The Big Shake Up
REVAMPING THE BEATS
Some things are changing here at Beat Studies, as is very clear from the lack of posts from the past few weeks. We are in a state of redefining what Beat Studies is, who we are and what is to be our focus moving forward.
SIMP has been a focal point of our company for quite some time now. He signed on with us in 2008 and we have seen him grow from hungry emerging artist into famished emerging artist. It has become clear that he is now more interested in developing himself as an independent brand as his career continues to progress. He will always have our support and encouragement even as his role in Beat Studies diminishes.
Q-San and I are currently working on his album. Its production has been slow, but steady, as this pace seems to suit our collaborative style. We have no projected release date and no recording contract, but we will continue to update readers and fans on its progress. He is a brilliant emcee and we are going to take our time to be sure his talents are properly showcased and that his record is one to be proud of.
Steve Bannow, Kristen Alden, Mike Moore and the people of Studio 8 have agreed to help me realize a vision for a music video that I have had for a while now. It is for a song that I produced called “Don’t mean a Thing”. It was inspired when SIMP told me I should try to combine the swing era with hip-hop. The video’s production is coming together nicely with the help of the entire team. It has the potential to be a monumental video. We are working hard to make it exceptional.
DJ Dainja and I plan on putting out another “16 Bars of Gold” this year. We’re up to Volume 3. These mix tapes are always a lot of fun and it is my continuing contribution to the ATL music scene. Dainja basically drops all the beats from vinyl, and I assign and record the verses of local talent until we have a seamless mixtape featuring dozens of THE BEST artists in Atlanta. We recreated Vol. 2 live on stage last year and it was a blast! We plan on doing that again for this one.
I am also collaborating with an illustrator and artist by the name of Dan Hagerty. We have formed the Department of Animation and I expect big things from this start-up. He creates the scenes and characters with traditional pen and ink, scans them, and puts them into layers using Adobe Illustrator. I then animate the elements with After Effects and add sound effects and voice. The result is a sensational, staggering, smashing display of art coming to life. I will continue to keep you updated on our projects.
Let’s face it. I am a musician at heart. The reason I created Beat Studies is because I love to make beats. I plan on devoting more energy to simply doing that. I had put beat making on the back burner for a while, and it is time to get back at it. I am always open to collaborations and currently looking for a turntablist/producer to work with on the regular. And for all you fans of the Beat Studies podcasts… expect more episodes coming soon.
It is imperative that we occasionally step back, reassess and adjust our approach to creative undertakings. That’s what is going on right now with Beat Studies. I have always aspired for it to succeed as an independent label, but it has become clear that it is something different. It is a creative outlet for me, BJ Alden, and anybody with whom I have the pleasure to work.
