Interview with Vito Beats
Questions:
1. How would you define yourself as a local artist (Producer)? And did anyone inspire you to pursue this dream?
A: I was raised around music my entire life. There was a time that I can remember growing up when my family opened up the doors and introduced me and my sister to great music. We used to listen to all kinds of different genres from Oldies, Latin Music, R&B, Classical, Rock, Jazz, Pop, and also being in a part of school band since elementary and middle school. I would mostly say Rap and Hip-Hop happened to be a major outlet for me. Slowly at a young age I didn’t fully understanding the concept behind Hip-Hop at the time but as I got older I started recognizing the different style between the lyrical content and the musical background between the east and the west coast, especially when it was hitting the airwaves on radio stations like 106 KMEL and WILD949. I heard songs like Ice Cube, “Today was a good day” and Dr Dre’s “Nothing but a G thang” they caught my ear’s attention so I ended up recording more songs that came up on the radio and made my own tapes of mixes. Soon after that, when Pac and Biggie died later the music was changing. The Mid-West and the South started merging in popular culture and played a roll in mainstream media on MTV & BET. Years later my cousin ADR Lavey from Apt 3/DNA Ent released his album Leviathans Creations in 2001 he got me into a lot of West coast/Bay Area Raps for a longtime. The music had a different feel compared to the west coast and the east coast music. I was always intrigued by its style of authentic appeal and its eclectic art form that embodies an entire song from start to finish. It came to a point right after high school 2003, I changed my focus from an art career and wanted to do something on my own and that was music production related. I didn’t have an MPC or anything that advance, I started off using different software programs and started to understand the basics on pre-production works by creating an original compositions from using drum patterns and samples and playing the keyboard forming a new beat from scratch. Just like a diary you can make a beat that reflects your day whether you had a good day or a bad one. Sometimes, you just happened to be lucky and it just literally makes itself into something by accident and the song just completely a hit. It got very serious when I was producing beats and I knew a few folks from the neighborhood who were noticing that I was doing music through word of mouth and within 1 year before Myspace music started taking over the internet. I stated recorded mix tapes/demos and produced beats for early emerging artists such as G-1 (RIP), Pablo Fetti, E-Ferocious, Young Loyal Fellas, Yung Mar, Young Mix, Mr. Revenue and Demosthenes 3. They were the first people who all saw infinite potential in me and believed in my work. Part of my role as a producer is to create a solid foundation by putting great music out there. We live in a world where the media is promoting a lot of oversaturated music that is not strictly hip-hop that is influencing the youth and there are not too many mainstream artists that are addressing a lot of the social issues such as poverty, politics, gentrification, and police brutality. They are focusing on keeping minorities down and perpetuating the myths that they will never make it and be successful in America. So they censor out the messages that promote us and make us feel positive about our lives and our culture we have to celebrate who we are and not fall for the misinformation and mis-education that’s out there creating distractions. It pushes me as a person in life and to move forward as a producer and enables me to elevate my game and inspires me to keep making timeless music that would mean something to the people and the world.
2. How did you come across the name -"Vito Beats"?
A: Back then growing up in the SF Mission I knew lot of folks that I grew up with had nicknames weather they knew you from the neighborhood or at school. For the longest time people used to give me random names like Victahslick, Victorino, DJ Vic & V-Toe then I went by Vito. Overall it ultimately defined me to others that there’s a producer from the Mission, he makes beats, hence, Vito Beats. But, I had accumulated a number of yearly catalogs full of beats for 11 years now, that’s when I finally came to the point when I decided to just go by Vito Beats which is based here in San Francisco.
3. What do you expect your audience or current fans to get from listening to your instrumentals?
A: As a producer I like to create something that’s very unique & phenomenally imaginative and that resembles the musical form of real hip-hop instrumentals. I don’t really have fans yet so, but I do have a number of growing supporters who have been attending my recent shows that I appeared in this year. Recently they have been feeling the vibe and energy off my music. I really don’t consider myself to be a beat battler to show off on stage that got the best beats out there. It’s just not my style to show off like that at all. I like to share and showcase my music that I’ve produced by myself and the people that I’ve worked with. I want the crowd to feel and experience and give them a chance to show them that have I have something fresh to bring to the table. In this job you have to stay consistent and stay focused no matter what the odds are and I want my audience to appreciate that. Even if it’s a hit or a miss you got to keep your fans and supporters up to date on the latest projects music videos etc. that you put out to share and I think it’s important. I hope my music helps my audience relate to, and help create a form of unity and feel something different and celebrate the good out there.
4. Where do you see yourself in five years from now?
A: No matter what stage I am at in my music career, I need to stay motivated and not settle over any small successes in my career. Your music can get you real far if you invest in yourself and keep obtaining more placement opportunities not only for major artist but get a buzz on TV commercial placement, video game or movie soundtrack. I hope to advance myself not only just a producer but also a consultant to help guide more artists and producers how to develop and focus more on legal protection for their music. I think it’s important for people who realize that this music is a serious job it takes a lot challenges in the beginning it is time-consuming and takes great effort to get the job done. Hard work pays off on the long run.
5. Do you have any upcoming projects that you might currently be working on?
A: I am working on multiple projects that I have lined up by networking. It has gotten bigger and I am real excited and I am looking forward to working with current independent artist, producers and songwriters like Shades of Soul, D-High, Jorge Hernandez, Nanci Peral, King Reegz, 1Lady, Aukwin, Taytatay T-Gunna (11/5), San Quinn, Equipto, Outbound, Monk HTS, Evaclear, Young Mix, Lou Butterz, RJ Boone, Cuddie Cut, Allen Kass and the list goes on and on. I'm focusing on my 3rd & 4th installment of my instrumental EP’s Sound Visionary Vol 2 & Longevity Matters.
6. Do you remember how we began networking on Instagram?
A: I think I might have stumbled on a repost video that you were promoting either Da Maddhouze, page or J Morgans – Human Album.So I followed you back. I really appreciate you and what you have put together. I appreciate the acknowledgement of what we do and what we represent in the bay area independent music scene.
7. I have been following you for a while now, but for those not following what are they missing out on?
A: I’ve been featured in a few number of bay area underground projects in the previous 11 years. I still have 2 previous instrumental EP’s Sound Visionary & Break The Cycle that came out in 2012 that are still available for free downloads off of my bandcamp page.
8. I ask all of the local artists I interview, but if I were to look at your iPhone's music playlist or computer's library - What kind of genres or songs would I find?
A: My playlists is an extensive library not only do I have music on my phone. I also have a wide spectrum of musical genres. My phone, my external hard drive and Spotify, are just a few places where I collect and purchase my music. There is Classical Music, Blues, Jazz, 50’s 60’s 70’s Underrated Oldies and Funk music, 80’s & 90’s Old School Rap, Hip-Hop & R&B, Conscious Hip-Hop, 90’s G-Funk, Bay Area Rap Music, Underground Hip-Hop, Trip Hop, Electro Music, House Music, Horrorcore, Beat Instrumentals, Video Game OST, Film Score Soundtracks, 60’s & 70’s 80’s Classic Rock, Latin Rock, Mariachi, Mexican Corridos, Rock En Espanol, Bossanova, Cuban, Heavy Metal, Ska, Reggae, Dancehall, Contemporary Music and the list goes on and on.
9. Where can new followers find your music and follow you on your social media sites?
A: You can follow me on Twitter & IG @VitoBeats415
www.soundcloud.com/vitobeats www.vitobeats.bandcamp.com
