Q. MORROCCO
Q. MORROCCO LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK
BORN AND RAISED IN FREEPORT, LONG ISLAND, Q GOT HIS START AS A RAPPER BEFORE MAKING HIS TRANSITION INTO PRODUCING. HIS UPBRINGING HAD MUSIC ALL AROUND HIM. THE SELF-TAUGHT DRUMMER AT 3 YEARS OLD STARTED PENNING LYRICS IN HIS NOTEBOOK BY AGE 10. AS AN ARTIST, MORROCCO HAS DROPPED VARIOUS PROJECTS INDEPENDENTLY AS WELL AS OPENING UP FOR MAJOR ARTISTS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. FAST FORWARD TO THE PRESENT, Q TOOK HIS PASSION FOR MUSIC TO THE NEXT LEVEL AS A SORT AFTER UNDERGROUND PRODUCER AND ENGINEER WHILE BEING A PART OF A PRODUCTION TEAM OVER AT RICH SONZ STUDIOS IN HIS HOMETOWN. THEIR MOTTO IS A VERY SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE ONE, “CONSISTENCY MARKS QUALITY” AND HE WORKS DILIGENTLY ON A DAILY BASIS TO LIVE UP TO THAT. A TRUE LONG ISLANDER, Q MORROCCO IS HERE TO CARRY ON THE TRADITION OF THE GREATS THAT PAVED THE WAY BEFORE HIM.
VALIDATED: GROWING UP, WHAT KIND OF MUSIC WAS PLAYED IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD?
Q. MORROCCO: STRAIGHT CLASSICS! DISCO, R&B, JAZZ, GOSPEL AND OF COURSE HIP HOP.
VALIDATED: WHAT MAKES A GREAT PRODUCER?
Q. MORROCCO: GOOD QUESTION. TO ME A GREAT PRODUCER DOES WHAT THEY FEEL VERSUS WHAT IS CURRENT OR IN AT THE MOMENT. STAYING TRUE TO WHAT THEY KNOW AND DO. ALSO YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO PRODUCE AS FAR AS EXECUTING THE PLAN OR VISION OF THE ARTIST. PRODUCING IS MORE THAN JUST MAKING BEATS.
VALIDATED: HOW DO YOU FEEL NEW YORK HAS INFLUENCED YOUR SOUND AND OUTLOOK ON HIP-HOP?
Q. MORROCCO: I WAS A RAPPER FIRST SO I LOVE THAT BOOM BAP, NAH MEAN. THE HARD DRUMS WHICH TO ME SHOULD BE THE FOUNDATION TO A TRACK AS WELL AS THOSE DIRTY BASSLINES. THAT EAST COAST SOUND WAS EVERYTHING TO ME GROWING UP.
VALIDATED: WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO TAKE PRODUCING FROM A HOBBY TO A CAREER?
Q. MORROCCO: WHEN I WAS IN ARTIST MODE I WAS PRETTY MUCH AROUND MOST OF THE PRODUCERS WHO CREATED TRACKS FOR ME BUT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY WHEN I GOT WITH MY THEN IN-HOUSE PRODUCER HOLLYHOOD FROM QUEENSBRIDGE. HE WAS ALWAYS MAKING JOINTS AND AFTER WE RECORDED SONGS THEN I WOULD MESS AROUND WITH EQUIPMENT AND LEARN IT FOR MYSELF.
VALIDATED: WHAT WAS THE FIRST PEICE OF PRODUCERS EQUIPMENT YOU OWNED?
Q. MORROCCO: ME AND MY HOMIE COLORADO USED TO HAVE A RECORDING STUDIO IN HIS GARAGE WHERE WE WOULD USE THE SOFTWARE PROGRAM REASON BUT MY FIRST PIECES WERE THE AKAI MPC 1000 AND A USED KORG TRITON.
VALIDATED: WHICH ONE PIECE OF PRODUCERS EQUIPMENT DO YOU USE MOST NOW?
Q. MORROCCO: TECHNOLOGY MADE EVERYTHING SO COMPACT AND MORE HANDS ON SO NOW I KEEP IT SIMPLE WITH AKAI MPC STUDIO AND 2 MIDI CONTROLLER KEYBOARDS.
VALIDATED: AS A PRODUCER WHO'S BASED IN LONG ISLAND, LET'S SPEAK ON THE SOUND OF ARTISTS FROM LI. ARE THERE ANY DIFFERENCES IN THE MUSIC, LYRICAL APPROACH, AND THE GRIND OF THE LONG ISLAND ARTISTS COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE TRI-STATE AND BEYOND?
