Quik, what’s
clickin’ ?
What’s up my bruh ?
It’s been a while. Whatcha
been up to ?
Awh, just flying around the world.
I spend more time on airplanes than I do at home. I’ve been
takin’ a break, to see where I wanna go. Either I’m
gonna go to the back of the line and try to play catch-up, or
I’m gonna go to the head of the class and lead. Cause I
still got a little bit of energy. Know what I mean?
Have u been doin’ any production
for anyone, lately?
Outside of my album, yeah - Wyclef,
Chingy, T.I., and B-Real (Cypress Hill). I’ve been gettin’
down with everybody.
What’s the release date
on your new album ?
We’re tryin’ to get
it out in May. If we can get thru the technicalities and red tape.
It’s a hot fuckin’ record, too, buddy ! It’s
a fuckin’ smash !! Yes S-I-R.
This is being released thru Warner
Brothers, right ?
Yes, it is.
Did u handle all of the production
on this project, and who are some of the folks featured on it
?
Yeah, I produced every song. Not
to be bragging or nothin....But, I like to consider myself multi-faceted
when it comes to production. I wanted to make a diverse record
without being all over the place and sporatic. U know what I mean
? It’s pretty much an eastcoast / westcoast record. Wyclef
helped me out with this really serious record that we did. It’s
a new sound. It’s not crunk. It’s not gangsta rap.
It’s not eastcoast sampled. It’s not the chipmunk,
sped-up stuff. It’s an intricately arranged classical gangsta
piece. It’s dope. Fuckin’ dope. U gone trip. It ain’t
niggas with a bunch of synthesizers. It’s some creative
music.
Your new track, “What They
Think Of You,” tell us the story behind that track. One
of the lines in that track says, “It seems like the game
is designed to keep the left coast out.” Why do u think
that is ?
Well, the funny thing about that
record is... That record was done almost 3 years ago. It was done
for a Chris Rock movie. We ended up using it as the lead-off single
to start a buzz on my music. So, that’s how I felt back
in 2002 because it just seemed liked there were some suppression
tactics going on. It was even hard to get westcoast records played
on the westcoast. That record is a satirical record. It’s
not to start a diss war. I’ve been around people who think
that the way to get momentum going for yourself is to start a
diss war. And if someone answers u back, it means that u were
heard, and u get momentum. U know what I mean ? I spent a lot
of time being quite and being in certain circles and listening
to people talk about people. And it’s like... Wow ! that’s
how u really feel about these people? As soon as they’d
leave the room, they’d talk behind their back. And when
they come back into the room, they wouldn’t voice that.
That’s not the way I am. Being in New York and spending
a lot of time in New York, I dig the way New York people get down.
If they don’t like u, they just tell u up front and it’s
cool. It ain’t none of that guessin’ shit. I just
wanted to share the sentiments of the people that I had spoken
to, candidly, and into a record. That this is how they really
feel about u. No matter what they say, and how cordial they are.
Everybody got poked fun at. And I wasn’t above even pokin’
fun at our own coast. That’s how they feel about the westcoast.
They feel like.... U Jeri Curl wearing, out dated, gangsta rap
niggas. U know what I mean ? I was like, this is how they feel
about Southern artist.....over her, over thur. They be dissing
Chingy and shit. And that’s sad to me. Hip-hop is all about
uniting people. At the club, the beach, or at the house party.
Where ever. Not this whole divide shit. Because my raps is better
than yours, or our beats are better than yalls. I don’t
think that’s how it’s suppose to be. Especially after
touring Europe and going over to Germany and France.
Do u have a big fanbase over there
?
Yeah, they love me over there.
Actually, I did double duty over there this last tour that I went
on with Game and Snoop. I dj’d for Game. I asked Snoop if
I could come on and play percussion with him. We brought attention
back to this place. And I’m glad I was a part of that. U
know ?
Are u a producer who’s also
a musician ?
Yes sir. My favorite thing to
do, is arranging. I love arragement. I love hearing the drums
and letting the drums tell me which direction to take with the
melody.
Because the drums always speak. I think that’s why our ancestors
called ‘em talkin drums. They call the notes. They call
the key. And they call the cadence. I pretty much play everything,
except guitar and bass.
What’s your take on the
50 Cent / Game situation ?
They’re 2 young cats with
a lot of money and influence now. And hopefully, they won’t
let that go to their heads. I really hope that they took the message,
feel the void, endured, and appreciate the emptiness that hip-hop
has experienced since Biggie and Pac have been dead. I hope the
silence of those two not makin’ no new shit speaks louder
than their angry raps back in the day, when they were fueding.
What’s the rap scene like
out on the westcoast, now ?
As a matter of fact, the city
is happy. They’re happy because of the attention that Game
is gettin’ worldwide. As opposed to just there. It’s
actually motivating people again. A couple of years ago I’d
go to a club and hear crunk. And people weren’t trippin’,
cause they had pretty much accepted that the westcoast is done.
It’s like this resurgence of energy there, now. It’s
actually really dope. We just did a show in Long Beach and it
was sold out. And it’s like.... They just really appreciate
this boy. And in a big way. They appreciate what I do. I figured
it was time for me to blow the dust off of my dj skills, and I’ve
been out there choppin’ with him every night. Since Jam
Master Jay, I’m really tryin’ to be like..... The
best live dj in the world. For years people talked about the lack
of comradery amount westcoast artist. Now, we’re becoming
more brotherly and working together. We’re doin it for the
love and not for the money. And that’s unusual.
Who’s featured on your new
album ?
Wyclef, Chingy, B - Real, Nate
Dogg, and AMG. On this record, it’s not so much about the
rappers, it’s about the production. It’s real step-forward
production. At the end of recording a record, we take a concensus.
If the record ain’t good we scrap it. It’s about reinventing
the westcoast sound. It’s not what you’d expect. It
really ain’t. It ain’t a bunch of Roger Troutman Bytes.
It ain’t sampling someones break beat and playing over it.
This shit is really thought out. For me a good record usually
takes a few days. Some of these records literally, took weeks
to make. That’s how well this album was put together.
www.dj-quik.com
|
