TGB$: Sup Darkness?
BBD: What's Good My Dude!!!
TGB$: A lot of people are buzzing about you and honestly wanna know who you are? Lets start with the name, how does one get the name DARKNESS?
BBD: Well they call me Darkness, but don't let the light skin fool you (lol). Naw, really I got the name Darkness off of the Dave Chappelle/Rick James Skit. The minute I saw that episode it was like bam!!! That's me right there. I was looking to take on a more mature title to describe myself and my sound so I ran with it. But I still answer to Abyss or Khaklit Abyss (Chocolate).
TGB$: Word...so where are you located?
BBD: I'm in Oklahoma City bro! Hard to believe huh? But they saying around here is O-City or no City.
TGB$: Coming up, what were your influences?
BBD: Man when I was coming up I didn't have an older brother. I'm the oldest in my fam, so the dudes on the block were my older brothers. I always wanted to do what they did, but they wouldn't let me. Typical big brother / little brother relationship. However I was always over the shoulder taking notes...ya dig. When cats was making beats on them Casio or Yamaha keyboards, with the short sample time, I was right there waiting for my chance. My mom and pops used to throw parties a lot and they had records for days! So I was always into that old soul music. Soon as I got old enough to work I started getting equipment.
TGB$: Now you yourself was once an M.C., how did that go?
BBD: Emceein' was cool for me man, I never wrote a rhyme I didn't like you dig. I remember when I first saw the video for "Paid In Full", I was attracted to the whole style Rakim had. His stance, his emotion, his wordplay...I just wanted to be him. As my style progressed, it was just amazing to me how I could just speak my mind over beats. I really got serious with production cause no one had a sound that fit me. Now it's just that making the music behind the emcee has taken over. I emcee here and there when I'm making beats just to get a feel, but production is for me.
TGB$: Now a days everyone is a rapper or producer, what tools of the game have you mastered to make you a force to be reckoned with?
BBD: I first started with the Ensoniq EPS. Then I got the MPC 2000. That got stolen so I started using Acid Pro, and then Fruity Loops. That's all I need really is Fruity Loops. I have another MPC 2000 which I bought from a good friend named Ill C, but my main toolbox is FL Studio - Akai MPD 24 - HP Laptop - Hypersonic 2 - and Reason.
TGB$: You use a lot of old school soul samples, do you think the hip hop world needs more beats with history to them now a days?
BBD: Word! Hip-Hop to me is lacking a lot of soul. Kanye and Just Blaze really brought it back, and then 9th Wonder just put a new flame to the torch. I don't disrespect any body's hustle but it's amazing when you flip a sample and turn it into something else, and that's the target I go for. I do play out some of my beats also, but I'm a soulful dude so I'm always diggin' and sampling.
TGB$: If you could make a full compilation album of various artist(12) on BEATZ BY DARKNESS who would they be and why?
BBD: First I gotta say Jay-Z. Why cause he is the best rapper alive. I feel if I got in the studio with Jay just being in his presence would make me work hard and out do myself three times over. Second is Lil Wayne. He is one of the best rappers alive. I like his work ethic and he got word play. He's setting a new standard for the "South". Third...Nas. Nas is my man!!! I wasn't feeling him for a while but that Hip-Hop is Dead album just got me open again. Of course the late greats Tupac and Notorious BIG. Murs....I feel dude, and not saying we could pick up where he and 9th left off but we could start a new chapter ya know. Rakim of course! MF Doom, Joe Buddens, Freeway, Beanie Sigel, Scarface ( that would be some of the most soulful tales of the hood ever).
TGB$: So what do you consider your greatest milestone to date is?
BBD: Not sure man I can't call it. Every time I do something I'm always thinking of ways to make it better.
TGB$: What can we expect in the future from DARKNESS?
BBD: Of course the Thugboss Mixtape. A full
DDC album (Dirty Dialect Click). Darkness Mayfield, which is a tribute to Curtis Mayfield, I'm gonna be flippin a lot of his samples. Me and
Bavu Blakes got something in the works, and my dude out of Detroit, Chief. Me and Chief got a serious project in works so press play on that.
TGB$: Thanks DARKNESS! For all those artist out there looking for the future, how should they go about contacting you?
BBD: Holla at a boss! beatzbydarkness@gmail.com, or hit the
myspace page.
DOWNLOAD that AMERICAN THUGBOSS!!!
posted by RAH of THUGBOSS |
2/5/08
|
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