DJ Quick interview.....

[ABN]

got this from www.daveyd.com

    Few producers in Hip-Hop can adapt and change with the times while still remaining fresh and invigorating. David “DJ Quik” Blake is one such producer that has been able to do this and more. Quik got his itch for music as a teen by DJing parties and school dances. By the time he was in his late teens he became inspired by producers such as Dr. Dre, DJ Pooh, Bobcat, Dust Brothers, Erick Sermon, Hank Shocklee and the Bomb Squad. Quik bought some equipment and started doing underground tapes featuring him and his crew. Those tapes lead to him landing a record deal with Profile Records in 1990.

A year later he debuted with the Hip-Hop classic Quik is the Name. The album was ground breaking for two reasons: 1) It was the first time a producer (besides Dr. Dre) emceed on an entire album in a record deal, 2) The beats and arrangements on the album were incredible, which helped cement Compton, CA in particular and the West Coast in general into the world of Hip-Hop. Quik released after his debut a total of three more albums on Profile, before the label folded and the parent label Arista took it over. In 2002 he left Arista and found a home in Bungaloo/Universal Records where he released Unda Tha Influence. Now in 2005 he plans on releasing his 7th album on his own label Mad Science (under Warner Brothers). The album will feature artists such as Chingy, T.I., Nate Dogg, Shawn Anthony and Wyclef Jean.
        Quik is not just a producer. This multitalented artist is also an arranger and composer. His professionalism behind the boards has led him to work with such artists as Talib Kweli, Jay Z, Janet Jackson, 2pac, Rakim, Raphael Saadiq and Chingy. Quik is also responsible for helping and developing the careers of his fellow crew members 2nd II None, HI C, and AMG.
        I can say it was a real pleasure to speak with DJ Quik. This interview really showed me how blessed and lucky I am. I’d like to thank Ed Donaldson for making this interview a reality.


UAN: Talk to me a little bit about your label Mad Science.

DJQ: It’s the first time I become a label executive and label owner. What better way to describe it with all the stuff I’ve been through; watching how Hip-Hop changed and growing up through it; watching how tumultuous, dated, bland it got and the revival of it. I figured I needed a name that described the maniacal aspect of how involved music can be and how scientific it is at the same time. It’s not mad like angry, like mad rapper or hater. It’s just like determined, mad about making records happen. That’s what the label is to me. It’s my voice now, to be able to record and do music; mixing different genres of music up and make hot f***ing club records, hot kick back records, hot instrumentals. It’s all music dog, at the same time it’s still youthful and that makes it Hip-Hop. Not because I’m making it Hip-Hop, I’m making it youthful.

UAN: How do you feel about the new 2pac’s album Loyal to the Game and how was it like working with 2pac when he was alive?

DJQ: First of all I appreciate the fact that Afeni, Eminem, and my boy Spencer came to me with the project, asking if I would like to do the 2pac song. I was like “Yeah cool I will, that’s my boy.” When I got it and listened to it the first time, I realized the tape was kinda slow. So I figured I wanted to keep him in this element and give him a slow beat, something dark, something written for him. That music was written to his voice, even though that song had been already previously done. His voice and his delivery on that verse inspired that whole song and I think it was good they had Big Syke come in. I had Big Syke come in and pay homage because that was his boy. We rekindled that energy we had in the past. 2pac even showed up for a minute in real life. Came in the room, knocked a couple of blunts over and took some Hennessey. It let’s me know that 2pac is alive forever. Working with 2pac when he was alive was like working with the brightest ball of energy on earth. That dude was a vortex. He was the center of any circle. People moved around like he was the big marble. If you had a gang of marbles in your bag, he was like the boulder.

UAN: I read a comment you made in the Sept issue of XXL Magazine that you didn’t get credit for a lot of work you did on 2pac’s album All Eyez On Me. Can you go more in-depth about that?

DJQ: The credit system in the Death Row days was like if you weren’t strong about getting your credits somebody would take your credits from you. If I didn’t go to the meeting or the office and put my name down on the album, I couldn’t expect somebody to do it for me. Somebody would lie and say they did the work because they know it might make them look good to Suge or they might get some work off of it and that’s what happened to me. Somebody took one of my credits and claimed he mixed the song that I produced for 2pac. Nobody mixes songs that I produce except me or an engineer that I deem worthy of mixing it.

UAN: Being the pioneer that you are doing both emceeing and producing, how do you feel about Kanye West?

DJQ: Kanye is popular because Kanye deserves to be popular. I saw Kanye on one of his interviews and not when he was being “It’s all about me” banging his chest. He elaborated on a picture with markings that he saw on the wall. He asked the crowd “What do you see when you look at this picture?” He said “When I see it I see music” and then he started doing the musical notes, which let me know that the guy is adept musically. He’s informed a real musician, a great arranger and a great sampler. The way he refreaked old classic samples like I’m Going Down by Rolls Royce, Because I Love You by Lenny Williams, and Marvin Gaye’s Distant Lovers on the song Grave Shift on his album are incredible.

