He's the DJ and the Rapper
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Arizona Daily Wildcat
photo courtesy of Andy Kabasele
Usher and Andy Kabasele rub elbows at the 41st Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
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Name: Andy Kabasele
Stage Name: Kayo
Major: Management Information Systems senior
Age: 36
Job Description: As a music producer; take musical arrangements, tweak them until they sound just right. Then release the CD and rake in the dough. Also hold a career as a French rapper on the side.Job Qualifications: Must know how to handle a keyboard. Must be able to hob-nob with the rich. Rapping ability in the French language a plus.
Job Advantages: Money. A six figure income, plus appearances at the Grammys and the Academy Awards.
Job Disadvantages: Deciding whether to drive the blue or red Porsche to school on even-numbered days of the month.
Andy Kabasele's job isn't so much odd as it is awed - by others.
Kabasele is a musical genius who first made his mark in the industry in 1993. He helped arrange beats and write music for Babyface in 1993's "For the Cool in You" album that won two Grammys.
"Babyface paid me a lot of money," said Kabasele, who speaks in a deep French accent. "He is a really nice guy. Excellent."
Kabasele is also a famous rapper in his native France. When he was living in Montpellier, he started a rapping career under the stage name "Kayo." He went on to produce six albums. His Kayo CDs have sold over 2 million copies in France.
The only reason he went to the UA was to please his father.
"He thought I would become bankrupt," Kabasele said.
Kabasele hopes to graduate with an MIS degree some time in 2000. After graduation, he hopes to devote more time to his music.
His next big thing is "FX." That's the stage name he made up for his friend Fasriah Ariafahitami. Kabasele is producing FX's debut rhythm & blues CD.
"It's going to be great," Kabasele said. "He'll be one of the first R&B stars from Arizona."
-phil villarreal
Got an odd job? Write prv@azstarnet.com
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