Solar Interview

[D-Nice]

http://www.illuminati2g.com/solarinterview.htm

I2G chilled with 7 Grand producer Solar for a interview. Done about a month or so before Guru's death, we discuss how Solar met Guru and how the label 7 Grand was started with him, his thoughts on hip hop and much more so check it out.

Illuminati 2G is here with Solar how's it going?

Things are great. Just here in New York, working in the lab, working on new material as usual.

Tell me a little bit about how you got your start in music and who are some of your musical influences out there.

I got my start in music..., well I would divide it into 2 segments. I have always been musical and I was born and raised in New York. I grew up on hip hop and I was producing even before I really knew what producing was. I was in a band as a teenager and then quickly went into a one man band which for me was DJing and putting together hip hop crews and it became the fabric of my life.

The culture as it was, was people living it. I grew up when the culture was US. So what the world saw was our culture as we were making music and doing hip hop in New York. Professionally when I saw that this was going to be my full time navigation, 2003 or 2004 when 7 Grand was being formed.

That was around the time that Guru took a huge interest in my music. He started taking my music around to the various A&Rs and DJs and pretty much everyone was in agreement that I had a sound. That would be when I say that the professional Solar that everyone knows today got here.

That leads perfectly into my next question. How did you link up with Guru and what is it like working with him?

Me and Guru were introduced by a mutual friend about 8 years ago. At the time, Guru was going through alot, with the situation with his label, and at the same time I was working with homeless children here in New York and I had done fairly well for myself. I felt I had accomplished my version of the American Dream or nightmare depending on how you look at it (laughs).

We basically started out just hanging out and at that time I was not really looking to get on in the music industry and he appreciated that. We could be cool and I was not looking into being around him as a career boost. At the same time the friendship grew and everything happens for a reason and like I said earlier he was going through these business situations.

For me, it became simple and evident that he had run his course with his contract. But also at that time, alot of enterpreneurs were doing very well for themselves. We saw the Puffys and the Jay-Zs, Murder Inc and so on. So I suggested maybe now is the right time to start your own label. He thought about it and he called me back and he said he was going to do it.

I wished him good luck and then he said well I want us to start the label. My idea was for him to start it but after a while of talking with him about it, I decided to get involved. That is when we entered into more of a musical/business relationship and so we started putting things together. I started listening to other producers beat reels along with my own and then I really started to see that there was a sound there.

It was fresh, new and unique and I think Guru heard and recognized that as well and began to work on the tracks. He would go and write to them and bring them back and the music started to come together organic. From that point on, he (Guru) has always been the type of artist that likes to work with one producer.

He is a producer himself and he produced a large bulk of the Jazzmatazz work and he produced a couple tracks on the Gangstarr projects. He was comfortable in that configuration and creatively it worked for both of us. That way we can focus on making albums the way that we feel and have the cohesiveness.

Working with any legend like Guru or Common or Talib Kweli, David Sanborn, Bob James who to me is just as much as a hip hop legend even though he is a jazz artist but there is no hip hop producer that does not know his breaks. So working with any legend takes you back a little bit from the sense that you are a fan first and foremost. Once I get past that I am motivated to work with anyone.

Same thing with Guru but the difference was that I knew him for a longer period of time. I am still in awe of the work he has done with Gangstarr and Jazzmatazz as well. Jazzmatazz 4 is the number 1 hip hop jazz album of the decade but even that said it is a much bigger album and series around the world. It is definitely a challenge but it is also rewarding to see that he added on a whole new level with 7 Grand and myself.

Tell me a little bit about the upcoming projects that you are working on with Guru or other artists outside of the label.

Basically when I started working with Guru, we work on new material. As the material comes along, we try to figure out what are we going to do with it. We are in the studio now working on new material, because we never go into the studio with the mindstate that we are going in to record a certain album.

We record and let the tracks decide what fits where so right now that is all we are doing is new material. Also we are working with many other artists on material for their projects and ours as well. We are working with some big people and at the same time we are touring.

Being from the east coast what are your thoughts on the hip hop scene on the east coast?

It is interesting that you would ask me that. It seemed like a couple of years back, it seemed like the indenity factor out here reached a lull. It kind of felt at times like me and Guru were the only ones advocating for New York back then, even though I am sure we were not alone. But just in the past year, we have seen a number of legendary east coast artists dropping projects and I think it was a great year for New York.

To me, that was a good thing to see all these artists from New York dropping albums. New York in my opinion has always been the cutting edge of hip hop so I really look forward to the day that we are dominating hip hop again. I think whether people realize it or not, because Guru and I are independent and not supported by the big machine, there is a lot of east coast influence in today’s music.

 

A lot of people think they know but really do not have any idea. For example, Drake, incredible artist, he has a record out called Scriptures. Which of course in a reference to our album, Street Scriptures 7.0, which is me and Guru’s album. There is a big time influence not only there but across the board and I hear artists that are pushing the boundaries again.

 

I just try to come up with different concepts and ways of bringing innovative music to the masses. Myself and Guru are always working on bringing a new sound and we caught heat for it at times but that does not stop us from doing it. But at the end of the day, music is about creativity and we both bring that.

 

Whenever you are coming with something new, especially in music, it can be hard for some to grasp and it is breaking new ground. I think to some degree the artist knows that when they are making the music, especially if you are trying to be a trailblazer.

 

What is your website information?

 

www.myspace.com/solar7grand. www.twitter.com/solar7grand.

 

Alright well that is all the questions I have for you. Appreciate you getting down for the interview. Is there any last words or shoutouts you want to get out there to the people?

 

I would like to thank all the fans out there of myself and Guru’s music and all the Gangstarr fans and all the Jazzmatazz fans we appreciate the support. If you have not heard what is going on, take a minute and check it out. It is not bad music at all, it’s good hip hop.

 

Appreciate the interview.

 

Thanks man.