What’s the first rap song you ever heard? How old were you? What were you doing when you heard it? How did it affect you?
Okay, you got me showing my age ha ha. Of course for me and my era it was “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugar Hill Gang. But before the records we used to have jam tapes with the Cold Crush, Furious 5, Jazzy 5 MCs, etc. I would say I was about 9 or 10. Damn, I've been around this thing for a while. When I first heard “Rapper’s Delight” I was at a park jam. This was like six months before it hit the radio. You see, where I come from it didn't really get the respect because we in the Bronx knew whose rhymes they were. So when it came on it was like “oh ok”. It affected me because I saw how this music made people happy. It was the music for the new generation. I knew I wanted in.
Who are your biggest production influences and in what way?
My biggest influences are the usual suspects: Primo, Pete Rock, Large Professor, Diamond D, ShowBiz, Lord Finesse and Buc Wild. I'll start with Large Pro. It's because of him I'm here. He taught me from that Main Source album that you can chop samples which was crazy to me. I still go to that album for a refresher course. Primo’s influence is the kicks and snares. How he chops them and they come out strong. Pete Rock is two things: the horns, and his samples have soul in them. Diamond be finding the samples. When you say digging that's him for real. I be like “where the hell he get that from?” Showbiz: now that's a beast right there. This dude can chop any - let me say it again – any sample. I've seen it firsthand. He doesn't get the credit he really deserves. Finesse got that funk. With Buc it’s the grit. That dude takes you to the streets for real. I was listening to “Whoa” the other day like “what the fuck”.
How did you hook up with Nature for “Perspective”?
I knew Nature’s brother. He was like “you should do a joint with my brother”. I was like “bet”. But the timing was always off. I'm always into something. Then I came up with the beat and it had Nature all over it. so I called Byron, his brother, and was like “I'm ready”. He was like “my brother said call him” and the rest as they say is history. By the way, did you notice how I scratched a Nas hook? I kept it on a Queensbridge vibe.
How did you hook up with Chi-Ali for “Untouchable”?
I knew Chi for years before rap. When he got locked up it was crazy. When he came home I asked if he wanted to make a record. He said “cool”. He had done a few joints when he came home but I wanted to give him that street banger. That beat was designed personally for him. The strings were dark, the kick and snare was hard. Even the Biggie hook I used basically saying “I've been gone but lyrically I'm untouchable”.
Are you working on an album? What can you tell us?
Right now I've been doing songs with the artist PB who you heard on “Perspective”. We are trying to put together an EP. I want him to get his feet wet first. That's why I'm featuring him on different songs. For the most part I'm just making records, trying to be consistent. That's the goal in this business. So to answer your question: just look forward to me dropping a new single every other month.
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