Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
A little over a year a go, a fresh-faced producer named Classic joined the IllMuzik family. Turns out, the fresh-faced producer wasn't quite as green on the musician tip; his name is a direct hint at this. But while he is a classically trained pianist, he really cut his teeth in music playing the saxophone. Above all else, he has a gifted ear and rare "feel" for good music.
Throughout his time here, I've had the privilege to get to know Classic not only as a producer but as a person who has become a friend. He has been one of several of my personal go-to guys for honest, constructive feedback and my own production has been much the better for passing through his ears. He has been one of IllMuzik's most positive, honest, constructive and gifted members.
He has entered many of the Beat This! contests and while he has placed a few times, he had never achieved a victory in IllMuzik's own battle grounds. After strong showings in the first two rounds of the Battle That! competition, he got waxed (along with myself!) in the third round by a very talented producer and relative newcomer named Friction Beats. The next Beat This! would serve as a vengeful comeback, however, as Classic took on all comers in the "Synth vs. Samplers" themed battle with a positively epic synth banger entitled "Sonic Boom"
First of all, congratulations on your recent victory in the Beat This! Competition. It's been long overdue. Tell us a bit about how you constructed the winning beat.
Thanks man, it was a pleasant surprise to win. Well basically I did what I usually do when I make beats, I was looking for a specific sound & melody. Since I was going with the synth theme I wanted something epic that couldn't be mistaken for a sample. When I found the lead sound from my Motif, a melody instantly popped in my head. It all fell into place from there. In total it was about a 4 hour process from start to finish.
You are relatively new to producing, with a little over a year under your belt. You have been at IllMuzik just over a year as well. Can you tell us how you got your start, and about how IllMuzik has been a part of your growth in that time?
I started producing by pure luck; I have been a musician my entire life as well as an avid Hip-Hop fan. But for some reason, I had never thought about producing Hip-Hop. My best friend Kori had always told me I needed to do something with music but I just shrugged it off because I was too busy with school. One day in November 2003, I was chilling at work and I struck up a conversation with the janitor who happened to be a producer (NHG, a hot MC out of Baltimore), I began to ask him questions about making beats, 2 weeks later I had and MPC 2000XL and the rest is history.
IllMuzik has been a tremendous asset towards my growth as a producer. There have been many people who have helped me this past year. From BigD and Formant helping me with hardware questions, to Holmzini, Chedda and Helix giving me tips on drums and composition. There has been nothing but love here. I am so grateful I found this spot, because it has helped me grow as a musician. There is nothing like hearing someone else's work to help inspire you.
Who are your biggest inspirations as a producer? Who are the artists that push you to get better from track to track?
Artists: Outkast
Producers: Organized Noise, Organized Noise, and Organized Noise!!!
Those cats are amazing man, I have grown up on the Outkast & Organized Noise sound. They are my heros. I would love to work with them someday. They are the ones that made it cool to be from the south. They proved that southern Hip-Hop can be musical, hard as hell, and have something constructive to say at the same time. Some other folks I love are 8ball MJG, Scarface, the Dungeon Family, Goodie Mob, Devin the Dude, and Mobb Deep.
As most of our members know, your main weapon of choice is your Motif rack. Can you give us a brief review of this piece? Can you give us the run down on its pros and cons?
Well the Motif rack is great, it has excellent sounds to choose from and wonderful filter and editing capabilities. With all that said I still believe in sampling drums and bass, no matter how advanced synths get. There is nothing like the grittiness of sampled drums and bass. Also, people have to realize that all the Motif provides are sounds. You have to have the talent to use them correctly. Lots of cats think having a Motif (or any major rack) is gonna make them a better producer overnight. The melodies must be in your head to bring out the rack's potential. Just because you have the Motif doesn't mean you're hot.
Your style has been based on composing instead of sampling, although I understand you have recently began exploring the realm of samples. There are many who refute one method over the other. Can you give us your views on the matter?
Well, there is definitely a place for both. When I first started I was all about composing. But there are certain sounds that you can't get from composing and certain sounds you can't get from sampling. So lately I have been working on combining both. I'm still learning how to sample, but so far it's fun. Ideally I would like to build a composed song around a small sample. Also, I have been working on sampling my own piano riffs and melodies which has been pretty cool (good looking Afrique). ProducerGyal has also been very helpful in giving me tips and pointers.
While people are arguing over which one is better (sampling or composing). I will be busy learning both. I think there is room for all methods and as long as you're creative with it.
You are a classically trained pianist. How has that helped/hindered you in terms of producing Hip-Hop?
It's been nothing but a help, besides the playing ability. Formal music training has given me an ear for melodies and chord progressions. It has also helped me learn how to create melodies from scratch. Sometimes I will just sit at the keyboard and play different melodies that pop in my head. Having the ability to take what's in my head and play it directly on the keys is a big help. I must say, I'm not as great on the keys as you guys think I am (I'm flattered though). When I make beats I rarely play specific chords, I usually just go by ear (which is the most important thing to a producer). Most people don't know but the saxophone is my first instrument and I am way better on that then the keys.
IllMuzik places an unusual online-emphasis on the community element. How important do you think that is to the successes of its members? Is IllMuzik something that you would rep for similar to a crew affiliation? Are there any members you look to as actual "friends"? (As much as can be through the internet, LOL).
Man I think that is the most important thing about IllMuzik. The community element is essential, without it all you are left with is Soundclick forums. I can't stress enough what a great job Fade is doing. This cat has skills with web designs as well as a focused vision for the site (he is still a crazy Canadian though). Just look at all the things he has done in the past 4 months (Beat This!, Battle That!, interviews, IllMuzik Radio, page redesign etc.) All these things foster a community element that helps bring this site closer and keep out the bullshit.
There are definitely people I can call friends on here; You, Afrique, and ProducerGyal are the main people I talk to daily. But there are so many other cool cats out there that I holla at from time to time. Like Freakwncy, MarkN and DueceMade, Berserk, Mercury Waters etc... I love hearing other people's beats, so we usually exchange tracks to see what we are working on and give honest feedback. But we talk about other stuff too. It's funny what you find out you have in common with people around the world, for example: Philsiarri and I are going through similar thesis processes with our grad school programs.
As far as repping IllMuzik, I already have. Everywhere I go with my music, I am always talking about the heat that is on here. I was in the studio the other day playing tracks from the Battle That! for some local MC's. Most people can't believe that there is that type of talent in one spot!!!! I will continue to rep IllMuzik proudly wherever this industry takes me.
You have talked often about wanting to take Hip-Hop to an entirely new level. What does that entail exactly, and what are some things you want to do to achieve that? Where can Classic take Hip-Hop?
Well I want to push musical boundaries, I mean I will play the game and make industry beats to get my foot in the door, but I think there is so much more that can be done. I would love to work with live musicians or even a full orchestra to paint a Hip-Hop canvas for an MC. Just like Jazz or Soul genres, Hip-Hop has to evolve. I know that there will be purists that think Hip-Hop is just an SP-1200 and some dusty records and I respect Hip-Hop's roots. But to be there is so much more that can be done.
You live in Maryland by way of the south. We all know that you have an unabashed love of the south, but you also have a realist perspective- you call a spade a spade. The south has many regional styles, but Krunk has emerged as THE sound that the whole country is jumping on. Everyone has a Krunk track on their album, from New York to California. There are also those who decry Krunk as something that ISN'T Hip-Hop at all. What are your thoughts on all the bandwagon riding, hating, and over-saturation of Krunk, especially as it pertains to the identity of the south?
Ohh man it makes me sick, I moved to Baltimore about almost 2 years ago to start grad school. Since then I've seen so many people jump on the bandwagon. My mother is from DC so I used to visit this area lot in the 90's. People were cool, but they were definitely on that New York tip. People used to tell me I talk and dress funny, and that southern rappers couldn't rhyme etc. Now in 2005 these cats in Baltimore/DC and everywhere else are trying to ride heavy Chevy's and candy paint and claim they are "Krunk". Cats from all over are trying to say they have been down from day one. Now people in the industry are saying that Krunk is in, so every Tom, Dick, and Harry has golds in their mouth and Lil Jon on they track. Krunk is just one little aspect of southern Hip-Hop. People don't understand that the south has so many different cultures and styles. In Florida alone each city has its own style of music and dance:
Artists: Tampa Toney, DJ Demp, Luke, etc.
Dances: Kwang Cityboy, Juck, etc.
So how are these cats in the industry gonna tell me that KRUNK is the south? Krunk is to Hip-Hop what Punk Rock is to Rock 'N Roll. It's just a sub genre. Also, Krunk is more of an ATL thing then a southern thing. In Florida we like our music fast so we can dance to it. Personally I loved Krunk when it was underground because we used to get off the chain to it back in the day, but now it's getting old.
What is your greatest goal at this point in your life, both as an artist and as a person?
My goal as an artist is to bring good music to the masses and stay true to myself. I would like to prove that you don't have to have a certain image or be a certain way to become successful in Hip-Hop. My greatest goal as a person it to do God's will, whatever it may be.
Let's get a little more serious now. You recently made a trip to Africa, and you are planning another one soon. How has that impacted you as a person? Has it had an effect on your perspective as an artist?
Going to Uganda was one of the biggest events of my life. I travel all the time but this was different. Most black Americans have a love/hate relationship with Africa because we are uneducated about it (I was the same way). We tend to view it as a homogeneous, far away land where our ancestors came from. That view is WRONG!! You can see direct connections to this day between both cultures.
Uganda is roughly the size of Georgia and there are countless languages and tribes there. That's just one country, can you imagine what the rest of Africa is like?? Seeing Uganda also made me realize how lucky we are in the West. America is still pretty messed up but at least here you have the opportunity to better yourself. Opportunities like that don't exist in many African countries. We take so much for granted.
As an artist, traveling to Uganda made me realize the impact of American culture (specifically Hip-Hop) on the rest of the world. It's crazy because the only Americans they have seen in person are white missionaries. I was the first black American most of them had met in person, but they had all these preconceived stereotypes from listening to 50 Cent and Dr. Dre and watching MTV. They thought I was a gang member and thought I had killed somebody. It was crazy. I can't wait to go back though, because the people are great.
Do you feel a new sense of purpose after that trip? Do you feel any personal responsibility to now do something to help those less fortunate, whether here at home or abroad?
Oh yes I definitely feel a MAJOR responsibility to help. I saw homeless kids, kids that were soldiers in the civil war, AIDS, and poverty. You can't help but feel an obligation to help. The family I stayed with owned a school called Greenhill Academy. So I had a chance to visit the kids and see how things work. Again I must emphasize that education is not free so most kids don't have the opportunity to go to school. Right now I'm in the process of getting some major financial backing to donate some computers and other materials to the school. It's not hard to help people even if it's something real small like spending time to read a book to a kid. It makes a difference trust me.
There are many artists that define themselves - or that the media defines as "conscious". So many artists will do the requisite "conscious" song now, but we all know it is easy to talk about the problems of society. It is another thing entirely to do the things that affect change. I see you as a humble dude; tell us some of the things that you have done, or plan on doing, yourself.
Well the main thing I plan on doing throughout my life is giving. Currently I love volunteering with my fraternity or helping out at community events. There is nothing like the feeling of helping another person. As far as other accomplishments, I'm just proud to be educated. I'm from a state where the only way most black males succeed is with a football or basketball in their hand. The fact that I have made it on my mind instead of my athletic ability is something I'm very proud of.
How would you define your values as an artist? What is important to you in that regard?
Wherever I end up in the industry, I just want to be respected for being me. I refuse to be something I'm not. I'm not a thug, I'm not a drug dealer. I'm just me. I think having that self-confidence to be yourself no matter what is the most important thing for an artist. Most of these cats are trying to be something they are not. Nobody is tough 24 hours a day.
Summarize your view on the current state of Hip-Hop and its core values now.
I see a lot of commercial Hip-Hop artists today as blackfaced or bamboozled. Those cats might as well get a clown outfit and start dancing on the table for record executives. Too many cats are doing this Hip-Hop thing for the wrong reasons. I mean I know people struggling but aren't cats tired of this gangsta ish??? Too many people are trying to be hard instead of trying to be themselves. On the other hand I think underground Hip-Hop is alive and well, just look at IllMuzik.
Ok, on to some more lighthearted questions. Strictly as producers, Just or Kanye, and why?
Just Blaze! That cat is amazing. Don't get me wrong Kanye is nice on the boards too but he hasn't shown the versatility that JB has. JB can flip an ill sample or hit the synths. His beats just have that energy that can't be denied. Dude is a BEAST!!!!!
Lover or fighter?
Lover!!!
Who is meaner, me or Guevara?
Damn this is a close one, I would say Guevara. You tell the cold truth on cats but Guevara has a talent for pulling cat's bitch card in one line.
Should we just go ahead and make Wings our official mascot?
Hell yea, that cat is everywhere anyways.
Who is IllMuzik's�..
- Funniest member? - Stresswon by far.
- Most knowledgeable member? - 3 way tie between Formant, GOD and BigD.
- Nicest member? - ProducerGyal, she always has something positive to say.
- Greatest potential? - That's a tough one. I know it's been said before but I'm going to have to go with Afrique, that cat is a beast and only 18.
- Best-kept secret? (a really talented person who doesn't get the type of recognition that others do) - Nomics Productions, Chedda and MarkN.
Holmzini, Cold Truth, ProducerGyal, Afrique, Guevara.
Are the mods doing a good job?
They are doing a great job. We need order, that's what fosters a community. Without the mods we would have a bunch of cats trying to battle each other everyday instead of people wanting to get better (Soundclick).
What are some things the mods can do to improve the site? What can we do to improve IllMuzik both as a resource and community? If you were Moderator for a week, what would you do?
Honestly I really can't think of anything, the site its fine the way it is, just keep progressing that's all. If I was a mod for a week I would steal Fade's source code for the site and start an affiliate site called "IllMuzik South".
Any shoutouts you'd like to give?
I'd like to give special shoutouts to: Wings, MarkN, Cold Truth, SpinDoctor, ProducerGyal, Afrique, FADE, Duece, Holmz, Merc, Freakwncy, and my best friend Kori. Much love to all the IllMuzik family.