Boom Bap Beat Maker

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: i recently got to do the intros for some projects for Wu-Tang Dj Coalitions Dj Flipcyde (Wu-Files 6,6.5 and 7) its an honor to do the intro for such projects because the intro sets the tone for the whole project, so it HAS to be dope.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: i always have beats floating around. but i have some projects with various members of the Dirty Clanzmen (Wu-Tang Affiliate group) comin soon

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: not yet

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: either or. it all a matter of preference

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: just to make dope beats.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: the creativity. after 30+ years of playing music, i actually get a kick out of being on the other side. im using a different part of my brain.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: "How long does it take to make a beat?" my answer is "It takes as long as it takes" lol it really depends on a lot of factors. sometimes a beat will take 20 minutes and sometime it will take 2 weeks.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: that this is easy to do. people don't realize how hard it actually is to take all these pieces and put them together in a way that makes sense. also that this is cheap. gear,sounds and vsts cost money, it takes a lot of hours to do what we do. so when we charge a price its not just to take your money. we are a business,and the goal of any business is to recoup costs and make a profit

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: i usually don't ask a lot of questions. the customer pretty much know what they want, but i make sure to have plenty of answers

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: make sure you and your provider shares the same vision.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: i just need my Maschine and my Laptop

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: i was a dj for 34 years,and when i retired i needed a creative outlet. and it Hip-Hop its usually a natural progression to go from dj to beat maker. ive been making beats for a little under 2 years

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: classic

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: Redman. his style is so funky. i would LOVE to hear him on one of my beats.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: trust your gut. it never lies

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: sample based Boom-Bap Hip-Hop

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: finding and chopping samples

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: 34 years of dj experience and a lifelong immersion in the hip-hop culture. i grew up in this,and ive been a part of every element in one way or another.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: It Depends on the beat. sometimes i start with the samples,other times i start with the drums. its about the mood and the vibe with me

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: its noting big. i work with a Maschine MK3 and Maschine Jam, Rokit 5 studio monitors,i record vocals in Studio One 4, and do my mastering with Izotope Ozone 8

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: Dj Premiere,Pete Rock,Large Professor,J Dilla,9th Wonder,Paul C,Beatminers,J-Live,Madlib,Prince Paul,Rza

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: Basic beatmaking with some mixing/mastering