The music industry can be a grimy, go-hard or go-home business that can take down the toughest of the tough musicians. Many depend on others for a helping hand, but Bronx-born producer Antwan “Amadeus” Thompson showed that his hunger and passion for production was all that was needed to make it work in his favor.
Originally getting his break as the man behind a scathing Foxy Brown diss towards Eve
(“Get Off Me”), he has gone on to quietly score club bangers and street anthems alike. Now under the guidance of Diddy, Amadeus raps about being the newest member of the Hitmen, why he stopped using samples for a whole year and why he had to prove his word against Foxy Brown’s brother.
AllHipHop.com: How did you christen yourself with the name Amadeus?
Amadeus: I went through names at the time when the “boogie” type names with your initials were being used and I think I first went with “A-Dog” or something crazy like that. And then when it was coming down to finding a name, a friend of mine was like “yo, what about trying to name yourself after a composer”. We went through Wolfgang, Mozart, Beethoven; then he mentioned Amadeus. I knew who Amadeus was because I was a music major in private school. At first I didn’t like it but after a few months of starting to hear people call me that I was like ok, this sounds kind of hot.
AllHipHop.com: Much better than A-Dog.
Amadeus: Yea, I don’t think I would have gotten too much respect being named after a dog [laughs].
AllHipHop.com: What was the first record you worked on that people would know you from?
Amadeus: Two records. They were both done by Foxy Brown. The first was “Get Off Me” which was actually a diss record from Foxy getting at Eve. They were feuding at the time when we did the record, so that gave me that street value. The second record, “Cradle To The Grave” was actually the title song to the movie soundtrack. So that was my first major placement and it was pretty exciting because the soundtrack went gold and brought me my first plaque.
AllHipHop.com: Starting off was it a matter of being at the right place at the right time, or based more on your relationships?
Amadeus: Well I’ve been doing this going on twelve years now. I would have to say it was a mixture of both. D-Dot Angelettie whose one of the main first producers of the Hitmen was one of my mentors. I met him because he was managing one of the artists that was featured on one of my first tracks that never got released. But in the studio I got to meet D-Dot and a bunch of different A&Rs at the time.
One thing I did when I had one of those two-way pagers was to make sure I went around the studio and got everyone’s contact. I made sure I stayed in everyone’s face. I didn’t know to do that and wasn’t told to do that, but it was just something that I felt I needed to do and I’m glad I did that. D-Dot schooled me on how to make my songs, tracks and everything hotter.
AllHipHop.com: What’s your equipment of choice?
Amadeus: I’m still pretty standard, so of course I still use the MPC 2000. I’m a big fan of the Yamaha Motif, and the Rowland Fantom. I also sample so of course a record player and I got the Pro Tools set; just what I need to get the job done.
AllHipHop.com: Do you sample a lot?
Amadeus: For the entire year of 2008 I didn’t sample at all, and that was a pact that I made with myself to show people that I’m a musician first. It’s crazy that we’re speaking because I just finished a new CD today of new joints and they’re all samples. They’re joints that I did for Puff, Busta, Nas, Fab, etc.
So it’s just a large variety of people who I can hear on these joints. The ones I was making last year I couldn’t really see anybody on them other than a Jeezy or T-Pain or that whole sound. So I’m glad to be back doing the real me. I’m trying to be one of those cats whose really trying to bring New York back.
AllHipHop.com: Who else have you worked with?
Amadeus: Let me see if I can remember; 50 Cent, Trey Songz, Marcus Houston, Donnie Klang, Danity Kane, Cheri Dennis, Busta Rhymes, Papoose, Remy Ma, Hell Rell, Camron, Jim Jones, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Yung Joc, Gorilla Zoe, Lil Mo, and others.
AllHipHop.com: Ever been in a situation where you had to deal with a difficult artist?
Amadeus: Yea a few times. I've learned how to not wear my feelings on my sleeves and it took me a long time to do that. My wife actually taught me that.
[Amadeus pauses the interview to speak with his son and make sure he didn't have an encounter with the dog. It's pretty clear he has a soft spot when it comes to his little boy. ]
Amadeus: He has this thing where he'll sit there and have that look like something happened, but he's the worst with telling me what happened.
AllHipHop.com: How old is he?
Amadeus: He's three. It's funny because when I'm in the studio, he plays the drums on his little drum set and he plays on the keys, so it's just funny to see him following in my footsteps.
