Don’t Ask, Just Give: An Interview with Amed One
‘There’s just a particular sound that comes with records, that warmth and crackle, it’s like a warm fire. Quite lovely.’
Why did you start making music?
I started making music really because I was bored. That’s not why I really started, but that’s what got me into it. I was going on a really long car drive and I was looking for apps to download to keep me entertained, I was going thru my dads purchased apps and I saw Beatmaker 2, sounded cool so I downloaded it. Definitely wasn’t an immediate click, I really didn’t use it that much until probably like 6 months later (as you probably know learning how to use a DAW is quite a pain). Once I had a lil understanding of it, it became a lot more fun to use, I was just doing it for fun and also because it’d be funny to have my friends rap over them - none of them were rappers but we’d make a few songs to have some fun. But time went on and I kept making more and more beats that I really enjoyed, and eventually I found myself making beats for hours a day. Then I started taking it a lil more seriously and eventually decided I was going to commit my life to beatmaking and take it to the end.
What is your creative process?
My creative process is pretty simple, I just look for a dope sample and then try and do something cool with it. Then I get some dope drums and see what I can do. It pretty much goes like that every time, I like to just find samples that really engage me, samples that catch my eye, and then just make something dope with it. The goal with my beats is to make fully completed tracks, ideally to put on a project. And I always strive to make bangers. Not just bangers, but the most exceptional bangers of all time. I’m pretty much always trying to make my next best track. And I really enjoy taking a track as far as I can. Doing everything there is to do until I don’t even know what else I could do.
You create all of your beats using vintage records. How did your love for vinyl start and what’s one record you couldn’t live without?
My love for vinyl really just started because that’s what authentic boom bap samples from. I just got a turntable and some records to make my beats more authentic, and then eventually just fell in love with the sound. There’s just a particular sound that comes with records, that warmth and crackle, it’s like a warm fire. Quite lovely. Over time I’ve just enjoyed that sound more and more, and recently I’ve been fully committed to only sampling from my own records. It took some time for me to get there, especially since youtube is so convenient, but it’s probably been a year at least that I’ve been on vinyl only, and now I could never go back. It’s just not the same.
One record I couldn’t live without would be 2001 - Deodato. Not because it’s my favorite album or artist, but because of what it represents. It was one of the first records I ever got, I used to only get records for a dollar and I actually found that one at the goodwill bins. When I first heard one of the tracks on there it blew my mind. Felt like I was tripping. That record signifies the start of my true love for vinyl and because of that it holds a special place in my heart.
We've worked together on a Sample Flip Competition a while ago and you've been releasing new sample packs ever since. What’s the secret of a great sample pack?
The number one secret. The number one secret.. I know it and I’m glad I do. The number one secret to a great sample pack is giving. Giving an experience beyond expectation. Not just giving some samples, but creating an experience that goes far beyond the price that money can even buy. And not just to make a better pack to get more sales, but to create a great pack as a donation to your community. A pack made with the intention of providing pure genuine value to the user. A gift that asks for nothing in return.
How do you handle creative block?
I just keep making beats really. Sometimes it’s hard, but it doesn’t stop me from making beats, it just makes it not so enjoyable. But in the sense of really getting over a creative block, I find that I’ve usually lost my original vision. I find that I’ve lost my true why for making beats, and when I do, I try my best to take it back to the start. I’ll usually go back and reread my goals, listen to the music that inspired me in the first place, and think about what it was in the past that really motivated me in the first place.
I find that creative block often happens because we make beats with the wrong intentions. Like making beats to impress people, or to get something out of it. Eventually as you do that it runs dry because it’s not genuine. Sometimes though, it’s just not clicking and I just need a break. If so, I’ll try to tap back into the vision, and then makes beats first thing the next morning, purely with the intention of doing it for myself and my own fulfilment from it.
Your Instagram page has a strong aesthetic theme. The community seem to really resonate with it. What advice would you give to artists who want to stand out on social media?
