Static Lives : Part 1 (of 2)

Currently on news stands right now is the December 2008 issue of VIBE magazine, which features a quality article on the late singer, songwriter, artist Static Major (born Stephen Garrett). Although much of his work in the music industry has been behind the scenes, he is one of my favorite artists ever. I will discuss his work more thoroughly in Part 2 of this blog entry series with a reprise of a tribute I put together shortly after the time of his passing.

Now, I want to focus on some quotes of interest from the VIBE article, which interviews various people who have known and worked with Static throughout his life:


Missy Elliott (artist): Static's relationship was like that of a brother to Aaliyah.

Rudy Sandapa (producer): Anytime Aaliyah heard one of Static's songs, she wasn't that keen on recording them. But she'd go ahead and record it, and it would end up being a smash, from "Are You That Somebody?" to "Try Again." Those were songs she didn't like.

Black (group member of Playa): "Rock the Boat" was the first Aaliyah video that we didn't go to. Nine times out of ten, we would've been on the plane with her.

Avonti Garrett (wife): Someone had sent Static a message saying that Aaliyah had passed, and he got really upset. He thought it was a joke. He said, 'Why would someone say something like that?' He called Jomo Hankerson (President of Blackground Records) and Jomo just started crying and said, "It's true." Static just stood there.

Bryan-Michael Cox (producer): "Are You That Somebody?" It ain't been a record like that since. Timbaland tried to do it with Justin Timberlake, but with no Static, that vibe ain't there. Sounds like Justin was listening to alot of Static when he wrote, "My Love." All them Timbaland songs, he channeled Static.

Devante Swing (member of Jodeci): I can tell how Justin moves, that's how Static moves, that's his swag. I study this game. I'm old, so I know where people get sh!t from.

Rudy Sandapa : Timbaland offered Static a songwriting deal, but he didn't want to rely on Timbaland to make him big. He wanted to do it himself, because he felt he never got the credit for the work he did with Timbaland and Missy. He would never admit he was hurt, but Static felt he was the reason for alot of careers.

Tim Barnett (childhood friend/assistant) : That's what made me fall out with Barry and Jomo Hankerson all the time. It's like, "How do yall have a man that yall suppose to manage, who's written all these big-@ss records, and yall can't even get him an interview??"

Lil D (manager) : Static was always upset that he never put out a solo album.

Play (of production duo Play-N-Skillz) : We were in the studio in L.A. when Static got the call that Lil Wayne wanted to work with him. Static didn't jump up and down or go crazy... but I could see him pace back and forth like, this is my moment.

Lil Wayne (rapper): His initial intention was to help. He's definitely to blame for my newfound success.

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The quotes in the article which touch on Static's final moments in the hospital, and reactions of close ones were really heavy for me. Reading that section hit a nerve for me.
See the full article at The Thomas Crown Chronicles below:
http://thomascrownchronicles.blogspot.com/2008/11/vibe-pays-tribute-to-stephen-static.html


But to touch on why I enlargened a certain quote above, I think that's crazy what Bryan-Michael Cox said...
because when the high-quality version of Justin Timberlake's "My Love" first leaked to the Internet years ago, the first thing I said to my friend Pri (who I had sent the song to) was that I totally hear Static's influence, and possibly background vocals, on this song.
**Shoutout to Pri: http://pusha-pri.blogspot.com/

Then when the FutureSexLoveSounds album came out and Static's name was nowhere to be found in the credits, I said that Timbaland definitely blatantly ripped the style of his FRIEND Static on that track.

THANK YOU BRYAN-MICHAEL COX for putting out our similar views in the open.
I'm so glad to know that I'm not the only one who thought this.

Part 2 of my Static tribute coming soon.


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