AllHipHop.com: You just mentioned your studio; talk about Platinum Boy Music.
Amadeus: Platinum Boy was originated by myself. I came up with that name because of course I wanted to be a dude that made and sold platinum hits. So it started off with myself and then throughout the year it has grown to be a production team that consists of producers, songwriters and artists. We're all working hard towards what we're trying to do and accomplish and we're building.
AllHipHop.com: How is it working as a member of the Hitmen as opposed to working solo?
Amadeus: Its dope and it has its challenges. A lot of people think just because you’re a part of a team everything is all gravy, but it’s just as challenging as it always was just for the simple fact that we have so many different talented dudes who do different things. Puff is a genius and perfectionist so he knows what he wants.
AllHipHop.com: Is working with Puff intimidating?
Amadeus: Not at all. I just became a part of the team. But every artist that I named before I’ve worked with before, I knew before I got this new position. So I was already able to create my name. It’s challenging and makes you step your game up.
Sometimes as a producer that has accomplished so much you feel like you’re doing it or you’re popping. But when you come up and you work with somebody that has accomplished so much more, it humbles you and it helps you go harder.
AllHipHop.com: What was the most difficult project you’ve ever worked on?
Amadeus: Puff’s album [laughs]. I’ve been working on it for the past few months and it’s funny because it’s not like it has a specific sound, it’s just that he’s traveled all over the world and heard and seen all kinds of different things and wants to venture out into it all. So I had to do some homework and get some new sounds and feels. It’s been very challenging but I got word that I’m getting closer and closer to getting the green light.
Just because I’m a Hip-Hop producer and I’m with Bad Boy does not guarantee me anything. I still have to work and create something that he loves just like anybody else. So I don’t want people to say that I’m with Bad Boy and I’m in. That’s not how it works. They’re very fair up there and they do things honest and in the right way. I’m glad that things aren’t just being handed to me and I have to work hard to earn it.
AllHipHop.com: Are your beats created for a particular artist or do you craft something and have them jump on afterward?
Amadeus: It depends; I can have a melody or start a track and towards the middle or end I can hear what artists I can see on that particular track. But I don’t go into making it so that I’m making a beat for one particular person. So it just goes back to me creating what I feel at the moment. I have to love it first, and if I’m really into what I just made I can push it and sell it to somebody else.
AllHipHop.com: Tell me about the first time you got jerked?
Amadeus: Whew, it was actually on the Cradle To The Grave joint which was my first naked placement. It’s crazy because I didn’t receive the front end which for those who don’t know is the first half of the producer fee. Gavin Marchand which is Foxy’s brother, actually cut the check to himself and gave himself production credit. So when the credits came out it said produced by Gavin Marchand and Amadeus and for those who read my credits I never just put “Amadeus” because at the end of the day, that’s not who I am.
I put my real name, Antwan “Amadeus” Thompson, that’s who I am. So I was pissed off at that. That was very difficult for me and it was a major fight to prove to Def Jam at the time that I was the real producer of the song and it was hard collecting the back end payment which took a while because it was my word against their word. And at the end of the day, that’s Foxy’s brother so would you listen to me or would you listen to him if you were Def Jam?
What I learned to do in life is to focus on the positive things. The fact was I had a song featured in a movie and the soundtrack. It was my first gold plaque and I at least got the other half of the producer fee so I got paid something. And it created situations and opened up other doors for me so it’s all good. I saw Gavin recently at Puff’s birthday party recently and we gave each other a pound so there’s no hard issues or love lost. That’s the past, I’m getting money hopefully he’s getting money and that’s what it is.
AllHipHop.com: What other projects you working on besides Puff’s?
Amadeus: I just did two records on Trina’s new album which is scheduled to drop this year. I got a big record on the internet right now with Bow Wow called “Anything You Can Do” which is actually a song where Lil Bow Wow is battling [present day] Bow Wow. It’s very conceptual.
I also just did a single with Paul Wall featuring Gorilla Zoe and Yung Joc that’s going to be a crazy Southern club banger. It sounds like “Its Goin’ Down” on steroids. I’m also working on Cheri Dennis’ new album, Donnie, and Day 26. I’m just trying to get on everything.
I really like working with people that are very passionate about what they do because I’m passionate about being a producer and listening to things come together. If you’re talented and just as passionate about what you do then I could respect it. I don’t discriminate against anybody who’s trying to do what they’re doing musically.
