INTERVIEW W/ MUSIC MYSTRO
Read as Music Mystro gives us a glimpse into his work catalog.
Q: How long have you been in the game and what keeps you here?
A: I’ve been in the game since 1992. I was trying to rap at the age of 11/12. I had my rap groups. We were doing shows all over the city. When I turned about 15/16 I started getting into production because we had no beats.1998 I got an internship at Untertainment Records and that is when things started to pick up full steam. Around that time I was producing for my group members and outside people. One day while at Untertainment, I was playing a song I produced which caught the ear of one of the promotion heads. They asked what it was and I told them it was my boy and I produced it! She immediately called Cam’ron and he yelled at me saying “You make beats and you ain’t tell nobody??” and that’s when I was on people’s radar and the right people started paying attention. What keeps me here is just the love to create music because God knows how many times I said “I’m quitting!” but i have people like my manager Omar and my partner Evan Brown who wouldn’t allow me to stop! so I’m still here. i just come outside for selected people now!!!
Q: Share with us some of your accomplishments throughout your journey. Whom have you produced for? And how did it mold you to who you are now?
A: Ok, let’s see! i’ve produced for LL Cool J, Mary J Blige, Fat Joe, Ne-Yo, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Cam’Ron, JR Writer, Hell Rell, Mr Cheeks Of The Lost Boyz, DITC, Day26, Robert Curry, Reggae Artist Mr Lexxus, Black sheep Dres, Smif n Wessun, M.O.P, Ali Caldwell, Product G&B, and a lot more. That’s just me thinking off the top of the head! Working with LL turned me into a producer for real! that session he dropped so many jewels on me! I was just happy to be there working with one of my favorite artists, but he taught me how to run a session! How to produce a song and not just the beat!
Q: Who are some of your favorite R&B producers?
A: Teddy Riley is my favorite producer overall. But then the sounds that influenced me growing up was definitely PRINCE. Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis! Other producers I definitely check for are Bryan Michael Cox, Rich Harrison, Ryan Leslie, Carlos McKinney, Evan Brown & Ricky Belfort! All of them have or had some type of influence on my style or sound.
Q: Is there anyone you would like to work with that you haven’t already?
A: Anybody that knows me knows I’m a die hard New Edition fan! I’d love to get in the studio with them and just see what magic could be made.
Q: What’s next up for you? Are you currently working with any artist and when can we expect it to drop?
A: Right now I just go with the flow of whatever. i get so many calls to work or submit music to people but a lot just like to talk to feel a part of things so certain things i won’t mention i don’t wanna speak on it and be disappointed!. BUT I do have Ali Caldwell on deck. I’m always gonna have at least one joint on her albums! she is the only artist that has first dibs on my whole catalog! I’ll also worked with Day26, and group member Robert Curry’s solo project. I did 90% of his project along with another song I did for him on a gospel project he’s working on. And I’m working on my project as well. Which includes 5 hip hop songs, 5 R&B all produced by me.
Q: What made RNBPLYLST Creators Cyphr different and what makes RNB speical?
A: Simple! Nobody focuses on R&B like that. Everything is Hip Hop and whatever else comes with it. But a platform that focuses solely on R&B creatives. I personally haven’t seen that and I’m happy to say that i was part of y’all first event! which was the first time I came outside in a while!!!
I love the musicality that comes with R&B. the beautiful vocal tones that goes together with the music if done right. You can vibe out to R&B. Because of the way I produce, I get influenced by R&B before any other genre.