Quasimoto
Encyclopedia
Quasimoto is the alter ego
or the side project of hip hop producer
Madlib
, from Oxnard, California
. Quas is known for the raised pitch of his voice as if he was inhaling helium. Another notable characteristic is Quas inter-changing with Madlib's voice. One day in the studio, Madlib decided to rap to his own beats. He didn't like the sound of his voice (his friends in Oxnard call him 'Barry White' in reference to his deep voice) so decided to slow his recorder down, rap slow, then speed the recording back up to produce Quasimoto's distinctive high pitched voice
Peanut Butter Wolf
, DJ and owner of Stones Throw Records
, heard Quas' demo tapes and encouraged Madlib to release more tracks under this alias. Quasimoto was featured on Wolf's My Vinyl Weighs a Ton
album in 1998, on the song "Styles Crews Flows Beats." Finally, Madlib put out Quasimoto's debut album - The Unseen
- in 2000. This album received much praise from underground
heads and from mainstream media, making it onto Spin Magazine's top albums of the year list.
After the release of The Unseen, Madlib spent the next few years working on radically different projects such as Yesterdays New Quintet and his album Shades of Blue. Quas re-emerged in 2003, making a few guest appearances, notably on Jaylib's Champion Sound
and Madvillain
's Madvillainy
(Madlib and MF DOOM
). Quasimoto officially returned with the vinyl-only Bus Ride EP
in late 2004, continuing his recipe for success - keeping content simple (weed, rap, etc.) and using crazy samples. Quasimoto dropped The Further Adventures of Lord Quas
in 2005. M.E.D. and MF DOOM are featured on the album. The album cover features a reference to Frank Zappa
's debut album, Freak Out!
, a picture of super-producer J Dilla
, and a picture of Wild Man Fischer
, who is also referenced in one of the songs. The voice of Melvin Van Peebles
is sampled on several tracks from both albums.
Early depictions of Quasimoto were taken from the movie Fantastic Planet
, specifically the leashed Oms who wore red masks with protruding snouts resembling skinny hippopotamus during the first "de-om".
In an interview, Madlib said that the atmosphere and sound on the Quasimoto albums owe much to the work of Alain Goraguer
on the soundtrack of La Planete Sauvage and early Quasimoto video features excerpts from it. The song 'Come On Feet' sample the soundtrack to that film.
Alter ego
An alter ego is a second self, which is believe to be distinct from a person's normal or original personality. The term was coined in the early nineteenth century when dissociative identity disorder was first described by psychologists...
or the side project of hip hop producer
Hip hop production
Hip hop production is the creation of hip hop music. Though the term encompasses all aspects of hip hop music, it's most commonly used to refer to the instrumental, non-lyrical aspects of hip hop. This means that hip hop producers are the instrumentalists involved in a work...
Madlib
Madlib
Otis Jackson Jr. in Oxnard, California, known professionally as Madlib, is a Los Angeles-based DJ, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, and music producer...
, from Oxnard, California
Oxnard, California
Oxnard is the 113th largest city in the United States, 19th largest city in California and largest city in Ventura County, California, by way of population. It is located at the western edge of the fertile Oxnard Plain, and is an important agricultural center, with its distinction as the...
. Quas is known for the raised pitch of his voice as if he was inhaling helium. Another notable characteristic is Quas inter-changing with Madlib's voice. One day in the studio, Madlib decided to rap to his own beats. He didn't like the sound of his voice (his friends in Oxnard call him 'Barry White' in reference to his deep voice) so decided to slow his recorder down, rap slow, then speed the recording back up to produce Quasimoto's distinctive high pitched voice
Peanut Butter Wolf
Peanut Butter Wolf
Chris Manak, aka Peanut Butter Wolf, is a DJ, hip-hop producer and the founder of hip-hop label Stones Throw Records.A native of San Jose, California, He took on the name Peanut Butter Wolf in the late-80s when he realized that a girlfriend’s youngest brother feared the “peanut butter wolf monster”...
, DJ and owner of Stones Throw Records
Stones Throw Records
Stones Throw Records is an independent hip hop record label based in Los Angeles, California. It was started in 1996 by DJ/Producer Peanut Butter Wolf in part to release the music he made with Charizma who was killed at the age of 20....
, heard Quas' demo tapes and encouraged Madlib to release more tracks under this alias. Quasimoto was featured on Wolf's My Vinyl Weighs a Ton
My Vinyl Weighs A Ton
My Vinyl Weighs a Ton is the first solo album by Californian hip hop DJ and producer Peanut Butter Wolf, released in 1999) on his own Stones Throw label in conjunction with Copasetik Records...
album in 1998, on the song "Styles Crews Flows Beats." Finally, Madlib put out Quasimoto's debut album - The Unseen
The Unseen (album)
The Unseen is the debut album by Quasimoto, an alter ego of producer Madlib.-Release history:The album was conceived and recorded by Madlib during a week long psilocybin mushroom binge....
- in 2000. This album received much praise from underground
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
heads and from mainstream media, making it onto Spin Magazine's top albums of the year list.
