Hittman/Ben Baller Interview PART 2 + Mel-Man Int

[Murrow]

Taken from www.thaformula.com

One on One with Mr. Ackrite Aka Hittman And DJ Ben Baller Part 2

We bring you part 2 with Mr. Ackrite Aka Hittman and his DJ Ben Baller and speak on their thoughts on the whole Death Row situation, the beginning of Aftermath, and much more...

ThaFormula.com - Are you bringin in your people on your album?

Hittman - Yeah, my cousin is one of the cats that's gonna be on my album. My other man Stuntman, he rhyme and do beats and that crew is called the Max Faction. That @#%$ is gonna be like some totally different @#%$ then my album. It's gonna be like some N.W.A. hardcore pimp @#%$ meets fucken Slum Village type beats. It's gonna be a real wild fusion on there.

ThaFormula.com - What do you think you will be labeled as when you drop?

Hittman - I just tell people don't try to expect nothing. Just buy it cause it's gonna be shocking. Cause just when people think they know me, that's when I change face. I'm kinda like Sub - Zero. You'll see a skeleton face when my album drops.

ThaFormula.com - How serious is the beef between Aftermath and Death Row?

Ben Baller - No comment from me. I'm not gonna get involved in none of that.

Hittman - I can't tell cause I haven't came across them. I don't even think double on it really man. But it's territorial actually. They be in parts where hey it ain't cool to go in there basically. I wasn't a part of none of that @#%$. I was a fan when all of that bullshit went down.

ThaFormula.com - How did it all start for you guys at Aftermath?

Ben Baller - Well I was there from day two cause I was signed under contract at Priority as Executive A & R on there. Everybody has heard Dre left and was trying to start Black Market records, but Black Market records was already taken. So he started Aftermath and I broke from Priority and told Dre's right hand man Bruce that I wanted to @#%$ with them. So I basically was there from day 2. After the compilation dropped, we were working on an album for King Tee. I was his A & R and the album was called "Thy Kingdom Come" and to be honest with you, the album was fucken bangin like a muthafucka. From there I have no clue what happened and there's alot of stuff I can't get into because I signed a confidentiality agreement with Dr. Dre. But I'll say this at least, Dre knew how to treat muthafuckaz man. We had dinners, we had meetings. We sat down like we was a muthafuckin mafia. Every thing was beautiful, but you know obviously you gotta sell multi million dollar records and so the house got cleaned as far as employees and whatever else. It was a smart move cause Interscope was handling all the other business, so all he needed was a point person.

Hittman - When I came, there was these two guys I know who had a production company. One of the guys was trying to get a job at Aftermath. He talked to Mel and Mel was like, "I don't know if their is jobs, but you can get a finder's fee if you bring us this short stocky cat". I came in rhymed for Mel, Eve was in there, Lord Finesse and all type of muthafuckaz. Every beat they would put on, I'd just hang with it. So Mel got on the phone immediately and told Dre "You got to @#%$ with this nigga tomorrow". So he stopped Eve's session and I come up in that @#%$. I start rhymin and he stops me mid sentence and says "that's all I got to hear". So that was in April and from April on I would come around and @#%$ with him. "Big Egos", "Bitch Niggaz", and all that @#%$ was basically my demo songs. And from there I got signed on July 8th of 98. Eminem was in Detroit most of the time doing his @#%$. The first time I met him was in Reno when him an Dre did "Forgot about Dre". Last Emperor was there when I first came too.

ThaFormula.com - What happened to him.

Hittman - You really don't ever know. All you basically know is your situation.

ThaFormula.com - So what happened with Eve?

Hittman - As far as I know, she wanted her album out like yesterday. So Dre was like "@#%$, let me talk to Jimmy and see what I can do, cause I'm really trying to concentrate on my album". So they worked it out, she @#%$ with Ruff Ryders and @#%$, it probably worked out better for her.

[Murrow]

ThaFormula.com -So does Jimmy Iovine have control over everything before Aftermath does?

