Jim Jonsin On Working With Eminem, T.I. & B.o.B In A Us Weekly Interview

UsMagazine.com: What was your favorite part of working with Eminem?

Jim Jonsin: It was my first time working with him. What was my favorite part? I guess just creating and coming up with ideas and kind of getting to know him. It's kind of rare to be in a room with a guy like that. So being a fan at first was really cool, you know? It's one of those things where you go 'holy s--- I'm in here working with Eminem.' That is a big deal for someone like me. Just meeting him as a person was probably the coolest part. Working with him in the studio is pretty standard, you write songs, you record them, you put down ideas, make beats. It is all about kicking it with the person. He is a lot more serious than most artists I've worked with. He takes his business and craft and music very seriously. He is very detail-oriented, so it could be something like a mix of drums on a record, and he is going to be really crucial about how it sounds, and crucial about instrumentation, his lyrics, his delivery.

Us: Why does this album differ from Eminem's past ones?

JJ: Because he had me producing records on there. No, first off, that is actually a good point, he had other producers working on this album with him, and not only Dre. That was a huge part of it --different sounds, different ideas. Not taking anything [away] from Dre. because he's a genius, but this was a way for Eminem to grow and learn more from different people. I'm always learning, no matter who I work with I learn different things, and I think the same thing goes for Eminem. If you're working with new producers, you're seeing different angles, and different sounds being used, different motivation and things like that. I think that's what makes this album different. Also, maybe what he is going through in his life right now, [is] different than before.

Us: You said his work ethic was very serious, very detail-oriented...

JJ: He has a strong work ethic. I'm a father, he's a father, [and] he came in at a certain time, early in the afternoon and he planned to leave like [at] a job. He went in, he did his thing, and was out at a certain time to be with his kid and his family, which I admire. It's kind of hard [having a family] in this business, but if you can balance it, it's a really good thing.

Us: So right now you're in the process with working with B.O.B?

JJ: We're going to get started in another 30 days. We are working on ideas, I'm going to get in with him and whoever else is involved and start working on the album. I've been working with him for over three years, producing and writing for him. We're working on some new stuff and I think creatively B.O.B and I have had many firsts together. He's very talented. He is a Jack of all trades -- he plays guitar, keys, writes, raps, sings. I’m sure he'd pick up a saxophone if it called for it and try to play that.

Us: How is T.I.'s album coming along?

JJ: I have done two sessions with him. We've done three songs together now and we are working on other stuff.

Us: How would you sum up your goals for his album?

JJ: I think he is just trying to write some classic records. Some really good, solid songs. (source)

Devin the Dude: New York Magazine 4/20 Feature Interview, Reveals He's Recorded For Detox

How has your recording style changed over the years?
It’s pretty much the same. Right atmosphere, the right weed, the right people around you, the right positive energy. You need that to even be able to have your ideas come across. You can have a shitload of ideas, you know, bottled in, somewhere, but if you’re not in that right atmosphere, around the right people, smoking the right weed … if you smoke … you can be trapped down in there.

How long have you been singing, and would you ever put out a full R&B-type album?
I’ve been asked that a couple of times. I don’t know if I’d be able … I don’t know! I don’t know if I can pull that off just yet [laughs]. I’ve been singing since I was in the third grade, when I was first getting albums. I was kind of singing along with the records. My grandmother heard me sing, and I kept falling asleep in church, so she put two and two together and had me in the choir.

Is the career you have the one you had envisioned for yourself? Do you ever consider how things would be different if you had landed a crossover hit?
If I had a hit, and it’s a song that I really felt good about, and I have fun with, and I didn’t really have to change what I do, I would love a hit … but if I would have to change, and go to a totally different production, totally different rhyme style and way of doing things, to be able to get a hit, I don’t know … I don’t’ know if I could do that.

Have producers or label execs pushed you in that direction?
We kid around, we kid around in the studio … we come across a beat, like “yeah, get us one of these! We’ll be in!” That type of shit. [Laughs.] It’s a matter of being comfortable with what you’re doing, with how you’re working. If I’m not comfortable with that type of song, I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it for myself. If I was asked to do it with someone, with somebody else’s project, and it’s one of those songs that sound kind of trendy, I’d probably do my best on it.

