Syncronaut Beat Squad
Cleveland, Ohio, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Nodfactor.com:So why the name Rough Draft?
Rough Draft: I used to be a graf artist in high school. My tag was KAOS back then. One day I was sitting in English class and had the most boring teacher ever, man. So we had to do a book report and she kept talking about the importance of the Rough Draft. I started tagging it and it looked good on paper so I changed my name. Today, I spell it Rough D.r.a.f.t.: Draft=Distorted.Reverberated.Amplified.Filtered.Thumpin’ .A lot of people have my name so I had to make it slightly different.
Nodfactor.com I like the “Watching Her Strut” beat on your Myspace page. How much of that is sampled and how much is played? if any?
Rough Draft
All of it is played.
Nodfactor.com
Nice. with?
Rough Draft
REASON and my laptop. No Midi controller, just the mouse pad. I input everything note for note.
Nodfactor.com
When did you first start producing and did you have any mentors?
Rough Draft
I first started making beats in ’93. I had a few mentors in the city. Jazmarc, Robbie Mann and Moe Tex. All those guys used the SP1200 and taught me. I bought my own SP in 1994. I consider those guys Cleveland legends to this day.
Nodfactor.com
I’ve read a lot of different stories about learning the SP. Some people actually read the manual, others were coached and some just jumped in blind. What did you do?
Rough Draft
I literally stayed up for 24 hours straight. When I bought my SP all I had was a ton of disks from my guys and a pair of headphones. That’s it. Jazmarc jokes about that even now. I was a fiend, man.
Nodfactor.com
Before you became a teen…93 seems like a million years ago now. What were your next moves after learning the SP?
Rough Draft
After I learned the SP, I bought the Ensoniq ASR-10 and MIDI’d them together. I used to do my filtered samples and basslines in the ASR, and had the drums thumpin’ out the SP. I put out an underground demo named “Uptight City” in ’94. People still talk about that demo today. I was doing a lot of performing and battling back then and earned my rep that way.
Nodfactor.com
Battling as an MC and as producer or just production?
Rough Draft
Was also doing a lot of production for local artists out of the small studio I had in East Cleveland. I do both, so I was getting at dudes on the mic and on the beats.
Nodfactor.com
When did you move to NYC?
Rough Draft
July of 2001.
Nodfactor.com
Was that a productive move for you? Music wise?
Rough Draft
It was more of a valuable life experience for me. I was up there with a wife and four kids at the time, so my urgency to make money was on a whole different level. More than often my music took the back burner for things that got me faster cash. I met Lord Finesse in the Bronx though. I think he’s one of the most down to Earth brothas in the industry.We kept in contact for a few months before I moved to VA.
Nodfactor.com
Say word? Ok. Did you guys share any production experiences?
Rough Draft
I left a few beats CD’s with him. He told me he felt me but that my sound was behind the times. Most of the time when I talked to Finesse, I was talkin’ to Rob…feel me? The few times we spoke was about life in general and not so much about the music. He’s a great dude.
Nodfactor.com
That’s what’s up. What did you think of his advice though? About being behind the times?
Rough Draft
I agreed with him and he was right. I moved to New York about 10 years too late. When I got there, I was still crankin’ out the old Pete Rock, old Large Pro, old Dilla sound. The whole emphasis of Hip Hop had changed to being ‘Gangsta’, and the sound had changed along with it. So I had to get up to speed on the current sound. It helped me grow as a producer. Now I can give an artist any sound he wants.
Nodfactor.com
What adjustments did you make sonically? Sampling less? Sampling different things?
Rough Draft
Tempo was a main adjustment. The sound texture was another. Less grit and more of a clean sound is what I switched to. NO JAZZ! LOL! Cats in the streets was not tryin’ to hear no jazzy beats. I started sampling from different sources than Jazz records. Started messing with rock, etc.
Nodfactor.com
Tell me about the beat battles you attended. Were those helpful in advancing your career at all?
Rough Draft
Honestly no. The first beat battle I was in was at CBGB’s Lounge and it had an all-star panel of judges. Finesse, Primo, Diamond were there, and I think Hank Shocklee was too among others. The judges wanted to see you actually push MPC pads and improvise on stage. I was one of the dudes who just had a beat CD though…no MP. So I blew out this dude in the first round but got taken in the 2nd because that brotha was doing things live on the MP for the judges.At Nuyorican and 5 Spot it was a different story.
Nodfactor.com
How so?
Rough Draft
At those battles I was outnumbered terribly. It was guys that had what I felt were garbage beats but had they whole damn neighborhood in the spot. So in those battles based on crowd response, I came up short every time.I didn’t come to the battle with no more than 3-4 people.
Nodfactor.com
yeah, I’ve been to the Nuyorican battles before. That crowd judging is a little suspect LOL
Rough Draft
So you know how it can be!
Nodfactor.com
Definitely
Rough Draft
Still was a learning experience though. Taught me showmanship. A lot of times the crowd want to see more than you just push and button and let your beat play. They want to feel your presence and personality.
