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dailyexo · 6 years ago

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[NEWS] EXO - 181227 Billboard: “EXO's 'Love Shot' Album: The Producers & Songwriters Break Down Every Song”

"The long-awaited one-two punch of EXO’s Don’t Mess Up My Tempo and subsequent Love Shot repackage provided fans with two heaping doses of polished pop. From Daft Punk’s Tron to U.K. garage, EXO checks off all the stylistic boxes on their latest works, expanding upon and further fleshing out their diverse discography.

The sonic gambles have paid off: The Love Shot repackage has already swept iTunes charts around the world from Thailand to the United States, building upon the record-breaking success of its predecessor Tempo. The members of EXO are still going strong six years into their careers, with Love Shot representing a new apex for the boy band.

We spoke with the producers behind EXO’s greatest LP thus far for the stories behind the songs.

“Love Shot”

Mike Woods: Last year in January, we had a camp with Marz Music and SM. They had liked the song since January [2017] -- Korea's just very strategic when they release songs and how they brand everything around the song. It was purposely [for] the repackage album from day one -- not necessarily day one, but they were deciding between "Tempo" and "Love Shop" -- the original [title] is "Love Shop," by the way. So we kinda knew that the repackage album would have "Love Shot" being the title single.

We wanted something that was very, very performance-driven, very dance-driven -- something that would sound good loud and in an arena. We like the fact that it's kind of in a different time signature -- it's in 6/8, so that's not like a generic pop song. With Korea, we like to do things that push the boundaries, not super generic, because they're very musical. Things like that translate a lot better than they do in America. We really like the anthemic [sound] -- even [with] "Oasis," that's what we strive for. We like to do things that just sound big -- I feel like that's our niche with me, Kevin [White], and Bazzi. It's fun, big, and loud. We saved it for the last day 'cause we knew we wanted to end the camp with a bang, and in our heads, we knew what song we wanted to make. We had voice notes of it from the first or second day we got there, but we wanted to save it for the end 'cause we knew it would be a big song for them.

“Tempo”

Leven Kali: Two years ago I went to Seoul for the first time for a writing camp with SM, and we started “Tempo” during that trip. It took a few sessions after that back in the states with the rest of the writers [Tay Jasper and Adrian McKinnon] to finish it up, and then Digi, the main producer, brought it home with the final touches. We didn't know where the song would end up, but I'm grateful that it ended up with EXO because they always execute the records at a unique and high-quality level. I'm really happy [with] how it turned out and blessed to be a part of their story.

The song is inspired by a lot of different genres and artists, like Teddy Riley, OutKast, and Take 6. Adrian is one of the most talented singers and musicians I’ve ever met, and he really brought that doo-wop flair to the track. In K-pop they really encourage experimental arrangements, so we got to be creative with this one.

“Tempo” was so fun to make because the energy during the entire trip was on fire. We were working so fast, coming up with tons of good songs, and definitely dabbling in the Seoul nightlife. Digi and Adrian had started the song on one of those crazy nights, and when we got back to the studio, it was a party making the record. Gotta give a big shout out to the blue soju. Also, fun fact: The original spelling of the song is “Ttempo,” with two Ts.

Digi Chammas: “Tempo” was a huge group effort with the writers and they absolutely killed it. I feel like you can tell it was a group of us having the most fun making that song. The constant switch ups and harmonizing is how we like to work. When we do that, there is a lot of back and forth for months with fine tuning, especially the a cappella section because it’s so special. Adrian [McKinnon] is a genius with his harmony. It’s one of my favorite songs I’ve produced, and EXO just crushed it. Crushed it! Having a single with them is what I’ve always wanted, and to be a part of such an exciting release is unreal.

"Tempo" is an amalgam of R&B, funk, disco, EDM, and '90s house. It all goes together without trying too hard. The pieces just fit. Doing edits on the demo wasn’t annoying or daunting because it just never got annoying to listen to.

I wanted to bring a bright energy to their music while still letting it still be serious without being too serious. Also, bed squeaks. They just work.

“Trauma”

Keynon “KC” Moore: Since [co-producer] DaBenchwarma and I are both managed by 3Sixty Music Group we collaborate on many different songs. Danny [Smith, KC’s manager] is telling me he had a plug for 5 Seconds of Summer. And I know they wanted to kinda go [in] a crossover, kind of urban [direction], but still keep it pop. So DaBenchwarma sent me over a few tracks for that and I wrote to four or five of them. And “Trauma,” as it is now, was one of them. It was actually called "A Little Bit" originally. I wrote to that -- usually what I do is I'm a night owl. I'll write really late, like 3 a.m., and then I'll toy with the melodies in my head. If I can remember the melody the next day when I get ready to record, it usually works out. The next day I went in and recorded it, so when I sent it over to DaBenchwarma, that was one of the tracks he really liked. Danny sent the records over to the A&R for DNCE and Ryan [Jhun], but Ryan hit us back first and was like, “We really like this track -- I’m going to send [it] to SM Entertainment, but let’s make some changes before I pitch it.” We made all those changes, [and] Ryan hit us back [and] said, “They want this for EXO.” A special shout out Ryan’s team Marcan Entertainment because none of this would be possible without them.

