QD3 interview!

[AborR]

Finnish 2pac site www.alleyezonpac.com did an interview with producer QD3.

AllEyezOnPac: Before we go to the ”real” questions, would you like to tell us about yourself a little bit if in case there are people who might not recognize you and after that was the music always the thing you wanted to do even as a child and who influenced you mostly (besides your father I assume)?

QD3: Well, I was born in London, lived in LA until I was 4, moved to Sweden until 16, then NY, Boston, and finally LA again in 88. I got started in music as a breakdancer, when i realized that I couldn't do that forever, I became facinated with what the DJ's used to do at jams so I pursued music production and haven't looked back. I've had success on both coasts having worked with LL, Tupac, Ice Cube, Latifah, Westside Connection, XZibit, Nate Dogg, Kurupt, and others. I also do film and TV scoring, some of that work includes Menace To Society, Fresh Prince, Eddie Murphy's PJ's and various ad campaigns. My main influences I would say are Mantronik, Stevie Wonder, and of course Pops.

AllEyezOnPac: It has been now seven years since Pac passed, what are your thoughts now when you look back to the year 1996? What's your own opinion, why he’s so influential even today? What made him so special?

QD3: He was real and I think his music is his pain put into words and it's almost like therapy to listen to it. When you speak from the heart your words will touch the hearts of others, when you can do that successfully you connect with people in a deeper way that doesn't neccessarily wear off when they stop playing it on the radio, Pac has helped a lot of people in different ways through his music, because of that they will never forget him. I'd compare him to Bob Marley in that their messages are universal and timeless, realness never ceases I guess.

AllEyezOnPac: When was the last time you spoke with Pac and where were you when you heard he was shot? How did you react?

QD3: Last time I spoke with Pac we we're leaving Can Am/Deathrow studios early in the morning after having worked all night, we we're working on the Makaveli album. He asked me if I had gotten paid for my tracks as we we're getting in our cars and I said "don't worry about it, we have plenty of time to square that away", and Pac was like, " I don't roll like that, I'll make sure you get your $", that was it, last words...Pac had integrity. I can't remember how I wound out he got shot but I remember I lived off of Slauson Bl in LA and I was on my way home on Slauson and someone I don't know that well rolled up beside me and was like, "your boy Pac just passed away". Normally I have a pretty spiritual approach to death, I try trust that the universe is in order, but when I heard that it broke my heart because Pac was so loyal and spirited that it was like loosing 100 people in one if that makes sense.

AllEyezOnPac: What was it like working with Pac in the studio?

QD3: Awesome, I've worked with some high level artists prior to Pac but no one compares to his intesity. Everything had to move fast, no time to fiddle around with sounds, that's why I would always bring my beats already recorded so that it would be ready to go, many producers got the boot because they took too long:) rappers too, for instance, if Pac was doing a song with other artists, he would write his verse in a few minutes, then look at the other artists and say " are you done with your verse? and they would say "almost, I have two more lines to finish, give me a minute, and before they could finish those two lines Pac would have written all three verses to the song and record them without the others, many artists left with sad faces. but all in all it was beautiful, it was pure creative bliss for sure, you could feel the legend in the room as it was happening, Pac was bigger than life.

AllEyezOnPac: What has working with Pac and other artists taught you?

QD3: Pac taught me, don't think too much, just go for it, let things flow the way they come out and if it doesn't work, let's try another idea. the funny thing is I used to be a very slow nit picky producer, after Pac I don't even care what equipment I use to a certain degree, it's what you put into it, the feeling. LL Cool J taught me to have dicipline, how to stay up for days without sleep, keep trying, he's probably the most driven artist I've worked with. Cube taught me how to juggle business, I'd see him write, produce, and act in films while at the same time masterminding and recording his album, that definitely helped shape me as a man because he was a year younger than me and he was taking control of his life in a big way, Cube is dope, I will always remember what these cats taught me.

AllEyezOnPac: Do you have any memories concerning pac, you would like to share with us?

QD3: Every moment was great, I can't single out anything in particular, I do remember that he used to trip off my huge pitbulls that I used to breed and bring to the studio, in fact I gave him the two pitts he would talk about, he named them Doce & Gabana. (Picture)

AllEyezOnPac: What do you think about the newest 2pac releases, Until The End Of Time and Better Dayz? What are your thoughts on remixing the old songs? Some say they should have released the songs the way they were.

