NEZ&RIO
November 2007’s Artist Of The Month, the producer-duo “NEZ&RIO” from Washington, D.C. by way of Chicago, Illinois, are overdue to say the least. From their younger days on the south side of Chicago, to their current rendezvous with next-level sound and unique timbre, they have amassed a literal “stockpile” of heat in the form of beats, patiently waiting to be unleashed on a dying hip-hop scene. Blind I sat down with the producers for a quick interview, and to ask why they think the scene needs a one-way ticket to Destination ILL:
01) So how did you guys meet up?
Nez: We actually have been around each other since grammar school however; it wasn’t until when I came to Howard University when we got mad cool and started producing together. The crazy part is that Rio was the reason I changed my mind and decided to go to HU.
Rio: Yeah, I was home for the holiday and I made a stop at my old high school just to see everybody. I ended up talking to Nez about how Howard was poppin. He told me he was planning to go somewhere else. His acceptance papers from Howard came the next day and that’s the school he chose. Crazy.
02) Who are your musical influences and why? What was played in the crib as a shorty?
N&R: Quincy Jones, Teddy Riley, J Dilla, Michael Jackson, Tribe Called Quest, 90’s hip hop all crazy; Prince, Slave, Parliament Funkadelic, Curtis Mayfield, James Brown, u know the classics man.
Rio: My father used to have this big ass stereo in our basement and he used to play everything; classic funk, soul and jazz, and my brother used to play all the ill 90’s hip hop shit like Old Busta, and Biggie, so that’s where my influences came from. My brother exposed me to the new, and my pops made sure I new where it started.
Nez: My influences are crazy because they came from not only in the states but around the globe being that my father is from Kenya, so he was playing everything from Fela, Chic, Cameo to Old Snoop, Biggie, and my mom would play soul and a rack of old gospel.
03) What makes a dope beat - the equipment or the producer?
N&R: More so the producer. I’ve seen cats with who have all types of shit and they’re beats are trash. Secondly, a lot of people use the same shit. There are advantages to having a larger budget and access to different types of equipment and whatnot but it all depends on how deep your vision is for what you’re making.
04) If you could pick any artist to make a track for - who would it be and why?
N&R: Michael Jackson. C’mon man don’t tweak that’s a given.
05) If you weren’t producing - what would you be doing?
Nez: I would probably be doing some creative marketing for some firm and throwing parties.
Rio: I would probably be in film school. I always had a vision for the look and feel of music. I wanted to be a video director at a point.
06) We know that swagger plays a part for MCs…does it play a vital role in producers’ products as well?
Rio: Hell yea. Swagger comes through in everything you do. So what we try to do is make sure our style is exploited in every beat we make and every song we co-write or produce.
07) Why are you different than every other up and coming producer out?
Nez: I believe it’s a combination of things; our sound is clever because it combines the old classic music and blends it with totally new styles and sounds. Our music gives you a quick history lesson if you listen closely. We strive to appeal to the masses and bridge the gap between the world of the unknown and the commercial world.
Rio: Nez and I really try to paint that scene for you so you can feel what’s going on in our music. Mood and emotion are parts of humanity. Everyone feels.
08) What’s your typical creative process when making a beat?
N&R: Usually, one of us will have an idea, explain it and begin working on a beat, then as the beat progresses we will rotate until we feel the beat is complete it’s a little hard to explain because it just sort of happens. There is really no set role that we play because we both play instruments and write. We think on the same wavelength a lot. We have our disagreements but it always to find the best way to paint that picture. Most of the time it just comes to you from above! God given inspiration.
09) Is hip-hop really dead?
Rio: No. Its really just based on what you consider hip hop. Some cats are still making lyrical shit, You just gotta look for it. Some people are making that bullshit. I feel like music is in a developing era right now. There is a lot of music that you can’t necessarily classify into one particular genre.When hip hop came about did people say that jazz was dying? No. It’s just that a different breed of music may be birthing. I wouldn’t even say that it’s in a state of emergency. A lot of people that agree and say its code red level 10 and are the same mu’fuckas supermanin dat hoe every weekend in the club. But I don’t consider that stuff hip hop either. Music is art and art is music. I try to find something good in every song I hear.
Nez: No. Is it in a state of emergency, hell yea!!!! There are people making ill music and bringing legitimate excitement to rap commercially and on the underground tip. But the majority of what is being fed through what I call the “main pipelines” is TRASH. People just want to make a quick buck instead of working on the craft.
10) When NEZ&RIO are no more, what is the legacy that you want your music to leave behind?
Rio: As a producer, I want to bend and stretch your ear as a listener. I want to expose people to new blends (of genres) and make you want to listen to something you normally wouldn’t. I want to explore styles and take you on a journey into MY world. I want to inspire and motivate 0thers to follow they’re dream whether it involves music or not.
Nez: I want the world to get a glimpse into my mind and soul. I want everyone to get a chance to see what I see in terms of how I view the world through my music and whatever future endeavors that God has planned for me. I hope my legacy in music and entertainment in general is remembered and kept long after I’m gone.
NEZ&RIO are currently working on their newest projects, Destination: ILL and The New-Age Blackbyrds.
Be sure to download their two EPs below…”TAKE OFF” and “VIRTUOSITY“, and check out their Myspace Page for more info!
NEZ&RIO x Blindiforthekids.com - “VIRTUOSITY”