Interview by Carlito

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What's going on Quazar?  Let's start off with some background info.  From my understanding you reside in Chicago, but originally hail from Brooklyn, New York.  Is that right?

 

WHAT'S GOOD, CARLITO!.....YEAH....KINDA.....I WAS BORN AND LIVED IN MEMPHIS TENNESSEE.THE HOOD, THE PROJECTS, AND THEN A TOWNHOUSE COMMUNITY WHERE I WAS ONE OF ONLY 2 BLACK FAMILIES (Oakshire...Whitehaven).  MOVED TO BROOKLYN IN THE 70's....THE HOOD....RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE PROJECTS THAT ARE FAMOUS FOR JAY-Z, NOW (Bed-Stuy...Hart Ave).  LIVED FOR LITTLE SPURTS, ALL OVER THE PLACE (Dayton, OH.....Rockford, IL.....Las Vegas.....Little Rock).  MOVED TO CONNECTICUT IN THE 80s (Middletown, Hartford, and New Haven...but mostly, New Britain).  MOVED TO MICHIGAN IN THE 90s.  AND THEN TO CHICAGO IN 2009.  NOW, I'M ACTUALLY IN HAMMOND, INDIANA, ABOUT 15 MINUTES OUT OF CHICAGO.  A QUIET LITTLE TOWN......I LOVE PEACE AND PREFER TO LIVE IN "Mayberry" TYPE, PEACEFUL NEIGHBORHOODS...AWAY FROM ALL THE DRAMA!!!!!!!!!

 

Damn, you get around.  With all this moving, when did you first get started in music?  How old were you?  And in what capacity was it? (In other words, were you taking music lessons, DJing, etc...)

 

WELLLLL......I STARTED TEACHING MYSELF TO DJ, AT 10 YEARS OLD.  BY 13, I WAS WORKING IN THE FOXY LADY LOUNGE IN QUEENS, NY.  THEY LOCKED ME IN THE BOOTH WITH A PITCHER OF SODA AND CHIPS.  COULDN'T USE THE BATHROOM TILL EVERYBODY LEFT  AT THE END OF THE NIGHT.  I ACTUALLY USED TO SNEAK OUT.  MY MOMZ DIDN'T EVEN KNOW.  I WAS THAT GOOD AT CHOOSING THE RIGHT RECORDS TO PLAY AND BLENDING THEM TOGETHER.  I DJ'ed CLUBS AND PARTIES AFTER THAT, FOR THE NEXT 30+ YEARS.  IN THE 80's, I NATURALLY PRODUCED FOR MY RAPPER & MY CREWS.  SIMPLY MIXING RECORDS & PIECES OF RECORDS TOGETHER TO MAKE A BEAT.

IN THE LATE 80's, I SIGNED ON TO A SMALL RECORD LABEL IN SPRINGFIELD, MASS. .....DFO RECORDS.  I HAD BEEN IN THE STUDIO MANY TIMES, FOR MY OWN ARTISTS.  USUALLY TELLING THE ENGINEER/OWNER WHAT I WANTED DONE AND WHAT I WANTED IT TO SOUND LIKE.  I SIMPLY SUPPLIED THE SAMPLE RECORDS AND THEY DID ALL THE TECHNICAL STUFF.  ALOTTA TIMES, GREAT BEATS CAME FROM MISTAKES.  ON THE LABEL, I WAS WITH MY STAR ARTIST, "Holocaust Frost" FROM HARTFORD, CT.  I WAS SUPPOSED TO JUST BE HIS DJ.  WE WERE STREET, SO WE SCARED THE LABEL OWNERS INTO BACKING UP FOR ME TO BE THE ONLY PRODUCER FOR FROST.  THEY LIKED MY WORK & SOUND SO MUCH, THAT I INSTANTLY BECAME THE MAIN PRODUCER FOR THE LABEL & THEIR FULL ROSTER.  THE ONE RECORD THAT WAS RELEASED WITH 3 SONGS ON IT, IZ NOW A RARE COLLECTOR'S ITEM IN EUROPE.....GETTING HIGH ACCLAIM AS BEING WELL BEFORE IT'S TIME.  ONE SONG FROM FROST, ONE FROM ANOTHER GROUP, AND ONE FEATURING THE FULL ROSTER.  ALL PRODUCED BY ME, EXCEPT THE OTHER GROUP'S SONG WAS PRODUCED BY THEM, AND UNKNOWN TO THEM, HAD TO GET MY APPROVAL AS GOOD HIP-HOP, BEFORE IT WAS RELEASED.  SO, I GUESS THAT I WAS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER.