I know that Scarface helped you come up with your name. What’s the story behind that?
I was in the studio working my first solo album, you know, Face, he was the production coordinator, getting everything together. He was helping me out with the tracks. And we was down to the last couple of tracks that we needed to get done. And he was like, "What’d you used to listen to when you was little?" So I thought about the old-school stuff I used to listen to back in the day … Stanley Clarke, George Duke, uh, Quincy Jones, The Dude album. And he was like, "We got the record?" So I went in the B-room in the studio, where we had all the records, and I just started digging through the crates, and I ran across that Quincy Jones album … we heard the little groove; we had to remake that one. It took us a couple of hours. I started writing, getting stuff together — it started coming together. We just wow, knocked it out. Knocked the track out. He was like, "Man, this ought to be the name of your album!" And I was like, "I don’t know, man. Quincy Jones, man, that’s the dude! I’m not the dude." And Face was like, "Nah, man, you the dude, Devin. It’s perfect for you." I had to think about it a couple of hours, and then I was like well ‘fuck it.’

Are you a fan of The Big Lebowski?
I mean, I never really saw the whole movie. I heard about it. After the album, people were like, "Man, did you get your name from that?" I was like, "Get my name from what?" I was always, not against the character, but I just didn’t want people to think I got my name from the movie.

Do you let your kids listen to your music?
I used to let them listen to the instrumentals when they were really small kids. I used to get ideas, not really ideas, answers from them … if they bob their head to the music, it's pretty much a cool song to work with. If they just ignore it, and play with the blocks or whatever, I was like, this is probably not it. But my kids are a little older now, they can listen to it, they have their ideas and they know the dos and don’ts, and the ins and outs.

You’ve said you were planning on working with Dr. Dre on Detox … did that end up happening?
Yeah, it was a few weeks ago … I had a chance to go out there, and it was a cool experience, man, just to be, a part of the project. Just to give it a shot, anyways. I don’t know if I’m gonna make the cut but, you know what I’m saying, if it’s so, it would be a huge thing. But if not, I’m all right. I’m be behind it, just for him reaching out to me, man. I’m speechless.

Did you get to hear the album?
No, man. He was excited, I can tell you that, about the album, and where it was going, and the names that he brought out, the producers and the other artists that he brought out for the album. It’s going to be well worth the wait, I believe.

Did you name your album Suite #420 after picking 4/20 as a release date, or was it the other way around?
It just came about because since the early 2000s I had wanted to put an album out on 4/20, and we tried to put one out in 2004, and we looked at the calendar and it didn’t fall on a Tuesday. We realized 4/20 wouldn’t be a Tuesday till 2010 and I said, "Man I don’t know if I’ll be rocking then," so I just kind of gave up on the idea. So it’s a blessing that I could still be a part of hip-hop in 2010. I had to name the album that. (source)

Makeba Riddick: The Songwriter Behind Rihanna's Number 1 Hit 'Rude Boy'

via US Magazine

UsMagazine.com: How did you get your industry start?

Makeba Riddick: When I finished Berklee, I moved to New York and I was interning for Columbia Records and Def Jam and working with every producer in the tri-state area because I always wrote songs just as a hobby. My demo got to Francesca Spiro, the head of publishing at Bad Boy at the time, and I signed my first deal when I was 21. I had my first No. 1 record when I was 22 -- Jennifer Lopez and LL Cool J’s "All I Have." And the following year Sean Combs signed me for his Bad Boy publishing through EMI and then from there it's just been off to the races.

Us: Do you have a favorite song/album that you have worked on?

MR: 'Live your Life' was probably my favorite. It was No. 1 in 2009 with T.I. and Rihanna off of T.I.'s Paper Trail album. We recorded the record in Italy so I got to go to Milan and Venice and we had a blast recording it. T.I. is one of my favorite artists so to be able to work with him was also a plus. That song is my biggest record that I've co-written to date -- it was No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart for 10 weeks.

Us: You have worked on all four of Rihanna's albums. What is it like working with her?

MR: I was there from the beginning from the week she got signed before she even had a record deal. I was one of the first people she went into the studio with. It is always a wild adventure with her. Rihanna travels a lot and she loves to have her people with her. We listen to music, we watch videos, we drink champagne, it's literally a party in the studio with her all of the time and it's fun.

