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Ski Beatz Legendary Producer of Jay-Z's 'Reasonable Doubt Talks Smack Pack Vol. 12 for Producers
Jul 12, 2022
The legend Ski Beatz who has produced for Jay-Z, Nas, Camp Lo, Q-Tip and so many more stopped by Sway In The Morning to talk about his latest challenge to highlight the next generation of producers. He also got into producing classic songs like "Feeling' It" by Jay-Z.
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Ski Beatz Legendary Producer of Jay-Z's 'Reasonable Doubt Talks Smack Pack Vol. 12 for Producers
https://youtu.be/x1hLvwlbfVs
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0:00
If people in the States, if kids in the States would just kind of like pay homage and just really pay attention to, you know, music and how it came from, they would have a way bigger appreciation for, you know, the guys who paved the way
0:12
You know what I mean? Absolutely. That voice right there is the voice of our guest today
0:15
We're celebrating him. To me, he's a hip-hop pillar. I think DJ Eclipse will agree
0:21
Absolutely. Okay. We're going to be celebrating today. It's out right now
0:25
It's new project, Smack Pack Volume 12. Yes. But Tracy, you know, I gotta say, man, that Jay-Z album, Reasonable Doubt, was one of my favorite albums of all time
0:37
Yes. That song we just played, Feeling It, was produced by this amazing producer who's with us right now
0:43
He worked on In My Lifetime, Hard Knock Life. He's done all these different things
0:47
He's worked with Lil' Kim. He's worked with Fat Joe. He's worked with Razz Cass
0:51
He's worked with Locksmith. He's worked with Foxy Brown. He's worked with Joel Ortiz. Woo
0:57
I mean, the list goes on and on and on, and there's a reason why it goes on, Eclipse
1:03
because what he brings to the game is incomparable to anybody else who's attempted to do what he does
1:10
And he's a pillar because he established himself early in the game. Early
1:14
I was there when it happened. NC Roots. I was there when it happened. MC Roots, right
1:18
MC Roots. He could bust a 16 any time you wanted to do it
1:23
I know he keep it in his pocket. Please welcome him back. We got a hip-hop legend with us, the one and only Ski Beats
1:29
Woo! The Titan! What's up, y'all? How y'all doing? Y'all good? What's up
1:34
Yes. Yo, Ski called, and we was talking, and Ski was like
1:38
y'all got a new project coming out, Smack Pack Volume 12, and you're doing a challenge with this, too
1:44
and I was explaining to Mike Muse what the Smack Pack is. Well, I mean, the Smack Pack, let me tell you how it started. Okay
1:50
It started during the pandemic. I had broke out the SP-1200. Remember the SP-1200
1:55
The drum sequencer? Mm-hmm. Was that the proper terminology? Drum machine. Drum machine
2:01
Okay, I went deep. I went deep. You know what I mean? I broke it out
2:04
You know, it's the pandemic. We ain't going nowhere. We're in the house. I broke out the SP-1200
2:08
I made a beat. And I was having fun. You know, I haven't used the 1200 for years
2:13
So on my Instagram posts, I say, hey, man, I just made a beat with the 1200
2:18
You only get 10 seconds of sampling time. Shit's liberating. I bet y'all can't do it
2:22
the next morning my DM was full of videos the kids 10 second challenge and he's like yo I can
2:29
do this you know what I'm saying mad video so I start posting the videos on my page and you know
2:35
and after that it just took off people was just you know feeling the vibe feeling the energy and
2:39
I saw how producers was learning new producers and connecting it was like a network it was like
2:45
a community I said you know what this is kind of dope this is positive so I basically gave my page
2:52
to my community. Wow. Wow, man. So it started from? The 10-second challenge
2:59
Then it morphed into the smack pack. So every month what I do, I get a gang of producers
3:04
to help me design the pack, create the sounds. I get rappers
3:09
Like this month, we got Styles P. He sent me a verse. And it's the producer's job
3:13
to create a dope track with the sounds in the pack and the verse
3:17
And, you know, they put it on their IG. They tag me in it. And I post it up
3:21
I post it. If it's bad or if it's good, I'm posting it. You think it's too good? I'm posting it
3:25
Everybody get posted. That's fire. So, Mike, you get it? What a pack is? I got it
