Earlier this month we spoke to Xplicit about his musical journey, his inspirations, the industry, and everything in between and he was kind enough to take time out and answer our questions. Here is the outcome of an interesting and insightful conversation with him.
Can you discuss any notable influences or inspirations in your work as a rap music producer?
As a rapper, I have always looked up to J Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Eminem, and Ghetts. As a producer, my biggest inspirations have been Wondagurl, Eestbound, Dopam!ne, and Ten Billion Dreams. They taught me unconventional ways of creating sounds and rhythms. I am an amalgamation of everything I grew up on.
How do you decide which artists to work with and what criteria do you look for in potential collaborators?
It’s imperative to me that the artists I’m working with have a sense of originality and are bringing something new to the table. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the craziest artists from our country on the rise that is creating their own sound and constantly pushing the boundaries like DIVINE, Shah Rule, Sammohit, Sledge, Saifan, Riar Saab, Meba Ofilia, Karan Kanchan, Stunnah, Phenom, Sikander Kahlon, Mohit, DeeKing, Deep Kalsi, KR$NA, Karma, Harjas, Diesby etc.
Another thing that is important to me is working with artists that are making music to create something substantial and their love for the culture. It’s always refreshing to meet new artists and get a new perspective on how they approach music.
What is your creative process like when creating a beat from scratch? And how do you approach the creative process of producing a rap song? We love your work in Kaala Paani. It would be great if you could explain with Kaala Paani as an example.
My creative process is simple, I look for sounds that spark something inside of me. Whatever emotion that might be, then gets turned into a bunch of sounds put together. I try to approach it from an angle other people wouldn’t and start building my structures. Chopping up samples, building drums around them, creating enough space for the vocalist to have their creative freedom on it. My favorite part of creating a beat is constructing and programming the drums. Once I have a demo ready with the artist, then I go ahead and build structures around the vocals and turn the instrumental into a blanket for the vocals.
That was exactly the process for Kaala Paani, Sledge had vocals ready over a rough beat of mine and then once I got the sense of what direction he wanted to take the track into, I created an ominous atmosphere for his vocals to shine within. I added a bunch of switch-ups and instruments to accentuate what he was talking about throughout the track.
Can you talk about the importance of networking and building relationships in the music industry?
I have recently started understanding the importance of networking and building relationships in the industry and how that impacts the process of the work. I am still working on putting myself out there more and understanding how to create a space with other artists where we both can build on a certain common wavelength. I don’t really worry about staying relevant and in your face all the time because that hinders my creation and sways me away from being in my headspace. With that being said, I am never opposed to the idea of meeting, discussing, and catching the feel of all the artists I want to work with. I’m gradually learning to find a middle ground between the two and hopefully, it turns out in my favour in the future.
How have you developed creatively as an artist over the years? Do you still hold certain role models in high regard when it comes to making music?
My only way of knowing that I’m growing creatively is by looking back at my previous work and acknowledging how I could have done certain things differently with the knowledge I have currently. It certifies that I’ve been polishing up my work all these years. I constantly look at older projects and find things I could have done better. It’s a tough thing to cope up with at the same time because at times it makes you feel dissatisfied but I try to look at it a little differently and embrace where I came from and how it shows growth. I try to learn better techniques and schemes as I move forward with each composition.
When it comes to role models, I try to not be influenced too heavily by anybody other than the foundation I’ve built. I still look for inspiration but as the years have gone by, I have found and refined my own sound. The only thing I look up to now is my brain and the weird ways it operates in. Music is subjective at the end of the day and I personally think that if you’re doing exactly what other people are doing then there’s never going to be any kind of growth and the state of music will remain stagnant.
Music producers, in general, get fewer flowers for their work in hip-hop. Add to the fact that you are a producer in a heavy rapper’s prominent hip-hop scene in India, how do you motivate yourself daily? What drives you?
It’s always great when my work gets the recognition and it makes me happy when people acknowledge the little details and intricacies within my music. With that being said, I like to make music just to make music and share it with the world. I like to think of my creations as tiny little cinematic pieces. The hip-hop scene in our country is still in its very early phase, so looking at the big picture and understanding that things take time to work out is important. I think everybody has days where they feel very motivated but can also have long stretches of time where they face creative block. It’s important to acknowledge that we can’t be overflowing with creativity at all times.
Quoting J. Cole, “At times you gotta step away, do some livin’, let time provide a new prescription, givin’ truer vision”, so that you can gather yourself up and bounce back stronger.
I would love for all my fellow producers to get their long overdue flowers and the appreciation that they deserve. I can definitely see it already becoming a thing with our artists and labels making sure they credit, mention and acknowledge the producers that work on their songs and also putting them on the forefront with themselves. Hip Hop is in good hands right now and we are only going to make things better as we go.
I am driven by my compulsive need of getting better at my craft. Every single day I get to wake up, surprise myself and push the limits further for my personal satisfaction. No ulterior motive, just art.
What are your future plans or upcoming projects that you’re excited about?
I am most excited about my original compositions that I’m planning to release as a vocalist/rapper and getting back on my schedule as not only a producer but as a full-fledged artist to share my vision and love for the culture through my music.
I’ve recently put out a song called “Medusa” where I have experimented with a sound that I personally love. I’ve always wanted to have a song where I blend Hindi with English to create a unique experience for the listener. As a producer, I also have a few projects lined up with some great upcoming artists.
Would you like to share any tips and tricks for the budding music producers who will be reading this?
Stay true to your craft. Make sure you love what you do and don’t be afraid to experiment. As cliché as that sounds, it’s the best advice you can absorb. Make music the way YOU want to make it. Art is very subjective and there’s space for everyone and everything. Don’t be scared to build something niche. Most importantly, don’t be disheartened by failure. We all go through it. Only when you get the BAD out of the way do you create space for the genius? Keep going if you truly believe this is what you were born to do. Be a decent person and have a pleasant presence, it goes a long way.
Follow and listen to Xplicit on Spotify
