Legendz

Sha-Money XL has decided to give back to what has benefited him so much over the last decade. With the worldwide success of 50 Cent and the solidified team that is G-Unit the creator of the Wanksta has made moves. On March 08’ the producer/executive and founder of Money Management Group is holding his second Producer’s One Stop Shop Conference in sunny Phoenix, AZ where top producers such as Swizz Beatz and DJ Toomp will be honored for their work over the years in addition to other major happenings that will take place. We had a chance to converse with the industrious CEO and from the art of beat-making to the future of G-Unit it was business as usual.


Nobodysmiling.com : Speak a little about this producer’s conference upcoming in March, why was this such an important event to have?

Sha-Money XL : Basically this conference for me is like a dream coming true. Now that I have influence and know everyone that’s real in the industry, I can’t manage every producer that’s out there so now I’m giving back to the hip-hop game by putting everyone that you want to meet to sell a beat. Whether it’s an A&R, manager or a publisher if you want a publishing deal or just meet the producers themselves like Swizz, Premier, 9th Wonder, all these big guys that broke through. You’ll be able to ask them questions, meet with them, and connect with them. So this was a dream for me to give back and have a place that we can all call home.

Nobodysmiling.com : What is the format of this conference? I know you have beat competitions and you have a few people from Microsoft coming through but are their going to be networking parties and workshops?

Sha-Money XL : Yeah, you know first day is registration and then we go into the panels and the first panel is managers. So you have all the top managers that are managing people like Tomb, Scott Storch, Kanye and the mic will be open for people to ask questions to these individuals. They’ll have the opportunity to meet with the producers and drop their beat-tapes and next thing they know they’ll be working with someone on something that they’ve never even though they’d be working on.

Nobodysmiling.com : For the producers and the beatmakers what are the top three things they need when they attend this conference?

Sha-Money XL : They definitely better bring a bag load of cd’s there will be endless amounts of people there that can get them where they want to go. To answer your first question even more I have a DJ Premier beat-suite and every producer gets to play their beats in front of me and my peers like Premier. Please put your best beats on these cd’s because all of these A&R’s, managers, publishers etc. you want them to immediately catch your attention by having your best music on these cd’s. You don’t have to worry about it this is the conference where we’re all trying to be productive and we’re all trying to help.

Nobodysmiling.com : For you, you started out as a producer yourself, how did you crack the code and break into the industry?

Sha-Money XL : Besides the talent, it took me being a street team runner or going to conferences such as “How Can I be Down” to meet these people. So once I got their ear next thing you know J.M.J. [Jam Master Jay] took me under his wing and the next thing you know he introduced to 50 [Cent] and now look he’s the top emcee and the biggest guy out there. You have to network and meet people and Jay [J.M.J] is the only one outsides of Steve Stoute that was a mentor and guided me through this, so this is like mentorship and a social club.

Nobodysmiling.com : Is this going to be an on going event that happens annually?

Sha-Money XL : Absolutely, this is going to happen once a year this is the second year. Last year I had 600 producers in attendance and DJ Premier received the lifetime achievement award and this year I had to honor two of the top producers of course Tomb and the records he’s put out throughout his career and of course Swizz Beatz, he’s the producer turned rapper. He’s making songs, creating hooks and he’s showing us there so many levels to take this to and that’s what I want to teach these guys and let them understand that we’re the ones just like the DJ’s that are helping this industry evolve.

Nobodysmiling.com : As a producer turned executive who I’m sure gets a million beats thrown at you at a time what are you looking for in a producer that will make you pay attention?

Sha-Money XL : A sound, everyone has their sound, whether it’s crappy studio sound, I don’t know how to eq my beat sound or is this guy really working to make that sound kick or sample, just that sound. When you listen to a producer the first beat will tell you the sound, the second beat will tell you the consistency in the sound and the third beat will tell you whether this dude is the real deal or not.

Nobodysmiling.com : What are some of the biggest things you’ve learned yourself in 07’ as an executive that you’re going to take with you in 08’ and build upon?

Sha-Money XL : Keep my destiny in my own hands, never leave it in a corporations hands, I want to keep evolving and not worry about, “Shit, Def Jam is going out of business!” My business is still going to continue and it’s going to continue by the power of God in me.

Nobodysmiling.com : Are you still in the studio making beats as well?

Sha-Money XL : Absolutely, I just came in New York yesterday and made a beat in 30 minutes and my man was like, “Yo, it’s that easy?” When you’re really talented and know what you want, you can get it in. I was in New York for New Years and while everyone was on their downtime I booked some studios in Manhattan and made beats. I was in the studio with Buck [Young] this weekend working with him and I made beats.

Nobodysmiling.com : For anyone that’s trying to create their own company what would be some key ideas that they should keep in the forefront of their mind?

Sha-Money XL : You have to have a team, the team has to be thorough, you have to believe in yourself and your team and you really have to put the work in, don’t be a quitter, you can’t quit. Even when times are rough, never quit and always follow through.

Nobodysmiling.com : What’s it like looking at 50 from the times of Wanskta to becoming this consistent force in hip-hop?

Sha-Money XL : For me it’s like a pat on my back, before anyone had to tell me this is it, this is hot, I felt that myself and that assures me that I know what hot is and I know what a star is because he was a bummy dude and didn’t have all the stuff that he has now that dictated that he was fly. He had a talent and that’s what I could see, so I’m not going to go from him to some rinky-dink so whoever it is that artist has to be that kind of shit, flow, personality, performance, imagery and a story and he had all of that. So to go from where he was to 12 years later, this dude is on top of the game and he’s up there with the best of them.

Nobodysmiling.com : Besides the conference what else is in store for you and G-Unit in 08’?

Sha-Money XL : There is the studio now working on the album, 50 is masterminding and sculpturing it and I’m going to continue to move in other directions that are music related such as technology and I’m also trimming off the fat as many hats as I were and things I want to be involved in I don’t need to so I’m trimming off the fat as well.