Interview with Boi-1da

[Editors Note: Update July 2010. Since this interview Boi-1da has announced that he was working on Dr. Dre's Detox album. He's also had more releases including Eminems's hit single, "Not Afraid" ]

How many of us will ever say that Dre rapped over one of our beats? Boi-1da can. He took some time to tell Warbeats a little about himself and his production. Take a listen while you read on...

Please tell us where you are from?
 
Well, I was actualy born in Jamaica, but I ended up moving to Toronto , Canada when I was like 5.


How did you get started in producing and when did you start taking it serious?

I got started producing back in High School, at the age of  16. I used to rap in a rap group called SG, and I decided that rapping wasn't really my thing, because me personally I'm not a very charismatic kind of person. I still had a lot of love for music though so I decided to play the backgound and make beats for the clique, since we were always rapping on industry instrumentals. After making beats for about 2 years a friend of mine had told me about this competition in Toronto called Battle of the Beatmakers, and I joined it and ended up winning in 1 category, 3 years consecutively.


Have you had any formal musical training?

I have had no formal music training at all, even till this day I couldn't tell you what a C flat or an F sharp is. This summer I am taking piano lessons though so I can know exactly what I'm doing instead of experimenting and searching for chords hahaha.


Warbeats has members from every corner of the world.  Can you list some of the names you've worked with that we might recognize?
 
I've worked with people like Kardinal Offishall, Lil' Wayne, Drake, The Dream, Dr. Dre, Dipset, Trey Songz ect.


What are some accomplishments that you are most proud of in the production game?

Well Kardinal Offishall - Not 4 Sale won a Juno for Canadian HipHop Album of The Year, and I was also awarded with a Juno as well. Junos are kind of like the Canadan version of the grammys haha. I also had Dr. Dre hop on a remix to a song I produced for Kardinal Offishall called Set It Off.


Who are some of your regular collaborators?

Artist wise I do alot of collabing with Drake, but I more like collabing with producers, and I got alot of producing friends that I work with.


Are you still a big FLStudio user?

Oh yes! I'm going to make shirts soon that say "FL Made me Rich".


What are your thoughts on the "Hardware vs. Software" debate? Is one better?

I just think what ever you are comfortable with will work for you. I'm the type of person that likes to click and listen through sounds really fast and select your sounds, which is very easy to do with software, where as hardware is more like you're using the actual instruments and you can actually get into your beats, where some people think using software makes your music stiff because its all pointing and clicking.


A lot of up and comers think they can make beats and call them selves a "producer". Can you give us your take on the difference between a "beat maker" and a "producer"?

The difference between a beatmaker and a producer is that a producer has a vision for a "song" and not just a beat. A beatmaker is more a person who just makes beats for the sake of making beats ad doesnt really have any involvement within the song aspect.


Do you sell your beats online, face-to-face or both? And do you have a preference? Why?

I dont like to sell my beats online because I like to come with the element of surprize, and I want people to hear my beats fresh, instead of already having access to it. Knowing people too someone will probably steal it off your website and do songs on it without your concent anyways.


What factors do you consider when charging for a beat?

Usually how good the beat is, but these days and age I'm more into selling a vision, so most of the beats have choruses on them or at least ideas for a song.


Any tips you can give us mixing a beat?

MAKE IT BANG!!! people got to feel your music, and if its soft and has no kick then its going to put everyone to sleep.


Everyone wants their drums to bang. How do you do yours?

Hahaha everyone always asks me how, but I always tell them just turn them up hahaha its just that easy.


In your opinion, what types of things should the new/young producer concentrate on most to develop his/her skills?

Concentrate on music in general, not about looking like a producer or acting like a producer, perfect your sound and treat music like a sport. You have to eat seep and breath music.


One of the biggest challenges is promoting one's self. How do you do that and what advice can you give our readers on that?

Honestly thats a hard question for me, because I never really got into promoting myself, I've never been on photoshop creating pictures of myself to put up on Myspace or anything but what I've done is just make good music and when people hear it they will tell others about it as well, almost like a promotional tool in itself.


Is having a management team an important part of the equation for you?

Definately, because its best you focus on music and let someone else focus on the business aspect of it, keeps you more intune with your own music, but at the end of the day don't rely on anyone to make you big, you have to put in work yourself.


What other producers (mainstream or underground) are you feeling the most right now?

Right now I'm really feeling Kanye West's new sound that he is bringing to the table, as well as Just Blaze haha kind of like the usual suspects, locally for me its MegaMan and Rich Kidd from Canada, and alot of other people, there is just way too much to name hahaha.


Speaking of other producers, what was like hearing Dr. Dre on one of your beats?

Was amazing, all my years of producing I always looked to Dr. Dre as my invisible mentor, and tried to mold myself and model mself like the way he does his thing, hes just a very inspiring individual to me, if not the most inspiring individual and I was wylding out when I heard him over my track.


Do you have any upcoming projects you'd like to let us know about?

Right now I'm working on Drakes album, not sure when its going to drop but its titled "Thank Me Later". I'm also working on a Christian Rap album, fully produced by myself and a few other producers.


Before we leave you, where can we get more information about you and/or hear more of your music?

Oh for sure , just hit up my Myspace at www.myspace.com/nofreebeats! God Bless!