3:29
Okay, so, all right. So, how many sounds are included in the pack? Oh, man, we don't give you like the little 200 megabyte packs
3:35
We give you like the four gigs. Oh, shit. Taking this dead serious
3:40
Four gigs? Yeah! You know what I'm saying? Every month it's like four gigs of just hot shit
3:46
You know what I'm saying? Uh-huh. And it's dope because I'm exposing new sound designers
3:51
I'm exposed to new artists and artists that's in the game, and all these kids are just creating incredible music
3:57
and it's definitely inspiring me to create. You know what I mean? I love it
4:01
So if you're a creative and you want to know how to put music together
4:06
not just rap music, you can use these sounds for all music, right? Oh, yeah, yeah
4:10
The sounds vary. You can use it for anything. And even if you're a radio show producer, if you're a TV producer
4:18
a film producer. These sounds are applicable. If you want to get one of these packs
4:23
how do people get the smack pack? Easy. Just go, just follow me on IG
4:27
Ski Beats, S-K-I-B-E-A-T-Z on Instagram. The link is in my bio. But do folks have to license it from you
4:36
Like say if somebody, I don't know, from Marvel puts together a soundtrack
4:40
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. As soon as you get the pack, you're going to see the little read me file saying this
4:45
These sounds are strictly for this challenge, but if you want to use it for something else
4:48
you got to get in touch with us. Okay. Okay, which makes sense, right? Yeah, of course
4:52
Now, it started off with the SB-12, right? Uh-huh. Okay. What popular songs did you make with that drum machine
5:02
Ah, man. You know, Dead Prez. Stop. Wait, hold up. Don't just stop
5:06
He just threw it. As he named him, man, you might want to throw him out. All right. Back to that Reasonable Doubt bag
5:11
He said Dead Prez. Oh, yeah. All the Reasonable Doubt. Mm-hmm. Okay, with Jay-Z
5:17
All right. 96, baby. Most of Camp Low, not Luchini. Not Luchini
5:22
Yeah, I made Luchini on the 3000, but most of Camp Low. Bahamadia
5:26
Wait, hold up. Let me say the ski beats. When you say certain words, like the SB12 or the 3000, you got to qualify
5:33
The MPC? The MPC 3000. 3000, which is a? Drum machine. Okay, there you go
5:39
It's really infamous because Dilla used that one. Jay Dilla. Jay Dilla, yeah
5:44
Out of Rest in Power. Always. Out of Detroit. And then Jay Dilla was known for just creating his own type of drum signatures and patterns and the whole night
5:52
Right, right, right. He was off the grid. He was crazy. So the SB-12 is where you made your most money
5:57
Definitely. And you know what? My mom, she knew I wanted that drum machine, so she laid it away for me
6:04
And I told my mom, I said, look, because I was in college at the time, and I wasn't really doing shit in college
6:10
I'm like, Mom, save your money because I don't want to do this
6:13
I want to make music. And my mom was 100% in my corner. And she said, you know what
6:17
If I get you this thing, you got to make it work. So she got it for me
6:21
She laid it away. It took a minute. She got it. Came to the crib. I kind of stopped
6:25
I ain't telling nobody to drop out of college, but that's what I did. You know what I mean? That's what you did? And it worked for me, bro
6:31
Now, was that your first thing? Or what were you using when you were doing the Busy Boys stuff and all that
6:36
I was rapping in the Busy Boys. You didn't do any production in the Busy Boys? No, no, no. Just rapping? Okay. But the guy who produced Rhythm Fanatic, he had the SP-1200
6:43
That's why I wanted it. He taught me how to use the SP-1200. He taught you how to use it
6:48
Now, which tool was your biggest investment? Came at the highest cost
6:53
Wow. I done been through so much stuff since then. But SP-1200, that's it
6:59
Yeah. Because that set everything off. I was able to pay my mom back, and it definitely helped me start a career
7:06
How much did it go for? Back then, I did. Was it $2,000
7:11
Like $2,000. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm curious about that story. It's not like you took you bet on yourself
7:19
Yeah, totally. Right. What was it that made you that that burning urge to bet on yourself to say, I can take this risk, jump out the window and then land on reasonable doubt
7:29
