How was the experience from your point of view within the process of giving the project your personal character and working with the personal characteristics of the individual artists?

I would say that for me, of course, it was relatively easy compared to the others, to bring my own touch to the project. The project started in such a way that we the beatmakers, that is Dany on the Cuban side and I, created a sketch, which then went to the other musicians. During this first phase, we were actually totally free to do what we felt like, and what we would find exciting to work on together with the other musicians. It was exciting – when I may briefly tell the long version – at the end, when you get the sketches back. It went from us, the beat producers to the vocalists, then to the brass players and then back to us. Then, of course, during the mixing, you are asked to give the whole thing little highlights and to produce the whole thing a little bit more. We also have a dancehall track among the four on this EP. And I have had absolutely no contact with this genre so far. So of course you go searching and try to grow into the genre, listen to a lot of music, try to understand how it works, and then just try it out. So it’s easy for us, but in any case, you have to deal with the matter a bit to get it done. 

Was that new for you?

Absolutely, of course. That was new territory. But as a producer that is also part of it. So you have to differentiate a little bit: So beatmaker is one thing, producer the other. From a producer’s point of view, of course, I know that I get projects that are new to me. From a beatmaker’s point of view, in the beginning, I do what comes closest to me, what I can get out of my own head. I think there is a small difference in the way you look at it at the end.

What did you learn from working with the musicians from Cuba that you would like to integrate into your future work?

It is a bit difficult, I think, to really have this experience over the Internet. You’re not sitting in one place with people and really have that experience face to face. You have to try as much to get out of the little communication you can make online as you can. In any case, what I think I understood, especially with the Cuban side, is that a lot comes spontaneously. And I was also somewhat more flexible than I’m used to. But as I said, I would definitely be happy if we could do a similar project in a live experience at some point. I think there is still a lot to discover that we have not yet been able to experience in this project.

The way songs are created is of course completely different when you jam together, develop melodies, develop lyrics and so on. It was like this for us now: one person sends something, the other answers it, then someone comes again and develops an idea and so it goes very slowly, owing to the circumstances, in stages. As I said, there is definitely still something exciting to discover.

There are many languages involved in this project (German, Spanish and English), but the only common means of communication is music. Looking at it from that point of view, how was the communication within the team?

Interesting in any case. Generally speaking, we would have had the entire time to exchange ideas via Telegram, for example, or online. Then someone comes and translates it so that the others understand what is meant. In the end, however, we didn’t do that and I think it was a bit unspoken, to dare to experiment, what happens when you simply reduce communication as much as possible and really only refer to the musical and the ideas that you get. In the end, the music was actually the only level of communication we had. Of course, there are always cases where you notice: “Okay, I have a file here, musical input, I don’t know if I’m interpreting it correctly.” Then I went to Kerim and said: “Can you clarify for me what this means?” Of course, this also takes some time. But for me, it was always as little of talking as possible and as much free interpretation as possible. When I get a new take and then try to integrate it in the way I think it is meant, hoping that I will interpret it correctly and not step on someone’s toes. In the same way, exciting things happened which I don’t think anyone really was anticipating, that one could only see develop in retrospect. Which of course is also due to the fact that you allow this freedom and do not communicate and explain everything directly and that is exactly how you try to express your point of view.

What was the biggest challenge while working via the web/internet/mobile phone?

The biggest challenge was definitely that this face-to-face feeling was missing, i.e. not sitting together in the studio within a session, developing ideas, exchanging thoughts. Everything that naturally belongs to making music. Now we had to improvise completely and come up with new strategies on how to approach it. And that’s how it went, from drafting ideas, sending them back and forth over the Internet, to interpreting and reinterpreting. It is of course a bit riskier if you send purely musical ideas without a great deal of text and explanation. So you need a certain amount of intuition to understand the ideas individually, how you can answer musically, how you can develop it further and so on.

So easy by no means, but also exciting. It’s just a different approach. On the other hand, you are also freer. You can really get involved with an idea and tinker with it, and I’m a fan of that anyway. On the other hand, this is an advantage for someone like me, if this workflow is also convenient for you, then you can really try out a lot more and not be stressed. In contrast to when you only have a studio for so and so many hours and things have to move fast…

What would you tell the audience what they can expect from the Dimelo Rapeando project?

