Words by: Sara Moskovitz

When the age of technological advancement hit, it hit hard. These days, bi-coastal connections are just a keyboard click away, so when producers Kyle “Keelay” Pierce and Tim “Zaire” Lewis met and collaborated via interweb several years ago, they thought nothing of their vast geographical distance. Aside from wishing for more “real time” together in the studio with their whole Sole Vibe Music Group cronies, “Kee and Zee” are pleased as punch with Prelude To Drive, their downloadable EP and Ridin’ High, their premier full-length LP, which is stuffed with impressive emcee appearances (Blu, Phonte from Little Brother, D-Minor, Rasco, Planet Asia, Torae, Saafir, Supastition…) and their signature rich, layered beats, often packed with kaleidoscopic piano riffs courtesy of Zaire. We caught the duo for a moment of clarity about Karate Kid, Khizman and Keyshia Cole.

Keelay, give us one little-known fact about your hometown, Salt Lake City, Utah?

Keelay: I heard that there are underground tunnels all throughout the city that lead up to the Mormon temple.

Zaire, you’re also from an unusual city for hip hop, Dayton, Ohio.

Zaire: Roger from Roger and Zapp was a family friend. And the funk band Lakeside is from right down the street.

How did you collaborate with all the artists featured on Ridin’ High?

Keelay: We hit up folks through Underground Hip Hop (ughh.com) but for the most part, we contacted everybody through Myspace.

What are your favorite instruments to sample?

Keelay: Every time I hear a flute, I want to sample it. And anything that has horns and a string section, I’m going to go for it.

Zaire: I grew up on soul and R & B so I like Fender Rhodes and jazz guitars.

What are some things you’ll find when you Spring clean?

Keelay: A lot of spare cords. I don’t know where I get them all from; I swear half of them are for vacuums and hair dryers.

Zaire: A lot of empty boxes from equipment I’ve bought. Also a lot of liquor bottles.

Keelay, if you could re-do the soundtrack to any movie, which movie would it be?

Keelay: Karate Kid I. I love the original soundtrack. If I could re-do that, I would get a whole band and do that in a second.

Zaire: If you could produce a song for any cartoon, which cartoon would it be?

Zaire: Transformers, no question! Transformers are giant robots from space, you can’t get any cooler than that. You’re talking about early 80’s sounds, which I’m a big fan of.

Keelay, if you could produce an advertising jingle for any product, what product would it be and what would it sound like?

Keelay: Hennessey. It would sound smooth – some Fender Rhodes, guitars and jazz drums.

What should Obama’s theme song be?

Zaire: Prodigy’s “H.N.I.C”.

What’s the one piece of studio equipment you can’t live without?

Zaire: I live and die for my Yamaha Motif.

Keelay: Protools on my computer. If that goes out, we’re in trouble.

What’s an artist you’re each working with that not a lot of people know about yet?

Keelay: Fortilive, who’re signed to our label. They’re like magic when they work together.

Zaire: On the East coast, Khizman. He’s with DMP and works with Nottz, one of the best beat makers ever.

What album do you want to be buried with?

Keelay: This record called SOUL. I could listen to that a million times in a row.

Zaire: Jodeci, Diary of a Madman.

You both still have 9 – 5’s.

Zaire: I was in the Air Force for six years and I worked an intelligence job while in the military. I got out in 2005 and got the same type of job as a civilian. I’ve been holding that down for the last four years.

Keelay: I do IP for Wells Fargo Bank.

What’s next after the release, promotion and touring for Ridin’ High?

Zaire: We’re gong to get a whole album with Keyshia Cole, whether she likes it or not (laughs).

Download Prelude To Drive, the new mixtape by Keelay and Zaire, on their website, www.myxmusiclabel.com and blog, www.keeandzee.com.