While he merely produced the Weezy-assisted Curren$y cut, “Staring at the World,” Vaushaun “Maestro” Brooks is doing just that. With a deep-rooted forte for his craft, along with an unwavering sense of assertiveness and direction, this ATL production prospect is in the process of cutting checks and cashing wishes.

And rightfully so.

A Morehouse grad with honors, the aptly named Maestro taught high school Math and Music upon being handed a diploma. A classically trained pianist with a passion for hip-hop, he sidelined his foremost talent in order to get his degree and lend a hand. Now, thanks to his diligence and a couple of chance opportunities, The Maestro’s strictly a headliner. He saw his dreams at his doorstep, took the needed step forward, and never looked back. Considering his credits on some of ‘07′s highly regarded projects, such as Wayne’s anticipated Carter 3 album, it appears to have paid off.

Recently, TSS Crew member Beware had the pleasure of speaking with Maestro, to see how he made that transition from playing organ for his clergy to rocking a keyboard for the likes of TI and Juelz Santana. And, with some advice from the man himself, how you can too.

TSS: How’s your summer going?

Maestro: Man everything’s going real good, everything’s picking up…

TSS: Excellent. You got any big plans going on?

Maestro: What you mean, as far as me or as far as music?

TSS: Yeah, as far as life in general during the summer? Takin it easy or hittin it hard?

Maestro: Yeah, taking it easy but at the same time trying to take advantage of everything that’s coming my way you know just trying to ride the wave.

TSS: You’ve got your own production company, Maestro Sound Music Inc. Why don’t you tell us a little about that, like who’s included in the company & what type service you guys offer.

Maestro: Aiight, well, it’s a full service production company. I have a studio and handle the publishing aspect of the company as well. But right now it’s me as a producer and a couple of producers and writers that I have working alongside me….

TSS: Yeah I see your brother Chico, I can see he’s like your right-hand man, from looking at your website

Maestro: Pretty much because I’m more of a music dude and alot of times people think I’m really quiet. But I don’t really stress the whole Hollywood tip.

TSS: Aiight, one question I wanted to ask is how you went from hypothethically producing in your basement to having a full service production company? that doesn’t seem like it would be something that’s easy to do.

Maestro: Well, I don’t really look at anything as hard. Anything you want to do is easy, but there’s steps to it and executing it properly. So really it’s a matter of, you know, going from recording in my bedroom, and in my closet, and people becoming confident in my talent. Being able to take it to another level.

TSS: I like that outlook on life. That track you did with Lil Wayne, that “Prostitute Falange”, it’s making the rounds on mixtapes, got a remix by Trina. It’s looking like Carter III is gonna be a huge album. Is that cut gonna be featured on there?

Maestro: According to Wayne’s management, it’s definitely a go. It might be the first single or it might make it as one of the releases. It’s funny because I was online and Supahead’s got it on her little website…

TSS: That’s gotta be a thrill…

(Both laugh)

Maestro: Yeah, you know, it’s got over a million spins on the Myspace right now and I think the people over at the label see that it’s something worth pushing…

TSS: Yeah it’s something a little different. A little sing-songy, more mellow. I kinda like that…

Maestro: I think Wayne’s at a point where he’s like “I pretty much at all the rappers, so let me try something else and give everybody an opportunity to catch up.” (laughs)

TSS: I saw the picture on your Myspace. It’s got a picture of him in front of the live band. It seems like he’s branching out more and more…

Maestro: Actually, that picture was from the first live performance of “Prostitute…” in Miami at Miami Live. Big D, who’s a member of Unusual Suspects production team, he has a night out there. And Wayne came on stage right after Wyclef and performed it live and killed it…

TSS: That had to be dope, seeing your song performed…

Maestro: I was right there watching the whole thing. It was his manager’s first time seeing him perform it too and I think that’s what really made him know that the song was really viable because the crowd went nuts over it.

TSS: Word. What else you got going on over there at Maestro Sounds?

Maestro: Got some more stuff with Wayne. The song “How You Like Me Now?” is out and also on the mixtapes. Got the “Prostitute…”. Actually got a song for Curren$y, which is really dope. Wayne is singing the hook on that AND he’s featured on guitars on the track…

TSS: Lil Wayne’s actually featured on guitar?

Maestro: Yeah yeah..and he’s good at it too man.

TSS: I like that song. The beat on it is real low-key.

