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Why did you start producing?

I started breakdancing in 1984, but wasn't really good at it. So I moved on to graffiti and did that until 1990. Of course I was also keeping up to date with the music aspect of Hip Hop during that time until I came to realize that I wanted to get more involved with the music. I eventually realized that music is "my thing"… and always will be.

What equipment did you start with?

I started with Amiga 2000 w/ Sound Deluxe sample hardware, then moved on to the Roland W-30 and Atari ST Cubase.

How did your first beats sound?

Very experimental, too fast and a little too hard.

How did you improve?

Hard work and constantly striving to improve my sound…

What equipment do you use now?

PC, Logic incl. EXS 24 Sampler, Akai 3000 XL, SP 1200 Beatsounds, various plug-ins for the PC, synthesizers etc.

When you sample, what type of sample do you look for?

It doesn't matter at all… I sample whatever I like. What's important is the result, and when it comes to that, I am very selective.

What's the first thing you do when you make a beat? / How do you make sure you bring the most out of a sample?

Sometimes I will have prepared the sample in advance. If that's not the case, I just keep playing the beat (kick, snare, hi hat) along with various records until I find something I wanna use. Then I play the sample till it's groovin' and adjust the beat so that it fits. I might also add a bassline and some strings etc.

How do you make sure the drums fit the beat?

I keep changing the beat sounds (snare, kick, hi hat) till it's knockin'.

How do you know when a beat is finished?

The basic beat is usually finished after about an hour. Afterwards I just play instruments over the beat and keep arranging till the verses and hook are different from one another.

You've worked with G-Rap and Saigon, what's that like?

My manager Jan Kluth made that happen. He's been working with G Rap for a while. Jan sent the beat to G Rap and G Rap got Saigon on it. Then Jan met up with G Rap at his house and brought back the track. Even though I wasn't in the studio with G Rap and Saigon, I am very proud of having done a hot track with a legend like G Rap and such a good MC as Saigon.

What did you think the first time you heard "Dirty Biz?"

Wow!!! G Rap on my beat… Crazy!!!

What's it like working with Ali Vegas?

Once again, my manager Jan Kluth met up with Ali Vegas in his studio in Queens. We got a track on his album "Who Needs A Pen", which was supposed to be released on Tommy Mottola's Casablanca Records/Universal, but apparently the deal folded.

You've worked with Punjabi MC too, what's that like?

Me and Sleepwalker produced Panjabi MC's single "Yogi", which entered the German charts at position 12 and stayed in the Top 20 for a couple of weeks. That was the single Panjabi MC released right after his track with Jay-Z.

What's he up to now?

I have no idea, he's been out the picture for a minute now…

Who is the nicest MC coming out in your opinion right now?

Saigon (of course), Postaboy is nice, Bathgate, a couple of others… As for the ones that have been in the game for a minute, my favorites are Eminem, Raekwon, Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent, The Game, Method Man, Fat Joe, Kool G Rap of course…

What do you think about the production game now? / A lot of people say that beat-making computer programs are messing up the game because now anyone can be a producer, how do you feel about that?

On the one hand, it's a good thing that people who can't afford to buy beats and who don't have a lot of money for equipment can make their own beats on their computer. On the other hand, there's a real danger that the quantity of amateur beats will outweigh the quality beats that professional producers provide...

There's a lot of stories out there about artists stealing beats, labels stealing beats…how do you make sure you don't get played?

All of my beats are copyrighted, plus the first thing I do after having finished a beat is putting it on a CD with the separate tracks and give it to my lawyer. Since you can't copyright beats where the sample is too long, we just replay the sample and change it accordingly.

What producers do you respect in the game?

Dr. Dre, Scott Storch, The Neptunes, Trackmasters, Just Blaze, Premo

What's in the works for you?

My manager Jan Kluth just got back from NYC, where he was in The Cutting Room (studio in Manhattan) with Postaboy and also Mos Def. Postaboy recorded 2 songs over my beats so far. Jan is also Bathgate's business partner, so I should be doing some more work with Bathgate in the foreseeable future. I recently did more tracks with G Rap and I might also be doing some tracks with the likes of Saigon, Grafh, Shells, Paul Cain etc.

How can MC's get beats off you?

Just send an e-mail to Jan@EuroBeats.de or Jan.Kluth@gmail.com

Shout Outs:

Jan Kluth, DJ Ben Kenobi (the hottest mixtape and club DJ in Germany), Milestyles, Sleepy, SMG, Ben, J.Bully, G Rap, Saigon, my whole family and of course Brian Kayser and the whole HipHopGame.com for doing this interview. Oh yeah, Jan wants to give a special shout out to Phrequincy, the Next Big Thing on the production side of things in the global urban music industry.

By Brian Kayser