Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
Thinking outside the box is what Brian from Beats Reloaded does best. It's one thing to just make beats or to focus solely on Hip Hop, but taking it to another level, even in another genre is what he's all about. Beats Reloaded is his contribution to not only Hip Hop, but other forms of music as well, and he's here to spit some knowledge.
Sup Brian, tell us a bit about yourself.
First, I'd like to thank you for having me. I appreciate the opportunity to touch the people. I'm pretty much a chilled out, focused dude. Love music from every era, although my favorite is the 70's (love that Soul music). I come from a musical family, basically everyone I know plays an instrument or two. I was all over the place before I focused on music production. I started off rapping, then I got into graphic and web design. Being from MD, there wasn't that many opportunities to showcase your music but once I performed a few times, I realized that I wanted to focus on making beats and creating records. Once I really focused on production, I felt I found my purpose so I just ran with it.
What's the Washington & Maryland Hip Hop scene like?
It's tough. Because on one hand, we have our own culture here like no other. It's like a melting pot of NY and ATL styles of Hip Hop, mixed with New Orleans live Jazz. And with the strong presence of Go-Go, you can find everything you need here. But on the other hand, there almost seems to be a certain disdain for people who try to rise above the rest and make it out. It took a long time for our radio stations to even support us. But there's a lot of talent out here and I'm seeing a lot of studios being opened in MD and DC so hopefully the labels will follow suit.
Producing Hip Hop is one thing, but you're also doing other genres. How do you do it?
You have to be versatile. Hip Hop is my love, and I will love Hip Hop after I'm dead, but if you limit yourself to Hip Hop, you're limiting your life. So I started experimenting with different styles and found that almost every genre has Hip Hop elements in it! So that made it easier to transition into Pop, EDM, and others.
Usually Hip Hop and R&B go hand in hand, but Pop and House???
YES. Pop and House is the most marketable genres of music and producers have to start getting into it. Pop music is everywhere. Walk into your local mall and see what music is pumping out of the stores. (We all know they use it to subconsciously rush you into decisions) but it's there! I've even heard it on an elevator. Almost made me miss my stop.
It's good you're thinking outside the box, how has that helped you get ahead?
Most people see what other people are doing and think "If I go harder at this than them, then I'll get ahead". That's wrong. If I sat here and made beats hotter than Kanye West and Timbaland, and perfected my craft to the point where no one could touch me, I would still be broke. What takes you to the next level is doing things that those guys AREN'T willing to do. Market online, develop relationships, continuously self develop, stay positive, think different, and build an identity in PERSON. Most people you know aren't doing that so you'll be ahead of 80% of them just by doing those things.
What's in your studio?
Not much. I have two M-Audio BX8's studio monitors, dual visual monitors, Maschine Mikro, a MIDI controller, Komplete audio interface and a custom built PC with crazy specs. A couple electric guitars, a bass guitar, books, classic records and headphones and that's about it.
Name one thing that you think is missing in Hip Hop music today.
Realness. It's funny, whenever we hear an artist like J.Cole or Kendrick Lamar, we associate them with being "A breath of fresh air". There is a reason for that. Our ability to relate to their realness. They are just being them and not trying to conform to the "image". People refer to them as a breath of fresh air because we are drowning in a mediocre, monotone, and melodyne phase of Hip Hop where everyone raps/sings and puts no feeling into their vocals. Maybe it's just me, but I'd rather have an artist say what they feel without the fear of failure than to hear the same stuff I heard a million times. That's why Kanye West is still hot. Say what you want about Yeezus, (and I didn't particularly love it) but the man says what he wants with conviction and isn't afraid of the fallout. It's hard to throw Immortal Technique in with the same sentence and Kanye but he does an even better job at it.
You also do graphic designs, is that like a side hustle for you?
Yeah, got to have the multiple sources of income. Plus I love doing it period. Everything you see from me on the design side, I've done myself. I was designing back when I was in high school when everyone else was focused on dumb shit.
Who or what are some of your music influences?
Man, so many. But I have to start with Michael Jackson. Most people are probably like "You're a producer, you're supposed to say J.Dilla or DJ Premier!" I love those guys too, but it starts with Mike because of his influence on the world and his personal drive to be the best. Put all the foolishness that the media made up aside, and look at his body of work. He reinvented himself every time and ushered in new sounds by pushing the producers he worked with. Next would be Prince, then on the Hip Hop side, RZA, Swizz Beats, of course J.Dilla (R.I.P), Nujabes, Ryan Leslie, 9th Wonder, Pharrell, Dr. Dre, Just Blaze, Kanye West, Timbaland and countless more. I'm also heavily influenced by the groups of the 1960's and 70's such as Smokey Robinson, The Chi-lites, Four Tops, Temptations, Gladys Knight and more.
Most Hip Hop producers focus on just selling beats to rappers, tell us what you do.
This sounds a bit selfish, but I mainly focus on my mind and my production craft. That on top of marketing. I found that the more I worked on my mind, people gravitated to me like a magnet. Because they felt my positivity and hunger for music.
Your beats have a nice smooth vibe to them, do you play any instruments?
This one is tricky because I don't know how to read notes or know how to play "professionally", but I do play they keys, drums, violin, trumpet, and some guitar. It's to the point where I played an instrument a majority of my time in school, but didn't touch the score sheet. And I was pretty good. I just went home and practiced with the CD of how the song should be played. I do the same now, but I just play what I hear in my head and it comes out nice. I will be getting the technical training though.
Do you have any words of advice for anyone looking to elevate their productions in this industry?
Just do you. That's the best thing I tell people. Put yourself on these beats and don't shortcut through it. People can tell the difference between a "Beat Maker" and "Producer". So make sure your beats are relevant to the times, can be made into a nice record, and properly mixed. It's not about if you have 1000 beats on your hard drive, it's about what the 20 beats you have online are doing for you and your message.
Any shout outs you'd like to give?
Again, I'd like to thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak to the people. It's a good thing for producers to talk with other producers and artists. I'd like to shout out the DMV and all the artists I work with here. Peace and love.
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