Coming from Birmingham, Alabama, hip-hop duo Shaheed and DJ Supreme have released two new music videos for “Jazz Men” and “Something To Ride To”, the latter coming from their recent album The Art of Throwing Darts. BMN had the pleasure of interviewing Shaheed and DJ Supreme, and that interview can be read below!
Who are your musical influences?
Shaheed: My musical influences are so many people. I will start with Prince, Michael Jackson, Dilla, James Brown, Rakim, Gangstarr, EPMD, DJ Supreme, Isley Brothers, and Al Jerreau, just to name a few.
DJ SUPREME: My biggest musical influence is my father Johnny Malone (R.I.P.). He was a great singer, songwriter, and producer. He wrote for artists such as A Taste of Honey, The Blackbyrds, and Brian Jackson, and worked with legends such as Isaac Hayes, Fred Wesley, and Carl Anderson. Everything I know about the music industry, I learned from my dad.
What was it like working with Eric Essix?
Shaheed: It was an honor and a pleasure to work with this legendary jazz artist. He is someone who is from our city and he is a master at his craft and is well respected in his genre and we grew up listening to him. So, to have a song with him is special and legendary. We showed the world how jazz and hip-hop sound in Birmingham, Alabama.
DJ SUPREME: Working with Eric was a dream come true. We talked about it for a while, then after doing a few shows with him, we sent some tracks, and he knocked them out. We’ve made history as the first ever jazz and hip-hop collaboration between artists from Birmingham.
What is the message behind “Jazz Men” and “Something To Ride To”?
Shaheed: “Jazz Men” is a tribute to the history of jazz and hip-hop collaborations and how great it is when you combine the two art forms together. Also, we named it “Jazz Men” because it fits our personality and music. “Something to Ride To” is an anthem for when you’re riding in your car or vehicle, or skating or bike riding. You can relax and chill while riding to it.
DJ SUPREME: For “Jazz Men” we just wanted to celebrate the legacy of jazz music and contribute to the extraordinary list of hip-hop artists that combine jazz and hip-hop. “Something To Ride To” is one of those classic joints for you to drop the top on your ride and cruise up and down the boulevard. No matter what kind of whip you’re pushing you can be inspired by “Something to Ride To.”
“Jazz Men”
Who or what inspires you?
Shaheed: My way of life, which is Islam, and my teachers who have taught me so many beautiful lessons about this life and how to navigate through it. I thank them for being patient with such a bad student such as myself. They inspire me to become a better person and human first, and an artist second.
DJ SUPREME: I get inspired by so many things. From listening to old music to watching a spider spin a web. Just living life inspires me.
How would you like your fans to feel when they hear “Jazz Men” and “Something To Ride To”?
Shaheed: I would like them to feel happy and liberated. These songs, I feel, can put you in a good mood. I was in great mood when I wrote them, so feeling and being in a positive state of mind and heart is a must.
DJ SUPREME: We always tell our listeners and fans to settle in, grab some green tea, and light some incense so they can vibe with us and feel the music.
“Something to Ride To”
Can you walk us through your creative process?
Shaheed: Our process is simple. DJ Supreme lays the instrumentation in a masterful way and then I either already have something for it or I come up with something based on the mood of the beat, but in the end, it comes out a masterpiece.
DJ SUPREME: We often label our music “Truth Over Beats”. In that tradition, I usually craft the beats and send them to Shaheed, and he will pair it with one of the wonderful manuscripts in his rhyme book. Normally his turnaround time is impeccable, and we end up with a hit on our hands.
How do you get past a creative block?
Shaheed: Keep climbing and keep striving and living. Also, meditating and contemplating helps me the most because I put my mind and heart in a place of remembrance of The Creator and all of the blessings we have been given.
DJ SUPREME: Go on vacation.
What's your favorite song off your new album, The Art of Throwing Darts?
Shaheed: I would say “Brainstorming” and “Something To Ride To,” with “Brainstorming” being my most favorite out of any song we have ever done.
DJ SUPREME: That’s a hard question. I can’t really name a favorite song. All I can say is I hope everyone enjoys the new album, The Art of Throwing Darts, featuring Akil and Chali 2Na from Jurassic 5, Percee P, Raheem DeVaughn, and Slug from Atmosphere. It’s in my opinion the best representation of our music to date.
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