J-Beam of the MathMadix recently took time out of one of his busy recording sessions with the legendary Tash of Tha Alkaholiks to speak to Raptalk about many issues. 

The interview starts off with J-Beam giving us a little history lesson regarding how he began working with Knoc-turn'al and the MathMadix.

If you've been following raptalk and it's audio section, you would have heard J-Beam's latest single "I'm Drunk" which features Knoc-turn'al and Tash. We discuss how he hooked up with Tash and we even get a little Tash shoutout in the interview!

As for the rest of the interview, you can learn about J-Beam and his upcoming "200 Proof" album, his producing career and much more! 

Q: We’re here with J-Beam of the MathMadix, how’s it going?

I’m doing really well. In the studio putting in work as usual.

Q: Start us off by letting us know how the MathMadix situation came about alongside Knoc-turn’al?

I actually moved to Los Angeles around 2004. I was just trying to get a job at a studio recording people but I actually ended up saying fuck it and recorded my own shit at my own studio. I decided I wanted to produce and work on my own music.

One of my roommates worked at a studio and this guy I knew by the name of Pablo worked for a company called Baby Ree which was working with Knoc-turn’al at the time. I kept in contact with him and he hit me up one day saying that he had Knoc-turn’al in town and needed someone to record. I was like shit, let’s go right now. I went down there, met Knoc and have been working with him ever since.

Q: That was around 2004?

Yeah, 2004 for sure.

Q: How does it feel to working alongside a seasoned veteran such as Knoc-turn’al?

It changed my whole perspective about everything to tell you the truth. Before I started working with Knoc… I listen to tracks I made before and after and it really motivated me. I was finally working with someone who’s been established and has been where I am trying to go. It made my picture a lot clearer.

It’s fun because the way Knoc records, he doesn’t write a lot of stuff down. He just goes in there and records so he needs a good engineer there to record it and I am a good engineer, so it works out. He’s very talented and has stuff on his mind constantly. You have to get him in the booth and let him go buck wild; I’ll do the chopping.

Q: You mentioned how working with him has changed you quite a bit. What is the most important lesson you’ve learned from working with him?

Just knowing Knoc personally and knowing how big his career was at one point to even being on television with Dr. Dre. As time goes by, things happen and when Elektra went under it put him in a situation where you can be at the top of the world one day and then you have to fight to get back up there. You always have to stay hungry and humble and that’s what Knoc is.

Knoc-turn’al will be back and I’m going to help him get there. He really showed me how real life this rap shit is; it isn’t a movie. It’s not all fancy cars and all that. You have to stay humble and stay at work. You must stay creative and innovative. I can’t wait for all this new shit to drop so we can show everyone what we’ve been up to.

Q: The industry can’t wait to hear it.

I can’t wait. I’ve spent the last three of four years just waiting and I can’t wait to finally drop this shit.

Q: You recently allowed raptalk to debut one song from you’re upcoming “200 Proof” album entitled “I’m Drunk.” Now that we know where the Knoc-turn’al connection came from, tell us where the Tash connection comes from.

I actually have always been a fan of Tash as an artist growing up. I remember before I could even make a tight beat as a youngster around twelve or thirteen years old; I had a little ghetto ass studio set up at my mom’s house and Tash’s “Rap Life” record was the first one I really spent my little money on. I really loved that record and I respect him so much as a lyricist as far as the west coast goes. I’ve always felt like he was one of the most innovative lyrical cats.

As the years went by, I’ve always wanted to work with him. In 2001 Tha Alkaholiks dropped “The X.O. Experience” and I really love that record. I’ve always wanted to do a song with him. I said fuck it and got on my grind trying to figure out how to make it happen. I got a hold of his manager and his manager linked me up with Tash. He is a very humble and talented dude.

I just approached him by letting him know that I had this song with Knoc-turn’al and he’s also a big fan of Knoc-turn’al as well. He’s a humble cat and we worked out it and there it goes; that started another relationship.

Q: That must feel good, I can see you’re a big fan of his.

