Kanye West is one of the most polarizing entertainers alive today. So much so, social and news media can’t steer clear of his personal life; be it his relationships, disagreements with friends and colleagues, his opinionated rants and outbursts, and the status of his mental health.
West’s musical well-being, however, is fit and full of vigor. Undeniably a super producer, the Chicago native will go down as one of the all-time greats. Having served sonics to everyone from Willie The Kid and Alicia Keys to Jay-Z and Janet Jackson, beats by Mr. West feel like scores for outlandish action sequences or trippy anime openings. They’re intriguing regardless, and definitely worth studying for technical and artistic inspiration.
Late platinum producer and musician PL12 did his homework on many producers. Here in THIS INTERVIEW, he discussed the wizardry of Kanye West.
What’s the first thing you heard from Kanye West technically that impressed you?
The first song I ever heard from Yeezy was “Through The Wire”. I was a teenager, and producing was nowhere near on my mind. It was a new sound I wasn’t used to. That pitched-up sample of Chaka Khans’ “Through the Fire” sent chills through my body. To be honest that’s when I looked into how beats were made and what originally made me want to produce music.
What makes Kanye such a great producer?
He’s so versatile! The dude can win a Grammy in multiple genres. He also has an ear for finding those crazy, unique samples. The way he manipulates his sample cuts is ridiculous!
What about his sound and style is artistic?
I would have to say the way he goes against the grain with his sampling and the overdose of soul he adds into the beat. When you listen to some of the original songs he got some of his hits from, you find yourself like, “How the hell did he think of that?” True genius.
Give us an example of a song or technique that really showcases and defines Kanye’s skill.
I honestly want to say his whole contribution to Jay-Z’s The Blueprint. It really set the bar for hip-hop and put a dent in it as well. Everybody started making soulful pitched-up beats after that album dropped. Not to mention it played a big role and helped mogul-ize arguably the greatest rapper of all-time – Hove.
What can other producers and musicians learn by listening to him?
How to be different. How to live on the wild side and not be like society’s norm. If you follow ‘Yea, you will see he takes chances; whether it’s from fashion to his beat selection, he’s never afraid of being different. Never forget, being different isn’t bad. Being different is rare and not of the norm. It is unique! |THIS is for YOU
[By Mr. Joe Walker and PL12]
Rest In Peace, Louis Eric Bailey aka PL12
