Will Make Beats For Food

Video Soul: "Renaissance Musician" - K Fanat

2012-02-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

Aiight...now this jawn right here is REAL special to me. Not just because K is my dude or because I produced the track but because I directed the video! Now, that may not sound amazing to you but it's amazing to me because I don't know how to direct videos! But when you're like me and you live by my motto of "one monkey don't stop no show" and cats front on you for shooting videos or wanna charge you like they're Hype Williams (and they're not), you'll learn how to shoot videos yourself too. So throughout this process of producing 9 albums that'll be dropping this year (yup, 9 albums) I've gone from just being a producer, to being an engineer, a web designer, a photographer, a promoter and now a videographer. And the dope thing about wearing all of these hats is now that I know how to do it, I don't have to come outta pocket to pay anybody else to do it for me. It's like once you learn how to change your car's oil, I'm sure you're never going back to Midas and paying $35 to get someone else to do it. And you'll probably be kicking yourself for all those years you were paying $35 to get it done! And that's how I feel right about now. And outta everything that I've done with my music, my writings and me and Roz's marriage work, this video right here, this is the thing I'm the most proud of myself for. And that's because I can make beats, write and talk about marriage with my eyes closed but like I said I came into shooting this video with absolutely NO idea of what I was doing. And to be honest, I think the jawn came out pretty dope, what ya'll think?

Respect: Whitney Houston

2012-02-11T23:57:00.000-05:00

I can't front, I was never a HUGE Whitney fan but there were certain songs that she dropped throughout her career that I ABSOLUTELY loved! Plus she was the ORIGINAL ride or die chick for my generation cause she held B. Brown down to the fullest! R.I.P. to a musical legend. Salute.

Houston, We Have A Problem: Raheem DeVaughn

2012-02-11T13:02:00.000-05:00

Raheem STAYS killing the game and I bet money that his EP "Love Destination" dropping Valentine's Day will keep that tradition alive...

"Be The One" - Raheem DeVaughn featuring Snoop

Movies On Demand: "Brooklyn Boheme"

2012-02-11T00:00:00.007-05:00

Ft. Greene, Brooklyn holds a VERY special place in my heart and in my life. Every summer from the time I was in 3rd grade to 8th grade I spent my summers in "The Fort." My aunt lived on South Portland and Dekalb Avenue, 2 blocks away from Brooklyn Tech and across the street from Ft. Greene park. My summers were spent riding bikes with my cousins all throughout BK, going to Chinatown with my cousin Kaylon (aka MC Tax) so his pop could buy us fireworks for the 4th and listening to Mr. Magic and Marley Marl and Kool DJ Red Alert. The CRAZY thing is my moms would give me money to last me the ENTIRE summer and I would spend it in the first week on vinyl! (some things don't change...just ask my wife) As soon as I would land in Brooklyn my first stop (before I even got to my aunt's house) was the legendary record store Beat Street in downtown BK and for the rest of the summer I would have to beg my aunt to pay for me to do stuff and not tell my moms I spent all of my money. Brooklyn may not be the place where I fell in love with hip hop but it's mos def the place that help nurtue my love for the culture. All of that to say that Nelson George's (who is a dope writer) documentary "Brooklyn Boheme" based around my favorite neighborhood in BK, is a real, real, real DOPE watch. Trust me, if you're an artistic person like me, this is the kind of documentary that you can watch over and over and over again...

Classic Material: "My Dark Twisted Fantasy" - Kanye West

2012-02-10T00:00:00.004-05:00

Kanye is a musical genius and there's NOTHING anyone can tell me differently. And his latest release "My Dark Twisted Fantasy" just helps to prove my point. This dude is the only one in the game in my opinion who still hustles like he's unsigned. I mean, dude is a one man record label. This dude writes rhymes, make beats, promote like crazy, comes up with the concepts for his own videos, etc. And speaking of promotions, the whole "Good Friday" jawns had the entire internet waiting around all week to see what gem 'Ye was gonna drop (and don't front like ya'll wasn't) and had EVERYBODY from Timbaland to Swizz Beatz trying to do a "Monster Monday" or "Timbaland Tuesday." And just peeping his story of recording "MDTF" in Complex had me amazed. It was like dude was running a boot camp over in Hawaii! While the average artist of 'Ye's caliber (and it ain't many) doesn't even wanna go in the studio, 'Ye is in the studio 24 hours a day! And to me, that's just ANOTHER reason why 'Ye has been the most important MC over the last 12 years. Check this out to find out the other reasons...

Now back to the album, the thing I enjoyed most about "MDTF" was how even though 'Ye is one of the biggest pop artist in the world this album is MUCH more hip hop than it was pop. (unlike "Watch the Throne" which was the EXACT opposite) And you can tell that as soon as the Rza produced "Dark Fantasy" drops to set the album off. I mean how many pop stars are gonna have Raekwon the Chef on their album? None except 'Ye. And whether it's Ye's 2 posse cuts (pop stars have posse cuts?) with "Monster" (that actually showed me that Nicki Minaj can actually rhyme) and "So Appalled", the drums on "Power" or Bink lacing 'Ye with my favorite beat since "Hector was a pup" (a saying my moms always said) for "Devil In A New Dress" there's NO way you can't say this album isn't hip hop. And even when the album has it's "pop" moments with "All of The Lights" the song is still a BANGER! And don't get me started on the "Blame Game"...I mean, who else in hip hop (except Joe Budden) lets you into their life like 'Ye does? The song makes you feel like a fly on the wall while "Ye and Amber (and Chris Rock) break up right in front of our faces. Who does that? And trust, I'm not giving "MDTF" 5 mics cause 'Ye does stuff that other rappers/pop stars don't (but that does play a role) but because it's a dope album with REALLY good songs. And I think that's one thing cats fail to realize in making a album nowadays. It's not just about rhyming over a beat but actually making "songs" and that's one thing that 'Ye has perfected. And making good songs is what separates 4 mic albums from 5 mic albums. 'Nuff said.

My favorite song on the album is EASILY "Devil In A New Dress" cause this beat is just SICKENING and the way Ross comes in on this don't make NO sense...

Video Soul: "The Good Fight" - Phonte

2012-02-09T22:33:00.000-05:00

Most folk who know me, know I don't really fool with 9th Wonder like that but I mess with this jawn. Phonte is EASILY in my top 5 of MC's walking the planet...

Milk Crates: "Dooinit" - Common/Rick James

2012-02-09T00:01:00.002-05:00

This week's Milk Crates goes out to the late great J. Dilla. I remember when I sparked the 12" for Common's "Dooinit" at WEAA and I listened to it over and over AND over again. Remember, Com's "One Day It'll All Make Sense" was a classic in my eyes and I was feenin' for some new Com. And after hearing that he was gonna be working with Dilla on his new album, I was even more hype. So, from the door I loved "Doinit", I loved Com's rhymes, the beat, the whole song. But what stood out the most to me was the bassline. Now anybody who knows Dilla's works KNOWS his basslines are ALWAYS ill so I figured it was Dilla just being Dilla. And it was, just not the way I thought. I forgot how I found out where the bassline came from (probably from Quest over at okayplayer) but when I heard he chopped up Rick Jame's bassline from "Give It To Me" I was like "naaaaaw...it can't be." And for a split second I must have forgotten who produced this jawn cause doing what was done to make this beat, is RIGHT up Dilla's alley. So, when cats ask me why Dilla is my number 2...this is just one of the MILLION reason why...

"Give It To Me Baby" - Rick James

"Dooinit" - Common (Produced by Jay Dee aka J. Dilla)

Nuthin' But The Music: The Main Ingredient Instrumentals

2012-02-09T00:00:00.002-05:00

I KNOW the entire hip hop world swears by "Mecca and the Soul Brothers" and so do I but on any given day, I like "The Main Ingredient" just as much. I know, I know...it wasn't better than "Mecca..." but it was a damn good follow up for Pete and C.L. and I wasn't mad at it by ANY means. If you're into beats like I am, sit back and enjoy some of Pete's best work...

Link:
The Main Ingredient Instrumentals

Unplugged: Raphael Saadiq VH1 Soulstage

2012-02-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

Raphael Saadiq is the dopest soul dude in the game...PERIOD. Like I always tell cats, this dude has been making CLASSICS since I was 15 years old in the 10th grade with Tony Toni Tone and he's still making CLASSICS to this day and I'm 37! Who's messing with that kinda track record? Check out Saadiq doing his thing on Vh1 Soulstage...

Respect: J. Dilla

2012-02-07T02:09:00.000-05:00

Gotta send a birthday shout out to one of the GREATEST producers of ALL TIMES J Dilla! I can't begin to tell you how much this dude has influenced me as a producer or how much his death affected me as a fan. And not only did Dilla influence damn near EVERYBODY he came in contact with but this dude left us an INCREDIBLE catalog of GREAT music that stretches beyond hip hop to SO many other genres of music. If you're coming to this site, than 9 times outta 10 you should know about Dilla but for that 1 person who doesn't, download my Jay Dee vs. J. Dilla doulble CD mixtape and be prepared to enjoy the rest of your day, week, month, year, etc. Salute to a master, a trendsetter, a game changer and most importantly, a father.

My fave Dilla jawns (in no particular order)

Classic Hoop Dreams: Georgetown vs. Arkansas '94 - Iverson's 1st College Game

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Check out Iverson's first game for John Thompson's Hoyas vs. Nolan Richardson's reigning National Champion Razorbacks...

Back To The Lab: Vegas

2012-02-06T00:01:00.004-05:00

Me and Vegas linked up this past weekend to put the finishing touches on "You're All Welcome" our follow up to "The Grey Area" and here's a few shots I got up as well as a quick video of us listening to the newest song from the album called "The Get Back." We're looking at a Summer 2012 release date so please support when it drops and trust me...this album is BANANAS! And I KNOW I say that about all of the releases I've produced but I'm SO blessed to be working with so many talented MC's, singers and poets that all of them are bananas! What can I say? My team is nice! And just to prove my point, check out this jawn "The Social Network" me and Vegas recorded this weekend that'll be on "You're All Welcome"...

"The Social Network" - Vegas (Produced by Kil)

Soul Train Line: Toni Braxton

2012-02-06T00:00:00.006-05:00

I don't know where to get started with Ms. Toni Braxton. I LOVE this chick! My man asked me a minute ago if I could produce for any MC, hip hop group, male singer, female singer, etc. who would it be. And on the female singer tip, I didn't even have to think about it, Ms. Braxton EASY! My man was like "not Beyonce, Alicia Keys or Rihanna?" Naw...screw them, (but Alicia would be my 2nd pick, she's SOOOOOOO hip hop you can't help but love Ms. Keys) if I was after a BIG check then yeah, of course B and Rihanna would be my pick but if I'm trying to make some GOOD music, then I'm rocking with Toni. Why you ask? Easy. If you read my D'Angelo piece then you'd know that back in the day I didn't rock with R&B like that ('cept for Jodeci, Mary J. Blige and Boyz 2 Men...for the later, I am from Philly) but there was something dope about Ms. Braxton and I'm not just talking about her looks. The thing I loved about Toni's songs were they were actually saying something and I've ALWAYS been a sucka for a song with a concept. "Love Should've Brought You Home", "Breath Again" and "7 Whole Days" were ALL INCREDIBLE songs. And I know the bulk of that goes to Babyface's writing ability but Toni's voice plays a HUGE part in those songs too. To me Toni Braxton is to Babyface, what C.L. Smooth is to Pete Rock, the best to ever do it over their production. I always tell my wife (who's a singer/songwriter) that to me it's not always about who's the best singer but sometimes it's about who has a beautiful voice. (for example, I think Dawn from En Vogue/Lucy Pearl has a BEAUTIFUL sexy voice but she's not a GREAT singer) And I know that after Toni's debut album it seems like her popularity went downhill with every release but don't sleep...Toni Braxton still has some bangers in her chamber.