Nodfactor.com
Yeah, the Fight Club cats were doing Beat club like that for a minute cats were PERFORMING on their MPCS. Was around 2005.
Rough Draft: I had just moved to VA by then.
Nodfactor.com Tell me about your crew the Synconauts
Rough Draft
My Brothas Jazmarc came up with the name about a year and a half ago. Were were part of a much, much larger collective called The Soulful Senate. Over the years things happened to members. Death, Jail, some just stopped rhymin’ and gave up on the dream. We stayed close like brothers though. It’s me, Jaz and Dominator. Jazmarc taught both of us how to make beats back in the day. Since then we have evolved into out own distinct sounds. Into our own. All three of us pull double duty on the mic and on the beats. Jaz uses the 3000 for most of his stuff, Dominator uses the 4000, and I use REASON now. I have CD’s of beats I did on the SP, the 60, and the 2000 though.
Nodfactor.com
You’ve done some music related things to pay the bills over the years. How did you get into the sound editing and voice over work?
Rough Draft
My kids used to dance at Uptown Dance Academy in East Harlem. They do a production every Christmas called The Black Nutcracker. They found out that I do music and we worked out a deal for me to do all the music editing for their productions. I used to be on the Connex List, an industry contact list provided by DJ Sonic and Lord Vader of the Wonder Twinz. I got the voice over work from being listed in there.
Nodfactor.com
wow
Rough Draft
I used to sell CD’s on Times Square from time to time, too. That, and at a couple of Bronx barber shops.
Nodfactor.com
I probably gave you the Heisman a few times not even realizing LOL
Rough Draft
Nothing has changed..I’m still looking for ways to get my music placed and earn income.
Ad agencies, Rocbattle.com, dance theatres..whatever. However I can get it out there and get paper.
Nodfactor.com It’s good that you are thinking outside of the record business. Because I think there is more money in advertising than records these days.
You hear the beats on some of these GMC ads?
Rough Draft: Man, I would LOVE to get music on one of these commercials. The car could be ugly, I don’t care.
Nodfactor.com There is a producer, Wendell Hanes that put out a book called The 30 30 Career. You should check it out
Nodfactor.com
Bet. So what’s on deck for 2010?
Rough Draft
I have the OK the release a few instrumental albums on the Cleveland based indie label ClevelandTapes. My guy Rafiq runs the label and seems to have a pretty talented, diverse roster. My music will be available for download online. I’m also in the process of posting beats to Rocbattle.com to see what that’s about. It would be cool if I could make a couple of dollars on there. I’ve been writing new songs to perform live. That way I can sell CD’s at the shows. I’m excited about the whole process of writing and performing again. The advertising thing is what I’m really pushing for this year though. I want my music in commercials and film, man. That’s looooong money right there.
- Jerry Barrow for Nodfactor.com
Ohio based crew Syncronauts come through with a joint that’s “bound to wreck your body!” Chain Reaction appears on their freshman album Syncronauticus and they completely flip this beat to create a joint that would make George Benson proud. Looking for a new crew to add to your playlist? Check these brothers out
- BamaLoveSoul.com
REAL PHRESH MUSIC is a small label from New York with a BIG sound. Rough D.R.A.F.T.’s is their new producer. His remix from Common hit “I used to love H.E.R” is here to proove it.
Rough D.R.A.F.T.’s manage to give a new life to the track without altering the original.
The artwork of Lemon37 from Switzerland. He is one of the DOPEST Graphic Designers around. and honestly, I couldn’t agree more. You can see it also on Incksalonius designs for Pimpstress and now for Rough D.R.A.F.T.’s upcoming release “Decibel Meters” (coming this Fall).
- Uncut Hip Hop (The Netherlands)
For those of you familiar with http://realphresh.com, you should be familiar with Rough Draft ( debut LP ‘Decibel Meters’ on http://realphreshmusic.bandcamp.com ). Composer and Producer Rough Draft went back home to Cleveland, Ohio over the weekend and teamed up with his original crew; Syncronauts Beat Squad.
I’ve had the pleasure of vibin’ with SBS member JazzMarc recently who sent me a billions beats to listen to. I must say that I’m pretty hype about the new LP the guys are working on and I can’t wait to share it with ya’ll (when it drops….of course). For a sample of the Cleveland sound, check:
- Incksalonius (REAL PHRESH MUSIC / Brooklyn / Bronx, New York)
Straight outta Cleveland, the producer, dj and emcee known as Rough Draft as put together a dope little EP for free download. Chill instrumentals, with a couple raps here and there. Great stuff overall, definitley worth the download.
