Beat Society Makes Triumphant Return To NYC
February 13, 2011
“What the f*ck are you doing here?” must have been the most repeated phrase of the night, usually followed by an “oh sh*t” an appreciative pound or hug. On a night when many of the music industry’s elite were hopping red eye’s to California for the 53rd Grammy Awards, New York’s Tammany Hall was like a family reunion for hip-hop’s true school disciples.
The occasion? The first Beat*Society producer showcase in New York in almost six years. The producers exhibition featured Don Cannon, !llmind, Khrysis, Buckwild, Nottz and DJ Revolution on their laptops and Maschines showing off unreleased beats, remixes and sample flips. DJ Evil Dee was on the 1s and 2s warming up the capacity crowd which included Hot 97s DJ Enuff, Peter Rosenberg, Sha Money XL, Oddisee, RSonist, Chace Infinite and Vibe magazines Datwon Thomas.
Hosted by SAO and Stef Tataz (congrats on the little one!) the night also included performances by Danny Brown, Malcolm and Martin, Muhsinah, Skyzoo and Rah Digga.
But to truly appreciate how special the night was you need only this one quote from DJ Enuff, who easily could have walked in the building on name recognition alone: “I paid my $15 to get in! Cuz I support ya’ll!”
Keep checking this post as Nodfactor.com updates with videos from the night.
Remix round of Mos Def’s “History”
Sample flip round…
Beat*Society Is Back In NYC! February 12, 2011[DOWNLOAD]
February 11, 2011
Beat*Society, one of the premier producer showcases around, is back in NYC on February 12, 2011. Nottz, Buckwild, !llmind , Khrysis and Roc Marciano are scheduled to perform and DJ Evil Dee will be on the wheels. If you ever attended any of the shows at the Knitting Factory then you know what is about to go down. Nodfactor.com will be in the building! Details below.
Where: Tammany Hall 152 Orchard St.
When: February 12, 2011. 6pm
Cost: $10, 18 and over [BUY TICKETS HERE]
NO DRESS CODE
ALSO, to celebrate the occasion there is a Beat*Society Mixtape of live performances that you can download HERE
J.Dilla, “Still Shining” Documentary [VIDEO]
February 7, 2011
In honor of what would have been producer/MC J Dilla’s 37th birthday, Gifted Team Films, Okay Player, and Brian “B. Kyle” Atkins have released the documentary Still Shining. Dilla died on February 10th, 2006, due to complications from Lupus just days after his birthday and the release of his album, Donuts.
The project was started at his funeral in 2006 with Q-Tip, Erykah Badu, Common, ?uestlove, Busta Rhymes and many more sharing their fondest memories of the late James Yancey. There is some great in-studio footage of Dilla here and a time line of each section is after the video:.
“J.Dilla: Still Shining” from B.Kyle on Vimeo.
J.Dilla is Still Shining.
(2:55) - Work Ethic Starts In The Basement
(7:35) - What To Listen For in A Dilla Beat
(9:10) - J.Dilla’s Range As A Producer. The King of Reinvention
(12:16) - Going Beyond His Influences
(14:39) - The Dilla Approach To Production
(20:21) - Jay The Producer vs Jay The MC
(26:08) - The Personal Side of J.Dilla
(29:04) - A Soldier Unstoppable!
(32:05) - Venturing Out. (as explained by Phat Kat)
(33:59) - Heading Home… Job Well Done.
(34:48) - We Salute You.
UPDATE:
This is the piece of raw footage from MED’s ‘Push’ music video that the cover for the Stones Throw album Donuts was extracted from.
Dilla Donuts from andrew gura on Vimeo.
Mike Jaggerr Put A Thousand Days Into “The Eleventh Hour”
February 2, 2011
If you name your first project The 11th Hour, it stands to reason that you know a little bit about biding your time. About five years ago a high school kid in Delaware was tenaciously on his pre-Twitter hustle blowing my phone up. He was one of hundreds of producers vying to get into Scratch magazine’s Hydrosonics column. He was making music as part of a program called Bassline Entertainment and was rapping under the name Miraculous. Thankfully, his crew had music good enough to warrant his persistence, so after finally connecting we arranged the interview. In his profile he told our good friend Celia San Miguel about making beats using allergy pills. “I didn’t have a shaker. I had what I had and knew what I wanted it to sound like,” he said in the article. “I was just using what I had at my disposal.”
Back in the day...MP Fiend and a young Mike Jaggerr (Miraculous)
Five years later another mutual friend, MTV’s Jayson Rodriguez has arranged a reunion of sorts. Rechristening himself Mike Jaggerr, the rapper/singer/producer has packaged all of the experience he’s gained since his days part of Bassline into a mixtape called The 11th Hour. While the buzz about his new project has been quite…well…miraculous…he had to let that name go.
