Welcome back to the goood liiiiiife. We got a chance to get an exclusive interview from a talented young brother from Grand Rapids (Gun Ru) Michigan. He goes by the name of V12 Da Hitman and is doing some big things in the game right now. Being a part of the Aphilliate movement and working with DJ Drama this phenomenal producer has worked with names such as Lil Wayne, Willie the Kid, and Rick Ross just to name a few. Lets see what V12 Da Hitman has to say to the goodlifecampaign.
GLC: So V12, how did you first get into music, and what motivated you?
V12: I first got into music at the age of 13. My family is very musical, my mom and my aunt sung, my grandmother sings, so its always been in me, and even growing up I listened to a lot of music from my mother. What got me into music mainly was I was listening to Jay-Z album Vol. 3, I heard that track called Dope man, and i heard the beat, and the beat was just kind of like, i don't know, but i had to play it over and over again, and i told myself I can do that. So it began basically like that, and I just started working with Fruity Loops 4, that's how long ago it was. So I started with Fruity Loops 4 and after that I kind of started making music for myself, for self enjoyment, you know not to cater to anybody else, this was something I kept to myself, and I just kept making it and improving on it, Until I say around the age of 18 that's when I really came out with that I do this shit you know.
GLC: Where are you from originally?
V12: I'm from Grand Rapids Michigan you know Gun Ru whatever you want to call it. It's my home. I was born and raised their. That's home nothing more nothing less.
GLC: How would you describe your style?
V12: My style is MY STYLE. I say that I can take it anywhere, and my beats, when I make my music it's more full of emotion and passion rather than making a beat catering to someone, so whatever chord sound I hear, whatever chord I want to put in, drums I want, I just always mush them together, and I can cater to any genre of music, so I would say my style is my style you feel me.
GLC: Being from Grand Rapids, tell us something that you got from their that you put in your music?
V12: Soul, pain. You know, struggle. Just the passion of it in all. Just from being around different people and absorbing the atmosphere. You know you get a lot of soul out of that, a lot of pain and a lot of struggle. A lot of different types of vibes out of that, some good some bad, but mainly I just got the soul from it, just the feeling of tapping into who i was musically, from being from Grand Rapids. I never really got into that circle of rappers and producers from Grand Rapids. Like seeing all that I was able to use that as leverage and bury the competition at the same time.
GLC: What programs are you currently using now for your beat making, and which one is your favorite?
V12: I still mess with the FL Studio 10. I also use Logic, Pro Tools, and those pretty much all my favorites. Those are my go to.
GLC: What other producers and artist do you see as your inspirations?
V12: I really look up to Just Blaze. You know he touched a lot of different avenues with his music, and his shit was so motherfucking soulful. I loved it. And I use to like Swizz Beats because his shit kind of reminded me of me. I feel like I have his essence because he was able to produce on albums, and go from this lane to that lane, and touch on different avenues, and I'm able to do that. Like I did half of the Gangsta Grillz 2 album, and I did half of Willie The Kid's album, you know so I'm able to be diverse. So I would say Just Blaze, Timbaland of course, Swizz Beats, and Kanye of course.
GLC: What is your ultimate goal for your music?
V12: My ultimate goal for my music is to be an immoral figure in the music industry. I say that and what I mean by that is just being able ten years from now actually have one of those songs that's always going to be playable everywhere, kind of like a couple songs Jay-Z has, you know kind of like Jiiiiigggaa you know you can play that shit today and still get the same vibe. Another thing is I want to be able to mentor the younger generation that's coming behind. I want to be on different channels and speak on how I got here, you know being successful to the point where I'm recognized as one of those producers where ten years from now you might be interviewing a producer and they say I look up to V12. So ultimately I want to touch lives, I want to touch people, I want to touch different avenues, I just want to be universal with my music because this is my passion this is my life.
GLC: How did you end up getting hooked up with the Aphilliates?
V12: Well it was threw a couple of mutual homey's I new since back in the day, they introduced me to Drama, and like from that point on I was going back and fourth from Augusta to Atlanta because I got people in Augusta I moved down to Georgia. I would sleep in the studio from time to time, and did the engineering. I learned pro tools like that, and they offered me a job, and with that job I was able to purchase a place out here. I lived in the studio for about three months, so I was able to grind and make my money and get a place, and after that, that was the forefront to move my production into play and have my beats heard everyday. So I was able to establish a relationship with Drama, and a lot of other cats. It just became a situation where I'm in house now, and I proved myself threw my music.
