Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
Hip-Hop luminary & sample visionary Tactik is an enigmatic persona; an existentialist possessing remarkable artistic talent. He briefly interprets: "Spending less time with keyboards and more time with vinyl is what my production is about. Breakbeats and samples have been a part of hip hop since the beginning. I try to use those elements to create quality hip hop. Early underground hip hop influence from 411 vids changed my whole direction towards music production. Got my first MIDI sequencer in '97 and began making beats after years of previous keyboard experience. Once I learned about sampling, I began to use keyboards less and less. Every kick, hat and snare is cut up from breaks from all over and re-constructed into my own break. Looping other dj breaks is never an option. Sample chops are just as complex. Multi layered samples are a large part of my production!"
Dear friend, congratulations upon winning the recent Beat This! Please introduce yourself to the readers:
What up IllMuzik? My name is TactiK aka Chase G from SD!
How would you describe yourself, had you been asked to portray an image of Tactik - the person & Tactik - the artist? Is there a major separation between your various reflections of "I"?
I would probably like to be portrayed as an efficient source of music. In a nutshell, I am what I do...
Please give us an insight into some of the experiences you've had in your life: Your BRIGHTEST MOMENTS? Your DARKEST MOMENTS?
The good memories always lie within my friends and fam who always support. The worst ones are when created expectations turn in to dust from those you thought you could trust...
What's the PERFECT setting for your dream-concert?
Somewhere like the Hollywood Bowl. A place with great acoustics and massive speakers!
Please share some of your deepest visions / concepts / perspectives... How would you define your life? What's your distinctive purpose in life?
Everything is connected telepathically somehow and coincidences are just a part of life synchronicity. Everyone is constructed in their own unique way to interact a certain way with others. Free will does exist but it is being limited more everyday... I like to stand out in the crowd and remain unique, unlike those who just follow each other like sheep. I have always been speaking out my mind since I could speak and never afraid to make a point. Unfortunately, many people just won't listen or even compromise... I feel my only way to get a message across to many people is through music. I want people I like and even don't like to somehow be effected by my music is some way to help create unity.
How would you illustrate your artistic-self?
Basic yet colorful.
Do you collect music? What are some of your favorite projects? What's in your CD-player right now?
Everything from Classical to Jazz, Metal/Classic Rock to Hip Hop/Funk in vinyl... I like playing breakbeats mixed with reversed albums just to mess around. I had one of my mixtape CDs playing today with some PUTS, Madlib, Big L, EPMD, and the WU...
How did you get into music in the first place? Do you enjoy other mediums of art as well?
My pops taught himself how to play the guitar with the influence of Jimi and SRV for example. When I was old enough to walk he showed me how to use a lil 12" Casio and that was just the beginning...
I know it's impossible, but I'd like you to answer nonetheless: If you were to choose the best album ever, what would your choice be and why?
This is really the hardest question ever but I'm gonna say.......New Orders Substance for the wide range of instrumentation and experimentation for that 80s era.
Is there an objectively perfect beat?
Basic, yet complex... I like to think Dj Premier steez sometimes. Same melodies, but different samples playing back to back are dope but not always pulled off. Overlapping of many different riffs in different combinations to prove the chopping is original is another sick style of beatmakin'.
What gear/software do you use?
Been proudly usin' Fruityloops and Goldwave since '99. Looking forward to Reason & Protools this summer...
Do you sell beats? What's your policy?
Not often, don't like to be like a pushy corporate salesman about art. If someone with dope lyrics wants to collab and they are on a good page with music, I'm down to support them. Will spin for wax, especially duplicates...
What do you look for in collaborations with other artists?
Individuality and most importantly, respect.
Please inform us about your forthcoming projects/collaborations.
I am currently working with a classical composer Zem, who is giving me exclusive tracks to remix with many other styles of beats. This summer I will learn more about mastering and am looking towards pressing my first CD, Abstractivities. When Agent Smith and I join forces, we become The Shadowboxers. Reppin' San Diego with dark, soulful beats and lyrics. The Beauty of A Cup is Its Emptiness...
Future plans in life?
Expand, and someday help others expand thought music too... Maybe teach...
What is your viewpoint concerning the infamous 'Sampling versus Synthesizers' debate?
I remember that theme in a Beat This comp back in the day! Too bad I missed out on that one... I still love to jam out on a keyboard, but there just isn't anything like that crazy sample chop sound. You all know it!
Tips & Tricks to all the aspiring artists out there?
Don't limit yourself. Cut samples in mono, not stereo. Use rare scratch sounds. Don't cup the mic with your hand. Get faded AFTER your performance... Show support. Let your work speak for itself.
Please depict your creative process...
Most effective when alone.
Are you interested in spiritual realms?
Yes, can I map quest one?!