FLASHING BACK, I MUST SAY THAT MY MOMZ TRIED TO PAY FOR PIANO LESSONS FOR ME IN THE 6th GRADE.  BUT IT DIDN'T WORK OUT.  I ONLY HAD A WEEK OR TWO WORTH OF LESSONS, THEN I QUIT.  MY LEFT HAND WOULDN'T WORK INDEPENDENTLY OF MY RIGHT AND I COULDN'T CATCH THE GIST OF READING AND UNDERSTANDING MUSICAL NOTES.  AND IN THE 7th GRADE, I TAUGHT MYSELF TO PLAY THE INTRO OF Led Zepplin's "Stairway To Heaven" ON MY ACOUSTIC GUITAR, WHICH LED TO MY TEACHING MYSELF TO PLAY THE BASS IN THE 9th GRADE.  I STARTED WITH "Slide", BY Slave, AND WENT ON TO LEARNING MORE COMPLEX BASSLINES...ALL BY EAR.  I'M NOT GREAT AT IT, CAUSE MY HANDS STILL WON'T REALLY WORK TOGETHER.  BUT, I CAN PLAY EXCEPTIONAL BASSLINES IN MY HEAD, AND SLOWLY FIGURE THEM OUT ON THE FRETS!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Fast forward.  Let's talk about your new record Maquacosmz.  What made you decide to do a jazz album?

 

SIMPLY PUT, I WANTED TO SEE IF I COULD DO A BONIFIDE JAZZ ALBUM THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTED AND THAT I WOULD LIKE.  ONE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY SOUND LIKE AN ALBUM RECORDED BY MUSICIANS.  HONESTLY BECAUSE I'M IMPATIENT, I GET BORED EASILY.  I GET SO MANY IDEAS FOR MUSIC AND I DON'T HAVE THE DEDICATED ARTISTS (rappers or singers) TO COMPLETE MY SONGS.  I HAVE MY BROTHER "Mr. Who".  BUT NO ONE GOES INTO THE STUDIO AND COMPLETES RECORDINGS FAST ENOUGH FOR ME.  IF I WERE A VOCAL ARTIST, I'D BE WRITING AND RECORDING ALL THE TIME.  AS MUCH AS I CREATE THE MUSIC, I'D BE CREATING THE VOCALS.  SO, "Maquacosmz" WAS A CHANCE FOR ME NOT TO DEPEND ON ANYONE ELSE.  I DIDN'T NEED VOCALS.  JUST MAKE MY MUSIC....ADD A LEAD SOLO IF I WANTED.....AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.  I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO STAY WITHIN' THE BOUNDARIES OF HIP-HOP.  I COULD EXPRESS MYSELF, INFINITELY.....WITH THE ONLY BOUNDARIES BEING MY ABILITIES & THOUGHTS.  IN THE MOMENT....WHICH IZ WHAT JAZZ IZ.  FREE EXPRESSION OF MUSIC!!!!!!!!!

 

What was your biggest challenge in making this record?

 

 MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE......HMMMMMM.......TIME, TECHNIQUE, & MIXING......I GUESS MIXING WAS MY BIGGEST.  I'M NOT A GREAT ENGINEER.  I TRIED MY BEST TO MIX THIS ALBUM.  LISTENING TO ROUGH COPIES IN THE CHEAP FACTORY RADIO OF MY 2005 CAR.....IN THE HEADPHONES....BLASTING ON THE HOME SYSTEM.....IN THE DVD PLAYER, THROUGH THE TV....EVERYWHERE.....AND TRYING TO MAKE IT SOUND GOOD & CLEAR IN ANY SYSTEM AVAILABLE.  I WANTED TO FINISH IN A TIMELY MANNER, SO I WORKED TIRELESSLY FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS.  IN THE LAST MONTH, IT ALL BEGAN COMING TO ME, QUITE EASILY.  I WANTED IT TO SOUND AUTHENTIC AND OFFICIAL, SO I GAVE EXTRA SPECIAL ATTENTION TO EVERY TRACK AND EVERY SOUND.  I WANTED THE MIX TO SOUND GOOD, SO I SPENT ABOUT 2 WEEKS....20 HOURS A DAY....STRICTLY ON MIXING EACH TRACK & THE WHOLE SOUND.....I COULDN'T AFFORD ANYTHING ELSE, SO I DID EVERYTHING, MYSELF!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Now, did you perform all of the parts on these songs, or did you hire out musicians?

