I was 17 when I started.  My boy who spit a little told me to come over one day because he wanted to try to figure out a way to record and make beats for him to rap over.  We downloaded fruity loops.  Right when I started messing with that…it was over.  I took that back home and never looked back.

Hard work, thick skin, and a strong group of people that believe in you.  Music is art.  Art is subjective.  So no matter how dope you think one track might be, someone else will not feel the same.  As a producer or artist, you’re likely to be shot down at least once every single day.  That can definitely wear on a weak minded individual.  All you can control is how hard you’re grinding and the people you surround yourself with.

I’ve been writing a lot more.  Over the past year I have truly started to enjoy the total aspect of making songs.  I used to just make a beat and let the artist do whatever they want.  Now I enjoy thinking of a concept first.  Making a beat then writing out a hook or verse, etc.  It’s just the next step of creativity.  I’ll do anything to make a song hot.  Whether it’s a hook, verse, mixing, mastering or quacking like a duck for 16 bars…I’ll do it.

That’s a very tough question because there’s too many.  I find inspiration in people that rock the boat.  People who aren’t afraid to come up with something new or create their own style.  For example; Pete Rock, The Neptunes, Dilla, Hi-Tek (shout out to the Nati!), and Raphael Saadiq.  Since I’m a big basketball fan, I also have to say Alvin Williams.  If ya’ll don’t know him, he was the point guard for the Raptors back in our “VC Days”.  He was always the hardest working player.  You could see how much he loved what he did.  I consistently try to convert that will and attitude into my music.

That’s hard too, because most of the beats I love are the ones that artists think are too wild or different to rhyme on.  So my favorite piece hasn’t been released yet.  I’m more of a body of work type of guy versus having that ONE song.  With that being said, some of my favorites to date would have to be the Good Company tune “Malcolm with a Mic” and G5 Clive ft. Arafat Yates & Carlitta Durand – “Professor Maya McMillan”.

Greg Nice.  That guy could take any one word, repeat it for 3 minutes and make it the hottest thing you’ve heard in a year.  I would love to just go into the studio with 20 tracks that are fully done and have him go on the intro and outro of each tune “oh my god ooooooooh, turn it out ooooooooooh”.  It just takes the tune to a whole nother level.

The biggest challenge is to get paid.  Artists will get at me all the time saying, “Yo you’re the dopest producer I’ve heard in years!  I would be honored if I could get some beats off you.”  Then they find out that I’m charging and it’s, “…oh, well I’m getting crazy beats for free right now, so it’s not worth it to pay.”  Sometimes you feel like you’re being penalized for making music from the heart.  I’ve noticed that a lot of people seem to think that if you’re making music from the heart, you shouldn’t be trying to get paid.  I don’t know where that idea came from, but I disagree whole heartedly.  If anything, that’s more reason to pay that producer/artist versus the one that just copies trends.

As of right now, being able to say I’m working with some of freshest up and coming talent in music.  Artists such as Jaxx, G5 Clive, and M1 Platoon.  I also have Carlitta Durand on a track.  Just incase the heads forgot, Carlitta did the hooks for Little Brother’s “Life of the Party” and “After the Party”.  She and M1 Platoon have also done work with 9^th Wonder.  So it’s definitely good company.

I can’t stand people that are too caught up in old school hip hop.  I love the old school.  I cherish it.  At the same time, I get so frustrated when some “heads” feel it’s ok to copy what was done in the golden era of hip hop but it’s not ok to be making something that sounds “current” or “up to date”.  If you ask me, both are biting, and I don’t co-sign either one.

If you’re talented and you know you have something special, then work your ass off.  When you sleep, someone else is awake making a hit.  Don’t be afraid to think out side the box.  Do you.  But do it to the best of your ability.

I just want to thank Gigi for giving me and other artists the opportunity to get our name and music out there.  It means a hell of a lot.

If you haven’t heard it yet, here’s the link to the Good Company EP.

Good Company is comprised of myself and Ayatollah Jaxx.  We’re working on a full-length album as we speak, so be on the look out for that.  If you’re looking for beats and/or wanting to collab, hit me and my team up!

(416) 428-7611

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