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I read this and enjoyed it, especially the parallels for me as the music producer who found the first popular white girl rapper: "Kreayshawn" and produced her f

I read this and enjoyed it, especially the parallels for me as the music producer who found the first popular white girl rapper: "Kreayshawn" and produced her first few tracks ("Bumpin Bumpin", "Gucci Gucci", etc).. After working with lots of artists over the years I tend to just think of them as instruments in an overall track, and their stories and narrative of the timelines is unreliable at best. I would really have liked more perspective in the story from the music producers POV, as I feel like I got a unique and more objective point of view seeing both the business, personal, public, and artistic side. While many of the rappers are just kind of lifestyle method actors, and as the years go by I wonder about these late stage interviews. Interesting article though

leehuffman 6y ago
> especially the parallels for me as the music producer who found the first popular white girl rapper: "Kreayshawn" and produced her first few tracks ("Bumpin Bumpin", "Gucci Gucci", etc).. Wait... you produced those early Kreayshawn joints? HN is a wild place hah. > I would really have liked more perspective in the story from the music producers POV This is pretty much how I feel about every piece of media on music/artists/bands/etc. Song Exploder is one of the few that puts that process & the accompanying story front and center. It makes the content far more interesting IMO.
1propionyl 6y ago
> "'Gucci Gucci' is completely traumatizing. When that song comes on, it makes my ears feel like they're bleeding," Zolot said, explaining that the track itself has had a big negative impact on her. "Like, it makes me feel like I'm gonna die. It gives me a panic attack hearing that song." > Part of it has been the pressure of trying to make another hit "as big as 'Gucci Gucci'" in subsequent years. However, the bigger issue that's continued to goad her is the fact that she receives no royalties and is still in debt to Sony for $800,000 for it — something she addressed in a string of tweets asking people to stop buying and streaming the track. Maybe, just maybe, thinking of vocal artists as just instruments in an overall track is a mistake? It's cool and all that you "found" her but it doesn't sound like she was very happy with how things turned out. Having someone else in the studio who didn't think she was just an "instrument" might have been nice. Just saying.
- poisonarena 6y ago
  I think you are missing the idea of what I was just trying to say about how music producers, especially in the traditional pop realm worked and thought about vocals in a song. And you misinterpreting my words and giving them meaning in a way they dont. Aside from my meaning, she has worked with many producers besides me, as well as managers and A/R people. I know for a fact how much fun she was having in 2010-2012 or so. I watched the narrative change over the years from "I am this hard rapper from Oakland" to "I am an artist, and DJ, and a rapper" to finally "I never wanted to be a rapper and the industry took advantage of me and others like me" .. That gradient is a bit more complex and long, but that is the sum of it. Narratives change with success and popularity.
  - sizzle 6y ago
    Have you produced any other major tracks for rappers? Where can I hear more of your stuff dude?? Thanks for sharing your perspective on HN. I'm more of an old school head listening to Nas and MF DOOM, but mumble rap has grown on me somehow...
    - poisonarena 6y ago
      I actually hate those songs I made for her, I made songs for lesser known artists, and lots of remixes. I used the name Adeptus and DK Domino.. I did lots of soundtracks for television shows and films and a few porns actually haha.. I like mostly old school bboy/freestyle music https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGimKOsZx2R4pByZjfiZXcg/videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGimKOsZx2R4pByZjfiZXcg/vid... I have this youtube channel I update every few years but mostly I am not very active
lostgame 6y ago
Appreciate your perspective, and thanks so kindly for your post. As a classically trained vocalist, that perspective makes me feel you are not the kind of person who I would like to work with; or a person I could When I produce my own music, I have the privilege of treating my own vocals as...somewhat 'just another instrument' is a blessing and a curse. I often end up doing anywhere from 30-50 takes for a verse, and 'Kubricking' myself like that is just part of my process that I have the luxury and privilege of going through because I live the studio I also produce other artists out of. I can get much more into their stories and narratives by treating them as a little bit higher in focus than the rest of the track. This is totally spoken out of personal experience and in total respect for what you do. Just saying that I really make a specific effort to treat vocalists as the real people they are since most of the other instruments in my track are often electronic.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- poisonarena 6y ago
  i meant when I am in my daw or groovebox
sizzle 6y ago
Can you share some interesting behind the scenes stories of anything you've been a part of in the music scene for us HN fans :)
- poisonarena 6y ago
  Yeah I wish I could say some juicy stuff.. I think I might after reading this article, but not in the comments. Maybe I will write about it on my future blog. I worked with an artist called DMX Krew, in the UK a lot. He is like an old school(not so much to me, as I am 35) electro music producer/performer. And when my tracks with Kreayshawn popped off I had different fun opportunities for a bit. VIce Italy flew me to Milan to DJ a party for 400 euros, and the marketing was that I was DMX's producer (like the rapper DMX), which I was not.. But I just sort of pretended to be, and I during my set I would randomly drop in songs by DMX just to get people excited.
1-more 6y ago
Gucci Gucci knocks. TYFYS

