Round and Round we go

Shouts to AB0181 (get subscribing to his Youtube channel) for the sterling camera and editing work, if you missed Louis Den Beat Cypher 07 you missed what was for me the best one yet, proving that alot of the under the radar cats are bringing serious heat that should be worrying the bigger names

Round 1 (Apatight, Naive, Dock Mini & Knox Brown)

Round 2 (Apatight, Naive, Dock Mini & Knox Brown)

Bonus - Open Beats with S-type and Jaisu

Beat Cypher 07 Pictures and a Brief History

A few pictures from Louis Den on Thursday night, all the producers were so on point. Massive thanks to all the people who traveled long distances for it, unheard of for a mid week hip-hop night! (Too many people to name but you know who you are) Enjoy the pics and if you missed it, it was definitely the best one yet, next live night will be December, line up is already looking strong but keeping it secret squirrel for the moment...

L-R Apatight, Naive, Dockmini and Knox Brown

Rtillery performing

Apatight and Naive
Kosyne
Jimmy Raygun (The rest of Tactical Thinking were stuck on the motorway)
Crowd hypeness
Air keyboard with AB0181 and Jon Phonics

AB0181 also put together a brief history of Louis Den

Louis Den Beat Cypher 07 Spotlight - Knox Brown

Next up we have Jamaican born Birmingham based Knox Brown, I got hip to Knox through Kelz, first heard him through a joint he produced on the dope Malik (of MD7) mixtape "Rappers Rapper". We did the whole "scoping out a new producer" thing and hit up dude on Myspace, we eventually linked and even got him into the lab for a couple sessions (Street Fighter 2 / Middle Eastern Beats) and as we're trying to showcase beats from Birmingham, Louis Den family and bigger names alike Knox was perfect to get involved.

Read about him below!.




1) Hey!!, please introduce yourself to everybody; let us know who you are what you do and how long you've been doing it!.
I’m Knox Brown; I am a Producer/Singer/Songwriter. I work part time as a sound engineer for an indie rock/jazz record company. I am also a student at University. I’ve been producing since um....when did music 2000 for Playstation come out? lol


2) Was there a defining moment (event / hearing a record etc) that led you into making beats / becoming a producer?.
I got into Hip Hop when I first heard Busta Rhymes’ “Dangerous”. My favourite rapper by the way but, I prefer the early-late 90’s Busta. I think I fell in love with Just Blaze’s beats when I heard Jay-Z’s Incredible (Produced by Just Blaze). I used to love JD’s Beats aswell but didn’t know it was him lol.


3) What was your first piece of equipment and what were those beats like?, any interesting stories about things were doing to begin with / finding your feet?
Tascam 4 Track connected to a Casio keyboard and an old dynamic microphone. I then moved on to Music 2000 for Playstation, Music Generator, and aswell as Ejay from a Kellogg’s cereal packet lol. I tried using fruity loops at one point liked it but, I went to college and found “REASON 2.5” (choir of angels) lol. And i have stuck with it ever since I’m now on Reason 4.


4) Whats the one bit of advice youd give to anyone starting out today?
Work with what you have. Master your equipment. Enjoy Music, Listen to different genres inspiration can come from anywhere.



Get At Knox On Myspace
Knox Brown Myspace

Louis Den Beat Cypher 07 Spotlight - Apatight

Tonight's the night!!, Louis Den Beat Cypher 07 lands at the Sunflower Lounge Birmingham 21:00 till late featuring beat showcases from Apatight | Dockmini | Knox Brown and Naive, gonna hit you off with the remaining spotlight blogs to get you more familiar with the nights line up, and now...Hudds finest, APATIGHT!.

I found out about Apz a long long time ago, always heard his name mentioned in producer circles but finally got round to hearing a sick beat mix on his myspace back in like '06 (stanned that off too...recording it off and bumping it in the whip lol). Apz ended up hitting up the odd Louis Den challenge and the 2008 league and its been on since!.



Hey!!, please introduce yourself to everybody; let us know who you are what you do and how long you've been doing it!.
Whats good peoples?

I go by the name of Apatight aka ayepee producer,beatmaker,crate digga think there is still an mc inside me somewhere ive been been making beats for about 10 years hmmm I dont think id call em beats before that im trying to be more of a producer these days.


