Real Ones Presents: 2024’s Realest Music Selections
As we enter the new age of 2025, the Real Ones team decided to reflect on the last 365 days of music and some of our personal favorites for 2024. While our team certainly has musical tastes that overlap, every member of the Real Ones crew has their unique preferences. If we combined each of our playlists, we’d get a complex mosaic of different sounds, artists, and genres in a collection of songs that would simply be too innumerable to count. To make it a little easier though, we each decided to select just one favorite song, artist, or album for a few different superlatives we collectively came up with, and as individuals, we picked which superlative we wanted to write about.
These selections aren’t meant to be an objective declaration of which music was superior to all the rest. We don’t belive in that mess. Just because you don’t see your favorite artist or album of 2024 doesn't mean we didn’t care about them. Rather, we just wanted to highlight the ones that meant the most to us on a subjective level. Because everything, especially art, is subjective. In other words, well, these picks are just, you know, our opinion, man.
Without any further ado, here is the Realest Music of 2024.
Realest Album
ACCELERATOR by greek
After having a major moment with, in my opinion, one of the best songs of 2023 in “VIRGINIA CREEPER,” greek followed that up with his much anticipated 2024 album ACCELERATOR— an album that takes you through a very sonically pleasing journey expressing a multitude of feelings. Songs like “RIVER,” a ballad expressing how hard it can be to move on, “DANCE,” a synth-heavy joint you can’t help but move to, and “PURE AMERICANA,” a soulful closer layered with soothing vocals, show just how much range greek has across this album. I got to see greek perform songs from the album live at Racket in New York in October, and it was truly one of the best shows I’ve been to all year. If the music alone wasn’t enough to make you a fan, his live performance is more than enough to keep you committed for life. — Tyrel Alejandro
Realest Chicago Song / Realest Dance Song
“CHICAGO” by DRAMA
Composed of vocalist Via Rosa & producer Na’El Shehade, the Drama Duo (known simply as DRAMA) has brought their infectious, poppy Chicago House sound across the globe in their 10+ year career. This spring, they teamed up with the iconic DJ Pharris (who coined the term “This Chicago, n***a!) to craft a citywide anthem, which they aptly named “CHICAGO.” Over a bouncy beat from Na’El, Via Rosa shows love to all aspects of the city we call home: the good, bad and ugly. “Love how people dance in Chicago / throw hands in Chicago / Show up for their friends in Chicago.” Make sure to check out the track’s 3 remixes as well: the Northside Remix by James Curd; the Southside Remix by Terry Hunter and Emmaculate; and of course, the Juke Mix by DJ Slugo. — Ben Moskow
Realest Jazz Album
You’ll Need This Later by The Alvin Cobb Jr. Trio
Coming into the year of 2024, I posited a general question on IG for my mutuals to answer: which jazz artists in Chicago should I be paying attention to? Among the answers that stood out from the field was the Alvin Cobb Jr. Trio, led by the eponymous Cobb and rounded out by vocalist/bassist Katie Ernst and drummer Julius Tucker. I followed Alvin Cobb, Jr. on the gram and quietly attended his listening party at the Music Box Theatre for his debut album You’ll Need This Later. For the next hour or so, I enjoyed the emotional highs and lows that only the best type of jazz music can evoke. For the last 15 years, Cobb wrote himself notes and collected voice memos covering a series of personal topics that encompass the human experience. He curated a selection of these notes and composed a song to accompany each of them, eventually creating a beautiful, auditory stained-glass window look into his life. For that reason, it’s my Realest Jazz Album of 2024. — Alejandro Hernandez
Realest Rollout
Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii
Those who’ve followed Doechii’s journey through the years know that the swamp princess doesn’t come to play. This year, she upped the ante with one of the most captivating rollouts in recent rap history: the Swamp Sessions. Beginning in July, Doechii treated her fans to a six-part video series that she herself directed, offering an intimate peek into her creative process. Each week, she dropped a new track, recorded in just one hour, accompanied by a visual. The weekly releases showcased her versatility, with each song taking on a new feel, flow, and attitude, keeping fans on their toes as they waited eagerly for the final release of Alligator Bites Never Heal on August 30. As anticipation grew, so did the buzz in the comments sections of each post, with fans begging for more. She hasn’t slowed down going into 2025, teasing the music video for “Denial Is A River” with nostalgic 90s sit-com style snippets featuring Zack Fox, Earl Sweatshirt, Schoolboy Q, Ricky Johnson, Teezo Touchdown, SiR, and more.— Mollie Ryan
