Nfinit3

Hip Hop has become a very diverse genre when it comes to sound. Every now and then you will come across a producer that has that “it” factor. I would like to introduce you to Nfinit3, a producer with a great talent for producing music that has an original sound. It is rare today to hear somebody that is not trying to follow the status quo in order to get notice. Nfinit3 is definitely in a class of his own and he is doing it by creating his own lane, which looks like he is on the right road to success! Take a listen to a new breed of producer that makes music from the heart and not for the sake of sound scan. Ladies and Gentlemen allow me to introduce Nfinit3…..

1. You have an interesting name and also the spelling of your name is different. How did you come up with the name and spelling of “Nfinit3?”

Well, I’ve always liked the concept of music being a never-ending entity. When we pass on the music will still be. It’s like my gift, my lasting legacy to the world. So that’s the meaning behind the name selection, never-ending. The spelling, which I caught slack for when I first chose the name is basically dropping the “I” at the beginning and using the 3 for an E at the end. Some folks call me by my alias, N3. And the meaning behind that was the 3 N words that I refuse to acknowledge in my quest to be known, acknowledged and heard. No, Not and Never I try to keep out my rotation. Now that I think about it…the meaning is deeper than I originally thought.

2. I read you were born in Martinsburg, West Virginia and you currently reside in Winchester, Virginia. What was life like for Nfinit3 growing up in Virginia?

The first 10 years of my life were in lil’ old Martinsburg. I spent a lot of time in the church and focusing on school, so pretty much my musical life started off singing in the choir and trying to learn drums and piano. I wasn’t cut out for the actual instruments but it definitely played a role in my future ambitions. I lived in Winchester, VA up until a few months ago. Winchester wasn’t really big on any particular music scene. I think our only famous musician out of the area was a country singer, Patsy Cline. Growing up in Virginia wasn’t anything special or significant. I aimed to do my best with everything I was involved with whether it be school, sports or art. I was actually really big into art and design before music came along. I currently reside in Ranson, WV which isn’t too far from Winchester or Martinsburg.

3. How old were you when you first started getting into Hip Hop music? What Hip Hop artist’s were you listening to when you were growing up?

I’d say in the late 80’s so that would put me around 6-8 yrs old. I remember when I was first introduced to MTV and whatnot. Michael Jackson had regular rotations and then they had the Yo MTV Raps! Show after that. I actually wasn’t deep into the hip-hop scene until Bad Boy came to be. I guess we can thank Biggie for that. I do recall bumping a lot of Fresh Prince, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, KRS-One, MC Hammer, 2pac, Ice Cube, Eazy-E and Big in the earlier days. It was later when I discovered Nas, Common, Jay-Z and Big Pun.

4. How does your family feel about your musical aspirations?

My family isn’t too concerned with the whole music thing. I mean, they are very supportive of me chasing my dreams and ambitions but they give me daily reminders of being realistic with my life. I love my family for all that they do and have done for me. I also appreciate the fact that they are positive about this whole music thing. I suppose when music is the main source for paying the bills they will love it a lot more haha.

5. I understand that you started getting into producing, after hearing great producers like Kanye West, J Dilla, and 9th Wonder. Do you prefer producing instead of rapping?

Well I actually started off attempting to rap but I just don’t think it was for me. I hear I’m one hell of a writer but the whole reciting and flow just wasn’t for me. I’m more of a poet than an emcee. I suppose out of the 3 artists listed above I’d be more like 9th Wonder who doesn’t rap at all…but I there are some songs floating around with me spittin on them. We’ll get into that later though.

6. Did you teach yourself how to produce music or did you work with other producers to develop your skills? What type of equipment do you use to produce your beats?

I am indeed a self-taught producer. My friend who introduced me to the tunes of the Justus League also introduced me to Fruity Loops and Cool Edit. I wish I still had some of my first attempts at making beats because I’m sure it would be mad humorous. To this day I still use the same versions of the programs I started with. Fruity Loops 4.0 and Cool Edit 2.0. I’m still learning new things within each program with every new beat. As far as equipment, a PC with some good speed is about all I need. I do keep the proper tools for recording in the studio so I have a Behringer Mixer and an Equitek mic to hold that down. I will be upgrading to a Macbook Pro and possibly Protools by the end of the year.