How did you find IllMuzik? What does IllMuzik mean to you? Any tips you'd like to give to the moderators?
Search engine or somethin'. IllMuzik is the dopest community for hip hop heads like ourselves!
Is GOD really a DJ?
Yes, with trillions of mixers and golden Technics lined up like the wall of China connected to our brains as wax.
5 records to listen to:
Company Flow - Little Johnny From The Hospitle. Miles Davis - Bitches Brew. Herbie Hancock - Headhunters. Beat Junkies volume 3. Mykill Miers - It's Been A Long Time Coming.
Nature of human-thought (Freestyle Writing):
Darkness vs. Light: Darkness only prevails when the light is afraid to shine.
Materialism: Is multiplying. Ignorant buyers continue to become dependent on their purchases for life. It is materialism that is limiting people's decisions by changing standards. The media is an evil tool to fool the ignorant throughout generation to generation. The deeper people fall into it, the harder it will be to get out of it. Someday brainwashing may become a reality-O commercial at a time...
Jazz vs. Classical music: Classical is dope... but so boring sometimes because it's structured on theory and limited. Jazz KO's Classical in my ring because there aren't many rules or limitations.
Meditation: You won't know how useful it is until you try it...
Psychedelics: Had my share but would love a trip to Amsterdam. Having visions of 1,000 ft foot walls filled with the illest burners when tryin' to sleep after a Golden Gate Park/Haight LSD trip observing local artists and an Aemoba visit was probably the best one. Seeing things from other perspectives for a limited time can expand your movement if used correctly. Not easy to make music on, but great to listen...
Womankind: Have "encountered" many of these species. Still have many breeds to "observe" in the future.
Unidentified Flying Objects: Saw some over the ocean once (1996 SD, CA) went to grab a camera and came back to nothing. Looked like 10-20 white light dots standing still at least 1/4 mile apart from each other, never heard a thing about it on the news. I wasn't tripping either, some woman was looking for the lights too after a friend phoned her bout it. The truth IS out there man, ha.
3 Favorite Films: The Last Dragon, Leon: The Professional, Memento.
Favorite Book: Tuesdays with Morrie.
Ghetto Of The Mind: Make it rain!
Demons: Learn to master them, or they will master you!
Ultimate Message To The World: Keep it real!
Parapsychology: Would like to know more. They use that in Ghostbusters right?
Reincarnation: Defiantly. Matter cannot disappear, therefore our spirit (or soul, to the holy ones), must move to another living entity when death occurs. It's as if there is some +/- connection between everything, life/death, love/hate, good/bad etc'.
Silence: Could use more of it... The ears and mind just need a break sometimes.
Dear friend, congratulations upon winning the recent Beat This! Please introduce yourself to the readers:
What up IllMuzik? My name is TactiK aka Chase G from SD!
How would you describe yourself, had you been asked to portray an image of Tactik - the person & Tactik - the artist? Is there a major separation between your various reflections of "I"?
I would probably like to be portrayed as an efficient source of music. In a nutshell, I am what I do...
Please give us an insight into some of the experiences you've had in your life: Your BRIGHTEST MOMENTS? Your DARKEST MOMENTS?
The good memories always lie within my friends and fam who always support. The worst ones are when created expectations turn in to dust from those you thought you could trust...
What's the PERFECT setting for your dream-concert?
Somewhere like the Hollywood Bowl. A place with great acoustics and massive speakers!
Please share some of your deepest visions / concepts / perspectives... How would you define your life? What's your distinctive purpose in life?
Everything is connected telepathically somehow and coincidences are just a part of life synchronicity. Everyone is constructed in their own unique way to interact a certain way with others. Free will does exist but it is being limited more everyday... I like to stand out in the crowd and remain unique, unlike those who just follow each other like sheep. I have always been speaking out my mind since I could speak and never afraid to make a point. Unfortunately, many people just won't listen or even compromise... I feel my only way to get a message across to many people is through music. I want people I like and even don't like to somehow be effected by my music is some way to help create unity.
How would you illustrate your artistic-self?
Basic yet colorful.
Do you collect music? What are some of your favorite projects? What's in your CD-player right now?
Everything from Classical to Jazz, Metal/Classic Rock to Hip Hop/Funk in vinyl... I like playing breakbeats mixed with reversed albums just to mess around. I had one of my mixtape CDs playing today with some PUTS, Madlib, Big L, EPMD, and the WU...
How did you get into music in the first place? Do you enjoy other mediums of art as well?
My pops taught himself how to play the guitar with the influence of Jimi and SRV for example. When I was old enough to walk he showed me how to use a lil 12" Casio and that was just the beginning...
I know it's impossible, but I'd like you to answer nonetheless: If you were to choose the best album ever, what would your choice be and why?
