Interview with Kidd Called Quest

Interview with Kidd Called Quest

Rochester New York has many talented artists coming out the gate. This includes Roc-City’s up and coming producer Kidd Called Quest straight from the 585. Kidd Called Quest came out the scene producing tracks for Skyzoo, Craig G, Pumpkinhead and Big Shug among others. He earned his credits by producing for Verse Essential’s Freedom is Mine mixtape. Facing through the struggles in the fickle society, Kidd Called fought the odds with determination and the extra hustle to get his name out. Intrigued interviews the 585 producer as he divulges into his career, work with Azariah and Golden, his production process and his projects for 2013.

1)            It’s definitely great to interview Roc City’s Kidd Called Quest. What it is, state to us how you got started in the game?

Kidd Called Quest: I started out back when I was about 11 I use to rhyme with my boys Mat, Lou, Hum, and a few others, we use to take the old computer mic and go on undergroundhiphop.com instrumental section and record beats on the cassette from the speakers. But I started to get sick of flowing over industry beats that’s when I wanted to start making my own beats, My older brother DJ sight use to do a hip hop show for the University Of Rochester he use to get mad records I use to listen to some of them and listen to the beats that’s how started to learn about producers and who was doing what. When I was in 7th grade we had an old Casio keyboard sitting around I remember this day like it was last night it was hot outside like mid-June of 2000 I was board and I turned it on and was messing with it, I learned how to sequence on it kept messing with it. Thin I ended up getting a Yamaha Djx2 that’s where I learned how to sample. My man Divine taught me how to use the MPC 2000 and my brother soon brought the Xl I use to sneak and mess with it few years later I got a job at McDonald’s worked my ass of and got my own mpc man I can go on for hours with this.

2)            It seems like Rockland County is slowly making a name for itself. Who from Rockland County that we have to look out for?

Kidd Called Quest: Man it’s so many artiest but I’m go name a few Blakk Boi, Azariah, 38 Spesh, King Righteous, Golden, Li, Coach P. ID, my little Brother Jay Lee, Convict, Moses Rockwell, Hassan Mackey, Young prophet, Lil Eto, Hex Crew, Got Beats Crew, Klass Murda, M Dot Coop, Destroy, Ice Grill, Dice Killa, Skan dalous, man just the whole city of Rochester NY.

3)            Who are your musical influences that you grew up listening to coming up in the game?

Kidd Called Quest: Rza, Hi Tek, Dj Premier, Nottz, Buck Wild, Diamond D, True Master, Timbo, Beats by the pound, Q-Tip, Large Professor, Les, Ski Beats, Chops, Havoc, But my top pic is Hi Tek.

4)            You were doing your thing on the boards. Tell the world what do you think is the difference between a beatmaker and a producer?

Kidd Called Quest: A beat maker is like someone who cooks a tv dinner they just make serve it and call it the day, a producer is like a chef they make it find the perfect ingredients to make the taste better until they have created the right dish thin serve it once the product is right. I myself think I might fall in between sometimes I make a beat be like that’s hot and save it, And other times I might make a beat and be like yo I think so and so will be perfect for this track and think of a concept for the song that will go with that beat.

5)            We all know that this is a competitive business and a lot of sharks. Was there a point in your life that wanted you to quit music?

Kidd Called Quest: There was a few times I quitted I was like I’m sick of this shit it’s a waste of time and money. But then I would tell myself if I quit thin I wasted 12 years of my life on doing shit. But doing this music can be stressful sometimes because it might be a few months you’re doing stuff then there be months you’re doing nothing and feel like you’re at your peak; Big Shug told me it the best he said the only way to be successful with it is to keep doing it.

6)            You mentioned that you capture the classic sound of hardcore East coast hip hop. Do you think that is missing lately compared to golden 90’s era or even the early 2000 hip hop sound?

Kidd Called Quest: Yes and no, Be honest this a tricky question you have people doing the new style of hip hop music using some of the traditional elements and sounds. Thin you have some people making traditional sounding hip hop with no samples but use the traditional elements such as cutting and break drums, Thin you have a set of people using straight up traditional elements from the samples, cutting records, gritty and sounds of the 90’s golden era.

7)            Talk to us about the “Put Your Headphones On” album and are fans receptive to the album?

Kidd Called Quest: That project was like 5/7 years in the making I wanted to make a strong solid project to showcase my work to people. My main goal for that album was to gain national and international exposure witch I did cd sales was ok I pushed like 700/800 CD’s maybe a little more over 5,000 downloads might be more thin that and people was loving it. I was glad that people like the whole ideal and theme of the project and was passing it on to their friends till this day I have not heard any negatives about put your headphones on.

8)            As a producer, what skills do you look for in an artist that makes you want to work with them?

Kidd Called Quest: I Look for originality, Strong grind, Hunger, and ready to work when the time comes and willing to invest in they self’s and music. I tell people all the time it’s more than just making music you have to grind your ass off and work 10X harder thin the next person and get your music out to as many people as possible.

