ISSUE 10: 1st Quarter 2012
I Want My Name Back!
Good Name, Brand Name, Brand Game, Bad Name T
he gap between issues was been filled with lots of running around, meeting people and pushing projects forward. I rode shotgun for Rapper’s Delite Editor in Chief Will Loiseau as he covered the New Jersey premier of the Sugarhill Gang’s documentary I want My Name Back. After the movie Rappers Delight (the original Sugarhill Gang emcees Master Gee and Wonder Mike now go by this new name- inspired by their biggest record) put on one amazing concert. You can read about my entire experience in my blog about it.
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Producer’s Edge Magazine Info@ProducersEdgeMagazine.com
EDITORIAL Editor In Chief/Shogunate Drew Spence Senior Editor Will Loiseau
BRAND BUSINESS Specialist/Manager Pedro Mojica Marketing, Public Relations Richera Jones Producer’s Edge is created using Abobe Indesign CS5.5
Media Editor Griffin Avid And Other Junk Xodus Phoenix © Producer’s Edge Magazine. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or resold without prior written consent of the publisher. Producer’s Edge recognizes all copyrights contained in this issue. Where possible we acknowledge the copyright holder. All contributions are submitted and accepted on the basis of a nonexclusive worldwide license to publish or to license others to do so unless otherwise agreed in advance in writing
Don’t just read about music production, Live it in the pages of Producer’s Edge Magazine.
he title of the movie I Want My Name Back triggered a thought in me about the pursuit of branding. There are a great number of producers putting in work- building their engine and tossing around their logo in hopes of building name recognition and service awareness. I see you. This idea is a take on the advertising and marketing strategy of building your “Brand Name”. You want your product to have such penetration that instead of saying please pass the tissue, they say please pass the Scottys or Kleenex. A rapper says he wants a Timbaland-like beat. As much as you might hate hearing those kinds of requests it says something significant about the name that’s been dropped.
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ow we get to the payoff. More important than your brand name is your good name. There are many producers with placements and projects under their belt that have also left a trail of anger and resentment in their wake. Artists feel screwed out of money, shortchanged in the service department and most are left feeling like they’ve been taken advantage of. This industry is very small and word spreads quickly. So I caution you to concern yourself with more than just putting your name in people’s mouths. Do some thinking about what they let back out their mouths when it comes to you and your brand. I say focus on your Reputation and Good Name because that name is very hard to get back. Key Icons: These graphics represent additional content available for eXtra Content Subscribers. See this sign- get some samples. Simple.
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KORG Monotron Winner Randy Lundy Words by Xodus Phoenix and Drew Spence
roducer’s Edge splits a quick one with KORG Monotron contest winner Randy Lundy who P was so obsessed with the palm-sized beastie that he now has two! We caught up with this Milwaukee musician and checked on what’s doing with his rig.
Tell
us a little bit about yourself and the kind of music you create. I’m a self taught musician living in Milwaukee, WI. I’m also a visual artist. Right now my music is very experimental... Usually, my tracks are short vignettes of a larger idea. I’m still trying a lot of different things out to find my sound. Nothing is totally finished yet. Basically, I use a lot of gadgets and make a lot of noise. What’s your current set up and how will the Monotron add on to your options? I use a Boss Micro BR digital 4 track and a Behringer Xenyx 1202 FX mixer to record the different instruments that I’ve collected over the years. I also use iPad apps quite a bit. I like using the Monotron to filter the sounds from my Monotribe, the analog sounds great. Have you always been into KORG products and what other instruments are you familiar with? I like KORG because their instruments are fun and easy to play, and they sound great too. I have a nice little collection of KORG gadgets now. I also play guitar. You seem to be a musician who wants a big sound from smaller units. What’s impact does this approach have on your work flow?
I have lots of instrument choices to suit my particular mood at the time, but it takes lots of layering to make things sound big. Would you say that your tools influence your music or your music influences your purchases? Is there a balance? Both: the tools define the sound of your music, and so I purchase tools that point me in the direction that I want my music to take. Many producers use a lot of high end equipment and then attempt to simulate a low fidelity sound. Do you believe that this approach is dishonest compared to actually using low-end and minimal gear? Silly maybe, but not dishonest. Whatever tools you need to create the sound you want to make is okay. A lot of my stuff is lo-fi, mostly because of my minimal equipment. Do you have plans on releasing an album or full musical work? What do you have planned for the rest of 2012? I will definitely continue to experiment with sounds, and I am always trying to learn more about music. I might even combine my sounds with some animations, we’ll see. I think it will be a great year for music... follow me on Soundcloud and find out! Thank you again for participating in the PE Mag KORG Monotron contest and congratulations. Good luck with your music. You can hear his music by visiting www. http://soundcloud.com/randalllundy/ and see his artwork by checking http://www.randalllundy.com/
Dubstep Skillz is a cutting edge library that is inspired by various styles in dubstep like wobble, post-dubstep, brostep, tribal step, wonky and dank dub, that integrate elements from techno, electro house, drum n bass, tribal and reggae. Dubstep Skillz can also be combined with various music genres. Merge Dubstep Skillz with pop, dance, hip hop, rock and heavy metal for the ultimate punch!
http://www.ueberschall.com/goto/503/Dubstep_Skillz
HipHopComposer Contest Winner HipHopComposer ran a Mega Reason Refill contest and SupermanBMB won He’s Wayne McIntosh from the Bronx New York and he’s a talented Reason 5 user. Check out his website http://supermanbmb.com/ and his Soundcloud http://soundcloud.com/waynemcintosh to hear his fresh instrumentals. Thanks for entering Supe! www.HipHopComposer.com
The IK Korner Words by ObieK
He calls himself ObieTheIncredible and he’s spent years amassing knowledge and information and sharing it on his website http://obiaudio.com/ PE Mag asked Obie about his experience and thoughts on music making the switch to smaller and smaller portable devices. He was kind enough to share this insight and tell us about IK Multimedia has embraced this i-driven future.
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here once was a time when, in order to make music, you had to own an actual instrument playing individual notes and chords to make a song. Then along came our early drum machines and samplers that are now considered classics. You know- the Roland TR-808, EMU SP-1200 or the Akai MPC 60. Well, times have certainly changed over the years from our beloved samplers. Now you can have amazing multi-samples in software with stuff like SampleTank or Miroslav Philharmonik on your computer, but it doesn’t stop there.
So along came the modern computer. Tons of great programs and the introduction of the VST format gave us tons of great effects, synths and ROMplers. Many people left their old drum machines for a MIDI controller and mouse setup. Computers weren’t made to be used as musical instruments, yet once again artists, musicians, producers and even kids were now were able to make art. They made computers their own. Some still kept their wonderful hardware sequencers or samplers, integrating them into these new digital setups, and some just stuck to their roots only using hardware.
