Before spring break, an anonymous post on Yik Yak sparked interest in applied engineering sciences freshman Maalik Jones.
The original post, which was among the top yaks in the area and received more than a hundred upvotes, suggested that someone should create a remix to the traffic signs that students hear when they walk on campus.
Jones and his creative colleague 20-year-old Detroit resident Elon Brown, took the yak as a challenge and created their own mix.
Brown created the beats and Jones rearranged them to end up with the final remix. The two finished “Farm Lane Walk Sign (Jupyter Remix)” in less than two days.
They created the beat from scratch using Reason and FL Studio, popular music production software.
The whole beat was built around the drop, the voice of the cross walk sign on Farm Lane.
Jones said they worked to incorporate something so simple into something maximized, like a remix.
The two decided to hold out on posting their mix on YouTube and SoundCloud until MSU students returned to campus from break. Their plan was to post the link to Yik Yak, first exposing the audience who wanted the mix originally.
“What I envisioned after the remix was fully completed was taking the song and playing it at frat parties, house parties, in their cars, headphones,” Jones said. “It was more for exposure.”
After they posted the link on Yik Yak, they had more than 1,200 views on YouTube, then it started circulating it through other social media.
“Farm Lane Walk Sign (Jupyter Remix)” has had almost 4,000 views since its YouTube debut on March 16.
The plan with the remix was to put something out for the school so by the time their name is out in the spotlight, students will recognize them, Jones said.
The two have been creating music together since they were toddlers, Brown said.
“I was crazy with the pots and pans when I was young,” he said.
It started during church choir at King David Missionary Baptist Church in Detroit, where the two banged on the pews with sticks taken from the back of fans. Their mentor, Detroit resident Jaron Carter, suggested they start playing the drums, which led to their passion in music.
They have no intention of separating.
“I don’t think it will be individually because me and (Brown) work together,” Jones said. “When he goes somewhere, I’m there, and vice versa.”