“You know how when you’re thirteen you think that stuff sounds cool,” he confesses with a chuckle. “I went to college and started looking at the name and telling people the name and seeing the reaction. So I had to switch it up.”
The new name is fueled by as much youthful indiscretion as the former. “My friends and I, we had this slang for getting girls like I’m bout “Jagg” her and I guess I did the most Jagging,” he explains. “I went along with the Jaggerr thing once I realize it stuck more then the name I had prior. I wanted another alias anyway so it was perfect.”
As for a certain long-haired rocker Mike doesn’t even see him. “No relation.” He’s building his own legend on his own time.
“Rainy Days”
Nodfactor.com: I didn’t know at the time that you were rapping and singing back in 06. I thought you were just producing.
Mike Jaggerr: Nah I was rapping first then started producing out of necessity. ‘Cause when I was in Bassline where we had this lady in the group named Aisha, who is an artist I still work with right now. You’re going to hear from her soon. She could sing exceptionally well when we were younger so all the beats we were producing would be for her. R&B Usher-ish and Beyonce type beats. That’s not what we wanted so I was like fuck it I’ll start making my own shit. That’s basically how it started. Then I wanted some respect so I started blowing your phone up.
Nodfactor.com: So what were you starting off with on the technical side, as far as production?
Mike Jaggerr: I was blessed because University of Delaware they kind of sponsored us. So we had everything in advance before I even knew what we had, like the MPC. We had Pro Tools, every type of module you could think. But I didn’t know what it was. It was sitting collecting dust for at least a year or so and then I started realizing what we had once I started researching. I’m like wow and we had people really grace us. Like they gave us space, practicing space studio space. The grand opera house in Delaware specifically gave us that and once I realized what we had I was in there everyday winter, spring, summer, school, school holidays, days off. I was in there while everybody else was playing ball watching Cartoon Network, I was in there making beats, making songs and just perfecting my craft.
Nodfactor.com: So you were self taught for the most part
Mike Jaggerr: Yeah self-taught for the most part. I took music theory in school but otherwise trial and error.
Nodfactor.com: This is more of an argument for bringing music back into the schools. A lot of people don’t even get those programs anymore.
Mike Jaggerr: Yea they definitely need it. If my music teacher specifically told me it was wack you know that made me want to refine it more. She helped me find arrangements and learning how to do core progressions and just how to put a song together. So it definitely helped me.
Nodfactor.com: So how did you get from there to here? From 2006 to 2011. What happened?
Mike Jaggerr: I went to sound school, I went to a school call Full Sail University in Florida. I studied film, initially I wanted to go to Berkley school of Music, and that didn’t work out. My audition was-you know what Kanye did at the VMAs right recently? Pulled out the MP? That’s what I did in my audition. I had the [MPC] in front of the stage, then I started playing the piano and singing at the same time. They were like thrown back. They didn’t know what to do with me. They [said] “We love what you’re doing but it’s not what we’re looking for.” They want you to play Bach and I was playing my own songs, that wasn’t cool. So I ended up going to Full Sail and I studied film. And I feel like music and visual should marry each other. When I’m making music I see things. I found out once I went to film school that [the] people that they make visuals hear music the same way.
From there in film school I was perfecting my craft making songs. “Rainy Days” and “Away” are songs that been around for like 2 yrs. Those songs survived those initial growth spurts that I was having as far as my production and song writing. “Away” was just a true story, to me it’s till raw to me. I listen to it and I want to mix it cause we didn’t mix the version you hear on the mixtape. That’s my straight raw version. I tried to mix it and it lost its essence. So I left it the way it was. “Rainy Days” is basically the same way. I went to numerous people trying to mix it and it just wasn’t right so I left it the way it was.
Nodfactor.com: Wow “Rainy Days” is one of my favorite songs on the mixtape. Why the name 11th Hour?
Mike Jaggerr: Because that’s where I’m at right now, like I need this to work. I invested all my time, energy and passion. I’m reading this book by Napoleon Hinu that was funded by Carnegie called Think and Grow Rich and the core ideal of the book is about desire and knowing what you want and not having a plan B or plan C. This is my plan A B C and D.
Nodfactor.com: How do you feel about the response to the mixtape. I saw a tweet the other day said Mike Jagger’s the new Internet it boy or something like that.
Mike Jaggerr: Yeah they said I’m the new “Internet phenomenon.” I’ll take that. I’m overwhelmed and appreciative also because the music it goes the a refining process with my circle you know like if it makes it through us then like generally everyone else can feel it too.
Nodfactor: On “Episodes” you rhymed “out in Hollywood buying food with food stamps” is that reality or a colorful story?
