Vibe pays tribute to Stephen "Static" Garrett

December's issue of Vibe Magazine features a very interesting and touching article on Static from the perspective of friends and family throughout his life including the whole Da Basement Crew: Smokey, Black, Missy Elliott, DeVante Swing, Ginuwine, Jimmy Douglass, and Timbaland. Check it out:

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Rest In Peace Static. You will be forever missed...

Static Major: The Artist

In our final post to pay tribute to Stephen "Static" Garrett we look at his contributions as an artist. In a rare interview with him going through his entire career from Jodeci to solo artist, Static talks about what was then going to be the release of his album Suppertime on the Feddy Side. Check it out:

****"I'm coming with some OG music," Static says. "I walk a thin line between hip-hop and R & B. My new step is to establish myself as an artist," says Static, who admits he's going after R. Kelly's musical crown. "I know that will bring my songwriting more to the forefront. It's gonna be beautiful because people are gonna think I just popped up. But when they look at my résumé, they'll be like, `We been listening to this dude's work for so many years and didn't even know it."

"I picked up a lot of techniques," Static says. "I watched Jodeci put together two albums" — 1993's multi-platinum "Diary of a Mad Band" and 1995's platinum-selling "The Show, the After Party, the Hotel" — "and I went on tour with them."

The DeVante connection also meant Static was running with and working around music's up-and-coming artists at the time — hip-hopper Missy Elliott, R & B crooner Ginuwine, producer Timbaland and rapper Magoo — people who remain talented, relevant artists today.

"So when I got up there," Static says, "I was the least important. (The other artists) were already in the middle of their projects. I got to see Missy Elliott do her thing before anybody knew her. She's always been incredible. Between her and DeVante, they were the ones who pushed me to step my creative game up."

"We had to kind of prove ourselves within the crew to start getting music," Static says. "To get DeVante's attention, you had to show up with something to play for him. It had to be dope, and you had to be playing it as he walked in the door."

It was during that time Static wrote what would later become his first No. 1 hit, "Pony" by Ginuwine.

"It was a trip," he says. "The day we did it and I played it for DeVante, he told me it was going to be a smash."*****

Static was just coming into his own as a solo artist and was working on the re-release his solo album Suppertime before his passing. How would his efforts been received by the masses? Who can really say for sure but his talents, in all facets as an incredibly gifted artist, can be heard loud and clear in his songs:

"I Got My"
"Infatuated"
"U Know" (BANGIN' track!)
"Speed Of Light"
"Private Number"
"Dirty Mind"
"Till The Wheels Fall Off"
"Rollin"
"Deeper"
"Bus Stop Breezy"

Static Major: The Performer. The Producer. The Songwriter. The Artist.

Your legacy will live on forever through your music and we thank you for all that you shared with the world. Rest in Peace.

Smokey & Black pay their respects to Static

Static Major: The Songwriter

Along with so many talents already listed, it's Static's songwriting that will truly stay with us forever. Static has written not just songs, not just #1 hits, but music that will always be forever timeless. In addition to all the work Static has done with Jodeci ("Gin & Juice" "Gameface") Aaliyah ("Loose Rap" "Read Between The Lines" "Erica Kane") Ginuwine ("Keep It Real" "Pony" "Same Ol' G") Timbaland & Magoo "Luv 2 Luv Ya" "Indian Carpet" "Put Em On") and of course Playa ("Incense Burning" "Woozy" "Birthday") to name but a few, Static also wrote songs you may have never known including:

- Kanye West F/ Aura & Malice "Crazy"
- Notorious B.I.G f/ Faith "1970 Somethin"
- Destiny's Child "2 Step"
- Play N Skillz "Are You Still Alone"
- Play N Skillz "Let Em Go"
- Tank "So Many Times"
- Denena "What You Working Wit"
- Jay-Z "Change The Game"
- J-Shin "Sayin' Oh"
- JoJo "City Lights"
- Slim & Shank "Back Seat Girl"
- Truth Hurts "Real"
- Nicole Wray "Eyes Better Not Wonder"
- T-Hud "Tru Luv"
- Sunshine Anderson "My Whole Life"
- Diddy f/ Christina Aguilera "Tell Me"
- 112 "The Way"

And what happens when you get a true talent like Static writing your music? You get numbers like these:

- "Pony" by Ginuwine (1996) — No. 1 R&B/Hip-hop chart; No. 6 Hot 100.
- "Cheers 2 U" by Playa (1998) — No. 10 R&B/Hip-hop chart; No. 38 Hot 100.
- "Luv 2 Luv U" by Timbaland and Magoo (1998) — No. 12 R&B/Hip-hop chart.
- "Same Ol' G" by Ginuwine (1998) — No. 12 Rhythmic Top 40.
- "Are You That Somebody?" by Aaliyah (1998) — No. 1 Rhythmic Top 40; No. 6 Top 40 Mainstream; No. 9 Top 40 Tracks.
- "So Anxious" by Ginuwine (1999) — No. 1 R&B/Hip-hop chart; No. 6 Rhythmic Top 40.
- "Try Again" by Aaliyah (2000) — No. 1 Top 40; No. 3 Top 40 Mainstream.
- "You Owe Me" by Nas and Ginuwine (2000) — No. 13 R&B/Hip-hop chart.
- "We Need a Resolution" by Aaliyah (2001) — No. 15 R&B/Hip-hop charts; No. 26 Canadian Singles Chart; No. 31 Latin Salsa airplay.
- "Change the Game" by Jay-Z (2001) — No. 10 Rap chart; No. 29 R&B chart
- "Rock the Boat" by Aaliyah (2001) — No. 2 R&B/Hip-hop charts; No. 14 Hot 100; No. 13 Rhythmic Top 40.
- "More Than a Woman" by Aaliyah (2002) — No. 7 R&B/Hip-hop chart; No. 12 Rhythmic Top 40.
- "Addictive" by Truth Hurts (2002) — No. 2 R&B/Hip-hop chart; No. 6 Rhythmic Top 40; No. 9 Hot 100.

