LeBron James is trying to take all the jobs. Being a perennial NBA All-Star and four-time MVP wasn't enough, so he added a television and film producer credits to his resume. To go with that, he’s also become a flawless talk show host, conducting hip hop’s most talked about interview on his HBO show “The Shop,” when Drake dropped by to discuss his grievances with Pusha T and Kanye West.
And yet, with sports, television, movies and hosting on the resume, James seems to be pushing into his next gig: music influencer.
Anyone that follows James on social media knows his other passion is music. He enjoys showcasing himself vibing to the latest and greatest tunes, whether it be the Push T “Daytona" LP (oh, the irony) or Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter V. Last week, the LA Laker co-signed Usher’s "A," telling the world his appreciation for the song “Peace Sign” in particular.
“I saw LeBron and he put my name in it. Shout LeBron. He shouted me out,” Zaytoven told LiveXLive on Friday in New York, as he was in town to screen his new movie “Birds of a Feather II” at a Tracklib event, and to shoot an Axe commercial with Lil Yachty.
Usher and Zaytoven connected in Los Angeles for just a few days on the A. The album was completed in just about a week. James’ favorite “Peace Sign” is one of the project’s crown jewels, serving as a muse for subsequent songs during the recording process.
“’Peace Sign’ was the first song we did that made me feel like ‘we got something now,’” according to Zaytoven. “Like, ‘we got the core sound of what it needs to sound like.’ You know how you just doing songs like ‘oh that sounds good; that’s pretty hard.’ ‘Peace Sign’ was the one that made me be like ‘oh wait a minute. Now we got something.’”
Zay produced all eight songs on the album and true to his expeditious reputation, the beats took him an average of five to ten minutes to concoct.
“Usher and the other people that were in the room that’s writers, they was kinda just piecing it together,” Zay told of the process. “As I’m making the beat, we’re coming up with ideas or they’re coming up with ideas to how to sing the song. Somebody got an idea, ‘go get in the mic booth. Say it. Ok Usher go put your piece on it.’ Once you hear Usher’s voice on the beat, you know it’s magic.”
You’re free to listen to “A" and decide for yourself, but influential media mogul and sometimes-music-influencer LeBron James is clearly feeling that magic.
“I saw LeBron and he put my name in it. Shout LeBron. He shouted me out,” Zaytoven told LiveXLive on Friday in New York, as he was in town to screen his new movie “Birds of a Feather II” at a Tracklib event, and to shoot an Axe commercial with Lil Yachty.
Usher and Zaytoven connected in Los Angeles for just a few days on the A. The album was completed in just about a week. James’ favorite “Peace Sign” is one of the project’s crown jewels, serving as a muse for subsequent songs during the recording process.
“’Peace Sign’ was the first song we did that made me feel like ‘we got something now,’” according to Zaytoven. “Like, ‘we got the core sound of what it needs to sound like.’ You know how you just doing songs like ‘oh that sounds good; that’s pretty hard.’ ‘Peace Sign’ was the one that made me be like ‘oh wait a minute. Now we got something.’”
Zay produced all eight songs on the album and true to his expeditious reputation, the beats took him an average of five to ten minutes to concoct.
“Usher and the other people that were in the room that’s writers, they was kinda just piecing it together,” Zay told of the process. “As I’m making the beat, we’re coming up with ideas or they’re coming up with ideas to how to sing the song. Somebody got an idea, ‘go get in the mic booth. Say it. Ok Usher go put your piece on it.’ Once you hear Usher’s voice on the beat, you know it’s magic.”
You’re free to listen to “A" and decide for yourself, but influential media mogul and sometimes-music-influencer LeBron James is clearly feeling that magic.
So what artist is going to be the next to benefit from the Zaytoven sound and garner a hit? The bet says he’s working with “everyone.”
While at the screening at IMI studio in Manhattan, Zay Also divulged he’s adding some more arsenal to his repertoire by sampling for the first time ever. He recently recently joined the Creators Advisory Board for Tracklib, the world’s first and only online crate-digging and music sample clearance service. Legendary hitmakers Erick Sermon and Prince Paul are also among those working with Tracklib.