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| Quincy [Jones] told me, ‘If the power goes out on you, you can still play. If the power goes out on the majority of those involved in Hip-Hop, they’ll have to stop what they are doing. -Terrace Martin |
AllHipHop.com: You’ve named two of your albums after your old high school. Why is that?
Terrace Martin: I came over to Locke High School in Watts from Santa Monica High School. The East Side has a different way of thinking and living than the West Side where I’m from. It’s about survival on the East. Living in a concrete jungle like the projects where everything is built the same and looks the same is mind washing. I saw the areas of my life where I was spoiled. I had friends that were happy just to be with their families on Christmas, and here I was upset because I didn’t get the new Super Nintendo.
At this time, I’m playing music because I know it and like it, but I noticed that the East Side kids were doing it to try to help their families’ situations. Being around that mentality made me feel the same way eventually. I moved up from practicing eight hours a day to 13 hours a day. I practiced Jazz, and the gangsters would calm down when I played. They always told me my music was an escape for them.
The Jazz spots on Central Avenue was all that the Black community had in Watts during the ’30s, ’40ss, ’50s, and ’60s. Everybody played there – Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra. I didn’t know this until I went to Locke High. That’s why I felt a connection there. All of the musicians that I was trying to be like went through Watts at some point.
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AllHipHop.com: When did you begin to transition from Jazz to Hip-Hop?
Terrace Martin: One of the gangsters that I went to school with told me that he loved Tupac’s music, so I learned how to play “I Ain’t Mad At Cha.” One day at school, I decided to play it for him. After playing the song for a few minutes, I noticed that I had an audience of about 17 of the hardest kids at school, and they were all singing and enjoying it. That’s when I knew that I could reach people through Hip-Hop. Jazz was intriguing for my generation, but it didn’t have the same powerful impact that Hip-Hop had. I learned to respect both cultures for what they are. Some have tried to mix the two without understanding the language of Hip-Hop, and it sounds a bit corny. You have to understand the language and the feel of both Jazz and Hip-Hop in order to infuse them together.
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AllHipHop.com: Let’s go back to Locke High 2 real quick. When did you get the inspiration for this new album?
Terrace Martin: I got inspired to do this new project when I was mixing Jay Rock’s album last year. I was in the studio with Dr. Dre and DJ Quik. When you shake Dre’s hand, you get inspired. That guy gives you records just like that. He’s put so much work into Detox, and he’s always surrounded by the best musicians and writers. I don’t have his budget, but I have people of my own, too. I’m not trying to be the best rapper or the best beat maker. I’m trying to be one of the best from my era when it comes to putting together a complete body of work. I’m trying to be one of the best producers, real producers.
I brought in young talents like Kendrick Lamar, Problem, and Ill Camille. Problem is known in Los Angeles for his radio songs, but he can go. I surrounded myself with these young talents, and they, in turn, inspired me. Problem is to me what The D.O.C is to Dr. Dre. I also collaborated with other producers like Hi-Tek and The Bizness.
I did the first Locke High album, and nobody understood why I named it after my school. This time you’re going to understand and hear the influence that the East Side had on me. I’m not from Watts, but they embraced me. It’s the place where I learned 80 percent of my music.
