TM88 and Pi'erre Bourne's, Yo!88
The eleven-track album exhibits TM88 and Bourne's recognizable elements from masterful beats to catchy verses. Both being respected producers, each artist revolutionized Hip Hop/Rap, expanding a genre that has become an international touchstone for music lovers. Cementing Bourne's songwriting and flow layered with TM88's beats, Yo!88 delivers a dynamic offering sure to stand the test of time.
With a friendship spanning years, the musical artists decided it was time and created the hit, "Pop Out," a fire track rooted in what TM88 and Bourne do best. "After I made that song, we were like, 'yeah, we defiinitely gotta do something.' We can't just do one song. Let's just lock in," Bourne explains. Inspiring a full-length album, "Pop Out" was visualized with a music video leading up to the release. A project including features from Wiz Khalifa and Young Nudy, Yo!88 speaks to the growth and craftsmanship of TM88 and Pi'erre Bourne.
In an exclusive interview with office, TM88 and Pi'erre Bourne discuss the process of creating Yo!88, collaborations, and a look toward the future.
Congratulations on your newest project, Yo!88. What was the process like creating it?
TM88: Our process of making Yo!88 was fairly simple, and it was easier than I thought it would be. Just being that we're both producers and, you know, once we started hearing different sounds, we knew, we wanna change this and change that. He just wanted to do the rapping. He was like, 'Man; you can control the beats.' Of course, he had his favorite beats that were on the project that I didn't change up.
And man, it was; we talked about doing this way back, we never got the opportunity to do it. It was more so like the timing was right. Both of our fans wanted us to do it, and you know, we just felt like this was the time to put it out. We wanted to put it out last year, but I don't think it was ready at the time.
Pi'erre Bourne: Honestly, the process was a bit different than how we normally work, you know, cuz of COVID. Last year, everyone really was still under lockdown, and really we were sending files back and forth first. And then, I think sometime this year; we got to really sit in the studio and figure out the direction of the project, the titles of the songs, the album title for the cover, and the music video that was shot for "Pop Out." It was a different process, but it wasn't a bad thing. It was just a hurdle we had to jump over, and once we got over that little thing, it was a lot easier for us to get everything done. I had a great experience working on it and, I look up to TM, so it was an honor to be able to do it with him and trust me with the work and the beats he provided me with and the production. It was dope, man, honestly.
What's your favorite track off the tape?
T: I mean my favorite one is, “Cullinan,” there's just the vibe you know, guitars and stuff in there. Also, “Run it,” the last song on the tape. So yeah, it's the last two songs on the tape.
P: The song we shot the video for, "Pop Out," I really like that song. Yeah, but I like all the songs on the project, but I really like that song. I think that was one of the early ones of the songs I finished first before we decided to make a project. Yeah. But that was one of the deciding factors like, yeah, we're definitely gotta do a project.
The album showcases both of your crafts well. In addition, you both had Wiz Khalifa and Young Nudy grace the project. How was it like collaborating with them?
T: I mean, Wiz is my brother, and Nudy is my boy, but you know, Pi'erre is more in touch with, Nudy; he is really his friend. I knew Pi'erre really was a fan of Wiz, so that was super easy for me to be like, 'Yo Wiz,' you know what I'm saying? He was super cool about it, and he did it and sent it through instantly. And Pi'erre, I think he let Nudy pick through a few songs, and that's one of the songs he picked, and we got the feature. So it's basically based on relationships; I mean, you can kinda hear what songs, even when you do get features, you can hear what songs you do wanna put features on. And, and when I heard "Chit Chat," it either could have went to Nudy or Wiz, but Wiz had got it first, you know, so he killed it, and Nudy killed his part.
P: Man, I tried to get; I honestly want to work with more artists and get more and do more features. I just really wanna make good music with everyone. So hopefully, in the future, you'll see me make more music with other artists and stuff. But yeah, Nudy, that's my brother. So he wasn't gonna leave me hanging. So I told him what I had going on. And he said he got me whenever already. So I sent him the song, and he knocked it out. Wasn't any back and forth for playing around. He handled it. He went crazy on the song. Same for Wiz; he ain't playing around. I was a huge fan of Wiz. I look forward to meeting with him; I still haven't met him. So hopefully, we get to meet each other and really lock in and work on some music in the future. But yeah, man, as far as the features go, I'm happy both of those guys, they did their part and helped me get my vision across and bring my vision to life. But yeah, I really wanna work with more artists, so hopefully, that can happen. I asked many people, but not everybody's schedule matched with mine, trying to get this delivered in time. So maybe next time I'll have more features.
