Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Interview with Clinton Place



Interview with Clinton Place

In the golden hip hop era, many producers start off as DJ’s. That’s how many producers have that instinctive sound that compliments the average emcee and make a hit record. Just ask Brick City’s producer Clinton Place formerly known as DJ Numba 9. Straight from Newark, New Jersey, Clinton Place joins Intrigued as he talks about his move to the west coast, his work with Sir Jinx and other artists, his production work in the hip hop game and the love of the art form.  

1)            Yo what’s good, intrigued up in this, joining me is my DJ/Producer Clinton Place. So what’s going on with you these days?
Peace! Everything is cool, just moving and shaking.

2)            How come you changed your name from “DJ Numba9” to “Clinton Place”?
Well Clinton Place is the block i hustled on in Newark, New Jersey. I started using it online in 2006. I joined this producer website called "rocbattle.com" I started off using Numba9, but one day I couldn't log in and needed a new name so Clinton Place sounded like a producer name. I started using it and it stuck. Kind of Like: New Life, New Name. Online is a whole other world so I am Clinton Place now.

3)            You’re originally from Newark New Jersey. What made you decide to move to the west coast?
Hmm! My man Gov Mattic brought me to LA back in November of 99. He wanted me to do some cuts and scratches on some songs he was producing and a weekend trip turned into 13yrs "Literally"

4)            You’ve been active professionally since the early 90’s. What do you think is the difference between hip hop music in the 1990’s and now?
There isn't any difference in the music; the difference is what is being promoted. The CEOs, A&Rs, Radio Exe etc. decide to only promote a certain form of Hip-hop. 90s artists are still making good hip-hop. Most are still active with shows "overseas" and making a living doing what they love and a lot are bitter about the strategic plan by the power that be, to sensor and not promoted the essence of Hip-hop to the masses. But the internet kind of bridged that gap. It’s just those older artist don't want to work for it. They want labels to do the leg work. I see it like, if you can sell 30,000 units on your own, you’re good. That’s mid-level Lawyer money and a lot of the older cats can do it. Their fans are online but cats are stuck in time and don't want to work.

5)            How did you learn to make beats and produce?
As a DJ, I was always into sampling and looping shit but in 91/92 I heard The All Souled Out EP by Pete Rock & CL Smooth. That’s when I started wondering how the fuck beats were created. About 6months later, I Ran into Gov Mattic. Me and His brothers are Block Mates and his brother "Whack Danga" told me Gov and Diezzle Don was looking for a DJ. He took me to the studio, when I walked in the studio i saw Gov doing what I was looking for. "Making Beats" From chopping drums, looping samples, filtering and leveling, I understood everything I was seeing at first sight. And from there I started collecting/buying vinyl for sampling.Gov Mattic taught me how to make beats. I had
records on the block while hustling and any time I got around a MPC "Mpc60" I was coming out there with a beat or two. Being a producer comes with time, being around artist while they're recording, knowing music, having the core of an artist and good ass ears.

6)            When did you take the production game seriously?
I started getting knee deep into production once I got to LA. In jersey it was hustling and block shit first. Mainly because i just didn't see an outlet in music. I just loved to create and spin records. But coming to LA exposed me to cats that was not only sampling but playing shit on keyboards that I would sample. So I had to step my key game up. It just was another world and the dream of getting a major hip-hop artist on one of my beats seemed a lot more promising. I was away from the block and the stresses and pitfall of brick city and I just grind for the next 13yrs. Still grinding and "i work a 9to5" as well. LOL

7)            What inspired you to go strictly independent to construct your own website to promote and sell your beats?
The Internet! Seeing young dudes eating off their beats! I understood it and excepted this is where music is now.

8)            Ozone magazine called “Neva Judge a Book” album a west coast classic. What was your reaction since you’re an east coast producer?
Lol. That was crazy seeing that because an online homey is the person who told me about it. I would have never known. He hit in the forum on rocbattle and said Congrats on the Ozone Magazine write up. I called ozone and a person gave me a still shot of the page and told me what Edition it was in. I found 2 and bought them both. Haha.Shout To N Ali Early. He gave the write up.

9)            What’s the difference between your 2 online albums “Neva Judge a Book” and “The Best Always Struggle the Worst”?
Hmm.I Think the only difference is I didn't really promoted The Best Always Struggles the Worst. Neva Judge A Book was like A Rapper's First Album to me. It showcased what I thought was my best work up until that time. I mean, that album was just me showing the world my history and work. I put that out December of 2007. Most of the work was older. The album was mainly to showcase my production ear and beat making skill. The Known Artist is a Bonus.

10)         You had a beat originally for Spider Loc from G-Unit. How did it got into the hands of Westside Connection?
Yeah that song with Spider Loc was done with Sir Jinx. Jinx, Spider and Mr. Holloway wrote and recorded the song at that time Spider was affiliated with Death Row so the song was for a project he was doing. Things fell apart with him and Jinx. Jinx shopped the beat with the hook to Ice Cube and Mack 10, they liked it and the rest is Right Now.

