Producers Corner: Alterbeats Interview



Alterbeats is the musical part of the team Alterprod. Born in France but now resides in Pennsylvania, Alterbeats got serious into producing about 7 years ago. At first producing for French artists like Atk, III (X-Men), Noss and Pyroman, Alt has worked with some heavy hitters in the game including Tragedy Khadafi, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Copywrite, Guilty Simpson and many more. He has released three projects: "The French Revolution", "The Class Revolution" and the most recent "Class Struggle". With projects like these Alt is on his way to becoming one of the most sought after producers out of France.





OK-Tho:
What or who inspired you to become a producer? Was it US Hip Hop or French Hip Hop?

Alterbeats:
I used to be a big fan of french hip-hop when I was younger, but i ain't listening to french hip-hop anymore since a few years. But when I started beats I was inspired by french hip-hop and also NYC hip-hop I used to listen to MOBB DEEP, PREMIER, CORMEGA, SCREWBALL, MASTA ACE, BOOT CAMP...

OK-Tho:
Were you taught how to produce or did you have to learn on your own?

Alterbeats:
I learned by my own with some software and it was hard lol, then I bought a MPC and I discovered a new world...

OK-Tho:
How did your Alterprod crew come together?

Alterbeats:
We met by internet via m\Myspace probably 8 years ago already, we have done a lot of things together we opened a recording studio in the suburbs of Paris, we traveled on a few countries to make video, graphism, music...

OK-Tho:
Your style is similar to DJ Low Cut, do you guys know each other at all?

Alterbeats:
No I don't know him personally, I'm the kind of guy who only does beats, I don't go meet other producers I don't go to shows I stay at home making beats, when I leave my crib it's for some other shit than the music.

OK-Tho:
How long did it take you to start mastering your craft and have a good format for making beats, so that you would start trying to get your music heard to rappers?

Alterbeats:
A few years... and I'm still learning everyday.

OK-Tho:
Were you more into US Hip Hop or French Hip Hop growing up?

Alterbeats:
I only listen to US hip-hop I'm done with French rap, they don't want to invest money, they are not serious and its always take a while to record a track I don't have time to loose time u know what I mean ?




OK-Tho:
Yes, def do. When you started out making beats, were you alone in trying to get your music out or did you have people helping you?

Alterbeats:
Basically I started with a good friend of mine but we didn't try to contact peoples we were just making beats for the pleasure. It started to be serious when I met Ben and Max from Alterprod.

OK:
Name a few of your favorite all time classic produced albums?

Alterbeats:
That's a hard one! All the Alchemist albums, that's my favorite producer in the game! All the DJ Premier albums, Large Pro, Havoc, Evidence...

OK:
Jay Dilla or Madlib?

Alterbeats:
Dilla !!!!!!

OK:
Are there any rappers that are more popular in France than in the US?

Alterbeats:
I don't know. The US underground hip-hop is not big in France.

OK:
Damn! I thought it was big in Europe, especially France. So are you a sports fan?

Alterbeats:
I love sports!!! I love basketball, no team in particular, and for soccer I support Paris and Saint Germain also.

OK:
Dope! You dropped your first album "The French Revolution" back in 2011, how long did it take you to make that album?

Alterbeats:
It took years bro!!!! All the tracks on "French Revolution" were done years before its dropped and most of the MC's took mad time to record their parts, but it was a good project to drop because you learn about the business!  I was a lil bit frustrated because tracks were old and I was already doing other kinds of beats when the album dropped but we needed to drop an official project to learn.

OK:
Yea I hear ya. Was there a mix of French and US artists on that project?

Alterbeats:
No its only US artist in this project no French.




OK:
How did you get to work with all of those artists on the project? Did you contact them or did they hear about you?

Alterbeats:
Its depends, some contacted me but of them I contacted them via Facebook. I was already working with a few of the artists before that album dropped.

OK:
Who would you say are your favorite rappers that you have worked with?

Alterbeats:
HARD once again! I love to work with Shabaam because he works hard and fast and he got jokes all day. It's always a pleasure to work with him, most of the time we see him we just hang together and do joke all day... Halfabrick is a beast too, you send him a track he'll have it done a few hours later! And its The same for Mic Handz and Skeezo...

OK:
Pro Tools or Logic?

Alterbeats:
Logic all day !!!!

OK:
Do you ever get any upcoming producers hitting you up asking for help?

Alterbeats:
A few times, it's always funny...

OK:
Hip Hop has seen a lot of foreign producers starting to make a come up in the game with artists like Snowgoons, you and Low Cut. Are there any other up coming producers that you think are gonna make some noise?




Alterbeats:
I really don't know there is so many upcoming talented producer in this game...

OK:
Have you ever sampled a song and before you got to release it, you heard somebody else sample it?

Alterbeats:
That's the story of my life, but if I flipped it in a different way. Fuck it, I'll release it, samples are for everybody.

OK:
What up coming artists are you interested in working with?

Alterbeats:
I'm actually working with Juxx Diamond, Innocent ?. I'm always open to work with new artists...


OK:
Your "Class Struggle" album was off the hook, do you favor making compilation albums or would you like to start working one on one with an artist on a project?

Alterbeats:
I would love to work with one artist but for that I need someone really serious about his business and ready to invest money for the promo... its the key if you don't want to invest money you loose your time and trust me, its difficult to find someone ready to invest his money with you..

OK:
What is the future looking like for you, what do you have in the works for 2014 and beyond?

Alterbeats:
I should release a "ALTERUNIT" EP that will be the only project from the ALTERUNIT... I have an EP done with Shabaam and Skeezo and I will produce for a lot of MC's too as usual... I'm more interested to work on MC's projects. We will not release LP's or EP's anymore I think...
and thanks to you and your website for the love its much apreciated !!!!

Alterbeats Links

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