It goes way back to when I was a kid. Just growing up with Hip-Hop and wanting to contribute. I spent years DJ'ing and it eventually lead to doing beats. I was inspired by older cats I grew up around that were already making moves. I started hanging out and it came naturally.

What equipment did you start with?

An Ensoniq EPS

What did your first beats sound like?

Real gutter...my peoples from back home still say thats their favorite shit.

How has your sound changed?

I got better with arrangements and the final production...Overall the music sounds bigger....fuller. At least thats what I'm going for.

What equipment do you use now?

I use the MPC3000....I still use the ASR as well....Plus I got a buncha synths and Pro Tools and all that.

How long does it take you to make a beat?

I'd guess 30 minutes....then I get it into Pro Tools and spend hours arranging and mixing it.

How do you know when you're done with a beat?

when I can listen to it all the way thru and not change anything.

How and what sounds do you look for in a sample?

Anything that you drop the needle on and do the "awshit face"....and sometimes it's just a song that I've been bumping forever and decided to do a beat out of it.

What's the best sample you've ever found?

The first beat I ever made...it was some Roy Ayers shit from my pops collection.....I musta listened to that beat for 2 days straight!

You "co-produced" "Don't Come Down" with Eminem for Obie Trice, what did you do for the beat and what did Eminem do?

I did that beat when I still only used an EPS and a SP-1200....I had the sample and some drums and a bassline...it was simple and grimy. Obie wrote some incredible shit and made it a hot record... Eminem came in and made that shit huge. He added a lotta strings and electric guitar.....timpanis and all kinds of shit. He did the crazy arrangement and made it complete. I think he's one of the best producers in the game right now. I learned a lot from that record.

You did "Let It Go" for Cormega and M.O.P., did you know you were making a beat for both of them to rhyme on?

Nah.....I had worked with both artists in the past before too....I like working with Mega cuz I know he has great taste in beats. That was some real spur of the moment kinda shit. Mega called me up like "i need a beat for me and MOP". I brought a buncha shit and that was like the last beat on the cd. Fame and Danze went crazy when they heard it. Fame also did a lot of the vocal structuring in that record, he's an ill-ass producer.

You're working with Chali 2na from Jurassic 5, what made you want to work with him?

That's my man...A real good dude and a pleasure to work with. I did 3 joints with him and they were all done right. We had it all planned from the beginning. I felt that. We got Anthony Hamilton on one joint, Raphael Saddiq on another and Ming from the Spooks on the last one. You'll hear soon enough.

What kind of beats do you make for Chali?

Very up-tempo and polished but still has the classic Hip-Hop feel to it.....we did some heaters.

How is it working with Ghostface and Raekwon?

That's a dream come true right there. I used to sit with my EPS and just analize the shit outta their albums and what Rza did. It's so natural...hearing either one of their voices on my track is a good feeling. I taylor-make a lot of beats for Ghost. I know I really gotta be on my A-Game too cause he only picks the flyest shit.

You did "Streets of NY" for Terror Squad, how was it working with them?

It was dope man....I've been a Fat Joe fan since day one and I'm honored to do anything for Terror squad. Tony Sunshine is a dope singer. He brought a real old-school classic soul sound to that record. It reminds me of a doo-wop record or something.

How do you decide what beats to give away for free and what beats to charge for?

If something really moves me, it's gonna hit the street regardless.... whether it drops on Interscope or Kay Slay.

What artists can get free beats?

If I believe in you and feel like I'm a part of your movement. I ain't gonna just slide you a beat and bounce. I wanna sit down, build, and do something on a different level from what you already got.

Who would you like to work with next?

I wanna find the right rapper and build a sound from scratch. Do the whole album......that's my main aim.

What's the last beat you've heard by another producer that amazed you?

I heard this new Primo mixtape...He did a joint on there that is incredible....You know who else? I just saw that show Linkin Park did with Hova. The beats were hot. I wanna do a record with a rock group like that....

What advice do you have for up-and-coming producers?

Stay in that basement and put in work on that equipment.

What's coming up for you?

I've been working with Aasim a lot this month..... Bad Boy just signed him and he's the future.

Shout outs:

shout out to HIPHOPGAME.com...I see you guys focusing on a lotta new artists and thats whats up!

Interview by Brian Kayser