GWEILO KASPER: BIG IN JAPAN

DV.INT.1.I put this together for y'all. I interviewed a beat-making producer from the New York/New Jersey named "Kasper." We met through Myspace and was visiting HK. Turns out he's a cool guy, into meditation and making dope beats and just completed his project " Big In Japan Vol 1." His crew "The Ratt Pakk" have produced for Juelz Santana, Bravehearts, The X-Ecutioners, Dipset, KRS-One to name a few and also, featured on Midnight Club 3 Dub Edition(which I've recently been playing alot). We talked on and off record, so, it was really cool to here about Hip Hop from his perspective. Worldwide Hip Hop baby! Without further adieu here's the first of hopefully many interviews of people in my neighborhood. Peace

1. Waddup Kasper! It's always good to met fellow beat-makers and hip hop heads. Let's go straight into it. What's your favorite track you've produced so far? Your second favorite?I would have to say one of my favorite tracks I've done is “ This is Me” for Juelz Santana. Not only is it my most commercially successful to date, but at that point in my career, when I placed the beat, I really felt in my heart that if no artist wanted to rap on it maybe this "producing" thing ain't for me, lol. Not to be to extreme, but it can be like that sometimes. I knew it was a hot track, not because I did it, but because it was hot! My second favorite, would have to be a remix I did for KRS for the South Bronx 2002. When I first heard the song, his lyrics were incredible. So I told DJ Enuff (who I was signed to at the time), that he had to play this record on Hot 97! He said the track wasn't dope, but if I remixed it he would show it some love. So we contacted Mr. Parker, he was with it, and we made it happen. The remix never really popped, but it was an honor to work with a legend like KRS-One who I have always respected. I really felt the track supported what Kris was expressing...2. Who are your favorite producers and rappers?Producers... Stevie Wonder, Timbaland, Dr. Dre, DJ Premier, Pharrell, Just Blaze, Bink, Madlib, RZA, Will.I.Am, I mean anybody who comes up with creative fresh sounding ishh! Rappers... Pac, KRS, Nas, Rakim, Snoop, Murs, K-OS, Talib, Jadakiss, again any creative dudes who put some level of positive energy in their overall vibe, but I love the lyricists for sure.
2. Pls introduceThe Ratt Pakk. The members, what they're about, how did it come together.Aight. Its HirOshima, Mr. Bastiany, and myself. Hiro (who is Japanese but raised in NY/NJ) is a fresh MPC producer but also a great contact hustle man, a real "make-it-happen dude"! Mr. Bastiany, of Jamaican descent raised in the Tri-State, is an incredible R&B/Pop producer who has done records for artists from Dwele to Stacy Orrico. I (an all American white dude, lol from NY to NJ) am a universal Hip Hop producer who is working on being able to flip music from any place on the globe and give it that vibe. So far I’ve flipped joints from India, Japan, China, Iran, Brazil, and of course the US with more to come! We came together in 2004, with the realization that as a team, combining our talents, we could be quite unique and have a well rounded sound. Its not easy in this game alone, so when you find people you can grow with, it can be very helpful to all the members as well as push you to new limits cause everyone around you is talented!4. The Hiphop industry in the US is tough, competitive and is almost like Godfather III-- the higher up you go, the dirtier it gets. Where'd you get the love for it and how do you keep motivated in this type of climate?Hip Hop is my life, it has been that way since I was about 8, so I don't know how to or want to do anything different...it's a beautiful passion and its' energy has been, and will always be special. It brings people from all over the world together, and that's what life should be all about, not wars and all the other crazy life so many governments perpetuate! So the industry is like the job you don't like, but you got to do if you want to eat and take care of your family, lol! You can't do much about game, you just got to create your own lane and work with like-minded people, as well as those who can help you progress. It's a double-edged sword. I just show love wherever I go and to whoever I meet, cause at the end of the day that's what it's about for me.
