[1][2] 88-Keys first took an interest in hip hop after hearing Prince Paul's production on De La Soul's 1989 critically acclaimed album 3 Feet High and Rising.

[3] In the early 1990s, 88-Keys met rapper-producers Q-Tip, Pete Rock and Large Professor working as an intern at West Hempstead's The Music Palace recording studio.

[7]According to the article, 88-Keys began wearing Polo Ralph Lauren as a Long Island high school student in 1992, when he developed a liking for its classic, preppy style.

[7] Since his days as an assistant engineer, 88-Keys has produced records for numerous artists including Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Kid Cudi, Macy Gray, Musiq Soulchild, Dejuan Lucian, and Consequence.

Recently, 88-Keys extended beyond his production credits to highlight his skills on the mic as MC, singer and collaborator, most notably on his solo debut album The Death of Adam released on November 11, 2008.

Executively produced by 88-Keys's close friend Kanye West,[8] the concept album tells the story of a man named Adam who has been murdered in a loft apartment in Harlem.