I stumbled across Elaquent on Soundcloud not too long ago. This guy has serious skills when it comes to making tunes. Shockingly however, the internet held little information on this mad professor. After listening to his Persona LP on loop for a couple of weeks I decided to track him down and get an interview with him.

Example
For those who don't know, me being one of them as, there isn't a whole lot of info about you online, what's your back story?

Elaquent
Hmm, let’s see... born in Ottawa, but grew up in a city called Guelph... it’s about an hour away from Toronto... started off trying to rap at about 11... lost interest and tried my hand at production when I turned 14.

Example: What equipment did you use to make your first production?

Elaquent
I downloaded a demo copy of Fruity Loops... before it became FL Studio. I think it was version 2 or something lol. Couldn’t save anything, but was a great time killer. Found the full version about a year and a half later.

Example
Gotta love software demos. When I first heard your music I thought "sample based Hip Hop, probably uses some type of MPC along with analog synths" Obviously I was wrong. What's your general views on software vs hardware?

Elaquent
When I first started making beats, 9th Wonder was the only big name producer using software... needless to say lots of the hardware elitists hated on it... funny thing now is that those same haters have incorporated software into their setups. People used to always assume that I used an MPC and I wouldn’t correct them. If thinking I use certain tools makes you like me more, then I'll let you think that. But at this point, I think it’s clear that software has limitless possibilities. But ultimately, it just comes down to whatever you're comfortable using, and whether you can make a dope beat. Everything else is irrelevant.

Example
Truth. As long as it sounds good who gives a shit? I suppose it's a lot like the whole Vinyl/Digital debate when it comes to DJing. Do you play out at all or do you stick to production?

Elaquent
I was actually gonna mention that, but you beat me to it. It’s exactly like the Serato/turntable argument. People in general just have a hard time adjusting to change, that’s all, but that’s what technology does.

I stick to production... I play lots of synth lines live from my keyboard, but I am by no means a keyboardist. I'd love to learn guitar one day though.

Example
Haha, too slow guy! Cool stuff. Has DJing ever crossed your mind? I spin, but have never really wanted to produce. But a lot of producers & DJs seem to think you need to do both.

Elaquent
Kind of. I’m not a DJ in a traditional sense, but I’ve been working on my live set, armed with my SP404 and my laptop. These type of sets are pretty big out in underground beat scenes, and I’m definitely working on it. Knowing how to DJ is certainly useful for any producer looking to take their show on the road.

Example
SP404? That is a nice piece of kit. My mate was going to get one but he didn't in the end. I was gutted to say the least haha.
So your from Canada. How is the Hip Hop scene over there? In the UK it's all still pretty underground (unless you count N-Dubz as Hip Hop, which I doubt any serious music fan would) but there's a lot of good artists. It's healthy in America; obviously you have all that Lil Wayne shit but if you dig a little you find the good stuff. I've also heard some good artists come out of other places in Europe. So, how is it in Canada?

Elaquent
Yeah, the SP404 is awesome, great FX in there.

The Hip Hop scene here is a mixed bag, I guess. I mean, the good stuff is really really good, the wack stuff is garbage... but to be honest, it’s the same story everywhere. There are incredible artists making moves in the underground, while you got everybody else and their moms trying to emulate Drake, which is cool, I guess, but as far as the stuff I personally listen to and follow... pretty few and far between. Most of my favourite artists are fellow beat-heads that I kick it with at shows. To be honest, pretty much all I listen to lately is instrumental stuff from everywhere; Europe, Japan, LA, and beyond. But I can't hate, there are some incredible artists like Eternia or Moka Only, who have been doing it for a minute.

Example
Yeah, it's like any type of music I guess. For every good artists there's twenty shit ones. What Hip Hop artists would you say influence you? & have they changed at all over time?

