Denmark Beat Maker KVBeats Reveals His Get Down | Hip Hop Interview

Q. Big Noise: Welcome my brother, we’ve been playing some of your music on the radio station. Can you tell us about your background, where you’re from, and how you got introduced to beatmaking? Hip hop culture?
A. KVBeats: Thank you man. I’m a 46 year old beatmaker, married family man and all round music fan from Denmark. My day job is in IT freelance recruitment. I got into hiphop culture through 80’s radio shows here in Denmark culminating in 1988 at the age of 12, when I first saw Run-D.M.C. and Public Enemy perform live in Copenhagen. I started making my own beats in 2003 on Fruity Loops (now FLStudio) after having put out both Danish and English demos as a rapper around the year 2000. I started Denmark’s first journalism based website and online hiphop community: www.rapspot.dk back in 1996 and met a lot of artists and industry people this way.

Q. Big Noise: You mentioned your fathers record collection was one of your early musical influences. How has sampling influenced your production style through the years, and how important is D.I.T.C. to you?
A. KVBeats: I’ve always listened to a lot of different music genres and influences early on. My mom bought records like MJ’s “Thriller” and helped me buy my first album Public Enemy “It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back”. My father used to import soul records from the States back in the late 60’s early 70’s. He sold most of them, but I managed to dig out a few gems from his collection which was definitely a catalyst for me to study the roots of hiphop through sampling. D.I.T.C. are living legends in this hiphop culture no doubt. Diamond D’s “Stunts, Blunts…” album is on my top 10 albums of all time list, and O.C. is a top 10 Emcee period.

Q. Big Noise: The picture of the recording studio on your Bandcamp page is amazing. I see a lot of analog gear in that image. Can you tell us a bit more about the equipment you use, what is your studio setup like?
A. KVBeats: That’s actually the place I mastered my first album “The Résumé” back in 2010. The studio belonged to Anders Schumann, a very talented sound engineer in Copenhagen who took my music to the next level. My own setup has always been very, very low fi: Dynaudio Acoustics speakers, PC with Cool Edit and FLStudio and a turntable, that’s it! I owned an MPC once, but the workflow never resonated with me. I’m a PC guy for life. I do however play and record samples by ear instead of just ‘drawing notes’ on the screen. I have a big love for vinyl records and still go out digging for samples mostly in the summertime.

Q. Big Noise: An artist we’re familiar with… We’ve been playing his joints on the radio, your most recent project collaboration was with Pace Won. What collaboration would you say helped open the most doors for you?
A. KVBeats: Shout out to Pace! He’s a real one for sure. I wouldn’t say I’ve had any doors open for me to be honest. But I have made long lasting music relationships with people through Myspace which was the platform I used back in 2005-2010 to reach out to emcees for the project. Some of the other artists I reached out to for my debut album are: Masta Ace, Kool Keith, Cappadonna, Billy Danze, Ghostface’s manager, Clipse’s manager, K-Solo, Pharoahe Monch etc.

Q. Big Noise: You’ve been crafting some great music! In what ways have your collaborations with Royce Da 5’9, Oddisee, A.G. and other classic rap artists been similar? Do you see yourself being open to a younger audience?
A. KVBeats: The way I approached all collaborations was I sent the artist 1-2 beats I had made with that artist in mind. It worked especially well with Chaundon who created two incredible story telling joints for “The Résumé”. Also, D.V. alias Khryst blessed me with 2 dope ass hooks that really set the tone for both songs. Oddisee is a great guy I knew from his first European tour in 2006 where he crashed on my couch for a few days. Crazy how he’s developed as an artist throughout the years. I’m open to all ages audience wise who enjoy that soulful sample-based boom-bap sound. Right now most of my streams come from Japan – Arigatōgozaimashita!

Q. Big Noise: Instrumental beats are always appreciated. Please talk to us about the making of “Arcade Soul” Vol 1 & 2 instrumentals. You’ve mentioned you got the inspiration from arcade games, what was the creation process like?
A. KVBeats: These instrumentals are some of the favorites I’ve made from 2006 and beyond that I somehow didn’t consider good fits for my two producer albums or were a little bit to the left in terms of rappers flowing to them. For this project, I spent mad nights during the last 4 years in my studio sampling old records and working on new beats as well as perfecting old ones. It has always been an ambition of mine to release my own instrumental album after having put out two producer albums.

