Static Lives : Part 2 (of 2)

This is a reprise of a tribute I composed on Facebook for Static shortly after his passing:

Stephen "Static" Garrett passed away February 25, 2008 in his hometown Louisville, Kentucky for reasons unknown at this time.

Static was a R&B singer in the group PLAYA, making his beginnings in the industry working with the likes of Timbaland and Missy Elliott under the wing of Jodeci member Devante Swing, but came to be known moreso for his incredible catalogue of songs that he wrote for fellow artists.

His big break-through for his song-writing career came when Timbaland had produced a beat for Aaliyah to do a song for the Dr. DoLittle soundtrack. Missy Elliott had been the primary song-writer to go to for most Timbaland productions and Aaliyah songs at this time. However, she was unable to make it to the studio that particular night, so Static volunteered his services. What resulted from there was "Are You That Somebody?"

Starting with this song, Static wound up writing FIVE consecutive number 1 hits for Aaliyah:
"Are You That Somebody?"
"Try Again"
"We Need A Resolution"
"Rock the Boat"
"More Than A Woman"


I just have to say for those of you who don't know,
Static has been one of my top FAVORITE artists/PEOPLE in the music industry for years.......ever since I got in the mind frame of saying that I had favorites!
And it's not just his impressive writing discography,
but I love him as a performer as well.
His voice [which is his namesake as you can tell when you hear him] is just so fuckin ill. or was just so fcvkin ill.
So unique.
Hard to imitate.
And when someone tries to, it just makes anyone who knows Static's work think that this other person is obviously biting his style...
Justin Timberlake "My Love" I'm talking to you
but I won't get into any negativity for now within this tribute post.

When I first signed online today, I made my rounds to the usual websites I visit right away including a message board where I see a post near the top saying something about "R.I.P. Static from the group Playa"
and I'm just like huh?
and in another tab open I have another board open that has a similarly titled topic as well. As I read those posts, it brought my mood down but not even to a point of complete sadness just yet because I was so dazed... the whole shit was surreal, I didn't know what to think or say. I had to instant message a friend this news not only to inform her, but also to make it real for myself.

This really is such a tragic loss, especially when death comes to anyone who has not yet lived a full life. But to make matters worse, Static was finally going to see his much-anticipated solo debut album be released this year too. And then this shit happens.

Static was a musical genius, a father, and husband.
This news disturbs me more than I can express in this note,
even moreso than I can think about in my own mind.

REST IN PEACE.

I have taken the time to look through my music collection as well as cross-reference internet sources to compile a discography of all the songs that he had a hand in making.
It's long...which just goes to show you how much work he's put in.
But I say it's long hoping that it doesn't scare you off.
Go ahead and read through it.
You just may find some of your favorite songs in there.

WRITING DISCOGRAPHY:

Aaliyah - Rock the Boat, We Need A Resolution, Are You That Somebody, More Than A Woman, Try Again, Loose Rap, Are You Feelin Me Yo, Never No More, I Refuse, It's Whatever, Extra Smooth, Read Between The Lines, Those Were The Days, Erica Kane, Don't Know What To Tell Ya, Steady Ground, Messed Up

Al Green - Could This Be The Love

Aura feat. Kanye and The Clipse - Crazy

Brandy - Come As You Are, Sirens

David Banner feat. Static - Crank It Up

Destiny's Child - Say My Name (Timbaland remix)

Devante Swing of Jodeci feat. Static - Gin & Juice

Diddy feat. Christina Aguilera - Tell Me

Digital Black of Playa - Meet Me, Set It Up, Halfway, I'm A G, Messed Around, Fell In Love

DMX and Aaliyah - Come Back in One Piece

Gerald Levert - #1

Ginuwine - So Anxious, Pony, Same Ol' G, What's So Different, Final Warning, Number 1 Fan

Hug Bizza feat. Static - Work Ya Body

Jamie Foxx - Can I Take You Home

Jay-Z feat. Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, Static - Change The Game

Jodeci - The Show The Afterparty The Hotel, Can We Flo, ghost writing/production

JoJo - City Lights, Use My Shoulder

Keith Sweat - Love Jones

Kiley Dean - Make Me A Song

Lil' Flip - I Came to Bring the Pain feat. Ludacris/Tity Boi/Static, I Stay Laced feat. Static

Lil' Wayne feat. Static - Lollipop

Ma$e feat. Monifah - I Need to Be

Mel B. of Spice Girls - Word Up

Nas feat. Ginuwine, Static - You Owe Me

Nicole Wray - Eyes Better Not Wander, Raise Your Frown, Testing Our Love

Notorious B.I.G. feat Faith Evans, The Game - 1970 Somethin'

Playa - Cheers 2 U album, Woozy, Playboy Like Me, Your Dress, I'm Available, Never Too Late, Gravy Train, Incense Burning

Play n Skillz feat. Static - Let Em Go

Pretty Ricky - Yo Body, Juicy, On The Hotline

Rell feat. Jay-Z - It's Obvious

Southernaire All-Stars - I Believe

Sunshine Anderson - My Whole Life

Tank - So Many Times, Unpredictable

Timbaland - Luv 2 Luv Ya, We At It Again, Joy, Some in Da Air, I Am Music, People Like Myself, Indian Carpet, To My, What Cha Talkin Bout, Put Em On, Birthday, Keep It Real, Up Jumps The Boogie

Toni Braxton - unreleased songs from the Libra era

TQ feat. Krayzie Bone - Paradise
Troy Hudson feat. UGK, Static - "Good Weather Music"

Truth Hurts - Addictive, Real

Yoshamine feat. Static and Smokey - World is Mine


If this discography is posted elsewhere, I would hope to be given sufficient credit for compiling it.


_

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.

-------

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.


_