KrucialKeys Blog

Here’s Krucial’s Interview is this weeks Jet:

http://www.411mania.com/music/columns/75414/411-Music-Interview:-Kerry-%5C%5CKrucial%5C%5C-Brothers-.htm

411’s Tony Farinella sits down with Alicia Keys’ producer for an exclusive interview!

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a producer in the music industry? If so, you definitely need to read my interview with Kerry Brothers, because he takes you inside the record studio with this interview. How do you make it all work? How do you come up with material? How do you work with an artist? You’ll learn all of that and more in this interview. And Kerry knows what he’s talking about, because he’s worked with Alicia Keys, Mario, Rakim, Angie Stone, Nas, and Keyshia Cole. I hope you enjoy my interview with Kerry Brothers.

TONY: Since you were a little kid, you have always been interested in music, so I have to ask you, do you remember the first album that you ever listened to?

Kerry Brothers: Oh, that’s kind of hard; I don’t even remember the first album that I listened to. I won’t say it was the first album I listened to, but one of the early albums, I remember listening to a Funkadelic album, and what really attracted me was how the cover was really artistic and painted and had all these little cartoons and different things going on. And it attracted my attention, and I took the record out and put it on the turntable, without my father’s permission, and really listened to it and really got into it. And it was something that I would always hear in the background, but I never knew what record it was. So, from that point on, it made me want to listen to more albums that had fancy or intriguing covers.

TONY: When you have those type of albums in your house and when you have that support from your parents, does it make it easier to pursue your dreams and not have any doubts about yourself?

Kerry Brothers: It makes it much easier. My story was really different, because I wouldn’t say my parents were real supportive, but they weren’t discouraging me, either. It was more like, “Oh, this is something that you like to listen to as a hobby, but you’ll get over it.” It wasn’t like they were really pushing me into music, but they weren’t discouraging, either. It was more like a thing that happened more on my own, just having this inside desire to go towards it and just having the music around you, it made it easier to be inspired. But it makes a big difference when your parents are supportive and encourage you a little more. It gives you that edge, because you want to feel like you’re not the only person that feels good about what you’re trying.

TONY: When did you realize that you could do this for a living?

Kerry Brothers: I don’t know, I don’t even think I still got that down pat. (laughs) I just keep it going and look for the next thing to do and stay focused on being creative, and it’s just been working out. God’s blessed me with income coming in from something I love. Probably around 2000, 2001 is when I finally said, “OK, well, I don’t really need to work this job anymore.” But you still feel like, “Uh oh, I don’t have a weekly check coming.” So it’s an on-going thing, but I’d say after Alica’s first album came out, I probably felt more comfortable like, “OK, now I can do this for a living.” But it’s still an on-going thing.

TONY: When you’re going to produce someone’s album or collaborate with someone, what do you look for? What needs to stand out?

Kerry Brothers: First the thing that gets me is their voice … the texture of their voice, how they sing, the style they sing. If they’re a songwriter as well, I look at how they’re writing, what they’re writing about. But, first and foremost, it’s definitely the voice, because being a producer, you look at everything as an instrument, including the voice. It’s like, “OK, I like the sound of that voice. That would sound good with the sound of these keys or the sound of that guitar.” I’d say the voice, first and foremost, and the texture. And then the style and what they’re singing about and what they represent.

TONY: How do you combine your vision with the vision of the artist? How do you find that happy medium?

Kerry Brothers: When I work with an artist, I always try to keep it close to their integrity and what they’re known for or what’s really in their zone. I never try to make ‘em sound a certain way to fit what I think they should be doing. If I work with a person, I kind of wanna get the feel of what they’ve done and what they’re doing, and, at times, they want to do something totally different and they don’t want to do what everybody knows them from doing. So it really depends, but I always let the artist take the lead and kind of add to what they have. So it gives a good balance that way, especially when they respect what you do.

TONY: As a producer, when you’re working with someone in the studio, do you know if a song is going to be a hit? Do you just feel it?

Kerry Brothers: You definitely get a feeling. For example: In the studio, working on “No One” with Alicia, and also, a partner of mine, Dirty Harry, and we’re putting the beat down first and we’re humming the basic melodies, and, without even having the basic full lyrics, you’re like, “Wow, this sounds great.” So sometimes you get that feeling right away, sometimes it’s something that grows on you, but you still don’t know what it’s gonna do. And I don’t really like to hang onto that like, “Oh, is this a hit? Is this gonna be a hit?” You just do what you can do, but sometimes you get a feeling, and from that point on, you really don’t have any control.