Having worked with the best producers in the game such as Timbaland, Kanye West, Scott Storch, Just Blaze, JR Rotem, and Rodney Jerkins, Static also worked on unreleased tracks for B-5, Claudette Ortiz, Olivia, Pussycat Dolls, Trey Songz, and Mary J Blige. Even though it had been over a decade since we first heard of him, Static still had so much more to give us and we are so grateful for all that he gave along the way.

Static Major: The Producer

In addition to being a talented singer and songwriter, Static was also an accomplished producer. His production was becoming more and more in demand recently as his true talents were still just being tapped into. The first track we'll look at is WAY back in Da Basement days. Static not only co-produced the track but he also makes his rap debut and a cameo in the video. Check out Jodeci's "Gin & Juice".

Most people think that Playa's music was either produced by Timbaland or Smokey but Static also helmed a few gems as well. Most notably is "Buggin' Over You" off Playa's Cheers 2 U album as well as one of my favorite Playa tracks called "Playboy Like Me" off the Blue Streak Soundtrack back in 1999.

Then there came along the red hot foursome Pretty Ricky and a slew of tracks written by Static. In addition to his scribe duties, Static also co-proudced one of their hits "On The Hotline". Static was also working with Pretty Ricky member Pleasure P on his solo album before his sudden passing. P's magager Rex Zamor had this to say about the sad news: "Static's manager contacted Pleasure and told him what happened. I still don't know [exactly what happened]. Pleasure's taking it hard, really hard. He spoke to Static the day before he died. They were texting each other and apparently Static wasn't feeling too good and his wife was about to take him to the hospital. This dude was a good dude. He wasn't selfish, he wasn't greedy, he was a good dude. He took care of his niece. His sister died early too and he was taking care of the niece, taking care of her college tuition and her car note. I remember him telling me that. He loved his wife. In this business there is a lot of infidelity, but this man loved his wife and family. His family lost a whole lot there."

Most recently Static also produced the first single for TQ's new album called "Paradise" featuring Krayzie Bone which should hit stores April 1t.

Static Major: The Performer

In addition to Static's contributions as a singer and songwriter, he was a performer as well. He made cameos in videos like Tim and Magoo's "Up Jumps Da Boogie", Aaliyah's "Are You That Somebody" and again in Tim & Magoo's "We At It Again". Static also joined David Banner in the video "Crank It Up".

Then of course there's the Playa videos both "Cheers 2 U" and "Don't Stop The Music". In fact I have recently learned there's a video for the track "Ms. Parker" w/ Missy but unfortunately I haven't been able to get my hands on it yet.

Now to experience the true talents of Static is to seem him perfom and so, although we've already posted these videos before, here is Static, and Smokey, and Black, performing on BET's Planet Groove back in 1998:

(Part I) Playa "LIVE" performance from 1998 Planet Grove

(Part II) Playa "LIVE" performance from 1998 Planet Grove

(Part III) Playa "LIVE" performance from 1998 Planet Grove

Stephen "Static" Garrett (1976-2008)

It is with great shock and profound sadness to announce the unexpected passing of Stephen "Static" Garrett on Monday February 25th. Static helped create some of the most timeless hits in music including Aaliyah's "Are You That Somebody" and "We Need A Resolution", Ginuwine's "Pony" and "Same Ol G", Destiny Child's "Say My Name" and Truth Hurts "So Addictive" to name but a few. Static let his brilliant songwriting speak for itself, racking up hit after hit and continuing his top 10 success throughout the years. Static along with friends and fellow musicians Smokey and Black formed the group Playa which released their critically acclaimed album Cheers 2 U to rave reviews back in 1998. The group disbanded, however Static still had much more to share with the world and so he continued as a solo artist releasing his album Suppertime in 2007 and planning a re-release with added tracks in 2008.

It is a huge loss to the music industry and to the world as a whole to have someone with so much talent, energy, love, and endless potential to be taken from us so early. Static was THAT dude when it come to making hits. Long before the success of Tim, Missy, Tweet, and Playa, Static was part of Da Basement crew busy penning many of his future hits, like his first #1 classic "Pony" way back in 1995. 13 years later, Static was still as relevant and in demand as ever as seen by Lil' Wayne personally choosing the talented crooner for his possible first single "Lollipop" off his new album.

The Thomas Crown Chronicles would like to offer their deepest condolences and prayers to Static's family, fellow musicians, friends, and fans around the world. Static made his mark in so many lives all across the globe and we honor the phenomenal music he was able to share with us. Static we thank you for all that you've given this world through your music, gifts, and talents and it's through this music and the legacy that you have created that we will always remember you. Rest In Peace, you will be missed!