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Interview
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If BlackMask was the man we needed to discuss the
business side of things for the Watchmen, then
Ricardo Antonio Rodriguez aka Pro is the man we need
when we want to shine our light on the music or the
production for this talented bunch. And when it
comes to talent, then his do-and-try-it-all approach
comes across as being effortless. Whether we are
talking beats, rhymes, graphic design, singing,
engineering, … Pro seems to be doing it all and to
great result.
In the third instalment of our Watchmen series we
get to know more about how Pro (who was born in NY)
ended up in Florida and met up with the others, what
his musical merits were before the formation of the
crew and how he started making beats. Furthermore we
take a look at his broad scale of musical
influences, how they shine through in the wide range
of styles he embraces when sitting behind the
boards, his upcoming solo album and we even daydream
about forming an all star rock band to record a rock
album with. Want to know all this and more? Then
dive into Pro’s “The Need To Rebel” interview and as
always: enjoy!!
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I like to say thanks first and foremost for
taking the time to answer these questions, highly
appreciated, and will also point out that nothing will be
altered, edited or changed when this is published online.
Wu-International: Peace Pro, how are you?
Pro: Peace fam. It’s an honor to be here. I’m
feeling good thanks. I’m excited the double is out and ready
to get out on the road with my team and Bully!!!
Wu-International: Let’s talk a bit about you
first: you were born and raised in Washington Heights, NYC.
So how did you get with the Watchmen, a Florida based crew?
Pro: I
was born in Dub H (Washington Heights), like almost all of
my family, but not raised there. When I was a kid, my mother
felt that by joining the Army my brother and I could have
a better life. So living in different states and countries
for no more than 2 years at time, New York -when I visited-
was the only thing I could recognize as my home. Before High
School my mother finally left the military and I found a new
home, West Palm Beach, Florida. That’s where the family you
know as Watchmen formed.
Wu-International: You were raised by a Dominican
family and soaked in Latin culture and music. Would you say
this influenced your music and could we say e.g. the
percussion, guitars and vibe in the “Cruising” track with
Aileen Rosario is a good example of this influence?
Pro: Yeah I’m Dominican and you can definitely hear
the influence in that particular song, but my Latin
influence goes deeper than the obvious sounds and is
subconsciously present in
everything I create.
Wu-International: Now that we are discussing
your music, I must say I enjoy your style a lot. Modern day
hip hop producers lose themselves in commercial hip clean
sounds and seem no longer interested in originality. You are
one of the few upcoming producers who manage to combine a
very modern sound with varied and exciting styles and beats.
How would you describe your style?
Pro: First off, thanks for the compliment fam. My
sound is hate it or love it and I appreciate that you prefer
the latter.
I think my style is simply out of the box. Anybody on the
team will tell you, I have a problem with authority and
rules. I think that reflects in my music. The problem I’ve
noticed with
producing in today’s industry is that most real producers
are so hungry to get on and be the next “go to” producer,
that they conform and forget that to be that producer, you
need a “go to” sound that only you can give. I’m no
exception, and I’ve fallen victim to the same pressure in my
career. It’s only in letting go of the fear of your sound
not being approved that you can truly create something new.
It’s a blessing that my need to rebel against the norm would
pay off the way it is now…(Ha Ha).
Wu-International: When making beats for a project do
you have a concept, artists or theme in mind for a
particular track, what’s your creative process like, how do
you approach each track?
Pro: Of course each track is different, but
creation is always the same. Through all of the different
genres of music I’ve come to love in my life, one thing is
certain. Percussion is the heart! It all starts wit that
boom bap. The rest flows according to my mood or the project
in front of me. Producing outside of WATCHMEN the artist is
always in mind, although most of the artists I’ve worked
with come to me when they are ready for a new sound. I
create that using all the elements that make them unique and
try to translate it in the form of music.
Wu-International: Do you like to use a lot of
live instruments or does most of your music come from a
keyboard?
