{"id":10218,"date":"2020-04-21T10:30:08","date_gmt":"2020-04-21T14:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/?p=10218"},"modified":"2023-05-23T16:46:39","modified_gmt":"2023-05-23T20:46:39","slug":"ade-hakim-q-and-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/ade-hakim-q-and-a\/","title":{"rendered":"Ad\u00e9 Hakim on collaboration and finding originality through sampling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The sound of an Ad\u00e9 Hakim beat is unlike anything else.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

His ear for chops, flips, and sample manipulation has led him to create iconic beats for the likes of Earl Sweatshirt, [sLUms], Medhane, MIKE, and of course, himself. Having grown up in New York City\u2019s kaleidoscopic new underground, Ad\u00e9 has been quietly pioneering a new approach to hip hop that at times sounds more like IDM than boom bap. Sometimes, his beats barely even sound like beats \u2013 the rhythms can be hard to track down, the downbeat seemingly never comes, and the vocals are incomprehensible. But then, the sounds wash over you, commanding your full attention as the subtleties of his production reveal themselves. His production on songs like \u201cPlanet\u201d and \u201cNowhere2go\u201d is frankly stunning, showcasing his ability to transform samples into entirely new sonic tapestries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ad\u00e9\u2019s solo work is also spectacular, with his latest album HAPPIEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WIDE WEB<\/a><\/em> revealing an artist dedicated to empowering others and spreading happiness by any means necessary \u2013 tracks like \u201cIndigenous’ Anthem\u201d and \u201cYou Got the Power (Antidote)\u201d will have you bobbing your head from the second the beat kicks in. The album is a beautiful collage of a flourishing NYC rap scene, capturing the excitement of the city and the vibrancy of its inhabitants. His passion for the city extends out into the real world as well; Ad\u00e9 has been organizing free subway shows featuring many of the same collaborators since February, making space for creatives who exist outside of the formal structure of venues while also bringing music to the people directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over a plate of rice and beans, we sat down with Ad\u00e9 himself to discuss his approach to production, his latest record, and his advice for upcoming producers. You’ll also find various stems from Ad\u00e9’s projects scattered throughout, so you can get a closer listen to his sampling process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did you get into music production?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was around 14 or 15, writing a bunch to MF Doom beats and all these ‘type beats’ on YouTube, but then I started getting tired of it. I didn’t understand the concept of people selling beats or leasing beats. It just didn’t make sense. So, I just decided to start making my own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I didn’t find ‘the style’ until after [sLUms]. It helped me branch out \u2013 working with different people really made me find who I was as a producer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is [sLUms], for the people who don\u2019t know?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

[sLUms] is a collective of six people (MIKE, Jodi10k, King Carter, Ad\u00e9 Hakim, Darryl Johnson, and Mason). Two of us are from the Bronx, two are from Manhattan, and two are in Brooklyn, and we worked in Queens. [sLUms] is a real New York experience of five black men and one white dude, just coming together to be heard, to sing our way out of oppression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I put a lot of truth from my own life into my projects. Some people just listen for the beats, but there were a lot of hardships that I went through making the music. HAPPIEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WIDE WEB<\/a><\/em> was basically me coming back to focusing on being happy, now that I’m on to better things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know people from all over just through the internet, and people from all over know me. We all have this collective conscious that’s going through our devices, and we can use it for something better. It’s more than just aesthetic; it’s a real movement of trying to promote love and happiness, and knowing that even though the world isn’t perfect, we have the ability to change things ourselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of people had the decision to go left or right at some point in their lives. Some people feel like they don’t have that decision, and I can’t take that away from them. But, I knew that I had that decision to go right or left, with right representing happiness and left representing being stuck in the past \u2013 and I was going to go right. I just wanted to acknowledge that and use the internet as a tool to create happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n