Interviews Smash Brothers

[Fade]

The Smash Brothers have been around for quite a while now and are set to release their debut album, "Fear Factor". Ash Holmz and Classic Beatz both took the time to answer some questions and let everyone know what they're about and what plans they have as the Smash Brothers.

Sup Smash Bros?

Ash Holmz - Hard at work over here. Gearing up for our debut album "Fear Factor". It's all mixed, mastered, and ready to go. We are just putting the final touches on the artwork and it should be a go for the release.

Classic - What's up Fade, man like Holmz said working hard getting the album details wrapped up.

Tell everyone how you came up with the name Smash Bros?

Ash Holmz - It's a long story behind it, but basically one of Classic's boys came up with the name. It came out of an inside joke me and Class had about who can bag more females HA! The name fits well with our personalities and the vibe of the music.

Classic - Yea it's my boy Dave's idea, (he is known as Kojo in IllMuzik) there was an argument that me and Holmz had about who smashed more chicks (I won by the way). He was like yo, what are y'all the Smash Brothers? We both laughed. Then I thought about it and was like damn, that has a really nice ring, and it fits our music. I ran it by Holmz and he loved it. It's been Smash Brothers ever since.

When did you guys first hookup and how?

Ash Holmz - Initially through IllMuzik! I always felt Classic's beats and we had a mutual respect for each other's production. We first linked up in person when Class came to Brooklyn to visit one of his friends. He stopped through and we chopped it up for a little and it grew from there.

Classic - Yea actually it's funny how things work out, I joined IllMuzik in December 2003, 2 weeks after I started producing, I was checking out the Showcase and I happen to come across his beats, I was like damn, how does he do that? At that time I could barely make a drum loop, so to hear this cat filtering samples, chopping was mind boggling. So I hit him up for advice and he turned out to be mad cool. When I decided to move to Brooklyn in 2005 he was the first person I hit up. A girl I was dating at the time brought me by his house in Bedstuy and we clicked. He as been fam ever since...

What's the first song that you did together?

Ash Holmz - Grown Man Talk - from the Illmuzik compilation album. It happened almost by accident. We had a song that we were going to record with a Bronx emcee that we wanted to put on the IllMuzik Compilation, but the emcee went M.I.A.(and still is! Ak get at me!) The submission was due the next day so we just made this beat. I used to rap way back in the day before I ever produced. I was always nice, but I never took it all that serious cuz I was living in Upstate New York at the time (Syracuse), and there was no real outlets for rappers like there is here in NYC. Long story short, "Grown Man Talk" was the first rap I wrote in like 3 years, since then I been writing like crazy.

Classic - Yea man that song was the beginning of it all, we couldn't find any dope rappers. I had heard Holmz mentioned he rapped but I didn't take it seriously (everyone says they can rap, especially producers). So finally after we whipped up the beat we recorded the vocals at my crib. It was a total shock, I told him "Why the hell are we lookin for rappers, you're it". The song came out hot and the rest was history.

Classic, are there any plans for you to get on the mic?

Classic - Nah, I know what I am and I know what I ain't, I AM NOT a rapper LOL. But when we perform live that's a different story, I'm a crazy ass hype man, I love performing on stage, I've been doing it since I was a kid but that's as far as it will go. I'll leave the MC duties up to holmz

Do you guys work on tracks together or do you pick beats from one another?

Ash Holmz - A combination of both. Usually one of us will find a sample or sketch out a rough skeleton track and then we will come together to make it complete. Sometimes the track ends up A LOT different from the original idea, but sometimes it's basically the same thing. Then we record my vocals, and then go crazy with the editing and arrangements in Pro Tools.

Classic - Yea it's a combination of both, half the time we will sit and make the beat from scratch. Other times we will choose an individual beat and just add to it. At the end of both processes the beat ends up with a definite "smashbrothers" vibe that neither of us can achieve individually.

Do you find it harder and easier to work with someone else?

Ash Holmz - I think it's easier. I'm a pretty spontaneous dude when it comes to music so I like working with other cats and catching creative vibes. Me and Class are great friends outside of music so it's even easier to get the ideas flowing. The only time we really run into creative differences is concerning the non-musical stuff. Image, artwork, marketing, promotion, and all that other stuff. That's where there is a bit of discrepancy, LOL.

Classic - Yea, the music part is easy, me and Holmz can whup up a banger in 15 min (seriously we have done it on the spot with an MC in the booth) I like workin with Holmz because he gives me ideas that I wouldn't think of on my own and vice versa. It creates a vibe that is kinda contagious. 2 heads are always better then one if they know how to work together

What can you tell us about your up-coming album?

