Producer and DJ, Kronic, has been all over the world. I mean, he is from Australia. Being in the music game for years, he know what it takes to make a happy career out of doing what he loves. He has worked with artists such as Tyga, Lil Jon and most recently, Havana Brown.
We caught up with Kronic via email and you could really tell how great of a personality he has. We can’t forget to mention, his music is nothing short of awesome. Check out what he had to say about his career below:
1. First off, where does the name Kronic come from? It’s such a strong/awesome word. Does it reflect your personality?
I grew up on West Coast hip hop and mixtapes. If you’ve ever heard DJ mixtape from that era, especially from guys like Rectangle, you’ll hear that they’ll sample words and phrases from records and flip it into a statement. I kept hearing the word ‘kronic’ in all these classic records, and I though i’d be a good sample to get creative with.
Lot’s of people assume it’s a weed thing, but that’s not what it’s about. While I enjoy smoking as much as anyone else, it doesn’t define me as a person or an artist.
2. When did you first fall in love with music? Do you ever imagine yourself doing anything besides producing?
I fell in love with music as a teenager, and it really took over when I started DJ’ing house parties. I was excited just to being able to make a living DJ’ing, and back then, I couldn’t imagine that I’d be producing records at all, let alone for artists that I looked up to. Before I was a full time DJ, I was driving fork lifts, so I guess that’s what I would have been doing if never worked out for me.
3. You’ve worked with artists such as Havana Brown, Tyga and Lil Jon…what was it like and how do you get a feel for different artists’ taste?
Havana and I have been friends since we both started our careers, so knowing her taste was easy. We worked on Bullet Blowz at her house, so we able to bounce ideas of each other and create something together.
With Lil Jon, I’ve been a big fan of his since I’ve been DJ’ing, and I’ve been using his vocals for my own edits for years. He told me he wanted to work on some twerk stuff, and the first beat I send him became “Bend Ova.” It was until months later that he surprised me with that Tyga verse. Tyga and I chatted a while ago about doing some more stuff, but we haven’t had a chance to really go in yet. I’ve got some ideas for him, we gotta make it happen.
4. Your Facebook “About me” really made me laugh with the “Genre: Cool Shit!” part. What do you bring to the table that other producers don’t? You’re special for a reason! (You can talk highly of yourself here without any judgement 🙂 )
I’d forgotten all about that description! As a producer, I feel like a bring an understanding of different musical worlds than most. Great EDM producers are masters of creating unique, interesting sounds that really work in a club or a festival stage, but don’t necessarily know how to translate that energy outside of the club. On the other hand, a lot of the great hip hop producers don’t understand the dynamic of club music. I grew up on hip hop, but I’ve spent the last 3 years producing and performing club music, so I get the balance. I get it, Lil Jon gets it. That’s why Bend Ova is dope.
5. With music being a big part of your life, how do you balance your career versus personal life?
Fuck a vacation I feel better at work.
6. Do you have any interesting rituals you go through before a show? For example, I would probably take a quick nap, eat hot wings and drink a few beers to get in the zone. Is your ritual anything like mine?
I wish I had a rock star answer for this, but I still get a little nervous before each show. Not because I doubt myself, but because I want to make every show the best performance I’ve ever done. When I’m on stage, that’s my sole purpose, and I take that responsibility very seriously. I don’t take too much else seriously, go figure.
I do enjoy wings and naps, but that’s more of a post show ritual.
7. Tell us about a favorite memory throughout your career. You know, something that sticks in your brain.
I don’t know if everyone will agree with, but about a year ago, Justin Beiber uploaded instagram previews of some records he’d been working on, and in the middle of all these R&B joints, there was this 15 second video of him singing over one of my beats. I still have no idea if this song will ever come out, but just the fact that he recorded it will always stick with me. That song is dope, I hope it happens.
8. It’s mid-2015 (weird…where has the time gone?) We know you have big plans coming up so share some of your events with us!
This year is flying by damn. I’m pretty sure my label would like me to plug my upcoming records, but since Sup Girl is my label, fuck it. My Asian tour. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most. I’ve played a few shows in Korea and Japan earlier in the year, and the crowds there were something special. We’re still confirming dates, but it’s going to be sick! I can’t wait.
9. You’ve been DJing since 2001 and with everything becoming digital, a lot of artists are known to be pre-producing their “live” shows. Does it bother you how a lot of artists get shit for not “actually” DJing their shows? I have talked to plenty of artists who get mad over it and seriously lose sleep over it.
I don’t give a fuck actually. Either you have a good time with, or you don’t. I’m live in every sense of the word, and anyone who’s been there can tell you the same. It’s the same as people accuse me of having ghost producers – I couldn’t care less. Speaking of, ghost producer is a stupid term.
10. Lastly, what advice would you give someone striving to be as awesome as you in the music industry?
First things first, set the bar higher than my level of awesomeness. Even if you look up to me, you gotta aim higher. My major piece of advice is to have patience and run your own race. Everyone has their own path to success, just because someone else’s climb is faster doesn’t mean you won’t get there.Kronic will be in Chicago on June 21st performing at ROOF on theWit. Get your tickets and check out his music here!
Listen to his latest track with Havana Brown titled “Bullet Blowz” below:
Gowhere Hip Hop 