Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
What's up? Tell us about yourself.
I'm a guitar player and Hip-Hop producer who's into all types of styles from Flamenco to Metal a la Black Label Society to Hip-Hop a la Tupac. Being born and raised near Chicago, I grew up hearing house mixes all day long from DJ greats like Bad Boy Bill and Bobby D. Also, I fit the typical Asian DJ theory which is that DJ Q-bert was a model for other Asians to emulate. So that's when I got into turntablism and scratching. Currently, I'm not DJing but I think it was a big influence because it let me listen and experience a variety of music. I developed my rhythm as well as mixing skills by DJing. I was b-boying after that, and I feel I took a liking to the most aggressive but still rhythm filled sections of songs. Eventually though, I couldn't find many breakers out in the action packed burbs'. Now I'm into producing Hip-Hop and playing guitar. I'm learning mostly shredding and soloing on guitar, and I hope to reconcile Hip-Hop and Rock in a unique manner.
Also, I'm a teaching of History and teaching of Psychology student with a minor in English. I'll be moving out to Chicago next year and that's when I hope to get some of my music out. Some hobbies I have are writing poetry, lifting weights, and watching movies. Also, I like a small walks in the park without anything on except a trench coat while walking my greyhound.
What was it like making a rock-style beat for the competition?
It was fun to recreate a song I like. Especially making it in my own style. Doing the guitar solo was fun as hell, I felt like a rockstar for a minute. Hopefully, that jam will get me some hardboiled groupie girls! It's all about the blondies, not the benjamins baby! Really though, doing the beat was fun, and I love making Rock-style beats more than sleeping. At least I think so, cause I usually give up a good amount of sleep to make my songs.
Have you ever done beats like that before? What's your usual style?
Cooking up Rock mixed with Hip-Hop beats is my specialty. I've been experimenting and doing mash ups of the two styles for a few years now. At first, I was a straight samplist, and all I had was a sense of rhythm from breaking. Play a chord on keyboard was too much, and I would always sample from old school 70's records from dusty .50 bins. But eventually I got into playing some keys and then into brewing guitar solos cause I was inspired by hearing amazing solos by Zakk Wylde. Now I'm just trying to combine the best of both worlds to create some type of flavorful recipe. It seems to have worked on the winning beat, but I'm still trying to create formula for the perfect mix of Hip-Hop/Rock/Electro in my music.
What did you use to make that winning beat?
I used the Hip-Hop standard and my baby, the MPC XL for overall samples. Also, I used a Korg Triton for the clav sounds and a Novation A Station for the bass sound. I like to craft most of my sounds on those two pieces of gear. The presets on the old Triton sound kinda plastic and weak. My guitar for the solo was a Jackson Dinky with active EMG's through a Line 6 Pod Pro.
When did you start getting into producing?
I got into producing maybe eight years ago. But I didn't know what the hell I was doing for the first few years. I had no teachers so I learned really slowly. Once I learned the basics though I was off and running.
How did you find IllMuzik? And what would you say is the best thing you like about the site?
A random search for a Hip-Hop production forum one day introduced me to the IllMuzik fam. I was just looking for some place to check out other peoples' production skills and to find a place to talk about production. IllMuzik happened to be one of the few sites that popped up when I did a Google search and I've learned a lot as a member of the fam since then.
Who/What has been your biggest influence for beat-making?
That's a hard question because there are so many people who I feel I've taken to heart while learning to produce. However, if there was one standout artist who got me to make beats, I'd have to say Tupac. Though he didn't make beats, he really got me into rhyming and Hip-Hop in general. He was spitting political, emotional, social commentaries on the mic, and I try to do the same thing when I rhyme. As for what makes me create beats, I just get inspired to make beats by good music from old school Hip-Hop to classic 70's to Rock.
What do you have in your setup?
My centerpiece is the MPC 2000 XL, a Korg Triton, Access Virus, Novation A Station, Roland XV 2020, Technics turntables, Vestax 05 Pro, a PC, and a few guitars.
What's the next piece of gear that you want to purchase?
A good pre-amp is vital at this point. I'm not sure which one though. They are all so damn expensive.
What do you think is the most important piece in your arsenal?
The MPC is definitely my go to weapon. It slices and dices like a ginsu, and it's so versatile cause it lets you get your ideas sequenced and recorded fast.
Have you ever worked in a professional studio?
Nope. Some people I know have the super expensive Pro Tools rigs complete with mixing boards and cables that cost more than my whole music setup, and they record artists for some big bucks, but I've never worked in a real studio. The most experience I have is recording myself jammed into my closet like a hot dog in a hot dog bun with my Shure KSM mic. Pretty pathetic, but when you really love something you do things that some people wouldn't understand.