TONY: For you, personally, what has it been like watching Alicia Keys grow as an artist and as an person?

Kerry Brothers: It’s great to see someone who had a dream and ideas and someone you always kind of been supportive of from the beginning, and you didn’t really know exactly where it was gonna go, but you had a belief. And, now, looking back and seeing all that you believed to come true and to watch her dreams come true and watch how far she’s come and how far she’s gonna go, I feel proud.

TONY: What kind of pressure do you put on yourself to succeed as a producer? What kind of expectations do you have for yourself?

Kerry Brothers: I try not to do that. I really try to keep a fun atmosphere as well. You’re serious about being on time and doing what you have to do, but you’re not so serious on when you’re creating, because sometimes the silliest ideas can be the hottest idea. Or sometimes when you’re just playing around on the keys or playing around in the studio and making up a fun song, that might be the thing that turns into something. I remember being a kid and taking chorus lessons and choir lessons, and the teacher would always crack jokes, because he said, “Laughter always relaxes you. It helps you sing better and it helps you create better.” So I always try to keep a fun atmosphere, even when I’m creating, because having that pressure really stagnates your creativity.

TONY: As a producer, who would you like to work with in the future?

Kerry Brothers: Oh, man, there’s a whole lot. From legends like Stevie Wonder all the way up to new people that are coming out. I really listen to the voice, if I like their voice or I like their style. There’s a lot of artists out there that I feel like could be having much more attention, and that’s what I’m really in the process of doing right now: Expanding the sound more and working with more people that I would like to work with.

TONY: When you’re going to sit down and write a song, how do you get in the zone? You mentioned earlier that you like to have fun in the studio, but how do find your creativity and get in the zone?

Kerry Brothers: Various ways. Sometimes you’ll get in, you’ll have a conversation, and the conversation could spark a song idea. Sometimes you just get in the studio, play a lot of classic records that you loved growing up, or that the artist loved growing up. Or just sharing, like, “Hey, do you know this record? Do you know that record?” Just getting into a social atmosphere where it can spark conversation, and listening to things and shutting things off. And then listening to the first melody that comes to your head or it might be a beat that comes first. So, there are various ways to get into the zone to create. And it also depends on who you’re doing it with, what you’re doing it for. Sometimes I might have a track already, and I’ll let the artist hear it and see if they like it. So there’s always various ways.

TONY: It seems like certain artists that you have worked with, especially Alicia Keys, have such an incredible connection with their fanbase. How important is it to have that connection with your audience?

Kerry Brothers: I think that’s really important. You want to connect with the audience, and it’s one thing to have a great song and a great beat, but you don’t believe the artist. And it takes away from the record. It has to be believable for people to relate to, because when they hear these songs, people relate this to their life and it’s real for them. So it kind of hurts when they know, “Oh, this person is singing this, and it’s about my life, but they never lived anything like that.” You kind of lose your audience that way, so it’s real important. As an artist, we always exaggerate or embellish on the truth, but there should be some truth coming from it when you’re singing or when you’re creating it.

TONY:: What’s one aspect of your job that maybe the public doesn’t see, but it makes everything run smoothly?

Kerry Brothers: Sometimes you might do a little arranging. You might not necessarily be the producer or the creator of the track, but you definitely had influence on what order certain parts go in on a song. A lot of times that might go uncredited. Or just being there and influencing the song, but you’re not officially the writer of the lyrics. There’s various ways that you’re involved, and when you get creative people in the room, everybody affects each other, but everything is not figured out through the details, like, “Oh, I wrote this one word.” So there’s various jobs that kind of make it all work as a whole.

TONY: What do you think is your reputation in this business?

Kerry Brothers: Just being a real person, down-to-earth, humble, and really about the music itself and being creative and not on no shady stuff. I’m not on no egoistical stuff, and I’m really just about the music. If I respect your work and you respect my work, we’re gonna have a good time. And that’s what it’s about. There’s no big fiasco when it comes to work.

TONY: Even though it’s not about the awards, what was it like winning a Grammy?