After the release of The Unseen, Madlib spent the next few years working on radically different projects such as Yesterdays New Quintet and his album Shades of Blue. Quas re-emerged in 2003, making a few guest appearances, notably on Jaylib's Champion Sound
Champion Sound
Champion Sound is an album by the duo Jaylib . Half of the songs are produced by Madlib and feature J Dilla on vocals, and the other half are produced by J Dilla and feature Madlib on vocals...
and Madvillain
Madvillain
Madvillain is a hip hop group consisting of MF DOOM and Madlib . Their debut album Madvillainy was met with wide critical acclaim for its unique approach—short songs, obscure lyrics, few choruses and a sound which was generally unfriendly to commercial radio.In 2006, Madvillain was featured on...
's Madvillainy
Madvillainy
Madvillainy is the debut album by American hip hop duo Madvillain, a group consisting of MF DOOM and Madlib . It was released on March 23, 2004 on Stones Throw Records to overwhelmingly positive reviews...
(Madlib and MF DOOM
Daniel Dumile
Daniel Dumile is a hip hop artist who has taken on several stage names in his career, most notably MF DOOM, where the "MF" stands for metal face, and for tracks he has produced, metal fingers...
). Quasimoto officially returned with the vinyl-only Bus Ride EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
in late 2004, continuing his recipe for success - keeping content simple (weed, rap, etc.) and using crazy samples. Quasimoto dropped The Further Adventures of Lord Quas
The Further Adventures of Lord Quas
The Further Adventures of Lord Quas is the second album by Quasimoto, Madlib's alter ego. The Bus Ride EP was released in late 2004 and featured the singles "Bus Ride", "Rappcats", and "Greenery". "Hydrant Game" was previously available on Madlib's Mind Fusion vol...
in 2005. M.E.D. and MF DOOM are featured on the album. The album cover features a reference to Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
's debut album, Freak Out!
Freak Out!
Freak Out! is the debut album by American band The Mothers of Invention, released June 27, 1966 on Verve Records. Often cited as one of rock music's first concept albums, the album is a satirical expression of frontman Frank Zappa's perception of American pop culture...
, a picture of super-producer J Dilla
J Dilla
James Dewitt Yancey , better known by the stage names J Dilla and Jay Dee, was an American record producer who emerged from the mid-1990s underground hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan...
, and a picture of Wild Man Fischer
Wild Man Fischer
Larry Wayne Fischer , better known as Wild Man Fischer, was an American songwriter in the outsider genre. He was notable for being responsible for Rhino Records' first release, Go To Rhino Records...
, who is also referenced in one of the songs. The voice of Melvin Van Peebles
Melvin Van Peebles
Melvin "Block" Van Peebles is an American actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, novelist and composer.He is most famous for creating the acclaimed film, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, which heralded a new era of African American focused films...
is sampled on several tracks from both albums.
Early depictions of Quasimoto were taken from the movie Fantastic Planet
Fantastic Planet
Fantastic Planet is a 1973 animated science fiction film directed by René Laloux, production designed by Roland Topor, written by both of them and animated at Jiří Trnka Studio. The film was an international production between France and Czechoslovakia and was distributed in the United States by...
, specifically the leashed Oms who wore red masks with protruding snouts resembling skinny hippopotamus during the first "de-om".
In an interview, Madlib said that the atmosphere and sound on the Quasimoto albums owe much to the work of Alain Goraguer
Alain Goraguer
Alain Goraguer is a French jazz pianist, sideman of Boris Vian and Serge Gainsbourg, arranger and composer. He reached his creative peak in the 1960s and 1970s...
on the soundtrack of La Planete Sauvage and early Quasimoto video features excerpts from it. The song 'Come On Feet' sample the soundtrack to that film.
Discography
- The UnseenThe Unseen (album)The Unseen is the debut album by Quasimoto, an alter ego of producer Madlib.-Release history:The album was conceived and recorded by Madlib during a week long psilocybin mushroom binge....
(2000) - Astronaut EP (2002)
- The Further Adventures of Lord QuasThe Further Adventures of Lord QuasThe Further Adventures of Lord Quas is the second album by Quasimoto, Madlib's alter ego. The Bus Ride EP was released in late 2004 and featured the singles "Bus Ride", "Rappcats", and "Greenery". "Hydrant Game" was previously available on Madlib's Mind Fusion vol...
(2005)
Singles
- "Hittin' Hooks" (1999)
- "Microphone MathematicsMicrophone Mathematics"Microphone Mathematics" is the second single by Quasimoto, the rapping alter ego of Madlib. These tracks later appeared on his debut album The Unseen. Disciple # 99, however on the album was split into 2 tracks. Part 1 had "Mr. Herb" featured on it, while part 2 had Wildchild of the Lootpack...
" (1999) - "Basic InstinctBasic InstinctBasic Instinct is a 1992 erotic thriller directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas, and starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone....
" (2000) - "Come on FeetCome on FeetCome On Feet is a single by Quasimoto, the rapping alter ego of Madlib. These tracks are taken from his debut album, The Unseen. The track included samples from Melvin Van Peebles's Sweet Sweetback's Baadassss Song, as well as Alain Goraguer's soundtrack to the French science-fiction animation...
" (2000) - "Astronaut" (2002)
- "The Broad Factor" (2004)
- "Bus Ride" (2005)
- "The Front / Youngblood" (2005)
- "Bullysh!t / Seasons Change" (2005)