Beats of Wisdom is the newest masterpiece crafted by the refined ear of Cincinnati producer, Homage (CVG). After receiving critical acclaim for his first instrumental album, Working, this next conceptual LP lives up to the high expectations his portfolio has created among his fans. Those who enjoy handcrafted, sample-based hip hop filled with jazzy overtones and a plethora of various instrumentation will be delighted with the lushness of this exquisite collection of beats.
Throughout the ages and in nearly every language, the morality of Aesop's Fables has resonated in one way or another within all of us. These timeless tales have been expressed and depicted in an endless range of art over the course of history and have now found a home within the archives of the instrumental hip hop genre.
The eight tracks within the album each contain multiple beats and various readings of the ancient Greek storyteller's fables about his beloved animals, both foolish and sage. The classic combination of Aesop's tales and Homage (CVG) music makes Beats of Wisdom a wise choice indeed.
We sat down with the Cincinnati producer to get to know more about the new LP!
Tell us about the making of Beats of Wisdom…
The making of Beats of Wisdom was obviously inspired by the Aesop Fables. I enjoy the conceptual projects and am always looking for new, creative ways to showcase the beats I make. I have appreciated the Aesop Fables for years, and I think about their lessons and morals all the time. The reason they're timeless is because they will always remain true; human nature never changes. Some may discount instrumental albums, but I feel they have a longer shelf life because they are more applicable in life situations than music with lyrics. They are the soundtracks to whatever event the listener is currently experiencing and rarely if ever distract much from the moment at hand.
What prompted your musical career?
My musical career was prompted by discovering how much fun it is to make hip hop beats. I grew up in the golden era of 90's hip hop and established parameters of what kind of sound I appreciate. After a couple of decades of listening to other stuff, and dismissing most of it, I decided to try and make my own of the kind of stuff I want to hear. From there, I kept on polishing my craft and tried to reach higher and higher levels of production quality. I have never invested a ton of money into my setup, mainly because I don't really make any money from producing music, but nonetheless, I try and refine the sound to the point where I feel it is respectable despite the modest equipment it's made from.
What is next?
I have three other projects that will release later this year. One is a dual project with my favorite Cincinnati producer, Waldo from Cincinnati. I want to keep its contents somewhat of a surprise, but I will say that it's another thematic instrumental album centered around an activity in life all of us are familiar with, not unlike Working. Another is a tag-team project with another amazing beatmaker, Sammy Steezemore, that is out of this world. And the last project slated for 2016 is a compilation project with multiple lyricists that tell a specific narrative throughout the entire album. All three are interesting concepts for hip hop delivery and I am tremendously excited about all three.
