I dont know if this has already been posted or not.. but its something I came across so I thought I'd share..
Johnny Z
Ein bißchen Konversation mit dem wohl größten Beatmacher den Vallejo ("V-Town") bisher hervorgebracht hat. Ladies & Gentlemen: Johnny Z!
Hi JZ, you're pretty much known as one of the top notch producers from the golden years of the bay area. I been jammin' your shit since like 92...tell me which groups did you produce through all these years?
Thanks for the support Skreel, I know you've been down for a while now! Too many to list, but I'll name a few: N2DEEP, Potna Deuce, Latino Velvet, Young DRU, Mac Dre, E-40 and the Click, Da Unda Dogg, Mac Mall, Spice 1, PSD, Frost, Scapegoat Wax, Run DMC, RhythmX, Ron C, Dru Down, Brotha Lynch Hung, TaydaTay, Boo Yaa T.R.I.B.E., Riderlife, & Dubee to name a few.
How did you hook up with N2Deep and how did y'all work out the contract with Profile?
T.L. and I were homies since the 1st grade and he hooked me up with Jay Tee who was T.L.'s brother's homie. We started making songs together and about 3 years later we had a pretty solid demo tape together, so I hired a consultant that got us a deal at Profile. We overnighted Cory Robbins (co-owner of Profile) a cassette tape and the next day he offered us a deal. He was blown away with "Back To The Hotel!"
Why was the second N2Deep album not on Profile?
We kept submitting songs to them and they kept turning them down. After a while they told us they were getting bought out and were basically going to dissolve the company. We luckily negotiated a release and we went on our way.
What are you doin' now, and why did you move to Vegas?
I got married and was burned out with the Bay. I needed a change, so we moved to San Diego, CA for a year, then took advantage of the inexpensive housing market in Las Vegas and bought a fat crib out here. Vegas is the shit! I like it a lot here because the city never sleeps and there so much opportunity out here and so much to do. It's weird not living in Cali anymore, but Nevada is sweet!
I know a lot of people that love that JZ fonk - will we ever hear some new stuff from you?
Yeah, music is in me fo life! I'm just trying some other moves out here in Vegas. The music business is slowly starting to grow out here and I'm still a producer at heart. I still work with Jay Tee and DRU, but I've been laying low. I still have a studio "The Dirty Martini Lab" and I still do some recording. It's not over, it's just not in the forefront for me now as much.
Have you decided to stop puttin out Rap when you moved to Vegas?
No, I've just been messin’ with other styles of Hip Hop. I started a Hip Hop Lounge Series called "Luxurious" which is instrumental Hip Hop Lounge Music. I've really been bored and unmotivated by the rap/hip hop music being released these days. I'm trying to take it into a new direction. I see it as, soon, everyone will want the Hip Hop Lounge sound, they just don't know it yet.
I know that a lot of dudes in Germany idolize you as THE ONE who produces Vallejo shit, I'm a huge fan myself as you already know - I listened to the first p² album a lot. And my favorite track was "Strivin'", with The Young "D" Boyz. "Where We Dwell" with Mac Dre is also one of my favourite ones - I would be so glad if you would put out stuff like this for the next few years. So, has feedback from the listeners been important to you over the years?
Very important! I always listen to what the fans have to say. I love the fact that people, like you, even care about what the Bay and especially Vallejo has done in music. These interviews are what motivate me to make more V-Town Music! I still have my website: www.jdeville.com and I still answer all my e-mails and ship out any CD orders I get. I love the fans, they're what keep me going! Also I have a My Space page http://www.myspace.com/jdeville and http://www.myspace.com/luxuriousmusic
Johnny Z
Ein bißchen Konversation mit dem wohl größten Beatmacher den Vallejo ("V-Town") bisher hervorgebracht hat. Ladies & Gentlemen: Johnny Z!
Hi JZ, you're pretty much known as one of the top notch producers from the golden years of the bay area. I been jammin' your shit since like 92...tell me which groups did you produce through all these years?
Thanks for the support Skreel, I know you've been down for a while now! Too many to list, but I'll name a few: N2DEEP, Potna Deuce, Latino Velvet, Young DRU, Mac Dre, E-40 and the Click, Da Unda Dogg, Mac Mall, Spice 1, PSD, Frost, Scapegoat Wax, Run DMC, RhythmX, Ron C, Dru Down, Brotha Lynch Hung, TaydaTay, Boo Yaa T.R.I.B.E., Riderlife, & Dubee to name a few.
How did you hook up with N2Deep and how did y'all work out the contract with Profile?
T.L. and I were homies since the 1st grade and he hooked me up with Jay Tee who was T.L.'s brother's homie. We started making songs together and about 3 years later we had a pretty solid demo tape together, so I hired a consultant that got us a deal at Profile. We overnighted Cory Robbins (co-owner of Profile) a cassette tape and the next day he offered us a deal. He was blown away with "Back To The Hotel!"
Why was the second N2Deep album not on Profile?
We kept submitting songs to them and they kept turning them down. After a while they told us they were getting bought out and were basically going to dissolve the company. We luckily negotiated a release and we went on our way.
What are you doin' now, and why did you move to Vegas?
I got married and was burned out with the Bay. I needed a change, so we moved to San Diego, CA for a year, then took advantage of the inexpensive housing market in Las Vegas and bought a fat crib out here. Vegas is the shit! I like it a lot here because the city never sleeps and there so much opportunity out here and so much to do. It's weird not living in Cali anymore, but Nevada is sweet!
I know a lot of people that love that JZ fonk - will we ever hear some new stuff from you?
Yeah, music is in me fo life! I'm just trying some other moves out here in Vegas. The music business is slowly starting to grow out here and I'm still a producer at heart. I still work with Jay Tee and DRU, but I've been laying low. I still have a studio "The Dirty Martini Lab" and I still do some recording. It's not over, it's just not in the forefront for me now as much.
Have you decided to stop puttin out Rap when you moved to Vegas?
No, I've just been messin’ with other styles of Hip Hop. I started a Hip Hop Lounge Series called "Luxurious" which is instrumental Hip Hop Lounge Music. I've really been bored and unmotivated by the rap/hip hop music being released these days. I'm trying to take it into a new direction. I see it as, soon, everyone will want the Hip Hop Lounge sound, they just don't know it yet.
I know that a lot of dudes in Germany idolize you as THE ONE who produces Vallejo shit, I'm a huge fan myself as you already know - I listened to the first p² album a lot. And my favorite track was "Strivin'", with The Young "D" Boyz. "Where We Dwell" with Mac Dre is also one of my favourite ones - I would be so glad if you would put out stuff like this for the next few years. So, has feedback from the listeners been important to you over the years?
Very important! I always listen to what the fans have to say. I love the fact that people, like you, even care about what the Bay and especially Vallejo has done in music. These interviews are what motivate me to make more V-Town Music! I still have my website: www.jdeville.com and I still answer all my e-mails and ship out any CD orders I get. I love the fans, they're what keep me going! Also I have a My Space page http://www.myspace.com/jdeville and http://www.myspace.com/luxuriousmusic