THE KAPITAL

THE KAPITAL          BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

THE KAPITAL (FORMERLY KNOWN AS SIR KAY) IS A MUSIC PRODUCER BORN AND RAISED OUT OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CITY THAT MERGES AUTHENTICITY AND AGGRESSION TO HIS CRAFT. IN 2000 HE STARTED MAKING BEATS ON THE MPC. WITH NO HELP FROM YOUTUBE, HE LEARNED EVERYTHING FROM SCRATCH. THE KAPITAL BEGAN HIS NETWORKING WITH INDEPENDENT AND PROMINENT ARTISTS IN 2008, MAKING FRIENDS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY ALONG THE WAY PAST AND PRESENT. HIS NETWORKING ETHIC HAS PAID OFF AS HE HAS PRODUCTION CREDITS FROM TOP ARTISTS OLD AND NEW LIKE REDMAN, TREACH (NAUGHTY BY NATURE), MR. CHEEKS (LOST BOYZ), CHRIS RIVERS (BIG PUN’S SON), AZ, M.O.P., KAZZIE POP, SMOOTHE THE HUSTLER, MAINO AND MORE.

VALIDATED: GROWING UP, WHAT KIND OF MUSIC WAS PLAYED IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD?

THE KAPITAL: GROWING UP I LISTENED TO A LOT OF JAZZ MUSIC. MY FATHER IS A FAMOUS JAZZ MUSICIAN WHO PLAYED WITH A LOT OF BIG NAME ARTISTS, FROM JAMES BROWN, DIZZY, ARETHA FRANKLIN AND MORE. I PLAY A LITTLE DRUMS AND ALSO LISTEN TO R&B MUSIC. PLAYED A LOT OF VINYL AND 8-TRACK CASSETTES, LOL.

VALIDATED: WHAT MAKES A GREAT PRODUCER?

THE KAPITAL: BEING CREATIVE AND ORIGINAL, PERFECTING YOUR CRAFT, FINDING YOUR OWN LANE AND MAKING IT HOT, CREATING YOUR OWN SOUND AND DIRECTION.

VALIDATED: HOW DO YOU FEEL NEW YORK HAS INFLUENCED YOUR SOUND AND OUTLOOK ON HIP-HOP?

THE KAPITAL: I WOULD SAY THAT NEW YORK BACK THEN INFLUENCED ME ON MY START TO MAKING MUSIC, NOT JUST HIP HOP BUT EVERYTHING. I WANT TO BE VERSATILE WITH MY SOUND.

VALIDATED: WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO TAKE PRODUCING FROM A HOBBY TO A CAREER?

THE KAPITAL: IT STARTED IN 2000 WHEN I DECIDED TO TAKE MUSIC PRODUCTION A LITTLE MORE SERIOUSLY. I SAT DOWN AND LEARNED EVERYTHING FROM SCRATCH, NO CLASSES, NO READING INSTRUCTION BOOKLETS, IT WAS EVERYTHING HANDS ON.

VALIDATED: WHAT WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF PRODUCERS EQUIPMENT YOU OWNED?

THE KAPITAL: MY FIRST PIECE THAT I OWNED WAS THE MPC 2000XL, I BOUGHT IT IN 2001. I ALSO HAD THE ASR-X DRUM MACHINE TO START, ALONG WITH THE TRITON LE AND THE PROTEUS 1000 SOUND MODULE. RECORDING IN CAKEWALK SONAR.

VALIDATED: WHAT’S THE MAIN PIECE OF PRODUCERS EQUIPMENT YOU USE NOW?

THE KAPITAL: I USE LIKE 3 DIFFERENT DAW’S FROM ABLETON MOSTLY, REASON AND LOGIC. I WAS A LONGTIME MPC USER PRIOR TO MY GOING STRICTLY DIGITAL.

VALIDATED: AFTER DOING A BIT OF RESEARCH, I SEE THAT YOU'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH AN ARTIST NAMED BENY BERMUDA. HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN AND WHAT'S THE MAIN INGREDIENT FOR THE CHEMISTRY YOU HAVE?