Realest Indie Song
“AMAMA” by Crumb
Solidifying themselves as an indie staple throughout the past few years, the former Reddit sensation Crumb delivered one of the most addicting, yet relaxing singles of the year, “AMAMA”; sharing the name of their 2024 album. “‘How you been? I like the way I’m feeling now/But haven’t seen you in a while. ‘Cause everything has been so wild, let’s try it out…” with a steady theme of reuniting throughout, “AMAMA” blends together feelings and dialogue, giving us an impression they’re looking to bridge the gap with someone who may have grown to be a stranger, but is all too familiar. I think this is something we all struggle with; from family, romantic partners, platonically even, things transpire in the course of relationships and sometimes those events lead to their ending. But there’s always that wonder, and for some, a desire to catch up and reconnect. This song instantly became a daily play for me once it dropped and ended up in my top 20 of the year. The way it makes me feel like calling up every distant friend, ex, and relative makes me crown it as the Realest Indie Song of the Year. — Jordan Esparza-Kelley
Realest 4th Quater Drop
SAAHEEM by SahBabii
Released in November of 2024, Saaheem has put the rap scene in a chokehold, proving to Sahbabii's fans and newcomers that he will not be forgotten! After a two-year hiatus since LeakOut many fans were left wondering: Where’s Sahbabii? With the arrival of Saaheem, fans got their answer with his viral single “Viking” taking social media by storm. Most of the promotion of Saaheem has been through fans celebrating his return, daily discourse about his influence, and having everyone dancing on their nearest wall. Sahbabii recently held 2 free shows in his hometowns of Atlanta and Chicago, both of which sold out in 15 minutes. And as a cherry on top, he has just announced a highly anticipated tour that's sure to sell out, proving that no matter how long he is gone, Sahbabii has let it be known that his footprint in music is here to stay and can be revamped at any time. — Sydni Dorsey
Realest Cover Art
The Unwavering Hand by Flawed Mangoes
The cover art for Flawed Mangoes' 2024 album The Unwavering Hand is nothing short of breathtaking. Created by the brilliant Rauf Sunyaev, the painting bursts with lava-like textures of yellow, orange, and red that seem to glow from within, balanced by the earthy tones of brown and white that bring the titular hand to life. A mysterious, brown house-like structure with hints of black adds depth and intrigue, inviting you to explore its layered, meditative energy. What makes this artwork so special is how perfectly it mirrors the experience of listening to the album. Warm, dreamy, and immersive, it exudes the same flow-state-inducing quality that has grounded me countless times this year. It's as if the art and music are in perfect harmony, both guiding you into a space of calm focus and creative inspiration. Thank you, Rauf Sunyaev, for this masterpiece, and Flawed Mangoes for the incredible soundtrack to so many transformative moments.
J Bambii Delivers the Performance of Her Life (Real Recap)
photo courtesy of Luciana Salinas
Whether it’s an impromptu speech at Soho House about living in the moment or a verse bashing colorism and Western beauty standards, Chicago rapper, event curator and tarot reader J Bambii aka @oprah_gucci somehow always finds the right words.
J Bambii’s performance at Sleeping Village Saturday night was triumphant, a beautiful accumulation of nearly a decade of rapping. In between songs, she reflected on her journey, explaining how tarot reading inspired her to write her first song, reminiscing on early recording sessions with Solar Five and revealing that she recently experienced homelessness and only told a select few about it.
Rapping and singing her way through what we believe is the entirety of her debut album BLACK AMERICAN BEAUTY, J Bambii showed the packed-out Sleeping Village crowd the raw power of her voice all evening, accompanied by a stellar 4-piece band and Renzell holding it down on the decks. The album still doesn’t have a release date—J Bambii prefers to go at her own pace and won’t half ass anything—but we’re already considering it one of our most highly anticipated albums of 2025.
The revival of Adamn Killa (Real Recap)
Say what you will about Adamn Killa but we should be talking more about his resurgence in 2024.