Pro:
I would love to use
more live instruments, but I try to find newer ways to
create sound. When I do get the itch for the pure live sound
though, I usually create it digitally as a reference to
send. I have a family full of well known musicians in the
industry to collab with including my extended family Legion
Of Kaos. Creative outlets are not something we lack in this
movement.
Wu-International: You produced about half of the tracks
on the double album, showcasing a wide scale of styles. Was
this a natural choice as you seem to be interested in and
influenced by all types of music?
Pro:
Both. Yeah you can call it a natural choice. My range of
music influences definitely come to light in this album, but
this was a collectively influenced album by all of us. In
this album we chose to be more musically free than in our
first album, POWER.
Wu-International: You mention
influences ranging from RZA to Run DMC, from Michael Jackson
to Billy Ocean and from Journey to Billy Idol. Is there
anything you don’t listen to?
Pro:
Polka??? Nah..Some of that is hot to. (Ha Ha Ha…) I’m weird
like that fam. My playlist in my Blackberry is titled WTF.
I think as
a producer you have to know music in as many forms possible.
I don’t hide what I like, I embrace it. To love anything
truly you have to love all of it truly. The artists that
influence me most became legends for having the same values.
A great man named Robert F. Diggs said, “Producing music is
like playing an instrument — it’s an expression of
yourself”, and “Creativity is always unique, because it’s
you.” Wu-Tang Clan is a prime example of expression with no
fear. WATCHMEN show you the good, the bad, and the ugly now,
in a time where music radio/media has almost no room for
anything real or with any substance.
Wu-International:
Which General and which Wu album influenced you most?
Pro:
That would be RZA, hands down
that influenced me the most. I think it was watching his
pure, raw talent that is still taking him higher and higher
to date. His fearless production style and hardcore words of
wisdom played the biggest role. I remember when they FINALY
aired the Triumph video on TV. I watched, what I imagine,
was every member’s personal choice of how they visually
wanted their verses to be seen. I patiently waited for RZA’s
verse/vision to come on. As he walked through that W with
the black wings, (March of the Wooden Soldiers…) from that
day on any doubt that I ever had about being born for this
was gone. There in, making Wu-Tang Forever my favorite
Album!
Wu-International: Billy Idol, Journey …would you ever
be interested in doing a rock album?
Pro: Definitely!!! I’m all for any creative, hard,
emotional music. I think that rock music was the first time
I heard music that could be hardcore and melodic at the same
time. Rock, R&B, and Hip-Hop music growing up had soul and I
think that’s what’s missing in most of today’s music. It’s
empty!
Wu-International: Let’s say you get a no limit
budget to form an All Star rock band to do that album with.
What would your line-up be for that band?
Pro: Wow…I’ve never thought of that. Let me
lay it out like this:
Cindy Blackman (Lenny Kravitz): Drums…..She’s Bananas wit
sticks
Flea (Chile Peppers): Bass……Insane Presence/ Ridiculous
Solos
Slash (Guns N Roses): Guitar…Living Legend
Tom Morrello (Rage Against the Machine) Guitar……Sick/Unique
David Guetta: DJ/Producer……Amazing talent and just 2 kick
the norm in the ass!
Wu-International: Let’s focus shortly on the
early days. Apparently you started making music at age 11
but had problems with reading notes? Paul McCartney has same
problem so no worries there, you’re in good company. Do you
feel this is an advantage as it perhaps gives you more
freedom?
Pro:
Absolutely… Although, I have
a lot of respect for musicians and music education, for me
it felt like mental imprisonment! When you feel what you
want to hear, but you have some one telling you it’s not
musically right, what does that mean? Are you wrong or is
the law of music wrong? My answer is neither one is wrong.
If you can make the world’s most innovative masterpiece by
simply listening to what your ears love to hear, YOU ARE A
MASTER. If you can put together the greatest combination of
notes to form a masterpiece, then YOU ARE A MASTER.
Wu-International: When you were 14 years old you were
doing work for Cut It Up Def Records. That’s impressive for
a young teenager. What did you do exactly?