 

I ORIGINALLY WANTED TO HAVE OUTSIDE MUSICIANS AND VOCALISTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROJECT.  BUT, I DON'T LIKE ASKING TOO MUCH FOR THINGS, UNLESS I CAN PAY BACK EQUALLY.  I HAD NOTHING TO OFFER, SO I ONLY ASKED A COUPLE OF PEOPLE.  I ASKED THIS LOCAL ARTIST TO PLAY GUITAR ON A FEW CUTS, BUT HE AGREED AND NEVER RECORDED.  I ASKED A RAPPER--ACTUALLY, HE ASKED ME--I AGREED, BUT HE NEVER RECORDED HIS VERSE.  I COULDN'T WAIT FOREVER, HOLDING UP MY RELEASE, FOR ANYONE ELSE.....FINALLY, I ASKED MY LITTLE BROTHER Vinyl Digger (in Switzerland) IF HE WOULD CONTRIBUTE SOME SCRATCHING.  HE AGREED.  SENT ME SOMETHING, PROMPTLY.  I EDITED HIS SCRATCHES INTO WHAT YOU HEAR ON "Spinning".....SO, HE'S THE ONLY OUTSIDE MUSICIAN.....AND IT WAS DONE ON LOVE.....FAMILY.....I OWE HIM SO MUCH FOR ALL THE LOVE & RESPECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Bold move to tackle Stevie Wonder's "Jesus Children of America".  What made you want to cover that particular song?

 

THAT SONG HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITES.  THE MUSIC.  THE MESSAGE.  THE MUSICIANSHIP.  THE NOTES & CHORD PROGRESSIONS.  THE BACKGROUND VOCALS.  AT THE TIME, I WAS POSTING IT ON FACEBOOK, FOR PEOPLE TO GET THE MESSAGE OF LOVING ONE ANOTHER, NO MATTER WHAT.  AS I LISTENED, I FELL DEEPLY INTO THE MUSIC AND FELT THAT IT REALLY REPRESENTED MY HEART.  SO, I WONDERED TO MYSELF, IF I COULD REMAKE IT. WITH MY FLAVOR, YET, STILL REMAIN TRUE TO THE ORIGINAL.  I LOVE STEVIE & HIS MUSIC.  I HAD TO EXPRESS MY HEART THROUGH HIS CREATION.  I JUST PRAY THAT I DID IT JUSTICE.  I BELIEVE THAT STEVIE THINKS SO.  I MADE IT WITH THE MINDSET THAT STEVIE WOULD BE LISTENING, WITH HIS EXTRA SENSITIVE EARS....HEARING THE SYNTHESIZERS REPRESENT THE INFAMOUS BACKGROUND VOCAL PARTS.  I JUST HOPE THAT IT'S GOOD ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Has the process of making this album changed the way you approach producing HipHop records?  Or is Quazar actually a jazz head masquerading as a HipHop man?

 