After publicly falling out with former collaborators Drain Gang and spending $20,000 on a Lil Uzi Vert feature that Uzi refused to clear, no one would have blamed the Chicago native for calling it quits with music and focusing on providing for his family. But after a brief hiatus, he’s stormed back into relevance this year by any means necessary, whether it’s a string of free shows at local high schools, battling to get to the top ranking on Cameo and delivering an endless stretch of social media posts with raunchy captions. Most importantly, he’s making catchy music that people are resonating with and you can tell that he truly cares about his fanbase.
On Saturday night, Adamn could see that his work paid off. While Subterranean was far from full, nearly all of the 75-100 fans who showed up were die-hards, battling to get to the front, rapping along to several of his new songs and racing to the merch line once he announced he’d be taking pictures with everyone after the show.
If Adamn keeps this up, he could be in store for an even bigger 2025. We’ll be watching closely.
COLORS: TONES of NYC (Real Recap)
On October 11th, I had the privilege of attending COLORS' ‘TONES OF NYC’ event at the Knockdown Center, a night dedicated to celebrating musical diversity and creativity. The event featured a stacked lineup consiting of chlothegod, Bellah, Mustafa the Poet and Moses Sumney. Each artist provided their own tonal soundx that captivated the audience from start to finish. Unfortunately, I missed the opening set from chlothegod, but learned from my friend Isa Reyes that she delivered an electrifying performance. According to Isa, chlo brought an unmistakable energy that set the tone for the evening, which says a lot considering that she was only able to catch her final song.
When Bellah took the stage, she brought a slice of the UK’s flourishing R&B scene to New York. Dressed in a striking black-and-white painted coat, Bellah’s style and confidence were on full display. Her stage presence was magnetic, her vocals rich and soulful, and she injected a dose of humor while transitioning between songs, making her performance feel both intimate and engaging. Watching Bellah perform, I couldn’t help but reflect on the current state of R&B—some of the genre’s finest music is being made in the UK, and Bellah is clearly part of that movement. She spoke candidly about how UK artists are striving to make their mark in the US, a sentiment that resonated deeply given the challenges of crossing over into the American market. To showcase her versatility, Bellah also performed a smooth Afrobeats track, effortlessly blending different influences into her set and demonstrating her wide-ranging talent.
After Bellah’s set, the atmosphere took a notable shift with Mustafa The Poet's performance, which was aptly poetic. Mustafa's composure on stage was mesmerizing, not only in terms of his flawless breath control but also in the emotional depth his lyrics carried. Each word felt like it came straight from his soul, touching on the complexities of his hometown and personal experiences. What struck me most was his bold statement that music cannot escape political associations, as artists have a personal responsibility to amplify voices of virtue and truth. Mustafa’s message was powerful, reminding us that music has always been a vehicle for social commentary. His sound was equally as rich as his words, with soft, textured vocals alongside beautifully intricate guitar work. Even while recording or taking photos, I felt entirely present in the moment, completely absorbed by his stunning performance.
The night culminated in a breathtaking headlining performance by Moses Sumney, who delivered a set that can only be described as extraordinary. Sumney’s band was a force of its own, featuring jazz musicians playing trumpets, saxophones, and keyboards, while he himself took to the guitar for a few songs His vocal range was simply unparalleled—effortlessly switching between high and low pitches that appeared breathless. In terms of presence, Sumney moved gracefully across the stage, integrating choreographed dances while simultaneously composing live, directing his band to follow his lead. His connection with the crowd was undeniable, with audience members clapping and cheering at moments that typically wouldn’t warrant applause, a testament to the sheer impact of his overall performance.
Reflecting on the evening, I’m incredibly grateful to Jonas Weber for personally inviting me to this unforgettable event. COLORS, once again, proved why it remains one of the most culturally important platforms today. By curating these life-changing experiences for creatives, artists, and audiences alike, COLORS continues to push the boundaries of live music and inspire meaningful connections through genre-less sound and performance. ‘TONES OF NYC’ was not just a concert—it was a testament to the power of music to unite people, showcase global talent, and curate memorable moments of pure, unfiltered emotion.
femdot. Gives Back to Fans with “The 94 Cent Show” (Real Recap)
The seasoned Chicago rapper charged 94 cents for tickets and let fans pick the set list.
