Written by J Hatch (Inasirkl)

What's good Neek? Tell the world who you are fam.

I was born and raised in Harlem,came up as a DJ doing a little spinning here and there, and then around 1992 I made the transition from a DJ to the super star producer that I am today ...LOL

As a producer trying to make it big in this ever changing music industry what are some of the things you went through to get to this point and what are you doing to go further?

Man to keep it simple, I had to go thru my training. I had to be up under other producers, paying my dues, going up to labels getting doors slammed in my face, countless sessions working with around the way artist, getting paid for little to nothing. Then there were situations I encountered while dealing with managers. Working a 9 to 5 and doing music, and of course having those mad producer thoughts every once in a while.

As I got older, I started seeing things in a better perspective. I started to analyze my mistakes, and started focusing on what I need to be doing more of, if I want to rub elbows with the Dre's and Neptunes of the world. So I went back and reinvented myself; my sound. I started learning the true role of a producer, began associating myself with good people who don't mind sharing the knowledge that they obtained form being in the business. I got a excellent young talented business minded manager, and ever since then my name has been popping up here and there more so than the years before.

It's obvious you're a heavy music fan, When and why did you decide to follow the production route?

Man listen I'm from the juice crew era,you know the Big daddy Kane Kool G Rap Biz Mark Era. I loved the tracks Marley Mal was producing back in the day. At that time I was just trying to get my DJ skills together around 1988 to 92, but then when NWA came out and the tracks Dre was doing and the mix of live playing and samples I was like YO!!! I wanted to do the same thing, I wanted to be that man behind the music.

In the production game there a lot of individuals, past and present to look up to, who are some of your influences?

My influences are Marley Mal, Dr Dre, RZA, and DJ Premier

There are also a lot of so called producers trying to come up in the game, what criteria justifies someone to call themselves a producer?

Well for someone to call themselves a producer, they have to first know themselves,and know what they want to hear over their music. They have to know how to bring out the best in an artist,even if the artist is having a bad day. They have to know when a song is lousy, good, hot, or a hit and the most important aspect pf being a producer is KNOWING THE BUSINESS OF MUSIC. Oh yeah and Every piece of equipment you buy -learn that tool from top to bottom.There is more but thats the gist of it.

Let's talk about your rapidly growing discography, who have you laced tracks for?

I've had the opportunity work with Cam Ron, Posta Boy, Trey Songz, Nigo (Founder, Bathing Ape) & some television and commercial work with MTV/MTV2 Sucker Free Sundays, etc.

Being a native Harlemite and working with Cam, that had to be a good look, how did that collabo come about?

Well I'm going to have to thank Ty Fyfe, he was really the first person in the industry I worked with. I was apart of his production camp, at the time. Ty caught wind of my name from a artist I was working with at the time. I linked with Ty, then next thing you know BOOM it's on Cam Ron's Platinum album "Come Home With Me" Track #11 "I JUST WANNA"

You have a hot joint on the Coach Carter soundtrack, what was it like working with a hot up and coming artist like Trey Songs for a major motion picture jump off?

Oh man this track has so many stories, I'll tell you the short story. I'm up in Sony studios, with a gang of other producers, Me, my man Needlz, Digga and a couple of other producers, with Trey's management. Troy Taylor and Delante Murphy, so Delante was like, I KNOW SOMEBODY IN THIS ROOM GOT SOME HEAT!!!! ALL OF THESE PRODUCERS I NEED TO HEAR SOMETHING. So Needlz plays his tracks, Awwwww man this one track that Needlz played was straight fire. So they was like who's next? Everybody was kind of like uuuuuhhh ummmmm even me, truth speaking LOL. So I said f-it here, gave the CD to Troy it was the first track on my CD. Troy Taylor started hummimg to the melody, and shortly after he said he wanted it for Trey. So a few months later,Troy called me and was like we got something for you, and there you have it "About The Game" was born. The Coach Carter project came around and the song fits the theme of the movie so there you have it track # 14 "About The Game"

School the world on Ape records and the work you did with the company that made Bathing Apes worldwide fashion statement?

Well Ape Sound Records is the work of Japan Fashion Designer NIGO which is part of NOWHERE CO. LTD under the NOWHERE CO. is the popular A BATHING APE CLOTHING AND SNEAKER LINE.

That jumped off by being on Star Trak Music.com. I'm on the forum talking about who I am and this A&R from XL Recordings in London name Nick Huggett, wrote a reply to my post and said he would like to hear some of my tracks, so I sent a CD over to London. His boss Toby Feltwel, who's Nigo's right hand man, liked what he heard as well. So Nick e-mailed me and was like, I have some friends from Japan, that are interested in your music. So I flew out to Japan for 2 weeks and recorded two songs, and the rest was done over time. In the end I wound up having 9 tracks on the album which is entitled "NIGO(B)APE SOUNDS." The album, also has production by the Neptunes and DJ shadow, which of course is good company. I really appreciate all the love from Nigo, Toby, and the rest of the Bathing Ape Camp. The artist really did their thing on on my tracks. I was amazed on how they were riding my tracks in Japanese. Even thou I didn't understand a lick of what they was saying, LOL!!! but their flow was off the hook.

Who are you currently rocking with in the studio?

Right now, i'm working with this new young rapper from BK,name Spot. He's the truth for real... Of course I'm just submitting to the big dogs, and a couple of signed artist that have reached out from R&B and Hip Hop worlds.

Any artist you could work with dead or alive, who would it be?

Jae Millz (Harlem), Game,The whole G-Unit, Busta, Jay, Nas, Em, Snoop, Outkast, T.I. , Slimm Thugg, Ludacris, Red Man, it so many, but thats whats on my mind for now.

If you weren't a producer what would you be doing now?

Shiiiiiiit, music is in my blood Hatch!!! If I wasn't producing, I would probably be a music engineer,I almost went to 5 Towns College music school, but I wound using the money and just invested it in equipment; hands on learning. How you love that....LOL

For new producers and individuals that want to get into the game, what kind of advice can you give them to keep them focused?

Learn yourself, study music theory, and take the time to learn an instrument because thats whats going to put an extra 20 to 30 years on your career. Have patients, get around other producers and engineers so you can learn the tricks of the trade, get a good lawyer, and a good manager. In my opinion you should learn every aspect of the music industry, it's only going to better your chances of success in the long run.

Any last words for the music industry, public and readers of this fine publication?

YEAH GO COP THAT COACH CARTER SOUNDTRACK!!!! TRACK # 14 "ABOUT THE GAME" PRODUCE BY NEEK RUSHER.

ALSO FOR MORE INFO THEY CAN GO TO MY PUBLICIST WEB SITE AT www.tygereye.net/neekrusher or contact Delaney L. Douglas of Zingari (Mangement) LLC at music.jones@nextel.blackberry.net. If you contact him he's sure to holla back. Thank you for the support and for checking ya man...

Thanks Neek, do your thing man.