The “post-album-release” time is always a very special part of my process. I listen to feedback, re-listen to my songs with new insights, critique my weaknesses, focus on my strengths, and then begin planning a method to improve my music. But before going forward (here comes the cliche) I must always look back – to understand my motives, to check my impressionability, and to evaluate how well (or poorly) I’ve converted life into art.

So on this funky Friday, I figured it would only be appropriate to share the sounds that have funked our eardrums and birthed the first chapter of iB4the1.

Fela Kuti “Water No Get Enemy” + The Price Is Right = “Gentleman’s Kool-Aid”

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De La Soul “Trying People”+ Tilt = “The HereNow”

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OutKast “Da Art of Storytelling pt.2” + Drizzletron’s sanity (or lack thereof) = “Finding Emo”

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Black Eyed Peas “Alive” x Micheal Jackson’s passing = “Circus Nights”

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therefore, =

And that’s just the production. What say YA’LL, Drizz? N.I.C.? Ada?