Pro:
Nothing major. It was
pivotal, for the simple fact that it was my first real
encounter of the business of making music. I was close
friends in school with the owner’s daughter. They lived down
the street from me and I was in a local group with a
freestyle artist that was signed to the label. So they
invited me over to meet her dad the owner Bob Smith, and
also multi-platinum producer Jim Jonsin (DJ Jealous J at the
time). Bob took me under his wing for a bit and taught
alittle about the business. I became a regular around the
house and I started off just working with one of their
producers Alex on some freestyle projects on the MPC and sat
in on a few sessions to soak up as much as possible of what
the Florida music scene had to offer.
Wu-International:
After this you worked for
an indie record label that quickly folded. What happened
then till you met up with the Watchmen?
Pro:
I went on to start producing
for a few local groups including joining one, Unknown
Soldiers, where I met The Cipher. One week our manager
locked down, what we thought would be, our breakthrough
performance opening up for the Lost Boyz at a local Hip-Hop
spot Club Boca. Tragically, the weekend before the show,
their manager informed ours the following weekend that
Freaky Tah had been shot and killed. R.I.P. Freaky Tah. Our
group dissolved shortly after that.
I later joined another group in 2004 B.A.M (By Any Meanz)
but we parted ways in 2005, I met 7th 7ign and Prox later
worked on a single from his 7th Hour street album “7
Elements”. The next year we linked up with BlackMask and we
formed WATCHMEN.
After the POWER album, it seemed like I was cursed with
groups breaking up when WATCHMEN parted ways in 2006. So,
again, I continued to focus on producing. In 2008, I was
approached by a producer manager who heard of my production
and was interested in my work. He linked me up with Fentz,
owner of Iconz Music, to have a listen to my production. A
few days later, I joined platinum producer, Gorilla Tech, as
the other half of Drum Majorz. After some contract
negotiations, I declined their offer and continued producing
on my own. Although I was still determined to succeed,
things looked darker then before.
Then it was like the planets aligned just right in 2009 when
the WATCHMEN reformed stronger and better. In my eyes,
making 2010, The year of the WATCHMEN.
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Wu-International:
OK. Back to today,
the double album is finally out and the Power album is
getting released in November. How would you compare the
two albums music wise?
Pro:
Musically the double is mature and shows the
growth and freedom that we felt getting back in the
studio after we split. I think between the years of the
two albums, we all grew into what was needed to make the
group work. To compare them is almost impossible for me,
but oddly enough, the appreciation for the music on the
POWER is well received now as opposed to 2006. I’m a
firm believer that everything happens for a reason. |
Wu-International:
Which album of the two would you call your favourite and
why?
Pro:
Definitely the Double LP. I think it defines us as an
innovative force to be reckoned with. It proves that as an
album and a team that, if any entity could replenish the
thirst the world has for real hip-hop, it’s the WATCHMEN. In
order to bring it back from where the Hip-Hop industry
stands, not only do you have to re energize the old die hard
fans, but recruit new ones. I think today’s youth have been
denied the pleasure of discovering what real hip-hop is the
way I did. I think we give them that chance.
Wu-International:
Did you
do all the production on the Power album? If not, who was
also doing tracks on there?
Pro:
Actually I didn’t do any production on the power album, but
the beats are hard. Analog, one of BlackMask’s producers,
produced the entire album. In every group I’d been in before
then, production was my responsibility. For this album I got
to focus as an artist only.
Wu-International:
On the double album some other tracks were provided by
fellow Watchmen Blackmask and 7th 7ign plus people like Soul
Professa, Joe Beatz and Weirdo etc. Did you chose
those producers on your own or together with the other
members?
Pro: We chose the producers together except for our
solo tracks. This album was our collective expression of
WATCHMEN, so it reflects a little of all of us.
Wu-International: Any particular reason you got
those other producers on the album? The three of you show
enough talent behind the boards so what was the benefit of
adding others?
Pro: It was definitely just the right sound for
us. Joe Beatz has an amazing and more modern sound to his
style of production, while Weirdo is the epitome of that hot
boom bap production that takes you back. It just felt right
from the gate to us.
Wu-International: About the various features: did you
have a song specifically in mind for each guest or did you
let them choose a beat?
