In case you missed it, here is the full interview of Rihanna discussing the abuse she faced on the night of February 8th, 2008 – her attacker, Chris Brown. Not surprisingly, there have been a lot of mixed criticism of this interview. Some people say she threw Chris Brown under the bus by discussing their private business. Others say she stood up for women and did the right thing by talking about it. Many find it interesting that she waited until both of their albums were ready to drop before she had this highly publicized interview.
Honestly, I think the interview was fair. As previously blogged, I don’t think domestic abuse should be tolerated under any circumstances. I believe she is being genuine when she says she doesn’t hate Chris and wants the best for him. I also think this was a great look for women and girls to see that no matter how much love has blinded you, if you are getting beat, you need to step outside your situation and evaluate it from the third person P.O.V. As the Bajan barbie coined it “Eff Love.” Check the vid…
MARS: 14 YEARS OLD. I TRIED TO EMULATE BEATS THAT WERE FEATURED ON THE RADIO. I GOT GOOD ENOUGH TO WHERE THE TRACKS I WAS EMULATING WOULD SOUND JUST LIKE THE TRACK OR EVEN BETTER. YOU KNOW I MIGHT BE GOOD AT THIS. SO I STARTED MAKING MY OWN BEATS.
VE: Did you always know that you were going to be a producer?
MARS: I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT BEING A PRODUCER ENTAILED. BUT I KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE DOING MUSIC. I ALWAYS WANTED TO DO MUSIC. OCCASIONALLY I WANTED TO BE A BASKETBALL PLAYER BUT I KEPT WITH MUSIC. INSTEAD OF PRACTICING MY FREE THROWS I WAS PRACTICING MY C NOTES.
VE: When you were younger, did you know that you would have this much success by age 25?
MARS: OF COURSE YOU DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH SUCCESS YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE. BUT I DEFINITELY HAVENT EVEN REACHED HALF OF MY POTENTIAL.
VE: Who are your musical influences?
MARS: MY DAD, MICHAEL JACKSIN, J DILLA, QUINCY JONES, STEVIE WONDER, DONNY HATHAWAY, ANITA BAKER, MARVIN WINANS, THOMAS WHITFIELD, MARVIN GAYE, PARLIAMENT, JAMES BROWN.
VE: How did you get your start? Tell me about your come up, working with Just Blaze and Brian Michael Cox.
MARS: I MOVED OUT MY PARENTS HOUSE AT THE AGE OF 17. GRADUATED FROM SCHOOL EARLY. MY DAD TOLD ME WHEN I FINISHED SCHOOL I COULD DO MUSIC. I SIGNED A ONE YEAR INDEPENDENT CONTRACT WITH THIS LADY LATISHA, HAD MY OWN STUDIO OWN APARTMENT. ALL I HAD TO DO WAS GIVE HER 15 BEATS. MY HOMEBOY JONATHAN INTRODUCED ME INTO LARRANCE. WE ALL PLAYED IN CHURCH. CAME BY HIS STUDIO. I PLAYED HIM SOME STUFF. LARRANCE SAID “I PLAY SOME STUFF FOR SNOOP YOU SHOULD COME BY AND PLAY SOME STUFF.” WENT AND PLAYED. SNOOP LIKED IT. SINCE THEN WE BECAME PRODUCTION PARTNERS. WORKING WITH JUST BLAZE AND BRIAN MICHAEL COX WAS GREAT BECAUSE THEY ARE SEASONED VETS AND BIG BROTHERS IN THE INDUSTRY. EVERY TIME I WORK WITH THEM I LEARN SOMETHING.
VE: Do you play any instruments?
MARS: I PLAY THE DRUMS, ORGAN, PIANO, BASS, ANYTHING WITH KEYS, KEYBOARDS, XYLOPHONES, WHATEVER.
VE: Damn that’s a lot lol. What are some of your biggest tracks.
MARS: DOPE BOYS BY GAME, TAKE YOU DOWN BY CHRIS BROWN, STRONGER BY KANYE WEST, WHICH ONE BY SNOOP, SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT BY JAY Z. WE GOT SOME STUFF COMING OUT ON SNOOPS NEW ALBUM. GET THAT. “MALICE IN WONDERLAND.”
VE: Which of your beats if your favorite?
MARS: I LIKE TAKE YOU DOWN. TAKE YOU DOWN MIGHT BE ONE OF MY FAVORITE BEATS.
VE: What was your first major hit?
MARS: GANGSTA LOVE BY BOBBY VALENTINO.
VE: Describe the feeling when you first heard it on the radio.
MARS: I DIDN’T HEAR GANGSTA LOVE ON THE RADIO. THE FIRST MAJOR HIT ON THE RADIO WAS DOPE BOYS. IT WAS PRETTY EXCITING.
VE: What do you think about the current state of hip-hop.
