From polka dots to "On Fire" HOT. Kwame aka K1 MILL Productions has blessed Lloyd Banks with a classic chart banger titled "ON FIRE".
For those who don't know who Kwame is will soon learn that you'll have to f*ck with him sooner or later, period!
We caught up with Kwame at his Harlem based studio working hard on another banger. Can you say Longevity?
Who is Kwame?
Kwame is that 9 year old kid who first heard Rapper's Delight. Kwame is that kid who totally embodies Hip Hop 1 billion percent from being a break dancer, beat boxer, rapper and producer. I went from Phat ropes to platinum chains. I'm Hip Hop period.
Describe your transition from an artist to producer?
It wasn't really a transition because I've produced all my stuff as an artist. I don't know how to be anything else but a producer.
I didn't figure out what a producer was until I was coming up with Herby Luv Bug.
At the time Herby was working on Salt N Pepa's record and came home one day with a phat rope and a phat Benz. I asked him what the hell you do. He said I'm a producer. I said well I'm a producer too than. I wanted to do the same thing.
What equipment did you use in your earlier production and what are you using now?
The Korg M1 Keyboard was the first keyboard I got. I used vintage gear like the MOOG, Ensoniq and the SP12 then upgraded to the SP1200. I was using Mac computer software and Protools back in 1989. I used a lot of live instruments and incorporated samples at the same time.
What is your feeling on sampled based production?
That's what I do. I'm not a 100% sample driven producer. I've been in this game for over 15 years and I'm still searching for the perfect loop. I think the most perfect loop I've ever used is on "The Rhythm".
I'm into sounds. My record collection is not extensive. I pick out the weirdest records. That's what I gravitate to. I want the weird shit that the next producer won't get. One little sound can spark a whole track. Certain records have a mood and feel that I like to sample in pieces and I'll acoustically build on top of that.
Describe some of your production techniques?
It varies. I zone out sometimes and put my ideas mentally into to physical form. When I zone its equivalent to me sleep walking. I'm not aware that I nod my head while in the middle of a conversation.
I start off with a 4 bar sequence and expand from that. I'm not satisfied until the track bounces just right and every sound is in place.
There was a technique that you've used on your albums for your vocal recording that pitched your voice up. What did you do to achieve that sound on your vocals?
That was a bugged-out altered ego personality. People who were into Kwame records knew there were 2-3 types of records that went into a Kwame album. There was the lyrical stuff, the bugged-out story telling stuff which was the high pitched voice whose altered ego was "Heisme" which stands for "He Is Me". All those Kangol Crew, Slick Rick, and Dana Dane type records were done in the "Heisme" voice.
We slowed the reels down and I rapped to the beats real slow and then sped the reels back to normal tempo and the vocals came out in the "Heisme"voice. You can do this with Protools today but I still rather slow the reels down and do it old school.
Describe your sound. What process do you use to achieve your sound?
I like things very big and dramatic. My sound is pure energy whether it's slow or fast it has to push and move you. I use tons of strings & horn orchestration. Unfortunately I'm limited with space and finances to produce live horns and strings.
My goal is to be the first producer with his own Hip Hop orchestra similar to Barry White. My short goal is to have a band like the original James Brown funked out band. There's nothing like human beings playing music live.
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