Uncle JoNH III, it’s a pleasure..for those that don’t know, tell the people about you!
Blessings, thanks for having me! Uncle JoNH the 3rd, reppin’ Chicago to the fullest…soulful dude, music is my life and I’m passionate on all levels.
How did you get started producing music?
Started when I was 14, I use to hit the studio with my sisters boyfriend and be a fly on the wall. Learning the formalities of everything. Then he let me loop my own records and learn the lab process. Beats pretty much became a thing for me, soon after that my mentor and big bro Deka Derse showed me the skills of beat sequencing and sampling.
So dope to know you had an Alternative music background! How did that come about? Who are some of your musical influences?
Basically my mother moved me out the trenches to an all white suburb and school. My friends at the time introduced me to everything from Nirvana to Iron Maiden and in between lol. Influence wise: Al Green, Dr. Dre, Daz, Dj Quik, Tribe Called Quest, J Dilla, so many to name.
How would you describe your sound?
Unorthodox, parallel, sometimes happy, sometimes sharp. Sample based real heavy, my ideas come and go, but I always create on any frontier.
Your hand in the production game goes as far back as 2006 with a lot of joints of yours rapped over by mixtape artists such as Rick Ross, Lil Wayne & Max B etc. How did that happen?
Back then, I was producing under the name “Jon Dough” it was a game of passing around “Beat CD’s” I had to learn how crooked A&r’s was with beats and taking credit etc. A lot of beats of mine ended up not placing commercially but hit the mixtape scene hard. Too many joints to name..
Checked out your catalog and the beats on “Supper 1-3” are really dope, what would you say is your “go to” hardware or software in the studio?
Akai MPC is my Go-to PERIOD. It’s the Gospel of life, without it, it’s impossible to create. I own and have other machines and softwares, but they collect dust sadly lol.
Walk us through how you normally create a beat and how it ends up in the studio, ready for an emcee.
Sometimes, it’s spare of the moment creating, sometimes I sit down and create based on an idea or concept and whatever feels good, I keep it. I could be doing a beat and turn the machine off right in the middle of it if I think it’s trash. My homie said I should keep the throwaways.
Music production has evolved and went more digital. How do you stay up to date on all the new gear?
I just pay attention to what’s going on, in the words of 9th – if you use keyboards, or fruity loops; use that. If you sample with a drum machine or a record player, sample.
Hip Hop has changed greatly since the 90’s, what would you say is the number one thing missing?
Fun. Happiness, focusing on how dope the music is and the way certain joints made you feel when they came on!
You have independent artists you work with closely with like Easy O’hare, MarVo & ESC Deez – do you guide them around your beat, or do you let them do what they do?
Both. Sometimes, I’ll present the vibes and challenge them, and sometimes I let them do them; because at the end of the day an artist still has to be creative.
Do you have any funny stories from the studio that you would like to share with us?
Yea, one of my homies was high on ACID and started a trip, running around the studio passing everybody rolled up joints, singing prince purple rain lol. Then he got in his car went and got everybody food..came back and then recorded 7 songs straight with no blink! Sh** was hilarious LMAO
What are you currently working on?
“Southafora 2”, my rap album, “Mineral Water 2”. Easy O’hare “Cabin Pressure 2”, ESC Deez “Tango & Kash” and albums with MarVo (TBA), ILL Gordon “Pen’s & Needles” and last but not least at all, my brother C.A. Brown “Soul 4 Sale” (Rest In Peace).
Do you have any shoutouts you would like to give?
My new born twins John IV & Jhené – Daddy Loves you both!
Shout out to any and everybody making it happen out here in this world, evolving and or trying to feed their family. The Most High will guide us! Blessings
Follow me – @Uncle.Jonh3
Visit: https://www.UncleJonhMusic.com
Subscribe to my YouTube: @Uncle.JonhIII