When the first generation of drum machines and grooveboxes came out, they were made to replace a drummer. They weren’t made to make hip-hop or electronic based music. But as artists got their hands on them, they made them their own. They created art with the tools they made their own.
Today, artists have taken another piece of technology and claimed it as their own – one that even hardware purists can’t seem to ignore – and are already using it with their hardware sequencers, samplers, sound modules and synths. I’m sure you probably have owned one: the iPod. Since their introduction, the iPod and iTunes have revolutionized the entire music industry. Then came the
iPhone, and once again Apple revolutionized an entire industry. Recently, Apple launched the iPad to great fanfare, and once again artists have taken these tools, making them their own as well. When you look at it from a features point of view, it’s obvious why musicians are using iPhones and iPads for music. You have a limitless morphing touch screen that is lightweight, easy-to-carry and has multifunctions. Decent processing power, RAM and disk space compared to computers being used for award winning music 10 years ago. It’s easy to dismiss iOS devices like the iPad or iPhone as gimmicks for music production and recording, but in reality, digital recording was viewed the same way when it was first introduced. Then people came to realize the amazing sound quality possible with effects, samplers and ROMplers which changed the public’s opinion about digital recording.
Now IK Multimedia has brought the same quality of sounds from our popular titles like SampleTank, Miroslav Philharmonik and SampleMoog to your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch with SampleTank iOS! You can even connect your MPC or other hardware with MIDI to your iPad with iRig MIDI! Doing so turns your iPad into a full-blown sound module music workstation that would put most hardware sound modules to shame! When you compare hardware sound modules to an iPad with SampleTank iOS and iRig MIDI, it’s really obvious why you’d choose an iOS setup over sound modules. For one, there is a great tactile control with a multi-touch screen. You can play notes on a regular piano keyboard layout, use a more familiar drum pad layout, or even select a scale to have preset with notes ready for you to play, never hitting a wrong note! You get visual feed back on changes being made on the fly and all of this before even connecting it to your MIDI controller! Then take into consideration the
actual size of the library of sounds it comes with, most modern workstations don’t have a full gig of sounds on board. Now you can walk around with a full gig of the same amazing multi-samples on your studio computer in your pocket! So, first thing I did when getting my iRig MIDI and installing SampleTank iOS was connect it to my MPC. First, the MIDI cables which come with iRig MIDI, then I grabbed a stereo-mini cable to dual 1/4” cables and realized that I could sample directly from my iPad! This already was blowing my mind! iOS could replace a lot of the things I was already connecting to my MPC. After connecting MIDI Out from my MPC to the iRig MIDI, I started browsing the sounds in SampleTank iOS. As is, you can easily use this to replace a GrooveBox with over 400 instruments and 900 patterns or grooves included. Any DJ could use this alongside their
regular setup. As usual for me, I started with drums, and these drums sound awesome! From hard-hitting 808 snares to deep 808 kick bellows, the drums were on point. The acoustic drum kits surprised me just as much! With such a huge variety ranging from R&B, Studio, Rock, Electro, Techno, Reggaeton, West & East Coast, the drums alone are reason enough to download SampleTank iOS! The best thing about SampleTank iOS is how easy it is to jump between sounds and edit them with the built in effects. Of course there are the standards for any sound module – volume, attack, release and filter – but also some great additions with compression and three different types of reverb! Again, having a touch screen to edit sounds makes quick work of something that can be tedious on a computer with a mouse. With a touch screen, doing things like this are second nature. Similar to hardware, you just reach out and turn a knob. With iOSm you just slide your finger!
With 16 different instrument categories, I still had tons to go through and play with. I loaded up a grand piano and again was blown away. Realistic sounding pianos had me hooked! I even used my MIDI controller for a bit and couldn’t stop playing! From here I tried the electric pianos, organs, strings and synths, still freaking out that these sounds were coming from my iPad that I usually use to play Angry Birds or watch Netflix, not to mention from an app that cost me less than a date at the movies! Even the ethnic sounds like the tabla and koto sounded great! Far better than a lot of samples I have bought in the past. So now that I have spent hours playing with sounds it’s time I tried to use this for a beat. First, I look for drums. Since it is the first instrument I started with, it’s assigned to MIDI channel 1. You can have up to 4 instruments at once. You then have 96 preset banks to save these banks of 4 in, so the first one I saved included an 808 kit, a synth lead, tablas, and koto from the Ethnic category. On the MPC, I just assigned each track to a different channel and recorded my sequences. It’s the easiest sound module to use that I have ever owned, and it can do so much more! You can even use your iPad to record with apps like AmpliTube or VocaLive. AmpliTube is a guitar amp simulator that you can run guitars, bass, or even drum sounds through, basically turning your iPad into a multi-FX unit! Not to mention that iRig MIDI is full Core MIDI compliant so you can use any MIDI device with any app that supports Core MIDI. There is even a list of compatible apps on the iRig MIDI web site to further expand your iPad with more great sounds! All in all, I can honestly say that my iPad and iPod Touch will now be staples in my studio with regular use. Powerful and lightweight, with touch control and amazing sounding apps like SampleTank iOS and accessories like iRig MIDI, the iPad is a professional tool for music creation. IK Multimedia http://www.ikmultimedia.com/ Check Obie’s website for production tutorials http://obiaudio.com/ category/production/ And catch IK Multimedia on Facebook too https://www.facebook.com/ikmultimedia
WaaSoundLab Electro Swing Vol 1 is an inspiring and unique collection of
authentic
24-Bit
Electro
Swing
Construction Kits, samples and loops. With this volume, experience swing music from the 20’s to the late 40’s, combined with pure Electro vibrations that make people lose their minds, from the most prestigious New Burlesque shows to the hypest dance floors! These sounds will bring a new kind of magic to your music...
http://www.waasoundlab.com/electroswing-vol1.html
Rapper’s Delite issue 03 with legendary rapper and producer Erick Sermon, along with M.O.P.’s Billy Danze, Scram Jones and Iron Solomon. Plus, up and coming talents Everybody Official and we find out if you are going to Rhyme or Die. We question the difference between Rap and Hip Hop and a pioneer weighs in!
