Kasim Keto

(translation) From the depths of New York comes this instrumental debut album of American producer Kasim Keto. His release was 19 last November and headed Babygrande Records. The long car trips Kasim serve as a metaphor and inspiration to get into your mind and delight with smooth sounds very well combined. We leave you with his Bandcamp so you can check. - causeineedit.com

Born in Brooklyn and raised by Jamaican immigrant parents, Kasim Keto knows a thing or two about long car rides, having moved from New York to Alabama, then on to Florida before returning to New York in the space of just two years. Starting to write music at just eight years old, by sixteen he was cutting class to head to the studio to learn his craft, and the results of his miss-spent youth are evident on this 17-track instrumental collection.



Kasim Keto’s work moves at a relaxed pace as he delivers this official debut collection of his musical journeys via Babygrande Records. With a slow-rolling pace, this album offers a collection of breaks and beats that doesn’t fail to impress despite the lack of vocals. Aspiring MCs will certainly enjoy testing their rhyme skills over Kasim’s laid-back musical palette, while his smoky breaks drift from the speakers. However, this is not just a testing ground for rappers, as the beats hold up perfectly on their own merit.



There are moments when Kasim Keto’s dreamy sound-scapes are given a slight twist with vocal snippets, such as on ‘Rat Race,’ but for the most part, the beats do all the talking. Although ‘Who Knows’ clocks in at five and a half minutes in length, most of the tracks are shorter, preventing the breaks from getting tired as Kasim Keto moves swiftly between the tunes. However, it is testament to his dedication that the album maintains a coherency that goes far beyond a regular beat tape, to create an album that is consistent.



Sure to please fans of trip-hop, breaks, and beats, it should be of no surprise to see Kasim Keto’s production appearing alongside the rhymes of rappers or being blessed by R&B singers in the future. However, in the meantime, it pays to let the music speak for itself. - Popculturez.com

Kasim Keto - Long Way (audio from the album ‘Long Car Rides’)

So what with it being nearly Christmas an all, new worthwhile releases are getting a bit thin on the ground unless you are into shite compilations and deluxe edition. Thankfully the odd quality is still popping onto my radar. One of these is ‘Long Car Rides’, the debut album by Kasim Keto which just showed up on Spotify this week after being released on Babygrande Records a couple of weeks ago.

In simple terms ‘Long Car Rides’ is an album of instrumental hip-hop. However that really doesn’t do this moody and inspired collection justice. Yes the beats and trappings are definitely hip-hop flavoured but there are elements jazz and electronic music in there giving the album a soundtrack feel at times, perhaps for a late-night road movie through the urban fringes.

About Mr. Keto himself here is what I know: He was born in Brooklyn and raised by two Jamaican immigrant parents. In his adolescence he moved from New York, to Alabama, to Florida and then back to New York within the span of two years as an adolescent and it was in a diverse array of musical styles that he found sanctity. This is now reflected in the eclectic music he is now producing.

If you like what you hear below be sure to keep your eyes & ears open for this guy in the future. I expect to hear is beats on lots of rap traps in the future (check out ‘Bust The Work Down’, a track he did with Roc Marciano for the A3C compilation.) - The Lions Share

Kasim Keto shares “Rat Race” from Long Car Rides:

Kasim Keto is gearing up to release his debut long player, Long Car Rides, February 17th via Babygrande Records. Keto states: “My inspiration for the song was seeing the monotonous day-in, day-out way that people live their lives.” He continued: “Everyone thinks they are after the same prize – sort of like rats running along each other in an endless maze.” “Rat Race” boasts an entrancing sensibility and is described as an “electronic ode to the daily grind featuring an enticing horn section layered with vocals from Kasim himself.” Check out the statement from Rap and Soul below and enjoy “Rat Race”, the second single from Long Car Rides below – pre-order here.

From Rap and Soul Promotion:

‘Rat Race’ is the second single to be released from New York producer Kasim Keto’s critically-acclaimed debut album ‘Long Car Rides’. ‘Rat Race’ is an electronic ode to the daily grind featuring an enticing horn section layered with vocals from Kasim himself. As Kasim explains, “my inspiration for the song was seeing the monotonous day-in, day-out way that people live their lives. Everyone thinks they are after the same prize – sort of like rats running along each other in an endless maze.” - Sound Clour Vibration

Babygrande Records’ latest signee Kasim Keto recently released his debut album Long Car Rides. The instrumental record is a journey into the Brooklyn-born producer’s mind and is making waves on the Internet. I caught up with the humble beatsmith to talk about Long Car Rides, growing up in a West Indian home and what it means to be from New York.

Mazin: Congratulations on this record. It’s a great listen. It almost has a trip-hop feel to it, really mellow and it really takes you places. What was your vision for this record?