Kerry Brothers: It definitely meant a lot. It wasn’t something that I stressed all my life, like, “I gotta win a Grammy or I’m nothing.” It’s more like winning an award that’s judged by people who do what you do, and it’s definitely a great feeling because you’re respected by your peers, and we want to be respected by our peers, whether we like to show it or not. So it’s definitely an honor to see the long lines of people who won Grammys and the great pieces of art they put together and that people part of the organization respect that and even consider your work to be put up in that same category …it’s definitely an honor.

TONY: Finally, what are your plans for the future?

Kerry Brothers: Right now, my plan is to definitely continue producing and songwriting for other artists. I currently just finishing working with Anthony Hamilton, I’m in the studio with Robert Randolph, and also working on music for Brandy, Beyonce, and the list goes on. But, really, the plan of the future is to really spread this out.

http://blogs.sohh.com/24-hour-grind/2008/04/alicia_keys_producer_kerry_kru.html

Alicia Keys’ Producer Kerry “Krucial” Brothers “Keep Your Creativity By Continuing To Have Fun”
Posted on April 25, 2008 12:54 PM

Founder and Co-CEO of KrucialKeys Enterprises alongside Alicia Keys, Kerry “Krucial” Brothers is a Grammy award-winning, multiplatinum-selling producer and writer who has played an integral role on Keys’ albums Songs In A Minor, The Diary of Alicia Keys and As I Am. He has also produced, written, arranged and composed songs that appeared on the soundtracks of Dr. Doolittle, Drumline, Shaft and Ali . In addition to Alicia Keys, Brothers has also worked with Rakim, Mario, Angie Stone, Nas and Keyshia Cole, and is currently working with Anthony Hamilton, Goapele, Robert Randolph and Brandy. This week Krucial checked in to give 24Hr Grind his advice on succeeding as a music producer and songwriter.

Feel the Music and Have Fun
Don’t get so caught up in it that it gets too serious and becomes robotic and stiff. If you’re into music you got into it because it was fun — it seemed like something to do that made you excited, and made you feel good. Sometimes when you try to pursue it as a career the fun gets lost as you get caught up in, ‘Oh I’m not making any money from it… I’m not achieving this…’ or ‘Oh I gotta do this this way in order to be a success,’ and once that starts happening it will stagnate your creativity, so always learn to keep it fun for yourself and feel what you’re doing.

Greatest Moments in Krucial History:
Working with Rakim in the studio for the second album. There was a song called “Streets of New York” where we had Nas and Rakim on the same record. Rakim is like a legend to me. He’s like the father of this modern day rap style, so to have him finally come to the studio and to just have a long conversation with him and really bond with him was great. There was no ego. We were just really having a conversation about New York in general and conversing with him was like, ‘Wow he has so much knowledge on how it used to be and still fill you on what’s happening now.’ After having a conversation with him, he gets in the booth and has this whole rhyme ready. This guy wasn’t just talking he was gathering info. Half the conversation is now his verse. It was incredible. His delivery and everything, watching this guy put down his lyrics, he was very creative, very talented, it was an honor to work with him.

 http://blogs.sohh.com/24-hour-grind/2008/04/founder_and_coceo_of_krucialke.html

Producer Kerry “Krucial” Brothers Encourages Budding Beatmakers To Listen To All Styles of Music Posted on April 24, 2008 10:00 AM Founder and Co-CEO of KrucialKeys Enterprises alongside Alicia Keys, Kerry “Krucial” Brothers is a Grammy award-winning, multiplatinum-selling producer and writer who has played an integral role on Keys’ albums Songs In A Minor, The Diary of Alicia Keys and As I Am. He has also produced, written, arranged and composed songs that appeared on the soundtracks of Dr. Doolittle, Drumline, Shaft and Ali . In addition to Alicia Keys, Brothers has also worked with Rakim, Mario, Angie Stone, Nas and Keyshia Cole, and is currently working with Anthony Hamilton, Goapele, Robert Randolph and Brandy. This week Krucial checked in to give 24Hr Grind his advice on succeeding as a music producer and songwriter.

