.L.W.H. Interview

http://lwhmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-tape-hiss-hooligan

.L.W.H. is an up-and-coming musician and film-director from Texas. Last fall a friend of mine recommended a tape, praising its luscious production. I was sold as soon as read the track-list guest-features, being that it was littered with lo-fi favorites. The Tape Hiss Hooligan, .L.H.W.’s debut LP, provides hip hop with a new, progressive sound. The 15 track record features production all by .L.W.H., with the best rappers, who right now only exist in the context of the Internet, contributing the vocals. The result is a highly pleasurable listening experience that induces heavy head-nodding.

I linked up with Mr. Hodge, recently, via Skype. Albeit, some technical difficulty, all on my part, I was able to improvise and conduct a rare interview about his thoughts on the MPC, the Internet, the pressure of success, and among other topics, Lil B.

HG: Thank you for your time, first of all. Second, tell us a little about yourself, how’d you get into making music?

LWH: No problem, I’m honored to do this with you. My name’s L.W. Hodge. My main thing is directing films; I’ve also been making music since 9th grade, and I started making hip-hop beats in 2008. I was originally into punk-rock, but throughout high school I listened to a lot of rap music. Mostly I was into mid-90’s East Coast rap, stuff like Mobb Deep and Wu-Tang; honestly some of the best music of all-time. I feel punk and rap are very similar, though. I first started making beats using Fruity Loops, but I never felt my drums were hard enough until I got an MPC. Now I mostly use the MPC, Reaper and FL Studio.

HG: Was the MPC a “game changer,” for you?

LWH: Yes, in a way, it was. With the MPC, things are more organic with the rapper in the studio. You are able to leave things a little more incomplete for them to come in and finish. It allows you to be minimal, something I like. I am pretty easily overwhelmed by too much software, but I still use it at least 50% of the time. Working with Julian got me into what Pro Tools and similar workstations could do as well. That’s how I got really into Reaper.

HG: Nice. Moving on, how did an artist from Texas become a member of Green Ova Chapter One?

LWH: Julian and I became fans in late ’10. I came across that Space Age Hustle compilation, 3 Years Ahead: The Cloud Rap Tape. At the time, I was isolated, not in a terribly fun position. I had stopped making music for a minute. Track 3 [Legion of Doom] came on and I was blown away. I thought that this was the kind of music I wanted to be involved in. I listened to their songs from that tape over and over. When Squadda B’s I Smoke Because I Don’t Care About Death dropped last February, I found a person on Facebook with the name “Main Attrakionz,” which turned out to be Squadda. I messaged them about some stuff and Squadda positively responded, saying that he was already a fan of my film-work [Unforgivable], that he had watched our stuff in high school. We made plans to meet in L.A. soon for some video work. At that time I was sort of nervously, tentatively sending them some instrumentals. I was such a huge, gushing fan of Squadda’s beats that I didn’t think mine could possibly compare, and I still think he’s one of the top producers and musical minds of our generation. Sometime in February I sent him and Mondre “Surround Pound” and that night was offered to join Green Ova Chapter One. We recorded Chandelier the next month in about two weeks.

HG: Fascinating. So tell us about yours and Julian Wass’ production duo, The Executive Series?

LWH: The Executive Series is me and Julian together with no samples on the beats. Initially as a fan of my movie work, Julian hit me up on Facebook in 2008 and we became good friends quickly. We have a lot in common; we’re both really fond of video games and certain types of movies, and we share a deep appreciation for pop music. We had a joke rap project for quite a while before this which created many jokes between us. But as far as actual shit goes, Chandelier was our first serious collaboration.

HG: Are you not pro-sampling?

LWH: Actually, I am a huge admirer of sampling, but didn’t get really into it until I had an MPC. The different rhythms, I like to chop samples and really get my own melodies out of them. There are some sounds you really want that you can’t recreate, but you can take them to your own place through manipulating them. I get really into it, but I also usually add live instrumentation.

[After a few minutes of disconnection, we’re rolling again.]

HG: The Tape Hiss Hooligan caught some attention and received critical praise, albeit on a minor level, even cracking many credible year-end lists. How does the recent success affect you? Is there more pressure now?

LWH: I’m really happy with the reception. It’s positive reinforcement, for sure. As far as the content of the album, most of the beats were beats I made before I even knew the rappers that appear on the album. I worked on the structure and musical aspect of the album for years. The finishing stages of adding raps to it was only possible once the structure was in place. I’m very inspired to have a platform, to have good rappers to take care of my beats. It takes the pressure off.

HG: Relating, how does it feel to be at the forefront, a key foundation, of the emerging “cloud rap” movement?

LWH: It’s hard to consider myself to even be apart of any particular movement, as my styles are too varied. I’m really honored to work with them, as I’m a fan first. Main Attrakionz, Shady Blaze, Green Ova are going to be bigger in the future. People are going to remember the name Green Ova over cloud rap. It’s a cool catch-all name, though, and I’m very happy that people are hearing the music.

HG: Do you think it’s possible for your music to exist outside the context of the Internet? Is mainstream success the goal?

LWH: Good question. I think of that a lot. We’re not as respected on the streets as we are online. Certainly, [Green Ova] wants to reach as many people as possible without major label marketing. Just knowing them I can tell you that Main Attrakionz have no desire to be known strictly as “Internet rappers”. I’m sure they want to be known as Oakland rappers. At the same time, without the internet, none of this would be possible.

HG: Humble-words. How do you want to be remembered?

LWH: That isn’t up for me to decide. I just want to put my mark on it. To be known of being my true self, first and foremost. To always be progressing, to never emulate a previous album. Each album is a distinct moment in my life. Producing art and living life are inseparable things to me, they go hand in hand.

HG: Wise-words. Are you a fan of Lil B?

LWH: Yes, very much so. That cloud rap tape with B.O.R., I’m God… After I heard those I explored everything he’s done. Lil B’s ’11 output was also very underrated. I think he’s one of the purest artists we have right now.

HG: Cool. Cool. So before we end this, any upcoming projects?

LWH: Absolutely. My non-rap/instrumental album, CIA TV, will drop within the next few months. I’m putting the finishing touches on it. It will feature Astrronomy singing on a lot of it, as well as Friendzone and Julian Wass helping with some instrumentation. Also, I am producing a whole collaboration album between MondreM.A.N and Western Tink. Look out for that later this year. For now, I don’t have any plans for another solo album post-CIA TV until at least 2013.