Kasim Keto: I mean honestly, it really started out where I wanted it to be this atmospheric journey. It was inspired by these deep contemplative thoughts that I would have on my commute back and forth to the studio, or to get records or wherever I was going. I wanted it to be a snapshot of certain events that I was thinking about or things that I would be contemplating at the time. It really transcended into something that I wasn’t prepared for, and it kind of became its own entity in of itself. [It] almost prepared me for certain things that were gonna happen to me and also foretold things that were going to happen. So it became a journey that I became a passenger of; I came out of the driver’s seat myself.

Mazin: Can you elaborate on that, when you say it prepared you things that were gonna happen to you?

Kasim Keto: So some of those tracks, a lot of it has to do with my personal life. People who passed away, tragically, and certain events that transpired throughout the making of this record. Even a track like “Cause & Creation” where the vocals are saying, “These are the makings of you.” That became more and more relevant as I was working on the record.

Mazin: How did you partnership with Babygrande come about?

Kasim Keto: You know, I reached out to them. Long Car Rides was a four track EP that I had that I had worked on, and it was literally just that. So I reached out to them and I wanted them to hear my music, etc. I had a great response, I can’t lie, I think that night, they fell in love with that four track EP and they wanted me to expand on it. And that’s why I said it kind of became this whole other thing. Because I had another project that I had already done and I wanted people to hear that. And I didn’t expect Long Car Rides to be the one that they would gravitate to, and like I said, it kind of like chose me, if I can take the liberty of saying that. It did a lot for me this project.

Mazin: You also did a record with Roc Marciano. How did that come into fruition?

Kasim Keto: Yeah. Babygrande hooked up with the people making the A3C compilation and made that happen. That was a dope thing. You know, I’ve been blessed. The A&R that I’ve been dealing with, Jeremy Gerson, has been dope. [He’s been] really patient and really believes in the vision and believes in me. He told me about that opportunity and it was dope. It came out doper than I would even have expected it to.

Mazin: You have a pretty unique sound. What other artists would you wanna work with? What artists could you envision on your music?

Kasim Keto: That’s what I’m definitely in it for. I dunno man, the list is endless [Laughs]. You know, that list is endless. It wouldn’t even make sense. I would definitely be leaving more than a few out. But I said to [Jeremy] in the beginning, I’m open to working with almost anyone. That’s the thing when you actually work with someone that’s a producer. That’s your job as a producer, to find a common vision and expand on it. Even the collaborations that you think is unlikely, those might be the ones that come out the best.

Mazin: I want to talk about your inspirations, though you’ve touched on that before. The record “No Matter What” and “The Most Beautiful And Loving Nice Thing In This World” both draw inspiration from your son. Is family the main place you draw your inspiration from?

Kasim Keto: Yeah, especially lately. You know, a lot of families go through their hardships. Like I said, throughout the creation of Long Car Rides, my family has been no stranger to it. A lot of that was put into Long Car Rides, especially tracks like “So Much Pain” and so on, those through “No Matter What,” these are kind of snapshots of those things. That’s where those came from, they’re the driving force behind a lot of what I do. You know, getting up and getting out there and continuing to push forward. With the “The Most Beautifual and Loving Thing In The World,” me and my son got really heavy into our faith and really connected in a really strong way through some hardships that we’ve gone through in my marriage. He inspired me to put that little mix together and questions about faith and who’s God and so on and so forth. Some really important things there that you just mentioned.

Mazin: You’re also a New Yorker with Jamaican roots. How does your background play into your music? I don’t know if I heard a typically New York sound or a typically Jamaican sound on Long Car Rides.

Kasim Keto: Honestly, it took me a long time to really connect the dots because, I was born in Brooklyn, but it’s a common misconception that I was raised in Brooklyn, I was raised in South Jamaica Queens. And here is predominantly black American, [but] now it’s kind of switching over. Now I didn’t have as much hardcore face to face with my roots until I started getting older, married my wife. She’s of Jamaican descent as well. I think the connection with me as far as just being eclectic is real. Anyone who grew up in a West Indian household knows that your parents listened to everything from opera to watching Oklahoma and My Fair Lady to listening to Foreigner. Everything was going on in your house! Every kind of music was played. For me, I didn’t realize as a child I had that huge influence until you get older and your like, “I remember hearing this record on a Saturday in my house. Then turning over and hearing Bob Marley.” You don’t realize it. I definitely took it for granted how much music was flowing through my house. Not realizing that every household didn’t play that wide a variety of music at once.

Mazin: That’s amazing. Also as a New Yorker, I wanted to ask you how you felt about Trinidad James’s recent comments?

Kasim Keto: You know, honestly I keep my head down bro. You know what I mean? My main thing is to concentrate on my music, a lot of people have opinions and… that’s… everyone’s entitled to theirs. I usually keep my head down and work on my music.

