One of the great things that I have come to appreciate with the Internet is the ability to hear great music that you would not normally have known about and meeting new people that share those musical interests in common with you. This last month was the perfect example of that for me.

A few weeks ago I was introduced to 100dBs & Ryan O’Neil’s 2007 album The Adventures of the The One Hand Bandit & The Slum Computer Wizard. To me, upon first listen, this album is an instant classic. I’ll save the review for another day, but just last week I had the opportunity of meeting 100dBs online. To be able to interview someone who’s work you highly admire and someone who shows potential to be the next big thing, is a real honor to me.

100dBs is a real down to earth guy and his talent should not go unnoticed. Check out the interview…

Kevin: What up man; it’s a real honor having you on the site. Ever since I heard the album you did with Ryan O’Neil, I haven’t stopped playing it. Before we get into the album though, let’s talk about you. Being a DJ out of New York, there’s got to be a ton of competition. When and how did you get started in this biz and what makes you different from the other cats?

100dBs: Thanks, we appreciate all the love and obviously we’re overjoyed that the album is getting spins. You’re right, there is a ton of competition in NYC. But the way I see it, it’s a global market anyway and with the interweb and all this crazy shit we have going on today, information travels fast. If somebody wants to find out if you’re legit or not, all they have to do is fire up Google. So the key is not releasing every little thing you kind of dig and taking more time with the music in the first place. I’m not worried about the competition. I’ve been making music in some form or another for over 10 years - hip hop is not my first love. People flip when I tell them that, but really it was punk. From that movement, I got into ska + reggae, and around the same time heard my first KMFDM record from a next door neighbor. Growing up, my mom was into a lot of different music and had mad bootleg cassettes from Romania and Hungary. Both of my parents were born in Romania. I think the influence my mom’s music had on me from a young age is incalculable. I learned how to produce by locking myself in my basement with a 4-track and dub records, trying to recreate what the Jamaican greats did. They respect their producers over there, and it shows. Jamaican music is a big influence on me, not just stylistically but also in terms of my approach. Let everything have its space and let mistakes happen.

Kevin: Of course I gotta ask the same question you’ve probably heard a hundred times… what’s your equipment setup like? As a DJ, do you use vinyl, CDs, mp3s, or a mixture? What about when producing? Most people use the computer to do most of their production these days… is it the same for you?

100dBs: I really don’t consider myself a gear head, even if I do have some cool toys. It’s kind of a boring conversation for me. But if you must know… when I spin I usually use Serato. If you close your eyes it’s the same feeling as vinyl. That’s what I like about it. The interfaces that emulate turntables and all that… they feel really fake when you close your eyes. The needle can’t skip (there is none), the response is not correct, and it just feels wrong. On the production side… I use both hardware and software, depending on the situation. When I’m on tour I often bring an SP-202 because it runs on batteries and you can just loop shit off your iPod easily. It’s like a sketchpad. Then when I get home I’ll execute the beat from scratch on the computer. Computers are great, but I think it’s important to learn the fundamentals first. All software gets pirated and computers are relatively cheap these days, so everyone can make music. This should be a good thing, but many people skip the basics. Taking the time to learn the craft has never been so important.

Kevin: So you’ve released several mixtapes before releasing your full length effort with Ryan O’Neil (The Adventures of the One Hand Bandit & the Slum Computer Wizard). How did the collaboration with Ryan come about? And please tell me the story behind the name of the album!

100dBs: Ryan and I met through a mutual friend who insisted that we work together. We consider him a sort of prophet because it worked out too nicely. The name of the album just kind of came about.. Ryan literally has one hand. People think it’s a joke til they see us live. And I always loved the Ghostface line about the 14k gold slum computer wizard. That image is beautiful to me. Like some displaced nerd who is running shit in the hood.

Kevin: Tell us a little bit about the process of making the album. How long did it take to put together and what were your contributions to the album? Did you stick to making beats or did you assist in other aspects such as writing hooks or coming up with song themes? What are your favorite tracks on the LP; which ones were the hardest to put together and which ones are the most proud of?