Griffin Avid Producer’s Corner Interview PE mags own Griffin Avid kicks it with the Producer’s Corner and snares an interview. Sampling. How important is it in producing music? Sampling records was the earliest production tendency and the nuances and [beloved] artifacts of the sound design have been indelibly imprinted in our minds as the sound of authentic hip hop. Every producer as some point has tried to fake it by adding sounds like turntable hum, scratches, pops and even noise to emulate a vinyl source. The lo-fi aspect is emulated with bit-reduction and some producers buy vintage samplers to capture the character of our earliest rap records. Even when beat makers are looking for drum kits and commercial samples to incorporate, the packages listed as being dirty, crusty and dusty remain the most popular. Sampling even impacts the arrangement of our music. The huge change-ups and number of musical elements that are linked together are a throw-back to producers manipulating samples that were composed of multiple instruments playing on top of each other. Very few producers have been cable to capture that style of arrangement once they play or perform all of the instrumentation themselves. So in conclusion, sampling as a sound is the most important aspect of rap and hip hop music. This still holds true long after traditional sampling has all but been eliminated by the modern producer. Where do you see new producers making mistakes? Thinking selling beatz is the shortcut to being a producer. They wrongfully believe they will sell a beat to a well-known rapper and once they have that one major placement; they will become the next super-producer. Being a true producer is what happens around, on top of and after the beat. There is no shortcut for this. You start the journey by producing the records of whoever you can and you certainly do not want to
put off your growth by waiting. Take your career in your own hands and start making it happen for yourself now. What software do you recommend for making beats? And why? And what do you use? None of that matters to me. I’ll use anything. Usually, I get stuff to review for the magazine or at least to be familiar with to remain current and use that. I think cats should choose their tools by the amount of inspiration they feel using it. If it feels right to you, you are more likely to dive deeper and master your toolset. To all those new aspiring producers reading this learning to produce music / make beats, what advice can you give them starting out? I would suggest they avoid the trap of doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. I see the advice ‘practice makes perfect’ and beatmakers think they will magically get better by simply making more beats. The learning process comes from experimenting and studying the different aspects of production, and not just from repetition. What are the 3 most important steps to making beats? 1. Choosing to make beats that you like and not beats that ‘should be liked’ by others. This is really related to number 2. 2. Making sure it works in whatever context you are making the beat for. Bangerz should bang in the club. Battle beats should inspire freestyle verses. It seems simple, but many producers focus on adding signature elements and not sculpting the overall vibe.
3. Adding that final 10% that turns a beat into the instrumental for a record. That’s pretty much the part producers never show you because it’s the workings of their inner ear. Anyone will show you the building of the foundation. No one shows you the roof being put on. Very few producers make it to the top of there career as a world famous producer. What’s the difference, in your opinion, between a famous producer and one who can’t seem to make it? What do the ones that make it do that the ones don’t? Being famous is a matter of your hard work running into luck and chance. Everyone will have their turn, but for most, it won’t happen until you are ready for it. If your opportunity arrives before you are ready, you will miss out and probably never know what you could have accomplished. Which do you prefer new producers start with when learning to make beats: Hardware or software? And Why? Doesn’t matter. I usually advise producers to physically imagine HOW they want to work and go in that direction. Either approach or a mix of both will get it done so why choose? What makes a quality beat? What must it sound like? How do you know when you’re done?
A quality beat sounds right for an artist to use. Lots of beat makers have beats that sound great, interesting, original and impressive. What’s hard to find among a huge catalogue of beats are usable tracks. Should I go to school to learn more about music? School is about creating an artificial environment that fosters learning. At best, it gives you real world experience. At worst, it gives a false sense of entitlement. The paper is a statement about your dedication and commitment. If you understand that most courses only provide you with the material and it’s up to grab your own education, you’ll be fine. Any final thoughts or advice to aspiring producers? Start producing today. Live the music, not the stuff that happens in-between the beats. Focus on the stuff that counts, which is the end user’s reaction to your art. I see too many beat makers overly focused on the opinions and thoughts of other producers. Rappers and those concerned with making records need to be the most important people in your mind. Thanks for the time. You can check their site and loop through their goodies. http://www.pegmusic.com/producers-corner/producerscorner-griffin-avid/
Music Production in the ‘i of the storm’ And your next secret weapon might be downloaded from iTunes. Words by Sean Maru
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here is a veritable sea of music related applications out there for producers these days. If it once existed in hardware it will probably
be reincarnated and live its second life as an iPad app and if there are any gaps left someone is sure to build an app to fill it. This issue we decide to highlight a few of the apps that have hit our radar recently. Sunrizer Synthesizer by Beep Street ($4.99) Hundreds of presets, impressive sound shaping capabilities, clean sound and rock solid stability. http://beepstreet.com/
Amplitube 2 for iPad by IK Multimedia ($19.99) Amplitube has long been a favorite multi effects tool for desktop and laptop musicians. The Ipad incarnation doesn’t disappoint. It provides low latency amp modeling and effect with tremendous flexibility and great sound. It comes with a number of nice amp sims from Fender, Vox, Marshall and others. Modify the sound by adjusting cabinet specs and mic placement. Futhermore, you can chain up to 4 simultaneous stomp boxes. As a side note, this app can also function as a great practice tool. You can import songs from your itunes library and play along with them. You have the option to speed them up or slow them down (-50% to +200%) as needed until you have the part nailed. In all, this nice professional application that give tons of flexibility and even at $19.99 is a great bargain. For more info: http://www.ikmultimedia.com/amplitubeipad/features/
Music Studio 2 for iPad by Xewton With microphone recording, ipod, wav and mp3 import detail waveform editing (with copy and paste), midi editing and export via itunes this is a very complete “studio� indeed at least if we are talking ipad apps. http://www.xewton.com/musicstudio/overview/
iMaschine by Native Instruments ($4.99) 16 Pads for drums (with note repeat), hundreds of samples, Keyboard mode for melodies and basslines, export to sound cloud. In short, a mobile beatmakers dream.
AniMoog Synthesizer by Moog Music Inc. ($2.99) If you are reading this you are probably not going to be hung up on whether or not this is a “real Moog”. Those that would be are not going to be interested in an Ipad app roundup in the first place. That said, the AniMoog Synthesizer, is a pretty impressive offering. Utilizing the responsive touch screen of the Ipad, the AniMoog allows you to create complex, evolving textures in an engaging and fun way. Dragging your finger across the screen allows you to assemble sounds in the X/Y space from a selection of timbres from various Moog Synths and pedals.
Additionally, sounds can be sculpted using the AniMoogs Polyphonic Modulation and Pitch Shifting capabilities, a delay module, a 4 pole filter module, a so-called “thick” module for bit crushing and detuning, etc, a flexible modulation matrix and MIDI in/out. In short, the Animoog is everything a synth should be: fun, inspiring and great sounding.