Because it was it was no. Right. Yo, dude, it was no doubt in my mind that I could not do it
7:36
I always knew I could do it. I said, if I had this and had that, I could do it
7:40
I moved to New York. I'm originally from North Carolina. I moved to New York with my partner at the time
7:45
I had 20 bucks. He was from New York. I lived with him and his mom for like a year
7:50
Wow. And my mom was like, yo, you ain't got no money. You're going to go to New York. You don't know nothing about New York
7:54
What are you doing? Boom, boom, boom. But I said, yo, I know I can make it. You know what I'm saying
7:58
I just know I can do it. Like, it was nothing telling me like, yo, you tripping, dude
8:02
It was just like go And I just left and it started happening No reasonable doubt huh Stupid I knew that was coming I saw a twinkle in your eye
8:13
As soon as he said it, I was on it. But I think we've all been like, if you came up in this era of DJ Eclipse
8:22
Ski Beats, myself, back then you had more naysayers than you had anything else
8:27
There was so many people. I can't tell you how many times I was told I would never do well in radio
8:34
That sounds crazy. That sounds bizarre. That's super crazy. When me and King Tech first started putting out music
8:40
you guys are never going to make a record worth anything, a song worth anything
8:46
Wow. And we did well regionally and did it anyway. What was some of the biggest things said to you by naysayers
8:56
I'm curious. Oh, man, I remember being at this high school, and I was outside talking about, yeah, man, I'm going to rap
9:02
I'm going to do this and do that. And this one kid said, you ain't going to ever be nothing
9:07
And that was the battery. He didn't know he put the battery in my back. What's his name
9:12
His name was Steve. Steve. Steve. Loser. Steve was like, yo, shut up
9:18
You ain't going to do nothing. After that, that's a word. Oh, my gosh
9:23
What about you, Eclipse? um i mean for me even even more so i mean you know being white doing trying to get into hip-hop
9:30
you know back then you know the mid-80s and it was like uh it was it was it was a a mission you
9:37
know saying so pretty much everyone was looking at me like yeah whatever you know saying you're only you're only getting attention because you're white you know it's just like you know so i had to
9:44
go through all that you know and then and but i think just when you look at people such as ski
9:49
coming from North Carolina. I mean, I came back up north from South Carolina
9:53
Look at Premier coming from Texas. There's a lot of people that we were all inspired
9:57
by what was going on here, and it was our dream. You know what I'm saying
10:01
So it was like if you put your time and effort and energy and you made that trip and you, you know what I'm saying
10:07
it's like you see it can happen. You know what I'm saying? People definitely made careers out of their dreams
10:12
But you were a person who was white that truly immersed yourself in a culture and, um, in a
10:21
with some humility, um, uh, learned about it, uh, respected it and paid you honored it up until this point where there are
10:30
others who, um, I think use it, you know, absolutely they, they, they stand next to it in public
10:38
but behind closed doors, they don't love it. They don't fully invest in it. Right
10:43
And they don't care what happens to those who help create it. Black or white
10:47
Black or white. Yes, absolutely. So it's a difference when you say what you went through to what I've seen other folks who come in
10:53
They get excited. They love what it looks like. Right. They want to be a part of it. They want to dress the part
10:57
Right. I even want to sing the lyrics. I even want to say because it's in the lyrics, right
11:02
And then if something happens in regards to the people outside of a record or if we see what's going on inside of our community of the culture that created this culture, they have no invested interest
11:16
Absolutely. And you got to keep in mind, wherever we come from, there wasn't anything to aspire to
11:22
It wasn't like there was Jay-Z's and 50 Cent's and M&M's, for that matter, that you were like, oh, I want to be at that level
11:29
we were just seeing it like more like people, you know, breaking in the background on some commercials or, you know, seeing MC
11:36
It wasn't like there was, it wasn't like we were doing it because we wanted to get rich