Maroon 5's last album was very [influential] -- I have a friend that wrote on it and she's one of my biggest inspirations. I wanted to keep things simple -- I'm still working on really simplifying what we call "pop music," trying to strip things down enough to where it's still very much intelligent but easy for a two-year-old to catch onto. Maroon 5, definitely, I feel like I utilized some of their simplicity and took my own take on it from there.

To me, it's a progressively pop song in which it's simple, but it definitely has a lot to it if you really strip it down and listen -- there's so much going on.

Cedric “DaBenchwarma” Smith: When I started working on that particular track, I was working on some stuff for DNCE at the time, and KC was writing some stuff for them as well. One of the songs that we'd written to, Danny had just gotten a pitch from SM again. At the time I was doing a lot of urban music, and so… it took me a day or two, because I had to readjust myself, just kinda reset and get in a different zone for the type of track it is. 'Cause it's uptempo, guitar-driven pop, a lot of energy. And I had to readjust and reset to get it how I wanted it, and once I sent it over to Keynon, we just started vibing out to it. We were like, "Man, I think we got something here." And so we sent it over to Ryan Jhun; he and his team loved it but wanted to make a couple of adjustments to make it fit for EXO. After making the adjustments, Ryan sent it to SM Entertainment. They loved it but ask[ed] for some changes and edits in additional to the changes Ryan’s team requested, plus a rap verse was requested since it wasn’t in the original pitch. We made numerous adjustments so it could be more energetic so that EXO could showcase their dancing. They're just a very multi-talented group; we wanted the music and the track to reflect who they were.

I was listening to so much at [that] time. I don't like to listen to one thing too long -- I kinda get influences from a little bit of everywhere. A little bit of DNCE, Maroon 5 -- guitar-driven melodic tracks that just keep you moving rhythmically from top to bottom. For me, I was looking for records that have that strong guitar influence in 'em at the time. I think that's one of the things that caught [SM’s] attention, 'cause it gets your attention right from the front of the melody of the guitar, and it drives the song right on home.

Last time we did an urban R&B mid-tempo style [track]. But this time around, we just wanted to do something more upbeat. Like I said, they have so many talents, with their dance and the stage presence and the energy they give. We were doing a track, we heard the energy to it, we [were] like, "Hey, this'll be a little different than what we did, but I think it'll be perfect for them because of how versatile they are." One day they may do the R&B, mid-tempo [sound], then next they come out with [a] high-energy dance track, and they can kill it all.

“Wait”

Andreas Öberg: This is kind of an interesting story, because it's an older song. We did this back in 2014, so the name "Wait" is very appropriate. I've done many camps, over ten camps together with [SM] in Seoul, but this was in my own camp -- it was arranged by a publisher in Korea called Iconic Sounds. So we were doing a week of sessions, and we had one day off. We were gonna go somewhere, but for some reason we didn't. We were indecisive [about] what we were gonna do that day, so Jimmy [Burney] and I were talking and we had done a bunch of songs based on tracks, more full-on kind of productions. We said, "Oh, we have this afternoon off, why don't we just go to the studio, do something just you and I, acoustic guitar and vocals?"

Back then, EXO were already doing winter albums, so we were aiming at that. Shortly after the camp, [SM] said, "Oh, this is perfect for EXO's winter album." So we got it confirmed as a placement. It was supposed to, I think, be on one of those Christmas releases. But then for some reason, they said, "Oh, sorry, no, we decided to use it at a later stage." Through the years, at different times, they told me, "Yeah, it's about to come out." So we didn't pitch it elsewhere because we thought it was coming out, but it always got pushed. And now, finally, four and a half years later -- I think it was autumn of 2014 that we created this song. We were kind of joking about it, "Wait" being an appropriate title, but it ended up where we kinda intended it to end up. We're really happy with the results, how it sounds with EXO's vocals.

I had to re-record the guitar a month ago because they changed the key slightly. It's basically two channels of guitar, one [with] basic chords, a little bit of lower bass mid-range chords, and then there's one other channel where I lay out some of the chords in the higher register just to get a little bit more glitter. We wanted to create something emotional for the winter season. Not necessarily a plain Christmas song, but this is, I would say, a winter season song. I think in Korea, in my experience, the releases from the labels are very season-based. People and fans are expecting specific colors, chords, styles of music.

Jimmy Burney: Four years ago I was in Seoul, Korea at SM doing some sessions with my friends from Iconic Sounds, a very talented music production crew. I went to breakfast one morning with Tesung [Kim], who is the head guy at Iconic, and he asked me who else I had been writing with in the K-pop market at the time. I told him about my buddy Andreas Öberg who does really well in the K-pop scene, so they ended up flying him out as well. Andreas is a genius on the guitar. So after a few sessions of writing to fully produced tracks, I suggested maybe doing something a little more stripped down. He started playing this beautiful progression and the record just came together like magic. A year after that, we were told that EXO would be cutting it and releasing it. That ended up not happening that year; we had to wait a little longer... so long to the point I almost forgotten they even recorded it. It was a nice surprise to wake up and see that the repackaged album it’s on had went No. 1 in 60 countries [on iTunes]. So I guess it was well worth the wait.

