MENtaL Beat Pack
Our first up and coming producer that we are spotlighting on the app is one of my favourite producers and people.
MENTaL da God!
MENTaL da God, hailing from Philadelphia now residing in the DC area, is an upcoming emcee and producer. He has worked with a variety of talent (Oddisee, Stacy Epps, BLU, John Robinson, Wordsworth). His style of producing has always been very inspiring and creative. And we are extremely happy to featuring him on the BEATSYOUUP app. Enjoy!
BYU
What got you started in music?
MENtal
My mother got me started in music. She had a ton of records and would play them all week long when i was growing up... She listened to everything from Stevie Wonder to the Beattles. I grew up on real music.
BYU
Who inspires you?
MENTaL
My son Arrie inspires me. I am trying to show him that you can live out your dreams while taking care of your responsibilities.
BYU
What is your must have gear or plug-in. And why?
MENTaL
For nostalgia, the must have gear for me is my AKAI MPC200XL. Mine is fully maxed with Ram, effects boards and 8 outs. I will never get rid of it. For workflow purposes the must have gear is my Maschine. I take it everywhere. Its a powerhouse and I can flush many ideas out quickly.
BYU
Whats the thought process behind this beat pack?
MENTaL
My thought process behind the beat pack was simple, grab noise and make it sound good. I cant read music but I can organically create original works. I play by ear and can put sounds together. I try not to think to hard about the process. I just wanted to present something dope that people may enjoy.
BYU
Any shout outs?
MENTaL
Shout out to everyone that is not waiting around for handouts but are always ready when opportunity knocks. Shout out to everyone that has ever been doubted or told they could not do something. Shout out to my fam GodBody, CommonWealth, Scratch Mag TV and the Dirty Ol Men.