Hip Hop producer should listen to, Kid Vicious often finds himself lost in a soundwave of blues, soul, punk, classical and death metal claiming that his eclectic taste allows him to think outside of normality when he is composing a beat. Amongst his love for skateboarding and spending time with his Pitbull Tinkerbell, Kid Vicious spent his time teaching and immersing himself in the art of music production and forging his own unique blend of hip hop that balances the modern elements of the new age with a sprinkle of the old spice reminiscent of the good old boom bap era. His first debut EP, “The Pull Out Method”, is now ready for release. “The Pull Out Method” consists of 7 carefully crafted tracks featuring MC’s from Melbourne and is a celebration of the Australian Hip Hop culture. Cutting no corners and taking full ownership of this project Kid Vicious produces and mixes all featured tracks.
- How did you get into music and for how long have you been producing for?
Kid Vicious: I got into music from an early age. My family were always playing records, guitars, and singing and for a while my dad worked at a radio station and he used to let me sit in the studio as a kid and sometimes I’d be allowed to do a little announcing. I got into producing through some friends who also produce and once I got into it, I was hooked! I have only officially been producing for only 6 months roughly.
- What inspires you and what makes you want to keep producing music?
Kid Vicious: Usually what inspires me the most is the challenge – since I began producing it’s taught me to be humble and patient. I’ve wanted to quit 100 times but return 5mins later with a better attitude and once I have the finished product, I think back to all the challenges and think how I could have quit and had nothing. Most of all, I think my general love and passion for music keeps me going overall.
- Are there any producers that you draw inspiration from — if so who and what sort of music?
Kid Vicious: I draw inspiration from a lot of genres but if we were to be hip-hip specific then definitely El-P of Run the Jewels, the RZA, Wu Tang forever and Dre. If we broaden the spectrum then I absolutely love The Cure, I’ve always admired Robert Smith for how unique he is and he isn’t afraid to reinvent his sound time and time again but it always sounds like The Cure somehow. There is something about that genre of sad boy new wave that just reverberates in me.
- People starting out in music may be questioning what they need to get started. What was the first set of equipment/software you ever put together?
Kid Vicious: I’m still starting out so I’m probably not one to tell people anything but my experience of learning goes a little something like this: I started out learning on Logic Pro but I sampled a few other DAW and ended up staying with FL. I would advise you to do your research and find what works best for you and brings out your creativity. If you are starting out, you need to buy yourself some nice monitor speakers, some crispy headphones and you will want a MIDI keyboard and an audio interface. A good friend of mine once said “Don’t be afraid to invest in yourself.”
- How has your set-up evolved since then, and what currently is for you, the most important piece of gear in your studio?
Kid Vicious: Not too much! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! I feel comfy with what I have – I would say I have purchased a lot of plug-ins and VST’s though. I really want to buy more analogue equipment though, that is very high on my priority list right now.
- What’s the process you go through in creating the perfect beat for your projects?
Kid Vicious: Basically, I tend to not stock pile beats, sure I make beats in my downtime but my process is to understand the MC and really study their music and then I take the elements that are a motif in their music and put my own flavor on that. I like to spend a lot of my time paying attention to all the finer layers in the dynamics, making sure everything has a purpose and creates a well-rounded sound. I like to tuck things away in the beat and when you listen to it for the twentieth time you go “oh, I never realized that was in the mix’
- If someone has never heard your music, which keywords would you personally use to describe your overall sound and style?
Kid Vicious: It is probably a combination of the winky face emoji, the flame emoji, the vomiting emoji, and the eggplant emoji. A winky, flamey, vomitty eggplant salad. No, but in all seriousness my music is probably best described as boom trap. It is the things you like from the new age mixed with all the good stuff from the boom bap era.
- The 25th of May sees the release of your EP ‘The Pull Out Method’. How did this project come about?
Kid Vicious: This project sort of started when I made up a fake rap character that I called Foul Bundy (R.I.P) which was just me joking around. I used to talk about this idea I had for ‘Foul Bundy’s Pull Out Method’ but that’s old news now. Fast forward to me producing and I was talking to Eloquor for what seemed to be the 100th time about this idea I had for an EP called The Pull Out Method (it’s a great name for a debut EP) and I think he just got sick of hearing me saying the same old thing and he pretty much said “dude you’ve been saying this since last year, I want you to put an EP out this year if you think you’re up for the challenge” and I guess I was up for the challenge because its May and here’s that EP you wanted, mate.
- There are various features on this EP. How did you choose the artists involved, and what was the recording processes like?
Kid Vicious: I just wanted to work with local MC’s from my area that I think are the dopest. Everyone that features on this EP is from Melbourne and have an immense amount of talent and I could not thank each of them enough for being involved.
- What was it that made you and Eloquor feel this was the right song to work together on — Can you tell us what the fit was and did this song turn out the way you intended?
Kid Vicious: The process was very organic when it came to creating ‘The Good Stuff’ with Eloquor. I remember playing him some beats that I had been working on and asking for some feedback and I played him the instrumental for what would eventually be ‘The Good Stuff’ and he just said right then and there “I want to rap on that” and the rest was history!
- Which is your favorite song on the EP, and why?
Kid Vicious: Oooh that is a hard one! I really like all the songs that feature on the EP. Every song has its place.
- Which was technically the most difficult song of the bunch to produce, and why?
Kid Vicious: I know it’s not ‘technical’ as such, but I have a track on the EP called Simple Life, which is the only song I rap on. The beat came naturally, however, I also mixed every track on the EP myself and I found mixing my own vocals the hardest as it’s not very fun to sit back and listen to your own voice over and over again.
- How long did it take you roughly, to finish this EP from the day you started recording?
Kid Vicious: It took me 5 months, every day, every spare moment I had I was at my laptop producing, mixing, and networking.
- What was the concept behind the artwork?
Kid Vicious: I like visual things to say a lot but remain minimal. The concept was to remain consistent with my color scheme of white, black, purple and a touch of pink. My logo is an avatar of me walking my dog, Tinkerbell. I think that says enough, a man with his dog, wandering. Usually when Tinkerbell and I go for a walk I am listening to the sounds around me and taking inspiration from what I hear.
- Did you set any goals before you started work on ‘The Pull Out Method’?
Kid Vicious: My only goals were to cut no corners and not quit on this project. Basically, I had to complete this and see it through to the end.
- What’s the most exciting aspect of this release for you?
Kid Vicious: I think firstly the release itself is very exciting as its my debut EP and then I would say working with everyone on it was the most exciting of all, just waiting to see what sort of a spin someone is going to put on the beat. I really enjoy the whole process.
- If there was one word you could use to explain your experience so far while working as a music producer, what would it be?
Kid Vicious: Grateful.
- Is there any specific artist you’d like to work with if you had the opportunity?
Kid Vicious: I would want to spend a day in a studio learning from Dr Dre. If I could work with any MC then it would be Andre3000.
- Where do you want to take your production career going forward?
Kid Vicious: As far as I can. I just want to continue to grow and find my place.
- What is your favorite motto, phrase, or piece of advice, you try to live or inspire yourself by?
Kid Vicious: “Sometimes the right path it not the easiest one” Grandmother Willow, Pocahontas.
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