In Norway all roads lead to Tommy Tee, that is if we’re talking about hip hop. Its remarkable what Tommy, CEO of Tee Productions has meant to the Norwegian and Scandinavian Hip Hop scene throughout the last twenty years. From graffiti to rapping and all the other elements in between Tee has put in monumental work. Im having a hard time to fitting a power nap into this dudes schedule, not forgetting that he also recently became a father. Tee is a true pioneer with a rich history in the international Hip Hop game and it seems like he has always been one step ahead of his Scandinavian peers. He started as a Dj in the mid 80′s doing clubs and radio and after a brief brush with being a artist himself he went on to producing music for others. Around 1995 he formed Tee Productions where his first release was a critically acclaimed jazz album which later got reissued on the legendary Blue Note Records. In 1998 Tee dropped the album “Beats, Bonds and Beliefs” which would cement his status on the international Hip Hop scene. The album single “Day By Day” featured American Hip Hop star Talib Kweli and gained massive spin on college radio.  To get airplay on college radio was very important in the 90′s and if you had that you were made, ask Wu Tang. The legend goes; Tee has got crazy connections with rap artists state side because was a regular up in D&D Studios, the studio that housed Dj premier, Beatminers, and!, wiz Studio engineer Eddie Sancho. If you wonder why Dj Premier doesn’t sound the same anymore it might be because D&D Studios and Eddie Sancho are not around anymore but lets not get side tracked here…Back to Tee.

How and when did start out in the Hip Hop game?

I grew up with music as my parents were running a “club” in the 70´s where alot of Oslo´s hottest artists performed and hung out. That was when I was around 3 or 4 so I guess I got an early start. I have to Big up my parents who gave me a portable turntable on my fourth birthday. Throughout my childhood I was steady making pause button mixtapes and I guess it evolved from there on and when I got into breaking my interest for the whole Hip-Hop culture grew out of proportion. But I didn´t get really serious with the production until 87/88.

Who is your favorite producer and what is the hottest beat ever made according to Tommy tee?

The ultimate music producer and my biggest inspiration has to be the Almighty James Brown!! He did Hip-Hop beats in the 60´s and 70´s and laid down the WHOLE foundation for the stuff we´re doing today. If we’re talking current producers I´m a big fan of DJ Battlecat. This dude is Bootsy and James reincarnated man, straight classic funk. It get´s no better than this:

or this:

or this:

I could go on for days man….honorable mentions also to Nottz, Dr. Dre, Marley Marl, J Dilla, Pete Rock, George Martin, George Clinton, Hitman Howie Tee, Phil Spector etc, etc

These days successful hiphop producers dont just make beats, they have to be able to write songs for the artists as well. How do you do it?

I do some writing but not too much, mostly re-writing I guess. If I need to write I have a team of writers, MC´s, singers and musicians around me so it´s normally a joint situation. Though I gotta say I prefer artists that do most of the writing for self. That way it tends to get more personal.

Which of your releases are you most proud of and why?

It´s gotta be my first solo album “Bonds, Beats & Beliefs” from 1998. It was recorded in Oslo and New York and we also mixed it in NY. The recording sessions we had at the legendary D&D Studios for the album were incredible man. At times I had the A-room as well as the D-room going simultaneously and we had incredible artists like Talib Kweli, M.O.P., El Da Sensei and many many more doing songs at the same time while I was running around trying to make sure it sounded tight as could be. Got some good help with that from my man Matt Fingaz who executive produced the album with me. Those were the good old days. That being said; I think my best work is still ahead of me – I still learn and develop my stuff. Fuck looking back.

You have worked with many international stars. Is it important for you
to get out across boarders with your music and did you intentionally
pursue that or did it just happen.

I always felt the need to get my music outside of the Norwegian borders

I was always looking outside of Norway. That has to do with the era I grew up in. In the 80´s and early 90´s the interest for rap music and Hip-Hop culture was, to say the least, not too great over here – not with the people and off course not with the music industry. So I always felt the need to get my music outside of the Norwegian borders.
I had already been travelling alot to Europe and NY to write graff so that was a natural place to start when the music was poppin off.

