Kansas City Producer D/Will Talks Emerging Artists, Madlib, and Animated Inspiration

If you’re a fan of our Facebook page (step your game up if you’re not), you’ve probably enjoyed some of the work of D/Will, a phenomenal producer that’s helping to put Kansas City’s sound on the map.

I took a few minutes to chop it up with D and give him a chance to share his inspirations and creative process. Music comes so naturally to him.

He was born to do this.

Read on to learn about KC’s emerging artists, D’s infatuation with Madlib and how he taught himself sequencing and arrangements while watching cartoons. As an added bonus, D drops off an exclusive mix jsut for Soul In Stereo readers. Check it out below.

Kansas City has a new chief. Get familiar.

Edd: D, tell us a bit about your musical background. How long have you been producing and how would you describe your sound?

D/Will: “I’ve been producing for 11 years.  As a child I always had a love for music and basketball.  For whatever reasons I never really explored music, I just put my all into summer league hoop camp.  It wasn’t till’ my junior year of high school when I began taking music production seriously.  Then I began to teach myself piano and bass guitar.  Although I learned how to play instruments I am a sample-based producer.  It all starts with the sample.”

Your beats have the elements of so many classic hip hop producers. Who are your major influences?

“The first piece of gear I bought was a Korg Triton Le and all my beats sounded like a mix between The Neptunes and Three 6 Mafia. LOL!  High hats on triplets flying everywhere – similar to today’s trap sound. Then I discovered Lootpack (Madlib)!  Then, my homie came over to my apartment with a dubbed cassette tape that said “Slum Village Fantastic Vol. 1” on it – my ears changed that night.

“I really modeled my style after Madlib tho! I studied his entire body of known work and was so blown away by his ear! I like to describe my style as musical illusion.”

Who are some rap artists who really inspire you these days?

“I’m not inspired by any rap artists at the moment.  Having coffee with my dad, seeing my mom smile, and my wife’s laughter makes me wanna create.”

Your Cartoon Beat Emporium series is always a fun bit of nostalgia for an ’80s baby like myself. What was the inspiration behind it?

“Those are super fun!  My brother is 8 years older than me – so when i was a shorty, say, 7 or 8 years old he was big into hip hop. NWA, ATCQ, EPMD, Fresh Prince Jazzy Jeff, you know, all the classic artists.  On Saturday mornings he would be blasting it from our bedroom and I would want to watch cartoons!  So my mom would make me turn down the volume on the TV and he would play music. So the majority of my childhood I spent watching cartoons with no sound, LOL. But that was my hip hop internship kinda – I was too young to understand the lyrics so I just memorized the song sequences and arrangements.  My bro would be rapping along with the songs and I would be humming basslines and whatnot.

“So that is why the beats on my CBE have nothing to do with the cartoons – because as a shorty I would be watching Scooby Doo with Spice One as the soundtrack.”

Talk a bit about Heartfelt Anarchy and how you connected with rapper Les Izmore. What’s the meaning behind the name?

“Les Izmore is dope. I met him round ’07 and we met on some music tip but then just became close friends. We have so many songs man, prolly around 15 joints or more that nobody has heard. On one of our earlier collaborations he started a bar with “heartfelt anarchy” and we ran with that. We just do whatever we want.

“Stage show is crazy too!  Plenty of cats from the city I’ve had the pleasure of working with: Stik Figa, Ces Cru, Gee Watts, Milk Drop, Lou Rip. Our city has some spitters bruh!  I’m finna start working with some of the younger cats in 2014.”

Kansas City artists are really making their mark lately, with of course Janelle Monae leading the charge. What’s in the water out there that’s fueling so much creativity?

“We been dope. People are just now peeping.”

In the ever-evolving, hip-hop landscape, what is the game in need of and what are you bringing to it?

“I don’t even think about that kinda stuff, fam. I get lost when I begin to think about what the listener wants so I just do what I want. I love music and I am so thankful to have been blessed with the ability to make sounds, to make hip hop!  Imma keep diggin in these crates and exploring new sounds and genres. I’ve got some great projects lined up for 2014 including Cartoon Beat Emporium: Chapter 3 and a delta blues style EP. Also, Stik Figa and I are planning on dropping our fifth studio album ’round springtime.

Check out D/Will’s Shaquille Sunfower Mix 001, exclusive to Soul In Stereo. It’ll get you through your Monday morning.