Axcess, others perform at FAME |
| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Mar 11 2009 at 2:17 PM |
Photo by Laura Schemper
Yoshiki Naoi and Hideyuki Furusawa, perform a dance together as U.D.O.N. They received first place in the group category and won $300.
By Tara Purdie
Antelope Staff
Champagne wishes and caviar dreams are the driving force behind Elias Hammond's current hobby: music.
"Well right now it is just a hobby, and school is my first priority. However, if something happens with it I won't mind. Since I was a kid, I would always imagine myself up on stage rapping in front of people and being famous," Hammond said.
The sophomore physical education major surprised the crowd at the Fame Talent Show in the Ponderosa Room on March 5 performing as Axcess with his original song, "Drop It," singing about experiences in the club.
Hammond, a native of Colorado Springs, Colo., said, "I had some butterflies in the beginning, and when we got offstage I was a little bit frustrated because I knew we could have done a lot better."
He said the audience didn't react to the song the way he anticipated, and afterward he wished he had chosen a different song for the show.
Hammond isn't sweating one mediocre performance because he is well on his way to fame.
Hammond has collaborated with dozens of other artists including some big names such as Chingy, Pretty Willy, Tone Trump, Zion I, Mims and Lil Wayne's producer.
He has been rapping and singing R&B for about a year and hopes to get in the rock scene but said he has been "writing lyrics since I can remember. I write from what's going on in my life and how I feel. So I got different music for different moods, and hopefully you can relate to it yourself."
Hammond said sometimes his lyrics come to him when he least expects it. "Sometimes the ideas don't come until I hear a beat, or I'll just be walking to class thinking of different things that are on my mind."
Hammond said there is nothing greater than the feeling he gets walking through the dorm and hearing someone listen to his music, especially since he fell into this hobby by chance. Hammond said he had always been in love with music but didn't try rapping until he was with his friend's small group and was asked if he could "spit on the mic." He said he has been addicted ever since.
