As a member of the legendary hip-hop crew The Molemen, producer/DJ PNS has had the opportunity to work with a laundry list of underground icons. His contributions run deep, particularly here in the Midwest, as he's provided beats for a bevy of local stalwarts including All Natural, Astonish and Decay (both of the Molemen Camp), Longshot, Prime as well as Rhymesayers artists Slug and DOOM. With his menacing basslines, neck breaking boom-baps and thought provoking samples, PNS' beats are a raw introduction to a distinct and rugged style of no-nonsense hip-hop, worthy of praise from even the most hardened hip-hop fans.
Recently PNS teamed up with fellow Chicago native Zavala for an all-instrumental album entitled Canciones Modernas, released by Fieldwerk Recordings. The album is a simultaneous celebration of both PNS and Zavala's Mexican heritage and love of hip-hop culture. It's PNS' first solo album since 2007's Audiotronics, and is proof that the Humboldt Park native hasn't lost his magic touch. Centerstage caught up with PNS via e-mail to discuss the origins of the album as well as get some schooling on everything from how it all started to his thoughts on Chicago's current hip-hop scene.
You've been making beats for over 20 years now, who or what was it that first got you interested?
Being a DJ, it was the logical progression to get into beats. I had a Nu-Mark mixer with a four-second sampler, so I started there and worked my way up to SP-1200, then MPC 2000XL etc.
I was self taught on the beat making process, no YouTube back then to see how my idols worked. I would constantly hit a wall until I figured it out. I did get tips from my friends, The Molemen, DJ 33 1/3 and Dug Infinite.
Growing up in Humboldt Park, was there a distinct vibe to build off of?
There were B-Boys/Girls doing their thing, whether breaking, graffiti, DJing or rapping. It was a culture that pretty much followed the rules of the streets, which was to earn your respect. Keep it real wasn't a cliche. The environment could get dangerous, so there was no room for wackness. I kept it real to my surroundings, which also included skaters and punk rockers, and that evolved into my sound.
How did you link up with the Molemen?
One of my good friends from Prosser High School told me he copped a Molemen mixtape and that it was similar to the mixtapes I was doing. I began my search for these like-minded individuals. Again, no Internet, so I had to put the word on the streets. My boy Rive/CCA told me they were Chi-Rock Nation and that he's been to their basement studio, so I was like, hook me up. It was like a secret society. I still didn't get in, but I was determined. So eventually I met Big Juan and Panik "in the field." They were digging for records and I approached them and said what's up. Later that week I saw Panik again at WHPK and we started talking. I rode with the Moles, paying dues until they asked me if I was part of the crew.
Tell me how Canciones Modernas came to fruition.
I was judging a Scribble Jam beat battle here in Chicago. Zavala won and went to Cincinnati for the finals. I went up to him there and we chopped it up, so we agreed to work together on something. Two years later Crushcon 7 from Fieldwerks got it poppin' to press it on vinyl.
Having two producers release an instrumental album isn’t something that happens too often. What was the process like? Did you and Zavala want to create a focused dialogue or did you want to let it grow organically on its own?
I believe that in music, we all speak the same language. I told Zavala to send me some music and I would work off that. Then I sent him some music and he went back and did what he wanted to add to his music. Finally I sent my finished version. We vibed off each other, from the music to the song titles.
You’ve been deeply rooted in the Chicago hip-hop scene for years now, working with a who's who of legends. What's your take on the scene now?
As far as people from the Chi doing their thing, I'm all for the Nation Business. It's so diverse and we should be proud of the team. I like the homies Scheme and Astonish, Gaggie and JapCity get it in, Cool Kids and Kid Sister are doin' it fresh, Flosstradamus and Million $ Mano on the 1s & 2s, Stefan Ponce and Vyle, I've watched grow and evolve. B.B.U. are taking it to the next level, Epidemik and 108 Music takin' care of that business. It is a great time.
What other projects can we look forward to in the future?
Another joint with Zavala. We already talked about the premise, so now we have to make that into reality. Panik and Memo have been talking about doing the next Molemen production album. I also plan to release my "lost" beats & old mixtapes. As long as I can keep telling the story, I will.
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