New Hi-Tek interview

[Meho]

HipHopSite.com: Most Hip-Hop fans are aware of your musical background, but I just want to start off letting the people get to know the man behind the beats. So can you tell us what it was like growing up in Cincinnati for you?

DJ Hi-Tek: I could say I've had a good life, so far. Cincinnati is a soulful city which birthed a lot of talent such as Bootsy Collins and Roger Troutman. And me coming up, I was born in '76, so that was during the break dancing era. So I came up in music and Hip-Hop through break dancing. I was introduced to that when I was seven or eight years old and ever since then its been in me. The music scene has died down a little, but Cincinnati is a good city.

HipHopSite.com: How do you think your surroundings or environment helped shape you to be the man you are today?

DJ Hi-Tek: Cincinnati is one of the realest cities you can ever come to. You have the corporate level of the city, but when you come to the hood, it's one of the realest places. Growing up in the ghetto made me a real person. It made me who I am. Cincinnati has it's own way of doing things and I think that rubbed off.

HipHopSite.com: I know you said break dancing is your first memory of Hip-Hop, but was there a specific group or artist you first remember hearing?

DJ Hi-Tek: I remember the day - I was living in downtown Cincinnati, in the projects, and I remember walking outside the day - I think I was seven years old - and somebody was playing "Planet Rock". It just hit me in the soul and that was when the song first came out. I'm 29 now, but I remember that exact day believe it or not. That really inspired me.

HipHopSite.com: What was the one album you always listened to growing up?

DJ Hi-Tek: Run-DMC's first album - definitely.

HipHopSite.com: Fans know your story about how you came up and rose to fame, but after you dropped your "Hi-Teknology" album, it seemed like you took a break and disappeared for a moment. What happened?

DJ Hi-Tek: IT got real hectic. Things were going pretty good, but after Hi-Teknology, I went through some things with Rawkus. They were pretty much my outlet during that time and while I was recording Hi-Teknology, I was also touring for the Reflection Eternal album. I actually took a break from the tour to finish my album, but after that, I went through some crazy stuff with Rawkus. Some crazy stuff happened where I wasn't actually signed to Rawkus and my record was doing well - so we went through a lot of feuding. Like I said, they were my only outlet for people to hear my music at the time. They were promoting me and putting out my songs, but they were never treating me fair on the business side. So I had to really break out and do other business moves. The Hi-Teknology album eventually helped me get a deal with Def Jam Records for one of my artists - Jonell - for her song off Hi-Teknology. Really, in reality, there was never a single off my album, but that was just the song a lot of DJ's picked up and started playing. "Round And Round" by Jonell - who is from Cincinnati - she got a deal with Def Jam from that song. But at the time, I brought her to Rawkus, so I was going through so much stuff with them and they were really trying to shit on me. They were never treating me fair on the business side of things. After that, I broke out, because I thought singing to a major record label would be better. But in turn, it was actually a little worse, because she got a deal with Def Jam, but I don't think as a new artist, that she was really ready for that major label push. I think Rawkus was good, don't get me wrong, because I got her a deal with people willing to do business with me. The money was good, don't get me wrong, because I got her a deal with Def Jam and at the same time, I had a major deal with MCA for myself and Hi-Teknology Vol. 2. So during that time I was recording two albums - hers and mine. I took her album as more of a priority, but it eventually fell apart because she wasn't ready for the success and the fast pace of the industry. So the whole time I wasted doing that album, I missed out on recording Hi-Teknology Vol. 2. And by the time I got really back into my album, MCA was going out of business. So everything fell apart. The Def Jam situation fell apart and Kevin Lyles was leaving - so they dropped a lot of his projects he signed. MCA then folded in Geffen records and I fell into limbo. Because nobody knew what to do with a Hi-Tek record at Geffen. That was basically two years gone down the drain. I had three albums that I recorded that never came out, all because the business side fell apart.

HipHopSite.com: Are you still planning on dropping "Hi-Teknology Vol. 2" of "Hi-Teknology"?

DJ Hi-Tek: Yeah, definitely. Right now, I'm a free agent and I got off my deal with Geffen. Thankfully, they let me keep my masters. So I still got some songs I'm using for "Vol. 2". The album is 75% done, but I just put out a single featuring me, Slim Thug, Talib Kweli and Snoop Dogg.

HipHopSite.com: So you are just searching for a label deal at the moment?

