Interviews

Facetime with Dj Graymatter

by Julian Heughan aka 32french

In Portland, Maine Hip Hop has had a healthy resurgence, with people like Moshe, Brzowski, and Sontiago, and venues like Hip Hop Open Mic at the Big Easy on Monday’s, great hip hop seems to be here to stay. One such person has been seen at local clubs all around Portland, making people dance, and have a good time, playing at such venues as The Whiteheart, Big Easy, and The Northstar Cafe just to name a few. His name is Dj Graymatter a down to earth individual and one of Portland’s rising stars. Dj Graymatter has been quite successful in just a short amount of time mixing together a blend of hip hop, soul, funk, and club, he’s also been touted as one of the area’s newest producers.I recently sat down with the area’s soft spoken Dj/producer in his Portland apartment, for a little one on one.

(J-Dilla playing in the background)

32french: First let’s get to know you as a person. What is your birth given name?
Graymatter: Matthew Gray

32:Where are you from originally?
GM: Lewiston Me

32:How did you acquire the name Graymatter?
GM: It just made sense

32:A few questions about your origins. How did you get your start?
GM: I’ve always listened to Hip Hop, and I was living in San Diego, working for a general contractor and I just wanted a hobby, so after months of saving my money (laughs) , I finally was able to afford my first pair of turntables. I feel though the reason I was so interested in even spending the time and money to do this was that at that point I was listening to the Beat Junkies mixtapes, groups like Lootpack, and producers like Madlib. I’ve always been inspired by what those guys do.

32: Where and when was your first gig?
GM: The Whiteheart

32: That’s fairly recent right?
GM: Yeah, almost like 2 years ago, this July it will be 2 years that I’ve been playing out.

32: I figured you’ve been playing out for a while.
GM: For a long time I’ve had this setup in my apartment,and I’ve been practicing a lot. I wanted to actually know what I was doing before I went out there.

32: Who has been a major influence in your musical career?
GM: Well as I said earlier I got into production mainly because of listening to Madlib stuff, I then started getting all of the Stones Throw artists music, and just wanted to know where they got their breaks from. I think the more old records I buy, the more knowledge I gain, learning such things as who produced this funk track or recognizing the funky drummer on that track.

32: I know you play mainly Hip Hop and Funk/soul what else do you play/produce, and why?
GM:Well more Hip Hop, because it allows me to bring new life into the old records that I love. I find myself making beats for people to rap to. I just really like collaborating with people. When I hear someone rhyme over one of my beats it gives me a different and new perspective on what I’ve made.

32: When did you start producing?
GM: Around the same time, I did my first gig, about a year and a half ago.

32: Who have you enjoyed working with, and who do you look forward to working with in the future?
GM: I’ve definitely enjoyed collaborating with Nic (Nicotine is in the background laughing), he’s sitting right there I can’t front (laughs). Right now I’m working on a project with a friend of mine Rent from Dirt Coalition, we went to school together in Lewiston. I’ve always thought he was a great rapper, and wanted to work with him so imagine my excitement when he came at me a few months ago, wanting to collaborate on a project.

32: What are you using for equipment/software are you using for production, anything on your wish-list?
GM: Absolutely, I have things on my wish-list! Right now I’m using Ableton Live 6.0, a M-Audio Trigger Finger to trigger loops, and programming drums. I find myself chopping up WAV forms it just seems to go quicker. I guess one of the main things on my wish-list is an MPC. I’ve used other peoples in the past, and I feel it would elevate what I do even more.

32: Your favorite venue to play in Maine and abroad?
GM: Oh, well I’ve always had a great time a the Whiteheart, they’ve been really good to me, to be honest I have really played at a lot of places aboard, mainly just spots around here, but I’ve always had a lot of fun at the Whiteheart. Most of the things I’ve done have been at Hip Hop shows, and I’m backing somebody up, which is fine, but it’s not really about me, so it feels good to have a night where I can showcase my skills, and get the crowd jumping.

32: Recently you joined up with Channel Zero, tell me about what it is, and what you hope to accomplish as a contributing member?
GM: I would like to get down with the other artists that are in Channel Zero. I like what they do and I’m very interested in working on projects with all of them. Just another opportunity to get my name out there.

32: I’ve been told that you do a lot of community work especially with the art community, explain a little about that, and any other endeavours you may have?
GM: My girlfriend runs a gallery on Congress St (Four Walls Gallery), I forget the address I thinks it’s in the 5’s (laughs). I did do a mix Cd to support her “Girls, Girls, Girls!” show to benefit The American Breast Cancer Foundation. I also Dj at the North Star Cafe for their Spoken Word Night on Tuesday’s.

32: When your not making tracks or playing out, what can I find Graymatter doing with his time.
GM: Sleeping (laughs), I have a day job running a warehouse, and driving a truck, which takes up a lot of my time. A lot of my gigs are during the week, like a have a monthly at the Whiteheart which usually falls on a Tuesday, so buy the time I’m done with that I get out at about 2:00am and have to get up at 6:00am to got to work.

32: Glad I don’t have to do that!!
GM: (laughs)

32: Being a recognized Dj/producer in Maine is tough, especially because of all the talent that is here. You’ve had great success, explain your philosophy on what it takes to be a successful musician in this state.

GM: I think you have to find your niche. I think that one of the things that has helped me out is, I’m not just a Hip Hop Dj/producer. I’ll play crunk, I’ll play breaks, I’ll spin 80’s R n b love jams all night (laughs).

32: So you find it’s necessary to be diverse, than to stick to one specific genre.
GM: I thinks it helps, I feel it open your eyes, for instance since I’ve been making Baltimore Club tracks and playing it out with Nic, it’s made me look at making beats in a completely different way.

32: What does the future hold for Graymatter both as a man and as a musician?
GM (chuckles) Kind of a loaded question, uh well I’d like to play more Dj gigs out of town, and really putting out some club tracks, and get some gigs in New York and Baltimore. Its a little intimidating, but I’d really like to play in Baltimore in the near future.

32: I used to live outside Baltimore, I agree it can get pretty intimidating there.
GM (laughs) Yeah, its a little goal I’ve set for myself.

32: Any upcoming shows/events, tracks, guest spots, you wanna plug?
GM: I’m doing a gig at the Asylum for the BMP awards which I believe is May 7th

32: Sorry to interrupt you’ve also been nominated right? What category?
GM: Best Dj

32: OK, sorry just wanted to get that out there… continue
GM:It’s cool, I’m doing another show for the BMP awards at the Whiteheart on May 17th. I’m getting ready to do a little tour with Brzowski in June.

32: Haven’t you done some work with him?
GM: Yeah, he is using one of my beats in his next album, we’ve done a few tracks together, he’s putting together a mixtape which is at the mixdown stage, and one of my instrumentals is on there. Have you ever heard of Black Widow?

32: No, I haven’t enlighten me.
GM: They were one of the first Satanic rock groups, and this was before bands started using using heavy guitar distortion, so it’s all like weird flutes and chanting, along with driving drums. As a side note I’m currently remixing stuff from the entire album.

32: Finally, tell me something that few people know about you?
GM: I’m a big fan of Project Runway, my girl got me into it. It’s cool because they have these situations where they have to make something out of nothing.

32: Imagine if they had a show like that for producers.
GM Yeah, that would be awesome to have like 5 record and have to create something from those.
I could definitely be down with that.

32: Well that’s it. Thank you very much for your time.
GM: Cool (shakes my hand)

For more info go to myspace.com/djgraymatter

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