Hip-Hop Game presents an extensive, two-part interview with lord of the boards Just Blaze as he fully addresses the controversy and delays associated with Saigon’s upcoming release of "Greatest Story Never Told", the current state of the marketplace for Hip-Hop, relationship strains resulting from the Mobb Deep/Saigon incident, and future music business models. Make sure … Read more
D.I.T.C. cohort Buckwild talks about the importance of having a good ear for music, remaining consistent, and the role sampling plays in his productions. Most importantly, he addresses the idea of ghost producing and the value of getting the actual credit for your work.
Michigan native Needlz supplies us with a sneak peak inside his Brooklyn studio, complete with MPC 2000 XL, Kurzweil keyboard, and racks of sounds & effects. He also talks about his choice in vintage gear and puts together a beat on the spot. Needlz makes it a good point to clarify the reasoning behind his … Read more
The Dead Presidents Society may very well be the ultimate meeting of the minds when it comes to computerized and electronic music. Consisting hardware design pioneers such as Roger Linn, Tom Oberheim, John Chowning and others, the group meets weekly in a Berkeley, California coffee shop to discuss the future of electronic music, hardware, and … Read more
Think Talk hits us off with a thorough in studio interview/Q&A session with producers Chucky Thompson (Hitmen/BadBoy) & Salaam Remi (Toni Braxton, Nas) as they discuss their first professional work, hustling beats, business matters, and the importance of relationships. At one point Chucky Thompson let’s it slip that working with Nas requires "a lot of … Read more
Impose Magazine offers up a solid resume rundown and interview with Ivan "Doc" Rodriguez, the producer/engineer responsible for many of the singles and albums (Eric B & Rakim, BDP, EPMD, LL Cool J, Biz Markie, MC Lyte, Redman) that have come to define the golden age of Hip-Hop. Amazingly, for a person who pioneered so … Read more
Producers Bruce Wayne and Dirty Swift (Midi Mafia) sit down for an interview to talk about their first work as a duo (50 Cent’s "21 Questions"), bringing out new artists, their role in selling 25 million albums, and possible appearances on Detox. Warning: The video quality is kinda suspect, but it’s still worth listening to.
Known for putting together solid producer showcases, iStandard Presents Beats On The Beach Music Seminar in Miami, FL. So far some of the panelists scheduled to be in attendance are Sha Money XL, Riggs Morales (Senior Director A&R Shady), Lenny S. (VP A&R Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam), Dalton Hernadez (A&R Bad Boy), Danny Carter (A&R Interscope). Among … Read more
Minnesota (Big Pun, Grand Puba, Junior Mafia, Mos Def, Naughty By Nature) talks about spending over 10 years in the production game, remaining semi-underground, and working with Irv Gotti/Ja Rule. He also mentions the early days for production, his choice in equipment (ASR-10), and making great music vs. getting paid. Check The Interview
In an interview for SESAC, Swizz Beatz breaks down the difference between a producer and a beatmaker. He specifically goes into the importance of having a game plan, setting the tone for a session, and playing psychologist. In the second segment, he goes into the creative process behind making hits and where he finds inspiration … Read more