German production duo JR&PH7 have been absolutely killing things lately, showing off a diverse range of beats that compliment a number of emcees’ styles. They recently developed some amazing chemistry with Sacramento spitter Chuuwee which lead to the 17 track The South Sac Mack as well as an EP and who knows what is in the vault.. It was a great opportunity for Da-What to catch up with the artists for a five finger discount, our original series that gives y’all a preview of the album combined with a behind the scenes look of the creative process AND an exclusive interview.
“Florin Light Rail”
JR: This is one of my favourite tracks on the album. I recall that I heard a late 90s house track that used this sample and I loved it. It was barely recognizable since it was filtered down a lot. After doing some research I found out where the sample was from and I started digging for the record on vinyl. I couldn’t find it any stores in Cologne and then I kind of forgot about it. Then a few months later I came across a copy in Soundstation, Copenhagens best and biggest record store but the price was ridiculous. Same was the case online and I didn’t feel like spending an arm and a leg for the record. I still loved the sample though so I was like fuck it and got the sample online on some blog. I looped the track and sent a beat sketch to PH7. A few days later he got back to me with a version in which the sample was a little more chopped and it sounded just perfect to me. Initially this beat was picked by one of Germany’s best lyricists Aphroe but in the end it was never recorded to and was just laying around. When we started working on TSSM we sent it to Chez and he killed it. Add the cuts by Cutz Penza and the joint was a wrap. We did a video for this one as well which is going to come out soon.
Chuuwee: For me as soon as I heard the beat the first bar came into my head immediately “Whenever i make something they take from it and pay nothing”. I had had a conversation with my friend on the lightrail years before about pay to play and being a talented but having to compromise yourself to get opportunities. So subconsciously someway this beat reminded me and brought out the verses in me.
“Lime Lights”
JR: This was one of the latest tracks we did for TSSM. I love early 80s soul and slowjams and still this is the sound that I find myself sampling the most currently. I remember that on this one the sample started with a nice drum break which you can hear in the beginning of the track. I made the initial beat only with sounds from the sample and didn’t add any additional drums or instruments. Then I showed it to Pete and he loved it so much that he told me to beg Chez to record to this. So I sent the track to him and within a day he recorded “Lime Lights”. Later Pete still added a few small elements to make the track sound a little bigger and now this joint is maybe my favourite record off the whole album.
Chuuwee: This is probably my 2nd favorite track on the album. Writing this song actually took the longest because I wasnt sure what I wanted to say on the beat. We had also been just about finished with the album when JR and P sent it over so at the time of writing to it I had alot of things going on. But randomly one day I sort of had a premonition and got to thinking about not being angry or spiteful if my city didnt accept this album they wanted to when I release it, so this song was like a mental reminder to myself that no matter what the people may say or do, the city in itself is your biggest driving support.
“What We Started”
JR: Sometimes Pete is a little lazy digging for samples so from time to time I give him selected samples that I pile up over time. One day he sends me this track and I just love the beat. I asked what the sample is and where he got it from and he was like ‘you gave it to me, it was in your last sample batch’. I could have sworn that I never heard it before. But this record is fire, the little drum breaks are crazy and to me this is night time music that’s perfect for cruising slowly through your city. I also love how Chez came up with the pitched down hook, it just adds so much flavour.
Chuuwee: Immediately upon hearing this beat I was reminded of the song Diamond by Slim Thug. “Lean that blue drank thru the turnin lane sittin on butter” is the first line of that song and I used to play that song faithfully during the events mentioned int he record. This record is actually very personal to me because the names mentioned are my old high school friends an this is a story that more than myself can relate to my friends actually love the record and hold it that much more dear because its something we all lived together.
“Riverside Ransom”
JR: I don’t want to say too much but if I had known in advance how much headaches we had clearing this sample I would have never touched it. In the end I’m super happy that it all worked out since I think it’s a really strong track overall and I love Petes drums on this especially. I recall that when we were in Sacramento Chez showed us the street where the shooting took place he talks about in the song, crazy shit.
Chuuwee: Yeah this song is probably my favorite of them all because of how it came about. Most people hear TSSM album and dont realize that everything I am rapping about LITERALLY happened exactly the way I’m saying it did. So this story was one of the most intense altercations I was able to solve as my own man without excessive violence or murder. I also have a small bit of street cred due to who my family and older relatives are so when they heard the song they were impressed they had never received a phone call to help me out with such a situation. Long story short talk to single girls only lol.
“DueYuu”
JR: I remember that I did the first sketch of this track when I was on vacation in Portugal with my wife. I guess it was influenced by the sunny weather down there. I sent it to Pete who boosted the beat to what it is today and also added the supernice breakdown in the third verse. That part still gives me goosebumps when I hear it, this might be my favourite verse from Chez on the album. My man Jannis from Jakarta hooked us up with Blu who jumped on it as well to complete the track and added even more to the laidback west coast feel of the beat.
Chuuwee: This is another one of my favorite tracks because JR surprised me with the Blu feature I will never forget, It was like a tuesday afternoon at 11:34 US time. I check my gmail and J says “Hey man got a surprise for you!” , I click the email and its a Blu feature and i go “YOOOOO TELL HIM TO DOWNLOAD THOSE FILES I SENT HIM FOR HIS OTHER TRACK” haha. I had already loved the track because of what the lyrics meant to me and what I saw it doing for the city, but Blu really solidified the sound of it and helped to make it a complete single.
Da-What 
Posted on April 10, 2015 by Benja
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