11:41
It was because it was, this was, it was, it drew us in. You know what I'm saying
11:45
It's like we could just relate to, for me, it was like, you know, I tried my hand at everything
11:49
I tried to write graph. I tried to write some rhymes, but DJing was the thing that just called me in
11:54
And I was like, that's exactly what I wanted to do. So I started buying records before I even had equipment
11:58
I was just playing records at my mom's turntable. Wow. Everything else came along
12:02
That's dope. DJ Eclipse right there. So on the flip end, I'll start with you, Ski
12:07
and then we can go to you, Eclipse. Who do you guys remember as your first champion
12:12
outside of a family member, outside of your mom? On the opposite end of Steve
12:18
Oh, wow. So many people. The first person, besides my mom, that was like, yo, you can do this
12:27
There's so many people I'm going to say my best friend Don Brown
12:34
He definitely was supporting He was definitely in the corner He was like yo dude you're a genius
12:38
Keep it going So big shout out to Don man You know he told me to
12:43
I could do it You know what I'm saying Don got the last name Steve didn't get the last name
12:47
Right you see Levels of importance What about you Eclips I can't say for sure
12:53
Like anyone that was like the battery but the dudes I always credit up in Providence, Rhode Island
13:00
there's this crew called Magical Four, and the DJ was DJ Bucket. You might know Buck
13:04
Oh, I know Bucket. Yeah, so Buck, I always just watch what he was doing
13:08
And then also my man Al Schell, who was an emcee in the group but also could DJ. I got cool with them because I was going to school with them
13:15
and I would just watch everything they did. They'd go to the USA skating rink perform, I'd watch
13:19
They'd go to the living room perform, I'd watch. And I would just learn and study everything they did
13:25
I'd go over to Al's house. He'd cut up for me, and I would just sit there and just study
13:29
and I'd watch what to do. So they were my biggest inspiration of me being like, okay
13:34
this is the closest thing I have to me here in Providence that I can see
13:37
what's going on, and that inspired me, and that was my battery to keep going
13:42
So I credit them for that. Love it. I love it, man. Hey, Ski, since I got you here, man, plan on feeling it again
13:48
I just kind of want to walk through what happened this day when this was
13:52
going on. You, Jay-Z, what's the young lady on the hook name
13:58
Becca? Mecca. Mecca? Yep. You, Jay-Z, Mecca. Citizens, you know this song
14:03
If you're a hip, if you know this culture, you know this song, right? And we got the producer of it
14:07
It's Feeling It by Jay-Z, and we got Ski Beats. You got any of this in your
14:13
Yeah, but I put the computer away. Let me pull the computer back out. I'll try to get it out by the time the song ends
14:17
Okay, don't worry. We got the producer right here 9-6 Crazy
14:33
Okay, okay, stop right there Stop, sorry, stop, sorry Jay came in and said
14:45
I keep it realer than most and he kind of jumped in front of the beat to land on that one when he did that
14:51
Right. Where were you at? Were you sitting there at the booth
14:56
Were you at the board? Did you know the verse? What was going through your mind, Ski
15:01
I was saying he was killing it. I'm like, oh, that's crazy. But you know, Filling It was my song
15:06
That was a solo single song. Oh, wow. I think it's online somewhere
15:11
I was rapping with my man Geechee Sway from Camp Lo. I was starting to work on my own little solo album
15:17
My homegirl Mecca, she came and sung the hook for me I took it to Dame Crib
15:21
Jay was there And he heard the record People know the story, he heard the record
15:25
He's like, yo, I need that record for my album And I'm like, alright, take it
15:29
But it was my song Jay was just hanging out at Dame House What did y'all eat that day
15:35
I don't know What the bathroom looked like Back then, did he write or was that off the top
15:41
No, he wasn't writing anything I mean, I just, you know, he was in the studio
15:45
I saw him doing stuff, but he wasn't writing. But when he hit the booth, that came out. How long did it take for him to complete the joint
15:51
I can't remember. Okay. But it was quick. You know, as soon as he get in the booth, it ain't no takes