A lot of rappers are a real person and then a character. Tash has raps in his mind like I’ve never seen before. Tash just walks around rapping to himself. That shit runs through his veins. It’s very interesting working with him.

Q: We now know Knoc-turn’al and Tash are on the album, are they’re any other guests on the album appearing at this time?

I have a song with Nate Dogg that I did about a year ago. That song is amazing and I’ve been waiting to release it. I don’t want to leak it before the album comes out because I want to have some surprises on the album.

“I’m Drunk” is really the first song I’ve released that will for sure be on the album. The Nate Dogg song will for sure be on the album.

I have a record with Knoc-turn’al called “Pentagon” that’s an incredible song. Those are the for sure features right now.

I’m working on some other things right now but I don’t want to speak on it in case it doesn’t happen.

Q: Is the “Pentagon” record the one with Nate Dogg?

No, that’s just me and Knoc-turn’al on there. The song with Nate Dogg is entitled “Go Away” and it’s an amazing song.

Q: Will Knoc-turn’al only appear on those two songs?

He’s a good friend of mine and I’m sure will do some more work. That’s (Knoc) like a brother of mine and I’d like to get him on at least another song. He’s very talented and I could easily do an entire album with Knoc. He has the hooks; you can put the beat on and he has it. It’s like instinct; you snap you’re fingers and he has a tight fucking hook done.

Q: That’s the truth. That’s a very hot lineup, when’s the album coming out?

I’m just looking for the right situation. I spoke with Equity (Records) about releasing the record and I hope we can make that official. I have about two more months of working and my album will be done. It’s just a matter of piecing the artwork together.

I don’t want to release it on a low level; I really want to push it out there. It’s called “200 Proof” because I put 100% into this record. I’m not about to put out 20,000 copies. I want it to be as big as possible.

Q: Are you eyeing around an October or November release date?

It’s hard to say right now. I really want to drop it before Christmas or January. Everything is really in place, the music is there. It’s just a matter of getting it out there and distributing it along with promoting the hell out of it.

I think that everyone is going to love this album. It’s a great combination of different styles. I rap and I produce. Although I’ve been rapping before producing, I’ve produced so many different kinds of music. I have some songs that can just bang in the club and I have songs where you can be driving around in California and just be chilling. I tried to incorporate all these different feelings and kinds of music into one album to make it a super album. You can play it no matter where you’re at; the club watching female’s dance, out and around or just chilling at the crib. It’s a really good mixture of styles of music.

Q: Will you be producing every song on the album?

Yes sir, at least for this album. I love rapping on beats from other producers because I spend so much time perfecting the beat which I hear so many times. That is fine because I produce my best songs.

Anytime another producer gives me a track, I could have the entire song done within one hour. It just comes natural to me. I will be producing every thing on my first album but after that, it’s wide open. I love working with other artists in general whether it’s a producer, rapper, musician; anything that’s creative.

Q: Good to hear you’re producing the entire album. You have beats for days and we need more projects being overseen by just one person.

No producer knows exactly what I’m looking for. Me being a producer, I feel like it gives me the ultimate advantage of customizing my own sound. I don’t want the J-Beam album to sound like any album that’s out right now. It has its own distinct sound to it. You won’t listen to a track on it and think it sounds like a Scott Storch track or a Timbaland track. I’m really trying to make my mark on this by just being original, creative and innovative. That’s my whole motive.

Q: Have you ever found it difficult to balance the both talents of rapping and producing?

It is at times. When it comes down to it, I’m extremely passionate about both of them. I was an MC before I ever touched a beat machine. The only thing that makes it hard to balance is… Making an album for yourself is enough work. When you produce, you want to produce for all these other artists. I might be working for two or three months at a time on a different project.

It gets tough because I’ve been working on my own album for so long and I want it to come out; at the same time I’m working on another projects that I’m so passionate about finishing such as all the work with Knoc-turn’al which I love doing and would never turn my back on; same thing for the Tash album. All if it is stepping stones. If I get a couple songs on the Knoc-turn’al album and Tash album, that can only help my album, I understand that.

I have other artists as well such as Knawledg, people that I think are really talented such as Ripacut, Big Tyme, Deztined – I love working with all these people. The only thing that makes it hard is that I can produce for months and months and then I realize shit, I have to get this album done.

