DM: How long have you been producing?

88: I've had ideas for beats since early '92 & didn't get my hands on ANY equipment since late '93. Back then I was using an Akai S-950 & a cheap baby keyboard as it's trigger. NO SEQUENCER only that sampler. I didn't even know what a sequencer was. Back then 'Tip just told me to, "get a sampler." Then I started interning @ this studio around my way on Long Island [The Music Palace]. From there I received the best advice of my life from Paul, the co-owner of the studio. He simply pointed @ this drum machine & said, "Learn that. It'll be the best thing you do." Boy was THAT an understatement. By the way, he pointed to the Roger Linn Akai MPC 3000. Yeshhhhh!!!

DM: What was your first set of equipment?

88: 1st I was using the Akai S-950 & a little itty bitty teency weency keyboard as it's trigger. I don't even think that keyboard had an name. This belonged to John Carraro. I used to go to his house & TRY to make beats. Then we went to Sam Ash & they told us that we needed a sequencer to go along with a sampler. So John cop'd the Ensoniq ASR-10 keyboard which I learned how to use. Then eventually I got my hands on the MPC 3000 & the rest is pretty much history from there.

DM: What equipment do you use now?

88: Right now I basically only use my Akai MPC 3000 with the fully expanded memory. My manger [Daniel Glogower - Skyscraper Mgt.] convinced me to get a keyboard "just in case" so I cop'd the Yamaha Motif 6. As I said that I had to go look @ it to see who manufactured it. I don't have ProTools but I use the Roland VS-2480. I could burn my tracks to wave files which is compatible with the ProTools set up. Everything else is pretty much standard: an amp', pre-amp (dj mixer), turntable, mic, yadda yadda yadda. I AM proud to mention that I do own a Fender's Rhodes 76 keyboard & an '76 Fenders Jazz Bass (in brown sunburst) but unfortunately I can't play a lick of either instrument so...