INTERVIEW BY J HATCH
What’s poppin Apex? Congrats on your recent success man, I know you have been on the grind for a minute. Before we get into all the beat lingo, tell our readers a little bit about yourself as well as some background on your post placement career.
Well I’m from Bed-Stuy Brooklyn, NY born and raised. I started out as a DJ in my teens then gradually made the transition to producer. I would work with local acts in Brooklyn while I also posted my music online. Posting music online is how I hooked up a classic single “What would happen” for Stack bundles final recording. Through out the Internet I also got songs done with the reggae artist Junior Reid. I also got called to score music for the Street stars “Game Over” DVD about Rich Porter, AZIE and Alpo narrated by Jaddakiss. I was also signed to a few local indie labels too but nothing really lucrative just great for experience.
There was a lot of talk about how 50 got your track, I need you to clear the air and tell it like it is.
I’m tired of telling this story man. Basically some dude compiled a cd of hip-hop tracks he downloaded off the net. He then turned around and told people at G-unit that he made them all. The Jig was up when the fool did not have the track files and could not recreate the beat.
When the dust settled and the record finally came out, what was going through your mind, I know you went crazy!
Yeah it was pretty funny now that I look back at it. I just came home from a hard days work doing a 9-5 and I go to check my emails and someone sends me video of 50 cent recording a video to my track. I see 50 in a good mood rapping to my beat in the video, which was pretty wild man. I new I had heat but to get the attention of 50 cent on a professional level was bonkers.
When was the first time you really heard the song and got the overall impact of it being a huge record for 50? (Some even said it saved the album)
I heard the song online early when G-unit leaked it after the thief exposed his self by not having the track files. I already new it was going to be a big single but I honestly really realized it when different rappers started doing freestyles to it like back to back. Every day there was another rapper doing their version of the song. I would be outside and people would be driving by blasting “I get money” out of their cars. I was in Burger King and I heard the phone ring and it was the “I get money” ringtone. I was thinking to myself ok It’s official.
Now that you’ve got that record under your belt, I know the phone starting ringing and people wanted the same ‘ I get money’ beat. How do you give the project what it needs vs. what it may want?
Yeah I did have that happen to me. When I did meet artists they all told me” I want that I get money” but you can’t get that. 50 has that already. I’m more than “I get money” but I guess sometimes artists are scared to take a chance with a new producer and they want the same success as your previous hit. That’s not going to happen all the time. “I get money” was magical. Everything was set up at the right time, summer was just getting started, and The Forbes list just came out, then the friendly feud with Kanye etc. It was crazy. I have alot of different sounds so if somebody requests something similar to something I did before I can give it to them but I will also let them hear something different. I have alot of different stuff whether it’s original or sample based so your going to hear something you like.
Even though it had a very historic voice sample, the royalties must have been sick, were you always a sample kind of producer and where do you stand on that being an art form today?
Yeah I always was fascinated with sampling and that comes directly from being a DJ when I was younger. I used to just sit back and through instrumental tracks on the 1200s and just break down the different sounds they used in my head.
The track itself is very different, very heavy dark synth with a popping snare drum and a hypnotic yet strong melody, is your sound really just that lane or do you try to stay diverse and provide for many genres of music?
For the street tracks yeah I like to use alot of synths and try to make the melody catchy. On the flip side I also got tracks that are very pop sounding.
What current projects is Apex working on now, what can listeners expect to here that you’ve created?
Well I have two tracks with Prodigy on the H.N.I.C.2 album. I did the track for Young Buck on “My interview”. I have a new single with Swizz Beatz “Where the Cash At” that will be on his new album. He already shot the video to it as well. He’s a talented producer that has worked with the biggest artist in the game so to produce a track for Swizz feels good. I have a few more artists asking for tracks but I won’t mention the names until the songs are done.
Let’s talk it back to the come up, musically who influenced you to be an aspiring producer?
Man I would have to say cats like DJ Premier, Dr Dre, D.I.T.C, Beatminerz, Eric sermon, Buckwild, Track Masters etc.
With the producer having just as strong an identity as an artist these days, and being part of the marketing schemes for many artists as well, how do you feel about being in the limelight? Is that attractive to you or would you rather just lay in the cut and stay in the lab and create?
Being in the spotlight is cool because that affects your brand as a producer. The more shine you have the more artists hear about you and want to work with you because of your name. I like a little bit of both. I will do the producer panels like with Istandard but you won’t see me at any red carpet events too much. I think sometime dudes get caught up in there own celebrity and that effects the music. I’m not really that interested in being in the spotlight. If it happens then so be it.
After it’s all said and done, what are some of the misconceptions about the music industry so many try so hard to get into?
Honestly the music industry is pretty much what I expected it to be. There is NO love or loyalty in this game. This is a MONEY driven industry and your here today and gone tomorrow. I don’t think I can be any more straight forward then that.
What type of advice can you give other new producers that want to make a splash in the game?
Just keep doing you and take ever opportunity to get your music heard. Just promote ya self. The technology and tools are here.
If someone wants to make a serious inquiry about your services how can they get at you?
They can hit me up at Apexproductionz@gmail.com also thanks to iStandard for having this interview.
