3rd interview:BBA2016 - Jprime (Cumberland, British Columbia) Canada
Interview with all artists nominated in the Breakbeat Awards 2016
Imagine yourself walking into the studio; please may you talk me through a typical day? What are your habits?
Interview with all artists nominated in the Breakbeat Awards 2016
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How was 2016 for you?
2016 was a bit slow for me music wise as I was involved in selling my home and relocating. I tried not to take on any major projects until after the summer. The largest project/undertaking for me was taking on the DJ role for hip hop group Butterfinger Bombsquad. It has been good to get a few rehearsals and gigs with them under our belts for future work in 2017 and beyond.
ILL FIXED EP - Relative Dimensions
Can you tell us what your favourite thing is about your tracks?
In this particular EP, I’m pleased that the tracks span across different tempos and overall flavor, from hip hop to glitch hop to breaks. I’m happy with the production behind the title track iLL Fix and really like the old school b-boy break feeling behind Straight Stoopid. In general I seem to set out with an idea for a track in mind but my results always end up with a classic sound/feel. I used to try and fight it and attempt to be more mainstream-ish but eventually gave in to my own sound and embraced it. Besides, if everyone sounded the same...well that wouldn’t be too much fun
Can you tell us about new project you will be working on 2017?
2016 was a bit slow for me music wise as I was involved in selling my home and relocating. I tried not to take on any major projects until after the summer. The largest project/undertaking for me was taking on the DJ role for hip hop group Butterfinger Bombsquad. It has been good to get a few rehearsals and gigs with them under our belts for future work in 2017 and beyond.
ILL FIXED EP - Relative Dimensions
Can you tell us what your favourite thing is about your tracks?
In this particular EP, I’m pleased that the tracks span across different tempos and overall flavor, from hip hop to glitch hop to breaks. I’m happy with the production behind the title track iLL Fix and really like the old school b-boy break feeling behind Straight Stoopid. In general I seem to set out with an idea for a track in mind but my results always end up with a classic sound/feel. I used to try and fight it and attempt to be more mainstream-ish but eventually gave in to my own sound and embraced it. Besides, if everyone sounded the same...well that wouldn’t be too much fun
Can you tell us about new project you will be working on 2017?
I’m looking forward to working with Butterfinger Bombsquad more and hopefully putting them on the map but I’m also certainly going to continue to release my own works. I would like to make the effort to work on a Redbull 3Style type routine and try my hand at battling again.
Imagine yourself walking into the studio; please may you talk me through a typical day? What are your habits?
When it comes to designing a track I will usually already have some kind of idea or sample I want to build on. I know a lot of people are all “Bass bass bass” but that’s usually the last thing on my mind. I like cohesiveness, good sequencing, overall mixdown and of course simply to have fun and enjoy the process.
How do you go about choosing what software and plug-ins you use?
How do you go about choosing what software and plug-ins you use?
I use Ableton as my primary DAW, but having worked with Reason for so long, I’m simply addicted to all the soft synths and other instruments available in there so I will ReWire it into Ableton. As for VSTs, I have a handful I work with. Massive is one, but to be honest I rarely use it. CamelCrusher is nice for fattening up drums and leads, it really depends on the track. Frohmage is neat for crushing sounds, Voxengo for making stuff sound wider. I have a good number of others too I’ll keep to myself though ;)
What’s the one piece of DJ/production gear you can’t live without?
What’s the one piece of DJ/production gear you can’t live without?
Other than my computer, I would say midi keyboard. You can’t push out a melody, lead or bassline as fast as you can with a keyboard. Plus it’s fun to hammer out a few different melodies when you’re experimenting.
Any particular artists/dj’s/ producers that really influenced you?
Any particular artists/dj’s/ producers that really influenced you?
Any top tier battle/scratch DJ. I find it a touch dull hearing guys simply mix track A into track B. Not many seem to want to loop stuff or try something out of their comfort zone these days. Q-Tips production on the new Tribe Called Quest album was fantastic. RZA from Wu Tang has also been good. Young Einstein from Ugly Duckling can pick out samples you’ve never heard and make them hits. I like some of the bassy sounds from the Punx label, Left/Right for example.
How’s the music scene in this moment in your country?
How’s the music scene in this moment in your country?
I can really only comment on the breaks side of things; which is quite slow. There aren’t too many Canadians pushing out breaks. You hear some ghettofunk type stuff but promoters generally only book breaks acts few and far between.
Often particular cities are linked to certain sounds and sub genres. Do you think living in your city is reflected in your music?
I live in a smaller town (Courtenay, BC) and am blessed with an incredible music scene. Everyone here is quite supportive of each other and it seems like we have people representing many different genres. Overall, the West Coast of Canada definitely has some roots in a funkier breaks sound. I’m thinking of some of the guys who put in work here in the 90’s and 2000’s like Czech, Vinyl Ritchie, Mat the Alien and Wicked Lester. That type of mid-tempo ish funky breakbeat was a major draw for me and I’d like to think I carry that sound in some of my tracks as they were certainly influential when I was growing up out here.
Often particular cities are linked to certain sounds and sub genres. Do you think living in your city is reflected in your music?
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