Producer/Keyboardist Ervin "EP" Pope (Jay Z, Kanye West, Brandy, Twista, G-Unit) talks about his musical history and gives a gold/platinum plaque tour our his studio. He speaks about staying humble, networking, and being equipped with any musical tool he could possibly need. The last video show him at work creating a track using multiple keyboards … Read more
Certified Hip-Hop drops a stellar interview as Kev talks about making the move from rhyming to production, his first meeting with Jazzy Jeff, creating basslines, and making it to the promised land (Pete Rock’s basement & record collection). Amazingly, the main equipment that Kev uses is the MPC 2000XL, SP 505, and a Yamaha track … Read more
Inspired by our last post about the making of Illmatic, the timing seemed about right to look into one of the producers responsible for sculpting numerous classics. Large Professor sits down to talk about finding new creations in sampling, the best places to dig for records, unreleased albums, and his refusal to bow down to … Read more
Wu-Tang’s RZA about his sound and approaching the sampler from the point of view of a musical instrument. He tells the story of Roland making house calls to fix the MV-8000 and importance of staying true to your personality, while panel members touch on keeping an open mind when exploring music.
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
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.