“Making music? That’s fun. Writing promo blasts and negotiating mastering rates? Not so much,” says South Florida producer Numonics. But alas, it is par for the course. “It’s very difficult to become good at anything musically. Unfortunately, that’s the beginning of the battle. You need to find a way to monetize that gift, which is something that doesn’t have a value until you develop an audience. That audience must be created by doing any and everything to create awareness. So you have to do an insane amount of free work and then someone will sign you. Or you’ll put out something with your own company and it’ll actually sell.”
Numonics is familiar with paying dues, perfecting a craft, as well as on and offline promotions. He doubles as a marketing guy, sending out email blasts for himself and others while continuing on his path towards a full career in music. Hopefully he’s a few steps closer after releasing his debut album, Being Cool Doesn’t Pay The Bills, an LP chock full of his production and collaboration with some of underground Hip Hop’s rising stars and mixed by one of Hip Hop’s rising DJ’s, DJ RTC. It’s all fake it til you make, until you finally make it and even when you do you realize that Numonics’ album title isn’t just a clever name, but a true-to-life statement. We dig into the man and the music in this RH exclusive interview. Check it out below.
RubyHornet: Let’s start with a basic introduction. Tell us where you’re from, when you started producing, your favorite color and any other important stats?
Numonics: My name is Numonics, I’m from South Florida. I’ve been making music for about 10 years.
RubyHornet: How does where you’re from influence your sound or style? Or does it at all in the age of the Internet?
Numonics: It doesn’t affect me at all in terms of the music I create. I am influenced by my area in some regards when it comes to the music I listen to. I don’t think you would instantly guess that I live in Ft Lauderdale, Florida based on the type of Hip Hop I make.
RubyHornet: Was the majority of this project done in person or via email? Can you explain the process and how hard it is to coordinate a project with so many artists.
Numonics: I think I was only there for possibly 3-4 out of 21 songs on this album. This whole project came to be because a random stranger came up to me one day and said “I can’t wait to hear your album.” From that point I started making phone calls, sending emails, txts, etc. to a diverse network of artists throughout the county. It’s been a great experience as I love Hip Hop from everywhere and I was able to channel that thirst for diversity into my project.
RubyHornet: Is there an element of surprise or anxiousness when you send a piece of your production off to an emcee? What’s that feeling like?
Numonics: It’s always a guessing game. As much as you think you know an emcee’s taste, you have no clue at first. It’s always the beat I least expect generally. It’s an odd feeling for sure. I always send a wild card, random tracks that I don’t necessarily like because my tastes are always going to be different.
RubyHornet: It’s not often I interview someone that I’ve worked so closely with. I guess my first question is, how in the heck did you hear about me (DJ RTC) and RubyHornet? What makes me a good fit for this project?
Numonics: First and foremost, I really love Hip Hop and I try to pay attention to everything and everyone. Around this time last year, I kept seeing your name more and I had a few of your tapes. You ended up working with QuESt and featured one of my beats on “There’s Only One Month Left”. At the same time I kept seeing the RubyHornet name more from the “Freestyle in the Park” series. I really liked the QuESt tape from a blend/transition standpoint and I knew I wanted to align myself with RubyHornet as well. Throw in the fact that you’re in Chicago, I felt it would be a natural fit. I think it’s important for me to work with people from different areas of the country. I feel the Chicago Hip Hop sound is similar to what I do and that’s another reason for why I reached out
RubyHornet: Being Cool Doesn’t Pay The Bills is the title of the your album. That really drew me into the project, and made me instantly want to be a part of it. What has been most artists’ reaction to the title and working with you on it?
Numonics: The album is about the work that comes into being successful in the creative arts. What people deem cool isn’t what generates income. It’s the work, the networking, marketing, etc that gets you paid. Every artist I work with is a hustler. Plain and simple. All of them have done things to promote themselves and get out their vision. So I think that theme resonates to an extent with them. It’s also clever and we know how much emcees like to be clever, lol. In regards to working with me, people know me for doing a variety of things. Some of these songs came about because of the marketing work I do, or the group that I handled PR for or just from being a producer. The relationship is always different.
RubyHornet: You’re working with a lot of really young artists that are hitting online hard and just on the cusp of being “on the cusp” so to speak . They’re maybe where someone like Fashawn was two years ago ready to climb into that spot. Did you purposefully pick those artists to fit with the theme of being cool doesn’t pay the bills?
Numonics: The theme didn’t influence the artists that I picked really. I wanted to do an album with people who’s music excited me and ones that I was also cool with on a personal level. The album is a reflection of the talented people from the last year of my life. These are friends of mine and also people who have made music that has inspired me and touched my life.
RubyHornet: The statement is also interesting because Hip Hop and pop culture in general leads us to believe all the time that being cool does in fact pay the bills (or at least help you get free clothes).
Numonics: It does help you get free clothes. That part is true ha. I always thought that all I needed to do was be good at making beats or DJing and things would just happen. Of course I was naïve. I think we all are. It’s very difficult to become good at anything musically. Unfortunately, that’s the beginning of the battle. You need to find a way to monetize that gift, which is something that doesn’t have a value until you develop an audience. That audience must be created by doing any and everything to create awareness. So you have to do an insane amount of free work and then someone will sign you. Or you’ll put out something with your own company and it’ll actually sell. Either way, it’s tons of work and not necessarily fun. Making music? That’s fun. Writing promo blasts and negotiating mastering rates? Not so much.
RubyHornet: This project is being released as a free download. At what point do you see yourself crossing over into paying the bills and what do you see as something that needs to happen so that your next release is available for purchase?
Numonics: I want emcees to buy beats. Plain and simple. I’m ill. Buy a beat. I have a record label. It’s called Pyramid Builders. We have a release that’s on iTunes, Amazon, etc. It’s from my group PaulnotPaul with Paul Lewis. We have a very ill MPhazes rmx.
RubyHornet: I know that you also work in marketing, how do your dual roles intersect and help each other?
Numonics: My ability to act professionally and have some business sense is a tremendous asset. People respect people that actually do what they say. I’ve got pretty good at backing up my word and getting things done. Most times they’re successful but they always happen.
RubyHornet: What does success look like for you and Being Cool Doesn’t Pay The Bills?
Numonics: I think the album will do what it needs to. It’s an introduction. I want people to have a sense of my style and what I’m about. I think that’s portrayed well in these songs. Personally, I have a lot more music on my plate. I view that as success. All I ever wanted to do is make dope music on the regular. That’s pretty much what my life is now. I have more releases planned for the year. First is with Co$$ who’s out of LA. I’m doing an EP with TreaZon and ThreatZ as well. I plan on ending 2010 with EPs from PaulnotPaul, QuESt and Wrekonize.
