Drummer, producer, publisher and writer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie talks briefly about his love of music and how he started at at three years old playing drums. He played in the orchestra and the big band at the age of 8-years old with his teacher. Purdie notes that he was forced to learn the trumpet, and although he was never good at it, it helped him to learn music.
Fred Coscia talks to drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie at an expo located at Top Star Productions in this 2008 interview. Purdie was at the expo to talk to people and offer them guidance about what they want to do in the music business. He talks about the albums he had coming out back then, and his stint with “Hair” on Broadway.
This 2007 interview with Bill Withers touches on his early life growing up in the south during segregation and how he started writing and recording music. He also speaks on his creative process and how he comes up with topics of his songs, how a lot of it was “trying to solve the riddle of life,” and how history and new experiences find their way into an artist’s music.
In this 1984 interview with songwriter and musician Billy Preston he talks working with the Beatles, his album “On The Air,” coming from a musical family, his roots in gospel and his connection to Ray Charles. He also touched on how he deals with the ups and downs of the music industry, and developing a thick skin.
In part one of the Funkmasters interviews drummer Roy “Futureman” Wooten talks to JB’s drummer John “Jab’o” Starks. Starks speaks on originality and how the younger generation needs to understand the art of playing with the band. He adds how solos were played within the music so that the band (rhythm section) knew exactly where to come back in.
Marco Polo takes us through his process for making a beat, which is basically being inspired by sounds and then putting them all together until they make sense. In this video he plays around with the MPC and MPD; incorporating elements of various different records. He also talks signature sounds and Pete Rock.
The Low Budget Collective’s Kaimbr talks with Behind The Beats about late 80s/early 90s slow songs, Aaliyah performing at his High School prom and his beat on the Smooth Grooves Beat Tape project. Dropping on Valentine’s Day, it features instrumentals with slow jam samples. he cues up his contribution on the MPC, which samples Silk’s “Lose Control.”
Henny and Dow Jones of Tha Bizness kick it with LA-based producer DJ Khalil in the studio and talk how it’s too easy for up and coming producers, their access to virtually everything in this day and age and starting out using the Roland VS 880. The conversation also travels to Logic plug-ins, Reason, bright full sounds vs gritty dark sounds, travelling and learning different production strategies and sharing your knowledge.
Hank Shocklee of the Bomb Squad talks about how he got into music using his collection of records, and was able to create his own edgy sound. He also touches on how he got introduced to Reason, his first reactions, and how it simplified processes he was using with hardware. He also speaks on its many layers and how you can manipulate stock sounds and make them your own.
More footage from the Propellerhead Artist Feature where Hank Shocklee discusses his journey into the music industry starting as a group called Spectrum City with Chuck D and fellow Bomb Squad member Keith Shocklee and working with other producers. Not excited about the results, Hank started producing to see if he could create something better.
This Beats Per Minute video presented by Flud Watches shows Araab Muzik shedding light on how he started working with the MPC and how he perfected his skills. He speaks on drumming since the age of three and following a natural progression that led him to producing by the age of twelve.
Producers The Legendary Traxxter and No I.D. in the lab working on Chicago native Mikkey Halstead’s latest project. No I.D. and Traxter speak on coming up on opposite sides of the city and pioneering Chicago hip hop, how they ended up working together, and Halsted as the best rapper they know who isn’t as established as he should be.
The legendary DJ Premier sits down with Vlad TV to talk about his finest album production wise. He also touches on his friendship with Guru through the good times and bad times, the trial he was going through during the making of Moment of Truth, and finally getting a Gold album.
Producer JR Rotem talks to Cambio Connect about being a producer and having knowledge of musical instruments. He also recounts an experience with Shock G in the studio and creates his own version of Digital Underground’s classic hit “I Get Around.” He also talks about simplifying a beat and adding room for rapping or singing along with adding elements to note the start of the chorus.
Fader TV interviews Des Moines, Iowa native Bangladesh in New York City, where he talks about Max B, how “A Milli” changed the sound of music and where he finds the sounds that he uses on his tracks. He also speaks on his production influences like Organized Noise and Timbaland.