I really wanted to do a record that captured raw emotion, and the best way I felt it would stand out was to write a song that was opposite of what we had been writing the whole trip. Don’t get me wrong -- I think uptempos, drums, 808s, synths, and other fun sounds are amazing, but there is nothing like the feeling of a real instrument, like guitar, piano. It was really fun to arrange this with Andreas who has a great ear for structure and harmony. When I recorded my vocals on the demo, I wanted to make sure that it captured the essence of raw emotion so that whoever ended up cutting it would feel it immediately.

Andreas and I started creating this song in the evening -- I was extremely jet lagged. We ended up taking a break and my friend Siwon Choi from Super Junior came and picked us up and took us to dinner and a night out on the town showing us Seoul. We got back to the studio after midnight and finished writing and recording “Wait.”

I had another song with EXO years ago called "Love Love Love.” I’m honored to be a part of another album, I think EXO are amazingly talented. Since “Love Love Love” had more rap elements, it was really nice to give them a record that was more vocal driven this time around.

“Sign”

Patrick "J. Que" Smith: We called it originally "Body Don't Lie," but I think it might've been a little too spicy, so they made some flips to it. But the process of writing it was super, super easy. I remember we got over there and HM -- Harvey [Mason, Jr.] -- brought the track to the table. This trip, in four or five days, we maybe wrote fifteen or sixteen songs. So we've written one or two songs, and Harvey comes in the room excited -- "I got one! I got it! I know I got it!" And he plays the track, and immediately everybody's hype. We sit down and we start writing and we start vibing off of each other. We blew through the song fast, cut it, dressed it up, played it for the crew, and they were like, "Yo, we love this one, we definitely think we wanna use this one." We got the call when we knew they were gonna cut it. The guys ended up recording it, and I remember being back in L.A. at this time, getting a call from Harvey saying, "Hey, it's going really well, they wanna know if you can write a rap for 'em." We sat down, banged out a rap really fast, and sent it back.

Before we started writing, that [concert aspect] comes up now. You have to picture it on stage. If you can't hear it being sung, if you can't see it being performed in a stadium, then it's not the record it needs to be. We've met them, and they're all amazingly sweet guys, but seeing them perform was just wild. It's like watching Clark Kent turn to Superman. They're so amazing and mild-mannered and good natured and super polite, and then when they step on stage, they just become these superheroes. When we sit down to write, you just understand that you can't write this song for Clark Kent. We knew that we had to write the song for Superman. If Superman can't sing this song, we're not doing our job.

“Ooh La La La”

Digi Chammas: “Ooh La La La” came together so smooth. Bazzi is an animal with the pen. One of the A&Rs said something a little Latin would be amazing for EXO. Bazzi and I sat in the studio listening to this bossa guitar loop I had made with Justin Lucas right before I had gone out to Seoul. Honestly, [Bazzi] probably had half of song done within 5-10 minutes while I did the drums, haha. Then I just touched up the arrangement later that week before I left for L.A.. [Bazzi] knows how to write the catchiest shit ever. All I had to do was make it slap.

“Ooh La” is a Latin bop. It has low end and it moves. The inspiration for that was just EXO. When you have them as [the] goal, it’s easy to get inspired because you can almost already see them bodying it. You just know what direction to go.

Justin Lucas: The guitars throughout is me. It's got a bossa nova-inspired kind of groove. Me and Digi [Chammas] were messing around with the sort of bossa nova-inspired feel on the guitar, and then he sort of flipped that to more of the K-pop feel. We got together and played around with ideas, and while we were there writing, they sent some ideas. They said, "Hey, we're finishing the track, here's the bridge chords, can you do the bossa nova-style guitar over this section?" Once we started writing to the initial idea, it [took] about two days and it was done.

“Gravity”

Greg Bonnick, LDN NOISE: Whenever we start to work on records for EXO, we usually start by creating tracks freely and try to be as experimental as possible. Being fortunate enough to have worked on past records, we are quite connected to their journey, so therefore [we] have a feeling of what we would like to hear them do next as listeners and fans.

For “Gravity,” we started with a simple beat like Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” and then played a funky bassline. As we layered more sounds, it became more like a disco/funk hybrid and gave us a futuristic feel. We visualized the movie Tron and the soundtrack by Daft Punk for the mood of the song and added the lead sound from “Power.” The lyrics added to the theme, and then Chanyeol helped with translation.

“With You”

Mikey Akin, Sons of Sonix: We basically had the writing session for another artist by the name of Aston Merrygold who's based back home in London, and it was a writing session that we had with him. It was us, Varren Wade, and Aston. I felt like [Aston] loved the song, but he was still deciding his sound for his project, so the record was still open. And then Varren had a meeting with one of the representatives at SM, someone that was looking after EXO, and played the record to them in the meeting, and they loved the record. SM was like, "Yo, we would love to take this for our project." ["With You"] was [created in] May 2016, and it found a home eventually. [SM], they must have heard it top of this year or later.