I'd LOVE to executive produce Toni's next album cause I feel like her past 3 albums have been bricks (there are some good songs here and there) because she's trying to keep up with the jones instead of catering to her core audience which is women 35-50. Toni dancing around half naked in her "Please" video is cool for the dudes but how many of those dudes are buying your album? One...which would be me. Plus, when those 35-50 year old women see their men drooling over Toni half naked whether she's in a magazine or her videos, those same women who used to be her fans now start hating on her cause after 2 kids and "life" they don't have them same body they did when they were 17-18 when Toni first came on the scene. So basically Toni has alienated her core fan base. See, I'd have Toni singing about real life issues. Being married. Going through a divorce. Having a kid with autism. Her health issues. Things that her audience could relate to. To me that's why those women loved Toni, cause they could relate to her. When Toni was singing "Love Should've Brought You Home" that was women's theme song. And THAT'S what Toni has to do, get back to making theme songs and anthems for women. I'm telling you, get me and Toni in the lab with the producers I run with and our writing team...TRUST we'll bang out a classic. Toni, get at me...for real ma!

Check out my personal Fave 5 of Toni Braxton bangers (in no order)...

Toni Braxton - Hands Tied
- Watch more Music Videos at Vodpod.

And while you're here, you might as well download my best of Toni Braxton...
Tracklisting:
Breath Again
You're Making Me High
Love Should've Brought You Home
Pulse
He Wasn't Man Enough For Me
Unbreak My Heart
Seven Whole Days
Please
Hands Tied
Still Breathing
How Many Ways
Take This Ring
Yesterday
Lies, Lies, Lies
I Love Me Some Him
Let Me Show You The Way
Clock Work
Another Sad Love Song

Link:
The Best of Toni Braxton

Video Soul: "Still Standing" - Pharoahe Monch

2012-02-05T23:57:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite MC's EVER drops his 3rd video "Still Standing" featuring Philly's finest Ms. Jill Scott from his slept on album "W.A.R."

The Swap Meet: The Human Spider

2012-02-05T22:52:00.001-05:00

During the past year, I've been blessed that the traffic to willmakebeats has picked up BEYOND belief! I'm getting more cats coming through on the daily and from all over the planet at that. (who knew cats from Russia, the Netherlands and Ukraine would be coming through here on the norm?) Which of course has helped me to get my music into a lot more people's hands. And throughout the years I've met a RACK of producers who are just like me and are trying to get their beats out there for people to hear. So I wanted to start showcasing other producer's beats and prayerfully get them some looks, some more work and some more loot in their pockets. First up is a dude I met through Twitter called The Human Spider outta Atlantic City, New Jersey who's got some heat. So check out his January beat sampler and if you feeling something get at him @ the humanspider13@gmail.com. BTW, I call this the Swap Meet cause some of the rarest records I've copped are from flea markets. So while other cats looks down on flea markets/swap meets, I think they're the spots where you can find the most gems...

Video Soul: "Everyday In the Streets" - El Da Sensei featuring Tame One

2012-02-05T01:00:00.000-05:00

Let me find out that one of the illest groups from the 90's who checked in with one of my favorite hip hop bangers "The Wrong Side of the Tracks" got something new out...

Video Soul: "Dental Work" - The Buze Brothers

2012-02-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

Now THIS is hip hop! Check out my peoples from Philly The Buze Brother's new jawn "Dental Work." Hip hop don't get much better than this...

Unplugged: D'angelo Live in Paris '12 Part 2

2012-02-02T02:12:00.001-05:00

Here's D's ENTIRE Paris show from January 29 2012 featuring his new band The Testimony. The medley of Jonz in My Bonz, Spanish Joint, Me and Those Dreamy Eyes, Cruisin, Higher, One Mo Gin and Untitled is worth the download ALONE! I'm putting it out there in the air right now...we're getting a new D'Angelo album this year! Props to the good folk over at Funk It for the GREAT music!

Tracklisting:
1. Playa Playa
2. Feel Like Makin’ Love
3. Ain’t That Easy
4. Devil’s Pie
5. Chicken Grease
6. The Line/The Root
7. The Charade
8. I’ve Been Watching You
9. Shit, Damn, Motherfucker
10. Solo medley: Jonz In My Bonz/Spanish Joint/Me and Those Dreamin’ Eyes of Mine/Cruisin/ Higher/One Mo’Gin/Untitled
11. Another Life
12. Sugah Daddy
13. Space Oddity
14. Brown Sugar

D'Angelo and The Testomony - Live in Paris 1/29/12

I Can't Call It: "Vodka and Ayahuasca" - Gangreen

2012-02-02T00:00:00.001-05:00

I can't front, I've been hearing about Gangreen for a minute and never bothered checking them out. Which is bugged cause Alchemist is my 2nd favorite producer over the past 12 years. But for some reason I never checked for him and Oh No's group. Probably because I'm not a HUGE fan of Alchemist rhyming and to be honest, I know absolutely NOTHING about the dude Oh No except he's Madlib's little brother. So you put those two facts together and that's why Gangreen's never got any run over this way. Plus with my new millennium music philosophy that if something is dope enough that it'll get to me and since NO ONE has ever got at me on some ole "you don't know what you're missing with this Gangreen" I figured I was good. That is til I checked out their new album "Vodka and Ayahuasca." So what made me check out Gangreen's new album if I've never checked for them before? Probably timing. Right now, there's not really any new music out and I wanted to hear something new and it was the only thing that's dropped since the New Year so I figured I don't have nothing to lose.

I was trying to find a way to explain the sound of "V & A" when I heard Oh No spit "this is a acid trip/rancher spit/psychedelic cancer with some packs of sh-t" to set off the title track "Vodka and Ayahuasca" and that basically sums up the album right there. This album's sound is a mixture between some acid psychedelic type ish. I've explained beats numerous different (sick, bananas, crazy, etc.) ways usually depending on the producer and how the MC's spits on it but the only word that comes to mind throughout the entire album is "disgusting." These beats are disgusting and trust me, they're disgusting in a VERY good way. "V & A" sets off with "Gladiator Music" featuring Kool G. Rap and has Oh No setting the album off lovely with "I'm a gladiator/I'll grab a hater like al-qaeda/pray to your savior and meet thy maker/I'll rain razors/stain pavements with brains hanging/like Wes Craven/made it West favorite/flagrant I'm foul/the foul mouth faded/Cali wild style of sparring/rip apart ya'll/like 300 Spartans and 2 arsons"...SMDH, and I haven't been checking for this dude? I must be the one that's high out my mind. The beat for "Flame Throwers" is STUPID and has Al and Oh No going in but again it's Oh No who steals the show with lines like "see me, I'm a pot smoker/I cannot be sober/I'm a lye soldier/locked in a cockpit, leaned over/corrupt ambition/air force of the old novas." "Drink It Up" featuring Roc Marciano makes you instantly scrunch up your face cause of the beat and these dude's rhymes mesh with these beats like they're cut from the same cloth. "Auralac Bags", "Due Work" and "Odd Cracked" all fall in line with the disgusting (there's that word again) bangers I've already broken down and when Prodigy and Evidence check in on "Dump Trunk" and "Dark Shades" they both helps to keep the party going. To be honest and I hate to say it, the only downfall on "V & A" is Alchemist's rhymes. It's so apparent that money is not a MC. He's a producer who can drop a good 16 here and there but when you put him next to Oh No and other MC's for an entire album it's apparent money don't belong. But even Al's lyrical shortcomings can't stop this album being the banger it is. But like I said earlier, that there was nothing to lose with checking out "V & A" and I was right, there's ABSOLUTELY nothing to lose but a whole lot more to gain.

4 outta 5

John Legend on ESPN's First Take

2012-02-01T23:10:00.000-05:00

John Legend sits down with Stephen A. and Skip Bayless to chop it up about Tim Tebow, Blake Griffin's Dunk on Perk and Tom Brady's legacy. I'm just pissed they let John sit on on the whole show and only let my dude Joe Budden get 20 minutes...SMH.

