Static Major
A ghost in the machine of 2000s pop, his smooth, futuristic vocals defined a chart-topping era from beyond the grave.
1974–2008 (age 34)·American singer and rapper·Birthday: November 11·Generation X
Biography
Stephen Garrett, who performed as Static Major, was the quiet architect of a new R&B sound from his base in Louisville, Kentucky. As a core member of the group Playa and a key collaborator with the production team Timbaland and Magoo, his high, ethereal voice and forward-thinking songwriting became a secret weapon for artists like Aaliyah on 'Are You That Somebody?' and Ginuwine. He preferred the studio to the spotlight, crafting songs that felt both intimate and alien. His tragic death from a surgical procedure in 2008 at age 33 came just as his own star was rising; the diamond-certified smash 'Lollipop' with Lil Wayne, released posthumously, cemented his legacy as a visionary who shaped the texture of modern hip-hop and R&B.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Static was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Static Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Static's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2008Died at 34
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Key Achievements
- Co-wrote and provided vocals for Aaliyah's hit 'Are You That Somebody?' which became a defining song of the late 1990s.
- His posthumous feature on Lil Wayne's 'Lollipop' helped propel the song to a #1 Billboard Hot 100 spot and eventual diamond certification.
- Was a founding member and primary vocalist of the R&B group Playa, which released the influential album 'Cheers 2 U'.
- His songwriting and production work was integral to the sound of Timbaland's late-90s and early-2000s hitmaking collective.
Did You Know?
He was originally a member of the group Playa with fellow Louisville natives Smoke E. Digglera and Digital Black.
The name 'Static Major' was inspired by his fascination with electricity and energy.
He was reportedly working on a solo album titled 'Suppertime' at the time of his death.
“I'm not a rapper, I'm a singer who writes songs.”