Myself and Mo [Samuels], our whole production is based in fusion, a lot of fusion [from] our background, us being British and Nigerian. Being from southeast London, you grow up listening to so much garage, so much jungle, so much grime, so what we tend to do is we fuse elements of each genre that makes our foundations in our productions. So even though the record is an R&B pop record, you have the elements of U.K. garage in there. I guess that's kinda one of the reasons why the record must have stood out, because it's something new, but something they could relate to. We just added a different spin to it with the U.K. element. It's kinda like cooking, when you make [something] a certain particular way and you [add] extra ingredients, and you go, "Oh, this is new, I didn't know you could do that!" But you're not scared to enjoy the meal.

[Chanyeol's involvement] was more of a direction kind of basis, making it fit into EXO's vision for the song. Because you gotta understand, if someone presents to you a whole complete record, there's still things you might wanna change. When we were finishing off the record and doing post-production on the record, he did have his input in terms of if we could try this and move this section of the rhythm there and have a drop out here. It was a collaboration back and forth to get the best out of the record.

“24/7”

The Wavyz: The initial idea for “24/7” came together almost a year before it got released. Our team is constantly working on new stuff for K-pop artists, and this is one of the ideas that we felt super strongly about.

Funny enough, it actually was meant for NCT 127 originally. We didn't find out that EXO was interested in it until around March, which is when we started to rework some of the parts.

We were going back and forth with [SM Entertainment] about different options for the intro of the song. We felt like we hit a wall and were stuck until the engineers we work with -- Aaron Berton, Andrew Hey -- walked by whistling the melody from the chorus. That’s when we knew it had to be the intro!

Our goal for this song was always to make it sound effortless while still keeping a high, driving energy going throughout. We wanted it to stand out from the other records on the album.

“Bad Dream”

Bianca Atterberry: It was [titled] "Stranger" when we initially wrote it. Me and Deez and Mike Daley and Mitch, they played the track. Deez will have a track listening when we come in and then we'll sit down and listen to the tracks that they've created. We started with melody -- that's how I normally start in general. I'll hear it and then we'll come up with the melody, and [Deez]'s so good at hearing harmonies and backgrounds and little ambiances. His ears are crazy. Deez is a very hard worker, so he was like, "We gotta get it done." That's all harmonies, all backgrounds, all lyrics -- we [got] it done that day. I feel like songs that are made in the moment are best.

It almost sounds like a '90s R&B song [in] the intro, and then it just hits with this energetic drive to it. It has a whole 'nother drive, almost like a poppy drive to it. But I felt like the melodic pocket needed to be a little bit more open because the beat was moving a lot, so I didn't want the melody to be too fast. I wanted it to be something you could still sing to and vibe to, so I was just going through melodies. I just sang, girl, I don't know where it comes from! I freestyle [the] majority of the songs that I write -- I'll just come up with the melody and sometimes I'll have the concept within whatever I just came up with. I'm not saying anything, I'm just [mumble-sings], you know what I mean? Just hearing what naturally feels good in that pocket.

Of course [the inspiration] would be a '90s male group, of course. It's New Kids on the Block, *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys. Because I know that they have these supergroups and they're still in that '90s vibe but then they have these pop elements to them as well. They also dance like Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, and it's like they all had a baby, basically. That's what the vision normally is for EXO and groups like that.

Deez: “Bad Dream” was written during a song camp hosted by SM Entertainment. Normally in SM camps, producers bring their tracks, and the songwriters choose one of them to work on based on the discussion between the writers, and also with the A&Rs. When I’m in those song camps, I usually get involved in the track and vocal producing and toplining. For this song “Bad Dream,” I worked as a vocal producer and topliner. This was my first collaboration with the co-topliner “Blush” [Bianca.] She has [a] classical voice, but at the same time, it’s very trendy -- you don’t see that very often. Right after I listened to her voice, I could easily come up with melody of the song. She’s absolutely one of the best U.S. songwriters I’ve met. Blush and I worked on the track in very extemporary way, as we both like that type of work.

In song camps, I normally create one song per a day, but the chemistry with Blush made us to do two songs on that day, and “Bad Dream” was the first song of the day. It took 6-7 hours for the toplining and the vocal production. [It] was a very satisfying session. I normally do not follow any leads, but for this one, I was exactly targeting EXO, as Blush’s voice gave me the inspiration.

When we were going through Mike Daley’s tracks, it was hard for me and Blush to choose, as most of Mike’s tracks were used during the previous sessions. While we were struggling, Mike played a track that I heard while I was in L.A. last year. Mike let me listen to the track at that time, and I kept that one since I really liked it. I was thinking of TVXQ. Mike didn’t remember the fact that he gave it to me already, and played to us. Blush and I agreed with working on the track, and result was more than great.

