Тоне велемнс поведывоент чего обжедать от обжедаемого в следущем гонду ольтбома KOTF 2-ва, обкоменг мекстейпенга SOMBRAF 2-ва, обкоменг плостинке про НЛК, обпсуждаент со вместное с дондычем твортчевство, сообщаент с кем мечтаент сколобобреровонтсо и еще там. Цетируем.
King or The Fool, Volume II is the project that I’ve looked forward to making for a long time. Every true artist looks forward to the day he’s established to the point that he can put out ‘his’ music. More importantly, I really feel like the climate is finally right for what I have to offer. My new sound is actually my old sound. I’m bringing the vibe of the band on stage into the studio environment. It excites me to talk about it. I’m looking at an early 2015 release. Concurrently, I’m also working on another mix tape project, Some Of My Best Rappers Are Friends, Volume II, sub-titled 70’s Boy. It’s totally inspired by the music I listened to while growing up.
Of all the Kanye West songs where your voice has been featured, which are your favorites?
Spaceship was the first song that I worked on for a Kanye project after he heard me ad-libbing over that track in the car. That was the reason I was even invited to come work on the project at all. I guess for that reason that song has sentimental value for me. However, Roses is the one for me. It resonates with me on so many levels starting with that Bill Withers sample that serves as the foundation for it. It’s super magical in my eyes because it was based on the shared experience of us (Kanye and I), along with family, visiting our grandmother in the hospital in Oklahoma City. I wrote and sang the hook as well as produced Patty Labelle’s vocals. Kanye has since referenced that record as a defining moment for us as a creative duo. We were really hitting a creative stride in those days. Of course you know “We Major” has to get a mention. I still cringe slightly when I hear it though. Those vocals I did on that song weren’t intended, as far as I was concerned, to be my actual take. I was just trying to put down the idea. Kanye loved it and went home for the night. I stayed late and redid it. He came in the next morning and ‘lossed it’ when he heard a different take and had the engineer put the old one back. Over the years I’ve adapted that philosophy to a degree. I used to be such a perfectionist. I’ve learned that sometimes the sincereness that you get in that first take is better than the perfection you arrive at through the constant refining of it.
Is Kanye as hard to work with as the rumors would suggest? Are you hard to work with?
That’s interesting, I’ve never heard that rumored. He’s super easy to work with. He understands how to curate an album. He knows how to get the right combination of talent in the studio for a given record and knows the importance of both getting out of their way as well as how to pull the the best work out of the artist. The majority of any of my work you’ve ever heard on a Kanye record was done with him not even in the room. Just me alone with the engineer. I give him a folder with all my ideas at the end of the week and he extrapolates what he wants to use. We’ve developed that approach over the years and it works for us.
I believe that I’m easy to work with. I never try to dictate the sound of a recording. I concern myself with the ‘feel’ of the musicians and/ or producers I invite to the session and let the vibe take over. I think it’s important to let your personnel work freely under your guidance.
Kanye's new album is starting to get hyped up. What can you tell us about it that no one knows yet?
If no one knows it yet then there must be a reason and if I gave up sensitive information like that then that would make me a mole, right? .. I really wouldn’t want to spoil it for you, anyway. Its music, what needs to be said about it. Besides, you already know what it’s gonna be; perfection, and that’s because it’s a well curated project. The best producers are good at curating , knowing what talents to have in the studio at a given time. That’s a huge part of his artistry- I’m a fan of good artistry. It doesn’t matter who the features are on a project, it’s more about chemistry. Sometimes the individual pieces aren’t as good independently. Sometimes producers make artists sound good and sometimes artist make producers sound good. If you saw “Get On Up” you saw how James Brown assembled a room of individuals , all talented in there own right, and concocted an energy that could have never been reached by any of them individually.
What artist(s) have you not worked with yet that you would love to work with?
I’d love to work with Erykah, that would be the ultimate. I’m a huge Santana fan and I’d love to tour live with that guy. Common and Citizen Cope would round out that particular bucket list.
examiner
