Smile Culture: Academy team member Om'Mas Keith
On the surface, Om'Mas Keith might seem like a new kid on the block. After all,
SA-RA Creative Partners (his production squad / artist collective), made giant hype waves a couple years ago, when
Kanye West signed them to his
GOOD Music label.
But like his band mates, Om'Mas is a seasoned vet; the
Hollis, Queens native started as an RCA Records intern at the tender age of 15. He was a staff producer for the late
Jam Master Jay of Run DMC, and has done studio work in some capacity with Lauryn Hill, Mobb Deep, Foxy Brown, Ice Cube, Onyx and 50 Cent (pre-superstardom). His depth of experience is just one of the things which made SA-RA worthy of a pre-signing "soft-core bidding war" between West, Pharrell Williams and Jay-Z – another, of course, being the undeniable freshness of their
futuristic soul productions. By now, Om'Mas knows the art and business of music better than the back of his hand.
You can grab a fair share of his knowledge listening to his new
Fireside Chat show on Red Bull Music Academy Radio. If you’re more into ass-shaking than into brain-working (and based in Barcelona, as well), you might want to check out his DJ set alongside Stones Throw’s
DJ Egon at this year’s Academy
Housewarming Party in conjunction with the La Mercè Festival on September 21.