{"id":158410,"date":"2011-04-19T15:29:13","date_gmt":"2011-04-19T20:29:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nicekicks.com\/?p=158410"},"modified":"2022-09-16T01:29:55","modified_gmt":"2022-09-16T06:29:55","slug":"1-on-1-with-dj-quik","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/1-on-1-with-dj-quik\/","title":{"rendered":"1 on 1 with DJ Quik"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sure, west coast music has re-emerged thanks to the creative minds of new artists including Kendrick Lamar, Nipsey Hussle and Dom Kennedy; however, some of us are quick<\/em> to forget the pioneers that ignited the west coast sound years back. Guys like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg and DJ Quik undoubtedly put on for the west coast unlike no other. So, how does a pioneer like DJ Quik stand the test of time and continue to maintain relevancy on the west coast, let alone hip hop?<\/p>\n

We recently caught up with the legendary DJ Quik to discuss his love for music, today’s hip hop and his new LP, The Book of David<\/em> (The Book of David releases tomorrow, April 20, 2011). Quik also touched on topics regarding the late Nate Dogg, how new technology has effected his craft and what he has coming up in the future.<\/p>\n

Check out our in-depth, 1 on 1 with DJ Quik<\/strong> interview below.<\/p>\n

Snkrs Day: The pioneers of certain hip hop regions have more or less upstarted the sound in that particular region, but in the west coast, the pioneers are still a very major influence. How does it feel to be one of those pioneers, but still a major influence in the game today?
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

DJ Quik: I don’t know, because when I take a shower and I’m by myself, I feel insignificant. I don’t know how to take that praise yet. I don’t know how to walk around pompous. I think it stems from me being a humble, shy guy. Like, Dr. Dre is shy as f**k. He’s big as s**t. He has $200,000,000 worth of pectoral muscles, and he’s a shy guy, you know what I mean? I think it stems from humility.<\/p>\n

Snkrs Day: If you were to describe the west coast sound to somebody who has never heard west coast hip hop, how would you describe it to them?
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

DJ Quik: How can you even transfer that from words to auditory? I would tell them the vibe of the west coast is partially the reason the Jackson family moved out here. Michael Jackson is west coast. So, it’s bigger than just hip hop. There’s an energy in California that just works and is comfortable and conducive to making hit records. I’m not saying New York isn’t. Some of the better records in the world were made in New York, but there’s an understanding ‘breezy’ thing happening in LA. It’s comfortable.<\/p>\n

Snkrs Day: So, who are some of the young cats in California that you’re feeling right now?
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

DJ Quik: There’s so many. I’m loving my boy Top Dawg’s camp right now. You know, like Jay Rock and Kendrick Lamar. I’m loving Dom Kennedy and Dam Funk. There’s a bunch of hot girls out there too. Wow, I forgot their names. I even put on Aloe Blacc. He came through my show. It’s a lot of cool things happening now. There’s like a regeneration of energy to be an artist in LA. And it’s spreading outside of here. Outside of LA, you have people coming here to perform. I’m seeing my boy Kendrick Lamar’s name on posters here at your shop.<\/p>\n

Snkrs Day: During the listening session, you mentioned one of the tracks helped lay the foundation. How do you discover where you’re going to go with your albums?
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

DJ Quik: Yeah, it was the second song called ‘Do Today’ on the album. You just have to feel it though. It’s about the way it feels to you. We don’t know what a hit record is. We just produce, produce and produce until we get good enough records that are apart of the landscape of blowing up to what a hit record is. We try to get rid of all of the s**t that’s below par. You just have to be current. I still think it’s about being current.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span><\/p>\n

“Michael Jackson is west coast…There’s an energy in California that just works and is comfortable and conducive to making hit records. I’m not saying New York isn’t. Some of the better record in the world were made in New York, but there’s an understanding ‘breezy’ thing happening in LA.”<\/h1>\n

– DJ Quik<\/h1>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\n

DJ Quik's new album: The Book of David<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Snkrs Day: Do you ever have a sandbox feel where you’re just trying different stuff to see if it inspires you? <\/strong><\/p>\n

DJ Quik: Yeah, and very rarely do you make a hit out of that. Hits are motivating. They’re driven. When you’re random and shooting shots in the dark, you might shoot a thousand bullets and never hit a mother f**kin person, you know what I mean? If you calm down, relax and target your energy, you can make magic. You can build a f**king Eiffel Tower.<\/p>\n

Snkrs Day: You stated that motivation was a big factor in you being able to turn this album around so quickly. What motivates you beyond music right now? <\/strong><\/p>\n

