Near the end of August, Exile will be releasing AM/FM, which will essentially be him and all his friends remixing the producer’s Radio. While pulling together recordings for radio, Exile compiled enough good material that couldn’t just be left to waste. So he’s doing what every enterprising individual would do — he’s adding them to a bonus album. Read the rest of this entry »

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 »

I sincerely hope you all listened to me when I told you to tune in to this man. Emilio Sparks’ radio show is pretty much what I want to do with my life: chop it up with respected, dope artists, play good music and take some time to act an arse. Read the rest of this entry »

Video footage of Exile and DJ Day doing their “Dope Man” routine for Exile’s Seattle Radio release party this past @ Nectar Lounge.

Exile’s Radio is in stores as well as iTunes now.

Two Things:

1) The little chatbox on the top right-hand corner of H.E.R.’s site has provided me with some great gems over the last month or so. First, I was bumping Melo-X’s mixtape. Then I got slightly addicted to Theophilus London’s The Charming Mixtape. It’s a creative mix of soul, funk, futuristic vibes and the all-important ill lyricism. I’ve been listening to this guy for a while but I don’t know a damn thing about him. Thankfully, Theophilus stopped by for an interview with the one and only Emilio Sparks — which leads me to…

2) Thanks to majesty of Twitter, I started chopping it up with the homie Emilio about wrestling a few weeks back. We got so into the convo that he invited me to call in on his radio show (*plug* The Dego Show every Tuesday Night from 11-2 eastern time *plug*) Now Freshness is going to be Respected on the radio weekly as David D. will be representing TSS by calling in weekly to talk wrestling, Hip-Hop, comics and all the other things that make us desirable to the ladies. Click the link, add the show to your iTunes and radio streaming.

– Catch David on The Dego Show @ http://www.wsia.fm/index.shtml

Loosies

Looks like something off MTV’s Liquid Television. Remember that? Read the rest of this entry »

Found in the inbox from the homie J.Kim… Read the rest of this entry »

Below The Heavens is a TSS-favored album of the highest order. It has become the yardstick by which fans and followers measure all other Blu projects. But much more is written and known about the project’s emcee than its beat maker.

Exile is one of the most artistically minded folks I’ve ever met, living in a house lined with touches of abstract art he’s constructed. He thinks and talks about the music he creates with similar rhythm to that of any painter or sculptor and clearly sees his sound in visuals. If you’ve ever had the chance to see Exile’s live MPC performance you’d be easily convinced of the physicality of his music.

With a new instrumental project, Radio — derived entirely from the media of its namesake — Exile takes the listener on an air wave journey through AM and FM, darkness and light, evil and good. Here’s a brief look into the inspirations of an artist whose music pays meticulous attention to sounds that create visuals.

Biz Markie – Goin Off

“The first thing I heard off this album was ‘Pickin’ Boogers.’ I guess I had to be about 13, hearing about ‘Big Daddy Kane eating boogers out his spaghetti.’ Read the rest of this entry »

Sometimes, this man is entirely too underrated. Two platinum albums, two gold albums and a fifth on the way; yet his portfolio still fails to precede his talent. Read the rest of this entry »

For those that of you that don’t know, Scion (you know the makers of the funny looking chicken box cars) has kept their interests in the music all for the benefit of the fans. From sponsoring free shows across the country, to this diverse selection of broadband radio.

With notable acts ranging from Cosmo Baker, Mark The 45 King, all the way to Wax Poetics, there’s a little something for everybody that defies the norm of traditional radio.

Sign up today yesterday.

www.scion.com/broadband