Good thing to mention here is that Tee is behind Fatcap, one of the biggest graffiti magazines in the world and they celebrated 20 years in 2009.

What do you think it takes for a european artist to break through the
world stage.

Originality or just plain hits – the first one preferred if your ambitions are to span longer than one hit.

There is alot of good hip hop and R&B coming out of Europe right now,
England and Sweden are in the forefront. Would you agree with that? If
so are these countries the future of Hip Hop and R&B from Europe?

I´m not a big fan of today´s R&B, especially not the pop oriented stuff. That being said I think that Scandinavia has already made a big mark on the pop/R&B scene with producers such as Stargate and Max Martin to name a few. They brought to the table a mix of very catchy pop chords and structures mixed with more traditional urban sounds. Plus they are just haaard working motherfuckers, that always helps!

Norway is right up there with the quality of music and you have artist
with international potential such as MadCon and Noora Noor. Who else is
hot on the Norwegian scene?

Right now the biggest rappers in Norway are MadCon, Lars Vaular, Karpe Diem and Vinni (Paperboys) with a bunch of newcomers ready to challenge them in the coming months and years.

Electronic dance music seems to be what everybody is going for these
days. How about you? How do you see the future for classic hip hop and
R&B?

I strongly think that the nature of Hip-Hop is to evolve and develop. I do understand that some Hip-Hop heads are stuck in that era when they grew up and discovered Hip-Hop and alot of them are hung up on the 90´s sound and claim that to be the only real Hip-Hop. But Hip-Hop started way before that and to others, like myself, the 80´s Hip-Hop might be the realest. I think the reason Hip-Hop is still around is the unique way the art form grabs the feeling of today and goes with that.

Tommy has always been involved in the club scene of Norway, especially Oslo and he is responsible for some the biggest and most memorable concerts there such as 50 cent,  Ice Cube, Run DMC, The Fugees, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, just to mention a few.

Since there are no records sales to look at these days touring is the
only option to make money and for that there has to be a European hip
hop scene that spans across boarders. Is that possible?

I think European players need to focus more on Europe. We have (myself included) been too focused on the US

Yeah mos definitely! I think European players need to focus more on Europe. We have (myself included) been too focused on the US. 10-15 years ago that was only natural as the European scene was not too big, but in 2010 it´s needed to work more to gather the European players and make global moves.

Whats going on with Tee right now. What hot projects do you have your
plate?

A bunch of stuff. I just finished the album for Norwegian/American Hip-Hop choir The Loudmouf Choir. It´s gonna be something. You n e v e r  heard anything like it ever. I´m also finishing up veteran rapper Son of Light´s new album “War of the Words” which sounds incredible! And then I´m working with Norwegian newcomer Jesse Jones on his debut album due out in a couple of months. Also I´ve bee producing almost half the new album for Vinni (Paperboys), and songs for Karpe Diem, MIra Craig, Joddski (Tungtvann), Billy Danze, Sean Price and more.

What European artist do look forward to working with the most?

I like alot of the British stuff, like Kano, Tempa, London Zoo, Foreign Beggars etc so I´m looking to do some stuff over there in the future. Plus off course one of my favorites is Ken Ring. We just started or new album together – due out in 2011. It will be a classic piece of work.

Who are your five hottest producers in Europe right now?

You know what, I´m not so big on names, but a few of the producers I respect over here is Colleén & Webb, Thomas Rusiak, Madness 4 Real, Stress, Thomas Eriksen, Nastykutt….

Whats the hottest hip hop R&B club in Norway right now?

I couldn´t even tell u man, I guess it changes all the time as far as the location. But we have a handful of hard working club DJ´s over here that have good concepts; DJ SoulShock, Jaywalkers, my boy DJ Herkules. Me – I hardly go out if I´m not working except when wifey forces me..haha..lol!

Tee Productions

Tommy Tee was interviewed by Seruwagi Naggenda for www Hottest In Europe com

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