12 Finger Dan & Soulbrotha

DYNO: My diggin' brother from another mother BEAT DETECTIVE caught up with 12 FINGER DAN this week about the forthcoming vinyl from these heavy digging dudes. The LP is entitled....well, let me pass to BD....



BD - Dan ... tell us about the new SOULBROTHA - COLLECTORS ITEM LP?

12 FINGER DAN - The Collector's Item is a straight boom bap hip hop album which is entirely produced by me and my soulbrotha B-Base from Hamburg/Germany. It's available on CHIEFROCKER RECORDS as a double vinyl limited-edition with 500 copies worldwide. If features several artists from the states and Europe like DJ Premier, Sadat X, Craig G, Blaq Poet, Nut-Rageous and many many more.

BD - How did you connect with the mc's on the lp - Craig G,Sadat X these are some legendary mc's?

12 FINGER DAN - Yeah BD, it's crazy for us to have these legends on our album. It's a good feeling man! Our man CEE DA CUBAN from Poor Pocket Muzik from Queens who is on the lp as well made the collabos with Nut-Rageous, Craig G, Sadat X, QU, Kyron and Blaq Poet possible.

BD - You produced "Nuts & Screws" for Nut-rageous how did you link with him?

12 FINGER DAN - I got connected to CUBAN through the releases of NUT-RAGEOUS. My man THORBEN aka DJ MIGHTY THOR gave me some information about NUT and man i love NUT-RAGEOUS! So i ordered some copies of his EP and 12inches and so i got connected to CUBAN who does the management for him. I wanted to have Nut on the Collector's Item, so i agreed with Cuban for a collabo and when it came true, he offered us to do some more joints for our album with the other great MCs as well. And that's how it came true.

BD - what equipment do you use to make your beats and why is it important to you to keep the art of sampling alive?

12 FINGER DAN - I use the SP1200, the S900, the S950, the S3000XL and the MPC2000XL for my productions. I got the ESI 32 and some other samplers as well, but the main thing in my beats is undoubtedly the SP1200! I love the sound and the groove of this machine. My studio is equipped with analogue stuff only. For the mixdowns i got my Mackie 32/8 Mixer. I couldn't imagine to make beats without samplers because that's the foundation of hip hop. And to my mind the most important thing is the sound. You gotta have to find them right sounds. I'm not digging keyboard or synthesizer-sounds, it has to be soulful and funky. Just like BDP said: Making funky music is a must! So that's why we're still digging, because the sounds that we love were made in the 60's and 70's.

BD - Word, with a name like 12FINGERDAN you must be hittin' those crates hard right?

12 FINGER DAN - Haha, yeah 12 Fingers get's more dustier than 10!


BD - Tell us about Chiefrocker Records ?

12 FINGER DAN - CHIEFROCKER RECORDS is an independent label from Hamburg/Germany who belongs to the oldschool dj MARIUS No. 1. He founded it in 1998 and the Collector's Item is the 10th release on it. We know Marius for a long time and he was down by supporting us with the release of the album. Big shout out to the Chiefrocker!

BD - So where can we buy the lp?

12 FINGER DAN - You can CHECK OUT THE SOUNDCLIPS and order directly on our website www.soulbrotha.de or hit your local store. Maybe they got some copies as well!

BD - whats else are you working on at the moment?

12 FINGER DAN - First of all, i will get back to the lab and do some new beats. I hope that we can catch somebody..s attention with our album. I..m down to work with everyone, if the flava is right. As far as the releases go, the next thing that will follow is the“ Gryme Tyme“ LP from the FREESTYLE PROFESSORS where i did a joint on it. And a new project with Branesparker will come up soon. And of course my man NUT-RAGEOUS comes up with new stuff where i did some cuts on it.


BD - mad props for stoppin' by... and good luck with the album. Any shout outs?

12 FINGER DAN - Thanks for having me on this interview BD. Big shouts to everybody who is supporting ourselves and our music. And don't forget: The groove gots to crackle like pan-frying a piece of ham (by GRANDWIZARD THEODORE)!!

Get your dusty fingers on a copy right here>>> www.soulbrotha.de

BEAT DETECTIVE