Us: So you party inside and outside of the studio?

MR: We go to different clubs in different countries and cities and then in the studio our whole team will be there and we just we have a ball. We listen to music, we watch videos, we drink champagne, it's literally a party in the studio with her all of the time and it's fun.

Us: Rihanna seems to have a great sense of humor.

MR: She's very witty and definitely an easy person to work with. Although she's an international superstar, we've had a relationship for so many years now that it's like going in the studio with a cousin. It doesn't feel like work at all.

Us: Do you have a couple of fun anecdotes from working with her that stand out to you?

MR: We were in Hawaii last year and we were on these paddle-boards. Everyone we were with was falling into the water and it was hilarious, but Rihanna was the only one that was able to keep her balance. We're all soaking wet, drenched with water, hair all over the place and that really stood out to me because that was so much fun. Another time we were in London working on the Rated R album and there was a sushi spot we love that they shut down for us. Jay-Z and all his Rock Nation people were there and we turned that place into a club. It always just feels like family with her and her people.

Us: What's the inspiration behind the song "Rude Boy"?

MR: Rihanna and I both work with Stargate a lot -- the production duo from Norway -- and they had the track and started the idea with another writer Esther Dean. She actually came up with that concept but the song wasn’t done and there were things Rihanna wanted to change, so they brought it to me to finish. I was listening to the words and me and Ri and we were just laughing and talking about so many situations that have happened in the past and that happen to women everywhere. By the time we were done of course, we were laughing and giggling about the lyrics -- surprisingly everybody went nuts over the song.

Us: Where were you when you found out the song had hit No. 1?

MR: It’s always a very surreal feeling to have a No. 1 record. I have been there five times before, but it never gets old and it’s very exciting to know that everybody in the world is listening to your song. I found out about it on Twitter believe it or not. I had just come in from dinner and of course I’m on Twitter all of the time. I saw all these "Makeba congrats on your No. 1 record" Tweets. I knew "Rude Boy" was out and it was going to the top of the charts, but it jumped from No. 4 to No. 1 and I hadn't even seen the charts yet. Rihanna hit me up and was like "We're No. 1 today all over the world, congratulations." So it’s always, it's a real very surreal feeling.

Us: That’s so funny that you found out about it on Twitter.

MR: Yeah, Twitter is like the new CNN or something!

Donwill: New York Magazine Interview

NY Mag: With High Fidelity, which came first for you, the book or the movie?

Donwill: [Long pause.] I’ve not read the book. People keep telling me to; of course, the book is always better than the movie. There was a lot the movie had to leave out or imply that I would enjoy reading, so I’ll probably pick that up.

NY Mag: I was surprised by how much dialogue you recite from the movie. Was that always planned, or did you decide to add that later?

Donwill: It was definitely added later. When I sat down with the material it just felt like it needed a mechanism to push the songs along in order to gel with the story line.

NY Mag: Was it important to you to stay close to the source?

Donwill: That was why I did it, to explore the territory of really conceptually digging in — almost like a book report, if you will. I wanted it to be a wholehearted adaptation. At this point, if I did another conceptual album — I don’t think that I would do one, per se — but if I could do this one over, I would do the same thing, really skit-based. I enjoy that.

NY Mag: My sense is that your group, Tanya Morgan, is more or less a democracy. Is that true?

Donwill: I would agree with that. I would say we maintain a certain individual autonomy. Even with the group material, songs are submitted, even the beats. You can get outvoted on songs. They’re very much involved in my solo material. They’re my council of trust. When I finished the album, the first people to hear it were Von and Ilyas. Those are the two people I trust as my second set of ears.

NY Mag: Given all that, I have to imagine it was kind of satisfying to cast them in supporting roles on the song “Championship Vinyl,” and then later on, refer to their characters as “the musical moron twins.” Did they give you any dirty looks about that?

Donwill: [Laughs.] No, they didn’t. Sometimes as artists, man, we think we know everything, because we love what we love, and our tastes are our tastes. And in the group, we’re subject to each other’s tastes. Doing the album alone was like, “I can get all this singing and R&B on my album, and nobody can tell me I can’t.”

