Producer Essman Explains Role In "A Day In The Life" w/Sticky Fingaz

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Producer Essman Explains Role In A Day In The Life
September 13th, 2009 | Author: Jake Paine

This summer, Sticky Fingaz unveiled his Rap-inspired film A Day In The Life [click to read]. With a huge supporting cast of both emcees and Hollywood actors, the Lionsgate-backed film features dialogue exclusively presented in Hip Hop verse, telling a story of one man's conflicted life. While Sticky and Fredro Starr recently spoke to HipHopDX [click to read] about the film and the status of Onyx, DX also spoke at length with the film's music-maker, Essman, who had the creative challenge of scoring the film before it was penned.

"It was a little different," admitted the Michigan-born producer to HipHopDX. "Most guys, when they score a movie, they look at the footage, then they go [create] the music. It was different with Sticky. I would have to solely do the music first, for him to have to write out the scenes. So it was me and him sitting together, and he would feed off of my energy. He would give me a little direction, but I would just make the beat first before anything [else] was made."

Due to the fact that the film would likely reach audiences beyond most Rap releases, Essman was also restricted in his techniques. "I couldn't use any samples; it had to be original. I had to really dig deep."

Having worked with Sticky Fingaz and Onyx dating back to 2003's But Wait It Gets Worse, Essman is a trusted collaborator for the veteran emcee-turned-actor. "I love working with Sticky. He's like a coach; it's like working for Bobby Knight. He'd [warn] 'I gotta feel it, man!' I used to have a coach like, so I'd feed off of him. It would bring a beat to life. He'd say, 'I need this scene.' Okay, I had to cater to it. We have the same ear; it was real fun."

In addition to Sticky, the subsequent production of the film's dialog set to music paired Essman with emcees including Kurupt and Tash, to actors like Omar Epps and Michael Rapaport. A former protege of Mr. Porter, Essman stated that he was weary of getting too hands-on. "I didn't want to over-produce it. I would go over certain points and say [for example], 'Okay, Michael Rapaport should hit this a little better.' We would oversee the thing. After the beat was made and the scene was written, we would go over the vocals after that and say, 'Okay, put some strings right here.' We'd do the blueprint first, and then sprinkle something here or there. It was like painting a picture. After the frame was there, we'd go back in and make sure everything was outlined."

While many Rap fans associate Onyx with a sound birthed in Queens, or the Black Rock style, Essman was given unique instructions for the sound embedded in A Day In The Life's score: "I was trying to give it the Midwest sound. Guys like J Dilla, Mr. Porter, Hi-Tek [click to read] and I, we have a sound. Sticky obviously liked that sound. We wanted to keep it there."

The Midwest sound is Essman's specialty. The producer told DX how he got his big break in Hip Hop. "DJ House Shoes, a few years back, heard a beat CD from me, and Baatin from Slum Village - actually one of my friends, he heard my music and thought it had some potential. House Shoes got one of my beat CDs and let Bizarre hear it. Bizarre was like, 'Yo, this is crazy!' I didn't know who D12 was, but next thing you know, they came over to my crib, listened to my beats, and next thing you know, I got up under Mr. Porter. I just started working. It was so fun and happened so quick."

The results were found throughout albums including Slum Village's Trinity: (Past, Present & Future) [click to read] (as Shelton "Ess" Rivers), D12 World [click to read] by D12, as well as productions on Searching For Jerry Garcia [click to read] by Proof. Essman had additional uncredited experiences, "I've learned from the greats: Proof and MC Breed. I've worked with DMX, Styles P, a lot of stuff - even Tyrese." The latter, the R&B star/actor, Essman says he has helped developed into a rapper, who's now working with Bishop Lamont.

The career genesis in Detroit led Bizarre introducing the producer to Sticky Fingaz, and Essman has already been a confirmed producer in Onyx's 2010 album.

Presently, Essman is gearing up for his mixtape, Espionage. "I'm hooking up with a lot of my people from Detroit: Melanie Rutherford, Cochise, DJ Butter, DJ Dez." The guest-list is equally impressive, boasting posthumous material from both Proof and MC Breed. More also are included, "I've got Sticky Fingaz, Method Man, Tyrese, Bishop Lamont, Macy Gray."

"It's the prequel to the album, the set-up," adds the producer, who also confirmed doing a track with Macy Gray for Slum Village's forthcoming LP.