A Grammy-nominated DJ, music producer, composer and music/film director, Sam Spiegel is set to embark on a new musical journey. His hip-hop collective, known as N.A.S.A., broke barriers in the genre with defining collaborations and atmospheric stage production.
A decade after the groups landmark release, a special box set is now available to celebrate a time in musical history. Spiegel, who has evolved his stage name to Sam I, spoke about the record’s significance.
“I’m so geeked about this ten year anniversary box set of N.A.S.A.’s The Spirit of Apollo. There was so much that went into this album back when we made it, so many inspiring people made contributions, and the album is so multifarious with all of the musical and visual artists’ contributions, we wanted to do a special edition to commemorate the album and to include a bunch of extra stuff that didn’t make it on the original version and remixes that came after the release,” he said.
Spiegel is also primed for the release of Random Shit from the Internet Era, his first album of new music in a decade, via Spectrophonic Sound.
The project features a number of singles recently released, including “Used To Be My Homie” featuring Freddie Gibbs & BJ The Chicago Kid, “20 Below” featuring Anderson .Paak and Doja Cat and “To Whom It May Concern” featuring CeeLo Green, Theophilus London and Alex Ebert, as well as never-before-heard tracks featuring special guests RZA, Sia and Busta Rhymes.
Elaborating on his creative process and how this unique project came together, Spiegel provided insight.
“I usually love to work conceptually,” notes Spiegel. “Call me old school, but I love making albums that have a theme or concept that carries you through the record. For instance, on N.A.S.A.’s The Spirit of Apollo the theme was space and unity; creating together without geographical, religious, genre or ideological borders,” he shared.
“Random Shit from the Internet Era was a different process for me. This is an album comprised of songs which have been created in bits and pieces over many years, some literally over the last 15 years. I had these great songs floating around my brain and I felt it was time to release them to the world, regardless of whether they fit into a cohesive, conceptual album. For that reason, the album is comprised of lots of different feels and genres, disparate frames of mind from my journey through life.”
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Since the 2009 release of N.A.S.A.’s The Spirit of Apollo, Spiegel has gone on to establish himself as a critically acclaimed music and film director, serving as music director for Kanye West’s “Glow in the Dark” tour and Karen O’s “Stop the Virgens” theatrical project, the latter of which Spiegel co-wrote and produced.
In 2005, Spiegel founded his award-winning commercial music house, Squeak E. Clean Studios, which he has scored commercial campaigns for Nike, Adidas, Cadillac, Honda, and Sonos.
The artists’ film credits include scores to Spike Jonze’s Yeah Right!, the top-selling skate movie of all-time; HBO’s Pretty Things; and Drew Barrymore’s Whip It. More recently he directed the web series “Wu Tang In Space Eating Invisible Sliders,” starring Wu-Tang Clan members RZA, GZA and Ghostface Killah aboard their spaceship.
Random Shit from the Internet Era is now available to stream wherever you listen to music. For more information visit Sam Spiegel Universe.
