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Interview
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This week see us
rounding up the remaining LCOB interview series with the
heartbeat and sound of LCOB, commonly referred to as LCOB
productions. We started off with the MCs and went from Rasul
Allah, Cosmic Crusader, Ancient Kemet, to Atun Sen Geb,
John Murdock and Lex Starwind. This week sees the production
side of things with White Lotus setting it off on "Chief of the
Lotus Clan" interview and today our special guest to end the
interview series is none other than DJ/Producer/MC responsible
for the full production of the group's third album "The
911 Report: The Ultimate Conspiracy" as well as adding on to
the latest project
"Zeitgeist: The Spirit Of The Age.
Stretch knew Rasul
before the music started as they were both involved in the
skating scene at Love Park. They both parted ways when Stretch
stopped skating to focus on other things. A chance meeting at a
party some years later with Rasul reintroduced them to another
passion they both shared, music! The rest they say is
history, find why they call Stretch "The Mad Scientist" amongst
other things on this exclusive interview... Enjoy!! |
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 Duwop, how are you?
Stretch: PEACE, life is good
Wu-International: So are you a full member of
LCOB, affliate, producer or their DJ, what is your role
within the group if any?
Stretch: All of the above, but I am mainly a producer
for the group.
Wu-International: You were not part of the group
during their first 2 albums, what were you doing before?
Stretch: Working with local artists, making beats,
sharpening my skills.
Wu-International: So how did you become part of LCOB
that lead to you producing the entire 911 album?
Stretch:
I've known Sul for over
fifteen years, from skating at Love Park. I got out of
skating and lost contact with him. Years later I bumped into
him at a party, told him I was making beats and running a
small studio out of my house. We linked up originally for
him to get on a compilation album I was doing. He told me
about the idea for the 911 album and the kind of beats
he was looking for. I gave him the Muja Hadin beat & it
unfolded from there. After that he asked me to produce the
album & be in the group.
Wu-International: Have you produced a full album
prior to 911 for any group or project before?
Stretch:
No, this was my first
album.
Wu-International: How easy or difficult was it to
make beats specifically for LCOB?
Stretch:
It was fairly easy,
because our styles are in the same lane.
Wu-International: Were you already a fan of LCOB or
familiar with their music before joining them?
Stretch:
I was a fan from hearing
them on the JMT Psycho Social album. I didn't even know
about the other albums.
Wu-International: What was the recording process
like? Did you give them beats and they chose which they
liked or did they give you a concept/idea for you to
construct the beat to etc?
Stretch:
Both, Sul picked most the
beats, and the others wrote to the concept that either Sul
or Rich Raw provided. Then Wul would say, " I need a track
like this" and I would put it together such as "Insurgentz"
and "America's fallen heroes", "guerrilla militia". Sul had
me watching all kind of documentary's on terrorism and what
not to pull samples from. It was a learning experience. We
had a good time with the project. Shit was dope.
Wu-International: Who within the group would
you say is the easiest to work with?
Stretch: Everybody is professional and down
to earth. Rich Raw would come in and bang out like 5 songs
in a session. Getting everybody together is the hardest
thing. Once that's accomplished its a wrap.
Wu-International: So who would you then say is the
most fussy, picky or hard to please with the beats?
Stretch:
The only person I ever had a problem with, is no longer a
member of the group.
Wu-International: The 911 album had Rasual Allah
listed as co producer for almost all the songs, how did you
two work together on the songs as far as producing goes and
what exactly does it mean to co-produce a track?
Stretch:
I made all the tracks and arranged all the music. My partner
at the time Dan Detora mixed and mastered everything. Rasul
came in as far as ideas and concepts. He would provide an
idea or vision. I would piece it together and bring it to
life.
Wu-International: Thanks, what is your creative
process like as far as beat making goes. Do you for instance
check out samples, work from a theme, or just build it from
scratch based on inspiration etc?
Stretch:
It all depends what
I am working on. I'll dig until I find something then chop
it. or play something on the keyboard. Once I get something
I like, I always start with drums. That's like the skeleton,
foundation. I just add on from there.
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Wu-International: The production on 911 was very
good, consistent and solid, how long have you been
making beats?
Stretch:
10 years.
Wu-International: What equipments, tools,
software do you use/prefer and why?
Stretch:
MPC, Yamaha motif
keyboard. when I make beats, I like to hear my
music, not look at it. I sequence entirely on the
MCP. Then I will drop it in to Pro tools.
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Wu-International: What would you say the difference
is between a beat maker and a producer?
Stretch: I'd say all hip-hop producers are beat
makers. Its where you take it from there is what makes you a
producer.
Wu-International: The group normally had one
producer for most of the projects except for their latest
offering “Zeitgeist”, how many songs did you lace for this
projects?
Stretch:
2... "Drug Wars"
and "The revolution is now".
Wu-International: Any reason why the group
decided to use more than one producer for the new album as
opposed to just one producer?
Stretch:
I think Sul wanted to showcase some of the new talent within
our circle, being that our affiliates and members have
expanded. I like the way it turned out. A lot of different
production, but it blends well.
