Braille: n. : a system of writing for the blind.
The first time I met Braille was 2005-ish.
He had just moved to Salem and was looking to connect with people in the community. I was a fan/artist looking to build with someone who could teach me a few things about the music business. I realized very early in our conversation that Braille is extremely gifted in seeing how all things are connected. Conversations about making decisions within music went hand in hand with how the decisions we make effect relationships with family and friends, and how his relationship with God effects his decision making process.
While talking to him you can almost see him take a question or proposal and quickly turn it on all different sides before answering or giving his opinion.
Maintaining successful relationships with venues, promoters, artists, DJs and fans can and will make or break a career as an independent artist. His thoughtfulness and availability for advice has been essential in his continued success.
Braille spent the five years following 2005 operating his first record label, Hip Hop is Music.
“I ran it all on my own and it became really difficult. Its easy when you start a company to get people to help out on the love. But you can only operate off favors for so long. Eventually you need to have a team. ”
Braille recently helped assemble a collection of like minded individuals to create Humble Beast Records.
“My primary business partner is also an artist, he goes by Odd Thomas.” Braille continued, “He has a lot of skill sets that are complimentary to my skill sets. He’s able to do all of the web work, production, and video editing. So we’re able to accomplish a lot more in house as a team, where before I was having to try to outsource everything.”
Odd Thomas.
Odd Thomas is originally from Long Beach but relocated after deciding he needed a change from the scene in LA.
“We both were originally going to kind of build two independent entities. But as we were kind of progressing together we decided to just take our two separate structures and integrate them, ” Thomas said. “It was pretty much the same vision, just on two different plates. We just decided to play on the same team.”
The label recently became a non-profit organization. All music created by artists on the label is available for free on their website, www.humblebeast.com. They do not currently have merchandise for sale but do accept donations from those able to support.
Braille will be traveling to Colorado to record his new album Native Lungs April 11-15.
“It’s going to be the first time I’ve recorded an album outside of my home in a long time. But now I know what I’m doing.” Braille continued, “I’m getting all of my Pro Tools sessions ready so when I get there I can be super productive. I’m going to be recording and mixing over the course of a week. The biggest challenge is just making sure I have all the songs at a point where I’m feeling them. Because if I’m not feeling a song I can’t even record it.”
The album will feature production from Portland area producers such as Calvin Valentine, Trox, Dave Notti, Xperiment, Theory Hazit and Ohmega Watts.
“My original goal was to have an album produced entirely by Portland natives and Portland transplants. I’d cross paths with dudes in Portland over the years that are just crazy good beat makers. As the records taken shape there’s been a few exceptions to the rule just because it’s an album, and I didn’t want to stick so tight to the rule that the album would suffer.”
Resurrect Me from Humble Beast Records on Vimeo.
The first exception came from Dialated Peoples member and now Rhymesayers emcee/producer Evidence.
“About two and a half years ago I did a freestyle on this radio show in Seattle and they put a video up online (see it here). He saw the video and hit me up on Myspace… So we just kind of stayed in touch. He did a show in Portland and I came through and he said he was going to send me a track. I didn’t know if he was for real but he sent over a beat and the track worked perfect. And once I broke that rule I kind of felt a little bit of freedom to break it again. So I was like let’s do something with S1 again and take it to the next level.”
Most will know S1 best for his production on Kanye West’s hit Power, but Braille actually did an entire album with S1 a year before the single came out.
“It’s crazy. Cloud 19 came out and by 2010 he was working with Kanye. And from that he’s just been taking it to another level. I don’t really know everything but it seems like he’s been getting in the lab with everyone from Beyonce to 50 Cent. He’s just basically continuing to be the production monster that he is. But we caught up recently and he’s the same dude. So its real cool and I’m real excited to be working with him again.”
Another legendary producer Braille has had the opportunity to work with is 9th Wonder.
“There’s a possibility of him landing on the record, but it’s just a matter of his timing. He always responds well to the idea, but really the timing for a guy like that is real difficult. I don’t expect him to make me a priority by any stretch of the imagination. I was lucky to connect with him and make a song with him before he kind of blew up. At this stage he’s a really busy guy and on the business end I can’t pay any of these guys what a major label artist can pay them. So if we end up getting a connect on the humble its always beautiful but I’m not offended if the timing doesn’t work out.” He continued, “My main priority is making sure the record sounds good. My priorities never been the name. But the reason a lot of these guys get names is because they know how to make a good sound. Whenever you have an opportunity to connect with one of the top producers of your era its always interesting to see what you come out with. And it always puts a little fire on you.”
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