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2/13/2006 What's up J? I'm doing good, just working. I'm actually working on a beat right now as we speak. How do you want to introduce yourself to the HipHopGame audience? I'm an up-and-coming producer. I have a lot of heat and I'm very versatile. I want to be one of those producers that everybody checks for and I want a slot on everybody's album. How's your work with AZ coming? He's working on a new album. I know it should be out this year. We've done two joints. We've done a joint featuring Little Brother that came out hot. I don't know when he's planning on dropping anything, but the music is solid. How is AZ in the studio? I grew up listening to him. It's a pleasure to work with AZ. It's fun. It's real exciting. He cracks a lot of jokes and its fun. It's a learning experience. How's your work with Craig Mack coming? It's coming good. I met him through a mutual friend. He's got his Mack World Entertainment that he's dropping on. We've got a couple of records done and they're sounding hot. You've also worked with Jean Grae, how was that experience? She was the first artist that I ever worked with in the industry. She took a chance on me. We did two records for "This Week." I appreciate her putting me on. We're actually working on a new record for her new album. It's sounding real hot. We'll see what happens. What is it about Termanology that's made you want work with him? I respect him. He's like a brother to me. We're both from the same area in Massachusetts. We're trying to put Mass on. As a producer, I don't speak, so no one knows where I'm from. Term is representing that 617. He's on his grind and I'm trying to take it to the top with him. The movement's there. How did Saigon's "Breathe Thru The Years" come about? My friend was working with him. I came through Baseline [Studios] and we laid down about three joints. It's one of the best songs I've ever done. I wish it could have went further than the mixtape, but it's hard with the sample clearances. I'm trying to do something for his album. Were you disappointed that Whoo Kid didn't play his third verse on the mixtape? Not really. Saigon had wanted the third verse on it, but he said the third verse didn't really fit the first two. I thought the track was hot with the two verses. Whoo Kid shouted out Kanye West on the hook and a lot of people might have thought it was Kanye West did that beat. I'm trying to let everyone know that I did that joint. When did you start taking producing seriously? In 2003 when me and my manager Zack Einhorn got together. He's from New York but he was living in Boston at the time. We sat down to figure out our direction and where we wanted to go. We formed Dice Management and a year after that we met Jean Grae. I realized that I have to do this for a living, not as a hobby. What was the hardest part about getting that first big track done? It was hard coming from Boston. I would go to New York and try to network for two or three days. That definitely wasn't enough. I was real tired of catching the boat back to Boston. The reality wasn't kicking in how tough and how much work this industry takes. I had to stop everything I was doing and do it full-time. I decided to move to New York and run with it. I definitely needed a couple of years to realize the drive I needed. That didn't develop overnight. How does being in New York help you? You're in the middle of everything. I worked at Bad Boy for a little bit, and it's easy to network. Other places, you can't network. You can't chill at labels if you don't live in New York. It's networking central out here. New York City is where it's at. I'm trying to be living proof. I'm climbing these stairs and it's happening. Do you find more people trying to work with you once they see your resume? Definitely. When I first started off with Jean Grae, it was a real slow process of people trying to get at me. Once I did Jean Grae and then Saigon, people started listening to me more. Then once I got Talib Kweli and AZ, then Prospect, that's what made people open their eyes more. What equipment are you using right now? I got the MPC and Triton setup with Pro Tools in my computer. I've been using Acid a lot. It's easier to do a lot of drops and to remix records on there. I've been on the computer hard lately. What advantages do computers offer? It's easier to chop up and load in a sample. The MPC is limited like that, plus you don't see the sample. On a computer, you can deal with the wave's and chop up what you want. The MPC is a different vibe. You're banging on it. I have good rhythm where people can't tell what I'm doing. You can be more stiff on a computer and you sound more live and natural on the MPC. I think I've found a way to compliment both. A computer is faster, though. MPC's are definitely more time consuming. Where do you see the technology going? Everything is going towards the computer. 15 years ago, they didn't even have computers to record vocals. It was all on tapes and DAT's. A lot of up-and-coming producers are using Reason and software to make beats. 9th Wonder uses Fruity Loops. I think that in the next five or ten years, we may be on straight computers. Everything is going to be all computers. It's easier and faster, and it's the universal language. Is there a lot more competition now than when you started? There's definitely a lot more competition. The last five years, it became the main thing to be a producer. Everybody's a producer now. I don't know if it has to do with programs, but I think that for the younger generation that's doing it, they're all using Cubase and Reason. Computers are taught in school. You don't have to know anything about hardware. It's easy. Kids aren't taking it as seriously because they see how easy it is. There's definitely a lot more competition. I don't mind it. It gives every individual a stronger drive. It should make you hungrier. It should make every individual go harder. How is a J-Cardim beat made? If I have a hot sample, I'll cut up the parts that I want to take and I'll load them into Acid. I'll start my drums first, from the hi-hats and snares to the kicks. I'll put the sample in and play with it. I'll chop it up even more after the sample is laid. I'll make the drums swing if I have to and sometimes I'll change the drum sounds depending on the vibe that I get. After I get an 8-bar loop, I'll add the bassline and start adding build-ups and a hook. I try to change it up. I try not to make it a straight loop. It'll take me about 15 minutes to do the simple things. I'll always do an 8-bar intro, 16-bar verses, and 8-bar hooks. Then I'll start detailing the beat. If a rapper wants a 20-bar verse, I'll change it up. What's coming up for you? Dice Management is going to stay working. There's a couple of other producers we're trying to bring up. I have a squad in Boston, Certified G'z. That's Zay da Young Don and Chief C. There's also G-Eyez. Hopefully by the summertime their albums will be coming out. That's one of the main projects that I'm working on right now. I want to get them popping. I'm also trying to get some work done with Rhymefest and Saigon, plus the AZ and Craig Mack projects. What do you want to say to everyone? If you're looking for beats, get at me. I got beats for days. I'm willing to work with any artist. I'm trying to be nice and do it. I'm trying to be on everybody's project. I'm trying to make J-Cardim a household name. Be on the lookout. For beats, contact dicemanagement@tmail.com and be sure to visit www.respectandpower.net

By Brian Kayser

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