Mike Daley: Usually when I go out [to Korea], I try to have a couple tracks ready from my camp just to be able to start the first couple of days off, and then start making new stuff when I'm out there. But that was a track I worked on with a producer I work with a lot, Mitchell Owens. So we started working on a couple of songs and if you hear two different beats -- it started off as a guitar-R&B vibe [track], and then I just started messing with some of the chords and different sounds and got a whole different vibe in the verses. [I] tried to make it sound a lot different than the intro, 'cause I know that's the stuff Deez likes writing to.

I think their sound, it can't be anything regular, down the middle. It's gotta be a little left of center, just something that's engaging, because their performances are so crazy. That's what I'm thinking about with the track, trying to make something that performance-wise will be cool.

Some of the new EDM pop elements, I got some inspiration from that. But then still, the real feel-good R&B, boy band vibe, which is what I came up in with The Underdogs -- that's always a part of what I'm doing.

“Damage”

Greg Bonnick, LDN Noise: For “Damage,” we really wanted a bouncy hip-hop record but with [an] anthemic chant feel to the chorus, so even though the verses were laid back, the crowd could really engage with the hook. We started with a piano riff and clap and built the song around that, adding in different elements as it progressed. It was a lot of fun and something different for EXO, one of our favorites.

Deez: “Damage” was created during the same camp that “Gravity” was made. The work flow with LDN Noise was pretty similar, but I wanted to stress [the] bridge part of the song. As you can hear, the chord progression, the melody, [and the] harmonies of the background vocals in the bridge part are quite dramatic. Since the initial track was [a] very strong hip-hop track, I wanted to give some turn around through the bridge part, and it was very satisfying, as listeners could have more [of a] spectacle when they get to the final chorus, with the bridge.

Adrian and I [are] always obsessed with new topline[s] and fresh harmonies, and this song was particularly a challenge for us. I think we were just trying to make the topline of the chorus part with obvious counterpoint. We took a break to think out of the box, and boom, all the rhythm and notes of the chorus hit my head. Based on them, we worked on the catchy rhythm.

“Smile On My Face”

Iain James: “Smile On My Face” came together in Los Angeles at Brian Kennedy’s studio with myself and Sam Hook. Sam is very close friends with the artist Trey Songz, and the song originally started out as an idea for him. It didn’t take long to be produced, mainly because Brian already had a lot of the track in place, especially the chord structure. So it was really just a case of myself and Sam coming up with the concept, defining the lyric[s], and then creating the melody, which I remember being a lot of fun as we’re both singers.

In terms of inspiration for the song, I think it was clear from the start that we wanted it to be an intimate love song, something for a singer to really connect with, and have a catchy chorus -- which I think it really does.

The song I did for EXO-CBX was probably a bit more fun and upbeat, so I’m glad we could do something a bit more heartfelt this time for EXO. Something their fans could really connect with, and something that would really show off their vocal abilities.

“Oasis”

Mike Woods: The original title is "Running," and the chorus [was] "I'm on the run/Baby I'm running."

Kevin White: I think the first or second thing [Bazzi] did [was] the "Running" [part]. I think at first it was kind of a mumble, and then he transformed it into words. We work real close with Bazzi -- we have a really good rapport and really good working relationship. I think this is one of the earlier songs we did in the camp. I remember Mike playing the stabbing chords, and then that kinda hit in the verses, and I remember we were saying, "It'd be crazy if the drums hit with that and then cut out." So it's doing a lot of things that come naturally to us.

Mike Woods: With us and Bazzi working together, I think we always try to do something that hasn't necessarily been done before or the way that we've done it. That's a really big thing for us anytime we work collectively, it's always about "How can we push the boundaries?"

Kevin White: The big choral stack... we just knew it had to go there because I think we were really searching for that big anthemic chorus that everybody's gonna sing in a stadium -- that's always the goal."

Credit: Billboard.

#EXO #EXO K #EXO M #181227 #t:news #fs:billboard #comeback:Tempo #followup:Shot #album:love shot

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musicmapglobal · 6 years ago

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Interview: Cameron Butler takes us to 'Pink Nirvana'

As if putting out two albums last year wasn’t enough, Cameron Butler is already back with another, Pink Nirvana. The LP takes us on a hypnotic, sunshine filled journey, mixing elements of wavey, R&B and electronic music. Its slick production and wide range of lyrical topics caught our attention, in stark contrast to the current fad of mumble-rappers currently sprouting out of the USA.

Eccentric at times and certainly versatile, this youngster brings us the perfect soundtrack for the summer. We caught up with him to talk all things music below…

Hi Cameron! How are you? Congratulations on the new album release!

Cameron Butler: I’m doing just fine, thank you for asking! It’s been a rollercoaster lately, but I’m alive and well… and thank you!

Can you tell me about when you first started making music?

I first started back in 2010. I was just dabbling with sounds at 14 and well, here we are (laughs).

The new album Pink Nirvana seems to have a slightly different sound from your previous releases (Voyage to Ataraxia, Out The Ashes and Dark Days). Was that a conscious effort or something that happened naturally?