DJ Quik: My Pomeranian snowball. I love him, man. I like to see him eat human food and look like he wants to talk. But yeah, my kids, you know what I mean? I want to see them comfortable and leave them something when I’m gone. It’s not about me anymore. I’ve had my fun. I’m in my 40s now.<\/p>\n

Snkrs Day: The west coast, as well as all of hip hop, lost someone really important last month (Nate Dogg). What’s your favorite Nate Dogg track? <\/strong><\/p>\n

DJ Quik: (Starts singing) ‘I Got Love’ is one of my favorite ones. I also like ‘Oh No’ with him and Pharoahe Monch. And obviously the hits. What he did to ‘Xxplosive’ to make it hot. What he did to ‘It Ain’t No Fun’ to make it hot. What he did to ‘The Next Episode’. Nate was the go-to guy. He is G-Funk. Long live G-Funk. Long live the king of G-Funk. My left-handed southpaw. Nathaniel Dwayne Hale. I have a story, man. Me and Nate Dogg were at the Source Awards in ’95 when that boy got up there and made the threat. Me and Nate Dogg stood up back to back to each other. I told him I wouldn’t let nobody hit him in the back of the head, if he didn’t let nobody hit me in the back of my head. We thought we had to fight all of New York. We were scared, but we were prepared. Nate Dogg was a strong guy. He was not a coward. He stood up for what he believed in. When he relaxed, he was one of the more fun and funniest guys in the history of the world. There was the show called the Weakest Link that we went on. It was myself, Xzibit, Da Brat, Rev Run, Jermaine Dupri and Young MC. They need to play that s**t because Nate Dogg f**king funny on there.<\/p>\n

To read page 2 of the interview click here.<\/p>\n

Snkrs Day: You’ve produced for a ton of people. How is it different producing for yourself as opposed to producing for other people?<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

DJ Quik: I guess it’s different because I try to introspect when I produce for myself, and I overthink it sometimes. Producing for yourself is kind of hard. You have to change hats. You have to be the beatmaker, the engineer and when you have everything laid out for the music, then you have to put on the emcee hat. You have to write lyrics, and they have to mix in.<\/p>\n

Snkrs Day: So, it’s safe to say it is much easier producing for others, right?
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

DJ Quik: That’s why I sold 3.5 million DJ Quik records and 97.5 million with other artists.<\/p>\n

DJ Quik and Nate Dogg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Snkrs Day: When you’re wearing all of these different hats, sometimes you have to self-reflect when you’re wearing each one, right?<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

DJ Quik: Yeah, exactly. Especially when you don’t have anybody to bounce off of. Sometimes, solitude can play against you. Sometimes, you can spend too much time by yourself writing a stupid, wack song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span><\/p>\n

“Nate Dogg was a strong guy. He was not a coward. He stood up for what he believed in. When he relaxed, he was one of the more fun and funniest guys in the world.”<\/h1>\n

– DJ Quik<\/h1>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Snkrs Day: So, what’s next for the west coast and hip hop? <\/strong><\/p>\n

DJ Quik: Well, as soon as Dr. Dre drops Detox, we can celebrate. No matter what it sells, we want him to put the record out. I think we’re finally getting our shine. People probably didn’t like the gangbanging or the laid back, slow weeded out style we had, but I think now they’ve come to respect it as a part of our makeup. That’s who we are.<\/p>\n

DJ Quik Official at the Snkrs Day shop for the SXSW Listening Party<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Snkrs Day: Earlier, you said that you’re already thinking about the next album. Do you have that track that’s already starting to lay the groundwork?<\/strong><\/p>\n

DJ Quik: I have monsters. I’m in a zone right now. When I put out records that I believed in but didn’t blow, I was like let’s kill that business. Now, I’m in a comfort zone to where you can automatically hear what it’s going to sound like at the end of the song because of the way I know my equipment. I’m back to analog, and analog actually helps you make good records. When people use Pro Tools, it’s kind of hard. It doesn’t necessarily make a hit record.<\/p>\n

Snkrs Day: How has technology influenced how you produce? Are you not happy with how much technology has advanced lately?
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

DJ Quik: Pro Tools sucked. It wasn’t warm. It wasn’t big. Our older ’80s and ’90s records were on tape. Tape automatically makes sh*t bigger than it is. Pro Tools doesn’t do that. It actually makes some things smaller. It took me a long time to even enjoy Pro Tools. But now, I have my technology together, and I can live out my dreams. That’s why the record took four months instead of two years like my first album did.<\/p>\n

DJ Quik’s eighth studio album, The Book of David, will be available on iTunes tomorrow, April 20, 2011. Click here<\/a> to preview The Book of David on iTunes now. Also, follow DJ Quik on Twitter<\/a> for updates regarding his music.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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