Hip Hop Music Producer

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

A: The project I am most proud of is one for which I led the production for called ""Misunderstood"" with New York City Rapper S.I.N. It focused on topical issues during 2018, was based off Nina Simone samples, kept the same conceptual and lyrical ideas around the original samples. The samples we used were "Misunderstood", "Aint got no", "Spell on you", "Wild is the wind" and "New Day". This project was put out independently and it amassed over 100K streams to date and was released and sponsored by Shade45/ Sirius XM.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: -House project and Grime singles with OpNation Records -My debut solo album

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

A: No

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both. I like the convenience of digital and textures of analog.

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

A: That I will deliver a project done to the best of my abilities.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Freedom to express myself.

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

A: They usually ask for a specific style of production, for example: "Can you make me this J Cole style beat?". My first question is: "Have you got any concepts" and proceed to supplying the client with whatever they wish to accomplish.

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

A: The technicality of the job, and the passion and commitment it requires to remain in the music industry. Non-musicians do not understand that there is a level of technical knowledge and experience required achieve great results. Success is not achieved instantaneously but comes with hard work and dedication.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What ideas are you trying to convey? What type of message are you putting across? What style of production are you looking for and do you have any sound alike concepts for me to listen to? Where am I able to listen to your previous work? What are your studio habits like? How do you like to record? What is involved in your writing process? What is your budget?

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

A: Be clear in your vision and state your creative intentions.

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

A: MacBook pro Komplete Kontrol Keyboard Maschine mk3 Universal Audio interface Sample Drive

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

A: My experience in the music industry officially began over 20 years ago. In childhood, I was fascinated by recording studios watching my uncle work as a mixing engineer. He would take me to work with him and I wanted to learn how to connect all the gear together like a puzzle. I started producing music when I was 12 years old on the playstation and had an opportunity to work on a project called "Our Town 2000," which had a piece of music I composed played in front of the then mayors of the local boroughs of London in the Millennium Dome. As a 16 year old I started studying music in West Thames College and building my reputation as a producer locally in West London producing for local Grime and Hip Hop groups. At the time I was also intrigued by Bhangra trying to figure out which genre I wanted to settle into. I had an opportunity to work at Bashment Studios under Sunil Kaylan learning percussion and Kumar Heera learning production, and selling beats. I spent time in the British Asian urban scene as well. At this point in time all 3 scenes (Grime, Bhangra and Hip Hop) had merged gaining radio plays from Radio 1, Kiss 100, BBC Asian network. After 3 years I decided it was time to start a new venture and actualise my dream of becoming a part of the New York Hip Hop scene. I connected with Pakarmz who was a part of the Hip Hop group The Def Squad which included Keith Murray and Redman, after which I connected with his engineer who is also a rapper and spent time in New York City working as a producer and engineer in his Queens based studio. During my time there I also gained radio play in the Bronx, and Ruff Ryders radio station, which later on led to being played on Shade45 and Sirus XM. In New York I also had an opportunity to help manage a recording studio owned by Michael Riviera a.k.a S.I.N. in 2018 for 8 months. I returned to London at the end of 2018. Back in London I fell back in love with Grime music and produced a couple of EPs for OpNation records which was released on multiple platforms in 2020/21. This led to having my own recording studio in 2022 - 2024 and presently partnering with OpNation records as a lead producer.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Atmospheric

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

A: Dr Dre because his mixing skills are excellent. I would love to observe how he uses his SSL console.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Deharshing Hi hats by using fabfilter pro q 3 filtering off up to around 12khz and using pro mb (multi band compressor) to compress high mid band which also helps create space between the hats and snare.

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

A: Hip Hop Grime House Dubstep

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Creating new ideas

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Immersive, atmospheric and fururistic sound that generates thoughts, emotions and inspiration in the audience.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: When initially approached by clients for a project, gain a feel for kind of end product envisioned. There is day to day variability in starting a new production. It involves brainstorming creative ideas for the project. Playing the piano until something inspires me and others. Additional time may be spent finding a specific sounds that triggers an idea which then becomes the basis of the song. Alternatively I may start more rhythmically using the drum machine and keep building until the song is complete.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Apple Macbook M1 loaded with Logic Pro, Komplete Kontrol vsts and midi controller, Maschine mk3 drum Maschine, Universal Audio Apollo x6 and Twin X plus plugins, plugins (plugin alliance, SSL, Universal Audio, Arturia, Soothe2, fabfilter collection, slate digital, Soundtoys, Softube tube tech 2 compressor) Hardware - SSL UC1 controller, Behringer XL Compressor, Alesis Midiverb 2, Novation Bass Station, Freebass 383, Akai S3000xl sampler

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

A: Metallica The RZA Dr Dre Pharell Williams The Bug Mike Dean Kanye West Wiley

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

A: - Composition of beats in the production of electronic music. - Audio engineering, for example mixing and mastering production. - Recording vocals and guitars - Vocal editing