Waajeed
{{short description|American rapper}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name = Waajeed
|image = Waajeed_(300dpi).jpg
|caption = Waajeed performing with PPP at Mighty in San Francisco, March 2009.
|image_size = 220
|background = solo_singer
|birth_name = Robert O'Bryant
|instrument = Keyboard
Sampler
Drum Machine
|genre = Hip-Hop, Detroit Techno
|occupation = Record producer
|years_active = 2000-present
|label = Bling47, Dirt Tech Reck
|associated_acts = Platinum Pied Pipers, Slum Village, J Dilla, Tiny Hearts, Dabrye, Dwele, Tiombe Lockhart, DEDE
|website = http://www.bling47.com
}}
Robert O'Bryant, also known as Waajeed is an American music producer from Detroit, and one half of the hip hop and R&B group Platinum Pied Pipers, and a founding member of Tiny Hearts.{{cite web|url=http://www.waxpoetics.com/wax-poetics-magazine/issue-55 |title=Detroit Lion |publisher=Wax Poetics Inc. |date=2013-06-24 |accessdate=2013-06-24}} He formed the Bling47 record label in 2002, which has released projects by J Dilla, Waajeed himself, and others. Since 2013, he has preferred the name Jeedo.{{cite web|url=http://potholesinmyblog.com/tiny-hearts-centerfold/ |title=Tiny Hearts – "Centerfold" [Video] |publisher=Potholes In My Blog |date= |accessdate=2014-08-09}}
Biography
=Background=
Before producing records, Waajeed studied art and DJed in and around the Detroit music circuit. He was a photographer in the hip-hop scene and designed the cover for Slum Village's "Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1)" and Fantastic, Vol. 2, among others.
Waajeed was an executive producer on Dwele's pre-debut project, Rize, which led to Dwele getting signed to Virgin Records. He has been a close friend of Slum Village, DJing for them and convincing the group to release their first album/demo, Fan-Tas-Tic (Vol. 1), choosing the group's name and introducing them to Elzhi.
Since his earlier records, Waajeed has shifted towards a "darker" sound which he explains in a 2013 interview. "People often ask me what my music is about and they see it as dark or bleak and yes, I do think it’s dark, but it’s also hopeful and optimistic. I make dark music to be a better person ... My music is dark because it’s a reflection of the times too. These are serious times we live in so even at its brightest moments there’s a taint to my work. What’s going on with all the gunplay – this is not a time for happy sing-along shit."{{cite web|url=http://www.dummymag.com/features/waajeed-interview-nobody-wants-to-be-legendary |title=Waajeed interview: "Nobody wants to be legendary." | Dummy |publisher=Dummymag.com |date= |accessdate=2014-08-09}}
=Career=
As a producer, Waajeed began in 2000 and landed a handful of tracks on his longtime friends, Slum Village's Trinity (Past, Present and Future) album. Waajeed's productions have led to him working with some of the industry's most respected artists such as Cee Lo Green,[http://bling47.com/site/cee-lo-green-all-alone-now/] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208051947/http://bling47.com/site/cee-lo-green-all-alone-now/ |date=December 8, 2013 }} John Legend, Mayer Hawthorne{{cite web|author= |url=https://vimeo.com/8027960 |title=The Making of Mayer Hawthorne's "Green Eyed Love" Waajeed Remix on Vimeo |publisher=Vimeo.com |date=2009-12-07 |accessdate=2014-08-09}} and more.
In 2007 he released an album called The War LP which included solo instrumentals as well as new production for Invincible, Tiombe Lockhart, TaRaach, and the late J Dilla.[http://www.popmatters.com/music/interviews/platnum-pied-pipers-050518.shtml] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070903231609/http://www.popmatters.com/music/interviews/platnum-pied-pipers-050518.shtml |date=September 3, 2007 }} Waajeed has been a featured guest on radio shows including KCRW,{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/cc/cc080607waajeed |title=Waajeed — Garth Trinidad — KCRW |publisher=Kcrw.com |date=2008-06-07 |accessdate=2014-08-09}} BBC Radio 1, and more. In 2010, he released a preview of his remix of DEDE (American Band)'s "Phantom" on Soundcloud.[http://soundcloud.com/jeedo47/phantom-waajeed-remix] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830060721/http://soundcloud.com/jeedo47/phantom-waajeed-remix |date=August 30, 2010 }} In 2011, he joined and co-founded music group Tiny Hearts with producer Tim K and vocalist Dede Reynolds of DEDE. In 2012, he established his second independent label, Dirt Tech Reck.{{cite web|url=http://dirttechreck.com/ |title=Dirt Tech Reck |publisher=Dirt Tech Reck |date=2014-02-09 |accessdate=2014-08-09}} He is currently working on new solo material, as well as a collaborative album with Invincible.
Discography
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.bling47.com Official Bling47 site]
- [http://dirttechreck.com/ Dirt Tech Reck official site]
- [http://www.redbullmusicacademy.com/lectures/waajeed--voices-from-within Waajeed RBMA video lecture session]
- [http://rbmaradio.com/ARCHIVE.153.0.php?extID=0&showID=297 RBMA Radio On Demand - Melbourne Marvels - Waajeed (Platinum Pied Pipers, Bling 47)]
- [http://soundcloud.com/majestic-mood/groove-merchants-radio-show-with-waajeed-interview Groove Merchant Waajeed interview]
- [http://therealfrequency.podbus.com/blog/2008/06/11/ppp-wajeed-interview/ The Real Frequency Waajeed Interview]
- [http://www.moovmnt.com/2008/05/21/waajeed-interview/ Moovmnt Waajeed Interview]
- [http://www.brooklynbodega.com/2010/07/01/salute-the-dj-waajeed-interview/ Brooklyn Bodega Blog Waajeed Interview]
Category:Hip-hop record producers
Category:Midwest hip-hop musicians