The August 2009 issue of The Wire magazine features an interview with none other than Stones Throw producer/musican Madlib. In his first interview since 2006, Madlib touches on such topics as growing up in Oxnard, CA, early musical influences, thoughts on technology, and personal reasons for making music.
Notable Interview Excerpts:
"My computer?" echoes Madlib incredulously. "I never use a computer. It’s too easy. It’s not easy to sound like Dilla, but you can make beats like Dilla with your computer, so that’s why everybody sounds like Dilla."
"You gotta look me in the eye," he explains. "That’s why people start arguing. You can be bold while you’re typing."
"All the music I do, I have to like it," he agrees. "I wouldn’t really care if nobody else liked it. I just have to feel it first. I love that people like it, though. I wouldn’t really trip if nobody ever liked it, ’cause I’m doing it for my health first."
See Stones Throw for further excerpts and check out The Wire for the complete issue.
didn’t know there was a magazine called the wire. Might check it out soon.
Madlib is the epitome of what every money-hungry would-be hip hopper should aspire to. Music first. Actually learn how to play an instrument. Spend all of your downtime making music. Otis is on the level of the jazz greats in terms of body of work. Yesterday’s New Quintet is some of the most innovative musical statements to come around in a long time. Forget hip hop or indy. This is a project for the ages, don’t sleep.
Decent interview; not any different from other madlib articles, but it’s cool that he got the cover…
“Yap yap yap…makin beats on your computer…yap yap yap ZZZZzzzzZZZZzzzz” – Madlib
When are people going to get off this shit? It doesn’t matter what you do your beats on. A dope beat is a dope beat. Agree?
Making beats is not exclusive club for MPC’s CPU’s SP’s and whatever else people make beats on. Let’s dead this issue and move on people!!!
*steps off soapbox*
Wow, i never expected Madlib to say something so ignorant about music being made on a computer.
Most MPC-Cats actually take something from Dilla’s style.
The MPC is a computer anyway.
I think 70% of the computerdudes arent even into Sampling and not even into Dilla.
He says Computers are too easy (its def easier though)
but I dont hear him do much outside his MPC neither So he shouldnt be acting like his Technique was a lifelong study.
I guess he hates the fact that all these new producers are coming up with a sound similar to Dilla (and him)
which i fully understand, nobody would like that
a lot of great new producers are using PC’s.
He’s done a lot outside his “MPC stuff”. All his jazz stuff is done purely with instruments he learnt to play by himself. He never said “all producers that use computers are rubbish/sound like Dilla”. Like the person below me said, he was probably referring more to DAWs than computers themselves.
An MPC isn’t a CPU. I think what Lib is saying is that DAWs make it extremely easy for cats to do just about anything, which is true to an extent. But it shouldn’t matter what you use to make a beat as long as it’s good & as long as you do it cause YOU want to & YOU like it. I think every musician should learn how to use something hands on like an MPC, like a drum kit or guitar. Piano… whatever. You can’t deny the pro or cons about digital music software because 1. It IS easy 2. Almost anyone can use it to make an entire song. But, you can also use them to track your music from your hardware & run effects & send effects, etc. I wish cats could stop being such insecure assholes & just do their thing. You use an MPC, thats whats up. You use FL Studio, thats fine too, just make sure whatever you use you ain’t making some shot up bullshit full of stock sounds & loops. Be creative!…