Maestro: Well you know he’s got a track with Enrique Iglesias track as well where he’s playing.

TSS: On that “Staring At The World” track, you’ve got this tight horn that’s real catchy and it seems to carry throughout the whole song. You know what I’m talking about and what is that exactly?

Maestro: I use alot of different instruments and alot of different sound modules. And I try to tweak things. So, I can hear something and I never know where it starts, but I always bring it to a point where I like how it ends.

TSS: Your production sounds really well rounded. Like you’ve got the Curren$y cut and the “Prostitute…” song. But then you’ve got the David Banner “Westside” and “Don’t Play With Me” by Franchise Boyz, which are both straight bangers. What do you attribute your versatility to?

Maestro:I’m really just an all around musician. I used to play gospel organ and piano in church. I played for orcheastras, show choirs, jazz bands. So whereas you find alot of producers who are like “I play keys, I’m a musician.” I mean, I really do this…all types of music. Music is my life. So if it means taking pretty keys and some nice drums in an R&B song, or something that’s gonna rattle a trunk, I do whatever because it all comes natural and it all comes easy.

TSS: You don’t really stick to a script. You just try to make the best music possible and I like that. I saw that you got complimented by Battlecat, who’s like a West Coast legend, for that David Banner song…

Maestro: Well, I grew in Connecticut and I was kinda an oddball because I loved West Coast music. The East Coast grimey thing never appealed to me. The West Coast…the crispness of the music, the way they used synths and the way they used drums. And Battlecat, being an icon of West Coast production…he’s always been at the forefront of that scene…so for him to tell me that my rhythm, my drums, my sounds were on point, it just validated me.

TSS: This is a personal question. You studied Business at Morehouse and graduated with honors. I’m also studying Business and it really seems like the excess info, like General Education, sorta drag me down. With music in the back of your mind, how hard was it to buckle down, focus on tasks and not let things get to you?

Maestro: It was really easy. I loved school. Actually, when I graduated I started teaching school…

TSS: I read that. You taught high school math and music classes, right?

Maestro: Yeah, the whole educational experience has always been big to me. My stepmother is a teacher, so it’s always been a part of me. So school never really got to me, the classes, I just took them what they were there for and I knew what I wanted to do in life. Really at the end of the day alot of people are opposed to college or the educational aspects of it, but I learned more about how to deal with people. Every class, every course load is a different arena filled with a different kind of person. Like my psych classes, they leaned more towards that more deep stuff. My business management classes were with people who were go-getters. My art classes were, you know, those kinda people so really, it just prepared me for the industry and how to deal with different kinds of character and personality traits. I just took as what it was there for and enjoyed every minute of it.

TSS: The one thing I get from it is time management. I feel like it helps me pick and choose when I have to do things and that’s what’s helped me most from it.

Maestro: Yeah and time management is probably the most important thing in the industry. That’s one thing I see with Wayne. Just being like as prolific of a recorder as he is, you gotta be like that you know what I mean. Every opportunity that you have, you have to be working, meet deadlines…you have to be able to get it in. And that’s why great people are great. They know how to manage between their personal lives, having fun. Time is money, money is time.

TSS: That’s how they go to becoming the president of Def Jam you know what I’m saying (laughs from Maestro). As far as your teaching in the classroom, what was it like to go from teaching high school classes to “alright, I’m gonna be an all-out musician. This is what I want to do with my life.”

Maestro: It wasn’t a hard transition. I think the hardest part was not having to be somewhere at a certain time and stay there for an alotted time. And then making the transition to making my own schedule and sticking to it. That was really it. Once I let go of that fear of not having that consistent paycheck and then seperating myself from the love of just being around my students and knowing they’re really learning something…all that was left was the music and that’s what I’m about. So it wasn’t too hard.

TSS: Alright, word. On your website, you mention David Banner and your affiliation as a part of his Big Face Crew. How did that come about and what did that do for your career?

Maestro: Actually, a close friend of mine, Sky, was already a member of his team. He went on tour with Banner and I guess the whole time he was out there, he was really hyping him up like “I got this Maestro and he’s fresh on the keys, fresh on the beats, fresh on the production and engineering.” So he came back off tour, parked his bus in front of my crib and was like “hey man you wanna roll with me?” and the next thing I knew, I was in Miami working on Trick Daddy’s stuff. It was a wrap. Actually, that’s what caused me to stop working, teaching, because what I was making with him was crushing that. So rather that not giving my students my full attention because I’m always thinking about being out on the road or I have to take a day off, I just felt it would be best to focus my energy on music. And I learned a whole lot from it. I’d say that working with David Banner was probably the most influential career move that I’ve made…

TSS: That’s gotta be a good look on your man Sky’s part?

