You’ve earned multi-platinum awards, won a Grammy, and worked with the hottest names in the industry (Jay Z, Mariah Carey, Dr. Dre, etc). Among all of these accomplishments, what was the most rewarding on a personal note and why?
The most rewarding thing on a personal note was realizing that I wouldn’t be a one-hit wonder and that I could perform at the highest level in the music industry, and also having the self-actualization that I’m just as creative as these icons.
What first attracted you to production instead of other avenues of interest in the music industry? And when did you first realize that your talent could lead to a career?
I actually came into the music business rapping with a group called Camp Lo. Sonny Cheeba and I went to the same high school. We caught up with each other a few years later while I was playing basketball at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NY. I later transferred to Howard University to continue playing basketball but I was drawn to music and hip hop in general. Everyone I knew was doing something music related and Camp Lo were actually on TV. I was hanging with Cheeba during the time his management company shared an office with Roc-A-Fella Records. I got a chance to meet Ski Beatz through Cheeba who was also producing Jay Z. Hanging out at Ski’s studio apartment, he showed me that making music and producing was a full time job and a career. I always had a good taste for great beats, but once Ski showed me how to work the drum machine, I would run sample ideas by him and he would always say, ‘that’s hot…but so and so used that sample.’ And it would be a big time producer with the record currently being released. That’s when I knew I had an ear for finding samples. It’s just that the big name producers had the same ideas. So I began to look for more rare samples so I wouldn’t run into that issue as much.
Despite your success, do you find yourself continually hustling to be featured on a project or do most of the artists or labels personally seek you out?
Most artists, when they know how to get in contact with you will reach out. So yes, I was sought after. But I always had to grind in the sense of staying outside of a studio til 4am to catch an A & R or artist or record exec. Those were the type of things I had to do for people to sorta know who I was and put a face to the name.
Your latest hit is Dave East’s “All Summer” which debuted at #1 on Insomniac’s Weekly Top 10 list. How did that collaboration come about?
My brother-in-law actually knows one of his co-managers, so they arranged for me to stop by and play Dave some music. It was very smooth and organic. Dave laid down two dope verses on the spot and we all knew it was a banger.
What makes your production style unique or distinct from your artistic peers?
My drums. I’ve been told that over and over again. I guess it’s also a combination of what I sample and how I apply my drums to the sample. I never really noticed it until I went back and listened to all of the records I’ve produced. A friend of mine had an old beat CD that I totally forgot about and I actually noticed the drums. This was a little bit more obvious to me now because I totally forgot about those beats that my friend had.
From your observations, what have you noticed about the high profile artists you’ve worked with–in regard to their studio habits and professionalism–that make them stand out?
Dr. Dre is a perfectionist. I learned from working with him how important vocal production is and how important it is for the artist and producer to experiment and have fun in the studio. With Jay Z I noticed how quick a song can get made and how flawless it can be when the artist is ready to record. Mariah Carey, with having sold over 100 million records is still open minded in the studio. Actually, that goes the same for Jay Z and Dr. Dre. It didn’t matter if you were the janitor or a seasoned vet, if you could sing he would put you on the record. So I learned to give everyone a shot in the studio. They don’t have to be in the music industry, they just have to show talent. The rest is up to you as the producer to make it work.
Discuss your most and least favorite recording sessions and what made the experiences memorable.
My most memorable moment was when Dr. Dre gave me a shout at the end of “Bad Intentions.” “Mahogany droppin’ the instrumental…” He’s never done that for anybody. It’s like he pointed to me and said, ‘this guy did the beat.’ The least memorable is missing that video shoot. We worked on the record Monday through Wednesday. I went back to Maryland, he kept working on the song ’til Friday, leaves a message for my manager who decided to call him back on Monday, and Dre is like, “Where were you guys? We called you. We shot a video to your song over the weekend.” I almost had a heart attack.
Another session, which was with Jay Z, was my first time in the studio and I just bought the MPC 2000 which didn’t come with a SMPTE expansion which is used to synch up the drum machine to the 2 inch reel. Well me being clueless in my first session, they set me up with an assistant engineer who was just as clueless as me. Jay Z walks in and the track still isn’t laid down. We try to explain what’s going on in a technical sense and he was like, “Wow. Sounds complicated.” He was patient but then after about an hour he said he was going to Brooklyn. Mind you we’re in midtown Manhattan. That’s when I said to myself, ‘We blew it. This session is over.’ Surprisingly he comes back and we still haven’t figured it out until the engineer asked me how many individual tracks did the beat have and I said it’s just the sample and the kick. He said, “let’s just fly on the tape machine” which meant let’s just print it as is. Because there’s no synch with SMPTE I couldn’t come back and add sounds because it would be off. We went with that idea and got it on tape. Jay Z got in the booth, did two takes, and walked out of the studio. He walked back in and asked for a copy on cassette. Yes, I said cassette. This was in 1998. He walked by me and said, “Don’t worry. We gonna make it hot.”
The song only had one verse. I figured it wasn’t going to happen. The next day (the now defunct management & production company)Hip Hop Since 1978 calls me and says, ‘Come by Quad studios. Jay is putting the whole Rocafella crew on the song.’ Memphis Bleek, Sauce Money, and The Ranjahz. The song was called “Celebration” and was featured on the “Streets Is Watching” soundtrack. I was blown away! The streets loved the song, the soundtrack did great, and I got another record placed on Jay Z’s next project, the “Hard Knock Life Vol 2” album. The moral of the story – learn and master your gear, be prepared, and have faith that things will work themselves out. I got lucky, but like they say, you need lady luck on your side sometimes.
Speaking of Jay Z, you incorporated a sample of Talking Heads’ “Once In A Lifetime,” into Jay Z & Memphis Bleek’s 1998 hit, “It’s Alright,” which was a brilliant idea that was also brilliant in its execution. What made you decide to use that particular sample and were there difficulties in getting clearance for the track?
Thanks my brother. I appreciate it. Actually, the sample was given to me by Dame Dash. After I produced “Celebration” Dame asked me if I was down to do a collabo on a commercial single for Jay. I was like, “Yeah.” When he passed me the record I had no clue what to do to it. I studied it and caught the bassline groove with the voices in the background. Once I slowed it down it sounded funky and futuristic at the same time. I added my drums, some sound effects and percussions and it began to bounce. Talking Heads were cool. They only took 25% of the publishing. The rest was split evenly between me, Jay, and Dame.
Jay-Z & Memphis Bleek – It’s Alright by krousty19
What other producers, past or current, do you admire and why?
Pharrell Williams & Timbaland for their strange approach to sampling, Kanye West for keeping the sound of soul sampling alive, RZA for just laying the blueprint of what dark soul ballads can turn into, the Bad Boy Hitmen, my boy Nashiem Myrick for his feel and style, Trackmasters; Poke for pointing out the technical aspect and detail to sampling, and of course Dr. Dre for showing us that live musicians just give you a much greater sound in your production.
What pitfalls should aspiring producers avoid when starting out in the industry?
The main pitfall is giving beats away. It’s already brought down the value of music production altogether. Everyone can make a beat on a computer. Now that you add giving them away for free it kills the power of the producer to some degree. Another pitfall I would say is management. It’s hard to find someone you can trust who has your best interest at heart. Also, don’t sell beats for just upfront cash with no ownership of your music. By virtue, you are the author and copyright owner. Don’t give away what belongs to you.
What new projects do you have in the works?
I’m working on a lot of music licensing for TV & film. I’m always looking to collaborate with singer-songwriters and musicians. TV and film are always looking for music, that’s mainly where my focus is. I still work with artists but I like to be much more specific on what the outcome of the project is going to be.
Any final thoughts? Shoutouts?
Thanks for connecting with me with this interview and thank you for spreading the word on this new Dave East “All Summer” song. I appreciate it. Also, a special shout out to business partner Dominick Detore for supporting my vision, Demond McWilliams, Mark Gym Gang Swartz, who’s motivated me and truly believes in me and shout to my daughters who keep me focused on my definite purpose in life – Zoli, Zhinniah, Zariah, Juwaira, and Zion. And special thanks to my lady Kiki, who’s been a real support system for me & shout to everybody at SonyATV music publishing who’ve been working my music.
– Interview by Kevin Keith