QD3: I don't really get involved in that, I guess I accept it how it comes, I agree though, it would be nice to one day hear all the orignals. I do know that Fat Joe, or his producer rather jacked one of my beats from UTEOT, Nigga's Nature, carbon copy:)

AllEyezOnPac: Okay, here’s the question that everybody is asking these days from the people who knew Pac. How do you feel about artists like Ja Rule, 50 cent, Tha Realest and Master P who are either biting pac or giving him love depends on who you ask? Everybody got their own supporters, but how do you see this whole situation?

QD3: I guess we are all influenced by someone, weather it's conscious or sub conscious, the only thing that I have a bit of a problem with is that sometimes because most people only got what the media gave them, people will imitate the medias version of Pac and as someone who knew him even if it was brief, I feel that people owe it to themselves to really study what Pacs true essense was, he was way deep and layered and was far more well read and prepared to lead than he let on. So, I wish that the people that take after him would take Pac's whole mission and not just the tatoos, shirt off, bandana, etc. go deep and carry the torch, strive for some major changes while you have the power and fame.

AllEyezOnPac: Could you tell us something about your new DVD "Beef"? How did you get the idea of doing something like that?

QD3: Well, Pacs passing left me wanting to explore the subject, also, I think by others seeing these beefs told by the artists themselves, they could see how these things actually develope and by seeing everything in contect they could learn by example how to potentially avoid it for themselves in the future if they recognize the signs. BEEF is a series, BEEF 1 and most of 2 is going over what's already happened, then in 3 we'll start looking for solutions and try to build a better understanding of resolution and unity. but in order to overcome any problem or addiction you must first face the problem head on, admit ou have a problem that you are powerless over, then the healing begins.

AllEyezOnPac: Do you think beefs in rap business are a negative thing? Or do they just bring the best out of artists?

QD3: Lyrical beefs are great for skill developement, when it gets violent, expecially with well known artists, it get everyone excited to the point where they almost want to see someone get touched and that's when I feel it gets a bit unhealthy. But everything happens for a reason, hopefully this current cycle of violence will help teach us something about unity down the line.

AllEyezOnPac: What you think of the Thug Angel document? Did it came out the way you wanted? Is there something you would have wanted to add to it? How was it working with that project?

QD3: Whew, it was our first film, there was so much I wanted to say with that film... we could have made 5 films and there would still be things I'd like to add... overall though, I think it was a great experience because it was a chance for most of the people that really knew Pac well to do something together as a tribute and labor of love. If Resurrection was Pac's story as told by himself, Thug Angel was Pac's story as told by himself as well as people that knew him from early on.

AllEyezOnPac: Besides Tupac, is there someone you've really enjoyed working with?

QD3: LL, Too Short & Cube

AllEyezOnPac: As a producer, what do you think about the state of rap nowadays? Do you like the beats people come up with or do you miss the ”good old days”?

QD3: I gotta' say that Kanye Wests sound is bringing back some feeling to the tracks, I think that things are getting nice again, things seem to always go in cycles you know. I've never really been totally satisfied with any era, you always seem to like it better in retrospect, I was very competitive during the 80's & 90's so I was critical then too:)

AllEyezOnPac: So, who are you working with right now? Any names? Projects? We heard that you are working with Outlawz for their new album? What about the coming Resurrection Soundtrack?

QD3: I haven't done music for a few months because we are working on a couple films, one is BEEF 2, the other is an MC driven project that is in a much more positive vein. I'll probably do something with the Outlawz, and I also score all of our films, that's how I get my music rocks off, once we finish this series of 12 films I may get more into music again.

AllEyezOnPac: Okay, thanks for your time QD!! We really appreciate giving us such a wonderful opportunity like this. All the best to you and your family. Any last words to scandinavian and especially to Finnish Pac fans? Just speak your mind.

QD3: Thank you very much, many blessing back to all of you, I grew up in Sweden so I love Scandinavia, used to love Pripps beer:) Also wanted to say that I remember living over there so I am aware of how long that region has been up on Hip Hop, very up on Hip Hop, just want to also say thanks to everyone who enjoy the music I've been blessed to make. Hej Da, Ha Det Sa Bra:) QD3


 

[Nima - Dubcnn.com]

this sucks, they only talked about pac! i wanna hear bout QDIII! oh well still some intersting info

[ExZit]

once a swede, always a swede (same goes for sven goran eriksson)