Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
After winning the October 22nd Beat This! Competition, we had a chance to interview Streetwize and find out what he's all about. Read on...
What's poppin, how you doin'?
What's up man, I'm cool thanks, happy that I won the recent Beat This! Competition after my 3rd attempt.
Tell us a bit about Streetwize, the producer?
Well, I'm just a young hungry producer trying to make some moves into the industry.
Where are you from?
London baby.
What's the music scene like there?
To be honest, it's pretty mediocre. UK Hip-Hop, as dope as it is, is pretty much not recognized and although the audience is becoming a lot wider, it's mainly commercial stuff like Nelly, 50 cent, and Eminem. I think it's pretty poor although the doors are widening for Hip-Hop with people like Black Eyed Peas, Jehst, etc. coming onto the scene which is a great sign.
Not a lot of people know about the Hip-Hop scene in the UK. Who are some of the producers you suggest to listen to?
There's a lot of nice producers in the scene at the moment but my two favorite are Skitz and Jehst. If you can try and download Jehst - 1979 and/or Skitz - The Junkyard. Real hot beats. If you feel the underground style of beats, then those two are perfect examples.
How hard is it to get radio play or club play as a producer in the UK?
Well, it's extremely hard to get onto the core radio stations such as Radio1. But there are many new popular digital radio stations that ask for demos and stuff and if they like it, they will play it. Quite a few of my friends have got some of their tracks played on a digital radio station called 1Xtra which is becoming more and more popular.
If you could tour in the US what would be the first city on your list to open in and why?
Well, I guess you mean touring with artists. It would probably be New York City, just because it's so vibrant, and there are so many artists that I love that are from NYC like BIG, Nas and Jay-Z and I love the whole east coast style.
Do you produce other forms of music besides Hip-Hop? If not, do you plan to?
I've tried my hand at R&B and it hasn't been bad but I think I will stick with Hip-Hop and just try and find new styles within Hip-Hop. Straying away from the urban scene, I had a little go at making UK Garage but that went horribly wrong!
What sort of recording setup do you have?
Straight Fruity Loops mainly! I work at a studio where I get samples from vinyl, but at home all I use is Fruity Loops, Cool Edit Pro and Acid. I also use VST Plug-ins like Amplitude, Absynth in conjunction with Fruity Loops.
How long have you been producing?
Just over a year, started in July 2002.
Have you MC'd over any of your own beats?
Nah, I would be a wack emcee! But I have recently been working with a lot of artists. I'll probably post up a few tracks I been doing, online and offline in the studio I been working at.
What do you look for when you sample?
I don't look for anything in particular. I listen real hard to a record and I will see if I can flip this or flip that. If I hear something that has potential, in my mind I will try and see what can be done to that sample.
What do you prefer to drink while at the studio, water, alcohol, or soda?
Surprisingly, I don't have anything but I have heard a lot from other producers that a nice bottle of water doesn't go astray. Next time I'll keep a bottle of water with me and see if I can get some inspiration.
How much vinyl do you have?
At home, I have about 50 records. Now I just go to my local studio and get all my samples from there because they have over 1000+ records, which is like heaven to me.
Mainstream, Underground, or neither, where would you like to be, and why?
A little mix of both but mainly underground. I LOVE the underground scene, both production and emcees. But there are a few mainstream emcees that I also love. Nas, Eminem, Jay-Z are three people I would love to work with, especially Nas. I would love to work with people from the UK scene too like Jehst, Task Force, etc.
Where are you trying to take Hip Hop, and why does it need to go there?
I'll be honest, I'm not really trying to take Hip-Hop 'somewhere'. I would just like to bring back that old school flavor from the 90's where I feel was the best era of Hip-Hop. I think it's because there's a bit too much commercialism, and all the non hip-hop fans who are starting to get into the genre don't really know the roots and the classic stuff like IllMatic, Reasonable Doubt, etc.
What's the first thing you do when you start a new beat?
I'll get a sample, then chop it, or loop it or add effects or do what I need to it. That's what I usually do when I start a beat. If I'm composing, then I'll make a melody first. Then I would add drums and the bassline.
