Respecta.is - The Ultimate Hip Hop Portal

Quix-ot-ic (adjective). “Caught up in the romance of noble deeds; visionary, impulsive, and often rashly unpredictable.” Ayatollah dug in the crates for the title of his next digital-only album, pulling out an obscure gem in much the same way he’s been unearthing soulful sounds for over a decade. “Quixotic is the word that best descbribes me as an individual,” says the veteran producer, whose “noble deeds” include crafting hip-hop classics like Mos Def’s “Ms. Fat Booty” and Styles P and Pharoahe Monch’s “The Life.” Since these early successes, Ayatollah has gone on to work with some of the greatest MCs to ever touch a microphone, including Rakim, Ghostface, Talib Kweli, Masta Ace, and many more.

With The Quixotic (Tollah Music), Ayatollah delivers another batch of head-nodding instrumentals, with a few choice MCs (including Sadat X) also making appearances. Five years in the making, The Quixotic reflects the free creative approach favored by its creator. “With these beats, there was no real formula. I just sat down and formatted the sequence according to my mood.” While many producers have upgraded to the latest computer-based technologies, 'Tollah has shunned such gadgets in favor of his reliable MPC 60 II (discontinued in 1994). The connection between man and machine is evident on The Quixotic. “By far, this is my most personal record to date. The music and sounds I chose really describes what going on at this point in my life.”