DopeDrops Interview with Recognize Soul

We’re back today with an extension to our “Beat Breaks” segment with Recognize Soul. Below is an exclusive interview with the producer so you all can get to know the man a little bit more. We hope you enjoy it.

DopeDrops: I want to start off with the basics. You go by Recognize Soul; can you tell us how that name came about?

Recognize Soul: Sure, I wanted to have an alias that portrays nothing else rather than myself. Basically its a “what you see is what you get.” No matter what song you might hear that I produce, it’s always gunna be soul and nobody else.

DD: Growing up, what kind of music were you surrounded by?

RS: Growing up I found myself in car rides with my mom. Anything she listened to I took a liking to it. It ranged anywhere from floetry, Jill Scott, Carl Thomas, to Dr. Dre, Q Tip and The Tribe, Hot Boys, Big Pun, The Roots, and anything that was playing on the radio then. I could go on and on lol.

DD: Do you feel like it has any influence in the music that you’re making today?

RS: Yes. I love the way music sounded back then. I tend to create music that touched to what it sounded then because I enjoyed the era and how it made me feel.

DD: At what age did you realize that you wanted to start producing?

RS: I was around 12 when I noticed that I wanted to start producing records.

DD: What were the first steps you took to kick start this interest?

RS: I started playing around with FL Studio that my friend put me on to at the time. I then enjoyed it so much that I just can’t seem to keep my hands off of it.

DD: Who musically influences you the most?

RS: J. Dilla (Rest in Beats), Alchemist, Chuck Inglish, and Dr. Dre.

DD: Today, what pieces of equipment are most important for you in your work?

RS: Shit… My laptop, FL Studio and my midi haha.

DD: What have you improved since you started out?

RS: Being the person that I am I like to stick to one thing that is known to be very stable. It took my brother Nino to bring it to my attention that I needed to be more versatile. That alone helped me tweak my sound to create a feeling that I have for the moment and embed it in my music. So for whatever sound that you hear in my music describes to what was going through or feeling at that time.

DD: Your latest release, T.W.D: When There’s No Imagination, There’s HORROR, was incredible. Are you currently working on anything?

RS: Yes I am. I currently have an album that I have in the works with a friend of mine in the name of Deven Alexandre. Also there’s something in the works that Nino is cooking up and you should see some of my work up there as well.

DD: When can we expect to hear it?

RS: I don’t know… I can’t say lol but I want to have it available to you guys soon through via iTunes,  vinyl, and in stores as well. As far as in my appearance on Nino’s project, you guys should be hearing that very soon.

DD: Who else should we be looking out for in the near future?

RS: Keep an eye out for my mans Pyro Methane and also Nino [Skyz], they have some music on the way for yall. The last time I heard from Sir Yogaflame he told me him and DP have something in the works as well.

DD: On a regular day, what would we catch Recognize Soul doing?

RS: Reading up on new technology, working like an average American citizen, shopping for vinyls, or cooling with my woadies. Ha.

DD: Thanks for taking the time to chop it up with us, anything else you want to share before we call it a night?

RS: Yes, shout out to Korey and the whole Dope Drops crew. ‘Preciate yall.