Interviews

TALL BLACK GUY – in 10 Records

Since we’ve started hearing his first productions in 2010-2011, we’ve jumped on the Tall Black Guy‘s bandwagon who is one of the producers who manages to keep us interested in the “beats” scene. A scene which we’ve loved for many years but does leave us feeling hot and cold.

Detroit’s Terrel Wallace aka TBG is a relative newcomer but the maturity transpires in his style, project selection and the fact that he doesn’t release 20 beats a month that sound like sketches made in 10 minutes. The man takes time to craft every sound and we take the appropriate time to listen carefully to each project he releases.

We asked TBG to share a few of his favorite records he listens to when not too busy working on productions for Skyzoo, Maylee Todd, The Foreign Exchange, Georgia Anne Muldrow and more.

1. Last record you bought

It was by the Weather Report, it was called the original classic albums and had 5 cds of their greatest hits in their catalogue. It was before the HMV shop in the city I stay at closed down. I chose it because I wanted to get a better understanding of their keyboardist: Joe Zawinul.

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2. Your Desert Island record

D’Angelo’s Voodoo, its probably one of my top 5 albums in regards to the whole instrumentation and vibe of the album is amazing.

3. Favourite childhood record

Jackson 5 – ABC 123

4. Favourite Teenager record

The Soundbombing vol 1, pretty much everything from Rawkus Records in 1998-99 like Lyricist Lounge 1

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5. What’s the one record you’ve borrowed the most samples from?

Summer Madness by Kool and the Gang, it was one of my favourite songs growing up that my dad played to me so it has a lot of memories tied to it.

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6. The perfect driving or traveling record?

That would be for me the “Love Jones” soundtrack, just because it has a good balance of old school RnB from the late 90s and crossed over into some classic jazz.

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7. Your favorite to ever come out of your hometown?

That’s a hard one since I consider both Detroit and Chicago my hometowns. Also I can’t choose just one! my favourite producers out of Detroit/Michigan currently would be: Doc Illingsworth and 14KT and out of Chicago: Kenny Keys and Tensei

8. Lazy sunday morning record

The Love jones Soundtrack, which is also be my answer to number 6!

9. Record that never leaves your DJ bag

When I play other peoples music in my set Darondo “Sure Know How To Love Me” would be my favourite at the moment.

10. If you were Marty Mcfly and go could back and collaborate on the making of one record…

The Mahavishnu Orchestra, my homie Jamel told me about them years ago probably in 03′, I would love to have been able to sit in one of their recording sessions.

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About Tall Black Guy

From humble origins in Detroit, raised on a healthy diet of Motown, Jazz and early Hip Hop – Terrel Wallace (aka Tall Black Guy) has become a standard bearer for the current hip hop beats scene. Through a steady stream of productions filled with incredibly clever sample flips and deft production chops, he has won fans across the world, including Gilles Peterson (who included him on one of his Brownswood Bubblers albums), Lefto, Anthony Valadez, Jazzy Jeff, Questlove and countless others. With the tangible beginnings of worldwide recognition, Tall Black Guy has established himself to be one of the most influential producers working today.

2011-2014 has seen TBG’s first vinyl releases with bstrd boots, First Word Records, Ubiquity Records and his own imprint Tall Black Guy Productions (TBGP). Plus projects with artists like: 80s Babies, The Primeridian, Malice & Mario Sweet, Maylee Todd, Temika Moore, Teri Tobin, Skyzoo, The Colman Brothers, The Foreign Exchange, Sola Rosa, Rainy Milo, Georgia Anne Muldrow and TBO.

Website: tallblackguyproductions.com

Lexis

Lexis

Montreal-based DJ and the founder MusicIsMySanctuary.com (2007) and 24 Hours of Vinyl (2011).