Producer, DJ and Stones Throw Records founder Chris Manak, aka Peanut Butter Wolf digs in the crates at Amoeba Music and talks early influences from reggae to punk rock to soul like The Specials, Yellowman, Raw Power and Jermaine Jackson. he also picks up a Lakim Shabazz record, and one from The Blasters whose lead singer was ironically his college math teacher.
Mark The 45 King sits down with DJ Premier on Making The Beat and shares memories of Heavy D and other fallen hip hop soldiers, their approaches to receiving demos and breaking new records, production and how music business protocol has changed throughout the years. FYI aspiring artists, there’s a better chance DJ Premier will listen to your music than The 45 King.
Gowhere Hip Hop catches up with the RZA and speaks on what he has going on in 2012; namely a Wu-Tang Clan tour, the possibility of a new Method Man project, and enjoying life. He also mentions that he has 500 beats for the picking in his studio and that Busta Rhymes and Nas have both stopped by to do some listening. He shares his philosophy on spreading music and culture, how Wu-Tang is his foundation and speaks about working [...]
L.A. based producer Dibia$e in Montreal comparing and contrasting the hip hop scenes in both cities. He drops the gem that he’s participated in several aspects of the culture. Not just a beatsmith, he rhymed and danced as well; shouting out hip hop underground dancers Down To Earth and Majestic Movements. He also drops the science that as a former dancer he makes beats with dancers in mind.
Amidst a sea of records, Tokyo City’s DJ Muro recounts his introduction to hip hop at a roller skating park via legends like Afrika Bambataa and Grandmaster Flash. He soon found his niche as one of the few Japanese DJs making hip hop tapes, and speaks on the challenges of limited resources in his country. He also tells the history of his ”King of Diggin” mixtape series and shows off his book 45 RPM Cover Museum.
Hardknock.tv interview with North Carolina based, Grammy winning producer 9th wonder. Backstage at this summer’s monumental Rock The Bells Tour, 9th talks about working with Drake five years ago, paying homage to those who came before you, and what producers make him work harder.
Grindmusic.com grills Large Professor on his work with Kool G Rap, the rise and fall of Main Source, and the makings of the rapper Nas. Extra P recounts working with Nas around the same the time he was working with Eric B and Rakim.
Up and coming Bei Maejor videotapes himself creating a track using a new pair of LA Tech sneakers. He stomps out the kick, claps the snare and even raps to the beat.
The legendary and magnificent DJ Jazzy Jeff on the third part of PP2GTV’s DJ’s On The Decks series. Jeff shares anecdotes about when he fell in love with djing, how Serato doesn’t make you a better DJ, and how he’ll never be able to tell you his favorite song. He also talks about his Michael Jackson tribute album, “He’s The King, I’m The DJ”.
Skillz conducts another round of Hip Hop Confessions with Grind Music producers Sean C and LV, Hitman Deric “D-Dot” Angeletti, and one half of the Young Gunz; Young Chris. The group talk about the classic tracks that they didn’t like at first and awkward studio moments.
Petersburg, Virginia producer Lee Major takes us behind the scenes of the making of Rick Ross’s “Free Mason” off the Teflon Don LP. Major talks about his creative process in the studio, and working with Jay Z and Rick Ross.
Skillz picks the brains of Stones Thrown Records founder and producer extraordinaire; Peanut Butter Wolf, and A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip on this episode of Hip-Hop Confessions. Peanut Butter Wolf recounts his first meeting with The Beastie Boys, and Q-Tip lets us in on the first time he heard Biz Markie’s “Just A Friend”.
Virginia’s Skillz sits down with the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff and renowned producer and former rapper Kwame (K1Mil) for Hip Hop Confessions. Kwame spills about the classic movies he’s never seen and DJ Jazzy Jeff let’s us in on a little known secret about the second single from his and the Fresh Prince’s He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper album.
On another episode of Hip-Hop Confessions, Skillz interviews some big names in the Virginia music scene. Radio personality Big Nat, Nickelus F., battle rapper and songwriter, and Super Friends founding member Danja Mowf talk about their hip hop leading lady obsessions.
The second part of Kanye West and Rhymefest in West’s Jersey City apartment working on material for both artists. They poll the guests on the apartment on what song they take to the best after a listemimg session. We also hear an early version of West’s “Jesus Walks”.
Subscribe
Follow us