NY Mag: The album has a lot of guests. How do you approach people with an idea like this?

Donwill: I definitely had to kick it to them differently. Like, with “Ian’s Song,” it was like, "So, Opio, I want to get you on this song. But here’s the catch: You have to say the name Laura and you have to be named Ian." He was just like, “What?” But when I explained it to him, it turned out he liked the movie also.

NY Mag: Have you gotten any feedback from John Cusack or Nick Hornby or anyone else involved with the movie? Have you run into any kind of rights stuff?

Donwill: I haven’t. [Laughs.] I’m kind of just hoping it can get on-shelf before any sort of anything happens regarding that. But I want them to hear it. I want Nick Hornby to hear it. It’s not like a Warner Bros. release where 250,000 units are shipped; it’s a small independent release. I don’t necessarily see it being a problem. But I do understand how it could be a problem. (source)

DJ Unk: How A Heart Attack Saved His Life Revealed In Interview

via XXL

XXLMag.com: With recent news of Guru having a heart attack and slipping into a coma, you must feel blessed to have pulled through your situation so quickly.

DJ Unk: It’s a blessing to be here. I’ve been on the road since 2006 and at this age—I’m 28 right now—a lot of people don’t get to see 28. A lot of people don’t get to see 15, 10, some babies. It’s a blessing for me to celebrate [another] birthday. I had some medical issues going on from not eating the right food and that just come from when I stopped taking care of myself. I got to get healthy not just for my sake, but also for my kids and for my wife.

XXLMag.com: Now, when you say medical condition what exactly happened? Was it stress related or…

DJ Unk: It comes from not exercising, from not eating right. Basically man, I work hard everyday. Everything I do every day I try to make something happen in my household. I constantly be on the go, I constantly be on airplanes, in different weather and you know it just took a toll on me. It was stress.

XXLMag.com: Did you know it was a heart attack right away? Because you were on Twitter talking about it while you were going to the hospital.

DJ Unk: One morning I woke up and I was like, I felt a little pain on the left side of my heart, it felt like a pulled muscle because I’ve been trying to get back in shape—I was trying to shoot basketballs or whatever. As the day went on, it kept bothering me, to the point where my left arm, I almost couldn’t do anything with it. My wife was trying to see what was going on. I had laid down on the bed and I laid back and I couldn’t move. I didn’t know whether to call the ambulance or just try to shake it off. I’m glad I went to the hospital because the doctor said if I would have laid down and went to sleep, who knows if I would’ve got up and that would’ve been a sad thing. That’s why I say, man, I’m thankful that God’s in my life. I’m more focused now; I’m getting more older, wiser.

XXLMag.com: How has your lifestyle changed in the time since you got out the hospital?

DJ Unk: I removed all the [negative stuff]. I’m blessed to be as booked for concerts and hosting and everything. I enjoy myself but I’ve calmed down on the drinking, on the beer, the smoking. Everybody’s smoking dealing with this game, I know a couple of people hit a joint or two. I substituted that with fruits, base foods like good salmon, just healthy things. Whenever I go out, I still enjoy myself like before. I have a drink or two before I hit the stage. I just don’t go ham like I did before; everything was so fast. Instead of praying once like before, I go twice a day.

XXLMag.com: What can fans expect from your next album?

DJ Unk: This album that we about to bring you now, you gonna see… The music changed so much. I’m real skeptical about what I put out, because I want to put it out the right way for people to enjoy.

XXLMag.com: This will be your third album but people primarily associate you with “Walk it Out.” The problem with a huge hit like that is people start to pigeonhole you as one thing. How do you plan to change that perception?

DJ Unk: For people to say that “Walk It Out” was bullshit, or “Two Step” was some bullshit… kill yourself. Every household all over the world; I changed a lot of people’s lives through my music. As far as kids, parents, grandmothers, everybody. I gave them a chance to be together as a family. Just like Rev. Run says, “Take back your family.” That’s what those songs are… togetherness.

XXLMag.com: Anything else you want to add?

DJ Unk: I’m about to do it big with Big Oomp Records and E1, we gonna turn it all the way up. My new slogan for 2010 is: “It’s a go.” That’s what it’s all about. If you can dream it, you can achieve it. All you gotta do is go for it.