Hittman - He's the chief of all labels. It's like this. Timbaland, Dre and all the producers that he hires are his ears. So once they come in and say "Jimmy this @#%$ is bangin", that's all he needs. But he don't have to hear it cause he trusts there ear. But Dre does whatever he wants, but if I had me a deal, Jimmy has the final say.

ThaFormula.com - How did you get on the Hurricane album?

Hittman - On my way to Aftermath, I met so many cats. My old manager Bud Carson, he used to hang out with the Beastie Boys and as a matter a fact his brother is married to Faith and so these are a whole circle of other cats. During that time I met Hurricane and all them dudes. So one day he just called me and said "Yo, you wanna spit on this @#%$".

ThaFormula.com - How long have you and Ben been together?

Ben Baller - Almost two years. When me, Mel, and Hit get together, we just are fucken ignorant. At the Grammy party where Dre won producer of the year, we took that @#%$ over. I'm at a party and I tell the DJ excuse me for a second and he can't do a damn thing or he will get smacked. I get on the tables and then yell this is Aftermath entertainment. We had the dude from Access Hollywood, the dude from the Neptunes, Mandy Moore, and blah, blah, blah. And we were like this is Aftermath Entertainment muthafuckaz, then Mel Man got on the mic and started talkin crazy @#%$. You got Pharell from the fucken Neptunes getting knocked over by Mel Man. With Mel Man saying, "oh, Pharell what's up, I didn't even know it was you". It was a takeover with the finest bitches in the world right in the middle of the grammy party. Everybody stayed the @#%$ out of our way.

Hittman - Me and Ben are the hip hop Rush Hour.

ThaFormula.com - So Ben, where can people catch you spinnin at right now?

Ben Baller - I'm supposed to be at Las Palmas every Friday night which is like an upscale jiggy type crowd. Like tonight if you go up in there you gonna see all the Lakers, Chris Tucker, Leonardo Dicaprio, and a bunch of celebrities. Every Saturday you can catch me at the Dragon Fly. I been at the Dragon Fly for about 4 years.

ThaFormula.com - How many tracks have been completed for your album Hitt.

Hittman - At least 20.

ThaFormula.com - So basically the album is done?

Hittman - Yep, it basically has been finished for a few weeks now.

ThaFormula.com - How many Dre and Mel tracks should people expect on the album.

Hittman - Like 5 to 7 tracks.

ThaFormula.com - Did Dre want to produce the whole album, or was it your choice to just get 5 or 7 tracks?

Hittman - Well, he doesn't do anybody's whole album. He's the finisher and @#%$.

ThaFormula.com - So why is it that Dre doesn't produce whole albums for anybody?

Hittman - Cause he's so critical, that probably it would take each person's @#%$ too long. Cause he's ultra critical with his @#%$.

[Murrow]

ThaFormula.com - When you and Dre get in the studio, how long does it usually take you to record a song?

Hittman - Oh, as far as a song. @#%$, probably like an hour. We know how each other work now. The first beat that Dre does, that's the skeleton. It could sound complete to the world, but that's just his first phase. He layers @#%$ you know what I'm sayin. And he don't do it the first day cause every time you come in there you feel something different. He will have musicians play all the way through. He may just keep one guitar riff and all the other @#%$ is trashed. Then a couple of weeks from now, @#%$ with it again.

ThaFormula.com - So what's the biggest difference between workin with Mel and Dre. Is there a difference?

Ben Baller - Seasoning man. I don't care. Mel is my man and I got Mel's first beat put on Aftermath. Mel's first fucken thing was Fredro Starr and then after that he had 2 songs make The Firm album. Mel is a true hip hop muthafucka. I'm talkin from Large Professor, Pete Rock, etc., Mel is a hip hop history kid.

Hittman - And that's how me and Mel clicked. Also the difference between Mel and Dre is, with Dre I smoke more and with Mel I drink more. That's it!

ThaFormula.com - So what do you guys say about all the people out there that say Dre is not a real producer?