I LOVE JAZZ....BUT, I CAN ONLY TAKE SO MUCH OF IT, AT A TIME.  I HAVE A GOAL TO BE ABLE TO CREATE ANY & EVERY GENRE OF MUSIC--AT WILL. SO, THIS WAS MY FIRST TRUE ATTEMPT AT MAKING JAZZ.  I'VE MADE ROCK, POP, SOUL, TECHNO, HOUSE, ALTERNATIVE, REGGAE, AND OF COURSE HIP-HOP.  I REALLY WANT TO SUCCESSFULLY CREATE COUNTRY AND MUCH MORE.  SINCE THIS ALBUM, I CAN'T SEEM TO MAKE A QUICK SIMPLE BEAT.  I FIND MYSELF NOT LIKING IT, UNLESS I MAKE IT A FULL QUALITY PRODUCED TRACK.  SO MANY SUBLIMINAL SOUNDS & INSTRUMENTS ARE ADDED TO MAKE UP EVEN A SIMPLE SOUNDING HIP-HOP BEAT.  NOW, INSTEAD OF JUST CHOPPING THE SAMPLE.  I HAVE TO RECREATE THE SAMPLE, OR ADD TO IT SO MUCH, THAT YOU NEVER KNOW WHETHER IT'S PLAYING ALONG OR NOT....."Maquacosmz" AND ESPECIALLY THE STEVIE WONDER REMAKE, DID THAT TO ME.  BUT, ACTUALLY.....I'M A FUNK & SOUL HEAD, FIRST....AND AN EXTREMELY DEEP HIP-HOP HEAD, AT A CLOSE SECOND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Plan on doing any more jazz records?

 

I'VE STRONGLY CONSIDERED DOING ANOTHER ONE IN THE FUTURE.  I KINDA WANT TO DO A HIP-HOP ALBUM, WITH MYSELF ON THE MIC.  BUT IT'S REALLY TIME CONSUMING FOR ME TO SIT AND WRITE LYRICS.  BUT, YEAH, AN ARTIST WILL AGREE TO RECORD WITH ME, AND I'LL SEND A BEAT OR 2.  THEN NEVER REALLY HEAR FROM THEM AGAIN.  SO  I'LL PROBABLY MAKE ANOTHER JAZZ ALBUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

What are you currently working on right now?

 

CURRENTLY, I'M TRYING TO CREATE EACH TRACK, BETTER THAN THE LAST AND SENDING THEM OUT TO ROCKWILDER.  HE'S SAID THAT I'M DEFINITELY ON HIS "Muzicpark" PRODUCTION TEAM.  SO, I'M TRYING TO IMPRESS HIM AND GET MY MUSIC SOLD TO SOME BIG ARTIST.  I'M TIRED OF STRUGGLING.  I'M ALSO GETTING READY TO RELEASE AN ALBUM FROM MY MANZ, "Mr Who" ON MY WEBSITE (supastarbeatz.com).  I'M ALSO STARTING WORK ON A MIXTAPE WITH MY MANZ "Khalil Phetic".  AND TRYING TO CREATE THE BEST, MOST ACCURATE MUSIC FOR A LONG AWAITED ALBUM WITH MY MANZ "Bill Biggz".  ALSO MAKING AND SENDING OUT SPECIFIC TRACKS TO VARIOUS ESTABLISHED ARTISTS, FILM, & TV COMPANIES (Rah Digga, Nipsey Hussle, BBC, NBC, MTV, etc.)

 

I understand you're scouting out talent.  What are you looking for?  What's the objective?

 

I WANT TO MAKE GREAT MUSIC.  PERIOD.  I WANT TO SEE MY TRACKS TURNED INTO FINISHED SONGS.  I WANT TO HELP UNKNOWN TALENT, NOT HAVE TO GET JERKED BY THESE SCHEMING LABELS.  I CAN MAKE ALBUMS, MIXTAPES, SONGS, WHATEVER...AND SELL THEM ON MY WEBSITE.  I CAN FEATURE AN ARTIST WITH THEIR OWN PAGE, OR A WHOLE SECTION (multiple sub pages) AND AS I ALWAYS DO, GIVE THEM A 50/50 SPLIT OF WHATEVER IZ SOLD.  NO BIG CONTRACTS.  NO CON JOBS.  NO 60/40 OR 70/30 SPLITS.  YOU DO THE VOCALS, I DO THE MUSIC.  WE GET PAID EQUALLY.  I REALLY WANT SOMEBODY TO WORK WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS.  THEY GET AN IDEA, OR I GET ONE AND WE WORK TOGETHER TO COMPLETE IT.  I'D LOVE TO HAVE A Juice Crew, SO TO SPEAK.  A GROUP OF ARTISTS., RAPPERS, SINGERS, GROUPS, MALE & FEMALE--ANY GENRE--AND BE THE MAIN PRODUCER FOR THEM ALL.  GIVING THEM ALL THE WISDOM FROM WHAT I'VE LEARNED & EXPERIENCED IN THE INDUSTRY, OVER THE YEARS.  TO HELP THEM NOT STUMBLE OR GET CAUGHT OUT.  BUT, THEY HAVE TO BE DEDICATED & LOYAL TO THEIR CRAFT.  AND HOPEFULLY TO ME....AND TO GOD.......I JUST WANNA MAKE GREAT MUSIC....CLASSICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.....LIKE GAMBLE & HUFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Now this is sort of a nerdy question that only fellow producers like myself will appreciate, but what kind of equipment are you using to make your music these days?

 

I ORIGINALLY STARTED MAKING BEATS (and remixes) WITH 2 OR 3 CASSETTE TAPE DECKS.....PAUSE MIXING.  THEY ACTUALLY CALLED ME "The Prince Of Pause".  I USED TO JUST BLEND RECORDS TOGETHER.  THEN I MOVED UP TO STUDIOS, LETTING THE ENGINEER DO ALL THE TECHNICAL WORK.

IN THE 80's, I USED A "Synsonic" DRUM MACHINE...A TOY FROM TOYS-R-US.  OVER THE YEARS, I'VE HAD MANY LITTLE MACHINES FROM Boss AND Linn.  AND EVEN A SAMPLING MIXER, THAT I MADE BEATS ON.

IN 1995, THE LOCAL DRUG DEALERS BOUGHT ME AN "ASR 10".....I LOVED THAT, BUT IT GOT STOLEN.  NOW, SINCE 1999, I SIMPLY USE MY COMPUTER & A PROGRAM CALLED "Acid Music 3.0".  I STARTED OUT, USING IT TO MAKE MASTERMIXES & REMIXES FOR PLAYING AT THE CLUB ON THE WEEKENDS (less record crates to carry and more free time to talk on the mic and to fans).  I'VE MASTERED THAT PROGRAM SO MUCH, THAT I'VE NEVER WANTED THE NEWER UPGRADED VERSIONS.  I STAY WITH MY OLD TRUSTEE.  I DON'T EVEN THINK THAT THEY MAKE IT, ANYMORE.  BUT, I DO WELL WITH IT.  AS YOU CAN EASILY WITNESS, BY LISTENING TO "Maquacosmz" OR ANY SOUND ON MY WEBSITE (supastarbeatz.com).  I'VE UPLOADED MY 10,000 RECORD COLLECTION INTO MY COMPUTER, WITH AT LEAST 7 GIGS OF INSTRUMENT SOUNDS AND NOISES--MY "production tools".  BUT THAT'S IT....NO LIVE INSTRUMENTS, WHATSOEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

You've been into HipHop for quite some time, now.  And I feel like during the past ten to fifteen years, all I hear is how HipHop is dead or dying.  How it's all product now, all commercialized, and so forth.  From your view, what's the current state of HipHop?  What do you think is the most negative thing about the genre and culture right now?  How 'bout the most positive? 

 

IT'S BORING, MOST OF THE TIME...TO ME.  MOST ARTISTS ARE SOUNDING LIKE EACH OTHER.  EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO BE A HIT, SOUNDS LIKE DRAKE.  EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO BE STREET, SOUNDS LIKE JAY-Z.  EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE, I HEAR SOMETHING THAT GETS ME AMPED UP. T-PAINS JOINT WITH ROCBATTLE'S OWN YOUNGFYRE.  THAT WAS DOPE AS EVER.  50 CENT ALWAYS AMPS ME UP.....NO MATTER WHAT HE'S ABOUT, WHAT HE DOES, OR EVEN WHAT HE SAYS IN HIS SONGS, HIS FLOWS AND THE TRACKS THAT HE HAS, ARE ALWAYS RAW HIP-HOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....THERE'S A GROUP CALLED "The Rap Pack".  THAT'S DOPE HIP-HOP.  JOELL ORTIZ. EXTRA DOPE HIP-HOP.  MOST OF THE BEST ARE UNDERGROUND OR UNKNOWN.