What do you think of today's mainstream producers?
To be honest, I ain't really feeling them all that much. I'm getting sick of vocal-sampled beats and stuff. Some of it is cool, but on the most part, not feeling it all that much. There's a lot of beats in the commercial scene that are pure garbage and yet are selling thousands of records which ceases to amaze me.
How did you put your winning beat together?
Basically, I found the sample from some jazz record. Chopped the loop out, had to chop bits out because there was some annoying percussion in there. Added a bassline, drums, added some effects and voila, beat was done.
In making your beat, how much weight does your feelings have in releasing a beat to a listener? And do you have a select group that you let preview your beat before releasing them to the crowd?
Well, I think a lot of the weight goes towards the listeners because ultimately, it's them who buy or listen to your music. Obviously a beat can't be boring because that wont get you the listeners. But I try and aim to make a beat which will interest the listener and keep them listening. I won't add loads of change ups because the end product is that you are making the beat for an emcee and the emcee is also a huge consideration.
IllMuzik.com, what has it done to make you a better producer?
IllMuzik is a VERY good site. I don't post much but I browse the threads every day. There's a lot of knowledgeable people on the site, examples being Vitaminman and Afrique. I always go there and see what tips people have to offer so that it can enhance my overall production.
When entering the Beat This! Competition, what is your mind frame, and how do you attack the themes?
I don't really have a game plan as such. I just do what I have to do to fit the theme, and not overcrowding it too much with whatever the theme is.
What are some suggestions you can give to other producers looking to get known in the UK scene from the US?
Don't bother coming with that Neptunes rubbish. Make some raw underground beats and there's every chance you could get some stuff poppin'. Other than that, just keep making dope beats and keep on building and check out some of the UK Hip-Hop artists and see what sort of beats they are rocking.
Any shoutouts you'd like to give?
Wassup to Dalinkwent, Deci, Fash, Asif, Manan, Amish Bassic, Urban One, Nova, Noviss, Sol, and Enigma, Tunez, Laz, Sean! Peace!!!
What's poppin, how you doin'?
What's up man, I'm cool thanks, happy that I won the recent Beat This! Competition after my 3rd attempt.
Tell us a bit about Streetwize, the producer?
Well, I'm just a young hungry producer trying to make some moves into the industry.
Where are you from?
London baby.
What's the music scene like there?
To be honest, it's pretty mediocre. UK Hip-Hop, as dope as it is, is pretty much not recognized and although the audience is becoming a lot wider, it's mainly commercial stuff like Nelly, 50 cent, and Eminem. I think it's pretty poor although the doors are widening for Hip-Hop with people like Black Eyed Peas, Jehst, etc. coming onto the scene which is a great sign.
Not a lot of people know about the Hip-Hop scene in the UK. Who are some of the producers you suggest to listen to?
There's a lot of nice producers in the scene at the moment but my two favorite are Skitz and Jehst. If you can try and download Jehst - 1979 and/or Skitz - The Junkyard. Real hot beats. If you feel the underground style of beats, then those two are perfect examples.
How hard is it to get radio play or club play as a producer in the UK?
Well, it's extremely hard to get onto the core radio stations such as Radio1. But there are many new popular digital radio stations that ask for demos and stuff and if they like it, they will play it. Quite a few of my friends have got some of their tracks played on a digital radio station called 1Xtra which is becoming more and more popular.
If you could tour in the US what would be the first city on your list to open in and why?
Well, I guess you mean touring with artists. It would probably be New York City, just because it's so vibrant, and there are so many artists that I love that are from NYC like BIG, Nas and Jay-Z and I love the whole east coast style.
Do you produce other forms of music besides Hip-Hop? If not, do you plan to?
I've tried my hand at R&B and it hasn't been bad but I think I will stick with Hip-Hop and just try and find new styles within Hip-Hop. Straying away from the urban scene, I had a little go at making UK Garage but that went horribly wrong!
What sort of recording setup do you have?
