Shareef Abdur-Rahim dropped by Scoop B Radio. Photo Credit: Image: The Big Lead

Shareef Abdur-Rahim discusses the 1996 NBA Draft class with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson while on Scoop B Radio. Press Play Below to Listen!

Retired NBA All Star Shareef Abdur Rahim had a decent career averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds in 12 NBA seasons. Drafted with the third pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the then-Vancouver Grizzlies, Abdur Rahim was an All NBA Rookie First Teamer.  

There was a glut of talent in that 1996 draft class that includes Hall of Famer, Allen Iverson and future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant.

Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Marcus Camby, Jermaine O’Neal, Antoine Walker, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Peja Stojakovic round out that list

Many remember SLAM Magazin’e’s iconic cover with those names.

“Kobe was the last one to finish but you’re starting to see most of the guys finish with Hall of Fame careers,” Shareef Abdur-Rahim told me on Scoop B Radio.

While the ‘96 draft class was electrifying, so was the 1984 draft class that included mainstays like: Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon and John Stockton.

The 2003 NBA Draft class was also impressive. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh headlined it.

Slam Magazine’s ’96 Draft cover. Photo Credit: Ball Is Life

Abdur-Rahim acknowledges that there’s a lot of talent in ’84 and ’03.

But does he have a favorite?

“I think it’s really difficult sometimes to rank eras,” he said. “But I guess because I was in the 1996 draft, I rank it the best.”

Abdur Rahim would suit up for the Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings during his 12 year NBA career.

His best statistical season came during the lockout shortened 1998-99 season where he’d post 23 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1 block per game.

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The post Shareef Abdur-Rahim says he ranks his ‘96 NBA Draft class over 1984 & 2003 NBA Draft classes appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony and RESPECT.Magazine managing editor Brandon ”Scoop B’ Robinson. Photo Provided By: Ismael ‘Calligrafist’ Sayeed of Calligrafist Photography

The New York Knicks have not played a regular season game since their 114-113 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on April 12, yet they’re still front page news.

Two weeks ago, the orange and blue fired Phil Jackson as Knicks team President. Over the weekend, former Cleveland Cavaliers GM David Griffin removed his name as Jackson’s successor. According to ESPN reports, Griffin had difference of opinion with Knicks ownership over how much control he would have over basketball decisions.

The icing on the cake?

2013 Knicks draftee, Tim Hardaway Jr., played the role of prodigal son after averaging 14.5 points and 2.3 assists in 27 minutes per game as a part-time starter for the Atlanta Hawks. Last week Hardaway Jr. signed a four-year $71 million deal with the Knicks. Despite that signing, online sportsbook TopBet predicts crosstown rivals Brooklyn Nets will finish next season better than the Knicks.

This ushers in the question: Was Tim Hardaway Jr. brought back to the Knicks to replace currrent star Carmelo Anthony?

If that is the case, Hardaway Jr. will have a lot more fun playing under current Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek than he did playing under former Knicks coach Derek Fisher. My sources told me that during Hardaway Jr’s first stint in New York, he bore the burden of being the son of NBA legend Tim Hardaway Sr. I’m told both both Fisher and Hardaway Sr. weren’t the best of friends during their playing careers in the 90s and at times Fisher took that frustration out on Hardaway Jr.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, before being fired as team president of the Knicks, Phil Jackson openly discussed his want to ship Anthony to another team. Anthony, for the record put up decent stats, averaging 22.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season. It has been widely reported that Anthony, who has one year remaining on his current contract, is willing to waive his no-trade clause if he’s dealt to the Cavaliers or the Rockets.

On Sunday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, reported that the Knicks have a “renewed willingness” to make a deal that would send Anthony to the Houston Rockets following their acquisition of Hardaway Jr.

Anthony has always contended that New York is what he loves since arriving to the Big Apple in a blockbuster trade with the Denver Nuggets in 2011.

Before signing his five-year, $125 million max deal with the Knicks in the summer of 2014, Anthony sought out the services of brand strategist and consultant, Ben Ricciardi. Ricciardi, the CEO of the Burbank, California based Times 10 brand agency, has been trusted to spearhead roll-out brand initiatives with everyone from Adidas, Nike, the Houston Rockets’ James Harden and others.