SO, HIP-HOP HAS IT'S WACKNESS....AND IT DEFINITELY HAS IT'S DOPENESS....JUST LIKE IT DID, WAY BACK WHEN.  BUSINESS TOOK OVER.  AND NATURALLY SO, BECAUSE WE ALL WANTED TO MAKE MONEY FROM DOING WHAT WE LOVE (like I do, now).  BUT, BUSINESS HAS TO GET PAID FIRST.  AND QUICKLY BECOMES GREEDY.  SO WE GET TAKEN.  ALL YOU CAN DO IZ PLAY THE GAME OR GET OUT.  SO, THERE ARE MANY, NOW, WHO PLAY THE GAME, CAUSE ALL THEY WANT IZ FAME AND MONEY....CARING NOTHING ABOUT HIP-HOP.  IF THEY COULD MAKE CLASSICAL MUSIC AS EASILY AS THEY THINK THEY'RE MAKING HIP-HOP, T WOULD BE AS CORRUPTED.  THE MAJORITY IZ ACTUALLY POP.  RAP HAPPENS TO BE THE POPULAR THING RIGHT NOW.....RAPPING HAS MERELY BEEN BORROWED FROM THE HIP-HOP CULTURE......WHEN YOU SPEAK OF TRUE HIP-HOP....THE ENTIRE CULTURE HAS EVOLVED BEAUTIFULLY INTO THE FUTURE....AND THEY USED TO ALWAYS SAY THAT WE WOULDN'T BE AROUND FOR LONG.  THAT US & OUR CULTURE WAS MERELY A PASSING FAD......30+ YEARS LATER???.....LOOK AT US, NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

If you could start your music career all over.  Press the rewind button on your life, ten, maybe twenty years, what would you do different and why?

 

I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN DEEPER INTO THE CRAFT OF PRODUCING, MUCH SOONER.  I WOULD BE NOTICED AND SUPPORTING MYSELF PRETTY GOOD, BY NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Last thoughts.  What advice would you offer any music artist and/or producer just starting out?

 

WORK HARD ON YOUR CRAFT.  AS MY DAD ALWAYS TOLD ME: WHATEVER YOU DO, BE THE BEST AT IT.  SO, MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE GREAT PRODUCT.  THAT YOU PRODUCE GREAT MUSIC.  THEREIN, YOU'LL FIND YOUR OWN STYLE.  AND NETWORK AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.  BUILD BRIDGES.  PEOPLE LOVE TO & HAVE NO PROBLEM IN WORKING WITH, GIVING OPPORTUNITIES TO, AND CO-SIGNING THEIR FRIENDS.  IT'S DEFINITELY WHO YOU KNOW.  BUT IT'S MORE OF WHO KNOWS YOU AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER.  YOU COULD BE GOOD, BUT IF NOBODY KNOWS YOU OR OF YOU, THEY'LL NEVER LISTEN.  THEN, IF YOU ARE JUST "good", YOU'LL GET PASSED BY.  UNNOTICED AS JUST NOISE IN A MASSIVE CROWD.  EVERYTHING AIN'T FOR EVERYBODY.  MEANING, I CAN RHYME--I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT I CAN RHYME BETTER THAN ANYBODY OUT THERE, BY SOME VERY GOOD & TRUE EMCEES--AND I CAN DRAW VERY WELL.  I CAN EVEN ACT, EXTREMELY WELL.  I HAVE BEEN CALLED A LEGEND, MANY TIMES AND IN MANY CITIES, FOR MY DJ SKILLS OVER THE YEARS.  BUT MY PASSION AND WHAT I'M BEST AT IZ MUSIC.  CREATING IT.  ANALYZING IT.  SO, I FOCUS ON THAT.  I'M NOT AN EMCEE, AN ACTOR, OR AN ARTIST.  NOT EVEN REALLY A DJ....JAZZY JEFF'S A DJ.  I'M A PRODUCER.  SO, IF YOU ARE, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE.  THEN GO EXTRA HARD AT IT.  PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.  LEARN THE HISTORY, THE MECHANICS, THE TECHNIQUES, EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN.  AND THEN GO FORWARD AND DO YOUR PERSONAL BEST.  PLEASE YOURSELF WITH THE MUSIC, FIRST.  THEN SEE WHAT OTHERS THINK.....AND IF THAT'S TRULY YOUR PASSION....THEN, NEVER EVER GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!