Music Essentials: Om'mas Keith (Grammy Award Winning Producer for 'channel.ORANGE')

Om’mas Keith may not be a name that immediately rings bells, but a quick glance at his résumé shows a long list of prolific hip-hop anthems produced under his name. Earlier this year, Keith bagged himself a Grammy Award for the critically-acclaimed Channel Orange album by Frank Ocean in which he produced. Channel Orange was one of the five finalists for Album of the Year at the 55th Grammy Awards, a contribution that showed off Keith’s talent in story telling through poignant samples and rhythmic odes, providing perfect backdrop for Frank Ocean’s personal lyrics. Following Channel Orange, Keith’s artistry seeps onto his current project City Pulse, slated for release before the end of 2013.

Far from a one hit wonder, Keith’s recent success comes with years in the field. Anyone with a keen ear for eloquent hip-hop would be familiar with Keith’s work as Sa-Ra Creative Partners, producing for the likes of Jurassic 5, Pharoahe Monch,  Erykah Badu and Jay Z. In a completely separate arena of dub and UK bass music, Keith also shows aptitude, working with heavyweights like Africa Hitech, Subeena and Jamie Woon in pushing the envelope of traditional boom-bap sounds into darker, more experimental territories.

Understanding his dynamic past, we weren’t too shocked when Keith displayed a compelling list of Music Essentials. Standing bold amid the bunch is the Grammy Award for 2012 Producer of Best Urban Contemporary Album. Elsewhere, Keith shows fluency in instruments both old and new with the flute juxtaposed next to the AKAI MPK mini, which is place alongside the soundtrack to his life — a Donald Fagan “The Nightfly” vinyl. Other exquisite items include a Rolex watch, jewelry and Louis Vuitton wallet, accompanied by a 1976 $2 bill — a good luck charm printed in the year he was born. Just as we get familiarized with Keith’s get-up, he catches us off guard with a pair of Crocs — not an expected footwear for an award-winning hip-hop producer, but then again, style shouldn’t be compromised by comfort especially if you’re an on-the-go man like Om’mas Keith.