Today's Producers Spotlight Shines On 9th Wonder!

9th Wonder, is a Producer from North Carolina. 9th Wonder who's real name is Patrick Douthit (born January 15, 1975) has colaborated with artist such as Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, Skyzoo, Buckshot, Jay-Z, & Murs to name a few. As one of the founding mambers of the group Little Brother, 9th along with Phonte, and Rapper Big Pooh have help to put North Carolina on the map. 9th Wonder's sound is what I like to call dusty but in a good way. His beats sound dirty yet gives off a vibe of good quality head banging, neck snapping rhthym. Check out the track below featuring Mos-Def and Jean Grae produced by 9th Wonder.

Today's Producers Spotlight Shines On The Rza!

Robert Diggs, Commonly known to his fans as The Rza is a Producer, Emcee, From Brooklyn New York By way of Staten Island. Rza took the world by storm along with his 9 Man wrecking crew known as The Wu-Tang Clan which include group members Method Man, Gza, Chef Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Ugod, Inspectah deck, Masta Killah, and ODB (Ol'Dirty Bastard). When I first heard The Rza, he was going by the name Price Rakeem, a name that he still uses from time to time. During my discovery of The Rza, it was'nt his producer skills that caught my attention. It was his sharp witty emcee skills on a single entitled Oooh We Love You Rakeem which was put out and distributed on Tommy Boy Records. There would be know follow up to the single nor would there be a full length L.P but a few years later Rakeem would resurface under what we all know now as The Rza. Rza has done movie Scores such as Kill Bill Vol 1&2& Afro Samuri and has appeared in movies along side of Russell Crowe, Charlie Sheen, and Forrest Whitaker just to name a few. There are way to many songs to mention that was produced by the Rza so I have posted a clip with some of his earliy work with Wu-Tang Clan and other artist. Enjoy when you press play below.

Today's Producers Spotlight Shines On Dr. Dre!

Andre Young, known to many fans as Dr. Dre is a music producer/ rapper from the west coast. Dr. Dre is a pioneer of the west coast sound and is also one of the most influential producers of our time. Dr. Dre's music dates back to the early 1980's when he was a part of the group, World Class Wrecking Crew. He would later be the driving force for the rap group, N.W.A (Niggaz With Attitudes)which included group members Eazy E, Ice Cube, MC Ren, Arabian Knight, and DJ Yella. Together, They would take the world by storm with there aggressive lyrics about the west coast code of the streets which the media dubbed "Ganster Rap". NWA would also have there share of problems and soon eventially part ways. Dr. Dre has since worked with former members of NWA and new comers such as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and 50 Cent, Just to name a few. When debating who are the top 5 producers of all time, you can believe that Dr. Dre is included everytime. Check out the music clip of Dr. Dre's instrumentals below.

Today's Producer Spotlight Shines On Pete Rock!

Peter Phillips (born June 21, 1970, in the Bronx, New York) is known to many of his fans by his stage name, Pete Rock. Pete Rock enetered the music scene in the early 1990's as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth. As a Duo, Pete Rock & C.L Smooth rose to stardom with such hits as, T.R.O.Y (When They Reminisce Over You), Straighten It Out, Lots Of Lovin', and The Creator just to name a few. The two have parted ways since the 90's but that did not stop Pete Rock from continuing to produce for many other artist such D'Angelo, Mary J, Blige, Nas, & Public Enemy.

Pete Rock is known to use a wide range of instruments which gives his production a jazzy vibe with a hip hop feel to it. You can here his influence in today's up and coming producers such as Kev-Brown, & 9th Wonder.

Pete Rock is still, going strong and still, one of the best Producers to ever do it and that is why I decided to shine the Producers Spotlight on him today!

Listen to the instrumental that made me an instant fan and Pete one of my favorite producer/ lyricist of all times.

Today Is: Tuesday, August 17, 2010

The Story Of How I Got Started Making Beats!

I've been a Producer for at least, 20 years or more now. I started creating music when I was about seventeen years old with two of my childhood friends while playing hooky from school. We'd cut class and go back to my apartment in the John Adam Houses (J.A) in the Bronx NY. While my mother was at work and my sister and brothers were at all at school getting their higher education on, we'd be cutting school back at my apt, just zoning out to old 70's records that my father left behind after my Mom and Pop had split up. I remember dubbing over my oldest brothers DJ Red Alert radio recorded shows in order to keep a loop going. I would pause, then press play, pause then press play, over and over again until I had enough instrumental break to rap over. You can only imagine the beat downs that I received for dubbing over my brothers tapes.

Around the year 1988-89, while waiting for my friend Corey to get ready for school, I noticed that he had a Casio SK-8 Keyboard/Sampler sitting on his kitchen table. I just had to get one of those by anymeans necessary so I, Packed groceries up for shoppers and did whatever it took in order for me to buy my very own Casio SK-8. It took me 4 lay-away installments and a loan from my Mother to purchase my new keyboard/sampler. Now that I owned my Casio Keyboard, There would be no stopping me. I was now able to loop records with out using the pause-play technique.

One day, my brother had some of his friends over the apartment hanging out, listening to music, using the phone, drinking Kool-Aide etc. I decided in that moment to Blast a beat that I was working on. It was a MC Lyte song that I had looped, (Stop, Look, Listen). I also Mixed it with The Funky Drumer breakbeat. My Brothers friends Started Rapping over the track and soon after that, they were asking me if I had any more tracks to rap on.

By the 1992, I was Nice with it but, it was time to up the anti. It was time to take this rapping and producing more seriously. I, along with my cousin formed a rap group and we went into a music studio to record our first demo. We were gaining recognition fast and would have received a major deal with Warner Bros. Records but during that time, My cousin got into some trouble with the law and had to serve an 8 year jail sentence. I felt like my cousin was the talent ( the front man) and I was the man behind the scene. He was C.L Smooth and I was Pete Rock before I realized that Pete Rock called equally rap. At that time I was too scared to do it alone so I did not sign. Only if somebody could have schooled me better. I could have signed and waited for my cousin to come home but I was loyal and refused to sign any documents without him.

Some might ask me what other equiptment I have used to create beats? Well, believe it our not but, I have used the Sony Playstation to make a ton of beats. There was a game that came out in the late 1990's that MTV put out called "Music Generator". This game allowed you to sample music, edit it, and create your own beats. I've also used the MPC 2000 alot but my main source of beat making comes from a computer program called Frutiy Loops.

Since the early years of my beat making, I have been involved with various rap groups and solo artist Such as, Culture Cypha, C-Rayz Walz, Rabbi Darkside, Haze God, Core Rhthym, and Multiple Man just to name a few.

If you would like to listen to any of my work, you can check out http://www.verseall.com/ for exclusives and free downloads.