In our last interview, Nutta Butta spoke about his early life and how he got his start. Part 2 will reveal why he decided to take a hiatus from the industry, why he decided to try a different career path
Reviews & Dunn: In addition to being a staple in the nineties, on Teddy Riley produced remixes. I understand that you also did some ghostwriting. Can you tell us some of the artists you ghostwrote for?
Nutta Butta: The idea of ghostwriting is to be a ghost and allow the artist to be at the helm and make the magic happen with the lyrics you come up with. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t reveal or talk in-depth about the people I had the pleasure of scribing for. But these are from a few years ago and is pretty much public knowledge. I had the pleasure of scribing for Markell Riley, Will Smith, who kept it real and invited me to the set of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I will share that on another occasion, and I had the pleasure of contributing some bars on the MC Hammer’s Funky Headhunter project. Can we say units sold!!!!
Reviews & Dunn: You were the featured guest on Janet Jackson’s remix of “Go Deep.” How was the experience working with Janet in the studio?
Nutta Butta: Working with double J was amazing, I think! Technology changed by then, and the track was up. While I had the opportunity to shine with a legend, but she wasn’t present in the studio
Reviews & Dunn: In 1998, you release your debut single “Freak Out,” which featured Teddy Riley & someone named Anonymous. How did it feel to have the lead on a song finally?
Nutta Butta: A lot was going on at that time, and my end with the camp was coming, so recording wasn’t pleasant. However, the video shoot was awesome; I mean, the set vibe was amazing. It was my show, and I enjoyed every moment of it!
Reviews & Dunn: After twenty-two years, can you reveal who Anonymous was?
Nutta Butta: Just reading this question makes my stomach hurt; two decades later, it still makes me sick! Wrap your mind around this, the most famous person of the camp, the head producer, the Guy, hint, hint. Well he has the not so bright idea that it would be in the best interest of the song not to share that Wreckx-N-Effect is the guest on the song. Because DJ’s may not play it because in his mind they haven’t had a hit record in some time! Huh?!!! Yeah! What a way to encourage the team!
Reviews & Dunn: As 1998 comes to a close, you were a featured guest on David Miller’s song “Hard to handle” but without an album of your own. Why wasn’t your album ever released?
Nutta Butta: This is the business of music, although it’s often referred to as the music business. Just because we make good music doesn’t mean we do good business. I guess soft talking, producing records, counting bars, and reading music notes is a lot simpler than artist management and accounting. If I’m not mistaken, the last royalty statement I received was around 1996. Yep! Yep!
Reviews & Dunn: While you took a brief hiatus from the music, I understand that you took the time to earn a college degree. Can you tell us what kind of degree you have and how you started to work with at-risk youth?
Nutta Butta: I’m a hustler! I worked hard and gave my all; I trusted someone who came from where I came from! I entrusted my career and royalties in the hands of someone I looked up to and someone I believed in. Someone I argued about in barbershops and the hood, someone I was proud of and who I thought was one of the greatest producers in the world. Someone who claimed to have been robbed in the game knew and understood the wrong in it. WELP!! Are you going to starve or you going to eat? I’m not starving for anybody! I was not too fond of music, and I couldn’t trust another soul after the New Jack swindle. I went to college and obtained my Bachelor’s degree in Communications. Working with at-risk youth is regular; we all were at-risk youth! You live in the hood you’re at risk! You’re under a certain economic bracket you’re at risk! If you have access to the internet, you are at risk! Man listen, young people are exposed to far more than what I was exposed to as a kid; it’s a lot of information to take in and process. It was easy for me to go in that direction because I understand, I get it, and it was a solid move for me on many levels.
Reviews & Dunn: How did you link up with my good friend DJ Soulchild to form the remix bullies?
Nutta Butta: Through FB, we connected, and I dropped a verse on a Miguel Adorn remix that he produced. I called myself the remix bully in the verse, Soulchild caught it, liked it, and asked could he use it, and we decided to form the Remix Bullies.
Reviews & Dunn: In 2012, you quietly released “Let’s Go.” What was the inspiration behind that song?
Nutta Butta: I felt the music bug again. So many people would ask me what’s up with the music, and they missed my vibe. So it was a stop the excuses and make some music, let’s go!
In the final part of our interview, Nutta Butta will reveal his thoughts on the current state of hip hop, his future musical plans, and who he would love to collab with.
my latest interview guest Vocalz Iz. The singer has just embarked on his latest business venture and took out the time to chop it up with me.
One of the greatest things in life is when you can interview one of your on-line friends as they live out their dreams. Shout out to my man Denny “DJ Soulchild” Sutton who blessed my platform with an interview.
Hip Hop Head and author Justin Jones is currently in the final writing stages of his second book ‘Hip Hop Was Dead: The State of the Culture 2003-2007’. That book covers a 5-year era of Hip-Hop and how the culture was affected during that period. Mr. Jones took some time out, though, to chat with me about his debut book Street Dreaming: Reading Nas’ It Was Written.
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