Gilbere Forte
Encyclopedia
Gilbere Forte is an American rapper/producer
born in Flint, Michigan
on July 14, 1987. Following his parents separation at an early age, Gilbere headed to Chicago
with his mother for several years before making Philadelphia his home in 1999.
, Roy Ayers
, Phil Colins, and Sade
as a youth. By age 9 he was reciting raps from likes of 2Pac, B.I.G. and Outkast
, which inevitably led to Gilbere penning his own songs by age 12. In 2000, songwriting gave way to production and an initial foray into beat-making with Fruity Loops and Reason
. His sound captured the attention of the neighborhood, where Gilbere soon became known for his mixtapes and for supplying local singers and rappers with the soundtrack to their dreams.
The inspiration to take music seriously led Gilbere to pursue a degree in Entrepreneurship
& Business Management at Temple University
, where he enrolled in the fall of 2006. As Gilbere progressed as a musician
, he was aided by his brother DeNiro Forte’s own growth in the industry. Working in radio, brand management, and through his own production efforts, DeNiro provided Gilbere a trusted guide through the challenges of selling and working in music. Through him, Gilbere was introduced to the Junior Music Executive Program which lead to an internship with Studio 609 and award winning production duo Dre & Vidal
. The experience and experimentation with Reason and Logic, along with live instrumentation, presented a true opportunity for Gilbere to carve out his own sonic identity. Staying close to the business while building his musical foundation he took another step in his progression as an artist – teaming up with fellow producer from Temple, Rakib “Raak” Uddin.
In 2009, Gilbere formalized his relationship with Raak. The two busily began preparing Gilbere’s debut, 87 Dreams. The release has successfully solidified Gilbere as a strong voice not to be ignored. The project also garnered the attention of industry and brand marketing vets Rene McLean and Set Free. The critical acclaim, led to a slew of 2010 featured guest appearances, most notably, Stromae
's "Alors on danse
" remix also featuring Kanye West
, the Yeasayer remix of Florence + The Machine's "Dog Days Are Over
", and the Diplo and Switch
-produced "Up All Night" by Alex Clare
. As well as Chris Robinson
-directed video for his breakout single "Black Chukkas". With the recent February 2011 release of his Don Cannon
-hosted EYES of VERITAS mixtape Gilbere's popularity increased and led to a slew of even bigger collaborations and endorsements, as well as a lot of attention from the heads of many major labels. On the heels of releasing his next efforts Some Dreams Never Sleep EP and 87 Dreams 2 Reality LP, and the recent forming of what Gilbere calls "Voltron"...Gilbere promises to "change lives, moods, and vibes."
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
born in Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
on July 14, 1987. Following his parents separation at an early age, Gilbere headed to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
with his mother for several years before making Philadelphia his home in 1999.
Biography
Music has played a central role in Gilbere’s life since birth. Learning from his parents taste, and healthy vinyl collections Gilbere was introduced to the likes of Isaac HayesIsaac Hayes
Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an American songwriter, musician, singer and actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the...
, Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer and vibraphone player. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Polydor Records beginning in the 1970s, during which he helped pioneer jazz-funk .- Biography :Ayers...
, Phil Colins, and Sade
Sade (band)
Sade is a British smooth jazz band that formed in 1983, named for Nigerian lead singer Sade Adu. Their music features elements of R&B, soul, jazz, and soft rock....
as a youth. By age 9 he was reciting raps from likes of 2Pac, B.I.G. and Outkast
OutKast
Outkast is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast...
, which inevitably led to Gilbere penning his own songs by age 12. In 2000, songwriting gave way to production and an initial foray into beat-making with Fruity Loops and Reason
Reason
Reason is a term that refers to the capacity human beings have to make sense of things, to establish and verify facts, and to change or justify practices, institutions, and beliefs. It is closely associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, science, language, ...
. His sound captured the attention of the neighborhood, where Gilbere soon became known for his mixtapes and for supplying local singers and rappers with the soundtrack to their dreams.
The inspiration to take music seriously led Gilbere to pursue a degree in Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, which can be defined as "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods". This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response...
& Business Management at Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
, where he enrolled in the fall of 2006. As Gilbere progressed as a musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, he was aided by his brother DeNiro Forte’s own growth in the industry. Working in radio, brand management, and through his own production efforts, DeNiro provided Gilbere a trusted guide through the challenges of selling and working in music. Through him, Gilbere was introduced to the Junior Music Executive Program which lead to an internship with Studio 609 and award winning production duo Dre & Vidal
Dre & Vidal
Dre & Vidal is a Multi-Grammy Award Winning songwriting and production duo consisting of Andre Harris and Vidal Davis, who are best known as the main producers for Jill Scott and Glenn Lewis...
. The experience and experimentation with Reason and Logic, along with live instrumentation, presented a true opportunity for Gilbere to carve out his own sonic identity. Staying close to the business while building his musical foundation he took another step in his progression as an artist – teaming up with fellow producer from Temple, Rakib “Raak” Uddin.
In 2009, Gilbere formalized his relationship with Raak. The two busily began preparing Gilbere’s debut, 87 Dreams. The release has successfully solidified Gilbere as a strong voice not to be ignored. The project also garnered the attention of industry and brand marketing vets Rene McLean and Set Free. The critical acclaim, led to a slew of 2010 featured guest appearances, most notably, Stromae
Stromae
Paul Van Haver, better known as Stromae [stromaj] is a singer-songwriter of Belgian-Rwandan origin. He has distinguished himself in both hip hop and electronic music...
's "Alors on danse
Alors on danse
"Alors on danse" is a 2009 song by Belgian singer Stromae, released in September 2009 in Belgium and in February 2010 in the rest of Europe. The song reached number one in Belgium, Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands,...
" remix also featuring Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, the Yeasayer remix of Florence + The Machine's "Dog Days Are Over
Dog Days Are Over
"Dog Days Are Over" is the second single released by Florence and the Machine from their debut album Lungs. It was originally scheduled for release on November 24, 2008 through Moshi Moshi Records in the UK but was later pushed back for release on December 1, 2008...
", and the Diplo and Switch
Switch
In electronics, a switch is an electrical component that can break an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from one conductor to another....
-produced "Up All Night" by Alex Clare
Alex Clare
Alex Clare, formely known as Alexander G. Muertos , is a British singer-songwriter composer from London, UK...
. As well as Chris Robinson
Chris Robinson
Christopher Mark "Chris" Robinson is the singer of the rock and roll band The Black Crowes and brother of its guitarist Rich Robinson.-Early years:...
-directed video for his breakout single "Black Chukkas". With the recent February 2011 release of his Don Cannon
Don Cannon
Donald Cannon is an American record producer and DJ. At the age of five, Donald Cannon began his musical career with his first a set of turntables, a mixer and a karaoke machine...
-hosted EYES of VERITAS mixtape Gilbere's popularity increased and led to a slew of even bigger collaborations and endorsements, as well as a lot of attention from the heads of many major labels. On the heels of releasing his next efforts Some Dreams Never Sleep EP and 87 Dreams 2 Reality LP, and the recent forming of what Gilbere calls "Voltron"...Gilbere promises to "change lives, moods, and vibes."