Diamond D Still Diggin!!!

Yes sir. I got a chance to sit down with a producer that inspired me. It was my honor to chill with Mr. DITC AKA Diamond D
What up Diamond?

What’s good Dig?

I grew up on your music production; some of our viewers might not be familiar with you. Could you give us your brief background? I really want you to talk to the younger generation that hasn’t done their research.

I have worked with Busta Rhymes, Tribe Called Quest, Fat Joe, Mos Def, OutKast, Fugees, Pharoah Monch, Too Short
We at Producer’s Skill give awards to producers the have demonstrated Production at the Highest Degree (P.H.D.). I liked to present you with that award.

HaHa…no doubt. Thanks alot. Its hot that you have this award.

How do you rate your production skills on a scale from 1 to 10?

I rate my production an 8 because I am not a classically trained musician.

Let’s start from the beginning. What equipment did you use for your first production set-up?

I started off with an Alesis HR-16 and an Akai S950 sampler.

What equipment did you use on Stunts, Blunts, & Hip Hop?

The same equipment in answer 3 and also an Akai MPC-60 were used to make my first album

What are you using now?

Now I’m using the MPC 2000 XL and the Yamaha Motif ES7

Creatively, do you think technology has changed your approach to making beats?

Yes, the sampling rate frequencies are much better now and Protools programs generally just make life a lot easier now in the studio.

You produced for Hip Hop artist such as Big-L, KRS-One, Brand Nubian, to more commercial artist like The Fugees, Busta Rhymes and Natalie Cole. What type of skills does a producer need to produce in such different areas of music?

I think that a Producer has to be open to all types of music. From me diggin’, I was exposed to a lot and that helps my approach when producing certain artists.

Today, there is a list of producers like Pharrell, Timbaland and others that have become artist and released solo albums. You were one of the first producers to successfully make that transition. What made you step out from behind the scenes and show your skills as a MC/artist?

When I was in the group Ultimate Force, although I was a DJ, I was also helping out with the writing of the rhymes. Plus, being around Grand Puba from the Brand Nubians and Lord Finesse, made me wanna rhyme. One day, hanging with Puba on 125th Street in Harlem, we took a cab up to Allerton Avenue in the north Bronx, and I said to myself, Puba is rich..LOL

Which producer in the game has the hottest Drum programming and//or arrangement?

I liked J Dilla’s drum programming (R.I.P.) and also Nottz, DJ Scratch, Just Blaze, Large Proffessor, Hi-Tek, and the great Jazzy Jay.

What about sample chopping ability?

The same Producers in answer #9 and add Pete Rock, Q-Tip, Buckwild, Hank Shocklee, Prince Paul and Marley Marl.

Dr.Dre is considered by many to be Hip Hop’s top producer. Can you tell us what skills a producer needs to obtain that title?

A Producer with musicianship and a knowledge of manipulating samples. Someone who embodies both of those is a good Producer.

We are in the Pro Tools age now. Producers are basically removed from the studio because of this industry standard. How did you collaborate with artist back then compared to now?

Pretty much the same. When an Artist picks a track from me, we go in the studio and vibe it out.

Tell the truth, producer’s got it easy now right?

No, it’ harder now cause It’s a million producers out here. Nigga get his hands on 3 stacks and buy some equipment and boom in 2 days, he’s a producer.hahahahahaha

Do you have any formal training? Instruments, etc?

Yes. I play the drums, flute and some keyboard.

What’s more important to you, your record collection or your ipod collection?

My record collection of course

On the business side, without getting into specific details, can you tell us how the production income has changed?

It hasn’t. I don’t think people are getting a million dollars for a track no more….but if you’re hot you can get at least 100k a track, these are mostly R&B and Pop budgets. Hip-Hop budgets range from zero to 100k….dependin’ on who you fuckin’ wit’.

If you don’t mind telling, which one of your records was the most successful financially for you?

The Score on The Fugees album.

Do you shop beats to artist these days? If so, how?

Yes, I typically e-mail MP3’s out to artists who get at me for tracks.

Do you get the respect and props you deserve?

Yes and No.

What do think about the state of Hip Hop right now as far as production is concern? Do you truly think producers respect the art of production or is it just the new hustle?

Well, some can say it is the new form of hustlin’, but at the end of the day you can have a wack producer with a hot artist and if the song blows up, so does the wack producer. The other side of the coin is a good Producer has to be consistent with makin’ hits and most of these people are the ones who take the art form seriously.

I know you’re working on an new album? How’s that coming?

The new album is done. It’s called “The Chroncles of Huge Hefner” and features production by Nottz, ILLMind, Jesse West and myself.

Any last words and/or shout outs?

Yeah, I wanna give a shout out to Digga for giving me an interview that asked good questions and for preventing me from spazzin out at an event not too long ago….hahahaha…ONE

No doubt man. Thanks