DM! Drum Machine by Fingerlab ($4.99) This app is the definition of instant gratification. Within minutes of downloading, I was having a blast selecting sounds, making multiple patterns, adding fx and chaining it all into a song. The supplied kits are not overwhelmingly abundant but plenty to get you going, There are 64 in all and include the basics and then some and include many standard electronic kits (e.g. TR-808 and 909, etc.), some acoustic kits (e.g. Ludwig , brush kits, etc.) and a number of custom kits that Fingerlabs produced.
There are 5 main sections: The step sequencerDead simple to use. Touch a button to place a sound. Touch it again to delete it. The grid can be set to either 16 or 32 steps. The drum pads-These can be used for live programing. Quantization, swing and pitch bend are available as well. The mixer-To be used for adjusting volume, pitch, and controlling the mute and solo statuses of each sound. FX trackpad- You can use the nifty X-Y control to adjust the settings for the various included effects (i.e. overdrive, delay, phaser, filter, compressor, texturizer, robotizer. Song composer-This section lets you assemble (via drag and drop) the various patterns you have created into a song. For less than $5 this is a very addictive little app that provides instant gratification and hours of noodling fun. Great bang for the buck! http://www. fingerlab.net/website/Fingerlab/Fingerlab.html
http://primeloops.com/loops-samples/product/urban-dreamz~1021/
Sounds Review
Words by Eric “Eldritch” Eldredge
Prime Loops
Platinum Dubstep £16.96 (26.67 USD)
D
ubstep: the term has taken the music world by storm in recent years, with artists like Skrillex making names for themselves all over the industry and its conventions finding way into mainstream pop. For educated listeners, it’s easy to pick out its signature sound: half-time breaks, jagged synth stabs, and bouncing, detuned basses.
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his library caters to that trend, complete with beats, synth lines, shots, and of course, more “wobbling” than you could shake an LFO slider at. The 300MB-plus worth of loops are presented in ACID-ized WAV format, so they’ll auto stretch to tempo and bars in most DAW programs. The beats have bite, the synth melodies jump right out at you, and the basses bounce. Several of them are named as such that they are variants on the same melody or progression, with varying levels of processing on the audio (distortion, mostly).
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hile a great collection of inspiring material, I really have to point one thing out... Like many dance music styles, Dubstep relies heavily on improvisation and knob-turning to be interesting (and authentic), which you cannot easily do with these sounds. I definitely think, however, that this will be a great way of building a rapid music bed for TV or other broadcast spots when a hip background bed is needed. http://primeloops.com/loops-samples/product/platinum-dubstep~299/
http://primeloops.com/loops-samples/product/dubstep-gladiators~1028/
Vibin with @krucial @atozeke and @jlproducer
Mateo Words by Drew Spence
Mateo, newly signed to Krucial Noise with his debut EP, LOVE & STADIUMS II, Producer’s Edge chops it a bit with this multi-talent and sees what’s next on his to do list.
Drew Spence: I know you’re a multi-talent; you could do several different things maybe you should break down each one and what kind of training you’ve had in all those areas. And may be you could start with singing and/or performing because that’s probably what you are going to be known for first. Mateo: Yeah, I’ve been singing all my life so I’ve been performing for a very long time. I write everything and create everything on piano. I still love playing classical music so inspiration still comes from that and has a little influence. I am more of a producer in a sense of arrangement and sitting with the programmer and really figuring out what kind of sound I want. So what is your background production experience do you have? Are you into software or are you doing the scoring while you are writing?
My recording process starts with the bare minimum [idea] of the song so it starts with an acoustic guitar or a piano and then springs from there. I sit with the producer or programmer talk about instrumentation, the types of electronic sounds I want. Even the drums and how we filter the drums. That’s what I usually do when creating music. Creatively, how do you decide what your image is going to be and your angle on coming out, you certainly aren’t going to just come out and be known for every type of music or every vocal styling. How do you pick up an actual direction for yourself and say “Okay, I am going to put this forward as me”? That’s actually kind of difficult at first, because you are trying to figure out what your personal style is. When I first started I was literally trying to sing like other R&B
“It’s about the discipline. You can be immensely talented, but if you are not disciplined and getting up everyday and working hard... I’m talking about doing things you normally think I wouldn’t be doing. You think we are just making music? No. I am out in the streets doing a lot of things just to promote the music. “
artists and sing over looped hip hop beats. It was hot then to a singer over a hip hop beat. I went back to what I really loved like Coldplay…alternative music using synths mixed in with organic instrumentation like piano, bass and guitar. Kanye West with a melody and add some soul like India Arie. I started making that kind of music and people liking it and it felt natural to me and that’s how I found my style. Yes my music is piano based and organic but we put in stuff from other genres like electronic sounds and strings and really big drums like U2 drums to create this very big arena sound. What you are looking to produce when it comes to your voice itself? I stay away from Autotune. I feel like it strips away character from your vocal and you start sounding like other people. Not to knock other people that use it, but I stay away from it. Where would you say you are lyrically? It’s about relationships. The mixtape was called Love and Stadiums. I try and find different ways of saying it. Anyone can say I love you- if you can say it in a more poetic way -as if you wrote the lyrics down on a sheet of paper…poetry…that’s usually where I am trying to go with it. It’s a balance because you don’t want to be too deep where people don’t get you or too literal. I keep it more metaphoric in my verses and when I get to the hook, I keep it more straightforward.
Now what is your writing process, are you just writing loose notes of poetry? Are you only writing when you hear the actual music? There are two ways I write. I play chords, which usually tells me which way the song should go and what it should be about. So if I come out with some really, cool piano riffs I will start with a vocal melody and then find the words. I prefer the freestyle over it. I feel like that’s the most natural way. The best stuff comes when I’m not thinking. I’m just in the moment, in the zone. I just start free-styling and sit there and listen…’I like that melody’ I’ll piece it together and then write the words. I will ask you a personal question. What kind of respect do women garner in your life? What kind of message are you sending women about how you see them and how your perceive them.
authentic product. It was different, it was original and they, but they want at it. I think the best albums that have ever come out are collaborations where there were not many producers. So it’s been good. Nice, so now give me the ideal, this is a bit of a fantasy question, but you are going to imagine one of your fans listening to your music. What’s the experience they get from listening to your album? It’s a good question. My career has always been word of mouth so I am picturing a house party, chilling with some of your friends and then one of your girlfriends comes up and says “Yo, this song, oh my gosh, it is so great, listen to this record”… and you all listen to it and then everybody in the room is hooked.
