ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOV
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH M.A.R.S. (MINDS ABOVE REALITY STATE)
BY HIFAN ENT.
BY XQUISITE EDITORS
APRIL 2011 XQUISITE
ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOV
T
heir music is Soulful, Innovative and Fresh.
These are just a few elements that paint a perfect picture in today's world of music of HipHop & R&B. TeK DeEp (Derek Davis) is a multigenre music producer whose first major projecta collaboration with friend and fellow producer Orlando "NewBrain"an album titled "Project M.A.R.S." in 2005: bit.ly/fhOkBM The music was reviewed in a 2007 edition of Import Tuner magazine, in which the two selections, "Ice Cream" and "Ghetto" were singled out as indications that TeK DeEp and NewBrain may just be ahead of their time, and that "we can't get those two cuts out of our heads." Both of these songs are currently available on iTunes. Since then, the "Rhythm Machine" that is TeK DeEp's repertoire has produced hundreds of beats, some appearing in albums of major R&B and rap artists & upcoming talents. Many performed in Los Angeles clubs by TeK DeEp and coproducer NewBrain. The two artists have opened singly and together as opening acts for such stars as Ludacris, The Dream, Ray J, and several others in shows throughout the Los Angeles club scene. A sample of TeK DeEp's productions can be seen here: www.bit.ly/fZPNta
________________________________________________________ ___
New Brain XQUISITE Welcome NewBrain and TekDeep. So for starters, we're curious Brain, how did you come up with the name NewBrain and what does M.A.R.S. stand for? NewBrain Newbrain stands for a new way of thinking and M.A.R.S.which stands for MINDS ABOVE REALITY STATE. XQUISITE Ok so how did you guys get your start? What motivates your music and how long have you guys been in the music business? NewBrain Well I got my start as a young child growing up in St. Louis, Missouri. From then on, I started to become accustomed to music at the age of 8 my mom who was in an R&B group back in the 70's. My motivation comes mainly from God, loving his creation which would be us humans haha! But seeing how music makes it easier to communicate with the world always excited me growing up & as far as my professional start signing to entertainment companies pretty much came from me just hustling on the streets of California, keeping my ear open and broadcasting my talent, searching for artists which got me connected with the other half of M.A.R.S. known as TEK DEEP. We met up in 2002 while I was picking up some chronic (laughs). My dealer was playing TEK's instrumentals in his ride when I was with him and I said "I want those tracks 'cause the tracks were banging!" My dealer heard me freestyle all the time and arranged for me and TEK to meet . We met the night the Angels won the World Series. As far as getting connected into the industry or the main underground scenes of the music industry, I landed a job and found my now DJ, DJ BUZZ who I showed me and TEK's work to and he arranged for us to meet the CEO of HIFAN ENT., which me and TEK are signed to now as a management deal. Met up with STIZO, the CEO of HIFAN loved our work and we have been banging out hits since 2005. We released an underground CD entitled M.A.R.S. back in 2005, well that CD mainly was a prerelease to our image in this music game and now we have set up our newest album that should break through the radio and the club scene very soon. APRIL 2011 XQUISITE
ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOV XQUISITE So you went from St. Louis to California huh? Are there any problems with HIFAN or Stizo? NewBrain Yea I left St. Louis in April 2001 to record an album in Long Beach with my crew from St. Louis and problems with HIFAN? Nah, not at all and Stizo is the best! He's always helping and giving us knowledge. XQUISITE Sorta like a father figure? NewBrain Well more like a big brother. Stizo and I are only a year apart. XQUISITE I knew that...yea (laughs) Ok now tell us about some of your songs? NEWBRAIN Well our 2nd album is a lot different from the first one since the first album HIFAN ENT. has acquired and remains a big face in the OC, Hollywood, Pasadena club scene, so we are doing more club songs, fun dance music, plus a little pop. As of right now we have a couple of Jerkin' songs we are about to release to the streets and clubs and (possibly radio). So I'll tell you about PETER PAN, one of our anticipated jerk songs and to understand PETER PAN, you have to listen to some other jerkers called VIXEN ENT. Mainly how I came up with the song, TEK made the beat and you can go to imeem.com to hear alot of these artist and if you're a teenager on the streets jerking, then get ready to jerk to “PETER PAN”! XQUISITE Like Neverland or sorta like the Pied