It was all natural really. My evolution as an artist is just a testament to where I’m at mentally and spiritually in life. With ‘Dark Days’, it was like I had this cloud over my soul. ‘Out The Ashes’ was the beginning of unfiltered transparency with my music. ‘Voyage’ was letting myself get into a looser energy and just stay in a constant state of high energy. ‘Nirvana’ is the gumbo of my entire journey so far, mixing every element of each of those albums into one cohesive body.

It seems that urban music, especially from the USA, leans more towards trap and mumble rap these days. However your new album seems to be more wavey sounding with some old school references. What are your musical influences, past and present?

I love trap music (laughs). The ‘trap’ sound is dope to me, always has been. What I like to do is accentuate that other styles can be just as pleasing to the ear, even when I mix subtle cadences of trap music into the songs. My main musical heroes are Jay-Z, Pharrell, Kanye West, and Kid Cudi but I take inspiration from damn near anything (laughs).

There are some really interesting collaborations on the album. How do you decide who to work with when making songs?

It has to make sense in my head, and I do collaborations usually by vocal frequencies. If I feel like a certain artist’s voice sounds fitting for the track, I’ll ask them for their assistance. It’s kind of difficult to explain but I see music as a puzzle. Some people don’t fit the spaces where others will, but everyone will find their way into their respected pockets.

Your music videos have a real DIY approach to them. How important is the visual aspect of music to you? Is that something you also consider with live performances?

To be completely honest, I didn’t realize the importance of visuals until I was watching a Busta Rhymes video and paid close attention to the different approaches used in a single video. Hype Williams is forever a legend in my eyes because he created some of the most eye-catching visuals when I was growing up. As far as live performances, if I can have a fitting visual, then I’ll do it. Otherwise, the music will have to paint the picture for the audience.

youtube

Speaking of concerts, where in the world would you love to play?

Japan, California, London, Egypt, Toronto, Australia, New Zealand, and almost anywhere in Central and South America.

You’re from New York but based in North Carolina. Why did you decide to move, and what are the main differences like between the two places?

My mother moved me and my younger brother down to the Carolinas so it wasn’t my choice, but she was doing what was best for us. I was 12 years old at the time so my knowledge on everything in general was limited. As far as differences, I love the city for the high energy that you receive as soon as you arrive. It’s electric. The South offers a peaceful and slightly cleaner environment though. It’s an escape from the rah-rah. But I love, need, and respect both so I take trips to NY when I can.

Most people tend to gravitate towards musical hubs like New York because of its rich music history which continues today. Is there a similar music scene like that in North Carolina at the moment – any great artists we should listen out for?

As far as the Carolinas collectively, we’ve got some great talent that’s truly blossoming here. My label mate Crosby is easily one of my favorite rappers from here. I just recently got connected with the homie WELL$ through his manager, Alec Lomami. Caterpillar Jones is originally from North Carolina but lives out in Las Vegas currently, he’s one of the most versatile artists that I’ve had the privilege of working with. In South Carolina, my label mates Contour and Infinitefreefall bring a unique sound to Charleston unlike anything else. There’s this dope artist by the name of Niecy Blues who also stays in Charleston and she’s super dope. We skrong outcherr!!

The music industry has changed a lot over the past few years. How have things like social media and music blogs changed the process of an artist, if at all?

Social media allows the fans to directly interact with their favorite artists and stay updated 24/7. It’s a nice tool to have indeed, I’m sure my reach wouldn’t move as fast without the use of it.

Finally, Cameron Butler, what’s your favourite album of all time?

This is a genuinely difficult question and I’m not sure if I can answer it, lol.

Top three influential albums over my life? The Black Album, Madvillainy, and Man On The Moon.

Thanks so much for speaking with us!

The feeling is reciprocated, thank you.

Interview by Roxy Shah

#beats #cameron butler #Caterpillar Jones #Contour #Crosby #hip-hop #Infinitefreefall #Jay-Z #Niecy Blues #north carolina #old school #trap #usa #WELL$

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ericpoptone · 7 years ago

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For my tenth year of exploring Los Angeles with the series, California Fool’s Gold, I’ve been reaching out to fellow explorers to see where they’d like to explore for another of my series, Urban Rambles. So far all of my rambling companions have had names that start with “M” — Marvin, Maya, Mike, and Machiko. Keeping the them going, this ramble was undertaken with my friend Marya Villarin.

Marya and I met about seven years ago through the Echo Park Time Bank, but for whatever reasons, we’d not accompanied one another on an exploration previously. Marya suggested walking the length of Florence Avenue in Inglewood. I have walked that route before, with my brother, back when we walked the length of the Metro‘s Crenshaw/LAX Metro transit corridor, so I was curious why Florence in Inglewood. Marya recounted that her lola from the Philippines had lived there in the 1930s — after stints in the Bay Area, New Jersey, and Filipinotown. In the 1940s, she moved to San Diego, where she lived on Florence Street. Naturally, when she had a daughter, she had to name her, Marya’s aunt, Flo.

