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“What made you want to start making beats?
That’s just what God has chosen for me. He’s the musician and I am the instrument, he plucks my strings and that’s the tune I play.

What equipment did you start with?
Fostex 4 track Recorder, Boss DR 55 Drum Machine, Kramer bass guitar, and a Casio Keyboard, Later followed by a Yamaha SU-10 Sampler (which is what changed everything for me).

What did your first beats sound like?
Limited midi drum sounds immersed in heavy keys and live bass lines. I had some real white guy rhythm when I first started and lacked variation in my drum programming.

How has your sound changed?
My drum sample library is 3000+ and now I am fundamentally better. You eventually grow to understand every song and sample requires a different type of kick and snare, I also rarely touch the keys. I am sample based producer now and been that way since ’95, I can still make original beats, but I think keyboards sound like plastic and lack feeling no matter how good you play’em or how much you pay for’em. Plus I started dating black women and Spanish women; suddenly I became more soulful and had some rhythm

What equipment do you use now?
Everything starts with God and prayer; He is really my main piece. In the physical realm though my first weapon of choice is the Akai MPC 2000, I add accents off that with the Proteus 2000 and the Korg Triton 88 Pro X, and then finish out in Protools. I also use my intellect and instincts, I don’t just make beats, I produce records and shape artists onto the tracks.

How long does it take you to make a beat?
Anywhere from Thirty minutes to eight hours. Some days the ideas flow quickly other days you got to put in extra work. It's amazing how many times you can pass the same sample over and over and then one day it strikes you different. You decide to use it and then realize you been passing over a banger for years.

How do you know when you're done with a beat?
I don’t think I know. I’m a perfectionist and I find flaws in every record I make, even the ones I got placements on or the ones they play on HOT 97. Nothings ever good enough for the standards I have set for myself, but you get to a point that you just got to let it go. Some of the problems I hear and want to change in the joints are just minor and nit-picky and no one else will probably notice. My main concern is that I don’t let God down, cuz this is all for his glory, so really he decides when it's done.

How and what sounds do you look for in a sample?
Well my record library is just shy of 10,000 ranging from Disney to Broadway, to Rock and Soul. I honestly don’t know what I'm going to make when I sit down. I just go with whatever the spirit moves me to do.

What's the best sample you've ever found?
I haven’t found it yet, but I will let you know when I do. I guess whatever generates my biggest payday and/or buzz. That will be the best one. Stay tuned.

You've worked with Tragedy, what's that like?
“Gracious”! The man is a monster with a pen and in the booth. Last February we were recording for the “Black Market” album (Tragedy Khadafi, Killah Priest, and William Cooper), and I watched this guy pen a 16 bar life joint in 15 minutes. He rehearsed it twice in the control room, then went into the booth and nailed it in one take. Trag is one of lyricists that if you pay attention and listen to what he is saying you will walk away feeling like you just got your degree. I am blessed for the experience.

How do your beats complement his style?
The joint I did with him is called “Think Market” for the Black Market album. The beat is real progressive and sound like something out of the year 2010. Trag, Priest and Cooper all brought some heat to it. As far as my beat complementing Trag’s style, Tragedy probably did me more justice then I did him.

How do you get people like Trag to listen to your beats?
My boy Booth aka William Cooper is part of the Black Market. I was already doing beats for Booth’s album and he basically just looked out and called me when this opportunity came up. It’s all about serendipity and whom you know.

What about Cormega? How'd you get down with him?
I met him at in store @ The Cop Shop (A Long Island Hip Hop Shop in Smithtown, LI). I had just completed two 2pac remixes for Tragedy Khadafi and mentioned it Mega’s manager Biz. I told him I had more Pac vocals and that I would make a joint for Mega if they were with it. Shortly after, I delivered the joint “How We Ride” and we laid it down in Queens Bridge during the anniversary week of 2pac’s death.