Behind The Beats: Centric

First and foremost introduce yourself to the world...

I go by the name "Centric" and I'm a record producer from Cali representing FreeAtLastMusic.

Who inspired you to began making beats?

I would have to say producers like Pete Rock, J Dilla, and DJ Premier inspired me the most. Just Blaze, Kanye West, and 9th Wonder also played a huge part in that as well.

When you listen to the first beats you made you...

Hopefully I guess lol, I began to think of all the possibilities.

How does a beat maker stand out amongst the multitude of emcees?

I think beat makers/producers have been standing out more and more. A great instrumental can over power an artist if he/she isn't talented or experienced enough to hold there own. People can't deny a great instrumental...which is why Jazz is it's own genre.

How effective has social networking been to your career as a beat maker?

It's been very effective. If it wasn't for social networking, I wouldn't have been able to collaborate with artists such as Kool G Rap and Canibus. I try to utilize all of my resources.

What projects are you currently working on?

I just released my 2nd album "The Alter Ego"...in stores now. Currently I'm working with Cy Yung & Urban Truth (FreeAtLastMusic Group) on their solo projects. I'm also working on EP's with Fred Knuxx (IMG/Universal) and Trife (TeamMajors).

Who would you like to collaborate with in the future and why?

Ummm let's see. Jay-Z, J Cole, and Elzhi from Slum Village to name a few. I think they are all amazing artists.

What are some of your strengths as a beat maker?

I would say the ability to adapt to different styles. I can be VERY versatile. Very few producers can produce for a variety of genres.

The beat is deemed the backbone to a song. Nice production can elevate an average track and poor production can damage a good emcee. What is the most important element of a beat?

I'm sure ever producer would say something different, but in my opinion the backbone to a song is the melody. A good baseline can only get you so far, but a good melody can be pure melodic if need be. Drums are very important, but a great melody can take a song to places far and beyond.

How can fans, press, emcees, etc get in contact with you?

They can send an email to freeatlastmusic@gmail.com or contact my manager Troy tjtpatterson@hotmail.com.