Mazin: For sure. Do you think the never-ending conversation about the state of New York Hip Hop is even worth having anymore or have we grown past it? It is what it is.

Kasim Keto: I think, it all comes down to the music and human connection. I think there are cycles to everything, but I don’t think that it has to be about one region dominating another. I think we kind of get the lines blurred in these regional wars and who has what on lock. For me music is about human connection. I think it’s beautiful that every region has their own sound. I think we can all use that sound, cross it up, make great collaborations, unlikely collaborations, but it’s all about human connection. It’s all about, at the end of the day, what do I get from you? Me, I grew up getting something from everybody. I grew up with music from the South. I love music from the West Coast. I love classic New York Hip Hop. That’s what it is. When you establish that, that’s gonna wring through regardless of where you’re from.

Mazin: Do you see yourself as “New York Artist”?

Kasim Keto: That’s something that I think people from New York would have to make the shot call on that. ‘Cos I’m told people from my area of Queens sound a certain a way, then I’m also told that I don’t sound like somebody from my area of Queens. I’m from my neighborhood, I-am-not my neighborhood. That’s where I’m from. It’s gonna be a part of who I am but it’s not who I am. Ice Cube said that on one of his records a few years back that I’m from where I’m from, I’m not defined by where I’ from. Look at New York, it’s a melting pot. Almost every culture can be found in the borough of Queens. If you don’t respect the fact that people are migrating from overseas, from cross-state, from cross country, this is what makes it up. I think we had a sound that was pioneered and things are changing. I mean, this whole thing has become a really global kind of thing now. Words that are being used that nobody can trace the origin from because it… it’s all over the Internet. We’re all talking and sounding the same. There are pluses and negatives to it but as far as the music, which is where it begins and ends for me, it comes down to establishing that connection. How someone see me, that’s the beauty in their perception that they have that right. They can hear Long Car Rides and say, “Man this is just some chill shit. I don’t really see all this other deep shit that he’s talking about. It’s just something to chill out too and smoke a bowl or write my paper or whatever.” That’s the beauty. They may hear New York, they may hear Jamaica, they may hear nothing. I think that’s everyone’s God given right, to be able to establish their own connection. As far as someone seeing me as a New York artist, that’s on that person. I’m from New York City, I think it’s very easy to tell if you know who I am. But some people might differ. It’s all about the music for me.

Mazin: What does the future hold for you?

Kasim Keto: Great records man. I really wanna collaborate with artists, in and out of Hip Hop. Continue to learn, that’s really important. Any artist, any musician that’s worth a damn, never stops learning. That’s the truth. I wanna continue to learn and expand and link with artists and collaborate with great people and learn from them and grow with them and make good music. I love making instrumental records and I truly enjoy listening to them and I definitely wanna continue that. I definitely wanna work with artists and collaborate with artists and I have notoriety for constantly expanding and growing as a producer. - kevinnottingham.com

Born in Brooklyn and raised by Jamaican immigrant parents, Kasim Keto finds his influences in a wide range of places and experiences. Growing up in an impoverished household he saw music as a method of escape and an outlet for creative expression. At sixteen years-old he began cutting school and unlike his peers his days were not spent in relaxation but working through the ranks of various studios to learn pro audio gear in an effort to hone his talent as a producer.

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After releasing numerous online projects to critical acclaim Kasim blends hip-hop and electro into a cohesive musical journey on his debut album Long Car Rides (released at the end of 2013, through Babygrande Records).

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RiCo for CZB: What was it like growing up in multicultural Brooklyn, the most populated borough of New York City?

Kasim Keto: Well, I was born in Brooklyn but I was actually raised in South Jamaica, Queens which is actually extremely multicultural as well - but the neighborhood I lived in was predominantly black American, but growing up in a multicultural place does tremendous things for your influences appreciation for different traditions and it inspires some serious wanderlust. I wouldn't trade that for anything because you realize how interwoven human beings are and what tradition and the value of said practices means to different people all over the world. It's truly educational and inspiring.

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RiCo for CZB: Is there a Jamaican tradition you grew up with that you haven't given up on?

Kasim Keto: To be honest, my parents separated when I was very young and my father worked pretty hard all the time, aside from his extremely eclectic tastes in music and film - which played a huge role in my love for music, traditions were something i rarely experienced at home. It wasn't until I met my wife that I got a chance to truly experience a lot of Jamaican traditions such as Nine Nights after a death of a loved one. A lot of cultures make up the Jamaican culture, hence the motto "Out Of Many One People" so the tradition is truly a fusion from different cultures, from China to India.

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CZB: You wrote your first songs when you were 8. When do you consider you first realized that music means more to you than anything else?