Maestro: Definitely. To this day, we’re still working, we got a lot of big things coming and he’s performing, doing shows. I owe alot to Banner for putting me in the game. I paid my dues and I had to give respect to him because he was already in to it and you know all the politics that goes into it. But as far as

TSS: How did Atlanta influence your business?

Maestro: I think what’s really good about it is anything you really need is here. Everybody you need to get at, you can get in touch with through the right relationship. So, you know there was a time where wherever you were in the country, you had to travel to one of these hotbed or one of these central locations. Now you can just come to the A and get whatever you need. Some of the best engineers and recording studios that I’ve ever seen, some of the most talented artists and producers are all in one central location. I’m just trying to capitialize off it and make the most of it.

TSS: Based on your list of credits you definitely are. How does it affect your sound? Do you think it pulls out more of a Southern sound?

Maestro: You know, not really. For me, the Southern sound is real bass heavy and 808 driven. But if you really trace back, that’s what Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons started with. So the Southern sound now is just the next level of the old East coast sound, where rap first started. And the West Coast sound is basically kinda formulated on those same sounds really. I think everyone goes into their direction with it, but I think once you have a grasp on music, what particular sounds and rhythms make a song fit a certain genre…like the Curren$y track was really a West Coast track that Kurupt was featured on. It’s nothing to really switch it around like “Hey if it’s West Coast, let me throw a little high synth in it. If it’s East Coast, let me gritty up the drums a little bit. If it’s Down South, let me let the bass rang out a little more.” And anything can fit. Someone could’ve easily sang on the song, which Dewayne ended up doing. So it’s not hard at all.

TSS: In your opinion, are there any rappers to from the A to look out for? Like anyone you worked with?

Maestro: There’s a lot man. I’ve done work with Franchise Boyz. But definitely one to look out for from that team is Parlay. He’s really lyrical and untouchable. I think he does real confident features. But really, Atlanta, there’s alot of rappers, but R&B is the place to look as far as Atlanta’s going right now. There’s aloot of R&B artists, talented vocalists and writers coming out of the A. And, to me, I think that’s what’s really gonna keep Atlanta on top.

TSS: I definitely do. Now, you’ve worked with the likes of T.I., Nelly, Too Short, Bun B, Kurupt & Big Gipp. That’s a pretty diverse lineup. Who was the most fun to work with?

Maestro: Uhhmm…I would say, right now, I’m feeling Gipp and the energy, definitely man. As far as a person who has nothing negative to say about anybody so you’re not kinda bogged down with the whole beef aspect that hovers over alot of studio sessions like ‘Aww man, lock all the doors. Lock all the gates. Who’s comin in? Who’s there?’ With Gipp, it’s so cool. Anybody will walk in. It might be Nelly, it might be Big Boi. It might be anybody. And the music is fun, it’s light-hearted. The vibe is cool.

TSS: He always came across as kinda a goofy guy.

Maestro: But you know, he can definitely be serious. And his talent…I mean Goodie Mob paved the way for a lot of groups comin from the A. So working with him you feel the level of respect & he deserves it. He carries himself as the kind of person who commands that kind of respect, which is something I can’t really say for alot of rappers & artists, not just in the South but nationwide.

TSS: It seems like rappers can come out a lot more easy now. So for somebody like him, that’s been doing this for like fifteen years, that respect just comes second nature it seems like…

Maestro: We have alot of cats that are stars now but don’t have star qualities.

TSS: Who would you say is the easiest as far as recording in the booth, as far as in and out, get it done?

Maestro: I’d have to say Kurupt. Hands down.

TSS: Hands down huh?

Maestro: Hands down – Kurupt. I know Dre must be doing something right cause Kurupt gets in there and he is just on point. He’ll listen to it, run it back, switch a few words. Make some changes, you know, vocal inflection a little bit. But hands down, Kurupt is a beast on the microphone.

TSS: Yeah I was just listening to Dogg Food the other day and definitely untouchable, that’s for sure.

