Jake One & DJ Muro
- What are some of your earliest memories of Hip
Hop culture?
Sugarhill stuff. Furious 5 "Its Nasty" in particular stands out. A couple of years later Run DMC's 1st album dropped and I was breakin and all that good
stuff.
- Do you feel being from the Northwest has affected
your career?
It has good and bad aspects. On the positive side, we are more open to various styles of Hip Hop than a lot of areas are. On a business side it can be harder because their is no model of an artist or producer who has made a major impact besides Mix A Lot. There is nobody showing cats how to succeed.
- Do you feel as though people recognize many artists from the Northwest
nationally?
Not on a major scale besides Mix A Lot. Lifesavas is starting to make a impact through their hard work, and hopefully Boom Bap Project will be next.
- You've been releasing music now for 5 years and you're working with some of
the best known names in rap, (G-Unit, Busta Rhymes, Gift of Gab), any way to
describe how it feels to be on the tip of that iceburg?
Its a weird place to be. I'm very close to making a big impact, but you never know how things are going to shake down. Dealing with major labels and projects of huge significance have a huge amount of obstacles for somebody like me. I'm not really connected to anybody in particular so I have to win out on music alone, not on politics. I never would have thought I would make it to where I am now really.
- Can you describe the sound of the work you've done on the new Encore and
Gift of Gab Lps?
Encore has a bit of everything on his record. He wanted to do some songs for girls, heads and whoever else is listening. We wanted him to put his personality out there more on this one, instead of just being on some 'rapper's rapper' ish. His album is real funky, and not in a P-Funk way.
Gab's album is very mood oriented. He has a lot of singing on the hooks and he is throwin himself out there on a lot of the songs. It has a definite soulful theme throughout.
- Who has your favorite collaboration been with so far and why?
Working with both Gab and Core was dope because I was there from start to finish. Having your opinion mean something was a nice change for me. For the most part I'm a beat whore though. People send money, I send beats. I hear it when it comes out.
- How close are you to owning every record?? Do you think you'll ever make it?
Probably a couple million short of reaching the goal. My wife will probably flip out before I make to 100K though.
- What are your top 3 spots to dig at?
Jive Time in Seattle, Crossroads in Portland, and Groove Merchant in San Francisco
- What's in your studio and how much time do you spend in it a day?
An ASR 10, Yamaha Motif, Korg Triton, Korg MS2000, Roland VP 9000, 2 Technic 1200's, Vestax 05 Mixer, Mackie 24/4 board, Pro Tools. I spend probably 2-3 hours a day.
- Have you learned any lessons about the industry the hard way yet?
There have been various credit situations in which I was done dirty.
- Were you at the Brainstorm Battle, If so did anyone there catch your ear?
Bad Luk was real dope. To me he was the best rapper there.
- Who are some DJs and MCs from the Northwest people should be looking out for?
Vitamin D of course. Bean, who is another producer who has some heat. Boom Bap Project has a album droppin next year. Greyskull has some dope stuff done for their new project.
- What's coming up in 2004?
Jon Cena, Boom Bap, Kardinal Offishall, Skillz, Masta Ace, Copywrite, Planet Asia, E-40 Krumbsnatcha... I'm forgetting some stuff.
- Anyone you want to shout out here at the end?
Splattii, Walt Liquor, Dove and my wife for putting up with me and my records.