Kasim Keto: Around that very time, honestly. I can remember sitting in my living room and listening to music and the feeling it gave me was incredible… I truly felt alive, I felt human… All I knew is that I wanted to spend the rest of my life trying to give people that feeling. It was the only thing that made me feel unique and like I had an ability that exceed my own life. It is in perfect alignment to the type of human being I am. Everything is about passion and connection with me and music allows that little boy to survive to this day.

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CZB: Is there a track on your new album that uses a theme from one of the songs you wrote when you were just a boy?

Kasim Keto: Maybe a track like Belong which is a track where I am singing about my unwillingness to quit doing what I love what has given me a voice when I felt I had none or was too afraid to speak. That has been one of the most consistent themes of my music since I was a child. Love, passion and devotion from one perspective or another.

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CZB: This is your debut album, but you have released numerous online projects in the past… give me some examples - and what genres have you been especially keen on?

Kasim Keto: Well two projects that I'm especially proud of is That's Why He Made and The Most Beautiful & Loving Thing In The World.

The first (That's Why He Made) was inspired by a friend who passed away tragically and her very turbulent love life. I dedicated Long Car Rides partially in her memory. It incorporated Hip Hop, Soul, R&B, Jazz, Rock and a little bit of electronica.

The other (The Most Beautiful & Loving Thing In The World) was a Gospel "mix" inspired by my son Salim-Amani and our journey growing in faith over the last year, it also tackles questions of God's existence, evil's deception and faith above all. When I make music unless there is a specific theme that I'm shooting for I very rarely say i only want this genre …for me it's all about creating the sound that best fits the emotion or tells the story and I'm very willing to bounce around to achieve that goal.

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CZB: Long Car Rides… what was your longest car drive so far and was it for business or pleasure?

Kasim Keto: The longest car ride i've experienced as a driver was from NYC to the port that took us to Martha's Vineyard, that was about 5 hours or so and it was for a show we were doing out there. I was exhausted, but though there was no real destination I think hours wise I've exceeded that with a few overnight drives aimlessly around Long Island and NYC in deep thought.

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CZB: Why did you feel you should go with instrumental tracks, that have little or no vocal support? This gives the music a taste of ambient New Age music, such as in TellLieVision or Who Knows…

Kasim Keto: Whenever I create a track no matter the purpose I always begin to hum a melody to myself. I have such a deep respect for harmony and those who can achieve it with their voice, before I began working with Sephida Nacikah Bahtlevi Artis I wanted to translate that vibe to the tracks, I wanted it to be just visible enough in the mix to be a fleeting thought, maybe it's there, maybe it isn't. Sometimes it has a body - sometimes its just a phrase or two lingering around. When Sephida came into town she was able to expand on that vision with a few background vocals for Telllievision... I look forward to collaborating on my vocal ideas with Artists such as herself.

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CZB: What car would you like to own and why?

Kasim Keto: I've always had a serious affinity and connection with California and the west coast culture altogether since I was very young and I've been blessed enough to go out there to see my sister in law for a few years now, Lowriders are a not so secret obsession of mine. The idea of driving a 67 Lincoln Continental down Sunset Blvd and hitting a switch... gives me a feeling I can't explain. When I'm east coasting however I have developed an eye for Audi's, there's something about that logo against black matte paint, tented windows that just seems right. I would be interested in driving a lot of the newer models on a city night.

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CZB: How did you feel when you found out about Michael Jackson's death?

Kasim Keto: In a word Shocked, a part of my childhood passed with that man.

Like many other kids I was obsessed and so was my son when he was a lot younger. There aren't enough words to express what he was to me and this form of human expression so for fear of droning on I won't try but let's just say, at the end of the day, people with such a legacy as his, never truly die.

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CZB: How did you feel when you found out about Nelson Mandela's passing away?

Kasim Keto: I felt a lot of things, especially at this point in my life.

It made me look at what it is to be a man, look at the some of the things that he had to fit into one human experience, imprisonment, torture and so on and still he managed to become not just a symbol of peace and hope but also forgiveness, forward thinking and social evolution. All politics aside, his experience taught us how much we still have to learn about what it is to be human. His memory will always serve as a reminder of that forever.

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Interview conceived by RiCo - CclickZoomBytes

Kasim Keto takes influences from all around him combining both Hip-hop and Electro in his debut album “Long Car Rides” to create a journey through sound. Feeder Magazine caught up with Kasim shortly after the release of this album to find out more about the person behind the music and what a genuine, humble, giving guy he is!

Hi Kasim, so you’ve just released your debut album “long car rides”, how does it feel to have your name out there on a record and what sort of response have you had from it? It’s tremendous, it’s great! It’s really humbling you know, I think I’ve definitely waited my time and all the positive feedback I’ve received has just been really humbling.