Piper? NewBrain I dunno, who's the Pied Piper? XM Had a lot of rats or haters (laughs) as you can probably relate to that. Hoodrats following him around to get them outta tha city. Nursery rhymes man, damn I feel old! (laughs) Well, anyways he got them to leave the city with his music. NewBrain (Laughs) Well it could be our music, it seems to calm the haters. XQUISITE That's what's up! Well on that note, which song moves you more? Do you have any favorites or any songs that make the ladies cream? You know I had to ask! (laughs) NewBrain Yea, I gotta couple songs for the ladies MY LUV'N and ICE CREAM. Yo, you can hear “ICE CREAM” on our music page www.myspace.com/newbraintekdeep. “MY LUV'N” is buzzing around the HIFAN staff and is constantly being referred to as the radio banger and is still getting it mixed down and mastered, so it's in the safe for now. (Laughs) XQUISITE I bet, sorta like "They're my songs now! (In Deebo voice, laughing) NewBrain (Laughs) In a way kinda yea (laughs), but we are more or less trying to keep the criticism to a low so that's what's up with the mixdown and mastering. The label just doesn't want bad reviews, (laughs) but hey it's NewBrain, the lyrics are just banging out "Pick up the phone or that chronic? (Laughs) XQUISITE You bring yours, I'm bringing mine. (Joking) You know I don't do that man. (laughs) Staying clean and fresh, giving the South some of that Dirty South/West Coast feel good vibe. NewBrain (Laughs) Cool! Yea, I haven't been smoking either. I'm on my healthy stage now. XQUISITE That's what's up! Just staying healthy and living strong. Gettin' your grind on right? NewBrain Fasho! So yea, check us out on Imeem.com, Soundcloud.com, Facebook and Twitter, also you can Google us: Newbrain, Tek Deep and M.A.R.S. APRIL 2011 XQUISITE
ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOV
TeK DeEp XQUISITE Now Tek Deep, tell us about yourself both professionally and personally? TekDeep Appreciate the opportunity to be interviewed for XQUISITE MAGAZINE. I go by the name of TeK DeEp aka Rhythm Machine. I'm an Artist/Producer/Beatmaker/Actor. I write, sing & rap. I'm also 1 half of M.A.R.S 'Minds Above Reality State which is formed by my partner NewBrain and of course myself. Our first project album self titled "Project MARS" was released in 2005 and can be purchased on ITunes and other online retail stores. Beyond that note, TeK DeEp is just a metaphor for "my technique is deep". I try to keep my sound and style of my production universal, eclectic, soulful and real. I have projects with Various Artists mostly strictly up and coming out of the Westcoast, but I enjoy seeking new talent worldwide all day everyday. You can find my music on Youtube, Soundcloud, Reverbnation, Facebook and of course Twitter @MRTeKDeEp. Hey make sure you follow me and support ya boy! I'm currently digging more depth into my music relocating to West Africa (Ghana) to work on my first solo project titled MOTIVATION. This project will be my most realest self reflective album I've ever done and I'm making sure to make my grounds known not only as a solo artist but hopefully recognized as a triplethreat. I plan on throwing a few features on it but not much. This album is a little bit personal for the listener to understand me better. On the side, I'll also be dropping a mixtape called #MONEYMAKINMUSIC just a lil' teaser before MOTIVATION drops. The release date is not yet official, but I give all my updates via Facebook and Twitter. XQUISITE Can you tell us about some of your songs? TekDeep My original song titled "Ice Cream Truck" gave me a pretty cool buzz. A lot of people felt that track. It's real mellow and chill mainly like my personality when you get to know me. In most of my songs you hear has that "ride music" feel to it, that "Gfunk" style. My influences are all stemmed from the 90's so; you know music at that time was real laidback. "Ice Cream Truck” is on the "Project MARS" album and was reviewed in a 2007 Nov issue of Import Tuner Magazine which later on in 2011 my team decided on making an official remix of the song which you can actually watch the music video on Youtube. Search HiFan Ent "Ice Cream Remix". Shout out to Stizo, David Kano and Joe Grande from Big Boy's Neighborhood (Power 106 L.A.) for making that happen. XQUISITE That’s what’s up!!! So tell us how did you get started in the music scene and more so how did you and Newbrain team up? TekDeep Well, fresh outta high school, I was already into making beats, locally known. Everything about me at that time was just beats!! I had my production displayed on MP3.com. I wasn't really rhyming or singing on them at that time. I would just show my tracks basically to all my homies and play them at college parties and listen to people freestyle on them that's where I got the alias "Rhythm Machine" from. My childhood friend Marc was somebody who was trying to get my beats heard in a business type of matter cause my main ideas at the time was finding somebody lyrical who I can produce. To make a long story short, Marc met Newbrain at a local mall (Newbrain by the way is somebody who can just walk up to you and start a mere conversation and end up just rapping). They ended up exchanging info and what I can recall, Marc was insisting "I meet this guy who raps like Twista". I was optimistic to see what was good about that. So Marc ended up driving me to where he stayed. APRIL 2011 XQUISITE
ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOV We had a little session (of that you know what). I played some of my beats in the whip and he just started flowing like Twista and Krayzie Bone. I thought at the time he was a new Bone like.. some secret member (laughs) ‘cause I was just so gone at the time on how he was freestyling and one thing about me is I really comprehend what rappers say in their freestyle to separate the "umms" to the "yeeaahs". We met right when the Angels won the World Series and it's been on ever since. Newbrain had a DJ homie named DJ Buzz who listened to my production and spreaded my name to his partner Jason "Stizo" Flores who is the CEO of HiFan Ent.which lead to our release of "Project MARS". XQUISITE Where are you located? TekDeep I'm currently in the motherland Ghana, Accra (West Africa) working on a new album. XM What city do you represent? TekDeep Long Beach, California and Accra (Ghana West Africa) for life. XQUISITE What have you learned from (career wise), that has makes you say to yourself I'm Good, I'm Moving On? or "NEXT??? TekDeep Well everybody learns from their mistakes especially in this business. On a real note, I guess you can say the "fast talkers" and the "name droppers" on which I mean certain characters who try and talk a good game 100 mph and also certain characters who feel like they been vouched for by personalities of high status claiming they on top of the world because they know so and so!. I've never been much of a fan of both. I've worked with and opened shows up for some heavy hitters in the music scene and I've learned in this game if you're not educated in a sense of business productivity, you'll be lost always trying to jump on somebody's bandwagon. “Get it in on your own and seek knowledge”. (A legend told me that). He said “At the end of the day all you got are choices and decisions.” XQUISITE Great advice Tek. So um...Any competition out there (I bet you'll probably say "No, not really, next question, laughs") that makes you say to yourself "Hey I'm out, Sorry I can't compete, this just isn't for me” or Are they serious??" TekDeep No, not really, next question (laughs)! (Joking) Yeah the "Marketing" part of music I guess is lowkey competition, which is where artists egos are gained from, Good or Bad, as far my talents and drive, nah I don't worry about nobody else except myself. I'm a perfectionist so, in a way I feel like I compete with myself. When you start worrying about what that man or woman is doing, you lose inspiration. XQUISITE Hahaha, now tha is funny and so true with many artists. Any upcoming videos or events coming up in the future? TekDeep I plan on making some videos off my #MONEYMAKINMUSIC mixtape and my upcoming album "Motivation" here in Ghana. Make sure you subscribe to my Youtube channel youtube.com/tekdeep MINDS ABOVE REALITY STATE TIMELINE: 2001 2002 2005 2014 APRIL 2011 XQUISITE
ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOVE ON THE MOV XQUISITE Any advice for the next generation of musical artists? TekDeep Seek the truth and spread that truth because you got a responsibility to set forth to the next breed of artists. XQUISITE Are you being managed right now or signed to any companies? TekDeep I'm not signed, still working independently and down with my team which is HiFan Ent. originally responsible for marketing Newbrain and myself from our projects released . Everyday I wake up and understand I can produce whatever I feel and I'm not controlled or labeled to stay in a box. XQUISITE OK, It's 10 years from now, where do you see yourself in say the clothing, new groups, entertainment industry or movies, etc.?? TekDeep I still plan on banging more beats doing what I love the most, hopefully have already launched my major studio. I plan on investing here in Ghana which is why I'm here on the most part, but yea like I said, I don't plan on stopping nothing! XQUISITE Spit something you'd like to hear your fans chanting in the future! TekDeep "I got that technique from that TeK DeEp"
FOLLOW US Tek Deep Twitter/MRTeKDeEp Facebook/TeKDeEp Soundcloud/mrtekdeep Myspace.com/tekdeep New Brain Twitter.com/newbrain1 Facebook.com/mrnewbrain Myspace.com/orlandonewbrain
APRIL 2011 XQUISITE