Omar Hakim: The Beat Behind Bowie, Sting, Madonna & Daft Punk and Other Legends

Video Description

🎧 What does it feel like to be the beat behind David Bowie, Madonna, Sting, Miles Davis, and Daft Punk? In this new episode of dopeYEAH talk, Rob Cass sits down with one of the greatest drummers of all time — Omar Hakim — for a mind-blowing conversation that spans decades of music history, innovation, and soul. From the streets of Jamaica, Queens to Grammy stages and legendary studios, Omar shares unforgettable stories and insights you won’t hear anywhere else. 🥁✨ In this deep and often funny conversation, Omar talks about his early gigs, joining Weather Report, the making of Bowie’s Let’s Dance, and getting that call from Dire Straits. He breaks down the groove of “Let’s Dance” live on camera, and shares what it was like to be handpicked by Sting — and later Daft Punk — for some of the most iconic albums ever made. He also opens up about working with Miles Davis, the shift from jazz to pop, and how he’s stayed creatively alive over the decades. 🎶🔥 Whether you're a drummer, music lover, or just a fan of legendary artists, this episode is pure gold. 💬 Omar drops life advice, talks about the evolution of his sound, and even reveals the best (and worst) gigs of his life — including one in front of 150,000 people with Madonna! Stick around to hear what’s next for him and why he believes music without soul is just noise. Watch now and get inspired by a true rhythm master. 🥁🎥 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Metronome Prague Festival Tickets Here 👉 https://www.metronome.cz/en The biggest metropolitan music and arts event in the heart of Europe! From June 19th to 21st, seven stages, a global lineup, and the incredible vibe of Prague’s city center await you. This year’s headliners? ALANIS MORISSETTE, RAG'N'BONE MAN, DIE ANTWOORD, TOMMY CASH, and THE STREETS. 🎤🔥 And yes, dopeYEAH Talk will be there, recording new episodes on-site with some amazing artists. So if you haven’t yet — this is your last chance to grab a ticket. 🎟️ Launch your summer with an unforgettable music experience and the magic of Prague. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 🕒 CHAPTERS: 00:00 Episode recap 01:10 Musical intro 02:44 Invitation to Metronome Prague festival by Rob Cass 03:23 Welcoming Omar to the talk 04:30 The very beginnings of Omar Hakim 09:12 Omar Hakim plays live from dopeYEAH club 10:33 Jamaica, Queens, New York 12:52 The Jazzmobile, Inc. 14:12 Meeting Nile Rodgers 16:44 Very first tour in America, 1974 19:13 Village Voice ad 22:36 Omar Hakim plays live from dopeYEAH club 24:16 Playing with the Weather Report 28:06 Recording David Bowie’s Let’s Dance 31:45 Playing the beat of Let’s Dance by David Bowie 32:11 Bits, details, and techniques of recording 35:00 Coolest thing about the session with David Bowie 36:14 Omar Hakim plays live from dopeYEAH club 37:30 Official hits from David Bowie’s album & call from Dire Straits 43:12 Making records is one of my favourite things 45:57 Meeting and playing with Sting 49:23 Omar Hakim’s drum insights 55:02 Omar Hakim plays live from dopeYEAH club 57:10 Book full of ideas that became blueprints for jazz 59:08 Omar Hakim tips about his drum setup 01:02:17 Working with Miles Davis 01:05:45 Why did the Weather Report change drummers? 01:06:36 Differences between band and sideman session mentality 01:09:24 Working with Daft Punk 01:15:37 How has Omar’s relationship with music changed over the years? 01:17:10 Music without soul 01:24:35 Playing with Kate Bush 01:29:03 Best gig? Madonna show 01:31:31 Worst gig? 01:34:43 Favorite jazz & rock drummer 01:41:15 Advice to young drummers 01:43:14 What’s next? 01:46:16 Wrap-up ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 🎧 Don’t forget to: 👍 Like 🔔 Subscribe 💬 Comment 📲 Share STAY TUNED ON SOCIALS: https://instagram.com/dopeyeah.talk https://www.tiktok.com/@dopeyeahtalk?_t=8pWkf42Rm9h&_r=1 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563840578898 https://x.com/dopeYEAHtalk #omarhakim #drummerlegend #musicicon #davidbowie #sting #milesdavis #madonna #daftpunk #weatherreport #drumlife #sessionmusician #jazzfusion #musicinterview #dopeyeahtalk #musicpodcast #behindthemusic #legendarydrummer #musicstories #musichistory #drummingmasters