Kasim Keto

Kasim Keto
Origin New York City
Genres Music, electronic
Occupation(s) Music producer
Instruments D.A.W., piano
Years active 2013–present
Labels Babygrande Records
Associated acts Roc Marciano
Website KasimKeto.com

Kasim Keto (born Brooklyn, New York) is an American Music Producer. He has collaborated with artists such as Roc Marciano, and in 2013 signed to Babygrande Records, releasing several singles. His debut album with Babygrande, Long Cars Rides, was released in December 2013. Clash Music gave it a score of 8/10, with reviewer Joe Rivers writing, "This largely instrumental record... evokes the golden age of hip-hop...however, nightmarish and unsettling sounds and samples ensure 'Long Car Rides' always remains the right side of Daisy Age nostalgia."[1] In 2014 Keto had three collaborative singles featured in the film Kid Cannabis.[2]

Early life

Kasim Keto was born in Brooklyn, New York. His parents, both immigrants from Jamaica, separated when he was small, and at about the age of six he spent time with his mother in Alabama and Florida, before returning to live in New York with his father. He predominantly grew up in Queens, New York,[3] specifically the multi-cultural neighborhood of South Jamaica.[4]

He has credited his father, who is from a West Indian background, with playing a wide variety of music while he was growing up, exposing Keto to genres as diverse as reggae, rock, and disco.[3] Keto wrote his first songs at the age of eight. He has recalled that around that time, "I can remember sitting in my living room and listening to music and the feeling it gave me was incredible… All I knew is that I wanted to spend the rest of my life trying to give people that feeling. It was the only thing that made me feel unique and like I had an ability that exceed my own life."[4]

As a student he was "always playing with music," tinkering with the piano and learning the basics of music production.[3] learning how to use professional audio gear at various project studios.[4]

Music career

Early production

Early in his career he released a number of official remixes. On July 5, 2013 he self-released the single "The Most Beautiful & Loving Thing In The World," a "gospel 'mix'" inspired by his son.[4]

In August 2013 it was announced he had signed to New York City-based Babygrande Records,[5] with his debut solo album in the works.[6][7] On November 4, 2013 he released "Long Way," his first single on Babygrande. This was followed on December 3 by "Bust the Work Down," a collaborative single featuring rapper and producer Roc Marciano that was released on A3C and iH2D. It was featured on the compilation album A3C Volume 3.

2013-14: Long Car Rides, singles

Keto's debut album Long Car Rides had originally been planned as a four-track EP,[8] but was extended after his signing to Babygrande.[3] He decided on the title while the project was still an EP, stating "the studio where I was recording was a bit of a drive away and when you’re driving it gives you time to just think... I wanted to create music that reflected this state of thoughtfulness."[3]

Long Cars Rides was released on December 30, 2013, with 17 instrumental tracks that combine "hip hop, jazz, and electronic music." The album's track "That's Why He Made" was "inspired by a friend who passed away tragically and her very turbulent love life," stated Keto. "I dedicated Long Car Rides partially in her memory. It incorporated hip hop, soul, R&B, jazz, rock and a little bit of electronica."[4]

Clash Music gave it a score of 8/10, with reviewer Joe Rivers writing, "This largely instrumental record... perfectly evokes the golden age of hip-hop with its prodigious use of old-skool beats. However, nightmarish and unsettling sounds and samples ensure ‘Long Car Rides’ always remains the right side of Daisy Age nostalgia."[1] It earned B+ from WeTheOpionated.com[9]

In 2014 Keto's music was featured in the film Kid Cannabis.[2] He is working on his sophomore album with Babygrande.

2015: The Collective:As Themselves

2015: Kasim is currently working with The Collective As Themselves On their debut material

Personal life

As of 2013 he is based in New York with his family.[1]

Discography

Albums

Albums by Kasim Keto
Year Album title Release details
2013 Long Car Rides

Singles

Incomplete list of songs by Kasim Keto
Year Title Album Label, date
2013 "The Most Beautiful and
Loving Nice Thing In The World"		 N/A Self-released July 5, 2013
"Long Way" Babygrande November 4, 2013
"Bust the Work Down" (ft. Roc Marciano) A3C Volume 3 A3C3/iHipHop December 3, 2013
2014 "Rat Race" N/A Babygrande February 17, 2014

Remixes

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Rivers, Joe (November 12, 2013). "Kasim Keto - Long Car Rides". Clash Music. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Kid Cannabis (2014) - soundtracks". IMDB. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Sherwen, Michael (December 19, 2013). "Feeder Magazine Interviews Kasim Keto". Feeder Magazine. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Kasim Keto". ClickZoomBytes. 2014-01-16. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  5. ↑ Paine, Jake (August 21, 2013). "Kasim Keto "Long Car Rides" Release Date, Cover Art & Album Sampler". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  6. ↑ "BabyGrande Records Signs Brooklyn Beatmaker Kasim Keto". RAPstation. August 29, 2013. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  7. ↑ B., Matt (August 25, 2013). "Babygrande Records Signs Brooklyn Beat Maker Kasim Keto". RapReviews.com. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  8. ↑ Sidahmed, Mazin (December 4, 2013). "Who Is Kasim Keto? An Introduction To Babygrande’s New Go-To Producer". KevinNottingham.com. Retrieved 2014-07-27.
  9. ↑ "Kasim Keto - Long Car Rides". WeTheOpionated.com. Retrieved 2014-07-27. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  10. ↑ Myriah, Carmen (December 3, 2013). "Kasim Keto – Rose Clique (Remix)". Home Grown Radio. Retrieved 2014-07-27.

Further reading

Interviews
Discographies

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kasim Keto.