I think with Dimelo Rapeando we created four very different tracks. And each one os musically very peculiar. Nevertheless, with an interesting red thread thanks to the vocalists Leila Akinyi and El Individuo and of course also through the brass instruments, who then tied the whole thing into a package in the end. I think that if you are interested in music, like to listen to new ideas, and have an open ear, perhaps to listen to a bit more experimental stuff, then you will definitely get your money’s worth.

What are the disadvantages and advantages of online collaboration for you?

The vibe is missing, sitting in the studio together, coming up with ideas, writing melodies, writing lyrics. That can be really powerful, if the vibe is right, it can create really interesting things. It’s definitely been a bit different with us, a bit more difficult I think. It’s actually impossible to create that kind of atmosphere via the internet. You need good ideas that get the others involved and that inspire them to do something with it, which thank God worked for us. All the ideas were great, everyone gave good input, that’s why it worked. Then, of course, you have to interpret the ideas that you got correctly and try to understand them. If you don’t have a language barrier, then, of course, you can explain all that and communicate with your partner. In our case, this was aggravated by the fact that it is not so easy in terms of language. That’s another factor that perhaps can’t be applied to Internet collaborations in general, but certainly to our project. It takes longer, everything takes more time. I mean it all goes across the pond and back again. Plus the internet connection in Cuba is still an issue as well. That adds another complicating factor. Advantages: To talk about the positive things. Everyone is free and can give his ideas as much space as he needs. Of course, there’s a schedule to limit it a bit, but it’s a bit different than in a studio situation, where a lot comes from impulse. But when you work for yourself, you can just let those ideas mature and develop for a lot longer. For me, it’s an advantage. Maybe someone else would call it a disadvantage. It’s the way I make music. I’m a beatmaker, I make music mostly by myself. Accordingly, it’s not unusual for me to lock myself in my room, try things out, and build around them. That was definitely doable with this project. You can set your own pace, and you’re also independent to work whenever you want, as far as the time of day is concerned. 

We can work with musicians all over the world. If that’s not the blatant advantage, then I don’t know either. You can network with all kinds of people and there are no limits. Or very few maybe. This possibility may also change the entire music market, in the long term. Because cultures just merge. You get input from everywhere and somehow incorporate it.

This is definitely an important point. I don’t think that a year ago you expected to do an EP with musicians from Cuba.

The boys were here too, the year before last and we had the chance to work together in person, but not on an EP like we’re doing right now. Because that takes a lot of time. You don’t do an EP on the weekend between concerts, you need time for that. As I said before that technology is so advanced that we can do this, it is definitely an extremely lucky find nowadays. At least for those who can use it.

Have you had to adapt your work during this time of the pandemic and what has changed?

I actually find that question hard to answer because it suggests that the workflow has changed a lot now, which is not necessarily the case for me. So sure, there aren’t studio dates now where you really get together with people and make music, but that was rarely the case for me anyway. As a beatmaker, I make music for myself, mostly alone. Accordingly, not so much has changed there. Also because of the pandemic. I just have more time for it right now, which is a good thing. But at some point, the pandemic will be over and then that will probably become a bit scarcer with time. That means I can’t take it over for later. Maybe by then, I’ll be making beats full time, then that would be rad but as long as I still have a job… You have to know, I work at the museum. The museum is closed right now, almost for a year. I’m usually short on time, so I try to use the time as well as I can and create a lot. I have high hopes that the virus will go away at some point and the museum will open again. But that is another topic. 

Because of the pandemic, we can only use the internet, social media, to promote our work. What are your experiences with social media before the pandemic and now during it, to promote your music, your projects? Was that difficult for you to deal with?

