Clams Casino (musician)

Last updated

Clams Casino
Birth nameMichael Thomas Volpe [1]
Also known asClammy Clams
Born (1987-05-12) May 12, 1987 (age 37)
Nutley, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
Years active2008–present
Labels
Website clammyclams.com

Michael Thomas Volpe (born May 12, 1987), known professionally as Clams Casino, is an American record producer and songwriter from Nutley, New Jersey. [2] [3] Volpe is known for his work in production for several cloud rap artists in the early 2010s. He signed with Columbia Records to release his debut studio album, 32 Levels (2016), which narrowly entered the Billboard 200. He has produced songs for artists including Lil Peep, [4] ASAP Rocky, [5] Lil B, [6] Vince Staples, [7] Joji, [8] the Weeknd, [9] and Mac Miller, [10] and has remixed songs for Big K.R.I.T., [11] Washed Out, [12] and Lana Del Rey. [13]

Contents

Career

A resident of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, Volpe got his start in music tinkering with keyboards while he was a student at Nutley High School. [14]

Volpe's official debut EP Rainforest was released on Tri Angle Records in 2011. [15] His Instrumentals mixtape was released on March 7, 2011, [16] followed by the release of Instrumentals 2 on June 5, 2012 [17] and Instrumentals 3 in 2013. [18] The mixtapes were distributed for free through his website.

Volpe contributed a score for Locomotor, a work choreographed by his cousin Stephen Petronio released in 2014. [19] He released his debut studio album 32 Levels through Columbia Records in 2016. He followed it up with his Instrumentals 4 mixtape, released in 2017.

In April 2020, Clams Casino cleared the Imogen Heap sample for his instrumental "I'm God", which first appeared on Lil B's 2009 album 6 Kiss . [20] [21] The song remains his most popular, with over 25 million views on YouTube.

Musical style

Volpe's music has been described as "[bringing] together conventional hip-hop drums, a sensitive ear for off-to-the-side melodies, and an overdose of oddly moving atmosphere." [22]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected details
TitleAlbum details
32 Levels
Moon Trip Radio
  • Released: November 7, 2019
  • Label: Second City Prints
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download, streaming

Extended plays

List of extended plays, with selected details
TitleAlbum details
Rainforest
  • Released: June 27, 2011
  • Label: Tri Angle Records
  • Format: digital download, streaming, vinyl, CD
Spider Web
(with Wicca Phase Springs Eternal and Fish Narc) [23]
  • Released: November 23, 2018
  • Label: Dark Medicine
  • Format: digital download, streaming

Mixtapes

List of mixtapes, with selected details
TitleAlbum details
Instrumentals
  • Released: March 7, 2011
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: digital download, streaming
Instrumentals 2
  • Released: June 5, 2012
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: digital download, streaming
Instrumentals 3
  • Released: December 18, 2013
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: digital download, streaming
Instrumentals 4
  • Released: June 26, 2017
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: digital download, streaming
Winter Flower
  • Released: November 17, 2021 [24]
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: digital download, streaming

Compilations

List of compilations, with selected details
TitleAlbum details
Instrumental Relics
  • Released: April 24, 2020
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: digital download, streaming

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles as lead artist, with showing year released and album name
TitleYearAlbum
"Wizard"2011 Adult Swim Singles Program 2011
"Worth It"
(with Danny Brown)		2015 Adult Swim Singles Program 2015
"Blast"201632 Levels
"Witness"
(featuring Lil B)
"All Nite"
(featuring Vince Staples)
"A Breath Away"
(featuring Kelela)
"Be Somebody"
(featuring ASAP Rocky and Lil B)
"Be Somebody (Remix)"
(featuring ASAP Rocky, AJ Tracey and Lil B)		non-album singles
"Live My Life"
(featuring Lil B)
"Time"Savefabric
"Summer Bummer (Clams Casino Remix)"
(with Lana Del Rey featuring ASAP Rocky and Playboi Carti)		2017non-album singles
"Vampire Knight"
(with Chxpo)		2018
List of singles as featured artist, with showing year released and album name
TitleYearAlbum
"Kali Yuga"
(Ghostemane featuring Clams Casino)		2017non-album singles
"4 Gold Chains"
(Lil Peep featuring Clams Casino)		2018non-album single
"Can't Get Over You"
(Joji featuring Clams Casino)		2018 Ballads 1

