A great producer is like a
diamond in the rough. So it’s no wonder that Hip-Hop’s man
of the hour, 50 Cent, found his diamond in one of the roughest parts
of New York City-Bedstuy. Apex has gained quite a buzz for a rookie,
due to his production of 50 Cent’s latest single “I Get Money.”
Though Apex has a long way to go, he has already been given the seal
of approval from the likes of Funkmaster Flex and Curtis himself, who
contends that ‘I Get Money” might be his biggest record to date,
next to “In Da Club.”
Despite the pressure of putting
New York back on the map with the biggest track of the summer, quasi
producers jacking his beats, and proving to critics that he can live
up to the hype; Apex, surprisingly, remained cool, calm and collected
as he shared with AllHipHop.com his journey to the top of the charts,
his views on both 50 and Kanye Wests’ albums, and why no producer
in the game is on his level right now.
AllHipHop.com: First let’s
talk about the concept for “I Get Money.”
Apex: The whole motivation
for “I Get Money” is coming from poverty; you know what I’m saying?
It’s about coming from a hood that’s poverty stricken, like Bedstuy,
which is really in a rebuilding process, much like the rest of New York.
A lot of money is being put into Bedstuy, and Brooklyn as a whole.
Businesses are opening up. So basically, seeing that, everybody from
the hood can relate to the concept of “I Get Money.” And the best
place to sample that hook from would be Audio Two, “Top Billin’.”
AllHipHop.com: So you didn’t
just make the beat, you’re responsible for the entire concept of the
song, the hook and all?
Apex: Yeah, exactly. I had
the whole beat done, with the hook and everything. Then 50 [Cent]
heard it and jumped on it. He saw the concept and just ran with
it.
AllHipHop.com: There has been
some speculation around the track. Some people are making references
to its similarity to Cassidy’s “I’m a Hustler,” which Swizz
beats produced. How do you deal with all of the chit chat about your
music?
Apex: Well, I don’t really
hear that too much. I mean, it is what it is I guess. But as long
as somebody’s talking about the track, it’s a good thing.
If they ain’t talking about you then you doin’ something wrong,
you know what I’m sayin’? So as far as them puttin’ my music in
the same light as Swizz Beatz, I take it as a compliment, because Swizz
Beatz is a hit-maker. And I feel that I’m a hit-maker as well.
So I take it well. I don’t get angry at it.
AllHipHop.com: Speaking of
people talking… You’re career kind of started with some shady behavior.
Not everyone knows about what went down with you and Scott Boogie, so
tell me exactly what happened.
Apex: Basically, this clown
Scott Boogie got a hold of the beat ‘I Get Money,” and got it to
some important people over at G-Unit and represented it as his own work.
50 heard it and ran with it, and within a two week span, he recorded
the song and shot the video. And within that two week span, they found
out something was funny about dude because all of the beats he had on
the CD, along with ‘I Get Money,” he couldn’t play over in the
studio. So they basically found out he was a fraud.
AllHipHop.com: Is that situation deaded now, or are you guys still
dealing with that situation?
Apex: Oh nah. Scott Boogie
is out and I’m in. It’s as simple as that. And I want to make
another thing clear. As far as the name Scott Boogie, that’s
not even the real Scott Boogie. The dude who stole the “I Get Money”
beat’s real name is Scott Muso. He’s from the Bronx. He actually
took the name of a well-known DJ/producer from Canada. Now I have to
clean up the mess that Scott Muso did on Scott Boogie’s name. So the
real Scott Boogie is in Canada. He’s a Black dude. The fake
Scott Boogie, I don’t know who he was, but he ain’t African-American.
AllHipHop.com: [laughs] Okay,
so now that you’re in on one of the most highly anticipated albums
of the year [Curtis], are you sticking with G-Unit for a while
on the production tip, or are you looking to branch out?
Apex: Right now, I’m working
with anybody that calls me. I’ve been getting a lot of calls
from Universal [Records], Atlantic [Records], and Bad Boy [Records].
