PRODUCTION BLOCK
featuring the hottest Hip Hop Production!
This
is the spot where you'll see upcoming producers as well as established veterans
in the game.
Alot of people don't know what goes into production. This will be the section
where we feature the
hottest producers on the scene. Each month we'll bring to you a new producer
along with their background.
THIS MONTH'S FEATURE IS: DAME
GREASE
When the book on hip-hop
production is written, Dame Grease will hold the right to a whole chapter.
Why? Because when the hip-hop world milked almost every sample known
to man, Dame Grease made a left turn and chose to stay free of sampling.
Because when the music industry chose to ignore what music the streets
had to offer, Grease took it upon himself to produce and develop acts;
most have gone on towards sales in the millions.
Before he became a prominent
producer, Dame Grease was a local rapper who roamed the streets of Harlem
with a local crew of ambitious emcees. It was during a time when he
and his crew, N.I.B, were heavily relying on local producers to supply
them with sounds. Growing frustrated at the fact that most producers
couldn't accommodate the crew with the sound suitable for their raps,
Grease took production matters into his own hands and started making
the beats. It was with production that Grease began channeling his love
of Public Enemy's Bomb Squad, N.W.A's Dr. Dre as well as the Native
Tongue Movement of the early 90's into a rugged, yet eclectic soundscape
that would eventually make its mark in
the years to come.
Dame Grease's official
entry into the game of rap began while he was working with a group
of upstarts that would go on to become one of the biggest dynasties
in the rap world.
The Ruff Ryders. When rap-heavyweight, DMX, made his mark in 1997, it
was Dame Grease aggressive backgrounds that provided the rapper with
a podium to speak to the public to the tune of 3million records. Before
the Lox became staples in the world of street hip-hop, they too relied
on the sounds of Grease in order to acquire the street buzz that landed
them their deal on Bad Boy Records in 1996. Observing the results of
his work with the Lox, Hip-Pop upstart, Mase yearned for Greases distinct
flavor and gave him
the opportunity to provide production on Mase's triple platinum debut,
Harlem world.
Rather than becoming one
of Puff Daddy's legendary Hit Men, Dame Grease went on establish himself
as
a cutting edge producer with a promising future on the boards. By 1998,
Dame Grease had become one
of fastest rising producers; providing sounds for rap heavyweights like
Nas, DMX, Noreaga and Fat Joe all within week's time. By 1998, rapidly
advancing Grease felt that hip-hop production had hit a plateau. It
was in 98 that Grease decided to change his style. Known primarily for
his uncanny chopping of old records, Grease chose to put sampling on
the back burner and focus on sample-free production. Grease now made
the transition from beat-maker to full-fledged producer. During his
accession to producer, he taught and paved the way for another sample-free
producer to make his mark on the game with Swizz Beats.
As Swizz began to make his mark through the teaching of his mentor,
Dame Grease landed a deal
with Priority Records to release music through his label, Vacant Lot.
After releasing the compilation Vacant Lot Presents too critical
acclaim, Grease took a step back from a game in need of serious help.
The year 2000 was the year that Grease looked at his career and reevaluating
his position in the game. He laid low for a year and reflected on his
position in the hip-hop game as well as music in general.
The time off lead to Grease
providing sounds on a slew of movie soundtracks. In 2001 Dame Grease
made the accession from producer to composer by providing the score
for the Steven Segal/DMX blockbuster, Exit Wounds. By 2002, Dame Grease
reunited with DMX for his top-ten hit "Ain't No Sunshine",
an updated, yet much darker remake to the Bill Withers 1972 classic
of the same name.
In 2003, Grease took it back
to the street as his Vacant Lot productions released offerings from
Meeno, a soloist from the streets of Harlem. Grease also supplied the
score to the movie with Cradle to the Grave, starring international
action star Jet Li and rap heavyweight DMX. His most recent production
is from Cam'ron upcoming project- yet to be titled. , Styles P's "Time
is Money" Album, and DMX's " Here We Go Again" album.
His Production
Resume runs deep with some of the best.
CAMRON
STYLES P.
MCGRUFF
POSTERBOY
LORD TARIQ
LL COOL J
KELIS
YUKMOUTH
DAS EFX
DJ KAY SLAY
BIG STAN
Carl Thomas
DMX
EVE
MARY J. BLIGE
MS. TOI
CAPONE N NOREAGA
DAME GREASE PRESENTS MEENO
H.O.T. ONES
NAS
TRICKY With DJ MUGGS & GREASE
KASINO & THE LOX
HARLEM WORLD
SLICK RICK
Hot Totti
Wu Tang Clan
FAT JOE
THE LOX
MASE
MOVIES TURN IT
UP
EXIT WOUNDS
CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE
NEVER DIE ALONE