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Dedicated to my father Abdul Rashid (R.1.P), my son Tykeim Sol Rashid and bedroom producers worldwide.
HIP HOP HOME STUDIOS
BY RAPH
GINGKO PRESS
Published in the United States of America
Author: Raph
Co-editors: Greg Foster, Mark Pollard, Khalil Hegarty
Design/Layout: Rex
Illustrations: Beci Orpin
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OJ Spinna 18 ...ffi
J Thes One 24
The Nextmen 30
Dan The Automator 34
The Grouch 40
OJ Ransom 44
Farma G - Taskforce 50
Oa Beatminerz 56
c NTE TS OJ Shadow
Mario Caldato Jr.
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66
Huw72 - Beyond There 74
Cut Chemist 80
Sereck 84
Kutmasta Kurt 88
Skitz 94
Mad lib 98
J -Zone 106
OJ Premier 110
Nu -Mark 116
Fat Jack 122
deNorthwode 126
OJ Swamp 130
OJ Design 136
Jehst 140
E-Swift 144
J Oilla 150
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I T DUCTION
I have always been fascinated with studios, big and small. Back in 1990, a machin e that works for them and sticking with it. At the end of the
I walked into my friend Frenzy's studio. It consisted of a 4-track, some day it's not what you have but what you do with it. As strange as it
turntables and an early Mirage sampler. I was totally blown away by the fact seems, there are sti ll some producers out there who haven't even gone
you cou ld overdub vocals and sample records. into the world of computers.
When studio equipment became more affordable for people wanting to These photographs encompass far more than equipment, they offer a glimpse
make music, bedrooms all over the world were redesigned to accommodate into the lives of DJ's and producers at the forefront of an evolving musical
samplers, turntables and mixers. It has been a big change. Not long ago, form . Some amazing studios have never been captu red on film and never will
making a record could only be done in a studio. Now most people do it at be. If I could turn back time, I would love to have visited Jazzy Jay's house.
home. Consequently studios are now truly personal spaces - tool shed , study, Decades on from Hip Hop's birth, producers have an enormous presence,
den, all rolled into one. They are a sanctuary, a place to just get away from the . commanding underground and even pop followings. But more often than
day and tinker around, sharpen some snares, filter some bass, whatever. not, to most li steners, producers are just a name on a record, always in the
background. These pictures capture the visual side of the beats they make.
In this sense, a 'good' studio isn't about the latest hi -tech gadgets. Hip Hop
producers they love their gear, but they are very much about getting They are the images Behind The Beat. Raph 2005.
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Thanks to all the Prod ucers who kindly opened the door of their studio to make this book possible.
LONGBEACH,CA,USA
Ug ly Duckling Fresh Mode 1500 Records 1999
Y UN El STFIN
It was my first trip to Long Beach when I visited
Youn g Einstein, beat maker for Ugly Duckling. A
self-pronounced bedroom DJ , Einstein's studio is
situated in the atti c of l1is mother's house .
C IEF l
Arriving late due to a blizzard -delayed fli ght out of
New York , I finally made it to Accompong Compou nd
- Chief Xcel 's spot. Producer and DJ for Blackalicious,
4.
his room was part of a bigger studi o complex w ith an
adjoinin g stu dio housi ng an SSL desk where Xcel often
tracked hi s sounds.
He had only just moved into this room and was sti ll
find ing hi s way, but already seemed really comfortable
and was busy working on upcoming releases for hi s
own label, Ouannum Projects. Hi s sou lful production
remains timeless.
J SPINNA
The home studio, Thi ngamajig, located in the basement
of his Brooklyn residence is where you'll find DJ Spinna
hard at work. Highly regarded as one of the most prolific
and original DJ/Producers to emerge in the 90's, his
discography includes a vast array of remixes by artists
from DJ Krush to Ronny Jordan and Mary J Blige.
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PUTS STU
People Under The Stairs The Next Step PUTS Records 1998
Jigrnasters feat. Sadat X Don't Get It Twi sted PUTS Remix Beyond Real 2003
TES N
With a studio located within an old mid -city Los Angeles
hou se, Til es One prides him self on hi s professional
gear. As the producer and MC for People Under th e
Stairs, Til es One reco rd s everything onto analog ue
tape, spending mu ch time repairing and servicin g l1is
equipment.
O Tl1e Nextmen Spin It Round/Average Joe 12" Custom Records/Fat City 2005
T EN XTME
Brad Baloo and Dom Search are The Nextmen. Born and
bred in Cambridge, the pair moved to London in 1998 and
have since had a steady release of records, including two
albums. They have collaborated with a broad spectrum of
artists includ ing Cutty Ranks, Rodney P, J-Live and Ty.
