Last fall, Canadian producer Kevin Celestin, a.k.a. Kaytranada, was in New York City for the Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival. The day after his festival performance, he went into the Red Bull Studios NY to work with Mobb Deep, who were in the studio to begin writing and recording their new album, 'The Infamous Mobb Deep.'
The result of the collab was 'My Block,' a hard-hitting track that ended up on the album (on sale April 1 via Infamous Records/RED). Go behind the scenes and get a glimpse of the rising producer's session with the hip-hop legends.
What was it like playing your beats for Mobb Deep?
I was nervous at first. Played them a few beats. They nodded their heads, meant they liked it. If they weren’t saying nothing, they didn't like it. So I played them at least 10 of those beats I had in my laptop, and they pretty much liked most of them.
How quickly and how did they decide on the beat to use for 'My Block'?
When I showed the beat of 'My Block,' they had a bigger reaction compared to the other beats, and they were like, "Yo, that shit is fire." And I knew it from the start that this beat could be some NY shit, so that meant that they loved it.
What was going through your mind as Havoc and Prodigy were writing/rapping over your beat?
Nothing much [laughs]. Beat was on repeat for a long time, and I was tired of hearing it, and I was thinking about food.
What is your relationship with Vic Mensa like? What was running into him at the studio like?
I met him in the studio in LA the week before, and we have a good chemistry. We make dope shit together and seeing him suprisingly in the Red Bull Studio was like, "Damn, we gon’ do more classics or what?” So, that's what we did...
Now that it's completed and coming out, what do you think of 'My Block'?
Think it sounds good, and I feel more proud that people aren't just gonna see Kaytranada as a remixer or an “electronic producer,” as the journalists would say. I come from making hip-hop music, and that right there is a proud moment, and I hope I will get exposed more in hip-hop than just in the electronic scene.