THE KAPITAL: WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER FOR 12 YEARS STRONG. WE’VE BOTH DEVELOPED TOGETHER AS AN ARTIST AND PRODUCER. B.E.N.Y. HAS ALREADY BEEN A MONSTER WITH THE BARS TO BEGIN WITH BUT THERE WAS ALWAYS GROWTH WITH THE CHANGE OF MUSIC.

VALIDATED: WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO SACRIFICE TO EXCEL AT YOUR CRAFT?

THE KAPITAL: I HAD TO LISTEN TO WHAT IS HOT FOR TODAYS MUSIC AND ADAPT AND CHANGE SOME DIRECTION IN THE WAY MY SOUND WAS AND FUSE IT TO TODAYS SOUND.

VALIDATED: WHAT GOALS DID YOU HAVE SET BEFORE YOU STARTED YOUR CAREER?

THE KAPITAL: TO BE THE HOTTEST NEW AND DEMANDED PRODUCER IN THE GAME. TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND HAVE LONGEVITY. AND OF COURSE ALSO WIN A GRAMMY (OR NOMINATED) FOR MY WORK IN THE PROCESS.

VALIDATED: WHO IS ONE OF YOUR MENTORS? HOW DID YOU FIRST MEET THEM AND HOW HAS WORKING WITH THEM INFLUENCED YOUR OWN PRODUCTION?

THE KAPITAL: I REALLY DON’T HAVE ANY MENTORS OFF TOP. I SORT OF LEARNED EVERYTHING ON MY OWN PRIOR TO YOUTUBE. I DIDN’T HAVE ANY CONNECTIONS BACK IN THE DAY SO I STARTED FROM THE GROUND UP. OVER TIME LATER IN THE YEARS IS WHERE I RUBBED A LOT OF ELBOWS.

VALIDATED: WHO WOULD YOU SAY INSPIRES YOU MOST?

THE KAPITAL: I TRY TO INSPIRE MYSELF WHEN I GET TO IT.

VALIDATED: WHO ARE YOUR TOP 3 HIP-HOP PRODUCERS OF ALL TIME AND WHY?

THE KAPITAL: I WOULD SAY LARRY SMITH BECAUSE HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST SUPER PRODUCERS IN HIP HOP (RUNDMC, WHODINI, FAT BOYS). DJ PREMIER BECAUSE HE MADE CHOPPING SAMPLES AND HARD DRUMS AN ART, MARLEY WAS A LITTLE AHEAD OF HIS TIME BUT DEFINITELY HAD A DOPE SOUND.

VALIDATED: KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW NOW, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THE YOUNGER YOU PERTAINING TO YOUR CRAFT?

THE KAPITAL: JUST STAY WITH IT. PERFECT YOUR CRAFT. CHOOSE YOUR DAW OR PLATFORM THAT YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH. DON’T LET ANYONE DISCOURAGE YOU, JUST KEEP PUSHING AND NETWORK. THAT IS ALWAYS THE BEST WAY TO GET YOU OUT THERE. GO TO A SHOWCASE AND GET FAMILIAR WITH AN ARTIST THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH.

VALIDATED: WHAT IS DISTINCTIVE ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTION?

THE KAPITAL: MY PRODUCTION IS UNIQUE BECAUSE I GOT A GOOD EAR FOR SOUND AND ARRANGEMENT. I GOT A GOOD BOUNCE TO MY SOUND. I LIKE BIG SOUND. I LIKE GOOD RHYTHM I LIKE TO NOD MY HEAD WHEN I CREATE MY BEAT FROM START TO FINISH. EVEN IF ITS TRAP.

VALIDATED: WHAT UPCOMING PROJECTS CAN WE EXPECT FOR THE 2ND HALF OF 2018?

THE KAPITAL: I’M SUBMITTING TO A LOT OF ARTISTS RIGHT NOW (NEW AND OLD). STEADY NETWORKING AS ALWAYS SO, I’M REACHING OUT TO ALL OF THE NEW ARTISTS THAT I FEEL ARE WORTHY OF LISTENING TO MY SOUND AND SEE IF IT WOULD CORRELATE WITH THEIRS. STAYING FOCUSED ON THAT.

VALIDATED: WHERE CAN THE FANS SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR MUSIC ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA?

YOU CAN FIND ME ON INSTAGRAM @THEKAPITAL TWITTER @SIRKAPITAL AND FACEBOOK.