Flyer for "The 94 Cent Show" designed by Ruben Rodriguez
Unquestionably one of the most skilled rappers the city has to offer, Chicago MC femdot. has been releasing music for over a decade, earning the respect of the city many times over with a potent pen. But it was his 2019 single “94 Camry Music”—and the album of the same title—that propelled him to new heights. The single has amassed over 25 million streams on Spotify alone and since its release, femdot. has toured across the US; opening for the likes of Saba, tobi lou and redveil and recently competing his first headline tour.
Last year, femdot. played his biggest headline show of his career, at Chicago’s 750-capacity Thalia Hall. But the five year anniversary show for the ‘94 Camry Music’ album went in a more intimate, fan-forward direction, taking place at the 215-cap Schuba’s Tavern. Tickets were sold for a cool 94 cents. The cherry on top? The setlist was fully curated by ticket holders.
The show sold out in 4 hours.
A good chunk of the “94 Cent Show” setlist came from the recent “Free Samples” series but some tracks required a deeper dive into the vault. He noted that it had been years since he had performed certain tracks, such as 2014 cut “Crossroads,” which he prefaced by asserting “this is how people found out I could tell a story.” On the song, Femi paints a picture of himself getting wrapped up in selling drugs in high school, before pulling the curtain away to reveal that this was all what COULD have happened. “I could have sold dope / But I’d rather slang this hope,” he chants on the empowering chorus.
Midway through the show, something special happened that the crowd won’t soon forget. femdot. paused the music to invite two of his biggest fans onstage, Danny and Erica. He told the crowd that the couple has been fans of his for seven years, and had been to seven of his shows.
Fem passed the mic to Danny to “say a few words,” and after a brief buildup, Danny proposed to Erica, who gleefully accepted. You can watch the clip on our Instagram HERE.
After the fan selections, it was time for the main event: a front-to-back performance of the 94 Camry Music album. (I’d recommend checking out “Snuck to Matty’s” for more prolific storytelling.) He planned to close with 2019 single “Dilla Back” but chants for an encore resulted in one final performance of his biggest track to date, a fitting button on the evening.
Fans can pre-order the 94 Camry Music 5-year anniversary vinyl HERE.
CONCERT PREVIEW: KNEECAP Keeps the Irish Gaelic Language and Hip-Hop’s Radical Roots Alive
The irish hip-hop group is set to headline Concord Music Hall this Friday, September 27.
A few weeks ago, a couple friends and I decided to go to the movies to check out a film called KNEECAP just based off a recommendation and not knowing what to expect.
Set in Belfast, Ireland, the movie follows the (dramatized) origin story of its eponymous hip-hop trio comprised of two lifelong best friends/drυg dealers/aspiring rappers named Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara, linking up with a high school music teacher who ends up becoming their producer named DJ Provaí. What makes KNEECAP as a collective unique is that they choose to primarily rap in their Indigenous Irish language, which is considered an endangered language, and according to statistics, is only spoken by about ~6000 people living in occupied Northern Ireland.
As a quick history lesson, the United Kingdom has claimed Northern Ireland as part of its territory for over 800 years, despite the fact that, geographically, Northern Ireland is a part of the rest of Ireland. Sound familiar? It even reached a point from the 1960s-late 90s known as “The Troubles” where a guerilla war campaign was waged by the Irish Republican Army against British forces. To add additional context, one of the key subplots of the film revolves around the fact that the Native Irish people are organizing a massive protest just to have their language become officially recognized by the government, and then here comes this controversial rap group passing out free drυgs at their concerts and mooning their audience just to spite the British, all whilst incorporating themes of political rebellion and anti-imperialism in their songs— “Every word of Irish spoken is a bullet fired for Irish freedom.”
To be honest, I had no idea KNEECAP was a real, active group before watching their movie (did I mention that they also acted flawlessly in it as themselves?), but their story was so enthralling and ridiculously absurd that I found myself going down the rabbit hole of their lore. Now I’m dedicated to becoming their biggest American advocate.