Uplugged: D'Angelo Live in Paris '12

2012-02-01T21:22:00.002-05:00

D' showing cats he still got it. Still praying we can get "James River" (or whatever it's called now) this year...

Respect: Don Cornelius

2012-02-01T15:00:00.000-05:00

This cat changed the entire music game for black folk...I can't even imagine what black music would be like if it wasn't for Don. R.I.P. and much respect. Check out this documentary on exactly how Don changed the game...

Unplugged: The Chapelle Show with Erykah Badu

2012-02-01T00:08:00.001-05:00

I remember when my sister Ella first hit me up telling me about Dave Chapelle's new show on Comedy Central and how funny it was and I was like "naw, I'm good. I don't mess with dude." And I REALLY didn't. I've NEVER been a fan of Dave Chapelle's stand up so I figured his show wouldn't be good either. But El kept on me like "yo...this show is HILARIOUS! And maaaaaaaaaaan was I wrong. No need to dive into how good The Chapelle Show was because Seasons 1 and 2 were beyond classic. But outside of Dave giving me something to laugh and talk about for the rest of the week, Dave would also give me a chance to see some of my favorite MC's and singers perform. One of my favorite performances was Ms. Erykah "On and On" Badu as 3000 would say performing "Back In The Day" and my favorite E. Badu song EVER "I Want You" off her EP "Worldwide Underground"...

The Promo: "Renaissance Musician" EP - Khalim aka K Fanat

2012-01-31T00:05:00.000-05:00

The only thing I love more than making music is actually releasing it. And today we're dropping Khalim aka K Fanat's newest EP "Renaissance Musician" produced by yours truly to the masses through my Bandcamp Page for FREE to help promote his debut album "Right Back At It" which will FINALLY be dropping Spring/Summer 2012 through Illmuzik Records and Naomi Needs to Eat Music Group. "Renaissance Musician" consists of 5 FRESHLY cooked bangers out the lab that me and K have been grinding hard to complete for the past 2 months, so please come through and download your FREE copy and enjoy some dope hip hop. Also check out K sitting down to chop up about how his 2nd 12" with Hydra Records "Blowing Up Spots" b/w "My Style" came about, the time Def Jam president Lyor Cohen came through his apartment in Brooklyn to chop it up and what lead to his fall out with Hydra Records...

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://kil889.bandcamp.com/album/renaissance-musician-ep-dirty"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Renaissance Musician EP (Dirty) by Khalim aka K Fanat&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

January's Hip Hop Quoatble: Nas

2012-01-31T00:00:00.004-05:00

A project minded individual criminal tactics
Us blacks kids born with birth defects, we hyperactive
Mentally sex-crazed dysfunctional they describe us
They liars, the end of the day, we fucking survivors
I remember watching Scarface the first time
Look at that big house, that Porsche paid for by crime
How could I sell this poison to peoples in my mind
They dumb to destroy themselves is how I rationalise
In a bastardised nation, Magnum 4.5 carrying
Where I’m from, aint far from Washington Heights the cop Aryan
A rookie boy the cookie didn’t make no profit
A stranger to the block I damn near had to make them cop it
It only took a fiend to taste it once to say it’s garbage
I brought it back to poppy, aint tryna take no losses
He focuses on my emotionless young dealer face then pauses
He gives me powder he has faith in Nas'
Ambition’s to distribute coke
Had additions to gold chains, Mercedes Benz hopes
But I’m again broke
This shit ain't cut for me, other dealers they up their orders
Barely at 62′s they already up they quotas
They out there everyday, some true hustlas for ya
I’m at it halfway, none of my customers are loyal
Picturin’ piping out the seats of a Pathfinder
Powerful pursuit for pussy cash, the flash diamonds
My junior high school class, wish I stayed there
Illegal entrepreneur I got my grades there
Blaming society, man it wasn’t made fair
I would be Ivy League if America played fair
Poor excuse and so I was
Throwin’ rocks at the pen just for the love
Evil the secret life of G’s
You seeing my blurry, triple beam dreams

"Triple Beam Dreams" - Rick Ross featuring Nas (Produced by Justice League)