Tom Tom Club Happiness Cant Buy Money HBMS Remix Rykodisc 2000
Dan's produc ti on over the last few years has incl uded
Gori llaz, Deltron 3030 and Handsome Boy Model ing
School with Prince Pau l. His collaborati ons with other
artists have been so me of the most eclecti c match-ups
to date. Dan works a wi de spectrum of stu dio gear.
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SELECTED PRODUCTIONS.
0 Grouch Success Is Destiny Ou111ouse 1997
THEGROUCH
Underground Hip Hop pioneer The Grouch told me to
be at his place by 9am on the day of the shoot since he
had to make a flight out of LA at 10:30. After knocking
on the door until 9:30, I literally woke him up to get
these photos done.
SELECTED PRODUCTIONS:
0 A:K:A Brothers Poetry In Motion 12" Stra;1 up t9B9
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0 DJ Ransom The First Cut Is The Dopest MXLt 995 : ~
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0 Raph Picture Thi s 12" Crookneck 2002 ....iii
0 DJ Ransom 90's Revival crookneck 2003
DJ RANS M
In Melbourne, Australia, there are few people who have
done as much for Hip Hop as DJ Ran so m. The guy
started the country's first independent Hip Hop label, he
DJ s more styles than you can imag ine, runs cl ub nights,
is one-third of the band Crac kpot and DJ for Mnemoni c
Ascent. DJ Ran som is a damn fin e producer and
walking through his studio is a trip into Melbourne's
musical history.
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E DPRO U TIONS:
Bury Crew Hide Graveyard Records 1999
0 Taskforce Music From The Corner Vol 3 Music frorn 111e corner 200•
FAR MA
TASKF
When Farma G told me on the phone that he had comic
strips stuck all over hi s wall I couldn't quite picture it.
The first floor council estate flat has been Farma G's and
brother Chester P's home for the past 26 years.
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SELECTED PRODUCTIONS:
0 Black Moon Enta Da Stage Nervous 1993
DA BEATMI E Z
I bumped into Evil Dee of the Beatminerz, holding his
MPG and a bag of records, the night before thi s shoot on
a co rner in Manhattan. He had just fini shed teac hing
a cl ass at the Scratch DJ Academy. The next morning
I found him still awake from th e ni ght before making
beats at the Dewgarde Crib of Hits.
DJS A W
DJ Shadow's home studio, Reconstruction, is nestled
within a leafy San Francisco suburb. Moving to the area
mainly to be closer to the local record store, Shadow
on ly keeps a small selection of vinyl at home with
th e rest occupying storage units around town . Local
record dealers are often found dropping by to trade or
just talk records.
MA 10 CALDATDJR.
Famed for his production of the Beastie Boys, Mario
Caldato Jnr houses one of the most impressive home
studios around. The studio takes over the whole house
including a control room, recording room, basement with
plate reverbs and vinyl lathe.
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SEL CTLD PRODUCTIONS:
0 Beyond There On Wax om >998
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0 Cut Chemist Lesson 4 Unified Rebelution 1994
CUT C EMIST
Along with Nu-mark, Cut Chemi st is producer and DJ
for the group Jurassic 5. Confessing that for years his
bedroom-studio was your everyday Hip Hop clubhouse,
nowadays it's somewhat strip ped back to its bare
beat-making essentials. On this particular day he had
been recording guitar with a fellow musician in the
adjoining lounge room.
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Def Wish Cast Daily Nightmare Random 1992
SE FCK
Long-time Australian Hip Hop veteran, Sereck is the true
representation of the b-boy. From the late '80 's Sereck
has been active on every level of Hip Hop. Producer and
rapper in Def Wish Cast and Celsius, Sereck also doubles
as "Uniqu e" one of Austra li a's most highl y prai sed
graffiti w riters.
0 Motion Man & Kutmasta Kurt Clearing The Field Threshold 2002
0 Kool Keith & Kutmasta Kurt Diesel Truckers Funky Ass/Threshold 2004
KUT ASTA KU
He may not often be seen without his trademark Mexican
wrestling mask or funky redneck beard, but Kutmasta
Kurt is one of the most important independent Hip Hop
producers on the West Coast. He's managed to produce
many albums with Kool Keith and still retain his sanity.
He's also done remixes for the Beastie Boys, Mos Def,
Linkin Park, and produced the hit song "Work The Angles"
for Dilated Peoples.
O Pharoah Monch feat. Rodney P & Roots Manuva Simon Says Remix 12" Rawkus 2000
SKITZ
Skitz, aka Daddy Skitz is often associated with fellow UK
Hip Hop veteran Rodney P. Like his colleague, Skitz has
played a major part in the development of the UK sound .
Yesterdays New Quintet Rocket Love 7" Stones Throw Fan Club Promo 45# 12001
MAD LIB
After four previous attempts to hook up with Madlib
I finally got to meet the beat conductor drumming away
at the Loop Digga's Echo Park hideaway.