UAN: How was it working with the God Rakim Allah and Truth hurts on the song So Addictive?

DJQ: Actually Dr. Dre produced that record and he gave me credit. I don’t know why he was that generous. He put the light on me and I’ve been eating good ever since. I interacted with him afterwards and he let me know what I can be if I can really get focused and got really serious about my production. Maybe one day I’ll be an immortal like him.

UAN: Being an artist and a producer, what’s your take on the stricter copyright laws that have gone into effect?

DJQ: Now that I’m a song writer and not like a dude trying to get away with stealing somebody’s sample, I understand. People go in the studio and work long and hard and stress with technical difficulties when equipment doesn’t work or the electricity is dirty and they don’t get the idea out. Then for someone years later to sample it and put it in their computer and rap over it and then go make money off it, that’s disrespectful. Hip-Hop is based on sampling; it’s also based on where do you go after you really understand the music that you sampled, because most of the time we sample records that inspire us or records that we relate to. If you grow from that sample that you used and make a record like it, you may actually be paying the original artist more homage, than just sampling. Yeah it’s all based on sampling. I sampled my a** off. My whole first album was mostly samples. I did this until the time when I wanted to show what I can do and created my own music which I did, like Quik’s Groove and Pass Me The 8ball. Also, half of Tonite, even though it was a sample, I added arrangement and some other things. The song Deep, we were trying to record good records as well as sample. Because we wanted the best of both worlds and I think we accomplished that.

UAN: How’s your production process. Do you work alone or with a group when you go into the studio?

DJQ: I start it off by doing it myself basically. I always start by building the ground floor. Then I’ll call an instrumentalist that can shine in certain parts. Like, I’ll leave holes for the guitar player, piano player, or what not, so we can vibe.

UAN: Any last words?

DJQ: I’d like to say one love to everybody that loves me, all my fans. That’s it dog, everybody peace y’all. DJ Quik, I’ll be out in March with the hottest new album and it’s going to be the standard.

[Meho]

props

so dre produced addicitive

waits for jome to put that in the valut 

[Boo-Yaa †]

nice interview props 

[Lil Jay]

Damn so Dre really produced Addictive...crazy to hear this after all this time thinkin it was Quik  

that much about Dre stealing credits  

[eS El Duque]

Damn...nice interview..props

[DPG4Life]

well, ive seen quik in a interview once, where he said: he woke up that morning, was zapping trough his tv-channels and then saw this indian commercial with the sample of addictive in the background

and he knew he wanted to sample that and that its going to be  a hit

thats what he said
and i think for some reason he gave dre the credit now for addictive
maybe some legal stuff? or they both did the song and now he was just giving respect to hom trough the media?!?

or he isnt proud of this song anymore - for sooooome reason

i dont know, but i dont believe what he said about dre producing it and giving him the credit, since ive heard out his mouth how he come up with that idea to the song...
so must have lied in one of the versions
and i choose the 2nd one

[broken_sword]

well, ive seen quik in a interview once, where he said: he woke up that morning, was zapping trough his tv-channels and then saw this indian commercial with the sample of addictive in the background

and he knew he wanted to sample that and that its going to be  a hit

i remember that too. when i read the part about dre giving quik the credit i was like "whoa! what's with that other story?!"

[Juronimo]

well, ive seen quik in a interview once, where he said: he woke up that morning, was zapping trough his tv-channels and then saw this indian commercial with the sample of addictive in the background

and he knew he wanted to sample that and that its going to be  a hit

i remember that too. when i read the part about dre giving quik the credit i was like "whoa! what's with that other story?!"

I heard that too. Wasn't there a lawsuit regarding addictive? That may have something to do with it.

[Danté Williams]

He's still saying the album is coming out in march.

That's next month and we ain't even got a title.

[Machiavelli]

He's still saying the album is coming out in march.

That's next month and we ain't even got a title.

"Quik is STILL the name" is the title...

[Spicemuthafuc*in1]

good interview its always great to hear from quik,
yeah i found that surprising to that its already feb and hes talking about releasing his new album in march, i dont know if i see that happening

[Kal EL]

I think that he may be diverting attention of the that song addictive also. On his greatest Hits cd on a certain song he mentions that he was flying to India to go to court or something about it.

Quik I been riding with you for 15 years and I will ride with you for 15 more, if God be willing.

[shifter]

yeah, I think you're right about the legal issues with the track- read about these somewhere, but can't remember what they were

[Mac 10 †]

is this definately dropping in march?  his new album?

[C-clamp]

Quik has never gave dre credit he didn't deserve before, so why would he now, just cause quik found the sample doesn't mean he produced the beat.
I know there's a mutual respect between the two.