90S HIP HOP INFLUENCED | Weirdo

INTERVIEW @ReaLife.VALIDATED PHOTO @_DanieleFrediani

VALIDATED: Based in Milano, Italy, what’s your earliest memory of Hip Hop culture?

WEIRDO: Well when I was 14 I found out about rap music thanks to the TV show “YO! MTV RAPS” and fell in love with It. Studying and finding out about hip hop culture was a direct consequence of that.

VALIDATED: What’s the origin story behind the name Weirdo?

WEIRDO: It's a weird story… My uncle Martyn sent me a shirt with a crazy design and "Weirdo" written on It. At that time I just liked how the word sounded, I didn't even know the real meaning behind it. Then when I found out I thought it really fits me. Being a weirdo is just being different to me, not necessarely in a bad way.

VALIDATED: How did you get your start as a producer?

WEIRDO: When I started to listen to rap, I loved It so much that I wanted to do it myself. I tried to rap but it wasn't for me, I felt more comfortable on the production side. I started to make beats in 2001, using Fruity Loops on PC. 

VALIDATED: What was the record that made you decide to pursue producing? 

WEIRDO: Probably the Infamous Mobb Deep album. It really changed my life, the production was something I'd never heard before. Dark and yet so jazzy, thanks to the architects Q-Tip and Havoc. As a producer they both really influenced my sound.

VALIDATED: What was the first piece of producing equipment that you purchased with your own money?

WEIRDO: When I started to make beats I didn't have any money, I used the only thing I already had, my computer. My dear friend Matteo (Res Nullius) bought me a copy of Fruity Loops for my birthday. I've Just started to use that, then I tried other softwares. My production method was that, I was able to do what I wanted to do. I got used to it so I stuck with It.

VALIDATED: Which producers influenced your style of producing and what if anything did you borrow from them?

WEIRDO: There are so many, I can say I've learned something from each one of them. Q-Tip and Havoc's drums, DITC and Preemo's taste for samples, Muggs' atmospheres, Pete Rock and Kev Brown's basslines, Alchemist's creativity… There are many more I could mention. I've really studied this shit for 25 years.

VALIDATED: Which era of Hip Hop is your favorite and why?

WEIRDO: Definitely the 90s. Too many good artists, each one with a unique style. That's the shit I grew up with.

VALIDATED: In 2011 you released your first producer album "CRAZEOLOGY" in collaboration with longtime friend and producer Res Nullius. How long was the process to put the album together and what was the response to the album?

WEIRDO: It took probably a year and a half to complete it but mostly because of the many features we had on It. You know, producer albums take time. Sometimes you send the beat to the artist and you get the verse back in a week. Sometimes It takes months. When the album came out everyone who heard It loved It. It definitely had more recognition in the US rather than here in Italy. But It opened some doors here and in the States. People were really surprised with our debut. We never released any official music before that, and yet we had so many dope artists on it. People thought "Where the hell are these guys coming from? Why have I never heard of them before?"

I also managed to send a couple of our singles,  “NY Minute” and “I can't understand” to DJ Premier, he loved both and played them on his radio show Live From HeadQCourterz, he also gave me some props while he was on air. That was a surreal moment indeed. Preem Always been one of my hip hop heroes since i was a kid. 

VALIDATED: The album featured underground veterans including Blaq Poet, Ruste Juxx, Reks, Goretex, Rasco, Vaste Aire, and Smily The Ghetto Child. What was you guys thought process when selecting artists for the album? 

WEIRDO: We chose the artists that would fit our sound better. You know I’d listened to these guys' music since I was a kid, it was only right to reach out to them.

VALIDATED: What are some other projects that you’ve worked on or released?

WEIRDO: I produced various tracks for italian and american artists. I've worked on some albums of my italian crew Mad Soul Legacy. I've produced a full album for every member of the team. I recommend you check out the album "Metamorfosi" with Silla, we even got a Benny The Butcher verse on It. Not many people in Italy can say that.

VALIDATED: Who are a few of the other notable artists that you’ve worked with throughout your career?

WEIRDO: There are many but the first that comes to mind are Benny, Masta Ace, Snowgoons, Merkules, Sick Jacken...

VALIDATED: What can you tell us about the Mad Soul Legacy?

WEIRDO: That's my crew! They are longtime friends and we also make music together, what's better than that? They are all dope artists, check them out. Shout to Jangy Leeon, Silla, Lanz Khan, Roksico, Wego FTS and DJ Lil Cut.

VALIDATED: What’s next for Weirdo?

WEIRDO: Hopefully lots of new music! 

VALIDATED: Where can the readers go to support you and your music?

WEIRDO: You can follow me on Instagram @weirdobeats