Mike Jaggerr: No that’s reality all the way. That was definitely real. The time period I went out there I was low on funds. I had worked at the Nike World Basketball Festival they paid me $700 for like a day. So I bought my tickets to go out there and I crashed with Jay Dixon. While we were out there and I [was] just networking and I was building with Will.I.Am’s engineer Dylan 3D Dresdow.I took a bus ride out to Burbank and I was just like a fly on the wall watching and learning stuff from him.
Nodfactor.com: How did you meet him?
Mike Jaggerr: Facebook and the power of the Internet. After a couple of weeks of building he told me to hit him up when I was out there. I didn’t think he was gonna respond when I called him but he did.
Nodfactor.com: What did you learn from him?
Mike Jaggerr: Watching some of the mixing techniques and I played songs that I had and he just gave me tips. It was a crazy time because Will and Nicki was practicing for the show and he was gone introduce me to them but that didn’t happen. But that’s cool [because] I got to sit and watch and learn. Once that door is open it’s always open.
Did you get any other mentoring
Nodfactor.com: So as a rapper/producer which do you do first?
Mike Jaggerr: I make the beat first. When I make these hooks I don’t put much thought into it. The words just come to me. It might not be coherent words, it’ll be like run on sentence [but] it normally pulls itself out.
Nodfactor.com: How did you make “My Hero”?
Mike Jaggerr: I made that beat when I came back from school, when I left Florida. I made that on the floor. I got these new instruments from a company called East West and I was just playing with them and that is what came out. They had this choir sound and it just struck me. I was angry at the time. The stuff I’m talking about on there is things that I went through. I remember my mom boyfriend told me I should get a job at McDonald’s when I was younger and I would stay late after school doing Bassline making beats or writing songs. He was a bad role model. During the summer I was interning for myself. I set up a program called Delaware Future. I got to make songs and beats everyday and I was making more money than him. My dad past away and the guys in my family was doing mostly negative so I only had myself to look up to.
Nodfactor.com: So what’s next? Are you shooting any videos for the mixtape?
We shot a video with Creative Control that should be out in another week. We finished it before the holidays and we are trying to get it out by the end of the month. And I directed a video for “Rainy Days.” Just pulling my resources and putting them to good use.
Producer CHOPS On Making “The Creep”
January 31, 2011
On Saturday those fools from Lonely Island dropped another viral gem with Nicki Minaj called “The Creep.” The sample-free backdrop for the hilarious stalker hand-book, monster mash was produced by beatsmith CHOPS.
“It was the kind of thing where my manager sent them a gang of stuff and that one just clicked,” says the former member of Mountain Brothers who has laced beats for Bun B, Young Jeezy and Chamillionaire. “It really fits the topic of the song too. We knew that they picked the track but it wasn’t locked down that Nicki Minaj was gonna be on it til Wednesday.”
CHOPS, who uses a program called Nuendo to make his beats, says he’s been doing the TV music hustle for the past five years or so, but is no stranger to diversifying sources of income. Back in the day the Mountain Brothers won a radio contest for Power 99 in Philly where they recorded a Sprite commercial that was played nationally.
“There’s money in other avenues besides records,” he says. “Now that CDS are dying you really have to be creative and find different avenues if you want to make a living. It’s not all just album sales wise.”
His advice to new producers looking to get into TV is not to delete any beats. The beat for “Creep” was not the “newest track in the world” so you never know who will find interest in something you’ve created.
“I definitely feel fortunate. I’ve worked with people that are bigger, but they’ve never picked my joint to be the single. I’ve always had album cuts,” he says of Lonely Island, whose last single with Akon, “I just Had Sex,” has over 45 million views on Youtube. “We’ve talked about possibly more stuff with LI and of course I’d love to get some work in with Nicki Minaj. She’s one of the biggest out and not afraid to be herself and have fun with things.”
Check out the video for “The Creep” below:
Producer 5th Seal Takes Things To Pepsi Max On Nick Javis “Rhyme Reels”
January 21, 2011
The 2010 NFL season was just as interesting after the games were over thanks to Nick Javis and his “Rhyme Reels.” The weekly rapped recaps of every football game became so popular that ESPN eventually took notice. While Nick’s lyrical dexterity and football knowledge (he played ball at Rutgers) deserve a lot of praise, that infectious beat was the handy work of Brooklyn’s Fifth Seal.
“Soon as I saw the finished product I knew it was out of here,” the producer told Nodfactor.com. ” Nick Javis did it the right way. He loves hip-hop and he loves football. He did something nobody did before.”
Seal met Javis through DJ Premier’s manager Phat Gary and Ras Kass. He gave Nick a beat CD after a brief meeting at a bar down stairs from Headcourterz and the very next day Javis had the first “Rhyme Reel Done.” Just a few weeks later ESPN came knocking and now the song is a feature in Pepsi Max commercials featuring Talib Kweli and Lupe Fiasco.