Listen to All Styles of Music Don’t get caught up in ‘this is what I do, this is all I do, this is the only way it is supposed to be done..’ This ties into studying your craft. Really learn all types of music, that will help inspire you as a music producer. Listen to classical, music coming from the east, music coming from South America, any kind of thing that’s something different than what you’re used to. As a creative person it will always help make you more creative in what you do by being influenced by stuff you never heard. Listening to something fresh will definitely inspire you, so don’t get caught up in oh this is not my music, just find something that you might appeal to in other styles of music I can say I was a person who got into the Beatles later in life, I never listened to it. Listening to Run DMC growing up they were dissing them, so I was dissing them too. Then I heard — I think the record was “Happiness is a Warm Gun,” I was like wow this is really incredible, what is this? Don’t just judge it because it’s this or that. There is so much out there that can really make you a better producer.

Greatest Moments in Krucial History: Winning the first Grammy for “Songs in A Minor”, having R&B Album of the year. Me being an engineer and producer for that album and getting that Grammy for something that was at first looked at as like ‘this is not going to be nothing, whatever’ after being on an earlier label that didn’t really believe in the project, to reap all these benefits and get the highest honor in music was like ‘Wow, I guess I did study as well as I wanted to study to make it come off this well.’ That was also a good moment.

 http://blogs.sohh.com/24-hour-grind/2008/04/kerry_krucial_brothers_breaks.html

Kerry “Krucial” Brothers Breaks The Music Mold Posted on April 23, 2008 11:41 AM Founder and Co-CEO of KrucialKeys Enterprises alongside Alicia Keys, Kerry “Krucial” Brothers is a Grammy award-winning, multiplatinum-selling producer and writer who has played an integral role on Keys’ albums Songs In A Minor, The Diary of Alicia Keys and As I Am. He has also produced, written, arranged and composed songs that appeared on the soundtracks of Dr. Doolittle, Drumline, Shaft and Ali . In addition to Alicia Keys, Brothers has also worked with Rakim, Mario, Angie Stone, Nas and Keyshia Cole, and is currently working with Anthony Hamilton, Goapele, Robert Randolph and Brandy. This week Krucial checked in to give 24Hr Grind his advice on succeeding as a music producer and songwriter.

Break the Mold, Do Something Different Do something different. A lot of times when we’re trying to do things, we might like other people’s production or songwriting, and you’re definitely going to be influenced in how you create things. Certain things other people are doing will make you excited and inspire you, but by no means should you try to emulate exactly what you’re hearing. Take what you like and embellish, switch it up, break away from what other people are doing. A lot of times I’ll meet people who bring me tracks or songs and they will sound exactly like everyone else. If there is no originality or individuality you don’t stand out. If you want to cut to the chase and really want to make a difference and get further, you gotta break the mold so you don’t seem run of the mill. It seems like a catch 22, because it appears that work gets attention when things are is done in a certain style but I think it hurts more than it helps. Break the mold, don’t be afraid to be different, don’t be afraid to try something new, don’t be afraid to try different styles.

Greatest Moments in Krucial History: When the first album came out, I was in the studio working on some other stuff and people called me like “Songs in A Minor debuted at number one!” When you are working on music, you are confident in what you and people around you like, but to see strangers and the masses gravitate as quick as they did was a real shock. Like, wow it’s really #1.

 http://blogs.sohh.com/24-hour-grind/2008/04/alicia_keys_production_partner.html

Alicia Keys’ Production Partner Kerry “Krucial” Brothers Keeps His Goals In Sight
Posted on April 22, 2008 11:28 AM

Founder and Co-CEO of KrucialKeys Enterprises alongside Alicia Keys, Kerry “Krucial” Brothers is a Grammy award-winning, multiplatinum-selling producer and writer who has played an integral role on Keys’ albums Songs In A Minor, The Diary of Alicia Keys and As I Am. He has also produced, written, arranged and composed songs that appeared on the soundtracks of Dr. Doolittle, Drumline, Shaft and Ali . In addition to Alicia Keys, Brothers has also worked with Rakim, Mario, Angie Stone, Nas and Keyshia Cole, and is currently working with Anthony Hamilton, Goapele, Robert Randolph and Brandy. This week Krucial checked in to give 24Hr Grind his advice on succeeding as a music producer and songwriter.

