so…after all the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received on their latest album Classics I had to have a chat with Ohkang of Blackreign & Ohkang (Detroit) to get the 411 on this this incredible piece of work.. heres the full break down to each of the songs..(feel free to skip to your fav songs if u want ;)… oh and might i add…this is especially interesting to the producers amongst u
oh,and while ur reading this..u might as well listen to Classics (free download link down bottom):
ISLH: How did the Album Classics come about?
Ohkang: Basically, it’s a Collage of material old and new we’ve been sittin on for the last 4-5 years that we finally decided to release. New tricks I learned as far as production and mixing that made the old recordings sound at bit new and clean, but wouldn’t loose that gritty feel of the songs.
ISLH: ok starting with the Intro…why did you have me do the intro??
Ohkang: LOL! Well..if you listen to all of our records with the exception of “The Booty Lp” were always announced by a woman that doesn’t speak English. Its one of our trademarks like, “You know its us!”
ISLH: Now, how did “ Where dey at” come about?
Ohkang: Where dey at was the last song recorded for that album. I used a program called “Mono Poly” that’s kinda like a moog synthesizer to produce it. When it was finished, I zoned out to it for at least 30mins on repeat before I modified it. Took it to Black’s crib, he immediately was like “Dayum! This sh*t is epic! We getting on this?” We sat on that track for a least a month before I attempted to write to it. Finally, I decided to approach it like as if cats were asking us where we been? Or what we been making lately? Because that’s usually the question they ask me(“They” will remain nameless. Don’t wanna put nobody on blast) That’s my favorite song on that album because of how everything is put together melody-wise.
ISLH: What about “Bloodindaclub ft Sk”?
Ohkang: Bloodindaclub was another joint used by the Mono Poly . I tend to blend simple and strong in a lot of my production and that’s what you hear. The beat is very simple, but its undeniably hard as hell, like literally nobody can deny those drums NOBODY! I wanted to make something where even the most underground hip hop cat, Cargo pants and all could not deny that beat. It comes on and it does something to you(At least that’s what it does to me) It was supposed to be my boy Sk’s(Chillbackmuzik) first single for his album, but we didn’t know when his album was dropping and we wanted to get it out. The approach was simple, Fight music. That’s what we were aiming for. You put this tune on, and you see people’s mood change in seconds. I also wanted to make my hi-hats sound like a money machine for more emphasis.
ISLH: I can definitely hear what you mean.. And “Money Up” is another one of those joints, isnt it?
Ohkang: Money Up was an experiment. The voice that sounds like an old man in the background chanting in the back is me. I sampled my voice just to try something different and it worked. Added some killa drums and a lil bit of synths around it, and POP! I was gonna stick with one set of drums, but it sounded too monotonous. So I switched up the drum pattern every 6 bars of our rhymes. Let my protégé Juan(Doeso) hear the beat before we released it and he was all in. So that let me know to proceed. I wanted it to be grimy and “Bang” at the same time(Im all about the “Bang”) I created my own tambourine sound because I couldn’t find one to filter down. I used the VST Moog program for that track. One of my favorite experiments.
ISLH: I see you love to experiment, how did “Slum Monie” come about?
Ohkang: Slum Monie was a test. I never used a drum machine in my life. No MPC, no nothing. I started with Garageband, imma stick with Garageband. First off, I took a 1.5 second drum sample from a 45 record, chopped the sh*t outta it to make it sound like it was recorded that way. Took my choppings, added a lil boost to the kick and the overlapping snare and kept the air in the entire sample. I think the air is paramount when sampling drums because it sounds original plus I love the crackling sounds. Then came the sample. I toyed around at least 8 different samples and none of them fit the drum pattern. It was too hard and the samples I was listening to were too weak. Something told me to go “Bollywood” on this one seeing that the drums are a dance. I was talking to my wife and letting the record play at the same time when all of a sudden she’s dancing to this particular part of the sample. Right then and there, i stopped the record, took that piece she liked and looped it. Basically the drums and the sample found each other, I was just the middle man.
ISLH: Everybody wants to know about “Sexy Ways”…
Ohkang: Sexy Ways is 4 years old. I was searching around samples and I was high on Nyquil because I was sick. I had this way of producing 4 years back where I always took 6 parts of a sample throughout the entire song, and condensed it to at least 3(3is the magic number) Found the sample for Sexy Ways from a 70’s female group,and even took their drums to make it sound more authentic. The idea was Ego. We wanted to sound like we were the sh*t! I think I was sick even recording that verse too.
ISLH: “Max Roach ft. Sterling”?