Q. Big Noise: Underground hip-hop is flourishing by example of groups on Grisilda Records. Hip hop history runs deep in regard to dope releases. Please give us your top 5 emcees and top 5 producers, dead or alive?
A. KVBeats: 1. Rakim is the G.O.A.T. no competition! “Paid in Full” (The Coldcut Remix) was one of the first rap videos I ever saw, heard and loved instantaneously. In no remaining order: Nas, Method Man, Ice Cube, Guru. My top 5 producers: DJ Premier, Rza, Pete Rock, J Dilla, Madlib (honorary mentions: The Bomb Squad and Marley Marl)

Q. Big Noise: Soulful producers like Dibiase, Ewonee and Elaquent have been setting the standard. We love the soulful music you’ve been putting out. We need more hip hop producers with your ear. What projects can we expect from you in the future?
A. KVBeats: I appreciate that – means a lot! I have a handful of joints done with Little Vic from Long Island including a joint featuring Elzhi from ex- Slum Village which I’m putting the final touches on right now.

Q. Big Noise: We definitely love what you do, we’re here to support you and your music. We really appreciate your time and your contribution to underground hip hop! Any last words or shout-outs to the hip-hop community?
A. KVBeats: Big up to you for the interview and the dope blog! I will always support the underground and still consider myself part of it – Shout out to all the artists I’ve worked with especially Pace Won, Percee P, Oddisee, Recognize Ali, Chaundon, DJ Noize, DJ Madhandz, DJ Rob Swift, DJ Mike B, DJ Hux, D.V. alias Khryst, Mic Geronimo and Prince Po. One love to my Myspace day ones: Little Vic, The Asmatik, FredNukes, PTA, DJ Spin Easy / Corey (Harlem), Anacron – Peace and love!

Published on March 12, 2021: Denmark Beat Maker KVBeats “Arcade Soul, Vol. 2” Produced by KVBeats, Mixed by KVBeats, Released by KVBeats, Mastered by Duncan Stanbury at Groove Mastering.

“Arcade Soul” is divided into 2 volumes of each 9 instrumentals. The title refers to two important factors in KVBeats’ own upbringing: Video games and soulful music. The cover photo is taken back in 1982 at 6 years old where his fascination of arcade games was just beginning. He considers these creations soulful bursts of energy that will put you in a mood or tell a story, mostly it’s positive vibes on a hiphop tip. Useful theme music for the drastically changing times we’re living in rooted in something old and sustainable.

All beats are sample-based mostly from vinyl record… KVBeats has created his own unique way of chopping and arranging samples. Still using Cooledit for chopping and FLStudio, he sticks to what he knows and have been using since 2003. He inherited his love for soul from his father who used to import records to Denmark from the U.S. late 60’s to 70’s. Mixing everything himself with mastering duties handled by Duncan Stanbury at Groove Mastering who among other things mastered “Reasonable Doubt” for Jay-Z.

About The Artist: Denmark Beat Maker KVBeats experienced a musical awakening in 1988 when he first saw Public Enemy and Run-D.M.C. perform live in Copenhagen. Since then he’s been a die hard fan of golden age hiphop as well as the sound of warm, analog 70’s soul, funk and jazz grooves. His debut album “The Résumé” (Soulspazm Digital, 2010) received airplay on prestigious radio shows like DJ Premier’s “Live from HeadQCourterz” and “Late Night With Peter Rosenberg”.

His sophomore album “The Breadwinner” (Ill Adrenaline Records, 2018) contained the hit single “Supreme Confidence” which made it all the way to the #1 spot on ‘HipHopGods Radio Top 20’ as well as #4 (top 10) at ‘InsomniacMagazine.com’. His latest offering: “Arcade Soul Vol. 1 & 2” features brand new as well as unreleased beats from 2006-2020 centered around soulful, funky hiphop grooves.