Mentplus - Originally, I'm from B.K....Now I live in Brickz (NJ). I rep both to the fullest.
MTP - When and Why did you start producing?
M - I've been a Dj for 10+ years spinning here and there. I started making beats around 95'. I got serious around 99'. It was a natural progression. I played music for so long, I just wanted to start making my own. I wanted to be like the greats you know....Premo, J Dilla, Pete Rock, Diamond D, Large Pro, etc. People heard my beats and wanted more, so I never looked back once I started.
MTP - Do you scratch and do tricks?
M - Yes sir, I cut, scratch & trick mix...My partner Dj Priority and I are known as "FREEHAND". We've done our part in keeping turntablism part of this culture in Jersey. "What is a DJ if he can't scratch??"...hahaha.
MTP - How do you feel about the digital turntables and there effect on the "Hip Hop" dj?
M - In my opinion, its just a natural stage in the evolution of Dj'in as a whole. Serato ,for example, helps a Dj with thousands of records bring his entire collection anywhere he does a set without having to lug around those heavy ass crates. I can testify to that; 10+ years of doing that I paid my dues. If there is an easier way, I'm all for it. But don't let it take the place of learning the fundamentals. Learn analog as well. You might have to do a set on analog turntables. Trust me its close but its not the same....so don't get fooled. You just might get thrown out of a party you're supposed to be spinning at..haha.
MTP - What was your first piece of equipment and what do you use now?
M - Ha..wow, my first pieces were a Boss Dr. Rhythm drum machine and a Gemini scratch master mixer/ 8-12sec sampler (With my turntables of course). I'd use 2 tape decks to put beats together. I only wish I could find those old beat tapes. haha.
As for now, I'm using an akai MPC 2000xl, Reason 3.0, EMU MP-7 sound module, an akai DPS-12 (for effects and cuts), DIGI 002 (tracking with protools), korg ms 2000, a snare drum, microkorg and a shit load of records. And I'm still using my 1200 tech turntables till this day.
MTP - Do you collect records? How do you feel about the diggin culture?
M - Yes I have a couple of records..haha. You got to have that. I'm a Dj who just happens to be a producer. So naturally the records just fit in my way of life. It's not like i collect them just as a hobby, its part of my sound. Either for inspiration or sampling.
I fully support the digging culture because I am a part of that culture. If you are a "real" Dj who spins breaks as well as cuts or rocks a party, you already know!
MTP - What type of records do you collect?
M - Some old some new...really great sounding stuff ya know. I don't stick to just one genre I'm all over the place when it comes to diggin. Thats all I'll say..ha.
MTP - What should up and coming diggers know about collecting?
M - Listen before you buy. Theres always a place that has the record you bought for $40 that sells it for less so shop around!!!! If you see Dj Kaos with a crate of records for sale you better cop them sh-ts EARLY!! Big shouts to the Art Of Diggin Crew.ha. Don't just buy for the hell of it you better know about what records you buy do research. You never know where that dope break will pop up.
MTP - Whats it like being in a beat battle?
M - It is what it is.....a learning experience for any up and coming button pusher trying to make his or her mark; and most importantly MOVE THE CROWD (and the judges). I've been in just about every beat battle in the tri-state area except for that "fight club : beat club" joint...but i'm comin...haha. But I've paid dues and won a title in all of them. In my last beat battle "just blaze" told me keep searching for my sound....even though he he said, "I had madd skills"...so I have what the people want, I just have to focus a little more. Eventually my time will come. Thats what its like taking constant criticism from your peers. You have to learn its what the people want....move the crowd!!! (and the judges)
MTP - How can it help a producer?
M - It teaches a producer how to pay dues. Producers are also exposed to other ways of making music. And how to perform using what you made at the crib to entertain the masses. You might think your hot; your boys might tell you that ya beats are fiyah...ha.. even your moms might say you nice. But once you get in front of that crowd, "they" are your audience. And trust me if the crowd don't like your beats it will be known.
MTP - Who are the AKAI PROS?
M - J.S Krillz, Def Dom, Copicoo, Trindezzle, Dj Priority, And myself; we make good music. Producers who've just about won every beat battle there is as well as have releases you can cop in stores! We have many different styles & "we" move the crowd (and the judges..ha). If you go to a beat battle and one of us is performing, be sure to purchase a neck brace..ha
MTP - Whats your thoughts on the whole keyboard vs.sample beat discussion?
