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URBANSCORE - Artist Interview
Flatline: I figure I've been listening to those G-Wiz beats since I
was around 15 or 16 years old. It's a real pleasure to speak with you.
You've
got your name attached to some of my favorite Public Enemy cuts - Lost
At Birth, Hazy Shade Of Criminal, So Whatcha Gone Do Now,
Unstoppable....looking back on some of your early production work,
what was it like putting together those tracks?
Gary: It's amazing that if I think about a certain track, like Lost
at Birth, or Hazy Shade, I remember making it, the entire process,
even the tracks that I made a very long time ago. It's not something
I try and do; it just sticks for some reason. What also stands out
for me is how certain tracks flowed well in the creative process. The
better they flow out, I think the better they are.
Flatline: I got that cassette single with your remix of Heat It Up by
Rakim. Did you feel any pressure working with the 18th letter to get
every sound just right?
Gary: Rakim is incredible. I've done a couple of remixes for him.
I'd like to do something original with him because remixes are so
limiting. I didn't feel any pressure, because I always try to get any
song that I work on to its absolute best level. It helps greatly to
have someone like Rakim on it.
Flatline: Hyenas In The Desert was a really dark project with a very
dark sound. It's an ep that I play to this day. Do you think if the
project has been released around 94 when The Gravediggaz and
Flatlinerz were getting some play, that it would have been more successful?
Gary: I just think because of several circumstances they never
solidified any type of an audience. If you're going to be that far
off center, you really need to work hard to find the people who are
going to identify with you and support what you're doing. These days
there is very little support for anything adventurous in hip hop and
it tends to lead artists down the road of the Murcielago and chicks in
bathing suits. Who can't identify with a 500k car and chicks with
nothing on?
Flatline: You produced There's A Poison Goin' On under the name "Tom
E Hawk" and also did a remix of Nighttrain on Beats And Places. Just
curious, why the name change for certain projects?
Gary: I don't think I have admitted anywhere that I am Tom E.Hawk.
You might need to provide a source to get deeper on this topic. I
like his stuff but I think he mixes thin. What stuff of mine have you
ever heard that's thin?
Flatline: (laughs) You've worked with a wide range of people
including Janet, U2, Peter Gabriel, RUN DMC and Sinead O'Connor. Who
haven't you worked with that would be a dream production job for you and Amani?
Gary: That's a tough call. We're into matching artists to tracks. We
have several tracks that match certain artists perfectly so I guess
the dream production job is being able to match these people up.
Amani might have a short list of five people you never heard of
though.
Amani: Ha! I know for me it would be Lauryn Hill. I just think her
voice would go perfect with some of our urbanscore beats. I would
also like to get Jeru and Freeway together on some of our tracks.
Battle of the Bearded MC. It's always been a project I wanted to put
together. (chuckles)
Gary: I am disappointed, I've heard of all of them!
Amani: Sorry! Next time I'll get more obscure.
Flatline: I understand that the new Public Enemy record was years in
the making. I love the soul and rock influences on many of the
tracks. Did Chuck give you any direction to go in musically?
Gary: Well I talked about it with people, and asked the questions.
Before
track one was made, I'd ask Amani or ask Chuck, what should this album be?
What should it sound like, and there was a lot of time just spent
thinking about it. When it was time to sit down and make tracks the
answers were there.
Amani: Once Chuck and Flav lay their parts, we can really build a
picture around their lyrics. It's a dope way of working. Listen to
the "Enemy Battle" or "Frankenstar"; it's us using that concept.
Flatline: This new PE record has a very clear flow to it, partly
helped out by the role of the interlude, which as a listener of Public
Enemy, I think plays a huge part. How conscious were you of creating
these small areas of breathing room? They have me flashing back to
the way Fear Of A Black Planet flows from start to finish.
Gary: The interludes for this PE album were created over a span of 3
years.
It was amazing how they would crop up here and we'd just save them.
Amani: What's a PE album without poignant interludes? Done right it's
the glue to the record. Done wrong it's more fast forward options.
Those came across really nice.
Flatline: Where did those HORNS come from on Harder Than You Think?
That track is incredible...
Gary: Just one of those things that all clicked together. You hit on
something and boom, it works. Harder Than You Think actually worked on
a level that was apparent to us immediately. I sent Chuck that track
and got his written verse back about 45 minutes later. When he showed
up to record it, it was done in one take.
Amani: Those horns.its G-Wiz's "Ancient Chinese Secret!" I remember
when he played them over the phone to me. It was so rauwkus I
couldn't believe it.
Flatline: How tired are you of hearing people say that PE needs to
return to their original sound? From the beginning, the object was
never to make the same record twice. As a producer it's got to
challenge you artistically and musically to come up with new sounds,
yet make it unmistakably the sound of Public Enemy.
Gary: My goal is to do what works at the time. If it's "Can't Truss
It", cool, if it's "Give it up", cool. If it's "Harder Than You
Think," then we are running with that. I don't try and get too
scientific with it, PE's original sound to me is when the beat is
cracking you in the head, Chuck is ripping it apart, and Flavor is
giving play by play in the breaks. That's what I'm looking for in a PE
record...
Amani: I think what people are really saying is "Create a record that
makes me feel". It's really hard to re-capture a feeling. The trick
is to make a record that can invoke all those emotions you felt when
you first heard PE, but add a fresh take. That's always gonna be
challenging when you're working with legends that have established
their purpose. Find me a group that has made great records for twenty
years. It's far and few between.
Flatline: I thank you for taking the time to speak with Rapstation
and for creating so many classics. Anything you'd like to add in
closing? Any other projects you're working on at the moment?
Gary: Thanks Flatline, How You Sell Soul is in stores August 7th.
Also look out for E.Infinite coming soon. People who like this album
can hit me at myspace.com/garygwiz. People who don't like it can hit
me there too but need to send their top 5 favorite rap albums, and
hopefully I don't like anything on their list.
Amani: Ooh, I like that. Yes, thank you so much Flatline. It's been
a pleasure. Definitely check for rapper E.Infinite's solo joint out soon.
He
is on "Amerikan Gangster", the second single off "How You Sell Soul."
We are also in the studio with Soup (Jurassic 5) right now. That guy
is so versatile.he's got a few tricks up his sleeve!
Urbanscore.coming to a speaker near you.
- Flatline for rapstation.com
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