This is 24 year old Record Producer, Professional Keyboardist, Writer and Artist Eddie Tate (ETATE) (@iametate). It’s always been a dream of his to land a record/production deal with Jay-Z’s label RocNation, Kanye West’s label G.O.O.D Music, J. Cole’s label Dreamville, or Drakes OVO label.
He has worked with artist all around the country producing and playing. At the age of 3, the first instrument he picked up was the drums. At age 10 he met the keyboard & permanently stuck with it. In 2004 when Kanye West’s debut album “College Dropout” was released, ETATE got a copy from his childhood friend. His favorite song from the album and to this day is “Through The Wire” which was heard by ETATE and inspired him to become a producer and artist as well at age 11, which was stated on track #9, “Can You Stand The Rain 2004 K.W. Tribute” on his 1st project “2905 Roots And Halo Dust” which was fully Produced, wrote, composed, and arranged by himself.
ETATE’s mother bought him a Yamaha DX7 and he soon began making beat tapes for his friends from middle school through high school. He made these tapes for his rap group titled (L.O.D. which stood for Life Or Death) which were his best friends; who he still makes music with today.
ETATE has been titled on many occasions as the greatest producer of all time to reside in Indiana. Integrating 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s string arrangements and rock & soul samples, trip hop, alternative rock, classical, and western cultured music, ETATE has developed a very unique style and is known in Fort Wayne as the “King of the Minor Mode”. Jay-Z and Kanye West are still and were always his biggest inspiration. His passion for music also made him pursue a degree in music at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne and being the one African American of his generation accepted in the music program as an applied pianist before dropping out of college to commute back and forth to Atlanta and New York City to pursue music full time.
Upon traveling to Atlanta, ETATE ended up building a relationship with long time friend of Kanye West and Manager of Yo Gotti and CMG, Mel Carter.
After Meeting Mel Carter, Eddie was able to get his music personally to Kanye West during the first stop of the St. Pablo Tour. Kanye demanded his driver to stop the vehicle because ETATE chased and waved Kanye down and asking him repeatedly to take his Album, which Kanye did. Kanye took ETATE’s number during the interaction. Shortly after, Yo Gotti’s Label CMG called and had Eddie fly down to be apart of Yo Gotti’s latest album “White Friday” (CM9) where he is listed as a composer and is a feature on #11 “What Happened.” This track was specifically to touch on the late Mel Carter who recently passed away.