While other producers are currently dominating the headlines, Chicago’s Nascent has been quietly collecting placements, checks, and respect for years in the Windy City Hip Hop scene. Along with QB, Nascent has produced records for national acts such as 50 Cent, AZ, and Juelz Santana, as well as the Chi’s favorite emcees like YP, L.E.P., Lungz and many more. It takes a special kind of person to get the major placements, but still look out for the underdogs. Nascent is that type of person, and he’s sick with it. Ask anybody in Chicago Hip Hop, and they will let you know, Nascent is that dude.
As part of our Record Producer interview series, we chop it up with Nascent about knocking on the doors at G-Unit, keeping an eye-out for new talent, and more. Check it out.
RubyHornet: First question, how the hell did you come up with the name Nascent?
Nascent: Haha… I was messing around with this electronic dictionary when I was like 15, and I came across that word. The definition was deep, process of emerging, coming into existence. I pronounce it wrong too.
RubyHornet: Where did you grow up? What was your relationship with music like, when and how did you get into making beats?
Nascent: I grew up right around Riis park then moved out to suburbs. I’ve always wanted to be a DJ when I was younger, but basketball was my dream. When I got cut in high school I started messing with Fruity Loops and made a beat for these guys that wanted to rap for our talent show. After that I took it serious and went all in.
RubyHornet: What’s the first thing you do when turning on your equipment? Any rituals?
Nascent: Open up Reason and I always “warm up” with a sample beat. Depending how I feel I might just do originals or sample all day. I gotta have a game on though, that’s when the league pass comes to use.
RubyHornet: You’re known for gritty and grimy beats, how did you get that kind of calling card? Does it still apply, do you feel it fits?
Nascent: That’s what we’re known for because our first placements were with 50 and our drums HIT! That’s why we’re identified with that sound. We’ve grown as producers and expanded outside of hard/grimy beats. The new stuff we’ve been putting out is opposite of that.
RubyHornet: Who is QB and how did you guys link? What do you add to each other?
Nascent: QB is my partner from Corpus Christi, TX and we both linked up on Myspace back in 2007. We were in the same little community of producers and one day we started sending each other beats and samples and it took off from there. We both have great ideas and we have different strengths, that’s why when we get together it works.