15:55
It's just that first take, he got it. Did the song he made, the version we hear, was it better than yours
16:02
Oh, yeah, yeah. But he took my flow, though. So that was your flow
16:07
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da. And he told me he said I going to take that flow too Okay Nice And you said thank you You said cha Cha So who was as a producer who was your biggest challenge as an emcee
16:25
To produce for? Yeah. Biggest challenge as an emcee. That's a good question
16:38
It was always somebody that wasn't in the clique. let's say like an AZ
16:42
You know what I'm saying? I had to do like a remix to The World Don't Stop
16:46
It made the album, but it was a challenge because I didn't know anything about him. I didn't know his energy
16:51
So it's always difficult for me to produce artists that I'm not like
16:56
you know, Camelo was easy because I know him. Jay-Z was easy because I was always around him
17:00
So I knew their vibe. So I knew exactly what to make. But when I'm working with outside artists
17:04
it's always like, okay, I don't know this person. I hope they like this
17:08
And I'm like, sometimes shit sticks, sometimes it don't. You know what I mean? But AZ was kind of the hardest because it was a remix
17:14
It was a remix. And that was my first time ever doing a remix for a song that was already done
17:18
So all I had was his vocals, and I had to kind of figure out what to do with it. Did he like it
17:22
He liked it. It made the album. He liked the remix. So when did you start
17:26
Like, Locksmith and you teamed up to work. Locksmith for Bay Area MC
17:30
We probably championed Locksmith more than any other show, I'm sure. For sure
17:34
Big facts. You know. Why Locksmith? How did that happen? I heard him online
17:38
I saw him on YouTube rapping And I'm like, yo, who is this dude? I want to make a beat for him
17:43
And somehow I got in touch with him And we didn't automatically connect when I got in touch with him
17:48
But when we finally did I think he had made a song and said Ski Beats was supposed to make a beat for me
17:54
But he wasn't checking for me And I heard that, I seen that video and heard that line
17:58
And I immediately got in touch with him He came to New York And as soon as I sat down with him
18:04
I already knew what to do Because I knew his flow, I knew his energy and we just connected quick like then
18:10
Life is crazy. Let me play a little bit of this lock real quick
18:13
and then we'll come back with Ski Beats. I want to hear that too
18:17
Not a backpacker, underground mad rapper. Not a trapper, any artist of that stature
18:23
The fact that I can rap's holding my stats backwards. I'ma dumb it down now so I can give you that after
18:28
The last chapter, an epilogue of ethanol. You ain't talking shit if you ain't talking about a check involved
18:34
Check it dog-faced, I'm all lacing. Ebony, the flow is AC. See, I spray D, so just let it be
18:39
Let it breathe. Let it seize your uncommonness. My wordplay is snatch your breath away
18:43
Oncologist. Dope is the overdose. The flowy in is ODM. Yo, BM's whole fallopian
18:48
It's full of opium. Look at the boat. We in the shit's late. I got the best mixtape, and I ain't even did a mixtape
18:55
At this rate, I'm destined to be a legend. The Bay is my prey. Moment of silence for my brethren
19:00
World domination. We figured the combination. We picking the locks of the game
19:04
Into the conversation. You ain't got to ask me. Check the congregation
19:08
They were sleeping on dude But now we got him saying World domination
19:11
We figured the congregation We figured the congregation We figured the conversation
19:16
You and I Check the congregation Yo, man, what was so dope about Lock is
19:21
You just give him a beat break And he'll rap today and kill it
19:25
Bro, that dude is easy Fat Joe came up here and said he's the dopest of this era
19:30
That's right, he did Come on, man Joe's seen a lot of eras
19:34
Man, I'm trying to get Lock to get in this smack pack I need a verse on you, Locke Smith
19:38
If you're listening, get at me. You know I'm trying to get at you, bro. I need a 16 for this next pack
19:43
I know the kids would go crazy with your vocals, man. It's Ski, man. Come on
19:47
Come on, Locke. I feel like Sway's making sure that happens in his phone. Go ahead, Tracy, while I go to..
