It is a blessing when remarkable people that we admire make time to speak with us. Those shared interviews are reflections of us both, that’s why it’s imperative that what we ask them matters.
As longtime fans of Red Alert Studios’ award-winning producer/recording artist Sam Rhansum, we spoke with him about his TOP 5 favorite producers. He responded with incredible detail and insight about their influence on his career. Our discussion didn’t stop there.
With this series we wanted to applaud Rhansum for his incredible accomplishments in the music, movie, and television industries, so during our conversation we asked him THIS GOOD QUESTION: What are your TOP 5 favorite placements?
His fifth answer was, “Working Stiffs advertisement, “Money Money” by Sam Rhansum.
This one is a recent joint. This company, Working Stiffs, picked it up for some online advertisements. I haven’t released it publicly yet but it is this whole blend of that marching band and trap style.
I created this drum kit where I blended my 808 drums with marching drums and filtered each to work with the strengths of each sound. I took the snap of the 808 snare and the tightness of a field drum and merged them where you can hear both distinctly.
The same with the punch of a 808 kick and a field bass. I let the hats be loose as they would with field cymbals, but let the tight 808 hats show through on top. I added fat horns and created this scrunch-faced groove that I love.
When writing for it I wanted to talk about more the need for money rather than the dead horse subject of loving it. I played with this one, ran my vocals through guitar amps, played with harmonies on certain words, tweaked synths to call and response horns.
I kinda just let go and let shit happen, and think I came up with something perfect for licensing and should be a longterm earning track once more of the right ears hear it.” |THIS.
[By M.J. Walker]
“My five favorite placements for my music is a hard one too. Each time I get some kind of a placement deal I’m honored that someone saw that what I create was worthy of repeating, and that they wanted it to be part of what they are creating as well.
The licensing game is one where you have to leave a little bit of your ego behind with an understanding of what the whole industry is. It’s not always about the music you make, or you, or your quality. All of those are important, but the one thing you gotta learn is it’s about where its being put.
Does it fit the scene, or the show, or the game, or the ad? All of that matters, and my career has had way more almosts than successes.
Deals have been made and/or lost in a matter of minutes, and for minor things. If you are quick, versatile and have a good work ethic you just keep stringing along the successes to build that resume. I also had/have agents on my side that believe in my abilities and continued growing diversity. They know what I can do, and often challenge what they think I might be able to do. I’d shout them out in a heartbeat, but I always respect that they do what they do behind the scenes and only make connections when they approve.
They know who they are and that I appreciate them like mad.” – Sam Rhansum