That’s a good question. I have been raised to respect women period. Single parent household; it was me and my mom. I learned how to treat them from my mother and how I want her to be to be treated or even if I had a daughter- how I want her to be treated. I just think it’s important. You would think that my audience is mostly female, but it’s half and half. I don’t demean anybody, male and female and that’s not the type of message I want to put out there anyway. I have to ask you that because some artist that I do come across, when we do speak off-the-cuff they sometimes say that well I am singing R&B to get more chicks. Some artists are mostly attached to the experience of being in a relationship and they sing about it because it’s what they are passionate about. You connect with Kerry Krucial Brothers and that’s a huge statement because in your case it has to be two parts of it. There is a business side: can this person help me along? And then there is trust that a person can creatively match your vision. Why choose to work with Krucial and what has that relationship has brought you so far? For a year and a half I was in a situation that kind of fizzled out. I had already met Krucial [Brothers] and worked with him a couple of times. When he was starting his label said “I want you to be my first artist”, so I thought it was a great situation for me because I saw what he had done with Alicia Keys. It was him and her at a very beginning before bills were on the table. I really liked, from a creative perspective, how they never chased Radio or what was mainstream. They stuck to what they like and they loved making- a really
What advice could you give someone I should say or what cautionary tale can you give someone? Some kind of advice other than pursue your dreams because I hate when artist say that. Give us something someone can actually apply to their lives and really use to get further along? It’s about the discipline. You can be immensely talented, but if you are not disciplined and getting up everyday and working hard... I’m talking about doing things you normally think I wouldn’t be doing. You think we are just making music? No. I am out in the streets doing a lot of things just to promote the music. It’s is about perseverance and pushing. You have to realize that you will get a thousand no’s before you get a yes. You can’t get discouraged about a lot of people not feeling you. Thomas Edison, when he created the light bulb he had no other choice but to be successful with the light bulb because he had tried everything else and it didn’t work. Yeah, I remember the quote being something like, I didn’t fail at finding the right filament, I succeeded in finding ones that didn’t work and I think he said his failure was a success in finding out what doesn’t work. Exactly, exactly. Just look out for the music. Excellent than you very much Mateo I wish you good luck. You can catch up with mateo by visiting his website http://www. Mateoonline.com and crack at his Twitter @mateoonline
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He’s Kerry “Krucial”
Brothers, a major
creative force behind the launch of Alicia Keys monster album Songs in A Minor. We snatch a few minutes with the multiplatinum um…
super-winner.
KERRY KRUCIAL BROTHERS D
rew Spence: Tell us about the early days of your production. When I started producing, it was more about making hip hop tracks; real sample heavy. When I started working with Alicia [Keys], it changed up. Basically she’s a classically trained pianist and we both had the same love for Classical, Soul and Jazz music. Whenever I work with other musicians and song-writing artists, I like to let them take the lead. They can play chords or whatever they might have lying around and ideas we’ll start with that foundation and build the track around it. It’s a much different process now. Now is there any difficulty or hurdle with writing from a woman’s perspective? Male producers and song writers usually write the kind of songs they’d like chicks to sing as opposed to the kind of ideas that woman would write for themselves, when expressing their emotional content. It’s pretty easy with Alicia because she’s the lead writer. She’ll have ideas and poems she wants to get out. It’s all about emotion. We all [men and women] feel the same things and I can relate to them because I have a mother and sisters and I watch people go through things.
It’s seeing their point of view. When you are a real producer, you get into the artist and what makes them tick, you learn about their story. I remember growing up and watching how Janet Jackson first left the Jackson family and started her Rhythm Nation album. It was real interesting to see how Jimmy Jam and Thierry Lewis spent a whole week with Janet before starting to work on music. That’s the approach I’d take- to find out what the artist wants to say and feel their personality and that makes it easier to write for them. You’ve worked with Alicia and a few other known groups; let’s say you’re going to bring in a completely unknown under your own banner. What do you look for when it comes to picking a new artist? It has to be the voice. As a producer, the voice is another instrument and I think about how I can build a sound around their voice. Also, what’s the story and what’s the motivation and passion? I like to work with people who love music and want to do more than entertain you. It’s still hard work so they have to really be into it.
“The
real definition of the
producer is the person who is responsible for the outcome of how the record sounds. When Hip Hop came out, that became the title of the beat-maker. I am the producer because I put the track down and you rapped on it. The artist does whatever and that producer never even sat in the studio session. That started confusing everybody. I was confused until I really understood what a producer really is.�
Now you selected an artist, a new artist Mateo, he also is a triple treat and has talents in several fields. Is this a consideration when you pick an artist that they have got to be more than just a song writer, more than just a singer? Usually yes, I like the full package. I am a person who likes to add new skills. It’s like the philosophy behind how I started. I love working with raw material. I started making hip hop tracks and sampling. Anything small, a beep sound or chord or bass line. I look for something I can add on to -to and make it what it could be. You’ve worked with a lot of rap stars and also rap artists. Let’s say you are doing a project with someone like Nas or Rakim, even in a modern day situation- if you were called in to work with Drake… what would be the process connecting their current style of rap with your history of rhyming from back in the day? I would come up with few track ideas, concepts just pitch it to them to start off. Once we are in the room, I would definitely get the conversation going and play their favorite joints to really see what the artist is feeling now. I would look at what’s missing and what people would like to hear from them. That’s usually my approach and I would choose people that I am a fan of so it makes it easier for me. As an artist yourself who is also skilled in a bunch of different areas, how do you divide the line between what you would do and what you think they should do? I let them take the lead. I would make sure they are themselves and I will give suggestions and we will come to a compromise but I am never like you gotta use these drums or you have to talk about this. The idea is to let them be the artists and me just giving insight as the producer. Talk about Mateo’s [Also interviewed earlier in this issue] work ethic and what’s required to be able to survive in your production lane. He is a hard worker, he is dedicated, he loves music and he really practices and is focused on always improving. You have a lot of people who are very talented. Some are successful and some are not. The unsuccessful ones have an attitude that’s like ‘I am great and everybody should do this and that for me’. They think the world owes me. That’s a bad attitude. And Mateo definitely doesn’t have that. His humility motivates me. That’s what it takes…a willingness to go the extra mile for his craft. It’s his personality, his energy. He is a full package and it’s really refreshing to meet an artist like him.
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Who would you say would be standing next to you producer-wise? Are you saying you are leaning towards like a Teddy Riley or a Hip Hop throw back like a Pete Rock?
the beats and consider that the producer credit and those who don’t make the music but actually shape the record- who sometimes get ignored for their contributions?
Well I would probably say I am aiming more towards Quincy Jones or Rick Rubin… The person who produces the outcome of the record is not necessarily always the person who makes the tracks.
The real definition of the producer is the person who is responsible for the outcome of how the record sounds. When Hip Hop came out, that became the title of the beat-maker. I am the producer because I put the track down and you rapped on it. The artist does whatever and that producer never even sat in the studio session. That started confusing everybody. I was confused until I really understood what a producer really is. There have been times when people would say, well Puffy didn’t make the beat so how he the producer? Being a producer is more than just making a track and throwing it out there.
