The Fixxers (DJ Quik & AMG) What do you get when you combine one of the most sought after producers and MC with one of the roughest rap star in the west? The Fixxers! Yes, DJ Quik and AMG have combined to bring us a birthday present including the brand new hit “Can U Werk Wit Dat”. You may remember DJ Quik from his classic like “Born and Raised in Compton” to producing artists like Jay-Z and TuPac and AMG for the classic jam “B***h Better Have My Money”. Now signed to Interscope, check out this exclusive interview as they speak on the new album, the new group, and working with Roger Troutman.
By William Hernandez
WHO?MAG: Talk to me about The Fixxers? AMG: The Fixxers is a group consists of me and Quik. We decided to do the group after he figured out he didn’t want to be a DJ and I no longer want to be a rapper. (laughs)
WHO?MAG: How did you guys get the deal with Interscope records?
AMG: We put the record out. We pushed it ourselves and got the radio spins. We got the attention of the companies; actually it was 2 companies on board. We were looking to make all types of connections with it. We finally picked the big dogs.
WHO?MAG: What can we expect on the album? QUIK: A party. It’s like a fun record. It’s not political or gangsta. It’s just fun music. It will sound West Coast in terms of clarity. Like rhythmic, real heavy bass laden. Direction-wise, lyrically it’ll be all around the world. You don’t want it to sound West Coast do you?
WHO?MAG: I want to sound like some DJ Quik stuff that I’m used to. QUIK: DJ Quik is done. I’ve over the whole DJ Quik thing. DJ Quik raps about blunts, gangsta shit, shooting niggas and fighting, Blood and Piruing. Doesn’t even work in real life anymore. DJ Quik will get killed doing that sh*t. Personally, I dropped DJ. I’m changed my whole thing. I’m not DJing anymore. I’m just motivated about different things. I’m over that old sh*t. Let’s make some new hot shit.
WHO?MAG: Who can we expect on the album as far as cameos? QUIK: Right now Jim Jones and Yung Joc. We haven’t really gotten a whole lot of people. We’re reaching out. It’s going to be a dope record and the guest who are going to be on there will make sense when placed in the right way.
WHO?MAG: How do you feel about the “Trauma” album? How did you get with TI for song you did on the album? QUIK: It’s a good album. But 81,000 units, that don’t really buy you no boat or a mansion. It was a good for the time that it came out. I just didn’t have the right people in place. “Trauma” is like one of my daughters that died. I gave birth to it and died. That’s what happened. I hooked up TI through Wyclef. He was dope on there. He kinda came across with a West Coast flow a la Snoop Dogg.
WHO?MAG: Equipment-wise what are you using right now Quik? QUIK: MPC’s 3000, 4000. Sometimes the 1000; depends on how I feel. The MC909 Roland Groovebox, SP-1200. Just the drum machines. The Boss Dr. Rhythm 606 as far as keyboards. I have used just about everything. Any keyboard you’ve ever heard we got it. If it’s not in software it’ll be in hardware.
WHO?MAG: AMG, how did you get signed with Select records back in the early 90s? QUIK: I heard that. That’s a good question. AMG: They didn’t have no record labels out here (LA). All the sh*t we made. We used to send it back to New York and they bid.
WHO?MAG: Quik, what do you remember most about being on Profile records? QUIK: I remember Corey Robbins had some real high pants on. He was dope. The nicest person in the world. He just wore his pants too high.
WHO?MAG: Of all your albums which is your favorite and why? QUIK: My favorite is “Rhythmalism” because I blended hip hop and R&B so well. El Debarge came on, G was there as well, 2nd II None, and Stan “The Guitarman” Jones, who is infamous for all the N.W.A guitar stuff. Like “Gangsta Gangsta”, “If it Ain’t Ruff it Ain’t Me”. Just a great great record to me. And I was working with Clive Davis. I couldn’t have been happier. I love the man.
WHO?MAG: Talk to me about the Penthouse Players Clique album that you guys did on Ruthless records? QUIK: It was a street record and street records have to take legs on their own to be credible. I don’t think that Eazy [E] could have did anything better for the record. They could shot more videos, put out more singles, and try to attack radio. But if the streets don’t gravitate towards it, then it’s kind of like beating a dead horse. It wasn’t a bad record. Probably bad timing more than anything else. When that record came out, things started to change a little bit in the industry. It got caught in one of those weird moments to put out some sh*t. You can’t expect everything to hit the center of the dart board. Sometimes it’s going to scrape off the rail and fall to the ground. It’s natural.
WHO?MAG: How’d you hook up 8ball and MJG? QUIK: I liked their music when they were on Suave House. We kind of had a friendship when they used to come out here. I think I’ve meet them on the tour circuit. I let them hear a track and they liked the “Buckhouse” track. We ended up recording that and another record.
WHO?MAG: Is there any artist that you haven’t worked with that you would like to work with? QUIK: Yeah sure, Aaliyah and Jim Morrison. Those are the people I want to work with that are not here no more.
WHO?MAG: What do you remember most about working with Roger Troutman? QUIK: Roger was an incredible electronic man. One of the most smartest creative people I’ve ever met in my life and quite honestly the best R&B guitarist I’ve ever seen personally, period. He was fun to be around because he had the soul of a child; not like that of a clown. But of a child, he was a happy man.
WHO?MAG: Your thoughts on bootlegging? QUIK: I’m just glad it’s starting to get some attention. Bootlegging used to take around 20 percent of our adjusted income back in the day, but now it’s so big that you don’t have to buy records. You just download it. It’s a big old scary thing I think if you make the right record. I don’t think Dr. Dre or 50 [Cent] and them worry about bootlegging. I love how Dre does it. He uses it to his advantage. He’ll leak records right on the internet and people can download it listen to it and realize that they like it and buy it anyway. You just got to turn it into what you want it to be.
WHO?MAG: I got your DVD “Visualism”. Do you plan to put anymore out? QUIK: I was real emotion on that DVD. Sometimes bad things happen and we don’t know how to deal with them. I don’t think I dealt with all my tragedies right and I allowed it to be filmed. I think as a DJ, I was bungling around a little bit, hoping people give me love. Now a few years later, I’m not bungling around doing nothing. I’m having the time of my life and I’m demanding my respect from people. We’d be quicker to do a reality show than to do another DVD.
WHO?MAG: What’s up with Hi-C? QUIK: Nothing. He’s a bum let’s go. If we’re not talking about him, like Suga Free and all that, you shouldn’t bring it up. They’re no where involved in the picture. If they were to come I wouldn’t really want to do the project. AMG: Fix the questions.
