When you think of musical Mecca’s, Cincinnati, Ohio may not be the first place that comes to mind. However, for the better part of three decades, from the nineteen-sixties up through the late nineteen-eighties, the ‘Nati was the birthplace of some of the most important R&B, funk, and soul records to ever be produced. Legendary artists such as James Brown, Bootsy Collins, The Isley Brothers, Zapp & Roger, and Babyface & The Deele, all called Cincy their recording home. Cincinnati, along with sister cities in southwest Ohio, Hamilton, and Dayton, all collectively produced prominent groups, from The Ohio Players to Midnight Star. Unfortunately, as the ‘80’s progressed, Cincinnati’s more conservative policy makers began a campaign to “cleanse” the city of “immoral” influences, beginning with Cincinnati’s one-time Mayor, Jerry Springer, the ‘Nati’s original hustler, Larry Flynt, and eventually any semblance of a thriving artist community, were all forced into permanent exile from the Queen City. And by the time hip-hop appeared on the local scene, it was immediately suppressed. National hip-hop acts such as N.W.A. were banned from the city. By the early ‘90’s, a new generation of ‘Nati artists, including the hip-hop group Mood, began the arduous work or rebuilding Cincy’s once renowned artist community. Unfortunately they’ve been unable to reach the prominence of their funk forefathers, having to attempt to establish themselves in a musical ghost town. So when a musician like Hi-Tek manages to emerge from such a stifling environment, the entire city views his success as our success. However, with assistance given to out-of-towners such as Snoop Dogg, Talib Kweli, and Kool G. Rap, many in the ‘Nati wondered if Tek would be the next Cincy artist to abandon his hometown’s restrictive musical climate. But never fear, Hi-Tek has returned to the city of his birth to find new talent, record a new album, and hopefully begin a new era in the already historic legacy of Cincinnati music. ALLHIPHOP.COM: I remember seeing MCA Records print ads advertising your new album, along with all of their other hip-hop releases, over a year ago. So why is the album just now gettin’ set to drop, what was the delay? HI-TEK: Just tryin’ to come up with the right songs, and I was workin’ on Jonell’s project, my R&B act I got on Def Jam. I was tryin’ to do two albums at the same time. Creatively, one producer doin’ two albums in a four month span, it ain’t gonna happen. If you want it to be dope, it ain’t gonna work. ALLHIPHOP: Give me some details on the new album, like who’s featured on it? HI-TEK: The new album, I got a couple of hometown acts, Piakhan, Big D, Jonell, and then as far as West Coast, I got Snoop Dogg, Raphael Saadiq, and my man Joe Beast, he’s from Pittsburgh, he’s on Aftermath, I got Mos Def, Common, Kweli. I’m just workin’ on different joints, tryin’ to spread it out. ALLHIPHOP: Do you have a tentative title for the album? HI-TEK: It’s called Hi-Teknology Vol. 2. ALLHIPHOP: Since it’s got the similar title, is the new album cut in the same mold as Hi-Teknology, how is this album similar or different to your first joint? HI-TEK: It’s different. I don’t think it’s what people expected from me, ‘cause it’s more me. That’s why it took longer too, ‘cause I wanna make sure I give it what I really wanna do this time, not the typical, Common’s, Mos Def’s, and regular stuff, kinda spread it out on this one, ‘cause I’m from Cincinnati, I ain’t from New York. I just happen to produce for a lot of New York rappers. ALLHIPHOP: So are we gonna hear you on the mic some more on this joint? I think you could be one of the better rapper/producers in the game. Your verse on “The Blast” was pretty thorough. HI-TEK: Appreciate that bro. Yeah, definitely spittin’ on here. I had to do somethin’. I just had to get my confidence up. I used to rhyme a long time ago when I first started workin’ on my beats. Most producers know how to rhyme to the track, if they do know how to rhyme, they rhyme to it better than the person they give it to, or whoever they produce it for, because you feel the beat. That’s basically what I do. I don’t consider myself no MC. ALLHIPHOP: Yeah, production is still your bread and butter, and you just seem to keep expanding your resume. Didn’t you just do some stuff for the new Rakim album? HI-TEK: Yeah, we worked on a joint about six months ago. Ra, he’s a slow worker like me, but it’s a good thing, ‘cause you wanna make sure it’s right. If you get caught up in the whole political part of makin’ music, I think you limit yourself. Unless you’re like the Neptunes who’re fluent with it. I wouldn’t really consider myself at that point yet. Like, I experimented with the album I’m doin’ now, as far as the R&B, it was experimental. Well, the first song I did for Jonell, the “Round and Round” song became a hit. That was experimental, so from there I got into an R&B album. And you gotta know a lot more about R&B to create an R&B album. So I was tryin’ to do somethin’ different. ALLHIPHOP: So you’re tryin’ to branch out into other genres? HI-TEK: Yeah, whatever kind of music, ‘cause hip-hop is the same as rock was back in the day, it’s in every part of music in a certain way. Everybody want those bangin’ hip-hop drums. ALLHIPHOP: You’re definitely branching out, but a lot of people wanna know why you recently haven’t been working with some of the folks you came in the game with, most notably Talib Kweli? HI-TEK: I just kinda branched off to do my own thing, not really just to do my own thing, just kinda strayed away from that, not […]

