Jay-Z and Me
What happens when you accidentally write a song for a global superstar?
Kanan is a 30-year-old software consultant in Bristol, but for years he was a struggling musician.
A few years ago after 15 years of trying to make it in the music industry, he got a day job. His first solid 9-5. To his surprise, he loved the new structure to his life. His life changed completely - he has stability and he's happy.
But his secure life has now been overtaken by unexpected events. Two years ago, he wrote a song in his bedroom about a break-up he was going through. He gave it to some friends, the band Hannah Williams and the Affirmations, to record. At the beginning of 2017 the unthinkable happened - by a twist of fate, Jay-Z heard the track, liked it, and sampled it.
It's become part of the song 4:44 - Jay-Z's public apology to BeyoncΓ©. It's the title track on his platinum selling album, and the first single he released earlier this year, and Kanan is listed as songwriter without ever having spoken to Jay-Z. He had no idea any of this was going to happen until June when the album was released.
In song writing terms, it's like winning the lottery - but what does it really mean for his life?
Produced in Bristol by Polly Weston.
Last on
What's the impact of a major artist sampling your music?
Broadcasts
- Mon 8 Jan 2018 11:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Thu 9 Aug 2018 23:30Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Fri 19 Apr 2019 23:25Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
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