Kneecap | Photo: Sarah Ellis for The Face
Earlier, I mentioned that approximately 6,000 people living in occupied Northern Ireland speak the Irish language, yet KNEECAP’s monthly listeners exceed 332,000 (and that’s just on Spotify). I personally believe that the revolutionary tongue is universally understood by all people living under oppressive regimes, whether its the British monarchy in Ireland, the fascist two-party system in the United States, or the apartheid state occupying Palestine. The members of KNEECAP are very well-aware of this fact as people who grew up under occupation, and as an act of solidarity with Palestinians, they pulled out of playing at SXSW this year due to the festival’s partnerships with the U.S. military and weapons manufacturers.
Sonically, their music consists of a blend of retro boom-bap production (listen to “AMACH ANOCHT” and “C.E.A.R.T.A.”) and electronic music (check out “Sick In The Head” and “Get Your Brits Out,”) so even if you can't quite make out the lyrics, you can at least bob your head to the beats.
In June of this summer, KNEECAP released their latest album Fine Art, and even if you find yourself struggling with understanding the content of their lyrics, just remember that a wise man once said: “no one knows what it means, but it’s provocative.” Well, if advocating for the liberation from tyrannical governments (and the occasional drυg trip) is wrong, then I don’t wanna be right.
Free Northern Ireland, Free Palestine, Free Puerto Rico, and free all political prisoners around the globe.
Kneecap will play their first ever Chicago show at Concord Music Hall this Friday, September 27. Tickets are sold out.
First In, Last Out: A Conversation with Shing02
And how Shing02's song "F.I.L.O" with Nujabes led to the founding of Real Ones
Photo credits: Alejandro Hernandez
On May 20th of 2004, an anime by acclaimed director Shinichiro Watanabe was broadcasted on Japan’s Fuji TV late-night slot. This project— titled Samurai Champloo— was the spiritual successor to Watanabe’s breakthrough series and cult classic Cowboy Bebop. Following a loose plot structure that takes place in Japan’s late Edo-period, it focuses on a young girl who embarks on a quest to find “the samurai who smells of sunflowers” after a fate encounter with two ronin (rogue samurai), who she hires as bodyguards for the journey. In the opening seconds of it’s introduction to the world, we hear a fuzzy, hypnotic loop, and about 20 seconds in, we finally hear the first words that introduces audiences to the entire series: “Sharp like an edge of a samurai sword, the mental blade cut through flesh and bone/Though my mind is at peace, the world is out of order…”
These words are uttered by Japanese rapper Shing02, backed by an impeccable production from Nujabes, a legend in his own right. This intro is titled “Battlecry,” and Shing02’s vivid lyrics set the tone for what would eventually become one of the most influential and underrated anime in the last 20 years.
This collaboration with two of Japan’s most significant contributors to hip-hop is just one of many between the duo, but it was this song that helped introduce their catalogs to Western audiences. Two decades later, Shing02 is still active and currently on a North American tour with world-class DJ SPIN MASTER A-1 and UK band OMA— an impressive bunch that likely covers your favorite rap songs from Kendrick Lamar to MF DOOM. On August 29th, they stopped at Chicago’s Subterranean in Wicker Park and expertly performed in front of a sold-out crowd that was one of the most electrfying shows I’ve attended all year. In fact, in terms of crowd energy, the only other show I’ve been to that could have matched it was Chief Keef’s homecoming set at Summer Smash. It didn’t matter what track it was from Shing02’s impressive discography, it seemed like every person in the room knew every word to every song. When they closed out with “Battlecry” though, the audience recited it from the depths of their soul, participating in a moment of collective catharsis.
I had the pleasure of covering the show for Real Ones, and following the incredible concert, I sat down with Shing02 for a brief Q&A which follows below. (some text has been lightly edited for length and clarity)
Q: First things first, how’s the tour been?
A: I mean the tour's been just magnificent in terms of crowd interaction, energy levels. We try our darn best to make each show unique, whether it be in the form of special guests or something that's kind of unscripted. We really try to make it memorable, you know. So at the same time, the show’s evolving, whether it's like my interaction with the band or the band's interaction with A-1, introducing a prop, you know, we're having a lot of fun with it. So it's all the in-between the shows, all the logistical challenges of traveling, lodging, and the merch, it's just a lot. But all that said, we've been doing this thing for like seven, eight years now, and then, I would say this year is the best that it's been in terms of teamwork.
