Originally posted on Realtime
Some words w. skywlkr. Google the man if you don’t know the name, he’s got some honourable mentions around. Check the man out on his soundcloud or tumblr and free DL the exclusive Bruce Lee 2. Read on.
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Firstly, thanks for taking the time. Let’s start with a who are you where are you from?
My name is skylar, from Detroit Michigan, and I go under the name skywlkr.
Has the bustling metropolis of Detroit been a big influence on your style and sound?
Being from Detroit, has shaped my music a lot. I mean I grew up in this music scene, so I’m a hybrid of everything I’ve loved from elsewhere growing up, and Detroit as well.
But I used to be part of the metal scene out here and there’s a huge Rave scene in Detroit, and I really like the vibe of hype shit and shit you can listen to while on psychedelics.
I’m totally with you on that, psychedelics can definitely broaden a persons view and experiences with music (not that I’m recommending them to anyone by saying that). How involved in the rave seen are you? Do you even get behind the decks?
I mean, I party. I’m into all that. The rave scene in Detroit is really popping, and I love that atmosphere. For instance tonight, I’m going to this shit called funk night with all the bruisers. And it’s that whole rave scene but the music is will sessions, who did elmatic with Elzhi. It’s a cool atmosphere. But ya, I’m out here. And yeah, I just got a new pair, I play around, but I plan on getting out there, playing my material live this year.
Now that we’re talkin raves I have to ask you about your track ‘Dubstep Girls are the Worsest.’ Personal experience help you along with the title?
Haha, dubstep is the new cigarettes out here. Like its the biggest fad. And some of these girls out here, just really make me laugh, man. Kinda personal.
Why and when did you make moves towards rap/ hip hop from metal, not too much cross over between the two.
Well, I left my band in New York, and when I got home I had an itch to continue making music. I can play guitar, and bass. And I’m very familiar on a drum set. So I would be like my own band. I’d record every instrument and program the drums with reason. I listened to some rap at the time, so in my free time I started just making rap beats I thought sounded cool. They sounded like Jedi Mind beats. Stoupes production of violent by design made me want to make beats. After I made beats for awhile, a friend introduced me to beat battles, and I did pretty well at them, and that’s when rappers started fucking with me. My name got around.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/34054109″ params=”color=ff5500″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
Give us something to trip out to, are some notable tracks on psychedelics?
That too much to dream track, that was featured on squadda bambinos back sellin crack (called conversations pt.2) , was definitely created off some nice doses.
Now that your on page 46 of The Fader issue 77 as one of five “To Watch: Producers” have there been more people reaching out to you? People hollering out of car windows and such?
Since the fader, yeah, I have been reached out by a lot more artists, looking for music. My twitter followers went up, my bandcamp stats went up. The cool thing is/was a lot of people who read the fader aren’t just die hard hip hop fans, so people of all sorts showed loved. From all different backgrounds.
On that same page it list’s a bit of whats due from you in 2012 so I’ll skip that question. But I want to know who you’d like to have rhyme on your beats?
As far as who I’d WANT to rap on my beats, that’s a tough call. I feel like the ASAP could do something nice over a track, or like schoolboy q. But I’m really more interested in collaborating with other producers, and artists and musicians. Not to sound a certain way, but I’ve honestly got the chance to work with my favourite rappers right now.
I’ve always been curious to know how big a producers music library is, most people seem to be hesitant or unable to answer. How big is you music library? A track count would be dope.
My music library as in samples and shit, or like music I bump? As far as music I bump I only got like 3,500 songs on my iTunes. But as far as samples, I got gigs on gigs. I’m always downloading shit. Or ripping vinyl. Or listening to old CDs. Movie scores. Anything I can get my hands on. As far as a number though, idk to be exact, I keep my samples in folders, not in iTunes, so it doesn’t show a count or anything.
Production methods. I know in a lot of electronic music producers focus on one part of a new track and then build the rest around it. You have any formula like that?
Production method, I honestly don’t have one. My only thing that stays pretty consistent is blunts. A lot of times I start with just digging through samples and putting a bunch of the mp until I don’t feel like it anymore. Than I’ll just go with what sounds the coolest.
What gear are you working with?
I got a lot of gear. But my main set up is reason 6, and mpc1000, and m audio midi keyboard.
Any gear you’d like to get your hands on in the near and upcoming future?
As far as gear I want, maybe a lean prescription, haha. I love my set up right now.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/21350449″ params=”color=ff5500″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
skywlkr – Facebook | Soundcloud