M - I'm a sample based producer. But wait a minute, I also make keyboard based tracks as well....i even incorporate the two at times. As a producer, you shouldn't limit yourself to just one genre. Just use what you have because as a producer, you will eventually get to a point where you want to try something new. That will make you just like the greats. Being able to make a dope joint with just about anything....a sampler, keyboard, whatever!!!!
MTP - How do you feel about the beats that are used in music today?
M - Some of its good; some of it is horrible...I don't even listen to the radio anymore...its a shame...cats are f-cking up the game and they know it. But its that money you know. I'm just gonna play my position to the fullest and make good music....That is timeless. I want my great great grand kids to be bumpin my sh-t!! haha!!
MTP - What is the worst studio session you have ever been involved with?
M - Back in 2000 before I started to engineer my own stuff i use to track my stuff at a big studio in East Orange. My old engineer...lets call him bob, use to fall asleep during sessions!!! I was paying like $40 an hour!!! I just saved up and bought my own recording equipment to save money and aggravation.
MTP - What projects are you currently working with?
M - Working on my solo instrumental album....Kice of Course's 2nd album....Mentalcase's album.....A couple of joints with BullyMouth. This new stuff should make Mr. Len very happy. I'm also doing some Delinquent Soundz joints also. You'll be able to hear cuts provided by your truly with my homie Dj Priority on the next Written on your Psyche album. All due out later this year or the next who knows. Oh yeah maybe a couple of beat battles..haha!!
MTP - Whats going on with Smacks Records?
M - Smacks records is my home and where: BullyMouth, Kice of Course, Mentalcase, the Dix and Dj Porno are the artists. We make good music. The work I've done with Kice has been featured in the Vibe and Elemental magazine. If you don't know the label is owned by Mr. Len; and if your a real hip hopper you should already know who he is. Our Label manager Dj Phillie Blunt takes care of all the details and makes sure everything runs accordingly. We stick with the formula to bring timeless music to the masses. Just make sure you buy two copies of our ish when we drop single or albums!!!
MTP - Whats something the readers may not know about you?
M - The song "miracles" by Kice Of Course produced by Mentplus was just featured in a soccer commercial over seas...crazy!!!! I just found out this past weekend.
S - I started making beats Dec. of ’02. For Christmas, one of my cousins gave me a copy of this program Reason. Thats what really opened my mind to sampling.
MTP - What was your first piece of equipmenmt and what do you use now?
S - Technics SL BD1 was my first piece (big shout to Unusual and Cassius). We copped it at the Salvation Army for 20 bucks. lol. I just bought a Mac G5 now, so....
MTP - What software do you use?
S - Fruityloops. In a week, it's all gonna change.
MTP - Do you collect records? How do you feel about the diggin culture?
S - Yea, I got a few gems. Diggin laid the foundation for the classic hip hop records we listen to. Even the records out now use some of those pop breaks. There’s an r&b song out now on the radio with the "Juicy Fruit" drums over the beat, so there it is. Even if hip hop dies, diggin’ll still be here just ‘cause people love discovering those rare joints they know not too many people have.
MTP - There are several videos out now talking about legendary diggers. Who are your top diggers?
S - My top diggers are Mark the 45 King, Diamond D, Biz Markie and Madlib.
MTP - Whats it like being in a beat battle?
S - For me, there’s nothing like it, really. Its a better feeling than getting high or nice. When the crowd is feeling your shit, it’s definitely fulfilling and surreal. And nerve racking, I’m not gonna front. I was a lil nervous lol.
MTP - How can it help a producer?
S - Since I’m not a DJ, beat battles are like the next best thing to knowing what the crowd is into, you know? What catches their attention, what makes them wild out. That’s why for DJ’s, producing becomes 2nd nature to them just because…they know the beginning of “this record” gets the crowd going nuts, and the bridge for “that record” got people singing the melody and all that. So yea, I’m learning a couple things.
MTP - You've just won the July MTP Beat Battle. What are you expecting for the finals?
S - Stiff Comp.
MTP - Whats your thoughts on the whole keyboard vs.sample beat discussion?
