Joey Gardner, Freestyle music legend has passed away, he died on Friday, May 10, his departure leaves a void that words can never fill. His impact transcended boundaries, reshaping the landscape of freestyle music time and time again. Joey was not just a mentor; he was the driving force behind the success, the architect of the greatness in TKA and K7. With his unparalleled genius, he sculpted the sound at TKA, pushing them to reach heights they never thought possible.
Joey always love and was such an inspiration. Joey was always sweetie and honest. Every day, he demanded excellence, urging them to strive for perfection, whether they welcomed it or not. His hands-on approach spoiled them, setting a standard of excellence that became their benchmark. He taught them that anything less was unacceptable, and in hindsight, he was right.
George K Gee of Brooklyn, New York, wrote “I met Joey when I was in college, I had called Tommy Boy Records looking to do an interview with TKA for B91 radio (Kingsborough Community College)and he handled everything all the way down to what day and time TKA would show up. Years later I would meet Joey in person at the offices of Tommy Boy when I worked for MicMac and we would exchange records between the two labels. I didn’t see Joey again until one day I was shopping in Kings Plaza and he recognized me before I recognized him. We talked for a few minutes. Sadly I lost contact with him. May You Sleep in Power.”
Our deepest condolences to his partner Eddie, sister Liz, best friend Liz, and all his friends that loved him.