Hank Shocklee: 'We Had Something to Prove' via NPR

The Public Enemy producer tells NPR how hip-hop revolutionized recording technology.

People often refer to the multi-layered, cacophonous style of Public Enemy's production team the Bomb Squad as a "wall of noise" — similar to Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" — but to let Squad member Hank Shocklee tell it, their sample-heavy approach was less like Spector's and more akin to a particular collage-based visual artist's:

"I had a ridiculous record collection. And I wanted to prove that it was the records that inspired me. Because ... I understand scales and musical arrangements and that stuff but I didn't have — I was not a player. I'm not going to pick up a bass or a guitar or keys and I'm going to, you know, put some virtuoso stuff down. That's not going to happen. But what I do have is a turntable and records. And so I just want to create this collage, almost like a Romare Bearden kind of a painting."

Shocklee — alongside his brother, Keith, P.E. front man Chuck D and Eric "Vietnam" Sadler — was an architect of Public Enemy's distinct, attention-grabbing sound, and helped sampling evolve into an art form unto itself. Racking up production credits for a diverse list of collaborators that ranged from Ice Cube to Bell Biv Devoe, the Bomb Squad was an inspiration to a generation of influential musicians like Microphone Check's own Ali Shaheed Muhammad. At SXSW 2015 in Austin, Texas, Microphone Check spoke with Hank Shocklee about hip-hop's underappreciated technical ingenuity and why pop music doesn't appeal to him.

Great Hank Shocklee Interview

Here's an interview with one of my good old friends, music producer, cultural critique, hustler, Hank Shocklee, the leader of the infamous Bomb Squad, who of course produced all the Public Enemy recordings I shot the covers on, not to mention countless other tracks and artists.

here's the blurb that came with the clip:

Public Enemy is without a doubt the most influential rap group of our planet. Thanks to Hank Shocklee. The founding member and legendary DJ/producer gives you an insight into the beginnings of P.E.. Whether it is the complementary combination of the voices of Chuck D. and Flavor Flav, or the legendary noisy and soulful sound design of Public Enemy, making rock 'n' roll by the means of hip hop - Shocklee's beats has always been balanced out ingeniously in order to be charged with fierce energy. Being a DJ the turntable have always been a fundamental part of the intrumentation. Moreover Hank Shocklee provides some really exquisite recipes for unique production results.

My Hank Shocklee photo at top of this post, shot in the jail in New Jersey, away from the set of "Black Steel In The Hour of Chaos" video shoot. circa 1988. (see the video below)



check Hanks main web presence at Shocklee.com