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DJ Drama</span> American DJ and record executive

Tyree Cinque Simmons, known professionally as DJ Drama, is an American disc jockey (DJ), record executive and music promoter. He initially gained recognition as the DJ for Atlanta-based rapper T.I., and continued to gain prominence hosting mixtapes for other hip hop artists. His trademark Gangsta Grillz series is present on releases of which he has compiled; it has been popularized by artists including Lil Wayne, Tyler the Creator, Snoop Dogg, Yo Gotti, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Fabolous, Jeezy, Meek Mill, and Gucci Mane, among others. Alongside record producer and fellow Philadelphia native Don Cannon, he co-founded the record label Generation Now in 2015, an imprint of Atlantic Records which has signed artists including Lil Uzi Vert and Jack Harlow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big K.R.I.T.</span> American rapper and record producer (born 1986)

Justin Lewis Scott, better known by his stage name Big K.R.I.T., is an American rapper and record producer. Born in Meridian, Mississippi, he began his musical career in 2005. He was signed to Def Jam Recordings by Sha Money XL in 2010, and first gained recognition following the release of his single "Country Shit". The following year, he guest appeared on T.I.'s promotional single "I'm Flexin'", which became Scott's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil B</span> American rapper (born 1989)

Brandon Christopher McCartney, professionally known as Lil B and as his alter ego the BasedGod, is an American rapper. He has recorded both solo and with Bay Area group The Pack. His solo work spans several genres, including hip hop, new age, jazz, indie rock and choral music. He describes his work as "based", a term which denotes a lifestyle of positivity and boldness; and is noted for his extensive use of social media to build an online cult following.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big K.R.I.T. discography</span> Hip hop recording artist discography

American hip hop recording artist and music producer Big K.R.I.T. has released five studio albums, five extended plays (EP), fourteen mixtapes and 45 singles and three promotional singles.

<i>Live. Love. ASAP</i> 2011 mixtape by ASAP Rocky

Live. Love. ASAP is the debut mixtape by American rapper ASAP Rocky, who released it as a free digital download on October 31, 2011. It features production by Clams Casino, ASAP Ty Beats, DJ Burn One, and SpaceGhostPurrp, among others. The mixtape also features guest rappers Schoolboy Q and Fat Tony, as well as members of ASAP Mob, ASAP Rocky's hip hop collective.

<i>Instrumentals</i> (mixtape) 2011 mixtape by Clams Casino

Instrumentals is the debut mixtape of American record producer Clams Casino. It was self-released as a free digital download on March 7, 2011. It features instrumentals of tracks that he produced for various rappers, including some bonus songs. In July 2011, Instrumentals was reissued by Type Records as a physical release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trinidad James</span> Trinidadian-American rapper

Nicholaus Joseph Williams, better known by his stage name Trinidad James, is a Trinidadian-American rapper and songwriter. In December 2012, he signed with Def Jam Recordings to release his debut single, "All Gold Everything". The song peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and spawned a remix featuring fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I., Jeezy and 2 Chainz. He was dropped from the label in 2014 after failing to promptly record a debut album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freebandz</span> American record label

Freebandz is an American record label founded by American rapper Future in 2011. The label's releases are distributed through Epic Records. Freebandz has signed artists including Real Boston Richey, Lil Double O, Doe Boy, Young Scooter, and Future's personal mixtape compiler, DJ Esco.

<i>King Remembered in Time</i> 2013 mixtape by Big K.R.I.T.