Pro: As a group we had these tracks tailor fit for
the features. Although they had the freedom to “get it in”
however, it was a marvel to hear it fall into place so
perfectly.
Wu-International: Apparently Blue recorded her verse
over the phone, can you tell us how that came about and the
whole experience of that song as it’s one of my favourites
on there?
Pro: (Ha Ha Ha…) a lot of people didn’t take us
seriously at first. What I mean by that is, they didn’t
understand how fast and far we could move. So with Blue
Raspberry we were pressed for time to receive her vocals for
the track. BlackMask and I were in the studio discussing the
deadlines we had on the table. That’s when we came up with
having her sing it over the phone, as a joke. The more we
joked, the more we realized it was actually a good idea. A
hip-hop track, with a 20’s phonograph sound? In our talks
with Blue before, she sang some of her new material for us a
few times. Her voice was reminiscent of that already; she’s
always had a very classic sound. So we called her on the
blackberry, connected the input, and we were coincidently
able to capture that classic sound on “Apocalypse”.
Wu-International: Classic indeed, so which guest did you enjoy working
with most?
Pro: That was
definitely Cappadonna. Before we reunited on this album, I
was managed by Honor (Iron Sheik) of Honor Management who
also managed 7th 7ign and Cappadonna. I heard a lot of good
things about Cappadonna through them and was excited to work
with him. I was not disappointed. Out of everyone on the
album and everyone I‘ve ever had the pleasure of interacting
with in the Wu, Capp was the most humble, grounded and
professional of all. It also marked another check on my
“Bucket List” …produce a track for a Wu-Tang Clan Member.
(Ha Ha.)
Wu-International: Any interesting/funny/Spinal Tap
like studio anecdotes you want to share with us?
Pro:
Too many to name one.
That’s an everyday thing with us. A day with the WATCHMEN is
always an event. But I’ll say this tho… Boooooom!!!!!! (Ha
Ha) –the WATCHMEN know what I mean by that
Wu-International:
Ok, who do you get along with the best, or rather, who within
your group is the easiest person to work with?
Pro: I get along the best with BlackMask. What makes
us work is that we have the same drive and work ethic. We
both believe in what we do without falter.
I would have to say
Eclypse is the easiest to work with though. We worked
together on the “Not Living” track. It was the first time we
got to collab, just the two of us, as vocalist and it was
effortless. The ideas bounced off of us so easily, but we
poured ourselves out fully on that track. I think when
people hear it, they’ll experience it the way we did.
Wu-International: Guess you saw this one coming, who
is the hardest then?
Pro: (Ha Ha Ha…) that would be 7th 7ign!!! The only
reason he is the hardest to work with is that you’re too
busy laughin’ at his ass to get any work done. 7 is the
comic relief of our family. You can always count on him to
have something funny to say about somebody. Of course, we
are no exception.
Wu-International: What’s your favourite track on the
album and why?
Pro: It’s hard to name a favourite, but “Touch of
Death” is the track that I think symbolizes what WATCHMEN
stand for.
Wu-International: You’ve got a solo album coming out
titled “I need therapy”. How should we interpret this title?
Should we start getting worried?
Pro:
Only if things you don’t understand worry you. (Ha Ha …) I’m
like most people. I’m in a constant battle with both sides
of myself at all the times, musically and personally.
Everybody has good moods and bad moods, but mine are just
more extreme. Some might say, “PRO is cool, easy to talk to,
and down to earth.”, while others will say, “PRO is a
arrogant, paranoid, asshole, ticking time bomb waiting to go
off if he hasn’t already!” So, I found that I can keep a
better mental balance, by letting go in my music, without
trying to mask either side. Everything you hear from me, is
me. Unapologetic and uncensored! Most people can only be
that with their spouses or therapists. My therapist is the
mic. So “I Need Therapy”, in essence, was always going to be
the name of my album.
Wu-International:
Can you tell us something more about this solo album as
in features, release date,...?
Pro: I
can’t talk about the features as of yet, but it will
definitely be a 2011 release to remember.