2021 was a huge year for both of you. TM88, how was it earning your first number 1? It seems a long time coming.
T: On that, I mean, it's basically just man, I'm grateful, you know, to have been able to, get to this point. Even working with Drake again on this song (Way Too Sexy) and always working with Future and Young Thug. It's dope even to share a number one with those guys; you know what I'm saying? And even Future having his first number one song, me and him talked about it, and he was like, 'This, your first?" he thought I already had a number one with XO Tour Llif3, and I was like, Nah. XO Tour Llif3 didn't go number one worldwide, but you know what I'm saying? We are here now.
This has also been a big year for you, Pi'erre, with your success surrounding "Drunk and Nasty" and the whole Life of Pi'erre 5. Did you think this year would deliver like it did, especially having sold-out shows before COVID hit?
P: Um, honestly, no, I didn't know. Last year before COVID, I did a Europe tour in February, the month before COVID really affected all of us and the world shut down. I sold out most of the tour, that tour. So I kind of like, I'm happy about everything, but I'm just trying to keep going. Everything that I've done this year, I've pretty much already done before. So I'm not really like in awe about it. Everyone else didn't realize what happened last year—cause of COVID. I did a whole tour sold out headliners in foreign countries, 2020 shows, and it was awesome, but then the world shut down. So I'm just happy to get back, to get back to work in.
I like what fans pick. I appreciate whoever supports me. I'm not against what becomes the favorite, you know. I like all the songs that I put out on my album cuz I wrote all the songs. It's all personal to me. So I can't be like, yeah, I like this one more than the other one because I had to go through over a hundred songs to pick the number of songs for this album. I had to downsize and basically be hard on myself when it came to selecting the songs. I did as much effort-wise in each song; it's the same amount of effort.
You both have worked with prominent artists in the industry and have such expansive discographies. Are there any collaborations you are hoping to do?
T: Yeah. I just go with the flow, you know, if it's meant to happen, it would definitely happen. There's a few artists that I do wanna work with, and maybe at the top of the list, Beyonce definitely. I still wanna work with Bieber. I still wanna work with Chris Brown, you know, I wanna show my R&B skills. It's a lot of people, Kendrick, J Cole. I wanna drop this alternative rock song that I have. I wanna see if I can go to the top of the rock genre charts and see how, you know, how the fans take it. It's a lot of things that I want to do and people I want to work with.
P: I think one collaboration that I think is overdue just from my relationship with that team is probably working with Drake. I can't wait for that to actually like transpire, like when we actually work on some songs together; that'd be cool. Yeah, that'd be, but other than that, man, I'm happy with how everything's going. I have no complaints over here. I feel like I had a great year. I feel like it started, you know, everyone didn't know what, how the year was gonna go at first cause of the COVID and the restrictions, no one knew when things were gonna start opening back up. I feel like I had a great year, and I'm excited for next year.
I know it's hard to look toward the future in this current state of the world, but is there anything ya'll are looking forward to or wanting to pursue?
T: I mean, I'm trying to lean more into the fashion world, you know? I think I've been showing a little bit of my dressing. That's mainly why I've been working out cause I love clothes. I'm able to get in all the too sexy stuff that I want to get in. You know, look good doing it, also, getting into learning, to keep my ideas flowing and stuff like that. So I'm definitely trying to get into the fashion world, not more so like making my own stuff right now, but getting more spreads and interviews with fashion, doing the photoshoots, and showing the looks. And actually seeing a look being pulled off, you know? That's what I've been on. And I mean, it's a lot of that coming soon. I wanna be able to bring the music and that together. Yeah. Definitely at some point for sure.
P: Hell yeah, man, it's a million things I'm trying to do. But you can't overwhelm yourself. It's cold right now, bro. Still, you're talking about maybe shutting down the world one more time. So it's a lot of stuff I want to do, man, but I can't get my hopes up. So I'm just gonna see how things play out and go with the flow. But I got a bunch of stuff lined up. I got my clothing line in Paris; I'm working on my label, working on my music right now, actually the end of this year and the beginning of January. So I'm pretty much just locked in since I got off the road. That's pretty much it as far as what I'm working on in the future. Just more music, of course, more music, but hopefully I get into other forms of entertainment, but I can't say what will happen. I have my hands on several things.