Wu-International: Advantage of using one producer is
that it gives the album a consistent feel and vibe, did you
have to listen to what other producers such as Snowgoons
contributed to the project and create something to suit that
mood or was it left to the MCs to pick beats that they felt
went with the concept of the album?
Stretch: This project has been a long time coming, so
there was alot of beats to narrow down from. At the end of
the day Sul picks most of the beats..
Wu-International: So which are your favourite songs
off the new album that you did not produce and why?
Stretch: Babylon AD, Beware theZzeitgeist, Both
bangerz. I give it to the Snowgoons as they murdered it.
Everybody kills it lyrically. Those are the tracks that
stick out to me.
Wu-International: Do you produce for others
or are you just restricted to LCOB and its members and
affiliates?
Stretch: I'm half of a group with
Vengeance who appears on Babylon AD. We have an album in the
works. I'm down to work with anybody that's still spittin
that real rap shit. If I'm feelin it, Lets do a track. Lets
build. That's how we linked up with the Fdation. Too many
people be on some hater shit.
Wu-International: Rasual's told us White
Lotus will be fully producing the next album, would your
role as producer change for the next project to something
else?
Stretch: As I touched on earlier, Our squad
has expanded. Rasul wants everybody to get their shine on.
That's why you will see a lot of solo and individual
projects coming out of LCOB productions. My role in the
project will be providing beats or my opinion on tracks.
Wu-International: Thanks for those answers,
lets talk more about you, how did you fall into your
respective craft?
Stretch: I started out rappin, with friends.
We always rhymed over instrumentals, No one I knew made
beats. As I became more serious about music, I started
acquiring pieces of equipment. I remember I got a turntable
setup for a qp, a dirt. After that I gotta tape deck, then a
sampler and added on from there. I really liked making beats
and choppin shit. In 2000, I coped my first MPC. That was it
from there.
Wu-International: You said you started off
emceeing? other things you might do as well as in
engineering or other aspect of the lture?
Stretch: Yes,
I started out rhyming.
I'm featured on the 911 report on the song "Insurgentz".
I am not saying that I don't rap anymore, but right now
beats is where my heart is at. I dabble with engineering,
but I don't claim it. I know graffiti writers and my 8 year
old son has some nasty break dancing skills. My life is
filled with it.
Wu-International: What’s the origin and
meaning behind your name Stretch The Mad Scientist?
Stretch: Stretch is a neighbourhood nickname.
As for the Mad Scientist part, my homie Vengeance came up
with it. He would come in the lab and I would be like adding
memory or an expansion card to something. He be like your
like, "your a mad scientist". I stay in the lab, dissecting
, rebuilding, choppin & creating.
Wu-International: You are also known as Duwop, any
other aliases you like to share with us?
Stretch:
Duwop is what they use to
call me at Love Park from my skateboarding days. So it was
only right when I linked back up with Sul, that we put that
on the album.
Wu-International: Which producers in the game do you
admire or inspire you?
Stretch:
Primo, Rza, 4th Diciple,
Havoc, Alchemist, Dr. Dre, Hi-Tek, Stoupe, Pete Rock, shit I
grew up listening to. As long as its banging. I get inspired
by it.
Wu-International:
It is not new for in-house producers to be working on solo
projects such as compilations, soundtracks or instrumental
albums, are you working on any solo projects you would like
to share with us now please (features, title, time line
etc)?
Stretch: I will be starting work on a compilation
album. Which will consists mainly of LCOB members and
affiliates titled "Down to a Science" A project with
Vengeance is currently in the works and tracks on group
members solo efforts.
Wu-International: Thanks, Anything you would like to
share with the fans that have not already been covered in
this interview?
Stretch: Keep supporting music with substance. You
are the ones who keep it going.
Wu-International: Thanks a lot for your time,
any last words, shout outs, etc
Stretch:
Thanks to the fans, my fam, Lost Children of Babylon,
Wu-international for the interview.
Catch up with The Lost Children of Babylon
http://lcobproductions.com/
www.myspace.com/thelostchildrenofbabylon
Related Interviews:
Lost Children Of Babylon Series
#1
[Rasul Allah 7] -
The Face of The Golden Falcon Interview [21st
Oct 2010]
#2 [Cosmic Crusader] -
Cosmic Calculations Interview [29th
Oct 2010]
#3 [Atun Seb Geb] -
Right Rhyming Interview
[3rd Nov 2010]
#4 [Jon Murdock] -
The Foundation Part
1 Interview [11th Nov 2010]
#5 [Lex Starwind] -
The Foundation Part
2 Interview [18th Nov 2010]
#6 [Ancient Kemet] -
The Alchemist Interview [25th Nov 2010]
#7 [White Lotus] -
Chief Of The Lotus
Clan [30th Nov 2010]
#8 [Stretch] - The Mad Scientist [06 December 2010]
Other Related Interviews: Lost Children of Babylon
[Amun Sen
Hotep Re [aka Bigga Dre] - Broken Silence: Truth Revealed]
[LCOB -
Righteous Politics With The Lost Children Of Babylon]
<Read Other Interviews> |