Q: You’re mentioning the MathMadix which have about seven projects on the table right now including your solo. Which do you think will drop first?

It will definitely be the MathMadix EP. I spoke with Knawledg today and the EP is dope and incredible. It’s a seven song collection with a few songs from all of us including solo and group cuts.  I know that it will come out first because we are putting it out for free. We are doing that to give everyone a sneak preview of what’s really coming, a sneak peak of the bigger picture.

I’d love for my album to come out really soon but I know that Knoc-turn’al has a lot of songs he can release right now. I’m also helping produce the Knawledg album; he has a lot of songs. I know the EP is coming first because it’s done; we’re just waiting on it to be pressed up.

Q: What do you feel each of the MathMadix members brings to the group?

I bring experience to the table. I know I haven’t come out on a major level, but I’ve making music for a long time. I have a studio and can make a song for anyone from scratch. I don’t need any fancy million dollar equipment. Give me a studio and I can be creative enough to work on an album with anyone. I can bring that to the table.

The people that are going to buy my album are going to love it. I’m not pointing it at any group of people; I want everyone to like my album. That’s what it comes down to. I grew up skateboarding and getting into graffiti.

I then got into hip-hop and Knoc-turn’al has the whole hood concept. We have another style and it’s the same with Tash; it’s really diverse. As I said, I’m pretty positive on everyone liking this album.

Knawledg is an incredible artist and a good friend of mine. We love to get busy with this music and we’ve done some shows together that went well. He brings that grinding mentality to the table. He’s a hustler like me. We’re both in the same situation with Equity (Records) where they said they want to put our albums out. It’s on ourselves and Ripacut to get our albums ready. Knawledg has a really good work ethic and I wouldn’t work with him if that wasn’t true. He’s very talented and skillful.

Ripacut is the same. If you’re making a song and Ripacut is around, he’ll have a verse for it in no time. He’s that kind of dude who’s always around and can put a verse to anything. Ripacut is going to be on a song if he’s in the studio at the time. We’re all hungry and have families to feed so we can all relate to that on that level. Once again he’s a good friend of mine. If we weren’t making music together, we’d be somewhere shooting fade away jump shots.

Big Tyme is very talented as well. With him being from Texas, it really helps diversify the group. Everyone in the group is from the west coast expect him so it’s really on him to get the southern crowd involved with the project. He’s really dope and he’s come alongway since I first met him. He’s getting better every time we make a song. That’s what he brings to the table.

Deztined is a very talented producer.

Say what’s up Tash.

Tash (screaming from a distance): What’s up?

Q: I think we’re going to need a Tash shout out for raptalk really quick.

*Tash comes on the phone*

this is Tash; I want to say what’s up?

Q: What’s going on with you Tash?

Mic Check one three, one three, what’s happening?

Q: We’re chilling. We’re going to have to get that Tash interview up on raptalk as well.

We’re here working out trying to get this album done. Call me up whenever you want, it’s on you.

Q: We are going to make that happen.

Ok, well J-Beam is dope; spread the word.

Q: Absolutely.

Alright, stay up.

*J-Beam comes back on phone*

Yo, Yo.

Q: That’s the business right there.

That’s the man, the mystery, the legend right there. We’re about to make something very historic today.

Q: We can’t wait to hear it.

It’s all good.

That’s what everyone brings to the table in terms of the MathMadix. I think that this project is very diverse and everyone has their own style. We are all ourselves and that’s what makes the group dope to me.

Q: Do you have any last words for the fans before I let you go?

Cop my shit. Be on the lookout for it. Talk about it; anything you can do. We’re not egotistical crazy motherfuckers right here. We’re just talented artists and all we give a fuck about is that people love the music. If you love it, let us know – if you hate it, let us know. It’s what we do for a living and we’re just trying to give the fans what they want.

I want to shout out Guitarzan and Dez Tillman. 

Support that shit however it is. That means even if it’s just showing someone one of our songs or albums. We’re going to have it out this year, it’s about to be time.

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