I have been studying the game/conversing with close friends and cats that's in the game now or that's been where I'm trying to go. Really just gathering knowledge of there hardships so I can know what to expect. Besides that just, banging out tracks, trying to keep the heat in the streets.

Let's talk about how you got your start in production, what was your first equipment?

Well I grew up around family that was into music. My uncles back in the day had a band, my pops was a DJ overseas and my mom just loved music. Just about everyday my peeps would be spinning records and I would be just sitting there listening and humming tunes. Then in like the late eighties my older cousin came and stayed at the crib for the
summer he used to bang MC Lyte, Public Enemy, Milk D, Stetsasonic the "Self Destruction" joint, NWA, De La Soul and lots of others. That experience really got me interested in rap. I heard rap before because my pops and uncle used to bang Kurtis Blow, Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, Sugar Hill Gang, and the song that go "wiggy, wiggy, wiggy, wiggy shut up" had an alien sounding voice, forgot the artist though. Anyway during that time period I started rapping. My friends and I would rap to old instrumentals one in particular I remember spitting over was the "Make the music with your mouth Biz" joint. But as I got a little older I wanted to make my own tracks to rap over so I then started asking people, "How do people make beats." I found my first
answer when my boy up the street sold me his older brothers Yamaha Drum machine for $10 (Good look EL, ha-ha.) When I got that joint, I didn't know what the hell a loop was, a metronome, time signature, or tempo was. I use to just play the drum pads freely and record it to tape. Then I used an old keyboard to play notes over the drum pattern (yeah you know! the tape, over the tape, over the tape, with the tissue in the top of the tape to make it recordable technique.) After that my peeps bought me an old Gemini 8 sec sampler. Then eventually I upgraded to the Akai S20 sampler and a DR 5 drum machine. When people started feeling the tracks hard I then copped an ASR X Pro (the red joint) and a MPC 2000. I used a Yamaha PSR 520 as my midi controller.

How did your first beats sound?

Man on the real those joints were straight trash. Drums were all off and every track had mad hiss and humming in them. But yo, I'm glad I went threw that stage because it helped me learn what to do and what not to do. The vibe of them first tracks was on some old WU type ish; I was no RZA or 4th Disciple (respect due).

How does your sound continue to evolve?

I got to give credit to all the different types of artists I work with for the continuous growth of my sound. It's like when I hear a person sing or rap it triggers a certain feel in my head. I then sit down and generate a sound that's suitable for the artists voice or rap style. The more artists I meet and work with the more versatile my sound becomes.

What equipment do you use now?

Yo! The computer is phenomenal. I'm working with the CPU along with Reason 2.5, Cool Edit, Acid, T-racks, Roland VS 840, the Motif rack and the same old Yamaha PSR 520 as my midi controller. I would like to say to the world I was scared of computers for a long time but once I decided to try it out there was no turning back. I got to give big ups
to my mans Wado aka Professa Nex for introducing me to the CPU and all the wave editing programs. And to all the strict vintage heads out there you can get that gritty sound on the CPU you got to just mess with the sample rates. Like take it from 16bit to like 8bit.

How do you stay fresh in a stale game now?

What I do is pull out them old 45s or sit down and listen to Pete Rock, Diamond D, Lord Finesse, Nas (Illmatic), Primo, RZA, Dre, DJ Muggs, DJ Scratch (them old Busta joints is crazy), and Large Professor. What I do is analyze what made their tracks hot, and I then listen to what is considered hot today and try to come up with a sound that could be appreciated by the older heads as well as the new.

What's the first thing you do when you start a beat?

If the tracks contains a sample I usually cut and chop the sample first followed by the high hats, kick and snare, bass line (which is usually jumping all over the place), then any other sounds I think it may need. If the tracks has no sample I start with the main melody line and just build from there. It's no right or wrong way to make a beat,
but this is the route I usually take.

How do you know when a beat is finished?

I know a track is done when my head is nodding crazily out of control or when one of my peoples walk in the lab and be like "yo that's stupid!" Sometimes I will stop making a track if I feel it's not sounding right, put it to the side and try it another day. But generally it's a certain feeling I get or the expressions of others that let me know when a track is complete.

How do you know if you worked a sample to the fullest?

Yo I love samples! I know I have freaked a sample to the fullest when it sounds nothing like the original piece. Most of the time I chop samples to create my own melodies. Sometimes I just loop if the sample is just that sick and doesn't need to be reworked.

I heard you've been producing for a long time, have you ever thought about leaving the game?

