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 RICK ROCK (November 2011) | Interview By:
Chad Kiser
Multi-platinum producer Rick Rock may not have the marquee name
like Dr. Dre, Timbaland, Kanye West and others, but he has been one of the
most reliable and employed West Coast rap producers of his time. Born in
Alabama, but based in California, Rick Rock began earning major credits in
1996 when he contributed tracks to 2Pac’s “All Eyez On Me and E-40's “Hall
Of Game”.
In the years to follow, he’s cranked out productions mainly for west coast
rappers like Spice 1, and Xzibit; however, he’s also worked with mainstream
artists like Will Smith, Fabolous, Method Man, Lisa Lopez, Mariah Carey
among others.
Dubcnn sat down with the west coast heavy-hitter for a little Q&A to discuss
his upcoming project, “Rocket”, producing for 2Pac, working with long-time
collaborator E-40, possibly getting some work in with the 4-man collective -
Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Crooked I and Royce Da 5'9" – known as
Slaughterhouse, and much more.
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Interview was done November 2011
Questions Asked By: Chad Kiser
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Rick Rock Interview
A Dubcnn Exclusive
By: Chad Kiser
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Dubcnn: What’s good, Rick? Tell us what you’ve been up to
lately and what’s going on in your world.
Bills, family and music are the three constants in my world right
now family!
Dubcnn: You have a new project, “Rocket” that you’re working on,
right? Can you tell us a little bit about the new project and what we can
expect, like who might be featuring on it, what it will sound like, etc.?
Yeah, "Rocket" is my baby, my 1st solo effort! The album is
produced by me, but it’s all over the place music-wise. I think it's a
classic if I could rap a little better! [laughs] Right now I have Crooked I,
Rass Kass, E-40 , Techn9ne, Kurupt, Larroo, Jacka, Busta Rhymes, and working
on getting Snoop on there. This album is not about features though, it’s
fun, it’s touching, it’s serious, it’s the full spectrum of human emotions;
but from a nor-cal point of view, not to mention it slap! If you’re a fan of
my production you will love this!
Dubcnn: You’re reportedly going to lay some stuff down with
Slaughterhouse, how did that come about?
Through Crooked I, we’ve been working on records on and off for
years and developed a light-weight chemistry. I was in LA working on my
project and Crooked came through and laid some vocals for my album. I talked
to him about being a part of the Slaughterhouse project, aka nigga, I need
on that, [laughs] and later that week I sent him a couple ideas. He hit me
back and was like ‘I recorded vocals and I’m just waiting on the group nod
of approval.’ That’s how it started.
Dubcnn: Is there any future work on the horizon for you to work with
Eminem or Dr. Dre as well over there?
I hope so! Dre, Em get at me, let’s wiggle [laughs]
Dubcnn: One of the tracks you did for Xzibit, “Muthafucka” was a
dope track. How did you come up with that track, and give it that “opera”
theme to it?
Yeah, that was one of those times where Xzibit heard a beat CD and
grabbed the beat from it. I came out to Encore Studios in Burbank to track
the beat out. While I was tracking I started playing around with a piano
part I wanted to make the intro and that’s when Jelly Roll came in the door.
He got to vibing with the track and then came with the hook.
Dubcnn: “We be to rap what key to be to lock..”, that whole track
for “Yay Area” was crazy! That kick-off track to E-40’s “My Ghetto Report
Record” really set the tone for that album. Break that track down for me in
terms of using the sample from Digable Planets, and what 40 thought when he
heard that track.
That sample idea is from the same batch of SP-1200 beats that had
2Pac’s “Trading War Stories” and Richie Rich’s “Niggas Done Changed” on it,
I just revamped it and put that update on it. I was on a Digable Planets
phase for a minute, too [laughs]. When 40 heard it, he just called me and
said he was fucking with it. Nothing major, but he did give me a shout out
on there though and that’s always good!
Dubcnn: No doubt! Tell me about your working relationship with 40
because you’ve worked on every project of his since 1996, so what makes you
guys want to keep working with each other?
I think it’s a hand in glove type of thing. It just fit when we did
it and we just haven’t decided to stop yet. I like his style and his work
ethic. We work from the ground up a lot, from scratch with nothing prepared.
And that’s the fun part, not knowing what’s going happen by the end of the
session.
Dubcnn: I think that kind of longevity/loyalty between producer &
artist has been lost when you see successful collaborators like Too Short &
Ant Banks, or Dr. Dre & Snoop, Ice Cube & Sir Jinx, Quincy Jones & Michael
Jackson not really working with each other much anymore, if at all. It’s
like why would Short not want to have Banks & the Dangerous Crew? Why would
Dr. Dre not want Snoop & DPG, you know? When you’ve got gold/
platinum-selling history, why deviate from that?
You know, I found that there are a lot of dynamics that go in to a
break up of a great musical team. Really at the end of the day it’s a
relationship and a lot of times business gets in the way of those
relationships when artists and or labels want to go in another direction
sound-wise and
Dubcnn: How does E-40’s catalog stack up against the likes of Too
Short, Jay-Z, 2Pac, and others who have amassed such a vast solo catalog?
Right up there with them and beyond some of them, he’s on the case
real heavy! Don't forget he just dropped two double CD's and is about to
drop another. He works hard and one day he will be given what he deserves in
terms of awards and/or lifetime achievement honors, VH-1 I’m looking at you!
[laughs]
Dubcnn: How did you develop your sound as we know it today?
5 to 6 beats a day for the last 17 years! And making what’s in my
heart, not what’s on the charts searching to be the best me!
Dubcnn: What equipment are you currently using?
The MPC-4000, Miko, Phantom, and Maschine.
Dubcnn: Rick thanks for taking time out to speak with us today! We
look forward to some of this new material you got coming out.
No problem, man, thanks!
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