In an interview with Scoop B Radio on Friday, Ricciardi, an expert and trusted authority of late via his expert analysis about Uber’s ousted CEO Travis Kalanick said that in 2013, he suggested to Anthony that he needed to show his connectedness to New York City through visual campaigns via social media. After all, Anthony was born in Brooklyn and lived in the borough throughout his teenage years before moving to Baltimore.

#TBT a couple of years ago this commercial with @carmeloanthony helped us grow to a whole different level. Big shout out to @whoischristianvazquez! Also amazing job by to business partner and CCO of @Times10 @mistermichaeladrian. #bentimes10 #carmeloanthony #times10

A post shared by Ben Ricciardi (@bentimes10) on Apr 6, 2017 at 6:57pm PDT

Last week, a video clip of Anthony’s workout with his trainer, Chris Brinkley littered the internet. The video showed Anthony running in the park at 2 A.M. Also last week, another video clip showed interim Knicks President Steve Mills and his Knicks staff chuckling at Anthony’s workout while seated and watching hoops at the NBA’s Orlando Summer League. ESPN’s Ian Begley stated that the Knicks declined to comment on the matter, making it difficult to know what, exactly, was going on at the game.

Knicks executives laughing at Carmelo’s workout tapes is all you need to know about that situation pic.twitter.com/43oGvgf278

— 12up (@12upSport) July 2, 2017

While that drew attention, Anthony’s on-camera off season routine is nothing new. Anthony’s ‘Define Yourself,’ a campaign that detailed how Anthony was changing his body and changing his shape was a fan favorite. According to Ricciardi, the concept all began over lunch with Anthony. “I’m hearing how hard he works and he’s working all through the night, every day on his game, on his body and redefining himself,” Ricciardi told me on Scoop B Radio.

Check out Ben Ricciardi and Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on Scoop B Radio

 

“I went to him and said: ‘man, like, the world doesn’t know this and the world needs to know why you’re staying in New York.’ You were born in Red Hook and you grew up in Red Hook until you were 13 years old. Everyone thinks of you as a Baltimore kid, but really you’re a New York kid and this is your hometown, and you were raised in Red Hook.”

Ricciardi added:

“Secondarily, people think of you as lazy, they think of you as not working hard and I’m seeing you grinding on your shot, working every day, working with your coaches, working with your trainers, we need to get that out there to people.”

The experiment worked. Anthony’s workout routine has been legendary. In the summer of 2014, he shed about 30 to 40 pounds by cutting carbs and meat from his diet and dedicating to his workout routine. “It wasn’t more about my diet, it was more about the training that I was doing and really pushing myself to that limit,” Anthony told me after his weight loss.

Anthony has been adamant about his loyalty to the Knicks over the years. He told a room full of kids at his annual ProCamps basketball camp: “My window is closing, so I’m trying to get this championship to New York ASAP.”

Ben Ricciardi. Photo Credit: Instagram

Ricciardi and Anthony also collaborated on a visual called ‘This Is Why I Stayed,’ a visual that explained why he chose the Knicks over the Houston Rockets and other teams who were courting Anthony back in 2014. “That piece came out incredible and actually ended up being played Opening Night on all the jumbotrons at Madison Square Garden after the first timeout.”

A six time NBA All Star, Carmelo Anthony, 33 was the NBA’s scoring champion in 2013. Anthony holds the record for the most points scored by a Knick at Madison Square with 62. He’s also a three time USA basketball Olympic gold medalist.

The hardest part of working with Melo may surprise you: “He goes back and forth whether he wants people to see stuff or not,” said Ricciardi. “The stuff came out amazing but he’s always wishy-washy, which you get from celebrities, athletes and people like that. One day they’re all excited and gung-ho and then the next day they’re like: ‘I don’t know if I want the world to see this.’”

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The post Scoop B: Meet Ben Ricciardi, The Brand Strategist Who Pushed Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony To Boast His NYC Roots appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Los Angeles Clippers guard, Jamal Crawford has been in the NBA for 16 years!

Time flies when you’re having fun.

Drafted out of Michigan in the 2000 NBA Draft, Crawford is revered for his smooth ball handling ability and crafty scoring. That combo has won him three NBA Sixth Man of The Year awards.

Although a member of the Clippers, many folks out east remember Crawford as a member of the New York Knicks.

