I caught up with Chicago super producer No I.D. recently. No I.D. always been one of my favorites in hip hop whether on the boards or rapping, I bumped his debut album regularly to this day. So this interview was a real honour for me to do, and I'd like to thank him for doing this even at 5AM in the morning (time differences are wack), that's commitment.
Wattup man, thanks for taking the time out and doing the interview. What you been up too recently?
Just taking a little time out working on my sound, trying to take it to another level sonically. I try to challenge myself as a producer to go to different levels instead of just doing the same things over and over. So I really have been learning a lot about making my music sound better. So I can take old stuff I have and perfect it as well as new stuff.
Thats what I like to hear, what are you now trying to incorporate into your new music?
Well I think music has lost it's sound, what I mean when I say that is...There was a sound James Brown had, Prince had a sound, Jodeci had a sound. Not just the melody or the rhythm, but the actual sonic texture that defined it. I had a sound in the past, but music changes and sometimes it calls for a change in your sound. A lot of talented producers have short careers because they don't understand that you have to be flexible with your whole process. So I really believe that Dr Dre has been the producer that has mastered this in our generation. His sound has been superior for a long time.
Real talk so do you feel your sound as a producer will keep evolving as the years go by? How long do you think youll be making music for?
Probably another 10 years or so... I believe I will be around until I decide to stop. The sound is what will make me last. A lot of good producers from my era have a hard time with doing music now because they choose not to evolve. If you study the history of music, not just hip-hop, all of the greats evolved at some point.
I understand you had some beats on the new Daz Dillinger & Janet Jackson albums, you got any other new joints out there?
Yeah, a couple on this new Bow Wow, me and Kanye did a joint off John Legend called Another Again. I really have been doing enough to stay busy, but I really want to re-define myself. So that's my focus more than just having joints out there. But I still have to eat too. I'm a music person, the music is more important than the money for me.
Good to see some artists still have that mindset. Going to the past Your production on Commons One Day Itll Make Sense album is flawless, did you get more and more artists hitting you up for beats after they heard your production on the album?
Well, it kinda started before that... Maybe around Soul by the Pound, but I really was just focused on being Common's producer so I passed on a lot of work. It wasn't till maybe 2000 that I made an effort to work with other artists. I never really set out to be a producer like that. It just happened on accident, I was making beats for myself to rap to, and Common just liked all of them.
Word, do you feel your production suits Common the most out of all the artists youve worked with?
Umm...That could be true. But I think he was the only artist that I did a whole album with that came out. I believe in the concept of a single producer heading up the production of an album. So I would say that holds true, but maybe a little by default. We will have to see when I work heavily with another artist one day.
You mention that Common was the only artist you did a whole with that came out, was there another artist you worked with on an album thats in the vaults?
Oh yeah. A soul singer named Kaye Fox that was on Def Jam, and I have an artist named Mikkey who is coming out in February on Virgin. He's crazy too, he's like a blend of Cube, Kane, Jay, and umm maybe Pac. I know it sounds weird, but he doesn't actually sound like those guys, he just says things that generate the feelings those guys invoke.
Sounds interesting, so you produced every track on these albums?
Not every track, but I directed the ones that I didn't. But I did do at least 10 on each. It's like Kanye did Be for common, but he didn't do every track. I'm proud of the work. It's quality Hip-Hop that can still be successful in the marketplace.
You mentioned Be and Kanye being heavily involved in that, can we expect another album were you handle the production again?
I can't so no or yes. But I don't believe that it's anything that we are gearing up to do. I believe that we did great music in the past that I almost feel we can't top. I also believe that we are both exploring different goals in our lives right now and he and Kanye have a good chemistry. But I wouldn't ever say never.
Speaking on Kanye, you were considered to be something like Kanyes mentor in his younger days. What stood out about Kanye when you first met him?
His drive. He is relentless. Very talented and intelligent, has a great ear for melodies.You can't fail with all of those attributes.
What was the deal with Gravs album, you were set to produce the whole album & Kanye went under you and did the album for less cash. This a true story or just a fake rumor?
Haha just a rumor, a guy named Andy C was doing his whole album. Andy got a track from me and Kanye. I used to manage Kanye also back then.But I was never in line to do anything other than a track for Grav. I was working with Common at that time & that was it.
Haha aight. You havent worked with Common in a while, are you still good friends with him and will we be seeing any collaborations between you two in the future?
We haven't been speaking, but I have known him all of my life. You don't always speak to everyone you know, and you don't always get along all of the time, but he's still my friend. It's just a time period where we aren't that close. I don't know when we will do any music again, but I am sure it will be spur of the moment. It was always like that anyway.
Ill be on the lookout if yall do, no doubt. Your solo album Accept Your Own & Be Yourself was released 9 years ago now, can we expect another album from you or your just sticking to producing?
I'm doing another album now, but it will be very underground. Independent, under the commercial radar. That's the only way I can be true to my craft and heart. The industry is some bullshit. I do my art for those who want art, not for sales and I do beats for sales.
Good to hear your releasing another album, so you feel that youd be unable to release the album you want on a label?
Yes the industry is about numbers and sales. It's not about being ahead of the curve or setting trends. I am an artist at heart not a performer who will do and say whatever is necessary to sell a record. That's what the recording industry demands a lot of clown activity. It's like wrestling, and I'm not a wrestler. And that's no disrespect to anyone who is in the industry. I am just a very spiritual person who will not cross certain lines to sell records. I also love my art and craft. I am true to myself.
Love the analogy, any collaborations set for the album and when can we expect this in stores?
