Interview Time: Hi-Tek

Hi-Tek

Hi-Tek has been keeping a low profile in recent months, but just because the self-confessed "lab rat" has been out of the spotlight, doesn't mean he's been out of work. Having showcased an impressive collection of works on 2006's Hi-Teknology 2: The Chip, the critically acclaimed producer returns from the shadows to show that the best can only get better.

Melisa Tang got chatting to the hip-hop star to talk music, movies and healing Kanye's pain…

You've got Hi-Teknology 3 coming out soon – how does this compare to last year's Hi-Teknology 2? What have you done differently this time around?

I think this album is fresher and it's definitely for the time right now. I think this album's more street, more well-rounded than the previous albums in production and also song-wise. Period, music-wise.

Estelle features on this new album – when did you first hear of her and what made you want to work with her?

I was introduced to her by my management and they told me she was working on some stuff and I heard of her before, Mos Def and [Talib] Kweli always spoke highly of her and I was just interested to see what she had. She flew out to Cincinnati and blew me away. I'm just encouraging everybody to support her, support her project; she does her thing. She's the truth; I think she's incredible.

You've got some rap heavyweights on the album too – how did you choose who to have on the LP – or was it just who you had in the studio at the time?

You know how the industry is, everybody's busy, so some people I had in the studio and it came about that way, some people I didn't, so it took a while but we eventually got it done.

You've worked with 50 Cent and The Game in the past – where did you stand when the whole 50/Game beef broke out?

Er… I'm neutral in that, I had nothing to do with that!

Do you think it ever got out of hand, like when Tony Yayo was alleged to have assaulted Jimmy ‘Henchman' Rosemond's teenage son?

I don't know nothing about that, I have absolutely nothing to do with that. I don't even pay attention to all that.

You keep a very low profile compared to other Aftermath artists – how do you manage to keep out of the spotlight?

I live in boring Cincinnati! I just like to stay in the studio, I'm a lab rat, so that's my kinda thing. I got a family, so I try to stay off the scene. I like to stay in the studio, and I hit the scene sometimes, so don't be surprised to see me in a movie or something!

What do you have planned now?

I have nothing planned right now, but don't be surprised if you do see me!

Eve left Afttermath earlier this year – why do you think things didn't work out between the two parties?

I'm not sure, I wasn't even aware she left Aftermath! I think she had been signed and working with Dre on and off, and some of my tracks were submitted to her project, but I recently did a track with her for Cassidy's project, Cash Rules, with me and my young producer Sparks, so that's the latest on Eve.

As Dre's talent scout, what other new acts are you feeling right now?

Right now, I have none. None that I feel is worthy of bringing to Dr. Dre's lane. I'm just working right now, doing what I gotta do.

Why do you think you and Dre work together so well? What's the key to a good business relationship?

I'm a mild-mannered person, I'm laid back. I don't really ask Dre for much, so I just do me. I'm in Cincinnati a lot, so I just try to speak through the music and let my music impress ‘cause at the end of the day that's what it's all about. Dre has his own problems, so I don't bring my problems to Dre and I just try to keep it business, keep the musical relationship going.

Any plans to do another full LP with Talib?

Yes, we're about to get into that now, we're just working out the kinks, and we're officially about to get started on a new Reflection Eternal album.

What else have you been/are about to start working on?

I've done a movie score for a movie called Mr. Untouchable. It's kinda like the opposite of the American Gangster movie. Another Harlem drug kingpin, called Nicky Bonds and basically I did the score for it. And I produced something for the up-and-coming Styles P album.

How did you get involved in the movie score?

The guy, Mark Levin, his production studio is in the same building as my record label Babygrande and we basically ran into each other in the hallway and I was introduced to him and he said he was working on a movie and needed a score. So I volunteered and then I had to prove myself. Slowly I started to impress him, and now we at the point where it's done, everybody's happy, and the movie's going well.

How does making a movie score compare to making your own album?