I’m not terribly familiar with Inglewood. I’ve walked and driven through it and eaten there but I’m familiar enough to form an opinion of a fairly pleasant suburb, as suburbs go, with characteristics of (and borders with) both the South Bay and South Los Angles’s Westside, both regions in which it is sometimes included. As of the last census it had a population of 109,673. More than half the population is Latino of any race (mostly of Mexican or Salvadoran origin), and about 44% is black.

Outside Kemp Monument Co.

I’ve heard more than one person report with surprise, after visiting Inglewood, that “parts of it are nice” or that it’s “not that bad.” I’m not sure why anyone would presuppose the birthplace of Brian Wilson and Foster’s Old Fashion Freeze to be bad. To be sure, it might be functioning below its potential, but that’s true of most working class suburbs which survived deindustrialization a bit bruised but not beaten.

Honestly, I can’t think of anything I’ve heard that would make me think that Inglewood should be avoided. I’ve been to the Forum, Edward Vincent Jr Park, Stuff I Eat, Dulan’s, the now-closed Veg-It-Up, and the Crenshaw Imperial Shopping Center and the worst thing I ever saw was some road kill on the verge next to a sidewalk. I do remember East Harlem-born Tupac Shakur rapping “Pasadena where you at? Yeah, Inglewood. Inglewood always up to no good” in the song, “California Love.”

Looking west down Florence

As I thought about what Tupac might’ve considered “no good,” I developed an unlikely theory — that “California Love” is a period rap set in the 1920s. Consider, in the song Tupac gives a shout out to the “city of good ol’ Watts,” a Lost Angeles neighborhood which hasn’t been its own municipality since 1926. He also refers to “Chucks” and Eliot Ness. Ness began his law enforcement career in 1927 and “Chucks” are Converse All-Stars, which Chuck Taylor began emblazoning with his name in ’23. A little more scrutiny and my theory breaks down. Tupac also compares himself to the famous, gay pianist, Liberace, who though alive and performing in the 1920s didn’t begin performing extensively in public until the 1930s. Oh, there’s also the fact that he raps “Now it’s ’95 and they clock me and watch me.” Maybe it’s set in 2095.

Anyway, Inglewood really was up to no good in the 1920s. If this were the 1920s and Marya had suggested walking through Inglewood I might’ve passed. In the bad ol’ days, Inglewood was infested with Klansmen. A 1922 raid on Inglewood bootleggers lead to the arrest and trial of 36 bootleggers, all members of the KKK, and the death of one — who’d also been an officer in the Inglewood Police Department.

Fairview Heights Station under construction

Like many pre-World War II suburbs, Inglewood really came into being thanks to passenger rail. Marya and I began our ramble near the site of Fairview Heights Station, a rail stop currently under construction. Inglewood’s passenger rail history stretches all the way back to 1887, when the Inglewood Division of the Los Angeles and Redondo Railway began operation. The right-of-way which will serve Metro’s Crenshaw/LAX Line was from 1911 until 1955 used by the passenger trains of the Pacific Electric Railway. After 64 years without, the Crenshaw/LAX train is scheduled to restore passenger service to the city in 2019.

Inglewood Park Cemetery

The stretch of Florence one which we began our exploration is dominated by Inglewood Park Cemetery on the south and Edward Vincent Jr Park on the north. The park was originally named Centinela Park, and the Centinela Springs located there sustained some of the region’s first inhabitants, the Tongva, who established the village of Sa’anga (meaning “place of tar”) not far from there. In 1822, the Mexican government granted Ygnacio Avila the Rancho Aguaje de la Centinela and Avila’s home, Centinela Adobe, still stands nearby in Westchester. In 1997, Centinela Park was renamed to honor the city’s first black mayor.

Black and White (Image: Marya Villarin)

My pal (Image: Marya Villarin)

Another pal (Image: Marya Villarin)

Inglewood Park Cemetery was founded in 1905. Quite a few prominent Angelenos are buried there including Chet Baker, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Sylvester, architect Paul R. Williams, and three former Los Angeles mayors.

St. John Chrysostom Church

[D]owntown Inglewood

Downtown Inglewood

Vajra Books and Gifts

Just west of the cemetery, the striking St. John Chrysostom Church marks the approximate eastern edge of Inglewood’s small downtown. Most of its buildings seem to have been built in the mid-20th century. There are some restaurants and several strip malls — plus a haunted looking Payless. Marya and I decided to break from Florence and head south down Market Street. It was a Friday evening, the weekend before Independence Day, and I was a bit taken aback at how disquietingly empty it was.

The long empty Fox Theater

Most of Inglewood’s buildings are no more than one or two stories tall, so the Art Deco details of the abandoned Ritz and Fox theaters stand out from their surroundings. The 708-seat Ritz Theater opened in 1937 and went through stints as Loews Cine, a Pussycat Theater, and a church before being abandoned in 2008. The 1,008-seat Fox Theater opened in 1949 on the site of the Granada Theatre, which had been destroyed by a fire. It’s Streamline Moderne design was created by noted theater architects Simeon Charles Lee and Carl G. Moeller. After later operating as a Mann theater, it’s sat abandoned since 1984. Inglewood has in its existence supported eight other cinemas: the Academy, the Arcade, the Century Drive-In, the 5th Avenue, the Imperial, the Inglewood, the Seville, the United Artists Inglewood. Today it supports none.

