Cool Calm Pete

by Marisa BrownThough he was born in Seoul, South Korea, Cool Calm Pete is dedicated to the hip-hop of Queens, where he spent most of his life (he moved there as a small child). As part of the hip-hop trio Babbletron, Pete made his mark on the scene with his smart, witty rhymes and slow delivery, the same style that was seen on his solo debut, Lost, which came out on Embedded Records in 2005 (and on which Pete takes much of the production duties). The following year Def Jux reissued a European version of Lost, which contained an RJD2-produced bonus track, "Black Friday," among other things. A graduate of Cooper Union with a degree in fine arts (focusing on painting), Pete also worked as a designer for the skateboard company Supreme.