Rapper's Delight: Kameleon Beats

posted in: Features • Urban

With a devotion to live instrumentation and an appetite for classic ’70s vinyl, Kameleon Beats is basically the epitome of an old school hip hop producer. A lot of producers get caught up in strictly hip hop (which is understandable) and forget how useful other genres can be. Drum machines and MIDI keyboards can be useful in a pinch, but they lack the soul of an old jazz sample, or better yet, a live instrument. Kameleon grew up listening to old classics in his basement, ranging from Bob James to Marvin Gaye, and actually plays piano, sax, guitar and bass himself.

Enthusiasm for music is great, but every producer needs somewhere to work. In 2003, Kameleon co-created Soul Students Records and, along with producer Al Bumz, drafted a dream-team squad of emcees and producers. On top of producing for the guys in Soul Students Records, Kameleon has several thousand beats in his personal stash. Check out his solo instrumental album, Midnight Sun, to get a glimpse of what he’s capable of”and that will help prepare you for the awesome work he’s done with Awon and Tiff The Gift. A self proclaimed instrumentalist, Kameleon’s touch really makes these albums pop. His homegrown blend of hip hop and jazz, folk and rock is not a new formula, but he brings them all together with his own style.

Kameleon has been with us at OurStage for quite a while, and we love what he brings to the site. He’s done pretty well for himself, too, with several Top 10 badges, some quality time in our Best of Urban charts  and a ton of encouraging comments from fans. Keep doing what you’re doing, Kameleon. Take a listen to the player below for two tracks that he put together with Awon along with one of his instrumental beats: