In this edition of The Beat Talk series we speak with rising Brooklyn New York based clothing designer, entrepreneur, and rap artist Don Modus about our favorite subject.... BEATS of course. Don Modus talks to us about his favorite producers, favorite beats, and more! Read all about what he has to say and be sure to follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/donmodus/
The Beat Yard: Who is Don Modus?
Don Modus: I’m a rapper, producer and clothing designer hailing from Brooklyn New York. I’ve placed top 3 in multiple rap showcases, opened for Casanova at the Chance Theater and had my brand represented in fashion shows.
The Beat Yard: What type of beats bring out the best in what you do as an artist?
Don Modus: I really like when a beat has a choir or a vocal sample built into it. The best type of beats are the ones that use the voice as another instrument. Overall I like darker beats with high BPM, strong 808s and powerful synths.
The Beat Yard: What sounds or instruments do you prefer when selecting instrumentals?
Don Modus: Piano, synths, choir and sometimes woodwind or string instruments. Those last two are dependent on the track cause sometimes they sound trash and other times they sound amazing.
The Beat Yard: What is your process for picking beats for a song or project?
Don Modus: I’m a big believer in the head-bop test. You know what I’m saying when you hear a beat and your head instantly starts bobbing to the rhythm. When I hear a beat I like I get excited. I’ll usually freestyle some lyrics or at least to capture the flow. Then I lock in and bang out the lyrics in a session.
The Beat Yard: Who are your favorite producers?
Don Modus: Zaytoven for his piano work and how he helps out his community, Metroboomin for his Melodies. I mentioned how I like dark beats, well metro is the best at those, and finally I also like Scott storch just because of his personality and his versatility. He’ll have sound packs from all different types of genres.
The Beat Yard: Who are the producers that you work with?
Don Modus: I’ve worked with Hitsbyjude, Ace Bankz, a bunch of random beatstars producers, and some of my friends. Hitsbyjude is a local Brooklyn producer and we actually cohabited for 6 months to create beats and new projects. I really encourage that to all the rappers and producers out there. Find someone with ambition and work off each other.
The Beat Yard: Who are some producers that you would like to work with in the future?
Don Modus: Murdabeatz, Zaytoven, Metro, South Side. All the legends.
The Beat Yard: We see that you reached out to HitsByJude for your recent single "Peter Pan", what inspired you to select this beat?
Don Modus: We actually made the beat together in our apartment studio. Like I mentioned before we lived together for about 6 months and this was one of my favorites that came out of that block.
The Beat Yard: Do you make beats yourself?
Don Modus: I typically come up with melodies or select instruments for the beat and then let the professional take over. I do all of my own sound engineering, mixing and mastering. That being said, I have made a few beats and it’s something I want to get better at.
The Beat Yard: How can producers or beat makers get in touch with you to send you tracks?
Don Modus: Reach out to me on Instagram @donmodus or email me at donmodusmusic@gmail.com I’m always buying beats and looking for the next hitmaker to partner with.
The Beat Yard: In your own words, what's the difference between a producer and a beat maker? Which do you prefer?
Don Modus: A producer goes beyond making the beat and will help out with audio engineering, mixing or mastering. In my mind a good producer is invested in the project and will help with the release plan as well. Being a regular beat maker is easy to achieve. You just need to throw some sounds together on splice and upload it to YouTube haha.
The Beat Yard: What's next for Don Modus?
Don Modus: Massive clothing collection featuring tee shirts, hoodies, jeans, women's items, and accessories coming soon. This will be launching on the new Web-shop alongside some adjoining media coverage. I’ve also got two other music videos called “Bout It” and “Clap For Me” that we shot in Atlanta and Miami streaming on YouTube. Go check everything out and thanks for having me!