One guy who remembers J-Crossover’s talent is the man who traded for him, NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas. Thomas, once the Knicks’ President and head coach, had a keen eye on the Rainier Beach High School product. “I had followed Jamal since he came from Seattle to Michigan,” Thomas told me by phone on a recent episode of the Scoop B Radio podcast. “And I thought: a 6’6” guy with handles.”

Crawford’s best statistcal season came during the 2007-08 NBA season while with the Knicks. He averaged 20 points and 5 assists in 80 games for the orange and blue. “His body was just, his game was ahead of his body, if that makes sense; like the things he was trying to do out on the floor,” said Thomas.

“He was seeing the right things to do. You knew he was mature. And over the last couple of years, once his body caught up with his game, I mean, he’s been swinging points whenever he wants to.”

Hey did you see Crawford and DeAndre Jordan’s chemistry last night in the Clippers’ 120-108 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder yesterday?  It was a thing of beauty!!!

Remember Jamal Crawford S. Carter Reebok Sneaker Commercial? 

At one time, the Knicks had a roster that included Crawford, Stephon Marbury, Zach Randolph, David Lee, Wilson Chandler, Nate Robinson, Channing Frye, Steve Francis and Trevor Ariza. That’s a few championship rings, NBA All Star appearances and Slam Dunk Contest trophies attached to those names.

Disappointingly, the formula didn’t work out.

In a day and age where teams build through the NBA Draft like the once intact Oklahoma City team that included Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, as well as the current ‘Trust the Process,’ Philadelphia 76ers.

Imagine if that Knicks team had stayed together. “They were all under the age of 27 and that was a young team,” said Thomas “Had they been able to stay together and flourish, that would’ve been a pretty good team in the East.”

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The post Isiah Thomas on Jamal Crawford as a Knick: “You Knew He Was Mature” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Steve Smith was an assassin.

A fourteen year NBA vet and now an analyst on Turner Network, back in his hey-day, dude could shoot the lights out.

As much as folks rave about the Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry getting just about any shot on the court, I’d place my hand on the Bible, Torah and the Quran and would testify that Steve Smith had the green light in his playing career too. He put up solid numbers during the 997-98 season: 20 points and 4 assists to be exact. That 50-32 Atlanta Hawks team, led by head coach Lenny Wilkens was a force to be reckoned. The NBA’s Most Improved player that year, Alan Henderson along with Christian Laettner, Mookie Blaylock, Tyrone Corbin and Eldridge Recasner would lose 3-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the Charlotte Hornets.

Check Out Steve Smith sharing anecdotes on Scoop B Radio on athletes becoming college grads, his mentor during his NBA playing days and more on Scoop B Radio 

During his NBA career, Smith would win the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship would go on to win a championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003. An NBA player respected in the highest regard and now on television, Smith is impressed with the NBA’s current stock of players, particularly, Curry and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James. “My uncle use to say: ‘He gets it, those two get it,’” Smith said of Curry and James.

Smith is also philanthropic. He donated 2.5 million to his alma mater, Michigan State in 1997 to fund the Clara Bell Smith Student Athlete Academic Center. The academic center, named after his mother, is the largest single donation by a professional athlete to his former school in history. Part of his $2.5 million was dedicated to create the Steve Smith Scholarship for Academic Achievement. In 2001, Smith donated another $600,000 to fully endow the scholarship, which provides a four-year academic scholarship to one student per year from Smith’s former high school, Pershing High School in Detroit, Michigan.

Enjoy the podcast and also check out the Scoop with Brandon Robinson CBS recap on Steve Smith in it’s entirety.

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The post Scoop B Radio: Turner Sports’ Steve Smith Talks Career, Philanthropy & Television appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photo by
Martin C. Pariseau ©

Kevin Celestin uploaded his first track, “Voices from Heaven,” onto Soundcloud almost a year and a half ago. Since then, the Montreal based, Haitian-born producing machine has earned more than 13  million plays off of his signature style of fruity loop beats. Barely two years into the game, this 21 year-old has made his mark by seamlessly mixing  elements of hip hop, R&B,  black soul, and electronic music into groovy jams we just can’t get enough of. Maybe it’s because his impressive sample pool includes favorites like Janet Jackson, Amerie, K-OS, Robert Glasper, and Missy Elliot? Or maybe it’s because his last music video, “At All,” finally gave us a reason to get up and go to the gym? Either way, this young talent has a lot to offer and his fans are more than eager to pick up everything he’s putting down. If you’ve managed to catch him live during the past year, we’re sure you can agree that 2014’s breakout producer, Kaytranada, is definitely not one to be slept on any longer.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

Which one of your upcoming tour dates are you most excited about?

