Interviews

LoKey

So I finally got the chance to sit down and have a little Pillow Talk with Chicago bred super producer Mr. LoKey himself. Standing 6 ft tall talented and hungry for what he deserves he plans to sweep the nation with heartfelt soul beats good music and clouds of potent smoke. With a long list of impressive hard hitting credits he doesn’t let the fame inflate him. “I don’t let that shit get me Tj its all love at the end of the day I’m working” We let a track play and his signature “lo key” ad lib bangs through the speakers. His work ethic is insane and his drive is nuts. It has to be hard to stay so genuinely humble but he takes the challenges, pressure, fame, and notoriety all in stride. His demeanor may be Low Key but his career and presence in the industry is loud obnoxious and demanding. When LoKey arrives at my house he shows the upmost professionalism and courtesy. “Take your time Tj” he assures me “but can I charge my phones” he smiles. Being the man in demand is a tough job but he appreciates it and he handles it with care. When I’m ready he perks up “you good Tj.” Finally ready after chasing my kids throughout my apartment I sit down beside him pat my hair apply my lip gloss and smile! Patient, cool, calm, and eager to share Lokey handled himself as every man should…

First and foremost let’s start with the basics. You’re walking around with the city literally on your back. Everybody knows you, if not by face defintely by word of mouth, but for those who may not know you let’s discuss the name. How did you get the name LoKey?? Man Lokey that’s pretty much who I am you know I don’t care too much for the spotlight I love making music and of course collecting the revenue so Lokey was something that just came about but of course I went through a couple of other names before getting it! Like what, tell us some of the other names? Aw man I don’t even wana go back that far but man I was going through some crazy names. I was naming myself after east side blocks like Merrill Ave man it was crazy

You along with a lot of other buzzing artist hail from Chicago’s south east side. There is a lot of new and exciting talent emerging from that area! Is there something in the water or is this a plan in motion tell us the secret?  I mean shit its really just the era that we’re in now aint nobody gon do it but us and Im guessing that everybody’s starting to realize that so we gotta put it all together. There are a lot of successful people that come from Chicago that’s not going to help us or showcase us as much as we may need so shit we just taking it ourselves you know. So is it like a pat on the back type of thing I help you, you help me? Yea of course you gotta support because Chicago is a hateful city no disrespect to my city but it’s hard to come up in Chicago but that’s the way it is so with the younger generation we need that unity and that’s pretty much it. So do you have any intentions on leaving? Naw hell naw! I use to feel like that but when I make it I’ll still be right here I might be on the out skirts but ima be home I’m not trying to leave!

So how did you become the go to guy? Take us back and tell us how you got your name out there? Just having that product, having that product that everybody wanted. Of course it started off over east with Meen Records shout out to Meen Records but just going from everybody hearing their music and asking like man who made the beat so it pretty much just came from that; people trying to reach out and work with me and me working with artist I took interest in and that’s how I linked up with people all over the city. But how did you hook up with Meen Records did you randomly tell people you made beats or what? Just basically word of mouth and as far as Meen Records it’s a funny story how we linked up but it all happened for the right reasons shit I met Tez which was their manager at the time and they was putting together Meen Records and we use to be in my momma basement man it was legendary! I think everybody starts in somebody’s basement right? Yea you already know shit!

You’ve said in recent interviews that you’re heavily influenced by Kanye West and for a little while you even tagged yourself to be Kanye East tell us about that and why the heavy comparison? That was in the early stages of my career! {laughs} I grew up behind a lot of soul music with my grandmother so I was into it heavy from being around her so much so of course when Kanye came out with the soul music it was like man that’s what im on Im doing the same thing so it stuck with me that was somebody I looked up to but you know you have to adapt with the way the music changes so that’s just one of my styles! So was it more of a mimic type of thing? Yea yea you know at first it was like a mimic you know trying to be like your idol but as time went on I developed my own sound.

Lets talk about the SSB brand. Smoke Sumn Bitch. Where did the name come from and what is the concept behind the brand? Man I don’t know where that shit came from. I don’t know its just something I came up with but what it is though is a mixtape series just as an artist would have a mixtape and release music me being a producer Im looking at it like I have to have the same grind if I wana get heard. I have to grind just like they do! So is it strictly beats? Yea its all production I did maybe 10 or 12 tapes. I have a couple of producers under me as well and I featured them on one of the tapes.