9)            You produced the last rack “Wouldn’t Change a Thing” on Verse Essential’s mixtape? How was it working with Verse Essential?

Kidd Called Quest: Verse is a cool dude I want to do more work with him I know we got a few joints for his album, he has his own style and flow that I think people on both underground and main stream can get into his music when you look at his videos you can tell he love doing what he does and have fun doing it.

10)         The posse cut with Craig G, Pumpkinhead, Chaundon and J-Hood, how you got all these cats in one track and do you think posse cuts are in the thing of the past?

Kidd Called Quest: Lol that song was the most frustrating track I have ever did that track was done back in 2008 my man almost got cory gunz on that song for me before the young money deal but that ain’t happen when he told his people who was on the song so that went out the window, Then Big Twin was supposed to hop on it and that just really went out the window that situation almost made me scrap this whole song then my hard drive crashed I lost the beat had to create another joint. Although I went through a lot of bullshit with that one song at the end of the day was still able to present a solid product to people to listen to I hate talking about that song lol.

11)         You produced the track “Looking at the City” by fellow Rochester emcee Golden. What talents do you see in Golden and where do you think she can fit in the female emcee environment where sexuality is the focal point?

Kidd Called Quest: Man that girl can flow bottom line she proved that she a true emcee who can rhyme to any beat. She has her own style don’t sound like anyone else and can do a song like it’s nothing she defiantly can fit in the female emcee environment for the simple fact that she don’t need to go the extra mile her skills is the focal point when it comes to golden by the way me and her have a project coming be on the lookout.

12)         You formed the group Young Black and Gifted with Azariah and completed the album called “Long Time Coming”. What is different between “Long Time Coming” and your production album “Put Your Headphones On”?

Kidd Called Quest: Long time coming production was made strictly for Azariah every beat I did on it I wanted to make sure it fitted him perfectly I was not aiming at a cretin sound.

13)         In 2013, a lot of emcees coming out and getting recognized are young cats in their teens and early 20’s from Joey Badass to A$AP Rocky. It’s like the late 80’s/early 90’s when Big Daddy Kane, Special Ed to name a few came out when they were young. What do you think about the young emcees coming out now in 2013?

Kidd Called Quest: I think it’s great that we have artiest Joey badass age that makes traditional hip hop sounding music with feeling and I think it’s greater we have a young artist like ASAP Rocky coming in the game with his own style and sound and being original not sounding like no one but his self.

14)         What are some of frustrating things on being a producer?

Kidd Called Quest: Beat blocks I hate beat blocks and trying to make something you spent all day on come out sound like trash that’s my frustrations.

15)         Many artists are doing the independent thing and have been successful. Is it because they lost faith in record labels and managers having their back?

Kidd Called Quest: Nah I think it more freedom and they can call they own shots and less frustrating and getting the money that is there’s and not having to break bread with people that not putting in work with them and paying someone else who’s trying to change their image.

16)         I noticed that you still use vinyl and sample like the old school producers. Some producers are using software like Fruity Looops and Reason. Do you think vinyl and hardware sampling machines like MPC 200XL or ASR-10 are becoming obsolete?

Kidd Called Quest: Nah it’s not I myself just switch to software not too long ago and I enjoy the machine, I think the hardware stuff is just becoming more popular and more well knowing thanks to the people on you tube that’s showing up in coming producers the capabilities of some of the equipment I was at guitar center last month this guy was asking bought the SP1200.

17)         What goes through your mind when you hear the current state of hip hop music?

Kidd Called Quest: Shit on the radio some of it is dope and some is just music I can’t get into my mind be like a computer ready to crash.

18)         Who would you like to work with in the future?

Kidd Called Quest: As many ill people as I can too many to name.

19)         What projects are we looking for from you in 2013!

Kidd Called Quest: Me and golden have a project coming and PUT YOUR HEADPHONES ON 585 will be out sometime this week nothing but Rochester ny artiest on this one that be out in a few days.

20)         Any shouts you want to give out before we wrap up this interview.

Kidd Called Quest: Big shout out to the 585 JERRY EPPS AND DJ C4 FROM RED CH BOSTON, BIG SHUG, SINGAPORE KANE, DJ CHRIS G, ALL THE BLOGS THAT POST UP MY MUSIC, JUSTIN BALE FROM SMOKE CITY RECORDS, MY MAN DIVINE GOD ALLAH, TONE FAZOOLZ, AZARIAH, COACH P AND 7$, MY BROTHER DJ SIGHT, BIG BIG SHOUT OUT TO EVERYONE WHO’S GRINDING 24/7 TRYING TO MAKE THEY DREAMS BECOME A REALITY 1.

21)         Where can artists get at you for music or doing collabs with?

Kidd Called Quest: TWITTER @ JAYQUEST.

 

Go get at Kidd Called Quest, the new joint "Young Gifted and Black” with Azariah produced by Kidd Called Quest off the album Long Time Coming. Straight 585 heat from Roc-City!