Elaquent
You could probably listen to my music and make pretty educated guesses as to my favs. Lol. Dilla, Primo, Pete Rock, RZA... no surprises there. Lately, I've been really into the more indie stuff... big fan of Onra, The Klipm0de Camp... just got put onto this dude Teebs who is incredible... Dibia$e, Flylo, Tokimonsta... the list goes on... from a domestic standpoint, my homies Lancecape, Sunclef, Sylvermayne, Slakah The Beatchild keep me inspired.

Example
How about music outside of Hip Hop? & how do you go about digging/finding samples?

Elaquent
Outside of Hip Hop, I was always a big Marvin Gaye fan. I went through a huge Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald phase. Amy Winehouse, Isaac Hayes, my non Hip Hop influences are all over the place.

As far as samples, no rules really. I find records, CDs, mp3s, video games, really, no sample is safe haha. My record collection isn't massive by any means, as long as I can get a sound into FL Studio or my SP, it'll be sampled. I sample anything from Kung Fu flicks, to Sega games to soul to cartoons, whatever sounds good.

Example
Definitely hear the Sega in a few of your tracks. Android Swagger & Mastered System are probably my two favourites to be honest.

How do you feel about the relationship between art, music and politics? I'm quite socially and politically aware and I'm always looking for ways to change things, spread new ideas and spread positive vibes. Do you think art and music are good platforms for this? If you could change one thing about how the world is governed or functions what would it be?

Elaquent
Art and music are timeless means of expression. I think that it’s important that all artists take an interest in injecting some type of meaning or message through their craft. I’m not saying everybody needs an Immortal Technique/Rage Against The Machine type of activist message in their art but in being an artist, whether visual or audio, i find most people are quite socially aware to begin with, and I think it is healthy to shed some of that in their music.

If you feel strongly about a political issue, or any issue, music is the perfect platform to express it. The problem is that there are plenty of socially/politically aware artists, but very few of them are being heard on a mainstream scale, which is a shame.

If i could change one thing about society, I wish there was more equality in terms of distribution of wealth. Obviously it’s more complicated than that, but it’s concerning the fact that 20% of the world utilizes 80% of the world's wealth.

Example
True dat. The world is pretty fucked up when you think about it. If you haven't already I recommend checking out The Venus Project; some really good ideas about the world and people on there.

Persona has recently become available to the public, what are your plans for the rest of the year and the start of 2011? Also, what's Gill Breathing?

Elaquent
I'll have to check out The Venus Project... good lookin’ out.

Lets’ see... I’m wrapping up my newest LP "The Midnight After", which as the name implies, is a follow up to my 2009 release “After Midnight”. Anyone who has heard AM will know what to expect. That’ll be out sometime in 2011. Got a couple of short tapes that I'll be putting out before 2010 is over. My LP with Bhon is coming out in 2011 and a few other projects which are still in their planning stages, so needless to say, I’m keeping busy.

Oh, and Gill Breathing is my family. Literally. That’s myself, Es, Solar C, Mathematik and the homie Young Master, and we're all related. It’s hard to beat the chemistry of actual family. Everybody is staying busy with their own projects before we can coordinate a proper release for the five of us.

Example
Lots of new beats then! Ah cool, I wasn't too sure what it was. What's the best place for people to keep up to date with your releases? Facebook, Myspace, website? & is there any up and coming artists you would recommend people checking out while they're reading this?

Elaquent
Say word! I’m pretty easy to find...
www.facebook.com/elaquent
www.myspace.com/elaquenthiphop
www.twitter.com/elaquent
www.soundcloud.com/elaquent

As far as up and comers, I'd recommend folks checkin’ out the Gill Breathing fam (facebook.com/gillbreathing), gotta plug all the fellas over at the label I’m on (HW&W) like Coincidence, Juj, Co. Fee, Sholomo, yes even you Bahwee, lol, and I can’t say enough good things about my homie Sunclef. But to be honest, I could go on all day...

You can cop Elaquent’s latest LP “Persona” here:
http://elaquent.bandcamp.com/