort, The Death of Adam, finds him crafting yet another ingenious musical offering.
Keys’ Adam is a fully-developed concept that tells the story of one man’s lustful quest and its less-than-pleasant outcome. “It basically follows the story of my man Adam, who at the beginning of the story … woke up with [an erection] (“Morning Wood”) and it gradually changes to him wanting to do something about having [an erection],” the producer explains. “Eventually, [his quest] … leads to his death.”
To help tell the tale of the romantically-doomed Adam, Keys enlisted the help of J*Davey, Little Brother, Redman, Bilal and Kanye West, who also serves as executive producer. Keys took to the Internet to help promote the project, using a series of “news” clips and videos reporting the “death” of the fictional Adam. Keys is confident that his hard work and creativity will be heard in the project. “I really stepped it up as a producer. I think the Adam’s really damn good,” he says confidently.
The New York native credits other musical innovators such as A Tribe Called Quest for his unique approach to creating music. “I was inspired by [ATCQ’s]People’s Instinctive Travels and the Path of Rhythms,” he says. “That is what actually made me feel like I needed to be part of this industry of music in general and entertain the people.” –ivory m. jones
The Death of Adam arrives in stores Nov. 11 on Decon Records.
