DealWithnoDeal: For people who may not know, tell us a bit about who you are. Who is Elite?
Elite: I'm a Producer/Artist from Byram CT. Started my career working as an in house producer for Ruff Ryders, now working with J.Cole, Dreamville, Omen and a few others. Just trying to make great music.
DWND: Where did your love for music come from? Who have been the artists who’ve influenced the sound of your music?
Elite: Well the first album I ever owned as a child was "Thriller". So id have to say my love for music starts and ends with MJ. Anyone who knows me knows how much of a fanatic I am. I got into hip hop around 6th grade but I lived in the suburbs so we only got the stuff that was on MTV. Wasn't until high school that I really started to dive in. As far as Hip-Hop artists who have inspired me... id say early Canibus, Eminem, Andre 300, Kanye, Cee-lo, 2pac. Melting pot of a list I know.
DWND: You’re also a rapper; the “Holy Omen” track off of Omen’s "Delayed" features you spitting some bars, is rapping something you’ve always done? Would you ever pursue a rap career?
Elite: I actually started rapping before I made beats, and that's how I got discovered by Ruff Ryders - as an artist. But the beats I was making for myself ended up selling, so I focused on that for a while. A few years back I got inspired to pick up the mic again from the music my peers were making. J. Cole, Omen and my boy Volatile. We started doin a bunch of songs together and I made some big leaps through being around such talented artists. Right now its actually my #1 focus, trying to get this next project done which will be my first as an artist. I'm really excited about it.
DWND: You’ve done a lot of work with DMX & The Ruff Ryders, Jadakiss, Joe Budden & Styles P how did those collaborations come together?
Elite: Well like I said I was discovered by Alimah Deen, sister to the CEO's of Ruff Ryders. For about 4-5 years I just spent everyday in the studio with those guys. I learned a lot, especially about the business side.
DWND: Looking at all the work you’ve done it would seem like more people would hear of you. Why do you think you’ve managed to stay low-key?
Elite: Ha! good question! I think its a combination of a lot of things. Early on in my career I was young so I don't think I understood how to make the most of every situation, in most cases I was just a star struck teenager. But those experiences have prepared me for the next phase. Everything happens for a reason, I think it's exactly the process I needed to get where I want to be.
DWND: Many producers like to make their self known on an artists’ track, ex. Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, why do you seem to shy away from that?
Elite: Again that comes from being young I think. I was 18 when I made my first placement, I wasn't trying to step on anyones toes and I was just trying to gain respect. I think stuff like that is earned. Guys like timbaland and pharell were paying dues long before you started to really know their names.
DWND: Let’s get to the good stuff. I became aware of you because of your presence on RocNation’s first signee, J.Cole’s mixtape “The Warm Up”. How did you two connect?
Elite: Me and Cole have been friends for a while now, we actually met back in high school on a Canibus fan site lol we were both fans and used to post our music on there. We stayed in touch and once he came to New York we started working together more. He's always been one of the people I rely on for an honest opinion, we have an ill little creative circle.
DWND: You produced “HeartAche” off of “The Warm Up” and “Playground” off of your own “The Groundwork”. Have you done any work for his upcoming studio album?
Elite: We have done some new stuff, but im not sure about the album. We'll prolly go back in the lab at least once more before the album is done. But either way that album is going to be a CLASSIC. I can guarantee that!
DWND: “The GroundWork” is your most recent mixtape, why did you decide to release the project?
Elite: It's really a set up for my next project. I wanted to let people know what I have done the last 10 years or so. Get my name out there a bit and connect all of the joints that i've done. It was also just fun to go in and re-tweak some of those old beats.
DWND: You worked with Omen on his “Delayed” mixtape where you recorded & mixed about 80% of the tracks. Are there other artists who you have worked with heavily that we may not be too familiar with?
Elite: My man Volatile. He is a monster. He produced this joint "Pity" that will be on Omen's mixtape featuring J. Cole. He's working on his own project now also and I'll definitely be heavily involved in that. Hes both a producer and an artist just like me, Omen, Cole.. We all do both lol its pretty crazy. Voli is sick though, he's going to surprise a lot of people.
DWND: 2010 has just begun, what more can we expect from you this year?
Elite: Definitely my artist project I'm thinking of titling it "Elite.. That's Me". Finally going to introduce that side of me. Omen "Afraid Of Heights" in Feb/March... I'm spittin on another joint on there called "Wow" with me, Omen and Voli. That joint is insane. I got a new LOX record that should drop this year, and another DMX joint... Also a few of the other new cats, Nickelus F, Nino Bless... I got joints with both of them coming.
DWND: Last question, if there was any lasting impression of you that you’d want to be left in the minds of music lovers what would it be?
Elite: Something. Something that lasts lol. It doesn't matter what it is, I hope to evoke emotion with my music. Make you FEEL something. There's nothing worse than hearing something and having no feelings or opinions on it. I'd like for my music to open up dialogue between people, debates, arguments, inspiration.. Whatever. I want to spark people the same way others have sparked me. I think when you hear my music you can hear the time and heart I put into it. I take my craft seriously, I'm a student of music and I'd hope for that to come across.
I let Elite breathe...
I let Elite breathe...
By Tori Cheyenne.
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