FM hip-hop to the top
By Suwitcha Chaiyong
Photos courtesy of BEC Tero
Did you know
FM will soon launch a music player application called Bassline.
American electro hip-hop group Far East Movement, also known as FM, were formed in 2003 by three buddies — Kev Nish (Kevin Nishimura), Prohgress (James Roh) and J-Splif (Jae Choung) — who grew up in Los Angeles.
The trio hit big with their 2006 single “Round Round,” which was taken from their debut album Folk Music and featured in the blockbuster movie, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
In 2008, DJ Virman joined the group, and the quartet released their second album, Animal, which included the Billboard chart hit, “Girls on the Dance Floor.” This popular track led to the group signing with Cherrytree Records, which is a subsidiary of Interscope, the label behind superstars like Lady Gaga, 50 Cent and LMFAO.
In 2010, FM released the single “Like a G6” from their album Free Wired, and the song soon turned them into an international sensation. More recently, “Live My Life” won the group a slew of younger fans, since the song featured a guest spot from Justin Bieber.
Ahead of their August 24 performance at the Sonic Bang Ultimate International Music Festival in Bangkok, FM took time to answer some email questions for Student Weekly. The guys talked about their latest single and about some of their most exciting performances.
Student Weekly: What was your impression the last time you performed in Bangkok?
FM: Bangkok is one of the wildest places on earth. The crowds and energy are always amazing.
Student Weekly: Is there much difference between your latest album, Dirty Bass, and your previous releases?
FM: Free Wired was inspired by life in Los Angeles, and all the years we spent working before we were signed to a record label. It was a mash-up album of everything that defined us. For Dirty Bass, we went with the idea of matching a dirty dance bass sound with pop and old hip-hop cadences.
Student Weekly: Can you tell us about your new single, “The Illest”?
FM: “The Illest” is an anthem for anybody who’s feeling badass. We imagined the scene from the movie Office Space where they take the copy machines outside and smash the hell out of them!
Student Weekly: What was it like working with rapper Riff Raff on the single?
FM: Riff Raff is like a meme of awesome one-line quotes crossed with a Versace home and garden catalogue!
Student Weekly: Where do you get the inspiration to find new sounds for your songs?
FM: It comes from listening to everything that’s around. We love experimenting and searching for sounds and arrangements that haven’t hit the dance floor yet.
Student Weekly: What was it like performing for President Obama at his inauguration event?
FM: It felt like all the news on CNN had come to life right before our eyes. We all got the chills just being in the same room as the first family. To actually perform in front of them made us the most nervous we’d ever been. We stood in a line to meet President Obama with stars like Katy Perry, Alicia Keys, Smokey Robinson, Jamie Foxx and Usher. We were wondering how this could have happened!
Student Weekly: Did you enjoy touring with Lady Gaga in Japan?
FM: She was great to tour with. We got a chance to see how a large-scale tour like that moves and operates, and we hung out with Lady Gaga for pizza and drinks after the show.
Student Weekly: How was your performance at the music festival in Norway when your clothes and equipment didn’t arrive on time?
FM: What could have been our worst performance ended up being one of our best shows ever. Our whole team stepped it up and we just went out there and did it.
Student Weekly: How do you keep physically fit, since you always dance non-stop during your performances?
FM: We eat McDonald’s, tacos, fried chicken and extra greasy pizza. That will give you the sexy figure found in magazines!
Vocabulary
- quartet (n): a group of four musicians or singers who perform together as a group
subsidiary (n): a business company that is owned and controlled by another larger company
slew (n): a large number or amount of something
mash-up (n): a type of recorded music, film, visual art, etc. that consists of a collage of many different things put together
define (v): to describe or show something accurately
cadence (n): the rhythm and rise and fall of the voice in speaking
badass (slang): somebody who is admired and respected by other people because they are not afraid to do what they like or because they are particularly good at something
meme (n): an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture
inauguration (n): in the US, the day when a person officially becomes president in a special ceremony
the first family (n): the family of the president of the United States
step something up (phrasal v): to increase the amount, speed, etc. of something
taco (n): a type of Mexican food consisting of a crisp fried pancake that is folded over and filled with meat, beans, etc.