leehuffman 6y ago

> especially the parallels for me as the music producer who found the first popular white girl rapper: "Kreayshawn" and produced her first few tracks ("Bumpin Bumpin", "Gucci Gucci", etc).. Wait... you produced those early Kreayshawn joints? HN is a wild place hah. > I would really have liked more perspective in the story from the music producers POV This is pretty much how I feel about every piece of media on music/artists/bands/etc. Song Exploder is one of the few that puts that process & the accompanying story front and center. It makes the content far more interesting IMO.

1propionyl 6y ago

> "'Gucci Gucci' is completely traumatizing. When that song comes on, it makes my ears feel like they're bleeding," Zolot said, explaining that the track itself has had a big negative impact on her. "Like, it makes me feel like I'm gonna die. It gives me a panic attack hearing that song." > Part of it has been the pressure of trying to make another hit "as big as 'Gucci Gucci'" in subsequent years. However, the bigger issue that's continued to goad her is the fact that she receives no royalties and is still in debt to Sony for $800,000 for it — something she addressed in a string of tweets asking people to stop buying and streaming the track. Maybe, just maybe, thinking of vocal artists as just instruments in an overall track is a mistake? It's cool and all that you "found" her but it doesn't sound like she was very happy with how things turned out. Having someone else in the studio who didn't think she was just an "instrument" might have been nice. Just saying.

poisonarena 6y ago
I think you are missing the idea of what I was just trying to say about how music producers, especially in the traditional pop realm worked and thought about vocals in a song. And you misinterpreting my words and giving them meaning in a way they dont. Aside from my meaning, she has worked with many producers besides me, as well as managers and A/R people. I know for a fact how much fun she was having in 2010-2012 or so. I watched the narrative change over the years from "I am this hard rapper from Oakland" to "I am an artist, and DJ, and a rapper" to finally "I never wanted to be a rapper and the industry took advantage of me and others like me" .. That gradient is a bit more complex and long, but that is the sum of it. Narratives change with success and popularity.
- sizzle 6y ago
  Have you produced any other major tracks for rappers? Where can I hear more of your stuff dude?? Thanks for sharing your perspective on HN. I'm more of an old school head listening to Nas and MF DOOM, but mumble rap has grown on me somehow...
  - poisonarena 6y ago
    I actually hate those songs I made for her, I made songs for lesser known artists, and lots of remixes. I used the name Adeptus and DK Domino.. I did lots of soundtracks for television shows and films and a few porns actually haha.. I like mostly old school bboy/freestyle music https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGimKOsZx2R4pByZjfiZXcg/videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGimKOsZx2R4pByZjfiZXcg/vid... I have this youtube channel I update every few years but mostly I am not very active

lostgame 6y ago

Appreciate your perspective, and thanks so kindly for your post. As a classically trained vocalist, that perspective makes me feel you are not the kind of person who I would like to work with; or a person I could When I produce my own music, I have the privilege of treating my own vocals as...somewhat 'just another instrument' is a blessing and a curse. I often end up doing anywhere from 30-50 takes for a verse, and 'Kubricking' myself like that is just part of my process that I have the luxury and privilege of going through because I live the studio I also produce other artists out of. I can get much more into their stories and narratives by treating them as a little bit higher in focus than the rest of the track. This is totally spoken out of personal experience and in total respect for what you do. Just saying that I really make a specific effort to treat vocalists as the real people they are since most of the other instruments in my track are often electronic.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
poisonarena 6y ago
i meant when I am in my daw or groovebox

sizzle 6y ago

Can you share some interesting behind the scenes stories of anything you've been a part of in the music scene for us HN fans :)

poisonarena 6y ago
Yeah I wish I could say some juicy stuff.. I think I might after reading this article, but not in the comments. Maybe I will write about it on my future blog. I worked with an artist called DMX Krew, in the UK a lot. He is like an old school(not so much to me, as I am 35) electro music producer/performer. And when my tracks with Kreayshawn popped off I had different fun opportunities for a bit. VIce Italy flew me to Milan to DJ a party for 400 euros, and the marketing was that I was DMX's producer (like the rapper DMX), which I was not.. But I just sort of pretended to be, and I during my set I would randomly drop in songs by DMX just to get people excited.

1-more 6y ago

Gucci Gucci knocks. TYFYS