Interview with the Presidentz

Interview with The Presidentz

Two DJ’s turned producers Gutta Rock and Matt Heist also known as the Presidentz made production hits for many television shows and artists such as the Game, Freeway, Tyga and Papoose. The New York/California duo has made noise that caught the attention of many A&R’s including Rockwilder. Intrigued gets in the interview with the Presidentz to talk about their work.

1)            The Presidentz are definitely in the building. How the Presidentz came about and how long have you guys been on the production game?

The Presidentz: We hung around the same people in Cali. We both DJ’d and just kinda clicked. From there we both started collabing on beats. We’ve been doing it for almost 10 years now.

2)            Both of you guys started off as DJ’s then turned to producers. Do you think the transition makes producing tracks much easier?

The Presidentz: Yeah it does. DJing forces you to count bpms, match up kicks and snares, understand different textures in music it really helped us.

3)            Both of you guys are a production team from Queens, NYC and Ventura California, do any creative differences bounce off from each other when making a beat?

The Presidentz: Yeah you could say that. Both of our region’s music tends to sneak into the mix somehow in the creative process.

4)            You guys are the go to guys from A&R’s and important music moguls. What made your work stand out in the game?

The Presidentz: I think it was just the consistency of our submissions and our work ethic.  There are a million hot producers out there but at the end of the day, most industry cats want to work with reliable producers that can deliver when needed.

5)            Have you guys did productions done any solo production projects for artists and if so what is the difference in production style between a Gutta Rock beat and a Matt Heist beat?

The Presidentz: We actually do a lot of beats on our own but we decide to keep it under The Presidentz name to continue building the brand.  For that reason there’s really not a huge difference between us. If one of us is on to something dope, the other picks up on it.

6)            An artist sends you some material. What talents are you looking for in an artist?

The Presidentz: Songwriting.  The ability to write a great song. It’s so difficult to write a great song.

7)            I hear stories from rappers that it’s hard getting their music out there. From your experience, is it hard for you as producers to get your work around when you guys were starting off in the game?

The Presidentz: Yeah it’s super difficult. Especially since beat making software is so easy to come by and almost anyone can turn out a half descent beat. For producers just starting out, our advice would be to just go ham when giving out beats. Get your joints heard by any and every one you come across. Don’t worry about money; just get your name out there.

8)            What’s your equipment of arsenal when making a beat?

The Presidentz: Pro Tools and our MPCs are our bread and butter. We also use Reason, VSTs, FL Studio, and a bunch of other software.

9)            What are the frustration aspects of being producers?

The Presidentz: The most frustrating thing about being a producer is all the rejection that comes with submitting beats.  You got to have rhino skin and be willing take a lot of loses before you get a win.

10)         You were featured on the April 2013 issue of Beats magazine. How did that came about?

The Presidentz: The editor reached out to us and we’re exited to be a part of the issue.

11)         A lot of artists come into the game hungry but don’t know the business side. How important is the business aspects of the game such as publishing and royalties?

The Presidentz: It’s the most important thing. Not knowing the ins and outs of your pub and royalties is like having a bodega and not knowing how to work a cash register.

12)         You guys are working with JoJo Pellegrino. What do see in JoJo that want you to work with him?

The Presidentz: We actually haven’t worked with him yet. We’ve submitted a few joints and hopefully something will come out of it. We’ve been a fam of JoJo since his Hitman for Hire mixtape with Kay Slay.  His flow is retarded and his music is the closest thing to watching a mob flick in hip hop.

13)         We got a lot of up and coming artists in the game as well as artists that didn’t really get their shine. Name a few emcees you think are underrated in the game?

The Presidentz: Other than him no one really comes to mind.

14)         You got serious props from Grammy award winning producer Rockwilder. What is it like getting love from one of the most recognized producers in the game?

The Presidentz: It’s cool. His credit list is crazy so it’s good to hear nice things from cats that’ve done what you’re trying to do.

15)         What goes through your mind about the current state of hip hop?

The Presidentz: It’s sorta wack. It’s not what we grew up on. It’s not even really the music that sucks; it’s more of the rappers themselves. There is something special about the rappers that grew up in the 80’s, in that crack era and were putting out music in the 90s and early 2000s.  The voices aren’t the same anymore, the swag, the style of dress, the demeanors, everything is sort of corny. Just the ability to be believable is kind of missing today.

16)         What is the meaning of success to you and how do you apply success in the music industry?

The Presidentz: Success is really hard to define. For us it’s the ability to pay our bills off of music, but success would also be to have a #1 record, or land a huge publishing deal.

17)         Who do you think are the producers that are on the top of their game right now?

The Presidentz: There’s so many. Mike Will Made It, Harry Fraud, StarGate, Young Chop, Lex Luger, Jahlil Beats

18)         Name your top five producers in the game!

The Presidentz: DJ Premier, Swizz Beatz, Dr Dre, Just Blaze, Justice League

19)         Any artists that you like to work with in the future you haven’t done so yet?

The Presidentz: Anybody that’s got a hit out right now!

20)         What’s next for The Presidentz for 2013?

The Presidentz: We have some more volumes of Beats4Breakfast and Beat Bosses coming out, as well as a few more master/sync deals with more networks

21)         How can peeps get at you for beats and collaborations?

The Presidentz: Hit us at presidentz.bbmg@gmail.com , @thepresidentz on twitter, or log on to Prezbeats.com