Hittman - Look at everybody that said and tried to do their own @#%$. Everybody in 95, 96 and 97 was talkin @#%$, so he stepped away from the game and said do your @#%$ then. Then here I come in 99. I'm the producer of the year and you can't @#%$ with me. That's just that. It speaks for itself.

Ben Baller - From King Tee's album and from other albums and whatever else, I've seen Dre put together a masterpiece. He locks out sessions and he don't like anybody who ain't involved in the studio. I've seen him put together a beat. I've seen him put together @#%$ old school style with the SP 12.

Hittman - He sequenced 2001 in 45 minutes. It took all that time to compile all the @#%$ and once in Pro Tools, boom! That's really when I saw what he does and why he gets all his props. I was like "Oh @#%$". Im sittin their like "It's done". He's like "Yeah, we can go". "Let's go listen to this @#%$".

ThaFormula.com - Do you think it's just hate?

Hittman - Of course cause I had hate when I was trying to get signed. Muthafuckaz was like "Yo, you got to sound like Snoop" or "Yo, you don't sound like Pac". So I had hate for them. But they so powerful, the labels are only lookin for the most powerful @#%$ at the time. So I'd say it's more frustration then hate.

Ben Baller - The hard facts state "Let me Blow you mind" by Eve saved her album. Basically Dre saved her @#%$. Mary, she didn't go back to puff. She didn't go to Timberland or Chucky Thompson. She went to Dre and Dre crunked her single. That @#%$ is one of my top bangers still in the club. Me and Hitt were there when he was mixing down "Sally" from Bilal's album and I was like "Jesus Christ". No R & B artist has a song like that.

Hittman - The sound of that album, uh don't be confused if my @#%$ got that sound. I like prettier music and let my voice contrast.
ThaFormula.com - How big of an influence does Scott Storch have on things?

Hittman - He gets down. It's like a vibe thing. Dre be on the drums. Scott just comes in and gets on the keyboard. I call them the walking crates cause they are like records walking around.

ThaFormula.com - Cause alot of haters out there like to say that Scott is behind the whole Chronic 2001 and Bilal sound.

Hittman - Nah, he was there on "Big Egos", he was there on "Housewife", "Still DRE", and one other thing. Dre moves people in and out, so the sound changes up as far as the musicians go.

ThaFormula.com - How did Lord Finesse get involved in Chronic 2001?

Hittman - Well, Mel and Lord Finesse do record shopping and all that type of thing. So he was just around in the same circle and he just happened to play some beats, and Dre was like "Damn that @#%$ is sick".

ThaFormula.com - How was it being on stage in front of thousands at The Up In Smoke Tour?

Hittman - Man! The first night was horrifying. I'm used to the Roxy and the House Of Blues and that kind of @#%$. So that @#%$ just @#%$ me up for a minute. That @#%$ was unreal. Sometimes I sit down and just zone on that @#%$. The energy that you get from up there I can't even describe.

ThaFormula.com - Is DJ Premiere gonna be producin on your album?

Hittman - I plan on him being on the album. I was listening to some Devin @#%$ cause he was on the bus with me during the whole tour and Primo hooked up one of his beats. I was like "Oh @#%$", cause I liked it already but when I heard what Primo did to it, I was like "Oh @#%$", I need the same @#%$.

ThaFormula.com - Yeah we got a chance to sit and chill with Devin in the studio and he played that and about 10 other tracks for us that were incredible?

Hittman - Too me, that's the sleeper. Cause his album is like a break from all the other @#%$. It's more refreshing, that's why I like Devin's @#%$.

ThaFormula.com - So basically it all came down to September 11th just messed everything up?

Hittman - Man! Everything was on halt. Aalliyah @#%$ everybody up and that @#%$ was just a double whammy.

ThaFormula.com - So was there another tour planned?

Hittman - Yeah, it's @#%$ up too cause our plan was to go overseas around this time. So that shut @#%$ down also. We were just going to record on the road. Basically, next year yeah, everybody is just trying to kick out there @#%$ so we can do it again. And it will be promotional tours and some big @#%$.