I’m excited to go to Europe. Actually this weekend I’m doing the Wildlife 2014 show with Disclosure , so I’m pretty excited about that. The do-over for the Coachella after party- I don’t know when its happening, or whats up with that- but I’m really excited for that show too.

Is tour wearing you out right now? You’ve been on the road almost all year!

Yup, but I’m having a break right now. I’m just chilling for the next three more months.

What’s your favorite part about performing live?

I don’t know. I really love having a good crowd response. I don’t really have a favorite part about mixing except for just playing around and doing stupid stuff. The fact that I can do whatever I want is great. Just playing with two songs at the same time and getting a good transition is pretty cool. But definitely the crowd is my favorite. I like it when the crowd gets hype and has a great response.

What are your secrets to keeping yourself a awake and alive with such a crazy tour schedule?

I don’t even know- maybe just drinking water. I started drinking water for the last two months and it really helped me get back.

Wait, you never drank water before?

Yeah, you know, the way I eat and the way I drink is not really healthy. Just having water has really helped me.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

I know you were in Brooklyn in the fall for the Electronic Music festival, and you were also there recently recording “My Block” for Mobb Deep’s new album. How do you feel about Brooklyn as a music center right now?

I really love Brooklyn. I wanna live in Brooklyn, but its way too expensive. It’s about money right now, so I can’t live in Brooklyn. But I get excited every time I come to Brooklyn- just New York in general.

Any crazy stories from the last time you were there?

Not really much. Pretty much the fact that we partied. There was this weird after party in my hotel after the festival. Its not really a big story, but in the other room Tommy Kruise was chillin, having another after party and we got to go back and forth. Its not really a crazy story, but it was fun.

I heard you used to dance and draw before you were completely committed to music. What kind of dancing were you doing?

I was just doing Hip Hop dances, you know, back when the Harlem Shake was hot. I’m still the Harlem Shake god, I’m lot gonna lie. And you know when Jersey club dances were really hot?  They’re still hot, but you know, when there was a lot more excitement about dances like the sponge bob and stuff.

What kind of art were you into?

I used to draw a lot, I used to dance a lot, and I was really into every kind of art. I was growing up listening to music with my dad- whatever he would listen to- and he used to paint, too, so painting was really interesting to me. Really any kind of art was interesting to me- dance, music, whatever.

Are these things you still get to play around with in your free time, or are you still too busy with music now?

I feel like I’m not doing anything at all right now [laughs]. I’m off of tour and I’m really just chilling. I’m not doing much production, even though I try to be creative. My creative block is really hard to get over. Sometimes I go to other people’s studios to try and collab with other producers. Actually that’s what I’m thinking about right now. I don’t do any other types of art. I wish I could get back into drawing and painting- all the other types of art I used to do- but music really just took over everything.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

What do you usually do when you have creative block? What are your rituals or pick me ups?

I’m always looking for inspiration. So I’ll go to other people’s studios, not to bite their style or anything, but just to see them making beats. That really inspires me as well. I also listen to brand new records- like a Brazilian sample or another type of foreign sample will inspire you to make a beat or any kind of new stuff. I just keep listening to stuff I’ve never heard before.

What are favorite places to crate-dig in Montreal?

My favorite is called Aux 33 Tours and its great. They have a lot of secret jams in there, and a bunch of Montreal stuff. I just got into the Montreal jams. I never dug into there and I never new they had some crazy shit.

Really?

Yeah they do

No, I’m not surprise they have great music from Montreal; I’m just surprised that you were never into Montreal music. So what did you usually dig for before you started looking up music from Montreal, just American music?

Yeah, just soul music, new wave. I never really checked the soul music for sampling, I just really like to listen to soul music on my own. For sampling I just checked on the grooves, new wave, psychedelic rock. In Montreal I’ve been sleeping on the Canadian stuff, but I’m learning that they do have a lot of crazy good stuff.

What do you usually order when you go to La Banquise?