1469818_699307203415708_1191048937_nWhy did you choose “Long Car Rides” as the title? It started as the title for my four track EP, the studio where I was recording was a bit of a drive away and when you’re driving it gives you time to just think. It just came to me while I was driving, I wanted to create music that reflected this state of thoughtfulness.

So we want to get to know more about the person behind the music and what got you into music. I’ve seen that you used to skip school? Yeah, I mean I liked to learn, I enjoy learning new things. Me and school though, we didn’t have the best relationship.

Yeah, but instead of secretly smoking or chilling out doing nothing you worked and gained experience in recording studios? Well not quite, at that age I would listen to music. I had a piano I would mess around with, I was always playing with music. Then when I was a bit older I started getting experience in a studio.

You’ve said that music was a method of escape during your childhood. Is this where your drive and motivation comes from? A desire to get away from an impoverished childhood and find success in the music industry? Impoverished is a strong word but times were hard financially with my mom, but I think it was more than that, there was a lot going on around me, a lot that I couldn’t understand so music for me was an escape from everything.

While you were younger I’ve seen that you moved around quite a lot between New York, Alabama, Florida, back to New York… What was it that made you move about so much? I was born in Brooklyn, I was raised in Queens. My mother separated from my father when I was small, I was about 6 or so we moved to Alabama and Florida then I was sent back to New York to my father but I was back and forth visiting during holidays. I predominantly grew up here in Queens, New York though so here is really all that I’ve known, it’s a place that I’m really connected to but as I’ve grown my attachment to other places I’ve been has grown, that’s me, I live off of energy and passion and wherever energy draws me too is kind of where I want to be.

So we can see from your music that you’ve been influenced by lots of musical styles which is not surprising with you being in New York with the music scene there and it’s such a multicultural city, who would you say has been your biggest influences musically? I mean honestly it’s something I’ve only started to realise in my adult years, I try to source back where my musical influences have come from and I would really have to give a lot of that credit to my father because, being from West Indian background, he played so much music in the house. And I really took it for granted as a child how many various forms of music he played, so I’ve started to realise just how many different influences I’ve had in music from of course reggae to rock or to disco, anything that was played here I remember if not by name then from hearing it. Also my attachment to Hip Hop, really in the understanding that the genre comes from parents in New York taking kids to all these great record stores and the kids wanted to create their own brand from all of this music which is where a large part of sampling comes from.

And looking to the future, which artist would you most like to collaborate with on a record? I mean it’s rough because he’s huge right now and it may sound a little clichéd to mention his name now that he is enjoying huge success but I have been a big fan of Kendrick Lamar going all the way back to the K.Dot days when I first came across some of his music, and then Jay Rock and some of the things they were doing with TDE. It’s great that he’s enjoying this mega success being someone I have followed for a long time and he’s an artist that I really admire, especially as far as Hip Hop goes because of his unwillingness to compromise certain things but then he can speak about his faith and soul and everything else and talk about this in his records reaching such monumental success. So I would really love to get in the studio with him and with other artists like that who really put themselves out there with that level of skill and passion.

Just to finish the interview off, we have four psychological questions that we ask everyone we interview, not necessarily based around music so firstly, if you could choose 5 people (dead or alive) to sit around your dream dinner table who would it be? Wow, err… yikes!! Are these famous people or people in my life?

Anyone you want. Well definitely my brother who passed about two years ago, I would love to sit round the dinnertumblr_msqzm1oj3w1ss5adoo1_1280 table with him again. Definitely my family, that’s a rough one, you got me with that I mean besides my family it would have to include Michael Jackson, that would be cool, I dunno, that’s a question to think on.

If you had an empty swimming pool available, what would you fill it up with? Yikes! Erm… I would fill it up with food then invite a bunch of people over so they can pig out! That’s my serious answer, I would fill it up with food and people who are hungry could come and take it out.

How would you envisage the first form of music? I envisage it just like I believe it happened, I believe that it was definitely a drum and it was definitely something ceremonious. I think that it probably just came in some form of ceremony and whatever emotion was trying to be evoked, that beat of a drum just came naturally. Someone got to banging and people got to moving.

And as this is for Feeder Magazine, what would you choose as your last meal? Honestly, a gang of seafood. Just a bunch of crabs, pile of shrimps, lobster, lobster stuffing, just a bunch of seafood.

That’s great, thanks for speaking to us and we wish you the best of luck in the future. Thanks. - Feeder Magazine

Born in Brooklyn and raised by Jamaican immigrant parents, Kasim Keto finds his influences in a wide range of places and experiences. Growing up in an impoverished household he saw music as a method of escape and an outlet for creative expression. At sixteen years-old he began cutting school and unlike his peers his days were not spent in relaxation but working through the ranks of various studios to learn pro audio gear in an effort to hone his talent as a producer.