Was there a defining moment (event / hearing a record etc) that led you into making beats / becoming a producer?.
Erm I think ive always been interested in the music and liked songs more for the beat I guess but I was just a young mc trying to put some tracks together with my spar from arround my way in deighton dint even have a computer myself but he made the beats dope but less sample based and I asked him how what is it that makes dj premier pete rock sound so different and he said they sample ...me I didnt really know what was so he explained and I was thats what im gonna do so I started making beats er cough cough, trying to make beats.

What was your first peice of equipment and what were those beats like?, any interesting stories about things were doing to begin with / finding your feet?
First things that got me going was a bunch of records and cds from various family members who had bits of old soul and rock lying around, cubasis not even vst soundforge.

I think it was vienna soundfont studio and with that I could sample bits and put them on keys using soundfonts I think those beats was like a new born deer or somethin taking its first steps the right idea just abit all over the gaff lmao we dint have the latest tech in a one speed cd burner so I use to go out the pc into the mic input on little stereo and do some hissy beats tapes.

Whats the one bit of advice youd give to anyone starting out today?
Advice if I even qualify to give it..

Try things, think different, learn from your idols with so many people making beats today everyone raps and everyone makes beats try and stand out and have your own signature

What can heads expect from you at LOUIS DEN BEAT CYPHER?
Heads can expect me to bring a taste of things to come in the near future, thanks for inviting me down im a fan and its a privilege to take part to what looks to be another dope louisden beatcypher!


Get At Apatight Online!
On Twitter (@Apatight)
On Myspace

Louis Den Beat Cypher 07 Spotlight - Naive

Okaay you know the deal with these, we usually try to do some "Spotlight" blogs when a beat cypher is approaching, so heres the first of our 4 spotlight blogs on Naive producer from all over the UK reppin the Tactical Thinking camp!!, read enjoy, digest and bag the free "produced by Naive" snippet reel joint typea jump off!.




Hey!!, please introduce yourself to everybody; let us know who you are what you do and how long you've been doing it!.
Yes Yes I’m Naïve – Dave to some! Did music Tech at college and Uni, been producing tunes since I was 14, but only getting any good till I was really 19! Really been making real hiphop for 8 years now I’m 26, always been into raw synths and vinyl, having built up nice collection over the years!

Was there a defining moment (event / hearing a record etc) that led you into making beats / becoming a producer?.
Couldn’t really point out any one thing that lead me to producing – just a love of music in general!

What was your first peice of equipment and what were those beats like?, any interesting stories about things were doing to begin with / finding your feet?
Used to make tunes on a crap pc with a freeware tracker program – had to enter each value of every thing you did, long winded stuff – but it did have sampler and synths built in for some craziness! Most tunes were pretty naf listening back now, but I was 14!

Whats the one bit of advice youd give to anyone starting out today?
Don’t worry if its shit to start with, practice makes perfect and you can’t write a banger every day! Get a cheap analouge synth as they’re loads of fun! And get in to record collecting and sampling its well worth the habit!

What can heads expect from you at LOUIS DEN BEAT CYPHER?
Slamming synthed out and sampled badness!


Free Naive Music!
Produced by Naive Mashup (mediafire)

Louis Den Beat Cypher 07 - 22nd Oct - Sunflower Lounge Birmingham

We're back again and in less than a week!!, time to get the promo train rolling!.





In August we had our second international guests in form of FS GREEN, SIR OJ and FULL CRATE (sharing DJ duties with CRO) SHEARS and URBAN MONK. We're bringing the Beat Cypher back home with this installment giving you the same quality fresh beats but a little closer to home!.

ON THE BOARDS
This time round the Louis Den fam come in the form of APATIGHT and DOCKMINI, Apatight is part of the up north collective "Groundwurq" and has production work for JEHST, MICALL PARKNSUN, JACK FLASH, PROFESSOR GREEN and more, expect nothing but heat from the huddersfield native!!. Also reppin louisden and Birmingham we have DOCKMINI the youngest in charge!!..at 19 he's one of the youngest members of the team to rep the beats; although based in Cardiff for studies now he's been a mainstay in the Louis Den lab for the past year or so for our Sunday sessions and has already taken part in showcases Louis Den has done for Blaporama (as part of Redbeards single launch earlier last month), he also already has a handful of credits to his name for local acts and has worked with LOWKEY Dock is putting in the work to become a name to watch on the production circuit.