I always had music that I felt could be used in a movie, but I did not understand the variations, how you could take one piece and just do variations, and that could be throughout the whole movie. You know, if you look at Raiders of the Lost Ark. John Williams' composition of the soundtrack, the score, it's all just variations. Sometimes it's fast, sometimes it's slow, you know, it's just flipped in different ways throughout the whole movie. Different percussions might be coming in and out, but it's basically the same composition. So I learned a lot doing that score.

Everyone's got an opinion on Jay-Z's return to the mic – what are your thoughts on the whole thing? Was he right to return after announcing his retirement? Can he ever match his classic Reasonable Doubt album, in your opinion?

I think Jay is as hot as he's ever been right now, if you ask me. I just think that rappers gave him his room out of respect, but then when you say you're retiring, it's time for other rappers to step in the room and try to take that crown. When you come back, you gotta fight to take your throne back. I think that's what Jay's going through and when you come back, you got a microscope on everything you do, so maybe it has him second guessing himself, but I think he's the best as he's ever been right now. Lyrically and he has his style, and now he has the time, the freedom and the money to just really kill ‘em and experiment with different styles, different rap styles. It's just always a thing when you retire, everyone's so serious about the game, like they the only ones who care.

Do you have any plans to retire soon?

Nah, I think I still got another 20 years or so!

Lil' Wayne was recently voted the hottest MC in the game by MTV – would you agree?

I think right now, he may be the hottest. I'm definitely an observer of who's going where, and (a while ago) I thought Lil' Wayne was on his way, so now he's there. Lyrically though, I don't think he's number one. As far as content, I don't think he has tapped into that yet, but as far as the youth and the hype around him, and his swag, his energy, I think he's got a lot more than these older rappers. But I think he's got years to come to still become number one and become one of those rappers to go down in history.

So who do you rate lyrically? Who would be in your top three?

Nas, Talib, Andre 3000.

In that order?

Nah, I wouldn't put it in that order… I'm not even gonna put it in an order, you're not gonna hold me to that one! I just think there are better lyricists out there, but just because you're a better lyricist doesn't mean you're a better artist.

A lot of rappers have been getting tangled up with the law recently – why do you think they keep getting themselves in these situations? Why can't rappers like T.I. leave the streets alone?

Well, I've been in the same situations, not the exact situation, but similar. You are just a regular person and I think a lot of us who come from that life in the ghetto and dealing with things like that, there's still backlash that comes from that. It's just everyday life and I think when you come from that life, it's hard to get rid of it. I mean, some of them are in it for the publicity, but most are not, and it's hard to really explain it, but if you've lived that kind of life or grew up in that kind of environment, it's hard to leave it behind. I've been through things myself, but my stuff isn't publicised, you know? If you a superstar everything you do has a microscope on it

The biggest news at the moment is about the death of Kanye West's mum – how do you think this huge loss will affect Kanye's music?

I think Kanye just needs time to heal off that, I don't even know if he'll wanna step back in the studio after that. I think he accomplished a lot and his mother was his pride and joy. A lot of his drive came from his moms; he wanted to show her that he could make it without going to college and all that. He done that and showed her he could do it, and for her to witness it and then pass, it's just…so terrible. I can't even imagine, so all I can say is Kanye, take it well and there's no real way to take it, but time will heal, hopefully. I just send out my blessings to Kanye and all his family, ‘cause I'm close to my moms the same way he close to his moms, so I can only imagine how that feels, how much it hurts to the point where I don't wanna make music. So I don't know. He's always gonna be a musician at heart, but still. I just wanna send out my blessings to him and his family.

Where do you see rap heading now? We've had the East Coast/West Coast movement, and the South has had its time to shine – what's next?

It's headed North! They put it in and the wind's blowing north! Actually I think rap is heading back to the real artistry. People really gotta start getting back in the studio, get back on the instruments, the drums. Get the real artistry back. If you noticed, a lot of rappers are using bands on stage, they realised using instant replays are getting boring, so they incorporating live horn sections and string sections. Even Common had dancers on the BET Awards, but it looked good, it kept the audience interested in him as opposed to him just walking back and forth across the stage. We are the artists of today, the main hip-hop artists of the world, so we just gotta work hard and step up our game.