11)         Receiving a gold plaque for the Westside Connection album “Terrorist Threats” must be a good accomplishment.
Very good accomplishment, my claim to fame! Lmao! I mean it’s my only major release. I have songs with other known artist but they are unreleased joints.

12)         You worked with Fresno’s emcee Blu Eyes One how was it working with him?
Blue is man, he's on hiatus right now "not locked up" Basically we got together thru his cousin by marriage "brotha Jes" Another artist I did an album on. Me and Blue did a EP and put it online. Started promoting to the overseas crowd, networked with a dude from Poland and started going over there. It’s one of the rare projects I really was entrenching in. Great Experience and Great Exposure!

13)         Are you satisfied on how “The Shakedown” album with Blu Eyes One turned out and what would you have done differently with the album?
Yeah I am real satisfied about the album. I just feel we didn't have enough money, time and support to lift it off the ground.

14)         You promoted “The Shakedown” album in Poland and toured for nine days. What made you decide to release the album in Poland?
We had a lil buzz growing online and felt it would look good to the American audience to be seen moving around overseas.

15)         You deejayed at the hottest spots in LA with another legendary producer Sir Jinx. What is it like working with Sir Jinx?
Incredible!! I was exposed to the serious west coast hip-hop scene. Met crazy west coast legends, recorded with some and was just exposed to west coast hip-hop culture. It was crazy.

16)         You DJ and performed in many places in this country. What’s your favorite city and what is one of your favorite touring memories?
I would say deejaying in the good bar on Sunset Blvd with sir jinx and the strip hop spot we was doing. The places were packed every night and cats appreciated my skills on the tables. The best tour memories I would have to say Houston in 2000. They like 5 days, shows at different spots and just meeting some cool people, also met a long time female friend there. Also the overseas shows, meeting new friends and fans and connecting with some European women that I'm still in touch with; travel is a super must.

17)         How did you get up with working with Runt Dawg from Gilla House?
Runt is the other Brother of Gov Mattic. We are Block Mates And High School Friends so that's the foundation of our relationship.

18)         On a youtube clip with thebeeshine.com you advised others not to listen to the radio so they won’t sound like anyone else. Do you think that’s what’s going on in the industry?
To a degree I think so. Really! Cats are like robots. They follow trends and don't do music from the heart. My motto is, I do music I like with the hopes others like it.

19)         You mentioned that artists will say oh you’re hot but not really supportive. I noticed a lot of cats trying to get into the game are saying the same thing. What is it that cats don’t show that hard supportive energy to other artists?
I mean cats don't buy music or request music. When I said cats say you hot but don't support I was talking about other artist. I know a few well known or major artists personally. It's just weird to me that a cat will say, Clinton your beats are crazy, hot or whatever but never bought a beat and won't even give a serious listening session to possibly get on their album. That's that weird industry shit.

20)         Do you think they really don’t want to see an artist shine to its highest magnitude?
They don't want certain types of music to be exposed.

21)         I noticed that the labels are not supporting the hip hop like yesterday. Do you think they are afraid of investing their money into the art form or they have a specific artist preference?
It goes back to what i said. The type of music that made hip-hop great had power. It put people on a positive path and shined light on a lot of shit. The culture of hip-hop took a serious hit once it merged into the fashion and big entertainment world. Hip-hop powerhouses like Russell Simmons, Diddy and Jay-z are slightly to blame. They had/have the power to keep the element of hip-hop that is missing right now, Alive but with the merge of hip-hop and fashion came new friends and new money.  

And those new friends have or had a somewhat clean image and the money. So the hip-hop powerhouses started cleaning the music and stopped promoting the raw. “They didn't want to lose those new friends and those extreme money sources. I also blame artists. Certain artists started putting big gaps between albums. Putting albums out every 3 or 4
years that gave trash artist the opportunity to slide in and take their spot. You notice Jay-z is winning, not only because he is CEO, but because he stayed consistent. Putting albums out every year since 95.Nobody took his spot.

22)         What is it about overseas oppose to the states that they show more love towards the music?
That's just it; they show mad love to the culture and keep it alive over there. I mean they have the mainstream music but they have a strong support of the so called Golden Era. It’s just different. Something you have to experience and it be young cats loving and live the Culture how they see it

23)         Any projects you got coming out right now.
I have an album on iTunes called "The Journey of a Loner" it’s basically a revised version of the 2 albums I put out. Just thru a better iTunes distribution situation. "Thru Sir Jinx" Oh and I’m working on an Instrumental Album. Will keeps folks posted.

24)         Any artists that you’re currently working on that we need to look out for.
I'm working with an artist by the name of Brotha Jes right now. It’s kind of off and on. We're working on his New Album but overall I'm just pushing beats. Oh yeah and I stay working with my dude Runt Dawg.

25)         Any advice or tips for young producers on the come up?
My advice would be to love this hip-hop culture first. Love doing the
rhymes, deejaying and beat making. Study Music, whether it's actual lessons or just studying older songs. If you are trying to get into the industry for money, then your headache started yesterday. Do music you love and get people to love it. Don't do music you think people will like.

Once again, it was a pleasure interviewing Clinton Place. You can contact him at the following social connects:

For artists and producers, go get at him for some beats and make this hip hop culture happening. Holla at him!

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