The Making of Keep On
A 13 YEAR JOURNEY
When Paztuh Mike first wrote his up-tempo track, Keep On, he had no idea the song was a glimpse into his future. As he says, “the song’s inspiration was prophetic.”
After writing and fine-tuning lyrics, recording beats multiple times, and collaborating with vocalist Shadale Johnson, Paztuh Mike knew he had a potential blockbuster on his hands. The straight-shooting song tells of his determination to accomplish his vision despite negative circumstances and religious traditions standing in his way. With each lyric, Paztuh Mike makes it clear that he’s not concerned about how a situation looks. No matter what, he’s going to keep walking by faith.
Little did he know how much faith it would take to finally get Keep On from the studio to the masses.
A Work in Progress
Paztuh Mike penned the lyrics to Keep On in 2007. The following year, he laid down beats using a Casio keyboard. He knew this was just a start and re-recorded the beats in 2010 once he got his hands-on better equipment. Around that time, Paztuh Mike was on the hunt for a vocalist to sing the track’s R&B-inspired hook. “I wasn’t just looking for the right voice,” he says. “I also wanted a singer with the right character.” He quickly discovered this combination wasn’t as easy to find as he thought. Some ladies had stellar personalities but mediocre vocal skills. Others were top-notch singers but were caught up in the studio’s reputation for recording some of the industry’s biggest superstars.
Fifteen auditions and a whole lot of frustration later, Paztuh Mike’s engineer mentioned he had a cousin who might fit the bill. Although Paztuh Mike’s skepticism was high, he heard his engineer out and watched a YouTube clip of this cousin singing a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz. As soon as Paztuh Mike heard her, he knew he had to give the young lady a call. A few moments later, he was on the phone with Shadale explaining his purpose for Keep On and her role in bringing that purpose to life. He also asked her a few pointed questions to test her character. Shadale passed with flying colors and since she happened to be in St. Louis from her hometown of Atlanta, she arrived in-studio shortly after their initial conversation.
Shadale’s soul-stirring addition was the final touch the song needed. Despite the long talent search and investing over $5,000 in studio time, Paztuh Mike was beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. Or so he thought. He didn’t foresee that an unexpected obstacle would delay Keep On’s release for another 9 years.
Worth the Wait
Just weeks after recording Keep On, Paztuh Mike clashed with the studio and his management team, a rift that led to an eventual split. In the process, the master recording of Keep On was lost. Despite the setback, Paztuh Mike refused to give up. In 2014, he flew Shadale into town to re-record the track. The following year, they shot the music video for the song. More time passed after that, but it was time well spent. Paztuh Mike was ordained into ministry, founded his nonprofit, Men Standing Positive, and got married. The single will debut Thursday, Feb. 13 on WRFU, 104.5 FM during the Afterwork Drive Show with DJ BJ Clark.
“It’s been a long road,” Paztuh Mike says, “but it’s been worth the wait. Keep On means so much more to me now because I’m carrying out the vision I rap about. When I first wrote the song, I only imagined what I’d eventually be doing. Now, I’m living it.
“I believe it does a good job of representing what I stand for as an artist,” Paztuh Mike continues. “And I hope my story catches people’s attention and inspires them to ‘keep on’ no matter what they face. Life isn’t always easy, but if we walk by faith, we can overcome anything that comes our way.”
