Static Major (born ‘Stephen Ellis Garrett on November 11, 1974) was an American musician and record producer.
Hailing from Louisville in Kentucky, Static Major won Grammy Awards for his work, and was also a key member of the R&B group ‘Playa’.
Very sadly, on February 25 2008 at the age of 33, Static Major died abruptly from medical complications.
Who Was Static Major?
Static Major was a renowned R&B artist and producer. He broke into the producing industry after signing a group named ‘Swing Mob’.
This work enabled him to then work with Ginuwine, an R&B singer, and the song he co-produced named “Pony” became a major breakthrough hit.
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It was after this milestone that Static Major joined Playa, who became a well-known band in their own right, with hits such as “Cheers 2 U”.
In time, Static Major also worked with Nicole Wray, and then became the leading songwriter for Aaliyah, an American star.
About his work, Static Major said: “”I stay in the streets, that’s where I draw my inspiration. “If it can’t be played in the hood, then it just doesn’t work for me. And nobody can hold me on harmony. My whole aura is not your typical R&B aura.”
Later artists that Static Major worked and collaborated with include Pretty Ricky, Lil Wayne, Please P and Drake (his feature on Drake’s album was posthumous, in 2018).
Who Was Playa?
Playa was an R&B and hip-hop trio from America, active from 1990. The original members were Jawaan “Smoke E. Digglera” Peacock, Benjamin “Digital Black” Bush and Stephen “Static Major” Garrett.
The group released a huge amount of music, and their albums are ‘Untitled Album’, ‘Cheers 2 U’, ‘Throwback Legends’ – though this album was unreleased, ‘Never Too Late’ – though this album was shelved, and ‘Unreleased Compilation’.
The band also created and produced a great many singles.
What Is Static Major’s Discography?
Static Major has an extensive discography, full of solo works and collaborative works alike.
As a lead artist, his singles include “Bus Stop Breezy, “Your Valentine”, “I Got My” and “Till the Wheels Fall Off”.
As a features artist, his singles include “Crank It Up”, “Lollipop”, “After Dark”, “Luv is Dro”, Gin & Juice”, “Jucy” and “Gotta Get Me One”.
What Genre Of Music Was Static Major?
Static Major primarily worked within the genre of R&B and soul music.
R&B (standing for ‘Rhythm and Blues’) developed in America in the 1940s. It is a genre of African-American music.
Though there are many different sounds that can be heard throughout different R&B songs, they most often share a blend of guitar, piano, bass or even saxophone.
The lyrics of R&B songs are fundamental to the genre, often recounting the pain experienced by African-American people, and their quest for joy and freedom.
Who Are Some Well-Known R&B singers/musicians?
Given the intimate and personal nature of the subject matter of a lot of R&B songs, a general consensus of the “best” R&B artists is difficult to find.
The ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine and website did however ask their readers to name their top R&B artists, so let’s take a look!
In no particular order, the most renowned R&B artists named by ‘Rolling Stone’ readers include:
- Smokey Robinson
- James Brown
- Stevie Wonder
- Al Green
- Luther Vandross
- Ray Charles
- Aretha Franklin
- Sam Cooke
- Marvin Gaye
- Otis Redding
And of course, Static Major himself.
How Did Static Major Die?
Static Major died on February 25 2008, while staying at Baptist Hospital East, in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
He had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder called “myasthenia gravis”, causing him symptoms of muscle weakness and fatigue.
Doctors of the hospital advised Static Major to undergo a procedure named “plasmapheresis”, which removed autoantibodies from the blood using a large-bore catheter (a soft hollow tube implanted into the patient).
The catheter was inserted into Static Major’s neck, and when it was being removed, he entered respiratory distress.
The nurse instructed with removing the catheter reported that the catheter was misplaced, and that it had punctured vein.
This resulted in internal bleeding, and Static Major sadly died soon after from respiratory arrest.
In the aftermath of this tragedy, Static Major’s wife Avonti Garrett was granted an unknown amount of money after taking up a malpractice lawsuit concerning her husband’s death.
Static Major’s death was a tragic loss for family, friends, fans and R&B alike. He continues to be missed.