That’s interesting that you said that, because there does seem to be a split between people who make beats or those that are called the beat-makers and those that are producers that actually get into shaping and molding the outcome. What do you feel about that division between people who just make
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me is helping the people I feel deserve a chance. I want to be in a position to make the music business or music in general better.
And then you have the beat-makers who could be producers, but they never really get a chance to produce because we are in an instant gratification zone in the industry right now. They want the records quick, so they are like ‘oh let’s just get the track to the guy in the studio’. Email it to him, he raps and we’ll put that out. They don’t give the beat-maker a chance to produce. I think it made the music suffer over the years. Taking your time and allowing everyone involved to reach their potential is the key that makes the best records and that’s what it is really about. Very well said. I don’t want to blow up anybody’s spot, but we pretty much must assume that Mateo can’t afford your services. Let’s look at it from another perspective and ask what is it about you that allows you to go back and work with a brand new artist as opposed to just chasing a check and only working with big names? I have the love for music. It’s about adding to the game. When I started out I was like everybody else - angry and I wanted to be heard on the radio. I used to rant and criticize the industry. It got to a point where it was like you can’t make a difference unless you are part of it and I was fortunate enough to be involved with Alicia Keys early on, before she had a career. I felt more satisfied and more fulfilled. There is a lot of talent that needs a chance and what motivates
What’s a pitfall that lot of producers who are trying to break into the industry might get caught up on? What’s something to look out and maybe avoid or overcome as a new producer trying to break into the game? Limiting yourself. This is the producer verse A&R game. Once you get a hit under your belt the money comes in and people chase whatever talent you have. A&Rs and lot of companies want you to keep producing the same sound over and over again and when the money comes in and the excitement catches you, you fall for it. You must always expand and reinvent yourself. This is why I respect people like Kanye and Timbaland. That’s the trap. Don’t get caught up in thinking that, this one sound will last forever. You always have to keep studying; you always have to keep learning, branching out and mixing things up. It will be difficult with people always coming to you and offering you all this money and then tell you “We need this!” You think you are going to continue having success by doing the same thing. Interesting now that will definitely answer a creative problem. What about as an artist trying to break in, what’s a business mistake that artist may make early on trying to get in? You definitely have to get a team together with the right manager and lawyer. They’ll push you to sound like somebody else that’s already proven to sell. If you are going to stand out as an artist, you have to figure out what’s unique about you and push that side and not give into the pressures of trying to sell like what is already out there and that’s a trap on the business side. It’ll work for a short period of time, but if you really want to be a life-time artist or an artist that can make a difference. You need to be original. Some producers have told me; they struggle with their own ego and with limitations on their own creativity or their ability to play certain instruments. Is there anything that you had to struggle with? There was intimidation for being a sampling producer and I’m not a real musician. I mean, I like to play a few parts to get the ideas out. When you are around people who can play ten times better than you, you learn that it’s also about having a good ear and having ideas. Once you learn what is special about you, you accept it and whatever insecurities you may have, you’ll just work on them and develop. I never really had to struggle with ego in recent years. In the beginning there was a little struggle, but like anything else, it gets easier with time. The bottom line is, when you have a love for what you do, you work through the entire struggle because you feel it’s worth it.
How does a producer go about assembling a team? What you are looking for in a manager? Should it be the cousin who is real aggressive and talks a lot, should it be someone with connections already? Should it be someone older, should it be someone who is young and wants to stay out all night and make those parties and connections? I would say your lawyer is king. Getting the right size lawyer for you, not the big lawyer who is too busy and not the small lawyer who really doesn’t have any connections, because when it’s all said and done they are the ones will make all the deals and they know everybody. And as far as a manager goes, until you get to the point where you can’t do things on your own, you really don’t need a manager. Stay working, keep making things happen. As time goes on, you start getting very busy- then you look for the manager who can be that person to help you schedule and connect you with things that your lawyer can’t. If you pick the right lawyer, they know everybody in the industry and when you are good and your stuff is hot, the offers start to come through and the work starts coming to you and it’s just about being ready. Excellent. With the few minutes we have left, could you tell us a little bit about your studio setup. What kind of gear are you using and what kind of work ethic or structures your day? Are you making tracks everyday, is it only on weekends, is it only
when you feel like it? Well it varies. Right now I am still using the MPC. The 2000? I started out with MPC 1200 and then it went to the MPC 3000 and I am now using the MPC 4000. And as of recently last year, I started using the NI Maschine and I really love that because I was the guy banging on tables in high school. I like the whole hands on thing and of course I have the laptop, the Pro Tools, the Plug-ins. I’ll use logic for certain sounds and I’ll have at least one or two musicians around. I’m usually working on a project, so it will be a schedule of at least four, five times a week in the studio working. In-between projects, making tracks and building up a catalog of tracks and ideas. Basically five times, six times a week I’m always creating something. If I’m taking a break I still do things, maybe on the weekend. It’s something I love to doing. It’s because this is like an addiction. I’m always creating something regardless even if it’s humming ideas into a recorder. . Is there anything else you want to tell us about what’s going on in your universe right now? I just finished Mateo’s EP and we are in the process of making his album. I’m working on Alicia’s new album. It’s just about moving forward. I am really excited to be coming at this angle and adding to the game. We thank Kerry Krucial Brothers for taking the time to talk with Producer’s Edge Magazine.
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Bei
Maejor,
a Michigan native, is more than an artist, more than a songwriter and more than a producer; he is a visionary.
He aims to create
music that can positively influence people’s lives. A 2008 graduate of The University Michigan,
he
became a rising
Drew Spence: Which came first, the rapping, producing or the singing? I definitely started as a producer before anything. I was probably doing beats when I was 16, 17 years old. I started rhyming in school, used to play around -- I never took to rapping seriously like that or singing until years later. What’s going on with your fascination of using real world sounds to make tracks out of and add to your beats? Where did that come from? I just wanted to showcase found sounds and I was just having fun putting it online and people seem to like it so I just kept doing it.
star on campus as
people
learned
of
his
production
work
for
while
artists
still
maintaining
his
work
school.
in
He was
able to produce for
numerous
artists
including,
What was your first keyboard? I think it was a Casio, was my first keyboard.
Trey Songz, Sean Kingston,
Chrisette
Michelle,
Bun B, LeToya Luckett, Monica, Ginuwine,
Plies,
and
others
during his time at University of Michigan.
