“It cant all be all sudden death / We’re so much different than the rest / Just clear that desktop start fresh / Just let your seat back take a breath / You’ll find it’s worth it cause life ain’t perfect.”
That’s it. That’s the song.
I’m playing “Sudden Death” on my laptop while babysitting my 6 month old nephew. He’s bouncing to the track as much as I am. Accessible as it is unconventional. A pop song you’ll never hear on the radio. Classically Experimental.
If this is your introduction to Quelle Chris, you’re not alone. I’m always pleasantly surprised when I come across someone that knows about Mr. Jean Grae (doesn’t happen often). In fact, many more people know about his better half, a key contributor to the “Backpack Era” of hip hop in New York City, alongside artists like Talib Kweli and Pharoahe Monch, and working with respected producers like 9th Wonder and yes, Quelle Chris. This track is a great introduction to his style, even though the producer is another Chris, last name Keys.
Chris Keys, representing Oakland and the Bay Area, not only produces but plays a number of instruments, and listening to his beats you can hear the influence of legendary producer J Dilla and his soulful, lofi sound. “Sudden Death”, despite its title, is a bouncy departure from his more mellow vibe. A great gateway drug to discover his full discography.
The lyrics are simple, the beat palatable, 3 minutes and 41 seconds of “quit your job” music. You’ll find it’s worth it ‘cause life ain’t perfect. Even my baby nephew can get on board with that message.
You can learn more about Quelle Chris here:
You can learn more about Chris Keys here:
About the Curator - Ben Young:
Ben Young lives a life of polarity. He has split his life between the coasts: half his life on the West (California) and half on the East (Georgia and Virginia). He has pursued careers in the art world (film school graduate) and the corporate world (executive with Fortune 500 companies). And he is Biracial, the personification of being two things at once.
Ben’s musical influences were formed by music loving parents, raised in a world of John Coltrane and John Lennon, James Taylor and James Ingram, Huey Lewis and the News and Prince and the Revolution. Saxophones, electric guitars, synthesizers, and breakbeats filled the air Ben breathed from birth. And being born one year after the birth of Hip Hop, Ben has been joined at the hip with the genre his entire life.
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