Shwayze Riffs On Hazy, Lazy Days In Malibu
By The Showbuzz's Melissa Castellanos
Up and coming hip-hop artist Shwayze has created an interesting concoction of laid back hip-hop and rock and he's ready to start serving it up.
The 22-year-old Malibu native, (a.k.a Aaron Smith) has teamed up with socialite/rocker/producer Cisco Adler, who starred on the short-lived VH1 Rock n' Roll reality TV show "The Rock Life," which chronicled the lives and gigs of the rock band Whitestarr.
Whitestarr was formed by rock music heirs Adler (whose father is music producer Lou Adler) and drummer Alex Orbison (son of the late Roy Orbison).
Whitestarr has toured with Kid Rock, ZZ Top, The Pretenders, The Stray Cats, Candlebox, Buckcherry and Velvet Revolver, among others.
Photos: Celebrity Circuit
As Adler's protégé, Shwayze has gotten some buzz himself after releasing his single "Buzzin," which was featured on an episode of MTV's "The Hills Season 3." The self-titled album is due to be released in June.
Dubbed "one of the top eight artists to watch in 2008" by the Los Angeles Times, Shwayze has a catchy sound that has appropriately arrived for summertime.
Shwayze and Adler - both from Malibu, Calif. capture the sunny, lazy and hazy days (which refers to his lyrics about smoking, and we're not talking cigarettes!) in California where there are wild parties and days at the beach filled with good times and eye candy.
"They're (the songs) about the summer of love," Shwayze told The Showbuzz.
"Our music is just about everyday life and the life we live," Adler said. "I think that a lot of people are on the same trip and hopefully we connect with them. It's about growing up and having a good time."
With a subtle sex, drugs and rock n' roll and hip-hop edge, the lyrics speak for themselves in an almost humorous manner.
The comical duo surprises listeners with mellow guitar riffs and raps unexpectedly accompanied by R& B beats that are infused with Adler's voice in the chorus.
"He (Cisco Adler) has a good vibe and he grew up on hip-hop. He has also emerged in rock and roll," Shwayze said.
"The blend just worked together from the start," Adler added.
Growing up in predominantly white Malibu where he lived in a semi-tough trailer park, Shwayze was immersed in the low-key music scene where, he says, "there weren't a lot of brothers and sisters."
Shwayze first grabbed Adler's attention when he was freestyling at an open mic at a club in Malibu. Adler had been performing with his band Whitestarr that same night. According to Shwayze, he was rapping about being the only black kid in Malibu.
The two ultimately met while partying in Malibu before Shwayze acquired his comical moniker. Shwayze heard that Adler was into hip-hop and making beats, despite his widely known rock persona. Eager to work with Adler, the two finally took some time out together to drop some beats.
According to Shwayze, he got his moniker from a 300-pound Samoan bouncer named "Futulah" who roughed him up at Adler's club called "The Roxy."
"He asked me 'Who do you think you are Patrick Swayze?' (referring to the muscular "Dirty Dancing" heartthrob)," Shwayze, who is less than 150 pounds, said with a laugh.
"It was either that or Futulah," Adler said.
Born into the music industry, Adler's father, Lou is a successful music mogul who has a stellar track record, having produced Sam Cooke, The Mamas and the Papas, Johnny Rivers, Barry McGuire, Scott McKenzie, Spirit, Carole King and The Weaver Temptations.
"I think music is in my blood," Adler said. "I think that was what I was put here to do."
Although Adler said that his upbringing was "nothing strange," he was surrounded by music being in a lot of recording studios, which ultimately made him gravitate towards playing and recording music.
"Initially I sort of rebelled and that's how I got into hip-hop … I think I grabbed my own music at age 15 and that started my musical career, but then I wrapped around that and started doing stuff along the lines of my dad," Adler explained.
Adler has produced and co-wrote the first two hip-hop singles "Jane Fonda" and "Mr. Right" for artist Mickey Avalon's self-titled, successful debut album. Avalon is also the subject of the current Boost Mobile campaign with Jermaine Dupri and Chingy. Adler has started his own record label called Bananabeat Records under the Suretone Records imprint.
According to Adler and Shwayze, they recently shot a pilot with MTV for a reality show called "Buzzin." The reality show, which will air on July 16th (the day after their performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live) is based on the jumpstart of Shwayze's career, featuring Adler and their entourage.
"It's really the breaking of this artist and the scene around him," Adler said.
A lot of the show is shot by Shwayze and Adler themselves with their own "flip-cams."
Shwayze and Adler are also featured in a new commercial for the Pontiac Vibe.
Next up, Shwayze will be featured on the Vans Warped Tour 2008, starting June 20.
"I am going to band camp this summer," he said.