Canned Funk Music

My musical journey began at the age of 4 with the passion to play drums. I would play anything, books, pots, pans, and anything that had a metallic-like transient for a hi-hat. After all those transitions from book to pan, my family bought me a set of drums. I loved them dearly and played them regularly. My brother Clement influenced me into playing Jazz and R&B. Everyday I’d play along with the radio, or TV show (I loved the Pink Panther ☺ ). I would also play along with his Run-DMC albums that he would play regularly.
As my fascination grew, my dad made the declaration to buy me a set of real drums. They were cheap, but I didn’t care. I started playing in church at 8 and after a 2 years my brother Darryl, sister Bonita, and my parents pooled together and bought my first pro set. Black 5 piece Yamaha Road Series. I then started thinking seriously about a music career, little to their knowledge.
When I turned 12, my mother enrolled my in a drum class and I learned how to play Heavy- Metal and classic rock. At 15 I talked my dad into getting me a 4-track recorder, Yamaha MT-100 (I was really in love with Yamaha as you can see) and the previous year a Casio keyboard. Darryl’s girlfriend at the time insisted I should learn to play the piano. I was also in my High School band while still in Junior High. Once I started High School, I was first chair til’ the end of my high school changing. Also at that time I met two brothers who I would be making music with from that time on, Miztaklean, and Tauros.
The three of us won local Talent Shows, and released two albums along with many separate single tracks. I was a Co-Composer with Miztaklean and Tauros was Lyrics and Vocals. We also worked with other local artists at the time, like a High School peer named Jason A.K.A eHLZi at the time. By age 20, I acquired a bank loan and bought a Tascam488mkII, Yamaha RY20 (see, I told you), and a Roland XP-50. I used the equipment and opened a pre-production studio in my Dad’s basement. We made music and rented the studio as if we were “The Hit Factory” and made a local name.
After a time, I felt like pushing the envelope and moved to Atlanta, GA. After meeting then unknown artists like a 15yr old Lil’ Zane. I also had a short stint with Knight Star Records. I moved back home to Detroit, and a year later, I flew to the west coast and worked with producer Stone (Tha Lunatic) who had worked with Ice Cube, and Easy E. After working under Stone, I then chose to go back working with Miztaklean and Tauros who had also moved to LA as well. Miztaklean and I had chosen to come back to Detroit to work with Boss and Dee (Def Jam West artists from Detroit), and also working with Leggs Diamond Entertainment as sole composer/producers. I also, started learning the guitar.
Fast forwarding to today I have finished an album with Tauros this year (King Of Hearts) and my own album (WerkOutMuzik, Quitting is Not in My DNA) which will be set to release in December. I owe my life to Jesus, for if not for him I wouldn’t have gotten this far.

-And on to the Next!!!
Eric “Dinero” Lett