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JP EMI R
An hou r before I was leaving for JFK I thought I would
give Premier's manager one last try on the phone.
He answered and said, "Come by now and shoot the
photos". I postponed my flight and headed straight
to the Headqcourterz.
N -MA K
Nu-Mark sits alongsid e the aforementi oned Cut Chemist
as producer and DJ for Jurassic 5 . Nu's log cabin is a
converted garage, split into a control room and record ing
room, w hich also houses so me of hi s expansive record
collection.
If you have ever caught the Jurassic 5 live show you will
be familiar with Nu -Mark's drumming on the MPC and also
his sounds emanating from various kids toys. These toys
have been carefully modified with amplifiers and outputs
to be able to plug right into any standard DJ mixer.
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SELECTED PRODUCTIONS:
O Volume 1O First Born
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RCA 1994
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0 Abstract Tribe Unique Mood Pieces Massmen 1998 i!:
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0 Fat Jack Cater To The DJ Celes1ial 1999 ....
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FAT JACK
Arriving to a lounge roo m full of rappers playing video
games, I found Jack tinkering with some sounds in
the back of his house. Responsible for some Hip Hop
classics, in cluding production on Volume 1O's "Hi p
Hopera" and three Abstract Tribe Unique albums.
E0 TWD
Known as BVA on the mic and deNorthwode when
tappin' buttons alongside partner Funkwig, the two- man
production team go by the name of F&d.
DJ SWAMP
DJ Swamp is well known among DJ's and also to fans
of Beck - Swamp was his DJ for close to five years.
Crossover projects aside Swamp's turntablist shows in
th e past have featured fire-breathing, vinyl destruction
and self-mutilation.
SELECTED PRODUCTIONS:
O Beastie Boys Negotiation Limerick File Remix Grand Royal 2000
O DJ Design feat. Quas & Wildchild Sparkdala 12" stones Tlirow 2000
DJ ESI N
As DJ and Producer for Foreign Legion , DJ Design has a
well -considered sound, which he puts down on his own
label Look Records . Synth and sample-based Design
works the perfect blend, constantly thinking outside of
tile square. His early releases on Stones Throw and
ABB Records gave him the taste for the vinyl format and
he has maintained a constant release schedule since.
HIGH PLAINS
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SELECTED PRODUCTIONS:
0 Jehst Premonitions EP YNR 1999
0 Funky Fresh Few Dimes Got Jehst Remix Grand Central 2003
o Tommy Evans feat. Neneh Cherry Remain Forever 12" YNR 2oos
JEH T
The night I was due to fly back home from London,
I bumped into Jehst at the record store Mr Bongo.
He had just released the album 'The Retu rn of the
Drifter', which is a collecti on of his previously released
12" singles. Releasing music through the UK label Low
Life and his own YNR imprint, hi s house encompasses
his residence, studio and mini -warehouse for keeping
the YNR stock.
LIKWIT LAB
Tl1a Alkaholiks 21 and Over Loud Records 1993
Xzibit At The Speed of Life (selected album cuts) Loud RecOlds 1996
Snoop Dogg The Boss Would Like to See You Prio<ily 2002
ESWIFT
Set in the beautifu l surrounds of the Hollywood Hills,
E-Swift's crib was heavily guarded by his pitbull-cross
bullmastiff dog named Duke.
o Janet Jackson Got 'Ti l Its Gone (Ummah Jay Dee Revenge Mix) Virgin 1997
0 Slum Village Fantasti c Vol. 2 Goodvibe 2000
JDILLA
The end of a three-year project and I find myself at the
home of J Dilla, one of the finest producers in the Hip Hop
game. Original ly from Detroit, J Dilla aka Jay Dee now
resides in Hollywood.
Big thanks to Rex for giving this project so much time and love, your work
is truly appreciated, Khalil, Antonella, Mark Pollard and Ransom for helping
me with the writing . Many people helped make this book a reality and I send
my thanks to each and every one of you. Thanks to Mum, Nanny, Johann,
Rudin & Beth, Marg, Erwin & Emily, Ross & Rae, Gavin 'Uncle G' Alexander,
Masami & Garo, D. Mesk, Lisa Haugen, Kate, Anne & Keith Hufnagel,
Maurice & Karla, Elska, Mi sha & Shauna, Crookneck family, Jepady &
Nelson, Jeff & Fawn, Rory, George Littlejohn, Krym, Pegz, Egon, Jeff Jank,
Dr Phibes, Huw, Prowl a, Will Tipper, Gavan Purdy, Alison Pember, Sarah
Honda, Phat Gary, Stephen Pav, Corefighter, Krisy, Monica Soo, Brian,
Mrs Yancey, Samela Harri s, Lu cy, Dwayne, Trent Roden, Ab Rude, Draino,
Derwent and last but not least David Lopes.