Shareef Keyes and Pool Cosby Release Upbeat Funky Track "Plant Mom"
Were you one of those people who bought a million plants during quarantine as a coping mechanism? I certainly was, which is why this Shareef Keyes & Pool Cosby's latest track, "Plant Mom," really hit home for me. Maybe I did buy one too many plants, but I've managed to keep (almost) all of them alive.
Anyways... I caught up with Shareef about the Brooklyn music scene, his mom, plants, and more.
Malaika Astorga for Also Cool: Hi! Let's start with a bit about who you all are and where you're from.
Shareef Keyes: What's Funkn? I'm Shareef Keyes from Brooklyn. Born and raised in New York City, I live in Staten Island right now. I've been making music since I was 12. My first recording was at like six years old. My older brother forced me to sing a chorus with curse words in it on a karaoke machine, haha; I was so scared our mom would find out.
Also Cool: What's the scene like where you're from? How did you first get into music?
Shareef: The New York scene is filled with awesome talent. You can literally walk down a Brooklyn block, let's say Bedstuy, and catch a free jam/show by some of the best local talents. My mother actually wrote my older brother's first rap. They later took rapping really seriously, bought equipment, and learned how to market themselves. They put in the work. I learned everything I know about producing, arranging, writing, and singing from them. I also picked up other things from homies and studied my favourite artists, but they are my foundation.
AC: The song is focused on care for each other and for ourselves. What's something you've learned about self-care and caring for your friends over the pandemic?
S: I had to be mindful of myself. Unlearning bad habits and enforcing new ones. I also have to say I learned it's very easy for me to gain weight, and I'm still working off this daddy gut. Oh yeah, I also have a baby coming, her name is Art, she'll probably be here by the time this interview is out. We had a lot of fun during the pandemic, but not having your homies to kick it with during the pandemic was so trash! Being with those who love you in real-time, with no glitches, is a must for me. I need to feel that energy from my people.
AC: If you were a plant, what kind would you be?
S: I would be an avocado seed, hands down. My lady grew an avocado seed, and it bloomed into a plant. I'm hoping it lives when she moves it into the soil. I also wouldn't mind being a rattlesnake plant. They really open and close depending on the amount of light in the room. That shit is so fire to me! I'm into the whole: life is happening all around us, all the time, and we don't know it. So to see a plant move at my speed is appreciated.
AC: Music has been proven to help plants grow (hi Plantasia), so I'm wondering what music you're listening to right now that you think would make your plants happy?
S: I've been playing a lot of Roy Ayers, Peyton, and Jack White. I think the plants have been dancing low-key. I've also been bumping that new Sir Keyes in my car and Masego. Those are my guys!!!
Shareef Keyes
Pool Cosby
Malaika Astorga is the co-founder of Also Cool. She is a Mexican-Canadian visual artist, writer, and social media strategist currently based in Montreal.