Since the announcement of my new label (HiPNOTT Records), I want to introduce you all to my most recently signed artist, Speek Greene. Speeke and I go way back… 25 years to be exact. And though we had lost touch over the years, it’s funny how hip hop recently brought us back together. After a the following words and a quick Q&A, make sure you check out a few of the tracks Speeke just recently finished for his album, The Long Look, which is executively produced by Kev Brown and will be released this October on HiPNOTT Records.
Speek Greene is an individual with an eclectic ear for music. The Connecticut native started his journey in music after being introduced to Breaking Atoms by Queens New York’s own Main Source.This album is where he discovered the art of sampling and production all around. However it was never a launch pad for his personal career as a producer which came years later. At the time it was a beautiful feeling to be merely a fan.
After college Speek got a job as an intern at Def Jam Records where he met The Lighty Bros, Irv Gotti etc. For some reason he never used those connects to spring board his career.It was under the mentoring of a local legend named DJ Billy Busch where Speek truly found where he wanted to place himself in the world of music — the art of deejaying. Learning all about breaks, rare grooves, originals, big beats, 70s/80s soul etc, Busch taught Greene all about reading the crowd, transitions, timing and formatting.
Starting as a DJ in the New York metropolitan area, Speek figured he could get more gigs if he launched his career as a producer. His first big break was a production he did for an artist out of Baltimore named Wordsmith and he teamed him up with hip hop legend Chubb Rock. Collectively they released a single entitled “Block Party Bonaza” which did quite well in the overseas market. As a result of the collab Words and Chubb decided to work on a full length project called Bridging The Gap.
Speek’s most recent endeavor was for conscience underground emcee NYOIL (formerly Kool Kim of The Umcees). He executive produced NYOIL’s underground classic Hood Treason which features Speek’s “Shout It In The Streets”.
Where You Reppin:
I’m born and raised in South Norwalk, Connecticut and as you personally know I spent some childhood years in Norfolk, Va.
Introduce Yourself:
Speek Greene and I hate on bullshit…. heavy
Current projects we should be looking out for:
As of right now, The Long Look LP
Previous work that we should know about:
NYOIL’s Hood Treason
Main musical inspirations:
Large Professor, Stevie Wonder, Pete Rock, Kenny Greene, Dave Hall, and currently Sean C and LV, Fokis
If you had to pick one song that defines your career to date, what song would that be?
Ten Wheel Drive – Ain’t Gonna Happen
Why should the readers and fans give you a shot and listen to your music from here on out?
Because, like me, they are not unintelligent people. So they understand a record needs a concept, structure, meaning, anti repetition and a whole lotta soul.
What’s next for you?
Family, in the meantime, until I get inspired with the next project. I like for a project to stick to your ribs awhile before I run into another music venture.
Desert Island Hip Hop: If you could only take one record on a deserted island with you, what album would that be?
Club MTV Party Jams (Now thats a cd with a choc full of goodness lol)
Any shout outs or last words?
Shout to Kevin Nottingham. In school he was the original white kid that hung with the brothas (co-sign). Mozaic, Kev Brown, Semantik, Mista Mista, Theo, Trav, Billy, everybody at Fatbeats. (Clifford Bush where are you??)
The following tracks are tentatively scheduled for release on The Long Look and are produced by the collective known as The Entry Level Geniuses (Speek Greene, DJ Mozaic, and Bryson “Young B” Caldwell)…
“All An Illusion” feat Kenny Wesley and Kev Owens
“Lookin At Myself” feat AP
“The Way” feat Sulai
“Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda” feat Random
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Kev Brown! Illest producer in the game.
congrats my dude!
WoW…. dopeness…
Wow, great find Kev, yall stay putting people onto rising talent! All of the joints sound tight, can’t wait to hear Kev Brown all over the beats.
Speak Greene fuks wit my dude Trav, so I fuks wit Speak.
love this look kev!!! for the record Kev Brown is the executive producer of this lp he only did a few joints on it. Speek,Dn3,Mozaic,Young B etc did the rest of the production. Shouts to the UK all day
I keep telling yall my dude Kev is OFFICIAL Speak Greene….get Trav one of them tracks?
Trav is on a track for the album. Thomas, go back and pull out the Trickle Down (Bootlegs & B-sides). Speek produced track 10, “After”.
Ah….ok
wow! finally my cousin has got that he deserves. Even though hes my fam he’s my top five producers lol! Congrats hope people start to realize real quality music again. Word up Jones Boys all day!!!! Jersey in this bitch!!!
CONGRATS!!!! I always knew you had it in you!!!! the tracks are hot!!! Good luck and I hope all works out for you.. It’s Only The Beginning!!!!
Yo, Kev, I respect you and what you are doing for hip-hop and music as a whole, but I think, if you have all the correct information for the tracks posted, you have done a horrible job for fully accrediting the producers. Like I said, I love your site and its entirety, but it is very hard to know if Speek is taking credit for the beats or not because I know “The Way” was produced by a friend of mine (DJ Mozaic). Maybe Im reading it wrong, but Mozaic’s name is mentioned once in a shout out. Can you shed some light on that?
ummm, I apologize if anything has been credited incorrectly. I presented it how it was presented to me. You have my word that I’m on top of this now and I will correct whatever mistakes there are on this post. Lemme get back to you.
Yeah, don’t think Kev can take the hit for that WMorrisey,
that’s between the people who didn’t present it to us in the way.
Ok, I just want to clear things up on that last comment by WMorrisey, as I just got off the phone with Speek. And it was my fault for the misunderstanding and not crediting the tracks properly. Speek Greene, Moziac, and Bryson”Young B” Caldwell are working together collectively on this project as “The Entry Level Geniuses”. So you could say they all have a co-production credit. There may be some songs that were solely produced by one member of the group. I believe Speek mentioned that yes, Moziac did do the beat for “The Way”, but that is Speek on the hook. The whole concept of the upcoming album was conceptualized by Speek Greene. I hope that clears some things up. And I apologize for not getting the information straight beforehand.
Kev with the clarification!
yo this Mozaic in the flesh and nobody mentioned that I produced “An Illusion”, “The Way” and ” Lookin ay Myself” I can appreciate the shout out and I love what your doing with hiphop Kevin but credit should be do were it desrves homie.
Mozaic, let’s speak offline.
Some feedback from the artist. What can we to make the “Get to Know” questions/interview a little better? Should we add more questions, give better directions, etc.
We need feedback….always trying to improve.
Much love to my man Speek Greene!!! This is definitely a good look for the homie and I’m happy for him. 1
Wow ok tight beats man, its ill!!
My dude Sulai killed shit on “The Way”.. Big ups to Speek Greene and K.Brown . Keep up the good work..Peace