Tell me some things that inspire you. What gives you the drive to do this day in and day out? Wow what inspires me? Well of course my family my son that’s my family but shit just when I get positive feedback from the work that Ive been doing. You know it gives you an extra push so that fuels me as well but music is me its what I do I could stop doing it for months and then go right back at it like I never left. Do you rap at all? Naw naw no bars no bars! I got hooks for sale tho. Lol.

Ok so let’s get in to these impressive production credits. R.kelly, Waka Flocka Flame, Diamond formerly of Crime Mobb, Calico Jones, Bleu Davinci, and a host of independent Chicago artists LEP Bogus Boys, King Louie, Sly Polaroid, and Bo Deal just 2 name a few!! Wow!!! How does that make you feel? It’s a pat on the back but you gotta always stay humble! You’re just as good as your last best thing. You have a lot of produces breaking into the business that’ll do one big track for somebody and they’ll just be big headed about it. You might get on like that but theres a difference between arrogance and confidence you just have to stay humble. Yea that’s a nice list of credits I pat myself on the back but I never let it get to my head and that’s what keeps me current and rotating.

The production company Above Average, are you working with anybody or is it all you? Its all me. It’s a production company that I put together but I plan to extend it into other things, SSB mixtapes are under that line and its just a company looking to grow.

So do people recognize you at all now? Man I try to stay low key but ill meet some people and they’ve heard of me but they don’t know what I look like and I might be with an artist and they’ll say yea this is Lokey and the persons whole persona will change like aw man whassup but like I said I try to stay low key I want to still be able to do real life shit. So are there any groupies lurking around? aw shit I had to delete my facebook page they was hitting me up but that comes with the territory you just have to be prepared …So I take it you’re prepared? Yea of course you gotta be! But I appreciate everybody whose with me now I know whose real so I wont get caught up in that
 If you could design your perfect woman how would she look and what qualities would she possess? Its about somebody that’s self motivated. I’m not the type of person to sit around and just wait for somebody to do something for me so if I’m going to be with somebody I expect them to do the same thing. Of course you want somebody with a head on their shoulders, conversation nice, you know shit like that. Are looks a big deal? You’d be surprised about what you’ll find in some of these women but yea looks definitely matter especially because I’m on my above average shit you gotta be the part

I’m sure at your age you’ve been in love a time or two. What has the outcome of love been for you? Man I thought this was about the music Tj? Well of course it is but what is an interview without a little Pillow Talk? I don’t really know how to answer that but yea I’ve been in love before Has it tainted you in any way or has it made you push harder for what you want? Certain situations have motivated me to push harder as well as the love I get from certain people so yea love plays a major role

If you could choose any one of the songs you’ve produced to be the intro to your life what would it be??  I aint runnin by bo deal. I just did his single for his new tape the Chicago code, shout out to bo and the whole killa klan family .. Crazy story, I left bo with the tracks before I went to Atlanta one week, I come back man, the nigga had the song and a video done for it. That’s one of my favorites at the current time.

Who are some artist you’d like to work with? With my music I have a sound that will fit everybody. I don’t just make one type of beat so by me being so versatile I can work with pretty much any atist but some of my favorites right now would be Rick Ross and Jeezy artist like that but right now I’m focused on the artist that come from where I’m from because like I said earlier Chicago is trying to come together but there’s nobody giving our artist the right push

Have you worked with any R&B artist? Mannnnn I’m looking for one I’m looking for one right now. I have so much material but I just haven’t come across an R&B artist.

What projects are you working on right now? A lot of shit! I just did that new Bo Deal I Aint Running, Young Diesel Personal Trainer, YP, King Louie, shout out to F.L.Y Ent. Doe Boy and all of them. We got a full length project coming together with King Louie called Life with Louie, I also got a few projects with Calico Jones, and also Bleu Davinci

You mentioned YP I follow him on twitter and hes becoming a break out artist, what do you think is special about him is his work ethic different or does he represent Chicago in a different light what is it? See with YP I feel like he’s a soul artist. If I make some soul music that’s the first person Ill go to with it. Hes in touch with that and we have some real decent projects coming up. Do you feel like he woks harder than other artist? I mean hes just a real artist which seperates a lot . a lot of artist they talk about things but they not really doing it. He has music that you actually relate to. I respect his grind he respect my grind we linked up and made shit happen.

Ok so last but not least how can we reach you? You can reach me direct at (773) 960-5958 Hit me on twitter @keyaboveaverage or contact me through my website ssb.blogspot.com Hit me up but it gotta be bout business

Any final words? SMOKE SUMN BITCH