“Wondering,” a sexy contemporary R&B song which reflects Keith’s roots in soul and modern-day hip-hop, featuring his forceful falsetto and a rock-hard, Florida bass-heavy street rhythm, is the first single from the Florida native’s forthcoming solo debut album on his own The Establishmint Music, founded with Curb City Studios owner Aaron Johnson.

“I’ve always wanted to do this,” says Cook. “I just needed to find the right people who believed in what I was doing and put me in a position to succeed.”

Cook has already had a chance to experience stardom. In Norway, he joined his friend Øyvind Sauvik, one-half of the popular Norwegian hip-hop duo The Paperboys, contributing several songs, including the Gold single, “Find My Way,” and such national hits as “Moving Up” and “RaRa.” Cook performed with the band at Denmark’s Roskilde Festival with No Doubt, and opened for Destiny’s Child. He quickly became part of the self-declared “AA Clique,” which included the Paperboys as well as fellow Norwegian rap group Madcon, who have since had a U.S. hit with their cover of the Four Seasons’ “Beggin’.”

Before he became a success in Norway, Cook survived an arrest for robbery when he was a teenager, spending three years in jail, where he honed his songwriting skills by coming up with hooks for several rappers he knew on the outside. He was also a lightweight champion belt holder on the mixed martial arts Extreme Fighting circuit. In the midst of all that, Keith made good on his own vow to return to high school and get his degree, all the while working an overnight construction job from 7 at night to 5 in the morning. As you can see, when Keith Cook sets his mind to something, he usually accomplishes it.

Music wasn’t something he was interested in right away, even though his mother, a church choir director, forced him and his two brothers to join the vocal group. As a kid, his mom played gospel music around the house, while his father turned him on to Motown classics like The Four Tops and the Temptations. “We loved Michael Jackson back then,” says Keith. “It was a melting pot of all different kinds of music.”

It wasn’t until he was 16, though, while behind bars serving his sentence that he taught himself to write songs.

“It was something to do to pass the time,” he says, but it soon became a passion.

When he was released from prison, Keith began to hone his skills with a cousin, producer Mardio Lattimore, who taught him “the finer points of harmonies, structure and composition,” though he never did actually learn to read music.

“I never really had any vocal coaching,” says Cook, though he does both the leads and all the background harmonies on his own recordings. “I’m not musically inclined. I can’t tell you an eighth-note from a quarter-note, or an A from a B-flat, but I hear harmonies in my head, then I record what I hear. That’s pretty much how it goes down.”

Since completing his first single “Wondering”, Keith has begun laying down the rest of the tracks for his debut album at Big 3 Studios.

“That’s just one song,” Keith cautions us not to jump to conclusions about what the rest of the album will sound like, while citing J. Holiday and Jeremih as two current favorites. “I have a contemporary R&B edge with a throwback flava to the vocals, but my writing is basically modern-day hip-hop. I don’t want people to pinpoint me as solely urban, because I’ve got some real pop-oriented tracks as well. You’ll have to hear at least half a dozen songs to get a grasp of my writing style, versatility and vocal ability.”

With his chiseled body, six-pack abs and raw sensuality, Keith Cook knows he’s a magnet for the ladies, but he’s hoping the men will come check his music out, too.

“I have songs from a guy’s point of view, too,” he says. “But visually, yeah, I’m trying to appeal to the women. I want to keep my image down-to-earth, real, though.”

With the album nearing completion, Keith Cook is ready to take his act on the road.

“I want to perform everywhere, really get my music out there,” he says. “Give people a chance to find out who Keith Cook is here in the U.S., just like they already do in Norway.”

Norway’s loss is our gain.

Florida Native Sets Up Indie Label, The Establishmint Music, With Curb City Studios’ Aaron Johnson.

The first thing you notice about R&B/hip-hop singer/songwriter Keith Cook is the message, “REMEMBER,” tattooed on his forearm.

It’s a reminder never to forget what he’s gone through to get where he is right now, having released a brand-new single, Wondering,” a sexy, contemporary, R&B track which reflects Keith’s roots in soul and modern-day hip-hop, featuring his distinctive falsetto and a rock-hard bass-heavy street rhythm that marks him as a Florida native.

The track is from Cook’s forthcoming solo debut album on his own The Establishmint Music, co-founded with Curb City Studios owner Aaron Johnson.

“I’ve always wanted to do this,” says Cook. “I just needed to find the right people who believed in what I was doing and put me in a position to succeed.”

Cook has already experienced some stardom, in Norway, where he served a valuable role in the popular hip-hop duo The Paperboys, contributing several songs, including the RIAA-certified Norwegian Gold single, “Find My Way.” Cook found himself hanging with fellow Norway hip-hop group Madcon, who have since had a U.S. hit with their cover of the Four Seasons’ “Beggin’.”

After serving jail time after an arrest for robbery as a teen, Cook emerged and set out to get his high school diploma, all the while working an overnight construction job from 7 at night to 5 in the morning. For awhile, he fought on the mixed martial arts Extreme Fighting circuit, winning a belt as an undefeated light heavyweight.

But music has been his passion, at least since his cousin, producer Mardio Lattimore, taught him the basics of compositional structure and harmonies, and while Keith never did learn to read music, he immediately took to writing. “I hear harmonies in my head,” he says. “Then I record what I hear.”

Expect an eclectic batch of material on Cook’s solo debut, which he is currently working on.

“I have a contemporary R&B edge with a throwback flava to the vocals,” he explains. “But my writing is basically modern-day hip-hop. I don’t want people to pinpoint me as solely urban, because I’ve got some real pop tracks as well. You have to hear at least five to get a grasp of my writing style, versatility and vocal ability.”

With the album nearly completed, look for Keith Cook coming soon to a venue near you.

“I want to perform everywhere, really get my music out there,” he says. “Give people a chance to find out who Keith Cook is.”

Something they already know in Norway.

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