Stick to Your Goal
A lot of times you can be doing so many things you start going in circles. If you have a set goal of what you’re trying to do, you need to stick to it. As a struggling producer, we all get those moments that are like ‘ah this is not working for us, this is not making any money,’ but a lot of times, that day you quit might be right before the day something might have happened for you. Stay focused on what you’re trying to achieve and don’t jump around too much without going back to your original goal.

Greatest Moments in Krucial History:

There is nothing like hearing a song you’ve worked on playing on the radio. The first time I heard “Fallin’” on the radio – it was an incredible moment and it wasn’t even me singing on the record! Seeing the video and hearing people’s reactions, like ‘Wow people really like it.’ It was just great knowing ‘I was there, I recorded those vocals.’

http://www.sixshot.com/interviews/10795/

‘Krucial’ Brothers - Supreme Clientele
Posted: 4/11/2008 9:58:38 AM by Jon Michael
Kerry “Krucial” Brothers is seldom seen, often heard, and his impact is always felt. He has the career every music producer dreams about. Growing up in a musical household in Queens, New York planted the seed of a music career in the young Krucial’s mind.

While first attracted to hip-hop as a rapper and producer he was later taken in a different direction. It was at this time when he hooked up with international superstar Alicia Keys. Not only did Krucial have a large hand in the production of all three of the songstresses albums but the writing as well. To his credit, Krucial has sold about 30 million records worldwide and has collected two Grammy awards in the process. With Alicia Keys’ third album, As I Am, as his latest success, Krucial has also decided to form KrucialKeys Entertainment where he serves as co-ceo.

Sixshot.com recently caught up with Krucial to discuss working on Alicia Keys’ albums, winning two Grammys, and being the only producer to have Nas and Rakim on the same track.

First things first, tell us how you got into production.

Actually I started out as an aspiring rapper. I was always going to people for beats and production and I always made sure I paid attention to what they were doing. When I couldn’t get w hat I needed from them anymore, I took what little money I had and bought some equipment so I could start making my own beats. That’s what led me into beat making and production. When people were making beats for me, I was always telling them what I wanted and how I wanted it to sound but as a person who wasn’t real educated in the business side of thing I didn’t know that that in itself was production so in a sense I’ve really always been doing it.

Starting as a rapper, how did you get into that real soulful R&B production?

I mean being a producer I was always sampling old soul record, funk records, jazz records, and even like classic rock records. Coming from a musical household, I was always hearing this type of music so I really had no choice but to absorb it. It just kind of happened from there. At the time I was only doing hip-hop and not doing R&B at all. I just fell into it because Alicia had come to me and asked me to work on her first album. Considering what I was doing, I didn’t think I could work on an R&B record but I sat back and I realized that I was sampling that old R&B music anyway.

You’ve also written a lot of stuff for Alicia Keys. Was it difficult going from writing rhymes to writing R&B joints?

For me it was easier. When you’re writing rhymes you’re using much more lyrics. When you’re writing for a song where somebody is singing, it’s less about lyrics and more about melody. I actually had more melody in me than I realized and I’m coming from hip-hop where I’m writing so many lyrics for just one song, I would say it was definitely easier. It was more like a freedom for me too because I felt like I didn’t do this any way so there was no pressure if it didn’t come out right. When I write rhymes I’m harder on myself because I feel like people are really looking for me to say something crazy. It was a psychological thing because I felt like I was just giving it a shot.

How did it feel winning that Grammy?

It felt great man. To be nominated and win by your peers, people who love music, and really do music, it’s a great feeling. The first time I got one for Songs In A Minor, which was great too. That’s the biggest award you can get in music and it’s not given to the most popular person. They really listen to the music and the quality. When you look at the album of the year it’s probably an album you never even heard of. It’s really an honor to be recognized for anything you do.

With all your accomplishments in R&B, what would you say is one of your most memorable moments hip-hop wise?

My most memorable hip-hop moment was actually on an R&B joint and that ‘Streets of New York’ with Nas and Rakim. That was the first time they were ever on a record together and just seeing them work together was amazing. To have them both together was crazy; I have the utmost respect for both of those artists.

Yeah Nas and Rakim together is insane, what was that like?

It’s crazy because working with them in the studio is like working with your family or your people. It’s like you know them already. It was just comfortable man. You had two legends but they would listen to a suggestion if I had one. They’re both just real cool. I’ve been blessed so far because in this business I’ve only worked with people that are real easy to be around in the studio.