Wu-International: What style can we expect? The first
track “Go” shows a totally different Pro. A track with 100 %
singing instead of rapping. Can we expect an entire album in
this style?
Pro:
Who knows, but I don’t see myself committing to only either
singing or rapping on an album. In its most honest
reflection of me, you can expect that this album will be
dynamic. Unfortunately / fortunately, depending on how you
may view it, I’m unconventional in life and music. Some will
love it, some won’t and some will like it but pretend that
they don’t!
Wu-International: Anything else coming in near
future?
Pro:
You can expect a lot to come from this movement. We have the
Legion of Kaos Compilation, solo albums, and the third
instalment of the WACTHMEN. We go hard and we are a team
that is not willing to take 2nd place. All or nothing!
Wu-International: You guys set up the Legion of Kaos
movement a short while ago. What opportunities do you as a
producer hope to get from this movement?
Pro:
The movement isn’t about receiving an opportunity, it’s
about giving opportunity. Today’s industry is not making it
easy to bring real music to the forefront. LOK is the light
at the end of, what is seemingly, an endless tunnel. This is
for artists with the talent and drive of heavy-weight
champions, but that only have the resources of spectators.
We are not structured to use our followers as a stepping
stone as other so called movements, where the bottom is
massive and the top is narrow. We are a true family circle.
There are no corners here, no angles to keep 1 above the
other, no false sense of equality when to them you mean
nothing! Just the movement that is not WATCHMEN...but that
is US! Seeing this idea materialize into reality is the
benefit for me in itself.
Wu-International: In the review I suggested you’d do
an entire album with Cappadonna as I liked how he sounded
over your beat. What would you say about such a full on collabo?
Pro:
BULLY!!! …Let’s do it Capp!
Wu-International:
How would you approach such an enterprise?
Pro:
I have so much respect
for Capp that my approach would really fall at his feet.
Don’t get me wrong, I have my own ideas for …say…The Pillage
II (Wink). Seriously it would be an honour and I would
definitely approach it with a more raw style of my
production to enhance his already raw and unique form of
delivery.
Wu-International:
In the first interview BlackMask already mentioned you guys
would like to offer Cappadonna a budget to do The Pillage 2
. Maybe way too soon to ask but any developments so far in
that department ? And if it takes off would you be producing
the album then?
Pro: Again, thanks for the love on how I create, fam.
Right now, I'm not involved in any dealings in that
situation. I also don't know who would be producing the
project if it came about. However, I can say that it would
be a tremendous honour, nonetheless, to even be considered
as a producer for this project.
Wu-International: Would you ever consider dropping an
instrumental album or do you prefer to always work with
vocalists?
Pro:
Actually I’ve become more interested in instrumental albums,
lately. I try to make music that speaks for itself and emits
emotion on its own. Movie scoring is also another goal on my
“Bucket List”, so only time will tell.
Wu-International: Thanks, anything else you
would like to share with the fans that have not been covered
already? Shout outs?
Pro:
To whom it May Concern: What you put in a box will stay
in a box....live life outside of it. Cuz in the end when
this life is over, we all get the chance to go right back
into one.
BULLY!!! to WATCHMEN and all the fans that support us,
Legion of Kaos and it’s supporters, PCE Nation, Allegro,
Wu-Tang Clan, Wu-Tang Management, All my friends and family
supporting the movement, and last but not least
Wu-International for fully supporting us and acknowledging
what we do. Peace.
Keep up to date
with Pro
www.myspace.com/thewatchmenspace
Related Interviews: Watchmen Series
#1
[BlackMask] -
Behind The (Black)Mask Interview
[20th Oct 2010]
#2 [7th 7ign] -
Untold Scriptures Interview [26th Oct 2010]
#3 [Pro] - The Need To Rebel [02nd Nov 2010]
#4 [Prox] - The
Watch Man [09th Nov 2010]
#5 [The Cipher] - Past, Present & Future [16th Nov 2010]
#6 [Ecylpse] - Femnomenon [23rd Nov 2010]
<Read Other Interviews> |