Ohkang: Max Roach was one big mistake. The drums were a mistake, the sample, everything. This song is also 4 years old. I was once again playing around with drums and came about that particular pattern. Went and got a Arizona Iced Tea, came back and picked up a record in my rock section(my records are categorized) took the first thing I heard when the needle hit, saved it. 4 days later, I come back to it like “wow this aint bad.” Called Sterling(big ups to Sterling!!!) told him I wanted him on the song and he was down by law with it. The most amazing thing is both of the recordings that we’ve done with Sterling( Colors ft Sterling on Bass and Brass Knuckles lp) he hadn’t heard the beat nor had he written to it. He was literally doodling on the sheet of paper, hears my verse, tells us to turn the lights off in the corner(That’s where our mic is) and he does this crazy a*s freestyle. Both, me and black were looking at each other like WTF!!!! That just happened!!! To this day, I still deem him as one of the best Mc’s of our generation. After that, I just purposely let the beat ride out because I felt that’s what it needed at the end.
ISLH: One of my favorite joints on the album, tell me about “Prest st. Tribute”
Ohkang: Doing that track was a interesting experience. I was fumbling around with break-beat drums and I used the most traditional ones out there (if you cant recognize those drums, do your research) When I first heard the sample it literally made me cry. It was so harmonious to the point where I didn’t even realize I was tearing up. I didn’t own that record so I hit black up to find the sample for me. 3 Hours later, he did! Took it,converted it…gave it to me…I took the sample, threw it on top of the drums and an instant classic! It gave the tribute that much more justice.
ISLH: How did the creation of “Dyin for the Real” come about?
Ohkang: Dyin for the Real is also 4 years old. I was into my “Boom Bap” stage of producing when I did that. Actually “Manhood(Self-Made) was also created around that time too. It was basic, grabbed a Billy Paul record heard what I thought sounded good and added drums, Rinse and repeat.
ISLH: A crowd favorite, “Resolutions”?
Ohkang: That track is about 4-5 years old. It was created around the same time I was producing for “The Oriental Ep” in fact, the sample is from a “Welcome to Hong Kong” record. The drums I sampled are from Fifth Dimension. When I first heard the sample i didn’t know what direction to take. Finally, I decided to with a minimal drum pattern for listeners to focus more on the harmony. The verse I cant really talk much about because of its nature.
ISLH: and “Grown Men ft. Ro and Sk”?
Ohkang: That song is also 4 years old. We wanted to make a song about being a grown ass man. Sk hit me up with the idea and I went home to go thru my collection. Immediately, I came across this Dramatic sample that fit the drum pattern and the idea. Brought the beat back to the Cobra Isle (The studio) and everybody liked it. Sk and Ro both wrote their verses on the spot!
ISLH: “Neva Neva Gone” is quite unusual for the two of you…
Ohkang: So many things came about to make this song. This song is 5-6 years old Dj Equad (whatupdoe my nig!!!) gave me this collection of soul songs on a cd. I was driving around late as hell listening to this cd when I heard the sample. Instantly fell in love with it, drove back home to chop it up. I told myself ‘im not goin to sleep until I finish this track” It took literally like 17 minutes to make that beat. The rhymes stemmed from a break up I had with my ex a while back. So I had to go back to that place mentally and bring up those memories, it wasn’t a nice place to be. I think I was fucked up for at least 3 weeks after the recording. Nevertheless, the song came out perfect. I had a notion to go back and re-master it, but black told me to keep it as is because it was no way to duplicate that sound again. So I left it alone.
ISLH: And Lastly, an outstanding track: ‘2 Sections ft. Blake Eerie and Sk”
Ohkang: This was one of my favorite songs to do simply because I followed off of Blake Eerie. Once again, messing with Break beat drums and took the sample from a Mandrill record (cant remember which one) Called Blake and was like ‘yo! I need you on this track!” he came thru and asked me for the direction. I told him “Man we goin off of what you write first.” I guess he was feelin pimpish, because his verse was for the ladies. Black had to work with Sk to get him to tone down and sound smooth on his verse because he’s used to attacking the microphone. During that process I thought I’d be cool If we had our own sections on the song. I don’t know about you, but listening to 4 dudes on a track can sometimes be a little tiring. So I wanted to create something that would more engaging, that’s why I flipped the beat on me and Black’s part. It almost sounds like a brand new song. My verse was about my wife and how we met, how she helped me get myself together and leave the street biz alone(thank you) Black’s verse is a “Collage” (wont get into that.) The song sounds like 2 in one, it came out great.
ISLH: Well Ohkang, thank you once again for giving us a play-by-play detail on the album
entitled “Classics. By Blackreign and Ohkang.”
Ohkang: My Pleasure. Thank You.
Get your free copy of Classics here: http://blackok.bandcamp.com/
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