Briefly talk about your trip to Brazil.
When we went to Brazil, we were flying around in helicopters and doing crazy stuff. We were checking out all the bus kings down there. These are the artists that are playing guitars and singing for money and not tripping on putting the music out. They are playing in the subways and streets and different spots down there. Its the music first, not the system or industry. Its real and authentic.
Talk about some of the upcoming projects you have in the works.
Im working with Psalm One from Chicago and shes just killing the beats. I have the album coming with Madlib, too. Its just a million things -a new Dr. No instrumental album. Im working on this new album; I wouldnt call it a compilation or super themed out, but on some next level, raw Hip Hop. Also, we have a new Prince Po project coming out in May. I just got a verse from OC and its crazy, too. I want that project out now! I have a bunch of beats on Talibs new album Prisoner of Conscious. The joints that Ive contributed to it, all I can say, Wow. I mixed down violins, cello, the whole nine on Human Mic. I had like 96 tracks of just strings, not counting the beat! We recorded like twenty joints and I have at least four on this one. Ive been sending a number of beats to Roc Marciano, too, and hes just been recording to those joints. Should be crazy. Slick Rick and I have recorded some songs. He is sick, one of the best. I also have a project coming with Tri-State (Durag Dynasty), too. He just killed the music I gave him. Chris Quelles material is on the way. Theres a lot of music coming.
Youre work on Mos Defs (Yassin Bey) last project was stellar. Are you guys working on any new material?
There were joints on that album that were way crazier than the album tracks but we couldnt get the samples cleared. We talk about leaking the songs, but we never get around to it. It is what it is. Ill leave it up to him to decide; its all-good either way. But wait to you hear the new stuff! The newer stuff is crazy and Im really progressing with the production sound. I have a couple Black Star songs completed, too.
You mentioned that you are teaming up with another producer for a new album. Talk a little about that project with Khrysis.
I have a project coming out with him in the not too distant future. Weve been working on it and shooting songs back and forth to each other. Its different from the Gangrene stuff as hes in North Carolina and Im in Ox. Alchemist and I are closer in proximity to each other than Khrysis. Regardless, we send songs back and forth to each other and were getting it in. Thats my brother from another mother right there. It might come out on Jamla. All those cats like Rapsody and Big Remo, they are doing their thing and killing the beats.
Talk a little bit about this film score youve been working on.
Basically its about a comedian named Trevor Noah. Its a documentary about his life in South Africa being half white and half black. Hes blowing up and many of the comedians there are hating on him. Its as if there are only two extremes with this guys popularity you either like him or you dont. The documentary is very racial in nature. It depicts him growing up with his African mother and his French father in a society where they couldnt be seen together. He hadnt seen his father in twenty years and his mother got shot. Its just a real ill story. Its called You Laugh But Its True/The Daywalker. It depends where you live as it has two titles based on the audiences of certain regions. It actually won awards at film festivals, too. I scored the entire thing. I did like 70 or 80 beats for this! Real crazy. Talib Kweli actually rapped to a beat called High Life from the movie score.
How did you approach this soundtrack musically? Was sample clearance an issue?
I was using keyboards and stuff for this music. I also used an African catalog that is already cleared. I like using samples and clearing them. Everybody is making money and everyone wins. I will do my best to find a way to clear samples. It helps bring exposure to other artists catalog and money they may not have been seeing.
Can you speak more in-depth on the project you have coming with Madlib?
I did like 30 joints rapping to his beats. Its all sick, crazy Madlib beats. Hes rapping on them as well, but hes putting it all together. I gave him some beats that hes rapping on, but I let him be the captain of the project. You should hear this sometime in 2013.
What else are you working on besides this myriad of Hip Hop related material?
I am doing work for commercials and video games, too. Im working on motion simulators. Most importantly, I am branching out and doing different things. I want to do different things. Its not about me making that one beat that is perfect. I want to make a bunch of beats and music like the old Jazz artists who worked with a number of different artists. I just wanna work!
How do you feel about making a hit song?
I dont sit there trying to make that big beat. Its like playing the Lotto to me. Its about having fun. Who knows what a big beat is. It could be something intricate or something thats just an 808, a snare and one little simple keyboard. It doesnt matter anymore, like Im not worried about it. I just wanna have fun. Were just trying to be on a creative vibe and other cats are staying away from that, sticking to some standard. There really is no standard! Whether its or loops, crazy chops or programming, its about creativity. A lot of these beats are over-programmed. People love loops; its like audio hypnotism.
What kind of gear are you using?
I use everything! I use the MPC 5000, a 3000 that I mess with, and a little 500 that I take out on the road to make beats with. I use ProTools, Logic, and Reason. If you name it, I use it all. Let me try it. I may make a beat with a CDJ just using the cue buttons. I have a Neko as I did the You Already Knew beat on that. My preference is just creativity a microphone and beatboxing, doesnt matter. I like Tabletop a lot on the iPad and keyboards on there, too. I like that for sure. Im in the studio with Alchemist and he brought in an MPC Renaissance and its an MPC beast! The computer technology that it incorporates is sick.
Where does the new album Disrupted Ads sit in the canon of Oh No production?
Ive been working with a lot of cats throughout the year and I wanted to get a song from some of the artists Ive been working with and doing projects with. I wanted to give fans a feel of these artists and pair up the features accordingly. It sits alongside the Disrupted Chronicles, for fans that are aware of that, kind of like a promotion without a promotion -it promotes these artists and the projects to come.
i'm excited to hear some of this shyt
