In anticipation of today’s release of his first full-length in seven years, Scratch – the human music machine that supplied man-made cuts and percussive sounds to The Roots [click to read] from the mid-‘90s until 2003 (making his debut on the group’s 1996 effort, Illadelph Halflife) – recently spoke with HipHopDX to explain the meaning behind the title and concept for his sophomore effort, Loss 4 Wordz, as well as his reasoning for leaving Hip Hop’s biggest band behind to pursue his own career.
The world-renowned beatbox is now a solo artist by definition, but instead of dominating his music with only his own voice and sound creations the Philly (by way of Camden, New Jersey) one-man-band continues to work in conjunction with rappers, singers and musicians to create an almost group-like musical experience. While Scratch supports each track by providing mouth-made bass, drums and scratches, he is accompanied by played strings, synths, horns and different sound effects.
Working with Scratch to add that accompaniment are his three co-producers Sammy Jay, J. Slade and Benny Blanco, who help to break up any monotony that may begin to weigh on the listener with a strictly-beatbox based album, which some argue took place with Scratch’s 2002 solo debut Embodiment Of Instrumentation [click to read].
“The first album was [done] all with my mouth except for ‘That’s What We Talking About’ and ‘A Breath Of Fresh Air,’” Scratch explained to DX of his first effort. “And I noticed that some of the critics when they wrote [about the album said], ‘Yo, ‘A Breath Of Fresh Air’ was different…’ [And that] gave me the idea like, ‘Maybe I should add more instrumentation into the record on the next record.’”
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Doing just that, the exploration of instrumentation on Loss 4 Wordz makes for a unique mix of Hip Hop, R&B, Pop, and even World Music and Trance offerings. The radio-ready “Tonite” featuring Musiq Soulchild is a silky smooth R&B joint. “If Our Love Was A Song” featuring British singer Daniel Bedingfield is an equally impressive Soul-Pop selection ready-made for Vh1. The bass-heavy collabo with Kanye West and Consequence [click to read], “Ready To Go” (which boasts all sounds heard as being created by Scratch), sounds like the lost track from The Clipse’s classic debut. “Too Late” is a haunting orchestral creation navigated by Damon Albarn of the Gorillaz, with Talib Kweli dipping into the symphonic affair for a quick verse lamenting a lost love.
“That’s what I think the market needs,” said Scratch of his new sonic stew. “Something that’s completely different from the regular, everyday, radio, airplay, feeding-it-in-your-brain type thing…That’s why I gave it the title Loss 4 Wordz, so you can’t put your finger on it and say, ‘This record’s like a Roots record. This record’s like this or that.’ It’s more for you to listen for yourself and give your own determination.”
Peedi Crakk [click to listen], M.O.P., U.K.-based keyboardist Elmore Judd, London songbird and Gorillaz affiliate Rosie Wilson, legendary Electro-Dance music deejay/producer Arthur Baker (whose credits include Hip Hop classic “Planet Rock” for Afrikaa Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force), urban folk singer/musician Jeymes Samuels and others Scratch has befriended over the years (mostly via touring) chipped in to make Loss 4 Wordz the eclectic experience that it is.
One glaringly absent appearance from L4W however is anyone from The Roots crew collective, who surfaced several times on Scratch’s debut.
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“We still family,” Scratch revealed to DX when asked about his current relationship with his former bandmates. “We’re still very close. We speak to each other, or text message. Or we hang out together in the studio. [And] I did some performances [with them] last year. I performed at the Rock The Vote. I performed at a couple of side shows in Atlantic City.”
And Scratch has recorded with his old group as recently as last year, providing the scratches for “Get Busy” from The Roots last studio album, Rising Down.
“They understood that I had to do this,” said Scratch of ?uestlove and company’s understanding of his need to leave the group to pursue his solo endeavors full-time. “Because [with] the first album, I couldn’t even like bounce to go do anything because I was giving all my time to The Roots. So I couldn’t even go out and actually promote [the] record because I had to take care of home first. But, when I seen people diggin’ what I was doing and what I was trying to achieve [on my own], I was like, ‘Well let me keep the movement going.’”
Scratch noted during his discussion with HipHopDX of his desire to carve out his own identity apart from being recognized as a onetime backing member of The Roots. But even with the need to be Scratch solo, the man who moved to Philly to make his music dreams come true is forever grateful to the Illadelph crew who made it all possible.
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“If it wasn’t for The Roots I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now,” he said. “I wouldn’t be talking to you. That’s home. They trained me at home. It’s like a family, they trained me and now I’m on my own.”
Loss 4 Wordz is in stores now from Gold Dust Media.