GLC: How is it working with the Aphilliates and being a part of that movement?
V12: It is a major blessing, because I'm able to touch different things. I engineer every Gangsta Grillz mixtape from 2008 till today. As far as the radio show on Shade 45 Friday nights from 8 to 10 I produce that show. A lot of different opportunities where people coming threw the radio show and meeting me, and me being able to build with them. I just be like check this out and my music speaks for itself. So this whole situation is just a blessing, because its like my own little music house, and Drama brings different people threw all the time.
GLC: What do you think about the state of hip hop right now?
V12: I think its a great state of hip hop. First of all everything is going digital which is kind of a gift and a curse because you got people that can leak albums. At the same time you have twitter where you can broadcast to a million followers and a million people that follow you see that, you reached a million people in the blink of an eye. Opposed to back in the day where you had labels spending marketing dollars with shit we can do on our own. Its created a whole new grind, and as far as music its going back to lyricism in my opinion. You know you got your Kendrick Lamar's, you got your Emilio Rojas's, you got Rick Ross, you got Meek Millz, Wale, J. Cole, you got artist like that, that's making a statement right now. A couple years back everything was Gucci Mane this Gucci Mane that and everything was south music. Don't get me wrong I love south music. I'm not opposed to it I'm not against it, but I'm from the Midwest and I love lyricism. You got Jay-Z, Kanye come out, that album was straight boom bap hip hop. Its going back to that, and people are embracing it more. I like it because that is the era I was brought up in. It's coming back around, and I'm very proud to be a part of it.
GLC: What is your proudest achievement so far in your career?
V12: My proudest achievement right now is this Chris Brown song we just dropped. It's on Drama album featuring Chris Brown and J. Cole called Undercover. We started streaming it a couple days ago before the album dropped, and that's the quickest song that ever picked up for me ever. You know I worked with Lil Wayne before twice, I worked with Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Rick Ross, Fabolous, but this song people are telling me I have a hit on my hands. I'm waiting on the numbers at the end of these couple weeks, but so far this is the biggest song I ever had that's a hit. Things like this change lives, and I feel big ass opportunities coming in.
GLC: Who are your top 5 MCs of all time?
V12: Biggie because his voice was like an instrument with the beat, Jay-Z of course he has to be on the list, Eminem, I think Kanye is in that battle, and Bun B.
GLC: Who have you previously worked with in the past, and who would you like to work with in the future?
V12: In the past, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Trick Daddy, Mike Jones, Bun B, Styles P, Willie The Kid, La The Darkman, Bobby Valentino, Lil Wayne, Lil Scrappy, Wyclef Jean, Flo Rida, Jay Rock, Cam'ron, Vado, Emilio Rojas, King Nez. Who I want to work with, of course Jay-Z, Kanye. Thats a dream of mine. I want to work with Jadakiss, The Game, Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, Currensey, the whole Maybach Music Group, and as far as R&B, Alicia Keys, Melanie Fiona, Jason Derulo. Those are just a handful of artist I want to work with.
GLC: What projects are you currently working on right now?
V12: I'm currently working with Emilio Rojas who has an EP coming out with Billionaire Boys Club called Breaking Point. We're coming back with another album from Drama, so we're in the works with that. I'm working with an artist named Goapele. From what I can reveal that's it. But just know that its V2012.
GLC: What are your goals for 2012?
V12: My goals are to smash this music shit. My goal is to be everywhere. My goal is to get a couple of awards under my belt. A couple more credentials. In 2012 I plan to put my stamp on the game and build my empire.
GLC: Do you ever think that you will stop producing?
V12: No. I think I see a hiatus at a later point in my life, but music is a part of me. I'm always going to have my hands in something musical. Whether I be like Quincy Jones and compose shit, or whatever. I'm never gone stop this shit.
Wow GoodLifeCampaign we got us one with V12 The Hitman, and they call him that because he's the Hitman. Grand Rapids stand up. You should be honored and thankful to have a phenomenal talented genius like V12. He knows where he came from and he knows where he's going. We are on our way to get the DJ Drama Third Power Album right now, as you should. Google V12 look him up on twitter @v12thehitman, and if you haven't copped the Gangsta Grillz Albums, go get em.
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