S - It’s all on how you use it. Me personally, I love taking a record and just molding it to something else. But I also like using keyboards like the Microkorg, to add a different vibe to my beats.
MTP - How do you feel about the beats that are used in music today?
S - My boys put me on to these new-ish producers out now like Oddisee, Black Milk, Illmind. Madlib is the most inventive out right now. Their shit is hot, they keep it alive for me as far as beats, besides the legends of course.
MTP - How about the more commercial producers such as Swizz, Kayne or Timbaland?
S - Timbaland is on my legends list. His boy Danjahandz is dope too. I like Swizz and Kanye but The Neptunes are on my top 3. They could make a classic punk album like "In Search Of", then switch to 80's r&b like "In My Mind", and still go hard for Clipse's last album. Dre, Hi Tek, Nottz, Organized Noise, and the list goes on.
MTP - What is the worst studio session you have ever been involved with?
S - It was the summer of ’03 when I decided to lay down vocals. Bad move. lol.
MTP - What projects are you currently working on?
S - Nothing’s etched in stone yet. We’ll see. There’s some real talented groups coming out of Jersey that I want to work with tho. Definitely. I'm tryin to break ground.
MTP - Whats something the readers may not know about you?
S - I used to bag up groceries at FINE FARE for school gear, ask about me.
S - My boys make beats also...Cassius and Unusual. Check for them at www.myspace.com/cassius86music and www.myspace.com/unusualbeatz . Thanks to MTP for the interview, and shout to everyone who's in grind mode tryin to find their niche, peace.
P - Well to be honest, I don’t really follow the scene here to much. Im more into the whole Hip Hop scene. So I just look for things that interest me.
MTP - How long have you been involved in HIP HOP?
P - Ive been involved in Hip Hop since 1983. I was really into art and Kung Fu back then, so seeing Graffiti blew me away. It was natural for me to get into it. My older brother, who is well into his 40’s, was into comic books very deeply. I was up on characters like Lizard Zen back then, because I seen the original. Being also into Kung Fu and watching Breakin, I thought wow, that’s right out of a kung fu film. And all the older guys were doing it. So I got into it to be part of the crowd and plus it was free. You didn’t have to go anywhere because you could practice anywhere. I got into music later. Back then, hip hop music was just the soundtrack to breakin. It was only after the electro era that I really got more interested in music.
MTP - Tell me about "King Of The Beats"..
P - Haha, I slept on that for a minute. In 97, I met up with Legendary Graff Artist the Artful Dodger. Now hes someone I looked up too. We talked. I had already been filming Jams for some time but, he kind of inspired me to make a film. So at that time I was really digging hard, running all over the country. Lots of people I met ,via record buying, had now become respected producers. So one day I was at Juliano’s crib (Record King - the guy out of the Creators) and we were filming. He’s a real confident guy and was like "you can take me anywhere and I can find records." It sparked an idea in my head. Which gave birth to my concept of King of the Beats.
Now to get a few things straight, I come from the B-boy attitude. KEN SWIFT and I have to come correct.. So when I did it.. I made sure that the idea had to be the best and most hardcore concept out there. So that’s why the format is the way it is. Now at that point, there was no beat battles, producer battles, etc. What happened was, I let one magazine write about it and they wrote a real brief article. So people new about the film but didn’t get the whole concept. Its only when they see it do they like go fuck?! In 2002, I heard they even started an event in NYC called the same thing. Its funny because, all the 3 judges were people I actually gave the original film too when I was out there the year before.
My mistake was, I never got onto forums because I didn’t know how much it was talked about. People have found out how to contact me have I found out. There are few factors why I'm coming back doing it though.
#1 - My film "THE MEN & THEIR MUSIC" is taking so long
#2 - I seen so many copies (Biters) of it
#3 - Just because I think really the scene needs it
MTP - Do you make beats? If so, what was your first piece of equipmenmt and what do you use now?
P - Well, when I started making beats I used tape to tape on my sisters Hi-fi. Then in 88, I used to go to my friends place who had a crappy computer and we were able to sample and loop stuff on it. Then my friend ,DJ Sparra (DMC Champ), taught me the AKAI 900-950. You can see all the pics on my www.nu-skratch.com site. So with that and a tascam 4 track, I was able to make beats. Listening back, I thought I was hot stuff but really its embarrassing. There wack but its all part of the learning curve.