This is really the hardest question ever but I'm gonna say.......New Orders Substance for the wide range of instrumentation and experimentation for that 80s era.
Is there an objectively perfect beat?
Basic, yet complex... I like to think Dj Premier steez sometimes. Same melodies, but different samples playing back to back are dope but not always pulled off. Overlapping of many different riffs in different combinations to prove the chopping is original is another sick style of beatmakin'.
What gear/software do you use?
Been proudly usin' Fruityloops and Goldwave since '99. Looking forward to Reason & Protools this summer...
Do you sell beats? What's your policy?
Not often, don't like to be like a pushy corporate salesman about art. If someone with dope lyrics wants to collab and they are on a good page with music, I'm down to support them. Will spin for wax, especially duplicates...
What do you look for in collaborations with other artists?
Individuality and most importantly, respect.
Please inform us about your forthcoming projects/collaborations.
I am currently working with a classical composer Zem, who is giving me exclusive tracks to remix with many other styles of beats. This summer I will learn more about mastering and am looking towards pressing my first CD, Abstractivities. When Agent Smith and I join forces, we become The Shadowboxers. Reppin' San Diego with dark, soulful beats and lyrics. The Beauty of A Cup is Its Emptiness...
Future plans in life?
Expand, and someday help others expand thought music too... Maybe teach...
What is your viewpoint concerning the infamous 'Sampling versus Synthesizers' debate?
I remember that theme in a Beat This comp back in the day! Too bad I missed out on that one... I still love to jam out on a keyboard, but there just isn't anything like that crazy sample chop sound. You all know it!
Tips & Tricks to all the aspiring artists out there?
Don't limit yourself. Cut samples in mono, not stereo. Use rare scratch sounds. Don't cup the mic with your hand. Get faded AFTER your performance... Show support. Let your work speak for itself.
Please depict your creative process...
Most effective when alone.
Are you interested in spiritual realms?
Yes, can I map quest one?!
How did you find IllMuzik? What does IllMuzik mean to you? Any tips you'd like to give to the moderators?
Search engine or somethin'. IllMuzik is the dopest community for hip hop heads like ourselves!
Is GOD really a DJ?
Yes, with trillions of mixers and golden Technics lined up like the wall of China connected to our brains as wax.
5 records to listen to:
Company Flow - Little Johnny From The Hospitle. Miles Davis - Bitches Brew. Herbie Hancock - Headhunters. Beat Junkies volume 3. Mykill Miers - It's Been A Long Time Coming.
- When you lose your head - Meditate
- When you work - Don't put up with any bullshit
- When you make love with your Madame - 110% efforts
- When you are gloomy - I come up with some interesting ideas...
- When you contemplate - I tend to overwhelm myself
Nature of human-thought (Freestyle Writing):
Darkness vs. Light: Darkness only prevails when the light is afraid to shine.
Materialism: Is multiplying. Ignorant buyers continue to become dependent on their purchases for life. It is materialism that is limiting people's decisions by changing standards. The media is an evil tool to fool the ignorant throughout generation to generation. The deeper people fall into it, the harder it will be to get out of it. Someday brainwashing may become a reality-O commercial at a time...
Jazz vs. Classical music: Classical is dope... but so boring sometimes because it's structured on theory and limited. Jazz KO's Classical in my ring because there aren't many rules or limitations.
Meditation: You won't know how useful it is until you try it...
Psychedelics: Had my share but would love a trip to Amsterdam. Having visions of 1,000 ft foot walls filled with the illest burners when tryin' to sleep after a Golden Gate Park/Haight LSD trip observing local artists and an Aemoba visit was probably the best one. Seeing things from other perspectives for a limited time can expand your movement if used correctly. Not easy to make music on, but great to listen...
Womankind: Have "encountered" many of these species. Still have many breeds to "observe" in the future.
Unidentified Flying Objects: Saw some over the ocean once (1996 SD, CA) went to grab a camera and came back to nothing. Looked like 10-20 white light dots standing still at least 1/4 mile apart from each other, never heard a thing about it on the news. I wasn't tripping either, some woman was looking for the lights too after a friend phoned her bout it. The truth IS out there man, ha.
3 Favorite Films: The Last Dragon, Leon: The Professional, Memento.
Favorite Book: Tuesdays with Morrie.
Ghetto Of The Mind: Make it rain!
Demons: Learn to master them, or they will master you!
Ultimate Message To The World: Keep it real!
Parapsychology: Would like to know more. They use that in Ghostbusters right?
Reincarnation: Defiantly. Matter cannot disappear, therefore our spirit (or soul, to the holy ones), must move to another living entity when death occurs. It's as if there is some +/- connection between everything, life/death, love/hate, good/bad etc'.
Silence: Could use more of it... The ears and mind just need a break sometimes.