19:52
Yeah, absolutely. I'm wondering, Ski, because we have a lot of upcoming producers
19:57
who listen to our show who are part of our citizenship, how do you decide what your rate is going to be
20:04
Like when you first started out with making beats, how do you decide when it's time to up your prices
20:10
How do you decide, all right, I'm going to do this person a favor? Can you walk us through that
20:15
I mean, well, you know, it's kind of simple. You know when to up the prices when you got a record and it's popping
20:20
You know what I mean? And how much do you up it by? 20%
20:25
Do you consult with other producers? Man, the game is so different. And I haven't really been trying to get placements like that
20:32
So I don't know the growing rate right now. but back when I did it, you just kind of knew
20:38
You know what I mean? 50K, 100K. 50K, 100K, sometimes 15, sometimes 20
20:43
Sometimes I'll do something for free depending on who the artist is because I know the artist is going to help me reach another level
20:50
So you got to kind of pick and choose when you want to do free shit
20:54
and when you want to charge. But like I said, if I knew the going rate, I would tell you
20:58
I don't want to say, hey, man, charge $1,500. I'm way out the park
21:03
I don't know. Who are those producers, like, not so much the biggest and the greatest
21:09
and the best of all time, but for you, who are those producers that inspired you that you consider to be great
21:17
Back then? Just even now. Even now, yeah, even now it's better because you got your man's soundtrack
21:24
you know, and I met him through the Smack Pack challenges. Theory has it, amazing
21:30
My man Kelsey's out of control. oh man there's so many people right now that's just inspiring me heavy right now all the young
21:40
producers that you know that that need to get their shot your man soundtrack he just actually
21:45
signed with uh not too long ago with ninth wonder oh jambler huh yeah and his beats are super insane
21:53
bro i promise you um you do you like when we played the killer mike run and we mentioned no id
22:01
during the beat, you was like, oh, okay, he landed that trap sound. Right, right
22:05
So who in that genre? Are you a Metro Boomin' fan, Zaytoven
22:09
Are you following any of those guys? Not really, and that's not because I don't like them
22:13
It's just because I don't really understand the energy. You know what I'm into
22:18
I'm into the boom bap, and I follow that energy. But those guys are dope, and I hear their music
22:23
and I know that they're dope at what they're doing because I can hear it. You know what I mean? But I don't really follow that wave, that culture
22:29
Okay. But, you know, no disrespect because it's dope and they're definitely doing their thing
22:33
But, you know, I like my beats a little different. That's real. Ski beats, ski beats
22:37
I'm curious about, speaking of, how do you hear music? I'm always curious about producers
22:43
I think producers are so gifted and talented when it comes to music composition and putting things together
22:48
Do you hear something in your head? Is it a melody that comes first before you sit down and start formulating the beats
22:55
Can you talk to me a little bit about that process? I think it's so... Man, it's crazy because sometimes it's a melody
23:00
Sometimes I'll have a dream and I'm like, yo, let me get out of the bed and see if I can make this
23:05
Sometimes it might be the color of her outfit that might inspire me to do something
23:10
It's just everything. It's everything in life that inspires me to create
23:16
Just listening. Sometimes just dropping needles on old records. You catch a groove like that
23:20
Sometimes you just play around with the keyboard. Next thing you're like, ooh, that chord is crazy
23:24
Then you start banging something out. It's all types of ways to get inspiration. Nice
23:28
What's the longest it's taken you to make a beat and what's the shortest? The longest two weeks Streets is watching
23:34
You know what I'm saying? The Jay-Z song? Yeah, Jay-Z, Streets is watching. It took me two weeks to make the beat because I didn't know how to chop samples yet
23:41
I was still kind of looping. So the Streets is watching kind of definitely got my chops up, got my skills up
23:47
because it took me two weeks to get everything to line up because I could not get the beat on beat
23:53
But when I got it on beat, it locked. Check this out
23:58
I'm out. You want to do it? Streets is watching. Check it
24:06
