Chris Cool Peeples

He booked the Low Beat on Oct. 6 for his live art and musical presentation Virtual Garden of Eden: A Celebration of Life, Art and Music. Including sets from a handful of Peeples' friends and collaborators, the show is an opportunity for him to create a different kind of performance. "I just really wanted to put something in to production that was more of an experience, something memorable that celebrates innocence, life and art," Peeples said. "I want to bring the Low Beat to life and definitely transform the Low Beat into a whole new vibe. "The music is going to be focused on passion and stories," he continued. "I want it to feel like, you know, special. I know everybody (performing) takes their music seriously." Peeples is enthusiastic about his fellow performers. They include singer (and girlfriend) Clarisse Harbour, longtime friend and collaborator Andre Wolfgang Williams (who is using the show to unveil his new release), rising talent Promise the Unbreakable and like-minded rapper Ohzhe (formerly Ozymandias). Rome Thrasher will be handling the music and the artwork of Peeples' sister-in-law Erica Lee Chen will be a focal point. upcoming release and he's particularly excited to bring and present the New Jersey-based artist's work to Capital Region audiences. Promoting her work and helping support artistry in any format, be it painting, music or video, is something that really inspires Peeples.
"She's so amazing. I can't wait to share her art with all the people I know," Peeples said. "Art is important. Art is everything."
Peeples' foray into artistic endeavors began about a decade ago. By his estimation, he's been "writing raps since freshman year of high school."
"I would say I grew up in a hip-hop heavy household," he recalled. "Got into writing during the Lil Wayne era. He got me writing in my notebook."
About three years ago, he put his first song up online. It was a crucial learning experience for him as a writer and performer, teaching him about the level of commitment and focus necessary to creating something meaningful.
"After I finished my song it was like, 'Oh, I can actually do this,'" Peeples said. "The biggest part probably in taking it serious is piecing together a whole song.
"What is the whole message, what are you saying," he continued. "It's really important to find the right place to record, the right person to mix and master. That's the foundation. Once you get that foundation, you're good to go."
Peeples writes and raps about family, current events, the ideas and concepts floating in his head during the day. When he first started out, he scoured the internet for beats. Since that time he's branched out and taken up collaborating with local producers and beat-makers.
Currently, he's putting the finishing touches on "Hippy Flip," his next full-length release. Recorded and produced with the help of Brian Chiappinelli at Foster House Studios, Peeples sees the work as a significant improvement over his prior body of work, citing better sound quality and a heightened effort to create a cohesive piece.
Peeples is planning to drop "Hippy Flip" in late November or December and has worked with local director Melvin Williams to put together videos and visuals to correspond with the rollout. He's really excited to get everything out and hopes that listeners really take the time to home in on his lyrics and what he's trying to say. - Times Union News