Maestro:Yeah for sure…

TSS: Now you’ve recently had some serious side hustles going like I saw a Starbucks commericial, you did some work on MTV’s “Yo Mama.” You did some work in some big movies like Triple X two and the Adam Sandler football movie. And you’ve got an endorsement deal with Bureau clothing line. How’d you hook up with those projects?

Maestro: Really, all of those are about just keeping good relationships. My partner J. Wells, who’s doing an album with Kurupt right now, he hooked me up with the Starbucks thing. He came to my studio, we recorded it and banged it out. The “Yo Mama” thing was also due to good relationships that I have with the people out there. Basically, everything is about who you know, how well you know them and how well you maintain that repore with them. Because the music can be A-1, 100% first class, but if people don’t feel you or relate to you, you’re not gonna get any work and that’s the bottom line.

TSS: For sure…

Maestro:…so I’d say that all those came about by me being out here, hustling, having good representatives and just trying to have a good reputation.

TSS: Well paid by the rap game or your side hustles?

Maestro: I’d say definitely the production game. As far as getting that big check that you can leverage and make last for a long time. The side hustles are more of a consistent, keep it moving, kind of flow. Definitely getting some good placement on an album is what really gets the bank account looking right.

TSS: On that same tip, you did an independent movie called, Occupation: Hollywood. I’d be the first person to say that movies would be pretty lackluster, and wouldn’t carry as well without a good score and composition. How hard it is that actual process to do, because it always seems like it would be so hard to capture a mood, with… you know what I mean, how hard is it to capture a mood and have it carry across to all the people watching the movie?

Maestro: Um, well you know as having played in the church, you kinda learn how to capture the mood of that moment, you know what I mean? Like, the Preacher may say something and you just gotta hit that right chord, right then. You know, or you feel the congregation going a certain direction; you just gotta follow along, and bring ‘em there.

And I think a movie is really no different. You just gotta kinda watch each scene, and just make it flow. I think that the biggest limitation of working on a movie is the technology. Being able to keep up with all those tracks building up, and all those files. Once you have a system that can accommodate the length of a movie and all the digital processing necessary to do recording and real-time to it, I think the rest is just a cake wake.

TSS: It seems like it would be something that got easier the more you did it.

Maestro: Uh, Yea. (Laughs)

TSS: Yea, I guess that goes for anything. On your webpage, you’ve got a picture of yourself, and Chico, playing guitar with Mr. Hustle & Flow, Terrance Howard. How’d that experience come about, and what was that like?

Maestro: Actually the executive director of the school I was working with had coordinated an event with Terrance, and through that, we kinda met and had a chance to politic. A couple days later, he was over at the crib and, as you can see, that was way back in the day when I was still working out of my bedroom, recording in the closet. And you know, he felt the vibe, and he liked the music, and we had a good rapport, so the rest was easy. We cut about five songs. He’s an incredible talent, as far as instrumentation. He knows his speeds. He’s very good on the guitar. Dope on guitar, actually. And he’s just an excellent lyricist. So, he worked real well, and I hope to work with him in the future.

TSS: Interesting, interesting. Aside from the obvious keyboards, what other instruments can you play?

Maestro: Well, you know, I play around on the guitar. I have a drum set that I’ve been practicing on. But I think, really, with keyboards, I think people look at it as kind of a dumb instrument.

Like you can dial in a sound, and now you’re playing the guitar. Or, you can dial in a sound, and now you’re playing a horn. Where, that’s not really the case. You have to understand the tambour, and understand the characteristics of the certain instrument to be able to really play it, with the proper expression, and make it sound real.

That’s why I have a lot of tracks, that when people hear ‘em, they’re like ‘Hey man, who’d you have playing the guitar, or who’s that playing the horn, or who’s that playing the flute?’ And, you know, ‘Uhhh, that’s all me.’ All on the keys. It’s just in the touch, the way you work it, and the way you tune it.

But at the end of the day, I’m just a keyboardist.

TSS: What do you think is the most important piece of equipment for an up-and-coming producer would be?

Maestro: Really, based on my experiences, you know, at one time I thought it was the freshest, newest keyboard. At one time, I thought it was having Pro Tools. At one time I thought it was having a fast computer. But at the end of the day, to really be a producer, and to really get out there, I think the most important thing you need to have is a microphone.

TSS: Okay, that’s an interesting answer.