ThaFormula.com - Do you plan on puttin Ren on your album?

Hittman - I wanted to do a song that switches off like Me, Ren, and Tray Deez. Just some lyrical type @#%$. Oh, and King Tee. When I talked to Ren on tour he was with it, so it's just a matter of hearing the right beat and gettin everybody together. I'm a definitely suggest that Ren be on Detox.

ThaFormula.com - What's the deal with the Detox album. Is their any truth to the rumor that Daz is gonna be workin with Dre on Detox?

Hittman - I don't know about that, that's just a rumor. I haven't even heard nothin like that. Detox is in the infantile stages right now. We just listening to music right now. We just take it day by day. I got one beat that is probably gonna be me and Dre and that @#%$ is written. It's just a matter of me playin it to him and see what he like and what he don't like.

ThaFormula.com - Has any tracks been done for the Detox album yet?

Hittman - Yeah, he played me like ten beats and has given me the concepts.

ThaFormula.com - So the Detox album is really gonna go down?

Hittman - Yeah, it's just that it's spontaneous with everything else that's going on. Like something that I may get on, he'll listen to it and be like, @#%$ it! "We gonna put that on your album".

ThaFormula.com - How many tracks were left off of the Chronic 2001 album?

Hittman - When I came there, they had 100 beats. Some had hooks, some had singin on it. Some had a whole song.

ThaFormula.com - How come your verse on the original "What's the difference" was taken off of their?

Hittman - I took my own verse off cause there was another song that me and Dre did that I thought was better then "What's the difference". But it was my own personal protest and that's why Xzibit was brought in.

ThaFormula.com - So total, 100 beats were left off of The Chronic?

Hittman - Yeah, probably more. When I came they had 100 beats and some of it was the @#%$ that made it, but alot of beats just lay by the wayside.

ThaFormula.com - So again, when should people expect the Hittman and Detox album?

Hittman - My @#%$, like I said you should expect in the Spring or summer. I really want summer to be honest. Dre will probably drop late summer or early fall if it's done, but it depends on how fast he moves.

www.thaformula.com

[Murrow]

Dam, just finished reading that.  Whata y'all think?  That was cool they were talkin bout Mel-Man talking shit to Pharrel Williams of The Neptunes when Dre garned producer of the year.  The he went. "Sorry Pharrell, I didn't see you there."  LOL

[Mr_Loc]

very dope. hitt seems like a real coo cat, good questions asked also. man i hope his album drops

[Murrow]

Here's the interview with Mel-M

Basically we thought we would give people out there a small introduction to Dr. Dre's right hand man Mel Man. The Co - Producer of The Chronic 2001, Eminem, Xzibit, The Wash, Bones, Snoop, etc., sat down with us to talk a little bit about himself and Aftermath.  Be sure to check back soon as we bring you A Day In The Life With Aftermath Super Producer, Mel Man...

ThaFormula.com - First off, let's just say Mel isn't the easiest cat in the world to interview.  He jokes around alot and it's always hard to tell when he's serious, so enjoy this little intro with Mel and Med of thaformula just fuckin around.

Mel Man - I'm the same old cat still at 30 uh, you know what I'm not gonna tell you how old I am.  About 27, 28, 22, 30 years ago this kid uh, ha ha, let me quit playin yo, what's up man! That shit sounds like an intro to some Curtis Blow Record or some shit.  

ThaFormula.com - Now alot of people out there don't even know what Mel Man looks like.  What's your thoughts on that?

Mel Man - That's good man, that way I can got to the grocery store and get my Fruity Pebbles and nobody is gonna bother me and shit.  You know I be walkin past muthafuckaz that be playin my shit.  So that's the coolest shit in the world.

ThaFormula.com - So you never tryin to be in the forefront of anything is a plan?