Q. MORROCCO: LONG ISLAND IS THE GIFT AND THE CURSE TO ME SOMETIMES. THE GIFT IS THAT MOST OF YOUR FAVORITE MCS EITHER CAME FROM HERE OR WAS BORN HERE BEFORE MIGRATING TO OTHER AREAS. THE CURSE IS THEY (INDUSTRY) FEEL OR LOOK AT US LIKE WE'RE NOT APART OF THIS NY MUSIC SCENE OR HIP HOP CULTURE AS A WHOLE. LONG ISLAND IS ONE BIG MELTING POT OF ARTISTS AND I FEEL THERE'S A LANE FOR EVERYONE. PS, EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE MC, RAKIM CAME FROM LONG ISLAND TOO. LOL!!!!
VALIDATED: HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?
Q. MORROCCO: MY START GOES BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL FOR ME. I WAS IN A RAP GROUP CALLED, "THE BOUNTY HUNTERZ" IN THE EARLY/MID 90'S. WE PERFORMED EVERYWHERE FROM LONG ISLAND'S GREEKFEST EVENTS TO CLUB KRYSTALS, DEMERARA ETC. HAD A FEW DEALS ON THE TABLE BUT THE GROUP BROKE UP.
VALIDATED: WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO SACRIFICE TO EXCEL AT YOUR CRAFT?
Q. MORROCCO: SACRIFICES TO ME ARE MORE LIKE INVESTMENTS. GOTTA INVEST TIME AWAY FROM LOVED ONES. BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS FOR THIS, EVEN MONEY!
VALIDATED: WHAT GOALS DID YOU HAVE SET BEFORE YOU STARTED YOUR CAREER?
Q. MORROCCO: MY GOAL WAS LIKE ANY OTHER PERSON THAT WANTED OR WAS TRYING TO GET INTO THE MUSIC BUSINESS, A RECORD DEAL!
VALIDATED: WHO IS ONE OF YOUR MENTORS? HOW DID YOU FIRST MEET THEM AND HOW HAS WORKING WITH THEM INFLUENCED YOUR OWN PRODUCTION?
Q. MORROCCO: MY OLDER COUSIN AL WEST. THAT'S FAMILY, SO I WAS THERE WHEN HIS CAREER TOOK OFF AS A MUSIC PRODUCER. BEING AROUND HIM AND HIS PARTNERS IN THE STUDIO, I JUST SAT BACK WATCHED AND ABSORBED AS MUCH INFO AND KNOWLEDGE AS I COULD AT THE TIME.
VALIDATED: WHO WOULD YOU SAY INSPIRES YOU MOST?
Q. MORROCCO: MY CHILDREN AND MY NEPHEWS.
VALIDATED: WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 HIP-HOP PRODUCERS OF ALL TIME AND WHY?
Q. MORROCCO: MARLEY MARL, HE IS THE GODFATHER OF THE EAST COAST. DJ PREMIER, HIS WORK EMBODIES THE HIP HOP CULTURE, THE 5 ELEMENTS. ERICK SERMON, TO ME E IS LIKE THE JADAKISS OF PRODUCING. I HAVEN'T HEARD A WACK BEAT YET IN HIS WHOLE CAREER. PLUS HE'S FROM LONG ISLAND! HONORABLE MENTION, PETE ROCK. THE WAY HE WOULD CREATE FULL MASTERPIECES OF SOUND FOR CL TO RAP OVER WAS LEGENDARY!
VALIDATED: WHICH MAJOR ARTISTS HAVE YOU WORKED WITH?
Q. MORROCCO: NO "A" LIST ARTISTS AS OF YET PRODUCTION WISE BUT WHATEVER IS MEANT FOR ME WILL BE. PERSONALLY I LIKE WORKING WITH THE UNDERGROUND ARTISTS WHO HAVE THAT HUNGER AND REALITY TO THEIR MUSIC. AS A RAPPER I'VE DONE RECORDS WITH TY NITTY FROM INFAMOUS MOBB (RIP PRODIGY) AND G-WIZ FROM THE BRAVEHEARTS DURING THE DVD ERA, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
VALIDATED: KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW NOW, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THE YOUNGER YOU PERTAINING TO YOUR CRAFT?
Q. MORROCCO: STAY HUMBLE, HUSTLE HARD AND KEEP GRINDING. DON'T GET LAZY AND DON'T BE ARROGANT. ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND YOUR TALENT!
VALIDATED: WHAT IS DISTINCTIVE ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTION?
Q. MORROCCO: I JUST STAY TRUE TO MY ROOTS, THAT NY SOUND!
VALIDATED: WHAT UPCOMING PROJECTS CAN WE EXPECT FOR THE 2ND HALF OF 2018?
Q. MORROCCO: I CONNECTED WITH AN INCREDIBLE ARTIST FROM BROOKLYN NAMED BAKEMAN GLOBAL. WE GOT SOME THINGS IN THE WORKS SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT. GOT A FEW ARTISTS FROM LONG ISLAND PLUS I'M A STUDIO ENGINEER SO IT'S ALWAYS WORK GETTING DONE.
VALIDATED: WHERE CAN THE FANS SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR MUSIC ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA?
Q. MORROCCO: EITHER ON INSTAGRAM OR TWITTER SEARCH @QMORROCCO AND LET'S NETWORK!