So I’m just basically sending tracks to all those dudes, and hopefully
something will stick. But if 50 wants to use some tracks, he knows
where I’m at, so he can always holla at me, you feel me? I gotta lot
of heat. Like, people got me stuck on “I Get Money,” but that
beat is two years old. Wait til’ you hear the new stuff that I got.
Uncle Murda took a track from me. I gave a beat CD to Chamillionaire.
Believe it or not, I gave a couple of tracks to Steve-O from Jackass.
[laughs] He got a little situation, so I met up with him and kicked
it. He’s a cool dude. So we are just shootin’ joints to all
the big dudes, and also I’m working with independent artists.
I also have my own artist I’m
developing. His name is Kevlar. You can check him out sometime
next year. So right now I’m trying to get some more placements and
build up my name as a brand, and keep some type of consistency. I don’t
want to be some one-hit wonder. I’m good, but I’m not comfortable.
I want more.
AllHipHop.com: That’s what’s
up. So as far as Curtis, what would you say are the three top
tracks off the album?
Apex: Hmm. I would have to
say “I Get Money,” “Come and Go,” and “Ayo Technology.”
AllHipHop.com: Now, top three
tracks off Kanye’s album?
Apex: I haven’t heard all
of it, mainly the stuff that’s playing right now. But I like the “wait
til’ I get my money right” joint [“Can’t Tell me Nothin’”].
It’s like a similar concept to “I Get Money,” so I’m feeling
that one. I don’t really like “Stronger.” I know why he did that
song. That song is a crossover song, and it worked. I just ain’t
feelin’ it.
AllHipHop.com: Are there any
particular artists that you are really looking forward to working with
in the future?
Apex: Dr. Dre, of course.
That would be crazy. Snoop Dogg. Mobb Deep. I would love to get my tracks
to Keyshia Cole. You know how some dudes want to work with her because
she looks good? It ain’t even that. I heard her voice
before I even saw what she looks like, and her voice is crazy. So my
music, along with her voice, would make some killer tracks. Trust me.
Mariah [Carey], she got a crazy voice as well.
AllHipHop.com: So you really
on some R&B stuff, huh?
Apex: Like I said. People
got me stuck on “I Get Money.” I’m more than that, you know?
I do pop. I do R&B, urban, Hip-Hop, the gangsta stuff- whatever
it is, as long as it sounds right. I don’t do no techno and
I don’t do no house. That ain’t my cup of tea.
AllHipHop.com: Now, I read
that you use the MV8000. Why that and not an MPC?
Apex: My first MPC was actually
the MPC1000. I used to make beats on that. I had mastered it,
but then I realized that it was holding me back, because it was limited.
And I wanted something bigger, and I thought about going to the MPC
4000, but I did some research and felt like the 4000 wasn’t it.
So what attracted me to the
MV8000 is that it has a VGA output for a monitor, that’s the first
thing. So after that, it was embracing you know? Then the specs
it has with the sampling and upgrades, and the price range. That
whole thing just pulled me in. And I’m not the type of dude
to follow the crowd, you know? Just because I see 80,000 producers make
a platinum track, using an MPC, that doesn’t tell me that that’s
the only machine available. And yeah it’s the man behind the machine,
but the machine helps. And I’m glad I got it, because I used the MV8000
to do “I Get Money.” [laugh] AllHipHop.com: There’s been
some gossip about the remix to “I Get Money,” as far as who is going
to be featured. You want to let me in on that?
Apex: Honestly, they have that
classified. I don’t know anything. It’s done though. No question
there. And I can tell you that it starts with three people, I know that.
But that’s all I know. Same people you heard about, I heard about.
I heard 50, Jay [Z] and Diddy were going to be on the remix, but that’s
all I heard. [laughs]
AllHipHop.com: You’re holding
out on me, but it’s cool. So what will you be doing on September 11th?
Apex: I’m going to be doing
a lot of running around. Probably cookin’ up some more tracks,
and maybe a little bit of celebrating too.
AllHipHop.com: Celebrating?
That’s a little presumptuous, don’t you think?
Apex: No, I mean celebrating
the release of the album. I ain’t talkin’ about winning the world
series or nothin’. Like I said, I’m not comfortable yet.
