S. Samuel
After releasing an emotionally moving DJ AM tribute record called "Adam," Skillz hit up SOHH to explain the motivation and meaning behind the record.
Skillz said he would only release the track with approval from the late deejay’s close friend, Travis Barker.
“I knew Adam…I met DJ Am but thru that relationship I got to know Adam,” Skillz told SOHH via a statement. “Me and (DJ Jazzy) Jeff had a working relationship with him but thru that we got to know him very well. I wrote the song not too long after he passed but I wasn’t gonna release it unless Travis approved of it. I just wanted the people who rocked with DJ AM to get a glimpse of a man named Adam Goldstein. That guy left an impression on everyone he met. At his memorial I sat there and listened to hundreds of people who spoke on his behalf & their experiences with him & how he changed their lives. That’s when it dawned on me. All these people…everyone in that room knew Adam. This song is for them. This song is for anyone who knew Adam.” (SOHH)
The track landed online last month and found its way on multiple music blogs.
It’s been a year since DJ AM passed away. In case you already forgot about the incredibly talented AM or never even heard of him, rapper Skillz has recorded a tribute track in honor of the late disc jockey, who died on August 28, 2009 at the age of 36. “Adam,” titled after AM’s government handle, finds Skillz reminiscing about AM and the void he left behind. “Yeah, the world was saddened when they lost ‘DJ AM.’ I’m speaking for those who lost ‘Adam.'” (About News)
Music veteran DJ Jazzy Jeff was recently taken off stage during his DJ AM tribute in Nevada.
Legendary party-rocker DJ Jazzy Jeff was stopped mid-performance in Las Vegas last night (August 25) while DJing a charity event in honor of his former partner, the late DJ AM. According to reports, the management at Surrender nightclub were “unhappy” with the musical selections Jeff was playing and made the decision to pull him mid-set. Jeff later tweeted about the incident, saying “Funny when people r having a good time but management isn’t..can u say…The Right Party at the Wrong Place…F— it…AM Lives.” Known for being both one of the most universally respected and beloved DJ’s, Jeff was donating his time in honor of his late friend, who held a DJing residency at Rain nightclub in Vegas prior to his death. (The Boom Box)
Despite surviving a 2008 plane crash, DJ AM passed away last year.
Former blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and DJ AM began a series of collaborations during the early 2000s, a partnership that brought DJ AM’s abilities to a wider audience. Following a collaborative show in September 2008, however, the two experienced a brush with death as their plane crashed upon takeoff, killing all occupants onboard except for the two musicians. AM, a former drug addict, relapsed as a result of his pain medications and suffered a fatal overdose one year later. (All Music)
Check out Skillz’s “Adam” tribute below:
