What happens when three individuals with a passion for Hip Hop and Soul music meet on the Hilltop? A blend of sound derived from works of professors of melody & sound. Those lessons learned by pupils, L Shaze, J Sinclair, and Walk On, form School of Beats. Based in the Nation's Capital, School of Beats has sound that is dynamic as the surrounding institutions. Their creations are heavily influenced by the pioneers of the urban spirit. In their production you can find hints of Isaac Hayes, ingredients Curtis Mayfield and Willie Hutch, elements of Al Green, and of course a dash of the Philly Sound. Beat conductors, such as, Jay Dee, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, No I.D., Madlib and 9th Wonder, all provide inspiration for these young travelers of rhythm. In this infant stage of a Hip Hop Renaissance, School of Beats is destined to bring to life the essence of the past and craft standards for the future. So enjoy this site and get ready for class, School of Beats is in session!
Walk On:
Born and raised in Washington, DC, Walk On woke up each morning hearing Jazz and Soul classics pumping from his Pops stereo. With Go-Go as the predominate music in the area, percussive patterns were ingrained in the fiber of young Walk On. The void of a strong Hip Hop scene in the Nation's Capital provided the opportunity to explore several musical genres ranging from Cool Jazz of Miles Davis, to the psychedelic endeavors of George Clinton, to the early funk of Dyke & The Blazers, and the essence of the Motown sound. Hip Hop was a friend that came late in the game, which lends to the name "Walk On." It wasn't until his college experience that he delved into Hip Hop and R&B heavily. "I was always familiar with the culture and the music of the time, but with go-go being as prevalent as it is in DC, it's hard to know what's going on in New York, LA, or Down South. I was aware of the sounds of the south because of my family roots in Georgia, but it wasn't until I got to Howard where I was exposed to hip hop. H.U. is the Hip Hop and R&B culture in its entirety." College friends for sometime, but it took a year for Walk On to realize that Shaze had the same dreams and goals. "I was on the yard chillin' one day during the summer and I was just talking to Shaze and I said 'Man, I don't know bout this finance major fam'. I just wanna make beats.' And to my surprise Shaze was like. 'SAY WORD! That's what I wanna do!' That day went to his crib and just vibed on some beats he'd done and some samples. And it's been School Of Beats since then."
L Shaze aka Laid Back:
Man of few words, Shaze simply states, "My Top 5 are Premier, Pete, Jay Dee, Madlib and 9th. I'm from Delaware, yes it's a state! And all I do is beats."
J. Sinclair:
J. Sinclair was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware. His father (Fred) was a music lover and always had something blaring from the speakers in the den. At age five Jarratt was given the gift of a small keyboard from his grandfather. Jarratt loved to listen to a section of a song and then try to play it. At age 6 he met Shaze at a soccer game. The two forged a bond that is indestructible. As Jarratt grew up he began to understand the differences between him and his surrounding community. Being the only black family to ever live in the neighborhood Jarratt looked to poetry and music to be his companion. Shaze shared the same love of music and it soon became a goal of the two to make beautiful music. Jarratt listened to jazz (Charlie Parker being his favorite), oldies, rhythm and blues, classical, and rock. Fred taught his son the benefits of delayed gratification which often plagued Jarratt because of the culture of fast money and fancy clothes. However, instead of letting these things deter him from achieving he used the very confusion, hatred, and mistreatment as forums to write about in his poetry and as a subject to teach those who don't have hope. "I always felt blessed because of my situation in my life. I had parents that were together, and we never had to worry about where our next meal came from. But, people at school hated me for it." Jarratt took that uncomfortable feeling and vowed to teach children without hope that there is hope. You define you. Jarratt's love of music led him to start to play the alto saxophone in his school's band. " I loved music, just not that kind of music." Despite his dissatisfaction for the band's musical selections, Jarratt learned to read music and used that skill in his production. Jarratt went to Howard University for college, where he met Andre Taylor. Andre was in love with music. Shaze was in love with music. Jarratt was in love with music. The three formed School of Beats and they teach through their music. Jarratt goes by the alias J. Sinclair because when you mature in life, you feel like a completely different person. "I am not trying to get away from who I was, I am who I am. I just want to be able to teach my people through the lessons I learned. I was always told I was part of the talented tenth, and I must give knowledge through any way I can. Music just happens to be the vehicle to do that."
