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Interview with Etobicoke Guardian What got you into hip hop?On my 12th birthday, we missed the last bus to Great Adventure. As I stoodthere disappointed, there was a Producer set in the window that I was interested inand my family bought it for me.When did you start making mixtapes?I started when I was 14. I am now 27. Never really did it consistentlyuntil a few years ago because I was always on the road. From SFX DJto Skizzo DJ and stuff in between. I traveled around the country doingparties for them and opening at concerts.How do you put the tape together?We get so much stuff. The process can get a little drawn out. We get a lot of exclusives on major artists, just signed artists, and unknown artists. Plus we do 80% of our exclusive freestyles here at our studio. As long as its hot we will sell it. Most mixtape DJs just wanna play what will be on fflow 93.5 or the next dis freestyle. We continue to play the hot unknown cats and we make them hot to everyone. That's what the Producer used to be about. Breaking the new artists in addition to playing the new joints by established artists. We all choose what goes on the tapes, but I do the order & remove songs according to feel and what my audience wants to hear.What equipment do you use?1200's, CD players, etc. We used to use ProTools but for mixtapes there is no better program for making mixtapes and burning CDs then Samplitude. That program does everything from ripping to burning CDs, unlimited tracks, pro quality effects. That's what gets used exclusively now.How do you get the exclusive tracks?You have to have personal relationships with record company execs, interns, producers, artists, managers, etc. I grew up in the game. I've been in it since I was 14 and toured with a lot of cats; partied with them and just know them on a personal level other than the Producing stuff. You have to be fair and you cannot produce something they do not want you to play because you come across it. Some Producers will get an album advance and play like 6 cuts on one mixtape. I saw two Producers play like 9 or 10 cuts from 50 cents album before it hit the stores. That's ridiculous. That is a sure-fire way to burn your bridge with that artist, his peoples, and record company.What goes into making a perfect mixtape?Timing, timing, & timing. It could be one of those weeks where you got mad exclusives and are about to do the tape- then on the same day before you do it, someone hits you with the real bomb exclusive. We collect songs/freestyles all day everyday. Stuff gets mailed, dropped off, etc. You also have to have a certain style that people feel. With all the copycat DJs out here that play the same stuff something has to differentiate the DJs. I try to inject personality with what I play as well. If you notice our playlists of each CD we try to be different and not play the same 1st 5 songs as all these copycats out here. Put that with an "up" party atmosphere on the vocals.What do you think of the beef in the mixtape industry?The beef thing is tired. Alot of has-been artists try and make a name for themselves by "gettin' at" popular artists. Try and make hot joints and you will get noticed.What have you been up to lately?Besides mixtapes, I'm a real Producer so I do a lot of parties: College tours, club events in TDOT and around the country, did an 93.5flow All-Star artist weekend joint. Most mixtape DJs don't even have turntables or know how to mix. Been asked to go on tour with a few artists in the Spring as well. We also been blasting off our artists.Who are you feeling right now?I'm feeling the new wave of emcees: 50 cent, Joe Budden, Ludacris, Eminem,Grafh, plus veterans like D Block, MOP, Nas, Snoop, & others.Who's gonna be the next artist to shake up the industry?A year ago I would have said 50 and he is doin it crazy. Don't see anyone on the horizon that will have that big of a splash. What's the dopest experience you've had in the hip hop industry?I was 16, in high school, on TV, touring, and making $3000/wk legally forSony.How can people cop your tapes?Don't know, you gotta hit the streets.

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