MARS: THERE ISN’T TOO MUCH GREAT MUSIC OUT RIGHT NOW. SO THAT GIVES ME A LANE TO DO WHAT I LOVE TO DO WHICH IS GREAT MUSIC. EVERYBODY EXPRESSES THEMSELVES DIFFERENTLY.. I LIKE THE WAY LUPE RAPS THE WAY HE EXPRESSES HIMSELF. HE HAS STORIES AND CONCEPTS.
VE: Is it in your plans to produce other genres or are you content with hip-hop and R&B?
MARS: I PRODUCE OTHER GENRES, I PRODUCE GOSPEL AND LOOKING FORWARD TO PRODUCE OTHER GENRES.
VE: What projects are you working on now that we should look out for?
MARS: SNOOP, LUPE, THE GAME, REDMAN, UHHH MAN JUST A LOT OF THINGS. IF ITS REALLY HOT YOU KNOW I DID IT. YOU KNOW ITS FROM THE HOTTEST PLANET: MARS.
You may not know him by name yet, but if you listen to Hip-Hop you’ve definitely heard his beats knocking from club speakers to 808s in the trunk. Shatek is a music producer hailing from Queens, NY who has worked with the likes of 50 Cent, DMX, Cassidy, DMC and most recently Fabolous and Drake on the Throw It In The Bag Remix. Vitalize Entertainment’s BOOM BLOG loves to spotlight talent that deserves to be on your radar. We got a funny feeling that Shatek is about to make some major unearthly moves in the next year. Just remember where you heard it first…Check it out.
BB: How long has music been a part of your life?
Shatek: Since I was about 12 or 13, music has been in my life…well the thought of making it at least.
BB: Can you play any instruments live?
Shatek: *LOL* nah not at all, I wish I could.
BB: What’s your creative process in making beats?
Shatek: Well, I either get a melody in my head or hear a sample that will trigger something for me to get in a zone.
BB: Anything you do in particular that you do to make sure the beats sound like your own? Like a signature sound.
Shatek: I always, and I repeat ALWAYS make sure my drums hit extremely hard, sometimes even over the melody; as well as a great intro. I feel every great beat has a great intro. I usually catch the listener by surprise.
BB: So your discography is impressive. Which of your beats is your favorite so far?
Shatek: I must say so far the record “X Gon Give It To Ya” is by far my favorite, as well as the most gratifying and lucrative song to date. It’s been on over four albums, two movies, one video game and countless TV shows.
BB: Tell me about your big break and how you reacted to it.
Shatek: Well, in 2002, I took a trip to Chicago to try to get involved with the DMX project. I went out there to play beats that I already had. I got a chance to hear the direction he was going in, so I sat in the studio and made four new beats for him. That same night after the club, we all went back to the studio where one of the beats that I made was blaring through the speakers. I was shocked, and X came to me and asked “yo is this your beat?” I replied “uhmmmmmm yes”, because I just made it a couple hrs before. After that he went to record it. I called everybody that I knew, and was letting them hear it through the phone. It was a very VERY exciting moment for me.
BB: This new Fabolous throw it in the bag remix beat is hard. How have people been receiving it?
Shatek: I must start off by saying that it has been said that the remix is way better than the original. Everyone is mesmerized by the hook that I placed into the beat from The Dream’s Fancy record.
BB: Considering there has been a shift in Hip-Hop focus from northeast to south…the south has been holding it down for a minute. You being from NY, does that affect your production process? Like are you making beats according to what’s hot?
Shatek: No not at all, I refuse to go in that direction. I stay true to myself and what I like.
BB: With Fabolous out, Jay coming back and other up and comers, do you think NY is making a comeback, or we need more people?
Shatek: Regardless of anything NY has always had a presence in Hip-Hop. Since the south era, these new artists are setting a tone for the new NY, such as Maino, Red Cafe and Vic D with these new records that sound like NY music.
BB: Who’s your favorite Hip-Hop artist right now?
Shatek: Right now? Hmmm, I would definitely have to say Fab, not just because of this new remix, but because of the consistency of his music, and the growth of his talent. It is admirable; he never seems to let his fans or Hip-Hop down.
BB: What’s your thoughts on rappers like Florida who have taken the europop sound and made it their stamp on Hip-Hop?
Shatek: I believe any type of mix of music with Hip-Hop helps further Hip-Hop as a genre and I also believe that it will help open more doors to do things with different genres.
BB: Ok finish these sentences:
It would be a dream to produce 10 tracks for —
Shatek: Jay-Z
BB: Ten years from now I want to be—
Shatek: Well solidified in the music industry, and comfortable financially, so my children’s college funds will b taken care of.
BB: My biggest goal in music is —
Shatek: To be well respected for what I do and to also be mentioned with the greats, like Dr. Dre, Timbaland and Swizz Beats.
Aight, with all the buzz all ova da innanets, here is Throw It In The Bag Remix, Fabolous f/ Drake – Produced by Shatek (In case you’ve been hiding under a rock.) Comment and let homie know if he’s on the path to music greatness… Fabolous ft. Drake – Throw It In The Bag [Remix]
BB: How long has music been a part of your life? 
BB: Ok finish these sentences: