Waddup MoSS? Thanks for taking the time out with iStandardProducers to share with our community. Let’s get right into it, Your resume is stacked and I’m sure it took a lot of work to get that way. Tell us the story about you getting your very first placement.

I’m guessing my so-called break came when Shady called about Obie Trice.  I had done some indy stuff for Conception Records, Certified and done the indy Obie 12″ with he and his brother “Well Known Asshole” and “Mr Trice”.  Anyhow, once Obie called I started to get noticed in NY and eventually that led me to meet Dan Green.  He really got things moving for me, and continues to today.  I think the first “placement” with an artist I didn’t know or had a name before I got beats to them was most likely “12 Barrel” by Black Moon.  From what I understand Dan jumped on the duckdown tourbus and wouldn’t leave until they listened.

Basically just made beats and got Dan to shop them.  I guess one thing I did was keep my sound consistent.  I think a lot of people have a bad assumption that being well rounded is a positive thing.  When you look at history and some of the names that usually come up first in producer conversations Premo, Pete Rock, Dre etc… for the most part these guys had a consistent sound also.  People go to Premo to hear a Premo beat.  They don’t hit him up and say “we need something that sounds like DJ Quick made it”.  These days a lot of new school producers and especially myspace producers have this notion that if they can produce club, street, b-boy and r&b all at once with completely different sounds somehow they’re better off or more talented then others.  History suggests otherwise.  While I don’t pretend to sit here and think every artist is looking for a MoSS beat, I can assure you that when I do get a call, they want “MoSS”, not something that sounds like HiTek made it.  That’s not a slight to Hi Tek either, I’m just saying he’s got his sound, I have mine.  To be honest I’m not sure how someone could look someone else in the eyes and say “I got beats that sound like Dre” and actually be proud of that fact.  I think the other thing I’ve done well is I’m consistently getting placements.  Some people get 1 or 2 placements a year on majors.  I’ve sold a couple million albums, but it took 30+ placements to do.  I’m on a lot of Indy albums, and some major also.  I just don’t get the recognition because people don’t real liner notes anymore as a result of downloading.

Probably not the answer you’re looking for but Premier.  I’m apparently one of the few people who’s been allowed to go through his record collection and watch him make music from scratch.  I know I don’t like people around me when I make music, he’s the same way.  While I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked in big studio with some big names, working with Premo in a studio was probably the most memorable, especially my first time in Headquarters, which of course is the old D&D.

I’ve got a Polymoog and J600 which is a harpsicord the Beatles used back in their early days.  Truth be told while they’re getting better, I can’t stand synthetic versions of some instruments.  I’m a big record collector, I even put out reissues of lost marterial and rare records.  When someone tries to play a flute or guitar using a keyboard, tt’s almost like they’re suggesting that I, the listener, don’t know music.  This has nothing to do with keyboards vs sampling either, I don’t get into that debate.  I’m just saying when my music needs a guitar, bass or flute it’s coming from an actual guitar, bass guitar or flute.  If you’re trying to make techno then by all means do it, but as someone who grew up listening to rock, soul and everything else I’d like my instruments to sound real.  Same with drums.  Synthetic drums are not up to par.  I’ve started adding a lot of analog instrumentation recently.  You’ll hear some of it on Eternia’s upcoming album, and I really went in on my album also.  Lots of live guitar, flute and bass all recorded using the same methods they did in the 70’s.  Acoustic, electric and various pedals. The key is to make it sound like a sample, no like some live band crap.  I don’t want it to sound like I played it, so I need to use analog equipment to allow the music to sound like I jacked it.

No.  Obie and I haven’t really kept in touch. I still have the album he and I did on a dat.  I’d like to put it out one day so people could hear how Obie used to sound before he got signed to Shady.  He used to have a lot of energy and aggression in his voice.  Regardless I hope he does well.

I’m the first producer signed to Works of Mart.  Maybe one day we’ll do a press release, but for now he mentions it when asked, as do I.  He approached me about it a year ago when I was in NY and I was immediately on board.  To have someone like Premier support your music and sign you without asking for anything to change was one of the most important moments of my career.  It was a better feeling them most of my placements to be honest, just because it gave me a sense of confidence that all I’d been doing hadn’t gone unnoticed.  It’s also good because he’s one of the most down to earth people I’ve met.  Regardless of business and music, we just hit it off as friends.  We usually end up talking about non-music related stuff more often then not.

I don’t think I can narrow it down to a top 5.  Premo and Dre have to be up there, then it’s a long list of people I respect like Nottz, Dilla, Marley Marl etc…  Beatnuts, Beatminers…  The list is long.

I honestly don’t have any. I spent 4-5 hours a day making music, 2-3 dealing with records and then I relax and watch TV or a movie or go out or something.

I produced Eternia’s album, and I’m excited about it.  I think it’s going to be that album that ends up spreading by word of mouth and getting more recognition in the end then people thought it would.  She’s really dope and the album is the best thing I’ve done to date.  We’ve got Rah Digga, Rage, Jean Grae, Joell Ortiz, Termanology, Reef and others on the record also.  I’m also finishing my album.  It’s been a long journey, but it’s almost there.  I’ve got M.O.P., Joell Ortiz, Joe Budden, Red Cafe, Sheek Louch, Willie Da Kid, LA The Darkman, Ill Bill, Termanology and more on it.  I’ll also have a few more suprises that I’ll keep to myself for now.  I’ve also got beats on various upcoming albums like Joell Ortiz, Buckshot/KRS, Vinnie Paz, Termanology etc…  Probably will be doing some work for Year Round… Also have an artist out of Termanology’s crew ST. Da Squad, Ghetto that I’ve done alot of work with.  He’s getting out of  jail soon and it’ll be time to get his record going.
Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?

I’m not sure actually.  I’m not sure where the music industry will be in 5 years, much less myself.  I’ll still be collecting records, I know that

Thanks for the exposure.  I’d like to shout out people who still buy records and who are making music based on their ideals instead of everyone else’s.  I don’t care if you use a keyboard, a sampler, a PC or spoons…just don’t try to follow or mimic someone else.