7. You have collaborated with a variety of acts. How do you network and get your name out to rappers that may be in need of some tracks?

Before I was more on the whole if an artist contacted me and had some talent and good quality recordings I would jump in with them. As I’ve progressed with my career I’m more picky and of course, with success comes the whole idea of wanting to make something off the work I put in. Most of the artists I’ve worked with before were either people I’ve met through myspace or folks I had connections with through another person. Nowadays I’m trying to build more with the artists I’ve already worked with and steady looking for a break with someone who may not necessarily be mainstream, but has a larger fan base than I do. I’ve been eyeing the likes of Royce da 5’9, Skyzoo, Jean Grae and Sean Price for awhile now. We’ll see what happens. Any artist who wants to reach me can contact me directly on myspace, facebook, or gmail.

8. As an artist, what would you say is the most frustrating thing about the music industry? If you could change the one thing in the music industry, what would it be?

The industry is so saturated with a lot of nonsense and unimpressive music. I mean, its almost like anyone with a gimmick can get in and make some cash. Its so disappointing to turn on the radio or the TV and hear some of the garbage that the masses are considering “hot”. As far as changes go, I wish the listeners/fans could resort to judging music based on what’s real, what’s intuitive and what’s appealing to them personally instead of joining the bandwagon of loving what they’re force fed by the radio and TV. On the flipside, I wish artists would stop taking advantage of the times and making music that’s no different than whats out there and get back to making that deep, raw hip-hop that we all grew up on. The underground is overflowing with talent and realness…can we get OUR shot?

9. Where do you think Hip Hop music is headed? Are you comfortable with the current state of Hip Hop music?

Hip-hop isn’t going anywhere. I personally think we’re going through a phase as a whole. All of the elements of what we know as good music, good hip-hop, is still in place. People are still making that real music. I think it’s a matter of the labels getting back to pushing and promoting the right artists, adjusting to the digital world while maintaining the push for sales of cd’s and vinyl. Its all still relevant. I think the current state is just fine as long as there’s someone somewhere still investing their time, heart and effort into creating music. As long as I’m doing this, then hip-hop is alive and well.

10. You have a quote that says, “I live for my dreams but never lose track of realtime.” What is the meaning behind that quote?

This goes back to what I mentioned earlier with my family. It’s all fine and dandy to be living and chasing your dream, in this case…pursuing this music career. On the flipside, I have to pay my bills, I have to be willing to accept the fact that I may never be famous, may never be a widely known name in the game. I don’t want to invest too much into the music and forget that I have responsibilities as a brother, son, employee, responsible adult. There’s more to life than dreams but I’m very hopeful that my dreams will soon play a major role in my reality.

11. What is the ultimate goal for Nfinit3? Would you like to sign to a major label or do you prefer to stay
independent?

I actually don’t really know the answer to this question. I just hope to be successful and known/acknowledged for this whole thing. Whether it be my music or my writing, I want to leave a legacy and something for my kids and grandkids to be proud of. If I land on a major label that’s cool, the independent route seems to be doing a better job of getting folks their place in the industry. It’s a lot of hard work but I just grind and pray that something happens. I’d love to have my music on the radio, on TV shows or movies. It’s hit or miss with music…I’m focused though.

12. You have the new album out titled, “Nonpareil: Visual Sound,” available for free download. How many tracks are on the album?

It’s a total of 16 tracks. The track listing is actually available on my website, http://nfinit3.com. The site is currently under maintenance and should be back up and running by the end of the month.

13. How long did it take for you to complete the album from start to finish?

In all honesty, the album had been done for awhile. It was nothing more than a collection of beats from a time period stretching from early 08 to early 09. I waited awhile with hopes that I could add one more track to the project from one of my artists but it never happened. I just went ahead and mixed, mastered and tracked it all out to put it out as is. I think it was a very relaxing piece of work. You can see my progression as a producer from previous projects to this one.

14. How much time do you spend working on music?

Before I do anything else with my day, I invest about 2 hours into making a few beats and networking. It’s the same at the end of the night, 2 hours before bed. It’s all about dedication and staying on top of my grind. The beats can’t make themselves, the fans won’t listen if you don’t tell them or give them reason to.