100dBs: It took us about a year - I did all of the beats, Ryan did the rhymes. We are both pretty serious about music and stubborn as hell, so we’d go back and forth on a lot of things. I contributed to a few of the hooks here and there, obviously some of the song structure is fundamentally changed by what I do with the beat. But Ryan also had some feedback in the composition. This wasn’t an internet or mail collab, we were in the studio at least once a week for a year. I really loved doing “Tribal Clap” because I always wanted to produce a track for a bunch of MCs just tearing shit up. That was my first collab with HiCoup as well, with whom I’m working on some tracks as we speak. 100 MCs was the hardest for Ryan and one of the easiest for me. If you don’t feel his lyrics on that one then you’ve got wax in your ears. I think the track I’m most proud of is “Get Down” - I know it’s the joint everyone is feeling, but maybe that’s why I love it. Everything just came together for that one. Hook, beat, lyrics, swagger (I hate that word). And shit was funny too. That’s a good track.

Kevin: Yeah, that’s definitely one of my favorite tracks too. You and Ryan definitely captured the essence of real hip hop and kind of brought us back to the early 90s, when hip hop had substance. I honestly think you and Ryan could be the next Pete Rock & CL Smooth or DJ Premier & Guru. Can we expect to hear more collaborations from the two of you in the future or was this a onetime thing?

100dBs: Whoa whoa… slow down. I’m honored that people are throwing those specific names out but we’ve only dropped one album and we haven’t even settled in yet. We’re still raw. I love 1993 but let’s push things forward. I have a bunch of projects in the works, including Brenner’s Breaks Volume 2 and some other secrets. After that there might be another album, but there are no strict plans.

Kevin: I hear you and you guys are definitely pushing the hip hop movement forward. Who did you listen to growing up? What producers or artists had an impact on you? And what about today… who do you listen to and respect in the game today?

100dBs: I kind of answered this above, but yeah, my favorite artists and producers change all the time. As for the classics, it’s got to be people like Lee Perry, George Martin, Prince Paul, Lee Hazelwood, Phil Spector, RZA, you know. All these people have had defining sounds, without being boring. It’s a tough balance to pull off. As for today.. definitely Dilla (RIP), Modeselektor, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, Edan, Plaid, I don’t know. The last great rap album I heard was Fishscale.

Kevin: I see from your web site that you did a Black Album remix. I haven’t heard it yet, but I’m curious if you thought about doing an American Gangster remix. I know there are a ton of them out there, but I’d be interested in hearing your version.

100dBs: Yeah, that was fun and my first official rap release, in 2005. I’m not really interested in doing album-wide remixes anymore. It’s a good way to get noticed for up and comers and I may feel inspired to do one again soon but not right now. One thing I am working on is an album of remixes for The Slackers, aka the dopest soul / reggae band out right now. It’s kind of on the down low but maybe one day will see release.

Kevin: When you DJ, do you spin mostly hip hop? What’s a typical set list we could expect to hear and if anyone wants to see one of your shows, what clubs do you typically play at?

100dBs: I tend to be heavy on hip hop and reggae when I spin, but that’s not a rule. I’ll throw down with some electro or disco given the chance. I sometimes do Wednesdays at the Continental on St. Marks, and that crowd loves 60s and 70s joints and glam. I’ll throw on some T Rex or Sly Stone and people freak. Me and my boy DJ Scallywag are doing Second Saturdays at Pianos. That’s a fun party. I also spin at China1 monthly. All my events are posted on the right side of 100dBs.com.

Kevin: With all the praises you’ve received over The Adventures of…, has it opened up any opportunities for you to produce for other artists? Do you plan to work with anyone this year? Who would you like to work with?

100dBs: Like I said, HiCoup and I are working on something right now. My girl Sirah is jumping on some beats. I’m launching a digital label this year, with some reallllly dope musicians working on releases right now. If anything, the praise has allowed me to work my connections a bit more and put myself in a league with people more serious about music. I’m thankful for that. I don’t have to scout out shows as much as I used to because I get asked to come out more often, and that’s a blessing.

Kevin: What can we expect to hear from you in 2008? Any more mixtapes? Another album maybe?

100dBs: In addition to everything I’ve mentioned, I may be doing a straight beat tape. People keep asking and I’m a bit surprised at the amount of requests so it’s something I might have to do real quick.

Kevin: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk. Is there anything else that you’d like to add that we didn’t touch on?

100dBs: Pianos in NYC! Second Saturdays of every month: Party Sauce. Shout to Theory Events + fam. Go to 100dBs.com and put your email on the list if you like free mixes and dope music…

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That’s what’s up! I’m gonna have to get up to NYC so I can catch one of the shows. If you all wanna check out more of 100dBs, his web site has everything from mixtapes to download and upcoming shows to catch. So check him out and hit him up on his MySpace!

• 100dBs Official Web Site
• 100dBs MySpace Page