We also have The Black Market's own KNOX BROWN, sick Jamaican producer based in Birmingham Knox has got a stack of heaters in the stash, with a real versatile sound and passion for production that spans many genres Knox is all about music as an all around artist in his own right too!! Seeking him out after a couple of name drops from mutual heads we got Knox down to the lab a few months back and he's took part in a couple of our weekly challenges..jumping at the chance to get down on the Beat Cypher; his style is perfect for it so expect to be entertained.

Finally reppin the Tactical Thinking crew we have NAIVE, a beast behind the boards we've known about Naive for sometime from Brum export DEADLINE and Louis Den legend MR DICK aka PETE CANNON, with Dick having repped a beat cypher previously and his crew now coming for a PA it only made sense to get some shine on this London based Hiphop/Electro producer..heads may not be hip to him (but we are) and with the iminent TACTICAL THINKING release (Too Broke To Go Solo) you will soon!.

ON THE MIC
We've got PA's from the hiphop collective TACTICAL THINKING..the crew consists of emcees Kid Genius, Deadline, Assa, Jimmy Raygun and Derogatory with help from Jay madden and Mic Dyson plus L.Lyracist and B.V.A and musical backdrops provided by NAIVE and MR DICK (aka PETE CANNON). The TT collective is actually formed from smaller groups Surreal Knowledge, The Three Amigos, Me and Him, Deadline & Mr Dick, under the banner of TACTICAL THINKING they've just dropped their new album TOO BROKE TO GO SOLO which serves a perfect introduction to the crew's talent.

Seeing as TT is bringing so much noise we figure theres only enough room for 1 more PA which will come in the form of Birminghams own PROFESSOR D & R.TILLERY. These two versatile emcees have been tearing up the Birmingham circuit for the last few years with an unrivalled performance energy being able to encorporate elements from HIPHOP, DUBSTEP, 4x4, ELECTRO and more..resident artists of the music agency PUNCH RECORDS these two have torn up stages up and down the country having performed with the likes of SKINNYMAN, DURTY GOODZ, SONNYJIM and even performed in hiphop/grime theatre colloborating with names like CHARLIE DARK and MARK DE CLIVE LOW, no doubt Pro D and Tizzy will tear it up!!!.

OPEN BEATS / BEAT BATTLE / DJ CRO
we've got the usual OPEN BEATS where producers of all levels are encouraged to bring some material to test the crowd reaction (3 beats max) and those feeling like they want to take something home can compete in the legendary BUCKS FIZZ BEAT BATTLE where names dawn out of a hat can compete for a bottle of bubbly and bragging rites as the Louis Den Bucks Fizz Beat Battle Winner!!...this time round prizes kindly come courtesy of BASEMENT SESSIONS and KING APPAREL, finally it wouldn't be a beat cypher with our very own DJ CRO providing the backdrop of hip-hop beats, breaks and treats inbetween the nights action.

*ARRIVE EARLY TO SIGN UP FOR OPEN BEATS, ONLY 3 BEATS MAX PER PRODUCER AND WE MAY HAVE TO REDUCE THAT NUMBER IF THERES A HUGE AMOUNT OF SIGN UPS (prefence is given to newer names)

* NO MP3 PLAYERS/PHONES/ DATA CD's FOR OPEN BEATS/BATTLE, sorry but its an ache to get all this sorted and the cables/pc's are for the showcased producers only...bring an audio CD or most likely its not happening!!.


Ok Now you know all the details we'll see you there!!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
LouisDen BeatCypher 07
Live Hiphop Production Showcase & Beat Jam
APATIGHT | DOCKMINI | KNOX BROWN | NAIVE
TACTICAL THINKING | PROFESSOR D & R.TILLERY
+open beats/beat battle/DJ CRO


22nd October 2009
Sunflower Lounge
76 Smallbrook Queensway
Birmingham
B5 4EG
9PM - LATE
£4.00 ENTRY BEFORE 10PM £5.00 AFTER
------------------------------------------------------------------


Spotlight blogs coming soon!.