Check. Check. If I shoot you, I'm brainless. But if you shoot me, then you're famous
24:14
What's a to do when the streets is watching? Flots keep clocking
24:17
Waiting for you to break. Make your first mistake Can ignore it That the fastest way to get extorted But my time is money and 25 I can afford it Beef is sorted like a diver Chocolates you bought it I pull a slide back and cock it
24:30
Plan to board it. You and your mans get it past this rhyme. You're operating on time
24:35
Y'all s ain't worth my shells. All y'all s trying to do is hurt my sales
24:39
And stop trips to John McNell. It's time to start a beat. Great beat. KB, stop
24:43
Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. I'm next to the man
24:47
Come on. Most Def, Jean Grey, Jay Electronica. Currency, though. Currency. Currency
24:54
Yeah. The Pilot Talk. Yeah, me and Currency, we got a nice chemistry
25:01
We like getting really good together, man. Spitter, man, he was like real easy to work with, man
25:07
His personality is laid back. He liked to smoke, so we started getting into this whole melodic world
25:13
When I brought him up, well, the senseis, and we did some of the music
25:18
And I loved the type of music that he loved, so it was easy for me to do that
25:23
Like the Philanets and the Lucinis, if you listen to anything that I make
25:27
it's more melodic bass, you know what I'm saying? I think that's one of the things I brought into the hip-hop
25:34
That's your contribution. The New York hip-hop sound. Because, you know, Primo, he was doing the hard shit
25:39
Law Finesse was doing the jazzy type of shit. My shit was more like chord progressions and melodies
25:43
and things like that, but with the drums on top. Absolutely. And it was easy to produce Spitter
25:48
You know what I'm saying? Because that's what I love. I love the music. Currency. Mike, you want to ask
25:53
Yeah. So, Skip, this is my first time meeting you in person. I know about you, know about your history, your discography
26:00
So all that stuff, this makes you dope. But the part of me that makes me, like, loving you right now is your honesty and vulnerability
26:06
Two times you've mentioned on air publicly that you weren't comfortable in doing something
26:11
You didn't know something. It was the remix. Like, first time doing it, so I felt uncomfortable
26:15
I know if he's going to like it. And then this time you said, I didn't know how to lock up the beats
26:18
I think that's so perfect because a lot of times people freeze in those moments, right
26:23
And don't push through and then it prohibits them from going forward. Talk to us about those moments where you didn't know and you're in front of Jay-Z and the beats just are not locking
26:33
Right, right. What was going through your mind and how do you push through
26:37
I think that's a metaphor and a lesson for our citizens is like when it gets hard and uncomfortable, don't stop
26:42
Oh yeah, it's like when you learn how to play an instrument Say if I'm learning how to play the piano
26:47
And I'm practicing scales every day You know what I'm saying? It's the same concept
26:52
You know, I couldn't chop this sample Because I wasn't chopping samples at the time
26:56
I was just catching little two bar loops You know what I'm saying? And doing that But that song helped me learn how to chop samples
27:04
Helped me learn how to play the chords You know what I'm saying? Helped me learn how to do that So I pushed through it because I wanted to get better at that
27:10
And then right after Streets is watching more music that I started creating had more chops in it
27:15
and it kind of helped me break the ceiling of being creative
27:20
You know what I mean? That's dope. Do you feel like you're still a student today or do you feel comfortable calling yourself a master at this work
27:26
I'm definitely not a master at nothing. You know what I'm saying? I'm learning every day, man
27:30
I'm learning nothing. You know what I'm saying? All these kids, they're killing me right now with these beats
27:34
Especially, yo, I'm telling you, Smack Pack, tune in to the Smack Pack challenges
27:38
Listen to what these kids are doing, man. These guys are incredible. they definitely inspire me
27:43
So like, you know, you might think you're at this level like, yeah, I'm dope, but then you'll hear the level really what dope is at
27:48
You need that. As a creative, you need that. You need that to push you. You know, at first you're going to be like, man, that
27:53
But then you see it, you're like, you know what? Let me step it up. Let me see what I'm doing wrong