MTP - Do you collect records?
P - I live to buy and collect records. I'm not a collector like Jay or Biz, who pretty much do it full time. I love to collect records. There was a time when all my school dinner money and every penny I earned went to records. I still like to get out there when I can every month. I'm caught up in films and family now. I like to buy music with grooves, samples and loops. I'm into all sorts of old music. To me rock, west coast, funk, soul, world, jazz, is hip hop.
MTP - How do you feel about the diggin culture?
P - I love digging and I think if you want to be a respected hip hop producer you got to dig. It’s a beautiful thing to find a record and hear a beat or groove that makes you go damn!!!!!. One of the reasons I do King of the Beats is to encourage it. Over here a lot of record shops are closing, so we got to encourage people to by vinyl and keep the artform alive. I personally don’t like being shown stuff by people who sell records for diggers. It takes the fun out of it. Plus, its just the way I am. I like to think I found it and be the first to find it. Even though people might already have it. But to know that I found it /discovered it. Its pure right.
MTP - Have you ever been in/to a beat battle before?
P - No, Ive never been in a beat battle before. Im in King of the Beats 2 to show that I can do it. Thats the only time you will see me in one. The beat battle format thats out there really doesn’t do much for me.. with no disrespect. I'm more into the whole digging scene, the looking and the task of making. Ive checked some stuff on youtube and you got guys who do what I call MPC gymnastics. Playing a MPC like a piano with super fast fingers. To me, its about the finished piece. It rare you hear someone come with a beat that can match the quality of large Professor, Premo, Pete or Marley Marl. Good music stands the test of time. And Ive just not heard any one match that.
MTP - Whats your thoughts on the whole keyboard vs.sample beat discussion?
P - I'm into samples. No keyboard music. I know and accept that, in the studio Keyboards are used to enhance the track. That’s cool. But as for making a hip hop record with no samples, I'm not into those keyboard beats.
MTP - How do you feel about the beats that are used in music today?
P - There are producers out there doing it. I don’t like to follow trends. I like people because there good. For instance, DJ Spinna ,for a minute, was hot stuff. People were all like Spinna, Spinna buy anything Spinna. Now people don’t talk so much about him because the next producer has come along. Well Spinna is still just as hot today as he was when we first heard of him. I think people got into the culture of making beats for the sake of it. Or because its cool. I want to see people who put there heart and soul into their music and feel it.
MTP - Do they play a variety of Hip Hop on the radio in the UK?
P - They do ,but to be honest, I don’t listen to much on the radio. I used to back in the 80’s and 90’s. its just not the same here as it was. But there are some good quality shows going on.
MTP - What is the worst studio session you have ever been involved with?
P - Honestly not with anyone famous. But with my friends band, in Wolverhampton. It dragged on and nothing got done. I was pissed !!!
MTP - What projects are you currently working with?
P - I'm Currently finishing King of the Beats 2 and already got the illest line up for part 3. And I'm getting the last bits of footage completed for "THE MEN & THEIR MUSIC" DVD. Now, how many people you know work on a film or record for 10 years these days? I promise this to not disappoint. I'm also working on "The EN4CERS" DVD. Its a look at 3 of the most important people in UK Hip Hop history. DJ Pogo, Cutmaster Swift & DJ Billy Biznezz.
MTP - Whats something the readers may not know about you?
P - Well, I did everything -- making films with no money while working on minimum wage for 7 years. Doing 60 hour weeks. You don’t see lists of names in the production credits. Nothing like that. It’s the hardest and the most guerrilla tactics in hip hop.
I was behind the HIJACK film, the first ever hip hop film to look at a serious artist. Disregarding the bling and fabulous bullshit that’s poisoned our culture.
That there was a time I almost joined ultra but I couldn’t afford to leave the country.
That I'm always looking for people who want to take part in my films.
P - Don’t follow trends. Keep Hip Hop alive and pure. And BUY KING OF THE BEATS 2 when I drop it. I need the cash to make part 3 and 4. you know how it is!!
KING OF THE BEATS 2 TRAILER! (featuring DJ Priority)
