FEATURE
You ' ve been in the industry for over 19 years , how did you get started in the music and entertainment business ? I started out in the industry doing shows in a children ' s rap group called the Kaos Crew . We were chosen to be the first kids to perform at elementary schools throughout Florida in the early 90 ' s , promoting positive hip-hop , which was a new thing at the time . Although being a rapper wasn ' t popular we were an inspiration and influenced many to become artists where most kids at the time wanted to be dancers .
At what point did you know this is what you wanted to do and build a career out of ? I think over time , like most people that have a passion for something , you really don ' t identify it as real until you have responsibilities like money and contractual obligations . When those things came into play that ' s when I realised I had to work harder at my craft , because you only get one time to make a great impression .
What are some of the biggest changes you ’ ve seen in the business , good and bad ? There have been many great changes since the 90 ' s , the CD was one of them ( Laughs ). Growing from performances to actually having merchandise and establishing a brand identification was another big change . Having online outlets to become more visible has progressed and helps you stay relevant .
Is there anything you think needs to change in the industry ? The bad thing about the entertainment industry is that it often carries the weight of low character trait behaviour . Many involved aren ' t professional or respectful , they don ' t know how the business world works or have a solid knowledge based approach . This is something that needs to change !
What other producers , songwriters and / or artists do you see as your primary inspirations and why ? I ' ve never been inspired by the people who make music . I ' ve always been inspired by my individual approach to create my own sound and share my musical influence to shape the music culture . I think that ' s what every artist and producer should strive for .
Tell us about the Mogul Project and the brand strap line of ' I Grow Moguls '. Is this a personal mission statement ? What inspired this notion ? The Mogul Project is a collaborative effort of thinkers and innovative minds from across the globe . We have established a strong presence in different industries to connect on projects and fill in the voids that can sometimes be a struggle when you don ' t have the right resources or ideas in place to make a huge impact . iGrowMoguls was inspired by my experience in various industries , where consulting with many corporate and mid-level CEO ' s led to helping them understand their value , new ideals and ways to connect with the consumer by working with other organisations .
Do you believe you can produce a great track from a home studio or is a professional service a necessity ? Home studios are nothing new nowadays , you can find 10 on every block ! I think it ' s based on the equipment and
the knowledge level of who ' s producing the song . A lot of sound mistakes are made by many individuals who just have some equipment but don ' t know how to achieve the best sound from what they have and even then to be competitive you have to have the right components .
In your opinion , what classifies as a good mix and a good master ? A good mix to me is something that ' s ready to be mastered . Many engineers don ' t mix to master , they mix and master . In reality there are only a few people in the world that have acoustically created a special place just for the mastering to happen . Where mixing cannot be done on the same speakers , you master on two different processes and approaches .
Do you have a favourite musical project that you ' ve worked on ? So far 50 / 50 but , I ' m still living so we will see when I ' m old the full range of this question .
Do you have a ' fantasy ' track you would like to make with artists / producers who have passed away ? Prince .
Once a track is finished , what do you feel are the other elements an artist needs to have as part of their product to go out there and pitch / release it ? Proper Rollout budget . Bloggers , email blasts , a strong relationship with DJs . Specific versions for placement - clean for radio , explicit for the club for example , with a consistent online and physical presence , which is a must . It ' s also important to find out outside of these necessary elements what you can do different with bringing something new that reaches the people . That way you can maximise their experience of what you have to offer .
There are times in a career when life isn ’ t going your way , how do you keep your mind on your work without losing focus ? In the words of the great Pops Decoursey ( R . I . P .) " Keep your goal . Change your approach ."
What advice would you give anyone wanting to become a music producer ? Learn the difference between being competitive and producing what you like . There is a difference , find the balance . Find an artist that you can work with , build with , help them develop a sound and don ' t ever forget to create a contract and split sheet for everything you do !
Tell us about your upcoming projects / releases ? The project ' Life Lessons In The Key Of Froth ' by Big J The Frothy Main will be in production soon . We can expect the release in late 2017 . You will also hear more of my music being aired on different networks and shows . I also have continued to publish my magazine BrandedMag . us which is a business branding education magazine . There are so many new ideas and projects with The V . i . ppers launching that I ' m excited to see reach the public .
In 3 words sum up your career ? Patience . Prestige . Innovation .
Find out more at www . iGrowMoguls . com
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