“In music, you are supposed to excel as a kind of genius who does everything on your own,” says American producer Nick Hook, the serial collaborator recognized for his work with rap eccentrics Azealia Banks and Young Thug, hit-maker Baauer, and his own East Village band, Cubic Zirconia. Aptly titled Collage v.1, his new solo EP features 10 guests as diverse as Parliament Funkadelic synth legend Bernie “Dr. Woo” Worrell and hip-hop’s newest voices, Kilo Kish, Bodega Bamz and Crystal Caines. “My day job is to produce other people’s records, so learning from pioneers is amazing for my own music, to take their stories and pass them on.” 

Directed by Gary Smith of Serato, "I Wish I Could Be In the NBA” is a five-part series documenting Hook’s bi-coastal record making journey for Collage V.1, starting in Los Angeles and ending at the largest record pressing plant in the US, Nashville’s United Records. NOWNESS joins Hook, Bamz, Caines and DJ Slink and Nadus during their New York studio sessions for the raucous posse cut. “Speaking of collaborations, I helped make the longest rap song in the world with Hudson Mohawke, S-type and 35 rappers,” says Hook. “I always say that when we are making music together we are essentially time-stamping the fact that we were existing together as friends during a certain period of our life.”

Nick Hook’s Top 5 Posse Cuts

1. “We Are the World” by USA for Africa
Maybe subconsciously this is what got me into all this shit.  

2. “Aint No Fun (If the Homies Can’t Have None)”
Snoop Dogg with Nate Dogg, Warren G, Nanci Fletcher and Kurupt  

3. “Buddy”
De La Soul with Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah and Monie Love  

4. “Old English”
Young Thug, Freddie Gibbs and A$AP Ferg with Salva and Nick Hook  

5. “Six Minutes (Dungeon Family It's On)”
Big Boi, Witchdoctor, Big Gipp, Backbone, Khujo,T-Mo, Cee-Lo, Cool Breeze and Big Rube.