Cloud (Beats)

Cloud is a producer from New York who makes beats for bombing. The beats are reminiscent of early hip hop where tearing down whats around was a necessity. He keeps the sound and style at street level for the common people, he is not making big spacey synth style music. Check out below for a review of his Self Law beat tape.

Whats your goal for beats? Do you make them for artists to rap over? Are you trying to tell stories? I have read that Madlib makes beats for films in his head. I get the similar vibe from your tunes.

My goal is to destroy. I consider myself as more of a bomber than an "artist" or "producer". I am presently working with a Brooklyn emcee with whom, by the grace of the universe, I have discovered a genuine basis for collusion. But by and large I do not make beats for strangers to appropriate, although that is a freedom afforded to anyone that can access my music. For me, producing is not about money or notoriety or ambition; it's about an institution of the self, and it's about sending a message.

When did you start making beats? You have a bunch of beat tapes, all of which are solid. Do you find you make beats in fits and sprits or do you produce at a steady flow?

I started making beats six years ago. I made hundreds of tracks before really showing anyone anything, and hundreds more before I began to self-release material. Personally, I don't believe in composition, so an abstract style of production for me is an incessant channeling of my milieu. I am making beats all the time, even when I am not in the lab.

My favorite song is all city, its got some serious space vibes. Is space and futurism an inspiration for you? What serves as inspiration for you? Which artists do you vibe on?

I'm not really down with an academic or aesthetic idea of futurism, but I am interested in an idea of the future as a function of the past. I identify with Sun Ra in the film Space Is The Place; a messenger of the future sent to you by your ancestors. I am inspired mostly by the daily grind: taking the train to work, doing laundry, buying groceries. The artist I patronize most heavily as of late is Phonte.

Who does the art for your tapes? When making a tape are visuals a part of the process?

I've worked with a couple of artists, namely, Infamous Jean Claude, and this kid Eric Lopez from California. It's cool to be able to put trust in an artist to illustrate my music but ultimately that style of representation becomes arbitrary; the music produces its own images for every listener, and that can never be predetermined.

Part of what I like about music blogs are looks at local scenes. What part of New York City you from? Whats the scene like in your area? Are there any new artists that you are really stoked on?

I am originally from Long Island and then moved to Brooklyn where I plan on staying indefinitely. To be honest, I don't really connect to 99% of the musicians here. I don't really understand what they are trying to accomplish, nor am I even interested most of the time. The "scenes" I am most interested in are that of ordinary people and community; walking on the street, the faces of strangers, certain graffiti that catches my eye, etc.

*BONUS* - The Self Law - Cloud

This is my favorite beat tape from Cloud. These are beats for street level life. The occupy New York city streets and buildings, not the cosmic sounds of LA. The rhythems and sounds of modern life are inspiration for the tape. A personal favorite is the "All City" track with its spacey synths and serious groove. The tape features lots of classic soul samples and style. Self Law is reminiscent of early Pete Rock and J Dilla. A very good tape for beat fiends.