A lot of people have asked me how the song “Casual Pimpin’” came about. (Actually, only one person has, but I assume others were too shy.) It’s always difficult to explain the mystery of the creative process, but let me try…
It started on Facebook. I remember I’d just been shopping at the Gap and picked up several polo shirts (five to be exact; on sale for $20 if you bought more than two, which I did by far). I wanted to convey the feeling of pride and masculine swagger that my new purchases aroused in me, so I sat down and composed this status update: “Bought some kickin’ new polo shirts at the Gap. This summer, I’m gonna look bangin’.”
Later, I tried working these sentiments into a poem, but poetry as an art form was too limiting to express the range of my emotions about men’s summer fashion. I picked up my guitar and started jamming with myself. As I mutilated the bass line to “Let’s Get It On” and transmogrified the chord progression to “Easy” by Lionel Richie, a litany of laid-back rhymes spilled out of my mouth. “Casual Pimpin’” and the new hip-hop star Timmy E. were born.
I’m not one to wear my influences on my sleeve, and no one has asked me, but in case they do, my main influences on this song (besides the ones already mentioned) were: Digable Planets, Naughty by Nature, Todd Rundgren, and LFO (Lyte Funky Ones). Oh, and the entire history of Motown, R&B, and hip-hop, which runs through my veins.
The song was recorded on four nights during the heat wave of ’11 at my friend DJ Ben Radar’s house, while his wife and kids were away. He didn’t have any air conditioning, and we were sweaty. At one point, Ben got annoyed at me for taking more than five minutes to record the bass line. Another time, some tree-care people he’d hired were using a chainsaw right outside the studio while I was laying down vocals, and I got annoyed. I mean, couldn’t they come at another time? Ben lives in a far-flung neighborhood in Brooklyn, where there aren’t too many restaurants, so we had to eat at the same Thai place twice.
Looking back, it all seems so crazy, but somehow we did it. I guess you could say we were “casual pimpin’.”
If you haven't heard the song and don't know what I'm talking about: