A new beginning

My dream of becoming a music producer began unknowingly as I picked up a trumpet for the first time at the age of 9.  Learning to read sheet music was very interesting but not near as interesting as creating my own.  I also started to really get into hip hop music at that age, setting my boombox next to my tv so that I could all the latest songs.  Around that time, my dad started to teach me where the music of hip hop actually came from through his collection of albums, 8-tracks, and cassettes.  I still remember vividly the cassette he recorded for me with the entire Thriller album on one side and the greatest hits of WAR.  It was also a time when the house was filled with the sounds of Prince, Curtis Mayfield, and Al Green.  Beautiful music!  The sound of RZA and the Wu-Tang Clan, however, set me on the path to become a producer.  Once I heard the opening to C.R.E.A.M, I was immediately hooked and had to have everything RZA put out.  I didn't quite understand how he created his magic but I studied every song of his I could get my hands on.  After becoming a fan of Master P and hearing him stress the importance of owning your own masters and record label, I decided I would create a record production company at the age 13.  That company is Assorted Flavor Entertainment.  When I was 16, I got my first set of turntables as a Christmas gift.  I was in complete heaven.  I already amassed a little vinyl collection and now would sit and attempt to be DJ Q-Bert and MixMaster Mike as I would cut and scratch records.  After graduating high school the following year, I purchased my first sampling keyboard and began producing beats.  I later bought a sampler and a drum machine and created an album with my friends called "Navigator Wishes and Lexus Dreams".  I found a copy and listened to it a month or so ago. Its not the best but its not the worst either.  I remember attempting to sell that album hand to hand, out of Star Wars backpacks, trying to be like Too Short and E-40 but my product wasn't that well received.  I continued to make music for friends, having recording sessions in my living room but nothing ever really took off. At the age of 19, I was given the opportunity to build a recording studio in my high school.  The studio and the after school program I created, TALL Live!, provided many students and chance to record songs and produce music.  During the second year of the program, I produced two album; a hip hop album called "Tha Franchise" with group of five students who were rappers and a R&B album called "Until the Day" which featured the vocal talents of six students.  "Until the Day" is still a special album to me as I produced all the music and wrote every song except three.  During this time, I continued to work on my own projects, trying to hone my sounds.  During the final year of the program, I was blessed to work with a student named Derrick and together we made an truly exceptional album "Tha Real Midwest".  I still listen to that album to this day.  Its heartbreaking at times as Derrick passed away the year after we made it.  I had ideas for the follow up but it would never materialize.  I worked with another student with major talent for rapping named George.  George never completed the album we were working on together but is still releasing music today!  I completed a lot of instrumental projects during the time of TALL Live!  Some will see the light of day in the coming weeks and months.  Once the studio closed, I was very burned out on music and didn't want to create or compose anymore.  That didn't stop everyone else from asking me to produce for them and mix their records.  After listening to some of my old beat tapes a couple years ago, I found myself with the itch to create again.  My plan is create and release a mixtape, goKARTS!, by the end of 2015.  Follow this blog for updates, uploads, and great music!