And for the people reading this article who aren’t already familiar with you and your work— who is Shing02 and when were you introduced to hip-hop?
Well, my name is Shing02. I spell it S-H-I-N-G-Zero-2. I was born in 1975. I went to UC Berkeley as a young engineering student in the fall of 1993 and I fell in love with hip-hop. All throughout high school, I was just an avid listener of hip-hop cassettes, you know, like Del The Funky Homosapien, The Pharcyde, A Tribe Called Quest, Digable planets. I was just in love with that kind of a sample-based hip hop. I didn't know what was happening, but I loved what I was hearing. And, of course, I loved all the East Coast stuff too. I never had dreamt that when I moved out to college, I would actually see people my age doing it and also doing it at an extremely high level. So that literally changed my life, the fall of ‘93 and 93 ‘Til Infinity.
You just mentioned you went to school at Cal Berkeley. I also know you lived in the UK and in Tanzania. How has your experience living in different continents really shaped your worldview?
I'm sure culturally, it has impacted me quite a bit. Linguistically, I was thrown into a kindergarten that only spoke English and French, you know what I mean, and I had to adapt to a Japanese style when I went back to Japan. It was a lot, a lot to handle. But I would venture to say that as much as you move and as much as you meet a lot of people, you also have a lot of alone time because a lot of times you don't make permanent friends. So within that alone time, I discovered like drawing and things that were creative in nature that led to me expressing myself through music eventually.
So 20 years ago, a little anime by the name of Samurai Champloo premiered, and the very first voice that people hear in it is yours. Did you ever imagine the type of impact that the series would have?
Absolutely not. It aired in 2004, so I must have gotten the offer in 2003 and back then, you know, I just got a little like PDF of what the anime was going to be. And of course, I knew the director, Shinchiro Watanabe, and of course he did Cowboy Bebop, and that was quite popular in the underground, you know what I mean, but in early 2000, it wasn't like everywhere. But my mentor, Del the Funky Homosapien, was a big fan of a Cowboy Bebop. So that was like my perk. Like ‘oh, I can finally show my sensei that I'm doing something that he approves of,’ but little did I know that it would actually be distributed stateside at all. I thought it was gonna be some late-night anime in Japan, and that was it.
I feel like hip-hop— even before Samurai Champloo dropped— hip-hop always had an affinity for, like, Samurai [and East Asian] culture. I think of Wu-Tang Clan, GZA’s Liquid Swords album. And I know you have actual samurai ancestry in your DNA. So I wonder, in your opinion, why do you think hip-hop has such an attachment to samurai culture?
I mean, Wu-Tang is a great example, but that was like Shaolin Kung Fu, Chinese culture. And, of course, everything in Japan came from China during the feudal eras, and then Japan slowly started forging— for lack of the better term— its own culture, as far as sword making, as far as artistry, architecture, all of that, right. So, you know, as long as it's authentic, I think it's gonna connect. So whether it's through sampling authentic things or speaking from your authentic experience, I think it'll connect with the spirit of hip-hop that tries to keep everything like rooted in culture.
So, as you probably know, the Olympics had Breaking for the first time ever. Japan won the inaugural gold medal for it. So I was curious what was the hip-hop scene in Japan like when you were first introduced to it compared to what it's like now?
I mean, when I was introduced to it, of course, it was early ‘90s and the rap game was definitely not as developed as now, but Hip-Hop had been introduced honestly around the same time that everybody was exposed to it through Wild Style, you know. So we already had legendary producers like DJ Krush, DJ Honda, among others that were making waves worldwide. So those were like our role models, if you will. And even before I picked up the pen, I would be writing rhymes over DJ Krush beats and listening to Mo’ Wax and all of that, like really experimental stuff. You know, that's what really inspired us.
This next question is about your writing style. I feel like your lyrics are very philosophical and metaphorical. Just how do you approach writing your songs?
Well, for me, 99 times out of 100, I just listened to the track and vibed out to it. So of course, we all grow up freestyling and battling, all of that, and like the most of the songs that people are familiar with, like, as far as the “Luv (sic)” series, it's kind of written in character to somebody I feel has an affinity to the vibe of the song. It's almost like acting, not fake acting, but like method acting. So that's like a very similar character that I fall into when I wrote those songs, when I recorded those songs, and also when I performed those songs. So I think the best kind of rapper, or best kind of emcee, is like a chameleon like most actors are. You're able to adapt to the beat.