“Because it’s a corporation it’s been the biggest check I’ve ever seen,” says 5th Seal who interned at D&D when he was in high school. “It’s just opened up a door from the underground. Now I can spread my wings. I love hip-hop. So now I can take my style of hip-hop to a more mainstream level without changing the sound of it.”
The producer and DJ produced “He Say She Say” from Razzy’s A.D.I.D.A.S as well as cuts for Immortal Technique and KRS-ONE under the name Danger, but he has since changed his name because most people know about the producer who works with Timbaland.
“At the end of the Bible there is a book called Revelations. The 5th seal talked about the people that died for what they believe in and I thought that was dope,” he explains. “That’s where I got the name from. Being true to yourself. I have a lot of new music coming this year so I wanted to start fresh.”
You can link with 5th Seal on Twitter at @5thSealBeats.
Drake Challenges J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League To A Sample Battle
January 10, 2011
3 Little Digs Presents “Any Given Monday” Episode 8… Drake & J.U.S.T.I.C.E League from 3 little digs on Vimeo.
3 Little Digs Presents “Any Given Monday” Episode 8… Drake & J.U.S.T.I.C.E League from 3 little digs on Vimeo.
Spotted over at 3LittleDigs and I have to say I’m really impressed with this footage. Most studio clips will be a producer making a beat, explaining how a track was made, etc. but I’ve never seen the members of a team go head to head battling for the unofficial title of best ear when it comes to samples. The “interleague” battle as it was called, consisted of Rook vs Colione vs Barto with Drake crowning Colione as having the best material. I personally like Rook’s selections but what do you guys think? Was Drizzy right on this one?
K.O. Beatz On Homeboy Sandman’s “Strange Planet”
January 10, 2011
I started producing when I was a senior in high school. I started out with DJ equipment along with a sampler and started making loops. Shortly after that, I got my first keyboard, it was a Yamaha. My friends and fellow artists recognized my potential skills so they put money together and purchased me a drum machine. I didn’t have any personal mentors, but there were people that influenced and inspired me. My mother being one of them, the creativity side comes from her. Musical inspiration started when I heard Eric Sermon’s production with EPMD, Timbaland, Premo, Dr.Dre, and Pete Rock. They are all real inspiration of mine, just to name a few. I also love classical music including Bach, Mozart and Hayden..
3) How did you make the HomeBoy Sandman beat for “Strange Planet”? What was the inspiration?
5) Have you been in any beat battles, showcases or competitions?
The song, “The Journey’ will be starting this album and each song is going to take you on a voyage. Every track is going to be its own composition. This is going to be a soundtrack of instrumentals that the listeners can enjoy and create their own stories using their imagination. I’ve been working on this album for several months, the process has included working with musicians, instrumentalist, and new tools to bring something different to the fans.
7) Anything else coming up in 2011 that you want to share?
Yes, Chivalry Music Group. A collective of like minded musicians working to make music we believe in and supporting those outside of the collective as well. Along with writing and producing music other goals are to host events for the music community and mentoring young musicians. For beats check out http://www.kobeatz.com those looking for complete songs, hooks, and production check out.. http://www.chivalrymusicgroup.com and email us at [email protected] follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/kobeatz and http://twitter.com/chivalrymusic
Have you recently had a track placed that you want us to hear? Hit us up on Twitter @Nodfactor and @JLBarrow.
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Saigon: “We All Need Just Blaze!” [VIDEO]
January 7, 2011
Saigon’s The Greatest Story Never Told will finally be coming out in February. My history with Sai goes all the way back to my days at The Source magazine when my fellow editor Gotti would bring him by the office and bump “Favorite Things” ten times a day. Then when I became EIC of Scratch I recreated Gangstarr’s Daily Operation cover with Saigon and Just Blaze. I’ve been waiting THAT long for this album and thankfully much of what he played me then made the final cut and still sounds new.
Recently I interviewed him for my other site TheUrbanDaily.com and saved his conversation about Just Blaze for my Nodfactor fam.
I asked him about Just Blaze’s alter ego Red 5ive, how it came about and how his sound evolved as a result.
“Just Blaze created a sound with ‘Believe It…he ended up using it again on ‘Live Your Life’ and ‘All The Above’…”
Bangladesh Creates Lil Wayne’s “6 Foot 7 Foot” [VIDEO]
January 3, 2011
Bangladesh lets the cameras inside the studio as he takes us through the creative process in creating the beat for Lil Wayne and Cory Gunz new single off The Carter IV.
I gotta give him dap for selling the same beat to the same artist twice (you know this is “Amilli” on steroids) AND flipping Harry Belafonte in the process.
(Props to Nahright)
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