Remember Afroman, the 'Because I Got High' rapper? He's recording an album in Springfield

A leopard print-clad Joseph Foreman sat behind the soundproof window of a Springfield recording studio on Tuesday as he carefully listened to his latest installment.

Foreman — the one-time Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist known famously as Afroman — has a personality that matches his vivacious attire.

Between tuning and lyrical brainstorming, Foreman offered humorous and unfiltered anecdotes from a 25-year career that reached its height in the early 2000s with such hits as "Because I Got High" and "Colt 45".

But this was a much more unassuming recording location than many of his previous albums.

"My cat doesn't like (Afroman's) suits because they look like other cats," joked producer Kevin Gates, whose REACH Audio operates out of his home in Springfield's West Central neighborhood.

Gates, a Missouri State graduate who works with more than a dozen musical artists from around the world, has turned much of the home into a state-of-the-art recording studio.

His microwave is only a few steps away from expensive microphones. There is added insulation to help prevent noise complaints from neighbors.

Afroman, 48, isn't interested in the glitz of a big-time metropolitan studio, or the hassle. Not at this point in his career.

The Queen City offers Foreman a creative escape. Gates offers adequate tools and a helpful ear.

"The more low-key it is, the more I can get into the music," said Foreman, whose upcoming album does not have a release date. "The less it is about my surroundings, the more I can get into the music."

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Happy to tour the Ozarks and other small venues

Low-key settings have played an integral part in the longevity of Afroman's career and a wide-ranging fan base loaded with older millennials.

Afroman, who performs almost annually at shows in Springfield, has long toured in small cities and rural areas throughout the country.

Hartville has even been among the Los Angeles native's recent stops.

"Hartville is where I saw my first sorse, a zebra mixed with a horse," said Afroman, who performs in Poplar Bluff on Saturday.

"I'm not a location snob. Markets like Springfield are grateful," he said. "Markets like Atlanta, they're not calling anymore."

He jokingly likened his longtime and loyal followers from small markets to supporters of former President Donald Trump.

"(Trump) took in the little man, embraced him, and heard his pains and afflictions," Foreman said with a laugh. "That's why people charged the Capitol for him."

Every Afroman visit to Springfield includes a stop at Ocean Zen, the National Avenue restaurant offering his Queen City favorite lamb chops.

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Foreman, who has released multiple marijuana-themed songs, was happy to see Missouri become the 21st state to legalize recreational marijuana.

After his Ohio home was reportedly raided by sheriff's deputies in August on a narcotics warrant — they seized a marijuana vape pen and the remains of a few joints, no charges were filed — Foreman said he was glad to see the law change in Missouri.

"I remember thinking if it was was legal (in Ohio), the police couldn't use that as an excuse," Foreman said.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 'Because I Got High' rapper Afroman recording album in Springfield, MO