I would say stop taking advice and start experimenting. Just make a bunch of videos really, that’s the only way you can find your own style. You get an idea that sounds interesting so you explore it, and then you do this over and over and over again, until eventually your videos have a similar vibe to them and you find what works and what doesn’t. You also find what you like doing and what you don’t.
I would also recommend that you make the content for yourself. That you make videos that you think are dope, and you try to impress yourself with your content. And make the videos that you would enjoy watching. It’s funny to say but I love watching my own videos, and it makes sense because I make them for me. I’m the person I’m trying to please when I make the videos and as a result I am more pleased with the content. Which results in a more enjoyable content creating experience, and then as a result of that, people like watching my videos. They can see that it’s genuine and that it’s not trying to get followers or trick the viewer someway, it’s kind of just a fun way of sharing my music and artistic expression.
Another thing - don’t ask, just give. Provide value. And cut the fluff. I’ve learned that literally nobody cares, they just want the thing that your video provides so I get straight to the point. Like I’ll literally chop it down to the exact .1 second to get to the point faster. It’s a balance of making it for me and then optimizing it for growth, without sacrificing quality. And overall it’s about providing a great experience for myself first, and then the viewer. And likes and follows are never the goal, just the result.
Who are 3 artists from the community that you think readers should check out?
H. Potta for sure. Nastiest most authentic shit out there. For someone who wants another true boom bap experience, that’s a great place to start.
DJ Clif. Also some authentic boom bap shit. One of my favorites to see. Dope beats, and great cutz, real dope scratching, overall a favorite of mine.
Pink Siifu. My man just has a dope style. And authentic, I like the vibe he gives off. His music isn’t really that similar to what I go for, but I like his voice, would love to work with him and see what we could do.
One more - Wiseboy Jeremy. My guy has the voice. Dope style too, some authentik shit.
What’s an album recently which has changed the way you think about music?
Hmm that’s hard. Not quite as recent but I’ll just say it because it had a big impact on my view of albums. Damu The Fudgemunk - Spur Memento Trailer. Really great shit, but the thing that really hit for me was that the entire album is one experience. It’s not just a collection of songs, it’s clearly arranged into one work of art to be listened from start to finish and I love that. It changed the way I create my albums, and the way I think about creating songs in general. Not just a song but it’s an experience. A story through sound.
What has been the most challenging thing you’ve had to overcome as an artist?
The most challenging thing really has been keeping my visions and purpose. This past year it’s just been on and off, it comes and goes when it wants to. It doesn’t stop me from making beats, but I miss the early days when it was just so strong that I was passionate about my work all the time. Nowadays I’ll get into a thriving beatmaking state but it doesn’t last like I feel it used to. It’s hard to cultivate it as it’s not normally something you go out of your way to get, usually you make beats because you enjoy it, but it’s different when you’ve committed your life to musical expression; you do it regardless of whether you want to or not, it’s just what you do.
One more thing that’s similar, is keeping my intentions in check. Keeping my focus on the right things. It’s so easy to get distracted by money and followers and all that, it’s tempting. It’s good in balance, but maintaining that balance isn’t always easy.
What’s next for you in 2024?
What’s next for me in 2024, I’ve got a lot of plans. Probably should dial it down and focus on less, but that’s not my style, I like to do 10 things at once. Anyways the top 3 things I’m doing this year, 1) Releasing the next Basterd masterpiece - an album called Time. 2) Teaching and elevating my dawgs. I started a community where I teach homies interested in boom bap the secrets and help em level up. I just started this a lil under 2 months ago and I’m working on building this into something great, I’m liking where it’s going and so are the members, it’s nice. 3) Taking my website to the top. It’s where I host my sample packs, I’m looking to get more consistent with creating sample packs, it’s something I enjoy doing and it makes money while providing genuine value. It feels good to provide quality authentic boom bap samples since it’s so rare nowadays.
