Tuesday, 27 October 2009 15:18 Last Updated on Monday, 01 March 2010 06:15 Written by Administrator

Fuego x Dynamic Producer = Success Story

DP: So tell us a little about yourself.  Where are you from?  When did you start producing?  What are your weapons of mass destruction?

FUEGO: I'm from Berlin, Germany. Been making beats since age 14, professionally since 18. I work with Cubase 5 on PC, been a Cubase user for the longest. I also have a Logic setup on a MacBook Pro to make music on the go. Before Cubase I had a Korg i3 keyboard, so I'm familiar with working on analog systems as well. The software vs hardware debate is nonsense to me. I believe that it doesn't matter what you use as long as you have a good ear. It's beneficial to play at least one instrument and know Pro Tools though.

DP: You've been grindin for awhile to get to this point.  Tell us a bit about your journey to the states.  Did you ever get discouraged?  What inspires you to go so hard?

FUEGO: I always knew that the German music industry is limited. It is every German producer's dream to land at least one placement in the US, but for me it was crystal clear that this is the career I chose and I want the whole world to hear my music. My frequent traveling to the US began in 2006, paying for everything out of my pocket. Fortunately I came up when German hiphop was hot, so I was able to secure my first gold album at a young age and have lots of placements with local artists. Besides that, I've been scoring tv commercials since 2005, which is a lot of tedious work but provides for a comfortable living. Being from another country I was only able to stay in the states 3 months at a time, which is why it took me so long to start making a name for myself in the business. There are many reasons to get discouraged - the masses of talented competitors, the sneaky politics, dealing with which is unavoidable, the decline of record sales due to internet piracy, etc. I just never stopped working - making music, taking trips, slowly building my network 1 by 1, and obviously everything paid off. I'm sure a lot of people just give up before their time.

DP: We live in a day and age where everyone makes beats and where many producers are on edge for a major label placement.  What’s your take on the impact of the recession on the industry and how it relates to new producers trying to get that first major label placement?

FUEGO: The recession's effect on the industry is obvious, with budgets being cut left and right and producer fees being lower than ever. Which is why it's important to know your worth, have a great management/legal team and never take no for an answer. However considering how hard it is to break into the industry you shouldn't expect to always get an equal share. Generally the more you grind, the bigger is the chance of people taking you serious.

DP: I know that you've networked with alot of songwriters too.  How important is it for producers to have relationships with songwriters?  And how can up & coming producers build with major songwriters?

FUEGO: Songwriters are THE most important part of making great records, because a great beat is nothing without a catchy hook, title, dope melody, lyrics etc. Nowadays it's a songwriter driven industry so sometimes the songwriter's reputation is what ultimately sells the record. The only way for new producers to build with established writers are mutual relationships, friends of friends. I don't think there is a way around that. However there's a lot of new writers out there that are very talented, so always keep an open ear.

DP: Now let us offer you a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS for your placement with Jason Derulo!!   Breakdown from inception of the track to placement to give our readers some insight into how it all went down.

FUEGO: I've had an early version of the beat with the Imogen Heap sample as the hook, exactly the way it is on the final version, since early 2006. Ever since then I've been shopping this record because I instantly knew it had potential to be a hit. With a hook like that, you just know it. I've played it for what felt like every single A&R in America. It was written to by 7-8 different writers, there's a dozen versions of this song. Swizz wanted it to be his single, Bow Wow and Omarion almost bought it for their Face Off album, T.I., B.O.B., Toni Braxton, Loon, Mario Winans etc. all showed interest. Until finally I brought it to Beluga Heights, who originally wanted it to be Sean Kingston's single (he actually wrote some of the record), but ultimately gave it to their new artist Jason Derulo. The record went on to become a Billboard #1 and sold over 2 million units.

DP: So what's on the horizon for Fuego?  Where do you see yourself in 4-5 years?

FUEGO: I have a lot of great records that are waiting to be heard, I'm working with amazing writers, also dabbling in writing myself, I do vocal production and melodies on a lot of my records already. I have a lot of major artists on my wish list, I also wanna sign and develop artists myself. I will also continue scoring commercials and eventually I want to score films. Luckily I have a great team that believes in me and it feels like everybody in the industry knows my name, so I must be doing something right.

DP: We sometimes feel that producer websites and organizations are almost the new hustle.  For a new producer trying to navigate their way to grow both sonically and from a business perspective, why would you recommend producers join Dynamic Producer first and foremost before anyone other website, organization, or event?

FUEGO: I joined DP in 2006 and experienced my first conference in Miami, which is actually where I met J.R.'s manager Zach Katz, who I ended up placing "Whatcha Say" with, so as you can see DP has been a part of my success in the most direct way imaginable. DP is just the perfect opportunity to extend your network by meeting not only record execs and songwriters, but also other up and coming producers. These people are a great source of knowledge and inspiration and some of them became very good friends of mine.

DP: In closing, we'd definitely say that you're an ULTIMATE HUSTLA when it comes to networking and the overall grind it takes to get in the industry.  Give us your top 5 BEAT GRIND COMMANDMENTS.

FUEGO'S TOP 5 BEAT GRIND COMMANDMENT

1. Most important rule: NEVER STOP GRINDING. If you quit before your time, it's your own fault.
2. Make sure everyone knows how serious you are about your career and becoming successful. However don't toot your own horn, it makes you look immature. Stay humble.
3. Don't push tracks unless they are undeniable. There is nothing worse than getting an A&Rs attention and then playing him some wack shit. If you do that, you're done in his eyes.
4. Don't ever back away from an opportunity because you personally don't like the artist or his music for whatever reason - that's unprofessional, and you can't afford to be looked at that way.
5. Don't get emotional - the music business is very competitive and most of the participants are out for their best interest. You win some, you lose some. However karma always comes back to everyone who does other people dirty, so be fair in everything you do.

DP: And where can everyone catch the latest on Fuego?

FUEGO: You can always reach me and find out the latest about me on twitter.com/fuego AND if you haven't heard Fuego's hit head over to

 

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