Props if you know him from Emanon, and if it wasn’t until Below The Heavens with Blu that convinced you of Exile’s musical genius, welcome. Since the early 90′s the Los Angeles-bred and buttered producer has been steadily building a resume of work few can rival. From underground 12-inches to commercial gems (think: Mobb Deep’s “Pearly Gates”), he covers all ground with a sound identifiably his. Not to be outdone by his works with other artists, Exile has two solo albums of his own: Dirty Science and his latest conceptual masterpiece, Radio. Sampled purely from the radio (yes, you read that correctly), the aptly titled album is his first purely instrumental endeavor and without the use of vocalists.

Yet, Exile is able to say more than most rappers choose to. He is a true master of the MPC, with turntable skills to match. An innovator. A visionary. Smart. Humble. Funny and for real with it.

If my words sound bold, check the facts, and without further adieu…

TSS: What was the first instrument you got your hands on?

Exile: The first instrument was an accordion. I was living in my Grandfather’s garage and he would give me accordion lessons. It didn’t really stick though.

TSS: Have you applied some of those lessons to your music later in life?

Exile: Yeah, definitely. That was my first time really learning keys, and I still play keys today.

TSS: What about in terms of beat machines?

Exile: It was actually tape loops first. I had one turntable and two tape decks and I would loop em up. I think it was the “Genius Of Love” sample (Hums beat). Rewind it and then leave a silent part. I’d do that for like three minutes, so I’d have a tape of that playing over and over with silent parts that I had to fill in. I’d play that and then fill in the gaps. So I could take a full loop, put it into the other cassette deck and play that. Then I would record on the other one and put stuff on top of it. I pretty much had infinite tracks.

TSS: Damn. How long were you doing that?

Exile: I did that for a couple of years and then eventually I got a push button sampler and a 4-track. That was when I first started putting out music. Making tapes and I even pressed it up on vinyl like that. Then I moved to the Roland MS1 and then eventually the MPC.

TSS: How are old were you when you were looping the tapes?

Exile: Eighth grade, but I actually started scratching on one turntable in sixth grade. I had one one of those home stereo component systems with the tape deck, radio and turntable up top. What I’d do was press the tape button down while hitting the phono button so it’d act like a transformer button. I used to scratch Star Wars records and stuff like that.

TSS: Since you were creating and cutting up sounds so young, when did the idea of being producer really resonate?

Exile: I always wanted to be a Hip-Hop producer and DJ. Ever since Junior High I knew. I used to fantasize, like when I was getting ready to scratch, I used to fantasize that I was at a KRS-One concert and Kenny Parker was sick or something and KRS would call out, “Can anybody DJ!?!” And then I would start scratching like I was on stage with KRS-One. I don’t know if that has to do with anything, but I thought I would let you know that (Laughs).

TSS: So it’s always been in the plans?

Exile: Yeah, I mean I know this sounds strange, but I used to think like if I had to make a record with just noises from my mouth, like a record label said that’s what you have to do, then I would do it. Again, I don’t know what that means (Laughs). I guess it just shows how much I really wanted to do it that I would just fantasize on some weird shit like that.

TSS: Was there a turning point in terms of your sound and productions? I ask thinking about the earlier mellow Emanon stuff to the “Algae” joint and the more upbeat or electric stuff. Read the rest of this entry »