Omar S Meets Dâm-Funk in the Glydezone

As part of his monthly Glydezone show on RBMA Radio, Dâm-Funk invites friends, family and inspirations for revealing chats about life, music and a life in music. In the following excerpt, Dâm calls up Omar S as the Detroit house and techno producer drives, eats and drops knowledge throughout a very real conversation.

Listen to Dâm-Funk presents Glydezone on RBMA Radio here every third Friday at 4 PM EDT.

Today we’ve got a special guest, a very talented brother, a good friend of mine. We’ve gotten to know each other and chilled in LA and Detroit. I want to introduce you all to my man, Omar S.

Hold on, I’m getting some Salisbury steak real quick. Hold on.

No problem.

What up? You all right, man?

Yeah, we’re good. I’ve just been wanting to check up with you. It’s been a while since I’ve actually seen you. It’s just always good to see you out there. What about some of the new material lately?

I’ve got something different. It’s kind of like country and disco, recorded in 2007. It’s kind of a secret that song right now, but once people catch on, they will know what I’m talking about, as far as being country. Kind of Malaysian, Asian, Korean-type shit. But I’ll tell you in person later, you know what I’m saying?

That’s all good. Leave it up to the listeners sometimes. I think that’s a good point. I was just talking to somebody about that and it’s like, sometimes we’ve got to give more benefit of the doubt to the listeners to figure out things on their own and not put everything out. That’s what the charm is about, especially your output, I’ve realized. It’s like you really have to actually look for it, which is dope, and once you discover it, it just hits you like a ton of bricks. That’s what happened to me.

Thank you, thank you. I try to make it something for everybody and it’s something I don’t really plan, it just happens like that, you know what I mean? Sorry if I’m eating and talking at the same time.

You’re good. We’re chilling. This ain’t no interview. This is a conversation.

Eating and driving at the same time. Eating, driving with my knee, eating mashed potatoes and holding the phone with the other hand. It’s not something, “Okay, I’ve got to make this sound different this time.” People don’t understand, I’m always making something different. I’m always making music, always. Always, always, always. Sometimes people make a track and they want to put it out. They make some yesterday and they want to put it out. That’s not me. I’m always making shit, making shit, making shit, making shit and making shit and making shit.

It’s in your blood.

It just fucking happens. Some people get motivated by... I heard certain dudes out of Chicago, a pop guy, he might get inspired by watching porn. Some guy might be inspired by smoking. Some guys get inspired off money. I like being under pressure. I just like being under pressure. That’s why I kind of did my last album because somebody said something I didn’t fucking like. That’s why I kind of did my last album.

So that’s the reality. That’s what I’m talking about. You’re still making music that comes from the heart and inspired by real situations happening. That’s where you can hear the truth. Instead of it being manufactured in a way where it’s like, “I’m going to try to sound like this or sound like that.” It’s motivation. I see where you’re going, and of course you know I can relate to you on that.

Basically, muthafucka, I can show you. I can put you in your place.

Just through the music. Literally by the music and talent.

Just through the music, exactly. Oh yeah, I don’t try to put nobody down. I’m not like that at all.

I understand. The last album, man. If you could just tell us a little bit about that? The artwork is incredible. It’s lovely.

Artwork is always low budget. I love low budget. That’s like low budget in my family. That’s funny. We’re always thinking low budget is some funny shit.

But it didn’t look low budget. I know exactly what you’re trying to say, though. I love it. I think the people who know what we’re talking about, why don’t you tell them the name of the latest album again?

It’s called The Best. It’s just straight tracks. I think it’s a good album. There’s one song on there I wish I’d put on there. As usual, I was trying to look for this one particular song and I couldn’t find it, so I put another song on there, which I really kind of regret now. I think people will still like it.

Of course. I’m playing it on my sets and people really enjoy it. I’m known for playing a lot of boogie and funk, but I’ve been mixing it up always with techno and house and things like that. I think people shouldn’t pigeonhole us, just let us do the music. You know what I’m saying?

Exactly. I have songs ready for pop artists I just would never put out. I have a fucking arsenal of any fucking thing, anything. But I don’t know. I have shit, that’s all I have to say. I’ve got shit. I’m not with that remix shit. Even though I’ve done a couple of them before, which I’m not proud of. But go ahead. Totally bullshit. The music was horseshit. Here, you want all this money? Here, fuck it.