King Remembered In Time is the tenth mixtape by American rapper Big K.R.I.T., released on April 10, 2013, through Cinematic Music Group. The mixtape has guest appearances from fellow rappers Bun B, Future, Trinidad James, Wiz Khalifa, Smoke DZA, and Big Sant. The production was handled almost entirely by Big K.R.I.T. himself, with producer 9th Wonder being the only other contributor.

Cloud rap is a subgenre of rap that has several sonic characteristics of trap music and is known for its hazy, dreamlike and relaxed production style. Rapper Lil B and producer Clams Casino have been identified as the early pioneers of the style. The term "cloud rap" is derived from its internet origins and ethereal style.

<i>Angels Exodus</i> 2011 studio album by Lil B

Angels Exodus is the third studio album by American rapper Lil B. It was released digitally on January 18, 2011 through BasedWorld Records and Amalgam Digital. It serves as a prelude to Lil B's 2012 mixtape, Glassface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Peep</span> American rapper (1996–2017)

Gustav Elijah Åhr, known professionally as Lil Peep, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He was a member of the emo rap collective GothBoiClique. Helping pioneer an emo revival-style of rap and rock music, Lil Peep has been credited as a leading figure of emo rap music and served as an inspiration to outcasts and youth subcultures.

The following list is a discography of production by Clams Casino, an American record producer. It includes a list of songs produced and co-produced by year, artist, album and title.

Emo rap is a fusion genre of hip hop and emo music. Originating in the SoundCloud rap scene in the mid-2010s, the genre fuses characteristics of hip hop music, such as beats and rapping, with the lyrical themes, instrumentals, and vocals commonly found in emo music. Lil Peep, XXXTentacion, and Juice Wrld are some of the most notable musicians in the genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Peep discography</span>

Lil Peep was an American rapper who released two studio albums, one compilation album, one collaborative album, five mixtapes, and sixteen extended plays throughout his lifetime. Seven of the projects were released posthumously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4 Gold Chains</span> 2018 single by Lil Peep featuring Clams Casino

"4 Gold Chains" is a song by American rapper Lil Peep. It features production by American record producer Clams Casino and was released on May 14, 2018, by First Access Entertainment and Columbia Records.

<i>K.R.I.T. Iz Here</i> 2019 studio album by Big K.R.I.T.

K.R.I.T. Iz Here is the fourth studio album by American rapper Big K.R.I.T., released on July 12, 2019, by BMG Rights Management and Multi Alumni. It follows the release of his 2017 album 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time, and is a sequel to his 2010 mixtape K.R.I.T. Wuz Here. It featured guest appearances from Lil Wayne, Saweetie, Rico Love, Yella Beezy, J. Cole and Baby Rose, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm God</span> 2020 track by Clams Casino and Imogen Heap

"I'm God" is an instrumental song by the American producer Michael Volpe, known professionally as Clams Casino, and the British singer Imogen Heap. Volpe created "I'm God" in 2009 by sampling Heap's song "Just for Now" (2005), after learning of her through a friend. Volpe sent the track to American rapper Lil B; the instrumental is featured on a song of the same name on Lil B's debut album, 6 Kiss (2009). Volpe self-released "I'm God" in 2011 and, in 2012, it appeared on his Instrumentals 2 mixtape. Following years of unsuccessful attempts to clear the sample usage, it was officially released on streaming on April 24, 2020, appearing on Volpe's Instrumental Relics compilation.

<i>6 Kiss</i> (album) 2009 mixtape by Lil B

6 Kiss is the second full-length solo mixtape by American rapper Lil B. At 20 years old, he released the album on December 22, 2009. It follows the release of his first solo mixtape I’m Thraxx that was released on September 24, 2009. The album cover was illustrated by Benjamin Marra which depicts Lil B shirtless with a halo on his head. Clams Casino is the primary producer of the album.