With the speakers?
built
in
Built in speakers and a play button. Oh no. It would record a beat, but there was really no sequencer.
r o j e a
That’s what’s up. Now let’s talk a little bit about the song “Trouble”. How did you connect with J. Cole for that? I was playing that song for people and my friends in the industry and Cole was one of the people I managed to play it for…And I asked him what he thinks of it and he got it, he is like yo I like it man, I want you up on this song.
i
Nice. So I mean now that video seems like it’s something that someone else would have written or envisioned for your song and I know you’re much into that Upside Down thing, what’s the Upside Down thing about and are you going to start adding that into your music besides the video? Upside Down is something I created. It’s my movement. I started putting all my pictures on Facebook upside down. At first people were against it and they were like no you can’t do that. They started seeing that thousands of people, kids, parents, girls, dudes; they all put theirs like that too so it became my trademark.
Very nice. Now let’s talk a little bit about the business itself and how you’re getting along, I mean being so young and fresh on the set are you more concerned with how people present your music for you or do you feel like you have to be in all the meetings and you have to be there yourself to explain what you’re trying to accomplish? I like to do as much as I can just because there’s nothing like hearing the story from the person that created it. Even if someone else is playing the same song, it might not convey the same message, so I like to be able to explain what’s that all about.
B e
M
What are you rocking right now gear wise? Now I’m just Pro Tools and nothing else. And you’re just using pro tools and plug-ins, so what are you using a MIDI controller or you’re still rocking a keyboard of some kind? I don’t even use MIDI, sometimes. I have every workstation keyboard and synth, MPCs and racks [mounted modules], but I was travelling so much, I couldn’t bring all my stuff with me everywhere I wanted to work, so I just started working on my computer. I’ll go back later and mix, but most times I’m only using Pro Tools.
Now are you floating in between labels right now or are you settled, are you on RCA or Jive? Like what’s that official deal? On Jive and Jive his merged with RCA. How did that come about? I did a lot of work –making demos for other artists and industry people thought it sounded good with me on it.
Tell us a little about why you picked the name Bei Maejor
and also what you’re going to do about the spelling with it. B-E-I M-A-E-J-O-R is how I spell Bei Maejor and that’s in remembrance of my grandmother Edna Mae, her name is Edna M-A-E, so I spell it M-A-E-J-O-R, you know in remembrance of my grandmother, so I wanted to show my respects. That is really what’s up. Now are you handling the female attention from your music? As a young cat, that’s got to be the craziest. How are you keeping that in check? I’m handling it. [Laughter Erupts] I keep my focus and keep it always about my music. Who would you like to work with as a dream collaboration, living or dead? Bob Marley. My parents are from Jamaica, my mom’s side, you know, they go to Jamaica every summer, you know so that culture… What’s the best moment so far, hearing something of yours on the radio, seeing a video debut, what’s the best thing so far?
Nothing best, but I can say something really cool, a couple of months ago I met Dr. Dre in the studio and I got a chance to play him some of my album and he said man, that was good man. That was great for me, you know for Dr. Dre to say that my song is good. We’re coming up on 2012 and if the world don’t end, what are some of your plans that want to accomplish in 2012? Oh man I just want to keep being positive and encourage kids to, sing and dance and change the world. All right here come some tough questions. I know a lot of other artists call themselves triple threats and double threats and some rap, some sing, some could do a lot of different things. How does an artist who wants to do all three figure out which one they should focus on, and it is possible there is someone who wants to do all three but should only do one? I started out recording myself, mixing. I sing, I rap, I do my video sometimes I edit them. I’m not one who would ever say no because I don’t know what fits in their cage and I think each person’s cage is different. Do as much as you need to do to get your point across. Very nice. Is there anything else you want to tell the people who are interested in picking up on you? Yeah if you want to check me out, go to my website beimaejor.com and I have a mixed tape on there, it’s called ‘Maejor, Maejor’, it’s for free man, you can download it, I produced it and wrote it. You can just hear some of the stuff I’ve been doing. www.beimaejor.com
DENAUN PORTER
known around the world by his legion of fans as Kon Artis, member of Hetheis critically acclaimed multi-platinum selling group D12. He has gained
the reputation as being one of the best producers in the business, a musical mastermind who was honored for his music writing skills by ASCAP. He is also known by his old comrades on Detroit’s Runyon Avenue as Denaun Porter, the guy who would grow up and conquer great things. Whatever the arena, “Mr. Porter” is a musical force to be reckoned with.
PE Mag: Let’s go back to the day you bought that first piece of equipment that let you know I am serious about this music thing. Mr. Porter: I started off with the Emax Emulator. It didn’t have a sequencer. It could record though so I started making beats without a [quantizing] sequencer. That’s why people hear [my] beats and they seem like they got a swing that you can’t really recreate. I thought that’s how people made music. I watched bands and they would play straight and sometimes pick back up on tape. I couldn’t do that so I just played my beats out all the way through. For me it
was a learning experience. When I got a MPC 2000 that was it. That’s when I said all right, now I am in the business, now I can make moves. It had been out for year or so and my girlfriend at the time bought it for me. That was it. Did you follow one up a grade path like 2000, 2000 XL, did you ever mess with any of the newer units, the 1000s or did the open labs jump right on after that? Yeah, I went from 2000 to 2000 XL. I had a 2000 for a while and then I went from that to the 4000. I held on to that 2000 XL for a very long time. When Open Labs came along I still used the Miko, Neko, all with the MPC. You were just used to the sequencer? Yeah and the reason for that is because I run four systems
“I’m not driven by money and I want to see more people that are driven by
inspiration to make better music. There’s always
somebody that wants music like whatever’s hot or the trend. There’s a market for people like that. It’s called never going to make it. at once. I have my Miko and another keyboard player is using a Miko and an MPC. We keep them all chained so it’s like having a band and doing it freestyle. Everything is going into the machine and then we take it into Pro Tools. It went from the 2000 to 4000 and I’m still with the Miko and DB but I use Logic now too. Bring us up to speed a little bit on how your musician background affects your music making. It’s more melodic than most producers and it’s not with the heavy sample chopping, so what were your early experiences with musicians or music that led you to make tracks the way you do?
I was rapper and I was in the battle scene with Proof and Eminem. Proof used to rap and make beats and that piqued my interest. We would be sitting there waiting for people to come to the studio and they wouldn’t show. We didn’t like waiting and since most of my friends were doers, who rapped and made beats, I just started tight there. That led me to Dilla and I didn’t even know he rapped. I didn’t know about Slum Village. At 15 I got shot so playing ball was out of the question. I stayed in the basement and saw that I was pretty good at it. At that point though, I was still a young lost kid. I heard Proof and JD (J Dilla) and just felt man, this is what I want to do.
“Don’t be in such a rush to be a superstar overnight. A lot of producers got but they
more swag than the artist,
beats sound like shit.
a producer is.
