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Fate Eastwood exploded onto the scene when he produced the regional hit "Grey Goose" for Allstar. The song got radio play all over the South Eastern U.S> and on satellite radio. The remix was actually the song which introduced many markets to Young Jeezy. Now he's in high demand, and in the industry viewed as one of the best up-and-coming producers in the nation.
CONCRETE: 2005 and 2006 were really the break-out years for you as a producer. Break down who you you've been working with and how it all got rolling.
Fate Eastwood: First of all, I have to say Allstar. Yo Gotti, Lil Wayne, Baby, Jeezy, Sqad Up, it's so many I can't even name all of them.
CONCRETE: The first time most people heard you was the Allstar track "Greygoose." How did that song happen?
Fate Eastwood: With the "Grey Goose" it was like, Allstar came in drunk to the studio. He had called me for a studio session. He came in drunk. He said "I'm on that Grey Goose. Do I know you?" And some people were like "No!" We were just like, "Damn, make a beat to that real quick." I did the track in like 5 to 10 minutes, and it just blew up from there. The clubs started getting it. He put it on his mix tape. It just did its thing from there.
CONCRETE: "Grey Goose" got you into the spotlight. Who was the first big name to come for production after that song hit so big?
Fate Eastwood: It was actually Jeezy after that. Right after that song was done, I left the studio and got a phone call. Within the hour of leaving the studio the call was saying, "Jeezy needs some tracks, and we're looking for an in-house producer and such-and-such for Coorporate Thugs." And I was like, "Cool." After that I was back and forth to ATL. Everything didn't work out like it was supposed to, but we're still cool and all that. I'd say (Yo) Gotti was the realest one out of everybody coming to me. Cause dude is a hell of a artist. Dude taught me how to sit down and make a song. Make a full song instead of just making a beat. Like really producing a song. I could always make beats, but I never really knew how to produce a song until Yo Gotti, and Allstar too.
CONCRETE: When did you first get into making beats?
Fate Eastwood: I was like 12 or 11 years old. I was actually rapping first. But, I could never find any beats. So I was just like, "Fuck it, I'll just do it myself." Then I started messing with some neighborhood cats, and my name started then.
CONCRETE: What kind of equipment did you first start out with?
Fate Eastwood: I really didn't have any equipment. I always used somebody else's equipment. Then I saved up enough money to buy my own equipment. Plus I was doing some other shit too, and I just saved up and bought my own shit.
CONCRETE: So how did the name Fate Eastwood come about?
Fate Eastwood: It was from my first group. They used to always call me Fate, cause I guess I came at a certain time. They were thinking about giving up on it, then I cam through. They were like, "You're the fate, you Fate." The Eastwood name came from Clint Eastwood, like the western type of feel. I've always been into that type of shit anyway.
CONCRETE: Why do you make music?
Fate Eastwood: I feel like music is a major part of life. If you go through life without music, then you basically don't have a life. I think that's why. It's all I do, and all I know. I ain't trying to go back to the street side of it at all. So, I'm just sticking to this right now.
CONCRETE: So what's coming up in 2007?
Fate Eastwood: First quarter in March I got Dirty Harry the album, my album, coming out. It ain't like a compilation or nothing, or people just rapping over my tracks. I'm actually rapping on this C.D. That's my major focus right now. It's coming out through Loyalty Records, Allstar, big homie Ed and all them.
CONCRETE: Is there distribution worked out for that?
Fate Eastwood: Not that I know of. I leave that side to them. That's what they're good at, so I let them do them.
First quarter also, we most definately have Allstar Street Ball coming on a major release. So I'm looking for a big ol' check off of that.
CONCRETE: Who are some of the people and producers that inspired you and made you want to get into producing?
Fate Eastwood: I'd have to say Kool and the Gang. Dr. Dre first and foremost, my bad. I got to say Dre. Dre really pavd the way for the producer/rappers. Dude is like Quincy Jones, not Quincy Jones the other dude, Barry Gordy. It was Dre and Swiss Beats. They really put me in the mind state of producers don't always have to just produce. You can do other shit. As far as running your label, making hit songs and getting money from it. I'd have to say them people right there.
CONCRETE: What kind of equipment do you use right now?
Fate Eastwood: I got the 4000. The (Akai)MPC 4000. Everybody keeps screaming about the Roland, the MV 8000, but I'm an MPC man 'til the death. I can never switch over.
CONCRETE: Do you have any last words for our readers, any shout-outs:
Fate Eastwood: I want to give shout out to Allstar for putting me in the game, putting me where I'm at right now. Yo Gotti, La Chat. I got to shout out the big homie Young Buck. Young Buck pulled me to the side and was like, "You hard on the tracks man. You bringing a new sound to Nashville. We're creating our own sound right now with you." So be looking for some work on Young Buck's label, the G-Unit label or whatever. I want to give a shout out to B.O.P. most definetely give a shout out to them. Just everybody. Everybody that supported me.
Somehting I want to do is bring Nashville to the front. I know Young Buck did his thing. I want to put the city where ATL is at. I want to put the city where Memphis is at, where Miami is at. I want people to come here and be like, "Let's go around. Let's Party, whatever." I just want Nashville to be that city. Mentioned with the rest of the cities in the South.
People in Nashville they really don't support each other as far as rappers. As far as the music industry period. You can go up to someone right now with a C.D. willing to give it away, and they'll be like "I'm straight." I mean it's free. It's a free C.D. The reason for that is cause the rap game down here is so oversaturated. It's like some people rap that really can't rap. They just know somebody that's got a studio. Or when you try to sell someone a C.D. they'll be like, "I'm cool. I got a little homie that rap." O.K., but I ain't your little homie, I'm trying to sell you this C.D. Just liek if you were trying to sell me your little homie's C.D. What if I said, "I'm cool I rap, so I don't want to buy your C.D." It's not supposed to be like that. Everybody is supposed to support each other. Anybody comes up to me with a C.D. I always buy it. It don't matter who it is. I might not even listen to it, or I might listen to it. But, I'm going to buy it anyway. If you say, "Yeah, I'm from Nashville whatever, whatever."
It's funny, cause when somebody from out of town comes, somebody from ATL brings somebody in Nashville a bull shit song, and they'll support it to the fullest. Damn we in Nashville, support your own people.
That ain't love at all. I'm trying to break that wall down. That's why I fuck with everybody. You can't find one person in Nashville that says, "I don't really fuck with Fate Eastwood." If he do, he's just a hater.
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