This Month's feature is an artist with a wide array of influences Born and raised in the motherland world lets travel with…… Ben Malick
Mistajay: What is the story and conception behind your producer name?
Ben Malick: I started out with Malick Da 1da, which was given to me by some friends who found out I my beats sounded like those of 9th Wonder. I went by that name within years, till I started feeling like I had to be myself over everything, then switched it to my both real first and middle names as Ben Malick, which sounds more myself, more genuine, more Hip Hop.
Mistajay: What area are you reppin? What is the hip-hop scene like there?
Ben Malick: I'm Hip Hop, that which means God, education, food for thoughts, and everything positive that can help one another.
Mistajay: You have been gracefully influenced over both beat productions and rhyme schemes by some Hip Hop heads like DJ PREMIER, 9th WONDER, NOTTZ, KHRYSIS, RAKIM, NAS, SEAN PRICE (RIP). What are the overall influences of your music? And what inspires you?
Ben Malick: As Emcee, Rakim first then Nas introduced me to the Rap scene. Sean Price came up in my life with something incredible I never found elsewhere. As Producer, 9th Wonder changed my life with his beat-making. Preemo brought me in deeper, Khrysis taught me the genius of using synthesizer sounds. Nottz taught me to be simply different.
I like Soul records samples, any sensitive music genre, synthesizers sound originally used for a Hip Hop beat; rhymes with square bars (short phrases that mean a lot), flow with very listenable words. When I hear a Rap song getting most of those elements together, it automatically touches me.
Mistajay: How do you describe your style of hip-hop?
Ben Malick: Hardcore Rap on Soulful grimey beats.
Mistajay: What is your best song recorded to date and why?
Ben Malick: I actually don't know how to say I have one because every song I write is what it feels like at that moment, and record it with a particular emotion, deorbfjy on the both song's concept and theme. I let the listener feel about what I'm trying to share with him then pick up his best one ever.
Mistajay: On the credits, the list appears some names as Big Shug (Gangstarr), Access Immortal, Supreme R.A., Shadowstar Boxer, EXP, Weapon ESP, Nytelife, Process, The Kid Hater, Emf Black, Prince Newkirk, Admiral, Sway Guevara, The Absouljah, and many more...
If you could work with any other 3 artists or bands who are still around and touring, who would they be and why?
Ben Malick: Honestly, I never work with artists for what they are, but rather for what we both have in common, the motivations in the Culture, the consideration of my business, the respect we both have for each other. The name doesn't matter to me.
Mistajay: After Putting hard work on a craft with MIDI controllers keyboards (Worlde Panda Mini & M-Audio Oxygen 8 v1) dumped on FL Studio 9, as chopping samples as composing melodies from scratch, makes him definitely become one of the rare Africa-based prolific music makers successfully working with overseas, especially the USA. What other doors do you feel that opened up for you?
Ben Malick: I think it did more than what I could expect. I got taught so much over the po
Mistajay: A lot of artists/producers come into the game with a lot of ambition but don’t spend time learning the business side. How important to you is learning about publishing and royalties?
Ben Malick: Ok, I sell beats and charge for my other skills, but it's more than a business for me. It's the way we can build up a human relationship that could take us beyond the game because life is a whole set of surprises.
Mistajay: Where do you see hip hop going in 2021? How do you see yourself fitting into that?
Ben Malick: Only God knows.
Mistajay: How have the covid 19 situations affected your plans as related to music?
Ben Malick: Still kept grinding
Mistajay: What are your other future plans?
Ben Malick: Continue to grind
Mistajay: Where can people find your music?
Ben Malick: Check BEN_Malick on IG links are in the bio
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