I’ll be honest, I’m not a big fan of social media. I actually find it quite annoying. You need it these days. If you don’t have the leisure to maintain social media profiles and promote yourself, you can still create art, but you don’t need to have any expectations that anyone is going to look at it or listen to it. How? It’s a very competitive market for attention. There is a certain type of media that is more successful simply because it has certain psychological characteristics, for example, if it has fast-paste video editing, if it is as loud as possible, flashy colors, and so on. That simply catches on much better than something softer. So you have works that can be more successful than others on certain platforms. I think that’s a bit… You have to be careful. So if you’re not a fan of the really colorful and flashy stuff, then you have to dig a little deeper to find the things you like. That’s one thing. Now it’s about the fact that social media is also becoming more important. I don’t know if that’s necessarily true, to be honest. When it comes to our project in particular, I think that social media would definitely have been the most important place to promote it with or without the pandemic. I wouldn’t have necessarily put up posters around town even without the pandemic to indicate that we were releasing a 4-track EP. That wouldn’t have made much sense. So if you want to promote concerts or live events, sure interesting. But now for a digital release that you put out, I don’t see much sense in it. That’s what I was getting at, that it doesn’t change much at all as far as our project is concerned. The only problem is, you have to have a certain affinity for it. Then at least it doesn’t have to be completely annoying, all this Internet, Instagram, social media stuff, so that you have a chance at all. A little bit of fun must part of it, because in the end, it really is a lot of work.

Don’t you use social media?

Yes, I do. Well, Instagram, but not really excessively. I make a post maybe once a month. Some people are also on Twitter, but I don’t know what’s going on there. Whether that is relevant in the meantime. Then there’s also TikTok now, but as I understand it, that’s only for kids. So you’re always looking at what’s really established. Instagram has been around for, 10 years now or what…? Not quite that long. But a really long time. And that definitely has the most users. It also always depends on your bubble, what exactly you do. I think for music it’s a good place. Now maybe if you’re a dancer, then TikTok is a better place for you. It always depends on where you find your audience. 

How did you have to adapt your work during this time of the pandemic?

You can embellish it a bit. First of all, you have more time, that’s good. But on the other hand, of course, you are always tied to input to a certain extent. You can’t just pull inspiration from anywhere. But of course, it is always good for the head, for the spirit, when you come out, see people, have conversations. What you normally do. Just to have a change of scenery. Not always staring at your own four walls. That is of course a point. I noticed that very strongly at the beginning, in spring 2020 when the whole thing started. First I thought “Whoa! There are no more excuses. I just sit down and play music all day. Great thing.” But at some point, the tank will be empty of course. Then you put all your creative input somewhere and did things and then at some point … Then it is already summer and somehow nothing has changed about the pandemic situation. Well during the summer month it was a bit more relaxed, but then autumn and winter and the second lockdown came. Then at some point, you realize that it’s getting boring in the long run. Even if you do what you love to do every day, at some point you just want to do something different and there are hardly any opportunities other than to go for a walk. I also stick to the rules on the political side and really try to be as isolated as possible, not to have unnecessary contacts. But at some point, you also realize that you have to meet people. And then you also notice that it is really good for the soul and it makes itself felt immediately. And you work more freely again also in your creative work.

Do you think you had more creativity when the Corona measures were relaxed and you were able to meet other people again?

Are we still talking about music or are we already talking about general emotional states. For me, it goes hand in hand. When I feel good, when I’m having fun, when it’s just relaxed, then it’s easier for me to do something than when a dark cloud is circling over me. So of course, in the summer it was definitely very liberating, just a liberating feeling. For me, this felt a bit like a simulation… How should I put that? It felt a bit like “everything is fine, or at least we pretend”. Actually, we all knew that it would come back in autumn and in winter it would all hit us hard. That’s why we’re just trying to enjoy the time as carefree as possible. That was the summer for me, definitely. Music wasn’t so much in the foreground now. I thought it was nice to just enjoy the summer, the weather. That was much more important at that moment. Because you already knew that winter would be really long and hard. That’s why, as far as creative work is concerned, I am now working on it with DimeRap, for example, so that was a good thing that the project got pushed to the winter months.

The Interview was held via Zoom on the  04th of February 2021
Interview: Maria Quirós
Transcription und Translation: Maria Quirós, Helene Heuser