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After releasing numerous online projects to critical acclaim Kasim blends hip-hop and electro into a cohesive musical journey on his debut album Long Car Rides (released at the end of 2013, through Babygrande Records).

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RiCo for CZB: What was it like growing up in multicultural Brooklyn, the most populated borough of New York City?

Kasim Keto: Well, I was born in Brooklyn but I was actually raised in South Jamaica, Queens which is actually extremely multicultural as well - but the neighborhood I lived in was predominantly black American, but growing up in a multicultural place does tremendous things for your influences appreciation for different traditions and it inspires some serious wanderlust. I wouldn't trade that for anything because you realize how interwoven human beings are and what tradition and the value of said practices means to different people all over the world. It's truly educational and inspiring.

---

RiCo for CZB: Is there a Jamaican tradition you grew up with that you haven't given up on?

Kasim Keto: To be honest, my parents separated when I was very young and my father worked pretty hard all the time, aside from his extremely eclectic tastes in music and film - which played a huge role in my love for music, traditions were something i rarely experienced at home. It wasn't until I met my wife that I got a chance to truly experience a lot of Jamaican traditions such as Nine Nights after a death of a loved one. A lot of cultures make up the Jamaican culture, hence the motto "Out Of Many One People" so the tradition is truly a fusion from different cultures, from China to India.

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CZB: You wrote your first songs when you were 8. When do you consider you first realized that music means more to you than anything else?

Kasim Keto: Around that very time, honestly. I can remember sitting in my living room and listening to music and the feeling it gave me was incredible… I truly felt alive, I felt human… All I knew is that I wanted to spend the rest of my life trying to give people that feeling. It was the only thing that made me feel unique and like I had an ability that exceed my own life. It is in perfect alignment to the type of human being I am. Everything is about passion and connection with me and music allows that little boy to survive to this day.

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CZB: Is there a track on your new album that uses a theme from one of the songs you wrote when you were just a boy?

Kasim Keto: Maybe a track like Belong which is a track where I am singing about my unwillingness to quit doing what I love what has given me a voice when I felt I had none or was too afraid to speak. That has been one of the most consistent themes of my music since I was a child. Love, passion and devotion from one perspective or another.

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CZB: This is your debut album, but you have released numerous online projects in the past… give me some examples - and what genres have you been especially keen on?

Kasim Keto: Well two projects that I'm especially proud of is That's Why He Made and The Most Beautiful & Loving Thing In The World.

The first (That's Why He Made) was inspired by a friend who passed away tragically and her very turbulent love life. I dedicated Long Car Rides partially in her memory. It incorporated Hip Hop, Soul, R&B, Jazz, Rock and a little bit of electronica.

The other (The Most Beautiful & Loving Thing In The World) was a Gospel "mix" inspired by my son Salim-Amani and our journey growing in faith over the last year, it also tackles questions of God's existence, evil's deception and faith above all. When I make music unless there is a specific theme that I'm shooting for I very rarely say i only want this genre …for me it's all about creating the sound that best fits the emotion or tells the story and I'm very willing to bounce around to achieve that goal.

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CZB: Long Car Rides… what was your longest car drive so far and was it for business or pleasure?

Kasim Keto: The longest car ride i've experienced as a driver was from NYC to the port that took us to Martha's Vineyard, that was about 5 hours or so and it was for a show we were doing out there. I was exhausted, but though there was no real destination I think hours wise I've exceeded that with a few overnight drives aimlessly around Long Island and NYC in deep thought.

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CZB: Why did you feel you should go with instrumental tracks, that have little or no vocal support? This gives the music a taste of ambient New Age music, such as in TellLieVision or Who Knows…

Kasim Keto: Whenever I create a track no matter the purpose I always begin to hum a melody to myself. I have such a deep respect for harmony and those who can achieve it with their voice, before I began working with Sephida Nacikah Bahtlevi Artis I wanted to translate that vibe to the tracks, I wanted it to be just visible enough in the mix to be a fleeting thought, maybe it's there, maybe it isn't. Sometimes it has a body - sometimes its just a phrase or two lingering around. When Sephida came into town she was able to expand on that vision with a few background vocals for Telllievision... I look forward to collaborating on my vocal ideas with Artists such as herself.

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CZB: What car would you like to own and why?

Kasim Keto: I've always had a serious affinity and connection with California and the west coast culture altogether since I was very young and I've been blessed enough to go out there to see my sister in law for a few years now, Lowriders are a not so secret obsession of mine. The idea of driving a 67 Lincoln Continental down Sunset Blvd and hitting a switch... gives me a feeling I can't explain. When I'm east coasting however I have developed an eye for Audi's, there's something about that logo against black matte paint, tented windows that just seems right. I would be interested in driving a lot of the newer models on a city night.

