Statik Selektah is as big a fan of hip hop as any. It’s not a top-40 fanaticism, although his love was born from radio DJ’s, but for the spirit of competition hip hop promotes. His newest release, Stick 2 The Script, breaks out with such an aggressive zeal, that it could prove to be the jump point for his acclaim as a DJ and producer, as well as his ability to build beats catered to the skills of specific emcees. Further progressing the argument that DJs are real creative artists, Statik Selektah takes a few moments to put in his comments on real hip hop, and why you should care.
VIBE.com: What got you interested in hip hop originally?
Statik Selektah: Making trips to NY when I was little as a kid and hearing DJ Premier and Funkmaster Flex on the radio. That just hooked me and I followed the DJ as a strong role model.
So how did you parlay that into actual DJ and production work?
I started out as a DJ but I always knew that I wanted to produce, just because that side allows for more creativity. Like, it’s cool when you can put on a hot record and get everyone hype and moving to it. I’ve Dj’d all over the world, every major city in the US and done the whole 9, but it’s dope when you can be the one putting out those records, and making them yourself.
How long did it take you to develop these tracks for the album?
It took me about three months to put the album together. Well, more like two-and-a-half, because a few of the tracks were already finished. With this record, every time I sat down, I built each record with specific individuals in mind for the tracks. I’d build the beat around whoever I felt would compliment the sound of each song.
What did you use in the studio?
Everything on the album was made with pro-tools, and a couple of keyboards that I have in my studio.
Mixtapes and compilation albums put out by popular DJs aren’t a brand new idea in hip hop. However, they did fall from proper releases to an underground/digital structure for a bit. Why did you decide to give Stick 2 The Script a proper release?
I look at it as more of an actual album, then like a mixtape of DJ compilation. The whole things feels and works like an album, from the subject context to the sounds. You have DJ Khaled who put out records like I think your talking about, like those old DJ Clue joints, but I play all of my own instruments, and music, and have it as a whole idea.
Usually mixtapes and album tracks leak a fair amount. How did you keep these tracks fairly safe?
With Termanology some of his tracks are leaked that we’ll work on, but it’s not planned ahead of time. Sometimes I do a record, and I’ll have no patience so I just leak it. When you see my name on the track it was our idea to just get shit out, test it to see the response on it or whatever, but with other projects we try to just take our time and wait until the proper release. With Termanology and the records we do together, some of them are leaked that we’ll work on, but it’s not planned ahead of time. We just make the call depending on how they feel.
So this album is the realization of you getting to that lane?
Yeah, this is why it’s not a compilation but an actual album. There is a fine balance of peoples talents. The State Property joint [“All 2gether Now”] has the trunk rattle that I hope will blow out speakers, and then contrasting to that are joints like the one with Naledge of Kidz In The Hall [“So Good (Live From The Bar)”]. I felt that Naledge track has the open mic vibe that hip hop used to have but isn’t really consistent anymore.
Consistency- how does this tie into your album name?
I know it may be cliché or whatever, but I think the function of real hip hop is still important to be brought up. The search for a dope beat. I feel like now, the less skill you show, the better you’re received. There’s no competition in the game and no one up’s their game or whatever. If you’re a DJ you gotta have tight cuts, and dope breaks, and show off. Everyone wants to be friends in the game and get along with everyone, but that takes all the fire and desire to one-up out of the game.
The album is out on Showoff, which is your label?
Yeah, Showoff is mine. We’re tryng to come up working on Lil' Fame’s (of M.O.P) album and then we’re releasing the Statik Selektah and Termanology Are…1982.
You ever think of spitting yourself?
Nah, I mean, I joked around on a few bars during the intro, but I’m a producer. Too many cats are trying to be rappers when they don’t have anything worth saying. I mean, I could probably say something more meaningful then half the dudes out now, but I don’t think that it’s my place to say anything really, because, I’m the DJ/producer- like I was saying earlier, you gotta know your lane.
Click here to read VIBE.com's review of Statik Selektah's Stick 2 The Script
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