Str8HipHip

INTERVIEW AUDIO: 1. Young Jeezy - Don't Do It 2.

Interview By Kevin "Kayda" Luz (http://www.str8hiphop.com/user/54978)

SHH: Where are you from?

DJ Pain: Madison, WI.

SHH: What influenced you to choose music production as a career?

DJ Pain: A combination of a love for music (especially hip-hop), music lessons and the curiosity that comes with adolescence.

SHH: How did first fall in love with hip hop?

DJ Pain: As a child, my father would borrow CD's from the local library.  He ended up bringing home "Licensed to Ill" a few times and I was hooked.
 I ended up listening to a lot of hip-hop with my neighbors, who were the same age as I was-- Another Bad Creation, Snap, Hammer, etc.

SHH: Growing up what albums or artists influenced your art?

DJ Pain: It's hard to say!  I went through musical phases from oldies to hair metal to hip-hop to dancehall to gangsta rap to alternative rock... and this was all before I hit puberty.  I can definitely hear echos of Premier, RZA, Dilla, Pete Rock and Traxxster in my beats today, but all the music I've listened to throughout my life had an effect on me.

SHH: What kind of music do you listen too when your not listening to hip hop?

DJ Pain: Dancehall and adult contemporary.  They seem like polar opposites I guess, but I don't mind the jump from Aimee Mann to Elephant Man.

SHH: How would you describe your style/sound to the people?

DJ Pain: Organic in the sense that it changes quite a bit from day to day.
I've heard others describe my style as commercially viable yet still traditional hip-hop.  It's hard for me to step back from my music and describe it well.

SHH: How did you find out one of your beats made the YOUNG JEEZY "RECESSION" album?

DJ Pain: It's a funny story.  I actually had a vivid image of me, sitting at a desk at my job, working, and then receiving a call from my Manager informing me that I had made the album.  It actually happened exactly as I pictured it.

SHH: What did you do to celebrate your first placement?

DJ Pain: Initially?  I think I was more in shock then anything, so I kept it on the low... but word spread like wildfire.  So I eventually ran with it and organized an event at a local club... a DJ party of sorts with free giveaways (including copies of "The Recession") and general celebration.

SHH: What artists are you working with or developing?

DJ Pain: More than I can count.  Goddes and She, The Fall Guys, Lucha Libre, Bodaiga, Profound and the list goes on.

SHH: Who would you like to work with music both mainstream and underground?

DJ Pain: Dead Prez, Tori Amos, Chamillionaire, Tay Zonday, Baby Bash, Massive Attack, Passage (from Restiform Bodies), Brother Ali, pretty much anybody and everybody out there making good music.

SHH: What do you like to do outside of being in studio and creating music?

DJ Pain: Teaching English, playing shows, eating ice cream, fishing, reading, riding the bus.

SHH: Where can people check out some of your music?

DJ Pain: http://www.myspace.com/djpain1 & http://www.youtube.com/jacksonwonderful They can also contact me via myspace/youtube as well!!

SHH: Shout outs and thanks

DJ Pain: I have to give a BIG thanks to Brendan of Lavish Life Management for the Jeezy placement.  It's going to be a great year for us!  Thanks to NU and www.musicplacements.com, to Keven on the legal end, to Memory my fellow studio-rat, I Need a Raise Records, MC Starr, Goddes and she, J Rock, JD Garfield and Mahdee from Madison Jamz WJQM, J Stills, Lee from Asylum, my girl Christy, my parents and my Madison Hip-Hop community for the foundation and constant support.