09 February 2011
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.