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CZB: How did you feel when you found out about Michael Jackson's death?

Kasim Keto: In a word Shocked, a part of my childhood passed with that man.

Like many other kids I was obsessed and so was my son when he was a lot younger. There aren't enough words to express what he was to me and this form of human expression so for fear of droning on I won't try but let's just say, at the end of the day, people with such a legacy as his, never truly die.

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CZB: How did you feel when you found out about Nelson Mandela's passing away?

Kasim Keto: I felt a lot of things, especially at this point in my life.

It made me look at what it is to be a man, look at the some of the things that he had to fit into one human experience, imprisonment, torture and so on and still he managed to become not just a symbol of peace and hope but also forgiveness, forward thinking and social evolution. All politics aside, his experience taught us how much we still have to learn about what it is to be human. His memory will always serve as a reminder of that forever.

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Interview conceived by RiCo - Click Zoom Bites

This largely instrumental record from Brooklyn-based producer Kasim Keto perfectly evokes the golden age of hip-hop with its prodigious use of old-skool beats.

However, nightmarish and unsettling sounds and samples ensure ‘Long Car Rides’ always remains the right side of Daisy Age nostalgia.

Its most obvious comparison is DJ Shadow’s ‘Endtroducing….’, but ‘Long Car Rides’ sets moods well enough to be considered as a great record in its own right.

The soundscapes Keto creates transport you to a more relaxing, far less hectic place, and even though that place can be a little too horizontal for its own good sometimes, it’s a place you’ll want to visit again and again.

8/10

Words: Joe Rivers - Clash Magazine

This is perfect for those late night car rides through town...or even when you're chilling in the crib dolo...I'm on my third listen and I don't plan on putting it away any time soon. This is fantastic stuff. - 2dopeboyz.com

“Long Way” is the first single to be taken from Kasim Keto’s stunning debut album “Long Car Rides” released on the Babygrande Records imprint.

“Long Way” is a smooth, ambient, feel-good track that demonstrates Kasim’s unique knack for fusing together sounds from various genres. From the enticing drumline to the beautifully played keys and the melodic vocals, ‘Long Way’ offers something for fans of every walk of life. The song proves that sometimes the scenic route is well worth taking. - Leftovercake.com

When you think of Instrumental Hip-Hop, you might think of legends like Pete Rock and DJ Premier. They craft great instrumentals, but there is a group of DJ's, MC's and producers that work in the instrumental arena and/or regularly offer albums with little to no vocals.

Names like: Evidence, El-P, DJ Shadow, DJ Krush, RJD2, Kno (of Cunninglynguists), and some fellow named J Dilla come to mind.

Now we have Kasim Keto throwing his hat into the Instrumental Hip-Hop arena, and he makes a strong case for being added to that list should he keep dropping albums like Long Car Rides.

The album is his debut on Babygrande Records (home to some of the best independent/underground Hip-Hop around), and his vision is clear and concise. The album plays exactly as the album cover shows. It's the late night soundtrack to the drive home after the afterparty. You'll find that 3am flavor on tracks like Through, Who Knows, HisHandsUnderstand, and my favorite track, Cause & Creation. Long Car Rides is filled with minor keys, hazy soundscapes and effects...and they go a long way to create that vibe. Vocal samples are tweaked to be ghostly and are barely allowed to cut through the mix on tracks like Belong and Tell Lie Vision.

Keto is adept at mixing electronic elements with his drums. You could almost consider it a trademark. It's not abrasive like Dalek or El-P. It's done in a subtle fashion. A perfect example would be tracks like I Can't, a slow, hypnotic blend of synths and a simple guitar line. The melancholy closing track So Much Pain uses the same formula, but with the electronic elements further up front, an ever present beep accenting the choir effects.

Long Car Rides won't be for everyone, although I encourage everyone to listen. Some may find it boring, but I enjoy every track of the album. It has that late night vibe that's just right for relaxation and headphone music, but just enough drum to be sure you're nodding your head. The sound is clean but the drum samples are super dirty, which I really dig. It gives the tracks an organic quality while the woozy electronics and effects create the dreamscape and set the mood. Most of the tracks are looped up, have little variation, and then fade out after a few minutes. I don't suspect anyone will be rhyming over these beats.

They're not for rhyming... they're for long car rides.

GRADE: B+

-CJ - wetheopinionated.com

The album's lead single, "Long Way," is a smooth, ambient, feel-good track that demonstrates Kasim's unique knack for fusing together sounds from various genres. From the enticing drumline, to the beautifully played keys, to the melodic vocals, "Long Way" offers something for fans of every walk of life. The song proves that sometimes the scenic route is well worth taking.

