Interview with Kid Tsunami

Deejays and Producers from overseas keep the integrity of the hip hop art form alive and well respected. Without the production sound from the producer and the scratches from the deejay, some fans will not care about how the artists sound or what the artist is saying. Other fans take the time to listen to them depending on how much they love the music. Here is Australia’s beatmaker Kid Tsunami who has worked with many 90’s artists such as Kool Keith, Masta Ace, Bahamadia and Sean Price to name a few. The 90’s production sound of the boom bap beats are the hallmark of how music is created and Kid Tsunami stay within the roots. Kid Tsunami hangs out with Intrigued to discuss the album “The Chase” and how he got started.

DJC Jones (Intrigued): Kid Tsunami, for those who don’t know you. Tell us how you get your name and how you got started?

Kid Tsunami: I started as a rapper in about 1998.... I got the name tsunami because of my Japanese looking features and my ferocious battle style... the way I used to rhyme was very quick patterns so it would "flood" my competition... I got into rapping through my peers encouraging me to enter battles and rhyme in cyphers...

DJC Jones (Intrigued): How you first got interested into production and when you decide to take it seriously?

Kid Tsunami: I got interested in production because I wasn’t happy with the local producers who were giving me beats to rhyme over. So, I got into beat making myself to make my own beats roughly around the year 2000. I bought myself an MPC, raided my girlfriend's mothers record stash and went for it.

DJC Jones (Intrigued): Who were your musical influences when coming up to the game?

Kid Tsunami: Coming up my influences were planet asia, nas, bootcamp clik.... on the production tip... pete rock, large pro, buckwild, k-def, premo, diamond d, beatminerz, lord finesse, kutmasta kurt, j-zone

DJC Jones (Intrigued): Coming from Australia, how is the hip hop scene there?

Kid Tsunami: The hip hop scene here is ok.... a lot of kids doing stuff but not really having an idea how to promote and market their work... but kids here are starting to lose touch with the classic, true school way of producing, djing and rhyming... probably because of the advance in technology and the easiness to do such things... the idea of paying dues is kinda out the window... skills wise its only just meeting par.... barely..

DJC Jones (Intrigued): Talk about the album “The Chase” How was the album constructed?

Kid Tsunami: took over 4 years to chase down the mc's.... I stopped rhyming about 2006, and had a bunch of beats that didn’t really suit my rhyme style.... and I could hear my fav mc's really taking to some of these beats I had lying around.. So I went ahead and contacted them about it... I went hard on the design... 16 tracks... 4 per side for a double LP... and the beats were constructed through sampling jazz, funk and soul records... 

DJC Jones (Intrigued): Many fans and other artists are receptive to the album including Toronto’s go to producer Boi-1da who showed love to your music on his website. How do you feel about the positive feedback towards the album?

Kid Tsunami: I'm very appreciative of good feedback... but I don’t get carried away... I try to keep myself balanced in all things... I’ve received some poor feedback too... I take it all on board... I’m continually looking to improve and make good music for fans to enjoy...

DJC Jones (Intrigued): How did you get all these top artists in one project and was it difficult getting these artists on your project?

Kid Tsunami: I hit them anyway I could.... facebook, twitter, even myspace.... when I worked with Yesh I went through his manager Poch.... after discussion with Poch he took me on as his artist, hence the album coming out on Headbop... Poch helped me get in touch with some of the artists.... also in working with Percee P, I met his engineer Chuck Chilla, who i became good friends with... he also promotes shows on the west coast, so he was able to put me in touch with east coast cats that he brings out to tour... namely Kool Keith and OC.... who I had trouble finding online... All the artists were really easy to work with.... helps a lot working with professionals who understand the business at the same time as having amazing talent...

DJC Jones (Intrigued): What is your arsenal of equipment when constructing a beat?

Kid Tsunami: crates of records, MPC2000xl rigged to pro tools with a dig001... technics 1200s, vestax 05 mixer... very simple... I’m looking to invest in a rhodes, a reel to reel and some other goodies... maybe even an sp1200.... love the sound of those machines...

DJC Jones (Intrigued): Describe your production sound. How do your beats stand out and why should artists come check you?

Kid Tsunami: boom bap, true school hip hop... I follow the path laid by my influences... and add my little flavor.... I like horns... I like filtered basslines... I double up my kicks with a filter of the original kick.... I like syncopation... I like rawness.... I plan to develop my sound further through some little tricks I’ve learnt of fellow producer OATH from Perth... bigger drums... different mastering techniques... although thank you Dave Cooley from Elysian for the mastering job on the Chase... I think my beats stand out ONLY because not many do it like this no more... everyone now seems to be on that other wack shit...

DJC Jones (Intrigued): Throughout the album, you sample a lot and use a lot of hard 90’s style drum patterns. What do you think about the way hip hop music is constructed production wise?

Kid Tsunami: drums should be sampled from breaks in my opinion... its raw... whether you loop or chop the break it feels real and raw... this new hip hop sounds synthetic to me... pop music in general sounds synthetic to me... what happened to bands? real instruments? im really not feeling this synthesized garbage... each to their own..

DJC Jones (Intrigued): You worked with a lot of hip hop heads from the 90’s. How did you get your music to the attention of ears outside of Australia?

Kid Tsunami: marketing and promotion.... I hired a publicist to promote the album in the states and online.... I have fat beats and the orchard to distribute product all over the globe... its key to getting any sort of success with your music....

DJC Jones (Intrigued): Your dream track: name four artists on a Kid Tsunami beat!

Kid Tsunami: Nas, Jay Z, Jaz O, Eminem...

DJC Jones (Intrigued): Who you haven’t worked with yet that you will like to work with in the future?

Kid Tsunami: Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Grand Puba, Nas, Busta Rhymes, Black Thought, De La Soul, Tribe, Chi Ali, MF Doom, Kurious George, i could go on...

DJC Jones (Intrigued): How peeps can get into contact with you for collaborations or to listen to your music?

Kid Tsunami: kidtsu@gmail.com ... kid tsunami fb page, @KidTsu on twitter, kid tsunami on soundcloud, kid tsunami on mixcloud, kid tsunami on reverbnation... kid tsunami on bandcamp...

DJC Jones (Intrigued): What’s next for Kid Tsunami in 2013? What future projects you got in the works?

Kid Tsunami: a single with Brooklyn MC Gina Montana, a remix for Oath's joint with Lil Fame called Brooklyn Bullshit, an album in the works with Buffalo's Ajent O, and continual work with the Headbop Music roster... (Ken Boogaloo, Yesh, Eturnal, Zeps, SubCon, etc)

DJC Jones (Intrigued): Before we wrap up the interview, any shoutouts!

Kid Tsunami: My man Oath One, Pocho and fam, DJ Bless, DJ Ready Cee, DJ Mike Smooth, Dougie DL, Big Sev, Marie and anyone that loves real hip hop music!!!