Yeah man. Like everything in life you have your ups and downs. It's like I get so frustrated at times I listen to the radio or to a CD and be like "yo I can do that!" It also makes me mad when I give people in powerful positions straight FIRE, and they put it to the side or ignore it. Then I hear who they working with and putting on and its complete
trash. Being that I live in VA the outlets are limited. I can honestly say the only person from round here with some type of pull that actually took the time to listen and lend a brother a hand was Magoo. Yeah I know people may laugh and joke, but on the real Magoo a real good cat (Much respect). But it's the people I grew up with and the people that support me that keeps me going. And ever since my brother passed in 98' I told myself I wasn't going to stop until I'm successful. The love of him and the love of my parents are daily reminders of why I can't quit. RIP: Marco Taylor

What's grimy tricks other producers play?

Producers are filled with tricks up their sleeve. It's like this, a well established producer can hear your stuff and be like "yo you got some heat we need to get up one day so you can play some more beats for me or possibly give me a beat CD." The hungry producer then gives the well established producer a beat CD in hopes of working with a producer
they looked up to or admired, but in return the hungry producer gets nothing but the bragging rights to say "hey I met so and so and he likes my beats." The well established producer then rapes the hungry producer for sample ideas, melodies and what ever else they can steal. Sad right? True story! Happens on a daily basis, believe it. I live it!

What producers do you respect?

I respect a lot of producers. The ones I mentioned early are a few, but my favorite would have to be DJ Scratch & Just Blaze. I respect all the producers from VA that are paving the way for the next generation of producers out of VA. Big ups to Bink!, Nottz, Drop, Timb and the Tunez. Big ups to my man Hannon out of Bad Newz. First cat that I know
personally that got a beat placed on a major record. Knocturnal "LA Love.” Let's keep the love going peeps. VA!

What artists have you worked with?

I have worked with mad underground cats that are on the verge of breaking throw. No big names yet, but got some situations brewing. But I did some joints with Wicked he out of Connecticut/NY. You can here him on the latest Kay Slay joints. Of course Nick Fury reppin' VA (Richmond). He is one of the reasons I stopped rapping and decided to
concentrate on production (Nick is a MONSTER.) His squad The Burglars (B's up.) My mans Future from NY he did a joint with Santana and got some cuts on Kool Kid tapes. My mans Flamez the most unique rapper alive and Phynx reppin' the 757. 20 Kane team V dots a dot. Bless P and BlackPentagon (P city, Pistol City stand up). Those cats were supposed to sign with Ruff Ryders but ya'll know how that goes! Moreno from NY. Dog out of Richmond. Vigilantez out of VA. Jaison from New Jerz. Dude sick with the R&B. The Legion, Vegaz out in Suffolk. M-rep, J Ringo, Franchise, Co Co and Megaphores reppin' VA, Phenom out of NC and various others. Yo write these names down because its bout to happen.
Geeeeeeeaaaaah!

Who would you like to work with?

Man I'm willing to work with anyone that's serious about making good music. My favorite mainstream artist is Busta, so I would love to do a joint with him. Other artist that I would love to work with but not limited to are: Redman, Das EFX (yeah I said it), R Kelly, Alicia Keys, Nas, Jay Z, Outkast, Non Phixion, Immortal Technique so on and so forth, just get at me!

What's coming up for you?

Like I said before I got some situations brewing, but in the meantime I'm just concentrating on keeping that heat going. I'm trying to get mad exposure and enhance my networking. Cameo (word up!) Geeeeaaah

How can heads get at you for beats?

They can hit me or my management team up. Check out the website www.ntelek.com and www.amgentertainment.net, make sure you peep all the links. Get at me by email: ntelek@tmail.com or aim: ncredible n. Peep SoundClick for more tracks.

Shout Outs:

First of all I would like to thank hiphopgame.com for the opportunity. Big ups to: My peeps, Greg and Marie Taylor (ya'll make me who I am), all my family, my cousins Marcus, Javon and Brian. AMG Entertainment (Karen & Nu & of course good looks to Hugh (H-Dollar!!!) www.amgentetainment, llusive Media (Shomi, Bono, Phillip) www.illusivemedia.com good job on the site. Mad men (MVC, Al, O cope), Wado aka Professa Nex, Flamez, Phynx, Brian (cut your dreds and get a job! Hahaahahah Not!) DJ Strez ( the only real nigga left on radio), Nick, Burglars, Future, 20 Kane, Bless P, Kay J at WJLB Detroit, Jason Alexander, Will ( man you really got it poppin' for me), Wicked, Austin, Magoo, Drop, Jadalan, Hannon (if we team up its going to be stupid), Kay Slay for giving this little nigga from VA a chance to be heard, my mans Bre at Apollostar entertainment, Rome at A&B records, Mook, Marion Jones down in NC, Frank Blaze (keep blazin'), Curtis (bananas), Vigilantez, D Law, EF, Franchise, Ghetto, Co Co, Mario, Martinez, Mike Temple, Mike Wunda (what up), and all those that I missed I got yall next time. Oh yeah cop that Burglars mix tape!!!

The "N" is near

Interview by Brian Kayser
email Brian Kayser