Wazeer Interview | Respect The Producer
How did you get your name?: It’s actually my middle name so my parents chose it. My father always says a good name is worth more than gold. Him and my mother wanted to give me and my sister Arabic names that have a meaning that we can strive to. Wazeer means Minister or Teacher. I’m far from either of those but it gives something to aspire to.
Where are you from?: Houston, Tx
How did you get into Producing?: It’s 2 part answer. I made my first beat in my University Of Houston college dorm room in 2011. My homie Johnnie Johnson taught me how to use FL studio. I met through some of my high school friends who were in the marching band with him at U Of H. This brings us to part 2. I had been in the school band from age 12 - 18. I played the trumpet. I learned how to read Music notation at such an early age it was second nature to me by the time I was in college. The notes were imbedded in my brain like a second language.
What did you do to advance your skills/knowledge?: When I began to produce I was obsessed. It took over every waking moment. I even dreamed about 8 bar loops. I wanted to know more so I found myself interning in a real working studio in south Houston, thanks to my boy Jeremy’s cousin Erica! She was acting as the manager of a rap group I was in at the time. While interning in this studio I got my first taste of what it meant to be a producer! I seen these dudes cook up the craziest tracks ever. They were like super heros to me. One day they told me “lil homie you should go to Houston Community College and take their audio engineering program. You can become a lab aide when you graduate and can use all the equipment you want”. So with the help of my mother I did just that. I got enrolled at HCC in their audio engineer program, made an EP and 2 albums, got a foundational understanding of recording, producing and engineering, graduated and became a lab aide. The lab aide held the keys to all the studios on campus and was responsible for tutoring students and helping them with any equipment or technical issues. This was my training ground for the producer I am today.
What did your first set up look like?: My first set up was an HP laptop, some Logitech computer speakers with a sub, and FL Studio. I had that dorm hall banging lol
What does your current setup look like?: A MacBook Air 2015, ableton live and whatever cheap headphones I can get my hands on at the moment.
If you could produce for any artist (dead or alive), who would it be?: Kanye West
What is your goal when you create?: To make people smile. There is enough in the world making us frown, making us anxious, depressed. I want people to see my work and laugh, not out of humor necessarily. I want them to laugh in a way that people laugh when they see a magic trick. I want them to laugh out of wonder, out curiosity. I want them to think “how is this happening” and be overcome with inspiration.
What's your go-to song right now?: I would have to say it’s my song ‘Tools’. That was a turning point in my experimentation with sound. I see everything is an instrument now.
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