Behind the Boards: J-Buttah Exclusive Interview W/ CHAMP Mag (“My Life is a Movie” – Kingpen Slim ft. Jim Jones)

J Buttah Exclusive Interview W/ CHAMP MAG
CHAMP MAGAZINE
Nathan “Hollywood” Adom

CHAMP: Got J Buttah rockin with us at the moment what’s going on homey?

J Buttah: Nothing much man, working staying busy.

CHAMP: Now I got introduced to you off the passionate production you did on Kingpen Slims joint with Jim Jones. How long have you been producing for?

J Buttah: Ah man, I’ve been producing since about 2003 man, but I didn’t really get no light ‘til like around two years ago.

CHAMP: Who are some other artist in the game you’ve worked with?

J Buttah: I did the song called “Blackout” on J.O.S.E 2 with Fat Joe and Swizz Beatz. I did the new Maino record with Lil Wayne on the hook called “Let ‘em Lay”. I did about 60% of Kingpen Slims CD called The Beam Up, which is available for free download right now on thebeamup.com. I did a remix with Trey Songz to a song he had on a mixtape called “Slow Down”. It never really came out. Right now, I got a record coming out with Spragga Benz, Swizz Beatz and Kardinal Offishall called “Shottas”. That’s gonna be released probably in the next two or three weeks. I worked with Edley Shine of Born Jamericans.

CHAMP: You hail from Virginia, and guys like Timbaland and Pharell from Virginia came out with a sound different than the norm. Is this something we can expect from J Buttah?

J Buttah: I’m definitely trying to separate myself from everyone else with my own identity. It’s kinda like a Virginia thing. I actually live closer to DC. Pharrell and Timbo and them, they from Virginia Beach that’s like three hours away from me. I live right outside DC in a town called Harman, Virginia.

CHAMP: You also go by DJ J Buttah?

J Buttah: Yeah I DJ on radio out here. 93.9 out here in DC. I’m also a DJ on the Russ Parr Morning Show, which is like a syndicated morning show in 30 markets across the US.

CHAMP: When it comes to your passion, would you say djing is where your passion lies or would you say producing beats?

J Buttah: I mean, it’s both. I like djing ‘cause I like entertaining. I like being the one to make people dance and stuff and you’re kinda like the center of attention for a moment. Production is something I like to do because I like to create stuff that people might be interested in, but if I had to choose one, I’d probably do production. I’m really trying to lean more towards the production.

CHAMP: I know producers don’t like to jinx who they’re working with next, but can you hit us with an idea of who we can expect you to produce for?

J Buttah: Yeah, the Spragga Benz record called “Shottas”. It has Shabba Ranks on the hook, it has Swizz Beatz on it, Kardinal Offishall I think but don’t quote me on that, and someone else on it, that I can’t really talk about but it’s rockin’. It’s like B-Boy hip hop meets hardcore Dancehall.

CHAMP: Wow. So you were able to mix the elements of dancehall music with a 90’s  feel hip hop all incorporated in one song?

J Buttah: Imagine a beat like “I’m a Hustler” but instead of Jay-Z on the hook, Shabba Ranks on the hook. It’s hardcore hip hop. Im tryna just bring it back to the essence, like the boom bap but it’s straight party time hip hop. It’s not like backpacker, but it’s that 90’s feel when hip hop use to knock.

CHAMP: What are the tools we can catch you messing with to make a beat?

J Buttah: Believe it or not, everything that I ever produced has been produced on Fruity Loops 5. I tell people that all the time and they do not believe me. I’m tryna get Fruity Loops to endorse me, ‘cause I made it work. I don’t know if that’ll happen, but a lot of records are getting produced on Fruity Loops. Drake’s “Over” was produced on Fruity Loops by the dude Boi-1da. He’s a Fruity Loops cat.

CHAMP: Shout out to Boi-1da

J Buttah: Boi-1da he’s dope

CHAMP: Now Kingpen Slim. I’m aware that he’s from DC and he’s been doing his thing for minute and been grindin’. If you can describe the relationship between you and Kingpen Slim.

J Buttah: Oh it’s funny how we met. I never heard of Kingpen Slim. The guy that put me on radio Pete Stew brought Slim to my house like “Yo you gotta hear this cat, he’s like the sickest dude in DC. I’ve always wanted to do something with him I just never had the time, and I know with your production y’all would be on some Jay-Z and Pharrell stuff”. So he brought him to my house, we recorded three records and two of them I really didn’t care for too much because basically I gave him a beat and he came back with songs and then when we started to get in the studio, and actually collab, that’s when we like came up with his album “The Beam Up”, which is available now for free download and we’ve been rockin ever since. Kingpen Slim is one of those rappers you kinda gotta listen to him twice ‘cause a lot of his stuff he thinks will go over your head. He’s an introspective rapper. You heard this off “My Life is a Movie”, and I’ma tell you about that record. That’s not even the whole song. The verse on that is Kingpen Slims third verse and Jim spits first.

CHAMP: Oh yeah?!

J Buttah: The whole song’s gonna come out. It’s a story line. That record just hit home for Jim. The real version is probably gonna come out in about a month or two and it’s three verses with Slim and he’s telling a story about his life. He’s been in the streets and you already know how that story goes. He really doesn’t like to talk about it or glorify it because he’s not doing that now so what’s the point of talking ‘bout it if you ain’t still doing it. They’re actually gonna shoot a video for that in New York. You know DC and New York really don’t get along too well.

CHAMP: I heard

J Buttah: This goes back to the 80’s in the Rich Po days. Yeah, we don’t like New Yorkers and I mean it’s for a reason, but that reason has nothing to do with us today. We’re just tryna  bridge that gap and bring that unity and spread a positive vibe.

CHAMP: What else can we expect from J Buttah for 2010?

J Buttah: Believe it or not I’m an R & B producer so I’ma be doing more r & b. I’ma start doing pop and techno records. I really wanna work with Lady Gaga. I got something for her. I’ma do a jazz album with my boy Adrian who’s a sax player for Anthony Hamilton. My goal is to have a hit in every genre of music kinda like Timbaland. That’s my goal. It’s not gonna happen right away, but that’s what I’ma work for, ‘cause right now I’m just getting the rap look. A lot of people don’t realize that I do house, drums and base, pop, r & b, I’ll make a country if you want one.