Mel Man - Nah, that's just me chillin.  I mean you can be in the front but that's all Hollywood.  Workin with Dre muthafuckaz is gonna always get us mixed up.  If I would have came in the game just solo with me, it wouldn't be no confusion as to who produced what.  But alot of shit that Dre do, cats be thinkin I did.  Like that Eve beat, Dre did that.  Cats always come up to me saying "Aww, you killed that Eve song".  I didn't do that shit, Dre did that shit you know what I'm sayin.  So that's how that shit be going.

ThaFormula.com - So do you think you and Dre will always produce together?

Mel Man - No doubt, That's how shit rolls. You hear that track right there.  

ThaFormula.com - Yeah that track is bangin.

Mel Man - Yeah,  I'm excited to work with Big Busta man.  Busta Rhymes is one of my favorites since Leaders Of The New School.  I'm a true B - Boy hip hopper.  Hip Hop is just really one form of music.  It ain't really separate, it's just one way of music man, that black people started to basically get away from the streets without sellin drugs and just killin each other off.  That track right there is throwin me off man.  I'm listening to that shit while I'm talkin.  I'm workin and talkin at the same time.  That's what you call Mel Man.  That's why their is the hyphen in the middle.  I'm listening to the track being flown and I'm doin this interview.  That's how much time a cat got nowadays.  I gotta get my interview and get this song done tonight to make my man Busta Rhymes record and shit, but that's how shit goes so that's what the fuck I'm doing.  

ThaFormula.com - How come you don't rap no more?

Mel Man - I got 3 records I'm about to unleash, but that's all in the future.  I got 3 albums.  I got the titles.  The first title is "Lucky Danielson",  the record on Aftermath is called "Mel Man going Postal", and the third record is called "MWA", Mel with Attitude.  Im going to have a triple album.  You know how cats come out with double albums, I'm comin out with the first triple album.  And I'm going to release it all over the internet.  It ain't going to ever be in stores.  I mean that's the new shit, that's what's in right now so I'm just following the trend.  I'm bullshittin with you man! (Laughs).  I ain't even got a computer man.  I'm fuckin with you because on the real, this is fun.  And you know I'm a down to earth muthafucka straight from the hill and Imma always give up the real.

Mel Man - Yo, let me ask you a question.  You think the Chronic 2001 should have got 5 mics cause you know The Source gave it 41/2.

ThaFormula.com - I think it should have got 5 mics cause at that time their was really nothin else worthy of it.

Mel Man - So what you sayin, if some other shit was out, it shouldn't have got 5.  I'm talkin about based on the quality of the record.

ThaFormula.com - I'm sayin for the time I think it should have got 5 mics.

Mel Man - That's what I'm talkin about. I ain't talkin about next week, or later on that month.  I'm talkin about back in the day, do you think The Chronic should have got 5 mics.  

ThaFormula.com - That's a tough question cause I liked the first Chronic better?

Mel Man - What difference does that make.  I'm just askin about this Chronic 2001.  Do you think it should have got 5 mics.  If you was workin for the Source, would you have gave the Chronic 5 mics.

ThaFormula.com - Yeah I would have gave it 5 mics.  But I would have gave it 5 mics cause everything comin out at the time was garbage and The Chronic was really above everything else at the time.  

Mel Man - So what's out right now that you think is competing with it.  

ThaFormula.com - Are we talkin beatwise.  

Mel Man - I don't know, what you talkin about.

ThaFormula.com - Beatwise, I don't really see nothin fuckin with it.

Mel Man - So you talkin lyrically.  See you comin from that straight underground perspective.  When you talk hip hop, it's cats that label themselves hip hop cause they mainly focus on underground hip hop and then their is cats that look at cats that's on the radio and say "Aww that's the sellout, iced out age".  

ThaFormula.com - Beatwise, I thought the album was 5 mics.

Mel Man - I just wanted to see where we at, know what I'm sayin.

ThaFormula.com - Why did you and Dre only do 5 tracks on the first  Aftermath compilation album .