It's a concept album, a character album, where there will be cameo's but I won't use their name. It's a real wild concept, but I believe people will like it. I don't want to do a record with the same old themes, this many cameos, beats by, video in the neighborhood I grew up in... Man, people don't want that anymore, people want the next. But I tell you one thing when people see the artwork, it will be a conversation piece. No set release date yet, but it will be in stores, I want to make it where its a collector's item, hard to find. Because the artwork and theme is going to be in conjunction with a book I am writing.
A book? Is this using the same character used in the album?
No, but the album will give examples of a lot of the book's theme. I know it sounds vague, but the people who I did tell the theme too warned me that it was to cutting edge to just talk about. Believe me, it is something that people will talk about and it's not just a silly trick to sell records.
Can we get a little insight into the concept of the album?
UmmI will just say that it's not a "No I.D." album... It's a character album. Kinda like MF Doom does character albums, but this one has a lot of shock value and a crazy theme.
Ill be copping that definitely. Back into the past again, do you still keep in touch with Dug Infinite? I know he played a role in your debut.
Yeah, he's like a brother. I still speak with Dug, Kanye, everyone probably except Common, but like I say, it's not like a beef. Dug and I took a few years off, and we started back talking like nothing ever changed. It's just part of life, you never talk to all of your friends all the time and you never see eye to eye on everything.
No doubt, on your new album will this mainly be sample based underground beats or will it be similar to what youve done recently with your production?
Mainly sample based underground, but the theme calls for other styles also. But it will be things that make sense, like I say, I sell beats to make a living. I do my music for the art so there won't be anything other than art. That's what I want to do, art I know the difference. The Black Album was about the art, so this shall be as well.
What do you feel are your very best beats youve done for artists over the years?
Probably Man's World for Beans, Hungry for Common, Let Me Show You The Way for Toni Braxton. I don't know, I really like Communism. Some of my favorite beats I ever did though were on my album. The Real Weight, Pray For The Sinners & State To State
Do you still have that production contract with So So Def?
No doubt, JD is my guy. We work all of the time, I got big plans with that relationship I feel like we are polar opposites that learn a lot from each other. I really respect that guy in a way that I didn't used to. He is way more talented than people know.
Any plans for you on maybe starting up a label we known Chicagos got a lot of unheard talent.
I have a company, but I am burned out on artists. I am focused on helping producers and writers, I got Mikkey and a cat from Phoenix named Cinque, but I'm not trying to be Diddy. Some of these old concepts of labels and albums are just so old, lame and boring, I'm here to initiate change. That's always been my thing, changing the game.
You did a blog on your Myspace attacking the hip hop is dead sentiments (which I thought was real on point) would you like to re iterate those thoughts for those people who havent read your blog?
I can't remember, but feel free to highlight any points I made. I can say Hip Hop never died, and my new point is...What era constitutes the sound that hip hop has to have to make it "Alive". Do we all have to sound like that to be hip hop? That whole slogan is a gimmick, it's also insulting to anyone who does hip hop. Matter of fact, hip hop doesn't need radio, television, or anything to be alive All it needs is one believer.
Do you think Nas used the Hip Hop Is Dead title for his new album as a publicity stunt?
I don't know what his intention was, Nas is one of my favorite rappers, but I don't agree with that theme at all. It will surely cause division and beef, and I think he didn't need to go there.
Southern hip hop is getting more and more prominent as each year passes, some people claim this is a reason for hip hop dying. Whats your thoughts on that?
I think your question has the answer in it "Southern Hip Hop". If it's hip hop, and it's getting more prominent, then Hip hop is becoming more prominent. Now I will say that positive music is on the decline, music with a message is on the decline. Ignorance is on the rise, violence is on the rise, sex and drugs is out of control. And all of this is reflected in hip hop today. But these are moral issues, not issues of hip hop's life or death, it's a natural cycle. There was a time when NWA couldn't get a radio spin to save their lives, Eazy E couldn't get 500 spins. Because music was damn near all positive, now it's the exact opposite. But that doesn't mean hip hop is dead because the positive rappers can't get spins now. Ain't nobody saving hip hop, because it's bigger than it has ever been.
Do you feel that in time hip hop (particularly in the mainstream) will venture back into its positive stage?
Of course, maybe not completely and maybe it will. But I expect it to balance out and then follow the emotions of the masses of people.
Which producers in the game right now do you feel are constantly putting out heat?
I don't know, it's kinda difficult, because you have people making great art. Kanye, MF Doom, Alchemist, Hi-Tek, Dre and Then you have Timbaland, JD, Pharell etc who are making hits. I also like Polow da Don.
Polow Da Don?
Yeah, he did Promise for Ciara, London Bridge for Fergie, and Runaway Love for Ludacris..I like all kinds of music.
Growing up what made you so intent on pursuing a music career?
I really wasn't, I just didn't care for a 9 to 5 so I just decided I would rap. That caused me to do beats., I was a DJ originally, but house music was the main thing in Chicago back then. I got my style from a DJ named Ron Hardy who used to edit the songs to make certain parts repeat.
Who were you influenced by growing up?
Rakim. He was the reason I began to rap, I liked all of the main stuff. BDP, Big Daddy Kane, Run DMC, LL, UltraMag, Geto Boys, Slick Rick. I was into it heavy.
Well thanks again for the interview, I know its mad late over there so I appreciate you staying up to do this. Any last messages?
My slogan goes as such, stay positive and remembermusic is not life. It's just what you hear in the background while you live.