ALLHIPHOP: So what’s your current situation with MCA, is it a label deal, production deal, artist deal? HI-TEK: It’s an artist deal, Hi-Tek as an artist. I just do whatever kinda album I wanna do. That’s what MCA is really about. ALLHIPHOP: So are you gonna have the option of introducing new artists, bringing new artists out? HI-TEK: Yeah, fo’ sho. With this whole album, that’s usually how I do it, like the first Hi-Teknology I got a deal for Jonell off of just one song. You just gotta do somethin’ different, that’s all it takes, it don’t really take a whole demo. It takes the right producer and the right person to bring it in right. It takes a verse to get a record deal. For all the people tryin’ to make demos and get all these big packages and stuff together, I ain’t sayin’ stop doin’ that, but it really don’t even take that much to get on. ALLHIPHOP: Well you’re already scouting for new talent through your talent search taking place here in the ‘Nati on April 12th. Can you give us some details on the event? HI-TEK: It’s taking place April 12th at the Cincinnati Convention Center. And basically, I miss talent shows man. Back in the day there used to be a spot called The Regal, and every Friday there used to be a show. We used to breakdance and sh*t. It used to be just like The Apollo. And I just wanted to see what Cincinnati really got. Because I get tired of people comin’ up to me givin’ me demos, wack demos, but can you perform, can you do a song? That’s what it’s about, when you get in the studio with Hi-Tek I’ma put you to work, and then you gonna be runnin’ away from me, like ‘I thought it was easier than this.’ So that was really my purpose, make some money, have fun, and see what’s really goin’ on with this region. ALLHIPHOP: So do you plan to make this a regular event? HI-TEK: Yeah, I’ma do it quarterly. ALLHIPHOP: Just in the ‘Nati or throughout the Midwest? HI-TEK: I might spread it out. I might do one in Louisville or Chicago, or somewhere like that. ALLHIPHOP: I know you rescheduled the show, which was originally supposed to take place on March 1st, due to the shootings of two kids that week. I mean obviously I understand the motivation behind that, but… HI-TEK: That was part of the reason. I’m starting my own foundation, like a Stop the Violence foundation. There’s just been a lot of nonsense goin’ on in the ‘Nati. Ain’t nobody makin’ no money, ain’t no rappers, ain’t no R&B. Truthfully, when I had those auditions for the talent search, it was mostly the out-of-towners that were better than my hometown people, and that kinda hurt me. It just let me know, my hometown we gotta step it up. Help Hi-Tek out, stop reachin’, lookin’ for Hi-Tek to help you out. But it’s all love. Louisville, Columbus, Indianapolis, they came through organized, and they sh*t was dope, they had they sh*t together. I liked a lot of the R&B acts from Cincinnati. ALLHIPHOP: What about Jonell’s album for Def Soul? I still can’t believe a ‘Nati dude had a #1 single, with that “Round and Round” joint. HI-TEK: Just tryin’ to hit ‘em with somethin’ different. I love music, and I think God just works in mysterious ways. Like, she came out of nowhere, I knew her from awhile back, but I seen her in a club, and she was like, ‘I got some new stuff.’ And I just so-happened to have a beat to go exactly with the same verse she sung to me. So it was a work of art. ALLHIPHOP: And you said that was an adjustment, tryin’ to switch over to R&B from hip-hop? HI-TEK: Yeah, I learned a lot, just workin’ with different R&B writers, people who play real music. ‘Cause I don’t really play, I just play by ear, so I pick at it ‘till I come up with somethin’. I enjoy workin’ with people who can really play, and be funky with it at the same time. And then, I ain’t know nothin’ about b sections. I know about a chorus and a bridge, but you know you got b sections, you got the vamp, and the end of the song. I just learned a lot about that, expanding my musical capabilities. ALLHIPHOP: Are there any other artists that you’ve laid down tracks for that we should keep an ear out for? HI-TEK: I just did some stuff for Jon B. I don’t know if you’re familiar with Jon B. ALLHIPHOP: Word. He’s still around? HI-TEK: Yeah, he’s still around, he’s comin’ back. I worked with this cat, Joe Beast, he’s on Aftermath, he got his album, I’m doin’ some stuff for him. ALLHIPHOP: So you lookin’ to become that Dre co-producer? He always gets one dude, that’s like second in command. HI-TEK: Oh yeah, fo’ sho. ALLHIPHOP: And finally, this is just some ‘Nati sh*t, but can you holla at ya boy Griffey Jr., and tell him to get off his a** so we can win a pennant? HI-TEK: Yeah man, you gotta be a team player. I don’t care how much money you got, you just gotta be a team player.