Straight Fruity Loops mainly! I work at a studio where I get samples from vinyl, but at home all I use is Fruity Loops, Cool Edit Pro and Acid. I also use VST Plug-ins like Amplitude, Absynth in conjunction with Fruity Loops.
How long have you been producing?
Just over a year, started in July 2002.
Have you MC'd over any of your own beats?
Nah, I would be a wack emcee! But I have recently been working with a lot of artists. I'll probably post up a few tracks I been doing, online and offline in the studio I been working at.
What do you look for when you sample?
I don't look for anything in particular. I listen real hard to a record and I will see if I can flip this or flip that. If I hear something that has potential, in my mind I will try and see what can be done to that sample.
What do you prefer to drink while at the studio, water, alcohol, or soda?
Surprisingly, I don't have anything but I have heard a lot from other producers that a nice bottle of water doesn't go astray. Next time I'll keep a bottle of water with me and see if I can get some inspiration.
How much vinyl do you have?
At home, I have about 50 records. Now I just go to my local studio and get all my samples from there because they have over 1000+ records, which is like heaven to me.
Mainstream, Underground, or neither, where would you like to be, and why?
A little mix of both but mainly underground. I LOVE the underground scene, both production and emcees. But there are a few mainstream emcees that I also love. Nas, Eminem, Jay-Z are three people I would love to work with, especially Nas. I would love to work with people from the UK scene too like Jehst, Task Force, etc.
Where are you trying to take Hip Hop, and why does it need to go there?
I'll be honest, I'm not really trying to take Hip-Hop 'somewhere'. I would just like to bring back that old school flavor from the 90's where I feel was the best era of Hip-Hop. I think it's because there's a bit too much commercialism, and all the non hip-hop fans who are starting to get into the genre don't really know the roots and the classic stuff like IllMatic, Reasonable Doubt, etc.
What's the first thing you do when you start a new beat?
I'll get a sample, then chop it, or loop it or add effects or do what I need to it. That's what I usually do when I start a beat. If I'm composing, then I'll make a melody first. Then I would add drums and the bassline.
What do you think of today's mainstream producers?
To be honest, I ain't really feeling them all that much. I'm getting sick of vocal-sampled beats and stuff. Some of it is cool, but on the most part, not feeling it all that much. There's a lot of beats in the commercial scene that are pure garbage and yet are selling thousands of records which ceases to amaze me.
How did you put your winning beat together?
Basically, I found the sample from some jazz record. Chopped the loop out, had to chop bits out because there was some annoying percussion in there. Added a bassline, drums, added some effects and voila, beat was done.
In making your beat, how much weight does your feelings have in releasing a beat to a listener? And do you have a select group that you let preview your beat before releasing them to the crowd?
Well, I think a lot of the weight goes towards the listeners because ultimately, it's them who buy or listen to your music. Obviously a beat can't be boring because that wont get you the listeners. But I try and aim to make a beat which will interest the listener and keep them listening. I won't add loads of change ups because the end product is that you are making the beat for an emcee and the emcee is also a huge consideration.
IllMuzik.com, what has it done to make you a better producer?
IllMuzik is a VERY good site. I don't post much but I browse the threads every day. There's a lot of knowledgeable people on the site, examples being Vitaminman and Afrique. I always go there and see what tips people have to offer so that it can enhance my overall production.
When entering the Beat This! Competition, what is your mind frame, and how do you attack the themes?
I don't really have a game plan as such. I just do what I have to do to fit the theme, and not overcrowding it too much with whatever the theme is.
What are some suggestions you can give to other producers looking to get known in the UK scene from the US?
Don't bother coming with that Neptunes rubbish. Make some raw underground beats and there's every chance you could get some stuff poppin'. Other than that, just keep making dope beats and keep on building and check out some of the UK Hip-Hop artists and see what sort of beats they are rocking.
Any shoutouts you'd like to give?
Wassup to Dalinkwent, Deci, Fash, Asif, Manan, Amish Bassic, Urban One, Nova, Noviss, Sol, and Enigma, Tunez, Laz, Sean! Peace!!!