You got your own company now. What are the goals? What do you wanna get done?

I just wanna keep bringing quality music. I say that in a broad sense too where I don’t just mean hip-hop or R&B, I just wanna continue to bring quality music overall. I started in hip-hop and the fact that I went into R&B also makes me feel like I really broadened my horizons and I have a wide range of musical abilities. I feel like my company and the independent label that I’m working on now is really going to bring out some quality music. To me, I feel like that’s the future.

As a Grammy winning producer, what do you look for in a hip-hop artist?

I look for a good flow. I look for lyrics and delivery. There’s nothing new under the sun man. You can’t reinvent the wheel. If a rapper can take something that we’ve already heard and flip it in his own way where we find it to be creative then to me that’s impressive. I want an artist to be poetic but not so poetic to the point where you’re not gonna understand what’s going on. I look for simple poetry, that’s how I put it. That’s what I look for in a hip-hop artist. I also look for people that really got that star quality. We got a lot of rappers out there now but that doesn’t mean that they’re all stars.

What projects do you have coming up that we could look out for?

Right now I’m in the studio with a brother by the name of Robert Randolph. I don’t know if the hip-hop crowd is gonna be familiar with him but he’s a dude from the brick city, Newark, New Jersey. He plays the steel guitar and a lot of people think he’s from down South or somewhere in the country but he’s not. It’s just amazing to see this dude get on this instrument and see the things that he does. He just does things that are genius. Our publishers got the idea to get us together and we’re coming up with some real creative stuff right now. A lot of people are real surprised and I’m always telling him how I’m gonna get him on urban radio. (Laughs) I also got a few songs that I did with Anthony Hamilton. I got a lot of things pending but I like to talk more about things after I actually get in the studio with people. Rest assured there’s gonna be a lot more production coming out from me this year and next year.

Anything you wanna say to the fans at Sixshot.com?

Yeah man, you guys should keep up with me and what I’m doing. You can check out www.krucialkeys.com and my myspace page at www.myspace.com/krucial. You could ask me questions there and I’ll be more than happy to answer. We got video up there so you could get the behind the scenes footage and everything. I just wanna let people more into the world, you know?

This week Krucial is featured on SOHH.com giving 5 tips and 5 favorite moments in his Business, 1 of each A day, Feel free to log on to the site and leave comments there as well

http://blogs.sohh.com/24-hour-grind/2008/04/songwriter_and_producer_kerry.html

Songwriter and Producer Kerry “Krucial” Brothers Stresses the Importance of Studying Your Craft

Posted on April 21, 2008 10:00 AM

Founder and Co-CEO of KrucialKeys Enterprises alongside Alicia Keys, Kerry “Krucial” Brothers is a Grammy award-winning, multiplatinum-selling producer and writer who has played an integral role on Keys’ albums Songs In A Minor, The Diary of Alicia Keys and As I Am. He has also produced, written, arranged and composed songs that appeared on the soundtracks of Dr. Doolittle, Drumline, Shaft and Ali . In addition to Alicia Keys, Brothers has also worked with Rakim, Mario, Angie Stone, Nas and Keyshia Cole, and is currently working with Anthony Hamilton, Goapele, Robert Randolph and Brandy. This week Krucial checked in to give 24Hr Grind his advice on succeeding as a music producer and songwriter.

Study Your Craft
Often you get into something because you like it but that’s just scratching the surface. The first advice I would give anyone that wants to be in the music business as an artist or as a writer is definitely study your craft. A lot of times you get into something because you like it and you scratch the surface and there is so much more you could offer the world and offer yourself by really studying your craft and learning what it is you do and how you can improve your talents . That’s very important. A lot of people are too easily content, like ‘this is working for me, let me leave it at this.’

Coming from my background, being a person who really started loving music going into hip-hop, really feeling like that’s all it was and I’m about making beats and sampling, when the opportunity came to produce an R&B album – “Songs in A Minor” — I was a little intimidated because I felt like I didn’t know anything about R&B. That really forced me to study more into what I was sampling. I was sampling old soul and r&b records so I had to think about why I liked certain samples. That made me look into how albums were done and what instruments were used and it helped me understand not only why I liked certain samples, but also how to make things sound the way I liked them.