Some artists aren’t necessarily recognized by A&R hype or platinum selling albums, but rather by the fans that validate their musical explorations. With efforts to shoot through the cosmos, Fam-Lay has gained a following much like Heaven’s Gate, ready to evacuate Hip-Hop’s typical existence (in Nike Airs, of course). Fam has fans that include the likes of Tyler, The Creator and Clipse, and even consistently works closely with N.E.R.D. The veteran Star Trak recording artist intends his new album, T.Y.B.O. (Turn Your Brain Off), to be a visionary space odyssey, driven by passion. Fam-Lay is working with an arsenal of weapons, which includes the oversight of Illusive Media owner Shomi Rahman Patwary, who hopes to create a groundbreaking experience combining music and visuals into an all-inclusive package. The visionary mission is complimented by Fam’s childhood friends, The Neptunes, who provide extraordinary production, adding to the creative blend behind the Norfolk native’s upcoming album.
So, any projects going on with Star Trak?
Fam-Lay: I got a project coming out, that shit is really top secret, with Chad [Hugo]. You’ll hear about it in the next few months. Totally man, it’s some real shit. You’re gonna love it, but right now I’m doing Fam-Lay.
So a lot of Neptunes production?
Fam-Lay: Of course! They’re my brothers. And for real, I’m going to step out there and let you know that this is some year 4000 shit. Like, some real 4000, and it’s hard for me to even say that because I grew up with these guys and I always felt they was way beyond the curve. So for me to say something that’s totally far for them is like… That new planet they found beyond Plutos and Neptunes, that shit is Planet X, this shit is past Planet X, this shit is Planet Y.
How long have y’all been working on it?
Fam-Lay: Not too long. But it’s just been crazy, with all the chemistry with it. It’s always fun working with them guys, man. We're spoiled, all of us have been spoiled to work with them. The name of the project is T.Y.B.O., Turn Your Brain Off. All the shit that [The Neptunes] like to do, the positive shit they do, this is the guy on the other shoulder. "Soldier" [N.E.R.D. song Fam-Lay was featured on, from the 90210 Soundtrack] was in the middle. The angel's over here [points to right shoulder], "Solider" was in the middle, Turn Your Brain Off is over here [points to left shoulder]. It's more of that with rhyming--just all rhyming, no singing.
So the content is going to be a little darker?
Fam-Lay: Sonically, definitely darker, yes. But the content is all concept, you're turning your fucking brain off. All the rules of making music and the shit that we're used to doing, like you gotta do a hook, verse, hook, verse--we're not even going in thinking [that way]. We're just aiming, and turning our brain off. Let this shit take us to planet Y. I’m sounding like Pharrell right now, he always sounds crazy to me. We stumbled on this--I can’t even say that we thought it up on some brilliant shit, we just turned our brains and came up with this baby.
Shomi: There’s some shit that’s in the works, a whole new way of doing distribution. I mean, we're thinking outside of how record labels are used to doing it. The way we’re going to do it, either way, regardless, is going to be the unorthodox way of doing something.
That sounds really cool. The way you package something can be pivotal.
Fam-Lay: The packaging, all that, we're going to Planet Y, man. Fam-Lay shit is gangster. Illusive Media, my twins. They my partners. We got so much good shit coming out now.
Shiam: There’s going to be visuals for everything.
Fam-Lay: Visuals for everything. I’m spoiled now. I’ve got somebody that I trust and [is a] good person. You’re going to see a lot of shit coming out. I’ve been on the road with them for like three years, so at the time you could pretty much say I was interning, I was soaking in shit. But now I’m just home and ready…
Shiam: We’ve got everything we need, to be honest. We got Pharrell on our side, musically. My company has been establishing a relationship with them for a while, so we’ve got everything visually that we need, we don’t need to depend on anyone.
Fam-Lay: So you know what that means? We’re pushing the gas. Or we’re pulling the lever, because we're in the ship.
So what type of production style are you into for this album?
Fam-Lay: I’ve always been the type of person that if I like it, I like it. I don’t like aiming, like, “Yo, we need club bangers, so I need a club DJ. I need one for the girls. I need crunk.” If I hear it and it can be some R&B chorus behind it, if I like it I’m going to try to make something out of it and see where it goes. That’s how it’s always been with me.
Are you working with any VA artist on it? Like Lee Major or anyone like that?
Fam-Lay: Not yet, but I fuck with those guys.
Shiam: You’ve got Lex Luger.
Fam-Lay: Oh yeah, of course Lex. He’s on his way to Y. Incredible. I got a couple joints from him. Me and his homies, we grew up together, so I’ve been over there a few times. My homie, her name is Jenae, shes a female rapper. She’s one of the people that I look for inspiration.
What type of female MC is she? Nicki Minaj? Digable Planets?
Fam-Lay: She’s all that rolled in one. She’s Lauryn [Hill], She’s Nicki. She’s whatever. She’s incredible. She impresses me every time I hear her, so I don’t want to put her in a lane.
Sounds like a lot of the music you're into, you don’t like classifying. "I can’t really describe it but..."
Fam-Lay: See? You’re on your way to Planet Y. That’s good for me. I like to hear that, because I don’t like when artists are in one lane. But the industry wants that lane artist. Like, this is my hip-hop dude, this is my sexy dude for the girls, this is my smoker, this is my crunk dude. I don’t know anybody who’s [one way] all the time. There are days that I feel like I’m a smoker. There are days that I feel like I’m the sexiest nigga in the world--"this is for the ladies." There are days where I feel like doing a drive-by. That’s real. And [those days are] my Achilles’ heel, because a CEO of a company told me, “Yo, I fuck with your music, but what are y’all?” And that’s just what we do, but I own up to it. I like it like that.
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