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| by kenn on 1/17/2005 11:43:00 AM |
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DJ Quik Interview
Source:BS
 Throughout many walks of life, one is bound to find those that are very in tune to their profession. These deft experts seemingly know everything that's
happening around them and when the moment arrives, they are ready to adapt with the times. For years DJ Quik has fit that moniker.
The articulate producer has been a mainstay on the West Coast sound for years. In this interview, fans will see how sharp Quik is with his knowledge on the craft, his eagerness to create good music and his overall visions for the game in the future. That and the very apparent fact that as Quik preps his new album, he's still having fun doing what he does. As he's about to tell you himself... The man moves air.
Ballerstatus.net: DJ Quik...tell me about the new album: the title, its vibe and content?
DJ Quik: No title as of yet, but the album is funk music and it's not regional sounding. It's not like all West Coast beats or East Coast beats or crunk beats. It's real diverse, real different.
Ballerstatus.net: What's the tentative release on the new LP?
DJ Quik: We're trying to get it out before March '05.
Ballerstatus.net: I heard you did a song with Game?
DJ Quik: Yea, yea. Not for his album though.
Ballerstatus.net: How do you feel when some people say that the West Coast fell off, but now it's back?
DJ Quik: Whenever I used to get asked that Mark, how do I feel about them just saying the West Coast fell off, I never really knew how to answer it, only because I live here and it's like someone saying, "Your house is f--ked up!" How you feel about that?
Ballerstatus.net: That's exactly why I asked you the question because you're one of the west coast mainstays that have been doing it for years...
DJ Quik: Honestly, it used to hurt my feelings. I used to take it personal. Now it's like if it's the truth, it's the truth. You can't refute or argue against it in any way. But I'm doing my part to make sure they don't say that anymore; make sure it's not easy for them to say that just because they're hating or jealous of someone out here.
Ballerstatus.net: How do you feel about Game and other fresh MCs representing the West?
DJ Quik: Game is a good dude. He's young, but he's sharp. He's real quick and fun to be around. He's witty. He's not just like some young punk thug with something to prove, trying to get into gangster rap, this late in the game. He's born of it and you can't fake that with somebody. You really have to be that, to be the truth. And from what I seen and I spent a lot of time with [Game] on the road, I like how he processes. He's a real quick kid. He honors [Dr.] Dre and respects me. He loves 50 [Cent] and he's happy with his family and to me, that's going to be one of his strong selling points next year.
Ballerstatus.net: You worked with big names man. Who would you like to work with that you haven't got a chance to work with yet?
DJ Quik: Ok. I'm going to answer that like Ludacris would: "Everybody's Stinkin' Ass!"
Ballerstatus.net: (Laughs) Ok, so we know you're not ruling out anyone.
DJ Quik: Nope.
Ballerstatus.net: Hip-hop or any other genre for that matter?
DJ Quik: Yea, yea. I do reggae, I love pop...I get down with anybody. I might mash-up like Linkin Park and Jay-Z.
Ballerstatus.net: Uh-oh, a Quik mash-up.
DJ Quik: Ya never know. It would be fly to do.
Ballerstatus.net: Speaking of Jay-Z though, how did you get down for the Black Album?
DJ Quik: I've always been a fan of Jay-Z's from the beginning - from when I used to spin his underground white label record with Foxy Brown, "Ain't No Nigga," at pool parties, promoting it and sh-t. But I met him during a radio promo tour and dude is cool man. We got a lot in common because we're both tall light skinned brothers. But dude is dope man. He's a quick brain. He's super sharp and I told him I wanted to do something with him, like, "I wouldn't mind doing something with you." He said, "Shoot something to me." So, I shot him some sh-t, he didn't like it, and it was cool. I thought when I do something better, I'll keep him in mind when I'm making beats. The beat of mine that ended up on The Black Album was a beat that my boy Scott Vennor played for me out of his I-pod and was like, "Remember, you did this for Jay-Z a few months ago?" I was like, "Damn, Scott I almost forgot!" So I put it up and everyone was like that's the one and we recorded.
Ballerstatus.net: So if the Black Album proves to be Jay's final solo effort, do you feel like it was an honor getting on that project?
DJ Quik: No, because I don't want to be at anyone's end, ya know. Besides he did the Unfinished Business and [Collision Course] LPs. It's just good to see Jay-Z's name. "He's necessary in hip-hop," like Lyor Cohen would say. He's necessary and without Jay, it would probably be a boring game because he adds another level of excitement and competition.
Ballerstatus.net: It must be easy for you to cater a beat for a West Coast MC, but say you have a beat that you think is perfect for an East Coast rapper. Is it hard, even for DJ Quik, to get that through at times?
DJ Quik: Um... no, you have to be in New York when you do the record. If you're feeling it in NY, chances are you will be feeling it where ever it is, if it's tight beat and people in the studio agree it's a tight beat and worth recording.
Ballerstatus.net: Primetime producers are all known for something. What's Quik known for?
DJ Quik: I'm known for the way my kick and the way my drums and bass talk to each other. I'm known for funky counterpoints in the low-end. That's my forte. I'm a bass-specialist dog. I like to move air.
Ballerstatus.net: Do you use live instruments?
DJ Quik: Yea, yea you do, it's just how... You could make live instruments sound as funky and fun as any synthesizer.
Ballerstatus.net: What do you use that you think a lot of people can't put a finger on?
DJ Quik: I use second and third harmonic distortion a lot.
Ballerstatus.net: Which producers are feeling in the game right now?
DJ Quik: Believe it or not, all of them.
Ballerstatus.net: Anyone in particular?
DJ Quik: Well, nobody is doing it like me.
Ballerstatus.net: And why do you say that?
DJ Quik: Well, because only I could do me and I'm really loving how I get down production-wise because I'm comfortable, easy to work with and that's the key to success, remember that. The key is being easy to work with.
Ballerstatus.net: Looking back on the game that was in '04, we had a big return of the social conscious with Kanye West. What do you think is going to come along and be the next big wave in 2005? You're a veteran of the game, who's more than equipped to weigh in on this.
DJ Quik: Ok, what do I see for 2005? I think, actually I know there's going to be a couple of strategic albums that come out that are going to get a lot of attention put on them.
Ballerstatus.net: Could you elaborate?
DJ Quik: There's going to be some real tight music coming out next year. Like technically, music is getting better because keyboards are getting better. We're getting more time to sample, we're getting better, wider, higher frequency range-recordings through better recording techniques and better analog to digital converters. With all that said, is that music is already starting to sound better, broadcasted coming through computers and there are going to be records done the old-fashion expensive time-consuming ways, implemented with the new technology that is just going to sound superior to other records and that's it. But Mark, as far as producers go, again, I like them all. I like Organized Noise...
Ballerstatus.net: Actually Cool and Dre whom I spoke to a couple of weeks ago, said one of their biggest inspirations is Organized Noise.
DJ Quik: Who and Dre?
Ballerstatus.net: Cool and Dre. They did "New York" for Ja Rule.
DJ Quik: Oh, OK that's a cool beat. So check it out, I like them, I like Kanye, Jermaine Dupri, Dr. Dre, Jazze Pha, Just Blaze, to name a few.
Ballerstatus.net: You have the album tentatively dropping in March, what else are you working on for 2005?
DJ Quik: Pretty much signing artists and putting them out through my label.
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