Features

Perspective: Kwame

Kwame
Producer

Job history
My many jobs before becoming a Hip Hop producer were:
Paper Boy for my grandfather’s newspaper “The NY Voice.”
Bag Boy at Food Town.
Auto glass Repair at my aunt’s auto glass shop.
By the time I was 15/16 I started producing. My first record was “Baby Make It Boom” by Antionette and my second record/album was my own “The Boy Genius.” From that point on, I have been working as an artist/producer.

Discography

Full Length Solo Albums
1989 – The Boy Genius (Atlantic)
1990 – A Day In The Life (Atlantic)
1992 – Nastee (Atlantic)
1994 – Incognito (Ichiban)

12″ Single Releases
2002 - Lady May “Round Up” f/ Blue Cantrell (Arista)
2004 – Lloyd Banks “On Fire” (G-Unit/Interscope)
2004 – Jin “So Afraid Of” (Ruff Ryders/Virgin)
2004 – Tweet “Turn Da Lights Off” (Atlantic)
2004 – Joe Budden “Roll Your Backyard” (Def Jam)
2005 – Red Cafe “All Night Long” (Capitol)
2005 – Will Smith “Switch” (Interscope)
2005 – Tweet “We Don’t Need No Water” (Atlantic)
2005 - Red Cafe “Rap Chic” (Capitol)

Contributions to Full Lengths and EP’s
2002 - Mary J Blige “L.O.V.E.” No More Drama (MCA)
2002 - LL Cool J “10 Million Stars”, “Throw Ya L’s Up” 10 (Def Jam)
2002 - Dru Hill “No Doubt” Dru World Order (Def Soul/Def Jam)
2002 - Lady May “Round Up” f/ Blue Cantrell May Day (Arista)
2004 - Jin “So Afraid Of” The Rest Is History (Ruff Ryders/Virgin)
2004 – JoJo “Breezy” JoJo (Blackground/Universal)
2004 – Lloyd Banks “On Fire” (First single) Hunger For More (G-Unit/Interscope)
2005 - Tweet “Turn Da Lights Off” (First single), “We Don’t Need No Water” Its Me Again (Atlantic)
2005 - Will Smith “Switch” (First single) Lost and Found (Overbrook/Interscope)

Contributions to Compilations, Mixtapes and Special Projects
2000 – “The Rhythm” Rap Mania: The Roots Of Rap (X-Ray)
2002 - LL Cool J “And The Winner Is” Hip Kids Hop (Scholastic Books)

Film and Television Soundtracks and Scores
2001 - “R U Ready” Ghetto Dog (Spartan Films)
2001 - “Crazy”, “If I Can’t Have You” Dancing In September (HBO Films)
2003 - Nick Cannon “Scared Of You” Drumline Soundtrack (Jive/20th Century Fox)
2005 - Red Cafe “All Night Long” Coach Carter Soundtrack (Capitol)

2005 Unreleased Projects
*Janet Jackson – 6 untitled songs on upcoming album (Virgin)
*Juvenile – 1 untitled song on upcoming album (Atlantic)
*Brasco – untitled songs on upcoming album (Geffen)
*Babs – 1 untitled song on upcoming album (Bad Boy/Universal)
*Czar Nok – “Gangsta” on upcoming album (Capitol)
*DJ Clue/NORE – 1 untitled song on upcoming album (Roc-A-Fella)

What are you currently working on? Your day-to-day responsibilities?

I’m currently working on tracks for Janet Jackson, Kellis, Chingy, Juvenille, Pussy Cat Dolls, and a score for the Disney/Touchstone Film “Behind the Groove”. My day to day responsibilities range from making tracks, writing songs, doing recording sessions, taking out the garbage, buying groceries, and paying bills.

What inspires/motivates you?

I’m inspired and motivated by life in general. When I hear certain sounds, end up in strange unique situations, or even watching how people react to things inspire me to create.

What are your biggest challenges or the downsides of what you do?

The biggest challenge and downside to what I do is getting labels to allow me to sit and vibe and create with an artist. I have to literally/legally fight just to make that happen. That’s how great records are made.

How do you balance your personal and professional life?

Its very hard to balance my professional and a personal life. For me, all I know is the music life. Half of my teen years and all of my adulthood, I’ve been a musician. So its hard to separate the two. Unfortunately, my music comes first most of the time. This can take a tole on my private life. So what I do is try my best to put myself on a business/personal schedule.

What career achievement are you most proud of?

What I’m most proud of in my career is that I go to different community centers and schools and speak to kids about empowerment through creativity. I’m also a part of Hip Hop For Health. This organization helps children know the importance of living a healthy life through the inspiration of Hip Hop. This is what I call legacy building. This is far greater than any record sales.

What was your biggest personal/career mistake and what did you learn from the experience?

My biggest personal/career mistake was becoming so self-absorbed as an artist that I was blind to the streets and the changes in hip hop and got lost in the shuffle. But I used that defeat to fuel me and make me the man that I am today.

Was there ever a time when you thought you might not succeed in what you’re doing? Please explain.

I sometimes wonder if I’m successful now. I don’t measure what I do now or even what I’ve done as success. I look at it as achieving personal and professional milestones. At the end of my life, I would like to make that assessment. Then I can tell whether I really did right in my career, my family life, and as a man in general. Now I just take it one day, one song, and one check at a time.

Guiding principles?

My guiding principles are:
Never be afraid to be the first to do something.
Do things for love then money.
Know your worth, demand it, and never compromise.
Always do from a Godly point of view. Never act out of greed, envy, or revenge.
Always walk away from your work proud, satisfied, and a better person. Every day you are given a new lesson and gift.

Birthday? Where you grew up? Where you went to school?

My Birthday March 28 ( I better get a present!!!)

I grew up in East Elmhurst/ Corona Queens. I went to several schools, PS143, PS229, St. Gabriel (elementary), High School of Art and Design, Dwight Morrow High (Inglewood NJ), and Forest Hills High (Queens NY)

Message Kwame and tell him what you think

By Ray Tamarra on 7/13/2005[read on] [13 comments]

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