3. Besides your commercial work, you're coming from a beat-maker standpoint, a sub-genre of hip hop and producing soulful instrumental albums. What makes a dope instrumental track?First fresh rhythm with hard drums and vibrant percussion, I mean it is Hip Hop music! Then dope sounds or melodies from samples or synths, with as much progression and change as the sample or your creativity allows...and you cant forget bottom or low end, if you don't have an ill bass line there better be some 808’s, unless you are extremely creative and say F*&@ that, im on some other ishhh! But then you lose a lot of people, so I guess it also depends who you are aiming to please, yourself and a few, or yourself and the masses? Its an interesting balance, creativity and marketability, but either way if it " ain't knockin'" and sounding new I ain't with it
4. "Big In Japan" is something that's just been finished. Who's featured on it? Who did the graphics? What's the concept?Big in Japan Vol.1 features production by Hiro and myself. When I was in Japan with Hiro last September, I spent time with various rappers, singers, graff artists, etc and noticed one clear point...they weren't really embracing their own cultural heritage as far as music production was concerned. So, when we returned to the States I suggested to Hiro that we do an instrumental album with only Japanese samples. As the project began to take shape, we also incorporated modern Japanese icons as well, such as Godzilla and Street Fighter to showcase the variety of culture that Japan been offering the world. We used YouTube and other internet sources for the majority of the samples. It's crazy how much info is on the internet nowadays! We also met a female graff artist on MySpace named Shiro to complete the album artwork. In Japanese style we did a two page manga insert detailing the background of "Big in Japan" as well as the future prospects of Vol.2 which will include beats from three additional local Japanese producers; B Money, Star Wax, and Sada. In addition there is another partner Nashmillion who is an A&R at Avex out in Tokyo, together we have formed a production company called ‘ The Ultramen’. We will be dropping Vol.2 in early May to celebrate ‘Golden Week’ which is a big holiday out there...
5. What's your next project? What you got lined up for in '08?First project of '08 will be another instrumental album I started to work on out here titled ‘ lil trouble in BIG CHINA’. I want to have it ready by the end of Chinese New Year. It’s basically the same concept as " Big in Japan" except with all Chinese music and pop culture samples. Youtube is helping but I have been taxing the Causeway Bay library CD section pretty hard, lol! After that I got a joint called ‘ Action Pakk’ featuring music from everyone’s favorite action flicks dropping late March. Big in Japan Vol. 2 in early May, then ‘ Made in USA’ with all American music and history aimed for the 4th of July. Then....lets see, might get some tracks placed as well, but you never know with the beat shopping game, it's crazy! Just trying to stay busy and get as much exposure as possible in 08, ya know
6. How's Hong Kong? Any inspiration during your stay here?HK is the best! Food, weather, lifestyle, culture, the people, my wife : P....I really enjoy it, look forward to spending more time here and working with 24 Herbs! With every place I travel to I learn more about the human experience, so embracing Chinese culture has inspired me to work harder, be kinder, sharing and generous, laugh more, just be the best me I can be...HK has also taught me to shop more, but I don't know how good that is! Mong Kok is crazy
7. Some of us can't appreciate the subtlety of beat making. What are some of the creative detailing of beatmaking?Ummmm, sounds...really listening to the tone and pitch of sounds, stereo or mono? The volume of each piece as you begin to layer the cake...if you start with good ingredients is easier to get a better product...i realized awhile back that "no music" is your blank canvas, so what ever sound you add to the beat is what will be there, the listener will only hear what you have put in, so make sure each detail is fresh...and don't overproduce, not every sound in you arsenal should be used on each record, be selective and see which ones work best together...last but not least, emotional content, you got to feel what you are doing or the people wont believe it! Like Bruce Lee taught us, “ it is like a finger pointing away to the moon, don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that Heavenly glory”!10. Lastly, you're free to say whatever to HK and the readers.Nuff respect to the people of HK, keep doing what ya doing cause you are doing it well, look forward to spending more time out here and thanks for showing this Gweilo some Chinese love!GS @ DOUGIEVISION