Remember what
A producer is the person that’s
behind everything. Nobody cares how you dress, you
got to look nice, but your image doesn’t matter because you are not the one. Learn your place.”
I started listening to Dr. Dre and didn’t know he’d be a mentor some day. Dre was special because he was doing his own thing. He didn’t care about making an east coast sound or following anyone. I had the best teachers. The first Eminem album, the D12 album. I came out with hits. It was happening so fast that I felt like I didn’t want to be out here with all this success not knowing what I was doing. A lot of producers do that. They come out with some hits, but don’t take the time to learn and that’s they disappear fast. I wasn’t chasing singles and I wasn’t chasing money. I started getting tats for everything. I got this one that looks like wires up under my skin. I did that because I started feeling like a robot. Me and my manager had a great relationship., Whatever came in the mail I went for, but I started feeling unsatisfied and I told him I wasn’t happy with myself. This is after P.I.M.P. I wasn’t satisfied with my sound. I couldn’t produce a whole album for a person. That’s a producer and that’s what I wanted to be. I found JR Rider and helped starting to groom him. I wanted to do other things. I started looking for movies and that helped me grow too. I took time for myself and I had that confidence to believe that if I left for five or ten years I would be able to come back and compete. It worked out for me and it’s better because I don’t even feel like I’m at my peak yet. Now I know how to put a whole album together, I got to produce my first album this year. Congratulations. I appreciate that. I’ve had a success you can’t fake. Do you understand? If you don’t take the time,
you’re just going to be a person that doesn’t last. And years later you’re looking back on how you used to do this. You might get lucky and make another hit. You might end up on the chitlin’ circuit. [laughter erupts] So it just depends on how you look at yourself and how you look at what you’re trying to do.. I found that some of the best producers in the music business tend to have the ability to rhyme - not that they are super crazy MCs, but they can actually rhyme, and I’ve said that’s the marker between deciding beats that are rhyme-able and beats that just sound good. A lot of producers who are having trouble getting artists over their beats- have trouble because they make beats that are nice to listen to or even impress, but they are not really rhyme-able. So, how much of your ability to rhyme influence how your tracks come out? I’m working on an EP myself finally. I’m picking beats that I want to rap over. It has a lot to do with it. Also you have to think: producers are either DJs first or rappers first. DJs; those are the guys that know how to make radio records. If you’re a pretty good DJ, you know how to make the crowd move - same thing with rapping. If you know how to rap and you’re really an MC it plays a big part. For me, being from Detroit was a big influence. We rap different than Atlanta and New York. We have a different sound that did appeal to the West Coast, which is why I messed with the West Coast early and led me to Dre.
What do you consider to be one mistake that a producer does that holds him back creatively, his style and even his career early on? Maybe even a bad habit that hurts a producer with his growth as a musician. Worrying about being in the video and all that shit. Your ego gets in the way. You can’t go in a room with Lil Wayne and be like “If my song aint gonna be the single, I aint messin with it”. You know what? Man, it’s so what. Everybody has a part. I’m listening to Lil Wayne’s album right now and my favorite song is “Up, Up And Away”. It’s not a single. It’s not a radio record. It’s not even a popular record. You have to learn to be a part before you can be the whole machine. A lot of these kids today are concerned with this guy who placing records while they are not.. Either you are really, really good in or you are not, or maybe you just don’t have a platform and if you do have the platform maybe you need to learn more. Don’t be in such a rush to be a superstar overnight. A lot of producers got more swag than the artist, but they beats sound like shit. Remember what a producer is. A producer is the person that’s behind everything. Nobody cares how you dress, you got to look nice, but your image doesn’t matter because you are not the one. Learn your place.
One you accept that, you become a commodity to the artist because he knows that when he comes into the room, he is going to work with somebody that just love to be a producer. Most of this industry is ego driven and not talent driven because there is a lack talent to be honest. Question. What are you thoughts and feelings of the brand new producer who is selling his beats for like $25 or $50 on the internet? I have a site that [sells beats] for people that I can’t reach. I was gone- going country to country and I performed with Eminem and I can’t sell everybody a beat. I mean I make so much [music], we sell it to people that negotiate their own prices. They like the beat and they send an email. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. I started off working with local artists and I was a local producer. I went from a local producer to a little bit of a-somebody and I still work with local artists. And then I became a full fledged producer and I worked with some of the best but I still work with local artist because how else would you learn? If, you know, you are really good, you never worry about if I’d ever make this good a beat again. We, as producers, give people beat on a CD and the artist, they just go out, they put it on the internet and it’s like “oh man, sorry man, this is just so fresh…” They don’t give you any credit
for it. They go perform this song and you don’t sell a record. When I do something, it’s special that’s the mystique, nobody has mystique and everybody wants to be out there. You know they don’t care. There’s no class in the game. Nothing graceful about it. They may make you a hot song and it’s not hot just because they did it, it’s [hot] because they got the motivation and the inspiration from that beat. You know, it’s very rare that you get artists like that beat to come over that insulation. What would say now today about the idea of cloning which is where producers go for a regional sound to sort of fit in. Well they can’t really beat me. I have given beats away. I’m not driven by money and I want to see more people that are driven by inspiration to make better music. There’s always somebody that wants music like whatever’s hot or the trend. There’s a market for people like that. It’s called never going to make it. If you make the biggest record for 50 Cent, let’s you make stunt 101, but then next week they’re rhyming over a track that may not be solid as yours, but they’re making a record with somebody else. Do you sometimes think in your head like “Well where is god damn loyalty?” Why aren’t they coming back to me and using 6 more of my tracks?
Aint no loyalty in this game and I knew that before I got here. I expect that to happen. I don’t affect people the way Swizz Beats or Boy Wonder does. I don’t try to. They come to me for the kind of music I create. People come to me because they know what they’re going to get. I’ve built my career on it. Artists think “I’ve got to play a monkey soldier, so I’m going to dance for this label cause I got to sell records. I’m still an artist. These are people that deal with me. Come to me for a song that Jay-Z will love when he is old, done with rapping and sitting on his f--ing boat. Eminem would definitely get a song and be like that’s my shit. I chose this business but I chose it from my heart. I didn’t choose it from my pocket. I didn’t grow up with a lot of stuff. We know how to be broke before we know how to have anything. I will make money. Money is going to be there if you are happy, and that’s how producers work. That’s how creators work, right? When I am happy I am creative. That’s how it works. If you think what’s in your pocket, like I don’t know how long it’s going to last you might be rich, but you won’t be happy. I am definitely not against making money but this [production passion] wasn’t built for that. It ain’t built for you to win, number one. You win by being happy. So that’s really it. Don’t choose it, let it choose you. http://mrporterproductions.com/about.htm
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