27:57
Let me recalculate and level up. And I need that. That keeps me like fresh, the energy
28:02
You know what I mean? I love it, man. Ski Beats is here. Also, DJ Eclipse hung out with us
28:07
I made him stay, y'all. That's right. You did. That's right. And he did it, man. I want to thank you, Eclipse, for staying
28:12
Oh, man, anytime. I would love to have you back up, man. I'll be here next week. Okay, cool
28:16
All right. All right. I wanted to say one more thing, too, though
28:20
We also got, we do something every two months called Smack Pack Live
28:25
and I do it with the Sound Collective, and that's on 28 Broadway
28:30
And what we do is we take some of the contenders that was in the Smack Pack
28:34
that I do on IG, and we put them on Twitch, and they do it live, with the cameras in their face and everything
28:40
That's pretty dope. We need to do that on Sway in the Morning. I think we need to do a live
28:45
smack-packed, Sway in the Morning version. Well, it's funny you should say that, right
28:50
Let's go. Yeah. Deadass. That'll be fire. I would love to do that
28:55
Yeah. And I'll be judging. Yeah. What am I judging? You're judging the producers, man
29:02
That's right. You're going to make sure they sound good. Yeah, Tracy coming with me. All right
29:06
oh yeah by the way man i know people they was um really anxious to hear my man divine drummer do
29:15
his thing yeah shout out to dd shout out to divine drummer he was definitely in the building but
29:19
they would not let him up because you have to be fully vaccinated to get in this building so
29:24
he didn't dip out he was here and let me say for the record because you got your camera guy
29:30
filming this, when he says they, that's not us. That's the people with money
29:37
This company is within the building that has authority over this company that says
29:43
that you cannot come in this building, Mike Muse, without being fully vaccinated
29:48
Right. But Citizens, we're celebrating Ski Beats. Smack Pack volume 12 is out now
29:54
I need everybody to follow Ski Beats on their social. Ski Beats
29:57
S-K-I-B-E-A-T-Z. Follow me on IG If you're a producer The link is in the bio
30:03
You can get the pack right now You got 15 days left To create
30:07
We got the dope verse From Styles P So don't play man This is real
30:11
You know We got the crazy prizes I'm giving away a Mac Mini I'm giving away a
30:16
A PO33 A boom boom You know the price I'm giving away stuff man
30:21
So yo You know with me You know what it is Every month we doing this Next month we got
30:26
A dope MC man We got a dope MC That's all I'm gonna say So tap in
30:31
Smack Pack volume 12. Smack Pack volume 12. Also got the Dojo Sound Library
30:35
That's the Smack Pack sound library. You went through 12. It got Beatmakers Boutique, NPOXXS case
30:40
It got a loud signless clothing, 16 pad, box bundle. It ain't just one thing
30:46
It's a lot of things. And then for the challenge, the judges, the panel judges is Young Guru
30:52
Wow. Bun B. Wow. Static Selector. J-45. Who's incredible. Uh-huh. And myself
31:01
You hit too shabby. Not too bad. All right, Eclipse. All right. Okay
31:06
Hey, Eclipse, we're going to get you for the next one. I'm here. There we go. Eclipse, how can people follow you
31:11
On Instagram at DJEclipseRSC and on Twitter at It's DJEclipse. Mike Muse
31:17
Yo, hit me up at IAMMikeMuse, M-U-S-S-M-E on Instagram and Twitter. Check out the Mike Muse show this Saturday, 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Urban View
31:25
10 to 126. And happy anniversary to the new Sigma chapter of Caldwell. 100 year anniversary
31:30
Mike Mules will be hosting a gala tomorrow. Yes. All right. And a picnic
31:34
Not everybody's invited unless you a kappa. Okay. Pretty boy nation. Yo, stand up, baby
31:43
Corporate gang, gang, gang. All right. Tracy, how can they find you? Yo, Citizens, it's been a really beautiful week with y'all
31:49
Hit me up on Twitter, Instagram, at H-Tracy, G-I-T-S-T-R-A-C-Y-G. All right. I'm at Real Sway across the board
31:56
Good to be back. We'll be back Monday We got Mashanda's gonna come by Monday
32:01
She got some new music Nice Alright She's a beautiful woman I love her
32:05
A very talented creator Yes And really good at family blending This is true
32:12
I'm gonna have to bring my daughter up here See if it works On that note citizens
32:20
Ski Beats Thank you for coming Alright we have nothing Left to say
32:27
Thank you
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