But production is mainly the thing you’re interested in, as opposed to remix when you work with other artists?

Exactly. I mean, even the remix I did wasn’t really nothing I did. I just put back together some shit they gave me.

I understand. That happens. Because I think that people are more into the names attached to certain things.

Does that answer your question? Sorry about that. My brain is fast, so I talk fast. I’m all over the place.

That was perfect. Are you still rolling around the city? We’ve got a couple more minutes. I’m not going to keep your drive vibe.

We can go as long as you want. I don’t give a fuck.

Thank you brother. Can you name some of the influences for some of your people that are listening to this show that really love your music and love you? Can you explain some of them?

Yeah, I can do that. First of all, a lot of people can’t understand what I’m saying, they say I talk too fast and shit. When I go to Europe and shit, I really don’t talk, because I really can’t be myself. I have to talk real slow. I have to talk proper. I can’t talk where I’m from, you know what I’m saying? As far as influences, it’s like Chicago house, techno. A lot of shit that people don’t... You give up the funk to Ohio. Ohio, brother. A lot of people don’t know about all the great bands that came out of Ohio.

I remember a long time ago people would ask, “Why don’t Omar S and Dâm-Funk ever work together?” It’s just natural that we eventually did. I think it’s nice for people to hear us be able to chill. There are some great relationships that exist out here in the underground, and that’s what we’re displaying right now.

I don’t have no beef with nobody. I think maybe people have a beef with me because some people just think... I don’t know what people think. You never know where jealousy comes from.

Same here. Same here. I’m known for being positive, but you never know. I have my third eye on high beams and I know you do too, and we’re aware of those that are out there that have that opinion and vibe about us. We don’t know why. We can’t explain it, but we can’t be perfect in everybody’s eyes. So we just have to continue in what we do and focus on the people that really love this music that we both contribute. Much respect to you, brother. I don’t think enough musicians actually tell each other that they really enjoy their music. There’s nothing weird about it. It’s nothing illegal to tell another musician, “Yo, I really love your stuff. Keep up the great work.” I want to do that right now. I appreciate your output over the years and keep up the great work, my man. For real.

I appreciate it. I hear that all the time when I DJ for all the people in the crowd, like at the end of the parties and shit like that. I know it’s true, what people are saying. It kind of makes me bashful and shit. It makes me smile because it makes me feel good.

I think that’s what people don’t realize, is we appreciate that sometimes.

Yeah, I really appreciate that people say that. I’ve had guys say, “I was in prison and you music got me through,” or “I was in the hospital fucked up or going through shit with my girlfriend,” and I’m like, damn. They’re looking at me like I’m fucking George Benson or something.

Before we roll, do you have anything planned for 2017 that you might want to let listeners know about?

I don’t have a schedule. Like I said, I just do shit spontaneous. If the police get behind me, I may pull over, I may not pull over. Especially at night. Ain’t a lot of people driving around. You can do what you want here in Detroit, you know what I mean?

I heard. Last time I was there, I was warned about that. But it seems like you’re taking good care of yourself out there. I heard it’s a lot of positive stuff out there happening, too.

There’s a lot of shit going on. It’s ridiculous. Parties and stuff. Not a lot of good restaurants in Detroit, I’ll tell you that shit. As far as everything else, yeah. It’s a lot of good neighborhoods here. A lot of people who aren’t from Detroit, they only go to the fucked up neighborhoods. They’re on some other shit, some evil shit. They come to Detroit and they want to see some burned down houses. There’s burned down houses in muthafucking Arkansas and muthafucking Utah. Who the fuck wants to go to that shit?

Instead of going somewhere positive.

Muthafuckaz come here and don’t even go to the Motown Museum. What the fuck?

They’d rather try to get to the weird, dark stuff. Anyway, I just want to wish you a great rest of the year. For those listening, if you all ever catch him in your town worldwide DJing or appearing at any particular spot, please check him out.

Don’t be scared to say hi to me when I’m DJing. Just because I look mad, I’m not mad. “Can I speak to him? Oh, shit. Why do you look pissed off?” “Bitch, I’m not pissed off. You can say hi, make me smile.” You don’t make somebody smile by saying, “Why do you look pissed off?” Brothers be in the zone. I know you’ve got to end your shit, go ahead.

Any last words?

When you come to Detroit, make it mandatory to get your muthafucking ass to the Motown Museum from top to muthafucking bottom.