Husky, junclassic - Still Husky
July 14th has always had significance in my musical output. On July 14, 2007, I put out my first album 2 Much Aint Enuff on my label Classified Recordings at 31 years old. I have always tried to release music around my b day. But 2021 was something different. Its been a very difficult year for me. And this year I was not going to release anything because of that. But I started listening to some unreleased music produced by Husky and it made me feel something. First and foremost, Husky is an absolute genius from Rochester, New York. I remember connecting with him at the end of the myspace era and being blown away by his production. So we began working on what became “Imaginary Enemies”, which I dropped July 20th, 2009. I had huge hopes for the album, and pressed up numbered CDs. It was also the beginning of the iTunes era. But me being me, I decided to go against the grain and embark on “the anti-digi campaign” and not feature the album digitally outside of bandcamp. To this day that album is not available on streaming sites. This was primarily to get people to purchase the 500 CDs I paid a grip for, as I had to get them specially made for the individual numbering. My gamble did not pay off. The album was not received in the way that I hoped it would be and sold far less than I had expected. Although I released somewhat of a follow up with Size Husky in 2019 on CD, I feel like I failed Husky. We haven’t spoken in years. I don’t even think he makes music anymore. That breaks my heart. Husk was ahead of his time. The way he chops and flips samples. His scratch game is crazy. The obscure soundbites he places around the vocals always reminded me of Madlib. You can tell he lived and breathed music. He is truly a mad, gifted sound scientist that deserves all the flowers in the Botanical Garden.
So when I peeped the unreleased music, recorded between 2010 and 2015 I think, I didn’t even recognize myself in it. It’s aggressive. It’s confident. These are attributes that I feel so far removed from these days. It also has talk of all the great things the future had in store for our musical endeavors. And though I don’t feel the optimism I felt when I wrote this stuff, I still think it’s dope that I once felt that way. I really went for it in the verses, and I think you can hear my hunger. I haven’t written a verse in 2021. For someone that wrote nearly every weekend, that’s unprecedented for me. For the first time in my life, I don’t feel inspired to write. The thought of sitting up for hours to write something that MIGHT move someone or make someone feel something doesn’t imbue me with the energy it once did. I can’t spend my nights hoping to get someone to say “he’s dope.” anymore. Time is simply too precious now. I got more important shit to do. But the one thought that made me write, “like Stephen King on molly” back then was thinking, “The day is gonna come when you can’t do this anymore. Do it while you can.” I’m not sure what the future holds for me, and to be honest, I am more scared and uncertain now than I have ever been. But in the face of adversity, I am going to release this project on the 13th. Maybe I can turn the number 13 into something positive. Like Treach said, “If it wasn’t for bad luck I would have none.” You know what they say about double negatives right? A double negative turns out positive. And I need that. So this project is for the younger jun who wrote it that felt empowered and courageous. Its for the guy that didn’t mind having an attitude. And most of all, it’s to celebrate an unsung superhero named Husky that is one of the dopest musical beings I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Honored that I got to perform in The Roc in 2010 and burn a couple of dutches at Husky’s crib. If you got 20 minutes, I guarantee you there are beats on this project that will make your head bop. Husky, thank you so much for believing in me Bro. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into every beat, every scratch, every mix and master. Because of you, I will always be “Still Husky”. Peace. jun.
Produced by Husky.
Mixed by Husky.
Mastered by Husky.
Scratches by Husky.
Artwork by junMaf*ckn.