Black Milk: Detroit's Golden Child

Black Milk was first introduced to the world as a producer. Hooking up with Slum Village, he has definitely made a name for himself as a producer, and even as an emcee, appearing on the Dirty District mixtape and forming the duo, BR Gunna with Young RJ. However, now it's time for him to step out and really shine on his own.

His latest album, Popular Demand, is aptly titled. Word is, the Detroit native is ushering in a new era of hip-hop. That's a heavy title to bare, but for someone who has worked with and studied Dilla that might not be so hard. Detroit's golden boy takes a minute from his busy schedule to tell Ballerstatus.com how he's handling the situation.

Ballerstatus.com: This question is cliché, but I have to ask. Who are some of your influences production-wise and as far as emceeing?

Black Milk: When I first started doing beats, my biggest influences were J Dilla, DJ Premier and Pete Rock. Those are the cats that I was listening to; and Slum Village and GangStarr, Soul Survivor (Pete Rock album) -- all their production. I was inspired by cats like Redman and Canibus on the emcee tip... the list is too long; I got a lot of people, man.

Ballerstatus.com: You can basically say that your hip-hop era was in the 90s, right?

Black Milk: Right, right, right. Jay-Z, Nas, of course, those are some other cats.

Ballerstatus.com: Slum Village believed in you enough to let you produce some tracks for them. My question is what inspired your grind and how did you get them to believe in you?

Black Milk: I linked up with Slum Village through one of my cousins, one of my homeboys that went on tour with them one year. It was around the time when I first started doing beats (2000/2001), and they had a couple of my beat CDs. They (the homeboys) took them out on the road with them, Slum heard them and when they got back to Detroit, they was like "Yo, I wanna holla at him." I went up to the studio, played some more tracks and they picked a couple of beats. Slum was the first group that I sold to officially; it was on the Trinity album. That was the first project, and after that I've been working with them ever since.

Ballerstatus.com: Word is that you're spearheading a new generation of Detroit hip-hop. That is a heavy title to carry. How are you ushering this new generation in and what is it sounding like talent-wise?

Black Milk: I don't know man. I guess I would be the new generation because I'm the youngest out the whole circle in Detroit, out of Slum Village and cats like Wajeed and Karriem Riggins and Detroit artists like that. I'm just trying to bring the same sound they're bringing: Soul feel good music, but with a more youthful energy to it and try to make it appeal to a younger audience.

Ballerstatus.com: Your album is called Popular Demand. What can people expect?

Black Milk: People can expect real hip-hop music. I mess with the soul samples and the soul loops. It's feel good music, but with a hard edge, hard drums... I got up tempo recordings and just good music.

Ballerstatus.com: In a time where the division of hip-hop by region is so prevalent, how is your album going to prove that Detroit is a relevant voice in hip-hop culture or, is that something that has already been done despite the fact?

Black Milk: I think we got our place in the hip-hop game. We have our sound and cats like J Dilla created -- the Detroit underground hip-hop sound working with cats like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and Busta Rhymes. Working with cats like that, he created a certain sound and cats like me, Wajeed and Karriem Riggins, basically -- the producers that come after him, carry the sound on, especially since he's gone right now. Detroit has its niche with that sound, but on a mainstream level. I think that's the next step we're trying to get out. We're trying to bring that sound to a broader audience.

Ballerstatus.com: Speaking of Detroit's voice in hip-hop, a lot of people have been saying that hip-hop is dead, but I want to ask you, if hip-hop is dead, then how can it be resurrected?

Black Milk: I don't think hip-hop is dead. I understand the phrase and why someone would say that. It's dead in a way where I think the media and the television programs are targeted to one audience and giving you one side of hip-hop music. I think it's dead in that aspect, but it's not dead musically. There's all types of different hip-hop from each region of the country and all over the world, but I think it's targeted to the younger audience with the dance songs [at the moment]. It's basically targeted to the teenage generation right now. It's not as broad, but that's the only aspect where I think hip-hop is dead. But, I think it's taking a turn for the better. Jay-Z dropped the Kingdom Come album and you can see he was trying to try something different musically, and be a little more experimental. I think that since a lot of people are inspired by Jay-Z, they're probably going to follow in his footsteps...hopefully.

Ballerstatus.com: Let's say hypothetically, hip-hop was dead and the only way to bring it back was for you to choose between rapping and producing, which one would you choose?

Black Milk: I'm going with the beats right off rip. I love making music. I love creating the music part of the song instead of the lyrics and the hook and all that stuff. If I had a choice to pick, I'd prefer to do music. I have a bigger passion for that than writing lyrics and writing rhymes.

Ballerstatus.com: You've worked with people like Pharoahe Monch, Canibus and Lloyd Banks, what was it like working with such a diverse group of rappers in this time where hip-hop is very divided, and what statement does that make to the public?

Black Milk: I had the chance to sit in the studio with Pharoahe where he worked on a couple of tracks I produced for him. The vibe with each artist is different. Like, if I worked with Slum, their vibe is different from a Banks vibe, or a Pharoahe vibe. I didn't get a chance to sit in the studio with Banks, but I'm just trying to show you can be versatile on all aspects and all levels of hip-hop, and you don't have to be one-sided. I'm put in the category of backpack/underground type artists, which I am an underground/independent artist, but I can do all genres, all styles of music. There's really no limit. I'm not trying to sound like I'm bragging, but I can, so I think in that aspect. People will look at that and say, "Ok, that's something we need to do," instead of just staying closed-minded and making it one sound. It's about being broader and trying to experiment with more styles of music.

Ballerstatus.com: As a producer, how do you look for your samples?

Black Milk: Record digging. I just go to the record store like any other producer. I don't really do anything too much different than any other beat maker. I go to record stores dig, listen to records for hours on end, bring them back to the lab and chop them up. It's more so the technique of making the beat than everybody does it the same way: sample it into the machine... but it's more so the technique -- how you chop the record, chop the drums and create the beat.

Ballerstatus.com: What are your production tools of choice?

Black Milk: The main machine I work on is the MPC 2000 XL. I do all my beats on there and I use old records too. I have an ETS keyboard (SP), like an ASR 10 keyboard, and a Korg [Korg Triton]... little nick-nacks like that, but it's more so the MPC 2000 XL and Pro Tools.

Ballerstatus.com: How are you keeping J Dilla's legacy alive?

Black Milk: The only thing I want to copy that J Dilla did, is being consistent in putting out good music. Dilla really never had a wack record. That's the way I want to follow in his footsteps. I want to be consistent in putting out good music over the years.

Ballerstatus.com: That answer was a dope way to wrap this up, but do you have any last words? Is there anything you want to add about your album?

Black Milk: If you like real hip-hop, good hip-hop music, then you should enjoy Popular Demand. I got Slum Village featured on the album, I got Guilty Simpson featured on the album, I got Phat Kat, my man One Be Lo. It's real hip-hop music. Enjoy.

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