For my first ‘Producer Spotlight’ here, I wanted to introduce y’all to Massachusetts’ Teddy Roxpin. Half of production duo Cold Legistics, alongside fellow counterpart The Admiral, Teddy’s been grindin’ solo too. Featured in The Source & with production credits for artists suck as The Camp, Apathy, Praverb, Max Haben & a whole host of other respectable underground MC’s. With the release of his latest remix tape ‘Supermailman’, I decided to sit down with Teddy Rox & see wassup.
smokeYYY: So, Teddy Rox, first things first, thanks for taking time out your schedule, let’s begin…you’ve been producing for how long?
Teddy Roxpin: Well let’s see, I started the beginning of my freshman year, so it’ll be 4 years this September.
smokeYYY: 4 years isn’t very long & you already have a large list of well known collaborators on the underground hip-hop scene, tell us some of the artists you’ve worked with.
Teddy Roxpin: Apathy, XL from The Kreators, Praverb & a bunch of not so well known underground cats., but alot more well known rapper collabs are definitely coming up this year but I can’t really tell you who, gotta surprise the people.
smokeYYY: Ah yes, the element of surprise is always a good one. Any artists you’d like to work with that you haven’t now?
Teddy Roxpin: Wow, Nas, Mos Definitely, One Be Lo, Pumpkinhead, Styles Of Beyond, there’s a lot more, anyone who is real hip-hop & wants to collab.
smokeYYY: If y’all are reading this, & you represent real hip-hop, holla at Teddy, LOL. Is there anything that could lure you away from the production game at this point?
Teddy Roxpin: Not really, this is what I wanna do. I’m gonna do this, it’s my life, the only job I’m doin would be related to this.
smokeYYY: So from now on you fucks with Hip-Hop only… what other genres of music do you listen to & who are some of the artists you’re bumping now?
Teddy Roxpin: Well I listen to everything, ‘cause I sample everything. Soul, jazz, funk, rock, some 80’s shit, I love 80’s synth stuff. For artists I mostly bump hip-hop, so Gang Starr, Wu-Tang, Madlib, Nas’ older stuff, Jay-Z’s older stuff, that real ish.
smokeYYY: That Real Ish… that’s me, haha. Let’s go back to production, what do you use?
Teddy Roxpin: Well I use an MPC 2000, 2 tech 12’s, a mbox, 8 Rokit powered monitors, a midi keyboard. I’m not gonna say what program I use.
smokeYYY: A cook always hides his special ingredient…..best producer of all time?
Teddy Roxpin: Premo, hands down.
smokeYYY: Favourite hip-hop album & why?
Teddy Roxpin: Illmatic, I just love that album it’s one of those albums you can play start to finish & it was so real. Like they found Nas; this new rapper on the come up & got ALL the best producers together, Premo, Pete Rock, Large Prof & Q-Tip to make this album, & it came out amazing.
smokeYYY: Indeed, it’s one of my personal all time favs, what would a Teddy Roxpin X Nas joint sound like?
Teddy Roxpin: Well I dunno, I tried to get a beat CD to him earlier this year . I really wasn’t feeling Hip-Hop Is Dead, I’m not really feeling the new single but everything before that was dope. I would still definitely work with the dude. It’d definitely be a classic joint , I’d make SURE it came out classic.
smokeYYY: I believe you would. One last question; ‘How will Teddy Roxpin change hip-hop?’
Teddy Roxpin: Hmm, I don’t know if I’ll change hip-hop as much as I’ll revive it. I love the golden era of hip-hop, like ‘93-’96. That’s what I really try to make in my music,.that type of sound. I make almost everything though, I’m a versatile producer, so I’m really taking a little bit of all my favorites, bringin’ it back, and puttin my own Teddy Roxpin twist on it.
smokeYYY: I’m loving the Teddy Roxpin spin on music & I think so are many others. I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot of Teddy Roxpin in the future , so keep doing what you doing, it’s been a pleasure.
Teddy Roxpin: No doubt man, to all those dudes making hip-hop out there, keep it real, don’t turn to that mainstream bull & if you spittin’ that real hip-hop get at me, let’s make it happen.
smokeYYY: Yes people, make it happen, any last words?
Teddy Roxpin: Get The Camp album; The Campaign available on iTunes & in stores, my collaboration album with Max Haben The Mind Is Infite & Praverb’s Center Of Attention, both available on iTunes.
smokeYYY: Teddy, its been a pleasure homie. Thanks, peace & good luck!
Teddy Roxpin: No doubt, it’s been real homie.
Download Supermailman
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
good read
Teddy is a very talented person who has a bright future
YES! Teddy is the guy man! He produced some joints on my last album “Soul Inspired: Hip Hop’s Revival” and he will also have some joints on my new LP coming in 2009 titled “DREAMER’S POETRY”. He’s definitely one of the most talented people I’ve ever had contact with and I know he’s about to shut the game down!