Ash Holmz - All I can say is that it's fire. 15 tracks of heat. The beats are nuts, and I'm spittin that real shit. I kept the guest appearances to a minimum intentionally. It's a true "Smash Brothers" album. The only guest rapper I've got on there is my dude Stepchild of R.I.P. (whattup Relic!) Other than that it's all me and my alter ego's. We got a real unique sound. We don't sound like anybody else. If you give a real thorough listen to our album, you will be hooked. It's droppin on Itunes early August. Hopefully we will have advanced copies ready for IllMuzik much sooner!

Classic - It's a dope album with a lot of different view points. I think that the most important thing about the album is that we did our music on our own terms. So it allows our personality to really shine through on every track. I'm really proud of it and hope others will like it as well.

Have you released any singles off of it yet?

Ash Holmz - "Cuckoo" is our street single which you can find on our MySpace page at www.myspace.com/smashbrothersmusic. Go cop dat, bump it loud, and tell a friend to do the same. It's a free download. Our political anthem "SHotZ" is also available for a free download off the page as well. We got some other joints that will be leaking out soon though.

Do you have any plans of doing live shows?

Ash Holmz - Hell yeah. And real soon.

Classic - Yea man that's in the works, I'm gonna get my Flava FLAV on.

What sets the Smash Bros apart from others?

Ash Holmz - A lot of things are different about us. For one, we are both producers, which is unusual for a rap group. We really pay careful attention to the musicality of the record. Our sound isn't typical or "safe". We aren't just looping up soul samples or throwing 808 drum rolls on everything, our whole approach is just DIFFERENT. I would call it more experimental, but still accessible and can be appreciated by the casual listener. Secondly, I talk only real shit in my rhymes, I don't pretend to be something I am not. What u see is what u get with me. Once you hear the record, it becomes really clear what sets us apart from others. We don't sound like anyone else. Period.

Classic - I would say our sound & chemistry is what sets us apart. I think our music has a certain "vibe" that hasn't been tapped yet.

What's your current studio setup?

Ash Holmz - My studio setup for the album was MPC 4000, Alesis Ion, Motif ES rack, EMU PK6, Pro Tools LE, AT4047 mic, and a Safe Sound P1 preamp. Since then I have basically sold everything except the mic, preamp, and Pro Tools. I do everything on my laptop as of this moment. I needed the portability of a mobile setup.

Classic - My studio setup hasn't really changed in a couple of years. Everything is based around my MPC 2000XL, I also have a Motif and Fantom XR racks, a Microkorg and an M-Audio Keystation 88 ES MIDI controller. I record into an M-powered Pro Tools setup using an M-Audio Firewire 410.

What are you looking to accomplish with this album?

Ash Holmz - Exposure. This going to be the project that gets our name out there and introduces the people to the Smash Brothers sound. This is more than a music album. It's an introduction to a whole movement. Get familiar!

Classic - Get our name out there to the masses and build a following and be able to quit my day job!!!

Do you have any advice that can help beatmakers when it comes to recording vocals?

Ash Holmz - I don't have any secrets LOL. I would say get a good quality mic (we used an AT4047), and get a good quality preamp. Don't skimp on those items. Buy the best u can afford. Then get a decent space with some good isolation and that's it. And remember, even with the best equipment, u gotta have skills! If u rap like a clown and u got a weak flow and a whiny voice, it doesn't matter what equipment you are using it won't sound right. Rapping isn't for everybody.

Classic - Well I would say from the producer's standpoint you have to know how to get the best performance out of a vocalist. You have to know how to talk to them and get your ideas across without killing the creative mood. As a producer it's your job to get the job done as efficiently as possible. In order to do this you need to be able to translate your "ideas" into results.

Do you have any shoutouts you'd like to give?

Ash Holmz - Cuse City, Brooklyn, my family, wifey, GX Fam, SmashEnterprise (my new venture), and most def shout out to all da ILMUZIK fam! Special shout outs to Fade, Relic, Clev, Fury, Stress, Buku, Dahkter, Shadeed, Innrcty Hoodmuzik, my dude Nomics; basically anybody from the Ill that I've met in person or at least talked to live. We need more of that.

Classic - St.Petersburg & Tampa, Florida for raising me, Brooklyn for the love, my girl, my family, Phi beta Sigma(blue phi!!). Kamau & Lesley, Dj Idlemind. Illfam (Fade, Stress, Afrique, 2good, Drama, SHADEED).