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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