15. If an artist is interested in getting a beat from you, will you make a beat specific for that artist or will you only sell beats that you have already produced?

It just depends on the artist. I have a pretty large library of beats so most times we can just go digging through the archives and find something to use. There are cases when an artist may suggest a type of beat or a sample for me to flip and we go that route but most cases get resolves strictly by flippin through the library.

16. What kind of budget does a person need in order to purchase an Nfinit3 beat?

It’s a pretty simple scale. My leasing prices usually go for $40 a beat. Depending on the status of the artist, I may allow as many as 6-10 artists lease the same beat. If it’s a significantly known artist then the number of artists allowed to use it is dropped. Sale prices range from $100-1000 depending the date the beat was made, the quality of the beat and if I’m capable of making adjustments to it to suit the need of the artist. Also the status of the artist plays a role in the price of the beat as well, which is a natural way of handling things in this hectic industry.

17. I notice that you have a lot of records available for free download. Is there a strategy behind offering up your music for free?

I was always told that in order for people to listen you have to give them something. Giving away free material allows for people to listen and share with others. I do music out of love and passion so of course I’m going to want people to hear it. When it comes to serious projects with artists or something major that I’m working on that goes the other route, but selling and promotion take a lot of time, money and energy. I don’t think I’m at a point in my career where I can expect people to pay for the Nfinit3 name and brand. Slowly but surely though. Also, look at most of your major artists, they gave away plenty of mixtapes to get their material out there before they released major albums with major labels. It’s like paying your dues. You don’t jump expecting to make money, you jump in because it’s what you love to do.

18. As a poet do you ever get the urge to perform over the music you have created? I read that you have an album coming out titled “Make Music,” is that album going to be Nfinit3 vocals over Nfinit3 beats?

Funny you ask that. I actually recorded an entire album and released it back in 08. There is a project called “First Time’s A Charm” and it features me rhyming over my own production. At this point, I look at it as an experimental ordeal and likely to be the only time I’ll ever do that but you never know. That project is available for free here: http://www.nfinit3.com/downloads/charm.php. There are a few other songs that artist Bucky Dolla has done that feature verses from me but that’s it really. As far as “Make Music” goes, it has been an ongoing process to get that project complete. I want to give it the royal treatment. It’s been partially completed since about late 2007. We added a few artists and songs to it over time and I mean it’s dope as it sits but I want to get some more names on there, add a few more things and get it mastered properly. It’s my baby, with all the music that I’ve done already, I consider this one to be my debut. There are no Nfinit3 vocals on the project but I have an array of artists and styles on there…I even went international with some of the people featured. You’ll just have to wait on that one, it’s shelved until its right in my eyes/ears.

19. When do you expect the “Make Music” album to be completed and available for purchase?

I’d say the 2 dates that were set before were not even close to being met. It’s gonna be on Dr. Dre’s Detox status. It will come out when it’s done. For shits and giggles I’ll say 1st quarter 09.

20. In the next 2 years, where would Nfinit3 like to be musically?

I just hope to be around and still doing music. I’m not a man to live life based on expectations but I just hope for the best, for something positive. I’d like to be nationally and internationally known and respected. I’d like to hear/see my name alongside the likes of Madlib, Black Milk, 9th Wonder, Jake One etc. Those are the names you hear most these days. I’d to by then, have worked with some bigger name artists, underground and even mainstream. Could you imagine seeing my name on the credits for a song by Ludacris, Common, Lupe? I mean anything is possible. I aim high but usually stay within my limits and range. It goes back to the saying you mentioned. Staying focused on my dreams but never losing sight of real time. That’s how you have to live life and that’s how I take it, day in and out.
I just want to take a moment to thank you all for taking the time to chop it up with me. Its always a pleasure sharing my world, music and life with the world. To all the fans, your continued support is greatly appreciated. To anyone being introduced to Nfint3 courtesy of this interview, welcome to my world. To any artists looking to work with me, contact me at nfinit3beats@gmail.com and we can talk business. As for everyone else, you can check me at http://nfinti3.com, http://myspace.com/nfinit3 and http://facebook.com/nfinit3. Much love to you all. PCe!