Oh, I’ve never been actually, I know it’s crazy! I always plan on going after I party or something, but I’ve never been ever in my life. No one ever wants to go when I want to go, so I always go to this other spot that’s sort of looks like La Banquise. My friend went and he told me its not all that, so whatever. It is the most talked about spot. I’m sure it’s one of the best in Montreal for poutine.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

How do you get inspired when you’re looking for cover art for your music?

I just get inspired by old records and the fact that they used to draw and make illustrations for covers. That’s what inspires me to make covers with illustrations.

Do you make all of your cover art?

I used to back in the day when I used t make the beat tapes; you know, just an easy photoshop effect and that’s what I used to do with the beat tapes. Now I’m just trying to do photographs with a cool lens or a rare picture. I just like covers without the title.

Some of my favorite covers that you have is the “Massively Massive” cover with the sloth and everything, as well as the “Charles Barkley” cover. Both of those were covers for The Celestics. Can you talk a little bit about the Celestics and your music relationship with your brother?

Yeah, The Celestics is something that we planned way back before the Kaytranada thing got big. We wanted to be famous together, and eventually that didn’t happen. Now we’re trying to make that happen with the next mixtape we’re working on. It’s called “Supreme Laziness,” and it’s about to be a good album. It’s going to show a lot of what I was doing on the hip hop site, because lately I’ve been dropping more electronic stuff and that’s what people know me as. But I’m still on the hip hop tip and I’ve just been saving all of the good beats for my brother for this project. I really want this project to be big.

Is your brother older or younger than you?

He’s younger. He’s 19.

Are you the oldest?

No my two sisters are the oldest

You have one video on your YouTube channel right now, “At All,” which is hilarious. What was it like working on that video project?

The video idea and concept came from my friend Martin Pariseau. He did the Tommy Kruise video, the brand new one. He came up with the idea for the muscle girls and the whole thing about it. I wasn’t really down with the idea, but when we started filming I thought it was kind of nice, so I didn’t get made about it. Actually it was fun, getting carried by the muscle girls, and getting in the gym hanging out with the body builder girls. People in the gym were looking around us like, “Whoa, what is going on?,” but it was a really fun day.

Any more videos you’re thinking about doing in the future?

Yeah, I’ll probably do more videos by the same director maybe, because he has a lot of good ideas. I would definitely like to do Celestics videos with him. He’s a good director, you should check him out.

I heard you’re a basketball fan, is that right?

Yeah, I’m really into the vintage basketball.

What’s your team?

Back in the day I loved the Celtics with Larry Bird and everyone in there. Also I like the Atlanta Hawks but really it’s not about a favorite team. It’s more about how cool it was the NBA back in the day. I can’t really remember exactly how it was in detail, but I remember how much more exciting and raw it felt. The stories behind the vintage NBA thing, there’s some good stories in there.

Are you team Playstation or Xbox?

I have an Xbox at home. I wish it was a Playstation ’cause you know the Xbox has a lot of problems. Like in the last days of Xbox 360 you really wish you had a Playstation 3. My next console is definitely a Playstation 4.

Games?

Fighting games like Mortal Kombat. I’m still into the old school games. Marvel vs. Capcom, I got that on Gamecube. I’m more of a retro dude with the old school games and the wrestling games.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

What are you listening to right now on your Ipod?

I’m listening to Brazilian music right now like Bossanova. There’s this singer called Gal Costa and she’s really dope. And I’m mostly listening to that new Freddie Gibbs and Madlib record. I really love that album. I think it’s by far going to be the best album of the year, for real. I’m a big Madlib fan and I’ve been waiting for an album for years. So, I was really happy when it came out and its a good album.

Are you fluent in French?

Yeah I speak French and Creole. I have a French accent from Montreal. I really speak French at home; we speak French, Creole, and English all mixed together

Obviously you have a lot of support from Canada, but you also have a huge fanbase here in the States as well as around the world. How does that feel?

I don’t know, sometimes it just happens. I know a lot of people may not listen to Canadian music and underestimate it just because it’s Canadian. It’s really awesome that they like me, I’m not mad about that, especially because the American music really influenced me. It influenced the whole world really. So the fact that I’m in there and doing it, that means I did it right since Americans like me.

Do you really think people underestimate Canadian music right now, even with Drake and Justin Bieber and all that?

