A few months back Brownstone was pleased to bring you part one of our two-part interview with legendary producer Chucky Thompson. We are proud to bring you part two of our conversation with the man who was so instrumental in so many of the hits during the Golden era of hip-hop music.
KP: I have a question that we pose to everyone. It's about where the music business is and where it came from. With the emergence of Beats Music and Spotify and the ability to buy music buffet style and pay by the month. Where do you see the music going? Does it hurt artist? Does it force artist to be more creative as they go about getting their money?
CT: I definitely think so. Once that free door got opened...They been trying to shut it down and whatnot. And then they decided "Let's just keep the music free and we'll just charge the advertisers." That's why you hear commercials between the songs and all that. It still pays the artists. You still get it for free. But then you have people that just undercut the system and just get it for free.
At the end of the day its definitely more a challenge because you have to have way more spins now. You have to have way more everything now. An album that you would see that would've gone Gold. If you were not able to get it streamed that album would have probably been 10 million. So people liking music has not dropped at all. It's just the oversaturation of it. You still have the sharing and the free networks. You have to aim higher for more awareness of your record. You really have to have the type of record or fit into the type of culture where your song is a part of their lifestyle.
That part hasn't changed. The part that makes it where people feel the music has been cheapen is back in the days they would have the orchestra come in. It’s like back in the day you'd have your Grandmother in the kitchen cooking and she's cutting up things versus someone saying I'm hungry and they run to McDonald's and get whatever [they want] and they're done. But what happens is if you feed that person that got McDonald's' that food that took a minute it may be too much for them because they're so used to eating that fast food.
It’s one of those things that is starting to separate people. You got some people that just want it quick which is mostly the kids and that side. Versus the people who want just real music. The industry is actually investing back into real music. Because they know catalog is what keeps the lights on. It's like french fries from McDonald's. They're hot and they're good but when those shits get cold they're terrible and you don't want them. You don't want to go back to them. But those joints that got made? The best time is probably the reheat. It's the same thing. They realize that now. Even vinyl is starting to lift up now. It’s turning in two industries now.
KP: Another question we always pose to everybody. Twenty or thirty years ago Rap and Hip-Hop was a fad that was supposed to disappear. Include Go-Go in that. We are the first generation that kind of grew from the kids that heard our older brothers and uncles listening to Afrikka Bambatta. And know you have rap which has become an advertising medium. It's co-opted by other cultures. Do you feel that as we've grown rap has acquired an age limit? Where we should move in to the adult contemporary the Anita Baker's and what not? Or does rap grow with us? Do we keep it in our hearts? Is there a point where we have to put down rap music?
CT: One of the things that to me has always been an issue, is when you see groups like The Rolling Stones. They're old as dirt and they're more relevant now then they were when they were out. Is it ever going to be that way for Hip-Hop? But then you have people like Doug E. Fresh and he stays relevant. But that’s him as an artist that stays relevant. A lot of time with our artists just because of the fast paced [nature of Hip-Hop]. I've always looked at Hip-Hop as different. Whatever's different. So you have all of these different levels of Hip-Hop. I always keep in touch with the guys who paved the way for me to be here. So like Biz Markie is a good friend of mine. Doug is a good friend of mine. Lyte is a good friend of mine. And I always try and incorporate them in the things that I'm working on now. That's just me as a producer. And Kanye does that. There's a couple of people that pay homage to the guys that helped get them there. And that's where the culture can continue.
Because the younger people can associate them with what's happening now. And then they learn the story. It's almost like samples was back in the day. I never knew...me coming up I used to hear James Brown records but never heard all of the James Brown records. But through rap I was introduced to all of James Brown's records. He got reintroduced. That's why his catalog is worth so much. Niles Rodgers is the same way...he got reintroduced. So to me the youth they are the ones that got to sell it. To help keep the torch going.
The young got to deal with the old and the old got to deal with the young. If you were to really sit down and talk to most young people they would love to kick it with some older people. But you got some older people who are like "I'm not messing with these youngins." They got a wall up. So once we get past that part. Once understand that it’s something that’s needed then records and everything else will just be a product of that [understanding]. I'm definitely an advocate for it.
My sons are 15 & 17 and my daughter’s 19. I put them in the car and let them play whatever. I just want to know what's their frequency. I just want to know what's on their brains. My frequency might be a little more chill then theirs. But by me listening to their frequency...I mean everyone wanted to be turned up. I mean our turn up was that Public Enemy record. With that little wild noise in it. That was our turn up. But its a whole nother level of turn up right now. So me as an adult. Me as a father. Me as someone that wants to stay connected to the youth. I take my hat off and put one of they hats on. I get involved.
KP: With the new generation becoming more socially aware and conscious and willing to speak up for themselves. Do you feel like musicians have a responsibility to be more conscious of the things they're saying to the youth?
CT: Hell Yeah! [laughs] Its certain times I'll talk to people and I just be talking and I'll say some shit and then I'll see them a couple of years later and they'll be like. You remember when you said that. I don't remember what the fuck I said but now that you brung it back to my attention now I remember. If I wasn't spitting or telling you something real I could have been telling you some bullshit. I could have been telling you whatever. But at the end of the day if you're going to speak say something. If you're not going to say nothing, don’t say shit.
KP: I want to close up with one last question. If you could have your dream collaboration of you and 3 artists who would it be?
CT: Well now that you mention it I'm working on a Miles Davis project right now. There's a movie coming out and I'm working on that. I've been blessed to be able to work on the Miles Davis project. He's a big part of my sound and why I do what I do.
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