The Kickdrums
American hip-hop production team
The Kickdrums
Alex Fitts of The Kickdrums
Origin Cleveland , Ohio, U.S.Genres Occupation Record producer Instruments Years active 2005–present Labels Members Alexander Fitts Past members Matt Penttila Website thekickdrums .net
The Kickdrums is singer-songwriter and record producer Alexander Fitts, originally from Cleveland, Ohio . It was formerly a production duo also including DJ Matt Penttila.[ 1]
Career
Indie rock singer-songwriter Alex Fitts started off as a Cleveland-based record producer, working with local hip-hop acts but took off when his music caught the ears of big-name rappers, looking for production that blended hip-hop and indie rock styles. He and his production partner, Matt Penttila, found work with artists such as 50 Cent , John Legend , and Kid Cudi , and did remixing for Kanye West , Adele , Ben Harper , and Peter Bjorn and John .[ 2]
At the same time, the duo began working on their own hybrid of indie rock and hip-hop, releasing an EP titled Just a Game in 2009, and continued with an album titled Meet Your Ghost in 2011 with Last Gang Records .[ 3]
Penttila left the band after this release and Fitts struck out on his own, turning The Kickdrums into a one-man band and trading in any vestiges of hip-hop for electronic-tinged singer-songwriter-influenced indie rock. After signing with Hopeless Records , an EP titled Still Logic was released in July 2013, followed by an album titled Thinking Out Loud in October of that year.[ 4]
Fitts' music has been used in a variety of TV shows, movies and games including The Sims , Teen Wolf , The Wire , Suits , Bloodline , Chuck , Cougar Town , Lovesick , Demoted , Famous in Love , The Unicorn , Temptation Island , ESPN , the BBC as well as ads for Ralph Lauren and Beats by Dre .
Albums including The Kickdrums' production have sold over 7.5 million copies worldwide. Fitts has cited The Prodigy , Wu-Tang Clan and Trent Reznor as influences.
Production discography
2005
2006–2007
"Smokin' & Leanin"
"She A G"
"Dope Game"
"Here I Stand"
"Keep on Pushing"
"Hello World"[ 7]
"Get It Girl" (feat. Fat Al )[ 8]
2008
"We Major"
"Good Morning " (feat. Big Sean )
"Sky High" – Kid Cudi featuring Kanye West[ 12]
2009–2010
2011
2012
"Thieves In The Choir" featuring Casey Veggies
"Want My Blood" featuring DZ Deathrays & Rockie Fresh
"My Life" featuring Machine Gun Kelly
"Naked"
"The Way It Goes" featuring Big Pooh
"The Last Goodbye" featuring Backwood Jones
"Traces"
"Death Wish" featuring Maluca Mala & Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire
"Safer Than Heaven"
"Whatever You'd Like featuring Gilbere Forte [es ]
"Come Come (KD Remix) by Hot As Sun - featuring Freddie Gibbs
"Come And Go" by Alan Wilkis featuring The KickDrums
2013
2014
2015
"No Where (Intro)"
"Magic Bullet"
"Indica La Roux (Ft. Miloh Smith)"
"Naruto"
"Psycho"
"N O W H E R E"
"Lambo, Pt. 1"
"Lambo, Pt. 2"
"Unagi"
"Skank"
"Bandcamp"
"I Got A Lazer"
"Now Here (Outro)"
2016
2017
"Lights Out" EP - Shiny Wet Machine – (Sizzy Rocket and The Kickdrums) of Diet Punk Records[ 34]
"Euphoria"
"Stun Gun"
"Spectrum"
"Chemicel"
"Hospitals"
"Lights Out" B-Sides EP - Shiny Wet Machine – (Sizzy Rocket and The Kickdrums) of Diet Punk Records[ 35]
"Breakfast"
"Coma"
"Spine"
"Gash"
2018
"First Time"
"True Romance"
"Barbara Walters"
2019
"Grow EP" – Mia Gladstone – 22Twenty Records[ 37]
"Baby Dont Worry"
"Hold It Down"
"Revolutionize"
"Love U"
"Feel It"
"Alone"
2020
"All My Heroes Are Dead (The Introduction)"
"Golden Oldies" (feat. Atmosphere and Eamon )
"Angelic Boy"
"Living Through a Screen (Everything Is a Lie)" (feat. The Kickdrums)
"The Slayers Club" " (feat. Ice-T , Vinnie Paz , Brand Nubian , Chris Rivers , Chino XL , M.O.P. and Onyx )
2022
"Losing Sunlight EP" – Oh Bummer! – If This Then Records[ 41]
"Mirrors"
"Beautiful Day"
"Going Out Of My Mind"
"It Felt Real"
"The Right Thing"
"Losing Sunlight"
2023
"The Color"
"The Otherside"
"Ride The Wave"
"Pretty Orange EP" – Werdperfect & The Kickdrums [ 46]
"Pretty Orange"
"Potato Chip"
"No Vacancy"
"Wrong Number"
"Stupid EP" – Oh Bummer – [ 47]
"Swimming"
"The Bird and the Dog"
"Listen Up"
"Talk About It All The Time"
Discography
Studio Albums
Meet Your Ghost [co-produced with Alan Wilkis aka (Big Data )] (2011)[ 48]
Thinking Out Loud (co-produced with Andros Rodriguez ) (2013)[ 49]
Blurred Colors (2020)
The Ghost Tapes (2021)
ZigZags (2023)
Compilations
Smash the System (2009)[ 50]
EPs
Just A Game EP (2009)[ 51]
Inspiration For Conversation EP (2013)[ 52]
Still Logic EP (2013)[ 53]
Breathe Again EP (2015)
Videography
References
^ "Q&A: Meet the KickDrums" . American Songwriter . November 3, 2011.