- DJ Ian Head / Everydaybeats.net (Brooklyn, New York)
Shabazz Palaces: “Black Up” (Sub Pop, 2011)
Khingz: “Khake & Khool-Aid” EP (Fresh Chopped Beats/MadK, 2010)
The Collapsible Mammals: “The Collapsible Mammals” (Dinner Party Records, 2007)
Oddisee: “Odd Seasons” (Mello Music Group, 2011)
The Grouch: “Fuck the Dumb” (Legendary Music, 1998)
Clams Casino: “Instrumental Mixtape” (Self released, 2011)
Rough D.R.A.F.T.: “Decibel Meters” (Real Phresh Music, 2010)
Bosko: “The Good Life Movement” (Net King, 2009)
The Physics: “Three Piece” EP (Self Released, 2010)
Evolve-One: “Faded” EP (Self Released, 2011)
- Dead Magazine (Germany)
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
The Syncronauts was established in 2007 by Jazzmarc, Dominator and Rough Draft.
Based in Cleveland,Ohio ,The Syncronauts specialize in music production, song writing, and sound engineering.
With each member possesing his own unique sound, The Syncronauts are capable of producing a very wide range of music.
Syncronaut members Jazzmarc and Dominator also make up the rap duo UHB, which is short for “University of Hardballers.”
Formed in 1992, UHB has worked tirelessly to maintain a high standard of music creation and performace. To date, the duo has one EP and six LP’S in their catalog.
Being skilled and sought after composers of electronic music, Jazzmarc, Dominator, and Rough Draft each have their own list of production credits.
The genres of projects they have contributed to include Gospel, R&B, Hip Hop, Rock, Techno, New Jazz, Afro-Beat, Dance Hall, and Neo Soul.
The group has completed their freshmen album entitled “Syncronauticus,” and is currently working on their sophomore album to be released soon on their record label, SyncTone Records.
Three musicians. One focus. That focus is to create enjoyable, souful music with depth and purpose. That's music done the Syncronaut way.
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INDIVIDUAL BIO-Jazzmarc
Jazzmarc...if you know anything about the hip-hop scene in Cleveland, then this name should be familiar to you. After all, he has consistently put in work as a producer and an emcee for over 20 years. His self-owned and operated Soulful Senate Studios has been and still is a hotbed for gifted artists to lay down tracks.
As a producer, Jazzmarc sports a sound that's hard to categorize. His tracks run the gamut from gangsta to jazzy, from cipher-ready battle beats to champagne-poppin club bangers. He works off of the Akai MPC series, from 60 to the 60 II, as well as the 2000 and the 3000. Along with an impressive array of keyboards and sound modules he's able to keep his sound ever-evolving and fresh, earning him work with the likes of Hank Shocklee (Bomb Squad), Layzie Bone (Bone Thugs-n-Harmony), and 350 (formerly of the Scarface spinoff group Facemob).
He also produced the club smash "Boodie Bounce" for regional powerhouse 71 North, further proving his versatility. Jazz's own group University of Hardballers, a duo consisting of he and fellow producer/emcee Dominator, have released an EP and six albums. He's also produced for a wealth of local artists. As an emcee, he cites KRS-One, Biz Markie, and the X-Clan's Brother J as his early influences while he cites DJ Mark The 45 King, Marley Marl, and Prince Paul as his early production influences.he is now apart of the production group the syncronauts.
INDIVIDUAL BIO-Dominator
Producing, rhyming, songwriting, even singing. All of these talents are possessed by Dominator, who in true school of hard knock fashion, earned his name by being able to do all of the aforementioned activities...well. Also known as Dom Syncro, he was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. His upbringing in a home filled with music allowed him to draw influences from hip-hop, jazz, rock, and soul, all of which show up in his production style in some form or another. This gives Dom's tracks an uniqueness along with the much sought after commercial appeal that creates hits.
As a recording artist, Dom has quietly amassed quite a body of work. As one half of University Of Hardballers, along with fellow group member Jazzmarc, they have independently released an EP and five albums, with a sixth one scheduled to be released later in 2012. He is also a member of The Syncronauts, which also consists of Jazzmarc, long time friend and fellow producer/emcee Rough Draft, and Dom Syncro himself. This talented trio is releasing their debut album as a unit, "Syncronauticus" in spring 2012.
Dom has lent his production talents to numerous hip-hop and r&b artists in his native Cleveland, as well as working with artists from New Jersey to North Carolina. After spending more than half of his life dedicated to creating music, he's just as hungry today as he was when he discovered his gift. A gift he's eager to share with lovers of great music all over the world.
INDIVIDUAL BIO-Rough D.R.A.F.T
D.R.A.F.T(Distorted-Reverberated-Amplified-Filtered-Thumpin’) is bringing the sound of tomorrow to the masses.
A native of East Cleveland Ohio, the artist / producer began making beats in 1993 on his first drum machine, the E-mu SP1200. Shortly after mastering chopping samples and making beats on the SP, he purchased the Ensoniq ASR-10 keyboard sampler. The two legendary samplers, a TASCAM four track Portastudio, a microphone, and a DAT machine would serve as his first studio set up.
From 1994 to 2000 he recorded demos for numerous rap acts in the Greater Cleveland Area, while performing his own songs live in local coffee shops and bars. In July of 2001, Rough D.r.a.f.t moved to New Yo
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