Inglewood’s Brutalist City Hall

Thurogood Marshall Justice Plaza

Next we made our way toward Inglewood’s civic center. On twelve hectares sit Inglewood’s city hall, main library, Los Angeles County Fire Dept. Station 171, a police facility, a public health complex, and a parking complex — all designed by Charles Luckman Associates in the Brutalist architectural style and built in 1973. Almost as important, in my view, are the open, expansive lawns of the center, designed by landscape architect Robert Herrick Carter. In front of the library is a tall structure decorated with what seem to be a sort of hieroglyphics. The artist on that project, known as “The Written Word” was sculptor Tom Van Sant.

Crozier Middle School

Drought tolerant garden at the fire station

Inglewood County Building — Looks like a Paul Williams building to me. Anyone know?

Tom Van Sant’s “The Written Word” (Image: Marya Villarin)

Given their resemblance to impregnable fortresses, it’s natural to assume that Brutalist buildings got their name from their brutal designs. In fact, though, the term is derived from béton brut, French for “raw concrete” — the preferred material of the Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier, who championed the material’s fantastic versatility. Most of his followers, though, used concrete to create civic buildings like police stations and prisons. In the instances where brutalism was used for residential architecture, it was most often tower blocks.

1920 Edison Substation

Parking lot basketball hoop

As we approached Inglewood Avenue, Marya whether it was better to walk all of Florence or to grab a bite to eat. Having walked it before, I explained that the rest of the avenue, which becomes Aviation Boulevard at the intersection with Manchester, is mostly lined by small warehouses and factories, electrical substations, and finally, a selection of restaurants at a strip mall called Airport Plaza and that, while not without its charms, might be less appealing than eating dinner. A proper ramble, after all, is adaptable and has no set route. It’s not a marathon or even a hike.

Lions on Fir (Image: Marya Villarin)

He turned south down Fir in search of food. We first tried Tortuga Bay, only to find that they were already in the process of closing. Around the corner we placed our order at El Compa. As we ate, they flipped the sign in the door to “closed.” I think Marya remarked that it was like in Western, right before a shoot-out. Luckily, no shoot-out proved forthcoming so I’m left to believe that the average Inglewoodian (if that’s what residents of Inglewood are indeed called) eats supper at a weirdly early hour.

Another view of Inglewood’s City Hall

Inglewood Public Library

Inglewood High School and DUI checkpoint

After finishing, we headed east down Manchester Boulevard, along the southern edge of the civic center and past a WPA-looking Inglewood High School. By this time it was dark. Earlier it had been dark because the thick marine layer had obscured the sun but dramatically curled and churned around airplanes approaching LAX. Now, however, the sun was down… and I still hadn’t fed Alan (my cat), who was no doubt preparing to let me have it.

History of Transportation

Detail of “History of Transportation” (Image: Marya Villarin)

Still, a DUI check point caught our eye, and behind it, Grevillea Art Park. We didn’t see anyone pulled over and most of the police seemed to be socializing and eating food grilled by a sidewalk vendor — not everyone, it seems, has dinner before 9:00. Behind the check-point was a 75 meter long mural, “History of Transportation,” created by the WPA and artist Helen Lundeberg between 1939-1942. A little research revealed that the mural formerly stood at Centinela Park and that it’s the largest petrachrome mural in the world.

Buildings along Manchester

Downtown Inglewood

Inglewood’s Professional Building (1928)

World Hat and Boot Mart

Image: Marya Villarin

Market Street

Smoove Fashion World (Image: Marya Villarin)

Lyric Theatre (formerly the Ritz)

Celebrity Hall — “Go Fabulous”

Making our way down Manchester, again, I found the street to have more appeal than Florence. One of the most striking buildings is the old Sheri’s Coffee Shop, a Googie-style structure designed by Martin Stern, Jr and built in 1958. Today it houses a Salvadoran restaurant called Cafetales. Most of the buildings in the area looked to have been built in the 1920s, ‘30s, and ‘40s and together give Inglewood a sense of place separate from that of the neighboring city of Los Angeles.

First Presbyterian Church

The last leg of our ramble was north up Hillcrest Boulevard, where I stopped to admire First Presbyterian Church, built in 1946. The rest of the street proved to be a quiet, residential one, lined mostly by homes built between the 1920s and ‘50s. In the middle of the road was a median shaded by stately trees. Periodically, fireworks exploded above us, lit in every instance by unseen, unheard people. The air we breathed smelled strongly of marijuana and sulphur smoke.

Homes along Hillcrest

Two homes with red doors

At Florence we headed east toward Marya’s truck, sometimes opting for the service road which runs along it, tellingly passing a fireworks stand in the parking lot of a church. We hopped back in the truck and took off — albeit naturally taking a different route than the one which brought us there.

Heading east down Florence, back to where we started