Mel Man - I just got into the camp at the time.  I was fresh and shit.  It was like 8 producers in the house.  I was like one of the last ones comin in and shit.  The album was pretty much done and shit.  When I got out here there was pretty much like 2 or 3 songs left to make the album.  But see check this though.  I ain't really out for the glamour and glitz.  I was a star in the projects.  I was a popular muthafucka growin up, so I already know how that feel and shit.  So I ain't really anxious to jump all out on front street and shit.  I'm a kick back type dude.  I done been through it all.  I been shot at, shot at muthafuckaz, been in jail out of jail.  I done lived damn near every life to live.  I ain't never pimped or no shit like that, but I done seen all the tricks of the trade.  So I'm just basically playin my part now man.  Music is what I like to do.  That's what I fuck with so that's what goes on.  And I can break any muthafucka down who wanna come and challenge me on a hip hop conversation, remember that.  I'm a pioneer of this and I'm gonna keep the legacy going.  Nobody can front on me ever as far as hip hop, period.  I'm one of the last breeds to come from the crate carriers.  

ThaFormula.com - When you and Dre sat did to record the Chronic.  Was it a 50/50 thing production wise?

Mel Man - Yeah, me and Dre worked all the way through that muthafucka. It was pretty much how you see what's going on know.  Just imagine that like all day and night with Dre in the room and it would just start over and over again.  He comin with it, I'm comin with it.  My man La Bamba on the bass over there, he comin with it.  It even gets more critical then that.  I'll bring out the records sometimes and we will even go to choppin and piecing and shit.  It's all different type methods.  It's a long ongoing process.

ThaFormula.com - It seems like when The Aftermath compilation dropped everybody was saying it was wack and aftermath was over with.

Mel Man - It went platinum and shit.  That went platinum, The Firm went platinum.  I got all my plaques on my wall and shit.  I don't know what muthafuckaz is talkin about.  Tell muthafuckaz to take the dicks out they mouth.  

ThaFormula.com - So now the Chronic goes six times platinum.

Mel Man - So, that's just another plaque to the wall.  2 Way pagers is out.  That's the only thing that's changed.  Pagers got bigger.  See this that's all that's changed.  It's always busy in here.  People are always comin in here askin for this and that.  It's like when I met you. I felt your presence and I said Ok, cause I really strive off of vibes.  I don't really fuck with no cornball negative type muthafuckaz and you a straight up and down dude, so I said cool I'll take the interview, it's all good.  I'm a real muthafucka, you know what I'm sayin.  Real meets real and that's how it goes.  It's always busy at Aftermath.  Aftermath's always been a company and it's gonna remain a company.  Anybody that talks to me know that I'm the realest muthafucka walkin.  That's about that as far as wanting to know what's up with Mell Man.  Mel is the same muthafucka that he was from Pittsburgh with a son taller then him.  Doin what I'm supposed to do.

ThaFormula.com - Check out Mel Man, Joe Beast, Busta, and Med of Thaformula fuckin around in the studio doin a little drop for thaformula and thaformula radio show here.

[Murrow]

Dam, Mel-Man likes to trail off topic, LoL.  He even asked Tha Formula questions, hahahaha.  He's a huge hip-hop head, he's got a TON of records.  I think the room with all them records in the "2001" booklet are his.

[Sleepy]

Good reading, a few questions answered

[Doggystylin]

LOL damn i think mel asked them as much questions as they asked him. he sounds like a funny guy. lol. "MWA", Mel with Attitude, LOL

those were tight though, cant wait for some shit from them

[antt213]

damn dre made ben baller sign A confidentiality agreement. there must be alot of shit that goes on behind the scenes.

[Nima - Dubcnn.com]

hittman/ben baller was very informative! dope shit!

lol mel is one funny guy   triple album wtf lol... haha that shit is dope!

[stallionentertainment]

[shadow=red,left,300]Very indepth interview, good to hear what every one feels about aftermath and they way things work behind the curtain thanks Coggy[/shadow]