CHOPS: In grade school my boy brought in this little drum machine, a Boss DR-110. Kids had started getting into like Casio keyboards and stuff, and I was fascinated with that shit. Borrowed it from him and kept it for mad long, like half a year. I'd sit and try to copy drum patterns - Run-DMC beats, Planet Rock, stuff like that. You can peep the DR-110 here: http://www.keyboardmuseum.org/d_machines/dr110.html It lets you even click on the buttons, so you can do like you're playing it, and pretend you're little Chops. That's what I spent all my time doing back then. That piece is extra butt now, but at the time it was the greatest thing in the whole world to me.

What equipment did you use at first?

CHOPS: When I was real little I made pause tapes on the stereo, and tried to catch the timing so the beats would match, with the button. And I had a little keyboard that had like Hava Nagila and Greensleeves and Beatles songs in it. But my first actual equipment was a CZ-3000 synthesizer, and an RZ-1 drum machine. First real sampler was an EPS. For recording, I started on a reel-to-reel 4-track. Some Mountain Brothers stuff was done on that 4-track, even. I was the expert in getting some old equipment cheap and freakin it.

How about now?

CHOPS: I've bought and sold tons of gear since then, like tens of thousands worth, but my main piece now is a computer I built myself, with different software and special audio cards and things in it. It's a little bit on some mad scientist type shit. I can guarantee you nobody has the exact same setup I got, because I had to do some shit with metal cutters and pliers, and hooking up wires that could electrocute you if you mess up. That one's for beats, and I mix down to another computer, and then I got like 3 other computers in the studio for various other tasks, making CDs and mastering and stuff. Built all them shits.

Let's talk about your production techniques, when you sit down to start a beat, what's the first thing you do?

CHOPS: I have a long series of stretches, meditations, things of that nature. Incense, candles, and I chant and hit this little gong over and over, like Tina Turner in "What's Love Got To Do With It". Then when I am at peace and harmony with the universe, I fire up the machine and proceed to knock out a banger.

Can you talk about how you look for samples and how you chop them?

CHOPS: Actually I really don't sample. I play all the shit myself, it's more fun to me that way. I got some music training and stuff, since I was little, and I've been into funk and soul music and different oldies since then too. So like instead of sampling Booker T. and the MGs, I'll just soak it in mentally and it comes out in what I do. It works out good business-wise too, because 1) you don't end up with the same beat as somebody else, and 2) you and the artist you're working with get to make more money in the long run.

How do you know when a beat is finished?

CHOPS: That's a good one. I think you learn that with time. When I first started out, I'd mix a drum loop with like one little sound and then make demo tapes, thinking I was good to go. Now I'll make beats and then go back like a week later and beef them up, change tempo, take shit out before I play them for anybody. Eventually you have high enough standards that you know by feel. Like say if you're cooking, anybody can taste food and know if it's generally straight. But experience, knowing what people dig, what to add to the mix, what not to add, when to stop, is what makes you a cook.

What beats are you the most proud of?

CHOPS: The ones nobody's heard yet! I'm in a whole new league from before. But out of beats from before, maybe "Paperchase" by MB's, the Raekwon joint off my LP, the "All Night" remix I did for Daz, and "Fatherless Child" on Mystic's LP. I remember I felt real depressed one day, so I wrote that track and I felt cool after that. That beat is sad as fuck. I was real glad she thought it suited her song. Not real happy about the mix on that one though.

What's good with the Mountain Brothers now?

CHOPS: Basically everybody's doing their own thing right now, just as far as life. We get together now and then and everything's good with us, but with the fellas the focus is mainly on things other than music at this point. You never know, but not much jumpin right this second.

"Virtuosity" was a sick album, how did you go about putting that together?

CHOPS: Thanks man. I linked with this label Vocab through some work I had done for Goodvibe. I had a list of people from around Philly who I wanted for the album. I didn't get everybody I wanted but the label looked out, especially being Cali based. Then there was folks from Goodvibe, and some folks we were able to get at thru business channels. You'd be surprised though, for a new label and a producer who's really not known like that, there were some serious lookouts.

How did the collaboration with Kanye come about?

CHOPS: That one happened without me, Kanye had connected with Big E at the label. While they were building and stuff, E played him some of my tracks and told him about the album project, and he basically picked a beat and jumped in the booth. Which was crazy. I didn't even meet him until after. But I heard he knew about Mountain Brothers and other underground shit I had done.

How about Raekwon?

CHOPS: Rae heard some tracks and was feeling them. I got to do that one in the studio with him, I like working in person better. It adds to the creative process. The budget for the album didn't allow for being in person for all the songs. But we did what we could. I did some other work with him too, since my album. And we talked about getting down on some more stuff, coming up.

What MC's do you love working with?

CHOPS: Ones with a budget! Haha. Ones with a work ethic, who are cool and yet serious about their shit on a professional level. And ones who know what a producer brings to the table, and respect that.

If you could work with anyone in the world now, who would it be and why?

CHOPS: There's a ton of people I'd like to work with but I don't really spend too much time thinking about imaginary stuff like that. Gimme a little time, keep an eye on me and then you'll see as dots start connecting. But if I had to give an answer, I'd say somebody like Quincy Jones, because there's so much to learn there. Over his career he's done the whole range of music from real artistic stuff, to harder stuff, gritty funky stuff, pop stuff, r&b, movie scores, TV show themes... all kinds.

What's coming up for you?

CHOPS: I'm mainly doing tracks for other people's projects, which I like a lot. I'm not writing for one specific album right now so that lets me just create, in different styles. There's a Raekwon mixtape with Lt. Dan coming out that I've been working on for a while now, all original production, my beats. Working on a new one now, plus doing spec remixes for labels, stuff for mixtape DJs, different things to build the rep in the street and in the business more. Also some TV/film/DVD soundtrack stuff, and I'm supposed to start scoring a little film soon, a Philly street joint called "Triple Cross". Keep them eyes and ears peeled!

Shout Outs: Anybody who looks out. MBE, Lt. Dan, Vocab, Hiphopgame, my family and everybody who checks for my shit! And big shout to everybody who doesn't have any idea who the fuck I am but decided to peep this interview anyway. Check out some audio on my site www.chopsmusic.com

Interview by Brian Kayser
email Brian Kayser