Do you think that if you were to hit up a studio, you'd lose some of your creativity? (Being more comfortable with a home setup).
I guess it depends on the situation. If I was into studio engineering, I could get creative on others peoples' music. If I was making a beat with other people waiting on me while I was composing a beat, I might feel some pressure. So I might not be as creative if I was all self conscious. I'd probably prefer making beats in my own home setup. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't want to step into a real studio and try!
How much do you enjoy the technical side of producing?
I do like engineering and mastering material, but it's way too much work to make the beats/lyrics and do those things on top of that. I create all my songs myself from batching up sounds and drums to making the beat to writing the song and spitting on the mic to recording and mastering it. Just the creative part of making a song, like making the beat and writing lyrics, can sap energy fast, so when I get to mastering a song sometimes I just want to get the song done already. It's like I'm doing way too much and I just want to focus on one thing, but at this point I still have to keep doing all those aspects cause no one is going to do them for me. I think I would enjoy engineering or mastering more if it was someone else's music for a change. Then it would be one creative task instead of many that I would have to focus on.
Would you rather make beats and get paid very little, or be a studio engineer making big bucks?
At this point I have so many unused beats and I've never made one nice green Washington faced dollar off my music. So making any money whatsoever from the skills I've acquired would be cool. So I'd pick making some moolah engineering because that is all I've been doing lately. I've been mastering and re-mastering my beats/songs so many times it's ridiculous. Plus my car stereo doesn't play CD-RW's so I've killed garbage bag loads of CDs and buying those is an expense. So getting paid to master or do some engineering wouldn't be too bad.
What's the music scene like in your area?
Dead... I live in the suburbs of Chicago, and I need to get my blown into the windy city already. I know it'll be a little better there regarding the Hip-Hop scene as well as any other art in general.
Do you have lots of connections around there?
Not really. The only connection I really have that keeps me jacked into a Hip-Hop community is the internet. I know people who are making beats and recording for the underground MC's in Chicago, but I wouldn't say I'm really connected with the scene or them. The people I know live far from me or in the city so I don't really hang with them too often.
What kind of collabs have you done over the internet?
When I collaborate I either make a beat and let someone rhyme on it or I rhyme on some other producer's beat. The internet has lots of talented artists to work with.
Do you have any singles/albums that you've released or planning on releasing?
I've been working on my own material for a few years and have a hella lot of songs. The only problem is my style is always developing and changing radically, but I'm planning to get my demo out when I move to the city next year. You can check my Hip-Hop songs out at http://www.soundclick.com/hardboiled. Also, I've got a MySpace with the rock music and also the mash ups I've been experimenting with lately: http://myspace.com/hardboiledink
What are your top 5 rap albums of all-time?
- Tupac - "Me Against the World". Definitely the album that got me actually listening to lyrics... rewinding "So Many Tears" when driving was a bad addiction I had.
- Dan the Automator - "Lovage... Music to Make Love to Your Old By". He's one of the most under appreciated and creative Hip-Hop producers out there. I listen to lots of his music 'cause I like hearing his mad scientist-esque creativity.
- Eminem - "The Slim Shady LP". Eminem's intricate rhyme schemes had every rapper going back to rework their flow when this CD came out. Now everyone can rhyme their ass off. But before this album there were few MC's as technical as him. He has helped prove to the mainstream people that Hip-Hop is a universal music anyone can do.
- Rakim - "The 18th Letter". Rakim, the first super technical rapper from the old school, came with it on this album. The flows were sick, the topics were interesting, and the beats were dope.
- All underground cats who bring the creativity, originality, and spirit. I like Soce the Elemental Wizard's music, Necro, DZK, any Alchemist beats, R2dj, Dj Shadow. The list can go on and on. These cats just bring their own style regardless of what people say, and they don't act or dress a certain stereotypical way just to fit the mold, I respect that a lot.
Keep it real and keep making beats. Eventually you'll develop your own style. Also, enjoy what you do and have some artistic responsibility. Don't use and rape music to make money or to be cool... it's messed up enough already with all this Pop Hip-Hop that comes and goes like a money grubbing whore. So it all comes back to keeping it real. Don't dress, act, or get stuck in certain ways of life just to fit an image.
Words of wisdom?
You can learn something from every person.
Thanks for doing this interview, any shoutouts you'd like to give?
Thanks to Michelle for doing my photo shoot. Also, to the people that dig my songs, thanks. I'll keep banging 'em out. Ups to the man Fade for making IllMuzik. Also, thanks to all the community members that make this site what it is. Being a member of the fam definitely motivates me to rock the MPC.