DJ Hi-Tek: Yeah, I'm pretty much trying to play the game. I'm glad things happened the way they did, but at the same time, it was kind of bad because people's perception is, "Where you at?". They don't know the behind the scenes stuff going down. But I'm really feeling "Vol. 2" and I'm doing the rest of the record from out of my pocket.

HipHopSite.com: So far, who's on "Vol. 2"?

DJ Hi-Tek: Right now I have Kweli, Snoop Dogg, Common, Nas, Bun B, Slim Thug, Raphael Saadiq, Mos Def, as well as my artist Dion, Big D, Young Buck ... that's pretty much it right now.

HipHopSite.com: Nas huh? That seems interesting and long overdue, how did you hook up with him?

DJ Hi-Tek: I first hooked up with Nas when "Round & Round" was out. That was really a ground breaking R&B record and it hit the New York streets real hard. That record actually made it to the top without a video or single push. So when people heard that, it really gave Hi-Tek a second wind after the Reflection Eternal album. I finally got in touch with Nas one day when that record was hot because he actually just wanted to meet me. I think musically, it was a mutual respect thing. So he reached out to me one day in New York while I was staying at the Hudson Hotel. He came through one day and he wanted to meet me and hear some beats. So we chopped it up and since then I've had a relationship with him. I never made none of the Nas albums after that, but he fucks with Hi-Tek. He always reaches out. But there was this track that we did called "Music For Life", and he was going to use it for his album (Street's Disciple) but he never got to finish it so he gave it to me for my record.

HipHopSite.com: So you were sending beats to him for his last couple of albums and he didn't pick any of them??

DJ Hi-Tek: Yeah, he did pick some, but Nas is real picky with the tracks. The track that he really loved is the one that he gave me back. Recently, I just gave him some more tracks, but he is really picky man.

HipHopSite.com: Yeah, I've heard that, Alchemist told me the same exact thing. But one more "Hi-Teknology" question. What would you say is the biggest difference between "Vol. 1" and "Vol. 2"?

DJ Hi-Tek: The biggest difference is musically and lyrically I stepped it up. I'm rhyming a lot more on this record and the collaborations are bigger. It's just a bigger record. It's definitely still Hi-Tek, but it's like "Vol. 1" to the second power. It's pretty much a bigger record creatively and my production has stepped up.

HipHopSite.com: Talking about stepping up your production, from when you first started out with the Blackstar album to now, how would you say your production has evolved? Is there anything specific you would say you have gotten better at?

DJ Hi-Tek: Actually, I think I have gotten better technically. I actually miss a lot of the patience I used to have. The technology actually makes you move faster. You have people who are making records on straight computer based programs, so it makes the entire industry move faster now. But I'm a sampling person. I used to sample all my drums! I had to go through tons of records to find snares and kicks and come up with these certain sounds. I guess I consider myself old school, but now these producers get CD's of nice sounding drum kits - they away drum kits. So I just miss the patience I had. Now you have Pro-Tools and you get spoiled on how fast it moves. When I was recording Hi-Teknology and Reflection Eternal, we were using two inch and a lot of patience was involved. There was a lot of creativity involved and you really had to think about it and put your foot into it. Now I put my foot into it, don't get me wrong; but I just miss the whole creative patience of making music.

HipHopSite.com: When you guys were first working on the Blackstar album, did you know that you guys were onto something big and that this may start a new underground movement?

DJ Hi-Tek: Man, I actually didn't. This was stuff we were doing in our sleep. I think we knew we were really dope, because when we were doing shows, we were killing it. I knew when Mos and Talib collaborated it was going to be ground breaking. They started out doing their solo thing, but when they came together, it was special. And they let me do my thing as well, because I was a starving producer at the time. I had all this shit built up that I needed to get it out to the people. I knew it was going to hit the people, but I didn't know it was going to hit them like it did.

HipHopSite.com: Do you think in the beginning fans only got to see one aspect of your production skills and now through working with artists like G-Unit and that whole camp, you have shown them another side?

DJ Hi-Tek: Yeah, I think so. I think the game has gotten so separated to when die hard fans take thigns the wrong way sometimes. It's all music at the end of the day. So it's like another side of me, but it's also a challenge for me. It was really a challenge for me to break out of that whole, "Tek only produces for the Kweli, Mos and Common type of people". I like G-Unit, Dre, Eminem, and D-12, because they are not only selling records, but they are still creative. It's still Hip-Hop, but people preceive it as a different brand of Hip-Hop. When you listen to the tracks, it's still the same Hi-Tek beats, it's just a different person rapping on it.

