12/10 Roc Marciano releases his Producer Compilation album "Marci Beaucoup"
Off the heels off his free mixtape "The Pimpire Strikes Back" (Download it for free here( use in house link on our site) ) which came out last month, Roc is back at it with his "Marci Beaucoup" which highlight his vast skill for production and working with a wide array of artists.
For almost three years, Roc has plugged away at what he calls, “An album that wasn’t all about me, but more of a project that was about how other artists sounded on my beats.” Those guests include Action Bronson, Cormega, Freeway, Evidence, Blu, as well as AG Da Coroner and many more. The last is Marci’s first signing as VP of A&R at Man Bites Dog Records, the same respected label responsible for the LP.
Marciano hopes to gain recognition as the latest in a long line of championed MCs and beat-providers. “It’s the music I grew up loving,” he says of double-threat Hip-Hop. “Q-Tip, EPMD, Rakim, Ultramagnetic MCs—all of those artists, they weren’t just rappers. They were involved in their sound and production. So I’m just pretty much following tradition.” With his cold accounts of “Pimpstead,” and a vivid descriptions of the metropolitan underbelly, Roc’s dusty sources, film dialogue, and subdued basslines offer a hand in musical marriage. However, after two LPs that topped year-end lists, and allegedly prompted a debate between Jay Z and The Roots’ ?uestlove over which was better, Roc says he has even more to offer in number three. “Lately, I feel like I have no style: I do what I have to do. Back in the days, I stuck to a four-bar loop. Now, I don’t have any rules.” The unconventional approach comes to life on Marci Beaucoup, through Roc’s personal highlights, including “Squeeze” with Random Axe’s Guilty Simpson, and longtime collaborator, Brownsville’s KA. In a career that began rapping alongside Raekwon, Busta Rhymes, Ghostface, and others, Roc Marci is back in the booth of competition, and showcasing his stellar sound.
In honing his craft, Roc is deliberately hands-off with artists. “I don’t come to people with concepts, unless we have to follow the guidelines of the track,” he admits. “I don’t want to govern a project too heavily. I’d rather just everybody do what they naturally do.” Additionally, the Los Angeles-based New Yorker only makes music when he’s compelled. “The only time I really listen to music is when I’m about to do some creating,” he says, referring to music beyond the N.W.A., Max B, and Erick Sermon in his car’s CD tray. “I did some record shopping today. I’ll listen to the records tomorrow, or whenever I feel. I make the beats as I get the samples. I gather samples and push ‘em aside to track the record.”
With the third LP, Roc looks forward to offering an array of videos. “It’s important for people to see records come to life,” said Roc, who hopes this project awakens more of his peers in addition to the growing fan-base. “People can now see how I do albums, and become more comfortable with it. Hopefully, more artists I respect can ask me to produce.” In his trademark dry nature, the double-threat who has worked on platinum albums looks ahead and says, “I don’t only just wanna be rappin’.”