Before Mr. Cheeks was a household name in hip-hop, the dreded rapper gained critical acclaim as a member of the Lost Boys. When Lost Boyz member Freaky Tah was gunned down, the group soon disbanded. In 2001 Cheeks broke the silence with his solo debut, John P. Kelly, which spawned the hit single "Lights, Camera, Action." Now that his silence has been broken, it appears Cheeks has no intention of remaining silent. For his second solo album, I’m Back, Cheeks has tapped Pete Rock & CL Smooth, M.O.P., Floetry and even 80’s legend Alexander O’Neal. Cheek’s is back. AllHipHop.com: So you say your growing up a little bit now? Mister Cheeks: Yeah, I been growing up through the game. I been doing a lot of things, rockin’ and I got the Back Again jumping off. AllHipHop: Do you think it’s hard for artist to grow up? MC: Yeah because it’s a lot of things that happen in the industry with record labels and everything. That’s before we did it, why you don’t see some n*ggas that aint in the game now? Where’s Nice & Smooth at right now? It’s really hard to maintain a career in music. AllHipHop: The Rolling Stones have had a 30-year career but a Run DMC can’t full a coliseum, it seems like Hip Hop is definitely a young man’s arena. MC: Just like the NBA you got the nice young talent coming in and you got the old school n*ggas doing it, but they not producing for the team like there are supposed to so you got to go with the new. AllHipHop: Have you balanced that? MC: I go hard; I make sure I’m on top of my game. When I lost my man Freaky Tah I always said we are going to have to step it up forever now. AllHipHop: I noticed some interesting collaborations on the album, can you speak on Alexander O’ Neil on Brighter? MC: I grew up listening to him. My man brought this track to me it was Alexander O’ Neil “Sunshine”. I was like hold up how a n*gga flip this track? So I had to immediately come with something to rock with that track and it had to make since. So that’s the story behind I’m always on the road and I’m trying to get home to see my lady, I can’t go a day without my sunshine. I called Charles and said you got to get Alexander O’ Neil to come through, I couldn’t do it without him. AllHipHop: How did y’all find that guy, he’s definitely a legend but he hasn’t been in the limelight too much lately? MC: I know we had to work. AllHipHop: I didn’t feel that that the M.O.P collaboration was a natural collaboration, but when I listened to it they was dope and it was on a smooth track too. How did you guys hook up? MC: We friends from a long time ago. Me and Billy Danze always be kicking it, he comes to queens to see his grand pops and I was at my grandmother house and we just bumped heads. When I got the track from my man Mr. Sex I had to bring these cats on it. I got my little brother on the chorus with his man so it all worked out beautiful. A lot of people probably like Cheeks don’t go hard on no street sh*t and won’t think I would do something like that or they think that M.O.P. is just mad riot, they flow. Me and the god’s got the comfortable slowdown smooth street sh*t too. AllHipHop: What made you remake T.R.O.Y.? MC: The cat that rhymes on it, my man journalist gave me that idea. He got a hold of Pete Rock and C.L smooth and sh*t just fell into place. Mr. Sex did that track too. Anything that Mr. Sex do he call me up and make history. AllHipHop: What’s Poppin’ with the Lost Boyz, I would’ve thought that y’all would’ve had an album by now or something that we could get a little reunion? MC: At the time Tah passed away, n*ggas went their separate ways and did things. But, as far as LB we still here, we got this album we trying to work on dropping in June on my label and we looking for someone to distribute it, but that’s how it’s been since Tah passed. I do this solo sh*t to make sure I keep the LB name known. AllHipHop: Being a successful solo artist what have you experienced, it seems almost that your solo success has gone beyond the group even though one can’t be without the other but it seems like you have really blown up on the solo tip even more than when you were with the group. MC: I’m just moving around more; I don’t have to wait around no more. It’s like I’m not solo ‘cause I be with my boys still with the crew. We just had to get our sh*t back in order. AllHipHop: I know you had a collaboration with the kid from the Marley’s are you still working on that? MC: Steve Marley that’s my man, that’s family. AllHipHop: How is that going on with that? MC: We got the studio setup in Miami right now, right now we are dropping Julian Marley’s album so we just chillin’ right now. AllHipHop: is that through y’all label together? MC: It’s through Ghetto youth. AllHipHop: Is that the label y’all have together? MC: One Fam is what we got together. Ghetto Youth is my label and Ghetto youth and then you got One Fam music. It’s all coming through the One Fam music. AllHipHop: Did you still live in Miami? MC: Yeah, I love it down there. AllHipHop: Is it different? MC: It’s another world, it’s like gangsta paradise out there. I go down there hit the beaches up at night and the clubs don’t close until like […]