^ "New Video: Alan Wilkis ft.The KickDrums – Come and Go" . Respect-mag.com . December 21, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2017 .
^ "Album Review: The Kickdrums – Meet Your Ghost" . Consequence of Sound . June 30, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2017 .
^ "The Kickdrums on Apple Music" . iTunes Store. Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ Garcia-Roberts, Gus. "The Kickdrums may be hip-hop's next big beatmakers. And they work out of a closet in Avon" . Cleveland Scene . Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ "Ray Cash – Cash On Delivery" . Discogs . June 27, 2006. Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ "Chip Tha Ripper – Hello World [Prod. By The Kickdrums] mp3 Download and Stream" . LiveMixtapes . Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ "Chip tha Ripper (Feat. Al Fatz) – Get It Gurl [Prod. By The KickDrums] mp3 Download and Stream" . LiveMixtapes . Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ "Kay Slay – Pop The Truck" . Genius . Retrieved December 20, 2022 .
^ "Rapper Big Pooh – Melt My Heart To Stone (Kickdrums Remix)" , Genius , retrieved February 27, 2017
^ "Slaughterhouse Premiere Official 'Move On' Video – DJBooth Article" . DJBooth.net . Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ "The 25 Best Kid Cudi SongsKid Cudi 'Sky High' (2009)" . Complex . Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ "Kid Cudi Feat. Chip Tha Ripper – T.G.I.F. [Prod. by The Kickdrums] mp3 Download and Stream" . LiveMixtapes . Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ "Waiting For The End" . linkinpedia . Retrieved December 3, 2022 .
^ "Like Its Her Birthday" . spotify . Retrieved December 3, 2022 .
^ "Nothing To Worry About" . Retrieved December 4, 2022 – via YouTube.
^ "Scarface – 2 The Beat" . Retrieved December 3, 2022 – via YouTube.
^ "The Kickdrums – Perfect World" . Retrieved December 3, 2022 – via YouTube.
^ "Ben Harper – Lay There And Hate Me" . consequence.net . February 18, 2011. Retrieved December 4, 2022 .
^ "Alan Wilkis – Come And Go" . consequence.net . Retrieved December 4, 2022 .
^ "Machine Gun Kelly – Stereo Feat. The Kickdrums | Stream [New Song]" , hotnewhiphop.com , February 16, 2011, retrieved February 27, 2017
^ "MIXTAPE: The KickDrums & Dee Goodz - The Higher EP" . thecouchsessions.com . Retrieved December 4, 2022 .
^ "The Kickdrums – Follow The Leaders" . genius . Retrieved December 20, 2022 .
^ "Alex Fitts" . Discogs . Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ "Deniro Farrar" . Retrieved December 4, 2022 – via YouTube.
^ Cartoon Network (January 6, 2016), Ridin' With Burgess | Cartoon Network Mini , retrieved February 27, 2017 – via YouTube
^ "Super Soaker" . Spotify . Retrieved December 3, 2022 .
^ "From Indian Lakes – Sleeping Limbs" . Retrieved December 4, 2022 – via YouTube.
^ "Mainland – Outcast Fake Guns remix" . blahblahblahscience.com . November 6, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2022 .
^ "Duckwrth – Nowhere" . genius . Retrieved December 20, 2022 .
^ "SWIMM – Man's Man/Groupie" . Hit City U.S.A . Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ "Vagrant Records" . Vagrant Records . Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ "Rockie Fresh – Don't Worry" . Hit City U.S.A . Retrieved December 20, 2022 .
^ "Shiney Wet Machine – Lights Out" . genius . Retrieved December 20, 2022 .
^ "Shiney Wet Machine – Lights Out B-sides" . genius . Retrieved December 20, 2022 .
^ "SWIMM – Sentilmental Porno" . discogs . June 5, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2022 .
^ "Mia Gladstone – Grow" . 22twenty Records . Retrieved December 2, 2022 .
^ "Vinnie Caruana – Aging Frontman" . Big Scary Monsters Records . Retrieved December 3, 2022 .
^ "Sick Individuals – Scars" . Retrieved December 4, 2022 – via YouTube.
^ "Introducing: Nite Therapy" . UPPM Records . Retrieved December 2, 2022 .
^ "Oh Bummer – Losing SunLight" . If This Then Records . Retrieved December 2, 2022 .
^ "Indie Sonics" . Indie Sonics . Retrieved December 2, 2022 .
^ "Doc Robinson – Ride The Wave" . ffm.to . Retrieved December 2, 2022 .
^ "Psych Indie Pop" . BMG Production Music. Retrieved April 8, 2023 .
^ "Doc Robinson & The Kickdrums – The Color" . docrobinsonofficial . Retrieved December 2, 2023 .
^ "Werdperfect & The Kickdrums – Pretty Orange" . docrobinsonofficial . Retrieved December 2, 2023 .
^ "oh bummer – Stupid" . open.spotify.com . Retrieved December 2, 2023 .
^ "9 Questions for the KickDrums: BKLYN Producer Duo Releases "Meet Your Ghost" " . SonicScoop . June 28, 2011. Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ "premiere: the kickdrums "thinking out loud" (full album!)" . Nylon . Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ "Kickdrums 'Smash the System' with New Mixtape [Free Download]" . Djbooth .
^ "The Kickdrums – 'Just A Game' " . PigeonsandPlanes . Retrieved February 27, 2017 .
^ "The Kickdrums – 'Inspiration For Conversation' " . consequence.net . Retrieved December 20, 2022 .
^ "The KickDrums sign to Hopeless Records, release music video and EP" . Alternative Press . Retrieved February 27, 2017 .