Then I know you produce under the name Vector Omega. Is your approach to producing any different to songwriting?
Well, I'm kind of surprised you know that, but that is the name that I chose for about 20 years because the reason was I didn't envision me in print produced by Shing02. I wanted Shing02 to be a MC and MC only. But I mean, speaking of making beats, everybody did it around us. So I kind of fell into a unique methodology because I picked up a Kurzweil, for the machine nerds out there, picked up a Kurzweil sampling keyboard. It was called a K2-VX. So I was sampling everything and anything I could get my hands on. And that's how I produced, like, my first three or four albums. And it's game over once you get into that. And also, eventually I got tired of the limitation, and I wanted to be able to speak to other live musicians, so I started learning music theory, started picking up any kind of instrument synthesizer I could get my hands on, and started learning how to mix and dub mix, and that was my whole style.
Shing02 embracing a fan after pulling them on stage to help perform a song.
How do you find your inspiration?
I mean, just like anyone else, I think anything that is fresh to you– whether it's fresh meaning dope or fresh meaning new– then that will give you some kind of a curiosity that you want to learn more. So a lot of times, I think if you're in the music game or hip-hop game, you kind of fall into a formula, and you kind of keep going back to the same way you make beats, same way you rap, same way you record. But I think it's quite important to keep incorporating new things, or keep incorporating new blood in your work.
So for this next question, the media company that me and my friends run, it's called Real Ones, but our sister company is actually called Project FILO, which was directly named after the song “F.I.L.O.” So I just wanted to ask, how did that song come about?
Well, I do explain it on stage quite often, but F.I.L.O is a computer terminology for “first in, last out,” which is the order of how commands are received and executed. So imagine, like a food order, first in, last out is actually quite inefficient because the first order you receive is going to be going out last because the last order you received is going to be going out first. How fair is that? But in terms of some prompts and commands, that is something you have to do. You know, sometimes you have to listen to the latest request and execute it before going back to what was in the buffer, you know what I mean? I hope that's not too technical. But on stage, I always try to refer to it as, ‘hey, look at this building. There's somebody who came in first and is going to leave last to walk out the door.’ So you got to respect the founders of this culture.
And then, before we start wrapping up, just how did you link up with OMA?
So I linked up with OMA about a year ago… I went to London, and I hit them up, and then they answered fondly, and then we did a little jam at their barbershop studio where they work with other famous artists that want to play with them. And here we are a year later. Also, sorry, my thoughts are everywhere. March of 2024 was the 20th anniversary [of Samurai Champloo] as you just said, so Crunchyroll, owned by Sony, also started by UC-Berkeley graduates originally, they were nice enough to fund the whole concert so that we could all fly out there together. So that was a huge opportunity for us. So I was like telling them early in the game, ‘we really need to set up a club gig outside of the award show.’ And then legally, they couldn't do it, but we tried and rallied around to make it happen. And then that's the concert that you see on YouTube, and then that led to discussions of a tour. And now here we are.
Who are some artists that you've been keeping an eye on that maybe we should that should that should be on our radar?
Jack The Rip, my album collaborator, and of course, OMA and Oscar, he's a great producer as well. Yunsheap, there's another young producer. Champion Xegg, that walked in [tonight’s show], who remixed our tracks. So talent is everywhere, you know what I mean? So it's really up to us to reach out to the bring new talent.
What should fans expect from you moving forward in terms of music?
We have a lot of back catalogs that me and Jack need to put out. Yeah, I publicly apologize for the delay, but it's gonna happen. So we just gotta be invigorated when we do it.
I know most people probably know you through your collaborations with Nujabes but of course, you‘ve worked with others. You mentioned Uyama Hiroto [on stage] earlier. Substantial is another one. What's your relationship like with all those guys?
Yeah, it's extremely good. You know, like on the record, I can't really talk much, of course, it's been quite difficult trying to process Nujbaes gone and how to handle his catalog, and it's been very, very, very difficult. But the camaraderie and the brotherhood is always there. We have never had issues with each other.
Any final words?
Peace. Thank you so much.