What up G Force? Introduce yourself, name a couple projects people may have heard you on! Whats good! It’s your neighbor hood hippie G_Force, 1/3 of TxE, you might of heard me on TxE‘s free Ep, or you might of heard me on the bong in my studio haha. But really most of the projects I’ve put out were when I was living in Eugene and they’ve gotten lost over the years.
How long have you been making beats? What tools do you use?
We’ll I got my first drum set when I was 6 years old, so you could say I started making beats
then. I didn’t really get into hip-hop production tell about 5th or 6th grade. I started on
computer programs and a Roland BOSS drum machine. Now I use, Mpc 2500 LE, Juno G, Korg Ms 2000b, Motif Rack, Reason, and the Roland Sp 606 which I use for the TxE live shows. I also use my drum set, live bass, and this dope Church Organ (all were used on TxE “Get It Back”)
You’re in a group with Tope and Epp as a collective you’re known as TxE. Are you in any other groups?
I’m currently in TxE, and I have a indie group with my girlfriend called Girl Meets Gravity but we’ve been slackin on making music lately. I used to play drums and then keys in this live band from Eugene called Medium Troy we did a stint on the Warped Tour last year.
You work with a lot of northwest artists, who are some up and comers the readers might not have heard of you’ve been working with?
Me and the homie Half Man Half (Low 80’s) have recently started working on a project, I’m doing all the beats for that album. My dude Efekt from Eugene is getting some beats from me I’ll probably end up doing that whole album as well. 9DM was trynna get some beats also for his next project. I really don’t work with that many North West cats cause they don’t like to pay for beats..and I don’t give out free beats. Also me and EPP from TxE have a crazy indie rock project we’ve been workin on. I don’t just fuck with hip-hop music I produce it all!!
You recently released a dope track from an upcoming project with Illmaculate, give us some insight about how this came about.
ILL and myself were in my studio, listening to Al Green’s 2008 release “Lay It Down” one of my favorite albums of 08, I decided I wanted to flip it track for track. I made 8 beats that night while ILL was chillin writing raps. The next day I cooked up the other 3 and finished the project. It was originally just going to be an Instrumental album, but once ILL heard the rest of the beats he had to be a part of it. We’ve got features on the album from Theory Hazit, Epp (TxE), Braille, and Only One (sandpeople). We also just dropped the video for the first track “Lay It Down” http://gravityhits.com the project is called “THE GREEN TAPE” and should be out by the end of summer.
I also hear you’re working with Planet Asia, how did you two meet and can we expect to hear that this year?
I met Planet Asia back in 06 (senior year of high school) when he came to Eugene to do a show. I had a beat cd ready for him, but suckered out when I met him and didn’t give him the CD. Fast-forward to August 08, and I’m on myspace and see Planet Asia’s page I figure fuck it, and sent him a message seeing if he wanted to work on something. He replied back saying he dug my beats and wanted to do an EP. So I started sending him beats, and after awhile it just turned into a full length album. It’s entitled “Camouflage Jackets” were finishing it up this summer and hopefully it will be out early next year at the latest. It was originally going to be put out threw Black Smith (Talib Kewlis Label) but we had some issues with them, we were also in discussion with Stones Throw, Duck Down, and Nature Sounds, but we’ve decided to go the independent route for releasing it. The Project is on some throw back Planet Asia shit, he really go’s in on these joints, be on the look out!
Describe the hip hop scene in Oregon and how it’s grown in the past year.
The scenes hear is interesting to say the least. I’ve been blessed to meet a group of artist who support each other, and make great music together. But the majority of cats out here are older sour cats who like to hate on the young kids doing something different. I’m sorry but the “north west sound” as of the past few years is not that tight, were trying to make something UNIVERSAL and turn that into the new North West sound. As far as growth I think that there hasn’t been much, the shows here are still poorly thrown (unless dealing with the right promoters) No one really wants to see 10 hip-hop acts on one show I’m sorry but things need to change!
Who are some of your influences?
Curtis Mayfield, The Mountain Goats, Neil Young, Drake, Cee-Lo, Ben Kweller, Dilla, Moka Only, Peter Tosh, Gregory Isaacs, Sean Lennon, Jahiem, Jaime Lidell, devonwho, Nottz, and really my crew in Portland influences and inspires me to do bigger and better things.
The internet has been a great way for people to promote their work, do you think it helps the “at home” producers like yourself who get their own gear and studio together?
It’s a gift and a curse, a gift because any one any where has access to find your music, a lot of the beats I sell are to random out of towners who just happened upon my beats. It’s a curse because obviously with anyone being able to put up there music the market is oversaturated with a lot of bad music.
With 2010 being a big year for you, how do you plan to top it in 2011?
Shit! I’m constantly grindin for perfection and to reach that next level. 2011 will bring nation wide tours for TxE and Illmaculate, a sponsorship from Nike, and Planet Asia x G_Force – Camoflauge Jackets! (These are the things I’m visualizing to make happen)
What do you think about beat battles in Grindtime? Do you have an interest in giving on a try?
I think beat battles are limiting, it forces you to create one style of production, when personally I rather hear the differences in the producers, like can you make an R&B joint, or a dance beat. I really don’t have any interest to compete I’ll leave that to my buddy TROX he’s killin fools! I prefer events like Dave Notti’s “The Neck Brace Showcase” were the producers get to play what ever they want to display there versatility.
Who are some other names you’ve been working with as of late?
I’m currently sending beats back in forth with hip-hop super producer NOTTZ (busta rhymes, snoop dogg, r.kelly, Biggie, Dilla) , I’m also making beats for Strong Arm Steady (Phil The Agony, Mitchy Slick, Krondon), Moka Only (battle axe records/Swollen Members), Tri-State (GCM), also me and Chase Moore have been cookin up some beats for a solo Phil The Agony album were producing. Ya diiig!
Take some time plug your info where people can hear your work and show you love!
Challah at me on twiiter @G_ForceBeats or email me Gforcebeats@gmail.com
You can peep my music…. TxE www.topeandepp.bandcamp.com Beats www.gravityhits.bandcamp.com and my video at www.gravityhits.com
If you got anything else you want to discuss its basically open mic time, have at it:
I just wanna say thanks to UTAGM for the interview and for holdin the crew down! Also just for hip-hop fans in general it’s time for you to open your ears up, It’s the easy way out to just hate right off the bat, and box artist in. It takes more effort to actually listen to what artists are doing and feel it first. Mainly that’s a shot to all the people hatin on Drake. Haha dude’s killin it.
Oh yeah. And be on the look out for TxE ‘s new project “You’re Welcome” dropping Sept.
SMOKE WEED EVERYDAY!!!!
Also check out this beat he hooked up!!