Maestro: Yea, really even with Wayne, like, I had sent tracks to Wayne long ago and never got any real response. But, I started getting a response when artist after artist were coming to Wayne with songs they had recorded over my track. So, I think being able to put vocals to a song is really what gets people’s attention. You know, a lot of people hear beats and really don’t know what to do unless you’re an artist. But, to get the attention of A&Rs, and to get the attention of executives, I think it’s really about being able to record a good song, and make it sound right. And really just take it from making a beat, to actually producing a record.

TSS: Yea, there’s big difference between a hot beat and a hot song.

Maestro: Definitely. Definitely. So, yea, a microphone is a must-have.

TSS: Alright. I got a couple general questions. Who would you say is your favorite rapper?

Maestro: Favorite rapper? Uhhh, I like the Biggies and the Pacs, you know. I like Jay, I like Wayne, I like people who really make me think. Whether it be that I have to Google to figure out what they’re saying, or I gotta flip through a Rob Report to really get the whole gist of the rap. I like the thinking mans’ raps.

TSS: Definitely, I agree completely. Who’s your favorite producer?

Maestro: Um, production-wise, I would have to say Timbaland, definitely is one of my favorites. On the R&B side, I like Brian Michael Cox. I like all-around producers. If you’re a sampler, you get your own samples; you sample your own drums and you do it yourself. If you’re an original music kind-of producer, than you play your own keys. You know, you do all that. Those are the kind of people I respect.

You know, now anybody with a little money can call a hot keyboard dude, or a hot guitar dude, and put some sub-par drums on it, send it to a good engineer and have a hit record. I really give the respect to people who, from beginning to end, can make a good record, a good solid record.

TSS: A well-rounded person like yourself, I’d have to say. What’s your favorite beat?

Maestro: That I’ve done, or…

TSS: No, just in general. This might be a tough question.

Maestro: Eh, not too tough. I think that one of my favorite tracks is a track that Devonte produced for 2pac, and I don’t know the name…(thinks a for a second)…

TSS: Devonte from Jodeci, so it’d probably on one of his later albums.

Maestro: No, actually it was one of the earlier albums.

TSS: Oh, really?

Maestro: Yea. The sound, if you listen to it now, like…it’s still ahead of its time. It’s something you would liken to what Timbaland would be doing, or Danja, or Polo. Just a sick track from top to bottom. You know, that’s Devonte, an R&B producer, with 2pac, and it just fit. Within in the first time I heard it, I knew that this is what I wanted to do.

TSS: What would you say is your favorite song, in general? Not just your favorite beat, but your favorite song?

Maestro: Hmm.

TSS: This one might be a little more tough.

Maestro: Well, if it doesn’t have to be current, I would say any one of the Stevie Wonder classics are a favorite of mine. The musicality, and the song writing, you know, top notch. It was a whole other era, where people really cared about what they were doing, and I think Stevie nailed it at the time.

TSS: He’s been doin’ it for 40 years, about, I’d say he definitely nailed it. One last question I got. What type of advice can you give to any aspiring producers that’ll be out there reading this?

Maestro: Well definitely, try to work with who ever you feel is promising in your area. Actually, I have a forum on my website, and a young producer asked me, ‘Well, what do I have to do to get to these A&Rs, and what do I have to do to get out there, ‘n like what type of keyboard do I need?’

I told ‘em, ‘Hey man, it’s not about what you have. It’s about who you armed with good material. You can stand out in the middle of a crowd, with a gun, and just fire off single shots. Or, you can give everybody in your camp an AK, and just spray everywhere. You know what I mean?

TSS: Yea. Well put.

Maestro: I kinda liken that to just giving good material to all the independent artists, and all the artists you come across, because at the end of the day, when they take a meeting, or when they promote themselves, they’re in turn promoting you. So, once again, it comes back to good relationships. Keeping good relationships, is like…that’s one thing I didn’t really have a good grasp of when I first started, but now I realize that’s paramount in this game. You’ll find that your paychecks, and the payouts are directly related to who you know, and how much they wanna work with you. And that’s based on you, and how you carry yourself, really.

TSS: Well, man, it’s been a pleasure to talk to you. It’s nice to talk to someone who really loves to do what they’re doin,’ and I really appreciate that. Have a good day, and have good summer.

Maestro: Thank you.

TSS: Peace

Maestro: Peace

Listen To…

Lil Wayne – Prostitute Flange

Lil Wayne – How You Like Me Now

David Banner – Westside

Dem Franchise Boyz – You Know What It Is

For more info, visit www.myspace.com/maestrosound and virb.com/maestrobeats.