Kevin Rudolf - Let It Rock [Remix] (Ft. Lil' Wayne)
It seems nowadays everything Timbaland co-signs turns to platinum. From his work with Chris Cornell and Justin Timberlake to his understudy Danja producing some of the years top tracks. We recently sat down with his newest protege', Infra Red[Youtube], to talk about everything under the sun and more.illRoots.com: If you didn't meet music where would you be?
Red: I would probably be somewhere designing clothes... Something artistic. Its what I used to do, everybody thought I was going to be a professional artist, clothing designer or something along those lines. I had a business set up, I used to take trips to the Magic Show, the whole nine... One particular trip I was standing in the middle of the show floor and the thought just suddenly hit me like, "This isn't what I'm supposed to be doing, I'm good at it but my heart is not in this."
It's crazy because I can probably draw far better than I can make beats... and that's saying something.
illRoots.com: Why the name Infra Red?
Red: I'm known for my red ball caps and shirts - somebody called me that in the studio and it just kind of stuck. Add to that I had an uncle (Melvin Turnbow) who we [my family] call Red - he was Muhammad Ali's sparring partner - I'm like him in a lot of ways... I'm the second generation Red.
illRoots.com: What is your background in music?
Red: My father (Eugene Williams) is a singer and was the lead singer of a group in high school that would later go on to become "Confunkshun" - life and other priorities took over and were a major reason why he wasn't able to be a part of the group. My father was also a painter. Music and art were a big part of his life so I growing up around that it was only natural that I took on both talents. I always knew I was musically inclined but until this day have never learned to properly play a classical instrument - I find all the notes by ear.
illRoots.com: What newer artists that you have heard will make the biggest impact in 2009?
Red: Possibly moreso as a writer than as an artist herself, but I think Jazmine Sullivan.
illRoots.com: How did you meet Timbaland?
Red: It was at a show, he and another artist were performing that night - half of the show was Timbaland, and half the other guy... I'm a big Tim fan so I was there for Tim. But all this was after waiting outside a Verizon store for 5 hours to get him a CD at an in-store to which he never showed up to... and after bumming a ticket off this dude for a ridiculous amount (that I won't say) only to find out later that [the ticket] was fake, then after all my trouble I end up running into a friend who ends up being the manager of the Verizon store who ends up giving me his ticket free because he was unable to make it to the show.
[Produced by Infra Red]
Fast forward back to that evening of the show... I had a ticket and got into the show, I was so excited that I had a ticket and was getting in... I guess I didn't notice at the time that a lady at the front was stamping people's hands as they went in. So I'm in the show and Tim's half of the show ends. I have to decide... Do I want to leave the show now to give myself a chance to meet Tim out back as he's leaving? Or do I try to catch his DJ as he exits stage? Or do I stay for the entirety of the show because of the amount of money I paid?
So as the DJ [Freestyle Steve] left the stage I approached him and talked to him briefly and gave him a CD. Then I rushed to the exit to catch Tim as he was leaving. They had a tourbus waiting out back that was there presumably to fake out any people that would be waiting for him out back. Then suddenly a small white unmarked bus quickly pulled up, then Tim and his wife came out. Since the show was still going on, I was the only one waiting for him out back. As Tim walked up I said "Hey Tim, can I get a picture with you?" and Tim simply said... "I ain't got time for that." and got on the bus. So when the bus drove off, I tried to get back into the show, but I hadn't had my hand stamped so they wouldn't let me back in. That was my first Tim experience... but I guess in the end it turned out alright. [laughs]
illRoots.com: Most Underrated piece of equipment in the lab?
Red: This is kind of a copout answer but... Reason. Well, that's not really equipment so I'll just say the Macbook Pro. (seriously) I was working with a Macbook and Reason 3.0... that's it. I didn't even have a keyboard, I had a software program called MidiKeys that turns your QWERTY keyboard into a midi keyboard. I had been using that very crippling setup for so long that I had gotten used to it. People hear my beats and think I have an expensive setup... Everything I use is software-based. I pretty much use the same setup that I've been using. Of course I have Midi keyboards and drum machines to control it now, but basically its the same core setup.
illRoots.com: What do you have in store this year that we should look for?
Red: I'm currently under NDA about the identity of the artist and the project. All I can say right now is that its a new artist.
illRoots.com: The most important part of your life at this very moment?
Red: Family and my music. My family keeps me grounded - when my head starts getting big they kinda smack me back down to earth like "hey, nigga I used to change your diapers." [laughs]
illRoots.com: Most Underrated Producer of all - time?
Red: I was gonna say Rick Rock but you said all-time... umm... I'mma have to go with J Dilla on that one - You hear a lot of talk about Timbaland and Dr. Dre but you didn't really hear people talking about J Dilla a lot until he died... He's one of those dudes that produced your favorite song, but you never knew who did it. I looked back at his resume like wow... Common, D'Angelo [So Far To Go] It doesn't get much better than that...
illRoots.com: What artists are you working with now that we should look out for?
Red: I can't talk about the one, but the other... I'm working with this dude named I.V.A.N. [formerly Ivan The Terrible] check him out.
myspace.com/listentoivan - everythingivan.blogspot.com
illRoots.com: Infra Red is _________.
Red: Hot fire. [laughs]