<i>Rainforest</i> (EP) 2011 EP by Clams Casino

Rainforest is the debut extended play (EP) by American musician Clams Casino, released on June 27, 2011, through Tri Angle Records. Initially known as a rap producer, Volpe's backing music started being listened to by electronic music fans after the release of his Instrumentals mixtape in March. For the Rainforest EP, he chose five instrumentals that had been rejected by rappers.

References

  1. ↑ "ALL NIGHT". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  2. ↑ Kuperinsky, Amy (January 8, 2012). "Making a scene: A new generation of New Jersey hip-hop asserts itself". New Jersey On-Line.
  3. ↑ Dombalon, Ryan (March 31, 2011). "Rising: Clams Casino". Pitchfork Media.
  4. ↑ Lil Peep (May 13, 2018). Lil Peep - 4 GOLD CHAINS feat. Clams Casino (Official Video) . Retrieved July 8, 2024– via YouTube.
  5. ↑ Lester, Paul (November 17, 2011). "New band of the day – No 1,151: Clams Casino". The Guardian.
  6. ↑ Montes, Patrick (May 16, 2013). "Producer Clams Casino on His "Weird" Relationship with Our 4Knots After Party Headliner Lil B". Village Voice. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Vince Staples Hops on Clams Casino's "All Nite"". Highsnobiety. June 10, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2017.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. ↑ "Joji teams with Clams Casino for new single "CAN'T GET OVER YOU"". The FADER. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  9. ↑ "The Weeknd: Echoes of Silence". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  10. ↑ Roos, Brandon E. (November 27, 2011). "Clams Casino Talks Making Strong Connections With Mac Miller And A$AP Rocky". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
  11. ↑ Martin, Andrew (December 20, 2011). "Listen: Big K.R.I.T. "Moon & Stars (Clams Casino Remix)"". Complex.
  12. ↑ Thiessen, Brock (November 9, 2011). "Washed Out – "Amor Fati" (Clams Casino remix)". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
  13. ↑ Adams, Gregory (January 17, 2012). "Lana Del Rey – "Born to Die" (Clams Casino remix)". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
  14. ↑ Olivier, Bobby. "How this Nutley artist became New Jersey's latest music pioneer", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 21, 2016. "The EDM bleed has paid dividends for Mike Volpe, a Nutley native better known as Clams Casino, who has become one of the most sought-after digital designers in hip-hop's experimental universe.... 'It's great, how easy it is to get stuff out, and make music at home and all the sudden people everywhere can hear it,' he says, from his home in Hasbrouck Heights.... The Nutley High School grad first began to tinker with beats as a teen, fooling around with basic keyboards and synthesizers, much simpler ones than the machines now scattered around his basement home studio."
  15. ↑ Sharp, Elliott (July 5, 2011). "Guide To New Music, 7/5/11: New Releases by Clams Casino, Exhumed, Memory Tapes, and Pursuit Grooves". Philadelphia Weekly. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
  16. ↑ Reynaldo, Shawn (January 2, 2012). "Clams Casino Offers 'Instrumentals' for Free". XLR8R. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
  17. ↑ Shaw, Steve (June 12, 2012). "Clams Casino: Instrumentals 2". Fact.
  18. ↑ Fitzmaurice, Larry (January 8, 2014). "Clams Casino: Instrumental Tape 3". Pitchfork Media.
  19. ↑ Seibert, Brian (April 4, 2014). "Come Here, Look Back, Move Forward – Stephen Petronio Company Marks Its 30th Anniversary". The New York Times.
  20. ↑ "10 songs you need in your life this week". The FADER. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  21. ↑ Chris (April 24, 2020). "Clams Casino's legendary, Imogen Heap-sampling "I'm God" finally gets an official release". GORILLA VS. BEAR. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Clams Casino: Instrumental Mixtape". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  23. ↑ "SPIDER WEB, by WICCA PHASE SPRINGS ETERNAL".
  24. ↑ Darville, Jordan. "Clams Casino shares new project Winter Flower". The Fader.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.