JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
Kevin “K4S” Forrest, Professional Music Producer
(K4S Entertainment)
Bronx, New York native Kevin “K4S†Forrest has been an active beatmaker and producer since 2005. Self-taught and proficient at using FL Tools, Propeller’s Reason, Pro Tools, Mixcraft, Ableton Live and GarageBand, he is a hard working, gifted producer with a natural ear for talent.
With a production style inspired by beatmakers like 9th Wonder and Just Blaze, K4S has a “producer mentality†and often dissects the story that the beat tells before focusing on the lyrics. In 2007, he created K4S Entertainment to give other independent artists the opportunity to have their craft seen and heard. He has been fortunate to work with many great artists all over the world.
Joey Pinkney: What gives you the inspiration to create music?
Kevin “K4S” Forest: I draw my inspiration from story telling. When I produce a song, I see the story in my head. Everything I’ve ever made has a story to tell. The music allows me to help artists bring that story to life
JP: It’s a common misconception that producers only make the music. In terms of the final product, explain the role(s) to you play as a producer?
K4S: I have to wear different hats as a producer. Once the music has been created, I still have to mix it down. This requires hours of tweeking various sounds on both the left and right side of a given track. A beat doesn’t become useable until that process is completed.
Anyone can make a beat but a producer knows how to make that beat useable. Then there’s securing studio time for recording vocals, finalizing the track, negotiating contracts, even promoting the music. One song can make you a composer, arranger, engineer, manager, promoter and lawyer all in the same transaction.
JP: What producers inspired you to enter the music industry? What did you learn from them that help you in terms of the business decisions you make?
K4S: Wow, there are just so many of them. I would have to say 9th wonder, Alchemist, Just Blaze, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Dr. Dre and Notsucal. From a business standpoint, each one of these men showed me that you can’t stop at just making beats.
You have to continue to grow and turn yourself into a brand. They’re success showed me that you needed to be about more than beats and rhymes. They showed me it’s important to understand the business you are apart of.
JP: What are some notable projects you have worked on? Do you have an interesting story that has stemmed from it?
K4S: I’ve worked on projects for Kylito from United Kingdom, Prolific from Boston, MA, Mr. Al Pete from Jacksonville, FL, and Billy Madison Williams Jr from Pompano, FL, to name a few. Probably the most notable one with an interesting story behind it would have to be “The Ghost” with Mr. Al Pete from Jacksonville, FL.
The first time I met him I was producing an interview for Sexy in the City Magazine. We had been throwing around the idea in the interview about possibly working together. Now I didn’t think much of it because he’s a well-known dude and is on like a million projects. So it was funny when he called me and finally heard my beats. He put every other project to the side to team up with me on “The Ghost”. We knocked it out in less than 5 days. That track opened up people’s ears when it came to my music. I’m thankful to him for that. We created a classic.
JP: What’s next for Kevin “K4S” Forrest?
K4S: Right now I’m working on launching a new website, creating new music with my hip hop artist BAMN from Jacksonville, FL, and making K4S Entertainment one of the most well known music brands in the world.
More on Kevin “K4S” Forrest:
In the coming year, K4S will oversee the development of his own rap artist and the launch of his website that will serve as a hub for multiple topics related to music and entertainment. He is also slated to be the main producer for R&B/Gospel singer; Billy Madison Williams’ 2010 release the Billy Madison Williams Project. He will also produce tracks for UK artist Kylito and re-release of the street certified Kylito’s Way mixtape.
In addition to being a talented beatmaker, K4S also holds a BA in English Studies from the University of Albany. In 2003, K4S was offered a scholarship to study law at the Florida Coastal School of Law, which he accepted, relocating him to Jacksonville, Florida, where he currently resides.
He is also an Investor and Active Member of Connecting Our People, an organization founded to reduce the gap between the lower and upper class communities and has held the position as the Music Operations Manager for Sexy in the City Magazine.
Raised to believe in hard work and community, K4S’s motto is “United we ball, divided we starve†and is more than willing to put in work to achieve his own goals, while assisting others in doing the same. As his buzz increases and he adds more artists and accomplishments to his repertoire, the sky is not the limit for K4S, it’s the starting point.
http://www.tinyurl.com/k4sbeats
http://www.twitter.com/k4s_ent
http://www.myspace.com/k4sisdabest
http://bln.kr/9JB/
http://www.twiturm.com/profile/K4S_Ent
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