Kasim Keto's debut album, Long Car Rides, hits stores worldwide on November 19th via Babygrande Records. - Hip Hop Up

And we’re back with yet another premiere for y’all. This time, taking the instrumental route on a project I was actually zoning out to so much that I almost forgot to post!

Making his Dopehouse debut, Brooklyn’s Kasim Keto looks to take you on a musical journey through the blended sounds of hip hop, jazz and electronic with his new instrumental project Long Car Rides (Babygrande Records). Just as the title suggest, this is perfect for those late night car rides through town… or even when you’re chilling in the crib dolo, like myself. So far I’m on my third listen and I don’t plan on putting it away any time soon. This is fantastic stuff.

November 19th is the release date, but we’re giving you an early listen. So do yourself a favor and click play. - 2dopeboyz.com

Kasim Keto has been added to the playlist on Nemone's Electric Lady - BBC 5

"Long Way" is the first single to be taken from Kasim Keto’s stunning debut album, Long Car Rides, released on the Babygrande Records imprint. "Long Way" is a smooth, ambient, feel-good track that demonstrates Kasim's unique knack for fusing together sounds from various genres. From the enticing drumline to the beautifully played keys and the melodic vocals, "Long Way" offers something for fans of every walk of life. The song proves that sometimes the scenic route is well worth taking. Kasim's debut album, Long Car Rides, will be released in the UK on 2nd December 2013. - The College Drop Out

“Long Way,” is a smooth, ambient, feel-good track that demonstrates Kasim’s unique knack for fusing together sounds from various genres. From the enticing drumline, to the beautifully played keys, to the melodic vocals, “Long Way” offers something for fans of every walk of life. The song proves that sometimes the scenic route is well worth taking.” - Hip Hop Hundred

A Brooklyn beatmaker you might want to keep an eye on. Below is a sampler you can stream via Soundcloud. - brooklyn Bullshit

Kasim Keto is planning his commercial debut, “Long Car Rides,” for a November 19th release via Babygrande Records. Long Car Rides serves as a journey through the mind of Kasim Keto, as he takes listeners on a road trip of sonic delectation. Listeners can get a taste of what’s to come by checking out the 4-track “Long Car Rides” sampler below. The sampler exemplifies Kasim’s knack for seamlessly blending futuristic instrumentation with traditional boom-bap hip-hop.

Listen to “Long Car Rides” (Sampler):

https://soundcloud.com/babygrande/sets/kasim-keto-long-car-rides-sampler - Skope Magazine

Exclusive: Babygrande Records signs Brooklyn, New York producer Kasim Keto to his first album-deal.

Manhattan-based Babygrande Records has announced that it has signed Brooklyn, New York artist/producer Kasim Keto.

"Working on several local projects and trying to gain notice became a facilitator of my musical talents," is how Keto describes his activities in recent years. "Babygrande [Records] sees my vision and offered me a way to build a career as a producer that I could not refuse."

Previously, Babygrande has worked with producers including Blue Sky Black Death, Dame Grease and Diggin' In The Crates co-founder Diamond D.

To kick off Kasim Keto's studio discography, Babygrande will release Long Car Rides on November 19. Last November, the imprint dropped Freeway's Diamond In The Ruff. - Hiphopdx.com

Whatever else Kasim Keto's music brings to mind, the # 1 feeling is New York. I'm not really sure why, maybe it's the jazzy style that reeks of smoky dark clubs. Maybe it's the steely industrial impact that creeps in now and again. Like the knife sharpening in "Satis".
I'm not sure which is my favorite track yet, still listening, but "Gates' is right up there.
Kasim is from Brooklyn and currently resides in Jamaica (Both in New York which may account for the flavor). - Barrie Moore - Bearly Rambling Blog

Listening to "Core" by New York rapper Choyce feels a bit like Christmas in July, probably because the song samples the popular holiday ditty "Carol of the Bells." Put aside the feel-good melody, and the song begs to ask an important question, namely, "Can a real nigga make music anymore without big-ass chains and suicide doors?" Currently No. 2 on the hip-hop channel, the 21 year old (birth name Charles Dalton) has the bravado and strong delivery to make him a standout. And with tracks like the bass-heavy "100 Grand" and the southern-tinged "Fire," the choice seems clear. - URB Magazine URB BLogs by J.E. Kim

The knock on Children of God is some of Salaam’s beat selection. He’s best served with the grit and griminess that suited him so well on “History of Violence” and “Insomniac Pt. 1.”

- FREDDIE C - kevinnottingham.com

“Insomniac PT. 1 (Nightfall)” ... The jewels and advices offered in this song promote a balance in idealism and practicality, that would constitute for what is called common sense. And the loud blaring horns in the hook guarantee a greater degree of agreement through head nodding. - culturevaultradio.com

The horn blaring "Insomniac" might well be remembered as an urban anthem for future freedom fighters. - hiphoppress.com