Name calling

The man behind electronic/dance label Listen Deep is releasing his first single this November and the man himself is in Dubai this weekend for his first visit. Poet Name Life, the two-time Grammy nominee, is the man who spins for the Black Eyed Peas and will be performing at the Desert Palm Resort on Friday, but it wasn't always so easy, he told tabloid!, reminiscing about the days when he didn't even have equipment to practise on.

Luckily, he had a friend to help him out. "Will.i.am and I would bug our friends that had equipment and go over to their places and just make beats until the sun came up! It's funny because there would be many times where I would get off from work at 6am and drive an hour away to my friend DJ Josh One's house, just to make a beat and practise on his equipment," he said.

Excerpts from the interview

Tell us about your name.

My name comes from my graffiti art days. My actual artist name was Life but instead of just writing graffiti on walls I would also write poems in books through art and characters, many times for friends and many guy friends used to ask me to write poems for their girlfriends. [Laughs] Thus I got the name Poet. It eventually became natural when friends and people started calling me Poet Name Life. So I decided that is a cool name like Tribe Called Quest and even today I still compose my music in poetic theory and approach.

You started and succeeded early in your career. Where did you learn to do what you do? Who inspires you or who do you look up to? What were the challenges you faced when you first started?

I learned what to do in many different places living in LA, from basements of friends' houses, in ghetto studio set-ups to different community colleges I went to, to taking music classes. My friends inspire me and we push each other to break the code every day in different music styles and experimentation, and also to be an inspiration to my son and of course the most inspiration comes from my love and fiancée Lucy. The challenges I first faced when I started was not having any equipment at all.

What does it take to be a qualified producer?

It's not really about being qualified as such, it's about making music you love and having others enjoy your creation and art. Dedication to the arts, experimenting, having an open mind and will to learn every day.

You've worked with the Black Eyed Peas and many other artists. Who else would you like to work with in the future?

Adele would be amazing to work with. I've been a fan since her album 19.

How do you feel being a two-time Grammy nominee?

It's an amazing accomplishment, and I look forward to many more!

Where are you going to perform next?

Desert Palm Resort by Per Aquum in Dubai is my next performance, following that will be Korea, Philippines, and China this month.

What instruments do you play?

I can play about every instrument (not as a professional) if I have a little time to get to know it. It's all about being in key or in relation to a key. As long as you have a tuned instrument harmony will guide the way.

What are your hobbies other than music?

My hobbies other than music are drawing/painting, playing golf and going on travel adventures when in different cities/countries. My newfound hobby scuba diving was introduced by a good friend in the Maldives.

When are you releasing your own album?

I have recently launched an electronic/dance record label called Listen Deep (listendeep.us) and will be releasing singles starting November, which will lead to a full length release for summer 2012.

I am collaborating with many cutting edge artists like Fergie, Rome of Sublime, Shifty of Crazy Town, R.I.P. DJ AM, Sidney Samson, BT, Dallas K, Sam Obernik, Ghettoblasterz, Ms. Madison, Tabi Bonney and many more.

Don't miss it

Poet Name Life performs at Desert Palm Resort on Friday at 9pm. Entrance is free, for table reservations call 04-3238888.