Yeah everyone except Drake and Justin Bieber. I’m talking about like Chaos, High Klassified,  Julie Black and all these other dope people. There’s more than just Drake and Justin Bieber.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

I know you got your first name, “Kaytradamus” from Nas’ album Nastradamus and then you changed it Kaytranada when Flosstradamus blew up first. Is Nastradamus actually your favorite Nas album?

I haven’t heard Nastramadus because everyone says its a wack album. That’s at least what I’ve heard.

You should check it out. It’s not my favorite either, though, but I like God’s Son after Illmatic.

I love God’s Son. Illmatic, I like it, but I don’t think it’s the greatest greatest album. I really like his newest album, too. Nas has problems picking good beats, that’s what bugs me with Nas, that’s it. But it’s okay because his voice is dope and whatever he says is ill. He has a nice flow, and God’s Son is probably one of my favorite albums from him.

What was the first album you ever bought?

My first album I ever bought with my own money was Clipse’s Lord Willin’ and it kind of changed my life.

Have you met Flosstradamus yet? Do you ever mention the name thing?

I saw them and they weren’t talking to me. They don’t know me, so I might as well not talk to them.

Photo by Martin C. Pariseau ©

What music production software do you use?

I’ve never changed it up, I’m still a fruity loops guy. I’m not gonna try anything else other than fruity loops right now.

How long does it usually take you to make your synths?

They actually take me a long time, because the way I work is kind of weird. I don’t have any midi keyboards and stuff, it’s all done by mouse and typing on the keyboard. I just take my time to get the perfect bass line and then add the synths. I just play roads to get the key in the chords right so I can create new melodies. I just change the preset and put my own signature synths and any other dope shit. All that is done in about 25 minutes because I usually take time with my cords.

How do u know when a song is finally finished?

It just depends how you feel [and] how excited you are over it. If you feel your beat and you’re like , “Oh this song is done, alright it’s perfect, ” that’s good. Sometimes it’s only half done or something and you just have you to work on that a little later. Or sometimes I’ll decide I’m just never going to work on it again and start something else.

Who do you want to collaborate with the most right now?

There are so many people I want to collab with, but Erykah Badu is definitely the main. Other than that, I don’t care. I just want people to understand me, so I can understand them and we can just click. The only other person I can think of is Madlib, but I know he doesn’t collab; he only collaborates with rappers not beat makers. Oh, and Flylo and Thundercat.

What are you excited about for the summer?

I’m gonna do a bunch of festivals. I’m also doing a European tour with Sango and Stwo in the beginning of July. Also I’m gonna do a bunch of festivals and looking forward to being home. Last year I just missed summer so I’m looking forward to staying home.

How was your family been reacting to your new fame?

They really like it. They didn’t really understand it at first. They didn’t want me to be just a DJ or a producer because they didn’t know what that means. It’s hard to explain to Haitian parents what that is. But eventually with the tour they see that that I’m out and touring, doing something serious. Then they saw the money coming in so they were like, “Okay you’re doing something great .” Now they can’t really say anything [laughs]. But they are proud of me.

I know you  said your brother is a rapper. Are there any other professional musicians in your family?

My dad used to be in a music group back in the day when I was a little kid. My dad was the singer and the group was called “Moustique” which means Mosquito. It didn’t really have big success. My mom used to sing gospel in churches and stuff like that. My sister is a singer, also.

Do you sing?

I don’t sing. I wish it could. I would kill the game. That’s my dream, but I can’t sing so it sucks. My sister used to play clarinet too. We all were involved in music. I think my dad kind of forced us, but now I really understand why he did that. Its really cool to have musicians in the family.

Who in your family are you most alike?

Really, only my brother. My sister is crazy like me, but we’re all crazy. My two sisters are the oldest.

If Jaydee was still alive what’s one thing you’d been dying to ask him?

Can I have your drums? [Laughs.] I don’t even know, I don’t know how he’d be. Actually, I wouldn’t even talk to Jaydee because I respect him so much and I wouldn’t want to bother him. It’s like me when I saw Pharrell at the airport.

You didn’t say anything?

I didn’t say anything but he nodded at me.

So, he knew who you were.

Yeah, he nodded and I said, ‘Hey’ and just walked away [laughs].

You still get starstruck?

Oh yeah all the time. Talking to those people, those childhood heroes, is surreal.

If you happen to be across the pond this summer, make sure you check out Kaytranada on his European Tour!

The post Interview: Kaytranada, Soundcloud’s Newest Star appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.