RICK ROCK(March 2012) | Interview By:
Dubcnn Team
A few months ago [November
2011] Dubcnn caught up with multi-platinum producer Rick Rock,
where we discussed his upcoming project, “Rocket”, producing for 2Pac,
working with long-time collaborator E-40, and possibly getting some work in
with Slaughterhouse.
Today we're back with a Rick Rock feature in video form which was conducted
in late 2011 where he takes us
through a journey of his career. In the video interview, Rick breaks
down some of his history, producing for the likes of Jay-Z, 2Pac, Mariah
Carey, and others.
Get to know the real Rick Rock right here on Dubcnn!
Read on and enjoy. As always feel free to hit upnima@dubcnn.comwith
questions or comments.
Dubcnn: For those who might not know, who is Rick Rock?
Yo, I’m Rick Rock AKA the Northern Cali King of Slaps, and I’m a
music producer…
I got started off working at S&A in Montgomery, Alabama. You know, at the
time it was a promotion, independent street promotion place. From there I
would meet a lot of artists, and a guy came through and was representing a
road manager for Conscious Daughters. So I gave him one of my tapes, you
know at that time we were doing tapes, so I gave him a beat tape and he took
it back. And they gave me call back, and was like c’mon, you know. They
picked a beat, Conscious Daughters picked a beat and they flew me out and I
got down. It was called Gamers: The Remix’ – weren’t even on the album, but
I was on, first major release.
Dubcnn: How did you end up working with Tupac in the Death Row era?
Yeah, I got down with Tupac through a guy he already was working with, his
name was Mike Mosley, he was a producer. That’s who I came through the game
through so... Mike was going out there, Pac too, come out there to do
something and I was riding along. And I had just come from California so I
would always have my bag, with my discs in it and shit, y’know my SB1200
discs. So y’know Pac was coming out, and we drove around the mountains and
we got to y’know to the video – I mean to Can-Am studio, Death Row studio –
and he played us his album. And He was ready to get down after that, and
there was no producers around – but they had SB-1200s there! So y’know, the
rest is history I slid some of mine in, I had SB1200 discs so I knew God
said ‘eh, its time for you to wiggle n*gga’!
Dubcnn: How would you describe your producing "style" to someone who hadn't
heard you material?
A lot of people, because I did the hyphy movement sound, a lot of y’know
people think that’s what my sound is. They think ‘hyphy movement’ and they
think ‘my sound’. But I’m all over with it. Y’know like, people don’t know I
wiggled on from New Kids On The Block, to y’know Will Smith and Mariah…
Busta…to y’know I did the ‘Breath, Stretch, Shake’ for Ma$e. I did Angie
Martinez ‘If I Could Go’. Y’know I’m kinda all over the place with my
hip-hop, but it’s all original music y’know. I just wanna show people that
y’know I wiggle.
Dubcnn: Working with Jay-Z was a huge moment in your career - tell us a
little about how that happened?
Y’know how the Jay-Z thing happened back then was… I’m just doing beats in
my apartment – in the 916, in Sacramento, Stone Creek apartments – and, er,
I get a call and shit. So I stop doing my beats and I pick up the phone. And
it’s just this n*gga telling me my shit is crazy, and he starts playing a
beat in the background and shit. And he says, y’know his name, y’know he
says it’s Jay-Z! So I’m like n*gga you playing or whatever… you playing and
shit! And then I keep going through like he’s playing, and then finally he
put Big John on the phone, and I knew he wasn’t playing – he was in the
office. And Big John was playing him some shit. And he was like ‘this shit
is crazy’! Y’know and he wanted me to come to New York. So I felt like I was
on! You feel me?! So I flew out there with my reels – we had reels back then
– 2”. And er, I get to New York, and then… y’know he don’t want the beat no
more! Haha! So then I’m stuck in the studio, my dreams crushed, because he
don’t want the beat no more! But y’know, from there we did four beats on the
album, you know what I’m saying – on the spot, and two others I just had.
Y’know ‘Change the Game’ was one, um, ‘Squeeze 1st’ was another, ‘Parking
Lot Pimpin’ was one, and er, I can’t think of the one with Snoop… but yeah
that one too. And those were special moments for me because we were all in
the studio, and Jay-Z kept saying he’s gonna make me a star, so…good look
brother….at least with money…naw, haha!
Dubcnn: What's next for Rick Rock?
Right now I’m working on finishing and completing ‘Rocket’, and that’s my
first album, solo debut you know what I’m saying… coming from a 707, West
Coast, Northern Cali perspective… y’know organic, real music. So anybody
that loves Rick Rock or has been a fan of any of my work over the years, but
you never really could reach me, or reach out and touch me but who knew what
I was about… peep the album. Its called ‘Rocket’, I plan on releasing it
first quarter next year. So I’ll be doing little things throughout so you
can kinda get to know and get to hear it, and know when its coming out. So
look for ‘Rocket’. And of course look for 40, Snoop, Fabolous, Busta…
wherever I might pop up. Trying to tell people I be out there on the regular
too, you know what I mean.