Producer's Edge Issue 10 Mr Porter

Now you selected an artist, a new artist Mateo, he also is a triple treat and has talents in several fields. Is this a consideration when you pick an artist that they have got to be more than just a song writer, more than just a singer?

Usually yes, I like the full package. I am a person who likes to add new skills. It’s like the philosophy behind how I started. I love working with raw material. I started making hip hop tracks and sampling. Anything small, a beep sound or chord or bass line. I look for something I can add on to -to and make it what it could be.

You’ve worked with a lot of rap stars and also rap artists. Let’s say you are doing a project with someone like Nas or Rakim, even in a modern day situation- if you were called in to work with Drake… what would be the process connecting their current style of rap with your history of rhyming from back in the day?

I would come up with few track ideas, concepts just pitch it to them to start off. Once we are in the room, I would definitely get the conversation going and play their favorite joints to really see what the artist is feeling now. I would look at what’s missing and what people would like to hear from them. That’s usually my approach and I would choose people that I am a fan of so it makes it easier for me.

As an artist yourself who is also skilled in a bunch of different areas, how do you divide the line between what you would do and what you think they should do?

I let them take the lead. I would make sure they are themselves and I will give suggestions and we will come to a compromise but I am never like you gotta use these drums or you have to talk about this. The idea is to let them be the artists and me just giving insight as the producer.

Talk about Mateo’s [Also interviewed earlier in this issue] work ethic and what’s required to be able to survive in your production lane.

He is a hard worker, he is dedicated, he loves music and he really practices and is focused on always improving. You have a lot of people who are very talented. Some are successful and some are not. The unsuccessful ones have an attitude that’s like ‘I am great and everybody should do this and that for me’. They think the world owes me. That’s a bad attitude.

And Mateo definitely doesn’t have that. His humility motivates me. That’s what it takes…a willingness to go the extra mile for his craft. It’s his personality, his energy. He is a full package and it’s really refreshing to meet an artist like him.