Music
Meet the Artist Behind Drake's 'Jungle' Sample
Red Bull Sound Select artist Gabriel Garzón-Montano talks about how he connected with Drake.
Drake eclipsed all that Kanye West buzz buzzing around the Internet last week when the Canadian rapper surprise dropped a new mixtape, "If You're Reading This It's Too Late." (Sorry, Kanye, the Grammy interruption joke was funny and your new shoes are cool, though.)
A day before "If You're Reading This It's Too Late" arrived, a short film starring Drake and titled "Jungle" circulated. At the end of the melancholy clip, there was a song. We didn't know what the song was, but the next day we learned it was the final song of Drake's new project.
"Jungle," produced by Drake's go-to producer Noah "40" Shebib, features a sample of "6 8" by Gabriel Garzón-Montano, a Brooklyn musician and Red Bull Sound Select artist. Last weekend, while Garzón-Montano was working on some new music at Red Bull Studios NY, he told us his friend Zoë Kravitz (the daughter of musician Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet) shared the song — which originally appeared on Garzón-Montano's 2014 album, "Bishouné: Alma Del Huila" — with Drake and Drake "loved it."
" 'Jungle' is a jam," says Garzón-Montano. "It's surreal to hear [Drake] over [my song]. The first time I heard it, I was listening to how they chopped me up while checking out his melodic choices over the changes and it was an overload on a few levels, in the best way."
"I'm honored that he was moved to make a tune over mine," Garzón-Montano said. "I respect his incredible work ethic. His time feel is ridiculous. And, of course, I love his songs about winning. Motivational music!"
About the music he was making in the studio, Garzón-Montano said, "I'm working on my record as well as writing and producing with/for others. Nothing I'm ready to share quite yet. But soon!"
WATCH: Drake, "Jungle"
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