HipHopSite.com: You touched on fans having to adjust, because in the beginning, some feel that you were a symbol for underground Hip-Hop and every backpackers favorite producer. What did you think of that?

DJ Hi-Tek: Man, I loved it! I love it still to this day. They call it underground because it's before you surface. I was making hit records that sounded better than the stuff on the radio, but I didn't have a name yet. That's what made me underground and allowed me to work with a G-Unit or Dr. Dre.

HipHopSite.com: I heard that you and Kweli are going to do another Reflection Eternal album, is that true?

DJ Hi-Tek: Yeah, definitely. We are starting right now.

HipHopSite.com: How is that coming along so far?

DJ Hi-Tek: It's going good. Kweli just helped me put together this mixtape actually. We also came to an agreement that he is going to help me finish Hi-Teknology Vol. 2, then after that, we are going to really get into this Reflection Eternal album. But we have already started to record a couple songs. We are trying to build our relationship back up and make it stronger again.

HipHopSite.com: Why wasn't the relationship as strong the past couple of years?

DJ Hi-Tek: Truthfully, it was me being me. I'm a real person and I'm not a sucker - at all. I think a lot of times, this whole industry is built on kissing ass. I'm not good at that and Rawkus Records was pretty much at it's end when they started fucking over artists like me, Mos and the people who helped create them. Rawkus helped tear us apart. Rawkus added fuel to the fire between the disagreements that me and Talib already had. So I had to make my decision on what I wanted to do. It started when Hi-Teknology came about and we were on tour for Reflection Eternal when I was doing a beat compilation for Rawkus. That was supposed to be our instrumentals and a couple songs. But they put that on the backburner and we moved on to the Reflection Eternal album. As you know, the album was well received - ground breaking - and it really took off. But Rawkus wanted to make more money off the Hi-Tek name, so they wanted to put out that compilation that I previously mentioned. But with me having integrity, I was like, I'm on tour. Why would you guys put something out of lesser quality than what people are hearing now? Why are you dumbing down Hi-Tek? I always felt like they were trying to kill my success. I know how peopler perceive my music, so I wanted to polish the album up, but I was also on tour at the same time. So I explained to Kweli the situation and told him, Rawkus is about to put this album out that is not Hi-Tek. So I am going to set aside on this tour so I can finish this record. I want it to sound good. And once I did that and left the tour, a lot of things went haywire. Rawkus was trying to ruin my name, so I felt that I had to take time out to fix the album so I could keep my name in the game. Which it did, because the record was well received. But I had to make some tough decisions. Because if I would have stayed on the road and just been a Kweli DJ without really expressing my production ... because on the road I always told Rawkus, I need a bus with equipment. How am I going to create this next album without producing these beats. Because I don't make beats over night and I put a lot of time in them. Therefore, I felt I had to be in creative mode all the time. And in order for me to be who I am today, I needed to take time out to do the production on the album and polish it up. So I went through so much just to get Hi-Teknology Vol. 1 done. And that is how me and Kweli's relationship turned, because he kind of took it the wrong way and Rawkus explained the situation to him the wrong way. Rawkus didn't really support Hi-Tek in the fashion that I was a stand alone producer who needs to work. Therefore, I took it upon myself to make things better myself. In the end, it worked out for all of us because if I didn't take the initiative, I would have just been a road DJ. But at the time, a lot of people didn't see it that way.

HipHopSite.com: How has the vibe been while recording these new songs with Kweli? Is it similar to the last Reflection Eternal album, or is it a new level?

DJ Hi-Tek: It's definitely a new level man. We are just in the studio doing what we do and I think our chemistry alone has created a new vibe.

HipHopSite.com: Do you feel any pressure, since the first was a classic and anything less fans are going to end up feeling disappointed?

DJ Hi-Tek: Man, not at all. I am so Hi-Tek it's crazy. This is going to be the next level of Reflection Eternal - bottom line. I am confident in what we can do. I know it's going to take me and Kweli to really sit down and do this record to make it just as good as the first one.

HipHopSite.com: When I spoke to Kweli after the release of his last album ("Beautiful Struggle"), he was talking about the mixed responses he got from it. Do you think it's fair that no matter what he does, he is going to be compared to the Reflection Eternal and Blackstar albums?

