In The Crates by Hubert Sawyers III, 7/31/07

While it seems like anyone can get a hit single if they’re supplying tunes that fit the current sonic trends, it’s good to know that there are artists still gaining ground career-wise by just working hard and paying dues. Jake One is one of those hard-working producers making a name for himself the good ol’ fashioned way. With an extensive discography that towers over many of his peers, Jake is finally getting the kind of clientèle that many would commit heinous crimes to attain. You would be hard-pressed to find another person that can say folks like De La Soul, 50 Cent, MF DOOM, Rah Digga and E-40 have graced tracks that they’ve made. With an upcoming project on the Rhymesayers record label, this is a perfect time to get to know more about this individual topping the “Who’s Next” list everywhere.
I recently linked up with Jake One and chopped it up with him via e-mail.

Drop Magazine: I’d like to know what motivates your music these days.
Jake One: Really kind of depends on my mood. When I’m sampling, I’ll play some records while I’m playing X-Box 360 and hopefully something will jump out at me. Doing stuff with musicians is a bit different in that I usually have an idea I want to work on. I’ll take that and work on it later on the ASR. Generally speaking I’m motivated to make music by two things. Money and some song or beat that I wish I would have come up with.

DM: Ah okay, I get the competitive side of things. I can even see the capitalistic side, but being that your success has been on the independent level, where the backpackers dwell, I’m sure they’ll be curious about the idea of money motivating your work. Would you care to elaborate?
JO: I think anybody is lying if they don’t consider money to be a motivating factor in their career. The money doesn’t make me do anything that I don’t want to creatively but being successful financially gives me the freedom to focus on music full time. If I can’t pay my bills by doing music, I have to go get a job and that is going to take time away from being creative. I’m sure I’ll have to go back to work at some point but it’s nice to be able to put forth all my energy on making music right now. A lot of underground fans have some distorted perception that making money isn’t “keepin’ it real”. LOL. 95% of the underground artists that I work are dying to have their music on a major label. I do have a producer album coming out on Rhymesayers that features a lot of the artists I wanted to work with. It’s a random collection of people that I’m trying to make fit together. I got everybody from Young Buck, MOP, Freeway to Brother Ali and MF DOOM on it.

DM: Being involved in music myself, I have found that people tend to hover around situations where they think they can derive the most success. I am sure you probably have witnessed this very phenomenon, which may have put you in some interesting situations. Do you feel as if you’re in a position to really put people on? Do you feel that you’re “on?”
JO: That’s a difficult one because the perception is much different than reality in terms of who is “on”. I personally don’t feel I’m “on”. I’m working consistently and making a good living but I don’t really get many opportunities off of my name or discography. I have to earn my way on to most projects. The definition of “on” can also change depending on who you’re around and what they do.

I get a lot of people who want me to put them “on” but for the most part I can’t press a button and make anything happen. If I genuinely believe in somebody’s music I’ll point them in the right direction more than anything. It’s kind of ill to think certain people look at me as some sort of ticket. I have too many talented friends who have more than paid their dues struggling to help to be helping guys I don’t know. I do think the younger generation has no concept of paying dues. They think you can skip all the steps by sending somebody a MySpace message but it really doesn’t work like that. In the end the speakers do not lie. (Copyright NO Id)

DM: I’d even be interested to know why didn’t (or did you?) you use more slaps in your beats since that was your thing a while back.
JO: I go through phases every couple months and sometimes I’ll do 30 beats of a certain style and they’ll never see the light of day. The slap thing came from E-40. He likes what he calls my “diggin’ in the crates” slaps and it had me laughing for awhile. Even though most of my stuff to date has been considered more “hip hop” or “east coast” sounding, I grew up loving west coast rap. I’ve been trying to bring that out a bit more.

DM: Maybe you would like to talk about more serious issues like race and politics in hip hop or why aren’t there more females involved in hip hop?
JO: Man I stay away from all that stuff for the most part. Being a white producer its funny how often I’ll meet somebody and they have no idea I’m white! I know I stick out a lot of times to my peers but it doesn’t bother me at all. I’m comfortable being who I am and don’t try to hard to impress rap people. A lot of white people in rap try to hard to be something they aren’t and end up going indie rock or some shit later in life. LOL.

As far as politics, I was raised by hippies so I have my opinions but I never really got off into it. Music and sports has always been my thing.

DM: So Jake, I too am a fellow beat digger. I don’t make beats though, but I gather that you are somewhat of a record fanatic yourself. It’s some addiction we have, hunh?
JO: I probably like buying records more than I like doing music at times. I have traveled the world to buy records and it never gets old to me. I am trying to stop buying things based off of rarity though. It’s a sickness chasing the same records for 10 years because the cover looks dope.

DM: Now I notice that your sample selection isn’t restricted to the über-rare sample, probably since you work with artists with production budgets that they can use to clear samples. I would imagine you’ve got a solid collection? In your line of work now, do you feel that you even dig for beats anymore?
JO: I still buy records all the time, especially when I travel. I have somewhere between 7,500 and 10,000. I think I’m going to cut it down to like 5,000. I really don’t listen to 90% of em. As far as what records I sample, I don’t really discriminate at all. It’s not like anybody is clearing samples on an indie level, so that doesn’t enter in the equation. I’ve cleared some stuff for major label artists but I’ve also been doing beats with musicians as well. I’ve also been fortunate to acquire a bunch of multi tracks from the Stax catalog which I’ve been working with a lot. I did two beats for Freeway’s new album off of those. Whatever works I’m rolling with.

DM: Will we see Jake One the true producer in the future? Or have we?
JO: I’m just trying to have a masterpiece album that I shape from start to finish. I’ve proven that I can make beats all day, doing a whole record is the next phase.

I’m finishing my album for Rhymesayers called “White Van Music” and it’s my first chance to make ALL the decisions. I’m happy with it so far and I think its representative of what I’m about as far as hip hop music. I got the whole spectrum of rap on it. Young Buck, De La Soul, MOP, Freeway, MF DOOM, E-40 etc… Just basically the rappers I like.

DM: Sounds like a monster of a project! Well Jake, I won’t hold you up much longer. Thanks for talking to us.

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