Hailing from Rochester, NY, Kidd Called Quest is an up and coming producer making some noise in the underground. The first time I met Kidd Called Quest was at The Art Of Lyrics show a few years ago in Harlem. The artist he was working with at the time was fellow Rochester female artist Golden. I have been a big supporter of his music as he has worked with G. Fisher, Big Shug, Skyzoo and more. I was able to contact KCQ as he speaks about his love of sampling vinyl, participating in his first beat battle in NYC, working with Trife Da God, his take on the current state of hip hop, and more.
Sincere: Tell us a little about yourself and who were your musical influences growing up?
Kidd Called Quest: I have a lot of producers that influenced me to make beats. But DJ Premier, Hi TeK and RZA influenced me the most to do it. I have always liked the way Hi Teks drums and bass-lines smacked and fitted his samples. The way he played keys over his samples and his gritty sound, his sample selections to me he always sampled stuff other producers never touched and that is what made him stand out to me. DJ Premier, his dirty gritty drums and the way he chops up stuff used sounds to fill in beats I always thought was crazy. Premier would take a record you know and make it sound different like it came from something else, along with his sound effects and cutting records on hooks. Then RZA, he just had a sound that I always thought was unique flipping vocal samples making it sound like the beat was speaking to you and his raw drums to me was crazy. I always liked his real dark soulful sound and how he use to make his drums hit a certain way on the beat.
Sincere: When it comes to production, what are the weapons of choice do you use to create your music?
Kidd Called Quest: I like the MPC and Maschine. Those 2 really have that classic feel of physically making beats hands on. I know they have midi controllers etc.... out there but the MPC and Maschine is just different to me. Those 2 really give you that old school feel a lot of beat makers and producers from the hardware era love. They both have there ups and downs, one might do this better than the other one or workflow might be better. But at the end those 2 are the only software I really can get busy on.
Sincere: Some producers prefer to find samples online. However, you are still a trooper going to record conventions and stores to find the perfect break. Are you a fan of sampling an MP3 or do you prefer sampling from vinyl?
Kidd Called Quest: When it comes to digging for samples, I really love to sample off the actual record. It's just something I've always did since I was 14. I have sampled off YouTube before matter of fact, believe it or not half of "No Invitation Needed" samples was found on YouTube. I only did that because at that time when I was really doing projects back to back it saved me some time and money. I was doing like 3 projects at the same time. But now when I think about it, if I could go back I would have stuck to my regular way. The thing I always tell heads is that it's nothing like having that real vinyl sound with the pops and crackles. I'm not a big huge fan of sampling only off YouTube because it takes the whole fun outta digging for samples. It's like the sample is right there, get it loop it up, chop it that's that. I like to have fun plus when your digging you never know what you will find. Another thing I don't like now is that some of the people who post samples on YouTube will add a tag in the video or have the sound kind of distorted. If it's a sample I just can't find and YouTube is the only spot I go for it. But it all depends on the person I guess.
Sincere: You were at your first beat battle in NYC in which you went to the final round against Soul Tronik. Did you enjoy the experience and are you going to participate in more beat battles in the future?
Kidd Called Quest: Yes, its definitely was a great experience. I was not expecting to make it that far in the battle. We was all just having fun enjoying the night. I would love to get into some more of those beat battles in the future. S/O to my guy Soul Tronik.
Sincere: You have worked with some credible names from Craig G, Skyzoo, Reks, Big Shug, G Fisher and more. However, I love your work with Golden who is also from Rochester. Is there a chance we can hear another Golden/Kidd Called Quest project?
Kidd Called Quest: I would really like to do another joint with her. I know when the time do come, I have to really come twice as hard with the beats then I did on the "PMS" project.
Sincere: You are now on the upcoming Trife Da God album. How many tracks did you produce on the album and how did you hook up with Trife?
Kidd Called Quest: Trife and I started building a few years back around the time I released the "In My Zone" beat tape. He ended up using 2 joints off that tape and requested some more beats. I sent him like 12 other joints the next thing I knew, I had a joint on the TMF mixtape and he said that he was going to use some for other projects. I ended up doing the last track on his album could possibly more i don't think he fully finalized the track list But that's how we connected.
Sincere: What separates you from the average producer?
Kidd Called Quest: I just do me and try to stay 100% true and original to myself. I don't follow sound trends and I just try to make stuff that people anywhere can vibe too. I think that's the problem with music today, yes we all know the trap sound is in right now but everyone whose making that type of stuff are all making the same shit over and over again. I think if more producers and beat makers start standing up and tell some of these artist that we need to do something different a lot of this music would sound different.
Sincere: The stories of artists jacking a producer’s track without permission can be very demoralizing. How do you protect yourself from being a victim of beat jacking?
Kidd Called Quest: I really don't worry to much about that type of situation that much. The worse a person could do now is just find the sample and remake the joint. I really don't let too much of my beats circulate around like that unless its a project . I only send stuff out to people I'm going to work with.
Sincere: Producers are always coming up with new ideas to expand their sound. Have you thought about playing an instrument to add to your production?
Kidd Called Quest: I've actually been taking piano lessons for the last 6 months. I starting to catch on a little.
Sincere: What are your greatest challenges working with an artist?
Kidd Called Quest: Bringing the best out of them and putting them on stuff you would not normally hear them on. I always loved doing that because it shows that artist can flow over any style and sound good.
Sincere: When I speak to producers about the business side of things. The first thing they would mention is the word “budget” and local artist tend to not follow up. Have you had similar experiences? If so, how did you handle the situation?
Kidd Called Quest: LOL next question
Sincere: LOL Alright, If you had the opportunity to work on a collaboration project with another producer. Which producer would it be?
Kidd Called Quest: I have to say Kanye because it would really be a dope project. Plus I know I could lean a lot of stuff I don't know from him..
Sincere: What are your thoughts about the current state of hip hop?
Kidd Called Quest: Some of it is dope time to time but too much of it sounds too much alike and the same and that’s whats really hurting the music right now. It's more bad than good out right now, Like I said before, if more producers and beat makers start standing up and tell some of these artist that we need to do something different a lot of this music would sound different.
Sincere: Do you have any upcoming projects coming up in the near future?
Kidd Called Quest: Hopefully, soon there be more projects to come. I just been very busy and I haven't had the time to really focus on projects.
Sincere: Thank you for doing this interview with me. Tell people where they can follow you on social media and do you have any final shoutouts?
Kidd Called Quest: Follow me @kiddcalledquest both twitter and IG S/o to everyone that's been following me and those who just tuning in . Big S/o to @djchrisg585, Dj Sight, Azariah, G Fisher, D Dave, Golden, Lil Eto, M80, Ice Grill, Verse Essential, Curt Laisi, Midnite, Big Shug, Trife, SoulTronik, TMF, Amazing SB, Mr Jones, Tink Just, Scotty Malcolmsef, Ladie, SingaporeKane, C4 HCM, Volatile, JMC Jordn, King Righteous, Chup, Coach P, Destroy, Kel C, Prodbyrdm, E21, Dj Ease, Nuelement, Nikal Fieldz, K Off Beat. S/O to everyone who tuned in or just tuning in.
0 comments:
Post a Comment