DJ Hi-Tek: Whether it's fair or not, that is just the reality of it. It's the same thing with me. Until I actually get a couple of singles on 50's record or another artist, they are always going to associate me with Talib. I think you really have to give the people what they want and if you don't do that, then you are basically creating new fans and leaving your old ones behind. That in itself is a whole other road.

HipHopSite.com: Speaking of 50, the track you did for him "Ryder Music" sounded very similar to Game's "Running". Was that intentional?

DJ Hi-Tek: It wasn't really intentional, but it was just the mode I was in at the time. I'm working with this artist Dion and he helped me create both of those tracks. Those are two vocal tracks, which is kind of like my new ingredient. I guess I can put it out there right now before someone bites my shit. That is one of my chambers of styles, to create a vocal based track that has continuous vocals or melodies - not actually saying words - but melody vocals with drums and keys over it. So both of those are vocal driven tracks, which is a new idea and style I came up with.

HipHopSite.com: I know you get this question all the time, so let's just touch on it briefly. Fans are pretty much convinced there is never going to be another Blackstar album again, so is there any chance it will happen?

DJ Hi-Tek: Man, there is definitely a chance, it's just a matter of somebody like me to try and get it done. Try to. I think it's really up to Mos right now. It's up to him, because I think me and Kweli are ready. Mos is realy busy doing movies right now.

HipHopSite.com: Who else have you recently worked with? Which albums can we expect to see your beats on?

DJ Hi-Tek: Right now, I got something coming out with Styles P called "Testify", which features Kweli. I got a couple tracks on Busta's new album as well.

HipHopSite.com: I was also reading in another interview that you were working with Dre on "Detox". Is that true?

DJ Hi-Tek: Right now, Dre is giving me a slot to do a track for the Detox album. I haven't really came up with it yet, I'm still working on the tracks. I'm pretty much a young Dre, so I know what he's thinking. He's real patient with his album and that's how I am with my Hi-Teknology albums. Everything has to be right and Dre is just taking his time. But he is definitely giving me a slot and I have been part of his production team for about two years now.

HipHopSite.com: Is it easy for you to go into West Coast mode like that? Because I know Game's "Running" felt like one of the best West Coast beats on the album.

DJ Hi-Tek: Truthfully, Hi-Tek is a Midwest sound, so I don't go into it like, I'm gonna make me a West Coast track. I just be in that mode and sometimes it comes out sounding like West or East Coast, or dirty South. That is just the way I grew up and I'm inspired by all genres of music. I consider the Midwest all in one and that is what Hi-Tek is all about.

HipHopSite.com: Overall, what is your vision for the future?

DJ Hi-Tek: Man, right now my vision is to start a record label and keep putting music out. I just want to create a label where everybody has a similar sound as mine - sort of like MoTown. I'm gonna have other producers and artists under my wing that I'm grooming. So that is my vision - to have a record label with my sound.

HipHopSite.com: Any last words?

DJ Hi-Tek: Definitely be on the look out for the Hi-Teknology Vol. 2 - it's a great album that is musical medicine.

[ABN]

nice interview, he seems like a good person and that´s not that common these days. can´t wait for his second shit but i just hope he takes it back a little coz his shit 5-6 years ago was on another level.

[Larrabee]

Nice read, Hi-Tek's a dope producer.

[.:Hercy Buggz:.]

Hi-Tek is such a good producer and a cool dude!! props for the interview!

[WestCoasta]

I've always liked Hi-Tek, back to when I first started listening to rap.... can't wait for his next album

[On The Edge of Insanity]

Nice interview, dope to hear him and Kweli working on Reflection Eternal 2, I get the feeling that most of Kweli's recent stuff has been rushed, so its good to hear Hi-Tek saying they really need to sit down and devote some time into the album, should mean the final product comes out dope.

[Juronimo]

Good interview, Hi-Tek is a dope producer. Cool by the Eastsidaz is a banger.

[red]

If yall want to hear some real dope shit from Hi-Tek, pick up Truth Hurt's first album.  He blessed the shit out of those beats on there.

[.:Hercy Buggz:.]

If yall want to hear some real dope shit from Hi-Tek, pick up Truth Hurt's first album.  He blessed the shit out of those beats on there.

fuck nah ...U wanna hear some Good Hi-Tek...Get Blackstarr, or Reflection Eternal